Indiana in the Spotlight

I just saw this photo highlighted on Time's webpage. Finally, it's Indiana's time to be in the spotlight. I am so glad that the first year I am eligible to vote, I have the opportunity to actually make a difference. After Hillary's win in the Pennsylvania primary yesterday, Indiana's voice is more important than ever. I am sure unsure who I will vote for, but I am going to make an educated decision when primary day arrises. As for now, I will continue to watch the candidates to see who I support the most.

American Idol Tackles Andrew Lloyd Webber

My favorite weeks on American Idol are always those in which the contestants are forced to tackle an odd musical genre or style. This week the six remaining singers got to meet one on one with musical god Andrew Lloyd Webber who coached them each through a song from one of his many musicals. Overall, the night was okay... I was not really surprised by any of the performance, although I was a bit underwhelmed by a few.

Carly Smithson was probably my favorite, singing "Jesus Christ Superstar." The upbeat tempo and fun lyrics really complimented her voice. She actually looked happy while she was singing for once. What a nice surprise!

David Cook was also surprisingly good this week. He sang one of my favorite musical number, "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera. It was eerily composed and a bit creepy, but his voice sounded amazing.

Syesha (to my disapproval) sang well this week, too. I really don't like her, but this musical theater genre is where she shines. Darn.

David Archuleta, I am getting rather bored with you. If you sing another ballad, I think I may gouge my eyes out. I'm beginning to think that you are incapable of singing any upbeat songs. Lucky for you, you have about a million preteen fans worshiping you.

Jason and Brooke, I'm rather disappointed with you both. I know that this is definetly not your music genre, but your selections were rather dull and unispiring. I was hoping for a little more from you. I think one of the two of you will surely be going home tomorrow. Hopefully, it's not Brooke...

Reverting Back to AIM

All throughout middle school I would always get in trouble for spending too much time on the computer instant messaging friends. I would log on my AOL account nearly everyday in order to gossip with my other friends about the most random things. It was always so serious. This whole AIM thing kinda died down quite a bit during high school when everyone got a Facebook or a Myspace and new cell phones, so they resorted to writing on each other's walls or texting back in forth instead of IMing.

This is all about to change. Apparently a lot of my friends on the floor have been using AIM to communicate with each other since the beginning of first semester. I had almost completely forgotten my screen name and password and had not thought about IMing for the longest time. However, yesterday I just downloaded the program onto my desktop and started talking to some friends. I think this will come in handy this summer when I want to keep in touch with college friends while away from IU. It's just another reason for me to spend more time on the computer. Yipee.

Amazed by Hammer and Nail

Yesterday afternoon I went downtown with some friends in order to watch the annual Hammer and Nail performance by IU dance and music students. The event consisted of almost fourteen shot performances with everything done by the students. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. All of the music was composed by IU students and performed by music students. All of the dance pieces accompaning the music were choreographed by students and performed by dance students. I was amazed to see so much creativity and vision in all of the pieces presented. Of course, the program went a little long, and I might have accidentally fallen asleep a couple of times in the middle, but overall I was really impressed by what I saw on stage. We have a lot of talent at IU, and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to witness it.

Talking About Race and Culture

On Thursday afternoon, I went to hear a guest lecturer at the Anthropology department's 60th anniversary symposium. The theme of this year's symposium was race and its implications in today's society. Yolanda Moses opened up the event with one of the two keynote addresses. She divided her talk into three main sections: the understanding of race from a biological perspective, the understanding of race from a social and cultural perspective, and the need for cooperation between these two views of the issue. She began by giving a brief history of the concept of race in human society, dating back to when it was first used as a focus of class comparisons within human populations. The concept of distinct scientific biological races was prevalent, greatly affecting the treatment of races deemed “less evolutionary advanced.” As research directed toward learning more about evolutionary forces and population genetics began to arise, this idea of scientific biological races was snuffed out. It was found that there was actually more variation within groups than between them. Although this information was amassed, racism still prevailed around the globe. The Eugenics movement as well as the Holocaust is a testament to the continued quest for racial purification. Professor Moses began speaking of race in a new light, from the view of a cultural anthropologist. She deemed racism a cultural issue thriving in our society, fed by economic changes breeding anger and fear. Race is a cultural issue (a social construct) rather than a physical classification. Although this is true, Professor Moses emphasized the importance of bringing biological and cultural constructs of race together again in order to combat racism in our society. Each of these two groups (the biological and cultural anthropologists) needs to hear the other’s perspective in order to form a unified anthropological approach to racial diversity. I found this talk extremely insightful and interesting. I’m glad she was given the opportunity to visit Indiana University to speak to us about such a contested issue.

Rest in Peace, Caroline

I just heard about an hour ago that the 5 year old daughter of one of the teachers at my high school died this evening after fighting a difficult battle with leukemia. This news was so incredibly sad because I knew how strong little Caroline Harmon had been fighting over the past few months. During my senior year in high school, I was a member of the Student Council, and we conducted several fundraisers in order to benefit the Harmon family. We collected new toys and videos for Caroline in order to keep her occupied when she began her cancer treatment in quarantine. We raised money for gas and food, as well, because the family had to drive back and forth from Lafayette to Minnesota for treatment. I had not heard much news recently about Caroline Harmon's condition so I assumed that she was on the road to recovery. I'm just so shocked that such a small child could be taken in this manner. My thoughts and prayers go to the Harmon family in this time of pain and sadness. At least she will be in heaven where all the pain and suffering will be gone forever.

Miracles Happen Once in A While

I just read a really interseting article on CNN's website about an image of Jesus Christ weeping appearing on a window in an Orlando hospital. Witnesses say that the image bearing Jesus's likeness apeared quickly and lasted only for a couple of hours. There is currently no explanation for the appearance, which brought many onlookers to tears. I am a firm believer in miracles and the power of Jesus to touch peoples lives. Appearances like this one are extremely rare. Although in this case there is a tangible representation of Christ for everyone to see, I don't always have to see something to believe in it.

Am I Ready to Move Back Home?

As much as I am ready for these last three weeks of school to be over and summer to arrive, I can't help begin questioning whether or not I am ready to move back home. I've lived away from the family for almost a year now, and I am really used to the amazing freedom and responsibilities that come from living on my own. Honestly, I can't really say that I'm completely independent given that I live in a dorm room, but I still like to think that I'm out of the house for good. At least until summer arrives...

I know I'll love to go home and see family members and old high school friends, but I'm sure this excitement will be way too short lived. I'll give my sanity about two weeks before it begins to wane and struggle. My siblings drove me insane during the four weeks I was home over Christmas; I can't really imagine what it will be like after four months. I have taken for granted how free I am to do whatever I want whenever I please. I don't have to ask for permission to leave the house or worry about making a mess. I am loving being my own boss. As much as I love my parents and siblings, I think this is gonna be one hell of a long summer.

An AMAZING Weekend!

I had such an awesome time this weekend. I can now say that I officially survived "the Greatest College Weekend" here at IU.

On Friday I sadly missed out on the Women's Little 5 so I wasn't able to shake Obama's hand. My friends and I walked down to Kirkwood, though, in order to eat dinner and were told that he was soon to come to the Sample Gates in order to greet more people. We really didn't have time to wait in the large crowd, so we went and ate and then walked back to see if he had made an appearance. The mass of people had dispersed because he apparently was not going to be coming after all... We walked from Kirkwood to the IU Auditorium in order to hear Feist perform. The concert was awesome! I was so impressed with her beautiful voice, as well as, with her sense of humor. She really engaged the audience well and kept us really entertained. However, I think the most interesting thing about the concert was Feist's so called "Shadow Mistress." This woman stood at the back of the stage throughout the show and projected things onto a screen behind the band. I was incredibly mesmerized by these images; sometimes I lost track of where I was because I was staring so intently at the projections. During one song, the Shadow Mistress finger painted on the screen. She painted a boat on the water being engulfed by the sea. The image was drawn so slowly and precisely and correlated exactly with the music being played. It was phenomenal.

Yesterday I decided that I should go and see the race, even though it was rainy, windy, and FREEZING cold. I was hoping for possibly a few more accidents (those are really exciting) but was glad I went in the end. I got a little bored for about 100 laps in the middle of the race, but the beginning and ending were really exciting. Now I can say I officially attended the Little 500 race at IU.

Surprised by Riverdance

I signed up to usher severel performances this semester at the IU Auditorium, but I've had to cancel most of them due to chemistry tests, trips home, and midterm paper. Yesterday was actually the first time this semester that I was able to usher a show that I signed up for. I was a bit apprehensive about ushering Riverdance; I really didn't think that it would be that entertaining. Two whole hours of Irish dancing? Not quite my cup of tea... Actually the only reason I ended up staying for the show was because several of the people on my floor had seen the show earlier this week and had said it was amazing. (On top of that, I was procrastinating completing my bio lab report.) I have to say that show completely surprised me. The music and dancing were phenomenal! I was amazed at how well the dancers tapped to the fastpaced Irish band, especially when s group of 10-15 dancers stepped perfectly in sync together in a line. This was a great beginning to an awesome weekend.

This afternoon I may go watch the women's Little 5 because of the prospect of Barack Obama speaking before the race. I'm going with my friends to the Feist concert tonight which should be a really good time. Tomorrow is the men's Little 500 which should also be a lot of fun. I just need to make some time to write that bio lab and study for an organic chemistry exam for Tuesday...

Excited for Little 5!

Wow, this freshman year of college sure passed by at lightning speed. I can't believe that we only have three weeks of school left... With the end of the school year comes only one event, IU's Little 500. I am so excited to participate in this college tradition known for its craziness and chaos. I'm a little upset, however, that it's supposed to drop down into the 40's and possibly snow this weekend. What a bummer.

Although Little 5 may be a time of fun and games, it's really important to stay safe this week. Some people take the whole partying thing a bit out of control, and that's when things get bad. I've heard tons of stories from older students telling of the ruckus that ensues throughout this week: kids coming to class intoxicated, sofas being thrown out of dorm windows, large mobs of students at concerts... I'm into having fun with my friends, don't get me wrong, but I think safety needs to come first.

More IUSA Election Controversy

On the front page of today's issue of the IDS is an article about more IUSA election controversy. Apparently an investigation is taking place into Kirkwood's actions while campaigning. The news of someone from the Kirkwood ticket stealing important Big Red emails surfaced several weeks ago, but the implications may be much harsher than originally anticipated. Adam Pozza, the Kirkwood congressional candidate who allegedly forwarded the Big Red emails, was issued a fine totaling 20% of Kirkwood's campaign expenses. Further investigation is under way, if Kirkwood ticket is found to have made three violations, they will be disqualified.

I am completely shocked that our student government can be so corrupt and unethical. If this is what it's going to amount to, I think that IU is better off without this type of organization. What shocked me further is that so many students voted for the Kirkwood ticket even after they were found to steal another campaign's emails. Why would you want a shady ticket in charge? It's not like Kirkwood's platform was that much better than everyone else's. I did support their initiation to make a green campus, but I think this idea could be set in action by whatever ticket wins. It's jsut sad that the election is completely a popularity contest and not based on who will actually make IU a better place.

Your Grandmother is a Blast-ended Skank!

Oh my gosh! I haven't watched Potter Puppet Pals in months so I visited the site to see if there were any new videos. I was pretty excited to find that a new clip, "Wizard Swears" was up and running. It is one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen. (But not quite as good as "The Mysterious Ticking Noise....") Harry, Ron, and Herminone found a list of wizard swear words that have been banned from Hogwarts. If you've read the books, the choice words seem very funny and unappropriate. The puppet pals clips with actual puppets are great, but I'm really impressed with those that were made using Flash. I've had trouble doing basic Flash operations in class, so this thing must have taken many hours of work. Harry Potter books are some of my favorites, but it's great to see them being ridiculed by creative pupeteers. I really love these short movies.

The Quest for the Elusive Profile Picture

Long and rough is the quest for that elusive profile picture. Hours are spent in front of the mirror, smirking, grinning, snarling, laughing... Anything to get the perfect shot, something that will make you look cool, funny, and likeable. Tonight my friends and I got out the cameras and began taking pictures as we goofed around on the floor. I realized something important: I look terrifying in every picture I take. It's quite sad really. Is it possible for me to look normal and approachable in at least one photo? Apparently not. We took pictures of each other jumping frantically in the air. The only problem was that I was pushed from behind and ended up with a look of terrified bewilderment on my face. It became the source of ten straight minutes of laughter and ridicule... A couple of my friends decided it was a good idea to climb up into the storage compartment above my closet to take some humorous shots. Wow. That's all I can say. Again, however, I looked awkward in all of my pictures. Perhaps I need to learn to look and act more normal; that will be a challenge.

Fixated by Arrested Development

I'm so sad that I never watched Arrested Development while it was actually on television. Perhaps then it wouldn't have been canceled after three seasons. Luckily, I was introduced to this phenomenal show earlier last semester when a friend on my floor purchased the entirety of the three seasons. A group of us watched episode after episode together on the weekends until we made it through them all. Lately I've heard of lots of other people beginning to become addicted to the program as well. I watched a few episodes tonight with a different group of friends.

The storyline is so incredibly complex, but everything ties together so well in the end. The cast is AMAZING! Everyone portrays his or her character perfectly. Personally, I like Tobias and Buster the best. They have so many one liners that make me laugh hysterically. The actress who play Lucille has fantastic facial expressions. I would oftentimes find myself giggling before she even uttered a word because of her incredible smirk or grimace or glare. I've heard recently that an Arrested Development movie is in the works. That would definetly be incredible. I'm glad I was introduced to such an awesome show.

Free Concert for Obama

I have several friends who waited in line last night for over three hours in order to pick up a free concert ticket to see Dave Matthews play at Assembly Hall this Sunday. He is coming in order to host a campaign concert/rally for Barack Obama. What a great way to gain the support of the college crowd. Personally, I would have preferred if Obama himself made his way to IU in order to speak to the students. This way we actually be informed about the person we may choose to vote for; it would be less like bribing kids to vote and more like inspiring them. I heard that the ticket office ran out of tickets this morning but failed to mention this to the lengthy line waiting outside. Instead, when the unaware students entered the building, they registered them to vote and then sent them out in another direction so they wouldn't tell the other students who were still waiting in line. If this is true (I'm not exactly sure if it is.) I think it's a bit sneaky. Letting people register on their own accord would be a better idea.

For the First Time in 40 Years, Our Votes Matter

How often can someone say that they attended a rally held by a former president of the United States? I was incredibly upset upon hearing that Bill Clinton was speaking in my hometown of Lafayette earlier last week. I had gone home for Easter last Sunday; if only I had stayed an extra day (and skipped a few classes), I would have been able to witness an extreme important event in Lafayette's history. Worse yet, I was unable to go to the auditorium to hear Chelsea Clinton, either, because of a stupid biology lab. My class schedule was really hindering my ability to become a politically informed voter come May.

Luckily, I got my chance to see former president Clinton today when he made a second trip to Indiana in support of his wife. The only drawback, I had to miss three classes in the process (darn). I went with several of my friends from high school, along with a few people from my floor. We got there around 1:45 and were met with a stagnant line stretching around the building. Apparently, they had not begun letting people in yet. We kinda edged our way into the middle of line as it started to move, but we ended up waiting around 30 minutes before we actually entered Assembly Hall. Surprisingly, there was very little security from what I could see. One of my friends brought her backpack, but noone searched us at all. We weren't even led through a metal detector. I thought this a bit lax for such an important man...

When we got to our seats, we realized that we were seated in the row behind 20 rows of fifth grade elementary school students who came to here Bill Clinton speak. This confused me. Were these kids even born when Bill Clinton was in office? Did they even know who Bill Clinton was? I know when I was that age, I had about the attention span of a flea and would have fallen asleep within the first five minutes of his speech. The kids did enjoy doing "the wave" and yelling out "Go Bill!" at random intervals. This lasted for about two hours due to the fact that Mr. Clinton was pretty late.

When he arrived, Indiana Senator Vi Simpson had us all give Bill Clinton a "happy, hearty, Hoosier welcome!" I know, this sounds a bit corny, but Senator Simpson really got the crowd pumped up and ready for a powerful speech. I never realized just how eloquent and charasmatic President Clinton was while in office. He addressed nearly all of the major issues facing the presidential frontrunners today: no child left behind, alternate energy sources, our failing economy, healthcare, technology... Bill Clinton was so supportive of his wife; he felt that she would make an even better president than he was. (I'm not sure if he was being completely honest.) I really felt inspired to get out and vote next month. Our vote would matter for the first time in 40 years, he said. This really makes me feel awesome. I can actually make a difference in our nation's future!

Here They Come Again With Dolly

It's Tuesday evening, again. Do you know what that means? More American Idol!! This week the remaining nine contestants took on songs by country legend Dolly Parton. She has such an overflowing songbook; I'm surprised that she hadn't been on the show earlier. Apparently her fans were as well. I was excited to see what the singers had to offer, especially after the dreadful outcomes from last week. Honestly, there were no real surprises. Those who I thought were going to do well did well. Those who I thought would sink sunk. My favorites are definetly clearly defined.

1. David Archuleta- Singing "Country Mountain Memories," David returned to his heartwrenching ballads that he performs so well. I love the tone of his voice and the effortlessness with which he sings. He's still the favorite to win it all.

2. David Cook- Now that Amanda Overmeyer is gone, I've turned to the only other rocker in the competition. I was impressed with what he did with "Little Sparrow." His falsetto was awesome, and the simplicity of the song was a really nice change for him. I noticed, though, before he sang he made sure to give proper tribute to all of the artists who had arranged the songs he sang over the past few weeks. Way to avoid more controversy...

3. Carly Smithson- Honestly, this girl could sing anything and make it sound amazing. Tonight she sang "Here We Come Again," and I almost liked it more than the original. Her voice is pure and beautiful, but I'm not sure how large her fan base is at the moment.

Worst Performances:

1. Ramiele Malubay- Oh my God. It drives me crazy how she acts like a frickin two year old all the time. Just because you're the same height as a child doesn't mean that you have to act like one. She sang "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind." It was kinda weird... a bit to bouncy for her.

2. Kristy Lee Cook- After the "you-can't-vote-out-a-patriotic-girl" stunt that she pulled last week (darn you), I was hoping that she would be bad enough this week to be sent home. I know that she is a decent country singer, but I was disappointed with her song choice ("Coat of Many Colors") and performance. It was boring and forgetable.

I have a paper to write tomorrow night, so I might miss the results show. Let's see how my predictions pan out.

Another Clinton Visit

I've heard from several different sources that former president Bill Clinton will be making a trip to Bloomington this Wednesday. I am determined not to miss out on this opportunity to here him speak about his wife's campaign. I already was forced to miss out on Chelsea's talk last Monday due to biology lab, but I am determined not to miss a second opportunity to here an important politician speak at IU. I may have to miss out on a few classes (darn), but I think my reason is well warranted. I hope to have a really interesting blog post about President Clinton's talk on Wednesday evening. Until then I need to start working on my overflowing pile of homework...

Questioning the Questioner

I know I've already written about the media hype following the question posed to Chelsea Clinton by a Butler college student last Monday, but I am drawn back again to this topic after watching an interview with Evan Strange, the questioner, on CNN's website. The segment featured a short talk with Strange about the meaning behind the question and then featured three analyists who commented on the two sides of the issue. Was the "Lewinski" question posed to Chelsea crossing the line?

The first guest fired back at Strange saying that the question was beyond inappopriate and that Strange should get a failing grade in his Communications class and be kicked off of Butler's campus. I think my mouth literally dropped open with this comment was made. It was more than harsh; it was scathing. The guest went on to say that the question was an attack against Chelsea Clinton and was completely unwarrented. The third guest, on the other hand, thought that Strange should be commended for his probing question. Now that Chelsea is in the limelight, physically campaigning for her mother, she should no longer be spared from the media's tough questions.

I still am indecisive on this subject. Yes, I think the question was inappropriate (I would never ask it.), but Chelsea's response was as well. This whole situation, however, is being blown way out of proportion. It could drastically effect the coming weeks of Clinton's campaign.

A Busy Weekend...

I am incredibly stressed right now; I have so much planned for such a short weekend, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to finish everything that I need to. Last night I went to the 11:00 showing of There Will be Blood at the Union. I don't know if it was because I was tired and uninterested to begin with or the movie was just bad, but I really didn't like it. I know that Daniel Day-Lewis is a pretty awesome actor (especially given that he method acts), but regardless, I found the film incredibly slow, boring, and confusing. The other people in the theater were kinda annoying me, too. They would laugh at parts that were CLEARLY not intended to be funny, and it ruined the mood of several intense scenes. I suppose the premise of the movie was interesting, but I was just not in a "serious drama" movie mode when I watched it last night.

Today I need to get some serious homework done. I have a crap-ton in like all of my classes. I'm counting down the days until summer vacation. I still need to find a job, though... This afternoon I'm walking in Relay for Life with Alpha Chi Sigma, the chemistry fraternity I'm pledging. I'm really excited, especially now that I learned that I don't have to stay there until 8:00 in the morning. What a relief. Tomorrow I have to study hard for my AXE final; I have to get at least an 80% on it in order to be initiated into the fraternity. I'm pretty nervous because there is soooo much information to learn between now and then. I don't memorize things well on such short notice, so I should probably start studying today.

A Probing Question for Chelsea

Ever since Chelsea Clinton visited Indiana earlier this week, there has been a large hubbub over a question posed to her by a student at Butler University. The student asked Chelsea whether she thought that the Monica Lewinski scandal had in any way tarnished her mother's reputation and could show weakness in her candidacy. Hillary responded in quite a short, brusk manner stating that in the sixty some college campuses that she had visited, noone had ever asked her that question. She then followed by telling the student that it was none of his business. This small snipet of interview has been circulating on most major news stations as well as in many newspapers around the country. Who was wrong in this situation, the student with the probing (yet slightly inappropriate question) or Chelsea with her somewhat harsh response?

I can see both sides of the fence. I really do agree that that question was completely out of place and unwarrented in that situation. It had nothing to do with the issues at hand and so should have been left alone. The Lewinski scandal continues to resurface over and over again. This is not a mark of weakness in Hillary's persona but rather in her husband's. On the other hand, I really don't think that Chelsea's response to the question was warrented either. She could at least have been a little less defensive and snippy, brushing off the question in a more professional manner. At least now that this question has surfaced in front of Chelsea and the media has heard her response, this incident can be put to rest once and for all.

21 at the Union

I've written several posts over the past few months about the movies I've seen at the Union. The Union Board does a great job at picking good shows and bringing them to the students for free. Tonight was an advanced showing of 21, a show about a college genious who decides to count cards in Vegas in order to earn enough money to pay for medical school. The premise of the show was intriguing; the only problem I foresaw was the two hour and ten minute length of the film. Honestly I was surprised that the director could drag out such a basic concept for such a long period of time. Many parts could have been shortened or (better yet) omitted in order to condense the overly long movie. I was completely jealous of the main character, Ben. He was a genius with amazing MCAT scores and 4.0 GPA. It was a too perfect combination... He had his eyes set on Harvard Medical School but was short about $300,000 for tuition. $300,000??? That is ridiculous. This astounding figure is still looming in my head as I see myself attending medical school one day. How will I be able to afford this? Perhaps counting cards is not such a bad idea after all.

Go Big Red!

The pole's open up online today for IU's students to vote for next year's IUSA officers. I've gone to the websites of all three campaigns and looked over each of their campaign platforms. Each one has at least one aspect that I believe will greatly benefit IU.

Kirkwood wants to try and convert IU to a "green" campus. This would be an awesome undertaking and would have great implications for the environment if it becomes a success. They also want to make dead week "dead;" last semester it really stressed me out when all of my professors assigned due dates for their papers on the week before finals. This made it increasingly difficult to get everything done while studying for four or five final exams.

INdiana wants to put grip strips on all of the campus bridges. I've nearly fallen on them more times than I can count; this solution will prevent further accidents. INdiana always wants to give money back to IU's students. Any discount on such an expensive education is awesome...

Big Red wants to insert a fall break into our hectic fall semester. I am completely for this undertaking. We essentially had to go through 3/4 of the semester without a single day off; a fall break would break up the monotony of a busy schedule. Perhaps the most substantial change they want to make is petitioning RPS to allow 100% meal point rollover. This would save me soooo much money because I won't have to buy a new meal plan each year. I had an extremely large amount of points left over from last semester, and I don't want them to disappear if I'm unable to use them before May.

I was originally planning on voting for Kirkwood in the election, but upon hearing news about a campaign member stealing Big Red emails, I decided I didn't want an ethically questionable campaign to win. Therefore, I chose to vote BIG RED!

Would you elect a sex offender?

I just read a story of CNN's website claiming that a registered sex offender is running for mayor of the small town of Wilmer, Texas. Approximately four years ago, he tried to solicit sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl online. Despite this "minor lapse of judgement," Brian Sliter is deciding to make a difference in the world by running for public office. He hopes that the citizens of Wilmer will forgive him for his indiscretion and move on.

Yeah, right.

How could anyone with good conscience elect a sex offender as mayor? Just thinking of someone with such awful morals in office makes me feel nervous about how this lack of morals will rub off on the community. I understand that it is possible for people to change; just because someone does something horrible in the past doesn't mean that this person's character remains constant forever. While this may be the case, if this sex offender wants to make a difference in the world, perhaps he should do so in a different way. Picking up trash or working in a humane society would be more fitting. I would just feel extremely uncomfortable with him or her in such a position of power and authority. I hope others feel the same way.

Chelsea Clinton at IU

I read an article in Lafayette's Journal and Courier newspaper this morning talking about the Bill and Chelsea Clinton's visit to Indiana tomorrow in order to campain for Hillary. I was excited to see that Hillary will be visiting IU tomorrow evening, but then my excitement was promptly halted. Stupid biology lab, why do you have to be on Monday? I'm doing an important experiment this week, so I won't be able to go over to the Auditorium to see her speak. Apparently, Sean Astin, star of Rudy and The Lord of the Rings, is traveling with her to help promote the campaign. What a monumental occasion. Indiana's voice never really counts, so the candidate's rarely make stops here. On the one day they do, however, I am learning about something as stupid as yeast mutation. AHHHH!! Bill Clinton is going to be speaking at West Lafayette High School, about 20 minutes from my house. This is a historical moment for our city; I only wish I could witness the event. I'm sure security will be incredibly intense. Perhaps when Obama comes to visit (if he comes to IU...) I will be able to attend his campaign rally. Until then, I will just read CNN's website for further updates on the presidential race.

March Madness!

Ah, it's that time of year again. Birds are coming out of hiding and chirping at the crack of dawn; the buds of newborn flowers are slowing beginning to peak out from beneath the soil; my mom is dashing around the house with her vacuum cleaner and dusting cloth, cleaning frantically from room to room; and most substantially, the NCAA tournament is kicking into full gear. My dad has been practically glued to the television set watching back to back games from noon to midnight. Numerous guys on my floor have filled out their tournament brackets, predicting which teams will win and which will lose. It seems to be that North Carolina and Duke are favorites on my floor to win it all.

I'm definitely a basketball fan, but sometimes watching game after game after game gets a little tiring. The majority of this weekend at home, however, was spent doing just that. I actually didn't stay up to watch the Indiana game on Friday night but was not quite that surprised by the result. Indiana, sadly to say, is going home after a first round loss to Arkansas. If they had won, though, it was very unlikely that they could've stood their ground against a team like UNC, especially if they continued playing like that had been. Lucky for us, Purdue was also knocked out of the tourney this weekend after a second round loss to Xavier. This game was pretty competitive and entertaining to watch; both teams fought until the end. I was thoroughly elated when Duke lost to West Virginia; they were probably my least favorite team playing. I'm glad they are out of it. Right now, I'm kind of out of a team to root for. I was hoping a team from Indiana would take it all. I guess Butler is our last hope. Let's just hope they can withstand Tennessee tomorrow...

I Need More Cowbell and Will Ferrell

One of my all time favorite comedians has to be Will Ferrell. His movies always put me in a good mood, along with his old, classic SNL episodes. Tonight I saw a different side to Will when he took on a dramatic role in Stranger Than Fiction. I was actually really impressed. I wasn't sure that he would be able to pull off such a serious part, but he did it surprisingly well. I don't know if this was my favorite Ferrell flick, but it was decent enough.

A friend of mine recently told me about one of his clips on Funnyordie.com. The Landlord has to be one of the best things I've ever seen. I feel bad for the little girl, though, because she obviously has no idea of what she's saying. She'll look back at this experience one day and be shocked that those words came out of a two-year-old's mouth. Nevertheless, the clip is priceless...

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/74

Can't Believe that She's Gone

This post is a tribute to my favorite biker chick ever on American Idol who was sadly (and mistakenly) voted out tonight, Amanda Overmeyer. I was not a fan solely based on the fact that she was from my home town, although that did add to my support; Amanda truly brought a new angle to the show and so should have lasted longer. I partially blame myself for this tradegy. If I had only picked up my cell and texted the word "Vote" to 5701, maybe she would have beaten Kristy Lee Cook out of the tenth seat on the sofa. Why is Kristy still in the competition anyway? She is genuinely terrible! Wait, hold that thought; she can see "Amazing Grace" well, and that's about it. She has been in the bottom two every week since week one and has resisted elimination by the skin of her teeth. Oh, Amanda, I hate to see you go after you gave a shoutout to Lafayette on the show yesterday. I think that's the closest I'll ever come to being mentioned on the show. For now, I'll continue watching, but it definetly will no longer be the same.

got lactose intolerance?

I just read a really interesting article for bioanthropology about the negative impact of milk on the overwhelming number of lactase impersistent people all over the world. The U.S. government has pushed milk on the people for such a long time, siting the need for strong bones and teeth. What about the people who suffer lactose intolerance due to the inability to break down the lactose in the milk? These people are frowned upon because they are unable to drink such a "healthy elixir." What shocked me the most after reading the article is the fact that the there are a vastly larger amount of lactase impersistent people around the world than there are lactase persistent. Dietitians and government workers still insist on dubbing the inability to process milk "a disease." This is incredibly close minded and egocentric, but it remains unchanged and unchallenged. My anthropology teacher showed the class this photo that represented the majority of the world's population.

Making a Statement on Afghan Idol

The one woman in Afghanistan's version of "American Idol" was voted off the show this past week, coming in third place. This is an amazing feat for a woman in a country where they are forced to be conservative and subservient to men. Lima Sahar was just glad that she brought some music to a nation dominated by war and grief. Her appearance on the show made great strides for women's rights there; the fact that she was given so much support and attention is a great sign.

I checked on YouTube, but I couldn't find any clips of Lima's singing. Perhaps, if I wait a little longer someone will post it online. For now I will just stick to watching American Idol.

Watch Out for Falling Cranes

I heard a story on the news earlier this evening about a crane falling on an apartment complex in New York, killing and injuring several people who were trapped in the rubble. This is such a random catastrophe; it's just something you normally don't worry about. You could ask one thousand people about their biggest fears, and most likely, none would respond "falling cranes." I feel awful for all of the construction workers and innocent bystanders who were involved in this terrible accident. I can't really imagine what it would be like if something of that size fell on top of my residence. Worse than being killed on impact would be becoming trapped beneath feet of debris, unable to call out for help. There are still several people missing in the wreckage; I'm hoping that they are found soon. I'm gonna try and find some blogs with information on this event with some possible first hand recollections. This would be interesting to read.

Her Name is Carla

My friends and I sometimes go to a video rental store and try to find the most random videos possible to watch together. Yesterday, while at Hollywood Video, we spent thirty minutes to an hour (a relatively short time for us) perusing the shelves in attempts to find something good. We decided that we wanted to watch a horror film. However, we didn't want to watch a genuinely scary (or gorey) picture, but something so over the top that it is funny.

Last summer we watched Snakes on a Plane together. I have to say that if I had seen it by myself, I would have found it dumb and pointless; when we watched it together, though, it turned out to be a pretty hilarious experience. With my friend Annelise screaming at every other scene and my other friend Mike making fun of the random places where people were bitten, it turned out to be much better than I had previously suspected.

Anyway, yesterday we selected the film Her Name is Carla. It sounded creepy, yet ridiculous, also. After watching the short 90 minute film, I have to say that it was one of the worst things I have ever seen in my live. I was incredibly confused why it was placed in the horror section. Nothing about it was the least bit scary. We decided that it was intended to be shelved with the "whore" movies because of the random nudity and awkward scenes. Perhaps the fact that it contained no quotes praising it on the box would have been a sign that it was not worth watching. While this may be the case, I still enjoying scoping out random movies with my good friends.

I Love American Idol

I am officially addicted to American Idol. This week the top twelve contestants took on the earlier half of the Lennon/McCartney songbook. I really love music by the Beatles; their lyrics are really catchy, and their melodies are great, too. I was extremely exciting to tune in this week to see how the singers handled such classic songs. My favorites of the night were as follows:

Carly: Singing "Come Together," she finally made the right song choice! Her voice is pure and beautiful. My only problem with her is her stereotypical pop sound. I am ready for something different.

Brooke: Her music is raw and touching. This rendition of "Let it Be" left me speechless. Although she's mastered the slow, folky ballads, I'm unsure if she can handle an uptempo song with a big band.

Amanda: I know lots of people despise this girl, but she is truly one of my favorites. (Not just because she is from my hometown.) Sometimes I find her a bit spastic and hard to understand, but really this makes her unique.

David Archulata: It's weird to think that even though he forgot the lyrics of "We Can Work it Out" within the first couple minutes, he was still better than the majority of the contestants. His extreme modesty really annoys me, however.

My Mom Hates Technology

I've really noticed over the past couple days how much my mom hates technology of almost every form. She is constantly complaining about the number of email she gets at work. "If these people have enough time to sit down and write me a five page email, why can't they just give me a call." She believes that the Internet is cutting into valuable face to face communication that she sees as important in our society. She recently overheard a professor saying that she replies to emails at around one or two in the morning when she sits down to read they. She thought this was ridiculous. "Who in their right mind would be checking email at that hour?" This comes from someone who usually goes to sleep between nine and ten at night...

My mom also detests cell phone usage. She got our monthly Cingular bill yesterday and about had a heart attack to find that my younger brother (a junior in high school) used three times as much minutes as he was allowed for the month. She threatened to take away his phone and grumbled about him for the rest of the day. She also never fails to complain about text messaging. I convinced her last year to upgrade to a better cell phone plan that included some texting, and she reluctantly agreed. While this may be the case, she always asks how much I've been texting. I usually refrain from answering. She just doesn't understand...

Oh, Mom. I think that you need to liven up a little bit and maybe try to embrace a technologically advanced life. If not, she will be left in the dark.

Watching for the Commercials

Ahhh.... Finally Spring Break is here! I may not be blogging too much over the next week because I really need to break from school. I am planning on just relaxing (napping a lot) and having some fun with my family and high school friends.

However, before I take my hiatus, I came across an interesting blog topic today after getting home. My little sister had a project that she had to complete where she was supposed to watch an hour of television. What an awesome assignment. The catch was that she needed to count all of the commercials between segments and classify them based upon what they were trying to sell. She originally started watching a movie on the Disney Channel, but I soon made her change the channel because of the lack of commercials with substance. I suggested watching ABC or CBS where she was sure to find a more diverse selection. She was dismayed to see that on both of these channels there was a basketball game. (She dislikes watching sports.) She decided to read while waiting for the commercials to aire, but when they appeared, she began counting.

There were lots of car ads, no surprise there, and many more advertising insurance. The same brands were seen throughout each commercial break. These were, obviously, the ones that were sponsoring the sporting event. I don't think her results turned up anything surprising or enlightening, but I believe the overall assignment was a good way for middle school students to begin paying attention to the media they dismiss everyday.

Let's Joke About School Shootings

I read an article in the IDS today about a mock school shooting occuring at Saint Elizabeth State University in North Carolina following the shooting in Illinois last month. This was supposed to be a drill, preparing the local police department for a worst case scenario. The only problem was... the professor and students had NO idea that the shooter was really a police officer and that his gun was plastic. He lined them up against the wall and threatened to kill the student with the lowest GPA. Even when the police arrived and detained the "shooter," the class was still left in the dark about this being a drill. Students in nearby classes blockaded their doors with desks and texted the horrifying news to their parents at home. Some considered escaping through the windows...

What an awful idea!! I mean, I understand that performing preventative measures against horrible castastrophes is understandable, but doing this without letting the people involved know is more harmful than helpful. I am really surprised that noone has decided to sue the university yet. It's only a matter of time. Apparently, they are offering counseling now for the students who were affected by the traumatic event. Please, lets avoid this sort of thing at IU...

My Vote May Actually Count!

I am pretty excited that the race for the Democratic presidential candidate is back to being a highly contested fight. After Hillary's Tuesday night victories in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island, she has propelled herself back into the race with Obama. Now maybe the Indiana primaries will be more interesting, with much more media coverage than usual. The fact that I'm glad Hillary gains some more delegates in no way reflects my feelings toward her; I am an Obama supporter. I'm just glad that my vote in May's primary election will actually make a difference. The race will not be decided before I even vote...

I was trying to assess what Hillary did over the last couple of weeks that swayed so many votes in her direction. Was it the phone commercial playing in Texas? It was a very well put together piece (even though it essentially copied one put out by Walter Mondale in 84). Maybe it was her appearance on SNL where she actually showed some personality and a sense of humor while ridiculing herself. The clip was pretty hilarious. Whatever it was, however, it seemed to have worked. Now I am excited to get out and vote!!

SNL Clip:
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224732

So how much do I win for ruining my marriage?

So, I wrote about the new FOX television show, The Moment of True, earlier in January and February. I thought that it was a disgusting show that just paid people to embarrass themselves and end their relationships. I was right.

I missed last weeks episode but came across an excerpt of it while perusing clips on YouTube. The contestant, a beautiful blonde woman, was on her $100,000 question. Her husband and family members were seated on a bench in front of her listening to all of her truthful answers. For this question, the host beckoned a young man from back stage to read it to her. She groaned in disgust and covered her face. It was her ex-boyfriend. The question was asked: Do you think I'm the man you were supposed to marry, instead of your husband? Her husband looked intently in her direction. After a surprising brief pause, she answered, "Yes." The audience gasped in utter disgust and surprise. Her husband covered his face to disguise the hurt in his eyes. It was pretty sad, I have to say. She decided now that she had revealed that fact, that she would continue to play. The next question was: Have you had sex with a man other than your husband since you have been married? Again, the answer was yes. Alright folks, it's official. This marriage is over. Unphased, the woman proceeded to the next question: Do you think you are a good person? Yes, she replied (followed by groans from the audience). There was a long pause before the computer spoke. "That answer was false."

What a great way to spend a weekend, losing the money, your reputation, and your marriage. Thanks FOX, for making such an uplifting program...

Meetup With.... Vampires

After reading The Revolution Will Not be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything, I decided to check out Meetup.com to see one of the central forces in the Howard Dean, Dean for America, Internet campaign. I typed in his name in the search menu to see if there were any supporters still using the site. While I couldn't find any actual Dean supporters, I found an overwhelming amount of people in the Democracy for America group. This was essentially the goal of the Dean for America campaign, giving the people the power to organize a new democracy for America. The groups entry photo was of Howard Dean amidst a group of other people. There were hundreds of meetups scheduled around the nation... 2,500 gathering in Manhatten, 1,500 in Boston, 900 in San Diego... This is a real sign that Dean's presidential run had a profound impact on our nation.

I decided to look at the other types of people congregating on the site. I was expecting to see groups of old ladies gathering to crochet together, or neighbor groups of bowlers or cat lovers. What I saw was really surprising... Along with these people, I found groups of vampires, witches, and werewolves. How weird would it be to get together with other so-called "vampires" to discuss stories of the undead. A little creepy for my taste...

My Mind is Blank...

There are so many forms of media surrounding me, and yet, I'm having the hardest time ever coming up with a topic for my Citizen Media Campaign Proposal due tomorrow. I honestly don't know what aspect of campus life I am most interested in changing...

I looked over the existing campaigns that Thom emailed us and was really entranced by the "Get Caught Reading" campaign. If only there was a way that I could modify this idea a bit to bring in college students. Perhaps, I can do something involving trading in the electronics for books, or possibly, putting away electronics in order to meet other people. I'll have to think about this some more before I make a final decision.

Rockin' the Suburbs With Ben Folds

Last night's concert at Purdue was pretty much AMAZING. Ben Folds is an awesome live performer; he has mad piano and vocal skills and really knows how to bring the audience into the performance. This was actually the first concert I've ever been to, and I have to say that it surpassed my expectations. My only regret was not buying a T-shirt after the performance. The opening act was pretty awful, however. He sounded like he was whailing/shrieking/calling-a-mate through most of his songs. He also did kinda wierd, jumping dance moves that made the performance even worse. When he left the stage, though, and Ben Folds began his set, everthing changed. I particularly enjoyed Annie Waits and Zak and Sara. He also played some of the tracks off of his new album, which he just finished recording.

After paying $30 for a ticket in an auditorium that seated over 6000 people, I had to think about how much money this group was making with this 2 hour performance. Add on $20 for a shirt, and the amount is staggering. No wonder music groups are so wealthy...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dg71YU_lVRs

Addicted to Crickler

There's this game on the Washington Post website called "The Crickler." It's a daily puzzle where you fill in the correct letter boxes corresponding to clues about that day's top news stories. Oftentimes I don't have the time to go through the entire newspaper (or website) looking for the most important items; this game pulls those things out for me, telling me about the news in an interesting, interactive way. Along with Cricklers of the daily news stories, there are others called "Vocabulary Puzzles" where you fill in the letters for vocab words corresponding to short clues or definitions. There are weekly puzzles that generally are fine tuned on a specific topic like a state or a country. Also, there are crossword Cricklers that take the daily crossword puzzle and rework it into Crickler format.

What I like so much about this game is that when you guess letters incorrectly, it lets you know. When you a guess a correct letter, the puzzle fills in every box throughout the puzzle that is the same letter. You can adjust the handicap of the game, making it more challenging for more advanced players, and less so for beginners. Lately, I've kinda been slacking and have not been doing the puzzles daily. Sometimes I settle for a Sudoku or a Wordsearch instead. Anything to engage the brain is fine with me.

Freedom to Wear a Mohawk

This story is more than a little ridiculous. A sixth grader attending Kindergarten in Ohio was recently suspended becuase of his mohawk haircut. The school apparently had a strict dress code, but it failed to mention the inability to wear the rebellious hair style. Administrators said that the mohawk was distracting other students and getting in the way of their education...

I find this to be a load of crap. How are administrators justified in suspending a small child for something he really can't control. I remember when I was that young, my parents picked out my clothes each day and decided exactly how I would style my hair. If I didn't like it, then too bad. I find it pretty hard to believe that a Kindergarten student would have the authority to tell his parents that he wants such an outlandish haircut. On the other hand, it's pretty outrageous to take a way a person's right to style themselves as they want to when it is not forbidden in the school's handbook. I think this situation resulted in poor decisions by all adults involved, both parents and administrators. I feel really bad for the poor kid involved. It would be really awful to be pulled away from your friends due to a mohawk that was forced upon you by your mother and forbidden unneccesarily by your school. This whole thing was blown way out of proportion. It was a six year old child for Heaven's sake. Suspension is a little extreme...

Assassins at Collins

I was reading the IDS this morning and saw an article on the front page about the Collins Living Learning Center Assassins Guild. I remember talking about this game in class and about its alternative version of Killing Through Kindness. The premise of a large group of students on campus trying to "kill" one another is really interesting. Apparently there is a choice of three weapons to be used, Nerf guns, light sabers, and spoons. Spoons? I was a bit confused when I read that word... Spoons are readily concealable and are a creative alternative to more violent weapons, this is why they are used.

I am always so stressed out about my extremely difficult classes, as well as my extra curricular activities. Playing a game like Assassins where you are worried about being assassinated rather than about failing your chemistry test seems to be a great way to make friends and relieve stress. Perhaps Collins should adapt the Killing Through Kindness version of the game (or at least use it for a week as an alternative game) to promote kindness rather than hurtfulness... Anyway, I'm thinking I may look further into this game and perhaps will participate sometime in the future. A game like this certainly would be very exciting and entertaining.

Stop Butchering the National Anthem

One of my biggest pet peeves is listening to people who think they have the right to essentially rewrite the national anthem. I find this extremely disrespectful and annoying... It seems like every time I turn on the TV and watch a sports game, some new popstar or seasoned professional tres to show off his or her range and talent by butchering the Star Spangled Banner. The complicated runs and key changes were left out of the music for a reason; therefore, they should not be added in. I really don't care what other songs artists try to remake, but I feel our national anthem, a symbol of our nation's pride and honor, should be left alone.

I remember back in middle school band when my band director, Mrs. Fallis, was trying to find a version of the national anthem to play at a school Veteran's Day function. She always got so angry that there were so many versions that ruined such a purely simple, beautiful piece. She always settled on a version that was as close to the original as possible. I think this is really important. The Star Spangled Banner is a truly amazing song that showcases our patriotism. Does this song of liberty and justice need to be altered? I think not. So please, stick to the original.

Revolving Around the Cell Phone

I though I lost my cell phone tonight. It was a tragic situation. I searched everywhere in my room, moving things on my desk, shoving my hand down the back of my chair, searching under my bed... When I realized it was not in my room, I kinda became frantic. What was I going to do without it? I called my mom and explained the situation. I could tell she was pissed, but she knew that if I didn't find it soon, she would have to buy me a new one. "I don't want you walking around at IU without a phone." She's told me this numerous times.

Even I were to get a new phone next weekend when I went home, I would still have to last through this entire week without a phone. That's hard to believe. After getting the new phone, I would have to go through the disgusting hastle of reassembling my list of hundreds of phone numbers gathered throughout high school and college. How fun! I adamently refuse to start another Facebook group entitled "Jake lost his phone. Give him your number." Those always seemed to annoy me in the past. I would be a member of at least four "(Insert name here) lost his/her phone" groups at any one time...

Luckily one of my friends let me know (via Facebook) that I had left my phone in her car. Thank God! I plan on picking it up tomorrow. I now really believe that my life revolves around that stupid piece of plastic and metal, my cellular phone.

Happiness only real when shared

Happiness only real when shared, the last five words written in his journal before he died. I went to the Union tonight with some friend to watch Into the Wild and have to say that it was a really amazing film. I had never heard of it before tonight, but I am really glad that I went and saw. The show follows a young man who had just graduated from college and was feeling pressured by his wealthy parents to attend law school. Instead, he followed the footsteps of several writers he admired, namely Thoreau and Tolstoy, and set off to find happiness in the wild. He burned his money and donated all of his worldly possessions as he traveled from West Virginia to his final destination of Alaska and the ultimate adventure awaiting him there.

The movie really wracked my brain and had me questioning what I'm doing here at IU. Is it really necessary for me to attend medical school and become a doctor? What is my rationale behind this? Is it for the money? The benefits? The prestige? What really matters in the world? What is the source of happiness? As the main character sat alone in a tiny "magic" bus in the Alaskan wilderness he asked himself this same question. He had been running away from his family and their superficial life but realized that happiness was not the product of solitude and singularity but rather must be developed between people. Happiness only real when shared.

Kelvin Sampson Resigns as Coach

I just got through reading an article on the Indiana Daily Student website stating that Kelvin Sampson, IU's men's basketball coach, has officially resigned. Confronting increased speculation by many over numerous illegal recruitment practices, Sampson decided to make a deal with IU and end his job. He recieved a $750,000 settlement from the school.

I definitely think that resigning was a good move on Sampson's part. The investigation into his recruitment infractions was still being conducted, but it really didn't look very good for him. It was a really good idea to end hid career on his own terms instead of waiting to be fired by IU. At least now, the critics will stop the intense scrutiny of Sampson and the IU basketball program. Sampson's resignment is in the best interest of the team which will be now lead by assistant coach Dan Dakich. I'm hoping that the team will finish out the rest of the season strong and make a good appearance in the NCAA tournament. With the drama finally out of the way, at least the team will be able to focus all of its attention on basketball and forget about the problems within the program.

Way to Represent Indiana

I have to admit that I'm a bit underwhelmed with this seasons top 24 contestants on American Idol. Weren't these guys and girls supposed to be the best finalists the show has ever compiled? Apparently they aren't quite as good as they were made out to be...

Although none of the performances throughout the past two nights were really outstanding, one contestant has really caught my attention and gathered my support. Amanda Overmeyer is a badass rocker chick who really seems like a genuine, down to earth person. She's a nurse by day and a Harley riding, slightly gothic woman by night. What's exciting about Amanda is that she is from little Mulberry, Indiana. This is about 15 minutes from my house. My family gets phone service from Mulberry Telephone Company... My dad's relatives always gather at Mulberry Community Part each June for a large reunion. It's really exciting to find out that someone from such a small Indiana town could make it on TV. I really think that Amanda will go far in this competition due to her rocker style and uncompromising attitude. This is why I really like her.

Hasta la Vista Fidel Castro

After nearly 50 years of communist rule in Cuba, Fidel Castro has decided to step down as the country's president. He published a letter in a Cuban newspaper during the middle of the night notifying the public of his decision to abdicate his post. Hopefully, this change in leadership may give may to a democratic nation in the near future. This may not be the case, however, as Fidel's brother Raul may be taking his place as president. This would most likely mean no change for the Cuban people. The United States plans to continue the embargo with Cuba, and it doesn't look like this will be lifted any time in the near future. Castro has been sufering from declining health (mainly intestinal problems) for some time now; this could very well be a possible motive for his stepping down.

With Castro finally out of the way, will Cuba continue on as a communist nation or is democracy in its future? Let's hope so. Will the United States invade Cuba in attempts to get a new leader with democratic ideals in power? Let's hope not. We have the tendancy for becoming involved in situations that we should stay out of. If all goes well, Cuba will instate a democracy on its own.

New Game Ideas

Spending the past week coming up with new game ideas in class got me thinking about how many other games I've created throughout the course of my life.

Last year when teaching second grade Sunday school at church, I came up with an idea for a game that would get the kids more involved in the weekly lecture. It was an interactive activity based on the game Life and so creatively dubbed Religious Life. The students would have to tranverse a lengthly path covered with colored square blocks. Each of the colors stood for a different question they would have to answer in order to move further. Along the way, the kids would have to overcome several obstacles (the Seven Sacraments) that they had to pass in order to reach the finish line (Heaven). The kids seemed to really enjoy playing the game, but it got somewhat chaotic when seven extremely active nine year olds sat impatiently around a table waiting to roll the dice on their turns. I was really proud of myself for coming up with such a fun activity to break up the monotony of book reading and workbook pages.

I remember in sixth grade we had to develop a game in partners based on positive and negative choices people could make throughout their lives. Another board game was created... I remember naming it Chances Are, a suitable title for game of choices. My partner and I were extremely naive (we were sixth graders after all); some of the more "mature" kids in the class pointed out that this name was shared by a local Gentlemen's Club. How perfect.

One of my all time favorite game was developed by a grandpa's family when he was kid. He was one of sixteen children (I know, it's shocking), and they found it an extremely fun activity. The game, called Andy Over, essentially consists of two teams standing on opposite sides of a shed. One side stands with a tennis ball and throws it over the roof of the shed, making sure that it hits the roof at least once, while yelling "Andy Over." The other side stands at the ready and attempts to catch the ball before it hits the ground. If they do, they run around the side of the shed and try to hit the opposing teammates with the ball. Anyone who gets hit must join the other team. When everyone becomes part of one team, the game is over. My cousins and I would persuade my aunts and uncles to play when we were younger. Every Sunday evening when we visited Grandma and Grandpa, we would het out to the shed with the tennis ball and play a game or two. The older relatives would sit in lawn chairs and watch us play. This homemade game really brought our family together.

Turning All Our Children Into Hooligans and Whores

I have to say that Reefer Madness has to be one the best films I have ever seen. I watched it with a group of friends from my floor last night; this has to be like the umpteenth time I've seen it. I can now basically quote the majority of the movie and sing along word for word through the amazing songs. The song lyrics are so clever, witty, and hilarious; I am incredibly impressed with whomever wrote these awesome pieces. I don't think I can pick a favorite... "Listen to Jesus Jimmy" is good, so is "Romeo and Juliet." Any songs that can find rhymes for transubstantiate, stigmata, Charlamagne, and Velveeta definitely is okay in my book.

Reefer Madness the musical is based on a propaganda film made in the thirties or fourties, persuading people to protect their children from the menace reefer. The new musical adaptation takes the same approach but highly overdramatizes the plotline making a highly amusing, catchy movie. I was highly surprised that Kristen Bell (who played Veronica Mars on the WB) could sing so well. Her character, Mary Lane, provides a innocent, naive contrast to the reefer smoking characters that appear frequently. The ending is quite tragic (and quite disturbing as well), but the majority of the fill kept me laughing constantly. I really recommend this musical to anyone who enjoys wry, cleverly written comedies. The only problem is finding a place that has the movie in stock...

A Brief Look into the Naked Cowboy Case

So I just read an article on CNN.com that claimed the infamous Naked Cowboy of Times Square was sueing the Mars Corportation for Trademark Infringement. Everyone who's been to NYC is familiar with the guiter playing man wearing nothing but some boots, a cowboy hat, and a pair of underwear (despite the bitter weather) who serenades people walking through Times Square. Apparently, Mars created a new bill board depicting a guitar-playing M&M dressed only in underwear in a scene that looks an awfully lot like Times Square. The Naked Cowboy (who's name is really Robert Burck) is taking Mars to court, sueing them for $6 million because they used his name and image without his consent.

As ridiculous as this case may sound, Burck might very well have a chance of winning. He had apparently copyrighted his name and image several years ago and did not give Mars written consent to use these items. I definetly want to wait and read more about this case as it progresses to see who comes out on top.

Another School Shooting

Seventeen students were shot and injured at Northern Illinois University this morning before the shooter eventually killed himself. Luckily, all of the injured were listed in stable condition at the hospital; none were reported dead. Thank God.

School shootings are a terrifying thing. Following the devasting Virginia Tech shooting, I was a bit worried about going away to college... High schools, too, are at risk, however. This never really seemed to phase me, though. I had heard of the masacre at Columbine and of other smaller incidents, but none of this seemed possible to me. The shooting today in Illinois is just another in the list of many. I think it's begun to sink in; a shooting of this caliber could happen anywhere, anytime. I just pray to God daily that it doesn't.

What could a person be thinking when they choose to go on a killing spree? Spraying unsuspecting students, teachers, children, parents with bullets in malls, in dorms, and in classrooms. Could someone really be depressed enough to end the lives of as many people as possible before taking their own? This is a frightening concept. Where is the next target? Indiana? We can only pray that God will give those men and women who are too depressed to go on living comfort and solace. Death is certainly not the answer.

Finally, the Strike Ends

It's official. The writer's strike has now ended!! Picketing for better wages beginning back in November, the writers have finally voted to put an end to their fight and go back to work. The board of governors of the union has agreed upon a three year contract with production companies. This is really great news for the nearly 10,000 men and women who have been unemployed for the last few months, refusing to lend their writing talents to many television shows and film productions...

I've really begun to notice how much the writers are needed on late night television shows such as The Daily Show. Jon Stewart was getting pretty bad at coming up with new, funny material. Most of his jokes are extremely outdated or somewhat corny. He was in desparate need of his writers to spruce up the material. The Colbert Report was actually somewhat better without the writers. Stephen Colbert is pretty much one of the most hilarious people ever and was ever to produce sharp, witty material since forced back on the air about a month ago. I'm pretty impressed with his ingenuity and creative work; he can definetly hold his own without the help of a writing team. Nevertheless, the writers will surely spruce up these shows and allow for new episodes of popular sitcoms and dramas to be filmed and aired shortly. Thank God that an agreement was formed, and these talented people are able to work once again.

Getting Ready to Rock Out

I am very excited that Feist will be coming to IU over Little 500 weekend. This is pretty awesome news! Generally such well publicized musicians tend to stay away from IU... Last semester when Guster made a stop here, I was planning on going to see them play but was not excited that I had chemistry lab for three hours on the night of the concert. Somehow this always seems to happen to me... but not this time.

I'm also really excited about driving up to see Ben Folds at Purdue in two weeks. I've heard from friends that he is an amazing live performer, so I can't wait to hear him at Elliot Hall with some high school friends. These two concerts will definitely help make this semester much more exciting than last...

Surprisingly, I've never been to an actual concert before. My friends would always travel to Indy or Chicago during high school to see Panic! At the Disco or Ben Folds, but I was never able to go with them. I am glad that this spring I will be given the chance to see two amazing musicians perform. I am definetly ready to rock out!

Props to Huckabee!

The number of presidential candidates vying for their party's nomination has really begun to dwindle lately. One by one, those men who have fallen to the back of the pack have slowly dropped out of the race.

....Biden, Dodd, Edwards, Kucinich, Richardson, Romney, Giuliani, Hunter, Thompson, Tancredo....

With nearly every underdog giving up the fight (and the financial strain), who do we have left to support? Of course Clinton and Obama are still fighting for control of the Democratic party. This heated duel will likely still be contested when Indiana finally gets a chance to vote. On the Republican side stands McCain with an overwhelming majority of delegates, followed by Huckabee in second. I admire Mike Huckabee's tenacity and desire to continue in the race although he is so far behind. Even though I don't really think he could ever be elected president, Mike Huckabee seems like a really decent man. He seems like he would be a friendly person that would have a nice heart to heart conversation with you. I'm glad he, unlike Romney, has stood his ground and refused to give up. A presidential race composed of one candidate would not be very interesting.

Got Jesus?

While riding in a car back and forth between Bloomington and Lafayette, I noticed that there are a surprisingly large number of interstate billboards advertising religion. Hmm... I thought this was an odd thing to be blantantly flaunting to masses, especially through the use of such an untradtional medium. Just at the edge of Bloomington before merging of to Highway 37, I saw a billboard depicting an overly large water faucet pouring water into a wine glass. The water issuing from the faucet was orignally clear but slowly turned to a deep crimson, wine-colored hue as it fell into the glass. To the left of the image was the phrase, "got faith?". Obviously this advertisement was referencing Jesus's miracle at the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. For those who are unfamiliar with the Bible or the Christian faith in general, this image would make no sense to them. I understand that it is a goal for every religion to spread their messages as far as possible, but I think that proclaiming them on billboards may be a tad bit extreme.

I saw a much more in-your-face religious billboard when riding home over Christmas break. It was split down the middle; on one side was depicted a beautiful blue, cloud dotted sky, while on the other was a roaring fire. Across the center of the board were the words, "Heaven or Hell? You decide." This could be quite offensive to those who do not believe in either heaven or hell... Perhaps we need to be a little less blunt about our religions and tolerate everyone for what they do or do not believe. This, I think, is what God really wants.

Home for the Weekend

My mom drove down to Bloomington this morning in order to bring me home to Lafayette for the weekend. I was excited to see my family again, but soon found myself at a loss of things to do. The typical away-from-college boredom set in, and I was forced to resort to flipping through TV channels over and over again until I found something adequate to watch...

I remember watching soooo much television over the summer and throughout high school. Perhaps this is because I was still living with my parents in an extremely boring environment. Now that I've moved away (although only 2 hours south), I find that I rarely choose to watch TV. I bought a TV with money received at my grad party and thought that this would be a really good decision. Now that I have interesting people on my floor to talk to, plenty of homework to keep myself occupied, a new laptop to surf the web with, and a huge college campus with tons of awesome non-television alternatives, I find that the remote has gathered dust on my desktop as it continued to go unused.

While I don't watch much TV at IU, I find the amount that I do watch (maybe 30 minutes a day) is at a completely different time than what I used to watch at home. I particularly enjoy watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, both airing after 11:00 PM. I feel like at least I am gaining some basic political insight through these choices rather than gaining nothing from the garbage I would watch at home. I have begun to see a completely new side to today's Big Media.

Veronica Mars, I Hate You.

I've always been incredibly envious of the extremely perfect characters portrayed on television. I mean, come on. Is it actually possible to find one person possessing every beneficial trait known to man? God must really love these people to have graced them with such good looks, good personalities, and good fortunes. All the adoring fans watching these shows must feel incredibly inadequate when trying to measure up to pure perfection. I sometimes wish that more television characters had noticible flaws. Perhaps this is why shows like Ugly Betty and My Name is Earl are popular. These people can actually be seen as humans!

I was watching Veronica Mars with my friends earlier this evening and was completely shocked by how perfect the main character was. She was incredibly beautiful, smart, witty, and resourceful. Do people like this really exist? I sure haven't met one.

Perhaps the reason shows featuring extremely attractive, funny, and intelligent characters become so popular is because these characters give us something to strive towards. They may make us feel inadequate, but perhaps they are a manifestation of our inner desire to be perfect... I happen to like the fact that I may be a bit flawed. These imperfections give strength to my character. Although I may be slightly jealous of the perfect people of TV, I find that I am pretty happy in my own skin.

Super Tuesday on Wednesday

So I'm not feeling much better than yesterday (which sucks) but am kinda excited about the results of yesterday's super primaries. McCain essentially sealed the deal for the Republican ticket, winning the majority of the states contended for. He now possesses almost 500 more delegates that his nearest competitor, Mitt Romney. Huckabee is still far in the rear, although he did surprisingly win 4 states yesterday...

What I'm most excited about is the heated race between Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Obama holds on to his lead by a mere 4 delegates! This looks to be a very close race. I'm kinda pissed that Indiana's primaries always fall at the very end of the pack (I think only four or five states vote after us). I'm seriously hoping that the battle between Hillary and Barack remains heated until we can vote. If the figures are still so close, we'll be given much more recognition on voting day. It always seems that the primary elections are a landslide in favor of one candidate per party. When Indiana's turn to choose rolls around, noone really cares who wins our delegates because the contest has already been decided. This year will be different. This year Indiana's primary will be monitored closely and speculated about more frequently. This year we will be considered important.

Too Sick To Blog...

So I just took my temperature and found that I have a fever of over 100. Yuck. I've been taking Motrin all day in order to feel okay enough for my Organic Chemistry test this evening. I took an Advil PM a few minutes ago and am waiting for that to kick in before I go to sleep. Although I'm not blogging about citizen media tonight, I'll be back at it again tomorrow with a new post on Super Tuesday. Well, that's all for now. Good night...

The End of Knight

I was studying for my organic chemistry test in Forest's formal lounge when one of my friends informed me that Bobby Knight, legendary Indiana basketball coach had resigned from his current post as coach of Texas Tech. Wow, what a sudden end to such an amazing carreer. I looked up an article about Coach Knight's resignation on IndyStar.com, and it seems that he turned his team over to his son, Pat. I'm really pretty shocked about this decision, in the middle of the season none the less. I suppose all good things have to end sometime.

I was never a really big Bobby Knight fan growing up, but my dad certainly was. Apart from the three NCAA championships Indiana won under the coaching of Knight, his fierce temper generally stands out in people's minds. I still remember the chair throwing incident... While this may be the case, I think Bobby Knight was a great thing for IU. He united the student body along with Indiana basketball fans everywhere for nearly thirty years.

Retirement might be a good decision. Bobby Knight will still be remembered as Indiana's greatest coach ever (and most angry). I can only wish him the best of luck for the future!

Best Superbowl Commercials

Although I am not the biggest football fan, I always make some time to watch the Super Bowl each year. I wasn't a supporter of either of the two teams playing today (but I'm glad the Giants won) so it wasn't the game itself that drew in my attention. The annual Super Bowl commercials are what I'm most interested in. This year several products stood out in my mind with their extremely clever, greatly entertaining commercials. They are as follows:

5. Pepsi- Sending Justin Timberlake soaring through the air with each sip of a Pepsi is a pretty interesting concept. I especially enjoyed the part where he was nailed by a flying plasma television.
4. Bud Light- There were numerous Bud Light comercials premiering throughout the game. My favorite would have to be the "fire breathing" one. Who knew that Bud Light once gave you the ability to breathe fire? Cats beware.
3. Doritos- Oh my God! How hilarious was it when that gigantic mouse broke through the wall and tackled the guy with the bag of Doritos. Priceless.
2. Bridgestone- I guess I never realized how loud squirrels could scream. This commercial really made me laugh, especially when the screaming woman was juxtaposed against the squirrel.
1. Planters- The lady with the unibrow and warts could definitely be defined as disgusting. Perhaps using Planters nuts as a perfume would be a good way for her to attract some much needed attention. I have to admit, I find it hard to say no to some good cashews...

Walking Off the Weight

I read an interesting article today about a once obese man weighing nearly 400 pounds walking off half of his body weight. How incredible is that! Losing half of one's body weight just by making the effort to step away from the TV and walk one mile each day. Obesity is becoming an ever increasing problem in our nation. With dozens of fast food franchises banking on our inclination to eat fatty, extremely unhealthy meals and thousands of satellite TV channels luring us onto the couch for hours on end, we are falling into bad habits that will reak havoc on our bodies in the long haul. If one man can lose have of his weight by walking and eat less unhealthy food, imagine what others could do if they followed his example.

I'm really glad that IU has such a large campus. Walking from one end to the other might take a long time, but it provides a steady stream of exercise everyday. So far I've only ridden the bus on campus 4 or 5 times (when it was deathly cold) and feel healthier by avoiding this habit. I remember watching sooo much TV last year while living at home. Now that I am busy with college stuff, I find alternatives to this unhealthy practice. I'm not trying to lose half my body weight or anything (I really want to gain some weight), but staying in shape helps me feel better about myself.

Studpidity in Our Society

"A recent study suggests that one in five Americans can not locate the United States on a map. Why do think that is?"

This question seems simple enough. Perhaps it's because schools are focusing more heavily on math and English and laying off the social sciences. Perhaps it's because the younger generations of Americans are losing interest in their education and so do not care where our nation is situated on the globe. There are many adequate anwers to this basic question; while this may be the case, all of these responses seemed to briefly escape the mind of Miss Teen South Carolina, competeing for the Miss Teen USA crown earlier last year. What was spoken was a completely incomprehensible babble about "South Africa" and "countries in Iraq" linked together with "such as" and "like, um." I understand that the Miss Teen pageant is considered a beauty contest, but shouldn't inner beauty and intelligence count for just as much as a flawless smile and toned physique? Apparently not.

Stupidity and ignorance are too common in this nation now adays. Pointless television shows such as Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (apparently most contestants are not) and Flava of Love exploit the stupidity that is currently consuming America. Kids who watch this uneducational crap are finding great role models among the completely unintelligable stars of the shows. Even professional athletes interviewed after their games reflect an unintellectual society. The majority of these players can not speak using the rules of basic English. What message is this sending?

Education is a valuable tool necessary for future success. Perhaps we need to begin promoting the educated rather than focusing on the ignorant. This could go far along the road to creating an intelligent America.

Gizmodo Blog

I was intrigued by the Gizmodo Blog mentioned in the last chapter of We the Media so I decided to look online and try to find it. I have to say that I'm really quite impressed with the site's layout and the ample information presented there. I was scrolling down the page ,perusing new electronics, when a blow-up computer mouse caught my attention. A blow-up mouse!! It was pretty cool. There was also a roll up keyboard along with it, both promoting space saving options for business people.

The electronic blog really did have lots of information for the avergage consumer looking to find a new camera, laptop, or cell phone. Complete with detailed pictures of the products and numerous consumer reviews, the site would be really helpful for those looking for information on new and exciting products. Gizmodo features a ton of cutting edge electronics, many of which I had never seen before. There was a sleek looking shelf that doubled as wall-mounted speakers; there was also digital picture frames that created a slideshow of photos taken from your memory card. I think I may be visiting this site more often in the future whenever I want some advice on purchasing new electronic toys.

My name is Jake. I'm addicted to Facebook.

It's true. I said it. I am, in fact, a Facebook addict. I spend an average of three or four hours on the website each day, writing on the walls of high school friends, somewhat "stalking" people I haven't seen in years. I'm sure I'm not the only college student out there who's suffering from this same disease; a number of my friends joined the group "I'm double majoring in napping and Facebook with a minor in procrastination." If only this could be true. (It oftentimes seems like it is.) Even though the website is slowly taking over my life, I feel like its effects on me aren't all entirely negative. I think Facebook is good outlet for me to release my stress. I can take a short break (haha...short) from writing my chem lab or reading my Citizen Media chapter and log onto Facebook where I can keep in touch with friends who live hundreds of miles away. One of my best high school friends moved away to Utah after our junior year. If it wasn't for Facebook, I probably would have lost communication with her after a couple of years. Facebook, even though it might be a tiny bit creepy and stalkeresk, allows me to keep tabs on people who I no longer get to see on a daily basis. I can always check out their recent wall postings or pictures to see what they've been up to now that they went away to college. I have Facebook friends from all over the world: a good friend from middle school living in Japan, a foreign exchange student from Germany, family members living in New York and Virginia. It's nice to be able to send little pieces of information their way in order to let them know how I'm doing here at IU. Although, yes, I probably spend way too much time on the website, I feel Facebook has been a very good thing for me. It is an awesome way to unite so many of the world's youth in one place. So yes, my name is Jake, and I am proud to be addicted to Facebook.

Battle of the Music Videos

I was greatly entertained by the political candidate's music videos presented in class today. They really appeal to the web-savvy audience who can access them easily through YouTube. I was a bit uncertain as I watched them, however; I was wondering whether the clips were made by people in support of or in opposition to the candidates depicted. The Hott 4 Hill video depicted a young woman professing her love and devotion to Hillary Clinton. Does this send out a positive or negative message to those who watch the video? Of course the clip is devoted entirely to Hillary, yet it kind of implies that she might be bisexual. I think the majority of the people who watch the video are going to be pointing and laughing at her instead of joining in together in song...

I showed a friend on the floor the videos, and she showed me another she had previously seen. It was a battle between Obama Girl and Giuliani Girl, singing back and forth about their respective candidates. Honestly, neither of the girls said anything substantial about their candidates, but rather just chanted their names and other such things. I know that these political videos will come more into play as election day draws near, and I think they will greatly draw in the teenage crowd who are more attracted to this type of media.

Filling My Inbox With Listserv

I have to say that lately I've been getting lots of mail from IU listservs I signed up for earlier last semester. I'm usually excited to see that I've got new mail in my inbox, but sometimes I get annoyed if it's just page after page of emails from various listservs around campus. I've received at least 100 emails from the Health Professions and Prelaw Center letting me know about opportunities around campus that may interest me. I oftentimes get these same emails again on the Chemistry Direct Admit Listserv run by the Chem undergraduate councilor. I do appreciate being updated on important dates and meetings, but receiving seven emails from these sources each day becomes a little excessive. Add on top of these the numerous pieces of mail I receive from the Honors College (primarily from Barbara Edwards), Circle K, and Operation Smile Student Association, my inbox sometimes "overfloweth" with information. I feel really stupid complaining about these listservs. Honestly, if I were not a part of them I would miss out on lots of important reminders sent out by the organizations I'm involved in. Sometimes it's nice, however, to receive a piece of mail addressed individually addressed to me. These messages are my favorites.

Best of YouTube

I've compiled a list of my top five favorite videos on YouTube. They are as follows:

5. Charlie the Unicorn- This may rub some people the wrong way. Though it can only be only tolerated in small doses, I felt this clip was extremely funny the first time I saw it. The unicorn voices get annoying fast, but the surprise ending makes the whole thing worth watching. I especially enjoyed the leopluridan.

4. My Hands are Bananas- Perhaps the weirdest video I've ever seen, this German made music video is centered around (surprisingly) a guy with bananas for hands. The lyrics are kinda catchy, and the German accent makes them very interesting... Although the "milky pirate" creeps me out, this clip is good for a laugh. (Keep the monkeys away from my hands!!).

3. Cunningham Muffins- Wow, just looking at Kyle Sullivan wearing his blond wig and oversized bifocals makes me laugh. His unflinching stare and terrifying smile just add to the hilarity of this piece. I'd definitely have to say I'd order an Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Muffin; they look to be the tastiest by far.

2. Little Monster Annie- Ahhhhhhh! I have never seen something so terrifying (and yet so entrancing) in my life. It's the little things in this movie that make me laugh: the dizzy woman; the gruesome, snaggle-toothed smile; the Barbie chorus... What a great remake of a heartwarming classic!

1. Little Girl and Monsters- The little girl in this clip has to be the cutest thing I've ever seen. She speaks with such confidence and sincerity for someone so young. Don't worry about buying a dog to keep the monsters from the movies at bay. All you need is this girl to kick the monsters' "asks."

The Hilarity of Cosmo

So a group of friends on the floor and I were flipping through the most recent issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. I have to say it was the funniest things I've ever read. The horoscope at the end said that I needed "to start being a hardass." OK.... It also told me that my "lust days" are the first and second of this month. What useful information!!

It comes as no surprise that the magazine is marketed towards the teen/young adult, female sector of the population. Within the pages are revealed vitally important secrets that these girls just have to read, including trendy makeup tips, popular sex positions, and embarrassing stories sent in by the readers. One of these stories in particular caught my attention. Entitled "Monumental Booty," the short tale told of a couple having sex on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial. What the hell? Who really wants to know this extremely personal information?

At the end of the magazine there was a "How much of a flirt are you?" quiz. The hilarity of the topic encouraged my friends to take it (mostly just to read the ridiculous questions and answers). It turns out that they are "averse flirts." Hmmm.... There are so many magazines like Cosmo on the market today, selling millions of copies each month. It is definitely apparent how our society is incredibly consumed with sex and beauty. What great morals we have!

Big Brother is Watching You

Over winter break I was told about an interesting new feature present on Google Earth. I've always been a fan of this program; I tend to use it frequently in order to get accurate directions to places I need to go. The new feature on Google Earth allows the user to obtain views of a city from the perspective of a driver on the street. It's possible to cruise through a city in a virtual car while gazing at snapshots of the local scenery. What's a little freaky about the program is the fact that you can see actual people (and sometimes recognize them) alongside the streets. Luckily, my house is in the middle of the country, so the street view is not available there. It's kinda weird seeing people and places you know through a series of photos online.

This feature of Google Earth reminded me a lot of the "transparent society" concept we were talking about in class on Wednesday. People from all over the globe are able to locate your house online and see closeup visuals from the street out front. That's just a little bit creepy. I don't know if I'd be comfortable with pictures of myself being shown online when I am not able to monitor who sees them. What if I were standing in the window or by the street as the Google Earth camera car drove by taking photos? I could be seen by anyone who downloads the program. Perhaps this advanced mapping feature is just a little two "Big Brother" for my taste.