Winter Break Around the Corner

My first semester of college is almost over, there is only a few more weeks and I have winter break. People were not joking when they said that in college time flies by fast. I feel like just yesterday I started my first day as a college student at The Honor College at Miami Dade College. So far I have enjoyed my time at the Wolfson campus and I have had the opporunity to meet a lot of new people that have become more than just classmates. I look forward to my next semester and new opportunities.

The End of Men and the Rise of Women by Hanna Rosin

For colloquium this week we had a special guest, Hanna Rosin, a senior editor at The Atlantic and author of The End of Men and the Rise of Women. She gave a speech to us about how women at this point in history are ahead of men and how women are dominating at work and at home. I really enjoy her presentation and had the chance to read her book before hearing her. I think the book is really entertaining and I would recommend it. The book gives the reader an insight of how the roles of men and women have change and how the world has to adapt to the new reality.

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place By Ernest Hemingway

"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is the second Ernest Hemingway short story I have had to read for my English class. Since I am now aware of Hemingway's writing style, I had a better idea and understanding of what I was reading. All of Hemingway's writings are so similar in that everything is ambiguous and the reader is left to interpret a lot of things. Personally I was confused when it come to who was speaking when I was reading the sections of the story where there was dialogue. Beside that I am beginning to enjoy Hemingway's work.

President Obama Re-elected

When I heard that Obama had won the election, I was so happy and relief. It was a tight race to the finish and I had some doubts Obama was not going to win because of the problems that were occurring in Florida with all the voting issues. There are a lot of people who are not happy that Obama will serve a second term and think Romeny would be better president but I disagree. I think the nation made the right decision and voted for the right candidate to win and help our nation.

Going to Vote

Today for the first time I had the opportunity to vote for the presidential election. Even thou I cast my vote by submitting an absentee ballot, I can say I got to vote for the 2012 election. One thing I saw that I think the state of Florida has to change is extending early voting hours because with all the trouble there were a lot of people did not have the chance to vote early. I think our governor has to improve overall the voting system we have here in Florida. Hopefully, the next presidential election things will run more smoothly and not have so many problems like we did this election. Overall I am just happy I was able to cast my vote and have my voice heard.

Hurricane Sandy

 

 

Since the news of Hurricane Sandy passing through the west coast, it’s has brought back memories of what happen 20 years ago when Hurricane Andrew passed through Florida. I was not born yet but what my parents have told them me about that day and the pictures I have seen it seem like I was there that day. Therefore, when I heard about Hurricane Sandy I was expecting something similar to what happen in Florida. No one expected all the damaged Hurricane Sandy cause to the west coast and it was destructive. Many homes were lost, no power, street flooded and no resources for the needy. With time, things will improve but for now, people are taking one day at a time. My thoughts are with those who were affected by the hurricane.

Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

The other day I had the opportunity to read one of Ernest Hemingway short story called “Hills like White Elephants.” This was my first time reading one of Hemingway story so I did not really know what to expect. Once I finish reading it, I did not completely understanding what the story was about until I read it a second time. Hemingway writing is very ambiguous and leaves out a lot of detail. He never writes what he means so it can be confusing at first. Throughout the story he talks about this “operation” which the reader does not understand what he is really trying to say until we further read the dialogue between the man and the woman. Most of the story consists of dialogues between the couple, which is where we get the most important information of the characters and theme of the story. Interestingly enough his writing style make the story ever more powerful.

Icarus Email

 

In my English class we are studying the myth of Icarus and we were told to email a company who used Icarus as part of their name and asked them why they would use this name. I was picked to email a man named Seth Godin who had a project on Kickstarter for his new book The Icarus Deception. I email him my question and after a few days I receive a response. His response was “once you read it, you’ll know!” I guess he had a lot of work to do and had other things to do so his response was to find out for myself by reading his book.

Multiple Intelligences

 

I took a multiple intelligences inventory and I got some interesting results. Multiple intelligences is the ability to better understand something compared to others. There are eight intelligences, which include kinaesthetic, linguistic, logical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, visual and naturalistic. By on my results I am kinesthetic in other words I am body smart. I have good sense of balance and through interacting with the space around me I can retain and organize information. My possible career based on my results, are athlete, physical education teacher, dancer, actor, firefighter, artisan, designer, doctor of sports, surgeon, physical therapist and personal trainer. All these are possible careers paths for someone who is body smart like myself but I can only relate to one of the career which is that of a surgeon or a doctor. I like using my hands, being active and helping others so becoming a doctor is a perfect career path for someone like me.

Learning Styles

 

 

I took a learning styles inventory and I learned a few things about myself. Learning styles are the ways people take-in, process and organize information. Knowing your learning style is very important because understanding how you can learn can be the differences between success and failure.  With the learning style inventory, I learned that I am a social and physical learner. I was shock by these results because I thought I was more of a visual learner since I always like having information on paper and being able to read it. Knowing this information will help me improve in my class and to better prepare for future project and exams.

Personality Type

 

 

I took a personality type inventory and I learned a few things about myself. Personality types are personality traits that a person has which is what makes everyone different. There are sixteen personality types, which are based on four pairs of personality attributes. Knowing your personality is very important because it can help you understand others and the differences between one person and another. With the personality types inventory I learned that I am both an “idea”-person and “people”-person, which I didn’t consider myself to before I took this inventory. Unexpectedly based on my personality type, I have a natural inclination for role-playing and acting. Never in my lifetime would I ever consider acting so I was surprise when I read that people with my personality type have a natural tendency to act.

Dalai Lama's Wisdom

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered; "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future: he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

I totally agree with Dalai Lama statement. We worry about our future and completely forget to live in the present. What we do in the present shapes and effect our future. Yes, it is important to plan for the future but it should not prevents us from living in the present. In addition, in this time of age people define success as having a lot of money. While we are working hard to be richer than the person next us, we let ourselves go. Then when we are “satisfied” with our net worth than we became aware of our health and at this late point we want to help ourselves. The irony of this is that the money we earn getting at this point, we have to use to get better.

Jullien Gordon

 

Jullien Gordon came to Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus for our colloquium on Thursday and it was one of best colloquium we have had so far. Jullien talk to us about what college is really about and what is really important in life. We can’t live under other people’s shadows and we have to find our own road. Life isn’t about being better than your parents because then you are only marginally better. Having a 4.0 GPA and a college diploma does not guarantee you will be successful. Everyone has a different definition for what success is, so Jullien challenged everyone that day to come up with our own definition and follow it through.

            Jullien Gordon is one of the best speakers I have come cross. He had my full attention throughout the whole presentation. He made me think about my education and what is important in life. When Jullien speaks, I can tell he cres about the audience and is passionate about his message. He speaks to thousands of people all around the world and has had to do countless presentation, some speakers could get tired of saying the same thing repeatedly but Jullien had enthusiasm amd passion when he was speaking to us. I felt a connection with Jullien and he really made me think about my future.

Blind Students Learn How to Play Tennis

http://news.yahoo.com/blind-tennis-players-keep-ears-ball-180153298--spt.html

I came upon an article the other day about blind kids learning how to play tennis and I was left speechless when I read the story because these kids are inspiration to everyone, that anything is possible. At a school in California, students are learning a form of tennis adapted for visually impaired. The students play by locating the ball fill of metal beads by listening when the ball hits the floor. It is not easy but with practice, the students are getting better. These students are just amazing and it is so inspiring. People like these are the ones that prove to others that nothing is impossible and if we set our minds to it, we can do anything.

 

Obama the Right Choice

In the upcoming election I will be voting for Barack Obama. I think Obama will do a better job in trying to revamp the economy and not Mitt Romney. If Romney is elected then we better say goodbye to the middle class because his political decisions will only benefit the rich. Some may say Obama has put our country in more debt that we sometime forget that when he came into power the economy wasn’t in its highest moment. Obama will continue to keep educational funding, unlike Romney who will cut funding which will affect college tuition. Romney is too conservative and his religious views may conflict with the way he could run the government. I believe Obama will be our best chance to get our country back on it’s feet.

 

Amputee Boy Helped by Marines to Finish Race

 

View video: http://youtu.be/oD0OSOHjEXY

            When I watched this video my eyes got watery because it’s always nice to see other people help each other and someone being an inspiration to others. Ben Baltz is a 11 years old boy who lost his leg to cancer when he was 6 years old. He took part in the Sea Turtle Tri-Kids Triathlon in Florida, where he had to swim, bike and run. When Ben made it halfway through the one-mile run his prosthetic broke in half. A few Marines nearby watching the race saw Ben and picked up him and gave him a ride to the finish line.

            Little act of kindness like this one are special and rare. Children like Ben inspire other kids who may feel like they can’t do something because they may not have a leg or arm. Ben represents what life is all about, even thou we may face challenges and unfortunate events we must continue on and not let anything stop us. We can do anything we set our minds to and there is nothing in the world that we can’t do.

 

"The Very Old Man wth Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

            In the short story “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez we are told the mystery story of how a couple who found an old man with wings. At first they don’t know what he is until a neighbor tells them he’s an angel who fell from the sky because of the storm. The couple decides to lock the angel up when they concluded that the angel may have come to take their sick child. Soon the word gets out about the old man with wings and people want to come see him. After a while people get tired and instead go see a young girl that turned into a spider. Many years pass and the old man heals and his wings grow out and as simple as he came to the couple’s life is disappears.

            Marquez blends reality with fantasy which he does in his short story. He writes in such a way that the story doesn’t seem unusual instead it seems like one day you too will cross pass with an angel. Reality and fantasy are equal in his story. People are willing to believe anything if they can relate, like the people could understand how a girl was turned into a spider because she sneaked out of her house to go to a party. Marquez presents the angel as an ordinary situation, like if an angel is seen all the time. Our perception of what is reality is determined by our culture and beliefs. People can believe in witches and demon but when they were told about new inventions like the portable phones, airplane and internet they are amazed and can’t comprehend.

           

 

Pakistani Girl To Be Killed If She Suvives From Her Injuries

                                                http://www.kgmi.com

A Pakistani girl, Malala Yousufzai, is shot in the head by a Taliban man because of her support on girls having an education. She was shot by the gunman as she was leaving from school. She is a critical condition and being treated. The gunman who shot the girl, has told the public who he is and will kill her if she survives.

            This is just disgusting and unbelievable. How can someone kill an innocent child? How can a person say that he will kill her if she should survive? Are they so afraid of an innocent girl that they would decide to kill her? When I read this I couldn’t believe what they had done to this girl. What has the world become? Whoever kills or hurts a child is a coward in my eyes.

            Malala is an inspiration to all of us because she stood up for what she believed. She knew the risk of expressing her opinions but she still told people what she believed in. That is what I consider bravery and a hero. I hope she survives and that the Pakistani government can keep her safe because this world needs more people like Malala.

http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-vow-kill-pakistani-girl-shot-going-school-131916069.html

 

Voters Action Project

Today in colloquium, we had the Voters Action Project speaking to us. The speakers were no other than Wolfson Campus Honor students. They talked about how important it is to vote and let our voices be heard. And most importantly to know all the facts before we decide who were are going to vote for.  You shouldn’t vote based on what other people are voting for or because you want to vote on whoever is more popular, that is not what voting is about. You should vote base on who will help this country. We have to think carefully and be wise because whoever wins this next election will have the hardest job to so far, to get this country back to its feet.

It was very inspiring to see fellow classmate be so passionate about an issue so important like this one. They are the perfect example of what each of us should be doing for our country. We shouldn’t just stand by and not be heard. We are the future and we should set an example for future students to stand up for what they believe in.

First Presidential Debate

After watching the First Presidential Debate, I was astonished at how unprepared Obama was. Clearly, Romney won the debate and kicked Obama under the rug. I have no idea why Obama didn’t confront Romney more and asked him for more specific answers. President Obama is one the best speaker we have had in a long time, which should have given him the upper hand but it was the opposite  the debate was a major disappointment. It seem like Obama was out of practice with this sort of thing. It may have been because he hasn’t been challenge in over four years. I hope in the final two debates Obama is prepare and attacks Romney on his ever-changing political standings.

Phone Storage Truck

Associated Press/Tina Fineberg
http://news.yahoo.com/phone-home-ny-teens-pay-valets-store-devices-062352589.html

This is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time, a storage truck for student’s phone, who are not allow to bring phones to school. It counts a $1 a day. You exchange the phone for a numbered yellow ticket. I never knew that such service existed. Why waste $180 a year, if you can just leave your phone at home for free. It makes no sense to me why would anyone pay for this type of service.  

On the other hand, I don’t understand why they don’t let student have their phone with them during school. For many students this is their mode of communication with their parents and if there is an accident, they have a form of communication to ask for help. I think the New York school system should reexamine their decision on banning cell phones.

Wisdom from Buddha

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” -Gautama Buddha

Don’t believe in something just because others tell you too. First, you have to agree and understand what it is that you are being told. Sometimes what others believe to be right or wrong may not be what you believe is right or wrong. Before you say “I believe”, you must feel it in your heart. We all crave explanations and sometimes when present with those answers we believe them to be true. But how do we really know what to believe, that is the question we should always ask ourselves. Sometimes what we perceive may be different from others and thus cause people to believe in things differently.  I believe that everyone should have their own beliefs and like Buddha says “live up to it.”

I have my own beliefs and there are people who don’t agree with them but that is alright because what’s important is what I believe is right and good. We all have different ways of viewing the world and different people thus the different religious people practice in this world.

Having a Twin

                How does it feel like to have a twin? I’ve been ask that question countless time. There is not a day where a meet person does not ask me this question. I don’t know why people always end up asking me this but I always give each person the same answer, it’s great having a twin and she’s my other half. I could never see myself being without my sister. Whenever I think about my future, she is always there with me. It’s true when they say twins feel the same things and sometimes think the same things. Most of the time my sister and I finish each other sentences and answer someone’s question at the same time. I can truly say that we might be two different people but in some form, we complete each other.

                Besides being my twin sister, she’s my best friend. No one knows me better than my sister does. There is nothing she doesn’t know about me and I keep no secrets from her. I trust her with all my heart and she helps me be a better person. Therefore, this is why every time someone asks me how does it feel to be a twin, I tell them that there is nothing better in the world than to have someone who is your other half.

"If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't,you're right." -M.K. Ash

Don’t ever doubt yourself because you can do anything when you set your mind to it. If you believe in yourself and believe you can accomplish anything then the sky is the limit. Thinking you can’t do something, sets you in the wrong direction. Having positive thoughts and thinking you can, sets you in the right direction. Sometimes all it takes is having a positive attitude to get something done. Nothing in this world is impossible.

There is nothing greater in the world then proving people wrong when they believe you cannot do something. I believe that with the right attitude and support we can do anything we put our minds to. Our self-confidences is vital for accomplishing our dreams and goals. Once you believe in yourself there nothing or anyone that can stop you.

Baby Girl Left in Car by Father

The last few days the news has been reporting about an incident were a father left his baby girl of six months in the back seat of his car for more than nine hours. Sadly to say but the baby passed away. The father before going to work left his older son at school and then forgot his baby girl in the car. When I heard about this, I could not believe what I was hearing. How can someone forget about his or her own child? There is no justification for what happened. The father had the responsible to ensure his daughter safe. Yes, it was an accident but it was negligence on his part. I hope that this never happens to any parent. You always have to be aware of your surroundings. Forgetting is not an excuse when it comes to your children. When you have children, nothing is more important than they are and they took priority over everything else including work.  

"Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect." -Margaret Mitchell

 I strongly agree with this statement. You have to work for what you want. No one is going to give you anything on a silver platter.  Life is not that easy that we wish for something and we are going to have it. If you really want something than you have to work hard and  go out and find it. A lot of people have the misconception that life is suppose to give you all that you want. Just because you think something should be doesn’t make it so. It is unrealistic if you believe that life is obligated to give you what you expect. Life is unpredictable.

I believe sometimes we have to be prepare for the worst so when it does present itself we are not disappointed. People think that if someone has something you want than you want it as well. We all know that life doesn’t work like that. Sometimes you have to work twice as hard to get the same thing.

Nothing is written in stone. We make our own destiny. Life doesn’t owe else anything.

I've Learned by Omer B. Washington

I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
I’ve learned that no matter how much I care,
some people just don’t care back.
I’ve learned that it takes years to build up trust
and only seconds to destroy it.
I’ve learned that it’s not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.
I’ve learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t compare yourself
to the best others can do,
but to the best you can do.
I’ve learned that it’s not what happens to people,
It’s what they do about it.
I’ve learned that no matter how thin you slide it,
there are always two sides.
I’ve learned that you should always have loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you’ll see them.
I’ve learned that you can keep going
long after you think you can’t.
I’ve learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
When it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.
I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don’t know how to show it.
I’ve learned that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.
I’ve learned that true friendship continues to grow even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I’ve learned that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to
doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.
I’ve learned that no matter how good a friend is,
they’re going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.
I’ve learned that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I’ve learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
I’ve learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.
I’ve learned that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.
And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.
I’ve learned that sometimes you have to put the individual
ahead of their actions.
I’ve learned that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I’ve learned that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves go farther in life.
I’ve learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don’t even know you.
I’ve learned that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.
I’ve learned that writing,
as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.
I’ve learned that the people you care most about in life
are taken from you too soon.
I’ve learned that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice
and not hurting people’s feelings and standing up for what you believe.
I’ve learned to love
and be loved.
I’ve learned…
(http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1VJaud/thislifeilead.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/ive-learned-by-omer-b-washington/)

Life is full of lessons and we will experience them in many form. No doubt, we will make mistakes throughout our life, yet that is what life is all about. Life goes on and we must learn to pick ourselves up and start again. Each day that passes we learn a new lesson that either blossomed from a mistake or accomplishment. These valuable lessons will shape who we will become and how we view the world and others.

                Life is complicated, no will argue that. If life were easy, it would have no meaning. Our purpose would just be to exist and nothing else. Life is made-up of our struggles, obstacles, accomplishments and everything in between. Learning from all this and what we do with this knowledge is what gives meaning to our life.

Time Management

Last Thursday in IDH class, we learn about time management and how we can developed skills to help us be better students. As we were going through different points and what you shouldn’t or should do, I realize that I’m horrible at managing my time. I leave all my assignments for the last minute, thus always in a hurry and going to sleep at two or three in the morning. My style of learning and study may not be the best but it has got me this far. It may cause me stress and always being under pressure but I don’t know any other way to accomplish what I have to do each day.  I know at some point during my time in The Honors College I will have to change some of my methods to relieve stress and be able to balance my personal time and schoolwork. It may not happen right now or next semester but I will try to make changes a step at a time to improve myself.  

Samuel

"Samuel" a short story by Grace Paley narrates a story of a boy who dies because of the actions of a person. The story starts by telling us there are four boys on a train who are fooling around on a platform. People are watching them but no one does anything to stop them until one lady does but the boys laugh at her. Then, one of the men pulls the emergency cord, which causes one of the boys, Samuel, to fall to his death. Finally, it ends with the reader being told that there will never be a boy like Samuel.

The story has a twist to it because the man may have walked “citizenly” to pull the emergency cord to stop the boys from getting hurt instead he ended up killing someone. If one of the people in the train would have said something, the accident may have not happened.  If you continue reading we are inform that the trainmen knows about this kind of death and knows “how to take the body from the wheels and brakes.” Paley in the end doesn’t write this story to teach us a lesson but it’s her personal response to the death of a boy.

Middle Class

                Reported by The New York Times, a new study done by Brookings Institution estimates that two of three Americans reach middle class by middle age. The study is broken down by stages in the person’s life for example, adolescence and so on. Many things are taken into account like GPA, when graduated from high school, no criminal convictions, early pregnancies, family wealth, race and gender. If born in a poor family you have a 40% chance of reaching middle class, while born in a wealthy family you have 70% chance.

                In this case, I think education is the most important factor here. In this country, a degree is very important for your future and the income you wish to make. There are too many people out there that let opportunities pass them by, there may be few but we have to work with what we have, and don’t take advantage of them. The middle class is very important to the structure of this country and we have to keep it stable and growing. It may be hard to achieve the middle class status but we have no choice because we all want a secure and good life. We all want to have a steady job, food on our plates and a roof over our heads.

Go Out and Vote

Last Thursday, I had the chance to meet George P. Bush at a presentation in Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus. It may have been about getting students to vote but there were points when it sounded like a political campaign for the Republican party. Besides that, I thought he had a good point about having more people vote for this presidential election. I agree that we have to vote and make our voices heard. Voters from the ages 18-29 have decrease enormously. Some may not like either of the presidential nominees or agree with them but that does not mean that not voting is the right thing to do. There will be points in our lives that we will have to make hard decisions that we may not like but we have to make them. Voting is a right that we all have as a U.S. citizen and we should make it count.

Obese by 2030

A new study released by The Trust for America’s Health reports that by 2030 more than half of Americans could be obese. If this does occur then we are in big trouble! This would result in millions of new cases of illness that can cost the U.S. billions of dollars. If this is what our future may be like then we need to start improving our lifestyle now. Our generation has to set an example to our future generations, so it must all starts with us. In addition, children now need to start eating healthy and becoming more active. Find time in your day to exercise, even if you have only 10 minutes to spare. Obesity is one of the greatest obstacles the country is facing today. We cannot let this continue.

Trying New Things

“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.”

-Virgil Garnett Thomson

 

This is such a great way to view life and a strategy to follow when trying out new things. Sometimes when people are faced with new things, they don’t know what to do. Either they let opportunity/experiences pass them by or they gave up half way. There are times when we think we won’t like something, but if you would give it a chance we would be surprise that we may like it. Life is about trying new things and discovering what we like.

Teachers on Strike

In Chicago, teachers are on strike because of contract issues. This is just one of the many protests the U.S. has seen due to conditions of classroom and teacher’s wages. There has not been any improvement in my opinion, classrooms are still crowded, teachers are still being laid-off, wages are low and there isn’t enough funding. Don’t get me started with the kind of foods students are provided with for breakfast and lunch. People want kids to eat healthier, than they should start by changing the type of food being given to students. Moreover, there is so much money being spend unwisely and government officials rising their own wages , that of course there hasn’t been any improvement. This is another issue we have to continuing to demand changes. What is more important than a child education?
 

9/11

Tuesday was the 11^th year anniversary of September 11 and it seems just yesterday the country was under attack. Eleven years later and the memories are still fresh in our mind. I believe we will never truly forget that day especially those who that lived through it. We still watch the videos or look at the pictures of that day and feel that tighten in our hearts. Before that day, we thought nobody could hurt us; we live in America so we were safe. We found out the hard way that we were wrong and we needed to do more to protect ourselves. 9/11 is our reminder that there are people out there who want to hurt us no matter the cost, even if it means the death of thousands of innocent lives. To those who perished that day, you will never be forgotten and may you rest in peace.
 

Anti-American Protests

Anti-American protests continue to spread around the Middle East, all because of a film made by an ignorant man who had nothing better to do than to create a fourteen minutes video making fun of the prophet, Muhammad. Why is it that we always resort to violence? Why can’t we protest without hurting others? Just because of someone ignorance and stupidity, we all have to pay the price? Throughout time, all religions have been insulted and attacked but that does not mean we can use this to justify any form of violence. If we choose violence as our way to voice our displeasure, than we are as bad as the people who attacked and insulted us in the first place. If you believe in your faith, than the insults should have no power. Nothing is more important now than having tolerance. The innocent should not pay for the crime of the guilty.

"We are locked in history and they were not."- Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog beautifully narrates “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” in which he summarizes in one sentence the differences between our ancestors and us. It is simply that we are trapped in history, we will never know these humans or fully know the meaning of their artwork. These paintings are our ancestors creating art and expressing themselves. Now, here we are thousands years later in this cave looking at their paintings. We can ask how they lived, how they survived, what they practice or even what they believed in but in reality, we will never completely know. In essences, we can agree when Herzog points out that, “We are locked in history and they were not.”We will always have questions about our past but we may never know the answers and as we learned more of our history and make discovers we are presented with more questions than answers.
 

DREAM Act

I think everyone should have the opportunity to receive an education including illegal immigrants, which is why I support the DREAM Act. Most of the illegal immigrants are in the U.S because of economic and political reasons. They want to have a better life, a place where they can express their feeling without being persecuted and have rights. Having a better life includes children getting an education. Education is a very powerful and helps shape your life, which is why people have to continue to voice their approval of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act helps millions of kids not be deported and be able to stay in the U.S. if they receive a degree in a certain time. I hope if Obama wins the election, he continues to support the DREAM Act because this generation will be the leaders in the future.
 

The Big Change

My second week of college just finish and I am still adjusting to the change from high school to college. When people told me that college life would be different from my high school days they were not kidding. It is a huge adjustment, from only dedicating half a hour studying for a test to now having to study for more like two or three hours. In addition, I cannot leave my homework anymore for the last minute. I have to do things ahead of time because if I do not then I won’t have time for myself. In college, you are treated as an adult so things will not be handed over to you as they were in high school. I think the main adjustment I have to make is dividing my time wisely. If you don’t have any time management then you better start trying to fix that because you will find yourself swamp with things to do and no time to do them.  I see college as a new start and a new life. You can start over, begin to develop yourself and start to plan what you want to do with your future. So far I have liked my experience in college and I have no complains, yet.
 

Less Talk. More Jobs

Unemployment is at its highest now and we still have not seen any sign of it decreasing. More and more people everyday are losing their job.  People are out there looking for work but most cannot find any.  In this day in time and with the economy this bad, no one can afford to be without a job. Most people are living paycheck by paycheck and if they are laid-off, they may not have a roof over their heads or food on their table. We need jobs. Our main concern should be to lower the unemployment rate and create more jobs. If things continue like this then the working class will disappear. Without the working class, the country’s economy will not survive. Where are all the jobs these politicians are telling us about that will be created each year?
 

The Presidental Election

Today is the last day of the Democratic National Convention and in just two months we will be voting for the next president. The day gets closer and closer and I don't know who will win, Obama or Romney but what I do know is that we need change and we need it now. We need actions and improvement not words and unfulfilled promises. Each nominee has his own propositions on how to improve the issues affecting the American people like health care, immigration, the country’s debt, jobs among others but the main issue at hand is if their propose solutions will indeed improve anything. I believe the biggest concern we should have is what will happen after the elections? Will there be any change? Will things improve? Those are questions we should be wondering about. Nothing is set in stone.
 

La Maison en Petits Cubes

Sometimes the simplest and unexpected things can trigger our memories and make us think about our life. The perfect example is a short animated film called La Maison en Petits Cubes. No more than twelve minutes long and we get to experience a man’s past unfolded before our eyes without a single word. We see how memories can not only bring us happiness but also sorrow. Work of art like this can show us how life can go by so quickly and that our past can define our present and future.  The film shows us how he is feeling now that he is alone, which is the sad part because we come to realize that all he wants is to be with his family once again.