Music Video

As I am not a big music video watcher I had to do some research and actually watch some videos. I only watched a couple but one of them that I enjoyed was Only Hope by Mandy Moore. This video clip comes from the movie, originally a book, A Walk to Remember, one of my all time favorite movies. Mandy Moore plays Jamie in this heartwarming love story based on a true story. I love this song because like every girl when they were little, they dream of a prince charming. They want that one person who sweeps them off their feet and they pray that they will find him and always be their treasure. Girls want to be able to give themselves fully to their partners and for that one person to be their hope; to be able to feel that one true special love.
This video shows that love just happens and if you have seen the movie you’d understand why. You love someone because they are who they are. Love just hits you and then takes all sense away. Time is lost and seems to stand still. For love people are more courageous and brave. Love drives you crazy to the point that you will never give up hope. You get stuck in a dream world and are lost in it forever. You want this kind of love so much that you pray every night for it no matter the result day after day. No one in the audience expected the boy at the table to kiss her at the end of the song but he did. He was lost in her trance and couldn’t see anything around him. Love blinds but is the best thing anyone could ask for. Love is so powerful that it is what binds us together. Love is not selfish, boastful or jealous. To love is to endure all things and as the bible says, there is Faith , Hope, and Love, but the greatest of these is Love.

News Issue: Product Pink

Approximately one out of every seven American women will develop breast cancer. Recent studies show that eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D before menopause may help prevent breast cancer. The study stresses it may only prevent breast cancer if done before menopause. Because of all the recent pushes on breast cancer awareness and an increase in funding for research, women are more knowledgeable about prevention.
I have always known that breast cancer awareness was huge in America due to Alexandra Penney's Pink Ribbon and because a lot of major stores give a certain percentage of their profit in the month of October to breast cancer research, but I did not realize just how far we have gone to help breast cancer research. We now have vacuum cleaners, cookies and even planes colored in pink to help the cause. I love how enthusiastic we have become with regards to helping such honorable causes but I wonder if we have gone too far. It sounds bad to say that anything done to help save the lives of others may be taking it too far but if the cause was so important to us should not we just give money to help instead of getting something out of giving? It seems to kind of take the meaning out of giving if you also get something in return or gain a personal benefit. I believe that making items especially for cancer, however, is a good idea because now regular everyday items that people need can help fight cancer. The extra income to the cure could help save a life. All non-profit organizations should attempt to grow their profits the same way. They should put themselves out and let the world know about the cause. Only by putting themselves out there will they come to such great heights as the fight for breast cancer has become.

Inland Empire: Interesting to say the least.

“In the future you will be dreaming.”
As I didn’t quite understand the movie, I understand this quote to be important but to whether or not I have the right connotation as to what the quote means is up to the experts or David Lynch himself. The whole movie deals with the old Polish lady, room 47 with the rabbits and the movie Blues of Tomorrow. The reoccurring themes in this movie deal with time and dreams. With what I put together, I think that the movie tells us to make good decisions and to be ourselves and face our fears or we will become someone else and live their life forever, like the Polish lady until she was saved. “In the future you will be dreaming” has to deal with what your dreams will be like in the future, depending upon the present and the future. If you aren’t yourself, your sense of time blurs and all seems forgotten but if you face your fear and find yourself, there will be No More Blue Tomorrows. In respect to the particular scene in which this quote is said by two prostitutes, I believe that it has something to do with the many lines in the movie that said something to the extent, In the future you will see us and ask if we’ve seen you before. The prostitutes ask this of Nikki because they know that she is will not be herself so when they ask her, they will not know her because she is hiding behind her character Sue. In regards to my own life, I think that this movie tells me to make wise decisions and to always be true to yourself because you never know what the future holds and you don’t want to dream about your past later.

Free-write: Racist Groups/Blee

I read an excerpt of a book called Inside Organized Racism by Kathleen Blee and was both shocked and appalled by how many racial groups still exist today. Blee discusses how fear was a main component in racial organizations and how these groups use fear, threats and intimidation to gain power over their opponents. It was fascinating to hear Blee say that the more relaxed she became around her interviewees from different groups actually gave her less results in her in fieldwork because the sense of fear that she originally had led her to take more precautions and to think harder. It takes a special person to go out and risk your life for research but without these courageous people to go outside boundaries and explore. The outcomes of not learning from and about racist groups and other such untouchable subjects is a much greater tragedy than leaving the topic alone.
Using participant observation Blee was able to gain insight into their racial beliefs, which helped her understand their descriptions of their racist identities. She was sympathetic and tried with all her might to understand the world through their eyes. Although joining a racist group may seem disturbing and in all ways wrong, there are some good aspects incorporated into them. They are a community with loyalty, honesty (how many people are willing to openly admit that they are racist?), friendship and teamwork. Disturbingly, racist groups seem to be ordinary, as they have picnics, play games and have social gatherings, other than their beliefs of course. But what is an ordinary belief anyway?
Every culture has their own identity and as scary as it may seem, racist groups, much to our dismay, are just another congregation of people with the same beliefs. To Americans, Bull Fighting seems inhumane, but to those who grew up in a Mexican culture, it is a sport of strength and great honor.

Local Issue: Capital Humane Society

I am deeply entrenched in all issues involving animals and when I read the article on the Capital Humane Society I was shocked at how the society was at one point in time thinking about splitting from the city. I do believe that the two systems, Animal Control and the Humane Society would do well to collaborate as one. I really connected with the article when the statement was said that Animal Control collects animals and the Humane Society deals with the outraged owners. I can understand why the Humane Society wanted to split because Lincoln was only paying $158,505 a year for sheltering and the society needed $253,080 for wages.
I am glad the Humane Society reconsidered because it would have made problems worse, having two non-profit organizations fighting for the same fundraising money. If both the Animal Control and Humane Society converge together, however, it would cut costs for both organizations. To get the program started may take time and money but in the log run it is in the best interest for our community and our animals.
Patterning our contract based on Omaha’s system is a great idea. Omaha has a very well organized and efficient system. As a city, we should take advantage of what we know works and apply the strategies here in Lincoln. Downey, the director for Capital Humane Society, says he would have his workers rotate shifts that way half of his staff would not get stuck with public confrontations. A problem the Humane Society was dealing with in the first place.
The Capital Humane Society wants to focus more on adoptions and the shelter capacity and divorcing city limits would’ve accomplished their wants but their new plan accommodates both parties. Although finalizations are yet to be made and ideas are still flowing to help and this battle, a new fresh start for both organizations seems to be coming around the corner and I’m glad. Just as people need and deserve homes, so do animals.