tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47889072729650427972024-03-13T12:20:38.518-07:00The Truth BoardA Blog by the Editors of<br><i>The Truth About the Fact: An International Journal of Literary Nonfiction</i>Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.comBlogger678125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-30378661585549171452014-05-04T19:48:00.003-07:002014-05-04T19:48:37.281-07:00Bread and Roses (and Alex Rousset) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoR8jB55t2A/U2b7zprTR-I/AAAAAAAACIk/6ptDqsKL1Ck/s1600/br_logo_eng.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoR8jB55t2A/U2b7zprTR-I/AAAAAAAACIk/6ptDqsKL1Ck/s1600/br_logo_eng.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></a></div>
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Alex Rousset recently joined an all women service
organization on campus known as Belles. While the mainly known focus of this
organization from students is their work with domestic violence awareness,
these women also work with various other service placements and are able to
volunteer in other service opportunities. </div>
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On a Thursday night in the middle of March, Alex, who has
long brown hair and is incredibly tall, looking laid back in comfy clothes, was
excited to open up about one of her favorite places to service. Bread and Roses
is one of the optional places to do service. Located in Venice, California,
this café is open Monday through Thursday, 8 am to noon, and provides meals for
the homeless.</div>
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Having done multiple service placements in high school
including visiting a convalescent home and gathering food for Thanksgiving
meals for the homeless, Alex has always enjoyed giving back to the community.
Although taking in everything she was experiencing, going into college, Alex
was looking for a more hands-on type of service that would allow creating
deeper connections with others. </div>
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While Alex works mainly on Tuesdays at Bread and Roses, she
is able to serve meals to those in need. One woman that Alex always sees is
described to be in her late 20s. Also described as beautiful and even
vegetarian, this woman not only looks after herself but also her adorable
3-year-old son. Now Alex’s work does not go unnoticed as simply handing out
meals can once be overlooked. The woman that Alex always sees actually took the
time to thank her for all of her hard work at the café. Alex mentions that it
really touched her because she never realized that someone would actually thank
her for doing something that she genuinely enjoyed. She mentioned that it was
nice to be recognized but she also never saw her service as work and really did
just enjoy coming to work every Tuesday to make new interactions with people. </div>
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Alex’s simple act of kindness was an inspiration to this
woman, providing her with a potential new drive to succeed and move forward
with her life. The act of handing out food or passing out drinks shows that
small acts can really mean so much when faced with adversity. The hands-on
experience that Alex had was able to impact and influence someone around her.
As Bread and Roses’ mentality of “hearts starve as well as bodies,” the café
strives to make sure that people that come in for meals not only leave with a
full stomach but also with a full heart. Alex says she’s lucky because she not
only gets to see the progress of people she meets every time she stops in to do
service but she also gets to leave with a positive outlook as well. </div>
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To find out more information on Bread and Roses and how to
volunteer click here: <a href="http://www.stjosephctr.org/bread_roses.html">http://www.stjosephctr.org/bread_roses.html</a></div>
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Watch a news segment that highlights the great things that
Bread and Roses does for the community here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aUu7Dgae6g&feature=player_embedded">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aUu7Dgae6g&feature=player_embedded</a></div>
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Learn more about the lovely ladies of the Belles Service
Organization and all that they do to give back to the community here: <a href="http://studentaffairs.lmu.edu/activitiesservice/centerforserviceaction/serviceopportunities/joinaservicegroup/serviceorganizations/belles/">http://studentaffairs.lmu.edu/activitiesservice/centerforserviceaction/serviceopportunities/joinaservicegroup/serviceorganizations/belles/</a></div>
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<o:p> Shannon Iriarte </o:p> </div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-52440723160865423212014-05-04T19:47:00.000-07:002014-05-04T19:47:06.499-07:00The Frozen Obsession <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bSI8M8b6GU/U2b7l1B4PWI/AAAAAAAACIc/sxcBDN4mf20/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bSI8M8b6GU/U2b7l1B4PWI/AAAAAAAACIc/sxcBDN4mf20/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" /></a></div>
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So you may have heard of this animated movie that came at
the end of last year, you know, this movie called ‘Frozen?’ Yeah well I’m not
here to write about how great this movie is or how great the soundtrack is
because I haven’t even seen it yet. (Don’t kill me.) I’m really curious to as
to why this movie is so good. I have heard so much praise for the movie that I
feel like I practically know the entire plot summary and soundtrack without
ever watching a second of this film. I feel like it’s this monumental thing
that has to be seen and I have even had friends question our own friendship
because I haven’t seen the movie yet…seriously? Is it that serious thing? Is it
that great? Well I decided to ask why this movie is so great. I thought I would
ask a few people to get to the bottom of why ‘Frozen’ is so good. Here’s what
they told me:</div>
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“There’s singing and magic and a cute little snowman. What
more could you ask for?”</div>
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“The songs are so catchy.”</div>
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“You have a sister right? Well your sisterly bond will grow
and flourish from watching this movie.” </div>
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Well, this is great to know, really. I even got a mini
lecture on how my relationship with my own sister will change and become
stronger from this movie. I’m not surprised Disney has a life lesson in their
movie. I appreciate the fact that this movie not only has catchy songs and
magic but there’s also a cute little snowman?! I mean I love me some animated
movies, trust me I do, Lilo and Stitch? One of the greats and I’m sure this
movie is too but if I have to hear ‘Let It Go’ one more time today, I might
punch a wall. I’m sure one day I’ll give in and watch this movie that also won
an Oscar for Original Song but for now I’m content with hearing about how great
it is every 3 seconds of the day. You should know that I’m not exaggerating, I
hear about it multiple times a day. Frozen, I’m sure I already love you, but
for now just accept me for who I am. I’ll watch it eventually, I swear. </div>
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Watch Frozen’s trailer here, maybe you’ll get hooked too: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbQm5doF_Uc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbQm5doF_Uc</a></div>
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Find out why this movie is as successful as it is here: <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2014/01/why-is-frozen-such-a-big-hit.html">http://www.vulture.com/2014/01/why-is-frozen-such-a-big-hit.html</a></div>
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Most beloved animated film in 20 years? Do you trust
Buzzfeed’s opinion? <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/how-frozen-became-the-most-beloved-animated-movie-in-20-year">http://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/how-frozen-became-the-most-beloved-animated-movie-in-20-year</a></div>
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<o:p>Shannon Iriarte </o:p></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-10959106106994954612014-05-04T19:45:00.002-07:002014-05-04T19:45:46.734-07:00Two Peas in a Pod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zT83CSyfDZo/U2b7OWsbnwI/AAAAAAAACIU/m6-4RsjQbkU/s1600/Parent-Trap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zT83CSyfDZo/U2b7OWsbnwI/AAAAAAAACIU/m6-4RsjQbkU/s1600/Parent-Trap.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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My dad and I are simply put, two
peas in a pod. I’ve always been told growing up that I look just like my mom
and act exactly like my dad which is absolutely true. I remember being taught
in a psychology class once that there’s a theory that sometimes a child’s life
is predetermined in a sense, meaning that characteristics or interests of one
parent are naturally ingrained into their child’s thought process per say.
Although I was a little put off by this idea, thinking that not every child is
just like their parent, as I got older I began to realize I do share the same
characteristics and interests as my dad. </div>
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Growing up with one older sister,
my dad never got the chance to have a son which I don’t ever think bothered
him. However, I remember that he put us into sports the moment we reached the
minimum age requirement. My sister and I played a variety of sports including
softball, which my sister loved, basketball, and volleyball, which is what I
fell in love with. My dad loved that we played competitively and was always our
biggest supporter. Once my sister had graduated from high school and three
years later when it was my turn, I didn’t really have an idea of what I wanted
to pursue in college. I knew how much I enjoyed reading and writing but it
wasn’t until my dad had brought up the idea of considering majoring in English,
had I thought it would be a good fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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It was a weird concept for me to
realize that I was somewhat following in my dad’s own footsteps. We loved
sports as kids and grew up extremely die hard football fans, are both obsessed
with anything to do with music, and are both English majors. We also have very
similar personality traits. We’re stubborn and incredibly passive and always
have to be mediators in arguments. I am literally his carbon copy. It’s also nice
that as I get older I find more things that relate to my dad. I love coming
home on random weekends and hearing stories from his college life or getting
asked questions about what I’m currently reading or learning in my English
courses. He gives me insight to his younger days and always tells me whether or
not he actually enjoyed British Literature or Don Quixote while he was in
school.</div>
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My dad is easily my favorite person
on the planet and one of my best friends. A lot of the time there is a lot
going on in my life and since we’re so similar, he understands and is there to
help me out when I need it. I know how proud he is of me and it’s always nice
to have a helping hand when I just really don’t understand what is going in one
of Chaucer’s works or need some new music to listen to while I’m writing a
paper or studying for an exam. As my college life is coming to an end within a
year’s time, I’m sure I’ll get more stories out of him and we’ll only become
more alike. </div>
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Need to know 29 reasons why there
is no bond quite like a Father and Daughter’s? Sure you do. Click here: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/18/law-aiding-whistle-blowers-puts-un-on-notice/">http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/02/18/law-aiding-whistle-blowers-puts-un-on-notice/</a></div>
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How does a Father/Daughter
relationship or lack of one affect a woman:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://firstthings.org/father-daughter-relationships">http://firstthings.org/father-daughter-relationships</a></div>
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Watch an iconic Father/Daughter
relationship in this little moment from the Parent Trap: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqEZUkW9TCo">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqEZUkW9TCo</a></div>
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Shannon Iriarte </div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-47210175163912014412014-05-01T07:46:00.000-07:002014-05-01T07:46:04.270-07:00My Eternal WCW (Woman Crush Wednesday)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1VH89QxiEg/U2Jdta2xSSI/AAAAAAAACIE/y3-hyrml424/s1600/julie-andrews-sound-of-music-325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1VH89QxiEg/U2Jdta2xSSI/AAAAAAAACIE/y3-hyrml424/s1600/julie-andrews-sound-of-music-325.jpg" height="320" width="260" /></a></div>
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A woman with great
dignity, class, artistic ability and achievement, Julie Andrews tops the list of
the select few actresses that I deeply revere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout her 70-year career that is still thriving, Dane
Andrews has become a multi-faceted icon and role model for aspiring actresses
and singers. </div>
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Starting off as a
young girl in the UK singing with her parents in the evenings, Andrews was a
long way off from American silver screen fame. She appeared on stage for most
of her young life at the <span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">London Hippodrome, the London Palladium,
and the West End Theatre as well appearing on the </span>BBC. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made her debut on Broadway when she
was 19 in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Boy Friend</i>, a show that
she recently revived and directed in 2003. “<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">By the end of 1967,
Andrews was the world's most successful film star. She had appeared in the
most-watched television special </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_(telefilms)"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cinderella</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;
the biggest Broadway musical of its time, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Fair_Lady"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">My Fair Lady</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;
the largest-selling long-playing album, the original cast recording of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Fair_Lady"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">My Fair Lady</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;
the biggest hit in Disney's history, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Poppins_(film)"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Mary Poppins</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;
the highest grossing movie of 1966, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_(film)"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Hawaii</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;</span><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
</span><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">the biggest and second biggest hits in Universal's history, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thoroughly_Modern_Millie"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Thoroughly Modern
Millie</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_Curtain"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Torn Curtain</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">;
and the biggest in 20th Century Fox's history, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sound_of_Music_(film)"><i><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Sound of Music</span></i></a><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">.”
Along with such prestige and fame, Dame Andrews has won numerous awards for her
acting and singing. Just a few of her numerous honors are the Oscar and Golden
Globe for Best Actress in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mary Poppins</i>,
her Golden Globe for Best Actress in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Sound of Music, </i>and her Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Screen Actors
Guild, the UCLA George and Ira Gershwin Award, and the Grammys. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Although her immense success as a youth has
waned in recent years, Ms. Andrews’ work will always remain iconic and awe
inspiring. She is currently focused on her philanthropic work and is constantly
working with the United Nations International Fund for Women, Operation USA –
an international relief agency, Save the Children, and the Foundation for
Hereditary Disease. To the youth of this century, she is most recognized as
Queen Clarisse in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Princess Diaries</i>
movies, the voice of the queen in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shrek</i>
series, and Lily in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tooth Fairy</i>.</span><span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">I
admire Dame Andrews primarily because of her versatility and immense talent. It
amazes me than in the span of her life she has been both a theatre and film actress,
a singer with perfect pitch and a four-octave range, a comedian, a voice-over
actress, a director, a philanthropist, a Dame Commander of the British Empire
and a best selling author of children’s books. To me, she is a fitting example of
a real and tangible woman who, despite her human faults, has made history out
of her successes. No negative connotation follows a name like hers because she
has always made wise choices in her career that allow her to have fun and try
new things while maintaining a wholesome and positive persona. I feel as though
Julie Andrews is a lot like me. My biggest love is singing, I enjoy theatre and
comedy immensely, and writing is one of my strongest attributes. I just hope
that wherever my life takes me, and if I do decide to pursue a career in the
entertainment industry, that I can have a flourishing and iconic career like
that of Julie Andrews. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="line-height: 32px;">You can learn more about this amazing lady <a href="http://www.julieandrewsonline.com/" target="_blank">here</a> and make your next movie night a Julie marathon! </span></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-89815107315221250992014-05-01T07:37:00.003-07:002014-05-01T07:37:33.780-07:00Why I Cringe at the Sight of the Good Ol’ Captain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gIKWodqXdnk/U2JcD3vbewI/AAAAAAAACH8/U1uyZqmaOow/s1600/y3PWaHz.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gIKWodqXdnk/U2JcD3vbewI/AAAAAAAACH8/U1uyZqmaOow/s1600/y3PWaHz.gif" height="133" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During college, the most popular extracurricular activity is
heavy drinking. You can pretty much never drink too much, and coming close to
frat guy averages is nearly impossible. The more you drink, the more respected
you are. The more often you drink, the more popular exposure you gain. It seems
like a win-win situation for a lot of young people to engage in binge drinking
at parties for the “cool factor” that comes with attending a wild rager. With
stories to tell and cell phone photos to flaunt, anyone can appear more bold
and interesting than they really are.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like a large majority of high school students, I drank at
parties to excess. I’ve puked in bushes, sinks, occasionally hitting the mark
of a toilet, and have gone so far as to “puke and rally”, not wanting to quit
after the first round of nausea. I’ve made a fool of myself, made “party
friends”, fucked up relationships, lied to my loved ones and said “yes”, when
the sober me would have politely declined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did it all to feel like I was someone else. I had good
friends, but socially, I was not at the status I longed for. Drinking made me
part of a group of people I found interesting and funny, but I could never see
the cracks in their façade as we all stumbled through an alcoholic daze. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming to this realization and gripping on to the last
strings of reality helped me escape a world I could have easily fell victim
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Freshman year of college, I
saw a few of my good friends destroy themselves at the hands of drugs and alcohol.
What they were running from, I could never understand, but I knew that was not
the life I had planned for myself. I reasoned that I never enjoyed the taste of
alcohol nor the feeling of a hangover, so I wouldn’t be missing much if I
simply stopped drinking and took responsibility for my health and future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easier said than done, I continued to drink, only on a much
smaller scale, for the next two years. Leaving the University of San Francisco
sparked a great relapse as I realized how much alcohol affected the social
atmosphere here at Loyola Marymount University. Drunk and uncoordinated, I met
the love of my life the first weekend of school, my boyfriend of a year and a
half. Although this is one of the most positive things that have ever happened
to me, I deeply regret the way in which we met. It is a story I will always
feel ashamed to tell, certainly if we are married and have children.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Within our relationship I found great incentive to stay
sober for the sake of mutual safety and respect for my partner. After a few
incidents of neglectful behavior and drunken bickering, I called it quits.
There is nothing more important to me than my personal relationships, and now I
have more than enough motivation to give up the fantasy of my drunk alter ego
and simply be myself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surely it has taken me quite a bit of time to come to this
conclusion, but it truly the best for me at this time in my life. I go to
school full time, work full time and hold a leadership position in a sorority.
I don’t have the time or the energy to get wasted every weekend and deal with
the hangovers that will inevitably come. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If self-awareness does not stir a response to my story, think
about the physical facts:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alcohol is a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">toxin</b>
that our bodies tolerate and toil to process and eject. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/mar/07/safe-level-alcohol-consumption">http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/mar/07/safe-level-alcohol-consumption</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Long-term alcohol abuse can produce devastating <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">neurological damage</b>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-related-neurologic-disease#Overview">http://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol-related-neurologic-disease#Overview</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">negative effects</b>
of alcohol reach far beyond our own back door.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For more info on cutting out alcohol from your weekly or
daily routine, check out this UK site:</div>
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http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/relax-without-alcohol.aspx</div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-63444530726832082852014-05-01T07:32:00.000-07:002014-05-01T07:32:18.292-07:00Birds on the Wire <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/LoM4ZZJ2UrM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you can believe it, this man actually made a song based on birds sitting on a wire. He mirrored the notes from a photo snapped of the birds and this AMAZING piece of music came out of it. Now I don't know about you, but I believe that this kind of creativity and beauty melding nature, art and technology is something inherently special about the world we live in. We are capable of so much good, that at times, it's hard to accept that there is and most likely will always be evil amongst us. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For a few brief minutes, fall into the peaceful frame of mind this video inspires. There's nothing to complain about or contemplate. Just experience the natural music of life. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
by: McKenna Warde</div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-36704412368116927592014-05-01T07:14:00.002-07:002014-05-01T07:14:59.511-07:00So I Just Did a Juice Cleanse<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, you heard right. I gave in to the fad last week after
feeling particularly lethargic and unmotivated to do anything with my day. It
certainly didn’t help that social media at my fingertips shoved encouragement
in my face via photos and articles of all things “healthy”. Why couldn’t I just kick myself back
into gear for the end of the semester and go on a cleanse? That sounded
perfectly sensible to me, and with extra money in the bank from my new job, I
took Nike’s advice and just did it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I chose a three-day personalized cleansed from Pressed
Juicery in Manhattan Beach and read up on all the facts and how-to articles to
actually reap some benefit from this insane decision. Three days before the
cleanse I switched to eating only small portions of raw fruits and veggies,
transitioning on the last day to soups and liquids only. 100% by the book, and
that my friends, was probably the hardest part of the whole process. I honestly
had to turn down a cheese stick from a co-worker the day before I started, and
just holding it in my hand was a Herculean effort. When you think about all of
things in your diet that are made of meat, dairy, grains, sugar, caffeine and
alcohol, then being told you can’t touch them for the entirety of a
pre-cleanse, the cleanse itself and the post-cleanse, your outlook gets a
little bleak. Being dedicated to a fresh start was my sole motivation, and it
was a shaky road for a while, but I managed to succeed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the most part…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pre-cleanse complete, I dove into day one of the cleanse.
Everyone warns you that the beginning is rough, but I have to say, the only
rough thing for me was getting down so much damn liquid. 16 oz. of juice every
2 hours in combination with 2 liters of water throughout the day is a struggle.
There’s no other way to explain it. I never felt a single hunger pain, but my
stomach and bladder were screaming for me to let up on so much volume. Silly me
also opted for two addition “cleansing waters” to accompany my cleanse that I
simply couldn’t finish in addition to the 160 oz. already ravaging my system. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
As far as taste goes, I made a huge mistake by picking my
own juices and not just doing the pre-made cleanse. Reading over the list of
ingredients in the juices, I excitedly chose some pretty nasty combos, ending
up with only two really yummy concoctions to look forward to each day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fG2UcV7D8Ms/U2JWrH_ARxI/AAAAAAAACHo/sZMFTWgoIiA/s1600/main-cleanse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fG2UcV7D8Ms/U2JWrH_ARxI/AAAAAAAACHo/sZMFTWgoIiA/s1600/main-cleanse.png" height="100" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->10 AM- greens 1.5: I don’t know why I decided to
choose a greens drink with zero fruit….this is basically grass in a bottle.</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->12 AM- citrus 4: ok celery was a bad idea</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->2 PM- roots 3: literally devil’s blood…. beets
and ginger= nope</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->4 PM: citrus 2: thee most delicious fruity/tangy
concoction ever! I baby sipped it for the entire two hours</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->6 PM- vanilla almond: HALLELUJIA this drink was
so good. Think creamy almond milk taste with vanilla and a hint of sea salt</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->1 hour before bed- aloe vera water: looks like
water, smells like water, NOT WATER</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Throughout the day- chlorophyll water: a grass/water
hybrid of disgusting</div>
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As you can see, the road was rough, and trying to function
around people who are eating solid food isn’t great. Luckily, I had enough
energy to get through my days at work and school without any major issues. Most
likely because I was within 100 feet of a bathroom most of the time. I’ll spare
you the details. </div>
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The experience was interesting, but I wouldn’t say it’s
something I’ll do again soon. You need a lot more time to relax and breathe as
you do a cleanse, and I certainly don’t have that luxury right now.</div>
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Three days post-cleanse and I’m doing just fine. I did
indulge in a few treats a little too soon after breaking the cleanse, but who
could blame me? When frat guys throw candy at you, you tend to eat it. I feel
pretty good, but the biggest benefit I’m enjoying right now is a lessened
appetite. I feel full and comfortable with small portions of fruits and
veggies, and I don’t crave sweets or fried foods at all. Being content feels
good, and if anything, I hope the habit of refraining from “unclean” foods
sticks with me. </div>
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If you want to try a cleanse to detox your body or have a
fresh start, I’d say go for it! It was hard for me, but everyone has a
different experience. I think I’ll count myself one of the lucky ones for not
having too much digestive upset. I would highly recommend getting familiar with
a juice company you think is reputable, and sticking to the full cleanse
regiment when you do commit. Also, focus on the internal benefits you are
reaping rather than the external. Unless you’re Superman and you decide to
juice for weeks or months, don’t expect to see too many changes in your weight
or skin. There will be improvements, but think more along the lines of a clean
and healthy colon and digestive track. </div>
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<br /></div>
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You can take a look at the company I used here: <a href="http://www.pressedjuicery.com/">http://www.pressedjuicery.com</a></div>
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Good luck on your own health expeditions and happy juicing! <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4788907272965042797" name="_GoBack"></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br />
by: McKenna Warde</div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-68932476496555810052014-05-01T07:12:00.000-07:002014-05-01T07:12:42.526-07:00Queen of Convergence <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7v6HOHKXZqs/U2JWJfqswVI/AAAAAAAACHg/HogIMDGjp5k/s1600/qm92dyjz-1338954566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7v6HOHKXZqs/U2JWJfqswVI/AAAAAAAACHg/HogIMDGjp5k/s1600/qm92dyjz-1338954566.jpg" height="155" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
As a child of the 90s, I have never considered myself in the same boat as the newest generation of "tech-immersed" children, learning and engaging primarily through digital multi-media. When I was a child, the personal computer was still clunky and took some getting used to in order to even use the most basic functions. I used text books throughout my elementary and high school education with the occasional movie or demo thrown in, and I never felt like school was too boring or I wasn't getting the best education possible. There are many outdated forms of research and learning that I have mastered, and I take pride in my ability to live at a convergence of old and new media where I feel comfortable in both worlds.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
In his <a data-mce-href="http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf" href="http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf" style="color: #666666;" title="article">article</a>, Marc Prensky addresses an issue that I think is more prevalent in the youth of the present generation of "digital natives." Teachers have lost touch of what students immersed in the technological age need: condensed, engaging, readily available information. This is an extremely tall order to fill for adults who are essentially "digital immigrants" compared to their younger counterparts, but there seems to be few other choices than to simply adapt.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
Just as my parents and I have adapted to our new smart phones and drawn heavily from the benefits that come with convenient connection, so too would there be benefits to freshening up teaching models and engaging students in new and interesting ways. Take the website <a data-mce-href="http://prezi.com" href="http://prezi.com/" style="color: #666666;" title="Prezi">Prezi</a> for example, which is essentially an interactive form of PowerPoint. Not only does the site offer a new learning experience for teachers in building their presentations, but it gives students something visually appealing to look at with an interface that mimics much of the new technology they use in their daily lives.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
At the same time, it is hard to neatly pin down the divide between digital natives and immigrants, just as it is to conquer the drastically different cultures/learning practices. Author Henry Jenkins references this opposing theory to Prensky in his <a data-mce-href="http://henryjenkins.org/2007/12/reconsidering_digital_immigran.html" href="http://henryjenkins.org/2007/12/reconsidering_digital_immigran.html" style="color: #666666;" title="article">article</a> focusing on the importance of collaborative learning. Rather than taking on an attitude that the young are superior to the old and those who are behind in the tech world need to simply "get with the times", there needs to be some give and take. Teachers can learn just as much from their students as their students can from them. Think back to any effective teacher you had growing up, and chances are they were flexible and ready to adapt to the needs of their class.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
To this day, I'm one of those people who gawk at 2 year olds using IPads and sneer whenever "good old fashioned _________" doesn't seem to be enough. However, I am a supporter of innovation in an age when education remains a subject filled with yawns and groans. Check out <a data-mce-href="http://www.centertheatregroup.org" href="http://www.centertheatregroup.org/" style="color: #666666;" title="Center Theatre Group">Center Theatre Group</a> online or like their "Emerging Artists" Facebook page <a data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/CTGEmergingArtists" href="https://www.facebook.com/CTGEmergingArtists" style="color: #666666;" title="here">here</a> to see what this company is investing in to engage and invite young people to participate in LA theatre. Some of their projects include "Tweet Seats" that allow patrons to live-tweet during performances and "Student Scene Nights" that immerse teens in the history and atmosphere of current shows with a free ticket included!</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">
by: McKenna Warde</div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-41731877866637682482014-05-01T04:03:00.005-07:002014-05-01T04:09:39.376-07:00Outside Lands Music Festival-- The Best Fest In The West<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YG6o3prd6r0/U2IpRqH67AI/AAAAAAAACHA/B8BIEFiRQdw/s1600/OSL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YG6o3prd6r0/U2IpRqH67AI/AAAAAAAACHA/B8BIEFiRQdw/s1600/OSL.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Mark Twain once said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in
San Francisco.” With that in mind, Outside Lands is the perfect place to let
the inner wild child free without having to worry about dehydration, heat
stroke or melting. Unlike Coachella or Burning Man, Outside Lands is arguably the
best festival on the West Coast if triple digits aren’t your thing. Putting the
weather aside, Outside Lands strays from the typical, trendy music festival,
giving veteran festival-goers something to be excited about.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If you dig the lights and drug culture of raves—or Coachella, even—then
Outside Lands might not be for you. The festival is much less of a spectacle
and less E.D.M (electronic dance music) oriented—keeping the light shows and
thumping bass to a minimum (thankfully!). The lack of spectacle makes Outside
Lands a music festival that’s actually centralized around the music. As odd as
it may sound, the majority of music festivals aren’t about the music anymore,
giving Outside Lands an edge over most multi-day music events. It’s an event
for the genuine music lover because it’s an authentic music experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">What separates the San Francisco music festival from other massive music
festivals is the line up. The number of incredible, world-renowned musicians
who perform every year at Outside Lands is more than impressive. Between 2010
and 2013 alone, Al Green, Foo Fighters, Willie Nelson, Metallica, Neil Young,
Jack White, Paul McCartney, LCD Soundsystem and Stevie Wonder have rocked the
Golden Gate stages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Year after year Outside Lands continuously books quality performers,
while most other music festivals do not. Most festivals have conformed and
morphed into mainstream conclaves, and let’s be real: Mainstream music is
terrible. Outside Lands, thankfully, has kept to its unique, eclectic roots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The San Francisco music fest is also notorious for it’s performers doing
wildly unheard of things. In 2012 former lead singer of the White Stripes, Jack
White, <a href="http://www.stereogum.com/1122952/watch-jack-whites-surprise-performance-in-the-woods-at-outside-lands/video/" target="_blank">performed an impromptu set </a>in the middle of the Golden Gate woods.
Completely unannounced, a massive crowd gathered around him as he performed
songs off of his solo album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blunderbuss.</i>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86-UokdUCI0/U2IpXb8F5aI/AAAAAAAACHI/fF6fDU6cyLI/s1600/paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86-UokdUCI0/U2IpXb8F5aI/AAAAAAAACHI/fF6fDU6cyLI/s1600/paul.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul McCartney</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">An equally mind blowing affair occurred this past year during the middle
of <a href="http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/08/10/paul-mccartney-fans-come-together-at-outside-lands/" target="_blank">Paul McCartney’s set</a>. The former Beatle invited two fans from the crowd on
stage and gave them a once in a lifetime experience. The girls chosen to join
McCartney stood motionless, speechless and teary-eyed, as he chatted with them
in front of the massive Golden Gate crowd. The overwhelmed fans wept as Sir
Paul hugged and dedicated the song “Hey Jude” to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The spontaneous and spirited nature of the performers gives the massive
festival an intimacy other music fests don’t have. I mean, what other concert
allows attendees the opportunity to personally engage with A-list musicians?
None. It’s unheard of for rock stars to play surprise sets in the middle of a
forest. But, it’s even more unheard of for a Beatle to invite people on stage
and dedicate an iconic song to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Instances like these don’t happen anywhere else, making Outside Lands
electric. For the people who witnessed White’s unannounced set, and the fans
who were brought on stage by Sir Paul McCartney, Outside Lands is the place
where dreams come true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Additionally, the festival is located in one of the hippie epicenters of
the universe – Golden Gate Park—giving the festival an old school vibe. Between
the psychedelic art structures and festival attendees dressed in their best
hippie attire, it’s hard not to feel the peace and love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ONGr5WSnQns/U2Iph42SQkI/AAAAAAAACHQ/vQROBRErMZQ/s1600/wineland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ONGr5WSnQns/U2Iph42SQkI/AAAAAAAACHQ/vQROBRErMZQ/s1600/wineland.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Along with the festival’s innate hippie culture, the options for food
and alcohol are stellar. Between fried pickles, cruelty-free meat, ice cream
trucks and vegetable vendors Outside Lands has something for everyone to eat. The
options for adult beverages are also limitless. With wine from Napa Valley,
beers from some of the best breweries in the nation and bartenders who pour
stiff cocktails, it’s easy to get into the festival spirit. In regards to all
things tasty, Outside Lands has its bases covered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For more reasons than I can count on my hands and feet, <a href="http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/home/" target="_blank">Outside Lands</a> is
arguably the best music fest in the West.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">By Mary Carreon</span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-31250963745255608392014-05-01T03:58:00.001-07:002014-05-01T04:09:57.310-07:00Soberchella<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wfhoSrcv8bs/U2ImNsoJdjI/AAAAAAAACG0/MqpKblFF2K8/s1600/soberchella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wfhoSrcv8bs/U2ImNsoJdjI/AAAAAAAACG0/MqpKblFF2K8/s1600/soberchella.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></div>
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[<b>Writers note:</b> The links in this piece are worth checking out!]</div>
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In the first week of April last year, LA
Weekly asked me to help them provide media coverage for Southern California’s biggest music
festival: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Considering the fact I’ve
been labeled a music nerd/junkie/snob/nut job for all of my life, the
invitation to cover one of the most renowned music festivals in the world was
more than a dream come true. My downfall, however, was due to lack of
experience. It wasn't festival experience that I lacked, but rather the experience of writing, reporting and working in a festival environment for 15 hours straight. I didn't realize how difficult and tiring it was, and therefore, didn't plan for it. I figured that when I got to the festival, brilliant ideas would
pop into my head and I would have tons to write about. That obviously didn’t
happen. Although I completed the amount of content I was responsible for, it
was tough because I didn’t prepare--at all-- prior to the event. </div>
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So, when LA Weekly asked me to help them cover Coachella
again this year, I made sure to prepare a laundry list of ideas. I
scoured the Internet months prior to the event for things I could base my
coverage around. At the height of my research, I discovered what felt like a glowing hidden treasure chest: <a href="http://soberchella.tumblr.com/post/81893234116/final-plans-are-under-way" target="_blank">Soberchella. </a><a href="http://soberchella.tumblr.com/post/81893234116/final-plans-are-under-way" target="_blank">Soberchella</a> is a support group for people in recovery who want to
experience Coachella to the fullest, while maintaining their sobriety. Over the
three-day event, the group holds 12-step meetings on the festival grounds in
order to provide safety, relief and strength for its members. </div>
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Originating in 2009, Soberchella
has grown substantially, attracting people from all over the globe, let alone
the country. Although most members are from the U.S., the group provides a
sense of familiarity to foreigners attending Coachella by welcoming them into a
group of like-minded people who share a couple of things in common: sobriety
and a love for music. </div>
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<a href="http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/04/19/kids-drugs-the-coachella-experience" target="_blank">As those who’ve been to the festival know, Coachella is a shit show.</a> It’s become a place where people go to party their brains out for
three days straight. Thus, the combination of the wild atmosphere, drunks and
druggies, Coachella isn’t exactly an ideal place for a person who struggles
with addiction. </div>
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This is what makes Soberchella inspiring: The group provides
a safe haven for people in recovery amidst a chaotic warzone. Especially to
those new to recovery, it’s commonly thought that events like Coachella are out
of the question. Soberchella proves otherwise, however, as it provides those
who struggle with addiction the opportunity to take on a new perspective about
their condition. Being an alcoholic or addict doesn’t mean you can’t have fun,
and that’s what Soberchella aims to confirm.</div>
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As Coachella has evolved, the
focus has become more about partying and less about the music. The members of
Soberchella, however, experience the festival the way it’s meant to be enjoyed:
For the music. Going to a music festival for the sake of the music is a concept
that seems long forgotten, sadly, which is another aspect that makes
Soberchella unique.</div>
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Although sobriety isn’t an issue for me, Coachella is,
without a doubt, one of the craziest and most unpredictable places I’ve been to
because of the 100,000 inebriated festival attendees. With that said, if
sobriety was a challenge of mine, I’d imagine Coachella to be an anxiety ridden
experience. Needless to say, the members of Soberchella are impressively brave
and commendable. You are who you surround yourself with, thus, you are as
strong as those you surround yourself with. Soberchella, then, is an example of
how powerful a group of strong individuals who share a common goal are. </div>
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<a href="http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/04/12/these-folks-come-to-coachella-to-get-sober" target="_blank">Interviewing the leaders of Soberchella as a part of my festival coverage</a> opened my eyes to an interesting subculture within the
intoxicated festival culture. The group gives those who are challenged by
addiction the chance to experience Coachella and feel safe about it. This
inspiring group of people is a reminder of how incredible and positive humanity
can be. Nothing is more beautiful than seeing people reach out and do good for
the sake and well being of others around them. <br />
<br />
By: Mary Carreon</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-76997846997793891532014-05-01T03:30:00.000-07:002014-05-01T04:13:49.945-07:00 Reciprocate What You Get, Let's Not Experience Ecological Debt.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gQw6V7TDy8E/U2IaL6Z1rSI/AAAAAAAACGk/zfmzEUkwSwI/s1600/Mother_Earth_by_josephine101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gQw6V7TDy8E/U2IaL6Z1rSI/AAAAAAAACGk/zfmzEUkwSwI/s1600/Mother_Earth_by_josephine101.jpg" height="296" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“The world is
too much with us,” but what would it be without us?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sure. Pollution,
sickness, war and hate would be much less fuss,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">yet far less
love, friendship, joy and happiness would cease to exist,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and we’d never
get to experience what it is to love and to be kissed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers/ little we see
in Nature that is ours.”</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, it’s true--
humanity is hypnotized by the modern world’s powers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">but is it right
to judge how one appreciates flowers and their beauty?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">No—remember the
goal is to be more open minded and less moody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #00011f; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: Courier; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">You want to get out of here because
uninformed people make you forlorn--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Instead of running
from what bothers you, why not help others become reborn?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Appreciating
nature is one thing, but helping others see its majesty is another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Promote the
benefits of what it means to love and take care of our mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A persistent and
proactive approach is the best way to help people care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Instead of whining
about how we won't improve our quality of air,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">it’s up to us to
inspire others about our alive and radiant Earth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">because she is
foremost responsible for humanity’s life and birth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Doing your part means leaving a smaller footprint--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/03/3113981/climate-change-water-shortage/" target="_blank">t's easy! Just start by conserving water, hint hint.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Remember that
recycling means clean and fantastic,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">but reuse what you can and throw away less plastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.toxicsaction.org/problems-and-solutions/waste" target="_blank">The world needs to know there’s too much in our landfills—</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the waste is
equivalent to mounds of infinite trash hills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Producing less
waste is another way to contribute—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">because it means less litter for people to distribute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Disposing trash
properly will improve the ocean’s quality <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">and enhance people's lust for the knowledge of ecology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BA6fFGMjI" target="_blank">“Mercy, mercy me, oh things aren’t what they used to be,”</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">you see, even Marvin Gaye
wants our Earth radiation free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If you take care
of the Earth, she will take care of you—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">there are
many ways to ensure our bright sky stays blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If our Earth
goes black because of our negligence, so do we<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Lets join forces
to ensure a beautiful world for our kids to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">By Mary Carreon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-35594553847443592962014-04-30T03:25:00.000-07:002014-04-30T03:25:59.151-07:00Zodiac Sign, Shmodiac Sign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AwIPkSiUf8/U2DOtkD-NTI/AAAAAAAACGU/IG-6DzpNF0w/s1600/zodiaccircle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AwIPkSiUf8/U2DOtkD-NTI/AAAAAAAACGU/IG-6DzpNF0w/s1600/zodiaccircle.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have never quite understood the obsession with zodiac signs. I will meet people and within the first five minutes, they ask me “What is your sign?” I respond “Leo” and they make this “Oh” face. Apparently people aren’t too crazy about Leos. I think it is because Leos are known for being self-centered, stubborn, and vain. Maybe that is why I am not crazy about signs? Because I have lived life as the discriminated Leo. If that is the case, prepare for an incredibly biased article. Even so, I find it hard to believe that zodiac signs can attribute all these qualities to someone just because of the position of the planets around us when we were born. I guess it is kind of like religion, people believe what they want to believe to feel some kind of fulfillment. Whether what they believe is true or not, doesn’t really matter, because people will believe in what they want. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My question is: Why do people believe or want to believe in zodiac signs? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is too easy to accept the qualities attributed to our signs because they are so ridiculously vague. “Virgos like to be the leader of the pack, but sometimes they don’t,” “Libras like to be the center of attention, yet they can also be introverts,” “Sometimes Scorpios have good days, sometimes Scorpios have bad days,” Blah, blah, blah. I am sorry, but am I the only one that finds these comical? I can’t read these descriptions without laughing to myself, but for some people, all their answers in life lie in those descriptions. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">22-year-old senior at Loyola Marymount University, Karina Nazarian, expresses a similar response to mine. “I think people like to hold on to the good aspects of their sign and hope they are true,” Karina shares as she looks worriedly over at her roommate, Victoria Ohanian, in fear of offending her. Victoria roles her eyes and laughs, clearly she is not offended, “I like reading about zodiac signs for entertainment, but I don’t take them seriously. I think people read them in whatever direction they want.” </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I agree, I find that people count on zodiac signs to better understand themselves. It is comforting to rely on some outside source to explain your actions and personality traits. Some people justify their break ups because their signs “just didn’t match up,” or feel like they didn’t get a job because the company was looking for a Taurus. Darn.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When looking for answers for yourself, it is so much easier find them in zodiac signs. Reading over the descriptions I have come across, I think to myself “Oh yeah, I have felt like that before.” or “Yeah, that is totally me.” Sometimes reading things you can relate to is a reassuring feeling that others think, feel and act like you. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So yes, there was a time in my life when I was trying to relate to my Leo-ness. That being said, I remember talking to an acquaintance about an argument I had with a friend and she asked me what sign I was. After responding, she looked at me and with the straightest face and with the most matter-of-fact tone said, “Oh well it is because you are a Leo. You are stubborn.” I cringed, fought the urge to laugh and say “No, I am stubborn because I am stubborn. Is that so hard to believe?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is instances like these where I am turned off by the strong influence of zodiac signs. Rather than offer advice, this girl felt the only explanation necessary was that I was a Leo and that should explain the rest. This example is a bit extreme and to be perfectly honest, that girl was a bit of a nut case, but I was still bothered. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is not that I think zodiac signs are bad, but when they dictate one’s perception of other people, they can be detrimental for new relationships. When someone asks me what sign I am within the first five minutes of meeting, it is safe to assume they are making presumptions about me based off of what they read online. Zodiac signs act as another barrier alongside ethnicity, clothing, etc., used to make judgments on people while undermining their individuality before really getting to know them. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So my one piece of advise for all zodiac sign enthusiasts: Get to know the person before you get to know their sign. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Want to learn more about zodiac signs?<a href="http://zodiac-signs-astrology.com/" target="_blank"> Click Here</a></span></div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-28927806979513186402014-04-30T01:34:00.002-07:002014-05-04T14:40:55.464-07:00Say No To Excuses <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Excuses are like assholes, Taylor, everybody got one."</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sgt. O’Neill, also known as John C. McGinley, said in the popular 80s film Platoon. I couldn’t agree more with this and to be perfectly honest I have gotten to a point in my life where excuses don’t cut it anymore. I have heard them all and believe me I have told a fair share myself. I was pretty darn good at them too. But they get old and one day it hits you: </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Excuses are empty statements. They are explanations that attempt to justify a shortcoming. As much as you believe your excuse, at the end of the day, it is just an excuse. Here is the problem with excuses. After a while, you start to believe your own excuses, then you are left in a position in which you feel helpless because you “believe” that all your problems derive from these external factors. You claim and honestly feel like you can’t achieve success because “the world is against you.” When in reality, you have all the power to change the direction of your life, you just have to learn to accept this power and take advantage of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let me throw a little cliche your way: You can do anything you set your mind to. Bet you never heard that one before huh? The reason successful people are successful is because they don’t make excuses, they make moves. They don’t put themselves in situations where they would have to explain a fault because they are too busy doing what they said they were going to do in the first place. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I challenge you to stop excusing yourself for things you “shoulda woulda coulda” done. Don’t waste your breath and other people’s time. Starting today, no more excuses.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here are some common excuses you should stop using starting today:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lets be honest. You weren’t late because of traffic or lack of parking because we all know (especially in Los Angeles), if there is somewhere important you need to be, you will take those factors into consideration and give yourself ample time for arrival. If you have an important meeting that you do not want to be late to, make sure to leave twice as early so that you will find parking and arrive in a timely manner. You are not Moses and traffic is not the Red Sea, it will not part in your favor.The sooner you realize that the world is not on your side, the better you will be. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another common one is using your professors as an excuse for poor grades. I am graduating college in May and have definitely had a fair share of professors ranging from absolutely terrible to positively inspiring. Every time I enter a class I understand that there are completely different expectations from professor to professor. Your professors are not going to adjust to your preferences; therefore, you must adjust to your surroundings. Take the time to understand the syllabus, work load, and responsibilities in order to get the grade you want. Study extra hard, participate excessively, and go to office hours. As bad as your professor is, I doubt he/she would have a job, if he/she failed every student in the class. So, be one of the few students that gets the decent grade. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When you blame external factors for your problems, you create a crutch that is detrimental to your success. Stop blaming your parents, your teachers, your friends, your lack of money and admit to yourself when you have failed. I am as prideful as they come so I understand the difficulty with admitting to failure. When I am pulling all-nighters trying to finish a paper due at 8 am, it is easy to blame my teacher for assigning too much homework, or work for keeping me too long, but that won’t get my paper done.There are so problems (sickness, natural disasters, accidents) we can’t control, why not take control of what we can? </span></span></div>
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Having trouble saying NO to excuses? Read articles for more inspiration: </div>
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<a href="http://residentfocused.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/excuses-are-tools-of-the-weak-and-incompetent/" target="_blank">Excuses are Tools of the Weak and Incompetent</a> </div>
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<a href="http://entrepreneursky.com/lame-excuses-need-stop-telling/" target="_blank">Lame Excuses You Need to Stop Telling Yourself</a></div>
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<a href="http://tinybuddha.com/blog/overcome-the-top-25-excuses-to-wait-on-your-dreams/" target="_blank">Overcome the Top 25 Excuses to Wait on Your Dreams</a></div>
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Alexandria Rousset </div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-90879715334102435992014-04-29T23:16:00.002-07:002014-04-29T23:17:12.886-07:00Addictions, Habits and Everything in Between <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">It is difficult to draw the line between a good addiction, a bad addiction, a good habit, and a bad habit. In fact, I would argue it is even impossible to draw this line between the four because that would mean everyone would have to agree on one definition for each. Addictions and habits are subjective, until they become destructive.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What do I mean by this? I mean that it is up to the person to determine whether they have an addiction or habit, unless of course it is blatantly obvious to the public that the person is unable to make the decision themselves for physical or psychological reasons. For example, one may not think they are addicted to working out, but if their body looks others wise (too skinny, fatigued, frail), then their health will speak for itself. Or if a person does not think they are addicted to their significant other, but their social and work life have drastically plummeted, those results would also speak for themselves.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Nadine Elise Jenson is a 21-year-old Senior English major from Camarillo, Calif., at Loyola Marymount University. While reading and writing has always been a passion for Jenson, her primary infatuation in life is ballet. With 13 years of experience and a drive that grows by the day, Jenson hopes to join a prestigious dance company in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or New York when she graduates.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What does a schedule of a full time student pursuing ballet look like? Hell. On top of her eight classes (yes, eight), Jenson drives to a Russian ballet school around 45 minutes away from campus every day between classes. Every day. Its location is none other than the infuriatingly hectic area of Wilshire and La Brea in Los Angeles. Over the weekend’s one would think Jenson takes the time to do as the majority of college students do, “chill out,” but on the contrary, she spends ten hours more at the dance studio.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In Jenson’s case, her good habit is what has caused her bad habit, which further proves my hypothesis of this huge amount of gray area when it comes to good addictions, bad addictions, good habits, and bad habits. Jenson’s good habit is going to dance every day, even when she is stressed out of her mind, because she knows it will be worth it in the long run. However, Jenson also admits that her bad habits come from always going to dance and not knowing her limits.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“I let myself get anxious. I need to not to beat myself up when I can’t go to ballet,” Jenson’s blue eyes scan the desk as she shakes her head in agreement with her statement. She continues, “It is really unhealthy and unrealistic. My ballet school puts that kind of pressure on me. Finding the balance and having the dignity to not feel like crap is difficult. I just can’t hate myself and my life because someone makes me feel guilty.”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">While this might sound like Jenson has an addiction to attending dance and pleasing both dance teachers and English professors, I would argue that she is not addicted. What is addicted really mean anyway? According to <a href="http://Dictionary.com/">Dictionary.com</a>, addiction means “the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As I previously stated, it is hard to judge whether someone is addicted to something or not, or whether their habit is a good one or not. The definition above clarifies a bit for us, but the variables are vague and subjective to each person.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I am not a doctor, nor do I have the authority to diagnose anything on anyone; however, I can state with confidence that Jenson is not addicted (in the negative sense, which the definition itself implies that it is always negative to be addicted to something) to ballet. Why? Because she has recognized how attending ballet has affected her life and clearly stated that she needs and is going to take time to balance ballet and school; therefore, she is aware of the consequences of both her good and bad habit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Addictions and habits are tricky. My best advice when it comes to this topic is if you are questioning your stance on a relationship with a possible bad addiction or habit, ask yourself: Am I dependent on this “thing” (person, behavior, substance) to go about my daily life? What happens to me if I don’t have this “thing?” What can I do to create a healthier, less dependent relationship with this “thing?” Be honest with yourself with these responses because you have the best judgment of how outer “things” affect you physically and psychologically. </span></div>
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<a href="http://addictions.about.com/od/howaddictionhappens/a/symptomslist.htm" target="_blank">Click here for more information on addictions</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/entrepreneursorganization/2013/09/25/good-habits-bad-habits-whats-the-difference/" target="_blank">Click here for more information on habits</a></div>
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Alexandria RoussetEditorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-26370991149122558932014-02-20T10:32:00.002-08:002014-02-20T10:32:34.168-08:00Victims of the Same Violence<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NA5LOHA65E8/UwZKGLhIq3I/AAAAAAAACEU/OFVwAndLlv8/s1600/Jackson+Katz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NA5LOHA65E8/UwZKGLhIq3I/AAAAAAAACEU/OFVwAndLlv8/s1600/Jackson+Katz.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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Last year I joined an all female service organization on my college campus called Belles. Throughout October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we held silent protests on campus. During these protests we stood along busy sidewalks holding posters with domestic violence statistics. We received various reactions from students, both good and bad. One thing that we could agree on during our reflection was that male students either seemed particularly uncomfortable or disconnected to our protests. Uncomfortable because they may have thought this was an attack on men and disconnected because domestic violence is a women’s issue. Or so I thought.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">During a reflection one meeting we watched a Ted Talk with Jackson Katz, an anti-sexist male activist and speaker. I quickly learned that the commonly accepted idea of domestic violence being a women’s issue contributes to the problem itself. Katz argues that by referring to domestic violence as a women’s issue it gives men an excuse to “tune out” because the matter does not apply to them. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Another problem with calling this a women’s issue is that people are asking the wrong questions. A lot of time people victim blame women when they first hear of an assault. They ask, “Well, what was she doing in that situation?” and “What was she wearing?” I have been guilty of this too. The truth is, knowing whether she was wearing short shorts or tight pants is not going to stop her abuser from attacking again. Also, I can assure you that nothing she was wearing justified what happened.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">These questions do not get to the root of the problem. What we really need to be asking is: Why did this man do what he did? Why do so many adult men abuse young children? These questions are not meant to attack the perpetrator because in all fairness, it is more than likely the that the perpetrator was a victim of domestic violence too. In fact, the perpetrator is nothing but a minute spec in the whole picture because he or she is simply a product of his or her surroundings. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“What about all the boys who are profoundly affected in a negative way by what some adult man is doing against their mother, themselves, their sisters? What about all the young men and boys who have been traumatized by adult men violence?” Katz states, “ <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/theres-something-absolutely-wrong-with-what-we-do-to-boys-before-they-grow-into-men?c=reccon1" target="_blank">The same system</a> that produces men who abuse women produce men who abuse other men. Most male victims of violence are the victims of other mens violence. So that is something both women and men have in common. We are both victims of men’s violence.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This concept of perpetrators being victims themselves never crossed my mind. I knew that children who grew up witnessing domestic violence were more likely to abuse others in their adulthood, but I never considered them to be victims. It is unrealistic to think that we can decrease domestic violence by punishing all abusers; therefore, it is important to understand where the abuse derives from. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">According to Katz, we need to change the practices and socializations of men into something that will not lead to abusive outcomes. Sports culture, pornography, and various institutions play a huge role in the construct of men in our society. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Katz then introduces the bystander approach. A bystander is not a victim or perpetuator, but a friend, a colleague, a teammate, or coach. When bystanders hear sexist, degrading, or racist commentary, Katz believes it is their responsibility to intervene because if one does not intervene they are accepting the statement as it is. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This concept seems easy enough, but it is definitely easier said than done, especially in the male culture. It is difficult for a male to intervene without being considered sensitive. Katz gives the example of a group of men playing poker and one man making a sexist joke. I could imagine it being difficult to stand up and say something like “Hey man, that is not funny, that is sexist. Think about your mom and sister.” It will create an awkward moment for everyone on the table and instead of being commended for a morally right comment, the guy who spoke up will probably be called a pussy. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I could imagine this scene happening in several other settings as well; however, this awkward moment of tension is worth it. I agree with Katz who states that the bystander approach will “create a pure culture climate where the abusive behavior will be seen as unacceptable.” He wants our cultural climate to get to the point where anyone who acts in sexists ways, will lose status. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I cannot wait for the day that the obnoxious guy that yells “faggot” or “slut” across a party or locker room will be looked down on more than the guy who is “sensitive” enough to call him out. </span></div>
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Watch the complete Ted Talk here: http://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue.html</div>
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For more information on domestic violence visit: http://domesticviolencestatistics.org/</div>
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Alexandria Rousset </div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-44111574475908917252014-02-12T23:44:00.001-08:002014-02-12T23:48:28.420-08:00Perfect Little Escape <style>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You go home, you don’t live in the
city,” a young man wearing grey sweats, faded tan moccasins, and a black
hoodie topped with a black leather jacket yelled across the coffee shop. The
man across the coffee shop rolls his eyes, “I’m four miles away.” The punk rock
man turned hipster responds, “Still not in the city,” and the men laugh at
their inside joke, while I awkwardly sink into the comfy brown couch thinking <i>Crap,
I am not from here either.</i> This feeling quickly fades as the friendly
barista taps my right shoulder to hand me my white mocha. <i>Oops</i>. I
must have missed my name while eavesdropping on these two loudmouths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I am sitting in Sierra Madre’s
busiest hotspot: Bean Town. Where is Sierra Madre you may ask? The cozy city
with a population of 11,000 lies in the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. If
that means nothing to you, Sierra Madre hugs Pasadena, the home of the Rose
Parade. You may have come across this 2.9 square miles of land when embarking
on that 14 mile stair master people call a hike, Mt. Wilson, or maybe you
caught a glimpse of downtown in the background of the movies “The Wedding
Singer,” “The Princess Diaries,” or “Kicking and Screaming.” If you are a plant
lover, you will know that Sierra Madre is home to the world’s largest Wistaria
vine, which is why Sierra Madre holds the Wistaria Festival every year. Other
than that, you may not have heard of Sierra Madre, but you might soon if the
rumors are true. I heard from a personal trainer at Sierra Madre fitness who
heard from his boss, who heard from a local, who heard from a realtor at Podley
Properties that Katy Perry and John Mayer are looking for a home together in
town. Yes, it is that kind of town, the kind of town where secrets are a lot
more like PSAs than small talk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bean Town is filled with modest,
mismatched furniture, rustic wooden tables that look like they once had paint
on them, and brick walls colored with vintage signs and local artists’ artwork.
The turquoise faded bookshelf houses several board games with missing pieces
and coffee-stained paperback books. Despite the high wooden rafter ceiling and
brown concrete floor, you are filled with warmth from the coffee aroma and
friendliness when you walk through the door. The older folk are full of stories
and ready to burst, while the young adults here all appear to be artists of
some sort, or hipsters. No, not the hipsters who tie a flannel around their
waist, rock brand new Doc Martens, and claim to have known all the Coachella
artists before they went mainstream. These Bean Towners are the kind of
hipsters who are not originally from Southern California. They are from San
Francisco, Portland, or maybe Seattle. Their clothes don’t match, their hair is
greasy and they discuss progressive politics, foreign films, or Allen Ginsberg
in a witty, sarcastic tone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been coming to this coffee
shop for over ten years now. Whether my siblings and I were racing in for the
famous Fosselman’s ice cream or I was meeting up with friends to “study,” I
have always loved the atmosphere of Bean Town. It wasn’t until after I moved to
college that I realized what a strong sense of community there was amongst
customers, locals, and regulars. Steve Hardy, 55, has been a regular of
Bean Town for over a decade. The 6-foot-2 artist with sand-colored hair spends
every night from seven to close at his second home. “Bean Town has a mixture of
every kind of personality in the world. This is the crossroads of the world.
I’ve heard all kinds of languages: Spanish, French, German, Russian, Japanese,
Korean, Chinese,” Hardy explains excitedly. “The interesting thing is it is not
just different peoples’ backgrounds, it is different experiences.” Not everyone
that comes here is from Sierra Madre; in fact, most of the customers are from
different parts of Los Angeles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hardy attributes the environment to the fact that Bean Town "allows more stuff to happen here and it is not a big deal." If Hardy feels like dancing, Hardy dances. If Hardy raises his voice and acts out, management will not call the police. "I say this proudly, I am weird, quirky, I am who I am, but it is easier to be an unusual person and fit in here." I think what makes Bean Town so special to the
out-of-town customers is it is an unpretentious coffee shop near LA that is a
perfect little escape. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Alexandria Rousset </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more information on Sierra Madre visit: http://www.cityofsierramadre.com/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more information on Steve Hardy visit: http://www.sgvtribune.com/lifestyle/20131213/artist-likes-coffee-house-buzz </span></div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-59413077001573330802014-02-11T21:31:00.000-08:002014-02-11T21:32:58.346-08:00Be a Woman. A Woman of Distinction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl-Qtc84B0M/UvsHK3c5S1I/AAAAAAAACEA/t340HqVYWjQ/s1600/Rosie-The-Riveter-Button-(0276).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl-Qtc84B0M/UvsHK3c5S1I/AAAAAAAACEA/t340HqVYWjQ/s320/Rosie-The-Riveter-Button-(0276).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“A woman of distinction is a woman that
is empowered and doesn’t take no for an answer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“A woman of distinction is a woman that
represents success. Despite her background, she can bring herself up to a
higher standard.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“She knows how to take care of herself
and knows how to be independent.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This past weekend, I heard various definitions for
being a Woman of Distinction. What makes a woman distinct? What makes her
powerful? What makes her feel powerful? These were the questions that were
running through my mind as I watched one girl after another enter and leave the
classroom I was in as I oversaw their interviews for my sorority. I have
learned what it means to be a strong woman; an empowered woman that knows what
it means to stand up for herself in a patriarchal society. To me, she is the
woman that will speak for what she believes is right even if it makes her seem
as though she is about to be run over by the bull. She will look you straight
in the eye with no fear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet, if this woman is standing up for herself and
for others why is criticized? Why is she being called a hairy feminist for
merely taking pride in her gender and using it as a source of empowerment as
opposed to seeing it as a reason for oppression? If a man stands up for
himself, takes a stand while looking at you in the eyes without fear he is
admired. He is seen as manly and ambitous. Yes, a woman is admired but not
without backlash. A recent comic that has circulated throughout Facebook,
portrays several different types of girls, all being reprimanded for the way
they are dressed or what they stand for. Society really never is satisfied with
the way a woman tries to represent herself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is especially true for women in the workforce.
Last semester, in my Business Ethics class, my Professor stated his theory for
why we see a lack of not just women but different ethnic groups holding
high-level positions. “The board is always searching for those that are most
similar to them; for the ones with the same ideals. Who are these? White men
with a higher education.” It is no secret that women have surpassed men in
achieving a college education, but when she tries to climb the business ladder
(in any career, not just the business world), she is told that she is
neglecting her female duties to her husband/boyfriend, her family, and her
home. We are constantly being fed this notion that no matter what a woman may
want out of life, her primary role will always be in the <a href="http://blsciblogs.baruch.cuny.edu/soc1005summer/2012/07/29/gender-roles-portrayed-in-the-media/">house</a>. Even children
in this day and age still believe in the traditional gender roles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But what society fails to realize is that these are
not her only duties. A woman has a duty to herself. She has a duty to her
gender and anything else that constitutes as her identity. She doesn’t try
twice as hard as her male counterpart because she wants to, but because she
knows she has to. No, I am not saying that men don’t earn their positions, they
do. They work hard to obtain their education and their careers. But wouldn’t
you work harder if you have been molded to believe that you have to be married
by a certain age? That once you decide to settle down you have to let go of
everything you have worked for to take care of your children. I know plenty of
women that, while proud of their children, regret giving up the jobs they loved
dearly. It was their choice, but they admit to having been influenced by their
husbands and own traditional families. If they could go back and find a way to
be Supermom, they would. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Women of Distinction. They’re a growing force. They
are forces to be reckoned with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Should you fear them? Yes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Admire them? Absolutely. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Be one? Don’t even question it. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4788907272965042797" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">~Genesis Montalvo</span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/abp73P4ESoI" width="560"></iframe>Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-34910516993358665502014-02-11T16:11:00.001-08:002014-02-11T16:11:21.976-08:00How I Watched The Superbowl<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There was a Superbowl? Well, some may argue
that the Superbowl in fact happened but as I watched the “game” two Sundays ago,</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CyzC3I85jXk/Uvq79dt06SI/AAAAAAAACDw/KET7Gxv4mrY/s1600/IMG_00001257_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CyzC3I85jXk/Uvq79dt06SI/AAAAAAAACDw/KET7Gxv4mrY/s1600/IMG_00001257_edit.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I noticed it was consumed with Seattle killing it and Denver egregiously
letting the Seahawks win. I was really rooting for the Broncs, especially after
seeing Richard Sherman’s raging rant but apparently it wasn’t their day to
shine, with the Seahawks stealing the game, leaving a final score of 43-8. <o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">So, in order to not be utterly bored at the
Superbowl party I attended I tried to look for something to do. I didn’t want
to hang out by the chips and salsa bar, which I’ve noticed is a common mode of
distraction at parties, people just pounding down senseless calories. I also
didn’t care for Bruno Mars so I wasn’t present during the halftime show. By
that point I had found my distraction. Playing with an owl. This may sound
weird, even impossible but it definitely made the game go a lot quicker and I
met a new unique friend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Now
an owl doesn’t quite constitute a normal pet. And in fact, he wasn’t brought
into the household as a pet, rather a hurt owlet, who fell from a tree and was
rehabbed by the family hosting </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">the party I was at. Taking care of birds
was in fact no extraordinary task for them, since they own hawks and practice
Falconry, which, according to Wikipedia, is the “</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">hunting of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of
a trained bird of prey.” Since taking care of birds was an area the family has
much knowledge about, they have welcomed “Spooky” into their family, and he is
now approximately 9 months old. Of course I myself, know NOTHING about birds,
except for the Family Guy tune “Bird is the Word.” But somehow I knew I wanted
to hold this owl, and was fascinated by his regal markings, defined feathers, and
stark golden eyes. I asked to hold him and was given a falconer’s glove, which
is a leather glove meant to protect the hand and the forearm from a bird’s
sharp talons. Spooky was tied to a perch and wore a bell around his foot. He
had a leash attached to him so he could not fly away. Thinking that his bell
was a cute little jingle bell, similar to what you’d find on a cat collar, I
asked why it was attached to Spooky’s foot. Apparently the bell is used so that
when you fly the birds, you can hear them from a far distance. I held my arm up
to his feet and he climbed onto my glove. We had to detach him from his leash
and attach him to a leash built into my glove, which I put snug under my thumb
to hold him in place. And then we were done. Amazingly I was actually holding
an owl. I held him for the remainder of the game, about two hours, and sat with
him on the couch, walked him around the pool, even took him in the kitchen. I
was amazed at his docile nature and was told that if he hadn’t been around
humans so young that he would probably be very wild and hard to handle. I was
shocked to learn that his diet consists of quail and mice. It was definitely
intriguing to learn about a bird that most of us don’t ever encounter up close.
At the end of the game, when the party was over, and everyone filing out I
realized I had to give Spooky back to his owners. I was told that eventually
they want to let him assimilate back into the wild, because he will probably be
happier that way. But I told them if they ever needed an owl babysitter to let
me know. I have already visited him once since and will forever be fascinated
by horned owls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">Posted by: Eliana Sheriff</span></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-60529988264135827952014-02-10T16:19:00.004-08:002014-02-10T16:21:20.054-08:00Contradictory Life<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy-tej5IEGM/UvlseFXoJYI/AAAAAAAACDg/qeYIf00WWes/s1600/contradiction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vy-tej5IEGM/UvlseFXoJYI/AAAAAAAACDg/qeYIf00WWes/s1600/contradiction.jpg" height="135" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Contradiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would be dead if I didn’t write,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I hate writing essays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to be the best,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I like being lazy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I try hard to be a good person</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But my thoughts are worse than what I say.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tainted, jaded no longer a baby</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yet polite and tactful, a full-grown lady.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Contradiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Figure it out!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But you better not fuck up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Get out and vote!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-chapman/government-corruption_b_1392827.html">But our vote doesn’t count.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You have to wear white”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I want to wear black.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Listen to the government”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/thirteen-things-the-government-is-trying-to-keep-secret-from-you/18157-thirteen-things-the-government-is-trying-to-keep-secret-from-you">But they don’t tell the truth. </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Here, take this medicine”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://journal.livingfood.us/2009/11/25/big-pharma-wants-to-keep-you-sick/">But it will eventually kill you.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aware yet faded, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
no longer dependent</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
there’s a lot in the world</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
that needs to be mended.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rules of society. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scam after scam</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lie after lie--</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thieves at the top,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honest at the bottom.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tainted, jaded no longer a baby</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yet polite and tactful, a full-grown lady.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Contradiction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
By: Mary Carreon</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-66450705144276177672014-02-10T15:02:00.000-08:002014-02-10T15:02:29.736-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
GoDaddy Ads?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Superbowl commercials are great. For the first time in the
season instead of flipping the channels to pass the time between media timeouts
or challenged plays, ad agencies showcase their utmost creative work. The spots
can range from a quick fifteen-second ad to Chrysler’s memorable 2011 Super
Bowl ad featuring Eminem that ran for over two minutes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
GoDaddy.com, an online domain registration website, has
certainly captured the attention of the viewers in the most recent years. In
the past, the advertisements have featured sexy female cops performing strip
teases on top of cars, sexy female news anchors performing strip teases on top
of a coffee tables…I think you’re starting to see the trend. They even satire
their own creative approach. In one commercial a woman appeals in front of a
congressional hearing, she was trying to argue that her commercial shouldn’t be
censored —while also trying to keep her shirt from falling off as she twirled
around…all in the context of a commercial.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was a kid, we used to talk about the Super Bowl
commercials Monday morning in homeroom before the teacher arrived. I was 12
years old in 2007 during Super Bowl XLI when GoDaddy featured over a dozen
women in tiny white tank tops inside a conference room being sprayed with
champaign by a midget.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friends and I had
no idea what GoDaddy actually was. We could see two things in these commercials
through our virginal eyes: breasts, and a bumper at the end of the skit
prompting a website. We all thought GoDaddy was a PORN site. I’m not kidding
you, some boys even defended that they had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gone</i>
on the website firsthand and watched porn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I look back at it, they probably had gone on the website and
confused unaired advertisements for porn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We didn’t know anything about coding, domain purchasing, or website
building, we took it for exactly what we saw on the TV during Superbowl
Commercials.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>GoDaddy’s commercials were so objectifying of women that the consumer
couldn’t associate the brand with their actual product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sex is was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> thing that they were selling. Prior to 2013, there was hardly
any information in the TV spots that displayed their services or
capabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take it through the eyes
of a twelve-year-old boy, a potential customer who could use GoDaddy as a
platform because he can’t code or form his own domain. The ads didn’t make
sense —it wasn’t a good campaign. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually GoDaddy realized that their brand was heading in
the wrong direction. So in mid-2012, they hired a new agency Deutcsch New York.
“We’ve matured. We’ve evolved,” CMO Barb Rechterman said in a statement. “Our
new brand of Super Bowl commercials will make it crystal clear what we do and
who we stand for.” Their first new era ad was the all too memorable close up of
a make out between Bar Rafaeli (the sexy aspect of GoDaddy) and Jesse Heiman
(the nerdy tech side of the service). The advertisement certainly kept the
shock and awe hopes that they were looking for and as the CMO stated, it made
it crystal clear what the business offers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you think that there is too much censorship in today’s
media, that’s beside the point. GoDaddy was so explicit with using sex appeal
in their advertisements, that the rhetoric overpowered the very product that
they were trying to sell. Their most recent commercial has proved that GoDaddy
has matured as a brand. The 2014 Super Bowl featured a real woman who quit her
real job as an engineer on live TV, to pursue her passion of putting on
children’s puppet shows. GoDaddy’s website empowered her with the platform to
do this. Anyone can sell sex appeal; GoDaddy’s 2014 Superbowl campaign truly
impressed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did they fully
showcase what they do as a company, they featured a real woman as an
entrepreneur. Props to GoDaddy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>-Matt Connelly</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Read more at: <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/go-daddy-promises-no-more-sleazy-super-bowl-ads-153518">http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/go-daddy-promises-no-more-sleazy-super-bowl-ads-153518</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Watch Gwen quit her job here <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf0vzLgF-OI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf0vzLgF-OI</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-67619099454026396552014-02-09T18:11:00.000-08:002014-02-09T18:15:15.584-08:00My experience with Bitcoin<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnGDNCfTZDo/Uvg1EsNqcgI/AAAAAAAACDQ/SNthsAhDymU/s1600/mock-bitcoin-berlin-germany.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnGDNCfTZDo/Uvg1EsNqcgI/AAAAAAAACDQ/SNthsAhDymU/s1600/mock-bitcoin-berlin-germany.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since
I learned about Bitcoin about a year ago, I have been very intrigued by the
cryptocurrency. It is not accepted by many businesses and establishments yet—
although this is slowly changing— but this hasn’t mattered in my eyes. I am
just intrigued by a currency that is worth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dramatically</i>
more than the dollar, could possibly usurp the dollar, and that isn’t
controlled by any nation. (Although I consider myself to be fairly apolitical,
I definitely have a libertarian streak that shows at times). Its historic volatility,
while unsettling to many, is something I find attractive; after all, I am
rather volatile myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
this being said, I own less than one-hundredth of a Bitcoin, and I have never
tried mining Bitcoins— mining involves computer skills and processing power
that I don’t currently possess. The little currency that I have I obtained
through Bitcoin faucets, which are essentially free sites that “leak” currency—
thus their being called faucets. In other words, I like the idea of Bitcoin, but
I haven’t really put too much effort into trying to earn them myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part
of the reason that I am blogging about Bitcoin is because I am curious as to
whether other people have mined— or even heard of it, for that matter. I would
like to know other people’s experiences, however limited. I want to know why
people have or haven’t used Bitcoin, and how they found out about it. I was
going to write a comprehensive paper about this topic for another one of my other
journalism courses, but at this point the scope of this topic may be limited to
this blog. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Speaking
of the uses of Bitcoin, I do want to clarify that I think that the currency
ideally should easily be able to be used for purposes that are legal. These can
still include somewhat nefarious activities— recent articles have highlighted
that two Las Vegas casinos will be accepting the currency— but they are still
more legitimate than the dealings of sites such as the Silk Road, where drugs
and guns of all varieties filled the marketplace.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> (</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
site was recently shuttered). I can’t wait for the day when I can pay for my
food, my rent, my clothes, my entertainment, with Bitcoin, if that day ever
comes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Although
there are the aforementioned reasons that I like Bitcoin, one thing that I
don’t like is the fact that it is not completely anonymous, despite being
advertised as such— all transactions are kept publicly online. This may sound
picky, but I would prefer private transactions to be private— one reason being
that I don’t like the idea of the government being able to intervene. The less
public that records are, the better of a chance I would eventually be accused
of tax evasion by the IRS for a currency that I truly believe transcends the
borders of sovereign states. And I’m just a private person in general; even
though I wouldn’t plan to purchase anything illegal, I’d rather have my
purchases be kept completely anonymous to others, much like they are if I
purchase something using my credit card or cash.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bitcoin
has other “fatal flaws” that make people think it may not ever spread like
wildfire. First of all, you can’t reverse transactions, according to an article
by Wired titled “Once You Use Bitcoin You Can’t Go ‘Back’— And That’s Its Fatal
Flaw.” This means that if you don’t receive an item or service, you can’t just
get a refund; you lost your money. There has also been talk of an elite few who
own a majority of the currency. People have been accused of hoarding Bitcoins—
which would be a problem with any currency— and this will only get worse at the
value increases, particularly once the cap for them being mined reaches its
end. (Bitcoins are only distributed in a finite amount).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Due
to the flaws with Bitcoin, and because I am honestly interested in any
cryptocurrency, I do want to also briefly discuss the other options that are
either available presently or are on the horizon. One currency being developed
by individuals at John Hopkins University is called Zerocoin. It aims to solve
the problem of there not being complete anonymity. Interestingly enough, the
technology behind Zerocoin was initially intended to be used for Bitcoin, but
the founders are now creating a separate currency because the Bitcoin founders do
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> want their currency to appear as
if it is untraceable to the Feds. I also have fooled around a bit with Litecoin
and Dogecoin, while I’ve also read about Coinye West— yes, that’s a currency
whose name is a parody of the rapper. Many of these currencies have a potential
leg up in that they have a higher market capitalization— more currency will be
“minted.” They also have a lot of room for growth— who knows if Bitcoin will
ever again surpass the $1,200 mark it passed this past November.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">All
in all, Bitcoin is probably not going to gain widespread social acceptance and
recognition, at least until it is a lot more intuitive and easy-to-use. A
Bitcoin can be worth a lot of money, but if people don’t “get it”, it won’t be
ubiquitous. I personally think that if they are able to improve the system, or
if someone else is with a different currency, it may be the way of the future.
(I definitely know that I want to be able to be refunded should I be scammed or
whatnot). Regardless of what happens, I know that I’ll be closely monitoring
the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">-- Daniel Steingold</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sources:</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2014/01/bitcoin-in-vegas/</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/11/once-you-use-bitcoin-you-cant-go-back-and-that-irreversibility-is-its-fatal-flaw/</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-silk-road-is-shut-down-and-the-owner-is-in-custody</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-3101279572437889072014-02-09T10:42:00.003-08:002014-02-09T10:42:56.971-08:00<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Tomboy</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GqOl4BOQvAI/UvfL0HhrSlI/AAAAAAAACDE/jIF_f1AJZkM/s1600/Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GqOl4BOQvAI/UvfL0HhrSlI/AAAAAAAACDE/jIF_f1AJZkM/s1600/Barbie.jpg" height="200" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>“I don’t know why you’re a girl, you should’ve been born a boy.” Thanks, Mom. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>All my life, I’ve never really been considered a “girly-girl.” I’ve been a sports fanatic since the day I was born. When I was little, I was the one who wanted to go outside and help my father build something or throw the football around rather than my brother, who would prefer watching TV instead. I could live in basketball or athletic shorts and “bro-tanks.” I’ve never had a passion for shopping, nor do I care about the latest fashions. I don’t cake my face with makeup and love going days without it. And if I had the choice between spending the day shopping or sitting on the couch watching basketball, you’d better believe I’d choose basketball. I’m basically what my father calls “the son he never had.” </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Of course, with my love of sports and adventure comes years of playful teasing and questions from society. I would always be the one sitting in a room full of guys watching the big game, while the rest of the girls would lock themselves in another room and gossip. This would not always sit too well with the boys, who would tell me that I should be in the kitchen instead, or at least off gossiping with the other girls. I have also been playing basketball since I was six, and for some reason, people are always shocked to hear about “a girl who can ball.” This was the most evident recently at a friend’s birthday party. A group of us were hanging out in her backyard, near a basketball hoop, when one of the guys asked if anyone wanted to play a friendly game of one-on-one. I of course, volunteered to play. He laughed. “Oh, no, not you, you’re a girl. That wouldn't be fair for either of us. I’d beat you too badly.” After about ten minutes of arguing, he finally agreed to play one game up to eleven points and scored by 1s and 2s instead of 2s and 3s (the way most one-on-one games are supposed to be played.) Well, you’d better believe I kicked his ass 11-1, but of course was given excuses as to how “he wasn’t actually trying.”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Although I am clearly not a “girly-girl”, I refuse to call myself a tomboy. According to <a href="http://dictionary.com/">dictionary.com</a>, a tomboy is “an energetic, sometimes boisterous girl whose behavior and pursuits, especially in games and sports, are considered more typical of boys than of girls.” By reading the above paragraphs, one might assume that I’m the perfect fit. However, I do not consider myself one. In fact, that word does not even exist in my vocabulary. Although I’m not too into makeup, I’ll still put some on every time I leave the house. I love nail polish, jewelry, and girls nights out. I take care of myself and dress nicely, and I’ll admit that once in a while, shopping can be fun. And I watch sports (mainly basketball and football) for two reasons: because I actually love the sports and (like all of my friends who don’t care about sports) to crush on the cute players. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Society has placed different expectations for how little boys and girls are supposed to act. Young boys are supposed to play with toy cars and action figures while girls play with dolls and Barbies. Well guess what? Growing up with an older brother, I spent most of my childhood playing with <i>Hotwheels</i> and basketballs, but I also had a pink room. And dollhouses. And Barbies. I know times are different and people are starting to understand that stereotypical gender roles have changed, but society will always make it hard for them to completely go away. So no, I am not a “tomboy.” I am simply a girl who did not want to abide by the role that society had placed upon her. Not because I love sports, or because I love nail polish. But because I love both.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">-Nairi Dulgarian</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">*References:</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><a href="http://dictionary.com/">dictionary.com</a></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_15469_play-one-one.html">http://www.ehow.com/how_15469_play-one-one.html</a></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">
</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.naeyc.org/content/what-research-says-gender-typed-toys">http://www.naeyc.org/content/what-research-says-gender-typed-toys</a></span></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-90430583644684940182014-02-07T22:10:00.000-08:002014-02-07T22:17:12.507-08:00London I - Based on a True Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Brown_Dog_-_Battersea_Park_-_2008-04-09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Brown_Dog_-_Battersea_Park_-_2008-04-09.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Of all the things my parents have taught me, the lessons I actually follow have a way of canceling each other out. For example, I always remember my “please” and “thank you”s, and can be polite to a fault. This has led me to ignore other advice they’ve given me – namely, not to hang out with strange men by myself even if they have a very friendly pit bull.<br />
<br />
The semester before this, I studied abroad in London. It wasn’t my first time living there. When I was two, my family stayed in the city for a few months. One of our favorite places to visit was Battersea Park, so I decided to head back there to see if I could jog a few memories.<br />
<br />
I think anyone who knows me can vouch for how much I love dogs, so when I saw two playing in a grassy area near the sidewalk, I had to stop and watch. Eventually I got to talking with the two dog owners, a sporty-looking woman and a man who was somewhat disheveled. Enough time passed that the sky grew dark and the woman decided to finish her walk before the park closed. I was still talking to the man about his dog, so he invited me over to a bench to continue the conversation. Though I wasn't sure I should, I agreed for the sake of politeness.<br />
<br />
At that point I began to feel a little nervous. I didn’t know anything about this man except that he had a dog, was most likely homeless by all the possessions in the shopping cart, and that he had that certain bite to his scent that usually indicates weed. He didn’t pay much attention to the park staff who warned us to leave, exiting only after I convinced him that I didn’t want to get in trouble while I was studying abroad.<br />
<br />
Still, his dog seemed pretty happy, so he couldn’t be too bad, right? (I have a habit of judging people based on how good of care they're giving their dogs. Maybe I'm a little biased.)<br />
<br />
I ended up mentioning to him that I hadn’t had fish and chips yet while I was in England. He decided that had to be fixed ASAP, so we walked over to a small take-out restaurant and got fish and chips and mushy peas. For those who’ve never had them, they’re exactly what it says on the package. Though I was still wary, he showed a lot of compassion toward his dog. When she momentarily ran into the street, he panicked and even began to lecture her for endangering herself like that. Plus I'd seen a friend of mine escort a homeless man into an IHOP to buy him breakfast, so I figured I could do a good turn of my own.<br />
<br />
We ended up eating the fish and chips sitting on the steps of an old church. While we were talking, he told me he’d been to the States. He got tired of living there and got himself deported back to London by throwing a chair into the window of a Nordstrom’s. That concerned me. I tried to focus my attention on getting his dog to eat some of the meat from the fish we’d bought. Then he said that they’d been closing the park down early for a pre-Guy Fawkes night fireworks show, and that we should go and see it from across the Thames. I still wasn't sure about hanging out with this man after his latest story, but he was insistent.<br />
<br />
My politeness was wearing out. As we were walking back toward the park, we passed a store advertising cigarettes. He asked for money to buy them. I told him I wasn’t comfortable doing that, expecting him to get angry.<br />
<br />
He didn’t – he accepted my answer and we kept walking. He even gave me his jacket when I said I was cold. It still smelled like weed, but when I told him I didn't want to take it from him on such a freezing night, he said his sweater was enough for him. I couldn't make up my mind about this guy.<br />
<br />
We waited for almost an hour outside the Thames in November. The fireworks hadn’t started on time. Wind battered our faces, and his dog almost jumped over the railing. I told him I had school the next day, and if we didn’t see the fireworks in half an hour, I’d have to leave then.<br />
<br />
Five minutes later, we saw lights over the trees. Then I said goodbye and thanked him for the time, and he said the same to me. And while I've never been back to the park since then, I have a feeling he's still hanging out there, taking care of his dog.<br />
<br />
- Lindsey West<br />
<br />
Information:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/266/battersea_park">Battersea Park </a><br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/05/homelessness-rises-house-prices-london-south-east">Homelessness in London</a><br />
<a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250010/Guy-Fawkes-Day">Guy Fawkes Day </a>Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-81842159963306343622014-02-07T15:51:00.000-08:002014-02-07T15:52:50.847-08:00I Went For A Run In The Rain<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I woke up today feeling like I haven’t been active enough lately. So, naturally, I decided to sleep in another hour or so. Just to make sure I would have to hurry to class. I didn’t get to eat breakfast. It was a great start to the day. I sat through a few hours of class, sitting with horrific posture the entire time. A physical therapist would cringe. Trust me, I was raised by two of them.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>My mom and dad are both physical therapists, and I grew up hearing stories about how they would bike up and down California together, and run marathons, and a bunch of other stuff that I won’t ever be in the shape to do. So, with physical therapists as parents, I always felt somehow compelled to be in shape. But I have never heard of a kid who happily followed in his or her parents footsteps.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>Back to today. After I got out of class, I was excited to change this pattern of inadequacy. I even talked to a few friends about surfing Friday morning. The waves are supposed to be alright, and I don’t have class all day. So, I’m at home, and I have just changed into running clothes. Then it starts raining. Awesome. I’m not motivated enough to run in the rain. And you can’t surf after it rains. I read an article about a guy that was ambitious enough to do so, and he got some kind of strange infection. Needless to say, I am not willing to risk that.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>To my surprise, it stopped raining. I guess I had to go at this point. Whatever. I went, and it was still raining a little, and felt happy with myself. Not happy with the fact that I was really out of shape. Like really bad. I was struggling to go the mediocre distance I set as a goal for myself. I won’t even list it here. It’s too embarrassing. But I was happy that I was able to motivate myself to do something physical. I used to be a runner. I used to surf a lot, and work out like all the time. I don’t know why I stopped. I guess laziness is easier. Easier by a huge margin.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>So now I am sore and I am trying to get all this down in some sort of coherent manner. The world must know that I am going to become more active. I will tell my parents too. They will be happy. I could go on a rant about how our generation is lazy, and how I am lazy, and how our parents did a lot cooler things than we did, but that’s not really the point. What I learned today by forcing myself to do something that I didn’t feel like doing was that it is all about the individual. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>I know that I shouldn’t compare myself to my parents. But it helps me, so I’m going to do it. If that is what it takes for me to be healthier, then so be it.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
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<span class="s1">Some inspiration:</span></div>
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<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"><a href="http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/photos/top-10-funny-memes-about-running_94524">http://running.competitor.com/2014/02/photos/top-10-funny-memes-about-running_94524</a></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.beginrunning.com/plans/easy-running-plan-to-start-on/#axzz2sgPfaJMt">http://www.beginrunning.com/plans/easy-running-plan-to-start-on/#axzz2sgPfaJMt</a></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/getting-enough-exercise">http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/getting-enough-exercise</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FwXco5Su_98/UvVxWYOVvAI/AAAAAAAACC0/qF2XUUJ2cxQ/s1600/runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FwXco5Su_98/UvVxWYOVvAI/AAAAAAAACC0/qF2XUUJ2cxQ/s1600/runner.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4788907272965042797.post-8672109346574677232014-02-07T12:58:00.001-08:002014-02-07T12:58:45.204-08:00The Corruption of the “Follow” Button <div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2754" style="font: 13px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2753" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> </span><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2872" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tQRv8JV5l8A/UvVIvEKaPwI/AAAAAAAACCk/s9khlDFwkwQ/s1600/Social+Media.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tQRv8JV5l8A/UvVIvEKaPwI/AAAAAAAACCk/s9khlDFwkwQ/s1600/Social+Media.jpg" height="162" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2754" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2753" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
“Social media refers to interaction among people in which they create,
share, and/ or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and
networks,” according to social media experts Andreas Kaplan and Michael
Haenlein. In the past years I have noticed social media deviate from
it’s traditional definition. It started off as a medium to “create,
share, and exchange” information, but has turned into a popularity
contest. Seeing as Oxford Dictionaries word of the year for 2013 was
“selfie,” it is safe to say this change could be attributed to the
somewhat narcissistic direction social media behavior has succumbed to. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2857" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
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<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2859" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2858" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
Of course, I am not saying the “popularity” aspect of social media is a
completely new concept. Back in the days of the original Facebook and
Myspace, your friend count did matter to some extent; however, it was a
mutual exchange. Someone added you and if you accepted, both friend
counts increased. This sounds comical, but you cannot deny that whenever
you hit a milestone (500 friends, 800 friends, 1,000 friends) that you
definitely took note. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2860" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2862" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2861" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
Nowadays, there is a different interaction in social networking: the
“follow” button. The top social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram,
Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine, etc. make use of it. With a “follow” button,
there is no longer a mutual exchange. When someone “follows” another
person on a social media site, they are doing so to see what that person
is sharing. There is no promise they will be getting a follow in
return. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2863" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2864" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
This idea of the follow button is convenient because you can be more
exclusive with what you see on your own news feed. People can follow
you, without you having to see their posts, if you do not want to.
However, I have sensed a shift in these online exchanges. The most
prominent one being that people are measured by the amount of followers
they have. The more followers someone has, the more influential they are
to the public. I cannot lie, I have followed people on several social
media sites simply because they have an abundance of followers. I figure
if all these people are following some public figure or brand, they
must be doing something interesting. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2890" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2893" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2867" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2866" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
With people’s reputation relying on a follower count, it is no wonder
we have figured out how to work the system. If you don’t have a lot of
followers, don’t worry. You can always buy them. Yes, this <i>is</i> a thing. There are dozens of sites such as </span><span style="font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I</span><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2892" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">nterTwitter, FanMeNow, and Viral Media Boost,</span><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> </span><span style="font: 13.0px Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">t</span><span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2868" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">hat
one can go on to pay for however many followers they want. This is
especially relevant in the Twitter-sphere. You can receive 25 thousand
twitter followers for the low price of 25 dollars. Who are these
followers, you
may ask? They are fake Twitter accounts, thousands and thousands of
fake Twitter accounts. Believe it or not, this process is more common
than one would think. Two Italian researchers, Andrea Stroppa and Carlos
Micheli, called out celebrities and brands on their suspicious Twitter
activity. Pepsi, Mercedez- Benz and Louis Vuitton had significant and
unrealistic gains and losses of over 30,000 followers in one day.
American politician Newton Gingrich, Russian prime minister Dmitri
Medvedev, and rapper Diddy shared similar activity. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2869" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2871" style="font: 13.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2872" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="yiv8347230885Apple-tab-span" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2891" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>While
this may seem like a good way to boost up the reputation of a person or
company, I find it unethical. Creating a following on false pretenses
to establish credibility is not a fair way to earn status. If I were to
find out that a company or public figure had purchased their following, I
would feel extremely misled and question their integrity. A large
following has the same impact of a review on Yelp or Craigslist because
people trust companies, products, and public figures, when they see that
others approve. Through a business perspective, I completely understand
the action of buying followers. There certainly is something to be
gained from having a lot of people view your posts; however, I believe
the obsession with numbers and status has corrupted the original
intentions of
social media. The follow button has caused people to become conscious
of their following and as a result has sped up the transition of social
media changing from a medium for interaction to a platform for
advertising. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2872" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Alexandria Rousset </span><br />
<span id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391806391454_2872" style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">
</span></div>
Editorial Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09772164286207970138noreply@blogger.com0