Some People Just Make You Feel Bad For Humanity

Example. Michele Bachmann. Every single time she opens her mouth, I feel a deep longing for her to close it again. Never is there a word out of that mouth that sounds intelligent it seems. Yes, we all have our slip ups. I, for example, infamously always us the word swim instead of swimming (like, You are so good at swim!). But, hers seem to happen much more often than should be expected of someone who obviously has to plan her speeches. Or of someone running for president. Each slip up is not winning her more votes, I can assure you. So today, I will be talking about someone who is arguably the disgrace of our country, Michele Bachmann.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-10-craziest-michele-bachmann-quotes

This women seem to have problems saying what she means. Either that or she is truly just an idiot. Examples: "Not all cultures are equal."-- Michele Bachmann. I think that sums it all up actually. Truly ignorant. How do we let someone like this be considered a politician? I mean she is looking out for us, trying to protect us from the Soviet Union (which was forced out of Russia/ disbanded in 1991); a little behind the times, but it was valid in the 20th Century. She also tries to keep us culturally aware, having us wish Elvis Presley "Happy Birthday" during her Take America Back tour. Sure, it was his death day not his birthday, but it's the thought that counts, right? Her excuse for her MANY slip ups? "When you speak six times a day, slip-ups can occur." Enlightening. Maybe she should talk less then.
I've recently have come across an article that made me actually feel bad for Mrs. Bachmann.

Playing For Change

The thing about music.... Well. Music connects us. It is a powerful thing that touches on the most innate emotions, making completely different people experience the same thing. And, since my blog is slightly about travel, though not so much these past few weeks it seems, I believe it is important to touch on how big (or small) the world really is. Especially after writing that article on Libya, I feel like the world is gigantic, so vast that I can't even wrap my brain about it. People are so different, sometimes I find it difficult to even try to relate. I can't even imagine a place where people carry around semiautomatic guns and where you don't feel safe in your own neighborhood. My neighborhood is one of a strong sense of community, and some places you struggle to find any sense of togetherness. Maybe I'm too emotional about this, but I feel as if the world has such a wide spectrum of standards, and since my life is very privileged, I find myself on the brink of tears when I read about or see the atrocities that human beings have to suffer through on a regular basis.  In my comfy, middle class lifestyle, I have a hard time imagining a fear of losing my life. Even when things are bad for me, and trust me, times can get bad, I never feel like I am going to die. I always know things will get better because I'm in America. I'm in a family and a society that won't let me slip through the cracks. But, for others around the world, and even some in this country, this isn't the case. These people are like me: they require oxygen, they get annoyed, they cry, they love, they aspire. How can they have such a different lifestyle then? If they have the same basic needs and the same basic emotions? I mean, I believe in God; how can he allow this to happen? Is this a faith building strategy, or a way to see what amazing things he has given us?  This isn't a religious blog in the least, since I tend to keep those beliefs more private, as I'm still trying to develop those beliefs. But, if you believe in a higher power (Karma?), don't you ever wonder how said power chooses the ones to be more spoiled? It's not fair, but it still happens. I want to know why. And when I meet someone who can explain this to me, I will finally feel enlightened, and maybe no longer feel like I'm in a facade of wisdom.

Where I wish to Travel? D.C. to see her art show.

I wanna go to her show. So badly. Look at what she has accomplished. Come on. Click the link.
Sincerely Sydney

Lights! Camera! Action!

CliffNotes Movies.
I don't know if I have seen anything cooler. I mean, it is CliffNotes in movie form! I decided to watch the Midsummer's Nights Dream one, since I've read the book and thought it'd be best to see how accurate it is. And, first things first, it had a commercial. So awkward. Right in the middle, the new Shakespeare move is advertised like that is okay. Upon composing myself after that obvious marketing ploy, I realized this new version of CliffNotes is quite good. I would do it just to get an overview of the plot, not to right a report, because the books are obviously more detailed. But, it helps you visualize Shakespeare when you can't wrap your head around the bajillion main characters he used.
 

Here is a quick trailer I found on youtube. Kind of amusing, no? This experience sort of just blew my mind. I mean, how have I never heard of this before? Everyone in their right mind uses CliffNotes, since it is impossible to keep on all the reading for every class you take when you have all advanced classes. Teachers ask too much. I don't know if they realize that when they only give us 3 hours of homework, every teacher is saying the same exact thing. CliffNotes is a wave of the present and future, and it really impresses me that they are take the next step: the technological step.

Sincerely Sydney

Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead!

Ding dong the witch is dead! Which old witch? The Wicked Witch!! Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead! Well… Actually, Muammar Gaddafi is dead.

I can hear ya’ll saying FINALLY in your head in unison. That’s what I said. But it was also a shock. I mean, he made it this long, but finally he got what he deserved.

How it went down:

His convoy which was traveling through Sirte was targeted by an air strike, and he was injured. Being the extremely intelligent man he is (was?), he hid in a drain pipe with some of his supporters. The NTC fighters (the opposing group) found them and kidnapped Gaddafi. They began to drag him through the streets, beat him up, and manhandle him. He was then shot in the legs and head, after already suffering multiple wounds to his chest, abdomen, and head. On the ride to the hospital, Gaddafi died.

The situation is a bit disgraceful actually. The manslaughter was celebrated so completely, you begin to think the event was a birth, not a death. Much cheering and fireworks took place, and the supporters of the murder were not always just adults; little children scream through the streets that “He got what he deserved.” Should a nine year old really be cheering about the brutal murder of somebody, no matter who it is? I mean, there is no question over whether he had it coming. I’ve never felt so strongly that someone deserved death than this man. When you come across a man who “purchased and authorized the use of Viagra-like drugs among soldiers for the purpose of raping women and instilling fear”, you have to know you have come across a man who will go to hell. If you believe in that sort of thing. (More Information) I mean. What a disgusting man. His crimes against humanity really almost justify the murder, if murder can be justified.

But then, you also have to think of him as a person, which is near impossible, but just try with me for a second. The revulsion you feel towards the people, for publicly amusing themselves by giving him the most drawn out and painful murder I have ever seen in my life, is pretty great. It is justified, but horrid. One of the worst parts is that they have his body on display for the public in a market freezer at Misrata, alongside his son Moatassem (National Security Advisor) and Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr (Defense Minister) who were also killed by the NTC. Thousands flock to the dead bodies to take pictures and celebrate; a truly distasteful act.  It’s hard to have compassion for a man who was such a horrible human being, but at the same time, glorifying his death just perpetuates the violence he was so quick to spread.

The entire situation is just violence look like an acceptable option. If someone is wrong, kill them. Why not put him on trial? Take him alive? Brutally murdering him does not show a new strand of peaceful resolution. It just shows the lack of maturity among society. Only the lowly man stoops to killing as the only option. And the society of violence is not only in Libya! It is here too; remember our cheering over Osama bin Laden? I don't know if murder should be considered the only option for these mentally unstable people.

                In any case, the situation in Libya is supposedly better, with Sharia Law being claimed among the land and all that jazz. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Sincerely Sydney

I told you I'd Find you An AMAZING Place to Go

This is Why I want to Go.  I mean, look at how gorgeous it is. I want to go here. Just to be inspired by nature. As I'm sure you've realized, I generally pick my city because it is super artsy or very historic. Those things excite me. I can't help it. A new history story just makes me feel like I've discovered something hidden, something no one else has ever heard of, even if everyone has. But, this place... I don't really know anything about it. It is in Croatia, which is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The island actually has a pretty cool history, but I don't know if this place exactly has any historical significance, and honestly I don't care if it does. It is so beautiful. I didn't even know you could find a place as beautiful as this on Earth. Lately, I've been trying to figure out my religious beliefs (I know, huge subject change, but I promise I will bring this full circle if you just stay with me). It is quite challenging being in a non-religious family, but with an extremely religious group of friends, boyfriend, and extended family. You get a little bit of every view point, but in the end it is you who has to decide your beliefs. I've recently taken to going to the church in which I was baptized every Sunday with my grandfather, and I've really enjoyed the atmosphere so far, even though the congregation is mostly elderly and the church is situated right in the ghetto of C.R. My beliefs on God and Jesus and Salvation are sometimes a bit wishy-washy depending on my skepticism level of the day, but I do believe there is a God and this is kind of the reason why. This natural beauty shown in nature. It just had to be made by someone much greater than man because when you experience pure beauty like this, it is terrifyingly awesome. A truly religious experience. So, my bucket list will include a few places like this one. A place where you can just look at a picture and feel like if you go there you will finally experience what it really should feel like to be human. Plus, I kinda just want to oggle at something for once. As most of my readers (if I have any) will know, where I live, there is very little to oggle at. Yes, you can go searching for beauty, but it will never overwhelm you like it does at this park in Croatia. I suppose travel is about searching for something different. Something wonderful if you will. So that is what my quest is. A search for beauty that will overwhelm me, unlike here in my little city.
Sincerely Sydney

Songs

5 seconds of every number 1 billboard. This is actually pretty cool as well. I know it is late and I'm struggling to even get one post done. I'm sorry Mr. Ayers. Truly. But, this has an entertainment factor. I'm actually surprised at the number of songs I actually know. But what I really want to know is how someone can get inspired to do this. I mean seriously. I don't think cutting these would be very easy, because you need to find a very easily recognizable part of the song and stick them all together. Maybe I think this is more impressive than it actually is because I'm not computer savvy in the least. Honestly, people assume that my generation can very easily navigate themselves around technology, but I have the toughest time. Some days even Microsoft is a struggle.
But anyways. It is kindof interesting just to see the trend in music. Or to see what makes a song popular. It needs a catchy beat. Heaven forbid it doesn't have a catchy beat. Then, the lyrics must be simple to follow, funny, and/or easily relate-able. Love is generally the main topic. More than 3/4s are about love at least. Love is just so complex. You could have thousands of songs about love and never say the exact same thing. But, then again, every song about love is somehow very similar. You are either falling in it, falling out of it, at a peak, in a confusion, or complaining about it. Everyone goes through similar things with love, and that in a strange way is very comforting. You have to know that millions of people go through love and make it alive. Because it is not always going to be the best. I mean, I have been with my boyfriend for quite a while now, and even though we are too young to be in love, I like to believe we are at the time being, and it is definitely not always happy go lucky. This is possibly because we are very serious people, but honestly it might just be human nature. We are prone to be meanest to those we love because we know they won't leave us, even when we hurt them. I know that isn't good, but it just happens. And when you spend so much time with someone, they are bound to catch you at a bad time. What happens when they catch you at a bad time? You snap at them. Not always, but sometimes. Couples fight. Families fight. Best friends fight. But the amazing thing about love is, there is always forgiveness afterwards. I shouldn't say always I suppose. Love doesn't always last. It grows, changes, dies. It is a living thing, like a fire. It needs kindling and such. You have to put more into it if you want it to last. It constantly needs more, and you give it because you can't live without it.  I mean, a life without love would be horrid.
Sincerely Sydney

Another Reason to Love Stumble Upon

People Clock

Random Musings

This week, I wasn’t really inspired by a city. Maybe it is because I’m too tired to rack my brain for a city to write about, so next week I’ll make sure to try and find a great city to talk about. However, I will still talk about a place I want to go. Where is the place? I suppose it is more of a hypothetical place. Just an ideal thought of a place? Well, I was searching through one of my all-time favorite websites, stumblupon.com, and I found this sign that I found humorous. And that’s when it hit me; I want to visit a place that is quirky. With weird art and funny signs and interesting  things to buy, window shopping galore, and funny plays to watch, just an all out indie culture fest at my fingertips. So, that is the place I’m looking for. Not to live there, just to visit. To observe and be observed. Unfortunately, it is a lot harder than it seems to find a place like this. You can’t just type it into google. Well, maybe you can… Google, after all, can do everything.
 Sincerely Sydney

Found by my dear Stumpleupon

RIP Steve Jobs

Today, I found a website that really… well. It’s called allaboutstevejobs.com. Kindof a stalker website on the man, but since it is Steve Jobs I figured it was okay. When you first enter the website, it has a picture of him and the years of his life. As I’m sure you all know, unless you’ve been living under a rock the past week, Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56 (I learned his age through my handy-dandy calculating skills on the o-so-helpful front page).
Steve Jobs is basically the shit, and the sad part is, I barely even knew anything about him until he died. I feel bad that I didn’t find the time to even look him up until I felt I needed to mention him in my blog, as my facebook was being blown up by Steve Jobs statuses. Basically, this week’s blog posting are themed around my sudden realization of how ignorant I really am about a lot of things, and then researching them to see what’s up on Earth. So, to save my readers (which may only be Mr. Ayers and my mum, who finds it so cute that I have a big girl blog) some time, I’ll just go through a little about Steve Jobs, just so you know what you are missing.
Steve Jobs was the underdog in my eyes, started out like the average American, making him seem relatable and humble. He went to Reed College in Oregon, but dropped out after a mere semester, and he thus got started on his career.
First things first, Jobs created the PC (Apple I and Apple II) with the help of his friend Steve Wozniak. Yes, there were other computers at the time, but he was really the first man to envision a world where computers were an option of everyone, meaning easy to use and affordable. He also thought up the value of a mouse and a graphical user interface, which is simply using windows and icons and such.
Second things second, Job was a founder of Pixar (See why he is the shit? Ya. Thought you would.) He really set a standard for CGI that arguably cannot be topped by another company. The other founders really emphasized how Jobs was the one who really saw Pixar’s potential, the one who helped it grow to a very wealthy company, which was sold to Disney in 2006.
But, the thing I believe you will most easily be able to associate Jobs with is the iPod. Not owning an iPod in this day and age is almost a crime, I think it could be most easily related to eating trash out of a dumpster. You just don’t do it. Jobs created the iPod, iPad, iPhone, and the iTunes Music Store as well. What a genius. He revolutionized technology to such a high degree that I’m just awestruck by his life. I believe we will all miss him, even if we don’t necessarily know him personally, just because we will miss the technology he provided us with. Plus, look at that sexy face. hahaha :)
Sincerely Sydney

Steve Jobs

Nobel Prize Winners 2011

The Nobel Prizes were awarded not too long ago as I found out recently, and usually I don't pay very much attention. It is a great honor to be a recipient of a Nobel Prize however, and for whatever reason, this year I tried to follow the awards as they were given and understand why they were given. So, for that reason, this blog posting is just going to be a little recap for ya'll who are like me and generally are ignorant to these awards.

 First I'll start off with what a Nobel Prize is. For such a well-known award, a surprisingly few actually know what it entails. First off, there are five different types to try to get: chemistry, peace, physiology or medicine, literature, and physics. Once a year up to three Nobel Prizes are handed out in each category (the Nobel Prizes for each category relate though; for example, three scientists who made a discovery together). However, the prizes do not need to be handed out every year, if they cannot find someone 'worthy of the prize'. Picked by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, the prize includes a gold medal, a cash prize, and a diploma stating you got the award. The money comes from the account of Alfred Nobel, who stipulated in his will that he wished for the giving of the award to take place. In 1968, another award, the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, which is associated with the Nobel Prizes and follows the same rules was created, however the decision comes from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden and the  funding comes from the Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden's main bank).

So *dumdumdum!* the winners of this year are as follows:

 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann, and Ralph M. Steinman- The prize was split into two halves. One half was for Beutler and Hoffmann "for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity", and the other half was given to Steinman "for his discovery in the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity".

 Nobel Prize in Physics: Saul Perlmutter, Brian P. Schmidt, Adam G. Riess- The prize was split into two halves. One half was for Perlmutter, and the other half was given to Schmidt and Riess "for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae".

 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Dan Schechtman- This man got the prize all to himself! He got it "for the discovery of quasicrystals".

 Nobel Prize in Literature: Tomas Tranströmer- Another one man award, Tranströmer got this award "because through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality".

 Nobel Peace Prize: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakkul Karman- This prize was the only one to be split equally into thirds this year, and was awarded "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work".

For more information go to nobelprize.org
 Sincerely Sydney

City Number Three: Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavic

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and home to most of the inhabitants of the country, making it the center of Icelandic culture and the must-visit city for this week. I’m not very familiar with the city, but it was highly recommended to me, so I decided to check it out. And WOW. I was amazed at how badly I wanted to go there from the start. It probably helps that the very first thing I found of them was a picture of the northern lights, as seen by a man in the city. I’m a sucker for pretty scenery.

Northern Lights

The city has a lot more to offer than just that though. Reykjavik is a huge cultural hub; it has more than its fair-share of music, art, food, and theatre. The Reykjavik International Film Festival, which ended today, was a huge success this year, and there are constantly festivals like this running through the city (a blogger suggests August as the month with themost festivals). The arts, which include a lot of jewelry making and knitting, lead to many cool shops and an artsy feel to the town, while the local music scene is impeccable; there is always a band to listen to live within the week. The Reykjavik Art Museum is highly recommended to get a feel of the culture of the city, with local and domestic artists alike.

The Pearl

If you are like me, part of the appeal of visiting a city isn’t so much what there is to do, however, but what there is to see and eat, which is why what really has me excited to see Reykjavik is observing the architecture of the buildings and eating the delicious local food. The architecture is very eclectic, showcasing how the culture has evolved. I really want to go to The Pearl, for both architecture and food. The restaurant up on the top rotates slowly for a panoramic view and serves local cuisine. The building has its own geyser as well, and many displays to explain Icelandic culture.

There are so many places to visit, so I really think you should look into this place. For now, I’ll just post some pictures of more things to see or do there.

Truly Beautiful

Typhoons in the Philippines

Some things just cannot be avoided. In most of my bad-news of the week postings, what happens is a political game, a misunderstanding, some dick wanting more than his fair-share, something that didn’t have to happen but did. When it comes to natural disasters, however, there is no avoiding the tragedy. There is no law, no activist, no government that can stop a typhoon. We can try to prepare for it, but in the end, the damage is still going to come. That is probably what is most disappointing; there is no choice in the matter.

Which leads to the depressing story of the Philippines; in the past week the Philippines has experienced back-to-back typhoons, killing at least 55 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Flooded Streets

The first of the typhoons was Typhoon Nesat, which came to the Philippines on September 27^th, honing in on the island of Luzon and its capital Manila, who was already suffering from heavy monsoonal rains.  The storm had winds around 121 mph and caused flash flooding, rocky landslides, and mass electricity loss. Many houses are destroyed, and all business and transport has been put on hold because of the widespread flooding. Especially affecting Isabela and Aurora, which bases its economy mainly on agriculture, there is great fear that all the crops are destroyed, which will cause even more problems in the future. There is also fear associated with no power and a lot of flooding that there will be an outbreak of a disease or sickness, as the sanitation system is currently failing to do its job properly.

To make matters worse, the second typhoon, Typhoon Nalgae, came days later. The ground is already saturated with water and this is leading to even more flooding. People are still on top of their homes, waving for help from the over-burdened relief efforts. Many are drowning, especially children, and those who have been saved are without any possessions in evacuation centers. The estimated cost for recovery is over $91 million after the first typhoon, and meteorologist studies show likelihood for another storm to hit the area this upcoming week.

A state of calamity was claimed in the Luzon area after the first typhoon. 

Sincerely Sydney

Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates Unite for a Cause

I am a die-hard Pittsburgh fan. The Steelers game is playing on my television right now (down by 10 but we are still in it), the Penguins games are always exciting, and even though the Pirates are practically the worst in the division, my family will still root for them. There are many reasons why to love the teams, but I think the main reason is because in being a fan, you are part of the most loyal fan base in the sports world. Pittsburgh fans don’t give up on their team; they are in it for the long haul. It helps that the teams are amazing. The Steelers have six Super Bowl wins, the most in the league, and the Penguins have pulled off 3 Stanley Cup wins. The Pirates have won 5 World Series, but have had a 19 season losing streak as of late. The teams always support each other too, which is a great asset in my eyes, showing how connected the city is. The city itself is amazing, and is on my bucket list, so I’m sure you will see a posting about it later on.

I can’t stress enough how great the teams are, and I think they show it best by helping out their community. The Steelers are my favorite team of the three, and they alone are involved in about 42 different programs that support the community. 

Which brings me to the good-news of the week: on September 29^th, the Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates teamed up to do the 7thAnnual Players 4 Kids Gala at the Westin Convention Center Hotel Ballroom, benefiting the Pittsburgh Kids Foundation. Pittsburgh Punter, Dan Sepulveda, explained the event as “a foundation that seeks to help and support underprivileged youth in the Pittsburgh area”.  This year, the event is also helping impoverished children in Haiti as well. This event is religious in nature, but does not limit its helping hands to religious groups or people. A silent auction, entertainment, and food were on the agenda for the evening, and the cost was $150 per ticket, in hopes to raise a good amount of money for the organization. The auctioned items included but were not limited to gift certificates, sports memorabilia, and vacations. Various athletes made appearances making the night all the more exciting.

I am proud to say I am a Pittsburgh fan, especially when I realize what the teams do for the community. The Pittsburgh community is pretty tightly knit for a large city, and it definitely unites under its sports teams.  The teams know their responsibility as being role models for young and old alike, and they take that responsibility seriously, setting an example of participating in the community. Of course, there will always be the occasional scandal among the teams, but as a whole, the teams really benefit the city. I’m sure I speak for many Pittsburgh fans when I say: I could not imagine the city without the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates.   

Side note: Steelers are down by seven in the 4^th; this game is not looking good for Pittsburgh :( 


Sincerely Sydney