Global Studies

Ok. So I've been busy lately. First off, I have changed my major yet again. This time to Global Studies. What do I intend to do after college? That is still up in the air. I want to travel the world and I'm thinking about taking the government branch of Global Studies. So maybe I'll become a diplomat or foreign policy advisor or work with the UN. So this means that the classes I'm taking now are useless. Therefore I temporarily dropped out (I'll be back in the fall). Right now I just need to focus on packing, cleaning my apt, getting someone in there, unpacking once I get my shit home, working at Kohl's, and hopefully learning Spanish by fall. Wish me luck.

Chris's 8 world religion ?'s

1. What is reality? How can you prove that something is real? What is truth? How is a religious truth different from a scientific truth.
2. Do you believe there are "beings" or a "higher being" "greater" than humans? Briefly explain.
3. Where do you think the world comes from? Where do you believe humans come from?
4. Are humans inherently good or bad and why?\
5. What do you think is eventually going to happen to the world?
6. What do you think happens to people after they die?
7. How should people behave and why? What should guide people's sense of how they "ought" to behave?
8. Describe your attitude towards those who believe differently than you do. If you consider yourself to belong to a particular religion, describe how that religion responds to individuals of other faiths. Do you have any friends or acquaintances of a different faith?

1. I think reality is what is happening in waking life. EX. Poverty is a reality. Truth is reality. Religous truth is introspective and relies on faith. Scientific truth is extrospective and relies on logic.

2. Are humans even the greatest? We destroy out of greed, revenge, religous beliefs, differences, etc. So maybe monkeys are better than us.

3. The world came from matter. That's how other bodies formed. Humans came to be because life evolved.

4. Humans are inherently neutral. We do what's best for us according to the values we learn along the way. You teach a little kid about sharing. He has no clue why he should share.

5. Unless we change our behavior, we will desinegrate this planet via pollution.

6. I don't know. I think we are reincarnated with no memory of our past. It's a lot more comforting to know you got a second shot instead of rotting in the ground.

7. Behave like the way you would want to be treated. The person's personality determines their behavior.

8. I think everyone is taking religion too seriously. It's like if they say god damnit, they'll forever burn in hell. If you think that way, great for you. I have a muslim friend but he doesn't follow his faith really. I have a friend who is a strong christian. She goes to church because she enjoys it, not because she thinks it's required. Most of my friends don't have a strong opinion about religion. I can say fuck the church's power. God is a personal connection. Don't let any priest tell you otherwise.

BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER

For the first time this year (2009), I have watched the Brave Little Toaster. I have seen this movie too many times. It is the movie I have seen the most in my life. Not many people have seen this movie, but for those who have when they were little can say that this little film has affected their life.

For those of you who have not seen it, go see it. You can find the whole movie on Myspace videos. One of the things that makes this movie so special is the music. David Newman, the composer admitted that the music for this movie reflects the movie itself, which has very dark undertones, especially for a Disney movie. The overall feeling is sad and dark but has a glimpse of hope. Five appliances going against the forces of nature and the stacked odds to find their master. The task seems impossible but you can't give up on them. You actually feel what they feel. Inanimate objects are giving human feelings that makes you question what makes us human. The theme of the movie is the need to be needed. To have a purpose. I think this is what the purpose of life is, to make a purpose.

You will have that warm toasty feeling or that glow when you get hooked by this masterpiece. Maybe even like your toaster, your lamp, your radio, your vacuum, or your electric blanket a little more after you have seen this movie. Like I said, if you saw it when you were little, it could have a profain effect on you. If not, you should see it. I don't think the movie is geared to kids exclusively. Definately not. I repeat, it gives you that Disney happiness but the darkness in this movie is anything but Disney. It's a sad movie with a happy ending. GO WATCH IT!

44th President

Today, Barack Obama has been sworn into office. At these hard times, we need a beacon to shine a light and to tell us that we CAN. The journey will be long and difficult but I believe that we can do it. Especially with our dumbass former president out of the way. Me and Chris had a discussion the summer between sophmore and junior year of high school. We were in the pool and I asked the question "What do you think we'll have first, a black president or a woman president?" I thought black, he thought woman (betted on Hilary). This election showed that both are possible. That it doesn't matter the color of your skin or gender. All that matters is that you can get things done and create change in a good way. I hope in these 4 years, we will learn that together, we can make the change happen but only if we are willing to give it our all.

My Favorite Songs

Chris, you made me do this. I just want to know what my favorite songs are. Hell, If you want, review the choices I make.

One thing I decided on was not using the same artist more than twice. I also chose songs from bands I like. No one-hit wonders. Here we go in no particular order:

Kick out the Jams (MC5)- 6 words. KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHER FUCKERS! You will see a different me when this song comes on. It kicks me into a frenzy. While most of the song is three notes repeated, you can deny the energy that exists. Wayne Kramer and Sonic Smith are the reason this would be the song that I would like to cover the most if I ever had the chance to play guitar in a band.

Crossroads (Cream)- This song proves Clapton is God. This Robert Johnson song covered by the power trio known as Cream was never recorded in the studio. The most famous version was recorded live. It's hard to believe, especially when you hear Clapton's solos. His guitar playing is so focused and precise but at the same time burns the blues right in ya. Back Clapton up with an energetic Jack Bruce on bass and a dynamic Ginger Baker on drums and you got a Cream classic.

Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)- Not much of a suprise. The video to this song saw an unbelievable amount of airtime. Why? Cause people were hooked. A song about frusteration. Generation X was fed up with the ultra-conservatism and materialism of the 80's. It was time for a change. I can think of no song better to be an anthem for grunge, no for the whole Generation than the balls to the walls of aggressive sounds of Nirvana.

All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix Experience)- My favorite artist playing probably the best song ever. I am still blown away by the solos in the song. The song has a desperate and confused (made possible by Dylan) yet intense (added by Jimi) mood to it. "There must be some kind of way out of here" is the first line and you know that this is not a song about happiness. Has been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it.

Search and Destroy (Iggy Pop and the Stooges)- A classic from another proto-punk band out of Detroit. The same thing in common is the insane amount of energy pulsating from the words, style, and sound of the song. The song is about one thing: Destruction. Although the sound quality of Raw Power is horrible, I don't think the song would have the same rawness otherwise. This song is reason I think I might be going deaf.

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (Led Zeppelin)- I struggled. I truely struggled to pick one out of three Led Zeppelin songs (the other two were Dazed and Confused and Stairway). I chose this one because it reminds me of a girl I knew at the dorms last year. We were close but she moved away. She loved classic rock and Led Zeppelin was one of her favorites. This song reminds me of her but that's not the only reason this song made it on the list. This song has SO much emotion and intensity in it, going between the acoustic and distorted power chord section. That's why we all love Zeppelin.

Forget Society

I don't know if it's the music I listen to or if it's the way i have chosen my character in Fable 2 to be evil but I'm starting feel like I need a reality check or something. I'm starting to hate the mainstream (in general). Everyone is the same, scared of the different and new, and thinking that following the trends makes you unique. Let me just add that if you wear "Tapout" clothing, I hate you. It should just be a shirt with writing on it, but in reality, it's not, because the majority(like 97%) of people who wear that brand are idiots with anger problems who shave their heads, bend their hats, wear belts but have their pants fall off their ass, drive pick-ups, listen to rap and horrible rock, and fight at parties. They are the ultimate male form of conformity. Now here is where I think I might be gonna to far. I've been pretty cukoo lately with all the hours I'm working. Combine that with the aggressive and/or dark sounds of The Doors, Nirvana, and Iggy Pop (notice all the bands are notorious shock bands) PLUS the pure hatred for the assholes in this world and you got yourself a twisted outsider. If I was to be the front man of a band, I would make sure that our live performances not only focused on the music but on the shock factor or the fear and awe the audience had towards us. Apply this example to life and you got the situation I'm in. I'm tired of being the guy that goes with the flow. Eff the flow. I think it's time we start swimming against the flow. I know some outsiders use common sense and ask why do I need to follow the flow. I, on the other had KNOW that I don't want to follow the stream of conformity. I actually enjoy making the conformists uneasy. If their leader gets uncomfortable then everyone is uncomfortable. So this is what I propose. If I can convince the leader that life is just a pain-filled pathway winding towards the destination known as death, I might get the rest of the mindless dicks and bitches to jump off that same cliff. No longer will you have parties getting crashed cause two assholes wanna fight. Well, I can't guarantee it but I can definitely say that there will be a decrease in it. The world could use less morons and fighting and more wisdom and peace.

God, I don't wanna die.

Religion's a hot topic. I forgot to mention some of the many reasons we believe in heaven. The thought of dying is scary. Never being able to live ever again is frightening when you really think about it. Since you can't die and come back to life, we have no clue what on the other side. Some say heaven, a few say reincarnation, while others say rotting corpse. Which of these sound the best? I wouldn't mind living in heaven. If you die before you're loved ones, you can just wait up in the sky for the party to start. Being reincarnated is like a second life (but you don't remember the first so it's kinda sad). However, you get a second shot at life (the slate is wiped clean). The rotting corpse gig doesn't sound to appealing. We usually believe someones in a better place. This is to put our mind at rest. And when the clock known as your life is ticking down to its last second, does it hurt to think you'll be in a better place?

Thought of Heaven existing= peace of mind