Europe Colonize Africa

The article that I read this week was about many European countries colonizing in all parts of Africa. These European countries include: France, Britain Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and the Dutch. In this article it talks about how on the last three decades of the 1900's, there was a major scramble to take over the inner parts and cities of Africa. Even though these countries are nice and often visited, their controlling of these African cities was very cruel. For example, I have met a man from the country of Togo in Africa. France colonized this country. He some how got out of Togo and I got to hear brutal stories of some of the things that these foreigners would do. Not only did the Europeans treat Africans poorly, just the fact the they would waltz right into some one else's culture, and try to change it. This just makes them seem cruel and a country that has no conscience.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDE113EF93BA15751C0A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all


Boyd, William, "Carving Up Africa" New York Times. 28 Febuary 1988, 11 March 2009

Iraq War

This weekend I read an article having to do with the Iraq war. The Iraq war has been going on for some time, and Spy agencies believe that the war is making the terrorism threat level higher than it needs to be. In the article it says that America occupying Iraq has spawned a newer generation of Islamic Radicalism. It says that since September eleventh, 2001, the threat level has grown even higher. If things stay this way, this war will never end, and Iraq and America are not the only two countries suffering from this war. Many countries feel the effect of it. The Iraq war has a bad effect on the American economy, which affects a lot of different countries in the world. Not only are people affected money wise, they are emotionally as well. Many loved ones have died due to this war, and according to this article, this war has only made the threat level even higher. Hopefully, peace can be brought to each country, and the Iraq war will end.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/world/middleeast/24terror.html

Mazzetti, Mark, "Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat" New York Times, 24 September 2006, 9 March 2009.

The Ghostly Ghouls of Halloween

This weekend I watched the show Pete and Pete. The episode i watched was called Halloweenie. In this episode, little pete is trying to break the world record for going to most houses in one night. His older brother, who is also named Pete, does not want to help his little brother trick or treat because if someone sees him, he will become a Halloweenie. The people he could get caught by are the Pumpkin Eaters, the meanest group of people ever. The Pumpkin Eaters almost destroy halloween by causing so much distress on halloween. Older Pete decides that he wants to help his brother, but only if he gets to wear a mask. On halloween, Pete and Pete almost beat the world record, when the pumpkin eaters strike. Pete runs away from the pumpkin eaters for a long time. Does pete get away from the pumpkin eaters? Does Little pete break the world record? Watch the show to find out what happens.

Bollywood

Bollywood movies are one of the most cherished things in the country of India. Movies from India make a lot of money. For this reason, many more Bollywood movies are starting to be mad, except for one thing, they are not from India. Many Hollywood production companies are starting to make Bollywood movies because there is so much love for them in many different countries. The films that are made in the United States of America have all the same characteristics that a real Bollywood, such as dancing and singing. Americans making Bollywood films presents a competition between India and America. This competition helps to contribute to many movies that are made today. Some American Bollywood movies are Slumdog Millionaire, and Bride and Prejudice. After watching Bride and Prejudice in class, I realized that the competition between India and America is a good thing. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/movies/08boll.html 

Giridharadas, Anand "Hollywood Starts Making Bollywood Films in India" New York Times. 8 August, 2007. 4 March 2009. 

Chinese New Year

Every year, before the Chinese New Year, people will clean there house to the greatest extent. The reasoning for this is, because, it is a metaphorical way to bring in the New Year. They see it as sweeping out the old and bringing in the new. People also do not sweep their floors for a few days because they don't want to sweep out the good luck. The writer of this article talks about how this annual cleaning is good, but it would even better to do it every day. With cluttered houses, people can sometimes not eat as much because they have a disfunctional kitchen, or they do not get enough sleep because they have to much junk in their room and on their bed. The way I see it, peoples house should be pretty clean most of the time, and once in a great while, they should clean their houses like no tomorrow, kinda like the Chinese do before a new year.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/cleaning-up-for-chinese-new-year/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Fremson, Ruth, "Cleaning Up for the Chinese New Year" New York Times, 26 January 2009, 4 March 2009

Change

This weekend I read an article about Barack Obama winning the presidential election. It talks about how Obama was elected the fourty fourth president of the united states, and how many racial barriers have been broken. Up until that point in time, every single president of the United States of America has been white. Having Barack Obama win the election shows how much the world is changing. Sixty years ago, there was segregation, and today, the man running our country, is African American. The article goes on to say, how Barack Obama, fourty seven, a senator from Illinois, defeated Senator John McCain. America has been starting this change for a long time. Around the beginning, it was a major change that an African American was playing in the Major Leagues for baseball. Now, one of the most powerful countries is being run by an African American man. Hopefully, he will do his best to help out this country, which i am sure he will, because, he understands change, and this exactly what this country needs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/us/politics/05campaign.html

Nagourney, Adam "Obama Wins Election; McCain Looses as Bush Legacy is Rejected." New York Times. 4 November 2008, 1 March 2009

Hope

The article I read was about american idol hopeful, Casey Carlson, and her coach watching her live performance. In this article, Casey Carlsons coach, Patty Peterson, watched in minneapolis, while her student was singing on national television in Los Angeles. In the article, it describes Peterson encouraging Casey from hundreds of miles away. After Casey's performance, Patty applauded with approval. Even though Patty Peterson thought she sung well, the American Idol Judges did not agree. All four judges felt it was the wrong song for her to sing. the next night, it didn't take long for Patty and Casey's hope to vanish. Casey was the first one eliminated from the show. Even though she got eliminated, there is still hope for her to move on, on account of the judges picking her in the wild card position. All that is left to do for Casey and her proud teacher, is hope. 

http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/39775502.html?elr=KArksUUUU

Bream, Jon "Eden Prarie's Own Gets Simonized on 'Idol' Ouch." Star tribune. 19 February 2009, 24 February 2009