May 31, 2005
WHERE IS THE LOVE
Most people know the song "Where Is The Love" made popular by The Black Eyed Peas featuring Justin Timberlake. Although it was overplayed and I became really sick of hearing it on the radio (not that I listen to much radio anyway), I'm still glad they came out with a song like this. It wasn't super cheesy and it was catchy, and of course, it was VERY popular. I'm posting these lyrics up now and I really want you to read the lyrics. Really read the lyrics.
The part that really spoke to me was the last part here,
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found
but you all already know where I stand. I hope you all also realize that I am not hopeless about humanity, although that is what the case seems to be. I have a lot of hope for humanity. In one of my first posts, I wrote "I have so much hope that it really is hopeless!"
What's wrong with the world mama?
People living like aint got no mamas
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?
It just ain't the same all ways have changed
New days are strange is the world the insane?
If love and peace so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations dropping bombs
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones
With ongoing suffering
As the youth die young
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong
With this world that we living in
People keep on giving in
Makin wrong decisions
Only visions of them livin and
Not respecting each other
Deny thy brother
The wars' going on but the reasons' undercover
The truth is kept secret
Swept under the rug
If you never know truth
Then you never know love
Where's the love y'all? I don't know
Where's the truth y'all? I don't know
Where's the love y'all?
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father father father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder
Most of us only care about money makin
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema
Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found
People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?
Posted by thao0226 at 05:05 PM | Comments (1)
The Longest Yard
Many of my friends have heard me rave about the movie The Longest Yard, a 2005 re-make of the 1974 version that starred Burt Reynolds. I have never been a huge fan of football, nor have I even seen the 1974 version, let alone heard of it before this. Basically, I had no idea what to expect, it just seemed like a good movie to see and Adam Sandler was starring in it--- what can I say? Needless to say, I thought it was an a super good movie! As a girl who knows practically nothing about football (still uncertain about that "shaving points" deal), it was really fun to see and even girls who hate football will like it. This is sort of a lame attempt at a review, but not really because you can see the synopsis here, you can check it out yourself! I'm writing about this movie because I know it's just a movie, but I thought "What an asshole!" many times throughout the movie. People should just be nice! Okay, that sounds a little bit naive....
But seriously, people should be treated like people sometimes. Granted, these prisoners are in prison for a reason, they don't need to be abused over and over again. People should never feel like they have the right to strip others of thier pride or dignity. Nobody should ever have the authority to practically own you. People should never be taunted and called derogatory names. Yes, yes, I'm in this little naive state of mind, but I can make a stretch here....... how about the incident last year concerning Iraqi prisoners abused? I hope nobody found it amusing or even deserved, because then, I'm sorry, but I'd have you call you disgusting. Or the incident leaving 6 hunters dead concerning a Hmong hunter? We will never know the true extent of that story now, but we can only imagine. Probably was provoked profoundly huh? Am I still being just naive here? Disrespect....causes problems!
Ok. Point is, be nice. Respect eachother. "Nice" sounds like such an innocent word. But maybe that is the point, it's plain and simple.
Posted by thao0226 at 03:31 PM | Comments (3)
To Kyle C.
I apologize about the "Vegetarianism" post, I guess Goveg.org was not as navigable as I claimed it was! Obviously not since I can't find it again myself. Although, I did find a few more articles from GoVeg.org that has to do with the environment. They were essentially the same things. The direct link for these two pages are here and here. Enjoy!
Posted by thao0226 at 02:51 PM | Comments (1)
History
Topics in US History: Exploring The Twin Cities' Past is the name of a history class that I am taking in addition to Topics in Composition: Wikis and Blogs. From the readings and lectures of that class, I have conjured up some more major themes in world issues. First, let me tell you why I'm taking this history class: I'm minoring in history. Well allow me to explain why I'm minoring in history. History is important for everybody! History is a way of connecting yourself to the world around you and the issues and problems we have today. You understand why things are happening, the root of certain issues, you might even understand the importance of the people named after streets and schools. In my freshmen year of college, I learned the difference between Iraq and Iran! So what does this have to do with supposedly "saving the world" or whatever my focus is? Educate yourselves in a little history, you will learn a lot of valuable things. History connects everything to everything. The Twin Cities, for example, hold an imense amount of history in our neighborhoods, rivers, buildings, and freeways. Does it make you curious as to why people started to immigrate to the Twin Cities? Why the predominate ethnic group in the Twin Cities in the late 1800's/early 1900's were Nordics? What purpose Fort Snelling held and what it stood for? What bands of Native American Indians resided on these banks before white settlers eventually drove them off with broken treaties? Or something interesting indeed--- the racism and discrimination against Jewish people in the Twin Cities? How the majority of the black community shifted from St. Paul to Minneapolis? These are all questions that I don't particularly have answers to yet. But they definitely pique my brains. Don't they pique yours? I'm afraid I'm being too vague about the importance of history.... or straying off. There is a familiar saying that history repeats itself. This is the point: conflicts, racism, broken promises, genocide, etc--- they are all a part of world history. When we recognize it, perhaps this time we would better address it!
Posted by thao0226 at 02:42 PM | Comments (3)
May 26, 2005
Volunteer.
I used to volunteer at a nursing home when I was in middle school. We would feed the birds, carry trays, did water rounds for the residence and visit them. You know, it wasn't bad... You just can't do a whole lot as a 14 or 15 year old really. But when I started high school, I just stopped completely. My best friend got me into this program and she now works there as a receptionist. Apparently, our old friend Jean Elliot is still alive! Still alive? It's been years!
If you have the time to, by all means, find something you enjoy and volunteer! I have to ask myself, free time? What is free time? Many of us have the same problem. Put this simple concept in the back of your mind, so that when there is a time when you are able to, you may feel encouraged to do something! Anything at all. Do you like to build? Fix things? Paint? Do you like to cook? Talk to people? Greet? Do you you like children? Pets? Sports? There are so many oppurtunities out there. Another problem that we have, as students or people with a job, is that we have to make money! We have to study! I would be completely with you on that. So I don't mean to be a hypocrite about it, I KNOW IT!
Posted by thao0226 at 03:19 PM | Comments (4)
Vegetarianism
Are you really just one person? Well, you're not two! I would love to tell you that 1 vegetarian makes a difference, but I don't know that for a fact. Inspire two friends, three friends, seven... now that makes some difference! Let's get to it.
People don't realize the impact that eating meat has on the world. 
While I don't actually believe that people should all stop eating meat, it is definitely something to consider.
Something to try?
Something you should educate yourself about!
I'm not trying to stuff tofu down your throat here, so chill out, lot's of vegetarians don't even eat tofu!
If you can't live without your steak, your buffalo wings, your ham, your Spam, or what have you--- you should still be aware about the harm of over consumption of meat in America. From GoVeg.org, you can learn a variety of things about the transition of going vegetarian/vegan, different recipes, health concerns, and links to other resources. A classmate of mine also hosts a blog about her journey from going vegetarian to vegan, called Veg Log. She has some very good arguments, links and insights about this topic if you are interested.
GoVeg.org is a super navigable website. Under "How does eating meat hurt the planet" it states: Eating meat leaves behind an environmental toll that generations to come will be forced to pay. Absolutely! And there is no better explanation than from the page directly!
Resources
In the U.S., animals raised for food are fed 70 percent of the corn, wheat, and other grains we grow. The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth.
Land
Of all agricultural land in the U.S., 80 percent is used to raise animals for food—that’s almost half the total land mass of the lower 48 states.
Water
Nearly half of all the water consumed in the U.S. for all purposes is used to raise animals for food. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 60 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. A totally vegetarian diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4,000 gallons of water per day.
Pollution
Raising animals for food causes more water pollution in the U.S. than any other industry because animals raised for food produce 130 times the excrement of the entire human population—87,000 pounds per second! Much of the waste from factory farms and slaughterhouses flows into streams and rivers, contaminating water sources.
Energy
Of all raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S., more than one-third is used to raise animals for food. The energy needed to produce the food that a meat-eater would burn in walking a given distance is greater than the energy needed to fuel your car to travel the same distance.
Deforestation
Each vegetarian saves an acre of trees every year! The tropical rain forests are being decimated to create grazing land for cattle. The space equivalent to seven football fields is destroyed every minute. Fifty-five square feet of rain forest may be razed to produce just one quarter-pound burger.
Fast food is gross enough as is!
Posted by thao0226 at 02:45 PM | Comments (2)
May 25, 2005
Attitude is contagious!
You know what? I write really long posts. And they take me a really long time to write them. After re-researching some information about the Peace Corps, I am now more determined than ever to join. Well guys, thanks for the encouragement! You will be hearing from my mother..... She intimidates some people, but she's just a tiny lady! I hope that you have enjoyed some of the pictures I have posted up, they were a part of the Peace Corps' photo contest. If you would like to see more of these pictures, HERE is the direct link to the photos site. These were the winners, in their respective categories. They were absolutely beautiful.
This blogs' purpose was initially to allow people to realize that one person does make a difference and every person in this world has the potential to do something good. I may sound like some loser while saying that, but it's O.K!
First thing first, just be good. In future posts, I can't guarantee I will suggest something sane! But for today, smile! Say something nice. Or if you're at the store and the line is long, don't sigh loudly in despair and go, "can't you go any faster" or something lame like that. Um, yes, it does make a difference to the world! You know what they say... Attitude is contagious!
Wow, do I sound like a stepford wife/mom OR WHAT?!
Posted by thao0226 at 04:57 PM | Comments (3)
The Peace Corps
What is the Peace Corps , exactly? When you go to www.peacecorps.gov, the official government site greets visitors with "Life is calling. How far will you go?"
Individuals who are interested in learning more about the Peace Corps have answers to questions they didn't even know they had, right at their fingertips. If your life is calling, this may be your answer. Or, you might not have a care in the world. Whatever the case, I think it's important for everyone to be aware of these kinds of oppurtunities and at least be aware of the fact that thousands of people are out there volunteering for good causes all over the world. They're your parents, your relatives, your neighbors, your peers and co-workers. I e-mail a good friend who is currently serving in Iraq for the Army. When I told him about plans to join the Peace Corps, he wrote back:
That sounds like great news about you wanting to join the Peace Corps. It's the only other job than being in the army, that really puts you on the front line of real world problems and disasters...you gotta respect the Peace Corp.
In a nut shell, Peace Corp volunteers are hosted in countries all over the world (72 currently, 138 total). At the present time though, there are 7,733 active members. Their total number of volunteers to date is 178,000! I commend all of these people! These volunteers work on issues concerning education, HIV/AIDS, agriculture, information technology, business development, and counseling youths. The site even says, "when you give, you get." The Peace Corps offer many benefits appealing to graduates: Valuable skills and unique experiences, credit oppurtunities for graduate school, loan deferments and reduction, and more. Another big bonus, after your service, you are given $6,000 to be used any way you would like. Your safety is a high priority and most of all, you are making a difference and changing lives. The Peace Corp is a 2 year commitment, you must be a U.S. citizen and be at least 18 years of age.
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? I've included some pictures from the official Peace Corps site for your viewing pleasure. Perhaps intrigue you a bit? Although, I do want to make it clear, I'm not trying to convince you to join the Peace Corps, I do not mean to force you to feel the same way that I do, just open your minds!
Posted by thao0226 at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
Purpose
As of this moment, my plan is go into the Peace Corp after college. That is assuming I actually finish college. Currently, I have no aspiration for a career in any field whatsoever. I'm interested in many things; children, media, history, writing, people, law, nutrition. But my heart is not set on any one thing. Right now, my only dream is to be a part of the Peace Corp. This revelation is pretty new. In fact, I had announced my newfound plans to all but the two most important people in my life: my parents. Oops.
My whole logic with the Peace Corp ordeal is that I don't want to be like everybody else--- graduate, get job, get apartment, make money, buy a car. It's not what I'm about. If I follow the standard, I am not working for anybody but myself; I won't have a family of my own, I won't have children, or a husband. In which case, I am only being selfish. Why not do something with myself? I want world peace and I want to save the world. And there is only one way I know how.
Back to telling my parents...
I live in Dinkytown. With the strain of school (in general), finals and work, I hadn't had the time or oppurtunity to talk to either of them. I finally went "home" last weekend.
Moments before my parents picked me up, I thought, okay I want to go into the peace corps...what will my parents think about me getting into the peace corps?! Having to tell my parents was completely overlooked. Mom sort of freaked, she called me crazy. And then, she got kinda sad because she was like (and these are facts), "Julie wants to live in Japan, Chris wants to join the Navy, now you want to go to Africa" and my dad butts in with, "no it's South America" so mom continues, "South America...What did your father and I ever do to you guys?" My dad butts in again with, "Liz wants to go to a farm." It was so random, I seriously couldn't stop laughing. But I found out later that the "farm" was refering to the philosophy camp that Liz is going to this summer. And in reality, Liz hasn't revealed that she wants to move to Australia yet. I should add that Liz, Julie, Chris and I are all siblings.
Then she went on...
"You don't even like spiders"
"It's not like I'm gonna live in the jungle mom. I could end up in a dessert"
"Dessert? you don't even eat meat what kind of greens are they going to grow for you?"
"Uhhh....guess I will lose a lot of weight"
And she it doesn't stop. "Sylvie's going to live in the jungle or dessert and get a disease, she's already can't see well or hear well, and when she comes back all of her friends are going to be married already, she will never marry and she will never have children, who's going to hold your hand and take care of you when you can't anymore?" So here goes my dad again, he says, "Sylvie's elephants from the jungle will hold her hand"
I have the most random father in the world!
I should also add that I am a vegetarian.
Sadly, my mom has a point. My dad makes good points too. My dad told me, "you can't even go without your cell phone...life is very different anywhere." And, it's true. But in the case that I do go into the Peace Corps, I won't need money, a car, make up or a cell phone for that matter. My mom said I would probably regret it; by the time I returned, I would see that friends and peers have jobs, cars, experience, are getting married, and I will find myself catching up way behind.
Overall, the purpose for this blog is to find a medium here. I want to be near my family, yet, I want to explore all of the possibilities that the Peace Corp has to offer.
Could you and I save a life? A liter of gas per day? The ozone from deteriorating? One hungry orphan? Support AIDS awareness? Walk for a cause? Mentor a youth? I have a kind heart. So far, that is all I have to offer.
Posted by thao0226 at 11:36 PM | Comments (8)
You're thinking, this crazy girl.....
Posted by thao0226 at 05:04 PM | Comments (0)
Introduction
It's simple. You don't have to be the tree-hugging, hippie, animal-loving, activist, philanthropist, do-gooder type to make a difference in this world. Forgive the stereotyping, I am only making a point. Sometimes, I swear I'm bipolar! Not to make it a joke, but one minute you are riding high on life, and the next, you realize there is so much error in the world. I feel partly hopeless about the world today. And yet, I have so much hope that it really is hopeless!
I want to save the world.
I want world peace.
I wish people were nice.
In recent months, people close to me have seen huge changes.
I wanted justice. So I thought I should become a cop. Laugh hard, it's okay, my dad did. Not that he was putting down his own daughters' (very temporary) dream, but it doesn't suit me physically and emotionally.
I wanted to help people. My best friends joked that I should become a sister and I considered it for a second. "Please don't" they said, but then they joked again, "you should become a pope instead." "I should!" and there I went on again with my crazy epiphanies. I'm not even Catholic! I'm not even a man!
Then, I saw the movie Kingdom of Heaven. Religion! On my way home everyday, I am sure to read that sign on the purple house on 12th avenue; Religion has caused more misery to mankind than any other single idea.
The next day, I watched Hotel Rwanda. Genocide!
If I watch the news--- bomb attacks! Murder! Corruption! Abduction! Protests!
If there was one way to describe how I felt, it was with this comic strip below.
So you're on this journey with me now, if you want to be.
Posted by thao0226 at 04:51 PM | Comments (2)