Madeline's Blog

Change? (Final Exam(

2009-06-01T11:06:00.004-05:00

See: Obama holding an American flag with help from hands of different races/nationalities. Obama’s face is turned to the side with a sad/struggling expression.

Think: The flag is thrown over his shoulder, like he is trying to pick up and fix the mistakes of previous people. It’s an important step in American history to elect an African-American President. It proves that America’s a country that is accepting of all, and shows progression. I think this relates to the “Negro in America vs. Negro in his Native Land”, because this shows that an African-American living in America can achieve anything a white American can. I think his face looks the way it does because he knows, along with the rest of America, that he has a long, hard job ahead of him.

Wonder: If the future of America will really ‘Change’, and if Obama will accept help from other “hands”.

2009-05-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=the+red+pony+pledge+of+allegiance&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#

The Pledge of the '40's

2009-05-28T21:46:00.007-05:00

This clip (that wouldn't upload!!) is from a movie called "The Red Pony". The reason I was watching this movie was because the kids that I babysit love watching old movies from the '40's and '50's. I noticed this particular clip only because, earlier that week in class,we had been discussing how back in the '40's, the pledge was said with your arm reaching out towards the flat, similar to the German solute to Hitler. Another interesting thing about the clip is that, during this time, the phrase "Under God" was not yet added. If you want to see the clip, just go to YouTube (or Google Video) and type in "The Red Pony Pledge of Allegiance" and click the first link! It's a really interesting clip!

These American Flags

2009-05-10T21:45:00.002-05:00

Trying to notice something that, normally I would have passed by, was interesting. When driving down Wilmette Ave., I just happened to look to my right and notice this picture: around 6 American Flags jammed into the smallest corner in the smallest window of the hardware store. Not in the picture, but above these flags, were more flags, folded up and on a shelf. How would I analyze this? No clue. Seeing as every time I have driven by, since last week, the flags have remained in the same position. Have they gone unnoticed? Maybe it was just too much of a hassle to present the flags in a respectful way. In the largest window of the store (there were 2 large windows, and this small window next to the door), were vacuums and tools. Are these supplies more important than the American Flag? The display of these flags may be a sign of the lack of patriotism of the guy who shoved the flags in the corner. You would think that the American Flag, a symbol of freedom and America, would be more proudly displayed, even in this small of a window.

My Big Problem

2009-04-28T20:05:00.002-05:00

Up 'till now, researching has been fine, finding (2!) people to interview was OK, and having the interview was easier than I thought. It had to be too good to be true. Last Tuesday, I came home from dance at around 8, checked my email, and found out that the person I wanted to interview wanted to do the interview that night at 9. I had the questions all ready (thank god), but I didn't have time to e-mail Mr.Bolos to tell him that I was having the interview. So, I had the interview anyways, because Mr. Falzone (my interviewee) didn't have many other opportunities to do this interview with me. The interview went perfectly. I started recording, and for the next 45 minutes, Mr. Falzone and I talked about everything you can talk about with film censorship (my J.T. topic). I thought I was golden, that nothing could go wrong now. I had my (perfect) interview, all my research, and now all I had to do was get this paper over with, no offense. Again, it was too good to be true. Since I didn't schedule my interview with Bolos, it may be lost forever. Awesome.
(Here's a piece of advice: SCHEDULE YOUR INTERVIEW WITH BOLOS!!)

The Interview

2009-04-24T08:59:00.002-05:00

Only a few weeks ago, I was lost. I did not know exactly what I wanted to write about, and I was having trouble finding people to interview. Now, I have already had one (really good!) interview, and have another one lined up! The interview I had on Wednesday was with Ron Falzone, a Film Studies professor at Columbia University. Seeing as my topic is about film censorship, he was the perfect person to interview. He always gave a long and informative answer to all of my questions, and he said a lot of things that would fit right in with my paper. Mr. Falzone also gave me a series to watch, and movies to see that would help me understand the time when movie ratings were becoming a hot-button issue. Although I was really nervous at the beginning of the phone interview, it was really easy once we started talking. So, the first interview was a success!

How to Find Somebody You Don't Know

2009-04-12T21:08:00.003-05:00

For Junior Theme, it's hard enough to think of the perfect question. Then, once you have that (which is taking me forever!), you have to find a book on your topic. When you and a librarian spend a period searching for a book but can't find one, then you know you're in trouble. This has been my road to Junior Theme so far. Sounds awesome, right? Now, I have to write an intro paragraph for my paper, but where do I start? I have 3 textbooks on movie's, ratings, and the Hay's Code, but without a book, how do I write a paper? Also, I haven't had my interview yet. So do I put it in my intro later? How do you find a movie critic? I'm sure Ebert would love to take time out of his day and talk with a highschool student on the latest movies. Where do I begin looking for people who know things about the movie rating system?

Global Warming??

2009-02-08T21:21:00.003-06:00

The past few weeks, weather has been crazy. One week ago, the temperatures were in single digits, but this weekend I saw people wearing shorts. Is this really a sign of global warning, or is it just a coincidence? It's just odd to see snow on the grown for almost 3 months straight, and then wake up this morning and see grass on everybody's lawns. Last week I was beginning to think that global warming was just a theory, but this weekend has changed my opinions. I guess we will just have to wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for us this week, whatever it may be.

And the Oscar goes to...

2009-01-08T19:25:00.002-06:00

With the Oscar's only a few months away, there has been lots of questioning on whether or not actor Heath Ledger should be nominated for his role as The Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight. Personally, I thought that we was absolutely amazing. After his sudden and tragic death in 2008, I wasn't sure if I wanted to see him in his last movie. I have been a fan of his ever since 10 Things I Hate About You, the romantic comedy. But, after I heard the excellent reviews, I knew that this was one movie that I couldn't miss, and I was right. Every time he came on the big theater screen, he wasn't Heath Ledger anymore. He truly was The Joker in every way. He was creepy, sarcastic, and evil. Even though he has died, there is no reason why his talent in this film should go unnoticed.

Waste of Money??

2009-01-08T18:09:00.003-06:00

In class today, the main focus was the Army. We talked about how an arcade was opened to promote the National Guard and other branches, how there are recruitment stations, and benefits for families after a soldier had died. Some students argued that some of these things were a waste of money. Others said that that way of promoting was efficient. Here's what I think is a total waste of money. My twin is on the Crew team at New Trier, and one weekend he had an important race in Boston. When he got home, he told us that he had seen the Army, Navy, National Guard, etc. racing. When talking about a waste of money in class, this automatically came to mind. The job of the Army is to protect our nation. What good are they doing on a river in Boston? How could they have spent their money in a way that would be beneficial to the US?

TV Tokenism

2009-01-06T21:15:00.002-06:00

In AS the past couple of days, the discussion has been primarily about TV Tokenism (mostly in Dramas on TV). We talked about how the main character of a series is usually a white person, while the supporting "buddy" character is usually played by an African-American. During the discussion, a student brought up a good point: What's worse? Having a "token" black person or no black characters at all? I knew that this would be a good blog post because since there is not one good answer, it would make a good discussion. In my opinion, I think that both options are both racist. Having an all white cast would discriminate against all other ethnicity, but having the "token" black character isn't much better. Having a token on a drama means it relates to more audiences, which means higher ratings, which leads to more money for the company airing the show. I really can't decide which is worse, but what do others think? In class we also talked about how shows advertise. Mostly, the white main character is front and center, most visible, and most important. The "token" is usually standing behind another character or is next to, but not as large, as the main character. I have included a picture of the TV show Scrubs, which shows Turk, the black surgeon, and his Latino wife, Carla, standing way off to the side of the mostly white cast. Also, look at what they are all wearing. White. Does that mean something? Why didn't they wear black? Networks use tactics like these everyday, but usually we, the audience, don't notice them. Does that make them OK?? Well, that's for you to decide.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2009-01-05T21:34:00.002-06:00

Over Winter Break, my family and I went to Florida. Every year for the past 4 years we have gone with all 17 of my cousins, 14 of my aunts and uncles, and my Nana and Papa. My grandparents fly us down every year, but this year flying was a bit different. Lets start off with checking in. They weighed our bags, as usual, and then told us that if any of our bags weighed over a certain weight (somewhere around 50 lbs), we would have to pay a fee. None of our bags were over the limit, but what if they were? Theoretically, if we had coughed up the extra $50, our bags would still make it on our flight, so why do we pay? Does that $50 magically make more room on the plane? No. The airline makes you pay for luggage that they know they have space for, but just want a little extra cash. That's the first thing that made me question the airlines. Next, the woman checking my family in asked us how many carry-on bags we had. We told her five. Can you guess what happened next? We had to pay for our carry-on luggage. Even though the plane has more than enough overhead compartments for bags, we still have to pay. Why? I'd like to know that. So, we're finally on the plane now. About one hour into the trip, the flight attendant makes an announcement that they will begin selling food and refreshments. Then she adds that the prices were in the back of the SkyMall magazine. I have flown many times, but never have I had to pay for a soda on an airplane. So, I flip open to look at the prices. A soda was $3. Can you believe it!? I was astonished. Also, they only accept credit cards. My brother got a can of Coke and handed the flight attendant his credit card. Right after she swiped his card, I told her that I wanted a small can of Pringles. She gave me the can of Pringles and walked away. My brother noticed that she handn't charged him for it, so when he asked her what had happened, she looked at him and told him that it would be too difficult to add it onto his bill, so she gave it to me for free. Even after this airline and made us pay for pratically everything that your ticket alone should include, I couldn't believe how refreshing it was to have a complementary can of Pringles.

Merry Christmas...Music!

2008-11-16T20:41:00.003-06:00

After a very long wait, my favorite music is back on the radio...Christmas music!! Last year, channel 93.9 started its holiday season on November 1st, the day after Halloween. Mostly everybody thought that that was too early-everybody but me and my friend Elli. We were happiest when listening to Christmas music. We wish that everyday were Christmas!! This year, we started a countdown in advisory-counting down the days until 93.9 started playing our beloved Christmas music again. We started at 20 days to go. On November 1st, I woke up and turned on my radio. What did I hear? Regular music. Not even a hint of holiday cheer from 93.9. It was a major disappointment to me and Elli. My mom, on the other hand, couldn't have been happier. She had to listen to it all last winter with me when I was learning how to drive in her car. But on Friday, my alarm went off at its regular time, and instead of hearing any old song, I woke up hearing the beautiful sound of holiday music. I was so excited that I started yelling for my mom to come into my room. She ran in, worried, but was finally relieved to see me dancing to Christmas music. Sure, it may be early for a few people, but I will celebrate the holiday season as early as possible. It is my favorite time of year. Everybody just seems to be nicer around the holiday season. The music brightens up any day and I love to sing along with my favorite Christmas tunes.

Identity

2008-10-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

In class, the book we are reading, Fires in the Mirror, is about racial and religious confrontations with two groups of people: Blacks and Jews. Identity has a large role in this book. In Crown Heights, where the events take place, Jews and Blacks live amongst each other and are "identified" by their race and/or religion. Is that O.K? To be judged by what you believe in or what the color of your skin is? In the book, a young black child is hit by a car and killed. The driver was a Jewish man. A few days later, another Jewish man was killed. So, the driver did a terrible thing, but an innocent man was killed because he was Jewish as well. Just because somebody does a bad thing doesn't mean that everybody who shares the same belief/race should be punished.

Politics in Class?

2008-10-13T20:16:00.002-05:00

In class over the pass few weeks, we have discussed whether or not politics should be discussed in class. At first I thought, 'Why not?'. But during the day, my friend asked me what Palin's first name was. I was taken back, shocked. I asked the person if that was a serious question. Their answer was 'Yeah...'. Then I realized, if politics were a large percent of the discussions taking place in A.S., and some students didn't know much about politics, they have nothing to say. They sit and listen, and don't get a chance to participate because they maybe just aren't 'into' politics. So, sure, I don't mind if people voice their opinions in school or loudly support a candidate. But I don't think it's fair when the topic for the majority of class is something that you would have to be tuned into to know about, like a debate or a speech. I like talking about it, personally, but for a student who doesn't follow politics, I see how confusing it must be to sit in class and not have an idea what is going on. Should politics be discussed in class?

Vice Presidential Debate

2008-10-05T22:32:00.002-05:00

In class on Friday, the discussion we had about the debate really interested me. The topic was about the Biden vs. Palin debate. Watching the debate the night before, Palin looked very friendly and happy. On the other had, Joe Biden looked tough and serious. Was there a reason behind that? Was it planned? In class, we talked about how, since Palin is a woman, she has to look approachable and should be smiling alot. Unlike Palin, Biden has to look serious and looking like a man who will get the job done as V.P. Not that Palin wouldn't get the job done, but since she is female, she has to look, as I said earlier, more approachable and relatable to Americans.

Blackout

2008-10-05T22:20:00.002-05:00

I wore all black today, but it wasn't because I was mourning. I was at the Chicago White Sox game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. All fans wore black to the game. It was the third game out of a possible 5 between the two teams. Tampa Bay had already won 2 games, so if the Sox lost today, they would be done. It was a nerve-racking game. The hotdog inbetween the 2nd and 3rd inning calmed me down for a while. Danks pitched about 7 innings (106 pitches), while Dotel pitched in the 8th and Jenks closed the game. The score was 1:1, then 2:1 Tampa, and then finally, around the 5th and 6th inning, the Sox came through and the score was 3:5 with the Sox in the lead. The 40,142 people in the ball park were mostly wearing all black and were given white towels with the Sox logo to wave in the air. The last few pitches by Jenks were the most stressful. My mom, dad, and twin were at the game with me. We were sitting front row, third base line and throughout the game we were either eating, looking and Ronny Woo-Woo wearing a Cubs uniform, or intensley watching the game. A few times we would try to get third base coach Jeff Cox to do his famous hand signals. At the top of the 9th, with 2 outs, Jenks through the final pitch. Everybody in the stadium went silent, and then were immediately relieved when the umpire called a strike. The White Sox won!! Can they keep up their good luck tomorrow? We'll just have to wait and see...

SNL Spoof

2008-09-28T21:49:00.003-05:00

In the past few weeks, Tina Fey has been portraying Sarah Palin in 2 Saturday Night Live scetches. The jokes are hilarious, but are these Sarah Palins' actual words or is it written by the SNL writers? When Tina was asked a question by Katie Couric, played by Amy Poehler, about foreign policy, Tina had an answer, but made a circle around answering the specific question. She said that her foreign policy was to "shoo" the Russians away every morning. She never had an answer to what she would specifically do to solve the economic crisis. Tina went on about not enough jobs, and somehow healthcare came into her answer. Sure, it was funny, but when watching the actual interview with Palin and Couric, it seemed very similar. Palin never pin-pointed how she would solve something. She gives very broad answers to most questions given, and she is portrayed correctly on SNL. Does Palin have an precise answer to Foreign Policy? Well, watch the video on http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/ and find out for yourselves.

Trust

2008-09-21T20:53:00.002-05:00

This past weekend, my dance company at New Trier, Kinesis, went on a high-ropes course. Having never done one, I was really nervous. The course, which was indoors, must have been 50+ feet off the ground. The room in which the course was also included a climbing wall and playground-maze type thing. I tried the wall climbing first. It was difficult, but it felt good to reach the top and ring the bell that was on the ceiling. Then, I had to face my fear and do the ropes course. My parter was my really good friend Shayna, who was equally nervous. My nerves quickly began to arrive on the climb up the ladder to the course. The course included many difficult tasks, some including working with Shayna. To make things worse, the guides at the top of the course would shake and jump so that it was more difficult for us to get across. We were the last group to go, so a guide followed us so that she could get off after we did. Near the end of the course, I was walking across a plank and behind me, the guide was lying across the plank looking down at everybody. She told me I should try it. So I went out of my comfort zone and hung from the ceiling with her. After a few more challenges, I was finally able to get off of the course. I then noticed that throughout the course, Shayna and I were gripping each others hands the whole time. I realized that we both were less nervous when hanging on to each other. We trusted each other throughout the course and we made each other feel safer on the course. When I trusted Shayna, I knew she wouldn't let go of my hand the whole time.
Question: Was there ever a time when you were in a situation where you were nervous, but had a trusted friend/family member with you to make you feel safe?

Grizzly Man

2008-09-14T15:33:00.003-05:00

When watching "Grizzly Man" in class this week, I thought that Timothy Treadwell was crazy. What kind of person goes up to a dangerous animal and pets it? But after his death, I considered why Timothy was doing this. He was living amongst the bears and other animals because he truly loved that. He fought to keep the bears safe from hunters and other dangers because he cared for him. In class, I made a point by saying that thougth Timothys death was tragic, the documentary opened so many peoples eyes. It showed me that if you really care for a cause, you fight for it. Others might say that he was a nut-case, but I think that Timothy was just doing what he loved, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!!

2008-09-07T17:38:00.003-05:00

This Saturday, September 13, fourteen-time Olympic Gold medalist Michael Phelps will be hosting the season premier of Saturday Night Live. He will be joined by musical guest Lil' Wayne, one of Phelps favorite rappers. Both Phelps and Lil' Wayne will be making their SNL debuts. Sure, Phelps is a great swimmer...but is he funny? As the first host of SNL's 34th season, he has a lot to live up to. Certain athletes who have hosted SNL in the past have done a great job, such as Peyton Manning. Others have, well, failed (LeBron James?). As a big fan of the show, I am excited to see this episode. There will only be about 7 live shows so far, seeing as the election will be approaching on NBC. So, my question to you is: Will Michael Phelps be a good host? Will you tune in? I guess we will all just have to wait until September 13 and find out. Well, that's all I have to say. Make sure to watch this episode of Saturday Night Live! Bye!

Hey!

2008-09-03T09:19:00.000-05:00

Hi! Welcome to my blog.
If you didn't know already, I am a huge White Sox fan. My family has season tickets: front row, third base line and I love going to as many games as I can.
I have a twin brother, a 22 year old brother, and a dog named Lucy.
I love to dance. I dance in New Trier's Kinesis Company and also at Giordano School of Dance.