Photo Of The Day

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President Barack Obama talks with aides outside the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Paris before returning to Washington, June 7, 2009.

[source: flickr]

So What's Next?

Now that Barak Obama is the new President of the United States of America, what do we expect to see from him?



I've heard some really strange things from many people over the past few days, over the fate of the days and months to come. Some are hopeful that he'd just pull all the soldiers out of Iraq. I mean, imagine how optimistic people would be when they say he'd do that. And imagine the reaction of the opposing countries.

For some the middle name Hussain and the Arab originality is just too frightening. There are rumors that Obama is really a Muslim deep inside. And the ideas of him turning to radical Islam have already popped up, which I saw on Hard Talk a few days ago. Sense of humor?

And for the more pessimistic side, people just keep remembering Martin Luther King and relating him to Obama. Even though the state of black people in the world these days has changed immensly, people really believe in his fate. Talk about superstition.

But for me, I'll just sit back in my computer chair watching the news and hoping a miracle will fall down from the sky. And its a good thing Americans are not Arabs. I mean just imagine McCains supporters out on the streets shooting in the air, waving thier flags and smashing cars. Hehe.

Of Mice And Men

I was never into books, and never liked novels, until I read this book. Our English teacher has a subject called Literature which is basically reading a specified story then answering questions on it based on our understanding of the story.

I thought I should review this story, because I really liked how it showed the age of the American depression from all its views, and how it showed people who stayed in their position till death, while others dreamed and plotted of a better life, and people who changed their current position to higher ranks.

Of Mice And Men talks about two men, one a small and wise character, the other a large disabled man, who both travel together from ranch to ranch trying to earn some money. George, the small character, is a man that has ambitions for a better life by owning a ranch himself, unlike the other ranch workers who had no goals in life.

Lennie, the disabled man who accompanies George, has the dreams and passions of a small child. His obsession with soft things, such as fur or hair, is most of the time the reason he gets into trouble, and even accidental murder at the end of the story. George accompanies him because Lennie's Aunt asks him to, and he also wants to avoid loneliness, a key aspect of the American Depression.

The other characters in the book are as interesting as the rest. They go from the main leaders of the ranch, with high respect in community, while at the same time jealous of the others and wanting to reach higher ranks, to the lowest people in community such as the black man 'Crooks', who is not respected in the ranch because of his color and his looks.

I would recommend this book, which was nominated for four Oscars, to anyone who enjoys reading about the past, and how friendship is always strong to anyone, even to the point of life and death.

A Bit Too Enviromentaly Friendly?

A family in Manhattan, US has left the 21st century in order to save the planet. This means no lights, no fridges, no TV, no air condition. The bathroom has no toilet paper, no toiletries, no shampoos. In this dim house, you would wonder how any life would be going on. But a man, his wife and his daughter are taking part too.

Colin Beavan, 43, aims for a better world by reducing the bad stuff he uses. His dining table is lit by candles, not lights. His radio, which is solar powered, is his only way to hear the news of the world. A combination of vegetable oil, baking soda, vinegar and borax results in the families toothpaste, detergent and body soap.

Everything he does was in small steps, he says. His first step was to reduce their family's rubbish. They bought second hand stuff and took a hamper to the supermarket instead of using plastic bags. Colin uses a glass jar he found in his trash as a reusable cup to drink his coffee in, instead of taking the plastic cups from shops.

They also stopped using normal transport, only walking or cycling. They then stopped using electricity in the flat, turning off the fridge and dishwasher and other appliances. Instead, all laundry is cleaned by hand using the normal combination. Solar panels on the roof power his laptop and one light.

And instead of using toilet paper, he uses normal water and soap. He has a compost box, in which he puts green leftovers with worms to feast on them. Colin also does projects or events in which he tries to aware others of global issues, such as a sponsored race in the sea by swimming (seen in the photo).

So, I'll share my view on the subject, but first - what about you?

Chris Jordan

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