The Movie vs. The Book

The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio fell short of my expectations. The movie itself was based on a novel that did not meet my expectations. The novel's story line is considered a classic among American modern literature. This fact is hard to accept. Plots like the Great Gatsby's are ridiculous and too hard to believe to be real. But, when critiquing the movie I distance myself from the fact. This movie's biggest success is the soundtrack. Jay-Z's lyrics, Florence's melodies, Lana Del Ray's wonderful voice, and the depth and etiquette of the Brian Ferry Orchestra are completely revolutionizing in the music industry. The cast was somewhat powerful and yet weak simultaneously. Leonardo DiCaprio completely captured the essence of Jay Gatsby. Carraway's character became the focus of the movie, but the book did a good job of balancing the attention between Gatsby and Nick. Daisy's character was not played well. Mulligan did not quite capture the essence of Daisy, but changed the character completely. The use of the pathetic fallacies came to light, but were underplayed and subtle. This movie was boring and dull, and was a mix of successes and failures. The cast and crew tried their best, but their best was not good enough.

Legalizing Marijuana

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/09/marijuana_n_4756468.html

The legalization of marijuana in regards to medicinal use and recreational use is a very wide and controversial debate. Many American citizens advocate for full recreational use. The relaxing and feel-good effects of marijuana are felt by thirty three percent of all teenagers. President Barack Hussein Obama along with other prominent celebrities, politicians, and mainly musicians have expressed their positive views about recreational marijuana use. Today, out of all fifty states only two have legalized marijuana use for recreational purposes. Marijuana use has clearly become more of an accepted part of American culture. Most research on Marijuana, no matter what side it supports, has been questioned. Whether Marijuana has been beneficial to one's health is questionable. This article by the Huffington Post argues that twelve more states will most probably allow Marijuana to be used for recreational purposes. Among these states is the home-state of the author of this blog post- California. California is known for a high concentration of marijuana inside its borders. Many, many individuals feel marijuana dumbs down the already uneducated and not so bright population of the United States, particularly the youth. Others claim that marijuana use has more positive effects, especially in regards to medicinal and relaxing methods. Whatever the case may be, as this article reminds, marijuana use is becoming a bigger part of American culture and will medicinal use and recreational use will continue to be more allowed.

Super Bowl of Human Trafficing

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/opinion/the-super-bowl-of-sex-trafficking.html?_r=0

Human sex trafficking is a sad, sad truth, the unfortunate reality that humans living in this society must face. Innocent, naive young women and sometimes men as young as ten years old get forced into prostitution. Human trafficking is clearly one of the saddest occurrences that happen on a daily basis throughout the world. According to news sources like Reuters and CNN, the biggest and highest rate of human trafficking occurs at events like the Superbowl, the World Cup, and major sporting events. This theory makes sense. High masses of partly drunk crowds all too focused on statistics and numbers to pay attention to their physical well being. There is a high chance of being lost, and better yet not being tracked among the thousands who go to these much anticipated events. This article by The New York Times brings up the fact that there is no statistical evidence to support these claims. The Global Alliance Against Traffic for Women report that there is no statistical rise in human trafficking numbers to show a significant and conclusive piece of evidence to support this theory. The data is not there, but being forced into prostitution especially after that Seattle win is something no one can imagine can happen...Yet it does.

The Party...of the decade

The Party I plan on throwing is one that is memorable. The first thought of throwing a party is the when and where. The date of the party is going to be at the end of April, following tax week, a rainy season, the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, and just a very down and sad time for most people. The venue of any good party is a home. A beachfront estate somewhere in Malibu will do the trick. There will of course be formal attire, but what will set this party apart from others is the class. There will be an open bar that does not serve alcohol to minors, but that will not be the highlight of the party. Each room in this glorious mansion, will have a special attraction. The mansion has a total of twenty three room, and only eleven will have attractions. The first room, will feature a mentalist and illusionist, that perform magic so mind-boggling that the rest of the party will be spent trying to figure it out. The second room will have a tattoo artist that gives free tattoos (real, henna, and even air-paint). The third room will feature a lecture about string theory, and will present theories about the creation of the universe. The fourth room will have a priest who will listen to confessions and offer advice about how to live a good, faithful life. The fifth room will have a rotation wall that makes head spin and create the illusion that the person in the room feel like they are spinning themselves. The sixth room is a place of full of wildlife and nature, and noises of nature playing in the background, where the party guest can get in touch with their inner self. The seventh room is an arcade where all classic games will be found. The eighth room is a celebrity meet and greet, where the world most famous celebrities, wealthy elite, politicians, and even civil rights activist (past and present) will talk for hours about their interests. The ninth room is a movie theater, with a concession stand that serves free everything. The tenth and final room is a giant dance floor, with multiple live bands, dozens of well-renowned DJ's, and of course a room full of happy and interested dancers looking to sweat all their troubles away.

Suicide Bomber in Pakistan kills thirteen

On the morning of January 20, 2014 a suicide bomber detonated explosives killing himself and thirteen others. The suicide bomber targeted the military compound which is the general headquarters of the entire Pakistani military. The attack killed six soldiers, and seven civilians. The suicide bomber was a teenager. The suicide bomber was riding a bicycle and was disguised as a garbage collector. The explosion had shattered the windows of the edifice's nearby, and also of the automated vehicles in the parking lot nearby. A spokesperson for the Taliban, known as Shahidullah Shahid,says that the Taliban is responsible for the attack. The reason for the attack is that the Pakistani military has led operations against the Taliban in the country's tribal regions. This bombing and previous bombings have had a profound effect on the Pakistani government, even altering trips and policies of Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff. Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff has cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland following the most recent bombings. The Taliban continues to spread its backwards mentality of the governing of life. They take the entire purity of their faith and turn into a weapon to spread hate and fear instead of love and respect.

The American Mafia in the Early 20th Century

The American Mafia in the Early 20th century was the organized crime days that inspired movies like the Godfather, this era of organized crime was the height of power for the Mafia. The Mafia's main source of income during this specified time period was casino revenue and bootlegging liquor. The Mafia was composed of mostly first generation Italians, composing ten percent of New York City's population at the time. After a high source of income, the Mafia decided to get organized. The "family" was torn into two, resulting in a very bloody power struggle known as the Castellammarese Wars, during the late nineteen twenties. The Mafia's initiation ritual has not changed, a man must be "made" by killing someone and taking an oath to remain loyal and silent. Being a member of the family of crime was the only way to climb the hierarchy ladder of the Mafia. Italian origin was almost always necessary. There were many unspoken rules, such as never crossing another member of the mafia, or cheating on their wives or girlfriends. The Mafia influenced many police offers, politicians, and other public officials through bribery or other intimidating means. The Mafia has been organized and is involved with narcotics, money laundering, many large businesses, and other illegal activities.

http://www.history.com/topics/mafia-in-the-united-states

That is a Big TV

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/08/samsungs-98-inch-8k-tv-lets-us-go-to-the-mall-without-leaving-c/?ncid=rss_truncated

This weekend is the annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the comic-con of technology, the summit of the past years uphill battle to reach the top of the evolving mountain of technology. Major brands are expected to show not only consumers but other top-notch companies their capabilities and their influence into the future. CES in Las Vegas is where the smart cell-phone, tablet, and many other various important and useful devices have been introduced to the world. No doubt that CES rewrites history. This year, Samsung (a major player in the technology industry, of course) is introducing the Quad Ultra High Definition Television. This television is not only a smart-tv that pretty much has a mind of its own, but it has a ridiculous 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, but is a 98-inch television. The price is very high of course, estimated to be over forty five thousand dollars, but experts say that it has a great value. This television only reaffirms that fashion and technology are going through the same trend: crisp, high quality products that will make every individual in the room stare. Flamboyancy is apparently a fad that technology experiences. The individual who buys a 98-inch tv will be better off investing in a private home-theater and at-least have the cup-holders on the seats.