Monday, February 25, 2013


http://life.time.com/culture/mothers-day-special-life-with-famous-moms/#1
Alfred Eisenstaedt took this photo of Jackie Kennedy and her daughter Caroline in 1960.

    Everyone knows the Kennedy's and the legacy they have left behind in American History. John Kennedy was our President which brought his family higher into fame and his wife Jackie. Jackie Kennedy was a stunning women and a devote to her family and work as First Lady, she dazzled the world with her style and elegance and her confidence. Underneath the surface of the so called "glamorous life" that people thought John and Jackie had there was heart ache and frustration with John's affairs with multiple women. Jackie at one point mentioned divorce, but instead stood by her man. 

    The picture reminds that Jackie was more than the First Lady and an icon to people, but a mother. All she wanted to do was be a hands-on mother and be there for them. With her working schedule and duties how could she? It must of been hard to sneak a hour or two with them. You can see happiness, concentration, and delight on her face. She savors each moment she can get with her little girl and she loves reading, drawing and spending time with her. How she must want to stop that moment and be there forever reading her a bedtime story.

    It makes me wonder though... is this photo lying? I mean were, they modeling for Alfred the photographer? Was there no real moment between Jackie and Caroline because if it ins't they're good models. This photo caught my eye because i have always loved Jackie Kennedy and have found her to be an interesting person, so to her with her daughter is... interesting and it makes me think. Think of their life and how it must have been and if there were any other moments like that one?




Drew Peterson
http://nation.time.com/2013/02/21/drew-peterson-sentenced-to-38-years-for-murder/?iid=us-main-lead

    Drew Peterson on February 21, 2013 was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of his third ex-wife. This case did not hit until October 2007 when his 4 wife, Stacey, disappeared. It was during the search for her when investigators looked into the death of Peterson's ex-wife more and in February 2008 ruled it to be a homicide. Peterson had since then been on trail for first-degree murder. Drew Peterson is a former police officer from Bolingbrook, Illinois he has publicly yelled in court he did not murder his ex-wife and has been said to be called by the prosecutor, "cold-blooded killer."

    You can't even see in the photo Peterson's eyes and he seems so cold and mean seems like he's mentally ill. You feel for his kids he has had with his past 4 wives and it makes you think of what they must think of their dad now being in prison for this heinous crime. Think of the boys he has with the ex-wife who is dead, what do they believe? Do they agree with the prosecution or not? His fellow police officers he worked with while he was on the force, how do they think of Drew now? Are some of them still loyal friends and standing behind him all the way?

    I have to step back and just look, look at everything in the past 4 years that has happened. This man has been on trail and in custody for 4 years and now he is convicted to 38 years in prison, which is good, but I ask, "Why now?" Why not convict 4 years ago when it seemed pretty clear that he was involved with his 4 wife's disappearance and pieces of evidence from the murder seemed clear and easy to solve. Noted he has been called by the Pastor of the church Peterson went to, "scary." People in the community and neighborhood he lived in have spoke out about Peterson and they're not good things to say.

    I have known about this case since it all came out and I haven't followed it continually and I didn't know he was due in court. When I saw this photo I knew who he was and thought, "Thank God it's over." It has been an interesting case to look at and to follow. I hope in the end the people that Drew Peterson was in and touched have been affected by this badly in anyway.




Picture of priests performing a Hindu ceremony, Ganges River, India
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/pictures/130211-kumbh-mela-stampede-hindu-holy-festival-world-india/#/kumbh-mela-hindu-holy-festival-2013-aarti_64174_600x450.jpg

    This picture represents this year's Hindu Holy Festival in India. The festival lastes for 55 days and for each day the people do something to signifie Hinduisum. In this picture Hindu priests are performing a ceremony besides the Ganges River during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Other events people have done are Holy Bath, bridge crossings to go and dip in the Ganges River, and lots of praying. Praying at the train station, in the streets, and at holy Hindu temples.

    In these photos you can see the faith the people have in this religion and there obeidence to it. Doing rituals and holding parties and festivals and the roads in local Indian cities have gotten so bad, stampedes have started. A women was trampled over and left for dead on the street when a local merchant in the city helped her to a hospital. The stampedes have killed 36 people in Allahabad.

    You can see the difference between the American culture and the Indian culture. It is so commen for people to celebrate Hinduism and to have a festival because everyone there or 95% of people living in India are Hindu. So this picture gives you a little look into the culture and how they celebrate their religion and it shows their dedication too.

    I ad heard and study in a class about Hinduism and how they celebrate it in India and when I saw this photo it was complete different from what I had thought in class studying it. The ceremony the preists are doing was something I had never seen or heard so I thought it was intersting and very wild almost. You would never see that here in Minnesota and so it is cool to flip through the pictures and look at the pictures of this festival.


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Monday, February 18, 2013

Febuary 18, 2013

    On Monday Febuary 11, 2013 Pope Benedict XVI annoced that he was stepping down from his position as pope after seven years. When this story broke the world was shocked and people started to bring up the question of why? Pope Benedict said it was because of his age, 85, and that he relized from some travels that he couldn't fully do his taskes as pope.

    Of course after this broke many rumors were flying all over the place and assumptions. Stories of the pope may go on trial becuase of a phone call. Then there are some more relistic stories about the pope; Pope Benedict shoes true leadership by resigning and Vatican: Cardinals could meet sooner to choose new pope. Another interesting angle to this story is the world's reaction. Even some Catholics commented on the retirement and how they feel about it.
Historian: Pope's resgnation is noble

    With all the reactions and assumptions out there, there seems to be some good solid information is out there. Supposedly he is going to be a background pope, but not going to be able to say any advice to the new pope or sign off on anything. As for living situation he will still be living in Vatican City a city that is in heart of Rome, Italy. Many details with his living situation is still very unknown.

  
   

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Febuary 2, 2013

    A recent story has broken out this past week. A five year old boy from Midland City, Alabama has been held hostage for 5 days now. It is said that the boy is to have Asperger's syndrome and an attention deficit disorder, the boys name is not known at this time. No one knows why the motive of this kidnapping. The suspect is Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65 a Vietnam War veteran and retired truck driver who moved to Midland City 5 years ago. A important thing is that police officals have been in 'constant communication' with Mr. Dykes. Now the suspect had agreed and let police send down into the bunker, that the he is keeping himself and the child in, coloring books, crayons and prescription medication that the boy needs.

    Now how this all began is on Tuesday January 29, 2013 at 3:40 pm. The little 5 year old was taking the bus home with his other classmates his bus driver shuttling the little ones and dropping them off when Jimmy Lee Dykes boarded the bus. He demanded that the bus driver, Charles Porland Jr., hand over two children. Poland, 66, refused blocking the way into the ailse of the bus. 21 children were reported to escape out of the bus from the back emergency door. The gunman shot Poland 4 times then grabbed the little boy and barricaded them into a near by bunker. Now it is not known if the gunman, Jimmy Lee Dykes was after a specific child on the bus.




    This is a very shocking story and so sudden too. It makes you think of your young children and look at them and really feel blessed and lucky. I find this story not only shocking, but raw. Peoples emotion's in these type of situations seem to get fried or come to the surface and sizzle. I think parents across the country are thinking of this story and this story will be on the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Anytime a story that invovles a child I think it's nerve-racking to people because the situation is involving with a innocent child. A child who hasn't fully expirenced life expirenced the wonders, joy, happiness, and possiabilities this world can have to offer you and give you these days.

    This story I think goes with the theme: when do we know these type of situations are going to happen? How can we really know that our child will safe when coming home from the bus? I mean this little boys parents obviously didn't know this man was going to grab their son and hold him captive. It's been 5 days now and how do they know something bad isn't going to happen? And then, how do we handle our emotins? I can't imagine the pain they must feel after all this time. They don't know what will happen to their son. How is this all going to play out?

   Many, many emotins can play out here: desperation, worry, out of controlness (if that is an emotion-you can definently feel it) and the feeling of disgusit of the man who took the little boy.

    I can only wonder what will happen to this little boy. How will this all play out? Will the child come out of this safe and sound? Will he end up being killed? Who knows what will happen, but I hope that the media will not try to make anything up out of this and really be a calm, soft voice for the people who are watching and reading about his story.