Prompt: "Politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant"

Politicians begin their day by providing five second sound bites to media outlets standing outside of the capital building in the congressional parking lot. These politicians then stand atop the stair case outside of the building and regurgitate the talking points of the day while reinforcing their respective political party's agenda. Upon entering the building, our representatives begin their daily duties of government---nothing. Politicians propose bills that do not have a chance to pass, while blocking other worthy bills because it was presented by a member of a different party. These politicians then sit in committees, sub-committees, meetings and conferences so they may slowdown, bog down, postpone and, stop the legislative branch as a whole. Thankfully they have the time to fund raise for their next campaign. Otherwise they would not be able to repeat the same "shenanigans" for another term.

Ian

The Republic of Dreamers

The Republic of Dreamers

When under the madness of despair, we find it necessary to reinforce the necessity of passionate dreams. Dreams themselves stem from God. God himself was a dreamer to have created the complexities of the universe. The absolute nature of God is to go beyond the limits in order to attain further possibilities. The current confines of nations restrict our God-given right to pursue our dreams.

-The trauma in the current reality has restricted our mind

-We chained in a cave which has denied our freedom to dream and therefore create

-The current economic superpowers suppress the need to dream and value the need to make money

-We must end the destructive images of war, hatred, and discrimination which corrupt our dreams

-The loss in valuing dreams has caused them to die and with it creativity has died

-The loss in loving ones dreams and aspirations defies love for ones self and God

-The trauma from the past government has given us reoccurring nightmares that promote depression and anxiety

We therefore declare ourselves a new nation of limitless dreamers who live to create. We provide a republic wherein dreamers are given resources to expand on their dream in order to create a better self, nation, and world. We must now declare our right to dream, or sleep forever.

Kelsey, Deshawn, Kisan

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know". Ernest Hemingway

Those who possess the ability to glimpse reality behind the facade of smoke and mirrors, perpetuated by the media and politics, are exposed to the unfortunate effects of this truth, and the responsibilities it entails. This is something that those who remain ingnorant and never experience. Seeking and obtaining knowledge has a profound duality, in that it is both a necessary force bringing insight and satisfaction, and a gateway to unnecessary pain and discomfort (driving you to the outskirts of society and it's norms, many times). Once you open up Pandora's Box, what you find cannot be unseen. Truth and reality (no, not reality T.V.) are not always pleasant. Then again, what constitutes reality? Is it subjective based on ones experiences or is there an overall objective view of what is real and what is not?

With intelligence comes responsibilty. Responsibilty entails power. Through self-empowerment lies knowledge. Let us not get swallowed up in largely materialistic ambitions and gluttonous over consumption. You cannot buy your happiness, and refusing to be herded like a flock of sheep, guided by the shepard of media and advertisement is empowering. Life is not always smiles and fucking rainbows, but hell, I'd rather live my life awake then in a perpetual state of sleep.

Anmarie Soucie
Writing II
09/12/11

"Politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant." Henri Queuille

Politician criteria: Must be endowed with the capability of indirect speech, giving the illusion that you have satisfied the demands/needs of the public while simultaneously avoiding it at all costs. Strategy: Deflection. Goal: The excessive prolonging will afford you the tool of confusion, thereby allowing you to continue your candy land journey of self-gain. Put clearly, you can piss on someone's foot while smiling in their face, and they won't know what the fuck to do.

Anmarie Soucie
Writing II
10/24/11

Technonly v humanity

English

Journal

10/24

It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity... Oh what a quote to start off my day. I just bought my ipad 2 and seeing this quote made me realize the point of view albert einstein was trying to convey. When i think about it i really didnt need this ipad but i wanted it instead of writing on paper and bring in my heavy notebook to all my class. Plus im very disorganized when it comes to paper not glues or stabled onto the notebook. Technology has advance and is advancing today. You cant flip the page on the newspaper without having to stumble upon some short of technology. For instance apple and the new iphone 4s. I dont see the reason for it if the iphone 5 is coming out in dec but then again I'm the one who bought the iPad to replace a 10 dollar notebook. Its almost insane how easily we can get hooked in technology. We always want he newest product out there or a better software. We use calculator in replacing our mind. The Internet has made everything eaier for us to communiicate with others and help us in the future. My own mother is eager to learn how to use the computer. But how far will it go? We see movies how technology has surpassed us like i robot and the terminator. We need to go back to the origins first before we can advance to where we are today because his quote is accurate. And sooner or later technologies will be our humanity.

Nation of Females

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one gender to dissolve the social bands which have connected them with the other gender, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of womankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has hollered at us in the street, making very crude remarks.

He has refused to give equal pay.

He has harassed us on the subway.

He has stereotyped us into a typical housewife

He has identified us as the weaker gender.

He has failed as being my Prince Charming.

He has broken my heart.

He has lied to me.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United Nation of Females, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free of Men and are Independent Females; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the male gender , and that all political connection between them and the United States of America, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent Women, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Denis Johnson's quote "I make the road. I draw the map. Nothing happens to me. I'm the one happening" is implying that we make our own future. It doesn't matter how many things get in the way, if we focus on ourselves we can and will get get anywhere. Often in life, we desire to many things, we pray to God every night and expect those things to come to us in the blink of an eye but we don't work for it one bit. Then when we are placed in bad situations we blame others for it. So, I agree with Johnson's quote; we should all draw the map to our future and our effort will get us there.

-Janysha Martinez

We are already being told that it's foolish to want most things, foolish to strive for anything extraordinary, by the time that most people hit the double digits. When you're little, everyone wants to agree with you and say that of course you'll be an astronaut, an actor, a scientist, but after a couple years go by, everyone starts expecting you to be more realistic and just laughs. I remember being eight years old and being obsessed with making things out of clay, a skill my mother took it upon herself to assure me could win me a scholarship; years later, when I mentioned it in passing, she looked at me like I was insane. "You were eight, and college was ten years away," she said. "I only told you that because you were little and I knew you'd grow out of it and become more realistic by the time it became time for you to go to college." And yet, here I am, almost nineteen years old and studying how to be a writer anyway. Being realistic is important and what ensures your survival, but there's lots to be said for purported foolishness. If everybody listened when their dreams were shut down, then the world would be exactly the same as it was thousands of years ago.

Ellisa Goldberg

"Stay hungry, Stay foolish" - Steve Jobs

Life is full of unanswered questions and unacquired knowledge. The way a person deals with the uncertainty has a profound impact on what knowledge they gain. Steve Jobs was a visionary, one sincerely working for an understanding of the uncertainty in the technological field. Taking to the motto, "Stay hungry, stay foolish" by heart, he was able to create a company that always strived for a more advancements and efficiency.

By staying hungry, he got the will power to carry on and by staying foolish, he left the possibility for more achievements. Hopefully, on his final breath, he did not have to worry about anything and did not have to stay hungry or foolish.

I'D RATHER DIE ENORMOUS THAN DIE DORMANT

For someone to live happily they must be happy with who they are and what they perceive themselves to be. Some of the best role models in the world have died unhappy with a certain aspect of themselves yet were happy with their accomplishments. They died with a purpose, therefore they are happy or content with who they are.

Role models show us that it isn't about who you are or what you look like that affects society's opinion of you but rather what you have accomplished with regards to who you are that matters. An alcoholic can be advocate for sobriety if they have the right intentions in mind. If he had repented for what he has done in the past and reformed his ways than he or she can serve as an accurate role model.

Performing some action that benefits the world is enough for change in any one person's life. This phenomenon is referred to as the butterfly effect. What we don't realize is that one little action that we perform can have a direct impact on someone's life.

- Kumar

Barbies and Kens

“I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They’re beautiful. Everybody’s plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic.” – Andy Warhol

Really? The fact that Hollywood is so plastic is atrocious. Why would any person want to be like them? Society has put on a role where a great majority of it admires these Barbies and fake Ken dolls of Hollywood. For the last few years Hollywood has put on a wonderful masquerade, hiding the truth about their weight, wrinkly skin, oversized noses and so much more. They fooled us by playing housewives and putting on these fabulous healthy life styles but in fact they are just like us. They struggle with keeping baby fat off just like us. They struggle to maintain healthy relationships, just like us and in the end, that’s what they are! People! JUST LIKE US!

-Sam

"No one man should have all this power."

No one man should have all this power. No one man on Earth should have so much power. So much power leads to destruction. A self-destruction that creeps up to the world surrounding you. But who has all this power? Not Kanye. Maybe Oprah, but not Kanye. What would one man do with all this power? Nothing. Probably be an asshole like Kanye says he is throughout his whole pitiful essay. Power, power, power. So many people desire to have a great amount of power. But who has the most power in our society? The President? Ehhhh a little. The truth is those people are celebrities, excluding Kanye. They are the ones that rule the world. They influence what we wear, which community service to volunteer for, who to hate, who to love, but not what we eat. Why? Because we love our disgusting fat fried food so much we wouldn’t let go of it at ALL. But that’s a whole different story.

-Sam

"I'd rather die enormous than live dormant"

This quote has a lot of meaning to me because it’s the way a lot of my friends think. They do reckless, crazy and stupid things because they want to live it up before they die. They like to live every day like it’s their last. This mind set might seem like the right way to go but I have my doubts. If your living every day like you’ll die tomorrow, chances are you’ll end up a broke, fat, and sickly person. I know if I were to live my life like I’d die tomorrow, then I would probably eat all my favorite foods and spend all of my money on some sort of short vacations to the Florida keys, just because it close enough to fly there quick. In the bigger picture if you live to do nothing, and you only follow the system then your life is a waste. You have to enjoy life and have fun, and ideally achieve something so you can leave a legacy, even if it’s only for your family and children. To live life enormous is taking things to an unhappy extreme. To live dormant has the same affect. To enjoy life to the fullest, everyone needs to find their own personal happy medium. For myself I know on occasion I enjoy doing more reckless/crazy things, but I also like to have quiet, me time. It is all a balance. Once you find your balance it is all smooth sailing from there.