Eartha Kitt died today from colon cancer. She was 81.
Check the New York Times and the Washington Post for a few good pieces on her life.
To my generation, she may only be famous for her song, but I do remember her from movies like Harriet the Spy & Holes.
She was born to sharecropper parents and worked her way up...all the way to Hollywood. She even dated Sammy Davis Jr. She has quite the story. I think the picture Wil Haygood paints of her in the Washington Post piece is priceless. I wish one of my grandmas walked around in a yellow turban with a poodle in each arm.
Showing posts with label American politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American politics. Show all posts
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Obama wants public works
I am very excited about this. Obama wants to create public works jobs to boost the economy, according to a New York Times article today. I think this is a great idea! There are some criticisms in the article (i.e. the Federal debt is already so high!), but I think history has proven that this kind of plan works.
In the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt's answer to the Great Depression was the Conservation Civilian Corps and other groups like it which essentially built our National and State Park systems. Groups like these gave my great-grandfathers jobs and put food on my family's table.
My great-grandpa, James Lyman Shearrer, was actually born on the land that became Sam A. Baker State Park in South East Missouri. He worked for the park, managing Corps members, in the 1930s. He helped reintroduce the wild turkey into that area-which my uncles now hunt.
I love the idea of a public works campaign because the long term effects are wonderful. I still enjoy the state park my great-grandpa helped build almost a century ago. My grandparents actually bought land adjacent to the park and we spend our Thanksgivings up there now.
The cabin my grandparents helped to build on land near Sam A. Baker State Park
It will be a burden to get the program started, but if we chose public works that will lead to steady jobs in the future, I think it is a great plan. Think of all the jobs the highway system has created!
What would I like to see?
1. Better mass transit. High speed trains, metro systems in every major city & commuter trains.
2. Better infrastructure for green energy projects. Make a system where it is simple for the family consumer to choose to go "off the grid" for their municipally supplied electricity.
3. Anything we can do for public education.
Lastly, I don't think I'll ever stop being surprised at the interest other countries take in mine. Check out the El País version of this article.
In the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt's answer to the Great Depression was the Conservation Civilian Corps and other groups like it which essentially built our National and State Park systems. Groups like these gave my great-grandfathers jobs and put food on my family's table.
My great-grandpa, James Lyman Shearrer, was actually born on the land that became Sam A. Baker State Park in South East Missouri. He worked for the park, managing Corps members, in the 1930s. He helped reintroduce the wild turkey into that area-which my uncles now hunt.
I love the idea of a public works campaign because the long term effects are wonderful. I still enjoy the state park my great-grandpa helped build almost a century ago. My grandparents actually bought land adjacent to the park and we spend our Thanksgivings up there now.
The cabin my grandparents helped to build on land near Sam A. Baker State Park
It will be a burden to get the program started, but if we chose public works that will lead to steady jobs in the future, I think it is a great plan. Think of all the jobs the highway system has created!
What would I like to see?
1. Better mass transit. High speed trains, metro systems in every major city & commuter trains.
2. Better infrastructure for green energy projects. Make a system where it is simple for the family consumer to choose to go "off the grid" for their municipally supplied electricity.
3. Anything we can do for public education.
Lastly, I don't think I'll ever stop being surprised at the interest other countries take in mine. Check out the El País version of this article.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Obama fans
El Pais just published a top ten list of Obama songs. I find that...strange. When did presidential fan videos become the norm? Is Obama just cooler than past candidates? Is this a product of my generation actually caring enough to vote?
I grew up with President Bush. I established my first opinions with him as my president. I don't know what another leader will look like.
Obama ran a campaign that spoke to my generation. He had a cool logo, catch phrases and used the internet to his advantage. What will presidential campaigning look like in four more years?
I am very interested to see what the next four years will look like. I think they will be groundbreaking for our whole country, but I think my generation will see things differently, after all, we can really only compare him to President Bush. All I really remember about President Clinton is Monica Lewinsky.
I grew up with President Bush. I established my first opinions with him as my president. I don't know what another leader will look like.
Obama ran a campaign that spoke to my generation. He had a cool logo, catch phrases and used the internet to his advantage. What will presidential campaigning look like in four more years?
I am very interested to see what the next four years will look like. I think they will be groundbreaking for our whole country, but I think my generation will see things differently, after all, we can really only compare him to President Bush. All I really remember about President Clinton is Monica Lewinsky.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
More on world reaction to Obama
My incredible French friend Vincent, who once for weeks on end made me watch a puppet parody of U.S. politicians singing a horrible little song ("We F**ked the World"), is elated about the Obama win. We studied together in Madrid and after hearing from him, I wish more than ever that I was with my ERASMUS friends from last year to share this moment. This truly is a a moment for the whole world to share.
Vincent's message:
Subject: OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!
Que contento soy ! De hecho, ahora, los estadosunidenses son as listos que los franceses :D Por seguro. Voy a exilarme en vuestro pais pienso :P
It says: How content I am! As a matter of fact, now, the Americans are as smart as the French :D For sure. I think I am going to exile myself to your country :P
The Vincent I know would NEVER admit Americans are intelligent! Haha.
Vincent, si estas leyendo esto, te echo de menos y estoy tan feliz como tú. No puedo esperar a ver como va a pasar nuestro futuro! Besos!!!
Vincent's message:
Subject: OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!
Que contento soy ! De hecho, ahora, los estadosunidenses son as listos que los franceses :D Por seguro. Voy a exilarme en vuestro pais pienso :P
It says: How content I am! As a matter of fact, now, the Americans are as smart as the French :D For sure. I think I am going to exile myself to your country :P
The Vincent I know would NEVER admit Americans are intelligent! Haha.
Vincent, si estas leyendo esto, te echo de menos y estoy tan feliz como tú. No puedo esperar a ver como va a pasar nuestro futuro! Besos!!!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Also proud to be American
My dear friend Adeline commented today on the surge of proud Americans she found amidst her facebook friends. After Obama won last night, I changed my facebook status to 'proud to be American', mostly just to keep from being to 'ra-ra', as I am supposed to be an unbiased journalist this semester.
The first moment I realized I was proud to be American was while standing at the Obama rally last week when he came to campus. There was a volunteer handing out flags to the crowd, and I asked my friend, Hannah, to grab me one. I have never in my life wanted to hold an American flag. Not since I began developing my own opinions. I love the 4th of July as much as the next girl, but mostly just for the fireworks.
While at the rally, I stood next to people I don't usually hang out with. People of my parents generation. I stood behind a black woman and when Obama took the stage, I was in so excited to be seeing someone so important speak that I blurted out to her "I've never seen anything like this before!" She turned around to me and said something like, "That's because there's never been anything like this before."
This race has been impressive. I grew to respect both candidates so much. I, like so many Americans, was just thrilled that change was coming. Any change.
While I was in Spain, I constantly had to defend myself to people. I was thrilled when someone mistook me for German or Canadian because it meant I didn't have to explain my country to them. I always felt like I was on the defensive. When visiting my German boyfriend at the time's parents, I heard an almost audible sigh of relief when I expressed my discontent with President Bush. I was not proud to be American, and abroad, that was seen as a good thing.
After a year of seeing how deeply unimpressed outsiders are with American politics, a disappointment that resonates in my own mind, I came back to the States holding my breath for November.
I don't believe government can or should change everything, but at the very least, it will be nice to have regained the respect of many world citizens.
The first moment I realized I was proud to be American was while standing at the Obama rally last week when he came to campus. There was a volunteer handing out flags to the crowd, and I asked my friend, Hannah, to grab me one. I have never in my life wanted to hold an American flag. Not since I began developing my own opinions. I love the 4th of July as much as the next girl, but mostly just for the fireworks.
While at the rally, I stood next to people I don't usually hang out with. People of my parents generation. I stood behind a black woman and when Obama took the stage, I was in so excited to be seeing someone so important speak that I blurted out to her "I've never seen anything like this before!" She turned around to me and said something like, "That's because there's never been anything like this before."
This race has been impressive. I grew to respect both candidates so much. I, like so many Americans, was just thrilled that change was coming. Any change.
While I was in Spain, I constantly had to defend myself to people. I was thrilled when someone mistook me for German or Canadian because it meant I didn't have to explain my country to them. I always felt like I was on the defensive. When visiting my German boyfriend at the time's parents, I heard an almost audible sigh of relief when I expressed my discontent with President Bush. I was not proud to be American, and abroad, that was seen as a good thing.
After a year of seeing how deeply unimpressed outsiders are with American politics, a disappointment that resonates in my own mind, I came back to the States holding my breath for November.
I don't believe government can or should change everything, but at the very least, it will be nice to have regained the respect of many world citizens.
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