Bill Maher performed at my job today. He commented on US politics and that got me to thinking of this little experiement I will perform on this blog. I do not believe that everyone who claims to be Democrat, Republican, Socialist, Communist, etc...really knows what they are saying. I, being a lesbian, do not wholly agree with the Democratic party...but *gasp* how could that be??? I think we allow stereotypes influence the way we vote...like "oh I'm black therefore I must vote for such and such". Every party has a platform in which it discusses the points of interest they want to achieve for their party supporters. Where am I getting at?
I'm going to compare the 1920 Nazi Party Platform against the US ideals.
1) Unification of German People...I can safely say that as Americans we want to be unified as a whole
2)Only Nationals can be citizens of the State. I'm going to interpret this as those who are born in America should be citizens. This point goes on to say non-Nationals can live in Germany as guests of the state.
3) Only Citizens can determine leadership and hold office. I think this is agreeable.
4) All German Citizens should have equal rights. Amen to that
5) Income for those who work...that makes sense
Those are the highlights...
While the Nazi Party Platform clearly is against those of the Jewish faith...it brings up a few good points like
Mandatory physical activities for children as health precautions. Better mother/child health care.
Those who seek to destroy the common good should be punished
The point of my expermient is this:
Read your party guidelines before going off on a political tirade. You'll see that there are some common placed themes and then some that do not agree at all.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
NY Historical Society
Before heading back to school I headed into the city with Kate to explore a place that many people have been telling us to go to: the New York Historical Society Museum.
Right by the American Museum of Natural History is a nice sized building that houses some really interesting artifacts and a killer collection of Hudson artists.
The main exhibit is titled Lincoln in New York. The exhibit included documents, clothing, even interactive screens to discuss the career of Lincoln and his visit to New York. They were selling shirts that proclaimed "Lincoln: The most beloved President that New York hated". If you read your history books correctly, New York City did NOT like Lincoln and wanted to side with the South because they were going to lost business. In fact NYC was going to declare itself as a city state so it could trade freely with the North and South.
There was a school group there that wrote letters to Lincoln and one kid said thank you for freeing the slaves...right as I was standing by a sign that proclaimed Lincoln's words explaining how he wouldn't free the slaves if it preserved the Union. I was a horrible being and laughed out loud at the irony.
On display was a military jacket of the first Union victim. Took a nice bullet to the heart. Must have been a bitch to wash the blood out. I should stop being so mean.
I had two favorites sites.
1) The Painting Collection
The NYHSM has one of the largest collections of Hudson artists. Now the paintings were from the 19th century...which I hope I am right, puts us in the Romantic Era of literature, art, and music. One of the main aspects of Romantic art, literature, and music was the focus on nature. There were several oil paintings by Thomas Cole...one stood out to me which was called Catskill Creek.
2) The 4th floor of "stuff"
Up on the 4th floor is literally an artifact haven. Off to the side is the 9/11 collection. While the majority of everything was destroyed on that day, the museum has on display items recovered at the site...mainly port authority cards, a K9's tag, keys, even a pair of shoes from a Survivor. There was a jar of dust that was taken from the scene, and two parts of the airplanes that flew into the buildings. It was just weird to see everyday items on display, but you have to...it's New York history.
Upstairs there are military artifacts. There are guns, knives, swords, uniforms from the police, fire force, Civil War, and even Revolution. That was my favorite site to look at because I like military history (aaaand Nazis...).
The museum is small, but holds quite a lot (including a stagecoach up on the 4th floor). Our day was completed with pizza and beer, a trip to Columbia University, and Carngie Hall and of course Borders.
And I cannot complete this entry without the fact that I bought a book on the Gestapo. So there. There is my Nazi reference, Kate.
Right by the American Museum of Natural History is a nice sized building that houses some really interesting artifacts and a killer collection of Hudson artists.
The main exhibit is titled Lincoln in New York. The exhibit included documents, clothing, even interactive screens to discuss the career of Lincoln and his visit to New York. They were selling shirts that proclaimed "Lincoln: The most beloved President that New York hated". If you read your history books correctly, New York City did NOT like Lincoln and wanted to side with the South because they were going to lost business. In fact NYC was going to declare itself as a city state so it could trade freely with the North and South.
There was a school group there that wrote letters to Lincoln and one kid said thank you for freeing the slaves...right as I was standing by a sign that proclaimed Lincoln's words explaining how he wouldn't free the slaves if it preserved the Union. I was a horrible being and laughed out loud at the irony.
On display was a military jacket of the first Union victim. Took a nice bullet to the heart. Must have been a bitch to wash the blood out. I should stop being so mean.
I had two favorites sites.
1) The Painting Collection
The NYHSM has one of the largest collections of Hudson artists. Now the paintings were from the 19th century...which I hope I am right, puts us in the Romantic Era of literature, art, and music. One of the main aspects of Romantic art, literature, and music was the focus on nature. There were several oil paintings by Thomas Cole...one stood out to me which was called Catskill Creek.
2) The 4th floor of "stuff"
Up on the 4th floor is literally an artifact haven. Off to the side is the 9/11 collection. While the majority of everything was destroyed on that day, the museum has on display items recovered at the site...mainly port authority cards, a K9's tag, keys, even a pair of shoes from a Survivor. There was a jar of dust that was taken from the scene, and two parts of the airplanes that flew into the buildings. It was just weird to see everyday items on display, but you have to...it's New York history.
Upstairs there are military artifacts. There are guns, knives, swords, uniforms from the police, fire force, Civil War, and even Revolution. That was my favorite site to look at because I like military history (aaaand Nazis...).
The museum is small, but holds quite a lot (including a stagecoach up on the 4th floor). Our day was completed with pizza and beer, a trip to Columbia University, and Carngie Hall and of course Borders.
And I cannot complete this entry without the fact that I bought a book on the Gestapo. So there. There is my Nazi reference, Kate.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Moon is Down ~ John Steinbeck
So I just finished reading John Steinbeck's, The Moon is Down. It was a weird story but I really liked it for some reason. The book is about a town during World War Two that is taken over and the Mayor of the town is forced to follow the orders of the conquerers. The cool thing about this story is that it is kind of warped in its own way. It deals with law and order and what happens when two heirarchys clash. The Mayor speaks for his town and people, while the conquerers try to establish their government in the town. The citizens rebel and this causes many undeserved deaths and mass killings....I guess I shouldn't say much more in case there is anyone out there that wants to read the story.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
John Wilkes Booth
This is the man who assassinated President Lincoln on April 15th 1865. After reading Jay Winnik's "April 1865" the story of this man has become a little more clear. It turns out that Booth has had an obsession with the president from the moment he stepped into office. Booth, who was a former famous actor who frequently performed at Ford's Theater in washington D.C. (where the president was assassinated), hated the president because he was a die hard southerner who was also a white supremacist. He was the youngest of 10 from a Maryland family, and always identified himself as a southerner even though where he lived was considered a borderline state. For years he had been secretly plotting to either kill, kidnap, or torure the president. He followed him on his routes to meetings, leisure time, and even back to the white house. He made sure to keep a far enough distance so the president's security would not pick up on anything suspicious. eventually when Lincoln gave his final speech, Booth was the one that determined it would be his last. He was absolutely fed up and disgusted by Lincoln's wanting to emancipate the slaves and untimately put an end to the war. The assassin wanted nothing more than to continue the fight and show his loyalty to his southern roots. When he eventually pulled the trigger and lodged the bullet into the back of his head, he immediately headed back to the south to brag about his success. In his mind this man truly felt that he did the entire nation a good deed and took care of a nationwide problem...
Who would have ever guessed that the man that killed President Lincoln was once actually a well known and famous actor who the President himself actually loved watching in his performances...
Who would have ever guessed that the man that killed President Lincoln was once actually a well known and famous actor who the President himself actually loved watching in his performances...
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Untitled
This will be a little different than most posts because this story is one of my own, one that deserves all the recognition and honor it can possibly get. This is a story about an all American boy who grew up living the American dream. He served his country in the second world war, he raised a family, and he represented everything that America is and always will be in my heart. This is the story of my Great-Grandfather Julius "George" Hoffman. For anyone who ever reads this, please hold a special place in your heart for this man because he was the true definition of a hero, especially to me. Sadly my grandfather passed away on May 6th, 2009, but his memory lives on forever, and his family loves and misses him more than words could ever describe.
He was born on July 15th, 1922 in the Bronx, New York. This is where he would spend the rest of his life, where he would live out his childhood, marry his long time sweetheart, raise a family, and be laid to rest. There is so much more in between these events, I only wish I could write the story of his life one hundred percent accurrate.
My Grandfather was one of the kindest and most humble man you could ever meet. He was your all-American boy who grew up playing baseball, which my Grandma always claimed was his first true love. He played baseball all his life, and was a Brooklyn dodgers, Yankees, and Mets fan. He loved the game and everything about it. When I talked to him about baseball there was this light in his eye that made him smile, he looked so happy and so passionate about the game. He was both a player and manager of his teenage baseball team called "the Wings." I have a picture of his team, it is him and his buddies in their uniforms taking their team photo. I wish I had the chance to talk about his team more with him because the stories he would have told me would be absolutely amazing.
In 1945, right after the war ended and my Grandpa returned home from Guam, he married his childhood sweetheart that he knew and played with since the age of 3, Marie Casario. They were a match made in heaven. Not only were they the perfect couple, they would together build a family that honors and loves them more than anything for generations. If I could truly tell the story of how amazing my grandparents are, I would have written it years ago. My Grandma who is still alive today continues to fill my heart with love, stories, and memories that I will have for the rest of my life. I once told her how proud I am of her for all her support when my Grandpa was sick, and for how she held up and was strong for everyone. she is the grandma that everyone dreams of and wants to be their own, shes just an average woman who lights up anyones life that she has touched.
Together my grandparents had two boys, George and Tommy, who both grew up loving baseball as well along with toy trains, classic movies, childhood sweethearts, and much more. They then started families of their own and thats how I came into the picture a few generations later.
My Grandfather deserves to be honored for living out the American dream and doing it the traditional and honest way.
He grew up in the bronx and always said that it was his home and where he loved to be. that could be one of the reasons why they never went on many vacations far from home. He served for 4 years during World War Two, and he later married the love of his life and started a family. He worked in the post office for over thirty years and was given a pension that he deserved every penny of. When he retired he and my grandma began volunteering in the Bronx Zoo, they would do that for nearly 20 years and my grandma still does that today. she can give a tour of that place better than anyone I know.
I try hard not to think of my Grandpa when he was sick. It was one of the worst periods in my life and I hate knowing that he suffered for so long with his blood disease and cancer. So I remember all the great times I have had with him and all the amazing things that he has done for my family and me. He loved making people happy and he loved to love. He was the most honorable and respectable man I have ever known, and if I had one more chance to talk to him I would tell him that he is my hero, not because he did something drastic to get publicity, but for the fact that he was just himself, my grandpa, my hero and my friend. I know he loved me so much because I could just see it in him everytime we were together.
So before I close out this post, the reason I wrote this is because I feel that everyone in some way is a part of our country's history. I believe that all the war veterans, all the mothers raising families, all the friends, relatives, teachers, mentors, coaches, doctors, and everyone in this country deserve to be thanked for their contributions to society and for simply being them. I honestly feel that love alone is the one thing that can make someone smile and truly happy. I feel that this country in some of the darkest of times has survived out of love and dedication. I want to thank everyone who has told someone in their life that they love them, and I want to especially thank my Great-Grandfather for being the man that he was and always will be. He is a hero.
Rest in Peace Grandpa, I love you.
July 15th, 1922- May 6th, 2009
He was born on July 15th, 1922 in the Bronx, New York. This is where he would spend the rest of his life, where he would live out his childhood, marry his long time sweetheart, raise a family, and be laid to rest. There is so much more in between these events, I only wish I could write the story of his life one hundred percent accurrate.
My Grandfather was one of the kindest and most humble man you could ever meet. He was your all-American boy who grew up playing baseball, which my Grandma always claimed was his first true love. He played baseball all his life, and was a Brooklyn dodgers, Yankees, and Mets fan. He loved the game and everything about it. When I talked to him about baseball there was this light in his eye that made him smile, he looked so happy and so passionate about the game. He was both a player and manager of his teenage baseball team called "the Wings." I have a picture of his team, it is him and his buddies in their uniforms taking their team photo. I wish I had the chance to talk about his team more with him because the stories he would have told me would be absolutely amazing.
In 1945, right after the war ended and my Grandpa returned home from Guam, he married his childhood sweetheart that he knew and played with since the age of 3, Marie Casario. They were a match made in heaven. Not only were they the perfect couple, they would together build a family that honors and loves them more than anything for generations. If I could truly tell the story of how amazing my grandparents are, I would have written it years ago. My Grandma who is still alive today continues to fill my heart with love, stories, and memories that I will have for the rest of my life. I once told her how proud I am of her for all her support when my Grandpa was sick, and for how she held up and was strong for everyone. she is the grandma that everyone dreams of and wants to be their own, shes just an average woman who lights up anyones life that she has touched.
Together my grandparents had two boys, George and Tommy, who both grew up loving baseball as well along with toy trains, classic movies, childhood sweethearts, and much more. They then started families of their own and thats how I came into the picture a few generations later.
My Grandfather deserves to be honored for living out the American dream and doing it the traditional and honest way.
He grew up in the bronx and always said that it was his home and where he loved to be. that could be one of the reasons why they never went on many vacations far from home. He served for 4 years during World War Two, and he later married the love of his life and started a family. He worked in the post office for over thirty years and was given a pension that he deserved every penny of. When he retired he and my grandma began volunteering in the Bronx Zoo, they would do that for nearly 20 years and my grandma still does that today. she can give a tour of that place better than anyone I know.
I try hard not to think of my Grandpa when he was sick. It was one of the worst periods in my life and I hate knowing that he suffered for so long with his blood disease and cancer. So I remember all the great times I have had with him and all the amazing things that he has done for my family and me. He loved making people happy and he loved to love. He was the most honorable and respectable man I have ever known, and if I had one more chance to talk to him I would tell him that he is my hero, not because he did something drastic to get publicity, but for the fact that he was just himself, my grandpa, my hero and my friend. I know he loved me so much because I could just see it in him everytime we were together.
So before I close out this post, the reason I wrote this is because I feel that everyone in some way is a part of our country's history. I believe that all the war veterans, all the mothers raising families, all the friends, relatives, teachers, mentors, coaches, doctors, and everyone in this country deserve to be thanked for their contributions to society and for simply being them. I honestly feel that love alone is the one thing that can make someone smile and truly happy. I feel that this country in some of the darkest of times has survived out of love and dedication. I want to thank everyone who has told someone in their life that they love them, and I want to especially thank my Great-Grandfather for being the man that he was and always will be. He is a hero.
Rest in Peace Grandpa, I love you.
July 15th, 1922- May 6th, 2009
Thursday, January 7, 2010
1930's Hollywood
One of the coolsest things about being a history major (especially in American Studies) is that you get to focus in on specific periods and events throughout American History. One of the most intriguing decades I feel, is the 1930's. The 1930's was considered one of the worst periods our country has ever experienced. It was the era of the Great Depression, the dustbowl, and economic failure. One of the coolest things to learn about is Hollywood and was it was like during this time. The movies made in the 30's primarily revolved around the depression and many of the story lines involved issues dealing with the depression and how Americans lived during this difficult time. Here are some of the movies that I really enjoyed watching in my film class...
The Grapes of Wrath, Imitation of life, It Happened One Night, Meet John Doe, Grand Hotel, The Littlest Rebel, King Kong, Sullivan's Travels, Modern Times, and many more.
All these movies dealt with issues during the Great Depression. One of the really cool aspects were the movie studios during this time. The major companies in the 1930's were MGM, which was considered to be the best studio to work for because they paid the highest salaries and their heads were great people to work with (Irving Thalberg and Louis Mayer being the most popular). Columbia and Universal were two other decent companies to work for, but didnt even make the charts compared to MGM...
A little history about MGM studios goes like this. The company started out with its founder Louis Mayer. Mayer was a guy who loved working with others and collaborating with some of the most creative people alive. He hired one of his good friends, Irving Thalberg to help get the company up and running. The studio quickly became a success with hiring the best and most ellogant actors and actresses during that time. Some of these famous stars included Claudette Colbert, James Cagney, and even little Shirley Temple. These stars were treated very well compared to the other studios. They were paid the highest salaries and were given the most freedom to move around and try out new things in their careers. People wanted to work for Mayer and Thalberg because that was where the money and creativity was. Box-office hits such as Grand Hotel and It Happened One Night are what made this studio such a success. Movies such as the Wizard of Oz would later only add to the name.
Hollywood was really one of the only places that was not spiraling out of control during the Great Depression. During this time banks, firms, homeowners, and employees were all feeling the effects of just how terrible this crisis really was. Automotive compainies had to even stop production for quite some time to make ends meet when they werent making profits.
The one good thing that Americans had during this time was the movies. It was extremely cheap to go see a movie, at the time tickets only cost about 5 cents. When people wanted a break from reality especially the reality of the recession, many saw the movies as an outlet. Movies provided many with comic releif, hope, and inspiration during a time where there was not much to look foward to besides a potential meal on the dinner table if you were lucky.
There is just so much to know about 1930's Hollywood. It was a decade that stands out from the rest and it was a time where the companies were more creative than ever. This was the time where some of the classics we have come to know today were made. Movies like the Public Enemy and King Kong have been remade over and over becuase they have had such a lasting effect of audiences for decades now. Hollywood became as huge as it is today becuase of the directors, stars, and producers who made it what it truly was, a success.
The Grapes of Wrath, Imitation of life, It Happened One Night, Meet John Doe, Grand Hotel, The Littlest Rebel, King Kong, Sullivan's Travels, Modern Times, and many more.
All these movies dealt with issues during the Great Depression. One of the really cool aspects were the movie studios during this time. The major companies in the 1930's were MGM, which was considered to be the best studio to work for because they paid the highest salaries and their heads were great people to work with (Irving Thalberg and Louis Mayer being the most popular). Columbia and Universal were two other decent companies to work for, but didnt even make the charts compared to MGM...
A little history about MGM studios goes like this. The company started out with its founder Louis Mayer. Mayer was a guy who loved working with others and collaborating with some of the most creative people alive. He hired one of his good friends, Irving Thalberg to help get the company up and running. The studio quickly became a success with hiring the best and most ellogant actors and actresses during that time. Some of these famous stars included Claudette Colbert, James Cagney, and even little Shirley Temple. These stars were treated very well compared to the other studios. They were paid the highest salaries and were given the most freedom to move around and try out new things in their careers. People wanted to work for Mayer and Thalberg because that was where the money and creativity was. Box-office hits such as Grand Hotel and It Happened One Night are what made this studio such a success. Movies such as the Wizard of Oz would later only add to the name.
Hollywood was really one of the only places that was not spiraling out of control during the Great Depression. During this time banks, firms, homeowners, and employees were all feeling the effects of just how terrible this crisis really was. Automotive compainies had to even stop production for quite some time to make ends meet when they werent making profits.
The one good thing that Americans had during this time was the movies. It was extremely cheap to go see a movie, at the time tickets only cost about 5 cents. When people wanted a break from reality especially the reality of the recession, many saw the movies as an outlet. Movies provided many with comic releif, hope, and inspiration during a time where there was not much to look foward to besides a potential meal on the dinner table if you were lucky.
There is just so much to know about 1930's Hollywood. It was a decade that stands out from the rest and it was a time where the companies were more creative than ever. This was the time where some of the classics we have come to know today were made. Movies like the Public Enemy and King Kong have been remade over and over becuase they have had such a lasting effect of audiences for decades now. Hollywood became as huge as it is today becuase of the directors, stars, and producers who made it what it truly was, a success.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Furtwangler and the Nazi Party
Nazis and music are two subjects that I love to research. When they come together it's even more enjoyable for me. This entry is about Wilhelm Furtwangler.
Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) was a German conductor/composer during the Nazi regime. He conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He did NOT approve of the Nazi regime, and would not give the Nazi salute. This caused him to be a target of the Nazi party, and he too fled to Switzerland to avoid arrest. He was chosen to premiere Hindemith's Mathis del Maler but the Nazis prevented the piece from being performed.
The twisted thing that I want to point out is at the end of this video
Watch until the very end when Joseph Goebbels comes up to shake hands with Furtwangler. He holds onto the Furtwangler's hand, and at the very end he switches the hankerchief from his left hand to his right hand to wipe away the touch of the Nazis. This is one of the coolest pieces of footage I've seen of bold protest against the Nazis in the music world.
Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) was a German conductor/composer during the Nazi regime. He conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He did NOT approve of the Nazi regime, and would not give the Nazi salute. This caused him to be a target of the Nazi party, and he too fled to Switzerland to avoid arrest. He was chosen to premiere Hindemith's Mathis del Maler but the Nazis prevented the piece from being performed.
The twisted thing that I want to point out is at the end of this video
Watch until the very end when Joseph Goebbels comes up to shake hands with Furtwangler. He holds onto the Furtwangler's hand, and at the very end he switches the hankerchief from his left hand to his right hand to wipe away the touch of the Nazis. This is one of the coolest pieces of footage I've seen of bold protest against the Nazis in the music world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)