Blinded

No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.

                                                                                                                        -Nick Carraway

Gatsby has been in love with Daisy for five years, but in those five years, they have also been separated. During this separation period, he came up with a vision of her that, over time, became less realistic and more idealistic; it became an illusion. He was unrealistically aiming for perfection when Daisy was far from it. Instead of accepting who she had become, Gatsby was trying to relive the past, but this would require him to unite once again with the Daisy he had fallen in love with. Daisy had grown, changed, gotten married; she was not the same. The vision he had of her was not her, but an apparition. It was “ghostly” and unreal, an illusion. Since Gatsby is constantly haunted by his past, he is also haunted by ghosts and he creates and chases them, just like he did while idealizing Daisy. Gatsby is preoccupied with ghosts, therefore making his heart “ghostly”.

The word “ghostly” is also used in another place in The Great Gatsby;

“Gatsby pointed out a gorgeous, scarcely human orchid of a woman who sat in state under a white plum tree. Tom and Daisy stared, with that peculiarly unreal feeling that accompanies the recognition of a hitherto ghostly celebrity of the movies.”(Great Gatsby, Chapter 6)

Tom and Daisy seem to have somewhat of an “unreal” feeling while seeing this celebrity in person for the first time. Before seeing the celebrity, she had been like a ghost. Daisy is Gatsby’s “perfect” celebrity. He looks up to her as if she is a Goddess. Daisy had been like a ghost to Gatsby until he finally reunited with her, just like how the celebrity was a ghost to Daisy and Tom.

This quote is so important in the book because it shows just how much Daisy had Gatsby hooked onto her and how much he idolized her, despite her many imperfections. He was blinded by the love he thought he had for her, when in reality, he did not even know who she was anymore. In the picture, he looks at her with such passion and love, as though she is exactly who he wants her to be. But in reality, she cannot be that woman. 

State of the Union Address

'Obama State Of The Union Address Highlights Battle For The Middle Class'

Source: Huffington Post

By:  Michael McAuliff, Sabrina Siddiqui

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/21/obama-state-of-the-union-address-_n_6471266.html

President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address hinted at his goal to have a new, easier lifestyle for all those in the middle class, but the Republicans could not disagree more. “Obama mentioned the middle class at least seven times and touted ‘working’ people at least nine as he rolled out proposals to offer new child tax credits, raise the minimum wage, extend paid family leave and make college more affordable. He mentioned ‘families’ 16 times” (1). By doing all of this, Obama shows how important his goal is to him, but Republicans disagree, as they think it is not as easy as it might seem. Although it might seem as though Obama was very serious with his words, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers was disappointed that she did not hear more from him about how they can actually achieve these goals. “I thought he painted a little rosy picture of how things are, at a time when people continue to see their wages actually shrink, take-home pay shrinking. Job opportunities are not enough”, said Rodgers (1). Republicans were aware of the negative message they were giving off, but they also suggested that Americans would not buy Obama’s prescriptions. People also questioned how his words were any different from what he has said before; why this night is any different from all other nights? Sen. John Boozman made a very good point; he said “They understand that there’s nothing in life free. When you promise universal this, universal that, somebody’s going to have to pay for that, and the reality is the middle class always winds up paying the bill” (1). Getting the point of view from both the president and everybody surrounding makes one question whether Obama is actually going to keep his word this time or if he is just speaking so that the Americans ‘buy his prescriptions’?

Ourfalian Party

My Gatsby party would take place on one of the Maldives Islands. These beautiful islands are found in Asia; therefore all my out-of-town guests would be sent a free plane ticket, where they would be treated like First class, no matter where their seats are located. After enduring the 20 hour long plane ride of endless food, drinks, and pampering, the guests would be dropped off on the island. Other than my current AP Language class, my entire family and hand-picked individuals would be invited. These hand-picked individuals consist of anybody I have associated with, along with celebrities; one definitely being Leonardo DiCaprio. Anybody living around the area would also be welcome into my extravagant party. After the guests are dropped off on the island, we would make our way out to the beautiful beach. On the plane ride, all the guests were asked to fill out a paper which stated their favorite food. So when we get to the beach right before the sun sets, each individual is served whatever they had filled out on the paper. After eating and watching the amazing sun set, the real party begins. Every type of alcohol and soda is placed out into huge coolers for the guests; the soft, relaxing music is replaced with loud, upbeat music. The entertainment arrives; the empty white sand is covered in dancers and acrobats are swinging from the trees and the DJ on the stage is occasionally replaced by live music. The music varies from jazz to pop to techno to foreign music, such as Arabic and Spanish. All the guests are pulled onto the glowing sand to dance. The Maldives have some sort of glow-in-the-dark sand, which is why I chose it over every other beach in the world. The guests are also offered to take a late –night swim in the clear ocean. The party would not have an ending time, but whoever thinks they have had enough for the night has a hotel room awaiting them. My guests would be treated like royalty; pampered until they become spoiled; but they would also have the time of their lives with the breathtaking setting and unforgettable party. 

Fugitive Car Thieves Caught

"Police: Fugitive Kentucky teens arrested after multistate hunt"

By: Faith Karimi and Joe Sutton

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/18/justice/kentucky-teens-arrested/index.html

Dalton Hayes (18 years old) and Cheyenne Philips (13 years old) from Kentucky were arrested Sunday after being on the run for two weeks for a series of car and gun thefts. The two were found and arrested in Panama City Beach, Florida. They are suspected of stealing three cars from various states; two of the three cars had guns inside as well. They were being searched for from Kentucky to Georgia. The two  were found in a stolen Toyota Tundra, asleep. They were awoken to various cop cars and taken into custody without further incident. Officials are trying their hardest to get them sent back to Kentucky in order to make them undergo their many felony charges. Both kids were known to be “increasingly brazen and dangerous” (1). Sheriff Norman Chaffins stated, “I know Dalton, and he has a history of making bad, bad decisions. I was the school resource officer before I was elected sheriff. Dalton is known to have disciplinary and defiance issues at the high school with authority” (1). Hayes was also charged with burglary and was out on bond. Cheyenne was reported missing on January 3 from Clarkson, Kentucky. Hayes’ relatives said they last heard from him in a text on January 6. According to Officer Chaffins, the first car they stole was a truck in Clarkson. Jim McGrew, the owner of the car, says they drove the car out of his garage before speeding down the road, crashing into a fence, and fleeing on foot. The wreck cost McGrew $7,100 in damage to his truck. An hour later, they stole a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with a firearm inside. It is a big relief to the authority to finally have been able to catch the two. 

Flappers or Feminists?

     

Flapper- a fashionable young woman from the 1920s intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behavior.

Women in 2015 have changed drastically since the 1920s. “Flappers” were basically the rule breakers of the time period; they would smoke, although smoking was not found ‘attractive’ on women and was not considered ‘lady like’; they would dance along to fun, upbeat songs and drink alcohol; and they would dress out of the norm for the time. Their style basically consisted of loose, eye-catching dresses that reached mid-calf or to their knees and exposed their limbs, short hair, and bedazzled hats that covered their foreheads. Back then, having a masculine or manly look was considered attractive, thus the loose dresses. The dresses they would wear would be loose enough to make it look as if they were flat-chested and did not have a small waist and hips. Women with bigger busts would bandage themselves in order to fit in with the look. The typical look of a 12-14 year old flat-chested and tanned girl today was what was desired by all-aged women back then. As for the hair; it went from being bobbed, to shingled, then Eton cropped around 1926-1927. The receding length of the women’s hair was considered very daring and shocked some older citizens. Cloche hats were meant to cover women’s foreheads, as foreheads were not considered fashionable in the 1920s. They were also worn to show off that the woman had short hair.

During this time period, women went against everything that women were supposedly known for; their long hair, their curves, and their lady-like, elegant qualities. They now applied a lot of make up in public, instead of excusing themselves to the powder room and doing so. I feel as though the flappers were trying to get a point across with their style and actions; they tried to show that even though they were women, they did not need to abide by the rules set on women by society and men. They wore and did whatever they wanted and still had fun doing so and they proved that all the qualities women “should have” been known for were not necessary.

 

Bobbed-shingled-Eton cropped

Source:http://www.fashion-era.com/flapper_fashion_1920s.htm#The Flapper

The "Happiest Place on Earth" is Not So Happy After All...

"Mickey, Minnie and measles for nine Disneyland tourists"

By: Kevin Conlon

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/07/health/disneyland-measles/index.html

    Between December 15 and 20, nine tourists from California and Utah visited Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park and were infected with the measles. Measles is caused by a virus and spreads through the air; it causes runny nose, cough, fever, and blotchy rash on the entire body. It can also result in red, watery eyes, body aches, and tiny white spots with blueish/white centers found inside the mouth. The reddish-brown body rash usually begins three to five days after the typical flu symptoms occur. Measles are a very serious case as it is highly contagious and can be fatal. It was considered eradicated in the United States in 2000 but in 2014, we saw a record breaking number of confirmed cases. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), there were 610 cases confirmed last year. Health officials assume that Disneyland was where the highly contagious disease was prevalent. “Travelers to areas where measles is endemic can bring measles back to the U.S., resulting in limited domestic transmission of measles. Disneyland and other theme parks in California are international attractions and visitors come from many parts of the world, including those where measles is endemic”, says a health official from the California Department of Public Health (1).  Those who show symptoms of even the simple flu (fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, sore throat) should immediately contact their doctor since the rash appears a few days later. People must be very careful as measles are passed on through the air and the only way to prevent it, as of now, is to getting vaccinated.