Sunday School

Last quarter, to research a project for class, I had my first experience in a southern Baptist Church. Upon my return, Hank (my instructor at the time) told me to write a feature for the school website.

Un-related to the story, I happened to attend mass that day on a particularly special Sunday for Ebenezer Baptist Church. In attendance was Tavis Smiley, the man behind the America I Am exhibit, and one of Time Magazine's '50 Most Promising Young Leaders.' Furthermore, I had the opportunity to meet Martin Luther King Jr.'s sister, Christine King Farris. It gave me chills shaking the hand of the only living sibling of one of America's most influential individuals.

Culture By Code

I just came across this article heralding that culture can be coded into DNA. In sum, scientists isolated a Zebra Finch bird from its parents to prevent it from learning its bird song (normally the chick learns it from the male parent). It turned out that four generations later, after much cacophonous experimentation, the song still popped up.

I realize that my plot to raise future Sapersteins in Europe may be foiled. I guess no matter what, they will still turn out to be fat, ignorant Americans. At least I'll get three good generations out of it!

Balancing Act

I’ve been a bit confused with our sentiments towards Iraqis. Supposedly we hate them (does anyone really know WHY we hate them?). However, it appears to me that we care about them a great bit. In order to 'spread democracy in their country,' we are funding a war that has cost us over $600 billion dollars and over four thousand of our young citizens. Furthermore, all of that money that we are putting towards this war is money we AREN’T putting towards essential things on the homeland – i.e. healthcare reform.

So is it fair to ask, ‘does our country care about Iraqis more than it cares about its own citizens?’

As the wise Jew Jon Stewart said, ‘would you rather spend a trillion dollars on healthcare reform or a trillion dollars to ‘fix’ Iraq?’

Throwback and Fast Forward.

I love how film adaptations of my generations' childhood storybooks are being released.

Also, here's a fun little throwback...