Beatles in higher education

Many college graduates can say they got a degree that will get them no where.

A Canadian woman just got a degree that I think tops them all.

Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy just earned a masters degree from Liverpool Hope University of London in Beatles Studies. 

"I am so proud of my achievement," Zahalan-Kennedy said. "The course was challenging, enjoyable and it provided a great insight into the impact the Beatles had and still have to this day across all aspects of life."

The degree studies how the music of the Beatles helped define identities, society, and culture.

Founder and leader of the program Mike Brocken, says that the degree makes Zahalan-Kennedy a member of a select group of popular music experts.

She stands alone in her achievements.

Not all degrees are just for job training. It’s nice to study something just because you love it. Maybe I’ll approach a few universities with an idea of a masters in I Love Lucy theory. 

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To the country

My friend Soukaina has a farm that has been in her family for generations. It is just about three miles out of town. She had been wanting to take me there for a few weeks now. Last week we had decided to go on Thursday but we got rained out. We then decided to try to go Sunday considering there was no rain.

I got up early this morning at seven to prepare to head out. Soukaina said we would be riding bikes to the country. This idea excited me very much and I was happy to have the exercise. 

We started biking at eight. The weather was ideal. It was a nice view on a road I had never been on before.

My town is surround by farmland. On the roads between cities it is nothing but wide open spaces. But the road to Zoukaina’s farm  just felt different. The road was very small and narrow, with very muddy  shoulders. I felt like there was more trees than I was used to seeing and for some reason it felt secluded and private. The road lead to no other cities so there was hardly any traffic.

 We got to Zoukaina’s farm and as she opened the handmade gate we were greeted by a friendly dog. I was so excited by this because it was the first time since being in Morocco that I was able to pet or even get close to a dog. There are plenty of dogs in Morocco but they are strays and you never can tell what they might do. I was so happy to be near such a cute dog.

As we walked farther I noticed that the dog was not alone. We were then greeted by a whole slew of other farm animals. Ducks, geese, chickens, one very boastful turkey, and two gorgeous peacocks. It was fun seeing all the animals and I felt like a kid in a petting zoo.

I knew she had horses there and I was excited to see them too. Like with dogs most of the horses I see in Morocco are dirty, mistreated, and not properly looked after.  I was happy to see some beautiful horses whose owners actually care for them and give them the proper lifestyle they deserve. There was a small one just ten months old, who took a few moments to warm up to me. But his older brother liked my instantly, wanting more and more attention.

After spending some time with the horses we had some tea made for us by the caretaker of the family farm. The temperature was a bit chilly so the warm tea really hit the spot.

Zoukaina took me on a walking tour around the farm. It was so green and lush,  I really did feel right at home. The smell was so fresh and I knew the air was clean. It was nice not to have to look at any trash on the ground.  I enjoyed having  a leisurely  walk, something I can’t do here in town. We talked about lots of things. I enjoy talking to her so much because she is just like a friend from home.

She showed me every thing the farm has to offer. They have bees to make honey and olive trees for olive oil.

We decided to call a taxi to drive us home because by 1:30 it was raining. I was sent home with a bag of fresh country eggs.

I hope to return soon because it was a relaxing time in such a beautiful place.

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A trashy hotel

A German sculptor is giving new meaning to a trashy hotel. His new creation in Madrid is a hotel built out of 12 tons of trash.

The trash comes from various European beaches and it’s purpose is to draw attention to the excess of trash on these beaches.

The small hotel has five double rooms and it booked for the four short days it will be open. 

Some high class guests want to stay in a hotel room that is already trashed. Including Danish model Helena
Christensen, French explorer Alexandra Cousteau and jewelry designer Jade Jagger.


The hotel was built in celebration of a tourism fair this week. Tourism is Spain’s largest industry.

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Ice car

For those of us who live in climates where we have to endure a frigid winter, we’ve all woken up to a sheet of ice on our cars that must be  tediously scraped off.

But what happened to one New York City resident is a horror story only Steven King is capable of thinking up.

Pete, the owner of an Audi A3, discovered his car with six inches of ice packed on one side. He is taking the situation in stride  and being thankful that it was just his car that was covered in ice.

The ice formed after a leaky pipe caused a sinkhole in the pavement forcing water to bubble up and freeze over as reported by the DEP.

The removal process required more than your everyday ice scraper and a good defrost system. Even a hammer and screwdriver were no match for the ice which was hard as concrete.

Even after work with a backhoe the car tires were still frozen to the ground.

After Pete was finally able to get into the car and start the engine the rear window shattered due to the inside heat of the car and the outside temperatures.

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Oh the madness-Will Mad Men's return be delayed?

Apparently those involved with bringing us the wonderful sexy confusion that is Mad Men are not agreeing on some things. Rather than me tell you about this terrible news I will allow Anderson Cooper
to do it for me. Please click here for Anderson's hilarious
take on this disappointing development.

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Sleepover

I got to feel like a teenager again the other night when I had a sleepover with Jolie and 4 girls from our towns. Two of Jolie’s host sisters, their friend, and my sister all became friends last August when they went to summer camp together.

I had the idea to reunite them and show them the tradition of a sleepover and now seemed the perfect time as they are having their mid school year break. We gathered at Jolie’s host family’s house in Ben Ahmed.

We got together at about 4:30 and sat around catching up for a while. Afterward we went on a walking tour of town checking out the nightlife. It is not often that I can comfortably walk around at night so I was happy to have the opportunity having 5 other girls with me.

We played a quick game of tag in one of the gardens and then continued on our way. My sister Rababe got to see a new town she had never been to before and I got to see new parts that I hadn’t yet been shown.

When we came home be busted out the junk food. Cake, chips, cookies, and candy. Since I don’t eat this stuff very often my stomach always goes crazy when I do. Slightly painful but worth it.

For movie time the girls decided on 50 First Dates. It actually wasn’t the only Adam Sandler movie to come up in the selection process, I was proud of them for their good taste.

All four girls understand and speak English very well so they enjoyed the movie thoroughly, laughing at all the greatest parts.

We started a second movie but as all our soldiers dropped off one by one we decided to put the rest off until morning.

We woke up and had some breakfast together followed by an interesting game of Truth. Meanwhile we made friendship bracelets as a souvenir for the party.

I had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and a lot of comfortable relaxation. It is something that I am hoping is not a one time ordeal.

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California is turning off all their incandescent lights.

Beginning January 1 of this year the state began phasing out these certain bulbs. Supplies still left in stores will be slowly sold out and eventually become a thing of the past.

Consumers will have to choose from energy efficient bulbs that use no more than 72 watts, including halogen incandescents, compact fluorescents, and LED bulbs.

The switch helps in the fight against global warming and cuts our nation’s electric bill by $10 billion annually says Noah Horowitz a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

It comes from the federal Energy Independence and Security Act that President George Bush signed in 2007, to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The change is a bit of an expensive one. According to Nick Reynoza, manager at Royal Lighting in Los Angeles you can buy four incandescent bulbs for $1 while halogens will set you back $5.99 and LEDs $20.

The initial purchase price may seem steep but the overall life of the bulb makes the price worth it in the end. Compact fluorescents burn six times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Simple changes like this are the steps we need to changing how we treat our environment. It’s a step almost everyone can take as it doesn’t change much about our daily life.

The rest of the country is expected to follow suit by 2014 and they will join Australia, the European Union, the Philippines and Argentina.

Read the rest of the post here.

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Man wants refund on stripper

Is it time to start instigating a money back guarantee on strippers?

Hubert Blackman, of New York City apparently thinks so. He wants his $275 payment returned for the alleged distress he was caused when the escort he ordered did not carry out the full hour he was promised.

Oh and he wants 1.8 million in damages.

As reported by the Las Vegas Sun, Blackman was vacationing there in December when he ordered the stripper. He got a $155 lap dance and a $120 sex act. Not a cheap date.

Now the college student is suing Las Vegas Exclusive Personals due to his dissatisfaction.

He also told the company he was drunk at the time and not able to make an informed agreement with the stripper. He is not helping his case.

When he reported the incident and the company refused his refund, he called the police, who in turn threatened to bust him for prostitution.

He might do well to quietly exit from the situation to prevent any further embarrassment.

Read the full post here.

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A sip of normalcy

It doesn’t feel normal talking about normalcy. But most of the time my life here just doesn’t feel normal, so little moments of normalcy feel so good.

Some times they do come in moments and other times they come in a full day. Today was a day I honestly felt like I traveled back to America.

One of my new girlfriends here, Soukaina, took me on a day excursion to Casablanca. I prefer going to the big city with a Moroccan with me because I just don’t know it well enough to feel comfortable there. So when I am with a Moroccan friend I can rely on them to know where to go, or to at least ask, and I can relax and enjoy.

We first went for a walk around Hassan II mosque. It was my second time there and I still couldn’t help but stare in wonder at how beautiful it is. We continued our walk to my favorite place in Casablanca. It is an area right on the beach lined with nice cafes, restaurants, and is full of people jogging or just enjoying a stroll.

After we walked for a while, enjoying the view, we stopped for lunch at the always delicious McDonalds. This place has totally taken on a new meaning for me. Each of the rare times I get it, I enjoy it thoroughly. It’s not like back home when I can stop at the one of three McDonald’s in town.

We sat and chatted there for about an hour. Then hopped in a taxi that took us to the expensive shopping district.

Store are having their semi-annual sales so Soukaina wanted to see what they had. Even sale prices at these stores are nothing that I would ever feel right about spending with my Peace Corps budget. However, it was really fun to look in these nice stores and listen to the bumping music that I so much enjoy.

Soukaina tortured me further when we went into a lingerie store, I wanted to buy something pretty so bad. I got smells of perfumes from every corner and was, for a while, in my own little heaven.

After some shopping I met up with my former Peace Corps teacher Lahcen. He now lives in Casablanca and I had not gotten to see him for nearly one year. We spent an hour gossiping, laughing, and catching up over  hot chocolate and coffee. I had missed him a lot and it was so nice to hear his humor once again.

On our way out of town we stopped at Soukaina’s favorite French bakery. I almost died there. I wanted to sample just about everything. Cakes and treats, torts and cookies. Everything looked like something straight out of the movie Marie Antoinette. For those of you who can’t picture that, it is something delicious but at the same time as beautiful as a work of art.

Soukaina surprised me with my favorite pastry. It’s called Mille-feuille in French, which means cake of a thousand leaves. I eat it all the time from the bakery near my house, but this was something else. I almost can’t even compare the two. It was such a delicious treat.

Just like my day in fact. It felt like such a treat to be with a girlfriend doing something fun and interesting. Being able to walk around and not get stared at. Days like this help to recharge me for the rest of the time to come.

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"Don't Ask" could put kids at risk

A new Florida bill is in the works that would make it a felony for a pediatrician to ask their patients if there is a gun in their home.

If the bill passes an offender found guilty can face up to 5 years in jail or be fined $5 million.

All for asking a question with a child’s safety in mind.

The bill’s inspiration comes from an incident in the Ocala area when a physician asked patients to seek care elsewhere  when they refused to answer questions about whether they had a gun in their home.

Marion Hammer, executive director of United Sportsmen of Florida and a former national NRA president, said questioning like this goes too far.

She also goes on to say that it is not the business of the doctors to discuss.

Just as a doctor might discuss pool safety with children and their parents they wish to discuss gun safety which can be another highly dangerous threat in the home.

According to kidsandguns.org between 2000-2005 three kids were killed daily from non-homicidal gun incidents.

Critics of this bill don’t appreciate government putting a block on what doctors and patients can discuss.

I think this bill is what goes too far. I agree with the critics and think government doesn’t have much place in regulating what a doctor can and can’t ask their patients. It is restricting the kind of care they give and could possibly put children at risk.

I do agree with a question like this being included in a patient questionnaire. If a parent checks yes they should be willing to discuss the issue with the doctor to insure the safety of their child.

I don’t think it should go as far as to be illegal to ask this question but it is possible for this question to be labeled as optional and the parent can answer only if they choose.

Visit kidsandguns.org for more statistics.

See the full article from the St. Augustine Record.

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A place for kids

Kids need places to go outside the home to grow, expand their horizons, and be exposed to new things. In Morocco one of those places is called a dar chebab.

Literally translated into English as house youth, it is a place where youth associations can meet and new friendships can be formed.

In Morocco’s larger cities there is a wide range of things for today‘s youth to be involved with, but in smaller towns and villages the choices are much fewer.

Youth centers can be a place for meeting, learning, or fun. As a youth development volunteer a goal at my youth center is to make it a place for all of those things. To utilize it’s full potential in order to find the full potential of the kids that come.

I can easily see the difference between the youth that come to the center and those who I meet on the street that do not. My most loyal followers are ones that I know have good character because I know they have the opportunity to spend their time doing less positive things and they don’t.

Some youth centers can be very basic. Just concrete walls and a door. Maybe some tables and chairs, but not much more.

But in the attempt to give youth more resources, training, and activities the Ministry of Youth and Sports will build 500 new youth centers in the next two years.

It will add to the already more than 400 youth centers in Morocco.

Sarah Hollemans, a fellow youth development volunteer, already has one of these new centers in her town.

She said there is space for yoga and karate, clean bathroom facilities, administrative offices, and new sports equipment.

She agrees that these new centers can offer constructive activities for youth.

The problem she does see with the new youth centers is the cost. She has a new style youth center as well as an old style one in her town. She said  the older one has more membership because it is not nearly as expensive.

Hollemans said that the upfront cost of the new youth center’s membership is 200 dirhams and than an additional 25-50 dirham monthly fee.

Older youth centers only charge 10 dirhams per year if anything at all.

With such a high amount of Morocco’s population being youth, it is truly in the best interest of it’s leaders to create good opportunities for those who will follow in their footsteps.

Having spent so much time with the youth of Morocco I am confident that as this generation ages this country will be propelled further into the modern world and become more and more successful.

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Trying to silence the silence

A law requiring a daily moment of silence in Illinois Public Schools has been challenged by an atheist father of a 14-year -old student.

Robert Sherman and his daughter Dawn filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the law be deemed unconstitutional.

Gregory Kulis , the lawyer for the father and daughter, says that the law is an attempt to insert religion into public schools which is in violation of the First Amendment.

"What we object to is Christians passing a law that requires the public school teacher to stop teaching during instructional time, paid for by the taxpayers, so that Christians can pray," Sherman told The Associated Press.

This article does not provide enough information to illustrate just how “religious” this moment of silence actually is. However, I believe we all can benefit from a moment or two of peace at the beginning of our day to start it off well.

I am not alone in my confusion. The article does state how some school administrators argue the law too ill-defined and some teachers and students are put in an awkward position.

Silence is awkward, but it is also golden. I think we need to challenge all our youth to spend time reflecting on themselves and their world.

Please check out USA Today for more information.

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Food fads

Food Fads? Guess I didn’t know there could be such a thing. But with everything in life, things come and things go.

I though food would be different. The life sustaining thing that we would be doomed without.

We have more choices now-a-days then we ever have had so maybe that is bound to create front runners and others who lag behind.

Eatingwell Magazine put together a list of food fads for 2011 and highlighted those that are trending up and trending down.

Many of us have fallen victim to trends in food. Trans fat free, organics, 100 calorie packs. We check out the new labels in hopes that new foods are going to be better for us and to feel less guilty about eating foods that we know are junk.

Allow me to get you up to speed on this years food fads:

1. Super fruits
Trending: Down

2. Gluten-free diets
Trending: Up

3. Street food
Trending: Up

4. Omega-3s
Trending: Up

5. Cupcakes
Trending: Down

6. Meatless meals
Trending: Up

7. Probiotics
Trending: Up

8. Growing your own
Trending: Up

9. Bacon
Trending: Down

10. Simpler, more wholesome food
Trending: Up

Just like fannie packs and leggings foods seem to go in and out of style, as this list claims. But a classic little black dress never dies.

In the case of food the little black dress is number ten and I think we would all look good wearing one of those.

Please read the full explanation of all these food fads in the original article.

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"The Kennedys" need a new home

The History Channel has decided not to air the eight-part miniseries The Kennedys stating that it is “historical fiction.”

It is a highly publicized miniseries that stars Greg Kinnear as JFK and Katie Holmes at Jackie O.

After viewing the entire production History made a statement to the Hollywood Reporter that the project is well acted and produced but just does not fit the History Channel brand. It was labeled as a “dramatic interpretation” by the network.

The shows producer, Joel Surnow, has conservative political views and the fact that he is chronicling a prominent liberal family raised controversy.

I find this very admirable. To put aside views and produce something beautiful not only to honor a family but a time in history.

Just because the show will not air on History it does not mean that it will not air at all. Canada will get to see it in March and the producers will be shopping around for another network to air it domestically.

I praise the History Channel for staying true to their brand. For only showing material that they deem historical. No one is criticizing this miniseries but rather calling it what it is. I’m sure it will be thoroughly enjoyed when we finally get to view it.

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What do you like about it?

Several weeks ago, at a Peace Corps training, we met our new country director. We had to say goodbye to our old director and welcome a new woman named Peggy McClure to be the new head of Peace Corps staff in Morocco.

When she addressed us for the first time she mentioned something that I oddly had not thought about often enough.

“What do you like about it?”

“It” is Peace Corps. I was surprised at myself that I hadn’t really thought about it much. She balanced it with the notion that this experience is not easy and so though the rough patches you must ask yourself that question.

It was just then that I took a moment to make a list. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Most of the kids at my youth center.
2. Spending time with my sister Rababe.
3. Being friends with Imane.
4. Latifa and Souad, 2 sisters that I met at the youth center.
5. Watching movies and t.v. almost anytime I want.
6. Napping daily.
7. Time to work out at home.
8, Living alone.
9. Being able to travel.
10. Having small daily accomplishments that make me feel proud of myself.

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Gay novelist stands up in Morocco

Moroccan Novelist Abdellah Taia is the first writer to come out as something that he is but is not accepted by his country.

A homosexual.

As a country run by Islamic law, Morocco bans homosexuality. An offense that carries a punishment of six months to three years in prison. Like alcohol consumption, which is also banned by Islamic law, offenders may not face persecution if the behavior is not outwardly flaunted.

Taia, who knew he was gay from age 13, grew up poor in the coastal city of Sale. He was educated in French literature at the University level in Morocco before moving to Paris to pursue a doctorate degree.

His second book "Le Rouge du Tarbouche” (The Red of the Fez), was the first one to mention his homosexuality. It is his autobiographical account of his life in Paris.

In 2007, when Taia openly expressed his homosexuality in an interview with TelQuel, an independent Moroccan weekly, he became notorious at home.

He still spends much time in Morocco, despite the scandal and attributes his lack of persecution to the fact that he is a writer published by big French houses.

He feels his country is slowly moving toward more tolerance.

Taia says, “Despite some regression in Morocco, over the last 10 years there have been extraordinary things in terms of declarations of personal freedoms by many parts of Moroccan society.”

It take people like this who are not afraid to stand up for what they are to make changes in a society.

Especially when what those people are may not be accepted by the some members of that society. Change can happen when people start confronting issues of a changing world.

Read more about Taia in the full post.

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Religion in the military

We’ve come a long way from the religious wars of our past. Western societies have inflicted plenty enough violence in the name of God and that sets us apart from extreme Jihadists who fight for that reason.

I don’t feel religion has a place in our military. I’m not opposed to soldiers speaking freely about their religion or practicing it when part of the military. What I am opposed to is the military asking them about it-as if it mattered.

In a story by Adelle M. Banks of the Religion News Service it is reported that questions about “spiritual fitness” have been a part of a mandatory military questionnaire since October 2009.

As part of the Global Assessment Tool some statements that require response include “I am a spiritual person" and "I believe there is a purpose for my life."

“Although spiritual fitness is offered to all soldiers, it is not meant by any means to influence, dissuade nor entice soldiers to believe in a deity, endorse religion, or in any way state that a soldier is unfit to serve if they lack spiritual fitness," said Lt. Col. David Patterson, a spokesman for the Army.

The question that I believe should be on the questionnaire is whether or not religion really matters in the Army. I don’t think soldiers should be denied privilege to talk about or practice any religion they choose but it should also be their business to keep it private.

The thing that all members of the Army most likely commonly worship is their country. They share a love and a desire to fight for it.

Religion can also get in the way when one religion is singled out.

A 43-foot cross that is part of a veteran’s memorial in California was ruled unconstitutional.

Unconstitutional or not it should be common sense that including only a cross as a religious symbol at this memorial leaves out veterans who do not subscribe to the Christian faith.

"The use of such a distinctively Christian symbol to honor all veterans sends a strong message of endorsement and exclusion," wrote Judge M. Margaret McKeown for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The monument was erected in 1954 to honor vets from World Wars I and II and the Korean War. A cross has been on the site since 1913. It has been involved in a continuous litigation regarding its legal status since 1989.

Legal groups that supported the memorial call the decision a “slap in the face” to military veterans.

What about non-Christian vets, sounds like a slap in the face to me too.

Click to read the original story.

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Italy trashes plastic bags

Since January 1st of this year Italy has joined the ranks of certain U.S. cities by imposing a ban on plastic bags.

This is the first nationwide plastic bag ban.

Stores will be able to use up the reminder of their bag supplies but after they are gone they must switch to paper, biodegradable plastic, or cloth bags.

Italy accounts for one-fifth of Europe’s bag use at 20 billion per year.

European news outlets are reporting that the ban will not come as an easy change. A certain complaint being that the paper or biodegradable plastic bags will be weaker than regular plastic.

I recommend Morocco enact this ban too. Plastic bags feel to be a way of life here. When I go out to buy my vegetables, each different kind is placed in a bag and then all of them are placed in another plastic bag. When I hit up a shop to buy one item a bag is quickly pulled out. I have a hard time taking them and I often bring my own reusable bag much to the shop owners’ confusion.

Two phrases that I have said a lot are “I have a bag” or “I don’t need a bag”.

There is so much trash on the streets we should be using all those excess plastic bags to hold it.

Another way to reduce plastic bag use it to charge for them.

After beginning a five-cent fee on plastic bags Washington D.C. saw an 85 percent drop in use in one month.

Since this whole movement began I think we’ve become a lot smarter with the use of plastic bags. Lots of large grocery chains offer reusable bags for purchase. They are the strongest option in grocery bags we are doing a lot of good by using them.

Read Greenbiz.com’s original article here.

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The little moments that keep me strong

Some days I have to cling to the little moments that give me happiness or least of all a smile. Things that make me feel less alien here. Moments when compassion is shown or innocence.

There is this young guy who works in a copy shop that I pass almost every time I go out. He has been genuinely friendly to me from the day I first saw him. The friendly wave I share with him daily is always nice.

A lot of the women on the streets are not friendly and sometimes I feel they are tearing holes in my body with their stares. But sometimes I get a sweet and genuine smile out of one of them.

One recent day in particular when I wasn’t having the greatest time I caught eyes with a woman working in a bakery that I pass on the way to the post office. I smiled large at her. She seemed honored by the gesture and smiled widely back.

The same thing happened with a girl who works in a teleboutique. I started smiling at her as I pasted each day because she looked friendly. Pretty soon I began to stop there to speak with her. Now I can call us friends.

I also enjoy the moments here with men when they are not making me feel like nothing but an object for them to look at. These mostly come from shop owners or vegetable guys. I can appreciate being looked at as someone they want to help or take care of.

A lot of little kids here running around in the streets just hope to wreak havoc on my life and get under my skin. Of course little kids aren’t scary but when a swarming pack of several of them start coming your way it’s best to steer clear. But not all the kids are like this. I can more than appreciate a sweet and respectful young child. Just the other night in the youth center I had a newcomer to my game night and sometimes newcomers can be explosive but in this boys case he wasn’t. He had an innocent face and calm demeanor. I played some games with him and he seemed happy and grateful to be there. I enjoyed listening to him laugh.

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Mark Twain's change

Two of Mark Twain’s most known books will receive a face lift when the new additions of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” will be reprinted without the use of the N-word.

The word is being removed in an effort to make the works more appealing to a wider audience. It is an effort to make the works less offensive. It will be replaced with the word “slave” 219 times in “Huckleberry Finn” and four in “Tom Sawyer.”

I can passionately say that I am deeply offended by the N-word and cringe up into a ball whenever the rare occasion comes that I hear it.

Nonetheless, I’m opposed to this.

Altering a classic novel to stray from the authors original thoughts and ideas is wrong and invasive. People have the choice to read the book or not so I see no harm in keeping the original integrity of the books and letting people decide for themselves.

Twain scholar, Stephen Railton of the University of Virginia makes the point that the language is a reflection of the past.

To change it would be trying to ignore some facts about our history.

There have been plenty of words that have come and gone from our vocabularies. Ones that start with one meaning change into something offensive. At the point they become offensive we alter our usage of them. This shows our growth and our stray from ignorance. It shows how far we’ve come in our combat against racism and intolerance.

Railton has an unaltered copy of “Huck Finn” that is to be released later this year which includes content to discuss issues of racism and slavery in schools.

I think this is the best way to look at this issue. Instead of trying to cover up what happened in our past we should learn from it so we won’t be doomed to repeat it.

Mark Twain wrote that “the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter.” He went on to compare it to “the difference between the lightening bug and the lightening.” This makes me believe he chose his words carefully. To change his work is insulting to his memory.

Take a look at the original Huffington Post story here.

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Sarah Jane's funeral

I didn’t get to go home for my grandma’s funeral, but on all accounts I felt like I was there. I wanted to know every detail that I could before it took place so I could try to visualize it as it was happening. I was luckily able to keep in touch with my cousin Ellery through text messages the day of the funeral home visitation and the funeral itself. I bogged her with questions like “where are you all going now” or “what is grandma dressed in.” She painstakingly answered all my questions with pleasure and she kept me in the loop all day long. I didn’t like the thought of all this going on without me so I tried to be a part of it the only way I could.

I was the closest person to her that was not able to be there so I knew right away I had to do something to make somewhat of a presence there. The day after she passed I wrote something to be read on my behalf so people would how just how much I loved her and how wanted to be there. Again my cousin Ellery was there to be my voice in my absence. This is what she read for me:

Part of the reason I can’t be with you all today is because of Sarah Jane Lefere. I am currently working as a member of the United State Peace Corps in Morocco, North Africa. And part of the reason I was able to make it here is because of my grandma.

She was one of the biggest supporters of my dreams. She had a belief in me that was rock solid. And she was always willing to listen, support, and understand.

I was born in a large gap in time between my other cousins. The one just above me is 10 years older and the one just below me is seven years younger. So for a while I was kinda alone with grandma. I went to day care from when I was born to 6th grade. But after that I started to go to grandmas everyday after school for the next few years. She knew how much I loved chicken strips. Every time she would take me to Applebees I would order the same thing without fail. She aided in my delight when she bought a Fry Daddy Deep Fryer and bags of frozen chicken strips from Sam’s. Then I could eat them any day of the week.

We also loved to take trips to Sam’s where we would by candy in bulk for my own little “general store” that she let me run out of her apartment. She of course buying the candy and me, making the profits.

She taught me the value of saving money. I took a class trip to Chicago when I was in the 4th grade and for several weeks before that she gave me 10 dollars weekly to add to my own personal savings account. With her generous contribution I had a field day in FAO Schwartz toy store.

Grandma taught me how to knit. Many times to be exact. In my younger years I didn’t much have the patience for it. I would usually knit one row then give the work to her to pearl the next row. Pearling was something that frustrated me so I made her do it. I always made her start and end the piece for me and just five months ago I finally learned how to do it myself.

When I heard about grandma’s condition taking a turn for the worst one of my first thoughts was how lucky she is. Lucky to have led such a full life with so much laughter, love, and strength. We used to sit around for hours telling the same stories over and over. Ones that never got old to me and never will. I loved hearing the stories of her raising four boys and hearing the mischief they got into. Stories of her youth and her family. I’m proud to say the two of us share the same alma mater of good old Jackson High School.

She’s so lucky to have such a big loving family. And of course we are all more than lucky to have her. She touched countless lives. I went to school for journalism and there I was taught to select my words carefully to make sure their meaning is used properly. The word countless implies something you can’t count. So that is exactly why I selected that word. It is impossible to know how many store clerks, cashiers, gas pump guys, teachers, strangers, friends, or family members Sarah has touched. I’ve watched on several occasions how she could make someone she didn’t even know laugh. Make them feel like she knew them forever. She had something about her that let everyone know she could be your friend. I know so many people that loved her including each and every one of you in this room.

One of the things I loved about her the most is that she refused to put up with anyone’s bull shit. Including my own. We often had a playful banter going on and for the past 15 years or so her nickname for me was Spoiled Brat or SB for short. Oddly enough she aided in that spoiling. Oh the irony. I also refused to treat her at all like a child in her old age. Even when she began to start moving slower I still let her take care of me whenever I was at her apartment. She always did her grandmotherly duty of covering me up with a blanket when I wanted to take a nap on her couch. Naps were always peaceful at her house, except when the police scanner was turned up too loud. Every time you would turn it down, she would go ahead and turn it right back up. Boy I hated that thing.


There was always food cooking at grandmas. Among my favorites would be her red potato soup, au gratin potatoes, goulash, chocolate fudge, and her self invented big noodle soup. However, I just couldn’t get used to some of her foods. Any time she chose to cook cabbage or galumpkis I stayed as far away from that apartment as possible.


I hate that I can’t be there with you all today not to morn the passing of Sarah but rather to celebrate her life. Now that she is watching over me I think I can feel her presence even more. I’m happy to know that she is now in a place of comfort and reunited with the ones she lost many years ago. I know she’s going to be there helping to drive me and push me to see this experience though to the end.

She was the strongest woman I knew. One that helped make me who I am today. My only regret is that I didn’t get to know her longer. When I was young it was hard for me to believe that my grandma was ever a little girl. Guess I though she was always a little grandma. But I know that if we would have known each other in her younger years we would have for sure been friends. She had a sassy and fiery spirit that would have gone perfect with mine. We would have raise hell together.

I want to thank her for her unconditional love she gave me and her undying guidance, understanding, and support. I feel blessed to have been a part of her life and am truly honored that a woman like her will always be a part of me.

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No Valentines

In a effort to continue to stomp out Western culture Iran has imposed a ban on the selling of Valentine’s day merchandise. The popularity of the holiday has been on the rise among young Iranians over the past decade. The government intends to stop it by imposing legal action on offenders.

Printing and producing paraphernalia related to the holiday are banned as well as activities.

In the past three decades the conservative regime of the Islamic country have tried to abolish Western culture practices that have become popular to the overwhelming young population.

Conservatives see no room for a celebration such as this in an Islamic culture.

What harm can giving a box of chocolates do? Celebrating love can never do more harm than good. As an iron fist comes down on a trapped and antsy society pressure will continue to build up among it’s people.

We have seen enough instances of Iranian political unrest to know the pressure is building. At some point that pressure has to be released.

As a outside onlooker I see what I would label injustices happen too much. After living in another culture and way of life I’ve learned to view almost everything with a non-judgmental eye. What Westerners believe to be wrong may be fully justified in another way of life.

I can say that holding down a population will never let it flourish. It will keep it poor and ignorant and the country will never become what it hopes to.

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New plans for blog

I plan to begin to use this blog for more than just writing about my experiences here as a Peace Corps volunteer. I want to use this space to continue to fine tune my writing in a variety of different styles and subjects. I want to get in as much conditioning as possible for the jobs that are hopefully awaiting my return to the USA in 10 months. Please bear with me as I try out some new things feeling free to comment as you like. Thanks for being my guinea pigs.

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I love Sarah Jane Schuler Lefere.

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