Crepes Final Write Up

I had my inspiration to do this genre of project from walking down the streets of Ybor. I saw a crepe shop and I thought that doing a bunch of different crepes would be a great thing to explore. This idea was unique, tasty, and I could use the recipes I learned in the future (I actually already have). I had originally thought that doing these crepes would be fairly simple and take about an hour each. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Each took a minimum of around 2 hours and the recipes required me to do what I haven’t ever done before. The restrictions of the community kitchen were very annoying. These included times that the kitchen was open (pretty much only after 8pm) and the limits of their appliances. There was no mixer so I had to whisk for 15 minutes, there was no sharp knife so I had to cut each little piece of parsley by hand, etc.

Overall, I did gain a lot from this project. I have already used the skills I’ve learned to make crepes for my sorority and friends. Putting on Netflix in the background and cranking out some crepes is actually one of my favorite things to do. My friend and I got together one night to just make different types of crepes out of all of the ingredients in her apartment.

Give Back Final Write Up

I wanted to give back something that was unique enough that a classmate wouldn’t have given back just another version of it. Instead of giving back another variation of a cupcake I gave back something I knew that my classmates (or pinterest users) wouldn’t have seen before. I gave back a banana sandwich! This sandwich has been in the family ever since someone ran out of peanut butter and slapped on some mayo instead (probably as a joke). But surprisingly it was a hit! I love it and I know its weird but famous people like it to!

Letters to a Young Contrarian

Chapter 16
"Radicalism is humanism or it is nothing; the proper study of mankind is man and the ability to laugh is one of the faculties that defines the human and distinguishes the species from other animals"
This is my favorite quote from this chapter. I love that the fact that humans can understand humor and enjoy it is one of the special things that we can do and most other species can't do. I think that humor is very important because of the amount of stress it relieves. Without laughter and the emotions that come with it the human population would be one stressed bunch.

Chapter 17
"So I entreat you; have no fear of being thought of as a monomaniac". I found this the most interesting piece of the chapter because of something the author left out. If you believe in something I understand you must become a little obsessed with it to make things happen. But if you become too obsessed with it you miss the world around you and the other opportunities that present themselves. You miss out on many things and many good things in your life that need attention may cease to strive.

Chapter 18
As a whole no actual quote of this chapter stood out, however the chapter as a whole was interesting. I mostly got from it that you must break a few rules to be successful at what you are striving for (whether it be success or rebellion or whatever). The author has ended up in jail, but his point is if the end justifies the means-then its worth it. I agree with him in this sense. The end MUST justify the means, however. For example, killing people to get a puppy would NOT be an example of the ends justifying the means. But as Hitchens said, a few months in jail for success and suddenly jail doesn't seem as bad.

End
The end quote kind of sums up the whole book, "Have a lived life instead of a career. Put yourself in the safekeeping of good taste. Lived freedom will compensate you for your losses...if you don't like the style of others, cultivate your own. Get to know the tricks of reproduction, be a self-publisher ever in conversation, and then the joy of working can fill your days." Basically, make your own rules. Rebellion against the norm if you don't like it. And most importantly think outside of the box. If you think outside of the box first everything will follow.

Chapter 4 Artists:

Wolfgang Staehle 

Staehle is from Germany and is famous for his work with the 9/11 surveillance art. 

In 1990, he founded "The Thing" which is an online forum for artists. 

He has been actively working since 1985 and has many exhibits. 

Cited:http://www.wolfgangstaehle.info/index.php

Picture site: http://www.spingola.com/jules%20naudet%20app%201.htm

Yucef Merhi

Merhi does projects showing the vulernerablity of:

- governments

-institutions

-political figures

-corporations

Merhi does hacking and reprograming projects.

He's been actively working since 1995.

Cite:http://www.cibernetic.com

cite:File:Yucef_Merhi.jpg

How To Make a Banana Sandwich! (Pinterest)

In my family there is something known as a "Banana Sandwich". This has rumored to have originated when one of my aunts or uncles wanted a peanut butter and banana sandwich and my grandmother was all out so she needed mayonnaise! It was an instant hit!!

Step one: Toast two pieces of bread

Step two: apply mayonnaise to both pieces of the bread

Step three: Slice a banana

Step Four: Apply Banana to bread

Step Five: Put bread together and cut in half!!

Now, never knock it till you try it! I know it sounds disgusting but it is actually so good!! Dale Earnhart Jr loves them according to his tweet:

Pinterest link: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624684344/

Pros of Scientology:
- Religion is tailored to you because all people are different
- "Not something you believe in, something you do"
- Scientology = study of knowledge

Cons:
- The fact that people of this religion think that they are the only ones that can do something in a bad situation. (displayed in the Hacktivist documentary when Tom Cruise was talking). There are plenty of people that can help and plenty of religions out there. Scientology isn't the only way.
- Classes are very expensive
- Different mind set... time machines, auditing, anti gravity rooms, etc.

Sources: http://jadaashleysays.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/the-pros-and-cons-of-scientology/

Scientology and Clearwater-
A large building was constructed and opened in 1998 called the Flag building. This building is not a normal building because of the crazy things inside. On the 5th floor there is the "Super Power Program" which has machines to sharpen you "perceptics". The 6th floor has a track where people run until they have an enlightenment. The rest of the huge building is a mystery to on lookers. This is Scientology's largest and most expensive building yet.
Source- http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/thousands-will-get-first-look-today-at-scientologys-super-power-building/2152907

After finding this information I think Scientology is completely nuts. I was okay with it until I read about a "Super Power" room. I think that its completely nonsense.

I thought that the documentary "We are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists" was really interesting. I actually think its one of the most interesting documentaries I've seen. I agreed with the Hacktivists efforts to basically give the government a reality check so the officials know that the little guy still has a voice. I especially liked how Anonymous stands up to the things they don't believe in and does something about it. The only thing I didn't agree with that was displayed in the film was when they altered with Barbie dolls. I think this effects the kids more than anyone and gender stereotypes is not their fault.

Last Lecture-

I found the discussion about the internet dating websites really interesting. With the internet so accessible it is very easy to find websites that people can basically buy a hookup. Although these websites claim the girls are only dates or friends a lot of these websites are basically prostitution rings. I thought our conversation in class about this was really interesting because this could actually be where we are heading as a society. If a good or service is available in the store or on the street of course it is available on the internet. It just makes it a lot more accessible which I don't think is a very good thing. 

This being the final week of my crepe project I had ran into a few problems. First one would be that after spending over 100$ on ingredients I realized I needed more for the last 2 crepes. I thought hard about spending yet more money and deemed it unnecessary. Instead I made crepes (using the basic crepe recipe from Pinterest) and added my own spin on it. I went to my friends apartment and we made crepes with random ingredients in her kitchen. One crepe was mango filling, another was nutella marshmallows and granola, and the other crepe was cookie butter and raspberries. It was a great last step to my project because I didn't have to spend more money and I could involve other people. I took us about 3 hours. (Pictures on post above)

Our story is about two girls in a haunted library. The exposition is Liz and Maddie going into the library and browsing through the books. The rising action is when the books start acting on their own, and the climax is when they realize that the library is haunted. The falling action is Liz and Maddie running away from the library and the folders are following them. The resolution is when they look back and all the haunted objects are gone. It is supposed to look like a supernatural happening.
Working in a group was awesome and we got the work done really quickly. We all came up with different ideas for the videos and turned it into one interesting story. I filmed the clips and Liz and Maddie acted and moved the props around. It was really fun to film and we think it turned out great at the end.

Vanilla peach crepe (week 2):

Took 2 hours 

The problem I encountered with this crepe was that I couldn't find the "vanilla paste" that the recipe called for at any grocery store around here. So instead I added extra vanilla extract to the crepe batter instead of only to the peach filling. This made the crepe batter taste vanillay which was effective. 

This week I realized that crepes took A LOT longer to prepare than I expected. I predicted they would take about an hour to prepare each (reason for choosing 6 different kinds of crepes) however they take double that time. So I figured since I would be way over 6 hours for this project by doing 6 crepes I cut out the chicken asparagus crepes and moved the raspberry and Boston cream pie crepes to the last week. This week I did one, the vanilla peach crepe.

Breakfast crepes: herb crepes with egg, Swiss, ham and browned butter:

Took 2 Hours

This crepe's number one problem was that I didn't have access to a good sharp knife. This meant I had to rip every parsley piece individually one by one. This was time consuming and annoying. 

My biggest problem so far with my crepe project would be using the community kitchen in my dorm. There isn't that many appliances available which makes it very difficult. For example, there isn't a mixer so I have to whisk for 15 minutes to achieve what the mixer could do in 2 minutes. Also there is only selected times when I can rent the kitchen appliances so I am restricted to their schedule.

My first crepe that I made Monday: 

Took 2 hours 

My taste testers loves it too!

For my first installment of the blog of my Pinterest project I got together everyone of my recipes for my crepe project. My friend with a car couldn't take me to get the supplies this weekend so I will be picking up supplies and working on 2 crepes tomorrow. I will post tomorrow my progress with that. For now here are all the different crepes I will be making as well as their recipes. Gathering links and making a grocery list took about a half hour so far.

My plan for the Pinterest project:

Do 6 different recipes for different types of crepes, 2 a week. And host tasting parties!

First week:

Smores crepes with nutella:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624538721/
http://www.somethingswanky.com/nutella-smores-crepes/

Herb Crepes with Eggs, swiss, ham, and browned butter

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624538618/
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/07/herbed-crepes-with-eggs-swiss-and-ham/

Second Week:

Vanilla Bean Crepes with Peaches:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624538649/
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/06/vanilla-bean-crepes-with-peaches-and-cream/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20blogspot/BfaXW%20(Cooking%20Classy)

Raspberry Key Lime Crepes:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624538710/
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/raspberry-key-lime-crepes

Third Week

Boston Cream Pie Crepes:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232624538620/
http://thegirlinspired.com/2014/01/dessert-crepes/

Asparagus and chicken crepes:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/21603273185341581/
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/asparagus-chicken-crepes

Letters to a Young Contrarian Chapter 14 Analysis

"Of course if the oddballs and doubters were in majority they wouldn't be oddballs and doubters. And of course, one never has to worry about there being a surplus of such people".
I thought that this quote was very interesting. Most people go throughout there lives not thinking outside of the box and questioning authority. These people are not thought of as unique or oddballs. Oddballs are the inventors, Steve Jobs would have definitely been labeled an oddball. Without these oddballs breakthroughs wouldn't happen and inventions wouldn't take place.

Chapter 15:

"I want to urge you very strongly to travel as much as you can, and to evolve yourself as an internationalist. Its as important a part of your education as a radical as the reading of any book".
I totally agree with this statement. I always want to travel because I believe it is important to see other culture and the way other people live to open your mind to new ideas. You become more open minded and tolerant. Technology helps this, people that do not have the means to travel can be exposed by movie about different cultures and places. Technology is making the wold smaller in that sense.

I really enjoyed the film "Free to Play". I really don't think that gaming will become as big as sports in the United States. Sports are viewed as  the American pastime. Older generations of people cherishing sports get influenced and passed on to the generations after that. Parents distill how important sports are to their kids and they will do the same to the kids after them. Video games are looked as a waste of time in this country (even though I dont necessarily agree with that), and that idea will be passed along.

My all time favorite video game was the Sims computer game. I would play it for hours at a time through out my childhood. This game was released and got popular when I was about 9 and I got hooked when I was 10. It influenced me so much that I wanted to become an architect and interior designer when I grew up. This game was widely popular and impacted culture by became available on so many different type of gaming devices and not only computers anymore.

Glitch Art

Original Images:

 Link: http://us.cdn281.fansshare.com/celebrity/amandabynes/450_amanda-bynes-resimleri-dcc-the-amanda-show-1230797578.jpg

 

 Link: http://msnixinthemix.com/wp-content/uploads/dollys-from-holly.blogspot.com_Amanda-Bynes_04-860x1024.jpg

Link: http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1353756.1369411458!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_1200/article-bynes5-0523.jpg

Glitches:

With my glitch I wanted to show Amanda Bynes' downfall. In the first picture there are few glitches because she was just an innocent child actor. Also notice the photo is mostly gold. The second photo is a bit more glitched and a tad raunchy to show Amanda may be taking a bad turn. Also the photo is tinted blue. The third photo is completely glitched because she is sitting in court and addicted to drugs. The photo is both gold and blue to show how the two Amandas in the before picture is being incorporated in her rock bottom picture.

In response to "How a Video made Don Draper a Gay Rights Mouth Piece"...

I thought that this article was pretty interesting. I liked remixing and I like how (sand the article talks about this) you can connect with your audience about something important and them not even realize it. The audience thinks this is a funny or catchy video meanwhile they have the creator's views of gay rights in their heads. I also thought it was interesting about how Youtube always wants to take down her work. I think something should be done about that because she's right, it must get very annoying as an artist having to constantly reupload your work. Painters don't have to constantly take their work back to the gallery time and time again after it being thrown out for no good excuse, why should remix artists have to keep having to reupload their work?

Chapter 11 Analysis of Letters to a Young Contrarian:

One main thing stood out to me in this chapter. When Hitchens writes "Nowadays 'public opinion' is more smoothly and easily ventriloquised" it really got me thinking. I came to the conclusion that I agree completely with that statement. Just in class when we were writing made-up facts on the Minaret we influenced public opinion. Now with the media roaring louder than ever public opinion is being manipulated more than ever. Most of the public just follows like blind ducks to whatever opinion is being broadcasted as the most supported.

Chapter 12:

In this chapter, Hitchens talks about credentials to speak on a subject which prompted me to think a bit deeper about this. Hitchens says you don't need to be able to respond to the question "Who do you think you are?". I think you do. Why would someone want to go around giving their 2 sense about things that they don't even know about? You will sound so ignorant commenting on political affairs in Madagascar when you couldn't even point it out on a map. I believe it is best to sit back and learn something. You don't always have to act like an expert about everything.

Chapter 13:

Probably my favorite point in this book so far is one that Hitchens makes in this chapter. When he is elaborating on ideas from Noam Chomsky and states "Power...quite probably knows the truth already, and is mainly interested in suppressing or limiting or distorting it," I really thought into it. I really like this quote. It is so very true because if you think about, for example,  political figures being questioned about a questionable act they have committed and they plea they had no idea about it blah blah blah you know that they did. They just never thought it would be brought up. I like that when Hitchens writes about this he writes about how the younger generation are the ones that must learn the truth, because they have no power. Their minds are innocent and ready to learn the truth. I believe that this is the only way we could make changes, for example, in our corrupt government. When the younger generation, the ones naked from power learn the truth about things they will make things better.

Chapter 3 of Internet Art Relevant People:

Carlo Zanni-

Carl Zanni was born in Italy in 1975. He investigates lives based on internet data (data including sites such as eBay). His projects are displayed in many museums around the world.

Citation for information: http://www.zanni.org/index.html
Citation for picture: http://www.artificial.dk/articles/cz.htm




Valie Export-
Valie Export's work includes the genres of videos, digital photography, installation, body performances, films, documentaries, cinema, conceptual photography, objects, sculptures, texts, and more. She lives in Vienna and has a teaching history.   





Citation for picture-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Österreichischer_Filmpreis_2013_C_Valie_Export.jpg

Citation for information- http://www.valieexport.at/en/biografie/

Internet Art Relevant Figures:

Chapter 2:
Clover Leary-

Link for picture and research citation: https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/InstructorBio.aspx?instid=27404

Clover was noted in the book for her media project called "Gay Gamete". She is a teacher at UCLA. She is exhibited internationally for her work in photography, video, instillation film, and new media.






Prema Murthy-

Murthy left the online performance group "Fakeshop" and made a video documentary about women working in computer hardware factories in Asia.

Link for picture and research citation:
http://www.josephinebosma.com/web/node/75

Chapter 8 Analysis:
Chapter 8 was very short but still thought provoking. I agree with Hitchens that the fact that the New York Times only prints news that is "Fit to Print" is rather "idiotic". I wonder about the news that isn't "fit" to print. This news is probably the news the people need to hear. Maybe it is too scary or uncomfortable to hear or report. But this would be the news that is most important and relevant to our lives, and its not going to be reported?

Chapter 9 Analysis:
 I didn't like this chapter at all and found myself disagreeing with the author throughout it. Hitchens put down religion and even alluded to the fact that people that practiced religion were arrogant. I don't think he has the right to do that at all. If someone wants to practice a religion, let them. I thought about some of his points in the chapter and though I can't explain my reasoning for believing in a Supreme Being, I do. And thats fine because I am allowed to do what I wish. Reading this book so far I would assume that Hitchens would support the fact that people will do what they want, however, he is being very diminishing.

Chapter 10 Analysis:
As much as I disagree with the many statements about religion of the author in chapter 9, there was something that I thought about and do agree with him in this chapter. Hitchens makes the point that some people believe that without religious beliefs they would have no moral compasses. I'd have to agree with Hitchens when he attacks that statement. Humans as a species have compassion and a natural willingness to do good in life.

I liked when the author writes, "what really matters about any individual is not what he thinks, but how he thinks." I think that this is such an accurate point. If you think up an idea but don't act upon it its like the idea never existed. Everything that has come to be (McDonalds, Apple Inc, etc) is because of HOW the creator thought and his/her willingness to make it happen.

Chapter 5 Analysis:
When the author makes reference to Jimmy Porter's statement, "[that there are] no more good, brave causes left" it got me thinking. The author talks about the "brave" and "good" causes of the 1950 and 60s era with the civil rights movement, thermonuclear statism, and the ending of war in Indochina. But it got me wondering what are the "good" and "brave" causes that we can use our first amendment rights for in this era? I came to the conclusion that Christopher Hitchens leaves out the fact that we DO in fact have issues worth speaking up and fighting for. For example, the unequal pay between sexes in the workplace even nowadays, or the fact that gay marriage isn't recognized in all 50 states. I feel as though Hitchens could have included that there are things to speak up for and being "brave" isn't a thing of the past.

I also found the part of the chapter when Hitchens talks about the "as if" lifestyle compelling. Living life "as if" something that hasn't happened in fact has happened is a pretty smart idea. This gives you the optimism to make it happen. However, you are living in a illusion which isn't very healthy or productive.

Chapter 6 Analysis:
In this chapter one thing stood out to me more than the rest. When Hitchens states, "[it] need not mean that we do not reserve the term 'absurd' for the self-evidently irrational or unjustifiable", it got me thinking. Just because something is unexplainable or even irrational does that make it "absurd"? I got to thinking about religion. Many many people believe in different religions. Isn't the thought of, for example, a higher power that watches our every move and loves us dearly (no matter the terrible things the human species does) and will decide where we spend our "afterlife" rather "absurd"? But many people believe it, I believe it. So I would have to say I disagree with Hitchens on this one, I wouldn't consider something unjustifiable absurd.

Chapter 7 Analysis:
In chapter 7, the word "counterrevolutionary" stood out to me. At first I didn't really understand what it meant so I looked it up. By definition it means someone who opposes a revolution or tries to overturn it. This was just interesting to me because I learned a new word that I haven't seen or heard before and because of all the people I can now think of as "counterrevolutionary".

Hitchens cites Orwell in saying, "very often the hardest thing to see is what is right in front of your nose", I think that this is a pretty interesting observation. What makes it even more interesting is when Hitchens supports this by saying: "[that there is] a considerable social pressure not to take note of the obvious". I agree with these statements. Everyone (teachers, bosses, etc.) are looking for the ideas that are "outside of the box", but what about the ideas that are right in front of you? We are trained to look for things that are deep in the picture but maybe sometimes we should just look at the picture as a whole and see it for what it is. I think sometimes people make life more complicated than it needs to be and sometimes its just the same task to look at what is right smack in front of you.

Linked in Public Link:
www.linkedin.com/pub/madeline-lewis/92/983/2b/

Minaret Post:

Link: http://theminaretonline.com/2013/03/27/article27237#comment-6521

With my remix I wanted to capture the USA's problem with fast food and obesity. I did this by displaying many different clips of people eating food that is bad for them. Its crazy how much fast-food people eat and the way which they eat it. My video displays just this.

I believe my video is classified under a super cut. I would assume this because it has many clips with a similar topic. These clips all flow together to make one finished project.

Remix Project Final

The word "meme" comes from a mimicry. It is defined as "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture". (defined by the Marriam-Webster Dictionary).
An example of a meme (and some of my favorites would be:

My favorite remix was the "Wonderland Mafia" because it is so inappropriate its funny. The song goes along perfectly with the animation.

2nd favorite- Unusual Suspects because of all the effort that must have been put into getting all those clips. There were so many clips of "the suspect was a black male" and "a black hooded sweatshirt". The author of the video makes a great point in saying how many news programs stereotype a "black male in a black hoody".

3rd- I really liked the 99 problems with Obama because it was funny and really well done. The words matched up perfectly to Obama's lips. The lines to the song was perfectly coinciding to what was going on with the politics at the time.

4th- I also liked the remix of Its Raining Men because its true how there is such a male presence in that movie. I also liked how the song matched up with the actor's actions when it was possible.

And my 5th favorite- would have to be Miss Piggy's "Fuck the Pain Away" because it really was very inappropriate but funny at the same time. In my opinion, I liked Wonderland Mafia better because it was a little less raunchy.

My idea for my research project would be working with funny quotes that Michael Scott has said from The Office. I would have his funny quotes with a bumch of clips from a seminar on how to be a good office manager.

Internet Art Introduction:

2 relavent figures mentioned:

Nam June Paik-

Paik is considered the "founder of video art". His quote is the famous quote "there is no rewind button for life". He works with many types of media and communicating through telecommunications.





Source for Picture and Information:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Portrait_of_Nam_June_Paik-by_Lim_Young-kyun-1981.jpg



Konrad Zuse- 

Zuse was once in the German Army before he actually built a computer called the ZI. Then he made the computer called the Z3 which was the first electromechanical computer that could store data.

Source for picture and information: http://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/bios/Konrad,Zuse/













Internet Art Chapter One:

2 relavent figures mentioned:

Douglas Davis-

Davis was a teacher and a writer. His writings were all about media and the science of video art and art in general. He opened numerous exhibits and is celebrated for these reasons. In the picture he in the first international satellite telecast.

Source for info and picture:
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/last-9-minutes/







Olia Lialina-

Olia is an artist from Moscow that is one of the founders of  experimental film club "CINE FANTOM". She is also a "net artist". She is an author of many different books, presentations and exhibits.

Source: http://art.teleportacia.org/olia.html

(Picture is of Olia and the first cake she baked)

Chapter 2 analysis of Letters to a Young Contrarian:

In this chapter one thing stood out to me and promoted me to think under the surface. When Hitchens says "You must feel not that you want to but that you have to." This is something that I actually really agree with. You don't see people that go into the medical field to become doctors and surgeons just wanting to go through 12 years of rigorous schooling to get to their goal, the work to absolutely having to have it.

Chapter 3 analysis of Letters to a Young Contrarian:

I really liked this chapter and a few ideas stood out to me. My favorite would have to be if you are "Aspiring toward a consistent perfection [you] are aspiring toward annihilation." This is spot on. I was thinking about it and realized that there is no such thing as perfection, and striving for it will in fact ruin you. So many people look to be perfect, something they will never be because perfection doesn't exist. This whole time they are trying to be something they will never be, it would be exhausting. The author even says there is no such thing as perfection, "Wherever life exists, there also is inconsistency, division, strife."

Another relevant part would be when the author says, "in life we make progress by conflict and in mental life by argument and disputation". I take this as meaning we need to be tested to achieve process. Mentally, argument will let you see things in a new view because you are being shown the conflicting side. Conflict will do about the same thing but in a different way, with conflict you usually need to compromise and doing that is hard for a lot of people. If you are willing to compromise then you can be a little wrong, and accepting that is a good thing. He talks about the "gray area" which I believe can be reached in conflict and argument to get that compromise.

Chapter 4 Analysis of Letters to a Young Contrarian

"It is true that the odds in favor of stupidity or superstition or unchecked authority seem intimidating". After pondering this I thought that looking at it from a governmental standing: a tyranny is a very scary thing in this country. A tyrant with unlimited authority would have limitless power and no human would want to live under those circumstances...the reason that revolutions and revolts came to be. However when the author says, "injustice and irrationality are inevitable parts of the human condition". I don't agree with this. Not everyone is unjust and irrational, that is a stereotype of the human race. Hitchens can't make this statement grouping the whole human race together as unjust.

Introduction chapter of Letters to a Young Contrarian:

This chapter wasn't very long so I only came across one point that stuck out and made me think: "Could I offer any advice to the young and restless; any counsel that would help them avoid disillusionment?" I had to look up "disillusionment" and basically found out that it means when you are let down because something wasn't as you imagined. This hit a spot with me because I do that a lot. I imagine something happening a certain way and find myself disappointed because it didn't turn out exactly how I played it out in my head. This is no one's  fault except for my own. His statement intrigued me and made me interested in continuing reading his book, something a good introduction should always do.

Chapter 1:

This chapter housed a few phrases that stood out to me. One was "by definition a single existence cannot furnish any pattern". This seems odd to me because a lot of species live by pattern. Us humans, for example, are a product our own patterns. Everyday we wake up, eat breakfast, go to our classes (adults to work), come home, eat dinner, and go to sleep. This happens everyday making it a pattern. I don't know how Christopher Hitchens can say that we can't house our own patterns, its in our DNA.

Another part of this chapter that stood out to me was when he was describing out of the box thinkers. I completely agree with his thought that society "tolerates and even admires even admires eccentricity". The ability to be creative and a cognitive thinker is admired throughout society. I am actually envious of these people because they can think of ideas for writing and projects easily. The author switches tones, however, when he describes people that think "too far out of the box"and how society will be "much less 'tolerant'". Which i agree with as well. Society deems these people on a "crazy" type of level. This is supported by all the mental illnesses that are associated with the extreme out of the box thinkers. 

After watching "Triumph of the Nerds" I realized that many things came together to make the modern day computer. It all started with "Xerox". Xerox made it so you could use a mouse and images to do actions on the computer screen. Before that you had these IBM PC computers that were very expensive and hard to use. IBM PC computers had it so you had to type in these complex codes just to do a simple task. However, IBM PC created the market for computers. So about 20 years later Windows OS came out with this "new" easy to use software. Turns out that this was just the Xerox's idea of images and a mouse. So after this Apple came to be, and Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs and his team set out to create Macintosh. This was a new computer that seemed to do it all and a lot simpler!

The finish product:

 (in the dark)

 (In the light)

Me presenting my project