FASHION!!!! or just another trip to the old psych. ward????

How well do you keep up with the latest fashions? Well I will tell you how I deal with them....I DON'T! and why might you ask? It changes too much!

Clothing styles and popular fashions are highly in flux and are continuously involved in runaway innovations and 'fly-by-night' ads in the fashion world. Within the span of 100 years, popular fads have included wide-leg bell bottoms, short dresses, and deliberately ripped jeans. These and other fashion trends have made up the history of twentieth-century women's clothing. But what happens when fashion and the upkeep of it intertwines with the "perfect" female body image?
It seems that the ideal shape tends to be whatever is most difficult to achieve during a given time period. Also if too many women were able to meet the ideal, then standards would have to change for the ideal to retain its extraordinary nature. But the one thing that makes this ideology even worse, is that the ideal shape is becoming harder and harder to achieve as time goes on. So the question then becomes, what should we do about it?


MY OPINION: Personally I think that the way women view their bodies have been corrupted by images in the media. The number of people who are having cosmetic surgery have gone up extensively, while the ages of the person who are getting these procedures have went down from the average age being around 40 to being around 18. Soon I think that the media will be covering another story, but not mostly on body images, but how it will be in relation to the number of women in the psychiatric ward. The 1920s and 1960s both bucked the trend of the curvaceous woman. As a woman I know all to well of the stress that women go through trying to keep up with those ideologies and I am a believer that if something is not done soon in making sure that women can see themselves as beautiful no matter what images are portrayed in the media there will be a lot of 'sick' women. Other research shows how other measures of physical beauty show a very clear trend of slimness. For example, waist measurements of winners of the Miss America pageant went from just under 26 inches in the 1920s to around 24 inches in the 1980s. Some countries are beginning to ban fashion models of a 'certain size' but how much of an impact will this have on popular culture body shape ideas?

Peace, Love, and HOPE!

THE HIPPIE GENERATION OF THE 1960'S- 1970'S

The 60’s and 70’s was a decade unlike any other. The people didn't listen to their elders, yet chose to live in an alternative culture which was all their own and that was made up by the younger population at the time. This new culture was a part of a radical society which called themselves Hippies. The Hippie movement started in San Francisco, California and spread across the United States, to Canada, and then into parts of Europe. Hippies shocked people with their alternative lifestyles and radical beliefs. The clothes they wore and the way they carried themselves gave no recognition to class, race, or gender. All these people wanted was peace on earth, free love, and most importantly a CHANGE! They worked to change the views of the world and to take away the divisions we have as a people that tear us apart.

MY THOUGHTS: ???Can my generation be considered similar with the Hippie generation of the 1960s and 70s???

I hold the opinion that even though historically the Hippie generation developed in and era where being different was a way to revolt against their "old" parents, public figures, and government that my generation have some of the same qualities and ideas for change and growth in today's world. In the past 2008 presidential elections my generation help the most votes and dared for change in America and accomplished it! Before I came to London I knew about the stereotype they had placed on Americans; that they are ignorant. Since my stay here I have noticed that the way Londoners and others around the world view my generation compared to others is amazing in that they recognize our eagerness to learn and explore different things. Therefore, I would consider my generation to be similar to that of the Hippies.

A Mothers Poem...

War Baby

He has not even seen you, he
Who gave you your mortality;
And you, so small, how can you guess
His courage or his loveliness?

Yet in my quiet mind I pray
He passed you on the darkling way -
His death, your birth, so much the same -
And holding you, breathed once your name.

- Pamela Holmes

Written by Pamela Holmes, whose daughter was born four months after her pilot husband was posted missing.

Historically, this poem was written during the 2nd world war by a women who just had her baby daughter only four months after her husband went missing. This short poem provides its readers with a windows peek of how life was so precious during war times. During the war death was everywhere and basically had affected everyone, but this poem offers another side of things that was also going on during those times.It shows us that even in the mist of death there is always life and within this poem the daughter proves that theory. Being an air pilot during the 2nd world war was no joke due to the constant air raids and air power that was used during this time. The woman who writes the poem explains that her daughter will never understand the courage that her father had or to be able to see him. The poem is beautiful within it self and leaves me wondering if I even truly understand what the people who fought for me actually did for me.

EXPANSION:WW2 battles were mostly fought in the air. It became so popular once the military realized that they could potentially save more of their men lives if they did air raids versus on-foot invasions. Once everyone noticed that planes were more effective then more planes with better technological advances started to appear. As a result to the change of technology many pilots were killed by guns that were now appearing on the planes. Over 500 pilots died in Britain alone. In my opinion the civilians had it the worst because they saw these planes go down most of the times or could hear them fly by at all times of the day. It actually got to the point where the civilians could look up into the sky and be able to tell which place belonged to which army.

Conversation Spark...

Everyone who is anyone knows of Germany’s history and the past Nazi Germany, but if you do not know Germany's history here is a quick review.

FLASHBACK:

Nazi Germany- occupied most of Europe during 1930-1945

Holocaust-the murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime

The invasion of the entire Western Front of Europe except for Britain- Hitler had a plan the entire time to take over the western front starting with Poland and once he had done that he would then turn his attention to the eastern front which was the Soviet Union. During the invasions millions of civilians, Jews, and others were killed.

The Blitz- The massive bombing in Britain caused by the Nazis. It started the summer of 1940 and lasted for about a year killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Being blamed for the start of both wars- Germany, in my opinion, was wrongfully blamed for the cause of WWI due to them helping the country that really started the first world war. Germany already had a bad name for itself because of what happened in the first war, but after WW2 and the Nazi invasions and massacres any chances of redeeming themselves seemed unforeseeable.



It is important to understand at least some of Germany's past in order to be able to follow the next part of this conversation. Anyway while in Prague at the pub that was inside of my hostel I met three girls from Germany. One of the three girls was talking to me and seemed to be fascinated by the fact that I can proudly say that I am an American. She went further to explain that due to Germany's past (even though she was born in my generation and had nothing to do with Germany's past) she can never say that she is proud to be German and that it is sometimes hard not to be able to say that you are proud of who you are and where you are from. She continued by saying that she still has to live with the scares of the wars that took place before she was born. She also talked about her grandmother and how she fills her house with food that could feed and an army, because she is so afraid that if something were to ever happen again in Germany that she would not have enough food. I found the multiple stories that the girl told me to be fascinating and heart breaking at the same time. When I think of the war, I only think about it being in the past and never realized that the after effects of these wars have impacted the lives of millions forever. Someone like the girl I was speaking to grandmother now fills her house with tons of food, someone else lost an entire family in the war, and others went through probably way more. The conversation with this girl helped me to realize that the aftershock of the war has not ended and will last a life time for many people. Also even though I personally had no lasting affects of the war, I can still be touched and reminded about it daily.

Prague and Berlin

(the picture above is a statue of a woman holding her dead grandson who was killed in ww2. The statue is located in Berlin, Germany)

Over spring break I went to Prague and Berlin. Historically both places serve as a reminder of the 2^nd world war.

Prague was virtually untouched by the war due to them surrendering so quickly. Hitler ordered Germany's army to invade Prague on March 15, 1939. Most of Prague population during that time was made up by the Czechs, Germans, and Jews. From 1939 and during World War II, most Jews either fled the city or were killed in the Holocaust. Towards the end of the war Prague suffered some bombing by the U.S. Air Force were over one thousand people were killed and hundreds of buildings, factories, etc. were destroyed. On May 5, 1945 Prague revolted against Nazi Germany once they knew for sure that the outcome of the war was decided and Germany would surrender to the allies. While walking around parts of Prague such as Old Town Square there were plaques of remembrance for those who died during the war.







Unlike Prague, Berlin had to be almost rebuilt after both wars. On January 30, 1933 Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power. Nazi rule destroyed Berlin's Jewish community, which had numbered 170,000 before 1933.During the war, large parts of Berlin were destroyed in air raids (1943-45) and during the Battle of Berlin. After the war in Europe ended in 1945, Berlin received large numbers of refugees from the Eastern provinces. The major differences I saw while walking around both places was that Berlin's history is put on plaques throughout the city to serve as reminders for the people who live there to learn from the mistakes of the past and never let them happen again. On my walking tour around East Berlin there wasn’t a single step we took that did not show the scars of the Nazis, both of the wars, the Holocaust, or the Berlin wall. Both places were nothing short of amazing and if ever visited are sure to impact lives.

what a strange but wonderful man...

Ten fun facts about Churchill:

1) His full name is Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
2) His faithful bodyguard who saved his life more than once name was Walter H. Thompson
3) Churchill was born November 30, 1874 in Oxfordshire
4) 1919-1921 Churchill was the secretary of state for war and air
5) 1939 Churchill became the first lord of Admiralty ( he was in charge of navel affairs)
6) Churchill refusal to surrender to Nazi Germany inspired his country
7) Churchill created a strong bond with the US president Roosevelt
8) During the war Churchill insisted that he walked on the dangerous streets like everyone else did while the Germans were dropping bombs in London.... (he had a curious mind)
9) Churchill popularized the term 'Iron Curtain' (def: to describe the division between Western powers and the area controlled by the Soviet Union)
10) 1953 Churchill won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

most of the information in this post was found on the following sites:

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/churchill_winston.shtml

My comments about Churchill:

Personally I really enjoy learning about Churchill. I was introduced to who he was while studying here in London from both my Politics and WWII professors. I didn't feel as though I really understood Churchill until I watched a special on him through the eyes of his bodyguard that was also aired on BBC. Historically Churchill is the man who saved Britain from being seized from Nazi Germany though his constant efforts to become allies with the United States. Churchill worked tirelessly many of the nights during the war. Also Churchill had insisted that he too embraced the same dangers the people who lived in London did everyday, so most of the time he would go out walking the streets at night, with his bodyguard always close by, putting both of them in some really dangerous situations. Churchill's curiosity intrigued me as so did his laid back attitude about the dangers he put himself in daily. I applaud his efforts and persistence in becoming allies with the US because maybe one day with those efforts the US and GB can join together and become one great nation where GB is one of our sister states.

Writer's Corner....

Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) "Anthem for a Doomed Youth"

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

--Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries for them from prayers or bells,

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,-

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of silent minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

My comments about this poem:

The poem was written towards the end of WWI. The poem sounds like it takes place on a battlefield. I believe that Owen was trying to tell its readers that their is no one to mourn for the dead solders excepts for the sounds to the continued war and death. Also the poem shows how religion is somewhat meaningless when it comes to this war, because if the men who signed up to fight in the war were really Christians or practiced some other kind of faith how were they able to go to war if that is against many people religious views. In my opinion my previous statement shows the hypocrisy of all the men who choose to fight in the war and still claim to practice certain religions that oppose to the war. Anyway in all I really enjoyed the poem, even though I had to reread it a few times to grasp what I thought the writer was trying to say.

Shots Fired....Shots Fired!!!

It all began on the morning of June 28, 1914; that was the day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife (who was pregnant at the time) was both shot and killed by one of the members of the Black Hand Gang named Gavrilo Princip. Those two fatal shots sparked a war.

...STOP...WAIT....WHO IS GERVRILO PRINCIP?...

Gavrilo Princip was a Yugoslav nationalist associated with the freedom movement Mlada Bosna. Princip was the one who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife in Sarajevo. The way the story plays out is almost a little unreal because who everything falls into place. Ferdinand was suppose to have been killed on his ride though the city; there were about 4 men placed in front of Princip but all had failed to kill him including Princip. After one of their men was caught after his failed attempt to kill the Archduke and then himself the others went off to talk things out and to see what went wrong. In the mist of their conversation, Princip decided he was hungry and went off to find himself a sandwich. With Princip decision to go and find himself something to eat, it started a chain affect for what was about to happen next. The Archduke driver made a wrong turn which placed them right in front of where Princip had found his food and that litlle coincidence gave Princip the opportunity that ended up sparking a war.

Rubber Duckies...

Last Wednesday we took a group field trip to The Roman Baths. It was an amazing site to see. Many people can easily point out its noticeable columns and now green water, but few know the history behind its everlasting beauty. Roman baths were a main part of Roman social life. They were also a feat of engineering at the time. The first baths, which are referred to as balneum, were privately owned. Eventually everyone in Rome used Roman baths regardless of social class. The baths did have entry fees but they were moderately priced since they were government owned. Also many of the baths had workout equipment nearby. In my opinion, the Roman baths were what we now refer to as community centers. Both places have community pools, work out places, anyone can come to them, and they are low priced. I think that the Roman baths were created as a way to help people of all different backgrounds come together and socialize while having a good time. The stones that surround the baths, ones of which we all walked on while visiting there, are over 2000 years old! Most bath houses were considerably large and some could even hold up to 3,000 people at one time. Therefore, in a group that can be that big, theft was always a possibility. Nevertheless the baths were very popular for the people of that time and even in today’s world they still seems to amaze anyone who is fortunate enough to go and see it for themselves. Today many of the baths have been turned into tourist attractions and museums. Also they have been specially equipped to provide information to the people who are there about how the baths came about.

*The Legend of the Baths:
There is a legend that Bath was founded in 860 BC when Prince Bladud, father of King Lear, caught leprosy. He was banned from the court and was forced to look after pigs. The pigs also had a skin disease but after they wallowed in hot mud they were cured. Prince Bladud followed their example and was also cured. Later he became king and founded the city of Bath. (Tim Lambert)


*different sites to visit for more info:
http://www.destination360.com/europe/uk/roman-baths.php
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/
http://www.localhistories.org/bath.html

whats the big deal its only religion!!!

What is it about religion that makes it so important to people? I never really understood the whole thing myself, maybe that is why I choose not be be religious. In London religion doesn't carry the same importance as it does in the US. In fact Sundays are used for a shopping day, imagine that! I think that London doesn't focus so much on religion because its not heavily publicized in London as it is in the states. In the US its not so easy to escape the wraths of religion, its on the television, money, newspapers, and etc. Meanwhile in London I rarely hear anyone speaking about it. Dr. Stokes, the speaker of BLC last week, said that they use the churches for other things like for meetings of different groups, entertainment, and things of that nature. She also stated that is was not accepted for someone in power to talk about their religion when addressing the public, like when they are on television. In fact, I think she said that one person actually got turned off when he decided to speak of God during his interview. I guess in London, even though there is no law for separation of church and state, they have the common sense and respect of others not to intertwine the two. In the states we have the law for separation of church and state, yet religion seems to always creep back into most of Americans daily lives even if they do not consider themselves to be religious. More than 60% of UK population have no affiliation with any religion or church. It is presumed that the others remain members for traditional reasons or social pressure.

* a site where you can find more info about religion in the UK: http://www.vexen.co.uk/UK/religion.html