now that it's over, when it's over

The semester is just about to come to a close. I've completed the course this blog was intended for (even if it wasn't used as much as I thought it would be), and for all of you waiting and wondering with great anticipation... yes, I passed, and with flying colors I might add.

So the question that lies before me now is this: should I ditch this effort and go on with life, or should I finally abandon my Xanga and sell my soul to Google at the price of this blog? The debate in my own mind ensues...

For now, I'll keep Letters Over Tea and decide which blog will win my favor. If anyone can convince me why or why I shouldn't continue here, let me know. Otherwise, the chaos of Finals week continues...

(PR Advertisement blog) Cheers, drink a latke!

To all college kids everywhere:
Hey guys! Have you ever been browsing online looking for a unique, funny holiday gift and you can’t for the life of you figure out what to get? I’ve been there before, trust me. I was searching around to get a few ideas and came across something completely different, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the brilliance of the idea. It’s the 2007 Jones Soda Holiday pack.

The soda company started in 1987 and is based out of Seattle, Washington. It’s known for being a big sponsor of extreme sports and has made a name for itself by using photos on its labels sent in by real-life customers. They’ve been releasing the holiday pack for a couple of years now, and this year they’re introducing 2 brand new editions that come in Christmas and Chanukah packs. The Christmas package comes with 4 flavors: Christmas Ham, Christmas Tree, Egg Nog, and Sugar Plum sodas. Chanukah’s flavors include Latke, Apple Sauce, Chocolate Coins, and Jelly Doughnut sodas.

I know what you’re thinking: why would I want to drink a ham soda. The holiday packs have been notorious for some strange flavor choices, and the company prides themselves on the accuracy of their flavors to the real deal. When the Turkey and Gravy flavored beverage was released in 2003, people were downright disgusted. A holiday meal in liquid form? No way. There were, however, a surprisingly large group of followers that dedicated themselves from that point forward to the tradition of the holiday flavors every year.

Honestly, the idea of drinking a tree-flavored carbonated beverage to many people sounds downright bizarre. But how great would it be to reveal the holiday pack at a Christmas (or Chanukah) party with a group of your friends and pass the fun around to discover just how accurate the Jones folks are? It’s a terrific gift that could please your little brother and your grandparents alike. I’m not suggesting putting a latke soda slot in your cafeteria soda fountain, but for one season of the year, why not give a gift that’ll lighten the mood and spread a little holiday cheer?

And as if it couldn’t get any sweeter, Jones Soda packs actually give back to the community. In case you’re wondering how you can impact your world for the better, how you can give to a child in need , buying one of the holiday packs is a great place to start. A percentage of all proceeds from the special edition sodas will go to two different foundations: Toys for Tots, which delivers toys to needy kids, and Vitamin Angels, an organization that fights malnutrition and childhood blindess. With every sip of that Jelly Doughnut, you’re contributing to some amazing causes.

So forget your usual can of Coke or bottle of root beer, or take a break from that no-soda diet. Get over your fear of meat-inspired soda and pick up a holiday pack of Jones soda. You’ll be giving a great gift in more ways than one.

In The Dark Without a Reason

Reading the newspaper doesn’t usually make me upset. Usually. But on the rare occasion something pops out from one of the pages and really makes me bent out of shape. This past Monday was no exception, my friends.

I came across a story about a music scholar named Nalini Ghuman. She was an assistant professor at Mills college of Oakland. Emphasis on was. After a research trip to Britain, she has been obstructed from coming back into the U.S. without any sort of explanation or reasoning from our U.S. government. After living in America for 10 years she’s being treated like an outsider. “I don’t know why it’s happened or what I’m accused of. There’s no opportunity to defend myself. One is just completely powerless," she is quoted in the New York Times. Of course she’s powerless. According to the September 17th, 2007 article, even with the backing of countless societies, civil liberties groups, representatives, and congress members, nothing has been solved or justified by our government. Just silence.

I know the security level has been heightened in the last few years, but excluding a British musicologist? Give me a break. I’m sure the fact that she speaks Welsh and is an expert on composer Edward Elgar makes her completely dangerous and threatening.

Then again, I don’t have a whole lot of information to go on. From this article and the news blogs I’ve been reading, we don’t know if she’s really some sort of spy, or as Jonathan Bellman of the academic blog Dial “M” for Musicology so wittily puts it, a “shill for the militant Welsh, or the North Indian Vocalists’ Liberation Front” (it seems Mr. Bellman thinks this whole thing is as ridiculous as I do). But from all that I have read and gathered from this article, this teacher appears harmless. It looks like she’s just as in the dark and bewildered as I am about this whole thing.

This whole situation speaks highly to those who take an active part in the immigration debate these days. Upon reading the story, Kevin R. Johnson of ImmigrationProf Blog brought up a solid point: “the N.Y. Times today has an article that should make one pause about the fundamental fairness of some aspects of our current immigration practices.” No matter where you stand on the subject or what sort of experience you’ve had with this issue, this whole thing has to make you stop and think.

An official statement from Mills College reads: “as an institution of higher education, we urge the protection of academic freedom and first amendment rights, and hope that the current media attention will expedite a just resolution to this matter.” For her sake, I hope it does. She may be painted as some sort of icon or symbol in the unfairness of immigration laws, but it still doesn’t change the fact that she’s still apart from friends and students. Let’s hope she finds a way home sooner than later.

An introduction

Well, it's about that time. Time to create a blog specifically for the purpose of fulfilling a class assignment, but i'm not entirely positive it'll stop there. My name is Katherine, or Kate to my friends, and i'm a photojournalism student at Biola University. This blog will explore my opinions on news articles that I come across and hopefully provide room for a little discussion, challenging us all in how we see the world and the events that happen in it.

Of course my other hope is that I get an A, but that's an obvious one.

I'll be posting my thoughts soon, so don't run away on me. I'll see you when I see you.