Vending Machines

Have you ever been curious about a vending machine? To many it could simply be a way of getting something to eat, or drink. However, in other parts of the world they are considered major machines that can be found on every other street corner. Japan now has the highest population of vending machines, and  there are an estimated one vending machine for every twenty-three people. In Japan, things such as Mp3 players,sex toys, fresh meat, liquor,and even live lobsters are sold inside Japans vending machines. Groups of people will purchase liquor and stand around the vending machine, this is known as "Vendo". Machines can also be found in formal restaurants. They dispense tickets which are then given to the worker who prepares your meal in front of you. Japanese vending machines produce over $53.28 billion.In Japan, it is even possible to pay my mobile phone for vending machine purchases.

   

Vending machines can serves for different purposes. Australian vending machines sell gemstones! There are no machines that sell food. Most machines in Australia sell jewelry or DVD's! In the United Sates vending machines provide snack to students all over. They help pay for after school activites and extra-curricular activities. Annual sales in the United States are estimated between $19 billion and $29 billion! 

BOLERO

Bolero is a orchestral piece composed by Maurice Ravel, and is one of Ravel’s most famous musical compositions. Bolero premiered in 1928 and represents Ravel’s passion of restyling, and  reinventing dance movements. The Bolero is a Spanish dance, that involves rhythmical music. Maurice Ravel took it, and turned it into something that has meaning, and can be expressed in another form of dance called ballet. The piece was actually written for one of Ravels female friends. Her name was Ida Rubinstein, and she was a Russian ballerina. This composition, in a way sounds like a love song.  It makes you wonder if Ravel and Rubinstein have some type of love connection? The world will never know!

Video Games & Art.

Video games should not currently be considered art, but that does not mean that they are not a valid source of entertainment. Kellee Santiago insist that video games are more then entertainment, and that there is more that meets the eye. Ms. Santiago is a student studying in the interactive media program, her research is mainly focused on game design, so it is clearly obvious as to why Ms. Santiago  feels this way about video games. I do not agree with Ms. Santigo. Video and are not art, they are a source of entertainment. Most of the things we enjoy in life are entertainment. I don’t consider a lot of things to be art.  For example, books, magazines, television serious, food. None of  theses things are bad, but rather really enjoyable.

I believe that the things we consider art should, allow most people to ask there self  about how we live, and the state of the world round us. I do not think that video games get to that place. When you think about it, do games rise to the level of art the way that some painting or drawings do? Can they cause an emotional experience, in such ways as paintings and drawings do?  They may to some, but to me, this is not possible.

Sure,maybe someday I will consider video games to be labeled as art, but as of now  that’s not what they represent to me. I see them as a just s source of entertainment, something to keep you busy when you’re bored. And for now there is a perfectly fine category for them: games.

Melted Crayon Art

Art can be considered anything to me. Art is special technique that you use to express your feelings on anything, for example, paper, clay, cement, even paper clips. As show above splash paper with a lot of different colors can express anger, boredom, anything you want because you are the one drawing. Art is anything you want it to be. It could you in a very sexy dress. It doesn't matter. You consider Art. You make 
Art. One mans trash,is another mans treasure. 

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast reflects the value of acceptance and teaches its viewers to give more importance to the personality and character of an individual rather than his or her physical appearance. Belle was scared staying in the house with the Beast, but as days passed she realized that the Beast was kind, gentle, and honest. Belle and the Beast became close to one another. The story revolved on how the two fell in love with each other despite their differences. The films main focus was the importance of personality rather then appearance. 

Beauty and the Beast is considered one of Disney’s best animated films. the tale of Beauty and the Beast dates back to over two-hundred years ago. Based on the classic French fairy tail, it tells the story of Belle a intelligent young women who is sworn by the townspeople for being more into books, then boys. Belle’s father gets lost in the woods, and is captured by the forbidding Beast, who was once a handsome prince who was turned into a monster by a witch. On a stormy winter night an old beggar women showed up on the steps of the princes door, she seeked shelter for the night, and in return she would give the prince a rose. Seeing that the old women was not very appealing, he shut the door in her face. The women then knocked again, when the prince opened the door instead of being greeted by an ugly old lady, he was greeted by a beautiful enchantress. She had seen that the prince had no beauty in his heart, and  for a punishment she put a curse on him, thus turning him into a beast.


Belle traveled into the woods in search of her father. When Belle comes in contact with the Beast, he agrees to release her father only if she agrees to stay with him forever. The Beast’s servants, a clock, a candlestick, and a teapot look to Belle as their salvation. If the Beast and a women fall in love before his twenty-first birthday then he and his servants will be released from the curse.  Repulsed, Belle soon finds much to appreciate in the Beast’s hidden tender nature.


According to most movie critics Beauty and the Beast expresses a moral lesson that can be easily recognized and understood by children. Who you are, and what you are matters more then your appearance. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. In the case of the Beast, he was a very handsome prince, but throughout the movie he was also stubborn and hard hearted. I believe that being cursed changed him, he became a nice individual who learned how to love and care for others. Belle is a kind hearted girl who I also believe helped changed the ways of the Beast. At the end of the movie, Belle and the Beast fall in love, the curse is broken, and he turns back into a handsome prince.  No one should ever be quick to judge someone on how they look. Treat others the way you would want to be treated, and in return you will receive so much.

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Beowulf & The Modern Day Hero

   “It’s a bird...it’s a plane...no! It’s Superman!” When people say a modern day superhero, the names such as  “Spiderman”, “Superman”, and “Catwoman” may  flash into mind. However, we forget about one of the most influential superheroes of today’s time a soldier. Despite the differences, there are many similarities between Beowulf and a soldier. Both Beowulf and the soldiers of today have more in common than we  realize.
All soldiers that are fighting for my country certainly comes to mind first, when I think about a modern day hero. Both hero’s are fighting for a good cause, get rewarded for what they do, and get treated with much respect. Although a soldier might not withhold unworldly strength as one such as Beowulf, they both are putting their life at stake, which gives them both the title as being a hero.

As much as two great humans could have so much in common, Beowulf and a soldier have differences as most people in life do. These include the fact that soldiers are paid for their services, where Beowulf battles for his people without a fee. However, in all due respect, most soldiers in the United States fight for our country because they are passionate, patriotic, and feel that they have a fighting cause.

Another difference is that soldiers are sent through training and boot camp in order to achieve the proper skills and strength in order to become the best that they can be. On the other hand, Beowulf does not train for strength or skill. For example, Beowulf was said to lift Grendel’s mighty head, which was twice his size, out of the water without struggle. Beowulf could be considered superhuman due to his abnormal strength and talent, whereas a soldier is simply just a human.
Soldiers are strong and tough like Beowulf, but in all honesty, they do not have super strength, as does Beowulf. These are only a few differences, which can be tied together as similarities due to dedication and hard work of both. Beowulf and soldiers are putting their life on the line, fighting for a good cause, protecting their people and working hard to do what is right.

In the epic story Beowulf is fighting to destroy the monster that is eating all of Hrothgars men in the mead hall. Beowulf defeats the monster and seeks all other monsters that try to promote evil. Soldiers do the same, they fight hard to try to stop the person who is doing harm to their country. Both Beowulf and the Soldiers that serve our country are brave and have a sense of duty, they are good leaders and many have respect for them. They both express courage and strength, and both should be highly acknowledged whether their fighting monsters or fighting for our protection.

Although one is past and the other present, hero is the only word that comes to mind. They are standing up for what is right, and putting their life on the line at the same time.

Maurice Ravel < Music from the 20th Century...

Maurice Ravel's music is very innovative,it doesn't sound like most of the classical music that was produced during the 1900's. The tone of his music is both happy and sad! In some songs the tone is very calm and quite but if you fast forward there are song that are very dramatic and loud.
Ravel's music is pleasing but is not what i usually listen to,to compare Ravel's music to the music of the 20th century is like comparing water to pop, the water is very calm,soothing,and boring but the pop is carbonated,full of life and more upbeat!  To fully understand Ravel's music i feel as if i would have to research him and find out more about how he lived his life,then maybe i would be able to make more of a connection to him and his music.
Overall Maurice Ravel music isn't the worse thing I've ever heard,im in orchestra so this i can cope with i just wish it was more upbeat,something i could bob my head to!