Analytical Blog: Sadako’s Mixed Legacy

Sadako Sasaki, a 2-year-old girl, was killed when the atomic bomb dropped, hitting her home on Aug. 6, 1945 near Hiroshima, Japan. Her image and legacy has been construed in two very different ways -- one in popular culture as a frightening figure, the other as a symbol of peace.

Sadako has been popularly depicted through "The Grudge," where the theme is that a curse develops when a person dies under extreme anger or sorrow. The evil character of a Japanese girl with long stringy black hair covering her face only enough to show one eye at times has become synonymous with Sadako's name. If you Google Sadako, you will see many versions of her character as a symbol of fear before discovering another version. It could therefore be interpreted that Sadako's anger for her death due to the atomic bomb has remained and she seeks revenge on the American woman who temporarily lives in the home as a nurse.

The other depiction of Sadako is simply for peace. After her death, funds were raised for a memorial of Sadako and other children who had died from the effects of the atomic bomb dropping. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was erected, which is silhouetted in the opening photograph.

Paper cranes are a symbol of peace related to Sadako’s legacy. Over one thousand origami peace cranes were constructed for the erection of Sadako’s memorial and continue to be a symbol for peace across the world.

Images of Italy

Images of Italy seem as they are from a distant, foreign time. But there are many aspects of modern Italian culture that haven't been changed for hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of years.

The photo to the right is St. Peter's Basilica, completed in 1590 by Michelangelo. This Renaissance basilica, and many others in Rome and Florence, show the immense wealth and power of the Catholic Church during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.

The Catholic Church still holds great sway in Italian culture. Catholicism in Italy today fosters a deep investment in tradition and ritual, superstitions and patron saint worship.

The photo at left is from a canal in Venice. Venice is a city with water for roads and boats for cars. Venice was once home to explorer Marco Polo and 18th century playboy Giacomo Casanova.

Venice has been around for 1,500 years, but may be nearing the end of its days. The city is sinking due to rising sea levels and shoddy building foundations.

The trades that make Venice famous today, like fishing and glass-making, are those that for centuries the city has been revered for. Some places in the world, it seems, modernity doesn't touch.


The photo at left is the quintessential Italian herb, basil. Whether with mozzarella and tomatoes in a caprese salad, on a margarita pizza, or mashed up into a pesto, basil is a staple of Italian food.

Ancient Romans would use basil to freshen their breath after meals. This herb has been a hallmark of Italian cooking for thousands of years, proving that some things in society don't need to be improved upon.

Berlusconi is Italian Power

Street art in New York City comparing Berlusconi's influence in Italy to that of Al Capone's in organized crime.

Silvio Berlusconi is the most powerful man in Italy. He is also the most controversial. Although he has been in and out of office since 1994, Prime Minister Berlusconi has consistently held one position since the late 1970s -- media tycoon.

It is estimated that Berlusconi owns 90% of Italy's airwaves. His company, Mediaset, is the nation's largest commercial broadcaster. When in office, Berlusconi also exercises control over the public broadcasting network - RAI. His wife and brother each own separate national newspapers.

The Berlusconi name is synonymous with Italian media control; a fact that has nearly led Reporters Without Borders to label Berlusconi a "predator" of world press freedom.

This all-encompassing stake in media and politics is one of the leading reasons behind nation-wide protests against the Prime Minister. "No Berlusconi Days" have cropped up with regularity in several major Italian cities, including this one in Rome in May (at right).

Though the Italian public and courts have repeatedly gone after Berlusconi, suggesting an overwhelming rejection of the man and his administration, it must be remembered that he has been elected to the office of Prime Minister three times in the past 16 years.

Is Silvio Berlusconi the most influential man in Italy? Yes. Do all Italians see that as a problem? Maybe not.

Volcanoes in the West

Mount Hood (left), Mount Rainer (right), and Yellowstone National Park (above)—what do all of these pictures demonstrate? These pictures are possible eruptions within the United States. When people view these astonishingly beautiful sights, they sometimes forget how dangerous, deadly, and alive these volcanoes can be. Throughout the west coast, the population has been warned about the potential danger they are in from these geologic sights. However, what about the rest of the United States? Will they suffer from these eruptions? Certainly, but how soon?

Great deals of people are not aware of these potential dangers right in their very backyard. Perhaps an intriguing characteristic about volcanoes is no two volcanoes or their eruptions are the same. In the instance of Yellowstone National Park, it is said that when Yellowstone erupts, it will be classified as a “super-eruption”. However, it is not known how intense and explosive the eruption will be. In fact, there are many who are not conscious to the idea that Yellowstone National Park is a volcano. If Yellowstone National Park were to erupt today, say goodbye to the United States and hello to worldwide devastation. All of these volcanoes are due for an eruption, but when? There has been evidence of Yellowstone's activity recently increasing; "Yellowstone Super Volcano Getting Ready to Blow it's Cork," portrays this evidence significantly along with many other sources. Mount Rainer and Mount Hood have similar scientific evidence of a possible eruption, but the timing is not known. However, they could erupt in 100 years, 10 years, or tomorrow. That is the unpredictability factor of these geologic features. History has various instances where these natural hazards have devastated cities, towns, or countries (e.g. Mt. Vesuvius devastating Pompeii). No matter what, the fact remains that past eruptions have occurred and it is not known the timing or magnitude of the next eruption.

Analytical Blog: The Dollar ReDe$ign Project

As the effects of the recession continue, American citizens maintain the debate on the best methods to restore the economy. Common solutions include finding ways to unburden the taxpayer create more jobs, and decrease dependence on foreign resources. But according to Richard Smith, the key to renewal is rebranding the dollar bill. That's right--a new design. Yet regardless of how aesthetically pleasing a new crisp wad of twenties would be it is difficult to comprehend how they would translate into greater financial security.

According to Smith, a creative strategy contsultant, the appearance of American currency pales in comparison to the more vibrant, not to mention more valuable, Euro. And despite the fact that it has undergone a cosmetic lift in the past decade in the ways of bolder colors, color-shifting ink, and new watermarks, Smith believes not much has changed since the 1930s.

That is why he created The Dollar ReDe$ign Project, which has already gained national attention for both its vision and flaws. Anyone who is interested was encouraged to upload their proposals to the site. Even though the 2010 deadline has passed, people can still view current and past submissions until September 30.

Smith writes on his blog that currency is the "ultimate symbol" of a country because it "distills a country's vision, values and the heritage that make[s] it unique." The same could be said of a flag, nevertheless Smith has a point; how seriously one should take that point is the question. After all, how are Americans going to enjoy new currency if they are seeing less of it these days?

Another issue is the cost of a new design itself. Cash production costs money, approximately four cents for each note. And some of the ornate, color saturated designs Smith proposes could possibly increase that rate putting a further dent in the economy.

If they wre hre today, I think George Washington and Benjamin Franklin would aggree that they are fine on their green landscape: America has bigger issues to worry about.

Spain: TAPAS

Spain is an incredible country to explore. Something rather unique about Spain is their cuisine. Some people think that Spanish food and Mexican food are the same, but they happen to be complete opposites. Spain is known as the best place in the world to eat a variety of food in a short amount of time.
In Spain people often eat what is known as "Tapas." Tapas happen to be mostly finger food that is served in small portions, much like an appetizer in the U.S., except in Spain the portions are small and always shared among a group of people.
Many travel sites are available online for anyone to plan out a trip involving an array of adventure involving Tapas. Since tapas can be eaten at anytime, and mostly anywhere, people tend to partake in that activity a lot. On some useful sites their are Spaniards that post lists of places to eat the best tapas in Spain. Tapas are also always eaten between meals. When learning about the history of tapas one can find that it goes all the way back to medieval times when farmers took breaks and usually had a piece of cheese and wine before taking a nap. The tradition of eating small bites of food throughout the day is also connected to the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th. For Spaniards taking a siesta, or a nap in the afternoon, is extremely common. Everyone goes home from 1-5, or 6pm, and eats, naps, and relaxes. In Spain people are very much about living in the moment, and enjoying time with friends and families. Most reviews of the tapas bar include the authentic lifestyle of the Spaniards, which is difficult to follow at first. The mood is very relaxed. Now, you may be wondering what kind of food actually makes a tapas. I will tell you about a very popular one called jamon y queso. This translates into ham and cheese. Now ham and cheese in Spain, is not anything like ham and cheese in the U.S. In Spain the Ham has been dried and salted for months. Ham is a delicacy. Everything about the ham is done in a certain manner. In Spain as mentioned before, the ham is dried and salted for months. They then usually slice it off a calf leg in thin slices that create flat,savory, slices of ham that exist in your mouth only for a few moments. To the right is a perfect example of what this tapas looks like.
To the American eye this meet can look raw and unappetizing at first but when eaten with a small piece of cheese, and a cracker, it can be the most delightful snack one has tasted.
Spanish cuisine is generally a blander mix of taste then most people are used to. For instance the idea of eating something "spicy" does not really exist in Spain. Spain is also known for the dish paella, which always consists of rice and vegetables but can also include fish or chicken. This dish is usually cooked in a pan that is then served and presented at the table.

Spain is a very unique country and if any person is interested in authentic foods, or learning specifically about tapas, Spain is the best destination.
[Images: Bullfight, Jamon y Queso]
[Photos: Google]

Colorado Wildfire Analytical Blog

There hasn't been a Colorado wildfire since 2002, but the September 2010 wildfire brought panic to many Coloradans. With too many people poorly equip residents, this wildfire forced many northern Colorado residents homeless for days and in panic.

The fire lasted over four days, leaving over 170 homes destroyed. The roaring 40 mph winds at the foothills of the Rocky Mountain enabled the wildfire to relocate an estimated 9,000 people. The Colorado wildfire tragedy was a wake up call to many. Today many people have lost sight of the importance of wildfire and the harm they cause. The wildfire added to the 2.6 million acres that have been burned this past summer alone. These fires are certainly not cheap. This past fire cost up to $2.1 million to suppress in the five days it lasted.

These uncontrollable mass tragedies cannot be fully prevented, but there are some methods to reducing risk. These include managing air quality, limiting pollution, maintaining ecological balances and protecting resources.

These methods help for a safer environment in the future for wildfires. Planning is another big issue when talking about wildfires. Knowing both an exit strategy and Red Cross locations are beneficial when dealing with any kind of natural disaster.