Limits of Protest

As an American I am gifted with the freedom to embrace the actions of protesting. Protesting creates awareness and opens up to public opinion. Protest that are common in America initially are correlated with picket signs, cardboard cut-outs, and banners. These common "sign" themes provide common messages or unique expression to capture attention. Now imagine a protest using gallons of real blood splashed in front of the white house lawn. That would be an odd sight and I'm not sure how it would go over with the authority at hand. Well in Thailand protesters seeking attention using shock value tactics, poured gallons of blood in front of the prime minister's gate. This protest was to create a tactic which would create attention to the groups message of changing the government. This gathering brought over 100,000 protesters in volunteering their blood in order to provide a "bloody message." Using your own blood for protest seems like a pretty serious matter. Though the protest created tremendous publicity, a re-election will not occur. These "red shirt" volunteers believe that these blood protest may raise awareness more than ever. Over 265 gallons of blood were poured in front of the governor's house. If there is a point in my life where I could ever use the phrase of a "blood bath" well this pretty much seems to be it.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/18649059

A 25 year debate over "EXIT" signs?!

The representation of the exit sign is pretty simple right? The giant red letters illuminating themselves from the black background. Have you ever thought that the exit sign could cause such a debate? Yes, there has been a debate lasting 25 years over the American "EXIT" sign! Critics say that this sign is neither friendly to non-English speaking persons and implies a sense of worry or danger behind the colors it expresses. Also, the color expresses safety such as fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and fire engines. The national "EXIT" sign derives from a Japanese designer named Yukio Ota. The sign of a green "running man"a symbol ensuring safety with the absense of words. The debate according to the "red exit" haters, include a few advantages. They believe that using a green sign, referencing "Go", always ensures safety and wordless signs can be understood by cultures of different languages. Maybe Americans use wordy signs too much and need to adopt a simpler symbol figure. It is funny to see how such a debate had been lasting for decades. If exit signs are keeping people awake at night and they cannot find a way out then lets reward them with a giant green symbol of a man to welcome them out of danger.

Examining the threat of Latin American's cultural identity in the global market

Latin America, a place where a traditional cultural seeks for profitable market places. Latin America is a very modernist society where traditional institutions are vital in their culture. Family trends and job occupations are literally passed down from generation to generation. Questions arise in Latin American whether the hybrid states can move towards democracy and compete in global markets. For Latin America to flourish they must become globalized or they will fall behind the technical divide. The problem of globalizing the markets is that it may lose the states sense of cultural identity. When moving forward using hybrid cultures, change becomes a part of the new and traditions become lost. Traditions in cultures are very important in our societies. Traditions set us apart from one another by allowing cultures in the celebration of who they are and their ancestry. Although tradition is important when staying true to one's culture, new traditions and possibilities towards your cultures survival is absolutely eminent in life.

Life in 3-D

The television screen has been the entertainment for family households for generations. Family members sit comfortably in their recliners and family size couches, watching their favorite television show or movie. Now, today's television screen will bring a feeling of reality as it never has before with the production of 3-D. This new innovated televisions screen will project images in a 3-D format. This format will make objects appear as if they were jumping out of the screen and appearing as if they were in the same room as the viewer. Samsung and Panasonic are the two companies pushing for this new futuristic technology. These companies have competed to provide their new 3-D product to the world. Movies such as "Avatar", and "Alice in Wonderland", are smashing records with the 3-D movie releases in theatres. 3-D may become the new internet as it may control what we see in the future. Imagine computer screens, television sets, cell phone screens, movie theatres, touch screens, all in 3-D. It will be interesting how this new concept will change the world and how we view it.

Dog Microchips?

Man's best friend is soon to be man's next machine? Dog owners in Britain may be faced with the reality of putting microchips in their pets due to the country's number of dangerous canines. The British government is proposing a plan that would surveillance the 8 million dogs. Better yet, the proposed plan ensures that all pet owners must take out an insurance policy. Yes, I said it, an insurance policy that the citizens will have to pay for do to the installation of the microchip. In America we are having trouble paying for health insurance for own well beings, let alone paying for insurance for an animal. What does this say about the British government putting surveillance on pets? Some animal lovers consider their pets as family members. This is stirring up a huge debate and definitely steps boundaries on privacy acts. I sympathize with people who have been attacked by these dangerous canines but we also have to take into understanding that they are indeed animals. We have to take into consideration of how these animals are being treated and the environment they are being raised. Microchipping our own pets is not the answer. If they make this law then what limits will the governments push their boundaries in invading our privacy. What point will the government place a microchip in criminals or even if you break the law?