There is just something I feel is missing.

I can imagine one solution, but in the end it will just end up the same, only in a worse situation and no education.

One day I feel bright as the blue sky, the next almost complete opposite.

I'm so indecisive about everything, I think too much and blame myself for everything that goes wrong. Yet I try to be the most unselfish person I possibly can be.

I try so hard at everything I do, yet it always seems the outcome is the same as before I entered the picture.

When I dream, its thoughts of being a complete douche blowing everyone off, wondering if thats a step in the right direction.

What is happening to me? I used to love* school

I need a friend who I can lay down next to in the middle of the night prefferably on the floor of said persons bedside. To just waste away thoughts of nothing. Sadly since moving up here I haven't been able to do such things.

Words of encouragement are needed, should I continue school? Should I stay here in Michigan? Is there somebody I can just chill with when I need them?

(to be continued)

Hurricane Katrina Essay

The slow response to Hurricane Katrina's victims was more of a class issue than one of race. Although in this case, they are one in the same. There are a few topics that will support my proposed statement. The Louisiana Senator, David Vitter said, "I thought people would come together and help". (Spike Lee, Levees) This statement supports that people would feel sorry for the poor people of New Orleans. Bush was on his vacation and wasn't aware of the situation in New Orleans, this is just selfish, and he obviously tries to shrug it off like it isn't an epidemic, because it doesn't directly affect him at all. Due to the lower class, who typically vote towards the Democratic side of things. The final reasoning for the slow response is the very sour relationship between New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin, and the Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco. A counter-argument to all this is that most of Americas resources, both financially and emotionally, are tied into the war over in Iraq. All of the stated reasons will support why the slow response to the Hurricanes victims was a class issue more than one of race.

The distant but at the same time local government felt that Americans could come together and help out. As David Vitter, the Louisiana Senator during the Katrina crisis, said. It seems very foolish of a senator to say something like that. When he really did not know the true situation that the victims of Hurricane Katrina faced. "In the metropolitan area in general, in the huge majority of areas, it's not raising at all. It's the same or it may be lowering slightly". (www.factcheck.org/article348.html) This press statement clearly defines how much knowledge the Senator knows about a city within his district. If this man knew so little, was it his choice or did not one other person know about the situation? He clearly chose to view it as not too much of importance on his schedule. He sure doesn't seem interested in such a poor populace, besides everyone knows that poor people don't vote for the Republican candidate. I'm just kidding, I'm just trying to put you in what his state of mind must have been. Clearly the "Why fix something that isn't broken" seems to have an impact here.

It seems that everyone knew the horrible situation New Orleans was in; The red cross constantly had banners running on local television stations world-wide. There were beneficial concerts being organized. So where was the president? He is too busy enjoying his vacation. Playing guitar with country star Mark Willis. Governor Blanco requested for a second time that Louisiana needed some federal aid, although she had certain resources tucked into her sleeve, but I will touch on that later. Saying, "Mr. President, we need your help. We need everything you got". (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434/site/newsweek) This is more of a class issue, Bush showing his true feelings, that the poor people of New Orleans had nothing to do with his success in reclaiming the Presidential seat a second time, despite the fact that for the first time since 1868, the state of Louisiana voted in a republican as a senator.

The final reason for the slow response was the very sour relationship between New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, and Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco. The main dispute between the two was when Ray Nagin supported and endorsed Bobby Jindal, who ran for Governor in 2003. Blanco's only reason for New Orleans to be around was to have the NFL team, the New Orleans Saints, bring in a lot of income for the state. Both Nagin and Blanco blame each other back and forth that neither of them made or followed out with the proper precaution to keep the people safe. Both of them too worried about what the other one is doing, and trying to point the blame on them, hoping later to make them look good.

My counter-argument to all of this is that (COUNTER PARA HERE!)

All of the stated reasons support why the slow response to the Hurricanes victims was a class issue more than one of race. The counter-argument to all of this is that most of Americas resources, both financially and emotionally, are tied into the war over in Iraq. The blame pushing of who did what between Blanco and Nagin really slow down the process of response. Bush selfishly pampers himself with presidential powers, fulfilling his dream of playing guitar with a country star. Foolishly letting an important part of American history, be washed away by the Gulf's water. Then the several mis-statements Senator Vitter made about how secure New Orleans was, more than likely not even talking to more than one advisor about the situation. Hopefully I have inspired you to realize the truth of the matter, class is more of an issue than it was of race, but at times, they can be intertwined with each other.

Spiderman Essay

In our English Composition course, we watched Spiderman. It was created by Stan "The Man" Lee, "Who is arguably the most well-recognized figure in comic books". Also co-creator Stan Ditko, the artist who drew the original Spiderman comics. There were many themes where jealousy, vengeance, justice, and motivation all take place. There is the web-slinging Peter Parker who relies on his real life to keep him down to earth. Norman Osborne tied to Peter Parker through his son Harry Osborne, he is also driven by greed, revenge, and power to keep his company successful. Then there is Peters Aunt and Uncle, Peters motivation and heart. All of the characters combined make for many highs and lows which include Peters inability to love and the death of the Green Goblin. If the movie version of Spiderman and Batman character can be seen as an allegory for the basic human desire for revenge and the need at times for vigilante justice then the plot itself as well as each of the characters must be important elements that help illustrate this theme for each viewer.

The Spiderman movie had many themes flowing through it. A few of them were also shared with Tim Burton's rendition of Batman. They both had a sort of vigilante justice theme. Such as when Peter found out who had killed his uncle he vowed no other innocent person would fall victim to hate and crime. Same idea, different story with Batman, where both his parents were murdered in front of him, only later did Batman go out for justice. Another old theme, there is no good without evil, dates back all the way to the bible. It finds itself in both movies, neither of the movies would be very compelling if we had heroes without villains. The two movies have one more similar thing, the media try to portray both of the heroes as a villain. On the flip side, Spiderman and Batman had some differences too. Batman had all the money he wanted to spend on gear and gadgets to help him out. Peter almost inherits his powers, not really having much of a choice if he wanted to have powers or not. The only choice he really had was how he was going to use those powers. "Peter Parker was crucial in the evolution of Marvel Comics because he was fallible and had recognizable human traits". (Rogert Ebert, Chicago Sun Times) Ebert almost sums up why we love the Spiderman so much.

Spiderman is a very delicate character, so is Batman, in their own respects. Both of them are faced with the inability to love, having to keep the city clean and free of crime gives them little to no time for anything else. Another thing they both have in common is motivation. Both of them are motivated by a tragic event that happened in both of their lives. The two have some differences though. Peter is a shy quiet nerd, who was very unlucky with girls. Where as Bruce was a multi-million dollar playboy who could have any girl he wanted. Peter had no choice to inherit his powers. Bruce decided out of vengeance to become Batman. The original intent for Peter to use his powers was to get money to buy a car, because chicks dig cars. So the three traits that Peter Parker had was that he lived in secret identity, he was a vigilante, and he felt he had to be the "bigger brother" and keep everyone safe from evil.

Norman Osborne, the villain in Spiderman, has very similar traits when compared to Jack Napier, who is the villain in Batman. He is trying to get funding for this chemical performance enhancing drug. He is pushed by his company to get the testing rapped up as quickly as possible. Norman ends up testing himself with the product which eventually either gives him bipolar or makes his other self come out in an enraged and unstable mindset. Jack Napier too, was induced to chemicals which made him mentally unstable. Both of them wanted revenge on the people who did this to them, but in Normans case Spiderman interrupts his stage of getting revenge on the company who was going to sell his company. The difference between the two is that Norman is emotionally tied to Peter through Harry Osborne, his son. At one point in the movie, Norman Osborne even tells Peter that he is family. Norman loves his son very much. At the end he tells Peter to not tell Harry that he was the Green Goblin. The only emotional attachment Jack Napier had was himself.

Aunt May and Uncle Ben were more than just an Aunt and Uncle, they were Peters heart, soul, and mind. Without a doubt if Peter did not have those two. His life would probably end up on the opposite end of the spectrum, the villain. This goes the same for Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's butler. Another thing that the characters had in common was they were the moral compass of their superheroes. On one hand Alfred knew about Bruce's alter ego. On the other hand Uncle Ben and Aunt May did not know about Peter's alter ego. One last thing that had a small similarity was motivation. Even if those Uncle Ben and Aunt May did not directly motivate the Peter at every point in the movie. Simply being there in the possible way of danger motivates Peter to keep them safe.

The climax of this movie is one of the greatest of any comic book driven movie. One of the only similarities Spiderman and Batman have in common is their inability to love, due to all the crime fighting going on in their lives. They know they wont have time for their loved one. Peter waited till Normans funeral to tell Mary Jane that he could only be her friend, nothing more. Norman Osborne becoming the Green Goblin is a climax, even though he is being developed throughout the entire movie. Where as jack Napier's transitional phase to becoming The Joker was a swift procedure. Both Norman's and Jack's death were the peak of both movies. As normal the fight sequences for both movies have you guessing the next thing that happens all the way to the inevitable death of the villain.

If the movie version of Spiderman and Batman character can be seen as an allegory for the basic human desire for revenge and the need at times for vigilante justice then the plot itself as well as each of the characters must be important elements that help illustrate this theme for each viewer. All of the characters combined make for many highs and lows which include Peter's inability to love and the death of the Green Goblin. Aunt May and Uncle Ben, who are Peter's motivation and heart. Norman Osborne whose son is best friends with his nemesis Peter Parker. Last but most importantly Peter Parker. Who's alter ego is Spiderman, who is driven by vengeance and feels the need to protect his city. The plot of this movie is very well fleshed out, tying all the themes together perfectly. As Roger Ebert says, "The origin is well told, and the characters will not disappoint anyone who values the original comic books". Out of all the superhero comic-book movies I have seen, this would be the one I would enjoy watching over again.

James Gray

Batman Essay

In our English composition class we watched the 1989 version of Batman. Batman had many themes such as good versus evil, revenge, and the positive influence of money. There were many traits of the dark knight himself; he was the "older brother" to Gotham City, he was somewhat a vigilante, and he had a secret identity. The Joker, Batman's nemesis, was driven by power, greed, and revenge. Alfred played a key role in which he was the moral compass, father figure, and the butler for Batman. The climax of the movie was composed of the "last dance" how the Joker died, and that Batman will always be there for Gotham City. If you find that revenge is the answer to most circumstances, then you'll love this film

The main plot of this movie was quite compelling. Bruce Wayne, A.K.A. Batman, lived in Gotham City, which became a victim of countless crimes. A key ingredient of the movie's successful plot was that he had a plentiful amount of money. Batman used this money to buy various toys and gadgets that aid him in his fight. One of the gadgets was the Bat mobile, which Batman used numerous times to break through villains without sustaining damage. Batman often used the "bat claw" to save himself and others like Vicki Vale from villains. Another key ingredient to the movie's success was Batman's vengeful side. Bruce Wayne could not remember the man who killed his parents. Eventually, Wayne became Batman in order to find his parents' murderer. Batman found the murderer and did what his heart tells him to do, get revenge. Lastly, without good there is no evil. This theme lives up still today in many great films such as this one. Without Lucifer there is no God, so why would that not be a great plot in a movie? That is why the plot of the movie is so compelling.

The character development in "Batman" was almost perfect for any superhero. This dark knight was the playboy himself, Bruce Wayne. Being that Batman was a millionaire he can afford to live a secret life. Though, everybody thinks Batman was just some rich guy who knows how to throw parties. At one of his parties, he met Vicki Vale, the person who led the Joker straight to Batman. Bruce Wayne never knew who killed his parents, but he became Batman to get revenge for what his parents' murderer did. Batman got pleasure from giving what 'bad guys' had coming to them. Batman did more for himself than for others, almost a bit introverted, even though some feel Batman tried to be the "older brother" of Gotham City. While he did go around saving people, it was more about making himself feel good. Batman only saved Vicki Vale because she was his girlfriend. These traits are why Batman is a very well developed character.

The Joker was a very well drawn out villain for any superhero movie. One finds him as the right hand man for his mob boss Carl Grissom. Driven by greed, Jack Napier slept with his boss's wife. This and other money driven payoffs lead Jack Napier to fall into a vat of chemicals. Greed and power go hand in hand, so the permanently grinning Joker eventually killed his boss and takes over the company. Now that the Joker owned the company and had millions of dollars at his disposal, he attempted to become the world's first "homicidal artist". Eventually the Joker decides that he wants Vicki Vale to become his girlfriend, so he attempted to kidnap her. Later in the movie, the Joker used his power and money to get many people outside near a parade so he could gas and kill them all. The Joker was also driven by a hint of revenge. When Jack was at the chemical plant, Batman was able to save him. Instead, Batman let the Joker fall into the chemicals. So any chance that the Joker had to kill Batman, he took. These are the reasons why the Joker is a very well drawn out villain.

Alfred, Batman's butler, was more than just a butler. Alfred was what every super hero needed--a great father figure. The way Alfred always tried to push Bruce to do the right thing shows that he was a great father figure. Alfred also always tried to convince Bruce to settle down and enjoy life, to try and raise his own family. When Vicki Vale was over for dinner Alfred tells her many embarrassing stories like many parents would do for their child's first date. Alfred was also Bruce's trusty butler, who always took good care of Bruce's bat cave and Batmobile. Alfred even helped put some pretty cool programs in the bat mobile. Alfred cooked all the meals for Bruce and any guest that happened to be there. Lastly, Alfred acted as Bruce's moral compass. Alfred helped Bruce relieve the pain from his parents' death. Alfred also helped Bruce realize that he was not the only person who had pain and emotions. These are key reasons why Alfred is a great father figure and important character in Batman.

The climax of this movie was quite a phenomenal one compared to those of other movies. To start off this unforgettable ending, there was the "final dance," where Batman and the Joker met for the last time. This was where Batman came to grip who the Joker really was--his parents' murderer. This was also the chance where the Joker finally tried to finish off Batman, the person who forced that everlasting grin on his face. Eventually Batman and the Joker made their way onto the edge of a building, they fought it out to come out as the victor. The Joker soon realized that he was not able to kill Batman at that time, so he tried to escape. As the Joker grabbed onto the rungs of a ladder from a helicopter, Batman used one of his gadgets to grab the Joker's ankle and tie it to a statue. The Joker eventually lost the ability to hold on, and he plummeted to his death. At the very end, Batman gave the police a signal and says, "If you ever need any help, just call for me."

If you find that revenge is the answer to most circumstances, then I'm sure you'll love this film. The "final dance" makes for a great climactic ending. Alfred is the backbone of Batman. The Joker has all the right reasons to be bad. The "big bad bat" really can be a big softy. Without good there is no evil. So please go out and watch this movie, in fact, go buy it!

Batman has many themes in the movie such as good vs. evil, revenge, and money has positive influences. There are many traits to the dark knight himself, how he is the "older brother" to Gotham City, he is somewhat of a vigilante, and he lives a secret identity. The Joker, Batman's nemesis, is driven by power, greed and revenge, Alfred, Batman's butler, plays a key role where he is the moral compass, father figure, and the butler all for Batman. Finally the climax of the movie composed by the "last dance", how the Joker dies, and that Batman will always be there for Gotham City. With all these I sure hope to influence you to see this great movie.

The main plot of this movie is quite compelling. Bruce Wayne aka Batman, lives in Gotham City which has become a victim of countless crimes. A key ingredient to Batman's successful plot is that he has lots of cash. He uses this money to buy many neat little toys and gadgets. One of them being the bat mobile, which Batman uses numerous times to break through villains harmlessly. He also uses the bat claw which he uses many times to save him and usually Vicki Vale from some villains. A second ingredient would be how Batman does have a revengeful side. His parents were killed by some man who Bruce Wayne couldn't remember. So eventually Bruce Wayne becomes Batman to try to find his parents murderers. He eventually finds the murderer and did what his heart told him to do. Lastly without good there is no evil. This theme lives up still today in many great films. Without Lucifer there is no God, so why wouldn't that be a great plot in a movie? This is why the plot of the movie is so compelling.

The character development for Batman is near perfection for any super hero. This dark knight is the playboy himself Bruce Wayne. Being that he is a millionaire he can afford to live a secret life. Everybody thinks he is just some rich guy who knows how to throw parties. Which is where he met Vicki Vale, the person who led the Joker straight to Batman in an odd sort of way. Bruce Wayne never knew who killed his parents but this is why he becomes Batman. To get some revenge for what his parents murderers did. He seeks only to please the lust of hurting "bad guys". I feel he does this more for himself than for others, almost kind of introverted. Although some feel Batman tries to be the "older brother" of Gotham City. While he does go around saving people, it's more about making himself feel good. Look, he only saves Vicki Vale because she is his girlfriend. These traits are why Batman is a very well developed character.

The Joker is a very well drawn out villain for any superhero movie. You find him as the right hand man for his mob boss Carl Grissom. Driven by greed, Jack Napier sleeps with his bosses wife. This and other money driven payoffs lead to Jack Napier falling into a vat of chemicals. As most of you know greed and power go hand in hand, so the permanently grinning Joker eventually kills his boss and takes over the company. Now with the Joker owning the company with millions of dollars at disposal, he attempts to become the worlds first "homicidal artist". Eventually the Joker decides that he wants Vicki Vale to become his girlfriend, so he attempts to kidnap her. Later in the movie he uses his power and money to get lots of people outside near a parade so he can gas them and kill them all. Did I mention the Joker is also driven by a hint of revenge? When Jack was at the chemical plant, Batman was able to save him. Instead Batman just lets Jack fall into the chemicals. So now any chance that the Joker is able to get he will want to kill Batman. These are the reasons why the Joker is a very well drawn out villain.

Alfred, as everyone knows is Batman's butler, he is more than just a butler though. He is what every super hero needs, a great father figure. You can tell he is a father figure by the way he is always trying to push Bruce to always do the right thing. He also is always trying to convince Bruce to settle down and enjoy life, try and raise his own family. When Vicki Vale is over for dinner Alfred tells her many embarrassing stories like many parents would for their children's first date. Alfred is also Bruce's trusty butler. Always taking good care of Bruce's bat cave and bat mobile. I even think Alfred helped put some pretty cool programs in the bat mobile. Alfred also still cooks all the meals for him, Bruce, and whatever guest that so happens to be there. Last Alfred acts as Bruce's moral compass. He helps Bruce relieve any pain from his parents death. Also helps Bruce realize that he isn't the only person who has pain and emotions. These are key reasons why Alfred is a great father figure and important character in Batman.

The climax for this movie is quite phenomenal compared to other movies. To start off this unforgettable ending, we have the "final dance". Where Batman and the Joker meet for the last time. This is where Batman comes to grips with who the Joker really is, his parents murderer. This is also the chance where the Joker finally tries to finish off Batman, the person who made him have that everlasting grin on his face. Eventually Batman and the Joker are on the edge of the building, duking it out to come out as the victor. The Joker soon realizes that he won't be able to kill off Batman right now, so he tries to escape. As the Joker grabs onto the rungs of the ladder from the helicopter. Batman uses one of his gadgets that grabs onto the Jokers ankle and ties it to a statue. The Joker eventually isn't able to hold on and plummets to his death. The very end Batman gives the police a signal and said, "If you ever need any help, just call for me".

This is a great superhero movie and the reasons following support how great it is. How the "final dance" makes for a great climactic ending. How Alfred is the backbone of Batman. That the Joker has all the right reasons to be bad. That the big bad bat really can be a big softy. That without good there is no evil. So please go out and watch this movie, in fact go buy it!