soc

     How can our health be out of our control? We have seen the numbers. There is no reason that just leaving in the United States should mean your going to die early. We have some of the most advance health care in the world. What I believe it is is the fact that no one is held accountable for their choices. In America we always have a way out and we always have an excuse. In class I brought up the fact that in Europe McDonalds is a special eating out event. After talking to Aimee she said that her friend in from Spain have no McDonalds in Spain. We see fast food on every corner. Not only just McDonalds but Taco Bell, Burger King, KFC, Long John Silvers, and Wendy's.
     The way you eat can change your life. We have all seen Super Size Me and how the fast food affects the man who is in it he not only looses his healthy blood pressure but he starts be depressed when he isnt eating fast food. Yet Americans have the tenacity to eat it more then once a month. There is obviously more of demand for fast food in the States and it is proven easily when you walk around another country. We Americans are to busy suing these companies to realize that its our choice to eat the food. You choose what you put in your body.
     Class discussion was very interesting cause for once I didn't feel like the opposing argument wasn't completely invalid. We do not have full control of our health. Accidents and true natural causes do happen. Old age does tend to catch up with you. Over all this class left me a little stumped. I did not have answers for all of Professor's questions like I normally do.
     I guess over all I have to see what Universal really includes. I know we need some sort of reform but what Obama is giving us is not what America is about. We are giving the American people an even easier way to get out of things. Make universal gyms that'd be useful to so many people. Tax the companies that make us unhealthy and put that toward making things more affordable. The people who pollute the air. This is not what America needs.
   
   

GL

      Alright so we finally got to see Rome at night which I will say was well worth it.  Rome was a different city when it was night. Full of bazaar talents ranging from painting to dancing. It was super enjoyable and full of endless wonders. Night was a real testament to Luigi's saying that you never know what is around the corner. Just to agree with Smiles to "Rome as a great City" is a very true statement.This city has been here for thousands of years its no wonder that there are so many hidden secrets here.
     As for Luigi this week I don't think I really agreed with him. I think it may have been the way he worded his sentences but I do not find the Italians to be as cold as Luigi says. I do not find myself constantly looking over my shoulder I'm just as aware of my surroundings as I am at home... Or is this because I'm Italian... The other thing I disagreed with Luigi on is the fact that I don't think that Italians are easy mind changers. I watched Danilo fight with the electric door lock for such a long time.  He never changed his mind. Maybe the Italians just know what to do to survive.
     Italians just are the fittest just look at them. They walk forever and they eat healthy. Fit people live in Italy. Over all though I think that Luigi was a little to harsh on his countrymen. There will always be stupid people in the world. The gypsies aren't even from Rome they are from Romania and they are the people that we are constantly concern about.
     I like the italians its the other people that I don't like. In the world we live in you have to watch out for yourself no matter where you are. If you don't you'll probably end  up dead. I just didn't agree with Luigi as much as I normally do. But thats what happens in the world. Over all I'm not sure whether to think the Italians are smart for their indecisiveness or if they are just afraid of nothing.

Soc

     One of the biggest arguments that are in our health care book is that in the United States our infant mortality rate is very high, and that life expectancy is way down for a country that is so advanced in medicine. First off with the infant mortality rate there is an author in the book who explains his reasoning for why its so high here. He says that with our cultural diversity and poor eating habits have a lot to do with it. Some societies in the US do not use the technology that we use. There people are trained to help with child birth however; they can not control some of the more advanced things that can happen during child birth.
      I'll always say it, what you eat can change your life. Over in the States we eat crap constantly. Fast food is on ever corner and exercise is a thing of the past. Most of us have watch Super Size Me at some point in our life and saw how powerful the food can be. Not only is it addicting but it has the power to give you mood swings. When I'm at work I see people constantly day to day. Talking to some of my managers they have noticed people getting bigger and bigger month by month. And we wonder why people are dying so young.
     Okay so some people probably wonder what I think of the food here. Yes I do taste my food. The quality of food is leaps and bounds higher then our food. I don't think taco bell even exists here for one,  two the amount of Mcdonlads is like the amount Long John Silvers, third the food tastes more natural. The Italians idea of fast food is a sit down restaurant in the States. Instead of taxing all the people of America why don't they tax the things that we know for a fact that make us unhealthy. The companies who pollute the air and water and who do not make healthy food.
      We are giving the government one more thing to control. They have destroyed Social Security for our generation and yet we are so willing to give them more to control. If someone keeps breaking your car are you going to keep letting them drive it? I wouldn't until they prove themselves responsible. So how could our government prove to me that they are out for the good of America and not the parties. Make sure I can retire and not 80 years from now, I'll probably be dead by then. Make people work, I have a huge problem with Obama phone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio). My parents work hard to give me a phone so why not reward them a contributing member of society? Why is it the people who get free money who live easy lives? Will I work till I die? Most importantly is there still an American Dream?

GL W4 David meets David

      "The memories I retain of that first year have imprinted themselves on all subsequent experiences" This is an epic quote. I just want to say that posed with myself. The real statue of David was so amazing. Every inch was thought out and perfected perfectly. Michelangelo had a feat of man when he created a perfectly proportional  17 Ft. statue of me... I mean David. Very easily could the statue have been a person covered in marble. And by this I mean that every vein and every muscle that was in David was where it was supposed to be. The hands had veins the biceps had veins, if it started to move I don't think I would have been surprised.
       Ever since I was a kid who understood what the statue was I have wanted to see it. I personally have overcame my Goliath and now I see some strange parallel between my name and experiences of the previous owner of my name. Bizarrely enough I will probably dream about seeing the statue for the first time. I'll just justify it because we have the same name and something on my bucket list can be checked off. I still cant believe the amazing artistry that went into the statue. REMEMBER there are NO erasers in marble carving... or glue if you happen to chop off a finger you get to start the 2 year project all over.
      Alright so enough about my man-crush on a statue (I'll mention it at the end of my blog.) The two readings were very contrasting and I liked it. My opening quote from Muriel Spark says something very powerful to me. To me it says that no mater what, whether or not I loose my mind or I remain completely the same throughout my life I will remember I saw Italy. We will be able to say We say Venice if it gets destroyed by water in our life time. I'll even get to say that I saw myself in statue form! One event never dictates your life like the second author let it do.

     Well would you look at those two handsome devils. I managed to work David into this blog two more times. Even though I couldn't take my picture with the real David, because some jerk spray painted him, I did take it with the fake David. But believe me I got pictures of the real one. This is the time we will never forget. Things may become more faded but will never be lost. The quote that I started this blog off with is a quote that I wont forget about.

GL W3

      Why is Europe so awesome? Everywhere you go there is something amazing whether its historical or or not. this weekend in Dublin and Paris we went on a hop on hop off bus. We saw a lot of historically buildings and statues. The Eiffel Tower was by far my favorite in Paris. The shear size and all around magnitude of the tower was awe-striking. Then when we went to Dublin the monument that struck me the most was the O'Connell monument. It seems like all of Dublin's monuments were made for some sort of rebellion or during some rebellion. All around it was quite the weekend.
      This brings me to the point that when Luigi Barzini says there is a fatal attraction to Italy I believe a better said statement would be there is a fatal attraction to Europe. I believe that this is a better statement. I'm not to sure why this attraction exists here but I know it does. I have never felt this at home this far away from home (I also have never been this far from home). Europe is a great place which has a bewitching attraction to it.
     In week three I had my first view of St. Peter's Basilica and it was amazing. It was probably the biggest one storey buildings I have ever been in. Much bigger then any field house that I have ever been in. The artistry that went into every inch of the church is simply amazing. In the letter of  of Paul he talks about worshiping God. He begged of people to do it in a way that was "Worthy of thinking beings." When you look at the church and the size of it its hard not to see how people really stuck to what Paul said.
      This brings me to the "mutual love" portion of his letter. Not only did I love this church but I love the surrounding area. Now I know that Paul was talking about the love of your partner and neighbor But I figured that could be applied to your surroundings. We tour many different churches some of different religions and some are even different styles. When we go into these churches we all go in super respectful of that denominations world. This is loving your neighbor. Having respect for something that you don't fully understand is love for that person. Its great to know that everyone in this group is so easy to that point.

GL W2

     Okay so as much as I hate to admit it. Luigi Barzini was right... you really do miss Italy. This place feels like home to me. I only miss my family, peanut butter, and baseball. The food that we eat is almost what I eat on a daily basis at home. Sandwiches have the same meat and the same cheeses I just love this place. The more and more I stay here the less I want to see home... Well at least this far. However I must not blog only about how I love Italy and how much being here makes me never want to see America again. So onward with the show...
     In week 2 of global learning I really liked the story of Ovid. It really brought out the love of a man for his country. Ovid a lover poet who got band from Rome was used to really show love for not only a country but the people of that country. He has the tenacity to reply to Roman guards after being told to pack his things... Can I bring Rome with me? The country that was banishing him is what he wants to bring with him to the end of the world. This man was all for his country he would bring it with him even to his death.
     This leads me to ask how many people feel this longing for America? We all miss something about home like Chipolte, our beds, and it could be many other things. But something I do not here from the students is I miss America.  Why do we not have this love for our country like Ovid. I love the fact that I have the freedoms that I have but if I got band from America and had to come over to Europe I would be okay with that. Maybe I am digging to far into this topic. I mean my great great grandpa Salvador had to leave Italy for some reason right?
      So yeah Rome is a pretty awesome city. It not only encompasses history but it also has beauty and elegance. I see why a man like Ovid wanted to bring a country with himself. I want to bring some back when we go home to Ohio. Not only to remind myself of what I did but to share with the world what they are missing. This place is to easy to fall in love with...