Monday, May 2, 2011

I dislike titles

     Well there are, as one could imagine, lots of things going on right now. The school year is winding down (finally...this one really felt long for some reason), It's a little more than 2 weeks before I leave, and then last night happened.

     My interest in global/cultural issues cannot help me from commenting on Osama's death. I, like most Americans alive today, know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the morning of 9/11. I watched the second plane smash into the towers live on TV...unable to really put any thoughts together. I remember watching 'ruin porn' (which, since then, I have actively avoided); I remember what it felt like to see riots of people burning my country's flag. I remember my dad coming home from work early. He was on the phone with someone who was in one of the towers. The phone cut out. He did not survive. It's one of those things I'll never forget. Everyone has a story about that day.

     America has been going through a rough patch. We needed some 'good' news. I struggle using the word 'good' because last night doesn't change anything. In fact, it's probably going to cause Pakistan a whole slew of problems that it doesn't need right now. Terror will still exist. Violence will still exist. All of the poverty that drives people to turn to such measures and keeps the vicious circle going, guess what? It still exists.

     However, at least the family and friends of those who lost someone because of Osama can finally feel some closure. I'm not just talking about Americans, he killed his own people and those from other countries as well. We are celebrating closure, in our own individual ways. To some that's prayer, to others that's thought, and to most college aged kids that's waving flags, chanting, screaming, and pounding Natty's (or substitute your cheap American beer of choice). That's what you see on the TV and whatever, they've got the right to do it. Although, it's funny how much this reminded me of my college campus the night Obama was elected, but that's besides the point.

     Hopefully, America isn't ignorant about what happened. Hopefully we tread carefully. I thought they had this one pretty well thought out. Ocean burial was done with the proper Islamic burial (it's pathetic I should have to even give this credit, but perhaps we are actually learning a bit about cultural sensitivity). Ocean insures no one will deface or idolize. It also puts a quick end to the 'show the body' debate. No other country was willing to take him. It was, in my opinion, a pretty neutral (and although we may never know what really happened) respectable way to dispose of the body. I kind of like the Islamic way of doing it; quick, easy, and no hassle. It leaves time for personal reflection instead of having it loom over your head.

     The almost overly-thought out procedure lead me to raise my eyebrow. I was also intrigued as to why we haven't heard about the raid, why Pakistan and much of the Islamic world seemed so quite. This lead me to believe that we weren't getting the whole story. Maybe he was dead days or even years ago, I'm not really interested in conspiracy theories in this situation. I am willing to admit that I inherently don't trust American media sources. So I did a little research and found this:


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/2/worldupdates/2011-05-02T170009Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-567092-2&sec=Worldupdates

     It's long but it gives an interesting insight into what happened. It's a Malaysian (surprise!) newspaper printed in English. There was actually a military operation (battle just sounds weird) at the compound. A US chopper went down. So yes, it probably did actually happen. You can argue it was fake, but seriously guys? Don't be so paranoid.

    This post is becoming much longer than I had anticipated. I finished up my studio project this afternoon. Presentation is this Wednesday. Without boring you with programatic and design details and in fear that I'll turn this blog into a storage space for portfolio pieces; I'll just give a short blurb. The project is an Environmental Tourism Center for Colorado. These are a few of the more interesting drawings (pencil and paper woohoo!) from my presentation. PS...I was too lazy to touch them up so these are hot off the scanner.

I think it should go without saying, but this and anything else (posts, pictures, videos, some crazy thing that isn't even out yet, ect.) on this blog is intellectual property and cannot be reproduced without strict written consent by me. Give credit where credit is due my friends.

View from Speer Blvd


Amphitheater that opens up to the underground lecture hall. Or visa versa.


Green machine that cleans all the storm water runoff from the site.



I'll save my housing updates until I figure out where I am going to live.

-M

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