Propaganda 2011

In my opinion one major example of propaganda in the news this year has been all of the revolutions in Arab countries.  There has been a large amount of news coverage, and I think that newscasters put a little too much emphasis on the violence, even though there has been little.  Also there is emphasis on how the old regimes were U.S. allies, and the new regimes might not be good for America.  Also, the fear of non-U.S. allies forming the governments of these new countries seems perfect for the politicians and people who want the Patriot act renewed, (which is currently being debated in Congress) because when there is uncertainty, instability, and fear, some people would rather feel safe and secure, even if some personal privacy is invaded.

RAMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One reason I like watching Beat Street, is because it takes place in the mid to late 1980's, a time period when Hip-Hop and Rap were just evolving, with new artists like Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Eric B. & Rakim, Young MC, Slick Rick, and N.W.A.  These Hip-Hop artists were so much better than the average rappers today (excluding Eminem, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and the select few good ones), because back then Hip-Hop was mainly political and from the heart, and brought up issues and problems in the lives of the poor living in bad conditions, and unfairness and racism that many had to deal with.  Also back then, MC's would make beats that were sampled form a multitude of songs, and then used great methods like scratching, and then all mashed together to make a catchy, widely popular sound, unlike today where many try to make their own, but they just aren't that good.  Hip-Hop artists also incorporated complex rhyme schemes into their music, so they could be taken seriously, and not just ignored, for example, in the song "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy, Chuck D used a dactylic hexameter (a type of phrasing used in Homer's epic poems), and raps that Hip-Hop was a legitimate type of music, and was on the same level of complexity of Rock.  Because of these artists, rap today is a hugely sucessful and popular industry.  

Is Richard the only Hungry One?

I think that Richard isn't the only hungry person in this novel.  Richard is the hungriest by far, he is hungry for attention, knowledge, food, and in a way hungry for rebellion.  Richard immediately kills the cat when his father tells him so, and then tries to use the leverage that his father told him to, so he does not get in trouble, this is another example of how he is hungry for knowledge too, as he does not know what a dead cat will be like.  Then he tries to run away and leave the orphanage, and he doesn't want to have anything to do with the main caretaker. Also, quite literally his brother and mother are hungry.  I think that his brother is also hungry for attention, and his brother has a hunger for knowledge.  His mother is also hungry for attention, because she misses her husband and wants him to come back, and they are all hungry for love, which they lost a lot of when their father left them.  I think that his father is hungry for attention also, he tries to get his kids to be with him, but he will not support them if they are still living with there mother.  Overall there are various elements of hunger in this novel expressed by all of the characters.