all things californian

Chicano Park Readings

We have two reading activities to prepare for our visit to Chicano Park. The first is an article from a book entitled Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals. The article is entitled "Murales del Movimiento: Chicano Murals and the Discourses of Art and Americanization," and it provides the cultural and political background behind Latino/Chicano murals in Southern California: Download signsfromheart.pdf

The second resource is a San Diego State Chicano Park website that provides a collection of photos with background information for some of the most famous murals. You may also find the Wikipedia page on Chicano Park interesting.

Finally, I have also included a link to some of my own photos of the park. That's not required, but you might find it interesting.

Works Cited

Sanchez-Tranquilino, Marcos. "Murales Del Movimiento: chicano Murals and the Discourses of Art and Americanization." Signs from the Heart: California Chicano Murals. Eds. Eva Sperlin Cockcroft and Holly Barnet-Sanchez. University of Mexico Press, 1993.

Love in Cali

The movie The Holiday explores the dream of romance in

California

. The romantic comedy’s plot is centered on the meet cute of Kate Winslet’s character, Iris, and Jack Black’s character, Miles Dumont. A meet cute is a situation where two potential love interests in a movie share a comedic awkward situation. Situations such as these are what women love and envy about romantic comedies, and the very term was created in

Hollywood

. In Iris’s meet cute with Miles, Miles removes an eyelash from the eye of Iris. While doing this, Miles explains that when the

Santa Ana

winds blow anything could happen and it just so happened that the

Santa Ana

winds where the reason the eye lash was in her eye. The

Santa Ana

winds could also be interpreted as a generalization of

California

. At the end of the scene Iris retreats back to her place of residence and sighs “I love

California

,” This gives a connection between Love and

California

.

Abortion in California

 

    The question of the right to abortion has been an ongoing issue in all of the United States of course including California. Here in California however with the mix of religions, city life and California’s often different ideas. California should be looked at in a different context than many of the other states in regards to abortion. Getting past the ethics question I personally believe abortion should be and stay legal in California because with many of the cities in California being large cities with high amounts of crime, there are higher rates of rape. Also with the fast paced ways of California living, most teenagers are sexually active before those of the same age in “slower paced” states therefore there is more often teenage pregnancies. We must consider if it is “ethical” to make these people live with the situation of carrying an unwanted child and then deal with the struggle of giving that child up. If were going to make abortion illegal, then I think we should also consider making adopting children from other countries illegal too. People who want to adopt should take care of their own unwanted children before they go looking into adoption in other countries. As mentioned before there are many people here with many different religions and opinions and yours might even be in opposition, how do you feel about abortion?

California Segregation

 

 

 

Can you tell which picture is in Laguna Beach and which one is in Ocean Beach? If your from a beach city in California you should. As many beach cities in California have turned into pretty faces, hotels, restaurants etc. with a focus on trend and lavish luxury, Ocean Beach has become the exception. Ocean Beach represents the smaller population of beach towns that don't get as much attention from tourism and even local Californians. Here mom and pop shops rule and corporate America is shut out--with the acception of Starbucks and Jack in the box which were however fought with much opposition. It's a place where the homeless and the hippie have become the majority. How has this happened? I believe as a born and raised Californian that it is because of the massive amount of people here. There is such a variety of people with different beliefs, attitudes and opinions that they have segregated over the years it is how santee and lake side in san diego have become known as white trash towns and how south east san diego and compton have become known as the places you don't want to go; it's a trend that has settled most California areas with their own mostly locally known identities. Because everyone needs a place where they feel the same as everyone else. And even though California has become thought of as the melting pot, it is still a segregated melting pot.

Hollywood Destroyed

  This image, although a visual effect, represents the California nightmare of natural disasters. California has been no stranger to destruction, whether it's from earthquakes or mudslides. It's hard to imagine that California is susceptible to such things, with it's beautiful weather and laid-back attitude. However, with the warm weather prone to fires and most of the San Andreas fault cutting right through California, this state is more dangerous than many would think. Just this year California was plagued by wildfires, but just 5 years before that, thousands of homes were destroyed by wildfires that were even worse. In 1998, bizarre El Nino weather brought on intense rain, causing mudslides throughout California. In 1989, San Francisco was hit with one of the worst earthquakes to hit the area for decades, collapsing bridges and buildings and leaving dozens dead. Although it is not likely that an earthquake would hit California, this picture is a counter to the California dream of perfect weather. It seems as if a new disaster hits every few years. Californians are left on their toes, waiting in fear for the next natural disaster that will destroy our beautiful state.

Leave for California

 

The song "California" by Metro Station epitomizes the California dream of freedom. The song is about two teenagers running away from home to be together in California. It poses the question, why run away to California? For many, this state represents an idea of freedom; a place where you can live how you choose. The teens want to leave their town to "be together"; perhaps they can't be together at home. They think by moving to California, they will be able to do what they want and be together constantly, which is always something desired during young love. The lyrics also say that they can leave their town"if only for the weather", which represents the California dream of freedom because the sunny weather here allows you to do almost anything you want. The teenagers think that by coming to California, they will find eternal happiness. The song concludes with the lines, "What do you say we leave for California? If we drive all night, we can make it by the morning and, no one has to know if we decide to go, oh, what do you say we leave for California?" These lyrics show that this song is about the California dream of freedom, because where else would two teenagers want to run away to so they could live on their own? They want to be happy and free, and California is the place to make that happen.

The California dream of fame, crushed.

The song "Lost in Hollywood" by System of a Down counters the California dream of Hollywood fame. Many people got to Hollywood with the idea that they'll be skyrocketed to fame and be able to live the life they've always dreamed of. However, this song shows the harsher realistic side of this dream. The song creates the image of a very tough city, leaving out all the glamour, in the lyrics, "Those viscious streets are filled with strays, You should have never gone to Hollywood." The lyrics make it apparent that you are more likely to fail than succeed with the dream of fame. The song also calls out to "All you maggots smoking cigs out there on Hollywood Boulevard." By calling everyone maggots, the lyrics make everyone on Hollywood seem disgusting and helpless. Moreso, it means that everyone is the same, living day to day trying to achieve the dream that they will never reach. People might think that they're able to move out to Hollywood and achieve instant stardom, but this song proves that it is nearly impossible to do, and that you will waste your time and fail trying to attain the California dream of Hollywood fame.

Carl's Jr

I was driving through a shopping center the other day when I passed by a Carl's Jr. Now, I don't eat beef, but I'm always distracted by pictures of food, so naturally, I glanced over to gaze at the too-highly stacked burgers, when one in particular caught my eye. The "California Roast Beef Sandwich". I immediately thought to myself, "How is this Californian?" After a bit of research, I learned that it is a bun with roast beef, tomato, swiss cheese, and Ortega chile. And then it hit me: This sandwich is the California dream of individuality. Well, not exactly the sandwich itself (although I've never heard of chile on a roast beef sandwich), but the idea of making a sandwich specifically for Californians. Apparently, this sandwich is only available in SoCal (for a limited time!), posing the question, why isn't this offered to the rest of the nation? Californians long for individuality and usually set themselves apart from the rest of the United States. However, Southern Californians, in my opinion, long for individuality even more than the rest of California. We've created our own lifestyle, whether it be at the beach or in the glamour of Hollywood. This sandwich is only available in Southern California because we're the only area that lives like we do. We long to attain the California dream of individuality, so this sandwich was made - specifically for us! -  to support that dream.

Beverly Hills

"Beverly Hills" by Weezer is chases after the California dream of fame. The song states that a nobody can be something in California or, more specfically, Beverly Hills. The song pants a picture of a poor, uncool guy with no style and zero popularity. The singer whines that "preppy girls never looked at me, why should they, I ain't nobody, got nothing in my pockets." The singer is not satisfied with his below average life and thinks that by going to Beverly Hills, everything will get better, as demonstrated in the line, "Beverly Hills, rollin like a celebrity." Pay no mind to the fact that this idea is completely illogical and unrealistic, but it supports the dream of fame by stating that someone who has virtually no power can simply move and reach stardom. The music video even shows the band, complete with Buddy Holly glasses and striped collared shirts, playing at the Playboy Mansion, trying to make the point that you can do anything in Beverly Hills.

Surf instead of Church

 

    Living the life of a surfer in

Southern California

is a complete dream of its own, while simultaneously sharing the dream of self-realization.  Awesome waves mixed together with warm weather gives So Cal ideal surf conditions.  Many surfers who live here realize the beaches are exceptional and take full advantage of the epic conditions, surfing whenever they possibly can.  It is this addiction and passion which is shared among surfers that brings about a surf culture for

Southern California

unlike anywhere else.  As a result of this beach culture, many surfers lead a flexible, laid back lifestyle.  This lifestyle can be defined as the “expression of the inner self, as distinguished from the representation of the outer world” (Susan Fort 32).  For surfers, the beach is an escape from the real world, where all stress and worries can be left behind on the sand.  Only the waves and the ocean exist, nothing else distracts the surfer, leaving him to ponder his own existence and spirituality.  As noted by Taylor Gordon, “Encinitas swells with spirituality, and a peaceful aura resounds from its relaxed beach culture.” In short, the surf culture in

California

is incomparable to any other dream, yet satisfies the dream of self-realization at the same time.

landscapes of consumption

         1)      Landscape became a product.

Ex:  something to promote California beauty and numerous attractions available (RC. 51)

2)      Booster landscapes contrasted with other depression pictures of injustice and human frailty.

3)      "Within the regime of consumerism, the scenic view often mobilized to suggest the borderless consumer choice" limitless consumption of land (RC. 56)

4)       While labors working for meager wages continued to change the California landscape artist only showed how the landscape used to be (MC 115)

5)      Art at the time (1920's) portrayed California as being in turmoil. (MC 113-115)

6)      Oligarch: aristocracy people of power and/or wealth '

7)      Vagabond: gypsy call of nomadic ancestors- artist fashion themselves as vagabonds.

8)      Disparate: essentially different.

Carey McWilliams- Mustang Colt, The Light and the Dark

Carey McWilliams

"The Mustang Colt"

California: The Great Exception

• "California was 'distinctly a peripheral state with the usual tendencies toward defection." (40)

• "We have here in our midst a mixed mass of human beings from every part of the wide earth, of different habits, manners, customs, and opinions, all, however, impelled onward by the same feverish desire of fortune-making." (42)

• "The debate against admission of free Negroes was no without race prejudice, but the opposition did not rest so much upon that as it was grounded upon economic fears and deep-seated philosophical objections to a rigidly stratifies society." (47)

• California's "political development, like its economic development, represents a telescoping of processes; a foreshortening of events." (49)

• "This isolation naturally fostered a spirit of independence and self-reliance; a feeling that California had interests distinct from those of any other part of the Union, and a destiny of her own." (55)

• "Thrown back upon their own resources for two decades, the Californians created, out of the wealth they possessed, a culture of their own." (58)

• "Great significance attaches to the circumstance that, unlike other frontier societies, California learned to talk while it was still young." (59)

• "The fact that California was the first of the eleven western states to be admitted to the Union largely accounts for the fact that it has always been a laboratory in which government has experimented with the various solutions and approaches to the peculiar problems of the West." (49)

• "The intrusive alien influences which invaded the State after 1869 made serious inroads on the Californians' sense of an exceptional destiny". (61)

• "The Californian gambles because he has confidence and he has confidence because his wagers have generally paid off." (62)

Kevin Starr

"Carey McWilliams's California: The Light and the Dark

Reading California. Art Image, and Identity, 1900-2000

• Oligarchical Hegemony- A government or nation ruled by a small group of people using ideological ideas to dominate and rule with an indefinable power used to control or repress certain cultural groups.

• Assimilative Encounters - Cultures blending in, conforming to the dominating "model" culture or cultural expectations.

• Separatism - A process by which cultural groups oppose assimilation and definitely reject conforming, holding onto traditional cultural values and tradition.

• Pluralism - Cultural groups holding onto a cultural identity within family and community groups while also assimilating with the "model" culture and society.

• Tabula rasa - "Blank Slate": A new beginning: a place where a process of self-invention can be lived and "the peoples of the world could project their aspirations and longings". (17)

• Ramona myth - Californians' romanticizing of the Native American and Hispanic past of dispossession and displacement.

• Utopia - A man-made paradise, a place to create an idealized vision.

• Resort Hotel Culture - California's "Tourist Culture": its own brand of utopianism intensifying expectation for a better life by ordinary people and thereby boosting Californians' consumerism, setting its path as a materialistic society.

• "For this strip of coast, this tiny region, seems to be looking westward across the Pacific, waiting for the future that one can somehow sense and feel and see." (20)

• Carey McWilliams "brought to his effort to chronicle and define California, to correct its faults and orient it toward a better future, a belief that to be a Californian was to be on the cutting edge of the American experience." (29)

Carey McWilliams- The Mustang Colt, The Light and the Dark

Carey McWilliams

"The Mustang Colt"

California: The Great Exception

• "California was 'distinctly a peripheral state with the usual tendencies toward defection." (40)

• "We have here in our midst a mixed mass of human beings from every part of the wide earth, of different habits, manners, customs, and opinions, all, however, impelled onward by the same feverish desire of fortune-making." (42)

• "The debate against admission of free Negroes was no without race prejudice, but the opposition did not rest so much upon that as it was grounded upon economic fears and deep-seated philosophical objections to a rigidly stratifies society." (47)

• California's "political development, like its economic development, represents a telescoping of processes; a foreshortening of events." (49)

• "This isolation naturally fostered a spirit of independence and self-reliance; a feeling that California had interests distinct from those of any other part of the Union, and a destiny of her own." (55)

• "Thrown back upon their own resources for two decades, the Californians created, out of the wealth they possessed, a culture of their own." (58)

• "Great significance attaches to the circumstance that, unlike other frontier societies, California learned to talk while it was still young." (59)

• "The fact that California was the first of the eleven western states to be admitted to the Union largely accounts for the fact that it has always been a laboratory in which government has experimented with the various solutions and approaches to the peculiar problems of the West." (49)

• "The intrusive alien influences which invaded the State after 1869 made serious inroads on the Californians' sense of an exceptional destiny". (61)

• "The Californian gambles because he has confidence and he has confidence because his wagers have generally paid off." (62)

Kevin Starr

"Carey McWilliams's California: The Light and the Dark

Reading California. Art Image, and Identity, 1900-2000

• Oligarchical Hegemony- A government or nation ruled by a small group of people using ideological ideas to dominate and rule with an indefinable power used to control or repress certain cultural groups.

• Assimilative Encounters - Cultures blending in, conforming to the dominating "model" culture or cultural expectations.

• Separatism - A process by which cultural groups oppose assimilation and definitely reject conforming, holding onto traditional cultural values and tradition.

• Pluralism - Cultural groups holding onto a cultural identity within family and community groups while also assimilating with the "model" culture and society.

• Tabula rasa - "Blank Slate": A new beginning: a place where a process of self-invention can be lived and "the peoples of the world could project their aspirations and longings". (17)

• Ramona myth - Californians' romanticizing of the Native American and Hispanic past of dispossession and displacement.

• Utopia - A man-made paradise, a place to create an idealized vision.

• Resort Hotel Culture - California's "Tourist Culture": its own brand of utopianism intensifying expectation for a better life by ordinary people and thereby boosting Californians' consumerism, setting its path as a materialistic society.

• "For this strip of coast, this tiny region, seems to be looking westward across the Pacific, waiting for the future that one can somehow sense and feel and see." (20)

• Carey McWilliams "brought to his effort to chronicle and define California, to correct its faults and orient it toward a better future, a belief that to be a Californian was to be on the cutting edge of the American experience." (29)

California Welcomes the World & Selling California

Key terms and concepts:

 

Ethnological concessions—reinforce commonly accepted stereotypes and conceptions about different races and cultures while at the same time validating the white race as the strongest.

Disillusionment—presenting a false reality by advertisement.

 

Concepts~

 

Passages:

 

1. “Although it contained no Chinese entertainers, it conjured up fantasies of finding illicit amusement in the Chinese village—a village that stood out as just one more non-white ghetto among many others on the outskirts of the utopia planned my the exposition directors.” (79) RC
2. They wanted to educate and entertain visitors and to leave them with memorable impressions of California.  Like Disneyland, the world’s fairs were highly ordered, controlled environments where the organizers could structure the visitors experience.” (70) RC
3. With each exposition, the organizers created a dream city, a cohesive, monumental, ordered, and beautiful—albeit temporary—world, where it seemed that anything was possible. RC (73)
4. For this brief period early in the century, booster images of California as a postmodern, Edenic paradise dominated cultural production in the state. Yet California was far from the homogenous haven for Anglo culture that it was purported to be. (100) MC
5. At times, the sunny, boosters conceptions of California had explicitly racist overtones. (65) MC

 

 

Hollywood, beautiful disillusionment

    The song “Hollywood’s not America” by Ferras glorifies the spiritual failure of the California dream of fame. While the Illinois-born singer criticizes the “dream city” as a threat to the State’s newcomers, the song "Hollywood’s not America" opposes to the Hollywood stereotype—a place where “anything [is] possible” (Peter 73). “You could make a million dollars, but you might lose yourself”, Ferras contests the Californian phenomenon—dream of fame and spiritual failure. Those who reach the California dream of fame in Hollywood become their enemy, trapped into Hollywood worst, shameful result—wealth over background/roots. Dreaming of fame in the Golden State evolves from an aspiration to an overused and often deadly drug. Self emptiness, lack of uniqueness and inner self-failure are side effects of Hollywood drug. If losing your genuine personality is the price for a famous Hollywood life, is fortune worth loosing your uniqueness?

Works Cited: Peter, Carolyn. “California Welcomes the World” .Reading California: Art, Image and Identity 1900-2000.  Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. 69-82

Cali Dreaming

"On a winter's day" when it is cold outside and "the sky is grey" everyone starts to think of where they would rather be. The dream of being in the sunshine and to enjoy the weather in California is always the dreams of people who live in cold areas. The song California Dreaming by the Mamas and the Papas, talks about a man being in a city during the winter. How he is cold and miserable, that the sky is grey, that everything around him is cold and brown. And how in his thoughts he wishes to be in the sunny “streets of LA”. In the lyrics he mentions about going to a church in order to get warm, but that the preacher is giving him a cold stare and that he as well likes the cold. The only way for the man to get away from the cold and grey, is to think of California and of the warm winters. The dream to be warm in a sunny state such as California is always on everyones mind. To be sitting in the sun by the beach during winter, while in other places there is snow and its cold.

California Through the Lens of Hollywood/ Endings & Beginnings

1. California Noir (135)

2. Paradox of the Pioneer (143)

3. Hard Boiled Mobility & California Image (141-43)

4. Optomistic Myths (139)

5. "There is a golden haze over the land, the dust of gold is in the air -- and the atmosphere is magical and mirrors many tricks, visions, and wonderful deceptions." (134, McWilliams)

Definition 1: In opposition to the cliche of California optomism, film noir offers an alternate tradition of Hollywood film making that is not always about happy endings, lightness, or magical realizations of a pioneer American dream.

Definition 2: IF the point of pioneering is to quest after a site of settlement, the achievement of that quest implies that the place for pioneering no longer exists. The pioneer cannot settle down without becoming something other than a pioneer.

Definition 3: Because California has already had its "hay day," hard boiled mobility suggests the quest for a dream in Califronia leads only to destruction and hopelessness in the end.  No place can be stable enough to settle.

Definition 4: California has been thought of as a place of optomism, beauty, and opportunity, however this is a myth because greed takes over -- such as in the film Detour

Definition 5: This quote is stating that though Hollywood appears to be glamorous, in reality it is all an illusion.

ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

Betrayal of hope and collapse of dreams of people in L.A. causes a bitterness in their hearts towards the city

definiton: ecodisaster - pollution in L.A.

definition: xenophobic - fear of foreigners racism

"The destroying agents have been both natural and man made"

-- man made from other race invasions and atomic attacks

-- natural from earthquakes, floods, and fires

The people whose dreams were ruined in L.A. love watching the city be destroyed in Hollywood films

California Girls

The Beach Boys song, "California Girls", is famous for its catchy lyrics and bouncy tune. "California Girls" portrays the California dream of the ideal female-one who is happy, pretty and picture perfect. "California Girls" creates a desire from girls that reside in another state, while making girls from California feel prideful in calling this beautiful state home. While overflowing with stereotypes about the different girls in the United States ("the southern girls with the way they talk"), it still puts out the idea that California is the best place to live. When you actually come from California, its funny to think that we are the ideal female, and someone would actually write a song about it. Although the lyrics may not be completely accurate, I dont think any true Californian girls will disagree.

Welcome to the Jungle

    Welcome To The Jungle by Guns 'n Roses is a full throttle, guns blazing, nonstop, adrenaline fueled bum rush against the very fabrics of out society. The phrase "Learn to live like an animal," sums up how people are forced to act in the fast paced life of Los Angeles. It protrudes images of savagery, ruthlessness, and the "every man for himself" ideals we Californians hold so dear to our hearts. When we come to California seeking whatever dream it may be, we imagine that the second we step over the state line, we will be greeted by a blond supermodel who will hand us a million dollars and all of moms love on a silver platter; yet when we arrive, we find Pamela Anderson to be replace with a 50 year old hooker holding a soggy pack of smokes and a crack pipe. And it is at about this moment that you realize that Hollywood isn't filled with celebrities, but with 36,553,215 herpes infested prostitutes. We have all become animals, chasing our dreams as if we were the coyote chasing the rabbit down your street. Yet, blood thirsty and battle-scared, we endure the pain and despair, for California is both a blessing and a curse. You have to be the best to get ahead here, and you can only do that by destroying the competition; and by destroying the competition, you kill their dream. It is a vicious cycle, and at one point it will inevitably catch up with you. In the words of Axel Rose, "You can have anything you want but you better not take it from me."Lyrics.com

Instability of Achieving Emotinal Stability

“Popular songs have both celebrated and skewered the state’s culture and customs for much of the twentieth century”(Lipsitz 154). Apparently, a trend continues into the twenty first century since melodies still expose the pros and cons of California dreams. An Example is Under the Bridge, a tune developed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers that embellishes the California dream of emotional stability with somber, yet lustrous shades. Already, the song’s title exposes a negative aspect- a metaphor representing sorrow and depression. Anthony, the lead singer of the band narrates his life as a drug addict. While projecting himself in such manner he refers to Los Angeles as “my only friend, is the city I live in, the city of Angels”, revealing the comfort Los Angeles instills into him to wash away the pain of physical and psychological addiction. Even though Anthony gives a promising impression on the California dream of emotional stability, he constantly doubts his ability to overcome his addiction mentioning “I never worry, now that is a lie”. Again although Los Angeles mitigates his indomitable battle against drugs, Anthony questions whether he can sustain a life without mind altering substances. Under the Bridge epitomizes the California dream of emotional stability, it reminds us “how hard life has been- and continues to me,-for so many in this state”(Lipsitz 167). The only difference though, is hope’s subtle introduction into the song

Works Cited

Lipsitz, George. Music, Migration, and Myth: The California Connection. Reading California -     Art, Image and Identity, 1900-2000. By Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. New York:University of California P, 2000. 1-416.

Flower Child

  While I was paying for my food in the cafeteria, the cashier asked me "How are you doing flower child?" The dream of impersonating a flower child is becoming popular in California. Originally flower children were people who were born in the 1940's to 1955, these people were also called hippies, people who took party in the 60's revolution. That day when I was called a flower child, I was wearing a skirt with colorful flowers on them, "to wear flowers, was to symbolize peace and love." The flower children "created their own reality" and followed their own dream of being free. The dream of being free, coexists with the dream of being a flower child in California. To be able to do as you wish and go against the government and to once again be able to create your own reality. California is targeted for such dreams, because it is a huge melting pot with many different races and cultures that all in some way want to same dream. The dream of being free, has melted into a number dream, from the dream of success to the dream of becoming a flower child, all different dream in search for the same goal.

Work Cited

Flower child. 2 Nov. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.,. 21 Nov. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/flower_child.

Seth. "Philosophy." Famous Hippy Quotes. 5 Mar. 2005. 21 Nov. 2008 <http://www.hippy.com/hippyquotes.htm>.

    The song Surf rider represents the dream of the pioneer in a way of peacefully compromising its initial prospect of finding the next place to explore with embracing the world they have found. The song opens up with a somber beat that signifying a sort of edge of the universe where any journey must be ended. The gradual and even paced low notes to a high notes and return to low notes through a guitar twang demonstrates a metaphor of the waves that cut off any further exploration. After one more section of the same notes, a saxophone then comes in signifying a way of letting go of troubles. The pioneer must let go of their wants if they ever going to really be able to enjoy the beauty in life. With the invitation of the saxophone it becomes clear that a truly beautiful paradise has been found and must be enjoyed otherwise the pioneer will lose sight of what's really important in life. In order to prevent any pioneering spirit from getting lost in itself, the waves manifest into a new and ever changing challenge to compensate for the loss of any further exploration. If you feel like you’ve failed, just go surfing, and you’ll find yourself again.

“This is home, now I’m finally where I belong, yeah, this is home, I’ve been searching for a place of my own, now I’ve found it, yeah this is home”.  The song, “This is Home” by the San Diego band called Switchfoot, celebrates the California dream of security and belonging. The song’s tones inspire and uplift the listener as one can hear both the passion and nostalgia in the artists’ voices. To them, this is home—a place they can call their own—where they first tasted freedom to express, love, and become who they are. The song beautifully paints an image of California as almost a sort of nurturing mother, proud of her children, (in this case the band) and is always inviting them with open arms to return back home—to where it all began.  “And now after all my searching, after all my questions, I'm gonna call it home”. This song suggests man as an aimless wanderer, weary from travels and finished with adventure. Contrary to Polan’s depressing ideas about California as simply crushing any dreams of peace and settling down, this song beautifully ignites hope in that weary soul looking for a place to rest—to call home. (Polan 141)

 

Polan, Dana. “California through the lens of Hollywood. Reading California”: Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000. eds.Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Llene Susan Fort.Berkeley:university of California Press, 2001. 339-352 

Spirituality and California in Crisis

There has been a cyclic pattern occurring throughout the short history of California concerning the popularity of spiritual religious and mystical interests. Whenever Californian faces hardship or crises, great numbers of people look towards the spiritual for help and inspiration. During the Depression the "Foursquare Gospel (faith)…was part of a national revival of religious fundamentalism" appealing to the immigrants newly arrived in California from the Midwest "Dust Bowl" crisis (34). After World War II, because of "American forces and diplomatic corps…encounter(ing) Asian cultures,…Zen…became a new fascination"(41). The practice of Zen helped the in the search "to comprehend the devastation of World War II"(41). In present times, California not only faces a major depression but a world in economic and ecological crisis. Millions of people are turning not only to contemporary religions but also to mysticism: a "means of enabl(ing) a person to transcend his physicality and enter a spiritual realm"(47).
Zen and Buddhism, considered mystical religions offer a vehicle by which people can "foster a better understanding of oneself and the universe" (31) "by encourag(ing) spiritual and physical discipline as the path to self-awareness"(37). "Zen emphasized that the role of the individual and the use of intuition were essential in attaining an elevated state of consciousness"(41) thereby enabling "the expression of the inner self, while achieving 'total receptivity'"(43) or awareness. Man, inherently an animal--conservative "religious right" factions arguing otherwise--has successfully survived for over a million years relying on instinct for perseverance (onelife). It is only within the last two hundred years that man has affected the ecological balance of the earth by putting aside their animal instincts and developing mind-based technologies. Much can be learned by contemporary leaders in utilizing Zen and Buddhist philosophies and beliefs and in effect, placing "importance not on things but on process" in attempts to finding solutions for the present world crises (41).
. November 18, 2008
Fort, Ilene Susan. "Altered States: California Art and The Inner World". Reading California. Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-2000. Eds. Stephaie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Ilene Susan Fort. Berkely: University of California Press. 2001.

Curious Californians

Chiromancy (also known as Palmistry), or the art of palm-reading exposes curious Californians to dream of discovering the unknown—the future. Have you ever wondered if you will be in good health or financially stabled in the next few years? Will you be single, engaged, married or even have kids? Wouldn’t you like to know your future? People are curious by nature. If Californians’ desire of the unknown is much greater than their fear of the dream, crossing into the realm of spirituality—getting the lines of their palm read—is the journey to disclose the California dream. The probabilities that person’s palm will truthfully reveal aspects of life such as love, economy, health, and lifetime are surprisingly consistent. The power of the mind is stronger than the power of the body; the California dream of discovering destiny’s irresistible wonders increases and becomes much more desired. But crossing the thin line between the California dream and superstition—revealing the unknown can become a nightmare and easily conquer over Californian’s lives—transforms Californians into impatient and irritated citizens. Although Chiromancy emphasizes the belief of revealing the future as well as the absurdity of California dream, living on the negative stage of the California dream is miserable, remember that life is sweet and short, “expect nothing” and “live frugally on surprise”(Alice Walker).

Out of Control

 

“California is then not so much the site of assured values as the extreme rendition of the instability of all value systems, of a geography so much in flux that it can never be settled.” In this quote by Dana Polan screams with hopelessness and broken dreams in this supposedly grand state in which we live. Look around. What do you see? Is it stability, peace, and balance? I’ll tell you what I see—extremes. Just around campus, I see two groups of students: some waist their time partying the nights away and ignoring their academic responsibilities, while others have no social life at all, burying their heads in books and swimming in homework. I see some professors losing themselves in their work, while others simply teach to get paid without caring about their students. While many students raise their voices and express their passion about the issues of this world even to the point of being offensive and loud, others passively watch the world pass by and don’t lift a finger or care to say a word. These kinds of extremes coexist everywhere—work, school, at home. In California, the dreams of becoming rich, attaining academic success, or reaching a certain status are so sought after that the dreams themselves almost become and obsession. This creates two extremes—those who live for success, and those who become apathetic to it all and live for nothing. Where is a perfect balance in this confused mess? Can’t we find a healthy middle ground? At least from what I can see, if one comes to California searching for balance they will be sorely disappointed.

Susan Fort. Polan, Dana. “

California

through the lens of

Hollywood

”

Reading

California

: Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000. eds.Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Llene :

Berkeley

universityof

California

   Press, 2001. 339-352

One Dollar for a Hundred!

In California, the dream of fortune is can be found almost everywhere; right down to the small corner store. 0n November 6, 1984, the proposition for a state wide lottery was passed which would be used to  help fund schools. With at least nine different ways to play like scratchers or $1 quick picks you can buy at any local convenience store it becomes clear the idea of being able to find fortune is normally attributed for a cheap and easy solution, and fairly riskless. California has for a long time been seen as the place for fortune. Quick fortune in California is such a strong concept that people are willing to spend a dollar ever Friday at the end of the week assuming that this might very well be there lucky day. The ironic thing about spending this seemingly small insignificant amount of money for dreams of instant fortune is that eventually the money spent would add up to a nice large sum. If people were to instead put this sum of money toward something like a C.D., it would then legitimately add up to something much more worthwhile. But the allure of the get rich quick with very little will always be able to lure the one dollar from millions. At the same time however, this kind of gambling offers a unique aspect in the way that it gives back to the community. 34% of all revenues generated from the lottery are mandated for funding public schools. So while people give into a small guilty pleasure, they can know that their money if nothing else is going to a good cause.

No Success is too small

 

In life, those who want to succeed do so with hard work and determination. Many Californians find the golden state the right breeding ground for achievement. To succeed can mean something different to each person. Success can be the amount of money one has, how much someone is loved, or how one positively impacts people everyday. This plethora of accomplishments that are achievable in California makes this a unique place. Yes, success can be achieved anywhere; but, Californiaoffers a land full of different opportunities to do so. In this picture, a man is scaling a seemingly impossible mountain to climb. His success is built on his willingness and determination to reach the top. Many people can find success in sports, whether it be rock climbing, snow boarding, or even surfing. California offers every kind of terrain to make successes, like reaching the top of a mountain, possible. The quote in the picture by Henry Ford paired with this mans actions speaks volume. Not only does this picture illustrate determination to succeed through hardship, but how much little things can mean. To some people climbing a rock seems pointless compared to earning a lot of money, but success cannot be measured. Accomplishing ones own personal goal - no matter the feat - can mean the world. From giving a little to giving a lot or having small successes or copious ones, it still holds significance. Everyone should set out to achieve their hearts desires and succeed in what they love – no matter the perceived magnitude.

                California- Part of the United States or Mexico

      California has not only harbored the opportunistic dreams of US citizens but has also been well known as the dream of opportunity for those across the border. Many however still feel that this land was stolen and rightfully belongs to Mexico. So as many continue to come here illegally and US citizens fight for their deportation it is no wonder that Carrey McWilliams saw California as nothing more than a "circus" and Polan a place where "citizens try to pull ahead of the rat race"(McWilliams 23 and Polan 136). Because that is what the state has become- a rat race. This lushes land of bounty and endless dreams has yes become a place of opportunity but has also become a place of dispute and struggle for power torn by its bitter past. The only resolution perhaps is to try to get along with one another and understand eachothers dreams, for California can be a place of opportunity in many ways for many different people. It is not "as if a man of limited means could only have limited dreams"(Polan 137). Any one can touch the sky in California as long as their will is strong enough. 

Picture (Above)- In an absolte world.   

The Clash of the Social Classes

California’s involvement in the presidential election, demonstrates the competition for economic opportunity that emerges between “successful entrepreneurs” and “many more who don’t strike it rich” (Allmendinger 113), especially during this economic crisis. On November 4, 2008, we witnessed a milestone forever changing history here in the United States.  Barack Obama officially became the first African American to lead the executive branch of the United States, while the Democrats successfully battled to obtain majorities in both the Senate, and House of Representatives. As democrats dominated both the executive and legislative branches, the California dream of economic opportunity was either clenched firmly with insecurity, or generated into a possible reality; with the business owners of course having the greatest concerns. With this significant event, middle class citizens in California now have hope in conquering their state’s notorious living expense, while business owners anticipate obstructive government regulation. Although new congress was barely formed, California republicans are angst for the midterm elections. As they vigorously attempt to retain equal representation and economic opportunity. The Golden State has always been known for allowing “displacement of natives and occupants”, while “invaders conquer the land” (Allmendigner 113). California’s particular reputation still survives as business owners try to avoid displacement, as middle class societies rush to invade places of economic opportunity. Dreams in California are dressed with constant struggles, and the dream of financial chance appears to be the perfect prototype.

 

Works Cited

Allmedinger, Blake. "All About Eden." Reading California - Art, Image and Identity, 1900-2000. By Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. New York: University of California P, 2000. 1-416.

Dealing in the Suburbs

If anyone has Showtime then I highly recommend them to watch the show "Weeds". This show is the epitome of the California dream of economic opportunity. As the seasons continue you'll see that it turns more into the dream of economic prosperity. A recently widowed mother from an affluent neighborhood in California must turn to drug dealing just to keep her head above the water. Typical to spoiled Californians, she never actually considers getting a real job, and sees dealing pot as her only option to support her family. While it is at times hilarious, and eventually grows somewhat darker as time progresses, it is still a serious look into the real lives of many people residing in California. I guess what it really shows is that "keeping up with the Joneses" is a more serious dillema in California, and that dream of money goes quickly from a necessity to a greedy, desperate luxury.

King of Ireland

When people are unhappy with their lives they try to change it, many times they get a false identity. Many people have the dream of having a false identity. Where no one knows them, and they can be who ever they want to be with no worries. One night, down by the Oceanside beach, I was having a bon fire with a couple of friends. As we were talking I looked to my right, and I saw a man walking towards us. As he came closer to our fire I was able to get a better look at him. He was a man of his late thirties, maybe early forties, he had a shirt on that once might have been white, but now was brownish yellowish. He was his hair tied up in a pony tail and he had on a pair of pink glasses, that only had one of the lense in. He introduced himself as the King of Ireland. My friends and I looked at each other and tried to hide our smiles. The King of Ireland went on to say that we are invited to his tent down by the pier. He guarentteed us that as the king's guests we would have VIP spots in the tent. As the man kept on rambling on about some party he had and how was the king of a country that he probably didnt even know of, I realized that this man was the perfect example of the dream of a false identity in California. How someone was so desperate to change their lives that they went to the fullest extent of brainwashing themselves in believing that they are a king...We said our thanks, by apologizing and saying that we have to go home. As we walked away I took a last look at the King of Ireland. He was aimlessly digging holes around himself, quite possibly looking for the answers in his life, or maybe he was looking for his true identity. The King of Ireland had reached his dream of a false identity in California, but at the same time he lost his true identity for ever.

A time for change

I find that it is significant that the election takes place in November. Not only is this a time when our laws, propositions and leaders change, it is the same time as when the leaves change colors. In

California

there has been a lot of change going on, as we progress faster then a lot of the other states around the nation.

California

is currently trying to change things for the better such as; using different more global efficient energy sources, fixing conditions in which animals are confined in farms, legalizing gay marriage etc.

California

has always been a place for leaders, who want to make change in the world for the better.

California

is progressively working to change peoples views, thoughts, and lives in order to keep our image of being an accepting and efficient, and environmentally friendly. We are constantly making small changes to better our society for everyone, just as the leaves change in winter. Even though the changing of leaves is a small change it is still significant, because it signifies, a new time.

California: A State Split in Half

Having seen the last presidential election, as well as the one before that i have come to notice a rather interesting pattern. Most states across the nation are a sure win for either democrats or republicans, but California is not. Our state tends to always be split down the middle, with our decisions and every election is a toss up. I feel like this represents how diverse the people who live here are, there is no majority in the election, it is pretty even. This also talks about the "California dream", in which everyone is able to express their individual beliefs without feeling any pressure or discrimination. Throughout the current election there are signs and protesters everywhere expressing both sides of the vote, and i haven't seen any more or any less of either side. Although this is just about on issue, it speaks about topics that are beyond the vote. This idea can be related to almost anything in California, when thinking about how people here come from all different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, political views etc.

California, Find yorself here

There is a prominent dream in California as being a place of endless vacation. People are under the impression that life is easy, fun, and laid-back, with no responsibilities or need of work here in California. Where could people possibly get this deranged idea? I mean, I go to school full time and work part time, I feel like all i do is work work work. One theory i have as to how this idea is being spread is the commercial frequently aired with the title California, Find Yourself Here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md69zCJKD1c In this commercial the opening line states that people think that life in California is just one big vacation. Tt goes on saying that it's not, showing scenes of people "working" and using a play on words, such as a woman on a surf board saying they have board meetings. The whole commercial is full of fun activities with witty phrases connecting them to work. This is quite a nice fantasy of California, and sure every body would love if this were true, but the fact is, California is like a bee hive, with thousands of people who have to work if they have a prayer of surviving here. 

Britney in Real Life

Who doesn’t wish to live Britney’s life, a beautiful woman living in a Beverly Hills’ mansion, shopping without a limit with a Starbucks (and a dog) on the side, going to all Hollywood parties, hearing thousands fans shouting her name as they ask for her autograph, and so the list goes on. Britney Spears lives a wild Hollywood life full of “exotic flavor[s]”, which comes with the dream of becoming a famous celebrity in the Golden State (Bernstein 97). In her 2001 music video, “Lucky”, Britney Spears deals an internal conflict between her two selves/personalities, Lucky Britney against Average Britney, while conveying unhappiness, side-effect of the dream of fame.  The lyrics reflect upon the thin line between fulfilling the California dream and becoming the dream’s victim, trapped in a Hollywood fantasy in search of true happiness. Under extreme wigs or big sunglasses, Britney Spears attempts to camouflage herself as a typical Californian as she hopes to be overlooked in the population; however, celebrities always seem to be attention-thirsty which results with “rebellious” behaviors and “attitudes” in order to keep the paparazzi entertained (Starr 20). Does living the dream of a Hollywood life truly mean fulfilling yourself? Or transforming your self-image to become another Hollywood plastic just to satisfy the dream’s expectations?  Is the dream of fame worth your freedom? As Kevin Starr states “Prophets love as well as judge”, confirmed not only by Californians, as we adore Britney Spears’ new songs and fragrances as well as critique her unforgettable scandals (29).

Works Cited:

• Bernstein, Sheri. “Selling California: 1900-1920”. Made in California: Art, Image and Identity 1900-2000. Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. 65-101.
• Starr, Kevin. “Carrey McWilliams’s California: The Light and the Dark”. Made in California: Art, Image and Identity1900-2000. Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. 14-29.

california Raisins.

California is well known for its way of trying to sell itself; especially in aid to its agricultural departments. With several ads and slogans for dairy and fruits distribution, it’s no wonder that eventually someone from the state would come up with something so strange like dancing raisins. The dancing raisins were inspired from the exhaustion of ideas for new advertisements. The ad campaign received popularity almost immediately with four full album releases and a cartoon series. This kind of commercial reveals a very peculiar thing about California. While the state itself has become would wide known for some of its natural beauty, it still shows a need or insecurity with its own image that it still needs to fight to promote an image of something greater. When id does manage to come up with something new to portray itself it really is something unique. But at the same time, it promotes a whole other aspect of California culture that says, if you’re not the greatest, you’re not trying hard enough. This might be the reason the state has places like Hollywood where people have to consistently fight to uphold an image or suffer the horrid feeling of likeness with someone or something else. Then again, it could just be a lucky strike of an advertisement that managed to come up with something really quirky. In the end, the California raisins manage to establish themselves as a key element to what California is. A place where strange things often come out, and are well appreciated. 

95% Decrease in Egg Production; California

Would you be able to spend 95% of your lifetime in a closet with seven other people?

In California, let alone the United States, chickens live in a small cage for approximately 95% of their lives with 6-8 other chickens. Proposition 2, or in other words, "The Standards for Confining Farm Animals," prohibits "the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs."

Although animal morality is a touchy subject, can we afford it?

The biggest issues conforming to proposition 2 are as followed:

 

Supporting arguments

• Prop 2 prevents cruelty to animals, since it is simply wrong to confine animals in tiny cages barely large enough for their bodies. To emphasize this argument, supporters of Prop 2 released a video on October 14 that according to the Los Angeles Times shows "egg-laying hens crammed into filthy cages, while, nearby, discarded birds are left to die in piles of corpses."^[12]
• Prop 2 improves our health and food safety by requiring better conditions for animals.
• Prop 2 supports family farmers, who are driven out of business when factory farms cut corners and put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.
• Prop 2 protects air and water and safeguards the environment.
• The price of cage-free eggs will go down.^[13]

Opposing arguments

• If it passes, egg supply will go down and egg prices will go up.
• If chickens are not in cages, they are more vulnerable to attacks by predators, including other chickens;
• If egg companies don't want to deal with the new regulations, they can move to other states or Mexico, taking their benefits to local economies with them.^[8]
• According to a study put out by the University of California-Davis, if Prop 2 passes, it is likely that it would force the state's $300 million egg industry to move out of the state or out of business entirely.
• The cost of producing eggs would increase by 20% or more.
• The egg business would have to invest about $500 million on new ways to house chickens.^[26]
• Consumers would buy trucked-in eggs from other states and Mexico which would be more exposed to salmonella, and the hens more vulnerable to bird flu.^[27]
• According to the National Taxpayers Union, Proposition 2 would place additional regulations on how livestock owners must handle their farm animals, which could increase food costs.^[28]

According to studies made my a Californian University, It is said the price of an egg will increase "76%" by "2015" if Prop 2 passes. Also, with an approximate 3600 people working in the labor field of Chicken care, it too would increase if they were allowed to roam freely, allowing a more increase in price.

The dream of California as being a "free" state definitely does not apply itself to every inhabitant of California; as shown by Proposition 2. Although Chickens moving around freely is a step towards equality in animal morality for animals themselves, Can we as humans afford it? Even if we could, would we want to?

Bumper-to-bumper

I think this phrase is familiar to anyone living in California. With all that California has to offer, it is diffuclt to get around and experience it all because of all the traffic! California is what some consider a "natural paradise", yet we pave over everything, and connect cities by an endless amount of freeways. Its a simple equation really-more people means more roads which means more congestion which results in more traffic. It is nearly impossible to take a leisurely scenic drive without having to encounter some sort of overpopulated highway first. The Annual Urban Mobility Report estimates that the "average American spends approximately 34 hours a year commuting in their cars and the average Californian spends closer to 82". So we spend almost triple the amount of time in traffic compared to the other 49 states! The California dream of experience, that is experiencing all of the wonderful cities and natural beauty California has to offer, seems even further away by the overpopulation of people, cars, and roads.

Returning to California

In searching for California’s infamous cultural diversity, my return to California has been a gamble that has paid great dividends. The added wonders, the “sublime and the scenic, the spiritual and the commercial” of California’s assorted tourist areas are just a secondary attribute that I have come to enjoy in my new home state(Ott). In the process of renewal that I am experiencing by reacquainting myself with the State of my birth, I have discovered the many attributes of California that I missed in my earlier state of dissatisfaction. There is never a want for things to do here. The progenitors of this great state, having a “sense of …exceptional destiny” have laid out an amazing land of opportunity for anyone with the imagination and desire, to succeed in any enterprise they might dare to dream up (McWilliams 61). With the “mixed mass of human beings” and the diversity of customs, cultures, ideas and activities to participate in, living here is like visiting a realistic Disneyland (McWilliams 42). The “naturally fostered spirit of independence and self-reliance” sustained by the early population during the period of the Gold Rush, is still lingering in a large part of the citizens of today and may be contagious to anyone who feels it. Some might say that I am lucky in the situation that I am in, but I would argue that point. I agree with Cary McWilliams as he states in his book California: The Great Exception, “belief in ‘good luck’…becomes a positive, independent factor in the preservation of (ones) good fortune”, but I believe that it is more a belief in ones self that is the force that will command success (62).
Works Cited:
McWilliams, Carey. California: The Great Exception. New York: Greenwood Press. 1949.
Ott, John. “Landscapes of Consumption: Auto Tourism and Visual Culture in California, 1920-1940”. Reading California: Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-
2000. Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Ilene Susan Fort. Berekley. University of California Press. 2001. 61.

It's a bird! it's a plane! O...it's just an english student.

        The Dream of becoming a superhero is something people of all ages have wanted. In Hollywood, movies depicting superheroes are produced on mass and include characters such as: Wonder woman, batman, and superman. But, what attracts us to these glistening warriors? Do we all have a secret passion to wear costumes (besides Halloween time)? Or do we subconsciously wish to have a secret life? "The fundament of a superhero is the guy in tights saving innocent people from bad things" (Frank Miller). Although the costume and saving people’s lives are typical things to like, I think that the most amazing thing about superheroes is their SUPER POWERS! Super powers can vary from: “superhuman strength, the ability to fly, enhanced senses, and the projection of energy bolts”.

Having the ability to fly has always been my dream, and on October 11th I fulfilled that dream. Imagine feeling 120mph winds gush against your face while you look out across the land and fly at 13000 feet and below. I got to experience that feeling when I went sky diving. For a couple of minutes I got to be a superhero, and it was the best feeling in the World! Up, up, and away goes the newly crowned superhero of Mr. Sullivan's English class.

Opportunity of Inequality

Well we all know that in a couple of weeks, our government will exchange the present Chief Executive for either Barack Obama, or John McCain. The elections are coming faster than expected, and it is time to start casting our ballots, and then wait eagerly to discover who the new president will be. Elections have allowed the people an opportunity to practice their first amendment right. A recurring problem about elections though, is that organizations have the ability to influence the outcome of elections. An example of these groups are Political Action Committees, who work hard to accumulate money, and in the end donate it to a specific candidate who they believe would satisfy their needs. These organizations in a way strip the people's ability to voice their opinion about a particular candidate or issue, since the committees can influence the outcomes of certain situations by using dead presidents. Many have argued the unfairness that these Political Action Committees create, and have tried to restrict them, while the groups themselves use their first amendment right as an excuse do donate these large sums of money. All of this contention between the regular voters and committees reveals a conflict the California dream of equal opportunity produces. Although this problem arises throughout all the states, California appears to promise this idea of equal opportunity more than others. Both sides of the spectrum have been able to generate reasonable criticisms, leaving the problem in a stalemate. While voters seldom damage the opportunity of organizations, organizations do take away the peoples opportunity of voicing their opinion equally. This California dream has been debated for many years now, yet no amendments have emerged to balance both sides of the scale. I guess by living in California, one has to embrace a lifestyle of unmet desires. After all, California dreams do not fulfill people’s expectations, but instead “spell disillusion” (Allmendinger 113)

Works Cited

Allmendinger, Blake. "All About Eden." Reading California - Art, Image and Identity, 1900-2000. By Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein and Ilene Susan Fort. New York: University of California P, 2000. 1-416.

Sea lions or no Sea Lions....That is the Question!

          Sea Lions or no Sea Lions....That is the Question!

        In La Jolla, California the controversy of a children's beach

vs. an animal habitat has been going on for the last ten

years now. And as http://beaches.typepad.com noted, "The

controversy stems from two opposing viewpoints." The view

points of enviornmentalists and animal rights activists and the

view points of receation advocates. For now at least the sea lions have won, but the fight will

undoubtably continue as long as their as those who are unwilling to give up five feet of coastline for

the wellfare of other living creatures. It is amazing how much usable coastline California has been

blessed with and even more amazing that some arn't willing to layout ten feet down the sand. So the

question will remain, Sea Lions or no Sea Lions....That is the qestion! 

Cork the Beauty, Release the Expression

  Is it possible to carry a beautiful dream so far as to rape it of its original appeal? As seen in this obscure “Portrait of Allen Ginsberg” by artist Bruce Connor, for many artists, the dream of discovering avenues of creating fine art, and exploring beauty in California has spiraled into a confusing abyss with the shocking entrance of the “beat generation”(222 Bowles). The meaningless objects in Connor’s work introduces the sad possibility that California tried so hard to set artists free to criticize, celebrate, and declare themselves through art, that the original forms and purpose of art was lost. The portrait is a conglomeration of filth—torn paper, lace, old costume jewelry, dirty boards, a rusty can—that all are meant to represent various sexual organs (237 Bowels). While this so-called art flaunts itself in the greatest museums, it discourages artists who labor to create beautiful oil paintings, studying all their lives to become a master artist who remain unnoticed and forgotten. What once was an avenue of discovering beauty, is now used to convey political views, for social protest, and even advertisement. The Beat movement also introduced obscenity and random art to such a degree that Bruce Connor himself said, “I don’t know any artist that would call himself a beat artist…if somebody did, you’d consider them a fake, a fraud running scam.” (221 Bowels) Much of Beat art represented nothing in and of itself, other than the fact that it countered conformity, and decried what used to be considered “art”. Bruce Connor was a great example of utilizing this kind of art, and even admitted that “it was not taken seriously”. As an artist, I cringe at the thought of the struggle I will encounter in this state as I strive to be seen as an artist. Unless I conform my artistic style to the avant-garde, politically controversial genre of today, my dream of tapping into a wealth of opportunity and exploring beauty will be lost. At what point is the dream taken too far? California prides herself in her boundless realms of art, but has lost the true meaning and purpose of art in the process—destroying the dreams of many seekers of beauty in this state.

Bowels, John P. “Shocking Beat Art Displayed” Reading California: Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000. eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Llene Susan Fort.

Berkeley:university of

California Press, 2001. 339-352

Ecological Challange

California’s Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the home to half of the remaining Coastal Redwoods, some towering over 360 feet; their grandeur captured in the photograph I took, emphasizing the importance of preserving State Parks and other untouched natural areas for anyone to capture their dream of a natural paradise (Redwood). In the center of the photo is one of the older trees, (most of these older trees averaging a lifespan of 500-700 years) its size contrasting with the younger redwoods which now populate the majority of Redwood forests remaining in the State of California (Redwood). Among the undergrowth is a log that has been cut, a reminder of the logging industry that has methodically and thoughtlessly destroyed the plentiful forests of California throughout the years. The trail that cuts through the ferns and meanders among the wooden giants, indicates the love and efforts that have gone into saving these massive monuments of nature, allowing the citizens of this state to visit and enjoy them. This unique forest represents the foresight of the pioneer ecologists of California in the 1920’s, who realized the importance of saving untouched areas like this, and resolved to save the area when the trend was to utilize anything that could be put to profitable means. The politicians and the booster industry of California were actively attracting “middle-class tourists and new residents” by presenting the State “as an unspoiled and bountiful paradise”; and therefore, were motivated to enact legislation to create these areas of sublime beauty. (Bernstein). As time passes, we continue to lose more pristine natural wonders to development, which makes it imperative for all of us to follow our predecessors’ examples by continuing to preserve more areas for the delight and admiration of future generations.

Works Cited:
Bernstein, Sheri. “Selling California 1900-1920”. Made in California. Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000. Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Ilene Susan Fort.
Berkley: University of California Press, 2001. 65
Redwood National and State Parks. Official Map and Guide. National Park Service. US Department of the Interior. Department of Parks and Recreation State of California. GPO. 2005

LSD; a cure for alcoholics

The illicit drug, LSD or better known as acid, is a hallucinogenic drug that is created in laboratories in Northern California, and runs wild in the Southern region. When LSD is used, it creates "perceptual distortions" and allows people to "see or hears things that don't, in reality, exist." Also, it is so damaging to the body, it can allow for a fuse of senses; that is "colors are heard and sounds are tasted."

"Some cultures have used hallucinogens for religious purposes, as a way to experience 'other realities' or to communicate with the supernatural." Many artists use hallucinogens for a "mind-expanding" experience that allows them to easier think out-of-the-norm and to become creative. Furthermore, scientists have used LSD in tests to cure alcoholics, having their subject take LSD to have an "out-of-body" experience and to judge themselves without prejudice, from a third-person view. Although there has been about a 60% success rate, there are a lot of intricacies that follow these tests, and the law declared this type of testing to be illegal for health reasons. Taking hardcore street and laboratory drugs can cause much harm to your body; physically and mentally. One of the most leading results of hardcore hallucinogens is schizophrenia; defined by dictionary.com as "a state characterized by the coexistence of contradictory or incompatible elements."

However, because the drug is a hot topic among moral and ethical issues, should this type of testing be allowed? What if the experiment goes wrong and the patient is involved in a "bad trip"? LSD can in some cases, lead to a beings death, how does this effect the research?  Although there are a lot of potential consequences for taking LSD, for medication purposes, I feel that it should be allowed with the patient meeting a certain number of qualifications in a hospital or laboratory. This way, they do not harm themselves physically or do not do such things as running into the middle of the street, uncontrollably. Although the Californian dream of being sober is prevalent, as seen by many Hollywood celebrities, the fact that LSD testing is illegal and cannot even be used as a last resort, is a limitation on ones' triumph to become sober by any means possible.

Redwood Park Challenges Preservationism

California’s Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is the home to half of the remaining Coastal Redwoods, some towering over 360 feet; their grandeur captured in the photograph I took, emphasizing the importance of preserving State Parks and other untouched natural areas for anyone to capture their dream of a natural paradise (Redwood). In the center of the photo is one of the older trees, (most of these older trees averaging a lifespan of 500-700 years) its size contrasting with the younger redwoods which now populate the majority of Redwood forests remaining in the State of California (Redwood). Among the undergrowth is a log that has been cut, a reminder of the logging industry that has methodically and thoughtlessly destroyed the plentiful forests of California throughout the years. The trail that cuts through the ferns and meanders among the wooden giants, indicates the love and efforts that have gone into saving these massive monuments of nature, allowing the citizens of this state to visit and enjoy them. This unique forest represents the foresight of the pioneer ecologists of California in the 1920’s, who realized the importance of saving untouched areas like this, and resolved to save the area when the trend was to utilize anything that could be put to profitable means. The politicians and the booster industry of California were actively attracting “middle-class tourists and new residents” by presenting the State “as an unspoiled and bountiful paradise”; and therefore, were motivated to enact legislation to create these areas of sublime beauty. (Bernstein). As time passes, we continue to lose more pristine natural wonders to development, which makes it imperative for all of us to follow our predecessors’ examples by continuing to preserve more areas for the delight and admiration of future generations.

Works Cited:
Bernstein, Sheri. “Selling California 1900-1920”. Made in California. Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000. Eds. Stephanie Barron, Sheri Bernstein, Ilene Susan Fort.
Berkley: University of California Press, 2001. 65
Redwood National and State Parks. Official Map and Guide. National Park Service. US Department of the Interior. Department of Parks and Recreation State of California. GPO. 2005

Crazed imaginations.

California

is well known for its crazies that are publicly accepted as normal. This can be attributed partially for its plethora of subcultures. One subculture being the groups that perform nationally recognized cult classic film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The Rocky Horror Picture show has been nationally documented as a cult classic and also documented as the longest running theatrical release. Every Saturday, or Friday (depending on the cast) at midnight, different theater groups gather at classic movie theaters to perform this 33 year old film. The performance is done on a stage while at the same time the movie itself is being played in the background. The uniqueness of this film comes from its interaction with audience members who shout “call backs” and use different props like squirt guns, newspaper, toast, balloons, playing cards, rice, confetti, and of course, toilet paper. Also, many people lured by their friends who have never seen the show are welcomed as “virgins”! The virgins get marked with red lipstick and are put through silly games as a right of passage before the show begins. In southern

California

alone, there are five casts that perform this movie weekly. The weekly performance attributes to the ever strong popularity among fans for classic cult movies. One of these theater groups is “Crazed imaginations”, who perform every Friday at midnight right here in Encinitas at the historic La Paloma movie theater. This kind of fandom of shear wackiness in

California

is a prime example of

California

’s strong tolerance to the simply outrageous figures that add colorful touches to its constantly changing image to the rest of the world. As Carey McWillams refers to the

California

scene as “a ringside seat to the circus” (23), a person can truly see the insanity that is constantly evident a much appreciated in

California

culture.

Tylenol Cannot Cure All Headaches

All the talk of the California Dream is giving me a headache.  Yes the weather is beautiful, the breeze is to die for, and I cant argue about what California as to offer.

So why? Why do I feel the way I do?

Possibly, with all of California offers, I am turning into one of the type of people i hate most; spoiled.
Maybe its because I am surrounded by people who use a smile to mask how they truly feel; depressed, stressed, and worried.
It could be the fact that I live a three minute drive away from school, but because of all the traffic, stop signs, and stop lights, it takes fifteen minutes.
Maybe its because I feel like I am in a never-ending vacation, which almost seems to be a direct result to my laziness.

Here in California, a good handful of the residents are money hungry. Unhappy. Angry. Greedy. Just like everywhere else.

I feel that although California has more to offer than possibly any other place on this world, its a double edged sword, more problems come with the opportunities.
Perhaps, this is just a personal phase.

So what is the dream? Is the California dream different for everybody? How is the California dream different from the Florida  or Oklahoma dream? Let me know.

Crash

The Movie Crash counteracts the California dream of freedom. California is known as place of salvation and freedom for all who seek it. However the reality is quite the opposite. The movie Crash is about racism and how it is very much alive in the state of California. There are many main characters in the movie, they are black, Mexican, white, and Middle Eastern. In the beginning two black men are complaining about how people are so racist towards them and are expecting them to be criminals, they then put a gun to a white couple and demand their car. This situation is quite ironic and almost humorous in the film. The White couple that got their car stolen call a locksmith to change the locks in their house. The man that does the job is Mexican with a shaved head and tattoos. The white woman yells at her husband that she wants the locks changed again because she suspects that the Mexican locksmith will sell the new keys to his gang friends. The woman was accusing this man that she didn't know from Adam, her assumptions entirely based on a stereotype We later see this man at home with his young daughter. He is a very good father and a good guy all around. Both of these situations show that there is racism in California, some is justified, and some is hurtful and just ridiculous.

Freedom of Expression: Haight & Ashbury

When I visited San Francisco about a year ago, I was highly fascinated with Haight and Ashbury streets, this infamous place shows the California dream of freedom of expression. Many people in Haight and Ashbury express themselves in very unique ways; from dressing up in scandalous clothes and crazy colorful wigs to supporting peace & love messages since the Hippie years. The fantasy of Haight and Ashbury is also created by small clothing boutiques, tattoos and piercings shops  that give a person the sensation that this particular place is  . Haight and Ashbury is filled with open-minded people, as these subjects and the fantasy-based elements collide, the dream of freedom of expression is born. In Ashbury and Haight, people are not afraid to show society what makes this carefree place so unique, everyone has the liberty to express themselves, and with no doubt, Haight and Ashbury is the perfect place to stand up for what you believe in, without worrying if you’re being judged or not. Ashbury and Haight not only convey the dream of freedom of expression, but it is also a place for acceptance.