Depression 2009 blog post

Although I have not thought about it too much, I don't think America will ever go through another great depression. I definitely think that our country has severe economic problems; however, people are more aware of these problems than they were before the Great Depression, and there are many actions being taken by the government to help improve the economic struggle that we're in today; actions that could not be taken in the 1920's because some of the programs that are available today were not available before or during the Great Depression. If our country were to fall into another great depression, I would have to sacrifice all the unnecessary luxuries and all the unneeded activities I partake in. I might have to get rid of my television and my computer; I would no longer be able to purchase nonessential things such as coffee, gum, new shoes, new clothes, snacks, books. I would probably have to get rid of my cell phone because I wouldn't be able to afford the bill, I might even have to give up my cats because I wouldn't be able to afford their food and litter. My family might have to move to a smaller house or an apartment, and I might not have a decent meal every night. My family would probably have to give up the cars or at least one of them because gas is so expensive; I might even have to stop going to school if my parents couldn't afford to take me there every day. If my dad lost his job my family would really suffer because he is the only source of income in my household. My family might literally starve or freeze to death because we wouldn't be able to pay for food or the heating bill, or any bills for that matter. According to the author, the world in a 21st century depression would look much different than it did during the 1930's because "we are separated from the 1930's by decades of profound economic, technological, and political change." The author believes that a 2009 Great Depression would be "largely invisible because people would experience loss privately, not publicly." I tend to agree with this for the most part; people don't like to voice their struggles, especially when it comes to money. I think that, if the depression got bad enough, though, it would be far from invisible, and not as subtle as the author would make it out to be.

Prohibition in Springfield: Editing a Scene

One scene that I probably would have changed in the episode to make it more historically accurate would be one of the very first scenes: the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The producers made it seem like the reason behind the desire for Prohibition was that kids were getting drunk, and that was definitely not the reason Prohibition started in the 1920's. It really started to eliminate "bad" things such as gambling, prostitution, violence in saloons, workplace accidents, etc. Instead, the producers of "The Simpsons" decided to add a modern twist by letting Bart get drunk at a St. Patrick's Day parade and having the townspeople protest it. Also, the judge tried to defend the presence alcohol in the town by saying that all of our forefathers were drunks… and that probably wasn't very accurate. Besides some other scenes that were added in purely for comedic effect and probably could've been more historically accurate, i.e. the scene where Moe's Bar turns into a pet shop, the rest of the episode was surprisingly accurate and fact-based.

Prohibition in Springfield

The producers of the popular Fox television show "The Simpsons" did an excellent job in portraying 1920's Prohibition in Springfield. I would definitely say that the accuracies outweighed the fictional comedy because there were so many elements of the episode that were direct references to Prohibition in the 1920's. For example, speakeasies, or illegal bars, were mentioned and shown throughout the entire episode. Also, the producers made a note of the Mafia paying off the police officers, which really happened during the 1920's. The producers also made it obvious that people were drinking more during Prohibition in Springfield, which also really occurred. The episode also added in the fact that bars were charging more for liquor (although I doubt they were charging $45 for it!) Bootlegging was also added into the episode, and when the company couldn't sell beer they tried to sell soda instead, which was also based on true facts from the 1920’s. The episode was not completely fact, though; some elements were added in simply for comedic effect. For example, using bowling balls to transport liquor secretly, or turning Moe’s bar into a pet shop when the cops rolled around. Overall, though, I felt that the producers did an outstanding job of portraying facts about Prohibition in the 1920's, and the facts definitely outweighed the fictional comedic elements. I really enjoyed this episode; with a few modern twists and some comedic value, it was an easy and enjoyable way to learn about Prohibition in the 1920's.

American Freedoms

During a time of war, it is often critical to aid the war effort, and it is appropriate for one to sacrifice some of his or her freedoms to do so. As Americans, we are blessed with many freedoms; we obtained these freedoms by supporting our American Soldiers as they fought in previous wars. If it will help the war effort, I think it is important for Americans to sacrifice some of their freedoms. For example, if a rebellious American is publicizing bad things about the war, it would be appropriate for the government to tell that American to stop saying negative things about the war, despite his or her freedom of speech. During times of war, America needs as much support from its country as possible, and if the sacrifice of certain freedoms means helping America out that much more, why wouldn't a true American be willing to make that sacrifice for his or her country?

Spain Blows Up U.S.S. Maine, Killing Hundreds of Innocent Americans!

Early this year, President McKinley responded quickly and efficiently to the riots that occurred in Cuba by sending the U.S.S. Maine into Havana's harbor to protect both the property and the citizens of our country. Shortly after we aided Cuba in releasing themselves from Spain's grip, Spaniards exploded and sunk the U.S.S. Maine! Not only did they sink our battleship, which was only serving the purpose of protection, but these immoral people killed hundreds and hundreds of our sailors.What is next? Are we just going to step aside and let Spain continue to attack our battleships, and kill our innocent sailors? Are we going to live our lives in fear, silently asking ourselves when Spain will follow through with their next attack?! No! We must do something. We must fight back, and fight better. We must defend ourselves, as well as the Cubans, and prepare ourselves... because no one knows when Spain is planning to attack again.