Cuba

A totalitarian state can be defined as any country whose government, or single leader, strictly controls and limits all aspects of the country’s affairs including human rights, public relations and economical and political affairs. The Republic of Cuba fits this description immaculately as it is one of the few remaining nations in the world that practice totalitarianism and suppress their people to the point where it is unbearable. Gaining independence from Spain in 1868, Cuba was also under a dictatorship where one ruler controlled the whole land but it was the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s that helped to create the policies and idealisms of the present day totalitarian state of Cuba. Overthrowing dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, the revolting Cubans lead by Marxist Fidel Castro took over Cuba and started a new communist regime, regardless of United States efforts to stop it such as the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Castro lead Cuba into growing economically as a country but always established a state full of political prisoners, oppressed human rights, and limited election and emigration policies. These aspects present in today’s Cuba exemplify that it is truly a totalitarian state. However, Cuba isn't much a threat as it was in the past.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yoani-sanchez/challenging-the-cuban-state_b_1515292.html

Facts about Carbon

Chemistry has always fascinated me and I always found the carbon atom to be very interesting. Carbon is all around us and it makes us most of the matter in the world. However there is much more to carbon and its atom structure than meets the eye. The carbon atom is very inimitable, compared to other atoms. Carbon has a very strong bong where even a single covalent bond between two carbon atoms is very strong which is dissimilar from other atoms. For example, a single covalent bond between two oxygen atoms such as hydrogen peroxide (HO-OH) is so weak that at room temperature it will decompose. In addition, carbon is unique because carbon compounds aren’t extremely reactive under ordinary conditions compared to other compounds. For example, Butane (C4H10) is very stable in air; however tetrasilane (Si4H10) catches fire in air very quickly which can be very hazardous to those around it . Carbon atoms can also form many compounds because it can form up to four single covalent bonds. Carbon is unique because it can form different allotropes such as a diamond, graphite, and buckminsterfullerene. I may study more chemistry in college if I have a chance for a free elective but it interests me and I would like to learn more about atoms. 

Carbon Facts

Spike Lee and New York

           

            

Born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Brooklyn, New York the critically acclaimed director Spike Lee often incorporated New York, and its culture into his movies. Many of his films, also known as “A Spike Lee Joint” took place in New York City, more specially the projects of Brooklyn, and they tackled such issues as race relations, crime, and poverty. Through his films he wanted the rest of the world to know and truly understand the problems that plagued neighborhoods throughout America. In 1989, he got the nation’s attention with his award winning film Do the Right Thing which exposed the race relations and hostility between whites and blacks in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn and people started taking notice that this a serious issue that plagued the country. He also represented life in New York in such films as She’s Gotta Have (1986), Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Crooklyn (1994), Clockers (1995), and Summer of Sam (1999). Spike Lee stayed true to lifestyle and the people of New York, as he would shoot his movies in the specific New York neighborhood the film took place in. He would develop characters in the film based on different types of people that lived in New York because he wanted his movies to authentically represent New York, its people, and its issues. As a graduate of the Tisch School of Arts at New York University, Spike Lee was a talented director out of college and as an admirer and resident of New York he made it the subject of many of his films, which helped expose important issues to the masses.

Spike Lee Growing up in New York

Book Review of Faust

Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is a short story that is about a scholar Faust, who goes on a journey with the devil, and through his experiences he develops a complex character. Faust’s character is very multifaceted, where he can be perceived as a hero as he has great intentions and goals for himself and wants to benefit the world, but on the other hand, certain actions and experiences throughout his journey with the devil make him a terrible person. A person crosses the line to becoming a villain when they negatively affect other people’s lives and have a harmful impact on the world.  Faust crossed this line and became a villain when he met Gretchen and completely ruined her life, innocence, and family.  Originally having goals to gain knowledge and learn as much as he could, Faust soon turned into a selfish, greed driven antihero who only cared about what he wants regardless of whom it hurt. In my opinion, despite having good morals and ambitions, Faust became a villain when he destroyed Gretchen’s life. This short story is so amusing to read because of the density of Faust’s character as he goes on his journey.

Faust Wiki