Party in the 1920's

     If I was Jay Gatsby and could afford a $100,000 party that lasted an entire weekend, the one I would have for sure is champagne, wine, and more alcohol. The reason is because this takes place during the Prohibition which means that rich people would want to get their hands on them more than ever. One other major thing I would, include is a lot of people. Just like any other rich person, I would probably invite hundreds of people that more than likely I do not know. This invitation would include my neighbors, famous people, close friends, and basically anybody who has a name. Another thing I would include, just like in any other rich person's party is five-star catering by a very expensive company and a fancy type of music to play in the background. I would also probably spend a lot of money on fancy and expensive decorations all over the house and even on the outside, which would include lights for nighttime. There are many more things I could set up at my party, such as maybe a private concert with a very famous Jazz band, invite people from other countries, or even have a private bar put in the back.

"Complex effort to rid San Nicholas Island of cats declared a success"

     The article "Complex effort to rid San Nicholas Island of cats declared a success" is taken from LA Times and written by Steve Chawkins. This particular article discusses a plan that was set-up to get red every single cat living on the island. The plan took at least six agencies, an estimation of $3 million dollars, and 18 months of trapping all the cats. Originally, biologists tried using dogs to scare the cats into the traps, but they kept getting distracted by other animals on the island, such as foxes. Their other plan was to use "fielid-attracting phonics" which was digitally recorded meows, but that that did not work either. Finally, it took a bobcat hunter who was originally retired and around 250 traps that had built-in flashing lights that could be seen by researchers from miles away. The reason that they decided to get rid of all the cats was because they were beginning to actually endanger other animals that were living there as well. For example, they were reportedly feeding on an endangered type of lizards and also Western gulls and Brandts' cormorants. The cats even competed with the island foxes for food.

1920's Prohibition

     In the year 1920, the selling and consuming of alcoholic beverages was made illegal under the Eighteenth Amendment. Despite that it was officially illegal to drink or sell drinks, bars still had them available by "speakeasies" and "bootlegging". Many people also still had private bars in which they provided alcohol. Because of Prohibition, the value of alcohol went up increasingly since it was now illegal. One other reason why people wanted to drink alcohol more than ever was because of the war and people wanting to forget and have a good time. "Moonshine" also became popular during this time, which was when they would make their own alcohol from their bathtubs. Even though this was very dangerous, people still drank it because it was alcohol. The Prohibition is significant in The Great Gatsby because although alcohol was illegal, it was still possible that the upper-social class was able to get a hold of them, especially during their parties.

"Helicopter-plane Collision"

     "Helicopter-plane collision barely missed a 'catastrophic' outcome" article was written by Jeff Gotlieb and Shelby  Grad from LATimes.com. The collision occurred in Bay Area, where a helicopter and a plane collided into each other. Although it was still an accident, it could have been much worse according to the owner of a flight school whose student was present in the helicopter. If the helicopter had hit the plane differently then it would have been "catastrophic". The owner of the flight school also said that the helicopter was hit from behind by the plane, but it was hit in such a way that they were both able to land safely. Wayne Prodger, who is the owner, added that if it had just been a few feet higher, then the plane would for sure have crashed right into the helicopter. Luckily, only the pilots had suffered minor injuries. The accident happened somewhere between Oakland and Sacramento. Both the helicopter and the plane each landed in the different areas. I find this article to be important because if only little thing had changed, then the entire accident would have been different.

"Whitney Houston's Death: Security Hold Coroner's Case

     The article based on the death of one of the greatest singers is from La Times.com, written by Ari Bloomekatz. After the singer was found dead in her hotel room, Beverly Hills police have requested a security hold on the details of the coroner's case according to a Los Angeles coroner's official. On Sunday afternoon, an autopsy was completed, but the cause of her death is still unknown. Despite this, they are still undergoing a series of toxicology tests which could take six to eight weeks. It is still unclear whether or not she died from natural causes or suicidal. According to the article, no more information from evidence in her hotel room or the cause of her death will be released because they are still in investigation. Whitney Houston was found unresponsive in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday afternoon. Investigators are still looking in the possibility that she drowned in her bathtub.

"Man Whose Wife Disappeared Dies With Sons In Explosion"

     According to NewYorkTimes.com written by Matt Flegenheimer and Isolde Raftery, a husband who is supposedly responsible for his missing wife, died in a house explosions with his two sons. The incident occurred on Sunday in Washington and it is said by authorities to have been intentional. The explosion took place around noon shortly after social workers took the two sons home for a supervised visit with their father. The husband, Josh Powell was under investigation because of the disappearance of his wife that happened two years ago, according to Deputy Chief Gary Franz. John Powell let the boys inside the house, but did not let the social workers enter and the explosion took place right after. He also sent his lawyer an email saying, "I'm sorry. Goodbye." One of the social workers also called a supervisor stating that the house had smelled like gas. Due to all of these actions, it was very clear that this was an intentional act. I think that this article is important because a man who was possibly responsible for his wife's disappearance and was also jailed, blew up his own house and two sons and there is nobody knows why he really did it.

Transcendentalism

     Today I sat outside in my backyard for only about half'n'hour, without any type of electronics and basically just observed the environment all around me. While sitting, I began to notice certain things, that otherwise I probably never would have guessed even existed. I noticed how all the roses in my backyard was in different sizes and how each one was mixture of both red and white, instead of just one color. I watched how the birds landed on the grass and picked at the soil with their beaks, looking for food. I also noticed how the wind blew through the trees and how the water in my pool actually moved around like tiny waves.
     For thirty minutes, I sat on the porch swing and soaked up the sun while relaxing in nature. Separated from the any type of technology, I began to wonder if it was necessary to have an excessive amount of electronics in my life. Sitting outside and simply watching nature, helped me realize that there is more to life than just technology, such as nature itself. This experience made me feel as if I am a part of God and nature as one. For at least a little while, I was able to feel at peace and calm with my surroundings.