Music: Some of my classical favorites

Here are some of my favorite classical/blues/ragtime/etc (not this century) composers:

1. Toccata & Fugue and D minor - J.S. Bach
2. Swan Lake theme - Tchaikovsky
3. Rhapsody In Blue - George Gershwin (You may know this from Disney’s, Fantasia)
4. O Mio Babbino Caro - Puccini (from Opera, Madame Butterfly)
5. Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin
6. Canon In D - Pachelbel (In many weddings)
7. Clair De Lune - Debussy
8. Skater’s Waltz - Waldteufel
9. Carmina Burana: O Fortuna - Orff (Everyone knows this one)
10. Blue Danube - J. Strauss

If you didn’t know....

I’m sure many of you have heard about the tragic death of 27-year-old British pop artist Amy Winehouse and the Norway shootings just a few days ago. The reason I bring this up is I can’t help but notice the lack of respect, and impact this has had on Americans, mainly through Facebook.

I’m not saying that Amy Winehouse’s death should have a big impact on us, but all the disrespect I have seen towards her, her addiction, and music has led me to total and utter disgust. Regardless if she was a “junkie” or not, her talent and tastefully done old school pop should be what this star was known for. Although addiction is mainly controlled and caused by the addict him/herself, many of us do not realize that this term “addiction” is actually a disease and it is no doubt one of the most harmful. Regardless if this was under her control, it is just a shame to see another young star’s talent go to waste and get consumed by her not-so-secret demons.

On another note, here is a toast to all the Americans (and others) that actually have cared enough to watch/read the news and are aware of the Norway shootings! If you have not caught up on the news however, some things you must know: the death count that was up to 92 was miscalculated and is now down to 68 (what a relief!!!) also, apparently the shooter is “not guilty” and will face 100 days of jail time for each person IF found guilty.... therefore, 21 years MAXIMUM. Yes, I said maximum. I’m afraid that killing many innocent people AND children is worth at least 2 to 3 times as many years in prison (correct me if I’m wrong). I also suggest that Norway and the rest of Scandinavia create a more conventional way for their police and Delta Force Squad (Emergency Unit) to navigate through Norway, improve their preparation, and the ability to foresee bad situations such as the shooting. Nonetheless, there is no room to underestimate a crew that worked so hard unprepared to rescue these innocent people.

Regardless if you hate Amy Winehouse, don’t care about what tragedies are happening in other countries, or you’re simply just close-minded, here are some tips on this certain situation:

1. Addiction not only affects the addict but EVERYONE around them and if you know an addict seek medical help IMMEDIATELY. 
2. No one's death is more important than others (unless you’re Einstein or Beethoven) and if a family member dies in a world-known tragedy maybe you’ll have more sympathy for others and countries that are effected. 
3. Learn to be respectful and think before you speak, especially when it comes to Facebook and other social networking sites. (DON’T BE A HATER) If anything, you may end up offending someone.

Also to put it out there, here are some other tragedies: 17 killed and 3 missing in a South Korean landslide and 17 dead in a prison fight along Mexico’s border on Tuesday.

A Little Green Hiatus

Many of us are familiar with St. Patrick’s day festivities, cuisine, and general traditions. Although in the St. Charles area St. Patrick’s day is a day to have fun and party, there is more to it than just that. 

For three days I took a little trip to Rolla for their St. Pat's weekend (Although St. Pat's is March 17th) and experienced their way of celebrating this holiday. In this small, college town, the students have their own traditions passed down from previous years.

For those who don’t know why St. Pat's is such a big deal for these engineering majors and small town locals, St. Patrick was not only the patron saint of Ireland but also for engineering which is Rolla S&T’s (Science & Technology) main area of study. 

Every year students sing and count down several days before St. Pat's on the “puck,” which is a round platform located directly in the center of the campus. You will also find street vendors not selling food, but “Best Ever Saint Pat’s” sweaters and t-shirts in the front of buildings such as Wal-Mart and Bread Co. Also, when walking or driving around campus or around town, you will see the majority of the people wearing green sweaters, Irish t-shirts, and other green/St. Pat’s themed clothing.

Some of the traditions that S&T students follow are fraternity/sorority related. Every year the fraternity Sigma Nu decorates trees with paint and carries them to the center of campus to beat rubber snakes the number of times St. Pat's has been held. (This year it should be 103.) This goes back to the legend that St. Pat drove all the snakes on the island of Ireland to the sea, which is a metaphor for all of his good work. Sig Nu also carries these trees down the green roads of the St. Patrick’s day parade along with one of the three sororities.

During the week of the parade, greek parties are very common. The Thursday before the parade is usually the last day for greek listing parties (only greeks or friends of greeks can get in). Usually these parties are rather large and can hold up to 300+ people, and the majority of college students celebrate by dancing, listening to bands and eating BBQ.

Is Cloning Ethical?

According to the Bible, once man creates man the world will end. No one knows if this is actually true but for scientists, this is no concern to them whatsoever. Many of us are familiar with the cloning of Dolly, the sheep in 1997 and the controversies it has brought to the world. Although cloning doesn’t seem practical for the average human and the failure rates are high, scientists are still trying to perfect this technique. The main question is if cloning is ethical and if we should keep trying to perfect it in order to use this treatment on humans.

If this technique was perfected, we would have to ask ourselves what would be the difference between a cloned baby and a child born naturally and why would we want one. In some cases, the man may be infertile or the woman may not be able to reproduce or partners in a homosexual relationship or a single person are not able to conceive children. Perhaps cloning themselves or their partner could be of interest. Although this could sound like a good idea, the children growing up would have to live a life knowing that they aren’t their own person and are just a copy of someone else. If you were a clone of your father for instance, what is in store for you in the future may not be at all a surprise. How would a child cope with looking exactly like his father and seeing the physical future ahead of him?

Another example, bringing back a relative or a child that was tragically killed. The parents of the child would not be seeking for a new baby but just the return of their past child. Also, since the last child was fondly remembered for having certain talents and interests, the new child may develop differently. Is it fair for the new child to be placed in a family with such unnatural expectations?

Cloning is also suggested as a means by which parents can have the child of their dreams. Some couples may choose to have a copy of a celebrity, athlete, or their idol. With this in mind they will expect the child of their dreams but what if the child doesn’t exceed their expectations? Every child should be wanted for itself, as an individual. Making a copy of oneself or a famous person proves that the parent is specifying the way he or she wishes that child to develop instead of developing on it’s own.

Just a Little About Me

Hi I'm Alie Ginnever and I'm going into my second semester at SCC. I love sports, music, and just having a great time with my friends.

There are only a few activities/interests that I love just as much. One of them happens to be shopping/fashion. I love anything from athletic clothing to fashionista and hipster fashions, and I'm always trying to find new and unique clothing that resembles my personality. It would be much appreciated if I could get your opinions and comments on fashion as well. :)