Regret

Dan Jira

4/19/2024

For so long, I waited

To tell you I loved you

For so long, I feared

Losing our friendship

And then one evening,

After far too long,

I decided to face my fears

In one hour

All of my anxieties,

Of those 6-ish years,

Came true

For so long

Have I tried to forget

For so long

Have I tried to move on

The pain 

Of loving you silently

Was nothing 

Compared to the torture of losing you entirely.

How to Create Global Variables In Visual Basic

Today's post is a quick one, brought about by necessity when I was doing my programming homework this afternoon. In order to do my assignment, I had to use VB's variant of Global Variables, which, it turns out, is a major pain in the... you get the idea. This brief tutorial is specific to Visual Studio 2017, as that is the compiler that I use for Visual Basic.

• Right Click on the solution name in Solution Explorer
• Select Add > Module

• Name the module with reference to the project name as you might be making a lot of these.

• Write Module like so

       Module /modulename/

          'Global Variables for use throughout the program

           Public Var1 As Type

           Public Var2 As Type

           Public Var3 As Type

           'etc...

       End Module

• Save Module
• Use variables throughout the program

Simple FlySky i6 Arduino Robot Code (WIP)

The following code is a basic Arcade Drive style of code that uses the FlySky i6 hobby controller. The radio controller is not naturally mated to the Arduino coding language, however, the radio transmitter that comes with the controller can be used with the Arduino platform with just a few simple coding workarounds. Additionally, you will notice that this code does not require any additional libraries in order to work. The code is written in a class format which allows simple upfront coding, with the advantage of more usability inside the specific classes.

NOTE 1: THIS IS STILL VERSION 0.1 OF THE CODE AS OF THE MOMENT IT HAS NOT BEEN TESTED WITH AN ACTUAL BOT (as my team has yet to give me a bot to code)
NOTE 2: FURTHER CODE UPDATES WILL BE POSTED AT THIS LOCATION, SO THE CODE YOU SEE NOW MAY NOT BE THE CODE YOU SEE NEXT.
NOTE 3: THIS CODE UTILIZES A H-BRIDGE MOTOR CONTROLLER

/*
  2019 Beetleweight Class Robot Code
  Tri-C
  Version: 0.1 Testing
  Dan Jira
  3/1/2019
  jiratheman@gmail.com
  dan-jira.blogspot.com 
*/

class TestCode
{
  public:
    static void Setup();
    static void Loop();
    
  private:
    // Member Functions
    static void ArcadeDriveFSi6();
    static void TankDriveFSi6();
    static void SetMotorValues(double leftOutput, double rightOutput);
  
    // Constants
      // For Controller
    static const bool           USE_FS_I6_CONTROLLER          =  true;
    static const unsigned       FS_I6_SWITCH_THRESHOLD_VALUE  =  1500;
    static const unsigned long  PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US           = 50000;
    
      // For H-Bridge
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_ENA                  =     3;
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_IN1                  =     5;
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_IN2                  =     6;
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_IN3                  =     7;
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_IN4                  =     8;
    static const unsigned int   H_BRIDGE_ENB                  =     9;
    
      // For Unknown (commented out for now)
  //static const unsigned int   NANO_MOVE_LEFT_PIN            =    10;
  //static const unsigned int   NANO_MOVE_RIGHT_PIN           =    11;
    
      // For Controller Channel Input Pins (need Mega)
    static const unsigned int   CH1_INPUT_PIN                 =    48;
    static const unsigned int   CH2_INPUT_PIN                 =    49;
    static const unsigned int   CH3_INPUT_PIN                 =    50;
    static const unsigned int   CH4_INPUT_PIN                 =    51;
    static const unsigned int   CH5_INPUT_PIN                 =    52;
    static const unsigned int   CH6_INPUT_PIN                 =    53;
};

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: Setup
///
/// Details: The Arduino initialization function called during
///          controller start up.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void setup()
{
  TestCode::Setup();
}

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: Loop
///
/// Details: Keeps the Arduino running, uses called code and
///          functions.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void loop()
{
  TestCode::Loop();
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: Setup
///
/// Description: Initialize TestCode function
///
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void TestCode::Setup()
{
  // Final declaration of variables
  const unsigned int ONE_SECOND_DELAY_MS  = 1000;
  
  // Begin Serial monitor @ 115200baud
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("Test Code.");
  
  // Check for controller
  if (USE_FS_I6_CONTROLLER)
  {
    // Set pins for controller inputs
    pinMode(CH1_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    pinMode(CH2_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    pinMode(CH3_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    pinMode(CH4_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    pinMode(CH5_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    pinMode(CH6_INPUT_PIN, INPUT);
    Serial.println("FlySky i6 Controller.");
  } else {
    // Warn for no controller
    Serial.println("No controller configured.");
  }
  
  // H-Bridge outputs
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_ENA, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_IN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_IN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_IN3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_IN4, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(H_BRIDGE_ENB, OUTPUT);
  
  // Commented out until I learn more
  //pinMode(NANO_MOVE_LEFT_PIN,  INPUT);
  //pinMode(NANO_MOVE_RIGHT_PIN, INPUT);
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: Loop
///
/// Description: Test Code main loop
///
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void TestCode::Loop()
{
  // I think this is for extra sensors we aren't using
  // May be deleted
  //static bool bWasAuto    = false;
  //static bool bWasManual  =  true;
  //static bool bReadCenter =  true;
  
  // Select preferred driving mode by commenting out the unused one
  if (USE_FS_I6_CONTROLLER)
  {
    ArcadeDriveFSi6();
    //TankDriveFSi6();
  } else {
    // If no controller warn user through SM
    Serial.println("No Controller Connected!");
  }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: ArcadeDriveFSi6
///
/// Description: Arcade drive style with FSi6 
///
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void TestCode::ArcadeDriveFSi6()
{
  // FSi6 Axis Inputs
    // X = Ch1
    // Y = Ch2
  //        2000
  //          |
  // 1000 --------- 2000
  //          |
  //        1000
  //
  
  // Base Values (yAxis may need to be CH3)
  double xAxis = pulseIn(CH1_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  double yAxis = pulseIn(CH2_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  
  // Serial Stuff for testing purposes
  int c1 = pulseIn(CH1_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  int c2 = pulseIn(CH2_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  int c3 = pulseIn(CH3_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  int c4 = pulseIn(CH4_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  int c5 = pulseIn(CH5_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  int c6 = pulseIn(CH6_INPUT_PIN, HIGH, PULSE_IN_TIMEOUT_US);
  Serial.println(c1);
  Serial.println(c2);
  Serial.println(c3);
  Serial.println(c4);
  Serial.println(c5);
  Serial.println(c6);
  Serial.println();
  delay(500);
  return;
  
  // How to pause controller
  if ((xAxis == 0.0) || (yAxis == 0.0))
  {
    // Controller Off
    return;
  }
  
  // Normalize numbers to make H-Bridge Happy
  xAxis = ((xAxis - 1500.0)/(500.0));
  yAxis = ((yAxis - 1500.0)/(500.0));
  
  // Calculate motor outputs
  double leftOutput  = xAxis + yAxis;
  double rightOutput = xAxis + yAxis;
  SetMotorValues(leftOutput, rightOutput);
  
  // Even more things for SM debugging
  Serial.println("L, R");
  Serial.print(leftOutput);
  Serial.println(", ");
  Serial.print(rightOutput);
  delay(500);
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: TankDriveFSi6
///
/// Description: Tank drive style with FSi6 
///
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void TestCode::TankDriveFSi6()
{
  // Coming Soon... Maybe
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///
/// Method: SetMotorValues
///
/// Description: Sends motor vals to H-Bridge 
///
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

void TestCode::SetMotorValues(double leftOutput, double rightOutput)
{
  // Output trimmed to -1/+1 to make H-Bridge even happier
  leftOutput  = (abs(leftOutput)  > .10) ?  1.0 :  leftOutput;
  leftOutput  = (abs(leftOutput)  < .10) ? -1.0 :  leftOutput;
  rightOutput = (abs(rightOutput) > .10) ?  1.0 : rightOutput;
  rightOutput = (abs(rightOutput) < .10) ? -1.0 : rightOutput;
  
  // Limit output to be at least 10% power
  leftOutput  = (abs(leftOutput)  < .10) ?  0.0 :  leftOutput;
  rightOutput = (abs(rightOutput) < .10) ?  0.0 : rightOutput;
  
  // Scale up for analog reading and output
  leftOutput  *= 255.0;
  rightOutput *= 255.0;
  
  // Set H-Bridge IN pins to motor directions
  // NOTE: set up for 2 motors per side?
  // LEFT MOTOR(S)
  if (leftOutput >= 0.0)
  {
    // Do stuff when left  motor active
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN2,  LOW);
    // SM for Debug
    Serial.println("1H, 2L");
  } else {
    // Do stuff when right motor active
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN1,  LOW);
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN2, HIGH);
    // SM for Debug
    Serial.println("1L, 2H");
  }
  
  // RIGHT MOTOR(S)
  if (rightOutput >= 0.0)
  {
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN3, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN4,  LOW);
    // SM for Debug
    Serial.println("3H, 4L");
  } else {
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN3,  LOW);
    digitalWrite(H_BRIDGE_IN4, HIGH);
    // SM for Debug
    Serial.println("3L, 4H");
  }
  
  // Analog Pulses don't like negatives
  // prolly too complicated heh silly computer
  leftOutput  = abs( leftOutput);
  rightOutput = abs(rightOutput);
  
  // Setup the H-Bridge to handle forward/reverse controls
  analogWrite(H_BRIDGE_ENA,  leftOutput);
  analogWrite(H_BRIDGE_ENB, rightOutput);
  
  // More SM stuff for Debugging
  Serial.println("Left Output: " );
  Serial.print( leftOutput);
  Serial.println("Right Output: ");
  Serial.print(rightOutput);
  delay(500);
}

Why Was Nobody Talking About: The Burmese/Myanmar Genocide

Reason #1) Well, reason number 1 is pretty simple. There's a high chance you read the title of this post and thought something close to "What is Burma or Myanmar?" And there's a good reason for that. The War on Drugs. Burma, renamed Myanmar, but it depends on who you ask, (I will be using these interchangeably as Burmese is much nicer to read than Myanmarian) lies inside what is known as the "Golden Triangle" named by the CIA in the 20th century. This area of South East Asia produces most of the world's heroin. Myanmar is the world's second largest producer of heroin behind Afghanistan. The best way to make sure your people aren't asking for Premium Grade A Burmese Heroin by name is to let them forget that Myanmar exists, and most of the people in Western Culture have definitely forgotten about Myanmar. Until recently. Well, most of the western world. We, as humans, like to think of ourselves as progressive, smart, and better than we have ever been. When in reality, there aren't many other species of plant or animal, who kill their own kind. But that's a topic for another day and probably for another blogger, as that is a can of worms I will not be opening.

Reason #2) During the last half of the 19th century, and first half of the 20th, when the British ruled India, Burma (as it was known back then) was considered a territory of India, and was controlled as such. However, when the British left India, Burma decided it wasn't part of India, and India agreed (after some minor convincing). For the second half of the 20th century, Myanmar was known mostly for its heroin and its beautiful landscapes. But there was something dastardly lying underneath the dense canopies and between the mountain peaks. Myanmar hosts the worlds longest running civil war (1948-present). Current numbers count up to 250,000 casualties, and up to a million civilians displaced from their homes. So beneath its calm Buddhist exterior, there lies a darker secret than heroin. When the civilians first started to appear as refugees in neighboring countries in late August of 2017, it was believed that once again the civil war was getting bloodier. (It also must be noted that outside media is not allowed in many of the factions areas so not too much is known even now about the war.)

Reason #3) When the displaced civilians started appearing in neighboring countries, and the UN started to get involved in early September 2017, it was noticed that most of them were Rohingya Muslims. Investigations got underway, and the disproportionate number of military forces in the area of Myanmar home to many Rohingya. Clearly then, this wasn't part of the civil war. On September 11th of 2017, many of the Human Rights leaders of the UN started noticing that this was a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." And only a few days later it was found that on September 7th of 2017, more than 1,000 Rohingya had been killed across the region. By the end of that week, it was estimated that over 3,000 Rohingyans had already been killed. This was clearly an alarm to the UN. When trying to import aid across the border later in the month, UN troops were denied access to the region by the Burmese soldiers.

Reason #4) The title of this post isn't technically accurate. Most nations who have a position in the UN consider this a genocide, and have been reporting on it since the beginning. For example, the BBC, and other European news outlets all had something to say about it in 2017. Why then was the first time I heard about it was in October of 2017, nearly a month later via NPR? That answer is pretty simple actually. The United States did not recognize the happenings in Myanmar as a genocide. They consider it to be an "Ethnic Cleansing." Which the UN and indeed most countries tend to consider a genocide. But why doesn't the United States? Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State at the time, blamed the Burmese military and local insurgents for committing such "horrendous atrocities" but still refused to consider what was happening a genocide.

Reason #5) So why didn't the United States do anything about it. Well, thanks to a little piece of literature known as the Geneva Convention, genocides require international interference, but ethnic cleansings do not. You may ask, what is the difference, as I did. Well, after some more research, it started to make sense, albeit annoying and frustrating. According to official statements the United States "is wary of action that could hurt the wider economy or destabilize already tense ties between Suu Kyi and the army." (Suu Kyi is the leader of Myanmar) This makes sense right? Well kind of. Suu Kyi is indeed the leader of Myanmar, but technically has no power over the Burmese military. Additionally, throughout the whole ordeal, Suu Kyi made it pretty clear that she had no intentions of stopping the genocide. So that definitely isn't the reason. Some conspiracy theorists will tell you that the United States is funding the international heroin trade and that is why they wouldn't intervene. Personally, I think it has to do with a little something called Vietnam, and well, we know how that went. The terrain and climate in Myanmar has many similarities with Vietnam, and its military likes to fight in the same way. Additionally, we aren't thought of fondly in South East Asia, and US interference probably wouldn't be in our best interests. But why wasn't there any news stories about it?

Reason #6) Well, there were, but in order to keep the public from pushing to call this a genocide, it was kept relatively quiet here. Which allowed the public to ignore what was happening and not try to take action.

But is this where this should conclude? Personally, I do not believe so. Ask anyone in the United States about the most recent genocide, and chances are you'll either hear Rwanda, or nothing at all. But why keep it silent? Some people will probably argue that it has something to do with America's views on the Muslim people, and some will say that it's because the United States is planning something similar. I do not agree with either of these statements. Especially when it is so simple to follow world news nowadays, those who care about the topic will look at the US government and hate them even more for it. I know I did, as did others, and probably some of you reading this. Although I consider what was happening in Myanmar a genocide, from the political standpoint, it made sense for the United States to not. Either way, they should not have kept the public in the dark on such a dark topic.

Lazy Works Cited:

1. https://5clpp.com/2018/06/26/genocide-in-myanmar-why-has-the-united-states-not-intervened/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Muslims_in_Myanmar#Rohingya_persecution_and_mass_exodus_of_2017
3. https://www.thenation.com/article/the-un-calls-it-genocide-why-wont-the-us/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_(Southeast_Asia)
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_conflict_in_Myanmar

Further Reading:

1. https://borgenproject.org/seven-facts-about-the-rohingya-genocide/
2. https://www.ajc.com/news/world/who-are-the-rohingya-muslims-things-know-about-the-world-most-persecuted-minority/MzQM06SjX8k0hGKz0t9cnM/
3. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561

The Modern Hitler: A Horrible Comparison or a Warning of Things to Come?

In recent years, a number of people have been compared to Hitler by both the media and the public. Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un come quickly to mind, as do the members of the WestBoro Baptist Church. For Mr. Trump its something the public should be concerned about, as there are many parallels from the rise of Trump in the GOP in the years leading to his election, and the rapidity that the National Socialist German Worker's Party (Nazi party) rose to power in the early to mid-1930s. Both came at times when the world was still feeling the pressures of wars and international debt crises. The only difference was the way the parties followers were able to interact with not only each other, but their opponents as well. Thanks to the glory of the internet, Donald J. Trump rose to power not by a violent show of force, but by force of words. Both blossoming leaders used their followers to help push their agenda by giving them promises of things they wanted. Granted this is not dissimilar to many politicians, however, the meteoric rise in support is what sets Hitler and indeed Donald Trump apart. In both cases, this was the fault of the media. As an Ohioan during the years leading up to the 2016 election, coverage was for both John Kasich and Donald Trump was almost constant while other contenders for the leader of the GOP were given minimal air time as well as media coverage in general. The same was true for our dear friend Adolf in his, for the time, meteoric rise to power and popularity. Germany needed a savior, and in the eyes of a war-torn German people, he seemed to have been sent from God. (We'll come back to that one soon enough.) The only problem with Hitler, is that he realized he needed a scapegoat. Fighting for initially the Austro-Hungarian Empire in WW1 as a conscript, he later fought for the Germans when German generals promised the now losing Austrians and Hungarians that they would lead them to victory at a point in the war where defeat was imminent. The might of the German army helped to extend the war for another two years.

When the war had ended, Austria and Hungary were split into two different empires, based on political differences, and somebody was needed to be blamed for the war. Germany was the obvious answer as it's power helped to extend the war, and strict sanctions were put in place by a forerunner of the United Nations. As the Germans had one massive advantage over the enemy with one specific technological advantage, that came from the past. As most countries were using aircraft to bomb enemy cities and positions, the Germans had an excess of international flights via blimp. For an empire that needed massive fire power, and quickly, they realized it would be too long before their own bomber planes would even be able to rival those of the enemy. So they converted almost all of their passenger airships to bomber use. Which were filled with helium. Aditionally, as the Germans were starved of coal from embargoes in all of their ports, they used very clever pneumatic systems in their factories, which also used helium. After the war, the German port embargo was lifted, and shipments of coal could resume. However, it was an expensive undertaking to convert the factories back to a coal/steam systems. However, it was necessary, as Helium was denied to Germany in the sanctions that followed the Great War. (They then refilled their world famous Airship liners to run on Hydrogen as at the time they were the equivalent of the Jet Age to cross the Atlantic compared to slower passenger ships. This was one of the main causes for the explosion of the Hindenberg, but thats a story for another essay in another class.) Just as Germany had finished reverting its factories to run on steam, the stock market in America crashed, and the whole world suffered. But nobody suffered more than Germany. Already one of the poorest nations in Europe after sanctions from WW1, Germany was hit the hardest by the depression and most people were out of work. Instead of trying to rebuild under sanction laws, the German leaders decided to just print more money. (Cause thats definitely how that works.) By the mid-1930's the German Reischmark had so little value that you would need just about a wheel-barrow full of it to actually buy groceries. (Many Germans would actually burn the money to heat their homes as it was cheaper than coal, and would use it as wallpaper to cover the insides of their homes.) The people were angry, and nobody was angrier than the workers, who were both out of work, and the lucky ones with jobs weren't paid even enough to burn the money for heat during the winter. So when an angry mustache model came to power, he had to blame somebody for the problems. Thanks to many censorship laws in place by the German government, and still resounding sense of national pride, even when Hitler was in German Parliament, and his party controlled most of the seats in the early 30s, Hitler still couldn't tell the people that the economics problems facing them were in fact caused by the then German government. Hitler needed a scapegoat. The owners of the factories then, who still had money. Incidentally, most of these factory owners were Jewish immigrants, and with the international and historical view, dating back from the days when Venice was still a city state, that the Jews were a miserly bunch. Obviously to an angry mustache man this means that they would refuse to pay their workers, or even put their money back into the economy. Target acquired, and for the rest of time, Hitler convinced his party that the Jewish people were evil and were against Germany in every way. 

750 words later, and we come back to modern times. Donald Trump needs a scapegoat for the still struggling post 2008 economic downturn Americans. Once bustling factories were still producing nowhere near the national averages of the early 2000s or the later half of the 20th century. (There is alot of things that caused this, and the 2008 housing crash was really the end of the industrial powerhouse of America.) Obviously, Trump needed support of the people without telling them that the culprit was actually international factories were cheaper and could produce more for less. And with a still post 9/11 boom of American Superiority Complexes, and dwindling international ties, Mr. Trump realized that he couldn't blame our own problems on either ourselves, or our closest trade allies. (Well, yet for the latter.) So he needed a group of people that have been a hotly debated issue for a while. (And I'm not talking about... you know what I'm not going to make that joke, but I'll let you finish it for yourselves.) Obviously it was the fault of the immigrants coming to the United States willing to work for the minimum wages that were being offered if it meant being able to live in the "Greatest place in the world." Obviously the people who were willing to work for what the corporations were offering, and not wanting more, were taking jobs from people who were wanting better working conditions and more pay. (And Abdi the neursurgeon is definitely stealing jobs from BillyBob the former factory worker, but again thats a discussion for another time.) Clearly then, its those pesky Mexicans trying to take advantage of America's advertising campaign of the "American Dream*." (*Restrictions apply) And as always, its the fault of the previous leader as it always has been, but this time, it was a man from another one of those groups of people the GOP supporters definitely do not like, so that was easy to propagate. And obviously a man who graduated from Harvard Law School was definitely worse at running a country than JimmyJohn who drives tractors for a living. (Not saying any way to make a living is a bad way to make a living, but if you're going to run a country I'm just going to vote for the man with the Law degree.) So yeah. there are quite a few parallels there. And, I'm not the first one to point it out, and I won't be the last. But for a while, it was an unrespected theory just created to keep the Annoying Orange from becoming president. Until one man came along, and started to plant the seeds of respectability into this crazy theory. A year and a half into Mr. Trump's presidency, an essay was published by one of the most respected Holocaust and Hitler historians. Christopher Browning's essay brought up a couple of great points, regarding both similarities and differences, as well as the rise of the Neo-Nazi movement that seemed to just so happen to rise again with the now president's campaign. (https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/5/17940610/trump-hitler-history-historian , https://www.thenation.com/article/escape-hitlers-germany-taught-trumps-america/ , https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/07/16/its-not-wrong-to-compare-trumps-america-to-the-holocaust-heres-why/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.dc8b89308a4f )

(Also this is getting quite long and I apologize to anyone reading this, but I am quite the history buff when it comes to international affairs of the first half of the 20th century. I promise the next two points will be nowhere near as long.)

Moving on to our second favorite Hitler contender, Kim Jong-Un. Many people consider our glorious leader here to be even worse than the man, the myth, the mustache legend, Mr. Adolf himself. And on some points, its hard to argue. For example, while Hitler singled out people to abuse for the "greater good of the German people" he never kept his people unaware of the outside world. He brainwashed them quite a bit to the point where they thought they were the best and were the sole inheriters of the planet sure, but they were aware that the rest of the planet existed, and were allowed to interact with them. So on one hand, Hitler was nowhere near as bad as Mr. Never Not Bowled a Perfect Game. (And apparently he doesn't have a butthole so theres also that, and well, theres something to be said when your leader thinks of himself so highly that he pushes this onto his people.) However, as far as we know, mistah Kim has never slaughtered millions of Jewish people. (But he probably would if he could.) (https://www.handelsblatt.com/today/politics/north-korea-goodbye-stalin-hello-hitler/23571690.html?ticket=ST-4396253-b9igpSZOJEjIUmpv1KBk-ap5 , https://theweek.com/articles/450792/north-korea-isnt-nazi-germany--some-ways-worse )

Finally, we get to look at everyone's favorite religious cult, our friends at the Westboro Baptist Church. Although they have never been directly compared to Hitler, (That my 3 minutes of Googling could determine) its definitely hard not to include a modern group of people who hold such a horrible person in such high regard. How high of a regard? Well calling him the second coming is almost there. In fact, not only was Jesus Christ, the first savior sent directly from God, but so was Mr. Mustache, as they proclaim "God sent Hitler" in bold letters on one of their blog posts. The link citing this is following this sentence, but I wanted to put in there that the title of the website is the actual Blog sponsored by the WB-BC and I have no control over what they call it. (http://blogs.godhatesfags.com/workmen/2011/12/28/god-sent-hitler/ ) Also theres some bits of their FAQ page where they claim that they are not affiliated with the Nazi Party because the Nazi party (basically) was violent. And obviously, WB-BC isn't as violent as the people who abort babies and are gay or whatever. (https://www.godhatesfags.com/faq.html#Militia ) Additionally, I found a tweet that really speaks for itself so I'm just going to link it and not talk about it cause we just flew past 2000 words. (https://twitter.com/wbcsaysrepent/status/999694573138931712?lang=en )

From the Utopian Illusion to the Dystopian Reality: Exploring the Uncertainty of the Present State of the American Dream

Dan Jira

Dr. Padmore Agbemabiese

English 1020: 80623

28 November 2018

From the Utopian Illusion to the Dystopian Reality: Exploring the Uncertainty of the Present State of the American Dream

            When I was younger, my family would often make trips down to Geauga Lake amusement park. It was one of the largest amusement parks in the world, and as a child, it was the highlight of every summer. Although I was never a fan of the roller coasters, or most of the rides, for that matter, I still loved the atmosphere. The foods, the smells, the people, the excitement, and the seemingly endless amounts of fun we had. When the park closed down in 2007, it was hard for me, as a ten year old, to understand why, as it had always seemed so pristine and perfect. It wasn’t until some of my friends and I, freed by the acquisition of our driving licenses, returned to the site of the park in 2016 to take pictures to extend our urb-exing (Urban Exploration) photo albums. The 9 years between the last person through the gate, and us climbing over the fences had been enough for nature to start to reclaim what was initially hers. Although surrounded by rusting and almost terrifying abandoned structures, when I closed my eyes, I could still smell the food, and hear the excited screams of patrons on the many rides. The park’s tagline for the years I remember was always “Two great parks for the price of one!” touting their waterpark pass being included in the ticket price for the amusement park. However, as much as I loved Geauga Lake, I always remember it being nothing more than mediocre, especially when comparing it to Cedar Point, which was about the same distance away. It wasn’t until I started writing this essay that all of these memories came flooding back to me, and I believe there is a very good reason for that. The land of the “American Dream” may indeed have once been the crown jewel of destinations, however today, with more and more economical troubles, and political instability, this once great land of opportunity is nothing more than a soon to be defunct amusement park with a tagline from its spectacular past.

            For the longest time, and to some extent today, the United States of America was considered the “Promised Land” for people around the globe. A new land of opportunity and freedoms that their own countries failed to provide. Most of them spent their last dollars getting a passport, visa, and ticket to the new world. Travelling from all over the globe, they descended on the realization of their dreams. The immigration numbers, for many years, were staggering. From 1901 to 1920, fourteen and a half million people came to the United states. During this period, they came mostly from Europe, most probably to escape the Great War which raged in their hometowns and all around them. During the Great Depression, however, emigration numbers plummeted. The great financial woes of the country were seen as a direct cause of the inflow of foreign-born workers. Allowed immigration levels were slashed. By 1933, only 23.1 thousand people were allowed into the United States per year. However, by the time World War II was ramping up in Europe, more and more people were allowed in the country. By 1939, however, only 83 Thousand people were allowed to emigrate into the United States (Smith, Bloomberg). However, as the war in Europe grew deadlier and larger, America started rebuilding itself from the depths of the Great Depression, as lend-lease contracts from other European allies came in asking the United States to utilize its once great industrial powers to craft the supplies needed for war. As factories started filling pre-paid orders from countries such as France and Holland, the American economy started getting richer again, and were mostly wanting nothing to do with the war. Once again, this meant another slash on emigration as people were concerned that the refugees would bring the war with them to the United States. Therefore, from 1941-1960, only 3.5 million people emigrated to the United states, with most of those people coming in the 1950s. During the last 20 years of the 20^th Century, however, more and more people were allowed into the United States again. From 1981-1997, over 14.2 million people started new lives in the United states. This impressive rise in emigration comprised of 5.3% of people in the 1998 US Census.

            Many people will look back on the “good old days” of the United States and think that in terms of jobs, we are doing much worse now then we ever have. However, according to data from the United States Census Bureau, in 1950, only 29.8% of the population were considered employees. Fast-forward 50 years and much has changed. In 1958, 46.6% of the American population was considered an employee. This is an increase in workers by population of 16.8%. Additionally, the New York Stock Exchange traded 169.2 billion more shares in 1998 then it did in 1950, and 169.61 billion more shares than it did in 1900. Of course, there are way more companies now than there were in either 1900 or 1950, however, shares are only sold and bought if there is money to buy and sell. Furthermore, the median adjusted household income in 1950 was just over $20.3 thousand dollars while it more than doubled to $44.5 thousand dollars. On the surface then, the American economy is better for the citizens then it ever has been. This, of course, makes you wonder why all of the people CNN interviews are so worried. Instead of looking at the data at the local level, when you zoom all the way out, all of their concern becomes validated. In 1950, the non-adjusted GDP of the United States was $294.6 million dollars, which seems great until you know the adjusted Federal Debt. We were spending much more than we had and we were already in $3.119 million. In 1997, however, the GDP of the United States was making above $8.5 billion, once again, however, we were spending more than we had, and the federal debt climbed to just shy of $10 billion. Additionally, the last time the United States had a surplus, was during the Clinton Presidency in 1998-2001. Since then, however, the US Federal Debt has climbed to just over $1.3 trillion in 2011, and dropped again to $438 billion in 2015. However, the debt has once again started to rise as the 2018 estimate is $833 billion, with an estimated $987 billion in 2020 (Amadeo, TheBalance.com).

            In plain numbers then, the United States of America is still the “Land of Opportunity” it once was for the people. So, why are so many people convinced the American Dream is no longer? Two major reasons stood out during the research period of this essay. The American Dream meant two different things to the rich and the poor. The rich want to be able to afford richer luxuries in life, and the poor want to afford to live. These two dreams are very close in wording but mean drastically different things. In 2014 the state with the lowest cost of living was Mississippi with a median monthly rent payment of $875 and a median monthly utilities payment of $175. The minimum wage however, was only $7.25/hr. $1050/$7.25hr = 144.83 hrs. If we assume a 20-day work month, (4 weeks, 5 work days a week) 144.83hrs/20days = 7.25hrs/day. This means that someone working minimum wage would have to work 7.25 hours out of every 8-hour day just to afford a place to live. However, these calculations do not account for a phone bill, or internet, or even a grocery bill. This also means that for a Mississippian working full time for minimum wage, they would only have an extra $13 a month for all of the aforementioned things (Rawes, USAToday). Talk to almost anyone over the age of 50 today, and they would tell you it was the exact same way when they were growing up… or was it?

            In 1965 the national average cost of rent was $118 a month. If we assume that the cost of utilities is the same percentage of rent as it was in 2014, that brings the monthly cost of utilities to $24. This brings the bare minimum cost of living to only $142/month. Minimum wage was only $1.25/hr. $142/$1.25hr = 114hrs. Again, assuming a 20-day work month, this means that the average minimum wage American only has to work 5.7hrs of their day to afford the basics, again not including groceries. However, this leaves them an extra $10 a month for everything else. This is only $3 less than today, and that was 50 years ago when a gallon of gas was only 31c, and a gallon of milk was 95c. Today, however, a gallon of milk costs around $3.15, which is just more than the 50-year gap in wage. If we adjust the living wage in 1965 for today’s money however, we find that a measly $10 in cash turns into $78. This means that a person working a minimum wage job full time was making an adjusted $64 more a month than todays minimum wage workers, and this was at a time in history when most minimum wage jobs were reserved for high schoolers and immigrants before they gained enough experience and language skills to move up in the job force. In 2017, 12.3% of Americans were below the poverty line according to the US Census, however other sources cite it at 13.9%, which is down 2% from 1965, however, 46.7% of these people in 2017 reported that they were in Deep Poverty. This means that their household income was half of the minimum poverty line (UCDavis, “What is…”).

            The depth of the poverty pool in the United States is not at the highest it has ever been; however, it is affecting people more and more as costs rise. Specifically, in the 20-30 age range, the cost of education. This has caused a massive $1.5 Trillion crisis in the United States. According to Forbes, “Student loan debt is now the second highest consumer debt category (behind only mortgage debt) and higher than both credit card and auto loan debt” (Friedman, forbes.com). The massive student loan debt, coupled with the ever-increasing job market that requires higher education, leads us to one simple reason for most Americans to believe in the downfall of the American Dream. We are getting smarter, and learning more than we ever have in history. We know more about the universe and our world now than we ever have in history. In 2017, the Census Bureau said that 33.4% of Americans aged 25 or older had a bachelors degree or higher. This is a 5.4% increase since 2007, and a 28.8% increase since 1940 (Wilson, TheHill.com).

            This relatively meteoric rise in education means a number of things. For one, eventually the quality of life, and technological production of the United States will continue to rise, and we may eventually reach the average IQ’s of countries around the world, such as Norway and Japan. However, at the moment, for the United States, it means that people are more likely to see holes in what has been called the American Dream. Not only are people looking at the American Dream through the lens of higher education, but they are also looking at the American Dream with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt on their backs. The American Dream seems to only exist for the extremely poor because they need something to believe in, and the extremely rich, because they are living it. For the rest, however, the American Dream is as surreal and as fictitious as a dream itself.

Works Cited

Amadeo, Kimberly. “US Budget Deficit by Year, Compared to GDP, Debt Increase, and Events.” The Balance, Dotdash, 29 Oct. 2018, 22 Nov. 2018.

Friedman, Zack. “Student Loan Debt Statistics In 2018: A $1.5 Trillion Crisis.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 13 June 2018, 26 Nov. 2018.

Rawes, Erika. “10 Least Expensive States to Live in the U.S.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Sept. 2014, 20 Nov. 2018.

Smith, Noah. “One Sure Way to Hurt the U.S. Economy? Cut Immigration.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 9 July 2018, 23 Nov. 2018.

UC Davis. “What Is the Current Poverty Rate in the United States?” UC Davis Center for Poverty Research, UC Davis Center for Poverty Research, 15 Oct. 2018, 26 Nov. 2018.

United States Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 20^th Century Statistics. Section 31, 1999. 867-889. United States Census Bureau. Web. 20 Nov. 2018.

Wilson, Reid. “Census: More Americans Have College Degrees than Ever Before.” The Hill, Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., 3 Apr. 2017, 26 Nov. 2018.

European Adventure: Day 5: A Tradition is Born

Paris 10am CEST; June 2nd, 2018
I awake on the couch bed to the sound of swearing. Not what I expected to be woken up to, but life is full of surprises. Amidst the swearing, I learn that Jennifer somehow spilled coffee all over the bathroom (?) and got some of it on the dress she was going to wear to the wedding ceremony in less than two hours. David rushed in with a roll of paper towels to help her deal with this great misfortune. After some time, they reemerged from the bathroom with many coffee soaked paper towels, and Jennifer pointing at the stain in her dress. Which, I must be honest, I couldn't see. As Jennifer and David were leaving in less than an hour for their friend's wedding, Elizabeth and I took the opportunity to sit down, and have a couple cups of coffee as we waited for the bathroom to be empty.

During this time we worked out a plan for the day. We were in Paris, so obviously, we would go see the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and walk up and down the Champs-Élysées. Not a massive itinerary for the day, but we were still quite exhausted from our adventures yesterday. As Jennifer and David left, we were able to get ready for the day. While waiting for my turn in the bathroom, I was looking at the map in order to find the best way to get to the Eiffel Tower. The Metro seemed like the obvious choice, but that is not always the case. This time it was, however, we would first have to go to a different station than the one we were used to, which proved to be rather eventful later in the day and indeed trip.

When the both of us were ready, we placed the key in the agreed upon location in case Jennifer and David got back to the Airbnb earlier than we did, and headed towards the other Metro station. Which at first completely confused my sister as she initially refused to walk the "wrong way to the Metro" before I told her that we were going to a different station. The walk to the station was uneventful until Google said "You have arrived" and we were nowhere near a Metro station. It took us longer than we'd like to admit to finally work out that the station was indeed at this location, but it was underground so we would have to look for an entrance somewhere. Most of the Paris Metro stations are clearly marked staircases down into the darkness below the city with a large sign overhead that reads "Metropolitan" however, some are hidden inside buildings so as not to be part of the scenery but blend in with it.

This station entrance, for example, was connected to the reception area of a large and relatively modern office building. It must be admitted that it took us a good ten minutes to find, however, in our defense the front of the building was being cleaned that day, and there were many things in front of the sign. Once we got inside the building, I told my sister to look for the sign for the "6" train, only to turn around and see that she had gone down an escalator into the lower area of the station. (Although not a theme, this does happen often enough to be rather annoying.) After looking at the signage, she ended up being correct, so I followed her down the escalator thinking that maybe she knew where we were going as well. All of my hopes were quickly dashed away as she asked me when I got to the bottom what train we were taking. 

I elected to ignore what had just transpired, and tell her the train number. We entered the station and went to the correct platform for the train. There were many other tourists on this platform so we knew we were on the right one. This part of the Paris Metro had stations both above and below ground, which I found to be rather interesting, but I don't think Elizabeth shared my queries. We followed the crowd to the correct station, and followed them onto a street filled to capacity with tourists, peddlers, and scooter traffic. Every so often, there was a break in the skyline and we could see it, the Eiffel Tower. Much larger in real life than it is when you picture it in your head. It towers over the local skyline at 81 stories tall. (Just to clarify how tall it is, it is the largest building in France, and was so until the Millau Bridge/Viaduct opened in 2004. It was also the tallest man-made structure in the world for 41 years, until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York City.)

(The Eiffel Tower was originally built for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, and was scheduled to be taken down soon after. However, the city fell in love with it and has kept it ever since. There are stories about people who have legally married the tower, and my personal favorite, the story of the man who ate lunch underneath it every day because that was the only place in the city where he could not see it, and he loathed its existence. Of course, the tower now has its practical uses as a radio and television broadcaster thanks to its great height, and during the war, it served as a communications relay for both the Allies and the Axis powers. Today, though, it is an entirely different story. Although it still sends radio and television signals, the main purpose of the tower is tourism, and it does its job well.)

As we navigated the steady but constant tourist traffic both going towards and away from the tower, we were able to stop and take the occasional picture. It was during this point where I remembered viewing the tower on my previous visit to Paris, and how few people there were at the spot we decided to view the tower from. As I tried to remember, we made our way closer and closer. As we were two people, and not a large tourist group, we were able to snake in and out of the crowds. When we got to the park where the tower is, we were in for a shock. The local powers that be in Paris determined that the Eiffel Tower was such a tourist attraction that they could charge people to enter just the park where the tower was. Of course, the reasons cited were terrorism protection, and while that may be a factor, you can protect a monument from terrorists without charging people.

At this point, I stopped looking at the tower, and across the river where I saw it. The place where I viewed the tower the last time I was here. I mentioned this to my sister, but she decided that we must first go to a cafe and eat lunch as it was nearing two in the afternoon. She took out her phone and found a relatively cheap and not too far away cafe for us to go for lunch. The cafe was only one street away from the Eiffel Tower, and compared to the throngs of people we spent the last 20 minutes with, it was completely deserted.

The Eiffel Tower from a comparatively deserted street.

After eating at the cafe, which was both delicious and cheap compared to the prices we expected from it being so close to a tourist destination, we continued on our tour of Europe's grocery stores as we went into one across the street from the cafe. I will spare you from the details of the grocery store as I am relatively confident my reader has been inside one before. The only difference is that the labels are all in French. We both picked out a liter of water, paid, and continued on our journey. (Always buy water bottles from grocery stores if you ever visit Europe. For the prices that they charge at the little kiosks for a small bottle, you can buy two liters of water for the same price at a grocery store.) While following the map to the location I had spotted from this side of the river, we encountered multiple street performers, and an overabundance of peddlers.

The Trocadero Gardens are, in my humble opinion, the best place to view the tower, and be able to do so while not being worried about having your pockets picked. The fountains in the garden are beautiful, and the mist from them is very refreshing. The park is filled with numerous shady trees and benches to sit and contemplate life. If you do not like tourists, like myself, this is the place to be.

Elizabeth requested an "artsy" pic of her near the flowers by the tower

and then complained that I didn't take it right.

The view of the tower from the balcony at the Trocadero Gardens.

Another view featuring this pigeon who couldn't be bothered to move.

But would look towards the camera every time you took

a picture of him.

One of the other great things about viewing the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero Gardens is that it is just a short walk (~10 min) from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. Both of which are must-sees for those visiting Paris. The Arc de Triomphe is one for France's monuments that are almost everywhere, but none, of course, compare to the original. As I had seen this beautiful monument before, I was more interested in the traffic flow around this great roundabout in the center of Paris. The flow of traffic is chaotic, but somehow flows together like a dance. All I could think of at the time was that if this were in Cleveland, it would be nothing more than a 100+ car pileup multiple times a day.

The Arc de Triomphe in all of its glory.

Following our encounter with the Arc de Triomphe, we headed down the Champs-Élysées, which clearly, until now, Elizabeth thought was just a street covered in monuments because as soon as we turned down the street, her eyes lit up. The Champs-Élysées is indeed covered in monuments, however, they are indeed monuments to capitalism. The entire street is one giant outdoor shopping mall with all the posh stores and chains you could imagine. From jewelers like Tiffany&Co. to fast food like McDonald's, to even car dealerships, everything was here. I knew I had one stop to make, and I knew Elizabeth would want to go in and out of many stores, so I settled myself in for the long haul. Luckily for me, the store I wanted to go into was one of the first we came across that either of us was interested in. The Swatch store. 

(I have a bit of history with this store, which I realize seems crazy given the city I was in and only really having history with a watch store. You see, the last time I was in Paris was in 2014. I was a Sophomore in high school, and we were in France for a French class trip. Back in these days because I was with multiple chaperones, and of course many friends, we did not include an international plan on my phone for that trip. Instead, I was borrowing my friend's plan, and we would reimburse their family after the trip. Because of this, I made sure to keep my phone calls short sweet and to the point. And this time was no different. I went into the Swatch store with a couple of my friends, and bought a watch. A very nice one without any batteries, and charged with the motion of your arm. Right after purchasing the watch, I called my mother and said "Hi, France is great, by the way, I bought an expensive watch. Love you, bye!" and hung up before she had a chance to answer. My friend Kenny thought it was hilarious and has been an inside joke ever since.)

Naturally, on a trip that was mostly Switzerland, I wanted to buy another Swiss watch, however, I did not want to pay Swiss prices for it. So I decided to purchase it at the same store that I bought my last Swiss watch. The Swatch store on the Champs-Élysées. My sister thought I was crazy, but I almost felt as if it were necessary for my return to Paris. So, thirty minutes later, I walked out of the Swatch store with the second watch I had purchased there, and a tradition was born.

The Swatch store on the Champs-Élysées featuring the watch I first bought there

(on my wrist) and the new watch I had just acquired (in the bag).

Following this, we weaved our way in and out of clothing stores and the occasional home goods store before we found ourselves rather tired from walking around all day. Just as we were about to turn around and head back down the famous street, we saw the Tiffany&Co. store. Elizabeth wanted to go inside, and as I imagined that they would have some really nice watches, I followed her inside. Let me just start by saying that there was a visibly armed guard who opened the door for us. I walked into the store and stopped. A rush of cold air hit me as I realized that this was the first store in Paris I had been in with air conditioning. (A lack of A/C is not uncommon in Europe. In fact, it is more uncommon to have it.) In front of me was a marble staircase that ascended for at least three floors, and a giant jeweled chandelier hung in the center of the spiral. We perused through the jeweler relatively quickly as we determined that we weren't rich enough to even breathe there.

As we made our way back to the Metro station at the top of the street near the Arc, we discussed what we wanted to do for dinner. We decided that both of us were tired of crowds of people for the day, and wished to stay close to the AirBnb for the rest of the evening. Soon enough we determined that we would get dinner at one of the outdoor cafes near the subway station in the neighborhood of the AirBnb which were both quiet and relatively cheap. A quick glance at our phones told us that dinner would have to wait as they were both on the verge of dying.

Once we got back to the apartment, it was closer to 5pm however, dinner for most restaurants in Europe does not start until 7. We took the time to put our phones on the charger and take a quick power nap as walking around all day in the heat and sun takes a lot out of you. We headed to the restaurant we had chosen around 6:30pm (18:30) with both ourselves and our phones recharged. When we walked up to the restaurant and asked for a table outside, the waitress told us that the kitchen doesn't open until 1900 however if we would like to wait at the table she would be more than willing to serve us drinks. Instead of walking back and forth, we took her up on her offer, and sat down at a streetside table. 

As we were in France, and were both of legal age here, we determined rather quickly that we should have wine while we waited for the kitchen to open. Elizabeth chose the local Rosé and I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The waitress first came back with a cup full of potato chips, which I found to be rather humorous, before coming back with our glasses of wine.

Regrettably, this is the only picture I have from that meal.

When the kitchen finally opened, we both decided on the House special of the night, the Ravioli. Although delicious and quite possibly the best ravioli I had ever eaten, a true Italian and noodle aficionado would tell you that the ravioli noodles were actually tortellini, but at that moment I could not care less. Over dinner we determined that we both wanted to get a bottle of the wine we were drinking, and started looking for (you guessed it) a grocery store on the map. We were so engrossed in looking at Elizabeth's phone looking for one that was close to us, that when the waitress came to clear our plates and give us the check, we were rather surprised to find one that was right across the street the whole time. We both decided not to mention this to anyone of course, but I found it rather hilarious, and figured my readers would as well.

After dinner, we went into the grocery store and purchased our bottles of wine. A rosé for Elizabeth, and a Sauvignon Blanc for myself. Initially, the plan was to go back to the apartment and pick up a bottle uncorker and some wine glasses to take to a park, however on our way back it started to rain. We decided to abandon that idea, and had a glass of wine at the table in the apartment instead. It was during this time that Elizabeth announced that she had found a gelato shop near the apartment and wanted to go. By this time the rain had stopped, and it had gotten rather dark, but we figured screw it, and went anyways. As she could not find the hours on the website, or couldn't read them as the website was in French, we were hoping that it would still be open by the time we got there. Luckily for us, it was. And, I must say, it was delicious.

Please ignore the Snapchat filters.

(Yes, lemon basil is one flavor, and yes, it is delicious.)

We took a different route back to the apartment, which really annoyed Elizabeth, however, I wanted to see more than what we had already seen, even if it was all closed and dark outside. When we finally did get back, however, there was not much that happened. We very quickly got ready for bed, and were soon fast asleep.