Mr. Holland

HARRY POTTER 6!!!

2008-08-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

So here I go again!

2008-08-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

I am trying to start up my blogging again, although I only began this page for a journalism class. I hope that the page is more aesthetically pleasing now that I spent all this time cleaning it up. I have posted a video of the new harry potter trailer because I am so excited!!! However, I am also quite frustrated that the release date has been pushed back to summer of 2009!!!

2007-06-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

Prankster scrapes by without felony charge

Palo Alto High School's Senior prankster, Blaine Marchant has been loosed from his felony charge by the school board after taking full responsibility for the prank that was carried out on the night of June 4. After receiving many e-mails, letters of complaint and student petitioning, the Palo Alto Principal Scott Lawrence and the school board have deemed the $10,000 bail and possible one year in prison to be excessive punishment for the crime, according to school board member Barbara Mitchell

" 'Punishment alone is the least effective means of reform,' " said Mitchell, quoting the district policy on punishment. " 'Active, positive efforts to change with discipline for the inappropriate behavior is the best means of change' "

The prank consisted of an upturned, de-wheeled and graffiti covered 1994 VOLVO and a cemented toilet in a planter. According to the district, the damage will cost up to $3,000, legally constituting a justified felony level charge. Although Marchant admitted to planning the entire prank, he remains loyal to his accomplices and willingly accepts full responsibility.

"The students showed a strong sense of loyalty to each other and also uphold the value of fairness," said Mitchell.

Groups of students sold T-shirts with the phrase "Free Tom," the nickname of Marchant since his Freshman year, for five dollars and also went around collecting donations, exciting over even a few cents. A Myspace group was even created for Marchant and has now over 300 members, who were all hoping for a removal of the charges.

"Students want to demonstrate their independence," Laurence said. "Emotions run high at the end of the year. They do things that are out of character."

Principals and school board members are under tremendous pressure because of the conditions of the offense and because of the community in which it took place: community members care very much for the educational system here and the environment surrounding our schools, said Mitchell.

"The fact is that people overreact to senior pranks way too much now. He should not go to prison and definitely be able to graduate," said Kevin Harvey, a sophomore. "He should pay the fees, whatever they may be, but don't give him a criminal record."

Among all the e-mails that screamed for justice and fairness, some writers questioned the validity of the $3,000 damage assesment. Many felt the punishment was not at all equal to the crime, and critisized the values that the school board was upholding.

"My brother is really good friends with Blaine, and I think that the school board is being very unfair in pressing the charges so harshly." said Jenna Lose, a sophmore.

Marchant will be able to graduate and appear at the ceremony, but as of now will not be able to perform the ceremonial "walk."
Many believed that this offense, if it had gone through to his record, would have damaged Marchant's college carreer as well as his job carreer.

Another senior prankster trying to paint a Palo Alto school roof fell off and suffered injuries, Laurence said.

Many students have showed thier loyalty to Marchant and also for the age old tradition of pranks at Palo Alto Highschool and surrounding high schools. It is true, however, that many pranks in the past have been more detrimental and serious, acording to Lawrence.

2007-06-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Cavs go to the finals!

For the first time in franchise history, the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to the NBA finals after winning the Eastern Conference over the Pistons on Saturday, 98-82, with LeBron James and leading the way. Daniel Gibson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao worked as a team to bring a victory to the fans that the filled the stands in Cleveland, Ohio. After loosing the two opening games of the series, the Cavs made an amazing comeback, winning the next four games in a row.

Fans dressed in white, red, and gold screamed as their team entered the arena, swung white shirts and followed the cues on the flashing screens that surrounded the stadium. After an outstanding performance by James in game five, LeBron displayed the attributes of a team leader and player in game six as he moved the ball around between point guard Gibson, center Ilgauskas, and forwards Gooden and Varejao.

The Pistons expected James to perform similarly to game five, where he scored 48 points, and they subsequently triple-teamed him. Instead they were surprised to see a James who mainly passed to an on fire Gibson, who scored five three pointers in a row in the third and fourth quarter. Gibson ended up scoring 31 points total in comparison to James' 20.

However, the Pistons didn't lay down for the Cavs and kept the score close throughout the first three quarters of the game. Rip Hamilton lead the Pistons' game, scoring 29 points early-on, and was backed up by Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber. Tayshaun Prince tried his best against James' rippling strength, but ended up making only one out of his ten shots.

At the end of the first quarter, the shot clock malfunctioned and the time was announced every five seconds for the benefit of the players. This ended up distracting and jarring the players on both teams as it made them feel desperate and pressed for time. By this time, the score was 28 to 21, Cavs lead.

The second quarter began with Webber, Hamilton and point guard Chauncey Billups leading the Pistons and all the players wanting the shot clock back. It ended in a tied game and by the beginning of the third quarter, the shot clock had been repaired and the players were able to focus.

James was hacked by Wallace in the fourth quarter, starting Wallace on a rampage that got him escorted off the court by his own team mates. After being thrown out of the game, his team had to restrain him in order to calm him down. Gibson makes the majority of his points in the last quarter, giving the Cavs a 15 point lead.

The trophy was presented by Bill Russel who gave some words of advice and congratulated the team. He told them that they must take notice of the fact that in the finals, they will not just be representing their team, but also the entire Eastern Conference. LeBron James thanked the fans of Cleveland Ohio and then handed he mike to the team owner, Dan Gilbert, who thanked everyone who had made this victory and the series possible.

Although the Cavs most likely won't win the finals against the San Antonio Spurs, it will be a close game in which the team will play better than it ever has before, incorporating rookies like Gibson and legends like James to make a truly entertaining performance. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker will meet their match in James, but whether the rest of the team will be able to stand up to these amazing players is the real question.

Wincing the Night Away

2007-05-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Wincing the Night Away by indie-rock band the Shins connotes the exact opposite of its title and makes for a quite "wince-free" listening. This album, released this past January, features the mixed sounds of the psychedelic Beatles, the modern sound of drum machines and synthesizers, strong guitar, and vocals with amazing harmony.

It is by far the most ear-catching and experimental album that the Shins have yet released and shows how the band is expanding their music abilities. Wincing the Night Away proves that the Shins have the ability to maintain the indie-rock draw while gaining a slight increase in popularity.

The band started out in Albuquerque, New Mexico as previously named Flake Music and consisted of James Mercer as songwriter/singer, bass player Marty Crandall, Jesse Sandoval on drums, and guitarist Neal Langford. They became fairly popular due to frequent tours with the rock sensation called Modest Mouse until the band split around 1997.

Within the next years, Mercer, Sandoval, Marty Crandall (now on keyboard) and new, but familiar base player Dave Hernandez formed the Shins. The band lost Hernandez in New York, but regained him in 2003. Also, the appearance of slide and acoustic guitarist Eric Johnson is not uncommon at any given concert, a previous or current member of Modest Mouse.

The Shins have released two full length albums in addition to Wincing the Night Away, namely Oh, Inverted World (2001) and Chutes Too Narrow (2003). They have also released 8 hit singles over the space of eight years, starting in 1999. The band has preformed with the aforementioned Modest Mouse and all over the world from Australia to Norway, not to mention their tours in the U.S. They are currently stationed in Portland, Oregon and are writing and making music for their label company Sub Pop and producer Phil Ek, who has also worked for Modest Mouse, our of Mercer's basement.

Comparable to the Decembrists, Pedro the Lion, the Fruit Bats, and Blonde Redhead, the band has a unique sound all its own that constantly varies in the extremes in Wincing the Night Away to maintain this image. They have also struggled to maintain independent in the eyes of their fans due to the natural increase in popularity after the release of Wincing the Night Away.

The Wall Street Journal's music section has made the statement that the Shins are comparable to Nirvana, who became popular too fast and lost many fans as a result of being over played. This was met with much popular criticism and anger towards the paper. Many stated that the popularity resulting from the new hit album proves nothing and that it will either strengthen the band or blow over.

The songs included in Wincing the Night Away were nothing short of fantastic. The sleek and creative design of the CD case ushers listeners into the imaginative lyrics and sounds of the album. Songs like "Phantom Limb", "Sleeping Lessons", and "Girl Sailor" usher the listener to a happy, childlike atmosphere while maintaining a tune fit for dancing in the streets. As previously stated, the album has a wide range of styles and sounds, all pleasing and fun for listening.

The song "Australia" is particularly jovial and childlike, as it mentions extended weekends, flying, staring at the stars, dancing and the inability to cry. It is almost describing an uncontrollable frenzy of activity to avoid real life and to bask in the fun things. These lines properly reflect this attitude:

"...born to multiply or born to gaze into night skies when all you want's one more Saturday...I felt like I could just fly but nothing happened every time I tried...or changed by a potion and find a handsome young mate for you to love...you know you'd trade your life for any ordinary joe's..."

The poetry tells of a person who is trapped in a life they dislike, yearning for the wonderful things in life. The singer is encouraging this person to live: to stop dreaming, or to have nightmares, but just to experience everything. The song seems to end triumphantly with the lines "...you don't know how long I have been watching the lantern dim starved of oxygen so give me your hand and let's jump out the window..." symbolizing the characters escape from her oppressive life. The chorus features four part vocal and instrumental harmony that is truly amazing.

A rather funny little 56 second song tells the tale of a 15 year old who rightly spat in her teachers laps. The song "Pam Berry" uses a distorted pitch variation between two notes as backround to whisper-soft singing. This song reflects the personality and the sense of humor so characteristic of this band.

Overall, the album was a complete success and despite a slight falling away of old fans, the anti-mainstream band continues to captivate indie followers and pop fans alike.

2007-05-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

Acupuncture

Franny Canine, sophomore at Palo Alto High School, rests in complete meditative silence, holding a disk between the thumb and middle finger of her right hand and a vile of energy attuned liquid in her left. She came to her acupuncture session unbalanced and emotional, but as a result of thin needles and a woman learned in the workings of Qi named Nadine, she left tranquil and happy. Franny has gone to Nadine, who has an office in Oakland, 3 times before this last appointment and is pleased with the results thus far.

According to Canine, Nadine uses vials of different energies that correspond with your outer energy body and she uses the acupuncture to access the inner energy body. The method described by Canine wavers from traditional eastern acupuncture and incorporates ideas from kinesiology. Kinesiology is the study of human movement and focuses on how the body has a mind of its own, or is aware of itself. By holding a vial of energy filled liquid, Nadine hopes to neutralize the flow of energy inside Canine.

"She asks you questions about how your feeling. Its important to be honest and to tell what your emotions are so that she can detect the energy frequencies that are related to your emotions. She uses a radiography machine to scan for energy frequencies. Certain frequencies correspond with the frequencies that are affecting your energy flow." said Canine.

The theory behind acupuncture derives from the existence of Qi (also spelled Chee), the life force in all things, and the affect it can have on the human body. Qi manifests itself in nature and the human body as a electromagnetic force and the way that it runs through the human body can be compared to a system of electrical wiring: although a person can't see it, electricity is real and can be controlled and directed. These wires, or roadways where the Qi runs in the body are called meridians or channels.

Acupuncture uses needles to redirect, summon, or disperse the Qi by placing them in specific places where these channels surface at the skin. Light waves, pressure, heat, and micro-electric stimulation can also be used to direct the Qi.

"The needles don't even hurt!" said Canine. She said that acupuncturists simply tap the needle into the surface of the skin and that you can hardly feel it.

"If they could just call it something other than a needle, then so many more people would try it. Why can't it be called a nu-nu or something? ' I'll just put a few nu-nus in your back '." said Marian Gallagher, a practicing acupuncturist in Montana. Beside those who fear needles, Gallagher's advice is "Try it! I love it so much because I am able to help people, but also because it is a form of meditation for me. It requires me to be attuned, present, and focused on what's going on inside someone else."

To become an acupuncturist, an individual must undergo three years in acupuncture school. They must have 2,000 to 3,000 hours of training in hands-on situations and 6 months as an intern to a professional. After all of this intensive learning and work without pay, one must pass the national acupuncture exam that consists of three parts. The first section is to test a person's general knowledge of acupuncture, the second is on point location and effective usage, and the last part is on how to make sure the procedure is sterile and safe. This education and testing does not include the pre-medical classes that must be taken by a potential acupuncturist which range from biology to anatomy.

"The tongue can tell me if a person is having digestive, sleeping, or anxiety issues.
The pulse is much more complex, but it can tell me what is out of balance." said Gallagher. Through herbs, acupuncture, acupressure, lasers, micro-electric stimulation, and heat, she believes that she can cure most ailments Qi related: those that are spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional are supposedly determined by a flow of Qi. She also said that the regular course of treatment is up to 10 appointments in order to make a permanent change.

Across the world, there are many different approaches to the same art of redirecting the Qi. The Chinese use needles and acupressure, a non-invasive massage that uses the acupuncture points. In Korea, acupuncturists are famous for the work they do with their hands and he Japanese are very skilled in burn therapy, which they developed in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

"I use a system of upper, middle and lower burners." said Gallagher. This brief reference to the "burners of the body" is a traditional acupuncturist idea regarding the three levels of the body. The upper burner consists of the chest, neck, and head as well as the heart and lungs and can be compared to a mist that spreads the Qi and blood throughout the body. The middle burner includes everything from the chest to the navel and covers the functions of the stomach, liver, and spleen. This region can be compared to a foam which helps in digestion. The lower burner is like a swamp where all the impurities are released and covers the lower abdomen, namely the kidneys and the bladder.

Acupuncture, though scientists are unsure of how it really works chemically, has been known to cure headaches, infertility, allergies, depression, disturbed thoughts, insomnia and much more. Although many doctors refer their patients to acupuncturists for their ailments, most patients hear about acupuncture through word of mouth. Other patients come to acupuncturists though self reference, whether it be a random whim or a last resort. Gallagher said that many of her patients have been those who are hopeless cases in the eyes of modern medicine, or people who have tried everything, but can't find a cure to some problem. Sometimes all it takes is one try with the ancient practice of acupuncture.

Here are some great places to go and try acupuncture in the Palo Alto area!

Cypress Natural Medicine
359 Middlefield Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94301

(650) 323-7345

cnmhealth.com

The Healing Lab
460 S. California Ave., Ste 102
Palo Alto, CA 94306

(650) 380-1999

healinglab.com

Midtown Natural Health

2635 Middlefield Rd

Palo Alto, CA 94306

(650) 322-2225

"Como Esta?" Blows the Socks Off Locals!

2007-05-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

You will be singing praises to El Señor once you are finished with the delicious, sensational and affordable cuisine of the quaint taqueria “Como Esta?.” This family friendly, downtown-style restaurant offers a warm and colorful environment where locals can enjoy fantastic Mexican dishes without the formality of a sit-down.

Upon entering this explosion of red, orange, and yellow, the sounds of sizzling meat, watering mouths and shouting cooks wrap your senses in a cocoon of comfort. While waiting in line to order, the cheerful lighting casts a glow on the furious cooking to the right. The chefs must meet the demands of their hungry customers who wait at the small, tightly packed tables to the left. All sales and specials are made evident on the marker written glass or on the boards over head. The friendly cashier lady waits at the front of the line to take your order.

Because it is possible to view the food you are purchasing, there are no illusions as to its quality. Although it is possible to eat in the restaurant itself, this food is best enjoyed outside the small building.
Students from Stanford University and the nearby middle school enjoy eating the cheap food out with some friends.

The food reflects real Mexican authenticity and taste while maintaining a modern appeal. You get to pick your meat type, salsa flavor, tortilla type and side of beans. Meats consist of grilled chicken or beef, pork, and prawn. “Como Esta?” also offers a wide selection of low carb and vegetarian foods. Many attest
to the wonderful flavor of the tofu ranchero (5.75) which has rice, beans and salsa. Black, whole pinto and refried beans make up the bean selection. There are also five different salsa types:pico de gallo, medium, verde, and roja. For those who know exactly what they are hungry for, there are either flour, whole wheat, or corn tortillas to chose from.

Dishes consist of generous portions arranged to reflect visually, the wonderful taste within. The house special, Enchiladas (8.75), offers two delicious enchiladas covered in spicy red sauce and a white cream design. This presentation also comes with sides of rice, beans, guacamole and sour cream. All of the meat is flavorful and without fat or filler.

There are also many other orders to pick from that are just as great as the house special. The super taco (4.50) is also a wonderful choice, especially with the carne asada. This dish consists of a corn tortilla filled with beans, meat, and all the trimmings. The regular (5.35) and super meat burrito (6.45) are also scrumptious choices. They are quite large and will fill up any adult; comparable to Chipotle size. Quesadillas, nachos and taco salads add to the medley of choices that are in the menu. The baby borrito (4.35) is a great choice for a snack if you are in a rush to eat. It is just as great as the regular, but "good to go."

Overall, “Como Esta?” is a fast, delicious and homey way of going out for food. The restaurant's proximity to both Baskin Robins and Long's makes this location ideal for a quick snack while running errands or for picking up desert with dinner. Buen provecho!

Como Esta?

2605 A Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto

Mexican food, Taqueria

$1.45- $8.95 Average: $7.00 per person

Open Mon-Fri 8-8:30 Sat 9-7:30, closed Sun

The Shins: Australia

2007-04-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

Breach Rises Above the Commonplace

2007-04-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

The drama/thriller Breach, directed by Billy Ray, is the suspenseful and interesting true story of Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper), the man behind the worst breach of FBI intelligence in U.S. history, and Eric O'Neill, (Ryan Phillipe) the man who was assigned to catch him.

The acting in this film is nothing short of professional. Ryan Phillipe does a great job as he expresses his desire to become a full fledged agent for the FBI. Throughout the film he learns what it really takes and sees how it can positively and negatively affect a person's life. He also shows the struggle to remain calm in the presence of the man he is working to catch through his body language and tone of voice. The scenes with his wife Juliana (Caroline Dhavernas) are touching as he has to hold back the truth and sometimes lie about his work for the first time.

Caroline Dhavernas, although not a well-known actress, delivers a stunning performance in Breach. She plays the role of a concerned, worried, but trusting wife. Her character reflects the maturity of a real-life woman, as she shows that she can handle stressful situations. She also is very intuitive and displays perceptiveness that the audience would not originally give her credit for. One of the most important aspects of acting a concerned FBI wife is fake crying; Dhavernas did a superb job!

Chris Cooper plays the perfect mysterious and questionable villain. From the beginning of the movie he is creepy, but slowly starts to appear trustworthy and even admirable in his devotion to his country, family and religion. Like Phillipe, the audience wonders, "What is wrong with this guy?" When the truth finally emerges, viewers wonder what Cooper is capable of if O'Neill's cover is blown. Every scene with the two of them is nerve-racking because Cooper conceals his thoughts and emotions so well. Cooper plays the part of a torn man; penitent and sick with guilt about what he has done, but at the same time, an egotistical traitor. He manipulates and plays with the audience's fears of his unknown capabilities and limitations.

Kate Burroughs(Laura Linney), the agent in charge of O'Neill, accurately represents her character's frustration with the case of catching Hanssen. She also maintains the cold and gathered attitude of an agent as she educates O'Neill on what it means to be part of a "real" case. She teaches Phillipe about the dedication that it takes to become a full-fledged agent.

Billy Ray has also directed Shattered , starring Hayden Christensen, and been the writer for the film Flightplan starring Jodie Foster. Both of these films are of the same genre as Breach and tend to have twists or mysteries. Going into the movie, after having watched the trailer, one might get the feeling that this film might be the same. Although it may feel that the movie is building up to a climatic surprise, at the end, you realize that the movie is not fictional. There are not always twists and gun fighting scenes in real life stories. This film is respectable because it holds true to the real-life story of Robert Hanssen. However, the lack of action and some sexual innuendo, make this film innappropriate for a family movie.

In regards to the setting, this film must have had a very low budget because the sets rotate between three main locations: his office, his house, and the headquarters for the investigation. All of these sets were very simplistic and therefore realistic. The rest of the sets were outdoor locations in Washington D.C., Virginia, and Ontario, Canada.

Keep an open mind to how the story will play out; that way you don't have any expectations and won't fell let down. You're sure to enjoy Breach!

Breach (Billy Ray)
Actors: Ryan Phillipe, Chris Cooper, Kate Buroughs, Caroline Dhavernas
Running Time: 1hour and 50 minutes
Rating: ∗∗∗∗

Abortion in America

2007-04-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Who decides whether abortion should be allowed in the United States? A recent article in TIME magazine, written by Nancy Gibbs, addresses the issue of abortion, stating that about half of all women in the United States will face an unexpected pregnancy, and more than a third will have an abortion before they are 45.

Abortion is a traumatic decision that some women must face because of intercourse before marriage, or conception before people are financially secure enough to have a child. Sex before marriage was forbidden fifty years ago. Thanks to Roe v. Wade, abortion (and subsequently premarital sex), is not only acceptable, but promoted by advertising agencies and music.

Among financially insecure women, said Gibbs, the number of unplanned pregnancies has risen by 29 percent in the last 10 years. Regardless of the money, time, and energy that goes into raising a child, one must take into perspective the vitality of parenting: the world must be populated. Abortion doesn't only hurt an individual, it kills a living being. Have people no compassion for the person to be?

TIME stated that 73 percent of 1,000 women who have had an abortion stated they killed because they couldn't afford to raise a baby. If a potential mother knows that she can't take care of her own child or that she won't love it, then she can put the child up for adoption. Giving birth can seem a traumatic experience to many women, but to even more mothers, it is the product of that mess that makes it worthwhile.

Gibbs revealed startling figures given by the National Abortion Federation that over 50 percent of women getting an abortion are under 25 and that one fifth are teenagers. These facts confirm the reason behind the Prevention First Act which, states Gibbs, "reduces the need for abortions by promoting comprehensive sex education." These young adults need to know the consequences behind unprotected sex and also abortion. Obviously they have access to these facilities, but like street drugs and sex today, students should be taught to lean away from such practices.

Pregnancy resource centers, located all over the country, help women realize what it means to be a mother and try to prevent mothers-to-be from getting abortions. Many people question the neutrality of the information given, but nurse Wilson justifies the actions of these centers when she says, ""They've been fed these lies, that it's just a bunch of cells that's not worth anything." Whether or not these facilities are working under a christian aegis, the most important thing is that a life is saved.

Henry Waxman, now chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, conducted a survey that supposedly proved that these centers were providing false and misleading information. Information that helps someone to make the right decision cannot be false, as is the case with these centers. Also, the survey was conducted and concluded subjectively, based on a preconceived idea of what is misleading or constructive.

There are obvious consequences attached to premarital sex, but the most enduring is a loss of self worth. Today through contraceptives, early pregnancy tests, The Morning After Pill, and other "useful" inventions, sex has become commonplace instead of sacred. About half of the women who decided to get an abortion, according to Gibbs, said that it was because of relationship problems, or the lack of one with their partner. Men and women must be aware that it is a commitment of devotion when they conceive: to each other and to the baby.

Too offended by statements regarding race

2007-04-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Because people today frequently take offense to the smallest racial slur or joke, is it possible that one day the subject of race will become a taboo? The world encourages acceptance of all races, not the prohibition of all opinionated statements regarding race. Whether someone is black, African American or a n_____; or whether he is a china-man or a chink; or whether she is a white woman, a European American, or a cracker. Every one is so increasingly concerned with saying what is politically correct that they feel constrained to say nothing at all, lest they offend someone.

Older generations are now considered bigots, when in reality, they are simply using the terms to describe race that they had grown up with. It is almost like a ridiculous form of elitism, the way people think they are better if they know how to say someone has differently colored skin in a less offensive manner. One must keep up to date on what is currently acceptable lest he/she be considered intolerant. Who decides what is OK to say anyways? Surely it is advertising, music, TV and movies that determine what is acceptable to say or call one another.

Unless the statement is purposefully damaging and hurtful, it makes no difference how a person describes a race. For example, comedian Sarah Silverman said "I love chinks. And who doesn't?" She has not, to this day, apologized for this statement; and she doesn't have to. Would it have been more politically correct and racially accepting if she had said "I hate Chinese people."? Silverman was expressing her love for a group of people. The real racism lies in not accepting statements like those of Sarah Silverman.

Although some stereotypes spring out of complete ignorance, others do have threads of truth. For example, the term "black" did not originate from thin air, nor did the stereotype regarding athletic ability: the African race has produced amazing athletes. There is no animosity behind this statement, it is simply a friendly observation; one which was made by sports commentator Jimmy (the Greek) Snyder. He explained how physically, African Americans are more apt for athletic performance by the way their body is structured. He used the word "bred," which has a negative connotation, but didn't mean it in that sense of the word.

On the other end of the spectrum, when Don Imus described the Rutgers women basketball team as "nappy-headed hos," he was acting out of complete intolerance, ignorance and disrespect. He knew that these terms were considered caustic phrases, regardless of when or at what time a person lives. He did not personally know any of the players or the team as a whole, but described them in a far too personal manner. His opinion was unfounded and therefore simply illogical, incorrect and insulting. Another good example of unacceptable behavior, displayed by comedian Michael Richards, took place at a popular Los Angeles comedy club. He was hatefully and purposefully insulting a man who had been offended by his racial jokes. Richards became infuriated, screamed profanity at the man and used the n-word again only because he knew that it offended the man. He could have apologized and then continued with his show, ignored the man, or used his skills as a comedian and turned the situation into a joke.

Honestly, the public cannot deny that comedians are making jokes, not throwing insults. They are helping people to overcome racial differences. By laughing at each other, the world can overcome uncomfortable situations and barriers that divide groups of people. Those who cannot joke about race are afraid to address these divides: these walls of intolerance are where racism flourishes.