Scenes From A Cuban Restaurant...

So, the assignment this week was to take pictures of "culture" and to more or less spark the interest of our culture.

Thankfully, loyal readers, my girlfriend is Cuban! xD

(In case you didn't know that, the flan in the YouTube video should have tipped you off. It's a specialty of Cuba. And the title of this blog, for those who don't grasp my dry wit, is a play on of a Billy Joel song... that's all the hint I'll give.)

Tonight, I ventured once again to a wonderful little restaurant called, "Cuban Restaurant". Now, before you think it's just another copy or attempt at generating food, it is, in all sense, owned and operated by Cubans proud to make and serve the food.

This trip, having been my third, resulted in having to take pictures of the aesthetic scenery. It had to be done. To prove how wonderful the people, who treat me like family are, and the tasty food that cannot be found anywhere but Cuba.

The first picture is of the counter. I know it looks like empty space, but on the contrary, this is the biggest part of the restaurant open to the public. The corner actually doubles as a karaoke bar, full of English AND Spanish songs that allow the customers to feel more at ease.



This is actually a poster from Cuba, brought back, showing the peaceful life and paradise, possibly exaggerated of course.

This sign, of course, is for the Men's restroom. I found it fascinating that a little bit of the culture even appeals to here compared to restaurants in Japanese steakhouses and Chinese restaurants.

This picture, I believe, captures the "spirit" of Cubans everywhere. To take this picture, I wanted to take a shot that utilized the "tropical" air of the island and the local pastime of "dominoes". A pack of cigarettes lies nearby, always handy for anyone interested, and believe it or not, this was not my arrangement. This can be found there, exactly as is, pending nobody has a dominoes match going on.


Here, you can see the menus along with authentic cases for smokes and other goods, along with another picture exported from Cuba. The natural feel is obvious, as well as the apparent use and upkeep of the restaurant side of the business.





















As for each of these pictures, I apologize for the size on some of them. These items are more than decorations. They are stories in and of themselves. It was important for me to angle the camera correctly and include in each a reasonable size and frame of the material. We have pictures and boxes of cigars, a wooden replica of Cuba, actually made in Cuba, and of course, coffee galore.
















To summarize in short, the articles and videos truly helped me realize the importance of capturing pictures properly. They show a story, a truth to what we see and perceive around us. It is with pride that I can post these because it was with careful consideration and attention to detail and my surroundings that I can truly appreciate the atmosphere as well as the food.

Last, but not least, I posted some pictures of the food that was offered. In case you are hungry, or in need of something to eat, I have them below the text as a fair warning. They are as tasty as they look, and they include the Media Noche, which is a Cuban sandwich on sweet Cuban roll, pickles, mustard, ham, and a type of cheese. Next to it is Yuca con mojo, a type of potato root cooked at just the right time and temperature, and yuca fries, and black beans and rice, a local favorite, and of course, bistec empanizado, which is breaded and covered in parsley and onions.

Rhetoric Not Included in the Happy Meal

After viewing the McDonald's Site, I was surprised at many different things. Mostly, the ease and clutter-free that was on each webpage, and how easy it was to navigate.

The Kairos of McDonalds is very broad and indefinite. You can find support for the Winter Olympics... you can find a corner for kids, such as activities and games, a place for adults, such as health-related information, and careers, a shop (which actually is surprising, considering all of the items), and a lot of "time-wasting" material that relates to promotions, advertisements, and updates on McDonald's activities.

On the Logos level, the rationality of the website seems very practical. There is no clutter. Hardly do you have to scroll up and down to take in the information, or read articles and paragraphs. Likewise, there are usually more pictures and videos than there are anything else. Thankfully, there are no major "third-party" advertisements, although it appeals to the typical American by offering to join through FaceBook and Twitter.

The Pathos level seems to exhibit constant happiness. Simple colors, organization, each section appeals to the point of that area. If you're looking for a job, it names opportunities, locations, information, and positions. If you click on Food, Nutrition, & Fitness, you have complete access to every bit of food that McDonalds produces instantly, without having to search or type in anything. The emotional aspect of this eliminates any frustration or confusion, and the entire site radiates comfort and ease.

The Ethos appeal seems to try and include a little bit of everything, as is American custom. Even when watching the commercials for McDonald's over the last eighty years, you can see movement from the typical family outing to "a little bit of everything", from the atypical music to targeting kids specifically with Ronald playing with children, to the repetitive repeat of a guy going to different businesses asking what he can purchase with a single American dollar.

The topic of the website seems upfront and forward. If you want McDonald's information, visit our site. Look on the specific link, and then look through the webpage for the specific bit of data. As far as I can tell, a "third-party" built the McDonald's USA website, but certain links warn that you are navigating away while other links seem already there. Again, the purpose of the site seems to be for American customers of all ages and ethnicity. It appears online of course, and based on a hunch, I assume it is the site that is linked through all McDonald's advertisements. The site seems to have been made between 2005 and 2010, probably being updated with new recipes, ingredients, and food items. I assume that the site will not be revamped or altered majorly until after this year, and may not look the same in 2011. As for how and why, the website is probably framed through extensive feedback and user's opinions, and it was written for anyone wanting to get online and inquisitively search online.

Although I am not out of the country at the moment, I will be asking friends to send my pictures of various McDonalds from around the U.S. I hope this makes up for not being able to contrast a "host" site with the United States site.

I'll keep you all posted...

< {} /\/\ |> |_| + € Ѓ $ (Computers) & € \/ {} £ |_| + ! {} /\| (Evolution)

Well, here's another post, and hopefully, an equal opportunity to boggle the mind and perplex the cerebellum.

And other assorted-various parts of the brain.

To begin, I was very surprised how much of an impact of technology plays on humanity. In modern times, we consider any improvement or positive change to benefit us as individuals and as a society. Oftentimes, the only choice we have to make is between competitors of the same product. But was it always that way?

In relation to any improvement, what are the consequences to each advance? Doesn't each advance, from writing to blogging now become an effective mean in which to project creative thoughts and ideas?

More importantly, hasn't each innovative breakthrough been a way to make things easier? I mean, technically, we can blame the wheel for taking away physical stamina and keeping humans from becoming obese. Likewise, we can say that the commodity of packaged foods eliminated any need for population control and the fight for survival.

However, in comparison to technological advances, we see that we are replacing one means with another. The wheel hasn't taken away from the fact that we still need to exert some force or effort to travel. Even though we can carry more, we are still accomplishing the same goal we set out for. As for food, we aren't replacing one with another, we are simply taking away from having to gather.

But the problem is too diverse with the internet. We are mass-producing a single unit in which we can do multiple tasks at a single time. Our phone has the ability to call and text. To use a calculator, to chat, to use the internet, to tell time, to play games, to search for information. Even audio players, such as the Zune and iPod come included with multiple features. Even more startling is the transition from paper to stored data.

There is no doubt that in an office, one would rather have a computer with patient's files stored on it than filing cabinets cluttering space (although during a power outage, I believe that we would prefer the paper!).

In regards to the Friedrich Nietzsche case of buying a typewriter, it poses an interesting question. Nietzsche didn't altogether eliminate the need for paper. He replaced writing by hand for the ease of deft agility and processing his work faster.

So why was there a noticeable change in his work when his friends and family viewed it?

Personally, I believe that typing for Nietzsche, like everyone else, allowed one's thoughts to be conveyed much quicker than one can process. We see quality on paper. We see quantity on the computer. When we write on paper, we express creativity and ideas. We write because we are inspired, because we are already underway through the thinking process. When we sit down in front of a computer, we oftentimes complete our papers, stories, and ideas instantly. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the average time we spend on a single link is less than five minutes.

There is no depth in anything technological that replaces one means with another. In fact, we take away from the appreciation. How fast can we go through audio music when listening to music? And when we listen to the radio after our battery is dead, how many times do we catch ourselves looking to shuffle or change it because we're bored?

We lack the appreciation. The internet shouldn't replace books, or anything else. In fact, I believe we'd regain the "depth" we once attained in adventures with dragons and battles in starships in outerspace if more papers forbid the use of the internet. If we actually researched atoms and cellular structure, along with everything else we needed to learn, would the information stick better?

I believe so. Or at least that's my opinion. I think that no matter what, one should always have pad and pencil ready. One mustn't run dry the well of thought, and to put off retrieving the depths of our own ideas, we push away the true meaning behind our motivation.

At least that's what I think.

The Way of the Jimmy: Not Just A Cult Favorite!

And... I'm back. I figure I'm kinda wordy, so I'll shorten my stuff or post additional blogs. Which, some people may enjoy.

Anyways... onto the next question.

"How do you identify 'your people?' How is this identity formed by the considerations of ethnos, nomos, mythos, archon, and techne."

Well, my identity is something that I've long pondered myself. My people, specifically my family, is complex. We believe in strong family bonds, and yet, my parents are not on great terms with their family. Yet, their own failures only strengthened a new beginning. I was taught family dinners and supporting each other was important. I've taken classes in ROTC and have been trained on how to follow, and lead, but I prefer to avoid any responsibility because it tips balances and scales. I love to write, but I'd rather have a career in psychology and talk to people.

Ethnos is a little challenging because there is no specific way to measure it. I am open-minded, and love reading and writing. Through this, I hunt down old books, participate in learning everything I can get my hands on, and strive to enter new worlds at every opportunity. I like to think that music defines me, and that my genre of music is broad, like my goals and ambitions. An example of this would be that I've gotten my hair cornrowed and I wear slinkies as a sign of fashion style. This holds no relative meaning to nobody but me, and I enjoy this.

This identity is tragically not formed by nomos in any way. This is partially because my family cut all ties, in a sense, to create new ones. I realize that I am the first, as far as I know, to go to Clemson, to enter into Psychology, and to strive towards writing. This can be challenging at times having no specific help or advice through family, but I have support and that is good enough for me.

Mythos is actually a motivator for me. My mother and father aren't specifically bound by standards or roles. Both of my parents cook, both of my parents participated in raising my brothers and I, and each one has had various backgrounds in government jobs, traveling, making new friends, so on, and so forth. They have taught me that I should try to pave my own story, and to make a difference in my own way.

Archon is another one that is challenging. If you were to research me, you probably wouldn't find very much. It is true that I have a MySpace and a FaceBook account, but if you were to view it, you wouldn't find very much. I don't have any albums of music or photos posted. I don't have any stories or tales, and honestly, I would much rather be making the new adventures and creating stories than to be documenting and archiving tales of exaggerated feats. My life is something others have to choose to participate in. It isn't enough for my "friends" to sit on the sideline and comment on it.

Last, for techne, this is a bit problematic. All I own are my personal belongings. All I have is between my home and here at Clemson. And all I that I will leave behind are in the process of becoming "something". If you were to travel to Green Sea Floyds, you would find that I was a Battalion Commander for two years, and the only one who attained the level of Cadet Colonel. Unfortunately, this was in a school where my graduating class was eighty-one, so my legacy doesn't really live on.

Overall, I am not really complicating, I'm really simple. Complex insight may be required, but it's only to look at different angles. Why I get there isn't as important as how I get there.

In the meantime, stay tuned for next week's posting and enjoy this picture from my past. Not many people get to see it.

xD

The Way of Jimmy: It's a Pyramid!

So the assignment to tackle this week is actually something up my alley, thankfully.

=D

"Imagine that I am hosting exchange students who have never visited the U.S. What particular things about "your people" (your culture - national, regional, local, familial) would you need to explain during their visit - and how?"

Basically, I would inform the students about three specific topics: Morals, Ethics, and Laws. Specifically, these three topics can be looked at as a pyramid.

On the bottom of it, you have morals. These are on an intrapersonal level; only family, relatives, and friends are affected by this. Is eating together for dinner important? Are group activities such as family reunions and get-togethers a necessity? What kind of virtues and values are worked towards, and what do they tie into? For example, is missing a family outing frowned upon? Or is having a streak of independence a sign of approval?

Above the base, you have ethics. This level specifically is the on-start of the interpersonal level; more so, ethics on the standards of the general public. Like the word itself, these are the grey area... or is it gray? Regardless, they are the actions and words we use to interact that may be encouraged or frowned upon. Is helping an elderly across the street acceptable? What level of sexual innuendo can you engage with the opposite sex before it becomes inappropriate? Sarcasm and the level of humor is something that needs to be adjusted regularly because each individual within a culture operates on different standards.

Topping the pyramid of course, is law. Last, but not least, this is interpersonal but unlike morals and ethics, law is definite. It is final. And it is unchangeable. What is the drinking age in this country compared to where the students stay from? Are certain drugs and activities legal here compared to their home? What is the driving age, and are there any curfews restricting traveling abroad or locally?

Of course, this information isn't supposed to be filed in a PowerPoint presentation. Mostly, I would communicate this in two days easily. Family interaction, activities, bingo. Morals are covered. Setting times, meetings, and appointments, while allowing submersion into the culture by their self, it's liberating and guided. Ethics are up to date. And last, outings, informative snippets of things that are and aren't allowed, and careful warnings ahead of time at the right time would be done as they occur. Laws complete, checklist secure.

Because this is long and I don't want to bore all of you reading, I'll end it here and give anyone who needs one an intermission.

xD

If not, continue on over to the next one...

Cultural Literacy... A Pass-or-Fail Deal For Sure.

Well, this is the third week in this class, and I'm still chugging away. *Grimly* Tragically, I don't have any films or videos this week, but I will keep you posted, because I will be conducting some sort of interview soon.

As for what knowledge has helped me improve cultural literacy, I would have to say it's general curiosity. Many people will say it's about being open, but it isn't enough to say you are up for the opportunity. One needs to actually pursue the option of learning and utilizing the information in the most effective manner necessarily.

I can remember being accepted in the Spring of 2009, and attending Clemson. My housing was through the Clemson Exchange Community, and I roomed with two Americans, one from South Carolina and from Maryland, and another from Montreal, Canada.

I can think back and remember going to basketball games with John, Brian, and Dan... I can remember having cookouts in our apartment, watching games, playing video games, and partying. Even more so, I gained inside knowledge of cultural opinions and how the world outside of our "American bubble" views a major nation.

Through my own initiative,I'd like to think I've benefited greatly. My girlfriend and I met through one of my trips off-campus to the store through my roommate; we are actually going to celebrate our first one-year anniversary in March, thank you.

As for filling in the gaps in other locations, the answer is simple. When you come to a cliff and you want to access the other side, what will you do to get to the other side? What means are you willing to use in order to achieve success and understanding? Is it pointless and worthless? Should the high road be taken, or settle for looking for a lower pass? In the sense of not sounding cliche or stealing quotes from Robert Frost, life is but one journey in which we often forget the destination isn't what is important.

And knowing that I can't just "reset" my life at any point is enough motivation to enjoy and learn as much as I can. To those of you out there who are in other countries, I encourage you to say yes (reasonably, of course,) for me. Say yes to every choice you're given. Ask questions, go down different roads and into random buildings, if it's nothing more than to look at a painting through a window you've seen while in passing, or trying new food that looks totally disgusting.

As for ethnos, nomos, mythos, archon, and techne, I do believe it's interesting to see such terms. I was impressed to see a rating scale for different dimensions, and it's weird to see that other countries view the equality between sexes differently than us. And even more challenging is to ask, who is right?

But overall, I think that that is what it boils down to. It's not about who is right or wrong. It's about experiencing certain things, leaving your comfort zone, and trying for different things (of course, this isn't at the sacrifice of your morals).

Thankfully, the different dimensions and the concept of "stolons" is something I am thinking I will apply heavily to my interviews. This will give me an equal opportunity to learn about them as much as they've learned about us.

Stay tuned next week you all.

;)

The Unshrouding of Online Communities...

Unfortunately, I feel like I'm going to disappoint all of you online fans who are trekking to my site.

For those who don't know me, the many can vouch that when it comes to online involvement, I do not participate in anything.

I have never relied fully on staying up on posts and pictures, viewing different web layouts and sparkly, shimmering changes that rivaled the social factions schools designate their peers into.

I can't say that I even joined in forums and groups through the use of Youtube, DeviantArt, or Wikipedia.

It seemed with the birth of MySpace, everyone was looking for ample opportunity in defining the reason of who they were and why they existed.

For love, to be unique, to preach the word, to give their word, to hide behind the words, each person seemed to want to tell the world about them.

And I... I just couldn't get into it. I believed that such attention wasn't necessary. Mastery over words required finesse, and storytelling could be obliterated rather easily when the only meaning to your postings and news were built on exaggerations and lies. Moral compasses get tossed and turned, and one loses footing in the real world. What started out as mere "altered" fabrications of truth turn into extended lies built on top of misunderstandings and denial and lying.

Nonetheless, I am getting used to changing my ways to glimpse into how the world now actively chats. Or perhaps "chat" is too casual a word. Communicating and exploring the depths of the cultures and diversities that we are traveling through hold an important key in understanding the world and solving every particular problem out there.

I propose that by the third week of posting blogs, I will have joined the online communities for the CAAH 120 through FaceBook and I believe, Blogosphere.

And as I mentioned last week, I am not familiar with how to naturally blog and post videos and all that fun stuff. As a pledge to learn a little more about technology as I am our culture, I am posting three videos exclusively through YouTube with my Google account.

These videos are a little rough. I wanted to get used to filming "random" opportunities and did it more for the footage than the film. If it's shaky, loud, or soft at times, I apologize, and reassure you that this is the way it's supposed to be. So make sure you watch them, and let me know what you think!

Thanks.

William Harris