Singin' in the Rain
It (1927)
Silent Movie
The Red Violin
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life
42nd Street
Mary Poppins or any other disney movie you like

4/10/02
    Wow. Absolutely nothing happened today in my little world. Which means I have nothing to say here. I am highly frustrated with my brother, who doesn't know what first person, second person, and third person mean. He can't tell me what's wrong with "Anne et Marie est..." even though he just conjugated etre for me. Oy. Upstairs they're playina an Elton John CD for the 4th time since I got home. As you can imagine, things are pretty dismal here.

4/11/02
    I am trying very hard to write something here every day, but, unfortunately, I have twenty other things I have to do ASAP. So, although I'm not really 'communicating' per se, at least I'm putting up something...

    Here's something I did for history a couple weeks ago. I's really an entire pamphlet, but you just get the text.

    Fundamentalism is the belief, among some Christians, that the Bible is completely infallible and should be interpreted literally. It is still practiced around the world today, and there is an international federation of Fundamentalist churches, whose headquarters are in Amsterdam. The Rev. Jerry Falwell and the Rev. Pat Robertson are two famous Fundament- alists of today.

    Good question. Up until the mid-nineteenth century, every orthodox denomination of Protestants believed in it. After that time, theologians began to look at the Bible from a historical and literary standpoint, and started to mold the ideas from it to fit modern scientific knowledge. In 1876, the first of a series of Bible conferences were held by those who opposed this way of studying and interpreting the Bible. These conferences brought together people with similar ideas, and the basic doctrines of fundamentalism were drawn out.
    Fundamentalism really started to take wing in the beginning of the twentieth century. From 1909 to 1912, a twelve-volume publication called The Fundamentals was being circulated throughout the US. Institutes devoted to Fundamental doctrines began to spring up. Fundamentalism took a strong hold in rural areas, especially in California and the South. William Jennings Bryan, the great orator, became a great advocate of Fundamentalism, and devoted much of his later life to its cause.
    Controversy began to occur when some particularly zealous members of these churches tried to get their states to ban teaching the theory of evolution, as it went against their personal beliefs. All this culminated in to the Scopes’ Trial, which garnered much publicity, but brought no change.

    In Tennessee, a law banning the teaching of evolution had been put into effect, and a teacher was accused of breaking the law. The attorney for the prosecution was William Jennings Bryan (left), who believed in Fundamentalism wholeheartedly. John Scopes was the defendant, the teacher accused of teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Clarence Darrow, a brilliant lawyer and a professed atheist, was the attorney for the defense. It was his aim to prove that the law was wrong. He brought in specialists to explain the theory, but the judge would not accept them as material to the case. In the end, Darrow asked Bryan up to the witness stand, and, in one of the most famous courtroom scenes in American history, proceeded to make a complete monkey out of him (pun intended). But even after the valiant attempt, Scopes lost the case.
    Although the decision was taken to a higher court, he was let of on a technicality, which effectively stopped any idea of the trial changing the law. It was not until 1967 that Tennessee finally repealed the ban on evolution, and a year later, the Supreme Court found such laws to be unconstitutional.

    In the 1930’s Fundamentalism lost a lot of its steam. However it has not completely faded away. Evangelism, a more moderate movement akin to Fundamentalism, began to take shape, and is still happening today. Some Fundamentalists today are still trying to ban the teaching of evolution, but they are not the majority.

    Yes, that’s it. So why don’t you rest your eyes, bite into a nice rippe apple, and contemplate life, religion, and human nature. It’s good for the brain.

4/13/01
    Wow, today was beautiful. Amma and appa cleaned out the garage, and I sat out in the midday sun doing my homework. It was extremely pleasant.:o) Right now I'm taking a break from my horribly dull persuasive speech. I have to take a shower and get dressed properly so we can go out for dinner.
    Wouldn't it be interesting to be the psychiatrist for certain people? For instance, all those greek and roman gods, or even the norse. They certainly have some issues to work out. I mean, what with all the wanton killing, philandering, and all that junk, they must be as messed up as a sloppy joe.

4/14/01
    I did it. I have finally finished my outline for my eight minute speech on why this country needs a national health care program. It's incredibly dry and boring, but it doesn't matter. Health care isn't very exciting to begin with. I mean, you don't see nurses swinging from the rafters while fighting of mongol hoards. Of course, if they did do that, there'd be a lot more people going to nursing school.

    I was looking back on some of the things I wrote in the archives, and I realized that this has been sort of an outlet for me. Nobody really reads this, so I'm free to put up what I like. I sincerely believe that without this and my puppy, I would have gone mad. I'm a horrible diary writer, but this revelation makes me wonder if I shouldn't try it again. All I need is a small diary to carry around.

4/15/01

4/17/01
    The night was inky black. To be more specific, the night was like a soup of half dried India ink. With bugs stuck in.
    Isn't that a beautiful beginning? I am going to center a story around that line. In other news, there is a student film festival going on in school, and I would dearly love to enter it, but I have no time to write a script, or get people together to do it. It's such a shame, too. I have some marvelous ideas.
    Which brings me to that accursed AP test. !I HATE THAT #@&$ @^&$*%-*^&@^$% TEST! *whew* I needed to get that out of my system. If I do not put up anything new the next few weeks, you know why. I better pass this test, for all the work I've put into it. If I don't I'm liable to run off to a nunnery.

4/21/01
    I have a very good excuse for not adding a new entry. My father put windows 2000 on teh computer, and then the internet connection wouldn't work. Grrr...

    I cannot get that song out of my head... So hopefully, not that I've typed up all the lyrics on here, it'll go away. (yeah right..)

4/22/01
    This computer is driving me to tears. Litterally. There are tears running down my cheek as we speak. First it would not let me go online, noe none of my music will play because it doesn't pass some sort of "integrity check". I HATE WINDOWS 2000!!!!! I can't stand it anymore! If you find me impaled on a computer monitor, you know who to sue.

4/23/01
    This is a very special day. Twelve years ago today, at 5:30 pm, eastern standard time, my sister was born. I cannot imagine life without her...
    Ok, enough with the sap. We had fondu tonight, at my sis's request, and it was super good. I'm full of fondu and ready for bed. G'night.

4/24/01
    It's been another busy day in the world. First, our top headlines:

4/25/01
    It's been a very long day. Today was a half day, and we only had our first four classes. However, between first & second hour, We had a one hour assembly where they played a movie on boundaries, of all things. JoAnne and I discussed instead how culturally deprived she was, and read quotes from my book (review to follow this weekend, weather permitting). We both decided that holding us against our will in the gym was cruel and unusual punishment. JoAnne came over after third hour (fourth is lunch) and we finished the speech photo album. We're going to bug Mrs. B with it tomorrow. It saps a lot of energy, making a scrapbook. I'm so tired. All I want to do is drift to sleep in a nice comfy couch while reading my book. But that's not likely to happen.

4/28/01
    ACK! Friday and Saturday, usually days of relaxation, peace and gentle doversions, become peons in the evil plot to work us all to death. I did nothing on Frisday and Saturday except work. It's not going to get any better either.... double-ACK!

4/30/01
    Mmmm... the sweet smell of starvation. Yes, I'm taking time out of eating to write this. Be greatful. VERY greatful.
    It looks like this weekend is packed again.
Friday- Speech banquet
Saturday- Volunteering at fair
Sunday- Amanda's studying with me
....and I have to do my homewok in between. I'm becoming quite the social butterfly in my old age. I defy anyone to call me antisocial now.

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