Giving While Receiving

Giving While Receiving 

The major element that defines a city is the people who inhabit it because the diverse people and cultures tie the city together and make the city unique. In Austin Texas, it’s all about being lay back and helping one another to better the community. The people are from different places all over the world. Many Mexican immigrants come to Austin for a better life. Being in a foreign country and learning a new language is very difficult and close to impossible with no help, but thanks to programs like Any Baby Can (ABC) Austinites show off their true colors improving the community by helping immigrants with math, reading and writing, in both spanish and english, for elementary through high school levels. 

These Austin volunteers come from all over , such as, St. Stephen’s and St. Andrew’s students all the way to UT’s Spanish Society. The volunteers are connected to the community and are determined to improve it.  Not only does ABC have a literacy program, but they have programs such as: parenting education program, nurse family partnership program, healthy and fair start program, and the childhood cancer program. All of ABC’s programs are made to help and better families all over Austin. 

The difference volunteers make in people’s lives connects them more to the community and are an inspiration to others. When I first came to America, I was lucky enough to have teachers and friends that devoted their time teaching me english. They were an inspiration for me to help immigrants at ABC. In The Arrival by Shaun Tan, the foreigner coming to the unknown seems lost and confused just like people who go to ABC. But by the end of the novel, the foreigners daughter sees a young lady with a suitcase which seems lost. The little girl understands what the young  lady is going through and helps her find her way around, just how people in Austin do. Volunteering and improving the community has become a part of Austin’s culture. 

Good For Your Tastebuds Even Better For The Community 

It’s obvious that we all have a number of favorite restaurants, weather they are local or a food chain, they all make our tastebuds go crazy. People may argue that having franchises is bad for the city because they give nothing back to the community, and only take from locals. Besides from providing jobs and attracting people, franchises like Applebee’s International, Inc. changes the local’s attitude towards franchises in their cities. 

Original slogan "eating good in the neighborhood."

The famous Applebee’s chain began in 1980 in Decatur, Georgia, by Bill and T. J. Palmer. The name was changed to Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar in 1986 to reflect the original idea of making people feel like it was their friendly neighborhood bar and grill. For all their success, Applebee’s began to say “thank you” to all its customers by making a difference in the communities in which they operated. Last year alone, Applebee’s employees donated more than 54,000 hours of community hours. The franchisees host fundraisers world wide like Alex's Lemonade Stand, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Not only do they help big causes but they help with local causes as well. Such as, at Eisenhower Middle School 5th graders were unable to get a yearbook but Applebee’s reacted quickly and gave the school money for yearbooks. Applebee’s has many programs to help school’s and non-profit organizations raise money for the community.

Giving back to the community and raising money for causes is just the tip of the iceberg for Applebee’s. Not only do they care about their neighborhoods, but about being environmentally friendly. As an example to become environmentally friendly, Applebee’s support center in Kansas is a LEED certified building that in the last 2 years has recycled over 49 tons of waste paper, which is equal to 342,000 gallons of water saved and 831 trees. In 2010, the franchise launched the “green Initiatives”  which required all its stores world wide to update in order to save energy and resources. They changed water faucets that reduce water usage, solar reflective windows, and much more. 

Every time someone eats at Applebee’s not only are they having a good meal but they are doing good for the community. Restaurants like Applebee’s are a great example of what a franchise should do to help out the community. Even though it takes away culture from the city, it gives back more to locals in the community and the environment. Franchises should follow Applebee’s example of community in order to not only become popular but to be wanted by the community. Applebee's makes a better city by giving jobs, helping the environment and the community. 

Citgo Sign: Landmark or Curse

Citgo Sign: Landmark or Curse

The Citgo Petroleum Corporation began in 1910 by Henry L. Doherty originally known as the Cities Services Company. A big sign was built a couple blocks away from Fenway Park at Kenmore Square in Boston Massachusetts. City services changed its name to CITGO. Thus, changing the sign to what today is known as the Citgo Sign. For the company the Citgo sign was just for advertisement but for Bostonians it became much more.

"See it go"

Foley, the famous electrician who began working on the sign in 1965 at the age of 20, has been the keeper of the sign ever since. He upgraded the sign in 2004 from neon to LEDs to save energy and keep the sign up to date. Foley, in an interview with the New York Times, said, ““I was only a kid when I started servicing it, and I’m still servicing it. It’s part of me.” Not only has it become a part of Foley, but it has become a part of the city’s culture. The sign has become important to the city and is now in tour guide brochures and post cards as a representation of the city. 

The sign originally became famous by its exposure through the Red Sox games. A tradition at Red Sox games is to chant “C-IT-GO” whenever a player hits a home run over the left field. The sign has become a symbol of good feeling for Red Sox fans all over the world. In 1980 the mayor of Boston, Edward J. King, wanted to turn off and tear down the sign as a symbol of energy conservation. By that time the sign had gain affection from all over the nation and the world. After many protest and the acknowledgement of its importance to the city, the mayor decided to pause the removal of the sign and turned it back on in 1983. No other sign has had such an impact or importance on a city since the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign which is well known all over the world and was declared a national landmark. Most Bostonians and Red Sox fans everywhere believe the sign should be a landmark while others have cynical views about the sign and wish to remove it. 

Signs of Time: Citgo and Hugo by Andres Orozco

Citgo was sold to the Venezuelan government in 1990 and to this day the connection between Hugo Chavez, the dictator of Venezuela, and the sign, angers many Americans. The sign for these Americans resembles a foreign dictatorship that should be tore down not be promoting Chavez. They see it as a constant reminder of a horrible dictator. This global political problem brings a lot of controversy to the city of Boston, but luckily for locals their only concern is the significance the sign symbolizes to the city of Boston and Red Sox fans. The sign has become part of the Boston culture and holds a big significance to Red Sox fans world wide.  

Traffic: A Tragic Overpopulation Story

We've all seen it and experienced it first hand; traffic has become a part of people's daily lives. Some accounts say that people may spend 14% or more of their waking hours in cars. Frustrated and tired, sometimes I've had to endure up to 45 minutes in traffic to travel only a usually 10 minute trip home from school. In just the year and a half I have been driving, I have witnessed 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) becoming more crowded during a longer lasting rush hour. I am not the only Austinite frustrated with this rise in traffic. There have been multiple projects on Austin's main arteries like The Mopac Improvement Project and the proposed Austin 360 project. An Austin-American Stateman article states the traffic issues most clearly, "you name it - cars, bicycles, pedicabs, skateboards and people [are] competing for the road. I have to be alert at all times and looking in the rear view mirror." 

These new projects started because of the growing Austin area and growing metropolitan areas nation wide. The population of the United States has more than doubled since 1940 and is growing by about 2.5 million people each year. The population of Austin has grown 20.4% in the last decade and an average of 1% in urban areas nationwide. It is important to note that there was a slow in population growth over the past decade due to the tumultuous economy, but overall this is insignificant.

Now, why is the United States growing so fast? Well the US census in 2000 shows that there is a baby born every 11 seconds. Forty percent of these babies are unintentional. Most of these unintentional births are from the 20 and above age-group, but teen pregnancy is the most publicized. This is a video of a famous "youtuber" who gained his fame from his entertaining rants on popular subjects. He talks about how teen pregnancy has been glorified and is disappointed in the invasive nature of the MTV show 16 and Pregnant. Please excuse the language. Skip to 0:24.

Other reasons the population has sky rocketed is due to the fact that food is easier to find and buy. With modern convinces like fast-food restaurants and all-in-one grocers like Wal-Mart and Target, nowadays it costs less for each person to eat. Also, medical and healthcare advances have helped raise the average life expectancy through vaccines, medications, and procedures.

If the United States metropolitan areas continue to grow at this current rate, there could be large consequences. We have witnessed the short-term effects of this population boom in the record high in college applications, traffic, and the never-ending construction on new apartments. However, in the long-term overpopulation becomes even more detrimental to the United States. A main worry is that by the currently projected population, by 2030 the United States may no longer be able to export food because of the needs of the American citizens. Also, the current American energy use greatly exceeds its proper share, which adds to the energy crisis globally. Lastly, as the cities of America grow, more and more grasslands are being run over and morphed concrete jungles. In the mean time, Austin and its surrounding ares have been named one of the top-ten "Boomtowns"at just under 3.5% growth last year.

_________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on growing cities and on the countryside:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/national/18FRISCO.html?pagewanted=all

For more information on Austin area growth:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/austin-area-population-increases-by-nearly-half-million-1263947.html

The Empire State of Houstatlantavegas: An Analysis of the City's Effect on Young Women

After analyzing the text of Jay-Z and Alicia Key’s “Empire State of Mind,” I got to thinking that there are similar songs that address the dark issues that big cities and bright lights pose to young women. The messages in Drake’s “Houstatlantavegas” also touch on these issues, but instead of a singular verse the entire song is referencing young women who have been reduced to “exotic dancing” or prostitution as a means of survival.

Drake’s song, “Houstatlantavegas” first offers insight to the listener through the title. One should understand that the title is a combination of Houston, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. These three cities have very provocative, fast-paced lifestyles associated with them and a high abundance of gentlemen’s clubs and prostitution similarly to New York.

The lyrics from verse three of “Empire State of Mind” and those throughout “Houstatlantavegas” touch on identical points.

Drake’s Lyrics Read: 

                                                      

“HEY THERE...PRETTY GIRL. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU GOT AND I DONT... 

BLAME YOU AT ALL,YOU CANT RESIST IT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LIGHTS SO 

BRIGHT, AND THE MONEY SO RIGHT, AND ITS COMING IN EVERY SINGLE NIGHT...”

Jay-Z's Lyrics Read:    

"Lights is blinding,

girls need blinders…

don’t bite the apple Eve”

In both lyrics, there are mentions of light. In Drake’s mention his representation of light is one of captivation. When people are lost, we are encouraged to follow the light but bright light can blind people—from their goals and better judgment—as interpreted in Jay-Z’s lyric. He mentions the blinding effect of light and how the need to no longer be lost makes this light attractive to women who have come looking for themselves in a city like New York. Drake’s mention of “resist” also brings up the idea of temptation. He is saying that women are unable to resist the temptation because of the bright light (which also represents attention) and the extensive amounts of money. Jay-Z’s line about temptation takes us back to biblical times of the first women and her encounter with temptation and how well that did not turn out for her.

Another line of Drake’s that speaks to the problem of young women in the big cities reads: “… she’s scared of ending up alone…” This line is significant because it connects to Maggie of Stephen Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, who feared being alone and resorted to prostitution. Maggie, who also feared being alone ended up meeting her demise and that is the conclusion we are too draw from connecting these two texts.

The looming issue of young women is the city is obviously one that demands national attention as it appears not only in late 19thcentury literature, but two 21^st century rap songs by different artists about different cities. In class discussions, we have seen discussed the importance nature versus nurture and how environmental determinism plays a role in society but with these findings I think it is safe to say that surroundings can affect the outcome of one’s life. Even places like Austin, although not as big as most metro cities, prostitution poses some major community issues.

City Flash Mob

City Flash Mob

    
   A flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, respect or artistic expression. Flash mobs are often organized via telecommunications. social media or viral emails.
   The term flash mob, first coined in May 2003 in Manhattan, has became one of the defining terms for a urban, liberal and richly cultural city. Most of the major cities in the world, for example, New York City, Shanghai, Sydney, Paris, etc,  have had flash mobs in the urban center. Surprisingly, even Austin has its own flash mob organization, see here.

    

  Flash mob shows how closely related the city is. With the aid of current technology, almost everybody can participate in a flash mob despite his color, race, language or culture. Words spread via social networking sites like Facebook or blogs, as well as by word of mouth, text or email. Various groups of people converge together and function as a whole. Flash mob reveals a city's unity at its best.

These are the cities where the most famous flash mobs happened.

                                                    NYC

                                                                     Paris

                                                             Shanghai

                                                                Sydney

"Muslim cab drivers save Jewish bagel shop"

Here is a link to an NBC article I found to be relevant to our most recent course text, Lush Life. The story connects to the theme of coexistence in the city, which we have explored in recent discussions. It tells the story of two Muslim cab drivers who come together to save a kosher Jewish bagel shop which was started by a Polish immigrant in the 1920s.

The Imperfection of Perfection within Cities

Tron Legacy is a science fiction film directed by Joseph Kosinski. The main characters of this movie are Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn and Clu, and Garret Hedlund as Sam (Kevin Flynn's son). Tron is a movie about Sam's journey into a virtual reality world that his father, Kevin Flynn created, called The Grid. After the disaperance of his father, Sam became the biggest share holder of his father's company, ENCOM. However, Sam was not interested in his father's company. One day, Alan Bradley, ENCOM's executive, approached Sam about a mysterious "page" that was sent from his father's computer from an old abandoned arcade. While investigating the arcade, Sam found a secret computer room, where he accidentally sent himself into the virtual reality world created by his father: The Grid.

While watching the movie, I noticed parallels and contrast between Tron city and the city in reality.

Compared to the authorities in the real city, the authorities in Tron city were much stricter. In the beginning of the movie, before Sam teleported himself to Tron city, he violated the law several times, but got away: speeding on the highway and breaking into his father's company. However, when Sam arrived at Tron city, he was viewed as a flaw within the system and was immediately captured. Authorities in Tron city seek out all flaws and imperfections in the city, in order to make it the perfect city, as his father had programmed it to be. Flawed “programs” (humans in Tron city) were either "rectified" or forced to play a game, a battle to the death. Corruption and violation of the laws in Tron city was strictly punished or corrected immediately. In contrast, in the real city, the human system is not as effective in dealing with crimes.

In addition, both cities represent modernization. In the real city, we see modernization from the old brick building of the arcade to the tall, glistering glass skyscraper of ENCOM. In the Grid, the city of Tron is located in a middle of nowhere, surrounded by the barren, rocky terrain. The contrast between the structured and lighted city of Tron to the bare and wild terrain that surrounds the city, emphasizes how modernization of a city creates a boundary between humans and nature. The motor bikes used to travel around Tron city, could not be used in the rocky terrain. Compared to the arcade, the ENCOM building was much more sophisticated and technologically advanced. Similarly, Tron city is a technologically advanced city, but it separates itself from the natural world.Finally, this movie wrestles with the idea of the “perfect” city and the corruption of technology. Technological advances and development has always been seen as beneficial to human needs. However, in Tron Legacy, Kevin Flynn attempted to use technology to create the perfect world for humans to live in. He created Clu, and programmed him to help create the “perfect” world. However, Clu saw human qualities as an imperfection that needed to be destroyed. This shows how technology can be useful and beneficial, but we should not depend on technology to do human responsibilities.

Getting Away From the City in the City

Red Bud Isle -- a friendly place welcoming to dogs, dog lovers, fishermen, birds, and anyone seeking a refuge from the city around them. I left my house on Saturday morning (earlier than I am usually awake), got out of the car and walked into a place that, at first, seems just like any other park, except for the dogs running free. This is a place that is 5 minutes from my house in the middle of Austin; a place I pass every day, twice a day, that is purely natural, that I knew existed, but never bothered to visit.

As you walk around the perimeter and get deeper into the park you’ll be swarmed with different sounds ranging from pedestrians with their dogs, birds of every type, a dog splashing around in the river, fish popping to the surface to snatch some breakfast, and a squirrel barking its peculiar squirrel bark on a tree branch. Man-made sights that surround the park such as the river bluff houses, the bridge, and the dam are mostly hidden by the towering cypress trees. but had never taken the time to explore. Early in the morning you can find many different people bringing their dogs to enjoy an area where the dogs are allowed to run free. Walking into the park, you are met by the sights and sounds of dogs playing and chasing squirrels as people stand around having friendly chats with strangers.

While all of this is happening there is the buzz of cars passing by on the low-water bridge, an airplane passing overhead, and when the gates are up you can hear the roar of the dam. Over the tree tops stretches a radio tower and the LCRA dam. But all these sights and sounds are in their own way soothing. Listening to the cars pass over the bridge while you fish becomes calming as they each have a similar rhythm. There is always a slight hint that you are still in the city, however in this environment it is nature that drowns out the sounds of the city.

Red Bud Isle attracts people from all over Austin who want a quick escape. Most are Caucasian or Hispanic who come from as far west as Barton Creek, north from the UT campus and all the way from downtown Austin wearing clothes ranging from casualwear to sportswear.

When these people were asked what they think about the park, the answer was simple, “It’s great, you know, more of a forested area that is just right in the middle of town. You can drive your car just a couple of miles and you’re here.” The fisherman, I see almost every morning on my way to school, responded, “…it’s one of the

few spots I really like on Town Lake. It’s peaceful. It’s a nice little meditating spot. It’s a really green part of the city. Mornings like this are really pretty. It’s just a nice place to come down from the city and just relax.” What place seems more peaceful and serene than a lush green island surrounded by the calm Colorado River.

When I went up to one of these groups of dog owners to ask what they thought about having the dog park so centralized one, as if speaking for the group, told me, “ it’s perfect…” It offers not only this great atmosphere, but also many amazing views and opportunities for recreation such as fishing, canoeing, jogging, or just enjoying some fresh air, all free and easily accessible. But the main reason people go to Red Bud Isle is for their canine buddies. There is something that takes over on this island and immediately all the dogs become friends with each other. When a new dog comes to visit then all the others dogs run over, two sniffs, and the new dog is invited to play tag with the others. While the dogs run around with each other playing and splashing around in the waters of the Colorado, the owners begin to socialize with each other.

The deeper we got into the park,

leaving the dogs behind, we realized it was not just a park for dogs. By the end we didn’t even notice the dogs when we came to the end point that provided a perfect view of Town Lake with a couple canoers, a fisherman on a boat, the twisting roots of a cypress tree, and the water shimmering like glass. The only things you could hear were the birds, faint snatches of conversation from the canoers, and the sounds of the river.

All this combined creates a refuge for residents, dogs and nature to commune, right in the heart of the city.

Wooldridge Square

Google Maps View of Wooldridge Square

Wooldridge Square

By: Noah Stewart and Michael Greeson

Project Chopped and Screwed in GarageBand

"The Truth Enforcement"

Real APD Squad Vehicle

Wooldridge Square

At the intersection of 10^th and Guadalupe Street, there lay a 1 square block patch of dried grass, which goes by the name of Wooldridge Square. Although devoid of any nature after a record-breaking drought, this park remains alive in terms of human interaction. Here we found various subcultures of Austin clashing, and co-existing as they used urban space provided by the City of Austin as they pleased.

An off-white gazebo sits in this small valley of the square. Although the gazebo appears to tower over the homeless citizens who seek its shelter, it is dwarfed by the surrounding government buildings. Even from the lowest point in the park, the capitol building is visible, looming over the top of every building in between. The urban space is host to irony, as the government officials in the buildings surrounding the park observe the impoverished inhabitants of the park without aiding them in any manner. The park also represents the eternal struggle between rebellion and authority given its location between the Travis County Constable Office, the Travis County Jail, and the Justice of Peace.

Upon scanning the various corners of the intersection, we found a group of skateboarders. We approached them in order to inquire about their use of urban space. (View their location here.) The skaters happily showed us their different tricks, all utilizing the set of stairs in a different way. After observing, recording sound, and shooting video for a few minutes, a policeman arrived to enforce the law upon the urban rebels. We observed from a distance with a small portion of the group as the cop lectured the other skateboarders and apparently told them to leave. Both of us approached the policeman for an interview after he sent the skateboarders away but were turned down after being told that granting us an interview would oppose department policy. This clash between authority and rebellion was again exemplified in a different corner of Wooldridge Square.

Just a short walk away from the corner where the skaters were, we saw what we believed to be a police car a first glance. But upon inspection we realized that this car was not a police car at all, but “The Truth Enforcement.” The car was the exact same make and model as the vast majority of squad cars in the area, but instead of enforcing the law, this vehicle preached marijuana reform. The driver of this vehicle is using the urban space to protest solely by parking the car there. When he is around the vehicle, he is using the space to actively spread the word and hand out pamphlets.

After only an hour of observation at Wooldridge Square, we found that urban space is used for much more than the designer intended. Observing a landscape is just like reading a book in the sense that one must pay attention to each detail and read further in depth than what meets the eye.

Compton's Influence in Music

(Caution: Profanity flows freely due to the subject matter discussed in this post)

As rap music was growing on the east coast in major cities like New York, it hadn't quite spread to the west coast. However, eventually, rap spread to the west coast. Compton, California is located just south of Los Angeles. Compton was infamous for its gang related crime including shoot outs, murders, and narcotics. The city of Compton became a major influence of Gangstar Rap(aka Gangsta Rap) in the shaping of rap history. Gangsta rappers rapped about their experiences in Compton, selling drugs and running with the gangs (the Bloods and the Crips). By the 90's, Compton was recognized as the center of West Coast and Gangster Rap, producing rappers like Ice-Cube, Dr. Dre, Easy E, Tupac and Snoop Dog. Many new record companies also sprouted up in Compton. Including Total Trak Productions (TTP), named after the gang Tree Top Pirus located in Compton and Death Row Records run by Marion Suge Knight, a well known gang leader. Easy E also started a record label in Compton which he claimed was funded by his selling of cocaine and other narcotics in Compton.

Map of Compton, CA

N.W.A was one of the most famous rap groups that originated from Compton. In fact, N.W.A pioneered Gangsta Rap on the West Coast. N.W.A rapped about their tough upbringing in Compton. In their album Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A wrote some very controversial songs such as "Fuck tha Police."

N.W.A said that they rapped about reality. In song "Fuck tha Police," N.W.A treats the song as if it is court hearing in which different artists from the group "testify" against police brutality and racial prejudices. For instance, when Ice-Cube raps "Fuck the police/Comin straight from the underground./Young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown/And not the other color so the police think/They have the authority to kill a minority...With a little bit of gold and a pager/Searching my car, looking for the product/Thinking every nigga is selling narcotics" Here, Ice-Cube questions the ethics of the police force in Compton and the prejudices that they might have towards black men as all being criminals. Since he has "gold and a pager" the police automatically believe that he is selling drugs, they don't believe that he can make an honest living. The police also think that they "have the authority to kill a minority." Ice-Cube argues the injustice of the society and the police force because he believes no one will question a police man if he kills a minority, but if he kills a white man or women, there would be investigations into the shooting. "Fuck tha Police" even incited action from the FBI who wrote a strongly worded letters to N.W.A and the record producer Ruthless Records about the message of the song. This only inspired N.W.A to write new lyrics, and in a the song "100 Miles and Runnin'" Dr. Dre raps "the FBI is all over my dick!"

"Fuck tha Police"

Selected Lyrics from the song "Fuck tha Police" by N.W.A

Right about now NWA court is in full effect.
Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department.
Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.
Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth
and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?

Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?

Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority

Fuck that shit, cuz I ain't tha one
For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beatin on, and throwin in jail
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell

Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product
Thinkin every nigga is sellin narcotics...

M. C. Ren, will you please give your testimony to the jury about this fucked up incident.

Fuck tha police and Ren said it with authority
because the niggaz on the street is a majority.
A gang, is with whoever I'm stepping
and the motherfuckin' weapon
is kept in a stash box, for the so-called law
wishin' Ren was a nigga that they never saw

Lights start flashin behind me
But they're scared of a nigga so they mace me to blind me
But that shit don't work, I just laugh
Because it gives em a hint not to step in my path

To the police I'm sayin fuck you punk
Readin my rights and shit, it's all junk
Pullin out a silly club, so you stand
With a fake assed badge and a gun in your hand

Fuck the police (4X)

Police, open now. We have a warrant for Eazy-E's arrest.
Get down and put your hands up where I can see em.
Just shut the fuck up and get your muthafuckin ass on the floor.
[huh?]

and tell the jury how you feel abou this bullshit.

Fuck the police (4X)

The jury has found you guilty of bein a redneck,
whitebread, chickenshit muthafucka.
Wait, that's a lie. That's a goddamn lie.
I want justice! I want justice!
Fuck you, you black muthafucka!

Fuck the police (3X)

Other songs like "Gangsta Gangsta" describe their lives growing up in the city of Compton where they were surrounded by crime and violence. "Straight Outta Compton" was another song in which N.W.A rapped about the reality of the street life. When Dr. Dre says, "You are now about to Witness the strength of street knowledge" he is telling the audience that N.W.A has experienced the harsh life on the streets in the inner cities and these are some of the lessons that they learned while growing up in Compton. Later, when MC Ren raps, "Straight Outta Compton, Another crazy ass nigga/ More punks I smoke, Yo, my rep gets bigger." Here, MC Ren illustrates one of the important lessons of the inner city streets, the importance of a street "rep" (reputation). A strong street "rep" in important to surviving in the inner cities. In order to build a "rep" one must become known for his ability to inflict violence. The "more punks" someone "smokes" or shoots, the more one is feared and respected because of his or her reputation of being a killer.

"Straight Outta Compton"

Selected Lyrics from the song "Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A

You Are Now About To Witness The Strength Of Street Knowledge

Verse One: Ice Cube

Straight Outta Compton, Crazy Motherfucker Named Ice Cube

From The Gang Called Niggaz With Attitudes...

Goin Off On A Motherfucker Like That

With A Gat That's Pointed At Yo Ass...

Here's A Murder Rap To Keep Yo Dancin

With A Crime Record Like Charles Manson

AK-47 Is The Tool

So When I'm In Your Neighborhood, You Better Duck

Coz Ice Cube Is Crazy As Fuck

As I Leave, Believe I'm Stompin

But When I Come Back, Boy, I'm Comin Straight Outta Compton

Chorus:

[City Of Compton, City Of Compton]

[Eazy E] Yo Ren

[MC Ren] Whassup?

[Eazy E] Tell Em Where You From!

Verse Two: MC Ren

Straight Outta Compton, Another Crazy Ass Nigga

More Punks I Smoke, Yo, My Rep Gets Bigger

I'm A Bad Motherfucker And You Know This...

Shoot A Motherfucker In A Minute...

A Crazy Muthafucker From Tha Street

Attitude Legit Cause I'm Tearin Up Shit...

See, Coz I'm The Motherfuckin Villain...

But A Nigga Like Ren Is On A Gangsta Tip

Straight Outta Compton...

Chorus:

[City Of Compton, City Of Compton]

[Damn That Shit Was Dope!]

Straight Outta Compton reached number 37 on the U.S billboards, selling over 3 million copies and receiving a double Platinum award, and was named the 62 best album of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Album Cover of Straight Outta Compton

As a result of the rise of West Coast Rap, a feud between the West Coast and the East Coast was sparked. The most powerful record labels in this feud was Death Row Records from Compton, and Bad Boy Records from NYC which featured rappers like Notorious B.I.G.

After an awards show in which members from the west coast rappers and east coast rappers attended, there was a party at the El Rey theater were one was killed. One of the most infamous crimes related to West and East Coast feud was Tupac's murder. When Suge Knight of Death Row Records, and Tupac beat up Orlando Anderson in a gang related incident, Anderson shot Knight and shot and killed Tupac. After months of investigation, Knight was prosecuted for his involvement in Tupac's death as well as many gang related crimes like the selling of narcotics.

The West Coast felt that Bad Boy Records from the East had hired Anderson from the South Side Crips in Compton to kill Tupac, and therefore, they retaliated. After the 11th annual Soul Train Awards in L.A. Notorious B.I.G was shot and later died. The West Coast and East Coast feud had left its mark, with the murders of two of the greatest rappers of their time: Tupac and Notorious B.I.G.

Shanghai, shanghai

Shanghai is one of the largest cities by population in the world. During the last decade of the booming of Chinese economy, it has flourished to a global city, exerting influence over finance, commerce, fashion, technology and culture.


Today, Shanghai is the leading financial center in Asian continent; it's own stock market Shanghai Stock Exchange ranked their among worldwide stock exchanges in terms of trading volume; it has over 20 million residents; it just held the World Exposition in 2010; it has over 13 metro transportation lines; ATP World Tour took place in Shanghai; F1 took place in Shanghai; Transformer 2 was shot in Shanghai......


However, under the shade of prosperity, Shanghai is a vicious magnet, attracting migrant laborers to come and contribute their life to the venal magnates. Let's look at some facts and statistics. Shanghai has a bigger population than Australia's. Out of the 23 million people in the city, 9 million of them are migrants from all over the country. Then, out of the rest of 14 million residents, only 35% of them are natural Shanghaiese, born in Shanghai and speak Shanghaiese, a local dialect only spoken in Shanghai, distinct to Mandarin Chinese. Similar to the immigrants culture in New York City, a foreign is formed by various groups of emigrants in Shanghai.


This is a typical tenement, maybe even a fancy one since it has only one storey and a yard. Behind the tenement we can see that there is a silver modern building. In all the images one can find online, Shanghai is composed by a medley of uneven fashionable buildings, but here in this picture there is only one. On the second door from the right, a red Chinese letter is written on it: "拆“, which means demolishing. The tenement we are looking at here is about to be pulled down, or already pulled down by now. Because another groups of modern building is about to be constructed here. It means that the migrant workers living in the tenement are forced to leave and find somewhere else to squeeze in.


shanghai v. to put by trickery into an undesirable position

Other than the "Shanghai" you can find here, (just kidding, here). There exists the invisible "shanghai" behind it. It locates at every blind spot away from the city's resplendence. Shanghai, lures these migrant workers with its exhaustible opportunities and limitless wealth, cram them into slums and extort cheap labor from them. No "rags to riches" story could possibly blossom there because "infants" are already smothered in the "nursery". While the urban city expands, these "ugly" tenements are torn down and workers are driven out from their home. The city's improvement is based on the sacrifice of diligent, innocent workers. Once a worker offered all his labor to the city, the city repels him, leaving him no opportunity nor even a shack for him to live. Behind the glory and splendor, the human nature of greed and hideousness forms the invisible city - shanghai.

After all, where can he go?