JJ's World Views

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  • Origin Stories

    This is a short comparison and contrast  analysis of the creation myths of the first couple of pages in the  Iroquois and the Bible (genesis).

    Origin stories are useful for understanding how cultures see themselves in relation to the world around them.  They also help us to see both the commonalities and the differences between them.  Look at the Iroquois origin story Judging by the imagery we can tell that they worship a natural based religion.  With the ducks and the monsters of the deep try and save her, then we have the great turtle which represents earth when she “planted bits of roots and plants she brought from the sky.”  We see the same naturalistic in the Yoruba creation story, using imagery like the marshes and snails to create the Earth.  One of the biggest things we see in these two stories is the cycle of life.  In both stories we have images of bodies decomposing and creating new life.  This shows how respectful and knowledgeable they were about the natural order of things.

    In the Yoruba story the coveting of knowledge as Olorun puts Orisha Nla to sleep so he could hide the knowledge of life.  In genesis we see the same thing in Gen 2:16 “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.”  2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die.”  Here we see the same the god covets knowledge, hiding the knowledge from its creation.  This I feel shows how they saw knowledge even back then, as power.  The more you know about something the more you have control over it.

    Vengeance is a common theme which throughout religion and its texts.  Taking another look at Genesis we see how vengeful god can be in chapter 3:13 to 3:24. In this chapter we see him curse the snake, Eve and Adam.  The snake was cursed to live among the cattle and eat dirt.  All three were cast out of Eden. But, eve got the worst of it with the curse of child birth and forced to live under the control of her husband.  In the Iroquois myth at the end the right handed brother thought his grandmother favored the left handed brother after he killed him.  So, the right handed brother chopped off her head and through it in to the Ocean.

    These are just a few of the similarities and differences I have seen through the readings.  No matter how different the religions are in some ways there will always be commonalities in others.

     

  • Economics, Government and Bruce Lee

    Some people may think this strange but when I think about big issues like economics and government, one philosophy I think we should take comes from an unlikely source, Bruce Lee’s Philosophy on Martial arts.  To me Bruce was one a person who understood America better than most American did or do.  His Philosophy in the martial arts was to take what he took the most useful parts of other martial arts and add it to his own style Jeet Kune Do, the way of the intercepting fist.  This meant that the art was ever evolving.  This same philosophy can and should be when it comes to the economy and government.

    We should see what policies are working in other countries and start testing and adopting them over in the United States.   This way we can start building a better country.  The U.S. is set up like a large social lab.  Testing different policies and adjust them to accommodate the citizens of the country.

    For we are each part of a bigger organism called society.  We are all trying to find a place where we belong.  We are all atoms trying to stabilize.  With global warming happening we are being warmed up and ever volatile.  Running around bouncing into each other. Sometimes we stay attached for a while, other times we split or touch for a second and never see each other again.  During these periods we must learn from one another.   To make each other better people.   Look at what we are doing with marijuana legislation.  Each state is learning from the other to which ones work best.

    With all the changing in the economy we must do this.  Otherwise society will fall.  To much of it in one area or another will destroy the economy.  It is like a water balloon, you fill it up in a single area it will burst.  There has to be a balance to it.  the rules for the economy should be set out nice and clear so most people will understand them. There should be a cap on how much a single person or family can make.  We are always talking about a maximum amount earned.  This way we no one or few persons have too much power.  That is how we get to the economic problems that we currently have in our societies. Those at the top have to remember money is a resource not speech.  Do the tax what come out of your mouth.  No that is absurd.   Speech is pretty much unlimited.  Money is not.  The more we print the higher the prices go and stay.  Not giving society a chance to keep up if the top 1 percent has too much.

    Some of the rich say that it is class warfare and we the citizens are the aggressors.  When it is the obscenely rich have been doing class warfare on the poor for most of civilization’s existence.  This time they have an entire world to plunder and not just a country anymore.  For this reason from time to time we will need a redistribution of wealth from time to time, in order that no few people have too much power.  everything in nature has limits why should currency be any different.

     

    Peace be with you all.

  • Old photoshopped photos

  • Demographic News Viewing Poll

    In my U.S. Politics class we are separating into groups and doing a poll on the Demographics of News viewing habits.  I am asking if any one would like to participate in the poll.  It is confidential and only 14 questions and it should only take 5 Minutes.  You must be 18 to take this poll.  To take the poll click here.

    Thank you for the help.

  • Pin Hole Images

    These were taken with a Oatmeal Can Pin Hole Camera.

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  • Photo Sequence

    This is a sequence of images featuring my best friend in the form of a child’s book.

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  • Photography Project 1

    Photography Project 1

    This was to test our skills when it came to the principles of photography.

    Where they were shot: Outside shots are at the Winter Carnival in St. Paul, MN.  Inside shots at the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul, MN

    They were all shot on overcast days with no Flash.

  • Schedule for the Summer

    I am writing this out in order for me to keep up on my site.  I have a tendency to do a whole bunch of post in a short amount of time and then flake out.  Not this summer though.  I am going to post on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday by 11:59.  This will also help keep me on schedule for the fall semester.  I cannot believe I will have my AA in Liberal Arts at the end of this year.  I am also taking two classes this summer Intro to Creative Writing and Adult First Aid and CPR.

    Coming up I will be posting projects from my Photography class and my last history paper I did on the four largest race riots of the 1960’s.  I am taking a Creative Writing course this summer.  So, expect me to be practicing on here.  I will also be doing a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for a study abroad trip I was invited on next summer.  I chose from China or South Africa I will do a poll to see where my subscribers sit on this issue.  This Friday I am planning to upgrade my site from free to the personal plan.  Another way to get me more active on here as well.  The weekends are set aside for cracking out the camera and working on becoming a better photographer.  I want to make sure I have a diversified skill set.   A jack of all trades, master of none.  I just cannot handle be strapped down to one profession the rest of my life.   The only traveling I will be doing is in the greater Twin Cities area.

    The last thing is on August 12 I will be going to the St. Paul Aint’s  game.  This is a minor league baseball team normally called the Saints.  The Freedom from Religion Foundation and Minnesota Atheist’s is sponsoring them for one night.  It is a night dedicated to Atheists, of which I am, watch baseball and make fun of ourselves.  This is to show Minnesota that atheists are just like everyone else, we just don’t believe there is a god of any sort.  We have morals and ethics it is just we set them for ourselves, not a book.

    If you have any comments or would to request a location for me to photograph that you would like to see here in the Twin Cities leave a comment below.  I will see what I can do.

  • Earth Day 2017: March for Science St. Paul, Minnesota: The People

  • Earth Day 2017: March for Science St. Paul, Minnesota: Everywhere signs