What’s going on right under your nose?!
Elizabeth Earnly from Trinity University is an AGUA Association representative. She graced our humanities class with her presence on Friday, October 27, 2007. She spoke about how our representatives in SAWS are letting developers build over the Edwards Aquifer and the recharge zone. This is an outrage because developing over these particular locations can lead to contamination of our drinking water. We has a community should be extremely more active in what is going on with our major source of fresh drinking water. We only have a certain amount of fresh water in our lands and to pollute it would be to pollute our bodies. Contamination would result in no water and therefore no human life. Cities would have to take costly action to provide clean drinking water for civilians. We as tax-payers would find a great bill in our finances. Water costs are going up as it is, but can anyone imagine how high it would be if the city had to filter and alter different sources of water? Elizabeth showed us what goes on during council meetings and how we can be involved. She introduced us to actual reviews of developments by the developer and SAWS. It was an interesting horror to finally be awakened to the ugliness of how our city deals with development over something so vital. How can we still be standing on the sidelines waiting to die of thirst or worse of water contamination? When will we all come together and put a stop to this outrageous notion that development is more important to our city then the health of its constituents?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Drive Around My Hood
My neighborhood is called Towerlakes. It is located on CR 350 off of 181 and ends at Loop 1604. Basically, it is halfway between Floresville and San Antonio, Texas. I live fairly deep in the neighborhood in a white brick house with a brown roof. I have a “U” shaped driveway and stand on about three acres of land.
In my neighborhood, we do not really stop by each others houses and there are no neighborhood parties. We enjoy our privacy and we also enjoy a clean and safe neighborhood. Many of the neighbors I have go to the same church as my family and me. We have many nice families in our area that have grown with my family. There are not too many young children anymore because everyone has grown up and gone off to college. There are primarily working class citizens in my neighborhood and hardly any mobile homes. All the houses are custom built and each home has at least three acres.
For this assignment I took a walk through my neighborhood and visited with two neighbors. First I saw my Aunt Susie. She spoke of the early neighborhood and of a time when there was not many houses. It started with the first five lots which were the Wiatreks, Ramsenkis, Lyssy’s and the Flores’. She could not remember the fifth. A couple of years later, my aunt built on a lot here. She recalled of the land being so bare and open. Now, there are thirty-seven houses in my neighborhood. Even though it does not feel crowded to me, I am sure my aunt feels differently.
The second neighbor I spoke was a friend of my father’s. His name is William Lyssy but he preferred to be called Bill. He happened to remember moving in the neighborhood all those years ago and felt the same as my aunt about how the space has gradually been taken away by the development of more homes. The interesting story behind this home-owner was he was a Vietnam veteran. He had several stories to tell of his career in the military. However, he seemed to have difficultly recalling some of his life during that time. It was the most interesting thing to have met an actual veteran and right in my neighborhood.
The neighborhood has been around since about the mid 1980’s and from that time has made some excellent families. Not to mention, all the excellent memories. For example, every Halloween the whole neighborhood takes their children and grandchildren trick or treating on the back of pick-ups or on hay rides. It is a bright night in the neighborhood. A family down the street, the Bodifords, always has a haunted house. I remember when I was young enough to go trick or treating it was the scariest ordeal to go into their haunted house. Many memories such as this have been clearly embedded in I am sure not only my mind, but the rest of the neighborhood as well. So if you are ever in the neighborhood, please stop by!
My neighborhood is called Towerlakes. It is located on CR 350 off of 181 and ends at Loop 1604. Basically, it is halfway between Floresville and San Antonio, Texas. I live fairly deep in the neighborhood in a white brick house with a brown roof. I have a “U” shaped driveway and stand on about three acres of land.
In my neighborhood, we do not really stop by each others houses and there are no neighborhood parties. We enjoy our privacy and we also enjoy a clean and safe neighborhood. Many of the neighbors I have go to the same church as my family and me. We have many nice families in our area that have grown with my family. There are not too many young children anymore because everyone has grown up and gone off to college. There are primarily working class citizens in my neighborhood and hardly any mobile homes. All the houses are custom built and each home has at least three acres.
For this assignment I took a walk through my neighborhood and visited with two neighbors. First I saw my Aunt Susie. She spoke of the early neighborhood and of a time when there was not many houses. It started with the first five lots which were the Wiatreks, Ramsenkis, Lyssy’s and the Flores’. She could not remember the fifth. A couple of years later, my aunt built on a lot here. She recalled of the land being so bare and open. Now, there are thirty-seven houses in my neighborhood. Even though it does not feel crowded to me, I am sure my aunt feels differently.
The second neighbor I spoke was a friend of my father’s. His name is William Lyssy but he preferred to be called Bill. He happened to remember moving in the neighborhood all those years ago and felt the same as my aunt about how the space has gradually been taken away by the development of more homes. The interesting story behind this home-owner was he was a Vietnam veteran. He had several stories to tell of his career in the military. However, he seemed to have difficultly recalling some of his life during that time. It was the most interesting thing to have met an actual veteran and right in my neighborhood.
The neighborhood has been around since about the mid 1980’s and from that time has made some excellent families. Not to mention, all the excellent memories. For example, every Halloween the whole neighborhood takes their children and grandchildren trick or treating on the back of pick-ups or on hay rides. It is a bright night in the neighborhood. A family down the street, the Bodifords, always has a haunted house. I remember when I was young enough to go trick or treating it was the scariest ordeal to go into their haunted house. Many memories such as this have been clearly embedded in I am sure not only my mind, but the rest of the neighborhood as well. So if you are ever in the neighborhood, please stop by!
Monday, October 1, 2007
“The Alamo”
After watching both films, The Alamo with John Wayne and The Alamo with Billy Bob Thorton, I came to the conclusion that the newer version of the Alamo was more historically accurate. Various examples from both films led to my ultimate confirmation that though directors can dramatize events, they do not always portray a truthful history.
In the John Wayne film, Davy Crockett and his men arrive to San Antonio and drink and dance at some cantina or bar. First of all, this episode of partying is not needed as historical information. Second of all, I am pretty sure Davy Crockett’s partying would not have been recorded in history. Also, Davy’s love plot with the Mexican woman was not part of valid history. No one knows if Davy Crockett had a woman friend in the Alamo. Juan Seguin was also wrongfully portrayed in the movie. Captain Seguin was light skin and had dark hair. He was a respected Spanish man of the time and in the movie, he looked like a Mexican civilian. The movie also represented him as an older man when in reality he would have only been in his early thirties. Jim Bowie was rendered as a drunk. Though he may have very well been drunk at the time of the Alamo, it is unlikely that it was how the movie displayed him. He was one of the prominent men of the Battle of the Alamo and formalities were definitely in order during the time period of 1836. All in all, the whole movie was obviously solely for entertainment purposes. It had too many fictional scenarios in the plot which made it hard to take the information in the film seriously. In general, it depicted the overall events of the Battle of the Alamo but had no real historical value in its details. However, some strong points in this film were the catchy script and humorous characters.
The newer version of the movie based on the Battle of the Alamo was made in reflection of a Mexican’s diary at the battle. In my opinion, the newer film with Billy Bob Thorton was much more believable and historically accurate. The picture went into more detail in the personal lives of the prominent men such as William Travis, Davy Crockett, and Jim Bowie. It also showed a clearer visual of Santa Anna and what he might have been like during the battle. In contrast to the John Wayne version, Davy Crockett and his men were not expecting to fight in a battle. They were surprised to have to make a vital decision of whether to fight and die or not. The story line seemed more believable of what would have happened in that time period. Davy Crockett was portrayed as a legend but not in a drastic dramatic way. There was also an accurate portrayal of Juan Seguin. He was about the age he would have been in the newer film. There were a lot less fictional scenarios and more believable detail in this version as well.
In both films, the time span was similar. However, in the newer version, Sam Houston and his camp were shown. The newer film extended to the Battle of San Jacinto and the aftermath which was very educating. In closing, the Alamo is a symbol of heroes and strength no matter what the numbers are. I recommend both films to be viewed and taken into consideration in the historical value of the context.
The Alamo. DVD. Dir. John Wayne. MGM Home Entertainment, 1960, 162 min.
The Alamo. DVD. Dir. John Lee Hancock. Touchstone Home Entertainment, 2004, 137 min.
After watching both films, The Alamo with John Wayne and The Alamo with Billy Bob Thorton, I came to the conclusion that the newer version of the Alamo was more historically accurate. Various examples from both films led to my ultimate confirmation that though directors can dramatize events, they do not always portray a truthful history.
In the John Wayne film, Davy Crockett and his men arrive to San Antonio and drink and dance at some cantina or bar. First of all, this episode of partying is not needed as historical information. Second of all, I am pretty sure Davy Crockett’s partying would not have been recorded in history. Also, Davy’s love plot with the Mexican woman was not part of valid history. No one knows if Davy Crockett had a woman friend in the Alamo. Juan Seguin was also wrongfully portrayed in the movie. Captain Seguin was light skin and had dark hair. He was a respected Spanish man of the time and in the movie, he looked like a Mexican civilian. The movie also represented him as an older man when in reality he would have only been in his early thirties. Jim Bowie was rendered as a drunk. Though he may have very well been drunk at the time of the Alamo, it is unlikely that it was how the movie displayed him. He was one of the prominent men of the Battle of the Alamo and formalities were definitely in order during the time period of 1836. All in all, the whole movie was obviously solely for entertainment purposes. It had too many fictional scenarios in the plot which made it hard to take the information in the film seriously. In general, it depicted the overall events of the Battle of the Alamo but had no real historical value in its details. However, some strong points in this film were the catchy script and humorous characters.
The newer version of the movie based on the Battle of the Alamo was made in reflection of a Mexican’s diary at the battle. In my opinion, the newer film with Billy Bob Thorton was much more believable and historically accurate. The picture went into more detail in the personal lives of the prominent men such as William Travis, Davy Crockett, and Jim Bowie. It also showed a clearer visual of Santa Anna and what he might have been like during the battle. In contrast to the John Wayne version, Davy Crockett and his men were not expecting to fight in a battle. They were surprised to have to make a vital decision of whether to fight and die or not. The story line seemed more believable of what would have happened in that time period. Davy Crockett was portrayed as a legend but not in a drastic dramatic way. There was also an accurate portrayal of Juan Seguin. He was about the age he would have been in the newer film. There were a lot less fictional scenarios and more believable detail in this version as well.
In both films, the time span was similar. However, in the newer version, Sam Houston and his camp were shown. The newer film extended to the Battle of San Jacinto and the aftermath which was very educating. In closing, the Alamo is a symbol of heroes and strength no matter what the numbers are. I recommend both films to be viewed and taken into consideration in the historical value of the context.
The Alamo. DVD. Dir. John Wayne. MGM Home Entertainment, 1960, 162 min.
The Alamo. DVD. Dir. John Lee Hancock. Touchstone Home Entertainment, 2004, 137 min.
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