Photo: wonders of construction

To clarify, the camera is looking up.

A new view of history

In the Albert O. Kuhn Library in Maryland, the Creative Photograph in Archaeology exhibit features new photographs of ancient sites and monuments that provide a different visual perspective on history. Photographers artistically show classic Greek structures such as the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, the Acropolis of Athens, and the well-known Parthenon. Pictures are taken from unusual angles and with modern settings and close-up detail, and viewers can also see how some of these monuments are still used today, perhaps for other reasons. Photographers hope these images will uncover the answers questions about history that have lingered over our heads for many years.

Photography has definitely changed much over time. Older pictures of history are "straight on, mundane shots to merely show one the antiquity in its entirety, a snapshot, if you will." Now, thanks to a few creative artists, we can see the past in a new light. Clearly, the different aspects of photography have a great effect on our perspective of the subject, and in this case, history has achieved a new beauty that has recaptured many viewers' attentions once more.

~ Outside Reading #4

Davila, Patricia. "The Creative Photo provides fresh take on historic art." The Retriever Weekly. 22 Oct. 2008.
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3-yr-old living goddess

Hindu and Buddhist priests in Nepal appointed 3-year-old Matani Shakya a living goddess, or "kumari", worshipped as the incarnation of Taleju, the strong Hindu god. Many young girls, who are part of the Shakya goldsmith caste, went through ancient ceremonies to be selected as the goddess by a panel of judges. The girls were also assessed for having perfect physicality and no fear. After being chosen, the goddess must pass the final test of being alone with slaughtered goats and buffaloes' heads, and if they pass this, the goddess will be carried from her family and live in isolation in an ancient temple in Katmandu, the Nepali capital. But once she reaches puberty, she will lose her divineness and be allowed to return to her home.

Matani must feel very proud and so must her family; having status as a god is presumably a great achievement. But there's just one word in my mind: why? Is living by herself for several years really worth becoming a goddess? And she doesn't have or get anything from doing this except being alone. I would not give up my life for ten years if I just get recognized as an incarnation; there are too many things I would miss. And the judges are so particular about the girl's character; it just seems like a lot of trouble to go through, especially for such a young person. Also, I thought Buddhists didn't have any gods except Buddha, who is really only an enlightened person. I didn't really think that appointing Matani as a goddess followed any Buddhist beliefs, like attaining peace and wisdom. I think that this whole event doesn't help anyone or society and, especially for the young girl, creates much unnecessary commotion.

~ Outside Reading #3

Acharya, Yuvraj. "Hindu and Buddhist rituals herald appointment of 3-year-old living goddess in Nepal." Star Tribune. 7 Oct. 2008.
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Kleos: modern value?

Homer clearly defines winning glory and renown as arguably the greatest accomplishment for any man in war to achieve. Today, people have become wiser and more insightful about what values are important to us. In contemporary society, I don't think that kleos is pursued, for we have discovered greater things to have, like love and virtue. Odysseus' want for kleos gets him and his crew into unnecessary trouble, like when they are trapped inside the cave of Polyphemus, the Cyclops. If Odysseus had kept his mind on the journey home and not thought about fighting the monster, he could have saved his time and effort. Staying out of trouble is definitely a good thing to do; causing trouble just makes situations worse, especially for selfish reasons. Menelaus also went straight for kleos, and in the end, he is only seen as a wealthy man and the owner of a kingdom. Just being rich is frowned upon today, for it doesn't completely help you live your life. You must also have virtue and intelligence, which can be much more valuable than money.

Kleos can also lead to causing other people problems, anything that one does not want to deal with. Odysseus' desire of glory puts his family at home in tough positions. Telemachus lives in Ithaca without confidence for himself. Without his father, who is believed to be dead, Telemachus does not have any fatherly figure to inspire him and build self-esteem. An important modern-day value is to always trust yourself and believe you can achieve your goals. Without self-confidence, it is difficult to remain optimistic about your life. Penelope also must deal with the fabricated loss of Odysseus, for now she must deal with her grief and the suitors who want to court her. As a devoted family member, one should not cause the rest of their family to deal with problems for their own selfishness. Ultimately, one's pursuit of kleos puts themself and others into situations that can be avoided. Glory is definitely not desired today as much as before, for people have become more selfless and have tried more to achieve glory for the whole world.

~ Question #1

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College cafeterias without trays

At the University of Minnesota and many other schools nationwide, lunch trays have become a thing of the past and have been taken out of their cafeterias. Colleges discover that not using trays saves money and helps the environment by reducing waste and cleaning. There is less food uneaten and less water and detergent used in washing. But many students, if not all, oppose this change. Juggling all that food without a base is definitely not easy, as one freshman puts it: "it's kind of a pain in the butt."

I never actually considered that something as petty as a cafeteria tray would affect the environment or really save a decent amount of money. If this is completely true, then I would definitely agree with removing trays. Saving money is always a good option, and students would not be sacrificing much; they could also just go up for seconds if need be. If we didn't have trays at our school, I don't think that it would affect anything much because no one seems to get a lot of food anyway.

~ Outside Reading #2

Shelman, Jeff. "Students take a crash course in Trayless Dining 101." Star Tribune. 30 Sept. 2008.
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