Summary # 6 T. Burns

In the essay "Family Guy and Freud" written by Antonia Peacocke, a student from Harvard University, she makes an interesting comparison between the cartoon Family Guy and Sigmund Freud. She tells of how Family Guy is a show that some people are very against because of it's offensive humor. A New York Times journalist Stuart Elliott claimed that "the characters on the Fox television series Family Guy...purposely offend just about every group of people you could name". To some it is crude but to Antonia Peacocke it isn't as bad as everyone thinks. It has been kicked off the air 2 times in it's running but always comes back which proves a point that many people really enjoy this show. Ironically, the writer of the essay used to be one that opposed the show. Now she is a true blue fan of it. The jokes on the show can be a little off-color but mean well. It is either trying to get a good point across or just saying it like it is. Family Guy will most likely be on the air for years to come because of the fan base and people who love and learn from this show.

Summary # 5 T. Burns

In the essay "Your Trusted Friends" by Eric Schlosser he makes an interesting comparison between the founder of Disney Land and World, Mr. Walt Disney, and the founder of McDonald's, Mr. Ray Kroc. There are definitely a lot of similarities between the two men which is what makes this essay so very interesting. They are a year apart and were in the same war as young men. They both have been very successful in the businesses. Although, the two businesses are different they almost go hand in hand with eachother. They are both focused on advertising to children which is most of their customer base. Schlosser states "The fantasy world of McDonaldland borrowed a good deal from Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom." This is proof that the two have worked together and become very popular in the eyes of children from all around the World.

Summary # 4 T. Burns

Fast food restaurants are everywhere you look. As David Zinczenko said "Drive down any thoroughfare in America, and I guarantee you'll see one of our 13,000 McDonald's restaurants. Now, drive back up the block and try to find someplace to buy a grapefruit." It is easier to get fast food than any other food because it does not need to be prepared. Many children and teenagers are eating fast food more than they are eating prepared food because of time. Lots of children are getting diabetes type II due to poor diet. Many fast food places are not advertising correctly, either. Some are even getting sued over it. Fast food is becomming such a thing these days that you almost can't blame the individual eater anymore. Especially if the restaurant is not advertising their caloric intake to the fullest and most honest they can.

Summary # 3 T. Burns

In the essay "Perfecting the Union" written by Roger Cohen, the author conveys that things are starting to change for America. With all the changes that have happened just with President Barrak Obama elected on 5 November 2008, there is no way things couldn't get better. "Obama has spoken without cease about his conviction of American possibility born from this experience." He likes all of Obamas idea's and thinks a lot of good will come out of his presidency. He states "At a time of national soul-searching, what could better symbolize a "more perfect union" and the overcoming of the wounds of that original sin than the election to the White House of an African-American?" He knows it won't be easy but it will get better.

Summary # 2 T. Burns

In the essay "Kidnapped in Pakistan: The End of American Ideals?" Hady Amr writes of his close friend Ayesha and the kidnapping of her brother, Imran, an American citizen that was kidnapped in Pakistan. Ayesha and her family did not want to take advantage of Hady Amr's relationships he had developed while working in Washington D.C. over the years to get the government to help with the locating of the brother at a higher lever. They chose not to because "she felt that the chances of negotiating her brother's release with criminals, terrorists-or both-were higher if the U.S. government, loathed on the local scene, was kept out of the picture and if local channels handled the matter." His take on the situation is that many are to blame due to a "severely damaged reputation" that America now has after the actions that were taken in the following of 9/11. Now America is a distrusted country rather than a trusted.

Summary # 1 T. Burns

"A Fire In The Basement" T. Burns

When Bob Herbert titled his essay "A Fire In The Basement", he is actually referring to a fire in the basement of the United States. He disagrees with a lot of what goes on in the World today as far as politics, economy, and the justice system go. Young men and women these days are joining the military in hopes for a secure job, constant paycheck, and a higher education . It seems times are worse now than they were during the Great Depression. Schools are closing early and closing all together because of lack of funds and he quoted a highschool physics teacher as saying "During the Great Depression we didn't close schools". Basically he is saying the situation seems worse now than it was even then. The justice system is letting people down because people are getting detained even if they are innocent and the government is not worried about that. They like to sort things out later. Any "middle class" tax cuts that President Bush put into affect are not helping the poor. They are giving more money to the richest of the population. Back in the 50's and 60's there were bad times but always seemed to be moving in the right direction. The US, in Bob Herbert's opinion, is not moving in the right direction. He states "Time is not on our side." With all that is going on most seem blind to it. That is why he referes to the United States basement being on fire. The blindness comes in when no one can smell it.