BB-FINAL-TriCorner

“Call 911!  Help!  Can someone help me please?”  Estimates report there are over 240 million 911 emergency calls made each year in the United States.  Some of these calls are made due to opiate overdoses such as heroin, oxycodone or fentanyl.  The victim is in immediate need of the antidote, Naloxone, to reverse the harmful, deadly effects.  Opiates are pain killers and can be abused, leading to many untimely deaths.  Naloxone not only saves junkies’ lives and gives them the false perception that using again will be safe, but it also takes away their high, angering them and causing them to be combative toward the heroes saving their lives.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Naloxone in 1971, and now is available, without prescription, to anyone who wants it.  Alexander R. Bazazi et. al. assert in their article Preventing Opiate Overdose Deaths:  Examining Objections to Take-Home Naloxone that “An additional objection to Naloxone distribution is that an opiate overdose is a serious medical problem that must be handled by trained professionals, not by lay people” (qtd. in S. Smith, Boston Globe: 2007).  Because addicts will do anything for their next fix, the idea of saving someone’s life who, statistically, will repeat the deadly habit again and again and may get someone’s child hooked, or will possibly steal, and probably prostitute themselves and take away our heroes’ time from other serious crises is incomprehensible and inexcusable use for our tax dollars.  Naloxone is not a cure; it is a temporary solution delaying the inevitable.

For one thing, Naloxone can be administered by a spray up the nose or injected intravenously.  Most paramedics prefer administrating the antidote nasally due to the high risks of addicts transmitting communicable diseases.  If given within the right time frame, which differs per usage, person, and dosage, positive results are immediate.  Symptoms of an overdose can mimic a diabetic coma or respiratory failure.  The paramedics are trained to look for drug paraphernalia which queues them to know if they are dealing with a drug overdose as opposed to a heart attack or a stroke.  Unfortunately, if paramedics are treating for a drug overdose, they cannot leave for other emergencies, such as a car accident or a stroke victim.  If all the paramedic trucks from one station are dispatched and more calls come in, a neighboring station may have to cover.  This delay may lead to longer driving distances for the neighboring paramedics and lower risk of survival for the casualty.  In a press release on April 30, 2016, Walgreens announced that

… It has made Naloxone, a potentially lifesaving opioid antidote, available

without requiring a prescription from an individual’s physician in all of its

Pennsylvania’s pharmacies in accordance with state pharmacy regulations (3349).

One of the possible reasons for Walgreens’ support of this drug is profit.  The bottom line for corporations is to make money for its stockholders.  Walgreens, like any other corporation, would not invest in or sell anything that is not profitable for its investors.  Heroin use is on the rise and profit is to be made from this antidote.  Another possible reason may be that Walgreens wants to appear that it cares and supports families who live with members who are addicted to opiates.  Walgreens may want to increase customer volume and gain more shopping profits by offering support; again the bottom line is stockholders’ value.  The addiction cycle continues.  Addicts become careless, daring, and more adventurous.  Naloxone may offer the hope to addicts to use stronger doses for a more powerful fix.  It gives false hope to families who get call after call when a family member overdoses. Walgreens is encouraging repeated usage by selling Naloxone.  Is Naloxone buying time for the addicts or buying time for the first responders?

By selling Naloxone, Walgreens could conceivably be compared to high schools distributing condoms to students.  Both are promoting the dirty acts.   By making this antidote available, it encourages more usage.  The only solutions are education and rehabilitation.

Furthermore, heroin has caused many deaths in the United States, including famous and talented people.  Some well-known people include the singer Prince, National Football League’s Steeler defensive lineman Gene Lipscomb, comic Chris Farley and the iconic singer Whitney Houston.  Opiate abuse has no boundaries.  It crosses all demographics:  age, class, gender, and race.  Opiates killed these people, who were admired and inspirations to many.  No one should be embarrassed if a family member is hooked because drugs have affected numerous families in the United States, including the famous.  Naloxone may have saved these famous people once, but how many more times can junkies dance with the devil?  Paramedics complain that they are called multiple times for the same addict overdosing.  This illustrates that addict calls monopolize paramedics’ time and resources.  After paramedics administer the Naloxone, they transport the addict to the hospital; surprisingly, they are not arrested.  The fact sheet published by the Drug Policy Alliance group states the Good Samaritan law reads as follows:

An important solution to encourage overdose witnesses to seek medical help

is to exempt them from arrest and criminal prosecution through the adoption

of 911 Good Samaritan immunity laws.  Good Samaritan immunity laws provide

protection from arrest and prosecution for witnesses who call 911. (2016)

There is more to life than a good fix and the solutions are education and rehabilitation.  When one is not dependent on a drug to get high, and use Naloxone as a “Band-Aid,” that is when one can start living.

Additionally, for example, since Naloxone is available to the public, it may tempt young, curious marijuana users to try to get a better high from a very dangerous opiate.  Knowing the reviving “Band-Aid” Naloxone is available and is inexpensive, both inexperienced and hardcore drug users are open to a better high.  Fentanyl is the substance that causes heroin overdoses, but it also is the substance that creates the ultimate, deadly high.  Repeated paramedic calls for Naloxone administered to young women who may be pregnant adds another layer of risks:  innocent lives born addicted to opiates.  This is a serious issue that only through education and rehabilitation that a cure is made possible.

In conclusion, education and rehabilitation are the only proven cures.  Education needs to start early to be successful.  Rehabilitation is often not a one-time cure; it may involve many long-term admittances.  Naloxone enables repeated use and gives flawed optimism to users and their families.  Heroin users are prone to commit criminal acts to support their habit:  Naloxone does not reduce their needs to finance their next fix by stealing, prostituting, or even committing murder.  Drug overdoses are at epidemic levels and are major urgencies killing more people than guns and traffic accidents.  Opiate users are just playing Russian roulette and Naloxone is just waiting for the Devil to take the dance in his own hands.

Works Cited

Fitness & Wellness Week 30 Apr. 2016:  3349.  Academic OneFile.  Web.  28 May. 2016. Bazazi, Alexander R., Zaller, Nickolas D., Rich, Josiah D.  “Preventing Opiate Overdose Deaths:

Examining Objections to Take-Home Naloxone.”  Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.  23 Dec. 2010.  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

“911 Good Samaritan Laws:  Preventing Overdose Deaths, Saving Lives.”  Drugpolicy.com.

Drug Policy Alliance.  10 Feb. 2016.  Web.  30 May. 2016.

Alexandra M. Claherty

4338 Highgrove Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15236

412-608-8994

amclahe@pointpark.edu

Areas of Expertise

• Microsoft/PowerPoint proficiency
• Business/Creative Writing
• Time Management
• Social Media
• Professional and Mature
• Capable of Difficult Tasks
• Ability to communicate with others with an advanced manner
• Detail oriented
• Workflow Prioritization
• Public Relations

Education

Point Park University

Bachelor Degree – Communications and PR (Beginning Jan. 2018-Present)

Spring 2018 GPA:  3.7

Fall 2018 GPA:  3.9

Spring 2019 GPA: In progress

Community College of Allegheny—South Campus

Associate Degree – Communications and PR (Dec. 2016)

GPA: 3.7

University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg—2015-2016

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford—2014-2015

Internship and Job Shadow Experience

Duchess Group Marketing Firm

Marketing Intern – 2016

Handing incoming and outgoing calls, filing, resume intake, office scheduling, and other front end office duties as assigned.  Future responsibilities will include: sales/promotions, interviewing, and office management

Westinghouse Electric Company

Shadowing– 2015

Shadowed individuals and teams for two weeks in Communications, Public Relations, Social Media, External/Internal Communications

Leadership and Volunteerism

2019

Writing blogs for the “Dee Project” that currently has over 3k followers and over seven different influencers

2018

RAMP (Responsible Alcohol Management Program) certified

2018

Volunteered once a week at Atria’s nursing home

2018

Planned a Westinghouse Communications Retirement party for my mother’s department

2018

Received the most positive reviews on Google for waitressing at Spoonwood Brewing Company

2018

Started working at BCBGMaxazria plus Spoonwood

2017

Started job at Spoonwood Brewing Company

2017

Got elected for Hallmarks for Phi Theta Kappa

2017

Invited in to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

2017

Won my election for Student Government President (SGA) at CCAC South Campus

2016

Volunteer at the Homestead parade—organizing the different groups and participants in the parade and made sure it went smoothly

2009-Present

Volunteer for John F. Slaters Funeral Home for a memorial service for families that had someone pass that year

2016

Accepted into “Rising Leaders Program.”  A program/honors club that I was invited into for good grades and a promising resume.  Also, accepted into CAB (Campus Activities Board).

2016

Planned and organized a very successful party for my Mother’s Sixtieth with the attendance of 87 People

2016

Achieved “Top Stylist” at an upscale store

I am a wardrobe stylist at a high-end women’s fashion store called “Bebe.”  Three months in a row, I have been awarded “Top Stylist of the Month.”  I enjoy talking to people, improving any company I am working for, and helping women feel confident about themselves.

2015

Won the AMCC Tennis Championship in our conference at Pitt-Greensburg

2015

Won the award for Most Competitive on my college Tennis team

2015

Shadowed different departments in my future degree field: for Westinghouse Electric Company

2013-2015

Teaching kids and adults swimming lessons

Healthtrax Fitness and Wellness and Baldwin High School

2014

Won “Athlete of the Month” during Tennis Season at Pitt-Bradford

2014

Achieved “Most Improved Award” in High School for grades

Showed my parents and myself that I am able to improve myself

2013-2014

On my high school’s Newspaper staff and Literary Guild Club

2013-2014

Tennis Captain for two years

Showed leadership and guidance skills

2012-2014

Manager of the Men’s tennis team in High School

2013-2015

Position:  Lifeguard

Watching over kids and their families

Knowledge on CPR, Heimlich remover and AED Defibrillator

What happened to lyrics such as “Make It With You” by Bread, “You Make Me Feel Brand New” by The Stylistics, or “Love Can Make You Happy” by the band Mercy.  These songs left the meaning of the lyrics to the imagination of the listeners.  Even the song “I Feel Like Making Love To You” by Roberta Flack was not as explicit as the songs are today.  Even though the song “I Feel Like Making Love to You” clearly states what the artist wants to do—make love to someone with whom she is in love and not just have sex with him—the song is not offensive.  It is a beautiful love song.  It is written in a milder form than a lot of songs are written today.  Today’s lyrics can be crude, degrading, and nasty.  Should the radio medium play them on the radio?  Are these songs appropriate for younger teens to hear?  Are they offensive to older generations or even to women?  How do these songs get so popular?  Do parents hear the words that these artists are singing?  Songs that are obscene, profane, corrupting, and distasteful should be banned from all radio stations to be played.

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which regulates radio air waves, obscene material is not allowed to be broadcast at all.  Music is censored and standard requirements are in place.  Indecent and profane content are prohibited between 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.  During this time block, there is a realistic possibility that children may be listening (The Dynamics of Mass Communications, 400).  But who defines indecent and profane terms?  What terms are included?  Why does the FCC allow indecent and profane content aired after 10:00 p.m.?  Will censoring or blocking the profane words help younger audiences not learn the true and profane lyrics?

These distasteful songs are aired on the radio, but the offensive lyrics are bleeped out.  How effective is bleeping?  Bleeping out objectionable words by radio disc jockeys may lead listeners to listen to the original versions on YouTube.  These YouTube versions are uncensored and unrestricted in what is heard.  Younger audiences can download, listen to, and even see anything they want to hear or watch on YouTube.  It is a great education for younger audiences to learn offensive words, shocking acts, and unacceptable treatments of others.  The radio bleeping out offensive words is a start to hide the offensive words, but most young listeners can guess what the words are and what the artists really mean.

For instance, in an article posted by Billboard on November 6, 2014, written by Elias Leight, the song entitled “I Don’t F**k with You” sang by Big Sean was ranked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 website.  Billboard Hot 100 is the music industry’s ranking of top songs in the United States for a song, published weekly by Billboard magazine.  Rankings are based on sales, radio play, and online streaming.  This song was Sean’s second-highest-charting hit (Billboard).  Big Sean uses the “F” word 45 different times in a song that is just over five minutes.  There are many other expletive words and insulting phrases in this song: stupid is sung eight times; as* is sung thirteen times; b*tch is sung twenty-one times; sh*t is sung five times; hoes is sung one time; bird brain is sung one time; and blunt is sung one time.  This song is the pinnacle of degradation—comparable to slavery and its atrocious ways.  Playing this song on the radio for all listeners to hear, young or old, has no benefit for those who have not learned these distasteful words or do not want to hear them, nor does it teach a good lesson for life.  In fact, it may teach invaluable and immoral ways to treat others and talk to others.  One cannot say “I Don’t F**k With You” if they are experiencing a problem with someone.  This song does not teach any valuable communication skills, coping skills, or confrontational skills.

Unfortunately, there are too many other songs that are played on the radio that have to be bleeped out.  A lot of songs that are played on the radio are disrespectful, humiliate women, and demonstrate horrible morals.  Does this not tell American listeners that there is something wrong with the American music industry that allows this kind of music to be recorded and distributed?

It is unconscionable and shocking that songs are even written in this manner.  It is no wonder that there is no respect, no fear of authority, or even daily conversations without the use of curse words anymore.  Radio personalities are hometown celebrities and they and radio stations are in a unique position to challenge this form of art.  It is in their best interest to consider the public’s demographics and closely examine their playlists.  No person, with principles, scrolling through the different radio station channels, wants to hear a song that talks about blunts, drugs, sex, or swear words that are easily guessable—especially with children in the backseat of a car.  It is in their best interest to figure out what young people should and should not hear for the future.  If they continually hear this garbage, they will believe it is acceptable to act and talk this way.  They are in a superb position to stop this degrading trend in music and not play these artists’ songs with bleeps.  Stop the hatred and stop this so-called music.

In conclusion, even though radio stations need to reach a target audience and hit their ratings goals, they also need to realize the influence that these famous artists have on their listeners.  Song lyrics have a huge impact on how people act.  Unfortunately, these kinds of song lyrics—rap songs—can put a lot of people in reckless and thoughtless personality modes that allow them to think that acting a certain way is acceptable since the artist is acting that way or singing about something a certain way—for instance, treating women terribly.  Radio stations may think they are doing good by bleeping out dirty words, but listeners still know what the song is about.  Lastly, most listeners play the radio while they are cleaning, working out, and driving a car.  According to Tom Gardner, writer for Daily Mail: “Ear-splitting rap and rock music played by teenage drivers increases their risk of crashing, researchers have found.  Teenagers listening to their preferred music commit a greater number of errors and miscalculations on the road…” (Daily Mail).  Let’s all drive safely; listen to respectful music; and not degrade women with the music that is played on our local radio stations—even if “b*itch” is bleeped out.

Works Cited

Dominick, Joseph R.  The Dynamics of Mass Communication.  12^th Edition.  New York:

McGraw-Hill Education, 2013.  Print.

Elias Light.  Billboard.com.  November 6, 2014.https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/       the-juice/6311887/big-sean-dj-mustard-kanye-west-idfwu-video.  Web.  March 23,          2018.

Tom Gardner.  Dailymail.co.uk.  August 26, 2013.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-       2402152/Teenagers-listen-rap-rock-music-drive-higher-risk-involved-crash.html.                                 Web.  March 22, 2018.

Lady Sings the Blues is a movie based on the life of the 1930s Jazz singer, Billie Holiday, and her turbulent childhood, roadblocks to fame, including racism, drug addiction and arrests, and achieving her ultimate goal:  to sing at Carnegie Hall.  The “glitzy” scene that best encapsulates the main idea of the movie, portrays Billie and her struggles after she is bypassed to sing for a radio commercial selling soap.  Faking a smile, tears in her eyes, and quivering voice, Billie sarcastically jokes to Harry, one of the band leaders she toured with around the country and the first person to introduce her to drugs, “Look, you fellows don’t have to explain it.  I understand.  They’re trying to sell soap, right?  Everybody knows we don’t use it.  Get a bright complexion…pretty white hands.”  She is devastated by this and needs a fix.  Lewis McKay, the man who adores Billie and does everything in his power to help her, takes her to his house and she darts for the bathroom for her kit, but Lewis attempts to stop her.  Billie is so intent on getting a fix, she throws a metal pot at Lewis, runs into the bathroom and they fight.  She finds a straight-edged razor and threatens him with it.  Lewis, processing the situation, watches Billie as she sits on the commode, desperately strapping her arm tightly with a tourniquet, preparing to shoot up.  Lewis pauses and despairingly walks away.  When he returns her head is bobbing, eyes are rolling up in her head, and her body is motionless and limp as if she is a puppet without a puppeteer.  +Lady Sings the Blues is a heartbreaking biographical drama starring Diana Ross in which she and her cast show a very strong message:  the power of drug addiction and what drugs can do to a person’s life, relationship, and career.  *The plot is poignant and memorable, the characters are well-developed and strong-willed, the suspense is tense and emotional, and the choreography is comical and a welcomed relief.

The plot is poignant and memorable.  This biographical movie portrays the rise and fall of Billie Holiday.  It captures her young, horrifying childhood, her start as a successful singer and its exhausting and demanding touring schedule.  The movie exposes the beginning of her drug addiction and her love for drugs over her handsome and loving Lewis, a successful and powerful businessman.  Billie is hopelessly in and out of rehab.  Due to her arrests and drug possessions, Billie loses her license to sing in New York City clubs.  Sadly, her friend, Piano Man, is murdered because of a drug deal gone wrong and this contributes to the major downfall of her life and career.  For example, Billie’s agent and Lewis call her in California, excitedly yelling and shrieking over the phone “We got it.  We got Carnegie Hall.  Billie, did you hear me?  We finally got Carnegie Hall.”  This is her life’s dream.  Billie returns to New York and performs at Carnegie Hall but the New York License Commission denies her of another singing license due to drugs.  Billie Holiday dies at 44 years old from drugs.

The characters Billie Holiday and Louis McKay are well-developed and strong-willed.  Billie Holiday, played by Diana Ross, is strong-willed when she needs a fix.  Lewis McKay, played by Billy Dee Williams, is strong-willed when it comes to his love for Billie.  Both fight for what they want.  Both characters are well-developed in the movie shown through their fierce dialogue, emotional facial expressions, and intense body language.  For example, when Billie needs her fix and fights Lewis for it, she raises a straight-edged razor to him and he solemnly remarks, “You’d kill me for it, wouldn’t you?”  Roger Ebert, a famous American film critic, comments in his review (January 1, 1972) confirming Diana’s acting ability as a heroin addict:  “The opening scene is one of total and unrelieved anguish; Billie Holiday is locked into prison, destitute and nearly friendless, and desperately needing a fix of heroin.”   They are well-developed and fulfill their character roles as two people who absolutely love each other, but one who picks the addiction of drugs over the other.  Billie is addicted to opiates who tries to get herself clean with the help of Lewis paying for rehab and promising to marry her if she stays clean.  Billie’s addiction is too strong; she never changes.  Lewis never changes his love and support for Billie.  Diana Ross does an extraordinary job acting as someone addicted, high, withdrawing, and detoxing from heroin.

The suspense is tense and emotional.  A Black female singer in the 1930s faced many hardships.  For example, while Billie is on tour in the South with The Reg Hanley Band she is excited to see the beautiful trees.   Within minutes she is horrified:  she witnesses a Black boy hanging from a tree.  The lyrics to the song “Strange Fruit” plays in the background: “Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root.  Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze…” Another emotional and suspenseful scene is Billie singing “Good Morning Heartache.”  The way Billie hopelessly sings this song sounds as though she is singing about her addiction, not a heartbreak: “Stop haunting me now. Can’t shake you, no how. Just leave me alone . . . Might as well get used to you hangin around.  Good morning, heartache, sit down.”

The choreography is comical and a welcomed relief.  The choreography is a welcomed relief because the movie starts off with Billie in jail for drug possession.  While in jail, she flashes back to her difficult childhood when she worked in a brothel cleaning, when she was raped, and when she became a prostitute herself.  For example, the Harlem Cotton Club night club audition is hilarious, well done, and allows Billie to accomplish her goal:  successfully landing a singing audition for Jerry, the nightclub’s owner.  Before her singing audition, she tries out as one of the dancers because she is tired of prostituting herself.  Her dancing audition is disastrous.  The other dancers are all in rhythm and in synchronized dance steps.  Their postures are similar and their techniques are perfected.  Billie, on the other hand, prances directly to the middle of the show girls and does her own thing.  She twists, she turns, she stomps her feet, and claps her hands all without noticing or caring what the other dancers are doing.

In conclusion, Lady Sings the Blues deals with a broken person who is dependent on drugs to make it through each day.  Lewis tries everything to make the relationship work:  he pays for her rehab, trusts her to tour again with the band, and supports her passionately.  The movie validates how relationships, careers, and lives are damaged when drugs are involved. The plot, characters, suspense, and choreography are a huge reason why this movie is so successful and plays out so well.  Since this is based on Billie’s real life, the plot seems so intense that one has to question why would someone with so much talent, so much love and admiration from another, especially a Black woman with so much potential in the 1930s, throw it all away.   The characters are champions in their portrayal of Lewis and Billie.  The suspense is gripping and mind-blowing that draws the audience in until the very end, where the audience is wide eyed, gapping mouths and looking exhausted and in disbelief.  The choreography helps to make it memorable because there is really only one comical scene which lightens up the tension and drama.  Diana Ross’s performance in the comical scene is outstanding and extremely funny.   Drugs can negatively affect the rich or famous, Black or white, male or female, and young or old.

Michel de Nostradamus was born on December 14, 1503 in Provence, France.  He obtained a bachelor’s degree in medicine from the University of Montpelier (France) in 1522.  Nostradamus cured a lot of patients during the deadly plague outbreak in southern France.  After Nostradamus treated and saved thousands of people, he then achieved his Medical Doctorate degree.  Nostradamus married and had two children; unfortunately, his wife and children died from the plague.  Soon after, he moved to Salon (a town in south France) and lived there until his death in 1566.  He published his first almanac in 1550 and continued to write almanacs every year on the following year’s predictions.  He spent two years writing a book called Centuries: a book of predictions from 1500 to the end of the world in 3797.  Nostradamus wrote in quatrains of four-line poems and composed 1200 visions in addition to 942 quatrains.  He often used anagrams such as Pau, nay, loron for Napoleon; actual names such as Hister suggesting Hitler; and word games such as Mabus, a mirror reflection of the name Sudam for Suddam.  +Some academicians’ perspectives on Nostradamus’s prophecies think they are too vague.  With the exception of one (Napoleon), I will point out several major events, catastrophes and accomplishments, associated with the United States in the last 100 years that Nostradamus predicted and later occurred.

First, I will address the one exception:  Napoleon.  In Century I, Quatrain 60, Nostradamus spoke of Napoleon’s birth:  “An Emperor shall be born in Italy.  Who shall cost the Empire dear, They shall say, with what peoples he keeps company!  He shall be found less a Prince than a butcher.”  (29, Roberts)  In this Quatrain, Nostradamus predicted Napoleon’s birth, the wars he led, and the people he butchered in Europe.  In Century VIII, Quatrain I, Nostradamus used the anagram Pau, nay, loron to refer to Napoleon:  “Pau, nay, loron, more in fire their blood shall be, Seen to swim, great ones shall run to their surreys, The aggassas shall refuse the entry, Pampon, Durance shall keep them enclosed” (242, Roberts)   David Ovason wrote about the anagram in his book The Secrets of Nostradamus:  “This is probably the most famous anagram in the whole of the Nostradamus oeuvre, if only because it is so transparent.  Almost from the day Napoleon’s name was written on the slate of history, the significance of the anagram has been recognized, for the three words may be reduced to the two: NAPAULON ROY.  As a result, the first line of the quatrain translates: ‘Napoleon the King will be more fire than blood’—an almost perfect description of an Emperor who fought and manipulated his way to the French throne by war and not by the lineage of the bloodline which normally determined the succession of French kings.” (277, Ovason)  This is just one example of how Nostradamus used anagrams.

Second, I will now talk about Nostradamus’s predictions affiliated with anyone with or against the United States.  We went to war with Hitler because of the atrocities he committed against mankind.  Nostradamus predicted Hitler’s birth in Century III, Quatrain 35:  “Out of the deepest part of the west of Europe, From poor people a young child shall be born, Who with his tongue shall seduce many people, His fame shall increase the Eastern Kingdom.” (88, Roberts)  In this Quatrain, Nostradamus predicted Hitler’s birth, what a great speaker he would be, and how he brainwashed German citizens with his propaganda.  A disturbing example of Nostradamus’s predictions on Hitler was written in Century IV, Quatrain 56:  “After victory over a raging tongue, The mind that was tempted shall be in tranquility and rest, The bloody emperor by battle shall make a speech, And roast the tongue, the flesh and the bones.” (129, Roberts)  This prediction talked about Hitler’s bad temper and the heartbreaking concentration camps, the torturous extermination ovens, and the horrifying gas chambers.  Another prediction about Hitler was so close to accurate on the spelling of his name that Nostradamus was off by only two letters.  Equally important, his comment on Hitler’s fate is precise.  Nostradamus’s Century II, Quatrain 24 read:  “Wild beasts for hunger shall swim over the rivers, Most of the field shall be near the Ister, Into an iron cage he shall cause the great one to be drawn, When the child of Germany shall observe nothing.”  (51, Roberts)  Nostradamus’s Quatrain recorded Hitler’s name as “Ister.”  To further defend Nostradamus’s ability, it is important to note that Nostradamus predicted Louis Pasteur’s real name and correct spelling accurately in Century I, Quatrain 25:  “Lost, found again, hidden so great a while, A Pasteur as Demi-God shall be honored, But before the moon her great cycle ends, By other ancient ones shall be dishonored.” (27, Roberts)  David Ovason wrote, “This quatrain mentions Pasteur by name.”  (116, Ovason)   Furthermore, to justify his astonishing and mysterious talent, Geoffrey Ashe commented, “Nostradamus sometimes gives place–names and references to individuals in terms that identify them precisely.”  (169, Ashe)

Third, Nostradamus’s predictions on the antichrist are both about Hitler and Napoleon; the third, in both predictions, are unknown.  Some scholars believe Suddam Hussain was the third antichrist and some believe Barrack Obama is.  There also are some who believe the third antichrist has not come yet.  Nostradamus foretold the third antichrist will come in 2035—from the past prophecies that I have read, enough prophecies have come true for us to believe the third antichrist has not come.  Even though Napoleon and Hitler were antichrist like, let us all hope Nostradamus was wrong on the third antichrist.

Fourth, more recently in history with significantly immense impact for the United States was Nostradamus’s prediction on John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  In Century I, Quatrain 26:  “The great man falleth by lightning in the day, An evil foretold by the postulant one, According to the forecast, another falls in hours of the night, A conflict at Rheims and London, and a plague in Tuscany.”  (27, Roberts)  In this prediction, Kennedy, who was a charismatic President, was assassinated in 1963.  He also talked about another falling which is a reference for Robert Kennedy’s assassination in 1968.

Fifth, Nostradamus’s incredible prediction occurred in 1969:   Apollo 11 moon landing.  Nostradamus forecasted in Century IX, Quatrain 65: “He shall come into the corner of Luna, Where he shall be taken and put in a strange land, The green fruits shall be in great disorder, A great shame, to one shall be great praise.”  (299, Roberts)  President Kennedy expanded the space program so the United States could land a man on the moon.  Apollo 11 landed on the moon during the Nixon administration.  The last line in the Quatrain refers to Nixon and Watergate and the great shame it brought to our country.

Sixth, Nostradamus predicted the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11.  It is disgraceful and deplorable that this prediction took place during our lifetime.  Nostradamus wrote, “The heaven shall burn at five and forty degrees, The fire shall come near the great new city, In an instant a great flame dispersed shall burst out, When they shall make a trial of the Normans.” (211, Roberts)  New York City is at almost 45º latitude and the Twin Towers burst into flames when hit by the planes.  Nostradamus also cautioned us about the bombing of the Twin Towers in Century I, Quatrain 87:  “Ennosigee, fire at the center of the earth, Shall make an earthquake of the New City, Two great rocks shall long time war against each other, After that Arethusa shall color red the fresh river.” (38, Roberts)    Some scholars believe the two great rocks refer to the United States and either Iraq or Iran.  Mario Reading explained it this way in his book Nostradamus:  The Complete Prophecies for the Future:  “An uncanny foretelling of the Twin Towers disaster, even down to a paralleling of the two rock-like towers with a war between the ‘two great rocks’ of Christianity and Islam.  The towers are brought down by fire drawn from the earth’s core, an extraordinary leap of the imagination for Nostradamus when one bears in mind that the explosive catalyst used in the attacks was oil-based aviation fuel.  Another extraordinary coincidence links the myth of Arethusa, with her legendary springs at Ellis, to that of Ellis Island, the immigration gateway to New York – a buried clue left by Nostradamus which pinpoints exactly to which New City he is referring in his text.” (19, Reading)

Last, Nostradamus occasionally used word games.  A solid example was used in Century 2, Quatrain 62:  “Mabus shall come, and soon after shall die, Of people and beasts shall be a horrible destruction, Then on a sudden the vengeance shall be seen, Blood, hand, thirst, famine, when the comet shall run.” (63, Roberts)  Mabus is a mirror image of the name Sudam which is one letter short of Suddam.

In conclusion, Nostradamus’s writings were vague at times and could be interpreted differently, depending on the times and the events taking place.  Although some people may disagree, I believe that Nostradamus possessed an unusual, unexplainable gift with some of his predictions.  The examples I have presented, I believe, are convincing and are argumentatively unquestionable.   One last powerful quote to support my argument on Nostradamus’s prophecies was written by Henry Roberts:  “Some have claimed that his ‘prophecies’ were no more than ‘ambiguous guesswork,’ but many of the prophecies that are included in this book seem too precise and accurate to be dismissed as mere guesswork. Four centuries after they were written, we can judge for ourselves whether they have proved true and whether they will continue to anticipate events yet to occur.” (xvii, Roberts)  As shown, Nostradamus predicted some major events that changed the world forever.

Works Cited

Ashe, Geoffrey.  Encyclopedia of Prophecy.  California:  ABC-CLIO     Inc., 2001.

Ovason, David.  The Secrets of Nostradamus.  New York:                        HarperCollins Publishers, 2001.

Reading, Mario.  Nostradamus The Complete Prophecies For The      Future.  London:  Watkins Media Limited, 2015.

Roberts, Henry C.  The Complete Prophecies of Nostradamus.  New        York:  Crown Publishers Inc., 1982.

How to:

Dress for Valentine’s Day

Love or Lust?

“UGH! Valentine’s Day already???”  “Valentine’s Day is coming up and I have no idea what to wear!” “Plus, I have all this winter hibernation weight still packed on, and I do not feel comfortable in my clothes!”  “HELP!”  “Should I straighten or curl my hair?!” “Mom!!”

Does this sound like you?  Keep reading on how to deal with this Valentine issue.

What is sexy?  Confidence.  How should I dress?  Confident.  How should I feel while walking around with five extra pounds that I cannot get rid of?  Confident!!

Yes, we have all been there.  “Ugh, is wearing this dress worth the fact that I cannot breathe in it?”  NO!

Dressing sexy for your man is all fun and games until the person does not feel comfortable in it.  What about wearing those totally cute, but uncomfortable red bottomed Louboutin’s?  This Valentine’s Day let us all have enough girl power and confidence to break that “sexy” outfit idea that Valentine’s Day seems to be about.  Valentine’s Day should be about showing love and appreciation for one’s intimate lover.

Dressing sexy is fun but that night of having sex may turn into lust instead of love.  Lust and love are two completely different things.  Lust is a physical attraction, love is an emotional attachment.  Think about this, as soon as you and your intimate one one see each other, do they ask about your day?  If it was a bad day, do they ask how they can make it better or do you two jump right into sex?  Can you make each other feel better with just being around each other?  Sex is healthy in a relationship, so I am not saying that, but your relationship should not be based on sex or it will get very boring, very fast.

Of course, dressing sexy for your man is a good feeling, especially when he does not even want to leave the house, or he wants to be late for dinner just to be intimate with you.  There is no better feeling than hearing your man tell you that you are beautiful—even with those five extra pounds.

Maybe my writing does sound a little feminist, but your man should always tell you that you are beautiful and rare.  Even if you are being the most annoying girl ever towards him, he should still tell you that he loves you, no matter what.  I am sure you do when he is being annoying.

Dressing for Valentine’s Day…there are no rules or regulations, it is however YOU feel you want to dress.  You do not need to get lingerie for a night.  Your man is going to want to sleep with you, no matter what you are wearing.  As long as you feel comfortable, wear whatever you want.

This year, I know I am wearing sweat pants and a hoodie, no make-up, and booty slippers.  Do I want to dress sexy?  Yes, but I am not going to because I know my man wants me no matter how I am dressed.  Just like how your man should be.

Dress however you would like, be confident, be sexy, be comfortable, be all three!!!!

Entertainment.

Swift vs. Kayne.

How many more years does this feud really have to go on?  Two completely different styles of music.  Two completely different styles of life.  The iconic singer, Taylor Swift, plays nice towards Kayne West but Kayne still treats her meanly.  September of 2009, Kayne stole the mic from Swift as she won the MTV Video Music Awards.  Then, during Swift’s speech, Kayne interrupted Swift’s speech and told the entire audience that Swift stole from Beyoncé and that Beyoncé should have won that category. Kayne eventually apologized and said he would take it back if it was possible to take it back. “Kanye did call me, and he was very sincere in his apology, and I accepted that apology,” said Swift. Swift accepted Kayne’s apology and eventually befriended Jay Z because of her friendship with Kayne.  Six years later, Swift presented the rapper with the show’s highest honor, the Video Vanguard Award. In 2016, Kayne wrote a song about her, called “Famous” where he actually talks badly about her and how much he hates her.  Kayne raps, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that b**ch famous…”.  Taylor Swift comes back and won the award for the Album of the Year.  Swift talks to all young women out there about how people will try to take credit for your success and to just focus on yourselves and be happy with yourself.  Completely and totally disrespectful.   If Taylor wasn’t happy with Kanye’s “Famous” song, she certainly wasn’t pleased with the video, which featured Kanye in bed with lifelike — and completely naked — wax figures of celebs like Kim, Rihanna, Caitlyn Jenner, President Donald Trump and Taylor.  Why must celebrities act like this towards other celebrities?  These two singers are two completely different people.  Then of course, Kim Kardashian has to get involved with these two singers in June of 2016.  Kim K. will not leave Swift alone.  Kim K. actually dedicated an entire season of “Keeping Up with The Kardashians” to the controversy between Swift and her husband.  Why?  Kim K’s. snapchats went live and were hash tagged on Twitter as #KimExposedTaylorParty. Taylor sings for herself while Kayne sings for the money (as well as Kim K. does anything for the money).  Read this article and you will understand more of the story behind Swift and Kayne—https://thetylt.com/entertainment/kanye-west-taylor-swift-feud.  Kayne calls Swift hatred names and continues to talk about her extremely rudely.  As someone who likes both Swift and (sometimes) Kayne, this feud needs to stop.  It is giving everyone a bad taste in their mouth about both singers.

Sources:  https://www.thisisinsider.com/taylor-swift-kanye-west-feud-history-2017-9