My Superhero

A superhero can be many different things and represent many different causes. I believe that all of these superheroes can be traced back to one thing; religion. In the years before Christ the Jews were awaiting their savior to come and free them from their turmoil and persecution. Then Jesus came and he was not in any way what they were expecting. The Jews were looking forward to a powerful warrior-king who would save them from the Romans. Instead they received the son of a carpenter who was despised by the teachers of the law for his teachings and miracles. For so many people of the time, Jesus did not live up to their expectations. Since this time people have continued to search for the superhero that they feel is supposed to come. Humans in general have tendencies to be drawn to excitement. Whether this excitement is found in movies, partying, or other stimulations it is a void that craves to be filled inside each human. That is why Jesus’ blessings and peace are not always accepted.
But in reality Jesus is the best superhero that the earth has ever seen or ever could. Although he did not fly around killing criminals and saving beautiful women from the clutches of evil, Jesus did so many greater things. He brought peace to so many people who were living lives full of instability. Jesus offered himself as payment for the sins of everyone on earth and who would come to earth after him. He ensured each one of them a chance to go to heaven and spend eternity with him. Now I know that not everyone believes the same things I do; but at least to me, the earth has already had a superhero that is greater than anything that could ever be concocted by any comic strip or movie.
-Jordan Conant

Superheros

Superheros have definitely had a major impact on the media culture of America. Many of the movies I see have some sort of superhero or good protagonist that the audience admires and wishes to emulate. For example, Ironman 2 and Clash of the Titans are two recent movies that support this superhero ideal. I agree that it is difficult to determine why people love this mentality.

Perhaps it is because people inherently need someone to look up to. People need an example to copy to give direction to their lives. People like feeling safe and protected, and superheros provide this type of fantasy safety. Another possibility could be from something like the superstar effect. For example, people are drawn to the superstars of sports and their teams. The media could have invented superheros just to increase ratings and create sequels of movies with a different adventure of the same superhero. One of the new superhero movies coming out, titled Kick-Ass, is shown below.



It is about a group of normal humans who create superhero outfits and fight crime. People are entranced by these unique superheros. This movie shows how much people need heros in their lives and the effect that heros can have on society. Maybe I will see it and I will learn more about why people love heros so much.

Nicholas Keith

Southern Passion

I have seen many passions growing up in the South. It seems like some people here are just crazy about some things. I've seen half-naked men trying to climb the fence at a NASCAR race, women arguing over who makes the best fried chicken, and families giving a fourth of their income to the local high school football team. From my experiences, I believe that the most intense passions in the South revolve around sports, food, and music.

Sports, mainly football, basketball, and NASCAR, are some of the most popular sports in the South. Like Mitchell said, some schools have huge basketball fan groups, mainly Kentucky. However, football is the main passion in the South. Tailgates can continue for days on end, and each person seems to be forever tied to some alma mater, whether it be high school or college. Almost every SEC school's football team commands the attention of the entire state on game day.



Besides sports, I have also noticed that food is a big passion in the South. Many unique recipes have been created in the South, and there are myriad famous restaurants here. Typically, the South is known for more unhealthy cooking than other regions. In addition to food, music is an important passion, mainly country, gospel, and blues. I recently went to an Eric Church concert, and it was sold out days before it began. When I arrived, the arena was packed with thousands of men and women of all ages wearing flannel shirts, cowboy hats, and boots. I met people from all over the South- Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, etc. When Eric Church finally came on stage, the crowd went wild and it was one of the largest demonstrations of passion for music that I have ever seen.



Nicholas Keith

What is a /Super/Hero?

This post was actually inspired by a song I was listening to, "Locking Up the Sun" by Poets of the Fall. The lyrics went as followed: "Is there a hero somewhere, someone who appears and saves the day? Someone who holds out a hand and turns back time? Is there a hero somewhere, someone who will never walk away? Who doesn't turn a blind eye to a crime?" As I continued to listen, many more songs came up that referenced heroes. Consider "Superman" by Five for Fighting, or "Kryptonite" by Three Doors Down, or even "Land of Confusion" by Disturbed.

So now I am thinking, why are superheroes that important? I mean, four songs relatively close to one another all had mention of a superhero, with the last three that I mentioned mentioned referencing Superman. Heroes are pervasive in pop culture, which got me thinking. Is it really that nice to have someone else save the day for you all the time? Is it really that enticing to let one person do all the work for your safety while you (sometimes safely) sit and watch? Is it really that appealing to relinquish your own security to one (super)man?

I don't consider marvel heroes actual heroes. I see them as simply trying to use what they have to make the world a better place, which is human and mundane and ordinary as the rest of us. The fact that they have more to contributed doesn't earn them the right to be called a superhero.

In my humble opinion, the only people who have a right to be called superheroes are our military personnel oversees. This is because they choose to sacrifice more for our safety than any other ordinary human. And it seems that Superman agreed, when at the funeral of one of his detective friends (sorry I can't remember who, it's been a while since I watched Superman fight Darkseid. However, the quote he said is etched into my mind.), he said. "I am sorry, old friend. In the end, nobody needed a Superman. Just a brave one."

Therefore, I want to add one more song to our list of "hero" songs: "Citizen Soldier" by Three Doors Down.

-Akshaya

Locking Up the Sun : Poets of the Fall

Superman : Five for Fighting

Land of Confusion : Disturbed

Kryptonite : Three Doors Down

Citizen Soldier : Three Doors Down

Passion for the Air

I am from the north, and though I can't speak for everyone up north, one of my passions is flying. Yes, flying. No, I don't sporadically sprout wings whenever I want and take a little spin around the clouds. I am a private pilot, authorized to fly single engine small aircraft, with or without passengers, to anywhere in the United States. My love of flying is also what made me pursue Aerospace Engineering here at Tech.

Most of you, if not all, have flown on a commercial jet. Some of you may have even been lucky enough for a window seat. Have any of you ever looked out that window and looked down on your planet? On your home? If you have, you were flying at 35,000 feet and the view was most likely a blanket of clouds. Can you imagine looking down on the world from say 200o feet? Let me tell you, there is a world of difference.

The difference is that small details are visible. You use railroads and major highways to navigate your way in a small craft. You can see boats moving down a river, or bicyclists crossing the road (but if you do, you are far too low and need to gain some altitude, fast). I remember once while taking off, I saw one boy mowing his lawn on a sunny day in a white tee. As I circled the area performing my maneuvers, his formulaic mowing was actually a distraction.

And there is another thrill altogether when you realize you are in control. When you are fully encompassed in flying your craft. When you are making corrections for wind, turbulence, magnetic fields, and gyroscopic precession. Flying takes every ounce of your attention. Yet that's only when you are doing the difficult bit, such as landing or correcting. Otherwise, you can set your trim, and fly straight and level for a while, just looking outside. That view, is enough to make one passionate.

-Akshaya

Something Tough

Toughness is what shows in a person throughout a difficult situation. The way that individual responds to pain, either physical or emotional, portrays his/her toughness to anyone viewing the situation. Something that I have encountered throughout my life that has required a kind of toughness is football. Not just because of the pain during weight training workouts or contact drills, but mental strain that the sport puts on every player that buttons-up their chin strap and steps onto the field.
Being a quarterback, I have always been expected to be the leader. The hardest aspect of football to me has been to master the mental aspect of the game. The mental toughness it takes to shake off an interception and join the huddle confident on the next drive is unlike anything I can describe. The toughness it takes to get up after being sacked from behind, the most painful hit in football, and walk into the huddle and encourage the lineman is one of the toughest tasks I have encountered in my 18 years of life. The mental power that football requires often surpasses the physical toughness of the sport. Pushing yourself while doing sprints even when your body wants to quit, making a big hit even though it is going to hurt, knowingly sacrificing your body for the benefit of the team; all are required by the sport of football.
Although I do not believe that football is as tough as the life Anney had to lead, or the events Bone went through at all; I do believe that it is a sport that can only be played by tough individuals. None that aren’t would ever be able to make it through a single game.
-Jordan Conant

With the NCAA basketball tournament coming in the next few days I though t a relevant topic to discuss was passion. Although I would never consider myself to be a good basketball player, I love March Madness. The nest few weekends I will be glued to my t.v. watching nothing but basketball. Not only do we get to see Georgia Tech in the tournament, but it gives us a chance to see other teams that maybe we haven't been able to see yet. It is really one of my favorite times of the year.
This is where I'll lead into the topic of passion. I don't know if you watched the SEC basketball tournament this past weekend but if you did you more than likely saw a sea of blue in the stands. This would be the Kentucky Wildcat fans. This tournament was a perfect example of the passion some people have for basketball. It wasn't just college kids from the university or older alumni, but it was also whole families of Kentucky Wildcat fans that probably didn't even attend the college. It doesn't matter though that they didn't go there, they are from Kentucky and the Wildcats are their team.

It's not only in basketball thought that you see this passion. Go to any southern school (especially the SEC)on a Fall Saturday and you're going to see some passion. On game days, Auburn becomes the largest city in the state of Alabama due to the fact that people want to see the Tigers play. Take a look at "The Grove" on the campus of the University of Mississippi on Saturdays. It has often been described as the best tailgating school in the country.

My point isn't just to say that only people in the south have a passion for these things, but to only explain what some of their passions are. If you are from the South what are some passions that you see, and if you are not from the south what are some passions back where you're from?