romney tebowing

This cartoon, illustrated by Rick McKee, depicts Mitt Romney in a suit getting down into the prayer position Denver Bronco Tim Tebow has become so famous for. Two Denver fans look on and remark that "Romney will do anything to win over the Christian right." This cartoon references the trend that Tebow has sparked across the nation and applies it to Mitt Romney's attempt at the GOP nomination. Though Mitt Romney is currently a frontrunner in the Republican race, sketpics have questioned his ability to unite the party and gain enough support to defeat President Obama in November. Tebow's prayer stance is used to illustrate how Mitt Romney is trying to prove such critics wrong. The cartoonist's point-of-view is that of a somewhat critical observer; he, like the public, is watching the Republican primaries play out and perhaps questions Mitt Romney's authenticity as he attempts to gain the support of many different right-leaning groups.

these are the days

So far, senior year has been a blur. Now that I'm finally done with my college applications, I hope that I'll be able to slow down and enjoy the last few months I have left. The beginning of the year felt very rushed and pressure-filled; with the end of first semester nearing closer, hopefully I will be able to slow down the pace. Though I am certainly looking forward to this summer as well as next year, it is important for me not get too caught up in the future. During second semester, I hope to give myself time to do things that I really enjoy- I have not done a good job of that during the first two quarters.

{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlCS-qf7yaM}

the morning after

This cartoon, illustrated by Clay Bennett, depicts a distraught looking woman looking at a note apparently left by her "one-night stand," the GOP. In using a common cultural reference (the morning after) as a metaphor for the GOP's treatment of Iowa, the cartoonist satirizes the nature of the presidential primaries. The cartoonist seems to be echoing the sentiment that the Republican party and the media spend so much time fixated on certain states with early primaries and caucuses, and yet in the big scheme of things it's artificial and means virtually nothing.

the gop nomination

As I've been saying all along, I think that Mitt Romney will get the GOP nomination. Despite Rick Santorum's strong showing in the Iowa caucus and Newt Gingrich's relative popularity, Romney is the sole candidate left who has a chance of reaching the "middle" voters. As other candidates and personalities have come and gone, Mitt Romney has continued to make money and campaign at a steady rate. Though he has yet to truly win over the American population, he seems to be the most logical choice for the GOP nomination. And he'll certainly win Virginia if the only two people on the ballot are Mitt Romney and Ron Paul...

romney regatta

This cartoon depicts a clearly struggling Mitt Romney trying to blow wind into the sails of his "Mitt Romney Campaign 2012" boat. The cartoonist, Clay Bennett, uses caricature and visual metaphor to illustrate the difficulty Romney is facing in getting his campaign moving. As Newt Gingrich hogs the spotlight in the wake of several candidate's drop-outs, Romney has stayed on the sidelines and has not gained very much momentum. The cartoonist's point-of-view is not explicity critical of Romney, nor is it sympathetic towards him- it is relatively neautral and simply aims to depict the current state of Romney's campaign. Mitt Romney's struggle will continue as the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries draw near- whether or not he gets the GOP ticket and "get the wind in his sails" remains to be seen.

a wonderful christmastime

I don't really have a favorite holiday memory, but my favorite holiday tradition is eating bouillabaisse with my family on Christmas Eve. My mom is a great cook, and I like how we have a little unique family tradition that I can look forward to every year. I also love cooking, so this tradition might even continue when I have my own family.

{recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bouillabaisse-238411}

that one i stuffed myself

This cartoon, illustrated by Star Tribune's Steve Sack, depicts Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin relaxing amidst several stuffed animal heads. We see him pointing to one more stuffed item, a Russian ballot box, with the caption "That one I stuffed myself." The image of Putin lounging around with exotic animal heads suggests that he is living a life of luxury in a country plagued by continuing economic distress following the collapse of the Soveit Union. The caption and the reference to the ballot box is drawing attention to Putin's alleged electoral fraud. Russia's recent parliamentary elections ended up with the United Party (Putin's party), retaining a majority of members, though a reduced majority. By using a mix of caricature and a ridicule, the cartoon clearly favors the view that Putin did indeed rig the votes. The cartoonist's point-of-view is that of many Westerners and Russian activists who have seen the progressive reforms Putin has undertaken being overshadowed by the oppressive restriction of civil liberties and freedoms.