NO IF'S NO BUT'S NO EDUCATION CUTS

Budget cuts are now finally begining to be made here in America following Obama's bailout of the financial institutions. I fell that these decisions are now far past the conversation stage in the UK and are now being implemented with brutal effect across all sectors and especially education. As I was elected student senator for this semester at New Paltz I have gotten really involved in various meetings and decisions on budget cuts. As it stands at the moment New Paltz faces cuts of around $8 million (5.3 million pounds) and students are being severely limited in being able to voice their opinion on cuts as the administration seeks to run a tight information flow. There are actions being taken by us, students are walking out of class on march 8th and a rally is being held in Albany on March 15th. I fell however that if cuts are to be opposed both the SUNY (State University of New York which has over 50 campuses) and CUNY (City University of New York) system must work together. Without the national framework of a body such as the National Union of Students such mass protest by students becomes far more difficult in many ways. In addition by law professors and university staff are not allowed to strike and protest action is severely limited. These rights were signed away under the National Labor Relations Act 1935 (Wagner Act). I am applying to the university professors union, UUP,  for an internship and I'm really looking forward to opposing such unfair cuts by a government which called itself progressive, offering a strong inspiration of "hope". I along with many believed this marked a turning point in American history one towards inclusiveness, equality and a renewed global stance one which incorporated diversity in governing structure but as recent responses to the middle east and now such cuts show this is nothing more than a catchphrase administration finally having to bow to the price of campaign funding, forcing working class aspiring student to give up on ambitions once again strongly igniting American elitism.

If this is hope and change what does the future hold?

America Part 2

With weary arms and a sore back I have arrived back in America safe and well with all my Scottish delights still in hand. During the somewhat empty flight I slept most of the way with the seat beside me free and lots of leg room made for a comfortable journey.

It was great to see everyone again and I hope that I didn't sound too much like "Ohhh you know this one time in...". It was really strange to be back in a lot of ways and the thought of being here and not seeing everyone again for another six months sounds like a long haul. In my mind the run up to christmas and then coming home made the last month fly in but this semester I doubt that the same opportunity or event will present itself.

Well the movie I was working on has been finally finished after a long night the day before I left. To view "Och Aye" it can be found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttJ8X5H7lmo. The video and audio at times is bad as my camera is not meant for video but it still seems alright and I hope that you enjoy it!!!

I hope that you are all still well and stay in touch,

Connor

Connor and American Health care

Hey all,

So yesterday I was round at Fiona's and I went to sit down when my knee dislocated again, and after a while of pushing it eventually went back in. We sat for a bit and I was convinced to go to the student health service building. Overall I am going to pay $800 on health care during my stay here and I can honestly say what a rip off that is. I hobbled in though the light snow with Fiona where I was put in a wheel chair that the woman did not know how to use. Her first question to me "Do you have your ID card honey" obviously to check my insurance. So we sat for a bit and then I was pushed into a room to see the nurse who looked over part of my file the other was "lost" she then checked my vital signs and took a statement of the events. Then a doctor came in who was very nice but at no point did she actually ask to see my knee. She then proceeded to  phone the other Doctor who dealt with such matters but the phone call ended up being a "so what's for dinner" which lasted around 15min. She informed me, after saying hold on to her partner, that I needed a brace but they never had any. I also needed an ice pack but...they didn't have any and I also needed tape for the ice pack that Fiona had ran over to the gym to get for me but...they didn't have any. The were asked me if I wanted to go to the A&E but I had previously been told that such a trip there in an ambulance and treatment can cost $200 at least so I refused. They did have crutches however so I was sent away in the snow with 600 milgram tablets of ibuprofen and crutches. I hobbled with Fiona today to the pharmacy where it was sort of possible to buy the brace that I needed for the low cost price of $71.

I know I might have experienced a really bad practice but still I LOVE THE NHS!!!

This week was also student elections week. I was not notified of my success in being able to stand when the others were so naturally I did not start campaigning. It was a very disappointing as I had planned a massive campaign in my head and asked friends to help me. But then on election day came the news that I was still on the ballot paper so I rushed out a facebook group and Fiona made brilliant fliers and handed them out. I dont know when I will get the results but fingers crossed.

Thanksgiving

So this Thursday we celebrated the American Thanksgiving holiday when the Pilgrims paid "thanks" to the Native Americans before brutally killing them forcing them into building casinos and selling cheap cigarettes for money.

Ispent the holiday with my suite mate Ryan Hanrahan, a self defining Irish, German, Spanish, English, French, Polish, Prussian and Swiss American and his family. Thanksgiving dinner resembled a British Christmas dinner with Turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and the rest but with a few American touches such as cool whip (which is delightful), a strange casserole of green beans and cream of mushroom soup with fried onions and Pumpkin pie. It has been said to me that Thanksgiving represents all that is America: strong family values, a reflection on their past, great food, TV movies and obviously football matches. Honestly I can say it is perhaps the nicest holiday of the year felling like christmas but without the stress and fuss of present buying. I began the day at 4:45am as we headed for the famous Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York City which lasted around 2hrs. The city was chaotic with thousands of New Yorkers crammed into the largest subway system in the world and with wholeblocks closed off searching for our seats was difficult and ended up requiring a police escort. The parade itself was amazing with giant floats accompanied by some Z list celebrities but also some notable names such as Kylie Minogue and Kanye West.I will soon post the pictures on Facebook for all to see. The Hannrahans were celebrating at Ryan's Aunts, who has a beautiful house on Long Island with gorgeous views across the water onto Jones Beach. It was strange drawing likenesses to my own family from his who all were extremely nice people and were very accommodating even making a gestured toasting of the haggis at the table. American thanksgiving seems to be true to its values unlike a lot of what people deem to be American.


For the rest of the holiday I spent time meeting Ryan's friends and talking to his Mum (who has visited Edinburgh and Stirling Castle), Dad and Brother. Their house was extremely homely and instantly I felt very comfortable amongst the two dogs (Scottish Collies), two cats, some fish and a turtle. I  felt a sense of longing to be back in Scotland with my family as I spent time in Ryan's home with his family. I would like to thank Mrs. and Mr. Hanrahan once again for their greatly appreciated hospitality and for the incredible American ribs which were unlike anything in Scotland.


On a completely different note I have found American romance with a girl from Syracuse NY. Fiona Cunningham is an English major who also enjoys fine arts with amazing paintings and photographs she is one of the few Americans with a nice accent and is not loud. Although she did think all Scottish people say "uch aye" all the time she did not ask at least for a while if I had a kilt or play the bagpipes. So the plan is now to come back here a week earlier than planned from Christmas break and spend time with her family upstate and hopefully a visit to Scotland will be on the cards soon.


Now to America beyond the thanksgiving season with Christmas music commanding the airwaves, houses draped in lights and figures resembling reindeer and Santa hammered into lawns America has begun to embrace its famous christmas spirit once more and I'm very much looking forward to it all.

Potter, Bob and classes

So last week me and a couple of friends decided at the last minute to to go see Bob Dylan in a place called Poughkeepsie where apparently he wrote some songs. The concert was amazing we arrived a little late which alowed us to sneak to the very front allowing us a full view of the man, the, myth and the legend. He tended to speak the classics with different music in an effort to reinvent his legendary songs and he also played his newer material. The concert was strange as I felt the band did not know what to expect next from him as they constantly watched his every move. Finishing on Like a Rolling Stone this night was amazing.

So America has been engulfed in Harry Potter mania this week. I had planned to go to the local cinema which was doing a midnight release on Thursday with a few friends. However we got there at 6pm to find a line but shortly they would sell out leaving us empty handed. Feeling very disappointing me and my friend Fiona began to plot possible alternatives to New Paltz cinema eventually arriving at the conclusion that it had to be a trip to New York. The night was full of very bad luck and illogical decisions but it was the best night I have experienced since getting here and defiantly one of the greatest in my life making my top 5 at least. We got a bus to Manhattan and from there the subway to Sheepheads bay which is near Coney Island  in Brooklyn which took about 1 1/2 hrs. The journey was again very exciting made better with great company and subway chat from randoms in which a man called Brian, 54 gave me a $25 coupon for Scottish Cashmere jumpers. Arriving in Brooklyn at around 1:30 we waited in the cinema after a strange taxi journey until 3am where we got into an Imax screen. The movie was very good for a Potter film but I could not help but feel the highlight of the night was not the movie. We left the cinema at 5:30 to walk though a rough part of Brooklyn to find the subway. New Yorkers days were beginning as we journeyed back to get the bus catching a glimpse in houses of people eating breakfast getting ready for their work whilst others slept as we zipped though the districts on the sub. We later went through a dark tunnel only to emerge crossing the Hudson with the Brooklyn Bridge and the financial district in full view as the sun swiftly rose on a city that does not adhere to the principles of  the night. Missing our bus we wandered thorough the never-ending Subway tunnels passing the endless army of workers who all appeared in perfect formation marching to the tubes. We then walked aimlessly around the Times Square area as the sun blindingly beamed down the grids picking up bagels. Then exhausted we returned to the bus station for the ride back to New Paltz.

International Students have to pick their subjects after New Paltz students which means you can get stuck with the rubbish. However for the one class I really want to do - UN Semester I managed to speak to the Professor and she allowed me in early. The class involves a weekly trip to the UN in NYC from 8am-6pm where you meet diplomats and members of UN bodies. The rest of my classes I need to sort out this week.

Halloween and Rally

Hi all,

So last weekend was the much hyped American Halloween experience but I was in DC for most of the time. I was at "The rally to restore sanity" which was hosted by two popular American political satire comics John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. It was estimated that 200,000 people turned out for the rally against the current politics in America. In a sentence American politics are very polarized at the moment between Democrats and Republicans so nothing is getting done. So the rally was to get America moving again but was not explicitly supportive of any party. At the rally was Ozzy Osborn, Yousif A.K.A Cat Stephens, Kid Rock, The OJ's and Cheryl Crow. It all made for an absolutely amazing day especially the OJ's singing Love Train. I went with a friend from the Politics club, Samantha and stayed over at her friends house the night before the rally. DC is a dream for politics enthusiasts as you pass all the government departments, supreme court, capital building and not forgetting the monuments. In order to get there we had to pass through NYC which is just indescribable. The buildings combined with the sheer population are overwhelming and overpowering but paradoxically you get a sense of empowerment within the city. We stayed over at Samantha's house in Queens NY on the way back up. Her family showed me great hospitality and were very accommodating. It was interesting to stay with an American family albeit for a night something was different I don't know what but it was. It has made me even more eager to stay at my friend Ryan's for thanksgiving.

For Halloween I dressed up as the gingerbread man from Shriek. Ive put pictures on Facebook so have a look it was a good costume I was assured. As I walked down main street children were coming up asking for a picture with the gingerbread man and all I could hear was "OMG its the Gingerbread man". My friend Joe was dressed up as Eliot from ET and even made an ET in a basket it was really good.

Well the elections never went our way but locally we managed to hold everyone which was I suppose a good achievement despite the fact we should not have to fight for them that much. Overall Obama has to make massive changes both to himself and his policy agenda. It will be very interesting if anyone from his own party makes a move against him now that he is weak. I would say his best move of his presidency is making Clinton his Secretary of State, his most powerful opponent is now pre-occupied and focused on 2016. He has three areas to legislate on Energy, Immigration and Education on all both the Democrats and Republicans have bitter divides and will require careful navigation.

Midterms: exams and elections

Hello all,

The past few weeks have been midterm season: this is the time were most classes give an exam on everything that has been taught so far. One thin I have notice though the American system of marking is completely diiferent. At Dundee I think 70% gets an A whereas here it is 90%. However the marking is a lot more generous with it possible to achieve 100% such an event back home is just not possible. Another thing American slow life is evident in their studying I asked one person "how much do you study for a midterm" his reply "Ohhh man I study load and loads for mine last year like 4 hours at least" I didn't think 4 hours was long at all. Indeed most just wait until the night before then study for about 2 hours and that's that. I'm normally at least a week before I start.

The midterm elections are not long a way at all 2nd Nov. I along with a few friends are attending a rally tonight for the local Congressman the same one as the Clinton rally was for. I am also heading back down to DC tomorrow until Sun night this if for another rally which is the "return to sanity". The march is to voice opposition to the series of right wing Tea Party events with around 200,000 people expected it should make for a good weekend.

Its Halloween this weekend which is a MASSIVE thing here!!! I have got a really good costume it arrived today but its a secret so no revealing you will all have to wait for the pictures. People decorate there houses with brilliant decorations making some houses look really spooky. There are pumpkin carving competitions a village parade and a whole weekend of parties.

I was interviewed for the university paper this week and it has come out really well. The article should be appearing online http://oracle.newpaltz.edu/ any day now so watch that space. Its an article on me being from Scotland living in American what I have found so far and a sort of biography.