Monday #3

This image is captured right after the collapse of the North Tower during 9/11 and is able to capture the chaos and confusion, while also showing what a somber experience it was. The photo captures people covered in dust from the destruction of the tower and shows that the people were completely covered in it, showing that everyone around the event was affected in some physical aspect, along with the mental trauma they felt, by being completely covered in the building's ruins. It also shows the apparent chaos with all the debris on the ground, and confusion with the man who seems to be looking the other way from the photo, possibly in hopes of trying to look for someone or something amidst the destruction that lays back there. Yet, there's also a somber tone that lowers the energy of the chaos, showing that the people are truly horrified and shocked by the event that just took place before them, as we could also see that they're not running away, but walking with looks of disbelief and remorse. Also, although it was daytime during the attack, the picture is captured in black and white, capturing the mood of the people as they are walking through and portraying their state of mind that was most likely in a state of not being able to see the beauty of the world, but muffled in reflection of what just happened. The smoke from the remains also adds into the confusion and muffled state of their minds, and the mood of the entire event itself.

Monday #2

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/17/3916574/rising-poverty-should-bring-a.html

The economy in the U.S. is getting progressively worse, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better in 2011. As the gap between the rich and poor get bigger, one out of six Americans are suffering through poverty everyday, managing to get by with food stamps and security checks.

Many more, especially minority ethnic groups and single mothers, have it much worse, contrary to the "American Dream" and how every citizen is entitled to equal opportunities. In reality, these minority groups are suffering unemployment and a staggering income, just managing to get by for themselves, which means those with families have an even harder time. Many young adults would also account for this group if it weren't for the support of their parents, as job opportunities for them are hard to come by at a time like this.

Americans shouldn't expect poverty to all of a sudden turn around and take care of itself, and we shouldn't push the government to be the only one to fix it either. It's the effort of other Americans to support the their fellow citizens and help them get on their feet, as well as private businesses and nonprofit groups, to ease the situation of poverty and get the economy running and prospering again.

Monday #1

http://news.yahoo.com/behind-poverty-numbers-real-lives-real-pain-151738270.html

Poverty in the U.S. is getting much worse, and things don't seem to be getting better. The poverty rate is now 15.1 percent, the highest of any major industrialized nation. That means that almost one out of six Americans live in poverty, but people don't seem to see just how much people are suffering since they only see the numbers. However, the Associated Press wrote this article to put faces to the numbers and showed real people and communities in our country to show just what they have to go through on a day to day basis to survive. Many are surviving with less than $20,000 a year, and even whole communities, like Pembroke, are suffering with their entire community shutting down due to schools, banks, gas stations, supermarkets, and many more shutting down. Many people don't realize what poverty means, and many more don't think it's ever going to happen to them, like with Kris Fallon who once earned $100,000 a year combining with her husbands income, but now her husband has to work out of state and she admits that she fully understands what it's like to struggle in poverty and just how hard it is to get back up from it.