In Lizetter Alvarez’s article, Soy Diet Is Cruel and Unusual, Florida Inmate Claims, Eric D. Harris, serving time in a Florida prison for sexual battery on a child, is complaining about the prison diet. Harris says that the soy-based turkey dogs and sloppy Joes served are “cruel and unusual punishment”, a violation to the eighth amendment. He claims that the soy-based prison diet is a health concern to his immune system and body, causing a thyroid problem. Apparently, he is not alone. Nine other inmates in an Illinois prison also filed a similar lawsuit in 2009; the lawsuits are still pending. A soy-based diet is a lot cheaper to make, rather than a diet rich in chicken and beef.

I think Harris’ complaints are ridiculous. There are people living in poverty and on the streets and this guy, a guy who committed a felony, is complaining about his diet. Some people would love to consume this diet and be gladly endure what Harris calls “cruel and unusual punishment”. Prison inmates are given a choice of choosing the soy-based diet, a vegan diet, or a diet of food you can buy with your own money. If Harris has such a big problem with the soy-based diet he has now, why can’t he just change his diet? He is lucky to be getting fed. I understand that even prison inmates have rights, but this guy sexually assaulted a child. If I had it my way, he would not be eating any sort of meal at all.

Racism is everywhere and it’s usually hard to deal with. Stereotypes and racial slurs are thrown around casually everyday; how does one respond to them?  These days, people tend to make attempts at being humorous by saying racial jokes that actually offend the people the joke is aimed at. Also, a certain person might feel the right to treat another person of a certain race a specific way because of stereotypes. This sense of superiority over another race is not one that should be followed.

Stereotypes may be funny at first but begin to get annoying after a while. The typical “Asians are good at math” and “Ching chong” thing aimed at Asians is something I really hate. You can’t assume a person is good at something just because of his or her race; I have a Chinese friend who is horrible at math and gets offended when someone asks her for help in math. And for someone to degrade the Chinese language into two words digests me. This is the language of my ancestors and for it to be made a joke out of makes me shake my head at mankind.

We may look different and have different cultures but in the end, we are all people and should be treated equally and respected. Chinatown is a neighborhood rich in culture and history. There is a park near Canal Street where senior citizens go to enjoy their time, playing music and putting on a show for others. This happens almost every Sunday and have been so for the past couple of years. Lately, young, wealthy people of non-Asian descent have been moving into the neighborhood and can’t stand this “noise” and file noise complaints against these senior citizens, resulting in their expulsion from the park. These newcomers need to respect the rich culture that is Chinatown and start by learning about the culture, not abolishing it.

Racism is a hard thing to get past. After all those years of leaders attempting to make the world a better, more equal place, the separation is still evident. Ignorant people need to get rid of these strict lines and immerse themselves in new cultures to get a better understanding of the world. Knowledge ends ignorance.

There two versions of The Barber of Seville, the opera and the play, are ultimately the same thing in terms of plot. Everything takes a similar, if not the same, route like the way the Count dresses in disguise to meet Rosine, how Bartolo is trying to maintain his plan to marry Rosine, and how the Count ends up with Rosine instead. There are slight differences in terms of the execution of these actions where in the opera, the Count threatens the notary with a gun instead of bribing him with money. That action changes the Count’s character from the play.

Character was one thing that greatly differed from opera to play. Just like how the Count’s character slightly differed from the play, Figaro’s character also differed. The Character of Figaro was more pronounced in the opera and his role is more prominent. Figaro was just a supporting character in the play, with the main character being the Count but the opera changes that. The whole beginning scene (which was not in the play) is even dedicated to Figaro. I feel as if the opera was centered around Figaro and now, the title makes more sense to me.

The opera showcases Figaro’s singing more and the musicians in the opera appear more frequently than the chorus did in the play, making the whole thing more musical. Instead of just Figaro being the musical one like it was in the play, the whole cast is now singing and it seems more interesting to me. Because of the more musical tone of the opera, the lines are shorter and are more to the point, making for an easier and quicker read. I find myself wondering how this all sounds.