My Views on Fracking (and Related Topics)

The frontier has always been about development. Most of the original settlers of the so-called "Wild West" came not because they wanted a life free from civilization, but because they wanted to bring development to land that had lain unused by non-native people. Far from being the embodying the independent, rugged ideal of the frontier, the people we see in Gasland are part of 150 years of the U.S. federal government trying to establish and maintain its sovereignty on land that it did not effectively control for much of the past 230 years.

Through the fracking debate, we see the conflict between the rhetoric used to justify expansion - lofty talk of individualism, independence, liberty and nature - and the true motives behind the settling of the West - profit. To a certain extent, I think the sad fact of the matter is that the people whose water is being poisoned are just pawns in a larger political and economic game, and that the system that we have in this country is optimized to ensure the best outcomes for the wealthy and well-connected, and the vaunted American Cultural Values are just ideas used to justify continuing the system to the vast majority of the population, who would otherwise be outraged by the allocation of resources.

Actually, that's probably too cynical.

Response to A4 Readings

      In the N.Y.Times article, Applebome interviews some villagers fighting against the natural gas drilling companies that cause pollution and serious illness to the neighborhood.   The villagers like Ms. Jastremski and Ms. Huntington use their personal force and commitment to do the research, visit the industrial companies and publishing their voices in local newspaper. They deserve sympathy and understanding, but they didn't manage all the victims in the neighborhood to form a larger voice. Instead, they would like to do all the work alone, although it's the most difficult, time consuming way to earn attention. This fact shows one important American value, Individuality, which means people would rather achieve their goals by their own ability and hardworking, even though sometimes the goals are similar. 
     In Will's essay, he also points out the core value of American culture is individualism, and this spirit refers other values like optimism, since being confident and positive lets people have the courage to solve the problems themselves. All these values will go to one destination, freedom.  To Will, freedom is more like the civic value for America, since it is the motivation of hardworking and the ultimate goal of everyone. 
    Schneekloth and Turner talk more about how the American cultural values were formed and introduced by the frontier. The brave, confident frontier came to this new land and formed a new country. Many great virtues of them leave deep effectiveness in American history, and those virtues become the model and values that effect how Americans think and take action even after over three hundred years.   

By Yawen Luo 

Everglades National Park Map

http://www.planetware.com/map/everglades-national-park-map-us-flever.htm

Mesa Verde in One Image

I think it aligns with Olwig's portrayal of parks as idyllic places, and with the cultural perception of Native Americans as being in tune with the rhythms of the natural world.

 We can see this perception in the famous advertisement produced by Keep America Beautiful:

Zion National Park

So here are some pictures of Zion National Park taken by my brother and a few taken by me... sorry there are so many. I just think some of them are pretty cool. Also the ones of my brother are to show what people will do in order to get "the perfect shot." I hope he doesn't kill me if he ever finds out i posted these here, and also, hope you enjoy!!

-- Victoria

http://youtu.be/6iG5L1AdsSk
This is a video i found as well, it is also one of my sources.

Alone and at home crossing the Sierra -- latimes.com

Alone and at home crossing the Sierra -- latimes.com

Ten design lessons from Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture by Matt Linderman of 37signals

Ten design lessons from Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture by Matt Linderman of 37signals