Inauguration of Obama

The inauguration of Barrack Obama on January 20th will mark historic event in which the first African American President will take office in the white house. His speech after being sworn in promises to be a good one, with experts expecting comparisons between Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Clark S. Judge, a speech writer for former President Ronald Reagan, stresses the importance of bringing peoples attention to the present, the moment. Obama he says, must make the immediate problems evident and clear to the millions of Americans watching. The problems we face today, such as the economy and the War in Iraq, are to demanding to be left in the past. “Inaugural addresses must at some point turn from the timeless to the immediate.”

Reducing Time and Space

The families described in the New York Times artice Living Apart for the Paycheck by Jennifer Conlin, is a classic example of the extreme measures being taken by more Americans during this falty economy. Couples are willing to live apart, (even on different sides of the world) to make ends meat and provide for their children. Obviously, this choice of living in different cities or countries places a tremendous amount of stress on a realationship which could potentially divide the couple, making it even harder for the kids they are trying to provide for. The question I have though is, are we losing sight of whats really important? Is the slightly bigger house worth it if you cant even see your children? Is the money that much more valuable than spending time with your young son or daughter?