10/26/11

Moral topics today are often regulated by the state. Marijuana for example is only legal in some parts of the country while in others it is illegal. This matter of abortion is probably going to receive sympathy in places like the south where religion is strong. Any where along the bible belt really. I think ultimately though the government should have the final say in anything and especially when it comes to matters of morality and ethics. For example this matter of abortion will continue to play a huge part in America forever. People today are given the  idea that irresponsibility can be easy erased and fixed with no consequences. Our future generation is going to go on thinking that no matter what we do we can always blame someone else or find a way around the problem. Subjects such as abortion need to be re examined and eventually overturned for the effects that it has on the person itself, and also the message it leaves to young people who think that all their problems can be so easily fixed.

The Amendments

Mayor Reed has no right to dismiss the protestors unless they are violating any laws themselves. On that note I think this whole 99% thing is getting a little ridiculous when I was reding up on it. People themselves made decisions in their life that led them in to debt as well and people should be responsible for their own actions. I am not comending what the government did when they bailed out the big companies, but I think what they should have done was manage it so the people who were responisble for the downfall of the economy don't receive big bonus' and pay raises. The government and businesses should have come up with a plan that would make this lending responsible to the citizens of Ameirca. Back to the topic at hand, Citizens have the right to speak freely and protest on matters such as this. They don't have the right to obstruct justice and, to put it lightly, camp out like hobos in tents and such. I guess you can consider these people like the hippies in the 70's who protested in large numbers over the korean war. I think the protest now will eventually fade out because in all honesty what can the government do. I will say that if these conditions do not change then we might end up witnessing something along the likes of a revolution if the numbers are there.

Small businesses boost economy?

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/10/31/111031ta_talk_surowiecki

In society today, most consumers would rather shop at a big chain store rather than shopping at a local one. I will say that there are people who prefer small public markets rather than big chain stores. But the majority I think would rather shop at a walmart or target. The same also goes for businesses. Me personally I would rather have a franchise or well known business handle my problems than a local one. The New York Times article is stating that even though small business lead to jobs they do not help the economy at all. "One can see this by looking at the track record of the world’s economies. The developed countries with the highest percentage of workers employed by small businesses include Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Italy—that is, the four countries whose economic woes are wreaking such havoc on financial markets. Meanwhile, the countries with the lowest percentage of workers employed by small businesses are Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and the U.S.—some of the strongest economies in the world.small businesses are, on the whole, less productive than big businesses, and though they do create most jobs, they also destroy most jobs, since, while starting a business is easy, keeping it going is hard. This is true around the world. A recent study by the World Bank that looked at ninety-nine developing countries found that large firms had significantly higher productivity growth"

Small businesses may seem like a helpful tool to solve this economic problem but in reality their cause is ineffective and even detrimental in our achievement of economic stability.

At least you could give us a reach around!

These past few weeks the media has been obsessed with the occupy wallstreet rally. I think that these rallies are really changing the way people view corporations and just the over-all governemnt influence they gain. I was looking at recent photos of the new york rally and i saw a sign that read " the least you could do is give us a reach around", I thought this was hilarious and showed how pissed people really are. I think the American people have a right to protest these things. It is really terrible what corporations do and when they fuck up they just get a slap on the rist and a huge bailout. Normal harworking American Citizens have to suffer and don't get that type of leniancy that big corporations have. I feel like this is a big step for the American people, but in reality nothing is going to change. This whole idea of an American democracy is so 1776. The only thing the people can decide on is the next president who will most likely continue to lead a nation into destruction. The corporations and the government are now the deciding factors on how this country can become powerful again. If people continue to see no change then eventually the 99% will seek other ways to revolutionize this counrty. Conider it the new Hippie movement but alot more important that lillies and flowers.

Halloween?

For the past couple of years the halloween has been about going out and getting candy, but the now as you get older it shifts towards having parties, dressing like naughty school girls and french maids, and getting shit faced. I have not really done anything for the holiday of Halloweenalthough recently since I got a girlfriend Halloween parties are a must and constumes are even more required. In the past I stopped wearing costumes when I was reaching highschool. Now this year my girlfriend and I are spending money on costumes and also going to a halloween party which should be fun, except for the part where she gets to dress like princess peach and I have to dress up like super mario..I miss those days where dressing up like a power ranger was cooler than ever and getting candy from people you don't even know was more unnoticed and unimportant. I wish I could go back and really take advantage of those people who would buy the full size candies instead of the not so fun "fun size" candies.  People need to reclaim their halloween spirit and realize that its not so much about the impression you leave with your costume, but the joy you put on the childrens face when they get that king size kit kat. I never liked when people gave us candy corn. That stuff is terrible.

The Case of the Vanishing Blonde

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/12/vanishing-blonde-201012?printable=true&currentPage=1

If this article were turned in to a movie I would certainly pay money to view it. Not only did it have crime solving mytery, but it had a good ending as well. The article explains how a rape victim eventually learns who her killer is by a swift and persistant investigator. From the beginning it seems that the rapist will likely get away, but the detectivee never gives up and through hard work finds the rapist. I feel like this would make a really good detective movie.

Actually on second thought this has been done so many times that the movie would likely be a flop...Unless Brad Pitt was the detective and Jennifer Aniston was the rape victim. How many people in life can say that they, through thorough research and investigating, have apprehended a rapist and brought justice to more victims...I certainly would like to say this one day if I ever become a detective.

Who am I?

I think what makes us all unique is our own obsticles in life and how the influences of our relatives and friends help us grow up and undertake those characteristics that we see. In most cases we end up growing up to be exactly like one of our parents or both. In my case I see a huge resemblance of me in my dad. We share the same kind of personality and temperance. He is very laid back always in a relaxed mood. He also has an eagerness to support a family and make sure his kids are raised right. My identity is infused with ifluences from my family and past decisions and obsticle. It also includes my friends who support me and are there for me when I need them. Also my cultural background as a hispanic infuses my ancestors culture with mine and allows me to be even more unique.

Food Inc. 2.0

After watching Food Inc. I havent eaten anything but pizza. Mainly because I do not have any money right now and partly because I do not want to eat Mcdonalds or Burger King. I think the way beef is handled now is more though of and handlesd a little more carefully than before because films like these really rouse and make people think about what they are eating. I think if I had a choice I would rather pay more for something that was free of diseases, even with those odds. I understand the fact that some people just do not have the time or money to spend on healthy made food but there are alternatives to fast food that you can take. Even though I myself always enjoy a double quarter pound with cheese eventually I always look back and realize how bad this is for my health and could really affect the lives of my children in the future. We all must make a conscious decision to strive for better. Also I think it was very sad about the soy bean farmers who were pretty much run by the big companies and had no say in what they could do with their farm. This film really showed how we the consumer have a say when it comes to bringing down these big food conglomerates. We have a choice to put the processed foods down and have something more organic or fresh.

Tomas Transporter

Tomas Transtromer is a Swedish writer, poet and translator, whose poetry has been translated into over 60 languages.Transtromer is acclaimed as one of the most important Scandinavian writers since World War II. He was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature.

"Transtromer may be unfamiliar to many American readers, but he was the subject of a Washington Post profile in 1986, his work has been translated into more than 60 languages, and his name has been kicked around among the Nobel-selecting crowd for years, along with such better-known writers as Philip Roth, Thomas Pynchon and even Bob Dylan (a betting favorite among British oddsmakers this week).Hours after the prize was announced, Transtromer’s “The Great Enigma” (2006) soared onto the top-20 best-selling books on Amazon. "- Washigton Post

Here is one of his poems "Mid Winter"
A blue light
radiates from my clothing.
Midwinter.
Clattering tambourines of ice.
I close my eyes.
There is a silent world
there is a crack
where the dead
are smuggled across the border.

I don't really get this poem, but I can tell that it must be really deep and well thought since this guy won the nobel peace prize.

Food Inc.

After watching about two thirds of the documentary I almost wanted to become a vegan, but then I thought of the odds of contracting a virus like salmonella or any of the other ones they list. First off I think most adult humans can overcome the sickness, and second the outbreaks are vastly spread out throughout time so I'm gonna say the odds are around 1:1,000,000,000. I do believe though that the way the animals were treated was some what cruel. The scene where the chickens are getting their necks sliced open was a bit to gruesome for me. I swear I heard one of the chickens screaming "HELP ME" as he was about to be slaughtered. I think one of the messages from the film is to realize how unsafe and cheap bad beef is. Sure places advertise that it is "real meat", but from what remains of the cow or chicken did it come from. I think if I had a choice I would rather pay more for something that was free of diseases, even with those odds. I understand the fact that some people just do not have the time or money to spend on healthy made food but there are alternatives to fast food that you can take. Even though I myself always enjoy a double quarter pound with cheese eventually I always look back and realize how bad this is for my health and could really affect the lives of my children in the future. We all must make a conscious decision to strive for better.