Recent update
- Portfolio Defense
- Where Are We Headed?
- The Arizona Law
- College Grads Face Tough Times
- McDonalds and Obesity
- Crisis in Europe
- School Distric Spying On Students
- Relationships
- Snow Falling On Cedars: Vocab
- The Big Pun Legacy
Portfolio Defense
May 28th, 2010 by picasso707
I am quite pleased with the progress I have made with my portfolio because when I started I was not very literate about how it worked. I have learned many new writing techniques and my creative skills have significantly improved. I like how the different media is displayed on my page alongside with the perfect color combination on my page. I really enjoy looking at my page because it really expresses some of the things I am passionate about.
I would have like to invest more time in arranging my material and separating content so it would not overwelm the page. Overall the work I crafted was satisfying and i hope to continously keep honing my creative writing skills.
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Where Are We Headed?
May 28th, 2010 by picasso707
Our future holds a very “lifeless” fate. We are significantly progressing with our technological advancements and we are making them a necessity. We are depending way too much on our electronics and we are, in a way becoming brain dead because we no longer have the need to do things manually. It is saddening and disturbing to embrace this fact because the human body has infinite possibilities of being productive and doing great things. Our greatest gift could also be our greatest curse. We have crafted gadgets that have considerably made our lifestyles more comfortable. One of the greatest innovations of our century has been the iPod and other products associated with it; such as the iPhone, iTouch, and the iPad which has been recently launched. The iPhone, iTouch, and iPad have been made with over a thousand applications that are very useful according to the needs of the user. They come equipped with E-books, calculators of all kinds, beat makers (for musicians and producers), stock market applications, translators, internet browser, among other great ones. There was a recent news report on ABC that really intrigued me and emphasized the theory of humanity become needier of these inventions. It showed how many doctors are using the iPhone as a microscope and are photographing cells and other samples for easy sharing and networking with other doctors. This is a great advancement in both technological and medical field. Doctors are hopeful that this could be a possible step towards finding a cure to deadly diseases such as cancer or aids. This is great news to many people but could this line of inventions have a negative outcome? What is next step to the improvement of the Apple items? We have plenty of uses to them; from entertainment to business, and now even to save lives. I hope that we do not become too dependent on them because there is always a possibility of failure in machines so we cannot trust them completely. Another effect of this is that it will deteriorate the human brain because we are going to be exercising way less with these tools. It is like astronauts and their legs. When they go on missions and keep their legs unused then when they come back to earth they are not functional. Government has a pretty tight leash on us even though we are with the illusion that the people have control.
Government intervention in our lives has always been present since the early days. Politicians have served us as leaders and decision makers, but have also lead us to failure and despair. We the people have a right to know the truth, but there are many conspiracies that we have not been informed about. The government took control over GMC which has been a top car producer in the U.S. It has been very successful and that is why the government took ownership of it. The Apple Company is rapidly rising and is becoming top dog world wide. There could be a possibility of the government buying out Apple and tampering with the products to have more intervention in our lives. Our government has the power to do what they want because they can easily hide information from us. One example is in one high school there was a report on some students taking Apple laptops home for educational purposes. These computers were provided by their school and had a built in webcam that was activated for security purposes in case any of them got stolen or lost. One student had not paid the full amount of the rental fee and therefore caused the webcam to activate. He eventually paid the full amount but none the less the camera recorded for over a month. The person in charge of the security was aware that it was still recording. This shows how the system has the ability to invade our privacy if given the right resources. It is a scary thing to think about because this signifies how little meaning privacy has in our country because it can be bypassed at any time.
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The Arizona Law
May 28th, 2010 by picasso707
Arizona recently passed a law against immigration during the last week of April. This law enables law enforcement to detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without proper documentation. If people detained and are in fact illegal immigrants they will and can be charged with a state crime. This new law also allows residents to sue cities if they believe the legislature is not being enforced. Some police units are skeptical about this new reform because they fear that it will lead to racial and ethnic profiling and also threaten public safety considering that many crimes will not be reported due to the people being scared of being deported. There is also a chance of them not cooperating with the police and get aggressive to be able to avoid being deported. Many people where against this law and sent many letters and left a lot of voicemails. There were 1,112 letters received and 85 percent of the letters opposed it. They were sent by various religious groups, different organizations, and political leaders. It is a very controversial legislature because it really defies the bill of right and is really pushing the boundaries and limits of it being unconstitutional. The main point is that even if it is constitutional there is not question about it being morally wrong.
The Hispanic community is living in fear and tries to refrain from going out more than necessary. The majority of the politicians from the government of Arizona realize the repercussions that this may bring but many say it is necessary because the “system” is breaking. The passing of this law has caused many civil disputes and protests. A great majority of the population in Arizona is against this law and states how this law greatly resembles “Nazism”. There has been great pressure on Governor Brewer, the governor of Arizona, because many political parties are unhappy with this decision. He has decided to not state his position on this issue after being confronted numerous times he has just evaded the million dollar question.
I completely agree with the fact that legal immigration should not be permitted and I am Hispanic. I am a legal immigrant to the United States and it is evident that what the government of Arizona is enforcing is morally wrong. I believe that necessary measures should be taken to prevent illegal immigration, but this is completely humiliating and it undoubtedly violates the Hispanic community. Governor Brewer stated that this new law would not imply the use of racial profiling by police officers or other law enforcement agencies, but clearly that is not the case. What conditions are these to live in? Is America not the promised land of opportunities and equality…? We as a whole need to take a step back and really brainstorm on other possibilities or alternatives to solve the problem. The goal is not just to solve the problem, but make it somewhat of an agreement. By saying agreement I refer to there being a mid point solution where everyone can be satisfied and for the things to resolve. It saddens me to see “my” being treated so unfairly and that is why I think political decisions need to be taken more proactively rather than reactively because the reactive decisions have had very negative impacts on our country. The negative outcomes are not just in this situation but throughout our history they have been present. I hope one day to be able to break this glass ceiling that still mildly exists for Hispanics. I also aspire to be able to really get through to people and encourage naturalizing themselves as U.S citizens because in every conflict there are to parties responsible for the problem.
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College Grads Face Tough Times
May 28th, 2010 by picasso707
The New York Times discusses how the college graduates of spring this year have a better chance of receiving better employment opportunities than last year’s graduates. This does not mean that they will have guaranteed positions but there is a better chance of prevailing. The market is hurt and employers say that they are only planning to create 5% more job offers than last year. The average starting salaries are ridiculously low and the economy is the main contributor to this issue. The employment of college graduates is down by 20% compared to the statistics from the spring of 2008. This is very threatening to many students because they are concerned about having to work for minimum wage doing hard labor.
A graduate from the University of Maryland with a bachelors degree in history described his constant struggle with finding a job. He had applied to over 50 employers and said that he had gotten very few interviews. He had to use his last resort and took a job offer selling software which pays minimum wage and a occasional commision. This is very bad scenario because he invested a lot of money and time in his schooling for him to obtain these results.
I am very concerned for my future and hope things shape up because it would be awful to work so hard for nothing. Schooling is supposed to give you an edge, but it is tough compete with the experienced competition and scarce job opportunities.
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McDonalds and Obesity
April 23rd, 2010 by picasso707
In my opinion McDonalds has been a great contributor to the growth of our economy. They are a multinational company and they have restaurant in six continents. They reason of why they have been so successful is because the have found great ways to lure customers in their restaurants and they give their advertisement great importance. The mainly focus on attracting kids with their playgrounds, scrumptious happy meals, and the clown Ronald McDonald. They figured that if kids went, parents would be forced to eat there as well. Another reason of why it has been successful is simply because the majority of our society is too busy to cook and they see McDonalds as an alternative since the food is cheap, fast, and like they said in the movie, “It fills u up”. It has a variety of different products to fit different “wants” to satisfy the customer and succeed. Like Ray Kroc said, “If you take care of the customer the business will take care of itself”. There are so many consumers in the world that enjoy this restaurant and become “heavy users” or consumers that eat this on a regular basis. Many of these restaurants are located in China, which is the world’s fastest growing economy at the moment, and this is causing McDonalds to maximize its profit. If McDonalds has more money then there will be more money spent and more circular flow in our economy. McDonalds also provides many employment opportunities. If the unemployment rate is reduced then that also means that people will be able to spend more and slowly but surely improve our economy.
McDonalds and the fast food industry should not be accountable for obesity in America. We have a free market economy in U.S which means that anyone can sell whatever they want at the price they want as long as its legal. People have to have personal responsibility and evade the fast food or at least reduce the amount they consume. Fast food restaurant do not force consumers to go into their restaurant. People chose to go and they go under their own risk because fast food industries care about maximizing their profit and nothing else. Even if people decide to consume fast food they have alternatives on ways they can stay healthy. They can work out, not eat as much, drink water instead of milkshakes, etc. It is all about consumer personal responsibility. People should know that fast food increases their weight and harms their body. The nutritional facts are available in many places and if people are so concerned about the effects of fast food then they should do research ahead of time and not when they have liver failure and they are overweight. Fast food is like cigarettes and alcohol. It is available and it is harmful but it is up to the consumer’s criteria to decide if they should buy the goods or not. Why should tobacco companies and alcohol companies be responsible for the effects of their products when the effects of their products are known and people are the ones that are deciding to purchase it.
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Crisis in Europe
April 19th, 2010 by picasso707
A huge volcanic ash cloud has spread throughout Europe due to the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. Many people are in a scramble to reach Spain since it is one of the few European countries that has been immune to this disaster. Deserted travelers are looking for any way to get to Spain or to get out of Europe.Buses, trains, and high priced cabs were the common ways of transportation. People are so desperate to get out of the country that they are even paying an estimated five $5,000 for car rentals and driving for at least sixteen hours.
Tourism officials say that the traveling disruptions in Europe will cost New York about $25,000,000. Tourists make up 20% of New York’s people and account to half of the spending. The renowned Tribecca Film Festival is taking place on Wednesday and many directors and actors may not make it on time. If the travelers from Europe do not find a way to get to New York, not only is the state going to be in trouble but the whole country.
It is unfortunate how ruthless nature can be and how people have to suffer. Luckily no one was injured from this phenomenon, but it is still a frightening experience to go through. Events like these are situations where people have to unite and cope with each other to surpass the struggles of life. If everyone supported each other the world would become a lot more productive and would be better overall. We need to support other countries because we can never know when we will be in distress and in need of help.
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School Distric Spying On Students
April 19th, 2010 by picasso707
A school distric in Pennsylvania was accused of spying on their students through webcams. Apple powerbooks were issued to students to enhance education and the requirement to recieve a lap top was to pay the insurance in case something happend to the computer. Blake Robbins was photographed over a thousand times,many of them being nude.Him and his family were greatly disturbed by this and filed a law suit against the school district. The laptop camera was activated due to a half payment of the insurance. For security purposes, the school was only allowed to track the computers and went way over the line with the photographs. The cameras were controlled by a staff member in the technology department so there was no automated program involved in this incident.There was no reason for Blake to be tracked for fourteen days every fifteen minutes so the security excuse was obsolete. Blake has returned to school and feels a bit uncomfortable around his prinicple because she has seen him naked.
It is scary to know how much technology has advanced and the type of things people can do with it. It has been a great resource to humanity, but it is imperative that we use it the right way and for the right purposes. I am glad that the law suit was made because this should not happen to any other students and also for the fact that I am strongly against child pornography and pedophilia. Some of the staff members involved in the tracking were having fun with it and were quoted saying, “This is like a little soap opera”, “I know, I love it”. The people responsible were fired and had a case presented in court.
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Relationships
April 19th, 2010 by picasso707
Relationships are a beautiful thing in life to be part of. They help us grow as individuals and also improve our ability to love or show affection. It is amazing the mixed emotions that can be experienced in a relationship. They are overall a magnificent gift of life, but just like all the other good things in life, they have their negative side.
Feelings towards another person gradually increase as you interact more with them and as you build memories. The concept of attachment to mascots can be applied in relationships; the more you mingle with the person, the stronger the bond gets. It is a lovely feeling to know that someone else deeply cares for you regardless of your flaws. That is why love is widely known to blind people and make them have a different perspective of life.
At the beginning everything is sweet and couples are lovey dovey, but as time go by these changes. Habits are more noticeable and many jealousy conflicts arise. Attraction is part of the human nature and it is impossible to only be attracted to one person out of all the people that inhabit this world. This is where the relationship stops declining and everything from there on goes downhill. Once that happens there is possibility and hope of fixing or improving a relationship but things never go back to normal. Great comparisons to relationships are napkins. Once a napkin is crumpled it can be straightened out or even ironed, but it will never return to its initial state.
In summary, people should just enjoy life and seize any opportunities they get instead of being tied down to one person. Commitment does not only bring restrictions, but also unnecessary stress. There are too many people roaming this planet for one to be stuck with the same person. The only exception to this should be marriage but unless one is certain of the relationship people should live life up.
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Snow Falling On Cedars: Vocab
April 19th, 2010 by picasso707
remnant: a remaining, usually small part, quantity, number, or the like.
The remnants of the earthquake in Haiti were the people and rubble.
The aftermath of an earthquake.
implacible: not to be appeased, mollified, or pacified; inexorable.
The enemies we faced in war were implacible.
Enemy soldiers are implacible.
influx: mass arrival or incoming.
An influx of tourist arrived at the city.
The airport has pleanty of people arriving.
binnacle: a stand or enclosure of wood or nonmagnetic metal for supporting and housing a compass.
The binnacle of the compass was broken.
The binacle is part of the compass.
solenoid:A current-carrying coil of wire that acts like a magnet when a current passes through it.
The inventor of the solenoid is brilliant.
The solenoid is similar to a magnet.
prodding: to poke or jab with or as if with something pointed
I prodded pablo so he could look at the accident.
This is someone poking another person.
lithographic: a printing process in which the image to be printed is rendered on a flat surface, as on sheet zinc or aluminum, and treated to retain ink while the nonimage areas are treated to repel ink.
The art in the ruins was lithographic.
This is an example of lithography.
conjecture: an opinion or theory so formed or expressed; guess; speculation.
Sherlock Holmes is accurate with his conjectures.
This is a detective and they all have conjectures sometime in their career.
protruded: to thrust forward; cause to project.
I had to protrude the car because the battery died.
This person is pushing a car.
unequivocal: not equivocal; unambiguous; clear; having only one possible meaning or interpretation.
I dislike math because the answers have to be unequivocal.
A book of calculus.
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The Big Pun Legacy
March 31st, 2010 by picasso707
Big Pun, also known as Christopher Lee Carlos Rios, was an exceptionally talented MC and was extremely underrated. He was a phenomenal rapper; no one had his balanced style of spitting. He was a heavy lyricist but balanced his word play just right so it would not intoxicate his tracks. His flow was very distinguishable and the way he flicked his toungue was ridiculous. He was mainly underestimated because of the glass ceiling. Latinos were a minority at the time and were not thought to be capable of living up to the standards of real hip hop. He was great and was at the top along side the other heavy weights. Just as hard as Biggie, Big L, Jay-Z and other legends were spitting, Big Pun was spitting. He used genious metaphors, similes, allusions and admirable punchlines with a little bit of sense of humor. He knew exactly how to stimulate his audience and he could easily flip from making a “hardcore motivational” song to a “female friendly” track. He was brilliant with ryhming his lines and mastered this fully.
Here are a list of some of my favorite songs from this legend, alongside with some lyrics to the songs.
Dream Shatterer-Capital Punishment
Ay-yo i shatter dreams, assault and batter your team like Jordan
Your squadron’ll be barred from rap like Adam and Eve from the garden
I’m carvin’ my initials on your forehead
So every night before bed, you see the “BP” shine off the board head
Punish Me-Capital Punishment
I was the luckiest man on earth,my wisdom was worth any purse
But had a curse that hurt worst than giving birth
My first verse explains, some of the games she was playin’
I’m blaming myself because in my wealth was her pain would haven
Fat Joe and Punisher Freestyle- Mixtape 1
Brothers are rappin’ like iraqi soldiers
Acting like they cracking boulders
When they pack a cap that won’t attack a blowfish
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