Unfair

It is said that karma catches up to people, but how long does it take? Does it always catch up to people? Why some more than others?  I guess you could say that life's unfair, and that there is no true logic on why karma effects one person more than another person. I have a two grandmothers, one named Annabelle and the other Selma. They are a great example of how karma is unfair.

Annabelle is almost eighty years old legally blind, and has Alzheimer's, she lives in a special home that specializes in helping people who suffer from Alzheimer's retain their memory for longer. She also suffers from anxiety, so whenever she forgets  something, she gets stressed out on what she was going to ask. She'll go nights without sleeping, worrying about little things such as traveling, and future plans. Her husband died four years ago, and she still cries if anyone talks to her about her husband. She goes through her day forgetting events that happened minutes prior. 

Selma is my other grandmother. She is ninety years old, still drives her red Chevy, and is completely fine. She spends all her money and time going around the world on small cruises. Her husband died last year, yet there is no sign of love or sadness when you talk to her about him. She lives in a small house right down the block from John's Creek and she lives alone with one cat named Sasha. 

You would probably think that Annabelle got what she deserved, that karma finally caught up with her. The truth is that Annabelle has always been my favorite grandmother. She was a wonderful mother to my mom and a wonderful grandmother to myself and my brother. Annabelle says "I love you" constantly to my family not because she forgets saying it the first time, but because she doesn't want us to forget how much she loves us. Not only does she show an infinite amount of love to me, she also cherishes the moments my family is together, and finds peace in just sitting silently next to me.

 Selma on the other hand has never loved my family. She constantly comments on how much better my aunt's family is than mine. Comparing grades and accomplishments between my brother and my cousins. She lives down the road from my house, yet she never visits. Even when I was younger she would give my cousins the paint, and the art supplies, while I got the crayons and the old coloring book filled with pages that were already half way done with being colored. 

Obviously I have a favorite grandmother. There is no excuse for the actions Selma has done to my family in the past. I just wish Annabelle was healthier and happier than she is now because she sure as hell doesn't deserve what she got. 

Sandy refugees: Safe and secure, or too much like a prison?

Natalie Esparza

11-11-2012

Sandy refugees: Safe and secure, or too much like a prison?

A few hundred refugees from the chaotic desolation caused by "Frankenstorm" Sandy, have been sleeping inside a "tent city" in Ocean Port, New Jersey since Wednesday. The air is loud with the buzz of generators pumping out power. The post-storm housing — a refugee camp on the grounds of the Monmouth Park racetrack - is in lock down, with security guards at every door, including the showers. No one is allowed to go anywhere without showing their I.D. Even to use the bathroom, "you have to show your badge," said Amber Decamp, a 22-year-old whose rental was washed away in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.

This is absolutely crazy. Aren't we supposed to be helping these people survive? We aren't running a prison with maximum security. We are attempting to help these refugees from a storm - I see absolutely no point in this lock down. These people have done nothing wrong, they are merely fending for their lives and their next meal. These people have family's they need to get back to and communicate with. They are normal American citizens caught in the middle of this crisis. I fail to see the point in making them feel even more isolated and afraid by having so many rules that would not otherwise apply if they had not just experience a natural disaster.

The mini city has no cigarettes, no books, no magazines, no board games, no TVs, and no newspapers or radios. On Friday night, in front of the mess hall, which was serving fried chicken and out-of-the-box, just-add-water potatoes, a child was dancing and dancing — to nothing. "We're starting to lose it," said Decamp. "But we have nowhere else to go." Inside the tent city, which has room for thousands but was only sheltering a couple of hundred on Friday, no one had heard anything about a move - or about anything else. "They treat us like we're prisoners," says Ashley Sabol, 21, of Seaside Heights, New Jersey. "It's bad to say, but we honestly feel like we're in a concentration camp."

"This is an incredibly tough situation trying to find housing for these people," said Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Affairs Manager Scott Sanders. "With winter coming, they obviously can't stay there."

Well, where are they going to stay when winter comes? These people are without shelter or food, they have no homes to go back to, and we are just going to leave them to fend for themselves when winter comes? I commend the efforts already made to save these people - to cloth them and give them shelter - but what good will that do if they all die in the winter? Basically, we just wasted all those resources so they could die a little later. This isn't good enough. Either we shouldn't have helped them in the first place, or we need to make sure they have the resources to survive, but acting like "we did our best" is not acceptable. All we will do, is prolong their death while we have wasted our resources. What good did that do?

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/sandy-refugees-life-tent-city-feels-prison-162419452.html

My Complaints about Mr. Economos

Gotcha. You'll probably be a little disappointed to know that this blog actually isn't about Mr. Economos, but you're already here so you might as well read it.

This blog is about perception. Perception is everything. Perception is essentially how each individual person views their own reality, and by changing your perception, you can change your reality. 

This picture encompasses the fundamental argument being made here. Some people are just seemingly never happy. No matter what they do or what they have they will simply never be satisfied.While others who have very little, view themselves among the luckiest people they know.

I guess what I'm trying to get after here is that people should really start to show more appreciation for the little things in life that make them happy. There's a lot of cheesy cliches I could throw out there but really the key thing is having more appreciation for what you do have, and not stressing so much about the things we don't have or the things we aren't. So I challenge you, all three people that will read this and maybe Mr. Economos if you haven't already marked it off as a completion grade, to worry less about how smart you are, how hot you are, what car you drive, what friends you have, and to take a deep breath and consider the things in your life that you're proud of and that make you happy. Because in the end, what's the point of life if you don't enjoy it?

People Eating People: The Circle of Life

Billy was robbed in a dark alley. Jane was brutally murdered. Joey was attacked outside his home while getting the mail. Blah blah blah. This is just stuff we hear all the time. I’m not suggesting that it is by any means acceptable. It is simply not all that out of the ordinary unfortunately. You know what is out of the ordinary? Cannibalism. That's right. People eating people. How many times do you look at someone and think. Ooo, they look tasty, but how should I cook them? Should I bake them, or chop them up and boil them? So many options!

Never. Want to know why? Because it's not normal. When I was searching current events on Google, I kind of wanted to write something on kidnapping, so I searched recent kidnappings but when I did, I found a story about how New York City policeman, 28 year old Gilberto Valle, had pictures and addresses, which he got from police database without permission, of 100 women he planned to torture and eat. He was not shy about it either. He openly disclosed things like how he wanted to cook a woman on low heat in order to keep her alive as long as possible. Seriously? Ew.

He didn’t actually carry out any of these …what do I even call them…eatings? However, he was arrested because he was sharing on online fetish sites that he was making plans to. He even communicated with one man about selling him a girl for $5,000. But before you start judging him, I must inform you of something. He’s really not THAT bad because he told the man that he did not want to participate in her rape. See? He’s really quite considerate when you think about it. He can kidnap, kill, and eat people, but rape? That just crosses the line. 

fam

The future is a wondrous thing. Thinking about my future that I will construct excites me and at the same time makes me cringe a little. I don’t really have a specific path planned out but there is one definite goal that i would like to achieve. I would like to make sure that my family including myself witness true happiness and gratitude for being a part of the family.
There is a Spanish project to describe my idea of an ideal family, and it got me thinking a little. What is my ideal family like? Is it like the typical American dream family that many desire to have. I think it would definitely be nice but I've came to the conclusion that I am very very grateful for my family which is far different from the dream family.

I think what is important in a family is the trust and the bond between members. The love each member shares with one another is the most important. The environment on the family or the number of members in the family is something that is not necessary. This is a cliché but as long as each member has each other with support and love, the family will prevail and be happy. Having someone who you can truly depend on is happiness. Being able to be in each others company through the best of or the worst of times is great and is what I think is a true family.

Things That Bother Me

If you didn't pick it up from the title, this is not going to be a pleasant blog. I will essentially be complaining about minuscule and trivial matters, and while I have always been the one saying that there are people that are worse off than I am, at this point, I am just going to rant. If you don't want to listen to that, I suggest you stop reading here.

So here we go.

1) shallow people- I honestly cannot stand people that spend all their time worrying about how their hair looks or how long they would have to cry in order to convince their parents that a new Gucci handbag is an ABSOUTE necessity and that they will just die without it. Seriously people? Get a life. I really could'n care less how much the fabric you put on your body and carry your crap in costs, and I'm sure no one else really does either. So stop. Just stop.

2) selfish people- Economos, I bet you're loving this one. All people are selfish to a certain extent, but those that just don't care about the desires of those around them and are only concerned with their own well being are especially irritating. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I know that about 90% of the time, i put others before myself.

3) conceited people- I find nothing more obnoxious than those individuals who think they are god-sent angels blessing all us mere humans with their enchanting presence. Not only do they think they are all that and a bag of chips, but they want everyone to think so too. Therefore, they feel the need to advertise their conceitedness in order to inform everyone else that they are the only one who matters. The sad thing here is: we fall right into that trap. The "popular" girls at school are only teen royalty because they think they are, and no one dares to argue because, despite what they're willing to admit, they desperately want to be like them.

4) people who think they know everything- I think this can be summarized by stop it "you know my name, not my life." Quit pretending you are some enlightened being. You do NOT know what I've dealt with or what my intentions are. If you don't care, I don't need your input. Please and thank you.

So that's it. You can return to your life now, dear reader. I will no longer burden you with the things I am bothered by. After all I am just an insignificant one in 7 billion, so why should you care at all about me? You shouldn't, and you don't, so you can stop pretending. You're not fooling anyone.

hope

Imagine if you were a prospective athlete with a promising future ahead of you, when suddenly, a tragic and horrible accident happens and you’re left paralyzed. Unable to move even your fingers a slightest bit and carry out your routines,  young Zac Bradley was left hopeless. Playing basketball his whole life to a  scholarship basketball career at college, Bradley was a typical athlete that loved to do what he did.  He was well behaved and well disciplined. The accident was not his fault at all unlike many other athletes who ruin their own career and future due to the lack of discipline.  Bradley was just driving under some harsh weather conditions when a huge tree fell and hit his car while on the road. He was hospitalized for a full month.

Truthfully, if was in his situation, I would feel completely hopeless and be in despair. Being injured and in tremendous pain is one thing, but not knowing what would happen to him in the future would just be horrible. To lose something that he has worked for all his life to be just lost in the blink of an eye on top of the enduring physical pain that will remain with him for the rest of his life would be just too much to bare. However, Bradley was different. He thrived to make up for his disability and decided to work even harder. A noble attitude we all can learn from.

As he was able to move with a wheelchair, Bradley went to school and studied to make something out of his career. He achieved good grades but being an athlete, he was unable to stay away from sports. So, he took up wheelchair rugby and developed a passion for that.

Zac Bradley’s unyielding attitude and determination to never give up is a lesson for all of us to never give up.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/real-people-wheelchair-athlete-turns-injury-into-i/nR79C/

Usher cuts to vote

            On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, everyone across the United States rushed to nearby polling sites and lined up to submit a vote that will heavily impact the future of America. Many people had to wait in long lines before they were able to cast their ballot—except for maybe one person. On this very day in Fulton County, pop star Usher arrived at a polling site and was escorted to the front of the line. Not only was Usher allowed to vote immediately after he got there, he also got the privilege of taking photos while he was voting, which is not allowed unless the poll manager grants you permission. This, of course, upset many of the non-celebrities that had to stand patiently for their turn.

            In a world where media influences everyone, celebrities hold a very high status in our society and carry great importance in the entertainment industry. This leads them to believe that they hold special privileges and can therefore weave their way out of certain situations. They, however, should not ignore all the basic rules normal citizens have to follow. If celebrities decide reveal themselves in the public and do things normal people do, they must act like non-celebrities—they should not expect to get special treatment just because their annual income is dramatically higher than that of an average person.

            Another celebrity who received special treatment in the past is Chris Brown. As many probably know, Chris Brown was caught abusing Rihanna a few years ago. Normally, a person who is charged with battery and assault has to serve time in jail. Christ Brown, on the other hand, only had to wash cars, pick up some trash, and remove graffiti. I find this very shocking. It is common to see celebrities get into clubs faster or get better seats at games or shows, but everyone should be equal under the law; it should not matter what your status is.  

Source(s):

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/fulton-allowed-usher-to-skip-voting-line/nS2gg/

Typical Teenage Rant

Like most busy teenagers, I feel like I never have a break. My schedule of extracurriculars and academics is such that in the fall, my "week" starts on Sunday evenings and runs through Saturday afternoons, leaving me exactly one day of "weekend".

My definition of "week" is basically the duration of time that I theoretically should be productive. A typical weekday consists of a possible nap, a few hours of an extracurricular, and then hours of homework interrupted by my constant distractions. Because I'm in colorguard, I don't go home on Fridays. I stay after school and get home anytime from 10:30 to past midnight. The next morning, I wake up and go to dance, eat a short lunch, and then go to SAT tutoring. By the time all of this is over, it's around 4 pm on my Saturday. Then, instead of relaxing at home for the first time in the week, somehow every week some plans or the other fall into place on my Saturday evenings. So I'm still not really home. Ideally, my Sundays are my free day - but lately I've had things come up on those days too. Plus, I tend to leave all of my non-pressing weekday homework for the weekends...so I do homework for the majority of the day. Yet I procrastinate just enough so that I'm still up late on Sunday evenings. And aha, the schedule repeats. 

I guess the busyness keeps me from getting sad or melodramatic. I just don't have time for that. It keeps me from indulging in stupid TV shows; I've sat on the couch and watched TV a total of two or three times this entire school year. And this isn't because I don't like TV, trust me. The busyness also keeps me content in a way. It feels good to be productive and to be accomplishing things. Every night when I finish all my work I feel like a new weight is lifted off of my shoulders, and getting into bed is so so satisfying. Dancing and guard also make me happy. They provide me much more long-term happiness than a TV show will. 

The biggest advantage to this whole full plate schedule is the appreciation it forces me to have of the actual breaks I have. For example, because I see friends outside of school at most once or twice a week, I value that time with them that much more. Because I have a significant quantity of homework almost every night, the days that I don't are heavenly. And because I have things going on almost every day, the days I don't have stuff feel like paradise. The first time I honestly felt free this school year was this past Monday night and Tuesday. I didn't have practice for one of the few sacred times of the year, and there was no school the next day. I hung out with friends two days in a row. For most kids, that's completely normal and I sound crazy. But for me, it was a rarity. I didn't have an absurd amount of homework, and my day was relatively free until the evening (I still had dance though, of course). The novelty of this type of day was so refreshing and enjoyable only because I'm not used to it. If I weren't busy, then real breaks wouldn't even be special. 

Hurricane Sandy and the Aquarium

            One week ago, Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast region of the United States. The horrifying hurricane caused severe flooding, destruction of homes, power outage, and other disasters. Hurricane Sandy did not only affect humans but also other species. The New York Aquarium was a part of the many flooded buildings. The aquarium was the home to over 12,000 fish and marine mammals. The basement of the 14-acre aquarium was flooded with water causing all of the electrical devices useless. The critical life support systems, which include the fish filtration, oxygenation, and water temperature controller, were also broken. The floodwater soon mixed with the aquarium’s saltwater causing an even bigger problem. The idea of transporting the fish to other aquariums was rejected because of the stress that it might cause. The aquarium workers first focused on returning the oxygen needed to the fish. While restoring the oxygen, the workers also diligently and carefully swept out the floodwater in the basement. When the disaster occurred, the aquarium workers feared the possibility of a great loss of fish. All the saltwater wildlife was still alive. However, the koi and other freshwater species died due to the mixture of the saltwater ocean and freshwater. The New York Aquarium is currently being repaired and will not be reopened until next year.

            The flooding of the New York Aquarium was the biggest crisis in the history of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs the aquarium. Without the labor of the aquarium workers during Hurricane Sandy, The New York Aquarium could have possibly lost over 12,000 underwater lives.  The aquarium was very fortunate that it did not lose as many lives as the aquarium workers had imagined.

            The flooding of Hurricane Sandy, like in the situation with the New York Aquarium, caused many homes and businesses to be ruined. The hurricane affected the transportation and caused power outage in most of the places it hit.

           

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/nyregion/hurricane-filled-new-york-aquarium-with-dangerous-substance-water.html?ref=todayspaper

Stolen iPhones

You'd think one of the most successful companies in the world would have better theft prevention...

Yet in a course of two days, a total of three iPhone 5's were stolen from the Apple Store at North Point Mall and the AT&T store on Old Milton Parkway. On October 26, two men and a woman walked into the Apple Store at North Point. As one of the men dismantled the security devices, the other man and woman walked away with one of the phones on display. The next day, two young boys stole a a display iPhone off of the wall and ran away with them.

Obviously attempts at theft are unpreventable. However with its billions of dollars, Apple should be able to adequately deter petty thieves from stealing the company's products. Regarding the first incident, the grown man might have had extensive knowledge of the security system in order to be capable of disabling it. In contrast, the second crime was committed by boys, who were simply able to grab the iPhones off of the wall. If word gets around that such a highly prized piece of merchandise can be so easily stolen, this issue of theft could increase and become out of control for Apple.

These thefts are also representative of the overall frenzy for Apple products. Apply is literally the singular dominant force in technology right now when it comes to luxury products. Everyone knows about the iPhone. No one hates their iPhone (if it's the latest). The iPhone is status symbol for the wealthy. The competitor phones are always compared to the iPhone, not the other way around; they are viewed as "alternatives", most often less expensive. The iPhone has become a universal piece of technology among the upper-class, as commonplace as a product like a laptop.

Sleep.

            When I was in elementary school, I refused to take naps. In Kindergarten, I would always try to stay awake during those 30 minutes for nap time. During my fourth and fifth year in elementary school, I tried to stay up as late as possible—staying up past midnight was something to be proud of. Whenever I stayed past ten o’clock, I would go to school the next day and boast about how late I stayed up the night before. Overtime, however, this childish view of mine gradually changed. The homework workload increased, and the learning material required more attention. On top of that, I was introduced to a new needy friend, procrastination. Rather than being forced to sleep, I was now being forced to stay up late. When the clock hits 12, I no long pump my fists in the air—I dread not being able to get to bed by then.

            Now I am in high school, and I am definitely not meeting the required number of hours of sleep. On a good day, I get about 7 hours. If I tried really hard and resisted all the temptations the Internet has to offer, I could probably get 8, but who has enough self-control for that? I certainly don’t. So as a consequence of constantly getting side-tracked while attempting to finish my schoolwork, I continuously suffer from lack of sleep, just like many of the other high school students out there. Not only do I get the privilege of feeling dead throughout the whole entire day, I also end up dozing off in class from time to time, which opens up a chance for me to lose my posture and fall out of my chair (believe it or not, it has actually happened a few times). Why can’t high school have nap time too?

Fulton allowed Usher to skip voting line

On Tuesday, millions of Americans voted for the next president of the United States, waiting for hours in line to have their say. Usher, the famous pop singer whose songs fill the radio, was not one of the people who had to wait in line. In fact, Usher was ushered to the front of the line when he came through the back door of the Bill Johnson Community Activity Building in Roswell, Georgia.

Many of the ordinary citizens were less than enthused. However, Fulton elections Interim Director Sharon Mitchell confirmed that the singer had made arrangements for voting in advance. North Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann questioned the fairness of the arrangement. Hausmann voiced that the only people who should deserve such treatment are people with disabilities, the elderly, and voters accompanying small children.

This type of treatment is controversial mainly because an individual, due to his accomplishments and accolades, received better allowance than the "average" person who waits patiently in line. It should be mandatory for someone, regardless of how famous he or she is, to have to follow the same procedures as everybody else.

Another incident comparable to this was when rapper Lil' Wayne was denied entry to the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs basketball game. Wayne tried to buy already-bought court side seats, but was denied by the staff and players of the Oklahoma City Thunder organization. Just because Lil' Wayne was a celebrity, he thought that he was above everyone else and deserved better treatment, similar to Usher during the voting polls.

My Dream and Reality

Every person has had a dream. A dream is a fantasy-like goal that an individual wishes to become reality. “Big” dreams usually occur during the younger ages of one’s life when imaginations run wild. However, the majority of those dreams disappear as time passes due to reality. Usually more feasible goals appear or even reappear during high school or college years. Despite the large numbers of youths knowing what they want to do in the future during their educational years, there are always people who are lost and, in some way, scared.

I was a part of the lost and somewhat scared group. A majority of my friends already knew what they would want major in, what college they would want to attend, and other plans for the future. Feeling a sense of insecurity, I would always stay away from talks about my future. Finally when the ultimate dream came to me, I felt both glad that I had a goal to pursue and yet depressed and sad. My goal was so out of my reach. It did not involve attending college or following other “normal” routes of life. There are some cliché sayings such as “Never give up!” or “Follow your dream!” however when meeting face-to-face with reality, those sayings are proven to be not always achievable.

            Although I have a quixotic dream, I am still trying to achieve it. Despite my hard work, the steps I have taken towards it are currently meaningless. I told this goal to only my closest friends along with my family. I feared that my friends would crush my dream and laugh. However when I gained full support from my family, I suspected that I might actually obtain the approval and encouragement from my friends too. I was proven both right and wrong. I had friends that wished me luck and others that told me it was impossible. Though my friends gave opposite reactions, none of them ridicule me like what I had feared.  

Even though I wish I could keep attempting to fulfill my dream, I understand that there will be a time where I will have to move away from it and figure out a different plan for my future.

The Purpose of Life

What is the purpose of life?

A question so simple, yet one of the hardest to answer. Why am I here on this planet, and what am I supposed to do? For years I have thought long and hard to come up with a solution, yet not one definite answer has come to mind. At least not yet. My parents, who are Christians, believe that the purpose of life is to glorify God in any way possible. Whenever I ask my parents to explain just a tad more, they tell me that how we glorify God is different for everyone. This is as straightforward of an answer that I have ever received.

Now, I am not trying to enforce the idea that everyone has to glorify God, or rather "their god", but I do strongly believe that one's aspiration is distinct from everyone else's. My dad believes that his purpose in life is to heal the sick and tired, thus choosing to become a doctor. Similar to my father, both of my sisters are in medical school, following his footsteps in hopes of serving those who need help. I could not be more proud of my family. Now what about me.

It has not occurred to me that my life was going to be altered for the rest of my life based on what is happening right now. Before, I was running around, apathetic towards my surroundings, only wanting to be happy. And now, as my life is beginning to transition from teenager to adult, I have become nervous of my future, and of how I can, in some way, do something useful whatever it may be.

Today at school, an assembly was held which informed the students of a murdered high school student in Colorado who's legacy would live on through a pact titled "Rachel's Challenge". Throughout the presentation, one of Rachel Scott's quotes, which talked about making an impact on a world-scale, enlightened me in a way that I have never before experienced. It was Rachel Scott's legacy and dream that have convinced me that I will, in someway, have a positive impact on the masses of people.

Whatever purpose that may be is yet to be seen, but I am sure it will come to me soon. I hope. Of course not everyone can have a global after effect in the way that Rachel did, but I encourage everyone to always aim high, and with no regrets.

How many of us have enough trust, strength, and faith to believe that we could do the impossible?-Rachel Joy Scott

Douglas Elementary Sickness

This week at Douglas Elementary School, over one hundred students were struck by a stomach virus that is spreading throughout the school. The outbreak started at the beginning of the week when dozens of students started coming down with the sickness and had to be sent home. On Wednesday, South Douglas Elementary School sent out letters notifying the parents of the students about the outbreak of sickness. Many parents temporarily pull their kids out of school after receiving the notice. School custodians have put in extra effort in disinfecting the school and teachers have warned the children about the dangers of these sicknesses and have taught them preventative measures such as washing their hands. The number of students coming down with the sickness has dwindled as the week neared its end, with only one student being sent home on Thursday. The sickness only lasts two to three days and school administrators expect it to have run its course by Monday.

                Despite the mildness of the sickness, this incident brings to light a more serious underlying problem in our schools.  Children are not taught proper hygiene when they are young, or they are taught but not forced to follow proper hygienic procedures. There have been far too many instances of kids skipping out on washing their hands before they eat because “they didn’t touch anything dirty”. When these kids eat with their hands, they transfer all the bacteria from everything they touched that day into their mouths, greatly increasing their chances of getting sick. This case may have only been a mild stomach bug, but next time may not be so lucky. Kids also often do not brush their teeth for the full 3 minutes required of them. They may brush for 30 seconds and their parents never find out. This leads to cavities which will lead to future complications like gingivitis and the possible removal of the tooth. If schools put more emphasis on personal hygiene, these types of outbreaks are less likely to happen.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/stomach-virus-sickens-students-at-douglas-elementa/nS2dr/

Selling Out

One question that most music critics and music lovers alike have is: Is there such thing as selling out? I personally think that yes, of course, artists and bands sell out! I have seen it happen to some of my favorite musicians! In fact, there are very few bands that I like that have released music I like after I started liking them. Does that make sense? What I mean is, I'll discover a band whose music I love, and become obsessed with the band for a long time, but when they release a new album, it's not the same. It's somehow more pop, more mainstream, more boring. I hate it. It seems to be inevitable with the music industry today, where record companies are obsessed with making money. Bands are obsessed with making money. Money over everything, money over all. And of course, bands want a more widespread audience. They want more fans, who will come to more shows, which will make them more famous. They move away from whatever genre they were originally—grunge, emo, post-hardcore, reggae, punk rock, you name it—and change their music to appeal to more people, somehow all blending together in the end.

I don't want to offend anyone by listing bands that have clearly sold out, but I would like to applaud Ellie Goulding for her new album which I love, and any of the other artists who have gotten famous but kept their original style. Fame is a tricky thing. It comes with a lot of pressure to succeed, and pressure to change and conform. This is why most of my favorite bands aren't famous, or are too old to have had to deal with this problem. I'm not trying to sound annoying and hipster, I just really love and care about music, and as a musician I want to understand this issue and make a commitment to never change my own music for someone else.

Also, for people (like some of my friends) who say there is no such thing as selling out, I will accept the argument that bands grow and mature, but I can't ignore the fact that I consistently love every bands' first albums infinitely more than their newer ones. It is sad, but it helps me value that music even more. I will try to learn from the musicians I love no matter how they have changed over the years. It's still better than most stuff on the radio. Moral of the story: Don't sell out and you'll have my undying respect. Rock on.

a risky job.

as i was searching on the internet for a current event to blog about, i was especially looking for something happy, exciting, and hopeful to blog about. i feel like whenever i turn on the news, there is always some depressing story about murder, sickness, or tragedy. never anything to look forward to. never anything to hope toward. anyways, on that happy note, i looked for something that would be fun and upbeat to blog about. as i looked, it seemed like everything was about the election, and i was definitely not in the mood to rant-blog about that. so, i chose to blog about a tragedy.

on saturday night, two atlanta policemen were killed in a tragic helicopter crash. the pilot was a man named Officer Richard J. Halford. he had worked for the Atlanta Police Department for sixteen years, so he was considered one of their skilled veterans. when he died on saturday night at the relatively young age of forty-eight, he left behind a wife and a twenty-one year old daughter. his partner on the night of the crash, tactical flight officer Shawn A. Smiley, died on impact as well. his wife was left widowed with three young children. the death of these two men is very tragic, but the cause of their death is even more tragic. they were on a mission searching for a missing nine year old boy. the cause of the crash is unknown at this moment. the only thing known about the crash is that they lost control of the helicopter, and both men died on impact with the ground. 

it is important to note that these two brave men risked their lives daily for the protection of the citizens. i can only speak for myself, but when i think of heroes, i usually think of men and women serving in our military. i do not normally think of the police officers or firefighters that put themselves in harms way to save and protect people daily. its not that i am not thankful for their services, i just sometimes overlook them. i like to think of the big picture, so i think of our nations huge and powerful military. i think that people should become more aware about the dangers and risks that police officers take to save and protect their people. as we enter into this thanksgiving season, people should attempt to be more thankful and kind toward the police officers that risk their lives every day. 


 "Officers in APD Chopper Crash Identified." 95.5FM & AM750    News/Talk WSB. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/local/officers-apd-chopper-crash-identified/nSxLc/>.

Celebrity skipping voting line

                On Tuesday, there was an extremely long line at the polling site in Roswell. People have complained about long lines and insufficient polling spaces and machines. However, the celebrity Usher was able to skip the voting line and take pictures of himself voting, which he later posted on his Twitter account. Sharon Mitchell, the Fulton elections Interim Director, confirmed that Usher Raymond IV had made arrangements for his voting in advance. However, the crowd was still infuriated that a celebrity was able to cut everyone in line while they were standing there for hours to vote. Taking pictures in the voting area are not allowed unless with the poll manager's permission.

                Liz Hausmann, North Fulton County Commissioner, said that the only few people that deserve such treatment are people with disabilities, the elderly and voters with small children. I don't think Usher falls into any of those, but he was still able to skip the line to vote. I don't think this is that big of a news, but I still think that Usher should have waited with everyone else in line. If Usher really wanted to show to the people that he voted like every other American, I think he should've shown himself waiting in line like everybody else also. I feel as if he voted just for the sake of showing off to everybody that he voted. If he really cared about his vote, would it have mattered if he wasn't able to take the photo? Honestly, I don't even think that his vote counts if he voted in Georgia. I'm not too certain about the facts, but I'm pretty sure that your vote really doesn't matter if you vote in GA. So was it necessary for him to cut everybody in line to take pictures of himself voting so he could post it on his Twitter? I don't think so at least.

Hit and Run: Nice Try, Gold Star

There is plenty of potential for tragedy in my life, but one thing I specifically hope never happens to me is getting hit by a car. I especially don't want to have this misfortune because by random chance two of my friends have been hit by cars and both lived to tell the tale. Hearing their stories gave me a horrible impression of what it must feel like. From the split second before impact—when you know you're about to get hit—to the excruciating pain after, I feel like I've lived through the experience myself. Unfortunately, a school cop from Meadowcreek High school recent had to suffer through this ordeal when he was caught in a hit-and-run by a student.

Officer Chuck McCallum is the man who was struck last Thursday while he was chasing down another student. The driver, Jarvis Ruff, a 17-year-old student, then fled the scene and left the injured officer. Other students quickly gathered to help him and call the police. The cops chased down Ruff, who had been driving erratically and unlicensed, making a desperate attempt to flee. They found him trying to enter an apartment complex through a back entrance. To make matters worse, Ruff had even crashed his car into the neighborhood sign. He was charged with hit-and-run, driving without a driver’s license, improper lane change, speeding, reckless driving, and failure to report striking a fixed object.

The question I get from this article is how someone can be so stupid. Obviously the incident happened in public, with witnesses who saw the car. There was no possibly of Ruff getting away with the crime. If he was trying to help the other fleeing student, Ruff could have done it in another way besides injuring the police officer. He easily deserved all the charges and whatever punishment is coming to him. Hopefully students who hear about this incident will be more careful driving and make better choices in the future.

51 States?

Since the colonization of Puerto Rico in 1898, they have had plenty of opportunities to become a state, but voted against statehood multiple times. Many believe that Puerto Ricans requested statehood after the election on Tuesday, but this not accurate.

The media has misrepresented the ballot. The first question, inquired if the citizens of Puerto Rico wished to keep their status as a U.S. Commonwealth. 52% voted against this. When asked if Puerto Rico wanted to become a U.S. State, and independent country, or a freely associated state, 61% chose statehood. While most assume this means that 61% voted for statehood, more than 470,000 voters did not complete this question. So, to clarify, only 45% of the ballots supported statehood.

Despite these numbers, Puerto Rico has chosen to send the decision to congress. So does this mean Americans should begin sewing another star onto their flags?

Well, no.

First of all, neither of the country's leaders are in favor. In Puerto Rico a pro-statehood governor was recently elected out of political office and replaced by Alejandro Garcia Padilla. Although Obama publicly agreed to accept Puerto Rico's application for statehood, not all citizens are in favor and Obama has agreed he wants the majority of citizens to requesst statehood first.

In addition, pro-statehood Puerto Ricans do enjoy the benefits of citizenship. In 1917, citizens gained the ability to apply for citizenship if desired.

Lastly, congress is simply uninterested. With the issues arising within the United States itself the period of time before congress looks at it could be a while.

In conclusion, for the near future, Puerto Rico is still far from receiving statehood. 

Bullying (Current Events)

Bullying (Current Events): Ethan Sterling

Today we heard a speaker on behalf of Rachel’s Challenge.  At the end of his presentation he challenged us to try to be better people, and nicer to each other, and we all should.  High school can be some of the worst times in someone’s life because of bullying.  Most people think that it ends after high school, and once they are older it will not happen.  For most people that is true, but for some it is not.  Adults are bullied at work, and one Georgia county commissioner, Bill Edwards, is taking steps to prevent this.

Edwards proposed that anybody who is caught bullying another co-worker would receive at minimum five days suspension without pay.  The commissioner’s policy defines bullying as “repeated, health-harming mistreatment”.  This can include “threatening or humiliating conduct, verbal abuse, or even work sabotage”.  Edwards is hoping to make the work environment for some a little more peaceful and enjoyable.  When going to work, nobody should feel uncomfortable or threatened.  Hopefully, Edwards’s plan will work, and reduce bullying in the work place.

This relates to us because we are in the group of people that bully and get bullied the most.  Now I am not pointing anybody out, but there is bullying at every school, and it can do some serious damage to people.  Some kids, again not at our school, have committed suicide because they were bullied so much.  Others have tried to get some kind of revenge on their own bullies. 

Bullying needs to stop.  It is not ok, and should not be encouraged by anybody.  Bullying is already outlawed, at least in Georgia, in public schools.  Kids can get in serious trouble for bullying, and they should.  Nobody should be bullied, and nobody should bully somebody else.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/county-bans-bullying-in-the-workplace/nS2Kp/

School

School: Ethan Sterling

So here I am writing my fourth and final choice blog, at least for now…  I have talked about college visits, family relations, and my dedication to school.  Now I must come up with another topic to blog about, and I honestly have no idea what to talk about.  I do not feel like getting into politics, especially right after the election.  I guess I could talk about school, and how I do not really like it.  Sure, let’s go with that.  I will complain about school!

So I am now a junior in high school, and have been in public school for twelve years.  I can honestly say I cannot wait to be done.  I go to school five days a week, for seven hours a day; I then go home and do more work for a couple hours.  I stress over getting good grades so that I can go to a decent college… just to do more work for at least another four years. 

I am an average student.  I take mostly honors classes and a few AP classes.  I get decent grades (I do not want to, nor will I share them on this public blog).  My parents expect me to do my best, and I do, as you can tell from my last blog… that is if anybody actually read it, other than me.

 

I do not enjoy the stress that comes with being a high school student in today’s world.  It is so much harder than the adults who are watching me now.  I do not enjoy the constant stress and pressure to do well at something that I do not particularly like.  There is a lot more competition than before, which only makes my life harder.

Now I get back to my original topic, school.  All I can say is that it sucks, and there is no way around the fact.  I just hope that all of my hard work in stress, in a place that I do not like, will pay off someday.