America's criminal system has become chaotic and since we have ignored the problem it has just gotten worse. Our failure to address this problem has cause prisons to overflow and become so crowded that they are blursting at the seams. This should mean that there are fewer criminals running throughout neighborhoods--wrong! The crime rate has increased and all America is doing is wasting billions of dollars and deminishing millions of lives!
America needs to fix this system. However, this process will not happen over night. It will require a nationwide recalculation of who goes to jail and how long they stay there. The United States has by far the world's highest incarceration rate. With 5% of the world's population, our country now houses nearly 25% of the world's reported prisoners. America's over crowded prisons are breeding grounds for the same type of criminals that we put into jail. This is because with the little space prisons become places of violence, physical abuse, and hate. The author, Senator Jim Webb, said, "With so many of our citizens in prison compared with the rest of the world, there are only two possibilities: Either we are home to the most evil people on earth or we are doing something different--and vastly counterproductive."
Most of the people that are put into jail suffer from mental illness. This article states that 16% of the population that are in jail, which is 350,000, suffer from a mental illness. Also the article says that our correctional institutions are also heavily populated by the "criminally ill," including inmates who suffer from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.
America is not locking up people who are putting the public's safety at risk. We are locking up people who have commited non-violent crimes.
"I believe that American ingenuity can discover better ways to deal with the problems of drugs and nonviolent criminal behavior while still minimizing violent crime and large-scale gang activity. And we all deserve to live in a country made better by such changes."
~Senator Jim Webb
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Survey sees a drift away from religion in America
Christainity is slipping from America and America to slipping to "no faith." A survey taken by the American Religious Self-Identification said that one in every five American adults chose not to identify a religious identity and 15% chose "no religion." The "no religion" group has gained 20 million adults since 1990 and is the only group to have grown in every state, though at a much slower pace in recent years than in the 1990s. However, only ten percent of that group claims atheism and agonstism.
The Denominational group increased during this 18 year period that the survey was taken. They increased from less than 200,000 in 1990 to more than 8 million today.
The survey also found that a little less than 70% believe in a personal God, and 12% believes in a higher power but no personal God. This leave 2.3% that says there is no God, and 10% that does not know what they believe in.
This survey interviewed 54,461 adults in either English or Spanish which gives this a margin of error of less than 0.5 percent.
Reading this article saddens me because I believe in God and I know that He is the one who created this earth and He is the one who sent his son to die for everyone ever created so that one day we could all spend eternal life in heaven. I am a strongly believer in my faith and I think that this is just a survey that CAN be changed.
The Denominational group increased during this 18 year period that the survey was taken. They increased from less than 200,000 in 1990 to more than 8 million today.
The survey also found that a little less than 70% believe in a personal God, and 12% believes in a higher power but no personal God. This leave 2.3% that says there is no God, and 10% that does not know what they believe in.
This survey interviewed 54,461 adults in either English or Spanish which gives this a margin of error of less than 0.5 percent.
Reading this article saddens me because I believe in God and I know that He is the one who created this earth and He is the one who sent his son to die for everyone ever created so that one day we could all spend eternal life in heaven. I am a strongly believer in my faith and I think that this is just a survey that CAN be changed.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
People's Temple
The People’s Temple, headed by Jim Jones, had many characteristics that made it resemble a cult. One of the characteristics is that the members of People’s Temple looked at Jim Jones as their ultimate leader, god, and decision maker. The based all of their decisions that they made by what Jim Jones would tell them. They did not make decisions; Jim Jones made decisions for them.
Whenever a member expressed feeling or emotions that went against what Jim Jones promoted he made them feel guilty without actually coming out and saying that they were wrong.
Jim Jones’ ideas brought forth new theologies. One of his ideas was the interracial congregations were okay. During the time period of People’s Temple anything interracial was looked down upon. Therefore, this idea challenged some norms. Another idea that he proclaimed was “heaven on earth” or a Utopian society. Jim had his members believing that they were living in Paradise and once People’s Temple ended, some survivors could not believe in heaven anymore.
In the beginning of People’s Temple, Jim Jones asked members to give up their homes and their possessions to earn money for People’s Temple. Not only were they giving up everything they owned, but everything that they loved. Jim placed a wall between his members and the rest of society, including their loved ones. He taught “his people” to have a feeling of mistrust towards outsiders. When the congressmen and reporters came he told his members that they were all liars. Jones would come over the intercom and say that he was going to have people pretend like they were going to leave Jonestown and it was their duty to turn them in. This was a loyalty test that turned family members against family members and friends against friends. Another loyalty test that took place was when he made them drink Kool-Aid and then later told them it was poisoned. After everybody panicked, Jim told them that it was just a test of faith and that is was not really poisoned.
This specific test of faith foreshadows what Jim Jones ultimate goal is and what he had in mind. His goal was for them to all commit a revolutionary suicide ad to die for a cause. Later the group does this by drinking poisonous Kool-Aid which was the same thing as the previous loyalty test.
Jim Jones’ constant services, speaker system, and guilt of leaving imprisoned his members in Jonestown. In his services he did not let anyone talk to anyone, punished the ones out of line, and preached leaving as the ultimate sin. Jim Jones’ voice played all day for 24 hours over the speaker system so that his members could always hear him.
Jim Jones was the ultimate leader nothing that he said or did could be questioned of challenged by any means. He claimed all divine powers and his people had to surrender their power and rights over to him. To Jim Jones “society was evil” and Jonestown was the best place to live.
Whenever a member expressed feeling or emotions that went against what Jim Jones promoted he made them feel guilty without actually coming out and saying that they were wrong.
Jim Jones’ ideas brought forth new theologies. One of his ideas was the interracial congregations were okay. During the time period of People’s Temple anything interracial was looked down upon. Therefore, this idea challenged some norms. Another idea that he proclaimed was “heaven on earth” or a Utopian society. Jim had his members believing that they were living in Paradise and once People’s Temple ended, some survivors could not believe in heaven anymore.
In the beginning of People’s Temple, Jim Jones asked members to give up their homes and their possessions to earn money for People’s Temple. Not only were they giving up everything they owned, but everything that they loved. Jim placed a wall between his members and the rest of society, including their loved ones. He taught “his people” to have a feeling of mistrust towards outsiders. When the congressmen and reporters came he told his members that they were all liars. Jones would come over the intercom and say that he was going to have people pretend like they were going to leave Jonestown and it was their duty to turn them in. This was a loyalty test that turned family members against family members and friends against friends. Another loyalty test that took place was when he made them drink Kool-Aid and then later told them it was poisoned. After everybody panicked, Jim told them that it was just a test of faith and that is was not really poisoned.
This specific test of faith foreshadows what Jim Jones ultimate goal is and what he had in mind. His goal was for them to all commit a revolutionary suicide ad to die for a cause. Later the group does this by drinking poisonous Kool-Aid which was the same thing as the previous loyalty test.
Jim Jones’ constant services, speaker system, and guilt of leaving imprisoned his members in Jonestown. In his services he did not let anyone talk to anyone, punished the ones out of line, and preached leaving as the ultimate sin. Jim Jones’ voice played all day for 24 hours over the speaker system so that his members could always hear him.
Jim Jones was the ultimate leader nothing that he said or did could be questioned of challenged by any means. He claimed all divine powers and his people had to surrender their power and rights over to him. To Jim Jones “society was evil” and Jonestown was the best place to live.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Dalai Lama: Tibetans 'suffering' under China
The Dalai Lama said that life for Tibetans under Chinese rule has been "hell on earth." The Dalai Lama said this attacking Beijing in a speech to mark 50 years since the failed uprising that forced him to exile.
"These 50 years have brought untold suffering to the land and people of Tibet," said a 73-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader.
Beijing accusses the Dalia Lama of tyring to split Tibet from China and also causing the recent violence. Beijing said that his speech was full of lies and it had underlined the development it had brought to the Himalayan plateau.
The Dalia Lama's speech was 30 minutes long and it was given in Dharmsala, two-street town next to the foothills of the Indian Himalayas where he set up his headquarters in exile, was a systematic indictment of Chinese rule in Tibet. He said, "Tibet's unique religion, culture, and language are nearing extintction." He talks about how even today Tibetans living in Tibet are in constant fear, and the Chinese authorites are always suspicious of them.
After Dalia Lama's speech young Tibetans tooks to the street chanting "China out, Tibet belongs to the Tibetans!" Other protests were held in South Korea, Switzerland, and Australia.
The words of the Dalia Lama were strong for a man known for his deeply pacifist beliefs, he also usged that any change come peacefully and supported the "Middle Way."
"I have no doubt that the justice of Tibetan cause will prevail if we continue to tread a path of truth and nonviolence."
~ The Dalia Lama
"These 50 years have brought untold suffering to the land and people of Tibet," said a 73-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader.
Beijing accusses the Dalia Lama of tyring to split Tibet from China and also causing the recent violence. Beijing said that his speech was full of lies and it had underlined the development it had brought to the Himalayan plateau.
The Dalia Lama's speech was 30 minutes long and it was given in Dharmsala, two-street town next to the foothills of the Indian Himalayas where he set up his headquarters in exile, was a systematic indictment of Chinese rule in Tibet. He said, "Tibet's unique religion, culture, and language are nearing extintction." He talks about how even today Tibetans living in Tibet are in constant fear, and the Chinese authorites are always suspicious of them.
After Dalia Lama's speech young Tibetans tooks to the street chanting "China out, Tibet belongs to the Tibetans!" Other protests were held in South Korea, Switzerland, and Australia.
The words of the Dalia Lama were strong for a man known for his deeply pacifist beliefs, he also usged that any change come peacefully and supported the "Middle Way."
"I have no doubt that the justice of Tibetan cause will prevail if we continue to tread a path of truth and nonviolence."
~ The Dalia Lama
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Current Event 03/13/09
Man charged again for knowingly spreading HIV
The first person ever convicted in Idaho of knowingly spreading the HIV virus is facing new charges for the same offense.
In Idaho the grad jury returned an indictment charging Kerry Thomas with seven counts of knowingly transfering HIV. Thomas is now 45 years old and in 1990 was charged with four counts of HIV transmission and two counts of rape. He pleaded guilty only to the rape charges.
Thomas received a 12-year sentence and had to serve three years before being eligiblw for parole. He was later granted a early release.
Then in 1996 he was charged again with one count of HIV transmission, and a jury convicted him. This time he received a 15-year sentence with a seven-year minimum. He was later released on parole. Now on parole, he faces possible life in prison on the new charges because prosecutors are seeking his designation as a "persistent violator."
Asked why Thomas would continue to spread the virus, which causes AIDS, Jean Fisher, deputy prospector, said, "That's the $64,000 question, for a person who has been to prison twice."
The first person ever convicted in Idaho of knowingly spreading the HIV virus is facing new charges for the same offense.
In Idaho the grad jury returned an indictment charging Kerry Thomas with seven counts of knowingly transfering HIV. Thomas is now 45 years old and in 1990 was charged with four counts of HIV transmission and two counts of rape. He pleaded guilty only to the rape charges.
Thomas received a 12-year sentence and had to serve three years before being eligiblw for parole. He was later granted a early release.
Then in 1996 he was charged again with one count of HIV transmission, and a jury convicted him. This time he received a 15-year sentence with a seven-year minimum. He was later released on parole. Now on parole, he faces possible life in prison on the new charges because prosecutors are seeking his designation as a "persistent violator."
Asked why Thomas would continue to spread the virus, which causes AIDS, Jean Fisher, deputy prospector, said, "That's the $64,000 question, for a person who has been to prison twice."
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Current Event 03/05/2009
Cheap Gas is History, again
by: Aaron Smith
Gas prices are now beginning to cheap up to 2.00 dollars a gallon. Last year in the summer the price of gas was nearing $4.11, and now the gas prices are half that, but they continue to go up each week. On December 30th the gas prices slummped to $1.61, however, they have jumped more than 20%. At their current rate they could easily reach over two dollars. This is occuring with crude oil prices being $40 dollar per barrel.
"I think what you're seeing now is a backlash of a period, from the end of the summer until the end of the year, when refiners were selling gas into the consumer market at a discount to crude oil," said Ben Brockwell, director of data pricing for OPUS. Brockwell said refineries lost money last year, despite the surge in gas prices. The refineries in the latter half of 2008 were paying top dollar for oil, and then producing gasoline in a low-demand economy, he said. Now, refineries are producing less, driving up prices in even this low-demand economy, while stockpiling discount oil, he said.
People in the United States have cut down on their driving ever since the downturn of the economy to save ever little penny that they can. Gas prices will probably keep going up, as they often do in late winter and early spring, when refineries traditionally conduct annual maintenance on their facilities, said Peter Beutel of energy risk firm Cameron Hanover.
However, because of the low demand prices should not go as sky high as they went last year.
by: Aaron Smith
Gas prices are now beginning to cheap up to 2.00 dollars a gallon. Last year in the summer the price of gas was nearing $4.11, and now the gas prices are half that, but they continue to go up each week. On December 30th the gas prices slummped to $1.61, however, they have jumped more than 20%. At their current rate they could easily reach over two dollars. This is occuring with crude oil prices being $40 dollar per barrel.
"I think what you're seeing now is a backlash of a period, from the end of the summer until the end of the year, when refiners were selling gas into the consumer market at a discount to crude oil," said Ben Brockwell, director of data pricing for OPUS. Brockwell said refineries lost money last year, despite the surge in gas prices. The refineries in the latter half of 2008 were paying top dollar for oil, and then producing gasoline in a low-demand economy, he said. Now, refineries are producing less, driving up prices in even this low-demand economy, while stockpiling discount oil, he said.
People in the United States have cut down on their driving ever since the downturn of the economy to save ever little penny that they can. Gas prices will probably keep going up, as they often do in late winter and early spring, when refineries traditionally conduct annual maintenance on their facilities, said Peter Beutel of energy risk firm Cameron Hanover.
However, because of the low demand prices should not go as sky high as they went last year.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Current Event 2/26/09
Guns in Church Bill Dies in Arkansas
A bill that allowed handguns in church was rejected by the state Senate in Arkansas. This bill would have taken churches off of the list of places in Arkansas where people cannot carry handguns. Churches and bars are the only ones on that list.
The House approved the bill eariler this month, but the Senate Judiciary Committee stalled the bill on a voice vote Wednesday. The bill's sponsor Representative Beverly Pyle told the panal that she would be trying again with this proposal. She states, "This is not a gun question, but a question of religious freedom." Govenor Mike Beebe has said that he would sign the bill if it made it to his desk. Nancy Petty, the pastor of a church, said that churched should have the right to decide whether or not handguns should be allowed on their properties. "It's not the role of the state to preserve the sanctity of the church, and it's not the role of the state to impose religious judgment calls on churches," Petty said. However Debra Freeman, another pastor from Little Rock, said that it was not the nature of the church to have guns in it. She said that it would take churched from feeling safe and peaceful to fear and suspicion.
I think that having guns in church is completely wrong. Yes, it brings fourth a question of religious freedom, but what is religious about bringing a gun with you the church. Nothing. I go to church because I enjoy the singing and love praising God. Do I feel like I need a gun to protect me when I have the ultimate protecter on my side? nope. I believe that people should start having more faith in God and trust in him rather than really on guns and knifes. If people feel the need to be protected while attending church then what kind of society do we live in? Church is a place of peacefulness and safety not violence and fear.
A bill that allowed handguns in church was rejected by the state Senate in Arkansas. This bill would have taken churches off of the list of places in Arkansas where people cannot carry handguns. Churches and bars are the only ones on that list.
The House approved the bill eariler this month, but the Senate Judiciary Committee stalled the bill on a voice vote Wednesday. The bill's sponsor Representative Beverly Pyle told the panal that she would be trying again with this proposal. She states, "This is not a gun question, but a question of religious freedom." Govenor Mike Beebe has said that he would sign the bill if it made it to his desk. Nancy Petty, the pastor of a church, said that churched should have the right to decide whether or not handguns should be allowed on their properties. "It's not the role of the state to preserve the sanctity of the church, and it's not the role of the state to impose religious judgment calls on churches," Petty said. However Debra Freeman, another pastor from Little Rock, said that it was not the nature of the church to have guns in it. She said that it would take churched from feeling safe and peaceful to fear and suspicion.
I think that having guns in church is completely wrong. Yes, it brings fourth a question of religious freedom, but what is religious about bringing a gun with you the church. Nothing. I go to church because I enjoy the singing and love praising God. Do I feel like I need a gun to protect me when I have the ultimate protecter on my side? nope. I believe that people should start having more faith in God and trust in him rather than really on guns and knifes. If people feel the need to be protected while attending church then what kind of society do we live in? Church is a place of peacefulness and safety not violence and fear.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Current Event-Friday the 13th
Police in South Carolina, where Michael Phelps was photographed smoking from a marijuana pipe, have been making arrests as they hope to progress in making a case against the Olympic gold medalist. While arrests have been made near the University of South Carolina, where Phelps attended a party back in November, Lieutenant Chris Cowan is trying to find information that can forward the police in this case. He said, "As soon as we're ready to release information on this case we will and we're still in the middle of this investigation." The photo was published on February 1st, and Phelps has issued a public apology, acknowledging his regrettable and "bad judgement" behavior. The police have arrested two boys for the University of South Carolina, who they believe that they had something to do with the same party that Phelps attended. However the boys attorneys think different. One of the lawyers said, "Our clients answered questions but I don't know that their information would be helpful to law enforcement. It seems to me the Richland County has a host of its own crime problems much more serious than a kid featured in a photograph with a bong in his hand." So far their have been about eight arrests related to this case.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Current Events
General Motors plans to cut 10,000 paying jobs, blaming the need to restructure the company and continue with the descending prices of automobiles. This will cause the current salaried workers pay of 73,000 dollars to decrease to 63,000 dollars this year. Most of these cuts are planned to occur May 1st. GM's plan to restructure the company was submitted late last year. Also, GM plans to cut the pay of it's remaining employees starting May 1st continue to at least the end of the year.
I chose this article because it shows how bad America needs help. Because the economy is slowly deteriorating, businesses and companies have been forced to take action for the better of their businesses. They have had to lay off employees, cut pay, and even shut down branches of companies.
It the article, The Depression Hits Las Vegas, the author expresses the fact that the gaming industry is in trouble. Dow Jones reported in December that the Las Vegas strip was down 23%. The gambling industry has gone from people sitting at the black Jack table trying to win back a couple hundred dollars after spending it on alcohol, to people afraid to spend any of their money at all. This is what happens when America is hit with an unexpected economic downturn--the gambling just gets kicked out of them. This is just another result of how bad our economy is and how desperately America needs to get out of its depression. The way things are going it looks like it can only get worse. People are believing that Obama is going to be the one to get us out, but other believe that he is in way over his head. I believe that it is too quick to tell whether or not Obama can do the job, but I hope someone will do something fast.
I chose this article because it shows how bad America needs help. Because the economy is slowly deteriorating, businesses and companies have been forced to take action for the better of their businesses. They have had to lay off employees, cut pay, and even shut down branches of companies.
It the article, The Depression Hits Las Vegas, the author expresses the fact that the gaming industry is in trouble. Dow Jones reported in December that the Las Vegas strip was down 23%. The gambling industry has gone from people sitting at the black Jack table trying to win back a couple hundred dollars after spending it on alcohol, to people afraid to spend any of their money at all. This is what happens when America is hit with an unexpected economic downturn--the gambling just gets kicked out of them. This is just another result of how bad our economy is and how desperately America needs to get out of its depression. The way things are going it looks like it can only get worse. People are believing that Obama is going to be the one to get us out, but other believe that he is in way over his head. I believe that it is too quick to tell whether or not Obama can do the job, but I hope someone will do something fast.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Where You Won't Shop in 2009
According to this article, 2008 is going to be known as the year that some stores came to an end. Beginning in 2009, stores are going away such as: Circuit City, Linens 'N Things and Mervyn's. Because and this one third of U.S. women surveyed by America's Research Group said that they are planning on sending zero money on clothing this year. In years past, this number has only been four percent. This means that the market is too saturated with stores. Expected closing and bankruptcies for lines such as: Lane Bryant, Gap, and Starbucks. Experts say that some of this is caused by consumers' debt loads and credit access. Howard Davidowitz, chairman of New York-based retail consultant and investment bank Davidowitz & Associates, said,"People are so scared they are starting to save." Most stores will be open but closing hundreds of their branches. Davidowitz believes that there will be little help from the government and that Barrack Obama is only going to make it worse. He said,"We got into this by borrowing and stimulating, now he wants to borrow and stimulate more." What can America do to fix this economy problem? With stores closing because consumers are trying to save money and unemployment at an all time low changes need to happen or America could possibly be looking at her second depression. "I don't think we will live the same way for 10 years," says Davidowitz. He feels America will be changing for the worse.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Chapter 2 Summary
In chapter two of Nickel and Dimed the main character and author, Barbara Ehrenreich, has just moved to a new town in Maine. In Maine there are a lot more white people and it would make it easier for her to find a job since she speaks English, where as in Key West the low paying jobs were most likely for Americans who spoke Spanish. On page 52 Barbara says, ”Maybe, I reasoned, when you give white people a whole state to themselves, they treat one another real nice.” She talked about how all of the want ads that she went through mostly promised a “fun, casual” workplace. She was hoping that she would be able to apply for as many jobs as she could and find a home in the next week or so. In the mean time, she was paying $59.00 a night to stay at a Motel 6. After a long day of looking for an apartment, she heads back to Portland in defeat when she notices that the Blue Haven Motel on Route 1 has apartments to rent. She says on page 56, “For $120 a week I can have a bed/Living area with a kitchen growing off of it, linens included, and a TV that will have cable company notices that the former occupant is no longer the bill.” Since she was under pressure and was paying $59 a day she went ahead and took this offer paying the $100 security fee on the spot.
Now that she has found a home the next step is to find a job. From experience in Key West she knows that she must apply for as many jobs as possible since a help-wanted ad doesn’t always indicate that help is really wanted. She also attends a job fair at Walmart, where she fills out a survey and is interviewed for a job. At the hotel she waits to hear back from all the places that she applied to. The first two calls are from the nursing home, who offer her a job on the weekends and the second is The Maids, who want her to start that following Monday. Both of these jobs are paying her around $6-7 an hour. The next day she starts her first job at the nursing home where she is required to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the residents there. She does the dishes and sweeps the floors once everyone is finished. She relates this job to her father and how he had died of Alzheimer’s disease. This job reminded her of him because he lived in the nursing home and serving the other people made her feel good since some of them could remember her name and even one women who made a joke by calling her “Barbara Bush.” This make her feel welcomed to her new job.
That night was her last night at the Motel 6. Instead of being locked up in her room all day she wanted to go out. She decided to attend a ten revival that a church was having. This becomes a brief experience. She chats with the women beside her, borrows her Bible, stands, claps with the song, and leaves before the preaching is finished.
Sunday comes and she finally ready to move out of the Motel 6 and into the Blue Haven, She finds the place small, but is still happy with it. On page 69 she says, “Not to worry—I have an address, two jobs, and a Rent-A-Wreck.”
On Monday she reports to her next job at 7:30 knowing nothing about maid service. On her first day she is barely noticed and waits to receive her uniform and instructions for her job. She goes through training where she learns that her job consists of dusting, bathrooms, kitchens, and vacuuming. She enjoys dusting the best. She says “..its undeniable logic and a certain kind of austere beauty.” After a day’s training she is judged fit to work with the team of the maids. She tells how this job is at a fast pace where everyone runs in and out of the houses. She also mentions that in her previous interview for the job she was promised a 30 minute lunch break, but turns out to be a 5 minute pit stop. All that this job running in houses, cleaning them, and then running out with minutes to spare. She describes how some of her co-workers boss her around, but that is the only problem that she is having so far. Later on in the chapter she talks about how one of her teammates said that sometimes the owners of the houses will leave tape recorders on so that they can hear what the workers are saying while they work.
Finishing off the chapter she finishes by saying how she is working her finally day as a maid and how she is going to miss everybody and her nursing home job.
Now that she has found a home the next step is to find a job. From experience in Key West she knows that she must apply for as many jobs as possible since a help-wanted ad doesn’t always indicate that help is really wanted. She also attends a job fair at Walmart, where she fills out a survey and is interviewed for a job. At the hotel she waits to hear back from all the places that she applied to. The first two calls are from the nursing home, who offer her a job on the weekends and the second is The Maids, who want her to start that following Monday. Both of these jobs are paying her around $6-7 an hour. The next day she starts her first job at the nursing home where she is required to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner to the residents there. She does the dishes and sweeps the floors once everyone is finished. She relates this job to her father and how he had died of Alzheimer’s disease. This job reminded her of him because he lived in the nursing home and serving the other people made her feel good since some of them could remember her name and even one women who made a joke by calling her “Barbara Bush.” This make her feel welcomed to her new job.
That night was her last night at the Motel 6. Instead of being locked up in her room all day she wanted to go out. She decided to attend a ten revival that a church was having. This becomes a brief experience. She chats with the women beside her, borrows her Bible, stands, claps with the song, and leaves before the preaching is finished.
Sunday comes and she finally ready to move out of the Motel 6 and into the Blue Haven, She finds the place small, but is still happy with it. On page 69 she says, “Not to worry—I have an address, two jobs, and a Rent-A-Wreck.”
On Monday she reports to her next job at 7:30 knowing nothing about maid service. On her first day she is barely noticed and waits to receive her uniform and instructions for her job. She goes through training where she learns that her job consists of dusting, bathrooms, kitchens, and vacuuming. She enjoys dusting the best. She says “..its undeniable logic and a certain kind of austere beauty.” After a day’s training she is judged fit to work with the team of the maids. She tells how this job is at a fast pace where everyone runs in and out of the houses. She also mentions that in her previous interview for the job she was promised a 30 minute lunch break, but turns out to be a 5 minute pit stop. All that this job running in houses, cleaning them, and then running out with minutes to spare. She describes how some of her co-workers boss her around, but that is the only problem that she is having so far. Later on in the chapter she talks about how one of her teammates said that sometimes the owners of the houses will leave tape recorders on so that they can hear what the workers are saying while they work.
Finishing off the chapter she finishes by saying how she is working her finally day as a maid and how she is going to miss everybody and her nursing home job.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
"Merchants of Cool"
1.) Cool-hunting is when researchers look for what is “in.” They find the 20% that are trend setters for the other 80% followers. They search for a certain personality knowing what influence is going to come next. These researchers use surveys, case studies, focus groups and interviews to further their study.
2.) Television, music, and fashion corporations want to understand how teenagers think and what they want because they are the biggest age group consisting of 32 million and they have more money than any other generation. 150 billion dollars have been spent by them and their parents. Their parents will just give them money so that their kids will leave them alone to do work and other household duties.
3.) MTV executives and other programming and marketing decision-makers characterize their relationship to teem culture as seeing eye to eye with each other. They feel that they are reflecting what teenagers want and the things they enjoy and desire.
4.) The difference between marketing research and human research is that marketing research is knowing what people are going to buy and human research is knowing about the consumers and what they want. The goal of marketing is to be eye-catching to their audience and the goal of human research is to get to know them so that they will produce things the people want. For example, when the MTV group went into John’s house to see how an everyday teenage boy lives.
5.) The critics are giving the most accurate description of the relationship between teen culture and commercialization. Of course the merchants of cool are going to say what they want to think the relationship is, but their critics are going to say what is true and what they see. One of the critics from the video said that the standards will go down because of all the different things that are manipulating teenagers through music, TV, movies, and other things. These institutions are playing as agents of socialization. They somewhat guide teenagers into the trends and the things that arise and fall as these merchants of cool wish. In the video, Sprite used hip-hop music and stars to get teenagers to like and buy their product. While MTV would allow drugs, alcohol, and sex to be on their shows, showing teenagers that these things are okay, causing standards to drop just like the critic said it would.
2.) Television, music, and fashion corporations want to understand how teenagers think and what they want because they are the biggest age group consisting of 32 million and they have more money than any other generation. 150 billion dollars have been spent by them and their parents. Their parents will just give them money so that their kids will leave them alone to do work and other household duties.
3.) MTV executives and other programming and marketing decision-makers characterize their relationship to teem culture as seeing eye to eye with each other. They feel that they are reflecting what teenagers want and the things they enjoy and desire.
4.) The difference between marketing research and human research is that marketing research is knowing what people are going to buy and human research is knowing about the consumers and what they want. The goal of marketing is to be eye-catching to their audience and the goal of human research is to get to know them so that they will produce things the people want. For example, when the MTV group went into John’s house to see how an everyday teenage boy lives.
5.) The critics are giving the most accurate description of the relationship between teen culture and commercialization. Of course the merchants of cool are going to say what they want to think the relationship is, but their critics are going to say what is true and what they see. One of the critics from the video said that the standards will go down because of all the different things that are manipulating teenagers through music, TV, movies, and other things. These institutions are playing as agents of socialization. They somewhat guide teenagers into the trends and the things that arise and fall as these merchants of cool wish. In the video, Sprite used hip-hop music and stars to get teenagers to like and buy their product. While MTV would allow drugs, alcohol, and sex to be on their shows, showing teenagers that these things are okay, causing standards to drop just like the critic said it would.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Article Reviews
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14526.html
Review of: Race and the Race by: Gary L. Bauer
Barack Obama said, while campaigning for Maryland Senator Ben Cardin against Michael Steele, “You don’t vote for somebody because of what they look like. You vote for somebody because of what they stand for.” According to this article, over three-fourths of the electorate thinks that America is heading in the wrong direction. Also, registration for the Democratic Party has gone up, while the Republic party affiliation has plummeted. So how is John McCain still in this race if these statements are true?
Some liberals came to the troubling conclusion: it must be racism! The AP –Yahoo! Poll estimated that racism would cause Obama to lose six percent of his votes on Election Day. However, it was not Republicans, but Democrats and Independents who were most likely to reject Obama because of his race, while most Republicans rejected him because of political ideas.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/obamas_character_still_questio.html
Review of: A Question of Barack Obama’s Character by: Charles Krauthammer
Barack Obama is associated with three execrable characters. They are a convicted felon Tony Rezko, unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers, and the race-baiting Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The window these associations give on Obama’s core beliefs is very disturbing. He doesn’t chare Reverend Wright’s poisonous views of race or Ayer’s views about the evil that is in American society. However, Obama clearly did not become unassociated with them for the many years he has known them. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that he has taken on some of their view and beliefs as well.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111049/Obamas-Race-May-Much-Plus-Minus.aspx
Review of: Obama’s Race May be as Much a Plus as a Minus by: Frank Newport
Data taken in this article shows that if anything, Obama’s race could be a net plus, in the sense that it makes more voters want to vote for him than not to vote for him. Seven percent of white voters say Obama’s race makes them less likely to vote for him, but six percent of white voters say Obama’s race makes them more likely to vote for him. And in the nonwhite voters, Obama’s race is a significant net plus. This data shows that the election on November 4th will be about even in terms of people being racist or not.
Review of: Race and the Race by: Gary L. Bauer
Barack Obama said, while campaigning for Maryland Senator Ben Cardin against Michael Steele, “You don’t vote for somebody because of what they look like. You vote for somebody because of what they stand for.” According to this article, over three-fourths of the electorate thinks that America is heading in the wrong direction. Also, registration for the Democratic Party has gone up, while the Republic party affiliation has plummeted. So how is John McCain still in this race if these statements are true?
Some liberals came to the troubling conclusion: it must be racism! The AP –Yahoo! Poll estimated that racism would cause Obama to lose six percent of his votes on Election Day. However, it was not Republicans, but Democrats and Independents who were most likely to reject Obama because of his race, while most Republicans rejected him because of political ideas.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/obamas_character_still_questio.html
Review of: A Question of Barack Obama’s Character by: Charles Krauthammer
Barack Obama is associated with three execrable characters. They are a convicted felon Tony Rezko, unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers, and the race-baiting Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The window these associations give on Obama’s core beliefs is very disturbing. He doesn’t chare Reverend Wright’s poisonous views of race or Ayer’s views about the evil that is in American society. However, Obama clearly did not become unassociated with them for the many years he has known them. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that he has taken on some of their view and beliefs as well.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/111049/Obamas-Race-May-Much-Plus-Minus.aspx
Review of: Obama’s Race May be as Much a Plus as a Minus by: Frank Newport
Data taken in this article shows that if anything, Obama’s race could be a net plus, in the sense that it makes more voters want to vote for him than not to vote for him. Seven percent of white voters say Obama’s race makes them less likely to vote for him, but six percent of white voters say Obama’s race makes them more likely to vote for him. And in the nonwhite voters, Obama’s race is a significant net plus. This data shows that the election on November 4th will be about even in terms of people being racist or not.
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