My favorite holiday memory would have to be from when I was about 10 or 11 years old. I took a week off of school (right before Winter Break). My mom, my dad, and I went to Disneyworld in Florida for a week. We stayed at a beautiful hotel for a week and got back home on Christmas Eve morning. I had never been to Disneyworld before that and I had the most amazing time. Disneyworld was all decked out in Christmas and holiday decorations, which made the holiday time so much more fun.
One key thing I remember is waking up every morning and having Mickey Mouse-shaped blueberry waffles. We would wake up really early so that we could head out sightseeing to each of the "lands" in Disneyworld. When we went to Animal Kingdom, we got to witness the Lion King Christmas parade which was definitely a spectacle to see. I was a little short back then and I couldn't see over the crowd of people who stood in front of me. My dad had hoisted me up on his shoulders so that I could watch the parade. It was so loud, but so amazing!
Every single day that we were there in Disneyworld was great because we always had something new to see everytime. When we went to Magic Kingdom, we watched a light parade where all the lights in the entire theme park had been turned out, so it was pitch black and all we could see were these gorgeous parade floats that had neon lights. Afterwords, we got to see a fireworks show right above us.
Going to Disneyworld was definitely my favorite holiday memory thus far!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Elect Santa
A key feature of this cartoon is the little kid. The fact that a little kid knows about the general election coming up is pretty amazing, but what is even more amazing is the fact that he seems to be exasperated over it. The little kid represents the voting citizens of the United States. The cartoonist is trying to say that Americans are sick and tired of the GOP candidates who are constantly in the limelight. The Americans believe that there's no way that America can achieve change because each of the candidates has his/her own flaws coming into the election. I believe that the cartoonist is right on this account. The GOP candidates have thus far proven nothing about their abilities to lead the United States. To them, it is a competition for the GOP nomination (not for the presidency). The candidates haven't thought of the big picture ideals that come with running for nomination. If Americans are expected to watch the GOP debates, to actually pay attention to who is running, and vote later on, they need to know that candidates are looking out for America's best interests, not the title and prestige that comes with being "President."
The cartoonist is using satire in this political cartoon. Since it is holiday time, the cartoonist uses the belief of Santa to engage readers about his cause. The cartoonist is also trying to say that the GOP debates have become so widespread that everyone knows about them.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Obama Update
Obama still has time till the general election. He needs to take charge with greater campaigning measures if he wants to win the reelection. Obama is currently dropping in the polls mainly because of his central policy--jobs. According to Gallup polls, Obama's jobs approval rating is at 42% with 51% of people disapproving. Also according to Gallup, his job approval rating is remaining pretty consistent with approval rating staying low.
I believe that at this current time, it is difficult to say whether Obama will win the bid for reelection. This completely depends on Obama's jobs bill which has yet to be signed by Congress till next year. If the bill gets signed, Obama may have a chance to win back voters.
To figure out this question on whether Obama will win the reelection bid, I took a look at Gallup's comparison of approval ratings for previous presidents. Around this time, most presidents have had pretty low approval ratings. Many presidents were able to increase their approval ratings by the election time in Novemeber. Obama may still have a chance to bring up his approval ratings, but he needs to do greater campaigning for this election because most Americans are tired of Obama's lack of "change" and in turn, they would rather vote for a lesser Republican candidate.
Right now, I think the election could go either way. Obama has a chance to take back voters, but with greater emphasis on the GOP debates, Obama has been pushed out of the limelight. People have become more interested in Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. After a Republican nomination has been handed over, the campaigning can begin. At that point, we can take a look at whether Obama has a chance to win.
I believe that at this current time, it is difficult to say whether Obama will win the bid for reelection. This completely depends on Obama's jobs bill which has yet to be signed by Congress till next year. If the bill gets signed, Obama may have a chance to win back voters.
To figure out this question on whether Obama will win the reelection bid, I took a look at Gallup's comparison of approval ratings for previous presidents. Around this time, most presidents have had pretty low approval ratings. Many presidents were able to increase their approval ratings by the election time in Novemeber. Obama may still have a chance to bring up his approval ratings, but he needs to do greater campaigning for this election because most Americans are tired of Obama's lack of "change" and in turn, they would rather vote for a lesser Republican candidate.
Right now, I think the election could go either way. Obama has a chance to take back voters, but with greater emphasis on the GOP debates, Obama has been pushed out of the limelight. People have become more interested in Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. After a Republican nomination has been handed over, the campaigning can begin. At that point, we can take a look at whether Obama has a chance to win.
Perry's Gay Hatred
This particular political cartoon has several key features that poke fun at Rick Perry's tirade against homophobia. The cartoon was drawn in mind of the movie Brokeback Mountain, with Rick Perry playing Heath Ledger. The idea of Brokeback Mountain gives viewers an understanding of the context that Rick Perry is going against. Another key feature is Rick Perry's quote "I wish I knew how to quit you." This quote has a double meaning that could have been intended by the cartoonist. The quote could be a satire of the situation by saying that Rick Perry is gay (though of course he is not, the quote could be poking fun at that). The quote, more likely, is saying that Rick Perry doesn't know how to quit his tirade against homophobia. Recently, Rick Perry released an advertisement that was intended to share his morals, but rather turned into his opinions on homophobia.
The cartoonist ridicules Perry by placing him in the situation of Brokeback Mountain, but is also satiring the situation through the quote he says. The cartoon deals with the issue of Perry's hatred toward homophobia. The cartoon's central message is that Rick Perry is not going to be able to quit his tirade against homophobia. It has become one of the central features of his campaign. The cartoonist's point of view seems to come out clearly in this cartoon. He is trying to make fun of candidate Perry.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Chances of Mitt Romney's Win
Earlier in the campaign for the Republican nomination, I would have said that Mitt Romney had a good chance of getting the GOP nomination. Against the other candidates (Perry/Cain), Romney's chances are looking pretty good, but he's going to have to work really hard if he plans on getting the nomination.
A main reason that Romney wouldn't win is that his Republican "fan base" is really low. Romney's religious background (Mormonism) is not appealing to the evangelical Republicans. Romney's liberal tactics are in opposition to the conservative Republicans. The Republican vote relies a lot on religion. Romney will not be able to win the votes of the Republican Southerners (or the backwoods conservatives) if he is seeking to win the election. Romney needs to reach a more conservative standpoint and stop leaning toward liberal issues. Even if Romney managed to get by and win the GOP nomination without the conservatives, he could many Democratic voters (who are looking for a change), but he would not be able to mobilize the Southerners to vote for him.
A reason that Romney could win the nomination is his general appeal to the media. Romney is seen a seasoned veteran of politics and the media is right behind him on this. Romney seeks not only to appeal to Republicans (as his party title suggests) but he also appeals to the Democratic voters who are tired of Obama's ways. Romney has been getting a lot of media attention, especially now that candidates like Herman Cain are losing momentum. Romney has been an innocent bystander as the other candidates self-destruct their own campaigns (Cain, Perry, Bachmann). Romney's ideology (Republican but not strict conservative) has proved appealing to the independent voters in the swing states. Judging by how many swing states there are, Romney has a great chance of winning the nomination and quite possibly, the general election. Other candidates have taken to appealing solely to conservative Republican voters, which will not help them much in the general election.
A main reason that Romney wouldn't win is that his Republican "fan base" is really low. Romney's religious background (Mormonism) is not appealing to the evangelical Republicans. Romney's liberal tactics are in opposition to the conservative Republicans. The Republican vote relies a lot on religion. Romney will not be able to win the votes of the Republican Southerners (or the backwoods conservatives) if he is seeking to win the election. Romney needs to reach a more conservative standpoint and stop leaning toward liberal issues. Even if Romney managed to get by and win the GOP nomination without the conservatives, he could many Democratic voters (who are looking for a change), but he would not be able to mobilize the Southerners to vote for him.
A reason that Romney could win the nomination is his general appeal to the media. Romney is seen a seasoned veteran of politics and the media is right behind him on this. Romney seeks not only to appeal to Republicans (as his party title suggests) but he also appeals to the Democratic voters who are tired of Obama's ways. Romney has been getting a lot of media attention, especially now that candidates like Herman Cain are losing momentum. Romney has been an innocent bystander as the other candidates self-destruct their own campaigns (Cain, Perry, Bachmann). Romney's ideology (Republican but not strict conservative) has proved appealing to the independent voters in the swing states. Judging by how many swing states there are, Romney has a great chance of winning the nomination and quite possibly, the general election. Other candidates have taken to appealing solely to conservative Republican voters, which will not help them much in the general election.
Herman Cain's Indiscretions
The key objects that this political cartoon highlights are the sign "Naughty List Archives" and the hundreds of files inside the archive that are dedicated to Herman Cain. The objects represent that Herman Cain has been a "naughty" person and has had many indiscretions. This cartoon is a satire of the situation regarding Herman Cain.
The cartoonist may be a little biased because he shows an archive full of "naughty" records (Cain may not have been involved in so many indiscretions). He is sharing the facts that are now coming to the light of the public (that Herman Cain has done many "naughty" things).
Over the past couple of weeks, women have been coming out to the media claiming of sexual harassment charges against Herman Cain. Cain's inability to stand up against those charges has made the public weary about his moral backgrounds and his abilities as a possible GOP nominee against President Obama. Recently, a woman named Ginger White has come out saying that she and Cain have had a thirteen year affair. These indiscretions that are now in the public spotlight will test Herman Cain's run for nomination. Most are suggesting that Herman Cain should cut his losses and drop out of the campaign.
The cartoon's goal was to share that there are many indiscretions that the public doesn't know about which will definitely hold Cain back.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
President Perry?
Personally, if I were to be voting a future president, Rick Perry would not be my first choice. Sure, he sets out some good points, but he not the kind of person I see as President of the United States. Honestly, after his flub at the debate, I don't think he really has a shot at winning the Republican nomination. Obviously, Perry will not be winning because of his way with words as we saw at the GOP debate where Perry forgot his own policy ideas. Perry has slipped down in the polls; he will most likely become the least likely candidate to win the GOP nomination.
Rick Perry's state of Texas is left in shambles as its debt has nearly doubled since he became governor. Perry has yet to address the issues of his fellow Texans. Supposedly, he has reduced the debt in Texas, but in actuality, the reforms that Texans needed are not being given to them such as mental institution reforms. Perry is neglecting his own state for the GOP campaign. With the United States already experiencing financial problems, why would we want to put our economy in the hands of Rick Perry? God only knows what would happen to our already climbing national debt. This reason alone could be the deciding factor on why Perry could lose the camapign for GOP nomination. He may say that he can reduce the national debt, but how can we trust him with what's happening in Texas?
Oh gosh, it was extremely difficult to find something good to stay about Rick Perry's campaign chances, but I guess that one advantage that Perry has are his conservative beliefs. Perry's strong conservative beliefs compared to other candidates like Mitt Romney (who has been known to be playing both fields currently) will get him far in the GOP nomination. Though Perry has made some major gaffes/flubs during his campaign, Perry can most likely still count on his conservative voters (the backlands Republicans who currently are angered with Romney). One difficulty that Perry will face if he wins nomination is maintaining the votes of the Republicans while trying to gain Democratic votes as well to win the general election. Perry must keep his conservative base if he seeks to go anywhere further in the elections.
Rick Perry's state of Texas is left in shambles as its debt has nearly doubled since he became governor. Perry has yet to address the issues of his fellow Texans. Supposedly, he has reduced the debt in Texas, but in actuality, the reforms that Texans needed are not being given to them such as mental institution reforms. Perry is neglecting his own state for the GOP campaign. With the United States already experiencing financial problems, why would we want to put our economy in the hands of Rick Perry? God only knows what would happen to our already climbing national debt. This reason alone could be the deciding factor on why Perry could lose the camapign for GOP nomination. He may say that he can reduce the national debt, but how can we trust him with what's happening in Texas?
Oh gosh, it was extremely difficult to find something good to stay about Rick Perry's campaign chances, but I guess that one advantage that Perry has are his conservative beliefs. Perry's strong conservative beliefs compared to other candidates like Mitt Romney (who has been known to be playing both fields currently) will get him far in the GOP nomination. Though Perry has made some major gaffes/flubs during his campaign, Perry can most likely still count on his conservative voters (the backlands Republicans who currently are angered with Romney). One difficulty that Perry will face if he wins nomination is maintaining the votes of the Republicans while trying to gain Democratic votes as well to win the general election. Perry must keep his conservative base if he seeks to go anywhere further in the elections.
Nomination of Newt Gingrich
The political cartoonist is assessing Newt Gingrich's campaign for Republican nomination. There is one clear feature that the cartoonist tries to highlight in this cartoon--the metaphorical and literal baggage that Gingrich holds. All of the mistakes that Gingrich made--government shutdown, ethics charges, etc--before are still in the limelight. Gingrich is trying to cover up his past scandals to start anew. The cartoonist wants to highlight that America can't forget and won't forget what Gingrich had done.
We can clearly see that the political cartoonist is displaying satire about Gingrich's campaign for nomination. Gingrich cannot hide his past, just by running for GOP nomination. America still remembers what happened before, under Newt Gingrich, and Republicans should not be stupid enough to make that same mistake again.
Then again, if Newt wins, Obama can chalk up another victory, so maybe it is a good thing Gingrich is running.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
CBS is biased?
Michele Bachmann, who currently has a 4% standing in the national polls, will most likely not be winning the Republican nomination any time soon. Bachmann was enraged when she found out that CBS correspondents at the Republican debates were going to ask her limited questions: questions that didn't address the full scope of the issues at hand in America. Bachmann was angry over the fact that she wasn't being given a fair chance in the debates. Why should other candidates be allowed to answer questions, and not her?
Though CBS was being disrespectful to Bachmann, I highly doubt Bachmann would have been able to answer any of those questions, so good call on CBS's part. Bachmann is almost out of the election, so I understand CBS's need to focus on other candidates who actually have a chance at winning. I think the real problem was not that CBS was limiting questions (thus limiting her chances at winning), but that CBS was limiting her time on television. She believes that the media should not have the chance to "limit candidates' opportunity to speak to the American people." What a bunch of BS, really. She doesn't really care about her chances to talk to the American people, she just wants more prime time on television.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/michele-bachmann-accuses-cbs-news-media-bias-050121770.html
Though CBS was being disrespectful to Bachmann, I highly doubt Bachmann would have been able to answer any of those questions, so good call on CBS's part. Bachmann is almost out of the election, so I understand CBS's need to focus on other candidates who actually have a chance at winning. I think the real problem was not that CBS was limiting questions (thus limiting her chances at winning), but that CBS was limiting her time on television. She believes that the media should not have the chance to "limit candidates' opportunity to speak to the American people." What a bunch of BS, really. She doesn't really care about her chances to talk to the American people, she just wants more prime time on television.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/michele-bachmann-accuses-cbs-news-media-bias-050121770.html
Who will win the GOP race?
After reading through many articles, it seems to me that it doesn't really matter which candidate (since each have their faults) wins the Republican nomination because the Democratic party and Obama feel as though they've got the election. With all the problems coming into light about the GOP candidates, America has to wonder, do we really want one of those candidates becoming president?
First, I just want to talk about each of the candidates who probably don't have a chance of winning anymore. Rick Perry seemed like the best candidate earlier in his race, but with his recent "drinking" stint could cost his real chance in the run for nomination. Herman Cain is trying really hard to gain recognition, but in light of recent sexual harassment charges (which nobody really believes, but can't doubt the evidence), he most likely will not gain the Republican nomination. Michelle Bachmann doesn't stand a chance, especially because of her silly comments. Sure, it would be nice to have a female president, but I just don't think she should define America's women, or America itself. Newt Gingrich would be the worst choice for Republican nomination. If he wins the nomination, Obama can start planning his next inauguration.
The only candidate who actually seems to have promise is Mitt Romney. He's hated by many Republicans because Romney doesn't have the same evangelical beliefs, but if he can compromise and make amends, he is set to win the nomination, along with the support of many Republicans. Romney is going to need to "flip flop" by keeping the support of Republicans and trying to gain the support of Democrats, in the general presidential election if he wins nomination. Romney has been known to give his direct stance and opinions outright; he continues to stand by them.
First, I just want to talk about each of the candidates who probably don't have a chance of winning anymore. Rick Perry seemed like the best candidate earlier in his race, but with his recent "drinking" stint could cost his real chance in the run for nomination. Herman Cain is trying really hard to gain recognition, but in light of recent sexual harassment charges (which nobody really believes, but can't doubt the evidence), he most likely will not gain the Republican nomination. Michelle Bachmann doesn't stand a chance, especially because of her silly comments. Sure, it would be nice to have a female president, but I just don't think she should define America's women, or America itself. Newt Gingrich would be the worst choice for Republican nomination. If he wins the nomination, Obama can start planning his next inauguration.
The only candidate who actually seems to have promise is Mitt Romney. He's hated by many Republicans because Romney doesn't have the same evangelical beliefs, but if he can compromise and make amends, he is set to win the nomination, along with the support of many Republicans. Romney is going to need to "flip flop" by keeping the support of Republicans and trying to gain the support of Democrats, in the general presidential election if he wins nomination. Romney has been known to give his direct stance and opinions outright; he continues to stand by them.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Gov. O'Malley "at war" with rural Maryland?
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, has always had troubles with the conservatives living in rural Maryland, mainly over his evironmental agenda (which was central in his five years as Governor). O' Malley's evironmental agenda continues to clash with farmers, fisherman, and drillers. He proposed a ban on new septic systems, pushed for Chesapeake Bay cleanup, and withheld state funding from local governments.
Conservatives have always been riled by the governor's policies and agendas, but now, they believe he has overstepped his boundaries. They believe that Governor O'Malley should not be allowed to dictate how all the communities in Maryland are run. O'Malley has now increased taxes (sewer, tolls, and gas).
In a sense, a war between the Democratic governor and his conservative peoples has developed. O'Malley's real power will be tested in the upcoming months with the issues of same-sex marriage, wind development, and higher taxes on transport. The people are split over their feelings about how the governor has controlled Maryland these past five years.
Democrats (and proponents) are 100% sure that O'Malley's policies are for the best of the Maryland people. They believe he is effectively curbing sprawl, improving bay quality, and helping the rural people.
On the other hand, conservatives believe that O'Malley is monopolizing the power and not helping the rural folk at all. They believe that in the governor's goal for helping Maryland, he is stepping on the little people (or in this case, the rural conservatives). Most conservatives say that if he doesn't get his act together soon enough, who knows what will happen at the Iowa caucus.
In a sense, we won't truly know what will happen in the upcoming election. If the conservatives have their way, Governor O'Malley may not be re-elected. Conservatives from rural Maryland have never played a key role in deciding the election for O'Malley, but who knows, that could all change this year.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/gov-omalley-at-war-with-rural-maryland-republicans-say/2011/10/28/gIQAcEZCXM_story.html?wprss=rss_local
Conservatives have always been riled by the governor's policies and agendas, but now, they believe he has overstepped his boundaries. They believe that Governor O'Malley should not be allowed to dictate how all the communities in Maryland are run. O'Malley has now increased taxes (sewer, tolls, and gas).
In a sense, a war between the Democratic governor and his conservative peoples has developed. O'Malley's real power will be tested in the upcoming months with the issues of same-sex marriage, wind development, and higher taxes on transport. The people are split over their feelings about how the governor has controlled Maryland these past five years.
Democrats (and proponents) are 100% sure that O'Malley's policies are for the best of the Maryland people. They believe he is effectively curbing sprawl, improving bay quality, and helping the rural people.
On the other hand, conservatives believe that O'Malley is monopolizing the power and not helping the rural folk at all. They believe that in the governor's goal for helping Maryland, he is stepping on the little people (or in this case, the rural conservatives). Most conservatives say that if he doesn't get his act together soon enough, who knows what will happen at the Iowa caucus.
In a sense, we won't truly know what will happen in the upcoming election. If the conservatives have their way, Governor O'Malley may not be re-elected. Conservatives from rural Maryland have never played a key role in deciding the election for O'Malley, but who knows, that could all change this year.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/gov-omalley-at-war-with-rural-maryland-republicans-say/2011/10/28/gIQAcEZCXM_story.html?wprss=rss_local
Biggest Issue in Virginia
There are many issues concerning the state of Virginia such as environmental problems with the Chesapeake Bay, its political neutrality for the upcoming election, or perhaps transportation. But to me, the biggest issue is education.
Of course, a lot of money is being funneled into Fairfax County (supposedly the richest county), but not all the schools have been fortunate enough to experience this luxury. Schools like Herndon High School and Wakefield are in dire need of renovation, which isn't scheduled for another 5-6 years. Instead of renovating the entire school itself, the county should take on projects of fixing parts of the school, one at a time (starting with trailers).
I remember when I was taking the SAT a few months back at HHS. There were about 200 kids from different schools taking the exam at HHS. All of these students were complaining about how ugly or ghetto our school looked and were, of course, comparing it to how students from the school must look and act. At that moment, I felt shameful that I went to HHS. Our school has great teachers and good students (well, not all...but a relatively large amount) and it deserves to look better than how it is now (leaky ceilings, broken sidewalks, peeling paint, missing ceiling tiles, etc). Thankfully, our school has fairly good technology such as smart boards and new laptops.
Money should be spent on providing better resources such as technology and textbooks. All schools need either desktop computers or laptops. A television in every classroom that actually works right.
If a school in Northern Virginia in Fairfax County looks this crappy, I wouldn't be surprised if there were hundreds more that looked this way in all of Virginia.
Also, another major fix-up needs to be done about cafeteria food. It's unhealthy. It's greasy. It's disgusting. Students would actually rather starve that eat it. Not all students have the luxury of bagged lunches and must eat food from the school cafeteria. I feel bad for those poor, young souls.
Maybe a little more funding in the right places (*cough* like the education department *cough*) would do Virginia some good.
Of course, a lot of money is being funneled into Fairfax County (supposedly the richest county), but not all the schools have been fortunate enough to experience this luxury. Schools like Herndon High School and Wakefield are in dire need of renovation, which isn't scheduled for another 5-6 years. Instead of renovating the entire school itself, the county should take on projects of fixing parts of the school, one at a time (starting with trailers).
I remember when I was taking the SAT a few months back at HHS. There were about 200 kids from different schools taking the exam at HHS. All of these students were complaining about how ugly or ghetto our school looked and were, of course, comparing it to how students from the school must look and act. At that moment, I felt shameful that I went to HHS. Our school has great teachers and good students (well, not all...but a relatively large amount) and it deserves to look better than how it is now (leaky ceilings, broken sidewalks, peeling paint, missing ceiling tiles, etc). Thankfully, our school has fairly good technology such as smart boards and new laptops.
Money should be spent on providing better resources such as technology and textbooks. All schools need either desktop computers or laptops. A television in every classroom that actually works right.
If a school in Northern Virginia in Fairfax County looks this crappy, I wouldn't be surprised if there were hundreds more that looked this way in all of Virginia.
Also, another major fix-up needs to be done about cafeteria food. It's unhealthy. It's greasy. It's disgusting. Students would actually rather starve that eat it. Not all students have the luxury of bagged lunches and must eat food from the school cafeteria. I feel bad for those poor, young souls.
Maybe a little more funding in the right places (*cough* like the education department *cough*) would do Virginia some good.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Occupy Wall Street protests
Recently, an article was posted in the Washington Post describing the expansion of the Occupy Wall Street protests into mainstream and global prominence. The protests which started on September 17, 2011, with just several dozen people has expanded into a worldwide movement against the global financial system. The whole issue has been brought up over the fact that Wall Street has been colluding with the government in order to control the real estate problems, which rather than have benefits, has forced the economy to dwindle further.
The global movements have been relatively non-violent, not counting Rome and Massachusetts. In Rome, people were out on the streets protesting the mounting debt of the Italian economy. Police were forced to use tear-gas against the violent protesters who were lighting cars on fire. In the United States though, the movement now known as "Occupy Wall Street" has shed light on the troubling economic situation (not only in United States, but in the global economy). Protesters were angered over the government's constant bail out of banks, rather than aiding the people.
This idea is clearly showing the globalization of a movement that started in the United States. People in 900 cities all over the world are protesting about the problems their facing with the economic system. People have become united under a single voice and under a single cause. The article describes a growth in the "international solidarity."
This movement was probably not the best way to combine the efforts of the global population, but it has done just that. People all over the world are protesting in hopes to stand side by side with the protests on Wall Street. Another important note that has come up from the growth of these protests is that there are more people than government officials. The people ultimately make the decisions as they have now realized. The protesters will not stop until they have achieved their goals.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/occupy-wall-street-protests-go-global/2011/10/15/gIQAp7kimL_story.html?hpid=z1
The global movements have been relatively non-violent, not counting Rome and Massachusetts. In Rome, people were out on the streets protesting the mounting debt of the Italian economy. Police were forced to use tear-gas against the violent protesters who were lighting cars on fire. In the United States though, the movement now known as "Occupy Wall Street" has shed light on the troubling economic situation (not only in United States, but in the global economy). Protesters were angered over the government's constant bail out of banks, rather than aiding the people.
This idea is clearly showing the globalization of a movement that started in the United States. People in 900 cities all over the world are protesting about the problems their facing with the economic system. People have become united under a single voice and under a single cause. The article describes a growth in the "international solidarity."
This movement was probably not the best way to combine the efforts of the global population, but it has done just that. People all over the world are protesting in hopes to stand side by side with the protests on Wall Street. Another important note that has come up from the growth of these protests is that there are more people than government officials. The people ultimately make the decisions as they have now realized. The protesters will not stop until they have achieved their goals.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/occupy-wall-street-protests-go-global/2011/10/15/gIQAp7kimL_story.html?hpid=z1
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Report Card for President Obama
In order to grade President Obama accurately, I would have to understand how his role has helped solve certain issues in the United States during his presidency.
First, we have to take into consideration: healthcare. The first major issue that Obama sought to fix was providing universal health care to all Americans. The only problem with this issue is that not all Americans can afford health care. Why force Americans to get health care? It will only require the government to tax more heavily on the American people in order to fund health care for the uninsured. People can't afford to pay even more taxes in such an economic environment. This is majorly controversial issue that I don't see being solved any time soon.
Obama grade: B- (nice effort, but is it necessary?)
In light of the economic downturn, Obama came into presidency at a difficult time. He had set up some major promises to the American people. He first set out to create more jobs for the unemployed through his Jobs plan and his revised Jobs plan. There are two views on the unemployment issue, coming from the Conservatives and the Economists. The conservatives believe that Obama's jobs plan hasn't been effective thus far and the stimulus package hasn't even made a dent in decreasing the number of unemployed workers, so why would it help now? Conservatives have been against the plan from the very start. Economists are idealists. They believe that passing the bill will make a major difference.
I would give Obama an A- for effort and a C- for follow through. The previous stimulus package gave no serious benefits to the unemployed, but at least Obama is trying to fix this issue rather than sitting idlely by (like the consevatives) watching the unemployment rate increases. We'll see what happens in the future as Congress hasn't yet decided what will happen to the Jobs plan. It will most likely be cut off, but if it manages to get passed, I think it would be a major help.
War on Terror, or should I call it the Overseas Contingency Operation. Clearly, Obama hasn't really focused on this issue at all during his presidency because he doesn't want to be defined by this issue has Bush's presidency was. Obama is more focused on the economic issues at hand and has put off this issue. It was a good idea for Obama to focus on the other issues that are defining American society/economy (but after 4 years, has any real progress come of his focus? If he wants to be re-elected, he needs to turn it around). He did do one important thing: set his sights on getting back the troops. It's been long enough and Obama has realized what his predecessor Bush hadn't.
The main thing that I can remember about this issue that was heavily publicized was the killing of Osama bin Laden, which was a big win for Obama and America. Recently, more focus has been placed on American troops and efforts in other countries such as Libya.
Obama grade: B+
When it comes to whether Obama will be re-elected, we will have to wait till next year to find out. Obama definitely has a high chance of being re-elected unless his Jobs plan fails. The American people will have to reconsider whether they will continue to place their trust in Obama or look to a capable Republican candidate. He has a heavy chance of being re-elected if he keeps up his position to defend the American people, only the question comes to mind: can he deliver on his promises if America gives him another chance?
Obama grade: B
All I can say is...a lot of promises, not a lot of follow through.
First, we have to take into consideration: healthcare. The first major issue that Obama sought to fix was providing universal health care to all Americans. The only problem with this issue is that not all Americans can afford health care. Why force Americans to get health care? It will only require the government to tax more heavily on the American people in order to fund health care for the uninsured. People can't afford to pay even more taxes in such an economic environment. This is majorly controversial issue that I don't see being solved any time soon.
Obama grade: B- (nice effort, but is it necessary?)
In light of the economic downturn, Obama came into presidency at a difficult time. He had set up some major promises to the American people. He first set out to create more jobs for the unemployed through his Jobs plan and his revised Jobs plan. There are two views on the unemployment issue, coming from the Conservatives and the Economists. The conservatives believe that Obama's jobs plan hasn't been effective thus far and the stimulus package hasn't even made a dent in decreasing the number of unemployed workers, so why would it help now? Conservatives have been against the plan from the very start. Economists are idealists. They believe that passing the bill will make a major difference.
I would give Obama an A- for effort and a C- for follow through. The previous stimulus package gave no serious benefits to the unemployed, but at least Obama is trying to fix this issue rather than sitting idlely by (like the consevatives) watching the unemployment rate increases. We'll see what happens in the future as Congress hasn't yet decided what will happen to the Jobs plan. It will most likely be cut off, but if it manages to get passed, I think it would be a major help.
War on Terror, or should I call it the Overseas Contingency Operation. Clearly, Obama hasn't really focused on this issue at all during his presidency because he doesn't want to be defined by this issue has Bush's presidency was. Obama is more focused on the economic issues at hand and has put off this issue. It was a good idea for Obama to focus on the other issues that are defining American society/economy (but after 4 years, has any real progress come of his focus? If he wants to be re-elected, he needs to turn it around). He did do one important thing: set his sights on getting back the troops. It's been long enough and Obama has realized what his predecessor Bush hadn't.
The main thing that I can remember about this issue that was heavily publicized was the killing of Osama bin Laden, which was a big win for Obama and America. Recently, more focus has been placed on American troops and efforts in other countries such as Libya.
Obama grade: B+
When it comes to whether Obama will be re-elected, we will have to wait till next year to find out. Obama definitely has a high chance of being re-elected unless his Jobs plan fails. The American people will have to reconsider whether they will continue to place their trust in Obama or look to a capable Republican candidate. He has a heavy chance of being re-elected if he keeps up his position to defend the American people, only the question comes to mind: can he deliver on his promises if America gives him another chance?
Obama grade: B
All I can say is...a lot of promises, not a lot of follow through.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Discrimination Against Unemployed
The article speaks about how the unemployed are being discriminated against in their search for jobs. The unemployed workers are not recieving jobs at various companies because of their lack of having a job. Companies are more interested in works who already have a job, or have been unemployed for only a short period of time. The unemployed are losing opportunities/jobs because of their unemployed status. Obama's jobs bill seeks to ban companies from discriminating against unemployed people and to prohibit unemployment agencies from disqualifying applicants based on their unemployment.
Of course, having a job shows companies that they have good work ethic and are skilled, but not having one shouldn't be the deciding factor on how to disqualify a worthy candidate.
Obama's previous jobs plan made no difference to the American people (the number of jobs weren't increased), but doing nothing will not help the unemployed either (*cough* Republicans *cough* Why don't you come up with something, instead of sitting on your high horse looking down on the menial workers?).
The unemployed need an opportunity to recieve employment, but Obama's jobs bill will most likely not go through because of the heavy resentment toward it from the Republicans. If the bill fails, according the the article, Democrats will remind voters that they tried and that it wasn't their fault that the bill was denied. Is trying really enough to make the difference? So many families are trying to make ends meet and this jobs bill could majorly help them, but without it and without any other helpful measures, more and more people will be unemployed and more likely will stay unemployed.
Side note: Parties lines are extremely bothersome. Why the hell should it matter whether your Republican or Democrat, when it comes to helping the American people? In a time like this, when there are so many umployed people, the parties need to work together to come up with a decision rather than arguing constantly. Arguing isn't going to help anyone.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/unemployed-seek-protection-against-job-bias-084916836.html
Of course, having a job shows companies that they have good work ethic and are skilled, but not having one shouldn't be the deciding factor on how to disqualify a worthy candidate.
Obama's previous jobs plan made no difference to the American people (the number of jobs weren't increased), but doing nothing will not help the unemployed either (*cough* Republicans *cough* Why don't you come up with something, instead of sitting on your high horse looking down on the menial workers?).
The unemployed need an opportunity to recieve employment, but Obama's jobs bill will most likely not go through because of the heavy resentment toward it from the Republicans. If the bill fails, according the the article, Democrats will remind voters that they tried and that it wasn't their fault that the bill was denied. Is trying really enough to make the difference? So many families are trying to make ends meet and this jobs bill could majorly help them, but without it and without any other helpful measures, more and more people will be unemployed and more likely will stay unemployed.
Side note: Parties lines are extremely bothersome. Why the hell should it matter whether your Republican or Democrat, when it comes to helping the American people? In a time like this, when there are so many umployed people, the parties need to work together to come up with a decision rather than arguing constantly. Arguing isn't going to help anyone.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/unemployed-seek-protection-against-job-bias-084916836.html
Guns
I am all for increased gun control laws, if that means keeping Americans safe.
For a AP Gov't assignment, we had to learn about how an act or bill affected the United States. I researched the Brady Bill. The Brady Bill was a mandate that required all individuals to complete a background check and follow the waiting period before recieving a gun. These checks were needed in order to make sure certain individuals weren't a threat to citizen safety.
I really had no stance on this issue because I didn't really understand the full depths of it. Now that we are learning more about how certain political issues are affecting the public and how different people feel about this issue, I have made up my mind.
I think that we need stricter gun control laws, so that incidents like what happened in the VT massacre and in Tucson don't happen again. The federal government needs to be stricter in their decision to give guns out to people. In the VT massacre, the shooter had been mentally ill. He had completed the background check and the waiting period, but failed to complete a test on his mental health. It was recommended by the court that he complete treatment for his condition and then he was administered a gun. He did not complete the treatment. The court didn't follow through to make sure that he did. So many innocent people died in that situation that could have been stopped if the government had kept closer tabs on the people they allow to have guns.
Giving guns to every single person in the United States doesn't solve any problem. The government is just making the problem worse. People will become reliant on the use of guns for everything. Plus, shouldn't the American people feel safe enough to not need guns? What is the government doing with our tax dollars? They should be making sure that the police force is able to help the American people to the best of their ability. It's the government's job to keep people safe.
Of course, people should be able to take care of themselves, but then it comes to question: why do we need government then (if it's every man for himself)?
Yeah, so that's most of my opinion on the issue.
For a AP Gov't assignment, we had to learn about how an act or bill affected the United States. I researched the Brady Bill. The Brady Bill was a mandate that required all individuals to complete a background check and follow the waiting period before recieving a gun. These checks were needed in order to make sure certain individuals weren't a threat to citizen safety.
I really had no stance on this issue because I didn't really understand the full depths of it. Now that we are learning more about how certain political issues are affecting the public and how different people feel about this issue, I have made up my mind.
I think that we need stricter gun control laws, so that incidents like what happened in the VT massacre and in Tucson don't happen again. The federal government needs to be stricter in their decision to give guns out to people. In the VT massacre, the shooter had been mentally ill. He had completed the background check and the waiting period, but failed to complete a test on his mental health. It was recommended by the court that he complete treatment for his condition and then he was administered a gun. He did not complete the treatment. The court didn't follow through to make sure that he did. So many innocent people died in that situation that could have been stopped if the government had kept closer tabs on the people they allow to have guns.
Giving guns to every single person in the United States doesn't solve any problem. The government is just making the problem worse. People will become reliant on the use of guns for everything. Plus, shouldn't the American people feel safe enough to not need guns? What is the government doing with our tax dollars? They should be making sure that the police force is able to help the American people to the best of their ability. It's the government's job to keep people safe.
Of course, people should be able to take care of themselves, but then it comes to question: why do we need government then (if it's every man for himself)?
Yeah, so that's most of my opinion on the issue.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Political Party
Question of the Week
What Political Party are you most closely aligned with? Why?
So, we took several quizzes and I ended up getting: Post Modern, Slightly Republican, Liberal, Centrist leaning toward Libertarian. I don't know what side I am currently leaning toward, but I am an Independent. Now, I know that there are several definitions of being an "Independent." I think both parties are correct on certain issues and when voting time comes, it will be those issues that will be my deciding factor. When I'm old enough to vote, I will definitely vote based on the issues at the time (Obama better change something about Healthcare).
I know that some of you may be thinking, "Oh, she doesn't know which side she's on. She can't make up her mind." Okay, cool your jets. It's not a bad thing that I can't decide at the age of seventeen which political party I will be voting for, for the rest of my life. I'm weighing my options. I'm not going to blindly vote Democrat or Republican without looking at what issues they plan to change. Whether the candidate is Democrat/Republican is not my concern.
Alright, since I'm a self-proclaimed Independent, most of you don't know what my views on certain issues are. If were Republican or Democrat, some of you would already have your mind made up about me.
Abortion: Pro-life (at the moment)
Gay Rights: Pro
Death Penalty: Against
Guns: Against
Environment: Against (only if excessive funding is spent on trying to stop Global Warming)
Funding Stem Cell Research: Pro
Legalizing marijuana: Against
That's all I feel like listing at the current moment. I may add more if I feel like it.
Sorry if my indecisiveness bothers you.
Side note: Some of you (or maybe it's just me) may have noticed that the timing on my posts is off. For some reason, it keeps defaulting to pacific time. Haha, that's punny. I might actually leave it that way because my blog is called "Turning Back Time" and it's literally turning back time. Hahaha.
What Political Party are you most closely aligned with? Why?
So, we took several quizzes and I ended up getting: Post Modern, Slightly Republican, Liberal, Centrist leaning toward Libertarian. I don't know what side I am currently leaning toward, but I am an Independent. Now, I know that there are several definitions of being an "Independent." I think both parties are correct on certain issues and when voting time comes, it will be those issues that will be my deciding factor. When I'm old enough to vote, I will definitely vote based on the issues at the time (Obama better change something about Healthcare).
I know that some of you may be thinking, "Oh, she doesn't know which side she's on. She can't make up her mind." Okay, cool your jets. It's not a bad thing that I can't decide at the age of seventeen which political party I will be voting for, for the rest of my life. I'm weighing my options. I'm not going to blindly vote Democrat or Republican without looking at what issues they plan to change. Whether the candidate is Democrat/Republican is not my concern.
Alright, since I'm a self-proclaimed Independent, most of you don't know what my views on certain issues are. If were Republican or Democrat, some of you would already have your mind made up about me.
Abortion: Pro-life (at the moment)
Gay Rights: Pro
Death Penalty: Against
Guns: Against
Environment: Against (only if excessive funding is spent on trying to stop Global Warming)
Funding Stem Cell Research: Pro
Legalizing marijuana: Against
That's all I feel like listing at the current moment. I may add more if I feel like it.
Sorry if my indecisiveness bothers you.
Side note: Some of you (or maybe it's just me) may have noticed that the timing on my posts is off. For some reason, it keeps defaulting to pacific time. Haha, that's punny. I might actually leave it that way because my blog is called "Turning Back Time" and it's literally turning back time. Hahaha.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Obamacare
OBAMACARE
Back in August, part of Obama's healthcare law was declared as unconstitutional which halted the law in its tracks. This declaration didn't completely strike down the plan, but it will have major effects on the official Supreme Court ruling (which is expected to be in June 2012). The Obama administration is pushing for an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the declaration by the appeals court. But in the few days since the administration called for an appeal, 26 states have already vetoed the law.
Universal healthcare will be the most important issue for the upcoming 2012 election. President Obama has been working toward getting his law passed since 2010, but the law has hit major roadblocks. With the 2012 election coming soon, Obama needs to get a win in order to get reelected.
The issue of universal healthcare has been extremely controversial. The liberal minded are seeking to expand healthcare in order to provide coverage to all citizens and residents of the United States. Passing the law will require states to provide healthcare coverage to all of its legal residents which will increase their burden.
The idea of universal healthcare doesn't mean that the government will be paying for the expensive healthcare for all citizens and residents. It just means that all citizens are required to have healthcare, which is where the American people have to question, how will they pay for it? Where will the money come from? Will current citizens who are hard at work have to fund the healthcare vendetta through taxes, just as with Social Security? Then again why should people who cannot afford healthcare, be forced to purchase it?
Americans fear that if the law goes through, their expenses for insurance will go up while the overall healthcare coverage will go down.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-group-appeals-health-law-supreme-court-143800340.html
Alright, just one for assignment left to do.
Back in August, part of Obama's healthcare law was declared as unconstitutional which halted the law in its tracks. This declaration didn't completely strike down the plan, but it will have major effects on the official Supreme Court ruling (which is expected to be in June 2012). The Obama administration is pushing for an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the declaration by the appeals court. But in the few days since the administration called for an appeal, 26 states have already vetoed the law.
Universal healthcare will be the most important issue for the upcoming 2012 election. President Obama has been working toward getting his law passed since 2010, but the law has hit major roadblocks. With the 2012 election coming soon, Obama needs to get a win in order to get reelected.
The issue of universal healthcare has been extremely controversial. The liberal minded are seeking to expand healthcare in order to provide coverage to all citizens and residents of the United States. Passing the law will require states to provide healthcare coverage to all of its legal residents which will increase their burden.
The idea of universal healthcare doesn't mean that the government will be paying for the expensive healthcare for all citizens and residents. It just means that all citizens are required to have healthcare, which is where the American people have to question, how will they pay for it? Where will the money come from? Will current citizens who are hard at work have to fund the healthcare vendetta through taxes, just as with Social Security? Then again why should people who cannot afford healthcare, be forced to purchase it?
Americans fear that if the law goes through, their expenses for insurance will go up while the overall healthcare coverage will go down.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-group-appeals-health-law-supreme-court-143800340.html
Alright, just one for assignment left to do.
New TV Shows
WOOHOO. Second blog post. I felt like adding more information to my blog since all it has is this boring dead roses background and one blog post.
RANT!
Well, not really a full-fledged rant...more like my opinion--just completely uncensored (alright, slightly sensored for the sake of the young readers).
So as you've read in my last blog post, I've procrastinated the past two days away (Fri/Sat). Yesterday, I spent most of my time watching all the new tv shows that I'd missed and I was competely surprised at how good the new tv shows are this season. Too bad I actually don't have time to watch them.
PAN AM: B+
From my understanding, it's a tv show about the life of the stewardesses and pilots on Pan Am flights, back in their heyday. The trailer for the tv show seriously didn't do it any justice. I thought it was going to be a completely boring tv show, but I was surprised that I actually ended up liking it.
THE PLAYBOY CLUB: B+
Yes, the show is a little derogatory toward feminism (but that's what the time period was like). It definitely has got some strong points. I actually like the characters in the tv show. I don't actually know if I'll watch the show again, but I thought the first episode was awesome--the right amount of espionage and drama.
REVENGE: A+
Alright. I love this tv show already and its only had two episodes so far. I totally love the idea that one outsider-girl (main character, Amanda Clark) can take down all of her deceased father's ex-friends and co-workers as payback for what they did to her family. I love the main character because everyone thinks she is sweet and innocent, but then the viewer actually gets her side of the story and sees that she's not so innocent after all.
HART OF DIXIE: C
Eh, it was just...eh. The tv show is about a doctor who gets kicked out of her job (the one she's dreamed about forever) and is forced to move to a little town to take over a practice. Frankly, I found that it lacked some real substance, but I will continue watching this show only because my favorite OC-actor, Rachel Bilson, is the lead.
THE SECRET CIRCLE: B
It was extremely interesting. Some of characters really creep me out though (especially the father). I really hate the fact that basically all the side characters are being killed off one by one. As long the tv show doesn't turn into some 90210 or Gossip Girl-reject, I'll continue watching.
I'll probably end up editing this post later in the week to add other tv shows that I should watch.
Any new tv show recommendations?
RANT!
Well, not really a full-fledged rant...more like my opinion--just completely uncensored (alright, slightly sensored for the sake of the young readers).
So as you've read in my last blog post, I've procrastinated the past two days away (Fri/Sat). Yesterday, I spent most of my time watching all the new tv shows that I'd missed and I was competely surprised at how good the new tv shows are this season. Too bad I actually don't have time to watch them.
PAN AM: B+
From my understanding, it's a tv show about the life of the stewardesses and pilots on Pan Am flights, back in their heyday. The trailer for the tv show seriously didn't do it any justice. I thought it was going to be a completely boring tv show, but I was surprised that I actually ended up liking it.
THE PLAYBOY CLUB: B+
Yes, the show is a little derogatory toward feminism (but that's what the time period was like). It definitely has got some strong points. I actually like the characters in the tv show. I don't actually know if I'll watch the show again, but I thought the first episode was awesome--the right amount of espionage and drama.
REVENGE: A+
Alright. I love this tv show already and its only had two episodes so far. I totally love the idea that one outsider-girl (main character, Amanda Clark) can take down all of her deceased father's ex-friends and co-workers as payback for what they did to her family. I love the main character because everyone thinks she is sweet and innocent, but then the viewer actually gets her side of the story and sees that she's not so innocent after all.
HART OF DIXIE: C
Eh, it was just...eh. The tv show is about a doctor who gets kicked out of her job (the one she's dreamed about forever) and is forced to move to a little town to take over a practice. Frankly, I found that it lacked some real substance, but I will continue watching this show only because my favorite OC-actor, Rachel Bilson, is the lead.
THE SECRET CIRCLE: B
It was extremely interesting. Some of characters really creep me out though (especially the father). I really hate the fact that basically all the side characters are being killed off one by one. As long the tv show doesn't turn into some 90210 or Gossip Girl-reject, I'll continue watching.
I'll probably end up editing this post later in the week to add other tv shows that I should watch.
Any new tv show recommendations?
Procrastination
It's 9:15 on Saturday night and I've completely procrastinated my day. I'm currently watching Mean Girls while writing this blog, so I'm going to assume that this one blog post will take me an hour to finish. Procrastinating will definitely be the death of me.
For those of you who are actually spending your time reading this, I should introduce myself but I'm not going to. If you read through my blog posts that are yet to come, you'll get a better understanding of who I am. So, until then. But if you truly cannot wait any longer, I suggest you check out the "about me" section on this page (which I will update...when I'm not procrastinating).
Alright, I'm going to cut this blog post short because I'm dying of hunger and I should actually get started on my homework.
EDIT:// I just realized how utterly boring and girly my background is. I'm going to have to change that.
For those of you who are actually spending your time reading this, I should introduce myself but I'm not going to. If you read through my blog posts that are yet to come, you'll get a better understanding of who I am. So, until then. But if you truly cannot wait any longer, I suggest you check out the "about me" section on this page (which I will update...when I'm not procrastinating).
Alright, I'm going to cut this blog post short because I'm dying of hunger and I should actually get started on my homework.
EDIT:// I just realized how utterly boring and girly my background is. I'm going to have to change that.
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