Marquan Jackson in the House!

These are the times in which pigs like Babe are no longer our friends, but only our enemies.  We must avoid Santa’s birdies and sign up to receive vital shots.  It seems that lately we must avoid anything dirty and disinfect daily to avoid getting the dreaded flu virus.  Society has gone from taking precautions to avoid the flu to quarantine.  What’s caused this recent paranoia and fear?  Ever since news of the swine flue broke out people have been paranoid beyond belief, and frankly it’s beginning to get on my nerves.

Background

A little background on the swine flu.  It is a string of the influenza virus that is found in pigs.  Human contraction of the virus from pigs is very rare but it is possible.  Despite popular belief, you cannot get the swine flu from eating pork.  The symptoms are the same as the regular influenza virus and include fever, sore throat, nausea, dizziness, weakness, and coughing.

Current Outbreak

Recently there have been some cases in Mexico of the swine flu and quickly there were cases in the United States and Europe.  True pandemic or simple paranoia?  Personally, I’m believing its more paranoia then serious cause of fear.  The only thing scary about the virus is there is no cure or medicine for the virus, but that is also true for every virus and strain of influenza.  There have been many cases but very few deaths.  Less than 0.1% in the United States.  This is no more than a mere media frenzy.  Yes its okay to be worried about viruses and sickness that have barely any cure, but there is no need to freak out about a virus that we have seen before and know how to lessen symptoms.  Many of the deaths are coming from poor societies that do not have adequate health care for all of their citizens.  And just like the common cold, people are bound to die from it.  You can die from every single illness and the death toll for swine flu is slim to none.  “President Obama, in regards to the outbreak, stated it was a cause for deep concern but not panic” (www.nytimes.com).  For once, I must agree with him.  We should be concerned with the swine flu just as much as we are concerned of any other sickness, but there is no need to quarantine yourself and stay locked up to avoid getting germs.

History Repeats Itself

There have been swine flu epidemics throughout history, including 1918, 1976, 2007, and currently 2009.  In 1918, the “Spanish” influenza caused about 50  million deaths worldwide and in 1976 25 deaths were recorded when the virus spread at Fort Dix, NJ.  This obviously was a great improvement since our bodies seem to find ways to protect ourselves and adapt to diseases.  In 2007, the Philippines was introduced to the swine flu when there was a not so devastating outbreak.  Over the years we have found ways to adapt to and survive from different flu viruses, but regardless of the numerous steps we take to protect ourselves, people are bound to get sick every now and then.

How do I avoid it?

It is not uncommon to experience paranoia in modern society, especially with the recent health movement.  Everyone is aiming to live longer by living healthier, and that not only includes diet and exercise, but also protection from various diseases and illnesses.  Lately people have been going out of their way to avoid any sorta of sickness and its kind of getting the the insanity stage.  To protect yourself from any virus, including the swine flu, it is important to wash your hands and to stay away from anyone with any type of sickness, but it is not necessary to go out of your way.  Simple every day precautions will do the trick and there is no need to freak out about another flu virus.  Stay level headed and avoid falling into the trap of the new age of pandemics.  Its important to protect and take care of your body, but its okay to go outside of your house without a face mask on.  Feel free to shove your mouth with a big, juicy BLT because frankly I’m sick and tired of hearing about the swine flu.

-Marquan

To learn more about the current epidemic, click HERE

To learn about the history of the swine flu, click HERE

To read the article in Newsweek, click HERE

VIDEO

The Swine Flu

Works Cited

Bachelor, Rosemary E. “History of Swine Flu Outbreaks.” Suite101.com. 5 May 2009 <http://diseases-

viruses.suite101.com/article.cfm/history_of_swine_flu_outbreaks>.

Garrett, Laurie. “The Path of a Pandemic.” Newsweek. 2 May 2009. 5 May 2009 <http://www.newsweek.com

/id/195692>.

“Swine influenze.” Wikipedia. 5 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza>.

Zeleny, Jeff. “Obama Says Swine Flu Not a Cause for Alarm.” 27 Apr. 2009. The Caucus. 5 May 2009

<http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/obama-says-swine-flu-not-a-cause-

for-alarm/>.

There are many times I find myself feeling relieved that I live when I do.  Not only for the indulgences that are available, such as food at the tip of my fingers and information with the click of a button, but also for the fading of old rituals and traditions.  My mom constantly tells stories about how when she was a teenager she could only talk on the phone once a night, she had to make dinner for her entire family, and she had to clean the house.  Ironically, she still does all of that, which leaves me with free time to do whatever I want, a privledge I often take for granted.  Besides the evolution of family responsibilities in the household, many other things have evolved.  One of the most drastic changes over the years has occurred within the Catholic school system.

I can’t even begin to explain how many times I have heard my friends and fellow classmates complain about the strict rules and dresscode that we have to follow at a Catholic high school.  I will admit that I too at times have question the rules and complained about one or two of them.  I did not realize how lucky I am to go to a Catholic school right now over going to one about forty years ago.  I was shocked when I read in Newsweek “A wisecrack might bring a dirty look one day and a slap the next” (Newsweek, 44).  If i make a wisecrack in class I receive a detention, which is nothing compared to the physical punishment that was tolerated forty years ago.  Catholic schools four decades ago were run by nuns who used paddles to slap children on the butt or rulers to slap children on the knuckles whenever the acted out in any way, shape, or form.  The idea of an adult hitting a child in modern society is outrageous and with agencies like the CPS around, any adult found harming a child would suffer severe consequences.  This was not the case “back in the day.”  This type of punishment was not only allowed, it was encouraged.  Many parents found nothing wrong with it because they had suffered through the same thing and it taught the children good behavioral skills and strengthened them.  I still struggle with understanding why this concept was ever allowed to happen in school, especially Catholic ones that supposedly teach Christ’s message, which condones violence in any way, shape, or form.

Not only have methods of discipline evolved, so have rules and curriculum.  Children in the 50’s and 60’s had to know the mass in Latin, obeyed the no meat on Fridays rule, go to confession every week before Mass in order to receive the Eucharist, and memorize prayers and bible verses.  They also were surrounded by the ideas of Limbo, where all babies that died before they were baptized ended up forever, and were scouraged for impure thoughts where every sin was a mortal sin that forever placed you into the abyss of helplessness until you confessed and repented multiple times and were cleansed of your sins.  Nowadays, there is no requirement to memorize any prayer or bible verse, no requirement of confession before Mass and very few people follow the meatless friday rule during Lent.  Looking at how much Catholic schools have evolved into a laid-back, violence-free, stress-free environment, I find it humorous that current students complain so much.  We’ve got it lucky!  Maybe not as lucky as public schools, but way luckier than Catholic schools of the 50’s.

The drastic evolution of the Catholic school overtime has made me wonder what it will be like in the future.  What will Catholic education consist of in 2050?  Will I want my children even attending a Catholic school?  With technological advances occurring every day, it makes me wonder if a detention will turn into the suspension of internet privledges for an hour.  From smacks on the butt with a paddle and the memorization of Mass in Latin to detention for an hour after school and loose requirements to attend Mass only when it is provided by the school, what’s next?

-Marquan

To read the Newsweek article online, click HERE.

To learn more about the history of Catholic education, click HERE.

Citations

Noonan, David. “A Catholic-School Verteran Tells All.” Newsweek.com. 25 Apr. 2009. Newsweek. 28 Apr. 2009 <http://www.newsweek.com/id/195122>.

Noonan, David. “A Catholic-School Veteran Tells All.” Newsweek 25 Apr. 2009: 44-44.

When was the last time you’ve laughed at someone for being a little different.  Maybe they wore something to school that wasn’t with the newest style.  Or maybe they were playing Pokemon at lunch.  Or maybe they just looked different from everyone else.  I’m pretty sure most of you would answer today or sometime in the past week.  Although we may not always see it, bullying occurs every single day all around us.  It may be as obvious as someone getting beat up for their lunch money or it may be as small and hidden as a laugh as you walk past someone you don’t like.  Many schools are not creating special rules, consequences and regulations when it comes to bullying, especially with the introduction of  cyber bullying over the Internet.  Many schools show no tolerance for bullying and luckily these efforts help lessen the negative affects of bullying.  However, rules don’t always stop people from being intentionally cruel and evil.  Bullying affects not only the person being pushed around, but also their friends and family.  Unfortunately, many kids are embarrassed about being bullied, so they keep it to themselves and end up doing drastic and traumatic things, such as suicide or killing many people.  This is exactly what happened on April 20,1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Columbine Massacre

On that afternoon, two boys, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold entered their high school with duffel bags filled with explosives that we set to go off at 11:17 a.m.  They then waited in their cars in the parking lot for the bombs to go off so they could then shoot the fleeing students.  When the bombs failed to go off, the two boys headed toward the school and shot two students sitting on a hill near the cafeteria.  They then proceeded to shoot students near the staircases and the entrance to the cafeteria.  When police arrived, they attempted to take out the officers and then headed through the hallways shooting at anything that moved and throwing pipe bombs.  They eventually made their way to the schools library where they ordered all 56 people hiding in there to stand up.  When no one did, they began walking through the tables and shooting and killing random people.  After killing, injuring, and taunting many students they lost the thrill in killing their victims and decided to leave the library.  They then walked throughout the various buildings and taunted people and shot aimlessly.  Eventually they returned to the library and shot themselves.  By 4:00 p.m. the SWAT team had evacuated all the people from the school and parents were notified.  12 students and 1 teacher were killed and 24 others were injured as a result of the massacre.

Aftermath

With the death of fifteen people (including the shooters) and the injury of twenty four, the Columbine Massacre is the fourth-deadliest school massacre in United States history and the deadliest for an American high school.  The relatives and friends of the deceased were devastated and all across the country the affects of April 20 are still felt ten years later. “The massacre provoked debate regarding gun control laws. Much discussion also centered on the nature of high school cliques, subcultures, and bullying, as well as the role of violent movies and video games in American society” (www.en.wikipedia.org).  There was an increased emphasis toward school security and a paranoia aimed toward goths, social outcasts, and the use of anti-depressants among teenagers.  A book was written about the incident by the parent of a student who was killed, Cassie Bernall.  There was a lot of controversy surrounding the circumstances of her death because some students say she was asked the question, “Do you believe in God?” and then was killed when she answered yes.  Others say that incident occurred with another student in the library who was not killed.  Regardless,  Cassie was remembered as a martyr and the book was a best seller.

A Killer’s Motivation

After the incident, there was a lot of debate and speculation over what may have caused Eric and Dylan to do such a terrible thing.  Many point it toward bullying, which was an obvious contributor as the boys were mocked daily for being social outcasts.  Dylan and Eric may have felt depressed, helpless, and insecure due to the isolation by their peers which led them to seek attention.  However there are other things to consider.  Dylan and Eric were apart of an informal school club called the “Trenchcoat Mafia” and were allegedly apart of a goth subculture and cult.  This need to form a cult was probably derived from the pain they felt from being bullied and isolated.  Another factor to consider is the boys exposure to violent video games and music.  Both boys were fans of violence heavy video games and it has been said that one of them had a mock up of Columbine High School on one of their games and proceeded to blow it up and shoot many times.  With the pressures of dark music and violent video games, it is possible that the boys became desensitized to the violence in the games and lost their abilities to empathize with other people.  In order to fully understand the concept of the terrible massacre, we must be able to look at the bigger picture and re-evaluate our society.

Long-term Results

After the massacre, the Secret Secret Service put forth an investigation of school security and found devastatingly pathetic results.  Many schools didn’t even have evacuation plans if a killer was on campus.  Many schools therefore instituted new security measures, such as metal detectors and security guards.  Schools also began to require students to wear a school id on campus at all times.  New anti-bully codes were instituted, included a no tolerance for weapons, violence, and bullies.  Some bigger affects included the changing of police tactics and new gun laws.  Many police stations developed the new tactic of entering a building in a diamond shaped wedge when an active killer is ready to kill people and not take hostages.  State legislatures also began to pass laws enforcing safety locks on guns and the ban the importation and selling of high-capacity ammunition magazines.

What Can I Do

Although there is little you can do when a killer has entered campus, there is plenty you can do to prevent the situation.  Instead of laughing at the outcast, ask how their day has been.  If you see someone who looks upset or isolated,  invite them to have lunch with you.  Most importantly, if you hear someone mentioning that they plan on shooting someone or themselves, get help right away without hesitation.  Bullying is not okay and it never will be.  We have to look at the bigger picture and hopefully save people’s lives.

-Marquan

To read the article on the Columbine Shooting in Newsweek, click HERE

To learn about the affects of bullying, click HERE

To learn more about the Columbine Massacre, click HERE and HERE.

VIDEOS

Columbine: Ten Years Later

Cafeteria Footage and 911 Call: VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

CITATIONS

Matt is right.  A plus side to the communist government is that it allows Huang Xiaoqiang to spend more time with his family.  Being the owner of a noodle restaurant was not his original dream job, but the fact that he gets to do it with his family makes the job quite enjoyable.  It may even turn it into a dream job for him because he gets to struggle through the downs and prosper through the ups with his family right by his side.  Huang is less concerned with being the richest man in China than he is with being a good family man.  His success is pretty much meaningless as long as he gets to create his living with his family being a huge part of it.

Personally I wouldn’t want to work for a big business or corporation because it gets lonely at the top and I don’t particularly want to have a corner office in a skyscraper.  That type of job isn’t remotely appealing to me regardless of the money you make.  I’d much rather do something I enjoy doing with people I enjoy being around.  However, I do think it is very crucial to make a decent amount of money.  With the world we live in today, money is everything and only the rich tend to survive.  Yes family is important but your love for your family and your connection with them is not going to put food on the table.  Sometimes it is important to take that job that makes good money because without that money you may not have a family.  I also think it is good to spend time away from your family.  If you are spending twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week with your family, tension tends to arise and it can actually be harmful for your relationship with them.  Although it may be a great bonding experience to “carve out a good living” with your family, it may actually be better to spend a few hours away from them to make the big bucks to shelter and feed them.  Sometimes you have to sacrifice.

America is notorious around the world for being the “Land of the Free.”  Many people who come from corrupt countries envy America for the amount of freedom its citizens have which opens them to opportunities that help them achieve success and happiness.  America has had the same constitution for over 200 years and one of the most infamous lines from the Declaration of Independence is “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”(www.ushistory.org).  We are endowed with unalienable rights and the Constitution states these as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion ect.  But is America truly free?

What exactly is freedom?  According to Webster’s dictionary, freedom is the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; the exemption from external control, interference, regulation ect.  According to that definition, yes, Americans are “free” but freedom comes in different forms, especially under different circumstances.

America has a capitalist Republic government with free entertprise and free markets.  When decisions need to be made regarding our government, we elect officials who make the decisions for us.  This type of government allows individuals to control their own wealth and success instead of everything being governmentally or socially owned and distributed.  Free enterprise and free markets allow businesses to have their own rules and guidelines and to function on their own without too much government intervention.  This so far has proved mostly successful for our country despite the recent criticism due to the recession.

Rivertown by Peter Hessler takes place in an extremely communist China. “Communism is a socioeconomic and political ideology that promotes the establishment of egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general” (http://en.wikipedia.org).  Basically, everything is government owned and everyone is “equal.”  In the book, the people of China are forced to think the same way and to support China regardless of what is happening.  To them, China is the motherland from which they may never stray from or turn against.  It is their pride and joy.  Unlike Americans, the Chinese do not have the liberty of free speech without consequences.  In the book, one student views things a little differnetly than the rest of the class.  He praises America for its freedom and criticizes China for its lack of it.  “I very much admire your American freedom.  The life for most people in America is very good, and the economy is very good, because there is so much freedom” (Hessler 176-177).  After I read this, I sat in my desk and pondered on this concept of freedom and whether what the student believes is entirely true or not.  Yes, the Constitution ensures our freedom but it is not always guarenteed.

Lately, with the election of a new president, America has seen a vast amount of changes in the government that have started to concern me. As we slowly inch toward becoming a socialist government, we have slowly started losing our freedoms.  In Sacramento, there is currently a bill being voted on that controls what type of color cars we can buy.  It is the goal of the bill to eliminate black cars because they contribute to global warming.  The logic is that dark cars get hotter faster and easier which requires the AC to be turned on for a longer period of time which burns more fuel which releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere therefore leading to global warming.  The estimated benefits are little compared to the price that will be added to car production that the consumer will be forced to pay, not to mention the restriction to choose what color car one desires.  I understand trying to help the environment but this is a reach.  It is unlikely that it will pass, but bills like these show a very slow increase in interest of a government controlled society that limits our various freedoms.

Another freedom being limited is the right to free enterprise and free markets.  Recently, President Obama presented a bailout plan to General Motors but said they would only receive it if their CEO resigned.  The CEO then resigned without a reason but it was later confirmed that it was at the Obama Administration’s behest.  I know my politics pretty well and I do not recall one of the powers of the Executive branch being the ability to fire CEOs of companies.  Of course no one is going to refuse the demand of the President, but once again, this is going a little far.  It is currently being investigated whether the President has the authority to threaten his way into control of companies, but regardless of the decision, this is simply another sign that we drifting more toward a government controlled society.

Those are only two of the many tiny occurances that lead me to question how far our freedoms actually extend.  Regardless of what is in writing, governments have the ability to push their limits and even go past theeir limits without being questioned.  Why do we as Americans not realize the jeopardy our freedoms are in every day and why do we not stand up for them?  The less people do, the more that is allowed.  Maybe in a few years, if things continue down this path, we will be jealous of China for all the freedom that they have.  Have no fear in questioning, is America truly the land of the free?

-Marquan

To read more about the resignation of the CEO of GM click HERE

To read more about the bill in Sacramento click HERE

To learn about Communist China click HERE

Citations

Allen, Mike, and Josh Gerstein. “GM CEO resigns at Obama’s behest.” Politico. 31 Mar. 2009 <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20625.html>.

“Communism.” Wikipedia. 31 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism>.

“The Declaration of Independence.” 31 Mar. 2009 <http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm>.

Hessler, Peter. River Town. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 31 Mar. 2009 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freedom>.

“What is Capitalism?” World Socialist Movement. 31 Mar. 2009 <http://www.worldsocialism.org/articles/what_is_capitalism.php>.

The typical stereotype of an Irish lassie would be a red head girl, with a quirky accent, wearing a green dress with shamrocks all over it.  She’d also be an avid religious follower and unfortunately a heavy drinker, or at least all the men in her family would surely be.  Behind her cottage atop a hill in the beautiful, sheep filled fields that make up the island of Ireland, would be lush farmland (a surplus of potatoes definitely), cows grazing in the grass, a field of clovers and shamrocks and perhaps even a little leprechaun friend with a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow near you.  Even if any of this is slightly true, there’s no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for these people.

It’s no secret that there has been much tension between the people of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for many years.   After the War of Independence in 1922, Ireland was split into two parts: Northern Ireland (Protestant), which remained a part of Great Britain and the Irish Free State (Catholic).  The separation quickly led to an Irish Civil War and tension has never fully subsided since.  To this day, there are still violent acts between the two regions, especially as nationalism has increased amongst the two areas.  However, this conflict over the past few decades has not been about politics or land.  “It has, instead, been a struggle over identity: a long effort to find agreement over language and symbols, the terms of competing and complex definitions of what it means to be Irish”(www.newsweek.com).

This is not only an occurence in Ireland, but it is common  throughout the world.  Everyday the people of the world struggle to find identity.  These seems to be an increasing obsession with having an identity or at least being able to identity with something.  Whether it gang bangers struggling to identitfy with their gang or the Irish struggling to identify with the Free Irish State or Northern Ireland, there is an epidemic of identification and the yearn to be something and proud of it.  Tattoos are a perfect example of the way people attempt to achieve permanent identification.  Whether it be a last name or a heritage pun, its a way people wear their identity for everyone to see.  We are constantly paranoid that someone is going to take our identity away from us, or at least look down upon it.  Identity theft is one of the most dangerous and harmful crimes because your identity is who you are and without it you are nothing.  But where does this yearning to mean something and to have something to hold onto and identify with come from?

It seems as though the need to be identified with something comes from insecurities and the yearn for acceptance.  It is not uncommon in our society to see people identifying with something, whether it be their sex or their school mascot, and flaunting it.  The ability to identifty almost creates an ego boost.  Its soothing, as if you’re telling yourself that you are wanted and you have others that relate to you.  In extreme cases, when people are in desperate need of “finding themseleves” they may experience an identity crisis.  According to WebMd’s medical dictionary, “an identity crisis is a disorientation concerning one’s sense of self, values, and role in society, often of acute onset and related to a particular and significant event in one’s life”(http://dictionary.webmd.com).  It can become so severe that there is therapy available and self-help books to assist people in finding out who they truly are and what they are meant to be.  Identity crisis often reappears not early in life, but in adult life.  It is often referred to “Midlife Crisis” and it is a period of self-doubt and sensations of being lost after realizing that your youth is gone.  Its that feeling everyone gets on their 40th birthday when they blow out the candles and realize that the cake says, “Finally Over the Hill!”  Its that gut feeling that says, “I want my youth back.  I want to identify with being a reckless, care-free teenager who doesn’t have to pay the bills.”  Identity crisis seems to be a prolonged experience, and with a society such as ours, one that accepts only those who are up to date with the latest and best thing, the longing for acceptance is definitely increasing as will the need to identify.

Is it wrong to want to be accepted?  No, of course not.  But there is a limit.  Everyone has those days where they want to buy the overpriced pair of jeans because everyone has a pair, and you just want to be cool like the rest of the kids.  Everyone has those days where you have the urge to play a sport you’ve never even dreamed of playing before simply because you want to be part of a team and identify with and represent not only your school name, but also with your teammates.  However, identity is not important enough to create situations like the ones that exist in Ireland.  Tension is so bad and nationalism and pride is so high, that being in the wrong side of the country could lead to your dead.  Yes, over the years things have died down a little bit, but that doesn’t erase the past.  Identity is not as important as people make it out to be.  Every one should be happy to identify with one thing: yourself.  You are the only thing that matters and you should love you regardless if you can identify with a certain nationality or race or not.  Identity crisis?  Nope, not in my lifetime because I am who I am and thats all I can be.

-Marquan

To read more about the separation of Ireland, click HERE

Want to learn more about the history of Ireland? Watch this video: The War in Northern Ireland: The Truth

Citations

“Ireland.” Wikipedia. 24 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland>.

“Identity Crisis.” WebMd. 24 Mar. 2009 <http://dictionary.webmd.com/terms/identity-crisis>.

Toibin, Colm. “What Does It Mean to Be Irish?” Newsweek 21 Mar. 2009: 39.

Toibin, Colm. “What Does It Mean to Be Irish?” 21 Mar. 2009. Newsweek. 24 Mar. 2009 <http://www.newsweek.com/id/76825>.

With the economy in utter despair, the question many Americans are facing is “Should I save or spend?”  to most people the answer is easy, SAVE.  The gut instinct when something goes wrong is to put up your defenses.  After the brutal economic downturn leading to many foreclosures and unemployment, Americans put up their defense and started to save their money.  The mentality is to save up so you’ll be safe next time from a crucial economic failing.  But is that the best solution to save our economy?  The answer is easy, NO.  What is good for the individual is not necessarily good for the national economy.  Personally, saving your money might help your own problems but the best thing for the economy right now is for every single person to go out there and spend, spend, spend.  It is okay to cut back on frivolous purchases but going out and treating yourself to ice cream once a week will help you more than it will hurt you.

A hoarding mentality is sweeping quickly across the nation as deposit rates into banks have jumped nearly 5% over a year.  “When investors were asked what they would do with their new income, 32% said that they’d save it, and only 16% said they would invest in stocks”(www.newsweek.com).  This shows a gradual increase in savings and a gradual decrease in spending.  What the economy really needs right now is a boost from the consumers, who create 70 percent of the economic activity.  Think of it like this: In order for your car to continue running, you must fill your tank with gas when you get close to empty.  If you simply decided to not put gas into your car, then eventually, your car would not be able to run anymore.  The economy is the same way.  In order for it to restore itself and start functioning properly and efficiently, we must “fill it” with consumer spending, especially during a time like this when we are very close to empty.

If consumers continue to save more and spend less, then we will eventually fall into the “paradox of thrift.”  This idea was formed by economist, John Maynard Keynes, who studied the economy during the Great Depression in the early 1930’s.  He claimed that if everyone starts to save during a recession, then economic activity will decrease and the nation will continue to become poorer.  During the Great Depression, his ideas were initially rejected by FDR but after many years of economic decrease in productivity, his ideas were accepted and the economy experienced a great boost.  Is the paradox of thrift our destiny?  It will be the future of our nation’s economy if we fail to take some risks and start spending our money and investing it into companies and stocks that need it the most.  “For our $14 trillion economy to recover, hoarders must open their wallets and become consumers, and businesses must once again be willing to roll the dice”(www.newsweek.com).  It will take a group effort to survive and overcome the stress of the current economic woes but if everyone chips in a little, then the economy is bound is thrive once again. However, spending isn’t the only saving grace.  Government officials must also cut taxes and create policies that allow opportunities for the unemployed.  By creating more jobs, more people work, which leads to more people getting paid, which leads to an increase in consumer spending due to an increase in financial stability.  It is as simple as this: more jobs = more people working = more money flow into a household = more spending = a successful and thriving economy.  Simply creating economic stimulus packages is not going to do anything.  So far, the trillions of dollars being thrown into the economy has not created any immediate resolution, which is what the people want and need.  Printing money that we don’t have and borrowing from other countries is not only hurting us now, it is hurting us for generations to come.  Not only will I be paying for the stimulus package in taxes for the rest of my life, so will my grandchildren.  We are creating a vicious circle phenomenon of eternal debt by using money we don’t have to boost an economy that won’t budge.

But don’t fret!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.  As much as many people many think that the current economic status is frighteningly similar to the Great Depression of the 1930’s, there is one prime difference between the 20th and the 21st century: jobs.  The unemployment rate during the Great Depression was over 25% and now it is at roughly 7%.  Although it seems like everyone is losing their jobs, we are in a great position compared to the Depression in the 1930’s.  Is there hope?  Indeed, there is.  We come from a nation that has been through multiple wars with other countries and plenty of wars and skirmishes with the people within our own borders, and we have survived it all.  We as a nation have experienced disease, famine, and mass murders and we have survived it all.  We as a nation have been through one of the biggest Depressions in the history of the world and here’s a newsflash: WE SURVIVED.  If we can survive the hardships of the past, then you best believe we can survive this, and we will.  The turnaround toward survival all starts with opening your wallet and spending a little bit of cash.  A dollar a day keeps depression away.

-Marquan

To read the Newsweek article, go to this url:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/189232

Citations

Gross, Daniel. “Stop Saving Now!” Newsweek. 14 Mar. 2009. 17 Mar. 2009 <http://www.newsweek.com/id/189232>.

“John Maynard Keynes.” 17 Mar. 2009 <http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/keynes.htm>.

Schifferes, Steve. “The Paradox of Thrift.” BBC News. 24 Nov. 2008. 17 Mar. 2008 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7745858.stm>.

I have absolutely no idea.  If he did, that was definitely the least of his problems.  It should say, “Edgar Allan Poe had a really..terrible and depressing life and just hearing his name breaks my little heart.”  At the tender age of three, he had already watched his mother painfully die of tuberculosis and had been abandoned by his father.  He was then separated from his two siblings but was luckily adopted by the loving Allan family, or so he thought.  He instantly connected with his mom, but unfortunately he was forced to watch another mom die of tuberculosis.  Then he was cast away by his step father to college, a great gift right? Wrong.  His father gave him no money so he was eventually forced to join the army under a fake name to avoid being arrested by the government for all of his debts.  When his foster father got sick and died, Edgar was left out of the will with nothing to call his own.  He then moved in with his aunt and fell in love with his cousin Virginia (who was thirteen years old) and they later wed.  Happy couple? Most definitely…until they were ripped away from each other when she also died of tuberculosis.  Poe was an avid drinker who used alcohol to escape from his terrible life filled with pain and debt and due to his life tragedies, probably suffered from some kind of mental illness.  He was a genius, but was never able to be successful in life because he let his pain take control of his life.  “With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven Coveted her and me. And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulcher In this kingdom by the sea”(Poe, Annabelle Lee).  A perfect example of this is in the poem “Annabelle Lee.” It is very clear that Poe suffers from immense amounts of pain and the loss of all his loved ones and the suffering he feels from the loss is quite evident.  If I was in his position, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to hold up as long as he did.  Many people would say that they are lucky that they cannot relate to Poe’s life experiences, but the reality is, many people can.

Edgar Allan Poe definitely suffered from depression from losing so many loved ones, which most likely led to his demise mentally and physically.  Similar to Poe, many people in the world suffer from all kinds of depression for all kinds of reasons and let this depression ruin their lives. According to recently acquired statistics by “Uplift Program,” everyone at some point in their life with experience depression, whether it be by their own problems or experiences or through the problems of someone else.  Also, preschoolers are the fastest growing market for antidepressants.  Even more depressing (no pun intended) is the fact that 15% of the population is depressed and 80% of depressed people are not receiving treatment.  Of those people not receiving treatment, 15% of them will commit suicide.  With statistics like this, our world is headed to a very dark and scary place.

There are many different types of depression, including manic depression, postpartum depression, atypical depression, and chronic depression.  Depression can be caused by many things but the main causes of depression tend to be genetics, traumatizing personal life experiences, serious illness, and even certain medications.  Chemically, depression is caused by a lack of serotonin (chemicals that make you happy) in the brain.  Emotionally, depression is usually caused by life-changing experiences, such as physical abuse and death.  Depression has no specific victim and can attack any person at any time.  The important thing is to get help right away if depression hits you.  There are various forms of antidotes, including therapy and antidepressants and being depressed is nothing to be ashamed of.  Edgar Allan Poe lacked the resources he needed to escape depression and don’t fall victim to the same circumstance.  Poe was a genius writer who had a terrible, agonizing life, and unfortunately, he was lost in a crazy world that he could not escape.  Unfortunately, many people suffer from the same problem.

If you’re a genius but are lost within your mind,

keep your chin up, you’ll do just fine.

Edgar Allan Poe went through a lot of pain,

But don’t be like him, that would be pretty lame.

Unless you can write poems that are pretty rad,

then I guess being like him, isn’t so bad.

Especially if you have a gigantic toe,

that’s what Edgar had going on, you already know!

-Marquan

Citations

Poe, Edgar. “Annabelle Lee.” 3 Mar. 2009 <http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/pa12.shtml>.

Murray, Bob, and Alicia Fortinberry. “Depression Facts and Stats.” Depression Fact Sheet. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html>.

Interesting Websites for further Information:

http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html

http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/pa12.shtml

http://www.medicinenet.com/depression/article.htm

http://www.poestories.com/biography.php

It is 9:30 p.m.  Dinner was at 6.  What time is it now? It’s dessert time!  Mmm…dessert.  One of the most delicious meals of the day in my opinion.  There are so many options to choose from: ice cream, cake, cookies, pies ect.  However,one of the most delightful and cherished treats in America is the brownie.  Whether it be triple chocolate fudge, or you’re average joe brownie, this baked good will turn heads as the captivating chocolaty aroma caresses and tingles your senses.  With its ooey-gooey fudge taste and chocolate swirls melting in your mouth, what isn’t there to like?

Not only does it serve as a FANTASTIC bribe to get an extension on a torturous paper, it also serves as the one treat that satisfies every woman’s chocolate cravings, regardless of the circumstances.  You’d be surprised however that the first “brownie” contained no chocolate at all!  Shocking, right? The brownie obviously got its name from its color, a deep, enticing chocolate brown. There is much controversy involving when the first brownie was actually made.  Many reliable sources claim that it was around the 20th century.  Myth has it that the first brownie was an accident that occurred when a careless cook forgot to add baking powder to a chocolate cake.  When the cake didn’t rise, instead of throwing it away, he/she simply served it as little bars.  There is also another tale that says that a cook accidentally spilled melted chocolate into a batch of biscuits.  One thing that is certain is brownies are the most delicious accident I’ve ever tasted!  When the first known recipe of a “brownie” was published is also up for debate.  “Quite a few sources cite the first-known recipe for brownies as the 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catalogue, but this was a recipe for a molasses candy merely called brownies.” There is also another claim that it first appeared in the 1896 Boston Cooking-School Book, but those were simply cookies covered in molasses. The origin of this chocolatey delight with forever remain an unsolved mystery.

Since the 20th century, brownies have definitely stepped up their game.  Walk through the cooking aisle at your local supermarket and you’ll find brownie mix permeated throughout the various selections.  You can make them from scratch or use a Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, or Duncan Hines pre-made brownie mix.  You can even spice them up with your favorite nut, frosting, or powdered sugar.  Make them extra chewy, or more cake-like!  Brownies can fulfill whatever your heart desires.  Next time you’re feeling down and need a little pick-me-up, indulge in a delicious chocolate brownie, and all of yourdreams will come true.

Is this blog making you hungry?  Are you craving some brownies? Go to the website below for delicious brownie recipes:

www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/category/brownie_recipes.aspx

To learn more about the history of brownies, go to the website below:

http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/cookies/cookies2/history-of-the-brownie.asp

Some videos you may enjoy:

Homemade Brownies

I Love Brownies (The Music Video)

The Darker Side to Brownies…

In Newsweek there is a very interesting article that tells the story of a man named, Gabriel Hinojos, who talks about his transition from being a member of one of the toughest gangs in L.A., to a loving, non-violent father and husband.  “Getting out of a street gang in L.A. is about like getting a tattoo removed: slow, painful, scarring.”  The article presents the reality that gangs are a major source of violence throughout the country and once you’re in, it’s almost impossible to get out.  Gang life landed Gabriel into prison two times and because of California’s three strike system, if he were to go to jail one more time, he’d be there for life.  This reality forces Gabriel to abandon the gang he’s been apart of for the majority of his life, but that doesn’t mean that the temptation to engage in violent acts doesn’t exist.  Many times after he’s fought with his wife or something isn’t going right in his life, he has the urge to go out onto the streets and find his homies and create chaos.  This shows that regardless of how much you want to completely leave a gang, it will always be apart of who you are, but you have the option to make the right decisions and stay as far away as you can from the gang complications.  Many convicted criminals of gang violence make it out of jail within a couple of years with a positive attitude to do right in the world, but many slip right back into bad habits.  A main reason this happens is the lack of resources people have when they leave jail.  Many convicted criminals leave jail with nothing in their pockets and struggle to find jobs, which puts them on the streets.  Many people find it easier to get back into hussling and drug dealing to make quick cash, over applying for jobs they know they won’t be offered because of their criminal records.  Another temptation convicted criminals must face is drug and alcohol abuse.  There are very few programs installed in prisons that help drug and alcohol addicts recover from their disease, therefore, when they leave prison, they have to fight the temptation on their own.  This leads them right back onto their negative, illegal lifestyle and ends them back into prison. Many convicts experience a vicious circle phenomenom when trying to escape jail life because they lack to resources to succeed outside of prison.  For reasons such as these and many others, over half of the people released from prison end right back in prison within a year.  However, there are institutions such as, Homeboys Industries, which was mentioned in Newsweek that are trying to turn these statistics around. “Homeboy Industries assists at-risk and formerly gang-involved youth to become positive and contributing members of society through job placement, training and education.” With more places like Homeboys Industries set up throughout the country, maybe leaving criminal and gang life won’t be as hard and painful as getting a tattoo removed.

- Marquan Jackson.

Here are a few videos that expand on this topic:

life after prison

Gangs, Guns & Violence Part I

To read the article in Newsweek:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/183677/page/2

To learn more about Homeboy Industries:

http://www.homeboy-industries.org/