Archive for August 2010

Reconstruction- David Adler- Edison State

Reconstruction failed due to severe political, economical, and social disorder. The main goal of reconstruction is to help protect against the emancipation of four million slaves. This reconstructive plan was a stepping-stone for overall freedom, which backfired. Rights had been promised; government land given to African Americans to stabilize the southern economy was advocated then abandoned.  African Americans expecting sovereignty from their political leaders where left empty handed. Political agendas were not to free slaves, but to save the unions destruction. African Americans constantly expressed the need for help from political leaders but received inequality, and injustice. Social order needed to be set as equal playing fields without ambiguity in law-abiding contracts. Micro Managing the economy for uneducated people would have given new opportunities for underprivileged African American and white southerners. Without government help this will allow educated landowners to have total control over illiterate African Americans rights. President Lincoln had major goals, and fought for the rights and freedom of African Americans, but mainly focused on reuniting the north with the devastated south. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendment were steps in the right direction for reconstruction, but did not prevail.  These African American hardships would be the cause of many unethical behaviors among American white southerners during the reconstructive era.

NAMES PLEASE!

Some of you are still not putting names on your blogs! I can’t grade them if I don’t know who you are.

Bottled Water- David Adler-Edison State

Bottled water is America’s most conveniently packaged problem.  The supply and demand of bottled water has increased considerably within the past fifteen years. New age gimmicks for bottled water have given consumers more reasons to purchase larger quantities of bottled water.  The many benefits and drawbacks have allowed for much deliberation on this topic. This problem has associated itself with many negative health, economic, social, and environmental issues that have the entire world concerned.

            Health benefits of bottled water have been misinterpreted.  People drink bottle water to feel healthier and cleaner.  With all of the excitement of the health benefits of bottle water studies have shown that it is no better than tap water. Tap water adheres to stricter sanitation regulations; this may indicate that tap water might be a cleaner way of drinking water . In today’s society people view tap water and public water fountains as an unsanitary way of drinking water . Although some people claim that they drink bottled water because it taste better than tap. Good Morning America’s recent study has shown that people actually prefer the taste of New York’s tap water over bottled water. Although there are cases in which bottle water may be better for you to drink, this only occurs in extreme circumstances such as when reservoirs become contaminated or treatment facilities become obsolete . Most consumers are unaware that forty percent of bottled water begins as tap water, so there’s no wonder why the bottle industries making over fifteen billion dollars a year in profits.

Harrise Aliance E.S.C: School Lunch

Is it a good idea that the school system is switching the way they used to serve food to more nutritious meals? Because of overly obese children, the school systems have decided to switch the meal plans to more nutritious food for students which includes more fruits, vegetables and whole grain. However, parents are saying the school are getting involves the children lives because they‘re taking out soda and snack machines. People are saying the students should have the right to purchase snacks and sodas if that’s what they choose. Those parents don’t think that the governments are trying to help due to the high rises of obese children who start to experience high blood pressure and juvenile diabetes at such an early age.  First of all healthy food is not cheap, if this is what it’s going to take to reduce kids obesity which can put our society at more risk of developing  illness such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases let it be. After the all, parents will not blame their overweight kids to the school system.

We the people, The ‘Bitches’ of society! (Edison) Zac cleveland

People everyday get up and follow the same pattern that they have done there whole life society has taught people to standerdize thir lives and make the people work for society. People don’t think what is acctually best for themselves anymore but people think “what is the best for myself?” which pretty much translates to whats going to make me rich and better off in life. People don’t realize that society is like a pimp and we are societies bitches!!!!! We go to school and work hard to make the grade like society wants we go get that high class job, just like society wants and WE NEVER QUESTION IT, just like society wants. People never stop and think and actually analyze what is happeing and what is going on. According to Plato in his work ‘Allegory of the cave’ we believe what we are told and never question who what and most importantly why? We are the bitches of society, so what you gonna do about it?

Society make up your mind!!!!!! (edison) Zac Cleveland

Society in a nutshell is like the ocean, its mood is ever changing and always has a different look. Its just in society’s nature to change its mind on different topics. One day society will like something and the next its against it. Policies, institutions, organizations and groups all fall victim to the rage of society, if your not up to date with the current norms, values and experiences then GET OUT!!!!!! Societies views are ever changing in all aspects and in all types of topics, from civil rights to gay marriage and from incest to education. In the late 1800’s the court trial of Plessey v. Furguson it was established that people could be segregated by appearance as long as the facilities were separate but equal, in 1954 society changed its views on that with the court case of brown vs. the board of education. Another prime example is with incest, F.D.R considered by many to be one of the greatest presidents married his cousin and in his time it was not uncommon or looked down upon, but in today’s society it is seen as a disgrace and looked down upon by society. Another very recent issue seems to be gay marriage, before many did not even bother but very slowly more and more states are starting to recognize marriage of same sex couples. So will society ever make up its mind of what it likes and dislikes or is it the goal of society to keep us guessing what will be excepted next?

Zu Zhang (edison): The Impact of Surrealism on the Art world

The birth of a new form of “reality” born from the psychology of Sigmund Freud and Dadaism spawning the manifestoes on surrealism by Andre Breton and has influenced the way artists have created art. Andre Breton was the father of Surrealism and his principal aim was ‘to resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality’. Surrealism’s impact on the world does not stick to a certain type of art but to countless other fields and tries to liberate the imagination. The Style of Surrealism uses visual imagery from the subconscious mind to create art without the intention of logical comprehensibility.  Surrealism impacted all of the arts including: films, paintings, cartoons, and music. An enormous contribution to art from Surrealism was the poetic object- not a sculpture as it has traditionally been understood but a thing.  Surrealism has given the art world objects that can be the main focal point. The art used during the twenties used elements like common objects in order to provoke a shudder of strangeness and bafflement that has influenced cartoons in the forties. These cartoons include Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes gang. Even the animator for these cartoons, Robert Clampett, was known for using his style of surrealism in both story and visuals. The cartoons played in the forties were replayed in the seventies and expose more children to Surrealism. These cartoons influenced other cartoons to show programs that are out of the ordinary like pokemon with crazy animals, teenage mutant ninja turtles who are turtles who live in sewers, and even batman, a billionaire playboy who fights evil doers in a bleak looking New York City. Surrealism’s influence over art is evident in everyday life.  Music blends together with different types of instruments because people have tried to mix sounds together to make them out of the ordinary. Children see some sort of surrealism everyday when they watch cartoons or when they eat cereals with the different types of anthropomorphic animals. Movies with diverse and odd visuals capture the viewer’s attention and impacts the way they see normal objects in real life. There are countless different cultures around the world, but surrealism in art brings all of them together even though they have different explanations for it.

Babies Having Babies!!

It’s baby boomin’ time once again but this time it is not married couples, it’s young teens. Society today makes having babies seem like a good thing. In the past, having a child was a big responsibility but now really it is taken for a play thing. People use to be punished for having babies at an early age but now there are tv shows being made based on teens having babies. Usually, many people worry about the risk of having a baby but never really worried about catching a STD. It is sad because even though there are many ways to protect yourself from being pregnant or receiving a STD people overlook that and say “Oh it’ll never happen to me” but in all actuality it does. There are many factors that can even cause people to get pregnant. Some people think that having babies is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Some may be caused by the surroundings and what they are being exposed to. Watching shows like 16 and Pregnant and also Teen Moms lets people think that babies are okay. Although they are sweet and a blessing, there are many responsibilities that come with a baby. Even though parents teach their children not to have sex because they can get pregnant, society will tell them other wise. It can also be peer pressure that causes people to have sex, in result they get pregnant. Pregnancy is something that was meant to be for married people but its turning into a fashion statement. People now are having babies like it’s an accessory.

Harrise Aliance. ESC. The rise of gas price

What if gas price was still high, how this crisis would have affected the society? Imagine you have to drive to school, work, doctor, the grocery store and so on each the time requires gas in your vehicle. Imagine if you have a big vehicle and not a good job, even if you have good job that would still affect the society in lots of way. People will spend less time out such as going to the mall and recreation park. However, family will spend more times together I think family will ride together to places and that would make a big different the way families spend their time. Young kids will spend less timeout. As a result of high gas prices, I think fewer kids will get themselves in less  trouble by spending less times with their friends.                   

Harrise Aliance. ESC. School Disciplines

Right now, if a student fights in public school or causes any class disruption in class or around the school campus, that student will get arrested. The school authorities believe the best way to discipline students or to reduce school violence is for those students to get arrested. More and more students have had experimented going to jail for short time due to the misconduct. Schools are no longer suspending or giving suspension for misconduct or fighting in class. Some say the school is going too far by getting students arrested for misconduct. Getting students arrested cause more harm to students than good. As a result from students being jailed, more and more students are leaving emotionally starved and with records. Today we face a problem with students dropping out school at an earlier stage in life. Instead of adding to the numbers of students who are already dropout, I believe the school should focus on other ways to discipline students and encourage them to attend anger management class. I also believe sending students to jail for disturbing behavior will make them even more aggressive than behave.