[CE] 1 Marine vs. 30 Cops

United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Shamar Thomas from Roosevelt, NY went toe to toe with the New York Police Department. An activist in the Occupy Wall Street movement, Thomas voiced his opinions of the NYPD police brutality that had and has been plaguing the #OWS movement.

Thomas comes from a long line of people who sacrifice for their country: Mother, Army Veteran (Iraq), Step father, Army, active duty (Afghanistan), Grand father, Air Force veteran (Vietnam), Great Grand Father Navy veteran (World War II).

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I feel about this video.  I can definitely sense the underlining frustration Thomas feels behind his words and considering his long family history of serving the military, I'd say his anger is quite justified. The accounts of police brutality in New York are very much real and startling to say the least.  Lawrence O'Donnell did a segment on the police brutality that transpired during the Occupy Wall Streets movement which I highly recommend anyone to see here.  Both O'Donnel and Thomas seem to question the morality and integrity of the police force today.  The question is whether the police are really here to serve/protect the people or comply only to wealthy, including corporate bigwigs of Wall Street.  Although their messages are presented with great vigor and I would full heartily agree with them, I know the police force must have their own perspective on the matter that I'm not hearing despite their silence in the video. 

I'm glad that the Occupy Wall Street is receiving the social media attention it deserves.  Hopefully, as long as protesters remain peaceful and resilient, these police brutality cases will only strengthen the movement.   Perhaps the crimes of the police will also be brought to the public's attention, crimes nonetheless committed against the American people they're sworn to protect.

[Free] Party Problems

Saturday morning, my very close friend/partner called and asked me whether I would be willing to do a public gig with him in San Francisco.  Although hesitant at first, he warmed me up to the idea and I went.  Normally, I'm opposed to running a show publicly because I have no idea how many people will show up and in the past we've had issues dealing with a large crowd.  I tend to be more self-conscious about what I do on stage or whether I have good chemistry with a large audience.  Also, a majority of the people we've preformed for are actually older than me, usually up to 7-10 years older, which at times can be very intimidating.  

Secondly, we usually allow people to crowd around us, so on occasions it has gotten pretty rambunctious on stage. Initially, I've had to individually encase our computers with plastic wrap because I tend to sweat profusely through my palms, but now we've needed to go to more lengths to protect our tech and not just my disgusting sweating habits.  In the few public shows, people have knocked down or accidentally spilled drinks on our equipment.  We've actually have had to end a show prematurely because we couldn't function under such hectic circumstances.  It's a major bummer to disappoint the people who attended.  Now we've both been considering regulations and rules as to what people can do onstage without restricting having fun.  In some cases, we've resorted to bubble wrapping some of the equipment and allowing no drinks.  It's actually has gotten quite fun for us to come up with our own solutions to problems and see how things turn out.

I actually had a really great time preforming in front of maybe over 200 people (which is a LOT more than what I'm used to).   I think coming up with those solutions have put less stress on my mind during performances and worrying about our equipment, so I can better concentrate on the music. Slowly, I'll be easing myself into performing at larger parties.

[Free] A Creed of Greed

Capitalism: A Love Story has brought many problematic issues in our government to my attention.  In particular, the segment in which Micheal Moore asked a bishop whether or not Jesus would approve of capitalism. 

Having grown up in a Christian family, I was educated under the basic premise of Christianity and good morals.  Although I don't consider myself a Christian anymore, I believe capitalism is intrinsically an evil system that goes simply contrary to the teachings of Jesus.  I would think that principles taught in every religion seem to directly oppose the principles of capitalism in that it promotes competition in the free market and corporate greed.  Here in the U.S., I cogitate whether we have lost sight of the original goal and purpose of capitalism, the idea that it's the best system because it raises the standard of living.  Currently, our standard of living is deteriorating even though our capitalistic system seems proficient in keeping the rich wealthier and the poor living in worsening conditions.

Essentially, capitalism continues to play on man's biggest flaw in that we become corrupted by greed.  It's uncanny that the majority of the U.S. demographic consider themselves Christian; approximately 76% according to Wikipedia.  You would think Christians would prefer socialism or at least communist idealism.  I would say socialism promotes well-being, general care, and helping other people.  In contrast, if you're working on developing on your soul and being a good person, capitalism constantly throws obstacles in your way.  Of course each type of economic system has its own pros and cons. 

[Re] Green, but not so peaceful

 I attended the Greenpeace protest that Brandon Ng held during lunch yesterday and overall, I felt like we brought awareness to the issue of finding clean and sustainable energy to our school, even if it was in a small way.  Rarely do you ever see prudent students, especially from our school, who are willing to stand up for a noble cause and take responsibility for our environment.  Perhaps, this is within correlation to Sutherland's question of when students would be aggravated enough to voice their own opinions publicly (especially the Wall Street Protests).  However, the night before, I was a bit skeptical of how the protest would turn out after reading Adam's post concerning the message Greenpeace is trying to promote and its tendencies to use civil disobedience to defend the environment.

Adam says: "GreenPeace is somewhat known to be a bit radical and act in extreme ways, some of you may have seen or heard of the show Whale Wars. To get a result you have to put in a effort of just as much value. The fact that they were attacked after poking around a nuclear testing site shows that GreenPeace will not shy away from any problem that is potentially disastrous towards our home, Earth... I'm finding it hard to find the legality of the radical measures taken by certain members of GreenPeace."

Almost immediately, I was turned off by the mere mention of Whale Wars. As I recall, the television series has received its own criticism and scrutiny for utilizing direct action sabotage against Japanese whalers.  Despite the great reviews the show received for the first season,  the Sea Shepherds on "Whale Wars" have done very little to protect whales where they need protection.  The WWF estimates that 90% of non-natural whale deaths are due to collisions with ships, followed by "by-catch," whales becoming caught in nets, and then lastly, by fishing.  Unlike the aggressive interference Sea Shepherds, changes in shipping lanes around the world and the development of new technologies are making a real difference in reducing the number of whales who die needlessly.  Critics claim that the show is a cheap exploitation in praise of what is nothing less than eco-terrorism and glorification of vigilantism on the high seas.  The show's controversy was even spoofed by South Park in an episode called "Whale Whores" which condemned both the whalers themselves and the activists that fought against them.

Greenpeace was originally formed to protest nuclear power testing and development and  gained attention by creating “mind bombs” or strong, visual messages displaying their position on complex environmental issues.  However, their methods and how much the organization has managed to accomplish over the past years has come into question. The organization has approximately lost 2 million members in the past ten years. One of its most prominent critics is Patrick Moore, one of the founders of the group, who now criticizes the organization for being anti-science after his leave.  Greenpeace has also notably received negative feedback on its main site for taking credit in the endeavor to end Japanese whaling which they allegedly took no part of.

 Like Adam, I too would be hesitant in taking radical measures that would certainly be difficult to justify.  I would prefer taking more peaceful alternatives to send a message rather than use drastic measures.  Although I may have a distaste for Greenpeace, I'm still glad I was able to participate in a protest with peers that shared equal concerns for our environment's future.

[Free] Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy

 Louis C.K. is one of my favorite stand-up comedians.  Although sometimes his humor can be a bit crude or vulgar, I think he goes where comedians don't dare to go and he consistently brings great new material that I find hilarious.  In this clip Louis describes to Conan how we may take technology for granted:


"Everything is amazing and nobody is happy" by Meowbay

I find this somewhat true because I find people will often complain and exaggerate the most minuscule problems in their life.  Sometimes we need to take a breather from our technology, drama, and hectic work schedules to really appreciate what we have.  People will often say you don't truly know the value of something until you lose it and I definitely believe that.  Whenever I'm caught up in my work, I find going out running near the Harbor Bay Business Park to be very scenic, relaxing, and I become more grateful that I grew up in such a nice environment.  In general, just being thankful is a way to obtain happiness in life.

I find this quote from Lucrezia L to be incredibly accurate:

"I don't like making comparisons between this and that generation. You just can't do it, because every age is characterized by different trends and political, cultural or social movements. The political and social backgrounds are always different. So, in my opinion, making comparisons and saying ''that was better than this'' is wrong. And if you want to do it, you have to support your thesis with facts, not with empirical impressions."

 I believe we can't keep judging generations that come after us.  I definitely feel spoiled because I'm aware that there are other people my age who are less fortunate than me.  Quite frankly, I'm fed up and annoyed by people who continue to accuse this generation of sucking or that music today is nothing compared to previous years. We all have our own opinions and taste in music. There's no need to shame an entire generation based off mainstream music your growing up with or because not everyone finds your taste in music appealing.

 Here's a quote from Brenda T:

"It is ridiculous what parents are buying for five year olds nowadays. Most kids these days have DS Lites, Wii’s, iTouches, cell phones, and the list goes on. When I was a kid, I was lucky if my parents gave me the Gameboy Color or the Nintendo 64."

 Naturally, humans will always want the most advanced technology.  There's some beauty in that because we tend to have higher expectations growing up, society will makes greater advancements in technology to meet those prospects.  With each new generation comes hypocritical criticism from the generation that precedes it.   It's ridiculous in that we make assumptions and say the new generation is spoiled, when the generation before us can use the same argument and accuse us of being spoiled with whatever things they didn't grow up with that we did.

Here's a quote from Andrew Z:

"What happened to playing outside? What about playing with Legos, or stuffed animals? What happened to imagination? In the past decade, too many things have changed. We grew up with Legos, Barbie, and board games. They grew up with computer games, television, and Eminem. smh"

If you hate this generation, try changing it, or even inspiring it. Help set the trends that the next generation can look up to and be proud of.  Make the things you loved as a child cool to the next generation instead of lecturing your generation is better.

[Monthly Essay] Superficial Obsession

"Retailers defend the approach to hiring based on image as necessary and smart, and industry experts see the point.  In today's competitive retail environment, the methods have changed for capturing the consumers' awareness of your brand, " said Marshall Cohen, a senior industry analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm. "Being able to find a brand enhancer, or what I call a walking billboard, is critical. It's really important to create an environment that's enticing to the community, particularly with the younger, fashionable market.  A guy wants to go hang out in a store where he can see good-looking gals."

 Hiring someone based on appearances is nothing new in marketing and advertising.  It's a common business technique that allows companies to find someone who fits their brand or image and can sell their product.  Not only is this approach utilized in the retail environment, but many other industries like restaurants, sports, and the media all seem to pride themselves in projecting a certain image.  Marshall Cohen presents a valid argument that competitive companies often resort to this technique to attract customers. When making money is the highest prerogative, choosing the best candidate that can represent a company is well within reason. Companies should be able to hire people who can project their image; however, by no means should they discriminate against ethnicity or race.

 In today's society,  a product must grab your attention within a small margin of allocated time. Advertising and commercials, especially for the Super Bowl, can cost millions while only lasting thirty seconds.  It is within this transient time frame that marketers must target their clientele. The same could be said with an employee of any profession.  The attractiveness or appeal of a "walking billboard" can give extra incentive for the consumer to become interested in the product they represent. Although the presented product is crucial to its success, people are often enticed by appearances.

  In many cases, restaurants will be particular about who they hire to maintain an authentic atmosphere and a sex dominated industry.  Restaurant employers may only hire certain race that complements a cultured style of food.  These hiring practices are primarily noticeable in ethnic/chain restaurants.  Panda Express is notorious for providing unequal opportunities and discrimination in their workforce.  Former Panda Express employee, Aremy Lomely, is part of a federal court filing suit against a San Jose Panda Express restaurant that allegedly forced Latino employees to clean toilets and perform other menial tasks while Asian employees of equal ranking stood by and watched.

Lomely told the Oakland Tribune:

 "I felt so ashamed when the Asians workers watched me obediently run from the bathroom to the tables to the counters, cleaning when they did not have to."

 According to the suit, the manager of the restaurant also punished Latino employees harshly, frequently cutting Latino employee hours and awarding them to Asian employees instead.  Restaurants will often do this for not just discrimination purposes, but also to give an impression that the place sells authentic food.  Since Panda Express serves American Chinese cuisine, hiring someone with an Asian background rather than someone of a different ethnicity enforces the image of the food it's selling.  Workers of different ethnicity may be limited to only working in the back of the restaurant because they don't present the desired image. 

As women try to secure restaurant jobs that could provide them with higher wages and job stability, they face sex discrimination in hiring, promotions, and compensation.  Sex discrimination doesn't fall far behind in the restaurant business.  An University of Pennsylvania study found that in 68 of New York City’s most expensive and elite restaurants, roughly one-third of these restaurants do not hire women for server positions even though there was an available pool of female servers. Another study of 65 high-priced restaurants in Philadelphia had similar findings; the study conducted a “test” and sent 130 comparably qualified pairs of men and women to apply for server jobs.  The report showed that even though the female applicants were as qualified as the male applicants, they experienced discrimination in obtaining interviews and being hired.  I believe that this may be because the restaurant business has traditionally been run and dominated by men.  The shift in gender roles is somewhat alarming and not openly accepted image in many industries and society.

Adolescent girls are also increasingly becoming more conscious about their body in today's media.  Images of female bodies are being used everywhere from selling food to cars.  Popular film and television actresses are more noticeably younger, taller, and thinner.  Unhealthy standards of beauty are being imposed on women, the majority of whom are naturally larger and more mature than any of the models who starve themselves to achieve this image.  The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc, says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control—including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting. The pressure to be thin is also affecting young girls: the Canadian Women's Health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6.  American statistics are similar.  Economically, by presenting an ideal that is difficult to maintain, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits.

As an endorser, Tiger Woods is a prime example of how maintaining a strong positive image is important to the sports industry.  Since his alleged extramarital affair, Woods has lost up to $22 million in sponsorships with large shareholders like Nike and Gatorade.  Despite Tiger Woods still being one of the world’s highest paid athletes, his name and reputation will forever be tarnished.  His damaged reputation is something businesses and products don't want to be associated with.  We all make mistakes in our lives, but because Tiger Woods is an established professional golf player who profits from representing an image, many companies will see him as undesirable with a tainted image.

Personally, when I go shopping, I tend to be more focused on the product rather than looking for eye candy.  Although in the long-term, I am more likely to shop at a store that has a friendly environment or employees that leave a good impression.  Society is affixed with different standards of beauty.  While using attractive people in business can be deemed morally wrong, it has continuously brought in income.  Industries will continue to disregard work ethics in exchange for profits because it works.  I don't think these businesses need to change; rather, people need to change.  If we represent a more educated and tolerant society, it is our own responsibility as consumers to know when stores are being selective or discriminating.  The reality is that America has many diverse ethnic backgrounds.  Our population is not solely comprised of one race; America has many faces. If these companies aren't willing to advance from old traditions, we should be able to choose whether they continue to thrive.

[CE] An Apple that Changed the World (Part 2)

Steve Jobs continues to be an incredibly inspirational figure for me growing up with the convenience of technology.  Besides being a genius in pioneering, Jobs was able to follow his passion in advancing humans into the next age of technology. Although he faced many obstacles and setbacks throughout his career, Jobs was able preserve in what he wanted to do and eventually became very successful doing what he loved. Pursuing what you love is incredibly crucial to what you might choose as a career because without that drive or incentive to achieve, you may live the rest of your life in regret and possibly failure.  Even after being fired from Apple and being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Jobs was committed to providing/marketing groundbreaking technology because it was something he was passionate about.

 In my opinion, one of Job's most cutting-edge inventions was Macs because it created a medium for artists to express their imagination with ease. Macs interface is more user friendly compared to most computers due to its early design/media software being more readily available for musicians and artists.  Overall, it has created a manageable working space for people with creativity.  Despite the possible advantages a Mac might have over other computers, I still prefer using a PC.  Contrary to how much praise I seem to be giving to Jobs, I actually dislike a couple of products Apple has released.  I think because of the appearance of most Apple products, a majority of people are easily swayed to purchase them. Naturally, society has become greedier because we always want the newest most advance item on the market and Apple is partly responsible for this trend.

 Aside from the differences I have with Apple products, I definitely admire and harbor great respect for Steve Jobs as an artist, visionary, dreamer, and most importantly as a human being.  Jobs gave so much to the world that most people take for granted.  I hope as part of the next generation, we can help continue the legacy he left behind.

 R.I.P. Steve Jobs

[CE] An Apple that Changed the World (Part 1)

 Just two days ago, I passed by an Apple Store in San Francisco whose windows were adorned with flowers, post-its, and pictures in remembrance of Steve job's passing.  Despite there being construction noise emitting from just across the street, people continued to pay tribute to one of the greatest humans of our time.

 Steve Jobs is recognized as an amazing American inventor and entrepreneur who was able nurture many companies like Apple, NeXT, and Pixar into the successful businesses they are today. Through his achievements, Jobs has made endless contributions to society and revolutionized how people think about design and technology.  Since Steve Job's untimely passing, Apple Stores worldwide have become memorials.  His global recognition as an incredibly innovative mind in business has left us with the profound question as to what electronics will become in the future and who will lead us there.

Of course no one will be able to fulfill Steve Job's position both as a CEO of Apple and a father figure for his three children. Steve Jobs was probably one of the most influential people of our time.  People may compare Steve Jobs to being another Thomas Edison or Henry Ford, but I think he was much more than that.  Steve Jobs didn’t just change the world of business, he changed the world. He changed the way we communicate, share information and interact with each other. He was a technological genius, an innovator, a tough and demanding CEO, as well as dynamic and effective public speakers in corporate America.  Steve Jobs was an entirely unique person of the modern age of technology that deserves to be commended as an individual who in many ways represents the American Dream.