Re : Sats

This is a reply post to Damien's blog http://gotburgers.blogspot.com/2011/10/re-sats.html

He says that

when I entered high school all I really had in my mind was that Iwould go through the motion as I always did and then go to the college of mychoice.

With a brother like mine, I expected to be so much like him. Except, I was so far from it. I had such high expectations for myself. I expected high school to be a breeze without any effort being put into it. With that mindset, I think that's what got me into this pickle after all.

Not really caring for math, I just did it. I never memorized it, I just did it. I expected it to be easy, that I didn't even need to do the homework. And now? I'm like failing math. I don't understand much, all I do is sleep in class. And reality hit, that's why I decided to take the AP classes I'm now taking. It's still pretty hard. But i have the same mindset.

And as far as SAT's go. I never studied the first time. Reality slapped me again with a low ass SAT score. Sigh. I studied a little, and my higher attempts helped boost my ego. Even though I had higher hopes and higher scores in mind. Education now sucks. It's all paved for the smart and the wealthy. Whatever happened to all the common people? The average Joes who just want a good life? I hate it how happiness = money. To all those people who say money can't buy happyness? So wrong.

My fence

I am a person who is very aware of my surroundings. I am very aware of the people i surround myself with, but more importantly, I am very cautious about the people I let into my fence. People say they are quick to judge, but not as quick as me. I am like Mexico, everyone is guilty until proven innocent. Everyone is judged negatively by me, until proven innocent. I guess this sounds very cliche and pessimistic, but it’s true. I only have like 3 people, and my immediate family who is in my fence. The people i absolutely love and care about.

Along with a people fence, I also have an emotional fence. I’m the type of person who bottles everything up and then wait until it brims at the top. I know I have a very low tolerance for people. Honestly, can you blame me? Lots of people are annoying. I’d rather be realistic then pretend and lease people for their acceptance. If you like me, great, if you don’t, I'll judge and hate you from inside my fence.

I’m deathly quiet about personal matters. I don’t like talking about my personal life, and that’s something I keep within my fence and the people that are in my fence. There’s a certain group of people you say hi to in the hallways, hangout with for like lunch or at school, then there’s that group of friends you’d hangout with at either your house or their house. And for all those friends, in my inner circle, I cherish them so much. They receive most of my love and care.

CE : Mob scare.

Here's the link to the yahoo news post. It’s by the new york times too. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Protests-Are-a-Payday-for-nytimes-150438655.html?x=0

If an angry mob of people approached me, for no reason at all, of course i'd be scared. If i were wealthy, and an angry mob approached me because i had money, what would i do? The first thing i would do, get security guards.

that's what the elite wealthy in New York's lower Manhattan are doing right now. They are protecting themselves and their fortune by tuning up their security, getting 24/7 protection from body guards. All of this, is creating revenue for new york. It is said to increase by 40%. People were kidnapped, and the wealthy now want to protect their lives with their money. It takes money to have the type of security they have, but it seems that money is not the problem, and they care only to protect themselves.

but it isn't only a bodyguard to watch them. It's watching the for any points of weakness, like their children, or their vacation homes, if they have a routine that's easy to follow.

People were held at gunpoint, but apparently, their high tech security has saved them. i don’t think occupy *insert city name here* would do anything violent for their cause, whatever the actually solid statement that represents anything would be, but i think that by being a herd of people can scare intimidate.

Re : Drowning

I am pleased to know that firefighters went under training and are rescue swimmers now as well. They also have boats that can be used in shallow waters just in case a situation like this or a similar one does occur again. Also the police have acted upon this too, making changes on the problem that had occurred.

This is a reply post to Alison's post. It's about a 52 year old man who drowned in crown beach. I think that people should have been trained, regardless, before this event even happened. and to be honest, they should have already BEEN saving him. Why in the world would they just WATCH someone die? If anyone knew how to swim in the first place, why wouldn't and why couldn't they go out to save that person's life?

Is it not illegal to commit suicide? Then why let someone just go out into the open and die? Aren't law enforcement meant to stop someone from a crime? Or is alameda an exception to suicide. And although alison doesn’t want to argue who is right and who is wrong, i am not afraid to point fingers. Sure they aren’t as efficient as they should be, but who knows? are police getting faulty? San Francisco? Oakland? Is everything sketchy? Has anyone been watching any conspiracy movies lately?

and here's the link to alison's blog : http://alisontakagaki.blogspot.com/2011/10/ce-drowning-in-alameda.html

Free

I stare up at the endless sky. The only part of my body that can feel free without holding pressure. Although sometimes it can be a strain. vision is the only place where i can be free. vision, such a vital sense that people disregard. the window of life, simply through two eyeballs. If hearing is lost, it is not as grave as vision. How are you to see things without your brain flipping the image, so that everything is projected through your retina and cornea? when you sleep, can you imagine that darkness throughout the bright daylight? How is it that you want to travel but see nothing? Feel the sun's heat, but see no sun?

vision is such an essential sense we have. Yet we take it so much for granted. We look closely at screens, we stare into the sun, and so other harmful things to our eyes. sure, when you lose a sense, the others heighten, but does that mean it is less important? No. You see so much through the eyes. And on a tangent, i think colored eyes are beautiful. Okay, they say that eyes are the windows to the soul. That you can smile with your eyes. That when someone tells a lie, you can see if they're lying or not through the eyes.

A simple stare can mean so much. There’s that awkward moment when you can just be sitting in class, staring off into space, and without realizing, you’re actually staring at someone, then they look at you. Then there are people who believe in love at first sight. Well, for all the believers out there, can you imagine a world where you can’t know who can be that soul mate, if you can’t see who that lover at the other end of the room is?

They say legally blind is around 6.50 for contact lenses right? It’s a scary thought being legally blind..

For the Look

People have the right to hire whomever they want. Whether it is based on looks, color, or experience is up to the manager hiring. If they company wishes to project their own self image, to utilize the concept of a "walking billboard" They can keep to their paradigm of how they want consumers to view their company. If companies like Abercrombie and Fitch want consumers to view them as the blond hair, blue eyed, vintage American look, they can reserve their right to buy it. But if that's the crowd they are marketing for, it is upon the consumers of how they want to take the reflection of their company, projected in sales and advertisement.

Retail has dramatically change. therefore, dramatic changes needs a dramatic action in order to stand out from the rest. What makes Forever 21 any different then H&M? Is it the marketing? Is it the prices? Personally, as a consumer, it's not about how you market it. It's about the clothing itself. And for a majority of the people, money plays a crucial role in where people shop. So, no. Even if they were to hire unattractive people, or attractive people, it does not directly correlate to if they can sell their product or not. Does it matter to me that a pair of jeans are $80? Absolutely. As an employed youth who makes minimum wage, ($8/hour) I refuse to spend extra money that I do not need to on a pair of jeans. I refuse to just pay for the brand. It probably took $3 total to make the jeans, then the companies want to dramatically hike up the prices.

I do keep it on a mental side note for companies that discriminate ; as do many other consumers. The news when Abercrombie and Fitch hired minorities was a nice gesture. But the moment they hid them in the stockroom was very offensive. When the company or manager thinks they are just following store process and and company rules, in the end, the company suffers itself. They are breathing their own carbon dioxide, and without realizing it they are poising themselves. Just because they want to maintain this American image. Although i might not be offended, I cannot say the same for many other consumers.

Every company can reserve the right to hire whomever they like. Just like how restaurants can reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Despite their narrow one-eyed view on hiring whomever they perceive as a good looking American, they don’t realize there is such a bigger population out there. A bigger type of people to market to. People grow up, and they realize that abercrombie and all other stores associated with Abercrombie, is very easily unlikeable. And that, that moment is when the company declines. over the years, their sales have not been very sturdy. It stays at approximately the same profit.

Just because there is a store full of good looking people does not directly correlate to it leading to higher sales. The way they pitch their store, is quite simply a bit embarrassing. I feel as if they are not confident enough about their clothes to even wear it. If there is a shirtless man, what is he advertising? “Buy our pants and your body will become like mine?” That sounds ridiculous. People do not only enter that store, solely so they can be in the presence of what Abercrombie and Fitch think are “attractive” people. It’s shallow to think that.

RE Zac

I think http://zacalfers.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-happened.html is getting a lot of publicity with his post. So I'll just hop on with it.

Yes, there are many changes coming to our school. And yes. I definitely think that a lot more restrictions apply. Although Ms. Lelly Kara have implemented some nice new things. Who are we to judge her? She gave us a sports medicine class, did she not? Do we not like this new class? And although a change in tradition, Powderpuff is in the spring. A little less stressful on college apps, isn't it ladies?

But to pro's, there will always be cons. I heard many things about her. Whether it be from students or teachers. sure, she's young, and she came into a well established school. But does that mean when she came in, she wanted to get rid of half the staff? Our teachers were sad to leave. And surely, they all didn't want to magically go all at once, did they? I think it's unfair.I feel like she's trying to shake up a high school who didn't want to change.

Zac says,
"Does anyone else miss Janvier? it just feels like everything was simpler when he was in charge. now when i come to school i just feel lost and confused."

Yes, Janvier was a very laid back principal. And i think we can unanimously agree that we all do miss and love him. Even to an extent of wishing him back. He was very loose with the rules, and he did not follow the rules in the book verbatim. But we do have what we have. We're seniors and we need to deal with it. Circle of life?