Deviance...Condescending, But sometimes Honorable!

Deviance as we all probably can associate is a bad thing...Or so we are taught. We are taught to stay away from the deviant ones in school because our parents say that they'll get us into trouble...or at least mine did...Little did she know....ANYWAY...Its those deviant kids that sometimes are the ones TO be around, We read an article in class you can on Sal's Page. That a man when he was mugged, decided to talk to the muggar, and bought him dinner, gave him some cash and "treated him Right" whens the last time you did that? I'll answer for you. Proably Never. So as an assignment I had to show a Random Act of Deviance...So over the weekend I was at a buddies lakehouse, and we went out to dinner for pizza, and other snacks and goodies. But as we were cahtting at our table. we noticed that our friends father forgot his wallet. So us (3 kids) we threw in what money we had in our wallets and we ended up having enough..Beat doing the dishes...at the time I didnt even think about the random act of deviance...actually didnt really think about it till I got to school and we talked about it. But it was there nonetheless. So instead of avoiding the Deviant ones...Learn from them.

Super Size...Jail for 30 days!

Yes, I failed in the title, but I left it for comic use...In class we watched an episode of 30 days, with the same actor from Super Size me. After his great success with humiliating the famously delicious Mcdonalds chain, He created his own show in which he does some random act of (stupidity) for 30 days...One detail I found funny in this show, was he only did 25 days in prison becuase inmates only serve about 85% of their time. Soo...False Advertisement. Anyway, Great show. I actually learned alot from watching little clips of convicts..(good or bad?)... He was served three meals a day, each costing about 60 cents to make, ironically the same company that makes our food for lunch Sodexo, yet they charge us 3 dollars to eat Hooray for the patriots. But even though they were put away for various reasons, they got along like brothers, even with no structure really. They took in Morgan right away into a room. And he met George who has been in and out of jail for 30 years or so. He did 15 years and was in there for a little while longer for more crimes. He got a letter halfway through the show saying he was being released, and the one man who had some mental issues was upset because George was really the only one who looked after him. In a jailcell with 30 other people, convicts no less. they really looked out for eachother and tried to help out, giving food, keeping things clean, Not shanking like morgan originally thought. keep in mind he went into the drug unit, so it wasnt rapists and murderes, but convicts still. a few of the guys that were in there were trying to get over their addiction so their first few nights were very rough for them, and seeing as we pay alot for jails I would've thought that they would've gotten some extra treatment. None. except for what they're buddies in jail provided, which was sufficient. The last, yet saddest fact was that like 70% of people that went in, went in again for offences. because they're so used to the social norms that they become accustumed to in the jail world. Take george the man that was released. He is 50 years old. been in jail multiple times. some for years and years at a time. Yet 2 weeks after he got his early release...He went back. A sad story but thats the true life that some people have to live. After seeing the show I feel differently and dont really want to end up in jail like that. But if I do, I know that there will be some structure for me. (thumbs up).

Ai-Ki-Do (peace/harmony--Energy--Way)

Today i found out very painfully That Mr. Salituro is an Aikido MASTER. its a fairly new form of martial art that was developed in the low 1900's on a battleship i believe, with an officer that attacked a crewman that was skilled in martial arts and the crewman knew that if he hurt the officer hed be dishonorably discharged which would bring him and his family great dishonor. So he proceeded to end the threat with lots of the throws and dodges till the officer accepted defeat. The crewman then decided to develop a new form of martial art called AiKido which instead of breaking the arms and legs of your opponent you can simply tire them out, disarm them, weaken them into submission without any permanent lifechanging damage. We also read an article today about a boy on a bus that was ready to beat up a drunken man that was causing a riot, he was very excited to finally get to use his aikido skills and really hurt the bum that was harassing the busfolk. Right when he was about to make his strike, an old man in a wheelchair came onto the bus and calmed the man through words and gentle talking. talking about his life and got the drunken man to admit his sadness with the loss of his wife and job and so on. Then the boy realized that he had just seen aikido in action, that it didnt take a strong jab or toss to bring the man down Gentle words and calm conversation the peacefulness was what he really needed. and he didnt have to fight like the boy had planned to. I think the world needs more of this. I've taken Karate, Taekwondo, Jiujitsu, and Aikido, but I never knew the history of aikido and what it really meant. jiujitsu espicially is meant to kill. If you get close to getting hit, you break the arms and legs and go for the throat. Same with karate. But now I've got a new look at what you can do with martial arts. It is the discipline side of trying to really avoid the pain you can cause and just neutralize the problem. Like I said. The world needs more of this.

Discrimination...In Media?

In class we watched a long movie about the discrimination in media. I always somewhat knew of the problems and the strategies that companies use to advertise their products such as using the most attractive women out there and even reshaping them to be perfect and have flawless edges that the original model couldnt compete with. They use the sexy poses for almost everything. Even random commercials such as Jeans and Taco Bell, They had a super model eating a taco, wouldnt happen ever in real life. The jeans commercial they proceeded to undress and really show the jeans off...others the only things Missing were teh jeans. Msot of all though, women are used in alchol commercials, as being part of the beer or whatever it may be. Never treated as themselves or women alone. they're always an object, or something just to be looked at. the studies show that it makes women feel inferior to the women that are shaped like beer bottles...And so they go on diets and develop eating disorders, and ultimately can really harm their life in the future due to careless advertising. It really is an injustice but nothing can be done since the court has previously ruled that the government cant prevent what happens in the media and cant control advertising. One thing that can be done is to try adn prevent kids and teens from seeing these types of advertisements...Odds of that succeeding are probably less than getting hit by lightning 12 times in a row. Salituro tries to keep his daughters away from disney movies because he doesnt like the messages they send out. I guess we will find out in a couple years how well that plan works (lol). I've definately noticed a change in advertising, even men are now 90% of the time undressed in order to look cool. Its weird if you think about it. so try it. think. and Comment.

Community Service...Accomplished.

Well thats it, ive officially finished all community service hours. I had to do 20 because of Political Thought, but well worth the Effort. I worked at Habitat for Humanity for 8 hours destroying a house, only to be rebuilt again...Smaller...But i also have been teaching Self defence Club at SHS on wednesdays, I get 2-3 hours each week for that. but I think thats more fun than actual work. And lastly, ive done multiple weeks at the Food Pantry at St. Francais De Sales Church in Lake Zurich. generally that goes from 6-9 if anyone is interested. I really liked the pantry, it is funny because the last 2 times ive gone there all the workers and people that come for food recognize me now. I even joke with some of the people that come in, makes the time go by quickly. Its easy but meaningful work I encourage everyone to go to a food pantry and help out. It makes me feel less materialistic when I know I can give up a little bit of my time to help out other people.