I Am The Egg Man, We Are The Egg Men, And I Am The Other Wes Moore?

-Fate. Just the mere mentioning of this word conjure up memories of masterpieces involving love, lost, the past, the present and the future. But what is fate? The idea of fate, as it stands, is an outcome, per say. The events in our live, which we follow, have in outcome skewing into different tangent. Now what if you, and one other person whom you don't know and have never met, shared the same name, but two order nary different lives? That was the story of Wes Moore....at least one if the story's. Both Wes Moores grew up in the ghetto's of intercity Washington D.C. Both had single parent, live circumstances and lives. But they are not so so different.

  As bizarre as this may, or may not sound, both of these Wes Moore's are partially the same side of a coin. Let me explain. They both grew up in the intercity ghetto of Washington D.C. in the same neighbor hood, but were completely unaware of it. Regardless of their separate lives, they both lead, predominately, the same lives. Both hung out in the neighbor hood socializing  with kids their own age. They both had single parents who raised them and a small family.




  For our protagonist Wes Moore, the turning point for his actions came much too late. He had already full life of being a criminal. From robbery to murder. At points when he wanted to turn his life around,  according to the book  he only knew this life and no other.

 For the non institutionalization Wes Moore, the story revolves around his life has had several turning points that severely affected him as a young child. In the beginning of the book, the death of his father before his very eyes greeted to the reader. Wes Moore said this deeply affected him in essence because since his he was so young. Although never truly had an opportunity to meet his father which would be seemingly the father figure he searched for. Until he was unwillingly sent to  Military school by his Mother at a very young age, he was on the boarder line of living the same life as our protagonist Wes Moore.






  The love of a parent shows no bounds. For both Wes Moore's, their mothers were the predominate  figures in their lively hood. For the non institutionalization Wes Moore, his mother's presence and stern determination to keep him as a civil member to society had a profound effect on him, because she kept a role as a parent. When he did something wrong, she punished and when he was behaving she nurtured him. She took the equation of being a friend away, and stayed a mother.


  Protagonist Wes Moore had a drastically different family environment. His mother, while present, was always kind, generous and loving to Wes Moore, but she played a role more of a friend and less of a mother, not to demean her in anyway. But when Wes Moore was in some sort of trouble, she tended to turn the other cheek. Refusing to believe that here Son was becoming just like his criminal older brother. His father, living in a different area, absent and an alcoholic never played the role of a father. For all that is said and done, his brother Tony was the catalyst in Wes Moore's life a crime. Influencing him from a very young age and without a father, Wes Moore developed, in my opinion, developed a need to have a father figure in his life and Tony was it.


  
 The thing that is difficult to explain is the human behavior aspect of the story. Without a doubt it teaches the reader the importance of a family and structural environment For me it goes something like this. A mirror can tell you whatever you want it too. If you place a mirror of yourself in front of you, with your home behind you, it can spell a thousand word of you future. The similarities between the two Wes Moores spans continuously from environment to home life. Patterns like this can be found in every person depending on the who, what and where.

This book was an absolutely joy to read. The thing I loved most about it was that it offered a window into the true meaning of hope. What I mean when I say this is that, even though these men lead two completely different lives and both ended up having incredibly different lives, they still kept hope that they would have their voices heard and that their lives would shape up into becoming something they had wished for. I hope everyone and anyone take the time to read this book and now I leave you with this video relating to the idea of imagination and never giving up hope.                                                

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj-xOkHtHRg This song will just a song, has a powerful message of friendship and growing up.

Play Me Off Superpacs.

  -"Congress Shall Make No Law....Abridging The Freedom Of Speech":The First Amendment. This is the argument that Citizen United made to the Supreme court in their case against FEC. It is a strange time in politics. I say this out of feeling that we are clearly owned by political super powers that dominate capital hill. Today's future men and women, who wish to run for a political office, must go through the process of running, funding and managing their own campaign. What if I were to tell you, that organizations known as superpacs, took all the time and frustration from funding and gave you vast amounts of money? What if I were also to exemplify that because of citizen united v.s FEC, that corporations could fund who they wanted for as much as they wanted. Hard to believe? Well it's true and because of this, corporations are given an unfair advantage over the people.


   Superpacs have an interesting history. P.A.C. is an adverb  and stands for political action committee according to the Week news. The organization was formed in the late 40's, literally designed to raise and spend money on various political campaigns varying from five thousand dollars for the candidate and 50,000 for the party they support. Thankfully in 1972, the FEC(Federal Election Commission) had established certain ground rules for those who were going to fund a party member. It required things like donors donating only $100, banned union, corporations and banks. And Party's had to disclose who was funding to allow transparency. In the earlier part of 2000, the supreme court took a case know as Citizen United V.s FEC. Citizen united had argued that they were a people. Also, they argued that their 1st amendment right to freedom of speech was being violated. They inevitably won with a 5 to 1 ruling in their favor

   It bring up an interesting topic. Now because these organizations can fund any candidate with as much money as they want, they have opened the flood gates for organization and corporations to gain an upper hand in the political campaigns. Here is how it works according to the video  The Story of Citizens United. No because the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of Citizen United, it also allowed Corporations to fund and advertise for and against Politicians of their choosing. One thing needs to be made clear. a corporation is not a person Mitt Romney. A corporation is a business. A machine. If the individuals of  the Company were to support a political campaign on their own , then that would be a person (not sure). With all of this, it is almost an unfair advantage for both parties. Besides aren't these elections meant to be about the people choosing leaders that will serve their interests?


   No. Corporations have an unfair advantage compared to as the people because they have vast amounts of money, they have an overarching need to make profit their number one priority (need to add at least one more reason). Corporations can fund law maker in to getting what they want like a spoiled child. For example, oil companies have gotten politicians to block  environmental laws. They have violated acts like the McCain Feingold act, which presents smear advertisements for occurring 4 months before an election The problem is not government, it is the Corporations who are the problem. 85% of this country, at this point is fed up with corporations have this vast amount of power over who wins elections. So what can we do? In the video on the top left, is a video of Nancy Pelosi arguing that we are essentially handing this country over to corporation's. We need to  fight back by supporting act like the disclose act, that allow the people to know what corporation is funding who  and with how much. Taking in to capital hill and arguing that a corporation is a machine and not a people. We need to be the red white and blue. Not the red, white and screwed.

Sources:

  http://theweek.com/article/index/223867/how-deep-pocketed-super-pacs-became-shadow-campaigns : I used this source to explain superpacs funding.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5kHACjrdEY :I used this source to explain the unfair advantage that corporations have over the people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZcchO79HsI : I used this source to describe the election process being run by corporations.

You do the crime, you get the chair....wait what?

-"Sometimes the criminal Justice system gets it wrong." Harriot Herman. She said this during a panel for the BBC on capital punishment.  It seems a bit strange to hear this. That our justice system can sometimes miss judge a case like Troy Davis. In today's society, there are over 93 countries that practice the justice of Capital Punishment on those who have committed unforgivable offenses. In countries like Afghanistan, even young children who commit small crimes are executed. Since 1978, the amount of support that capital punishment has decreased by 19 percent. Even so the measure continues. Those who support it.... Those who don't....There are those who support Capital Punishment and those who don't. It is an extreme form of punishment that is economically costly. Also, if you can tell from the top left image, the justice system has blood on it's hands as well. So what exactly should you believe in?

  Capital Punishment does not have an exact history or specific place of origin. In most countries and society's, the form of Capital Punishment, or commonly known as the death penalty, has been used in cultures and societies for thousands of years as a means of executing those who have committed unlawful activities. Methods like the chopping of the head, hanging, firing squad, electric chair and lethal injection, just to name a few, have been evils made to combat crime. It has been an evil that has been viewed to many, according to the week news, as a proportional punishment. But what does this mean exactly? Well it is closely related to the biblical term, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Or Karma. What you have done, whether good or bad, will be returned to you in some form.

In terms of economic it has taken a very hefty toll.Economically it has taken a chunk of the budget in states who chose to use the death penalty. In states like California, the annual cost for Capital Punishment systems are at least $308 million a year and the average cost for a lethal injection is $86 per shot. And with all that money spent, what is gained? Morally, it has not proven a thing. The fact that we take lives to bring comfort to another is not morally just. Taking a violent life does not create peace. It only begets violence. At the same time, our public safety is key to protect society.

   According to The Amnesty International project, the death penalty has very little effect on outside society. What this means is that if an individual is executed for murder, and the idea of the death penalty is to exemplify a point, it fails to do so. The supporters of capital punishment argue that it sets an example for future offenders. Conservatives like Priti Vatel argue that capital punishment in itself is the only form of justice preventing criminals like rapists from returning to the streets. But the Amnesty United Project argues the death penalty does not put a strain on crime or decrease it.

  The system of capital punishment has taken a great toll on who we are as a country and as a people. this point is bought up primarily due to the execution of an innocent inmate who was wrongfully accused and put to death. Troy Davis was convicted of murder in 1989, for the murder of an off duty police officer. During most of the 1990's, he gained favorable support from the public for his release, for 64 to 80%, he was inevitably executed. Several years later, the witness testimony's that landed him in prison, later say that they were persuaded into testifying against Davis.

 This fact brings us to an important question. In knowing what we know now, should the death penalty be banned? Or is it an appropriate tool to deter violence? The answer for both is no. The death penalty has not proven to ease a crime wave in any form in the past 20 or so years. As a matter of fact 153 have since then banned capital punishment, claiming it is a method that rips away our moral character. If there is one thing life has taught me, killing someone else dose not mean justice. If anything the death penalty is just a way for countries to get away with murder on a massive scale. You may have notice the image with a famous phrase from the Sex Pistols saying No Future. In truth, if we don't change our way of punishment, then we have no future as a civilized society.


Sources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVMho2cP1NE&feature=player_embedded: Jeremy Irons Interview, facts used were, moral choice and other nations methods.


http://theweek.com/article/index/219630/troy-davis-death-the-end-of-capital-punishment: Troy Davis summary, facts used were of his trial, his support and the review of his case.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5aodBfdFTA: Debating the death penalty, facts used were opinions of Priti Vatel and Harriet Herman.

Houston, We Have A Problem. It's A Little Too Hot.

-A name alone can cause an uproar given the proper situation. Names like Hitler, Osama, and Bush bring to mind the malign histories and less than reputable pasts. Now here is a name that most of our nation, at this point should be familiar are with. Global warming. What is global warming. Today's media groups whether Liberal or Conservatives wage social wars between one another due to the theory of "the earth warming up." As early as the 1880's and as recently as 2012, scientists have begun to notice an alarming rise in Global (land and oceanic environments) temperatures. Evidently millions are on an uncertain terms with the issue of Global Warming. Scientist and engineers are coming together and discovering new alternative of energies. But in the end the general public is still unclear what this all means.

  In today's energy market, the most conventional forms of energy are narrowed down to Fossil Fuels; Oil, Coal, and a new energy source, Natural gas. Oil which the U.S. imports from primarily Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Fossil Fuels which are the burning of microorganisms and dead organism, such as animals. Coal, which is mined from areas of the United States and Natural gas which is hidden deep in geological earth. The alarming rise in carbon dioxide has reached it's highest rate in 20 years, but in bring up an interesting point. Scientist argue that the new levels have become a hazard and some scientist like Roy W. Spencer argue that here are alternative motives to Global Warming. But in order to understand the arguments, we first need to know what exactly Global Warming is.

                               What is Global Warming?

  Really what is Global Warming? According to sites like Wikapedia Global Warming was coined to describe the earth's atmosphere and Ocean levels rising due to rising temperatures. But you may think so what, the earth is getting a little hotter. The issue is that "YES THE EARTH IS GETTING HOTTER"!!!! According to The New York Times, emissions causing Global warming or Co2 are caused by primarily coal and oil. Political uproar has been called about this. Many Politicians like Congress Woman Michelle Bochman argue that Co2 is a product of nature.(comment about Co2) Watch the video bellow.

 With the damage that is being brought on by using the traditional methods, power companies are trying to find brand new ways to produce energy. The most recent one involes using Natural Gas. The gas is hidden in pocket in the geological earth(usualy underneath towns) The methods in which is gas is captures is called Fracking, and no, not the Battle Star Gallatica kind.

   According to the BBC documentary, Fracking 101, fracking  involves drilling deep into the earths surface and using the water in the pipeline that breaks these pocket and relases the gas into the water along with added chemicals. It sound like a miracle product. Offering a new efficient form of energy and creating new job opportunities for stuggiling homes and families. The fact is that natural gas is unethical. As you can see from the NBC news report, a Colorado Husband and Wife's tap water is bursting into flames. But why? For the simple reason that "Fracking is Fracking dangerous. Here are the facts.

• The chemicals used to abstract the gas come from a water supply that has harmful chemicals in it. 
• The gas begins to migrate to other sources, like town water supplies, causeing the water to become contaminated by methane gas. 
• EPA investigaions could not come under way because of funding, and federal investigations are just beging. 
• In 2005 when George W. Bush signed for companies to begin extracting gas, he also signed that gas companies did not have to commply with the "Safe Water Drinking Act."

  The cost of the expenses in terms of the types of energy usage fluctuates in the millions. But the cost of environmental damage can be permanent. As the events of the BP oil spill have shown, the effects of drilling and mining for energy can leave permanent damages to our environment. But can we establish alternetives forms of energy usage? According to Roy W. Spencer, it is actually much more expensive and the energy made from renewable energy come up for only 8% of the nation energy.(Such as Windmills and Watermills)

  In the end, we are left with one question. Is global warming man made? Yes. Co2, while it is a natural product of nature, our coal and oil usage have multiplied the amount of carbon dioxide in 2010, according to the week news. Do we have a solution? Well according to Roy W. Spencer, we can not change our method in a snap. The amount of energy needed to use the energy we use today with coal is not sufficient and only makes up 8% of our nation. So what can we do, well for now, we can only do small thing. Unplugging electronics when not in use, walking instead of driving and just keep thinking of the bigger picture.


Sources:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNk--ZXoGVY

             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYJj-1jNOxE&feature=player_embedded