Wake-up Call

Personally, today was a joyous and blessed day. I sometimes forget that it is relevant to treat each waking day as if it is the first. The night before, I received a warning .....nah....an admonition to return back to my best friend. To make sure that I told him my heart and his to me. I knew I was beginning to ignore him. And had pretty much rationalized my reason for doing so.

However,., the wake-up call I received, reminded me of all the times I had yearn to be closely acquainted  to him. Now that I am, I had been declining into the valley of forgetfulness. Forgetting to call him. Forgetting to tell him how my day went: the late city bus, the verbal harassment from a drunk, and the minor confrontation with my dad. I forgot to share my inner fears and therefore missed his placid response. Similar to being on a roller coaster, I forgot to smile at the camera, neglecting the eyes of the one who perpetually see.  So, I struggled under my own will, even though I had a friend capable of helping.

But today, I returned desperate and broken. I felt his warm embrace once more: welcoming and forgiving, loving and gentle, cleansing and refreshing. I regained hope. Assured, I totally surrendered. And he definitely came through. I know he's powerful and performs miracles for me incessantly, but today I experienced his presence and might. And I'm forever convinced that he remains faithful even when I'm not.

The Paradigm of Cell phones in High School

Since I began attending Broward schools, the Broward Schools Code of Conduct (the workbook with like 70 pages) have always being mandated for teachers to review with their students. I remember dreading every moment sometimes yarning while listening to fellow classmates and teachers read the book aloud. This year its not the case. The school board has finally learnt how to highlight. It not like I didn’t receive the same book as last year or the year before or the year before that, which I felt was irrelevant, but this time, I also received a single sheet of paper that efficiently summarized the expectations for Broward County students.

The simplifying of the rules, which was obviously apparent years ago, was not the only aspect that fascinated me. Instead the fact that the no phone policy in classes didn’t come up baffled me. To put this perfectly in the words of Public Affairs Instructor Mrs. Bell “the school board realizes that it couldn’t win the war against phones at school.” And I totally agree. I knew this day would approach but I didn’t know that it would be while I was still in high school. These phones have upgraded. They are smarter now and efficient. And with the unavailability of some necessities in the class rooms, these technology gadgets have been used as supplement in the place of classroom necessities.

What I find most interesting is that teachers are condoning the use of smart phones in classrooms. At first I thought they loosened up due to the idea that I was now a senior, because in middle school and as a freshmen in high school, cell phone use was definitely intolerable. However, I realize after speaking to a teacher that it goes both ways. That was four to five years ago and the smart phones have advanced expediently over that period. But the other argument and the strongest argument is the Supplication.

Students can use their phones to perform quick researches in class. For instance, the other day a teacher asked for the definition of a complicated word and a student was able to provide the definition with the use of her phone due to its fast connectivity to the web. Even more vital was when students in my English class had to download books such as Bartleby, the Awakening, and Invisible Man for our  AP English Language class because there was not enough books to go around.

At the end of it all, the benefits of using cell phones are truly outweighing the disadvantages. Maybe sooner students will start using Ipads and nooks as textbooks. We never truly know how far the future is.

4:38 a.m.

Its 4:38 A.M. and I cant seem to shut my eyes. I am dangling in the fence of excitement and uncertainty. I thinking about my past. From the moment I became a student in this country.

 The goals I have set for myself and where I'm presently at and, it creates and intense flush to my face and goose bumps to my sensitive skin. I realize that this is just the beginning, even though I have counted my blessings. I cant wait to take the next step in my life and open a new path. The responsibility, independence, scholarships as well as competitions. And with faith I know all will work together for good for me.

 However sometimes I get so caught up in all the irrelevant achievements and forget the drive behind my perpetual need to excel. So at this moment I will go to bed and dream about what I want my future to be, not worrying about applications and what not.

 I will dream that I am successful and I will change the world and leave an unforgettable legacy behind.    

I will dream of my true motivation. 

Positives and Negatives of Capitalism

So… its Sunday morning and I just came back from Chivante’s party (which by the way was totally fun), and im in a good mood to blog. The blog for this week creates a thinking dissonance in me because I’m all about “LONG LIVE CAPITALISM” so I’ve researched it for expertise fact

The pros J of capitalism are almost endless, but what is Capitalism? Capitalism is an economic system comprised of no nosey government and private ownership and distribution of goods and services.  It one of the most famous words priced in the US. It is mentioned in Sociology, business studies and European & American history. Another pro is that it allows for political freedom because government cannot set market prices. It encourages business owner to be hardworking and creative. It allows for economic growth and social mobility to higher standards of living. Without being to opinionated , this is why America was the center of invention in the 19^th century.

One of the Cons L is that monopoly power may occur and the first case in US history was John Rockefeller (heard of him). In the 1890’s, he ran each and every oil company out of business and had a monopolized rule over the oil industry. An example of monopoly in today’s era would be the big name store like walmart, who can afford to reduce the prices of their good below the normal prices. What does this led to it creates social division of wealth. Also, wealth becomes inherited and way harder to achieve.

Regardless, I like Capitalism. It is the closest thing to Darwin’s survival of the fittest, which I definitely belief in, and an environment for mind blowing creativity.

http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5002/economics/pros-and-cons-of-capitalism/

Globalization (Pros and Cons)

Globalization: the increase in global relationships  of culture, people, and economic activity through the distribution of production of goods and services. Here is a table with the pros and cons.

Pros

Cons

1.       It promotes global economic growth, creates jobs, make companies much more competitive, and lower price for consumers. 2.       It promotes global trust and respect for others around the globe 3.       It allows consumers to access products from difficult countries 4.       It allows for political powers to merge and decisions that benefit the entire world. 5.       There is cultural intermingling and rapid communication between countries. 6.       Socially we have become more tolerant. 7.       The speed of travel, communication, and information accessibility has increased through the internet. 8.       Corporations and governments are trying to sort out ecological problems for each other

1.       The biggest problem is that the rich are getting richer and poor getting poorer. 2.       Unfair work conditions have been associated with Multinational Corporation. 3.       The rich and Multinational Corporation are influencing political decisions and are becoming less accountable for their actions. 4.       There is a drastic gap between the richest and poorest countries, as a result  globalization is not benefiting everybody it is accounted that the richest 20 percent of the world population consume 86 percent and poorest 14. 5.       It has also increased the spread of diseases. 6.       It has led to the exploitation of labor because prisoners and child workers work under inhumane condition.

                                                         Reference
http://www.manufacturing.net/articles/2010/06/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization

Interactionism

Interactionism provides better methods at gaining a deeper knowledge of sociological issues because it aims to gain a deeper understanding using in-depth method of human behaviors effect on society. In sharp contrast to interactionism, positivism is a theory that focuses on the correlation between two things. For instance, institutionalize individuals and number of absentee father could be positively correlated but it does not mean that one causes the other. Interactionism's methods which include interview. This is the fundamental for ethnomethodological, symbolic interaction, and methodological pluralist. It main goal is to understand humans individually and relate how their experiences impact on society. 

Culture of Poverty

The culture of poverty is a social theory that describes the poverty as a cycle. Supported by Oscar Lewis, it emphasizes the idea that poverty tends to spread to the next generation. However, it mainly focuses on the black underclass and why they remain poor. According to Oscar Lewis, this is because of their value system, which he believes is unique from everyone else. He came to this conclusion when examining the ambition and character of those who grow up in poverty. Their mindsets and behaviors are what prevent the next generation, and the generation after the next from evading the underclass. This is why young black boys from poor home who are blessed with talents, either in sport or academic, sometimes make wrong decisions that cause them to remain in the underclass.

You all should know Devone Bess, founder of Bessfriend and Dolphin’s wide receiver. Growing up he can be associated with living a life of an underclass because he had an absentee dad and was raised by a single mother and an uncle who was a drug dealer. He worked really hard to remove himself from his situation. He won a football scholarship to Oregon State. However, he lost that scholarship after he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for possessing stolen good, which by the way, a friend had put in his car. Though Devone had a value system (ambitious and a good character), those that surrounded him did not and this almost hinder him from socially mobilizing from his social class.

the chain of social cultures

This week I will be discussing the forces and institution that help shape popular culture

Popular culture is the cultural activities or commercial products reflecting or aimed at the tastes of the general masses. After listening to Mrs. Basi’s explanation, I can say that there are two forces and two institutions responsible for each.

From a culturist view, high culture helps in shaping popular culture. High are a separated group of wealthy elite that place significance in appreciating classical art, music, and literature. The Elite theory is believed dearly by this group. Herein, because they hold economical wealth and policy-planning networks, they control the resources that the masses receive. 

For example, our government leaders control the laws, budgets, and projects that are accepted by the elite. When the masses see the elite, there is the desire to want to behave like the elite. So the mass culture often emulates them. 

The other institution is the media and the force they use is the Consumer culture, which is our pursuit of a materialistic lifestyle where we buy, buy, buy.  The media uses advertisement to shape what the mass believe, wear, eat, visit, and drive. 

The media is responsible for why you’d prefer oreo cookies to other kinds of cookie, or why you’d rather shop at Wal-Mart rather than target, or why you would hate Kim Kadashian and love Justin Bieber, or why you’d love a Burkin over every other hand bags.

Mead I Say

When examining symbolic interactionism, it is easy to fall for the guise that it a psychology theory. However, thoroughly scrutinizing the theory, one will observe that it’s all sociology baby. Symbolic interaction, according to Mead, is the study of how individuals interact with symbols that surround them.

                       Examining socialization is key to really accept the justification. Mead famously quoted, ‘the inner “I” must become the social me,’ to explain primary socialization. Herein, an infant is able to see his actions in terms of its effects on others. Sociology comes alive in the second stage of socialization, secondary socialization, because it moves beyond the family into a wider society. The child learns how to operate as a member of society.

 He experiences judgments, stereotypes, and universal symbol. He exhibits societal influences as he interacts with others. Furthermore, he takes on the roles, gender identity, gender roles, sanctions, values, and norms of the culture. And when lots, and lots of individual are grouped under this observation there’s sociology, which is the study of the relationships around us and how it affects our behaviors and attitudes.

Functionalism vs Marxism: The Survival of the Strongest

It is fasinatinating how sociological theories have withstand over the year........yeah right! We humans are so predictable. Humorous!

However, with the rapid changes that influence our society, one might question if these sociological theories will withstand the near future. In the debate of Functionalism versus Marxism, I believe that that functionalism has withstood and will continue to withstand our fast pace society.

Functionalism is based on the idea that organs in the body have specific function. It believes that agencies in our society have specific function. Examples would be the media, government, and religion. One reason functionalism has and will dominate Marxism is because it has a more proven stratification and social class, socialization, and culture explanation. In comparison, Marxism theory suggests the existence of an exploitation of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie, which is pretty seems true, and only through revolution can a classless society. However, the flaw of his theory is that for a long time  his postulated theory has yet to be manifested. This creates doubt on whether there will ever be a revolution. Marxist theory was also reticently economically and sociopolitically based. Functionalism, one the other hand, examines and explain norms, customs, traditions and institutions using meritocracy, sanction, and social mobility.

The Advantage of Online Classes

The fancies behind online classes are viewed from different perspective. Since we are practicing our to write argument essays in Mrs. Hautigan’s Class I am not going to qualify, rather I’ll discuss the pros.

Online education is a master on saving time, resources, and money. For those who are unable to commute to the campus, either able or disable, it creates a dynamism that can transfer the home into the classrooms. In effect it saves the person mad money on transport. Students who rely on parents for transport are appreciative of this occasion.

Due to its flexibility in time and space, the freedom of an individual to continue their daily routines exists without interrupting work or sport schedules. Online Ed expands rather constraint the rate of learning because of the stream of classes available and the unlimited resources. Students are able to develop independence (self-directed) and responsibility.

Moreover, the accessibility to the internet and software remove all distances, so that student can work with classmates from around the world.  It provides a base for equality where  an individual is not judged by their race,  class, sex,  or status.

So guys sign up for your online classes!

Change in setting

Technology has changed our world, it Has change education and students are great beneficiaries. Technology has changed the classroom setting by making work easier and faster. Students can access things easier such as online books and worksheet. Notes in class can be transcribed faster as the ability to use laptop and iPad allows student to write proficient and save their hand....oops and the earth.
With technology, student learn to intertwine education and technology together. A noteworthy example is our present blogging assignment. We not only learn to express our opinions, but also prepare the way for future observers to understand the youth of this time.

Feeding the Community

Congratulations for making it through the previous year. You’re all winners in this amazing race TRUST ME!

One thing that I hold dearly and love to do as a hobby is helping out my community. I make the effort to give my time and resources.

 I volunteered during church health clinic where in a church provided free health tests, donations, and seminars for different groups in my community. 

On December 31, 2011, I was involved in a program called Feeding the Community held by my local church. 

An anonymous individual had donated a thousand dollars for us to do this. 

Although we had a limited amount of money for a limited number, we decided that we would bless some families in the working class. 

These were the individuals who didn’t belong to shelters, but struggled all the same. We passed out Publix gift cards to these families.   

An influencing factor to our decision was the story of a mother who shot herself and her two children after she lost her job and was denied food stamps by the government.

I realized that most people forget that group. 

 I really enjoyed what I did and made that I brought friends and family to share this experience.