Decade of Oops

As 2009 ends, so does the decade. I have contemplated long and hard about the past decade and how it will be remembered. Only time will tell. But there did seems to be a very common motif throughout the decade..

2000: Election ballots miscounted in Florida, costing Gore the presidential election. OOPS

2003: Invasion of Iraq because of supposed "weapons of mass destruction." OOPS

2004: Janet Jackson reveals bare breast to millions during Superbowl. OOPS

2008: Banks irresponsibly hand out mortgages, people irresponsibly buy houses. Recession ensues. OOPS

So there was a whole lot of bad and whole lot off good. But most of all, there seemed to be a whole lot off oops.

2011.

As the new year rolls around, so do the infamous new year's resolutions made every year. Now I, personally, have always been a strong advocate of new year's resolutions. I was always the one at parties to make everyone go around in a circle and say theirs aloud.

But while skimming the internet I saw something that made me rethink my original thoughts. New research shows that by the six month of the year, only 46% of people will have maintained them. And looking back, I did not keep up with my resolutions of last year. And thinking about how I failed myself, I feel a huge knot of guilt building in my stomach. So if most people don't follow through with these resolutions, are they even worth making them?

Yes, I think. The same research shows that people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions. There is something so exhilirating about the hope of a better you. So, I will continue with my traditions and god knows I will make all my friends cite theirs aloud as well. Here are some of my main ones.

1. Work out more

2. Keep in touch with camp friends

So, what are yours?

Goodbye Summer, Hello School

Race To The Top. This competitive, focused initiative to improve America's education is surrounded by controversy. And Obama isn't stopping yet. He has proposed to extend school days and school years. This means more hours in a classroom everyday and less outside by the pool in the summer. MSNBC News reports that the Obama Administration believes this extension, although pricey, would improve test scores. Research shows that adding math instruction minutes to the day significantly rose scores. And, a shorter summer means less time for kids to forget everything they learned over the school year, a common problem. The KIPP charter schools go to 7:30pm to 5:00 p.m; and all the schools exceed their school district averages on state tests.

However, this "progress" is subjective. Improving test scores is no indication of improving a child's education, it is yet another form of competition that fuels the idea of the "race to the top." I don't believe this initiative is a good idea, and not just because I'm a student. If we have a poor education system in the first place, extending the time that children can receive this education will not accomplish anything. We need to completely rewrite the system as we know it. We can't view education as a means to improve test scores. We want our children to learn to think, analyze, and question everything they come across.

These are all political advisors and administrators making these decisions. But it is us, the students, who is affected by all this. We are the one's living and breathing the American education system.

So, what do think? Do you think extending school days and the school year will improve education in America? Would your views change if you lived in a different part of the country? How can America improve education?

That's my name, don't wear it out!

Throughout the year in AiS class, we have been discussing the differences between denotation and connotation. We have come to a conclusion: every word has, to some extent, a variation of both. So, if all words have connotation- does this apply to names as well?

I believe it does. Take the Madoff family for example. It has recently been reported (see link) that Madoff's daughter-in-law legally changed the name of herself and her two children to her maiden name, Morgan. It was, understandably, done for protection. And yet it must also have something to do with the reputation. Her father-in-law was responsible for the largest ever,50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme that robbed countless poeple of their life-savings. He could quite possibly be one of the most hated men in America.

This is the connotation of Madoff.
Family names do have connotations. Names reveal reputations, scandals, history, even ethnicity and religious background. They have style and culture. changing your name is changing part of yourr identity.

So, for better or for worse, your last name and whatever connotations that ensue will follow you for the rest of your life.

Yet Another Teachable Moment

And this teachable moment is not from a national disaster or declared by a president. This is a truly inspiring story taught by no other than a humpback whale. The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported a story about a female humpback whale entangled in a web of crab traps and lines off the Farallon Islands. The whale was, due to our negligence, dying. And, due to our determination, could be saved.

So, four divers plunged into the water, tediously cutting the individual lines cutting the whales skin and weighing her down. When they were done, the whale thanked them, literally. The whale reported swam around them in joyous circles and went to each individual diver and nudged them.

This stroy epitomizes the holiday spirit: love, family, friends. It inspires you to surround yourself with people who will untngle you; and thank them unconditionally. Like giving and receiving presents, give and receive gratitude during the holiday season.
And now this is a real teachable moment.

Analyze This!

Through our Perilous Times projects, we have all come to the conclusion that civil liberties are indeed inhibited and infringed upon during wartime. The ‘how’ in this statement is a little trickier. It appears that the leaders create an intense fear of the opposition in the people, thus justifying the fact that they are taking away these people’s civil liberties. From here, they find clauses in the Constitution and manipulate them to further justify their actions. McCarthy created an intense fear in the people with false claims and allegations that created a paranoia-like state. Abraham Lincoln displays utilizing the constitution by his suspending habeas corpus.

Yet this alone is oftentimes not enough to succeed in the infringement of civil liberties. There is another very powerful tool used: propaganda. It is seen throughout all wars and has been used as a manipulating tool for many different reasons in time of war. It could be used in attempts to unify the people, vilify the opposition, or create a sense of panic and need. Below is propaganda used throughout the centuries in varying times of war. Analyze each picture carefully and think about its historical context. Why was each picture was used? Is there any symbolism involved? Does it make a convincing argument? Do you think it made the public more susceptible in letting the government infringe their civil liberties? Why or why not?