Day: September 18, 2011

The Buffett Tax

therightliberalLeave a comment

As some people worry about the money they spend on gas or groceries, a group of Americans sit back and watch their money flow in.

I do not mean to insinuate that millionaires and billionaires do not work hard because most of them do. However, I see no argument that their lives are anywhere near as hard as those who are living paycheck to paycheck.

Warren Buffett has over the years called for higher taxes for America’s uber-rich, and now it seems he might get it.

Obama is looking to propose the “Buffett Tax,” a new tax on wealthy Americans that would work to keep some of the wealthy from avoiding taxes and increase the rates that they pay.

Although it would only affect about 450,000 Americans, the tax could very much benefit the economy, which as we all know, needs all the help it can get.

I look back at the arguments I have heard on why the rich should not have higher taxes; they don’t deserve it, it wouldn’t really help, it’s not fair. But none of those arguments make sense to me.

Taxes are not a punishment, they are just a fact of life in a society like ours. If you enjoy the country you have then you better accept the idea of taxes.

Taxing the top 0.3% of Americans (which this would do) a higher amount could really help. And on top of it, the bill wouldn’t actually raise taxes, it would just eliminate some of the Bush tax cuts, which I think we can see did not work judging on where are economy is now.

I hope that this bill can get through Congress during their Dec. meeting on deficit reduction. I think that this could be a helpful bill, but on top of that, it just makes sense.

Tribal Issues (Chairman’s Program)

theycallmedame5 Comments

I want to change lives.
I really, really do.
And now, finally, I’m given an opportunity to do it.

I’ve been doing volunteer work with an organization called Rustic Pathways for two summers in a row. In 2010, I went to Costa Rica to help sustain sea turtle life by building a hatchery for eggs and moving the eggs from dangerous areas to a safe place where they will survive. This year, in 2011, I went to China to volunteer at a Giant Panda conservation center, where I helped care for and feed the endangered pandas.

That was all fun, and helpful, and all that jazz, but I wanted something more.

A week ago, my friend Max (who I’ve done both of the Rustic programs with) called me and told me about this amazing program hosted by Rustic.

“There’s limited spaces available,” he said, “And you don’t get to just sign up, you actually have to send in an application and have an interview to see if you get accepted or not.”

Right away my curiosity was piqued, I needed to be accepted to go? I kept asking Max, one of my best friends since kindergarten, question after question about it until he finally directed me to the site where the trip was explained.

I read through it and my breath got caught in my throat. It sounded so important, so influential, so life-changing.

I sent in my application right away and emailed the director to ask for an interview.

The next day, I received an email from Rustic:

Hello Aria,

Congratulations on being accepted into our programs in Southeast Asia.

I literally squealed, my hands flying to my mouth, and my eyes started to tear up. This is the experience I have been waiting for!

In the summer of 2012, from July 3 to July 20, I will travel with my friend Max and roughly six other students into Thailand, Burma, and Laos. But it will not just be for seeing the other countries and what their culture is, no. I will travel to an estimated fourteen tribes and speak with young men and women there about their life, their hardships, their experiences, and anything else.

I will help sponsor various children to go to school and supply villages with water, food, bicycles, soap, and a friend. I will work with Rustic and the other students on the trip to think of ways to better the lives of all the people in those tribes, and try to set our plans into action.

I want to experience life, and I can’t do that by just talking about making a difference. I have to actually go out there and do it.

And I will go out there.
And I will do it.
And nothing is going to stop me.

I’m an adult: this means I’m better than you.

Yourcupatea1 Comment

respect
As an adolescent I find myself continually being treated like a ‘kid.’ I’m 17, I can drive, make my own decisions, and yes I can dress myself. Yet to some adults they still feel that they are entitled to belittle and undermine me, all because of my age.

I’m independently applying for college and planning my life, an important future decision, yet according to some this is just not enough. I’m beginning to wonder when I will be respected as an adult.

In my eyes I reached my adulthood and gained my independence many years ago, but this is not the case in California. In England, at the age of 16 you are seen as an adult being charged higher fares. I guess age means different things in different countries and cultures. It seems that  in America you reach adulthood at the age of 18.

Some people still believe that with age comes great wisdom, but in my eyes I’m pretty wise already. I guess I will only find out these things with age, but for now I shall just enjoy being a teenager and hope for a little more respect.

 

the endless circle the endless circle the endless…

yrreskrap1 Comment

It’s funny. I didn’t think that I’d find such depth and meaning in my summer reading.

 

A Confederacy of Dunces
Image via Wikipedia

 

I was assigned four books over this past summer, one of them being Toole’s The Confederacy of Dunces. In reading this book, it opened up my eyes of the vicious circle that has been plaguing our society since the birth of mankind and undoubtedly will do so for eternity (or, in my mind, the Rapture).

People want to be viewed by others a certain way. They portray themselves accordingly depending on who their audience is. As shown through the main character of Ignatius J. Reilly, one might strive for acknowledgment but receive nothing but judgement in return.

Prejudice is a instantaneous reaction, an almost inbred behavior. It may take your brain a few seconds to scan a stranger before you feel like you already have a grasp of the kind of a person he or she is.

People, whether conscious of the fact or no, put on a guise in order to recreate themselves. Most people describe going off to college as a time to “start with a clean slate.” This is essentially people putting on a new persona. You are given the opportunity to leave your past behind. So you used to be the girl who was too shy to approach anybody? Well now that same girl is the first to introduce herself at her new college. You are allowed to break the binding chains of the stereotypes that you had been associated with during these chance times. And in this vicious cycle, there are many opportunities to change.

We are afraid to be judged (on different levels of course) yet, we judge almost all we see. The circle feeds on insecurities, on fears, on secrets and it generates even more. Just as Van Gogh‘s potentials were never realized (at least not until after his death) and Ignatius’ motives were misinterpreted, humanity will always reject what is not the norm. And, in one way or the other, people will always strive to live up to the standards of their peers.

New life

thehungryrunnergirl1 Comment

Moving from New England, this is my first week in California. Man, this place is just so awesome. Palm trees, beaches, mountains, sunny weather… I’m just really lucky to be here.

Compared to California, New England was just not for me. Sixteen-hour flights from home, feeling very far away from my family. In winter, there would be so much snow, and blizzards. I couldn’t go outside and run, and that was the worst part of being there. All I could do was to shut myself up in the room studying. The highest temperature will be 32°F and the lake right by my old school freezes and turns into a skating rink. It was very pretty…

but I prefer palmtrees and beaches.

I’m so lucky to come to Cali, and OVS. I appriciate my parents and teachers, especially (thebrownguy) for bringing me here.

I’m very stoked for this year, and can’t wait to get to know more people.

Contagion

venturatreker1 Comment


This afternoon I went to go see the new movie Contagion.  It is a thriller about a world-wide epidemic that in the end wipes out 26 million people across the globe.

The movie is extremely realistic with the virus being a strain between pig and bat DNA.  The film tracks the spread of the virus through the airports, busses, and casinos.  The virus spreads by about any form of exposure to a contagious victim.

After watching the film it really makes me think about how many times I touch my face, and the amount of times I touch things that thousands of people have touched.  It is truly amazing though how strong the human immune system is that it can combat the multitudes of bacteria that enters the body every day.

In Contagion, even with a ‘novel’ virus it still only takes about 3 months for the world  to contain the virus.  Even though it is a fictional film, it still makes for quite a thriller and a real mind bender.

From home to school, the transition

r3t5nomLeave a comment
View of Land's End arch on the Southern tip of...
Image via Wikipedia

Going from a beautiful place like Cabo San Lucas, which has beaches that stay in the 80’s Farenheit, to a weather bipolar place like Ojai Valley, California, is not an easy change to go through . My home is a paradise, and the people and food there are fantastic. OVS is a great school and there is no doubt in my mind that this school has helped me grow in many different ways while I’ve been here. The truth is that as much as I try to convince myself to make this like a second home for me, I can’t, because a home is where your family is.

Our Drugs on That?

bedghostLeave a comment

Drug smuggling has played a big part in our everyday world. Even people who are not directly involved may be affected in some way indirectly. But have you ever wondered how drugs get into the country? With all the border patrol the government provides? Well apparently some crafty groups have developed the most unusual methods of contraband. To say the least…

Well it turns out drug cartels, like the Gulf Cartel, have researched for various ways to avoid all the new methods, gadgets, and security that impose a potential threat to their narcotics not being able reach the market. They have gathered the brightest minds they could find, and came up with some of the most astonishing and silly methods to avoid getting caught and make that big buck.

Here are some examples:

Human Carriers

This method involves a person literally becoming the “suitcase” that carries the drugs. They do this by warping narcotics with plastic, the size of pills, and then literally swallowing various of these plastic capsules. Since external drugs are exposed and internal drugs are not. This is method is very effective, but has many consequences and can be deadly.

Parasite Crates

It is as it sounds. Drug Cartels designed crates that could be attached at the bottom of ships. Without creating drag, so many, ships may not even be aware they are caring narcotics across the country. When they reach their destination a team of 4 or more can detach the crate without port harbor authorities ever knowing.

There are many other ways ,but why waste your time reading when you can watch it here.

Kickin’ Some Ass

backinphillyLeave a comment

Sebastian Janikowski made history on Monday Night by tying the NFL record for longest field goal kick in history.  The record stands at 63 yards long, which ties Jason Elam and Tom Dempsey.

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The Raiders and Janikowski have both issued appeals to the NFL to review the kick and hopefully extend the distance to 64 yards, which would pass the record by 1 yard. This is also the second time that a record-tying kick has been made at Mile High Stadium in Denver, which is considered an advantage due to air quality at that altitude.