Get Over Yourself

So now with the new security measures like pat downs etc, a lot of people are up in arms about civil rights and how they shouldn't be subjected to "invasive" searches.

Shut Up. Please.

If you refuse to let them search your bags, you're hiding something. Because, why wouldn't you let them? If you have nothing to hide, what's wrong with a complete stranger who you'll never see again, glance upon your neatly (or not) folded jeans, shirts, socks, and unmentionables? If you refuse to comply with a random breath test or random drug test while driving? You're probably high or drunk. Because, why would you not comply?

Simply put, if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?

In the age where tension is high in terms of terrorism and national security is a top priority, people have to lighten up when it comes to airport security. As a frequent traveler, I'm so used to packing my bathroom stuff in a zip-loc bag and taking my shoes and belt off before going through metal detectors that it's just like second nature now. The first time my luggage was search, I was 13 years old and in LAX for the first time. I was a kid. What could I be hiding? Was I supposed to be scared of the army guy with the AK standing a few feet away from me?

No. I felt safe.

At the age of 22, I'm just plain old used to being search, drug tapped, and my luggage being search. Whatever. I'm so used to it now that I allow time in between connecting flights in case something should happen. I don't book one-way tickets, and I book flights a month in advance.

Here's why:

- Book a ticket the same day as you fly out?

- suspicious

- Book a one way ticket?

- suspicious

- Coughing and spluttering with obvious signs of sickness?

- suspicious

- Sweating a lot?

- suspicious

And the list goes on.

And sure, it sucks being sick and having to travel, and it sucks more when they stop you and ask you a bunch of questions. Inconvenient to the maximum level. But, I'd rather they stop a person and search them in case yknow, they're a carrier of a new air born disease like "Deadly Body Sickness" or "H1N1" or whatever the kids are talking about these days.

Now hear this. Let's say you have someone you love die in a plane terrorist bombing thing. And the terrorist was let on the plane because these security measures weren't taken.

Who's on the band wagon now?

The fact of the matter is, body scans? I say scan away! I don't care. The person looking at my semi or totally naked bones is no where close to me, or at least, I can't see them. And if I can. Who cares? Search me. I have nothing to hide. I'm not carrying anything. I'm not doing anything I shouldn't be.

Do I agree with guilty until proven innocent? No. Because that's not fair. Conversely, this is national security we're talking about. This isn't, "Did you murder that man?" We can't prove anyone is guilty until we look at the evidence. But if you ask a person if you can search their bags in the airport and they say no, "well, what are you hiding?" If shows like Border Security and Airport and Airline have taught us anything, it's that if a passenger refuses - they're suspicious.

Simply put, I think the Conservatives need to chill out, have a drink, and let the security guards do their job. It's for there safety and if they want to have a spaz about being patted down, then they need to take the bus and go back to pres school where little boys and girls don't like to be touched for fee of the cooties.

Seriously, grow up.

Oh, America, you're so fine, you blow my mind.

With a continuation of a class discussion where a question was pitted to us as to if America remained the world super power, I decided I'd throw in my 2 cents worth, seeing as I'm foreign, and living in Georgia.

There is talk about debt and the Great Depression and that soon China will become the world leader, blah blah blah. Sounds all too familiar. Interestingly enough though, China is a communist country. While in theory and on paper, Communism looks like a pretty good system, it's always executed but morons who become power hungry

First problem.

As an Australian, I chose the United States as my college destination. I STILL choose the United States as my place to study because I don't see anyone taking over the world any time soon. To me, I still see America as the leading power. I have my doubts about China taking over as the super power, simply because it is a communism. This only may hold China back in terms of becoming the super-duper power. America is just such a huge country and thoroughly patriotic, and I really think they will remain the super power for many more years. We hear about the army, the navy, the air force, and how the military in general is just so powerful - and it is. Sure, little Iraq was able to send radicals to bomb the Trade Center, and that was and still is, such a shocking fact. But, America is bouncing back.

To say that the US will lose it's status as SuperPower of the world would be negative. Though I am not a citizen nor will I ever give up my Australian citizenship, I remain loyal and confident that the United States will hold it's position as our world leader. It's citizen need to have the confidence in President Obama, who is doing the best he can. He was expected to fix a 10+ year downfall in the economy in 2 years --- give the man a break! The Great Depression took 10 years to create and 10 years to fix....it's not going to happen overnight.

If a non-citizen has the confidence and willingness to support this country, why don't the US citizen stand up and do the same?

Politics of Pollution

As an advocate for recycling, public transportation, walking or cycling to work/school, car pooling, and a general greener way of life, it's always interesting to me when Yahoo! or GoogleNews comes out with the list of America's Dirtiest Cities. The top 10 Dirtiest Cities according to Forbes are:

10. Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA

9. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City, CA/NV

8. Modesto, CA

7. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL

6. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ

5. Hanford-Corcoran, CA

4. Visalia-Porterville, CA

3. Fresno-Madera, CA

2. LA-Long Beach-Riverside, CA

1. Bakersfield, CA

(Ironically, Bakersfield is where I was supposed to start my college career. But aside from that...)

I think this is a global issue because America being the superpower, other country's look to the US to lead the way in reform, recycling, entertainment, export, global leadership etc, and when faced with statistics that show the pollution and consumption rates in these cities, it's a wonder why we're looking to America to 'lead the way.'

In many places I've lived in and visited in the US, that has been no form of recycling. The gated community I live in in Savannah does not have a recycling dumpster, simply a mixed dumpster where all trash is thrown together to be carted off to the next landfill, only to be transformed into yet another wasteland. Savannah State University (where I attend school) has a measly little 'paper only' dumpster hidden behind the old gym that is hardly ever used for anything worthwhile. And the amount of students that know about said dumpster?

1 out of every 25 students.

How do I know this? A survey I did last year for an essay I wrote concerning the lack of concern of recycling and consumption on college campuses.

Though, the Forbes report isn't totally concerning itself with recycling. These dirty cities are filled with pollution and grimy airspace, ultimately a big no-no for the Ozone. Unfortunately for the residents of the grand state of California, topography, car culture, farming, the oil industry, and the San Joaquin Valley are to blame for their smog infested airways. Sea air mixed with sunshine doesn't necessarily mean everything is cleaner either. These 2 elements combined with pollution create an unexpectedly high levels of ground-level ozone. Not a good thing.

Without getting all technical about Prop 23 and the oil companies this and that, and repeating everything in the article (I've liked the Forbes report in the picture and the Yahoo! report in the hyperlink), taking into account that these areas of the US are being highly effected, what about the different parts of the world. Some places that refine and export steel and oil? and the countries that have mines and send folks 90000000 miles below the earth? Unfortunately we're a consuming society and have yet to find decent, greener ways to make the earth spin. With the emission of fossil fuels and all the other nasty things that come from factories and cars and what not, we're not exactly helping the earth.

There are some that try to claim that Global Warming doesn't exist. But it quite obviously does. From the coldest winters in X amount of years, to the other side of the world having the hottest summer in X amount of years. Cyclones, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, droughts - all happening in parts of the world where it isn't common. Steady rain for a whole week in summer while the temperature stays at a blistering 35C. Snow in Savannah, GA in 2009 or 2010 or whenever it snowed here. In the 2 years that the album 'A Beautiful Lie' by 30 Seconds to Mars was released, to the time the video for the title song was released, a 4th of the Arctic Shelf had disappeared. That's a loss ice the size of California and Texas combined. That's a pretty massive chunk of ice.

So how can people act now to cut down omissions that are not only destroying the planet, but from the Forbes Report, making human beings sick and giving them a pretty good chance of an early death.

1. Slow down to cut costs and cut carbon! Slowing down from 75 mph to 65 mph will drop your highway gasoline consumption 15 percent.
2. If everyone took 30 seconds to inflate their tires to the proper pressure we would save 200,000 barrels of oil a day!
3. Bring Your Own Bag: You'll save one mile's worth of petroleum for every 14 plastic bags you don't use. Not to mention cut down on pollution-we throw away over 30 billion one time use bags each year.
4. The paper industry is the world's 3rd largest contributor to global warming. Choose Recycled TP next time you're at the store.
5. Ditch the screensaver- it wastes a ton of energy! Grab a 30 Seconds to Mars or ItsYourNature wallpaper instead.
6. Unplug your electronics! At the end of the day shut down your computer, unplug your cell charger, coffee bean grinder, and hair dryer. It only takes 30 seconds and it all adds up.
7. Take shorter showers, turn off the water while you brush your teeth and shave, and run washing machines and dishwashers only when they're full. If you wash dishes by hand, fill the sink or dishpan with water, rather than running the tap continuously as you scrub.
8. Put on a sweater and lower the thermostat in the winter. At night, add an extra blanket to the bed and turn the heat way down.
9. Make BIG change happen and sign a petition today at www.itsyournature.org/petition or donate $5 to support the work of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
10. Grab NRDC's ItsYourNature widget and get daily tips and news on all things green.

The time to act is now. One person may not be able to make a difference to the ENTIRE world, because I don't know the other 6'882'000'000 people that inhabit this world. BUT, I do know the vast majority of people on my campus, and I know about 500 people in Mississippi, 400 more in Australia, online followers for my Tumblr account, fan bases of my favorite bands and actors.

And in turn, they know 600 people.

We may not be able to change the landscaping of the San Joaquin Valley, but we can act against and influences the car cultures and emissions of gases by cars etc.

This doesn't just effect America nor the Arctic Shelf. This is a Global Issue. We may not see the effects in the next year or even 2 years, but for the sake of human kind and for my great, great grandchild, and their great, great, grand children....I at least want to know that I did my part in saving humanity.

-E

For more information abeautifullie.org

Anarchy in the UK

I read my local paper online each day to keep up with how the Sunshine Coast is doing, and as a student, this story really struck a nerve with me.

For some background on tuition, in the United States, I pay around $8500 for my tuition, per semester, so $18'000 per year. That doesn't include on campus housing, travel money, food money, rent at my off campus apartment, or anything else. It is simply tuition, which is elevated because I am an international student, and a bunch of other little institution fees. I thankfully have a tuition waiver, so I end up paying 3'000 out of pocket.

In Australia, if I didn't take out loans (HECS) each semester, it would amount to close to $AUS14,000 a year. (It would be elevated to $18,000 for anything after a bachelors)

Now, In England, the cost of tuition is around 4000 pounds, which converts to $6000 AUS, which is on par with the US dollar. Just this week, these students' tuition is being threated to increase to 9000 pounds for the academic year, or, $14'000AUS.

Sound about right?

Of course, the anarchist inside of me says "Yeh, let's fight the system for cheaper education," but the common sense that is riddled throughout my body says:

"Obviously these students have A) too much time on their hands, and B) have this whole, "rebel with/without a cause" way of thinking and want to be the next Citizen Smith"

I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this issue, but I do know that the generalization of University students is that they're ungrateful, lazy, slackers who want to get far in life without having to pay for it.

Little to the generalizers know that there are some of us who, when faced with unholy tuition fees to get an education that is needed to build a future for oneself and his/her family, have no other choice by the work especially hard in school to be granted and maintain scholarships, and work a job or 2 just to pay rent and buy food. No one expects college life to be glamorous. Because it's not. There is a lot of hard, grueling work involved, and this is what a lot of people don't see.

Now, I don't condone the violent acts of a riot, even being a frustrated anarchist, though there have been many times where "peaceful" protests have taken place...and always ended in violence. This, to me, says that "yes, these students ARE lazy and what something for free." As a taxpayer, I'd be inclined to protest that my hard earned dollars DON'T go towards these morons. Are these the people we want being educated and then thrust into the world to perhaps one day be running a country?

I digress,

I think tuition fee's are astonishingly ridiculous. Society grooms us from a young age that education is the key to success, or, you can't get anywhere without higher education. So, why is it so darned expensive? And why should I have to pay 'athletic fees' when I was kicked off a team because I had an injury and knew more about the sport than the actual coach? What are these 'institution fees'? $935 for health insurance? When I have 4 different kinds of health insurance? And 'health fees' for the doctor's office that never takes students, as the Doctor is only in from 5-7pm, Monday-Thursday. And why would I use an on campus doctor if I already have insurance?

What about 'transportation fees'? What is that all about?

I am not saying education should be free, because it shouldn't be, but I think there needs to be a modest and reasonable tuition balance. Admittedly, I go to one of the cheaper schools in Georgia, though my out of state tuition is ridiculous - especially after being subjected to the quality of the school. I don't mean to say that the education here is not valid, but I have met and had several instructors who might be better off retired or teaching underwater basket weaving to a class of paper bags. Regardless, THIS degree (Bachelors) will entitled me entry to Graduate school, where I expect to pay a lot of money, especially if I get to attend my school of choice (Columbia, Georgetown, MTSU, or UCLA). Those degrees there after, the Masters and Doctorate, will then almost guarantee me work anywhere in the world.

Is that not such a bad thing?

I don't mind paying for my degree, because I know my hard work will pay off. Yes, I wish I didn't have to face looming student loan debt, living in a cardboard box during grad school, or flunking out of school (which would equal a HUGE waste of money). Sometimes it is tough, studying and working, but in the long run, it will be worth it. I do wish tuition wasn't so high, as it would encourage people who may not come from the best backgrounds to break the cycle.

What happened in the UK is inexcusable, violence never amounts to anything. 9000 pounds, in the long run, doesn't seem so bad. They'll be on par with what the rest of us are paying, conversely, one must take into account the rate of living in each country and how each person is affected.

You also have to take into account the work ethic of each student. Because, there were only a small minority that were violent, which in turn, ruined it for the majority.

What do you think? Should the UK students be upset with their tuition rise?

Introduction

I created this blog for an assignment in my Global Issues class. This class deals with current world news and issues that affect humanity in todays world, regardless of the location. We're being taught and discussing how many issues are of a global status and don't necessary affect just one country.

For this assignment, we were to either write a report or create a blog and attach articles and encourage a discussion on those news articles.

I will probably keep this blog active even after the class.

-E