Don't know why I did it but I did.

It's incredible how can one set of words can be so easy to say, so easily misinterpreted, yet so easily felt. While it is mistakenly one of the easiest things to say, it is one of the most difficult; not physically, but emotionally. Life depicts its meaning in so many different ways: in lust, in stupidity, in naivety, in high hopes. 

It was said too fast, too soon, too early, yet felt so right and so natural.

Nothing like the feelings of discomfort, anxiety, stress, and curiosity---only a few words which can replicate the way one feels with the blue haze of emotions that sought from the amount in which the person means.

It is the feeling of the serpent's venom causing waves of pain and misery towards its victim---a pain that subsides not only within one area of the body, but overcomes the body and mind.

It is hard to escape the treachery; the pain and the suffering, because in the end, the serpent was worth the bite. The thought of the serpent and its fangs can bewilder, yet become so heavenly and angelic. The thought of the serpent can linger for hours or it can sneak itself within seconds, yet in the end, its thought becomes so much more than just a meaningless spot in the galaxy of the mind, but a colorful dream that one carefully examines, one carefully plots, and one carefully hesitates over because it so important, ideal, and essential.
In the end, the pain is worth the bite. And however flesh-eating, blood-sucking the serpent will be, it will still be worth it.

Los Angeles Riots

Los Angeles Riots

Interview of Mother

DON DELA CRUZ~~~~~~~~~~~INTERVIEWED: MOTHER

1) I was living in Los Angeles at the time, in the same home we live in today, in Hollywood. 

2) I remember that I was 9 months pregnant with your older sister when it was happening, and many bizarre moments had occurred when I was around town such as being in the middle of a drive-by shooting.

3) The news and media made the riots sound terrifying and very violent, and focused on the colored people.

4) I knew a local Filipino store that had been looted during the riots and had much of their merchandise and money taken and/or destroyed.

5) Civil Rights should not enlighten the idea of riots because it only causes more problems and death than it first started off with (racism and violence towards colored people)

6) It is hard to believe that all of it happened due to the incident of Rodney King. It was a good thing that people became passionate about their fellow peers, but it should not have reached to violence, theft, and everything else that the colored people are blamed for in the first place (stereotypes, racism, prejudice beliefs).

7) It was just chaos within the Los Angeles parameter. There was loot, theft, assault, murder, and basically a state of emergency in Los Angeles all under the belief to rebel against society. It goes back to the riots of the Civil Rights Movement or even fast forward to the riots in Ferguson. Each lack the ability to cope with an issue head on and without physical harm because we were brought up into a society that shapes our belief to passionately and aggressively fight for our rights.

8) I would like to share that it is completely insane that people will prove their superiors right when they are provoked into violence and inhumane acts due to not being able to control our emotions and adrenaline. Society has produced generations of youth that cannot deal with their own problems and must act out onto other issues without control. 

 And to believe that all this carnage and despair all happened in our city, a place we call "home" 

Question 3: Rights of Man

Rights of Man: The Division of an Empire

Question 3

The force of modernization and the world of urbanism glorifies the ideals of American culture from incredibly technological inventions to the many colors and backgrounds found in our community. In the book "Rights of Man" by Thomas Paine, the idea of independence and self-governing in such a setting like America promotes a sense of diversity and cultural unity that, in the of time the, did not seize to exist. Paine exhausts into England a message for reasonable expulsion of the branch of the motherland and to exceed the limits that America would disparage in such a simple time. Let's first analyze the body of work.

"Made up, as it is, of people from different nations, accustomed to different forms...different languages" The author's goal is using the excerpt in the opening of his body was to target the issue of the elephant in the room that cultural differentiation along with color and looks, were very uncommon, yet very obscene in society then. Paine pointed a picture that would visualize a world of oddity, eeriness, and even strangeness---but it causes curiosity and somewhat opportunity. In the America today, society is very similar and relatable to Paine's theory on American idealism; much of America cannot even dignify one substantial race because, realistically, the country unifies cultures and skin colors from all over the glove. Just as Thomas wrote "more different in their modes of worship" This exemplifies just one of many components to the country's diverse approach to the various amounts of religion or beliefs. America could not even be named pure due to its incompetence to holding entirely one-raced generations back decades before the ancestors who held this nation together resigned from afar. The composition of unity was after all true, but let's see what Paine was contrary to. 

When Paine wrote the book, he might have overestimated America and its ability to succeedingly remain a "just" country, Paine writes, "and all the parts are brought into cordial unison." Nowadays, the country experiences oceans of issues which conspire the meaning of "justice for all"; racism, sexism, poverty, and so many simple ingredients to life are bewildered in this illicit country. "There, the poor are not oppressed, the rich are not privileged...then taxes are few..." it becomes obvious that Paine did not surpass the faith-enriched boundary beyond the 18th century. In fact, every day people, from rich to poor, are living out of balance in both positive and negative ways: the poor only get poorer and the rich only get richer. The author's hope for the community could have worked, but many great leaders fell to the victimization of greed and power. Although diversity and unity do exist, so do the destabilizing factors of malice and deceit; causing an uproar of violence, illusions, and dishonor in the system. 

While Paine hit the diversity culprit right on target, his opinion and point on justice and unification were sadly miscalculated. America is oddly enough such a jungle of macabre felines and animals fighting be on top with its predicaments of weaponry, power, and degradation of one another. Our cities are filled with diversity and multi-cultural communities, just as Paine promoted, yet we contradict his ideology by oppressing one another because of those differences. It is a sort of burden to lack common traits; to be accepted or satisfactory in such a society is to be another sheep in the grass, yet when we see an individual with personality or some glimpse of power, we look down upon him through reputation, manipulation, and through a cross-hair. As smart as Thomas Paine was, no one could have been prepared for the tables to turn when America became the country of a nonexistent freedom. To be able to accomplish what Paine believed in, we must grasp awareness to our youngest folks and oldest Yankees to understand what America was sought to be. 

Question 2: Nerds (First Draft w/ Revisions)

Nerds: Society Heroes or Weirdos

Question 2

What was once a privilege and blessing of knowledge and education in society is now a seemingly embarrassing and shameful trait to have and reclaim as one's better attributes. "America Needs Its Nerds" by Leonid Friedman is an interesting passage that depicts an opinion of modern society that many can relate to; an argument that would be able to suppress society of its materialistic, primate generation of students. Fridman uses citations and statistics that would alter the audience's opinion, and also relatable emotional appeals to be able to grasp the speaker's intended lesson. To be able to understand the author's writing style, one must look at how the author lays his information out in a cunning sense of interest. 

"It is a telling fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to a freak biting the head off a live chicken." Fridman introduces his opinion and belief by entertaining the amusing level of a social distortion found in today's generation; this method produces interest towards the subject and its ideals. He also writes "For America's sake..." as a tool to succeedingly  exceedingly relate his writing directly to an adaptable audience, which is commonly the average American. In much of his writing, he attempts to persuade an audience to abide by his word with amusement, nonchalant seriousness, yet adds depth and meaning to his laud back sense of comparisons. Another tool used for persuasiveness had been facts and statistics. 

Throughout Fridman's essay, much of the compelling statements and words that alter one's opinion is in the hands of stats and facts used by the author. Citing "A Webster's New World Dictionary" directly, the author gains a subconscious trust between the reader and writer instead of pulling out information out of one's own library of words obliviously. A combination of emotional appeal and statistics is also witnessed when reading about the significance of social distress in American education. "But not in America, where average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than faculty members of the best universities." Excerpts like this could endeavor Fridman's ideals to readers and understand how their world was being affected and not just the narrator's.

Society builds the foundations of its communities, yet it also proves contrary to itself to endeavor in modest knowledge and fair subsidies to the hardships of everyday life. While we are pushed to be the ideal citizen; a happy, working, law-abiding man, society hypocritically commits various acts of malice and deceit but still questions the harmful nature in which cycles through its people. Just as parents are to their children, society is a reflection of its communities. While the perception of nerds have become less restricted since the 20th century, it still begs the fact that other topics and categories of life are being misinterpreted and lacks equilibrium between good and bad---right or wrong. Fridman simply writes to entertain his readers, yet are there within facts. 

NUCLEAR POWERRRRRR

Nuclear Power

Efficient or Too Advanced?

The significance of the environment has been extremely relevant in recent days due to the harsh changes that has occurred to many of the world’s attributes such as our temperature, our resources, and much of everything we need to survive in this world. In recent years the topic of Nuclear Energy became an essential discussion; would it improve energy efficiency, financial debt, and other issues? While it seems so positive and incredible due to its extraordinary usage, Nuclear Power can both be a blessing and a burden to our society. As the essay develops, the power technique might not be too advanced and difficult to achieve at this particular time in life. Using several sources from the internet, it becomes obvious which side of the topic this essay will become. First off, how can it possibly become a burden to the world?

Nuclear Power is the usage of converting solar energy into a useful resource such as electricity. Its introduction to the world might have sounded so new, so advanced, and so crazy. It’s as if we were going into the future; a technology that would seemingly cause less issues, financial riddance, and social development. Its pro of not being able to exhaust Carbon and become efficient enough to support a community had been evolutionary; a huge step into humanitarian and advancement. How can such technology become a problem, even an issue, to impacting an already damaged world? In the YouTube video “How Nuclear Energy Works”, Dr. Patel explains how nuclear energy differs from traditional methods such as burning coal for heat. “Unlike burning coal and using natural gases, nuclear energy uses It’s safe to say there are possibilities of disaster and issues. Years ago, we can look at the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and argue how incredibly dangerous having nuclear plants and energy can be.

While nuclear power can seem so safe and seemingly irresistible, there are some cases in which nuclear power can become a very sensitive topic in the world. In 2012, Japan experienced a radioactive disaster which would change the perspective of many people on the basis of safety and nuclear energy. The power plant that had struck as a disaster caused a tremendous amount of alterations to the environments traits such as water and air. Because of the explosion at the nuclear plant, the surrounding area of Fukushima would be permanently affected by radiation found due to the nuclear energy and reactors spreading atoms and uranium all throughout the space. “After two weeks, the three reactors (units 1-3) were stable with water addition and by July they were being cooled with recycled water from the new treatment plant. Official 'cold shutdown condition' was announced in mid-December.” According to the website, the Fukushima incident would cause an uproar of devastation from the earthquake to an actual tsunami.

Fukushima might have been one of the most alarming situations of nuclear energy, but it should not stop the continuation of a scientific improvement that could possibly save so much more than just money. Nuclear power can be the reason why our skies become brighter, our water can become truly clean, and our people can become healthier. Disregarding the nuclear plant explosion, many of today’s common methods like the usage of natural gas or oils involves an abundance of extra energy such as the use of heavy machinery, the burning of fossil fuels, the extermination of habitats, and more. While nuclear energy can become a difficult adjustment to everyday society, it can be done and can truly affect society positively. Some might argue about its financial burden, but one can question the priorities of its government when wars can be declared yet slowly expanding our nation as a environmentally friendly country can become an issue to the development of such a noble idea.





Citiations


"How Nuclear Energy Works." YouTube. Ed. UAE Nuclear Energy Education. YouTube, 30 Dec. 2009. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJfIbBDR3e8>.


Nuclear Association, World. "World Nuclear Association." Fukushima Accident. Worldnuclear.org. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Fukushima-Accident/>.

Kashikawa, Masami. "Fukushima Four Years After Nuclear Disaster." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/03/11/world/asia/fukushima-anniversary.html?_r=0>.

'The Interview' and North Korea Controversy

Two Comedians and a Notorious Nation

'The Interview' and North Korea

     It has become one of the most controversial events of our time; an event that is ridiculously mixed with the ingredients of humor, entertainment, action, and realistic violence. The movie "The Interview" became a world wide sensation in the sense of shame, foolishness, and comedy, to slowly churn the political and societal views into thinking of something much greater; a movie that contained an explosion of deeper meaning and generated a message of battle. It is not rocket science that this opening of such a film has caused controversy and talk about the birth of what created the idea; had both idiotic actor/directors go over their heads and crossed a line? What had been the primary derivative to such a form of entertainment or even, had it been in purpose for entertainment? Here is a sort of review, criticism, and essay hoping to portray the whole ideals in my own words. Had this movie been purposely used to infiltrate nationalistic rivalry, was it plain stupidity, was it a mix? Let's first clarify the plot line in the "The Interview".

     James Franco and Seth Rogen bring you "The Interview", a movie that will be notably one of the most important and significant films in their careers not only due to its laughs and rating, but the fire that it has caused not only in the entertainment business of movies, but the fire that has been sparked into political and deeper distress. Both Franco and Rogen commonly appear in movies such as "Pineapple Express" or shows such as "Freaks and Geeks", presumably what gives their names an entitlement of general stupidity, hilarity, and laughter. Both actors have revolved their lives around the world of the media, being seen all throughout funny movies, TV shows, and the social media. Arguably, the movie had been quite funny, in my opinion. With these two collaborating once again for such a highly criticized movie, there is no doubt that the movie contained incredibly dumb scenes and vulgarity, but what made this movie full of impact was its blunt, yet subliminal meaning to showing viewers of the horrors of North Korea and its issues,

     "The Interview", after watching, is an extremely sensitive scenario that caught not only my eye, but nations all around the world. The destruction had been maximum, but the actions were minimal; the movie was your average comedy with vulgar scenes, nudity, racism, and all the other things founded in their past movies. The movie did not fall short of any sort of vague scenes because all throughout, it had been funny, live, and action-packed. Aside from all the stupid jokes were the strongly horrid elements of betrayal, corruption, and deception when the plot begins to unravel. One of the protagonists of the story, Dave Skylark, a popular TV host, begins to get emotionally close to the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. This brings up the strength of comedy within the plot because it causes many to think and feel as if the movie had been created to target realistic events against North Korea. As Franco's character is deceived to believing that Kim Jong Un's nation is under control and very underestimated, you begin to realize the significance of such a film. The dictator in the film simply juiced the main character's wants and desires through the power of materialistic and vulgar components such as women, money, strength, and power; Dave had been so easily blinded by the materialistic and fake side of the dictator, that he did not remember that he was dealing with such an extraordinary character of intelligence and manipulative behaviors. Dave dances with the devil and does not even realize it. He sees the evil in his soul when it comes down shame upon his name; a dinner with all the generals and Dave finds a screaming, violent dictator at his side. Bewildered and shocked, Dave leaves the room for some air, and finds himself in a cold world that was falsely an illusion created to make North Korea look sustainable and stable. A simple civilization idea such as the grocery store was set to deceive others outside of the store to think there is a store full of stock, but it was an illusion created with fake fruit and a background. Riled by rage and the feelings of betrayal, Dave confronts him on the important "Interview" that they had planned with the dictator; instead of talking of potato yields and irrelevant topics, Dave realizes the importance of the confrontation which will conspire a whole world of understanding that Kim Jong Un and his reign of power deserves to be treated not as divine, but of vulnerability to a mortal being.

      It dawned on me that it had been apparent to the fact that the movie did indeed become a weapon of some sort, but only to some. To many, it is a harmless, comedic film created by two hilarious actors, but to others, it is a message that is being sent to nations all over the world; that possibly we are now reacting against the Anti-American ideology found in North Korea. The movie infiltrates a very sensitive subject in realism of the rivalry, militarism, and manipulation found within North Korea's short-term historical impact. It seems vile to perceive this movie as simply another B-rated movie; its oblivious irony seems almost transparent compared to the heavy laughter of stupidity, which makes the movie and concept funnier than it is because the truth is right in front of us, but with the sprinkling of comedy and funny faces, the truth is hidden in plain sight.

REALITY

The reality of the general idea is that while the movie can contain fictional basis of information, it uses comedy to cause a layer of fictional belief on such a malice truth. A viewer ignorant to what is truly happening in North Korea can withdraw a large sum of knowledge through the film. One could not even tell if what was happening in the movie was a reflection of truth into realism; such as the assumed idea that the dictator withheld such power of non-human abilities (like the lack of need to use the bathroom or to obtain an anus). 

Heading home, realizing how controversial such a film can be, the viewer can take his in-depth entertainment into another level of understand, knowledge, and compensation for the lack of information known to such a society. It seems society paints pictures of different areas and environments that will already have an embedded theme to it, for example, South Central to be the home of the colored community and criminal activity, or Africa as a home of poverty and famine. It might never occur to some that an Asian country, specifically places such as North Korea, can contain so much hate, falter, and illicit manipulation to be main ideals to leading a land. 

It is not prejudice or racism that builds the argument, but within the limits of an unknowing student who pursues disbelief and tries to evaluate his/her own contrary perception. It can become baffling, startling, and shocking to know that the dictatorship of the country created such a large issue without getting too much spotlight on it. In some ways, it can be viewed as the Holocaust, but of a man's own blood. Hitler, a man of fearlessness, manipulative ideals, and violent ordeals, seems to weigh off the standards of the Kim family. The Germans simply blamed others for the falling of their own community, willing to use nationalism and pride to fight other countries to power. Unlike the Germans, who in very peculiar ways seem to grasp a figure of basic human thinking, the North Korean dictatorship and its ideology of power seems rather macabre; a society solely built on disillusionment, fascism, aggression, and fear. The Germans did not reign abuse or violence AGAINST their own people, but to others who they believed deserved it. The Kim family will exterminate, starve, and mutilate their own people to simply prove that they are willing of such power and incredibly insane reputation. While the Germans have no right to be called "better" than another society, seeing as they have exterminated millions, the North Koreans are a different breed of evil. 

North Korea, in how I perceive societies to be, will be one of the most sadistic and brutal countries of all time. Their country runs on such a confusing mentality of how power should be held and forced upon. Due to the 1950s Korean War, North Koreans have always viewed America as one of the only targets upon the Earth, yet they reign their attacks amongst themselves. Dating back to the Japanese American rivalry, we can reflect the act of the Koreans to the Japanese air-force who had committed the act of "kamikaze". Culturally, these two nations share an ideal that will carry throughout generations of humanity: pride. The Japanese used the method Kamikaze in order to fight the heavily industrialized America for the sake of pride and patriotism to not their country, but to their blood. Kim Jong Un does not seem to purposely kill his own people, but also does not seem to care much because it shows his relentlessness; his hate, his madness, and his divinity against the world. He is viewed as a God; a man who knows no boundary, a man who is pinned upon every room, and a man who has brainwashed his entire population.

Now this is the problem and where we as common people can become heroes of our time: we must simply know and strive for the knowledge of our world. It is simple, but hard. With all the materialism and affluenza that just dictates our world as metropolitan Americans, we forget that our life has been in bubbles. This bubble of American protection subsides the reality of the outside world; a world of poverty, famine, disease, and death. Because we Americans are so ignorant and oblivious, the best action is to just understand and remain determined to pursue knowledge that is outside our own jurisdiction. By understanding all the flaws and problems, we can use the power of our voices to fight the fight that no rifle can fight---that no tank or airplane can explode. In my own perspective, my goal would to be in depth with the issues of the world such as this one. We read our history books and think these wars and battles only occurred outside of our comfort zones; our homes, our cities, and country. We still live in the same world that would hate colored people, that would burn villages, rape and exterminate an entire community, so what makes you think that none of these burdens can happen to you? And because of many people understanding these facts and realities, we, to this day, do not experience our homelands being used as warzones and bloodsheds. In the end, North Korea is just another issue in society. We must realize that there are so many problems because of our ignorance, so it is vital to complete our destinies as humans and act.

Writing Task: Civil Disobedience

     In a world ruled and controlled by narcissistic, greedy leaders, a pattern becomes surprisingly clear on how society rolls and endeavors: through a systematic disciplinary manner of basic anti-freedom of speech ideals. In fact, this system has been the primary settlement to each civilization, ranging from the most obviously corrupted societies such as North Korea, to the nations undermined by deceit and illusions of false freedom such as America itself. In order to survive in this dog-eat-dog world, one must abide by foretold regulation and given rights, though it goes against character and morals. In the midst of all the sheep, there lay warriors who fight the oppression, but instead of analyzing it as courage or bravery, it is known as civil obedience. Many leaders believing in human rights such as Martin Luther King Jr or Gandhi prove godly strength does exist through a vessel of skinned armor. Looking back into the past, racism was only one concoction of civil disobedience.

     In the middle of the 1900s, a new era of development and opportunities, laid the narrow minded citizens fighting a long and endless battle of color. Forgetting to leave some horrors to the past. American society in the 1900s had under gone a state of disobedience and frenzy towards a regulated society which belittled man's own brothers and sisters. While slavery had been forgotten, the hatred towards the skin of another man's had not long been thrown into the dump of sorrow, sin, and mistakes. As tension began to arise between the colored and the whites, it became clear of how society targeted and saw colored people, from segregational public restrooms to even colored or white grocery stores. The Jim Crow Laws had begun it all; the segregation, the horrid behavior, the hate. One truly inspirational man, who knew no boundary between white and black, politician and citizen, was Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. His involvement in the Civil Rights Movement became legendary: his power and message been so powerful, so divine, yet humanistic. Unlike aggressive. fighters of the Civil Rights Movement like Malcolm X or the Black Panthers, although, too, having a large impact on the movement, Martin Luther King Jr. had fought with the blade of literature, words, and meaning. Because of his sword-like message and passion, this became a factor of civil disobedience rewards the forces in America. A man simply fighting for what he believes in, will be in person or under the cross hairs of violence in America for not abiding the same system mandatory given to the citizens, also known as the slaves.

     While this essay had been short, its meaning withstands the longest stories with quantity. Writing, in various ways, can unravel a message so long and abroad to create books and stories. The idea of one's own writing can simply mean much more than of the short he had written. Civil disobedience identifies itself as a complicated and had been created to decipher the citizens who does no good and fights the law, but when the law begins to go no good at all, civil disobedience defines itself as heroism, bravery, courage, and selflessness. If civil disobedience means you have no say in the life or world you live in, then it should be a word of priority, of high-praise, and glory. Throughout time, man has given names, rules, and laws to only benefit himself, but every now and then he contradicts himself to be just another clown in a suit. It is civil disobedience which remains one of the only contributing factors to American society, yet if you do not abide, you shall become a target or enemy.