Dream of Epic Proportions

Okay, so not to sound like the BIGGEST nerd alive, but I had a dream last night that I was training to be a Jedi. It was sooooo weird. My master kept complimenting me on how quickly I was able to use the force to move objects. Man, it felt real so I gave it a try when I woke up and guess what?...FAIL! hahaahha suckssss

Oh Cheney

Has anyone else noticed that within the past month Dick Cheney has been shown on national television more than he was while actually IN office? What's up with that right? He's out there defending a national security policy that was abandoned back in like 2003. Is he truly concerned about the safety of this nation or is he trying to justify and protect HIS legacy? (Keep in mind, he's the man who's been BANKING off the war in the middle east where countless troops have died for greed like his) You be the judge...

Why can't he be like Bush and just hide away for a couple years? I'm tired of his face.

The Not so Black and White Case of Outsourcing

David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times, reports on the affects of outsourcing according to Steve Rochman, founder of the outsourcing company, Revotech, who claims that the process does not contribute to the decline of domestic manufacturing. By outsourcing abroad, products are manufactured for a cheaper cost, which is beneficial for smaller businesses that are having trouble competing with larger manufacturers. Rochman insists that his company allows smaller American businesses to be competitive and in turn, keep their jobs. Conversely, however, outsourcing may have adverse affects such as unavailable employment opportunities as a result of the work being done overseas for a cheaper labor and resource cost.

Although outsourcing may be beneficial to business owners who seek cheaper production costs, it invariably takes away from the employment opportunities at home. When a company outsources, the employment opportunity is taken away from potential American workers and is granted to citizens of another country. It is true that this allows smaller businesses to remain open but the number of jobs that can potentially be given to Americans is higher than the jobs maintained by outsourcing. Therefore, as far as the entire economy goes, outsourcing can be rather harmful and should be limited in order to preserve employment opportunities for the citizens of America.

However, nowadays with the recession and plummeting small businesses, it is impossible to restrict outsourcing because businesses are forced to turn to it as a result of certain products not being produced domestically. Although I do not completely agree with the philosophies of Steve Rochman, I am certain that his company does in fact aid in keeping small businesses open and until America is able to function at its potential output level, it is difficult to entirely dismiss the idea of outsourcing. What do you think?

My mom is a fortune cookie.

Changing Sides

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania recently announced that he will be switching over to the Democratic party! By doing this, the Senator will provide the Democratic party with a 60th vote and the power to break or prevent filibustering during the passing of legislation. President Obama has committed to fully supporting Mr. Specter's decision and has welcomed him and even promised, if need be, to aid in his campaign. The Senator's decision to switch parties was made as a result of the Republican party shifting so far right that he felt that his own ideologies were closer to those of the Democratic party.

This event could not have happened at a better time bearing in mind that Congress is about to take on health care reform. With the 60th vote in hand, the Democratic party can be sure that there won't be any unneccesary stalling during the passing of legislation through the Senate.

I don't want to make it sound like there's a battle going on in Congress, but there's no other way to say that this was a VICTORY for the democrats. We (the democratice party of course) already had the majority in the House AND the Senate. The Republicans were hanging on by a super thin thread as it was and now that that's been cut, maybe we can finally get some work done without the bickering of the opposition. yea, you like that? "the opposition" hahahah But really I'm tired of seeing angry Conservative Republicans on T.V. blantanly opposing the President and rooting for his failure. How closed minded and ignorant can you be that you would go on national television during a time of a flippin' economic recession and bad-mouth the President for trying to redeem us from the clutches of the greed and pride that got us there in the first place?

If I had the opportunity, I would give you a high five Senator Specter. Oh I forgot to mention before but early on in Senator Specter's political career, he was a registered Democrat. Welcome back Senator! I wish you the best of luck during your campaigns and I wish you many more years in Congress!...oh and...life too...you're getting kind of old. hahha Anyways, your name will definitely go down in history!

My Trip to Boston

I recently visited Boston and discovered and/or experienced a few things I'd like to share (limited in details):
1. In the subway, many adult men don't have the courtesy to give up their seats for standing women and children.
2. Turkey burgers at Sunset Cantina are epic.
3. The bag I checked in was accidentally flown to Hawaii when I arrived in Boston. I had to wear Ria's clothes to sleep the first night...
4. Eray SNORESS like no other! Don't even bother trying to wake him up either. Once he's checked out, he's OUT.
5. There are ridiculously more girls than guys but who's complaining?
6. When I hung out with Ria and her friends, I sometimes felt like I was sitting in on a scene from either the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" or "Sex and the City".
7. This dude, Kyle who just turned 21 while I was there has a VERY low tolerance for alcohol. hahahahhahahha
8. Only students (and official tours I think) can enter the library at Harvard.
9. No matter what Ann or Eray says, MIT is certainly walking distance from BU. Sure, you gotta cross a never-ending bridge across the river and risk losing feeling in your legs, but that's besides the point. hahaha
10. Wendy is an awesome girl and I wish I would've discovered that years ago.

Overall, my trip to Boston was one worth remembering. Sorry for the lack of details.

THIEVES i say, THIEVES

I don't have any respect for thieves of any kind. Now since the beginning of my driving era, I've NEVER had the inconvenience of having my car broken into. Well...today it happened.

So I start my morning off as usual; hear my alarm, hit the snooze, hit it again in five, then another five, then stumble to take a shower, eat some cereal, and stroll down stairs to the parking garage.

I get inside my jeep and start the ignition and do the usual, which is to adjust the music volume to a much lower "morning" volume than my cranked up "coming home from the bar" volume from the night before, and as I wait for the engine to warm up I notice that a couple of my CD cases are out and scattered on top of the passenger seat. So think to myself "hm, my mom must have used my jeep earlier" and thought nothing of it. Then I start thinking, why the heck would she use my jeep and why would she randomly bust out all my CD cases and make a mess of my jeep? So I continue to get adjusted and something catches my eye in my rear view mirror. I shoot it a double take. Could this REALLY be happening to me? I turn around and the back passenger window is completely shattered and its remains are spread out on the backseat like a blanket of flippin' black diamonds. OH...MY...GOSH I think to myself. I immediately scan my jeep and quickly discover that I have become a victim of a car break-in robbery...

So the only thing this bastard thief took was my tomtom (portable GPS) and my blue tooth. I think the real loss here was my broken window and the time he took away from ACEing my stats exam this morning. Oh i forgot to mention, two other cars INSIDE our parking garage and another outside across the street shared a similar fate. Yea man what a morning.

Amidst the irritation and resentment I was feeling this morning, one thing did however helped me regain my composure. I didn't mention it before but I was actually getting ready to drive to school to take my stats exam. Or did I mention it? Whatever...Since I had to wait for the police to arrive, there was no way I was going to make it on time and I wasn't about to drive my jeep in that condition. (with glass everywhere). I called my professor and told him my situation and he said as long as I got to class during the second half, I should be able to take the exam. So I texted my friend, Catherine (who was on her day off!) and asked her for a ride. Ok mind you, I've only known this girl for a couple months now but today was a true testament of how awesome she really is. She picked me up, still in pajamas and no make-up (she was still beautiful of course) and drove my temporarily car-less butt to school. I don't know, I live for little things like that. Because of her, I was able to make it on time for the exam. THANKS CAT! I owe you one. Oh yea and ERAY took me home after class and to the glass shop. You guys rock. I have great friends...

Don't worry guys (well...if anyone was worrying hahha) Patty (my jeep) is alright. My mom dropped it off at the window repair shop and I picked it up this afternoon. I really wish I video-blogged this. It would've been so much more exciting...

No matter what people say, EVERYONE is susceptible to some form of pain.

Realization

My best friend since the 8th grade, Rollin is currently deployed overseas. I received a phone call from him last night (or early this morning rather) and I've got to say, it was good to hear from him. However, although he excitedly spoke about his adventures in the Pacific, it did not outweigh his excitement for his return to California, which is safe to say has been long overdue. I mean sure, he's visited Cali every now and then but it's been a while since he actually resided here. It recently became a possibility that he may become a recruiter in Orange County by the closing months of this year. We're crossing our fingers man.

So what I realized from this conversation was that even though I'm out of the Marine Corps, the push continues. There are still Marines and others out there fighting the war and keeping peace. It's like the minute I took my combat boots off, I entered a completely different world. The Marine Corps became almost unreal to me. I've gotten too comfortable with my way of living here in the states and have forgotten about all those sleepless nights overseas when I vowed never to take the luxuries I have at home for granted. I have fallen prey to the ignorance of a spoiled American, who conjure up the most pettiest of complaints. So today, I remember and honor those who have fallen and applaud those currently serving. These are the men and women who keep our country free. Let's never take this freedom (or their sacrifice) for granted.

Being Informed

The current economic recession has taken its toll on America and from what it seems will continue until the nation is able to spend again. While many conservatives believe that ‘waiting it out’ with minimal government intervention is the best solution to this crisis, liberals disagree and say that the federal government should step in and promote spending to open up new jobs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by President Obama last month was created to do just that. With much of the $787 billion dedicated to spending, the employment opportunities created by the bill is predicted to set a foundation for economic growth where in the future will sustain employment.

Now the real purpose of me blogging about this bill again is to provide this link: www.recovery.gov . This the official website of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It will show you where all your precious tax money is being invested. It's important that the public is aware of the current situation yet assured that something is being done to remedy it. Check it out, it's your right to know.

Morning Post

I have a little bit of time on my hands before class so I'd like to give a shout out to PRINCESS ALBANIAAAAAAAA. What up prince?! ok that's it for now...I'm going to finish my TEA!

Education Reform

President Obama proposed his visions of education reform in a speech delivered on Tuesday/ march 10. He called for less restrictions on charter schools and the improvement of early childhood education. The president also mentioned his intentions to establish a pay system for teachers based on merit, something he promised during his campaign.

It's about time the federal government stepped in to make some changes in the nation's education. There are too many teachers out there that simply teach because that's what they have been doing for the past quarter century and many have lost their enthusiasm to educate! They continue on with their discontented lives and fail to truly inspire students to excel in their education. Unfortunately, these are the teachers that keep their jobs when it comes to cutting faculty during budget crisis' such as the one we're currently experiencing here in California! The fresh, young, and passionate teachers are the first to lose their jobs only because of their lack of seniority! However, I'm not insinuating that ALL teachers that have remained in their profession since the flippin' beginning of time have lost their passion to teach. I'm just pointing out that it occurs too often and that something MUST be done to remedy this issue.

Paying teachers based on their performance and effectiveness in educating sounds like a solid plan to me. Or perhaps teachers can have a vote confidence every so often? There needs to be some way to keep them accountable. We need to weed out all the ineffective teachers and award the ones who actually educate. With a few prominent teacher unions at his side and large chunk of that stimulus money dedicated to education, it is hopeful that President Obama will bring change to our fallen education system.

The POWER of TEA!

I'm usually pretty good at keeping awake during lectures but man, this week it felt like that was impossible! Could it be that I'm not getting enough sleep? NO, I've been getting atleast 7-8 hours a night so that can't be it. Could my professors just be THAT boring? That's actually VERY possible, but boring or not I'm not the type to fall asleep during lectures. I've been really trying to narrow this problem down and I've concluded that it's because I stopped drinking my tea in the morning! I mean it's not like I quit tea or anything; it's just I don't wake up early enough to either make some at home or pick up a cup on the way 'cause I've been having to leave for school an hour early to ensure myself a parking spot and not be late for class! Hopefully I'll get into the swing of things soon before my inattentiveness in class really bites me in the butt later.

CA Budget Crisis

I visited my counselor (or a counselor rather) today to evaluate my transcripts and to discuss my anticipated transfer to UCSD. [There's a Transfer Admissions Guarantee (TAG) program here at school which is basically a contract between PCC and certain UCs that guarantees students general admissions as long as they meet a certain criteria (GPA, units...).] After reviewing my transcripts and current schedule, the counselor said I was good to go as far as transfer preparation goes. Then came the bad news...well...I'll call it the "potentially bad news" for now...She phoned the transfer center and it turns out UCSD might not accept winter quarter students if the state budget crisis isn't appropriately resolved in terms of public education funding. That means I'll have to apply for fall and wait a whole flippin' year to attend a four year university! WHY didn't you take that block grant when the federal government put it on the table, ARNOLD? ?POR QUE NO?

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

I realize that it's been a couple of weeks since President Obama signed this bill into law but I feel it to be too important of a topic to be left un-blogged.

So after much debate in Congress, the final cost of the bill turned out to be $787 billion. The largest bulk of the money will be spent on tax relief to promote the research and development of infrastructure, science, education/training, and energy. Another crucial component of the bill will be expended on state and local fiscal relief that will prevent imminent local/state tax increases and cuts to health and education programs. It is projected that the bill will create or salvage up to 3.5 million jobs within the next two years.

However, the bill does have its drawbacks. The “cap and trade” component of the bill did not make the final compromise so fossil fuel industries will continue to pollute the environment with CO2 emissions freely without restrictions. By not limiting fossil fuel energy production, it will be difficult for the government to promote a clean energy alternative, which is what President Obama is ultimately aiming for. The conservatives pushed for more tax cuts, which was added only to have them not vote in favor of the bill. That money could have been used to create more jobs that are badly needed throughout the nation!

There is still much work to be done to carry out President Obama’s visions of a thriving economy with universal health care, clean-energy, and full employment. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should mark the beginning of President Barack Obama’s recovery plan. Just the fact that he was able to pass such a large bill within a couple weeks of being in office should ensure the people that this man’s actions are most certainly louder than words and the people should take that into account and stand behind him.

This time we're not giving up,
Let's make it last forever,
Screaming "Hallelujah".
We'll make it last forever.

Winter Intercession

After six weeks of this 'in yo face' semester, winter intercession is officially over! I've got to say, it wasn't AS bad as I anticipated. However, what I realized is that the people you meet in ANYTHING you do make it worthwhile. Whether they are co-workers, comrades, or classmates, the people you meet along the way is what you remember most when you reminisce about your past experiences. I can say with full confidence that this was the case this past semester.

Without actually giving up real names: From "Homer", to the weird black Marine dude, to the girl behind me in government who I initially thought might be snooty but turned out to be pretty awesome (sorry!), to all the dudes who joined in on making our math professor go insane, to the girl that drives the jetta, you all made this short journey something to remember.

"BLOG"

I just found out what blog actually means. It's short for "web log." hahahah I hope I wasn't the only one that didn't know that! -_-

Reflection

The last five years of my life have been interesting to say the very least. I enlisted in the Marine Corps and went to boot camp when i was only 17. Since then, I've been on two tours to Iraq and have visited various parts of the world. To say that I joined for the adventure would be a lie. To say I joined for education benefits might sound reasonable but realistically, education was the LAST thing on my mind. I joined to serve my country in a time of need. Yeah, it sounds pretty cliche or corny if you will, but I really wanted to do my part in serving this country. Granted even before the 9/11 attacks I considered enlisting after seeing a complete douche bag enlist and come back a disciplined role model that I honestly looked up to.

It's been over half a decade now and I'm 23 years old. I've made some good friends along the way that I continue to keep in touch with and I've learned a lot about life in general. I've grown mentally, spiritually, and physically (well...Marine muscles are deteriorating now due to lack of gym time!) and to look back it was totally worth it. Semper Fi! wait...is too early to be a motard?

Children's Health Care

According to an article I found in the New York Times, President Obama recently signed a bill that would provide or extend millions of low-income children with health care coverage. This was quite a victory for health care reformers, bearing in mind former President Bush, who unwaveringly opposed and vetoed similar bills during his administration. In addition to a broadened health care, the bill permits states to extend coverage to legal immigrants under 21 and pregnant women and requires states to include dental and mental care coverage as per the children’s health program. Although the bill does not accomplish ultimate health reform, it surely provides a stepping-stone towards that goal.

However, in today’s economy, it is rather difficult to be so optimistic about a universal health care system. America is still trying to dig its way out of a recession and Congress is diligently working on a stimulus package that will cost over $800 Billion! It seems like it may be a while till President Obama makes any more headway on health care reform. Although achieving health care for all Americans would be ideal and almost unreal, it looks like America needs to heal her legs before she can run again.

hahahahahahahahhhaah

Copyright http://www.libertyletsroll.com

Scholar's Program

I wasn't going to post about this but I remembered what I posted earlier about this blog being all about ME ME ME, so here it is.

So today in American Government, I was sitting at my desk minding my own business when the professor, Dr. Anderson walked in and told me to come out to the hall to talk about something. I immediately began to stress out thinking I was in the utmost of trouble. Did she think I plagiarized my essay? Did she want those extra ten points that she accidentally awarded me for the midterms back? Did she think I was a communist committing espionage?

I cautiously left the class and entered the hall where she surprisingly offered me an opportunity to enter the Scholar's Program. Yea...the Scholar's Program. I MIGHT have a tendency to blow things out of proportion. hahaha The Scholar's Program is basically an honor's program that students can enroll in per class to beef up their transcripts that ultimately grants them priority when they apply to universities. The professor will just assign more work and seriously scrutinize your papers when grading.

Anyways, she knew I was hesistant because I kept saying stuff like , "uh...uh...I'm not sure? maybe? uh..." Although she mentioned at the beginning of the semester that a Scholar's option will not be available for Winter Intercession, she was willing to allow me to finish the course and just submit the extra paper during Spring semester to achieve the Scholar's credit for her course as an exception. She genuinely seemed interested in my education and that, in itself truly made me consider pursuing this Scholar's option. However, I'm not quite sure if I completely agreed to it by the end of our conversation. My answer surely remained rather ambiguous at its best. Whatever the outcome of this thought-to-be unlikely conversation with Dr. Anderson may be, its comforting to know that there are professors out there that truly care about their students.

My Very Own ME BOX

I was rather hesitant to create a blog account partially because of the fact that it's basically a diary, something I most certainly would not prefer people knowing I owned. However, it seems that a dude owning a blog account is acceptable and perhaps encouraged as the "hip" thing to do in today's technologically-driven society. It seems as though you can learn so much about a person by reading his/her blog.

Conversely, can the words of a person's blog truly convey their thoughts genuinely? I had a difficult time determining if I'd be able to be entirely truthful when publishing a post. After some thought, I realized that regardless of what I post, whether it's lacking or overflowing in truth, that this will be a place where I can freely express my unsystematic thoughts into words. Or maybe even a place where I will post random pictures or articles that seems to pique my interest at the time or that may serve as aids to my scattered thoughts. Whatever my real purpose in creating this blog may be, it definitely will be a place where it's all about ME ME ME! puahhaha