8th Place Trophy?

Hey everyone! Something has been weighing on my mind for way to long and I just have to put in my two cents. So, after reading a story in English about a society that promoted complete social equality, I was struck. How can people be equal and still maintain any quality of life or ambition?

Competition helps create the movers and the shakers in society and with nobody standing out, it is nearly impossible to innovate and make great things ever greater. Even worse is the fact that everyone is assumed to be a winner because they are equal. Personally that sounds more like a loser than a winner, rather than getting an award they get recognized for participation while undermining achievement and therefore losing. One can only take so much mediocracy before they lose all sense of ambition and drive. Yes, I believe everyone should be appreciated for their differences, but I do believe that people are allowed and should possess certain talents. That is it for this week bon voyage! See you soon!

Foie Gras?

Hey readers, this week we talk about choices. Choices and times that we stayed and realized the detrimental effect something might be having on someone or something, or times we were brave and simply walked away. Two such examples struck me.

When I saw my dog at the pet store I knew right away that he was perfect. Taking him home, we did some research on pet stores and were shocked to hear about the conditions of the puppy mills that the dogs came from. While I cannot do anything about it now, I know for certain as a family we will never give in and support something so terrible again. One other example comes from foie gras. As a huge foodie I decided to try something that much of my immediate family said I should try. Not really thinking about what I put in my mouth, I later realized it was force fed goose liver and swore off it forever. To this day some restaurants make me feel sick thinking about the inhumane torture of the birds. 

What makes these two examples significant to me is that both of them are effects of ignorance. The bad in both easily overlooked and many people "stay". While only a small victory I "walked away" and feel that much more informed. Until next week!

Fear or Fiction?

Hey everyone, this week I'm going to share with you a reflection on a quote from the novel The Culture of Fear. "Watch enough brutality on TV and you come to believe you are living in a cruel and gloomy world in which you feel vulnerable and insecure. In his research over three decades Gerbner found that people who watch a lot of TV are more likely than others to believe their neighborhoods are unsafe, to assume that crime rates are rising, and to overestimate their own odds of becoming a victim. They also buy more locks, alarms, and- you guessed it- guns, in hopes of protecting themselves. 'They may accept and even welcome,' Gerbner reports, 'repressive measures such as more jails, capital punishment, harsher sentences- measures that have never reduced crime but never fail to get votes- if that promises to relieve their anxieties. That is the deeper dilemma of violence-laden television"(Glassner 44).

As a well informed person I see the news on the television and try to use it to benefit my own reflection on the world. I look through the stories only trying to spark controversy, while paying attention to larger more widespread stories. With that being said, I do agree that watching the news and investing oneself in every murder or every kidnapping will no doubt raise awareness and fear in the viewers. The excerpt I just illustrated does however seem to stretch reality a bit, as those in government and legislative power should be well informed and have open minds. Just because a trial is shown on the television does not mean that a judge does not have to still go through years of training before visiting the courtroom. A single story of a masked assailant raiding a bank makes us scared of things like guns. Those watching news on channels only drawn to dramatic, violent stories will especially feel the impact. Living a life in fear is not without drawbacks as we learn from Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time." Fear significantly lowers quality of life and can make the population act in ways they wouldn't normally have.
So to all my viewers watch the news if you wish stay informed, but please keep an eye out for articles and stories devoted only to drawing in viewers. Until next week bon voyage! Captain Jack singing off.

Picture This

Hey all! This week I thought that I would do something different. I have decided to pick a picture and tell you what a caption couldn't. This picture was take during the summer of my 6th grade. While visiting the beautiful island of Santorini, I snapped this pic of the beautiful pearl white houses that seemed to hang right above the deep blue of the Mediterranean. But all of that could be interpreted by you the reader after viewing the image. 

After a long journey we finally arrived to the island of Santorini known for its picturesque beauty. I specifically remember looking out from our room and being blown away. Here I was, seeing something only a lucky few get to see, with the people I love, and not a single care in the world. I truly felt light and limitless. A caption wouldn't be able to express the smile on my face as we walked down the cobblestone streets or the warmth of the Greek sun on my pink cheeks. These moments will last forever.

Hopefully I've painted a picture and have expressed more than this picture ever could have. Until next voyage guys! Its Captain Jack signing off over and out.