Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tune in Tonight: My First Radio Show Run
Join me, DJ Sassy Yazzy, tonight on my radio show "Late Night Cool Down" on 89.3 WSOE Elon, Burlington....Bringing you Smooth Jazz and R&B!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Interesting Perpective on Race
THIS IS AMAZING! I know I'm hitting you guys with so much at once...but this is good stuff!
ALMOST! EPIC POEM!
The POWER of Naming
Yesterday in my Human Services class, we talked about the power of Naming! Naming things, people, groups, places, items, concepts....everything, is how we understand the world! Without a name and a definition...what is it? What do we call it? It's one thing to name an item, but the name we identify ourselves with and how others name us is where the power lies. My professor posed the question, "If I call you a dummy long enough, what happens?" And the class finishes with the answer, "You began to believe it." The naming of ethnic groups in the past and even present has been a big factor in who holds the power. As blacks were called Negros, or coloreds, and names even before then. Derogatory names. There is power in naming. The term 'Hispanic'...was also decided and named by someone/a group of people. I really began to think about this and apply it to myself.
The professor also gave us an example of her first job. Her boss would always call her Sandy, when her name is Sandra. She was afraid to correct him because she did not want to be rude to authority or possibly loose her job, but she was frustrated as Sandy was not what she wanted to be called. Calling her Sandy was a way of making her seem 'as a little girl,' as opposed to the grown, educated woman that she was." Has anyone ever called you the wrong name constantly? Have you ever had a student call you by your first name, when you wanted to be called Mr./Ms. or Dr./Professor Soandso? Do you think it was on purpose or on accident? How did that make you feel? I hope you understand where I'm going with this.
But to close out, there is this one young gentleman college freshman, bless his heart...and every time He sees me he manages to call me/incorporate the terms into our conversations..."Ghetto and rachet." He likes to tell me "Yasmine, you're ghetto or you're a little rachet." If anyone knows the actual definitions/connotations of these two words and knows me personally knows...I AM FAR FROM EITHER! I am smart, educated, and well-spoken. Every once in a while, in a comfortable, intimate setting my natural slang comes out...THAT'S A PART OF MY CULTURE...THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME GHETTO! Anyways...this did not frustrate me til now. The more someone says something about you the more you will think about it and possibly believe it...while I know this young man has a lot...and I mean A LOT of growing up to do, I will no longer allow him to tell me I am Ghetto or Rachet! I know they say 'It's not what they call you, it's what you answer to'...but how about this 'It's what YOU ALLOW them to call you!" BOOM! lol I AM ME! I am KuntaKente, not Tobi!!!
The professor also gave us an example of her first job. Her boss would always call her Sandy, when her name is Sandra. She was afraid to correct him because she did not want to be rude to authority or possibly loose her job, but she was frustrated as Sandy was not what she wanted to be called. Calling her Sandy was a way of making her seem 'as a little girl,' as opposed to the grown, educated woman that she was." Has anyone ever called you the wrong name constantly? Have you ever had a student call you by your first name, when you wanted to be called Mr./Ms. or Dr./Professor Soandso? Do you think it was on purpose or on accident? How did that make you feel? I hope you understand where I'm going with this.
But to close out, there is this one young gentleman college freshman, bless his heart...and every time He sees me he manages to call me/incorporate the terms into our conversations..."Ghetto and rachet." He likes to tell me "Yasmine, you're ghetto or you're a little rachet." If anyone knows the actual definitions/connotations of these two words and knows me personally knows...I AM FAR FROM EITHER! I am smart, educated, and well-spoken. Every once in a while, in a comfortable, intimate setting my natural slang comes out...THAT'S A PART OF MY CULTURE...THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME GHETTO! Anyways...this did not frustrate me til now. The more someone says something about you the more you will think about it and possibly believe it...while I know this young man has a lot...and I mean A LOT of growing up to do, I will no longer allow him to tell me I am Ghetto or Rachet! I know they say 'It's not what they call you, it's what you answer to'...but how about this 'It's what YOU ALLOW them to call you!" BOOM! lol I AM ME! I am KuntaKente, not Tobi!!!
What'd you say? Repeal It! Romney Says!
Repeal Obamacare...repeal Dodd-Frank...47% of non-taxpayers/moochers....I will not make any comments on any of this because there's no more to say. Republicans are even telling Romney to STOP taking bad political advice on such topics. Political analyst, Charlie Cook, even came to Elon and said the same thing. Here is an article, actually in favor of Romney, in which I thought was interesting. http://patriotpost.us/opinion/14826 You should take a look. Let me know what you think about this continuous rolling monster ball of bad press on behalf of Romney-Supporting Republicans. If you support him, I won't bash you...tell me why. And sidenote, I'm so tired of hearing people say 'Well Pres. Obama didn't make the job market/economy better so someone else sure can...one man cannot transform the entire 50 states' job market in just four years. NO ONE PERSON CAN! So what makes anyone think that ANYONE can magically appear and make everything right again? Just a general question....that thought is just downright basic, bottom-level thinking=no brainer. Where are my Master's Degree and PHD thinking brains? lol
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
What Are Your Intentions? Feelings Are Dangerous
These days are perhaps my first true initial experiences being held in the public eye. I was recently featured on the front page of Elon University's website homepage and on BET's website simultaneously. However, with this new mass exposure means I will be watched more, held accountable more, looked up to more, but also more susceptible to people watching and waiting for me to slip up. This is not just for me, but ANYONE in the public eye or in a leadership position. It's a lot of pressure...especially considering that fact that we're all human and we have a natural tendency to sin and make mistakes. We even make mistakes on complete and total accident (did you catch that one, haha).
I'm sharing with you my heart and my experiences (good and bad) because 1) I believe it's important to be transparent, 2) perhaps you can learn from my mistakes, and 3) when I write to you, I learn and iterate universal truths for myself as well. I HAVE to write a book one day about all the crazy ridiculous things I've experienced, seen, and heard.
But back to my main point...there are always two sides to a story, but it's important to have the capacity to see and understand both sides. When you only see your side as 100% correct, it will skew your thought-process and you will end up being apathetic or lacking in compassion. Further along the lines of seeing the other side, you must also be able to see people as people! Doing something not because you think you are right but because you are either feeling a bubbling sense of jealousy, envy (which is different), retaliating, or doing something to be spiteful please reconsider your actions. Realize that while you want to retaliate against someone because you feel threatened or wronged....REMEMBER, and this is imperative....remember that you are human too and one day your fate will be in the hands of someone else. Maybe someone will have the final say as to whether you will be let go from your job...Power is a powerful thing. One can use it for good and one can use it for bad or to hurt other people, unfortunately. We've seen the worst in people like Hitler and the best in people like Clinton arguably. Many who do not have religious ties even believe in the principle of karma, so keep this in mind when you feel you have been wronged or feel like hurting someone. Don't worry, I have not hurt anyone recently, but my character has been attacked. This is not the first time and it certainly won't be the last. I just want you to know the danger of such feelings...people have committed suicide and mass slaughters behind these kinds of things. I KNOW where my strength comes from and I know that though I may be knocked down on the mat once, twice, maybe even three times...I can and will get back up. Nothing except for death will keep me from my destiny!
One thing I have learned and do know is that prejudice is still alive and well...it lurks in the darkest, quietest corners and sneaks in the night and suffocates you of life. It causes innocent people their lives, sometimes everything they've ever built. But there is ALSO a such thing as justice.
I also know that it is important to be able to swallow your pride and admit you are wrong when you are wrong, but just because you are wrong, does not mean you are a horrible person and that DOES NOT MEAN by any standards that you have to take verbal or physical abuse.
If anything and in everything, I am proud to say that in my hardest times, I learn the most...these are the times and the mistakes that keep me humble and aware. I hope you appreciate this. Peace and Love!
Til Next Time, Yaz
I'm sharing with you my heart and my experiences (good and bad) because 1) I believe it's important to be transparent, 2) perhaps you can learn from my mistakes, and 3) when I write to you, I learn and iterate universal truths for myself as well. I HAVE to write a book one day about all the crazy ridiculous things I've experienced, seen, and heard.
But back to my main point...there are always two sides to a story, but it's important to have the capacity to see and understand both sides. When you only see your side as 100% correct, it will skew your thought-process and you will end up being apathetic or lacking in compassion. Further along the lines of seeing the other side, you must also be able to see people as people! Doing something not because you think you are right but because you are either feeling a bubbling sense of jealousy, envy (which is different), retaliating, or doing something to be spiteful please reconsider your actions. Realize that while you want to retaliate against someone because you feel threatened or wronged....REMEMBER, and this is imperative....remember that you are human too and one day your fate will be in the hands of someone else. Maybe someone will have the final say as to whether you will be let go from your job...Power is a powerful thing. One can use it for good and one can use it for bad or to hurt other people, unfortunately. We've seen the worst in people like Hitler and the best in people like Clinton arguably. Many who do not have religious ties even believe in the principle of karma, so keep this in mind when you feel you have been wronged or feel like hurting someone. Don't worry, I have not hurt anyone recently, but my character has been attacked. This is not the first time and it certainly won't be the last. I just want you to know the danger of such feelings...people have committed suicide and mass slaughters behind these kinds of things. I KNOW where my strength comes from and I know that though I may be knocked down on the mat once, twice, maybe even three times...I can and will get back up. Nothing except for death will keep me from my destiny!
One thing I have learned and do know is that prejudice is still alive and well...it lurks in the darkest, quietest corners and sneaks in the night and suffocates you of life. It causes innocent people their lives, sometimes everything they've ever built. But there is ALSO a such thing as justice.
I also know that it is important to be able to swallow your pride and admit you are wrong when you are wrong, but just because you are wrong, does not mean you are a horrible person and that DOES NOT MEAN by any standards that you have to take verbal or physical abuse.
If anything and in everything, I am proud to say that in my hardest times, I learn the most...these are the times and the mistakes that keep me humble and aware. I hope you appreciate this. Peace and Love!
Til Next Time, Yaz
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Poverty Simulation: Discovered Things About My Own Life Status
Simulation is defined as, the imitation of a real-life process or system overtime. Last week, I was invited on campus to assist with a Poverty Simulation as the Quik Cash Cashier. I will come back to this...this is crucial. Basically, a class was divided into groups representing potential real-life family dynamics. For example some families had two kids, or an infant, some had none; some with elderly parents, some single-parent homes, etc. Each were given packets with a description/background of their family, but no instructions to survive. Some were given money, some started the simulation with no money. Some had transportation passes, some did not (note: you need transportation passes for wherever you go). In the simulation there were the basic institutions present that influence and affect our everyday lives...a school, hospital, bank, bill collection agency, police department, pawn shop, homeless shelter, Quik (quick) Cash and maybe a couple of other critical institutions (I can't remember).
As the Quik Cash Cashier, I probably had one of the most crucial roles, I found. Many of the families (who were at or below the poverty line) unfortunately, had to come to me to cash checks and I could deduct as much for myself as I wanted. This is after taxes are deducted from one's check. I could cheat people, and in fact did if they did not count their money and if they came back without a receipt, I sent them to the back of the line. People had to come to me also to buy transportation passes. They were a dollar each, however I was not to inform that they could buy a monthly pass for $35. No one asked for one, out of 50 or so people. This would actually save them money and instead of having to keep buying one dollar passes for everywhere they went, they could use the monthly pass and go anywhere, unlimited. This totally reminded me of the transportation system in DC. I could also take people's car titles in exchange for cash. So my Quik Cash stop officially operated like the modern day Cash Point, or Cash For Gold would operate. Some people came to me trying to use their EBT (welfare) card or trying to exchange food stamps for cash, which is illegal. All of this however, rung a big bell for me. I realized all that goes on behind the scenes. It taught me to make sure that from now on in real life, I count my cash before I walk off...now I know you are probably saying that's common sense anyway, but just be honest for a moment...You know you've walked off at least once without thoroughly counting your money or asking for a receipt...and later realized you'd been jipped! I learned to be more cognizant of services that are not presented up front, but are possible to obtain, for example the monthly passes.
In the simulation, some people got evicted from their homes. Some were not able to buy the necessary food every week, or were not able to afford to take their kids to the hospital because it would be too expensive. As the Quik Cash Cashier, I was able to decide when I would stop cashing checks (usually when my money was low). Anyways, I am sharing this with you because I found it amazingly eye-opening! Even though I am familiar with some of these systems, I have not yet had a family to raise so of course there are many things I don't know. If I ever lead a Girl Scout Troop, or any group of youth or people borderline to poverty, I will get them to do this exercise. And for the more privileged students on campus, it showed them how hard it is for a financially-struggling family to survive. Have you done a simulation like this or had an experience relevant in real life?
As the Quik Cash Cashier, I probably had one of the most crucial roles, I found. Many of the families (who were at or below the poverty line) unfortunately, had to come to me to cash checks and I could deduct as much for myself as I wanted. This is after taxes are deducted from one's check. I could cheat people, and in fact did if they did not count their money and if they came back without a receipt, I sent them to the back of the line. People had to come to me also to buy transportation passes. They were a dollar each, however I was not to inform that they could buy a monthly pass for $35. No one asked for one, out of 50 or so people. This would actually save them money and instead of having to keep buying one dollar passes for everywhere they went, they could use the monthly pass and go anywhere, unlimited. This totally reminded me of the transportation system in DC. I could also take people's car titles in exchange for cash. So my Quik Cash stop officially operated like the modern day Cash Point, or Cash For Gold would operate. Some people came to me trying to use their EBT (welfare) card or trying to exchange food stamps for cash, which is illegal. All of this however, rung a big bell for me. I realized all that goes on behind the scenes. It taught me to make sure that from now on in real life, I count my cash before I walk off...now I know you are probably saying that's common sense anyway, but just be honest for a moment...You know you've walked off at least once without thoroughly counting your money or asking for a receipt...and later realized you'd been jipped! I learned to be more cognizant of services that are not presented up front, but are possible to obtain, for example the monthly passes.
In the simulation, some people got evicted from their homes. Some were not able to buy the necessary food every week, or were not able to afford to take their kids to the hospital because it would be too expensive. As the Quik Cash Cashier, I was able to decide when I would stop cashing checks (usually when my money was low). Anyways, I am sharing this with you because I found it amazingly eye-opening! Even though I am familiar with some of these systems, I have not yet had a family to raise so of course there are many things I don't know. If I ever lead a Girl Scout Troop, or any group of youth or people borderline to poverty, I will get them to do this exercise. And for the more privileged students on campus, it showed them how hard it is for a financially-struggling family to survive. Have you done a simulation like this or had an experience relevant in real life?
Sunday, September 16, 2012
LAST DAY!
TODAY'S THE LAST DAY TO VOTE! Competition ends EOD, Monday September 17th! LET'S DO THIS! I cannot thank you guys enough for pushing the button til your fingers hurt...ONE MORE DAY! VOTE YASMINE ARRINGTON CHIPS for grant and feature on BET'S BLACK GIRLS ROCK! NO VOTING CAP so vote as much as you want! http://www.bet.com/shows/black-girls-rock/2012/black-girls-rock-mad-girls.html They have a cute short commercial if you want to take a look :)
Friday, September 14, 2012
FOUR MORE DAYS!
Being on BLACK GIRLS ROCK on BET would mean 1) a grant for ScholarCHIPS to use towards fundraising and scholarships for the children in our society who need it most and 2) AMAZING EXPOSURE OF A WORTHY CAUSE! I thank you all for your continued love and support. I love you more than you will ever know. I have very interesting stories to share, but I am saving them til after the competition ends. PLEASE KEEP VOTING! ONLY FOUR MORE DAYS LEFT! VOTING ENDS EOD, September 17th. Vote when your bored or click a few times on your phone right before you go to sleep. THANK YOU! There no voting cap, so vote, vote, vote...tell your friends, family, and co-workers. Vote, Yasmine Arrington (CHIPS) here: http://www.bet.com/shows/black-girls-rock/2012/black-girls-rock-mad-girls.html
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
VOTE For Yazzie to be on BET'S Black Girls Rock 2012
Hello All! I hope you are well. The work load is slowly buckling down and eating away my precious sleep...but that's besides the point. I am in the running to get a grant for ScholarCHIPS and be on BET'S taping of Black Girls Rock this year. I made a promotion video (On Youtube) just if you would like to SEE me explain it (for my visual learners) or if you simply want to start voting immediately please go directly to this link: http://www.bet.com/shows/black-girls-rock/2012/black-girls-rock-mad-girls.html There's no voting cap so click away and voting goes on til September 19th...so please tell friends, family, co-workers and loved ones to vote. I am so grateful and overwhelmed by everyone's support. I am truly grateful. -Yaz
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
From The Baby Boomers to Mayor Julian Castro
"We know that in our free market economy, some will prosper more than others...but what we won't accept is the idea that some folks won't ever get a chance! Freedom isn't free, but neither is opportunity" YES! This is a quote from the first ever Hispanic Keynote Democratic National Convention Speaker. Now that's a well put-together speech! Talk about excellent public speaking dynamics...lol I thought it was cool that Mayor Julian Castro was introduced by his twin brother! I was very inspired. In the audience I thought it was so uplifting to see people holding Texan signs, and signs with single words of such great meaning... some signs said "Viva Obama y Castro," "Felicidades Castro," my favorite was the sign that said "Opportunidad."
Coincidentally in one of my classes, I am reading 'Democracy's Children,' which is a book based on the Baby Boomer Generation and why they were perhaps the most educated generation in history and the most unquieted...now this is the author's thesis, but it makes sense. After World War II gender roles changed...women were no longer simply confined to being house wives and some even continued to work after their husbands came home...in the home, parents raised their children in a more democratic style, catering to their children's individual needs and respecting their opinions, not like it once was that 'a child should be seen and not heard.' From there, schools began to implement the idea of Progressivism and use the classroom as a tool for social change. THIS was the generation of Rock and Roll, of civil rights protests, of the Feminism Movement...of more open sexuality...because they were reared up different than any other generation before, they brought about the beginning of radical societal change in which we still see the ripple effects of today!
I know you were wondering where I was going with that, but this is the generation whom Mayor Castro praised in his speech for their dedication to us, their sacrifices and investments in OUR future. My grandmother was born at the end of this era, so I know a little somethin,' somethin' about the Baby Boom :) kekekeke I digress. It always intrigues me to hear of the bravery of this 1940s generation. This was also an era of GREAT MUSIC! It's funny, while reading this book all the 1930s, 40s, and 50s songs I learned about in my Music and Propaganda class came back to mind. Bob Dylan. The song 'I AM WOMAN!' We all know Elvis Presley. WOODSTOCK definitely came to mind. Anyways...from that time period, up to me watching the Keynote speaker at the 2012 Democratic Convention has inspired me. Sometimes being my age, I feel stuck. Sometimes folks who are at the head of radical change-making, are not always in it for the actual change, but the way it looks. This makes it hard for little college students like me with big dreams and the gap of money called OPPORTUNITY! But I will continue to work hard and dream BIG and keep pressing and when I get to that place of National influence I will do my very best to help little people with big dreams. It's nothing like getting rejected time and time again..believe it or not I know a little something about rejection too...in fact most of us have experienced rejection at sometime or another in our lives...but let's let this time before presidential elections be a time of inspiration, a time to sit back and observe, and a time to let our imaginations run wild with the possibilities!
Signing off, Yours Truly...Yaz
Coincidentally in one of my classes, I am reading 'Democracy's Children,' which is a book based on the Baby Boomer Generation and why they were perhaps the most educated generation in history and the most unquieted...now this is the author's thesis, but it makes sense. After World War II gender roles changed...women were no longer simply confined to being house wives and some even continued to work after their husbands came home...in the home, parents raised their children in a more democratic style, catering to their children's individual needs and respecting their opinions, not like it once was that 'a child should be seen and not heard.' From there, schools began to implement the idea of Progressivism and use the classroom as a tool for social change. THIS was the generation of Rock and Roll, of civil rights protests, of the Feminism Movement...of more open sexuality...because they were reared up different than any other generation before, they brought about the beginning of radical societal change in which we still see the ripple effects of today!
I know you were wondering where I was going with that, but this is the generation whom Mayor Castro praised in his speech for their dedication to us, their sacrifices and investments in OUR future. My grandmother was born at the end of this era, so I know a little somethin,' somethin' about the Baby Boom :) kekekeke I digress. It always intrigues me to hear of the bravery of this 1940s generation. This was also an era of GREAT MUSIC! It's funny, while reading this book all the 1930s, 40s, and 50s songs I learned about in my Music and Propaganda class came back to mind. Bob Dylan. The song 'I AM WOMAN!' We all know Elvis Presley. WOODSTOCK definitely came to mind. Anyways...from that time period, up to me watching the Keynote speaker at the 2012 Democratic Convention has inspired me. Sometimes being my age, I feel stuck. Sometimes folks who are at the head of radical change-making, are not always in it for the actual change, but the way it looks. This makes it hard for little college students like me with big dreams and the gap of money called OPPORTUNITY! But I will continue to work hard and dream BIG and keep pressing and when I get to that place of National influence I will do my very best to help little people with big dreams. It's nothing like getting rejected time and time again..believe it or not I know a little something about rejection too...in fact most of us have experienced rejection at sometime or another in our lives...but let's let this time before presidential elections be a time of inspiration, a time to sit back and observe, and a time to let our imaginations run wild with the possibilities!
Signing off, Yours Truly...Yaz
Monday, September 3, 2012
Paradigm Shift: The Future of Technology?
IT'S CREEPY! Some may think it's cool...if Apple excellerates any faster the amount of time they release their latest Smart Phone, I think my head will explode. Of course the technicians behind the storefronts, commercials, and cool designs we see are always at work and not just Apple...I'm not going to get too much into those details though. In my Digital Media Convergence class we are talking about Old Media vs. New Media. Currently we have exited the world of 2.0 World Wide Web and are now in the era of 3.0 World Wide Web, in which we are still defining. Old Media is considered to be television, radio, recordings, paper books, movies, newspapers, and magazines. New Media is considered Electronic Books (such as the Kindle Reader), Online Newspapers, Music Downloading (such as ITunes), on-Demand video Streaming (such as Netflix), Internet Radio (Pandora, Spotify), Blogs (such as this one. smile), Smart TV, etc.
Everything that was once linear is now nonlinear. Everything that was once analog, is now digital. Everything that once weighed 30 pounds that sat in your living room, you can now carry around in your pocket. I'm not telling you anything you don't know...but have you ever stopped to think about the future of media, and web, and technology as a whole....where is it going?! After the release of the personal computer in 1981, that marked the Paradigm shift that would rock our world and shape modern technology for what we know it to be today.
In class we made a web of ideas, in which we thought technology was headed in the future....some of these may seem obvious, but what do you think technology will look like in the future?
A Massive database (we see the beginning of this with Google Drive and Apple ICloud), Actual computers in cars, that may talk to us...automatic cars that drive for you....maybe flying cars...Wireless/wifi EVERYWHERE (Even on the metro...DC metro is already improving cellphone coverage under the tunnels which is why you may be suffering from train delays), Adds will be more filtered, individual people will have the capacity to make softwares as opposed to solely technicians and big companies, people will be forced to do more than one thing (one job title will no longer be sufficient), glasses that include gps, you can read your emails on it (Goggle has come out with these Google glasses, or at least the idea...creepy!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvJCYZ_0Jww&feature=fvwrel
Computers will be 3D and you will be able to select commands in the air (like you see on Spy movies), no more computer mouses, more Smart devices, robots, military robots (they've started this too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww), Humans living in outer space http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsXE-ii9eCA
What are your thoughts? Are you excited for new technology? Are you frustrated that you will have to keep learning how to use these devices? Are you creeped out by the fast rate in which technology is going? Have you seen "The Pirates of Silicon Valley" a movie focusing on Bill Gates and Steve Jobs?
Everything that was once linear is now nonlinear. Everything that was once analog, is now digital. Everything that once weighed 30 pounds that sat in your living room, you can now carry around in your pocket. I'm not telling you anything you don't know...but have you ever stopped to think about the future of media, and web, and technology as a whole....where is it going?! After the release of the personal computer in 1981, that marked the Paradigm shift that would rock our world and shape modern technology for what we know it to be today.
In class we made a web of ideas, in which we thought technology was headed in the future....some of these may seem obvious, but what do you think technology will look like in the future?A Massive database (we see the beginning of this with Google Drive and Apple ICloud), Actual computers in cars, that may talk to us...automatic cars that drive for you....maybe flying cars...Wireless/wifi EVERYWHERE (Even on the metro...DC metro is already improving cellphone coverage under the tunnels which is why you may be suffering from train delays), Adds will be more filtered, individual people will have the capacity to make softwares as opposed to solely technicians and big companies, people will be forced to do more than one thing (one job title will no longer be sufficient), glasses that include gps, you can read your emails on it (Goggle has come out with these Google glasses, or at least the idea...creepy!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvJCYZ_0Jww&feature=fvwrel
Computers will be 3D and you will be able to select commands in the air (like you see on Spy movies), no more computer mouses, more Smart devices, robots, military robots (they've started this too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww), Humans living in outer space http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsXE-ii9eCA
What are your thoughts? Are you excited for new technology? Are you frustrated that you will have to keep learning how to use these devices? Are you creeped out by the fast rate in which technology is going? Have you seen "The Pirates of Silicon Valley" a movie focusing on Bill Gates and Steve Jobs?
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Florida's Decision to Drug Test Welfare Recipients Backfires! Why Is America Going Digressing Backwards?
Well hello ladies and gents and Welcome to Yazzie's News Info Corner! :) Before I get into the topic at hand, I thought I'd let you know that this year is going to be one of those ridiculously involved years, like I did in high school...I can feel it, but I can't help it...I want to try new things! I am the Public Relations Chair for the Black Cultural Society at Elon (we already mapped out the year's events) and the Fundraising and Community Service Chair for the Gospel Choir. This is all very exciting stuff, but the problem is, is that I LOVE SLEEP! lol This does not include the work I must do fundraising for ScholarCHIPS (www.scholarchipsfund.com) and homework. But I'm not complaining, I only do things I actually love that I feel are worth my time and the sacrifice of sleep :)
As for Florida...I AM NOT MOVING THERE! I remember on the news sometime back, it was reported that several states including Florida were implementing a new law that says that a person who shows up to vote, must not only show their voter registration card, but other forms of identification such as a driver's license, a birth certificate and/or a passport. Speculations says that this is a sly move to prevent non-citizens/immigrants from voting. I believe with all of my heart that this is retaliation move...an undermining of the less privileged in this country, and if not what will happen of poor whites on welfare who are doing drugs?...
To make matters worse, Florida was the very first state (ever) in 2011 to make is mandatory for all Temporary Assistance for Needed Families (TANF) or welfare applicants to take drug tests. Applicants are required to pay for the test and are only reimbursed if they pass the drug test. Thankfully, Four months later, The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU) filed a lawsuit to stop it, and in October, a federal judge put the law on hold, as the law breaches people’s rights not to be searched and seizured unwarranted. However Gov. Rick Scott announced in November that the state would appeal the decision, and the issue is still lingering in courts.
As for Florida...I AM NOT MOVING THERE! I remember on the news sometime back, it was reported that several states including Florida were implementing a new law that says that a person who shows up to vote, must not only show their voter registration card, but other forms of identification such as a driver's license, a birth certificate and/or a passport. Speculations says that this is a sly move to prevent non-citizens/immigrants from voting. I believe with all of my heart that this is retaliation move...an undermining of the less privileged in this country, and if not what will happen of poor whites on welfare who are doing drugs?...
To make matters worse, Florida was the very first state (ever) in 2011 to make is mandatory for all Temporary Assistance for Needed Families (TANF) or welfare applicants to take drug tests. Applicants are required to pay for the test and are only reimbursed if they pass the drug test. Thankfully, Four months later, The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU) filed a lawsuit to stop it, and in October, a federal judge put the law on hold, as the law breaches people’s rights not to be searched and seizured unwarranted. However Gov. Rick Scott announced in November that the state would appeal the decision, and the issue is still lingering in courts.
"During the four months that Florida's law was in
place, the state drug tested 4,086 TANF applicants and only 108 individuals or 2.6%
tested positive."--ACLU To me, irony of this statistic is that when proposing, Gov. Rick Scott argued
that this law was necessary because, he said, “welfare recipients use drugs at
a higher rate than the general population.” Please Google search this to find out how much money Florida spent on this new law and how much they had to pay back. Unfortunately now, though it's in hold in Florida, over 25
states have introduced welfare drug testing legislation this year. Shameful.
See, when you (anyone or any place) do things to spite a certain people or prevent them from basic rights, you will not prosper and if you do, it will not be for long. This is obviously an attack on minorities...now you may say, actually there are more whites or white women on welfare...well then what does that mean for them? You may say that the government should not be supporting drug addictions...true, but it's not that simple. What are the provisions for people stripped of TANF due to drug addiction...will the government ensure rehabilitation. No. Because, really they don't care.
This 'law' is based on the assumption that many/most minorities on the TANF program are taking drugs in some form. While this may have some truth to it, we can not say this is a universal truth and then strip people with children from financial assistance...this will only lead to more poverty, illiteracy, crime, and imprisonment, but Gov. Rick Scott doesn't care about that, he's not in that situation. And if they are stripped of assistance and on drugs...what will the government do with them next?...throw them in prison, in a rehabilitation center and put their kids with child protective services or a foster care? I'm so disgusted with politics...I swear that all these new crazy laws are taking us into the Era of The New Jim Crow as Professor Michelle Alexander proposes in her book (http://www.newjimcrow.com/). If I can help any of it...I will...why is America going backwards? What do you think?
This 'law' is based on the assumption that many/most minorities on the TANF program are taking drugs in some form. While this may have some truth to it, we can not say this is a universal truth and then strip people with children from financial assistance...this will only lead to more poverty, illiteracy, crime, and imprisonment, but Gov. Rick Scott doesn't care about that, he's not in that situation. And if they are stripped of assistance and on drugs...what will the government do with them next?...throw them in prison, in a rehabilitation center and put their kids with child protective services or a foster care? I'm so disgusted with politics...I swear that all these new crazy laws are taking us into the Era of The New Jim Crow as Professor Michelle Alexander proposes in her book (http://www.newjimcrow.com/). If I can help any of it...I will...why is America going backwards? What do you think?
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