News Issue: Product Pink

Approximately one out of every seven American women will develop breast cancer. Recent studies show that eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D before menopause may help prevent breast cancer. The study stresses it may only prevent breast cancer if done before menopause. Because of all the recent pushes on breast cancer awareness and an increase in funding for research, women are more knowledgeable about prevention.
I have always known that breast cancer awareness was huge in America due to Alexandra Penney's Pink Ribbon and because a lot of major stores give a certain percentage of their profit in the month of October to breast cancer research, but I did not realize just how far we have gone to help breast cancer research. We now have vacuum cleaners, cookies and even planes colored in pink to help the cause. I love how enthusiastic we have become with regards to helping such honorable causes but I wonder if we have gone too far. It sounds bad to say that anything done to help save the lives of others may be taking it too far but if the cause was so important to us should not we just give money to help instead of getting something out of giving? It seems to kind of take the meaning out of giving if you also get something in return or gain a personal benefit. I believe that making items especially for cancer, however, is a good idea because now regular everyday items that people need can help fight cancer. The extra income to the cure could help save a life. All non-profit organizations should attempt to grow their profits the same way. They should put themselves out and let the world know about the cause. Only by putting themselves out there will they come to such great heights as the fight for breast cancer has become.

Inland Empire: Interesting to say the least.

“In the future you will be dreaming.”
As I didn’t quite understand the movie, I understand this quote to be important but to whether or not I have the right connotation as to what the quote means is up to the experts or David Lynch himself. The whole movie deals with the old Polish lady, room 47 with the rabbits and the movie Blues of Tomorrow. The reoccurring themes in this movie deal with time and dreams. With what I put together, I think that the movie tells us to make good decisions and to be ourselves and face our fears or we will become someone else and live their life forever, like the Polish lady until she was saved. “In the future you will be dreaming” has to deal with what your dreams will be like in the future, depending upon the present and the future. If you aren’t yourself, your sense of time blurs and all seems forgotten but if you face your fear and find yourself, there will be No More Blue Tomorrows. In respect to the particular scene in which this quote is said by two prostitutes, I believe that it has something to do with the many lines in the movie that said something to the extent, In the future you will see us and ask if we’ve seen you before. The prostitutes ask this of Nikki because they know that she is will not be herself so when they ask her, they will not know her because she is hiding behind her character Sue. In regards to my own life, I think that this movie tells me to make wise decisions and to always be true to yourself because you never know what the future holds and you don’t want to dream about your past later.

Free-write: Racist Groups/Blee

I read an excerpt of a book called Inside Organized Racism by Kathleen Blee and was both shocked and appalled by how many racial groups still exist today. Blee discusses how fear was a main component in racial organizations and how these groups use fear, threats and intimidation to gain power over their opponents. It was fascinating to hear Blee say that the more relaxed she became around her interviewees from different groups actually gave her less results in her in fieldwork because the sense of fear that she originally had led her to take more precautions and to think harder. It takes a special person to go out and risk your life for research but without these courageous people to go outside boundaries and explore. The outcomes of not learning from and about racist groups and other such untouchable subjects is a much greater tragedy than leaving the topic alone.
Using participant observation Blee was able to gain insight into their racial beliefs, which helped her understand their descriptions of their racist identities. She was sympathetic and tried with all her might to understand the world through their eyes. Although joining a racist group may seem disturbing and in all ways wrong, there are some good aspects incorporated into them. They are a community with loyalty, honesty (how many people are willing to openly admit that they are racist?), friendship and teamwork. Disturbingly, racist groups seem to be ordinary, as they have picnics, play games and have social gatherings, other than their beliefs of course. But what is an ordinary belief anyway?
Every culture has their own identity and as scary as it may seem, racist groups, much to our dismay, are just another congregation of people with the same beliefs. To Americans, Bull Fighting seems inhumane, but to those who grew up in a Mexican culture, it is a sport of strength and great honor.

Local Issue: Capital Humane Society

I am deeply entrenched in all issues involving animals and when I read the article on the Capital Humane Society I was shocked at how the society was at one point in time thinking about splitting from the city. I do believe that the two systems, Animal Control and the Humane Society would do well to collaborate as one. I really connected with the article when the statement was said that Animal Control collects animals and the Humane Society deals with the outraged owners. I can understand why the Humane Society wanted to split because Lincoln was only paying $158,505 a year for sheltering and the society needed $253,080 for wages.
I am glad the Humane Society reconsidered because it would have made problems worse, having two non-profit organizations fighting for the same fundraising money. If both the Animal Control and Humane Society converge together, however, it would cut costs for both organizations. To get the program started may take time and money but in the log run it is in the best interest for our community and our animals.
Patterning our contract based on Omaha’s system is a great idea. Omaha has a very well organized and efficient system. As a city, we should take advantage of what we know works and apply the strategies here in Lincoln. Downey, the director for Capital Humane Society, says he would have his workers rotate shifts that way half of his staff would not get stuck with public confrontations. A problem the Humane Society was dealing with in the first place.
The Capital Humane Society wants to focus more on adoptions and the shelter capacity and divorcing city limits would’ve accomplished their wants but their new plan accommodates both parties. Although finalizations are yet to be made and ideas are still flowing to help and this battle, a new fresh start for both organizations seems to be coming around the corner and I’m glad. Just as people need and deserve homes, so do animals.

Free Write- LPS

It has been shown throughout the years that Nebraska school teachers are wanted around the United States. States such as Colorado and even as far as New York are willing to give you the best offer they can in order to snatch Nebraska teachers up. This is due to the high quality teacher training done in Nebraska. If this is true and Nebraska does deem to “make” the most highly trained educators why is it that the Nebraska school system or at least the Lincoln Public Schools system doesn’t seem to be preparing their students very well for future academic adventuresTransitions from one school to another is hard but it is even harder going from elementary school to middle school to high school and then for some, off to college. I don’t think schools prepare kids enough for the kinds of changes that will occur. The leap from high school to college is the biggest life change and although educators may think that they have succeeded in every step possible to help kids into the next stage in education, I disagree. Schools should not only educate students on an academic level but on an emotional level as well. Although the academic part of schools is essential to furthering education, I believe that it would be a lot easier transitions for kids if they knew what they were getting themselves into.
For example, high school seniors should have more lectures and tests in class. Reading assignments should not be monitored but done on the students own time. This is a set up for college life. I also think that students should take courses that prepare them mentally for college life. We should teach kids coping strategies on stress and homework, tests, help them with their social life, write college papers and even how to take care of yourself away from home.
Our high school requirements are pathetic. We dumb down the material so that every kid will pass but it holds the rest of the students behind. The rest of the world has children learning Spanish and other languages in first and second grade. Why don't we do the same? Our students aren't as smart and its due to our ever present lowering standards. Bush set up NCLB because he saw how our children are suffering and therefore falling behind in our world. Although I do not like NCLB for my own personal reasons and reasons that Richardson touches base on, it shows us just how far we are falling behind today. We need to take better actions for our state in education now and not compete with others for what will essentially provide our nation with our next generation of successors. We are the wealthiest nation, but when it comes to smarts we fall way behind the others. As a nation we are falling behind academically and it's sad.

I think the hardest part about college isn’t the school work but the emotional aspect that comes from the everyday college experience.I believe that adding small things such as the aforementioned to requirements will greatly help kids in their future success.