MADE

Many people have probably watched MTV's "MADE", the show where a kid that falls under one stereotype wants to become the opposite stereotype and so MTV hires them a "MADE" coach that will help them achieve their goal. Most of the time it's something like an emo kid wants to become prom king or a um, semi-socially clueless girl wants to become a cheerleader... something like that. The show's main entertainment factor comes from the selection of people they've picked out, obviously. They're either weird, dorky to the point where it's funny but you're laughing WITH them not at them, or almost pathetic, and what they want to become is so different from what they are now that it just seems impossible for them to reach it. Thus, getting the MADE audience hooked. Some people go from wearing tye-dyed shirts with unicorns on them to beauty queens and fashionistas. No offense, of course, if you like tye-dyed shirts with unicorns on them. Other transformations aren't so drastic but it's enough to think that this MADE coach must have some special superhuman power. In the end, the wonderful MADE coach miraculously manages to help the person obtain the unattainable... or at least come close, changing their life and helping them "learn valuable lessons" from the whole experience. I've always wondered what I'd want to become if I were to be on the show.
If I were on the show, I think I'd want to be made into a cheerleader/dancer or something just to say that I tried something new. I don't really know if I even fit into one stereotype as I am now. So therefore it's hard for me to think of something completely opposite from what I am. I guess dancer/cheerleader fits best. For one, I'm extremely unflexible, so being a cheerleader never really occured to me. I've seen the previous cheerleader episodes and I can't do a handspring or whatever to save my life. I'm more of an athletic type person who'd rather get sweaty and dirty and the like on the softball field. Two, I'm not THAT loud and perky and all that stuff cheerleaders need to be. I'm outgoing ENOUGH but not cheerleader like outgoing if you know what I mean. Three, I don't have the confidence the cheerleader people have. There's some stigma that comes with being a cheerleader, good and bad, yes but it's something whether it's a stereotype that fits or one that doesn't. But it's usually that cheerleaders are popular, pretty and ditzy in some cases. I can do without the last one please. And finally, well, I don't know, I guess my friends would probably think I'd be the last person to be a cheerleader/dancer. Hahaaa.
I don't think I'd make the show though, because they usually pick someone sad enough so that people watch just to see how someone can magically undergo such a drastic transformation. I like being interesting, but not to the point where I'd catch thousands of people's attentions by being on MADE...well, just because it's the show MADE. Seriously.

i know who killed the electric car.

Finishing "Who Killed the Electric Car?" today in class made me realize how stupid and corrput the world is. And I got mad. Okay, so I already KNEW many people in the world were stupid and corrupt, but this only confirmed my assumptions. This is a generalized statement of course, but I think it applies to enough people to make it okay for me to say it.
It is obvious to me that most of the blame for the death of the electric car should be put on the oil companies and our most excellent government. Hello, the oil companies don't care about the environment. They care about their moolah. They care that Americans have an obsession with "bigger is better" and are overjoyed that many people are becoming "I must have a bigger car" zombies. Since the oil companies control just about everything, with our country so reliant on them and all, the automobile industry and government can't get them angry. So basically I see it as a funnel, starting with the oil company > government > automobile industry > state government like the california air resources board > consumers the end. I just can't see how the car companies could have the nerve to claim that consumers didn't want to electric car! How could they say such a thing when they have proof against them smacked right in front of their face? Talk about a bitch slap, mofo! I guess they just wanted everyone to know they are liars and idiots. Those EVs had the shortest stint ever on the market. They didn't even have a chance for consumers to even "reject" them as the industry claims. I didn't even know about these cars. The EV's seem too good to be true, which bugs me even more because the car companies are blatant liars. Rawr. And the inventor of the battery (I forgot his name) had a new battery that would increase the range- if that's what people had issues with, which I suspect wasn't really as big of a deal as the car compaines made it out to be. I couldn't believe that GM chose to manufacture Hummers instead of EVs. It just doesn't make logical sense. Maybe it's because I have a personal gripe with Hummers. Living in Hawaii, there are no need for Hummers. At all. They're hard to park, slow(ish), and gas guzzlers TO DA MAX! So what if they have bling bling? Do you really need to crush other puny cars? No. But the gangstas on TV have the 23's and chrome spinners or whatever they're called and put them on their huge escalades. BALLIN! And that's why I can't really blame the consumers themselves because its society and the automobile industry that is warping everyone's minds. We're all like little puppets.
The government might as well be sacks of rice. Domesticate oil by drilling in an Alaskan natural reserve? That controversy was around for awhile. The video reported that drilling could only sustain our oil needs for a year. Then what? Bush was so amazed by hydrogen fuel cells... well too bad that won't make its debut until at least 20 years from now. I guess that's how you can describe his thinking- don't try to solve the problem NOW but claim there there is progress making technological advances for "the future".
What I didn't get was why was this whole thing only going on in California? Why don't other states adopt the Zero Emissions Mandate? Sure it's the biggest state and all, but it's not like air pollution and CO2 emission is only a problem there. It's a huge concern everywhere? Were EV-1s only made there? Prior to this film I had never heard of an EV-1 in my life. I didn't even know that general motors was doing on this shady stuff. Am I the only one?
Well, even if I don't know what I am talking about, because I'm probably only rambling and complaining here, one thing I know for sure is that I am not going to buy a car from general motors. Japanese Hybrids oh and Ford hybrids too! (yes I know they are more expensive, but the cost is worth it!)

what is this world coming to

I meant to post this earlier, right after the VTech shootings, but I never got around to it until now.
I know the whole VTech shooting has been dragged out and overexploited by the media, and I know that it must've been unbearably hard (I probably can't even relate) for all the families who lost loved ones (my condolences to them) but I think that the media made everything worse. For 2 days, the headline of CNN and NBC either had something to do with the shooting or the shooter, Cho Seung Hui. I was deeply disturbed his images and video clips, his weapons (beloved hammer), his shaved head, and barely cohesive manuscript. When NBC recieved the package from Hui himself, they were supposed to immediately turn it in to the police. After briefly "consulting with local authorities", they aired 10% of it. It may sound like they were sparing the public of the worst, but what they did air was disturbing enough. At first, the Virginia Police Chief commended NBC for its actions, but the following day, he then said something about how the Virginia police department and the families of the victims were "disappointed" in NBC's actions. He even said that the package would be of "marginal value" to the police, saying that "they were already aware of what it contained." Many people who were supposed to be interviewed on NBC cancelled and refused to talk to anyone because of the network's irresponsible actions. What good was it to air all that stuff, especially so soon after the incident? The victims bodies weren't even buried yet. The official investigation had just begun. I'm sure the families affected were outraged seeing the crazy person who viciously killed their loved ones being made into a public celebrity (for all the wrong reasons). I don't know how many times they played the clips, flashed images, and talked about the whole thing, but it was too much. NBC, in response, claimed that they aired it in order to shed some light on the reasoning behind Hui's actions, but did it really? Were they the "serious journalists" they made themselves out to be? Even if they were, it's too bad because there've been so much other "entertainment news" that this got confused between "serious journalism" and "entertainment news". They didn't make it clear which one they were going for.
Couldn't they have waited until the police watched the video and officially figured out the events that took place? They investigation isn't even finished. The line where Hui said something about being like Jesus Christ, inspiring all those who are too weak to stand up for themselves, was particualarly disturbing. Who knows what other kinds of mentally disturbed people like Hui were watching, and actually could be inspired but his actions. The amount of attention they spent on him was enough that Hui's words would reach any other abused kid who wants attention. He got his 15 seconds plus of fame. I can imagine a kid, bullied in the past, suddenly going postal and releasing his pent up anger and rage in an act of violence like Hui, especially after seeing that it can actually happen. In fact, not too long after the incident, the media was in a frenzy, reporting a story about a 14 year old Florida native who threatened to top Hui's victim count to 100 people. It's bad enough that the VTech shooting had to happen, but what else is in store, especially after the airing of Cho Seung Hui's psychopathic behavior? I'm not singling out NBC, because I'm sure any other news network wouldv'e done the same. But that just goes to show what the media is looking for these days in their daily broadcast. The images were certainly disturbing, but that didn't prevent people from being totally engrossed while watching it. Who wouldn't want to know what the crazy guy was thinking?What is this world coming to?

my hangout

EXACT QUOTATIONS
While sitting at my hangout, known as "the boat" by many, I notice a lot of people hunched over textbooks with their ipods on. A lot of other people are engaged in quiet conversation, eating salad and sandwiches. This surprises me because that's not how it usually is, maybe this is a low-activity break. However, I see the normal burst of energy from a usual suspect. She and other people are laughing, with her screechy voice penetrating the air. They now begin to hug. Then start playfully punching each other. One girl asks me why I'm writing this and tells me not to put what they are doing in here. Haha. The two benches look so seperated. Abandoned bags are strewn everywhere. I sit on one of the benches. I realize that if you sit and just observe, you can see a whole bunch of other "groups" interacting thoughout the upper part of the quad. It may sound kinda creepy but it's like I'm a stealthy ninja or something. I feel like a pirate from a crow's nest. I see freshmen, one boy is playing the uke- I guess he's fairly decent but no Jake S.

I then move to the steps and observe where I just was moments ago. It looks the same, except everything is softer but I can still hear the same girl with her screechy laugh. From this view, I now see people's backs instead of their faces. Some are still eating although from here I can't see the food I just see the motion their arm makes taking the food from the plate to their mouth. A lot of people look so concentrated.

And that's all I wrote cause we had to go.

inventions

I have some problems that seem to plague me no matter what. Though they are small, unimportant, and stupid, they still irk me enough to dedicate an entire post about them! Whenever one of these things happen to me, I think, "wouldn't it be nice if someone invented something to save me from this hell?" So now, I will attempt to throw some ideas out there for the next new innovator.
The first issue I have is with traffic. Yeah yeah, mass transit and the whole rail system that is being dissected throughly will solve a little of the traffic problem we have here. But what I really hate is getting in the slow lane. Maybe it's because I'm a teenager. Maybe it's because I'm just impatient (probably goes hand in hand with being a teenager). But I'd like to get in the most effecient lane, thank you very much. It's supposed to be the outside lane, but does that always happen? No. So I go into the next lane that SEEMS like there are fewer cars, and that it's moving along quite nicely. But, nooooo, the traffic gods just want to see me suffer. So as soon as I change lanes the one I was formerly in miraculously becomes speedy and the cars fly by at a satisfactory rate. Meanwhile, the lane that I am currently in, the one that appeared to be effecient suddenly moves at a snail's pace. Am I bad luck?!?! This happens to me frequently. WHenever I seize the opportunity to change lanes in hopes of getting into the faster one, it always becomes slower. I guess I should just be more patient because the lanes I'm in tend to speed up eventually. But because I am a bit impatient, and I don't think that I'll change all that much in the near future, I propose to invent a device that indicates which lane is fastest. It senses the # of cars up ahead in each lane and if there are any SLOW CAUTIOUS SAFE DRIVERS THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE LIKE BUT MOST PEOPLE AREN'T and if there are any accidents and the average speed of each car in the lane. Some supercalculator that would be, huh.
The second invention I propose is a sensor that you can stick on to anything so you won't lose it. I don't know how many times this would come in handy in my life. It'll probably save my butt more times than I can count. For example, I currently do not know the location of my ID card. I need it for food. Where art thou, ID card? If I buy another one, it'll be my third of the year, meaning I would've spent a whopping $30 on something that shouldn't be lost in the first place. With my invention, a little sensor that comes with a tracking device, I'd never lose it again! It'd be like one of those dot things that the CIA secretly put on people to keep track of them. ANd then I'd have a small little screen like the size of a gameboy or something and I'd be able to find it. It would beep all crazy-like if I pushed the "seek item" button, and it'd be a little blinking dot on the screen yahhhhhhh! The screen would sense my location (using infared or some other sensor thing that I would put on myself) and I'd be able to see my position relative to the missing item. I really need this device. Desperately.
I realize, of course, that these inventions probably won't logically work, and even if they did, hardly anyone would buy them (except me). ON the other hand, technology is steadily advancing! But alas, I can dream that maybe one day my petty beefs with various events in life will vanish!

reminiscent

I've realized what a different person I've become. I know that everyone changes from the time they were 10 because of the obvious changing of environment and influences, but I remember thinking that I would never change. I was so adamant about staying the same that I would forcefully shake my head "no" when my mother asked me if I would like the color pink. Of course then, I surrounded myself with green and tried to as stay far away as possible from anything showing pink. Barbies were the enemy. Of course now, I happen to love pink, though I still have a fondness for green.
I recently found one of my old notebooks that contained my drawings of animals. I was an animal junkie in my early years. My favorite animal was atypical; instead of being a dog or a cat or a dolphin like other normal kids my age, I chose to take interest in the alligator. I remember telling an estranged relative the differences between an alligator and a crocodile. The sad thing is, I can't even remember them now aside from the fact that one usually resides in freshwater and the other saltwater. It had something to do with the arrangement of the jaw and teeth. The late Steve Irwin was my inspiration and I loved watching THE CROCODILE HUNTER. Ah, this is making me sad.
I saw my pictures of the alphabet, with each letter having a corresponding animal. For "I", I had an Ibis. I had forgotten what an Ibis was until I read my old notes. I realized how distant I've become from this animal junkie I used to be. Was I a weird kid? I feel like I was smarter back then. I remember collecting the autobon society guides to a plethora of mammals, fish, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates. I still have them in my bookshelf. I used to love insects. Now I find them disgusting. One look at a cockaroach and I'll be in the other room, yelling at somebody to kill it before it spreads diseases. One time, in my prime (age 11), I was at my uncle's house and I happened about a spider in the corner by a plant. I yelled, "It's a microthena spider eating ladybug larva!" This was, of course, because I had seen a picture of it in my autobon society guide! I don't even know what a microthena spider is now. I think it's the one that looks like it has spines. Another particular incident of my animal-lovingness stays with another one of my uncles, and probably will forever. I had developed an attachment to a particular species of waterbird, the Jacana and in my notebook I had drawn a picture of it in its natural habitat with a lily pad. Under it, I labeled "Jacana. It's kind of a waterbird." Of course I meant "it's a kind of waterbird", but me being 10 didn't know any better. My uncle read it and joked, "if it's only kind of a waterbird, what else is it?" He'll never let me live it down. He teases me to this day. Ah, nostalgia. I miss my pre-adolecent years, pre-high school and yes even middle-school dramas. Those years held some of my finest memories and now, when I'm loaded down with stress, looking back on them gives me temporary sanity. yay. refuge in nostalgia

WOW, n

n.
Let me tell you a story about that n. So I just wrote a VERY longish post about the 3 day weekend and its effects on my procrastination habits... until I was going to highlight a passage to delete when for some strange and infuriating reason, my entire blog was selected and as I reached for my mouse to un-highlight the whole thing, I accidently hit the stupid "n" key and now all I have left is an n. I have now also discovered that there is no "undo" with this blog. I can't edit, undo, or ctrl-Z if you want the shortcut. Thank you, technology. I am currently resisting the urge to scream and fervently pound the keyboard so instead I'll channel my energy to writing this blog. I think that I probably wouldn't be so angry except that I am in desperate need of writing more blogs. Finding out that tomorrow is F day, and that I have only written 1 blog for the cycle= very stressed out me. So PART OF WHAT I WAS SAYING IN MY BLOG BEFORE IT GOT ERASED was that 3 day weekends are bad for me. This particular weekend, I got absolutely nothing done. Acutally, "nothing" is all relative, but in an academical context I got nothing done. Oh my gosh, I said this much more smoothly and better in my OLD blog and now it's getting me even more pissed off. I think this was a bad idea, so I'll start writing about something else. Like this situation. Deleting a large passage without saving tends to happen to me a lot more than I think it should. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm clumsy and I hit random keys while passages are highlighted much too often. And now I shall curse my fat ponderous fingers though I have to say that they're not all that slow when I type. They aren't very accurate though. Maybe I should save every 5 words. Maybe I'm just incredibly unlucky. I remember this happening to me before in a paper and then I was going to write it from the point of view of my keyboard because it experienced some nasty abuse as I was quite enraged. But then I decided not to since it would make me look like a very bad-tempered, violent asian girl. And now it's too late. So approxmiately 25 minutes, and one NEW blog later (I could've had 2 blogs by now) I have still accomplished nothing. Except maybe releasing my anger without taking it out on the poor keyboard. Oh Em Gee.

The Booze Problem

In class with Mr. Kandell, we had a discussion about whether lowering the drinking age would actually prevent teens from abusing alcohol because they would learn to drink responsibly early. Katie mentioned that this would also support teens in a psychological way as well; when someone tells a teen to NOT do something, it makes them curious and more likely to do the very thing they were told not to do. If kids are allowed to do it, then they will learn EARLY if something bad happens to them, say a really bad hangover or they couldn't remember where they put their phone last night, rather than them finding out when they are 21 or sneaking around (as many high schoolers do now) pretending it's "so cool". They will remember what happens and learn what NOT to do for next time. I agree that lowering the drinking age to something like 17 or 18 would allow kids to experience it and find out the consequences themselves. Ideally, they would learn to be responsible and find their own limits and remember them for later verses suffering the unpleasant effects of "too much". Mr. Kandell brought up that lowering the age to something like 16 is stupid because people are just learning to drive at that time and we all know what happens when drinking and driving go hand in hand. I think that 18 is reasonable because teens are usually in senior year of high school or freshman year of college, a time where drinking can potentially dominate the social scene. Because this period in life is busy and highly important, learning how to balance alcohol in this pivotal stage would teach teens to be more responsible since they'd be forced to worry about other things as well.
I realize that my thinking is really only idealistc. The reality is that people can be pretty stupid. Giving them the responsiblity to know their own limits and to learn from their past experiences with alcohol can either start a revolution of awareness or backfire and lead to increased alcohol abuse. It's too much power to give. My thinking is this: if they like it, they'll keep doing it and as much as I would like to give people the benefit of the doubt, they'd probably binge or overdo it just cause they can. And because they love the "good times" they have when they're drunk. If they don't like it, some people (again, idealistically) might STOP because they now realize it can lead to potential chaos. However, a lot of people would also fall victim to peer pressure, and continue to do it if the other stupid people mentioned previously kept promoting its "coolness factor", even if they didn't care for it personally. An example of an already lower drinking age is Amsterdam. Amsterdam, or the "red light district" is just basically free in every way possible. There, people go crazy. There, people don't care about drinking responsibly. They don't make conscious efforts to know their limits when they're having fun. Some people go there just to do drugs and the like because... they can!
Right now, I think the drinking age is practically invalid since a lot of high schoolers party and drink. From what I've seen, most people actually LIKE it and keep doing it. And if they don't actually like it, well they at least pretend to like it because of their influential peers. If you think about it, most of the people who try drinking have a desire to have a "fun" time, thus they try alcohol because they believe it will make things fantabulous. They don't realize the consequences until they experience it personally. I don't know how much lowering the drinking age could solve the problem mainly because it has a higher risk of backfiring and leading to MORE abuse. There's too many "what ifs" to make this idea work.