Equality

There is a new controversy on the new soda tax. Some people are fine with this tax because they know soda is bad, and it is something a lot of people do buy (that shouldn't) so it would help stimulate things, but is it right? Would we be better off taxing one cent on everything? It would be equal and would make it easier to get the money we "desperately" need. Is this the cost of success? The more you make and sell your product the more likely you will be taxed. Why can't we make thing equal between everything. There would be no product discrimination. Even though it does not benefit you or your health I still don't think soda should be ostracized into this tax group, everything should be.

Family

People make family an important part of your life, and that's great but I don't think most of the things they say are necessarily true so I don't really believe in family family family. They like to say family is blood, but everyone is technically blood and everyone is related in some way shape or form. Just because someone is more closely related to you doesn't mean they are better people, or are always going to be there for you. Friends and other people can be just as good as family. They make it seem that family are the first ones to love you, and give you unconditional love which isn't always true. Would you choose the people who raised you your whole life even though they aren't "blood" or your biological parents in the end? Others can care for you just as much or even more. I know so many people who have family that hurts them,and I don't understand why they would keep that connection with them and see them as anything if they get treated badly.

Now I'm not saying to dis own your family because they have taken care of you (if they have) since whenever, but this thing that people say about it just isn't always true. Just remember the people that have always been there for you and those who love you.

Are prisoners doomed to fail?

After prison is it societies fault that 60-70% of people go back to jail? Does prison provide a nice home for former inmates that make them return or does society make it so hard on released felons that make them resort to crime to survive? Does bad credit, inability to get a job/make a living, bad reputation, the ostracizing of former inmates, and change in lifestyle make it nearly impossible for people to stay clean? Maybe we need to focus on how to make prison more efficient because the statistics are shocking, this is also a lot of tax payer money going into this so if we were able to fix the prisons we would be paying less money for them and of course have less crime. The most profitable American industry is the privately run prison industry. That sounds a little weird to me as well.

According to www.ojp.usdoj.gov the Recidivism of Prisoners Released in 1994 was Released prisoners with the highest rearrest rates were robbers (70.2%), burglars (74.0%), larcenists (74.6%), motor vehicle thieves (78.8%), those in prison for possessing or selling stolen property (77.4%), and those in prison for possessing, using, or selling illegal weapons (70.2%).
Within 3 years, 2.5% of released rapists were arrested for another rape, and 1.2% of those who had served time for homicide were arrested for homicide.
The 272,111 offenders discharged in 1994 had accumulated 4.1 million arrest charges before their most recent imprisonment and another 744,000 charges within 3 years of release.

So do you think we need a better system? We can avoid so much, if only...

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/rpr94.htm

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa060702a.htm

and to see The Business of Correctional Facilities
http://thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/the-business-of-correctional

Is It Right?

It kind of came to me today. I thought about whether it's right or wrong or morally/ethically incorrect to defy an unjust law. For example we all know the story of Socrates, he was innocent for our laws, but he was corrupting the society by instilling all these ideas and defying the gods. In the end he chose to stay in jail when it was possible to escape and take the death sentence. They say his moral fiber was so strong he couldn't have left, but would he have been wrong to? Obviously the sentence was unjust, so would it have been okay for him to run from this?

Even though we must follow the rules and laws that pertain to where we live, should we always ethically follow them? Would it have been okay for any martyr to run from their death sentence because it was wrong? I guess if we always did we could never change what we feel is wrong and unjust? How do you feel?

Health & Shape

So I'm pretty sre you all know about your health and how in shape you are. You've robably heard everything I know so there's not really much to tell you about it. The thing is that it feels amazing. Even though it seem shallow, we do looks upon looks a lot, but you can't help it that's the main way we perceive. Shape is a good representation of your health for the most part. I like working out and just getting stronger, the looks are second. Now that I startedwith football I feel like I'm in real shape again. I haven't been like this since I was in boxing. Since we always want the hard things in life, I've always wanted abs,becasue I have been a little big. Now i finally feel like im my closest to it and that's my motivation for t, and to soon love everything we do and get past how hard it is. I can't wait til A.D. (active Dynamics) is a piece of cake. So right now I'm eating this chinese food like a beast, I got home a little bit ago from a long practice. I feel good, and want to get better. Do your thing be better, look better, and feel better.

Moving

Moving can suck if you really don't want to, but moving can be a great thing in your life. To move physically or mentally, it's all good. Last weekend I finally moved, and even though it's not as convenient as living in front of the school it's good. It's always good to move, or change. Moving on after a relationship, and letting go of something you really loved so it loses the control over you. Moving mountains, to go up against a situation, or obstacle, against all odds, something great and just push. Moving or changing for the better, you'll always have the memories, but sometimes you can't do more if you don't move. So move away from your safe zone, move away from what holds you back, move on, or just move and begin anew.

Streets On Fire

Streets on fire toniiiightt

I was listening to this song by Lupe Fiasco called Streets on Fire and it totally reminded me of the situation that I last blogged about. The general public is pretty dumb, vacuous and too credulous. Everyone begins to play the name game or have some sort of knowledge out of nowhere. It's funny how people come to conclusions with no proof and people believe it.

One part of the song goes "The poor say the rich have the cure The rich say the poor are the source Revolutionaries say it's psychological war Invented by the press Just to have something to report Some say the first case came from a maternity ward Some say a morgue, some say the skies, some say the floor Whores say the nuns, nuns say the whores And everybody is sure The scientists said it only infects the mind The little boy said it only infects the girls The Preacher man said it's gonna kill off the soul A bum said it's gonna kill the whole wide world"

This is exactly how people react. It's sad, maybe this has been you. Don't believe the hype. You know the swine flu actually originated in California, some scientist say. Truth is hard to find who knows. Here's a live performance of Streets on Fire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82ZuOjJqiLU