I just thought this was really...interesting.

So, I was reading some posts on TheOnion (because Mrs. Griffin recommended it.) It is HILARIOUS if you get the jokes. Anyway, I saw this and I just thought of what a "fail" the whole situation was:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/supreme-court-mistakenly-used-belgiums-constitutio,18861/

pleaaaaaaaaaaase click that ^

Controversy #5 Bruno Mars and Cocaine. Shocker? I know.

Controversy #5:

Bruno Mars and cocaine possession

Title of Article: Bruno Mars taking plea deal in Vegas cocaine case

http://new.music.yahoo.com/bruno-mars/news/bruno-mars-taking-plea-deal-in-vegas-cocaine-case--62005578

Author: PST

Date of Publication: January 28, 2011

Time Accessed: 10:22 PM

We were all led on by his beautiful mellifluous voice. We all sing his songs. We all love him. Similarly, were all cheated. Yes: cheated. Why did Bruno Mars have to ruin the fantasy he engendered in the minds of millions of female diehards? I’m sure we all shared the initial thoughts that generally held a strong sense of denial and rage at the very accusation that Mars would attempt such a change of heart. After reading and digesting the evidence and how Mars was caught with 2.6 grams of cocaine, I couldn’t avoid the rush of disappointment and the feeling of betrayal that lodged itself in my throat. It was stated in the article that Mars claimed that “he'd never used drugs before.” Yep, like the authorities haven’t heard that one before. That was a fabulous attempt to lighten the already burdensome problem you strapped on yourself Mars.

Although I am a fan of his music, I have to confess that the plea deal that he was given was too generous. Cocaine possession is a serious offense and letting a celebrity off with nothing but a slap on the wrist and a “don’t do that again” lecture makes me realize sadly at how our government has degraded throughout the years. The article stated quite nonchalantly. “Mars' real name is Peter Hernandez. Defense lawyers David Chesnoff and Blair Berk said that if he pays a $2,000 fine, performs 200 hours of community service, completes drug counseling and stays out of trouble for a year, no conviction will remain on his record. I was hurt that his name was another lie (even though that was naturally a given in the music industry); nonetheless, I still felt another wave of sorrow pierce my soul. Through all the evidence that proved that yes, Mars is an excellent manipulator of emotions; yes, Mars is an awesome artist; yes, Mars has resorted to drugs and a pansy plea deal, It all comes down to this: I strongly assert that there must’ve been something dreadfully wrong which forced Mars to resort to such demeaning actions, but further measures must be taken to assure the public that celebrities won’t be given leniency from the law because they’re U.S. citizens just like me. Moreover, correct me if I’m wrong, but I remember that “all men are created equal,” but that’s for another controversy.

Controversy #4

Hey guys, I know I know...

I have't been keeping up on the blogs recently due to an onslaught of tennis matches and marine awareness events, but I am here now to catch up.

Controversy #4:

Man fired for wearing Green Bay Packers Tie

Title of Article: “Chicago man wears Packers tie to work, is promptly fired”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Chicago-man-wears-Packers-tie-to-work-is-prompt?urn=nfl-311976

Author: MJD

Date of Publication: January 25, 2011

Time Accessed: 10:03 pm

Date Accessed: January 25, 2011

After reading and accessing the article I’ve read and watching the video that came with the article, I sat a moment to think over what I had just learned. One thing I was educated on in AP American Government is that the media is always biased. Where is the relevance between knowing that the media is biased and this man getting fired over wearing a Green Bay Packers tie? The article I read did not further supply its readers with more information regarding

John Stone (the man fired) and his background information. Even though the article almost lured me into its deceptive clutches, I knew better than to walk right into believing everything that the media says because, like I said: the media is always biased. After realizing that I had no idea what John Stone’s “work ethic” was, I had no right to ridiculously point fingers of who made a fault in judgment here. Maybe John Stone was already on the precipice of receiving that ineluctably horrific pink slip, or maybe the general manager of the car dealership, Jerry Roberts unjustly fired John Stone just because the dealership supported the rival of the Green Bay Packers, who, after some degree of research on my part, happen to be the Chicago Bears. Roberts boldly claims, “I don't feel that it was appropriate for him to go directly in contrast with an advertising campaign that we spent a lot of money on.” The question remains: was it just to fire a man because he was wearing a tie that your dealership disapproved of? I assert strongly that not enough information is given to justify any of my assertion fairly.

Controversy of the Week Essay #3: Teen pregnancy perpetuates D.C. poverty

                This article off The Washington Post entitled, “Teen pregnancy perpetuates D.C. poverty,” is an issue that we have all come to know very well. It is definitely a controversial issue placed in individuals, whether they be the pregnant teen, fathering teen, parent/parents of the teen, friends, etc. The idea strikes their families, including younger siblings, and their peers as well. This Washington Post article, in particular, has given the statistics of just one state in the nation, Washington, D.C.

                The post proclaims that teen pregnancy is a “one-way ticket to persistent poverty,” and that, “teen pregnancy… is a driving force behind the rolls of the District's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and…the origin of many of the children placed in the city's foster-care system.” The article reinstates that 17,000 families in the District are enrolled in TANF, and that over 50% of the TANF recipients had started their families when they were teens. It is clear that, because this unfortunate issue is so widespread, it is not only aimed to those in Washington, D.C. but also to those in nations around the world, especially in the U.S. Therefore, this article hits those everywhere who encounter the issue or who feel for those involved.

                Why get active on this controversy? Paragraph seven expands concern with more details, exposing that, in 2009, the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency served a total of 3, 841 abused, neglected, or abandoned children. Approximately 76%, 2, 903, of those children were born to teen parents or parents who’ve had previous children as teens. Executive Director of DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Brenda Rhodes Miller, extends the issue range and tells us that children in foster care are much more likely than other youth to be classified with an emotional or behavioral disorder and to be placed in special education programs.

                The article rightfully concludes that the poverty does not only take effect in terms of income, but also in unstable child development that hinders the lives of the boys and girls, and one example would be the structure of their homes and families. Miller’s last statement exclaims, “Spending money on the front end for high-quality programs and services that motivate young people to postpone pregnancy until they've gotten an education and grown up is a much smarter investment than trying to pick up the pieces on the back end.” Moreover, the country is losing this “back end”; the nation’s funding sources in deficit.

               

                In my opinion, teens are in dire need of being informed of the setbacks and consequences that are a result of teen pregnancy. In my home, as young as my younger siblings are, with the exception of me, the 16-year-old, we are constantly reminded that for as long as we are not going in the direction of completing our college education and stabilizing our lives, we are not to conduct or associate with such behavioral levels. As teens, we must really pay close attention to the well-to-do adults in our lives and the advice they give us. I have learned to always listen closely and reason with their statements because they are old enough to know and see the extensions to the young life we are seeing in “OUR” eyes with such a naïve scope. I’d take advantage of what they have to say until it’s my turn to face it all myself.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/07/AR2011010704249_2.html?nav=hcmoduletmv 


The Washington Post
by Colbert I. King
Published: Saturday, January 8, 2011