Beauty in a Jar

Beauty in a Jar…

women's looks are directly related to the psyche

beauty is a form of therapy

pleasurable activity

contributes to your self worth

too many attributes that don't relate

only stage actresses and prostitiutes would were make up

causlaties of cosmetics…lead and arsenic poisoning

extraordinary how much women endure to look beautiful

evolved views of beauty

an image of beauty for all to bow to

meshes the American dream

the pursuit of man played a women's weak inability to be themselves

images shown through movies

Transformed views of beauty

collision of desire and propagation

freedom of choice created by advertising

empowering, bonding

fun and exploitive

mirage of beauty atop an unattainable peak

billion dollar industry

stupidity

fuck your make-up

and that beauty in the jar

http://www.orchardfilms.com/beautydetail.htm

Death Penalty

So for the majority of my life I have been against the death penalty, but my opinion has recently put on the fence. While I still feel that it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, a recent reading of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Social Contract," displayed some interesting points.

First, it was my opinion that every citizen of the world, regardless of nationhood, bears the right to life. That statement is still true and has not been altered by my findings. The key alteration of thought with my own beliefs, is what constitutes an active or virtuous citizen. While I still think that a lifetime of incarceration is a reasonable punishment for crimes that our judiciary system deems eligible for death

Rousseau's "Social Contract" speaks on the social agreement we have all made with our societies, governments, and overall humanity from a political stand point. By joining, remaining, contributing and participating in modern society and government, we have all made an implied agreement with whatever governing body to obey it's laws and work towards the common good.

On death, and the act of having your life taken from you, Rousseau reinforces that no citizen of a city, state, country or even of the world has the right to take another's life without it being deemed necessary for self preservation. He then goes to state that "it is in order that we may not fall victims to an assassin," further engraving the notion of the individual's right to life. But in the same sentence, he continues to say, "that we consent to die if we ourselves turn assassins." Initially I did not agree with the second part of that statement. But as I continued on with the "Social Contract", I began to second guess my original thoughts.

Regardless of citizenship or nationhood, we have all agreed to laws and customs within our respective societies. By remaining, contributing, and participating in society, we must continue to abide by the laws set forth by the governing body. Failure to do so, regardless of the severity of the crimes, immediately breaks the social contract we all have with our nation or society and should be punished accordingly. Rousseau claims that "every malefactor, by attacking social rights, becomes on forfeit a rebel and a traitor to his country;" he continues his claim by stating that "by violating it's it's laws he ceases to be a member of it; he even makes war upon it." While that may seem harsh, I do see some validity within the statement. One cannot commit a theft or murder or rape without ignoring the laws set forth, not only by government but by nature. Breaking laws and customs directly challenges the power and rules a government or society has been given by a mutual agreement of it's citizens. Therefore the violator is not only challenging the laws set by the governing body, but also challenging or threatening the citizens themselves.

The laws of a society have been put into place in order to achieve the greatest good of that society. Going against them hinders a society's goal of achieving the greatest good for all of it's citizens. No single man has the right to take away another man's natural rights. In order to keep with the preservation of the society, through trial and judgement, criminals must be punished as enemies of war and have their civic rights stricken. This must be done because as Rousseau states, "the preservation of the state is inconsistent with his own... In putting the guilty to death, we slay not so much the citizen as an enemy." The term enemy is used as the assassin is directly challenging the authority of the state or nation and acting in a manner that will not achieve a greater good.

Violators of the social contract may be exiled to prison, but when there is a continued danger emanating from the violator, shall face the death penalty. According to Rousseau, "the state has no right to put to death, even for the sake of example, any one whom it can leave alive without danger." That statement is valid, but still lends itself to the allowance of executing the death penalty.

While I agree with his notion of the social contract and abiding by it, I still cannot agree whole hearted with his use of death penalty. I'm sure that if someone close to me was murdered I would want the culprit to see the same fate he laid upon the victim. But my personal feelings and emotions are just that, personal and private. They do not always agree with that of the greater good or advancement of the society. There are definitely instances where I feel the death penalty should be executed justly and swiftly, as in the case of serial killers, or chronic pedophiles, neither of which deserve any rights including the one to live. But in the preservation of society and the advancement of it's citizens, allowing the governing body to take away one's god given right to live is something I cannot say I agree or disagree with. I do however feel that exile from society(jail) and stripping of a felon's rights within that society is not only a reasonable punishment, but one that shows compassion for the victims as our rights are something that virtuous citizens not only relish, but we also fight for in order to protect. Stripping one of these civic rights, in my eyes seems punishment enough. And doing so, also shows compassion for the violator by showing respect of life and not taking that right away from them.

The social contact we have all agreed on, is subject to change and variation. Severity of violations as well as future danger towards the greater good need to be taken into account when citizens under this compact are found to be in violation of it's rules or laws. And the death penalty should only be executed, as Rousseau stated, when there is a future threat of danger to a society, it's citizens, and it's greatest good.

Our role as citizens is to be as virtuous as possible in order the continue the preservation and advancement of our society. We must put aside personal opinion and emotion and abide by morals, laws, and customs within our society. We also have the luxury of being a part of a society that allows for input from its citizens in order to set morals, laws, and customs that will align with the greater good of the community at large. The values and interests of a society's citizens must be upheld by citizens and immigrants alike. And as a modern and compassionate society, this can be attained, in my opinion, without use of the death penalty, except for in the most severe instances.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract can be found at:

http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon_02.htm

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Old Poems/Verses

Take Flight

THE ONE YOU WANT WILL PASS YOU BY

THE ONE YOU NEED WILL COME AND FLY

SO GRAB A NIGGA TIGHT WHEN IM BY YOUR SIDE

BEFORE I TAKE OFF AND THE LIMITS THE SKY

I'LL REMEMBER HOW YOU WEREN'T AROUND

AND DISMISS YOU WHEN I VISIT THE GROUND

Love&Appreciate

I just wanna love & appreciate,

when I think I don’t hesitate,

to see there's a better way,

me and you together....man that'll be the day,

holdin' hand while we walk,

only smiles while we talk.

but relationships, always written in chalk

never set in stone,

thought I’d always be alone

when the rain comes, GONE

and when it leaves we'll be DONE

unless you got the character,

to wait through stormy weather

then we may remain together

and I love the fact that you don’t play

and appreciate that you mean

exactly what you say

don’t need fables or tales

like them other females

straight dealing wit that, put me through hell

but now I’m doin well--wait, no great

cuz you allow me to love & appreciate.

Poison Darts

SEE THE FIRST TIME I OPENED UP

SHOWED A LIL SHORTY LOVE

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT IT WASN'T WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS

SHE SHOT AT ME TWICE

BUT THE ARROWS COULDN'T TEAR US UP

KEPT IT HOW IT FALSELY WAS

MY HEART WAS TO THE BRIM WITH THE LIES SHE HAD FILLED UP

WE MADE PLANS,

QUICKLY FORGETTING THE PAST

THE FUTURE WAS LOOKIN BRIGHT

THOUGHT I'D ALWAYS BE HER MAN

BUT THEN IT GOT A LIL THICK

WE STARTED GOIN THROUGH SOME SHIT

AND WHEN IT ALL FALLS DOWN

LIKE ALL THE REST, WE HAD TO SPLIT

NOW SEE THERE'S PLENTY OTHA FISHES

HAD IT WITH THE YOUNGA SISTAS

HAD IT IN MY HEAD THAT ALL WOMEN ARE BITCHES

BUT I QUICKLY BITE MY TOUNGE

CUZ A NIGGA STILL YOUNG

GOT LOTS OF THINGS TO SEE

AND EVEN MORE WOMEN TO MEET........

Truth

from the last few, you can tell what’s on my mind

Hip Hop and true love is what i'm tryin to find

now I see when I once was blind

for me, you need more than a nice behind.

I'm lookin for the truth

in my heart and in that booth,

spreading good intentions,

through life's every dimension.

hittin every corner of this fucked up world

I just want a woman not a fucked up girl

you can miss me with the bullshit

if you keep it up I got to quit

hit a 180°, and throw up the two, then split.

cuz if you ain't bout the truth then we just won’t fit.

12.5.2009

Pilot Group Joins FAA in Battle

The Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association has joined the FAA in a battle with the city of Santa Monica.

In 2008, the city of Santa Monica issued a city ordinance that banned certain jets from its airport. Jets classified as either C or D class jets can no longer use the Santa Monica Airport. Such jets include the Gulfstream and Citation Jets. The ordinance came after fears that a jet may overshoot the runway and crash into residents that live just 300 feet from the runway.

In July 2009, the FAA said that the city has no authority to ban the jets from the airport. The city quickly filed an appeal on Sept. 4. The case is before the United States Court of Appeals and is set to begin in January 2010 with a decision to be made later that year.

The AOPA looks to add a little muscle to the fight with it membership being more than 400,000 strong. “AOPA will bring a national perspective to this most critical issue," said Bill Dunn, the AOPA vice president of local airport advocacy, "The outcome of this case could affect every publicly funded airport in the United States.

Citizen Involved

Mark McLellan, a Santa Monica Resident, was given the Citizen Involvement Award by the Santa Monica police department this past week. The SMPD decided that McLellan was more than worthy of the award after he stopped a bicycle theft in progess over the summer.

McLellan noticed a man leaving his apartment complex early on June 29. This man was not someone McLellan recognized, but the bike the man was walking away with, did ring a bell. The bike belonged to a neighbor of McLellan’s, and upon noticing he jumped into action. First confronting the man, the chasing him down the street and makin a citizen’s arrest while he waited for police to arrive.

SMPD Chief Tim Jackman called McLellan an asset to the community and then added that his “involvement reflects the highest level of citizen participation thereby making the City of Santa Monica a safer place to live.”

Parents Lend a Hand, and an Ear

The Santa Monica and Malibu Unified School district and Parent teacher Association is more than happy to get some help. Last year they implemented a program called the Parent Resource Network. This Network is for parents of special need children within the district.

The program, which calls for two volunteers per school, gives parents access to other parents, that may be more involved or more experienced with special needs children and their education.

Since the program began in 2008, parents have been able to aide each other and share stories and tips regarding their children. Christy Hobart, co-chair of the PTA Councils Special Education Committee, said that before it seemed as if the district wanted to keep parents away from each other. Hobart is a mother of a special needs child, when asked about the new program she said, “They didn't want us talking to one another, sharing stories and tips and advice but it's a new day in the district and I couldn't be happier.”

Currently there are 25 volunteers in the program, with the numbers expected to expand. The plans for the program call for two volunteers at each of the 17 schools in the district.

All of the schools are expected to have a Parent resource Network by the next school year. “Schools can be daunting and people don't understand how it works and may be intimidated," Superintendent Tim Cuneo said. "This is a way for them to have that connection to help them out.”

11.21.2009

Suspects In Stabbing Plead Guilty

On September 25, around 9:45 p.m., a 17-year-old Inglewood resident was stabbed after a Santa Monica High School home football game.

On November 2, suspects Christopher Diaz and Kenneth Jones agreed to a plea bargain with the Santa Monica District Attorney’s Office. The charges agreed upon were misdemeanor battery as well as promoting a Street Gang. They were later sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years probabtion.

The two suspects were originally booked on attempted murder but the charges were reduced based on the plea araingments.

The stabbing took place just after Santa Monica High’s victory over rival Venice High at Santa Monica College’s Corsair Field.

Director’s Showcase at Santa Monica Library

The Santa Monica Library will be hosting a live theatre showcase today at 2 p.m. The Showcase will have four directors; Edward Edwards, Misti Barnes, Nancy Charles, and Louis Yansen.

Each will direct live scenes of approximately ten minutes in length. After all of the scenes are completed, the directors will take part in a Q&A session with the audience.

This even is free to the public and tickets will be made available at 1 p.m. nut will be distributed on a first come first serve basis.

Possible Ban on Smoking: In Your Own Home

Residents of Santa Monica may one day need to leave heir own house, just to have a smoke.

Rent Control Board Member Robert Kronovet, is going to sponsor a ban on smoking in all apartments in Santa Monica. The plan is to ban smoking in all apartments that share a common wall or ceiling with a neighboring apartment. This ban would also extend to any patios or balconies.

There is already a ban on smoking in common areas of apartment building. Many residents have reached out to the board in order to expand the ban to include actual individual apartments. Kronovet said, “in a nutshell, smoking in a multi family units has become in many people’s view a health issue.”

Kronovet hopes that the bard will adopt this ordinance during a Dec. 3 meeting. Hoping that the talks will lead to a new ordinance and regulations that at least cover mutli-family units.

11.14.2009

Film Festival Hits Dowtown

Today from 11 a.m. until midnight, downtown Santa Monica will host its annual Santa Monica Film Festival. The Ocean Avenue Screening Room will host entries from filmmakers, both local and international, in a competition that will have Feature Film, Documentary, and Short film Categories.

Henrietta Roe, the festival organizer, said that the day is going to be “picturesque and intimate.”

With efforts to promote new films and filmmakers to the movie industry and locals, a breakfast meant for networking and introductions will be held at 11 a.m.

One local entry, entitled “Work to Surf,” is a documentary about former Z-boy Sarlo during his days as a local skateboarder and surfer in the 1970’s.

There will be an award ceremony and VIP party that will begin around 9 p.m.

Woman Gives Birth in Laundromat

Patrons at the Clean People Coin Less Laundry, were in for quite a surprise Friday afternoon.

Just minutes after returning from UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, expecting mother Nancy Jimenez began to feel ill. Nancy had just returned from seeing her doctor at UCLA regarding her pending child birth procedures.

Nancy came to the Laundromat to visit her cousin, Rosalva Jimenez who is employed in the Laundromat’s fluff and fold section. Shortly after complaining to her cousin, Nancy entered the bathroom and began to scream. Rosalva jumped into action, first seeing what was the matter with Nancy. After realizing that Nancy was in fact going into labor, Rosalva gathered some towels and called 911.

While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, Rosalva delivered a healthy baby boy around 1:30 p.m.

The mother and child were taken to UCLA medical center and are both in good health.

Get Your Kicks on the Pier

Wednesday November 11^th, marked the 83^rd anniversary of the historic Route 66. It also was the day, that the Santa Monica Pier became the official end point of the historic highway.

Route 66, the historic route from Chicago to Los Angeles, has unofficially ended at the Santa Monica pier for some time now, as the route ended at Santa Monica and Ocean Ave. Some believe that the history behind this, stems from a Highway sign put up as a movie prop. The original sign vanished about 50 years ago, but is now replaced by an official sign put up by the Route 66 Alliance.

On Wednesday there were 66 vintage cars and motorcycles in a procession that began on Lincoln and Santa Monica, and ended at Santa Monica and Ocean.

The Route 66 Alliance, an organization that works to preserve and promote the highway, has been working closely with the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corp., in order to make this possible.

11.7.09

Making it in Tough Times

With unemployment at an all time high of 10 percent nationally, one organization is working to lower that number.

Chrysalis, a non-profit organization, is helping the homeless and economically challenged find jobs. The office located in Santa Monica has seen an increase of 40 percent over the last year. With the tough economic times, and the rise in unemployment, Chrysalis has been seeing a different type of customer recently.

While the homeless and economically disadvantaged are still their primary customers, Chrysalis has seen an influx of customers who have either been recently laid off, or are under employed.

The customers they aide are not the only victims of the economy though. Donations to the organization have dropped, showing that the economic troubles are wide spread.

Chrysalis will be holding a fundraising dinner at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel on Tuesday, November 10^th.

Pico Man shot in ‘Brazen’ Attack

Residents of the Pico Neighborhood were shocked by the public and brazen attack that left one of its residents dead Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, November 3^rd, 20-year-old Richard Juarez was gunned down in an apparently gang related incident.

While leaving the Virginia Park Teen Center, Juarez and two of his friends were approached by two men. After a short exchange of words, one man opened fire on the group, but only hitting Juarez. Santa Monica Fire Department responded to the call but Juarez was pronounced dead on arrival.

The victim’s uncle, Frank Juarez, said that Richard was leaving an art class at the park when the incident occurred. He also went on to say that, “Richard liked people, and people liked him.” He also went on to say that while the police believe it may be gang related, Juarez’s family says that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Four suspects were arrested immediately following the attack. Patrick Birdsong, 18 of Los Angeles, Norman Cole, 33 of Los Angeles, Sean Mermer, 29 of Lancaster, and an African American juvenile were arrested by Santa Monica PD just minutes after the attack. Birdsong, the primary suspect, has had his bail set at 1.05 million dollars.

Tree People Bring the Cool

A non-profit organization, Tree People, was on campus Friday at Grant Elementary in Santa Monica planting trees in the children’s playground.

Kindergarteners and parents planted Australian Willows in a portion of the playground that as a whole has been undergoing renovations starting in 2008.

Originally, there were plans to add artificial shade to the playground, but when estimates for cost came back way over budget, the school scrapped those plans. But soon after, Kindergarten parent Jessica Luck, contacted the Tree People.

Luck had been working with the organization and was familiar with their work. The Tree People came to Grant Elementary in order to do more than plant some trees to provide shade. They also mean to educate the children. Not only did the children learn how to plant a tree, they also learned their environmental importance.

The Tree People have made Grant Elementary a little bit cooler, while helping the environment and educating students.