The Rest of the 7.0%

A couple of days ago, my mom and I went to our local Dominick’s to pick up some snacks for school. We were surprised with the number of people that were waiting in line. The usual number of people at Dominick’s was almost doubled that day. Customers filled baskets, and some even filled carts. Apparently, Dominick’s is closing and announced their store closure sale. With almost everything 50% off, many people in the community took the closing as an opportunity to spend less money on essentials we could stack up on. My instinct was the same. I am guilty of this as well, but a lot people used the closing as an excuse to buy items they didn’t even need. Many customers were happy an excited about the great sale, but when I thought about the situation more, I realized that this closure was actually very bad for some people. Dominick’s is being replaced with Mariano’s in late December, and I thought about all the people that are losing their jobs because of this closing.

The article from the link above says “Dominick’s employee Teresa Torres, who has landed a job at Jewel-Osco, was out taking advantage of the sale Friday. Her cart was filled to the brim.” So what about the employees that don’t have a set job after Dominick’s closes? Do you think they’re happy shopping in the sale? The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in the U.S., 2009 had the greatest unemployment rate, averaging at around 9.5-10.0%. Since then, the unemployment rate in the U.S. has steadily decreased, and the unemployment rate during November of this year was 7.0%. It’s great that the unemployment rate is decreasing, but what about the rest of the 7.0% that is unemployed? How low do you think the unemployment can ever drop? Does America need a specific percentage of people to be unemployed?

Digging Deeper into History

Figure 1: A photo of the 400,000-year-old thigh bone.

Taken by Javier Trueba, Madrid Scientific Films

Scientists recently discovered a 400,000-year-old thigh bone in Spain that has brought up new questions of the origin of humans. A cave that scientists have discovered multiple fossils from called “Sima de los Huesos”, was where the fossil was found. It was assumed the DNA found in the bone would be related to the Neanderthals, but the DNA turned out to be similar to that of the Denisovans. Read more about the discovery by clicking on this link.

After reading about this article, I started to think about the world's history. Every day, scientists are putting forth their best efforts to make history a bit clearer: specifically in this case, uncovering the origin of humans. There will always be missing pieces to history, and I believe that many of our findings will not be completely accurate. So, why do people try to find answers to history, and how do we know if our knowledge of history is correct? I also wonder if our version of history is affected by personal interpretations. 

Leave your thoughts and comments below!

Changing School Cafeterias One Tray At A Time

Taken by Joshua Bright for The New York Times

Most school cafeterias use the standard white, plastic foam tray for students to put their meals on. When students grab their trays, they most likely don’t think about where their trays came from or their effect on other people.  Who knew that changing the type of tray a cafeteria uses would make such a difference?

On New York Times, a recent article from Michael Wines says that schools in the Miami-Dade County are starting to convert from plastic foam trays to sugarcane trays. These new trays are compostable and can be created into compost for farmers. Penny Parham, the administrative director of food and nutrition of Miami-Dade’s school district, says: “I want our money and resources for food going into children, not in garbage going to the landfill.” By having compostable trays, money will be saved in the long run. Six school districts are also trying to provide healthier food for the students. "Using recyclable plates or serving healthier chicken" says Eric Goldstein, chief executive of school support services in New York City, "sets an example that students may carry into adulthood. "

After reading this article, I started to think about the extra money: What will the money will be used for now? I also started to think about America school systems. What causes schools in America to make the decision to switch the type of lunch trays they use and other decisions like this one?  I assume that eventually most schools in the nation will also switch to compostable trays because of the amount of money saved. How does these types of decisions affect all the school systems in America?

The "Knockout Game"

On September 10^th of this year, Ralph Santiago, a homeless man, was walking in New Jersey and was suddenly struck by a group of teens. Santiago’s body fell onto a fence, killing him instantly. A month later in Pittsburgh, an English teacher named James Addlespurger was also punched by a different group of teens. Many other similar assaults have been caught on tape. What confused the police was that these attacks were “unprovoked”. Police are calling this series of events the “Knockout Game.” They do not know the cause of the assaults, but Chuck Williams, a youth violence expert, calls these actions “extreme aggression”. "That's America. America loves violence and so do our kids. We market violence to our children and we wonder why they're violent. It's because we are," says Williams. To read more about the “Knockout Game” click here.

            In my opinion I agree with Williams. I think that for many it is hard to accept that their favorite movies and t.v. shows are negatively influencing the youth in the United States. With that being said, why do certain teens take violence in the media to reality? I mean, most teens don't go killing other people after watching "The Hunger Games." So what sets them apart? Another question to think about: Why has America become so violent? Were there specific events, or is it just the nature of society? Most importantly, what steps can we take to stop these assaults and other situations regarding teen violence?

Candy Crush Saga

With 544 levels and easy access, “Candy Crush” has become a phenomenon this year. It has been downloaded more than 500 million times onto players’ phones. Consultant Think Gaming says that Candy crush makes about $875,000 per day (Petroff, CNN Money). Though the game itself is free, many people buy extra boosts to race through levels. Ask Your Target Market surveyed 1,000 players and realized the addiction of the game: 32% of players ignore friends and/or family members to play the game, 28% play during work, 10% got into arguments with their partners because of how long they played, and 30% considered themselves “addicted”. This article gives a couple of reasons why people find this game so addicting.

As a Candy Crush player, I acknowledge that the game is addicting, but after reading the TIME article, I thought back to how I discovered the game: the Internet. When Candy Crush just started gaining popularity, my newsfeed on Facebook said that many of my friends were playing the game. It was not long until I started downloading the app onto my IPhone.

Because Candy Crush is so widely known, more and more people get sucked into the game. When you think about it, games and trends become popular because of society. When mass groups of people use a certain product or discuss a certain topic, everyone is influenced. With modern day technology, trends spread across the nation, and that’s how change works in America. People all over the country influence others and exchange trends.

How do Americans become addicted to certain trends or products? What do the types of trends we follow say about American values? How does our means of influence and exchange affect other Americans?

"The Elephant in the Room"

In school, young children are always taught to accept others for their differences, as respect is a key lesson in schools around the nation. You would think that mature professionals would demonstrate this idea of respect, but they do the complete opposite. On a recent cover of TIME Magazine, the media publicly mocked Chris Christie for his weight. Chris Christie is the reelected Governor of New Jersey who has been receiving a lot of attention as a potential candidate in the 2016 Presidential Election. 

The magazine cover has Christie’s silhouette with the title “The Elephant in the Room.” TIME makes a pun about Christie’s Republican emblem, the elephant, as well as his weight. Many criticized TIME by calling the cover, a “cheap shot”. In response, TIME says: “the cover is a reference to the size of his influence, not his waistband.” To read more about Chris Christie and the TIME magazine cover, click here. 

I disagree with TIME's response. If the cover was purely to emphasize the greatness of Christie’s influence, the magazine could have used a different title that showed their clear intentions. Why are younger generations taught respect and equality when adults and the media demonstrate the opposite? 

Do you think the cover is offensive or harmless? What do you see as the message from the cover? Why are the values being taught in America not coherent with the actions of Americans?

Racist "Sum Ting Wong" Costume

Many people can unintentionally offend others with their Halloween costumes. For example, dressing up as a “Native American girl” can offend Native Americans by making a costume out of their stereotype. Being a “Native American” is so popular among girls because there is a cultural beauty behind the costume; they do not purposely try to offend the people. On the other hand, I was appalled by the extremely racist costumes that a few young men came up with this year. 

Three young men from Chicago dressed up as Korean flight attendants who died in the July Asiana Airlines crash this year. Not only did these men make a joke about the deaths of 3 people, but on their costumes, they used fake, offensive names of 4 pilots. Posted on their jackets were the names “Captain Sum Ting Wong,” “Ho Lee Fuk,” “Wi Tu Lo,” and “Bing Dang Ow.” They used these names from a KTVU report that many viewers saw as a rude, racist joke. Another man from Lake Tahoe, CA wore a similar costume with the same names. To read more about this, click here. 

Maybe these costumes offended me even more because I am Korean American, but I could not understand why these men would wear these costumes. I think that these men knew that they were going to get bashed on for being racist and for mocking the death of 4 people in a plane crash. Sadly, I think that there will always be some sort of discrimination in the world. I know that people make fun of Asians with small comments and such, and that's a reality that I already understand, but I find it rude how they blatantly made fun of Asians.

What are your thoughts on racism in the U.S.? What do you think were the intentions of these three young men? Is unintentional racism just as bad as intentional racism? What about racism in the mind vs. racism in public?

Commercial Craze

As I was watching t.v. today, a Diet Pepsi commercial with Sofia Vergara aired during the break. To watch the full commercial click here. Pepsi used specific elements to promote their product. The music and wedding scenario gives the commercial an upbeat vibe. Popular celebrity Sofia Vergara comes into the scene, already attracting viewers with her Spanish. During Vergara’s accidental wedding toast, her distraction to the Diet Pepsi creates humor for the viewers.  Vergara is wearing a blue, form fitting dress and bright red lipstick. With her white smile, the three colors recreate the Pepsi logo.

Pepsi and other companies spend a lot of money on t.v. and online commercials.

Kantar Media, a marketing research firm, says that the total money spent on t.v. ads increased 3% in 2012 and the total for video ads increased 27% percent. Companies are spending more money on advertising their products and services because there is constant competition. The music, setting, people, colors, and even small details are all considered to attract potential customers. In the commercial, Pepsi does not focus on the product itself. There is no detail of the taste or texture of the actual drink. Companies are using the commercial to sell this false emotion of feeling good when drinking Pepsi. Viewers may think "if Sofia Vergara loves it, it must taste great," or "she's pretty and popular; she knows what's in trend." Americans are being sold feelings and perceptions, not the truth.

Why do companies put attractive celebrities or actors? Fast or slow music? Specific scenarios? What kinds of emotions do they want Americans to feel when they watch their commercials? Are companies tricking us? What are your thoughts on this competition? How are Americans reacting to this commercial craze?

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

We’re in the heart of pumpkin season, and companies have gone “pumpkins”! I made a trip to the grocery store over the weekend and was overwhelmed by the number of pumpkin products in the store: spreads, candles, cookies, lotions, and more. Bruce Horovitz agrees that the pumpkin is “everywhere these days” and says that the “number of pumpkin offerings domestically jumped nearly 19% last year.” The taste and smell of pumpkins are great, but why are so many companies trying to come up with pumpkin flavored and scented products? 

2013 marks the 10th year anniversary of Starbucks’s Pumpkin Spice Latte. In the past 10 years, Starbucks has sold more than 20 million of these drinks, about 2 million annually. When Fall comes around, Americans spend around $80 million total on the latte per year. Micheline Maynard  says that Starbucks is evening trying to make a vegan friendly version because of so many requests from customers.

Because Starbucks has gained immense popularity and profit from this drink, other companies have tried to use pumpkin in their products. Starbucks’s Pumpkin Spice Latte fueled the popularity of pumpkins. Pumpkins have been in the U.S. since the 1500s, but why the popularity now (www.history.com)? I think that many Americans follow current trends. We're becoming nostalgic because we miss old customs and simplicities. Numerous trends from the past, like scrunchies and black and white clothing, have come back with periods of popularity. So what is happening?

Are Americans reminiscing on the past? Are we losing touch and just recycling ideas? Why are trends from the past coming back? Why do Americans follow trends at all? Have we all just gone “pumpkins”?