People always have something to say about who they are and why they dress how they dress. In reality most people are superficial, afraid if they change their style they would be considered as “transformers” but the truth of the matter is It’s you ; wear what you want, , be yourself

Tip of the hat

To those who care but not enough to be influenced by others. To those whose dress be they want to express, want to look nice, decent, not because of others but for their own interest. Even if you’re into fashion

Wag of the finger

Posers.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnhIIGfOw4A[/youtube]

The world is extremely diverse, there is so much to be apart of but what exactly makes individuals different and unique; culture. Before this assignment, I didn’t really think about belonging to a certain culture, or realized the way in which we live life. Sometimes I feel that I have no say in what my culture has become to be it just happened. It’s the way my parents have taught me to be, a lifestyle that I have become accustomed to.  Regardless of this I have to admit that the culture I’m part of is very interesting and full of surprises. I see my culture more of a mixture of background, tradition, and values.  I believe these are the3 most important aspects of my culture.  My parents have come from different parts of the world; therefore my culture isn’t as strict as others.  My family does relate more to the Mexican Culture rather than the Central American culture.  Our traditions include Easter, , Christmas, and Thanksgiving and many other Catholic traditions.  We are used to the art, music, food, and religion of these parts of the world.  If I were to leave I would truly miss all of this since I’m used to it but that doesn’t mean I’m not up to trying new things.

So as I’m talking about the culture, I think I have described my family’s culture rather than my own identity of my own culture. Sometimes I really ask myself, “DO we really have to identity ourselves to a certain type of culture? Isn’t this just another label? I tend to think that culture is another excuse to label certain groups. It is a label that identifies a person and makes a group look alike, what ever happened to being unique and just enjoying anything without being judged or classified to a certain category.

Recently the weather has been changing rapidly. In the mornings it can be real cold, and in some days the temperature in the afternoon can get real warm.

So i started to wonder if this has any affect to your health and this is what i found out. Read the rest of this entry »

The City of Los Angeles, didn’t even know where to find money from, or who to take money from until last Tuesday.  According to the Los Angeles Times, there are 4 million people in the city of Los Angeles and who knows how many dogs there are? They mention that dogs don’t pay, about 120,000 are licensed and many are not.

Dogs don’t make money. But the City Council is betting that going after their owners for license fees will help fill L.A.’s cash-starved coffers.

A license for a sterilized dog costs $15. An owner with an unaltered dog has to pay $100 — plus possibly $120 more for the breeder’s license technically required for unaltered dogs. (There are exemptions for some canines, including service dogs.)

If, as council President Eric Garcetti contends, roughly two-thirds of the city’s dogs are not licensed, that could mean at least an additional $3.6 million in fees even if all those scofflaw dog owners paid only the lowest license fee.

On Tuesday, the council unanimously approved a motion to have the Department of Animal Services coordinate with the Department of Water and Power, which keeps a handy database from its meter readers of residences with dogs.

The task of locating unlicensed dogs falls to eight full-time canvassers for the Department of Animal Services, who roam the city looking for canines with no licenses or expired licenses and handing out information on spaying and neutering.

Overall I think this is very unfair! Taking it out on families with pets.

What did they ever do, they act like dogs don’t cost anything, what about food? Toys? Shampoo? Tick & flee Medicine, Vets bill?

Everyone’s having a hard time already as it is, and to add another bill to the table is just unfair. Yeah, to some money comes easily but to others it doesn’t.

I got really angry once I heard about all this. Can’t they tax cigarette buyers or something else? They are just going to refuse to have pets and more dogs are going to end up in the pound.  Overpopulated dog pounds are next, and to then they’re going to get to the extent of putting them to sleep. Not a pretty scenario.

What is Los Angeles turning into? Are we going to tax every new-born now?

 

RHS may have to enforce school uniforms as in Hollenbeck Middle School

“Since my junior year, Roosevelt has been saying that we were going to get uniforms,” said Ms. Camacho, Design Team 6 Math teacher.

Prate has been rambling between Riders frantically talking about whether RHS will be changing the dress code for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year.

A final decision has not been made whether or not Roosevelt will implement school uniforms, but the idea doesn’t seem to appeal too many students. Yesenia Lozano 11 Design Team 6 is displeased at the thought, “We went out of middle school, thinking that we don’t have to wear uniforms anymore and it’s disappointing to know that I might have to start wearing them again in my senior year.”

Several of RHS students presume they are being disciplined with wearing uniforms because Roosevelt is a low performing public school. Presenting Lozano with a possible reason for uniforms, she was quick to react in daze, “Uniforms don’t magically make students proficient in academics, and the school shouldn’t base it on clothing.”

It’s lucid that there are numerous of controversial thoughts and opinions at Roosevelt dealing with the topic but Dr. Freire does not seem distressed. As principal of Theodore Roosevelt High, Dr. Freire articulates her opinion on the matter, “I personally love uniforms but I think that we have so many other things to focus on…My priority right now isn’t to monitor what kids are wearing.”

Nevertheless, Dr. Freire attempts to reach faculty, staff, parents and students on any updates regarding school uniforms through weekly letters. She has exclusively given RHS a preview of her upcoming weekly letter, addressing concerns for school uniforms, “The implementing of school uniforms isn’t directly associated to the small school transition. The mandate of student uniforms comes from the PLAS “Six Pillars of School Excellence” which the primary document was given to teachers and parents before the vote to approve PLAS to oversee Roosevelt High School. The implementing of student uniforms was in the essence approved by virtue that faculty and parents overwhelming voted for approval of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools (PLAS) and the Six Pillars.” PLAS overviews 12 schools and Roosevelt so happens to be the only one not implementing school uniforms.

Though aware that students at Roosevelt have opinions, thoughts and voice Dr. Freire argues that many students are minors and it is the parents that speak for their kids and in the case of voting for uniforms, many parents favor it.

Dr. Freire states that enforcing school uniforms will help with school safety, “You have no idea how many trespassers come in to our campus, intruders will be easier to identify, and inflicting uniforms has nothing to do with test scores.”

Mr. Brown Design Team  Drawing teacher believes uniforms can be a positive thing for a couple of reasons, “Fashion will be less of a distraction. Students will be more focused on school instead of what they will be wearing the next day to school. It can eliminate the pressure on students to constantly be self-conscious about them and avoid students being looked down on because they can’t afford ‘nice’ things.”

The teachers aren’t getting away with freedom of wear, Dr. Freire was clear to mention that if students wear uniforms the teachers will have to wear them as well, “Teachers are the example, I try to set the model especially for the girls at school to demonstrate when it’s appropriate and adequate to dress for a certain time and place.”

Things are not apparent as to whether RHS will implement uniforms but the talk is raging.

Video removed* (see end for explanation)

A group of Roosevelt students have recently published a video on Facebook entitled “Roosevelt Rough Riders Against PLAS”. These students, including ASB President Jenesis Fonseca criticize the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools for excluding students and parents from decisions and for planning to divide the campus into seven small schools.

The video was posted by Miguel Torres, who is listed as RHS Class of 1991 and runs a company called Angel Flight Media.

Several of the students featured in the video have been present at recent Small Schools Transition Team meetings and are also members of the Leadership class. Without further inquiry, it is unclear whether this video has any relationship to that class.

I hope to see more of an explanation of the video by the students who made it, including their goals in publishing it. I also hope to see a response from PLAS.

To editorialize a bit, I think it is positive that students are feeling empowered and are putting their viewpoint out in public. Although I disagree with some of their points about small schools and feel that some of their speculation is a bit alarmist, including the idea that small schools will destroy Roosevelt’s tradition, I understand why they feel shut out of the reform process.

Hopefully the students will continue to learn about the potential benefits of the changes being planned for Roosevelt. Their perspectives are valuable, but I would like to see them have more positive ideas about what kinds of changes they would like to see, because we should all acknowledge that Roosevelt needs to change to get better results.

*Explanation of removal of video
When I posted the video I felt it was newsworthy and would be of interest to the Roosevelt community. However, upon further investigation of the law surrounding defamation, I have decided that since I have serious doubts about the truth of a statement in the video that could be defamatory, it is best for the Rough Rider Blog not to publish the actual video. Defamation is defined as when someone communicates “false information that damages the reputation of another person or entity.” I have also removed the link after reading further that linking to defamatory content also constitutes libel.

I take pride in my school and I am thankful that I can attend such a school that I can call my second home. When I came to Roosevelt, I knew I would be coming to a place that is filled with family, tradition, and history, a place that is loved by the community. But sadly Roosevelt is also known for its low graduation rate, low test scores, and its gang-related activity. Because of this, a non-profit organization known as PLAS, which is sponsored by the Mayor, came to Roosevelt to convince parents and teachers that Roosevelt would be better off as a Partnership school, making promises that would ensure a better education for students and more money for our school. But after talking with parents and teachers, it has come to my attention that the Partnership hasn’t fulfilled their promises and has only continued to make changes that have only upset many students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

The Partnership’s intentions may be understandable and I’m grateful that they want to help out our school, but may I remind everyone that this is our education, not theirs. Students, including myself, are upset with the fact that our voices are not being heard. We are upset with the fact that it seems as if we have no say in what’s going on in our school. And I know people will argue with me and say that students are invited to meetings to share their questions and concerns. But the truth is that we are only invited to these meetings to make it seem as if we are being heard. After attending a few meetings, I’ve seen firsthand how students, parents, and others who are concerned, just get brushed off and though they are allowed to talk during the meetings and express how they feel, none of their questions ever really get answered. I see no point in having these meetings in which people simply argue and debate about issues when we never find any solutions.

The Partnership and the administration that support them cannot expect students or parents to just abide by something we have no faith in. And I know people say that change is always good, but the truth is that too big of a change given in a short extent of time isn’t always for the better. And if the Partnership’s plan doesn’t work out, it will ruin the lives and the education of our current and incoming students, while the Partnership will simply move on and continue to turn other schools upside down.

It just doesn’t seem right to me that the Partnership comes here to our school and risks our education just so that we can be part of some experiment. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t sign up to be some guinea pig. The students along with parents, teachers, and alumni have to work together to demand the proper change needed in our school, because we have to face the fact that the Partnership is not improving our education the best way they can. And the only way we will be able to receive the education that we deserve is to stand up and show that we have the right to take part in the decisions that involve our school and our education.

Recently for my economics class, I had to research companies who use sweatshops and child labor to produce their product. I also had to write a letter to the C.E.O of the company. I ended up choosing Nike as the company I would research. Here’s what I found out and this is my letter.

“Dear Mark G. Parker (President of Nike),

As a consumer of your product, and simply as a guy who likes your iconic high-top sneakers, it troubles me to hear that the most profitable shoe company in the world treats its employees with no respect what so ever. Foremost, my name is Joe* (name has been changed). I reside in Los Angeles and constantly see other teenagers wearing your shoes, and I see countless advertisements on television, all attempting to market your product and make it seem appealing to the public. But behind every sneaker, there is poverty, pain, and abuse. What’s more amiss is that you allow this mistreatment to continue within your company and you fail to recognize it, almost attempt to hide it

You are worth 5 billion dollars, all dirty dollars. Money comes and goes, but your identity follows you everywhere. And while you’re probably aware about what I’m about to note, I am going to reference this anyways. Did you know that your employees are forced to work overtime, but most choose to work overtime because that is the only way for them to obtain a sufficient wage. Indirectly, you are forcing your employees to work day and night, just so they can survive. While it cost five dollars to make a shoe, you retail it for over 100 dollars.

But who exactly produces your shoes? People in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam do. Do they work in factories? Are they treated well? No! You hire individuals not as employees, but to some extent as your slaves who work in sweatshops and work with hazardous material. Not only do you not pay them enough, but you endanger their lives every single day. Employees are forced to work 20 hours a day sometimes, and are unable to function. Some faint while in the assembly line, most suffer from malnutrition, yet you fail to better the working conditions or provide medical treatment.

In Vietnam there have been reports of physical and sexual abuse. And when reports are made, the sweatshop suddenly disappears. Evidently, you fail to recognize that there is a problem. Furthermore, to some degree you consciously acknowledge that the way you treat your workers is wrong and malicious. Most of your employees are unable to speak out against these unjust working conditions because you purposely go to countries where the government fails to enforce the laws, one of them being minimum wage laws. Your intensions are amiss, you lack moral fiber. What can kind of leader are you?

Perhaps you chose to do nothing because your consumers remain silent; however I am sure that most of your consumers are unaware of how you truly run your corporation. Although you spend $978 million dollars on empowering women and the inner-city youth, I ask you this: are you truly making a positive change in the world? Is making children work a good quality? Workers do need jobs, and because they are your employees and manufacture your products they also deserve a sense of respect and loyalty from you. While it’s illegal for employees to form unions, you have the power to change that. Give your employees a voice!

Your workers are not animals and definitely not slaves. Like you and me, they are humans and therefore deserve rights. I am not asking you to stop producing your product, but I am asking that you truly reconsider the way that you’ve been treating children, women, and men. I know a man of your caliber wants more, and you should demand more from yourself. In 2004, you requested that supervisors inspect Nike sweatshops, and that they evaluate them. I do commend you for that. Again, I am not trying to attack you or demean your character; however one issue you did not address is an increase in wage. Because your company is extremely profitable, you can afford to double the wages of your employees without increasing the retail price of your products.

As the President of Nike, I urge you to end the abuse within your company, put a stop to child labor, and raise the wage of your employees. Not only will you change your company, but you can become an example for others who abuse of their employees. As your logo says, “Just do it.” You are a leader, and in no way am I asking you to step down, what I ask from you is to step up.”

To do something about this, check out: TeamSweat

On November 25, 2009 the time had come for the community of East Los Angeles for a new and vital transportation link to bring a new epoch of access. The Metro Gold line arrived at East LA, completing eight new stations serving diverse LA neighborhoods. The extension of the Metro Gold Line was an eagerly awaiting period for many people.

Discouragement is in the air now to whether the East Side Metro is really safe after all for people and children. So was it worth it all in the end to spend $898 million on the new East Side Metro Gold Line? Is the East Side Metro Gold Line really as safe as MTA Chief Executive Art Leahy said “he believes the line will be safe when it opens”?

In an interview with the LA Times Gloria Molina, member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the current chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said “I don’t know that it’s safe. They’re telling me that it’s safe. . . . Everything has been an excuse. Everything…”

Gloria Molina has represented the Eastside for almost two decades, playing a major role in bringing rail service to the area, where she said “East L.A. and Boyle Heights are a largely working-class immigrant population that relies heavily on mass transit.”

But Molina is disappointed at the decision of how the structure came to a conclusion, that only a portion of the line is underground and majority of the route is above ground.“Gloria Molina calls the Eastside Gold Line extension ‘substandard’ and potentially dangerous and says she worries that children leaving school are in danger of being hit by oncoming trains.”

She felt that East LA and Boyle Heights deserved a subway line and ended up getting a less-expensive light-rail route. Supervisor Molina had gone on an interview with Times and stated that she doesn’t think there is enough fencing to prevent people from crossing the tracks, predominantly children at nearby schools.Obviously not being able to change the way the East Side Metro Gold Line has been built there is thought and necessity for programs and shops that outreaches the community and residents to familiarize themselves with safety tips on the new line.

When asked about what should be changed or added to the East Side rail Mariela Marquez 12 stated “There should obviously be safe guards where the train runs through the street, not only for car purposes but pedestrians passing as well.”

Safe Guards would be very accommodating to the drivers and pedestrians especially in the early morning or late at night when you can’t see the road let alone a train coming straight at you.

There has already been one accident report on LA NOW where two people suffered minor injuries when their car collided with a Gold Line Metro train in East Los Angeles. The car turned in front of the eastbound train at a crossing near 3rd Street and Rowan Avenue about 8:20 p.m. This accident proves that there needs to be Safe Guards on the streets to prevent misfortunes like these to happen again.

Maxine Estrada 12 is convinced that people in East LA are treated without consideration and concern, “Does it really take a person’s life for MTA to install safety security? If we had lived in a white neighborhood they would have thought of all the possibilities to prevent a child from being run over or a car colliding with the train.”

MTA could only offer safety tips for the residents,

1. Exercise caution at all time. Watch for “TRAIN” signal.

2. Always wait for a “walk” signal” before entering the crosswalk.

3. Always use the crosswalk. Never jaywalk across the tracks.

4. Never make a left turn on a red arrow. This will be enforced by cameras at each intersection.

5. Right turns are allowed while a Gold Line train is passing through but may be restricted at certain intersections.

The other day I was just sitting down contemplating on how much my cell phone service sucks. But I should be grateful that at least I have some sort of communication right? Well I was wondering why is it that maybe Verizon in some aspects and by a lot is better than T Mobile , Sprint or At&T? But then again I wouldn’t completely know because so far I’ve only had T mobile and Verizon.

But according to a website, Cell phone Providers rank are as followed

1.Verizon

2. AT & T

3. Sprint

4. T-mobile

5. Us Cellular

6.Cricket

7. Virgin Mobile

8.Boost mobile

9.Trac fone

10. Power Net Mobile

For the holidays, what are people really buying the most, cell phones from Verizon or from T mobile? After all I mean it is just a cell phone, that some people cant live without for a day.