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Private Schools: It’s The Quality Of Education That Counts

The main building of the Shanghai Community International School, Hongqiao Campus, in Puxi, Shanghai.

Shanghai Community International School -Private School in China

Flocking To Private Schools

Parents want the best for their children, the best clothes, the best toys, and, of course, the best schools. That is why private schools are held with such high regard. These schools are viewed as the beginning of a glorious journey for their children’s bright future. These schools tend to be very expensive as well as restrictive to both the students and teachers. It is easy to see why only 10% of the country’s children attend private schools. With those small numbers and the high amount of cash needed to enter these schools it is no wonder why it is thought of as an elite school system. Since almost every parent’s goal is to give their children the best of the best, then it is obvious to see why parents are willing to do anything to get their kids in a good private school.

People All Agree To Disagree

Education has always been linked to controversy. People argue about methods and systems all the time. They even argue if private schools are better than public schools. The verdict has always been out on this subject. There seems to be an even amount of experts who disagree with each other on the subject of private schools. Time Magazine wrote an article on the subject where they interviewed Jack Jennings from the Center of Education. There he mentions that the children in private school can perform just as well in any school because of their socioeconomic background. That is why private schools are held in such high regard because only the rich can afford to send their child there. These children don’t have to deal with the crime and lack of education that accompanies poverty. Even ‘Washington Post’ states that high-end colleges like Harvard can only accept a fixed number of students per school. Since private schools have a lot of teenagers vying for attention from the best colleges, they will have stiffer competition than their cousins in a mediocre public school. At the end of the day, the school, whether public or private, doesn’t really matter. What matters is the kind of parenting the child receives and the attention he or she gains during his or her academic journey. Stop worrying whether a school is public or private, and start worrying about the quality of education both at school and at home. That will guarantee a bright future for your child.

References:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/are-private-schools-better-tha.html

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1670063,00.html

December 31, 2010 Posted by | Education, New | , , , | Leave a Comment

Proposition 19: Legalizing Marijuana And Keeping It On A Short Leash

A photograph of a cannabis plant. The photo at that site is marked as being copyright-free, and is credited to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

A photograph of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) in Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge.

California’s Battle With Marijuana

It seems like a lifetime since the first gunshot that sounded the war on California soil took place. Now, this war on drugs has taken a drastic turn. November the 2nd marks the final showdown between California and its ancient rival, marijuana. A ballot called Proposition 19 was posted for California residents to vote on. If this proposition should pass, then the government will gain the ability to legalize, regulate, control, and tax this green monster. It seemed that the commotion leading to this day would see to the victory of the infamous cannabis. But it seems that California people were not ready for it after all.

The Green Light For Marijuana

There are many benefits to legalize marijuana for both economic reasons and social reasons. The proposition allows the taxation and regulation of cannabis. According to the OB Rag website, California will get $1.4 billion from taxes and save $200 million from law enforcement efforts on arresting cannabis users and shutting down plantations. At this time that is a very big boost to the downtrodden economy of California. This also prevents the useless imprisonment of people who poses marijuana. Many good people smoke cannabis and only indulge in it like any other vice. However, when they get imprisoned, the people around them end up suffering. Most of these people don’t deserve such a punishment just for indulging in what research shows is a less harmful drug than cigarettes.

The Red Light For Marijuana

With those benefits, it seems like a sound plan to legalize marijuana. Yet, so many people oppose it. Even some regular cannabis users oppose it. According to ‘Stoners Against The Prop. 19” Tax Cannabis Initiative’, “they believe this would make marijuana less legal in a way.” That is because the government would be the one regulating this product. This means that corporations will be pushing out the small marijuana distributors and minimizing the free business that pot dealers and pot smokers enjoy. For most marijuana users, the last thing they want is Marlboro Man for cannabis. Many also believe that the last thing we need is another legal drug flowing in our blood stream. The minorities in California are already kept down by alcoholism and other drugs. They believe legalizing marijuana will set them back severely.

The Outcome Of The Final Battle

It has been a struggle of epic proportions for both sides. At the start, many Californians were for the idea of the legalization of cannabis. When it came down to it, the dream of legal weed was just that, a dream and a broken promise. The things that regular marijuana users wanted were not delivered. This caused pro-pot users to vote “no” on prop 19. It was a start in the right direction, but balancing drugs and law is always a tricky act. It seemed this time the scales tipped towards law far more than drugs. According to the LA Times, voters are rejecting the idea of prop 19. Let’s hope in the future they will have a better proposition that benefits everyone.

References:

http://www.latimes.com/topic/lifestyle-leisure/recreational-substance-use/marijuana-use/proposition-19-%28california-2010%29-EVHST0000249.topic

http://votetaxcannabis2010.blogspot.com/2010/07/why-pro-pot-activists-oppose-2010-tax.html

December 31, 2010 Posted by | Legal, New, News, Society | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Comic Book Movies Take The World By Storm

Comic books in a news stand

Comic-book film adaptations have taken the world by storm.

From Ink to Film

Comic books have always graced us with their lore on the television screen as well as the silver screen. It was not until recently that this franchise began to gain some momentum to become the juggernaut that they are today. Now, all kinds of super hero movies are coming out of the woodworks. It all started in the 1940′s, when comic books became popular in America. The first comic book to break into the film industry was the Adventures of Captain Marvel, which back then was more popular than the man of steel. Today, film after film is produced from many popular comic books like X-Men and Spider-Man. Even The less known, but still great comic books are finding their way onto the silver screen such as 300, which grossed over $200 million worldwide. This is fast becoming the silver age for super heroes on the big screen.

With Great Power Comes Great Money

There is a reason why super hero movies are taking over the big screen. It is not just because of the interesting story, visually appealing effects, and simple character archetypes. It is because these stories are fast becoming a gold mine. Matt McAllister, a professor at Pennsylvania State’s media studies stated that in 1989 the Batman movie made $250 million from the film alone. The Batman name continued to make $750 million from other products such as toys and even theme park rides. That is because people love the classic story of good vs. evil that these movies offer. They are also dazzled by the marvelous effects these heroes wield. People love to imagine what it would be like to wield such power and these movies take them into a cinematic adventure, where they can all experience that power. With all the power Hollywood wields, let’s just hope they continue to hold their responsibility to make great movies.

The Sacrifice Of These Great Heroes

Not all super heroes survive the transformation from ink to film. Some heroes become so twisted and deformed that the comic book fans could hardly recognize them. This makes the fans feel betrayed as they watch their favorite hero, who they lovingly supported become a twisted version of what they once loved. A prime example of this is the new X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie. Many fans cried out foul on this movie, not because of the actors. Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine did a wonderful job. It would be hard to imagine a different wolverine after his performances. However, the true villain was behind the camera. The writing, directing, editing made the plot and character seem so ill-conceived. They even changed some character’s powers such as Emma Frost. She was a fan favorite because of her powerful psychic powers, but in the movies she transformed into a diamond version of Colossus. The floors of many theaters were flooded with the tears of fans when this occurred. This is a prime example of what can happen when you make a comic book movie without its true essence.

The True Heroes Reveal Themselves

Although there have been some disappointments, there have been even more successes. When movies stick true to the essence of the comic books, great things occur. Movies like “The Watchmen” is the best example of those movies. It stuck so closely to the comics it felt like they used the comics as the script itself, although they did change a few things here and there to be relevant to the audience’s taste for the current time. This was done in great taste. Its true essence shined through the big screen. Movies like these are the crusaders for diehard fans as they honor them as well as appeal to the masses. Hopefully, we can look forward to film adaptations of comic books such as these with great pride.

References:

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/what-was-the-first-movie-adaptation-of-a-comic-book-0735/

http://www.rps.psu.edu/unplugged/spring10/april14.html

December 31, 2010 Posted by | Entertainment, New | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Celebrity Perfumes: The Desire To Smell And Be Like A Celebrity

Bottles of Perfume Samples

An Array of Perfume Samples

The Scent of Popularity

A lot of celebrities now have jumped into the bandwagon of launching their own perfume line, and these fragrances have become all the rage. These days most celebrities are wearing perfumes labeled with their names. These are names that they had already made for themselves. Elizabeth Taylor was the pioneer in this area. She introduced White Diamonds in 1991 that hit $67.2 million dollars in sales. Manufacturers have brought this idea to launch celebrity perfumes to make their product unique and facilitate branding that earns the respect of consumers. This is where a celebrity lends her name to a company to take advantage of their fame as well as to gain a new approach to self-promotion and much-needed exposure. Companies have continued to create ideas for marketing strategies that make the name a defining factor that would make people want to buy the perfume, because they trust the products their favorite celebrity has endorsed. Perfumes landed by a celebrity always sell like hot cakes. Some celebrity fragrances are fairly common, but they don’t come in cheap prices, because people want to identify it with class more than with content. Celebrities don’t usually get involved in the making of their own perfume lines, but they take time in picking up the scents that carry their seal of approval; thus depicting their personality and charisma to reach out to their fans in the form of fragrances. It is a massive trend to give their fans a reflection of themselves. Critics may say that it’s a way to generate sales even further. There are also some that donate profits from their perfume lines to philanthropic activities and to the charities they support.

Celebrities Don’t Define You

It is always enticing to buy perfumes endorsed by our favorite stars. It is important to consider if the fragrance smells good on you, however glitzy its marketing and aura. People have that desire to smell and be like a movie star, but fragrances can be highly personal and may not suit everyone because people have different body chemistries. It is up to you as the consumer to experiment and decide what fragrance best suits you. After all, if you find a cheaper perfume that smells like heaven, people will think it is top quality item. That alone is worth the time and effort in finding the right fragrance.

References:

http://www.patisseriedeliceroyal.com/

http://tips.become.com/perfumes/celebrity-perfumes.html

December 31, 2010 Posted by | Entertainment, Fashion, New | , , , , | Leave a Comment

   

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