Checkpoint

The past month has been quite a blur. I have never been this busy but efficient in college. Lab reports cannot be blown off; homework assignments are immediately finished. Exams have not been any different than they have been in the past, but the busy-busy mentality have made studying easier. It's quite ironic that my best study habits have developed after seven grueling semesters of refining. (I just finished listening to Phantogram's Eyelid Movies - "10,000 Claps" and it fits the mood.)



Today marked the first "break" I've had in a couple weeks. Even if I didn't have school work to do, I've had to and still do worry about graduation and post-graduation. To top it off, having visitors becomes overwhelming. I am no way trying to be a hermit. Although I enjoy the company of friends, having a stampede of acquaintances parading through the streets of Chambana week after week gets troublesome. While in the midst of a career crisis, I find it troubling that friends prefer that I join them in their debauchery. In the past I would have done it in a minute, but this time I really do need my own time to reflect. I really do wish I could partake in beerfests like Unofficial, but time is precious. (Nick Drake should be praised for his album "Bryter Layter" because it's pretty relaxing. Jim Morrison meets jazz/lounge.)



The Bulls have been on a tear. 2nd place in the Eastern Conference with big wins over the Heat and the Magic, with a close loss to the Hawks in between. It's been huge for Chicago since Rose has been drafted. The hometown kid has grasped the reigns and is leading the Bulls back to prominence. Even if we fall short in the playoffs, there's a bright future ahead with Rose, Noah, and Deng reaching their primes and Boozer supplementing it with his vast experience. Beyond this year, I do see problems ahead with their roster as Rose is probably going to attain a max contract and the rest of the roster having increases in their payroll. The next viable option for a shooting guard comes either through a trade or the draft. While trading for players may seem simple, it requires a player to be on the trading block meaning that player is not wanted by their current team for obvious reasons or that we give up a king's ransom - draft picks, money, and future role players. The team chemistry is impeccable and has the potential to break the developing Super team model. Trades involving superstars, e.g. Carmelo Anthony, can negatively impact a team's future based on salary cap restrictions and horrible draft placing (increased wins mean lower draft picks). The Miami trio signing could prove to be the ultimate downfall of the NBA. It may bring in more revenue for the league, but it's at the cost of the smaller markets. Whatever hurts the smaller markets causes the luxury teams to pay for said shortcomings. It's going to be a valid argument in future collective bargaining agreement talks as the NBA heads into the lockout that the NFL's currently in. (Donald Glover, 'Troy' from the hilarious Community, has an alter ego - Childish Gambino. Not only is he an actor, but he spits out creativity in the funniest ways.)



The NFL lockout seems like a dud. Not only is it boring to hear billionaire owners argue that they don't have AS MUCH profit as before, but to hear that millionaire athletes don't have enough compensation is redundant as well. Millions of fans across the nation are following a situation that has more media coverage than the union battles occurring in key states. Bill Simmons does a great job of exploiting the issue. It's a billion dollar business which should force people to reconsider the task at hand. (Ian Axel's song makes me excited about everything.)



I probably should be working on my lab report, but I think I'm going to rid the procrastination from my body. I've been meaning to blog for weeks. I really do wish I had more time so I can expand on certain topics that I've read and interpreted. Being in college, most students focus on the social and academic aspects while shutting out the rest of the world. The world is going through dramatic changes every day. Government policies throughout the world dictate more of people's lives than they realize. (I saw a video raising awareness for deaf people and immediately liked the song played in the background.)



Focusing on the present while subsidizing the future comes with catastrophic consequences. Many of the issues that people debate over really do not focus on prevailing issues that have been present since the Enlightenment. I sit here waiting for influential writers like Rousseau, Malthus, Smith, and many others to come along and change the scope of present policies. In the pro-capitalist global market, there is no room for such needless things as long as corporations benefit at the cost of the proletariat. How silly of me, what I meant to say was that in capitalist economies the rich get richer because the poor get poorer. With money comes power, and so inevitably the control of current government. Even the Vatican falls under this category. Because Americans always hope for the best and hope to turn into the next feel good rags-to-riches story, a false sense of security defeats the innate logic embedded in people's brains. (Akon's new (or old) single makes you want to drink the night away.)



The last thought I'd like to leave off before I blog in the near future starts with the article I just read. It talks about possible downfalls of society. While the argument is valid, it doesn't mean people should run around in fear. There's always the case that some miraculous turn of events like that of the Enlightment, the Industrial Revolution, and the Technological Revolution will change the course of history. But the article hits the point as it comes back to the present and tackles the issue of the current crisis throughout the world - war. Much of them are fighting for the democratic freedom that the US imposed upon Iraq and Afghanistan. Since the US is a global power, many countries are quick to bite their tongue. (I'm a HUGE Wiz Khalifa fan and this song doesn't fail.)



Looking beyond the reasons of why we went to war, people should look at the economics of entering war. Trillions of dollars spent, billions of dollars given back to the rich, and trillions of dollars in debt. If I'm not mistaken, the Great Depression occurred as result of the massive credit given out to the general population. It's quite debatable, but World War II lifted the economy while tax rates were at an all time high (about 66%). The (anti-)parallel drawn is the Great Recession occurring DURING the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. True democracy still hasn't been established; millions of people are still debating about the spending budget. As a result, public unions, education, and social programs are at risk to be cut all because the nation did not properly fund the wars. It's quite ironic to have borrowed a ton of money from the government, return a comparable sum to a select group, and skew political rhetoric for lobbyist agendas. It becomes a no brainer when thinking of such issues. (Rihanna's popularity continues to soar. This single really makes people want to dance!)



My next few posts will scratch the surface and reveal much more to the naked eye. The Great Depression vs The Great Recession will be the main argument. Before I delved into the topic, I lied in the center slightly leaning towards the upper left. Much of what I've learned has removed from the political spectrum and onto a different map - the humane spectrum. I've never really had any aspirations with this blog other than to inform my future self of thoughts I might forget months or years from now. Now, I hope that these concrete thoughts will develop me (or readers) into better, smarter people. Until then, on to the next checkpoint.