On January 27, 2013, in an article called “Immigration
Reform: Lawmakers See Overhaul of Immigration System Clearing Congress This
Year” from The Huffington Post,
Michele Salcedo reported that Republican and Democratic lawmakers are ready to
reform the nation’s immigration system. The reform will include a citizenship
pathway for eleven illegal immigrants. The path will be an earned citizenship,
which will include several principles that are not yet presented. Richard
Durbin, the No. two Democrat in the Senate said, “We have virtually been going
maybe 25 years without a clear statement about immigration policy. That’s
unacceptable in this nation of immigrants” (The
Huffington Post). Durbin clearly stated that the nation would not continue
to develop without a clear agreement with illegal immigrants. He and two other
senators said that current politics prescribe that a way for citizenship must
be included in the framework of the reform. Senator Robert Menendez also said
that the entire package will have the enhancement of border security, which
agrees with the Republicans’ priority to tighten borders to prevent future
illegal immigration. President Barrack Obama wants to press his changes, which
include paying fines and back taxes, mandatory penalties for businesses that
employ unauthorized immigrants, and some other changes. However, this will not
highly benefit him because he won seventy percent of the Latino vote, in part
because of the reactionary positions that Republican nominee Mitt Romney had
put on illegal immigration.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Nature Observations
As I stepped out into the blinding sunlight, I found myself
to be standing in the middle of my quiet neighborhood. There was a sudden sound
of a helicopter gradually coming closer. When I lifted my head I squinted to
see a news helicopter fly right on top of me. As it passed over all the houses,
ruining the peace, the sound faded away and I was left with silence and nature.
The short-lasting silence was ruined when a car roared towards the top of the
street. The wind was blowing extremely softly because even the lightest trees
were barely moving. The air was cold, yet the sun was shining the entire
neighborhood. Again, I heard a helicopter coming near, but this time the sound subsided
and I never saw it on top of me. As I took a few steps up my street, I saw two
owners with two dogs each walking in opposite directions. As they came closer,
there was an unexpected and loud bark from one of the dogs, which scared me.
The owners were forced to halt and pull their animals away in order to prevent
attacks and chaos. As soon as they passed each other, the one walking in the
opposite direction came closer to pass me as well. I shifted a little to the
right, hoping that the dog does not suddenly bark at me as well. As the owner
came closer, I could hear the sound of loud music coming from his headphones.
The dog was peaceful this time. I walked, zoned out, and thoughtless, not realizing
that I was standing in front of my grandparents’ house. I opened the gate door
and stepped in the front yard. The delicious aroma of food became stronger as I
stepped closer to their door. Then, the noise of little children, who I correctly
assumed were my cousins, became louder. They all stepped outside, greeted, and
welcomed me inside. I gave my temporary farewell to nature and followed them
in.
Flu Shots for Hospital Staff
On January 18,2013 in an article called, “Getting a Flu Shot
Can be Sticking Point with Healthcare Workers” from the Los Angeles Times, Anna Gorman reported that hospital
administrators are struggling with whether to compel doctors, nurses, and other
medical staff to get vaccinated, since flu cases are increasing in California.
According to a report by the California Department of Public Health, each year
only about sixty percent of hospital workers receive vaccination. The federal
government has set a goal of ninety percent by 2020. Under state law, hospitals
must offer the shot to their workers free of charge and have them sign a
declaration if they do not want it. However, there is no law that requires
hospital staff to receive vaccination. Some administrators have made it a
condition of employment at some facilities, but others only instruct them to
wear a mask for the entire flu season. Sherlyn Ocampo, a nurse who works on the
medical/surgical unit at a hospital and receives vaccination every year, stated,
“I don’t want to get sick. I don’t want to get my patients sick” (Los Angeles Times). It is extremely
important for the entire hospital staff to receive vaccination because their
jobs put them in a position of spreading the virus to a large group of
patients. The federal government is working on making new laws about this issue
because it is unfair that people walk into a hospital for treatment, but end up
catching a deadly flu instead.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Independent Reading Book Preferences
In the past semester each student read a memoir or
autobiography of various writers and learned about each of their lives. We all understood how each event affected
each author’s entire life. After we all presented our projects on the context
of every book, I understood that I could enjoy reading some but not all of the
books. One book I would really enjoy reading would be Lucky by Alice Sebold. A book about rape, one of the most
dehumanizing crimes imaginable, the story is about how Sebold was emotionally
affected. Lucky is an important book because it exposes the terrible
aftermath of rape and other sexually violent actions. I would enjoy reading
this book because I am interested in learning about the perception of a person
who ahs been forced into an act like this. There is no question that I would
never blame her for what happened because I understand that in a situation like
that, girls are not physically strong enough to fight back. Knowing myself, I
would enjoy listening to the victim’s story and how her life changed because of
it. Moreover, if I ever had the chance I
would support her to forget about the incident.
A book I
will not be likely to read is Crocodile Hunter: The Incredible Life and
Adventures of Steve and Terri Irwin. This book is about a person who spent his
entire life with animals. Even though it is interesting how a person has the
bravery to confront the most dangerous animals, I do not believe that
understanding the nature of animals will shape a person’s life. This man did
what he loved to do, but he did not make a huge change in the world. He will
only be remembered as the person who died from doing what he loved to do.
Another reason for my disinterest in this book will be that I am not a huge fan
of the animals he usually observes and talks about, especially crocodiles.
However, I respect his job and the fact that he loved animals.
Shooting Trainings
On January 11,2013, in an article called, “Oakland County
Teachers Will Receive Active Shooter Training” from The Huffington Post, Kristin Bull reported that teachers and the
school staff in Rochester and Oakland will receive training for active shooter
situations. In the next two months, the entire training will teach them on how
to react if such an event was to happen. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office
and the county’s Homeland Security Division will conduct five training sessions
in the next two weeks. Sheriff Michael Bouchard will give active shooter
presentations in addition to the training because he believes that it will
further prepare the schools. He stated, “Active shooter situations are
unpredictable and evolve quickly, which requires people on the scene to be
prepared both mentally and physically while waiting for law enforcement to
arrive” (The Huffington Post). Moreover,
in Rochester, the schools have implemented a locked-door policy, which means
that all school doors, including the main entrance doors, are to be locked
during school day.
This important training is in
response to the shooting tragedy last month at Sandy Hook Elementary School in
Connecticut, which took away the lives of about a couple dozen innocent
younglings. It is exceedingly important
to be prepared in such a situation because no one will ever know if there is a
person with that intention out there. All schools, in all states have to
receive training for not only situation like this, but also for any form of crimes
and emergencies.
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