Proposal 2

          Who do you think of when you think of power?the president? the government? Maybe the Military? all very valid answers, however i have a different idea of power. When i think of power,i think of advertisement agencies. Agencies like 72andsunny, and Wieden+Kennedy, to me, this is power. companies like these have the power and the intelligence to make an entire population want something, and have it be on our minds and in our conversations, and in our subconscious. With little restrictions that cant be side stepped, and a great knowledge of the consumer mind, there is little that advertisment agencies cant make us want or think.
         These people who work in the field of advertisement, frankly, are geniuses. I feel like we need to be truthful if we really want to know what it is that we are dealing with. The men and women that come up with, and write our commercials, posters and internet adds, know exactly how to get into your head. every one of them has studied in psychology, and advertising.  pretty much learning how to assure you that they know what you want, better than you do. These people know how to string together a sentence that can make you feel like shit without their product, or make you think that you need something you don't. they can distract you from all any negative aspects, and they can trick you into feeling better about what your seeing. If there was a class in lying and deception, these employes would get straight A's.
          I want to write this letter, for the common consumer, but mostly young consumers. these agencies and companies are targeting children as soon as they are born, and they will not stop until they are dead. I think that the current generation needs to understand what it is that these companies can do, hopefully if people are a little more educated, then they can better defend themselves.

RR: "Two Ways A Women Can Get Hurt"

          IN the reading "Two Ways A Women Can Get Hurt" by Jeane Killbourne, Killbourne sheds light onto the troubling subject of the effects on advertising. Not just any kind of advertising though, Killbourne focused her text on the effects of serialized and physical advertising, and the negative effects it has on women. She also touches on the negative effects that advertising has on men. She explains with text and examples on how certain advertisements are either insinuating sexuality, submissiveness in women, dominance in men, an overall violence. Killbourne explains how these advertisments are negetivly effecting our minds, bodies, self essteams, and our society.

          She goes on to explain how advertising can be linked to our overall negative way of thinking. for example, the belief among men that being a bad boy will get you women. advertisements for DRAKKAR NOIR cologne (420) give the impression that being the bad boy is cool. "don't be such a good boy" with two beautiful women hanging onto a mans shoulders. this is the kind of ad that  killbourne is claiming to be hazardous to our society. she also points out how women are made to look either completely submissive, or completely dominant. On the submissive side, it teaches women to act how they think they should, and it teaches men to be over powering and even potential violent. while on the other side, killbourne explains how men are also serialized in advertisements, no better than women. In these situations it is likely to have a female role playing the dominant character, someone to take the lead, or subjectivity the man. Witch ever way these advertisments are promoting men to value sexual intimacy insted of emotional intimacy.

          I find the section of the text giving examples of of physical violence to be very disturbing. images of men in the moments before shooting a woman, to promote skate boards and a magazine? Killbourne makes the assumsion that these images are really just supposed to shock us just enough to pay attention to what they are advertising, but i just find it sick.
          I feel like what Killbourne is saying is completely true, however it is a little biased. there are advertisements out there that aren't completely sexual, or even some ads that promote self esteem though how you look physically, and being comfortable in your own skin. however i do understand that these ads are rare, and in the grand scheme of things I understand where she is coming from. I'm definitely guilty of succumbing to the images and ideas that are protected at me through mass media. i would like to say that I'm better now, but its so easy to see a poster of a "bad boy" who gets all the girls. Or the model with the amazing spray painted fake body, and want to be just like that. The advertisement businessmen will always be around, and they will always have the upper hand on what we think and how we feel and what we do. It's their job, and they're damn good at it. Sadly i don't see this going away.

op ed

Jacob Abea

Op Ed.

This November, we as American voters have a choice to re lift the American education system, or let it fall apart.  With prop 30 on the ballad, (supported by governor Brown) we can choose to help our state's youth. Proposition 30 is geared towards helping out states k-12 public schools and community colleges.Prop 30 states that there will be a 1% increase in personal income tax for everyone making $250,000 a year or more. This personal tax increase will be like this for 7 years, along with a sales tax increase of ¼ cent for 4 years. ¼ meaning that for every 4 dollars you spend, and extra 1 cent will be taken out due to taxes. The revenues that will be achieved from these actions, will be given directly to the schools of California. 89% of the revenue will go to the K-12 system, and 11% will go to the community colleges. whatever funds that aren't used for the educational system will be used for public safety as well. This includes places like the fire department, security, ambulances etc.

    California's educational system has been in an awful state for a long time. In a study done by the CBP (California Budget Project) California's educational system was ranked 46 out of 50! The study also states that in the K-12 system, California spends roughly $8,908 per student. Whereas the rest of the state on averages spends $11,764 per student. California also has an average of 20.5 students per teacher where the rest of the state has an average of 13.5 students per teacher. this is a sorry state we find ourselves in, and the education of our youth is more important than some people realize. without an educated youth, who will grow up to tun the nation when we are old? who will take on the hard jobs that require brilliant minds? The demand For college graduates employed is higher than ever now.
    If prop 30 passes, a simple 1 cent for every 4 dollars you spend, and the 1% increase in personal income tax for the wealthy, will bring in roughly $6 Billion of revenue to our school system! People who are against this proposition are afraid that this money will just end up being spent on pay roles and salaries, which is a valid thing to be afraid of i believe. However, in the prop itself it states that  the money will not just be given to the state. The money will be given to the local school boards, and the school boards will be deciding how the money is spent, in meetings that are open to the public. This works as a check and balance of the system, this way the $6Billion going to the schools will not be abused. I would also like to add that if this prop isn't passed, our K-12 and CC will take a major hit, losing roughly 5 billion dollars in cuts! due to our sorry state, California has already started to spend as if the prop has already passed. so if it doesn't pass, then we would have to dig ourselves out of the whole we putting yourself in.
    I Personally think that this prop is a must pass kind of vote, no questions asked. Our students need this. I would know, and not only because I am a 20 year old college student, but also because i am a teacher. for the Going on 3 years now i have been a certified teacher working for a non profit company doing after school care for the Santa Cruz elementary schools. I work with children from K-5th grade, and i love everyone of these kids with my entire heart! however, it kills me to hear about how there are too many students in their classes, and their teachers can't help everyone. Or that there isn't enough materials for everyone. Or That they are hungry because they food that they are getting served is gross and unappealing. These kids need help, There is no way that they can get ahead in this world with all of these obstacles holding them back. Not to mention its just as hard for me to gain the knowledge to help them. I am and early Childhood Education major, and due to all of the budget cuts the only classes that are available are from 6 to 9:30 pm! these children are my pride and joy, and all i want to do is help them as best as i can. If that means giving them a measly extra penny for every 4 dollars i spend, then i would do it in a heartbeat. Hell! i would give them more!