Murals brighten once-blighted neighborhoods

 For me, one of the major theme or motif of this community service is to help the community with what I am good for. I am not calling myself an awful genius artist but I know many people do appreciate me as an artist, and since I present myself as an artist, I can say that art is what I am best at. This link leads to a small article that features mural artists trying their best to make their community better. This is who I want to be and what I want to do for this project.

"What it did was bring a new breath of life back into the community," said Richard Drain, 55, who has lived in Mantua all his life. In 2004, he and a friend were trying to start a nonprofit organization that would provide after-school activities for children, help families visit relatives in prison, organize food and clothing drives, and keep the streets clean.
"Then the Mural Arts Program came through, and we kind of bloomed together," he said. "Prior to getting those murals, the garden was strewed with drug paraphernalia, old tires and garbage. It was pretty messed up."

This is a great inspiration for me. Art can make a lot of changes in the community, contrast to what many people think. The mural artists are spreading art and their passion in order to take part in a philanthropy. I found it to be absolutely beautiful. I hope the outcome of my project is what I wanted or close enough. I want to raise enough money for what ever charity me and fellow artists choose to donate to.

Republican VS. Democrats: Immigration system issue.

I moved to this country in 2004. However, I am technically not considered an immigrant due to my convenience of getting my U.S. citizenship, thanks to my American-born father. But I know I can connect to the new comers into this country more than a lot of kids I know. It's not a luxurious life and I do feel for the immigrants who risk their life just to come to this land of hope.
The issue of immigration has been the major political issue to me. I feel that the solution can not be black or white. To simplify the position of the both republican and the democrats party, the republicans believe that the U.S. needs a stronger immigration system and the democrats are supportive of creating a pathway for immigrants to gain citizenship. Also, democrats support the universal health care which will cover illegal immigrants; Republicans do not.
This is president Obama's stand on the issue featured in an article:

"OBAMA: We don't want a situation in which some child, even if they're an illegal immigrant, shows up in an emergency room with tuberculosis and nobody is giving them treatment, and then they're going back to the playground and playing next to our kids.
So I think there is a basic standard of decency where if somebody is in a death situation or a severe illness, that we're going to provide them emergency care. But nobody has talked about providing health insurance to illegal immigrants. I want to make that absolutely clear."

 I totally agree with Obama; however, to make change as a better country before we make change as a planet, the America must have a cold heart and make sacrifices. What if the illegal immigrant child with tuberculosis was not in the U.S.? What if he or she never made it to the U.S. due to a strict immigration law?

I believe as a country, or any countries should choose their citizens over illegal immigrants. The ones who pay the tax, and the ones who does not. That is a harsh reality; despite the fact that America is founded under illegal immigrants (or rather unwanted guests), as a modern country, we can not get out of our way to pour money for every single people, because we are in a shaky economic era.

In the other hand, the Arizona's Immigration Law is something I am against. I believe in sacrifices but I do not believe the Arizona's law is not a sacrifice but a very not American in many wrong ways.

If I must make a choice, which I really despise to do so, I must say I am geared more to the right wing than the left, just because I believe the citizens and the illegal immigrants should be clearly distinguished but not in a discriminating way.
America is a country that has a huge population of new comers. Around the world, America is known as the land of hope and opportunity. The time changed but foreign love for America? Not as much.
This was a really hard subject to talk about and I just hope the U.S. do not rush this issue so fast. The two parties must work together in order to control the boarder and the immigration law together.

This is not exactly a friendly website, but it has some statistics about the issue of illegal immigrants: Link

Strength and weakness of the Republicans

The conservatives, G.O.P., the Grand Old Party. Before we go on to the strength and weakness of the party, let us narrow down some of their positions on issues.


I have came across this Link. I found this very helpful because I do not know much about the politics of America but this chart from the link made it much easier for me to quickly learn what the two parties' differences are all about.
Republicans are generally against gay marriage, support the death penalty, against legalization of abortions.
For more information about their stand on many issues, I found another page from On The Issues: Link.
Generally speaking, republicans support women's advancement in the military, yet against homosexuals serving in the military, promotes school choice and home schooling, they are against universal health care, supports better pay, treatment and training for the soldiers and wants to strengthen the immigration system.
Over all, the party is geared towards Americans rather than everyone including the immigrants. Also, they are supportive of the army more than the democrats. I see that the strength of the republicans are the fact that they take it slow rather than democrats who cry for change all at once. Republicans change too but they take it slowly and I believe that is more stable. On the other hand, may be sometimes too slow; their positions are geared so much on the citizens that it seems like they are forgetting what this country is all about. We are also about the immigrants and I hope republicans are very careful of what they do about the immigration law.

For more information about republican's position on issues, this link will help how the republicans represent themselves regarding the topics and political issues: Link.

Strength and weakness of the Democrats

Donkeys, liberals and dems; As a young girl in California, it is easy to find democrats or liberals around me. Despite the fact that I am from fairly a strict family with some strong fundamental values, I found this characteristic of California quite beautiful.
I found this website that narrows down some difference between the democrats and the republicans: Link. I found this very helpful because I do not know much about the politics of America but this chart from the link made it much easier for me to quickly learn what the two parties' differences are all about.
I think one of the easiest way to understand the weakness and the strength of any political party is to see the general opinion of the party about issues such as taxing, abortion, gay marriage, civil rights, businesses, education, health care, immigration, social security and more. The list could possibly go on and on.
I found this page from On The Issues, and it is a helpful and simple guideline to the general position of the democratic party on many issues including the ones I mentioned.

Some positions/opinions that makes democrats themselves unique includes many.
Democrats support pro choice of abortion even if the mothers can not pay for it. They support gay marriage, promote absolute tolerance of any race, religion and more, and support small businesses rather than big corporations. Democrats believe the justice system need tougher punishments such as death penalty, but however, they believe it should review DNA testing and post conviction record. They want tax deductible college tuition and standardized education. They are very pro-renewable/green energy and does not believe in healthy economy VS. healthy environment. They want the marriage penalty to end and wants the poor and rich nations to close the gap. They want stronger gun control to reduce violence. Also they want affordable health care for everyone. Better pay for the soldiers, create pathway for undocumented aliens to gain citizenship, cut taxes for the middle class but not the upper class and educate the Muslim world to prevent terrorism.

This Link is another good source that explains what democrats stand for.
Most of their statements and position tells us that they sure are people all about the change for future and absolute equality. However, one negative thing about the democrats are the fact that some of them could be dreaming too much of a perfect world. Democrats are the ones that wants to help everyone; but do we have enough money? Can this country be as perfect and suitable for every single people, even the immigrants?

Bloomberg’s NYC Budget Said to Include Firing 4,666 Teachers

This is another sad news about many teachers being fired, not because they are bad teachers, but there is not enough money to pay them.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will present a preliminary budget for next fiscal year tomorrow that proposes reducing the city’s 80,000 teachers by 6,166, including 4,666 dismissals, administration officials said.
An improving economy has helped pour about $2 billion of unanticipated revenue into city coffers, though it’s not enough to avoid personnel cuts, said the officials, who have seen the proposal. In November, Bloomberg said he would eliminate 10,000 of the most-populous U.S. city’s 300,000 workers to close a $2.4 billion deficit in a $67.5 billion spending plan.

This article made me consider donating money to a nation wide charity instead of local charity. I think almost every school in America right now is in at least a little trouble. This educational budget cut is a nation wide problem, not only California. It is really sad to see people who work for children such as teachers getting laid off. This is not only affecting education but employment. If this problem spreads more and more, it could lead to more problems such as crimes.
This problem is intimate with the young generation and future of our country.

Acalanes High School In California Schools Guide

Acalanes High School In California Schools Guide

So here is some information about my school.
As you can see, it is a great school. The STAR score is high and Acalanes high school is part of Acalanes School District which is one of the best performing school district in California.
I am so grateful the fact that I am gifted with this opportunity by education. And that is why I am interested in helping education related charity through my art show.

I have to decide what kind of non profit organization I want to make donation to after the art show.
I know I want to donate money for education, but which specific charity? Education where?
Should the charity be local? I am just brainstorming for now about this.
Maybe I can donate money to help the budget cut.

I must talk more about this with the fellow artists and musicians in the project.

Perviously, on my community service...

As a senior in Acalanes High school, my community service is quite different compare to my previous ones.
After a 15 hour community service, I must write an essay/report about my community service. This is going to be more challenging than any community service I had to do.

I am planning on opening an art show with some fellow students. It will be at the Lafayette Art Galley, and we will have an art sale and all the profit will go to a charity. I have not chose the charity yet, but I think relating this event to education will be appropriate since all the artists are high school students. Kailey, the other director of the show and I agree on this. Education is a big problem now days and even in Lafayette, my town is affected greatly despite the fact that we are one of the only city in California that is considered to be doing great with budgets.

The show will be on April 9th to April 10th. We will have music, food and most important of all, art from the most talented students! This event shall be a good community service opportunity for all seniors involved.

I am very excited for the show and hope everything works out perfectly.
As I said, this community service assignment is harder than the previous ones but art is a big part of my life so I will have more fun this year.

Egypt Echoes Across Region: Iran, Bahrain, Yemen

 After the revolutionary protest in Cairo, it seems like the urge to fight against the authorities are spreading though out to other countries. Iran, Bahrain and Yemen are the countries; anti-government movement is rapidly growing.

The protests — all with critical interests for Washington — offer an important lesson about how groups across Middle East are absorbing the message from Cairo and tailoring it to their own aspirations.
The heady themes of democracy, justice and empowerment remain intact as the protest wave works it way through the Arab world and beyond. What changes, however, are the objectives. The Egypt effect, it seems, is elastic.
"This isn't a one-size-fits-all thing," said Mustafa Alani, a regional analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "Each place will interpret the fallout from Egypt in their own way and in their own context."

This is a good example of domino effect. I am glad to see all the protests in these countries, considering that it is a very repressed and strictly ruled countries. I am not a big fan of violence but I believe if you believe in something, you must fight for it and that is what people of democracy has been doing for ages all around the world.
I personally have great deal of respect towards the protesters, because Korea gained democracy only few decades ago and there were a lot of protest and violence; but at the end, thanks to all the brave fighters, Korea gained democracy and I believe it became a better country.
I am anxiously watching what is going on in the Middle East. I feel almost honored to live during this revolutionary period.

Donald Trump For President?

Watch the Youtube Video

Donald Trump has been showing some hints about him running for the presidency.
It is not clear yet but who knows?
One thing bothered me about the video, is the fact that he said he will remove Obama Care and replace it with something that makes more sense to the "people in the business." To me, this came across to me as if he wanted to run the country like a corporation or business.
He is also against U.S. and South Korea Free Trade and I personally do not agree with him. Not only that, he have called China "our enemy" and I do not want a president who is blatantly calling a country like China our enemy. We sure have a huge debt and have many economic issues involving China, but China is also our biggest ally considering all our economic relationship with China.