The Life of a Guard

I found an article that demonstrates modern-day parallel to the bad working conditions situations we have been discussing in class. Recently, a group of life guards in New York joined the Teacher's Union, seeking a voice, a better pay, and improved safety in their jobs. "New York State United Teachers announced today that state-employed lifeguards who protect pools, lakes and beaches from Lake Erie to Montauk are affiliating with the 600,000-member union. The NYSUT Board of Directors will formally vote to accept the new local union — known as the New York State Lifeguard Corps — on Saturday, ending a nearly six-year legal odyssey that started when lifeguards began seeking better pay, improved training and safety equipment, and a voice in their working conditions." After 6 years of petitioning, it is great that these lifeguards finally took action. Tom Donovan, leader of the new statewide lifeguards union, said, “After so many years, I’m thrilled to have a union that will work with NYSUT to improve conditions for all lifeguards across the state." This is truly a significant movement if it is able to improve working conditions for lifeguards in the entire state. Hopefully, it will be successful and able to spread to other states where lifeguards are faced with poor working conditions.

It is ironic that a lifeguard's job is to save other peoples' lives, but nobody considered the safety of their own working conditions. I consider a lifeguard to be a very important position, and it upsets me to hear that they have been mistreated for so long. NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi believes lifeguards “deserve what all working people deserve — fair pay, a consistent discipline process, good working conditions and the right to sit down with management to discuss their concerns.” This reminds me of the many deaths caused by Triangle Factory Fire. Bad working conditions were ignored, and it ended up resulting in a catastrophe. Something similar could happen if the bad conditions lifeguards work in prevent them from saving lives.

Beverly Hills Recession

I came across an article on CNN titled "9021-Ouch: Recession Trickling up to Beverly Hills." It instantly reminded me of our new unit, Cultures of Priviledge and Poverty. I would consider Beverly Hills to be one of the most privilged cities in the US. Shows like The Hills and 90210 portray frivolous lifestyles of the rich buying expensive clothes, dining at pricy restaraunts and spending excessive amounts of money on parties. When I think of the economic recession, I picture poor cities getting hit, not lavish Beverly hills. This article mentions how the recession has affected sales; since people do not have the money to buy expensive items, stores are going out of business. "Fewer sales mean fewer tax dollars even for this well-funded city."

This article made me realize that "priviledge" and "poverty" are subjective terms. Someone might think "Everyone living in Beverly hills has the lavish lifestyle of the girls on The Hills," but this is not necessarily true. Small stores and boutiques are going out of business, and the people who work there have to find new jobs, just like the rest of the people in America affected by our economic recession.

Chris Brown and Rihanna?

Everyone has been talking about the grammys this year. The most popular topic of conversation seems to be how Chris Brown abused his girlfriend, Rihanna. The story started out that Brown was "investigated by the LAPD in an alleged assault on a female." People automatically assumed that the woman he assaulted was his girlfriend, Rihanna. Now that she was a part of the story, it had even more hype. But it didnt stop there. Singers Leona Lewis and Keisha Chante were added to the mix, accused of being involved in the fight too. Rumors got so out of control that Lewis' spokesman had to release a statement. "Leona was at the pre-Grammy party with her family and boyfriend and had nothing whatsoever to do with any argument that may have ensued between Chris and Rihanna. Any allegations that the pair had flirted are completely false," states her spokesman in an article.

It is clear from the first article that not a lot is known about this story. Most of the things people are talking about are rumors, and may not even be true. So why are we even talking about it that much? Its because these people are celebrities, and everything they do is automatically more interesting than regular people. What would the story be like if the people in the fight were completely average and not famous at all? Some might care, but the story certainly would not have been blown up this big. All this hype reminded me of our past unit on the common man. "Do we still glorify the common man?" was one of the questions we looked at in class. The whole Chris Brown-Rihanna-Leona Lewis drama supports the thesis that we do not support the common man, because we are only interested in what the celebrities are doing.

Romanticism...in 3D!

Recently, I saw a commercial for the upcoming "Jonas Brothers 3D concert experience." The title alone is romanticized. It claims that a concert movie, a mindless form of entertainment, can be considered an experience.

The commercial began dramatically, with the words "The concert that had you screaming...is burnin' up the big screen" in a bold, silver font, complete with suspenseful sound effects. The trailer also claims this movie is "an all new 3D experience...like you've never seen them before." Again, this commercial tries to convince viewers that their movie is so great, it cannot even be considered a movie, it is an experience. Usually, the term "experience" is used to describe personal aspects of ones life, like the experience of backpacking in the wilderness, or the experience of attending New Trier High School. I have never heard watching a movie about someone else described as an esperience.

The most overdramatic statement of all was that "this film will take you where no fan has gone before." I have seen other 3D concert movies, and they have been entertaining, but definitely not taken me to a place I have never gone before. It is comical how this commercial portrays the movie to be a life-changing experience. Nick Jonas even claims that "in this movie, we want to invite you into the family." I highly doubt that by watching the Jonas Brothers perform in 3D, I will feel like I am a new part of their family.

After watching this commercial, I just might see the movie, to see if it lives up to the romanticized expectations of an "experience that will take me where I have never gone before AND let me become part of the family." Who knows, it may change my life forever.