$1.8 Million Dollar Dog Collar

This past week while I was on Spring Break I was watching some T.V. There was a show on the worlds most expensive…they showed most expensive drink, bath, massage, car, hotel, dog collar and many other things that celebrities and millionaires are spending on. It shocked me that someone would spend over a million dollars for a diamond studded dog collar or a back massage with diamonds. Many of the most expensive drinks would come with a gem or jewel in the bottom running the bill up to thousands of dollars. It is crazy that somebody would spend so much money on such trivial things, especially when we are in a recession. This got me thinking about how celebrities can spend massive amounts of money on one little thing while the rest of America is barely holding on during this long recession. It made me wonder about Mr. Bolos’ question, “can you be free if you are not economically free?” Can you? Celebrities are “free” but what about the rest of American citizens who are struggling economically? Are they free, too?

Role Models

Last week I was listening to a radio show in the car with my mom while they were talking about Rihanna and Chris Brown. The radio show hosts said that Rihanna had decided to get back together with her boyfriend, Chris, after he had hit her. They brought up a good point about celebrities being role models, and I immediately thought of the class discussions about Michael Phelps and Michael Vick. We had talked about how children and teenagers look up to celebrity role models and what happens when they set bad examples. All of these things got me thinking about role models and celebrities. Should famous people be conscience about their actions because many people look up to them? What do you think?

Propaganda Posters in Schools

Today in class we discussed how our school’s ‘visual environment’ of posters and signs represent our student’s successes. This also relates to the World War II propaganda posters that we analyzed today as well. After leaving AIS class today I was walking down the stairs and I noticed for the first time all of the signs. I especially took note of the Boy’s swimming and diving state meet results posted on the second floor. It really struck me that after breaking state and national records the results were posted. We talked earlier today in class about how New Trier is so competitive that getting 2nd place in state is something to be upset over when in reality it is a major accomplishment. Posting the results of the meet show how accomplished the students are at New Trier. Swimming is not the only sport to be recognized through posters around the school. In fact, almost every sport will get a sign/banner that recognizes their athletic achievements. Having all these visual successes throughout the school promote propaganda that makes other want to achieve a high level of success so that their team/sport can be recognized on a banner as well. AIS has taught me to be a critical thinker and to take note of my surroundings, however, why is today the first time that I am noticing all of the signs around school? Did anyone notice any other types of signs/posters today?

Airplane Industry

For a few years the airline industry didn’t have one crash. Recently this all changed. First the United flight had an emergency crash landing in the Hudson River and another plane crashed into a suburban home in Buffalo, New York. However, with the first crash nobody was injured or killed, but the second crash was completely fatal. The third crash was just this past weekend on Friday night. A small plane was flying in central Louisiana when it landed in a heavily wooded forest. All three people aboard the plane were killed. Why are so many planes crashing all of a sudden? After years without any problems in the air, there have now been three crashes within the first two months of 2009. Do you think that with the global financial crisis the airlines are not spending the money do check everything completely before take-off?