Police Brutality

    You hear people say, "black lives matter" and speak about the injustice that is happening in our own backyard.

  In the U.S. there are over a thousand people who have been killed by police in just this last year. The numbers are adding up and police brutality is getting more ans more out of control. Police brutality exists everywhere around the world, but Are we the only ones experiencing this kind of issue?

Brazil has also had this problem of aggressive behavior and it has gotten worse in the past years. Since there is a budget crisis that has pushed back the pay wage, there is a need for money. In 2016 there was a cut of more than 30% with law enforcement that limits them in many ways. It is said that since the budget crisis, "Police morale had plummeted."

 So there have been many cases of police brutality that civilians encounter, some places more than others. In Rio de Janeiro alone, 645 civilians were killed by police in 2015 and the homicides keep rising each year.

Since their is a lack of fair pay it only weakens the law enforcement even more. Policemen and anyone on the force is supposed to have the proper training before working, but their is a desperate need for employment that background checks are most often overlooked.

     High rates of criminal activity in Rio de Janeiro is so out of control, police feel entitled to deal with this issue their own way. They have developed military based equipment and style fighting which is not always such a good idea. Many times police can shoot an individual if they have reason to believe that they are a threat, but that not always true.

Even if they are wrong most cases are never investigated or taken to court. If the officer reports an incident as self defense which is most often used as an excuse, then the case is more likely to be dismissed.

In Haiti, devastating events have taken place in the last decade. Four hurricanes and on top of that a catastrophic earthquake that hit in 2010, have led the country to loose stability in government. There is a need for effective use of law enforcement, but the people that should be in control are not making it any better for Haitians.

Instead, police are making it impossible for them feel safe. There have been countless numbers of kidnappings and rapings where police have been said to be contributors. The women and younger girls are the targets of these unfortunate events.

According to United Nations, there have been 84 rape cases in 2009. In the first half of 2008, there were 157 kidnapping sightings. Police still struggle to get the proper training on human rights knowledge and have the proper training. There is also a lack of employment and equipment in the police force that puts them at a disadvantage.

Still, none of this justifies the excessive use of power that police exemplify to innocent Haitians.
In the Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index of 2008, Haiti was placed 177 out of 180 of the most corrupted systems in the world. This lets you know that there is still much change that needs to be made in order for Haiti to have a functional and secure law enforcement.

TV Time!

     If you still haven't guessed what this blog is going to be about and if the tittle hasn't given it away then this next part will. That's right, commercials mean everything, how we shop, influences our fashion choices, or even makes us think a certain way.

In my case, it is something that I change the channel to or now a days, fast forward through.
Commercials are televised worldwide and have been for the longest of time, since 1941. Some people find commercials are just too ridiculously painful to sit through or are too overplayed.
So, I have reviewed TV commercials that exist around the world and found that they have a different take on advertising.

First impressions of Japanese commercials are that they're weird, which isn't a fair judgement considering they are foreign.

If it is your first time, then they will throw you off and completely shock you because it's a different experience. Watching the commercials, I found that they are very exaggerated with the products that they are selling.

Here is a scenario you may encounter in a Japanese commercial: It is the end of the world and people are running around the streets panicking, and the only person that can save them is a golden retriever that shoots lazer beams out of his eyes.

 His source of power, which is being advertised, dog kibble. So there is so much to be seen in these commercials that it is just too hard to look away from and wrap your mind around. The actors also play over dramatic roles and at the same time show a comedic side, that is bluntly meant to be humorous. It's very much like watching a really bad soap opera where the characters are over doing their roles so hard that it just becomes funny to watch.

• Dramatic
• Commedic
• Exagerated
• Animal Personification

Some examples of this are an application commercial called From Anavi which is a job search app that helps you find employment. They show a panda looking for a job and finds one at a clothes store and has an interesting encounter (Ad 1, 3:18).

2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_zMhh4XthE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWJASVluHew

2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmIrtGIPfKk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGsPZMzbouA

First impressions of India's commercials are that they really introduce a cultural aspect to it like music, and clothing.

 There is a traditional side that comes out in the majority of these commercials that gives you a slight idea of what India is like, although not all commercials are reality.

You also see that there is separation of gender roles in almost every commercial. The women play vulnerable roles and are often seen at home that is very nurturing. The men on the other hand are out doing things or working in an office providing for the family, it is very clear that there is a favoring of gender roles.

• Brings culture
• Music/ Dress wear
• Mother roles/ Father roles

Some examples of gender roles are an appliance commercial called Midea. The women has made a mess at home and when the husband gets home from work he thinks something bad had happened. He finds the wife in the room completely fine and says something that makes him realize that being at stay at home mom is a job too (Ad 2, 10:29).

2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJgJn5X_79c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJcL1xomNJE

Most Bizzare Laws Ever Made

      DON'T drink and drive, DON'T J-WALK, DON'T steal, these are some of the most common laws
here in the U.S. that we all know and heard of before. Truth is, we have only just scratched the
surface of it all and I asked myself "what other laws are out there that I don't know of?" What I found
turned out to be extremely interesting and damn right hilarious. With that being said, here are ten of the most bizarre and weird laws that we have here in America:

1. In North Carolina it is illegal to sing off key. "What?!?" said all the monotone people.
2. Cutting a cactus in Arizona is illegal and a serious offense that leaves you facing 25 years in prison. Now imagine telling that story to the inmates?
3. In Georgia, eating fried chicken without the use of your hands is illegal. My question is, what other way is there to eat fried chicken?
4. If you are a man with a mustache it is illegal for you to kiss a woman in Nevada. Better luck next time.
5. In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to tie a dollar to a string and pull it away when someone tries to pick it up as a prank. But come on?? It's pretty funny though.
6. It is illegal to drive in the car with an uncaged bear in Missouri, because you would rather drive with a caged bear, right?
7.  In Florida, to flatulate in public after 6 p.m. on a Thursday is illegal, because nothing important ever happens before 6 p.m. on a Thursday?
8. In Maine, keeping Christmas decorations up after January 14th is illegal and completely irresponsible?
9. Sharing a Netflix password in Tennessee is illegal. Now that something all of us would go to jail for.
10. In Texas, pointing a lazer beam at a plane is illegal, and childish.

 But if you think those laws were weird, here are ten more that are just down right ludicrous:

1. In Honolulu, Hawaii singing out loud after sunset is illegal, and extremely annoying to everyone else.
2. In Bangladeshi, if you are caught cheating on a final exam you could potentially go to jail if you are 15 and older. That'll show them, take notes professors. 
3. In Russia, there is a huge ban on homosexuality and any form of "propaganda", like telling children that gay people exist, is illegal. You can blame President Vladimir Putin for that.
4. In Hong Kong, if a man is cheating on his wife, then she is allowed to commit homicide as long as she only uses her hands to do it. Men watch out!
5. In Thailand, stepping on money is illegal. Now their just bragging.
6.  In Singapore, selling or chewing gum can result in having to pay a fine of $1000. If caught a second time, then it goes up to $2000, but wait there is more. You also have to spend the day cleaning the city. If caught a third time, then it is more embarrassing where you are forced to wear a sign that reads "I'm a litterer." Seriously who comes up with this stuff I wanna know?
7. Some parts of India allow men to sell there wives if they are in debt until it gets paid. Now that is just real considerate of them.
8. In France, to marry a dead person is illegal, and just flat out wrong.
9.  In Britain, operating on a cow while intoxicated is illegal. So wait, what happens if they operate on a person while intoxicated?
10. In Samoa it is illegal to forget your wife’s birthday. Now calling ALL terrible husbands!

So see, silly laws are made all around the world and although some have actual meaning behind them, they are still pretty ridiculous and fun to laugh at. 

The Sound of Music

     Turning on your radio to hear today's greatest hits, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and a man

 playing the flute...


There is definitely a change in the music that is played now and the music that was played centuries

 ago. Some music has completely developed into its own thing but others hold on to the traditional

stylings of its cultural past. Around the world there is a big difference in the sound and meaning of

music that all has its explanation.

If you take a look at China you hear a mix of traditional music and then you have the newer

 generation of music. Some newer artists may sound more modern to the ear but what we

don't know is the influences that credits their 

sound. Traditional Chinese music is played by a 

variety of instruments that includes the   

percussion, wind, plucked, and stringed 

instruments. Some of the oldest instruments ever 

used musically are bamboo and the qin, which is a seven string instrument that goes back to the age 

of Confucianism. There is a lot of accreditation to Confucius who was a philosopher said to have 

lived about 2,500 years that taught people of China a set of morals and beliefs. With music he taught 

that it was an important part of human growth and essential. "To educate somebody, you should 

start with poems, emphasize ceremonies, and finish with music." So, some musicians still 

include Confucian's teachings as to what music should sound like. He preferred music to sound more 

calming and peaceful that should reflect on the people and produce tranquility. The order of a typical 

song should be dramatic in the beginning and have it be repetitive all the way through. That way, it 

would sound balanced and have an "easy" structure that is continuous. The music was a 

representation of how people should act which was in a proper manner. It was meant to exemplify 

good behavior and educate people to be productive individuals. Among other things, rather than just 

music, Confucian made an impact in the development of China.

In Latin America there are a number of genres to hear from, Samba,

 Salsa, Tango, Folklorica, and the list goes on. A bigger part of 

 Latin American music that can not do without the other are dance. 

Dance and Music are interrelated or codependent. Some influences

 that helped develop Latin American music are Native American, African, and European traditions. It

 is still hard to tell when the first sightings of music fully began in Latin America because there is no

 real documentation of it. It goes as far back to the Mayans and Aztecs when music was used in the 

form of rituals. You would hear people sing accompanied by drums, wind instruments, and flutes. 

Spanish observers where the ones who reported the musical sightings with the Indians. Although the 

Spaniards invaded the native areas, they noticed that the music they were playing had a sense of 

emotion. Even though they couldn't understand the language they were speaking, they could tell 

when they felt sad. Music in Latin America is all dependent on the location you are in. If you head 

to Brazil you hear Samba, in Argentina its Tango, in the Caribbeans you hear maracas and scrapers. 

The music varies but it has the same meaning everywhere you go. Music was created in correlation to

 what was going on at that time that took part in their regular daily life. 




Moving on to Africa, music has a more spiritual

 aspect as a way to emphasize the importance of

 human life. Music makes up the culture entirely,

 in respect to the regions they all have there 

differences. One thing they all have in common 

and still do, was the way it unified people. In the

 communities it provided prosperity and support among the people that made them stronger as a 

whole. It has inspired many other genres in its time including Latin America and the Caribbean. The

 traditional sounds that you regularly hear in African music is a more rhythmic side that is usually 

played by a large group. This is called polyphony, where you hear more than one melody in a song

 instead of just hearing one dominant voice. Here, you typically hear many instruments played at the

 same time with no real order, that proves to be a more improvisational technique. Some of the 

 instruments that are heard are drums, gongs, woodblocks, stringed instruments, rattles, xylophones, 

and flutes. 

Lack of Sanitation

     When you need to use the restroom, normally you just walk down the hallway or around the

corner in your home, but for some people that may not be the case.

Some of the biggest sanitation issues occur around the world in third world countries and still have

yet to be solved. Unclean water supply and trashed neighborhoods are the current living situations

and will remain that way unchanged. How much do we really know about other people's living

situation and if not what do we really have to complain about?

In Africa, there are several areas that raise a red flag when it comes

to sanitation. For example, in Ghana there are people who live in

 communities where they are forced to share public restrooms

because they don't have the luxury of going in their homes. Many

people do not have toilets of there own which is a big issue in Africa, and sharing these public

restrooms per community worsens an individuals hygiene. Aside from that, they don't have clean

water to drink from and have to walk around 60 Km to reach a safe drinking water supply. This

shortage of clean water reduces the chances that they will maintain a proper hygiene which remains a

severe sanitation hazard. Approximately 19,000 civilians die yearly from diarrhea due to the lack of

sanitation and zero drinking water. There are many other diseases that are accompanied because of

these issues. They don't have the access to safe drinking water and many civilians don't know

hygiene. STILL this remains an issue for Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Liberia and the list goes

 on.

In India, children as small as the age of 5 are

most affected and suffer from poor sanitation and

 are malnourished. Similar to Ghana, half of

India's population has communities that don't

 have there own toilet to use in their homes and

have to go outside in the open space. The

children are the ones that spend there time

outside the most and the air and water is contaminated. This leaves the community looking like and

smelling like one big sewer. The malnutrition is due to the bad living conditions that leads to a

number of illnesses, diseases, and bacterial infections. Diarrhea and worm infections is a common

result of the lack of sanitation and is a high mortality rate in India.

Now that we know a little about how other people suffer in terms of lack of sanitation, what would

our first world problems look like to them?

Valentine's Day Traditions Around the World

      Some people are used to the American traditions of Valentine's Day has to offer with

heart shaped chocolate candies and over sized stuffed bears, but not all traditions are alike.



In Denmark, the men do something quite different, much like a secret admirer game. It is known as

"gaekkebrev" that is a humorous letter that the men send to their Valentine. This letter often rhymes

and he signs it with dots leaving his name a mystery to his admirer. Once the woman receives the

letter it is up to her to guess who that person is. If she guesses correct then she is given an Easter egg

 possibly later in the year. They have a different

way of celebrating the holiday by making it a

guessing game rather than just giving gifts.



Now Japan and Korea share similar qualities with Valentine's Day, and it is split up into two days.

February 14 is a day dedicated only to the men where the women is the first to give a gift. On March

14 it is sort of different, in Japan the men give a gift to the women

 and this second date is otherwise known as "White Day." This

 name is said to be given back in the 1960's after a marshmallow

company coined the name. In addition to getting 1 gift, the man

returns the first gift he received on the first date and gives it back

 to the women making it 2 gifts. In Korea, "White Day" is

celebrated with the men declaring their feelings and

expressing their love for the women and this could be for

the first time. They have a third day set up for those who are not

romantically in a relationship called "Black Day" on April 14.

People have get together and dine with Jajang noodles that are give meaning to the name because of 

the black texture of the noodles.



In Scotland the atmosphere is more lively and they hold festivals or small parties for people to mingle

 and meet each other. These people are normally single and they have games that they play where

they write there names in a hat, one for the women and one for the men. They then draw out the


names from the men's hat first and then it's the

women's turn and they go from their. Once

everyone is picked, the pairs spend the rest of the

 day together giving each other gifts and getting

to know each other. The they have dances during

 the festivals and the couples can choose to stay

together after the holiday ends and possibly get

married along the road or more likely to never see each other again.



So as you can see, we are not the only ones that celebrate Valentine's Day with lovey dovy gestures.

Some countries have their own way of showing affection for their loved ones, even if it has a twist.

Different Methods of Parenting

      At the store you see a child throw themselves on the floor, yelling out loud for their parents

attention because they want the toy that's on the shelf, what should they do to calm them down? Some

 parents would spank there child and tell them "NO!" while others would cave in and just buy them

the toy to keep them from causing a scene, but would you get the same result anywhere else?


A lot of other countries have their own methods when it comes to dealing with a child's intolerable

 behavior. What it comes down to is cultural background and a persons own accustoms to generate

 their ideas of discipline.



In China, it has everything to do with Confucianism since it originated there to begin with. For the

 parents, this means that they are the children's guardians in every aspect of the childhood. They

emphasize how the parents have a huge responsibility in the first stages of their child whether it be

 education, or in every day life. There is a large amount of pressure and importance on the parents to

do well in raising their child to the best of their abilities. If the child grows up to be a complete shame

 to the family then the parents are considered to be failures because it was their job to guide them. So

the parents have high standards for the child to

do well and are often strict and have a set of

rules. There are two important times in the

 growth of a child. The first is called the 'age of

innocence' that is when a child has not fully

developed their common sense and still requires

their parents assistance. The mother is usually

the one to nurture the child with a tender and gentle hand. The child can not yet take in any

knowledge for themselves and needs to be supervised. As the child matures and is around the ages of

5 to 6  it becomes the 'age of understanding' when the parent steps up their game and have to be more

responsive about their child's behavior and hold them accountable for their

 actions.


Now moving down South East, India is a country full of culture and wisdom. They follow the ethics

of a popular set of beliefs which is Hinduism and use it to cement those teachings into their child's 

upbringing. Other more common religious ideas that you see within the families are Sikhism 

and Islam. Similar to the Chinese, it is also true that a child is easiest to mold when they are in the

 stage of obedience or 'age of innocence' and the parents play a vital role in creating that mold. 


Kinship is important and during a child's infancy it becomes even

 more evident with a mother's soft eyes. The mother is extra careful 

and is more attached to the baby then at any stage in terms 

of nurture. They keep their baby closer to their bodies and massage 

their heads softly. They acknowledge that children are able to take

 in so much at a young age and are quick learners. So they 

act on it by making sure that the child is taught right from wrong and is being guided. Usually the 

parents discipline their child physically often to make the child understand that they have done 

wrong and not repeat the same mistake



In Africa, generally there are a lot of differences depending on the region, but some information 

remains the same. A child is highly valued and considered to be a blessing in the eyes of the parents.

 It is a huge burden when partners aren't able to conceive a child so if they are able to, then that child 

is cherished and well received by the rest of the community. There is a large amount of respect for the

 elderly because of their wisdom and are taken as a book of knowledge. It is the children's job to learn

 from them about what is most important which is morals and culture. This can be represented in a 

saying 'the child is like a plant that must be nurtured while young  so it will grow strong and 

productive', There are expectations in each culture that the child must meet and it should be clear. In 

Nigeria a child that doesn't follow their parents culture or abandons it are most often disowned by the 

parents.


Readings:   https://www.babble.com/baby/child-rearing-around-world/

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

     You would have never guessed it...scars, small face features, and oh yeah surgical face bandages

are the makeup for some countries.

   
     Lipstick, eye-shadow, and contouring may be the beauty standards for women in America, but if

you take a look on the other side of the globe you may be surprised at what you'll find. In America

 the beauty standards are quite obvious and although the ceiling has been broken down a bit there are

 still expectations as to what beauty means. New trends which include having full lips, curves, and

fashion sense can be completely questionable to some Americans, but what is the norm for people

living on opposite ends of the world.

      Some say beauty is pain and in the Middle East that saying is a reality. In Iran women wear

surgical bandages on their face to tell a strong statement to society. It is a symbol of currency and

 their economic position as well as social status. It lets people know that they are willing to spend

those thousands of dollars, or in this case Iranian

Rial, to fix their imperfections. Sort of how

European women in the 1800s wore tower high

Whigs and powdered makeup that only the

wealthy women had, the higher the Whig the

more power you had. So with the bandages its

the same idea, that you are important and other people need to acknowledge that. It gives off the

impression that you are erasing your flaws to improve your appearance, hence becoming a better

version of yourself. Some women go as far as buying the tape itself without actually having gone

through facial reconstruction just so that people will think that they have, following the trend.

     Some other quick forms of beauty include the Japanese ways of having straight hair and

maintaining their faces young. France advertises thin and natural beauty for women that give off an

effortless look, that means not wearing a lot of makeup. Some people actually find it odd when they

see American women with pounds of makeup on their face. Nose rings, and henna tattoos are also

admired by Indian women and most of their standards are more traditional. Brides wear a red dot on

 their foreheads called Kumkum to make the women more appealing or only seen in festive events.

     Now similar to Iran's idea of beauty, Korea is well known as a plastic surgery capitol. It has a very

 strict and demanding view on what beauty should look like unlike anything that I have ever seen,

and that means under going drastic measures to reach those standards. One of which is having pale

completions, having light skin is pleasing to the eye and what you regularly see in both the men and

the women. Korean Soap Oprah's are a great example to this and is

 encouraged throughout media or the music industry.  There are also

 some rare restrictions to what a normal person should look like in

 order to be favored by society, it emphasizes more on the face.

Having a V-shaped face is one of those restrictions that is said to be

at least 17 cm in length with a rounded forehead. They also prefer

having small facial features like the lips, mouth, all with the exception of the eyes that need to be the

 largest portion of the face. Some other rare rules include having round foreheads,  high eyebrows

 that bring attention to the eyes making them larger then they may seem, or upturn noses. It all

resembles a look of innocence and Korea holds the highest number of cosmetic surgeries in the

world.

"Cant believe we still have to protest this crap"

      Walking down the the streets of D.C. all you see is scattered colored signs and multiple pink 

knitted hats resembling a women's uterus at The Women's March in Washington. 

     There was a staggering number of over 5 million women and men that gathered together  last 

Saturday to protest equal rights and among other things. There was a large number of people who 

were protesting Trumps presidency and what better time to do that then right after his very own 

inauguration. They carried signs that said, "Immigrants Against Trump" and more comedic ones like, 

"You Cant Comb Over Racism". 

There were many other creative 

signs that expressed the frustration 

that people had against Trump as 

well as celebrities that gave 

empowering speeches like 

Madonna, America Ferrera, Gloria 

Steinem, and more.

     If you looked among the crowd you would also see protesters standing up for pro-choice meaning 

pro-abortion that is said that Trump is trying to take away this option once president. You would see 

signs that say, "My Body My Choice" and "Keep Abortion Legal", to emphasize the importance of 

a women's body a women's choice.

     Everywhere you looked was an impressive sight to see and a memorable event that is one for 

the books. Some may not notice it now but this event has left a mark on history. It is a true 

representation of women as a whole coming together to speak up against global issues and fight for 

justice.

My First Blog!

 Hey everyone, welcome to my first blog, I am not an experienced journalist I have only been in my

high school class. From what I picked up I enjoyed because I realized how I can really make

anything into a story and how there are so many elements behind a story. What I took away from the

experience was the features because they allow more creativity and there is so much more to write

about, so those are the kind of blogs that I will be writing about. I am a shy person if you see me in

person but when something interest me then I really come out of my shell. I will be doing interviews

and features on person experiences and life problems. Culture is something that I like writing about

because a good story is supposed to inform readers but also the writer. Exposing the world about

different cultures is what I hope to accomplish. Its fascinating to know that we are all living under

different roofs but go through similar situations. So I hope to highlight those issues and give other

people different perspective as to what they are used to.