A Blog

by Andrew Grinchishin

[andrewgrinchishin]

Broken Windows Theory: Our environment affects us! 

See the video above for a description on Broken Windows Theory.

Broken Windows theory states that a building with one broken window is much more likely to see another broken window than a building without any broken windows. Areas of vandalism, gluttony and drinking, open sex displays contribute to an attitude of "carelessness" seeing that the area looks uncontrolled with no moral authority.

Think about it. If you walk by a building that has a broken window and weeds growing around and it is seemingly uncontrolled, breaking a window there wouldn't seem so immoral. The lack of control in these areas breed crime. Small vandalism leads to urban decay which eventually leads to crime. This shows how our environment plays a major role in shaping us as persons with character.

Tune in for next weeks blog on JERS

[nyheath-blog]

As part of my major at the University at Buffalo, I have to take general education courses like World Civilization. Initially, I was excited because I had enjoyed history courses in high school to the point where I dressed up like Alexander Hamilton for a debate in AP American History.

...

[andrewgrinchishin]

This is very true. My calculus instructor in high school, Dan Sweeney, used awesome little phrases to help us retain the knowledge for the rules for derivatives and such:

"low deehi minus hi deelow over the square of what below"

Instead of (fg'-f'g)/(f^2) 

The instructor plays the biggest role above all studying and all else, IMO, in how a student learns in a class. If an instructor makes a class enjoyable then I would want to be in that class and gain an affinity for that subject. I am pretty sure everybody who has been through normal schooling would agree.

Unfortunately I had Sweeney's class early in the morning and I am not fond of early classes. But he made that class easy to understand through small things like that.

[andrewgrinchishin]

Nelson Mandela and Social Justice:

"American students are learning racial tolerance and social justice through the legacy left behind by Nelson Mandela. Bill Whitaker reports." Youtube Video

Mandela is known for his peace movement. Unfortunately, this man  has died just last year. He has brought to South Africa a movement of peace and harmony as white boys and black boys, white boys and black girls, jews and gentiles and people of all religions and races can live coexist in peace. Coexist is a common phrase used by current day social activists to include various groups of people across all different races, religions and so forth. This term "coexist," has multiple implications, many of which include sexual orientation, religion, and race, lumping ideologies, choices, and interchangeable, unchangeable, and characteristics of the like. 

It is generally easier to tell some specific groups of people to coexist with other groups than telling other specific groups. 

 I personally believe several things. On the topic of race, we can safely say that there are white people who would be considered "ghetto" and black people who are "intellectuals." Race does not ever define who you are, although it can be easy to stereotype a person because of their race. There is also nothing wrong in racial pride. You can be proud to have ancestors from Great  Britain or from Russia or from China or from the Solomon Islands or from Madagascar. Each and every human color group are one race: the human race, and Nelson makes an appeal to people by that very same idea. We are the human kindred, and differentiate into several different colors because of who we are. Color is something that identifies us in how we look, and there is nothing to be ashamed of in your color because that is how one was born. 

Of course, racism has its roots in evolution, which is why one must be weary of what they believe in. Maybe that is why the largely black, urban populations are making such an appeal to Christianity in the United States these days?

[andrewgrinchishin]

The above is a photograph of what can be coined by the term "blood diamonds," which I first learned about in Spanish class last year. What these workers (above^) are doing is mining for diamonds in gut wrenching, horrifying conditions. Companies abuse workers and force them into such a terrible state, a never ending cycle of work in order to get some food, where they spend their days digging and mining for diamonds that are then sold in the United States for remarkable markup. So think again the next time you get a diamond!

What are blood diamonds to be exact? They are also known as war diamonds or conflict diamonds. Diamonds are mined under deplorable conditions. 

The areas where these diamonds are found are generally in high-conflict zones, particularly Africa. Liberia and South Africa, for instance, are full of diamonds. Governments and other various factions and businesses compete very heavily for these areas ignoring the pain that it brings to the people that live there. Crime is encouraged and corruption is rampant in many of these countries. Now is this diamond trade off worth it? 

I encourage you all to think the next time you buy a diamond. Although for you students, rather spend that on your books and tuition and stuff of the like.

[steveguyperson]

The video our class watched this past week on the american healthcare system was painful to watch. I am quite disappointed that we would watch such biased videos for this class. This video was mostly just examples of all the people who have been cheated by healthcare companies or made to pay for...

[andrewgrinchishin]

Since we did our disagreeing and agreeing reading assignment today in class from the They Say I Say text I am going to have to disagree and agree with you at once. First of all, yes the video was based on emotion and I personally want everyone to have health care. No and yes, the video was wrong to assume that the fear of socialism and communism was the only reason for not having universal health care but it was still accurate. We did have this anti-communism feeling that the majority of Americans still have today. It isn't  a surprise seeing that Pol Pot, Mao Zedong, and Stalin were all communists. 

Of course the answer is not that we should simply adopt a healthcare system and it isn't that we simply shouldn't. Sometimes we only look at two options, or one option and the other non-option, that makes it seem as if the whole world revolves around two big choices that will make a big difference. But let's get creative. We have many more options. Nationalizing everything can be rough but just leaving it is rough too. 

I think the biggest issue is just how people are screwing things up for personal gain. This means insurance companies, and evil governments alike. Take Africa for instance. Why are people starving? The United States alone probably has the capacity to feed the world! So why is it so screwed up?

[andrewgrinchishin]

Slavery in America & Modern Day Racial Injustice

Social injustice is still a major problem amongst different colors of people. I am tired of hearing the word race. Morgan Freeman has a point (See an earlier repost of steveguyperson's blog). Could you look at a bunch of black cows, roan cows, and white cows and say that they are different races of cows? We are one race: the human race! America currently and evidently still faces much racial discrimination. Needless to say, this problem needs to be addressed by our generation. We have sat back far too long watching this problem "improve gradually." 

For example, well over two-thirds of incarcerated persons in the United States are black. Why? Because they come from an unequal background, financially deprived of what typical people in the suburban areas receive. A good education, decent housing and food, and clothing.

Modern Day racial injustice is evident throughout the cities of America. Here, in Buffalo, one side of the city can be completely different from the other side of the same city. It is quite abashing with a little pondering. 

I believe that this is a great problem that is not simply a policy-fixer; it starts with you: the modest steps we make can improve the lives of people around the world and here in Buffalo. According to the Broken Windows Theory, if one window is smashed, people will not regret breaking other windows nearly as much. Fixing neighborhoods, creating neighborhood block clubs, and taking part in social justice organizations all can assist in eliminating this modern day American injustice. 

Note that this injustice does not simply pertain to race. It applies, for the most part, to those that are financially deprived. 

I won't be quoting and social injustice stories in this blog. See the next blog for next week (probably on David Loeb chapter) or the link for a more in depth explanation.

[steveguyperson]

Despite the kinds of injustice that get the attention of our political leaders and news organizations, the worst kind of cruelty is that which is directed at animals, especially those animals that were meant to be friends to humankind such as cats, dogs and other pets. Everyday such animals are...

[andrewgrinchishin]

I agree. It is really sad to see animals get treated like this. If this isn't injustice, I don't know much else that is. It seems like we sometimes focus too much on the wrong topics. Inequality exists in many places but more important than that is assisting those that need help. Touching video by the way.

[andrewgrinchishin]

What is with the question "Are you Hispanic or Latino?" Why is this question distinct from the race question that typically proceeds it? Moreover, why is it on a UB questionnaire on bike paths/bicycling and possible improvement at UB?

A history lesson: In 1930, Mexican was put on the census as a race type. At this time and around it, people did NOT want to Identify themselves as a particular race out of fear. Japanese-Americans were rounded off and sent to internment camps. People were afraid of the government, which supposedly, under the declaration of independence, is quite the contrary of the original intent of what the government was supposed to be. Because of this Mexicans would identify as White. Not to mention that then Mexico gave up the Southwest to the United States in a treaty (modern day Texas+), the Mexican government agreed to cede land only if its citizens within the U.S. were treated with full respect as citizens. Now lets remember that a citizen in those days was a white male for the most part.

In the census, when the majority of Mexicans checked off white they were contacted by the government and ordered to give an explanation. Most replied that they do not belong anywhere else. 

The truth of the matter is, the combined census model would ask for race/origin. So which was it really asking? Mexicans generally put White since that was who they were in the United States for a long time period; hence, the double question was added specifically asking if one was Latino/Hispanic. Most Mexican people began to check off yes for Hispanic/Latino and White for race. Yet still in the modern day many Mexican people check off white, especially those living along the southern border, particularly.

In the modern day, some people check off white as a strategy. Others check off other and are generally associated with anti-racist politics.

So thats why that question has been up ever since; however, my question now: What in the world does a 2-minute survey on bicycles at UB have to do with your race??

[andrewgrinchishin]

The official home page of Westley Moore and home page for the book The Other Wes Moore

As you all may know, Westley Moore has recently come to speak at UB this October. Moore clearly shows us the relationship between one's environment and their success. His theme clearly resembles the social injustice theme that our class has been covering throughout the semester.

In his speech at the alumni arena, however, Moore states that

"we are not products of our environment," but

"products of our expectations." 

So is Moore telling us that environment plays an influence in our lives, yet we are not "products of our environments?" Although these may seem to contradict itself. Moore is right. Even from a poor environment, we do not have to be what the environment compels us to become.

Moore describes to us the inequality that whole cultures of people face and the influence of different variables on the success of these people.

In Moore's case, two young boys, both growing up in an economically disadvantaged community and without a father. Both boys grew up and went onto completely different paths. One is know a well known author, inspirational speaker, Oxford graduate, and Army Veteran. The other is now incarcerated as "property of the state of Maryland."

Because of their disadvantage, both boys grew up in an environment full of the wrong influences. Moore was structurally disadvantaged because of his socioeconomic position.

There does exist inequality, and people of economically disadvantaged families generally grow up in a harder position to achieve their aspirations because of this structural disadvantage; however, Moore is also accurate in stating that our expectations are what makes us into who we are. Wes longed to be a "somebody." He went for the impossible. He had higher expectations. One of his best friends, however, is serving a life sentence because of what he did.

In his statement Wes is clear to us in that we are not products of our environments. These words are in defiance to the influence around us, so that we rise our expectations above the level of our environmental influence.

[steveguyperson]

Morgan freeman solves the race problem.

I dislike how we discuss racism and inequality so much, because i am of the opinion that the best thing to help it is to stop talking about it, and Morgan Freeman seems to agree.

[andrewgrinchishin]

This is a very interesting opinion; however, I am not entirely sure Morgan is right. Morgan is a very intelligent man. We all know that where are thoughts go is where the energy flows. If we are all so conscientious of racism than the topic will never go to rest. Black history month is seen by Morgan Freeman as one of those conscientious obstacles. And his plan may just work.

But being completely oblivious to a particular topic will not make things better. It does not solve problems. It just ignores them. I agree with Morgan about black history month though, seeing that this month, although supposedly making people aware of "black history," it is taking the prospect away that black history is in fact American history, and making racism a larger problem that it needs to be.

[andrewgrinchishin]

A problem common yet overlooked: The exploitation of students through college textbooks

To cope, most students aren't buying all the books they need, the group PIRG says.

A great topic for a declaration:

The unanimous declaration of the higher education students of America,

            When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands of tyranny that have connected them to one another, and assume amongst all others, those at fault and the bystanders, an equal station of common sense and decent respect for the reasoning in this current and ongoing, most overlooked yet problematic dilemma: the price of college textbooks! So we address this document to professors all around the world for the following and most necessary action, students for their support, and all others for the decency of support in one groups hardship. Students are being exploited by the tyrannical rulers who have been laughing at us, cheating us students out of millions every year to feed their greed through selling heavily overpriced assets in a completely dominated and unregulated market.

A capitalist economy is based on free market choice. This is NOT the case with college textbooks, seeing that students are told when to buy their product by and what product they must buy exactly. This permits publishers to have a monopoly.

Publishers use this to their advantage, and scamming is very common in this market area. Not only are books way overpriced for the few dollars that it actually takes to produce them and import them, but they are constantly changed to prevent reuse. Editions are changed annually to keep the money flowing, and those that are addicted to scamming and exploiting students are constantly discovering new methods to feed their unquenchable greed. The Federal government has done literally nothing on this issue, except for adopting a few laws on letting students know of the prices ahead of time. The Fed does this in the interest of a "free market," without realizing in fact that college textbooks are not free market products, seeing students are forced to buy them. 

Of course there are methods of fixing the problem. One, policy that equalizes the costs at the federal or state levels or secondly, honestly bringing out a free market and competition between  book selling companies. But the second option is quite difficult since it is largely dependent on the professor's preference