Twitter?

I have a Twitter! Now! If you have one and would like to follow me, then go to the following link, and you can follow me, or just check out my page. I only have one tweet, so yeah.

www.twitter.com/masterartsys

Cisco Kills Flip?

Yeah, so you may know that for my YouTube videos, I don't have one of those fancy high tech cameras so I use a Flip Ultra HD. I'm pretty happy with it, though a professional HD camera would be nice.

Anyways, Cisco bought Flip two years ago and now they're abandoning them because of reasons such as Cisco never meaningfully integrating the Flip into their main business of computer making gear, as Yahoo says.

It's quite sad, since the Flip Camcorders were selling pretty well. They were the highest selling out of all the other pocket cameras. Now that Cisco has killed off Flip, they will be left bankrupt, and shut down.

However, mobile devices that are being released now and tomorrow, will have very high quality resolution cameras, so there will probably be a mobile device with a camera equal or better to the Flip. The iPhone is in some ways better than the Flip, like its image stabilization, which beats the Flip's anyday. I'm still sad to see this amazing product go... :(

Ban on Home Lunches?!

Yeah, I'm alive. But to the point of my topic, a school in Chicago is now banning lunches from home and requiring you to buy lunch for $2.25 at their cafeteria. No exceptions, except for kids with allergies.

As you may notice, there are many, many things wrong with this new rule. The principal says, "Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school,". Are you kidding me? I've seen a picture of the lunch you serve, and it looks like for jail inmates. They can't possibly eat that every single day. The options are VERY limited, which means that every other day, you'll be stuffing a cold cheese sandwich down your mouth because there is nothing else. Nutrition wise, it doesn't actually look that unhealthy, but I'm not sure what they're showing is enough to fill up some children at this public school.

There is a rumored thought (by me) that kids will obviously try and smuggle in snacks from home, after getting bored of eating the junk that they serve. I understand, if this was the situation at my school, I would probably try and do the same thing. However, punishments are there for those who attempt this feat. And in my head, I think many people WILL do this.

"It's about... the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke." - Princial Elsa Carmona.

I can obviously make out the doubt in her voice and how she can't think of anything else. If I were in her place, I would definitely be against Coke, and other sodas that contain sugar, and also other junk food, but I don't really think I would force children to eat food unwillingly. Its really about the choices that they make, and I don't think I would accept the power to serve the kids the same lunch against their will. If they wanted to eat healthy, then they could, and if they chose other than that, then be it. I can't force them, but should keep in mind that there WILL be consequences in the near future.

The school lunch racks in at $2.25 a day per meal. I will admit that this is not a very hefty price for school lunches. But if we take the matter of fact that this is the price they have to pay five out of the seven days of the week, then I would definitely file a complaint if I were a parent. If we estimated the total amount per week, per CHILD (keep in mind that many parents do have more than one child that go to the same school), then that's $11.25 a week, and may I repeat, per student. Two students is $22.50. That's not fair, especially for those who may have lost their jobs due to the bad economy. Here's what a local mom says about this, "I can accept if they want to ban soda, but to tell me I can't send a lunch with my child? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????"

This may partially include health concerns as the principal mentioned earlier, and since the obesity rate in America is rapidly growing, but it may also have to do with making money because of the budget cuts. There have been budget cuts at my school, and that's why we recycle, and try and lessen on supplies that are unneeded. But to take money from hard-working parents, some who can't even make enough to provide a roof for their family, is terribly cruel, and selfish. Of course, I do still understand that there are budget cuts, but schools do have a set budget aside from education, which they could use maybe on supporting a fundraiser or two. Or maybe host a few dances where there would be a small entrance fee. These are all ways that they could make money.

And it's not like kids won't buy school lunches anymore. Kids will still be buying school lunch if it's more convenient for their family, or if they forget a home lunch one day. There will still be a lot of sales in school lunch. But for other families, bringing a home lunch is a cheaper, and more enjoyable meal for the child and the parent. Health may be a huge concern from this school, but as I said earlier, parents should enforce the foods that children eat, and if they don't, then the kids will have to make their own decision. Having a school governing them what to eat is unjust in my mind.

Thanks for listening to my thoughts, I'll try and post more often, but I need to get off YouTube. TOO MUCH!!!