Coronavirus Pandemic - QUARANTINED ITALIANS

Will the Pandamic Bring out our best ... or worst Qualitites? 

I , too, personally can see both things happening (bringing our worst and best qualities out) on media and in our own Santa Maria town. When the corona virus situation started, I did not think it would really bring us to where we are today. After going to a Fundraiser at Apple Bee's on Saturday morning (3/7), I went to Costco next. It was a bit early so we waited in the car. I noticed so many people gathered outside which troubled me. It made me feel like something was going on, which was and I was not aware of it at that point. But in that moment, it felt like I was in one of those media videos posted about Black Friday. Once Costco opened, people grabbed their carts and were running, literally running to only one area. I was curious so I left my mom and took my sister to see what was going on. I'm not the typical person to head to the crowd if there is a fight at school, but adults running was a totally another scary thing. The bottle water area was full with carts traffic where employers shouted 2 per card. Since then, I haven't gone out to a store but I have seen multiple videos online where the people are hoarding items and even fighting, sometimes even being disrespectful to our elders or Asians because of the stereotype that they are most likely carrying the corona virus. My father usually goes out to lunch with my my mom on work days. In the afternoon, he mentioned that he saw an elder man crying, Which did hit me hard. Not a while ago, long story short, he told us about how he helped an elderly stranger get up after not being able to stand. If my father had not been there at that moment, who knew what would have happened or for how much longer the man would be laying on the floor. I agree with Bekah, it is our turn as youth members of any community around the world to take care of our world and help others around us, especially the ones who cared for us. The Colvin brothers actions were a negative outcome that prove that us, as humans beings, are bringing more worst qualities out than positives. Many people are inflating these prices to the pubic and not everyone is getting a penalty. However, I think like Erica mentioned that this pandemic has also lead us to reflect how important our family is. In addition to seeing your comment, Mr. Orlick, on Areli's post that "we need to not forget that education has, and always will be, a privilege" connects to what I had to say to Dr. Preston's journal question "How is this going to work?" Even though school turned to virtual for those who want to continue, it will show who will take that advantage given and who is determined to keep up. However, I'll keep in mind that not everyone had the same advantages. I just hope that those who do have their necessary resources  would use them. But also balance their time and spend time with their families in a quality manner, not in which your there physically but not there mentally. 

I personally think that it is bring the best in me in a different way in which I am learning. There are chores and assignments to balance and more responsibility. Like Miguel mentioned: on the bright side we all have more time to sleep. I am actually enjoying it, these couple of days, as I have spent time reading, going outside in the rain with my sister to chase the cats who leave their dirty, spending more time to cook meals I never thought I would because I was limited with time, and bonding again with my sisters when all 4 of us can get along. For some reason, I am not as afraid as "overacting people" seem yet. I have faith that in the end we will overcome this all together. And if it does get worse, I hope people find solutions such as start to grow their own foods and find a way to continue to grow the fields to provide food for their community with the work and contribution of the community, and trade for the sake of all of us to get along and live more peacefully economically than conducting violence as a solution in addition to the fear we already have. 

PRICE CHECK - Coronavirus Pandemic

So today I will include you in my thoughts as I read an article shared by someone, which is why I would like to share it with you as I go into it.

PRICE CHECK: GREEDY BROTHERS FORCED TO GIVE AWAY 17,000 HAND SANITIZER BOTTLES THEY TRIED TO SELL FOR $70 EACH AFTER MASSIVE BLACKLASH

To start off, it's published by The U.S. Sun written by Lottie Tiplady-Bishop on the 16th of March of 2020. 

In the 15 second video, well, I assume is one of the brothers admits that he bought these supplies and did try to sell them for higher prices around his town, however it was higher online. Makes me think that he is one of those people who tried to sell a pack of water for more than 300 dollars; and was not even sorry. 

"A PAIR of brothers who stockpiled 17,700 bottles of dollar store hand sanitizer to sell for $70 each say they have been forced to give them all away following a huge social media backlash."

This shocking footage does show fully boxes piled on top of each other, which was worth over $15, 000. Coronavirus did cause a lot of greedy people to inflate prices on the internet. I know people who won't and can't afford these higher prices when everyone else is hogging the supplies we have and that are offered at the stores. 

Unsurprisingly, these brothers might be facing "legal action after a state of emergency was triggered in the state" for price gouging. Yet, it's a bit unfair they have to suffer these consequences when others are still hiding their sales with high prices. All the people who inflate these prices do deserve their appropriate penalties. 

"Twitter users blasted the brothers as 'conmen' and 'snake oil salesmen."' 

Connecting it back to U.S History, it reminded me of the Robber Barons with Horizontal and Vertical Integration.  

"Another user added: 'When you are forced to do the right thing, is it really doing the right thing?'" 

Inl life, mi

PREVIEW OF THE GREAT GATSBY

the great gatsby

- the last line of the book is arguably the most important "So we bear on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly into the past." This line embodies the thematic conflict that defines The Great Gatsby that the American Dream is unattainable.

- Gatsby desire for success - however we define it- is evidence of the American dream, obsession, and lack of self-love and worth. Gatsby symbolizes our culture and even our desires. He isn't an outlier, because if he were, then all of us are which make us uniquely the same.

- Fitzgerald's characterization creates a tone around the theme of happiness.  His attitude towards happiness is that it is false. Even with all the riches in the world, you can't be really happy. I think his attitude is influenced by love, external markers such as wealth, and trying to repair or re-live the past.

- The notion of the American dream figure prominently in this story. The readers, like my classmates and I, define the American dream as being happy, being successful and full of prosperity with a lot of opportunities. Moreover, I believe the American dream may be a good thing. It can give you the motivation to get up everyday and live the way you want. However, in reality, our world is split by classes with the wealthy making all our choices in the top. with the wealthy saying they are representing "you and me", people who are making choices based on how the way they see our lives without any knowledge of experience. In this reality, it's so rare to see any boy from a low income family to be successful. 

THOUGHTS

Monday 3.2.20

Today, as it is collaboration day, we came out of school at 1:55. We caught the bus at the transit center by 3.

Later on in the afternoon, around 4:30ish, we were snacking on mangos and other frutas picadas. My dad sat down on the chair and began to say that something really unexplainable had happen to him today.

To start off, both my parents work together, however, my mother didn't go to work today. So, of course, we were all intrigued to know what occurred.

My father had said that he was parking his car on the site of his work where he maintains the garden and landscape. Right after getting off the truck, he notices a broken sprinkler across the street. One of his co-worker and himself walked over directly to offer their help with the broken sprinkler and knocked on the door.

An elderly woman opened and worriedly, went outside and said that her gardener was coming on Saturday. However, with the language boundary, my father couldn't quite understand. He caught fragments of her sentences understanding something about needing help with moving a bed to the bathroom or the something in the bathroom to the bedroom. My father and his co-worker were confused. The concerned and suspicious woman let them in and inside there was an a man laying on the ground. It seemed to be her partner whom she lived with.

With an angry response, the man demanded to know who these strangers were. My father noticed something on his legs like an ankle bracelet and understood the situation. The man did not want to be picked up and moved to the bed until his nurses came. My father attempted to talk to him. Yet, he seemed uncomfortable for he saw these two strangers come into his home. He trusted what appeared to be his wife as she explained that they worked across the street.

The woman asked my father and his co-worker "Where are you from?". She seemed to be speechless and really thankful. Trying to look at it in the woman's perspective, I believe it was something else explainable. You may call it coincidence. However, I believe it was God doing. The broken sprinkler could of been his sign to help this couple inside the house.