Prison Expansions: Money Well Spent?

So, today I was sent an email from one of my profs about a survey on the public opinion of the Fed's Law and Order Agenda. I decided to look at it, and see if I had any opinions on it. So often I don't know my opinion on something until I'm asked to share it.

Now, I'm at a very complex point in my life where I'm very unclear as to what my political views are. I say I'm Conservative just so I have something to say, but truthfully I have no f'ing idea just now. But I'm ok with that, because I'm still figuring out my opinions, and I've decided I want to figure out my opinions based on what *I* decide, rather than based on the political party I decide to be affiliated with. Anywho, here is my opinion on the matter, completely free of influence from anywhere but my own mind and experiences.

I'm a firm believer in the punishment of criminals. (Feel free to point out the irony here, given my sometimes criminal behavior). I guess its probably the Mother Hen gene I seem to carry so strongly, but I like the idea of people who go around killing and raping people being locked up. As a matter of fact, I like the idea of people who go around killing and raping people being DEAD. But something about spending $2 billion on prison expansion makes me uneasy. I can't help but feel like at least SOME of this money would be better used on rehabilitation, rather than containment.

Coming from a small town, and having at one time been friends with some questionable people, I've rubbed shoulders with a criminal or two. And the thing about these people is, they're not terrible people for the worst part. Usually, the problem stems from addictions within their family that lead to an abuse of substances which lead them to get into a fight with some other jackass and then they get sent to the corrections facility. Then, they get out of the corrections facility, and they are far closer to being hardened, dangerous, criminals than they were before they went there. They find new sources and hookups for drugs, make more dangerous friends, and its all a downward spiral from there.

How many people in our jails are there because they started off as young offendors? I would wager the number isn't small. So, its my opinion that it would be much more productive to use at the very least *some* of that money for rehabilitation- addictions counselling, more social workers, anything to help save at least some of these kids from lives of crime, and show them that they can be productive members of society in spite of their upbringing.

But that's just my humble opinion.

OPI Katy Perry Collection

Sooooo I accidentally bought some nail polishes today... BUT THEY WERE SO WORTH IT!

From left to right they are:
Black Shatter (which I have a picture of later on)
Teenage Dream (an incredibly glittery, holographic pale pink)
The One That Got Away (a nice dark raspberry colour with fine glitter in it)
Last Friday Night (a pale periwinkle with very chunky blue and silver glitter)
Not Like the Movies (a greenish/silver/purple duochrome- more metallic than glittery)

Aren't they gooooorgeous?!?! I can't wait to try them all- especially Not Like the Movies. It reminds me of a Mac eyeshadow that I love- Club. Duochromes are the coolest.

I put on the Black Shatter the instant I got home, I was so excited and I'd heard so so much about it. The polish its over is GOSH's 517- Wild Lilac. I left one nail bare so you could see the polish without the Black Shatter. I think the effect was  pretty cool :

So I really shouldn't have bought all of these but... I had to cure the Monday blues somehow, right? I actually bought a back up of the Black Shatter because its LE and who knows when they'll come out with something like that again?

Thinking of Japan

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/?rf=twtr

Whenever global disasters strike, I can't help but find people's reactions interesting. It all starts with someone posting the news story to facebook, and then there's a flood of statuses where people proclaim to be "thinking of Japan!" or "praying for the families" etc etc. And while this is all well and good, the society we live in seems to feel that "thinking and praying for" people in need is enough that they can step back and bask in the glow of their kindness. No one ever DOES anything anymore.

And I understand that not all of us *can* do much. I understand more than anyone, as a college student, that although donating $25 doesn't sound like a lot, its going to make the grocery budget that much harder. I'm sure theses people only have good intentions, but I wish people would stop focusing on "raising awareness"- especially when those things are going around facebook "raising awareness" for breast cancer. Nearly everyone has been affected by and is "aware" of cancer- we need to focus on not just "raising awareness" but raising awareness of how others can help, even if we ourselves are not in a position to be able to donate. So I encourage anyone reading this to take the link above and post it to facebook/twitter/your blog in lieu of a post about how you're "thinking about those in need".

PS- thanks to Allie Coffrey for the Global Giving link

Don Juan is a STUD

I know its boring that I keep rambling on about literature, but I've finally fine tuned my topic for my essay and I'm actually getting SO EXCITED (I AM SUCH A DORK.) I'm doing it on gender roles in Wuthering Heights vs Don Juan. Pretty intense, I know. I also know I should probably be acutally *writing* it as opposed to writing a blog post about it, but these things take time, haha.

I'm so pumped to go home this weekend. Cass has a tournament and I love working at her tournaments. Its the only time lately I really feel like I'm a part of some kind of group. I've kind of been a lone wolf, of late. Speaking of which, two of my best friends neglected to say happy birthday to me on my birthday :( I know I shouldn't still be sad about it but... you know, these things hurt more than you want them too. I'm such a baby sometimes.

I'm finally falling into a really good groove lately. For awhile coming to school seemed like such a huge hassle, but now I'm finally showing up and getting shit done. Its a good feeling, so hopefully I'll pass a few more classes than usual. That would make my mother ecstatic. And it'd be nice to be let back in next year, haha.

I guess I really don't have that much to say today. I'm just posting for the sake of posting. I don't think anyone is ever really going to read this blog, but that's just as well. Its kind of lame.

I can haz blog?

I'm becoming a cliche. Facebook, Twitter, and now a blog too?! Jeepers.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to write about here. Mostly procrastination, I guess. Right now I *should* be reading/researching/writing my essay. But its so hard to get started! Once I have my thesis nailed down I can just write and write... but, thanks to the shitshow that is the U of S library, I can't find any useful criticisms of either Lord Byron or Emily Bronte. Probably because they're not popular authors... OH WAIT. THEY IS.

I've been at the library since 6 o'clock, and I'm kind of losing my mind. I was here all day yesterday as well. Somewhat oddly, I got WAY more done yesterday when I spent all day with Tania than I have today when I've been here completely alone.

I will never understand the hype surrounding Wuthering Heights. There's isn't a likable character in the whole damn book! Or even one of those characters you love to hate sort of thing (ie Mr Darcy- he's an ass, but a totally lovable one). Just a bunch of adults whining like the teenagers I see on facebook everyday. If Cathy and Heathcliffe had facebooks, I'm fairly certain I would have blocked them by now.

Catherine Earnshaw if ur not willing to risk it than maybe u just don't want it bad enough!

Heathcliffe u took me for granted and ran my heart straight into the planet!

(Note: Sad as this may be, both of these status updates were directly stolen from two people who have a crazy on and off relationship. I could never come up with trash like this on my own.)

Maybe I'm the only one, but I find this depressingly accurate. I wish I could write my essay on this.

This is enough hateful ranting for one day.

See y'all later!