Incompetent people hinder the performance of democracies.

As hopefully everyone knows the next presidential election is fast approaching.  This means the next round of political campaigns and advertisement is being shown to us, the voters.  A friend showed me this article, and it was very intriguing.  Everyone should take a couple of minutes to skim over it, because it makes a clear and persuasive argument about the knowledge of voters and their influence on elections.  (Article)

The article title reads “People Aren’t Smart Enough for Democracy to Flourish, Scientist Say.”  The article is based off of research done at Cornell University, and it talks about how those of lower intelligence are unable to identify the best candidate for an election.  It argues that people are only able to judge the ability of others up to their own ability, and it brings up the fact that people generally believe they are better at something than they really are.  The reasoning for this is that some people are too ignorant to know their incompetence.  There is another article that agrees with the research done, and it is interesting and humorous. (Article) 

So my questions to 1106 are, what do you think about these results?  Do you find this to be generally true in your own experiences?  Also, do you think this could play a factor in the 2012 presidential election? Did this play a role in any past presidential elections?

Candle-light Vigil

An article it from the Collegiate Times “April 16 candlelight vigil unites community, students” was a very well written article that described the candle light vigil that was held Monday night. The event was a very somber and respectful which was a proper way to honor the five year anniversary of the tragic event. Reading the article was like reliving the entire vigil because of its vivid descriptions. One main point the article makes is that the majority of students who attended the vigil were not Virginia Tech students at the time of the shooting. The article then goes on to say that it was amazing that so many students who never knew any of the victims and were not even in the same class could come together to honor the lives of those lost.

It has been mentioned to me by some of my older classmates that they were unsure whether there would be a candle-light vigil this year because the last class present on campus when the shooting occurred had graduated in 2011. I feel that the University made the right move by continuing the tradition that has existed for several years. I think it is the most proper way to honor those who were lost that day and to honor the phrase “never forget”. The event also brings the campus, students, faculty, alumni, and community members together as a single united group of people.

What was your experience with the candle-light vigil and how did it affect you as a member of the Virginia Tech community? Do you agree with the decision to continue the tradition of the candle-light vigil?

http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/19683/april-16-candlelight-vigil-unites-community-students

(link to article)

Why the hate for mainstream music?

There is an almost universally shared opinion that this past decade has been the worst decade for music in recent music history. Whenever I search for music video for a certain artist or act on YouTube, there is always a comment about how the state of the music industry is disintegrating. There is plenty of discussion throughout the Internet regarding to finding the reason why so many people are unhappy with what mainstream music is churned out in the past few years.

As for my own opinion, I hold two beliefs that can explain why current mainstream music is poorly received in general.

Music Industry is Bankrupt- Most major labels are desperate to make a quick buck to save the industry. Therefore in order to make a quick buck, the record industry is pushing songs and artists that appeal to the lowest common denominator (sex, drugs, and teenage girl fantasies) which can collectively be summarized in the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lmCjJ0VBjjU

NOTE:  K’ronikka’s Booty Wave is not available on I-Tunes unfortunately.

Billboard adding separate charts for different genres of music- Throughout the 60’s to 90’s the Billboard Hot 100 featured songs from various genres of music. Therefore, many people who listened on the radio and kept track of the Hot 100 would be exposed to genres of music that they would not be normally exposed to. When Billboard started to make more charts dedicated to specific genres of music (Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, etc.), listeners did not have the same opportunities to find artists as easily as they once did. As of now, the Billboard Hot 100 features pop music while the other genres of music are isolated in their own specialized charts. Therefore fans of only pop music could be satisfied with the mass airplay of the songs featured on the Billboard Hot 100.

Do you believe that mainstream music is popular or unpopular with the masses?  

What is your reasoning in believing so?  

What is would you believe is the most/least popular decade of music and why? 

What do you feel music will be like in 10 to 20 years?      

What are your musical tastes and are they well represented in mainstream music?

SAPPY MORAL OF THE BLOG:  Some of the best music that is near and dear to my heart are classified in genres of music that I did not normally listened to at first. Try to expand your musical horizons because there is so much great music waiting to be heard and you are surrounded by it. While watching a music video, try clicking on one of the related videos in the related videos column on YouTube for once. (I promise that you are not going to break your finger by doing this.)

Any other thoughts or personal opinions about this matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

PERSONAL OPINION:  Before anyone asks me, I do not think that the 2000’s were the worst decade in recent music history. In fact, I think that the 2000’s are the most underrated decade in recent music history.

Where should the football practice facility go?

One current issue on the Virginia Tech campus is where the new football practice facility should be built. The Collegiate Times, the paper of Virginia Tech, has an article explaining the current problem. The article Opponents are determined to keep the ecosystem intact, raises up two different options of the location of the facility. The two possible locations are taken away the tennis courts and the roller rink on Washington Street or take down the trees behind Lane Stadium in order to build the facility. There have been several petitions formed for both sides. Either the woods or the tennis courts will be the location of the new facility. The football practice facility will definitely be built. Currently, the football team has trouble finding a place to practice when the weather is bad. They have to split time in the Rector Fieldhouse with the indoor track team. The new facility would allow the football team to be able to practice in the team’s personal facility during bad weather. Other benefits of the facility are the ability for other sports teams, like soccer, to use the facility as well. The facility is going to be built, but where?

Where do you think that the facility should be built? Should they tear down the trees behind Lane Stadium? Or should they build over the tennis courts and the roller rink on Washington Street? What location would you rather see be used for the facility? Do you even think it is necessary for the football team to get a new facility?

Does racism still exist?

Recently in the news, the case of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman has grabbed everyone's attention.  The article, The Events Leading to the Shooting of Trayvon Martin, gives the complete story (so far) of this very controversial case. George Zimmerman,  a neighborhood watch coordinator, shot an unarmed 17 year old African-American, Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman claims it was self defense, yet recently leaked surveillance tapes show him untouched after this supposed "altercation". He still has not been arrested. Many other details of Zimmerman's story have also been proved wrong, such as him claiming it was himself screaming in the 911 call. Many see this case as just another way that African-Americans are treated unjustly, and claim that if a black man shot a young white boy, this whole situation would have played completely different. 

I would have to agree that racism did play a role in this case, as the evidence against George is outstanding. 

Did racism play any part in this? In fact, is racism even a big issue in America? Would this case have been treated differently had a black man shot a 17 year old white man?