These people should be shot

I stumbled across this article on Yahoo.

A New Jersey student, Tyler Clementi, was recorded against his knowledge while he was having sex with another man.

A talented young man with a bright future, as he was a musician jumped to his death off of a bridge because his sexual acts were captured, recorded and then broadcast on the internet.

The two defendants are Dharun Ravi, who is Clementi's roommate and Molly Wei. The relationship of Molly Wei with Clementi is not mentioned in the article.

According to this article, if both of them are convicted, then they could face up to five years in prison.

These people single handedly ruined the bright future of a young man who was a talented musician. They have caused unspeakable sorrow for the Clementi family. What have they accomplished? Nothing. They've managed to ruin a life, cause sorrow for his family.

Five years for this? That's it? And if they fake remorse and claim to the court that they have learned their lesson, they might even get less than that... Way less.

These two should never be allowed to reproduce, they should be expelled from the university. These scum of the Earth do not deserve a second chance. What in their right mind would cause them to do something so stupid?

How would those two like if someone decided to video broadcast one (or both) of them having intercourse on the internet? I don't think they would like it one bit!

For the first time ever, I am actually ashamed to be Asian. Way to go, Molly Wei.

My thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of this young man whose life ended way too soon, at the hands of inconsiderate asswipes who had nothing else better to do than to ruin someone else's life.

I don't believe for an eye for an eye, but if I did, those two would be made to pay dearly... Very dearly.

Incendies

On Tuesday, September 28, 2010, I went to see the film Incendies. This is a Quebecois/Canadian film that will represent Canada at the Oscars.

The movie is about two twins who were asked of their mother in her will to do two things. She asked her female twin to find her father and her male twin to find his brother.

The movie tells the story of the mother, her life, what she has lived and gone through as well as the story of the twins who discover their roots, their heritage and their relatives.

A very well done film that mixes two cultures: Canadian/Quebecois culture and Middle Eastern culture. A film with a twist at the end, so be prepared!

Oh, just realized...

My blog is officially five years old. I cannot believe that I have been ranting about stuff or commenting on stuff for five years.

Happy birthday to the blog as well.

Birthday celebrations - 29

So, another year old... Perhaps another year wiser?

My birthday happened sometime this week on a weekday, where practically no one was available to celebrate, so I decided to celebrate the birthday tonight.

The evening started off with a fountain show. It was featured at the Place des Arts fountain, in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles. It was a 20 minute show with sound, music and lights and synchronized with fountains. Me and four others were there.

After the show, we went to a restaurant in Chinatown to have an authentic Asian (Chinese) meal. We ordered a set dinner for four and an extra plate of vegetables, since we were five people. The meal was delicious. I was lucky enough to not have to pay for the meal, as one of the people I was with decided to pay for it.

Next, we walked around Chinatown to look at mooncakes at different Asian bakeries... I saw mooncakes ranging from $18 a box to $24 a box. I am tempted for some mooncakes, but I am also tempted to just wait until after the Mid Autumn Festival to get cheap mooncakes. We shall see... Not that I could really afford mooncakes right now, since I am still on the hunt for a job.

The evening ended off with a bubble tea, also in Chinatown. During the bubble tea, I played Uno with my friends.

This was a great way to celebrate my birthday. No alcohol was involved, not that I am an alcoholic and require alcohol to have fun, but it was a nice way to celebrate my birthday.

The Kids are All Right

On Tuesday, September 7, 2010, I went to see the movie The Kids are Alright. This movie features Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore.

This movie is about a lesbian couple who had two children. Each woman in the couple had one child with their egg and then they used the same sperm donor. The eldest daughter, Joni is now 18 and has the right to know the identity of her sperm donor. She didn't want to know, but her half-brother, Laser did.

So, she makes the call and ends up meeting their father, Paul - played by Mark Ruffalo. He is an organic produce farmer.

Paul really connects with with Joni and Laser and so Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) invite him over for lunch.

How does the story end? You'll need to watch it yourself to find out... However, I will say that this film covers many serious topics, has moments that are funny and will make you laugh, but also many moments where it will make you think and reflect. A wonderfully done piece of work.

And this is why...

I stumbled across this article on Yahoo. Here is the link. It is about parenting differences in Canada, France and Italy.

Below are some quotes from the article that really struck me. Although, it doesn't surprise me, since I have had experiences working in public schools.

"Canadians focus on independence and negotiation. On the other hand, Italians, for example, have more constraining practices and exercise more control. We found Canadians seem to focus on negotiation in the case of conflict,"

and

"Canadian students reported less control and more permissive disciplinary actions, according to the study. Italian parents were constraining, stricter and more demanding and French parents were somewhere in the middle."

and

"North America has its own democratic and educational values, which promote individualization. Tolerance and comprehension are encouraged, and we exclude systems of coercive control. Italy, on the other hand, promotes respect of authority, control, and the need for permission,"

And this is why teachers in North America burn out at the rate that they do.

Back in the days when I went to school, when the teacher said do something, I (and other students in my class) did it.

Now, when the teacher tell the class to do something, it's not immediate.

"Why?" or "What use does this have for us?" or "What's algebra got to do with anything? Why do we need to learn it?" or "How am I supposed to learn when he (the teacher) doesn't do his job?" or "He can't control us..." or the list goes on...

I personally blame this type of parenting for the mountains of problems that occur in schools. Now, not every parent is like this. I may look like I am painting a general picture with one broad stroke, but that is not my intention. Unfortunately, the majority of experiences I have had with students does not surprise me. It is never the students' fault for anything. It's always the teacher(s)' fault. The class doesn't understand, it's the teacher's fault. The students don't listen or behave, it's the teacher's fault. There is no accountability nowadays to students. If a student goes to summer school, it is the teacher's fault.

Start with the fact that we have these websites called ratemyteacher or ratemyprofessor. We are essentially handing over the power for students to rate teachers because of something that they should be able to do. If a bunch of students don't behave, it is not their fault for not behaving, it is the teacher's fault that they are not listening.

Nowadays, respect is now earned... That was not the case back when we were students... The fact that the person is older than you and knows more than you demands respect.

This North American parenting has created a whole bunch of self-centred individuals who think respect needs to be earned. So, if you do not perform to the way that they need to, then you are not cool and therefore they don't need to respect you. We have a whole bunch of experts. These "experts" think they know everything when in reality they know nothing. This is why they are going to school for, to learn stuff so that they can become citizens in the society.

This negotiation business is going to kill this civilization. Since when did children have the right to negotiate? They need to ask permission for things. That's order of things.

If this system was working, I would not be so vehemently against it. However, it doesn't work! The reality in the classroom is that you have students who read because "they are bored" or "they don't care" and I think it's a direct result of this type of parenting. It is even creeping up to the university level. University students who sit in the front won't stop talking to each other during a course lecture!!!

I'm not saying bring back the strap, although it is tempting, but I think this system is not working.