Should e-cigarettes be subject to the same regulations as regular cigarettes? Why or why not?
E-cigarettes should surely be subject to the same regulations as regular cigarettes. Though those who vape say that it is a healthy alternative because of the replacement of smoke with water vapor, the rest is the same. In my mind, nicotine is one of the big reasons that cigarettes are regulated like they are. Though vaping surely is a better alternative to cigarettes because of the decreased smoke-related health risks, the nicotine involved can still foster addiction. Even beyond these health risks, the risk to personality as one enters the vape culture is an epidemic indeed.
Do you think the federal minimum wage should be increased?
I think that the federal minimum wage should definitely be raised. The fact that working a full 40-hour work week at minimum wage gives a person barely enough to support themselves is ridiculous. Historically, minimum wage is supposed to support a 4-person family because anyone willing to dedicate themselves to a 40-hour work week should be paid enough to support themselves and their family, but instead it has become a way for big businesses to get cheap labor while CEOs take the biggest cuts by a landslide. There is no question in my mind that minimum wage needs to be increased by a landslide, too.
Should teens under 18 be tried and sentenced as children or adults?
America spends way too much money on prisons and has more inmates than any other country. Though prison is certainly a necessary evil, the rate that we incarcerate people, especially for over-criminalized crimes such as drugs, certainly needs to be lowered. This isn't even to mention the institutionalized racism in sentencings. Unfortunately, I believe that it depends on a case-by-case basis. Of course, everyone should have their own hearing and be judged by a jury of their peers, but the problem is that there is a widespread mindset that puts people who don't deserve as much jail time in prison for longer than those who deserve life and get only a few years (example: a teenager being given 25 years for drug posession, but someone who has comitted multiple sexual assaults only a few years). The problem lies in the institutionalized racism, sexism, the effects of the war on drugs, and so much more. These make sentencings unfair, and the entire system needs to be fixed. But should teens be sentenced as adults? It depends on the case, but of course injustice will occur in this manner. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that adolescents' brains are not developed enough to be tried as adults except in very extreme cases. Until our justice system can truly identify an extreme case from a minor one, I think it should be written into law that adolescents should be tried as such until a time that they reach adulthood, at which point they should perhaps be re-evaluated at most.
Do the risks of researching deadly viruses outweigh the benefits?
The main argument of those who oppose this research seems to be that if a virus escapes, it could cause an epidemic or pandemic. However, these viruses would already do so. It's up to us to be one step ahead and be ready to tackle it when it happens, therefore we need to research it to make vaccines and so on. Think of it in terms of smaller viruses, let' say the flu. Scientists are doing the exact same thing to create flu shots all the time. Precautions are put into place to keep the risk of these strains escaping as low as possible, and procedures are in place for if something does make it out. The CDC even has instructions online for if a zombie apocalypse were to occur. If people oppose the study of these viruses to help prevent them, they are essentially saying they are against vaccines, which have saved our skins many times in the past and present. It's thanks to research like this that everyone doesn't have polio and the mumps. So, I think that this research and development should definetly continue.
How important is it to you that the Academy Awards nominate more actors who reflect the diversity of the U.S.?
I believe it is very important to diversify the film industry and The Oscars. At one point in the video, it is stated that The Oscars are nothing but a big party for the white and wealthy. This seems very true when you look at who is being nominated and winning the big awards: white people. Even beyond skin color, many more men win awards than women. The USA is a place of great diversity, and unfortunately this is not reflected in many industries, institutionalized racism and sexism reigning. Our diversity needs to be reflected and celebrated, not ignored.
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I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of …
I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of politics. As a Bernie supporter, I thought Trump would make an great horrible Pokemon. The original message of the photo of Trump is to show him as a real, supportable candidate. I use it in the opposite way here, making even more of a joke of him (if that's even possible) through his attacks and low hit points. Here, double exposure shows by being able to see the original intent of the image, but seeing that is has been repurposed to show the opposite.
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I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of …
I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of politics. As a Bernie supporter, I thought he would make an awesome Pokemon that would knock the others right out. The original message of the photo of Bernie is to show him as an intelligent candidate to be respected. I use it in the same way here, but add more meaning to it by including his attacks, showing more specifics and making it into a good-natured joke by comparing him to a Pokemon. This definitely shows the reality of double exposure, but it works in my favor on this example.
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Bernie Sanders Card
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Bernie Sanders Card I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of p…
Bernie Sanders Card I chose to make Pokemon cards for two presidential candidates because of the fight-like nature of politics. As a Bernie supporter, I thought he would make an awesome Pokemon that would knock the others right out. The original message of the photo of Bernie is to show him as an intelligent candidate to be respected. I use it in the same way here, but add more meaning to it by including his attacks, showing more specifics and making it into a good-natured joke by comparing him to a Pokemon. This definitely shows the reality of double exposure, but it works in my favor on this example.
