Bodyguards: Keeping our Idols Safe

We all go crazy when we see our singer in concert. Some of us get lucky and had the opportunity to meet our favorite celebrity in public. But when you go up to them in public, you are always stopped by their bodyguards. Their bodyguards are there because sometimes fans can go too crazy and get too close to the bodyguards, sometimes even hurting the celebrity without meaning it.

Figure 1: Justin Bieber and his bodyguard

 Justin Bieber is one of the most famous singers in the world. Wherever he goes he goes with bodyguards (see figure 1) because he has been attacked numerous times by fans and people who do not like him.

WHO ARE BODYGUARDS?

 Let us not get private security guards confused with the president's bodyguards, those are federal agents there to protect him and his family. Mall security is not apart of the private security industry, that is separate. Mall security hires individuals as security guards, not private security companies. There are two major differences between private security companies and the Secret Service, one is that Secret Service agents work for the government, while private security guards work for private companies. The other is that Secret Service agents have security clearances. A security clearance is permission by the government to have access to classified documents and have the ability to have knowledge of secret information relating to national security. They use the same tactics to protect the people that need to be protected from their fans and people that do not like them. Some of the tactics that the private security industry use are bodyguards, armored cars and firearms.

This may sound crazy, but there are many people who want to hurt famous people so that they can make a name for themselves and become famous. The bodyguards know that celebrities will be recognized wherever they go, so it's their jobs to make sure that people get to say “hi” and take pictures with the celebrates, but at the same time there has to be someone there to make sure that nobody goes too crazy and hurts the celebrity. Most of the bodyguards that protect celebrities are ex-law enforcement or ex- military who enter the industry because it pays better than the public sector. Bodyguards have to go through intense training (see figure 2 below)  before being able to get anywhere close to the celebrity. Even though they have already gone through intense training sessions in the past, protection security is a lot different than any other kind of work people have ever done. But many tactics that the private security industry uses come from law enforcement.

 WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A BODYGUARD?

Bodyguards going through training

Bodyguards need to pass an intense driving course and have proficiency in their gun tests, both of those qualifications are also required to have for law enforcement. The two-main difference between their training styles, are how they react to a situation, bodyguards are more likely to use their flight response while police are required to use their fight response. Training for bodyguards are a combination of fight and flight, while police are required to use their fight response at all the times. The reason bodyguards are trained both fight and flight, is because they need to get the person they are protecting out of danger, but at the same time they need to make sure that the attacker will not follow. According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, law enforcement officials spend the overwhelming majority of their time reacting to a crime, while bodyguards try to deflect attacks. The other difference between training is that bodyguards are trained to read people and analyze crowds of people which helps spot potential threats. Police are trained to detect lies and read body language, which helps during interrogation.

Overall, bodyguards are there to help celebrities do their jobs better by making sure that their safety is not in jeopardy. This helps the celebrities focus on making music or movies which keeps everyone happy.  

References:

1.)[Digital image]. (2014, October 24). Retrieved December 5, 2017, from https://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/justin-stomp-rome.jpg

2.) [Digital image]. (2009, August 8). Retrieved December 6, 2017, from http://www.industry-icon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/training-square1.jpg

3.) Meese, E., III. (10, January 10). Community Policing and the Police Officers. Retrieved December 5, 2017, from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/139164.pdf

With DACA, Dreams come TRUE

Figure 1: Hi, I'm Jamal

Hi, I'm Jamal and my family and I have recently moved from Syria to the United States due to wars and poverty going on in our homeland. When we moved to the United States my parents had to get new jobs and my sister and I had to go to a new school. In class one day, Mrs. Stevens asked, "What do you aspire to be when you grow up?" Since I just moved and my parents did not have jobs yet, I was confused because I didn't know what I could be. I remembered when we were back in Syria my dad, Mohammad was a supportive and intelligent doctor. I told Mrs Stevens, "I want to be a doctor just like my dad was when we lived back in Syria." So, I settled on my journey to becoming a doctor...but how could I do this since I only moved to the United States a year ago and I'm only 13?

Figure 3: Confused Jamal

Well, my sister Fatima is 5 years older than me and she told me about a government program created by President Obama (1) that helped her get a job even though she was an immigrant from Syria just like me! The program is called DACA and it provides a way to help children like me who were not born in the United States who want to go to college and eventually make a career for themselves. 

Without DACA my sister and I would never be able to get the education or find careers we want to pursue because we would not have the opportunities that natural born citizens currently have. This means without DACA I would never be able to become a prestigious doctor. DACA can provided me with years of education, practice and possible work opportunities (1), so I can earn my chance at becoming a helpful and knowledgeable doctor just like my dad.

Although, DACA may not work for all children, like me it gives us a lot more possibilities to create a better life. We all have dreams about what we want to do when we become grown ups. So with DACA all you have to do is dream it, believe in yourself and do it! I can't wait to be a doctor and make a difference in someone else's life!

Figure 5: Jamal's dad, Mohammad, doctor 

Figure 4: A+ Grade from DACA

Deferred

Action

Childhood

Arrivals

DACA is how Dreams come TRUE!!

References:

(Figure 1) Boy student with his bag. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 2) Boy confused and pulling hair. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 3) Grade A plus paper. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 

(Figure 4) Doctor wearing white coat. [Clipart] (2017). Retrieved from: https://classroomclipart.com 
(1) Amuedo-Dorantes, C., & Puttitannum, T. (2016). DACA and the surge in unaccomplished minors at the US-Mexico border. International Migration, 54(4). doi: 10.1111/imig,12250.

Why You're not Getting what You Want

Have you been bugging your parents to buy you a dog, get a swimming pool, or even being able to play outside? There is an organization that you might not know of that could be causing these problems. Some can be selfish and others aim to keep your community safe. This organization is called a Homeowners Association (Figure 1).

Figure 1: A Homeowners Association neighborhood

What is a Homeowners Association?

A Homeowners Association is first created and controlled by the community's developer. A developer is a person who bought the land and built the houses of the community. The developer and his hand-picked team create a board of directors. The board of directors responsibilities are to make or modify rules when needed, collect money from residents, pay bills, and hold regular meetings. They are supposed to do these in the best interest of the community. Once enough houses are bought in the community the control is shifted to a new board of directors which are elected by residents in the community (1).

A Homeowners Association's goal is to "maintain and enhance property values" (1). The way they do this can sometimes be a little odd. If your parents had to join a Homeowners Association they should have got a set of rules they are supposed to follow the day they moved into the house. These rules go by another name known as covenants. These covenants differ among different Homeowners Associations and are often very strict! The covenants they have to follow are aimed to make your community safer, cleaner, and equal for all residents. If your parents don't follow these rules they can be fined or if it's very serious you can even be forced to leave the community (1).

A way that a Homeowners Association can try to make the community safer is by employing a police force to patrol your neighborhood. Your community might even be gated and the Homeowners Association would collect money to maintain the gates. A way that they can try to make the community cleaner is that they can require all homeowners to keep their lawns cut. That means no longer having to live next to a house that looks like an eyesore! Another way they can keep the community clean is that they collect money that they use to maintain things like the roads and parks in your community. A way that they make the community equal is that no one is exempt from the covenants. Another way is that all residents have the right to argue or complain about something that they think is wrong or needs to be fixed in the community (1).

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Figure 2: A possible reason why people choose to move into
a Homeowners Association is a bad experience with a past neighbor

One of the bad things that come with Homeowners Associations are the extra money residents have to pay. The extra money people have to pay might be more than $1,000 a month! Another thing residents don't like is that the Homeowners Association gets to choose how you get to decorate your house if you can decorate at all. So if you like going all out with holiday decorations on the outside of your home this probably isn't the best thing to get involved in when you become an adult (2)!

A good thing that comes with being in a Homeowners Association is that they can settle problems better. One example of a problem they could settle is if you are the type of person who really likes sleep and you have a noisy neighbor, the Homeowners Association can fix that problem by confronting the neighbor or by creating a covenant that restricts them from being too obnoxious (Figure 2). Also, another good thing is that Homeowners Associations are in charge of keeping the roads, parks, and swimming pools in your community spick-and-span. You won't have to worry about your bike getting tripped up on and cracks or holes in the road anymore or of getting sick because you come into contact with some gross stuff at the park or public pool anymore (2).

So you might be saying to yourself now, "You never answered the first question!" Well, what could be the reason your parents won't let you get a dog? The Homeowners Association might not allow residents to own pets. Why can't you get a swimming pool? The Homeowners Association might not allow home extensions. Why can't you play outside past 9 o'clock? The Homeowners Association might have that as a covenant. If you don't like these rules then keep that in mind when you grow up and want to buy a home for yourself. If you like the perks of Homeowners Associations then be sure to pick the one that best suits what you like to do and hopefully you'll get what you want when you get older!


References:

(1) Guide to Understanding Homeowners Associations. (n.d.). Retrieved November 21, 2017, from http://manylakesmt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HOA-USA_Guide_to_Understanding_Homeowner_Associations.pdf

(2) Lazarony, L. (2017). The Pros & Cons of a Homeowners Association (HOA). Retrieved December 3, 2017, from https://www.credit.com/loans/mortgage-questions/pros-cons-homeowners-association-hoa/

Figure 1:  A Homeowners Association neighborhood [Photograph]  (n.d.) Retrieved from https://expertbeacon.com/buying-home-hoa-neighborhood-can-be-great-move/

Figure 2:  Noisy Neighbor [Digital Image] (2012) Retrieved from http://mouthyhousewives.com/neighbors/noisy-neighbor-dilemma

Robert Leonard research blog.

What Can You do to Prevent Air Pollution in Your Home?

When most of you think about air pollution you may imagine things like those big trucks that you see all the time on the road or smoke from a power plant that maybe by your house. Air pollution is a number of bad things in the air that are bad for you and your family's health. The place where you probably don't expect to find air pollution is your house. I'm not saying that there is a truck inside your house or that your house is a power plant. but houses have their own kind of air pollution than that of the kind of outside. this blog is to tell you that you have the ability to help prevent your house from being polluted.

Figure 1. Parents smoking inside.

One of the many ways that you can help out around the house is the banning of smoking in the house (1). If one or both of both your parents smoke inside the house, you can ask them to go outside to smoke. Cigarette smoke can be just as harmful to the person smoking it as the people around them, but you and anyone else in the house. smoking can cause people to have more ear infections, coughs and cold, and breathing problems (3). But if you ask them to smoke outside you can help stop them from polluting the air in your house. 

A second way for you to help prevent air pollution in your house is simply opening a window (1). Although it sounds easy, opening a window allows fresh air to come into the house to replace the old stale air that was there before.

Figure 2. Bathing your dog.

The third way you can help reduce air pollution at home is to give your dog a bath. Giving your dog a bath at least once a week reduces the amount of dandruff that he might have floating around in the air (1). some people have allergies to dogs and that's because of their dandruff. Also, I know that it may be hard but it's better not to have your dog sleep in your bed with you. It spreads their dandruff. If you or a someone in your family has an allergy to dogs or asthma it can be bad for them to sleep with the dog (1). He might not enjoy it but it's better for everyone else if he's clean. Dogs are also easier to give a bath to than a cat.

Figure 3. Kids dirty shoes

Do you take off your shoes when coming back into the house? You should take shoes off at the door prevents the spreading of microorganisms. Microorganisms are tiny little things that can make people sick. Not taking your shoes off also brings into the house outdoor chemicals that shouldn't be in the house (2). A chemical is a thing like fertilizer your dad might use in the yard to grow things like grass and other plants. And you don't want that in your house. Also, mom will not be too happy if you walk around the house in dirty shoes. So, it's better to just take them off at the door to be safe. Especially if your shoes look like they do in figure 3.

What can you do to prevent air pollution in your house turns out to be a lot. From making your parents smoke outside so they don't dirty the air inside. And doing simple things you can do like opening windows in your house and taking your shoes off when coming into the house. Also, although he might not like it giving your dog a bath. These are great ways for you to keep the air in your house clean. So when you get home these are some of the ways you can help out.


If you're interested and want to know more go to this link to learn more. http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/air-pollution/what-is-indoor-air-pollution.html

References.

1. Farrell, M. H. website “13 Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution.” Consumer Reports, (28 Sept. 2017), (https://www.consumerreports.org/indoor-air-quality/ways-to-reduce-indoor-air-pollution/)
2.  Lungs, Breathing and Allergy team website. (2015). 17 Simple ways to prevent air pollution in your home. (https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/09/17-simple-ways-prevent-air-pollution-home/)
3. Healthy Children website (2017). (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/tobacco/Pages/Dangers-of-Secondhand-Smoke.aspx) 

   
   

      

       

              

Child marriage

    Do you have a younger sibling ,or a cousin? Imagine that they have to drop out of school ,even if they love school. Then to make matters worse they have to marry someone that they do not know.  You may think this does not happen. Well it actually does happen across the planet. Forty -one countries have a population of least thirty percent of child marriages, that's  a lot of countries.

Figure 1: two child brides with husbands

    Child marriage is when at least of the people in a marriage is below eighteen years, or the age one someone is considered an adult. An union of two people is known as marriage. Although Figure 1 shows two child brides, males can also be married before they turn an adult.A child bride is a bride that is not an adult. Child marriage happens for many reasons which include protection of daughter, gender standards, dowry, and traditions.
    A dowry is when a family pays money to the other family so that they can marry their son or daughter to the other family. A family may be so poor that they marry their daughter for a dowry than keep sending her to school. This money can be used to help the family. In some societies unmarried women have a higher risk of attack from sexual predators than married women, some parents may marry off their daughter early to protect them.
  In other places of the world males are seen as providers for a family. In other words they are the money makers for the family. While a female is seen as the caretaker of family which is they take care of children , and chores in the house. Once a female is a certain age then she is seen to be a caretaker of a family even if she is not quite an adult yet.
Even though you may not want child marriage to occur, it is still happening in this world. As with anything in this world it's a good idea to have more information for child marriage, so that you can be able an unfair decision about any topic. Being a curious human being , you might want to learn more so that you can make fair decisions in the future. This is a link for the organization that helps children such as the ones in child marriage. https://www.unicef.org/protection/57929_58008.html Another link is https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/about-child-marriage/  which also gives more information of child marriage.

Reference

Figure 1: Child Brides. Stith, J. Child Brides to patriarchy: Unveiling the Appropriation of the Miss Girl. Journal Of Feminist Studies in Religion. Spring 2015.