A fairytale ending

Erika Godwin

4/16/2013

English 1a Essay #3

     

                                                                         A fairytale ending

          Once upon a time, in a magical place a handsome prince rescued this beautiful woman. They got married, she became his princess and they lived happily ever after. The end. Don’t you ever wonder what happens after the marriage and if they in fact lived happily ever after? Well truth is, no one lives happily ever after. Call me good old Debbie downer but I believe that by getting married, you are making a huge mistake because not only do you lose money but cause yourself a lot of inconvenience and grief. Of course everyone would love the chance to fall in love, get married and have kids. But that doesn’t mean that cannot all happen without getting married.  As a society many of us misconstrue the fact that we should get married to become happy. Starting at the first date, you start by losing money. Then it only declines from there meaning- spending excessive amounts of money to impress someone you like. Another reason why I’am not the biggest fan of marriage is because the fact that it seems to be more fighting and arguing just by signing a paper. Also the fact that not everyone can legally get married at this point in time if they are gays or lesbians. I don’t see a point in one piece of paper when its not the paper making a couple happy but their love for each other. It just seems that marriage is a mistake and is the leading cause for divorce.

                When someone is single, they tend to have extra money due to the fact that they are not constantly wasting it on someone else. Whether its taking someone out, or just buying new clothes to impress this certain someone. It is still a waste of money. As a relationship progresses things only get worse and people start being crazy and moving in with each other. Spending money just to move, then one day a man goes a picks out a really pretty but expensive ring and proposes. If she says yes, time to start planning and saving for the million dollar wedding everyone always wants. After all the wedding is done, the license fees are paid and the night is over the next decline of your bank account would of course be the honeymoon. Even though we tend to think or at least hope that it would be our only marriage, this day in age it never happens. So by thinking it will be your only marriage, you of course want to go all out and get the best of everything. Sadly, most of the marriages fail due to various reasons so I really don’t see the point in wasting hard earned money when it might not even last. You might as well just drain your bank account and throw it straight in the garbage; it would save you the head ache of many other things wrong in a marriage. Not only is the marriage pricey but the divorce is just as bad. If you work hard day in and day out for your savings then end up getting a divorce, depending on your spouse you could end up with everything gone. Then it only becomes a mess from there with divorce. Even carrying on with the marriage comes so much more expenses then if you were just boyfriend/girlfriend. For example, an average couple can spend money how and when they want. They also get some help with financial services and a break on taxes at the end of the year. But with being married, you have to add their income and don’t get much help. Like financial aid when going to school. So not just money that your loosing but if does affect your credit score since a couple is married. I know a few of my friends have credit cards and about three of their wives are the one maxing out the cards. If they do divorce it is both of their responsibility even though the husbands didn’t spend it. All because of this “marriage” thing and its really nothing more then a signed agreement stating there will be no cheating or leaving each other.

                  Then comes the whole fighting, arguing, falling outta love whole scenario. As two people meet each other, they began to go on a few dates, start kissing and becoming intimate then officially start as a couple. Well say the couple thing lasts for about two years, well then the man proposes. Still they are happy, in love and excited to get married. The girlfriend is usually all wrapped in the wedding planning, while the male saves and saves for the big day. They are very content and occupied with each other and say it will last forever. As the big day approaches, they began to get butterflies all over again like the first time they kissed. The wedding is perfect and beautiful and they go off to their honeymoon. Soon after they settle in as an official married couple they picking and bickering begins. A lot of people see it as if they are now married they are tied together till death and they can start telling each other how they really feel. “oh honey, I cannot stand the way you eat,” or “babe stop putting your socks everywhere you’re driving me crazy!” The tricky thing is, none of this came out before they were married due to the fact they didn’t want to lose the other spouse over something so little. Marriage is nothing more than another word for comfort zone. I have a friend name Derek, he is currently in Afghanistan fighting for our country and he is now married to his high school sweetheart. In high school they seemed so perfect together, walking down the halls as they hold hands tightly together. They would always get lunch for the other if one of them got out of class late and everyone knew they were meant to be. They got married because he was leaving to deploy and had a small wedding and are planning for a big wedding when he gets back. We’ll all of a sudden his wife tells him she never liked folding his clothes, the way he constantly wants to get in shape and he has no one else to impress. The wife is comfortable at her body and sees no reason to stay fit since she is married. Just right there you could tell they want different things. Im sure he doesn’t like a lot of things about her but he honestly try’s to overlook it and make it work. The married couple fights almost every day and he’s not even in the same country and her. That is just insane to me, especially since he could lose his life any day. He tells me that they were so much happier when they were just boyfriend/ girlfriend. So with that being said, just go ahead and add that to the downside of marriage.

                      Another huge reason why I don’t care about marriage and I think it’s a waste of time and money is because of equality. Gays and lesbians cannot just go anywhere and get married. But straight couples can. It makes no sense to me when we all are human beings and no one is above or below us. I see gays that have been together for ten or 15 years and are happier than ever. The one reason they would want to get married is because of insurance policies, or to have each other’s rights just in case something ever did happen to their partner. But it is so unfair and not right for some states to ban gay marriage. They are more likely to last over some man and woman that just met. It’s very ignorant of the law makers and even though I believe in the bible and god, I think that part of it is wrong. So if two people that truly, deeply love another person, I do not see anything wrong with getting married for the services they could get. Everyone is supposed to be treated equally but its definitely not that way in our country. So in that case, just ban marriage all around. There is nothing wrong with just stay an average couple forever. It will not change how you feel about one another, but only save you money and future annoyances. Now this is not to say that I hate married couples, I just despise the ones that see marriage as a hobby and do it often when someone out there never had the chance to do it once. I believe in true happiness and if a couple is content with one another, live your life. No need for crazy marriage talk.

                So that beautiful princess in fact did not live happily ever after. The couple constantly fought over the rules of the kingdom, and over money. She got pregnant and had two kids so far. The princess put on extra weight from the pregnancy and never lost it so the prince lost interest. He began to sleep around and their marriage began to fall apart. Now they cannot just leave each other since they are married. Nor could they divorce because the kingdom would be frowned upon or looked down on. Stuck in her now thicker lonely body she is miserable and still has to maintain her presence around the royals. Now I would say this would be a more accurate, real life story and no fairytale involved. Now they are miserable together when before they were so happy and in love. Married couples may last a lot longer than I’m giving credit for but the majority of the ones I see never really last. Whereas you have this gay couple who everyday look in each other’s eyes and still have the sparkle they got at their first kiss. Marriage is just like a two year contract when you sign for a phone bill. The longer it goes all these charges and arguments come along and add to the daily stress of your life. If you want to get out of the marriage or two year contract, you have to pay up the wall just to be set free. Instead just get the same phone company and get a no contract, the phone will be more expensive the first day but in the long run it saves you from drama, and stress. With all this being said, I hope you all decide to head to Vegas and get married just to make my point that much stronger. Nothing lasts forever and if it does it’s because of hard work and dedication, not because a 50 thousand dollar wedding and a signed contract.

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                          Works cited

 Regnerus,Mark. Divorce statistics. Patheos.com/blogs/marriageand-divorce-statistics.

 May 14, 2012 Online article.

Profits Outweigh Public Safety

Robert Casey

English 1A

April 15, 2013

Essay 3

Profits Outweigh Public Safety

     AB2433 proposes to allow restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in large cities throughout California to extend drinking hours from 2 AM to 4 AM or 6 AM depending on the facilities after hours permit. The reasoning behind the bill is two-fold: longer drinking hours will increase profits not only for serving establishments, but for service industries as well; and that California cities will have a better chance of securing additional tourist dollars through increased competition with other cities that offer extended drinking hours. New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and many international cities have a last call later than 2 AM or none at all.

     Are the economic gains by businesses serving alcohol more important than the injuries and loss of life that are caused due to intoxicated drivers? Is the morning commute going to become the next killing field? Will people actually drink less if they are not rushed to finish their drinks by 2 AM? Are California cities at a disadvantage as an international tourist destination because of our drinking laws? These are only a limited number of questions that must be answered prior to proceeding with AB2433.

     The San Francisco Late Night Coalition, SFLNC, is one of the proponents of AB 2433 and states that the restaurant industry is the largest employer in the state and tourism is the third largest employer. San Francisco can draw more Bay area residents and other in state visitors on a more frequent basis if allowed to extend drinking hours. They feel that extending late night hours for theaters, nightclubs, dance clubs, bars, restaurants, street fairs, conventions and other events will increase attendance thus increasing economic impacts. All of San Francisco’s service industries will benefit from the added attraction. SFLNC in their publication SFNLC|LEGISLATION|LAST CALL, EXTENDING LAST CALL makes the following important points:

Ø  Later last call hours will help keep San Francisco a world class city.

Ø  Later last call hours will create additional revenue for the city of San Francisco and the State of California.

Ø  San Franciscans should have the same rights as those in other major cities.

Ø  Many other cities have later last calls without the problems imagined by opponents of the legislation.

Ø  National Traffic Safety Administration data indicates that later last call hours do not increase and may actually decrease the number of alcohol related traffic fatalities.

Ø  This proposal applies only to on-site alcohol sales at restaurants, bars, or nightclubs.

Ø  This proposal does not allow alcohol sales after 2 AM in supermarkets or liquor stores. (SFLNC1)

    San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are already huge international and national tourist destinations. Other Bay area cities, Central Valley cities, and Southern California cities are international destinations because of their proximity to National Parks such as Yosemite, Death Valley, Lassen, Kings Canyon, and Joshua Tree. Napa Valley and Lodi area vineyards are international destinations that draw wine connoisseurs from all over the world. Access to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains keep tourist dollars in the Central Valley. As for the statement that serving alcohol later in San Francisco is instrumental in keeping the city a world class city is ludicrous. Tourists will not stop visiting San Francisco if last call remains at 2 AM.

     Later last call will generate more revenue for the state, city and businesses serving alcohol. Restaurants, night clubs, and bars will undoubtedly be busier. What does the extended hours do for local neighborhoods close to those businesses? Overnight revelry will more than likely spill into those neighborhoods creating a noisy and sleepless night for residents. Crime is likely to increase with intoxicated people out for an extra four hours. Littering, loitering, public urination, and sleeping in the streets are more likely.

     How is it that San Franciscans do not have the same rights as other major cities? How many major cities allow citizens to walk around in public smoking marijuana or appear nude in public? San Francisco has some of the most liberal laws in the country.

     Many large cities do not have some of the same problems presented by opponents of AB 2433. A good example is New York City where a very small percentage of residents own motor vehicles. New York City residents enjoy a 24 hour public transportation system that reaches nearly every neighborhood, borough, and surrounding metropolitan area. They have a taxi system that is available within seconds of a hail or call. Las Vegas, Chicago, and Washington D. C. have similar transportation systems. In San Francisco try catching BART after midnight or before 4 AM and late hours on weekends and holidays. You can’t, it is closed. Catching a cab is also difficult in a timely manner anywhere in the city.

     National Traffic Safety Administration data does indicate that later last call hours do not increase alcohol related fatalities in a very select few cities. New York and Chicago have very large 24 hour public transportation systems. The data for other large cities does not indicate an even or reduced incident of alcohol related traffic fatalities and accidents. Law enforcement in areas surrounding San Francisco are worried that morning commuters will encounter increased incidents involving drunk drivers. A large percentage of drivers outside San Francisco use park and ride stations just outside the city and this will increase the likelihood of encounters with intoxicated drivers leaving the stations at peak rush hour. Most cities are not prepared to take on the added risk to the motoring public and the resources are unavailable for additional traffic monitoring. Accidents tie up many additional resources like fire and rescue and put many additional lives in danger for extended periods of time.

     This bill only applies to on-site sale establishments such as bars, restaurants, nightclubs, dance clubs, and other late night venues at this time. As profits and tax revenues increase the likely outcome is to expand the program as other types of businesses want their share of these increasing profits.

     Neighborhood leaders that voiced concerns were largely ignored at the San Francisco City Services Committee meeting. Committee members unanimously voted to present the proposal to the entire city council. The city council voted 8 to 3 in favor of putting city support behind the bill in the legislature. Council members supporting the bill said that while they understand the concerns of law enforcement and neighborhood leaders, stimulating the economy of San Francisco takes precedence.

     A review of the reasons behind the proposed changes in the current alcohol serving laws is comical at best. Putting on blinders and culling partial facts from other major cities to justify a position on the proposed law change that has such a large impact on citizens of San Francisco and surrounding cities is dangerous and concerning. Putting business profits and tax revenues above public safety is ill conceived and shameful. The power of the dollar is once again influencing public policy in favor of special interests at the detriment of the overall public.

     It is next to impossible to change the influence of big money in our law making system when only thirty five percent of the registered voters actually vote. Those who do not vote are just as responsible as the politicians they complain about. If we are to make a difference and change the way our public officials make policy, we must educate ourselves on the issues and be proactive in demanding that those we put in office follow the will of the people. Allowing people to drink for longer periods in the public areas invites disaster. A conscious effort against this proposed change is warranted and necessary to protect public safety. To influence this decision let your feelings be known to your friends, family, city, county, and state representatives.

Works Cited

Terrance Allen. “Extending Last Call.” SFLNC|LEGISLATION|LAST CALL. Web. www.sfnlc.org/lastcall/html. 13 March 2013

Just a Drink or Two

                                                             Just a Drink or Two  

                     Friday couldn’t come sooner every week for many of the younger, working crowd and/or even college students. After a long work/school week comes good ‘ol Friday and Saturday nights. This means it’s time to get dolled up as beautiful woman, and all handsome as men then hit up all the downtown bars and clubs. Doing so is a great way to have a few drinks, get some liquid courage and dance all that stress away. As a young college student a mother myself, I could always use a little stress reliever. An ideal bar to start my night would be at R15 in Downtown, Sacramento. I think it has many positive factors that make it a fun, exciting place for my age group that enjoys the night life. As I critic places to see if I’ll be coming a second time a few things I look at are: the overall appearance of the place, the location and who or what kind of crowd will be there. If all those things pass my better judgment then I will definitely return the favor by showing my presence time and time again.

                 Spending a couple hours to make sure my make-up is perfect, my hair is curled just right, and my heels go well with my outfit before heading out for the night requires a large amount of energy. Lotion up my arms and legs then brush and floss my teeth so I’ll look great. The very last thing I do is spray a couple squirts of the floral, sweet smelling, Paris Hilton perfume I have so that I’ll smell amazing while I’m enjoying myself. Is all this work really worth it though? While yes, yes it is if you’re going to start at R15. When you arrive at the bar, you automatically notice the lovely night life setting. As you walk through the huge, medal and glass doors you see a pretty red lighting. Then you see the round bar with lots of people surrounding it while the bartender is busy at work making all the drinks. If you look to the left there are two, big rectangular, wooden tables with stools for groups to enjoy each other’s company. R15 bar has about three major rooms that are very big and could fit a lot of people in each one.

 This bar smells of strong perfumes, colognes and even all the alcohol being consumed. Another major thing I look for in a good place is the bathrooms. I look very closely at this particular thing because the bathrooms must be very sanitary and clean for me to use the facilities. R15 usually always has nice, clean smelling bathrooms. The counter and sinks look clean and dry. Plus the garbage’s always look about half full which is an indicator they get taken out a couple times a night. The total appearance of this bar is a nine out of ten so of course I would recommend it to others trying to have a good time.

                   Sex on the beach is a classic, well-made drink at R15. It is one of my favorite because the bartenders make it so amazingly tasty that you could barely taste the alcohol it contains. It’s about twelve bucks which isn’t too pricey considering all bars are expensive. Another drink I like specially at R15 is called a gladiator. It contains a glass of juice then a shot glass of alcohol you drop in the juice and chug it down. It is very good from R15 and only about eight bucks. A couple of each drink and you’ll be dancing all over the place to the hip music they play. This bar plays various genres of music including hip-hop, pop and rock. All of the new, popular music out to keep the night vibe going just right. So as you’re dancing to great tunes or chatting it up with some friends, the attractive bartenders are quick to make your drinks that taste perfect, to ensure you’re going to come back for a second time.

                This bar is located on the corner of Rst and 15^th in downtown, Sacramento. Not too hard to remember hence the name “R15”. It is next to another bar called Ace of Spades that often puts on many concerts. Ace of Spades also pulls more business to R15 since its right next to it. But another reason why R15 is a great bar to start before bar hopping is because of its location in the center of downtown. From there you can easily take a taxi that is always conveniently outside waiting, to many other, smaller, surrounding bars. R15 is among one of the larger, more lively, bars in the downtown area. Even if you just wanted to stay at this bar all night, you certainly could do so and stay entertained the whole time. On Fridays and Saturdays there is always a full crowd of younger, most of the time good looking people that you could get to know and strike up a conversation with. It is filled with lots of beautiful women, dressed up in heels and men that don’t look or act creepy. There’s nothing more I cant stand than gross, older, perverted creeps that stare at you like you’re a piece of meat. Luckily this bar doesn’t have too many of those type. Maybe they have an invisible sign saying “No weirdoes’” or something but whatever it is; it works. If you get bored of talking to people, the bar has three pool tables to keep you busy while you destroy your liver and gulp down those drinks. Then right next to the pool tables are four personal rooms that have small couches and TVs in case you meet a special someone. If none of those things catch your attention and you like cancer sticks then this certainly will. Outside is a designated smoking are with long tables and tall lights with small heaters on them. It is perfect for staying warm while outside the bar on a cold night. Plus it is in front of the bar where the guards check I.D,’s at entrance, so don’t worry ladies you won’t get kidnapped while waiting for your friends to finish smoking.

                     Since I personally do not work right now, after a long week of school and homework my sister and I always, yes always start at the bar R15. We know exactly what drinks to get, how they will taste and what type of people will be there. I’ve never been there and not had a fun, exciting time. Even on a Sunday when it usually is half empty. I know what to expect and know I’ll be able to pee in the bathrooms since I won’t be all grossed out by the mess other females tend to make when drunk. Maybe this bar isn’t much fun the next time I go, least it has the luxury of taxis out front to take me home or to another close by bar. Next time you decide to go out for a night of fun and you have the movies or miniature golf in mind just remember, bars do not have annoying youngsters under the age of twenty-one in them. I’m not saying that drunks aren’t annoying but at least they are age appropriate. I certainly do not want to be around teens or immature goof balls after I just got done working my ass off in school all week long. So ladies and gents get all cute and ready and head out to R15, if not stay home and miss out.