Manifesto

           History is the story of who we are and where we come from. Also, history helps people learn from the mistakes of those in the past. For me, Freddy Lopez, my history begins in the Colegio Panamericano because it was the place where I learned and grew as a person for many years. For thirteen years, I’ve been studying in this amazing school where I learned a lot from my mistakes which helped me become a better person for the future. These thirteen years passed really fast, but I am happy that I was able to enjoy this wonderful experience to the limit.

            I am grateful for all of the people-parents, teachers, peers- who lived this experience by my side. Without the help of these people, I cannot be the person that I am today because they changed my life drastically. My parents and the teachers helped me change my view of the world by being able to recognize the struggles of others.  From my classmates, I learned to seek the end my goals and to fight for my dreams because no one will fight them for me. I think that my parents selected wisely for choosing this wonderful school because I learned to be a better student and human being. All the values that I acquired in the Colegio Panamericano are going to by essential for my success as a professional, friend, father, and lover.

            One of my best experiences that helped me to be grateful for what I have was the Mega Misiones done in Medellin. I had the opportunity to have this journey because I belonged to a group of teenagers that represented the Catholic Church called Club Faro. We were common people who wanted to change the world by helping the people who need it or did not have God in their heart. The funny side was that my mother forces me to join this group because I needed to change my attitude towards people and be a better person. At the end, I liked Club Faro because I was able to make new friends and get closer to God.  I am grateful with my parents because I could visit many places around Colombia by making charity works.

            This amazing experience made me reflect and think if I had a duty in the world or was able to make the world a better place for everyone. I realized that I could do or be whoever I want in the future but without forgetting that my decisions should benefit or help humanity. Even in my professional career I expect to help people the way I can by changing people’s minds to good because that is my purpose in life. Also, I want to leave a better place for my sons because I do not want them to live in a nasty world.

            All my life I’ve been living with fear of what the people say and think about me. In the last year of school I realized that it was only important what I believed about me. All this process show the maturity I have acquired in all this cycle that is getting over in few weeks; the school. Sometimes when I’m sad, I lose my path and everything starts to go wrong. In these cases I remember the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be"(1952). This beautiful quote remembers me that everything is possible and that I am the one who creates the limits to my dreams. 

            One of my biggest dreams is to become a pilot of airplane from one of the best Airlines in Colombia. I know it is really difficult, but I believe in my capacities and I have the support of many people who believe in me and my dream. Before dying I wish to be able to achieve and accomplish all the goals I set in life.

In order to achieve my dreams I believe in some rules that will help me reach them successfully.

·         Be responsible.

·         Respect others and yourself.

·         Forget about your pride and help others.

·         Write your goals.

·         Expect Failure.

·         Be decisive.

·         Believe in yourself.

Photo Credit: Daily Positive Quotes 

Light Bulb Conspiracy

Photo Credit: Elephant Journal

In the last years the quality of the products created by the human beings has decreased, because of the methods they use in the economy. Planned obsolescence is a strategy used by the big companies to keep the costumers buying their products in order to increase their financial power. A good example of this is the Light Bulb Conspiracy that shows how the light bulb makers created obsolete products. The light bulbs passed from 25000 usage hours to 1000 hours, because they wanted to have a constant consumerism. This is the reason why some objects that we own stop working in few months of usage.

The United States created this strategy because they wanted to get out of the depression that they were living, because of the bad usage of their economy. They believed that they were able to create more employment because more products were needed to be produced due to their bad quality. But the only thing that they reached was a dependence on this products, so many people were affected; especially the lower class. Also, the third world countries were used as trashes so countries could throw away their “obsolete” products. 

Four Horsemen

Photo Credit: Renegade Economist

The movie the Four Horsemen talks about the 4 problems that make an empire to collapse. The film says that and empire lives approximately 10 decades and then it disappears. It is like a cycle that happens over and over again; just like the water cycle. In Four Horsemen they discuss the issues that make and empire to collapse. Just like what is happening to the United States, their economy is falling because of all the problems they have acquired among time. This idea that the film tries to show can be related to the Corpratocracy. The bad usage of resources and money has caused the economy decline in a short period of time.

I believe that the United States era has ended because of its bad administration and lack of communication with their citizens. In the last few years, the middle class in the United States has decreased because of the way their economy system is used. There would be in few years only a high class and a low class if things continue like this. For these reasons, the end of this powerful empire is soon, and it would open a new path to other empire to rise. 

Colombian Monetary System

Actually, the monetary system of Colombia is not based on the gold standard; so this system is controlled by an entity. This entity is separated from everything, but it is in alliance with the government. Like the United States reserve banking; they are the ones who create and control all the money in Colombia. The Banco Central de Colombia tries to regulate the money that is circulated all over the country, and tries to keep the inflation rate low. They are the ones who try to stable all the economy in the country of Colombia.

The Banco Central de Colombia also tries to keep the unemployment rate low all over the country, but it is impossible because it is based in a capitalist system. This system differs from the system of the United States because it does not create money so easily. Also the payment tariffs are different and the taxes obviously change. They are similar because they are independent from the government, so they are able to make their own decisions. In conclusion, they both try to get richer without thinking of the people that becomes affected with this system. 

http://zeitgeistcolombia.pbworks.com/w/page/6582850/Proyecto_comprender%20el%20sistema%20monetario%20en%20Colombia. 

Fractional reserve banking system

                  Photo Credit: Metro Forum

Money is created in the United States thanks to the national reserve banking system. When this process happens, the government obtains a debt with the reserve, because this money was created out of empty air; of nothing. The government acquires the amount of money they have asked by giving the reserve papers called bonds; so it is like and exchange between this entities. After all this process is done, the government gives the money to different banks to store the money or use it with people and organizations. The only rule for the banks is to keep that 10 percent of money that they have received from the government.

This system is based on loans that the citizens or companies must pay to the banks who gave them money. This means that interests are added because the bank needs to make some money. In order that this system works efficiently is that someone needs to get to bankruptcy, because if this no happens more money must be created to pay all this loans. This will cause more inflation in the world and the money will lose the value that have in that determined moment. In conclusion, this system is created to make people lose money so the government can pay the initial debt that they acquire.

Canada licenses medical use of marijuana

Photo Credit: Collective Evolution

In Canada a group of scientists are producing the marijuana in specialized labs because they are going to use it for medical reasons. Canada licensed the use of marijuana only for medical treatment because they know the positive effects that they produce. The doctors will give this drug to the people that are in cancer treatments because they are really harmful for the human body. The scientists are expecting that 400,000 people in Canada will use the marijuana as a drug for their medical treatments. Even, people with doctor prescriptions will be able to order marijuana online.

This news does not mean that marijuana or cannabis will be legal in Canada. Still all the people that use this drug for fun will have conflicts with the law. Also the people that are working in these labs are wisely selected in order to protect this product from the wrong hands. I believe it is good that they use this drug, because it will help many people that suffer in painful treatments. 

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2014/04/canada-licenses-medical-use-marijuana-20144114332615932.html

Food Inc

In the United States there a lot of companies that govern or control almost all the economy of that country. Examples of these companies are: Mc Donald, Tyson, Monsanto, Coca cola and KFC. These corporations try to get richer without caring of the health and security of their workers. All over the world this companies have expanded because they create and sell cheap products to the costumers. By being these products cheap, their quality becomes lower so it is dangerous to the human health.

These corporations can be compared to the corporate control the united states have with other countries. The food companies can be compared with the economic hit men, because they loan money to poor people in order to make part or collaborate with the company in their production. One example is what Tyson do with the farmers that work for them. Tyson decides the process and policies that the farmers must follow and when their machines need to be updated. In conclusion, food inc relates to race, economics and corporate control because of the power they have over the people and even the country.

Photo Credit: Movimiento Latino