Thursday, May 28, 2009

Star Wars Episode 6

Q: "The hero's journey is a journey into the center of yourself." How is this true for both Luke and Anakin (Darth Vader)?

A: Luke started his life without knowing his father, his mother, his sister, and what had happened prior to his birth. He went through his life for years without knowing the truth of his father and what had become of him. He did not even know that his sister existed until he was well into the journey to fight his father. He was forced to fight to find himself and see where it was that he wanted to stand and what is was that he wanted to find for. He was being pulled between what he had been trained his entire life and a jedi apprentice and where his father was and the dark side of the emperor and his desire to turn him dark. He finds himself and decides to stand for the good and try to convert his father back to the Jedi's ways.

Anakin/Darth Vader decided to turn to the dark side during his attempt to save his wife. He did it out of love and affection, but it turned against him and made him lose his wife instead. He made a journey into himself as he contemplated what he should do to take care of his dream. He also made the journey when he was deciding which side he would stay with. He was torned between trusting the Jedi and their attempt to ensure peace in the galaxy by taking over the Republican. He had to look into himself to see what it was that he truely wanted to do and what he felt was right, even though his decision was altered by the dream he had. He did eventually find himself once more when he saved his son from the Emperor. He found the good within and took ahold of it, releasing his loyalty to the Dark Side.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Star Wars Episode 3

Q: Which archetype does Anakin/Darth Vader fit? Why?
Can he ever truely return to his society? Why or why not?

A: Throughout the story and episodes Anakin takes many different archetypes. He becomes a hero as a warrior, a romantic/gothic hero, hero as a lover, an apocalyptic hero, an unbalanced hero, and a transcendent hero. The main archetypes that he aquires include hero as a warrior, romantic/gothic hero, and hero as a lover.

He fits the archetype as a warrior because he faces the Dark Side trying to overcome the Emperor and regain peace in the galaxy. Eventually, he had his arm cut off and it was replaced with a mechanical arm. Later, Obi One cut off his legs during their battle and he had those replaced as well. His Heroism as a lover is portrayed through his love for Padomi and his attempt to save her fate in his dream, even though he becomes the reason that she dies. He is a romantic/gothic hero because in his attempt to save his wife, he ends up switching over to the dark side to gain the powers he thought would save her. He goes through a journey to find himself and ens up going on a trail to the dark side, causing him to ruin his relationship with his wife, his friends, the galazy, and all that he knows.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Finding Nemo

Q: In Finding Nemo there are two hero's journeys. After over viewing the info on Archetypes- who are the heroes? What archetype does each one fit? What are their thresholds, trials, innermost cares? How are they each changed upon their return to their society?

A: The two heroes in the story of Finding Nemo are Marlan and Nemo. Marlan is a hero as a lover. His adventure and journey are intended to find and save his son who was taken by some divers. He risks his life and many obstacles for the sake of his son's life.

Nemo is a hero as a Scapegoat. He attempts to save the lives of the other fish in the tank and return them to the ocean. He risks his own life to save theirs. His journey is a quest for identity and a warrior's journey. He tries to find his own identity and find a sturdy stance for himself against his father, while trying to find his father's acceptance of who he is and give him the responsibility of caring for himself as well as others despite his physical obstacles. He experiences his threshold when he discovers that he is capable of completing anything despite his " lucky fin" and does not need his father and accepts his father and the reasons for what he does things. His warrior's journey comes when he discovers he is capable and then tries to save the other fish from the tank and help them return to the ocean.

Marlan's journey as a hero of love is soley to save his son. He travels through the ocean and experiences many different challenges and finds a new friend. He learns to see that Nemo is capable of doing everything and does not need his help and guidence for everything he does. His warrior journey comes from traveling to save his son.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Is California Worth Living In?

Q: Is California worth living in when it experiences wildfires, earthquakes, heat waves, flash floods, snow blizzards, volcano eruptions, tornadoes, the Santa Ana winds, and big storms? What keeps people here? What do other places experience that we don't?

A: Here in California, depending on where you live, you have some sort of intense weather that jeopardizes your home, family, and friends who live there. In northern California we have the volcanoes on three sides of the valley that are potentially going to erupt some time in the sort future. In the San Francisco area they experience huge earthquakes while in the mountains they acquire large amounts of snow barricading them into their homes until it can be removed. In southern California they have the Santa Ana winds that pick up spreading wildfires all over the place destroying towns and homes suddenly. Small tornadoes are created, big storms come on the ocean sides, flash floods come washing away anything that comes in its path, and then the heat waves that hit as well.

What is it that really keeps the citizens of California here and encourages others to come and visit, keeping California the Golden State? We do have the beaches stretching up the coast, and much more to experience as well. It really depends on what a person can handle competing with in order to make their life enjoyable. Everywhere in the United States there is some sort of natural catastrophe that they have to endure. There's the Tornado Belt, the hurricanes in the south, huge droughts, and freezing weather on the east coast blanketing the various states with snow and ice. California has probably the most mix up of the various extremities that we can encounter, but not one is the most extreme, keeping them all even in intensity. People must find California as an adventure that keeps giving for all the catastrophes that we experience and the countless that we have coming. For those who do decide to stay, they get the benefit of in-state tuition to some of our great colleges and universities. There is so much to experience it is impossible to never have something to do. Wherever you are you can never run out of activities to experience keeping our happy state the Golden State.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Newsweek: the Catsouras Family

Q: Should this family win their legal battle, or is this truly a free speech issue? if this had been one of your family members- how would you feel? Most news agencies would not show these photos- should they be allowed on the Internet- or does the Internet need to remain unfettered?

A: Currently, the Catsouras family is fighting in order to rid Nikki's horrific pictures of the Internet. Their lawsuit with the CHP has to do with the leaked photos from two of the officers who were at the scene and the spread it caused throughout the Internet. Yes, the family has every right to try as hard as they can to rid as many of the pictures that they can, but unfortunately, they will never be able to completely abolish them or even prevent the spread from becoming even greater. The do have a right to press a lawsuit against the CHP for spreading the photos to their own friends and family even if their intentions had nothing to do with harming the Catsouras family. Those were closed photos from an accident site that had no reason to be spread.

The family's fight against the CHP goes farther then just a free speech issue. Because of the publicity, the family has been harassed with photos through email and now they all are forced to go through everyday cautiously trying to avoid stumbling upon them once again accidentally. The multiple issues that the family is suing the CHP for have every reason to be. The privacy invasion, infliction of emotional harm, and the many others all have occurred because of two officers attempts to create public services to prevent the same fate happening to others as it did to Nikki. Others who have created MySpace accounts or websites in Nikki's name only to harass and make rude, unnecessary comments should be thrown into the lawsuit as well for their invasion and infliction they have caused as well. It is one thing to post a funny photo of a pet or friend on a web page or send in an email, but a complete other when it is a picture of a car crash with a young girl hanging out the window with an almost decapitated head. That has much more to do with then just a Freedom of Speech issue.

I believe that the Catsouras family has every right to sue the CHP for the charges they have, but they cannot sue for the fact that the photos were spread or the mention of other people. It is uncontrollable and can never be stopped, but their attempt to avoid this emotional harm for other families that will experience the same unfortunate mishappening is a valid fight. The spread happened because of one simple attempt to avoid another accident of the same degree, but it went a lot further because of the technology we contain in our world today and the amount of publicity and privacy that is uncontrolled.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Sports Figures and Crimes

Q: Tell if you think Micheal Vick, or any other sports figure who has been convicted of a crime, should be allowed to play again. Why or why not? Be specific! 5 paragraph minimum.

A: The debate between a new opportunity or to live with the terrible act of the past has presented itself to society. The decision whether to be allowed to return, or to be rejected and forced to find a new job. Phil Taylor's influencial diction surfaces the two-sided debate of Michael Vick's terrible acts of torture in dog-fighting.

The controversy between fans and organizations has risen in the debate between whether Michael Vick should be allowed to continue where he left off in his football career, or if he should be refused and have to start over from the bottom and work his way up again. Many people are very controversal about this matter. Already, couches and other teams have refused to have him transfer to their team for the upcoming season. Organizations, such at PETA are wanting more actions from him other then him saying, "I've changed." Many people are for his return to the NFA while others will oppose it as much as they can.

This debate is very understandable for the PETA and other animal treatment organizations to be desireable of more action from this pro-football star. Because he is already 29 years old he is now going to be competeing with younger, faster, more competitive players that can do even better passes then he was able to. It is very understandable for people to be wanting more from his actions and for there him to give something back for what he has taken. In many peoples opinion, he has not recieved a long enough sentence for his actions of torture. He has offered to do public service statements promoting animal welfare, but will that really show that he has changed or will it just give brownie points for him to return to his football career.

Many children and people look up to star athletes and love to follow their favorite teams through the seasons. How right is it to return someone who has convicted such a crime to return to the sight of Americas youth and be their role model once again? What kind of image is this going to give those who dream of achieving in the same sport. This could convince Americas youth that doing such crimes can still allow you to come back and return to doing what they love doing. This will give a very morally wrong image to many people promoting crimes. This irresponsibility should not be awarded with stardom and high respect. In many people's opinion, he should not be allowed back and should not be given the chance to pick up where he left off. If he wants to return to the NFL he should have to be back at the bottom and competing with the rest of the new, young athletes striving to play professionally. It is unfair to be given something so amazing back after doing such a terrible act against "man's best friend."

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Duck Tape Dresses

Q: Would you enter the Duct Tape Dress to Prom Scholarship? Why or why not?

A: The contest gives a chance to be extremely original and creative. Many different designs are thought up and made, some very wearable, and others so extravagant you just stand back in awe saying, "Why?" The competition winner also wins $3000 for each person in the first place couple, $2000 for each person in the second place couple, and $1000 for each person in the third place couple.

I would enjoy entering the contest, I think it would be an amazing amount of fun to be able to actually make one of those dresses. The winnings would definiately help for college. The dress gives even more of a chance to be unique and show some creativity. It is a very fun, exquisite way to compete for a scholarship.

Friday, March 13, 2009

"Incentives in Charitable Acts"

Question 3 (Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts for one-third of the total essay section score.) A weekly feature of The New York Times Magazine is a column by Randy Cohen called “The Ethicist,” in which people raise ethical questions to which Cohen provides answers. The question below is from the column that appeared on April 4, 2003.

"At my high school, various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives, asking students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus points on tests and final averages as incentives to participate. Some parents believe that this sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K. ?"

The practice of offering incentives for charitable acts is widespread, from school projects to fund drives by organizations such as public television stations, to federal income tax deductions for contributions to charities. In a well-written essay, develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation, and/or experience.


A: The idea of being part of a charity or unprofitable organization is to be selfless and to be there wholly to help others out without receiving anything for the act. These range from high school food drives to world wide organizations ranging in what the incentive of the program will do. People from all sorts of background participate in order to gain the self-reassurance that someone less fortunate was just given something extremely helpful. The article "The Ethicist" by Randy Cohen argues and challenges against what the morals people think they are receiving and are actually, in exchange, receiving tax reductions or some other incentive to include themselves. He exemplifies the immorality and injustice of the extras added to these non profit organizations.

Today, high schools have all sorts of drives and programs that were created in order to help less fortunate people, to make the world a little brighter, and to gain the feeling of selflessness and good morality. Although, many teachers give extra credit to their students in order to up the numbers of how many students participate, or the winning class gets an ice cream party or a pizza. Should it really take something extra to be able to persuade more students to participate? Should they not just participate because it is the morally right thing to do? Organizations around the country, or even around the world, create all sorts of programs that are intended to do the same thing, just to help those who are in need. Although, many of the larger, more well known programs sometimes also have some extra initiative to gain more support and members included. They have used tax reductions and many others to gain contributions.

This can only exemplify the morals of today's population and today's youth. That not as many people are completely selfless and need an extra little cookie to get them to have the desire to be included. The whole initiative for these organizations is to help others, but most people participate only for the extra points or the money they will save for helping out. Some programs do not include these extras, but many do. For blood drives many of them now give out movie passes and coupons to get a free sandwich at the local deli shop. There usually is always something added to gain support. How terrible is it to hear that most of the American, and maybe even the world, population is greedy enough to need something to gain instead of just participating it only to increase the wealth or life of another unknown person.

We as a community should not have to need one of these prizes to want to be included in such organizations. Everyone should have the desire to walk up and help out, without receiving anything in exchange. It only goes to show the greediness of the common person. Even with the economy the way it is currently, that should have no reason to change the amount of selflessness that should be exchanged in today's society. In many views, this is morally wrong for our society to sulk to. Many will agree with this, although almost everyone has participated in the morally wrongness of this situation and many few can be excluded from this act of injustice.

Overall, the morals of the common person needs to change. It needs to change to be less selfish and be willing to give without getting. This change will not happen for many people. The amount of narcissism in our society has increased from generation to generation, lessening the amount of self willingness to only give for a non profitable reason. Hopefully, the morals of people will be subject to altering back to what was known many years ago as just helping a friend out.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Animal Testing

1- author: unknown
Title of article: Animal Experimentation: Point Counterpoint
Title of website: StopAnimalTests
Date it was published: unknown
host of website: PETA.org
date found: March 12
web address: http://www.stopanimaltests.com/f-pointcounterpoint.asp


2-author: Matthew Knight
title of article: Scientist: Stem cells could end animal testing
title of website: CNN
date it was published: Dec. 23, 2008
host of website: CNN health
date found: MArch 12
web address:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/22/stem.cell.drug.tests/index.html

3-author: CFSAN/office of cosmetics and colors
title of article: animal testing
title of website: US FDA/ CFSAN
date it was published: April 5, 2006

date updated: 18 Nov. 2008
host of website: FDA/ department of heath and human services
date found: march 12
web address:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-205.html

4-author: Bonita de Boer
title of article: HIV drugs, Vaccines, and Animal testing
title of website: AVERT
date it was published: march 10, 2009
host of website: AVERT
Date found: MArch 12
web address:
http://www.avert.org/hiv-animal-testing.htm

5-author: Teal Beattie

title of article: Animal Testing
title of website: about my planet
date it was published: October 2, 2007
host of website: about my planet
date found: march 12
web address: http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/science-technology/animal-testing/

6-author: unknown
title of article: life in a laboratory
title of website: stop animal tests
date it was publsihed: unknown
host of website: PETA
date found: marc h12
web address: http://www.stopanimaltests.com/AnimalsinLabs.asp

7-author:unknown
title of article: EPISODE 96: “MANIMAL AND THE COSMETICS TESTING LABORATORY”Personal-Care Products — An Easy Call on Animal Testing
title of website:www.grinningplanet.com
date it was published: 12 october 2004
host of website:grinning planet
date found: 24 march 2009
web address: http://www.grinningplanet.com/2004/10-12/cosmetics-animal-testing-article.htm

"Death of the Dream"

Q: Will California recover? Why or why not? What do you think some of the changes will be?

A: The American Dream, to one day own a house, have a decent job, have a family, live happy, and live without worry. Many citizens and immigrants wish for these simple things. The amount of people that wish to live small but happy are innumerable. The growing population and amount of desires and needs is increasing dramatically. The recession that the UNited States is currently facing is not only hitting the average middle-class, but the higher and lower classes as well. The lack of money is causing an alarming amount of people and businesses to go bankrupt and lose everything they have ever known. California, as well as the rest of the country and world, have been able to make in out of either a similar or even bigger recession then the one we are currently in. Unfortunately, with a split society and legislature, it may take us longer then it has previously. The amount of people who have everything that they could ever wish for do not see things the same way that the lower class or even middle class do. Nobody is willing to sacrafice or give up what they have already earned or been given. That is one of the problems that Californians have today. The amount of greed and inability to want to help another fellow American is unreal. Before, everyone whated to come to America, to the land of opportunity, but now, we the outmigration should reach about 200,000, and those are just the legal people that we know of, that does not include all the illegal immigrants that will go home the same way that they came here. Everyone is being hit hard from these hard times. What needs to happen is for everyone to see eye to eye atleast for a short amount of time, and to willing to take some risks and give a little in order to make it out of the crisis that we are currently feeling. The housing industry is only one of the many causes of our crisis. The 'hysterical greens' have a reason to be doing what they are. Because of the irresponsibility of Americans as well as the rest of the world is ruining the world as well as our economy. Their efforts to clean up the messes that we have made do have a major purpose for the future. Unfortunately, these funds are insanely expensive and need money that we do not currently have. They are a extremely important and does need a big focus, but there needs to be a happy median in order to get us out of this crisis before it gets any worse. For all the people out there, everyone needs to give a little in order to gain a lot later. Even though this is easier to say, then to do, it does need to be thought before anything else can happen. Actions need to be made and efforts need to be innumberable before any positivity can be progressed.

Stem Cell Research

Q: Should states have the right to oppose the Federal Government on Stem Cell Research? Why or why not? Use examples from articles to support your stand.

A: President Barack Obama is wanting to increase funds for the research of stem cells. Many state legislates have either already rid of stem cell research or are planning on making their own funds to keep supporting it until they recieve federal funds. Ex-President George W. Bush limited the amount of federal funding in 2001 to only the 21 stem cell lines that were already in existence. It allowed for the already existing lines to keep studying, but refused for new ones to be created.

Supporters on stem cell research say that if the bill passes to rid of the research then the thousands of in-vitro treatments that are preformed will cease and to thriving research universities. The intent of the stem cell research is to search for cures to diseases small or deadly. Yes that research takes from fertile embryos and destroy them, but what can be gained from doing that can help for many of the decades to come and to cure some of the most deadly diseases we know today.

States should be allowed to decide the amount of research that is performed, but not eliminate it all together. President Obama is wanting to give the funds to continue, and the states should be willing to use those funds if they are given them. Although, the staes should be able to have a vote on how much they want to support the stem cell research, making it as great or little improtance to the people of each state. With the economy the way it is, no immense amounts of funds should be given to these kinds of researches, but it should still continue through in order to make improvements and break-throughs in medical as well as other fields.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Cuts in Newspaper Jobs

Q: What do you think will happen to the newspapers in the future? Where do you get your news? Why? Will you miss them if they are gone?

A: In the news article "Newspaper publisher McClatchy cuts 1,600 jobs" by Michael Liedtke of the Redding Searchlight, he describes and explains the amount of job cuts that have been seen by only one company, the McClatchy Co., and the effects that this one company is making. Overall McClatchy has made 4,150 job cuts since June of 2008, minimizing its work force by one third of what it was the previous year. For those who were fortunate enough to keep their jobs, they are still experiencing the money-saving plan by their reduction of their salary. Overall, this company has saved "at least $300 million annually" and it might be possible for that number to grow even more in the upcoming months and years. Each newspaper that the McClatchy Co. oversees has rid of over 100 jobs each as well as reduce the salary of the rest of the employees saving the company hundreds of millions of dollars.

For those whos jobs have been lost in the newspaper side of the company, others have profited on the Internet side. The amount of Internet coverage has increased from 9% in 2007 to 11% percent in 2008 and will continue to grow in 2009, although this increase has not made up for what was lost.

Unfortunately, the amount of job cuts and salary reductions will eventually minimize the newspaper industry to such a small amount it will not be able to regain the strength it has had for so many years. Eventually, it will all be changed to Internet information and be able to be recieved instantly. News is able to be reached faster and easier then it has even been. The possibility to recieve information days before it will be printed on paper is increasing in population. It may not be that strong now, but in the future it will be unimaginable. For myself, I recieve information in many other ways other then seeing in on paper after someone picking it up from the driveway every morning. Now radio stations annouce big news on your way to work or school so the American public is constantly recieving information about what is happening. Internet posts articles days before it comes out on print, making the ability to know more faster increasingly popular. Many more forms of information of accumulated over the years since the first newspapers in the late 1600's and early 1700's. America's youth has found many new forms of information and will eventually only use those as sources instead of newspapers. Newspapers will eventually dwindle and now exist at all or in a very miniscule amount. This many not happen soon, but eventually in the years to come this will come to exist.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

"Slouching Towards Bethlehem"

Q: What is Joan Didion's attitude of the Hippie Movement in San Fransisco in the late 1960's? How does her tone, diction, and syntax exemplify her opinion?


A: The happy times of the Hippies during the 60's was covered in flowers,a fighting war in Vietnam, and peace movements against the war. Joan Didion's critical diction reenacts the happenings she experienced while in San Fransisco with words such as "desultory" and "hemorrhaging". She expresses how she feels about the whole movement and illiterates what experiences she encountered during her time there.


Her tone throughout the essay shows a disgusted attitude that these happenings could even occur in America and that nobody cared to make a change big enough to stop them. She opens up her essay with the massacre in Ireland and how British soldiers were willing to open fire on their fellow citizens, starting the Irish Revolution in 1916. Throughout the rest of her writing she just exemplifies her outrage towards the irresponsibilty of the people she encounters and interviews. She tells of her MANY encounters with drugs of all kinds. How common and unsecretive people were with what they had. She also expresses her disagreement with the expression of "free love" and how willing people were to flirt and express themselves with so many different individuals.

Friday, January 23, 2009

FDR and Obama's Inaugural Addresses

Q: Explain the major similarities and differences between FDR's and Obama's Inaugural Speeches. Feel free to comment on similar happenings and circumstances, but also on similarities and differences in structure and content.

A: Both our past president Franklin D. Roosevelt and our current president Barack H. Obama have been faced with difficult times in our country. They have both stated that there is a great need of change and it will not be an easy task. The country is in a state of a failing economy and citizens losing what they have. It is time to have a change and it has to happen now.

In Obama's Inaugural Speech he states, "Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; business shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet." In this one paragraph he sums up many of the greater seen problems we our currently fighting in our society. The first step in changing these problems is addressing them before any action is made. As FDR said, "...it can never be helped by merely talking about it." Action needs to made, but it has to come from the citizens as well, not just our president.

Past President FDR states in his first Inaugural Speech many of the same problems that need to be faced. He says, " They concern, thank god, only material things." Which was true at the time. It was mainly around money and how much we did not have. He states, " Values have stricken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone."

During the 1930's, the United States of America was facing the same difficulties that are repeating again today. The similarities between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack H. Obama's Presidency Inaugural Addresses have many of the same qualities for they have to face very similar problems in our society. Although, they do have differences as well. Today, we are faced with more global warming and are doing more harm to the earth then almost 80 years ago. FDR's speech did mention the need to care more for the earth and "go green" a little more, but Obama is wanting to make many more changes and a much bigger effort to change what is happening to our o-zone layer and to our world. Another difference would be the fact that we just elected an African-American would also mean that he had to make a bigger effort to convince the public that he is going to change our country and help our people.

The differences in the two Presidents also shows through their writing and how they present their speeches. I have not heard FDR's speech but I have read it in text and he does make many good points about what needs to change. Listening to Obama's speech during his inauguration was very uplifting. He shows how much he wants to change our country's problems and make our world a better place. I think that he is going to make a difference and be a great president. He has the ideas and plans that will help. His speech in text also seems much more inspirational and determined then FDR's. Fortunately, they both make good points and both have determination to get things back in place and back into peace.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

President Obama's Idea of "A New Era of Resonsibility"

Q: According to President Obama's inaugural address, this is "a new era of responsibility," as nothing is so defining of character as "difficult times." Tell what this refers to nationally, locally, and to your personality.

A: In these difficult times, we see small companies closing down because of going into bankrupt, our economy failing, and many other unfortunate events. Our country is even printing more money making our dollar bill contain less worth even though our country is already in a terrible debt. Fortunately, there is some change in the minds of Americans. People were able to look past the color of skin and elect a African-American president for the first time. People looked past race and chose because of the ideas he had swirling in his head and his plans to begin to restore our economy and our country.

In his address he states that this is "a new era of responsibility." Meaning that we are obligated to fix what disasters we have created and restore ourselves back to a stable, unfaltering state. In President Barack Obama's inaugural address speech he mentioned, "That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet." He is acknowledging the fact that our country, our economy, and our people need a change, and we are responsible to make that change. We were able to put ourselves in the condition we are in, and we should be able to reverse it and get ourselves out.

President Obama mentioned the war currently happening in Iraq. In my opinion, we have no need to have our soldiers over there any longer then they already have been. Hopefully, he returns them home to their friends and families safely. People are already starting to find that there is no need for them to be continually based in Iraq. Hopefully, we do not have another reaction from the people towards the soldiers as what happened after the Vietnam War. President Obama also made a quick mention of our economy. He states, "Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age." There needs to be a change in the way people spend money and the way our economy functions in our country. It will take years to restore what has been lost recently, some of it never returning. The jobs that are being lost is currently nearing 10% unemployment nationally. If the car industry fails and closes then it will jump dramatically. There has been an attempt to make some restoration...dropping the the gas prices drastically from about $4.60 a gallon to about $2.50. Unfortunately, they are currently increasing in price. Not nearly at the price they were, but they are still rising. President Barack H. Obama also mentioned the need to recognize our deteriorating earth and life on this planet. The landfills are filling up, the o-zone layer is changing and effecting our weather, and the smoke/smog that our factories are emitting, and the little amount of oil we have left for gas. There needs to be a change in how our Americans function. Hopefully it will help to get the entire world involved in restoring our earth.

Locally in our towns, we have seen the rising of gas prices, the drop of the housing industry and the amount of job unemployment that is engulfing our society one bite at a time. As time continues we watch as more small businesses, as well as large name-brand organizations, go bankrupt and are forced to fire their employees, leaving them jobless and without an income. Locally we can see that our unemployment rate in Shasta County is reaching almost 10% and continually ascending. Obama has recognized this and wants to make a difference and turn this around. Hopefully, he will also make an effort to change the way our schools are being funded. Money is continually being stripped from the children who will one day, run our country and be the ones in charge. That needs to be flipped and turn upside down to make sure our youth is given a fair future to reach for and a better chance to make a difference when they come of age.


Personally, what each American can do at the moment includes many small efforts to make a bigger difference. It will take more then the few who are already trying to make a difference to actually turn what is happening around and restore it back to a healthy state. It will not be easy, but it will take numbers to make something happen. Small efforts in every home should include saving and spending money wisely. No big time, unneeded spending should happen for a while. Recycling is another positive attribute that should be included as well. It would help greatly if everyone made at least an effort everyday to save their bottles and cans and make sure they are taken to a recycling plant instead of straight to a landfill where they will sit for many years to come. It will take small efforts in big numbers to make anything happen in this world. Hopefully, our new president, President Barack H. Obama will be the leader to make this happen and make the difference to change our society around.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Breaking an "Unjust Law"

Q: When would you consider it appropriate to break an "unjust law"? Use information from "Perils of Obedience" and "Letter from Birmingham Jail" to support your reasoning?

A: Most laws have no reason to be considered unjust. Most have straightforward law restraining or allowing some act. Although, some laws contradict what our morals tell us to do and what we find to be "the right thing to do". As we grow up and are raised by our parents, we were taught to obey and follow orders. Our parents taught us to never say no when given directions. But every so often, directions given go against our morals and what we know as right. Some people go along and obey even though their conscience is telling them not to. Few people feel the need to stand up and go against what they are told for their own beliefs and morals. It is harder to stand up to a higher force alone then it is to stand up in a group with other people as support. The army sends their soldiers through boot camp in order to take away their desire to make decisions apart from those around them or the rest of the group. They are also taught to follow directions no matter what they are.

In Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail he responds saying that blacks have been following orders and what they have been told for many years in the past. They are just now trying to change and go against all that and be considered as equal with the white people, who consider themselves superior. He also responds saying that they are following their own morals. The people that believe in desegregation know that segregation is against what is known to be better and are trying to make a difference, no matter what color their skin is.

The Perils of Obedience is an experiment showing what people will do when given directions, even though they know it is hurting someone else. It was an attempt to show that they people in Germany during Hitler's rein were following what they were told, knowing the consequences they would receive if they did not obey. The people in the experiment of The Perils of Obedience were told only what they were to do, not what their consequences would be if they were to go against their directions. They were left with the unknown knowledge of what was to come of them if they said, "No." It just goes to show that the fear of consequence is sometimes higher in the thought chain then going against directions for another persons own sake, sometimes even their life. Few people have the integrity or guts to do what they know as right, but those are the people that we should be following, not the directions that are given when they are morally incorrect.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Greatness of the Great Gatsby

Q: What is great about Great Gatsby? What are your opinions of Gatsby now that you have finished the novel? How great was he and why?

A: Gatsby was a great person in many ways. He became very caring and considerate of those around him, trying to please them, especially Daisy. No matter what happened he stayed truthful and faithful to Daisy despite what she did. When they were younger they had fallen in love. Soon afterwards, Gatsby was sent to war, with the promise of Daisy waiting for his return. Unfortunately, she was forced into a marriage to another man, Tom Buchanan. Upon his return, he was unfortunate to find that his love was wed to another man and was not there for him. Even though she was not there for him, he continued to care about her no matter what situation she was in and made sure that she was cared for and loved.

Even though Gatsby did not make any amazing discoveries that changed the world, saved the city or something of that sort, he was still very well liked and considerate. He would also be considered great because of the personal greatness that he achieved. When he was younger he was suppose to stay in the same poor state that his parents were in, but he was able to greater himself and rise above what was expected of him. During the war, he received a medal of honor, which was one way that he bettered himself. He later received a streak of good luck and inherited a large sum of money for his relatives helping him to become part of the "new money" in the West Egg. With that, he gained the respect of his fellow citizens and respect from the person he cared most about, Daisy. He proved that he was willing to work hard to gain what he wanted, and he almost got Daisy if it weren't for the forced marriage. She stilled loved him and cared for his welfare, but was unable to leave her husband because she would also lose her family as well.

Gatsby also became great from the parties he made for those around him. He was successful enough and well liked to have so many people wish to attend his parties and be there in his house that he was able to attain because of his own efforts. While at the parties, he waited on all his guest and watched their actions, even though he never drank himself. He made sure they were all comfortable and taken care of. He wanted to make sure they were all cared for because he wished to have Daisy visit one of his parties one day. He wished to impress her and he had to make his parties great enough to expect her and her husband to attend.

Gatsby was able to make himself great on his own, only with the fortunate help of some relatives that left him with a great inheritance. He cared about those who were around him more then he cared for himself, which made him have a great personality as well. He wanted to make an effort to make everyone else a little bit happier.