Without Saying

Dual Citizenship

2008-02-28T14:17:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the latest update in the Presidential elections? McCain was born outside the continental United States and therefore may not qualify as a “natural born” citizen, a requirement for the presidency. Senator John McCain was born on a military installation in the Panama Canal Zone because his father was a Navy officer. Despite rooting for the Democratic Party, I think people are being extremely and annoyingly picky about this situation. If Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to run for President then that would be an obvious violation of the Constitution but McCain’s father was born while his father was serving our country. Is that really fair? I think this incident is going to create precedence. The government will probably let this die down but the controversy of eliminating the potential Republican presidential nominee.

Music at the Speed of Light

2008-02-01T14:07:00.001-08:00

This just in! NASA, in connection with the United States government, will send a broadcast of the Beatles’ song “Across the Universe” across the galaxy to Polaris, the North Star. Why would the government spend an enormous amount of money to send a song to a place that would never reach life? Even if they did send the transmission to a planet that could harbor life, would it be worth it? The idea is meant to celebrate the songs fortieth anniversary and the fiftieth anniversary of the organization, NASA. The numbers seem unimaginable. The song will be sent at a rate of 186,000 miles per second. The North Star is 2.5 quadrillion miles away and it will take 431 years to reach its destination. Not only will no one be able to hear the music but it can’t even be heard without an antenna!
I believe there could be life out there but this is just a waste of the average tax payers’ money. Our country is threatened with a recession, people are unable to afford healthcare, and homelessness is still a problem. Imagine the things we could do with the money spent on such a frivolous project. It was not worth it.
By the way, music sharing is illegal ;D

Five Minutes to the World...

2008-02-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

A human’s purpose is to survive and multiply. Once this is achieved, its ones responsibility to fend for oneself but we need to break away from this idea. John Nash’s most famous concept was in governing dynamics. One must base their actions on the benefit of themselves and the greater good. So, in one short sentence, stop thinking that the world revolves around you. Take time to imagine the implications of your actions. Apply this idea to everything, especially relationships with friends, family, and significant others. Use this to help encourage interactions amongst others, support a cause, help a friend. Stop being selfish because once you die the world keeps turning.

Can You Name Their Platform?

2008-02-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Why should this presidential election be any different than others? Yes, like many others, this run for president is making history but the real issues concerning Americans are not being addressed. Instead of discussing the recession and decline in real estate ventures, many Democrats are being swayed to a candidate by their appearance and not their abilities. Yes, Clinton looks like a white woman and Obama is a black male but ironically, these two are being judged by their race, sex, and religious affiliations as opposed to their political views and policy. I was under the impression that it is somewhat illegal to base a person’s ability to do well in a position on these characteristics. Honestly, I have no clue as to what the platform for either candidate is. Why? I’m sure it’s because the media refuses to acknowledge them and this is bad for the candidate and the citizens of this country. It’s even in the Republican race. Huckabee is making strides in the poll and he’s gathering momentum maybe not for the sole reason that he’s a religious zealot but that has given him publicity. His radical views include women staying in their “place” but again THIS IS NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT!!!! People need to do their own research and vote on real hard data. Just because I am a woman I would not vote for Clinton and because I am black I would not vote for Obama. I refuse to overlook the real issues affecting America.

Kids Having Kids

2008-01-31T14:01:00.000-08:00

Once I was introduced to the idea of birth control in middle school, I asked myself why do we talk about issues that I could support or be against. It is always a good thing to be prepared for difficult situations but prescription contraceptives could also promote sexual behavior among preteens. Mainly, I think about the differences between oral contraceptives and condoms, which were already being provided at the clinic. The big one is that condoms are an effective method to prevent pregnancy AND sexually transmitted diseases. So, although I cannot really pick a side, I do believe that there was not any problem with only providing condoms.
To start, I will not have girls. I know this seems very irrational but I hope, in the future, that I have boys and then possibly girls so their brothers can look after them. The reason I pray for this is because girls are too much to think handle. They have the greater impact if they get pregnant and their reputation gets ruined even at the slightest social mistake. Girls have to be twice as careful and this is a burden I do not want to experience.
However, if I do have a girl I would hope to establish a relationship with her early on so that in the future if she was faced with this issue she would come to me. I am all about establishing positive relationships. If my sister was to begin taking birth control I wouldn’t rat on her but I’d hope she tell me all of her experiences so I could give her my opinion on her actions. Also, people fail to mention that birth control options such as the pill can result in clearer skin, a reduction the symptoms of menstrual periods, and lessening the frequency of periods. This is an area males have no reason to talk.

Did I Ask You To Touch Me?

2008-01-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

Because Americans are so used to the term “probable cause”, many would disagree with the idea that stop-and-frisk is legal because it is based on “reasonable suspicion”, a slight rewording but wit a definitive line of separation. Personally, I believe it is legal because the government’s purpose is to protect and govern its people in order to promote safety and maintain order. Numbers show that this policy has had a positive impact on major cities such as New York so it is somewhat safe to assume that it would make Philadelphia safer. However, the problem lies in the definition of “reasonable suspicion” and whether or not this suspicion can be justified under legal terms. The government must clearly identify under what conditions a citizen would be subject to a search.

Attn: Touching Leads To Sex!

2008-01-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

Banning physical contact, even hugging, is completely ridiculous. Personally, I’m a very touchy-feely person. With my friends, I hug, interlock arms, sit on, and even caress when we joke around, girls and guys alike. The example of a Latina braiding someone’s hair and getting in trouble for it is ridiculous. I braid hair all the time at my school during free periods. Its fun and if I went to one of the schools against any type of affection I would probably be expelled. These schools are overreacting and I cannot see what they are saving these kids from. The administrators probably did not get enough love and affection during their childhood.

Pop Culture: A Crutch to Institutions

2008-01-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

We are a product of our environment. I believe today’s students have absorbed popular culture but there is no reason that the topic should not be discussed in an institution of higher learning. The benefits of learning about ones culture are numerous. A teacher can relate examples from his students’ perspective to arouse interest. For example, I took up an extra class during a summer enrichment program titled Literature of the Scientists. We began to assess the definition of a genius and my teacher had us watch “A Beautiful Mind” to further our discussion. This 2001 film was about a Nobel Prize winner, John Nash, and a winner of four Oscars. This piece of pop culture helped me, as well as my classmates, understand one way to perceive a genius, an introvert with an unusual way of thinking. This was a more entertaining way of expressing an idea and it helped me write a more passionate essay about the meaning of genius.

* picture sampled from stormteacup.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/would-you/