Happy Holidays

For many kids today is a great day, because it means only one more day till Santa Claus is going to be delivering presents to all the boys and girls of the world.

This poses me to ask the question when we were little kids what did you guys have as your Christmas traditions, was it a big family meal at one house then with some present opening? Was it relaxing the day before the sleeping and waiting for Santa to come to your house? Did you go to sleep on Christmas Eve early and wake up early on Christmas morning to open presents?

What did you guys do then and what do you guys now? Is there any difference and what traditions do you truly enjoy during this holiday season.

Dreaming of a White Christmas? How about Green Grass and Sunshine

Many people romanticize about the idea of having a white Christmas. This year seems to be no different. This year snow will be on the ground in Connecticut on Christmas morning.


Which is fine, and great, but right now as I write this piece I am currently snowed in with no where to go. My car is in the auto body shop from an accident I had on Friday coming home from school after taking my last final (thank you so much CCSU administration and President Miller). Not having a car is painful, not that I would be going anywhere today most likely but not having the option is gnawing at me.


Having snow on Friday was fine, it was nice to wake up and see snow on the ground giving us a change from the grass that was covered in frost.

Today though, I have had enough of the snow that is continuously falling outside. I am sick of having to shovel my driveway and sidewalks it’s just frustrating. I am sick of not being able to drive because the roads in Hamden are not drivable right now. Lastly I am sick of everyone saying how nice it is that we are having snow for Christmas.


People its nice that we have snow on the ground for the holiday, I get it, but give me green grass and sunshine on the days leading up to Christmas because that way I can do things with my friends instead of being stuck at home watching the New England Patriots versus the Arizona Cardinals because there is no other sporting even on T.V. right now.

You can say I am not into in the holiday spirit, that maybe true but you try having to do nothing for the third consecutive day and tell me it wouldn’t be wearing on you.

Central Lets the Students Down

Did any body else find it negligent and uncalled for that the students of Central had to take their finals on Friday?

With every meteorologist calling for a massive amount of snow on Friday that would make the drives home for the students and many others treacherous, Central a commuter school for the most part decided that we students should still have our scheduled exams.

The school decided it was in the “best interest” of the students to take their finals, rather than be able to pack up and early drive home to beat the weather that was soon to encompass the state.

Why did we have to take our exams when the governor sent the state employees home because it would have been unsafe for them to drive home at the time they normally would have had to leave from work, while almost every school district in the state was closed for the day? The smart decision would have been to postpone the exams to keep the students from having to drive home in the snow. Central though decided that we students should take our exams.

What options could the school have come up with rather than make the students take their finals on Friday.

Option 1: The school could have moved finals back until Saturday, Monday, or until after the winter break.

Option 2: If they really wanted to have us take our finals the school should have let us stay in our dorms until Saturday morning instead of kicking us out by 3 o’clock on Friday.

This may be a trivial issue to many of you who were either out of school already and were safely home, but for those of us who had the unfortunate adventure of having to brave the highways to get home from school this was not a fun experience.

President Miller and the rest of the school should be ashamed of themselves for making the students take exams when the weather was so bad outside or was just getting bad when we had to make our trips home, when there were two very solid options at the schools disposal.

I will close this by saying shame on you President Miller and Central Connecticut State University; you guys decided that the exams scheduled for Friday were more important than those of students who pay a good amount of money to attend your university. Professor Matthew Warshauer was right in suggesting the faculty senate propose a vote of no confidence in you last year. I now feel the same; I have no confidence in you or the school to protect the students.

Television: A Cause of Teen Pregnancy?

Gossip Girl, 90210 and One Tree Hill are only few among today’s popular television shows on prime time television that have influenced teens across America with infectious messages of glamorous drugs, binge drinking and unprotected sex in almost every episode telling teens that its ok to be promiscuous.

Teenagers who watch a lot of television programs that are rich in sexual content are twice as likely to become pregnant according to a November 2008 study by the journal Pediatrics. The journal Pediatrics was reportedly the first study to come out with a real correlation between television and teen pregnancy.

From 2001 to 2004, about 2,000 adolescents from age 12 to 17 were surveyed across the nation by the RAND Corporation, nonprofit research cooperation about their television habits and their sex lives. The survey focused on 23 television programs popular among teenagers such as dramas, comedies, reality programs and animated shows having sexual content such as discussion or depiction. After three years, the teens were surveyed once again and 700 out of the 2,000 admitted to engaging in sexual intercourse by the third survey. According to the study, about 1 million adolescents become pregnant each year in the United States.

The study found that the 90^th percentile of teens was the ones who watch the most television on a daily basis and were twice as likely to have unprotected sex and become pregnant. The teens who watched the least amount of television, the 10^th percentile, were half as less likely to engage in sexual behavior at all let alone unprotected sex. The study also found that teenagers living in a proper parenting home with structured lives and rules had a lower chance of becoming pregnant as a teen.

Teens are being brainwashed by media that sex is ok at any age really, at least that is what Serena and Blair are telling young girls who watch Gossip Girl every Monday night after they finish their homework.

Speaking of Gov. Blagojevich

I think people are justified in seeing Gov. Rod Blagojevich for what he really is, and going a step further, pointing it out to a lot of people. He's a man who has made a pretty serious bunch of mistakes, but I'm amazed at how many people are still linking this to President-elect Barack Obama, and then allowing ridiculous amounts of word wars to ensue. It became a contest to see who speaks with the accused governor less frequently. 

The point is that one, obviously Blagojevich and Obama have had some interaction, having been part of the Illinois government, but two, it doesn't mean that Obama is somehow a tainted character because he spoke to the man.

Anyways, the thought just came to me after something about the Illinois governor was on in the 10 o'clock news and my mom threw up her hands and proclaimed "well that bodes well for this presidency!" 

Note: The number of comments on the Politico blog post is 449.... Really?

Deadly Crash

I'm sure everyone has heard about the F/A- 18 Fighter Jet that crashed into a San Diego home the other day. The pilot was forced to eject from the plane as both engines were lost. Unfortunately where it occurred led to the plane crashing into the home in the University City neighborhood killing a mother, her child, and the child's grandmother.

The whole ordeal is terribly sad and it got me to thinking about how bad the pilot must have felt. He lost both engines and was put in a life or death situation over a populated area when he was just supposed to be training. That must have been ridiculous. What would you do in that situation though? If you don't eject you go down with the plane and would probably end up crashing into the same home anyways? Would there have been enough time for the pilot to have steered clear of the home if he had stayed in the plane longer before ejecting? Would you risk your own life to possibly save others that may or may not be in the homes below. There is no way the pilot knew that people would even be in their homes at the time or that the plane would end up crashing exactly on a house rather than in a yard or something? I was just wondering what people think about the accident?

How many of you hate left lane drivers who never seem to MOVE OVER? I was recently reading on the internet how some states are starting to enforce the law and give tickets to those who stay in the left lane and are holding up traffic for others. Afterall the left lane is for passing only isn't it? I think this is a god send! Please pull them all over! I do a lot of high way driving and nothing makes me more upset than those who stay in the left lane and block a line of cars behind them. In many cases no one even drives in the right lane, especially on a three or four lane high way. Traffic would move much more smoothly especially during rush hour and make 84 and 91 through Hartford a little more bearable to drive through.

Er... Am I Black or White?

While perusing the LA Times, I caught an article that shouldn't have, but made me laugh out loud (or LOL for all my cyber friends). This piece struck me as a little ridiculous because basically, writer Karen Kaplan is trying to make the point that white people view themselves as black in instances such as dropping below the poverty line or going to jail. A study that asked people to classify themselves within racial terms showed that they actually changed their answers based on whether they were incarcerated during that time period. The changes between classifications were also based on the way interviewers perceived subjects based on their economic status and prison record.

I'm sorry, but I'm Asian and if I go to jail- I'll still be Asian. When I get out of jail... yeah, still Asian. Losing my job or falling below poverty line (which I'm dangerously close to as is) will not change the way I view my race. People don't magically become "black."

Not only is it a dangerous conviction of society that people are likely to base their assumptions of race with aspects like poverty and jailtime, it's also confusing, scary, and sad that people view themselves in that way. Being poverty-stricken or going to jail has actually nothing to do with your genetic makeup- something that constitutes race far more than any other condition.

Do you think that people are justified in their views of others and themselves based on these expectations?

Indefinitely Inappropriate?

I thought I would make it through the semester without posting on sports, hockey specifically, but sadly, recent events make that an impossibility.

Last night, uber-pest Sean Avery of the Dallas Stars, one of the game's most prolific instigators, was suspended indefinitely for comments he made regarding his former girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert of "24" and "Girl Next Door" fame.

"I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight." -Sean Avery

The verbal jab was intended evidently for both Cuthbert as well as his prospective opponent at the time, widely feared Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.

Hockey is a game that struggles to get mainstream media attention. This gave a meaningless regular season game, one of 82 for each club, an extremely interesting storyline. Sadly, the commissioner was wrong to suspend the opinionated forward, and sent reprocussions that far outweighed the offense.

Not only that, but I was looking forward to seeing the two collide last night. After the suspension was handed down, I chose not to watch. It took all the fun out of the game for me. In a world where wide receivers are shooting themselves in the leg in crowded nightclubs and covering it up, what's wrong with a little war of words and a compelling storyline? The NHL botched this one, big time.

When the “Stars” Align

Later on tonight, a rare spectacular will be visible, because the moon, Jupiter, and Venus will line close together. Supposedly, this phenomenon will not occur again until 2052!

Now called “earthshine,” what Leonardo da Vinci once dubbed “the old moon in the young moon’s arms,” or when the full globe of the moon is visible, may also be visible in the night sky.

Furthermore, it has been concluded that Samuel Taylor Coleridge was inspired by this rare occurrence to write the epic, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

This alignment may have been visible starting November 29th and ending December 1st, but due to weather conditions, it is probably best to take a good look up at the sky tonight.

If you do take two seconds to look up yonder, blog back. What did you think? Could you see the alignment? What was your reaction? Do you think this will be an artistic inspiration for you?

Uh-Oh... Caught Ya!

I was checking up on the LA Times today and found this article about how cheating and stealing has gotten progressively worse in high school students. The Josephson Institute ran a survey for 29,760 students from 100 public and private schools and found:

• 30% of them have stolen from a store in the past year
• 64% cheated on a test in the past year
  
• 36% used the Internet to plagiarize
• 42% lie to save money
  

And yet, the superiors quoted in the article were often defending the students and noted that the students are busy, they still work hard, and often have no choice but to cut corners. The rise in cheating and stealing is only because this generation is forced into a moral corner by their elders (aka, us). It's like they invented social deviation or something! Sorry kiddies, but you're no more original than the first caveman who peeked at his neighbor's cave drawings.

When I was in high school, albeit almost four years ago, stealing, cheating, using the Internet to write papers, and lying in all of its forms were everyday occurrences and done with the indifference of CEO's. I've done my fair share of all of those, and nobody has ever defended me or patted me on the back for it. Lifting a lip gloss or pack of hair elastics or soda from a pharmacy in high school was how you got that stuff. Before you were 16, not everybody was privileged enough to get an allowance- I know I wasn't. I will agree that it seems to be easier for high school kids to cheat now, everybody has a cellphone or PDA and a more evolved sense of sneakiness. The only way we could get away with cheating on a test was writing on ourselves and risking ink poisoning. Ah, the good old days... And people lie to save money? I still do that! For instance, when somebody walks up to me and asks to bum a cigarette I usually say I don't have anymore (even if I do) because they're expensive and my thought is if you're going to have a bad habit at least be able to afford it. And the Internet is still tricky business when it comes to plagiarizing, even in college. Who can't say that they've Wikipedia-ed some random fact for a class or still use their highschool login for Sparknotes once in awhile? We're old pros at that by now.

It's just confusing to me what writer David Crary is looking to do here- even though he points out that morality is going down the tubes, he ends with a quote from Michael Josephson, "What we need to learn from these survey results is that our moral infrastructure is unsound and in serious need of repair. This is not a time to lament and whine but to take thoughtful, positive actions."

Looks like they're picking out a very small part of a cheating, stealing lineage but hopefully those "thoughtful, positive actions" will work out for them. Whatever that means.

Black FridayTragedy

For our class assignment due this week I wrote Twas the Night Before Black Friday poem joking about how crazy people get about the after turkey shopping day. I was astonished to hear about two tragedies that occurred yesterday at two popular stores: WALMART and TOYS R US. People were so eager to rush into a Walmart near the Green Acres Mall that they literally bent the frames on the doors and trampled a worker to death. The store says they had ample security on hand for the busy morning rush of consumers, but is the issue really the security available or the over eager greedy american consumers who will literally walk over a body to get to the nearest Tickle me Elmo?
That wasn't the only incident of violence yesterday, two gunmen killed eachother in the electronics department of a Toys R Us in Palm Desert California. Police and the store believe the shootings occured due to a personal dispute that had nothing to do with Black Friday. Honestly though how could you choose a toy store where children are abundant to take out a feud? Black Friday is getting too out of control. Mothers were fleeing with their infants and children were exposed to violence on a day that should have been about peace and the spirit of giving, not killing.
I don't beileve stores take into account the safety percautions that need to be put in place for a day when so many shoppers pile into stores for great deals. In our society you never know what can take place in a crowded group of people are eager for a deal. Things are not sugar and spice and everything nice like they used to be. More and more stores now open early to offer blow out sales and that means there are even more oppurtunities for people to get hurt in the process.
People should just start their shopping in August or at least avoid the big sales crowds. Shop online if you have to.

Local Convenient Stores Sell Out of Newspapers?

Today something very ironic happened in my area and I am wondering if this happened or affected any of you? My mother called me when I was on my way to her house for our Thanksgiving “dinner,” and she asked me if I wouldn’t mind picking her up either a Hartford Courant or a New Haven Register. She and my little sister were unsuccessful in purchasing one around 11:00 a.m. after the town powder puff game. “Don’t go crazy,” she said. “If you can, you can.”

Well, much to my surprise, I too had no luck in purchasing a copy of either at the Yalesville Corner Shoppe. I was amazed to see that USA Today and the Boston Herald were the only papers left. A man and I both entered the convenient store to inquire about this, and the man at the counter said that they were all out. I was shocked! The other man was as well. I then called my mom who told me that where she went they were sold out, too.

I then drove up the street to a Citgo gas station. Under a pile of USA Todays I found the mother load. Both The Courant and The Register! About six copies each. I chose The Register, because that is “closer to home.” I went up to the cash register to pay and before the cashier rang me up, he said, “You know that is not today’s paper. It was Tuesdays.” Of course, only this would happen to me, I thought.

I could not believe it! I was shocked to learn that he had sold out of both papers as well.

The only paper that was in stock for Connecticut was The Connecticut Post. For 75 cents, I did not care that this was not the one that my mother wanted, as I figured that she was interested in the ads. So, even if she was unhappy, I found myself thinking, “Gee it costs way more than 75 cents to print this paper and put all of these fliers in it. I got a bargain.”

That’s when it dawned on me! Here we are, in an economic crisis and in a newspaper whirlpool downward. People want to read on the internet, but, yet I had the first hand experience of finding out that the newspapers were actually sold out! (This may be one of the last times that local convenient stores sell out of the papers.) I was blown away. Sold out!

Why do you think that they were sold out? Was it the ad factor? If so, is this the key to newspaper success? Was anyone else unsuccessful in locating a newspaper?

I think that this is something worth mentioning. I looked hard to find links relating to this topic, but there are none. There might be some tomorrow morning; I will check back. This Thanksgiving, I can honestly say that I am thankful for the newspapers’ survival of one more holiday.

Gift Cards = Lump of Coal?—What do you think?


Yesterday, I received a startling e-mail from a dear friend mentioning that Clark Howard, a consumer reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, very much opposed purchasing gift cards this holiday season. He said that “more and more retailers and restaurants are going to face extinction in a tight economy.”

After reading the e-mail, of course I immediately forwarded it to every family member on my contact list. It’s not that I wouldn’t mind getting a gift card for Christmas, it’s that I want others to be aware of these reports.

In fact, a woman who I work with that I also sent the e-mail to, informed me that last night she heard a similar report on the WFSB news.

This morning, I checked my e-mail and found an article from USA Today in my inbox, from my uncle, who had received my message. This immediately prompted me to further investigate.

Many news providers, such as Business Week are mocking the worth of gift cards. Once considered an ideal stocking stuffer, consumers are warned to be ware this Christmas season when choosing where to purchase one.


Is this going to make you think twice about purchasing gift cards for the holiday season?

Personally, for me, my mother and I went out to Chili’s last night for dinner and as she was asking me what I wanted for Christmas, I immediately replied that I wanted a Chili’s gift card, especially because for every $25 gift card you buy, you get a $5 one. (It’s like I will be getting $30, because she will give the bonus one to me.) Do you think that small incentives such as this will prompt consumers to buy gift cards?

I believe that gift cards to large chains are pretty safe, even if they are closing some of the chains. I think that national chains should be just fine. Even if they do go out of business, chances are it won’t be three days after Christmas. I say that it depends on where you are purchasing the gift card. What do you think?

Not as much an animal rights statement as it is college hijinks.

And welcome back to Not Asking For Permission, alternately titled "Documenting The Over-The-Top Insanity That is PETA."

Our good buddies from last week's lecture are at it again. We chronicled their exploits in an earlier entry about their request for Ben and Jerry's to use human breast milk in their ice cream. Tell me you wouldn't at least be interested in the names of those flavors.

Then, Chris posted yesterday about their plan to raise the health care rates of people who ate meat.

But now? Well, now they have gone just... too... far. They've taken aim at one of our celebrities. WHY, GOD, WHYYY?!

We talked in class about wearing fur and the actions that PETA takes and so on. This weekend, Lindsay Lohan was the object of their ire, as they threw flour at her on a red carpet. First of all, let's all call it for what it is. Lindsay got "antiqued." Any guy who's lived in a dorm can respect the prank aspect of this. However, as a political/animal rights statement? Give me a break.

It is extremely difficult to make me feel sorry for celebrities, but this almost gets me to that point. Lindsay Lohan is a person who is in the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons and seemingly has minimal redeeming qualities. Yet she was minding her own business on the red carpet and PETA more or less assaulted her for her wardrobe choice. You know you have problems when your actions force me to align myself with the coked out star of "I Know Who Killed Me."

This is a group whose leader, Ingrid Newkirk, is on the record openly admitting the group she helped found is a bunch of "press sluts." She stated in a 2003 New Yorker article, that without question, the world would be a better place without humans in it.

Memo to Ingrid and the rest of the PETA nutjobs: Just as you each have reasons you're vegetarians, we each have reasons we eat meat. For many of us, it's just cause animals are so gosh darn tasty. The point is, it's one thing to encourage others to adopt your beliefs in a manner not so socially inept. Just because you have different values than other people doesn't mean it's your job to force them to adapt to them.

I'm a Catholic, I refuse to drink Alcohol, and I hate the Red Sox. Having those specific characteristics does not mean it should be my mission to convert everyone into prohibition-supporting, Yankee-loving, Jesus freaks. That's not how the world works. Maybe in your warped mind in which a rat is more valuable than a human, sure.

There's a reason there's a food chain, and there's a reason we're on top of it. When lions build guns (god have mercy on our souls), then we'll talk. Until then, I respect the fact you believe animals should not be needlessly killed or eaten, but don't impose those values on me against my will.

Love,

Kyle

This is why people hate PETA

So we were talking about in class ways for PETA to reach carnivores and turn them over to the leafy green side. The idea came up to hit them in them in the wallet and make it more economically feasible to be a vegetarian or at the very least treat our chickens like kittens. Well, I guess PETA was listening, although I think they missed the point.

Making it more expensive to provide healthcare for meat-eaters is not making any new fans of PETA, especially not me. Thankfully the Blue Cross basically told PETA to "stfu" and that there is no direct link between being healthier and not eating meat.

Now to get back to my meatloaf.

Tour group '08

A Boston Globe article this morning talks about how Bush led Obama on a tour of the Oval Office, taking his first step in assuming the role as president of the United States.
Unlike pass tours that were drama-stricken by heated political rivalries, this tour seemed docile and almost routine. The president took the new guy around to discuss presidential duties and the first wife brought Mrs. Obama around to discuss her respective duties.
Even though this marks the first transfusion of power between Bush and Obama, the real story here is this is the first time an African American assumed the presidency in the house originally built by slaves.
Journalist Les Payne writes about this transition as " a nation that fancies itself the leader of the free world unshackling one of its remaining leg irons of hypocrisy."
In no way is this the cure-all for racism and indifference... but its a good start.

Beam Me Up, Wolf

So what's your take on the CNN hologram, which debuted on Election Night? Is this useful to journalism or a major waste of money?

What Will Happen to Obama?

Let's face it, people have been whispering speculations about Obama's fate if he were to take the presidency since the beginning of the campaign. Now that it has happened, should we expect the worst? I got an awful chain-letter/joke Wednesday morning that said, "What do Obama, John Kennedy, and Abraham Lincoln have in common? Nothing yet but wait a week." This joke refers to their assassinations, and the possibility or likelihood of Obama receiving the same. As pessimistic and horrible it sounds, I am worried.

People are crazy, we all know that. Obama has made a breakthrough in American history- no one is going to allow him to forget it. Even though he is only half black, his skin is still dark enough to enrage all of the racists in America (and we've got plenty). If you think that the worry is out of place and unneccesary, Israel has even expressed concern about the possibility of assassination (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1034287.html)! Although Obama himself and his campaign has pushed the fact that the competition for presidency was 'not about race,' the truth is is that for some people it was.

When talking about the election earlier, many people pointed out that there was a strong influence due to the VPs because what if Obama got assassinated or McCain had a heart attack and died? Whether this succeeded in swaying people towards Obama, I'm not sure. But I do know that aside from my disagreements with McCain's policies, there was no way in hell I was going to live under Palin's rule.

I know that we like to keep things positive, but being scared for Obama's safety is something that many people are feeling right now. It's hard, but the relief and celebration of his win is tainted with chance of assassination. There are some skinheads, neo-nazis, and plain ol' racists that I'm sure would be willing to go to jail for life or die just so that Obama would not be able to govern America.

Keep your fingers crossed...

Newspapers Make a Comeback on November 4th

According to cnn.com, newspapers have been selling rapidly across the entire United States since Wednesday when Barack Obama was declared the first black president. People have purchased at least two copies of Wednesday’s issue. There have also been three to 30 copies of all different newspapers sold throughout America as keepsakes for the historical day.
The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune restarted their printing presses to make hundreds of thousands more copies to distribute. Even entrepreneurs were willing to pay $600 for Wednesday’s Times issue on eBay.

The Times printed 75,000 more copies just for New York City, while The Washington Post printed 350,000 more in the middle of the afternoon. In Evanston, Illinois, a newsstand sold 100 copies in 10 minutes, not to mention the Chicago Tribune and Sun Times who sold thousands more that day.

Newspapers like USA Today had front pages devoted to a large picture of President Obama or a piece of his acceptance speech such as, “Change has come to America."

November 4, 2008 was a day that newspapers could not be replaced by the Internet. This special day in history proves that print newspapers are unique and offer people the privilege to touch history. The historical day may have given many newspapers hope that journalism may be able to maintain its original form without print becoming completely extinct.

Yes we can

"Yes we can" was what millions of people were shouting last night after the announcement of our new President Barack Obama!

Whether they were in their homes in front of the TV, outside on the streets, across the other side of the globe or in Chicago; everyone one of them had something in common and that something was a sense of hope.

It cannot go unsaid that this is a historical moment for many blacks not only in this country, but in the world. The amazing part is that Barack Obama, a black man, was a able to touch the hearts and souls of so many people. He has made it possible for all minorities: blacks, gays, Asians, Latinos and everyone under the umbrella to feel as if they have a place in this country and that they have an advocate and most importantly a leader who will fight for one common cause and that is a better America.

It's great that everyone wants to celebrate, but don't think that the work is done. Obama cannot do it all alone. The change we want to come will take time and there will be pitt falls along the way, so as much as people want to believe that America has come a long way let us not forget that a new journey has just begun.

As for those of you who are disappointed , I suggest you join the rest because we're all in this together. It's better to make the best of the situation and maybe you'll see that the feeling of hope isn't so bad after all.

No one knows what the next four years will bring, but as long as most or better yet, all Americans fight for equal opportunities there is no reason why we can't move forward; especially with a President who has proven to break so many barriers.

Is Breakfast Really Important?

What do people think: Does breakfast matter? Is breakfast really important?

With the seasons changing and flu season approaching I have been thinking about ways to boost my immune system, immediately, something that came to mind, which we all have complete control over, is diet. Is what I am eating really promoting a healing environment in my body? Can I maintain homeostasis by eating better?

When I do come down with a cold, chicken soup and tea are what I swear by. Tea has lots of anti-oxidants in it, which are good for the immune system. Chicken soup, from what my mother tells me, has something in the broth that helps.

But what about eating well right before I get sick, that way maybe I could skip being sick all together. Part of my personal problem is that I live on campus. Food choices are poor and the cafeteria hours are not accommodating, especially during weekends, when they close at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays.

I have never been a notably healthy eater, my friends and family always joke saying that I can justify eating the unhealthiest of foods. This is true. But, lately I have noticed that something needs to change in my diet, a piece is missing, and that piece might be breakfast.

All through high school and college I have skipped breakfast. Come to think of it, I don’t really recall there being much breakfast eating in grammar school years, as I got older and started taking care of myself in the morning.

I want to know what other people think about breakfast. Do you believe in eating breakfast? Does it “jump start” your day? Have you noticed that you get sick less often if you eat breakfast?

For the longest time, I guess I just didn’t “believe in” breakfast. I would always tell myself to just holdout until lunch. Then lunchtime would come around and I would feel all shaky and absolutely starving and I would eat and be really full and not hungry again for hours, throwing off my dinner schedule.

Upon doing some research, I discovered that not only is breakfast important, but eating the right kind of breakfast is important. Eating a good breakfast will make you less hungry during the day; therefore, since your body is not craving food so much, you will eat less.

Blood sugar plays a major role in all of this. The “shakiness” that I have/had been feeling was probably due to the fact that I had such low blood sugar levels by the time I ate lunch, which usually is around 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. Also, by this point in time, a person’s body is probably in starvation mode , which means that as soon as a person eats, his or her body immediately stores away the food as fat. Obviously this would cause an inner tug-of-war.

BBC News website stated in an article that: ‘“Breakfast can be a very good source of vitamins. Many processed cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals which people can find it difficult to get elsewhere if they are just having two meals a day.”’ It was funny to see this in writing because it is something that my mother always says. She said that breakfast cereals have lots of vitamins and minerals, such as iron . Since I became interested in this topic, and started looking into it, I learned that it was even possible to see iron in breakfast cereal by using a magnet and some other supplies (see hyperlink if interested). Without iron and other vitamins and minerals, a person can feel weak and have low energy levels.

So, yesterday I experimented with the thought of breakfast and filled up a snack bag of Raisin Bran. I ate it in the morning and stopped when I was hungry. I then ate a moderate lunch, and later on in the afternoon finished the bag as a snack. I feel that adding this to my diet, at least for that one day was beneficial. I had a lot more energy and did not need to eat as big of a lunch. Also, I felt as though I got a better night’s sleep, which contributes to a healthy immune system.

What do others think of eating breakfast? I think I may actually consider eating it on a regular basis.

Titanic Survivor Selling Artifacts to Pay for Nursing Home

The last living Titanic survivor, 96-year-old Millvina Dean, is selling artifacts from the doomed ship liner in order to pay for nursing home bills.

Dean was two months old, on her way to America with her parents and older brother. Dean's father felt the liner hit the iceberg and instructed his wife to dress the children and go on deck. Dean, her mother, and her brother boarded a life boat, but her father died when the ship sank.

Upon arriving in New York City with literally nothing, a wicker siutcase was given to Dean's mother. The suitcase was filled with clothes for the family.

That suitcase, letters to Dean's mother from the Titanic Relief Fund (which gave survivors a weekly payment), and rare paintings are being auctioned off.

I think that it's a shame that this woman has to sell such treasures in order to pay for her healthcare. It's sickening that CEO's on Wall Street that ran companies into the ground and damaged the American economy get a "golden parachute," which I see as an undeserved reward, and this poor woman has to sell important pieces of her life; artifacts that define who she is.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#27250705

A Beginning or an End?

From the Christian Science Monitor, a highly respected newspaper:
"In 2009, the Monitor will become the first nationally circulated newspaper to replace its daily print edition with its website; the 100 year-old news organization will also offer subscribers weekly print and daily e-mail editions."

Automatic Weapons Kill

An article I found in today’s New York Times titled, “Boy, 8, Fatally Shoots Self in Head While Trying out Uzi Submachine Gun at Mass. Gun Club Show” shocked me. The article stated that an eight year-old boy was killed in Westfield, Massachusetts after learning how to shoot an Uzi automatic machine gun.

Although the boy, Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn. was with his father and a licensed instructor, it was his first time shooting a fully loaded automatic machine gun. The kickback of the gun was too strong for such a young child. The boy was said to have lost control of the overwhelming gun power as he shot himself in the head.
Sources said that gun safety experts were present at the scene of the incident and expressed concern that a child was permitted to use such a dangerous weapon. I ask myself, ‘Why didn’t these ‘experts’ who are supposed to be professionals act on the scene and attempt to stop the boy from using such a deadly weapon used in war.

A spokesperson for Stop Handgun Violence Jerry Belair said in the article, "It's easy to lose control of a weapon like that...they are used on a battleground for a very good reason.” Well, yes Jerry that is true, but it does not take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. I want to know why a child would be put in a life-threatening a position such as this one.

Bizilj was just a third grader when he attended the gun show with his father and brother. His father was ten feet behind his son during the shooting and was about to snap a photo, before he saw the death of his son, according to the New York Times.

Bizilj died on Sunday only hours after he shot himself. To be just eight years old and die from accidentally shooting oneself is a crime of the man who created him; who raised him. The man who made the decision to bring his baby shooting and the man who watched his innocent son, with his whole future ahead of him, flat line in an instant: His Father.

The investigation is still taking place to find out if the father had a specific license or if the incident was illegal. Massachusetts requires firearms licenses and is one of the strictest with gun laws in the U.S. Still, the advertisement on the gun club’s website read, "It's all legal & fun — No permits or licenses required!!!! You will be accompanied to the firing line with a Certified Instructor to guide you. But You Are In Control — "FULL AUTO ROCK & ROLL.” Control? Maybe control over a child’s small hands and light body that is not fully developed enough to lift over 10 pounds, let alone control a powerful killing machine.

Writing an Endorsement

I have never voted before. I never paid attention to politics because from my perspective it seemed as if it was nothing but childish partisan bickering. To an extent, I think it still is. I viewed the one previous presidential election as a "lesser of two evils" proposition, rationalizing it as "neither of these men represent me, a middle-class white college kid, so why bother voting for either of them or some crackpot third party candidate?" Sometimes, I would just tell myself that I was doing the responsible thing by not voting. By not voting, I was keeping myself from making an uninformed choice based on something other than the issues that matter.

Then I was forced to research politics for this class. In all honesty, I was not happy about it. I watched the debates and could not focus on what they were saying. It was a real struggle.

Then we were told to write an endorsement. It was then I realized, I don't know what I believed. If I did manage to scrounge up the motivation do go and vote, I was slightly leaning towards voting for Senator Obama because he was younger and not a Republican. I think there are more than a few people I know who are going to vote for him simply because of that reasoning. That's irresponsible.

As cliche as they sound, the old adages are true. People died so you could have the freedom to vote. If you choose not to vote, you don't have much of a right to complain about the leadership. P. Diddy was a bit off in his Vote or Die campaign. Voting shouldn't be an ultimatum, but the point I'm trying to make is that a little bit of research goes a long way in determining who you would likely vote for.

In researching the topic of foreign policy, it came to my attention that Obama's stances on such pressing issues as Iraq, Iran, and Russia were far and away better than those of Senator McCain.
As I began to understand just what foreign policy entails and how important it was, it occurred to me that I didn't want to vote for Senator Obama, but based on what I believe, I need to vote for Senator Obama.

The bottom line is, endorsements serve a purpose. Even as I had to write a full one for myself, it became apparent that no matter what your beliefs are, whether you share mine or disagree, you really should vote on November 4th. This is your best opportunity to be represented and see the country go the way you think it should progress.

Oh Sarah Palin...

Did anyone catch Sarah Palin on SNL last night? After many many Tina Fey-operated spoofs on her, she finally showed up to challenge Tina to a smackdown. Or should have, anyways.

I mean, everyone has been waiting for Palin to show up on the show and make some kind of contact with the average world. And while Americans have been eating up Fey's impressions like painkillers, Palin's appearance has been long overdue. And what exactly were we waiting for? The fight over the Republican party's restrictions over her public speaking events has created a bubble around her- maybe we were waiting for her to break the bubble. SNL is no place for a press release, of course, but God give us something to work with here! She appeared briefly with Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg, and introduced the show... and then had to go home to make McCain's curfew?

Was I the only person thoroughly disappointed with Palin's performance or lack thereof?

This could be looked at in two ways:
Kudos to Palin for being "good-humored" enough to face the ridiculing of SNL; while alot of celebrities often find themselves in the show's hot seat, the staff shows no qualms in being brutally honest in their opinions and representations.

And,
Why did Palin even bother showing up to SNL? She was on for ten minutes to introduce the show while people were wondering where did Tina Fey go? Will this encourage people to vote for her? I don't think that statistics are needed to say that the people who watch SNL are only a very small percentage of the people who are going to be voting this election.

Nice try Palin, but you're nowhere near as informative or funny as Tina Fey.

The Day-Eat the smoke or lose the Job?

Atlantic Casinos previously enforced a smoking ban to protect the health of their employees from second hand smoking, but now that the economy is in such a bad shape casino operators are afraid to go on with the plan.

According to an article in The Dayhttp://www.theday.com, a New England Newspaper, Casino management complained that revenues may drop about 30 percent if the smoking ban is enforced during a time when the economy is not doing well. They feel that enforcing a smoking ban would only draw away customers.

The ban will be in effect for seven days for legal requirements, and then held off for another year.

It is sad that workers have to put up with smoke filled rooms, but it is either that or the risk of getting laid off.

I support Connecticut's Gov.,Jodi Rell; she will be meeting with tribal leaders in order to enforce the smoking ban at Fox Woods for the sake of the employees.

Is Keeping a job worth the risk of an individuals health? Without decent health no one can hold a steady job, but if someone gets laid off they have the option of getting a new job.

We only have but one life to live; jobs are replaceable.

Bad Navy

I was watching Dateline NBC the other evening and was startled by an investigation the station was pursuing: Navy sonar has been proven as the reason whales have been beaching themselves. That enraged me as all animal cruelty news does, and so i felt the need to look up more on the issue. The NRDC website aka THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL had an article that really broke down clearly how the sonar is hurting the animals of are seas. According to the site: The Navy's mid frequency and low range- low frequency sonar were scientifically proven in 2000 to be the reason whales and many dolphins were found dead on beaches in and around the Bahamas.The extreme decibels put through the ocean cause bleeding of the ears and tissues of the whales and are even suspected to alter the swim/diving patterns of the whales. Whales use sound to follow migratory routes, communicate with one another and to care and locate one another. At least four different species have been found dead and now environmentalists are concerned for the endangered whales that they are finding more and more of on the shores.

The military doesn't hide the fact that even hundreds of miles away from the sources of the sonar waves they can be as strong as over a hundred decibels. That is crazy to think about. Luckily the Supreme Court as of this year has taken steps to protect the marine life by not allowing the Navy to conduct tests in California without having safety measures in tact. For example turning the sonar off if an endangered mammal is seen in the nearby waters, to not test near feeding areas or diving routes etc. The White House tried to appeal saying that the Navy should be excluded from having to be restricted in the waters. I think the Navy needs to get over itself and realize it can do its job and still do the testing it needs to do without harming endangered animals in the process. Seriously! If the Navy is supposed to be protecting our waters why the hell is it killing the living creatures in them in the process?

being a nude model for an art class, is it equal to stripping?

I have a friend who is very opinionated and thinks that it is wrong for women to strip, but he posed nude for an art class and got 200 dollars which he says he really needed at the time.

When I found that out, I told him that he could never make a judgment about a woman stripping and his argument is that it is not the same.

Well lets brake down the facts: His situation compared to an episode of MTV: True life about a stripper

1. They both were in need of money (she had no parents to help her and she was responsible for her brothers and sisters and he was just flat out broke)
2. They both were pleasing an audience whether it is a group who enjoys art or a group that enjoys sexuality
3. They both were NUDE
4. Both of them SOLD their bodies
5. Neither one of them felt that it was morally right, but they did it because they needed to make some money

You can argue that a strip club is a completely different environment than the class, but who is to say that stripping is not a form of art?

Real Solutions Here?

Yay- something local and fitting.

The NY times isn't my assigned newspaper, but I was looking through and found a pretty useful unsigned editorial that speaks to the concerns about tree hugging. In summary, it commends the Town of Westport, Conn. for their ban on plastic bags, ex. the ones used around grocery, retail convenience stores. It's really an effort to keep things out of precious landfill space. 

The problem is that this only really concerns a few people here and there who actually care about the environment. I do like that he agrees with Europe, specifically Ireland - they have been carting around their groceries efficiently, like, forever - and offers a state-wide tax instead of small town-by-town bans on these things. Self-awareness of the environmental impact of our daily routines is great, but it sometimes doesn't reach that far. Money, however, does.

Presidential Debate 08

The most anticipated presidential debate in years, took place at the University of Mississippi which aired on Friday, September 26th. First in the blue corner, we have Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Now in the red corner we have Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona “The Presidential Debate of ‘08’”. It sounds like a heavyweight boxing match on pay per view. It was an event that people of America had to see.

The 2008 election is particularly notable because it is the first time in U.S. history that two sitting senators will run against each other for president, and because it is the first time an African American is a presidential nominee for a major party, as well as the first time both major candidates were born outside the continental United States - Hawaii for Obama and the Panama Canal Zone for McCain. With African American candidate Barack Obama, who is of mixed African and Caucasian parentage, as the Democratic Party nominee for President and John McCain's selection of female Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican Party nominee for Vice-President, the eventual winning ticket is very likely to have a historic context, as either the first African American will be elected President along with the first Roman Catholic as Vice President or the first woman will be elected Vice President.

Moderator Jim Lehrer questioned the candidates on the economic bailout plan pending on Capitol Hill before moving to the issues of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Conditions for meeting with foreign leaders and the next step for the war in Iraq were especially contentious topics.

With the anticipation of punches being thrown in the end, there were just love tapes. Both parties did well answering what they knew best; Obama on economic reform and McCain on foreign policy. Obama was a cool cat throughout - although I am reliably informed that GOP spinners are claiming the exact opposite. He seemed confident enough to stand up to McCain's challenges and in a deferential way. He seemed at times to go out of his way to agree with McCain when agreement was warranted, which the McCain campaign will surely point out. One impish moment: when Obama said "I have a bracelet too" after McCain movingly recounted his conversations with the families of deployed troops. And some of his early pivots back to "hard working Americans" seemed canned. But generally, he did not overspeak; he got to his points quickly, and he drew plenty of direct contrasts with McCain. As the candidates debated the bailout, it was McCain, not Obama, who sounded senatorial, and his obsession with earmarks presupposes an earmark pitchfork brigade that does not exist. McCain didn't even defend his tax plan; he simply returned to the comfort zone of earmarks. Where McCain was shaky in the first half of the debate, he was on much firmer ground as he navigated Jim Lehrer's broad foreign policy questions, particularly those questions which did not require McCain to defend his Iraq war. Obama agreed with McCain - and said so - almost as much as he disagreed. But he didn't topple or stumble. Thresholds are artificial, but both candidates seemed to meet them - although Obama's threshold was arguably higher. The press will probably conclude that McCain did not fundamentally change impressions tonight. And that Obama held his own.
Two focus groups, one GOP pollster Frank Luntz and another by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, both declare Obama the winner. Independents in the MediaCurves focus group "gave the debate to Obama 61-39. They also think he won every individual segment. Republicans gave the debate to McCain 90-10, Democrats to Obama 93-7."

The Breast is the Best

According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) the "breast is the best." Last week Peta sent a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, better known as BEN AND JERRY of the famous natural ice cream. The letter asked the two to use human breast milk in the making of their frozen treats rather than cow's milk. The switch to the breast, according to PETA, would lessen the suffering of cows and their young and be better for human health. Why should people be drinking what is meant for baby cows when they can be consuming what is meant for their own young, not animal young?

PETA may have a point, and a restaurant owner in Switzerland may already be two steps ahead of PETA vowing to purchase mommy's breast milk to use in at least 75 percent of the restaurant's food.

Being a vegan myself I get where PETA is coming from, personally I'm good sticking with soy and almond milk. There is no doubt that breast milk benefits babies and could adults as well, but what if it came down to the improper use of having babies just to produce milk to sell to big companies? When the need and dependence for a living being's natural resource becomes so great and in demand it is never a good thing and it can always be abused in some way. So why start down that road. Don't add another living being's milk to the problem. Choose something else.

How about soy Ben and Jerry?

Fetus or no Fetus...

When I was in high school, I was TERRIFIED of getting pregnant. I researched every Planned Parenthood in the area and looked up the cost of abortion, with the decision that I would definitely get one if I ever found myself pregnant. I couldn't imagine being 15, a sophomore in high school, and dealing with anything - let alone a baby! I didn't pay bills, didn't cook for myself, and had no responsibilities but to get decent grades in my classes. It was a no brainer, why would I give up such an easy life for a baby?

During my senior year, one of my good friends found herself pregnant. It was exactly as I imagined; she panicked and decided that an abortion was the only way. I looked up abortion clinics and found one, but it happened to be an anti-abortion, pro-life clinic. After she took a pregnancy test to verify, we had to look at several cold plastic models of the fetus in different stages and she squinted her eyes at us over her glasses in distaste. Even when she was describing the help that they offered young mothers, I couldn't help but be turned off. She clearly looked down on us for even considering abortion, but I didn't see her, age 17, toting around a baby!

Now that I'm older and maybe wiser, I find myself in limbo with the abortion question- provided that I can even ask myself this question for much longer. What would happen if nobody had the option to get an abortion? Even now at 20, with a fairly decent job and an almost completed degree- would this be an even worst time to get pregnant? Would I have to drop out of college without potentially ever getting my B.A.? My job is okay to keep me in clothes and regular bills, but how would it ever be enough to support me and a baby? My boyfriend, the obvious father, has a job good enough to keep us in dinners and now-and-then vacations, but it still wouldn't be enough to support a family. Diapers, baby food, baby clothes, baby toys... I feel a panic attack coming!

Even though part of growing into womanhood is having a baby and becoming a mother, I just don't feel that my maternal side is ready to kick in yet. There are so many things that I want to see and do that I couldn't imagine being chained down to a family right now. I have a huge amount of respect for young mothers, especially single ones, who juggle a job, school, and kids because I'm not sure I'd ever be able to handle that kind of responsibility. Let's face it, I have practiced Catholicism my entire life but religion won't pay for everything that a baby needs in the end or let me be a good mother while trying to pursue my own goals right?

All women should have the choice of abortion available to them; if they feel that they can't take proper care of or aren't ready for a baby then that is up to them. Better for young women to prepare for life by going to college or pursuing a career so that they can build a stable future for the children that they will eventually have and love.

ABC's biased Palin "interview"

So Sarah Palin finally steps up to an interview with a real "journalist" and what do they do? Why, edit out key parts of her interview, including HUGE blocks where she goes into a deep response regarding how America should react to Russia invading Georgia. You can decide for yourself if she sounds like she knows what shes talking about by reading the entire UNEDITED version of the interview off of Mark Levin's website.

In all honesty I hope mainstream journalism keeps up this kind of shenannigans because I find it hilarious. It is soon going to get so outlandish that hopefully it will become completely segregated from actual reporting.

I also found a very interesting analysis of the Gibson's interview with Palin vs. his interview with Obama, ironically enough on a Hillary Clinton forum. And before any of you ask WHY I lurk on Clinton forums, you must remember that Sun Tzu said "If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles." Basically, I like to keep tabs on the people who are running our country (into the ground).

Discuss and dance with the devil. >:)

NYTimes.com Editorial: More Lipstick on Those Pigs

New York Times op-ed columnist Thomas Friedman has made some worthy points that I think have only been rivaled by the Lou Dobbs ridiculously long conversation on the economy during the Independent Convention segment. I'm not praising Dobbs or anything, but some thoughtful and provocative things were said that are definitely worth talking about. 

As any citizen, regardless of party affiliation, will be looking through articles, watching videos and downloading soundclips of candidates' speeches, many of them will be scanning through for the real solutions proposed for this mess of an economy. While the detailed answers are not readily available, Friedman makes a point of at least informing us who doesn't have them, or who is distracted by any new perceived attack rather than focusing on what actually matters. It's clear that Sen. John McCain has some placating to do and the column points out that he and his party are certainly not on the forefront of technology or tactics to help.

For example, Friedman dwells on the fact that McCain along with significant figures from the GOP are encouraging Americans to drill for oil and the columnist harps on the idea that this is a complete reversal of what we should do and what the party stands for. He uses a word that we have come to adore: change. Republicans, he says, who are the party of business, need to address and embrace change and find a way to create new jobs through investing efforts and money into researching new clean fuels and alternative energy. 

Friedman emphasizes the idea that a "real energy policy based on building a whole new energy infrastructure [is] the only way we can put steel back into America's spine." I may be biased because I do agree with his statement, but am furthermore persuaded because he goes on to strengthen his argument by one, discrediting McCain's stances and two, bringing in the more broad perspective that America dearly needs this energy solution for both Americans' cars and wallets.

It wouldn't be a surprise to hear that everyone is sick of this whole "lipstick on a pig" issue, but Friedman does mock the expression in a way that is fitting and congruent with the editorial.

Hartford Says the Curfew Works

And Mayor Perez is extending it.

9/11 Memorial

Excellent piece today in the Washington Post about the Pentagon Memorial dedication that began construction in 2006, by architects Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman, the memorial will have 184 benches one for everybody who lost their lives in the attacks on 9/11, each bench is over a small reflecting pool that will glow from within at night.

This memorial sounds like it is very tasteful and has done well to memorialize all the people we as a country lost in the heinous attacks of 9/11. So today whether you are backing the John McCain and Sarah Palin ticket or the Barack Obama and Joe Biden ticket lets take a break from all of partisanism that is affecting the country today, because when the hijackers on those planes took over and crashed them, they were not crashing them because the people were Democrats or Republicans, but they were crashing the planes because the people on them were Americans and in the end that is all that matters.

Yes let's talk about it: RACE

I hate that this topic is such a hush-hush issue. Everyone walks around thinking things about one another and we never discusse it or take the time to learn about each other.

It was last semester at one of the many debate sessions that are held in the Center for Africana Studies, and we got on the topic of race. There were mainly students of the African Diaspora and about 3 Caucasian students.

The black students went on talking about racial tension on campus; I realized that none of the white students said a word. They all looked down to the floor making no eye contact. I started to feel a little bothered by the fact that they had nothing to say. Then I thought well maybe they feel out numbered and uncomfortable, so I decided to put it all out there and ask them why they weren't responding. They had every right to voice their opinions just like everyone else.

I said, "I wish you guys would stop making it such a big deal to talk about it. I'm not going to get mad at anything you have to say no matter how bad your comment will be because this is a learning experience and I am willing to listen to your opinions."

One of the Caucasian men responded, "Honestly the reason why we don't say anything is because sometimes you guys blow things out of proportion! "

When he said that I loved it; Every Caucasian person who had their head down suddenly looked up to see what reaction I would give.

Instead of reacting in a way that would be expected of me, I said, "Ok I can see why you would think that."

He looked at me surprised.

When someone is not in your shoes they obviously can't relate to how you view the world. Sometimes when minorities get upset about the discrimination that we face the reaction is typically expressed in an aggressive and angry manner. I think that it would help everyone if we would stop and listen.

Some minorities might disagree with me, but the more we take that anger (which we have every right to feel) and use it as a fuel to spark up knwoledge in people. then the better it will make us feel. Anger does nothing but kill the soul and keep people away.

If someone knows you're the type to blow up they're not going to be honest around you. They'll wait until they are around people who they relate to and express their opinions and views which isn't always good because then they'll never get to hear what the other side has to say.

It's just like someone asking me, someone who was born in Burkina Faso, West Africa, if people in Africa sleep with lions? My initial would be to tell them how stupid that question is, but you know what maybe all they have been taught about Africa is what the Discovery Channel has to offer, so it's my duty to explain that Africa is a large Continent with many different kinds of people who have different cultures and that what you see on the discovery channel is only a small representation of the millions of people who make up that continent.

There might be people too narrow minded to open up and see other perspectives and you know what? That's their choice, you can't waste you're time trying to get them to see the world in a different light. As the world grows more diverse having the knowledge of all the different perspectives of life is essential.

So with that said people. Lets stop being so up tight about racial issues and lets talk about it in a respectful and open minded manner.

Can Americans please do something to help the enviroment?

It is frustrating and absolutely dissapointing to me that Global Climate Change has become such a serious issue. Not one person can say they don't see the changing temperature, climate and overall enviroment. It has now gotten to the point where even animals' lives are being threatened because they cannot adapt fast enough to these rapidly changing conditions.
Along with shrinking glaciers, coral bleeches and rising sea level, there are even more changes that most Americans tend to ignore and assume their lives will remain content and undisturbed. What about the enviroment and the animals that are ultimately being tortured under the conditions we have contributed to change. What about the future? Will is be safe? Dangerous? Or will we, humans simply remain ignorant and rude to the suffering enviroment that has helped us survive since we arrived on Earth?

Is Sarah Palin Getting Treated Worse Than Any Newcomer Would Be?

I guess Sarah Palin is as good a place as any to start. Given her record on sex education and related issues, some find it hard to see how the media could ignore her personal situation completely. On the other hand,it's not fair to shed the spotlight on her teenager's life. There are also bigger questions than a knocked -up teenager to pursue when it comes to Palin's fitness for VEEP. But the McCain camapign doesn't seem eager for her to have too many media closeups. The Washington Post reports that the camapign is limiting the number of interviews Palin does with major media until the press starts treating Palin "with some level of respect and deference." Can they demand that, or do they need to meet the press halfway?

Let's Get Some Opinions Up in Here!

Have at it, All. Add links to the blogroll and other features if you please. Most of all, keep those opinions coming.