Response to Articles

The information from these articles did not really have that big of an impact on me. My mother is a librarian and she tells me all the time how she does not see as many older kids come through to read books as they used to. I personally do not like to read for fun. I believe that some people really enjoy it while others cannot sit still long enough to read the first page. I am one of those people. I believe that reading comprehension is very important and a necessity with today's society. Better jobs are being offered to those who can read and write at a more educated level; They are getting higher paid jobs with better hours and working conditions. Writing expectations have gone down over the years which really is only going to hurt our generation in the long run.

The U.S. Economy

The American Economy is a bismal. This article talks about how the American dollar has lost value over the past couple years and how our economy is headed into rough times. The American money directly effects several other countries which could prove to be a problem. How are other countries economies supposed to survive when the economy they rely on goes downhill? Why can't the United States pull together to get our economy back on track? The United States is struggling right now and what is there to do? Banks are struggling to meet peoples needs, gas is at an outragous price, things are just getting to a point where Americans are furious. As our economy continues to decline, we have to ask ourselves, Where is our country headed?

Issue of Global Warming

Before I watched Ted Talks, I thought that global warming was a recent problem which evolved in the last..say 10 years. However, I was very wrong. Global warming is a very serious problem which has been around for a very long time. Now I have learned that global warming is just becoming more evident with the passing of the years. Over all the time people have been trying to find something to make global warming better, we've acheieved close to nothing. However the way Ted sees it, we have all the ideas and technology to achieve these goals...just not the plan to get these goals achieved. Over the next few years, I really hope that we get global warming figured out because if we don't - it will be our generation and the ones after us that will have to deal with the aftermath.

Facebook

I think that facebook is a great tool for people, especially teenagers or young adults, to use. While most people use facebook to keep in touch with their friends, family, or classmates, some use facebook as a way to express who they are. Many people post pictures of themselves drinking with their friends or getting high or doing other inappropriate things. Now, most kids know that future employers are able to get on your website and check out all of the features that you have on your page - including pictures. I don't really have much to say about this topic because I am indifferent towards it. I have nothing to hide on my page so it wouldn't really affect me if someone were to look on my page to find out more about me in order to hire me. However, a lot of my friends have inappropriate things on there which wouldn't be the greatest sellers for a job. If I had to choose a side to this, I would say that future employers should stay off of facebook and other websites like that. This is because who you are on your own time is no reflection of how you are when it's time for you to work. There is a time for fun and a time for work. Oh well I guess though - not much I can do.

Reaction To NY Times Article

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Afghanistan.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin

This article is about how this year (2007) has had the highest death rate in Afghanistan. After the American troops had a meeting with elders in the village, they were returning back to the camp base and got ambushed with rocket grenades and firearms; As a result, six U.S. troops were killed.

This article made me appreciate the American troops so much more. They are risking their lives for everyone in the United States; They are risking everything so Americans do not have to live in fear. It made me sad to learn that this year has had such a high death rate and I hope something can be done so we can get out of Afghanistan and get the troops back home. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a family member or friend go over to fight and never come back. Bring the troops home.

Annoying...

I have a lot of things that bug me a lot. I cannot stand when someone thinks they know everything and they think they're better than everyone else. Most of these people judge others before they even get to know them and THAT is annoying. Ater you get to know someone they are usually completely different than you first percieve them to be. When others don't take the time to find the real person and go based on first impression, I am extremely bothered. Another thing that bothers me is when people constantly pick on you and don't know when to stop. This happens with a lot of boys in our school. Lots of people pick on me and my friends and think nothing of it; little do they know it hurts your feelings sometimes. Just annoying - but oh well I guess. In life there are always gonna be things that bother you, I guess that is why you learn to put up a front and just deal with it.

Wealth

To me, wealth means several different things. One obvious definition of wealth is money. If one has money, they are often perceived to be wealthy. Wealth, money wise, has a large effect on a person's individual growth and how they percieve the perople and things around them (third and first quadrant). Money directly effects the economy and whether it is booming or on a downfall. This kind of wealth also benefits our government because of taxes and ish like that. (quadrant four). However, this could mean several different things. Wealth can also be seen as having good health (second quadrant). Health is a very valuable thing - I mean, without good health, one wouldn't have much of a life. Wealth is just an all around important thing :) k thanks bye