Sunday, March 9, 2014

Speak Your Mind!!!

What's up with this blog topic??  Ah, inquiring minds want to know!!

Actually, nothing.  There is no trick or fancy goal alternative motive here - it is what it is.

For this week's blog - YOU - the awesome student of APUSH 1 is going to get a chance to "Speak Your Mind."  Plain and Simple.

So, what's on your mind? Is it politics, economics, sports, school, the weather, or maybe social issue.  The trick here is to simply "free write" whatever is on your mind.  What issue do you want to talk about? What's important to you at this point in time.

All too often you, as students, are told what to think, what to say, and to be quite frank, how to say it. Well, here's your chance to go completely "off the reservation" and talk about whatever you want to talk about!!!  So, don't waste this opportunity.  SHOUT IT OUT!!

Ok, since this is "technically" an educational blog, moderated by your's truly, I do have to state that there is a simple rule (yes, we always need "rules," right?) - you must be respectful of each others post.  That doesn't equate to a "holding-hands" and "singing around the campfire" moment - but respect.  You can agree to disagree and no one's post is considered "stupid" or "dumb."  Yet, that doesn't not mean you have to agree.  So, when posting comments on each others thoughtful topics, if you disagree, say it, but with respect.

Let the Dialog Begin!!

Blog Question:
Need I say it???  "WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"  SPEAK UP - BE HEARD!

82 comments:

  1. So I am thinking “what's the purpose of living!!!” All is vanity after all!!! Why are we subjected to all those feelings and emotions – happiness, sadness, love, and hatred? We are elements and molecules. We are empty spaces and we ultimately live in the empty spaces of the Universe. We are cells and fibers and nerves, and we eat cells and fibers and nerves. We fight for a reputation, which eventually wouldn’t even matter to us because we would no longer live to feel the complacency about it after a century. Who knows if we are really looking at the historical profiles of ourselves before a number of times of reincarnations? But it won’t matter. We learn, we think, we listen, we talk, and again and again performing the role of “word heroes” but it only makes us empty and unreal. Would it be better to live in a dystopia where you don’t know anything for real and just assume you are happy? We all learn the absurdity of that from “The Giver”, “Fahrenheit 451”, and “Animal Farm”- but would our reality be the same thing though? Assuming we know a lot of things and assume we have the reason to be happy. But the real solution lies in infinity and uncertainty. Our sympathy for others is the resonance within ourselves. The friendship or whatever peaceful relations out there base its foundation on mutualism and commensalism of the three types of symbiosis relations. Genetics largely determine our future. Personality defines our capability.

    We are “told how to think”, and we are propelled to live. We are propelled to reject the audacious free will. But still we are too pathetic to lose our grip of the earth. We are too fragile to feel the ensued pain. We are simply defeated by the fear that the loved ones would cry, the lost dreams would moan, the abandoned time would regret…the meals that originally belong to us would be eaten by someone else. We lament for being not able to see the dawn again. Descartes once said that “I think therefore I am”, but I say “I live therefore I am”. Scholars define intelligence, good-looking ones define beauty, and majority defines normal. Temporary satisfaction gives impetus for our confidence.

    Get some sleep and don’t be too tired. Imagine if we are diving in the Hackensack River under starry night and moonlight. Don’t think too much and enjoy life. The thinkers are on the bank calculating a bunch of numbers or spitting saliva on each other, presumably. Let’s perhaps just rest for this moment. Because when dawn shines upon us, we would forget what Nihilism is all about. All I want to do is get this done and go to sleep!!! And I want donuts but not fats.

    See you later, World.

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    1. Ummmm.... I'm really trying to think how I would respond to your post..... as always, well written, but dang, the "Witch" has gone DEEP!!! Na... that word actually seems almost too shallow for what you just wrote.

      I do have to disagree with you on something (maybe for principal sake, but still a disagreement) - you stated, "....Genetics largely determine our future..." - I think I can honestly say that I don't think "genetics" had anything to do with me landing in a chair with wheels (now that's a creative way of saying "wheelchair," don't you think??). My "genetics" clearly had nothing with me plummeting 45 ft. onto a steel deck... unless you were to claim that it was my genetics that made me stupid enough to be up that high to begin with - wearing a faulty safety harness... maybe???

      I'll go as far as to agree that I'm sure that genetics do play a "part" of deterring one's future - I mean there was no way that I was going to become a mother - so genetics definitely played a part in that part of my future - but if you are going to state that genetics determine our future, you'd have to equate that statement to mean my "whole" future; not simply a portion thereof. Think about it - my genetics state that I have brown hair - do you honestly believe that me having brown hair effected my future? (ok, before you or anyone makes a joke about me not having hair - I did when I was younger and yes, it was brown).

      Sorry - but the 2nd part of that same statement, "Personality defines our capability," I also feel is flawed. Like the previous one - I think I could agree with it in part - but the majority of I'd have to fully disagree. I think I have a pretty good personality (nothing like self-esteem!!), but my personality doesn't help me with some of my limitations. It's just something about having wheels for legs that sort of puts a damper on some things I'd like to do, but can't. Of course it would be really cool if my personality made up for those limitations and allowed me to be more "capable."

      The way I look at it - I'm unique (or at least somewhat unique - for it's not like I'm the only one - just a minority). I get to roll everywhere I go - you poor folks have to WALK.... I win!!! :)

      PS>>>>> Don't you dare apologize!!!

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    2. Mr. Warlock you know everyone has these moments (esp. before sleep or in great psychological depression) when they're literally having a storm in their brain. And I have to acknowledge the fact that having some crazy/radical thoughts would help to appease.
      So, genetics. I truly believe the validity of your point that a simple "action" is not 100% relevant to one's genetics. Yet, I personally regard genetics as a clash of numerous random possibilities - biologically, it's the millions of different combinations of amino acids. It symbolizes a whole chain that can possibly affect the speed of your autonomic nervous system to signal your muscles to react the split-second before plummeting. Maybe you can argue that it's pure body functions overtime but my point is that genetics obviously make a lot of decisions for one's life - particularly appearance.
      Mentioning about brown hair, I would honestly counteract your point by saying it CAN effect one's future. If you're in such circumstance where a person feels a special inclination to another person with brown hair, which he/she deems to be an attractive characteristic - a whole lot can happen after that. Maybe 50 years later an old woman would tell her child "I met your father and I loved him at the first sight because his brown hair was so attractive"(OMG what am I talking about)
      And lastly for personality, I admit that it's somewhat difficult to argue against your point that personality cannot define "physical" capability to an extent - such that it's not able to overcome some limitations. However, diligence and a sense of responsibility may help to sustain you through a fatigued night. Intelligence and "craftiness" may enable you to shake out every detail about that woman's arguments in order to win that debate.(if I remembered your words correctly) & many other compliments etc.
      There's another example, there has always been a saying that a successful life requires a steady mind (I paraphrased it). Would it be a perfect example to illustrate that personality is an extremely important factor in our lives regarding to our abilities?
      And your last sentence shall be a maxim!!!
      PS>>>I swallowed it back

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    3. Ahh, a dialog, my dear witch, a dialog. I love dialog. I love intellectual stimulation, as well and philosophical discourse. My next passion to history (many a long night while in college sitting around discussing philosophical concepts.... sorry, old man memories....)

      I definitely know what you mean when you say your brain experiencing a storm - have them all the time. My problem when that happens is that I aways get caught in the storm and end up having those long conversations with those crazy people that live in my head (they are SO argumentative and opinionated). God forbid if I'm about to go to bed and one of those storms begins to brew - the next thing you know is that I can't sleep until the storm subsides. So, we are in full agreement there!!

      My biggest argument against your original points were that your statement had too many holes (some big enough for me to have drove a truck through!!). If you claim something such as "personality determines capability" you'd have to quantify that statement (attempt to plug up the holes, in other words) or people like me will always dive through them!

      Oh, and btw - so glad that you swallowed that apology!!! :)))

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    4. Aww "sitting around discussing philosophical concepts" is like my dream scene, just adorable. Would it end up being a fracas? That would the worst nightmare I would ever have.
      Having crazy people living in the head is so cool - so self-perpetuating or self-supplying in the level of thoughts! Would it turn out to be some sort of psychopath after long-term negotiations...? Avoid having "meetings" at night and if there are, please give them sleeping pills since you really need some sleep!
      And yes I know these "holes" are a big flaw. I'd definitely plug them up if it's formal essays or papers but since it's only a blog, and plugging them up would overflow the available space that makes me abandon the thought. But yes definitely there're tons of materials to fill the holes and wouldn't give any chance to truck drivers not even wheelchair ROLLer!
      I swallowed it again!!

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    5. Yeah... it's a psychotic convention in my head at times!!! Especially when they get into a shouting match!! Drives me nuts. That's when I truly can't even hear myself think. I'd love to give them sleeping pills, but they have signed some crazy pledge saying "no to drugs" - moralistic nuts if nothing else!

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    6. What I found interesting about your post is similar to one of Thomas Jefferson's quotes, "173 despots would surely be as oppressive as one." Often, people who are very intelligent (or at least think they are) are the ones who judge others for being "stupid" while someone who is considered "pretty" is often one to make fun of those who they considered "ugly." This, in my opinion, shows one of the more dangerous side effects of human personality, the superiority complex (not saying I want to eliminate human personality!). However, in my opinion, humans aren't just elements or molecules in the fabric of the universe. We have the potential to think logically, to question not just of "what would work?" but also "how will this affect myself and others in the long run?" We might be the only species in the universe that can say this, and that is why we are much more important that just mere specks.

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  2. Dear beautiful soul-searching creatures,


    “WHO AM I?”


    I am a loving daughter, a supporting sister, a friend.
    I wonder how a breath of fresh air can feel so good and why I can’t give my love to every animal on this planet.
    I hear the sounds of birds chirping when I wake up in the morning and the sound of warm water hitting my skin and the floor as I shower.
    I see the smiles of my family shining at me as I smile back and I see the next hurdle when I’m in a race, knowing that the finish line will come.
    I want to eat chocolate cake, a juicy steak and my mom’s spaghetti all day every day, and I want all the unemployed to have opportunities to live.
    I feel like I’m on cloud-9 when I’m with my special someone and I feel confident when I look at myself in the mirror.
    I touch the burdens of those I pass in an attempt to soothe or take away their suffering, and I touch the wings of angels when they guide me to my next step in life.
    I worry when my loved ones get in a car because such useful technology has caused others so much pain and I worry that my feet will hurt when I wear a pair of heels for too long.
    I cry when I’m bloated and moody with my monthly friend and I cry when a moment feels too overbearing to handle (usually during that week).
    I understand that every day gets better as life goes on and that I’ll never have a higher vertical jump than my brothers.
    I say that we can all make our lives what we want to make it and that orange will never be the new pink.
    I dream that one day I’ll surf with Stitch in Hawaii and he’ll help me overcome a monstrous wave (Kowabunga!) and that I’ll achieve a first-team award for my triple jump.
    I try to always achieve GOOD with every action I make and fix my bed every morning.
    I hope to be everything I want to be.

    So, who am I? We spend most of our lives trying to answer this question- to be the person we want to be. Throughout life we have this abstract certainty, this knowingness in our minds and in our hearts that we know who we are, and that we stay true to ourselves. The moments of life that shakes our expectations of who we should be versus who are lead us to wonder about our various perceptions of the universe, and the inward mindfulness and understanding of who we are.

    Naked to one’s mind, when our thoughts overcome us and we are aware of the beating of our hearts, the pumping of the blood through our veins, and the echo of thoughts in our heads, that is when we understand that the confidence of our identity, the essence of our being, is only as strong as we make it. We are who we are because we choose to be.

    In “The Crucible”, John Proctor passionately exclaims, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!” My name is Megan. Pronounced, ‘may-gan’. If someone is defined by this name, this noise that is given to us at birth that we respond to for the rest of our lives, then what is it of people with the same name? I am not just the formation of sound on a tongue; my name carries who I am.
    External and situational things are not who we are because we can consciously be limited by the story we tell ourselves- our own perspective, our own take on life. Also, we are not our past, we are our present. We are who we are in the moment. Every second we have a choice to fulfill what we want to do with ourselves. I make myself happy every day, happiness in my actions and happiness in the beauty of life, I hope you can all say the same.



    Salutations to each of your individual selves,


    Megan, Passenger on the Carriage of Curiosity





    P.S. Who are you?

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    1. May-Gan :-)
      Ok, after reading Carrie-the-APUSH-Witch's post I commented that her's was profoundly deep - then I read yours. Holy Crap!!! That was equally as deep and profound. The biggest difference is that I don't think I read anything in yours that I could fully disagree with (dang, and I so love disagreeing with my students!!! - strike one against you!)

      I did want to comment on a couple things you stated: "I say that we can all make our lives what we want to make it and that orange will never be the new pink." - First, I fully agree with you that each one of us are the "masters of our own destiny" (basically what you said, but in a different way). The obstacles we face in life should never define us - but we define our own path.

      True story: When I was in the hospital after my accident I literally HATED life. I cannot even begin to express just how badly I hated living and could not imagine "going on." All I could think of was every stupid thing in life that I was not going to be able to do due to that freak accident. I was totally focused on the things I would not be able to do. I cursed out everyone that came near me - I begged my wife to divorce me - I literally did not want to go on. Then I had a Naval Chaplin come to me and tell me that I had ONLY two choices. Not multiple choices - ONLY TWO. One: I could lay there in that hospital bed and decide to allow my disability to DICTATE to me what my life would be - how it would be "limited." OR TWO: I could make the decision that I WOULD dictate to my disability as to what limits were going to be set. In other words, I could decide to "live a dead life" or "live life." Thank God I selected the second option.

      Now I am disappointed that you don't feel that "orange will never be the new pink." SERIOUSLY!!!??? I'm the president of the "ORANGE" - a full campaign to have pink completely erased out of our vocabulary and color spectrum and have it replaced with the all too often ignored "ORANGE!!!" I've even contacted a number of major clothing companies and ask them to begin making sweatpants with the word "Orange" stamped on the butt (like that silly "pink"). Heck, O comes before P - therefore by pure virtue ORANGE should be the primary color!!! :)))

      Gehm, Passenger on the Crazy Train of Life....

      PS >> I'm also the president of the "Wheels for Legs" organization.. just haven't figured out how to get around that genetic thing..... working on it though!!!

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    2. OH, OH.... I think I scared off Megan!!! :((

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    3. Wow Mr. Gehm what an anti-pacifist?!! Though I kinda enjoy it by now.
      & Hey Megan welcome to the Apush 1 Know-Everything Fraternal Convention!!
      You must be a living symbolism for Transcendentalism - Emerson and Thoreau and Whitman and Melville and Descartes perhaps would all burst into tears seeing your post :))
      I guess the reason that we're running out of words to argue against your points may be the fact that it's overwhelmingly optimistic and sweet...right? Especially that "I make myself happy every day, happiness in my actions and happiness in the beauty of life..."(Ahh My KUMBAYA probe just set off an alarm!!)
      Yet, I don't think Edgar Allan Poe would be melted by this and respectfully, neither would I. Not that I'm being rebellious (might be true) but I firmly believe there's something much more beautiful than happiness. Poe said that melancholy is the most beautiful thing in the life - a bit biased considering his personal uniqueness. I'm not saying let's all just abandon happiness and be sad everyday! It's just that feeling like oftentimes you will remember something that makes you really sad instead of remembering the happily-ever-after fairy tales.
      It's brevity that makes a journey or a life precious. It's loneliness and solitude that gives you sobriety. And as a respond to Mr. Gehm's "true story" above, I would say it's pain (both mental and physical) that makes one SPECIAL deep inside - which ultimately brings about happiness - a much higher level happiness?
      Anyhow, what I said isn't really an argument against your point maybe just some extensive thoughts.
      And I really liked "we are our present" statement. It's like someones saying "stop being arrogant and pretentious and go live a life!"
      Btw - I LOVE orange. But let's have Color Toleration Act of 2014

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    5. Megan, don't let Carrie-the-APUSH-Witch cast that dark spell on you!!! RUN TO THE LIGHT!!! :) Dang, Carrie, talk about zapping the fun out of rookie-May-Gan's post!!! (yeah, I've gotten where I love your dark side... I think...either that or it's the spell thing again!!)

      BTW, Carrie, I think you just came up with a great Congressional Bill for next year's Winter Congress!!! :))

      FOR THE RECORD: I had some serious reservations about this week's post - but if both of your posts are signs of what is to come - things could be very interesting!!!! I"M HOOKED!!!

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    6. Don't interrupt me I'm trying to recruit Megan! (you didn't see anything)
      So how do you like my newly manufactured potion?? It smells like a deteriorated cat (oops) but it tastes like chocolate.
      What, a Congressional Bill to change pursuit of happiness to pursuit of sadness?? That would be GREAT!
      (Hooray)

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    7. Not at all, Mr. Gehm!  I’d like to support my statement in that orange is not, and never will be, the new pink! Pink gets more attention than orange, for example: “Real men wear pink,” “Pink isn’t just a color, it’s an attitude!” (Miley Cyrus), “My bedroom is pink and black, my bathroom is totally Hello Kitty, I have a massive pink couch…” (Avril Lavigne), “The tones of gray, pale turquoise and pink will prevail” (Christian Dior), “I have always been a romantic, one of those people who believes that a woman in pink circus tights contains all the secrets of the universe” (Tom Robbins). Picasso’s Rose “pink” Period used PINK colors, which was the base of his optimism and bright mood. As you can see, pink has been a prominent color in lives of average citizens, singers, actors, fashion icons and world-renowned artists. Based on some research, without any personal experience, I have found that PINK Aderall is more effective than ORANGE  Obviously, because of different dosages, but it still points toward pink power! When I think of orange, I think of convicts in a jail- the color was chosen for them to be easily spotted if they tried to escape. Who wants to wear a color associated with crime?

      And Carrie: thanks for the welcome!

      My pixie dust will try to cast some light upon your dark-spelled response  As humans we all feel pain, envy, heartbreak, sadness, loss, anger, regret; yet, after I feel all of these, like everybody else does, I still choose, in the end, happiness. Although I understand where you are coming from, I cannot personally agree with you. Edgar Allan Poe struggled through a dark life with mental illnesses… that’s not me.

      I’m all for you bring the Elphaba to my Glinda! Time to sing “Defying Gravity”.

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    8. *sigh* the boxes were supposed to be smiley faces.

      -insert smiley face where box is-

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    9. Pixie Dust?? WHAT???? Please, do not tell me that!!!

      Ok, May-Gan - I'm going to cut you a break here and not jump all over the "pink" propaganda that you have promoted here (and WOW! did you go all out or what??). I don't want to totally destroy you before you even set foot into my classroom... I'll buy my time..... :)

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    11. Tinkle-Toes (aka Iqra): YOU NEED SOME SLEEP!!
      "...people may loo at them" - what's a "loo"??
      "... when they here my name..." - believe you mean HEAR
      "thinkle-Toes" - Ok, funniest one of all - It's not THINK - LE - but TINKLE!
      "A name is nit just a name" - What's a "nit" ??
      and last but not least....
      "It is our our to decide.." - double our!!! :)

      Ok, no big deal - but I think this was done due to need of sleep.... :)
      But, as you know, APUSH stands for: Awesome Pupils Under-Sleep Heavily!!! :)))

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    12. Sorry about that….
      WOW! I would definitely agree with your argument of "What is in a name?" I believe one's name has an enormous impact on how other people may look at them. Well lets just say there are various things that pop up in people's minds when they here my name! "Iraq" "Irqa" the Quran and "thinkle-Toes??" A name is not just a name. There are various aspects that impact it as you stated. It is up to us to decide what these factors are. And that is how we decide who we truly are!

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    13. also i meant "Tinkle" not "Thinkle". I probably shouldn't do these blogs so late…...

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    14. I really like how you used a poem to answer the blog post. This blog is all about individuality, and the way you blogged is a unique and interesting way to be an individual. However, I disagree with you that we are not our past, only our present. In my opinion, everything we do defines us in one way or another. We cannot just forget the bad things we do when we were younger, we have to live off of the experiences in order to have a better present, and to hope for a greater future.

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    15. There's an interesting contrast going on in this blog. Compared to Carrie's somber, mildly pessimistic post, yours is a very positive view on life. She already commented about it, but I'll say it again: if someone took your post and slapped on the name of a famous female transcendentalist like Margaret Fuller, I'd have thought it was really them who wrote it. I'm not saying either of these views is wrong, it's just interesting to see the difference of perspective. Personally, I do prefer Megan's, though mine is perhaps not as high of a level of kumbaya. And I think that though we are not our past, it certainly has a huge impact on our present.

      And really, pink or orange? Purple and green are obviously the better colors. (Useless fun fact: technically, pink doesn't exist as a pure color in the visible light spectrum.)

      Mr. Gehm, I don't think having wheels as legs will work well for us as a whole. It'd be difficult to climb things and almost impossible to swim. How would people be able to fix cellphone towers or other tall structures? How can we be able to dive if the need ever arises? Plus, much of our society has been built with 'legs' in mind: staircases, escalators, clothes, the size of doors and houses, etc. It would take a lot of time and money for society to adjust to having wheels as legs.

      Yours, Hannah Holmes (I found a use for it guys!)

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    16. Iqra: When you said "What is in a name?" I began reciting Romeo & Juliet to myself hehhe.

      Brandon: Thank you, individuality is very important because it helps us explain who we are.. similar to Hannah Holmes' post about how no person is unimportant. Also, I'd like to point out that although our past experiences help us lead to a better future, ie "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me", I believe that it's best to 'forgive and forget'. Memory plays a tremendous role in our lives because they can prevent us from making a mistake, give us a safe place to retreat to... or they can haunt us. I was referring to the latter because living in the moment is a conclusion of every second of your life up to that particular time. I don't think it's right to dwell on the past when you can continue constructing your future. :)

      Hannah Holmes! : Yes, I've noticed a lot of contrast within this blog, as well, and it is certainly very interesting! Margaret Fuller once said, "Very early, I knew that the only object in life was to grow." Similarly, one of my favorite books, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is all about overcoming adversity and moving forward with your life. Learning from your mistakes, but in essence, not dwelling on them. In "The Glass Castle", Jeanette is basically raised on the streets but does not allow it to effect her future; she does not become an adult who relies on rummaging through garbage cans like her parents. It was a part of her because she spent her entire girlhood living a life of poverty, but when it came time for her to structure her own future, she was able to turn her head to the past. Basically what I'm trying to say is that *its what you make yourself* that matters. :) Also, Syracuse just lost their game and they're the color orange! So, ha, orange lovers. :) I'm cool with purple and green, but I was able to pick out pink shoes before I could even talk lol

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  4. Hey guys! So I’m not such a deep person like some of my fellow classmates are. I would like to discuss the issue going on in Venezuela. By the way, I received a debate for Spring One Day regarding the issue, so your opinions would be really helpful ☺

    Recently at the start of 2014 there were several protests in Venezuela regarding high levels of criminal violence, inflation and the scarcity of basic goods due to the government. The socialist- inspired government led by President Hugo Chavez imposes strict price controls that were intended to make foods and other goods more affordable for the poor. The argument s made that control is needed to keep priced in check in a country, however, the prices were set so low that companies and producers cannot make a profit.
    The protests were also triggered due to high criminal violence and rape rate. Venezuela has the fifth highest murder rate in the world. The protests were first triggered due to a student demanding higher security after a female was an attempted rape victim on the University it Campus in San Cristobel. Day by day these protests have become increasingly violent, gruesome and frightening in order to topple the government. The government has attempted on crushing the protests, however, the matter is just worsening. The Human Rights Watch has stated “excessive and unlawful force against protestors on multiple occasions” It is documented that there have been 33 cases of abuses by the government against the government, however they deny this!
    The question is, should the US take action in support of the Venezuelan protestors? Biden agrees that the US needs to take action since Venezuela’s government is using “armed vigilantes” against the protestestors and accused it of “concocting false and outlandish conspiracy theories” The human rights of protest must be respected as well. The government does not have the right to suppress and abuse the protestors, and then claim it all not true. Considering the economy of Venezuela and the extreme poverty that has fallen greatly, the United States needs to take action and help another nation out.

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    1. Ummm....why is this week's post causing me to response do much??? CARRIE!!!!!!!! (stop the potion making!!)

      Anyhow...

      First, Tinkle-Toes, I'm thrilled that you got a debate (does my heart good when my APUSH students and JSA members stay involved!!!)... yet... I'm afraid you may be on the "tough" side of that debate.

      I would love to say that I fully agree with your statements about the responsibility of the US to come to the protestors aid in Venezuela, but I can't. The reason being that under the current administration I just don't think we'll do so. Hey, Biden (who is that??) may agree that the US has to do something, but as we have seen with this current administration, talk is real cheap. We did the same with Syria and unfortunately, are doing the same with the problems in Ukraine. A lot of talk, but no action.

      In my opinion, this isn't by accident. I believe that there are some within our government that would love to see us move toward a socialistic style government. "Spread the Wealth" "Regulation" - all the great buzz words of socialism. How does that equate to the Venezuelan problem - simple - we are moving in that same exact direction and we have a president, if you remember, that when to that country after being elected and handed that government a sweet deal with oil drilling off the coast of the US while at the same time restricting American companies from doing the same.

      The world sees and remembers those actions - even if Americans have a short memory at times. Putin isn't making this move in Ukraine by accident either - he knows that the US influence in world politics is weakening and he doesn't fear action by the US. As a matter of fact, Obama meet with the Prime Minister of Ukraine today and basically told him - we don't like what Russia is doing... but.... sorry, we're not going to do anything by rattle off some idol threats (ok, I'm paraphrasing here).

      Americans have grown extremely tired of jumping into everyone else's problems. We're $17 TRILLION in debt. Our economy is in the tank and doesn't show signs of improving. Unemployment is still high and the populace is feeling that we should turn our intention solely on domestic issues here at home and not go and spend money interfering into other countries issues.

      As stated, I'd love to agree with you and to a large degree, moralistically I believe we have that responsibility as the sole super power and a country that cherishes (I think we still do...) freedom - to become involved. But I think for the majority in this country - they would say STAY OUT of Venezuela - not our problem. It's sad, in more ways than one, but unfortunately true.

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    2. I agree that the United States needs to step in and help Venezuela out! We’re always the ones helping other countries, always the ones leading/assisting justice in the world. For example, after the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia that killed more than 300,000 people, the United States received criticism for not responding quickly enough. While during the earthquake in Haiti, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were making their influence known. When there is any disaster anywhere in the world, the United States is expected to help out financially, equipment-wise and response-wise. We have so much to offer, and it would be greedy to choose not to. Controversially, power is what controls the world. If you have an enemy, use your power against them; if not, help them. While I believe we need to take care of ourselves first, there will always be someone in need, and an extraordinary case like this having to do with extremely numerous cases of rape, violence, inflation, etc.; people protesting to protect their rights should be HEARD and HELPED- they should not receive MORE ABUSE BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S ACTIONS. Who knows? Something going through their minds may be: “When will the US come help us?”

      Are you debating pro or con?

      And I really want to subsequent for you! Hopefully if I raise my hand high enough and stare intensely enough, the moderator will choose me rather than be scared of me.

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    3. ahhh I know Mr. Gehm! the topic is though and i don't agree with my side either but i have to deal.And Megan I am debating Pro, that the US take action.

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    4. I have to agree with Mr. Gehm here. Yes, the US should definitely help when it comes to natural disasters like the tsunami Megan mentioned, but the US has gone and meddled with so many things, under the excuse that we're the world's police and people are crying out for our help. However, a good portion of the world and a good majority of Americans are sick of US intervention. Historically, the US has intervened with events not necessarily because it was the right thing to do but more oftentimes because the event threatened its own best interests. As Mr. Gehm pointed out, all this has done is plunge us further into debt. We can't even fix our problems (failing economy, increasing debt, expensive healthcare, terrible education, etc) back home yet we feel the need to rescue other countries from peril. Lastly, what gave the US the right to try and fix others' countries problems? We might possess the power to do so, but that does not in any way give us the right to do so.

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    5. First off I have to say that I like this political Thinkle-toes so much:)
      My position would be aligned with Mr.Gehm and Hannah and also Iqra's genuine thoughts, for I'm an utter supporter of the Neutrality Proclamation, the Monroe Doctrine - and all of the great stuff about non-intervention policies. Although things got changed over the past centuries for America, I firmly believe that these concepts came up by our forefathers were almost words written in stone in most circumstances. As Hannah mentioned about the problems with economy, healthcare, and education within America, it seems that an intervention into Venezuela's chaos is beyond our grasp.
      Yet, as I researched some of the news on CNN about Venezuela's crisis, there were actually many legit pro-arguments in the comments. (http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/20/world/americas/venezuela-qa/) "BLE7481" replied "Martina" saying that "[America] went from being an almost self-sustained country to having huge debts, low national reserves - Sounds vaguely familiar.". Though there were many counteracts stating the fact that this issue is not foreshadowing for U.S, in fact, far from being such foreshadow. And Venezuela for the past decades had huge poverty. Anyhow with sufficient evidences, I feel that the pro side can be argued since an intervention would symbolize a model for the nation and to appease states' righters - if I didn't misunderstand it.
      But those arguments I've seen so far are pretty much one-sided...so GOOD LUCK Iqra and I seriously mean it!!

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    6. I see that you've decided to blog based more on your opinion rather than your philosophy. It is a nice contrast with the other blogs, and its issues stand out very well. However, I'm confused with a single line of your post "...Considering the economy of Venezuela and the extreme poverty that has fallen greatly..." because I'm not sure if you are saying that poverty is falling in terms of seriousness, or falling in terms of it freefalling to extreme levels. I just feel that this one line is somewhat confusing. I wont comment on whether America should get involved in Venezuelan affairs, but I will say that if Venezuela is truly this afflicted with rape, murder, and anti-protest related violence, then something has to be done to stop the chaos.

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    7. Brandon I'm sorry about the awkward phrasing. I meant that Venezuela's economy at one time used to be really good but there was an enormous drop due to the governments regulations.

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  6. I like to watch people.

    I don't mean in the disturbing manner some do to collect incriminating evidence against their professed enemy or the frankly creepy way people stalk their crush. I just think it's fascinating to watch other human beings scurry about or walk alone or navigate their way through crowds or whiz by in a blur on the roads. I watch them talk and laugh and brood and eat ice cream and do a million other things.

    I wonder about them, about their stories, about the big things and little things in their lives. How are they, really, beyond the generic 'I'm good' greeting? Where are they going, where have they been? Which music do they listen to? Were they afraid of the monster under the bed when they were 6? Do they eat the cream first or the cookie first when they have Oreos? What is their opinion on the peanut butter vs. nutella debate? Were they the eldest of three, or the youngest of fourteen? What are they living for? How many are lonely? How many are tired?

    I sit, watch, listen and make up stories about them. That guy in nice clothes is waiting for a blind date. The man with a suitcase in hand is a spy, carrying off secret papers to his boss. The old lady hobbling along is originally from Idaho but is visiting her grandsons here. The couple in the huge Mercedes are planning on having five children. The guy in the checkered hoodie will bump into the redheaded girl (he did! I'm a psychic) and will end up staying late to chat with her (he didn't :[ ).

    There's just some sort of satisfaction or contentment in watching others do even the most mundane things. It's always fun, or at least a good way to pass the time, to make up their stories. Occasionally, though, it's a bit saddening, because you're struck with the realization that the millions of stories being given life in front of your eyes will eventually fade. Someday, they'll die and people might miss them, but those people will go away too, and the chapters of his storybook they've carried around usually get buried with them. Just imagine, the billions of past stories that lie sleeping in the ground, mixed in her ashes, floating by the wreckage of sunken vessels, playing with the harsh winds of the Himalayas, roaming the catacombs of Paris, living in picture albums and diaries and homes.

    As stupid as it sounds, it excites me sometimes. There's seven billion people on this earth but each life is different from anybody else's. There's never been an unimportant person. Never again in the history of humankind will there be someone exactly like them. And if that's not amazing, I don't know what is.

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    1. Hello Hannah Holmes(alliteration!!). "How are they, really, beyond the generic 'I'm good' greeting?" This really stands out to me. "I'm good" seems like a floodgate on everyone's heart, or most of the people. After you turn it open in some ways, their internal emotions and sentiments would rush out like waves and tides. I wonder what you described is exactly the job of a sociologist? That's actually quite fascinating! Such as conducting experiments to actually prove your deduction. Frankly I didn't quite notice such interests that you have, am I one of the targets?? I'd be so honored!
      And I'd like to praise the second to last paragraph - from " Someday, they'll die..." to "...albums and diaries and homes." Just so beautifully written and aliens will be moved by us human beings if one day they're to arrive on this planet. I guess we're strong as individuals which results in a strong human race. It might be the beauty of Universe. See, right? The melancholy of "stories fading away" brings about the eternal glory of something enormously spectacular...can't even describe more...
      We're snowflakes! We're leaves! So "let it go♪"~
      >> For Oreos I eat the whole thing at once and I like peanut butter better(alliteration again!!).

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    2. :=) OMG!!! One day, "Hannah Holmes" (we've given you your pen name, btw!) will write her first big novel about all of us in APUSH 1. Of course, as you all know, I'll be the awesome character in the book... as for the rest of you... ummm.... that could be a tough one!! I'll leave that up to the creative juice of Hannah Holmes!!

      Honestly..... Hannah.... I absolutely loved your post!!! (now you have to give me the lead part!!!)

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    3. If it's not clear yet, I love playing with words, these noises that can hurt and kill and destroy but can also heal and give life and create works of art that move both the one and the many. Alliteration is one of the best ways you can tame words and I'm a sucker for it.
      I absolutely must find a reason to use "Hannah Holmes" in my life.

      It's one of the things that puzzle me, those 5-second "how-are-you-I'm-good-that's-nice-goodbye" conversations, because when you ask how the person is, you don't expect anything but an "I'm good" (or variations thereof). You don't expect the person to reveal their inner thoughts and emotions. Why do we bother asking, then, when we're not really interested, when we're really just asking because it's the polite thing to do? For that matter, why do we bother answering, when you're supposed to say that you're fine, even if you're tired and broken and scared?

      When you think about it, sociologists are paid to people watch, so I suppose that I did, in a way, describe part of their job description. However, they also take notes about how people react with each other, using a hundred other factors like race and age and what statistic their company is looking for. I just like to do it for fun.

      And Carrie, yeah, I may have observed you a couple of times before while you weren't looking. The most important aspect of watching people is that you mustn't let them know you're watching. People act so differently when they know or even feel like they're being watched.
      For example, have you ever heard of stores or stands that function on the principle of honesty? I remember reading about this experiment that was about a small coffee stand that let people take coffee as long as they donated some amount of money. The people in charge were disappointed that most customers didn't even bother to put anything in the donation box, so what they did was they replaced the flower painting facing the stand with a painting of eyes. As they expected, customer donations shot up by a good percentage.

      Mr. Gehm, a novel is certainly an interesting idea. You're definitely one of the main characters. I just haven't captured a plot bunny yet.

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    4. The way you explained each and every detail of your hobby of watching people really interests me! i definitely agree with Mr. Gehm! You should definitely write a novel. The way you like to watch people and kind of guess-and-check their lives seems really interesting. It is a human nature to observe, however your observations show how ones life can have various meanings!

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    5. I find it really intriguing that you make up stories about various random people you meet, because the stories you make up about that person will stick with you for quite a while. Unbeknownst to the person you are watching, you are creating stories and memories of them, and these small things one notices about another ensures that every one has an impact , and are impacted, by everyone they see.

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    6. Watching is one of the best things you can do, especially in order to make it today.. I am, as Pranav, intrigued by how you create stories in your head about others.. It says a lot about your outlook and how you think.. Very interesting post!

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    7. Human Relations, very entertaining to watch (your not the only one). Normally I watch to reflect on my own life how I can be better how I can support others. Whatever, I can do to improve the way I live. Movies sometimes help me with that. I mean like Oscar worthy movies because even if it may seem like a situation that would be 1/100000 to happen its still something worth noting. Even video games are like that nowadays. Red Dead Redemption follows a cowboy trying to get back his family and the emotion and interaction made are just in awe and give you the sense of true human interactions.

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  7. Knowledge.
    It is the one thing that separates humanity from every other species on the planet. Only we have the ability to accumulate knowledge of the world beyond pure instinct, form advanced societies, possess the near infinite power of the mere atom at our fingertips, then have the restraint to have only used them twice during war. Thus, as humans, we ask questions (as the great Lord Gehm is well aware of on my part) in order to increase our knowledge about everything we can. Some of them can be as simple as "How was your day, honey?" Some can be as significant as "How can we create an atomic bomb?" or "How far can we travel into space?" One thing that I feel separates humans from any other species is not just the ability to ask questions, but the specific questions we find important. Even a mouse can hear a noise and think to itself "What was that?" as can be told when it goes to investigate. For humans such as you and I, this is often the first kind of questions we think of as well. That, however, is the point where humans branch off from their animal brethren. A mouse would discover the source, then (assuming whatever made the noise didn't EAT it) most likely do something else. When humans find out what something was, we ask a revolutionary question - "why?" Humans are, as far as we know, the only species that wishes to discover the purpose and reason behind each and every piece that makes up the fabric of the cosmos.
    There is one question, however, that remains unanswered, one that might be the most important question that humanity can ever ask and expect to find a logical answer - are there other sentient species in the Universe? We've all seen movies, played video games, or read books about invading aliens, some wishing for pure sport, some wishing for resources, some wishing for peace. There have been many hypothesis about whether life on other planets can be possible. Take Mars, for example. For a time, people considered Mars to be a green planet, covered in, as H.G. Wells put it in War of the Worlds, "red weed." Some people consider Mars' polar ice caps a sign of water, and photos of Mars' surface reveal odd, microscopic bacteria that some people argue to be Martian bacteria. According to M Theory (often known as String Theory) the Universe is made of infinite parallel dimensions, that overlap and produce very similar, though not identical realities - there could be a parallel dimension where I'm typing a post on humanity's ability to answer questions, all the while wondering if there's another dimension with another me writing a blog about asking questions, who himself is wondering about what I'm writing about. Doesn't that boggle your mind? This is a summary of humanity's greatest gift - knowledge, and the ability to gather it, study it, crave it, analyze it, and pass it on the future generations.
    But are we alone?

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    1. The human instinct of asking questions is one that has led us to where we are today. Great scientist such as Darwin and Einstein asked why things are the way they are. They opened doors to more and more questions creating more innovations. Your post (full of questions) just arises more questions which perpetuates thought, which is needed for the human soul!

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    2. The question you asked, Brandon, is one I personally have been trying to answer for over a decade now, and admire the deep, logical reasoning behind your thoughts on knowledge but there are some fallacies with the blog. M-Theory IS NOT String Theory; it is simply a conjunction and mathematical combination of the major string theory into one codified theory, which does not make M-Theory interchangeable with String Theory. Secondly, one of the major reasons why M-Theory works mathematically is the inclusion of the theory that there are only 11 dimensions in the universe, not an infinite amount. The infinite dimensions theory is a completely separate theory from M-Theory, with no relations between the two what-so-ever.

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  8. Remember when we were younger, when we were too frightened to check under our beds. We thought about the monsters under there; but, as we grew we began to realize that monsters don’t sleep under our beds. They sleep inside our heads. Suddenly, you didn’t have to look under beds to find a monster. You had to look behind the masks worn by the people around you, but in some cases, if you hid behind a mask for so long, you forgot who you were beneath it. Most hide behind a mask because they are afraid. Afraid of what society will think of them. Society. Ya’ll know that place where you have to change who you are and what you stand for to ‘fit in? Yeah, that. All around, people say things or do things they wouldn’t normally do. They do things that are considered “cool.” Nowadays, people are so caught up on being “cool,” they begin to forget what’s real. They forget that there is more to life, than popularity, having “fun,” and doing stupid things to get someone else’s approval. These monsters forget that calling someone names or excluding them because of the way they are can leave a scar on their outlook on life or make them feel worthless and like they’re not good enough. People shouldn’t care what others think of them, yet they do. In the end, I think it’s best to do YOU and forget society, the monsters, and the masks. (:

    ** I woke up from my nap with this thought in head. Lol don’t ask.

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    1. Awwww! Nirali! :) This was so heartmelting. It lifted my spirits! I loved how you talked about the masks we hide behind! So intriguing and true! In today's society people do hide behind masks, just to fit in and do what other people are doing. I've witnessed it myself, and people lose the genuine personality and feeling that they've had deep down, before they put the mask on.

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    2. Honestly if our society didnt rotate on the axis that it does, people would not have to wear masks.. Although, that isnt the case, we do wear masks, some thicker than others. I suppose we just have to find those people in which we cross paths with, who are brave enough to reveal their true faces, and stick by them..

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    3. People absolutely do live behind masks and it's a scary thought. Sometimes, you don't even know who to trust. One minute, you could be best friends with someone and the next, you guys don't even say hello to each other in the hallway. That's why I feel that people need to learn to choose their friends wisely and to surround themselves with those that accept them for the person they are on the inside. Happiness in a person's life can do so much for someone.
      I feel that students in high school need to see that they won't be in high school forever. One day, we'll graduate and move on to our different colleges and careers. In 10 years, those people that hung out in the "cool crowd" won't even remember any of those people in that crowd. It all comes down to the point that being "cool" means nothing if you aren't a nice, happy person. Life does not revolve around being "cool."

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    4. First off: “Ya’ll”? I thought I was southern.
      Second: I believe that we are all insane in our own way and have secretly dug into our brain. "We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." –Cheshire Cat. There is no proper definition on what is right and what is wrong. It is only the influences of others that cast our social life. Society has been created by the little order within all of our minds. So to think differently of something is very normal in my eyes. There is no true path to clarity we find it ourselves.

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  9. The Essence Of Time

    I always wonder when I will die. I wonder how much time until something next will happen, and everything will come crashing down. I wonder how much time I think about the next memory that will be glued in my mind forever. Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, time flies by. In reality we never look at the big picture. We never cherish every moment like it's our last. I always wonder if the time we have, is really enough. Do we waste time on things that may not matter as much?
    Each person, has a certain amount of time until the clock strikes and your time is up. People take things for granted and never fully understand that we don't live forever. In the end, we are a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. People never realize that the time you spend in anguish or sadness, is just time you are wasting to fully enjoy your life. If you knew you when you were going to die, how do you think you would live your life?
    It interests me how time can limit your standards, but also push your limits. You can rush through life, constantly doing what you are told, or you can live a laid back life of your own enjoying the TIME you spend, day in and day out doing what you want to do. People like to take time for granted, not really noticing how fast it flies by. Time can be a structure of the mind, what you think on the inside and it can also show how your body may physically react to time. In the future, you begin to see physical changes because of how the body reacts, you begin to degrade, and shrivel (getting older/dying). On the inside, as time passes by, you become more intelligent and begin to learn from your surroundings (getting smarter). Time has an opposite, but balancing affect on both the mind and body of a human, which shows time may be more important than we think.
    So how does time really impact you? Do you cherish every moment like it's your last? Or do you sulk in your house after a fight hoping time will fix everything? Think about it, time may be the fix to all your mistakes, but it may also be the clock that is soon waiting to wind down.

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    1. I've never really thought about time as a paradox, one that can "limit your standards but also push your limits," and I must say that it's an intriguing way of looking at things. I once read about a hypothetical situation where everyone had a clock that showed the time they had left, and I wonder just how differently society would have been. It could be a bit terrifying, seeing your life literally tick away, but it's also a sobering thought that might wake people up. Sadly, there exists a good number who only try their hardest to be good when they know that they're dying.
      However, I disagree with one of your points: that people who spend their time in anguish or sadness are just wasting their time (though of course, those who simply put on a show to get what they want don't really count). Sadness is just as much a part of life as happiness is. There are many legitimate reasons to feel anguish, such as the loss of a loved one or just generally overwhelming struggles. Their emotions are just as valid because they're felt, and just as important to the abstract notion of truly living life. Always being happy all the time might seem like a good thing, but well-known books such as The Giver and Fahrenheit 451 show its dangers.

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    2. Juliet! I was actually thinking of this the other day. Time goes by so fast and we never really take a moment to cherish it. Mostly we complain and waste even more time when we have done something wrong. Instead, we should just acknowledge it and move on. Life's seems short when you look at it from a broad perspective. I say make the most of it because 'Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away." ~

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    3. I know so many people who just complain on how fast time is going by without really appreciating the amount of time we actually have. You only (as far as scientific knowledge goes) have one life, so why bother complaining at all? All that is a waste of time, and this blog post made me realize that again.

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    4. This is amazing! I always think about this. Literally, your exact post goes through my mind every single day. We don't have forever- we only have a limited time on this Earth. And, truth be told- we don't really know what is going to even happen to us when we leave this world. People should just live every minute like they're dying. (That's a song, I think.)
      One thing that popped into my head when I read this is how quickly school flies by. We come into school in September thinking "Oh my god, this year is going to be so slow." And then, before we know it, we're in May. I honestly don't even remember the first half of the year. Time really does fly. It's a scary thought, but, at the same time, it shows people to just live their lives. Don't live by certain strict standards- just live. Smile. Laugh. Love. Gain knowledge. Who knows? Tomorrow could be our last day.

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    5. Juliet,
      This is a very interesting post to say the least. It is subtle and philosophical, yet deep. Time is a concept that no one can explain or define and I do agree that every has their own preset time clocks as well. I like how you mentioned that each moment you waste being sad, you waste precious time that you could have been doing something else with. Again, time is a very interesting concept that we may never understand completely.

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  10. I loved you post. (Sorry Mr Gehm if this would be considered "kumbaya")
    I can completely relate to it as well as other people because this is something we think about whenever we have a moment of silence. Usually when something really bad happens in our lives is when we truly realize out there, somewhere, hidden or not, is an hour glass with who-knows-how-many gains of sand trickling one by one until the moment we take our last breath :o .

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  11. Oh how I’m going to rant today. I always feel like I wake up in the morning to hate the world, so I have a lot on my mind. Onto my topic: Race
    Cultures may differ yet we are all human we are all the same type of mammal that has made their own separate mistakes. We are going along in the 21st century yet we always hit the same roadblock of different races, it is understandable yet we have divulged on this for centuries. The media loves to categorize people into different classes as done in the recent Trayvon Martin case. They made up false evidence and accusations that made George Zimmerman look like a racist. NBC published the 911 call the night after the altercation between Zimmerman and Martin occurred. NBC cut off certain parts of the audio to make Zimmerman look racist. When in truth, the whole situation was a sad misunderstanding and fear of strangers. I can’t blame either of them for what they did.
    I’ve realized that we have this ignorance of speaking dealing with a topic just because it’s a bit racial. My group of friends consists of different cultures and races that are tolerant of one another. Truth be told, we joke of our stereotypes because there is no way that any of them are true. We realize how ridiculous each of them are. Even with such a diverse culture of people the issue of race still occur. People like Al Sharpton race bait in ANY type of situation that involves a black victim or a convicted black man (such as Trayvon Martin case) but when it came to the OJ Simpson being found not guilty you didn’t hear a peep from him. Its people that race bait make it difficult for cultures to get along. I’m not saying that there is no racism in the world but we make racism out to be the silliest things. Even if it’s a statistic it can still be something controversial.

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    1. Race will always be a topic in society whether citizens like it or not. We have learned to subside and try to accept people for who they are which is basically what America is for, a melting pot. (or a salad bowl as Mr. Gehm refers to it as) Although we have tried to make things better, unfortunately it will always be there, to haunt us. The color, gender, heritage, culture that you are affects what people think of you. It is an unfair and cruel world constantly judging people based on their covers and not on their truly beautiful bindings. People need to learn to stop stereotyping and judging people by what they may look like. Maybe THEN will the movements actually make a change in the world, and not only in America.

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    2. ill like to start this off with, when don't you rant... YOU RANT EVERY DAY!!! so moving on race will play a role in society until there has been enough assimilation in the world for everyone to be of the same culture. sadly this is one issue that i believe will never end or at least for a really really really really really long time.

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  12. Is ignorance really bliss? I for one, disagree with this dictum. An example that influences my life daily is the ongoing feud between India and Pakistan. This conflict began soon after the Partition of India in 1949, breaking apart an unified India into what was to become three countries: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The clash between India and Pakistan is something unlike any other conflict in history, never has two countries so similar in ethnic background, heck, even had the same ethnic background less than 70 years ago, hate, ruthlessly hate one another. The political and economic impact between this conflict is immense, but the social impact is something that is too incomprehensible and colossal to fully understand. From personal experience and written documentaries on the topic, I can infer that the populations of these two countries have such a heated rivalry that it is not inconceivable to imagine it going so far off hand as to start nuclear warfare. It is common social stigma in the parts of India that I have experienced: Indians are genetically bred to hate Pakistanis, and vice versa. No matter what, from better food to better cricket team to better social life, Indians and Pakistanis have waged a social war on each other. Take the previous example of cricket, for instance. When the national teams from both cricket teams collide, there is such an immense social clash that national governments view the events as potential threats. Stadiums are packed until one cannot breathe; and all around the world, Indians and Pakistanis wage virtual war; unanswered psychological warfare on each other's counterparts. Pressure on the players to preform well is so great, it is not uncommon to for players to be sweating profusely and feeling dizzy before the game even begins. They literally have their respective country's expectations on their backs. And when the "cricket war" is over, everyday social life stops. Victors rejoice on the streets, believing that this one cricket game means that the one country is greater than the other, and savoring the fact like ambrosia. Losers are dejected, believing for some reason that they had lost a battle to actual enemies.

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    1. This kind of social battle over a simple game is unprecedented, and what makes it so insane is the fact that is completely and utterly unwarranted. I have tried to find, time and time again, a reason for a conflict of such a massive scale to break out. Religion is not the problem, there are more Muslims in India than Pakistan, which was created by the British to create a land for the Muslims of India. There was never any conflict between the two regions before the ultimate partition in 1947. So why create such type, such tension between nations as to generate borderline hysteria? The answer is what happened during the partition of India, which was designed by the British to give Hindus and Muslims their own nations, as, the British believed that the two could not mix and create peace. The result was the displacement of 14.5 million people, which could be considered the greatest migration of people in human history. One million people died during this migration, as a result of thieves, bandits and sometimes, starvation. This migration somehow pitted the two countries against each other, even though they had no control over it; the British did. So why continue to fight? It is more than a fight about disputed territory, it is a psychological lesson taught to make even the most compromising government leader to think twice before signing an agreement with the other nation in fear of public backlash from both sides, and for what? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The ignorance bred from generations trained to hate the opposing nation has created a system in which there is no possible way for the countries to improve their relations , which in turn, does not create bliss. It creates destruction, and strife. in the form of wars. Wars that could be stopped if only people could put aside petty arguments and look at the other side and not see the enemy, but people.

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  13. I know this is going to be kind of personal and cheesy, but oh well. Here goes nothing. (And for the record, I really don't know if I did this right. It said to write whatever comes to mind, and this was the first thing that came to my mind. Bahaha.)

    So, I've been thinking really hard about what I wanted to post and I came up with one word: Acceptance.

    Now, a lot of things go through someone's mind when they think of acceptance. I know this may sound horrible, but I feel that people nowadays really don't know what acceptance is. Time goes on and I look around and just see people constantly judging others for the way they look, or the way they talk, or the way they walk, eat, laugh, etc. People constantly judge others simply because someone does something that isn't mainstream. We live our lives around hatred and judgemental people, and negative comments. It's almost as if it's impossible to be yourself. Like, you can't be who you want to be without being judged for it.
    Lately, I've been having a hard time trying to find who I exactly I want to be, or who I exactly I should be. It's hard fitting in, or doing the same thing that others do around you. But, I've noticed recently that you shouldn't have to change yourself for anyone or anything. We should simply live our lives the way we want to live our lives. Day to day, we should be able to do what WE want to do, and not what others want us to do. The key to happiness is not living by other peoples' rules, but your own set of rules. You know?
    Like, who says that a certain book isn't cool to read? And who says that a certain song isn't okay to listen to? Who says that you can't be what you want to be? When it comes to living your life and fulfilling your own dreams, I feel that it is up to you to decide what you want to be. You define your own happiness- no one else. No one can make you happy if you, yourself, aren't happy.
    Bottom line, we need to learn to accept ourselves before other people accept us.

    (I told you it would be weird. I don't know; I've had a rough week. This was just something that was on my mind, and I thought I'd share it with you guys since you're all pretty awesome people.) :)

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    1. You're right when you say that we need to accept ourselves in order for other people to accept us. We have a choice to make whether we want to hide under something that we're not or open up and be independent and not care what other people think. In the end it all comes down to your opinion, what you think of yourself as, not what other people see you as. Besides, being unique is the best trait anyone can have. Being just like everyone else doesn't help you accomplish anything special.

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    2. AMEN! Honestly, who cares about acceptance there always going to be someone who disagrees. I don't suffer from insanity, I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! That's normally what I say to myself. This is a difficult problem today but you must understand that judgments are shrouded by ones personal problems. In the words of Emerson (I can't believe this is coming in handy) "It is better to be misunderstood". I mean really, how boring would it be to follow what everyone else follows?

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    3. Fedah,
      The last quote really stood out to me. It is impossible to define happiness and it is impossible to be happy if you are not happy yourself. I honestly have to say that the meaning of your post itself was strong. Just the idea of being accepted and the way you described it was very good. It really does only matter what you think and not anyone else.

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    4. Everyone wants to feel accepted. No one wants to be the outcast or the backlash of somebody's lack of love. However, we need to accept certain things. We have to accept that we were born a certain way, that we were born to stand out, not fit in (sorry, i had too lol).
      Also acceptance within oneself: we have to accept our wrongs and not regret. Many people dwell deep into that archive and sometimes drown in their own sorrow. You cannot change what happened. You have to accept it, and learn from it.

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    5. Ehhhhh, I don't think we're completely surrounded by hating and judgemental people, this is a pretty tolerant society but I do see where you're coming from and I do agree with you, you just have to not care what people think.

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  14. I have and don't have much to share.. I would like to, but for the longest time I could not have arranged the words in order to type i guess, them for you.

    I would just like to say that, some things are better left unsaid, and this just relates to everyone.

    So Ill just share the iconic song lyrics by Bob Marley from his song Three Little Birds

    "Three Little Birds"

    "Don't worry about a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right! "

    Rise up this mornin',
    Smile with the risin' sun,
    Three little birds
    Each by my doorstep
    Singin' sweet songs
    Of melodies pure and true,
    Sayin', ("This is my message to you-ou-ou: ")

    Singin': "Don't worry 'bout a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
    Singin': "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right! "

    Rise up this mornin',
    Smiled with the risin' sun,
    Three little birds
    Each by my doorstep
    Singin' sweet songs
    Of melodies pure and true,
    Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou: "

    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh!
    Every little thing gonna be all right. Don't worry! "
    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing" - I won't worry!
    "'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."

    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right" - I won't worry!
    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing,
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right."
    Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, oh no!
    'Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

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    1. Hahaha way to absolutely rip off Bob Marley!!!!!!!! ;P I laughed like hell when I saw this I used go around singing this song all the time, tis an absolute classic!

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    2. when i hear or think of this song i always think of the movie "I am Legend" with Will Smith and when his dog starts turning he has to out it down.... and he's singing that song. it always makes me a little hurt inside, knowing that everything in the end is a question and you don't know what happens after death and that every little thing may not be alright.

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    3. I normally think of "What I Got" by Sublime

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  15. There are many current crisis that plague the world today and there are two rather threatening ones today: the water and energy crisis. These issues are currently at our door step and solutions need to be made.
    Firstly, the water crisis is an imminent threat to society as a whole, but let's focus on America for now. Large reservoirs like Lake Mead in the West are running dry and it is time to face the reality that a seemingly infinite resource will soon be insufficient with the population's exponential growth. Lake Mead supplies about 22 million people with water and many other reservoirs like Mead are declining fast. With changing weather patterns, droughts have become much more common in the Great Plains, precisely where the Ogallala Aquifer lies. This aquifers supplies the plain states with drinking as well as irrigation water. The problem is that since the mid 1900's to current date, the aquifer has dropped almost 150 feet in water levels in some regions of the groundwater aquifer. This can have devastating effects; firstly, it means a lack of drinking water in years to come and a more global effect as well. The plains export grain and when there is a lack of water, there is a lack of grain, so it could create food scarcities or price hikes around the world. Reservoirs like Lake Mead is predicted to run completely dry by 2021, so the crisis is imminent and will threaten many American lives.
    The next major crisis is the energy crisis in a global perspective. We are running out of power from fossil fuels quite frankly. There are about 35 years worth of oil reserves in the entire world and this is only at current rates of usage. There is only about 50 years of natural gas left in the world as well. As the population exponentially grows, fossil fuels will most likely run out even soon than these estimates. The United States currently is one of the largest users of fossil fuels, using about 25% of the world's energy. The United States imports about 70% of its oil for example, so our dependence on foreign nations for power can be detrimental to us in the future. Many experts currently believe in the peak oil theory where there will be a point anywhere from now to 2020 where the world will have reached a certain maximum oil production per day and then after this peak, oil production will rapidly decline. This period of decline in the near future will greatly reduce the supply of oil even though its demand is rising per day. Without a solid alternative fuel, America should be concern about the decades to come.

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    1. Wow, I didn't realize that there even was a water problem in the United States, that's odd but I'm sure that if the lakes run dry they'll find a way to get massive amounts of water from the sea through boiling or something.

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  16. What is the point of life? Each and every one of us are destined for death the second we take our first breath of life. In the end it matters not how high you climb or how deep you dive or if you harmonize with a choir of angels or if you wage war with the world and everything in it. The Phoenix is a romantic myth, when we turn to ashes we are not reborn, our every essence and being will disintegrate into nothingness, dust to be scattered in the cold wind . The fate of the universe is no different then the fate of a man, even time itself will develop wrinkles and lose all its senses. How dull it all seems, the shutters are shut tight and the walls closing in faster and faster with every passing moment. There's no escaping fate, so you do not try and run, just turn around and dance with it. That is the only way to bring meaning into a world that is meaningless, you cannot change the inevitability of the end so don't even attempt such a foolish act, immortality is a curse. Let the ray hit you full on and let all the warmth sink in. Take each and every day in a single stride and just float about like there is no tomorrow, because there isn't. There is only the now and the future is a lie.

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    1. holy crap that makes a person, everyone has there calling, may it be different or not it will all end the same way.... and as you put it we "... are destined for death..."

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    2. Rob,
      You made a very philosophical argument. It was interesting to say the least. I do have to say that the last line of your post stood out the most since you questioned the future. It is important to focus on the current now. Death is unavoidable but it is important that we do what fate intended we do.

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    3. "What is the point of life?" You don't have to agree with me, but I think Life is making something of yourself, making yourself known. Without accomplishment, you have not "lived." Life is making mistakes, learning, making change- even if you die in the end. We will all die one day, some sooner than others. I saw this and I think it applies here. Just think about it: "When you die, there’s going to be a tombstone. It’s going to have your name, it’s going to have the year you were born, and it’s going to have the day you died. In between, there’s going to be a dash. And that dash is going to represent everything that you did in your life; good and bad. It’s how you’re remembered. What do you want your dash to represent?”

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  17. Now this is a blog topic. although tis topic, be it vague, is a good one for now we as students can speak our minds. and what imm going to talk about is college. yes i typed in college. right now as we are approaching our junior year in high school we should be thinking about the future. it is a hard thing to do but it has to get done, things as what college do i wan to go to? where do i want to go? what am i going to do with my life? these are all questions that need to be future out so that our future could be bright. all of our teachers and parents are there for us, and if we have questions we don't need to be afraid to say it. the only thing that needs to be afraid is our parents wallet cause all of us have potential to do something great, and as we all know.... college isn't cheap.

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    1. I can picture you saying this just as you presented your argument for our debate xD
      Good stuff said though!

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  18. Since I highly caffeinated on soda and can’t sleep I figure I’ll type another post. This one is on something I would eventually like to pursue: Comedy (Not a word Michael!)
    The one thing that I’ve noticed a lot of comedians get in trouble for is offensiveness and where is it we draw the line? I don’t mean someone like Jerry Seinfeld saying “What’s the deal with airplane food?” There has been multiple cases where a comedian has gotten in trouble for something offensive. The construction of comedy is the exaggeration, context, and sarcasm of the joke. Comedians like Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks, Jim Norton, and Daniel Tosh are all big names who have been thrown under this bus. I truly believes on the construction of the joke, if you bluntly say something offensive then there is no meaning or punch line it means you are just a moron. Even if it’s something obscene that isn’t your cup of tea, that doesn’t mean that the guy next to you isn’t laughing. Offensiveness can differ in a situation and must be taken into consideration for it to become offensive. Jim Norton gave an example of this by stating “Then I want actors to apologize for the controversial roles they play.” Which is true, a joke can also be considered act as well. Even if it’s considered that a joke has gone too far over the line, it’s not like they mean it to be taken that way. Their job is to make people laugh at the things at life we overlook. We all have to laugh at ourselves once in a while it truly makes you feel human.
    I was looking up news reports on Youtube about this topic and I found these, it does talk about controversial problems so I ask that you watch at your own risk:
    Report 1
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9N6g1PMW24
    Report 2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25-tfvogqAE
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfDc0XgwPbI
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DimuxoLV7js

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