The ACT: Root of all Evil?

This past weekend, a few of my friends took the dreaded 'ACT', and their reactions were generally quite similar, the theme, " I didn't have enough time", and "It was really hard" were heard frequently. This got me thinking, is having a standardized test to judge a student's college worth really all that good? I say this because every high school in the U.S is different, and they all provide a different approach to education. Is it fair to insitute a test with things that possibly some students haven't covered, or haven't covered adaquetly enough. Another issue could be having to prepare for the ACT or SAT along with regular classes, (I haven't touched my ACT prep book since I bought it in September) Regular school work is hard enough, and having to worry about something like the ACT is quite a daunting thought. I understand that it is a good way to judge all students on the same playing field, but does it have to be so hard, and weighted so heavily? Should colleges focus more on things like class rank, regular grades, and extracuriculars?

The Wikipedia: One of the 7 Deadly Sins

All through my educational carrer, I have been told my countless teachers, conselors, and librarians to "STAY AWAY FROM WIKIPEDIA BECAUSE IT ISNT A CREDIBLE SOURCE!!" The way that teachers talk about it makes me think it to be the root of all evil. But, I don't think some people should be so quick to condemn "the wikipedia", because after all, most people use this tool to garner background information on a subject, not to do in depth research. I think that you should be able to cite wikipedia as a source, as long as you are just using to get an idea on a subject or something and you are using it for simple, or numerical facts, such as how many people died in WWII? I spend a lot of my time diggind around google for 'Credible' sources, and my time might be better spent better focusing my research instead of hunting around the web for a site that can be used in the MLA format. What do you think? What are your thoughts on wikis?

Abu Ghraib and Seymour Hersh: Do we have a right to know?

In class yesterday, we touched on a man named Seymour Hersh who helped uncover the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war, and who recently uncovered the photos of interrogations from  the U.S prison in Iraq, Abu Ghraib. This got me thinking, do we need to know that things like this are going on? Do we have a right to know these things? Should we even know about things like this, or is the Government protecting us four our own good? I looked through a few of these photos, and they are... disturbing at the least. I'm not sure I wanted to know that U.S troops are doing things like this to prisoners, or if anything worse than this is happening. There are pictures of people chained up in tiny cells, people who are mutilated, and men with hoods over their heads who are made to stand on tiny boxes or face electrocution- this is a method of interogation. Part of me has feels like the public has a right to know what is going on in Iraq, and that freedom of press should not be abridged, as it is one of our country's core values. But part of me thinks that the public doesn't need to know about Abu Ghraib and the ilk until after the war. I'm really torn on this, what do you think?

Blackwater

In class the other day, we quickly touched on a subject that interested me, the private military trainer and contracter "Blackwater" had recently changed their name to "Xe". I wanted to investigate why they did this. The name blackwater, according to an article I found, is named for the swamps near the North Carolina location of the training facility and headquarters, and the near 100 black bears around that area. A company spokeswoman claims the name has no meaning, except the Xe is the abreviation for the element Xenon... I'm not sure what this means, but to me the name 'Blackwater' sounds malicous in some way. And Xe LLC somehow sounds more professional, even if it is for a company that deals in war. The companie's president claims that this name change indicates a "shift away from providing private security". But will more change than the name? What is your take on all this?

Music in Protest - Vietnam and WWI

Today in class the Vietnam group presented their perilous times project on civil rights, and much of their presentation was focused on rallies and peaceful protests. This got me thinking, how else, do people protest and raise awareness about wars? Which brigns us to what I want to talk about...music. There are alot of songs out right now protesting the War on Terror, but one of my favorite songs is by Billy Joel, and it is called Goodnight Saigon. It was released in 1983, after the war, but still got people thinking about the mistakes of the past, and that is a start. The fact that it wasn't released during the war doesn't matter all that much, it raised public awareness about the horrors of the war, and educated many on the subject. In 8th grade, we had a school wide presentation on Vietnam, delivered by an ex- Washburne teacher who called in airstrikes in Vietnam for the US Air Force. He played this song for us, and it really struck me, I went home and looked up the song and researched the war  for a bit. The main point he made is that Vietnam is a war that is sometimes forgotten (we barely touched on it in our 8th grade U.S history class), and that one day there will be no veterans left. He said that there were only 3 World War I veterans left alive at the time, and that one day that would be the case for Vietnam vets. I guess what I'm trying to say is that music can be very moving and effective in anti-war efforts and education, when done well. Another very good song by The Dropkick Murphys, is called The Green Fields of France. The line that strikes me in this song is, " It all happened again, and again, and again." I think the point that The Dropkick Murphys are trying to make is that war is preventable, and we can prevent it, we just have to learn from the past. Also see Sting's Russians, which is a grim reminder of what could have been (nuclear armageadon), and also makes the point that we need to learn from the past, or maybe one day the fears of the Cold War era might become a devestating reality. "There's no such thing as a winnable war" is  a line that strikes a chord with me, and it is really true, and it is something that more people should realize.
- Please watch these three videos, the music combined with the pictures is very moving and thoughtful.
-What lines strike you in these songs? Are there any other good songs like these?

The Right to Hang a Pair of Bear Arms

The right to bear arms (the second amendment) has been one of the most controversial amendments to the consitution. A humorous look at this issue, courtesy of Family Guy, can be found here, (be warned the site is in Swedish). But in all seriousness, this is an issue worth discussing, because it has been a hot button topic ever since the second amendment was ratified in 1791. The text of the 2nd amendment literally says, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." A full text and footnotes can be found at this legal site. My opinion is that people should be allowed to bear arms, but in regulation. People should be allowed to have handguns, not automatic weapons. Hunters can have rifles and shotguns, but chances are, no matter who you are, you don't need an M16. Also, tests and safety exams should be more rigorous, the Gov't should make sure that anyone who wants to own a gun knows how to safely use and maintain it.

3 Strikes and You're OUT!

Awhile ago, in American Studies class, we touched on the topic of the '3 strike law' that is in several U.S states, including California. My opinion on this subject is that this is NOT the way to go, it isn't fair that if someone robs a conveinance store three times they can be given the same sentence as a murderer or drug runner. It also doesnt seem practical  or cost effectiveto keep so many people in prison for so long. According to the site I linked to, Californians spend 6.1 billion a year on their jails and penal systems, and the number of Californians in jail has increased sevenfold in just 20 years. To me, that just seems ridiculous and against the old saying 'Land of the Free'.

When is Enough Enough?

All this talk of civil liberties being violated by government and authoritarian powers got me thinking, "Who else in power is abbusing it." Then, I remembered an individual who was mentioned in class, John Burge, a Chicago Police detective in the 70s who was accused and abusing and torturing suspects. This is a scary thought, I know... cops are supposed to 'serve and protect' right, and nearly all of the time that is the case, but sometimes people abuse power, and do terrible things that they are for the common good. One account tells of Burge tracking down a suspect who shot 2 officers restlessly for 5 days, and  finally found himself attacking his door with lockpicks, which are rarely used by policemen. Then, he captured and tortured the suspect. This is a chilling story, and makes me think, "When will people in power stop being corrupt and truly look out for the common good?" When is enough enough?

Freedom of Press?

In a Sun Times article we were given in class yesterday, to give us some backstory on the first amendment and certain rights. And in this article it defined freedom of the press as, " access to information independent of the government, and political leaders." While this is techinacally true, by definition, many news sources are accused of being highly supportive or against a certain political view. For example Fox is accused of being highly conservative, wheras the Chicago Tribune, the NY Times, and MSNBC are called out as being overly liberal, and CNN of supporting the Republican Party. Some people even claim that mock news sources like Stephen Coldbert and John Stewart are biased in what they show and who they make fun of. Which begs the question, are we ever going to see a newspaper or network that gives us the facts, and nothing else, free of any prejudice or bias?

Grades, Grades, Grades

We were discussing something in class today that particularly struck a chord with me. We were talking about grades and how important they are at a competitive school like New Trier. Which got me thinking, why do people worry about grades so much? Isn't the point of school to learn as much as possible, so why don't kids focus on that? I try my best to make school not about the letters and percentages, but with constant pressure to perform well in school from parents, and the desire to get into a good school, it can be easy to forget what is important. I also thought, how would school be different if there were no grades given out, if it was truly about what you got out of the experience in knowledge and life-skills. Would that make kids work harder? What do you think?

Turtles

Disc Drop

Newton's Cradle

Hamster

One Nation Under God... or not?

Who knew Old Glory could cause so much controversy? In American Studies today, we were talking briefly about the 'under goddebate in the plege of aleigance. So I decided to look up some background info on the subject, and I learned that in 1954, the phrase 'under god' was added to the plege. And it has been that way ever since, until 2002 when a panel of judges ruled the plege 'unconstitutional' because of that phrase. However this ruling only affects a few states, and Illinois is not one of them. Personally, I think 'under god' belongs in the pledge, because religion is one of the big things that unites this country, and it was important to the founding fathers. I suppose the fact that I'm Catholic influences my views a little bit, but whatever. What do you think? Does under god belong in the pledge or not?

Olypmics a No-Go for Chi-City

Today during 3rd period, I heard the unfortunate news that Chicago was the first  finalist candidate city eliminated from the 2016 Olympic Bid. After a few years of promotion, awareness, and energy to gain support for the Olympics to be in Chicago, the dreams of many windy city residents were crushed. The Olympics went to Rio de Janero, Brazil. I was surprised at this final decision, personally I thought they would be in Madrid if not here. This Washington Post article speculates as to why the Olympic comittee voted against Chicago. Some say it is because of the hassles and terrorism and the necesary all out redesigning of Chicago's public transit system. One psychology student speculates that it was a sort of 'ani- Obama' act, that the Olympic comittee wasn't just going to let him have his way. What do you think, why were the Olympics decided not to be held in Chicago?

Sadly, this vision will never be realized...

Media Control

This morning,  I was enjoying some breakfast and some Stephen Coldbert. And in the middle of the episode, my grandmother looks over at me and says, "Don't listen to that garbage." I didn't say anything back, having been in an early morning trance. However, it did make me think, how much the media, even the comedic media influence America's youth? At 16 years old, I'd like to think that I'm not influenced by the news or anything at all, but I couldn't help but wonder if my grandmother's concern was indeed well founded? You can find an anti media argument here, and a pro media argument here. One article demonizes the media, while another says that Television aids a in a child's development. Where is the truth here? What do you think of the influence of the media on America's youth?

More Controversy on Obama's Adress to Students

I discovered another very intruiging cartoon today, which is actually quite funny. The kids in the cartoon are stating the positive message that was present in Obama's speech, and the parent, like many parents, including my own, who are oppossed to Obama 'telling students what to do', are telling their kids the opposite. While the reaction in this cartoon may be an exageration, it isn't far from the truth. Parents don't want their kids to listen to any message where the president is directly telling them something, whether it is positive or not. This article I found in the East Valley Tribune is one example of parents' outrage, and going to great lengths to  censor what their kids see. What do you think about this issue?

NFL Players Get Out Easy

After hearing on ESPN one morning how Cleveland Browns receiver Dante Stallworth had been involved in a DUI accident that killed a 59 year old person, I said to myself, 'his career has got to be over'. But I recently read an article, that said he is only serving 30 days in jail, when he faced up to 15 years for DUI manslaughter to which he pleaded guilty. While there are other things tacked onto his punishment, including a fine, house arrest, and probation, I think he should do much more time that 30 days. And there is no way that the fact that he is an NFL player didn't affect his light sentence. If this happened to any normal person they would be put away for the full  15 years. And I'm sure after he serves his sentence, he'll be allowed back into the NFL after whatever penalty the commisioner gives him. Missing a few games isn't near to the debt that needs to be paid.

Obama's Language in Healthcare Speech- Revolutionary?

In our American Studies class, we were discussing President Obama's adress to Congress and the language he used in it. A transcript and video can be found here. In class we discussed how bad it was to use the word 'lie' in a speech, and how Obama was the first president to do so. And also he referenced famous Republicans like John McCain, which I found quite interesting. What is he trying to do using this language, I wondered. He could just be living up to the expectation that he is a sort of 'hip and new' kind of president who is going 'change' the whole country. Or is he doing something smarter? Perhaps Obama is referencing Republicans more cleverly, to get the Republicans in Congress to listen to him. Maybe he is trying to show that its not about Liberal or Conservative, but that we're all under one flag regardless of political views. Is Obama trying to bridge the gap between the two political parties? Or is there another motive at work here? Also the way he uses the word 'lie', Mr. Bolos claimed that it was the first time a president used the word lie. Whats up with that? What does he stand to gain by using such a controversial word?

How Censored Should Schools Be?

In our American Studies class today, we were discussing and analyzing Obama's adress to the 'Students of America' today. You can find the President's prepared speech here. But that is not what I'm going to talk about today. While discussing this issue we touched on how in the Wheaton School District 200--where Mr. Bolos' students go to school--  in order to show a video clip in class a teacher must send it to the Department Chair who then sends it up the food chain to the Principal, then Superintendent, then the School Board. I thought to myself, ' Is this really necessary?' Wouldn't it be more effective and make more sense to have a group of teachers look at the clip and determine if it is appropriate and supplemental to the curriculum? I think it would be better to have a group of teachers who actually care and know about the material presented in class to analyze and determine if a type of media is OK to use in a class. Where are our schools headed now? How should we determine what is appropriate and what we should show in school?

The Google Vaccum

I came across another interesting cartoon while searching the web today. This shows how some people believe that Google controls everything, from the Publishing business, to books, and to newspapers. I think it is true that Google does seem to have a stranglehold on most types of media, where they take countless websites and online PDF's (which are basically online books) and almost 'repackage' them. But, one must ask, is this all bad? Google is, in fact convenient, easy to use,  has an effective way to get good search results, and most importantly- fast. They have acquired many sites and tools to use for such purposes as enhancing their search engine, improving video compression  and improving Google Maps. Not only that, but according to a Fox News article, Google is looking to acquire Twitter, and on top of that, Google owns the site I am blogging on right now! The question is, where will it end?  And is having a monopolized search engine business all bad?

The Light at the End of the Tunnel?

While searching for a possible blog topic online, I stumbled across an interesting cartoon. This cartoon was very intriguing to me, because it got me wondering, is there a 'light at the end of the tunnel' for the Middle East? Or is it going to be 'the next Vietnam', a war that drags on and claims many innocent American and Middle- Eastern lives? My opinion is that it is an unwinnable war, with no worthwile benefits to the American people. I don't think it is possible to change the culture and mindset of the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, or Pakistan, and the sooner we leave those countries, the better. Also, it is an incredibly daunting task to try and find all of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the Middle East, it is impossible to police the world like this. According to the National Priorities Project, the cost of the war in Iraq is over 678 billion dollars, and the war in Afghanistan, nearly 226 billion dollars, making the total cost of both wars nearly 904 billion dollars, which exceeds nearly all previous estimates. And one day that debt is going to have to be paid off, likely when I am a working adult American, and that is a very scary thought.

My First American Studies Blog Post

I love American Studies!