Tis The Season

Tis the season. Tis the season of green and red to fill the homes, tis the season of the tones Silver Bells and Deck the Halls to echo down the sidewalks of the malls, and tis the season of giving. Joan Winmill Brown decribes the sensation of Christmas as "Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given, when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."
Has the meaning of Christmas went from the celebrating the birth of Jesus, Incaration, to who can buy the biggiest, most expensive gifts. Santa's naughty list has more than doubled, but yet those children still get the toy of the season. The monotary base of Christmas is sickening, where have the days of giving back for our many blessings.
As I sat down to write this blog I put in the movie "Its A Wonderful Life." George Bailey the main character, whom the movie circles around is face with hardships that test his faith and human dignity. At a yough age he saves his brother's life from drowning in a frozen lake. While he was saving his brother he acquired a flu, and lost the hearing out of his left ear. As George's life progresses his life that he has spent years building begins to crumble. His reaction is asking he had never been born. Its at this point he meets his second class guarding angel, who grants him his wish. Through the vision of never being born he realize the truth meaning of Christmas. Thats its not the fact that he is in debt eight thousand dollars, but rather he has a family that loves him and a community that is willing to do anything to see him succeed.
Im not sure the meaning of Christmas can ever be converted back to a true celebration of the birth of Jesus but maybe parents will begin to inform their children of the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance, a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.

Celebrating Christmas Worldwide

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for me. It is a time of celebration and giving. I celebrate Christmas as the day of observing the birth of Jesus Christ. This is the true meaning of Christmas. However, it is also a time for me to be with my family. Although my family is really two families because of divorce, I feel love and warmth no matter where am I with any part of my family. Our traditions may have changed, but that only gives space for more traditions to begin.
One of the things that my family does is that on Christmas morning is that everyone sits down somewhere in the living room. Then, one person goes up to the tree and passed out gifts one by one. When someone gets a gift, they can open it then. This keeps things a lot more organized since my family is big.
I think its is also interesting to see what other people around the world do to celebrate Christmas. According to www.the-north-pole.com, in Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born, the Church of the Nativity celebrates with flags, decorations, and have a parade on Christmas Eve where horsemen and mounted police lead a procession where a solitary horseman sitting astride on a coal-black steed carries a cross.
The horsemen is then followed by churchmen and government officials and they make their way solemnly into the church. There they place an ancient effigy of the Holy Child inside. Down deep winding stairs is a grotto where a silver star makes the site of Jesus’s birth. A star is also place on a pole in the village square and Christian homes paint crosses over the door and display homemade manger scenes.
Santa Claus is also found in several celebrations around the world. Worldofchristmas.net states that in France he is know as Pere Noel, and children leave shoes by fireplace for him to fill with gifts. Santa Claus also just doesn’t live in the North Pole. In the Netherlands, where he is known as Sinterklaas or Sinterklass, he and his helper Black Peter live in Spain. In Brazil, Papai Noel, or Father Noel, lives in Greenland. In Mexico as well as Spain, children receive gifts from the Three Wise Men on January 6th. According to the website Santa’s Net, the Christian children in China know him as Dun Che Lao Ren, or Christmas Old Man, and they hang muslin stockings for him to fill.
Christmas is a holiday celebrated in many different countries in many different ways. I hope that it’s true meaning is never totally lost with all the hustle and bustle of buying gifts and spending money, because it isn’t about that. So, I hope that everyone has a merry Christmas this year, and every year to come.

'Tis the Season of Giving

The semester is wrapping up here at Piedmont College and will soon give way to the Christmas season. To many people, Christmas is the time of year to share with family. Many remember it as the day when Jesus was born. It can be the season of giving, get-togethers, feasts, presents or whatever else one can think of that might bring joy. All of this is great, but why now? Christmas should be celebrated and enjoyed by everyone, but there is no reason for the season of giving to come only once a year. Giving should be something done in our everyday lives, not something on our Christmas to-do list.
The Salvation Army sends volunteers yielding bells and Santa hats to store fronts around this time of year to raise money. Toys-For-Tots starts to collect gifts for underprivileged children this time as well. Why wait to ask for donations when everyone is counting pennies to buy that last gift? I wouldn’t mind sliding the Salvation Army a couple of bucks in the middle of summer with or without bells and red hats.
Simply put, seasonal giving should have the “seasonal” removed. People feel that dropping some change in the pot or a toy on the table will make their outlandish Christmas spending justified. Sure, that 37 cents will stretch a long way compared to the hundreds of dollars spent on the latest gaming technology upgrade! Christmas is a wonderful season that brings out the best in many but let’s not allow it to end on the 25th of December. Share as often as possible, give when you can and enjoy your family this Christmas.

Celebrating Christmas

For many people Christmas is a time to be with family, friends, and a huge relief from being in classes for sixteen weeks, but to some people Christmas is a time to give presents and go to church with family to celebrate the birth of Jesus. For me Christmas is the time that I spend with my love ones, friends, and celebrate my birthday, which is December 26. When I was younger, Christmas to me was just about all of the toys that I would get, but my main objective was to try to catch Santa in my living room putting down my presents. Trying to catch Santa was very hard for me throughout my childhood because every Christmas I did everything that I could to try to see him. I would put out cookies, milk, candy, and a present for him, but none of that stuff worked. I would wake up before everyone in my family bright and early to see what Santa had brought for me. After seeing, all of the presents that I had received I soon forgot about Santa because I was so excited about the toys and clothes that I thought Santa had gave me. As got older I realized why I could never catch him it was because Santa was my parents. When I found out that Santa was really my parents I just started to be a little more appreciative of my parents because I knew that we were not rich and didn’t have all the money in the world to just get anything. I knew that my parents had worked very hard to try to please my little sister and me for Christmas. Therefore, now Christmas to me is the time that my family comes together the most showing love to everyone.

Santa No Longer Exists...

When you ask kindergarteners what they want for Christmas, the most common responses used to be things like a bike, Barbie, or board game. When you asked them who gives them thier presents, they usually say Santa Claus. These days, even if thier belief in Santa is true, kindergarteners' wish lists have changed. Now it's a Wii or a cell phone. Technology has obviously made a huge impact on the world, even the little people in it. When I was young, I was mostly your typical kid at Christmas. I wanted a Barbie or some kind of baby doll and whatever else I could get. I wasn't too picky. However, I was different in that I never believed in Santa. My parents told me there was no such person from the get go. Some people have told me they feel as though my parents did me an injustice by telling me so. They said I must have had a boring childhood. I disagree. I had a great childhood. It was full of imagination and fun. I actually think that knowing my parents were the one's giving me my gifts gave me an advantage. This way, I could ask for more than I wanted and if I didn't get it, they couldn't blame it on some old guy with a beard. The same when for the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. The meaning of Christmas has changed for me. Not because I was told there was no Santa, but becuase I'm older. I realize now that this holiday is just another chance for businesses to take your money. It's become just another materialistic day instead of a time you should enjoy with family. I can't really blame businesses for this. They have to make money, especially in today's economy. I think you just have to do what I do: Remember that no matter how much the world changes, your family won't.

Meaning of Christmas

The phrase, "the meaning of Christmas" makes me think of little Linus on stage with his blue blanket telling the Biblical Christmas story. To me, this story IS the true meaning of Christmas. However, there are other feelings that accompany it. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the peaked interest in helping others. From The Salvation Army to Toys for Tots, everyone is giving. This giving spirit is part of my personal meaning of Christmas. When we think of others and realize our own good fortune, we are giving for the right reasons. The giving spirit, though, can be taken the wrong way. Shooting someone at Toys-R-Us isn't quite grasping the idea of this giving thing. My parents never fought to get us the "toy of the season," but then again I don't remember ever wanting that coveted toy. In fact, this year, my family is having a Home Made Christmas. Everything we give to each other has to be made, not bought. I love this idea, but I also love to shop for people. I can't make that Vera Bradley set, which I will now be returning instead of giving to my mother. As we are bombarded with talks of a declining economy, our giving does not have to end. Donating your time is just as good, or better than money or items. One of my best Christmas experiences has been ringing the bell for The Salvation Army. Even children recognized this symbol of giving and would bring their little bit.
The meaning of Christmas is different for everyone and mine includes giving.

The Meaning of Christmas

This assignment is due Wednesday, Dec. 3rd. What is the meaning of Christmas to you? Answer from the heart, but also provide some researched facts. For example, look up how much money the average family spends on presents each year. Or explore ways other cultures recognize the season.

Is it Christmas yet?

It is snowing outside, I am 10 pounds heavier from Thanksgiving and shoppers are out determined to find the perfect gift at the perfect price for the people on their lists. It must be Christmas time again.

To some Christmas is just a break from school. To others Christmas is just a time to give and receive gifts. But to me Christmas is a time to spend quality time with my family.

When I was a child, Christmas was all about material gifts that I received. I can remember laying awake in my bed on Christmas Eve determined to stay awake and catch Santa in the action, but I never could. I think my mom used to put children’s Tylenol in my sister and my hot chocolate to put us to sleep faster.

Then, I would wake up before the sun came up and lay there until it rose. We were not allowed to wake mom until the sun was up. That was the rule.

Sun up + mom up = wrapping paper everywhere and just like every preceding year the hype was over in five minutes.

Looking back now, unwrapping the gifts and seeing what Santa, I mean mom, left me under the tree was not the real present. The true gift was the look on my single mom’s face when she was able to give my sister and I what we asked for even if she had to work two and three jobs all year long to get it for us.

These kinds of gifts last a lifetime through the lessons that they teach us, not like the Barbie dolls that I cut all of their hair off, which made them ugly so I threw them away. Instead, I was gifted with a strong work ethic, determination, a love for my family and a drive to be just as strong as my mom.

To me Christmas is improving everyone’s day that you come in contact with, giving unselfishly and sincerely appreciating life’s many blessings.

A valued education

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family. To reflect on the things that we are grateful for and to take a moment and appreciate the opportunities that we have been presented.

I am thankful for my amazing family and friends that I have been given. Without them I truly would have nothing.

As corny as it sounds, I am thankful for my Mary Kay business. Some people are struggling to find work right now and I am thankful that I have been presented with an opportunity to work my business out of a full service salon and spa.

Three days a week I get to help women feel good about their selves. For the couple of hours that our incredible clients are at the salon they get to forget about screaming children, a dirty house, what they’re cooking for dinner and some even deeper issues. The fantastic women at The Strand and I get to enrich women’s lives and not only make them look good, but feel empowered as well.

If I had to tell you one thing that I am mainly fond of and appreciate the most it would be my education. Anyone who knows me well could tell you that I value my education and the education of others.

I am so appreciative that I have had the opportunity to attend Piedmont and receive an interesting liberal arts education. I am more grateful that I was able to take time off to handle life, but when I was ready to pick up where I left off that Piedmont readmitted me and allowed me to finish the journey that I had started.

In today’s scarce job market a person needs an education to compete for good paying jobs. The greatest part is that we all can attend a post secondary institution. Colleges and Universities alike have developed a completely different set of criteria to accept non-traditional students. Most schools, including Piedmont, have gone above and beyond and created scholarships just for these students. A post secondary education has never been more accessible.

I met a beautiful woman the other day. She was as sweet as she could be, but extremely uneducated. My heart went out to her. As I was talking to her and listening to her speak about her financial troubles, I realized that she could very well remain in her financial dilemma. She doesn’t possess an education that could help her advance to a higher paying job. She doesn’t have the people skills, professional skills or initiative to do more. The saddest part, she is so uneducated, she doesn’t know she can change her situation.

I am blessed to have a job right now, but I am thankful that when I finish my education at Piedmont I will have choices. I will have the choice to use my education and start a new chapter in my life. I will have the choice to further my education. I will have a choice to obtain a job that requires a higher education.

I will have a choice whether to move ahead or stand still.

Thanksgiving

I am most thankful for Christmas break. It is a good deal longer than the one I had in grade school, before I went to college. I went to school here in Habersham County. Accoding to the Habersham County Board of Education's website, students around the county will be released early on Fri. Dec. 19, and continue to be out of school until the 6th of January. This means that students in elementary, middle and high schools in Habersham have 18 days of vacation. According to Piedmont's Registrar webpage, our Christmas break begins on Dec. 10, which is the last day of finals. We can start ealier depending on whether we are done with finals before hand. We don't start our next semester until the 8th of January. This means we have 29 or more days (depending on finals) to use for Christmas break. So if you do the math, we have 11 more days of Christmas break than the Habersham schools do. Eleven days might not make the difference to some people, but to me, 11 more days is great. Especially after working so hard for a semester. I still have to work a temporary job to continue making money. However, no homework for almost a month and no stress over projects is a dream come true. Yep...Christmas break is definitley what I'm most thankful for.

THANKFULNESS

As Thanksgiving approaches the rush and choas of everyday life subsides and sincere thoughts of thankfulness come to mind. Thankfulness is that positive emotion in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. To me there is no better benefit to be thankful for than the men and women overseas serving America and protecting Americans' right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The CATO Institute says at any given time " The United States has over 200,000 troops stationed in 144 countries and territories. Also, it usually has another 20,000 sailors and Marines deployed afloat on Navy ships." Sometimes I wonder if the men and women overseas know just how grateful their fellow Americans are for them. No thank you, care package or hug could thank the soldiers enough for what they stand for and protect. It is these willing souls that endure the hardships of war to defend Americans' freedom. Stats from the website InfoPlease show dating back to the Revoluntary war an estimated 1,089,137,435 men and women have paid the ulimate sacrifice in defense of their fellow Americans. Not only am I thankful but I am envious of the courage and bravery of the heroic stars that serve and protect the very country I live in. I could not imagine a day where I were to be put on the front lines of defense for America. A time when I was the next man between terror on the homeland and my fellow Americans living in freedom. I am a man of thankfulness and gratitude for all our armed forces.

Music: One of Things I am Thankful for

One of the things I am thankful for is music. Music is a way to expressing yourself and your emotions. A piece of music is often a snippet into a person’s life and their feelings about life. It is a medium that is often personal, yet it can be shared with the entire world. It is truly a worldwide medium; music can be found almost everywhere.
I think there is hardly a day where I go without hearing some form of music. From the simple song of a little bird in a tree to the melodies of the choral groups at Piedmont’s Center of Worship and Music, I’m always hearing it. I cannot live without it. Sure, I don’t agree with some of the lyrics of some songs, but music has such a wide selection, I don’t have to listen to them. I can simply listen to the style of music that suits me best.
Music is also one of those things that isn’t hard to make. A person can simply tap their toes or beat a rhythm with their hands on a table to create a beat. And then, you can get others to join in with their voice or another sound. It isn’t long before you have the potential of creating a song, with or without words.
Music is also a uniting art form. People often get together and make the music they enjoy. Think about it; if all the music of the world disappeared today, people could still come together and make more. Even if you took away all the instruments, they could still make it with their voice or their hands. Music is universal. There are different styles, but they all came about from some one making a beat; finding that rhythm.

Being Thankful

Thanksgiving the time that we feast on turkey and dressing and spend time with family and friends. Every November we acknowledge a day and take the time out to appreciate everything that we are thankful for. When I sit at the dinner table with my family and friends I realize what I am thankful for.I’m thankful that I am healthy and have no disabilities or diseases. I have helped many people that has had disabilities and diseases doing community service projects and volunteer work with my fraternity, which made me very aware that I was truly blessed to be as healthy as I am. Having the luxury of walking, talking, and hearing everyday is something that I could not imagine living without, but I have met people that could not do any of these task, and I seen the frustrations and struggles that they have everyday. So I am very thankful for being healthy.
I’m also thankful to have both of my parents in my life. Throughout my life both of my parents has been apart of my upbringing, even though they were separated. Having both my mom and dad in my life was a big deal for me because growing up in the inner city can have an effect on what you may do as a teenager because of what you see around you. My dad was there to steer me towards the right things and my mom was there to support and nurture me. Most of my friends did not have this type of support from their parents and have now chose to do some of the wrong things in life. Having both parents in the upbringing of a child is very important, and I’m very thankful that I have had both of my parents support me.
The year 2008 is coming to a close and 2009 will begin, but it will begin with a new president in office. I am very thankful to be in a generation and time to see history made in a presidential election. Barack Hussein Obama II was elected president who is the first African American president ever elected in the history of the presidential election. I was very happy when he was elected because I got to witness history and because I never though that this would happen in my lifetime. So I am very thankful for having the opportunity to see the 2008 presidential election.

Thanksgiving, unlike other holidays, has the potential to be simple. One does not "miss the point" of the Thanksgiving while sitting at a food packed table, thinking about turkeys and pilgrims. I'll admit, I feel a little guilty taking on over Santa on Jesus' birthday or stuffing myself with Cadbury Eggs and Peeps on the day of his resurrection. For this and many other reasons, I am thankful.
I am thankful for my family, friends, and all the good things I am blessed with, but there is one aspect of my life for which I am particularly thankful. I am thankful to have the choice to worship... or not. Being raised in a conservative Southern Baptist family, I am thankful for those values which were instilled in me. On the flip side of that, I enjoy the choice to believe those values and draw from other religions as well. Personally, I am a Baptist who thinks Buddhism has perks and believes the principles of the Islamic faith are worthy. Where else could I even think that out loud, but in the United States of America? Though we complain about many of our nations policies, for this one, we should all be thankful. Although the U.S. is 85% Christian, we also have the freedom to be nine percent Atheist, two tenths percent Hindu, and the largest Jewish nation in the world (www.adherents.com). We are not forced into one national religion and are even encouraged to explore our own decisions regarding faith.
Baptist, Buddhist, believer or not- you should be thankful for this right, this freedom, to worship... or not as you wish.

THANKS-giving...

It’s that time of year again, time to gather with family, grab a seat at the table, loosen up the waistline of your pants, and inhale every possible casserole and pie in sight. Thanksgiving comes along every year and rarely do I take time to stop and think about what I’m thankful for beyond the hash-brown casserole and turkey sitting on my plate. Now that I think about it, I’m thankful for many things. Family and friends come to mind first, then pets and the basic necessities of life, but I want to look deeper.
I am thankful that I had a chance to visit and tour Yankee Stadium before it closed its doors this year. I had a chance to walk on the same ground as some of baseball’s greatest players, such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter, and it almost brings a tear to my eye to see it go. Yankee Stadium and the 37 World Series that it hosted will never be forgotten. Speaking of the World Series, I’m also thankful that baseball’s powerhouses didn’t win it this year. The Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies made for a refreshing World Series and a different look at baseball altogether.
I am thankful that I live in a country where I have a say. Politics has never been something that has been interesting to me but with all of the Presidential campaigning going on, I followed more closely this year. I am thankful that I had a chance to cast my first presidential vote this year, and regardless of who won, I am also very thankful that the election is over.
As my days as a college undergrad come to a close I find myself looking at things differently. I’m not thankful that it’s over, because I will miss this place. I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to attend such a wonderful college. Many people never get the chance to go to college and without my family I wouldn’t have either. This brings me back to family, I am thankful for mine. I am in a position to do whatever I want to do with my life because of them. They have been my support system for the last 21 years and as I get ready to embark on my own journey through the craziness of life, I know I’ll always have the security of home to return to. That is truly something to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving

Due November 12, 2008: What are you thankful for?

no fur not fair

I do not agree with Piedmont's animal policy, and here's why: If residents can have snakes longer than I am tall, why can't I have a rabbit, hamster, or cat? I do understand why this policy is in place, but I think there are other alternatives than just a strict no.
Those wanting to have pets could have an additional contract to sign along with their housing contract. Some apartment buildings require an additional deposit if you would like to have a pet. This could work too. The desposit could be refundable when the student checks out of their dorm without pet related problems. There could be size limits on furry pets. Personally, I love dogs, but having a barking dog in my dorm would diminish that love fairly quickly. Have a "three strikes" policy concerning noise and cleanliness. All of these suggestions would require a little more work from RA's and pet owners, but they would offer more freedom.
Responsibility would be the key to making this work. Students who can not be responsible enough to take their animal out, clean up after them, or keep them well behaved should not be allowed to have them. Knowledge of who these students are could only come after a trial basis. However, people we're in college. If you have trouble handling yourself, do not bring an animal into the picture.
I think we should be able to have animals along with a clear animal code of conduct.

No fur of feathers works for me

One of the big issues on Piedmont's campus is pets and the fact that we can't have any with feathers or fur. This includes animals like dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and others. Some people are ok with this and some aren't. I'm with the group that is ok with the fact that we can't have furry or feathered pets. Don't get me wrong, I love animals. However, I'm deathly allergic to cats. So I wouldn't want a roommate who has one. This would be a danger to me. I'm sure there is another student on this campus besides me who has an allergy to some other furry or feathered animal. Why would the college put our lives in danger just so someone could have a pet? Another issue with these pets is the messes they make. Especially dogs. Puppies aren't housebroken when they are born. It takes time. However, during that time, you have to clean up after them...ALOT. Urine and fecies can also stain floors and other parts of the dorm. Then you'd have to pay for the damages. If students don't want to pay for little holes in the walls from nails, I highly doubt they'll want to pay to stains. Now I realize that some people can be allergic to the pets that are allowed on campus. These include fish and reptiles. Some can also be dangerous, like big snakes. However, the risk and work is much bigger with furry or feathered animals. Other schools like UGA allow almost any kind of pet. But only is a student lives in an apartment. This way they have to pay for any damages caused by the pet. I think this way works. If you want a pet, you should be responsible for it. Still, some people have allergies to animals. So they have to intereact with people in their apartments at thier own risk.

Hairless In The Dorms

When studens walked down the halls of their dorms at Piedmont College they will never hear the bark of a dog or the purr of a cat. However they can expect to see over-grown lizards and large tanks full of fish. That is because Piedmont's current pet policy is "students may have pets with no furr or feathers." President Cleere says "allowing students to have pets such as dogs and cats would be a distraction." Can a distraction not be a good thing sometimes? Maybe having a dog or cat could be a good distraction from all the stress and pressure of college. It is always said that a dog or cat is a human's best friend. President Cleere says his biggest worry is "students will slack on cleaning up after their pets causing a huge mess and unneccessary work for housekeeping." Residence Life Coordinator Mark Maynard adds "students with pets such as dogs and cats is a big responsibility, a big responsibility that Piedmont feels students may not be able to handle with the heavy load of college courses." It is very true that pets are a huge responsibility but is learning responsibility not part of growing up and a significant part of college. In conclusion allowing students to have pets with furr and feathers would be a great addition. However in reality President Cleere says "the school's biggiest concern are those students with allergies." So as unfortunate as it is Piedmont may never see the day where the barks of dogs and purrs of cats echo the halls of dorms.

Fur No Fur it's alright with me

Some Students living on campus at piedmont have a hard time bringing their pets to school and some students have no worriers at all bringing their pets to school with them. According to The animal policy at piedmont is that the students cannot have any animals in their room that has fur. Most of the animals that the students have on campus are reptiles or fish. The rule may sound a little unfair for the student who small pets that contains fur such as hamsters, but for a couple of big university’s the rules are much different. According to the student handbooks of Cleveland State University and the University of Cincinnati animal policy says that the only animals they are allowed to have are fish. Having animals in dorms I feel should definitely be limited if you have a roommate because someone might be allergic to animals, but for those who do not have roommates should be able to have what they want. According to sixwise.com , found that 54.3 percent of Americans between the ages of 6 and 59 tested positive to one or more allergens. A positive test also means that the person has a greater risk of asthma, hay fever and eczema. The allergies that are connected to animals are not as common as others, but fury animals may trigger one of these allergies according to revolutionhealth.com animals with fur can be very irritating to someone with this kind of infection. I do feel that someone that has to pay to go to school and live in a dorm should at least be able to have a small pet if they live by themselves. Why should those students have to suffer because they want to bring a small pet, but they have to deal with their roommate’s ten foot python? Students at Piedmont are here for a degree so maybe the animal policy should just say no animals of any kind should be allowed in the place of rest. If a student really likes animals the door is open for them to have them, but maybe not the kind that they want. I feel the students should enjoy the privilege of being able to have any type of pet while their in college. For the students that have allergies should request to be moved to another room maybe with a friend, or someone that also has allergies. The rule is alright with me.

No Fur, No Feathers

According to Piedmont’s policy on pets in the dorms, students living on campus are not allowed to any pet that has fur or feathers. “I hate it. We should be allowed to have dogs and cats. We should be at least able to have bird.” says sophomore and Music major Jeff Hall. However I disagree, even though it was hard not taking my own cat, Chickadee, with me. I believe the Pet Policy has students in mind at its heart.

The policy is right for banning things with fur or feathers. Jana Myers, a freshman and Music Performance major, brings up a good point when she stated that roommates may be allergic to pets with fur. Yes, even though it is hard to leave your furry or feathered friend at home, you must think of who you will be sharing a room with.

Students at Piedmont have more freedom than some colleges’ policies with pets. For instance, at my dorms at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, we were only allowed to have fish in one gallon or less tanks. However, if a student living on campus need a service animal, that animal could live with them. The University of Georgia also follows the fish only rule, and the tank must be under 20 gallons. With Piedmont, at least you can have the choose of reptiles and amphibians also, but they generally stay in cages.

Another thing is that pets without feathers or fur are generally kept in the cage at all time. This makes them better, as all their activity stays in the cage. You don’t have to worry about taking them out as with dogs, or making sure they make the litter box as with cats. Plus, although the cage is not always fool-proof, for the most part, the pet inside cannot take off and be lost in the dorm or even outside.

Purrfect Pet Policy

Fish, snakes, and turtles are some of the most popular pets of students across our campus. That doesn’t sound like the typical list of top pets but that’s almost all that is allowed. According to Resident Director B.J. Hampton, “no hair and no fur” is the pet policy at Piedmont College. This may sound strict, but according to the LaGrange College website, fish are the only option as pets in their dorms. I feel that Piedmont College has it right with this rule by allowing students limited options that will not negatively affect the rest of the dorm.
Allergies are a part of life for many people. According to ens-newswire.com, over 50% of the U.S. population has some type of allergy. This means that one of the people sharing a wall with you is allergic to something. Allergies related to pets are less common, affecting 10% of the population according to allergyescape.com, but are no less meaningful. Why should a student paying over $20,000 per year to go the school at Piedmont be forced to live with watery eyes and constant sneezing just because their roommate likes cats?
While puppies and kittens can be cute and cuddly, they can also be messy and loud. We are at college to further our education. It might get a little difficult to study Calculus while an eight-week-old Shi Tzu is yelping next door. The odor of a pet in a confined space can get out of control as well. Just imagine walking by an open door to a room that is housing a full grown cat with a litter box. Ah! Nothing like that fresh North Georgia Air!
Piedmont has been criticized for past decision, but this one is right on. They are allowing students to express themselves as long as it doesn’t affect the rest of the student population. Enjoy it!

Assignment Due Wednesday, October 29

Find out what Piedmont's policy is on pets living in the dorms. Do you agree or disagree? As part of your blog, consider how the policy compares to other schools.

College Tuition: An Investment or A Fraud?

Every student looks forward to or remembers the days when the mail from colleges and universities around the country starts to pile up in their mailboxes. Its a time in a young person's life when they are to be rewarded for the years of hardwork that they have done put in during high school. However what about those students who are independent and pay for themselves or have parents with an income below the average income. Those students that have all the potential in the world just not all the money in the world, and that seems to be what is needed in today's world to make anything of yourself. It is not getting any better either as tuition costs continue to climb year after year. College board online says "most students and their families can expect to pay, on average, from $95 to $1,404 more than last year for this year's tuition and fees, depending on the type of college." With most students these days trying to work sufficent amount of hours to help pay for the tuition along with a heavy school load, so many of them have to drop out because the finicial burden of school. Reports from College board online show "the average tuition for a private four-year institution costs $23,712 a year, up 6 percent from last year, in addition the average tuition for a public four-year institution costs $6,185 a year, up 6 percent from last year." The payoff for attending college is unbelieveable. College board online says "people with a bachelor's degree earn over 60 percent more than those with only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, the gap in earning potential between a high school diploma and a B.A. is more than $800,000." Its sad knowing that so many of our fellow Americans who are to endure the given life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will never get to pursue the happiness of college. Its sad to know that somewhere out there could be the next Albert Einstein, who will not prosper because they can not afford the rising tuition costs. Maybe the day has come when the land of opportunity has seized to hold opportunity.

Is Piedmont College a Safe Campus?

Yesterday, my sister had the TV turned to Doctor Phil. On this particular episode, the theme was about campus safety and featured guests who were college students that had experienced some kind of safety violation on campus. According to a special report on Reader’s Digest.com, “This country's 6,000 colleges and universities report some 40,000 burglaries, 3,700 forcible sex offenses, 7,000 aggravated assaults and 48 murders a year.“ So, is Piedmont College a safe campus?
Well, first, I think we are doing well because we have Campus Police. I like how they are station in Getman-Babock Hall, which makes them right at that dorm, plus a short distance from the other dorms. I also like how there is a fire detector and a sprinkler in my dorm room, and I hope they are in every dorm room too. That and a fire drill that we perform earlier this semester covers fire safety, I believe.
Also, the new warning system installed this month is great. I like that it is loud, so you should be able to hear it all around campus. I think this will be great to notify students of bad weather or other things that may affect their safety.
However, I think there are a few things that can be improved upon. I don’t know if there are many cameras on campus, which could help lower any crime because people could be deterred from doing bad things because they could be caught on camera. Also, some areas of the campus are not that well lit, especially when you are going by the small playground area beside Brooks and Camp Halls. But this only a problem at night, and sometimes it feels better when you walk with someone else. All in all, I think our campus is going in the right direction of campus safety, despite some minor issues.

Throwing dollars away

The bottled water industry has been telling us for years that tap water is not safe and we NEED to buy bottled water. Research now shows that they are full of crap.

The Associated Press released an article today with findings challenging the popular impression and marketing pitch that bottled water is purer than tap water, the researchers say.

Joe Doss, president of the International Bottled Water Association, said the study is based on the faulty premise that a contaminant is a health concern "even if it does not exceed the established regulatory limit or no standard has been set," the Associated Press.

The study tested 10 brands of bottled. 38 chemicals including bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals and the radiopactive element strontium were tested. Researcher sampled one batch for each of the 10 brands. Eight did not have contaminants high enough to warrant further testing. But two brands did, so more tests were done and those revealed chlorine byproducts above California's standard, the group reported.

The researchers said that Sam's Choice sold by Wal-mart and Acadia of Giant Food supermarkets were the two brands that received further testing. Moreover, the Wal-mart brand was five times California's limit for one particular chlorine byproduct, bromodichloromethane.

Why are these brands still on the shelf? Why is the FDA not pulling these big name brands off the shelves as I write this?

The environmental group wants Wal-mart to label its bottles in California with a warning because the chlorine-based contaminants have been linked to cancer.

To label the water still would not be enough. Something needs to be done. If these results are true than Americans have been lied to and cheated out of their hard earned dollars everyday.

Researchers recommend that people worried about water contaminants drink tap water with a carbon filter.

It is sad after all of these years that we find out that expensive bottled water is no safer than free tap water. As said earlier some contaminants found in the bottled water were linked to causing cancer.

All of you bottled water drinkers stop throwing away your dollars on buying cancer and start purchasing really great healthcare plans.

Society's Influence on Film and Vis Versa

The film industry has always been a very powerful one. One genre of film, fantasy, takes what we imagine and makes it a reality. Action movies do the same but use explosions and guns. Horror movies use lighting and sound, or the lack there of to make our worst fears come to life. These things we imagine and are made into reality come from us; they come from our society. Social norms that are broken or events that have happened in the past are used to fuel the stories of most movies. So does society influence film or is it the other way around? Does film influence society? What about documentaries? This genre of film is the most influenced by society. It is a reflection of the reality of our world, not the one we imagine. For example, after the tragedy of Columbine, director Michael Moore produced his documentary, "Bowling for Columbine." This film was about what happened and what helped it happen. He said that if America was more strick on gun control, then the chance of two teenagers killing in their high school might not have happened. His other films, such as "Sicko" and "Slacker" also deal with other "problems" in society. They show us what's really going on behind the scenes and most of the time something is changed because of them. I think documentaries are the most powerful genre of film for these reasons. So as movies influence us with turning fantasy into reality, I think film influences us by showing us reality. It works both ways and is effective on both sides.

Not another bailout plan...

Do you think the bailout is worth it? To many different millionaires the sound of this bailout brings music to their ears. Many of them fear that they would lose their comfortable style of living. However, this isn't the case for 80% of America. Middle to lower class citizens are outraged at the over whelming response to this crisis and to how fast this country responded. With the near collapse of the major financial lenders, FANNIE MAE and FREDDIE MAC, the country is beginning to see a trend in the construction of bailout plans. The average American in today's society has no clue as to what it means to be invested in the stock market, there for feels no direct effect of the stock market crash This bailout gives many financial institutions an excuse to rely on the government and not themselves to correct this problem. Experts state that if there is no other option for these companies to correct their problems then this bailout plan may work well in their interest. Though, it may benefit companies to come up with other ways of fixing their situation instead of waiting on a lengthy process and following procedures which waste tax payers money, they still want to rely on the government. Large companies, like JPMorgan, feel as though everything is based on credit. To many, credit is based on trust and establishing trust in the credit system will get their company back on track, which is why they are denying to use the bailout plan. I feel as though people should be held accountable for the thing that they do. If the U.S decided to create a bailout plan for the rich then there should have been a bailout plan years ago for the poor. I do agree with the idea that companies have the right to find ways to bail themselves out, which uses less tax payer money.

Pacman; You Lose!

The saga of Adam “Pacman” Jones has blanketed every sports show for the past two years. The 6th overall draft pick of the Tennessee Titans was suspended in 2007 due to repeatedly breaching the National Football League’s player-conduct policy. After a brief stent as a professional wrestler during his suspension, Jones was reinstated to the league this year. He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on April 30th of this year and things looked to be taking a turn for the better. He told reporters to refer to him as Adam, after apparently ditching his wild mannered alter ego of Pacman. According to the Los Angeles Times, Adam “Pacman” Jones was suspended indefinitely from the NFL on October 14th for yet another altercation. To this I say, good riddance.
His original suspension was sparked by and altercation outside of a Las Vegas night club. This fight led to the shooting of the club’s bouncer, who was paralyzed from his wounds according to wsmv.com. I feel that the NFL was justified in this original suspension. The NFL is a business. Anyone working an average job would be reprimanded for bringing a bad light onto the company they work for. How could the NFL be any different? Their product, the football broadcast, can become more difficult to sell to families if there is a suspected shooting accomplice roaming the sidelines.
The most recent incident, reported by the Los Angeles Times, was between Jones and his bodyguard. What few people know is that this bodyguard was hired by the Dallas Cowboys to keep Jones out of trouble. Allegedly fueled by alcohol, Jones got into a fight with his bodyguard at a Dallas hotel. If it were up to me, he would be out of the NFL for life.
The NFL must sell its product to as many people as possible. This includes men, women, and children. These children look up to NFL stars as role models. What kind of message would the NFL by sending by letting a thug represent their company? Adam “Pacman” Jones should not be allowed to play in the NFL ever again. He has repeatedly disgraced himself, his team, and the company that he is employed by.

It's almost that time again. Our televisions, mailboxes, radio dials, and voice mails are being flooded with campaign messages, all trying to get us to vote for a particular candidate. According to the U.S. Census, from 2000 to 2004, there was an increase of 12.5 million registered voters in the United States. Why? Are people becoming more concerned about key issues? Maybe. Are we getting more interesting candidates? Yes. For whatever reason, we are taking more of an interest in who we put into office. But are voters really educated on their candidates? I would say no.
Youtube is full of videos claiming Barack Obama is a terrorist who plots against America. The same site has hundreds of compilations of videos of John McCain struggling through speeches with the help of aids standing behind him. However, there are also sites such as www.smartvoter.org and www.vote-smart.org who have launched their own campaigns against ignorant voting. Sure 12.5 million more voters is great, but if those people are voting on an image or an impulse, do you feel confident about their decisions? These sites and others tell potential voters how and when to register to vote, issues and candidates' positions, and how to tell the phony information from what is really happening. These lists could help the increasing numbers of voters, vote smarter.
Instead of being informed by sensational forwarded emails or Youtube videos, voters should heed these educational websites and become informed on what really matters in their candidate of choice. They may even use these to decide who IS their candidate of choice. If you know a new voter, a potential voter, or someone who just doesn't get the whole educated voter thing, encourage them to research and know what their opinion is.

Free Choice: Assignment Due Wednesday, October 15

Choose your own blog topic. Pick something that's controversial, something that you can argue either for or against, or somehow have an opinion about. Use this opportunity to convince readers to believe the way you do about something you care about. As always, do your research and use proper attribution.

Gouging is unfair

I do not think price gouging is acceptable and the law against it should stay. I don’t believe you should pay for something that isn’t the fair price for it. Gouging isn’t selling something at a fair price. With the mortgage crisis going on, money is getting tight for some people. The price of food items like milk is also going up. I don’t think people should have to choose between buying gas or feeding their children.
I think fair capitalism would lie in true competition. The consumer should decide what business gets their money based on the quality of the product and their own personal tastes. If the only way a gas station can afford to stay open is to raise it’s price to match all the others, even if it is a high price, then I believe that is alright. People who connected to gas stations need to feed their families too.
I think limits on how much gas you can buy are a good idea, as long as they are enforced. I liked what happened in the last gas crisis. People could only go to get gas on a certain day, depending on their license plate. That’s an good way to make sure people weren’t getting gas when they weren’t supposed to because you could see that they had the wrong tag for that day.
I think gouging is the wrong way to go here. I think we should limit how much people should buy at one setting or only let certain people be able to get gas on a certain day. I think if that happened, consumers could buy gas without gas stations having to raise them up so high just to stay in business.

The line did not start with you

One month ago I used to complain every time I filled up my SUV because it was so expensive. Now, I am praying that the government would stop micro-managing gas stations and allow them to raise their prices.

Some may call this gouging while others refer to it as capitalism. I say it is capitalism. Why does the government have the right to determine how much money a gas station owner can make? Clothing stores like Versace sell its clothes at significantly higher prices than Target, and the government doesn’t tell them they have to lower its prices.

Georgia is still feeling the effects of Hurricane Ike and it didn’t even hit us. There is NO gasoline to be found. Most gas stations do not have fuel to sell its customers and the one’s that do are limiting the amount that someone can purchase.

While driving down the road yesterday, from Clarkesville to Buford, I passed 27 local gas stations without fuel; this is ridiculous. I did, however, find one gas station in Buford that had gas. Too no surprise, I had to wait 45 minutes just to get to the pump. When I did finally get to the pump there was a note that read “30 dollar limit. Please Pay inside.” After driving an hour for gas I was not happy. I noticed other drivers around me slamming things, being rude to others, and some even cursing at other drivers to hurry. I guess those people were so ignorant that they did not realize that we too waited 45 minutes for gasoline.

Gas stations that actually have gasoline are choosing to limit the amount of fuel a driver can purchase. The owner at the BP in Buford said he doesn’t like telling people what to do but his gas station is running out of gas and he wants as many people to benefit from his gas as possible. I respect him looking out for the greater good, I just don’t like it.

If the gas stations were allowed to raise the price of gasoline significantly it would decrease the long lines at the pump; consumers would have to cut down on unnecessary driving, topping off just because they have the time to sit in long lines, and find ways to car pool to reserve fuel. Raising gas prices is not gouging it is capitalism.

The United States consumes over 20 million barrels of oil a day (CIA World Fact book) because of this not all gas stations would choose to raise its prices. All gas station owners are in business to make money. No matter what the prices are they will still make money. Drivers would have the ability to choose to sit in long lines because the gas is cheaper or drive right up to the pump because gas is more expensive. Just like the clothing stores, you get what you pay for. At Versace you pay for name brand quality clothing and at a higher priced gas station you would finally get to buy TIME.

Gouging OR Capitalism?

Has the time come when Americans living in the southeast have to plan their lives around conserving as much gas as possible. Today Americans living in the southeast half of the United States could drive for miles searching for gas and see nothing but Wal-Mart plastic bags covering every nozzle or prices reaching $4.50 a gallon. With the sky rocketing gas prices and the unbelievable gas shortage its easy to ponder the thought of gouging or capitalism. Ken Medlock, an energy specialist at Rice University in Houston says "the closing of refineries prior to the two hurricanes created a shortage in the gasoline distribution system for many areas. We had sort of a double whammy [hit]. Gustav resulted in about 15 percent of our nation's refining capacity being shut down, and Ike added another 19 percent. So, the fact that those storms were back to back means that for about three weeks, you had very limited refining capacity in this country." With very limited refining capacity some believe that gas station owners are gouging the prices of gas, charging exorbitant or excessive prices for gas following a disaster is not only unethical, it's illegal in some states. In certain states individuals or businesses found guilty of price gouging could face fines up to $1,000 per violation. Or are the high gas prices just a prime example of capitalism? Personally its clear that the gas crisis is capitalism being taken advantage of. The private business owners in the free market are playing their customers and making huge profit off of it. Small regional gas stations such as Race Trac charging $4.50 a gallon is insane, and making the owner of Race Trac a ton of money. Medlock also says "the Department of Energy is reporting the lowest gasoline inventories in the United States since 1967. But he says the problem will not last more than another couple of weeks, as crews get refineries back up and running at full capacity. " When the problem is dissolved will the gas prices recede to a more considerable price? So many of us Americans hope so, and fear that the day may come when the cost of our commutes to work will outweight our salaries. Its a scary thought but is scary possible. Here's an idea how about President Bush's 700 billion dollar bailout plan for the economy recues our pitiful oil industry and our dependence on foreign oil.

Gouging ...I mean capitalism.

The first time I bought gas for myself was six years ago. I paid under $2.00 it. Today, if I drive by a station advertising gasoline for $3.95 I think I've got myself a deal. In the past few years, we have been conditioned, and yes, brainwashed to think that fuel for under $4 is a steal. We're shocked when it goes up a dime a day for an entire week. Then, it only comes down two of those dimes and we're relieved. Sneaky.
However, now we've got more to worry about than just prices. How about the problem of finding gas? Finding fuel is currently like a time bomb game of "Where's Waldo." You're driving around and around gas stations, only finding pumps covered by annoying, cheap plastic bags while you're sweating over that orange light that seems to stay on on your dash. You finally find gasoline, only to wait behind man kind's finest specimens, also waiting. What is it about a crisis that brings out the worst in people? After hearing horror stories from the pump, I am literally scared to try to get gas.
Due to hurricane season, Bloomberg.com reports that at least 46 million barrels of motor fuel output were lost from August 30 to September 19. By the way, the United States consumes over 20 million barrels of oil a day. (CIA World Factbook) So what happens if we completely run out? We need to address that problem before it becomes reality. A solution: price gouging ...or capitalism if you want the term to come with a little more authority.
Face it, as long as prices are within our range, we will all keep filling our tanks as often as we can. I am personally not prepared to pay any more than I have to at the pump, but for conservation sake, I think it could be worth it. The decline in gas purchases may even inspire some to stay home or plan trips more carefully. It will eliminate waste. Sure, everyone will be furious, devestated, and any other dramatic term we can think of, but in a long term view, price gouging, I mean capitalism, would be beneficial for our situation. So, in the meantime, suck it up and meet those charming people in the 15 cars behind you.

Gouging Gas Prices

The situation with the gas around northeast Georgia is absolutely outrageous. Due to the tropical storm Hurricane Ike the gas source is very restricted because of the stand still of oil refineries in the state of Texas were the oil for northeast Georgia comes from. The residents from northeast Georgia are scared of the lack of gas, which caused most people to over react. People were racing to any gas station that had even just a little gas, and these people took every ounce of gas to the last drop. Gas stations started to raise their prices and put limits on gas. After the storm touched down most of the gas stations in the surrounding county’s of Demorest raised the prices at least one to two dollars more than what is was originally, and now even three weeks after the storm gas prices are still rising at various gas stations. With the gas prices high and the long wait for gas the majority of the people are very frustrated. Some of these people are extremely mad because they have to go at least thirty minutes away from their homes just to find gas, and one of the biggest frustrations for the people is that once they find the gas they have to wait in a huge line for another thirty minutes before they can even touch a pump to receive gas. I have even heard stories of people waiting to ask gas trucks when they will be delivering again, and even if they say four in the morning the people would get up early to get gas to avoid the lines. I feel that most gas stations are gouging people for the gas because of the storm situation and the oil refineries being slow. This is gouging because the gas stations are taking advantage of the people by raising the gas prices higher than they should be. Capitalism is an economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of means of production. Capitalism also encourages private investment and business, compared to a government-controlled economy. I think that the gas stations are at the point were they are just taking the advantage of raising the prices and making as much money as they can off of the customers because of the situation.

Let Capitalism Rule

Due to recent natural disasters our nation is currently in a state of economic turmoil. Many of these problems are directly related to our gas supply. With most of the gas in Georgia coming from the Houston pipeline, which was hit very hard by hurricane Ike, gas has become increasingly hard to find. Oil production was halted when the hurricane hit, causing the gas supply to temporarily be cut off. This temporary stop in production has caused a gas shortage for Georgians. With legislation currently in place that prevents gas station owners from raising the price or gouging, gas is one of the few products with a government issued price ceiling. Is this fair? As much as I may regret this statement from my peers, I firmly believe that it is not fair to the gas station owners.
Living is a capitalistic society is one of the things that makes America so great. People from around the world have flocked the our great land for centuries to take advantage of this. Starting a business and getting rich is the American dream, and capitalism is key to this type of success. Capitalism is defined by dictionary.com as an economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production Why should our government step in to control prices on gas? The law of supply and demand, according to netmba.com states that if there are fewer units of products to be sold, and the demand is still high enough, the price will rise. Gas station owners should be able to take advantage of this.
Take a trip to any gas station locally and you will see one of two things. You will either see a vacant parking lot with trash bags over the pumps, or you will see tons of people clamoring over one another to get what little gas is remaining. Men yelling at women to hurry up, old ladies flipping the bird, and everyone looking scared to death that the gas will run out before they get their tanks topped off are some of the chaotic sights I have seen at the pumps recently. If gas stations owners had free will to jack up the prices, I guarantee that less people would fell the need to top off their tank. If less people were buying it out of fear, and more people were buying it because they actually needed it, our gas crisis may be solved. The demand would eventually drop, while the stockpile had time to be replenished leaving the gas prices back where they were to start.
I am fully aware that people would be outraged. Many people would complain that it was too expensive to do anything or go anywhere that is not completely necessary, but our gas supply would finally catch back up, prices would soon fall, and then we would all be able to go back to our pre-hurricane lives.

Gas Prices: Gouging or Capitalism?

Today's gas situation is pretty hurindous. The supply of gas is limited because of hurricane Ike shutting down oil refineries in Texas. However, the media and people's fear excellerated the gas shortage to mean "gas crisis" and everyone went into panic mode. Cars were driven to the closest gas stations and were sucked dry. This was an inconvinent situation, yes, but only until gas stations began to use the "gas crisis" to maxamize their profits. Stations started uping their prices and puting a limit on that pricey gas. Hurricane Ike hit on Friday, September 12, and days later the Race Trac in Habersham county raised the price of their unleaded gas from to $4.09. Today the price continues to rise. Soon after this happened, people began losing hold of their morals and manners. They now cuss and yell impacient absenities at other customers trying to fill up their tanks. Other people are so desperate for gas, they either travel out of the county to get it or follow gas trucks off the highways to gas stations, and wait for them to fill up the tanks. Some people even camp out over night at stations, hoping to nab a tank full when a truck comes early in the morning. All of these desperate measures are taken because not only is gas rare, but it's now very expensive. I think this is wrong. I think gas stations are gouging customers for gas. Just because a terrible situation has arisen, doesn't mean it's right to take advantage of people. It's not right in any situtation, so why do it? This is definitly gouging; this is not capitalism. Capitalism is dealing with supply and demand, not outragous theivery. Charging up to nine dollars a tank isn't going to solve anything. Gas stations won't make much money off of unfortunate drivers for long. Soon people will run out of money and no longer be able to afford the rarity that is gasoline. Rising prices only hurt situations like this, not helping it.

Assignment Due Wednesday, October 1

Discuss the gas sitation in our area. Many gas stations are out of gas, and those that do have gas have long lines of sometimes angry and frustrated customers. Some stations are limiting the amount of gas each customer can buy. There are laws against gouging, which prevents gas stations from taking advantage of the situation by raising prices. But if they were able to raise prices and let capitalism run its course, perhaps people would be less likely to buy more gas than they need. So, the topic for this week's blog is: Higher Gas Prices: Gouging or Capitalism? Have fun!

Stupid People = Stupid Decisions

Like Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ike left behind devastation, death, and destruction. The effects of hurricanes are not anything new; so, why did some residents not evacuate?
In 1992, my family and I lived in South Florida. This was the year that, category five, Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida and the Bahamas. Similar to Ike, residents in Florida were encouraged to evacuate and we did. My mother told me that she could never chose her material things over the life of her children. All the things that she has accumulated and worked so hard for were just that, material things.
Despite Hurricane Ike preparations, nearly 100,000 people refused voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders in Texas and Louisiana last week, reported Yahoo News. "I'm going to stay as long as the Lord says so. If they come with a court order, then we'll leave. I hope it doesn't get to the point where we're forced out" said Patricia Kelly, an Ike holdout.
I just cannot seem to understand the lack of intelligence. Do these people secretly want to die? Are they so materialistic that they are willing to lose their lives before losing their stuff?
As a result of these so called holdouts, some of America’s best men and women are in these flooded and diseased areas to try to rescue these people. If these people cared about anything beside themselves and their possessions then than they would have evacuated when told to do so. Now, more lives are being risked to force them out. How inconsiderate. Yahoo News reported that from Orange County, Texas, to Cameron County, La., the US Coast Guard, National Guard units, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service conducted over 1,000 rescues, but were turned back as often by residents determined to hang on as the worst floodwaters since 1913 clung to the Cajun Prairie. Is it worth sending America’s finest in to save America’s selfish? No!

Should they? No. Will they? Yes.

Hurricanes cause enormous amounts of damage. Lives are lost, property is lost, and entire towns can be leveled. I know this and I have never even been close to a hurricane. Personally, that will affect where I choose to live. Hurricanes come here? No thanks. I realize this is not an option for some, however, those living in hurricane prone areas should be smart about these monsters of weather. If you are told to evacuate, do it! The government should not give aid to those who choose to stay in a hurricane's path. However, they will.
According to nytimes.com, Hurricane Ike caused as much as $16 billion in property damage. This is a staggering number that is no doubt leaving a lot of homeowners devestated. Meanwhile, this same website shows a story of "250 stubborn Texans refuse to leave," FOXNews.com is also reporting on those who are, now after the hurricane, being forced out of their homes. My question to those people is: Why do you stay? For sentimental reasons? To protect your house? Exactly how does your presence help your home during torrential rain and 120 mile per hour wind?
I'm not saying the government should not help at all. $16 billion is millions of people left homeless. These people, whether they left or not, are going to have to start all over again. Other than insurance funds and government help, those affected will have little means of starting over. nytimes.com also reports that over 24% Texans do not have insurance and of the $16 billion in damages, Texas' insurance pool will only cover $2.3 billion. The government is left holding the bill for the remaining $13.7 billion. Although I cannot imagine why I would live in a hurricane zone, I also cannot imagine how I would recover from losing everything I had.
There should be a line, though, for those who stay and those who leave. If you willingly stay and are physically injured, I do not think you deserve my tax money to make you all better. I need that money for instances I do not bring on myself. Those who stay should have to relinquish their rights to some of their government aid. If they choose not to receive help when the government is trying to get them out of harms way, why would they want it now?

Stupidity = Life on a Rooftop

This just in: The U.S. Government cannot save its citizens from themselves. That’s right ladies and gentleman, the government is not responsible for one’s own stupidity. I say this because despite warnings and ample time to flee, there were still people who choose to stay in their homes and wait out hurricane Ivan. Now these same people are costing the government daily as they are currently being saved from their flooded homes. This is not something that needs to happen. There are consequences to every choice you make, and the consequence for these brave souls is life on a rooftop for a little while.
According to a survey on sciencedaily.com, almost a third of people facing evacuation due to a hurricane will choose to stay. The government is making decisions according to what is in the best interest of the residents, and the residents should act accordingly. Sure this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, but in these circumstances the “brave” should not be deployed to help out the “free.”
The cost of a hurricane can be staggering. MSNBC.com states that Hurricane Katrina will end up costing over 200 billion dollars. With Hurricane Ike looking eerily similar, it is looking like the cost will be close as well. The money being used comes from nonprofit organizations and the taxpayers. Everyone pays taxes, and most would like to pay less. What gets under my skin isn’t the money spent on rebuilding after the hurricane or even the money spent helping people evacuate, it’s the money that will be spent saving the people who chose not to evacuate. Rescuers must be paid for doing their job. Helicopters, boats, and hummers that will be used in the rescue effort all cost a great deal to operate.
The safety of the lives of rescue workers is also a huge concern. Why should anyone be sent to save someone who was too stubborn for their own good? According to an associated press article on Salon.com, there has been one recorded death of a rescue worker. The brave worker fell into a rising river while attempting to save someone trapped in a SUV. This was an unneeded fatality. The driver of the car was attempting to flee the hurricane well after the initial evacuation.
The government of this great nation of ours should not but its employees through this. Once warnings are sent out and the evacuation becomes mandated, those who choose to stay should be on their own. No unnecessary spending and no additional lives should be lost!

Hurricane Ike

This past weekend hurricane Ike was predicted to blow through the state of Texas. Many news stations and whether channels started to notify the residence to an emergency evacuation three days before the storm was going to hit, and to leave their homes before the storm touched down. When the people were told how severe the storm was some of them listened and evacuated from their homes and some were gutsy enough to stay home. According to stormpulse.com, the hurricane was on pace to hit Texas with 145mph winds late Saturday night. Most people started to leave early Friday morning and some evacuated Thursday evening.

Hurricane Ike was a category 4 storm which caused a large amount of damage.
news.nationalgeographic.com says that the cost of damage reach up to 22 billion dollars. After hurricane Ike struck, the Red Cross sheltered more than 20,000 people across four different states. For the people who were trapped or did not leave their homes red cross sent out 120 emergency vehicles, and 2,500 worker to rescue these people. Rescues such as hurricane Ike takes an enormous amount of money to cover the cost of the rescue, which means that we as tax payers know that the money that we give to the government is going to a good cause and saving peoples lives.

the people who stayed in their homes and had the opportunity to leave before the storm hit leaves a question of the responsibility of the government. The question is should the Government be blamed for these people not evacuating. I personally think that they should not be blames because the Government did everything that they could to inform the people of the hurricane. I would not expect the government to go and knock on people's door telling them to leave. The Government is there to help and protect us in every way possible, but if someone does not want to leave their home they just want leave no matter what the case may be. People in our Government put their lives on the line for us as much as they can such as the rescuers for this storm, but rescue crews are not cheap. I say that because for the people that stayed behind must not know that the Government can't just send people out and say go rescue the people who stayed in their homes because that cost a large amount of money, which does not make the task easy. The rescue is also dangerous according to Dallas news some rescues were put on hold do to the danger of flood water which contained chemicals that might cause illness and damage the skin. I think that the Government should not be blamed for not rescuing people who stayed back because they are doing the best that they can, but I do think that the Government could do something for them. Although, some people think that the Government is wrong, I feel that the people who were notified should have tried to evacuate.

Issues and Concerns: Hurricane Ike

On September 12, local weather channels informed citizens of Texas that Hurricane Ike was headed straight for them, and they should evacuate as soon as possible. Many people began to move immediately while others decided to stay. According to cnn.com, the hurricane was projected to hit the coast of Texas early on Friday or late on Saturday. Evacuations began around Texas began at 7 a.m. on Thursday. Hurricane Ike struck the coast on Saturday night. This gave people about two days to escape the path of destruction Ike forged. There is no total cost of damage thus far, but Ike caused 13,000 people to become homeless and stay in 127 shelters after Ike ripped through Texas. Four thousand Red Cross disaster workers and 100 emergency response vehicles came to the rescue of Hurricane Ike's victims who couldn't get out of thier homes . This shows the govenment is doing it's job. Citizens pay taxes and the government uses those taxes to fund recues like this one. There is a question, however, whether the government should be responsible for the people who didn't heed the warning to evacuate and stayed in thier homes or not. I think they should. The govenment is there to work for the people. This includes peole who may not have cooperated in certain situations. Other people don't know the exact reasons why some didn't leave when they had a chance. They may have been disabled or not had the money for gas to leave. People shouln't judge before they know the situation. The government was created to protect its people...every last one of them. The cost of rescue operations are large, but that's why the funds for such come from taxes. The money comes from citizens and is given back to citizens. The danger in saftey and health of first responders is also a big issue. According to fireescue1.com, the health risks of responders are germs from flood water and chemicals floating in it or in the air that might get in the skin. Both of these can cause severe illness. I think that these things are a risk, but a first responder is aware of what can happen to them when he or she is on the job. They don't take this lightly and accept it as part of thier responsibility to victims. Again, I think just because some people don't evacuate when told doesn't mean they shouldn't be helped. No one should blame them or ignore them because everyone's situation is different.

Should government rescue people warned to leave prior to a natural disaster but chose to stay?

Natural disasters such as hurricanes Gustav and Ike that recently wrecked havoc on the coasts of Texas and Louisiana have many Americans asking should the government assist those stranded who were previously warned to leave. However the government funded group that rescues the people is the National Guard. A group that is paid to do what they do, so there for its job, a job where individuals signed on the dotted line and agreed to what followed. Where the real question lingers is whether Americans' donated dollars to disaster relief funds like the American Red Cross are well spent. The chief organization in charge of providing aide to the victims of these natural disasters is the American Red Cross, who according to The American Red Cross website met with the Chief Marketing Officer Council September 16th to promote worldwide donations to the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross website states that "the 3,500 CMO Council members manage some $100 billion in annual marketing expenditures worldwide." The council is looking to launch a national campaign to rise an initial $100 million to attempt to replenish the fund nearly depleted from an active year of disasters. For those people quesioning the funding and campaign to rise more lets just clue in on where the money actually goes. I feel the donations given are spent very wisely and are beneficial to the victims. The American Red Cross catalogs everything according by state. The American Red Cross reports that "on September 16th in the state of Texas over 13,000 people sought refuge in 127 shelters, more than 4,000 Red Cross disaster workers and volunteers are on the ground to assist." Likewise in Louisiana the Red Cross reports almost a 1,000 people were provided a safe haven in 14 shelters, over 3,500 Red Cross workers and volunteers are on the ground to assist." In addition nearly 300 people stayed over night in shelters in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. With those mass numbers of people it should now be bluntly apparant how consciously the donated money is being spent. We all must forgive those few 15 to 20 people who tend to be older and have probably developed some sort of emotional attachment to their house or and area. Granted after the storm has hit they are the ones that are needing to be rescued, buy hey that is what the National Guard is for.

Assignment due Wednesday, September 17

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, discuss the responsibility of the government in keeping people safe during and after natural disasters. Should the government rescue people who were warned to leave, but chose to stay despite mandatory evacuation? Consider the cost of rescue operations in terms of dollars as well as safety risks to first responders. Also, put yourself in the shoes of the hurricane victims and consider the reasons why they may have chosen to stay in their homes.

Teen Fatalities Could Increase 10 Percent

Should the United States lower the legal drinking age to 18 years old? Is it fair that the men and women, under the age of 21, in the military can make life and death decisions, but cannot drink alcohol? Will this improve binge drinking on college campuses? Will this increase the number of alcohol influenced drivers on the road? Is there a real problem with keeping the legal drinking age at 21 years old? These are all extremely relevant questions that we should all be asking ourselves when forming an opinion on this topic.

Presidential elections are a time for change and growth. During several debates and interviews candidates have been asked whether they support the lowering of the legal drinking age to 18 years old. Some candidates have said yes and some have said no. As to all issues there are many sides and opinions.

I do NOT agree with lowering the legal drinking age.

I respect and appreciate the men and women in the military who fight for our rights and freedoms everyday. However, joining the military is a choice. Furthermore, it is a job that these men and women are receiving a fair compensation, medical and retirement benefits, a free education, and self gratification. Yes, Americans depend on these individuals to protect our country but only after intense training and still under supervision. Our troops do not go out to fight alone.

Binge drinking will never stop on college campuses. <http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3708133> The safety coalition agrees that binge drinking and underage drinking continue to be a problem, but lowering the drinking age will only make problems worse. To some students college is a time to learn and grow. To other students college is a place to party, experiment, and rebel.

Lowering the drinking age will increase the number of drunken drivers on the road. Persons under the age of 21 have to drink in private places right now. If we lift this restriction and allow them to drink in public places they too will have to get home somehow. I do not care how responsible a person thinks he or she is, making decisions under the influence of alcohol is difficult. <http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3708133> The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted nearly 50 peer-reviewed studies of countries that had changed their drinking age and found that lowering the age increased fatalities by 10 percent.

Is lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 years old truly necessary for factual purposes or is it just conveinance driven? I have not found strong factual evidence that lowering the drinking age will have any significant difference in college campus binge drinking and underage drinking. As stated earlier, some students attend college for the sole purpose of drinking and having fun. Moreover, there will always be underage drinking. In most cases underage drinking is a result of curiosity, a means to fit in with an older crowd, the thrill of breaking the law and some just like the taste. Amanda Lee, a high school biology teacher, said "The human brain does not stop developing until we reach our early to mid 20s, an undeveloped and alcohol influenced brain is not a good combination for decision making." If we chose to publicly serve and sell alcohol to 18 year olds we are opening up an entirely new can of worms. Our focus will no longer be 18 year olds drinking alcohol, it will be 14 - 17 year olds. Most 18 year olds are still in high school and could distribute alcohol to the younger students in that school. Jessica Whitley, a high school guidance counselor, said "There are already addiction problems occuring in high school, why would anyone be so stupid to make alcohol more accessible to kids." Currently, a high school student would have to know an older person outside of school who would be willing to supply alcohol for high school students.

How old are you?

As scantily clad girls breeze right into any bar in downtown Athens, I wonder if the bouncer noticed that she looked like a high school freshman. He barely glances at my ID when I hand it to him. There are always going to be ways to get around the rules, especially in college towns like Athens. Fake IDs may hang on many of the bar walls, but I have only seen one girl turned away from any club. That said lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 isn’t going to answer many of the problems that face university and college officials.

In July, 128 presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities around the nation began a petition called the Amethyst Initiative to convince lawmakers to take a look at the current drinking age and reassess. One of the problems that the Amethyst Initiative points out is that binge-drinking has become a huge concern on most campuses across the country, and the age restriction of 21 and up is not helping curtail students drinking more than is safe.

If we lower the age limit to 18, binge drinking will not end just because underage drinkers will suddenly be allowed to purchase a drink. According to Students Against Destructive Decisions, Adults age 21 or older who had first used alcohol before age 21 were more likely than adults who had their first drink at age 21 or older to be classified with alcohol dependence or abuse. Lowering the drinking age will create a new level of abuse, dependence, and addiction. Many 18-year-olds are still in high school and are relatively uneducated about drinking. Rather than seeing underage college freshmen stumbling around, we will see high school freshman puking on the side of the streets.

The important part of what the Amethyst Initiative stands for is opening debate about this issue. Lowering the drinking age without learning how to educate young adults is not going to stem drinking problems on campuses. The key aspect that lawmakers and college officials should be looking at is new solutions for education. However, until there is a better solution to prevent students dying of toxic alcohol levels or driving home intoxicated, lawmakers should keep the age limit at 21. Of course students will continue to get around the law, but a quick fix isn’t going to solve the ultimate problem of binge drinking.

Keep It at 21

I do not think that the drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18. I believe that most 18 year-olds are not mature enough to handle the responsible of alcohol consumption. According to Narcotic Education Foundation of America and Drug Abuse Education Provider of the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, the brain does not stop development until a person is in his or her early to mid-20s and that consuming alcohol at this time affects coordination, motion control, thinking, memory and other mental processes.

In their book, The Truth about Alcohol, Berry Youngerman and Mark J. Kittleson state when the drinking age was raised by many states in the late 1980s, the number of car crashed caused by teenage drunken drivers greatly decline.

Those who support lowering the drinking age believe that it will save lives, because it will decrease binge drinking. Also, according to Ruth C. Engs, a Applied Health Sciences Professor at Indiana University, a majority of college students drink alcohol irresponsibly, seeing as “an enticing “forbidden fruit,” a “badge of rebellion against authority” and a “symbol of adulthood”” Engs believes that the Prohibition didn’t work and that raising the drinking age to 21 isn’t work now.

But according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the law that set the legal drinking age to 21 is already saving lives, approximately 1,000 a year. Also, according to a fact sheet released online by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Center for Disease Control reviewed near 50 studies of countries that changed their drinking age and found that when it was lowered to 18, the fatality rate increased by 10 percent. In the same fact sheet, it is stated that when the drinking age is lowered, injuries and deaths greatly increase.

Drinking Age: Lower It and Move On

Less than two weeks ago, around 100 college presidents from the most prestigious institutions in the nation started a petition to lower the nation drinking age from 21 to 18. Colleges such as Duke and Ohio State were in favor. To these presidents I must say, right on! Lower the drinking age.

This petition has met quit a bit of resistance. Most of the people who oppose this petition view it as a way to hide a problem. This view can go either way but they are missing the broad view. This is a country that allows anyone who turns 18 to be drafted into military service, vote for the future leaders of our country, and purchase tobacco. The last of these privileges is where the problem lies. How can we allow an 18 year old to begin killing themselves by smoking, though slowly, but not allow them to have a sip of alcohol?

According to the last national census, cancer.org states that over 20% of our country smokes. This web site, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, goes on to say that the numbers go up as the age goes down. 1 out of 4 Americans between the age of 18 and 44 smokes, and the numbers for high school students are similar.

Each year, almost 500,000 people die from smoking related illnesses. These results may seem shocking, but the United States government still feels that it is ok to leave the legal age for tobacco at 18. On the other hand, nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov, states that only around 100,000 deaths occur each year due to alcohol. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website also went on to show that DUI fatalities are down this year. What are we missing?

With a little research, anyone can find facts like these on the internet. Once these facts are found, you can then form your own humble opinion. After this research, I found that the problem is not whether or not it’s legal. Laws are meant to be broken right? The problem is education. Drinking is not wrong, but drinking too much can harm you. This education needs to start early. Drinking is a personal choice and I feel that lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18 will not causes a sudden spike in alcohol related deaths. With that being said, if I were able to put my John Hancock on that petition there would be no hesitation.

Why not?

The choice of whether to drink or not rarely has anything to do with age. Some drinkers will wait until their 21 birthday, but usually not. The decision of whether or not to drink and when to start is one based on upbringing, friends, and education. Having been raised in an extremely conservative, hell-fire and brimstone believing Baptist family, from a young age, I was aware of where drinking is supposed to send you, no matter how old you are. I do not think the difference between 18 and 21 will make a difference other than lowering underage drinking arrests. In fact, God and mama forgive me, I am all for lowering the drinking age.
According to the Ad Council for Underage Drinking Prevention, 20% of surveyed eighth graders claim to have been drunk at least once. Despite the millions of dollars being spent on underage drinking prevention, more and more underage kids are picking up the infamous red Solo cup.
The United States reports the most underage drinking problems of any other country, however, it also has the highest legal drinking age. Countries such as Portugal and China have no legal drinking age. France, Germany, and a number of other countries have a drinking age of 16. A whole host of countries have a drinking age of 18. We call ourselves progressive and modern, so let's get with it!
I propose we lower the drinking age and use the money being spent on underage alcohol prevention to educate the newly legal drinkers on being smart. Add a section into high school health classes about drinking dangers and how to avoid them. Teach moderation. Again, those who are going to drink, are going to drink no matter what age limit is put into place.
Alcohol was once a prohibited drug, but society has changed and now it is more accepted. Has our society evolved enough to lower the drinking age? If not now, it will very soon.

Assignment Due Wednesday, September 3rd

Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to 18? Give your opinion and back it up with factual information and first-hand reporting. Remember to attribute all information that isn't common knowledge or that you didn't witness yourself. Consult your textbooks, AP stylebooks and dictionaries and use proper style, spelling and grammar.

Welcome Students of MCOM 220

Welcome to the blog for MCOM 220 Writing for Newspapers and Magazines, Spring 2008. This is where you find your blogging assignments and post your responses. To view blogs written by previous classes, see http://220spring08.blogspot.com http://220fall07.blogspot.com http://220spring07.blogspot.com http://220fall06.blogspot.com http://mcom220.blogspot.com and http://simon220.blogspot.com .