Was burying bin Laden at sea a mistake?

 U.S policy makers buried Bin Laden according to traditional Islamic procedures but some are skeptic that it isn't keeping with the Muslim law. U.S officials say they wanted to avoid Bin Laden's followers from making a shrine of his burial site.There are also many conspiracy theories about Bin Laden's death and if it even to place at all. I think people need to stop being so skeptic about everything and accept things how it is. Everything  that happened such as a burial site can't really be changed so they should just take it how it is rather then making a big fuss about everything like creating conspiracy theories for publicity.

Roth, Zachary. "Was Burying Bin Laden at Sea a Mistake? - Yahoo! News." The Top News Headlines on Current Events from Yahoo! News. Web. 02 May 2011.

Apuzzo, Matt. "Official: Bin Laden Buried at Sea - LA Daily News." Home - LA Daily News. Web. 02 May 2011.

Class Discussion: Immigration Reform Reflection

In our class discussion discussing the immigration reform, I think I learned a lot more of different topics that come up but also see different views from both sides. I still am questionable of a lot of things and don't really choose sides because both sides have very good points. I think I learned a lot from discussing the issue with different people over the few weeks but also, I think it is another topic that no one will ever agree on. Through our discussion, one thing that became really clear to me is that the main problem is drug cartels and crime being brought into the united states. I think that should be the main focus, getting the drug cartels and crime rates low, so that everyone will be safe on both sides before just letting anyone over the border in.

Govt. Shutdown: Lawmakers May Get Paid, Soldiers May Not

 The Governemt may be shutdown on Friday and what will happen in result is unknown. It is likely that lawmakers will still be paid but soldiers will not be paid if this does happen. Senetors voted unanimously that they should not be paid. On capitol hill, lawmakers agree that  spending reductions will fund government until the end of the fiscal year and is necessary. I personally think that the soldiers should be paid no matter what for serving our country and should always be first priority. Soldiers have families back at home that need the financial support.



"Govt. Shutdown: Lawmakers May Get Paid, Soldiers May Not - George Stephanopoulos' Bottom Line." Political Punch. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.

"US Government Shutdown 2011,What Will Happen On That Day?" Trends Updater. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.

QOW - Click on the title of the post (American Government 3/14/11) to access the article “A Call to Action for Public Schools.” The article talks about the documentary “Waiting for Superman.” After reading this article and watching the documentary in class, answer the following questions: Why, in your opinion, is reforming public education a difficult task in this country? Secondly, explain the culture of education today. In your opinion, how do you view our educational system (as a whole)? What outside factors may influence for the better or worse student achievement in school? Finally, what can you, as a high school senior do to influence change in our educational system?

In my opinion, reforming public education is a very difficult task in this country because every school has different expectations and standards. Some schools may have very low standards while other have high standards and get the same reward in the end. Culture plays a huge part in how Americans live their lives. Many schools value extra curricular activities more than their education while in other countries education always comes first. I think that in order to make education in this country better, we need to have higher expectations for students especially when it comes to participating in after school activities and simplify the rules in the educational system. Their are so many rules surrounding this issue which is why it is so hard to come to an agreement.  I don't think that our education system is very good because very low achieving students get the same thing in the end as kids that rely try. I think that part of the problem is teachers because a lot of them don't care because they only care about getting paid and they know they will regardless of if they do they're job or not. We need to be able to fire these teachers that don't care. Teachers are only part of the problem, the other thing is students. Students are very unmotivated but you can't make them want to learn unless you teach them from an early age that education is important. Students that are unmotivated and don't try are only like that because they were raised thinking that everything in life will be easy so parents need to motivate them from an early age. For example, children from the documentary waiting for 'Superman' really valued their education more than anything because their parents have been trhough tough times and told their kids in order to make their lives better they need an education. Students at our school  don't know what it's like to live in poverty and not have a choice in if they want to continue their education which is why they are so lazy. These days, kids are always texting in class and doing other things while they should be working on school work. As a senior high school student, in order to influence and change our educational system I think we need  to set high expectations towards future graduating classes. If we set good standards then future graduating classes will want to exceed that and do even better.


Ripley, Amanda. “Waiting for ‘Superman:’ A Call to Action for Our Schools.” Time Inc. CNN. September 23, 2010. March 15, 2011.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019663_2020590_2020592-1,00.html

Drake, Bruce. "Charter School Lottery Gambles With Kids' Futures -- and Often Loses." Politics News, Elections Coverage, Political Analysis and Opinion. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.

“No Child Left Behind Act.” New York Times. March 10, 2011. March 15, 2011.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/no_child_left_behind_act/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier 

Education Reform class discussion reflection

In class we discussed many issues concerning the education reform and came across may good points. There are so many different parts to the education reform that many problems didn't seem to piece itself together very well to come to a complete agreement on a solution. I think many good points were made such as how a lot of money is being cut from schools and education is always the first thing people cut money from. Also, I agreed that it doesn't matter how much money schools are getting and every school should have higher expectations. Charter schools are getting better grades then regular schools regardless of how much money they have and I think that to stop spending so much on schools extra curricular activities is a big step in improving the education system.

U.S. military blocks websites to help Japan recovery efforts

The U.S Military blocked many popular commercial websites to free bandwidth for use in Japan's recovery efforts. Many sites such as ESPN, Amazon, EBay, MTV, and youtube were were chosen because their popularity among users of military computers.The block was instituted on Monday to make sure bandwidth was available in Japan for military operations. "We are trying to make sure we are giving them as many avenues and as much support as we can." says command spokesman Rodney Ellison.  I think it is really generous of people to take extra precautions towards the effort in helping Japan that is greatly needed because of the earthquake.

"Japan Earthquake 2011: 5 Strongest Earthquakes Of The Last Century (PHOTOS)." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Web. 15 Mar. 2011.

Preston, Mark, and Adam Levine. "U.S. Military Blocks Websites to Help Japan Recovery Efforts - CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 15 Mar. 2011.

Breast milk ice cream debuts in London.

 A restaurant in London recently introduced their new ice cream called "baby gaga" which is made of real woman's breast milk. It proved to be a big hit when the first batch was sold out immediately.Each serving is a bout $22.50 and is made with at fifteen different woman's breast milk. Some are very skeptical of this new ice cream but others argue, " if it's good for the children, it's good for the rest of us" and that it is completely natural and healthier than cow's milk. As of February 28th, Westminster city council has confiscated was is left of the ice cream because of a few complaints.

http://news.discovery.com/human/breast-milk-ice-cream-110225.html

"Breast Milk Ice Cream Debuts in London : Discovery News." Discovery News: Earth, Space, Tech, Animals, Dinosaurs, History. Web. 02 Mar. 2011.

Man survives crash, then killed by car

Saturday night on Interstate 15 in Apple Valley, a thirty three -year-old Lawndale resident , lost control of his car because of black ice. He was reportedly out of his car when he was hit by another vehicle. I think it's really ironic how something like that happened. Things like this don't always just happen so I think it is really sad that someone just got lucky to survive a crash and then moments later die in another.
"Man Survives Crash, Then Killed by Car | Inland News." PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California. Web. 28 Feb. 2011.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/webavcrash.19af1a687.html

QOW - Think about your public education over the past twelve years of your life. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being low and 10 being high), how would you rate your education? Why did you rate your education this way (positives/negatives)? Do you think your education has prepared you for the next stage in your life? Why or why not? Have you taken advantages of all of the opportunities given to you in your education? Be honest with yourself and really take some time to do quality work.

On a scale of one to ten, I chose six on my education.From my personal experience through private school, teachers were very strict but most of the lesson plans were bible studies and took time away from doing math and other subjects. Also, the students are so sheltered by teachers that they don't understand what it is like in the real world. By time I went to public school, I was really lost and behind most students in many subjects because of not being taught it as much as I should have. Public school on the other hand, may not have as many strict teachers that make you do a lot of work but they do prepare you very well for the future. Sometimes teachers don't always want to teach you anything and just do it because it's their job, having no desire to really get to know students and how they learn. Not all, but most teachers I have had only give a bunch of work to you without any explanation and expect you to learn it all. Many students don't have any motivation to do anything at all and just sit around in class so they can easily pass with a D and graduate. I think something needs to be done about this. Students that don't want to learn shouldn't be complaining. If you come to school then it means that you want to learn so you might as well learn to your full potential. School districts need to stop making it so easy to get a diploma because the students that do try their best get the same thing in the end and it makes them not want to try so hard knowing it's just so easy. Students are very lucky to have a free education and take advantage of it. Many countries don't have these opportunities so we are very lucky.I think that teachers really need to challenge students more so when they graduate they know they really earned it.

Obama: Ban on Gay Marriage is Unconstitutional

Obama says that the federal government will no longer defend the ban on gay marriages. Obama has voiced his opinion to the Defense of Marriage Act before, but never has stated an opinion about its constitutionality. Evan Wolfson, President and Founder of Freedom to Marry was happy with Obama's decision and believes it is a big step towards ending the discrimination of gay marriage. I personally don't really have a side when it comes to whether gay marriage should be allowed. I don't mind gay couples but when it comes to marriage I'm not sure if I am against it or not. Religion plays a big role on whether gay marriage should be allowed but at the same time, people should have the freedom to be together as any other couple.

Dallas, Mary Elizabeth. "Obama: Ban on Gay Marriage Is Unconstitutional." Breaking News, Current Events, Latest News and World Events at Allvoices.com. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.

"Obama's Gay Marriage Position Illicits Strong Reactions... - Out in Hollywood." Los Angeles Newspaper Group. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.

South Dakota May Make It Legal to Kill Abortion Providers

South Dakota may make it legal to label abortion as "justifiable homicide". Abortion may be considered as manslaughter or murder. It will be voted on in the GOP's majority house. South Dakota has some of the most limiting abortion laws in the country and has tried many times to stop abortion. I think there should be certain laws against abortion but this is too extreme. Parents should have a choice since it is theirs but consider adoption so the child has a home. Sometimes abortion is necessary for the child's sake. He/she may have mental disabilities or serious problems and it could be best for the child to be aborted. In either case, I don't agree with the extremities of this law.

Schwartz,, Kate. "South Dakota Law Could Make It Legal to Kill Abortion Providers." Newser | Headline News Summaries, World News, Breaking News, and Local News. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

Alabama Times. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. 

Girl's National Anthem Rendition draws complaints

A sixteen year old girl in Indiana was asked to sing the star-spangled banner in a "traditional way" but ended up changing the way she sang it and got many complaints. I can understand if the school district may be upset if she was directly told to sing it traditionally but to bring the press into this is just too much. I have seen many people change it all the time and it's never caused any problems then.I think the complaints were most likely racially motivated since it is a small town in Indiana. Either way, to make a big deal out of this is really unnecessary.


"Ind. Girl's National Anthem Rendition Stirs Flap - Stop The Presses!" Yahoo! Music - Internet Radio, Music Videos, Artists, Music News, Interviews and Performances. Web. 02 Feb. 2011.

"YouTube - Shai National Anthem BHS North 2011." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 02 Feb. 2011.

Health care discussion reflection

The class discussion was pretty informative and I now understand the issue a little bit better. Many good points were given in the discussion as to how it would help with the economy and how we would even begin to pay for it. One point that got me interested was if we were to start the health care reform, if people that make more such as celebrities should pay more, since you only need so much money. I still feel the health care reform won't fix the economy and it's still too risky to begin without fixing the economy first. If we have time to enforce and spend money on the health care reform, we should have have time to fix the economy. It's good to hear many of  my classmates also feel the same way and others that don't also made good points during the discussion.

Rahm Emmanuel will be able to run for mayor of Chicago.

Rahm Emmanuel was thrown of the Chicago mayoral ballot because in order to run for mayor, you must have resided there in the past year and not have moved recently. Emmanuel lived and grew up in Chicago but had to relocate to Washington to work with Obama to campaign. Emmanuel immediately repealed the decision to the Illinois supreme court. I think the rules should change because of this incident. Someone could want to run for a position for their home town but not have lived there for a while. Emanuel's name will now be on the ballot.

Bury, Chris, and Devin Dwyer. "Rahm Emanuel Can Run For Mayor in Chicago, Illinois Supreme Court Rules - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. Web. 29 Jan. 2011.

Google Image Result for Http://blog.prospect.org/blog/ezraklein/rahmstance.jpg." Google. Web. 29 Jan. 2011.

Obama Proposes Longer School Day, Shorter Summer Vacation

 

Obama proposed a while ago that he would like longer school days and shorter summer  vacations. The president also stated out how children in other countries, longer working weeks have always been a part of their school system. I absolutely agree that school weeks should be longer but to make such a sudden change could cause problems. Cultural differences play a huge part in this issue. For years other countries like Japan for example, have had longer weeks and a more strict school system. In the United States, schooling is encouraged but are not forced on students. I believe that every part of the world specializes in something better than others because of the way they have always but education first,so we should leave it to them. Not to say we shouldn't have a better educational system, which we absolutely do. If Obama would like to start having higher standards for students it would require less money to be cut from schools. Many countries see education as their number one priority which is why they put so much money aside for it.Of course, this sort of change won't happen any time soon, but this brings up another subject that the president may have mentioned many times before, which is how the United States needs to catch up and be better than other countries in as many things as possible including education. In conclusion, if we have time to make a universal health care plan happen because it is a really important subject shouldn't we focus on education more rather than cutting more and more money from the educational system ?

 US Political News - US Politics Today. Web. 27 Jan. 2011.

"FoxNews.com - Obama Proposes Longer School Day, Shorter Summer Vacation." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. Web. 27 Jan. 2011.

Obama's 2011 State of the Union Address 9/25

 Obama's speech was as usual, very encouraging to get everyone back on their feet and not give up. Although his speech was very well thought out in my opinion, it was too general and most of it wasn't something we haven't heard before. Obama talked about how we need to move forward and try to be better,and also briefly mentioned the health care reform. Instead of talking about doing it and speaking about what will happen, I think it's about time we all agree on something to really take noticeable action. Time and time we've heard before, that change will be long and hard but we haven't even started to make a noticeable change. It's easy to say something will happen but it's another to make it happen. Now is the time to get a head start so we will get results sooner, and until we do that we'll just be having the same heated rhetoric in politics that is never ending and won't solve problems until we come to a consensus.

"YouTube - Watch President Obama's Full Speech at Tucson Memorial." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.

Applewhite, J. Scott. "Prepared Text of President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address | NOLA.com." New Orleans, LA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - NOLA.com. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.

Jerry Brown makes budget cuts for state budget.

On January 3, 2011, Jerry Brown returned to office after being held in it from 1975 to 1983. He is California's oldest governor at the age of 72. Brown has a history of spending $140 million by his Republican challenger Meg Whitman. Recently, Brown has created an $84.6 billion general fund spending plan that will specifically effect welfare, medi-cal, UC and CSU systems,developmentally disabled, and the state bureaucracy directly. Brown says ," it will be painful, requiring sacrifice from every sector of the state, but we have no choice." This budget cut concerns me because it also effects my fathers job, since he works for the UC  system. This budget cut may help California in the long run but it is a risk and  undoubtedly will be "painful".

"Jerry Brown’s Budget Cuts Deep, Looks to Extend Tax Hikes, Reshapes Government| PolitiCal | Los Angeles Times." Top of the Ticket | Anticipating Obama's State of the Union as Edited for the New Civility | Los Angeles Times. Web. 25 Jan. 2011.

McCarton, Phil. "Jerry Brown." New York Times. 3 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2011.

Jared Loughner pleads not guilty in Arizona shooting

  Loughner faces charges, and more charges are still expected. It's said to be likely that he will face life or death in prison if his attorney does not use mental competency questions as a defense.I think that whatever does end up happening to Loughner, he will still be a criminal and is responsible for the lives he cut short so there should be large consequences for his actions.  The prosecutor Wallace Kleindienst estimated that within thirty days, they would know if any additional federal charges will be filed against Loughner.

Billeaud, Jacques. "Suspect Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Ariz. Shooting - Yahoo! News." The Top News Headlines on Current Events from Yahoo! News. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

Drake, Bruce. "Could Jared Loughner's Trial Be Moved From Arizona? You Bet." Politics News, Elections Coverage, Political Analysis and Opinion. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.

"My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you: Ask what you can do for your country."

John F. Kennedy's famous First Inaugural Address was given on this day in 1961. In his speech, Kennedy recognizes that anything will be done to assure the success of liberty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1PbQlVMp98&feature=player_embedded

                                          Hiroshima

                                           Nara

                                           Osaka

                                           Nagano

http://dennysfunnyquotes.blogspot.com/2010/03/44-funny-political-cartoon-strike-outs.html

In this political cartoon, symbolism is being used showing a donkey and an elephant (democrats and republicans). Both parties are being hurt by fighting over the health care reform and it isn't solving any problems.

On Saturday, a horrific event occurred that left six people dead, an Arizona Congresswoman fighting for her life, and has developed into a political assassination. Currently, Repbulicans and Democrats are using this tragedy to perhaps point fingers and assign blame. Do you think that the inflammatory political rhetoric between Republicans and Democrats on issues such as immigration, health care, and the economy should be toned down?

I don't think that it is necessary for people to point fingers at each other, especially after this incident. What happened was a completely senseless and irrational act and there is no proof of the person that started the shooting being on any sides.However, whether it was out of insanity or it was planned, when it involves actual humans getting hurt, I think the rhetoric between both Democratic and Republicans should tone down what they are saying. Although we are all humans and people will say things without anything to back up their opinion, people need to learn when they went too far.For example, Fred Phelps is trying to make a statement by starting a strike in front of a funeral, and why? I believe that it is not only disrespectful but a girls life was lost.There are many issues that can be linked to this. For example, the enforcement of guns and all this publicity is a huge reason to why people do the things they do, because it gets their word out. When I see political debates, people obviously do not always agree with each other, but to say things that become out of proportion will only make them feel better but not solve anything. If people would only know when to tone things down and respect each others opinions when they should there would be less situations that lead to people doing irrational things. I think that if they keep this up, it will not solve anything and eventually lead to more problems in the future.


Hoft, Jim. "Westboro Cult Plans to Protest 9 Year-Old Victim’s Funeral | The Gateway Pundit." The Gateway Pundit | Where Hope Made a Comeback. 9 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2011.

"2011 Tucson Shooting." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Unknown, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tucson_shooting