Judge DeSalvo

I agree with Judge DeSalvo's ruling in the case. If I were him, I would have also ruled in favor of Anna and granted her medical emancipation. I feel this way because I believe that nobody has the right to make someone give up a part of their body for someone else no matter what the results will be. It should be up to the donor (in this case Anna) and the donor alone. Nobody else should really have a say. Also, it couldn't have been easy for Anna knowing that her sister was going to die in the aftermath of her decision and the fact that she still went through with the case speaks volumes about how much she wanted that emancipation. I would definitely rule in her favor. As far as Campbell and Sara are concerned, I feel as though they both thought they were doing the right thing and I think that they both did well in their own respect. Sara was doing what she felt was her duty as a mother to Kate, but I feel as though she was wrong here because she was Anna's mother as well and she was trying to force something extremely serious and potentially dangerous on Anna that she clearly felt very strongly against doing. Campbell Alexander did a good job and I think he dealt with the case very well. He kept Anna on the right track and he tried his hardest to reach the right and just verdict for Anna which he eventually achieved. I believe that he was fighting on the right side of this battle and he did a great job at it.

Baby Reflection

I don't necessarily agree with the parents going in and altering the baby to make sure it can't have the disease, but I don't exactly disagree with it either. It has a lot of pros and cons. This baby could save the other child, and if nothing goes wrong then its beneficial to the new child as well because it can never get the disease either. On the other hand, if something goes wrong while the parents are trying to "design" the new child, this child could have many problems down the line or maybe even die in the process of being altered so he/she is immune  to the disease. My stance on it completely depends on how well the baby can actually be changed without causing any harm. This could either save two lives, or destroy two.

Holocaust Denial

If someone was talking to me and at some point they decided to tell me that the Holocaust was all a big lie, I would be astonished. First of all I would be thinking "Wow. Could this person be more of an idiot?" But if they gave me some little screwed up excuse for facts in order to cover up the fact that they're just hateful jerk, I'd be happy to engage in a "friendly" debate with them. They might say some things about the Jews doing it for attention or to attract the world's sympathy so that they could take over. I would simply show them the actual statistics of how many deaths there were (not limited to only Jews by the way), point them to some nice little youtube videos with footage inside the camps and piles upon piles of dead bodies strewn all over the ground. Hitler was obviously an evil and psycho dude. Just listen to some of the things he said in his speeches. He made it clear that he hated Jews and wanted to create a pure German race, I think that speaks volumes about the fact that the Nazi's designed a sadistic, well thought out plan to exterminate the Jewish race. I would show them some books and videos on the Holocaust survivors as well. But in all honesty, no facts would change their mind. If a person is truly that narrow, and that blinded by his or her hatred of Judaism, no amount of facts or heart wrenching images is going to make them change their minds. If someone is that stupid,  they're doomed to stay in their own little world of denial and idiocy forever.

Holocaust Reflection

The Holocaust is definitely one of if not the worst, events that the world has ever gone through. One can't help but wonder "what made Hitler so dead set against the Jewish people?" More likely than not, nobody will ever know. The only thing we know for sure is that he was a power hungry racist who blamed everyone else for the problems that his country had encountered. Also, why did nobody in Germany step up and say something? The citizens just stood by in silence and allowed a countless number of people to die. Innocent people that were no worse than you or I. How could they live with themselves for doing that? I know that a lot of them played innocent and claimed that they had no idea what was going on and for a very small amount, that may have been true but for the vast majority? I guarantee you that its a load of BS. What happened to the Jews and the other innocent minorities that were put into the camps or had their families slaughtered for no reason is horrible. It's almost like some really bad nightmare that the world will never be able to wake up from because it happened, and it's left a stain on the true morals of the world, at least in my opinion. It really makes me wonder how people could be so prejudiced and so tyrannical that they would go so far as to join, support, or ignore the Nazi party. I guess it's not surprising considering how much discrimination and hatred there is in the world today and the people now are far more open minded and accepting than they were during that time. Honestly, as much as I sincerely and completely hope that it doesn't, I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happened still today. I don't think any group of people deserves to be treated that way, but who knows, they could be and maybe the people are just keeping quiet again. Silence was just as much of a killer during the Holocaust as the Nazis were.

To Kill A Mockingbird parent experience

One time my mom and I were driving home from school and there were these two kids fighting off to the side of the road in someones back yard. One of the boys had to be 12 or 13 years old and the other was only around 7 or 8, so obviously that was not a fair fight in the least. The older kid was pretty much beating the snot out of the younger kid, so my mom pulled over and broke up the fight. She took the kids up to the door and told the parents what the older kid was doing. This showed me that my mom is a firm believer in not letting people get taken advantage of and that she has a real compassion for people and sticking up for them.

How do Scout's adventures relate to your neighborhood?

I would say that Scout's adventures could transfer to my neighborhood in the way that I'm quite sure there are little kids around me that do many of the same things and are just as curious to explore as Scout is. I was that way when I was little as well. Well for one it wouldn't be nearly as rural and country as it is in the book because   I live in a more suburban to urbanish type neighborhood and obviously it's a lot more modernized than the way it was when this book was written. The enthusiasm for adventure and the mischief that the kid's get into would remain the same. I probably would be friends with Scout when I was a kid because she loves to play around and have fun and explore mysterious places, but shes also got enough sense to not be too reckless and get into really serious trouble. I would probably friends with Jem and Dill as well because I like to be around people who are crazy and careless sometimes even though I probably wouldn't go along with all their crazy schemes. I'm sure we would do a lot of exploring, a lot of acting out scenes, and a lot of getting in trouble.

Instructions For Living a Life

"Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." -Mary Oliver


I think that if her intention with this quote is to give people an idea of how to live and appreciate life, these are some pretty good steps. Paying attention could mean stopping to smell the roses and taking the time to appreciate little things in life that would otherwise go unnoticed. If you pay careful attention to detail and to the things around you, you can find so many small, seemingly insignificant things to take pleasure in that it will, in turn, astonish you. Maybe you go on a hike for exercise in the woods behind your house and you pay more attention than usual and you notice a small, half covered path that you never saw there before. You take the path and discover a beautiful clearing with a nice little stream and a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the shimmering blue sky with its puffy white clouds floating along. If you hadn't paid close attention during your walk, you never would have found this astonishing place to which you can return again and again. Basically its saying that if you pay attention to all aspects of life and don't let yourself get all caught up in one or two things that stress you, you can find many things both big and small that can delight you and astonish you because they will leave you wondering how you never noticed such a wonderful thing before. This can go for people who come into your life as well. You can choose to turn a blind eye and see a persons appearance and assume things, or you can make an effort and pay attention and discover that that person is a really cool person and you could become super close friends. Pretty astonishing how paying attention can make a much more positive impact than waltzing around all willy nilly. So what are you waiting for? Go tell people about your new knowledge. Once you know such things, you need to tell about it. Tell the world! :D

Constitutional Amendment

If I could create a new Constitutional Amendment to be added to the Constitution I would make abortion illegal because it's just a completely wrong thing to do. Abortion is the absolute equivalent of murder and I don't understand how it can possibly be legal. The baby did not ask to get born, the baby didn't make you lay there and get pregnant, why in the world should the baby suffer for something that you did? If you don't wan't the baby, put it up for adoption for crying out loud. It might not be the best life but it's certainly better than no life at all. You could be killing the worlds next top surgeon or political leader. You are messing with the balance of the world by destroying a person that is destined to come into it. Besides, that's YOUR BABY for God's sake! How can you just sit there and willingly let him or her be killed? How would you not live with regret and self hatred for the rest of your days? Anyone who says abortion is not murder is an idiot. You're killing the baby who by this time has developed a heart beat and probably some form of feeling and attachment to you. That sounds like a little living person to me. Nobody can justify a reason that abortion is right, you're killing a cute, innocent, little baby who has done nothing and is not to blame in the slightest. If you watch some of those videos about how an abortion is done, I'm quite sure that you'll want this Amendment passed as well, if you have any heart at all.

Believing

I wish that I could believe in absolute peace and happiness in the world like I used to when I was little. Of course I was too young and naive to see that the world had any cares or problems at all and I wish I could still believe that. I thought that everyone was always nice to each other and that everyone was always happy and that everybody thought of everyone else as equal and didn't discriminate. I wish I could once again believe in the world as being as it should be rather than the way it actually is.

Appearance VS Personality

I do indeed know people who are big outside but little inside. They might be huge and intimidating but they act timid and gentle as though they were two feet tall. On the other hand I also know people who are physically small but act like they're some big scary person who could beat up anyone who crosses their path. Physical appearance is actually related to personality sometimes, and sometimes it isn't. However, you can't assume things about a person based on the way that they look. Even when appearance does tell something true about a person, the correlation is usually pretty small. For example, how someone dresses and wears their hair can tell a bit about them sometimes. For example, if someone walks around wearing heavy metal t-shirts, you can safely assume that they listen to that music. If they dress in an usual fashion, its likely that they are creative and artistic and like to defy the status quo. Personality does not have to match outward appearance whatsoever. If my appearance related directly to my personality I would still have the same clothing style...maybe a bit more eccentric and I think I'd be a really darn good lookin' person because I'd like to think I have a good, nice personality.

Savers VS Spenders

I would probably consider myself to be more of a spender than a saver. I'd rather have things now rather than later because I'm more of a "live in the moment" type of person. I think that my generation is very obsessed with spending and getting material things. While that can be a good thing in some aspect, like stimulating the economy but its bad for their future when they have nothing put away. Also, those who are obsessed with spending money will have a hard time saving up for other things like vacations, college funds for their children, or retirement. Lots of people are so used to getting stuff when they want it so its hard for them to envision waiting for the future to obtain those things. People including myself feel like they need to have stuff now and not worry about later.

Tribes

I belong to the tribe of white people. I also belong to the tribe of music lovers. And to the tribe of guitar players. And to the tribe of teenage girls. And to the tribe of Twi-hards. And to the tribe of aspiring authors. And to the tribe of those who love to read. And to the tribe of those who love to help others. And to the tribe of Italian food lovers. And to the tribe of daughters. And to the tribe of video game addicts. And to the tribe of people who really like to be different.

Introvert or Extrovert?

I would say that I'm a little bit of both depending on who I'm around, but more often I'm an introvert. If I'm around friends or friendy acquaintances I'm outgoing and love to talk, however when I'm around people I don't know well (especially ones that make me uncomfortable for whatever reason) I tend to sit and be more quiet and only talk if they initiate conversation. I got a lot more enjoyment from being alone listening to music, playing my guitar, reading, or writing than I do sitting with a group of people and talking. I like to find enjoyment in more independent things. I think extroverts definitely have it easier because they're more outgoing and therefore they have more friends and generally an easier time speaking in front of people and making a memorable first impression because they're naturally outgoing. If everyone was an extrovert, the world would be a really loud and obnoxious place. If everyone was an introvert it would be really quiet and sort of boring. The two types need each other in order to balance out. I like to have a balance of both in my friend group so I have people to be loud with and hang out with a lot, and others that I can just chill and watch a movie with or who just let me be on my own for awhile. Extroverts tend to be better vocal leaders since they are more social but introverts may be better at leading by example. I definitely think that introverts tend to make better writers because they seem to spend a lot more time writing and brooding over their thoughts than extroverts do. Introverts are usually also better neighbors if you're quiet because they are less likely to be noisy and party a lot. Extroverts are better if you're a party animal yourself. Either type can be very good teachers depending upon the learning preference of the students and the subject that they teach. Besides, just because someone is an introvert doesn't mean they can't put that aside enough to teach a class or give a speech. Introversion and extroversion matter since it helps formulate who you are as a person and how you behave but it doesn't matter much as long as you aren't obnoxious or socially withdrawn. Everyone has the power to push whichever one that they are to the side and strike a balance between the two, so it isn't that much of a factor.

This I Believe

Life Law 9: Power In Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself."
Suzanne Somers 


This quote is true because when you forgive someone, you do much more for yourself then you do for them. You release yourself from the grip of hatred they have on you and that gives you more freedom because you're no longer worried about them and the things that they do. If you go on without forgiving someone then you will always have conflict that inevitably causes more stress in your life. Also, if you and this person genuinely dislike each other then forgiving them will annoy them because then they know that they no longer have a control or influence over you even though it was negative in the past. It shifts the power in your life from those with whom you have conflict and puts the power in your own hands. 

Thought For The Day Life Law 6

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right"
Henry Ford

This quote is absolutely true, your ability to do things just depends on how much ambition you have and how much faith you have in yourself. If you believe that you can do something and you're willing to go out and take the steps to get there, you can do anything you want. By the same token if you're sure you can't do something then that means you won't make any attempts to get it done so therefore you really can't do it. There is no such thing as something that is impossible for you to achieve or something that you will certainly achieve. Your belief in your abilities to do something, which ultimately impact how hard you try to get that thing, determines if you do in fact get to that place you want to be in or not. Its all about views, self confidence, and work ethic.

Thought Of The Day Life Law 5

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

This quote is one of the truest statements you will ever see. The things that you say you're going to do or the things that you brag about being able to do seem like a mere whisper next to the deafening volume of the things that you actually DO do. If you sit there and think to yourself "Man, the world sucks right now. I want to do something about it." Sitting there talking about what you could do doesn't make a difference in the world, you have to go out and do something! Volunteer at that homeless shelter, help that kid that always gets picked on, stop pretending it's cool to make fun of people with your friends. Nobody pays any attention whatsoever to words if they come with no action. For example if some big oaf says he's going to punch you in the face, it doesn't make as much difference as it would if he really sent you home with a busted lip does it? If you don't bring action into your life, you will never get anything you want in your life. Words can motivate yourself or others to want change but if you want it to happen you have do it. People follow those who lead by example.  If you sit around and complain or talk about things that you wish could be better or different, how in the world can you expect them to change if you aren't willing to actually do something about it?

Sometimes with One I Love

Sometimes with one I love I fill myself with rage for fear I effuse
unreturn'd love,
But now I think there is no unreturn'd love, the pay is certain one
way or another,
(I loved a certain person ardently and my love was not return'd,
Yet out of that I have written these songs.)

I chose this poem because I adore love poems and this one is short simple. It shows his uncertainty in the relationship as well as his faith in it. It represents love's delicate balance.

Walt Whitman

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;    But O heart! heart! heart!       O the bleeding drops of red,          Where on the deck my Captain lies,             Fallen cold and dead.O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills, For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths--for you the shores      a-crowding, For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;    Here Captain! dear father!       This arm beneath your head!          It is some dream that on the deck             You've fallen cold and dead. My captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;    Exult, O shores, and ring O bells!       But I, with mournful tread,          Walk the deck my Captain lies,             Fallen cold and dead.

Who was/is Walt Whitman?
-An american poet and journalist

What kind of literature did he write?
-Poetry

Is he a Realist or a Romanticist? Why?
- I think he was a Realist because even though since he wrote poetry he would portray things in a more grandiose way than they actually were, he still wrote of realistic things and the consequences of such things.

Being at the venue VS Being in front of the TV

We all flip out and get over-excited when we find out that our favorite band or sports team is coming to town. We beg and plead our parents to take us to a concert that could potentially make their eardrums rupture, or we try to scrounge up enough money to sit in the cheap seats where our favorite athlete looks like an ant. Despite all this, we still find it much more appealing than sitting on our fluffy couch and watching the exact same thing on the HD big screen. Is seeing things live really worth the money and the effort? Absolutely. I mean sure, you might sit a million miles away from the court or get countless bruises from battling your way to the front row in the mosh pit, but the benefits are endless. The atmosphere of hundreds or thousands of other screaming fans all around you is beyond comparison. The rush of catching Grady Sizemore's homer or touching the hand of that dreamy lead singer is much greater than stuffing your face full of Doritos at home. You might get excited watching the Cavs game or when your favorite music video gets played on MTV, but how can that compare to seeing your idol right there in front of your face? No matter how powerful your surround sound is, it can't compare to the deafening thunder of your favorite band's lead guitarist shredding up a killer riff or the incredible boom of the announcers voice over the loudspeaker.Sure, you might not be able to turn on the AC at Warped Tour or a scorching summer day at an Indians game, but the feeling of excitement and rush of adrenaline will have you coming back time and time again just like Lindsey Lohan to rehab. (;