Friday, May 22, 2009
Here is to the class of 09!
Ok, so I know that I am suppose to be blogging about politics and current events, so on… but this is something that is really on my mind, I am writing this for all the seniors out there because I think a ton of you are all feeling the same way. I think that everybody knows what that is to, GRADUATION is just a couple days away and I think that we (as seniors) are freaked out, we have to say our goodbyes, which to some will be forever. The last 12 years of school have been dreaded until now. We can all say that one time or another we hated so and so or we love him or her. We have grown so close with friends and lost so many friends throughout the year. Most of the promises will be broken of staying in touch. But it is finally here the, place that we have all been working so hard to get to, it is finally here and it is just hitting some of us, this is it. This is our new beginning, most of us are going off to colleges that some of us have never heard of. Al the school dances and the parties, its all over for us for now. This fall we are all going to experience new things and make new friends, everything we have been preparing for is here, we have been waiting for this piece of paper ( the diploma) for 12 years, and we are getting in an a week. It is crazy to think that there were a handful of us were not able to celebrate this day with us, weather hey have past on, dropped out or something else, we are all still together, there are going to be memories that last forever of the last 4 years of our life.. It really is true that this was the fastest 4 years of my life, it seems like yesterday that I was a freshmen and now I am pushing graduation. Senior year really is the best and I wouldn’t change anything if I could… live laugh love… those really are the words that describe high school, there is so many different people and yet when we are all together we all share the same feeling. I am looking forward to seeing everybody at class reunions. Good Luck to everyone next year! Class of 09!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Prom
As a senior I am having trouble staying on the topic of politics when there is so much other things I want to write about, so here it goes… This past weekend was Prom, which was amazing by the way, My class officers decided to have the theme be casino night, it looked gorgeous. It was at a country club and everything was lit up perfectly. I think that post prom was a blast as well, everybody changed from their beautiful dresses into comfy clothes to go bowling at wee hours in the night. After that the school had hired a hypnotist to come and hypnotize a bunch of students, it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The hypnotist had them dancing, acting, and all this other stuff that was hilarious. I had a great time at prom, the only thing about it is that that means that the end of our high school experience is coming to an end. I don’t understand why some of the seniors don’t go to their own prom, it is one of those things that you have to go to to get the whole experience of being a senior, same as the football games up in the front row. Prom was great, thanks for everything to everybody that was apart of it and made it such a beautiful evening!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Swine Flu??
So, the swine flu is getting closer, six cases of the flu where recently discovered in Marshalltown Iowa. It is said that if one child from the school gets the swine flu, they have to shut down the school for two weeks at least, however if another child gets the flu in another school in that area, the school board has to shut down the whole school district for six weeks.
This being such a big issue, a couple of classes of mine have been discussing how we would act if the swine flu hit home, and they had to shut down our school for two weeks..... Being a senior in high school I can not even describe how bad that would be to have graduation post pone, because of the flu, I have waiting for this since I walked in the doors of high school. As well as cancelling prom, that would be a senior’s girl’s worst nightmare. Given that this post is about the swine flu I feel that I should probably give you some information regarding the flu, such as the symptoms and how to avoid getting the illness.
Swine Flu is a form of influenza. Although swine flu is normally virulent only in pigs, it is thought to have crossed over to humans in the early part of the 20th century, causing the Spanish Flu pandemic. The death toll from the Swine flu was particularly high among young, healthy adults.
In 1976, a swine flu scare provided the biggest embarrassment of US President Gerald Ford's administration. On February 5 an army recruit at Fort Dix said he felt tired and weak. The next day, he was dead and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. Two weeks after his death, health officials announced that swine flu was the cause of death.
The vaccine was blamed for 25 deaths (more people died from the vaccine than died from the "swine flu" itself) and a small, but statistically significant, rise in the incidence of a rare illness called Guillain-Barré syndrome or GBS.
As most of us know, there has been a number of outbreaks in Mexico, New York and had now reached Iowa.
The safest way to avoid catching the influenza would be the same way as not catching any other flu. Keep you hands clean, away from your mouth, nose and eyes, and cover your mouth when you sneeze to avoid spreading germs.
This being such a big issue, a couple of classes of mine have been discussing how we would act if the swine flu hit home, and they had to shut down our school for two weeks..... Being a senior in high school I can not even describe how bad that would be to have graduation post pone, because of the flu, I have waiting for this since I walked in the doors of high school. As well as cancelling prom, that would be a senior’s girl’s worst nightmare. Given that this post is about the swine flu I feel that I should probably give you some information regarding the flu, such as the symptoms and how to avoid getting the illness.
Swine Flu is a form of influenza. Although swine flu is normally virulent only in pigs, it is thought to have crossed over to humans in the early part of the 20th century, causing the Spanish Flu pandemic. The death toll from the Swine flu was particularly high among young, healthy adults.
In 1976, a swine flu scare provided the biggest embarrassment of US President Gerald Ford's administration. On February 5 an army recruit at Fort Dix said he felt tired and weak. The next day, he was dead and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. Two weeks after his death, health officials announced that swine flu was the cause of death.
The vaccine was blamed for 25 deaths (more people died from the vaccine than died from the "swine flu" itself) and a small, but statistically significant, rise in the incidence of a rare illness called Guillain-Barré syndrome or GBS.
As most of us know, there has been a number of outbreaks in Mexico, New York and had now reached Iowa.
The safest way to avoid catching the influenza would be the same way as not catching any other flu. Keep you hands clean, away from your mouth, nose and eyes, and cover your mouth when you sneeze to avoid spreading germs.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Capitalism?
America is supposed to be a capitalist country. The definition of capitalism is a free-market system: an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods, characterized by a free competitive market and motivation by profit.
So basically it is a free market system and the government had little say in what we do. However, if you really think about it, the government can control everything that you do. Now, I’m not trying to say that we live in a communist country, because it is very far from that.
But really think about it, the government has an impact on everything you do, everyday. Such as what you eat, the food that you eat more than likely has to be approved by the FDA, which is set up by the government to make sure that it is safe to eat. What you wear to school, well the school has a dress code and the government controls the school.
Even thought the government has a huge impact on everybody’s daily life, I’m glad to live in America, as free as it is. Having the government be apart of everything is mostly for a good reason. Such as, to keep us safe and or to protect us. The government is a good thing. Actually I had a project in one of my classes that had me try to describe our government, breaking it down to be able to describe it to a younger person. Well, while doing thins I realized things that people really don’t think about everyday. Take a minute to think about the “rules” here in America, also known as laws, it is very easy to break them, even though we may not realize it. Example being driving to school or work today, did you go the speed limit the whole time? Not exceeding it once? Chances are your broke the law. So what if there were no laws? Would the country be smart enough not to do anything stupid? If one-person speeds, don’t you think everybody else will as well. If it weren’t for the government the banks would be able to spend our money like they did in the great depression, then the whole country would be mad and probably start rioting. Which would lead to fights breaking out, but the police would not be there to stop it, so how far would it go?
So basically it is a free market system and the government had little say in what we do. However, if you really think about it, the government can control everything that you do. Now, I’m not trying to say that we live in a communist country, because it is very far from that.
But really think about it, the government has an impact on everything you do, everyday. Such as what you eat, the food that you eat more than likely has to be approved by the FDA, which is set up by the government to make sure that it is safe to eat. What you wear to school, well the school has a dress code and the government controls the school.
Even thought the government has a huge impact on everybody’s daily life, I’m glad to live in America, as free as it is. Having the government be apart of everything is mostly for a good reason. Such as, to keep us safe and or to protect us. The government is a good thing. Actually I had a project in one of my classes that had me try to describe our government, breaking it down to be able to describe it to a younger person. Well, while doing thins I realized things that people really don’t think about everyday. Take a minute to think about the “rules” here in America, also known as laws, it is very easy to break them, even though we may not realize it. Example being driving to school or work today, did you go the speed limit the whole time? Not exceeding it once? Chances are your broke the law. So what if there were no laws? Would the country be smart enough not to do anything stupid? If one-person speeds, don’t you think everybody else will as well. If it weren’t for the government the banks would be able to spend our money like they did in the great depression, then the whole country would be mad and probably start rioting. Which would lead to fights breaking out, but the police would not be there to stop it, so how far would it go?
Monday, April 13, 2009
My favorite amendment
Double Jeopardy
No person shall be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb. The confusion. Double obviously means twice and jeopardy is legally defined as a defendant's risk or danger of conviction when put on trial. Double jeopardy protects a defendant who has already been found not guilty from being tried again for the same crime by the same government. Double jeopardy allows a defendant who has been found not guilty of a crime to begin to rebuild his or her life secure in the knowledge that the government will not prosecute again based on the same facts. A criminal trial is both financially and emotionally expensive and double jeopardy protects a person who is found to be not guilty from reliving that ordeal and it allows that person to begin to pick up the pieces of his or her life that were put on hold
While the Fifth Amendment double jeopardy clause only applies to the federal government, the U.S. Supreme Court found in Benton v. Maryland that double jeopardy is a “fundamental ideal in our constitutional heritage” and therefore applies to state governments, as well as to the federal government, through the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
That said, there are times when a defendant can stand trial again based upon the same set of facts without the government violating the defendant’s Fifth Amendment right to be protected from double jeopardy.
Different governments may try the same defendant for the same crime on the same facts. For example, a defendant could be charged by both the federal and the state government for the same or similar crimes arising from the same events.The U.S. Supreme Court has held that if a jury finds a defendant guilty and the judge overrules that conviction that the prosecution may appeal the judge’s action. This is a limited exception, however. If the judge finds the defendant not guilty prior to the jury’s determination then the decision is not appealable. The government may also decide to retry a defendant if he or she was originally found guilty by a jury or trial judge and that conviction was overturned on the defendant’s appeal.Further, double jeopardy only applies to criminal charges, not civil charges. For example, a defendant could be acquitted of felony murder charges and still have to stand trial for the civil charge of wrongful death even if the charges arise from the same set of facts.Double jeopardy furthers two important objectives. For the prosecution, the prohibition against trying a defendant twice for the same crime means that it must put its best evidence forward and be as thorough as possible in order to get a conviction. For the defendant, it means that there is certainty in acquittal and that the defendant can get back to the business of living once he or she is found not guilty.
Self Incrimination
Self-incrimination shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.
Due Process
Due process is the idea that law and legal proceedings must be fair.
I like this particular amendment because it gives me rights that the government cannot take from me without fair trial.
Double jeopardy-
Due Process-
Self Incrimination-
Due Process and Taking)
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
No person shall be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb. The confusion. Double obviously means twice and jeopardy is legally defined as a defendant's risk or danger of conviction when put on trial. Double jeopardy protects a defendant who has already been found not guilty from being tried again for the same crime by the same government. Double jeopardy allows a defendant who has been found not guilty of a crime to begin to rebuild his or her life secure in the knowledge that the government will not prosecute again based on the same facts. A criminal trial is both financially and emotionally expensive and double jeopardy protects a person who is found to be not guilty from reliving that ordeal and it allows that person to begin to pick up the pieces of his or her life that were put on hold
While the Fifth Amendment double jeopardy clause only applies to the federal government, the U.S. Supreme Court found in Benton v. Maryland that double jeopardy is a “fundamental ideal in our constitutional heritage” and therefore applies to state governments, as well as to the federal government, through the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
That said, there are times when a defendant can stand trial again based upon the same set of facts without the government violating the defendant’s Fifth Amendment right to be protected from double jeopardy.
Different governments may try the same defendant for the same crime on the same facts. For example, a defendant could be charged by both the federal and the state government for the same or similar crimes arising from the same events.The U.S. Supreme Court has held that if a jury finds a defendant guilty and the judge overrules that conviction that the prosecution may appeal the judge’s action. This is a limited exception, however. If the judge finds the defendant not guilty prior to the jury’s determination then the decision is not appealable. The government may also decide to retry a defendant if he or she was originally found guilty by a jury or trial judge and that conviction was overturned on the defendant’s appeal.Further, double jeopardy only applies to criminal charges, not civil charges. For example, a defendant could be acquitted of felony murder charges and still have to stand trial for the civil charge of wrongful death even if the charges arise from the same set of facts.Double jeopardy furthers two important objectives. For the prosecution, the prohibition against trying a defendant twice for the same crime means that it must put its best evidence forward and be as thorough as possible in order to get a conviction. For the defendant, it means that there is certainty in acquittal and that the defendant can get back to the business of living once he or she is found not guilty.
Self Incrimination
Self-incrimination shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.
Due Process
Due process is the idea that law and legal proceedings must be fair.
I like this particular amendment because it gives me rights that the government cannot take from me without fair trial.
Double jeopardy-
Due Process-
Self Incrimination-
Due Process and Taking)
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
If I CouldChangethe Constitution
The U.S. constitution amendment that I dislike most is the second amendment;
The right to keep and bare arms.
Statistics show that children and teen gun violence is the leading cause of death in America. There are roughly 3012 teens and children that were killed due to gun fire in U.S. every year, that is 1 child every 3 hours, 8 per day and more than 50 per week. Four to five times as many children suffer from non-fatal gunfire injuries.
Sixty six fatal hunting accidents occur per year with 635 non-fatal per year in the U.S.
If people did not have the right to bear arms in the United States there would be over 3080 people that didn’t have to lose their lives due to negligence each year. The right to bear arms gives Americans the right to have a gun as long as they’re in not any known mental status or have a felony history present. Everyday people are given opportunity to knowingly or accidentally take another’s life. Anyone with a gun is a potential killer.
I believe that certain people with adequate and extensive training and knowledge should have the right to bear arms. People with jobs that require the need for a firearm should undergo a series of training courses on proper gun use and safety. Only people requiring the need for an arm should posses them; police officers, correctional officers, ect. With this kind of limitation on firearms there would still be accidents that occur yet there would also be many less lives taken each day.
The right to bear arms affects my life today because at any given time the person sitting next to me could pull out a gun and start shooting. I will always have the thought in the back of my head that anyone could potentially have a gun with them anywhere I go. Anyone with a gun has the option to shoot and possibly kill someone, most people don’t consider killing but the option is still there with a firearm in the home. In 1962 my grandfather’s brother was showing my grandfather his gun when it accidentally went off, the bullet went through his hand and into my grandmother, the bullet was a fraction of an inch from her lungs. My grandmother lived through the experience but has always informed us grandchildren of the dangers of firearms.
This specific amendment could potentially affect my future because I am not safely able to travel to the places I would love to go, such as New York City or Chicago. The reputations of these cities are terrifying. Columbia University in New York City is not an option for me because of the fear Americans embrace upon these places. In 1993 it was estimated that two million illegal guns were in circulation in New York City. Without so many guns being available for people to illegally acquire there would be a much lower gun crime rate all over America. Ninety percent of the illegal guns in New York City that year were purchased in other states.
The right to keep and bare arms.
Statistics show that children and teen gun violence is the leading cause of death in America. There are roughly 3012 teens and children that were killed due to gun fire in U.S. every year, that is 1 child every 3 hours, 8 per day and more than 50 per week. Four to five times as many children suffer from non-fatal gunfire injuries.
Sixty six fatal hunting accidents occur per year with 635 non-fatal per year in the U.S.
If people did not have the right to bear arms in the United States there would be over 3080 people that didn’t have to lose their lives due to negligence each year. The right to bear arms gives Americans the right to have a gun as long as they’re in not any known mental status or have a felony history present. Everyday people are given opportunity to knowingly or accidentally take another’s life. Anyone with a gun is a potential killer.
I believe that certain people with adequate and extensive training and knowledge should have the right to bear arms. People with jobs that require the need for a firearm should undergo a series of training courses on proper gun use and safety. Only people requiring the need for an arm should posses them; police officers, correctional officers, ect. With this kind of limitation on firearms there would still be accidents that occur yet there would also be many less lives taken each day.
The right to bear arms affects my life today because at any given time the person sitting next to me could pull out a gun and start shooting. I will always have the thought in the back of my head that anyone could potentially have a gun with them anywhere I go. Anyone with a gun has the option to shoot and possibly kill someone, most people don’t consider killing but the option is still there with a firearm in the home. In 1962 my grandfather’s brother was showing my grandfather his gun when it accidentally went off, the bullet went through his hand and into my grandmother, the bullet was a fraction of an inch from her lungs. My grandmother lived through the experience but has always informed us grandchildren of the dangers of firearms.
This specific amendment could potentially affect my future because I am not safely able to travel to the places I would love to go, such as New York City or Chicago. The reputations of these cities are terrifying. Columbia University in New York City is not an option for me because of the fear Americans embrace upon these places. In 1993 it was estimated that two million illegal guns were in circulation in New York City. Without so many guns being available for people to illegally acquire there would be a much lower gun crime rate all over America. Ninety percent of the illegal guns in New York City that year were purchased in other states.
Insurance....
So basically, the bottom line is health insurance is very important and curtail to everybody. However, now a days it is hard for a lot of American to receive health insurance, leaving them on their own to find it themselves, which is usually to expensive for most of us to afford. So what were Obama’s views on this? Well he said that everybody should be covered, and that he would make it cheap and affordable to everyone. But what has he done yet? Well nothing.
What makes me even madder is the fact that some health places, such as dentists, doctors, and so on, are receiving money from the insurance, when they are not doing anything to get it. I have a major problem with my dentist I have been to them since November for the pain in my tooth, my first dentist said that he could not see anything, after taking an X-ray and waiting two weeks to hear back, so I switched dentists and the second one said that I would need a crown on the tooth, however, it was still a baby tooth so they had to do a root canal on it before they could even consider the crown. While waiting for the root canal I had an infection under the tooth and I specifically told them that, so they gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, the following week when I returned, they opened my mouth and took a look, did nothing and sent me home telling me that I still had an infection, after 4 weeks of pain killers and different antibiotics, I went back and they proceeded with the root canal. Then they stopped... in the middle of it... and said it was still infected. So the infection got out, and I swallowed it and then got really sick. Two weeks later, I went back for them to finish the root canal and they did, very painfully I might add. Then a week later I was scheduled for Prep for the crown. After getting the crown I saw a doctor because of a lump in my lower jaw, right around where the dentist was messing around, so he ordered a cat scan to rule out cancer, and thought it was just a basest. Turns out I had another problem with my mouth... my wisdom teeth was seen in the cats can and they were on the opposite side of my mouth and not causing me any discomfort, so anyways, my doctor referred me to a oral surgeon to take a look at my wisdom teeth, along with the lump in my jaw. When I visited the oral surgeon, he said that my dentist knew that he could not have saved the tooth, so why did they do ALL of the stuff they did? Each dentist appointment was at least $300 even when they didn’t do anything and sent me home rescheduling, how can you make money off of that? That didn’t seem fair. But that’s insurance for you..... You get insurance so that you won’t have a lot of medical bills if something happens to you... just think, if I didn’t have any insurance than I would probably be in debt for years just because the dentist was stupid...
What makes me even madder is the fact that some health places, such as dentists, doctors, and so on, are receiving money from the insurance, when they are not doing anything to get it. I have a major problem with my dentist I have been to them since November for the pain in my tooth, my first dentist said that he could not see anything, after taking an X-ray and waiting two weeks to hear back, so I switched dentists and the second one said that I would need a crown on the tooth, however, it was still a baby tooth so they had to do a root canal on it before they could even consider the crown. While waiting for the root canal I had an infection under the tooth and I specifically told them that, so they gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, the following week when I returned, they opened my mouth and took a look, did nothing and sent me home telling me that I still had an infection, after 4 weeks of pain killers and different antibiotics, I went back and they proceeded with the root canal. Then they stopped... in the middle of it... and said it was still infected. So the infection got out, and I swallowed it and then got really sick. Two weeks later, I went back for them to finish the root canal and they did, very painfully I might add. Then a week later I was scheduled for Prep for the crown. After getting the crown I saw a doctor because of a lump in my lower jaw, right around where the dentist was messing around, so he ordered a cat scan to rule out cancer, and thought it was just a basest. Turns out I had another problem with my mouth... my wisdom teeth was seen in the cats can and they were on the opposite side of my mouth and not causing me any discomfort, so anyways, my doctor referred me to a oral surgeon to take a look at my wisdom teeth, along with the lump in my jaw. When I visited the oral surgeon, he said that my dentist knew that he could not have saved the tooth, so why did they do ALL of the stuff they did? Each dentist appointment was at least $300 even when they didn’t do anything and sent me home rescheduling, how can you make money off of that? That didn’t seem fair. But that’s insurance for you..... You get insurance so that you won’t have a lot of medical bills if something happens to you... just think, if I didn’t have any insurance than I would probably be in debt for years just because the dentist was stupid...
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Ten Trillion Dollars
So I want to take a minute and ask, do you know how much money that the national debt really is?? It is so mind boggling, it’s hard to wrap a thought around.
Currently it would cost each household in the United States 33 thousand dollars just to pay off the debt that we are in…
There was this web page that I stumbled upon showing just how much money it really is… So brace your self, here it is…
All this talk about "stimulus packages" and "bailouts"...
A billion dollars...
A hundred billion dollars...
Eight hundred billion dollars...
One TRILLION dollars...
Lets start with a 100 dollar bill, we all have seen them and most of us have ad them. A packet of one hundred $100 bills is less than 1/2" thick and contains $10,000. Believe it or not, $1 million dollars is 100 little packets of the 100-dollar bills containing $10,000 $100 million is a little more respectable. It fits neatly on a standard pallet... And $1 BILLION dollars... now we're really getting somewhere... $1 billion dollars is 5x5 pallets with 100 million dollars on each. Next we'll look at ONE TRILLION dollars. This is that number we've been hearing so much about. What is a trillion dollars? Well, it's a million million. It's a thousand billion. It's a one followed by 12 zeros.Another way to look at this a little less visual would be: One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Another way to look at this a little less visual would be:
One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Currently it would cost each household in the United States 33 thousand dollars just to pay off the debt that we are in…
There was this web page that I stumbled upon showing just how much money it really is… So brace your self, here it is…
All this talk about "stimulus packages" and "bailouts"...
A billion dollars...
A hundred billion dollars...
Eight hundred billion dollars...
One TRILLION dollars...
Lets start with a 100 dollar bill, we all have seen them and most of us have ad them. A packet of one hundred $100 bills is less than 1/2" thick and contains $10,000. Believe it or not, $1 million dollars is 100 little packets of the 100-dollar bills containing $10,000 $100 million is a little more respectable. It fits neatly on a standard pallet... And $1 BILLION dollars... now we're really getting somewhere... $1 billion dollars is 5x5 pallets with 100 million dollars on each. Next we'll look at ONE TRILLION dollars. This is that number we've been hearing so much about. What is a trillion dollars? Well, it's a million million. It's a thousand billion. It's a one followed by 12 zeros.Another way to look at this a little less visual would be: One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Another way to look at this a little less visual would be:
One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Informations brought to you by
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/pallet_x_10.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/index.html&usg=__kALvFqErsmUw5kyMxuTCY0UbCaQ=&h=274&w=570&sz=23&hl=en&start=13&sig2=AWK3zjkltlG3m-OgklwquQ&um=1&tbnid=8cnjiNhkoXNqVM:&tbnh=64&tbnw=134&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dten%2Btrillion%2Bdollars%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1&ei=wzbYSaHgM5HGM_rfueoOand http://www.mint.com/blog/finance-core/visualizing-one-trillion-dollars/
I think that the government is waisting a lot of money on these stimulous packages and bailouts... if the people are unable to pay for a house and know it, then they should not have gotten it in the first place, there is no reason that the government should have to help them for the mess that they got their selves into. they did nothing for the government and the government is not there to relay on, they are there to protect us, not from our own stupid decisions.
Government Assistance
The biggest problem I have with our government is where all the money goes… the government has a plan for where they have to spend their money, however, if they do not spend it the way they said they would, nothing happens, they don’t get in trouble, or they don’t have any consequences. The government is like their own little world, they have nobody there that they have to look up to, to make sure that they don’t screw up. We have three branches of the government, the judicial, executive, and the legislative, the thing is, they all work together, and instead of looking out for one another, they let all the crazy ideas through and get into more trouble. It’s not that I don’t like the government, because I really do, living here under their laws and rules is a heck of a lot better than living over in china in a communism community.
The government has helped me and my family out a lot, with FEMA and other government assistant programs during the flood of the summer of 2008. However, maybe it wasn’t enough. I find it mind boggling how the government is able to help all of the thousands of people who needed money for their mortgages and the government was able to take a billion dollars and bail them out, even though it was their own fault for getting into something that they should have known they could not handle. On the other hand, some of the flood victims had little to no assistance from the government, along with loosing everything from the flood. Now explain how that is fair!
The government has helped me and my family out a lot, with FEMA and other government assistant programs during the flood of the summer of 2008. However, maybe it wasn’t enough. I find it mind boggling how the government is able to help all of the thousands of people who needed money for their mortgages and the government was able to take a billion dollars and bail them out, even though it was their own fault for getting into something that they should have known they could not handle. On the other hand, some of the flood victims had little to no assistance from the government, along with loosing everything from the flood. Now explain how that is fair!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Home
My home for the last 18 years of my life was torn down Tuesday April 9, 2009. My family and I have been waiting for this day to come since the middle of June last year, when the decision was decide that we were not going to be able to rebuild. The house was ruined from the flood last summer. The foundation was washed out in the basement and very unsafe to even enter it afterwards. Leaving it hard for us to enter it and retrieve all of our belongings that were still okay. Even though most of our things were ruined and contaminated, everything on the second floor was fine. To watch my home that my father had built with his own hands by himself be demolished with in hours, made me sick, how could this happen, a house that took about three years to fully complete come down in a couple hours, to where it is almost like there was never anything there in the first place. Watching them hit the house with the claw I will never forget, it made an indescribable sound that made me sick to my stomach, as if some one was stabbing me… as the house was torn into, room by room, memory by memory flashed by. What made it worse was seeing things that I had forgotten about be picked up by the tractor’s claw and being dropped into a huge dump truck. It was almost as if I wanted to scream stop and run to get the left behind object.
I am not sure what is worse, the house not being there or the house still standing and not being able to live there. I know that I will never forget all the good times that have happened in that house in my childhood. Either way, it is still my home in my mind, and I will always just want to go home.
I know that a lot of people reading this is probably think that this really is no big deal because it is just a house and now that I have a new house because of this event, that I should be over to and move on. Well it really doesn’t work like that. It was more than just a house, it was a home that I and my four siblings all grew up in, it had its own stories to it, all the odd things that my father had built into it for reasons that nobody knows. I love that place.
I am not sure what is worse, the house not being there or the house still standing and not being able to live there. I know that I will never forget all the good times that have happened in that house in my childhood. Either way, it is still my home in my mind, and I will always just want to go home.
I know that a lot of people reading this is probably think that this really is no big deal because it is just a house and now that I have a new house because of this event, that I should be over to and move on. Well it really doesn’t work like that. It was more than just a house, it was a home that I and my four siblings all grew up in, it had its own stories to it, all the odd things that my father had built into it for reasons that nobody knows. I love that place.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
More Money, going, going, gone...
This is absolutely ridiculous on how much money the government is actually spending... with all the bailouts, and stimulus packages, yesterday the stimulus money started flowing to schools, which I guess is better than going somewhere where we will never see it, but really, where are we getting all this money? I found that other countries hold about 7% of our debt, meaning we have barrowed from them, leaving us the only option to repay them. I don’t see why we cant forget about all the money that the government is spending and just put all the money back into circulation, yes it would be wrong and unjustified, but think about how much easier that it would make everything.... instead of hearing about how much debt we're in we could be hearing how great our economy is doing and how we could be helping other people who really need it, especially not helping pay for those hundreds of thousands of people's homes that the government basically just bought for them. As well as the government just giving AIG Money to get back on their feet, but look what they did with the money, they gave it to the workers for their benefits and bonuses, don't get me wrong, that would be nice, however, that was so unnecessary, and the company is right back to where it was before, going down.
National Debt!!!
So I want to take a minute and ask, do you know how much money that the national debt really is?? It is so mind boggling, it’s hard to wrap a thought around.
Currently it would cost each household in the United States 33 thousand dollars just to pay off the debt that we are in…
There was this web page that I stumbled upon showing just how much money it really is… This is going to be really hard to try to explain without the pictures, however you still might be able to get the point.
I’m sure all of us have seen a 100-dollar bill, now imagine one hundred 100-dollar bills in a stack. That is just a ½ of an inch thick.
And one hundred of those can easily fit into a grocery bag and be carried around. Now, that just equals 10,000 dollars. Needing 999,000 thousand dollars which makes a million. Which would fill one pallet up to five feet. Then a billion would be a 5x5 pallets filled with one million dollars on it… then a trillion would be 100x100 double stacked.
Another way to look at this a little less visual would be:
One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Currently it would cost each household in the United States 33 thousand dollars just to pay off the debt that we are in…
There was this web page that I stumbled upon showing just how much money it really is… This is going to be really hard to try to explain without the pictures, however you still might be able to get the point.
I’m sure all of us have seen a 100-dollar bill, now imagine one hundred 100-dollar bills in a stack. That is just a ½ of an inch thick.
And one hundred of those can easily fit into a grocery bag and be carried around. Now, that just equals 10,000 dollars. Needing 999,000 thousand dollars which makes a million. Which would fill one pallet up to five feet. Then a billion would be a 5x5 pallets filled with one million dollars on it… then a trillion would be 100x100 double stacked.
Another way to look at this a little less visual would be:
One trillion can pay for the military for every Nato country combined. One trillion dollars can pay for all the goods and services produced in Australia for one year. It can pay for every military intervention and war since 9/11, it is the marked value of the Toronto stock exchange. One trillion dollars can pay for the rent for every renter for three years, or the mortgages for every homeowner for 14 months. One trillion can purchase all the homes that foreclosed in 2007-2008. One trillion dollars can pay for an additional 11 weeks vacation for every American worker. One trillion dollars could pay 1/10 of the spending for current bailout.
Same Sex Marriage??
Yesterday at 8:30 the legislator held a meeting to discuss the debatable issue of gay rights, and if gay marriages should be allowed in the state of Iowa… After a unanimous discussion, the answer was yes. Iowa will be the third state in the United States to legalize gay marriage, Massachusetts and Connecticut. I believe that sooner or later all of the united sates of America will eventually legalize the same sex marriages. For Iowa to become the third state to legalize it, and the first state in the mid west, it will show the other states that it is okay to have this. The only confusions or problems that could arise out of this or that would make a difference is that the people will have to go else where to get married, then move back to where they were, they will think that they have the same rights as any other married couple. Not only does this rise the question of the different states stance on this issue, however it also changes the fact that other state are taking this into consideration and if the states all around the state that opposes the idea might just end up causing more problems. That is why I think that the federal court should be in charged of saying what states should have the rights for the same sex marriages, either make it fair through out all the states or set boundaries for the states, that way the same sex couple can live happy where ever they are and know their rights from one place to another. I am not saying that I am for or if I oppose the same sex marriage, however I think that this is too big of a decision for the states to make, I think that the federals should have more rules, or be more strict. That would make things more fair and less confusing to a lot of the same sex couples and they could decide for themselves if they want to get married or not, it should be up to them, not the state.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Pakistan
It is not hard to spot an individual from a Middle Eastern country. He or she most likely is wearing clothing that is a symbol of his or her region. Pakistanis are known for their culture. It is important to their people because it signifies their everyday life. Pakistan is a very unique place because it has a creative culture that includes their wardrobe, language, and education.
Pakistan is a country located in the Middle East, it borders the war zone that American troops are in right now. The surrounding countries are Iran, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and India, along with the Arabian Sea. Based on the location of Pakistan, it is a very hot place. There are many ways that Pakistanis can stand the heat. One way that they deal with it, is the way they dress.
Depending on the different regions of Pakistan, one can experience the unique styles of this countries people. Different areas have different styles, just like America does. The women in Pakistan prefer the Kameez and Shalwar because it fits the Koran’s description of the modest clothing. “The costume of a Kameez consists of a long loose shirt with tails down to the knees and baggy trousers called Shalwar” Most of the women in Pakistan are required to keep their rear ends, arms, legs, and the top of their heads covered. Because of the Pakistanis different styles of clothing, it is easy to recognize a person that is from the Middle East.
Throughout the many regions of Pakistan there are quite a few different languages spoken. Over 20 languages are spoken around the country . Some of them are Sindhi, Urdu, Pashto, Punjabi, and Baluchi. Punjabi is the most common language, it is spoken in over half of Pakistan. Punjabis speak many different dialects of the Punjabi language. Throughout the different regions, most Pakistanis can understand the different dialects even though they were never taught how to speak it, but they can recognize it from being around it most their lives.
Pakistan is not a very literate country, the people there are very uneducated. According to the director of the country’s literacy program “There are about 55 million adults who are illiterate in this county, and as far as the women are concerned, 3 out or 4 women in Pakistan can not read and write”. Most of the schools in Pakistan only teach fundamentals of Islam. That means that most of the people there never even get the chance to learn how to read and write, instead they spend all their time learning about their religion. The few schools that do teach are called Madrasah’s. After the students complete high school, they may go on to an intermediate college which are grades 11 and 12. Then they prepare for a college or university. Unlike America, the children in Pakistan are not required to go to school so they have very little education.
Pakistanis still to this day keep up with their way of things. They have stuck to their traditions for hundreds of years. Things such as religion, family gatherings, and marriage customs are very important to them.
Pakistan is a country located in the Middle East, it borders the war zone that American troops are in right now. The surrounding countries are Iran, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and India, along with the Arabian Sea. Based on the location of Pakistan, it is a very hot place. There are many ways that Pakistanis can stand the heat. One way that they deal with it, is the way they dress.
Depending on the different regions of Pakistan, one can experience the unique styles of this countries people. Different areas have different styles, just like America does. The women in Pakistan prefer the Kameez and Shalwar because it fits the Koran’s description of the modest clothing. “The costume of a Kameez consists of a long loose shirt with tails down to the knees and baggy trousers called Shalwar” Most of the women in Pakistan are required to keep their rear ends, arms, legs, and the top of their heads covered. Because of the Pakistanis different styles of clothing, it is easy to recognize a person that is from the Middle East.
Throughout the many regions of Pakistan there are quite a few different languages spoken. Over 20 languages are spoken around the country . Some of them are Sindhi, Urdu, Pashto, Punjabi, and Baluchi. Punjabi is the most common language, it is spoken in over half of Pakistan. Punjabis speak many different dialects of the Punjabi language. Throughout the different regions, most Pakistanis can understand the different dialects even though they were never taught how to speak it, but they can recognize it from being around it most their lives.
Pakistan is not a very literate country, the people there are very uneducated. According to the director of the country’s literacy program “There are about 55 million adults who are illiterate in this county, and as far as the women are concerned, 3 out or 4 women in Pakistan can not read and write”. Most of the schools in Pakistan only teach fundamentals of Islam. That means that most of the people there never even get the chance to learn how to read and write, instead they spend all their time learning about their religion. The few schools that do teach are called Madrasah’s. After the students complete high school, they may go on to an intermediate college which are grades 11 and 12. Then they prepare for a college or university. Unlike America, the children in Pakistan are not required to go to school so they have very little education.
Pakistanis still to this day keep up with their way of things. They have stuck to their traditions for hundreds of years. Things such as religion, family gatherings, and marriage customs are very important to them.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
New Government, New Ideas
Stem Cell Research… What’s Going to Happen?
The other day presidents Obama passed the stem cell research plan. Now I am not one to put my personal opinions in my posts on certain subjects, this is one of them. However I will address this issue because it is a very important topic that has been in debates for years.
Well, some people would say that stem cell research is a great idea, while others are very opposing to the whole idea. I can see both sides of this argument.
From one perspective the whole concept it a little creepy, taking a fetus and turning it into something that can actually make clones, maybe not that extreme, but to re grow body parts? Really?
However, what if they do find a cure for cancer, then thousands of people will be saved and be able to enjoy a long and happy life like the rest of us.
It is very easy to see both sides; however, is it really "murder" like some say because it is an actual fetus that would eventually create a human. So what stage is it an actual baby? Or when is it "just" a fetus? That is the biggest augment that the politics and everybody else is making.
Because of this being passed is it going to make abortion free? In that case won't young girl not care if they get pregnant? And in that case won’t that lead to more disease being spread?
Or on the other hand, is it just research that could eventually lead to saving thousands of lives and cure millions?
Either way, the document has been signed and so the only thing to do now is to wait and see if it can do what millions are arguing that it can do, or will it be a disaster and just kill babies for no reason and cause more transmitted diseases?
The other day presidents Obama passed the stem cell research plan. Now I am not one to put my personal opinions in my posts on certain subjects, this is one of them. However I will address this issue because it is a very important topic that has been in debates for years.
Well, some people would say that stem cell research is a great idea, while others are very opposing to the whole idea. I can see both sides of this argument.
From one perspective the whole concept it a little creepy, taking a fetus and turning it into something that can actually make clones, maybe not that extreme, but to re grow body parts? Really?
However, what if they do find a cure for cancer, then thousands of people will be saved and be able to enjoy a long and happy life like the rest of us.
It is very easy to see both sides; however, is it really "murder" like some say because it is an actual fetus that would eventually create a human. So what stage is it an actual baby? Or when is it "just" a fetus? That is the biggest augment that the politics and everybody else is making.
Because of this being passed is it going to make abortion free? In that case won't young girl not care if they get pregnant? And in that case won’t that lead to more disease being spread?
Or on the other hand, is it just research that could eventually lead to saving thousands of lives and cure millions?
Either way, the document has been signed and so the only thing to do now is to wait and see if it can do what millions are arguing that it can do, or will it be a disaster and just kill babies for no reason and cause more transmitted diseases?
Possible Flood Again???
One of the biggest fears of the Cedar Rapids community is whether there is going to be a big disastrous flood again. Nobody can really tell, the mertorologist are saying that there will be because the precipitation pattern is almost identical to that's of last year. However, there is no snow in our forecast and last year it was snowing until April, causing it to evaporate and go nowhere else but back down, eventually the ground became so moist that is would not soak up any more water causing the flood to get way out of hand.
On the other hand, maybe everybody is just getting worked up over nothing here in Cedar Rapids. It's quite possible that all the rain that we have, and are expected to get, may just be our spring showers and won't cause any problems. Which I think that if that was the case everybody would be very pleased. After all, think of all the money that the people put into rebuilding their homes, and if it flooded again, I highly doubt that the government, along with all the other help such as jumpstart, will be so generous again.
So what exactly would happen if it was to flood again? Well I think that if it was as bad as last summer, the city of Cedar Rapids would be done, they would not have the option to rebuild because they put all their money into rebuilding from last year. And the people that would get their homes ruined again would be up and gone, they would know that it’s just going to keep happening. And the government, I don’t think would bother to help us again because that is basically putting the millions of dollars that they put into the town, to would all be wasted.
I think that the worst part of the whole flood experience is that a lot of people who worked really hard lost everything and some of the people who didn't lose much receive way more assistance than needed. The city of Cedar Rapids is taking the money to rebuild a new court house right in the middle of down town, so why not take the money and build levies so prevent it from happening again, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Then there is the deal with all the buyouts… if it is suppose to flood again, why the government would want to buy out your property. So if there is a flood, people are basically more screwed than last year, by far more.
On the other hand, maybe everybody is just getting worked up over nothing here in Cedar Rapids. It's quite possible that all the rain that we have, and are expected to get, may just be our spring showers and won't cause any problems. Which I think that if that was the case everybody would be very pleased. After all, think of all the money that the people put into rebuilding their homes, and if it flooded again, I highly doubt that the government, along with all the other help such as jumpstart, will be so generous again.
So what exactly would happen if it was to flood again? Well I think that if it was as bad as last summer, the city of Cedar Rapids would be done, they would not have the option to rebuild because they put all their money into rebuilding from last year. And the people that would get their homes ruined again would be up and gone, they would know that it’s just going to keep happening. And the government, I don’t think would bother to help us again because that is basically putting the millions of dollars that they put into the town, to would all be wasted.
I think that the worst part of the whole flood experience is that a lot of people who worked really hard lost everything and some of the people who didn't lose much receive way more assistance than needed. The city of Cedar Rapids is taking the money to rebuild a new court house right in the middle of down town, so why not take the money and build levies so prevent it from happening again, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Then there is the deal with all the buyouts… if it is suppose to flood again, why the government would want to buy out your property. So if there is a flood, people are basically more screwed than last year, by far more.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Blog about bloging
So, a couple months when we started this whole bloging thing one of my first posts were about why I blog, it was shortly after reading Why I Blog by Sulivan.
After reading that essay it really made me think of the reasons why i blog, besides the fact that my grade depends on it...
So here, read it your self!'
The Reason Why I Blog
After reading that essay it really made me think of the reasons why i blog, besides the fact that my grade depends on it...
So here, read it your self!'
The Reason Why I Blog
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Death and Dying
Recently in my AP language arts class we have been reading quite a few essays about death and dying, specifically what stands out to me was Montague’s “Of Practice”. His essay really stood out because he made it very clear and put death into a perspective that I had not thought about before. Such as how it really only happens once, which everybody already knows that, it’s just the fact that you can’t practice death and we really don’t know what will happen after the time comes and we die. What is even worse about death is that we have no idea when it is going to come and take us away, we don’t know how long our life will be, some of us will live until we reach 100 years old. Others of us might die tomorrow.
I think that it is absolutely terrible when a young person dies (really when anybody dies) but when a young person is so close to achieving what they have been waiting for, for years, I’m talking about graduation, when a student dies. They have their entire life ahead of them. And after graduation life really is just starting. Also when a really young child dies, that is about the worst that can happen because they are the ones with their whole future in front of them.
It really makes me think of how important every day is, and why we should not hold grudges, and why we should forgive. Staying mad at somebody does not do you any good. As a quote from one of my favorite books "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" "Holding anger is a poison...It eats you from inside...We think that by hating someone we hurt them...But hatred is a curved blade...and the harm we do to others...we also do to ourselves”. Life really is way to short to be mad.
I am very fortunate because I have not lost any body extremely close to me, besides my grandparents. I could not imagine losing a parent, a sibling, a best friend, or a boyfriend. Just to think about it makes me think how important all of the people in my life really are. Even if you don’t get along with some one 100% of the time, you still love them more than anything, and could not picture your life without them, and those people that are you met along the way of your journey through life, you cant remember life without them.
I cannot begin to explain my sympathy to all the families and friends out there that has had to go through something this terrible. My support goes out to anyone and everyone that has ever lost a loved one.
I think that it is absolutely terrible when a young person dies (really when anybody dies) but when a young person is so close to achieving what they have been waiting for, for years, I’m talking about graduation, when a student dies. They have their entire life ahead of them. And after graduation life really is just starting. Also when a really young child dies, that is about the worst that can happen because they are the ones with their whole future in front of them.
It really makes me think of how important every day is, and why we should not hold grudges, and why we should forgive. Staying mad at somebody does not do you any good. As a quote from one of my favorite books "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" "Holding anger is a poison...It eats you from inside...We think that by hating someone we hurt them...But hatred is a curved blade...and the harm we do to others...we also do to ourselves”. Life really is way to short to be mad.
I am very fortunate because I have not lost any body extremely close to me, besides my grandparents. I could not imagine losing a parent, a sibling, a best friend, or a boyfriend. Just to think about it makes me think how important all of the people in my life really are. Even if you don’t get along with some one 100% of the time, you still love them more than anything, and could not picture your life without them, and those people that are you met along the way of your journey through life, you cant remember life without them.
I cannot begin to explain my sympathy to all the families and friends out there that has had to go through something this terrible. My support goes out to anyone and everyone that has ever lost a loved one.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Birthdays
Growing up birthdays were the best! You start recounted down the days starting the day after your birthday. I think that the best part about growing up is your birthday. You may not mature as fast as your age but you still gain another year every year.
Your adolescent years are by far the best because every couple years some thing great happens, or you are able to do more and more. Here is what I mean;
Starting at 13 is when it "starts" you gain a lot more responsibilities and you become an official teenager.
Then the next year is the 14th birthday, and in most states that means you are able to get a little close to your freedom by getting your drivers permit.
Then your sweet sixteen comes and you are able to get your intermediate license and with that you don’t have to drive with your parents everywhere when you want to drive.
The good thing about seventeen is that, for one, you have your own magazine named after you. As well as you are able to get into rated R movies, legally. Which most teenagers go to a lot of movies anyways, now there is a bigger variety to choose from.
Then comes eighteen, you are able to vote, buy lottery tickets, and cigarettes, (which are very bad, I’m just stating the obvious). You are also able to get tattoos, any piercing without a guardian along with gambling in a few states such as Minnesota. As of 18 years of age you are considered an adult.
After that there is only one more birthday you look forward to and that is your 21st birthday because now you really are an adult, you are able to drink alcohol, legally and gamble in the rest of the states.
However, after your 21st birthday, you are considered old, and nobody likes to be considered old. So after that it is all down hill from there. I mean after reaching like 25, you really don’t look forward to any other upcoming birthdays.
A lot of really un fun things come with age, like winkles and memory loss, also your flexibility.
Your adolescent years are by far the best because every couple years some thing great happens, or you are able to do more and more. Here is what I mean;
Starting at 13 is when it "starts" you gain a lot more responsibilities and you become an official teenager.
Then the next year is the 14th birthday, and in most states that means you are able to get a little close to your freedom by getting your drivers permit.
Then your sweet sixteen comes and you are able to get your intermediate license and with that you don’t have to drive with your parents everywhere when you want to drive.
The good thing about seventeen is that, for one, you have your own magazine named after you. As well as you are able to get into rated R movies, legally. Which most teenagers go to a lot of movies anyways, now there is a bigger variety to choose from.
Then comes eighteen, you are able to vote, buy lottery tickets, and cigarettes, (which are very bad, I’m just stating the obvious). You are also able to get tattoos, any piercing without a guardian along with gambling in a few states such as Minnesota. As of 18 years of age you are considered an adult.
After that there is only one more birthday you look forward to and that is your 21st birthday because now you really are an adult, you are able to drink alcohol, legally and gamble in the rest of the states.
However, after your 21st birthday, you are considered old, and nobody likes to be considered old. So after that it is all down hill from there. I mean after reaching like 25, you really don’t look forward to any other upcoming birthdays.
A lot of really un fun things come with age, like winkles and memory loss, also your flexibility.
Valentines Day!
Valentines day is just around the corner on February 14. It is, with hands down, one of the best "holidays" for a girl. Especially if the girl has a special someone to share the day with. It is the most “romantic” day of the year for couples.
Here are some statistics on Valentines Day, brought to you by (Discover Card Valentine's Day Shopping Survey)
81% intended to show their spouse or partner they cared on February 14, while 52% planned to show other family members, including children, just how much they appreciated them
On average the Valentines Day spending on gifts was $92 in 2007
Then asked what they hoped to receive for Valentine's Day, both men and women 62% said a night on the town was their preferred gift. Interestingly, other high-ranking gifts on men’s wish lists included entertainment products 45% and candy at 26% where as women would most like to receive flowers 55% and jewelry 45%
Even as children we celebrated the holiday with bringing valentine cards in and handing them out in our classroom. It was the day that you found out that an anonymous someone had a crush on you and then at reassess you found out who. It was also the day that you got to hand out and received the little heart shaped candies.
Those days were so much easier than now, especially if you are spending the day alone, which is one of the worst holidays to spend alone because everywhere you go that day you see relationships blooming all over the place and you feel so sad.
Now women are pretty easy to shop for, especially on Valentines Day because most of them are just happy that you got them something, let alone remembered. So really anything such as, flowers, balloons, candy or stuffed animals, Or to really top it off, jewelry.
Guys on the other hand are a little more fifficult to shop for, they usually say that they don’t want anything (I think that they do that so that you will say that you don’t want anything, and that is their way of getting out of getting you a present) (but that is just my idea)
Here are some gift ideas for the ladies from the guys!Guys always like cologne, or their favorite candy, also you could try to tie in their favorite sport with candy. Also some little necessities that they would never buy for themselves.
"A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we're two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we've found the right person. Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life." -Leslie Parris
Here are some statistics on Valentines Day, brought to you by (Discover Card Valentine's Day Shopping Survey)
81% intended to show their spouse or partner they cared on February 14, while 52% planned to show other family members, including children, just how much they appreciated them
On average the Valentines Day spending on gifts was $92 in 2007
Then asked what they hoped to receive for Valentine's Day, both men and women 62% said a night on the town was their preferred gift. Interestingly, other high-ranking gifts on men’s wish lists included entertainment products 45% and candy at 26% where as women would most like to receive flowers 55% and jewelry 45%
Even as children we celebrated the holiday with bringing valentine cards in and handing them out in our classroom. It was the day that you found out that an anonymous someone had a crush on you and then at reassess you found out who. It was also the day that you got to hand out and received the little heart shaped candies.
Those days were so much easier than now, especially if you are spending the day alone, which is one of the worst holidays to spend alone because everywhere you go that day you see relationships blooming all over the place and you feel so sad.
Now women are pretty easy to shop for, especially on Valentines Day because most of them are just happy that you got them something, let alone remembered. So really anything such as, flowers, balloons, candy or stuffed animals, Or to really top it off, jewelry.
Guys on the other hand are a little more fifficult to shop for, they usually say that they don’t want anything (I think that they do that so that you will say that you don’t want anything, and that is their way of getting out of getting you a present) (but that is just my idea)
Here are some gift ideas for the ladies from the guys!Guys always like cologne, or their favorite candy, also you could try to tie in their favorite sport with candy. Also some little necessities that they would never buy for themselves.
"A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. When we're two balloons, and together our direction is up, chances are we've found the right person. Our soul mate is the one who makes life come to life." -Leslie Parris
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Some Cute Little Date Ideas
I know how hard it is to come up with ideas to do, especially after being with somebody for a long time, well now I have some more ideas for a little special time together, even though you might think that you have done everything, but take a look, you might realize that there are things that you haven’t done yet.
A date to go to your local comedy club for some laughs
A date to pick wildflowers together
A date to tour local college campuses
A date to a hockey game
A date to an aquarium
A date to go boating together on a nice, clear day
A date to learn surfing together at the beach
A date to a play or a live stage show
The classic “dinner and a movie” date
A romantic afternoon sharing old pictures from your childhood
A date to the planetarium or science center
A date to a carnival
An afternoon sightseeing drive on a nice day
A date to a batting cage
A romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage
A date to your local bookstore
A date to the pet store to pick out a pet together
A date to a boxing match
A date to the gym to exercise together
A date to a karaoke bar for some singing
A date to build a sandcastle together at the beach
A date to wash your cars together
A date to the horse-racing track
A date to your local pool or swimming hole
A go-cart riding date
A date to a romantic movie
A date to go shopping for new clothes together
A date to a downtown nightclub or dance club
A date to walk your dogs together
A date to a stock car race
A date to go target shooting or a shooting range together
A date to read to each other at the park on a nice day
An overnight date at a nearby bed-and-breakfast
A date to a local antique shop
A romantic sledding date on a snowy day
A date to a wishing well to make wishes together
A date to a wrestling match
A date to a local winery
A date to go bungee jumping together
A date to a friend or family member’s wedding.
A date to local garage sales to go treasure hunting
A hunting date
A date to go skydiving together
A date to listen to the symphony together
A romantic hot air balloon ride
A date to play Frisbee together at the park
A date to a local amusement park to ride roller coasters
A date to a rock concert
A date to the casino to learn a new game together Brought to you by Love, Leisure and Self Improvement Search
A date to go to your local comedy club for some laughs
A date to pick wildflowers together
A date to tour local college campuses
A date to a hockey game
A date to an aquarium
A date to go boating together on a nice, clear day
A date to learn surfing together at the beach
A date to a play or a live stage show
The classic “dinner and a movie” date
A romantic afternoon sharing old pictures from your childhood
A date to the planetarium or science center
A date to a carnival
An afternoon sightseeing drive on a nice day
A date to a batting cage
A romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage
A date to your local bookstore
A date to the pet store to pick out a pet together
A date to a boxing match
A date to the gym to exercise together
A date to a karaoke bar for some singing
A date to build a sandcastle together at the beach
A date to wash your cars together
A date to the horse-racing track
A date to your local pool or swimming hole
A go-cart riding date
A date to a romantic movie
A date to go shopping for new clothes together
A date to a downtown nightclub or dance club
A date to walk your dogs together
A date to a stock car race
A date to go target shooting or a shooting range together
A date to read to each other at the park on a nice day
An overnight date at a nearby bed-and-breakfast
A date to a local antique shop
A romantic sledding date on a snowy day
A date to a wishing well to make wishes together
A date to a wrestling match
A date to a local winery
A date to go bungee jumping together
A date to a friend or family member’s wedding.
A date to local garage sales to go treasure hunting
A hunting date
A date to go skydiving together
A date to listen to the symphony together
A romantic hot air balloon ride
A date to play Frisbee together at the park
A date to a local amusement park to ride roller coasters
A date to a rock concert
A date to the casino to learn a new game together Brought to you by Love, Leisure and Self Improvement Search
Friday, February 6, 2009
Some More Date Ideas
Here is another little post that might be able to help with this valentines day!And for dates here are 101 ideas for a cute romantic date. 101 Fun Romantic Date Ideas A date at your favorite coffee shop.
A date at the local park.
A romantic picnic date. A date to a baseball game.
A romantic afternoon walk together.
A date to fly a kite together.
A date at the beach on a sunny day.
A putt-putt golf dateA horseback riding date.
A canoing date.
A date to a soccer game.
A romantic camping trip date.
A date to a classic car show.
A date to the local spa to pamper each other.
A date to the local zoo.
A date running a marathon or jogging together.
A date at a high-class cocktail lounge or restaurant.
A date to test-drive new cars together.
A date to a volleyball game.
A date to learn to para-sail together.
A date cooking a romantic meal together.
A date to meet each other’s family members.
A date at the local museum.
A date to the county fair.
A birdwatching date.
A date to pick fruit together at a local orchard
A date to take your kids, nieces or nephews to the park
A roller-blading or rollerskating date
A date to a football game
A date to tour new homes together
A date to learn to scuba dive together
A date to carve pumpkins together for Halloween
A date to the local flea market
A date to ride a romantic ferris wheel together
A date to look at flowers at the local greenhouse
A date to watch a romantic DVD or video together at home
A date to go on a hiking trip together
A date to play a round at the local golf course
A romantic dinner date at a four-star restaurant
A whitewater rafting date
A date to window shop at a nice shopping center
A date to go fishing together
A date to a basketball game
A date to a local art gallery
A date to color eggs together for Easter
A romantic tour of local historic places
A date to build a snowman together
A date at the first place you ever went out together
A date to a local air-show
A rock-climbing date
A date at the local mall arcade to play games together
A date to buy ice-cream on a hot day
Brought to you by Love, Leisure and Self Improvement Search
A date at the local park.
A romantic picnic date. A date to a baseball game.
A romantic afternoon walk together.
A date to fly a kite together.
A date at the beach on a sunny day.
A putt-putt golf dateA horseback riding date.
A canoing date.
A date to a soccer game.
A romantic camping trip date.
A date to a classic car show.
A date to the local spa to pamper each other.
A date to the local zoo.
A date running a marathon or jogging together.
A date at a high-class cocktail lounge or restaurant.
A date to test-drive new cars together.
A date to a volleyball game.
A date to learn to para-sail together.
A date cooking a romantic meal together.
A date to meet each other’s family members.
A date at the local museum.
A date to the county fair.
A birdwatching date.
A date to pick fruit together at a local orchard
A date to take your kids, nieces or nephews to the park
A roller-blading or rollerskating date
A date to a football game
A date to tour new homes together
A date to learn to scuba dive together
A date to carve pumpkins together for Halloween
A date to the local flea market
A date to ride a romantic ferris wheel together
A date to look at flowers at the local greenhouse
A date to watch a romantic DVD or video together at home
A date to go on a hiking trip together
A date to play a round at the local golf course
A romantic dinner date at a four-star restaurant
A whitewater rafting date
A date to window shop at a nice shopping center
A date to go fishing together
A date to a basketball game
A date to a local art gallery
A date to color eggs together for Easter
A romantic tour of local historic places
A date to build a snowman together
A date at the first place you ever went out together
A date to a local air-show
A rock-climbing date
A date at the local mall arcade to play games together
A date to buy ice-cream on a hot day
Brought to you by Love, Leisure and Self Improvement Search
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Pets
Did you know?
In 2006, nearly half of pet owners, or 49.7%, considered their pets to be family members. There are more than 72 million pet dogs in the U.S. and nearly 82 million pet cats. The average veterinary expenditure per household for all pets was $366 in 2006. Among horse-owning households, 61.1% had at least one visit to the veterinarian in 2006, an increase of 11.9% from 2001.
14% Dog owners19% Cat owners18% Fish owners23% Bird owners28% Small animal owners34% Reptile owners
Pets are huge responsibility, a lot of children want pets and their parents always say no because they are too big of reasonability.
Pets are really great companions. Dogs are so great, they are considered to be man’s best friend. They are so great that police, and firefighters use them on their “squads”.
There are all kinds of pets, for all kinds of people. There are goldfish for the kids, because they don’t require too much maintenance but enough to keep the children interested.
I think that the dog is one of the most responsibility-taking pet. Because they need to be played with, be let out to go to the bathroom, feed them, train them, and pick up after them.
A cat is a little less of a responsibility because they have a litter box, and they don’t need to be trained. Then there are reptiles, which are great, but they can’t really roam around. And they are neat pets to have.
In 2006, nearly half of pet owners, or 49.7%, considered their pets to be family members. There are more than 72 million pet dogs in the U.S. and nearly 82 million pet cats. The average veterinary expenditure per household for all pets was $366 in 2006. Among horse-owning households, 61.1% had at least one visit to the veterinarian in 2006, an increase of 11.9% from 2001.
14% Dog owners19% Cat owners18% Fish owners23% Bird owners28% Small animal owners34% Reptile owners
Pets are huge responsibility, a lot of children want pets and their parents always say no because they are too big of reasonability.
Pets are really great companions. Dogs are so great, they are considered to be man’s best friend. They are so great that police, and firefighters use them on their “squads”.
There are all kinds of pets, for all kinds of people. There are goldfish for the kids, because they don’t require too much maintenance but enough to keep the children interested.
I think that the dog is one of the most responsibility-taking pet. Because they need to be played with, be let out to go to the bathroom, feed them, train them, and pick up after them.
A cat is a little less of a responsibility because they have a litter box, and they don’t need to be trained. Then there are reptiles, which are great, but they can’t really roam around. And they are neat pets to have.
Spring Time
Springtime is great, during the winter everybody can't wait for spring. In fact there is a saying on the first of February is groundhogs day. That is when the groundhog comes out of the ground and if it sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, but if it doesn’t, than it winter will stay longer and spring will come late.
Winter is such a depressing time of the year. It always is so gloomy, dark and cold. In fact, this winter actually reached the record for being so cold; here in Iowa it reached negative 38 degrees. And that was without wind-chill.
I think that springtime is the best season of the year. I think this because it’s the time where everything melts and the whether is warming up and 40 degrees has never felt so warm. There are only two seasons of the year that are not too hot and not too cold. And springtime is so much better than fall because it’s going from cold to warm instead of warm to cold. For instance, in the fall when the temperature goes from 100 degrees and the next week reaches as low as 50 degrees, that is when you pull out the jackets and put the tank tops and shorts away, however in the spring when the temperature goes from –12 degrees to 50 degrees the next week, that is when the shorts come back out.
The only bad part about spring is that the snow is melting away and it makes things very muddy and slushy, and then also it rains A LOT.
Even though fall is a great season, with all the color changing leaves and the nice weather, it still gets cold too fast and them before you know it, fall is gone and winter is here, which is depressing. However spring is great because it warms up which everybody loves.
Winter is such a depressing time of the year. It always is so gloomy, dark and cold. In fact, this winter actually reached the record for being so cold; here in Iowa it reached negative 38 degrees. And that was without wind-chill.
I think that springtime is the best season of the year. I think this because it’s the time where everything melts and the whether is warming up and 40 degrees has never felt so warm. There are only two seasons of the year that are not too hot and not too cold. And springtime is so much better than fall because it’s going from cold to warm instead of warm to cold. For instance, in the fall when the temperature goes from 100 degrees and the next week reaches as low as 50 degrees, that is when you pull out the jackets and put the tank tops and shorts away, however in the spring when the temperature goes from –12 degrees to 50 degrees the next week, that is when the shorts come back out.
The only bad part about spring is that the snow is melting away and it makes things very muddy and slushy, and then also it rains A LOT.
Even though fall is a great season, with all the color changing leaves and the nice weather, it still gets cold too fast and them before you know it, fall is gone and winter is here, which is depressing. However spring is great because it warms up which everybody loves.
Marraige... and Divorce
Weddings are great, they are a day that the bride and groom will never forget, and hopefully will never want to forget. Over the last several decades, marriage in our nation has declined, while living together, divorce and unmarried childbearing have increased. Although the divorce rates are high in society today, that doesn’t mean that true love doesn’t exist.
Back in the day, divorce was not very common, just ask your grandparents.
Statistics show that over 50% of couples that live together before marriage, do not spend the rest of their lives together.
I think that now a day’s people are so caught up in their relationships that they often forget about thinking of their future and they make decisions on what they want now, instead of what would be better in the long run.
Here are some fun facts about marriage! (Well not exactly fun, but informational)
The ratio of marriages to divorces is 2 to 1
There were approximately 2,230,000 marriages in 2005 -- down from 2,279,000 the previous year, despite a total population increase of 2.9 million over the same period.
Divorce rates also increased from 9 to 23 per married couples from 1960 to 1980, before declining slightly and remaining steady at 20 per 1,000 through 1998
The divorce rate in 2005 (per 1,000 people) was 3.6 -- the lowest rate since 1970, and down from 4.2 in 2000 and from 4.7 in 1990.
The peak of the divorce rate was 5.3 in 1981 (according to the Associated Press.)
Going through a divorce is ten times worse when children are involved; here are some more stats on that, involving child support and other stuff.
As of 2003, 43.7% of custodial mothers and 56.2% of custodial fathers were either separated or divorced. And in 2002, 7.8 million Americans paid about $40 billion in child support (84% of the payers were male).
Children living with only one parent have increased from 9% to 29.52% in 2005. Of those 83% of the children live with the mother.
This information was brought to you by “Marriage statistics, latest statistics from the census bureau”
I think that there is somebody out there for everybody, and I also think that a couple should wait to live together until they are married, who knows, that might just keep them together forever. But those are only my thoughts and opinions and I will not judge anybody for doing it any other way.
Back in the day, divorce was not very common, just ask your grandparents.
Statistics show that over 50% of couples that live together before marriage, do not spend the rest of their lives together.
I think that now a day’s people are so caught up in their relationships that they often forget about thinking of their future and they make decisions on what they want now, instead of what would be better in the long run.
Here are some fun facts about marriage! (Well not exactly fun, but informational)
The ratio of marriages to divorces is 2 to 1
There were approximately 2,230,000 marriages in 2005 -- down from 2,279,000 the previous year, despite a total population increase of 2.9 million over the same period.
Divorce rates also increased from 9 to 23 per married couples from 1960 to 1980, before declining slightly and remaining steady at 20 per 1,000 through 1998
The divorce rate in 2005 (per 1,000 people) was 3.6 -- the lowest rate since 1970, and down from 4.2 in 2000 and from 4.7 in 1990.
The peak of the divorce rate was 5.3 in 1981 (according to the Associated Press.)
Going through a divorce is ten times worse when children are involved; here are some more stats on that, involving child support and other stuff.
As of 2003, 43.7% of custodial mothers and 56.2% of custodial fathers were either separated or divorced. And in 2002, 7.8 million Americans paid about $40 billion in child support (84% of the payers were male).
Children living with only one parent have increased from 9% to 29.52% in 2005. Of those 83% of the children live with the mother.
This information was brought to you by “Marriage statistics, latest statistics from the census bureau”
I think that there is somebody out there for everybody, and I also think that a couple should wait to live together until they are married, who knows, that might just keep them together forever. But those are only my thoughts and opinions and I will not judge anybody for doing it any other way.
Fun Facts!
Here are some fun facts that I found and i thought that i would share them, so here they are!
A gold fight’s attention span is three seconds
Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons.
Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water
Slugs have 4 noses
Camels have three eyelids
A honeybee can fly 15 mph
A queen bee can lay800-1500 eggs per day.
A bee has 5 eyes
The average speed of a housefly is 4.5 mph
Mosquitoes are attracted to people who just ate bananas
All porcupines float in water
The world’s termites outweigh the world’s humans 10 to 1
A humming bird weighs less than a penny
A jellyfish is 95% water
Children grow faster in the spring.
Broccoli is the only vegetable that is also a flower
Almonds are apart of the peach family
Alaska has the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
The San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile national monument
The state of main has 62 lighthouses
The only food that does not spoil is honey
The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters
A ball of glass will bounce higher than a ball of rubber
Chewing gum while peeling onions will prevent you from crying.
Mosquitoes have 47 teeth.
Elephants only sleep two hours a day
A duck’s quack doesn’t echo
A snail breathes through its foot
Fish cough
An ant’s smell is stronger than a dog’s
It is possible to lead a cow up the stairs but not down
Shrimp can only swim backwards
A bullfrog is the only animal that never sleeps
Elephants are capable of swimming 20 miles per day
Elephants are the only mammals that cannot jump
Giraffes have no vocal chords
All of these fun facts came from Snapple Real Facts! From Snapple.com
A gold fight’s attention span is three seconds
Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons.
Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water
Slugs have 4 noses
Camels have three eyelids
A honeybee can fly 15 mph
A queen bee can lay800-1500 eggs per day.
A bee has 5 eyes
The average speed of a housefly is 4.5 mph
Mosquitoes are attracted to people who just ate bananas
All porcupines float in water
The world’s termites outweigh the world’s humans 10 to 1
A humming bird weighs less than a penny
A jellyfish is 95% water
Children grow faster in the spring.
Broccoli is the only vegetable that is also a flower
Almonds are apart of the peach family
Alaska has the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
The San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile national monument
The state of main has 62 lighthouses
The only food that does not spoil is honey
The Hawaiian alphabet only has 12 letters
A ball of glass will bounce higher than a ball of rubber
Chewing gum while peeling onions will prevent you from crying.
Mosquitoes have 47 teeth.
Elephants only sleep two hours a day
A duck’s quack doesn’t echo
A snail breathes through its foot
Fish cough
An ant’s smell is stronger than a dog’s
It is possible to lead a cow up the stairs but not down
Shrimp can only swim backwards
A bullfrog is the only animal that never sleeps
Elephants are capable of swimming 20 miles per day
Elephants are the only mammals that cannot jump
Giraffes have no vocal chords
All of these fun facts came from Snapple Real Facts! From Snapple.com
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A Typical Day For a Firefighter
A Typical Day For a Firefighter:
Their shift begins at 8:00 am. Firefighters change into their uniform and relieve the off going shift. The in coming shift immediately conducts a thorough check of all personal protective gear, which includes a turnout jacket, pants, boots, air supply and personal alert device. Once the personal protective gear check is completed, the fire truck is checked and equipment is made ready for service. Daily truck maintenance includes washing the truck, cleaning equipment, and if necessary, changing batteries on radios and heart monitors. Firefighters are also responsible for cleaning their station. The crew cleans, mops and vacuums all living areas and bathrooms. After all the routine checks and facility maintenance tasks are done, the Company Officer facilitates a crew meeting. The Company Officer provides the crew an agenda for the day's activities. The firefighter's priority is to respond to fire and medical calls. All scheduled activities are altered depending on emergency incidents. Most of the time firefighters work in the fire department. They do their work wherever they are needed, which is all over, houses, forests, buildings, schools, basically anywhere that could catch on fire. They also help out with going and teaching people about how to prevent fires, and the danger of them. When the firefighters arrive at the station they change into their uniforms, which usually include a button up shirt and pants. When the firefighters are called for an emergency they rush to put on their safety gear, which includes turnout jacket, pants, and rubber boots. All Firefighters work a non-traditional shift schedule during their first six years of firefighting. However, once promoted to Master Firefighter or above, assignments may include a 40-hour workweek in a position outside the fire station. All shifts are 24-hour shifts in an average of 56 hours a week. Starting salary for a firefighter is approximately $40,100 annually. The Average salary for a firefighter is $42,300. College is not required to be a firefighter. If you want to be the chief or master you usually can be promoted to a higher level with years of experience or attending the U.S national fire academy, two years maximum. If you wanted to go to college you should go to a fire academy college. There are no fire academy schools around this area, for that education is nearest in Des Moines, Iowa. Some classes to take to prepare you to become a firefighter is some basic safety class, along with emergency medical technician class. Firefighters need to be able to find out what caused the fire, whether or not chemicals were involved, how to put the fire out with out starting more flames, and how to prevent it from happening again. They need to know if there are any chemicals that could possibly harm an individual in the work or school area. They also need to distinguish from harmful and non-harmful chemicals.
Their shift begins at 8:00 am. Firefighters change into their uniform and relieve the off going shift. The in coming shift immediately conducts a thorough check of all personal protective gear, which includes a turnout jacket, pants, boots, air supply and personal alert device. Once the personal protective gear check is completed, the fire truck is checked and equipment is made ready for service. Daily truck maintenance includes washing the truck, cleaning equipment, and if necessary, changing batteries on radios and heart monitors. Firefighters are also responsible for cleaning their station. The crew cleans, mops and vacuums all living areas and bathrooms. After all the routine checks and facility maintenance tasks are done, the Company Officer facilitates a crew meeting. The Company Officer provides the crew an agenda for the day's activities. The firefighter's priority is to respond to fire and medical calls. All scheduled activities are altered depending on emergency incidents. Most of the time firefighters work in the fire department. They do their work wherever they are needed, which is all over, houses, forests, buildings, schools, basically anywhere that could catch on fire. They also help out with going and teaching people about how to prevent fires, and the danger of them. When the firefighters arrive at the station they change into their uniforms, which usually include a button up shirt and pants. When the firefighters are called for an emergency they rush to put on their safety gear, which includes turnout jacket, pants, and rubber boots. All Firefighters work a non-traditional shift schedule during their first six years of firefighting. However, once promoted to Master Firefighter or above, assignments may include a 40-hour workweek in a position outside the fire station. All shifts are 24-hour shifts in an average of 56 hours a week. Starting salary for a firefighter is approximately $40,100 annually. The Average salary for a firefighter is $42,300. College is not required to be a firefighter. If you want to be the chief or master you usually can be promoted to a higher level with years of experience or attending the U.S national fire academy, two years maximum. If you wanted to go to college you should go to a fire academy college. There are no fire academy schools around this area, for that education is nearest in Des Moines, Iowa. Some classes to take to prepare you to become a firefighter is some basic safety class, along with emergency medical technician class. Firefighters need to be able to find out what caused the fire, whether or not chemicals were involved, how to put the fire out with out starting more flames, and how to prevent it from happening again. They need to know if there are any chemicals that could possibly harm an individual in the work or school area. They also need to distinguish from harmful and non-harmful chemicals.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Relationships
I think that it is very important to have relationships, whether it is a serious boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, or a best friend relationship. However you have to be careful not to give up or devote your life to that relationship. The best of friends are suppose to be there for you no matter what, they are suppose to support you through everything, they are the ones that you can go to for anything. I might sounds a little "girly" on this topic, but I think that it is critical for males to have a serious friendship to, some one they can open up to.
The only bad thing about opening up and letting somebody into your life is that, what if they let you down. Trust is a major thing in a relationship, if you don’t have it, you might as well not have a relationship. The worst thing about relationships is when the trust is broken and even though you trusted that person for your whole life. Then they end up turning on you and stabbing you in the back.
Sometimes the hardest part about ending a relationship is knowing that it is not the best solution to any of the problems.
Another bad thing about relationships is the ending of them. The ending of a relationship is never good; it’s usually only one in that relationship that wants to end it.
One-third (35 percent) of Americans today say they have been through a breakup at least once in the past 10 years, according to this month's exclusive survey, conducted by eNation, a service of Schaumburg, Ill.-based research firm Market Facts. To help us get the real story behind America's failed relationships, Market Facts polled a nationally representative sample of 3,000 adults via the Internet. The survey was conducted between November 14 and December 3, 2002. (According to Bnet)
The only bad thing about opening up and letting somebody into your life is that, what if they let you down. Trust is a major thing in a relationship, if you don’t have it, you might as well not have a relationship. The worst thing about relationships is when the trust is broken and even though you trusted that person for your whole life. Then they end up turning on you and stabbing you in the back.
Sometimes the hardest part about ending a relationship is knowing that it is not the best solution to any of the problems.
Another bad thing about relationships is the ending of them. The ending of a relationship is never good; it’s usually only one in that relationship that wants to end it.
One-third (35 percent) of Americans today say they have been through a breakup at least once in the past 10 years, according to this month's exclusive survey, conducted by eNation, a service of Schaumburg, Ill.-based research firm Market Facts. To help us get the real story behind America's failed relationships, Market Facts polled a nationally representative sample of 3,000 adults via the Internet. The survey was conducted between November 14 and December 3, 2002. (According to Bnet)
The First Rock N' Roll
I love rock n roll so put another dime in the jute box baby!!
This song really describes my personality. The song “I love rock n roll was remade in year 2001 by the artist of Brittany Spears.
The definition of rock and roll is a style of popular music that derives in with half blues and half folk music and is marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple repeated phase structure.
I would like to inform you about the importance of rock n roll in American history. I am doing this in order to help you learn more about the music of rock, this might just inspirer you to listen to more rock n roll. During this time I am going to tell you about three things, 1 Elvis Presley, and the impact that he left on music. 2 he gave a reason for teens to rebel against, and the 3, the effects of rock n roll.
Elvis Presley was one of the few firsts to create the new style of music called rock and roll. His style of rock and roll was merged of white country with black blues. This new style arose an angry mob; they banned concerts in town because they thought Elvis was too sexy, on television they were not aloud to show lower than the waist. Elvis was known as “Elvis the Pelvis”.
The new form of music gave the teens something to rebel against because their parents didn’t like the loudness of the new music. That kind of fits in with today’s life by some parents still not liking the loudness of the rock and roll and some of the language used in some songs. Many fist fights broke out in opinions if rock music should be played on radios. Some teens rebelled against going to school and some skipped school and went to concerts in other towns. Other teens started to dress like Elvis, with low hip hugger jeans and skintight tops. A lot of parents would not let their teen ages leave the house dressed like that because it was inappropriate. All of this was influenced by the first of rock n roll!
The first of rock and roll groups started with Little Richard and his band. The music started to change the style forever! Such as dancing now there was hip and other new dances. Now a days there is still rock n roll kind of dance such as head banging and mosh pits (those are usually in concerts) I wouldn’t conceder dancing those dances because they are very dangerous but yet fun. It also changed the way people dressed, with low pants and fancy shirts
Those are just a couple reasons why rock n roll is great! So when you are in the car or at home listening to the radio and here the song “I love rock n roll…” remember that not only was it a great song, but also it was a great time in American history!!
This song really describes my personality. The song “I love rock n roll was remade in year 2001 by the artist of Brittany Spears.
The definition of rock and roll is a style of popular music that derives in with half blues and half folk music and is marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple repeated phase structure.
I would like to inform you about the importance of rock n roll in American history. I am doing this in order to help you learn more about the music of rock, this might just inspirer you to listen to more rock n roll. During this time I am going to tell you about three things, 1 Elvis Presley, and the impact that he left on music. 2 he gave a reason for teens to rebel against, and the 3, the effects of rock n roll.
Elvis Presley was one of the few firsts to create the new style of music called rock and roll. His style of rock and roll was merged of white country with black blues. This new style arose an angry mob; they banned concerts in town because they thought Elvis was too sexy, on television they were not aloud to show lower than the waist. Elvis was known as “Elvis the Pelvis”.
The new form of music gave the teens something to rebel against because their parents didn’t like the loudness of the new music. That kind of fits in with today’s life by some parents still not liking the loudness of the rock and roll and some of the language used in some songs. Many fist fights broke out in opinions if rock music should be played on radios. Some teens rebelled against going to school and some skipped school and went to concerts in other towns. Other teens started to dress like Elvis, with low hip hugger jeans and skintight tops. A lot of parents would not let their teen ages leave the house dressed like that because it was inappropriate. All of this was influenced by the first of rock n roll!
The first of rock and roll groups started with Little Richard and his band. The music started to change the style forever! Such as dancing now there was hip and other new dances. Now a days there is still rock n roll kind of dance such as head banging and mosh pits (those are usually in concerts) I wouldn’t conceder dancing those dances because they are very dangerous but yet fun. It also changed the way people dressed, with low pants and fancy shirts
Those are just a couple reasons why rock n roll is great! So when you are in the car or at home listening to the radio and here the song “I love rock n roll…” remember that not only was it a great song, but also it was a great time in American history!!
Breaking Benjamin
Breaking benjamin is one of my favorite bands and here is a little biography of them; enjoy. Breaking Benjamin is an alternative rock band from Pennsylvania. The band now includes Ben Burnley as the lead vocalist, Aaron Fink and Mark James Klepaski as the guitarists, and Jeremy Hummel as the drummer. (Breaking Benjamin)
The band all started in 1998 with Ben Burnley and Jeremy Hummel doing a Nirvana cover. When the song was over Ben threw the microphone to the ground breaking it. Then the owner of the equipment said to the audience "I'd like to thank Benjamin for breaking my freaking microphone". From then on the band called themselves Breaking Benjamin. Approximately a year later they changed their band’s name to Plan 9, and then in 2000 the band changed the name back to Breaking Benjamin. At this time two new members joined the band. The new members were Aaron Fink and Mark James Klepaski. They currently had a band of their own called Lifer. Lifer was a band that obtained short-lived fame and attention. The cause of that was their part in an MTV cover band contest that resulted in a record deal with Universal Records. They decided that they wanted to join Burnley and Hummel because they were so impressed with Benjamin’s song writing talent. (Breaking Benjamin Biography)
Some interesting facts about Breaking Benjamin are the logo is tattooed on Burnley's left wrist. The Breaking Benjamin logo was found in a tattoo book by a fan. Breaking Benjamin even has fans so dedicated that they have people video taping themselves singing Breaking Benjamin song and posting them on the internet. They also have a few hit songs that are featured on the moth popular videogames, such as halo. There are songs also featured on some T.V shows and soundtracks of movies. Their record for being at the top of the music charts has been over 35 weeks in a row. The rumor is that in the spring of 2008 they are going back to the studio after their tour is concluded they will start working on their fifth album. Their first album was “Saturate” that debuted in 2001, and their second album was “We Are Not Alone” that came out in June 2004. Later that year they released their third album, “So Cold”. The most recent album Breaking Benjamin released was “Phobia” and that was released August 6 in 2006
While performing live in concert the band has been known to frequently sing songs from Godsmack, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Tool, and on more recent tours Deftones, and Nine Inch Nails songs. The band usually tour with Seethe, Tool, and Velvet Revolver. Thursday I will see them in concert in Illinois where they will be performing with Three Days Grace and Seether.
I would categorize Breaking Benjamin as apart of pop culture because they are a very important part of the rock culture and in America you know that there are different types of music with rock being the most popular. I think that if you know American pop culture you have to know rock and Breaking Benjamin are a perfect example. I chose to research Breaking Benjamin for my biography because they are popular so I think that they are a big part of American pop culture.
The band all started in 1998 with Ben Burnley and Jeremy Hummel doing a Nirvana cover. When the song was over Ben threw the microphone to the ground breaking it. Then the owner of the equipment said to the audience "I'd like to thank Benjamin for breaking my freaking microphone". From then on the band called themselves Breaking Benjamin. Approximately a year later they changed their band’s name to Plan 9, and then in 2000 the band changed the name back to Breaking Benjamin. At this time two new members joined the band. The new members were Aaron Fink and Mark James Klepaski. They currently had a band of their own called Lifer. Lifer was a band that obtained short-lived fame and attention. The cause of that was their part in an MTV cover band contest that resulted in a record deal with Universal Records. They decided that they wanted to join Burnley and Hummel because they were so impressed with Benjamin’s song writing talent. (Breaking Benjamin Biography)
Some interesting facts about Breaking Benjamin are the logo is tattooed on Burnley's left wrist. The Breaking Benjamin logo was found in a tattoo book by a fan. Breaking Benjamin even has fans so dedicated that they have people video taping themselves singing Breaking Benjamin song and posting them on the internet. They also have a few hit songs that are featured on the moth popular videogames, such as halo. There are songs also featured on some T.V shows and soundtracks of movies. Their record for being at the top of the music charts has been over 35 weeks in a row. The rumor is that in the spring of 2008 they are going back to the studio after their tour is concluded they will start working on their fifth album. Their first album was “Saturate” that debuted in 2001, and their second album was “We Are Not Alone” that came out in June 2004. Later that year they released their third album, “So Cold”. The most recent album Breaking Benjamin released was “Phobia” and that was released August 6 in 2006
While performing live in concert the band has been known to frequently sing songs from Godsmack, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Tool, and on more recent tours Deftones, and Nine Inch Nails songs. The band usually tour with Seethe, Tool, and Velvet Revolver. Thursday I will see them in concert in Illinois where they will be performing with Three Days Grace and Seether.
I would categorize Breaking Benjamin as apart of pop culture because they are a very important part of the rock culture and in America you know that there are different types of music with rock being the most popular. I think that if you know American pop culture you have to know rock and Breaking Benjamin are a perfect example. I chose to research Breaking Benjamin for my biography because they are popular so I think that they are a big part of American pop culture.
Lying
There are many "different" types of lies, but really they are still lies and basically all the same. The definition of a lie:1. A false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.2. Something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture:
3. An inaccurate or false statement.4. The charge or accusation of lying
White lie –noun a minor, polite, or harmless lie; fib
Some people even think that not telling them something constitutes as lying, others think that a lie has to be deliberate and intended to harm others, and then some of us just think that sometimes telling a little lie to save ourselves is okay.
Lying, in my opinion, is very bad, it is easy to get out of control and adding on to the lie is just as bad. Even if it is a white lie, just a harmless little lie, it could still be better off in the long run by telling the truth.
I am sure that everybody in their lifetime has lied before, whether it is for a good reason or bad. I’m sure when people lie; they think that it is for a good reason.
A lie can do so much damage; it can break any relationship, friendship or anything.
So why is it that people lay when they know it will hurt the person if they find out? Well, there is no actual way you can tell why somebody is lying. However are there are a million reasons to one why not to lie. Whether it be that you are trying to keep a secret or just don't want to tell somebody, the reason for telling the truth would be because it is the right thing to do, but we are so often caught up in not wanted to be blamed or being in trouble that we often think of something to cover up what we did, then when it is uncovered, we cover it up again with another lie instead of telling the truth.
I guess the moral of this post is to not lie in the first place and to tell the truth, because more than likely the lie will be discovered and there are probably more consequences with lying than there are with telling the truth in the first place, even if that means by telling the truth making somebody unhappy or getting in trouble.
3. An inaccurate or false statement.4. The charge or accusation of lying
White lie –noun a minor, polite, or harmless lie; fib
Some people even think that not telling them something constitutes as lying, others think that a lie has to be deliberate and intended to harm others, and then some of us just think that sometimes telling a little lie to save ourselves is okay.
Lying, in my opinion, is very bad, it is easy to get out of control and adding on to the lie is just as bad. Even if it is a white lie, just a harmless little lie, it could still be better off in the long run by telling the truth.
I am sure that everybody in their lifetime has lied before, whether it is for a good reason or bad. I’m sure when people lie; they think that it is for a good reason.
A lie can do so much damage; it can break any relationship, friendship or anything.
So why is it that people lay when they know it will hurt the person if they find out? Well, there is no actual way you can tell why somebody is lying. However are there are a million reasons to one why not to lie. Whether it be that you are trying to keep a secret or just don't want to tell somebody, the reason for telling the truth would be because it is the right thing to do, but we are so often caught up in not wanted to be blamed or being in trouble that we often think of something to cover up what we did, then when it is uncovered, we cover it up again with another lie instead of telling the truth.
I guess the moral of this post is to not lie in the first place and to tell the truth, because more than likely the lie will be discovered and there are probably more consequences with lying than there are with telling the truth in the first place, even if that means by telling the truth making somebody unhappy or getting in trouble.
Monday, January 19, 2009
U.S
Taking things for granted is very popular here in the United States, whether you are wealthy or poor. Here in the U.S we are so use to having everything handed to us, and so use to our everyday lives that we hardly realize that there are some places where kids don’t get to eat every day. So that stop to McDonald’s in the morning, is it really necessary? Some other counties opinion’s of us Americans are that we are greedy and stuck up.
Over in Spain there are barley any rules, the laws are not really reinforced and the people there are really laid back. That country really focuses on looking good and socializing. Everybody is really friendly and very close. Their way of greeting somebody is to kiss them on the cheek, the closer they are, the more kisses on the cheek.
What is even crazier is that drunk driving in Spain is pretty common because most people don’t get in trouble for it. I heard that somebody was drunk driving and crashed their car into the popular fountain in Madrid, and them just got out of the car and walked away with no charges or fines. If somebody was to do that here in the U.S, that person would be in so much trouble. They would probably face at least a couple years in jail. As well as have there license revoked, they would be charged with several offenses.
I wonder what other counties think of us, such as Japan, they are one of the most advanced countries in the world. So besides being the country that is deeply in debt and have to barrow money from other countries, what do they think about us as far as taking granted of things, because they are a pretty wealthy country themselves so they probably take things for granted just as much as we do.
Over in Spain there are barley any rules, the laws are not really reinforced and the people there are really laid back. That country really focuses on looking good and socializing. Everybody is really friendly and very close. Their way of greeting somebody is to kiss them on the cheek, the closer they are, the more kisses on the cheek.
What is even crazier is that drunk driving in Spain is pretty common because most people don’t get in trouble for it. I heard that somebody was drunk driving and crashed their car into the popular fountain in Madrid, and them just got out of the car and walked away with no charges or fines. If somebody was to do that here in the U.S, that person would be in so much trouble. They would probably face at least a couple years in jail. As well as have there license revoked, they would be charged with several offenses.
I wonder what other counties think of us, such as Japan, they are one of the most advanced countries in the world. So besides being the country that is deeply in debt and have to barrow money from other countries, what do they think about us as far as taking granted of things, because they are a pretty wealthy country themselves so they probably take things for granted just as much as we do.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Graduation
Being senior is great, to an extent. From right now, graduation is just around the corner in May. For most of us, we are stresses about trying to figure out what we are going to do with the rest of our lives, what college we are going to go to, and what loans we are going to take out. Most of us are struggling to find the time between school, sports, and work to fill out all the applications for college, and the financial aid papers.
High school is a lot like people say, it goes by quick and it's the best four years of your life. During high school, when you first come in as a freshman, you don't really think about college, you think about how old you are and how fast you are growing up, at least that is what I was thinking about. Then you become a sophomore and things change a little bit, you are no longer an annoying freshman that the whole school looks down on, you are more mellow out than you were and you know how things work, like the schedules and the "mole days" and all the "high school terms". In my experience junior year was the most difficult. By your third year in high school you are ready to graduate, you lose interest in allot of things because it's the year that is boring and there is no motivation in anything that you do. Then come the day you enter as a senior, this day most of us will remember throughout our high school memories because you think to your self, "this is it, lets make it count" and you know that this will be the year that goes by that fastest. Although also that day “senioridis” kicks in, which is a term used by high schoolers meaning that they are ready to graduate now! But also thinking every morning that you have to wake up at 6 in the morning, you can’t wait to graduate and be done with school. Knowing that there are only a few months left, and that alone is motivation to get out of bed.
I think that a lot of us right now don't really realize that this is the last year that we will ever see a lot of our classmates that we've grown up with since elementary school. Our best friends that we have gone through everything with, a lot of the friendships will end due to the hours apart in college.
High school is a lot like people say, it goes by quick and it's the best four years of your life. During high school, when you first come in as a freshman, you don't really think about college, you think about how old you are and how fast you are growing up, at least that is what I was thinking about. Then you become a sophomore and things change a little bit, you are no longer an annoying freshman that the whole school looks down on, you are more mellow out than you were and you know how things work, like the schedules and the "mole days" and all the "high school terms". In my experience junior year was the most difficult. By your third year in high school you are ready to graduate, you lose interest in allot of things because it's the year that is boring and there is no motivation in anything that you do. Then come the day you enter as a senior, this day most of us will remember throughout our high school memories because you think to your self, "this is it, lets make it count" and you know that this will be the year that goes by that fastest. Although also that day “senioridis” kicks in, which is a term used by high schoolers meaning that they are ready to graduate now! But also thinking every morning that you have to wake up at 6 in the morning, you can’t wait to graduate and be done with school. Knowing that there are only a few months left, and that alone is motivation to get out of bed.
I think that a lot of us right now don't really realize that this is the last year that we will ever see a lot of our classmates that we've grown up with since elementary school. Our best friends that we have gone through everything with, a lot of the friendships will end due to the hours apart in college.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
New Years
Now that it is a new year, people from all over the country are making resolutions for this year.
Here are a few definitions of resolution: The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. A resolving is to do something. A course of action determined or decided on
About 50 percent of Americans make New Year's Eve resolutions, but only 15 percent manage to keep them, according to www.realscienceofsuccess.com/.
Most of the Americans resolutions are to lose weight, or to achieve one of their goals in life.
According to the book, about 2000 years later, the Romans started the New Year by assessing the old year and vowing to accomplish more in the coming year.
Another good thing about the New Year is that it is like a fresh start for some. If the past year was a terrible year, then most people are excited to put it behind them and move on with the New Year.
2009, I think that this year will be a great one. I have practically been looking forward to this year since I was little, but that is only because I graduate this year. But I have other reasons for thinking that this will be a good year. First of all, last year was one of the worst years ever, the economy was no that great, and the mid west flood, which was a pretty huge impact on my life. Another this is the presidential election was last fall and the new president was elected and this year it will take effected and president Obama. So supposedly we are going to have a noticeable change.
Anyways, New Years is one of my favorite holiday, you get to reflect on the past and decide on your future. I am hoping that the year 2009 will much better than 2008, I am hoping for the economy to get better, the president to be a good leader and make good decisions. My personal goals this year are to put my puzzle of a life together and make something useful of it.
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present”.
Here are a few definitions of resolution: The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. A resolving is to do something. A course of action determined or decided on
About 50 percent of Americans make New Year's Eve resolutions, but only 15 percent manage to keep them, according to www.realscienceofsuccess.com/.
Most of the Americans resolutions are to lose weight, or to achieve one of their goals in life.
According to the book, about 2000 years later, the Romans started the New Year by assessing the old year and vowing to accomplish more in the coming year.
Another good thing about the New Year is that it is like a fresh start for some. If the past year was a terrible year, then most people are excited to put it behind them and move on with the New Year.
2009, I think that this year will be a great one. I have practically been looking forward to this year since I was little, but that is only because I graduate this year. But I have other reasons for thinking that this will be a good year. First of all, last year was one of the worst years ever, the economy was no that great, and the mid west flood, which was a pretty huge impact on my life. Another this is the presidential election was last fall and the new president was elected and this year it will take effected and president Obama. So supposedly we are going to have a noticeable change.
Anyways, New Years is one of my favorite holiday, you get to reflect on the past and decide on your future. I am hoping that the year 2009 will much better than 2008, I am hoping for the economy to get better, the president to be a good leader and make good decisions. My personal goals this year are to put my puzzle of a life together and make something useful of it.
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present”.
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