My essay topic is based off of the newspaper article we read in class about pre-teens/teens using birth control. This link above is about the restrictive birth control policy the state of Texas is enforcing. The article states that Texas’ teens cannot get birth control at nearly a third of family planning clinics without their own parents consent. Just like the article we read in class, there are about 10 school-based clinic in Texas that require a signed note by the students parents giving their consent for the child to be prescribed oral contraceptives by the school.

This article also talks about how parents are in such denial that kids are sexually active. Regardless, kids should be safe no matter what they get into, but I feel it is not the place of the school to decide what is right for the student. The student knows full well what he or she is getting into, and should know the consequences of their actions. It is also part of being a parent to know that your child is growing up and may engage in such activities. As for the school, I still believe it is wrong for them to be prescribing oral contraceptives to teens. It’s almost like the easy way out but also gives a black eye to the school. School is for teaching, not for medical purposes.

In a sense, I agree with him because it is so close to the modern day death penalty. That issue has come up countless times in the headlines and in classrooms as a debate topic. Personally, I can’t sway either way, but I know people who feel strongly one way or another towards the issue. I think it is a great ethics debate topic because it talks about the treatment of humans. I would love to see what happens for the future of the death penalty and how it plays out for the inmates on death row. In a way I guess it serves as publicity for high crime offenders such as Scott Peterson. As sad as this sounds, it is a great way to get money and publicity for magazines if they show case a high profile offender.

http://www.brazencareerist.com/2009/06/08/the-pros-and-cons-of-universal-health-care-in-the-united-states

I found this blog to be all in one, meaning it has both pros and cons on one page. I found this to be most helpful, because  I didn’t have to search too far to find my results.

1) The pros of this article are basically saying that as citizens of the United States of America, we are entitled to be protected if anything should happen to our health. If you lost your job, you would be able to take whatever insurance you did have with you to your next job and the cost for having that health care would drastically drop, finally coming the the conclusion that the actual out of pocket expenses you pay would also go down. In a failing economy, it would be nice to to have to worry, and that’s what you, as a citizen of the united states of america, would get with universal health care.

2) The cons of this article bring up examples of foreign countries that have universal health care. It says that not having universal health care fosters competition and innovation, which is a completely valid point. The example used here is that in Canada, many citizens under the universal health care used there spend more time waiting to see a doctor than those in the United States. This article talks about how universal health care is ruled by the government. That would be the only disadvantage to having it, besides the fact that medicare and medic-aid are both government programs.

I recalled that this was Thoreau speaking about his philosophy on nature and how we’re part of natures process. What I took away from this essay is his critical look at our lack of interaction with nature despite the fact that we are building on the land, which “cheapened” it. I noticed the essay was divided into three parts; the first part talks about the relationship the author has with nature. In the second part, he refers to nature as some kind of whimsical being and that society is affecting nature negatively. Lastly, Thoreau leaves us (the reader) to think about natures existence and the  spirituality natures existence may have on a person. It progresses in a way that makes sense and leaves the reader with an appreciation of nature.

In general, he seemed very negative in the way he viewed society in comparison with nature. Granted he did use personal experiences, he sounded too “preach-y” at times, but he definitely did get his point across. Thoreau wants the reader to believe that they too are a part of nature, and even went so far as to call it the “Holy Land.” By destroying the Holy Land, we aren’t becoming one with nature.

So, you want to have a great music collection on your iPod? The most popular way that most kids get their music is through free downloading agents like LimeWire or FrostWire, agents that when installed wrongly can cause the computer to get viruses. Granted, agents like that are free and fast, there are other ways to go about getting music and making it an awesome, diverse collection.

The most common way to go about getting music is from iTunes. iTunes is free, but the music costs anywhere from 99 cents to $1.29, depending on how recent the track is. You can buy whole albums too, but that will cost you a lot more money. The good thing about iTunes is that the music is safe; meaning, no viruses. Also, another simpler alternative if you don’t want to pay… check out your parents cds!

Once you’ve decided how you want to download your music, choose what genre you want to listen to. That part is all up to you, even I can’t tell you what to listen to. Personally, I choose what tracks I think have a meaning behind them or a great beat. Music is all about what you like, not what others like. In the end, you paid (or didn’t pay) for the music, you might want to get the most out of it. Even if you don’t, there is a reason why the “recycle bin” and “delete” buttons were deleted. Happy listening!

Every paragraph seemed like a new story to me, and the way she told it was personable. I could relate to the opening bit because I’ve had many an encounter like that. My mom particularly does that all the time; talks and talks even though I’m in a hurry to go any number of places. It poses a problem, because I feel bad telling her to shut up. There really is no way out of it, and I guess it depends on who you are talking to.

I thought that even though she wrote about what she detested most, she did it in a manner that many could understand even though I found myself reading and re-reading this piece as I always do with the other readings.

It is the home to painters, printmakers, photographers, graphic designers and artists of all sorts. Design students from all backgrounds flock to the boxy tan brick building for various required classes that fall within their degree. Inside, the building houses three different levels of art making studios. The bottom floor is home to black and white as well as color photography dark rooms, which you can see the products of displayed along the walls. The middle and ground floor houses a small gallery filled with various works of art from students of varying grades. On the same floor, there is a classroom used for anything from art history to two dimensional concepts. Right next to that class room is a large, workshop type room used for printmaking and three dimensional concepts (think of it as wood shop and painting mixed together!). The top and final floor houses a spacious painting studios as well as a computer lab for the graphic design students.

Picotte offers it’s students an opportunity to explore the beautiful neighborhood it is set in. Coffee shops, restaurants, and various other “artsy” places surround the core of the art department at The College of Saint Rose. Inspiration is at the finger tips of anyone who is passing through.

I was intrigued by the list he made towards the end of the story. He brought up many good points that made me think. He mentions that he let a man dictate who he had relations with. That was the most familiar point on the list for me. I have had many people come in and out of my life, telling me who I can and can’t be friends with. Granted this was mostly my parents, I have had a few jealous friends tell me that I wasn’t allowed to be friends with “so and so” or I wasn’t allowed to date *insert name here.* I also liked how he described his personal happiness. He tried to define it, but he couldn’t describe it to those dearest to him.

2) Neglect- to be remiss in the care or treatment of:to neglect ones family, to neglect ones appearance. I know this world all too well. If you asked my mother if she thought she was a good one, she’d give you the “June Cleaver” version of her side of the story. If you asked me on the other hand, I’d beat around the bush. Fear was instilled in my mind, making it hard for me to open up to anyone about what was really going on.

3) Six years ago, I never would’ve imagined that went through what I did. Middle school is supposed to be filled with dances, friends, and eventually going off to high school. I learned too much about the real world too soon. I never thought the person I thought I knew best would crumble under pressure so easily and I never knew I’d be the punching bag.

As I read on, the narrator came across as contradictory. She described the jobs that were available for blacks during the time (prostitution and school teaching, along with others) and mentioned how her mother thought that whites were “the filthiest people on earth” after her brief stint as a maid. It sounded like she wanted to say that her mother was hard working, and maybe I was mistaken if she did say that, but it definitely didn’t come across that way. It also seemed like she couldn’t form her own opinion, and made it more about her mothers than anything else. That’s shown when she goes on for a whole paragraph describing how her mother “deplored the depiction of blacks on screen.” Luckily, I was happy to see that at the beginning of the next paragraph, she recognized her own confusion about blacks in a predominantly white society. I also liked how she mentioned that no matter what character a black person played, they were always going to be recognized by their skin color first, and their talent or skill second.