I had no idea that schools were even teaching Chinese as a foreign language. My high school only taught Spanish or French as a foreign language that you would have to pick to take. I think if we had Chinese as a language more people would of chose that to take. I think it is really pretty interesting that schools are starting to get rid of having to take a language. I don’t know if it is just me, but I liked learning a foreign language in school. However, I just feel like you never really learn enough to go out in the real world and use it. With the world becoming more diverse this will be a very good thing.

I do like the idea of leaning Chinese in schools though. That seems like it would be a very interesting language to learn. But I have heard that the Chinese language is very difficult language to acquire. I think learning Chinese is very important for people in the United States to learn. Chinese or Spanish are two very important languages that we should know.

Since learning Chinese is very hard, then teaching children to learn it at a young age will increase the chances of them being able to actually use the language now and in years to come. I think it is very important for someone to know a second language. All the time I wish I was fluent in another language. I learned Spanish in grammar school and high school but I do not know it well enough to use. I remember some words or phrases but I would have no idea how to use it in everyday conversation with someone fluent in Spanish. But, if people started learning it early on I feel like this would really be a good thing for our world.

The Chinese play a big role in the economic marketplace. If more people actually knew the language then the business between the United States and China could be even more successful than it is now. Also, China has a very big population. More and more people from China are starting to come into the United States. More people will actually be able to communicate with them.

Overall, I really feel that it is not a good idea to get rid of foreign languages in schools. This is really important for our country. It’s sad that most of us only know one language. Most other countries are required to learn English as their second language. It is just sad that in the United States we all don’t fluently know another language. I also hope that this would help our world become more open to new things.

This game is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen. I cant even fathom the idea that people would actually want to buy this video game and play it. People are so sick for actually making this game. I’m just still confused how you can have a game where you basically hunt a woman down and rape her. I realize people who play video games don’t always go out there in the real world and do what they do in the video games, but it still it scary that people will play this game and get some sick ideas from it.

People wonder why our world is so messed up, and it could be part of it because of absolutely ridiculous games like this one. It is so offensive and demeaning. We have so many games in the U.S. that are completely messed up that people play, but nothing compared to this game. If you actually play this game there must be something wrong with you because there is no way someone can play this game and not think that something is wrong with it.

I am just still speechless after hearing about this game. And the point of the game is to rape woman? That is so scary to me. I feel that this game gives those sick people out there even more ways to make our world gross and barbaric. I just hope this game will never come here to the U.S. I hope that the U.S. would not be okay with it and I also hope that people wouldn’t ever buy it.

So many different problems can be caused because of this game. One thing that actually really bothers me about this game is that young children could be watching someone play it, or actually play it themselves. This can put disturbing thoughts in young children’s minds. This can cause them to want to actually do what they see in the games. This game can cause much harm to woman and be very unsafe.

I understand that Grand Theft Auto is a very bad game too but it’s not like this at all. Yeah you pick up hookers in the game and have sex with them, but it’s not like this Japanese game by any means. Also a lot of other games people play involves guns and shooting people but it’s still different. The Japanese gaming world has gone way to far with this game and it is very sickening.

This Japanese rape game should be prohibited. No one in any country should ever be allowed to buy this game. Japan should really reconsider this game and they should have to stop making it. The Japanese government needs to take action to do something so this can change.

I don’t think Sam is here teaching us all these different topics to change our opinions of things. He just wants what he says to be a very eye opening experience for us. He wants us to realize what is actually going on in the world today and how people actually think about things. At first, when he would say things I would kind of feel that he was trying to persuade us to feel certain ways. However, this question really makes you think though. But Sam likes to hear our own individual opinions on certain issues and things he says that’s why he asks for different questions we have and for us to do these blog entries each week. I feel like if he was trying to change our opinions he would word things he says different and would pretty much be preaching us.

Some things that Sam has said throughout the semester so far I have taken in and some of it has altered the way I feel about certain things, but not in a bad way. It just made me rethink certain beliefs I have that at times I have contemplated about. But in no way did he “change” my beliefs. When he shows the different statistics about certain groups of people, it really makes a difference to me because some things I would of never known if Sam didn’t teach us. It was very enlightening learning about that Native Americans and how there are still so many tribes still prevalent in the United States. The classes that were very eye opening for me where the LGBT class and the class about the children picking the different dolls that they preferred.

Lately in the classes we have had that talked about the different stages, those classes were more of us trying to realize and decide what stage we are in. He wasn’t directing anyone to feel like they should be in a certain stage; he just wanted to know where we are at and at which stage. Before this class had started I’m sure some people were in one stage and after this class is going to end some people are probably going to be in a different stage. Some people’s views definitely must change after hearing some of Sam’s comments. I feel like I learned more in the beginning of the semester though and now he kind of just repeats some of the same things. But he is repeating the important things over so it sticks in our heads. Overall, I think Sam is a very good teacher and feel that most people should take this class while there at Penn State. He does what he can so that we learn all these important concepts. We just all need to take in what he says and think about it.

I was very disturbed and bothered after watching this video in class. I had no idea that young children would pick the white doll most of the time. I don’t understand why they would feel like this. I would guess that most young children would pick the doll that looks the most like them. I know when I was little I would always pick the doll with light brown hair, and all my other friends would pick the dolls that would look like them so when we would play together the dolls would resemble us.

I feel the part that really bothered me the most was the part when the woman asked the young black girl to pick which one looked bad. And the girl picked the black doll. And when she was asked why it was bad she said it was because it was black. Then when she was asked which one she thought was nice she picked the white one. When she was asked why it was the nice one she said it was because it was white. Also it made me so sad when they asked her what doll looked like her and she pushed the black one forward with a look of hate and embarrassment. No one should ever have to feel like that about themselves or their skin color. You would think that in our world today people wouldn’t feel that way, but they do. I just don’t understand something. Do these young children have this feeling in them or are they taught by someone to feel that way?

After talking to one of my black friends after we watched this in class she said that she has always felt that lighter skin is more beautiful. And to me that was just really confusing I guess. I mean usually no one is ever 100 percent happy with themselves but hearing what she was saying and seeing this video just saddened me. She also said that if this experiment was done on her little sister she would probably pick the white doll too. It just is so bizarre to me.

Also, after we watched this video in class I think this was the quietest the class had ever been. Everyone was just so shocked at what we had just watched. I feel like this was a very eye opening video to everyone. It gave us a good sense of how some people actually still think about things. If I hadn’t watched this video I probably wouldn’t of thought these young children had feelings like that. I really hope that someday we will all be comfortable in our own skin. This is a big issue and I just pray that it will go away soon.

Wow, I think that this is such an amazing opportunity for Natalie Randolph. Being a high school football coach seems hard as it is, and being a woman myself I know that I would never be able to do that. She has a lot of strength to be coaching such a male dominant and intense sport. Being the coach of this team she is going to have so many different challenges in her way. She seems like such a sweet woman, but on the field she plays like one of the guys. I just hope that the boys (and maybe girls) that she will be coaching will listen to her the way they should. They will have to respect her and have confidence in her.

I think it is amazing that this woman is getting a chance to show what she can do as being a female football coach. She loves this game and knows that she can do it. With the power and strength that she now has, her and her team can go very very far. Some football coaches haven’t even played football before becoming a coach of a football team. She has played this sport and has been extremely successful while doing it. If she was okay with playing football with all the boys then she should have no problem coaching them. That just makes me even more confident that this is going to be a positive experience for her.

There is no doubt that other people and other teams will torment and criticize her for being a female football coach. After watching this video, I feel like Natalie is strong enough to not let comments that people will say bother her or come in her way of her ability to be a successful coach. And yes, I’m obviously very happy that she is the coach however, I just have some concerns that the boys on the team aren’t going to listen to her like they would do or a male coach. I just feel that male coaches would be more intense when making speeches or talking to them.

It is not only wonderful for Natalie but also for the Calvin Coolidge High School in Washington. It’s so great that this school would put gender aside in making this decision. To be a coach she has to have strength in herself as well as the team. I feel that she has it in her to do that. She has to be a very strong willed person. Her endurance to persevere is another amazing quality she has that will help her strive to the top. I’m excited to see how her coaching ability turns out. Hopefully she will be a really great accomplishment for her and other women who would want to do what she’s doing.

When I was home for break, I heard this story on the news a few times but I didn’t hear the details of it. After reading this article I became very sad for this girl and her girlfriend. This school should be embarrassed that they have made this ridiculous rule. It makes no sense that the Mississippi school board would cancel a high school prom because this girl wanted to go with her girlfriend. That could be like a girl just going with her “girl-friends”. I went to an all girls’ high school and most of the girls went with other girls. My school was pretty strict and they didn’t even say anything if 2 girls went together. It’s not fair that this girl would be penalized for this, then having the school cancel prom.

Also, this statement really bothered me “She also said that when she asked a teacher about the school's ban on same-sex dates at the prom, she was told she had to remember where she was.” What is that supposed to mean. It’s a disgrace to Mississippi and the school for these actions. I understand some people aren’t open to the LGBT issues, but come on people need to realize that it’s around and is happening. Now a days I feel like more people are open to this idea though. This would never happen around where I live and if the Board of Ed made a decision like this someway the prom would definitely still be on. These people need to open up to the idea of change because our world is changing more and more each and every day. I mean don’t know much about southern schools at all but I guess southern schools are very conservative in everything they believe. I didn’t think that schools could even do that. It is also bizarre to me that Ms McMillen wasn’t able to wear a tuxedo. Does it really matter if she wears a dress or not? I don’t get it.

During your senior year prom is one of those things you look forward to and can’t wait to go to and be with all your friends. I know for me and my friends prom weekend was one of the best times of my high school days. All my friends took a party bus to the prom, then after prom went down the shore. It’s sad that these kids in Mississippi wont get the opportunity to experience a fun time with their friends. The actions and rules by the school just make me think about what kind of people they are. I know that’s wrong of me to be judging these people but I just cant grasp that they cancelled the whole prom and even wouldn’t let a lesbian couple go together.

I have to completely disagree with the comment by this girl in this video. I’ve been to and have had many themed parties. Some examples are Jersey shore, golf pros and tigers hoes, anything but clothes, toga, highlighter party, lingerie party or an ugly sweater party; but none of the parties I’ve been to or have had generated issues where people were saying that they felt that these parties had to do with race. The Jersey Shore party is pretty much just to make fun of the show because it’s ridiculous how they act, not actually Italian people. I’m 100% Italian and going to that party is funny and doesn’t bother me at all. Also, the other parties I mentioned could be seen as demeaning to women, but they aren’t. The party might be themed ‘anything but clothes’ but that doesn’t mean that girls have to come to the parties completely exposed. These parties are meant to be fun, and there are ways you can have and attend these parties and wear a decent amount of clothing as well. No one sets strict guidelines, though you may be required to wear something that satisfies the theme you can still dress according to your own guidelines.

I want to know what makes her think that themed parties are usually geared toward racial stereotypes. I’m trying to think of parties that would be geared towards different racial stereotypes but I can’t really even think of any that people have actually had. I think it would be really awkward going to a party that pretty much made fun of racial stereotypes. When I go to parties it’s never just white people or never just black people or any other race for that matter. It’s always a mix of all races. All racial groups dress up according to what the party is themed. If people are referring to the show Jersey Shore and how many people are having parties themed according to it, I think that is ridiculous to call that a racist party. It is simply for fun, and no one has ever complained about a race issue at a jersey shore party or at any other themed party that I have participated in.

I think that themed parties are so much fun and everyone has so much fun at them. Everyone gets to just do whatever and dress like idiots. But that’s what makes them so fun. Instead of dressing up in the clothes you wear everyday, you get to dress like someone else or like anything you want. Half of the fun is going to the party to see what everyone else wearing. I don’t believe that these themed parties are racial or discriminatory, I honestly think that they are strictly fun.

Wow, this story about Yvrose Jean Baptiste is extremely incredible to me. I cannot believe that this woman does all of that by herself. She has an amazing drive that I bet half the people today wish they had. Yes some people in America work their butt off doing their jobs, and others just sail by just on the surface.

I also cannot believe that someone with only a fifth grade education level is accomplishing all of what she is doing in Haiti. She’s working as hard as she can so she can have her own life without being dependent on someone else. I feel that she has the work ethic she does because living in a place like Haiti she has to do what she could to get money. She wasn’t able to get the education she needed to become successful in business like some of the people in America have. She has to basically teach herself the way of becoming very successful.

She has learned these techniques she has for his business by going out there and actually having different experiences in the work world. Hands on experiences are the best kinds of learning forms. However, if she had the proper form of education her business would probably expand and she would be able to get more money for what she is doing. I feel that even if Yvrose Jean Baptiste’s business started to fail a little she would not give up and keep trying. That shows the amount of determination this woman has. She would definitely not give up if times were bad and that is how everyone should be in our world today.

My grandpa and aunt took over my great grandpa’s own company many years ago when he passed. They had no idea of what it was going to be like to own a business. Neither of them had gone to college and barely knew any concepts about money or having a business. They had to make their living by just following what my great grandpa had done in the company but times were different so they had to change some of the things. My aunt learned to do the accounting aspect of the business and my grandpa learned how to do the actual labor part. Together they have a very well operated business that is now passed down to my uncle and aunt.

I give Yvrose Jean Baptiste a lot of credit for doing the things she is doing in her country. She is such a smart woman for understanding these concepts and knowing what she has to do become an asset. This story is really inspiring and worth reading. I think after reading this story people will be very amazed at what people can really accomplish on their own!

I agree with a lot of the other people’s comments and reactions to this article. Most people agreed though that is concept is weird and awkward. However, all I can really start off by saying to this article is Wow! This is all just so bizarre to me. It looks so lifelike, it’s just plain creepy. I mean I personally have nothing against sex toys but $7000 for a sex toy (and a doll to be exact) is a little extensive. I am still just kind of sitting here in shock that this really exists. I knew it was only just a matter of time someone made this. But even looking at the picture of the doll and seeing how much she looks like a real person is a little weird to me.

I feel that this is part of the reason the world is like what it is now. People are buying inventions like this then in the end don’t need a companion because of it. People form a bond with the doll instead of with a real person. I don’t believe that women and men are that different at all when it comes to sexual pleasures. But I just don’t get this concept of buying a mechanical doll as your real like sex partner. At least if women or men use different types of sex toys you can’t become emotionally attached to it like people probably will start doing with the Roxxxy doll.

People must think that being with a man or woman is that bad. I do understand that some people have trouble finding someone but how would this help the “shy, awkward or older men who ‘have trouble meeting girls.” These men should be out there expanding their social skills not in their room with a mechanical doll. This will make these men more isolated and basically fore them to not go out there and look for a companion to be with. There is no way that a doll is better than the intimacy between two people. Yeah for the moment I guess these people feel this doll is great but in the long run I can’t see these people being truly happy though.

I can’t believe that 4,000 men have already pre-ordered these dolls and 20,000 requested information about them. I feel like that’s a huge number of people. I actually think it is pretty funny though that you can turn it on and shut it off as you please. I do also think it is pretty incredible that it will have real like conversations with you about any different topics. But then again with the becoming attached topic, this can happen if your with someone (or something in this matter I guess) all the time and your sharing emotions and feelings with them.

I’ve never really thought about the concept of losing language. We all learn a language and use that language everyday to communicate. But I never thought about losing it or not having any way of communicating with one another. Some form of language is important to each and every one of us each day. If our form of language was gone how would we communicate? Would we just be making up new languages every time one language disappears? I don’t know why but it is just hard for me to sit here and process that idea that one day the English language will become nonexistent. English has been around for so long but one day it will no longer be here. We have to do what we can to keep it alive.

This concept of losing languages makes me think about many different things. But one specific example is my grandpa. He learned Italian when he was a young child and didn’t know English until he was in high school. Sometimes he still thinks in Italian and can’t think of how to communicate in English. But no one in my family besides him knows Italian so sometimes we all feel confused and don’t know what he is trying to say when we try to communicate with him. I know Italian is obviously still around today but sometimes he feels like he has no one close to him to communicate with and this language is gone for him because he has no one there to socialize with and talk to about different things.

Languages all over the world are being lost each and every day. And some new languages are also forming. We have to do more to help save the languages being lost and help the ones that are just forming too. It’s also crazy to me that there are about 7,000 languages being used all around the world today. That sounds like a huge number, but it’s pretty cool to hear that there are that many different cultures and languages.

After watching the video, I got to hear what the Bo language sounded like. It was a very interesting and unique language. To hear that it’s no longer around is very unfortunate and sad. Different languages make us individuals and different from different groups of people. This video got me thinking and a little confused though. She must know some other language or way of communication in order to communicate with the other people around her. Unless she really wasn’t able to communicate at all with anyone else but people who spoke the Bo language. And if that is the case that is very sad to hear. It’s really awesome that Anvita Abbi was able to get these recordings of Boa Sr before she died so they have some record of what the language was like.