Wow. This video is extremely cool and interesting. This was a fantastic way to show people just how much war has grown and expanded throughout the world over the centuries. At one point I fast-forwarded to around the 1930's just to see the beginnings of WWII and to see how, pardon the pun, explosive the video became. There is a clear, obvious cycle here that shows that war has and will continue to grow and to grow. I am currently taking a history class that covers from the beginning of time to the 15th century this semester, and I have noticed myself that the more we learn about more modern time periods, the more we see countries and civilizations fighting and going into war. For example, take into consideration the Roman Empire. For thousands of years they have taken over and conquered many civilizations and made them their own. And eventually the Roman Empire turned into what some call the Byzantine Empire, and the cycle of conquering continues, whether they were the ones conquering and fighting or the ones being conquered. It just shows that no matter what country it is or where the country is located, there will be war. It is fascinating to see how many battles have occurred all across Europe. Practically none have occurred on U.S. grounds! Yet the U.S. in one of the most technologically advanced countries. Is this the reason why there have been practically no battles on U.S. ground?
Another interesting fact comes into play with watching this video. As the centuries progress, more war erupts. Because technology has improved over this time and different and more effective modes of transportation have been invented, war has become more prevalent and much more bloody. Things like the atomic bomb, gas bombs and tanks were being used and killing at a very vast rate. So what does this mean for us? The more that technology progresses, the more dangerous and destructive war will become? It is safe to say yes, considering the patterns and cycles displayed in this video.
It is also very distressing to learn that there are many conflicts not shown in this video. It is not surprising at all to see the progression and explosion of war in this video, but it does not make it any easier to see.

This is an issue that is so sad and unfortunate, and for many soldiers and their families, is all too real. It is so sad to know that after all that these extremely brave women and men do for our own safety, they are re-paid back in such an unfair way. It is easy to see why these soldiers experience this type of depression. They have seen things that no one should see, and have experienced many things that not many other people will ever be able to understand. It is so crucial that these soldiers that they not only get the medical attention that they need, but also the psychological help that is necessary. The effects of war on the mind can be much more damaging than an injury, which is very damaging in itself.
It is hard to imagine to have to go through combat training, be completely transformed as person, experience combat itself, and then have to return to their normal, everyday lives, which many not be very normal anymore. As mentioned in the PTSD article, this trauma just snowballs and snowballs until it become unbearable. I think that it is great that this type of trauma is being more widely recognized and treated and has become more aware to the public. After reading the suicide article, and seeing a possible solution for reducing suicides, it's clear that it is extremely vital that the military finds a way for soldiers to have ample time to recover between being home and being in war zones.
Being a soldier is a challenging enough task as it is. I'm sure that soldiers must feel some kind of pressure to also be the kind of person the public thinks they should be, or what they think the public thinks they should be. I think it is important that us as a nation show these soldiers that they have done so much for us and how grateful and appreciate that we are. Perhaps some positive reinforcement will help greatly with the coping of the trauma. But it is also SO important that the right kind of medical and psychological help is available to them. It is so sad and upsetting to read articles like the ones mentioned in this blog, but they only raise our awareness and allow us the opportunity to help these brave people.

I have to say, after in class seeing the extreme and pretty much "unfair" distribution of wealth, I can safely say, along with many others, that the distribution of wealth in America is very severe and outrageous. Now, while I say that statement, I also believe that a majority of those extremely wealthy people have earned their wealth. It is not very fair for people to judge or criticize those who have worked very hard and obtained wealth; they are living what we like to think is the ideal "American dream". However, I do agree that the tax breaks that many of these wealthy people receive are unfair. I am not an expert in economics or anything along the lines of that, but it's just not right to me. However, after reading the one section in our books that discussed why there will always be poverty and why the world needs poverty, some things started to make a little bit more sense to me. Obviously it will be difficult to eliminate poverty entirely, no matter how hard we may try. But poverty is a vital part of the world, it is seen in every single country, even in America. However, I can't help but to sympathize for these people, especially for those who will never have their voices heard. It is really outrageous that many of these wealthy people will play the game unfairly and get away with it, just because they have the money and they can. But money is what makes the world go round, whether we like to hear that or not.
After seeing the graphs presented in class, we can ask the question, "who is really benefiting from all of this?" Obviously it's the super-wealthy, and as much as some of us may not want to believe or accept, as long as they have the money, they can make the rules, or even break them, with little or no consequences. People with wealth are always going to be in cahoots with other people who have wealth; this trend has continued throughout history and isn't going to change anytime soon. It's a little shocking that things of this nature aren't reported on as much, but then again, it really isn't that surprising. We've all become pretty accustomed to this distribution of wealth and know that it would be very difficult to change. And as long as these people have the money, it's going to remain this way.

For me, this video was a little upsetting to watch. As a Catholic, I have seen over the years how many less people attend mass and that itself is a bit upsetting. However, I do not believe that religion with whither away or become extinct. I understand that this survey is not saying that people will not stop believing in something, but I still personally believe that organized religion will remain. While much of the research presented suggests that the reason people will stop attending mass or mosque is because they will encounter other people who do not practice their faith in such a way, I do not think that reason is a good enough one. The way people are brought up is extremely important. People brought up with a strong foundation of their religion are likely to keep those values throughout the rest of their lives, and then pass that one to their family. While it is likely that there are also children who stray away from their faith or religion, a strong foundation is very effective. With the state of the world today, I know of many people who attend their religious ceremonies and practices because it provides comfort and hope. If the world continues to be in the state it is today, there will always be people attending religious ceremonies.
I was especially surprised to see the countries that were mentioned in this article. Many Europeans countries have very strong religious roots, it is a part of their history. I find it hard to believe that religion will be gone in these countries. Also, I wondered if presenting this research was a good or bad idea. Maybe good because it alerts people of this issue, or maybe bad because it scares people.
Religion will never fully be gone. People rely on it for so much. It a part of nation's history. For example, mass at the Vatican will always be practiced, it is an important tradition and means so much to Catholicism. Religion has survived over thousands of years, and it will continue to survive. As long as their will be believers, religion will survive. I think it will take a lot more than people who don't affiliate themselves with a religion to fully eliminate religion.

The first man in this video clip said a statement that I believe to be extremely true: "It's a huge difference on people's mentality and attitude between summer and winter". It's amazing to think that the weather can severely affect our mentality and moods. We certainly experience somethings that are similar to those people in Helsinki when it is the winter; we gain weight, may feel depressed, need to do things to keep ourselves from going stir- crazy. But it is incredible that these people experience these things on a much higher scale. Light symbolizes so many things for us as humans, whether it is seen in a religious text or read in a poem. Things such as hope, new life and new beginnings are symbolized through light. Yet light really does play such an important part in our lives, all of those things that it symbolizes has real meaning. We really do need light to uplift and motivate our spirits. It's one of the biggest reasons we get out of bed in the morning and helps us to start our day! Light is just a beautiful thing to admire and makes life more joyful. Light provides us vitality, nourishment, and happiness.
What a wonderful idea for this city to have created this festival to boost peoples' spirits, for so many reasons. Such simple solutions like this can really transform a society's attitude. Perhaps if other societies around the world, obviously including America, could really make the world a better place to live in. Just these simple things can put people in really great moods, something that will positively affect a community.
It's very easy to see why light is so important to humans and animals alike. Think about the summer. Aren't we always so much happier in the summer? I think so, and not just because we are off school, but because the weather is beautiful and the sun is always shining. I've definitely noticed a very positive change around campus as the snow has melted away and we have had some wonderfully sunny days. Perhaps if everyday was a sunny day, the world really would be a much different place. Just something to think about, after seeing the research presented in this video.

I really enjoyed reading this "lifer's" letter. It was extremely thought-provoking and eye-opening. Most of us in class, myself included, day dream just to pass the time and entertain ourselves until class is over. And of course we all have our dreams and goals: graduate from college, become famous, start a family, the list goes on and on. However, reading this man's letter about his dreams was extremely moving. Dreaming is one of those things that we can control and we can take hold of. Dreams are extremely personal and can even help us on along the road in life. They provide a fantastic escape, to explore our minds and see ourselves in a new and different way. For this man, dreams are an essential freedom for him in prison. If he or even us did not have the ability to dream, our lives would be extremely different. This man takes the ideas and what we believe freedom to be to an entirely different level most people do not even consider.
The thing that stuck out to me the most in this passage was the man stating that he dreams of being a better person. It was so amazing to hear that even though this man is going to be in prison for the rest of his life, he still focuses on such things. It just shows me that no matter who we are, as human beings, we all want and desire the same things. In one of the final paragraphs, this man asks us what we think freedom and lists different things that we may consider to be freedoms. I personally do think that a lot of what he lists are freedoms. And I don't think that it is wrong to think that any of those things are freedoms, and I don't think he truly does either. The final two paragraphs really stick out the most, and really make you think. It is clear and easy to see that this man has a profound outlook on life, an outlook that perhaps some of us will just never be able to understand because we will never be in a similar position. But it is always refreshing to hear from someone who can see life in an entirely different way than we do.

There is of course that old saying; "money doesn't bring happiness". It certainly seems in many of these cases that the winner of a mega-million dollar jackpot has some sort of tragedy or trouble brought upon them. It is the curse of the lottery. I've seen the E! special mentioned in this article and have heard the unfortunate stories of winners of mega-million dollar jackpots. Some of the bad things that occur to them aren't even directly money related. It's just a constant stream of bad events, just like the ones mentioned in the articles. It really does seem like there is some sort of "curse" or bad luck on those who win the lottery. It is a real shame that these things happen to these people, especially to those who really do need some more financial income. Of course, some of the events that occur are brought upon the winners by themselves. Until stories like this article have come out, it seems like not too many people were aware of the many "dangers" there are when playing the lottery. Greed, as mentioned in the article, plays a huge role in the troubles that happen to the winners of the lottery. Greed can come from many places; it can come from the winners themselves, strangers who know who the winner is and harass them for money, and even to those who are very close to the winner and feel that they deserve something from them. It is a pretty common thing when someone suddenly becomes very popular that everyone suddenly wants to become their friend, whether they were friends with them before their newly gained popularity or not. It is the same thing with the lottery; everyone wants to become the friend of the winner. It is a shame, like the woman in this article, that winners may feel like they just want to hide or change their identity, just to avoid being harassed. They can even really enjoy or celebrate their win without fear. While winning the lottery could help someone out greatly financially, it can always bring upon many unwanted problems, like those mentioned in the article. Whether there really is a curse on the lottery or this is the "strings" working in full effect, one should be wary when they find themselves to be a winner of a mega-million dollar jackpot.

As young children, we are taught early on on how to react in situations with strangers. What one of the people interviewed in this video clip said "this kind of thing can happen anywhere". This is a very true statement, any kind sort of danger can occur anywhere. I think this is part of the fear that Americans have for events like this. We are on constant alert for danger and things that appear this way. We are brought up this way from such a young age, it's like we are conditioned to be on such high alert. I also think that we sometimes always assume for the worst to happen in situations. Thank goodness this nanny was on high alert, because she prevented something that could have been absolutely devastating. I think that especially us as Americans, that we like normalcy and stability. When we see something that is unusual or out of the ordinary, we tend to freak out and overreact. Now, in this particular situation, that was the correct approach. However, in other cases, this may not be the best thing to do. In this situation, our "conditioning" saved this little boy. Telling and teaching our children about strangers at a young age can help them out in the long run. Whenever stories like this are reported by the media, it can be easily viewed and sent to others. The media is such a large area of information, we can receive information about anything at anytime and anywhere. When stories like this are reported, we are immediately put on high alert. It is the media's job to assist the citizens of its community. Sometime the media can over-exaggerate things, but it usually does a good job on reporting the facts well. This combination of media influence and the influence from our parents and guardians that we received as children are both factors in why we are so afraid of things. Sometimes those fears are rational, and sometimes they are not and simply the influences at work. Videos like this can either help us or maybe even hurt us. It is defiantly important for the media to report on such issues, they need to inform the public of situations occurring with in their own communities.

The idea behind this prank shows exactly how willing and accepting we are to conformity. No one wants to be the "odd man out" or the person who's doing something out of the norm. It is easy to see why the people in the video would turn when the other people in the video did as well. When the young man took his hat off, that was hilarious and extreme. The look in his face when he noticed the other men all taking of their hats was priceless. The fact that no one questioned or asked what was going out was not surprising, but makes you question. If these people were doing something so out of the ordinary, or so extreme, would the subject of the prank still follow along? How far will people go to conform? When we notice something out of the ordinary, such as this situation, we may question in our minds "What is going on here? What am I missing". But we almost never say these words out loud. But why? Is this because we're afraid of not belonging to something or to be ostracized by society? Maybe it's just easier to go along with things because we don't want to question them and just simply and blindly accept them. People around our age especially experiencing that time when want to belong to something, and sometimes we conform to fit the ideas of that particular group. Perhaps we believe that by "conforming" to whatever we feel needs to be conformed to, we just think that it is the normal thing to do and don't really question whether it goes against our values. Sometimes, after we conform to something, such as a trends like wearing Ed Hardy because we think it's the "cool" thing to do, we realize that it may actually look dumb and question why we ever did it in the first place. The answer is quite simple. It's because we saw others in our society doing the same thing and wanted to belong to that. Let's face it, we all want to be a part of something, and conformity allows us to do that. Without the ability to conform, we may feel lost or confused about our identity. And even being a "non-conformist" can assist us in our identity. No matter what form it is in, conformity is a vital thing in our society.

Hearing this upsetting news is not very surprising. Especially after what we learned about in class about suicide, it is not shocking that soldiers have a high rate of suicide. I remember being at a lecture in which a former war journalist talked about his experience being in Iraq. Although he was not a solider, he still experienced some very traumatic things. Not to disregard how intense and scary his job was, he was a journalist and still felt these effects after being in war, such as night terrors. It can be said that the soldiers who are actually fighting in the war experience the effects of war ten times more. Everything that they experience, from the homesickness, the shooting, the death, the foreign land is enough to make anyone go crazy, especially those soldiers during the actual war. And when they come home, those events still linger in their mind. They have to discover how to be a productive member of society. These strings, as mentioned in class, are pulling at them in all different directions. As said in the video above, some soldiers might turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope. Others may not find such comfort, and eventually commit suicide. It is a shame that many soldiers turn to this later option, especially after performing such a brave and courageous act for their country. As the one soldier said in the interview, he cannot even sleep for fear of reoccurring images. If these people cannot even perform daily activities such as this, how can they possibly keep living a normal, happy life? It is easy to see why they would commit suicide.

The main soldier being interviewed in this video brought up a good point, to "erase the stigma of getting help". There is this embarrassing idea of going to therapy in our society. However, it is a perfectly normal, healthy and necessary thing. By providing another outlet for these soldiers can really help them out. Our entire society can do things that will help out these soldiers. It seems like their efforts, especially during this war, often go unnoticed. To let them know and see how grateful we are as a country could still give them a sense of purpose and well-being.