en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/2395340 Comments by emasters3 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286448 Personally, I don't think that there is much to worry about these days as far as terrorist acts, just because there is such a high level of media coverage and security in place, but to most Americans, there is a high sense of fear of another attack. I think this is all directly related to both the media and the way our economy has broken down, causing many people to stress over things such as foreign policy and oil just because the media tells them to. But overall, as far as the video goes, I understand the issues that Islamic believers cause for Americans, and if they would simply look at their acts from our points of view, they would probably understand our cause for concern. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:50:35 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286448 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286437 I know that not all muslims support the killing of Americans, but there are radical branches that are leading the war on terror, which is the part of Islam that most Americans assume represents all of the faith, even though this is definitely not the case. As far as the photos of protests in cities in the United States, yes, they have the right to free speech, but like Sam's thoughts suggest, if the muslims participating were to take a look at their demonstrations from the outside looking in, they would see why and how upset Americans get over their ideals just because of the typical American bias to think that all muslims are terrorists, just like everyone who sees someone dressed as someone from the Middle East in an airport is predisposed to worry and watch their every move. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:50:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286437 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286391 I'm sure that most people have the general first impression of being angry or scared of this video, and for good reason. It portrays the entire bad side of a group of people sharing the same religious beliefs, and without delving deeper into the situation, people could just assume that all muslims are out to kill Americans. Luckily, I do not usually like to make a hasty decision towards how I feel about someone or something. Based on this video alone, yes it did make me angry while watching, but I know that the authors obviously support the killing of muslims and they gave no mention to anything they believe in besides killing, which is something the media does all the time to try and sway peoples opinions on topics that they may not invest enough time in to fully understand. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 03:50:12 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/19/what-americans-fear/#IDComment145286391 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195355 As far as the economy goes, with all of the difficulties we are encountering with oil in the middle east, using home grown resources is a great way to lessen our dependence on our enemies and help avoid future conflicts. Another advantage is that with time, we will develop alternative energies for cars and processes that currently run on oil, and using our own natural gas as an alternative until that time makes sense. Along with the article however, Americans really do not see the entire issue, and are exposed to just the extremes of the issue, such as the movie Gasland and the news reports which show Obama supporting these bills for the greater good of the nation, and obviously not showing the drawbacks. Although it seems like an agreement in congress is not definite right now, Obama showing his support could cause party members to switch to his side, another way of showing how either behind the back moves or the invisible strings influence others. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:18:55 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195355 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195342 From president Obama's view, the potential votes he could receive by backing big bills for energy companies is tremendous, and as far as presidential approval rates go, it seems as if he would not be winning his reelection campaign. From a scientific standpoint, I do agree that natural gas is better for both the environment and the economy, and should not be looked over for potential issues with drinking water. This doesn't mean we should just let it happen, but more work needs to be done looking into cleaning up the process. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:18:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195342 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195205 I thought the comments at the end were very suspicious, in the sense that they bring up plausible questions about the behind the scenes actions that take place in politics these days. I definitely think that under the table deals are what bring people to power, and this article backs that up. Like we have discussed in class, most of congress is from a rich demographic, and part of this could be contributed to the fact that they have the money to donate to sway voters towards their side in return. Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:18:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/04/09/the-fricking-frackers-own-my-arse/#IDComment143195205 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment141159384 As far as the article goes, I think it is interesting to note that countries such as Ireland, where religion is the most critical part of the culture, religion is slowly fading out. This could be for many reasons, but I think one of them is that the world is being faced with many complicated problems, and people are letting religion take a backseat to what they want and how much time they put into issues that they feel warrant more attention than something that isn't as direct like religion is. I think it is a bad thing in a way, because many people look to religion to find themselves or for help in a time of need, and if it really does become extinct, it will not have a positive impact on the world. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:46:56 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment141159384 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment141159347 I would say that religion belongs in the world, and that arguments surrounding it definitely contribute to many problems we face today in society. I have been attending church for my entire life, and although I disagree with institutions and religions that force members to donate and do things for the greater good of the group, I think religion is an important aspect in life. Although science has made its impact on religion and creationism versus evolution, there has been no definitive answer to the biggest unanswered question. Sat, 9 Apr 2011 03:46:43 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/24/religion-in-the-future/#IDComment141159347 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282434 These actions will take place generation to generation unless somewhere it is put to a stop, and with the issues we face today, I don't see this ending any time soon. In relation to the class system we have, I do agree that most people end up in the same social class their parents belong to, because as we learned in class, many people from lower social classes don't know how to act or handle the upper classes. I also think that society as a whole is not as motivated anymore, and as long as people are happy with where there parents raised them in regards to class, they will be satisfied to be at the same level. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 03:23:06 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282434 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282417 On the other side of politics, many successful businesses use dirty tactics to achieve higher profits. People such as Bernie Madoff have used illegal means to achieve massive amounts of profit, and in his case, have also been caught and reprimanded with serious consequences. I have always seen the best way to run a business or political seat is to preach honesty and trustworthiness, although this may not be the best way to achieve maximum personal benefit, this method will definitely help someone move up the social ladder and possibly become a bigger part of society. I also think this issue comes from the fact that people know that these illegal things take place, and assume that if someone does it, then it is acceptable to reach a goal using dishonest methods. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 03:23:02 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282417 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282394 The issue I have with the balance of power in the United States is that the people that hold positions of power, many times get there because of factors that don't necessarily stem from their beliefs and are under the table interactions that are covered up from the general public. Like Sam has discussed in class, many of the politicians in congress are very rich, just because money is what makes the nation go, and those with money have power to reach high ranking positions such as the Senate and House of Representatives. In addition to having the resources to campaign and sway voters towards their own ticket, the people in power also can use their own beliefs, not necessarily the beliefs they used in their campaign, to vote on matters in a way they see fit. This is an issue because they are not being honest about their own views and in America, the goverment is supposed to be for the people. Sat, 2 Apr 2011 03:22:52 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/30/so-what-your-take-on-those-inequality-classes/#IDComment139282394 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621375 The biggest reason for mass confusion in my opinion is that those involved just don't understand how much the disaster really affects them. This option would also possibly lessen the impact the invisible strings have on society, by making people feel less inclined to make decisions based on what others around them are doing. This obviously will never be a perfect system, as everyone else’s actions impact our own, but by helping people be as free as possible, it could help with dire situations such as natural disasters and radiation spills. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:49:47 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621375 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621370 On the news, hurricanes can be shown to affect almost all of the east coast of the United States, and people in a state like Pennsylvania will worry and try to evacuate their homes, without noticing that the wind speeds in their area are nothing like what they are in places such as Florida where the hurricane is strongest. These people effectively clog up evacuation activities for people from the New England states that are in much greater danger and are more likely to be evacuated. I think this whole article relates the hidden strings because when someone sees other people panicking, they tend to worry and freak out as well. The best way to minimize the bad consequences of these decisions is to educate people within areas of possible disasters about how much risk they really are at, and to have strict guidelines that are regularly posted like those mentioned in the article. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:49:42 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621370 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621354 By no means do I believe all people are like this, but the vast majority of people think only about themselves in times of crisis where death or serious injury is possible. Another issue is that many people do not understand the consequences and paths that natural disasters like hurricanes take. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:49:34 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621354 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621302 In the case of random emergencies, moving people from one area to another when very few of them have any knowledge of the situation is extremely difficult, and ultimately it will not help everyone to safety. To me, it seems people always put themselves before others, and that because of this, they disrupt actions taken to evacuate and save the largest amount of people possible. Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:49:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/23/managing-crowds/#IDComment137621302 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment135945569 Here at Penn State, the fall and spring are definitely the best part of the year, and it is probably directly related to the amount of sunlight in each day. Seeing as the weather has finally decided to turn nice for more than a day at a time now, it seems like the entire school is outside all day playing sports and hanging out as opposed to the dreary looking people wandering around in the winter. When there is little sunlight, people tend to be stuck indoors and get bored easily, which is part of why everyone is so tired in the winter. When people are unhappy, they tend to feel like doing less work, and have shorter tempers, which are a bad combination. The invisible strings of light and dark impact humans in a way that really is not that hard to understand, but can have a huge effect on how we interact and act on a daily basis, especially when the amount of light is the only changed variable in daily life. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:44:40 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment135945569 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment135945551 The role light and dark play in our everyday lives is much more significant than people think, and I personally can tell it affects my mood and my activities for the day. Summer is my favorite season, not just because it is warm out, but because the sun is always out, making it seem like a lot more can be accomplished in one day. As far as the almost permanent darkness in Helsinki goes, living there is definitely different from other parts of the world, as people need to work and go to school for the same amount of time as other areas, with much less sunlight. I think it affects them because people naturally think of darkness as time for resting or relaxing after a day at school or work, and Helsinki residents are forced to work for a few hours after the sun has already gone down. The city realizes the issue that the darkness brings upon its residents, and by starting to implement ways of coping with crazy amounts of time without light, residents have something positive about living in the dark. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 00:44:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/03/01/lighting-our-way/#IDComment135945551 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment132502764 Also, some of these poor people that do win the lottery don’t know how to manage their money. Not only does the lottery affect the winner, but it also affects their friends and family. The winner feels obligated to help them and the family sometimes becomes greedy, too. I’ve often wondered what people think of when they first win the lottery. News reports interviewing the winners say that the winners are so thankful and need the money, but I wonder if the winners think about what they’re going to do when all the money is gone, which could be gone quickly, especially in our economy and society. The pressure people face involving different social classes also plays into the argument between the lottery being a “blessing or a curse”, as stated in the article. The lottery may seem like a blessing at first, but could then turn into a curse for some people Sat, 5 Mar 2011 00:24:22 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment132502764 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment132502679 Winning the lottery seems like it would make one’s life a whole lot more luxurious, full of free spending and happiness. This article would most likely be associated with the idea of “money doesn’t bring you happiness” and the controversy with whether or not that quote is true. The lottery has always been a popular topic and people have often envied the people who have won the lottery. But what happens after that? What happens when they’ve spent their millions of dollars? They become greedy. They may become so used to having things that once the money is gone, they can’t continue to sustain this lifestyle. Sat, 5 Mar 2011 00:23:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/28/the-lottery-as-a-blessing-or-a-curse/#IDComment132502679 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130762955 Had they asked someone for help, the problem could have been resolved with a lot less worry than a parent would go through having to think about every possible scenario while police looked for their missing child. In addition, many stories of kidnappings that are on the news force the psychological idea upon people that every outcome is bad, and parents will have a harder time thinking that everything will be fine, because the only firsthand examples of kidnappings they have seen or heard of happen on the news, some of which end in disappearances and murders. Sat, 26 Feb 2011 04:34:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/02/21/stranger-kidnapping/#IDComment130762955