This blog post instantly caught my eye, just like this topic did whenever Sam and Laurie talked about it in class. I have never been to a prison, or met a "lifer", or known anybody who had met any of these people, so it is fascinating for me to read a letter from someone who is in this situation. As someone who grew up ready every Nancy Drew book she could find, I have always been interested in mystery type stories, so I am still curious about how this man ended up in jail, or why he committed the murder. In high school, we read the book "In Cold Blood", by Truman Capote, which follows the story of two men that murder a family, and I've always been intrigued by what could possibly drive people to commit such a horrible crime, and how they live with themselves after knowing they have ended another person's life. I have always assumed that they must be crazy, or that they are just not the same as you or me, but this letter has helped me to understand these "lifers" more and put things into perspective. From what I can tell after reading this letter, this man is not crazy, and he seems to be fully capable of feeling emotion and feeling empathy for others, more so than some people I know who have committed some crime. I have never had a real firm opinion about the death penalty, I've always felt that an eye for an eye type of system isn't completely setting the right example, and there are obviously innocent people who end up in this situation every day, which is terrible, but there have also been stories I have heard of murders where I've found myself thinking that these awful people deserve such a penalty. But this man's letter shows that people can change if given the chance to put things into perspective, and although I still do not believe that convicted murderers - even one as changed as the one who wrote this letter - should be allowed free and on the streets after committing such a terrible crime, I do think that there is no harm in letting them live out their life in jail, and giving them all that time to reflect on what they did, and try to understand why it was so wrong. It has obviously done this man some good. I also find it incredible that these men, who have all committed very serious crimes, are able to show this natural and very human sense of compassion among one another, yet if myself or my friends passed a mourning man, especially one that we hated, I'm not so sure that we would do the same thing. So it causes me to consider how I think about others and how if this criminal can show sincere compassion towards another human being who is in pain, let alone the same pain that was felt by the family of whoever he murdered, then I should easily be able to express this kind of compassion towards people I may pass on the street or around campus who also seem upset.

This topic actually just got brought up in my discussion section today. Myself and the other females in the class were talking about the issues and viewpoints that girls during the class period had brought up - whether girls dress the way they do cause of other girls, the media, or boys. Then one of the boys in the class was the one to raise this question, asking if any of the fellow guys in the class felt this pressure in how they dress. Unanimously, the answer was no, they did not. I think a lot of it does have to do with the media. Think of all of the magazines you see - most of them feature a gorgeous, tan, blonde model on the cover who exemplifies the "ideal" qualities that a woman today "should" have. Then, all of the men who see this compliment the girl and talk about how much they want her, which sends a message to the females who hear this that they should look like this too. Add in the other magazine articles criticizing stick thin celebrities for being "too fat", and an awareness of body image gets created among women. How many times do you see an entire magazine cover devoted to male celebrities who have gotten too big, or who are seen eating a hamburger? Slim to none. And although men are confronted with images of buff guys that girls swoon over, they are never directly pressured to look exactly like these men, because you can't exactly get huge muscles using implants. Another thing we discussed in our section regarding this topic is that men and women look for different things in each other, at least initially when selecting a potential partner. We all agreed that men initially look for looks that usually closely resemble the blond bombshells shown on magazines, where women normally look for personality first, or least a more distinct mixture of both, which takes some of the pressure off of guys and allows them to work on their personalities as opposed to just their looks. And there is no major norm for men of what is a "stylish" way for them to dress, where as women have the ideal image of the tighter, low cut shirts and overall nice bodies to live up to. There is a very specific image set out there for women, where as men have a more general set of appearances that are deemed acceptable. I think that what both sexes have in common, however, is the pressure to at least look presentable and fit in to a certain point, because there are always situations, for both men and women, where we feel like we are being compared to our peers and want to look as good as them, if not better, however I feel that this is a different type of pressure than the pressure that women feel, because it deals more with material things that can be easily changed, rather than your actual body that would be altered by plastic surgery.

As someone with a video game obsessed little brother, who has watched games where people shoot Nazi zombies, steal cars and knife people, and rip heads off, never have I heard of such a sick and disgusting game as this one. Although I am not familiar with Japanese culture, I have always assumed that rape is a universally frowned upon activity. However, judging by this game and the fact that some sick people have shown interest in purchasing and playing it, that apparantly is not the case. And I do not believe that all of the people buying the game are rapists, or necessarily support the action of rape, especially if that was their mother, sister, or girlfriend on the game being raped. It causes me to consider our culture, and how many people assume that if it is part of a video game and "not real", then it will have no effect on a person's emotions and does not reflect their views, however I feel that in some examples, this is not true. For example, over spring break my friend was playing a demo for a game called God of War, and at one point threw the controller at me, urging me to press the buttons that the screen was telling me to. By pressing these buttons, the character I was controlling was graphically twisting off another person's head, as blood appeared around the body. I absolutely hated every second of it, and multiple times tried handing the controller back to him, and even felt terrible for a few minutes afterwards even though I knew it obviously was a made up situation, and in this game the character I had killed was the "bad guy". So I find it hard to believe that the men and/or women playing this game, even if in the game's storyline is justified as "raping the woman who made you lose your job", would not feel even the tiniest bit of guilt and disgust at doing such a repulsive thing that is played out in the screen right in front of you. Games such as this one are turning very serious, life changing events such as rape into some sort of joke or game, and this is just not acceptable. If the government wants to set any sort of example or show that they are taking a stand against sexual assault and race then they need to take these games off of the shelves immediately, otherwise they are sending a message to gamers everywhere that they are basically condoning the act of rape, which is obviously and disgustingly wrong. Video games are beginning to cross more and more boundaries, and have gone far beyond just being "offensive" to being just downright wrong and unethical. Although some may argue that rape is no more of a criminal offense than killing someone, which is a common theme in video games, I feel that a lot of it has to do with how much detail is shown and how involved the player is actually involved in the process. There is a fine line between simply pressing the x button to shoot a gun and actually going through the motions of loading the gun, pulling the trigger, and graphically showing the death, just as there is a fine line between video games with implied sexual actions and ones such as these that actually show everything and have specific actions such as "grope". Obviously there is something wrong with killing in video games also, but this game has definitely gone wayyy too far about a subject that is never okay to take lightly or joke about.

I'm pretty sure that I have seen a similar video to this on previously in a different class, and I have been equally shocked each time that I have seen it. As if the initial shock value of so many of the children selecting the white dolls is not enough, it is incredibly heartbreaking to hear the explanations they give for who is "good" and who is "bad", especially the one child who's struggle became almost tangible when she had to select the doll she had labeled as "bad" as most closely resembling her. So this led me to question, where do these children get these stereotypes, especially by such a young age? This perception of good vs. bad concerning color knows no gender boundaries - both males and females agreed that the white doll was "nicer" or "better" than the darker doll. And there usually was no hesitation from the children in selecting the doll they preferred, just the quiet shame from a few kids who knew that obviously this "nice" doll did not look like them, and that could never become like that image that they see as "good". Interestingly enough, however, the boys did not even seem to feel this small amount of shame, and some even smiled as they picked up the white doll when asked which one they preferred. This led me to think that even though the young black males had already been socially conditioned to feel that white was superior to black, they also didn't personally feel the pain as much cause they knew that as a black male, they were perceived as being better than a black female. They did not have the ability to personally compare themselves to these dolls, because they are not a female. But for the girls, the darker doll was like looking at a mirror image of their own baby pictures, and I'm sure it pained them to choose something that may resemble their baby sister as being "bad" or "mean". I'm not really sure how to solve this problem considering it seems to occur at such a startlingly young age, however, parents need to talk to their young children, especially their daughters, and explain to them that everyone is equal, regardless of their color, and that the darker doll is just as nice or even more appealing than the white doll. Maybe then these girls and boys will get a sense of self confidence from a young age that the children in this video seemed to be lacking. Clearly society is selling these negative sterotypes to them so strongly to the point that they understand these things without someone directly telling them that certain people may actually feel that way about the dolls. But for their own self image, they must see the doll that most closely resembles them as being "nice" and "good" also. In fact, although some of the children showed no hesitation and clearly had an opinion on what doll was "better", having the children choose just one doll in the first place is sending the wrong message. It only gives them the options of "good" and "bad", and makes the child feel that if one color is good, the other must be bad by default, when really we must be teaching them that both of them are exactly the same and equally as good.

I thought it was really interesting how people reacted to Sam's one little harmless comment. Although I admit that I also was surprised to hear Sam talk about his wife's period, and had a brief period of shock after he said it, I definitely did not expect it to snowball into a class discussion. And I think a lot of the class' reaction did not have to necessarily do with the topic, but more with the fact that Sam was revealing personal information. At least for me, my initial moment of shock was that Sam was discussing details of his wife's body, not his own. If it had been Sam's wife up there discussing her period, I think that the class would have reacted differently because we would have all understood that she was okay with her body becoming a topic of class discussion, and she would be able to describe what happens to her body best. I never expected to be given a lesson about menstruation by a man, who has never experienced it, so I think the shock factor is that a man was telling a room consisting of many women about something that happens to women exclusively. Also, he spoke of his wife's period and how much she bleeds in a negative way, as opposed to just discussing the general fact that all women bleed, so the details are what made it more uncomfortable, especially because I feel that most of the women in the classroom, including myself, would not enjoy aspects about my body that I cannot control being discussed in front of hundreds of college students in a negative way. As far as male education goes concerning periods, I do not necessarily think they need to know an excessive amount, especially because it is generally not an acceptable topic of conversation in our society. By going through school health classes and just in general interacting with girlfriends, sisters, and mothers, boys naturally learn the basics of what a period is, what happens to a woman's body at that time, and what a period's function is. Other than that, it is really not necessary for men to know more details, and most men probably would not want to know more. Think about it, most women don't want to know the extreme details of men's bodily functions, so why should we insist that men know this information about female bodies that women don't care or need to know about male bodies. Also, dealing with the last comment about would tampons be free, I think they obviously wouldn't be and that the question had more of a sarcastic tone. Even if men did have periods, I feel that tampons would be bought and sold in the same way that they are today, there would just be more of them being bought because obviously everyone would need them.

I think that this is interesting, considering that just recently in class we discussed how race sometimes relates to sports, and we specifically discussed how race, especially being black, tends to show up in the sport of basketball. Although many people who play basketball happen to black, there is not any proven genetic disadvantage preventing white men from being successful in basketball as well. So this whole idea of an all white basketball team, requiring that both your parents be caucasian and that you be an United States citizen seems a little ridiculous and out of hand, not to mention a little racist. If this team is intended not to be racist whatsoever, and simply to give white guys who are mediocre basketball players a chance, then this would open the door for other people in various sports who aren't quite at the professional level to want their own teams as well. There is a reason that it requires a certain amount of skill to reach the pros; it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, not to mention extreme talent; and there are other venues where these white guys can play basketball. But if this has some root in racism, which I feel it does, then that would explain why this guy is so interested in creating a basketball team of only white guys when it is a sport often dominated by African Americans. To have such discriminatory guidelines is segregating the team, and is not only sending out a racist message against black people but against white men as well, saying that because they are white, they clearly will never make it to the pros, and have to settle for their own separate team. And what happens to the black players who have the same level of skill, maybe better, than the guys on this all white team, yet aren't quite good enough for the NBA? They get left behind, simply because of their race, which is robbing them of the civil and equal rights that their ancestors worked so hard for. If moose is so set on filling his "marketing niche", he has to expand his range of players, allowing everyone of that skill level to try out. And although this issue is very centered on white vs. black issues, Moose's team is also including all other races that are not "caucasian". This is saying that no latino, asian, mexican, etc. man or woman are allowed in his league, even if they are just as talented, if not more talented, than his white players. This whole idea is just wrong on any levels, and although people would probably still turn up for the games, those who knew the requirements for the league would be appalled and would hopefully not show as much support for this.

As the article said, casino profits have nearly doubled in the past year, where this money should be going to improving the standards of life on the reservation and sending the youth living there off to college so that they can have a better future. Also, although it is great that we have found all of this much needed oil, this will also cause a lot of pollution to this area, so precautions must be made to protect the air and the Native Americans living there. Finally, although these particular tribes have stumbled on some luck, this cannot and should not be seen as taking away from the years of discrimination and bad treatment.

As the article said, casino profits have nearly doubled in the past year, where this money should be going to improving the standards of life on the reservation and sending the youth living there off to college so that they can have a better future. Also, although it is great that we have found all of this much needed oil, this will also cause a lot of pollution to this area, so precautions must be made to protect the air and the Native Americans living there. Finally, although these particular tribes have stumbled on some luck, this cannot and should not be seen as taking away from the years of discrimination and bad treatment. After all, this was their land to begin with, so in perspective they have been cheated out of all of the other places in this country where oil has been found. We have to ensure that the money this oil discovery is generating is used to improve the quality of life for these Native Americans, so that one reservation at a time, the Native Americans will have an equal place in society with all other races and cultures.

I found this article to be extremely interesting, especially after all of our recent class discussions talking about Native Americans and how their lives are today. As we have discussed in class, Native Americans suffer the most poverty, alcohol abuse, suicide rates, etc. They are having an extremely difficult time here in the United States, and clearly there was an enormous amount of wrong doing towards them when their land was taken from them so many years ago. So the fact that at least one of these tribes is finally getting some good luck is reassuring and great to hear. This large mass of oil that has been found has many benefits, and benefits a variety of people. First off, it benefits our country and our economy because of the money it is generating, and it is also benefiting the world as a whole because oil is a limited resource that we can always use more of. It also obviously benefits the Native Americans living on this land, because for the first time in decades, there is a burst of new jobs and sources of income. This new oil business is giving meaning to many lives that had previously been living from day to day. It is providing tons of money to the area, giving the people living there nicer cars, homes, and neighborhoods. What needs to be done now is to educate these people in how to spend their money wisely.

I found this article to be extremely interesting, especially after all of our recent class discussions talking about Native Americans and how their lives are today. As we have discussed in class, Native Americans suffer the most poverty, alcohol abuse, suicide rates, etc. They are having an extremely difficult time here in the United States, and clearly there was an enormous amount of wrong doing towards them when their land was taken from them so many years ago. So the fact that at least one of these tribes is finally getting some good luck is reassuring and great to hear. This large mass of oil that has been found has many benefits, and benefits a variety of people. First off, it benefits our country and our economy because of the money it is generating, and it is also benefiting the world as a whole because oil is a limited resource that we can always use more of. It also obviously benefits the Native Americans living on this land, because for the first time in decades, there is a burst of new jobs and sources of income. This new oil business is giving meaning to many lives that had previously been living from day to day. It is providing tons of money to the area, giving the people living there nicer cars, homes, and neighborhoods. What needs to be done now is to educate these people in how to spend their money wisely. As the article said, casino profits have nearly doubled in the past year, where this money should be going to improving the standards of life on the reservation and sending the youth living there off to college so that they can have a better future. Also, although it is great that we have found all of this much needed oil, this will also cause a lot of pollution to this area, so precautions must be made to protect the air and the Native Americans living there. Finally, although these particular tribes have stumbled on some luck, this cannot and should not be seen as taking away from the years of discrimination and bad treatment. After all, this was their land to begin with, so in perspective they have been cheated out of all of the other places in this country where oil has been found. We have to ensure that the money this oil discovery is generating is used to improve the quality of life for these Native Americans, so that one reservation at a time, the Native Americans will have an equal place in society with all other races and cultures.