I think that there is such a fine line between right and wrong when it comes to war. While I think that this article is posed horribly and the writer does a terrible job of capturing any emotion or feeling about the war, I know that there is never going to be a true definition of what is just and right when a war like this is occurring.
On the one hand, I absolutely and completely disagree with the killing of innocent bystanders. I think that in certain cases, soldiers feel that they have free reign and are too trigger-happy that innocent people are killed in the process. We are overseas trying to make the country better and only hurting those that give us a reason to, and even then it's a tough call as to who deserves to be treated poorly. I wish that the lives of the people in Iraq and Afghanistan were valued more.
In turn, I also feel that there are two sides to every story, and that the people in Afghanistan are not always the most welcoming of our soldiers. Not that they deserve to be killed, but I think that soldiers have been trained to be less emotional and more rational, so it isn't likely for them to put themselves in the natives' shoes and try to understand where they're coming from.
In class on Monday, we listened to three people who have been in the army discuss their experiences and tell us of their opinions and views of the war. I found this so interesting, and in comparison to this article it didn't seem quite as brutal as the article portrayed. I understand that there is bound to be more violence in certain places rather than others, and that certain details were not discussing in class, but it was much easier to listen to these students talk to us than for me to read this article. This got me thinking. Should America be told of every detail that is going on overseas, or should we be sheltered from the gruesome details?
In response to this question, I feel that if a person is interested in learning about what is going on in the war, they should have access to this information somehow. However, I do not think that putting it on the front page on the paper and making it the beginning of the evening news is appropriate. I think that this makes it hard for Americans to hide from, and those people who have loved ones serving in the war must be constantly reminded of it.
All in all, I think that a world without war would be the perfect world. This obviously will never occur, but I think that the more that people understand that there is no black and white to what is right and wrong in war, the better off our society will be.

When it comes to the topic of wealth and income in America, I get extremely frustrated when people can honestly say that the wealthy don't deserve to be where they are. Whether a person inherits wealth, or they work for it on their own, they've still earned this money and shouldn't feel guilty saying that they have it. If someone inherits a company and inherits a great deal of money, they're going to have to work hard to keep the company alive and their profits consistent. The wealthy should never be ashamed of the money they have. Hard work leads to great things - this is how America works.
One of my friend's fathers owns an enormous business in Pennsylvania, and his son, my friend, will inherit the company when he graduates from college. This company has been passed down from generation to generation through their family. Is it fair to say that my friend isn't earning the right to own the company, even though he's getting a full college degree and has grown up working with the company? He's going to own this company and work for this company for at least 30 years, if not longer. Doesn't that prove that, while he will inherit the company before he puts in his hours, he's earned the right to be wealthy?
I do agree that life isn't always fair, and that sometimes we're handed bad luck. I feel terribly for those who have to deal with this bad luck in large doses, I really do. I don't think it's fair to be angry at those who have been successful and worked hard for their money, though. I think that everyone has a chance, at some point in their lives, to come into wealth of some sort. It may not be billions of dollars, but I think that everyone has an opportunity to achieve success in their lifetime, and it's those who take the chance and run with it that end up with a great deal of money.
All in all, I feel as though our world puts too much negative emphasis on wealth in our country, and those who are wealthy are often made to feel guilty for their success. It shouldn't be this way. Yes, there are poor people in our country and yes, they do need help, but the burden cannot fall solely on those who are billionaires. We as a country must work to balance our economic ladder and keep our world as far above the poverty line as we can.

I love this lifer's take on life. I've read a lot of these articles, and this is definitely one of my favorites. This man said that he was 28 years old and had been in prison for over 10 years. This really made me stop and think because I'm 20, and I can't imagine spending a day or a week in prison, let alone the 10 years he's already overcome at such a young age. I couldn't help but wonder to myself, who would write to me if I were in prison now? Would I have people who diligently wrote to me week after week, or would the letters fade out as time went on? How would I be remembered in my community? Would my reputation be completely shattered, or would people understand? I don't usually imagine what would happen if life went on and I wasn't there to be a part of it, but it is a terrifying thought, and I'm starting to see lifers as courageous more than harmful or dangerous.
The people who are in prison for life will, I think, always have a problem with people understanding where they're coming from. As hard as family and loved ones might try, no one will ever really understand what it's like to endure prison for life. I think that this is why lifers get so close to one another when they're in jail. They know that no one else can really understand how they feel, so they rely on one another for emotional comfort and understanding. If I were in prison, and I knew that I had so many others around me who knew where I was coming from, I would definitely feel better about being in prison.
It really touched me that this man still has his teachers writing to him after all this time. Like he says in his letter, I think that this shows that not everyone who's in jail is a bad person. People make mistakes and live with the consequences, and the way that this man is going about dealing with his mistakes is honorable and true. This is my favorite letter that I've read so far, and I hope that this man knows how respected he is for how far he's come.

In life, there are so many types of freedoms. Every person has a different definition of what being free entails. For me, I've always thought of freedom as just another luxury, and have never taken the time to appreciate what it truly means. Reading this letter has shown me how adaptable freedoms are, and how your current situation changes what freedom means to you.
This man had the freedoms that most of us Americans use and abuse each day. Waking up in a cozy bed, showering, making breakfast, spending time with family - these are just a few of the many that no one appreciates from day to day. Now that he isn't able to do these things, he's changed his perspective on life. He now sees the smallest things as a freedom and a gift, such as his eyesight, sense of smell and taste, and just being alive in general. It's funny how it takes losing everything to see what's most important, isn't it?
I wish that more humans thought the way that this man does. If we all woke up every morning and were grateful just to be alive, I think that this would be a much happier world. We dwell on little things, such as break-ups or lay-offs, as though these things will kill us. We need to understand, as a society, that there will be high and low points in our lives, but the most important thing to remember is that we're alive and kicking. Isn't that what life is truly about?
I love reading articles from the "getting life" section on this page because it always makes me think about the way I live my life. I recently didn't do so well on an exam, and I was so upset about it. In the grand scheme of things, will that grade even matter? Not really, no. Will I remember that grade 5 years from now? I'm positive that I won't. I feel silly even thinking that I could let myself get hung up on a grade when there are people who are in prison and no longer have the ability to learn, let alone get a bad grade in a class. I truly appreciate my life more because of this class, and I hope that other people are gaining the perspective that I am from reading these wonderful articles.

This was by far my favorite article that we've been given to respond to in this class. It was so interesting, and I had never heard about half of these lottery winners and their stories. I guess I always assumed that after someone won the lottery, they lived happily ever after. I can see now that this isn't true.
While some of the stories in the article may be coincidental, such as the man who won the lottery and then lost his daughter and granddaughter, it is clear that money definitely has a tremendous influence on both your life and the lives of those surrounding you. The woman who starts off the article is a clear example as to how money leads to power, and how power can at times be overwhelming. It is easy for people to take advantage of those more wealthy than themselves, because people feel less guilty taking money from someone who they feel has everything. I think that sometimes, when a person comes from a very poor background and then receives such a large sum of money, they don't know what to do with it and may end up spending it in the wrong ways because they're so excited to finally have money to spend. This may be part of the reason that bad things happen to people when they win the lottery.
As for the gentlemen who has been successful and happy since he won the lottery, it sounds like he's done a great job spending his money. He bought himself a car, which is definitely a necessity, but also helped his family and friends, especially his sister who needed leg amputation. By giving back to others but also keeping money for himself, he played it smart and is now a happy man.
I definitely think that money changes a person. Yes, it does increase happiness, but only to a certain extent. Money cannot replace love, and cannot replace relationships with people. I do, however, believe that it lowers stress knowing that finances are taken care of, which definitely helps to create a more happy lifestyle. The burden of worrying about bills, mortgage, car payments, etc. can put unbearable strain on a person's life. Money is important, but is not everything, and if someone who wins the lottery believes that money will buy them happiness, they will be very disappointed.

This video was not what I expected at all, but was extremely compelling and entertaining to watch. I've never thought of education in many of the ways that this man does, and he brings up many interesting points. For one, his take on ADHD and its negative impact on our world is something that has never been brought to my attention but may be true. Our world is so accustomed to making excuses and trying to justify negative traits in our youth nowadays. If someone doesn't try hard in school, they just "aren't living up to their potential", rather than someone just calling them lazy. The same is true with ADHD. I definitely believe that ADHD is a real disorder, and am in no way trying to demean how serious it can be. However, I believe that it is sometimes diagnosed too freely, neglecting other factors. I think that our generation must take responsibility for themselves and not look for excuses to just "get by" in life.
The part in which we hear about collaboration and its importance was something that I was eager to hear more about. I've always thought that the educational system lacked stressing the importance of teamwork and group think. Yes, it is important to test a person individually. I do not think that you can rely on others to get by in life, and each individual must adequately and equally prepare themselves in life by educating themselves throughly. However, in the real world, most jobs require a team effort. While there may be a front-runner, there are often people behind the scenes, helping to get a job done. There is not enough emphasis on working with others and compromising on ideas. I think that this is a part of our educational system that is definitely lacking.
While there may be flaws with the educational system in our world, there are definitely strengths as well. Those who go to college are definitely educated in ways that will prepare them for the future much more sufficiently than those who stop going to school after high school graduation. Even though we live in a tough economy these days, it is bound to turn back around at some point, and those Bachelor and Master's degrees will begin to once again get people the jobs they deserve.

I would like to start this post off by saying that I know that many cultures are different than the American culture. I'm not ignorant in thinking that every culture has the same values, morals, and beliefs as ours. However, I very strongly believe that polygamy is against human nature. I believe that we are all meant to be with one spouse, and that you can only truly be in love with one person at a time. I have only ever lived in America, so I know that these beliefs may be sheltered, but I was raised by a loving mother and father who wouldn't want to be with anyone else in the world. Perhaps this is what has made me feel the way I do about marriage and love.
I can't imagine waking up to two, three four husbands each morning. Forget about how I would feel, but how would my husbands feel? Without trying to, I'm sure that I would have a favorite husband, and would unintentionally neglect my other spouses. To feel this way for a lifetime would be unbearable.
In the video, I saw as a woman was set up by her family with three husbands. I know that it wasn't exactly the woman's choice to marry three men, and that part of tradition is the parents finding men to provide for their daughters. I think that I'm so used to our freedom of speech here, and the ability to tell our parents how we're feeling and to decide things on our own, that makes me feel bad for those who cannot speak their mind. At 20 years old, my parents allow me to make my own decisions all the time, knowing that I'm an adult and can think for myself. Many other cultures are not this way, though, and I hope that in the near future they can say how they feel without worry.

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Growing up in a diverse city and experiencing lots of different types of people has given me a more accepting outlook on life, of different types of people. I would say that my family is the main reason that I am the way I am today, but I know that there are many factors that create a person.
This memoir was very interesting to read. When I read the part about sexual experiences and desires, it made me think about how often a desire or wish can drive us to the breaking point. Once we want something, it is human nature to do anything in our power to get it. While passion and perseverance are terrific qualities, they can also be harmful to us. This is a valuable lesson that everyone can relate to, and everyone can take something away from reading this letter. The pursuit of happiness can be amazing, thrilling. But it can also be life-altering, and as humans, we need to be careful of what desire can do to us.

As most of us in this class are around 20 years old, it's not often that we sit down and think about what has shaped us, made us who we are today. We're still young, still developing into the person that we will hopefully soon become in our adult life. At 20 years old, I have never given much thought to what it is that has made me into the person that I am today. Reading this, though, has shown me that there are so many things that can be attributed to why a person is the way are, and I want to look into a few of these reasons in myself now.
Firstly, I think that I am a very selfless person because I have a twin brother. I was never allowed to grow up selfishly, because having someone the exact same age as you requires compromise. I also think that having a twin has made me slightly competitive, as I am always being compared to someone, no matter what I do. I think that seeing my parents be so loving toward one another and have such a strong and deep relationship has made me a more loving and caring person as well.

I’ve never thought about what life in prison would be like. Up until last week when we started talking about blogs in class, the thought had never really crossed my mind. After reading this article, however, I can’t seem to get it out of my thoughts.
I keep picturing myself in prison for life, what I would miss most. The thing I think I would miss most, and what stuck out to me most in the blog that I read, would be the luxury and freedom that I have to talk to my friends and family whenever I want to. Not being able to call or see my mom, dad and brother whenever I wanted to would break my heart. They’re such a huge part of my life, and I never even think about the fact that talking to them is a privilege.
I never thought I’d find myself saying this about a person who’s gotten life in prison, but I feel so badly for him. I’m sure that what he did to get into prison was terrible, and I definitely don’t think that anyone’s life sentence should be revoked, but reading about someone’s hardships like that makes me realize that people are people, and I can’t help but be saddened by the pain this person is feeling. As the age-old saying states, you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. I’ve always felt this was true, but I see it so clearly here.
In class, we’ve discussed that we are not really as free as we think. While I agree with that in some ways, articles like the one I’ve just read makes me realize that we have SO many freedoms that we don’t even realize. Being able to go to the bathroom when I want to, and wake up when I want to, and call my friends or family at any time I want to, are luxuries that go completely unappreciated by me every day. I’ve never looked at things this way, and after reading this letter, I don’t know that I’ll ever look at my life the same way again.