Star Wars "Hero's Journey"

"The hero's journey is a journey into the center of yourself"

In Star Wars, this quote held true for both Luke and Anakin. Both went through a hero's journey, although the journey was completed in different ways. Both were faced with a "calling" of sorts, and learned things about themselves that changed their ideals drastically. Anakin and Luke completed their quests with honor, and eventually made good choices that saved many in the end.
Luke's calling was to take defeat the Emporer, to abolish evil from their society. After being trained by Obi-Wan, and later Yoda, Luke honed his skills. He was put into dangerous situations, and saved himself and others with grace and skill. He found out that Leia was his sister, and continued on to save her and his friends. His challenge, aside from killing the Emporer, was the decision to kill his father. When faced with that situation, his tale took a twist and things ended up being easier than he thought.
Anakin turned to the darkside from anger and a lust for power. Although his journey was stunted after turning to the dark side, he knew that eventually his son would come to destory the Emporer, his master. Darth's struggle was which side to choose; his own flesh and blood or the lifestyle he pretty much swore his soul to. Anakin completed his journey by saving his son, and killing the Emporer, which in turn killed him. Although he paid for his ways with an early death, he made the right choice in the end. He was proud of his son.
Both Heros' journeyed into themselves and found courage, strength and willpower.

Community Service at YMCA

For my required 20 hours of community service, I chose to do something with kids. I looked around, and after I heard that East Cottonwood Elementary (which was my elementary school as a child) had an after school program, I decided to give "Miss Kayla" a call.
I first started going in the beginning of April, and I'll admit that it was different at first. The kids were loud,
I was really quite tired after school, and I also brought my friend Mason along so he could finish his community service as well. I would have headaches and need to leave earlier than I planned on staying. YMCA was from 2 to 6, and for the first couple days I didnt stay the full 4 hours like I wanted to.
But after working with my headaches, I got to really interact with the kids and have fun.
For the first week that I went, I only went to the 3rd to 6th grade room, with Miss Kayla. I got really attatched to some of the kids in there, specifically a couple of the little girls because they reminded me so much of myself at that age. I used to be quiet and shy, and was very sensitive to criticism. I became good friends with Jenna, one of the 4th graders that was there most of the week. She would swing with me out on the swing set and although she was shy with everyone else, she seemed to warm up to me quickly.
The last week (after a few requests from the littler kids) I decided to go to the Kindergarten through 2nd grade class room with Miss Jenny. It was astounding to me how quickly the kids grow, It was so different compared to Miss Kayela's room. The kids were far more outgoing, and took so much joy out of little things that I myself have forgotten about. I really connected with the whole group, but I will say the best part of the whole experience was meeting Sarah. She's a 2nd grader at East Cottonwood, and although all the other little girls flocked me, asked me funny questions and pretty much competed for my attention, Sarah just sat there and colored. For some reason, since I was shy at that age, I felt the need to reach out to her. I sat next to her and colored with her, and after she got to know me, she talked to me like I had known her forever. She was a big sweetheart and in all honesty I've decided that when I have the extra time I'll go visit the kids at the YMCA. Sarah and all the other kids seemed really depressed when I left that Friday, and in all honesty, I was depressed too.
Going there was the best and most rewarding choice I've made in a long time. After spending time with these kids and getting a chance to remember what it was like at such a young age, I finally feel like I can let go of being a kid and move forward into adulthood. I had so much fun playing with beads with the girls and putting legos together with the boys. Both Jenny and Kayla mentioned how much they would miss having me around. Although I don't consider it work (I had so much fun!), this was the best experience I've ever had. It's funny to me how at first community service seemed like an inconvenience, and now it seems that it will be the first thing I think about when I reflect on my senior year at West Valley. Aside from the countless pictures and crafts that I took home as gifts, I took home memories that I will never forget.

Pakistan Educational Issues

This could immensely affect the rest of the world. First of all, this sort of ignorance
is inexcusable. It affects countries around it, and the religious schools that are in Pakistan
are potential breeding ground for possible terrorists. These religious schools condone sexism and
violence in the name of Allah. I think that the reform attempts for these schools were pathetic, and I dont understand why the US is the only country who wants to get involved. These religious extremeists are potential terrorists against MOST countries, not just ours.
Britain teaches their women too, and so does Russia and other countries.

I think that until Pakistan can get rid of the Taliban themselves, we should have no involvement and cut ties with them completely.

Morbid pictures - Freedom of speech?

This family by FAR should win this legal battle. The CHP officers that took the horrible pictures
deserve to have their jobs removed and to be either fined HEAVILY or thrown in prison for a few years.
It surprises and disgusts me, some of the things said about this girl. Although she had it all, that doesn't mean she deserved a gruesome death. People don't seem to understand that passing judgement will shrink your mental capacity so much that you end up not ever having lived life to the fullest because you didnt let people in over what you believed is true about them. I bet this girl had a great personality, and even if she was snobbish and spoiled she was still a person, and NO ONE deserves to have their post-mortem pictures floating around the internet like some kind of freak show.

The internet should be restricted more than newspapers about this. People assume that just because the internet isn't something you can hold in your hand or burn or put through a shedder that it isn't quite as used as newspapers and magazines. Of course it is. It's used by billions of people every day, and some people should be prosecuted for some of the things they do on it.
Stealing media is one thing but actually making a point to break someone down, to hurt them the way that these sick freaks have tried to hurt that girls family... It's just depressing.

This has nothing to do with free speech. If the CHP officers decided to post those pictures in a newspaper or personally walk up to the father of the girl that was killed and hand the photos to him, the situation would be alot different. But because of the circumstances, NO ONE is being prosecuted and this poor family is being emotionally beaten and tortured because of morbid and sick people.

Those photos should never have been released in the first place, and if they were top secret Government photos, the CHP officers would probably already have been classified as "terrorists" and been put to death. But this is far more important, this vastly effects the way that everyone in the world views the internet. The internet is place for the worst kinds of things, and even though it's helpful, it seems like this stunt pulled by officers of the LAW will only add to the vile and disgusting content already on the internet.

Is the writer correct?

I had no idea about Earth Day. I think that there's nothing wrong with Celebrating it once a year, It's a good reminder for us to change our bad habits.

My family doesn't really do anything for earth day. I figure the politicians set
enough laws over emissions and spend enough money on somewhat useless government
projects that I probably wouldn't help much compared to them anyway.
We try to save energy, and we do recycle things (glass, cardboard, paper, etc.)

They're good habits to get into, and maybe eventually everyone will understand that
we need to make them permanent habits.

What you really learn in school

I'll admit it, I'm guilty. There are certain classes that I just tolerate, and don't give my all to.
It's hard to want to give above a passing, especially when it's not your best subject. Kids tend to want to show their all in things that they're naturally talented in, so it's not unimaginable that they'd BS their way through a class that they don't excel in. I never really believe that i'd always get a second chance, not only in school, but in life. Things happen that subconsciously make you realize that sometimes when you screw up, you have to take a different route and strive for something else. A test is an assessment of your skills, and if you don't pass, that doesn't always mean you'll be able to hone your skills. Sometimes it just means that you're not qualified, and really it helps you to narrow down what it is you will truly be good at.
Sometimes I really do feel better when someone else is failing, or someone else "didn't finish that stupid project." For some reason it gives me a sense of comfort, something I should probably change my attitude about. Just because someone else sucks at something, it doesn't give you permission to suck too. I understand that passing is a privilige, and I have no belief of passing just because my friends are. I recognize my friends not only for our similarities but for our differences. I have friends that I know will not quite live up to their true potential, but I also have friends that put me to shame for my grades and successes. To me, when you take a class in college, you take it because it attributes to your career interest. Interest being the key word. When you're interested in something, it's easy to learn all that you can about the subject, and taking the test is usually easy because you're in love with what you're learning. In High school, I have been guilty of only caring about what's on the test, but only in classes that I have trouble focusing in. Biology and Alegbra are mostly for left-brained individuals, and I excel in right brained activities. So when it comes to that Algebra test, I guarantee you I will mainly focus about whats on the test. In English I absorb every bit of information like a sponge, and wring it back out when the test is put in front of me.

Responding to the Economy

Honestly my parents filed for a divorce right as the economy problems started happening.
So, for me, my mom and dad's lack of money stems from both their choice in divorcing and
the economic slump. My dad exlpained to me yesterday that this is the slowest hay season in 15 years. He unloads trucks with a forklift that is specifically for hay and is the only other guy in the northstate who does it. He said that he only has a truck every other day, when before I remember he had at least two trucks a day - 7 days a week. My mom works for American Medical Bill Review, and is completely stressed because of a merge that her company did. She is an IT manager, and her responsibilities doubled. So her workload is atrocious and i'm beginning to wonder if she's going to have health problems because of it. She still makes the same, her salary is about $55,000 a year. My sister finally got a job after a year of looking, and even then she only gets 25 hours a week. The Economy is making me depressed, my boyfriend also just lost his job. He was a temp for the school district, and they were thinking about keeping him until they had major budget cuts and had to let people - even much need people - go.

Intellectual Property

I think that trying to use similar laws in the US will only cause internet security to change drastically. People will adapt, change their security, and although a court order would force ISP's to show who was downloading files, people will create ways to protect themselves.
I think that it will only push civilans and their goverments even farther apart. It's understandable that these people don't want their music being downloaded for free, but
I honestly think that these people make enough money as it is. It's ridiculous to spend more of the taxpayers money on something that isn't as bad of a problem as ACTUAL crime.
I don't relate downloading a file and stealing a car to each other. It's not the same thing,
and honestly the kids who do it don't understand what they're doing wrong. Movies are one thing I guess, and software, but even though these musicians have a small percentage of their music stolen, they still make a few hundred times more than the average american.

Besides, isn't it funny that rappers who brag about being "gangsters" and "thugs", who talk about smoking pot and doing drugs, are telling kids not to steal?
Look at the irony in that, eh?

I think that looking for music downloaders is one thing, but just scaring people should be enough to get them to quit. Don't make ridiculous laws that lock people up just because someone wanted to hear their favorite song, or watch a movie. Give them a warning or two, and then let the Justice system take it's toll. Stealing a car is a crime, murdering someone is a crime, but
creating laws that allow our government to monitor us is Communism.
I'm tired of the goverment appeasing stupid laws that don't make sense, and not focusing on the problems we're already having with the laws that exist. Pretty soon, people wont be able to brush their teeth in the morning without a court order.

Michael Vick's Pitbull problem

I think after finding out he was fighting pitbulls like that, he shouldn't go back to work-
he should go to jail. There is no excuse for training innocent animals to attack like that, because they can not only harm themselves and other dogs, but have the ability to seriously injure someone else. It really has nothing to do with his career, unless he believes that because he's a star athlete he is above the law.
Alot of the time I disagree with PETA, because I believe that they're all a little too overly involved in the lives of animals, but this time i do agree that this man needs a brainscan. If he has no compassion for these animals that he's training to kill, how do we know he has compassion for anyone or anything else?
After passing a brainscan and serving his time, I could see Vick returning to football. His mistakes don't take away from his talent, and you don't need amazing character to be a good athlete. It would be different if he worked with children or something that involved alot of socializing, but in reality all he does is go out and play on the field.
What is most difficult for me to understand is why people like this get into sports at all. I see them reaping the benefits of a luxurious life, being guaranteed millions of dollars whether they win or lose. It seems that all this power and fame turns them into mischevious, backwards and corrupted people. Athletes like O.J. Simpson, Barry Bonds, Robert Rozier, Lawrence Phillips, they all have been convicted of some horrific crimes.
It seems like these people feel they are above the law. Sports are America's pasttime, we watch and get involved in sports to distract us from the things in the world that we hear about on the news every day;Whether it's the economy, crime, accidents, natural disasters, etc.
It's men like these that make parents think twice about their kids growing up to be athletic superstars.

Why Washington Worries - our stand

I honestly believe that to other countries we are a country that needs to be conquered.
In the beginning, as a sprouting country, It seemed that we had gained alot of respect from other countries, but we've grown spoiled and cocky. We are everything that we've ever fought against.
Our country is slowly beginning to look like the power-hungry wolves that we've fought every world war against. I think that because of Bush, countries are having problems trusting us after the way he handled our foreign policy. I was wary of Obama at first, But it seems like he may know what he's doing moreso than our last president. I have never liked Hilary Clinton, I think she is power hungry and displayed her intelligence during the nominations.

Stem Cell Research

I believe that the states should have the right to oppose the federal government on stem cell research, Because I believe that alot of these scientists are tampering with something they have yet to understand. Loosening the governments grip on scientific research is just one step to a new disease or virus outbreak that scientists cannot control. Not only that, but it is tampering with human life, something that many generations seem to take for granted. As much as I agree that science is key to the progress of the world, but the destruction and mutilation of embyros is a different story. Many Americans will have trouble sleeping at night knowing that their country has no problem experimenting, mutilating, and destroying human life. It is my opinion that there is no difference between a life not in a womb, a life in a womb, and a life walking around and talking like you and me. An embryo is supposed to grow into a human baby, which is supposed to be birthed and grow to add to our society. Heartbeat or not, an embryo is a life. I agree with Ben Mitchell, science has to have ethics, or else we are no different than the sick doctors of the holocaust.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=30042

Women in the Media being degraded- Notes

Obama speaks about how rap music and rap music videos are degarding women, and how it doesn't impress him in the least. Although Obama is mostly speaking of black women, his "sisters," it is assumed that white women are degraded as well.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1548682/Obama-hits-out-at-rappers-who-degrade-women.html

Joan Morgan talks about how rap music has changed from giving women power to
degrading them. It is said that men expect women to portray themselves as they are seen on tv
and heard of doing in music, specifically rap music.
http://www.theshorthorn.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=67

Parents are not aware of what kids, mostly young girls, are posting on myspace about themselves. Most parents today are tech challenged, and its quite easy for pedophiles to access a kid's profile when it isn't set to private. Girls aren't helping much by attracting attention to themselves in a very uncivilized and risque manner.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11064451/

Anti-Pornographists talk about the mental, physical and emotional danger of pornography to not only women but society as a whole. Pornagraphy draws attention away from the intimacy and romance of sex, showing kids that marriage and love dont have to be considered.
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom.php?book=youth_internet&page=ch7_b2.html

An article about how some of the new TV shows airing are attracting more attention from females than from males. The TV shows like "The Girls Next Door" (About playboy bunnies living with Hugh Heffner in his mansion) and "The Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search" feature women wearing risque' outfits and being what many debate is too open.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/jun/23/guilty-pleasures/

This particular sociologist writes a paper on how advertising has slowly been degrading women for decades. 2/3 women in the UK say that advertising goes too far with sex. Women find advertising more offensive than anything. It is shown that anorexia and other eating disorders have been affecting women and men alike because of the media's portrayal of what is considered "sexy."
http://www.quietmountainessays.org/Onyejekwe.html

Stimulus Bill passed

Firstly, I think that this stimulus bill is ridiculous. I can see the concept of having to spend a little to make a littte, but raising taxes on certain items such as fuel, housing, etc. will make the economy worse and throw our nation into an outrage. I think that raising our taxes a bit would probably have to be the main thing to get us out of debt, but the idiots running our government continually raise taxes and yet we don't see any of that money put back into the economy.
What I can't understand is how we keep falling into these oil shortages, economic falls, housing falls, and the like. One would think that the lesson would be learned the first time, but it seems as Americans even our own government procrastinates. I can see that Obama has a lot to deal with, Bush made quite a mess and he even admitted to having regrets. But jacking up our taxes will not fix the problem. I hope that Obama decides to look into what FDR did during the great depression, and maybe take some notes.

"New Era of Responsibilty"

President Obama is referring to how people act in times of crisis.
Nationally, I think that we're starting to do an "every man for himself" sort of thing.
People dont seem to care about unemployment rates, just as long as they don't lose
their own job. And if they do, then they begin to care because they're adding on to the
major crisis in America right now. They consider themselves victims.
Locally, I think it's similar. I mean, colleges and high schools are cutting employees, classes,
and anything else they can to save money. Apparently Shasta County's unemployment rate is 13%, and boy is it beginning to show. Favorite stores are closing down, people are losing their homes and getting further and further in debt. Gas prices, although lower, still aren't helping anything. High school students are beginning to sweat because they already have a ditch in the road they're trying to pave to success. It's hard to pay your insurance when taco bell drops you because they can't afford you anymore. And it's hard to pay your cell phone bill when rates are going up because they're going under too. So far i've seen Circuit City, Mervyn's, Ben Franklin's,
and other places close down because of lack of business.
Personally, I'm quite worried about getting into college and being able to support myself, i'm afraid that I might have to live with my parents longer than i expected. I keep promising myself that i'll get a job, but its hard to promise that when the economy won't help you. I'm watching my parents, friends and boyfriend fret about losing their job, getting their hours cut, or having to dip into savings to pay the rent.
Honestly i think that this is happening because people are getting too comfortable with depending on their government to make things happen. America has slowly become more and more spoiled, and people have gotten lazy. We have also adapted more "necessities," Cell phones plans, sattelite/cable TV, Internet, and the like. All of those things have added a pretty penny to the already expenisve living standards of the average middle-class American. I haven't supported Obama since the beginning, but I will say that i'm curious to see what he will do for the country. Although JFK died young, he already showed that he was going to make a big difference.

School's Life lessons

Douglas Soccio's article really hit home with me. I've always felt inside that
school had many life lessons, and that attending has helped me to grow not only
intellectually but emotionally. I've developed relationships with so many people,
and i've learned to appreciate anything i can about a class, whether its the subject, the people in the class or the opportunities i get in the class.
Ive met so many valuable people and realized what it is in them that i like about pretty much all of society, whether its kindess, generosity, understanding, open-mindedness.
I feel like school itself is a miniature society. I have really loved my school experience because i've realized so many things about life itself. Making mistakes is how one learns, and how sometimes you have to take time out for yourself, and people will understand. That maybe trying your hardest doesn't mean that things come out the way you hope, but you still reward yourself for the effort, which is just as good. People in school appreciate life so much more, like when a student dies there is always a memorial and an assembly and people mourning, and even though that's sad, its so wonderful that people realize that life isn't just life, its a gift.
You learn time management, and you learn it quickly. Failure isn't an option, because even if you get a big ol' F on a report card, you still hav to try again to succeed.