pln29

In the article, "2txt? Or Nt2txt?", blogged by Garrison Keillor, it talked about how younger generations of men are becoming less sociable because of their constant text messaging instead of actually having conversations. I completely agree! Since the invention of text messaging, conventional ways of talking on the phone or even in person have been washed away in the tsunami of thousands of text messages sent every day. I have noticed in my friends that social skills are not the priority at all and that they are much more focused on the next girl who's going to text them. And consider that only about 5% of the students don't have cell phones! What is the solution to this? Should society ban all text messaging? Obviously that's not practical or really desirable. However, we should think about the importance of communicating with spoken words - not just the ones we text.

gender blog re redone

In the article,"Women raising the bar at colleges," it states that many women are doing increasingly better than men in colleges across the United States. In my opinion, this article was written from a sexist point of view because it gave only one side of the story. The reason all women are doing better than men is because the majority of them spend more time studying and they get more sleep. Men, on the other hand party all night and don't receive the required sleep based on the national average. Plus, they spend their days socializing and hanging out with friends. If I wrote this article, I would keep this point, however I would talk about why individual girls were doing better than the individual guys. This might shed better light on the general reasons stated in the article's point of view. I would make it sound less sexist and give multiple opinions from multiple sources. Overall this article could have used some refining and a different point of view.

PLN31

In the article, "Containment dome prepped over oil leak site," reported by CNN, the article described the immense effort British Petroleum (BP) is making to fix their massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP plans to drop a dome-like structure down into the depths of the ocean to try to plug up the break in the oil pipe. However, this task is easier said than done. The pipe is approximately 5,000 feet down below the surface; BP experts say that the dome works under 300 feet of pressure but they are unsure about the pressure at 5,000 feet. This oil spill is causing untold amounts of damage to the ecosystems in the Gulf and the spill is predicted to reach land in less than two weeks. BP is doing all it can with the help of the Coast Guard to try to contain and destroy the oil already spread out over miles of ocean. Some methods include air dropping dispersion chemicals over the ocean and burning off the oil. The overall cost of this containment effort is speculated to be well over $100,000,000 and all that money is coming out of the oil slick pockets of BP.

Pln30

In the article, "Mosque to go up near New York's ground zero," reported by CNN, it described the torrent of emotion pulling at the hearts and souls of Americans and Muslims as plans for a mosque just two blocks away from ground zero are being put into action. Many Americans are happy that the Islamic religion is trying to make a better name for itself. Marvin Bethena, a paramedic at ground zero on 9/11, said, "I think it's the right thing to do, I lost 16 friends down there. But Muslims also got killed on 9/11. It would be a good sign of faith that we're not condemning all Muslims and that the Muslims who did this happened to be extremists. As a black man, I know what it's like to be discriminated against when you haven't done anything." However, this doesn't stop other Americans from being upset. Many of the families of the victims of 9/11 are extremely upset with the city allowing the mosque to be built and some are even protesting. What does this mean for the world? My belief is this effort proves that forgiveness is possible from the greatest of sins to the smallest offense and as I said in my Change the World paper, "forgiveness is taught in the Bible, Torah, and the Koran."

Pln27

In the article, "Pakistan test-fires pair of ballistic missiles," reported by CNN, it described the horrors of an ever-growing risk of nuclear terrorism. According to CNN reporters, the Pakistani government has test-fired their first long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The missiles have an effective range of 400 miles and could easily target many of the neighboring countries. Ironically, these test launches were just a couple weeks after the nuclear treaty talks hosted by President Obama. What does this mean for society? If terrorists get their hands on nuclear warheads, there won't be another Cold War, they will just unleash them, no questions asked. While the rest of the world is starting to give up their nuclear arms, Pakistan and many other countries in the Middle East are continuing to direct resources toward research. Many of these governments are unstable and corrupt. If research continues, nuclear power is much more likely to fall into the hands of radical groups such as the Taliban.

pln23

In the article, "Nature's 'treasure' unearthed in Borneo," reported by CNN, the article described the large numbers of almost alien species recently discovered in the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. Some of the new species include the mulu flying tree frog, the degredskrin flame snake, the kinablu tailed slug, and many more. What does this mean for the world? It means that there is still things left in this world that we humans don't know about and that there is always the potential of something amazing around every corner. As far as education goes, there are always more blank pages in the big book of species, and that the new frontier is not just space - it could be right here in our own backyards! There is so much society doesn't know, in the words of a great mentor, "You can never stop learning."

pln26

In the article, "Flights ease Europe's air traffic crisis," reported by CNN, it described the trouble a volcano in Iceland is causing to the worlds' air traffic, especially in Europe. The volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, has been erupting all week according to Iceland officials causing European air traffic control to ground all flights in most northern European countries until the end of the week. The decision has stranded thousands of passengers across the continent and stopped those who would be coming in. The broader question is, what does this mean for the world? Is Mother Nature trying to send a message? No one knows for sure but air traffic won't get up to speed for at least another week and for the families of the members of the canceled flights it spells headaches.

pln25

While reading articles about who is going to be the next world super power, I discovered that the most probable country for this designation is China. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I believe that this is a good thing because whenever you are the super power that makes you the world's policeman; you have to help everyone and you have to babysit all the third world countries. When and if China becomes the next world super power, they are going to share the responsibilities of the U.S For the U.S., this could mean fewer troops overseas, more money to spend on things like new energy and eco-friendly development, etc. The great thing about not being the world's super power is that others, such as terrorists, don't focus on knocking you off. Overall, not being the world's only super power is probably a good thing and could greatly affect us in the future.

PLN24

"The curious incident of the dog in the night," by John Haddon, is a story about an autistic boy named Christopher (Chris) who lives near London with his father. Readers do not know exactly how old Chris is but he seems to be about thirteen. Chris likes to go out alone in the night. One night he discovers his neighbor's dog, Wellington, dead with a pitchfork through its chest. The neighbor blames Chris and from there the story unfolds as Chris tries to solve the mystery of who killed the dog. Clearly Chris' crime-solving abilities are impaired by his autism which leaves him mistrustful of strangers and being touched and extremely detail-oriented. However, he is also a mathematical genius. Ultimately Chris discovers that his father killed the dog to get back at the neighbor and that the mother he thought had died was actually alive and well.

Pln22

In the article "Obama, Russian president sign arms treaty" reported by CNN, it talked about the enormous effort the world is making to get rid of the nuclear threat. This effort was magnified when the two opposing sides, the U.S and Russia, agreed to stop their nuclear research 19 years after the end of the Cold War. This shows the great progress our nations have achieved since the turn of the century. Now the world's citizens can sleep easier knowing that the global nuclear threat has diminished by at least 50%. But the world still has a long way to go to get rid of the nuclear threat entirely. Most countries agree that reducing the nuclear threat by reducing the number of weapons is a good thing. However, many are still very concerned that radicals such as Al Queda and the Taliban would use these weapons without hesitation if they could get their hands on them.

plN21

While watching the newsreel, "Policy limits role of nuclear arsenal," reported by CNN, the reel told about how the U.S has pledged to cut nuclear warhead research and stunt the usage of nuclear weapons "if necessary" to an all time low. In the words of CNN reporters, " The U.S is finally catching up with history," regarding the fresh look the administration is taking at our nuclear policy and the overall need for nuclear weapons long after the end of the cold war. However, what does this mean for the world? Many people have spoken out to say that this is a step toward peace on earth, while others say that this public statement by President Obama is making the U.S look weak and that the decision should be reconsidered. As far as education goes, there will be no more need for the "hide-under-your-desk-to-avoid-nuclear-fallout drill". Although there is much controversy, the decision still remains. Could it be we will ever completely realize a nuclear-free world?

pln20

In the article Energy issues at EU-Russia summit, found at , European Energy blog, it describes the EU - Russian summit currently underway in Stockholm. The major issue to be discussed at the summit is energy. Europe would like to avoid what happened in 2008 when Russia cut off oil to multiple European nations for two weeks because of a price and pay dispute with Ukraine, the country through which the Russian oil transits. This caused major problems in the EU which receives about a quarter of its gas supply from Russia. A progressive leap forward on this issue happened Monday when Russia and the EU signed an energy early warning agreement that will help them avoid future abrupt disruptions of the gas supply. Russia and Ukraine however still must work out a peaceful agreement. Energy issues are not the only problems Russia and the EU are facing. Another sensitive topic at the summit is human rights because Sweden plans to press Russia over this issue. In summary, Europe is not the only region dependent on foreign energy supplies. The world needs to develop cheap, renewable energy sources to avoid future conflicts.

pln 19

In the article US Navy frigate captures 5 pirates near Seychelles, published by AP or Associated Press, it decribed the increase of pirate activity over the last year in Simiolia after this recent oil tanker was captured. The Somilie Pirates have captured more than 50 ships off their coast alone but over this year there has been 306 pirate attacks compared to the year 2008 with 293 attacks this is a substantial increase. On tuesday a small band of pirats opened fire on a ship at night, however this simingly harmless ship was actully the U.S war ship the USS Nicholas, the pirats were easly delt with and detained, through further search the Nicholas later found the pirats mother ship. But What does the future of shipping hold for the world with this old threat come back to haunt us. Will our generations in the future look back at this time of piracy in text booksand make movies about it like the popular movie "Pirats of the Caribian". For now we wait and try our best to keep the ocean safe.

pln18

While reading the article posted by Dan Moris about how technology is essential for our learning progress, I read about how Littleton Public schools are asking student about how technoligy is accential to our learning needs. My opinion is that the technolagy we use is a great asset but yet it makes us lazy and more pron to fail with out technolagy. In my english class we use lap tops for home work, projects, and assignments, I admet that this method is more organized but it is far from assential to my learning needs. When I use my computer for work I have to know how to use my computer before I get anything done, somtimes I have to use programs I have never used befor and that makes it harder mor me to meet my learning potential. However on the other hand if all my work is don on a computer I dont have to worry about turning it in in class because the teacher can just pull up my home work on my blog. Tecnolagy and education will most likely always be entertweined but my opinion remains the same.

pln17

In the article "Fake Russian invasion broadcast sparks Georgian panic"
reported by CNN, it decribed the mass panic of an alarm drill in Georgia when a news staition reported a fake invasion of georgia by the Russians. This caused mass kaous and panic of every georgian watching the report showed fleeing georgians from an earlier invasion and stated that the Russians bombed an airport and a military base. After the report was all done the president of Georgia himself apoligized over the air for the chaos the false report caused. After Georgia was invaded by Russians last year tensions have been high strung. This report shows the lingering red scare fears in the once commiunist nation of Georgia.

pln16

In the article, "Are video games good or bad for teens?" found at http://www.helium.com/items/1758549-are-video-games-good-or-bad-for-teens, reported by "Helium," the article described the concern many adults have about over usage of video games by kids. Some adults are so concerned that they want to restrict access to video games - especially the violent ones - by kids. Of course, many kids are outraged that adults want to restrict one of their best stress-relieving outlets. After seeing firsthand among my own friends their obsession with video games, I can see how adults can come to the conclusion that video games are taking over kids' lives. My experience is that the average high school guy spends more time on the X-box, Wii, Play Station, etc. than he does with sports, homework, or social life. As more of these video games are produced and played, I predict that the need to play these video games will become more and more like an addiction and become a serious social problem. The bigger problem behind these video games is that many of them are extremely violent. Younger kids in particular are being exposed to violence which some theorize may influence them to become more violent. The facts are right in front of us, all we have to do is open our eyes. Video games are like candy. They should be enjoyed in moderation and not abused like a drug.

pln15

In the article, "Body acoustics can turn your arm into a touchscreen," found at
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18591-body-acoustics-can-turn-your-arm-into-a-touchscreen.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=tech , reported by New Science (NS), the article described the next great stride in man's technological advances, a touch screen on the arm. The key behind this new mind boggling technology is acoustics. "Dan Morris and Desney Tan at Microsoft's research lab in Redmond, Washington exploit the way our skin, musculature and skeleton combine to make distinctive sounds when we tap on different parts of the arm, palm, fingers and thumb," said NS. So now, when someone taps on their arm, an e-mail or phone will appear. (Let's see the teachers take our phones away in class now....) However, what does this mean for society? Now that we are integrating technology onto our own bodies, are we becoming robots? What's next, the ability to program the human brain? We can upgrade the tools we use but we should be careful about trying to influence people's free will.

pln14

In the article, "Soldier sues, says 'Hurt Locker' is his story," reported by CNN,
it describes how the Oscar nominated movie, "The Hurt Locker," was based on the life of Master Sgt. Jeffrey Sarver who is now suing several people associated with the film for using his life story without his consent. "Mark Boal -- a journalist embedded with Sarver's Army unit in Iraq -- based the film's main character on Sarver's life" says CNN. However, this hardened EOD specialist just wants to be recognized and rewarded for this movies' success. The world has rated this movie as one of the best war stories since "Saving Pvt. Ryan" however, the world fails to recognize the people who get their hands dirty doing this dangerous job every day. For the eyes of many this story shows exactly what it is like to serve in the United states military as a bomb difusal officer, it provides a great insight and education into the horrors our troops go through every day in war. Summit Entertainment indicated it wanted a "quick resolution" of Sarver's claims, but in my view I see this argument drawing out into another war this marine has to worry about. Sarver's lawyers can be counted on to persist with the support of all servicemen.

pln13

In the article "Para who lost three limbs in Afghanistan bomb vows to return to sniper job" found at http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?175295-Para-who-lost-three-limbs-in-Afghanistan-bomb-vows-to-return-to-sniper-job , the article described the heart of hero Lance Corporal Tom Neathway of Whales. Even after loosing both legs and an arm to a bomb or (IED) in Afghanistan he still Perseus his military ambitions as a sniper, "You only need one hand to fire the sniper rifle so I cannot see there is anything to stop me." he said after refusing job opportunity's at a boot camp in northern whales. This devoted corporals only one of two service men to loose three limbs while serving in Afghanistan. this soldiers life rests in the prayers of many and the world hopes for his safety.

pln12

For the last two Winter Olympics hosted in Canada, Canada hasn't won a single gold medal. But this year in Vancouver, the Canadian team won a record of 14 gold medals, 7 silvers, and 5 bronze according to CNN's article, "Canadians celebrate men's hockey win," found at http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/02/28/canada.hockey.reaction/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader . However, the most memorable gold medal won by the Canadians was in men's ice hockey where they played the U.S men in a hard hitting final match. It was a thrilling match and with the clock bleeding down and Canada up by one, the U.S made a goal to tie with 24 seconds left putting the match into overtime. In a trajic twist of fate, the U.S lost by one goal lighting the streets of Vancouver up with jubilant Canadians. Major intersections were closed due to the massive celebration, but the U.S played what is speculated to be on of the best games in history. They say to save the best for last and with this massive win to conclude the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada can be justly proud of a host Olympics with a total of 28 medals.

pln11

In the article "Indian troops in firefight with militants in Kashmir" found at
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/23/india.kashmir.firefight/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29&utm_content=Google+Reader, reported by CNN, the article described one of the many battles fought over a stretch of land called Kashmir on the border of India and Pakistan. Before India and Pakistan were two separate country's they were ruled by the British until a man by the name of Gandie led the rebellion and drove the British out, however afterwards Gandie was assassinated by Muslims which outraged the Indians after that Muslims and Indians had a civil war dividing the country into two separate country's. One problem though there was a piece of land called Kashmir which even today both country's are fighting over. Today one Indian officer and two soldiers were killed when three buildings full of rebels opened fire with automatic weapons. The three buildings were located in a town called Sopore a mountain town in Kashmir. This attack is yet another chapter in the battles over Kashmir.

poems

Bucher Knife

Once there was a butcher knife
Who dreamed of marrying the butcher’s wife
But one day when the butcher went away
And took his wife to Kay’s
The butcher bought a ring
Then proposed on his knee
But the butcher knife didn’t like the ring
And made the butcher scream.


Miles Wilson


It was an old model (A) motorcycle with two giant shining handle bars coming out like wing on a giant beast
The faded lather on the seat smelled of foreign places and untold stories.
Each scratch on the shiny black body of the beast had a history of its own
This bike had felt the world under its tires circling the globe in its thunders roar but now the beast lays dormant in a dark lonely garage only left to the memories.

pln11

The article from CNN, Rainforests turned into smoldering ruins, found at http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/12/06/indonesia.burning.raniforest/index.html?eref=rss_world+utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29&utm_content=Google+Reader, described how Sumatra's Kampar Peninsula rain forests in Indonesia are being chopped down at a rate of 50 football fields an hour - already 85% of Sumatra's rain forests are gone. Many environmental groups such as Greenpeace are very concerned. A major reason is that the Kampar Peninsula's peat soil holds more carbon than anywhere else in the world. If this whole peninsula were to be taken over by multibillion dollar paper, pulp and palm oil conglomerates, the carbon dioxide released through deforestation would be equivalent to 1.6 billion transatlantic flights. Not only is this a huge environmental issue, it is threatening the way of life of small villages. The people of the these villages live off and prosper from the bounty of the rain forest. They need the wood to build their fishing boats and houses. But the people in the villages are not united in their opinions about this conflict. Some villagers believe the big companies will bring jobs and needed development while others are skeptical. The Indonesian government does have laws governing deforestation but environmental groups claim that are not well-enforced. While people are trying to figure out what to do, the trees keep coming down. One villager said if the forests are not protected "we will fail to protect our future. It means we will fail to protect our Earth where we are living. It means disaster is coming to us."

pln10

The nuclear bomb has been the ultimate weapon of mass destruction since it was created in 1945. From the beginning of the nuclear age there has always been a threat of nuclear annihilation; during the cold war in 1965 this threat was even more likely than it is today. Is the capability of making a nuclear threat or detonating a nuclear bomb worth the risk of so many lives and the life of the planet? When a nuclear bomb is detonated, it causes mass collateral damage to the environment; it destroys all life including terrain, habitat, and of course, humans. So now it's the North Koreans who threaten the world with nuclear weapons. In the article, "North Korea 'not eager' to restart nuke talks," the North Koreans are described as very hesitant to let go of their nuclear power. Stubbornness like this will only spell disaster for society. If those who would threaten with nuclear weapons could only see that life is a miracle and that everyone is equal then there would be no need for nuclear bombs. The article, "North Korea 'not eager' to restart nuke talks," was found at http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/12/china.north.korea/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29&utm_content=Google+Reader and reported by CNN.

pln9

In the article, "Tigers on verge of extinction in the wild, World Wildlife Fund warns," found at
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/02/10/tigers.gone/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29&utm_content=Google+Reader, reported by CNN, the article described how the fate of the world's wild tigers is in our hands and that we are at the eve of their extinction. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said, "There is a real threat of losing this magnificent animal forever in our lifetime." Tigers are magnificent creatures and have been around as long as humans; we are foolish to think we are greater than all of gods creatures and can destroy them at will. WWF is doing all it can to stop the poaching, habitat loss, trafficking, and medicinal use of tigers - things that have brought them to this dire point in time. As one WWF expert put it, "Unless we really crack down on illegal trade and poachers, tigers in the wild have very little chance." It would be a true tragedy if wild tigers disappeared forever.

Pln8

In the article, "Defiant Iran Accelerates Nuclear Program," found at http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=9783242 reported by ABC, it described the efforts Iran is taking to gain nuclear supremacy. The U.S does not want another Cold War on its hands and neither does the rest of the world. Even Russia, which usually sides with the Iranians, says, "the new enrichment plans show the suspicions about Iran's intentions are well-founded."
Suspicions about the real reasons for Iran's increased nuclear activity are being pursued by the U.S and France who indicated that "Iran's action left no choice but to push harder for a fourth set of U.N. Security Council sanctions to punish it." Is Iran coming closer to nuclear supremacy and, if so, is the U.S in danger? Society should see right through the mask of Iran; this enriched uranium they are making will only be used for destruction and must be stopped!

pln7

In the article, "Oh No, Not More Snow! Washington, New York Brace for Big Winter Storm," found at http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/winter-snow-storm-hit-washington-new-york-philadelphia-travel-delays/story?id=9785985 reported by ABC News, it described the mayhem four feet of snow can cause on the eastern coast. In the "Big Apple," school has already been closed for tomorrow and is predicted to be canceled for at least the rest of the week. Meteorologists are baffled at what could cause such a freak snow storm. Brian Korty, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, said, "It's just what Mother Nature is doing this year." But people are asking themselves, when will this mini-ice age end? Is it just this year or is it related to global climate change? Perhaps we are getting a look at the chilly future of tomorrow.

CTW Latest 2/8/10

Miles Wilson
Smith 9
Language Arts
8 February 2010

Violence in Jerusalem


Monday is scorching with the heat of the bomb that erupted in central Jerusalem. Both Jews and Muslims wander the streets looking for loved ones, the pain is equal in everyone’s eyes. Most of these people look the same; it’s hard to fathom what divides them so greatly. It is second nature for humans to discriminate against others who are different; people feel safe with those who share similar beliefs. Since the beginning of time man has waged war over his larger purpose in this universe; this purpose is often channeled through religion. One of the greatest religious wars in history was The Crusades. The Crusades were fought over a stretch of land considered holy by three of the world’s biggest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Still today thousands of lives are being unnecessarily lost over this stretch of land the size of Rhode Island. This divine argument, originally involving the local people, now encompasses many of the countries across the globe. Indeed many of the world’s current conflicts – from Iraq to Afghanistan - are seeded in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. This ancient and bloody quarrel is like a fire that is fed continuously by the violent acts of both sides. This current violence is a disease that must be stopped before it coins the beginning of World War III. The world cannot ignore this fact and must unite to resolve it. Solutions are needed. The violence needs to stop in Jerusalem because past mistakes should not be repeated and the world’s nations are picking sides. Israel and Palestine should coexist peacefully.


While the world’s three major religions have shed blood for centuries over the holy land known as Jerusalem, the most modern chapter of bloodshed began after World War II. After the Holocaust in Europe which saw the death of six million Jews, Jewish leaders went to the United Nations (UN) to ask for a country where they could live and practice their religion in peace (Simmons). With the support of the UN, the country of Israel was established in 1948 as a Jewish state and included Jerusalem (Simmons). Conflict erupted almost immediately because the Palestinian Muslims were living on this land and considered it their home. Neighboring countries which were also Muslim joined with the Palestinians in what has now become a 50 year war, a modern Crusade (Simmons). The violence continues today.

The fight between the Palestinians and the Israelis is horrible enough; however, the world’s nations have been picking sides too. Every nation bears responsibility - especially the United States. “Israel-United States military relations have been extremely close” (“Israel”). Indeed, the United States (U.S.) has exploited this fight. In the recent Cold War with the Soviet Union, the U.S. championed Israel and the Soviet Union the Palestinians in order to gain advantage over one another. While the Cold War may be over, the U.S. continues to fuel passions in the Middle East conflict with its current War on Terror aimed at Muslim extremists. And Russia – as the former Soviet Union - is also still in the mix as reported by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) in 2005 regarding a statement by the Russian Foreign Minister. “Russia will support both politically and financially the actions of the Palestinian authorities to fight terrorism” ("Russia”). The terrorism referred to here is the violence being generated by opposing factions within Palestine itself. Of course, the Israelis and the Palestinians blame each other for each act of violence, claiming it as an act of retribution for the crimes of the other. With more nations picking sides, it makes the hope for peace less likely.

Perhaps the seeds of a solution are already taking root in the dreams of the younger generation of Israelis and Palestinians who have grown up in fear and have been worn down by this constant state of war. As described by Simmons, kids walking home from school are always looking for places to hide for when the bomb sirens go off. She even tells of a caterpillar structure at a children’s playground that serves as a bomb shelter. Sarah Brajtbord of the group, Students for a Free Palestine, summed it up this way, “You can get so wrapped up in politics … but if you break it down to bare-bones human rights, then it just makes the situation, for me, so much clearer and easier to understand. There’s so much wrong with politics on both sides … in the end, it’s about human life.” ("Israeli-Palestinian”).The solution to this conflict lies in creating one state where the Palestinian Muslims and the Israeli Jews recognize each other’s humanity and make peace in order to share the country and live under one government. This would give both people access to holy sites in the sacred city of Jerusalem and equal access to critical natural resources such as water. None other than the leader of Libya, Muammar Qaddafi, said, “If the present interdependence and the historical fact of Jewish-Palestinian coexistence guide their leaders, and if they can see beyond the horizon of the recent violence and thirst for revenge toward a long-term solution, then these two peoples will come to realize, I hope sooner rather than later, that living under one roof is the only option for a lasting peace” ("The New York”). Uniting the Jews of Israel and the Muslims of Palestine into one nation would mean peace through the entire Middle East.

Jerusalem’s violent past needs to not be repeated because now it is evolving to a global scale. Peaceful coexistence seems to be the only solution. The world’s citizens must remember this is not just Jerusalem’s problem, but the world’s problem. It might be human nature for people to discriminate against others who are different, but forgiveness is taught in the Bible, the Torah and the Koran. There is always hope.

CTW

Violence in Jerusalem
This Monday is scorching with the heat of the bomb that erupted in central Jerusalem. Both Jews and Muslims wander the streets looking for loved ones, the pain is equal in everyone’s eyes. Most of these people look the same; it’s hard to fathom what divides them so greatly. It is second nature for a human to discriminate against others who are different; society feels safe with those who share similar beliefs. Since the beginning of time man has waged war over their purpose in this universe; today this sole purpose is considered to be religion. One of the greatest religious wars was the Crusades. The Crusades were fought over a stretch of land considered holy by three of the world’s biggest religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Still today thousands of lives are being unnecessarily lost over a stretch of land the size of Rhode Island; this issue, originally a petty, divine argument between the local people now encompasses many of the countries overseas. Indeed many of the world’s current conflicts are seeded in the Israel -Palestinian conflict. The world cannot ignore this fact and must unite to resolve it. More and more countries are joining in the fight and soon this conflict will come to a head; society should learn from its violent past so that it can correct the chaos today. Solutions are needed. If Israel and Palestine could just share the country in peace, there would be no need for conflict. This violence is a disease that must be stopped before it coins the beginning of World War III.
For centuries, followers of these three religions have shed blood over the holy land known as Jerusalem; each religion claims this city as theirs and has been fighting for more than a millennium. Today there are modern crusades being waged between the Muslims of Palestine and the Jews of Israel. Palestinian Muslims are fighting to gain back their holy land and Jews are fighting to keep their holy land. Each side has a violent view of each other: “There is evil that can spread and threaten the security of the Jews” said the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyanu addressing the constant bloodshed, (“violence”). There has always been violence in Jerusalem, however, more radical threats have been made in the last ten years, such as a nuclear holocaust; “Some 500 pro-Islamic Turks held an anti-Israel protest in Istanbul on Monday over violence at a Jerusalem holy site claimed by both Arabs and Jews“ (“Hundreds Protest”). These reports are becoming more frequent with each passing year, when did this all start? In a January 10, presentation in Englewood, "Voices of Youth: Confronting Conflict and Building Community," Denver resident Kate Simmons stimulated the thinking of her audience with a report on her recent interfaith trip to Israel. After the Holocaust she explained, Jews went to the UN to ask for a country where they could live and practice their religion in peace (Simmons). With the support of the UN, the country of Israel was established in 1948 and included Jerusalem (Simmons). Conflict erupted because Palestinian Muslims live there and consider it their home and holy land (Simmons). There has been conflict since the dawn of days but recently since the establishment of Israel a huge war has erupted between the Muslims (Palestinians Muslims in neighboring states) and the Jews.
The people on both sides are living in constant fear. The Jews won and claimed more surrounding territory as a buffer, but they have been fighting and defending this territory ever since despite being afraid (Simmons). In recent times the Jews have built a separation wall to protect themselves from the Palestinians (Simmons). The wall between the two puts the West Bank on one side and Jerusalem on the other. On January 3, 2009, Palestinian fighters sent rockets into Jerusalem killing many people (Simmons). This was just one out of many battles fought in the last ten years. Kids walking home from school even are looking for places to hide for when the bomb sirens go off. A caterpillar structure at a children play ground serves as a bomb shelter for kids on the play ground when the rocket sirens go off. This is a very sad situation and a problem that gets worse with time. But, with every unique problem a unique answer arises. One can’t help but wonder how to make a difference, how to help. The best way to help is to let people know what’s going on in Jerusalem and that the Jews and the Muslims both feel the same when they lose a loved one to this senseless violence and that their biggest fear is not being heard.
Since this “Holy war” began, the world’s nations have been picking sides. Even our own U.S.A has been exploiting this war to settle an age old feud between the U.S and Russia. Society is fueling the violence giving people the power to kill more efficiently; “Israel-United States military relations have been extremely close” (“Israel”). The U.S is allies with Israel’s Jews and Russia sides with the Palestinian Muslims. Both countries are funding their money and resources into the Holy War hoping that in the end their feud will be solved. Newspaper headlines show the large countries taking sides "Russia is Helping Palestinians Fight Terrorism” ("Russia”), reports like this one are becoming more frequent. Each passing year, it’s uncertain who’s on whose side. When will all of this come to a head? Is there a solution?
There has been talk of either a two state solution or a one state solution. The one state solution would mean that the Muslims and the Jews would have to make peace in order to share the country and live under one government. This has sparked some great controversy and it doesn’t look as if either side will settle for peace, but this solution still lies open for debate. The more plausible solution would be the two state solution which would divide the country of Israel in two; the only problem with this is water. Israel has two sides the west bank and the eastern side of Jerusalem. One side has water and the other does not. The two state solution would not work because there would still be conflict over water and territory. What is the solution for now is that society can help by spreading the news. There is an old saying that two heads are better than one; the more people thinking of a solution the better. We as world citizens need to remember this is not just Jerusalem’s problem, but the world’s problem; it might be second nature for society to discriminate against others who are different, but it is instinct for society to forgive. There is always hope.

pln6

In the article "Pakistani Taliban Declines to Prove Leader Survived U.S. Drone Strike," found at http://abcnews.go.com/International/Afghanistan/taliban-declines-prove-leader-survived-drone-strike/story?id=9728333, by ABC News, it describes another tear that has fallen in the war in the Middle East. The other day U.S. drones (unmanned aircraft being remotely controlled) were suspected of killing Taliban leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, on a revenge mission. The drones were supposedly sent in to take revenge for a recent suicide bomber that the Taliban ordered which killed five CIA officers and two Defense Department contractors. If this is true, this is not the American way - to take such brutal revenge. This attack was considered the largest one since the drone program was started. A handful of drones launched a barrage of more than a dozen missiles into North Waziristan, and, according to a local resident, more than 12 people died. This tit-for-tat warfare is madness. If we take these deaths as acceptable losses then we are acceptably mad.

pln5

In the article, "India plans manned space mission in 2016," found at http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/01/29/india.manned.space.mission/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29&utm_content=Google+Reader composed at CNN, it describes India's plans for a great journey into space 300 km over the earth for one week. Reading this makes me take a better look at the rate our planet is progressing today. Before the 1930's, India was ruled by Great Britain and was considered a 3rd world country. Now it seems that India is making great strides to catch up with all the other modern world powers. This accomplishment will be one of man's great strides and is anticipated to be a memorable experience. However, this is not the only feat achieved by the nation of India in the last 100 years. In 2008 India launched an unmanned probe to the moon and in 1984 an Indian by the name of Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to explore space. The nation of India has made some very progressive leaps and bounds in the last century and is continually impressing the public today.

pln4b

It seems that the use of technology with computers is expanding, developing and evolving every day and the need for writing by hand has become obsolete in the eyes of many. I disagree though. In my experience, typing is much more difficult than writing by hand. I have noticed that when typing, my writing loses voice and my vocabulary isn’t as expansive as when writing. Somehow, typing is great but it lacks the ‘feel’ or emotion that comes in writing by hand. Every time I type an essay on something it seems that I have to go back and forth between different Web site accounts that are supposed to ‘help’ with writing – such as Easy Bib, Diigo and Wiki pages – but this is often just more of a hassle and it keeps me from focusing on the actual writing. It seems that the use of technology with computers is expanding, developing and evolving every day but traditional handwriting has a timeless history that cannot be replaced with a keystroke.

pln3

Imagine eating lunch and having the building you are sitting in collapse over your head. The lunch you just ate was either your last meal ever or your last meal for five days. You don't know where your family is or even if they are alive, you are sealed away under the once peaceful restaurant wondering when or if you will die. That's what the people in Haiti are experiencing right now. It’s been speculated that over 100,000 are dead, wounded, or still buried; the earthquake that struck Haiti recently was one of the largest on record. The quake was at least 7.0 on the Richter Scale, causing mass destruction particularly in Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-Prince. But as many rescuers have found, the Haitians may have much sorrow and much pain but they have not lost hope. It is so hard to comprehend the loss of life when it comes to natural disasters but it almost makes me smile to see the whole world reach out to support the wounded, the lost, and the fallen. We can all help - if each person in the world gave two dollars, euros, colones, etc. to Haiti they could rebuild and recover. Imagine being pulled from the rubble and reunited with your family. Inspired by reading, watching and listening to news coverage over Google Reader.

PLN1B

On the website the Edge, http://www.edge.org/, it asked a very difficult question, that is, "Has the Internet changed your thinking?" My opinion is that anyone who were to answer this question would say "yes," but each person would say something slightly different. The Internet hasn't just changed how we think, it has changed the way we do business, it has changed how we cure illness, it has changed the way we shop and, it has changed the way we travel, ranging from getting around town with via GPS to traveling into space. So, yes, the Internet has changed the way I think, it has opened up a door to an infinite expanse of knowledge and put tools at my fingertips that never existed fifty years ago. The Internet is the ultimate "multi" tool, used to connect, entertain and inform its wide range of users from every corner of the globe.

Violence in Jerusalem

In her January 10 presentation in Englewood, "Voices of Youth: Confronting Conflict and Building Community," Denver resident Kate Simmons stimulated the thinking of her audience with a report on her recent interfaith trip to Israel. It is second nature for a human to discriminate against others who are different; we feel safe with those who share similar beliefs with us. Since the beginning of time man has waged war over our “soul” purpose in this universe, today we know this “soul” purpose as religion. Wars such as the Crusades were fought over a stretch of land considered holy by three of the world’s biggest religions: Christianity; Judaism; and Islam. For centuries followers of these three religions have shed blood over a city known as Jerusalem that all believe to be their historical holy land. Today there are modern crusades being waged over Jerusalem between the Muslims of Palestine and the Jews of Israel. Palestinian Muslims are fighting to gain back their holy land and Jews are fighting to keep their holy land. About 65 years ago after the Holocaust, Jews went to the UN to ask for a country where they could live and practice their religion in peace. With the support of the UN, the country of Israel was established in 1948 and included Jerusalem. There was a problem though. Palestinian Muslims lived there and considered it their home and holy land. A huge war erupted between the Muslims (Palestinians and Muslims in neighboring states) and the Jews. The Jews won and claimed more surrounding territory as a buffer but they have been fighting and defending this territory ever since. In recent times the Jews have built a separation wall to protect themselves from the Palestinians. The wall between the two puts the West Bank on one side and Jerusalem on the other. On January 3, 2009, Palestinian fighters sent rockets into Jerusalem killing many people. This was just one out of many battles fought in the last ten years. The people on both sides are living in constant fear. Kids walking home from school are always looking for places to hide for when the bomb sirens go off. This is a very sad situation and a problem that gets worse with time. But, with every unique problem a unique answer arises. One can’t help but wonder how to make a difference, how to help. The best way to help is to let people know what’s going on in Jerusalem and that the Jews and the Muslims both feel the same when they lose a loved one to this senseless violence and that their biggest fear is not being heard.



At a children’s playground this caterpillar serves as a bomb shelter for kids on the play ground when the rocket sirens go off
http://israeldiplomaticfellowship.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/sdc10107.jpg