Blogging to learn: Blog Reflection

Blog Reflection

What are you most proud of on your blog? Why? I was proud of my layout; I thought that it was just plain fun to look at. I was also proud of my first entry because it is the one that I did the best on and it was also the one that was the most elaborated on, I put a picture in it that I really liked an others liked it too.
What would you like to improve on your blog? Why? How? I feel that I need to start looking at news that actually interests me and do it because I am interested in it, not because I have to. I also would like to improve my grammar, I’m not very good at it but my dad can help me and I should accept his help more often. I also need to make the titles more interesting, give them titles that are catchy and that will draw the attention of the reader. I feel that I also have to start giving my work some more organization.
How has blogging impacted your understanding of the US? The Media? Current Events? "Old" news (like the Constitution, Federalist Papers, etc.)? I think it has opened my eyes to the world around me and I feel that if I had not done this, I would not have started looking at news on a regular basis. I’m also learning about things like the stock market, the constitution, Federals papers, etc.

Blogging to learn: Fact check: Energetically Wrong

Senator Palin stated that Alaska provided 20% of America’s energy; this was incorrect, even when she corrected the statement. Presidential candidate John McCain also made that same mistake.
I chose this to do this blog because I thought that it was interesting that Palin would lie to the media, knowing that the truth would eventually be uncovered. Maybe there is a possibility that she was saying the average, but even with this. She would be wrong, closer, but wrong. There is also a possibility that she just was not thinking straight, this is not likely, because John McCain basically said the same thing.


Energetically Wrong
September 12, 2008
by Justin Bank
Factcheck.org
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/energetically_wrong.html

Blogging to learn: Lehman & Merrill Lynch

My advice to them would be to, first, watch whom they lend money to. This may cause a stir up, but if they lend to someone that can pay them back, then they will make more money. Second, I think that the government should help them, but only to get to a certain average and then they should let them sort the rest out.

Blgging to learn: Meager Living of Haitians Is Wiped Out by Storms

This article is about how people in Haiti are struggling with survival because of the storms, and the government is doing all they can, but I think that if they cant do it on they own, because they are supposed to be keeping the natural rights of the people, they should get help from other governments.


Meager Living of Haitians Is Wiped Out by Storms
By MARC LACEY
Published: September 10, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/world/americas/11haiti.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin

Blogging to learn: Gun Laws and Crime: A Complex Relationship

Federalists believe that the central government should be strong and they should have most of the power. The anti-federalist believe that there should be a less powerful central government, but that the individual states, or anyone BUT the central government should have power.
The Supreme Court made a ruling that people should have the individual
Rights to bear arms. Some people are not very happy with this. In some states or cities, there have been bans against guns, some of these have been successful, the anti-federalists think that the central government should give the power to the individual states, with this in effect, and then there can be more success stories with this. These bans have cut down on homicides and suicide rates.
I think that there should be a compromise between federalists and anti-federalists where the power to make decisions is spread equally between the central government and the individual states.

Gun Laws and Crime: A Complex Relationship
By ADAM LIPTAK
NY Times
Published: June 29, 2008

Blogging to learn: European Federalism: A la Carte Or Prix Fixe

This article talks about the argument in Europe about federalism and how some people are opposing it and others are all for it. This article is not so recent but it was a perfect example and i will be writing as if had not happened yet.
some people in Europe think that they should be moving towards feudalism, they think that they should make a union in Europe, the first step would be to make it so that there is one common currency. they think that this is best for Europe because it would unite it start a "European construction"
the anti-federalists think that this should not happen and they are content how they are, they feel that they dint need this. they think that this is an "Out dated" idea.



European Federalism: A la Carte Or Prix Fixe
By ALAN RIDING,
Published: December 4, 1994

Blogging to learn: A specific concept from the Enlightenment that you see as relevant in American culture, recent history, social affairs, etc.

For this blog I chose an article titled "U.S., Afghan Troops Kill 20 in Pakistan"
This article is about how Afghan troops went in to Pakistan and killed 20 people. They were chasing believed terrorists in to Pakistan; they attacked some huts where they believed they were, killing 20 people. The reason they were chasing these terrorists was because they were violating the natural rights of the people, and since the government has the job of keeping the natural rights of the people they had no choice but to get them out. But in the process they violated the natural rights of some people from Pakistan, this is because some of the people that were killed in Pakistan were civilians thus violating their right to life. But this could also go the other way, the soldiers killed the terrorists, and they don't want them, so then they are violating all their natural rights.


"U.S., Afghan Troops Kill 20 in Pakistan"
By Candace Rondeaux and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, September 4, 2008; Page A01

Blogging to learn: Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness

I chose an article "Georgia Eager to Rebuild Its Defeated Armed Forces" that is a follow up on the Georgia- Russia conflict. This conflict intrigued me because what happened in Georgia, in terms of our government and what it stands for; "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. This ideology was completely violated by the Russians in this conflict. Some time ago, the Russian government started to invade several parts of Georgia. After a short time, the Russians permanently occupied those areas. There were many casualties, 90% of which were civilians.

This clearly violates the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” ideology for several reasons. Life: This was violated because the Russian soldiers were killing innocent people, civilians as well as military personnel. Life was lost. Liberty: The liberty aspect was violated as well, because, they did a hostile takeover. Hence; they were taking liberties that the people once had, replacing Georgia’s government with a new Russian military government. Also, with fighting going on they were less free; they had to stay in their houses or flee. Many people from those parts of Georgia had fled. Pursuit of Happiness: If people had to leave their homes you can be assured they are not happy. Many people were dying and this hurts all their families and as well. I believe that the Georgian government is building up their army to make sure they can use all their power to assure that this never happiness again. Doing this, they will also be guarding the idea of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness for all the people of Georgia.

Georgia Eager to Rebuild Its Defeated Armed Forces
By C. J. CHIVERS and THOM SHANKER
NY Times
Published: September 2, 2008