Osama Bin Laden

                As we all know on May 2, 2011 Osama Bin Laden was killed by an elite group of United States Navy Seals in a small compound in Pakistan. Osama Bin Laden was responsible for the deaths of over two thousand Americans along with hundreds of other deaths around the world. Osama Bin Laden started his life as a rich Saudi Arabian and ended it living on the top two floors of a compound that had no electricity and no running water. After the United States invaded Afghanistan and targeted Al- Qaeda Osama Bin Laden moved to the top of the FBI’s most wanted list which meant that the United States was using all of its possible resources to locate him. Since the 9/11 attacks in 2001 Americans have been looking for Justice, we thought that justice was found when we overthrew and killed Sadaam Hussein but soon realized that Iraq and Hussein had little to do with the 9/11 attacks. The real victory for Americans came on May 3^rd when President Obama stated that Navy Seals had killed Osama Bin Laden in a foreign country that we had no clearance to be in. The killing of Osama Bin Laden showed the world that America is a powerful nation and terrorists who seek to harm its citizens or way of life will be brought to justice no matter what the cost.

                Was the killing of Osama Bin Laden however the best possible thing for America at this time, almost eleven years after the attacks on 9/11. In my opinion the killing of Bin Laden is definitely going to trigger a chain of events all throughout the world. Whether those events will be good or bad only time will tell. I believe that the killing will spark one of three possible events, one being that Al- Qaeda will be disbanded and cease to exist and the world will sleep a little better at night. That however is a long shot and most likely will not happen. The next possibility is that because Al- Qaeda leader was killed they will become weak and then it will make it easier for the United States to eliminate the group all together. The final possibility that I believe may happen is that the next person who takes control of Al- Qaeda will feel like he has something to prove and will want to make a name for himself by planning and executing attacks throughout the world. This would mean that the killing of Bin Laden only caused more bloodshed which is one thing that the world does not need anymore of.    

South Park and An Open Society

            The article “South Park and an Open Society” written by David Valleau Curtis and Gerald J. Erion talks about open society and how a society needs to be open to thrive and grow. The article begins by talking about South Park and how it promotes an open society because the creators are allowed to say or do pretty much anything they want. This allows the show to present extremist views to the public in a non extreme way. Too many South Park takes it over the line and often offends people but they article says that you have to get beyond the crude humor and look at what the show is really trying to say. South Park makes the Audience think about what is going on in a Society using humor to attract viewers. South Park’s crude humor however makes it a target for haters who want to take it off the air or limit what the characters say or do.

            The Article then talks about Karl Popper who was a Philosopher born in Austria in 1902. Popper made major contributions to thinking about totalitarian governments and open societies. Popper talks about Open and Closed societies and explains how closed societies are resistant to criticism which means they cannot adapt and change. If we lived in a closed society shows like South Park would not exist. South Park challenges beliefs and criticizes race, religion, government and political figures which would not be allowed in a closed society. Popper believes that an open society will thrive and change. Popper believes that the key to a healthy democracy is intolerance. He believes that if people challenge the everyday norm then they will grow in a positive way.

            I agree with this article mainly because I believe in a free open society where someone can rise from nothing to achieve what many call the American dream. Open societies that give their people freedom to dictate their own lives usually provide their people with a better quality of life when compared to communist or socialist governments. I enjoy shows such as South Park and Family Guy because they present the viewer with radical views and critique the government and different laws while still entertaining the viewer. I am not a supporter of socialist or communist governments mainly because of the fact that the people who live under those governments are not really free. They cannot say or do what they want when they want and in my opinion life is not worth living if you are not free.  

Presentation Write Up

The intent of my presentation is to inform the class about the economic growth of China over the last couple decades and how that growth relates how they live their lives here in America. I touched on this topic in my research paper and it is a topic that I believe is important. China is growing larger and larger by the year and more jobs are available in china by the day. However while all of this is going on In China, In the United States people are out of work and the country increases its debt by the day. Corporations in America are outsourcing jobs to foreign countries such as China because their workers are willing to work for low wages and not benefits. This has a ripple effect however because  if these companies are sending these jobs to China then they are leaving the United States which means that someone in the U.S. is now out of a job. This in return puts strain on the government because of unemployment payments and welfare which then puts the country into more debt.

I am going to begin my presentation by talking about how many things that we use every day in the United States are made in china. Even some American flags are made in China, In 2009 3.0 million dollars worth of American flags were imported from China. I gathered several items from my room that are surprisingly made in China such as a football, baseball, toothpaste, a Los Angeles hat and Nike shoes.  I am then going to talk about how the lack of jobs in the United States can be related to China’s growth. Another thing that people need to be aware of is the massive debt that the United States owes to China. I am also going to talk about how Chinas massive growth is hurting the rest of the world mainly because they have such a large population. Since China has a large population they use a lot of the World’s resources. China uses these resources and then emits toxic chemicals into the earth’s atmosphere which affect people all around the world. China is growing and no one can say that it is not but as Americans we need to preserve our way of life and in order to do this we need to keep our jobs on our own soil and not allow corporations to outsource work to make a quick profit. I still believe that the United States can remain the world’s top economy if we keep our jobs in our own borders. 

Reflection

Composition is a class that all Plymouth State Graduates are required to take and for some who did not master writing techniques in grade school composition class may be their second chance to improve their writing style. I was nervous about taking composition class at first because I thought that every week we were going to have to write a lengthy paper about random topics that were assigned. This however was not the case; I found that I got to choose most of the topics for my papers which almost makes writing fun because if you are passionate and interested in what you are writing about the words seem to form themselves on the paper instead of trying to drag sentences on to reach the required length. While writing my research essay and my personal essay I found myself struggling to stay within the required 1200-1500 word requirement. I felt that on both of my essays I could have written easily over 5000 words mainly because I was writing about what interests me.

There were several aspects of the course that I enjoyed more than others. I enjoyed the freedom that everyone had in the class as well as the atmosphere of the class which was definitely a positive one. This course is not like others that I have taken in the past. In some classes you are required to hang on the teachers every word and write down what they are saying verbatim which can get very tedious and boring. Out of all my classes second semester Composition was one class that I did not mind going to, even though it was at 9:30 in the morning. I knew that even if I was feeling under the weather that class would be interesting because we talk about current events and topics that interest college students. I also felt like I could speak my mind and not be judged my professor or my classmates. For example one of my professors for my sociology class basically said that it will be hard to pass the class if you try to present a point of view that is different than his. Now I have no idea what that means but what I do know is that I sit in the back of the class and don’t say a word even if I completely disagree with what he is saying. Throughout the course I both enjoyed the discussions that we had as a class as well as learning from them to. I also definitely improved my writing technique and style on research papers which is going to be essential if I want to succeed and excel at Plymouth State. Composition may have been a graduation requirement, but even if it was not I would still tell future students to take the course.

Present

            Sean Mullen

Composition

The Thesis for my research paper was the effects that China has on the rest of the world and I believe that this is an important topic in today’s society. I feel that I need to inform other students of the relationship between the United States and China. Many problems that people face in this country are related to what is going on in the rest of the world. Some people have no idea of the relationships of countries and how countries help and hurt one another.

Research Essay: Chinas growing economy and the effect on the rest of the world

Research Essay

Composition

Sean Mullen

Everywhere you go today you see labels on the back of items that read “Made In China.” These labels are found on everything from auto parts to computer chips, or even on American flags. China exports over $287 billion worth of goods including computer accessories, household goods, footwear, toys and sporting goods. The United States top imports from china include items such as iron, steel, furniture, leather goods, clothing and electrical equipment. China also exports raw materials such as zinc, nickel, lumber, along with other materials obtained through mining. China has quickly risen to be one of the world’s largest economies. China has transformed from an agricultural country to a country that manufactures goods that are distributed all around the world. China’s rapid population and economic growth has a lasting effect on the United States along with other countries in the world.

Today we live in a society that gets smaller by the day; international trade has turned the world into one big global economy. Like any economy, the world’s economy has several influential countries that affect all corners of the world. The fifth largest economy in the world is that of France, who has a GDP of $2.55 trillion. Germany has the fourth largest economy with a GDP of $3.3 trillion. In 2009 China held the number three spot but surpassed Japan with a GPD of $5.47 trillion in 2010. Japans economy declined in the last three months of 2010 which caused it to fall behind China. Japan however has not taken this status change as a bad thing according to Takashi Shiono who is an economist at Credit Suisse in Tokyo who has stated “China’s domestic expansion is very positive for Japan’s economy. While some people might feel kind of envious, this is a huge opportunity for Japanese companies,” (Kurczy,1).

The number two status with a GDP of $5.88 trillion is China. Many people may look at this as a victory and as a symbol of China’s progress in the eyes of the world. However, many people in China do not look at this as such a good thing. A farmer in the Hebei province said “We are not proud of this at all. As farmers, we have no sense that China’s’ economy has become so big. Farmers earn more money than before, but they have to spend more because of rising prices. Even the price of garlic and ginger has increased to nearly ten yuan per jin.”(Kurtz,1) As a country’s GPD increases so does inflation, and many people in China are afraid of inflation as their countries per capita GDP is 124^th in the world according to the World Bank. This is mainly caused by their massive population of 1,400,900,000. With such a large population China struggles to provide their people with food and clean water. “We don’t have enough food, and prices are outrageous.” Says Yin Jianping who is a cook at a university in Lanzhou, China. (Kurczy, 1).

China has been moving through the ranks of the world’s economies very quickly and many Americans believe that the United States has already fallen behind China’s economy. The United States currently has the largest economy in the world however with a GDP of $14.66 trillion. The United States may hold the number one spot now but with China’s rapid growth it has been projected that by 2020 China’s GDP could reach $28.1 trillion, which would be significantly more than the projection for the United States, which is $22.6 trillion. “But even then the average Chinese citizen will earn far less than the average American on a per capita basis. Moreover, writes Harvard Professor Joseph Nye in today's Wall Street Journal, looking only at GDP growth ignores America's military and soft-power advantages.”(Kurczy,1) This means that even if China has a higher GDP than the United States the average U.S. citizen will still be making more money than the average Chinese citizen. These five countries have the biggest influence on the world’s economy. Decisions and policies that these countries make could be the deciding factor of whether or not someone has food on their table in some other part of the world. For instance if one country decided to cut of trade and stop exporting goods then a country who previously relied on those goods to run their economy would suffer and become affected.

China has been growing over that past couple of years and no one can argue that. China’s GPD has increased along with its population. China’s rapid population growth has allowed the country to increase production, however as the country increases its production and builds more factories another problem arises that affects the rest of the world. China’s industry produces goods but they also produce toxic chemicals that are then released into the air. China’s factories release large amounts of mercury, dust, ozone and carbon into the air which can travel across the ocean and pollute the waters of the North Pacific as well as the rest of the globe (Kirby, 32). Other countries pollute the planet as well but it is China’s rapid growth that is concerning the rest of the world. Today China emits more mercury into the air than the United States, India and Europe combined. China’s cities have been growing rapidly and they have been building factories, power plants and refineries to employ and support the population. “China in particular stands out because of its sudden role as the world's factory, its enormous population, and the mass migration of that population to urban center” (Kirby, 32). If China continues to grow and pollute the air with toxic chemicals then the rest of the world including the United States will suffer the consequences.

China and the United States affect each other in many ways and in a way depend on each other to survive as well as to grow. The United States has been a big factor in China’s economic growth, not only by means of purchasing Chinese goods but also by American corporations outsourcing their work to Chinese workers because they are willing to work for a fraction of the cost that it would take to employ an American worker at minimum wage. American outsourcing to China allows Chinese citizens to take jobs at American companies that would have otherwise employed American citizens. This causes American citizens to lose jobs and there for raises the unemployment rate which hurts the countries GPD. Corporations have been employing Chinese citizens at factories throughout the country that produce materials that Americans use every day.

China’s rapid economic growth may be good for Americans who want to buy inexpensive goods. However it is clear that China’s growth is hurting the United States economy as a whole. The United States produced almost everything after the industrial revolution in factories all over the United States. These factories employed many American citizens and supported many families. Many of these factories however have been closed and their jobs have been sent to China. China exports many goods such as computer accessories, furniture, clothing, footwear, televisions, along with vegetables and soft beverages. The United States has now transformed from a country of production to a country of consumption. Here in the United States we rely on China for a lot of our goods there for influencing and helping the Chinese economy grow. This is proven by the 2008 consumer cutbacks in the United States, The lack of spending in the United States on Chinese goods caused China’s economy to decline. To balance this China had to implement a $585 billion stimulus bill. “The results were quick and spectacular. China's GDP growth leaped from a recessionary 6% in the first quarter of 2009 to 12% four quarters later.”(Shilling, 54) China has grown to the world’s second largest economy because of the United States rapid spending habits. If the United States stays on the same track then China’s economy may soon surpass America’s economy. It is not too late for the United States however; if the United States stopped outsourcing and opened up more factories it would cause the unemployment rate to go down as well as the GDP to increase. China and the United States influence each other in both positive and negative ways.  “Much of the world's commercial electronics are labeled "Made in China," and China now seems to be the only growing economy”(Donahoe, 5) While China continues to grow the United States unemployment rate continues to grow as well and can be directly connected to corporations outsourcing work to China. China’s rapid growth has a lasting effect on the United States and other countries in the world.

References

Shilling, A. Gary. "Hard Landing for China Hard Times for Us." Forbes 187.3 (2011): 54 .  Academic Search Premier 16 May 2011.

Kurczy, Stephen. "World's top 5 economies: Most Americans already think China is No. 1." Christian Science Monitor , Pg. 1, 14 Feb. 2011 Academic Search Premier. 16 May 2011.

"Fact Sheet on U.S. Imports from the People’s Republic of China." GlobalHealth.gov. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. <http://www.globalhealth.gov/news/factsheets/fs111308.html>

.

Kirby, David. "ILL WIND BLOWING." Discover 32.3 (2011): pg, 56-65. Academic Search Premier.  Web. 16 May 2011.

Donahoe, Daniel N., and Michael Pecht. "Are U.S. Jobs Moving to China?." IEEE Transactions on Components & Packaging Technologies 26.3 (2003): 682. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 May 2011.

"CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 16 May 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html>.

The United States and the World

                The United States is one of the most superior countries in the world. The united states military is in over 50 countries as they have over 750 bases outside of their borders.  Bases are in Austrailia, Japan, the Middle East, Europe as well as in south America. The United States has the strongest military in the world along with some of the strongest allies. The United States is usually the first country to respond to disasters when they occur around the world. In the United States anyone can make something of themselves through hard work and determination and maybe a little luck. It doesn’t hurt to know people in high places either. But in the United States people can go from having nothing to living what many call the “American Dream.” People want to live luxurious lives and ensure that their children live better lives than they did. In many other countries throughout the world if you are born into a poor family then you are destined to be poor your whole life. The United States has many good qualities, for instance we pick our leader through popular vote. In many countries leaders take power through the use of military might or rising to power because of their bloodline. In the United States all people who are suspected of committing a crime are innocent until proven guilty.  In some other countries if you are accused of committing a crime then you are thrown in jail and you are considered guilty. The United States is considered by many as the greatest country in the world.

                The United States however is not perfect and has many flaws. The United States has many problems such as a rising poverty rate as well as a high crime rate. Many people are upset with the way the country is being run as well as with our influence in other parts of the world. Many people believe that we should fix our domestic problems before we fix problems in other countries. There are many Americans that are unhappy about how things are going and could even be considered becoming anti American. America may not be perfect but it is one of the most dominant countries in the world and has the most freedoms. 

Gasland and Natural gas

The documentary Gasland informs viewers of the dangers that are involved with the drilling and extraction of natural gas in the United States. Josh Fox the director of the film travels across the country going listening to peoples stories about how the drilling of natural gas has somehow negatively affected their health or the environment surrounding their home. Throughout the film you hear stories of families becoming ill after gas companies started drilling near their homes. There is footage of a families live stock losing its fur and not eating the food that is presented to it. Families in several locations were letting the fauset run and then lighting the water on fire because it was so contaminated with natural gas along with all of the deadly chemicals that are used to extract the gas from the deposits. Throughout the film Fox talks to scientists, families, as well as to gas company managers who often rejected having any type of interview with him.

Throughout the Film Josh traveled to places such as Utah, Wyoming, Texas, and Colorado. Fox started making this film because in May of 2008 he received a letter from a gas company that was offering him $100,000 for his land in Milanville, Pennsylvania so that they could demolish his house and drill for natural gas. It was at this time that he realized that his house was on top of the Marcellus shale which is one of the largest deposits of natural gas in North America. It was because of this that he wanted to travel across the country to learn the dangers of natural gas from people who are experiencing it firsthand. He found families who were experiencing contamination of their air, water wells and surface water. He found many ridiculous stories and images, he was given glasses of water that was brown and told that the gas companies had informed the families that the water was safe to drink. The water was absolutely disgusting and could not have been safe for consumption. The film shows many scenes that make viewers believe that the drilling of natural gas is bad. It is not all bad however, natural gas is a clean source of energy that can be found in our country and not overseas. In my opinion I believe that the drilling and extraction of natural gas is essential if we want to find other means of energy.

 I did some research online to find out if all of the facts in the movie were in fact true. I found several discrepancies. In the film it shows a mass die off of fish that was said to be caused by the drilling for natural gas. After investigation however it was said that it was caused by runoff from a local coal mine. Another incident that Josh found was in Weld County, Colorado where Mike Markham lights his tap water on fire and then blames it on the drilling of natural gas. After the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission investigated his water and found that it was caused by the fact that his water well was drilled into an underground coal deposit. I think that the film was just poorly put together and there was a lot of speculation.  

College Drinking

            College is a place where students can work hard and get a degree but it is also a place where many students choose to binge drink as well as drink underage. Some students forget that they are at college to do work and they let their drinking and partying interfere with their studies. Students who go too hard with the partying often find themselves on academic probation or even kicked out of school. Many students simply cannot balance partying and studying. Students who cannot handle alcohol often find themselves in trouble with the campus police or involved in altercations that result in judicial action.

            According to collegedrinkingprevention.gov twenty five percent of college students struggle with their academic performance. Students struggle by missing class, not going homework, and after a night of drinking students who do attend class often do not pay attention or struggle to remember what was discussed during class. I know several students who partied too hard first semester and then did not return second semester. I remember my parents always told me growing up that college can be the best four years of your life but if you screw up it can be the best three months of your life. Students who drink also tend to have police involvement according to collegedrinkingprevention.gov about 5 percent of college students are involved with campus police because of drinking and 110,000 students are arrested for an alcohol related violation. Students who drink also cause damage to the university and other students personal property. Eleven percent of college students report that they have damaged someone’s property while under the influence of alcohol.

            While partying at Plymouth State I see many students being destructive while under the influence of alcohol. I live in the Blair residence hall and I cannot even play pool because people have broken the pool sticks in half and people have stolen the pool balls. Last weekend someone actually threw a pool ball through the screen television that is in the basement of my dorm. The microwave in the common are of my dorm was also stolen last weekend as well as several pictures off of the wall. I do not know what people are doing with a giant Dalmatian picture but it has been missing from the Blair basement for a few weeks. The most outrageous thing that I have seen however happened this past weekend while I was on Russell st. I was walking with my friends on my way to a friend’s house when we noticed that there was a couch in the middle of the road that was smoking. Within seconds the couch went up in flames in the middle of the street. A Plymouth police officer soon showed up as well as the Plymouth fire department to extinguish the fire. I can only imagine that this fire was started by a couple drunk kids who thought it would be funny to commit arson. Students need to be more aware of the dangers of drinking and how drinking affects peoples lives.

Home Foreclosures

            Recently the United States suffered a mortgage crisis which almost caused the economy to go into its worse depression since the Great Depression. This recession was caused mainly by the brokers on wall street as well as the countries banks. The banks were giving loans to customers who were not able to afford the interest rates or pay back the money. This was completely irresponsible on the banks behalf. However what the banks did should be considered a crime. But apparently we award people for committing crimes by giving them 300 billion dollars.

The actions of the bank ruined countless family’s credit and foreclosed thousands of homes. President Obama gave these businesses millions of dollars in order for their companies to stay in business and to give people loans in hopes that they will invest the money back into the economy in order to spread the wealth. In theory you would think that this would work but in reality it did not. This may have been because the banks and corporations that received money from the bailout gave their top CEOs raises and bonuses. Why should these people be awarded bonuses for running a company that needed to have a stimulus package prevent it from going bankrupt. This to me does not make sense; these companies should be firing their CEOs for negatively affecting the whole world’s economy. The companies that are suspected of using the bailout money which is the peoples tax dollars. If you really think about the whole situation it is kind of sickening. Basically American citizens who lost everything to the banks while trying to repay loans to the banks had to use their tax dollars to pay the bonuses of the people who already took their home or their car from them. This should have been deemed a corporate crime by the court system. Instead of giving the banks money the government should have given the bailout money to American families who were struggling financially.

During this recession no family was safe from losing their homes, cars, retirement funds, kids college funds or other money that families have in their savings or checking accounts. Many people know someone who lost their job do to layoffs or lost their house to foreclosure. Many families have had to change their life styles to compensate for their debt. Fathers have had to get second jobs to make ends meet as well as stay at home moms getting jobs making minimum wage. Families have had to sell their homes and purchase smaller ones or sell their cars to pay off their debt. Now with the price of gas increasing families are going to struggle even more to pay their bills and live what would be considered the “American Dream.”I hope that this problem gets solved and my children are able to live without all of the struggling that families today are enduring.

Personal Essay- Event Not Easily Forgotten

It was dark for about three hours now and it was like any other summer night. It was the end of August and I had just gotten home after a typical summer day of hanging with friends and going to the beach. The crickets were chirping which set a nice background tune to put me to bed.  It was a good night; everyone in my family was in bed. I was quietly sitting in my bed when suddenly the silence was broken by the ringing of the house phone.  It was almost midnight when the phone rang.  From the second the phone started to ring I knew that nothing good was going to come from it. I popped out of bed and went down the hall to answer the phone, just has I turned the corner to the kitchen the ringing stopped and I saw my mother standing in the kitchen with the phone. The look on my mother’s face was one that I never want to see again. She was pale white and look like she had seen a ghost. I quickly asked her what was wrong and she started to cry. She finally muttered out that my cousin had been shot. My first instinct was that my cousin who was stationed in Iraq at the time got wounded. However, it happened much closer to home. My mother told me that it was in fact her nephew and that he got shot at highland plaza in Holbrook. 

This was just a quick ten minute drive from my house; I quickly grabbed my clothes and headed out the door. We had to go to my cousin’s house because with all of the confusion my aunt was not sure if she had locked the door to her house. We had no idea what was going on, we didn’t know if the people who shot him could end up going to his house. The ten minute drive seemed like it was forever, not knowing if my cousin was going to survive was the worst part. As we arrived at his house everything seemed normal. I grabbed the bat out of the trunk and headed into the house to make sure there was no one in there. As I look back on that night that was probably a stupid move, especially if there in fact was someone in the house armed with a gun.  I was filled with anger however and really overwhelmed by the whole situation. After checking out the house and realizing that everything was fine I locked the door and we headed to Brockton Hospital. As we arrived at the hospital we met up with the rest of my family. It seemed like my family was the only family in the waiting room at the time. We waited for about an hour for the doctor to come out and tell us how he was doing. He informed us that my cousin was very lucky and that he had been shot in his right shoulder. Apparently the bullet had gone in one side and out the other. He was lucky to be alive; the bullet came within inches of his heart and within centimeters of a main artery. He was in critical condition and had to be flown to Boston Medical Center. We all piled into our cars and headed for the highway on our way to the next hospital. After arriving at Boston Medical Center we finally were able to find out what had happened. Apparently my cousin was sitting in his car in the parking lot of a movie rental store when three kids driving a white Acura Integra pulled up and hit him in the face with their pistol. They ripped him out of his car and then he took off running. It was at this time that he was shot in the back by a pistol, the bullet went in one side and out of the other. He then ran through some woods to a neighborhood where he collapsed on someone’s porch.

Once we got to Boston Medical Center we were informed that my cousin was now in stable condition and that he was going to make a full recovery. I remember that night like it was yesterday, everyone was so nervous and silent while in the waiting room that you could hear a pin drop. One thing that I do not understand about the whole thing is how someone could kill another human being over a car.  Things could have gone a lot different for my cousin that night and he is lucky that he is still alive. The people who tried to kill him however were never caught or tried for the crime. Maybe someday they will get caught but I highly doubt it. My cousin today has made a full recovery and works for a towing company in the same town.  He has told me that he feels weird when he is driving around town because he could walk right by the person who shot him and not even know. This was one of those events that stick with you throughout your life. I never rule anything out if I’m driving through an area that I don’t know because you never know how desperate someone may be.

Party Schools

            Being rated as one of the top party schools in the country may be good for the students but it definitely is not good for the school itself. Schools such as Penn State are considered among the top educational institutions in the United States. I am sure that the professors and the administration would prefer their school to be known as an educational institution over a party school. I am sure that the administration and the University Police Departments at these schools try to crack down on the campus in an attempt to get the school off of the top party school list. I have been told by many people that prior to the number nine rank on the playboy list Plymouth State was more of a party school than it is now. I do notice that there is a very high police presence at Plymouth State. On the weekend I not only see the University Police and the Plymouth Police but also New Hampshire State Police and the occasional sheriffs car patrolling streets such as Russell St., Pleasant St., and High St. While out at parties I notice that after a certain point the police are bound to show up. In a way they do stop kids from partying too hard. I mean it is winter and its cold as hell, there is only so many different parties you can go to in one night without giving up and going back to your room. I know many people who have been arrested on campus for just looking drunk.

Drinking and partying at Plymouth State can be a very fun activity to partake in don’t get me wrong, however it is not always fun and games. There are many things that can go wrong here at Plymouth State at night when you are trying to have a good time. You could get written up by your community advisor or even worse get arrested. I myself have had a run in with the University Police and it ended with a $370 fine.

            On the second Thursday in September my roommate and I had just left a party in the Student Apartments. As we were walking through we met up with another friend of ours that we had just met. We were just standing in the student apartments when we suddenly became illuminated by a flashlight. It was two undercover University Police Officers, as they approached us they began asking questions about who we were and what we were doing. As they approached us the kid that we just met took off running. Me and my roommate were then arrested and brought to the Plymouth Police department where we were held for two hours. We were released without bail and it was just a big waste of time. In the end I was given a $370 dollar ticket and had to take three alcohol classes. It did however get the message to me that the University Police doesn’t mess around. They called in all their resources to catch the kid who ran. They ended up catching him in the end and he got kicked off the football team. After the incident I talked to him and he said he ran because he didn’t want to get in trouble because it might have jeopardized his football season. In the end being rated the number nine party school in the country has caused Plymouth State to become stricter about partying.

Life Changing Moments

  There are many moments in life that have lasting effects on people. People become who they are because of the events that happen throughout their lifetime. Throughout my life there have been many defining moments. However I feel that most of the moments that make you a better person are moments that you can learn from. One moment that I learned from was when I just got my license at the age of sixteen. I was young and wreck less and happy to be behind the wheel of a car. In my opinion I was too young to get my license, as are many kids today. A sixteen year old boy does not have the maturity to be in control of an automobile. As soon as I got my car I wanted to go fast and race my friends around town. I looked at getting a car as more of a toy rather than a tool to get me from point A to point B. I was surely going to lose my license at the rate that I was going until one night in October. This is not a horrible story that will affect people or change their outlook on life. However this did have a lasting impact on how I look at my life and the choices that I make. I was driving north on the highway in a 2001 Nissan Maxima. I then accelerated my speed to over one hundred miles per hour and soon realized that there was a cop behind me going the same speed that I was. He pulled me over and was extremely aggravated when he approached my door. However after talking to me for over ten minutes he informed me that he was not going to issue me a ticket because he lost his ticket book that day. He told me to go home and then sent me on my way. This experience greatly affected the manner in which I drive. However, I also realize that I am lucky that I did not harm myself or others. When driving at those speeds the smallest bump could send you out of control. I am lucky because I am sure that there have been many instances of people driving at those speeds who end up crashing or getting arrested. The moment I pulled out of the breakdown lane I instantly knew that this was going to be a moment that changed my life because I realize that things could have gone differently. I do not think that I was mature enough to handle the responsibility of driving a car. In my opinion I think that kids should have to wait until they are eighteen years old to get their license. I think that many kids today can’t handle that responsibility. The majority of my friends crashed their cars within the first year of getting their licenses because they were doing something that was irresponsible. Kids who are just getting their licenses need to understand that a vehicle is not a toy but more of a tool. I think that if I fully understood that when I first got my license that I would not have made the mistakes that I did. 

              

SuperBowl XLV

The Green Bay Packers are the 2011 super bowl champions. The majority of people that I have talked to were in favor of the packers. At the beginning of the game I thought that it was going to be a blow out, however in the end Pittsburgh came back to within 6 points of tying the game. The Steelers had way to many turnovers to win the game and Ben Roethlisberger’s performance in the first half was poor although he did rally in the second half to bring the Steelers close. Many people just do not like Roethlisberger and would rather see him lose than win. In my opinion I believe that Ben Roethlisberger did not deserve to win a super bowl anyway, He is just a shady character between crashing his motorcycle without a helmet or sexually assaulting a 20 year old girl at a hotel in Georgia. He ignored his coaches wishes to wear a helmet when he rode. This was also the second time he was accused of sexual assault, he was accused a few years earlier in Nevada. His behavior is questionable and should not be considered a role model of children across America like many quarterbacks become after winning the super bowl. I know I wouldn’t want my children to tell me they want to be just like Ben. Stars in the NFL should be held to a higher standard and should not be involved in allegations such as the ones against stars such as Michael Vick or Brett Favre. The Steelers have won the most super bowls in the NFL including one recently. However Green Bay has overcome many obstacles to make it to this year’s super bowl. Their transformation from Favre to Rodgers clearly affected the team’s performance as well as the number of injuries that the Packers roster had.