current event: Blu-Ray Sales

Even as a teenager who is supposed to be all hip and up to date on the latest technology, I am clueless when it comes to Blu-Ray Disc players. Today they are more compatible with the larger, clearer television options that are now on the market. Just like VHSs soon faded into DVDs, we have now reached the age where DVDs will soon be replaced by Blu-Ray forms of movies and films. Technology continues to move on so fast and there is no sign that it is slowing down any time soon.
You would think that with such a hurting economy encompassing almost everyone’s lifestyle there would not be any sale advancements but this thought is definitely proven wrong when you look at numbers. “First-quarter sales of stand-alone Blu-Ray Disc player in the United States rose 72% from the first quarter of 2008.” These are great numbers and it just shows how dependent and reliable on technology for great entertainment. I have heard that these new disc players are a good investment and really spoil your eyes, but I am a strong proponent in believing that this is just a phase like any other technology wave from the past. Prices will soon start to fall in the next year and it will turn into a phase where every household will have on and it won’t be such a delicacy. So I guess next time you’re at the store, ask yourself if it’s time to make a wise entertainment purchase.

Senior Year Reflections- mother's day

Okay so yesterday was a full day of visiting the grandmother's up in PA for Mother's Day. There was going out to eat, visiting an assisted living home, and spending time on the farm. There was also a lot of sharing about my plans for next year. I got multiple questions about if I'm excited and what made me chose James Madison University. To me these questions are redundant but I tried to explain and share my reasoning with my family members. It was great to see everyone because the last time I saw most of them was over Christmas so it was about time. We also talked about me meeting the Speaker the other week on her balcony. They loved those stories! Now I'm back at school and it's another week. Here we go!

Seperation Anxiety

My editorial this week focused on the rights gay and lesbian Americans recieve. These aren't always the same as their heterosexual peers and that is where and why congress is stepping in. The American Families Act would help start to straighten out these differences.

I am strongly for the American Families Act. I believe that as Americans, whether straight, gay, lesbian, or other we all deserve the same rights in this great country we live in. Currently, sixteen countries like Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United Kingdom allow their residents to go along with same sex, permanent partners for legal immigration. Why is America slacking, we should have been on this a long time ago. All in all, why, just because one is gay, should they have to choose between their country and the one they love? To me this is not fair and is why I am in favor of the American Families Act. The freedom we are entitled to in this nation should include everyone in the simplest of situations and I feel this is a true test to what and who America is.

Trading up to Global Recovery

I totally agreed with the points said in the editorial I read. I don't know if i'm just good at picking editorials out or what but I haven't found one I disagree with yet. Cool! Well this week mine focused on how we need to address the problems of our failing economy. The two main issues were restoring economic growth and renewing global faith in America's decisions. I do feel that we have strayed away from these and that people don't think as highly of America as they have in the past...hm kinda stinks...I still love you America! There is work to be done but with effort I believe we can regain our high standards. Working with Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America to re-establish trade and relations will greatly help turn our downward spell around. If we help them acquire new strategies to restore their growth it will inturn help us as well. Nothing to lose here, it's a win win situation! This won't be as easy as it sounds though, and I know challenges will be thrown our way. Thankfully everyone is still accepting of Obama's decisions and there is faith that he knows what he is doing. With his knowledge and the want for a better tomorrow, I think it is fair to say that we know what we need to do and can start working to achieve it. :)

U.S./ East China Economy

So our economy is not so hot nowadays. Many people are starting to feel the effects and it is not just located in America anymore. Jobs are being lost, foreclosures are everywhere, and the dollar is not worth what it used to be. These are not good signs for our future. The editorial I focused on for the week centered around this thought and reassured its audience that it is not just one factor sparking this change but multiple. It also shared that East Asia, particularly China is in a similar position economically as the United States.

I believe with everything that was said in the editorial. Unemployment is nearing record highs and to be honest it is hitting Herndon in a way that makes me feel semi-unsafe about the future. Seeing budget cuts in the school and many local jobs lost is not a good thing. Unfortunately it is the world we are moving into as high school students and I just hope and pray that the government was right in passing the bailout plan. Hopefully it will halt or better yet, stop this circulating negative effect on our economy and future. :) Wa hoo!

A Race Against TIme in Afghanistan

So this week I decided to focus on a more political editorial. It focused on the essence of time as we are fighting overseas in places like Afghanistan. John F. Kerry wrote it which I think is interesting due to the fact that he agrees strongly with Obama, but I guess that's not such a surprise, but yea... Basically, his approach focuses on efforts in the local level on up. These include reconstruction programs and drug busts. With the deployment of as many as 30,000 more troops, Kerry makes it obvious that just a high number of our soldiers won't do the job. They need to have common realistic goals and successfully act them out to accomplish what our country, much less our world needs. If all is acted out well, it will be safe so say that we live in a healthier habitat.

I agreed with everything that was said by Kerry and believe that it hasn't come around sooner do to the Republican views that were leading our nation. Now, with a Democratic/ liberal approach, our goals will be set and more strictly acted out to bring about "change". I hope there is a follow up to this editorial so the public can see how our efforts are affecting Afghanistan every-day life. Get it Kerry!

The Reality of Innocence

Third quarter here we come! This time around we are focused on editorials. To be honest, I never really even glanced at the editorials, so this is a real eye opener for me...it's great to get to read one every week...haha. So anyhow, the one I chose to focus on for this week was titled "The Reality of Innocence". It talked about how reality television is becoming very skewed from the actual reality happening in daily lives. This point is evident on almost every show whether you are watching a young bachelor find true love or a group of outdoorsy people battle nature's ways striving to be titled the ultimate "survivor". So many times I wonder what it would be like to be in these stars' shoes, but then true reality hits and I realize that most of it is staged and for purposes only there to receive high ratings for the channels. I agree with everything the author said and believe that it should be harped on even more than it currently is. Many young kids are still looking to television for role models, and what kind of a role model leads a fake or staged life....not mine! haha. So yea, next time you watch some television in the evening, remember that reality TV shows are taking on a new meaning and it might not be as "real" as you would imagine.