Paranormal Activity

 
       Halloween, the time of year when scary, horror movies come out. Okay, I was one of those people who helped the movie Paranormal Activity, earn 200 million last year! Last weekend, my friend Garrett and I went to Paranormal Activity 2. This movie picked up from where the first one left off. It’s about a couple from California whose house is haunted by a demon. The boyfriend of one of the characters video tapes everything for fun and also wants some proof that the house is haunted. In the movie, the maid is the only one that feels there is a presence or restless spirits in the house, but then Ali, one of the main characters, starts to agree. She too thinks that the house might be haunted by something more than a ghost; more like a demon of some type terrorizing the family. Do you believe in ghosts? Do you think when people say they have had a paranormal experience that it’s for real?
      First of all, what does paranormal mean? I looked it up, and it says it is a term that describes an experience that lie outside “the range of normal experiences or scientific explanation”. I don’t think telling my parents that someone came to me in the middle of the night and told me that I should have a new 2010 Mustang is a paranormal experience; more like wishful thinking. Honestly, I can’t say that I’ve had an experience that could be considered “outside the range of normal”.
       When I am at my Aunt Kim’s house in West Salem, whose house is over 50 years old, and her front door mysteriously opens, she always says, “There ‘s Grandma Schimidt”. Grandma Schmidt has been dead for 27 years, so what she means is that it is the “spirit” of Grandma Schmidt and she’s making herself known to a place she use to come. Are spirits the same as ghosts?
     I asked 10 people I know what they thought a ghost was. I got answers like this: something white that floats in the air; a spirit; the person within the person; an apparition; something that pops in and out. While 32% of Americans believe in ghosts, depending on who you ask, ghosts are all different.
       Parapsychologists study ghosts for a living. They try to understand the paranormal phenomena. People who don’t believe in this at all say there are perfectly good explanations for “ghost sightings”. For example, scientists say that sound waves having frequencies less than 20 hertz are inaudible, but they still can cause someone to feel a presence of a shift in their mood. Also, carbon monoxide poisoning has said to be the cause of haunted houses because it can cause hallucinations, sick feelings, and a sense of dread. Pareidolia is a condition that causes someone to recognize human faces or forms in patterns. Maybe people who say they see a person really WANT or HOPE to see something, so they think they do.
       All over the world people have claimed that there have been unexplainable situations. In China, there is supposedly a road where, “ghosts pop up in the middle of it”. Hundreds of car accidents have taken place on this road each year. There is a ghost on Mt. Everest that climber’s say they see; supposedly a man who disappeared on his way up. In Kentucky, there is a building that once was used for very sick patients. They say more than 60,000 deaths have occurred on this property.
       Even though there is paranormal research and now even a show called “Ghost Hunters”, it’s hard for believers to prove all of this is true because they don’t have any physical evidence. So, most researchers study the beliefs, rather than try to prove the spirits or ghosts are actually real. A man by the name of Charles Fort is considered the “father of paranormalism”. He has over 40,000 notes on unexplained paranormal experiences and has written 7 books. He has information on poltergeists, crop circles, levitation, fires, and alien abduction.
       There are still parapsychologists today, but not a lot because without evidence, people just don’t buy into what they are saying. Most people believe its all tricks. My mom goes to a town called Wonewok Wi, every summer and has a psychic reading. I asked her why she goes, and she tells me that maybe she’ll get in touch with her deceased grandparents or find out what is going to happen to her in the future. I don’t know if she really believes what they say is true, or if she is wanting or hoping to hear something that will change her life. When I told her it was nice of these people to take the hour to talk to her, she hesitated, and said, “Well, I have to pay them 40.00”. Hmm?
      The movie, Paranormal Activity 2 tries to get people to jump out of their seats, bite their nails, and shout every time a door slams. I knew what to expect when I went to it, and thought it was fun. This time of year I am all for that! As far as being a believer in paranormal and ghosts; I do like E.T and Casper, but that is as far as I will go.

Smartphones: People addicted to them

      I don't have one, but I want one. No, its not a tattoo, or a nose piercing. In fact, only about one in five Americans have one. I am talking about a smart phone. Recently, there was an article on CNN.com titled, Smart phones: Our National Obsession. This caught my eye and I was curious. Is America hooked on the smart phone? Addicted is a strong word, so i want to say no, but after doing some more reading, observation, and a little self analysis; I have come to the conclusion that yes, people cannot be without their cell phones.

      Like I said, I do not have a smart phone, but i do own a cell phone. It has limited features, however, it does what I need it to do; keep me connected, or in touch with my friends. I do have texting and that is how I do most of my communicating. Communication is important, who can disagree with this, but have we become too dependent on technology? Technology too, is a good thing. People use on line and smart phones to extend friendships they've made in school, sports, and other activities. For me personally, technology has created new opportunities for me to build new social norms, explore my interest and express myself more freely.

      Are people really lost without their phone? 200 students at Stanford University were asked to rank their dependence on their iPhone on a scale of 1 to 5, (5 being addicted and 1 not at all). 10% of the students admitted full addiction, 34% ranked themselves as a 4, and only 6% said they weren't addicted at all. I am not sure the word "addicted" is really correct. After all, there are things on a phone that really help people out and change their lives. Smart phones like everything, do have pros and cons.

     The good thing about Smart phones is that they can make you more organized. If you are more organized, you can get a lot of things accomplished. Smart phones can play music, videos, and games. They let you send email, and log on to AIM. The main benefit to a Smart phone is that it lets you work from anywhere. They also have great accessories like GPS navigation, so you'll never get lost. The bad things about the Smart phone is that they are small and the screen is hard to read. Nationwide the coverage is limited. Experts are also questioning what a smart phone is doing to our brains. Some say that too much multitasking will lessen a person's ability to focus deeply, think creatively, and become more easily distracted.

      I think, like most people, I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. I'll admit, I'm lost without my phone. Last year I took a trip with my family to Florida. One of the rules was, "no cell phones while on the trip". It was strange; the family had to actually talk to each other a lot. I was okay about this, I felt close to my family, but at the same time, I was sure happy to get back to my phone and feel connected again!

     However you feel about Smart phones, it looks like they're here to stay. Marketing people have said that smart phones will double their market share to a 20% annual increase over the next five years. I do believe that mobile life is the way to the future. So, like they say, "if you can't beat em, join em". I will wait for a specific reason that I need a Smart phone, but I know that someday I will get one. Probably won't be until I start working with a full time job. But when I do, I'm going to make sure I don't get consumed by it.

The Day I Took My Driving Test

           I know I didn’t sleep at all that night. The fear of failure kept popping in my head and I couldn’t get rid of it. Sluggishly, I got out of bed around 6:00 a.m. I looked in the mirror, and said, “Well, Happy 16th birthday”. It was what was about to happen in seven hours that I was excited, and nervous about. I made an appointment to take my driving test today. I don’t know why I was so anxious; I was a good, confident driver. My mom told me to get a good night’s sleep; unfortunately, that didn’t happen. My stomach was turning somersaults so I couldn’t eat a good breakfast; another thing she told me to do. I wished I hadn’t told all of my friends that I was trying for my license today. This just created more stress of trying to live up to their expectations. No sleep, no breakfast, everybody knew I was taking the test! Were the cards being stacked against me? Were these all signs that I shouldn’t take the test? Getting your driver’s license is an attainable dream for most teenagers, and an exciting and fearful time for parents everywhere. I pushed on and made my way to the testing site knowing that the whole wonderfully, terrifying experience of taking my driving test was a big day in my life; one I will never forget.

         School was just a half day for me on May 8th, 2008. I went to my morning classes but there was no way I could concentrate. I had started to dream about the day I could drive around the age of thirteen. Getting my driver’s license meant freedom. Free of that bus full of noisy underclassman. My mom picked me up at 11:30 so I could get in some last minute practicing before my 1:00 appointment. This was a stressful time for her too. My parents were thinking about the money, extra car, and insurance, not to mention the fact that their “baby” was now old enough to get places where they once had to taxi them to. She kept saying to me to not be nervous. “It’s just a driving test”, is what she continued to repeat. Did she want me to fail? I don’t think so. I was the first of her children to take a driving test, surely she knew that it was more than just a driving test and getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage.

            
          At 12:40 I drove up to the DMV in my mom’s Chevy Trailblazer. I arrived in plenty of time, this was good. I walked into the building and stood in a long line. I showed the lady at the desk all of my paperwork and she told me to take a seat in the waiting area. I had my driver’s handbook along, so I decided to do some last minute studying. I’ve taken a lot of tests in my life time; Math, Reading, Karate, but a driving test is particularly upsetting. After all, with tests in school if you get something wrong you can always go back and cross it out, whereas, if you run into another car or person then your fate is pretty much sealed. Soon I saw a lady. She was short, and had her hair in a tight ponytail. She had a clipboard in her hand and bellowed my name, “Sam Becker”. I went over to her and she asked me if I was ready. I wanted to ask her, “Don’t I look ready?” Instead, I softly said yes.

         We walked out into the parking lot where the car was parked. I got into the driver’s side and immediately put on my seat belt. I had heard a lot of “horror stories” from people who automatically failed their tests. One failure was for not putting on a seatbelt. I was not going to fail for this! She asked me to turn on the blinkers, lights, and step on the brake; everything was good. She got into the front passenger side and put on her seat belt. She said, “Okay, whenever you are ready.” I took a deep breath and said to myself, “I just need to think positively and drive like I normally drive”; and we were off!

        Afraid to look at the instructor, I sat straight looking forward, with my eyes on the road. We drove out of the DMV parking lot and she asked me to make a left turn. My mind went blank, and I couldn’t even remember which way was left and which was right. I knew I had to get it together. I was trying to think of some strategies that my parents told me about. Things like, visualization: (imagining a confident driver, not the sweaty bag of nerves I was feeling, and breathing-(take deep, calming breaths in and out). Within minutes, I was doing fine. We came to the intersection, where there was a car on my left.
It slowed down and stopped at the sign. I thought it was a four-way stop, so I stopped to let the car go first. My instructor said sharply, “Why are you stopping? Do you see a stop sign?” Then, she had me drive in the area by Valley View Mall. Next, she asked me to make a left turn at the light. I approached the intersection where the light was red. It seemed like it took forever to turn green. When it changed I put my foot on the accelerator and started to move forward. Then, those harsh words snapped at me again. “STOP, there are people in the crosswalk!” I stepped on the brake.

         We continued to drive around Onalaska for about 30 more minutes. I wanted to give the lady a beautifully smooth drive, but I was having my doubts. I couldn’t see what she was writing down on that clipboard but I just knew it wasn’t good. After driving around for what seemed like an eternity, we headed back to the DMV. I parked the car and took out the keys from the ignition. She started talking to me about all the things I had done wrong. I felt like a five year old because she used drawings to show and explain to me every little mistake I had made. I walked into the building behind her like a little kid who had just gotten in trouble. My head was hanging low, and my chin was down to the ground.

          I saw my mom and knew the first thing she would say was, “Well, did you pass”. Sure enough she did. I shrugged my shoulders, and told her I didn’t know yet. We both looked at the instructor and I wanted to cry. She kept writing, and adding up numbers. The sheet on the clip board didn’t have any writing before we left, but now I could see it had tons of marks. How could I go back to school and tell everyone I failed? I thought my dad would be so disappointed. I knew when I got home he would say something like, “Well, now that you got your license can you go to the store and get some ice cream.” How could I tell him I didn’t pass? I thought I was ready, I thought I was prepared. Maybe they were right, maybe I should have waited a little while longer.


         Finally, as I braced myself for those dreadful words, “You didn’t pass”, the instructor looked at me and gave me one last instruction. She told me to take this piece of paper and go over to the counter where they would take my picture. I looked at her and said, “Does this mean I passed?” She smiled and said, “Drive safely.” It turned out that I did have a happy 16th birthday. This was the day that I came home with my ticket to independence and respect.

         All in all, I made this experience more difficult than it should have been. Like I said, I was a good, confident driver, and I let my nerves try to get the best of me. When I finally decided to not be perfect and concentrate on my driving, even though I made some mistakes, it didn’t result in failure. I know now that whatever I put my mind to, I can do.

Decriminazlization of marijuana declined

       Lacrosse Mayor, Matt Harter, really blew it! He had the chance to really do something for the people, and he didn't. The common council wanted to put in place an ordinance to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. Last Tuesday, Mayor Harter vetoed this ordinance. I disagree with this decision. This ordinance is already in place in Onalaska and Lacrosse County. Right now a conviction of a misdemeanor first offense possession of THC, is a 1,000 dollar fine or six months in jail. If marijuana were decriminalized the citation would be a 263.00 fine for an adult and 169.000 for a juvenile.
   
      Mayor Harter was too concerned with "what the people would think". People need to remember, we're talking about decriminalizing small, personal, use of marijuana. A decriminalization ordinance doesn't mean that pot is all of a sudden legal, and that being charged with possession would be no big deal. It makes sense to decriminalize something the majority of the population supports. There was a poll in Sunday's Lacrosse Tribune where 50% of the people were in favor of decriminalization of marijuana.

    Right now at least 11 states have gone in this direction. California, for example, saw a decline in marijuana possession cases that involved law enforcement by 74%. Other positive points for passing this ordinance are:

1. Decriminalization will free up police resources to deal with more serious crimes. (Police arrest more Americans per year on marijuana charges than the total number of rapes, murders, and robbery)

2. More harm is done by prohibiting it, than by using it. (76 million Americans admit they tried marijuana, and the majority have not become regular users or have health problems.)

3. Decriminalization has not been proven to lead to greater marijuana use. (Studies have found that people who live under decriminalization laws consume less marijuana than in places where it's a criminal offense.)

4. Prohibiting marijuana possession does not stop marijuana use. (Usually the fear of arrest doesn't stop people's decision to use or not use.)

    In my opinion, full legalization of marijuana is just a matter of time. Wi. Governor Jim Doyle is in support of legalizing medical marijuana, and the American Medical Association is reviewing it as a controlled substance for research for marijuana based medicines. So, Mayor Harter, you had a chance to do something good. I do agree with retired Lacrosse County Circuit Judge, John Perlich who said, "We literally can destroy the futures of kids for a relatively stupid, minor offense. Keep low-risk offenses out of the criminal system."