Christmas Lights

     “It’s a gigantic Christmas present to everyone-from me”, says Mike Babick of Prairie Village, Kansas when he was interviewed by Kevin Murphy for Yahoo News.  However, not everyone appreciates his more than a thousand Christmas figures that take a month to set up in his yard.   Some of his neighbors say that his Christmas decorations have become too popular, and that the 250, 000 people every year who drive up and down the street, block driveways, walk across the lawns, and some observers even go to the bathroom on the lawns; all of this is disrespectful and bothersome!  Do you like to decorate for the Christmas season, even though it can be expensive, hazardous, and controversial?  To me, there is nothing more magical and calm about Christmas lights; the lights give me, and many others, a sense of peace and happiness.

     Every year more than 400 million people celebrate Christmas around the world.  The celebration on the 25^th starts with Christmas Eve, Dec. 24^th, but it seems like people are preparing for Christmas earlier and earlier every year.  I think I went into a store this year, right after Halloween, and I saw Christmas decorations for sale.  I think we should at least get through one holiday like Thanksgiving before moving onto the next.  On the flip side, once people have the Christmas decorations up, some don’t take them down until way into January.  There is a couple in Baltimore, MD, Mary and Richard Morgan, who keep their holiday lights up all year round. “I’m a fanatic on Christmas”, say Mary Morgan. (baltimoresun.com). They have gotten some complaints where people have written them letters saying it was time to take down your lights; this just wanted to make them not take them down.   From their point of view, the lights mean brightness and love.  They think that if the decorations put love into people’s hearts one day a year, just think what the whole year would be like for them.  

     I have always loved Christmas lights.  I think this comes from my family.  I had a great grandmother, (Grandma Besl) who lived on the corner of 7^th and  Lacrosse Street
in Lacrosse.  Although, she died when I was eight, I can still remember her display of Christmas lights, statues, and music.  My mom would tell me how people would drive all night long along the street on Christmas Eve and day to see her decorated, festive house!  My mom says her favorite memory is seeing Santa steering his sleigh pulled by reindeer on the rooftop.  This tradition was carried on by my grandfather, (Tom Besl). He would decorate his big, old, Victorian house with lights of different shapes, colors, and sizes to give all the people of the small town of Melrose smiles and joy.  My dad decorates the outside of our house every year too, but not to the magnitude that my grandparents did.  One of the biggest reasons he doesn’t is because of the cost.   As much as he loves the cheer of the holiday, there are decisions to be made before hanging the lights up.

     If you love lights, you will need to be prepared that it could raise your electric bill anywhere from $2.00 to $70.00 or more, according to Duke Energy spokeswoman Paige Layne. (www.gastongazette.com)  The amount depends on how many lights you use and what type of bulb you use.  A family in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, who is known for their Christmas lights, reports that their power bill runs about 1,000, per month.   There are new bulbs today called, LED bulbs, that use 80-90 percent less power than an incandescent bulb.   So what else should people keep in mind when they decide to decorate?  Bruce Littlefield, who is the author of Merry Christmas America, says first of all you need to buy UL rated (Underwriters Laboratories) lights.  They have been tested and don’t have a high lead count.  He also agrees that LED lights will save you lots of money.  Littlefield says, “The difference is that LED lights are a little more expensive in the short run, but are worth it in the long run since they will save you so much on electricity. (http://www.cbsnew.com/)

     Christmas lights create a wonderful atmosphere. Have you ever seen the Rotary Lights at Riverside Park in Lacrosse?  Wow, the lights can take you into a world of unlimited possibilities!  There is nothing more peaceful and tranquil than taking a drive around Riverside Park or just up and down the street seeing the houses perfectly decorated with Christmas lights.  Christmas is a religious holiday, but also a commercial one.  So although Christmas lights can cost some money, be dangerous, and annoying to some, I for one, think it is the best way to decorate for the holidays. Don’t be a Grinch, let the lights shine!

Body Scanners and Pat Downs at Airport: Necessary or Not?

      Everyone wants their “15 minutes of fame” right?  Well, John Tyner, of Oceanside, California got his two weeks ago on Saturday, Nov. 13^th, when he was going through the San Diego Airport.   You can see on YouTube a video of him having a confrontation with airport security regarding the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) new pat-down searches.  Tyner says he wasn’t comfortable with the procedure, where security will slide their hands inside a passenger’s legs and across their chests.  He compared this to a sexual assault.  His story has brought up some great questions about body scanners, and pat downs. Specifically, are they safe? Is the procedure too invasive? Do the procedures violate our constitutional rights, and are they really necessary?

     The TSA fully supports the use of pat-downs, and full body scans. They feel they are safe, and will be able to help find explosives that can’t be detected by metal detectors.  In a statement from The National Institute of Science and Technology and John Hopkins University, “The radiation from the scans is minimal”.   With this being said, people are still concerned about the possible health risks from the radiation the machines put out.  The TSA has gotten reports that the levels of radiation are miniscule.  They compare it to about a thousandth of what you get from a chest x-ray.  There are two types of body scanners; backscatter scanners and millimeter wave scanners.  Backscatter scanners create a black and white two dimensional image that will show a reflection.  Millimeter wave scanners create a black and white three dimensional image by bouncing electromagnetic waves off the body.  The doses of radiation for both scanners are supposedly so small that most scientists who study radiology overlook it.

     Not all people are in agreement that the scanners are safe.  In a report from the University of San Francisco, it says there may be risks of cancer caused by the scanners.  Experts feel that the potential health consequences need to be studied before airports start using scanners.  Arizona State University physics professor, Peter Rez, told MSNBC.com that the radiation from scanners is closer to one fifteenth to one hundredth the amount of a chest x-ray.  It is the pilots, crew, and frequent fliers, which are most concerned with the safety of the scanners.  They worry that if they are consistently going through the scanners that use radiation, this will possibly lead to health problems and increase their risk of cancer.

     What about our constitutional rights?  Michael Roberts, a commercial pilot from Memphis, recently filed a lawsuit claiming that the new pat-down procedures violate his constitutional protections against unnecessary search and seizures. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/).   He is not the only one who feels like this.  Since the new pat-down procedures were put into place on Nov. 1^st, TSA has gotten 700 complaints per day from people who go through airport screenings. It sounds like there are pro’s and con’s to the scanners and body pats. On the other hand, what do people have to say that think they are necessary?

     A CBS News poll released Nov. 15^th showed that 81% of Americans believe airports should use full body scanners to screen passengers.  I am in agreement with them.  If this new technology is going to keep us safe and secure, I am all for it. When I fly on an airplane I want to know that there isn’t a person on the plane sitting next to me that got through security and has an explosive on his body.  I, for one, would rather be delayed a few minutes if that means I am safer when I am on a plane. 

     It will be interesting to see what happens on Wednesday, November 24^th.  Groups of people who are angry and totally against full body scanners are trying to organize a “National Opt-Out Day”.  They want airline passengers to refuse a body scan and insist on the pat down.  Since this is the day before Thanksgiving, it will be one of the busiest days of the year.  This is really going to slow down security lines and cause chaos in the airports.  The reason they want people to do this is to get Congress to change the way passengers are screened.  All I can say is, “I am glad I wasn’t going to be flying that day!”

    

     The question that needs to be answered is, “how safe do we really want to be”?  I read that TSA has already installed 365 full body scanners in 68 airports across the U.S. and they want to have 500 installed by the end of the year, and 1, 000 by the end of 2011. (www.chicagotribune.com). I, for one, think that this technology is probably safe, and that Mr. Tyner’s experience was overblown.   The body scanners seem like they will be very important to airport security.  I agree it is something that will be critical in stopping future terrorist’s attacks, so I am in support of the body scanners.

Weighing risk, benefit of live donor transplant

     “Any live donor, even if it’s a total mismatch is better than the best deceased donor”, says Dr. Shield of St. Francis Hospital, Kansas (www.living donor101.com).   On Sunday night I read a news article on Yahoo News, written by Pauline Arrillaga, about the risks of live-donor transplants.  I have never given any thought to donating my organs because I, fortunately, haven’t had any family or close friends in need of a transplant.  When I was finished with the article, I was left with the question, “When is it OK to operate on a healthy person?” Even more,   would I be the type of person that would risk my own health for someone else?

     Making the choice to be a Living Donor is not a simple one, and it shouldn’t be.  Living donation involves major surgery to remove a critical organ.  The first thing I would have to ask myself is, “Why do I want to be a living donor?”  If I had a family member who needed a transplant I would think I would want to do anything I could to help them if it meant life or death for them.  Even if they personally asked me, however, for me personally, it would be a tough decision.  If I didn’t agree to it, would the rest of my family think I was selfish? If I don’t do it will that person die, and it will be all my fault? I can only imagine the emotional pressure.

      It is important to remember that if you decide to be a living donor, it doesn’t just affect you and the person you are donating too, but others in your life as well.  If you have a spouse, or significant other, children, parents, siblings, friends, employer, and co workers, what you are doing is going to interfere in their lives too.  You will have to take time off from your work or school and there will be time away from your family.    In a study that was reported on livingdonor101.com, 13% of living donors believed donation caused conflict with their spouse. One living donor thought it led to her divorce.  Some people will think what you are doing is great, while others may think your decision is wrong, especially if who you are helping is not a friend or family member.  It will be important to listen and respect their opinions and ideas, but ultimately, the choice will be yours to make. 

     Today more than 2,800 adult-to adult procedures have been performed in the United States.  In all of these, 4 donors have died.  Katrina Bramstedt, a transplant ethicist, said, “While the ethical questions surrounding living donation are valid, risk-benefit analysis show that the procedure should continue. “Yes, occasionally something goes wrong, but that’s going to happen in any surgical procedure”. (Arrillaga, AP National Writer)  I am assuming some of the risks are bleeding, infection, or blood clots.   It is a fact, living donations do have some very real short and long term risks to the donor.  If there would be problems from the procedure and I have to be out of work, how will I pay the bills?  If I give one of my kidneys will there be higher health risks for me?  Can I afford the expenses it will cost for me to be a donor?  If the transplant isn’t successful, how will I deal with this?

     If you look on Craig’s List or other donor matching websites, you will see people posting ads for a living donor.  Obviously then, there is a shortage of organs.  “Benefit to the Recipient” is the main reason why the transplant industry is encouraging living organ donations.  Organs from a living donor are always healthier.  Unfortunately, the industry isn’t remembering that the living donors are people who have families and friends; the decision is a serious one to consider because it may cause physical or emotional consequences for the donor.

     If I find myself in the situation where a family member or friend needs a transplant, and if I am a good match, (with blood type and tissue), I would like to say that I could make this decision instantly, with few worries.  In all honestly, I think I would have to go through some soul searching before deciding. I am embarrassed that I would be reluctant to do this, but I think the “right” decision has to be the one where the donor feels comfortable with the whole situation.  On msnbc.com there is a story titled, “Brother’s transplant gift carries unbearable cost”. It is the story about two brothers, Ryan and Chad.  Chad needed a liver transplant and his brother Ryan didn’t want Chad to wait for a cadaver transplant.  He was a perfect match and he wanted to be the one to help make Chad better. Chad tried to talk Ryan out of doing it, but all Ryan would say is, “You’d do it for me, wouldn’t you?”  So Chad accepted the gift, and then, Ryan died. I do know that being a live donor is a generous and worthwhile decision that could be a lifesaver for someone. While I agree with this, pride, guilt, and desperation are not healthy reasons for donating.  The topic of Living Donor is a complicated one.  I am hoping that people I know; including myself take care of themselves so this may be a decision I won’t have to make.

Winning the Lottery is a good thing...Right?

      “Money can’t buy happiness”, said Allen Large, a 75 year old retired welder from
Canada who just won 10.9 million in the lottery last July. I’ve heard this saying before,
especially form my parents when I ask them for money, but really, doesn’t everyone
have a dream of winning the lottery- being rich; having so much money you don’t
know what to do with? I’ll admit, when I heard that someone from Holmen had won
1 million last August playing the lottery, I was hoping that that someone was my mom
or dad. Unfortunately, it wasn’t; it was a retired man, and just like the couple from
Canada, he too announced that he would give a lot of the money to different charities
like: churches, fire departments, Red Cross and hospitals. Winning the lottery is a good
thing…right? Well, another saying my parents have said is “Be careful what you wish
for”, as everything comes with a price. As I found out, this includes winning the lottery.
       A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize. In
some countries and governments it’s illegal. In 1960 casinos and lotteries began to
appear throughout the world. They mostly were used to raise revenue and taxes. I’ve
heard it said that you have a better chance at getting struck by lightening than you do at
winning the lottery. I don’t know for sure what the odds are that a person has to actually
winning the lottery, but I guess it would be a trillion to one. So why do people continue
to think they will be that “one”? Maybe it is the thrill of buying the ticket and then
fantasizing about becoming rich. “Americans spend more than 25.1 billion a year on
lottery tickets”, according to Sherri Granato. (http://www.associatedconten.com/).
     When I went on line to find some facts about the lottery, I found there are amazingly
tons of resources to go to and find out how to play and win the lottery. Here are a few
common things everyone seems to agree on:
1) Your chance of winning is just as good as anyone elses.
2) It’s totally random, and your odds are extreme, but people DO win.
3) You increase your odds by increasing the number of tickets you buy.
4) If you believe you will lose, you probably will.
5) If you’re on your last dollar, don’t spend it on the lottery!
Experts have looked into the lives of past lottery winners and have learned that not all
multi-million dollar winners have a happy ending. In a statement by Susan Bradley,
a certified financial planner, and author of Sudden Money: Managing a Financial
Windfall, “For many people sudden money can cause disaster”. “In our culture, there is
a widely held belief that money solves problems”. (Bradley) She goes on to say simply,
that when you get a lot of money all the “hype” that goes with it can go to your head and
how you and your family and friends deal with all of it.
     A lot of people who have won and lost did because of many reasons. When you win a
lot of money everybody wants some of it. It has lead people to gambling, drugs, divorce,
and just plain carelessness. 68% of winners have had bad luck following their win. Still,
the majority of winners will still say “yes”, they would like to win the lottery. Most of
these people who were lucky enough to win should have followed the advice of J.D.
Anderson, lead programmer at Lotto Buster Software. “After a big lottery win, planning
is everything”, says Anderson. (http://www.lottobuster.com/) here are a few things that he
says winners didn’t do. 1) Failure to manage- get a good tax lawyer to help you manage
the 38% taxes they’ll take out. 2) Irresponsible Spending- If you spend the money on
expensive things it will eventually run out. 3) Invest- Make good investments not bad
ones. 4) Friends and relatives- Set limits. Personally, I have a hard time thinking that
all of this money could destroy people’s lives, but I have read a lot of stories in the past
week that it has done exactly that. Everywhere you look people are out of work and
losing their homes. I would think that anyone lucky enough to have a lottery win would
be so thankful and be smart enough not to be one of these people whose lives have been
destroyed by winning the lottery.
      So, back to the original news story about Allen and Violet Large in Canada who won
10.9 million. They appear to be a happy couple who seem even happier now that they
have not spent any of their winnings, and have given most of the money away. It must be
true that rich people are happiest when they help a cause, or give money away that truly
helps people. Allen does say that he would exchange the money for Violets health, whom
      I am only 18 and have not had a lot of experience with money (a little or a lot). If I
won the lottery I know it would be hard for me to deal with. First, I would have to catch
my breath, and then I would have to find someone reliable to help me manage it. I don’t
think I will give up the dream to win; but first to win, I would have to start playing it.

"Final Revision" The Day I Took My Driving Test

     I just kept staring at it; the digital disrupter.  All night long I watched the digital display of my alarm clock exchanging one minute for the next.    Knowing I didn’t sleep at all that night, May 8^th, 2008, because 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 had 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, and 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. 

     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 since the age of thirteen.  Getting my driver’s license meant freedom.  Free of having to get up early to catch the bus; free of having to race down the street so I wouldn’t miss the bus; free of being trapped in one seat; free of rambunctious kids turning around in their seat annoying me, and free of a bus full of noisy underclassmen!  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 telling me to not be nervous. “It’s just a driving test”, she continued to repeat.  Did she want me to fail?  I don’t think so.  Didn’t she know this meant freedom for her too?  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, my mom and I arrived at the DMV in her 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 automatic 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.”  It occurred to me right then that she doesn’t know me, and she is about to go into traffic not knowing if I can drive safely or not.  She might be as nervous as me!    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 all, when she got into the car initially the paper was black and white, now, out of the corner of my eye, I could see red marks; this couldn’t be 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 had tons of red scribbling.  It was like when you handed in an essay at school and you thought, “Wow, this is great writing!”  Then, the next day, it is handed back to you filled with large, red correction marks.  Even worse, in the right hand corner of the paper were the words, “SEE ME”.    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?   What was happening?  It was like a vicious circle: I was focusing on only the bad things and failing, thus, the stronger my anxiety was becoming.  I thought I was ready, I thought I was prepared. Maybe my parents were right, maybe I should have waited a little while longer.

     Finally, 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.

     It’s pretty normal to feel a little nervous and stressed before a test.  Just about everyone does.  As I look back on this day, I was feeling performance anxiety, (a feeling where performance really counts).   I was so focused on failure and all of the bad things that could happen that I forgot to take care of myself, get centered, and relax.   I had a challenge in front of me-no, not just the driving test- but to overcome the fear and get rid of doubt that had become my constant companion.

     I had a dream of getting my driver’s license on the first try, and it is almost impossible to achieve your dreams if you bring fear into the moment.  Once I got rid of the mental battles, “I am going to make mistakes, I am going to fail”, I started to make progress.  Like I said, “I was a good, confident driver”. I had practiced my driving often and I knew the rules well.  When I finally decided to not be perfect, think positively, and concentrate on my driving, it didn’t result in a failure.  I know now that whatever I put my mind to, I can do.

Did you get to the voting booth on November 2nd?

      Tuesday, November 2, 2010 was Election Day. Did you get out and vote? Was this
midterm election worth going to the polls for? For the past several months I’ve been
listening to my parents talk about the candidates; and watching on T.V the ads by all
candidates were almost unbearable. Wow, politics is nasty! I have to be honest, even
after all the things I saw on T.V, or on the web, I couldn’t tell you who is a democrat or
republican. Like a lot of people, I am guilty of using the “I don’t know who/what to vote
for”, so I guess I won’t vote. I have been thinking about all I learned in my high school
government class and started to remember why it is important to vote.
      Have you ever heard the saying, “Nothing in life is free”? This is certainly true when
you’re talking about our freedom in America, especially the freedom to vote. America
won independence with the Revolutionary War, and many people gave their lives for this
freedom. Maybe we sometimes take for granted the freedoms we have without realizing
what people sacrificed.
      There are many countries today run by governments that don’t allow their people to
vote. So, as an American I should feel extremely lucky that I have an opinion, and I have
a voice. Back in 1821, Thomas Jefferson said, “The legislative and executive branches
may sometimes err, but elections and dependence will bring them rights” (Jefferson)
Mr. J is so right, what did I not vote for? I decide to find out.
       On Tuesday, elections were held for all 435 members of the United States House of
Representatives, and 33 of the 100 members of the U.S. Senate. 34 of the 50 U.S states
elected governors to 4 year terms. There are state, national, and international issues
like; immigration, recession, health care, same-sex marriage and abortion that people
need to vote on. I blew it; I am now 18 years old so I could have registered to vote. I
should have learned about the candidates, and the issues. It is not like it isn’t easy to get
information; I could just go on line and look up the candidate websites and click on the
issues. It’s pretty easy to see what the candidates actually stand for. This would have
taken some time and effort on my part.
        I do know that the most important issues to Americans heading into the 2010 midterm  election are almost all related in some way to the U.S. economy. Between January 2009 and October 2010, things in our country have not improved much. The economy is what affects most voters. This is why I think there will be a lot of changes on election night. It seems to be that if the economy is struggling, people are likely to change leadership. If the economy is doing okay, people are more likely to stick with the same people and what is working.
       Times have been really tough the past 2 years. I think people are scared and want
things to be better so that may be why there was a pretty good voter turn out on Tuesday.
I heard on the news that in 2000 just over half the population, 51%, voted. I don’t know
what the percentage was this year, but I wasn’t in it and I am not feeling good about
that. I do think if people want things to change it is our responsibility to go out and elect
officials that we feel will be honest and help make our country better and safer.
       The government affects our life and by voting, we get a say. It makes us equal-
No matter how much money you have or who your friends are, everyone gets one
vote. Each vote sends a message- It lets the winners and losers know who supports
them. Politicians notice who isn’t voting- Candidates spend a lot of time on issues
that are important to older people, like social security and medicare because senior
citizens have the highest voter turn out. Whoever wins has the power to impact
your life- They make decisions about schools, the environment, safety, health, and
military. What happens now effects the future- People in office now are making
decisions that will affect your life now AND later. (http:pbskids.org)
        Like a lot of young people, I find politics boring. My grandparents are always talking
about politics, but my parents really have not given me many facts about them. I think
that if we want kids to start understanding that having the power to vote (when they can),
means they also have a responsibility to understand why they want to vote for someone.
It is difficult to teach kids something though if you don’t understand it yourself. I read
somewhere that 98% of Americans knew that the President of the U.S had the right to
veto a bill, but 69% of Americans did not know where the bill the President was vetoing
came from. Teaching kids about politics only helps them to be leaders of tomorrow.
       Why is it important to vote? It is a right we have as Americans. I didn’t take the time
to register, choose a candidate, find out where the polling place was, or research which
issues were up for a vote. I am going to learn from this. I was someone who did not vote;
I gave up a chance to make a difference.

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.