Basicly Machiavelli talks about how to govern a state in many ways. It is quite confusing to summurize but once i have extensively read the books and sections, I will have a better understanding of the topics discussed and then, bam i'll drop some knowledge on ya.

Binge drinking is the biggest problem of the two problems, because it effects more people and more people take it to an extreme. Maybe it is just because this area has such a problem with alcohol but it really seems like a nationwide problem. Yes, extacy has worse long term effects but do you know anyone who regularly takes it, or that has taken it at all? Chances are slim. Alcohol effects every demographic, from the rich, to the poor, to the educated, to the uneducated, from the soccer mom to the homeless person. Alcohol abuse is a growing problem and needs to stop, and can, through youth education.
To put it bluntly, D.A.R.E. doesn't work. Dare doesn't keep a kid from drinking or doing drugs at all. The government needs to take a different approach. The approach these days it so stand offish, not going deep into the issue. They don't answer why people drink. They don't answer what happens. They don't tell the complete truth. Sure they say, "people drink because they are sad" or "You can get very sick" but they don't go into detail about it. I can honestly say that I only remember writing what I was told to write, pledging what I was told to pledge, and sitting and listening. Cute video's with rabbits getting high aren't the types of material that keeps kids off of drugs. Teachers and community members should take an active role in keeping kids from drinking. There seems to be such a "oh, drinking isn't as bad as..." or "It's alright cause adults do it..." thing. Kids need to know that going to a party and drinking over 10 drinks, or over 4-5 drinks is irresponsible and can damage them for life. Teenagers need to learn that alcoholism starts from innocent parties that turn into reutines that turn into habits. Binge drinking can kill too, yes, but it debilitates long term more than it kills, and that's the real tragety.

Whats up with the whole new blogger account, being forced to get one? Just joshin ya. Anyways, on to the articles.

Acticle 1: "Who's to say an older person's five years of life are any less important than a younger person's nine years?" she said. "The length of time doesn't necessarily determine what's best, and we have no right to judge. That's playing God and people aren't going to like it."

This quote was what i was thinking while reading this article. How can you judge someones worth by simply putting a date on them? In a years time someone could win a nobel peace prize, or give money and volunteer hours to organizations in need, and in 10 years someone could live to do nothing but drink beer, eat food, get fat, and buy things for their selfish, undesearving family. You get the picture. This new "proposal" is wrong.

Article 2: I like that governor Doyle is trying to get state worker's partners to get benefits, but at the same time, the argument at the end made a lot of sence too. We don't want people only going for goverment jobs for health care benefits, or workers only getting affordable health care from those jobs. It's an odd argument.

Article 3: This one's a no brainer. They shouldn't have such a huge fine. A good $200 - $300 fine would be just, fine. But playing an instrument, come one, of course you should do that. Drinking coffee is a little overboard. So is eating a tasty scone on the way to pilates classes, ( i do not take pilates classes or eat scones, it was mearly for refrence).

Article 4: Singleing out need through race alone is hard to tell. I need to think about this one further. Hear other opinions, open minded and closed minded.

HOD Quote:


This statement means that when things go bad, wild, or out of the ordinary, and we know that it is bad, we still may move towards it because others are part of it and you feel more comforatable in numbers. Many times people do not have the iniciative or feel comforatable acting this way, and it takes something drastic to give them a good reason to do it. This applies to Heart of Darkness in the sense that Kurtz was a good person, with high standing, with the ability to do anything we chose. His life up to the point of going into the congo consisted of good deeds and moral standing. Once he was given power, and a chance to rule unchecked, in the congo, he took the chance and used his skill. He was acting under "needing circumstances". He saw the harm that others brought on people there and figured it was ok because the "season of the pestilence" had come and he was mearly acting on that. He was so strong, yet he gave in, but he was strong enough in the end to admit and not cover up his actions. This also applies for dialogs of plato, where the the side against plato believed that this was what he was trying to spread to the youth, trying to get them hooked. In fact, he was doing good, but they believed he was trendsetting a disease of sorts, which is exactly what this quote implies.