Entry of World War I

The entry of the U.S. into World War I can be regarded as an extension of Progressivism into the realm of foreign policy. When the United States entered World War I it worried some people but raised hopes of others. The war helped reformers finally gain the rights they had been fighting for: national prohibition and woman suffrage. Many believed war would improve the quality of American life and free Europe from its tyranny. Many workers left their jobs when they entered the military leaving job openings for women. Wartime agencies abounded. The companies worked to together, and many believed the war promoted harmony between business and labor. Industrial leaders discovered that wartime agencies contributed to the tripled corporate profits. Mobilization indicated high prices for farmers and a lot of jobs in the war industries. The National War Labor Policies Board granted the eight-hour workday, a living minimum wage, and other things. The war also encouraged the stalled moral crusade to ban alcohol. They persuaded nineteen states to go dry. The war provided Americans with opportunities at home, and it would get them in good with the needed foreign countries to further progress the century. It also promoted an attack on American’s civil liberties. Hyper-patriotism would bring intolerance, repression, and violence. There were only a few reformers who didn’t agree with the war. The Women’s Peace Party and its foreign affiliates persuaded governments to make peace. Another disadvantage to the war was making enemies with its allies or the possibility of losing. America going to war strayed away from its progressive state by violating some of progressive’s main beliefs.

What was the progressive era?

Progressivism was a way of proposing reform or changes in American society. Progressive reformers developed a theory in which they would substitute social Darwinism with reform Darwinism. Progressivism was a general spirit of reform with certain goals in mind. Progressives hoped to make government more responsive to the direct voice of Americans. They believed that through democracy, efficiency, regulation of large corporations and monopolies, and social justice they could achieve their goals to change America. Progressivism was most important from the 1890s to World War I. The kinds of people that formed the core of Progressive reform effects were urban and suburban, and mostly middle class Americans. Women played major roles in Progressive reforms. Jane Addam’s who wished to do things with, not just for the poor, expanded the Hull House offering nurseries and kindergarten for neighborhood children, classes, lectures, musical instruction, and many other things for Chicago’s poor. Along with Jane Addams, Julia Lathrop and others launched campaigns to better neighborhood housing, end child labor, and make laws to protect workers. Lillian Wald and others she convinced left medical school and moved to New York City’s lower east side to live in the neighborhood as nurses, and contribute their citizenship to the lower-class neighborhoods. Producing a new profession for women, social work, women formed the skeleton of the settlement house movement.

Final Exams

You know I know I may bitch alot, but it seems these teachers forget some students, such as myself have five finals this week. The teachers always try to make it as hard as possible. For example, my history teacher gives us a homework assignment over a 226 page book on the same week as our final exams, what a heartless asshole. Then Mrs. Aiken, now you know them were some hard final exam topics, you could have made them a little bit easier, we are having to write the essay in class. I could've seen if it was a take home essay and we had more than two hours to work on it. I guess going to school full time isn't for me, because I have developed ulcers this semester, which is why I stayed sick half of the time. Some people handle stress better than others, while others don't. I am extremely stressed I guess because I am paying for it instead of a parent or HOPE. It makes a big difference when the money comes out of your pocket. I am only taking one class this summer, and four classes in the fall, and then I can apply to be in the nursing program. I hope that I do well enough in all my classes to get into the actual nursing program the first time, but with my previous scores from five years ago because then I didn't care, may hurt me. I am busting my butt to bring my GPA up, and it just seems like the more I try, the harder the professors make it. It's okay though they are just doing their job, nobody is supposed to like their professors I guess. It would be alot easier if you were able to though.

Trip to Palm Beach

This weekend by boyfriend is taking me to Palm Beach, woo hoo! After a stressful semester, this is exactly what I need. The bad thing about this is I have gained fifteen pounds since I started school, and I am not looking foward to wearing a bathing suit. I am going to try to forget my rolls and have fun though. At Palm Beach, it's like a miniture beach. It has the white sand, water slides, and a camping area. I've never beed big on camping, but I think I might like it once I try it again. It's been a long time since I went camping and I was to young to do anything fun. This time we can take a little alcohol and have a good old time. He's going to take his grill, and we're going to spend some quality time without the son this weekend, thank god. Don't get me wrong I love his son, but damn his mama never wants him on weekends. I mean I don't understand why he pays child support and he keeps him EVERY weekend. I guess that's the problems you face in getting involved with someone who already has a child. I love children don't get me wrong, but I hate mothers who have children they don't want and don't take care of. In my opinion, that's why they make abortion clinics. Ooops, I kind of got off track about my trip this weekend, I was venting. Can't you tell this trip is well needed.

The Loss of a Loved One

Just recently I lost someone very dear to me. My grandmother went into the hospital approximately two and a half weeks ago and never came home. My aunt took her to the hospital because her stomach was real swoll as if she were nine months pregnant, but my aunt said she was probably just impact. She was 85 years old, but got around good for her age and sure didn't look it. However, when she got to the hospital, they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, so they began to run tests. Three days later, we found out for sure that she had stage 4 Ovarian Cancer and it was spreading fast. She kept in good spirits though, but she didn't have an appetite and starting getting even weaker. I stayed with her just about every night and she told me things she wanted if anything happened to her. I told her I couldn't promise that it would get done, but that I would let everyone know. On Friday, they called the family in and didn't think she would make it through the night. She held on until Sunday when she passed at 2:05 p.m. This was hard for everyone. We had went to my aunt's house and let all the immediate children be with her. I was in the room when my father died, and I didn't think I could handle seeing that again. At my aunt's house, we were all sitting there talking and a bird flew by the door. This was really wierd because it got real dark outside for a few minutes. My aunt started crying and said grandma had just passed, and five minutes later, the phone rang. She had passed. It's really hard losing a loved one, and i know it's a natural experience in life. I try to think positive things like she's in a better place now, but it doesn't always work. A word to the wise, you never know what's gonna happen so make good with your family while they are here, and get a will made out. Now, my cousin who has lived with my granda and taken care of her all his life might be without a place to live, because him and another aunt of mine didn't get along, and the trailor they stayed in belonged to her.

To what extent was television responsible for the success of the civil rights movement?

The television played a major role in providing success for the civil rights movement. With the television airing all of the marches and court hearings nationally, it helped the civil rights movement progress tremendously. The NAACP’s 1954 court case, Brown vs. Board of Education, along with the murder of Emmet Till and the two white men being acquitted of all charges marked the beginning on the Civil Rights Movement aired nationally. Emmet Till was beaten so badly that you couldn’t even recognize him, and reporters showed that on air nationally. The media coverage of the Till case help expanded the membership of civil right’s organizations nation wide. Civil right’s organizations put together mass boycotts and campaigns to end segregation and inequality, and white supremacist acted violently towards them while the blacks remained nonviolent. The fact that all of this was caught on camera and aired all around the world is what helped the civil rights movement succeed. In Montgomery, Alabama the police arrested Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. When organizations heard about this, they organized a bus boycott in which all black Americans refused to ride the bus for almost a year. While the civil rights organizations were in Birmingham, Alabama, they were abused a lot. The television aired the blacks getting beaten by police, bus loads full of blacks getting thrown in jail, police getting dogs on them, and firefighters shooting them with over a hundred pounds of water. The water was so strong it would knock the bark off of trees, and of course it was knocking blacks down in which most of them were children. Martin Luther King Jr. also went to jail here and it received a lot of media attention. In 1963, African American students requested service at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Mississippi in which only whites were allowed. Here the whites threw students on the floor, poured drink, ketchup, and mustard on them. Also, when nine students were allowed to attend Little Rock, Arkansas, Governor Faubus mobilized units of troops to turn them away. He did remove them, and the whites harassed the black children. Eisenhower had to send in federal troops to protect them, however, they could not go with them everywhere. Last, but definitely not least, was the bombing of the church in Alabama that killed four black little girls. All of these incidents were transmitted all around the world helping lead the civil rights movement to success.

What role did WWII play in setting the stage for the civil rights movement?

World War II played a major role in setting the stage for the civil rights movement. The war raised the black’s hopes for freedom. The African Americans had been called to fight in World War II. Many felt that they were helping fight to defend people’s rights in other countries; however, back home they weren’t given their rights. Therefore, with the economic prosperity the war brought, blacks felt that they should have the same rights as the whites who were benefiting from the new jobs the war produced. In 1941, A. Philip Randolph promised that 100,000 African Americans would march in Washington if the president did not do something to eliminate discrimination in defense industries. Therefore, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802. It allowed a Committee on Fair Employment Practices to investigate and prevent race discrimination in employment. Randolph called off the march. Over five and a half million blacks migrated north and west in search for jobs and better living conditions. There were unskilled jobs available, but many unions and employers banned blacks from skilled trades. Labor shortages and pressure on the government for fair job opportunities opened assembly line jobs for blacks in defense plants, but still the black families’ income only equaled to about half of the whites. This made blacks angrier and resulted in 242 race riots in 47 cities. The NAACP continued to fight court challenges to segregation, while CORE organized sit-ins against Jim Crow restaurants and theaters. The black soldiers that had fought overseas in the war were being dumped out of army trucks in Mississippi and beaten. Here these men were just fought for America and that was the thanks they received. Along with the economic opportunities offered during and after World War II and the first few African Americans to achieve something of importance such as Jackie Robinson winning Rookie of the Year Award was also the anger the blacks had in them. They had took the discrimination long enough and were just finally ready to enjoy the same prosperities and rights as the whites had gained during and after the war.

What role did confederate imagery play in white responses to the civil rights movement?

During the civil rights movement, the confederate flag was used by KKK, which was a white supremist group who lynched blacks. Confederate flags and imagery also accompanied a widespread Southern campaign of "massive resistance" to federal desegregation orders. The X of the Confederate battle flag began appearing on redesigned Southern state banners, and southern whites waved the Dixie standard at anti-integration protests. The confederate flag is not only a symbol of the institution of slavery, but it also stood for the Jim Crow laws that southerners used to keep segregation even after slavery officially ended. Any pictures of protests from the Civil Rights movement show the imagery of the confederate flag clearly invoked by the side fighting to keep segregation, including the Ku Klux Klan. Hate groups such as the KKK have taken the Confederate Battle Flag and used it as part of their symbols and platform show white domination and Southern pride. Just recently, there have been battles on whether or not the confederate flag should be used in representing our country. Many white Americans feel that it represents history and the confederate veterans feel offended by the banning of the confederate flag, whereas many African Americans as well as some whites feel that this flag still represents slavery, racism, and oppression to integration. In my opinion, it all depends on how one uses it. There are some people who try to use the flag as a symbol of racism and you can normally look at these kind and tell. However, this flag is very sentimental to many veterans who fought in the Civil War and represents a big part of their history and accomplishments.

How did president Hoover respond to the Great Depression?

The Great Depression was more than just an economic downfall; it was also America’s faith. During a time like that Americans turned to their president, Herbert Hoover, for help. A president can inspire fear and panic or can promote confidence, which is what sets the public’s mood. Hoover was regarded as a “do-nothing president.” To show his optimism about economic recovery, he kept formal dress and manners in the White House. He insisted no one was starving; however Hoover was in denial. Little towns of American cities filled with mainly shacks began to call their towns Hooverville. Hoover felt that government intervention would weaken people, so instead he made a handful of changes that helped businesses that didn’t need any help. Once the public seen that Hoover didn’t have the political knowledge he needed to pull the world out of this, they began making signs of families in ditches and making jokes about the poverty that he was doing nothing to help solve. Hoover didn’t like speaking to the press, and finally refused to talk to them and hid in the white house. Hoover’s parents died in the depression on 1893, and he was able to pull himself up, which is why he thought that all the people needed to do was pull themselves up. Hoover thought that America was a strong nation and nothing was wrong that a little hard work couldn’t cure. He felt that government convention was not needed, but he felled to realize that 1893 and 1920 were two different time periods. People did not live the same way as they did then therefore Hoover created more suffrage. He got Congress to pass the Agricultural Marketing Act in 1929. This act made a Farm Board that would use its budget to buy up surpluses and hopefully raise prices, but instead they went down. He also enacted the Hawley-Smoot tariff of 1930 to help end the deflated prices. This tariff made the highest rates in history. Congress also authorized money for public work jobs to help the unemployed, however the economy continued to weaken. In 1931, Hoover allowed Red Cross to distribute surpluses to the hungry, and offered small loans to the states to help them with their relief efforts. Hoover was only curing the problem for the moment though, it seemed he lacked the quality he needed to restart the economy and end human suffrage. The public responded to Hoover’s reactions very angrily. They saw agricultural surpluses in the countryside and factories standing still. Many people became homeless or had to share shelters with other families. Americans still would find enough money to be able to go to the movie palaces. They felt that with their own president in denial, this was the only place they could find reality. Hollywood tried to keep Americans on the right side of the law and away from crime, but crime continued to increase. People who had lost their homes and farms to bank foreclosures thought that bank robbers were only getting back the money the banks had took from the poor, this led to an increase in robberies. Unemployed autoworkers stood at Henry Ford’s River Rouge factory and demanded work. When he sent his private security forces out, workers threw rocks at them and they responded with gunfire killing four of them. Farmers also formed the National Farmer’s Holiday Association and all farmers took a holiday from shipping crops to the market. The depression caused a combination of homeless hoboes, strikes, and malnourished sharecroppers, and by 1932, people were actually dying from starvation. Hoover was not a bad person who lacked compassion; he just lacked the political knowledge needed to get America back on track.

How did women's lives in the 1920s differ from those of earlier generations?

Women’s lives in the 1920s changed tremendously. They differed from earlier generations in that they had a little more freedom. In 1920 the 19th Amendment was ratified and granted women the right to vote. Women began to work for pay and go to college. Magazines began publishing stories about young, educated women who drank cocktails, smoked, wore skimpy dresses, and enjoyed sex. Most women worked as secretaries, stenographers, typists, librarians, nurses, teachers, telephone operators, and salesclerks.
With increased earnings, women had more buying power and became part of the new consumer culture. They began to dress in the latest styles and danced all night to Jazz. The widespread availability of birth control allowed women to postpone marriage, decide when they were ready for children, and pursue careers. While women had gained more freedom than in the earlier decades, the topic of equal rights was still undecided. Women divided into two separate groups. The radical National Woman’s Party argued for an Equal Rights Amendment, while the moderate League of Women Voters fought for special protection, such as barring women from night work. In 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment was put before congress. However, they did not pass this amendment. Women therefore were forced to act with private agencies and reform associations to advance the causes of birth control, legal equality for minorities, and the end of child labor. The new women challenged America’s ideas about separate spheres for women and men, the double standard of sexual conduct, and ideas of proper female appearance and behavior.

College

My name is Lori Starr, and I have attended Georgia College and State University, Central Georgia Technical College, and now Macon State College. Never in my life have I seen such a community college try to be like Stanford. I mean it's a freaking community college, and I just can't understand why the teachers make it so hard on the students. Especially, when the teachers don't get paid very good.
I understand teachers have to do their job, but why be hard on the students when they barely make enough to survive. Anybody with any common sense would not do their best performance at a job if their was nothing compensating them for that. Macon State College is the hardest college I've attended yet, and I chose MSC because I thought it would be a little easier that a university, but obviously seem to forget this is a community college for people who have to work and go to school because they can't afford to go to a good college somewhere.
Many people say they teach because they enjoy it, and that's perfectly understandable. However, if a teacher really loved their job, they would not deliberately make things hard on the students. It seems as if teachers forget they once went to college and i can guarantee the classes they took weren't nearly as heard as the ones they teach. I just can't understand people who say they enjoy teaching, but in all honesty love to see people fail.

Should Georgia's sales tax be removed from groceries and other necessities? Discuss.

In my opinion at this time right now, Georgia's sales tax should be removed from groceries and other necessities. People are struggling every day to pay their bills, why should they be punished because they have to eat? I think with the economy the way it is right now, all taxes on items like that should be removed. Now, I understand raising the taxes on beer and tobacco, because it is not a necessity, even though many Americans today treat it as though it is. Today many Americans can scrape enough money to buy cigarettes and a beer, but may be evicted tomorrow. Now that's crazy.
Sales taxes have become outrageously high. With the price of gas up, no jobs available, and the factories closing down because there's no business, I think the sales taxes should be reduced. Gas was up to $4.00 last year, and it finally came down at the beginning of this year. However, it seems to be rising back up. Who can afford their bills, gas, and groceries?
There are no decent jobs available right now. If people have a job, they are more than likely slow and getting their hours cut back due to this economic problem we are facing. There aren't many places hiring except fast food restaurants occasionally and no offense but who in the hell wants to work at McDonald's? With the economy in it's downfall, there just aren't many good places to find a job right now.
For many people who had or still have a job, they are probably going to get laid off or hours cut back. Many factories are shutting down right now. I'm not sure of the chief cause of this is, but I think something needs to be done to help this situation. I hope as well as many others probably do that president Obama actually is able to correct this. I know it takes time, but for the sake of our generation's people, I hope he's got a good head on his shoulders. It will probably take us some year's to get out of the mess Bush put us in, but let's hope Obama can do it.

Should the 55 mph speed limit be retained? Explain.

In my opinion, the 55 mph speed limit is ridiculous. The speed limit should at least be 65 on interstates and roads like that. Maybe throughout town they should retain a 55 mph speed limit, but on interstates on bypasses, its a crock of crap.
The 55 mph speed limit only allows more people to pay the crooked police forces that are always worried about the people who are breaking the stupid laws such as the speed limit. While they are writing you a ticket for going 62 instead of 55, there is probably a bank being robbed or someone getting killed at that time, but the police will never help in situations like that because they stay focused on the wrong things.
Now why in the world would they keep a 55 mph speed limit on the interstate, when rarely does anybody abide by it. Even older people and handicapped people can drive faster than that. I think the minimum speed allowed on the interstate should be 55 in all honesty. I mean if you're going slower than 55 on I-75 in Macon, you are liable to get ran over.
With that being said, I believe grown ups should be allowed to maintain a speed they are comfortable at. If you have been driving for twenty years, I think one knows basically how to drive and at what speed they drive the best at. The 55 mph speed limit is stupid, the police who stops you for going seven miles over are stupid, and whoever came up with it is not very intelligent also.
A 55 mph speed limit is needed in some places, such as through the middle of town, but I think it is just absolutely crazy to have a 55 mph speed limit on interstates and bypasses.

Each year, many teen-agers run away from home. What do you think are the chief causes?

Each year many teenagers run away from home. Teenagers run away from home mainly because of strict parents, friends who are bad influences, and drugs.
One of the chief causes for runaway teens is because their parents are too strict. Often parents try to keep their teenagers away from bad influences by keeping them on a leash. When a child becomes a teenager, there are certain things they should be allowed to do by their selves; however many parents try to keep their children contained so that they don't have the opportunities to mess up. This is a big mistake. Parents who do this to their children normally regret it in the long run because teenagers who aren't able to explore at a young age and learn right from wrong then, usually go wild after they get old enough to leave. When teenagers are given a little freedom, they normally are straightened out by the time they get old enough to go out on their own.
Many teenagers this day in time will do almost anything to fit in with the cool crowd. This is another reason teenagers run away from home. If they are hanging with bad influences, their parents may put them on restriction or try to keep them away from that certain crowd if they get in trouble. Many teenagers reject punishment and have the bad influences to talk them in to running away from home.
The last cause may be drugs. Many teenagers at the age of about fourteen and fifteen began exploring with different drugs if it is available. Many try it once and never again, while others are weak minded and begin to take advantage of them, and before you know it they have a drug problem. Now the drug problem is quite so bad until the parents begin noticing a change and confront them with it, normally the teenager is still in denial or to afraid to ask for help, so they runaway.
There are probably many other reasons why teens runaway, however these are the main causes in my opinion. A word to the wise if you are a parent, do not try to keep your teenagers sheltered, you will only hurt them in the long run.

Do college students benefit from partici- pation in extracurricular activities? Explain.

In my opinion college students do not benefit from extracurricular activities. I don't know about anybody else, but I honestly do not have time. Between major anatomy and physiology exams and crazy poetry analysis along with math and world history homework, I don't see how students this day in time have time to crap, much less be involved in extracurricular activities. However, if I did have time to participate in them it may benefit me; but since I'll never have time to try, I'm assuming not.
Maybe for part time college students extracurricular activities would benefit them. So whether or not extracurricular activities benefit a student depends on the load they are taking, the time they have, and whether or not they work also.
Part time students maybe only taking two classes may actually be able to participate in extra curricular activities. In this case, it could benefit them I guess. But since I don't have time to do what I have now, I will end this with my theory that it doesn't.

Which do you think has a greater effect on a person -- heredity or environment? Explain.

Heredity and environment both have an effect on a person, however I believe that the environment has a greater effect on a person.
While heredity can greatly affect humans, I think the environmental surrounding really affects them a lot more. In my opinion for instance, the environment you bring your child up in is a big part of their life. If one has always had a loving family and stable environment, they are more likely to grow up on the right path. Of course, there are always situations that don't end up like that, and in that case it's nothing the parent did wrong.
However, if a child grows up in a home full of fighting, drugs, and instability, the child is either more likely to follow that pattern, or hopefully smart enough to see they don't want to live the same lifestyle, either way the environment has a great impact on them. In many cases, children blame their lifestyle on their parents, saying that their parents did it so they did to. I think this is a lame excuse, but unfortunately there's a lot of this kind in the world. Many people go through a lot as a child and learn from their parents mistakes, such as myself. I had loving parents, but one had a drug problem, while the other was an alcoholic. This combination didn't mix together well and they were divorced by the time I was five. My mother eventually overcame her addiction, but my daddy remained an alcoholic until the day he died of hepatitis C. He was actually getting treatments, but he was burned badly and because his immune system was so weak he couldn't fight what most people normally could. While many people would use this as an excuse to choose the wrong path, it encouraged me to stay on the right one.
The environment has a greater effect on a person in my opinion, but many people lean on their environment way to often as an excuse. I think people should use bad environments to persuade them to do better than what they were brought up in, and want more for themselves and their families.

Should children be disciplined by physical punishment? Discuss.

The word abuse has been greatly misinterpreted this day in time. In my opinion, there is a big difference between a spanking and abuse. It seems like now if one spanks their child for doing wrong and the wrong person sees it, defacs is involved the next day. I think children should be spanked if they are doing wrong. Notice I said spanked, not beaten, therefore I do believe children should be disciplined by physical punishment when it is necessary.
The world today is in the shape it is in because of the way people are raising their children. Parents let their children basically do what they want. One can tell a child no a hundred times, but if they don't understand no, I think other precautions need to be taken. Children these days are growing up way to fast, and the problem seems to be getting worse. If the parent establishes good communication between their children, then I think the world would be a better place. There are certain situations in which a child needs to be whooped if time out and other approaches aren't working. Parents can't even whoop their own child anymore for other people being in their business. A good parent knows whats best for his/her own child; therefore, I think it should be up to the parent how they punish their child.
Unfortunately, their are parents who shouldn't be allowed to have children. One can normally tell a good parent from a bad one. Many don't have the parenting skills it takes to be a mother or father. While spanking a child is sometimes needed, many parents confuse spanking with beating.
I do not believe a mother ought to hit her child in the face. If the child is a toddler, I think a simple hand popping gets the point across. If the child is a teenager, I think a firm belt spanking does the trick, and if that don't work YDC has proven to be pretty effective. Some parents don't have instincts though. In my opinion, many just don't care enough about the child's future to correct it while there's still a chance so they just let them do what they want. On the other hand, you've got the parents who leave their children in the car all night and claim they forgot them. These are the parents who need defacs involved. They are the type who beats their kids.
Different parents have different techniques in parenting. I think alot of the world's problems come from spoiled children and children who haven't been brought up being taught right from wrong. I think their are certain circumstances in which a child needs a spanking, but never should a child be beaten.

If your doctor told you that you had only a few months to live, how would you alter your way of life? Discuss.

People go through never knowing what the next day may bring, which is why my motto has always been "live your life to the fullest each and every day." If my doctor were to tell me tomorrow that I only had a few months to live, I would quit school and live the remainder of my life stress free. I would go places that I have always wanted to see, and I would spend all my time with family and friends.
If I only had a few months to live, the first thing I would do is quit school. Why continue to stress about something that is not even going to matter? If I am going to die before I finish, I would feel like it is waste of time and energy. Instead of studying and worrying, I would be having fun and enjoying the time I have left with the people I care about.
With only a few months to live, I would not worry about financial situations anymore. I would go all the places I have always dreamed of going. A trip around the world would be great, but I highly doubt there would be enough time for all of that, so I would settle for cruises, Hawaii, and wherever else there's a lot of sun. I would let go of all of my insecurities and just have fun.
Last, but definitely not least, I would surround myself with my family and friends. I would show each and every one of my family members how much I loved them. Also, I would make things right with the side of my family in which I don't communicate with much. I would spend the rest of my days with the ones who make me smile.
If I were on my death bed I would quit school, travel, and spend time with family and friends. You never know what the next day may bring, and really you should not wait until the doctor tells you there's only a couple of months left to live. While you are alive and well, you should make the most of life, and let the ones who are important in life know how much they mean to you.

"The best things in life are free." Discuss why you agree or disagree with this statement.

"The best things in life are free." I agree with the statement one hundred percent. Money is good, but it can't buy everything. Money can't buy love, happiness, or a family.
Money is said to be able to do a lot of things, however it can't buy love. You can be with the richest man in the world. However, if he don't spend quality time and treat you good, all the money in the world can't substitute for that.
Money also can't buy happiness. You can live in the biggest house and drive the fanciest car, but if you have nothing else, I guarantee money can't fill that void space in your life. I learned the hard way. I used the think money was what ruled the world, until I got tired of being alone.
A family can not be substituted with money. Without a family to share it with, money isn't anything. If you are a millionaire, most people only want you for your money. So, if you have money you are most likely to be used or alone one. I would much rather enjoy my family than have all the money in the world.
With more money comes more problems is the motto i have always heard. Therefore, I would much rather have love, happiness, and a family. All the money in the world can't buy these three things.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

There are many holidays in which I enjoy, but I would have to say my favorite holiday is Christmas. I like Christmas because I get to spend time with my family, get presents, and honor Jesus Christ's birthday.
During Christmas I enjoy spending time with my family. We all get together at my grandmother's house, and I get to see people that I haven't seen in awhile. We each contribute by bringing a dish. Since Christmas is so close to Thanksgiving, we have appetizers instead of soul cooking. After we all talk for a little while, we say the blessing and eat.
Once we are done eating, we open presents. At thanksgiving we draw names, but my grandmother and granddaddy don't get in the drawing, which is good cause they give each of the grand kids three hundred dollars a piece, woo hoo! Also, everybody buys for all the young kids. My grandmother likes to see what everyone gets so we have to open presents one at a time.
Last but not least, people sometimes forget the main reason of Christmas. Christmas isn't all about presents. The main reason for Christmas is to celebrate Jesus's Birthday. Many people forget the main reason for Christmas. At my grandmother's house, the first thing we do is acknowledge the fact of why we are celebrating Christmas as a holiday.
Overall, Christmas is my favorite holiday. Many people forget the true meaning of Christmas and take it to the extreme as they do everything. However, I will always remember the Jesus's birthday and the sacrifice he made for us.

Valentine's Day is Overrated!

I think Valentine's Day is so overrated. Just like many other holidays, people take Valentine's Day to the extreme. My boyfriend got me a dozen roses and balloons, but to me that's just a waste of money on something that is going to die. I mean he's struggling to pay his bills but he can go out and spend money on something that i can't even keep forever, How STUPID!! He could have just bought a card and a cheap box of candy and been done with it.
Females are the worse though. They actually expect something like that. In my opinion, Valentine's Day is about spending time with the one you love, but females only care about what they get and how expensive it was. That says to me, they don't give a crap about their boyfriends, they're in love with the idea and their money. I don't understand people these days. Here we are about to go into a depression, and people are still spending way to much money on unnecessary things. I think I will get my boyfriend a card, a hug, and a kiss and be done with it. I'm not afraid to admit that I'm broke, and he's not happy with his card and affection, he can kiss my you know what!!!

Another Title for A Rose for Emily

If I had to assign this story another title I would call it A Consequence of Loneliness. The reason I would call it this is because after Emily loses her dad, her life falls apart. Having always been well off money wise and a respected citizen of the community, she doesn't quite know how to act when she loses her dad. He leaves her with only the house, and nothing else. The money she was once used to isn't available anymore, and the only person she has is Tobe. Then she meets Homer. Everyone in town feels sorry for Emily and knows she has went crazy, but Homer still gives her a chance, not knowing what he is in for. She goes to the pharmacy and asks for poison, in which the pharmacy hesitates before sending it to her. Everyone assumes she is going to kill herself, but instead she poisons Homer and leaves him in her bed for years until she dies.
The reason I would have named the story A Consequence of Loneliness is because Emily goes crazy and kills Homer as a result of her loneliness I think. No one can say for sure why she did what she did, but I think she was scared of losing someone else she loved, therefore she decided to keep him there with her always by poisoning him and sleeping with his dead body every night.

What situations are most stressful for you? Discuss.

As of now, the situations most stressful to me involve school and work. I was in laid of from Rheem in August of last year. Certain programs through the unemployment office has offered to help those who were laid off go to school. So, I take them up on their offer, decide to go back to school, in which by the way they couldn't help me pay for because "the government didn't have any funds". So being out of school for five years I was a little stressed at first trying to take this full load and worried about doing well in them. But with all the free time I had plenty of time to study and plus I'm taking some rather hard classes.
As if this stress wasn't enough, Rheem decides to call me back to work. Well, I know that in two months I'm just gonna get laid back off because they're moving to Mexico, but if I decide not to go back I lose my unemployment. So now I have got to try and work a full time job, go to school full time, and try to do the full-time thing at home. I would have to say this is the situation most stressful to me!!

What is your idea of a perfect vacation? Explain.

Ever since I was a little girl I have always loved the beach, so then my idea of a perfect vacation would be to go to a beach. If I could go to any beach however I think it would be in Hawaii. I've been to a lot of beaches in Georgia, and for some reason, I have always wanted to go to Hawaii I guess because it's different maybe somewhere I haven't been before.
The way I envision Hawaii is probably not at all how it is. But i envision Hawaii as the water being a beautiful deep blue and the white sands cascading down the beach. Also, I envision many parties on the beach at night with bon fires and people wearing them flowers around their neck dancing. Also, I see Hawaiians trying to teach us americans how to dance as they sawy side to side.
If I were to ever go to Hawaii I would like my boyfriend and I to go for about a week. I think it would be romantic to just get away from every body else and go to a place where we know no one. A break from school, work, family, and the real world. In the real world people are always worried about whats going on in someone else's life when most of the time they need to be worried about their own.
So my dream vacation at this moment would be to go to Hawaii however they may change in the future.

What are the advantages and/or dis- advantages of being single? Discuss.

There are many advantages to being single. When one is single, they can go out any time they want, spend their money how they want, and have time to get things they want to accomplish done. With advantages there always comes disadvantages. Some disadvantages to being single are loneliness and boredom.
Everyone enjoys being single for a little while. Not only do you get to hang out with friends more often, but you get to go to clubs and enjoy it. When you're single, you don't have to worry about arguments, people trying to tell you what to do, and you can spend your money how you please. Also, you have more time on your hands, so you decide to make use of that time. It's easier to accomplish goals when you're by yourself for some reason.
While everyone enjoys being single, it gets old after awhile. Being single can get real lonely. Especially when your friends have found boyfriends, and the people that you once were hanging with become scarce. So being single can get really boring. You find yourself sitting at home with no one to talk to, and then being single becomes really depressing.
In conclusion, being single can be both advantageous, as well as, disadvantageous. In the above selection I was have stated a few reasons why this is.

Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Discuss.

Is it better to have love and lost than never to have loved at all? In my opinion, the answer to this question is yes. I have been in a quite a few relationships, but I have only been in love twice. In both of these situations, i ended up getting hurt both times, but I will never regret it. Not only did it teach me a few things about love and life, it made me strive harder to raise my standards. Eventually, i realized that maybe it wasn't me, it was the crazy men i was choosing.
Today, I have been in a relationship for five months so far. I have never been treated better. I was able to find such a good man because of the bad ones I have had. Two years ago, I was in an abusive relationship, but I learned from it. Now, my friends tell me I'm too picky. By being in these bad relationships, it helped me realize that if I wasn't happy where I was at, then i'm better off alone.
So my answer to this question is yes. The saying "you live and you learn" is so true, at least for me it was. Of course you always have those who just never learn, but I did. If it weren't for the past love lessons though, I would never know what real love is. Real love is what i have found now.

Living Wills are a good thing to have

Living wills are always good to have. By creating a living will you will make it a lot easier for your family if something were to ever happen. Also, you get to make the choice rather than someone else.
Two years ago, my dad was burned real bad. They thought he would pull through, but his lungs were also badly burned. He was on a respirator from the time he arrived at the hospital. For eight weeks, he laid there suffering. Finally everything began to shut down in his body. The nurses talked to me several times telling me that since he didn't have a living well, I had to make the decision whether or not to pull him off of the machines. This was the hardest decision ever, and I had never had to decide anything so critical. Here I was thinking what if I tell them to pull it and he could pull through.
The doctors told me there was pretty much no hope. I sat there day in and day out trying to decide what was best for my dad. I didn't want to see him suffer, but at the same time, I was not ready to give up hope. So on September 3, 2006, the nurses told me it was time to make a decision. I was staying in a hotel room right across from the hospital. I went to my room and asked God to please help me make the right decision. I asked the nurse for one more day, and I went in the room and talked to my dad. I cried my eyes out and told him I needed a miracle. I told him I knew he was tired of suffering, but I wasn't ready to let him go. I wondered if he understood or could hear what I was saying.
On September 4, 2006 at 12:00 pm I went to see him. With convincing from my mom and other family members, they had convinced me that he had suffered long enough. I walked in the room to say goodbye, and he looked at me. After he looked at me the machines started going crazy, and he passed away with me right there in the room. This was the worst part of my life I have had to endure, and while it was painful watching my daddy die, I knew then that he must have heard me the day before. He knew I couldn't make that decision, so he made it for me. I feel like he waited to see me for the last time before he took his last breath.
So I encourage people to get living wills because you never know when something is going to happen, and it's really hard on a family member to make a decision like that about someone they love so much.

Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?

Currently, I am attending college to be a RN. As a child I always said i would be a doctor when i grew up so I could take care of my parents, however, now that i am old enough to know better I have a few better reasons as to why I chose this profession. A couple of reasons are because there is always a guaranteed job in the nursing field, the money is good, and the human body interests me.
In the field of nursing, you are pretty much always guaranteed a job. If you were to look in a newspaper right now, the majority of the jobs listed are gonna be LPN's and RN's. Society is in need for nurses. The demand for nurses is so high that you can basically go to an employer and tell them what salary you want.
Another reason for choosing this occupation is that you make good money. Of course, with more money comes more problems. I just would like to live comfortably so that I can provide for my children as I have been provided for. Also, I would like to build me a house one day, something that i can call my own.
Also, I have always been interested in the human body. I am tired of being sick all the time and paying these doctors all this money. When I finally earn my degree, maybe then I will be able to diagnose as well as treat myself. My daddy made me promise a long time ago that I would be a nurse so that I could care for him when he got old, but he never made it that far. He passed away two years ago, but I am still gonna keep my promise i made to him.
In conclusion, there are many advantages in becoming a nurse. I have stated a couple of reasons why I am choosing nursing as a occupation in the above selection.

What do you believe are the chief reasons for students' academic failure in college? Explain.

College is overwhelming in many ways. I think one of the main reasons for academic failure is anxiety. Another reason could be that the student is trying to do too much at one time and don't have the time they need to study. Last but not least, most of the students are probably receiving financial aid or their parents are paying for it, so it's not their money being wasted if they don't succeed.
Many students have anxiety when first starting college. It's completely different from what they are use to, and then normally the first semester, they get witches for professors, which is enough to make anybody give up. A lot of the professors don't understand or shall I say remember what it's like being a full time college student. The only thing I can say to these students is do your best and don't give up.
Another reason for academic failure is not enough study time. Many people aren't eligible for financial aid or fortunate enough to have parents to pay their way through college. These students are the ones trying to work a full time job, go to school, and take care of the household as well. Teachers will tell students all day that they realize they have a life outside of school, but by the time all of them get done with your assignments, it seems they really could care less about the load you are bearing.
Last, occasionally you do have them students who are having to pay nothing and just really don't give a crap about school. These are the students who have had everything handed to them in life and their only motivation for doing well a lot of times is a new car. People like me who have to work for any and everything they get do their best because we're having to pay for it out of our own pockets.
Attending college can be scary, but you just have to stay motivated and never give up. As long as you put forth good effort and try your best, that's all you can do!

Should sex education be taught in public schools? Why or why not?

Should sex education be taught in public schools? In my opinion, sex education should be taught in school. Not only does this teach students the risks of having sex, but also teaches them the proper procedures to practicing safe sex if they decide to do so. Also, many parents neglect talking with their children about sex because they don't want to subject their children to this at such a young age. However, in the long run I think it is better to start the conversation early.
Sex education taught in public schools informs students that there are many risks taken in having sex. Most young students think of getting pregnant as the most important risk, but sex education teaches them there are alot more serious consequences. It teaches them about sexually transmitted diseases that they probably know nothing about, and would probably never know anything about them if it wasn't for sex education.
Also, it teaches the best ways to practice safe sex set aside abstinence. The teacher not only tells the students about the many different condoms, but also teaches them how to use them. They even go into such detail as showing them how to put them on. They also let the students know about rape and sexual assault.
Many parents disagree with teaching their children about sex at such a young age, however i disagree. If the parents don't talk to their children about sex and there's no sex education taught in school, I'm almost quite sure we would have more babies having babies than we do now. I'm not saying to encourage your children to have sex, and neither is sex education, but hopefully with the sex education classes, it will teach them enough to be too scared to engage in sexual activity at such a young age.
In conclusion, I have given you the reasons I think sex education should be taught in school, and I hope this encourages more parents to work along with the sex education classes. In doing so, maybe we can improve the statistics of the sexually transmitted diseases and the children that can barely take of themselves from having babies.