Current Event #2

Minnesota Vikings all-Pro running back Adrian Peterson missed a mandatory tram practice Friday. Peterson was busy attending 'Adrian Peterson Day' in his home town of Palestine, Texas. Vikings coach Brad Childress was not happy about Peterson's absence, especially because he was not notified by Peterson that he would not be able to attend the mandatory practice. The article went on to mention how many of the Vikings' returniong starters were missing from this spring's practices for a variety of reasons.
This article grabbed my eye because I can't believe how many star athletes feel that they are exempt from mandatory team functions. Yes, Adrian Peterson is one of the best players in the NFL, but he is still a member of the Vikings and therefore is trequired to go to their team functions, no matter how many honorary days are set up for him. I enjoyed the article and it was well written.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5277744

Senior Reflection #2

As the summer draws near, I have started to realize that I ned a summer job. My financial aid package for next year stupulates that I pay for a portion of my tuition. I have worked at an italian ice stand at Nissan Pavilion for the last two summers. I enjoy this job, but there are not enough hours at the few concerts to make enough for tuition. I have applied for a few other jobs but have not heard back from anywhere. A few deays ago, however, I got an email asking if I would be interested in working at Georgetown this summer doing office work. I really hope that I get this job, for it would not only earn me the money that I need, it would also give me a good opportunity to get familiar with the campus before school starts.

Current Event #1

American goalkeeper Tim Howard's condition is still unknown following a collision with English forward Emile Heskey in Saturday's World Cup opener for both teams. Howard was bleeding from his side after the collision and required painkillers at halftime, but he did not come out of the game. American coach Bob Bradley said he sees no reason why Howard would not be able to start friday against Slovenia in the Americans' next game.
I chose this article because I am interested in Howard's health following the England game. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and has consiostently kept the U.S. in close games. It was a well-writen article that I enjoyed reading; it made me optimistic that we will have Tim Howard in goal Friday against Slovenia.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/worldcup2010/2010/06/14/2010-06-14_tim_howards_ribs_to_be_examined_by_trainers_on_monday_marcus_hahnemann_would_be_.html

Senior Reflection #1

Herndon's been alot of fun, and high school soccer has been a part of that. Freshman year was difficult as I tried to balance club soccer and high school soccer. Then early in the high school season sophomre year i tore my ACL, which really changed how I felt about soccer. During that season in which I didn't play, I realized how soccer was making me miss out on many typical high school experiences. The high school soccer season was just beginning again when I was cleared to play again, nearly a year after I originally injured my knee, and I soon found that the demands of high school and club soccer were too much. Since I was still trying to play in college, I decided to quit high school soccer. Soon, however, I realized that I would not be playing in college, so this season I decided to quit club soccer and finally enjoy high school sports. While I have had fun playing club soccer, I sometimes wish I had quit sooner and been able to enjoy other high school sports besides soccer.

Editorial #5

Bill O'Reilly: Paging Doctor Kildare

Summary: A recent survey by the Medicus Firm shows that if Obamacare is to pass in Congress, about 30 percent of primary care physicians will consider leaving their medical profession. Doctors, as smart people, can see that with universal health care, the cost of care for all the new people will increase dramatically while their salaries may even decline. O'Reilly points to the federalized health care systems of Canada and Great Britain as proof that there will be a shortage of doctors if Obamacare passes: in these two countries, it is almost impossible to see an actual doctor. O'Reilly concludes by saying that these doctors are simply reflecting the opinion of the American public about healthcare. Many Americans are simply sick of the federal bureaucracy's attempt to get involved in health care, and nothing can change that.

Opinion: I find it hard to believe that doctors will actually leave their jobs of Obamacare passes. Sure, they might disagree with federalizing health care, but I do not think they would leave their steady paying jobs over an ideological disagreement. I do, however, agree that most Americans do not want their health care to be run by the government, and Congress is simply not listening to them. President Obama was recently quoted as saying in relation to health care, "[The American people] are waiting for us to lead...they don't want us reading polls". While it is never good to make decisions solely to bolster popularity in response to polls as a president, if polls are showing that the majority of Americans (the people that the President and Congress represent) do not want a piece of legislation passed, lawmakers need to respond to the will of the people they represent, not their own ideological agendas.

Source: http://townhall.com/columnists/BillOReilly/2010/03/20/paging_doctor_kildare?page=2

Editorial #4

Christopher Merola: The Separation of Church and State Debate

Summary: Last Thursday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (considered to be one of the most liberal courts in the history of the United States) denied an atheist challenge to the words "In God We Trust" and "One Nation Under God" on our nation's currency and pledge. Christopher Merola uses this ruling to show that progress is being made in protecting our First Amendment rights, but there is still a long way to go. He says that in today's ultra-politically correct society, what is defined as tolerance is in fact intolerance. Ordering a teacher to take down a patriotic banner that has Christian references like "In God We Trust" on it so as to be tolerant of those non-Christians in the class is in actuality intolerant of the teacher's right to religious speech. Merola says that as long as the state does not force citizens to practice any religion, the right to display religious paraphernalia should and must be protected.

Opinion: I am happy to see that such a liberal court as the Ninth Court of Appeals came out supporting God in our national pledge and currency. But I agree with Merola: there is a long way to go. Many people in this country have grossly misinterpreted what they call "separation of church and state". Those words are never found in our Constitution; there is in fact no guaranteed exclusion of religion from our government. All that is guaranteed by the Constitution is that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". The place of the word "God" in the pledge of allegiance and on our currency does not force people to believe in god, nor does it prohibit them from practicing other religious beliefs. It simply reflects the ideals and values of the majority of our country, and, more importantly from a judicial standpoint, preserves the large part that religion, specifically Christianity, has played in shaping this nation throughout history.

Source: http://townhall.com/columnists/ChristopherMerola/2010/03/12/the_separation_of_church_and_state_debate?page=2

Editorial #3

Kevin McCullough: Why the Left Despises Personal Responsibility

Summary: Kevin McCullough writes about how liberals in America have turned away from personal responsibility and instead wait for the giant collective to take care of them. McCullough argues that this shift being implemented by liberals (with President Obama at the forefront) is a fundamental change from the decades of tradition of personal responsibility in this country. He cites the Founder's efforts to ensure individual rights an evidence that our nation was designed to be one where an individual succeeded or failed based on his actions alone, not the state's. Liberals, he says, do not understand that when the collective cares for the individual instead of the individual caring for himself, it is really a small powerful few that hold the powerful (not the collective).

Opinion: While much of McCullough's editorial seemed to be personal digs at President Obama (which I did not think were appropriate), I do think that his general argument is well-founded. Too many people in this country have forgotten that it is their responsibility to provide for themselves and their family. When the state begins to meddle in social and economic affairs too much, a small few (not the collective) will gain power over those aspects of life, which leads to laziness: people will stop working hard because they feel that they are entitled to a good life and job. The whole idea behind the American dream is that those who work hard and are responsible are rewarded with success, while those who are irresponsible and lazy pay the price for their failure. The nanny state that many liberals in this country want simply rewards laziness.

Source: http://townhall.com/columnists/KevinMcCullough/2010/03/07/why_the_left_despises_personal_responsibility?page=2