Step-Parents

Stepparents. Sometimes they are depicted as being evil and corrupt, but in other instances they are seen as being the savior. I personally dont have any experience with stepparents, but it seems that if you truly saw them with respect, that they could truly replace your birth parents. I mean love doesn't just appear because your related through blood, it comes from respect and trust. It seems as if it would be even easier to talk to stepparents, since in some instances you may see them more as friends than parents.

Sometimes in fiction you see the stepparents as just terrible people. Where they punish you for anything or they make you do all the chores, and other things like they where they are just depicted as being hard to live with. In other instances you can see them as life changing. Where they change the childs outlook on life and change his dreams. Nobody can really tell what it would be like to have stepparents from these fictional stories, the only real way is through personal experience.

I have very little experience with stepparents, and it was just my friends stepdad. Personally i liked him alot, and so did my friend. They were really close and he would always take us out on his boat in stuff. He was never this mean evil person and my friend and I respected him. Over the years my friend and his step father became really close and now you could barely tell they aren't blood related. It just goes to show that stepparents aren't all bad. I'm sure that there are some bad stepparents, but with that being said there are bad people too.

There are some positive aspects of having a relationship with you stepparent. He or she could be another role model in your life, or maybe even a parental figure. I mean another parent that cares about you and helps you out really isnt too bad. These relationships might also feel more like friendships. You could feel like the stepparent is there more as a friend and could be easier to talk to. This really isn't something i would know much about, but from the little experience I have a stepparent is really just one more person looking out for. It might be hard sometimes to listen to your stepparent because he or she isn't really your mom and dad. But eventually, overtime a relationship and trust is bound to grow. If not out of necesity, just the pure fact that you will be spending more time with this person.

Relationships with stepparents can be good or bad, just like relationships with true parents. I mean in movies they usually look like the bad guy, but that isnt always true. I mean my friend respects and cares for his stepdad. At first it might be hard to listen to or care about your stepparent, but eventually a relationship will be formed and something good will come out of it. You never know, they could become the person you trust most.

Unwatched Madness

Nearly everyday somebody can turn on their tv and find out about some important leader doing some ridiculous and disturbing thing. I mean even now in the time we live in where people believe everything is perfect when evil, corrupt people are being given the opportunity to run city's and sometimes even entire governments. I mean usually things are kept pretty tight and the people in the government here in the US, but even here knavish people make it into the US government. Just think about how easy it is for someone to take power in other countries. In other places power isn't always given, it's taken and most of the time taken by a unprincipled, terrible person. That's why checks and balances are so important, and here in the US they are used righteously, and it is the UN's job to try and take care of torn down countries, and be their checks and balances.

"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go." This is true for any age. If people of power don't have to adhere to any set of rules there is a chance that they will commit awful crimes. Between 1967 and 1998 Mohammed Suharto embezzled about 35 billion dollars and nobody was there to stop him. I mean throughout time there have been bad people who happen to have power and its still the same today. It really doesn't matter what time period we look at. There will be a ruler who has power and abuses it.

Suddam Hussien is another great example. Hussein's regime killed, tortured, raped and terrorized the Iraqi people and its neighbors for over two decades. Hundreds of thousands of people died because of Saddam, he even killed his own relatives. Suddam had even been known to use chemical agent on Kurdish villages. Suddam had had some kind of power in Iraq's government since 1963. It took 40 years for him to finally lose his position of power, even though everyone knew he was a terrible man. This all occured because the checks and balances were unused. Eventually he was brought to justice, but it just took way too long.

Even the governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich, has been under investigation for taking bribes and giving up state contracts. The federal investigators recently began wiretapping his phones and he was heard taking bids for Obamas vacant senate seat. He has also witheld funds to a childrens hospital until he donated to his campaing. This just goes to show that it can happen in any circumstance and even though we do have checks and balances people fall through.

The US government has their three branches which is how nobody really gains too much control. In other countries power is split up in different ways to make sure nobody ever has more power than anybody else. But in some places there are no checks or balances or the balance is skewed by a certain group taking control. In these instances death and hardship usually follows. It just goes to show how truly important it is for the "great ones" to be looked over and watched carefully.

Thinker or a Doer?

This question is very similar to the question, which came first the chicken or the egg? I mean truthfully you can't have a doer without a thinker, but a thinker is worthless without the doer. Unless doers are just incredibly stupid wouldn't the doer at least have to think about what he or she is doing. Take this for example. A thinker is sitting around thinking and all of a sudden he was like lets build a bridge all the way to the moon, obviously he was not the best thinker, probably should've just been some other thinkers doer. But just like the usual thinker he was like, "NO way I'm going to do that'. So he found a doer. The doer looked at his plan and was like wow your dumb, jackass. So you see this doer actually had the ability to do both, think and do. And that will take me to my next paragraph.

You see I believe I'm actually a thinker and a doer. I mean i think about a lot of things and sometimes i actually do it, I'm what some call a double threat. I mean truthfully it depends on the situation I'm a thinker. I like to really think things through and make sure I'm making the perfect decision. But in times of need like lets say a football game, I'm simply a doer, I dont really make too many decisions I just do exactly what I am told.

Truthfully I would rather be a thinker. I hate when things aren't perfect, or for example, I hate having to listen to someone explain something to me, when i could explain it better myself. I would rather be the one thinking something through then telling other people what to do. I want to be a leader rather than a follower, and I want to control what happens.

There are many times though where I just do. I don't look at the consequences and I just go with the flow. Sure its not the smartest thing, but its not so bad if you learn from the mistakes you make. I mean if you do something dumb dont do it again, or find a way to not get caught. That's when the thinking side comes in. Really everyone is a doer sometime in their life, whether it be when you hit your brother in the head with a rock, or when you play on an athletic teams, there will be a time when you can't or just act on impulse. And at that time you will be a doer.

Parental Control

I believe that parents do have the right to "spy" on their children. I mean they are just doing because they worry. They try to protect their kids from any bad and i mean truthfully thats just human nature. That being said parents need to let kids make their own mistakes, and then punish them for their mistakes. But parents can't just try and stop their kids mistakes before they happen because the lesson is never learned.

Parent should also trust their kids. If they dont have enough confidence in the way they raised their kids then thats just ridiculous. You have to trust that your kids have been raised right in the first place. Not every teenager is retarded and they do need their own space sometimes.

Maxed-out Nation

I believe that people thriftiness is going to be around for a while. I mean things really arent terrible here but it isn't like it used to be. People are forced into trying to save money at every chance they can becuase of the recession. People have to be smart with their money and these lessons that they are learning right now about getting the most bang for your buck isn't just going to dissappear.

People are going to continue to try and save what money even if the economy goes back on the rise. For one they still arent going to feel completely safe in the economy and some people will continue to try and save money out of their fear of the economy going under. People will continue also continue to spend thriftily because its what they are used to.

My family really doesnt spend any differently. I mean my parents both have great jobs, but i know that as soon as i leave and go out on my own things will be tough. I mean truthfully we spend exactly the same, actually even better because my parents have good jobs. Instead of either one of them going back to college. Now that all of their college loans are paid everything is fine for us.

When i go off for college things are going to be very hard. I mean with the way the economy is it could be hard to find a job after i get done with college. Things are just tough and thats how it is. People cant fix this over night, but things will change overtime especially because everyone knows generation Y is clearly the best.

Fatherly Advice

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; but do not dull thy palm with entertainment of each new-hatched , unfledged comrade.

This comment by Polonius is very valueable. I mean you can't go out and try to make friends out of every person you meet. You will end up being backstabbed or put in a bad position. You must know your friends true character not just what you saw him act like after meeting him for the first time. Yes I use it alot, or else i would be stuck with friends that just get me in trouble. I mean you can't just follow other people because of a hunch you have of their personality. The people most important in you life are they people who truly support you, the people you know will stand up for you. Enjoy the true friends you have and don't make your goal in life to make all these new friends because in a time of need you arent going to want call upon someone that you can't truly trust.

I played sports against this guy from Corning since i was like 10 and we both really respected each other. We were always really competative and we always seemed to be our respective teams captain. Over time we talked more and more and we kinda became friends. Then we ended up being on the same team and we continued to get to know one another. So eventually I invited him over with the rest of my friends who I had grown up with. I quickly learned that was a mistake because he was a completely fake person. He wasn't who i thought he was and I quickly disliked him. This shows that you can't just trust people, you have to make them earn your trust.

Honored Program

It is important to the north state because it's the future of our generation. This article shows us many facts about the people who live in the north state and who eventually go to college. It also shows how successful the Redding college OPTIONS is. This article might also be an inspiration to other people who might realize that there are other people to held them even if they don't think they actually have a chance to go to college.

College OPTIONS is really helpful to students who have no idea what they are doing. Most people don't understand how many applications they have to fill out, how expensive applications can actually be, all the tests, looking for scholarships, or what to do to be eligible to play sports in college. But with college OPTIONS they help out a lot, and of course the counselors are always there to help.

In Shasta county 18.8% of the people have a bachalors degree, compared to 29.5% of the state. If that number is truly accurate that is a very low number. The number of people who go to colleg is only 11.9% which to me seems very low. Of those kids that go to college how many actually come back? Maybe the kids that go off to college never come back to live here and the ones that actually stay dont go to college and the get other jobs. Shasta county just has a ridiculously low amount of people with degrees and i dont see that getting better if only 11.9% are going to college.

I believe a big reason there is such a difference in Shasta County is the fact that people probably go into a family owned business or ranch. People are not required to go to college to have jobs like these so that would have to decrease the pecentage. As I stated earlier how many people are coming back after college? There really aren't that many jobs around here that require a college degree so maybe these college graduates are heading off to cities or other places for work related reasons.

Reaction to Stephen King about perscription drug advertisements

I believe what Stephen King is saying is true. I don't see why prescription drug companies have to advertise their products to the everyday people of the US. They need to just be advertising to doctors since they are the ones who eventually give to OK for someone to take it anyways. The doctors are the ones who make the final choice and they are the ones who know what exactly is right for the patient. They have enough to do without patients asking for certain drugs because they've seen it on tv and the people who took seemed in perfect shape. Just like Stephen King says everyone wants a quick fix. People just can't help themselves, when their is a problem they want it fixed now. They pretty much trick people into wanting their drug by the way they advertise and show how their drug can fix your problem. It is apalling to me that Vioxx might have caused 139,000 heart attacks and 55,000 deaths, i mean that is ridiculous. So not only is this drug being shown directly to the public, its can be lethal. I don't believe there is any reason for prescription drugs to be advertised to the public, the biggest reason being a doctor will give out the best drug for the situation.

Samuelson's Point

Samuelson believes that we are not yet in a depression, just a recession. Sure we are on the decline, but we aren't even close to how things were during the Great Depression of the 1930's. He believes that it is similar in alot of ways, but it also has its many differences. Studies show that we have actually been through 10 recessions from the Great Depression to now, so really its most likely something we will come back from. The stock market has only dropped 30 points from its peak compared to 90 points that it dropped during the Great Depression. The 700 billion dollar bailout program was designed to stabalize banks, therefore it should be nearly impossible to fall into a depression.

My Future

Next year i plan on going to a four-year college somewhere on the west coast. I want to try and get a college scholarship for football, but i have no idea what college i will be going to. If i had any choice of college i would clearly be going to the University of Oregon, but getting asked to play on that football team would be a very tough thing to do. The University of Oregon is my first choice because it is pretty close to home and my friends and family would be able to make it to the games. The U of O has a very prestigous football program and all of their things are sponsored by Nike. Philip Knight, the founder of Nike, graduated from the U of O and now he sponsors everything, from ventilated lockers to jerseys. Really I would love to go to any school in the PAC-10, but that is a pretty lofty goal. Another school I'm really interested in is UC Davis. It is a great academic school, and the football program is on the rise.

I believe going straight to a four-year college is right for me because I should be able to get athletic scholarship to pay for some of my college. Once I'm in college I want to major in either business or some type of physical therapy. I am ready to get to finish my schooling and get going on my life. I believe that the next 6 years are going to be crazy and it is going to have alot to do with who i become and what i do in my life. That's why it is imperative to make great college decisions. That being said there is still time before college and many things can change.

Should We Bail Them Out?

Well i don't really know too much about what is really going on, but i find it unfair for the people of the United States to have to pay higher taxes over the next two years. Why should the United States put themselves in an even steeper debt. It isn't the people's problem and they shouldn't be the ones paying the price. If they plan on paying for the bail out by reducing government spending that is just ridiculous. I see it as no matter what the money spent is money made by the people to bail out the banks for being greedy. It isn't the everyday person of the US that messed up, so why should they have to produce the money to bail them out? It doesn't make sense.

Would lowering the legal age help colleges curb alcohol abuse?

I think that lowering the drinking age could curb alcohol abuse. It just wouldn't be that big of a deal for kids to drink. I think right now people under the drinking age are just hiding their drinking and drinking way too much whenever they get the chance. But if people in college were legal to drink they would drink a little less and they wouldn't be so rushed to binge and drink anything and everything. I don't think that drinking would be a big deal and then people wouldnt drink so much. Young people still younger than 18 would still drink though. They would still hide their drinking and they would drink way too much.

So it would definately change college campuses but it wouldnt make a difference for people in high school. It could also make drinking in high school worse because more people would be able to provide for underaged kids.

Sir "Lionel"

Sir Lionel is the son of King Bors of Gauland and Queen Evaine. His parents named him after a birthmark that looked like a lion. He is also the cousin of Lancelot and Hector de Maris. His father dies in a battle against King Claudas, but Lionel and the rest of the Bors are saved by Seraide and raised in the home of the Lady of the Lake. Lionel later became a Knight of the Round Table. Lionel was captured as a young man while he was travelling with Lancelot, where he was whipped and thrown into a dungeon. He was later captured again in his search for the Holy Grail, by two evil knights who stripped him, bound him, and dragged him along the highway while thrashing him with thorns. His bother Bors the Younger had a chance to save Lionel, but he chose to save a woman from being raped. Lionel ended up escaping, meeting up with and attacking Bors the Younger. Lionel ends up killing a religious hermit and Sir Calogrenant, when they were trying to protect Bors. Lionel finally gets to Bors the Younger but he is immoblized by God before he can cause any more damage. Lionel goes in the exile with Lancelot, and he later fights against King Aurthur, and becomes King of Gaul. Lionel is slain by Melehan and fifteen other knight, when he returned to Britain to put down Sir Mordred's rebellion Bors the Younger avenges his death.

My Three Heroes

Brett Favre is a great example of a hard worker. He was only a backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and when he finally got in he was terrible, but he was later traded to the Packers where he began to make his mark. Brett Favre was terrible but he kept on working and he became an elite quarterback. It goes to show that with hard work anything is possible. Brett is also a perfect example of toughness, he has started 275 straight games. Even when his father passed away he still had the mental toughness to play. Brett Favre exemplifies toughness and hard work, therefore he could truly be anyones hero.

My parents are everything that i have become. They have always been there for me and they are great parents. They have taught me nearly everthing, from table manners to baseball. My dad had me hitting off a baseball tee before i was even 2. They have told me all the normal parenting things like do well in school, do your best, be safe, and take out the trash, but above all they have made an enormous impact in my life. They have supported me all my life, and I am what I am because of them.


I believe that people that put their lives on the line are everyone's hereos, people who are willing to fight for what is right no matter the consequences. Firefighters who run into a burning inferno when everyone else is running out. The SWAT team and police who protect the people, who in times or danger always answer the call. Every single person in the military who keeps our nation safe from attackers. I am thankful for all their bravery for being on the front line keeping other people safe. They demonstrate incredible bravery, and they go to show that when things are done for the right reasons they usually turn out right.

What does Beowulf learn from his battles with Grendel and Grendel's mother?

Beowulf was already a very worthy man and had already proven himself to the Geats. From the battle with Grendel and his mom he learned more about leading armies which would later help him as he becomes the king. The battles make him more mature as he learns to better cope with the responsibilities of being a hero.