Summer Heat Wave Affecting Gas Prices

As everyone noticed, the price of gasoline at the pump has risen slightly this past week. The Energy Administration has forcasted prices to be over five dollars a gallon during the summer months. We are fortunate that the hurricane season has been calm for the most part, I could only imagine two years in a row, experiencing inflation at the pump. Although I can't complain too much, we are paying much less than the west coast wher the prices are around the 3.27 range.

Additional Candidate Comparison Paper Info

I accidentally left the following information off the Candidate Comparison Guidelines. You are required to follow these guidelines, too.

You should have four sources for your paper and they have to fit these categories.

1 and 2: You will need one source that is officially from each of the two candidates you are comparing. The easiest thing is to go to the official web site of each of the candidates. Incumbents all have an official government site. Most of them will also have an official campaign site, too. A growing number of them will also have official blogs. You may also use speeches, interviews and the like, but only if they include the actual words of the candidate.

3: You need a non-partisan source that is unbiased. This would include newspapers (such as the New York Times or the Washington Post, magazines, television stations and non-partisan organizations such as Project Vote Smart, On the Issues, or other similar sites.

4: You need a partisan source that is biased. This can include interest groups (NRA [Must be a member], LCV, Christian Coalition, or ACLU), political parties or other groups.

Florida buys 74,000 acres for preservation

Today the State of Florida just bought land from Lake Okechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. It was 74,000 acres of undeveloped land to protect the panthers, bears, and other native species of that area. This land will not be built on and be a preserve for the natural environment. I am all for saving some land for the animals native to an area but 74,000 acres is a lot of land. I would think you could build on half and make the other half a preserve for the wildlife. This is valuable land that could bring more money into Florida if built up. What do you all think about this topic?

UK's Nuclear Waste Storage Problem

The UK has an unacceptable long term nuclear waste plan, according to Britian's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management. Great Britian does not know where it's final resting place will be for lots of its nuclear waste, and the deadly radioactive material keeps being produced every day. Former administrations have faced the problem, but nothing has been done about it.

Storing the nuclear waste a half of a kilometer underground is Great Britian's option that is being considered. Finland has already begun the process of burying its nuclear waste underground as well.

The process of burying nuclear waste takes a long time (up to 30 years). If parliment doesn't do something about the nation's nuclear waste disposal soon, then they are in for some 'serious' problems.

The UK and nations all over the world need to realize the dangers of nuclear waste. Long term solutions are needed to ensure a clean world for the future.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5231530.stm

-Alex Baker

Are children too Fat? And what can parents do?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/FL00058

Obesity in children seems to be an ongoing issue that may be getting worse. What can parents do to help their children with an overweight problem? I believe parents need to help their children in loosing weight in every way they can. Plan outside activities that might be fun and plan meals together that are healthy. Do you guys think parents are doing enough or should they do more?

Sri Lanka - Next War-torn Region?

Sri Lankan military forces are beginning to fight rebels in the northeast part of their country. In the city of Trincomalee, the fighting is intensifying. Thirty-five rebels were killed and nine Sri Lankan fighters were killed. According to the 'Tamil Tiger' rebels, "the war has begun", between them and the Sir Lankan government.

Because the cease-fire established in 2002 between Sri Lankan forces and rebels is now broken, peace in the region is now non existent.

Do you think the violence in Sri Lanka will escalate into all-out war?

Congo votes in first free election in 40 years

Millions of Congolese just voted in their first free elections in over 40 years. The Congolese governement hopes to end years of corruption,wars, and chaos. U.N. peacekeepers -- 17,000 of them, backed by 1,100 European Union troops—and Congolese police guarded the schools, churches and tents used as polling stations. Many voters were so excited they got up early and waited in line for hours. To me it seems the U.N. is being quite helpful in helping Congo get is government kinks sorted out. I like to see the U.N. helping other country's stabilize thier governenmenal system. Do you all see the U.N. as helpful?

Lake Okeechobee - The Next Katrina Disaser?

The state has found many problems with the engineering of the dike, arounf Lake Okeechobee, by the Amry Corps. A report released by state consultants stated that the "leak-prone dike around Lake Okeechobee" is considered a "grave and imminent danger." The Herbert Hoover Dike is talked about by consultants to be similar to the "levees that failed in New Orleans." Flooding would be catastrophic if a 'major' hurricane directly hit Lake Okeechobee.

I think that Florida is looking at a potential Katrina like disaster of nothing is done about the poorly engineered dike around Lake Okeechobee. This time around, something can be done by the government before it happens.

Heres the link........

Monday Class

We will have a quiz on Law & the Judicial Process.

Bring your textbook to class, you will need it.

I read some where about minimum wage will be no higher than 5.15 an hour and meanwhile gas prices is going up 3$ a gallon. I feel a year of work at the minimum wage yields 10,712 just above the poverty level for a single person but well below for a family of two let alone three or four. Now let me know what you guys think about it.

Forty Million Dollar Slaves??

I have now seen the author of the book, Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete, twice on TV news programs. His name is William Rhoden and he writes for the New York Times sports column. He believes that "sports stardom has brought black athletes wealth without progress and prosperity without freedom." He went on to say that leagues such as MLB and the NBA are forms of modern day slavery. I didn't know what to think; how can a guy like Lebron James who just signed a contract worth $60 million over a three year span possibly be considered a slave? Well, as Glenn Beck said, please put me on that plantation, lock me in those chains, and make me a multi-million dollar slave. The players in these leagues have dreamed ever since they could remember to be the elite athletes in their sport; who knew that they were actually dreaming to be a slave? Those athletes have put all of their heart into becoming the athletes that they are and were never forced (unless by parents) to get on a court or field and spend countless hours perfecting their game. They don't play in these leagues because the white slave master owners forced them to, they do it because they can make a great living doing something that they love doing. I guess that makes the white, European, South and Central American, and Chinese players in the NBA slaves as well right? I believe that Jay-Z is the majority owner of the New Jersey Nets. Isn't that amazing? I never saw him becoming a slave owner. He says that Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player in NBA history and a man that transcended his sport, was responsible for bringing about change and needed to commit himself to helping the black community. Rhoden says that by ignoring these issues Jordan committed an almost treasonous act. You know, Rhoden, maybe Michael Jordan didn't consider the possibility that he was a slave; that making $30 million a year in salary and endorsements could be racist. Here's an excerpt from the book:

"In those days, when black faces were few and far between, we cheered for the color of the skin. We had some variations to the general rule: If the team was from the South and had just one Brother, his team was our team; he was our man. Didn’t matter who the athlete was underneath his uniform or his skin—his true character was less significant than his presence. Out there on the field, he became the torchbearer for the race. Content of character mattered only to the extent that we prayed these pioneers wouldn’t embarrass The Race."

I understand that things were much different in his day and that racism was a lot more evident but isn't this thinking the exact OPPOSITE of what Martin Luther King Jr. so valiantly fought for? "I have a dream," as King said, "that one day my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." To Rhoden race was, and seemingly still is, the only factor, no matter how good or bad the person. I understand that I was not alive as an African-American during the height of racism and I don't want to downplay how horrific it was, but African-Americans have come a long way since the 1960's. I can also understand blacks cheering for blacks when there were few playing in professional sports and how a black victory in sports could be considered a victory for the black race. What I don't understand is where Rhoden gets off saying that slavery is still very much alive. I am not trying to act like racism is dead, but I believe the way to beat racism is not to look for it where it is not as it seems Rhoden is doing, but to start judging people by their character, not skin color, as Martin Luther King Jr. once dreamed. Forty million dollar slaves? Not in my opinion.

Here's the website where I got the excerpt -- link

Oil Spill in Lebanon

link


Israeli air raids took out the Jiyeh power plant causing about 110,000 barrels of oil to spill into Lebanon's Mediterranean shore. As of now the spill has touched about 80 miles of beaches and the number is expected to get significantly larger. Ten trucks from Kuwait arrived to clean up the mess but weren't able to access the spill areas due to fighting. This environmental fiasco is rapidly killing marine life, including the endangered green turtle, and there is a fear of the oil affecting other parts of the Mediterranean.

Analysis: Bush foreign policy struggling

“A string of disappointments in recent weeks has left Washington's role as a global power broker diminished.”

United States Foreign policy and relationship with other countries is besieged in recent years. For example, Condoleezza Rice failed to agree in Rome with European and Arab allies on terms for a cease-fire to end two weeks of Israel-Hezoballah violence. Efforts to get North Korea and Iran to restrict their nuclear ambitions remained held up. World trade talks collapsed.

How else could one explain such overwhelming incompetence of our relationships with other countries? The strategy seems to be built around the notion that instability in the Middle and Far East benefits the United States. I think the problem with this strategy is that it also keeps us weak, because we have to keep giving cash to keep the agenda going.

Is US interfering with countries out of their range? Do we need to stop intrusive with other countries (with president bush’s favorite quote…to establish democracy in those particular countries like Iraq)?

Friday Class

We will have a quiz on the Executive Process.

You should bring your textbook again, as we will definitely be using it.

Textbook Assignment 5

1. Name two reasons why voter turnout is so low in the U.S.
2. Name the most important factor that influences who people vote for.
3. Name three other factors that influence who people vote for.
4. What is a dealignment?
5. What is retrospective voting?
6. What is a vote of confidence?
7. What is a bicameral legislature?
8. What are pork barrel projects?
9. What is casework?
10. Name two reasons why legislature have declined in power in recent years?

In God We Trust

Okay I want to hear your thoughts on removing the words "In God We Trust" from things such as money and "Under God" from our pledge. From my point of view I hate the thought of this. I understand freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. However, it is not forcing a religion on anyone by having these words on our money and in our pledge. It is just keeping the tradition of what we found our country on alive. I mean it doesn't say in Jesus Christ we Trust. I don't think things with such meaning and tradition should be removed from our currency, pledges, etc.

Additional Candidate Comparison Paper Info

I accidentally left the following information off the Candidate Comparison Guidelines. You are required to follow these guidelines, too.

You should have four sources for your paper and they have to fit these categories.

1 and 2: You will need one source that is officially from each of the two candidates you are comparing. The easiest thing is to go to the official web site of each of the candidates. Incumbents all have an official government site. Most of them will also have an official campaign site, too. A growing number of them will also have official blogs. You may also use speeches, interviews and the like, but only if they include the actual words of the candidate.

3: You need a non-partisan source that is unbiased. This would include newspapers (such as the New York Times or the Washington Post, magazines, television stations and non-partisan organizations such as Project Vote Smart, On the Issues, or other similar sites.

4: You need a partisan source that is biased. This can include interest groups (NRA [Must be a member], LCV, Christian Coalition, or ACLU), political parties or other groups.

Thursday Class

We will have a quiz on the Legislative Process.

Make sure to bring your textbook, you will need it for two group assignments.

Candidate Comparison Paper

I would like to go ahead and start this post to answer questions individuals might have about this paper.

Wednesday Class

Bring your textbook to class, we will need it.

Your research paper is due on Wednesday, including the electronic copy.

We will be going over the directions for the Candidate Comparison paper.

Numbers of Illegal Immigrants caught at border drops

The number of illegal immigrants caught trying to sneak into the United States has dropped since President Bush ordered the military to help tighten the border, the head of the Border Patrol said Tuesday. Officials surmise that part of the reason is that fewer people are trying to enter the country because they’re discouraged by the increase in efforts against them.
Immigrant rights advocates think the migrants may just be shifting entry points, crossing at more remote and dangerous areas. Maybe the thought of it being more dangerous will keep many from trying to cross.
~Bo Barfield

Soldiers cleared of killings in Iraq

The U.S. military has cleared a soldier of unlawfully killing an Iraqi civilian after investigators concluded Specialist Nathan Lynn had reason to believe the man was carrying a gun when he opened fire. Charges were brought against Lynn last month at a time when several murder investigations into U.S. troops in Iraq have prompted questions about their behavior and complaints from the new Iraqi government about a culture of impunity among soldiers. I am glad to see that this soldier is pardoned because convicting him would have done nothing but cause problems.
~Bo Barfield

Bush and Al-Malaki increase forces in Bagdad

President Bush said Tuesday a new plan to increase U.S. and Iraqi forces in the besieged capital of Baghdad will help quell rising violence that is threatening Iraq’s transformation to a self-sustaining democracy. The number of forces is estimated to be in the low thousands with Iraqis making up the bulk. I thought we were looking for a way to get troop out of this mess, not send more in. Am I reeding this wrong?
~Bo Barfield

President is getting sued?!?!

Sen. Specter, a powerful Republican committee charimen, is leading the charge agianst President Bush's signing statements. He stated yesterday, Monday, July 24th, 2006, that have a bill ready at the end of the week ready to sue the President for acts that he considers unconstitutional. Bush has challenged about 750 statutes passed by Congress, according to numbers compiled by Specter’s committee. The ABA estimated Bush has issued signing statements on more than 800 statutes, more than all other presidents combined.But many of Bush’s signing statements serve notice that he believes parts of bills he is signing are unconstitutional or might violate national security.
~Bo Barfield

Research Paper Help

I am creating this thread for those of us that have questions about the research paper.

Tuesday Class

We will have a quiz on Elections.

Contrary to popular belief, the day after the exam is the WORST day of the semester to skip class, particularly if you did poorly on the exam.

Should America Pay?

I read some where that it may be required that the American will have to give reparations to the African American there are many debate about should American have to pay or not.. I feel they should pay because we as African American were promise many changes after the slavery time which we never seen. Now let me know what you guys think about it?

W.M.D.

Here, a video in which a Lebanese Doctor tells CNN International that Israel is dropping phospherous weapons on Lebanon, and that these chemical WMD's are harming numerous civilians. White phospherous, or Willie Pete munitions, can be used as the most effective smoke-screen in small amounts, but large doses equate to what the U.N. classifies as "illegal chemical warfare". I told you that to tell you this...
Here, an Italian documentary depicting the use of W.P. munitions against Fallujah by the U.S. Army. You may remember that most people killed in Fallujah were civilians, though it was indeed the hotbed of the Resistance at the time. Anyway, journalist Guiliana Sgrena made the documentary, before being captured by a group of insurgents. She appeared on t.v. like the other poor souls who were most ceremoniously beheaded, but her release was negotiated by one Nicola Calipari, an Italian inteliigence agent who had negotiated the release of 5 Italian hostages in Iraq. Upon her release, the car she and Calipari rode in was gunned down approaching a U.S. checpoint, killing Calipari and wounding Sgrena. She told her story to 60 minutes. Sgrena writes for a borderline Communist newspaper in Italy and was openly anti-war. All I ask is, isn't this whole situation a little suspicious, or at least peculiar? We have the U.S. seeking to disram Iraq of WMD's, then sequentially dropping WMD's on targets within a civillian city. When an embarassing news report surfaces, the author is quickly stolen away by insurgents. After a 28 day span she is released, because an Italian National Hero who had arranged the release of numerous prior hostages (while we "don't negotiate with terrorists", and I've seen the beheadings online which prove that), somehow convinces them to let her go. Then, their vehicle, as it approaches the airport, is gunned down by Americans, followed by yet another embarassing news report. What do you think? Is it safe to say that Israel secured W.P. munitions from the U.S., since we sold them the rest of their military? And is it safer to say that the U.S. knew of the chances that W.P. rounds would be used on Lebanon? So is it thusly safe to say that the U.S. didn't try to stop them? Is it at least safe to say that the phrase "Do as I say, not as I do" has never been so liberally lathered on before the Bush Administration? All I know is, WMD's are WMD's are WMD's, no matter who is dropping them on who, what chemicals or biologicals or elements are used, or how badly the struggle becomes to cover them up. I encourage you to do some googling of your own, see some of what the man behind the curtain doesn't want you to pay attention to.

college students need medical coverage

I read some where that it may be required to have health coverage in order to attend a university. This is ridiculous!!! There are many students who are struggling as is, but they keep hope alive knowing that if they just press their way and finish their degree then they will eventually be able to afford good health coverage as well as other luxuries earned by completing a degree and landing a good job. I feel that this is an effort to weed out those who aren't so fortunate. If health coverage becomes a must in order to enroll in school then what will the outcome eventually be?

Death Penalty

It really bothers me that there are people who think that it is alright to even acknowledge the concept of an eye for an eye. This concept makes me ashamed to be an American. Who gave us or anybody for that matter the right to decide who should live and who should die. I see nothing right about playing God and that's exactly what's being done. There are those playing God by creating life and there are those playing God by taking life. What is this world coming to, and how can anybody justify this behavior?

The fighting in Israel and Lebanon has steadily become worse. I believe this is the 12th day of fighting and over 300 Lebanese citizens have been killed, about a 1/3 of them children according to CNN news. A missile from Israel supposable hit a mini bus transporting people out of Lebanon to a hospital and another hit a refugee camp. I know its difficult to accurately predict where your missiles will actually land but I do wish Israel would be a little more careful to where their missile hit; it's hurting their image in this war.
~Bo

GI's Accused With Murder

On May 9th 4 soldiers involved in a raid of a suspected al qaeda training camp were ordered to kill all military age males. The soldiers did as they were told and killed 3 suspected insurgents, and now they are finding them selves accused of murder. According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice the 4 accused can be sentenced to death. My views are that the trained special forces soldiers were following orders, according to me they did there job. Using the information available I think the death penalty should not even be considered and I dont think they should be held accountable for there actions, the higher officers that made the orders should be. I would like to here your views on this subject. Thankyou, Alex Clarke

Desloge drops out

Bryan Desloge droped out of the race against Cliff Thaell for at-large county commissioner. Desloge is running for the district 4 commissioner. Many Republicans were supporting Desloge as their best chance in years to beat Cliff. However, my man Thaell will prevail.

Test Help

I am creating this thread in case anyone has any questions that someone might be able to clear up for them.

Midterm Exam Review

Short Answer Questions
There will be 20 short answer questions on the midterm exam. They will be taken from the quizzes, homework assignments and the textbook assignments. Any of the questions from these assignments that haven't been previously crossed off could appear on the exam.

Essay Questions
There will be 4 essay questions on the midterm exam. You will have to answer 2 of the essay questions on the exam. The 4 questions will be taken from the 6 topics below. The topics listed below are more general than the questions will be on the exam.

Logical Fallacies
Totalitarian/authoritarian governments
Elite vs. pluralist theory
Political ideologies
Purpose and Functions of Political Parties
Functions of the mass media

Below is an example of what the essay questions will look like on the exam. In order to do well on such a question, you must answer all of the questions asked. Opinion will only be acceptable on the final question of the essay. Note: The question below will NOT be on the exam.

How a bill becomes a law
How does a bill become a law at the national level in the United States? What parts of government are involved in the process and what is the role of each? Who can propose laws? Who enforces laws? Who makes sure laws are Constitutional? In what ways can each branch of government implement policies? Is the process too complicated or too easy?

Peaceful Outcome?

Does anybody still think that the conflict in the Middle East will get better before it gets a lot worse? I guess the U.N. is going to send some peacekeeping troops. Do you think this will have any effect on Israel or Hezbollah's actions? I don't think that Israel or Hezbollah is intent on a peaceful resolution. It seems to me that Israel is after a lot more than their two captured soldiers. Israel did say that if these two soldiers were returned they would stop bombing Lebanon but I'm not really buying that. I believe they said that to make it seem like they were trying to be the more peaceful side and that they never expect to see those soldiers again anyways. Israel knows that if they want their soldiers back they're going to have to bring a lot more to the table and it seems as though they're not willing to do that. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but when these conflicts have happened in the past, it was Israel who always ended up releasing prisoners or giving away some land and Israel is just sick of being pushed around. As for Hezbollah they're a terrorist group. They're being backed by Syria, Iran, and possibly even China (an Israeli ship was hit by a Chinese-made rocket which went through Iran and into Hezbollah hands). I can't see them trying to work out a peace treaty here unless it involves Israel deciding to fold as a country or Israel releasing a large number of prisoners. Let me know what you guys think; I'm sure I left myself open for criticism.

Funderburke v. New York State Department of Civil Services, Uniondale Union Free School District, et al.

"(New York, March 16, 2005) — In legal papers served today, Lambda Legal has taken the first step toward filing a lawsuit on behalf of a gay couple who were legally married last year in Canada but were denied spousal health benefits from Uniondale Free School District on Long Island. The lawsuit will argue that state law clearly requires government entities to respect marriages performed out of state, including same-sex couples’ marriages that were legally performed elsewhere.
Lambda Legal represents Duke Funderburke, 72 , who worked as a teacher at the Uniondale Union Free School District in Nassau County for over 20 years before retiring in 1986. He married his partner of 42 years, Brad Davis, 67, in October of 2004 in a ceremony in Ontario, Canada. When Funderburke requested that his retirement health benefits be extended to his spouse, just as benefits are extended to other married retirees, the school district refused.
“New York law is clear that when couples get validly married somewhere else, their marriages are recognized in New York. It doesn’t matter whether same-sex couples can get married in New York right now – if they were married legally somewhere else, the law says they’re legally married here,” said Alphonso David, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal who is handling the case.
The papers served today say that the school district violated its contractual, statutory and regulatory obligations, as well as common law and the state constitution, in refusing spousal coverage to Funderburke and Davis (The papers served today are a notice of claim that will allow a lawsuit to be filed in 30 days). Lambda Legal also cites opinions in recent months that were issued by New York’s Attorney General and State Comptroller, both clearly saying that out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples must be recognized in New York."

http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/press.html?record=1665

If a legally married couple moves from Florida to Georgia, their marriage is valid also in Georgia, correct? Is this a reasonable argument for the two men in New York?

R. Mitrosky

Thursday Class

We will have a quiz on political parties and leadership.

Bring your book, it might come in handy during the group activity. Then again, it might not.

Don't forget to bring the first page of your web page assignment.

Tallahassee Expansion

Plaza Tower


My fellow classmates, I am pleased to inform those of you who aren't quite aware of the wonderful things happening around this area.
I've been in Tallahassee one year. (And what a short year it has been)
Throughout this year, I've seen Tallahassee starting to experience the surge of growth and expansion that the rest of the State has been experiencing for a long time.
I think it might be safe to say that within ten years, we might actually look like a true thriving "Metropolitian Capitol City".
Its about time, thats all I can say.
I will highlight some of the big projects that you will see added to our skyline within the coming year or so.
I'm sure you guys have noticed the almost near completion of two 10 to 15 story condominium buildings downtown recently. "The Tenyson and the brick one near the capitol"
Kinda giving us an urban appeal ehh? Well brace yourself for this. You haven't seen nothing yet!
Number One= I'm sure some of you have seen adverstisements around town advertising concierge style living downtown right? "What is that?" I hear people asking. Well my friends, it is a 23 story Condominium sky rise called Plaza Tower about to take to the sky. The bottom floors will have shopping, restaurants, and tons of other retail. The rest of the highrise will be residential condominiums starting at about 200 thousand all the way up to 800 thousand dollars. to give you an idea of how large this building will be (in Tallahassee standards =), it will stand proportional to the Capitol Building.
(State law mandates nothing can be higher then the Capitol building in Tallahassee because it suggests that the state is inferior??? Don't ask. )

Plaza tower will stand at 23 stories. Yes, the capitol is 22 stories but the lower elevation from which the foundation of this tower will be constructed upon will make it even. This is going to be a beautiful addition to our downtown and help bring back vibrance. A picture is seen above of what it is projected to look like.
I present, Plaza Tower in her early stages.

Secondly= Another project is underway and right where noone is expecting it. Have you noticed the sudden demolishing of a BP gas station, a Napa Autoparts, and Hertz Car rental in town recently? Well, there was and it is on the corner of North Monroe and Tennessee Street.
From this site, you will see the project has already started. The proposed building is another large condominium sky rise roughly around 18 to 20 stories and the developer is Booth Properties. Now before you all get scared at that, please note that I seriously doubt this building will look anything like all the other crap you see Booth build locally. You know, those funky looking apartment complexes standing on two story iron girders with cars parked below. The location will have codes to hopefully prohibit anything as ugly as that going up on Monroe. But the location is brilliant. Its kinda scary imagining such a large building towering over this intersection but kinda cool at the same time. 18 to 20 stories is proposed but I have not been able to get my contacts to verify that yet. Booth has been very quite on their plans. I work at Florida Channel in the Capitol Complex so all these projects will come into our studio at some point.
If you wanna keep informed and up to date on all the expansion from West Capitol Circle all the way to the Georgia border, visit the Tallahassee forums at www.urbanplanet.org and there is a thriving Tally forums thread there.
Now since you are aware of the building going up on the corner of Monroe and Tennessee, I would like to take your attention to the corner directly across from it. This area is the temporary construction site being used to build the Tenyson which is almost near completion. That is a large, vacant, and prime piece of real estate just waiting for concrete to be poured on it.
Right now, there are several proposals on the drawing boards and several very interested developers who will be fighting for rights to build there. It is currently owned by the same people building the Tenyson but they might decide to sell it to another developer. Everything is still in speculation in simple terms. But some of the proposals I have heard for this property are exciting. Some will go as high as 24 stories and maybe higher if they can meet the harsh restrictions given by the City. It is possible to get above the Capitol, you just got to include the right stuff such as residential catering. Anyways, it is going to be big. Rest assured of that.
Just within the last 2 years, Tallahassee will be getting 4, possibly 5 high rises downtown so change is bound to happen. I realize that there is a portion of you out there who don't like to read this but it is going to happen sooner or later. Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the Union and we currently rank 4th in population. So it is only a matter of time.
It would definitely be nice getting off the interstate a few years from now and seeing landmarks that will define our city and show it in it's true glory. Such as having a skyline with lighting that can be seen from a far.
What happened to Tally?
What happened was around the turn of the Millenium, Florida finally decided to leave the fate of Tallahassee's downtown in the hands of the city, not the state, itself. So now since we no longer have a state government dictating to us what we can and cannot do with our downtown, you will be seeing some drastic changes in the coming future. Tally is a great city. It is unfortunate though that a lot of the alumni of FSU, TCC, and Famu cannot stick around after graduation because of a economy which seriously lacks high paying jobs. So they move on to other places. This is starting to change.

Matthew Meadows

I Pledge Allegiance...

seriously

I Pledge Allegiance...

Here's the link...

I Pledge Allegiance...

Here a short history of the Pledge. Thought it was relevant because of the new legislature that "protects" the pledge. Most of note is that "under God" wasn't added until 1954, over 50 years after it's origin. Also of note is that it references liberals' removal of "under God", and pro-life conservatives added liberty and justice for all, born and unborn". While this is only the adding or subtracting of phrases while reciting, based on personal choice, the page makes the bold claim that the Pledge will be altered in this decade (writtin in 92), and now the only legislation is that recently prohibiting any Pledge alteration. Interesting?

Open-Source

First let me say that this is in no way a knock against Prof. Quinnell. that being said, POS2001 is one of the many classes in which the teacher requests certain formats for papers and other assignments, namely Microsoft Word. Aside from the fact that Micosoft has had a stranglehold on all things computer for too long (they even had copyrighted all fonts on word, so Times New Roman was a misnomer if you didn't use Word), this shows a quasi-discrimination against old-school formats like notepad, or anything on MAC. Anyway, I thought I would link this and let you see for yourself the flaws inherent in the widespread use of MSWord. Do yourself a favor and support open-source software like OpenOffice. it's the wave of the future, and you'll want to beat the crowd.

Wednesday Class

We will have a quiz on Mass Media.

Make sure you bring your logical fallacies handout to class, we will use it in our group discussion.

Textbook Assignment 4

1. What is the law of anticipated reactions?
2. Define subculture.
3. What agent of socialization usually has the strongest effect on most people?
4. Define public opinion.
5. Name three factors that influence public opinion?
6. In opinion polling, what are the two major ways to come up with a representative sample of the public?
7. What is the newest and fastest growing mass medium?
8. What is the bandwagon effect?
9. Generally, what kind of relationship has media had with government since the late 1960s?
10. What did the Supreme Court rule in New York Times v. Sullivan?

Textbook Assignment 3
Textbook Assignment 2
Textbook Assignment 1

The Shelter

The Shelter, on W. Tennessee Street may be shut down, within the next year or so. The Shelter, like its name should suggest, is a shelter for the homeless of Tallahassee. Like many homeless shelters, they aim to provide humble housing, solid meals, and job opportunities for those who need a hand up. Beyond the basics, The Shelter provides rehabilitation for its residents, of which there are an abundance. However, the city of Tallahassee claims that those goals are no longer being met. Without successfully rehabilitating afflicted residents from their addictions, the City does not consider The Shelter to be moving forward. I don't beleive the city aims to shut down the local shelter, but indirectly the possiblity is very real. A major part of The Shelter's funding comes from the city, and the basis of the funding is from reaching results, including rehabilitation and short-term residencey needs. Without these being achieved, the funding may very soon be pulled, and speculation of the workers suggests that the loss is too great for the shelter to afford continuing on its own.

Does this seem like a fair basis for the city to pull funding from the homeless shelter?

The location of The Shelter is also up for concern. Being located on W. Tennessee street, it's considered prime real estate. Yet, it draws no profits considering the business housed there. Though it is a prime location, it also deters from the sucess of neighboring businesses.
If it is not shut down, should the center be relocated?

- R.Mitrosky

Local shooting

Article pulled from talgov.com http://www.talgov.com/communications/newsdetail.cfm?id=525

"Update on Shooting
July 18 On July 14, 2006, at approximately 10:25pm, the Tallahassee Police Department received a 911 call reference to a traffic crash with injuries in front of 2677 Old Bainbridge Road. Officer Doug Kutchera arrived on scene, and attempted to make contact with Ball, who was involved in the traffic crash. Several witnesses advised Officer Kutchera that Ball was acting irrational and observed him mutilating his genital area with an unknown metal object.
Off-duty Tallahassee police officer, Cleveland Allen, observed Ball’s action and stopped to assist Kutchera and asked him if he had a Taser. Allen then told Kutchera that he was going to get his Taser and started to run to get it. As Allen was running, Ball began chasing him screaming incoherently and waving the metal object above his head in a slashing motion as he chased Officer Allen. Fearing for the safety of Officer Allen, Officer Kutchera then began chasing Ball, telling Ball to stop. Ball turned toward Kutchera and began coming at him still screaming incoherently and waving the metal object above his head. Based on the actions and behavior of Ball, Officer Kutchera believed that Ball created an imminent threat to both Kutchera and Allen. Kutchera fired his weapon multiple times striking Ball. Investigators later identified the metal object in Ball’s hand as a pair of channel lock pliers.
The autopsy was performed on Saturday July 15. The final results of the autopsy, including the toxicology analysis, are pending release from the Medical Examiner’s Office. However, based upon observations on-scene, investigators have reason to believe Ball had been using cocaine and possibly other illegal narcotics prior to the traffic crash.
As with all law enforcement shootings, this event will be reviewed by the Leon County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury is scheduled to meet on August 31, 2006."

The witnesses of this accident were 2 co-workers of mine. This all went down in front of Campus lodge on old bainbridge. The car that was hit spun and smashed into a tree and knocked the tree over pulling up all of its roots. The two witnesses, one was a young, pregnant woman, and the other was young male. The two were driving to the man's house to drop him off, when the car in front of them was struck at incredible speed. The events then escalated from a horrible traffic incident to those described above. The witnesses, my friends and co-workers were present until 2am answering questions for police officers. They were not a couple, the female was just giving our co-worker a ride home, something that I usually do for him. Though that particular night, I wasn't working. The cops repeatedly concerned my two friends, saying that it easily could have been them in the accident. What if it were? What if I had driven him home? Who would have witnessed it then? Many times people are too afraid or unconcerned to stop for traffic accidents. Before the self mutilation, before the police officer was threatened, before the fatal shooting, this was just a traffic accident. My friends put themselves at risk, to do the right thing for the victims. Would you have stopped to help?

-R.Mitrosky

Java tsunami

Another tsunami killed hundreds yesturday. It is scary to think of all the natural disasters that have taken place in the past few years. Has it always been like this or is the Planet just mad? I know that sounds silly, but we must be going in the wrong direction environmentally speaking. There are a lot of humans and we are multiplying. I wonder what this hurricane season will be like.

Stem Cell Research

I don't know how I feel about stem cell research. I think it could be used for incredible things, but it's strange that we can create things in such a manner. Is it really natural to be MAKING new organisms? How do you feel?

Monday Class

You will have the quiz on Political Culture, Socialization and Public Opinion.

Bring your textbook to class, you will need it.

You will be getting all of your assignments back, including your papers.

We will go over the grades for the opinion papers and Assignment 4. This would be a really bad day to miss class.

There is no class on Tuesday.

Should we support Isreals consideration of sending in land troops to invade and occupy southern Lebanon as a way of stopping the attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah ? No one can get enthusiatic about the thought of an invasion of someone else's country but if we did decide not to support Isreal , the minute the world suspects that Isreal has been weekend and isolated then Isreal's enemies will become bolder. The world think Isreal is a military and political pitt bull because the U.S. is its financial, political, and military sugar daddy. When the rest of the world learns about the U.S not backing Isreal fully, Isreal will have been transformed from a pitt bull into Paris Hilton's chihuahua. As a result greater and wider conflict is the probable result our failure to support a long term ally.

Israel bombs Hizbollah leaders home

It seems as if Israel is not going to back down on this one. If Lebanon continues to hold Israel's soldiers hostage, then I think they should carry on with the bombing of military and government targets.

Here is the link.

Textbook Assignment 3

1. Define referendum.
2. Name three essential characteristics of a democracy.
3. What is civil disobedience?
4. Who has the power in elite theory?
5. Who has the power in pluralist theory?
6. What theorist came up with modern liberalism?
7. What theorist originally came up with conservatism?
8. What theorist came up with socialism?
9. Define nationalism.
10. Generally, what does a Libertarian believe?

Friday Class

We do not have a quiz on Friday.

Assignment 4 is due.

IRan and Israel

What does the Iranian President mean when he refers to Israel as "The Zionist Regime"?

Questions

There are several assignments that are due soon, so I am creating this thread/post for those of us that have last minute questions.

Thursday Class

Make sure to bring your textbook, you will need it for the group activity.

Your research topic is also due on Thursday.

Feedback -- Spot the Urban Legends

For the activity we did on July 10 -- determing what urban legends are true and false -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Possible 2008 Presidential Candidates

Keep in mind this list includes everybody that is rumored to be considering running. Most of these people have not declared that they are running.

Sen. George Allen, R, Virginia
Sen. Evan Bayh, D, Indiana
Sen. Joe Biden, D, Delaware (Definitely running)
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, R, New York
Sen. Sam Brownback, R, Kansas
Gov. Jeb Bush, R, Florida (Unlikely in 2008, probably later)
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D, New York (Almost definitely running)
Sen. Tom Daschle, D, South Dakota (Almost definitely running)
Sen. Christopher Dodd, D, Connecticut
Sen. John Edwards, D, North Carolina (Almost definitely running)
Sen. Russ Feingold, D, Wisconsin
Sen. Bill Frist, R, Tennessee
Rep. Newt Gingrich, R, Georgia (Almost definitely running)
V.P. Al Gore, D, Tennessee (Says that he isn't)
Mayor Rudy Guiliani, R, New York (Almost definitely running)
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R, Nebraska
Gov. Mike Huckabee, R, Arkansas
Sen. John Kerry, D, Massachusetts (Almost definitely running)
Sen. John McCain, R, Arizona (Almost definitely running)
Gov. George Pataki, R, New York
Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice, R, Alabama (Unlikely)
Gov. Bill Richardson, D, New Mexico (Almost definitely running)
Gov. Mitt Romney, R, Massachusetts
Gov. Brian Schweitzer, D, Montana
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R, Colorado
Gov. Tom Vilsack, D, Iowa (Almost definitely running)
Gov. Mark Warner, D, Virginia (Almost definitely running)

A search for any of these candidate's name will easily turn up a lot of information on them, they are all pretty prominent politicians.

Wednesday Links

Geneva Convention applies to detainees

India terror attack

Budget deficit drops

Republican Senate primary poll

Katherine Harris 48%
Leroy Collins, Jr. 11%
William McBride 6%
Peter Monroe 4%
Undecided 31%

Israel

Link
The Israel-Palestine situation continues to heat up. Today an Israeli aircraft bombed Palestine's Foreign Ministry building. No one was reported to be injured but it caused serious damage and sent another stern message. The message was aimed at the foreign minister, Mahmoud Zahar, who is the leader of the group responsible for the kidnappings of Israeli soldiers. At least 24 Palestinians were killed by numerous Israel attacks today. Israel is also fighting its border with Lebanon, where terrorist group Hizbollah, killed either Israeli soldiers and captured a couple more. With Syria possibly joining to help the Hizbollah, Israel could be in a bad spot soon and looking for help.

Children of Illegal Immigrants

There are many children of illegal immigrants that have been in the U.S since they were infants. Consequently, they were raised and educated in the U.S., many attended elementary, middle, and high school. At the time of college enrollment, many realized that they did not have the appropriate documentation, such as social security number. Therefore they are not able to pursue higher education. Do you think that they should be able to have an education in the U.S. as an in-state student?
What about the children of illegal immigrants that were born in the U.S.? Do you think that the U.S. government should take away the right to these children to be U.S. citizens? Do you think that these children have to pay for their parents mistakes?

Africa

The United States of America is always wanting to help other countries... But Africa needs our help and we haven't done much of anything. I think the U.S. Should look into helping them. What do ya'll think?
-Christina Dixon

Does the media cause violence?

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-1.2/Media.htm
I personally feel that the media might be responsible from some violence that people display. However, I believe that media can not make someone commit a crime, such as murder. I believe it is a lot more than just the tv we watch, or the music we listen to that can justify why we act the way we act. The background of a person could explain the reasons why they might commit such a crime. What do you all think?

-Selah Manning

Should teens be allowed to refuse cancer treatment?

AOL News - Teen Fights for Right to Pick Cancer Treatment

This story is specifically about a boy named, Abraham Cherrix, 16, who has Hodgkin's disease in his neck and chest. He has, with research, decided against going a second round of chemotherapy, that Doctors highly recommend, because he feels it nearly killed him the first time. His parents are backing him up on his decision. However, The Accomack County social services agency disagrees with the parents and are calling it medical neglect and now they have joint custody of Abraham. They are asking that the court rule the boy to do the chemotherapy.

"In deciding whether a child or parents can refuse medical treatment, courts consider the child's age and maturity and the family's reasoning in declining treatment, but also whether the treatment has been shown to work and whether the child has already had the treatment, " says Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Everyone wants Abraham to get better. Especially Abraham. But I believe some people know their limitations and what's right for them. I know he's 16, and maybe isn't mature enough to handle this kind of situation, but doesn't this kind of situation force you to mature, and fast? He has done extensive research on his options and is currently undergoing an herbal remedy and an organic diet that is being watched over by the Mexican clinic. Although neither have high success rates, or success rates at all, it's what makes Abraham happy. I believe they should respect his wishes and let him live and die how he sees fit. What are your feelings on teenagers refusing medical treatment?

Here is his website: My Journey- Home

-Leslie Haskew

"An Inconvenient Truth"

I saw Al Gore's new movie "An Inconvenient Truth." It is about global warming, and the devistation we are facing if we don't act now. Gore put this film together really well. It covers all aspects of global warming. If you are interested it is playing at Miracle five.

Wednesday Class

We will have a quiz on Political Ideologies.

You might want to bring your textbook. It isn't required, but it might (or might not) help you with the group discussion.

India Bombing

Terrorists strike again, this time in India killing approximately 160 people. I think we should offer support to track them down.

Here is the link

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act proposal by the Senate. 100 Million Immigrants?

100 million and counting?

Now, this is where the impact of the U.S. population comes in. It makes sense to me.
It took me a while to locate this study because it was run on CNN like 2 months ago but this is what I have been basing my debate off of. The full report can be obtained from
http://www.heritage.org/research/immigration/wm1076.cfm
This just brushes the surface of a very in depth analysis of the CIRA.
Its only a projection analyzed, not fact. No one knows exact figures when it comes to immigration. If they did, would there be a debate?


“A Flood of Legal Immigrants
Under CIRA, immigrants could enter the country or attain lawful status within the country through eight channels. In each channel, immigrants would be granted permanent residence and the right to become citizens. The first channel represents immigrants who would have entered under current law; the second channel represents illegal immigrants who are currently in the country and would be given legal permanent residence under the bill. The other six channels represent new inflows of legal immigrants that would occur as a result of the bill. The total number of new legal immigrants over a twenty year period would be as follows: (See Charts 1 and 2.)


1.Visas under current law: Roughly 950,000 persons receive permanent residence visas under current law each year. Over 20 years, the inflow of immigrants through this channel would be 19 million. This represents the status quo under existing law.

2.Amnesty: The bill would grant amnesty to roughly 10 million illegal immigrants. These individuals are currently living in the U.S.; amnesty would allow them to remain legally and to become U.S. citizens.

3.Expanded family chain migration: The number of family-sponsored visas for secondary family members, such as adult brothers and sisters, is currently limited to 480,000 per year minus the number of visas given to immediate family members (spouses, minor children, and parents of U.S. citizens). The bill changes the law so that the total quota on secondary family members would be 480,000 without deductions for immediate family members. The net increase in the number of immigrants under this provision would be around 254,000 per year, or 5.1 million over 20 years.[14]

4.Employment-based green cards: The bill would increase the number of employment-based visas from 140,000 to 450,000 per year. For the first time, it would also exempt the spouses and children of workers from the cap. Total annual immigration under this provision is likely to be 450,000 workers plus 540,000 family members annually. The net increase above current law over 20 years would be around 13.5 million persons.[15]

5.The guest worker (H-2C) program: CIRA would allow 325,000 persons to participate in the guest worker program in the first year. This number could rise by 65,000 in the next year and then by 20 percent per year. Assuming 10 percent annual growth in the annual number of guest workers entering the country (well below the bill’s maximum), the total inflow of workers under this program would be 20 million over 20 years.

6.Spouses and children of guest workers: Guest workers could bring their spouses and children to the U.S. as permanent residents; the added number of entrants would be 24 million over 20 years.

7.Spouses and children of illegal immigrants given amnesty: Illegal immigrants who received amnesty could bring their spouses and children into the U.S. as legal permanent residents with the opportunity for full citizenship. The number of spouses and children who would enter the U.S. as a result of amnesty would be at least six million.

8.Parents of naturalized citizens. The bill would substantially increase the number of naturalized citizens. Naturalized citizens would have an unlimited right to bring their parents into the U.S. as legal permanent residents. Over twenty years, the number of parents who would enter the U.S. as permanent legal residents as a result of CIRA would be around five million.

Overall, the bill would allow some 103 million persons to legally immigrate over the next twenty years. This is roughly one-third of the current population of the United States. All of these new entrants would be permanent residents and would have the right to become citizens. This would be a 84 million person net increase over current law.

Legal Flow Compared to Illegal Immigration
All of the immigration discussed to this point would be legal immigration. If illegal immigration continued after enactment of S.2611, the inflow of immigrants would be even greater. Although illegal immigration is considered a major problem, the proposed legal immigration under CIRA would dwarf it numerically. The net inflow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. population is around 700,000 per year.[16] Legal immigration under CIRA would exceed five million per year, seven times the rate of the current illegal immigration flow. Annual legal and illegal immigration together now equals about 1.7 million; future legal immigration alone under CIRA would be three times this amount.
Range of Estimates
The figure of 103 million new legal immigrants is based on the assumption that immigration under the guest worker program would grow at 10 percent per year. If guest-worker immigration grows at the maximum rate permitted by the bill, 20 percent per year, the total number of new immigrants coming to the U.S. over the next twenty years would be 193 million. On the other hand, if immigration under the H-2C program did not increase at all for two decades but remained fixed at the initial level of 325,000 per year, total legal immigration under CIRA would be 72 million over twenty years, or more than three times the level that would occur under current law.

Posted by: Matthew Meadows

What do you think?

This isn't about a current event, but it is about one of the most important events in the history of America. Of course I'm talking about 9/11. A quick summary: Plane #1 crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Could this have been an accident? Maybe. Plane #2 crashes into the south tower. Ok, it's not an accident! Plane #3 crashes into the Pentagon. Now, after all this there is another plane that has gone off course. It has turned around and is heading in the direction of Washington, D.C. You now have to consider there are two likely targets, The White House or The Capitol. The subsequent events told to the people of the U.S is that the passengers atttacked the hijackers and crashed the plane into a field. I don't believe this and I never will. Until the day I die I will believe that plane was shot down by a U.S military jet. A location was chosen where the plane would fall into a field, not a populated area. This was done to protect another American landmark from destruction. I, personally, have no problem with this. I feel sorry for the families of the passengers, but inevitably they were already doomed. My heart goes out to the pilot of the plane who had to do it, and to the person who ultimately had to make the decision. These are my thoughts, I'd like to hear yours.

Kim Jong Il

I don't think this guy has a sane bone in his body. He brainwashes his people who he's starving and the country is sensored and cut off from the rest of the world. He has proven time and again that he cannot be trusted and I believe we need to come down on him hard. This is a man who claims to be heaven-sent; reportedly shooting a 38 UNDER in his FIRST round of golf, which on a standard par 72 course is an astounding 34, just 1.88 per hole. Also, he wanted the United States to return counterfeit money that was being produced by him in North Korea. I think it's time we get whatever weapons of mass destruction that he has out of his hands. Maybe we'll just wait until he sends a wake-up call. I'd like to hear what actions you guys think we should take regarding North Korea.

Tuesday Class

We will be going over the research assignments and research paper directions tomorrow. This is a very important class day, you should not miss it.

We will not have a group activity.

A Couple of Points

1. You cannot get credit for a comment by just saying "I agree" or "I disagree," you actually have to explain why.

2. You cannot get credit for a post by just saying "what do you think" or "here's a good link." You actually have to say what you think about the issue.

3. You can get credit for a post by advocating for a candidate. Don't repeat what others have said, though.

4. The word "blog" refers to this overall website, not to an individual post, which is referred to as a "post." Responses to a post are called "comments."

Gay Parents

Does the sex of two parents make them better canidates to raise children. I don't believe so, I can think of many straight couples that have children and are probably the worst parents I know. When I think of most of the homosexual couples I know they really take pride in being a parent and love that child unconditionally. So what do ya'll think? If the parents are straight are they better parents?
-Christina Dixon

Cliff's a Keeper

Cliff Thaell is currently a LEON county commissioner. He is running again and I think it is very important that he be re-elected. The man running against him is Bryan Desloge. Desloge is very avid on the development and growth of Tallahassee. If you are concerned with the rate of development and destruction Tallahassee is facing vote Cliff Thaell for county commissioner. He is concerned for the natural heritage and local business of Tallahassee. Thaell is a registered democrat since 1964.

Friday Link

Mexican Election

Is the justice system fair to men when it comes to custody?

When a mother gives birth if she is not married she is considered the custodial parent and the man has to file for his rights which in many cases are denied or are not as equal as those of the mother. Is this fair considering both he and the mother went half on the baby they concieved? What about in instances where a male was not ready to be a parent. Should he be allowed to request to sign over his rights and not be financially obligated to that child? From my understanding if a mother is not in agreeance with him signing over his rights then he is obligated to pay child support.

Same Sex Adoption

I believe that are far too many children in the foster care system for people to use the issue of a persons sexual prefrence as a predictor as to if a couple is eligable to adopt or not. My belief that same sex couples should be able to adopt as long as they were found finacially and mentally capable of caring for that child was concrete until I saw that shw with Rosie Odonald on that cruise. I saw that One couple allowing their little boy to get his nails polished and they said that they were letting him explore his options and decide what he wanted to be. Because of that I'm not quit sure where I stand anymore. Should a persons sexual prefrence be a determining factor as to whether or not they can adopt? Despite what statistics say can a child that has been reared in a same sex family be considered as "normal" as one that was reaed in a "normal" family?

What role does males play in abortions?

What role does the father of the unborn child play in the decision making process of an abortion? Should there be a law giving him the right to have any say so? I think that this is a hard question because without the male there would be no situation, but how can he tell a women what is best for her mind state and her body when he is not capable of carrying a child? Boy I tell ya post partum does exist and it's no joke!!

end of ze world

Is nuclear war possible. We should hope not because this is what will happen... <>

Mr. Quinnell's POS 2001 Blog

What do you guys think about border patrol and keeping illegal immigants out of the U.S.?

Monday Class

We will have a quiz on Democracy, Totalitarianism & Authoritarianism.

The opinion paper is due. Make sure you submit both the paper copy and the electronic copy.

Those who turned their papers in early need to make sure I have both the electronic and the paper copies on Monday or they will not be considered early.

People who turned in the electronic early, but not the paper: Baker, Clarke, Head, Leisch, Maric, Meadows.

People who turned in the paper copy early, but not the electronic: Barfield, Chery.

Amensty for breaking the law or Justice enforced? you choose.

As all of you probably have heard in the last couple of months, illegal immigration has been a huge debate within our country and the profound signifigance it will have on November elections is paramount. It will make or break the parties. As a matter of fact, both parties are split right down the middle as to what should be the proper course of dealing with such a complex issue.
Without getting to detailed, let me just brief you on the two bills being proposed by our Senate and House of Reps. Both are extremely different in their approaches. The Senate Bill calls for a guest worker's program to help assimiliate the estimated 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants into our country and as a consequence, violators of federal immigration laws just pay a fine and work for a couple of years and they become citizens. There has been waves of opposition to this solution and it has been called amnesty from key movers in both the Republican and Democratic parties. No matter what the supporters of this bill might argue, this is purely amnesty. Amnesty as defined by Webster's dictionary means a pardon by the government for political offenses. Now if someone considers a small fine a "just" consequence for breaking laws that enforce national security a fair punishment. Then I personally think we should just hand this country over on a silver platter and make it another province of the Mexican Government. But wait, some think that is already what we are doing. The senate bill also proposes a small wall to be built in high trafficking areas on the 1200 mile long border we share with Mexico? What good would this do? If your going to build a wall, build it to enforce all boundaries, not to divert traffic to other open areas!
The bill proposed by the House is quite different. It calls for security of our borders to be under control before the debate for what to do with the current 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants even begins. It seeks to convict all 12 to 20 million violators as committing a felony. By doing this, it would automatically make all of them felons which means automatic deportation as written under federal law. I agree this is a harsh punishment. But what good does it do to have laws if we don't even enforce them? What does this tell the millions of other potential immigrants who wait in line and do it legally? Legal immigrants have claimed this amnesty and guest worker's program to be a slap in the face. I would have to agree with this. The house bill also proposes a 1200 mile wall to be built which would span the whole border we share with Mexico. Some consider a wall useless, but if you have necessary resources on the other side backing it such as border security agents and virtual barriers, it can be done. The house bill supporters are not opposed to a guest worker's program but what they would like to see addressed first is national security concerns before we have another influx of some 2 million illegal immigrants rushing the border who are trying to get on American soil in time for our lovely amensty plan that they think might pass. It makes sense! Why put the cart before the horse? I agree that deportation of some 20 million people would be difficult ( not impossible) and would impact our economy tremendously but do we want to go ahead and add another 5 to 10 million to that figure within the next few years? I recently saw some predictions on CNN Lou Dobbs tonight analyzing the impact that the senate bill would have on our demographics if it were to pass and some figures I saw almost brought discust to my mouth. By 2025, all illegal immigrants who get amnesty would be entitled to bring their children, parents, spouses, grandparents with them thus raising the U.S. population by 125 million people by the year 2025. That is almost half of the population we currently have in America right now. The population of Mexico itself is roughly around 100 million give or take. Like I said, lets just go ahead and annex the country into ours and rename ourselves the United States of Mexico. Is it just me but aren't we seeing a outsourcing of American jobs by the thousands to foreign countries like India, Mexico, and China?
Immigration is a crucial key to the prosperity of America and our economy. After all, it is what made this country so great. But we have a system that has failed us up to this point and we need to act quickly. It needs to be done gradually, legally, and safely. I shake my head in astonishment just how many people die just trying to get here.
I strongly oppose the senate proposal.
The solution to any major problem is tackling it at the source and the rest will fall into place.
Instead of rallying against the people who are trying to make better lives for themselves, lets punish the Americans employers who are violating laws such as employing people under the table and evading taxes, social security, medicare, and much more! If there is a system in place that would make jobs for illegal immigrants scarce or even non-existent, then they would not rush our borders. The outcome will be only one option, legal entry in order to obtain legal employment. This is another mess of itself but I get sick and tired of hearing Employers claim they can't find Americans to do the jobs. Maybe if they paid more then 6.45 an hour, you might have more people willing to accept employment. It is also cheaper for an employer to pay someone under the table and avoid the I.R.S. because then they don't have to pay into programs such as medicare, social security, and etc. If the typicaly legalized worker makes 9.00 an hour, the employer actually will end up paying a few dollars in addition to that. So no wonder why they will pay under the table when they can get away with it and save that much money. A solution, for every illegal immigrant they employee, tack on a 25 thousand dollar fine! You'll see them change their behavior real fast and then maybe we won't have an on average influx of 2 to 3 million illegal immigrants a year. I'm not not against immigration, I'm against people who manipulate our system.

Matthew Meadows

Ken Lay's Final slap-in-the-face

With the apparent death of Ken Lay, former demon-child behind Enron, the Pandora's Box of what is lawsuit-worthy is opened again. While ordered to shell up nearly all the profits he had bamboozled from his employed, Lay's heart attack conveniently occurred before he had a chance to file a legitimate appeal. Because of this, his lawyers will push for the original ruling to be thrown out, so none of those who were denied pension and 401k's will see a dime of money they worked they're whole lives for. Now, I say "apparent" death because that's all the faith I give to the media and the government. The President was known to have good contacts with Enron CEO's, and I doubt that faking a man's death would be overly complicated for the President. Also, when Bush appeared on Larry King Live last week on his 60th birthday, Larry asked him about Lay and Bush was mostly speechless. I don't want to say suspiciously speechless, but it was. He said nothing of the usual eulogizing speech associate with the death of a friend, and seemed overly uncomfortable fielding questions about him. Did anyone else see this interview?

Did you know....

Did you know that Tallahassee does not provide people with drug addictions with the proper resources to seek help? If you research the topic you'll find that someone over the age of 24 has no where in 850 to go to get help. They only want to help the age bracket of 18-24 ( Which they refer to as the young adults). Also, I lack the understanding of why does rehab cost money? It should be a nonprofit organization. Many people probably want to seek help but can't find where to go and/or can't afford it. how do you feel? (Rain Hardy)

Should non-re-occurring convicted felons be punished their whole lives?

If you have been convicted x number of years ago and havent been in any legal trouble since should you still be restricted in society? In any way? I think not! (but then again... it depends on the crime!) And your opinion is?.... (Rain Hardy)

Why should Social Security be taken out of our check?

If you have yet to hear social security benefits could be bankrupt by the time our generation is due to collect. Even after we have paid our dues we may not recieve any!! Well, in my opinion this should be illegal! I could use my money now! As a broke college student God knows I sure need it! What do you all think? (Rain Hardy)

Abortion....

What is your opinion on abortion? At one point I was fully against it but as time pass and the older and more mature I become the more my viewpoint changes. As of now I am undecisive. I now see more than one side of the issue. What's your argument? (Rain Hardy)

GAY MARRIAGES

What is your intake on gay marriages? In my opinion i don't think that it is or should be a big deal. Heterosexual or homosexual be with who you choose to be with. So what do you think?..... (Rain Hardy)

Textbook Assignment 2

These are the questions for the textbook assignment we went over in class. These questions may appear on your exam. We will go over the answers to these questions on Monday.

Chapters 3, 4, and 13

1. What are two crises of nation building?
2. In the four basic types of government classifications (statist, socialist, laissez-faire, welfare state), which type does the U.S. have?
3. Name three symbolic public policies.
4. Define constitution.
5. Name two of the purposes of a constitution.
6. What is the difference between civil rights and economic rights?
7. Define sedition and give one example of a statement that would be considered seditious.
8. Define republic.
9. What are the two major types of electoral systems?
10. What does balkanization mean?

Feedback -- Textbook Assignment 2

For the activity we did on July 7 -- obtaining answers to exam questions from your textbook -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Feedback -- Politics and Popular Culture: Song Evaluation (Garth/2Pac)

For the activity we did on July 6 -- examining songs by Garth Brooks and 2Pac for political content -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Feedback -- Name the Logical Fallacy

For the activity we did on July 5 -- naming various logical fallacies based on a list of statements -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Friday Class

Make sure to bring your textbook to class tomorrow, you will use it.

Tomorrow is the last day to turn in your opinion paper early. Otherwise it is due on Monday. The electronic and paper copies are due on the same day. Papers without an electronic copy will receive a "0."

Tomorrow is the last day to turn in your syllabus contract. Students who do not turn this in tomorrow will be administratively withdrawn from the class. Here are the students who have yet to turn it in: Cluett.

Also, tomorrow is the last day to turn in your introduction letter or conduct your in-office interview. Either of these can only be done in my office. This can be done after this week, but at a 50% penalty. I will only be in my office for about 15 minutes before class and 15 minutes after. If you cannot make it in that time for your interview or to deliver your letter, you cannot get full credit for this assignment. An excused absence for tomorrow will NOT allow you to get full credit for this assignment, since you have had two weeks to complete it. Here are the people yet to complete this assignment: Barr, Brecheisen, Clarke, Dator, Head, Jackson, Mercer, Mitrosky, Patel, Wilford.

ALSO VOTE FOR WILL MCBRIDE

Will McBride is running for U.S. Senate. I first met Will here in tallahassee when he moved here from orlando, fl. He started his formal education here at FSU, then moved on to peperdine university to obtian his law degree. During his years in Tallytown, he and my family experienced many great times togather. Now he is running for office, I can help popularize his name. He is coming through tallytown in late july. I can give dates later. The link to his site is www.mcbrideforsenate.com.

Feedback -- Textbook Assignment 1

For the activity we did on June 30 -- obtaining answers to exam questions from your textbook -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Feedback -- Critical Thinking 9/11 Photo

For the activity we did on June 29 -- using your critical thinking skills to examine the photo and e-mail about the picture from the World Trade Center -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Site Update

I've added the APA Grammar & Punctuation Guidelines.

Vote for Sally!

My Aunt, Sally Gandy is running for County Commissioner in Wakulla County. It's been real interesting because I had the opportunity to march in the 4th of July parade and help promote her campaign. Plus I got a free T-shirt out of it. She has a PhD in Family Relations/Child Development and was a professor at Florida State. She is running as a Democrat and her slogan is "Charting the Future Together". Unfortunately, I will not be able to vote for her because I am not registered in Wakulla County. However, I remain confident that with her background and expertise, she will be the next County Commissioner.

Here is the link for some background information.

On a lighter note...

This is a short article from the Tallahassee Democrat about Attorney General Charle Crist and how he raised 2.12 million for his campaign for Governor.

Link

Stability or Uncertainty in Our Eastern Hemisphere? You choose.

All these launches simply verify is a cat and mouse game being initiated by PyongYang and Washington's response is not to yield to what Pyongyang ultimately wants. (Which are direct talks between both countries) Since Iran has been the highlight of international attention for the last few weeks, North Korea feels that they have lost the spot light. Not to mention the incentives and rewards Iran is being offered to abandon their quest for nuclear capabilities; North Korea probably seeks such an incentive package themselves. The most disturbing thing about this whole situation is that America being the last superpower left on the world stage has her hands tied by a country who's economy is roughly the size of our smallest state. And she can't do anything about it. Do you have any idea how bad this makes us look? Even if sanctions were to be passed by the worthless UN security counsel, the people to feel the results would be the oppressed people of North Korea. Meanwhile, Pyongyang leadership will continue to live their lives to the standards they are accustomed to. In my own opinion, Kim Jong-Il seeks to eventually gain economic advantages from his missile drama as a final outcome. He has voiced his ultimate goal for a long time and it is no secret, he seeks a unified Korea. If the world thinks he is going to abandon his nuclear quest because of a few light water reactors and aid from foreign powers. Think again! North Korea has violated the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty before and also violated their agreement to abandon their ballistic missile programs twice! This country has no credibility. Therefore, the ultimate solution is regime change in my opinion. Please don't interpret this as me saying that we should rally our armed forces and do another "March on Baghdad". There are other ways about pursuing such a path such as a similar process which we have began with Iran and the Mullahs. We didn't touch a hair on Moscow and eventually the collapse of the Soviet Union was underway. It took place from within. North Korea is the last Stalinist regime in the world and they are not going to let go of their power easily. But if for a minute we think they will respond to our UN warnings and sanctions, think again. The five-party talks with major powers such as U.S., Russia, China, European Union, and North Korea have been in a stalemate for almost a year. All these games are doing is buying the North more time to expand on their technology and nuclear arsenal. The last thing I would like to see is another Korean war, this time being fought with nukes versus the 1950 scenario. Given the failure of both the Clinton and Bush administration to contain Kim Jong-Il since he took power in 1994, I don't see any other option except for eventual regime change. The question I pose to you is how might we pursue this without an Asian crisis where Japan accelerates rapid military expansion and takes the matter into their own hands? I wouldn't underestimate their capabilities. It was mentioned in class today regarding Japan. Most people are under the impression that Japan is still regulated on how large their armed forces can be as dictated in Post WW2. It is worth mentioning that Japan has been gradually rearming since the launch of a stage one Taepodong ballastic missile in 1998 which landed some 100 miles or less from Japanese shores. It is definitely in favor of the U.S. that Japan's rearmament is key to maintain a balance of power in the Eastern Hemisphere to offset China's silent rise to become "the" dominate power in the Eastern Hemisphere. Most people might not realize this but Japan is as strong if not stronger an ally as Britain to the U.S.
The thing to know regarding Japan is that the peaceful government established in the Geneva Convention is no longer regulated to such limitations. Currently in the works is a revision of their "passive constitution" to allow greater military might in the name of Self Defense. Considering the vast size and wealth this country has, it won't be long before they become a key player in world affairs again.
What this has to do with North Korea is the fact that such behavior coming out of Pyongyang has been one driving force to force Japan to change her ways. Maybe we can cut China a deal. They can annex Taiwan back into the People's Republic of China if they will allow regime change on their Northeastern borders. That is just a far fetched thought which I realize would never pass. The last thing Beijing wants is more U.S. troops stationed in a unified Korea to pose an even more immediate threat to the sovereignty of the established communist regime. =)
I support a unified Korea. That is, under the leadership of Seoul. Let’s fix this situation before Japan and South Korea take action into their own hands. Within recent years, the South Koreans have been distancing themselves from Washington in hopes of reaching truths with North Korea. But do they honestly expect different treatment from Kim Jong-Il? In his eyes, they belong to him. (Not vice versa)
We should be seeing a change in winds within the coming 2 years in South Korea as well. The movement happening from within will probably end up replacing the current administration in Seoul who seeks to put distance from Washington and go solo in efforts with the North. The alternative would be a hardliner’s approach which would realign efforts with Washington and Japan which would be more of a “Hawk’s” approach raising an iron fist to Pyongyang rather then a “sure lets keep playing cat and mouse while you continue to strengthen your nuclear and ballistic arsenal.” This I can see a more positive outcome within a shorter time period then the current approach.
It’s a mess. That’s all I can say. There is no question that this does pose a serious threat to the future security of our planet and things need to be done before more resources become available to this Rogue North Korean Regime. I take a similar standpoint on Iran.
Written by: Matthew Meadows

Good Hunting

Feedback assignments

Mr. Quinnell,

Is there any way you can provide the questions of the classroom activities when you post the feedback assignments? I was having a hard time remembering which classroom activity it was and I would not have remembered if I didn't look at the other comments the other students had posted. I think that would be helpful.

Thanks
-Selah Manning

Thursday Class

Make sure to bring your logical fallacies worksheet to class, you'll be using it again.

Also, we will be listening to two songs for our class discussion. One of these songs contains profanity. If you find such language offensive, you may be excused from the activity, but you need to let me know in advance. You will still be required to attend class, you'll just sit outside while the song is playing.

Feedback -- How Does Government Affect Me? Classroom Activity

For the activity we did on June 28 -- identifying how government affects your daily life -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Feedback - Politics and Pop Culture Class Activity

For the activity we did on June 27 -- identifying examples of politics in popular culture -- answer the following questions. This is required of all students.

1. What did you learn from this activity?
2. Did you enjoy this activity?
3. What would you do to improve the activity?

If you were not present for the activity, please post "I was absent" in comments.

Wednesday Links

North Korea missile test

U.S. interceptors

I thought this was interesting. Apparently, our government was not taking any chances with North Korea's missile test. Here's the link.

A Note On Sources

The links I provide you on the blog will come from one of three places:

1. Online journal articles that are publicly available.
2. Other professional and/or academic sources online.
3. For current events, Yahoo News contains a broad variety of links on each particular story, and I'll use them. I'll try to vary the sources, so that I spread them around and you can see news stories from a variety of different newspapers, television stations and other sources, both domestic and international.

Site Updates

I've updated the following sections of the class site:

Sources for Extra Credit Assignment

Audio Lectures

Governor Tracking Poll

An example of a proper References page

Wednesday Class

Make sure to bring your logical fallacies handout to class, you will need it.

Tuesday Class

There is no class on Tuesday due to the holiday.

Go out, get something to eat that's bad for you and watch people blow stuff up. Or you could study.

Monday Links

Florida governor polls

Gallagher Scandal 1

Gallagher Scandal 2