"We interrupt this program to reflect. . ." (24)

Yup, it's just about halftime and it looks like I'm still on the winning team as far as grades go. (Studies may show a link between telephone operators and higher grades.) Time has flown by like a slug on a roller coaster. And now, even before I can take time out of the game, as I make the last lunge for the ball, I am already forced to look back on the first half of my Junior year in high school.

School work can be a drag, but in Chemistry we're going out on a cheerful note; we have recently been studying the gas laws. Well, maybe I'm the only one who actually enjoys it, but learning about PV=nRT is fascinating! Also, I've learned a bit more about time management, through the unofficial intensive course that is forced upon every W.A. student. My fellow men's chorus members and I have learned some really neat songs; after working hard on the pieces, I've been able to figuratively lean back and relax while singing, enabling me to listen to the meaningful words of the song. I've had many good laughs with the Juniors and the English teacher, Ms. Chi. And I've spent hours trying to hack out eloquent blogs.

As far as funny things that happened this year, I really can't bring to mind the year's funniest moment. But Carsten, Manny, and I did have some laughs on Openhouse night, as I called from one phone in the dorm to the other, posing as an automated telemarketer. The great part was that both phones in the guys' dorm were in the same room! Oh yeah, you guys, (you know who you are) you never claimed your free cruise :-P

Yeah, this year's been fun. And tiring. And boring. And frustrating. And soporific. (Seriously, you need to read your dictionary.) But despite the seemingly dead-weight cons that threaten to tip my balance in favor of deserting W.A., there's that all-important, unmeasurable factor that keeps drawing me back. It's the special memories, made sweeter by the friends they are shared with, and the promise of new memories to be made with friends, old and new alike.

But the school year isn't over, so you can't shut me up yet. Don't go away; I'll be right back after this break!

To Be Perfectly Honest . . . (23)

Here's another charged question on ethics: Should one hold secrets that have been shared by a friend, even if someone is in danger? Would this betray the friend, as well as break some unwritten code of honor? My response is: Forget about not wanting to hurt your friend's feelings. Do the right thing; secrets should only be kept if they protect people. And if the situation is confusing enough to make you question which action would be right, pick the "lesser of two evils" (Source unknown). If it's inevitable that someone's going to get hurt, either keep the secret or disclose it so that the least amount of damage occurs.

Life is so much simpler when complicated stuff like this doesn't happen. But that's not the case, so it can still be made easier by developing and following protocols like the one outlined above. If all else fails, just stop listening to your friends' secrets. Or catch the next Space Shuttle flight.

Brains for Sale (22)

In the most recent prompt, Ms. Chi asked us a no-brainer – excuse my pun: If you had to choose between beauty and brains, which would you pick? For those uncertain individuals, a good question to ask next would be: Which one gets you further in life? I’d pick brains hands-down. Good judgment and a sound mind are the keys to success. All the beauty in the world couldn’t begin to take their place. There’s a proverb that describes this best: “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.” (Proverbs 11:22 NASB). This verse really applies to both genders, and it perfectly illustrates why I would choose brains over beauty.

Do It If You Can (21)

I believe that men and women really do have roles exclusive – perhaps not entirely – to their gender. Some things men are more suited for, and likewise, women are better at occupations. An extreme example of this is that men are not capable of childbearing. Much has been said in jest that even if they were, the human race would have been all but extinct by now because of the inconvenience involved. So there are definitely things that men and women should stay apart on.

But if a woman badly wants to enter a career that is male-dominated, she shouldn’t be prevented unless it is downright unethical. There are exceptions to every case. What I always say is, “If you can do something well, by all means do it. If it’s wrong, by all means, don’t do it!”

Oh yeah, and ladies . . . don't try to join a men's chorus.

Thanksgiving: When Gobblers Thank the Gobbled (20)

Last week, my family and I spent a quiet Thanksgiving at home. A spectacular vegan meal gave me plenty to be thankful for. While scanning the news headlines online after dinner I came across an article featuring the annual presidential pardon of a turkey. For the past 60 years, the U.S. President has granted official pardon to a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, expressing national gratitude for the thousands of turkeys consumed on this holiday.

Navigating to the article I saw a picture of President Bush, with outstretched arm, bestowing the honor upon one of the two large birds that were pardoned. Following the ceremony, the turkeys were flown first-class to Disneyland where they took the place of honored guests in a Thanksgiving Day parade. To borrow the title from a Reader’s Digest column, you’d find something like this “Only in America.”

Nah - I Already Saw It On TV (19)

According to a man by the name of E.B. White: "Television hangs on the questionable theory that whatever happens anywhere should be sensed everywhere. If everyone is going to be able to see everything, in the long run all sights may lose whatever rarity value they once possessed, and it may well turn out that people, being able to see and hear practically everything, will be specially interested in almost nothing."

I especially like the last sentence. As I grow older I seem to find fewer and fewer people that are willing to go out and do fun stuff like backpacking, canoeing, and mountain climbing. Perhaps it’s since they’ve seen it all already on TV. For them it’s more interesting to sit on the couch and “experience” the thrills portrayed by a $15,000 plank on their wall. After all, they don’t have to put forth any pains to see something spectacular.

Come on! Where’s the sense of adventure that drove man to Everest, Antarctica, the moon, and beyond?! As CGI succeeds in transforming fantasy into reality before an audience’s eyes, the desire to explore the uttermost reaches of the globe and the mind is being lost. Spectacular reality is willingly being traded for fantastic nonsense.

Solitude vs. Loneliness

Loneliness comes about when you are isolated from people. That’s a simple definition but it gets a bit more complicated. The first time you headed off to summer camp you probably didn’t know anybody and the first thing you experienced was a form of loneliness called homesickness. When you’re deprived of having social interaction with familiar figures and you’re forced to be around those aren’t comfortable with you start to become lonely.
Mark Twain’s statement: “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with one’s self,” puts a twist on loneliness that not many people like to admit. When you don’t like the person you’re with 24/7 (yourself), you begin to grow lonely. People will try to drown this sense out by constantly surrounding themselves with others or distracting their minds when they are alone. It can be downright frightening for them to be alone with no music, TV, or email and instant messaging. It’s important to be able to live with oneself. It’s important that a person be able to be alone for reasonable periods of time without being lonely. Personally, I enjoy moments of solitude when I can think and ponder, and I think that creativity is reduced when people cannot be by themselves.

Back 2 School - Again? (17)

It’s back to school for baby boomers. A recent trend has put middle age adults back in the classroom as they try to pick up where they left off, or expand their horizons. According to the Newsweek November 5, 2007 edition, nearly 2 million college students are age 40-64. Talk about continuing education! Up until recently, factors such as daytime class hours and no financial aid for part-time students made going back to college difficult for grown-ups with a job and a family. Now boomers are learning new trades, trying out new jobs, and educating themselves as they move toward retirement age.

I think it’s a good idea to keep learning throughout one’s life; it keeps your mind from growing dull as you age. The effect on society that these returning students will have should be positive. They will be able to further stress the importance of education.

The Newsweek article Heading Back to College mentioned 59-year-old Mike Flynt who went back to college to get back on the football team he was kicked off of during the 70s. That’s just one of the thousands of cases in which a person has decided to give a second try where they failed during their younger years. If I had been in the same position I would probably have done the same thing; it would be really annoying to reach retirement and always remember that one big blunder from college.

These adults are pretty brave to be attending classes at college when the majority of students are young enough to be their kids. Other problems may come in the form of the modern, technologically oriented classroom. But in the end the thirst for knowledge overcomes every obstacle, producing smarter grown-ups.

Let's Keep Things Straight

Multitasking is a skill that pilots must learn in order to operate safely. Multitasking comes harder for guys, and coincidentally most pilots are men. I learned about this new skill first hand on an intro flight I took a couple years ago. My flight instructor had just landed the plane at the Lincoln-Harder Airport and I was given control of the plane once more.

“Taxi to the end of the runway, then we’ll head back to the ramp.”

It was a sweltering summer day and now that we were back on the ground I began to feel the uncomfortable heat building up in the cabin.

“Is it okay if I open the window?” I asked.

“Sure, go ahead.” Taxiing a plane is no big deal at all – steering is done with the feet and the throttle is a sort of cruise control. I turned to my left and started unlatching the window. Immediately my willing plane followed me, veering left toward the grass at a good 15 mph. Woops. I stomped on the right rudder pedal. There we go. Come on window, open. Keep going straight! Finally I got the window open without turning the plane into a lawnmower. My driving was certainly unique, however.

A few minutes later I was in the car heading back to Weimar, having finished my second (most people take only one) introductory flying lesson. Intro flights, while not being full-fledged lessons, still teach students valuable principles: look to make sure it’s clear before you turn, pull back a bit more when banking, and always use checklists. I came back from the airport that day with one more thing to remember: I still have a lot more to learn about flying – especially flying on the ground!

My Newest Undertaking

In order to make Ms. Chi happy, I must inform you that neither Obama, Clinton, nor Edwards will be America’s next president; I am. Through an interesting series of events, some of which are related to English blogging assignments, I have just arrived in the Oval Office. (Probably the first time a green card-holder has received this privilege.) There are three important items that must be taken care of right away, and I intend to carry them out immediately:

(1) Doctors in residency must not work more than 80 hours a week.

(2) National debt must be reduced to a pronounceable number.

(3) “Modern” methods of producing dairy and meat must be replaced

Lofty goals yes, but for an aviator like me the sky is the limit. It is vital that these issues are dealt with. Doctors in residency are subjected to extreme fatigue that is no doubt reflected in their treatment of patients. Who wants to die in the hospital just because Dr. John Doe didn’t get enough sleep last night? I will be sending the FAA over to the FDA to give them a few pointers on the need of proper rest. (The FAA can’t afford to be killing hundreds of people through fatigue-related accidents, unlike our nation’s hospitals.)

Now on to national debt. The plan is to provide every American with a low-cost CO2 collection device. Through breathing into this device for an hour a day, Americans will reduce millions of tons of CO2 emissions. Revenue will be generated through selling this valuable greenhouse gas to Iran to aid in their new alternative fuel program.

Now, after giving everybody more years to live and more money to spend, I must make sure that health is imparted to everyone. Many Americans subsist on meat and dairy; what they don’t know is the methods by which these manufactured products make it to their table. Through rigid legislation I will bring back meat and dairy that is not saturated with hormones and diseases. My goal is to make everyone wiser about what they put in their mouths.

With these three bold steps, I plunge into the thick of the battle. With these three actions I will make every man and woman in the U.S. healthier, wealthier, and wiser. And with these three decisive deeds I commit myself to the service of the American Nation.

Memorable Holidays (14)

I enjoy most holidays, but probably my least favorite holiday would be Halloween. In 2004 I was in a city just outside of London on the 31^st of October. It was a chore trying to get to sleep that evening, as there were firecrackers and bottle rockets going off every five seconds. The doorbell sounded numerous times as hopeful hooligans roamed from house to house. That was not a fun night. Thankfully no rigged one up anything to my uncle’s new car and we departed several days later with an unharmed vehicle.

My most favorite holiday falls on the 21^st of March. Oh, wait — maybe that’s not an official holiday. Ok, I like New Year’s Eve. In the most recent years I have started staying up to experience the changing of one year into another through the progression of a single second.

2005 was almost over, and my sisters and I decided we would stay up until midnight, to witness the death of the old year and the birth of the new. About an hour from the time of new beginnings, we lapsed into a state of lethargy, punctuated by senseless laughing. The seconds slogged by until finally the last of the millions of seconds that had paraded past alongside the year 2005 exited the stage of time. My sisters and I watched breathlessly as the trembling hand in the clock lingered for a moment in the fleeing past. Then, as if with enthusiastic resolve, the needle leaped forward into the bold new future. 2006 had arrived.

Of course we don’t have one of those fancy atomic clocks. It probably had turned 2006 five minutes before. The three of us stumbled off to bed. What excitement!

Temperance - Good for the Man, Bad for the Can (13)

Drinking, a problem that dates back to Noah, continues to have a degrading effect on society. Unfortunately, teenagers like to experiment with alcohol and end up wasting their health and lives away. An issue that was brought up in the U.S. News & World Report October 8, 2007 edition showed the problems that are coming up because of underage drinking parties. Some states are producing legislation that will hold parents accountable for their teens’ drinking. Severe fines and time behind bars are some of the penalties for parents not being careful enough.

The so-called social host are aimed at reducing underage drinking. I’m inclined to agree with the lawmakers. Teens must have a tangible evidence of why drinking is bad. However, stricter rules may just push underage drinking underground. Parents should be held responsible for their children’s harmful habits because it is the parents’ responsible to raise their children correctly. However there should be a means of transferring the adverse consequences of that responsible onto the children (community service hours, etc.).

The long-term effects of parents allowing their children to drink at home will be slightly worse than the effects of teens drinking outside the home. Teens will be lacking a positive example from which to base their adult lives off of. There is only one real solution to the problem of underage drinking: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.

The Magnitude of Greatness (11)

Potential energy is a good comparison of the potential greatness in everybody. An ball lying a hillside has potential energy; this potential energy would be translated into kinetic, or working energy if the ball was pushed and it started rolling down the hill. In a similar manner, human beings have the potential to be great. That potential is there, but something needs release it and translate it into working greatness.

Now I'm not arguing the inherent goodness of man. Man is evil, but when an outside force intervenes, man can fulfill the potential to become great. Now what is greatness? Greatness is seen in the man that glorifies his Creator. Greatness is achieved by improving every opportunity that the Creator gives. The hand reaches out and pushes the ball. The ball has a choice to continue rolling - or not to.

Tighten Your Seatbelts (12)

If it weren't for those unintelligent seatbelt designers, I wouldn't be stuck in this pickle. With the average girth of the population is increasing, guys like me who have 30" waists are having a hard time tightening our belts. Or seatbelts in this case.

Having just acquired my pilot's license, I decided to explored my expanding horizons in a different plane than the one I had trained in. Heading down to the the local flying club, I had an instructor give me a checkride to make sure I could fly the plane, and then I was off. After opening my flight plan I proceeded on course to an airport about 50 nm away (nice short hop for a new pilot).

I wasn't expecting much turbulence, and that's where the seatbelt problem came in. Apparently the turbulence was expecting me. Somehow I'd chosen to fly the Jungle-Plane Hippopotamus Edition (not the aircraft's real name) and I had naively disregarded the fact that I could fit four of myself in the seat after tightening the seatbelt as much as I could. Hey, a small circuit around the airport doesn't really have any bumps, unless you make terrible landings.

But now I find myself alone in the cockpit at 12,000 ft, being knocked around the cabin like a marble in a tin can. It's amazing that I'm still conscious after banging my head for 20 minutes. I remember a grey roll of sticky stuff I had left in my flight bag. Never thought it would have such use. And that's how I ended up duct-taped to my airplane seat.

Small People - Big Waves (10)

When Andrew Larochelle, an 17-year-old Ohio Eagle Scout, received the flag that he had requested to be flown over the White House, he discovered that the reference to God on the certificate had been removed. Larochelle was planning to give it to his grandfather, but that vital element was missing. Andrew wrote to his congressman and succeeded in influencing the Architect of the Capitol to reverse the ban on religious expressions on flag certificates; they concluded the personalized message belongs to the individual and is not a public matter. While only being a high school student, Andrew Larochelle stood up for something he believed in and took the matter right on up to Capitol Hill, even though he was just a kid like the rest of us at W.A. Seemingly insignificant people matter a whole lot. In the words of Dr. Seuss, "A person is a person, no matter how small."

References:
FoxNews
The Columbus Dispatch

When You Gotta Go. . . Don't At To McDonald's (9)

Necessity is sometimes the mother of embarrassment. I was on lunch break during a colporteuring blitz and I stopped by a McDonald's to visit the restroom. To my dismay, I discovered an "Out of Order" sign on the men's room. Beneath the bold words were the following lines: "You can use the ladies' room." Oh joy. I went and locked myself into the ladies' room. As I was washing my hands, the thing I was dreading happened.
Somebody started yanking on the locked door handle. Because the men's restroom was further down the hall, the people that would normally use the ladies' restroom would never see the "Out of Order" sign. What was this lady going to think when I unbarred the door and sauntered out? There was no escape. I flipped the latch and came out with a sheepish look on my face. Her relieved expression turned to one of mild horror.
"The men's room was out of order," I hurriedly explained.
The face once again showed relief. I quickly exited the building, trying to leave the annoying experience back with all the trans fat and other unhealthful things in McDonald's. So much for waiting for lunch break to go.

A Favorite Saying

Good riddance. A commonly used, and might I add valuable, term coined by the famous Shakespeare, this phrase communicates some of the most profound emotions a human could experience. A dictionary might define the phrase like this: A declaration or exclamation of pleasure over the departure or absence of an unpleasant person or thing. In simple language the meaning is thus: After the final examination in history class (a purely hypothetical situation), the pupils are allowed to dispose of their textbooks in the trash can - good riddance!

Somebody To Look Up To - Literally (8)

If one day as I was washing dishes, and a genie happened to pop out of a jam jar and extended to me the opportunity to meet someone, from the present or the past, I would choose to meet John Glenn, one of America's first astronauts. I admire John Glenn, along with the six other astronauts of NASA's Mercury program, for having the courage to ride into the unknown frontier of outer space. Some of the questions I would ask him would be:

(1) How did you get into the space program?

(2) How did you feel when you found out you were going to be one of America's first astronauts?

(3) How did you like the publicity of being such a celebrity?

(4) What was it like on launch day, after you were strapped in, and the hatch had been closed?

(5) Did you have any misgivings about riding into space on top of a missile?

(6) What was it like when you reached space and began experiencing weightlessness?

(7) When Mission Control told you of the potential problem with your capsule's heat shield, what immediately went through your mind?

(8) Can you describe the experience of reentering the atmosphere with the capsule's retro-pack still on? Was it terrifying?

(9) What do you have to say aobut our Earth, having seen it from outer space, asonly a handful of people have seen it?

(10) Do you sitll believe in space exploration? Why?

3rd Grade: Day 1 (6)

It was my first day at my new school. Weimar Elementary had no school-teacher so I was now getting to be shuttled back and forth with the other Weimar kids to Pine Hills Junior Academy. The fruitless search for a teacher had delayed our enrollment, and now we were arriving several weeks late. As the classroom door opened before me, 25 pairs of 9-year-old eyes locked onto me. Oh joy.
I launched head-first into the task of learning the do's and dont's of grade school life. Class began with a battery of ITBS evaluatory tests. My nose was starting to run and I was starting to worry. The scrap of tissue in my pocket wasn't going to last 15 minutes if I started falling sick then. Jason, a guy I knew from Weimar, suggested I ask the teacher to send me home sick. I waved my hand.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Tucker?" I called out softly.

"Now open the test booklet to page 4 and wait until I tell you to begin." Mrs. Tucker was finishing reading the test instructions. I waved a bit higher and harder.

"Begin the test. There will be absolute silence."

This will not do. The faucet on my nose was slowing unwinding. I stood up and purposefully strode to Mrs. Tucker's desk at the front of the classroom.

"Excuse me - " I started.

Glancing up with a horrified look on her face, Mrs. Tucker hurriedly shooed me back to me seat.

"Stay seated. You're supposed to be taking a test," she whispered. I tried to protest, but she turned back to her desk. This tissue's just gonna have to do.

By trial and error I was introduced to the "important" aspects of life, as stressed by my fellow 3rd-graders. Don't walk across the grass in front of the school. Don't play with the 5th-graders at recess. Finish lunch by 12:00: you're required to go play during the next half hour. When you're swinging, never let your swing line up with the girl's next to you: it means you're married. Etc.

The large life or death matters of 3rd grade have become the silly trivialities of yesterday. I have matured. Somewhat. But isn't it the same way for teenagers as well as grown-ups? Wouldn't you say so? If you said no, just remember that it's the people who deny this reality who started the whole dilema anyway.

It Trends to Get Weirder

Ms. Amarachi, our beloved English teacher, had us do some heavy reading for this post. The article by MSNBC entitled "Tattoos and Knitting" introduced the the topic of microtrends. Interests that have generally been ignored by those who are "normal" seem to be getting more popular, such as an increasing number of teenage knitters and tattooed businesspeople as well as the fast-growing group of videogaming moms over the age of 45. All I can say to the last group is that is weird.

So what are microtrends anyway? Microtrends can be described as large-scale deviations of a population from what previously was considered to be the norm. Say if 90% of all new Weimar employees were former Navy Seals, you'd have a microtrend.

Now there doesn't seem to be any logical explanation to this kind of a phenomen. Unless there's something wrong with the water, my hypothesis is that the interests of people these days are simply changing, perhaps because of the influence of the media. Some of these strange departures from the "norm" are just a matter of personal taste, but not all microtrends are harmless. A growing trend is to view the gay lifestyle as normal. This is degrading for society. Eventually the freedoms that people are trying to obtain that “don’t hurt anybody else” will eventually bring others down anyway.

The news article we had to read for this assignment is based on a book entitled Microtrends. The author came to came to the remarkable conclusion that if politicians were to cater to current microtrends, they would win instant popularity. Not surprisingly, he was hired by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Penn, the author of the book, had been meaning to write the book for years. He now decides to publish it, at the same time that he is involved in political campaigns. Interesting.

Now are there any microtrends at Weimar Academy? Not having the statistical information to back up my opinions I really can’t cite any trends aside from that fact that a lot more shirts are appearing at school with little eagle or alligator logo on them. Okay, maybe that’s just a fad. However, I do remember that when Rachel (my beloved sister) was in academy, there seemed to be a lot more Asians at Weimar. While Weimar Academy still maintains an international mix, it appears more students are from the States. But don’t quote me on that one, Audrey.

Dejavu - For the 3rd Time (3)

Ah, yes. I have once again experienced the paradoxical joys of camping. Last weekend's annual Weimar Academy fall camp-out took me and my fellow classmates once again to the shores of Lake Tahoe to enjoy the sand and sun, the heat and cold, the food and hunger (between meals), and the best part of all: sleeping in a tent! Wow! Several discreet remarks from a few happy campers (including, but not limited to Ms. Polk) gave me the impression that everyone really enjoyed the comforts that sleeping in a sack of cloth on top of a slab of foam had to offer. Well I certainly enjoyed it.

Some of the highlights of the weekend for me were the canoeing, Mr. Bushnell's pancakes, canoeing, using my new tent, and of course canoeing. (Hey isn't that what lakes are for?) The annual hike to Desolation Wilderness is getting a bit old after doing it for three years. The last night at camp a full trash bag was left out and Mr. Boyd, the math teacher, got to listen to the melodious sounds of a bear grunting and thrashing his way about camp with the bag in its mouth. Yeah, camp-outs always have their share of excitement. I was loathe to leave the homework-free environment when we packed up Monday morning. Oh, well, not to worry. One more Tahoe camp-out until I'm out of here!

The Memory Lingers On (4)

Six years have gone by since the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Time rolls on, yet for many, that day continues to haunt them as if it happened yesterday. On that infamous day America, and the whole world, learned just how far those who harbor hate can go to inflict pain on innocent people.
Ask almost anyone in the States if they remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the attacks, and nearly every person will be able to relate with perfect recall exactly what was happening at the time. I was in 5th grade at the time and when I showed up at school, everyone was talking about buildings collapsing and black boxes. The pieces started filtering in and slowly began to learn of the horror that had taken place that morning.
How and why should the world and America forget 9/11? Has it been possible to forget Pearl Harbor? Countless lives are lost everyday, but let this serve as a reminder to how base and hateful people who do not love the Lord can become to fellow mankind. Let those hurt by the tragedy mourn the loss, but when they are finished mourning, let them rise up and stand strong for the values that make America a free country. Only by seeing the past mistakes and failures of humanity will people be able to know how to live to love and not destroy. Yes, remember 9/11. And remember the One who cried as He saw the events of history that would bring destruction unfold before His prophetic eye.

Right, Wrong, or Borderline? (2)

Mexico President Felipe Calderon's recent speech regarding illegal immigration has brought up a recurring dilemma. Should the United States permit thousands of Mexicans living illegally in the U.S. or should they all be deported? How easy should it be to gain entrance to the land of freedom and opportunity? What is the answer to this perplexing problem?
The answer is simple: grant green cards to the right people and prevent the wrong people from gaining access to America. Very idealistic (translated highly probable). The only way to solve a problem of this nature is by correctly balancing grace - amnesty in government terms - and the law. Unfortunately this solution is unattainable by mere mortals. The complexity of a problem like this reduces the probability that a satisfactory outcome will be arrived at by the parties involved. I will therefore not attempt to provide a solution.

My thoughts on illegal immigration:

(1) It's important to respect the laws of the land. It goes against the laws of America to enter the borders without a proper visa.

(2) Immigration officers can sometimes be downright mean. Friendlier officers could result in legally admitting the correct people into the States. Then the government could deport all the bad ones.

(3) Personal situations are the driving force behind the actions of those crossing the borders to find work. They may be leaving a life of utter hopelessness behind, or they may be supporting a family back in their home country. It is a terrible thing for a bureaucratic machine to decide the future of a family.

(4) President Calderon mentioned that illegal residents contributed to the economy. This should be no reason to allowing law-breaking.

From personal experience, the desire to stay in a place where one has the right, in a much greater magnitude, to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it can be very tempting go against seemingly foolish laws to remain in that position. The long-term complications may or may not be worth it.

Reversing the Shrivelry of Chivalry (1)

The dawning of the age of convenience has left an evident scar on the human of today. Effort just does not seem to be exerted. When your dishes are swept into a trashcan, when cell phones allow you to talk with someone ten feet away, and when a sophisticated piece of plastic called Roomba roams your kitchen floor cleaning up after you, how could you possibly be expected to politely pick up your classmate's homework should it happen to fall to the floor? Thus has occurred the "shrivelry" (shriveling up) of chivalry.
Society desperately needs in its young people the spirit of heroism and honor exhibited by the legendary knights. The following points are general guidelines that you could add to or begin your personal code of honor with:

(1) Pick up items that people accidentally drop. (Superior judgment based on the situation must be used if they start dropping stuff on purpose)

(2) Open doors for ladies. (If a lady, do not open doors for guys)

(3) Defend the innocent.

(4) Put others first. i.e. allow another person to have the first turn at water-skiing.

(5) Keep your word.

(6) Be courteous to everyone; extremely difficult but highly honorable.

(7) Live up to an honorable reputation.

(8) Do not accept dares to "prove" bravery; you can be confident that your honorable conduct will be evident to those who truly recognize it.

(9) Respect authority.

(10) Do not be afraid to assume responsibility/liability for an honorable cause. (Confess when you've been wrong.)

Following these points will be valuable in striving for moral integrity. Always remember that the underlying thing of every noble action is the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.