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In the article Donations sought, even as gas prices drop by the Denver post what matters is the community helping out those who are suffering from the failing economy. Even with the decreasing gas prices there are many people that nay have a hard time heating their houses this winter. Communities and organizations all over are pulling together to raise money to help out these families. I think that it is important for us to help those in need; after all if I was in need I certainly want someone to help me. One of my favorite memories is one Christmas when me, my family and two other families made a whole bunch of sack lunches then went downtown and handed them out to who ever looked like they needed some food. I loved doing this because watching how grateful they were was one of the most precious things I have ever seen. I think that if we all pitched in a little bit not only would those who are struggling be better off but I think that it would make everyone realize how much they have to be grateful for. One of the biggest problems with our society today is that we are never satisfied with what we are fortunate enough to have. Some people won’t have heat this Christmas, but some will be given heat because of their community pulling together to help through donations, and organizations.

PLN 12

In the article All alone (almost) at the top by the rocky mountain news what matters is how Barack Obama’s coming presidency has and will affect him and his family. The article talks about how his house is already blocked off and he rides in an armored limousine. Soon they will have to take away practically all of his connection to the outside world. He was probably expecting this and therefore he is just fine with it. But I think that it will be an extremely hard change for his wife and daughters to get used to. They will likely have to give up a lot as well. His kids will have to leave their friends, they probably will no longer attend school instead they will have a tutor. It would be extremely hard to grow up in the white house. Although it would be a fascinating experience, they are going to miss out on a lot. They won’t get to go out, or be with friends. However I think that it is wonderful how much they support him and that they are willing to sacrifice all that so that he can live his dream. It will be a big change for all of them but they are willing to do it to support Barack.

PLN 11

In the article Japan: Full-speed ahead for Christmas and New Year’s Eve what matters is what Christmas has become. In the article it describes how Christmas is like a car that is moving at full speed, with stores advertising trying to convince people that they simply have to have a certain product. Sadly for most adults it has become a season of stress and frustration as they try to find the newest toy that their kids simply had to have. For kids it has become a time where they demand and beg until their parents buy them the perfect gift, and lots of gifts. Often they aren’t even truly grateful they play with the toy for a couple hours maybe days, then it either breaks or they toss it aside with all the other toys they got bored with. Christmas should be a wonderful season filled with cheer, giving, love, celebrating the birth of a savior and everything that goes along with the Christmas spirit. When I think of Christmas I think of cookies and lights, getting presents, but even more I think of the immense joy of watching someone who is truly grateful open a present they never expected to get. We have all heard it a thousand times we give gifts because on this day God gave us the most precious gift, his son. But watching a homeless man receive a hot meal or a warm jacket, or a sick girl who has been stuck in the hospital for years receive a doll and a person to play with for an hour or two, makes me a lot more grateful for everything I already have. Christmas was never meant to be a season of rush and spending, like it is in this article, but I think if we focus on giving instead of getting it will brings the joy and gratefulness back into the Christmas season.

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In the article Senior Citizen Appreciation Day by the Nata Village blog what matters is recognizing their seniors. This village has decided that those who are sixty five and older deserve to be honored at least one day a year. They hoped that this event will give the village a lasting appreciation for their seniors. Senior citizens do deserve to be honored. They are the ones that have worked their whole life to try and make the world better for those that will come after them, and they often go unnoticed. It is a quality society once possessed, respect and appreciation for those older than you, but somewhere along the way that has gotten lost, and it has become a “me first” world. I see it all the time. People sliding past an old man with a cane so that they can get through the door, and get where they want to be, when they should be taking thirty seconds out of their day to hold the door and show a little respect. I admit that I often do the same thing, and my generation has gotten so bad that we are characterized by disrespect. If we had some respect for those older than us then, they would be more likely to respect us, and therefore I believe a large part of the generation gap could be breached. The Nata village is doing a good thing by teaching kids that seniors deserve to be honored.

PLN 9

In the article Father angry over child’s death by the Denver Post what matters are child abuse and divorce, and how it affects people. In the article two year old Elijah Archuleta died of severe burns, which were believed to be from his mother and her boyfriend. Elijah’s dad James was extremely upset over his son’s death. The mother and her boyfriend are being tried for first-degree murder. James talks about how his son never wanted to go with his mother, and he was going to fight for sole custody of Elijah and his older sister Serenity. It is terrible that this dad had to go through this, having his child killed by his ex-wife. Child abuse is a horrible thing; there are many cases of it every day. I never understood what could possibly go on in someone’s mind to make them think that it is okay to treat their kids that way. It makes it even worse that the parents were in a custody battle. Now it obvious who the kids needed to be with, the unfortunate part is that for one of them it is too late. My parents were in a custody battle for a long time, luckily neither of them was physically abusive. However the whole process of how much time you get to spend with this one or that one it is all very abusive on your emotions. These kids were very young so they really wouldn’t have known what was happening. I was thirteen an age where I wanted to and felt like I should have been able to choose things for myself. Divorce is a horrible thing to have to go through, and unfortunately often there is child abuse involved. Kids should never have to go through things like that. Often it forces them to grow up instantly and they never get the childhood that every kid should get a chance to live. And because they go through all this they eventually have to find a way to deal with all the pain and that often leads them down a horrible path. The father had the right to be angry over his son’s death, I hope he takes that anger and hurt and uses it to begin an organization to keep this from happening to more children.

PLN 7

PLN 7
In the article it’s the Parents’ Fault. Not. What matters is whose responsibility it is to teach kids about the danger of Internet sights like myspace or facebook. In the article the author has a conversation with a principle from a high school. The principle states that he thinks that it is the parents’ responsibility to warn their kids, and therefore it is the parents’ fault that kids get into so much trouble. The author however states that it is the schools job to educate kids and that means on everything, from math to Internet dangers. The author suggests that schools should start teaching kids about the danger in first grade so that they never even get into sights like myspace. But I would ask that if it is the schools job to teach kids everything then why would we even have parents? No schools are responsible for teaching kids academic subjects like math and English, and while there is no problem with schools warning kids of these things. It is the parents job to make sure their kids know about the world and know what is right and what is wrong. Therefore it is the parents fault and their responsibility.

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In the article No Child Left Behind from the Nata village blog what matters is education. At the Nata Priamary School they have made classrooms outside to ensure that all the children get a chance to learn. The kids even love to learn and they are very grateful for the chance to learn and they take pride in their work. This makes me wonder what school would be like here if all Americans were so eager to learn and grateful for the chance. If Americans were as eager to learn and took as much pride in our work society would be in a much better place. There would be less poverty, less crime, and fewer problems with the teens of today. Instead of dropping out of high school teens would work until they achieved their goals, they would get good grades, go to good colleges and find good jobs that they love. America is a blessed country; every child gets to go to school, but in the Nata village it is a privilege for them to go to school and that is why they are so grateful. We can certainly learn from them, I think everybody could use a little lesson on being grateful. Because we have always had public schools that anybody can go to for free we take it for granted. If we were grateful for the chance to make something of ourselves then we would develop pride in our work. By taking pride in our work, the standard of business, living, and even the level of self respect would all rise because when people take pride in what they do their best to make it the best it could be and as presentable as possible. If we took pride in our work and in everything we do then we wouldn’t settle for something that was mediocre we would do everything with excellence and a higher standard would be set. Because education has always been available to us it has lost its value, but it would be wise of us to learn a little something from the kids in the Nata village who it truly matters to.

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PLN 8
In the article Personhood Amendment Fails by the Denver post what matters is the right to life for every person. In the Colorado constitution it states the every person has the right to life liberty and property. This amendment puts a true definition to what a person is; it said that a person is a person from the time they are conceived. There really isn’t a definition of when a person is considered a person, and therefore it is left up to the courts to interpret what is or isn’t a person. When I think of a person I think something that has a heart, lungs, a brain, fingerprints, eyes and can feel, at just 5 weeks a baby has fingerprints, at just 8 weeks it has a brain and can feel, by ten weeks the baby looks like a human and has a gender. By 13 weeks the baby looks like a human has a brain and feels; it has bones and even fingerprints it is a person, yet it is at this 13 week mark that most abortions are performed. It gets worse many abortions are partial birth abortions where the baby is delivered all except the head then its brains are sucked out, causing its brains to collapse. This kind of abortion is usually performed between 20 and 26 weeks, by this time the baby has a detectable heartbeat can move and even has hair on its head the baby is even most of the way born, that is definitely a person. But that is still not the worst of it, even after birth abortion is still not considered murder. This is where the mother gives birth to the baby prematurely then the fully born living breathing baby is left to die. They are even issued birth and death certificates; if that is not a person then even I couldn’t be considered one. So how do they get away with all this being legal? It is because the courts have been left to define what is and isn’t a person therefore they can change the definition, making something like leaving fully born living breathing babies in a dark room to die legal. Amendment 48 would have given the word “Person” a definition therefore no longer allowing the courts to redefine the word for every case. It would entitle even the smallest person to the the constitutional rights of every person, making abortion against rights and setting the injustice straight.
Colorado Constitution
Live Birth Abortion