Megan Meier was thirteen years old and coping with not only your basic teenage problems, but also with depression and attention deficit disorder. W hen she met Josh, her life changed. Things got better for her, but after Josh end the relationship, things for Megan went downhill. In Neighbor Family Manipulates Suicidal Teen from CBS and CNN (the articles were the same), a fake boy in a young girls life causes more damage than the real thing could.
Thirteen year old, Megan started up a MySpace. Though she was a year too young to have a MySpace, it didn't stop her from making many friends. One of those friends was Josh Evans, a boy who never even existed. Josh was created by the family of a former friend of Megan. The family wanted to see what Megan said about their own daughter. They never realized that when they made Josh end his relationship with Megan, that things would get so out of control.
This article relates to me because so many of my own friends own MySpaces. Though they are all old enough to handle one, at our young ages, we can still be easily manipulated by the people we talk to online. I do not own a MySpace, but I see the talks my friends have with people online, and I can't help but worry that my friends will get so deeply involved with someone that they meet through MySpace, that when the relationship ends, my friends will resort to suicide, like Megan. I know my friends are more sensible than that, but I still fear that I am going to get a call similar to the one Megan's friends must have received when she died in the hospital.
This article relates to the world because MySpaces are very quickly becoming more and more popular, and more and more dangerous for fragile teens. Thousands of teenagers just like my friends have a MySpace. More than half of them get in too deep with the strangers they meet online. MySpaces are one of the easiest and most interesting ways to talk to others, but shouldn't we be concerned that, though there is an age requirement of fourteen years old, thirteen year old girls like Megan are still meeting people like Josh, who only mean to hurt them? The family who manipulated Megan never meant to hurt her like they did, but their intent was to manipulate her and trick her into revealing things they could have found out without leading her into that false sense of security. Because of MySpaces, people all over the world can manipulate young adults, with much more malicious intent in mind.
Teenagers have a need to be social. We love to talk with others, and chat online. We call friends daily and probably couldn't stay sane without doing so. However, when a relationship with someone you have never met, and don't truly know anything about, get so far out of hand that you resort to suicidal thoughts, I have to wonder; is being able to chat 24/7 worth it?
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
PLN-21
Every year, people go missing, children and disappear, and just a month ago, a baby girl washed up on a Texas shore. In Police identify girl found dead in box; arrest mom and boyfriend from CNN, "Baby Grace" as she could only be known, washed up near Galveston, Texas. She was perhaps 2 or 3 years-old. We had no idea who she was, but finally, she has been identified, and the people who are most likely behind her death have been found and arrested.
This article matters to me because, the first PLN I ever wrote was about a man who went missing on a trail. Many months later, there is still no news on whether or not his identity was ever discovered. It saddened me to know that he could not have a a real funeral. Some family out there would never know what happened to their father, husband, or son. It is comforting to now that, even though people like him may never be discovered, Baby Grace's real name will be on her grave stone.
This article relates to the world because, like Baby Grace, many children and even adults go missing everyday. Their families never know what happened to them, and many of them will never be identified. We never know what happened to cause the death of hundreds of children like "Baby Grace". A melancholy note, I know, but there are hundreds of Baby Graces out there. HUndreds of babies who are never named, and who are never sent home to their families.
The technology of our world can only go so far. Fortunately for Baby Grace, or as the family we finally discovered calls her, Riley Ann; so far was far enough.
This article matters to me because, the first PLN I ever wrote was about a man who went missing on a trail. Many months later, there is still no news on whether or not his identity was ever discovered. It saddened me to know that he could not have a a real funeral. Some family out there would never know what happened to their father, husband, or son. It is comforting to now that, even though people like him may never be discovered, Baby Grace's real name will be on her grave stone.
This article relates to the world because, like Baby Grace, many children and even adults go missing everyday. Their families never know what happened to them, and many of them will never be identified. We never know what happened to cause the death of hundreds of children like "Baby Grace". A melancholy note, I know, but there are hundreds of Baby Graces out there. HUndreds of babies who are never named, and who are never sent home to their families.
The technology of our world can only go so far. Fortunately for Baby Grace, or as the family we finally discovered calls her, Riley Ann; so far was far enough.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
PLN-20
Texting. What a common term nowadays. Almost every teenager has a cell phone by the age of 12, and because of that, texting is now the fastest way to communicate. We text in class, at dinner, during church, at lunch. But the most concerning is that 97% of 460 teens vote that texting while driving is dangerous, but 51% of them admit to doing it. In Steering teens away from texting while at the wheel from the Denver Post, more than 46% percent of teens in Colorado alone are said to text while at the wheel, and 51% admit to talking on the phone while driving.
This article relates to me in many ways. As my plan does not cover it, I do not text regularly, but it does not necessarily stop the text from streaming to me. I often find myself wrapped up by the text my friends send me, even when my mind should be on other things. Many times, my head suddenly impacts with some pole or another because someone had sent me a chain letter via text. If I can be so distracted by texting that I can't even walk correctly, how can texting while driving be safe?
My sister has a cell phone as well, and sends more than 5000 texts a month. I know my sister is smart enough (not to say that others aren't smart, of course) not to text while she is driving, but it is a little scary to think that so many teens out there do not see how dangerous texting at the wheel can be. My sister talks on the phone in the car all the time, but she is 21 and can handle multi tasking. However when I get in the car, the phone is put away, or given to someone else. My sister realizes how dangerous letting your mind stray while on the road can be; and she refuses to put me in danger because she wants to chat with friends.
This article relates to the world in perhaps more ways than it does to me. Thousands of teens send hundreds of texts, and many of them do it when they should be focusing on more important things than when the latest movie is coming out, and who is dumping who. I do not mean to say that these silly topics all teens are ever interested in, but as stereotypical as this sounds, our generation does tend to focus on less important subjects when we shouldn't be. Teens all over the country text, which is fine with me, but when we are driving, that should be our main focus. We shouldn't let our minds wander simple to answer to that small and cheerful "bleep" our cell phones send out every once in a while. One state patrol officer, Ron Watkins gives tickets for careless driving to anyone he catches weaving while texting or talking on the phone. I believe Watkins' action is a great way to prevent more texting and phoning related accidents on the road.
I don't text, nor do I have any desire to be swept up in that chaotic highway of instant messages, but my friends do, and it frightens me to think that teens like us are endangering themselves because of texting. Texting itself is not bad, but I think that it should be kept under control, and should not get in the way of getting yourself safely from point "A" to point "B".
This article relates to me in many ways. As my plan does not cover it, I do not text regularly, but it does not necessarily stop the text from streaming to me. I often find myself wrapped up by the text my friends send me, even when my mind should be on other things. Many times, my head suddenly impacts with some pole or another because someone had sent me a chain letter via text. If I can be so distracted by texting that I can't even walk correctly, how can texting while driving be safe?
My sister has a cell phone as well, and sends more than 5000 texts a month. I know my sister is smart enough (not to say that others aren't smart, of course) not to text while she is driving, but it is a little scary to think that so many teens out there do not see how dangerous texting at the wheel can be. My sister talks on the phone in the car all the time, but she is 21 and can handle multi tasking. However when I get in the car, the phone is put away, or given to someone else. My sister realizes how dangerous letting your mind stray while on the road can be; and she refuses to put me in danger because she wants to chat with friends.
This article relates to the world in perhaps more ways than it does to me. Thousands of teens send hundreds of texts, and many of them do it when they should be focusing on more important things than when the latest movie is coming out, and who is dumping who. I do not mean to say that these silly topics all teens are ever interested in, but as stereotypical as this sounds, our generation does tend to focus on less important subjects when we shouldn't be. Teens all over the country text, which is fine with me, but when we are driving, that should be our main focus. We shouldn't let our minds wander simple to answer to that small and cheerful "bleep" our cell phones send out every once in a while. One state patrol officer, Ron Watkins gives tickets for careless driving to anyone he catches weaving while texting or talking on the phone. I believe Watkins' action is a great way to prevent more texting and phoning related accidents on the road.
I don't text, nor do I have any desire to be swept up in that chaotic highway of instant messages, but my friends do, and it frightens me to think that teens like us are endangering themselves because of texting. Texting itself is not bad, but I think that it should be kept under control, and should not get in the way of getting yourself safely from point "A" to point "B".
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
PLN-19
Every year, veterans take time out of their day to day to come and talk to students like myself about their experiences in war. Every year veterans open up to high school and middle school students, and tell them what it was like to be in the war, and how it feels to watch people around you die. Every year, there are students who come out of it, not even taking in what they have just heard, not even caring. WWII veteran Gen. Jim Hart talks about his struggles with talking about his war past with students in Vets will share their stories with students.
This article relates to the world because every where, not just in our state, veterans share with students. They don't do this to entertain us, or to make us cry, veterans do what they do so that we can learn, and so that we can understand. Many veterans out there feel the same way Hart feels, that students don't really understand, and that many of them, wont really get any thing out of it.
I am not as bad as many teens my age who "aren't sure whether we fought with or against the Germans..." I know which side we fought for, and why we fought. I learn it every year, as do many students, but we never really seem to take it in. I was excited to hear the point of view of so many officers this past Friday, whether they were veterans, or still active duty. Many of my family members fought in the war, but none ever talked to me about it, so I never understood the feelings of the people who were actually there.
I know many of my fellow class mates got nothing out of the officers' speeches, but many of us did. Yes, there are students who don't care, and will never learn to, but the wars our country have been through; and the one we currently face are important. Though Gen. Jim Hart may feel his stomach lurch every time he as to talk to teens about the war, I feel honored that men and women like him are willing to speak out and teach us about the war we face, and the ones we only ever hear about in our text books.
This article relates to the world because every where, not just in our state, veterans share with students. They don't do this to entertain us, or to make us cry, veterans do what they do so that we can learn, and so that we can understand. Many veterans out there feel the same way Hart feels, that students don't really understand, and that many of them, wont really get any thing out of it.
I am not as bad as many teens my age who "aren't sure whether we fought with or against the Germans..." I know which side we fought for, and why we fought. I learn it every year, as do many students, but we never really seem to take it in. I was excited to hear the point of view of so many officers this past Friday, whether they were veterans, or still active duty. Many of my family members fought in the war, but none ever talked to me about it, so I never understood the feelings of the people who were actually there.
I know many of my fellow class mates got nothing out of the officers' speeches, but many of us did. Yes, there are students who don't care, and will never learn to, but the wars our country have been through; and the one we currently face are important. Though Gen. Jim Hart may feel his stomach lurch every time he as to talk to teens about the war, I feel honored that men and women like him are willing to speak out and teach us about the war we face, and the ones we only ever hear about in our text books.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
PLN-18
Out of 1000 girls in Denver, 54.5 will become pregnant between the ages of 15 and 17. To prevent this, Colorado High schools and even some middle schools have started handing out birth control and emergency contraceptive pills to students. In Do schools have birth-control role? in the Denver Post, handing birth control out to schools is focused upon.
This article affects the world in many ways. Drop out rates are affected by teen pregnancy and teen pregnancy is a huge problem in some schools. However, handing out birth control, in the long run, does not stop this problem. Teens are, and always will be sexually active, and although in many cases, birth control does prevent pregnancy, in some cases; it does not. My sister knew a woman who got pregnant after both she and her husband used two types of birth control. Many times, for some reason or another, birth control can malfunction.
The controversial subject of this article really shocked me. I realize that teen pregnancy can be an huge problem in high schools, but I never thought that it might be a problem in middle schools. At that age, most boy still think we have cooties, so the idea that young teens in middle schools are sexually active is really kind of frightening. High schools students are old enough to know what they are getting themselves into, and handing out birth control only encourages them.
When teens know that they can have sex and not get pregnant because their schools are handing out birth control, it doesn't stop them from having sex, it makes them think, "oh, well, now that I am safe..." The reality of it is, we aren't protected students by handing out birth control, we are making them believe that sex before marriage; that sex before graduation, is okay, and that they will never have to face the consequences of it. In all honesty, the consequences of malfunctioning birth control are just as bad as not handing it out at all. We can't do anything about teens sexual lives, except to talk to them and hope that we get through to them.
This article affects the world in many ways. Drop out rates are affected by teen pregnancy and teen pregnancy is a huge problem in some schools. However, handing out birth control, in the long run, does not stop this problem. Teens are, and always will be sexually active, and although in many cases, birth control does prevent pregnancy, in some cases; it does not. My sister knew a woman who got pregnant after both she and her husband used two types of birth control. Many times, for some reason or another, birth control can malfunction.
The controversial subject of this article really shocked me. I realize that teen pregnancy can be an huge problem in high schools, but I never thought that it might be a problem in middle schools. At that age, most boy still think we have cooties, so the idea that young teens in middle schools are sexually active is really kind of frightening. High schools students are old enough to know what they are getting themselves into, and handing out birth control only encourages them.
When teens know that they can have sex and not get pregnant because their schools are handing out birth control, it doesn't stop them from having sex, it makes them think, "oh, well, now that I am safe..." The reality of it is, we aren't protected students by handing out birth control, we are making them believe that sex before marriage; that sex before graduation, is okay, and that they will never have to face the consequences of it. In all honesty, the consequences of malfunctioning birth control are just as bad as not handing it out at all. We can't do anything about teens sexual lives, except to talk to them and hope that we get through to them.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
PLN-17
We all play with technology, in one way or another. Whether its when we make a kick-butt video for our friend's birthday, or when we create a power point for class; we are always cutting and pasting something. In Playing with Culture by Dave Warlick, the idea of cutting and pasting to play with our culture is focused upon.
This article really relates to the world around us. Every where, people, much like Dave's son, use movies like The 300 to make movies, and smaller clips. Even in our own class, we use other people's works to create our wikis, and our blogs. As Dave said, we are playing with our culture. We are using our technology to create new things, to create the amazing videos we view on YouTube, to photo shop the pictures we use on cards and send to our friends.
In many ways, this article really relates to me as well. I can't use videos on my computer, (unfortunately, my technological skills as far as my camera go are....lacking) but I can use photo shop to make funny pictures and covers for the books all of my friends write. I can cut pictures from my favorite movies and send them to my friends when their a little bored.
We all play with our culture, in one way or another. The examples Dave brings up in his post are excellent proof of this, and I really suggest reading Dave's post Playing with Culture if "playing" is something your really interested in.
I watched a lot of television when I was growing up. It was the golden age
of TV, when we told our stories in new ways, broadcasting them as culture to
wide ranging communities. I spent much of my childhood playing these
stories. I would watch Errol Flynn play Robin Hood on our Zenith black and white, and then go directly to my fathers woodworking shop in the basement to find scrap wood and nails fashion it into a sword. I’d spend hours pretending to be the bandit knight of Sherwood Forest — playing the story, playing with my culture.
This article really relates to the world around us. Every where, people, much like Dave's son, use movies like The 300 to make movies, and smaller clips. Even in our own class, we use other people's works to create our wikis, and our blogs. As Dave said, we are playing with our culture. We are using our technology to create new things, to create the amazing videos we view on YouTube, to photo shop the pictures we use on cards and send to our friends.
In many ways, this article really relates to me as well. I can't use videos on my computer, (unfortunately, my technological skills as far as my camera go are....lacking) but I can use photo shop to make funny pictures and covers for the books all of my friends write. I can cut pictures from my favorite movies and send them to my friends when their a little bored.
We all play with our culture, in one way or another. The examples Dave brings up in his post are excellent proof of this, and I really suggest reading Dave's post Playing with Culture if "playing" is something your really interested in.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
PLN-16
Having a fire alarm in the house boosts your odds of suriving in a fire by 51 percent. One 70 year old woman by the name of Debbie Hopewell was unaware of the fact that the deadliest fires occure in our sleep. In Barking dog dies in fire after saving elderly owner, the Rocky Mountain News talks about how one dog died warning Mrs. Hopewell of the deadly fire that had erupted in her kitchen.
This article really relates to me. I had always assumed that everyone had at least one fire alarm in their house. Now I realize that some people are not so safe in their homes. The german sheperd mix that died saving his owner's life reminded me of my own dog. 6 years ago, on the 4th of July, some neighbors were firing fireworks. One of the firecrackers landed in my yard and a fire started. If my dog hadn't started barking, the fire would have continued to burn up my lawn and probably destroyed my house. This article really made me remember how grateful we have to be for our petsat times, especially when we are in positions like Debbie Hopewell.
Barking dog dies in fire after saving elderly owner affects the world, though maybe as not as much as it affected me. Fire alarms are so important to our safety and it frightens me that there are people out there that do not have that comfort. Fire alarms help insure our safety, but so do the animals we keep in our homes.
After reading this article, I can't help but think, "thank goodness for the creation of fire alarms, but thank the Lord for the creation of dogs!"
This article really relates to me. I had always assumed that everyone had at least one fire alarm in their house. Now I realize that some people are not so safe in their homes. The german sheperd mix that died saving his owner's life reminded me of my own dog. 6 years ago, on the 4th of July, some neighbors were firing fireworks. One of the firecrackers landed in my yard and a fire started. If my dog hadn't started barking, the fire would have continued to burn up my lawn and probably destroyed my house. This article really made me remember how grateful we have to be for our petsat times, especially when we are in positions like Debbie Hopewell.
Barking dog dies in fire after saving elderly owner affects the world, though maybe as not as much as it affected me. Fire alarms are so important to our safety and it frightens me that there are people out there that do not have that comfort. Fire alarms help insure our safety, but so do the animals we keep in our homes.
After reading this article, I can't help but think, "thank goodness for the creation of fire alarms, but thank the Lord for the creation of dogs!"
PLN-15
Every year, hundreds of babies find homes through Adoption Options of Aurora. Juliana was one such baby. She like so many others was adopted by a loving family after six months of parenting classes and being monitored. The birth mother has the final say in the adoption match, and luckily for Juliana and 21 other babies, the mothers were willing to let 21 couples take home their children. In Happy families grow by 44 feet by Betsy Lehndorff, in the Rocky Mountain News the idea of a growing, happy family is focused upon.
This article and everything it stands for really touched me. The idea that little babies like Juliana can find loving homes through Adoption Options of Aurora is really amazing. After reading about one boy named Micheal Tate, who after 19 years of foster home to foster home, attacked and killed a man due to psychological problems, it is comforting to know that so many more children are adopted into loving homes.
Happy families grow by 44 feet relates to the world in so many ways. I talked about abortion in my last PLN, and I believe that agencies like Adoption Options of Aurora are excellent alternatives to abortion. Thousands of babies are put up for adoption every year, most of which are taken into loving, healthy homes.
Happy Families really do grow, and it touches my heart that so many of those happy families are willing to let a new baby into their lives.
This article and everything it stands for really touched me. The idea that little babies like Juliana can find loving homes through Adoption Options of Aurora is really amazing. After reading about one boy named Micheal Tate, who after 19 years of foster home to foster home, attacked and killed a man due to psychological problems, it is comforting to know that so many more children are adopted into loving homes.
Happy families grow by 44 feet relates to the world in so many ways. I talked about abortion in my last PLN, and I believe that agencies like Adoption Options of Aurora are excellent alternatives to abortion. Thousands of babies are put up for adoption every year, most of which are taken into loving, healthy homes.
Happy Families really do grow, and it touches my heart that so many of those happy families are willing to let a new baby into their lives.
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