Research paper

Hello all,

After much thought and deliberation on possible research subjects I am still having a hard time deciding on a subject I feel strongly about. I have given much thought to so many topics and yet I have not yet reached a decision. Do I write about the cloning of animals and ultimately humans or how about countries that treat their elderly as disposable? I think I will ultimately write about the the pledge of alligence being taken out of schools. We live in the United States, a free country, where every day our sons and daughters are injured ,or killed so that we will have these great rights as a country.
Who are these powers that be that decide we should no longer have the pledge said in schools beacause it says " One Nation Under God"? Are they so powerful or important that they have the right to say that this should be taken away from our children. What are we teaching our children when we do something like this? How will they ever learn to appreciate this great country that they live in if simple things like the pledge of alligence are taken from them? Do the people that make these decisions think our troops are making the sacrifices that they are because they have nothing better to do?
These men and women of our military are away from family,miss the birth of their children, spend holidays away from those they love and for what, so that some higher up who enjoys all their rights and freedoms of living in the United States can tell our children not to recite the pledge of alligence! Who do they think that they are? Yes, God in any phrase would indicate religious tones, and religious beliefs are a personal thing but the fact that we live in the United States, we are lucky to live in a country where we are the home of the free and the brave!! Give the brave the credit they deserve for keeping us free! I hope that the people that make these sort of decisions sleep well at night, in the house they choose, in the state they decided upon or grew up in, in the bed that they bought where they had several choices of styles and colors. If it wasn't for our great military they might not have these choices and God forbid they sleep somewhere on something where they had no say as to what that would be. How could they possisbly sleep under those conditions! They need to remember that that wake up on American soil, eat food bought in America and above all, shake the hand of military personnel who fight every day for those rights and more!!

Hollywood attention

Hello all,

What did Brittney Spears do over the weekend or where did Russell Crowe go on vacation? I don't know about you but I could care less. The overall interest in celebrities has gotten out of hand. I know that I am in the minority but the average person and the paparazzi make it next to impossible for Hollywood stars and celebrities in general to lead anything even close to a normal life. So many people make a living on celebrities. There is the paparazzi who will sell a photo to the highest bidder, Entertainment tonight would not exist if these people were left alone or if there was no interest. Magazines such as enquirer or star would fold, the list could go on and on. They way we as society view the entertainers as a whole is sad. I like to go to movies as much as the next person but take it for what it is. Don't decide that because Keri Russell or your favorite female star is so thin that you have to lose 20 pounds. Youing girls are having eating disorders at a all time high because they feel that they have to look like the latest and greatest celebrity. When you look in the mirror and all you see are flaws because you want to look like a covergirl then you need to take a step back. Appreciate you for who you are. We all want to look like a covergirl but we live in the real world. Entertainers don't effect me on a regular basis because first of all I really don't care what they are doing and they aren't paying my rent or food bill. I do think that the popularity of the stars has effected society as a whole in that we buy into it. We all need to be ourself. The stars are hounded on a regular basis but because of who they are it should be expected. I think that the paparazzi should tone it down and show some respect and courtesy as to how they get their information. When appropriate they should just back off. Just because someone is famous they are no better then the rest of us. They are richer and better off then most but when they get cancer or we get cancer it is still cancer. You don't see us on the cover of People magazine because we got sick. Just keep in mind that they are sought after because of who they are, we just have to remember who we are.

Roger Ebert-August Rush review

Hello all,
I saw the movie August Rush when it came out in November. This movie spoke to me from the beginning. Maybe it was in that the main child character played by actor Freddie Highmore was searching for his parents and wanted desperately to get out of a boys orphanage. I am adopted and have never known my birth parents so I had no problem connecting to this concept. THis movie is about the young boy Evan and his search for his parents who are crazy in love but had gone seperate ways for different reasons. We all should be so lucky as to find that one special person! Evan is a musical genius who believes with all his heart that his love and talent of music will help him find his parents once more.
Roger Ebert could not have described this movie any better. I agreed wih all his points. This was one of the best, and most thought provoking movies that I had seen in some time. It is very hard to not know your background. The possibility of that being achieved can be very emotional for all involved no matter what the outcome may be. This was a very emotional movie for me. It felt like I had been part of it and the tears freely flowed at various points. Roger Ebert said it very well, " The ghost of Dickens would be applauding". This movie was very healing for me in a way and one that I will definately purchase when available. Roger Ebert's view of this movie was heartfelt and geniune. If you haven't seen this adn you like romantic or sentimental movies you should look this up. You won't regret. Sometimes sad stories do have happy endings!!