Taxes are always a big subject. The replies you get from people vary from person to person. Some tend to not complain or care too much. But others have a very negative opinion and think they know the solution to a “better” system. America is a very complex and crazy changing country. We have a very diverse culture and it changes from each area. With all of that said the ideas of how the system should be run varies from person to person and all depends on what type of financial or life you’ve been brought up in. If you are a rich person you are going to want less taxes if you are poor you are going to want less but you’re also going to want more money somehow. Taxes “pay” for a lot of the things you use but, in all reality,, we never really know where that money is going. “it will promote economic growth by eliminating the capital gains tax and double taxation that currently discourages productive activity like saving, investing and job creation.” This is a statement from the fair tax article, but it doesn’t show how it will really work. Rich people will always be able to afford products but with the high tax on products it will make it much harder for poor people to buy all their normal things. But people argue that they will make more, but they don’t make enough to begin with so it’ll just make their situation harder. With the amount of poor people and people in poverty we have a flat tax would destroy them and the rich would become richer. There is always going to be people who complain about their situation. No matter what we do people are going to be upset. So it is all about what is best for everyone. A progressive tax is the best in my opinion because it is better for the lower and middle class and that is the majority of our population.

1.   1.    Every man dies but not every man always lives. Every person in the world is born with a sense of purpose. That purpose is for them to find and chase. This purpose could be so many different things and every single person is different. Some people do not have the drive or desire to become the very best they can be. They are content with what they have and do not see the point in trying to better themselves. These people have virtually died because they are done growing as a person. The minute that a person gives up and doesn’t try to better themselves is when that person dies.

2.    2.   Survival is key when it comes to life. When you are faced with a tough or scary situation your body and mind react in complete survival mode. Acting civilized is what people do every day. Some struggle more than others but with every civilized person there is a savage self-inside them. This comes out when your body is trying to survive. Life throws so many obstacles at people and they want the best for themselves, so their savage side will always act out in these situations. Many people do not like to admit when they act in this savage way because they do not usually know they are acting that way.

3.     3.  Society is people living together in a collective community. It doesn’t define a specific person instead the people. It can range from the being the world as a society even down to your community. Civilization is created by the people wanting to better their lives and make advancements for the good. Society is controlled by the people that are apart of it. Their morals and values are going to contribute to who these people are and how they are going to act. The society someone grows up in is overall going to have a factor on who that person becomes. Their morals and values are going to be formed by what they are brought up around. But society can change when different people enter and influence that society. Therefore, people control society.

4.  4.      He is saying Simon should quit and not try to get saved.

Simon is not making it fun for everyone.

He is in Simon’s head, Simon is putting so much thought into it and it is ruining him.

Mason Larson

1.  18-24 months

2.  84,995

3.  Burma and Iraq

4.  39,000

5.  California, Texas, and, New York

6.  The sudden increase in 1980, the 90s having so much going on, and, the sudden decrease from 2015-2017

7.  The decrease in unaffiliated, how muslims decreased 07-12, the steady Christian population.

8.  Because we weren’t in war with them.

   9.   It went from Europe and Africa to Asia. Bhutan.

10.  Bunch of African Refugees, Use to be Lots more Asian refugees, Wyoming almost had no refugees

11.  50,000 refugees

12.  March was low

13.  60 million

14.  12.5 million

15.  Norway and Switzerland

Do you believe the U.S., being a world power and first world country, has an obligation to help refugees and/or give them humanitarian aid? Yes and No. It is hard with countries we don’t get along with because it makes us vulnerable and “weak”. We also are in lots of debt which is always a hard thing to deal with because of the cost. In my opinion I think we should sometimes because we are very blessed to be where we are so we should spread the love and positivity.

Sex slavery is obviously a very bad problem all over the world. Even in America it is a major issue. But reading about the stolen boys in Afghanistan makes me feel uneasy. Coming from my background I have never been put in a situation remotely close to this before. I understand other countries have different customs and laws but having young boys as slaves and them getting raped shouldn’t sound ok to anyone in any part of the world. Growing up that was all they know so it is hard for them to truly make efforts to get out of it. Putting myself in the boys’ shoes who must go through all of this makes me feel sick. Being enslaved to anyone usually means you are not going to be treated well at all. But then to think about being a sex slave makes it worse. Trying to find a way to escape my owners would be on my mind at all times.  Obviously being a sex slave wouldn’t be enjoyable and having to suffer and not have any way out I would feel helpless and just lost with my life. Suicidal thoughts have never crossed my brain but with those circumstances I feel like it might be lingering. 

If you could describe the game in one word, what would it be?

 Chaos

What did you expect at the beginning of the game?

 Just to play a game that was unfair

When did you realize that something was wrong?

When I left my original table and I thought d frey won and he didn’t take the cards.

How did you deal with it?

 I tried to point out the diamonds and push them the cards and they pointed at the spades and pushed at me.

How did not being able to speak contribute to what you were feeling?

You just had to handle your anger and wait to find out.

 Is my title above appropriate for the game of "culture."  Why or why not?

Yes if you look at it in a deeper meaning

 Is a universal language and set of customs necessary for world peace and harmony?

 No it can’t be the world needs to be diverse.

 What can a simple card game teach us about our culture?

It can show how we don’t everything about other cultures until we are really in their shoes 

The truth hurts sometimes and what this sociologist explained to us and showed us was the ugly truth. The first thing that really got me to be all in and really try to understand what he was saying is when he set us up by putting us in a difficult situation with our coal and china. Granted that never really happened so we don’t know exactly what it was like. But it made you think about how you would feel if that really did happen. Secondly, he started hitting us with the ugly truth about what is really going on with are military and how what we see might not always be exactly how it is. There are always 2 different sides to a story and sometimes you need to see the other side to truly understand what is going on. He showed the “rebellious” people from over there that tried to kill our soldiers. If you would of showed me that picture before that video it would of gave me a way different feeling than it did after he explained what the “honest” truth was. The thing that really got under my skin is how to them it looks like some religious war. Because looking at America while living here religion is really something that isn’t as big as a factor anymore. No war we fight is truly over religion. The way they are seeing it is wrong and honestly the way that we are seeing it is also wrong. That’s never a good thing. I see myself fitting into the big picture of society by contributing and trying to better myself every single day. I want to make the best out of myself and try to positively effect everyone that is around me. Too many people in this day and age are content and don’t have goals but I’m going to maximize my potential as a person in my lifetime.  

What are the groups and what functions do they serve? Are there negative influences from any of the groups (dysfunctions)? There is Freak group- They like to do a lot of illegal and rebellious things

There is the Geek group-  No negative influences.

Who has power in the episode? How or why do they have power? How do they use it?  People kind of wanna be like them. They use it negatively.

What are the important symbols in the episode? Note that the symbols might be an object, but also might be an idea, an event or something else. How do the characters act based on the symbols they find important? This is symbolic interactionism. You can connect it to Max Weber.

Lyndsey rebels from her parents and hangs out with the “Freaks”. She disagrees with how some people lives so decides to live the way she wants too.

Can you relate any of these theories to your own life? How can the things you do be interpreted through one of these theories? For example why do you wear what you wear or why are you going to college or why do you stress yourself out to get "good" grades?

Yes. Everything you do shows how you live your life and how you look at life. 

What do you think about the awkward silence?

I feel it is when certain people feel vulnerable to embarrassing themselves. People are “speechless” because they do not want to make a bad move.

 Do you see how we set expectations based on our experiences?

Yes because I feel most people set their expectations on what was expected of them as a child or in life growing up. Maybe even by what they have achieved.

Did you know what sociologists studied before taking this class?

I just thought it was about life.

 Do you realize that students expect the teacher to tell them what to do?

Yes. Just like this assignment.

 Can you see how this crushes a love for learning?

Yes because no one enjoys when something is forced upon them.

What do you think about the idea of blogging as a way of teaching others?

Sharing ideas is always a good idea. 

The article I read was about how watching TV could potentially make you smarter. The article starts off by saying that media might not always be the best information or the most realistic things out there but there might be a different way to look at it. They say that media can be more of a cognitive workout. It talks about the benefits of reading like attention, patience, and retention. In a recent study it shows that there are increased demands on those exact mental benefits. They talk about how complex tv series can help with memory because people will have to remember from episode to episode what has happened so far. Another study shows that people who follow TV drama understand concepts more thoroughly. TV shows that create suspense are also very good for your brain because it makes you make a guess or predict what is going to happen next and always keeps you thinking. Emotional or sad tv shows can make you express your emotions and actually help you by helping you control your emotions in your daily life. Do I agree with everything that was said in this article? No. Do I agree with some it? Yes. The ideas they studied and thought about were realistic and reasonable. But just sitting there watching something isn’t going to help you as much as learning hands on or learning a more traditional classroom way. I am always open to new things so I would never say that television couldn’t potentially make you smarter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/magazine/watching-tv-makes-you-smarter.html

Who am I? I am Mason Larson. A privileged young man who hasn’t ever had to struggle for much. In my life I have been blessed with basically everything I have ever wanted. I have a good support base and a loving and caring family. I was raised to be a good young man and sometimes I get off track. my goal in my life is to make a positive impact and leave my mark on the world. I like having friendships and being close to people. I love being apart of a team and competing to my fullest ability. I am a happy person and try not to let anything bring me down. I try to live life with a smile on my face and will continue to live that way till the day I die.

Who do people think I am? People look at me and think that I am an out of control teenage kid. Lots of people look at me as being a punk because of my competitive nature. People think I am selfish and all about me. People think that I talk to much and say too much dumb stuff. 

With the number of shootings that have happened in America and now in the world there has been a stereo type that has been developed about shootings. In this article they talk about how the percentage of people who partake in these shootings are males and they talk about things on how it has to do with the way men act or their personality is.

                Quite honestly, I do agree with them on this a lot. There is no one on this earth that is the exact same as someone else and no one that has the same morals or beliefs. When I think about if I would ever do this I say no but there are many other things I have said that about that I have done too. Obviously, none of them are as extreme as shooting people but it still is the same concept.

                Stress can lead to many terrible things and can make peoples life change and turn into something that they never thought it would be. Think about the hardest moments in your life and how you handled them and made you feel. Sometimes people just lose themselves and they act out irrationally. I’m not saying I think that it is ok that any of this happens I am just saying that I can see how it does and why it does.

                Also in this article it talks about how men feel the need to be dominant and have a sense of pride about themselves and quite honestly, I can second this as well. I always feel the need to be the sort of tough guy and give off a certain demeanor to make myself feel bigger than what I am. It is as simple as someone telling you that you don’t have the ability to do something so you have to prove to them that you do. It is a scary world and I hope there is change for the better. 

I don’t think that this is as big as a deal as they are making it seem. There are hundreds and hundreds of photographers in Minneapolis and I promise you that most will shoot same sex marriages. They have the freedom of religion and freedom of their own beliefs to do what they want to do with their business and their lives. There is always going to be people who aren’t going to agree and are going to go against what most people would say is right and wrong. Everyone is the world has a different mind and a different outlook on everything and these people not wanting to go against their religion is not a bad thing at all. I am 100 percent not against gay marriage or same sex marriage but I understand other people’s point of views in most situations. Same sex marriage is a new and different thing in the world so people who partake in it should know that it isn’t going to be a smooth road all the time. You are going to get treated un equal and different sometimes but that is the sacrifice you are going to have to make. As of now I do not see this as a problem but in 20-30 years it may be. People change and so does the world but life always goes on. 

My first memory that I vividly remember is sledding with Zac Fries and Bo was pulling us behind the 4 wheeler and we let go of the rope and slid underneath their mom's car. I remember it mostly because it was so scary to me. 

I don't remember my very first lie but it was most likely about something crazy i did. 

People must pass a drug test before getting government help with food stamps or welfare. If drug test is failed they will not be given aid until drug test can be passed and it can be proven that they are not on drugs. Punishment will be in place if drug test are failed more than once. This amendment would be good with getting rid of the people who cheat the system and help people who actually need it.

US- Lebron
CS- Sprite
UR- Wanting to be like Lebron
CR- Wanting to drink sprite to be like Lebron

Summarize the amendment in 3 sentences or less

Bail or punishment should not be too extreme nor to less for what the crime is. Bail or punishment should be appropriate to how serious the crime is.

Prepare a 'cheat sheet' – Bail should not be to extreme for what has been done. Lots of times there is arguments on how bail is to extreme or is not enough but in a court of law usually it is set to a point where most people will agree with what is set.

Define any vocabulary terms (be ready to answer questions about any words or phrases you use!)

Bail- the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money be lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.

Answer the following:

                What is the historical background of this amendment (why was it made?)

It was apart of the english bill of rights in 1689 and was attached to the United States bill of rights in 1791.

                What does this amendment mean today?

It is pretty much the guidelines of the law system and how people are punished equally and fairly

                Present examples of current issues involving this amendment.

Every case that goes through court is affected by this amendment because it is suppose to avoid excessive bail and punishment but still today there is some cases that people think they were wrongly charged. 

1- In one sentence, what was the research about?

How dancing and mood enhancing activity can reverse aging.

2- How many subjects were used in the experiment?

 It says a group not an exact number.

3- Was there a control group?

 Yes kind of they tested just elderly people around 68 who went to a certain dance class

4- How were the subjects chosen?

By age

5- What did the experimenters do to the subjects?

Just have them go to dance lessons

6- How did the subjects react?

Most of them enjoyed it and saw the results happen

7- Did the subjects act the way the experimenters expected

Yes

1- In one sentence, what was the research about?

How food that has preservatives might be the cause to some obesity

2- How many subjects were used in the experiment?

Just a group of adults

3- Was there a control group?

No

4- How were the subjects chosen

 Just on being adults

5- What did the experimenters do to the subjects?

Took blood samples

6- How did the subjects react?

they didn’t

7- Did the subjects act the way the experimenters expected

They didn’t 

1- In one sentence, what was the research about?

 If forms of learning stimulation can help young children with learning difficulties.

2- How many subjects were used in the experiment?

12

3- Was there a control group?

yes

4- How were the subjects chosen?

 Ages 8 -11 with trouble in math and reading

5- What did the experimenters do to the subjects?

Put a cap on them and stimulated their head

6- How did the subjects react?

They helped them

7- Did the subjects act the way the experimenters expected

Pretty close

1- In one sentence, what was the research about?

It was how a child’s families income may affect the brain development.

2- How many subjects were used in the experiment?

 Thousands

3- Was there a control group?

no

4- How were the subjects chosen?

Just randomly

5- What did the experimenters do to the subjects?

They just evaluated their life and health

6- How did the subjects react?

good

7- Did the subjects act the way the experimenters expected?

Yes

What is your favorite word? Finesse

What is your least favorite word? Melancholy

What one thing do you like about your life? Genetics

What one thing do you not like about your life?

What profession would you like to attempt? Economics

What profession would you never attempt? Teaching

What 3 words describe you? Energetic, Out going, cooperative

Journal writing:

Psychology interest me because the brain is such a weird and hard thing to understand. Learning about how emotions work will probably be the thing I’m most excited to learn about. I know I won’t even learn even close to half of what there is to learn about the brain but even learning the basics and maybe getting an insight of what the study of psychology is will be a good experience. I really want to learn about different diseases and illness’s that affect some people’s brains. I am very interested in Charles Manson and how his whole thought process. It interests me that every person’s brain is different and there are so many different aspects to each person’s brain. To think that we only use 10 percent of it too is a scary thought. I would also like to learn how the brain of the smartest person in the world is different than some people that have lower IQs. Like what makes them different? Are there any discoveries in science that can make someone super smart over night? In my honest opinion, the brain is so complex that even the smartest people in the world can’t fully understand it. 

An Asian Auschwitz

In my opinion the United States did not do the right thing. I know that life isn’t always fair but with the court system we have in America they usually try to make things generally the same. Unit 731 did some similar things to the Nazis and we punished them but we did not punish unit 731. Both of these would be considered crimes against humanity in my opinion and for only one of them to be punished for it seems a little crazy to me.

This unit did experiments on live human beings. Shiro Ishii was the leader of unit 731. He and his men killed up to 12,000 men and women and no one survived. The people they killed were mostly Chinese prisoners but there were also Koreans, Soviets, and Mongolians. The thought about how someone can lead of group of people and can get them to do crazy nasty things like this and not get punished in any shape way or form bugs me a little bit. If you think about in America a person who murders just one person without any torture is sentenced to almost guaranteed life in prison. But someone who kills 12,000 people and tortures them and makes them go through living hell isn’t even punished.

By the sounds of the article some of the experiments were actually kind of reasonable and actually gave a little bit of helpful information. But most of the experiments were just messed up and made absolutely no sense on why they were performed. I would like for them to explain to me why they had to do some of the sick and twisted things like take out organs from live strapped down humans or put someone in a pressurized room until they die.

All of these sick and twisted things it makes me think that maybe some of these “scientists” in this group were maybe being forced. Maybe the government told them that they would kill them if they didn’t do these things. Or maybe they were just getting payed that much they needed to do it for their family. I still just can’t believe that there was a group of human beings that were so messed up in the head that they could do such a thing to other human beings.

The unit not only planned on killing people in their lab but they also had plans to poison American cattle so they would become worthless and maybe even kill thousands of American’s because of disease. To think that the American government knew about that and still let them get away harm free bugs me even more. I know they didn’t end up doing it but what if it did? What would be their reaction then?

To end it all off this whole article and situation is very disturbing and honestly depressing. It’s scary to think that such messed up stuff has happened in this world. I hope that articles like this can be read all over so that hopefully insane crimes against humanity can be avoided in the future. 

Panama Papers Link

The link above is a story called the Panama Papers. It was an article written by  Eric Lipton and Julie Creswell on June 5th, 2016. It is a muckraker article meaning that it is posted to expose and show the scandal to the public and with the intention for change. To quickly summarize  the Panama Papers it is the leak of 11.5m files from the database of the world’s fourth

biggest offshore law firm,Mossack Fonseca. Mossack Fonseca is in Panama City, Panama. In this article it is explained in detail what really happened in those whole scandal. It explained what parts were legal and what parts were illegal. The firm claimed to only be making offshore shell companies and accounts. but the revealing of confidential emails, copies of passports, ledgers of bank transactions, and even the various code names used to refer to clients showed the firm did much more than that. Some people get very upset with scandals like this because they believe it is not fair. which in my opinion it isn't. I understand that the rich are taxed like crazy and I believe that the government of the United States should probably do something to try and improve our tax system so people don't do these types of things. But people that drive on roads or send their kids to public schools but evade paying taxes are in the wrong. They are cheating the system more than just once.