Blog Topic

I have taken many suggestions for blog topics today. They have ranged from abortion to swine flu. I am picking the swine flu. I feel many of us are confused as to what the swine flu really is, what it means for our health, and how we should react to it. I challenge you to follow the following links and research the swine flu:

http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/swine-flu-faq-1

http://www.flu.gov/

After you research the swine flu I want you to answer the following questions:

• What exactly is the swine flu?


• What are the symptoms of the swine flu?


• Do you think it is a good idea to get the vaccine?


• What groups are at most risk of having complications from the swine flu?


• What are some things you can do(other than the shot) to help prevent catching the swine flu?


• Are you more or less concerned about the swine flu since you have researched it?
  
  
• Do we as citizens have any responsibilities to others concerning the spread/treatment of the swine flu?

Please be thorough in your answers.

Pay It Forward (thanks Jim)

I have so many things I want to discuss in my blog post today I find it difficult to choose a title. Speaking of blog titles, I have always wondered how do most people choose their titles. Many people choose titles based on the content of their blog, others choose abstract titles, some just add a date, and some do who knows what.

How do you pick your blog titles?







Today my students and I took the time to listen to President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. President Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his

"for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international

diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"

This came as quite a shock to the world, but I think especially to President Obama. President Obama is the third sitting President to win this award. He was preceeded in this honor by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. This, I believe, was such a big surprise because President Obama is very early in his term. According to the Washington Times, "Rather than recognizing concrete achievement, the 2009 prize appeared intended to support initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change". I believe this is why many people were shocked and literally gasping in the room when the announcement was made. I believe this award to President Obama (whatever people's political views) can inspire all of us to strive for peace and change in the world. So many people in the world do not believe they can achieve change or their behaviors matter, but one person can start a chain reaction and bring about great change. Imagine if you could just affect change in the person next to you in class, on the bus, in the grocery store and they would go on to do the same for someone else and so on; it is quite literally the movie Pay It Forward.

My challenge for all of you for one week is to:

• 
  
  avoid conflict every day


• 
  
  do a random act of kindness for someone every day


• 
  
  and help resolve conflicts in others when you see the chance

Your assignment is to blog about your week of good deeds!