FS101.30JuliaHarris

This week was one of the most non stressful weeks I have had in a very long time! I enjoyed class this week, especially being able to finish October Sky. I always cry a little bit at the end of that movie, so it was really hard for me not to in class! Also, I really enjoyed the discussion we had on Thursday with the commentaries and the CBS Sunday Morning episode. The class really seemed to be getting into the conversation about gender selection and trait selection, and also the discussion about politics, focusing on Rudy Guiliani. I would be interested in learning more about the gender selection topic, and just what motivates a lot of the people to want to be able to choose these things. After all, as said in the episode, "demand outweighs supply" in this area, and my question is why? I think that the only thing doctors should be trying to manipulate is genes that will prevent diseases and disabilities. I think especially that trait selection is not only a waste of government money, it could be possibly dangerous! As someone brought up in class on Thursday, what if this technology got in the hands of someone like Adolf Hitler? Thats scary!
Aside from discussing the gender/trait selection topic, I also really enjoyed discussing politics for a little while. I think a lot of people in our class are interested in the 2008 campaign, and maybe we could do something more with this in class? I took a really influential government class my senior year, and it really opened up my eyes to some of the issues we touched upon in class. Maybe looking at the psychology in politics would be an interesting thing to look at sometime?

Have a great weekend!!

One of the sections of the article that intrigued me was the section about mathematics. The hypothesis stated by the author is “that children have mastered calculating skills at an earlier age but have made no progress in acquiring mathematical reasoning skills.” Then, in the next sentence the author goes onto state that “by the 12th grade the failure to develop enhanced mathematical problem-solving strategies begins to bite. Personally, I find some connection with this part of the article, realizing that I have been struggling with mathematical word problems dealing with “real life” situations. For example, I find it much easier to be just given an equation, and then solve for what is needed. When given a word problem, you have to figure out what needs to be solved, and how to go about doing so, which is a much more challenging task for me. Does anyone else agree/disagree with this?

I can honestly say this week was one of the most stressful weeks I have had since I arrived here at Allegheny. It feels very nice that it is now Friday, and finally over! I enjoyed this weeks discussions on Sunday Morning in particular. I really liked the class discussion on dreaming, and all the different aspects we discussed. I guess our society really is fascinated by dreams, and I do wonder sometimes if all of the "dream books" available are really true. I agree with what someone said in class about the books, that sometimes people will make abstract connections to what the books says, even though it might not really have any significant value at all. Overall, it is a lot to think about! It would be interesting to maybe study this more in-depth someday!

Have a great weekend!!

Since this week has been very stressful, it was nice to be able to come to class and do relaxing, stress-relieving activities. Although it was somewhat embarassing, I actually enjoyed the complaint choir activity! Our group had a fun time listing complaints, and putting them together into lyrics of a song. It was a good way to "laugh off" the troubles and stresses we battle daily. This reminded me of a previous class discussion of how laughing and humor can eliminate stress. Also, I really enjoyed the meditation exercise, even though it made me want to take a long nap! It really calmed me down, and it was interesting to learn that just doing something as simple as concentrating on breathing can help you relax and even eliminate stress. I got a lot of good tips from listening to both the podcast and the in-class meditation activity. Hopefully I will be able to carry what I learned into the next couple of weeks and into finals!
Hope everyone has a great, stress-free weekend!