Scotland Referendum -- Still Part of UK

The end result of the Scotland Referendum ended with a very narrow vote of yes and no votes. Unfortunately, which in my opinion is unfortunate, Scotland will not be independent from the United Kingdom. What does this mean for the other regions; Northen Ireland and Wales? The possibility of independence is close to nearly impossible. Hopefully a recount or a re-election will turn this around, but until then, we will not have anything like this happen for quite a long time. 

Growing Tensions of United States Law Enforcement

Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and countless others have lost their lives due to law enforcement overstepping the line. Whether it's due to racism or simply police stupidity - I can't say. If you look in the last ten years, you would find that just as many white people have had negative encounters with police just as much as black people, or asian people, or any other ethnicity.

The latest on Ferguson is disappointing, to say the least. The revolutionary activist group consisting of both ground and cyber members from all over the globe have made several claims of the exposing of Michael Brown's murderer - who happens to be a (ex)police officer of the local government entity known as the Ferguson Police Department, which has now been disbanded.

Looters, rioters, and people just standing on the sidelines have watched turmoil unfold in this city that has gone through lots of issues in the past several years. Citizens have asked some looters to stop their acts of looting, which has been successful in some areas. The citizens of Ferguson have even taken it upon themselves to police their own city, which has seen lots of improvement by doing so, in the past few days.

What happens next in Ferguson will remain up to state and federal governments to take action, especially in the area of police reform and public relations. To conclude: All police departments should see to it that police corruption is wiped to ensure the public's safety from their own public servants whose salary they pay for.

Musical

Music is a wonderful thing, ain't it? It's used in lots of things. Concerts, movies, video games, among other things. Music is used a lot to set a mood to reference fast-paced action, slow romantics, and depressing sadness. It is also used to entertain a person or group of people in any setting, whether it be a quiet banquet or a nightclub. Music can be taken anywhere nowadays with latest advancements in technology. It can be worn on your wrist, placed in your pocket, or be the cause as to why your house is literally shaking off its foundation. It can cure sadness or be the cause of such emotion. What's your favorite type of music? Band? Song? Post in the comments below so we can see how diverse the musical community is!

Also, I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving. I had steak, creamy corn, homemade casserole, rolls, and pumpkin pie (yum)!

Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans / Armistice / Remembrance Day - whatever you call it to commemorate this day to honor the soldiers of your country whether you live in the United States or Europe (or any other country as well).

If you are not aware of what this day is all about, it is celebrated (or recognized rather) on the 11th day of the 11th month (November 11th) every year. The name was first originally named "Armistice Day" when the armistice (or temporary ceasefire) between Allied nations and Germany was signed on November 11th, 1918. For 7 months there was absolutely no fighting and then the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28th, 1919 in... guess where?! The Palace of Versailles in France! This treaty ended the "Great War" or otherwise known as World War 1. Here is a famous quote from President Woodrow Wilson in regards to this particular day:

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

Armistice Day, as it is internationally known, recognizes all veterans of the armed forces of the Allied nations especially in the United States and Europe. 

As personal recognition to our Veterans, I must say - thank you for serving to protect the freedoms we all cherish and even take for granted.

Android vs. Apple

There is an ongoing debate about which type of phone is better : the Android or the Apple based product. Right now, the iPhone is the most popular phone with a net worth of about $506 billion USD. There are many pros and cons to both operating systems, but what makes each feature of the phones stand out from each other?

Android

• Changeable UI interface
• Greater selection of phones (with different sizes)
• Live Wallpaper (iOS 7 has it, but only 2 wallpapers)
• More detailed maps and better GPS navigation

iPhone

• Generally easier to find more useful apps as it is more restrictive and controlling with its applications
• Great polish and consistency on the exterior
• Smooth interaction
• Constant updates to applications and the OS itself
• Accessibility (for the visually impaired, hard of hearing/deaf, physical/motor disabled, and people with learning/literacy disabilities.

The iPhone is the #1 consumer mobile phone product on the market with Android behind that along with the Windows Phone and Blackberry in the rear. They all have pros and cons to each smartphone. The question is: Which one do you prefer?

Comment below with your answer!

American Education - Dumbed Down or Smartened Up?

Lately, I have been noticing some of my classes as well as others in my school learning about stuff we have learned or should have learned years ago. How do I know this? For one, it is common knowledge to those who are open-minded. Secondly, I had read "Grade 10" on a vocabulary book for students in a Grade 12 English class. I'm on the edge of thinking "We should have schools that are not regulated by the government so they can be competitive in education to be the best." When you think about the fact that some people aren't as fortunate as others in terms of finances, you feel like that is wrong as well. Either way, we can not be perfect -- this is true, but who's to say the United States Government can not raise the standards of our American general education curriculum. The better the education, the better the future - China is a perfect example with their high standards of education and better economy.