As we all know the FIFA will be held in Brazil and that is bringing consequences to the people that live there more specifically to the street children who are gathered up and killed they are believed to be undesirables and unwanted for the media image of Brazil.
http://cyberwarzone.com/street-kids-murdered-clean-brazil-ahead-world-cup/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/death-to-undesirables-brazils-murder-capital-1685214.html

My favorite part about Global Connections is the Civics part. I've learned more about the law in this class than anywhere else. I thank you Stewart and Smith for this. Most people and cops take advantage of teens especially at our age right now since we're viewed as bad kids doing drugs and up to no good. its good to know the law especially your amendment rights. If you ever end up in court, you'll know how the system works. Looking at different court cases and how the amendment rights come into action in certain things. Its good to know the law in your own country. Let us not be taken advantage of. All my global people, don't forget your rights and dont forget to know the law

#2 Final post

Also the Upstander effect that taught me to be courageous enough to speak up against injustices and not to be a bystander and stand there and do nothing to help out someone in need.For example in the Rwanda documentaries as well as the Holocaust videos we saw how bystanders transform into upstanders who saw the injustices and put at stack their own well being for that of others this has has a huge impact in my life and has taught me that although its not always easy to stand up to injustices its whats right and what must be done in order for actual justice to exist.Such as Pual Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda who not only put at risk his own well being as well as his family and enlarged his circle of obligations by saving more than 1200 tutsis and hutus.Now he didn't have to do any of this he could have gotten out of Rwanda before things escalated to the mass murdering of tutsis and trader hutus who helped them.Now throughout  these years we've learned about history repeating all over and over again and I'm  disgusted to know that we keep making the same mistakes towards humanity.If enough propaganda is spread we forget that we are humans beings and behave like ruthless savages.I sincerely hope all of us in Global learned to be more loving and to have more  compassion towards each other.


Also for my  holocaust presentation sorrrrrry guys i was supper nervous i just wanted to be different and hope that it was a learning experience for all of us sorry if i got physical with anyone.My apologies it was scary but definitely worth a try.

Another thing that I learned throughout the year on Global was the importance of justice. There are so many injustices that occur and instead of fighting them some people just let it be. The Rodney King case is a very good example. What if there had never been a Rodney King case to make the rest of the country aware of the rasicsm within the LAPD? I definitely learned a lot about the law thanks to this class and I understand my rights a lot more now. I know that this is very important to understand the system in order to not become a victim like those people who were falsely accused of drug possession and locked up.

Final Reflection

Throughout this entire year I've learned so much in global connections and gained knowlege that I hope to keep close to me in the hopes of becoming and mainting myself a better person in the hopes to make an impact in this world.One concept peticularly that cought my attention is race in America
Firstly i'd like to point out that fact that america for the longest time and until today has had a very difficult time coping with race due to the fact of lighter skin being not only "superior" to the rest but also most desired to have.I'm not saying its right, no one should ever have to feel guilty and have to hate the very skin they were born with,Myself as an example for the longest time was not very happy with my skin color due to the fact that i was looked down upon by society as a minority an outcast in my elementary school all because i was too "dark" for them.Thanks to this class I'm learning to be fully accept myself to be proud of who i am,to love the skin I'm in.Besides what defines us as a individuals should not be our skin color but our ability to impact the world.We as a nation have been through so much from the Native Americans to the African Americans to Hispanics to now a days everyone who falls victims to racism.Global has taught me to learn from the past and we as the future hold in our hand the key to success but not committing the same mistakes the previous generations have.Race should not matter we are all the same under our skin ,we live on the same planet,share the same air,share the same sky,live under the same sun.There is only one thing i know for a fact is that we are all humans and deserve the same equal treatment regardless of our history.Thus please class of 2014 let us go out there into the real world full of knowledge and determined to change the world into a better place.

Final Global Reflection 2

Another concept I feel was valuable in terms of my development in the class was the concept of racism and acceptance, race has been an issue that continues to change over time but there is no guaranteed way that things will change for the better and all I can really hope for is that the future generation will be educated enough to understand the differences in others and accept them because they don't have an impact on their lives. What I have seen in countless of cases such as the Scottsboro Boys or Loving v. Virginia. The Scottsboro Boys were an easy example of racial ethnicity affecting the rights of an individual even by law, while the Loving v. Virginia was more based more on both the racial discrimination of an individual due to their race as well as the discrimination of an individual because of the racial groups they associated with. As a nation we have come a long way an now there are more rights to those who are of a different race, but I also feel that even though it has been less over the years there still isn't a solid solution for racism. What these concepts have made me see is to accept people for who they are and respect them until you know the story because one cannot judge one based on the color of their skin or the aspects they have solely because it is different, I feel that it has opened my perspective to being more accepting and if not insightful on not judging others based on things that don't matter. This class has made me learn and grow in so many ways that it may be hard to name them all but I can honestly say that I have developed as a person and even if I'm not fully prepared for the next step, college, I feel that experiencing the new ideas have made me prepared to be more open minded to new opinions in order to grow more from others and from what I learn. 

"Ladder of Inference"

Global Connections has taught me so many new concepts and ideas that are useful in life. After learning these concepts and now reflecting about them this year, i can look at things differently and make wiser decisions that will influence my life positively. Throughout senior year in our global class the concept that impacted me the most was the ladder of inference. Everybody jumps into conclusions quickly without finding out about the real problem. You cant deny it, we have all done it. Now that the school year is ending and were all going to college, i feel like we can start using this more; of not making assumptions quickly about things that you probably just heard or something that is going on. I got better at not making assumptions quickly. Every time for example when i see people walking on the street, i would assume their bad or they are up to no good, and i would label some of them when i wouldn't even know what they have been through. The Ladder of Inference made me view things differently; by not jumping into conclusions quickly. This Ladder of Inference is a useful way of understanding "reality" versus "perception" because we have to be realistic about things and not just assume things when we observe or hear something. Personally, I really like global because i learned so many new things that are important in life.

Final Global Reflection

This year has been one full of eye opening controversies and topics which I feel many people have given their honest and insightful opinions on, one that I feel was beneficial to me was the better understanding of diffusion of responsibility. This concept really caught my attention in terms of its specific meaning as well as its many examples that we have seen which show the events during a particular experiment related to this topic. It surprised me when examples such as Kitty Genovese or The Holocaust were more than just tragic events, they were the aftermath of what one did do or the aftermath of something one didn't do. That in itself should have been more to question the moral and value stand point of a person but also of a community, since I have questioned myself and people around me to what we would do either individually or as a whole to stop something we think is wrong, I mentally try and place myself in a situation and question myself to what I will do. That I feel has is a clear concept that has made more than an impact on me than other topics, one that makes me think of what is right and wrong while also questioning what I will do to either support or destroy what’s right or wrong. 

Final Reflection

This year in Global has taught me to be much more aware of my surroundings, particularly in terms of race and racism. I had always been aware of racism to some degree, but growing up the way I did, I encountered relatively little. In Global, we learned about how racism impacted people just 50 years ago, such as in the case of the
Scottsborro boys, and how it still exists today, like in the case of Trayvon Martin, or even OJ Simpson. To some extent, it was even prevalent in our own classroom; as a fellow classmate pointed out to me, in second period we are somewhat divided by race, with most of the white kids on the right side of the room, and most of the minority
kids on the left. Until this year, I would have never noticed it.

Final reflection

Through out my señior year in Global Connections i have learned many things. I think different about  the meanings of things. For example, the Ladder of Inferance shows how many of us just jump into conclusions and start to judge based on what we see or know without actually knowing what is happening in the situation. The way the class was organized helped everybody do a better job towards our señior project. I believe that the way that we started by watching several case studies with the same meaning and then having to do a short summary about it. We all grew in the way tht we think becuase at the begining of class nobody would participate or we would give basic yes or no answer answer and towards the end of the year we are all comung out with more defined explanations or opinions. This class personally helped my mind griw and focous more throughly in situations and learned my own rights. I really enjoyed this class becuase everyday we learned something new and we learned more ways to learn

Assumptions

The most meaningful concept was the lader of inference. I have a tendency to assume without knowing any background information. I used to base my thoughts of of assumtions or rumors. Most of the time there is an explintion.After we went over the laser of inference I started to think more about my actions and learned not to assume. Slowly I have been trying to be more aware of the way I react upon certain news. I try to give the benifit of the doubt. I know now to be aware of  others options stop my bias and know the potential outcome. This is something that will help me everyday and I try to use everyday not just with friendships but also relationships.

Global Final

Throughout the year, there have been many concepts that have helped me understand many situations in my daily life. But only a few have stood out from the rest, and that is the concept of labels. This means to me that stereotypes don't necessarily exist. That is obvious, but it's good to understand that not everyone is what they seem, but our mind goes to label everyone around them for a sense of comfort, which is ideal to feel accepting, but at the same time labels those who aren't what they seem. I have learned to view people by their actions and thoughts/perspective to be connected to them for real, instead of what they give off by looks and rumors. Luckily, I took Global and adapted to this concept. Thanks global!

Final reflection

Well at first I didn't really know what concept to write about but I thought that happiness would be an interesting topic to talk and write about. I decided to write on this because I loved the video we watched yesterday "Happy". I did enjoy it and it made me realize that there are a lot of people who are very kind and love helping others, and I think it's an amazing way to make yourself feel secure of what you're doing and it also makes you happy, it doesn't only make  you feel that way but  by you doing whatever you are doing to make their lives better, you're making a big difference for them. Personally I love helping  people and I enjoy seeing them happy and their reaction is just priceless. A good experience I had related to this was that I went to a senior center in Los Altos and I had to help old people that were there, I played bingo with them because they didn't have anyone to play with so I did, they seemed the happiest people ever. So I think you guys should do something similar and make people happy.

Biased Blind Spot (2nd Semester Final)

The biased blind spot is, to me, one of the most interesting social psychological concepts that we learned about in class. Of all the social psychological concepts that we learned about in Global, I could relate this one to my life the most. The biased blind spot is the cognitive bias of failing to compensate for one's own cognitive biases. An example of a biased blind spot is a student being sure that they got into a college solely based on their merit, when there may have been other reasons, such as demographic and legacy. We as individuals create biased blind spots to protect ourselves from disappointment and rejection. For example in the case of the example listed above, the student is choosing to ignore the other reasons why he or she could have gotten into college, and is just focusing on his or merit as the primary reason. All students would like to think that they have gotten into a good college based on only there merit and ability, but this is not the only truth. Admission officers look at so many different factors when assessing you as an applicant. In the example I gave, the student is blocking out the other "truths" because if he or she accepts those truths, he or she is then challenging his or her own ideas and values.

2nd Semester Final: Reflection

Most certainly the Banality of Evil: the notion that evil is the product of normal people being put into corrupt situations.  It is not the most complex idea covered in Global Connections, but its wisdom is nonetheless invaluable.  The Banality of Evil reminds us that no matter how immoral of lowly we deem others, that they are still people, and thus should be treated with the dignity that one believes should be given to any person.  Many times this is challenging to do; we would be more inclined than not to believe that there was something fundamentally wrong with, say, those who collaborated with the Nazis.  Same for those who supported the apartheid regime of South Africa.  But to see those individuals as less than human beings, even if their actions are so contemptible, would imply one has learned nothing from those actual moments of history.  The actual crimes committed in those two respective examples only occurred out of, well, the Banality of Evil.  The perpetrators and collaborators in each of those cases allowed themselves to be pushed into such situations out of either self-interest, or failure to address their own cognitive dissonance, or some other reason.  This does not make them anything less than people.  To fail to see their humanity would merely echo what they did to the people they committed those crimes against.  Thus, we must all understand the Banality of Evil in order remind ourselves of our own human nature, and grant each other the inalienable dignity that comes with it.

Final Reflection

Global Connections has taught me a variety of life long skills and has opened my eyes up to new possibilities. Towards the end of the year, we began to talk about how people view and achieve success and for a long time, I struggled with the concept. As a result, the most meaningful concept that I have learned about in Global was the power of giving back. The last video we watched called, “Funny”, stood out to me because it showed me that even in the hardest of times, people still find ways to be happy and give back to others. I believe that everyone strives for success and how they achieve the goal varies. For me, I feel successful when I give back to others and help them see that they are worth it. In high school, I began to volunteer at various organizations and I found that giving back made me feel complete. Every month for almost a year, I volunteered at the Ronald McDonnell House right next to Stanford shopping center, and I helped run carnivals for the children who were staying there. Every time I showed up, the kids were always excited to see me and I was blown away by the amount of hope these kids had even though they were told how many days they had left to live. In Global, we saw how happy the residents of Denmark were because they were constantly thinking about others and helping them with everyday tasks. This concept of success will shape my entire life. Thank you Mr. Smith and Mr. Stewart for showing us the good and bad of this world and because of both of you, 50 students will leave high school with a better worldview. 

Adrian posting through Nathen: Global Final

Adrian, posting through Nathen:

Other than to consider the perspectives of others (since we've studied
nothing but extremely depressing conflicts), I've also learned to take
note of the discrepancies between opinions and facts. Time and
research, as this class has proven, eventually leads to our discerning
the truth amongst what may (or may not) be wrong. Otherwise known as
lies, for those who aren't already aware.

Of course, this stretches through our entire academic career of going
through what pertains most to Global Connections – case studies. In a
sense, you could call it the class development of natural  intuition
into being able to tell if an alibi doesn't hold by confronting their
issues (and how they frustratingly bend around court laws) – from the
Twinkie defense claiming insanity to the Scottsboro boys and Victoria
Price's claims of rape. This, in my opinion, is the most important
concept I've picked up on in the duration of this class throughout the
year.

2nd semester reflection

Global has taught me so much. The one thing it has taught me is to think before you speak an time manegment. We have had deadlines to meet. I used to stuggle with not turning in things in time or just not turning them at all. But this class i saw that i need to manage my time very carfully. Also when you are trying to prove someone you need to be able to backup what you are going to say. To know that what you are saying has proof and can be shown. I've learned that notebooks were a big part of my grade and knowing that i have to be able to manage my time. That if i dont meet deadlines it dosent affect the teachers it only affects my personally and lets me think i could procrastinate. Being able to have learn so many valuable leasson i am happy to have had this class.

"Race In America"

I really wanted to go back to this idea of race in America, which connects to privilege in America, which tires to prejudice and discrimination. According to others, "It's easy to be white" which is a statement that I sort of agree with. Here in the our community a great portion of people are on the wealthier side and own lovely houses and flashy cars. "White" people do not have to deal with people watching them when they go to the store or asking them if they need help as soon as they walk in. Its something about the Caucasian skin color that is seen as superior, or respected. The color of our skin is something we deal with everyday, even when taught equality we are are divided by the color of our skin and our economic status. The "Colored" are not offered the same opportunities as the whites in school, in work, in life, not just now, but for centuries. What steps can be taken, or should be taken to have everyone feeling like they are worthy?

Most valuable concept final reflection

Throughout global we have discussed many topics which have brought me knowledge and a deeper understanding of society. The concepts learned in class had taught me a lot and had made it useful to me in the outside world. One concept that stuck out to me the most was the concept of being an up-stander. Being an up-stander is often a difficult thing to do because usually you are the only one doing it. While others are out doing wrongs others simple watch and stand by. I have found it very interesting how an up-stander can affect the lives of people. As we studied in global about WW2 and the Nazi reign, their were many by standers who watched as millions were killed. But the real hero's, the up-standers stood against injustice and even risked their lives to save the lives of others. I found this meaningful because I want to someday be a hero and stand up to others while no one does, even if I am not recognized for it.

Final reflection on the meaningful concepts of Global Connections

We have learned so much this year both about ourselves and about the students that surround us.  I have been especially intrigued by all of the differences between what we believe is "right" and "wrong." Thus, the most meaningful concept that I have absorbed this year is the difference between morals and ethics and the importance of each of them. Our morals define who we are in everyday life. They help us in determining how we treat others and how we act towards ourselves and the ones who we encounter. Ethics, on the other hand, are the ways in which we act in the workplace. Our ethics determine the way in which we choose to act and react while on the job or in a role of responsibility or authority. These two concepts are the fundamental principles by which we live our lives and often define our friends, work and overall relationships with the ones we love and the ones who we want to be loved and respected by.

Final Post

Global Connections has taught me so much through this whole year. Endless knowledge and learning that we have had. The most important concept that I believe has really stuck with me is to always be treating people the way they should be treated and not to dehumanize anybody. Some of the examples that fall under this category is the Holocaust and the Rwanda documentaries that we have studied and watched. I have seen to what extent a human can go to and how evil we as humans can really become. I myself would never treat anyone less than what I would want to be treated as. It has taught me to always respect life to the fullest and keep an open mind and to adapt. It's horrible to the extent that this world has become and how we don't care about anyone other than ourselves. Except for the couple of brave souls out there that actually care about others and are selfless. Don't let situations influence your own morals and belief and always give your respects.

Thou shall not sugar coat the bullshit.

It is difficult to pick one topic out out all of the things that we've been introduced to this year but there is one concept that I've noticed that has sticked around all year long, which is that there was never any sugar coating, we were always told the blunt truth about any situation that we read about and studied. This constant truth has inspired my new tattoo that I have on my collarbone that spells truth. This class has changed my way of life-from being introduced to so many horrific moments in history, and being introduced to the truth has lead me to live a life where I am constantly in search for the truth behind every situation I face. Thanks to the honesty of this class I have been able to live an even more honest life than what I have lived before, I am constantly in search for the un-sugarcoated side of the story that isn't shared enough in this life. People would rather live under polite conversation than confront the hard truth. THAT AIN'T RIGHT.  

Most Valuable Global Concept (final)

The most important concept that I have learned in Global Connections is the universe of obligation. When I first made my graph of who is in my universe of obligation I thought it was a simple assignment that wouldn't mean anything, but after i would think back to what I put and it made me think about why I did things for certain people. For instance when Carlos asked me to sign his year book while i was writing this post was more important then signing his year book. Once i'm finished with this post signing his year book will become more of an obligation then when it was while I was writing this post. As I move forward in my life I will think about what and why I do things for people and if the issue or the person is important enough for me to take action.

Final Reflection: Why some people hate me now

To be honest, it is difficult to pick something out of all the greatful things i've learned in global. One thing i did pick up and ill never forget is the ladder of inference and cognitive dissonance. People have hated me for this meaning they get mad at me when i question something or point out something they did wrong. They get mad at me for "pointing out" their flaws when its pretty damn obvious except their afraid to see their mistakes. Also when i question a persons belief they hold close they'll get mad at me. The reason why this helps is because i learned not to jump to conclusions and make assumptions, to always ask questions just like Mr. Smith said, asking questions in life will give you better understandings instead of jumping to conclusions. Its like psychology added to English and civics. Overall, best class in my entire 4 years. thank you Mr. Stewart and Mr. Smith.

Global 2nd Semester Final:Reflection

I have learned so much this year in Global but one of the most meaningful concept I learned about in Global Connections was the value of morals and ethics. Coming into this class I thought I had my morals straight and work ethics were good but I was wrong. Being in this classed challenged my beliefs in life and strengthen my morals and ethics. I knew that we were going to do a lot of work in Global but I didn't know how much I was going to learn and the knowledge in case studies I was going to gain. One of the case studies I learned a lot from was the Rodney King case. It taught me not to just focus on the racial issues in America but also how society reacts and the power of the law. Usually when I listen to a case I don't look in depth to things but assume that one is guilty. Being in this class taught me to not just accept why things happen but to question it and find deeper meanings into it. With the lesson of the ladder of inference, it challenged my good morals. I always thought I was a good person and not very judgmental but after Mr. Stewart used the example of kids usually judging someone when their late to class, I knew that I was one of those kids who judge. This taught me to be more real with myself. Having a lot of assignments being given to us and have turn in dates close to each other, it helped me gain organization skills and strengthen my work ethics. It also showed how much work I was capable of doing even when I didn't turn things in on time, I still managed to get it down. This class not only made me more aware to real world issues and gain knowledge in different topics but it also helped me gain life lessons. Thank you Mr.Stewart and Mr.Smith for challenging my mind to think more in depth to issues and for posing questions that makes me think twice about what I believe. Thank you for helping me become a better writer and for making class a fun and safe environment. Thank you for such a wonderful year of Global!

Final Reflection

At the beginning of the year, the first thing we learned in Global was the difference between morals and ethics. As the class progressed and we focused on individual case studies, I have been able to recognize when morals and ethics come into play. In general, the Ladder of Influence has made the use of morals and ethics applicable to my daily life. Global has taught me to take the time and really hear the whole story instead of jumping to conclusions. I now know how important it is not to be a bystander, to stand up for what I believe in, and not fall into mob mentality. This was made clear through all discussions and research on the Holocaust. Having a clear view of what is right and wrong in your opinion is necessary to analyze a situation. Also, in Oprah's video on AIDS based in West Virginia, we saw how easy it is to fall into the mob mentality and how many people regret what they said 16 years later. With a clear understanding of the Ladder of Inference and what my moral views are, I know that I can avoid this type of behavior and hopefully help people in the process.

Final Reflection

Global has taught me more concepts and valuable lessons than i can even remember. But throughout the entire year if there is one concept i will never forget its that you better be working your hardest because if you aren't then there is for sure someone else who is. We have been taught to always be doing something productive and never limit yourself in your education. This theme has been reiterated many times by smith in our 4th period class and probably in 3rd period as well. For example i remember specifically one day when not everyone had their notebooks out for class to start, so he made us stand for 15 minutes. This may have seemed a bit harsh at the time but looking back i can see that he just wanted to remind us to always be prepared for class. We need to always be on top of our game in this class and alot of that pressure is put on to us. I know several teachers who pretty much baby us the entire year to ensure we get a good grade. But in Global the responsibility is placed on you to succeed and earn the grade you deserve. We are given papers and expected to read them on our own and complete the assignment and if you aren't on top of that then its your fault. I like this kind of structure because it gives us more freedom and responsibility to do what we want. I have learned that through this process i have become more driven to complete my work right as it is handed to me and not delay. I think this lesson will be extremely useful in college and help me in my future career.

2nd Semester Final Reflection: Pass up on passing judgment

We've talked about a lot of provocative topics and mind blowing ideas and shed light on arguments that personally I hadn't known existed. Within the context of those documentaries they have been relevant and brilliantly keep the discussion flowing.  But there has been one concept that has enveloped every documentary in class and leaves you looking at the world differently when you leave the class. That concept is looking deeper at any topic. We learned how to challenge stereotypes and not just take issues at face value. Because while there may be an easy answer that tends to be the obvious public opinion, but when you look deeper than the stereotype you start to understand so much more. One such moment was  when they showed the different responses to the OJ verdict. I was shocked to see all the black people showed celebrating his release and the whites to be personally hurt almost by the same verdict. Especially since several of the blacks shown spoke about how he was probably did it but were happy to hear "Not Guilty." Upon deeper reflection and discussion, it became clear that they weren't cheering for OJ, they were cheering that they as a racial group beat the system that for so long abused them by its own rules. I never initially would have thought of that and how deeply it effected so many Americans, and if I had not consciously forced myself to think past my initial assumptions, probably never would have. All year we've been practicing doing this, and thinking back on it, it's been a focus from the first day to the last. This class was so much more meaningful if you embrace what we were told from the very beginning and learn to apply it to life, not just the class. So if I were to wrap up this wordy epitaph, it would be with one of Mr. Stewart's quips that will long stand in my memory: "Think about the things you think about."

Most important concept (final)

The most important concept I believe to have learned this year in Global was that of Meta-cognition, the act of thinking bout what you thing about. This concept I use very often, An example would be, during the time when we studied trails, we saw a girl, Casey Anthony, who was a  compulsive liar and ended up killing her daughter and disposing of her remains in a park. That was very hard to watch but the harder part was that her mother helped her get away with her lies and I wanted to understand why it was that the mother did that. I used the concept of Meta-cognition when thinking about what it was the mother was thinking when she acted with her daughter. I could not fully understand why and decided that the only reasonable explanation was that, the mother wanted to keep her daughter with her and happy. She did not want her daughter, Casey, to dislike her. Meta-cognition, I believe to be the most important subject I learned in Global.

Importance of Values

Throughout the year I learned about the importance of having values and living by them. Before the Personal Portfolio Project I hadn't really thought about my values. After that I started reflecting on what I think matters the most to me and why. Values seem to effect peoples lives a lot and we saw that throughout the year.  In the holocaust section for example, some Germans valued their religious beliefs and therefore risked their own lives saving others because it was the right thing to do. In Hotel Rwanda we saw how much Paul valued his family and saved many Tutsi's because his wife thought it would be wrong to let them die. I think that it was very important for me to recognize my values this year before heading out to college and the real world. At the end of the day your most important decisions are made based on your values and what you live by. Knowing my values now is great but I know that I need to make sure that I stick to them. It's important to not only speak on them but to act according to them. This is very important because people will not trust or even take an opinion from someone who says they believe in one thing but act another way.

Final Reflection

 I really didn't know what to expect coming into this class. It's definitely different from other classes, we had a variety of people which made for interesting discussions. One of the most useful things I have gotten from Global is looking on the other side if things. Global taught me to keep an open mind and get the full story, or giving things that I usually wouldn't a chance before making a judgment. The perfect example of this would be the unit on the Holocaust. Prior to Global I only learned of the victims but learning about the perpetrators really opened up a whole new side to the Holocaust. Another example would be just hearing other peoples opinions in the class. Global touches on many controversial topics and it's really interesting to hear other people from different backgrounds and different social groups thoughts. It made me consider things from a different perspective.

2nd Semester Final

The most important concept that I learned this year in Global is that you are defined by your actions. This could be unfair because one big mistake or one really good deed could be what people will always remember you by.  Not what you do over the course of your life. For example O.J. Simpson will always remembered for his murder trial and that will always overshadow his great football career and all of his other actions. Also the actions of people around you like friends and family can also affect how you are viewed. Like the children of Nazi leaders may be viewed negatively because of their family members actions.

What did I Learn this Year? (Final Reflection)

I learned A LOT this year! There's so much I could go on and on about this class that made it so much fun! But, to focus on one central idea that was better than the rest? I'd have to say it was the case studies we watched, specifically the Misogyny documentary. As a whole, the documentaries at the end of the year were really eye opening but the Misogyny one in particular was really the one that left an impression, the most powerful in my opinion. It's ridiculous how our view of women is so twisted and skewed because of the media, how women are merely objects for men to take advantage of. Whether it be a simple commercial to the "ideal" expressed in TV and movies, women are made to look like something they're not. This want and need for perfection has driven women to extremes that in their eyes, is the right thing to do. Overall, I'd say that this class has really made a difference in me as a student and as an adult soon to go out in the world, to a completely different country where I won't know anyone or how to conduct myself there. I believe that this new experience known as college will also lead me to different conclusions about Misogyny, how women are viewed in a whole different country!

My Most Valuable Global Concept Final

The most important concept I learned throughout this year was the ladder of inference. Everyday there are events in my life that make me feel uncomfortable and anxious. Until I learned about the ladder of inference, I would usually make an assumption about these events, which would usually be incorrect. I have slowly came to the realization that jumping to conclusions, or climbing up the ladder of inference, is never the proper way to handle situations in life. A good example of individuals "jumping to the top" of the ladder of inference is the "DOG" case. The owners of the presa canario dogs that attacked a gay woman had a relationship with a white supremacist. This lead all of the individuals to jump to the conclusion that her and her husband were guilty of murder because of their "ties to white supremacy." When the reality of the situation was that the owners did not believe in white supremacy, they simply had a relationship with someone who was a white supremacist. Both owners were found guilty of man slaughter and their relation to the white supremacist was not relevant to their sentences.

final reflection

I've learned a lot this year in global and I have really enjoyed this class. It has for sure been my favorite class at Los Altos High School. I think the most meaningful concept that I have learned in this class is that being educated and well informed on specific topics makes the world an overall better place. I feel like this class has really opened my eyes to social situations that if I were previously faced with it, I would react completely different. An example of people being ignorant and uneducated on the topic at hand is the whole HIV and aids topic. Magic Johnson and Mike Sisco were faced with a lot of hardships, discrimination and hatred because people didn't understand or know what this disease was and they would jump to conclusions. I think that through these case studies I have learned that I need to step back and listen to the information, be educated on the situation or topic before jumping to conclusions.

Final

Throughout this year in Global, we have covered dozens of topics regarding the Holocaust, O.J. Simpson Trials, Apartheid, and many more. But out of all of these topics I have learned the most from my classmates. I have learned to respect others opinions as well as being more open to new ideas. Although that I did not necessarily agree with all of their opinions I have learned that not all of my views are correct either. This class has opened me to new ideals and new experiences. I believe that I have matured as a student as well as a person due to Global Connections. We covered topics that traditional classes would not have. Originally I would have said 'normal', but we discussed many times that normal does not mean anything. Global has by far taught me more than any other high school class combined. It's taught me to think before I speak and to not be afraid to voice my opinion. Mr. Smith and Mr. Stewart have instilled to think about our morals and to be aware of the ethics surrounding us. Overall, Global has taught me to be a more aware person and to be accepting to others opinions. For me, that was the most meaningful thing that I have learned in Global.

Final Reflection

In this year that I have taken global I've learned many different concepts and through this class I believe that I've become a better person and have learned meaningful concepts that'll help me in my future. If I had to choose one concept that I've learned it's to think before I speak. All my life I was always a talker, not much of a thinker. I'd always blurt out different things and then after I thought about it and then realized what I said was not very bright. The time that it really hit me was during first semester when I was talking to Mr. Smith and I don't remember exactly what I said but it wasn't the smartest. After that moment he slaughtered me with his words and from there I learned to be careful with my words. I've experienced this in class and many times I've resisted raising my hand because now I really did think about what I was planning to say. Today I've realized that the words coming out of my mouth is now clearer and better said. From what I've learned, thinking before I speak will affect me in and out of school. This is a simple skill that I've just recently learned and I'm grateful that it happened in Global Connections before I graduate from high school.

Final Reflection

Though I learned an impressive amount in global this year a concept that really stood out to me was race relations. The concept of race just being a tool of power was really interesting to me. Before this year I never looked at race as a tool of power, I am not sure exactly what I thought but once it was mentioned in class it became clear. Throughout history history race and even religion have been used against certain peoples to oppress them. Great examples of oppression due to a view of difference race would be slavery, the holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and segregation in sports. Those were all examples of oppressed races being portrayed as lower by the ruling race. Race was used against all of these people to hurt and demolish their sense of place in the world. The jews were brutally killed, tutsis were massacred due to their race, black slaves were worked till they died, and black players were kept from participating in white leagues. The last of those examples ended up being a turning point in American history where blacks started to become more accepted generally and radical whites saw their power over them slipping away. All of the examples are brutal and ugly but power is behind all of them. Even controversial topics today like gay marriage might be because of a power struggle. Christians might want to keep the power of holding marriage sacred to only a man and a woman. Power through race though has been used to abuse and kill off too many people, I think we are progressing to a better future away from that concept but we are not all the way there yet.

Most valuable concept: Kacey Incerpi

The biggest thing that I have improved on in myself this year, and the most valuable concept I have come to understand, is time management. Time management is the reason I was scared of college in the first place. So much to do in such little time used to freak me out. Now I can conquer any assignment if I plan it well from the beginning. The first Project we had that helped me with time management was the portfolio project. Writing about yourself isn’t easy, especially writing as much as we had to write. This project taught me to have order in my thinking and organization in writing. It’s very difficult to organize a story about yourself because it will always make sense to you. Fortunately I was able to find enough proof readers to make my paper great. Reading the books “Night” and “Kaffir Boy” also really helped me learn time management. When I found out that I would be on vacation when we picked up the “Night”, I got it early and read to whole thing while I was there. I got ahead in class, and was able to enjoy my vacation way more once I got that out of the way. Kaffir Boy was a bit different. I had to learn to make enough time to read, as well as time to do my other work in the class. I can truthfully say a read that book cover to cover(can only say that about very few books read in high school). Obviously, the senior project helped me the most when in came to managing my time. I think Mr. Smith and Mr. Stewart did an excellent job giving us reachable deadlines that if we kept up with, you were totally on top of things. When I looked at that project as a whole, it seemed impossible. But I learned to break everything down. First, ask questions about a topic. Second, research and find answers to those questions. Upon your research you will find information you didn’t mean to find which will lead to more questions, thus leading to more research. Once you start getting a lot of information, you can split the info into categories; and from there, you can start to make an outline of how you can organize your paper. once you have a solid outline and research… well shit, the paper writes itself. Seems pretty easy when you think of it like that huh? Well I don’t know about the rest of the class, but I’m stoked for my first research paper in college

2nd Semester Final Reflection

The most meaningful concept I learned during this year is the act of listening to what other people are saying even if it differs from my own opinion because their opinion can be just as valuable as my own. When Global began, it took some getting used to about how this class structure which was new to me would work out. As the year went on, however, it became more natural to listen and provide input into the discussions that were happening daily in class. It was interesting to see this happen in the OJ Simpson Criminal Trial Documentary because I grew up thinking he was guilty without knowing all the facts and after learning more, I found that a guilty verdict was unfounded based on how the evidence presented. Through learning about how to not only hear other people but to actually actively listen to what they have to say, has helped me grow as a person and this is a lesson I want to keep for life.

Global Reflection Final

Global Connections itself gave me so many different facets of knowledge that allowed me to grow as a person. The most important concept I learned and was the overall theme for the class and that was thinking about the things that I think about. When I began the class I thought that I had a philosophical grasp on the way that I contemplated and analyzed information, but in Global I learned a whole new level. That there is always one more position to consider, one more concept to use in the analyzing process, and one more outcome that we have to consider. When you consider deeply what you discuss and don't just take things at face value, it is amazing how much more you can get out of a discussion. The OJ Simpson trial is a prime example of this and was the first real time that the class was bringing up any insightful thoughts and points and in the end I found our discussions of the different views more valuable than the movie as it gave context and different areas for consideration. This class was the first that I've taken, other than History, where I never asked myself if I would ever use it again, instead I always asked what more can I learn to better my own life and educational experience. Now that I feel that I look more indepth at the topics we discussed, I believe that I will be able to better succeed in my college years. Global has taught me that there is no simple answer to life's most difficult questions and while this is frustrating, the journey is far more fulfilling than simply rushing to the answer.

A Final Contemplation

What I have learned most through this class is to make sure that any action you take needs to always be backed up by conscious thought. In the Milgram experiments, we saw how normal, everyday people were able to cause what they thought was serious physical harm to another human being, simply because they were told to do it. If you had instead taken a survey of those same people, asking them if they would administer a severe electric shock to a man who is screaming in pain, I have no doubt that they would have said no. If the people who watched idly by as Kitty Genovese was brutally murdered in New York City were asked beforehand what they would have done, they would have told you they would have intervened. But in real-life scenarios, our idealized thoughts don't always translate to physical action. In this class, it has become abundantly clear to me that if I were put in a similar situation, I really don't know how I would react. Would I deliver the shock? Would I stand by and watch a murder from the window? I hope that if now, after going through this class and learning all we have learned about, that in that situation I would be aware enough to really think about the consequences of my action or inaction, and make a decision based on what I feel is right, and a decision that I won't regret.

Final Reflection

There are many valuable and meaningful concepts that I've learned throughout this year in Global Connections. But overall the most important thing I've learned in Global is the ability to combat procrastination. In the beginning of the year, I would scramble the night before notebook checks to finish all the remaining reflections and responses. I definitely procrastinated on my Personal Portfolio Project, leaving it to the last week or so to finish it all. I learned my lesson, only getting a B when I was hoping for a better grade. After that, I learned that I couldn't leave things to the last minute if I wanted to turn in A material, especially in this class. I began doing reflections and responses in my notebook immediately after the video or subject we learned, giving me more time to work on projects. This allowed me to have more time on my Senior Project, allowing me to turn in a final project that I was much more satisfied with. As a result, I got a grade I was much happier with. Procrastinating is something everybody does to a certain extent, learning how to combat it properly is essential to succeeding in a competitive environment.

Final post

This year in global, I learned that their are still problem with race and racism today even if at time it isn't obvious. I learned that people could be racist like Donald Sterling. He was caught on tape saying something racist and got into a lot of trouble. Because of his racist outburst, it let people see that other people have been racist for a long time but nothing had been done. It brought light onto the subject of our own racism and how race plays a big role in our society today. Also looking at the case studies on race like the jack Johnson case study showed how in that past race was a big deal. If you where black you where considered inferior so I believe that the ideology is still lingering in people's minds and I don't believe it will truly be gone

Final Reflection

For me, the most meaningful concept I have learned about this year has been morals and ethics.  Before coming into the class, I kind of just classified morals and ethics as the same thing and did not know much about them other than just to "respect your morals."  As one of the first units, I was able to dig into my own morals early on and figure out what was important to me and my actions.  Finally understanding what ethics were was just pretty helpful for life in general.  This unit continued to be helpful for me while we studied cases and the Holocaust. I, then, was able to try to figure out other people's morals and ethics.  I liked this because I was able to compare their morals to my own, and if their's were different or strange to me, I could try to figure out why they thought or believed this. With this, I was able to understand more about people's actions. Learning about morals and ethics haven't just taught me something for this class.  After studying this entire year, I have learned how it is important to always respect your own morals in real life situations and it is important to trust your own instincts.  It's also important to try to understand other people and why they are doing something you might not agree with.  I think now, I am truly able to take my in class knowledge and apply it elsewhere.  Doing this, I feel like I have taken the most out of learning about morals and ethics and am very appreciative that we covered this unit.

final thoughts on global

One of the most meaningful things i learned in global this year was about labels and discrimination. All of which consist of discrimination, stereotype, prejudice, bigotry, racism and scapegoating. An example would be Gareth Thomas who was the first rugby player to come out as gay and how he had to deal with homophobic chants and having other players discriminate towards him. This has taught me to not judge a person by their looks or appearance. Instead meet the person know who they are and what their interest are before i make my assumption about them. Also to not allow my self to be persuaded by other people in how I perceive someone else because this is always hard. Labels and discriminating are human nature we judge everything we see and don't, but i would like to fight that impulse and give everyone a fair chance. As far as the entire year goes i have learned more about my self then I think I ever would have. This class has taught me to be an honest man and to be accountable for my mistakes. I appreciate everything you have taught me Mr. Stewart in the past two year and I wish you a great summer and better living.    

Most Valuable Global Concept (Final)

This year in global, the most valuable thing I learned was the importance of thinking for yourself, and voicing your opinion.  As Mr.Stewart would say, "think about the things you think about."  It is important to be able to form rational opinions without the influence of mob mentality, or personal bias.  Stay away from the concept of "2+2=5".  For example, the Holocaust was made possible because people allowed themselves to hate Jews for their personal benefit.  If they were able to rationally think about why they hate Jews and allow such atrocities, maybe more people would have spoken out and it would have been avoided.  The same goes for the Rwandan genocide.  If people stayed away from mob mentality, many lives would have been saved.  Global provided great practice for us to form our own opinions on future issues.

Epitaph Final Reflection

Throughout this entire year I have learned many important concepts and understood how to make myself and the world a better place because of the actions I can take. I think the most important concept I have studies this entire year would have to be the universe of obligation. Although I have learned so much about how to make my life better and how to make everything around me better the universe of obligation helped me understand that even if I want to help better the world I have obligations to the people in my universe of obligation. No matter how bad the world is I am going to make sure myself, my family and my friends are doing ok and then once I know that is taken care of is when I will intervene with others. A specific example of this is our study of the holocaust. While studying the holocaust we learned that many of the germans just didn't care about jews enough to help them. I believe that what they did was wrong but if my family was in danger I think I would have at least made sure they were safe and then try and do something to stop the massacre even if it would put my life in jeopardy. I don't believe I have or will ever have the choice to put anyones life in jeopardy which is why I would put the people in my universe of obligations in a safe environment before I can take any action.

I understand this could sound harsh but its the truth and I believe that this is what is going to make me happy because having the people closest to me happy is what will fulfill my life and make me happiest.

Final Reflection on Metacognition

The most meaningful concept that I have learned so far in global is metacogmition, thinking about why we think about things. I related this to every single article that we have read in class, because when I read them, or viewed a case study I had a reaction. Whether the reaction was good or bad, global has taught me to think about why I feel that way. A specific example is the OJ trial. From the beginning I felt that OJ was guilty. I didn't know why, but through metacognition I explored my feelings on the subject. And figured out my reasoning behind my feelings of his guilt, was that I had previously been biased because of his image, and my parents strong belief that he was in fact guilty. Upon finding this out I was able to realize that I need to examine all evidence and situations before making up my mind.

As I think about this whole year in Global I can only say “holy crap I learned a lot of shit.” You would think with learning that much stuff you would get bored, lose interest, and stop caring. But I had the exact opposite experience in this class. Before Global, I knew I wasn’t prepared for college; and I was scared. Now that we are done, I will enter my college classes with a confidence I never thought I would have about my academic skills. Global is the only class throughout high school I didn’t ask “When are we going to need to know this?” “The Force” aka my interactive notebook will be the only high school material I'll bring to college with me.

I found this article about tensions between the NRA and Open Carry Texas, two 2nd Amendment advocacy groups, that are in a dispute over recent actions taken by OCT. I don't want to give away too much but the article is a good read and is definitely worth checking out. The question I have for you guys is who do you think has a stronger argument in this debate. Here is the link for anyone who is interested:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/NRA-blasts-Open-Carry-Texas-after-San-Antonio-5522959.php#photo-6390275

Obesity: A Rude Awakening

In the past decades, Americans in particular have been made more and more conscious of their average weight and the health risks associated with obesity. There have been a number of movements that have spread the message about the dangers of obesity and brought this problem to the nation's attention, with the most notable of recent times being Michelle Obama's campaign to fight childhood obesity.

With all this publicity for obesity going on, there is an extreme on the other end as well. The Heart Attack Grill, which is currently located in Las Vegas, prides itself on serving calorific foods to its diners who are dressed as patients in gowns and are waited on by scantily clad nurses. With names for the food such as the single, double, triple, and even quadruple bypass burgers, as well as butter fat shakes and an unlimited amount of "flatliner fries", fries which are deep fried in lard, it is evident that this establishment plays up the idea of obesity as the image of America.

When ABC News interviewed Jon Basso, the founder and owner of the Heart Attack Grill, his side of the story sheds some light onto why he decided to open up his business. Basso tried to spread the same message of the dangers of obesity before and owned many Jenny Craig centers as well as many personal fitness studios but didn't find them to be effective enough. He believed that if America was going to get out of its obesity epidemic, that it would take some serious shock therapy to make people see what was going on and that was his purpose for creating the Heart Attack Grill.

Do you think Jon has a valid point or do you think he is only contributing to the obesity epidemic?

Link to the ABC News piece on the Heart Attack Grill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqf_SIQ3JAk

The Happiness Project

I read a book last year called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I really enjoyed it. If you are at all interested you can check out the authors website-http://www.gretchenrubin.com/. 

To bring this post back to happiness, I think it was very interesting how it is often defined. We tend to define happiness by how much money we have. But the truth is that money does not make everyone happy. Money does not last forever. But other skills and characteristics such as hard work and honesty do.

Do you think that success and happiness go hand in hand? Does one need to be successful to be happy? What is success? In the dictionary success is defined as: the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals. But everyone as different goals, so that means that everyone has different levels and variations of happiness. 

This all links back to the idea of normalcy: conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural. There is no common type or way of being. Every individual has certain things that makes he or she fell. Is having purple hair normal? Is having a beard normal? These are questions that can't be answered. Because there is no normal. Or there a billion normals. Just like there is no standard recipe for happiness and there is no real recipe for success. There is simply a self definition, that can only be found through self discovery.