Our Moral Duty in Iraq

As a person who is very much against this war and eagerly awaiting the withdrawal of our troops in Iraq, this article really got me thinking. Many of the points that Powers argues are definitely ones to think strongly about and he brings up logical points, however, some of the things he states make me feel as if he refuses to look at it from both ends. I feel as if he is leaving out why exactly we entered this war in the first place. Things like capturing Osama Bin Laden or finding weapons of mass destruction, if any even exist. These are 2 things we have not accomplished since being in Iraq. Although he argues that this war is helping many people in Iraq, many other innocent Iraqis are dying every single day as well as US troops. Not to mention the money we spend on this war during a time in which the economy is down right scary. I feel that although he provides strong points to why we should stay in Iraq, there are also many points as to why we should not stay in Iraq.

Army's War Game Recruits Kids

After reading this article, I am torn. I feel that although the Army is using a remarkable marketing tactic to capture the attention of the demographic they appeal to, it is not all exactly fair. I feel as though it is somewhat tricking these kids into thinking that war is fun and thrilling. War kills people. When you die in the game, you can restart and try again. You do not get that chance in real life. Also, I would have to agree with psychologist Susan Linn when she states that there should be different standards when marketing to children. She states that the judgment part of your brain does not fully develop until your 20's. Kids are not understanding the magnitude and seriousness, they think it is just a game. I want kids to join the Army and serve our country with pride, just not because they see what it may be like in a video game.

The Butterfly Effect

I, for one, am a huge fan of the idea that is the Butterfly Effect. The article states that butterfly effect, in plain terms, are tiny changes within a complex system that lead to results that are impossible to predict. They use the example of a butterfly's wings creating tiny changes in the atmosphere that lead to violent weather conditions elsewhere on the planet. I find the Butterfly Effect fascinating. The fact that something so tiny in one part of the world, could eventually lead to huge events elsewhere is insane to me. I have heard of the Butterfly Effect before, mostly because of the movie starring Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart some years back, but have never really applied it to science or what is going on in the world today such as the atmosphere and weather. The whole idea is absolutely fascinating to me!