The Road- The Road is seen as an image because of how much it's described along with how well. It's known to be full of danger every time someone steps foot onto the road. It brings loners and blood cults, along with carnivores. They try to stay off the road as much as possible but end up being on it most of the time. They choose where and when to stop depending on where they are on the road, and then they take camp farther in the woods. Usually a good distance to keep an eye on the road when they are about to go to sleep. Sometimes will end up in houses, trailers, mansions, barns. But most of their time is spent walking the dangerous path of the gray, empty road. There's many dangers that are found along the path that is taken and it puts them in a lot of stress. But with the irony in this, it's that in the end, the road ends up being one of the things that saved the little boy. It ended up being a rescue. The book talked a lot about how the dad was sick and how he said he would stay with the boy and never leave him. In the end, he died in his sleep and the boy woke to death. He before had learned to never let anyone have the gun except for him. He learned that he will always be able to talk to his father he just has to listen and be patient. He finds out that he carries the fire, which is the light inside of him. And when the man showed up to save the little boy, the boy had asked if he carried the fire too, the man said yes and showed the boy he could trust him. The Road showed a lot of irony and symbolism even though it wasn't always so noticeable.

Fake friends and family- It talks about how there are professional actors that are ready to jump in and act as anything you need. A best friend, a husband, a father, literally anything. It helps with appearance which is a big thing in Japan. People base what they think of you off of appearance. I personally don't think I could work and be a fake friend or family member to someone. It'd be too hard to know that they're pouring out actual emotions and feelings about what's going on in their life because they need it and then after the time period of what was asked is up, say goodbye and act like nothing even happened. Being paid to be someone's fake friend or family member would be nice, mainly for the money, but it'd be so wrong to do that to someone that's lonely or in need of an actual friend and has to pay to get that attention. I couldn't do it, thinking of what you'd be putting that person through after you leave is hard. Knowing that you're there for them for a set time and then maybe never be back for them again, it'd hurt. They'd deserve an actual friend to lean on and go to everyday of their lives. I think another con to this whole arrangement is that it seems like it messes up the idea in peoples heads to actually go out and talk someone and become REAL friends with them. I feel like it blocks people from going out on their own and keeping them in their shy little boxes. That's not really what a lot of people need. I don't really like the idea. It just messes with peoples heads too much and I don't like the thought of that.

Summer school reflection- The things that I've liked throughout this summer school year is probably the sleeping. I still get most of my work done and that's what made me so happy about being able to wake up early, it was that when I got here, I got to come and sleep in and then wake up and be ready to actually work. I've also really enjoyed watching the movies throughout the week. My favorite was probably Free Solo. Some things I could have changed was staying ahead and actually coming to class. Missing a day and a half and hitting the 5th week was what really brought me back and behind. I think some of the main things I've done well with were most of the electronic work. Mainly the news readings more than the essays because what I'd write for the news readings interested me a lot more than what I had to write for the essays most of the time. Some areas I haven't really done well in were the double entries and notebook work. I've read a lot of what we went over and that kind of bored me. I've definitely learned a bit from being here, one big thing I've learned is to actually try harder in actual school and not skip school days to bring me behind. It can help me skip the stress of school in the summer. I can have a stress free summer. I just have to work harder and show up. It's not exactly a classroom thing I've learned, more of a life lesson that I should keep up with and actually work on. Not just in school, but throughout my life. I would definitely show up and not miss any days next time, along with staying ahead. If that's what I had to choose to do differently, that's definitely what I would choose to do.

News reading 23- Ebola has had a nearly year long outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There was an emergency meeting in Geneva on Wednesday about their being a public health emergency of international concern. There have been now 4 meetings regarding Ebola's spread. This one was the only one out of the 4 that actually called for an emergency meeting. A Dr. Tedros called on countries to avoid "'imposing 'punitive and counterproductive' travel and trade restrictions.'" The risk of Ebola is staying high in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries, he has also said that the risk outside of the region is low. Right now, it is the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. There have been more than 2,500 cases and more than 1,600 deaths. The West Africa Epidemic was the largest Ebola outbreak in history. It had affected 28,000 people. PHEIC, which is what decides if an extraordinary event is determined to constitute a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease. I personally feel as though if there had to be a meeting to even talk about how badly the virus is spreading and how bad it's gotten, then maybe PHEIC should put travel and trade constrictions on with other countries. To protect every other country that hasn't had such a bad break out or a break out at all. I feel as though the areas being contaminated should be under quarantine and should start trying to keep anyone who has every been around someone with even remotely the smallest symptoms of what could be Ebola checked out and away from other people. The world needs open their eyes and start paying more attention to what's happening. The outbreak in West Africa may have been contaminated there but clearly it ended up spreading anyways in the end. It's made it's way to DRC, Butembo, Goma, and others. I really do feel like there should now be restrictions on travel until this is taken care of, for good. The world doesn't need to lose anymore people to death caused by viruses anymore than we already have.

News reading 22- This week is going to hit the 50th anniversary of the moon landing for Apollo 11. The last time someone was on the moon was the Apollo 17 landing in 1972. According to President Trump, the United States is going to make a comeback. Hopefully by the year 2024. This idea/decision is yet to be funded but there are plans in place. President Trump has said he wants to return to the moon in a "BIG WAY!" Hopefully this happens by the year it's trying to be achieved. It probably won't, mainly because the rockets and spacecrafts needed to achieve this are "over-deadline, over budget, unfinished, or non-existent at the moment." If it doesn't happen by the year 2024, maybe it will happen in a couple years to come, close to 2024. The funding could cost close to $20-$30 billion in the next five years and Congress would need to approve an extra $4-$6 billion to the budget per year to reach the amount needed. I honestly really like the idea of trying to have us return back to the moon. Especially in a way that would make history yet again. I just don't think it'll happen anytime close to 2024 because of the budget and materials needed to still start the plans being made. It's nice to know there's a goal that's trying to be hit. It shows initiative. In my opinion, it shows that things are trying to be put into place. It looks clean and ready. In all honesty, we can make this happen, we just have to put our minds to it. It may not happen on the goal that's set, but it can happen. 

Dumpster Diving- I found this article very interesting. I never thought about what it would be like to dumpster dive for a living. Personally I don't know if I would be able to do it, but i definitely have respect for those who do it for a living. It's an interesting concept that people are able to survive off of things people throw away. We can be so wistful and literally throw away things that are perfectly good. We can donate the food we don't want, we can bring the clothes we don't want to second hand stores, and we can certainly be more aware of the homeless in our community. One of the topics that I thought was interesting and that I want to talk about was when Lars said, "trash tells so many secrets and gives you details about peoples lives." What people throw away says a lot about them. Bills, medicine, confidential documents, etc. They're all thrown in the trash. You can find out more than you want to just by spending 10 minutes putting together the story about how the neighbor in thousands of dollars in debt and on so many stress relievers you wonder how his heart is still beating by the things you throw in the trash. I suppose if I absolutely needed to then I would be able to live out of a dumpster, but it would be my last resort and I would have to be very desperate. But going through somebody's garbage to try and find out why someone is acting the way they are, it's not really that cool to go snooping into people's personal lives even if it does cross with what you do for a living. I've never thought of dumpster diving as that much of a way to survive, but after reading what was said, I could see it. Just not for me. It'd take more for me to dumpster dive now then in the future. Mainly because now, I'm set. I have a job, I have my family, they have jobs, we have each other. I don't need to depend on a dumpster right now in my life. In the future, I don't know where I'm going to be weeks, months, or even years from now. I just know that now, I won't be needing to dumpster dive anytime soon.

Giving money away- Our world is in crazy need of generous people. We have so many people in need in this world and we can be doing so much more about it. Giving money away isn't only something that helps those in need, it's something that helps us and makes us feel good about ourselves. Giving money away shouldn't be something that we make people do, people should just do it because its the right thing to do. People today get the line between wants and needs mixed up. We feel like we need everything we want and deserve everything we want as well. Making sacrifices is something we see less and less everyday. It really seems like the more people are in need the less people will give. If everyone started giving up something they wanted every once in a while and started giving that money away to those who literally can't afford to buy some of the basic things needed for human survival, then we would be so much closer to ending world hunger. No, we cant make people give their money away and if we try then the less generous those people will be. If we just educate people on how much of an impact they can have after helping others and bringing more light into the world, then slowly, the world might not have so many hungry people in it. Maybe if those with money were educated on how bad hunger and starvation actually was and if they saw what impact their money could have then maybe, just maybe they would find it in there hearts to give some of what they have to the poor people that need it. It would definitely change lives everywhere. The phrase, "Give a little, get a little." That can happen. You give to someone in need and receive a little something in return for being such a kindhearted person. When you give, it's the best feeling in the world. You feel better about yourself and everything around you. It makes you want to continue giving and make a difference in others lives.