If you didn't know... I strongly oppose the death penalty. It's so difficult to prove guilt without doubt. In the past we have executed a number of people who have ended up being innocent. It looks like we're about to do it again.

The following is quoted from amnesty international's website:

Troy Davis faces execution for the murder of Police Officer Mark MacPhail in Georgia, despite a strong claim of innocence. 7 out of 9 witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony, no murder weapon was found and no physical evidence links Davis to the crime. The Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles has voted to deny clemency, yet Governor Perdue can still exercise leadership to ensure that his death sentence is commuted. Please urge him to demonstrate respect for fairness and justice by supporting clemency for Troy Davis.



Please check out this video.

Let's not execute another innocent man!

1) GO TO CLASS! I know a lot of people have already said it... but that's because it's true. Professors will usually test from their lecture and not really from the book. Also being in class is part of the whole college experience... I swear

2) Be open minded. When I first moved into dorms and met all the people on my floor I immediately thought, "These people are nothing like me... how am I supposed to make friends with them." (I was fairly nerdy in high school... there were 2 prom queens, and a number of jocks on my floor) A few months later almost everyone on my floor was extremely close. The times I spent with them my Freshman year are some of my best college memories.

3) Take some P.E. classes. They boost your credits for registering ahead of people! They're also fun and great excercise! I took my first P.E. class Winter Quarter of my sophomore year and continued to take 1 or 2 ever quarter until graduation.

4) Move off campus... at some point. Get to know your community. Don't stay in the campus bubble! So many people hate living in their university cities... but I find so many of them rarely leave the campus... really. Get out there... experience your independence!

5) Choose a major you like... not something that will get you the highest paying job. If you don't like the classes... you probably won't like the future job. Money isn't everything.

6) Be creative in the dining hall... at least in mine we had the ability to mix and match somethings and could on occasion come up with something edible... sometimes even delicious! haha.

-L.
   

I just answered this Featured Question; you can answer it too!

and now that that's out of the way, onto more important things...

Jongsung picked me up during my lunch time to take me to the train station to buy tickets and to the immigration office to pick up some stuff for Nastasya. Between the two we went to lunch at Han's Deli. Jongsung ordering a hamburger steak (basically like a hamburger patty... this one had a pretty spicy teriyaki sauce) got us on the topic of mad cow disease... again. Here goes the conversation (In this scene Jongsung will speak perfect English for your easy reading pleasure!):

Jongsung: All restaurants in Korea are supposed to post what country their beef comes from.
Me: Because of mad cow disease?
Jongsung: Uh. (Korean way of saying yes)
Me: I really don't think mad cow disease is a huge issue in Korea anymore. I mean... I was a little concerned at first because there weren't a lot of regulations, but now there are a lot of regulations about the beef they import from America.
Jongsung: Really?
Me: Yeah! I've been eating American beef all my life and I'm not sick! Actually... there haven't been too many cases of mad cow disease in America!
Jongsung: Oh... that's because... well, you know DNA?
Me:  Yeah....???
Jongsung: Well, American DNA is different from Korean and British DNA.
Me: Uhhhhhhhh....
Jongsung: That's what I heard.
Me: Uhhhh........ I think that's scientifically impossible.
Jongsung: Really?
Me: Yeah, because... well, for one reason, America is made up of people from all different countries! Do you believe me?
Jongsung: Uhhh.... yes. (very skeptical look on face)

I recognize that some ethnic backgrounds are more susceptible to certain things like... sickle cell anemia in people of African descent and such... but unlike mad cow disease, sickle cell anemia is an inherited condition.

So, once again this leads me to the conclusion that I absolutely need to make up a Korean medical rumor. I mean... if people believe this, as well as eating dog meat helps with humid weather, eating eel is good for man's health (as in stamina... if you know what I mean), and the king of Korean medical rumors... FAN DEATH, then I can certainly make up some crazy rumor that the people of Korea will take very seriously! But what should I say?

-L.