Glass Castle Response

From reading The Glass Castle, there is one character that reminds me of someone that I know. I think that the father, Rex Walls, reminds me of one of my friend's dad. Let's call him Harry. Like Rex, Harry also didn't go to college. They both love the outdoors and definitely prefer to live off the land. Even though Harry didn't go to college, he is very very smart about a bunch of random topics. They both are able to do many skills that the average person can't such as shoot bow and arrows, and they both know lots of knowledge about physics. Also, Harry and Rex do not stay at one job. They move around a lot and sometimes have to pick up odd jobs. They absolutely love their family too. Every time I read something about Rex, it just adds to the similarities of Harry as well.

Integrity

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/politics/air-force-nuclear-scandal/


The article "Air force nuke officers caught up in big cheating scandal" discusses how 34 officers in the air force were caught cheating on a monthly proficiency exam to conduct nuclear operations. 16 officers were found to have actually cheated, but the rest knew and did not report it to anyone.

I think this is outright crazy. There's one thing to cheat on a test to pass a  class, but when you are in such a powerful position as that, then it is completely absurd. Air force men and women should take pride in what they do because they represent our country. I cannot believe those officers did not have the integrity to do what was right. Especially because they are working the nuclear missiles. From reading the story about the emperor in class, I could get a pretty good idea of what integrity is. It's about being honest even when you have the chance to lie and get away with it. Air Force Chief Staff said that he "echoed concern expressed by James about the integrity of the officers." I am glad that the chief knows what low integrity these officers have and is punishing them for their wrongful actions.

Question 
Do you think a person's integrity defines who they are?

Allusion to Heart of Darkness

In the novel "Heart of Darkness," there is one main experience that I can relate to.  Marlow goes on a journey on a ship in search of Kurtz. The crew faces different obstacles along their way. Well, when I was little, maybe around four of five years old, my family would go sailing on my grandpas boat. While I read, I keep going back to this memory of my cousin Darby and I pretending we were going to steal the ship. I remember saying things like, "When nobody is looking, I'll push the boat from the shore and then we can leave everyone behind!" And then Darby and I would start arguing about who would be the one that gets to actually drive the boat. It one kind of a pointless and dumb memory, but it is one of those things that keep popping up while I read this story.

Transgender Bathrooms

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/01/politics/ted-cruz-carly-fiorina-john-boehner/index.html


Recently I read an article about Ted Cruz and Caitlyn Jenner titled "Cruz takes on Caitlyn Jenner is transgender fight." It talks about how Cruz believes that allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice, opens the door to predators. Caitlyn Jenner, an activist for transgender causes, fights back saying that there would not any molestation of anything of the sort going on.

Now, at first I thought this was a crystal clear issue to me. I sided with Ted Cruz fully 100% at first. He argues that men should not be able to go to the bathroom in the same place as little girls just because they feel like it at that moment. He says he has worked in law enforcement for a long time and has seen some messed up predators and he knows what can happen. However, Donald Trump gave Caitlyn permission to use whatever bathroom she wanted to use in the Trump International Hotel. In a video, Caitlyn is shown coming out of the women's restroom and saying "By the way, Ted, nobody got molested."

Alright here is where my opinion comes in. If I had a young I daughter, I definitely would not want a grown man in the same bathroom as my child. Even if "she" is "technically" now a girl. But I have also seen some men who have turned themselves into girls where I could not tell they were ever a man in the first place. It would be strange to see the man, well I guess actually woman, in the men's bathroom as well. The only solution I have to this is to have a male, female, and a mix bathroom. I don't think there's really a complete way to resolve the problem, but times are changing and things need to be done. I understand where Caitlyn is coming from, but I do think it gives predators a chance to strike. I am curious to hear other people's opinions about this so COMMENT BELOW WHAT YOU THINK AND WHY.


Here is a link to another video about transgender bathrooms: http://video.foxnews.com/v/4868668828001/tenn-pastor-slams-targets-transgender-bathroom-policy/?#sp=show-clips