Education System

                Our education system needs to be fixed.  The main problem with the system is the expectations of our educators.  They expect so much from students with tests and grades, they forget what education is all about, which is learning and preparing them for the “real world.”  However, teachers do not prepare, instead they give the students certain facts, dates, and generalizations that the students would probably forget as they move on to college.  These teachings are just to prepare them for the next upcoming test. 

                What should happen is to test us on our skills similar to the SAT’s.  The SAT’s are designed to see how we take tests and what our skills are.  However, the SAT’s only show some learning to the kids because they test on certain skills, which is math and english.  The SAT’s is a start in the right direction for students to learn how to improve themselves in preparation for the real world.  College teaches this to some extent like teaching students how to write resumes and how to act in an interview.  There is more to this like preparing us to pay bills, housing, how to manage money better, etc.

                High school does not prepare kids at all for real world situations, and when they get to college a lot of the information taught has disappeared from their minds.  High school should start teaching kids early so they know what to expect.  A lot of kids drop out of college because they either can’t handle the education or because of money issues.  High school education is part of the reason for this, and could be better if we start teaching kids the proper way.

Flying High

               Do you ever wanted to know what it’s like to fly?  I do not mean where you are flying in an airplane.  Flying like a bird has come across my thoughts in the past, and I wondered what that would feel like.  If we were birds we would have the freedom to do anything.  We can go to any place we want in the world without paying a lot of money in gas.  To get to certain places would take longer, but we can stop at other places along the way.  When the weather gets cold in New York, we would fly down south for the warmer weather.  This would be a great experience.

                The trips would be relaxing where the wind is blowing gently across your feathers and your face.   You could see anything you wanted to before you died.   The only problem with this is trying to avoid hunters, but that is like trying to run from predators as humans.  However, we could fly away from those predators in any direction, where if we drove, we only have certain directions we can go in.  These are just simple thoughts to keep in mind of how nice it would be if we could fly.

Technology and Communication

            Technology has advanced to the point that leads kids to participate in “cyber-bulling,” and how we communicate is different.  Cyber-bulling sometimes leads to kids who end up becoming depressed, and possibly suicidal.  Having cell phones can give people the ability to text where they can keep conversations private, so kids think they can get away with the texting.

            Communication is different for adults because our technology lets us avoid bad situations like getting into a fight with someone.  Fighting with someone on the cell phone via text messaging is different than in person because in person you could yell at them or possibly get physical with them.  My ex-girlfriend ended a relationship with me through text messaging, and did not let me talk things over first.  Text messaging actually ruined that relationship for me because my ex-girlfriend received a text message from an anonymous source, saying things that accused me of cheating on my girlfriend at the time.
            I think cell phones should be used at age 21 and older because of the maturity level. Kids having cell phones is the parents’ responsibility.  If kids are creating problems, and they are punished for it, then wouldn’t the situation force the parents to be punished too?  They could put a license out for cell phones restricting certain ages saying that only 21 and older can have a license for a cell phone.  This would slow down the rate of cyber-bullying down.  Our communication and the way we do things will keep changing because our technology changes daily.

MLB Needs Instant Replay

Baseball has a major issue and needs fixing, which is instant replay on controversial home run calls.  Baseball should have instant replays for all controversial calls on the field whether someone is out or not.

            Instant replay is used in football when a team needs to challenge a controversial call, which began in 1999.  It is used in hockey for controversial calls whether the puck crossed the line to count as a goal due to interference with the puck.  In basketball, the replay must be watched to see if the ball was released in time at the end of the game.  Even in tennis, a player will call for a replay to see of the ball was in or out of bounds.

            Baseball has a replay system for “line of boundaries,” meaning where the ball lands; foul or home run.  If a ball is hit out of the park and in bounds, it is a home run.  Some umpires may not see that, and will call a foul ball if the ball was “too close to call.”  For example, if the ball goes over the foul post the call it could be called a home run or a foul ball, depending on what side of post the ball was hit.  There were a lot of bad calls a few years ago, which is why the replay is in effect for determining home runs.

            However, the rule also puts fan interference into account in determining a home run.  If a fan interferes with the ball, the fan is kicked out of the stadium, and the ball is not called a home run, but a double.  Baseball needs to have this same system for other close calls.  Umpires made bad calls calling someone safe when they were out by two steps, or calling them out when they were passed the first base, and were safe.

            If you think about it, your favorite teams like the Rays or the Cardinals could end up losing a game because an umpire called a bad call, then you would be upset and wish they had instant replay to get the call right.  What if your favorite team lost the World Series because of calls like that?

            How the instant replay system should work is if there is a controversial call, then the manager has the option to challenge the play, giving the manager two challenges per game, like in football.  However, there will still be a review by the umpires on controversial home run calls, but does not count toward the number of challenges the manager can have, like the current system.  It may slow the game down, but the game will be fair, and it keeps the umpires in check of benefitting one team or another. 

If there is instant replay in football, basketball, tennis, hockey, etc., then there should be instant replay in all sports, which includes baseball.  They should try this instant replay system for one year in baseball, and see how the system works.  If the system does not work, then get rid of it, and think of a new plan or system.  A new instant replay system in baseball will make the game more interesting to watch, and would make the game fun to watch if your team wins when normally they would lose due to bad calls.

Magic the Gathering and the Younger Generation

            Magic the Gathering is a collectible card and trading card game created by Wizards of the Coast that involves a lot of strategy.  You use lands as mana to summon creatures and cast spells.  When this game came out in the early 1990’s, the game was created for teens and adults.  My uncle taught me the game in 1995, and most of the players I saw were adults.  The rules were complex for kids to understand, but that has changed.

            Today, kids are more interested in the game, and that's because the rules are simpler, and there are cards that show the game is less interesting to play.  In the 1990’s, there was the ability, banding.  This ability was too confusing for kids, and even some adults did not grasp the rulings on banding.  Wizards of the Coast condensed words together on cards to show kids the game is easy to understand.  For example, the older cards from the 90’s would say “put this card into play,” and now the cards say, “put it into the battlefield.”  Kids seem to understand this concept better.  In the 1990’s, kids would get beat by experienced players, and would have a tough time enjoying the game because they are losing all the time.

            Today, cards have become too powerful, where kids are beating the experienced players.  Simpler rules and powerful cards have driven players like me to enjoy the game.  I used to go to tournaments, but now there are cocky players and kids who are beating me all the time.  The game is supposed to be fun, and it’s not when these overpowered cards help the younger generation beat good players.  I know this means the good players have to use those cards to get better, but Wizards did not need to keep making overpowered cards to help the younger generation.  Magic is a strategy game, and kids could learn better if people taught them properly without these overpowered cards and simpler rules, which is not happening.

Descent : Jouneys into the Dark Review

             Descent: Journeys into the Dark is a board game that deals with various dungeons or “dungeon crawler,” where you fight monsters, collect treasures, and avoid traps.  One person is the overlord, and the rest of the players pick characters that have various abilities and statistics that let them do certain things.  For example, each character has four statistics, which is speed, fatigue, defense, and health.
             Each player can do various actions on their turn, where they can run, which doubles there speed. Advancing will allow them to move up to normal speed and then attack a creature.  Battling involves a character not moving at all, and can attack the monster twice.  The final action players can do is ready an action, by either interrupting the attack and make a counterattack, resting to recover fatigue, make a precise shot or dodge attacks.  Players do not seem to ready an action very often because they keep forgetting there is a fourth action they can do.  Readying is more important than the other actions to help you beat quests and kill monsters because this action will let you re-roll the dice if you do not like the result.  However, you have to take the second result if you choose to re-roll the dice.
              The major problem with this game is the treasure and the experience point system.  When a player opens a chest, the player will get various things.  The treasures are too powerful that can have characters kill monsters with one hit, which is a major flaw.  There isn't any fun in playing the overlord because he cannot kill the characters, which is his goal in order for the overlord to win the game.  The player that is the overlord could end up quitting the game because the game is boring.  The other flaw is the experience point system, where you get certain points to level-up for your character to build growth and strength, like Dungeons and Dragons.  Descent has no system like that, and the characters level-up by completing a number of quests.  However, there is a Descent Second Edition coming out that will add this experience point system.  Hopefully, the treasure will be modified to make the game experience intriguing to play.
               This is a good game to play if you enjoy Dungeons and Dragons.  I highly recommend this game to all players who do not care about the flaws in games, and want to have fun.  This game is not recommended for kids because the rules are complex.  I do not recommend this game for people who get frustrated a lot because certain things do not go their way because the dice system is balanced, and tends to screw players over.  If you have the game Descent: Journeys into the Dark, check out the expansions for the game such as Descent: Tomb of Ice and Descent: Well of Darkness.