Would you want to spend the night at the Myrtles Plantation?

I would definitely spend a night at the Myrtles Plantation. I think that it would be interesting. I want to stay there because supposedly, it is one of the most haunted places in America. I think that that would be fun. 

Does boring and safe equate?

I think that boring and safety are two different things that aren't connected. You can be bored in the big city, as well as a little town. You are less likely to be bored in the city, but it can happen. In small towns, you get bored a lot. But you can probably get hurt just as easily in a small town as it is in a bigger town. I think that it just depends on the amount of people and the type of people. I don't think they're related at all. 

Tour Boat Sinks in British Columbia

4 Dead After Tour Boat Sinks off British Columbia

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/25/world/canada-tour-boat-sinks/index.html

A tour boat carrying 27 people sunk on the coast of Vancouver Island in British Colombia. At least four people died. The Joint Rescue Co-ordinator Centre says that they are still conducting a search to make sure that they have found everybody. It was a whale watching vessel. The boat is named Leviathan II. The search coordinators have requested military helicopters to help search. 

I think that this is important because it was a tour boat, and a lot of people like to tour by the ocean. Especially people who have never seen the oceans, like Iowans. I think that we need to be more careful when we decide to tour, especially on water because you can't predict the water 100%. We all need to be prepared for situations like this. 

The Doomsday Vault

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/19/europe/svalbard-global-seed-vault-syria/index.html

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, also known as the Doomsday Vault, is located in the side of a mountain in the Arctic archipelago. The vault is a seed bank, filled with seeds for almost every known crop in the world. It's meant to be humanity's back up in the event of a crop devastating catastrophe. But it has been opened. It wasn't a natural disaster that cause them to open the vault, but a man-made disaster -- war. There are no signs of Syria's conditions improving, so the scientists are trying to recover their loss of important crops. The seeds are being planted in facilities in Lebanon and Morocco. 

I think that this is important because it could happen to any of us. If there were to be a natural disaster or man-made disaster in the United States, our crops would get ruined. If there are no crops, we can't feed livestock. We rely on livestock and crops to feed the nation. If this were ruined, we would end up having to import products from other countries, resulting in having to pay more taxes and our country would be even more in debt. Also, we would have to deal with starvation and malnourishment. I think that it is a good idea to have a vault like this, to make sure that we have a back up plan if our crops get ruined. I think that every country should have it. 

Should it be illegal for students to drop out of school?

I think that it should not be illegal for a student to drop out of school, but I do think that there should be some limitations as to why the student is dropping out. If a student needs to get a full time job to support his or her family, then that should be okay. But if a student wants to drop out because they just don't want to go to school, that shouldn't be allowed. I think that there should be a valid reason as to why the student wants to drop out. In Iowa, the legal age to drop out is 16. I think that this is okay, but, like I said, I think that there should be some limitations. 

Should you be forced by law to tip at all restaurants regardless of service?

I think so, because I think that it is rude to not leave a tip for someone. They don't make much money as is, so leaving them a tip could help them. I think that adding gratuities is a good idea, because it makes it easier for the tipper, and it really helps the workers. Raising the prices of the food will only give the restaurant more money. The tips go straight to the workers. I think that the person who is suing the restaurants, is just making a big deal over nothing. They're just upset because they don't want to give away any money. 

Would we have less adults in jail if we were more strict on youth?

I don't think so, because even though some parents aren't strict, it doesn't mean that their children are going to become criminals. I think that if someone chooses to commit a crime, it's their fault. They are the ones who made the choice to do it. The should have thought the consequences through. I think that it is wrong to blame a parent for their children's mistakes. Being strict might help the child stay out of trouble when they are younger, but when they get older, they start to be faced with different types of trouble. 

Should parents be forced to vaccinate their children?

I think that parents should be forced to vaccinate their children because it could get other children sick. I think that it is wrong to risk the lives of other children, just because you don't want your child to be vaccinated. Even the people who are vaccinated can still catch the disease, because vaccination doesn't completely cure the disease. I think that it is best for the children and the general population that vaccination be required. 

Eastern Kentucky University Cancels Classes After Threat On Bathroom Wall

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/07/us/eastern-kentucky-university-threat/index.html

Eastern Kentucky University shut down the school for a week because of a threat made in graffiti on the bathroom wall. The threat said "KILL ALL BY 10/8/15 THIS BU OOP." They found the threat on Monday morning. The president of the school acknowledged, later that day, that the message had resembled the shooting at Oregon's Umpqua Community College. In a letter to the students and faculty, the president explained the decisions that were to be made. The letter stated that they were canceling classes and events so the law enforcement can conduct an investigation of the threat and make sure that it is safe. 

I think that this is important because there are school shootings all the time now and we don't even think about them much anymore. What if that happened to our school? We wouldn't know what to do. I think that we need to make sure that our schools are safe and comfortable for the kids and make sure that there is no one out there trying to hurt anybody at the school. 

How many new species are out there? Do new species actually matter?

There are a lot of new species out there. I think that new species matter because we can understand our environment and habitats better. I think that there are a lot more different species out there that we haven't even came across yet. I don't think that the era of finding new species is over, I have a feeling that it will go on and on for a long time. 

New Species Found In Himalayas

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/07/asia/wwf-eastern-himalayas-new-species-report/index.html

More than two hundred new species have been found in recent years. The articles states that about 133 plants, 39 invertebrates, 26 fish, 10 amphibians, one reptiles, one bird, and one mammal have been discovered in the past six years in the Himalayas. The area is biologically rich, but an increasing number of its species are becoming vulnerable. The landscape of the region is facing threats and pressures with climate change, mining, oil, gas projects, road construction, and new dams. Invasive species impact tourism, water pollution, and illegal hunting/fishing, among other serious issues. 

This is important because it is impacting a part of the world. The people keep taking over the poor animals' homes and making it easier for them to do what they want. I think that this is wrong because the animals need a home. All these new species that have been found, could be gone in a few years if we keep it up. It's not just an issue in the Himalayas, but also in other places as well. Ever where around the world, we are taking more and more away from the animals and using it for ourselves. I think that it is wrong to take things away from the animals, because it could ruin their lives. 

Should people be allowed to legally own dangerous animals?

I think that people should only be allowed to legally own dangerous animals if they have a permit or some sort of paperwork saying that they can own these kinds of animals. Yes, it is dangerous for the people to own them, but it's their choice to have that animal as a pet. They put themselves in that position. As long as they are treating the animal right and properly caring for them, then it should be legal. A person who adopts an exotic animal has to make sure that the environment is comfortable for them, otherwise they will have troubles adapting. This will cause the animals to constantly be on edge, because they aren't comfortable. They could react badly if they are provoked or uncomfortable. The people need to just make sure that the animals are comfortable and being treated right. 

Would you want a pet mongoose? Why might it be helpful?

I think that I would want a pet mongoose, so he can protect me from dangerous snakes. It is immune to the snake's venom, so it can kill the snake with just a snap of it's neck. They aren't the cutest pet in the world, but I would still like to have one. They have really sharp teeth, so they can protect me against a lot of things.