Gun Law and Perception

In the Philippines, the regulation of guns is categorized as restrictive. Under this system, the person wishing to acquire a gun must provide the licensing authority an evidence for having a good character and a valid reason for acquiring it. This method tries to reduce gun violence by reducing the number of guns in circulation.

For me, keeping a gun at home is not a good idea. I know that it benefits individuals because it is a form of protection. But I believe that this poses a certain danger to some extent because there are greater chances for homicides and suicides. For instance, a simple fight is more likely to turn deadly because of the presence of the gun at home. It has somehow a psychological consequence. I guess one move to prevent these things to happen is to reduce the number of guns in circulation. Besides, if you are planning to have a gun at home, you have to store it in a safe place or a gun vault because there would be a great risk of having child injuries and death.

American Football

Football will always be a part of the identity of Americans. Besides, it is the most popular sport in America. It consists of two teams, each with eleven players, trying to score points by advancing the ball to the opposing team’s end zone. The offense team will have four tries or downs to advance at least ten yards but if the team wasn’t able to advance, the other team will take control of the ball. It the offense team advanced the ball to the end zone or what you call touchdown, they score six points with a chance to score a point after touchdown. The point after touchdown can either be one point for kicking the ball through the goalpost or two points for re-advancing the ball into the opponent’s end zone for a two point conversion. The game has four quarters with 15 minutes each.

The Homecoming football game was the chance for me to watch the game live. I can say that it is really interesting and fun especially if you know all the information, from rules to penalties, of the game. I think one reason why Americans love football is because of the image the game gives them. The “macho” image which has been prevalent during the American frontier has impacted the American values and beliefs. I believe that the game football makes their image stronger and heroic especially that the players’ uniform have a masculine helmet and pads over their shoulders, thigh and other parts of their body. In addition, I also believe that they love the game because of the exceptional satisfaction and thrill it gives to their life.

Historic Buildings on the North Side of Eau Claire

Sacred Heart Church (418 North Dewey Street, Eau Claire, WI)

The church was completed in 1928 and is considered a historic building because of its unique architectural design. It has metal-covered twin towers supporting a Latin cross on each tower, rose-colored windows and round arched openings. It was built by 60 German-speaking Catholic families.

Sears Catalog House (1403 Omaha Street, Eau Claire, WI)

Sears Catalog Homes were constructed between 1908 and 1940. Catalog homes, also known as kit houses, were prefabricated housing that became popular in the United States in the first half of the 20^th century. It is considered as a historic building because of its interesting architecture wherein the buyer will be receiving two boxcar loads of materials together with the detailed plans and construction information.

UWEC Ropes Course

“Live your life without regret.” Those were the words flashing in my mind before doing the swing part of the ropes course. Unnoticeably, I was just putting on the harness, climbing the ladder and executed the swing activity. I never thought I would be able to overcome my fear of heights again. But fortunately, I was able to conquer it with the help of the Ropes Course. With all the mental and physical activities we performed, I learned more of cooperation, teamwork and the importance of communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal. With this ropes course, the professor doesn’t only want us to develop our critical thinking skills but also our interpersonal skills. I realized that American Universities are inclined to balancing the academic life and extra-curricular activities of students. That is why 12 credits are already sufficient enough for one student to be able to participate in other activities of the university.