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PONDEROUS QUERIES

AMERICA'S SELF SUFFICIENCY

Can we truly be self-sufficient? Can America really survive on only the necessities found in this country we live in? I think it may be possible, but definetely not in the near future. Self-sufficiency is a major survival skill. If one cannot obtain the items neccessary to live, life is not possible. As seen in Gary Paulsen's __Hatchet__, people tend to panic when they cannot find what they are used to or what they want. If America were to try to become totally self-sufficient, Americans would need to sacrifice many comforts that are obtained from foreign providers. In __Hatchet__, Brian repeatedly thinks of technology, and movies in which heroes escape desperate situations. Neither of these items would be available to him anyway, if not for imports. In fact, there are tons of items that Americans depend on every day that are not created in the U.S. One major item that America needs that it cannot produce on it's own is oil. However, if more people begin to use Ethanol, the United States can, in fact, produce it's own fuel. According to an article in the __News & Observer__ (Thursday, Sep. 27, 2007 pg. 1D "New life for paper mills.."), ethanol, an alternate, energy efficient fuel, can not only be made from America's corn fields, but also from paper mills. By adding a chemical that extracts the natural the ingredients of ethanol from tree bark, paper mills can rapidly produce ethanol for fuel. There is a downside though. It is impossible for any mill to make profits while producing paper and ethanol. Therefore, an entire plant would have to commit to producing fuel, which is not likely, but possible. Also, in order for the U.S. to be self-sufficient, an abundance of money would be needed to produce needed items that are routinely imported. However, with the war in Iraq, and the looming threat of Iran and the situation in Myanmar, America's dollars are literally already spent at the moment. Thus, large amounts of money to make the country self-sufficient, are not going to be available any time soon. Another thing the U.S. may have a hard time producing is technology. America is never at a loss of ideas for new technology, but almost none of those ideas come to life in the U.S. Over 30% of imports last year were car parts, computers, phones, and electrically powered machinary. Very few of these items are made in America. All of the technological aspects of daily life must be shipped from another country. Without the foreign-made technology, daily life would become difficult. All-in-all, it is possible for the country we live in to produce everything it needs by itself, I just don't see it happening anytime soon. Right now, American citizens are mostly content, and until that changes, i think the self-sufficieny of America will stay right where it is.

Sources: [|www.infoplease.com] / Raleigh __News & Observer__ / __Hatchet__ by Gary Paulsen / [|www.crisisgroup.org] / [|www.danielpipes.org]

AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?

The most common way to apply this question to the world we live in today is in the case of the United States. Is America, as the largest and most powerful country of our time, responsible for the rest of the world? I believe that as possibly the strongest power on Earth, America is responsible for struggling countries to an extent. If a country is having a conflict and help is welcome, then, by all means, provide help. However, if the U.S. acts on what they think they can do, in spite of what the country in question wants, then more conflict can arise. In __Call of The Wild__ by Jack London, the dogs in the pack look out for each other. Just because one dog is stronger than the other, that does not mean that the stronger dog can ignore the rest of the packs' suffering. Just as America should, these dogs protect each other so that they can survive happily in their conditions. If America helps support other countries in their time of need, to their consent, these countries may be able to return the favor to the United States. There is a quote by Marlon Brando that I find extremely enticing. "If we are not our brother's keeper, let us at least not be his executioner." This to me means that, if we are not going to help our fellow person in their time of need, at least try not to make it worse. America faces a similar problem in Iraq. The U.S. invaded Iraq to install a new government and overthrow an evil ruler. Once that phase of the plan was completed, Iraq began what could be considered a civil war between religious groups. The Sunnis and Shiites are tearing the country apart and Iraq's democracy is failing. One could argue that their situation is worse now than before the Americans invaded. America does not even like what the country is doing in Iraq. 70% of American citizens disagree with how the situation is being handled in Iraq. Another time the query 'are we our brother's keeper' came into play was after the world trade center was destroyed. People banded together to save the survivors that were trapped not because they were forced to, but because they had something in common. Everyone there that day was a human being. They were brothers in species. They kept each other, so why shouldn't everyone else? The citizens of New York watched over each other on 9/11 just as the sled dogs of __Call of the Wild__ did. Their brotherly love led them to keep each other, dogs and humans both. In conclusion, i believe that everyone has the responsibility to be their brother's keeper. If a brother asks for help, then give it to him. Do not ignore him, trying to stay out of his business. Help him in his time of need. So, yes, in our world, we are our brother's keeper.

Sources: __Call of the Wild__ by Jack London / [|www.google.com] / [|www.answers.com] / [|koti.mbnet.fi/amoira/ethics/brother1.htm] / [|www.pollingreport.com/iraq.htm]

THE BLACK CAT PLAY


 * SCENE 1**

(//A man stands center stage, with a single spotlight on his face. The spotlight is to be seen as thought, and the monologue begins...)//

MAN- (//In a somber tone, in rags, dirty)// Throughout my life, I had always been pleased with what I had. I had been happy and carefree and never did I even play with the idea of such a misfortune that I am faced with today. It is in my displeasure to recall the tale, (//deep sigh)// but I feel that I must.

(//curtains open to reveal a boy, playing with a cat. It is obvious that this boy has a deep love for this animal//)

MAN- (//narrating the scene from stage left//) I always had a deep love for animals. I had birds, dogs, exotic species unknown, and yet I never cared as much for any pet other than my little cat, Pluto. (//boy laughs and carries cat over to chair to pet him//)

(//scenery changes, young man stands with wife holding the small black cat, scratching his head affectionately//)

MAN- (//continues his narration//) I married early and my beloved wife showed nearly the same affection for little Pluto that I had. We took care of him and he grew remarkably large and gorgeous. I kept my friendly relationship with the cat until my temper worsened from the poison that is alcohol. (//temporary blackout//)


 * SCENE 2**


 * (**//young man stumbles on stage, grizzled and unshaven. He drunkenly staggers* to chair, stage right//)

MAN- (//spotlight//) One night, I returned home, enticed in intoxication. I couldn’t see straight and I was furious, yet I did not know it. (//black cat wanders on stage//) I then saw my pet Pluto and realized he avoided me!! (//shouting//) How dare he!! The one man who fed and cared for him was now being shunned!! My rage overcame me. (//young man grabs cat and cat snarls//) I seized the cat and it bit me! I could no longer take it. I reached for my letter opener in my pocket and dug it into the beast’s eye. (//young man seemingly stabs cat and cat squeals and falls to floor//)* (//Blackout//)

(//lights slowly fade back onto stage revealing young man sitting in chair staring at the black cat which is curled in a ball on the floor//)

MAN- (//spotlight//) The cat slowly recovered, though where his eye once was, now lay only an empty and scarred hole. He no longer appeared to feel any pain, and yet, he still fled at my approach. It overwhelmed me to see my childhood friend hate me so. (//sighs wearily//) Each time I saw this cat it reminded me of my own hate and violence. These reminders tore at my soul until I could stand it no longer.

(//young man becomes increasingly discomforted as the cat glares at him and flees stage left, the young man storms from the room only to return with a noose. He follows the cat from the room. BLACKOUT. A single spotlight shines on the closed curtain showing the outline of a cat hanging by its neck from a branch.//)

MAN- (//spotlight, young man’s bedroom//) On the night of this terrible and accursed deed, I awoke to the sight of flames lapping at my bed side. (//young man startles awake in his bed room and calls to his wife.//)

YOUNG MAN- We must leave at once!! (//wife approaches him//) Grab all of the servants and flee the house immediately! I will follow shortly. (//wife flees the room swiftly//)

MAN- (//narrating again from the side//) I gathered what belongings I could and watched as my house was engulfed in flame, all my wealth, my life, gone. (//large house is engulfed in flames and collapses slowly//. //Short blackout//)

MAN- (//young man approaches his house slowly//) (//spotlight//) the next morning I returned to my home to salvage what I could. I realized that the entire house had fallen save for one wall. (//a group of people crowd around the wall and exclaim their surprise//) It intrigued me to see such a large group of people crowded around ruins.

GROUP MEMBER #1- (//approaching young man quickly//) I cannot believe what my eyes have seen. Whoever lived in this house was a very cursed man. Never have I seen such a disturbing sight! (//young man begins quick walk to ruins and stops dead at the wall//)

MAN-(//spotlight//) I could not imagine what awaited me at the wall, yet when I got there, I felt such disgust and fear I was overwhelmed. For there at the wall was an exact carving of a large, black cat with a noose around his neck. (//BLACKOUT)//


 * SCENE 3**

(//curtain is raised, young man is leaning on post outside of an inn or pub//)

MAN- (//spotlight//) The retched occurrence that had befallen me at my previous home haunted me every day. I took to drinking again once my wife encouraged me to find a cat to replace the beast I had lost.

YOUNG MAN- (approaching an ally adjacent the pub) What is that? Who is there?!! Show yourself! (//a large black cat slowly appears from the ally and walks straight to him. Upon petting him, the cat purrs.//)

MAN- (//spotlight//) I decided to adopt this cat to replace the one I had lost. I asked the owner of the pub if the animal belonged to him.

LANDLORD- (//after being approached by the young man//) I would never own such a filthy beast as that! It is hideous, its eyes are not even correct.

MAN- (//spotlight//) and to my horror I realized that, like Pluto, this cat only had one eye. I decided to bring him home anyway and my wife adored him. (//young man approaches wife at home//)

WIFE- Oh! He’s adorable. Obviously he has faced as much hardship as we have. He’s perfect!

MAN-(//spotlight//) I was not as sure as my wife and began to loath the beast. The fact that it so closely resembled Pluto, save for one white spot on his chest that seemed to grow larger each day, disturbed me to no end. The fact that the beast loved me so much irritated me and he began to drive me mad. He would awake me in the middle of the night just to stare at me with his one yellow eye. (//during this dialogue, random pictures of the cat and his hideousness are being projected onto the closed curtain//)

MAN- (//spotlight, scene changes to young man’s bedroom, young man lying with cat on his chest//) one night I awoke from a nightmare to find the cat leaning over me with a red lust in his eye. I then realized the most disturbing feature of the cat. (//exasperated//) The white spot on his chest had grown to reasonable size and depicted my horror. For this spot was an exact likeness of the bringer of death and fear to criminals all over this earth! THE GALLOWS!! (//BLACKOUT//)


 * SCENE 4**

MAN- (//spotlight, young man’s house//) I felt horror and fear every waking moment. The hideous monster in my house haunted me as a shadow. (//young man screaming at wife while the black cat watches on//) Sadly, my beloved wife was the target of my random outbursts often. I felt bad, but my rage outweighed my guilt.

YOUNG MAN- (//to wife, screaming//) Why don’t you understand??!! Am I not making it simple enough for you??!!

WIFE- (//stammering//) What’s wrong with you?? Why can’t you talk to me??!! You are not the same person anymore!

MAN-(//spotlight//) My tirades worsened and my anger toward the beast in my house overwhelmed my spirit. (//short blackout//, //scene changes to old cellar//) One day my wife accompanied me to the old cellar of the house in which our poverty forced us to live in. The wretched cat followed me into the cellar and almost caused me to trip. My soul filled with hatred. I grabbed the axe off the wall. (//spotlight off//)

(//young man attempts to strike cat with axe, but his wife stops him. Enraged by her interference, he buries the axe into her head. She falls silently, dead*//)

YOUNG MAN- (//screaming at cat with woe//) Look at what you have done you miserable beast!

MAN- (//spotlight//) I then went about with the task of concealing the body. I knew that I could not take it from the house without being seen. Many terrible ideas raced through my mind. I thought of chopping the body into many pieces. I contemplated burying it in the floor. Then, the most horrible notion occurred to me. The walls of the cellar were hollow and I began to remove the bricks in the wall. (//spotlight off//)

(//young man drags wife’s body over to the wall and begins to deconstruct it. He removes brick after brick and with a great heave and stuffs the body in the wall.* BLACKOUT//)

MAN-(//spotlight//) With the terrible deed done I returned home and slept soundly even with the weight of murder on my heart. The horrible beast of my obsession had disappeared and did not return. I mourned the loss of my wife, but my life seemed to be moving on. (//BLACKOUT//)


 * SCENE 5**

(//young man’s house, door is knocked on loudly and young man approaches the door. Door is opened to reveal policeman and chief of police)//

YOUNG MAN- (//stammering//) Can I help you…gentleman?

CHIEF OF POLICE- I’m sorry to hear about your wife son, but as standard protocol calls for, I would like to know if we could search your house.

YOUNG MAN- (//more confident//) Certainly!! Feel free gentleman.(//blackout//)

MAN-(//spotlight//) I had total confidence that the men would not find my horrible secret. I was so sure of myself that I personally led them into the cellar….(//lights up//)

YOUNG MAN-(//the old cellar//) And lastly gentleman, the cellar.

CHIEF OF POLICE- (//takes a brief look and prepares to leave//) Very well sir, thank you for your time. (//false exit//)

YOUNG MAN- By the way gentleman, this is a very well constructed house, yes very sturdy walls. (//young man raps on the wall//)

(//a deep moan emits from the wall, a shriek so demonic that it echoes throughout the stage. The police stop dead in their tracks and begin to demolish the wall. Young man staggers to opposite side of cellar. A body falls out of the wall, immensely decayed, and with it, a large black cat.//) (//the cat emits one last moaning meow at the audience. BLACKOUT)//

MAN- (//spotlight with more light shone and the audience can see that he is shackled to the wall//) So, this is my tale of woe, the wretched beast of my terror has condemned me to the hangman’s noose. It should not be long now before…(//blackout, loud footsteps, a creaking, heavy door is opened, long pause and then a shadow of the gallows flashed on the closed curtain//)