Writing in the Dark

Night!

2010-06-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

Elie Wiesel's Night astonished me with its amazing story and insight that it truly gave into the Holocaust.

One theme of this book is that even in the most adverse situations if a person has enough courage to stand up to their oppressor they can be a hero. Also I learned that even out of the worst situations amazing people still come forward and change the world, much like Elie Wiesel. The author's style is great for me because he is not too long winded, I mean the author told almost his whole life story in under 200 pages. While reading this book I can feel the setting beginning to form around me and the deep, dark, and depression filled state of mind that takes over me.

The main character Elie Wiesel is very believable because I see young men just like himself everyday. He is normal kind of like all of the people where he is from , except throughout this book I got to go deep inside of his mind and see the darkness and courage that lied there. Dr. Mengele is also another character that comes to mind because of his iron fist rule and no nonsense authority. He reminds of a few coaches I have had throughout my football career and he definitely is essential to the overall plot of the story.

The setting is very different of that from the world that I live in today because I live in the United States of America. The land of the free and home of the brave is all I have known my whole life and what little authority I do have in life only comes from my parents. There is really nothing that I am forced to do unlike the circumstances that Elie Wiesel went through in the concentration camp.

The plot of the book begins with Elie Wiesel living in the town of Sighet with his family and enjoying a very simple life. This is until Moshe the Beadle, a Jew from Sighet, deported in 1942, with whom Elie had once studied the cabbala, comes back and warns the town of the impending dangers of the German army. No one listens and time goes by and after a while the Germans have set of ghettos for the Jews and start deporting them. When Elie and his family arrive at the concentration camp he is separated from his mother and sisters. In order to even stay together Elie and his father must lie about their ages and as they walk into the camp they notice something horrible about a ditch. The camp is so harsh that it has Elie questioning his religion and he becomes more self absorbed the longer he stays.

This book reminds me of the times of slavery in the Americas because African Americans under went some of the same harsh conditions that Jews did during the time of Nazi Germany, and deeply admire both of these races of people for being able to put these times behind them and still succeed.

Semester Test

2010-06-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

Musicals have influenced the very vitality and culture of the United States from very early times in our history until the present. Not many things stay around for about a hundred years like theater has and the concept of musicals so they are a true testament to how powerful they are. Before having a class like Oral Communication I never really deeply analyzed modern musicals and actually saw that they are apart of my everyday viewing pleasure, and they relate to my everyday life. High school Musical is a modern day musical that is fairly interesting because of its high school setting and problems that even I face daily.

In the beginning of the movie a random boy and a girl (Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez) meet a ski lodge and end up singing a duet together. They are obviously from two different cities, but somehow when the school year begins they end up at the same school and really get to meet each other for who they are. Troy is the golden boy, savior, and hero of the basketball and school, while Gabriella is an academic know for her scholastic merit. They decide to audition for a talent show together and there chemistry is undeniable, but there two clique's do not like this at all because they are losing focus on two important events that both have coming up. For Troy and the basketball team it is a chance at a state title and for Gabriella a chance to win there version of quiz bowl. So there friends devise a plan to get the two to break up and focus on what is important to their interests. The plan works and the two end not even singing together in the talent show anymore, but Troy out of desperation tries to gain Gabriella back because she is really what he cares about. Then the friends finally come clean and tell them both what has been going on and they decide to make it right by giving them a way to perform in the talent show. So all goes well and the movie is ended with a stellar performance by the whole student body.

High School Musical reminds me of Grease in the fact that two lovers meet over the summer or some season when school is not in, fall in love, and end up going to the same school and seeing how different they really are. Both tell the old age tale of popular kids versus rebels or athletes versus nerds and it is interesting to see this comparison played out over and over again throughout history.

I liked the modern theme of the musical because it is somewhat relevant to my generation and not back in the day of the T Birds and the Pink Ladies that I know nothing about, but one dislike that I do have is that the athletes were not portrayed as masculine figures but as rather soft individuals.

Musicals, I believe, will continue to effect change in the world because they are more than just entertainment, but they teach us life lessons about the world that we live in. If we could only look past the few small little obstacles that hinder us from watching musicals and look at them as true pieces of work then we would be a more enlightened people.

Holocaust!!!

2010-05-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Term Holocaust

Holocaust as we all know is word that carries with it lots of negative energy and is only used in the derogatory since, that is unless you are talking of how strong it made the Jewish people that survived it. Originally the word holocaust was a Bible word meaning burnt offerings to God, and in a sense the term is very correctly coined in a smart alecky kind of way but it is accompanied by vile images of massacre and a very dark period of time on this Earth. My heart goes out to the many Jewish people that were exterminated off of the Earth and some of their families that still strive on today and endure many harsh criticisms. Even the television shows that we watch for entertainment still degrade the Jewish people actions like these are very poor for a nation as great as ours and shows just how far we have to go as a people and a country.

The term holocaust needs to be italicized because it is technically a title for an event that happened in history, kind of like the theory behind books and their italicizing. Also this word is equipped with so much history and power behind it that is must be crowned with a special feature as to let those who do not the importance of this word will be given a clue and want to research. As most knowledgeable humans know the holocaust was a horrible thing and should still be replaced frequently in the minds of all so that this mistake will never happen again.
My holocaust picture is here.

The Author
Elie Wiesel should be regarded as a hero for his actions and will to survive, then live to tell about his journey. Not many people have the courage that this man has accompanied by genius literary talent to make a book last for generations. This book is one of those that you are thankful for getting the opportunity to read because it truly changes your whole thought process and view of subjects like World War II, the holocaust, the Jewish people, and Nazi Germany.

Darkness

Darkness is symbolized in the book by bad, horrible situations that happen to the author at random times in the book. It represents a point in his life where he can not see the light at the end of the tunnel for all of the dark, or the mass depression filled state of mind he is in at all times because of his fear that the God he has believed in all of his life may not intervene. As in most parallel situations many can tell that a character is in a tough situation when it starts shaking a persons faith. Darkness could also be the very strong hand of the Nazis that is oppressing the author throughout this novel. In the book whenever a situation is presumed as dark something bad always happens. So in the end darkness is a symbol that describes the depression, hopelessness, and helplessness of the Jewish people in this novel.

W.T.F.!!!

2010-05-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you! Thank you! You are far to kind! It has been a life long dream of mine to win this award and accept it in front of a beautiful audience such as you all. I mean many dream but very few achieve all of the things that they want in life and to even be nominated for this award I am blown away. I will not say that I am not deserving of this award because i have spent most of my academic life here at Harvard mentally exhausted just to be number one. So I proudly accept this award for being the first African-American valedictorian of Harvard.

When I was seventeen years old just starting my search for colleges I was immediately drawn to it for its prestige, history of excellence, and overall who would turn down Harvard. So there I was the next four years of my life was set in stone and arrived on campus for my first day. As I settled in I realized that I was surrounded by geniuses and that I do not think my head can take any more of knowledge, but I continually strived for greatness.

Through various sports and many other things that I have done throughout life I have learned a few things one is that not everything will always go your way, two when you fall down you must get up, and three the goal of education is not for you to make straight A's I obviously learned that here at Harvard but to grow intellectually and really understand the concepts being taught to you.

This award means so much also because a little boy from Batesville, Arkansas with less than five people in his family who have ever stepped foot on a college campus is now valedictorian at the best program in the nation. I do not only accept this award for myself but I accept it for all of the other people with dreams out there and all the people stuck doing something else because they just could not make it. This is to all of you, Thank you.

Now that I have proved that I can accomplish almost impossible tasks I will not stop here I will continue to reach for the higher plateau and never forget where I have come from and I thank you all for being here tonight my gratitude will never be able to be expressed and thank you for all of your support, goodnight!

Days Going Bye

2010-05-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

This school year has been everything that any school year can ever be, I mean you have your ups, your downs, and in betweens, but for the most part it has been pretty good. I do believe that the school experiences that we have now in our youth will give us memories that we will need to carry on as adults. If only as young people we did not look at short term and actually could see into our future we would see that school is really all that we have as far as relaxed layed back life. After our years of education have passed us by all that we have is lots of hard work and responsibility to look forward to. School in retrospect really is not that bad without school you would know none of your friend, see any girls/boys, or know how to reason through things and use and acquire skills to help in the job market. So the great evil, public education, is not quite the monster that we all make it out to be.

This year, my junior year, has been just a slow cruise through another year because I know my school and teachers well and what is required of me academically so I am basically shooting the breeze until next year. Some of my classes have challenged me greatly while others have been quite useless and anger me that I must waste minutes of my valuable life taking them because they are required. While I am taking these courses I could have been putting my academic genius to work and continuously working towards reaching the higher plateau of solving this Earth's biggest problems. Being a junior is just like being the middle child in the family you are not quite the baby(sophomore) or the oldest(senior), but you fit in there somewhere doing your own thing. You really do not miss the tough times of being a sophomore, but you can not wait to have the privileges of being a senior and overall being able to graduate.

Graduation is not only sad for seniors, but everyone that has ever come into contact with them. These people are some of the best people that I will ever know and the chance of me seeing them on this life journey are slim to none. As I said before through education we forge life bonds that under other circumstances may have never been formed, so I guess I do owe that much to Batesville School District. Because a life without friends to share it with is like a life without sunshine or shoes without the Nike swoosh its worthless.

So for next year I plan on slacking off the whole year, smoothly cruising into graduation, getting my diploma, and partying like no one has ever partied before. I will have finally reached the end all be all my senior year the last time I will have to deal with high school again in my and this time can not come fast enough. It may seem impossible but I have had senioritis ever since I was a freshman so please God let time fly.

Westside Story

2010-05-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

two street gangs the jets and the sharks are at war with one another sharks-puerto rican Americans jets-true americans they plan a fight maria is supposed to marry a member of the sharks chino but she falls in love with tony tony later tries to stop the battle between the two the puerto rican dude kills the american dude and then tony kills the puerto rican dude first mentioned maria finds out that tony killed bernardo and gets upset but she calms and then they make plans to run away together and then they make love jets make action the leader of set and they find out that chino is planning on hunting tony down and killing him with a gun jets accept anybodys into the set and then anybodys falls in love with action next tony tells maria to meet him at the candy store so they can run away to the country anita wonders how maria can love tony after killing her brother and maria explains then anita realizes that she loves tony as much as she loved her brother and the anita tells maria that chino is looking for tony anita goes to candy store to tell tony to wait for maria but she is insulted and nearly raped by jets she then says that maria is killed by chino out of jealously she survives but is never seen again doc tells tony supposed news about maria and he thinks he has nothing left to live for so he goes to find chino when tony sees maria alive chino shows up and shoots him maria tells both gangs hatred is what killed friends and everyone and she grabs the gun and says that she can kill now but she cant thus ending the violence chino gets arrested

Let's Prom Like It is 2010!

2010-04-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

The awesome rental car, the fresh silky tuxedo, the beautiful women in dresses, and a night full of dancing and memories that will last a life time. This is almost a right of passage into the fields of adulthood because it is a part of the American tradition now very much like Thanksgiving Day. Everyone dreams of this one night and puts upon the highest pedestal to where there whole future may be ruined if this night goes wrong. There are the hopeless romantic types who think they will spend this night with their truest love and the people who think a life long fantasy will be fulfilled. It is a great atmosphere to be apart except for the fact that on prom night I was at Colton's Steak House catching the gist of prom from their instead of actually experiencing it on my own in real life.

This is okay though because prom has never been anything that was really on agenda at all for the simple fact it is just not my scene. I would much rather make a little money then spend a whole five hours of my life being uncomfortable, taking pictures, and basically standing around. People think I am really weird and my family warns me of the big mistake I am making by not experiencing this crucial event in the life of a young man, but what they do not know is that I really could care less. In the overall bigger picture of things I am not a tuxedo kind of guy I love my t-shirt and jeans and dancing is just not my cup of punch(get it). So I should by now be feeling regret about my decisions, but I kind of feel empowered something like a rebel that may spark a change in society that will alter the course of history. Then I will have finally found my way to leave my mark on the world, but in all reality I am not bothered about how I spent my prom and for all of those that think they would die after a mistake like mine I am living just fine and I am even a few bucks richer.

So to all of you debating on prom yes or no all I can say is be yourself, know yourself, and follow your heart and you will have no regrets at all.

The 1920's

2010-04-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the issue of the 1920's I find myself on the fence because of the exciting happy times that were experienced and then later the sad depression filled days after the inevitable crash. To have lived in the times of the roaring twenties must have caused many that lived during this period of time to have a head full of memories of both the good and bad times to pass down to future generations. Just hearing my grandparents tell stories that their parents told them about this time in history is like going on an exciting adventure through time with all of the ups and downs to go with it.

In a way I would have loved to live in the twenties for the fact that it was a time of non stop excitement and invention. Stores, restaurant, and automobiles things that are exposed to us everyday were created in this time. The very thought of businessmen, competition for customers, and economic ideas were born during this era and have obviously left their mark on us. I would not have been old enough to keep company with people such as the flappers and speakeasies, but viewing all the activity of city life would have been more than enough to make the times the best years in my life.

Then on the other hand we have the time period after the stock market crashed and all of the heartbreaks that go along with that. Widespread hunger, poverty, and ill health were the terms that replaced prosperity, growth, and exciting times full of fun in the latter days of the twenties. For the simple fact that I am not a very strong willed human being I probably would have been begging for mercy at the first sign of rough times, but this is a part of the 1920's like life that we now again live in the U.S.A.

So if I had to choose it would definitely be the early part of the roaring twenties and then somehow I could skip the ending part of the deal and shoot right back into the success and prosperity that we as Americans experience everyday. You can find more information about the 1920's here.

Notes about musicals

2010-04-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Fiddler on the roof: About traditions following past into future guy(tevye) has five daughters in no sons in a farming community very religious(jewish) Hebrew school arranged marriages did not like the tsar community likes peace and harmony they think without tradition they think life would have no order shaky like a fiddler on the roof people get married very early and having a husband is very important tevye wishes he was rich instead of a poor man a man says in the newspaper that the tsar evicted some jews from a village for no reason a young man(perchik) says that you can't close your eyes to the outside world and he says he can tudor his daughters in trade for food tevye oldest daughter(tzeitel) wants to marry motel but lazar the butcher would like her hand in marriage also. would like her hand in marriage but he is poor and is trying to save up money to buy a sewing machine(motel) so he can support a family and the wants to talk with tevye and tevye at first doesnt like lazar but then he thinks about the better life his daughter would have and how she would want for nothing after celebration of lazar's good fortune tevye bumps into russian constable who warns him of a coming minor pogrom(form of riot) he has sympathy for the jews but can do nothing about the coming violence. the next morning after perchik's lesson with the second oldest daughter (hodel) mocks his marxist interpretation of a bible story then he criticizes her for hanging on to old traditions of judaism noting that the world is changing then the two dance together defying the prohibition against opposite sexes dancing together the two are falling in love. tevye announces that they lazar will marry his oldest and golde is overjoyed but tzeitel begs for this not to happen and motel shows some backbone and stands up for himselfabout the relationship that he and his daughter share after this tevye allows them to marry and must break the news to golde he does this by pretending to wake up froma nightmare where his daughter is supposed to marry motel not lazar. while returning from town tevye's third daughter the bookish chava is teased and intimidated by some russian youths but one of them fyedka protects her he offers the loan of a book and a secret relationship begins. on motel and tzeitel wedding day lazar gives a fine gift but an arguement arises with tevye over broken agreement perchik ends this by breaking another tradition and dances with hodel celebration ends when group of russians ride into the village for a demonstration perchik is injured trying to fight back and tevye advises everyone just to clean up.

Non-Verbal

2010-04-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Most of our communication is done without ever saying one word. As we watch Mr. Bean he obviously does a great job of this. .Like in one part of the show he was taking a test and he kept telling the guy he could not out do Mr. Bean and he said very few words. He also was communicating that he was unprepared for the calculus test and he need to cheat to the other fellow too.Also the scene when he was at the beach he communicated that he did not want to be seen without ever opening his mouth. The blind gentlemen Mr. Bean thought was watching him gave off body language that he really did not want to be bothered so Mr. Bean said nothing to him. Also when Mr. Bean was in church he communicated to the whole world that he was tired by his yawning and other mysteriously weird antics.

In the first scene of this second movie about Mr. Bean he shows just how cheap he is by not asking the musician for change for the money he was about to give him, but digging around in the guys case for it. Then he puts a piece of newspaper on the ground starts dancing around and collects some of his own profit. In the restaurant he communicated to the server he did not want anymore to drink through hand motions indicating if intoxicated he may wreck while on his drive home. Also in this scene he put the table cloth on as a bib to show that he may make a mess and he kept tipping the waiter with random things proving he can be just as fancy as the other people. In this scene he was trying to communicate to the audience that the food was nasty because he kept hiding it in random places and through awkward facial expressions. In the scene when they are waiting for the royal party he indicates he is nervous and excited by moving around excessively. He indicated he had bad breath by almost making himself pass out then fanning away from him because it was so bad.

In the third film Mr. Bean shows that he is still very much a child in mind by going to the slide. In this scene he also indicates that he is afraid of heights by the way he reacts once he reaches the edge of the diving board, but he does not want the children to know he is afraid. The life guard communicates that something weird is going on by his facial expression, and when the camera just shows Mr. Bean's shorts floating in the water that is a non verbal gesture about what just happened. When the swimming pool scene is over with Mr. Bean yet again shows how cheap he is by trying to get out of paying his charge anyway possible. Mr. Bean's aggressive driving also indicated he was annoyed and was about to do something reckless. In the next scene Mr. Bean indicated he was hungry by licking his lips. In the movie seen he shows that he is not really to fond of scary movies because he is frightened from beginning to end.

No Computers in the Classroom!

2010-04-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ever since my first day of school we were trained and instructed on the art of reading and writing, and sadly to say those days shall never be lived again. Instead of writing in a few years young children will be typing and the time and practice that it takes to master writing will not be necessary anymore because it will be a dead art. Why is old fashioned pencil and paper not good enough anymore? If we have computers what do we need teachers for anyway? These questions are often asked by my peers and I because we can not see the value of computers in the classroom. Yes, in these ever changing technological days a new invention is like a common everyday occurrence, but sometimes technology creates more problems than it solves. As we place more faith into our computers and accessories that go along with them ( hard drives, zip drives, etc.) , we rarely realize how dangerous this is because what about when computers malfunction, the Internet goes down, or a viruses are enacted chaos is sure to ensue. Students will not be engaged with each other to communicate because with computers in classes like oral communication the only words ever said are through computer now. This means that a future President could have been born in a class, but for the lack of true oral communication he fails. Things like feedback in communication will become less common and things like the use of symbols and encoding will become the new way. Eventually turning us all into cyborgs in sense.

The first problem that computers pose in the classroom is that cheating will become more prevalent. Students will be able to navigate away from the test pages and go search for answers on the web, thus degrading the integrity of grades. Also the possibility of emailing answers or screen shots of test answers will continue the cheating and G.P.A.'s will be worth nothing anymore. According to nku.edu computers in the classroom will lead to more cheating because most teachers are veterans or of an older generation and student who know more about the technology will find ways to cheat.

Another issue that arises is the cost and efficiency of the software that goes along with the computers. On elsteachersboard.com the teachers give their argument on how computer software sometimes occupies the students more than educates them. They have come to the understanding that computers are tools in the classroom like books but they can not take the place of a good teacher, and in the classroom computers should not be for entertainment only education. Also with some of the expensive price tags on computers these days some schools may simply not be able to afford this technology and there students will not be able to keep up with the rest of the fold. This will lead to problems like mass transferring of students and problems of that nature to get better education, and the students that remain at the school with less technology will be at a disadvantage when college time rolls around.

Finally, it is a known fact that computers are not the most dependable entities on planet Earth. Sometimes when you are the last page of a term paper that has to be turned in, your computer blacks out and you have to start all over from scratch and your not the happiest camper in the vicinity. I will also infer that this is not the first time this has happened to a person and that it will not be the last. On a larger scale teachers sometimes plan a lesson out online for their students to part take in, but the Internet suddenly goes down and their lesson plans for the day are shot. So there is always an ere air around computers because you never really know what they are going to do.

To conclude, computers are not a big great evil of the world yet, but some of our growing trust and confidence should be checked by some of the information about the technology floating around out there. Computers have done many positive things for the world, but they also pose threats to education as we know it today. So I say be vigilant in the changes that go on to yourself and possibly children as we plunge further into the computer age.

Be Golden

2010-03-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Nature as we all know can be a serene place, but at times it can also be a dirty pollution filled place. Natures first green is gold can be taken in a literal sense and with some self contemplation other meanings can be derived. I not only see nature as trees, flowers, and grass but it is a source of gold to humans because many of our resources come from nature. As I go deeper into analysis of the poem I take away from it that not only things can not stay golden in nature, but also in reference to humans no one can stay young forever. Also the poem could be a reference to how in the human race's on going pursuit for perfection it will eventually lead to our down fall or our modern day Eden sinking to grief.

We all take our own personal meaning away from the poem because we all have had different experiences in life and are all just undeniably different, but the probable official meaning of this poem is very easily seen, but if only we quickly look among the golden trees as they turn green we may find something miraculous as I believe I have.

Good Ole St. Patrick

2010-03-17T06:45:00.001-07:00

Today is you guessed it St. Patrick's day and my teacher decided for us to make a blog about. This day really holds no importance in my life and never has except for the fact from time to time you get to flirt with the girls and pinch them. Also I am not Irish I am at the opposite end of the spectrum and my celebration ended last month. Though St. Patrick's Day does deserve some credit because I often remember all of the elementary parties we would have at school with all of the candy, food, and extra recess that you could stomach. I guess holidays hold more value when you are young because with parents as an example and myself you just lose interest in things like these over time. Being the fashion person that I am green is just my color, it never just meshed so this may be one of the other causes in my lack for appreciation of St. Patrick's Day. A funny thing is that I do believe in leprechauns because I am pretty sure I have a few friends who are these Irish figures, or maybe it is because I am fairly tall and I like poking fun at my friends who knows. With even more homage to St. Patrick's Day I have been very lucky throughout my life because as many people on this I am past due to be in the grave so I guess I do have a closer connection to St. Patrick's Day than I ever thought.

Silas Marner

2010-03-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

George Elliot's Silas Marner amazed me with its old time story, yet modern theme and chain of events.

One theme of this book is that your fate and destiny will find you under any circumstance because it is just meant to be. The book also teaches not to let an object rule your life because if something happens to it you will no longer have a life and chaos will ensue. The authors style is very easily flowing and it is easy and quick to read except for the old dialogue that goes on from time to time. This book is definitely unique because it focuses on a problem that many people have and that is the worship of money.

Some of the characters in Silas Marner are obviously Silas Marner a linen weaver who just wanted to be left alone because life had dealt him a poor hand. Another character in the story is Godfrey one of Squire Cass's sons and he is the peaceful good hearted son that rarely causes trouble, but his own personal family life is in turmoil. Then there is Dunsey the meddling, cheating, and problem child of the family known for his great debts and even reduces to stealing. He is the most interesting character in the story, but he is also the most disliked character too.

The setting of the story is in a country town with farms every where, horses, and beautiful scenery pretty much any old fashioned country town. I can relate to this setting very well because the town I live in is a medium sized country town with beautiful places and farms scattered randomly. When the author describes how dark it is without a lantern in the story it reminds of when it storms at my home and all power is knocked so nothing at all is seen except blind darkness.

In the plot it tells about Silas Marner and a little bit of his past that includes a wife and a best that betrayed him and caused him to leave his true home. The story tells of Silas being a lonely man and his only company is his loom, but soon he gains a friend and that friend is money. He spends every spare minute he has with his money and it relieves his loneliness. Though somehow something happens to his money and he can find it nowhere so he goes on an accusation spree. This whole time there are other events going on in the story like Dunsey trying to save his neck and cons his brother Godfrey into selling his horse to pay debt, and Godfrey trying to leave his wife and child for another woman so he can start off fresh in life again.

Silas Marner is a great book that I would only recommend to teenagers and up because of some of the ideas that go on with in the text, but it is no sense immoral it just has some older individualistic themes. It is not too long and tells a great story.

Commitment

2010-03-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Being an Olympic athlete takes the ultimate commitment of pretty much giving your life to your craft. Not very many people can obviously do this because there are not that many Olympians and even fewer champions. Less family time, no comfort food, or relaxing Olympians are amazing individuals not only in their given field, but also in making and keeping this commitment.

There are not many things I would be willing to keep such a commitment to, but if I had to guess it would be my children if I ever decided to have any. Often in life parents over look the importance of how fragile children are and how the littlest of things can effect them their whole lives. Take a look at most psychologically insane people most of their anger comes from a small incident in their younger years.

Their lives would not be all milk and honey, but they would be treated to the best of my abilities because I will treat them the way I wanted to be treated as a kid. A great man once said that we have now entered into the years of child worship and that kids hold to much attention in these days, but maybe these things are a sign of bettered relationships between parents and children and things are getting better in our country.

I guess in a sense parents are like Olympians because most give their life to their child which in some cases more troublesome than any sport, and by no means am I ready for children yet but I am in the preparation stage so maybe when I do decide to compete I will take the gold.

iBanned

2010-03-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Who? The on going struggle between teachers and students that has been going on for years because of generation differences caused by technology that teachers can not keep up with.
What? Some school officials think that ipods and other devices like it should be banned because some aspects of the technology can help students cheat.
When? In the past few years with the mass emergence of ipods and other types of world and life changing technologies. Technology is invented so quickly and things are changing so rapidly in this day time, and for that fact alone we have problems like these.
Where? From some of the most prestigious universities to the smallest high school in the nation problems like this have been popping up and a solution needs to be found.
Why? This topic matters because if this situation is not handled the integrity of students may be diminished forever because it will be so easy to cheat. It continues the same fight of teachers saying how technology is corrupting their students, but at the same time trying to incorporate it into class.

I agree with this article half hearted because I do not believe media devices should be used during class, but during down time at school they should be allowed because it would be like a free time for the students. To prevent cheating on test day confiscate devices until everyone is done then give them back, but on a regular class period allow them to do whatever they want because this is the United States of America if you fail its your fault. Technology obviously is our future so everyone needs to embrace and search for positive ways to use it in all aspects of life. This article explains my position best.

Catastophies

2010-03-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

The tsunami dealt a devastating blow to the Chilean people many just retired people looking for their little peace of happiness. With homes destroyed, no transportation, no electricity, no food, and little shelter the people are forced into primitive levels of survival. Though not all is bad for these people many foreign nations are giving aid and with internal help these people will be back on their feet in no time.
Global warming is it truth or something false that scientists are wasting their time on? Yes, indeed it is difficult to believe that there is a such thing as global warming when in the past couple of months snow has been falling everywhere and even Florida has gotten a chill or two, but what we are not seeing is the bigger picture and that despite the snow we have had one of the hottest decades in recorded history. So I think only time will tell if either the scientists are correct or if the criticisers will have the last laugh.
Despite having huge walls of concrete built up for protection destruction still reached many homes in the countries of Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and Germany. Patrol men were searching all the waterways and even city streets for bodies and any sign of life at all. The storm delayed many of France's major railways and cancellations continued at Frankfurt airport one Europe's most important hubs.
All of these stories have to do with in a way devastation either if its by flood, earthquake, or global warming. All of these events stir our interest because it is weird with all of the 2012 hype that these catastrophes are taking place. Second, all of these stories are weather related and some have man made influence. Third, people end up in some form or fashion paying with their lives debt to these events, but things like these have occurred over the whole history of Earth. Though what if the stars were aligned just right, the pioneer basketball team started winning games, and Americans started accepting soccer as a real sport these events could be the forefront of the dawning of a new era.

The most important idea to me is the global warming topic. This is the idea that the Earth is getting hotter and hotter and pretty soon will began the mass melting of the polar ice caps, which will result in the flooding of the Earth. This is important to me because so often in anything in life people miss the bigger picture, and yes right now there are no signs of global warming, but what about many years down the road. Yes, indeed science could be wrong they have been before but they do know more research and have more knowledge than most of us do on this subject so we should at least give what they say some thought.

NIKE

2010-02-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

Here is an ode to a brand that changed the shoe industry as it was known way back in the day. No other logo has been more popular or effected history the way Nike has. The God of victory, Nike, was taken advantage of by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight to put their footwear on the map. Nike has not only effected the way we take care of our feet, but the way we express ourselves in today's culture.

Nike's sell from the date they are invented and way on into the future. For example, the Air Force One was first released in 1982 and later in 2007 songs were being made about them and they became more popular than when they were released. Multi-colored and rather simple in stature the Air Force One's have left there mark on generations of and new.

First being sold as a track shoe out of the back of their trunks Nike has brought footwear to a new high. They use new technology such as shox and even partnered with Apple to create Ipod compatible shoes. These are giant leaps considering the fact the soles of the shoes used to be made with a waffle irons and were almost weightless.

Nike has not only effected the world through shoes but they reach out to customers globally through commercials displaying famous athletes of all sports. Athletes such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan have made more money through contracts with Nike than they ever would have made playing sports alone. Though with today's changing times the brand must look for new outlets and that outlet is the Internet. There site Nike.com provides outlets to their clothes, shoes, and many other products and services that Nike provides.

I really give Nike there credit because I am an athlete and avid shoe collector and with out this company I would not be the person I am today. Bringing my generation and I a sense of defiance and self expression, Nike brought us altogether in a way that nothing else in the world has.

Civil War

2010-01-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

Civil war seems to be a part of every countries history even though it may be looked upon with shame. This type of warfare is one of the most awkward forms because it almost does not make any sense at all. War is supposed to be two opposite parties against one another not the same type of party against itself. Though they seem somewhat idiotic they still occur even in the present times of today.

Embarking upon puberty, some children are forced into civil wars carrying arms that are greater in stature than themselves. For decades in Uganda children foot soldiers have been active in civil war efforts, and we all know the saying the children are our future, but what kind of future will you have if there are no children? They fight valiantly even though they are very young age, with their naked minds open to any idea given to them. It really is shameful some of the lows that some will go to to win a battle thatis not even worth fighting.

During a civil war most do not realize that they are killing their own kind. The highest death toll in America's history comes from our very own civil war. How do you expect your own race of people to continue on if they are killing each other for reasons that could have been negotiated out? It seems like two people in the same family would be last to fight out there problems, but civil war proves that theory wrong.

If civil war can not be avoided because of moral reasons it should be avoided because of economic reasons. Warfare of any kind drains your economy especially this kind because of the same country versus the same country concept. War of this kind causes depression because all money is used to outfit military at civilians expense. Then at the end of the bout all you have is unemployment and monster debt for your nation all over an internal conflict that should have not resorted to that extreme of a level.

For what it is worth civil war can lead to some good because for example the United States of America is one of the strongest countries in the world and we had a civil war, but not all are as fortunate as we were and civil conflict usually leads to nothing except tragedy.

Let us give thanks!

2009-12-01T06:25:00.001-08:00

1. I am thankful for God allowing me to see yet another holiday.

2. I am thankful for parents that care the world about me because so many do not have.

3. I am thankful for a family to sit down with to eat Thanksgiving dinner.

4. I am thankful for television where I will be viewing football all day.

5. I am thankful for the Native Americans and pilgrims who played a major role in the reason we have this beautiful holiday

6. I am thankful for movie theaters that will keep me busy when I get tired of eating and being in the house.

7. I am thankful for Black Friday which will allow me to get early Christmas presents for cheap.

8. I am thankful for an automobile to do my day to day traveling in.

9. I am thankful for Kevin Miller who will get me back into shape after gaining ten pounds over the holiday.

10. I am thankful for cellular devices that will keep me in touch and update on everything.

No More Bullying?

2009-12-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

Bullying has been a problem that has lingered in society from the very beginning of man. The bigger organism or whoever has the bigger stick has been the way for millions of years, but now we have embarked upon new times and things of the past should be put away. Instead we should all find a way to work together not just on a local but a national level countries should look for more efficient ways to settle problems than war.

Some find bullying as an ordinary thing and it is more like a circle of life kind of thing. You are picked on when you are small then when you are big you will do the bullying and the cycle just continues. This works especially in sports with underclassmen who must pay dues, but in all cases harassment sometimes becomes a little more than expected.

On the other end of the spectrum there are those that find bullying in the lightest of hearts as an evil cruel thing. Sometimes it is and events turn unfortunate, but all in all bullying may be an indicator to someone that a person likes you, wants to toughen you up, or shows their love through this way. Bullying is not good in most cases and punishment actions should be taken, and this will send a message to future harassers of the dangers.

Bullying is a necessary evil because even my country bullies other countries in certain situations. So as a solution I propose that bullying be controlled and held within the right restraints so it will not get out of control even if playful.

Book Review: Speak

2009-11-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak grabs you as a writer and does not let go until the very end. One theme of the book is that you can not let your past effect your future as the main character did in the book. Also acceptance is truly wanted by everyone, but some are afraid of finding it. I love the way the author writes different chapters in coherent spaces, times, and events instead of the traditional chapter by chapter. The setting of this book is obviously urban because of the size of her high school and the streets are not personal car friendly. Melinda's voice in this book is different from any other characters I have ever heard. It seems as the main character it is not her job to speak and she lets her past and actions speak for her.

I believe in these characters as people because some of them are seen in everyday life. I like Melinda in this book because she is the perfect role model for anyone that has ever let a problem beat them down. Throughout this whole book she grows as an individual and does not let anything get in the way of her progress. Though, she did not do all of this progressing alone she had help in major part by her art teacher. He was instrumental part of Melinda's recovery just because he helped her find herself through art, and this unleashed a side of Melinda that she did not even know was there.

The setting of this book is completely different from my world here in Arkansas where there are barely enough students to fill a high school. It is like our school in the fact that are a lot of cliques within the school, and outcasts remain outcasts like Melinda. The author makes me feel as if I am strolling the halls of Melinda's school as she hides from the world or sneaks off into her closet.

Well Melinda is social outcast that spends every single day of school alone. This is because once she was at a party, something happened, and she called the police. Before this incident Melinda was popular had friends and was very high upon the social ladder. Now almost at her lowest point yet she finds a friend and her art teacher helps her find a new outlet to the world. Then she starts speaking again and using her voice to show those that had turned against her that it was not her wrong doing that lead to her current situation.

Book Review of Touching Spirit Bear

2009-10-01T21:42:00.001-07:00

Ben Mikaelsen's Touching Spirit Bear was an impressive roller coaster of a book. One theme of the book is that karma is a very prevalent force on this planet. Another is that most things in life work in a circle or cycle like your very existence you are born, you live, and you die. Also everyone can change no matter how bad of a person they are originally it just takes the right catalyst. The author's style is very descriptive and always giving very much detail. This style is the best, but it takes along time to get finished with the book in this style. This book's setting is easily seen because you go from the urban city streets to smack down in nature. The voice is unlike any other I have other heard because at times the main character Cole at times seemed somewhat evil.

The main character in the book is Cole, a troubled teenager that has a court record longer than some streets and has a very short fuse. Cole is the type of character that he seems like anything opposite of good is what he represents and he is okay with that. Cole is very believable because I have known and seen many kids just like him over the years. Some other characters in the book are Cole's pitiful parents who deserve to be exiled in Circle Justice themselves. His whole life his father and mother have been alcoholics and his father even beat upon him all the time. A lot of what is wrong with Cole is because of his parents, but that does not justify him to the evil deeds he does.

The setting is somewhat like my world because I live out in the country pretty close to nature. The author does a good job of painting a very clear and vivid picture of the setting that Cole is in. Sometimes I could feel the cold, splintering rain and the stench of an unwashed body.

In the plot Cole, the main character in the book, is being taken to a remote island because it is apart of an alternative program to reform convicts. He was arrested for beating up a kid that had told on him and Cole felt like he needed to get him back by slamming his head against the pavement. Cole only wants to this program so he does not have to sit in a jail cell and he thinks it will be a year long cake walk, but the spirit bear with some natural helpers helps open his eyes. Will Cole ever straighten up his act? What happens to Cole if he makes it out of Circle Justice?

This book relates to current events because some states in America are starting to use this type of punishment, and legal officials are starting to really considerate it as an alternative form of punishment. This book should be read by anyone because it teaches lessons that will help in the present and future.

Book Review of Twilight

2009-10-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Stephany Meyer's Twilight was a compelling novel that was an amazing adventure. One theme of the book is that human life is worth more than we give it credit for sometimes. Another is that love will make you even risk your life just to sustain it. The author's style is very long winded and descriptive. This is very unusual and helps the setting to be imagined easily in the mind. The author's voice is somewhat calm and at times melancholy and has its own style.

The main character in the book is Bella a new girl at Forks High trying to find her way, but she ends up going on an adventure that she would have never expected. Bella is very believable and anyone that has ever been to public school knows about new kids, and I like her because she is herself and stays that way the whole book. Another character is Edward Cullen a shady character in the book who at first makes a bad impression upon Bella. but they soon find themselves in a situation no one suspected. I like him because in this story he is the guy that seems like an enemy and becomes a friend. Charlie is Bella's father and he is, according to Bella, the type that does not hover, and I think he should be more involved in Bella's life.

The setting is in Washington and its one of the wettest places in the continental United States. This is completely different from my word in Arkansas where the weather fluctuates from day to day. In the plot of the book a new girl Bella moves to this school and crashes into Edward Cullen. At first, they do not like each other, but before its all over they can not live without one another. This love even holds lives in the balance and tests the strength of there two characters.

This book reminds me of Romeo and Juliet because it is a tail of two young lovers. Both Bella and Edward were willing to risk their lives for their lover. This is a great book for the teenage mind and should be read in schools everywhere.

No More Blogging

2009-09-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a sophmore in high school this disease has taken over my life and all the spare time I used to have and enjoy. I am a simple person and simple things make me happy and blogging is not one of them. Blogging in a sense is kind of uselsess to me because really does anyone in the world really care about what you have to say. It is like asking someone how there day is going you do not really want to know but you ask anyway.

For some blogging may be the greatest invention in this world, but for me it should be left to the older generation that for some reason loves it. I mean seriously if you have any sort of life blogging can not really be apart of your day because between homework, practice, and just living blogging is the least of my worries. Posting my ideas or feelings.

Especially sense I was not given a choice on if I wanted to blog or not it really does not rank that high on my agenda, and the sad thing is blogging is taking over the world it is seen more and more everyday. I consider bloggers as people with too much time on their hands and have nothing better to do than broadcast information via internet. If blogging was more like social networking sites like myspace and face book it might not be that bad, but blogging is just giving your ideas, someone reading them, and maybe leaving you a comment to be nice.

What has happened to the world and logical thinking? Blogging is a waste of time people and we should go back to the way we had before it. Good ole paper and pencil and whoever was meant to read information will. No more blogging it is irrelevant.