How weird would this be?

Jenna Bush is going to teach English in a public high school in D.C. What kind of distractions is that going to bring? How is anything going to get done with her as the teacher? What kind of security measures are going to have to be put in place? Also, what if politics come up in class? How are issues dealing with her father going to be dealt with? Also, how many times do you think her students are going to bring the picture of her popping out of her dress while dancing with her father? Or the times she got busted underage drinking? Someone in that kind of light will have a lot of pressure on them since everything they have done is fairly common knowledge. I wonder how she will address those issues if they are brought up by her students.

No More Bell Ringers

A staple for the holiday season is the Salvation Army Bell Ringers. It is sad to see that they are not getting many volunteers to do this job anymore. I don't blame the people for not wanting to endure the cold and what not, but it is still kind of a let down. Seeing cardboard cutouts is just not going to do it for me. Oh well, traditions need to get updated every once in awhile.

Verizon Users Rejoice!

This has been a long time coming. I've had a Verizon cell phone since before I came to Purdue. Back at home I have great service, I always tell people I could get a signal inside a bank vault. But then I came to Purdue, where you have to stand outside and hold the phone up in the air for it to catch signal. Those days are finally behind us. As of about three or four days ago, Verizon has activated a new tower in this area providing a whole lot of signal all over campus. No more days of standing outside my house on chilly, windy nights just to talk on the phone. No more getting cut off because of a temporary loss in signal. We should have a Verizon party where all Verizon users call each other and revel in the boundless signal (not really, it still doesn't work that well in the basements of buildings). Nonetheless, I can stop begging my parents to change services so I won't have to deal with Verizon anymore. I'm sure all you other Verizon users are as thrilled as I am. Hooray, Verizon!

Irony at its best

Andrea's previous post of the car accident reminded me of a story of a family that was shown on ABC news over the summer sometime. It took place in a small town, where one or two highschools dominated the area pretty much so it was a fairly active community. The family's daughter was a cheerleader and was on her way to the football game with the other cheerleaders. Their car had been hit head on in an intersection and she was killed instantly, while other girls had survived. Little did she know in her last living second that the car that had hit her was driven by her brother who was also on his way to the game. He was also severly injured and didnt know he had killed his sister till a better recovery. Now what's the irony in that? I wonder how the parents must of felt. Could they have been angry at their son? Or thankful that he was able to make it out alive. It must of been a tough choice to decide who's going to stay at the hospital with their son while who would go attend the funeral of their daughter. I can't imagine the guilt their son must be facing for the rest of his life. Makes ya think why things happen the way they do....

Going out with a bang!

I was watching this talk show on television the other day and the issue was about people who wanted to take back one second in their life. They had this boy on that was in jail for four years for killing two people in a car accident. The young 23 year old boy was at a light when another hot headed boy pulled up next to him. They decided to race down the street. Going over 100mph they continued to fly down the street when a car pulled out in front of one of them. When the boy slammed into the car the two people in the other car died instantly. The young boy ran to the car to try and help the other people but when he got there he noticed that he had just killed his mother. I could not believe this story. I felt really bad for the boy. I think that it was wrong to sentence him to jail time. I believe that he has suffered enough with the death of his mother. I know that this boy will have to live everyday knowing that he killed his mother and I think that is punishment enough. Let’s not forget about that poor family. The father/husband was on the show and begged the court not to send his boy to jail. I think that they should have listened to the father. This man is watching his family fall apart in front of his face. Sometimes I think that the victim’s family should be aloud to have a say in what happens to the “criminal.” Not all the time but I would say most of the time.

Talk about a diet

I read the New York Times this morning and saw an interesting article about the astronauts at the space station. It was sort of small and in the corner, under the fold...to some maybe not that important, maybe less important than an Inauguratation Lunce, but when have peoples lives really been more important than that? The Space Station is running out of food, and if the Russian shuttle which was supposed to dock last month, but was postponed until the end of this month does not arrive ontime, the astronauts will have to abandon the space station, or starve to death.
I've always been rather interested in space exploration, ever since I was a little kid, I've loved the stars and space. I remember watching Apollo 13 for the first time. In it, there is the scene where no one cares about the space flight, until they hear that it might not return. That sort of feels like this. Why doesn't anyone seem to care about space exploration anymore, it seems like the studies that they are doing are unimportant to the world, unless they might die, then they get covered. I think that is stupid.

So back to the crew.... If they are forced to leave, then the station will have to be manned from Earth via computers until a crew can go back up. I hope it all works out.

Last Blog

Thinking about how this course has helped me. Well first off it got me to read the newspaper for one. I now watch the news more often than I ever have in the past. This course has definatly helped in the way to keep up with the media. I still do not fancy Bloggin just because I find it to be another way of an online journal.
Today I saw on the news that a girl from the west side of indy was raped. She was a middle schooler on her home from the bus stop in her apartment complex on 10th street. This was the better half of 10th street too. What kind of sick idiot does these kind of things? Why a little girl? She's not even mature enough to understand what is going on. I found this so shocking especially since I live on the west side, though I do live in the subburbs of the west side, but still. I never saw this happening so close to home. Never in a lifetime where I might be fearful that it could happen to my little sister who is only 15. What is in the mind of this child molester to do such a thing? Is he pschological ill? He has to be to do that to a child. What do you think?

Were are you hiding it?

I saw an article about that club shooting online and could not believe it. This shooting happened in Ohio and the police say that there was no apparent motive behind the shooting. What happened for those who don't know is a man got on stage and started shooting into the crowd but people thought that it was all part of the heavy metal show they were watching. When they realized that it was for real it was to late. Five people were dead and the lead guitarist from the band also was killed. I want to know where was the security in all of this? I know that any concert that I have been to the security at the front door looks in your purse and pats you down. They are also quick to act when someone gets on stage. I am not sure if this horrible tragedy could have been prevented but I have a feeling that it could have. The last think that I think of when going to a concert is if someone into the crowd is going to have a gun. Should I start to be concerned when I go to Chicago and head out to the clubs there? There are crazy people out there and I guess you have to be ready for anything and I guess something you just can't prevent what is going to happened.

Question with LA

What I want to blog about the whole deal of how other major view Liberal Art Students.
I just don’t get it. My major is in Liberal Art and I found it challenging to be in my major which I had to work hours and hours on projects just like engineering. I found it strange and I know for a fact that all Liberal Art majors just brush it off because “they don’t know what they are talking about.” Is it logos (reputation base) that appeal to them assuming that since they bring money to fund the school and they make the big bucks compared to Liberal Arts; they assume Liberal Arts major isn’t as challenging as theirs? I’ve always had that question in mind. Anyway, excuse my grammar^-^

THE LAST ONE!

Ahhh, here it is, my last blog post for the year. I'm so glad to have that paper behind me. If anyone is interested, I actually found that newspapers are fairly objective regarldess of where the originate. Granted they put a little different spin on everything, but the facts are all the same. You can have faith in the media! Anyway, thanks to this class now we all know how to look for what the news is really saying. Lets all use this knowledge to make important decisions next year!

Is it worth it?

There have not been too many topics that I have came across this semester that have made me say, “Hey, I should blog about this.” There could be many possible reasons for this, but my main reason is because I do not want people to know what I am thinking about. Another reason is that I would not want to be the start of a controversy.

However, I will let my last blog serve as a reminder to myself about how news could be spread. The other night I was leaving the Stewart Center around 10:30 p.m. While I was walking out the double doors I was hit with a big “wiff” of cigarette smoke. There were two janitors (I’m making this assumption because their cleaning carts were next to the door and had uniforms on) were smoking in the space between the doors. The were holding the door open, but holding the burning cigarette inside the building. It was not raining, and was not cold outside (unseasonably warm weather). This is where I come into the picture. There are many different avenues that I could have taken because I thought this action was wrong. I chose to do nothing because in the long run I don’t care. But it is the idea that bothered me at the time.

Until now, I chose to do nothing about it. It is possible now that this could somehow get back to their boss and they could get fired. Who knows what could happen all because I opened my big fat mouth and posted this information on a blog.

In my mind, I have officially participated in making some news!

Commercials

Anyone noticed how companies are turning each other's commercials around on each other? Most people have probably seen the Miller Lite commercials where the referees call penalties on Bud Lite drinkers, and switch their beer with Miller. Budweiser comes back with a commercial showing these referees getting chased by the police because they were really keeping the Bud Light for themselves. Then there is the AOL commercial where the obnoxious lady comes in to the AOL boardroom to ask for more options in her internet service. NetZero did a commercial with an identical room and a look alike lady. (at first I thought it was the same commercial) In Netzero's one of the AOL boardmembers says she'll have to call NetZero to get those features.

I think this is an awesome strategy. Why spend time and money thinking of an original idea of your own? Just wait for your competitor to do it, turn it around, and get the last laugh.

Excitement in Milan

In Milan, the grand opening of the famous opera house La Scala just took place. I clicked on the article because I thought, hmm La Scala, we have a restaurant here called La Scala that I really like. But the La Scala in Milan is a very famous opera house that was destroyed in World War 2, and partially re-built since then. It took 3 years to re-build. They performed Antonio Salieri's long-forgotten opera "Europa Riconosciuta"

I can just imagine that citizens of Milan probably have a great feeling of pride, it must be great to finally be able to have back that famous opera house that enhances the art of their country. Especially since it was destroyed in World War 2, it was probably a very long awaited day. I can almost compare it to how our country will feel once the World Trade Center is rebuilt. It will add a sense of completeness and give us that pride that will make our country feel all that more powerful. Also it makes me want to visit Milan even more :)

Its the Law

It's been sometime since that Pacers fight has happened but it is still talked about on ever news program. Last night the media talked about the audience members that participated in the fight. They examined each person they felt that induced the fight. By doing this investigation some of the players that were given a punishment might be having there sentence reduced. What I want to ask is should we hold the audience members, who really began the fight, be punished more then the players? I believe that the players should be professional because that is what they are, professional basketball players. On the other hand I would like to know what person could keep there cool after being on the edge already then having a drink thrown at them. I know that I would get "pissed off!" I have had a drink dumped on my head when I was at work and was really mad but I was at work and had to keep my head on straight. I find that some of the players punishments were a little harsh and feel that the people that gave them the punishment should think about what they were do if put into there shoes. I also don't agree with what the players did. The other night on the news I saw some footage of a high school basketball game were the players got into a fight with some people in the stands. I believe that this would never have happened if the Pacers fight never happened. The players have to remember they are role models and need to present there self well. However, lets remember the players are only human, give them a break.

Blog! Blog! Blog!

What to blog about? Since this will be my very last blog for this class, I would like to end in a positive note. I really enjoyed this class. I am not trying to suck up to Professor Blackmon in anyway. Even though she is like the best English professor in this department. She is the bomb-diggity! :)I am just kidding. Seriously, I enjoyed this class very much. I was really scared at first because I felt so incompetent at this level of writing. But, I am really glad that I stayed. It was challenging, but it was also a lot of fun. I will probably not see a lot of you guys anymore—so, I wish you guys well. Déjà vu…For a moment there, I felt like I was back in high school signing another year book. Ahhh…those were the good ‘ol days…Anyway, in the words of William (Nicodemus) Shakespeare, “To blog or not to blog? That is the question.”

Legacy of a President

I got a hold of a Sunday Chicago Tribune paper the other day. In the perspectives section, they looked at the war time presidents ranging back to Woodrow Wilson. They disected each president and what they did during their time of war. It was interesting to see what each president's goal or docturenation for war. No matter what the time period, it seems as if the American people want to hear that our mission is one of justice and rightchouness. The words may change, but the rhetoric is the same. We are going to kill for justice. I know this is a fairly abstract thought, but don't you think man has come far enough along in the world to not resort to death to handle issues? Granted, it is the normal order in the animal kingdom, but we have cognetive brains. We can grasp and comprehend so much more than an animal simply looking to pass its genes along. Maybe I went off on a tangent, but if you take a look at things from the third party perspective, everything humans do is a little weird. We divide by religion, color, sex, age, and other demographics. Why? This is a little heavy for a blog, but I just got to thinking a little.

What?

I read in Tuesday's paper about how the owner of the World Trade Center was charging his insurance companies twice for the attack on 9/11 because there were two separate plain attacks. The insurance companies say that it was one attack, so they should only pay once. He was insured by nine companies, and is in a lawsuit to double his pay. The paper said that if he wins, he will cause everyone to pay an increase in premiums to make up for this. I didn't think it was right for him to take advantage of the system, even if it is an insurance company....bloodsuckers that they are...because it will hurt everyday people just so he can make a few extra bucks. Why does he think he should get twice the money, they were insured against destruction and they were destroyed, what entitles him to more than what they were insured for?

The owner wants to rebuild the towers with the money, but the paper said that the area is doing horribly economically and that no one will make a profit by building such a large building with no one to move in. I think that sounds true. I think its more important to clear ground zero and build a memorial tower, than to rebuild both towers.

Thursday is D-Day

Due day that is. Final projects are due Thursday. Bring hard (paper) copies of the following:

Abstracts (with my comments)
Annotated Bibliographies (with my comments)
Rough Drafts (with peer review comments)
Final Drafts

I will be collecting these at the beginning of class and I will be leaving class early so that you can complete evaluations.

Free Credit Reports

Last week in the Times there was an article in the business section about how the three major credit companies will now be required by law to provide everyone with one free credit report per year. However, the companies are allowed to put all the strings attached that they want, provided that the report is essentially free. For example, one of the companies requires you to provide a credit card and get a 30-day trial of some worthless program, and if you don't want it you must cancel before the 30 days is up or a fee is charged to your credit card. All three bureaus offer an analysis for somewhere around $5 a pop. I am guessing the report won't make any sense unless you buy the analysis. Why is it that we can get on a no-call list to avoid telemarketers, but some of them have ways of getting around that? Now credit bureaus will give us our "free" report, but they can weasel their way into our wallets anyway. To me, access to my credit report is like knowing what my driving record is. We should be able to access it anytime we want for no fee at all, and there should be some sort of free guideline on how to interpret the stupid thing.