blog 70

Blog 70

Dear future students of this English course,

English 110 is an interesting course. You will do more writing during this semester than during any other span of the same time previously in your life. My advice comes in three different way. Advice number one is to keep up with blogs and commenting. Blogs and comments are an easy way to get points and represents a big chunk of your grade. Keep up with them and get ahead, and make sure they are the correct length! You may think at first that 250 words a night is horrible, but it really isn't bad at all. Advise number two is to go to the writing center. The writing center is a great resource and is EXTRA CREDIT. If I went to the writing center more this quarter than I would have received a better grade in the class and would have created better papers. Advice number three is to get a head start on your Analytical Research Paper and your Commonplace paper. These are the bulk of your grade in the class and take a lot of time and effort to perfect. They are interesting papers and are not hard to get interested in. You will most likely find yourself having a good time when writing the paper. I learned much about writing in this class, and also about the research process. The class is much harder than I thought it would be. I was expecting a repeat of senior high school English, which is a complete and utter joke, but did not experience such a class. Enjoy the material and good luck!

-Gus Womeldorph

blog 69

Blog 69

I am going to blog about the fact that I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I have woken up the past few days with the thought that I am completely lost when it comes to the direction of my existence on Earth. Where the hell am I going? What do I want to do? The answer is I don't know. I truly don't know. I worry that I am wasting my parents money here, and that I am going to end up with some shitty, dead-end job that I really won't like. I once read that to find happiness in life, one must find purpose in their profession and surround themselves with people they love. I have no problems finding and surrounding myself with people I love; I have a big, supportive family and many great friends. But when it comes to finding a purposeful job, well that's where I am concerned. Sometimes I think about the complexity and sheer size of the world we live in, and than my mind wanders to the universe and all the unknown aspects of it. I feel fairly insignificant. Actually I feel very insignificant. What can I do in my life that has purpose? As the summer begins, I feel as if I am going to spend a lot of time thinking about this, and I hope I find something. So many people seem so sure of the direction of their lives. Maybe this is a natural feeling and I am sure everyone feels it at some point, but I just don't want to become some statistic, just another person wandering aimlessly until death. I want to serve a purpose for a greater cause. And this doesn't by any means translate to some religious bullshit, sorry to those of you that are religious. I want to be a part of a symbiotic relationship with the Earth, with other people, not just a parasitic entity. I know the answer is out there, that I will discover the right path for me. It's just a matter of time.

blog 68

Blog 68

Go ahead, call me an idiot. Call me stupid for not finding out about it sooner. Call me unfashionable for just now signing up. Call me way behind in the trends of our generation. Call me stupid, but I just found out about Stumble-Upon and would like to say it is a beautiful thing. Unlike Facebook, where people spend hours of useless internet time trying to friend new people, creeping on profiles and messaging people you barely know or could just as easily go out, socialize with and talk to face to face, Stumble Upon is a revolutionary new way to waste time. It isn't just useless time that you could use doing something progressive with your life, but you actually are learning about things you are interested in. Stumble Upon is a search engine type device that you must sign up to join. What you do is you check a number of your interests- say, nature, sports and space. Then you press the “Stumble” button. This button forwards your browser to a website or webpage correlating to the interests you chose. So in the case of nature, sports and space you might stumble onto (see what I did there?) a website about the endangered species of Africa, or the official Chicago Cubs website, or the National Geographic Space Exploration page. This shit is sweet. You can literally spend hours of your time stumbling away. The first time I found out about it, I literally stumbled for 2 hours straight. It's simply dope.

blog 67

Blog 67

Not only were they hard, but they were boring as hell. So, after long talks with my reluctant parents, I was able to persuade them to let me switch my major. But, as of now I have not declared a new major. I am leaning towards environmental science with a minor in business. I am currently taking a history class, Mongol World Empire. This situation posed an issue in my life, but I was able to emerge happy and successful. I made new friends in the two years I was there, and was able to enjoy the experience very much. But more often thoughts of the mountains brings to mind skiing and hiking and camping. I like being around friends and family for the most part, yet from time to time I enjoy my own isolation to relax. Mountains also represent nature. I love being around nature and all the recreation involved, from hiking to rafting to rock climbing. I will always have a soft spot for nature, and I am pursuing an Environmental Science degree. Mountains are commonly formed when two tectonic plates collide or rub together due to movement by the Earth's crust. Not only were they hard, but they were boring as hell. So, after long talks with my reluctant parents, I was able to persuade them to let me switch my major. But, as of now I have not declared a new major. I am leaning towards environmental science with a minor in business. I am currently taking a history class, Mongol World Empire. This situation posed an issue in my life, but I was able to emerge happy and successful. I made new friends in the two years I was there, and was able to enjoy the experience very much. But more often thoughts of the mountains brings to mind skiing and hiking and camping. I like being around friends and family for the most part, yet from time to time I enjoy my own isolation to relax. Mountains also represent nature. I love being around nature and all the recreation involved, from hiking to rafting to rock climbing. I will always have a soft spot for nature, and I am pursuing an Environmental Science degree. Mountains are commonly formed when two tectonic plates collide or rub together due to movement by the Earth's crust.

blog 66

Blog 66

I once saw a Hobo with a Shotgun in the street. He had a Hangover because he took a pill of first class Xmen. His name was Harry, and he used to be a potter for a funeral home called the deathly hollows. He was met a Pirates in the Caribbean, and sailed with him to Florida to look for some fountain. This trip made his knees really Thor. Along with his shotgun, he was carrying a Green Lantern. A Panda followed him, and had Kung Fu painted on his forehead. He was on his way to meet Five Fast Bridesmaids. This hobo was a badass. I talked to him once. He told me about how he used to be an assassin. He used to be named Jason Bourne, and he killed bitches for fun. Just douches mainly, but anyone who pissed him off too. The CIA was after him, so he killed the boss of the CIA, became boss himself, and fired all the people who were trying to catch him. He was the Dos Equis most interesting man in the world at one point, then decided that was too boring of a title, so he quit in order to be an international criminal. He was once in Thailand, and ate some rufied marshmallows. He and his friends woke up he next day, and didn't know what had happened. They lost their friend Teddy but ended up finding him at the end. I know this blog sounds stupid as hell, my bad.

blog 65

Blog 65

I am currently enrolled in a history class called Mongol World Empire. The Mongols were complete bad-asses. They started out as nomads on the outskirts of China that occasionally battled with other tribes of the area such as the Naiman's, the Kerait's, and the Merkits. These tribes were periodically placed on the side of China. China would pick a favorite tribe from time to time and support them. The Mongols were a fairly divided tribe, and were not very strong. Then a badass by the name of Temudgin came along. He battled and fought and talked his way into leading the Mongols. He quickly conquered the rest of the tribes in inner Mongolia and was given the name Chinggis Khan, or Oceanic Ruler. He ended up conquering much of Asia and setting the stage for his successors to conquer almost all of Asia. They started out as nomads on the outskirts of China that occasionally battled with other tribes of the area such as the Naiman's, the Kerait's, and the Merkits. These tribes were periodically placed on the side of China. China would pick a favorite tribe from time to time and support them. The Mongols were a fairly divided tribe, and were not very strong. Then a badass by the name of Temudgin came along. He battled and fought and talked his way into leading the Mongols. He quickly conquered the rest of the tribes in inner Mongolia and was given the name Chinggis Khan, or Oceanic Ruler. He ended up conquering much of Asia and setting the stage for his successors to conquer almost all of Asia.

blog 64

Blog 64

I watched “Inception” yesterday for the third time. This movie is nuts, simply bat-shit insane. But in a good way of course. While I had no difficulty in understanding, as many viewers have stated in many reviews, the concept is entirely unique. Some days when I go to the movie theater, I wonder if the producers and directors in Hollywood are running out of ideas for movies. I remember recently seeing the review for an action movie about owls. What the hell? The producers were interviewed during the preview. They said about the movie, “it's like Lord of the Rings, with owls!” That's honestly one of the stupidest things I have ever learned. Just dumb as hell. Now, movies like Inception are great because they are not just mindless action sequences strewn together, even though Inception has more than enough dope actions scenes. Inception also makes the viewers think about what they are watching, it expresses entirely unique ideas. The manipulation of dreams. Dreams are interesting, confusing, and sometimes scary things. They always seem vague and fuzzy, and we all wonder what they mean. The idea of manipulating dreams to serve an agenda is a very impressive subject for a movie. Beyond this manipulation, the concept of planting the seeds of an idea into someone's head to manipulate their actions is an interesting and terrifying idea. Many futuristic novels and movies have explored the idea of control and manipulation such as “1984” and “The Minority Report”. The major concept in Inception, however, is unique and simple dope as hell.

blog 63

Blog 63

I want to blog about LeBron James. Many people hate the professional basketball player. Over last summer, he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. He announced his decision in an hour television party called “The Decision”. After seven years of hope for the Cleveland fans, LeBron James decided that he would go somewhere where he would actually get some talented help in his journey for a National Basketball Association Championship ring. Even though Cleveland fans are in some ways rightfully angry, James made the right decision because the only help he ever received while in Cleveland was a 40 year old Shaquille O'Neal, a mediocre Mo Williams and a near retired Antione Jameson. James is now going to the NBA Finals in his first year with the Miami Heat. He made the right decision.

On another note, Jim Tressel is a God that has been brought down by jealous bigots. Tressel is a great man, a great coach and was a great asset to this University. The fact that he had to resign due to the ridiculous amounts of ridicule he has been getting later is horrendous. Just because players like Terrelle Pryor are greedy assholes doesn't mean the best coach in college football today has to take shit for it. The only good thing we may be able to get out of this is if Urban Meyer decides to take the head coaching job at OSU. He would be able to attract players from southern SEC states. He is also a great coach.

blog 62

Blog 62

Socks scare the hell out of me. For as long as I can remember I've been terrified of socks. They literally restrict my feet from growing. They stink. They restrict my movement. I am scared of dachshunds, also known as wiener dogs. Why do they look so weird? What is their point? I am scared of pickles. They smell pretty weird. They taste worse than they smell. I and scared of giraffes. Why are their necks so long? Why do they live in Africa? Why do they have spots? I am scared of limestone. I am scared of care bears. I am scared of cats. Cats suck. I hate cats. Cats hate me. They have always scratched me and clawed me whenever I try to pet them. Cats are terrible pets. They are antisocial and stuck up. Dogs are a hundred times better. Dogs are social and genuinely love their masters. Cats hates their masters. Plus, cats poop and piss in the house. That's just nasty. The color yellow scares me. Concrete scares me. But on a serious note, sharks scare me. Sharks are terrifying. They are killing machines. Literally every ounce of their body is made to kill others animals and devour them. In reality, I am really just afraid of being afraid so I live my life as if anything has the ability to destroy me. I never walk with pointy object because they can stab you. Sidewalks are also scary because they tend to be uneven and you can trip on them and slip into the road and get hit by a large car. Life is very dangerous and I am afraid of life because if you don't have life then you will be dead but I am afraid of death and by the transitive property I am therefore afraid of life. The keys on my computer are trying to steal energy from my body so I must stop typing now because otherwise I will die and not be able to finish the blog project.

blog 61

Blog 61

Let's be real, while the world has given us a lot of awesome stuff, there are some really messed up things going on. One of which is the ridiculously destructive tornadoes that have been ravaging the South and Midwest. If anyone has seen videos of these, they will understand how terrifying they looked. The tornadoes were huge. I heard estimates that some were a mile wide and moved at a hundred miles an hour. They were incredibly destructive. I believe, and this is a highly disputed matter, that climate change is affecting the severity of the storms hitting the world. The higher temperatures, however slight they are, and the slightly warmer waters serve as a potent combination to create powerful storms. Another thing that concerns me is that I recently found out that a girl gave me strep, even though she knew she had it. This, excuse my French, is BULLshit. I'm not happy about it. Who does that? Not cool. Another issue is poverty in general. It's a cliché response to the answer, but it's an enormous problem in this world. It's insane that we can have a country as rich as ours, yet have the untouchables of India combing through trash on the daily just for a meal. Even in our own country there is a huge divide between the rich and poor. Even though there are many issues in our world, it's still a pretty sweet place. An Ohio State's pretty dope too. It's a crazy world.

blog 60

Blog 60

If I was born in a different time period. I would have been an assassino by the name of Etzio. I would have had extraordinary skills in the areas of blending in, free running, and of course assassinations. I would have been a member of the brotherhood and would have fought the Borgia in Rome. You may at this point be thinking, “what the hell is wrong with this kid?” Well, I'm just stating the truth. I would have been an assassin. Assassins were all over the place at earlier times in the world. They fought for good shit and killed bad people. They pretty much wrecked shit and ruled the world. BOOM. I, therefore, would have ruled the world at that time. I'd chain kill the shit out of the guards, and dive off of buildings like nobody's business. If I wasn't Etzio, I would probably just be a peasant, let's be real. Before our time, normal people kind of got shafted for the most part. You were either the ruling class that had a shit-ton of money and suppressed the hell out of the poor people or you were the poor people. BUT, it would have been pretty sweet to live in other times than now. I would love to be able to see the Mayan Civilization, the Incas, the Ancient Egyptians, the Roman Empire, the Mongols, the Ancient Chinese, and many other civilizations. The past would have been awesome in many ways, but also pretty rough in many ways.

blog 59

Blog 59

The biggest mistake I ever made was to start college in FEH engineering. This ruined my GPA and made for some shitty quarters. But, thankfully I am now out of that major and am undecided. I am much happier in my life now that I am not failing physics tests every other week and worrying about what the hell int main means in terms of programming. Another mistake I have made is not going back to Rome yet. When I was in 6^th grade my family and I took a trip to the awesome city of Rome. We were currently living in the town of Harpenden in England at the time, so it was a short flight to the Italian capitol. It was around the time of Thanksgiving, and was our first of that holiday overseas. The country of England did not celebrate the holiday for obvious reasons, so my parents wanted to celebrate it in our own way. The city of Rome can be described only as incredible. The architecture is beautiful, old, and historic. The thought that almost every building in that city is older than the majority of the dwellings in the United States is crazy. Each block we explored was deeply intertwined in history. We walked at least ten miles each of the four days we were there. We walked to the jaw dropping coliseum, the impressive Roman forum, the amazing Pantheon in the heart of Rome and many other places around the city. We also entered the Vatican City and saw Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, a striking experience. While all this was amazing, the very best aspect of Rome was the food. The food was insanely delicious.

blog 56

Blog 56

My best friend is man's best friend, my dog. My dogs' name is Rooney. Rooney is part mastiff, part tiger. Charlie Sheen got his “tiger blood” rendition from my dog, which is bullshit because he hasn't paid her shit for it. Rooney is terrifying. She has eaten several people. She is about 130 pounds and eats whole cows for breakfast. She doesn't live in my house, she lives in a cave on the mountain behind my house. She battled a mountain lion to steal the cave from it. When she defeated it, she ended up skinning it and she now wears a mountain lion coat around. When I take her on a walk, she leads me. She pretty much hates everyone besides my family, which is nice, because if she hated us she would have eaten us. The government of the United States of America pays tribute to Rooney so she won't eat it. Rooney ate Prussia, and the Ottoman Empire. The dinosaurs didn't become extinct because of a meteor, but because Rooney ate them as an appetizer. The Dos Equis most interesting man in the world is only scared of one thing; My dog. Dogs came from wolves, and wolves came from my dog Rooney. There was once a bully in my school. Then Rooney found out about him. No one ever saw the bully again. Amelia Earhart was flying over the Pacific, and then my dog got hungry. My dogs favorite prowling ground is the Bermuda Triangle. Rooney invented fear, but has never felt it. She would go hell because of her crimes, but God is scared of her. My best friend is my dog Rooney.

blog 55

Blog 55

I step out of my house, and I feel a cool breeze. The air just smells fresh, pure, and clean. I take a deep breathe. I look around and see towering ponderosa pines, wide blue spruces, and bare rocky outcroppings. I hear the gentle rustling leaves of the quaking aspens. A hawk circles above, eying its next victim. The sun shines bright, more intense up in these high altitudes. I feel a peace. My problems dissolve, I want to go explore. I want to go find rocks to climb and streams to cross. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado are a part of who I am fundamentally. They are a part of my childhood, and hopefully a part of my future. Last summer I went on a hike with my brother, my dog, and a friend. Our plan: to climb Mount Massive, one of the 53 fourteen thousand foot mountains in the state of Colorado. We decided we were going to make our own trail. This is frowned upon, as this is the way people get loss or hurt. But, feeling adventurous, we set out. We slaved away at our goal for hours on end. When we reaching to treeline, the lack of oxygen was almost unbearable. The air is so thin up there. But we finally reached the top. The trip down was fun as hell. I rode my heels down a couple hundred foot slope of small rocks, in a matter of minutes. It was awesome. We continued on our route, and came to pretty sizable cliff. The cliff was terrifying. I'm pretty scared of heights, so I was intimidated to say the least. We were able to shimmy down the cliff eventually, but not without some heated discussion. We finally made it and our trip came to an end. It was one of the most draining points of my life, but it was also one of the sickest things I've been a part of.

blog 54

Blog 54

When I was 11, my family and I moved to England. Because of my dad's job he was being transferred to a town outside of London called Harpenden, located in the county of Hartfordshire. We lived their for two years, and I loved it. While their, we were able to travel to many European countries and cities and places. We went to Rome, Paris, Northern Italy, Andorra, Barcelona, Belgium, Germany, the Alps, the Pyrenees, Scotland, Austria and Switzerland. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I loved being emerged into a completely new culture, with traditions different then mine. I played soccer there, went to one of the World Cup games, cheered Wayne Rooney on in the Euro Cup of 2004, went to the Isle of White, saw the cliffs of Dover, the Tower of London, and Hadrian's wall. I went to York and went to the top of one of the world's largest cathedrals.

When I was in third grade in my family and I took a trip to Costa Rica. We drove all over the tiny jungle country and at one point got our jeep stuck in a huge rivet in a road in a town called Kabuya. We were stuck overnight, in the town.

I once wrestled an alligator, killed it, and ate it. I then was struck by lightning, but I caught the bolt, and threw it back at the sky. One time a hurricane was trying to ruin my life, but I said hell no and I kicked it back to New Orleans. When I came to Ohio State, I forgot some of my clothes at home, so I jumped and grabbed a cloud, and rode it to Colorado, parachuted off of it onto a mountain, and jumped to my house. Believe it people, all this shit happened.

blog 53

Blog 53

The word I am going to blog about is Assassin. I am an assassin because of my extensive training in the Rocky Mountains, my native home. I trained with mountain lions, bears, elk, deer and mountain goats. I would climb 1000 foot cliffs, only to dive off the edge into bales of hay, and pounce on a mountain lion unexpectedly. I can blend into people like camouflage in a forest. I am an expert of disguise, along with free-running and athletic ability. Pretty much I am a one man army. I have been asked by the United States army several times to join, and also by the United States Marine Corps, and the Navy Seals. But my theory on that is that it wouldn't be fair for other countries if I joined. Any war would over in a matter of seconds, and the world would be at peace. I'm like IronMan, but I don't need a sweet-ass suit to be damn good at what I do. The reason I am so sweet is my training with the video game, Assassin's Creed. After reading this, many of you may think I am weird as hell, but before you judge, think of how hard it is to write 250 words with this prompt. It's pretty tough. So even though this story was weird, it was the only way I could write the needed amount. So don't judge me, just accept my sweet story. On another note, this is our 53^rd blog, kinda ridiculous. But I really am an assassin.

blog 51

Blog 51

My major at the beginning of the year was Environmental Engineering. I chose this major because I took A.P Environmental Science during my senior year of high school, and it was my favorite class in high school. I participated in the honors engineering classes my first two quarters of this year, and, to state it simply, got my ass kicked. I took two quarter of Engineering, Math, and Physics. I hated these classes. Not only were they hard, but they were boring as hell. So, after long talks with my reluctant parents, I was able to persuade them to let me switch my major. But, as of now I have not declared a new major. I am leaning towards environmental science with a minor in business. I am currently taking a history class, Mongol World Empire. I have never enjoyed lectures more than in this class. The professor is awesome and the content is even better; every day I learn something more about how badass these people were, and how they conquered the largest land empire known to man. I would become a history major in no time, and pursue a degree in education, if it weren't for the fact that there is little money to make being a history major. When it comes down to it, I just don't know what I want to do with my life. There are so many directions I could take and it's a little overwhelming to think that a decision I make now will dictate the rest of my life. But at the same time that's pretty exciting.

blog 50

Blog 50

                My grandfather’s name is William Moroney, but he is known to his many grandchildren as Grandpa Bill. He was born in 1928 in Arkansas. His father, also named William Moroney, was in the army, so they moved around many times. My grandfather did very well in school, and was quite bright. He graduate high school at the age of 16, and aspired to join the military. He joined at the age of 20, and shortly after he met my grandmother, Shirley, whom her grandchildren call Granny Gabo. He was deployed in the Korean War, where he fought on the front lines. According to my mom, Grandpa Bill has only talked about his experiences in the war when she was around one time, and I had the privilege of being present for it. It was a somber moment, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. He earned a purple heart and two silver stars for being hit by a fragment of a grenade and for “valor in the face of an enemy” (Wikipedia), respectively. When he returned home from the war, he met his first child for the first time, my uncle Dennis. He went on to become a lawyer, and to eventually become a judge. He has seven children, four boys and three girls. My grandfather is a great man and I have the utmost respect for him. He is one of the most intelligent, most knowledgeable people I have ever known. He currently lives in Phoenix with my grandmother.

blog 49

Blog 49

My aunt wakes me up in a rush. “We have to go!” I jump out of bed with my clothes already on. My brothers join us as we burst out the back door. It's raining outside, with huge crashes of lightning that like up the night sky like fireworks. I'm terrified and confused. We begin to run, sprint. We cut in between house trying to distance ourselves from something-but what? Why were we running? I ask my aunt who is chasing us. She says, “he's coming, we need to get away!” We run for what seems like hours, and I become exhausted. I trip over a bush. A darkness completely overruns my line of sight. I hear a heavy breathing, almost a growl. Then I wake up. This is a nightmare I had several times as a younger kid. I always woke at the same point, in a cold sweat, terrified. Another dream I had only once was very odd. I am sitting on a bench in a park, with huge trees surrounding the edge of the park limits. The sun is shining brightly and hot. I look up, stare into the sun, and suddenly I bite down and clench my teeth together. Then, my teeth shatter like glass, falling to the ground. Dreams are very interesting things. I believe them to be a jumble of information our subconscious relays to our minds as we sleep, as our body regenerates. I don't think our dreams mean as much as some think. Dreams can be interesting and fun. I have had dreams, even recently, where I was consciously aware of my state of dream and could manipulate what I did. I decided to fly. It was crazy.

blog 48

Blog 48

Hurricanes that flood cities. Tornadoes that level towns. Tsunami's that completely derail one of the most technologically advanced nation's on Earth. The power of nature fascinates me. Even as humans become incredibly sophisticated and seemingly capable of solving any problem, we will never be able to tame the raw power of the natural disasters of this world. Almost every day, we hear of some sort of storm, earthquake or flood that tears lives apart. While it is always incredibly sad to hear of these terrors, it is at the same time very intriguing. It makes me realize how insignificant the little problems in my day are. While I wake up and worry about how I am going to get my coffee before I hurry off to class, people elsewhere may have just had their town washed away by a tsunami, or flattened by a tornado. The awesome power of these storms is at the same time terrifying and beautiful. But possibly the most amazing feature of natural disasters is that even though they cause incredible destruction, some are extremely beneficial to the surrounding environment. Take floods for example, rivers such as the Nile in Egypt and the Mississippi flood periodically and therefore cause the surrounding soil to be extremely fertile. This periodic flooding of the Nile was the reason the ancient Egyptian civilizations were able to thrive in what would otherwise be an inhospitable desert. Wildfires provide the heat to crack the otherwise dormant seeds of certain types of pine trees. The paradoxical destruction and benefits of the natural disasters of this world are simply fascinating.

blog 47

Blog 47

I honestly am not sure about who the first girl I liked was. I'm guessing it was a kindergarten crush, from my time at Bonaventure Elementary in Weston, Florida. My most memorable crush would definitely be on my fourth grade teacher. I thought she was the most beautiful woman, and therefore thought everything she said was golden too. I have had many memorable crushes though. I had an eighth grade crush on a girl named Shelby Richards. I was so infatuated with this girl. I had just moved to West Jefferson Middle School from Fitzsimmons Middle school, and Shelby was pretty much the first girl I became friends with, due to the fact that the friends I already had at the school from meeting them in basketball were friends with her. I honestly am not sure about who the first girl I liked was. I'm guessing it was a kindergarten crush, from my time at Bonaventure Elementary in Weston, Florida. My most memorable crush would definitely be on my fourth grade teacher. I thought she was the most beautiful woman, and therefore thought everything she said was golden too. I have had many memorable crushes though. I had an eighth grade crush on a girl named Shelby Richards. I was so infatuated with this girl. I had just moved to West Jefferson Middle School from Fitzsimmons Middle school, and Shelby was pretty much the first girl I became friends with, due to the fact that the friends I already had at the school from meeting them in basketball were friends with her. The funny thing is that I ended up dating her my senior year of high school!

blog 46

Blog 46

I don't have many pet peeves, but there are a few things in life that infuriate me. One of which has to do with rec basketball, that is, playing pick up basketball games at places like the RPAC or Jesse Owens North. I absolutely hate it when you gets these little jerks who think they are the shit at the game. They throw up shots from five feet behind the arc, miss horribly, and yell “OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! I make that all the time how did I miss!!”. These kids are the worst. Now, I'm a pretty good ball player, but I am nothing special. These little shits are terrible. They are usually short and stubby, but they have this attitude that they are awesome at life. They're not. They actually suck. They are terrible. In the unlikely event that they actually make a bullshit shot that they toss up without looking from a spin in the air behind the backboard, they proceed to vocally state their dominance in the sport. I really hate these types of basketball players. I cannot stand it when I see this. In all honesty, it just makes me want to play harder so I can embarrass these little bastards. Another pet peeve I have connects with the previous one. I hate cockiness. Arrogant assholes bother the hell out of me. I can't stand people like this. They are rude, hard to talk to, and don't contribute to society. These people really just make other people feel bad.

blog 45

Blog 45

When I was in 6^th grade my family and I took a trip to the awesome city of Rome. We were currently living in the town of Harpenden in England at the time, so it was a short flight to the Italian capitol. It was around the time of Thanksgiving, and was our first of that holiday overseas. The country of England did not celebrate the holiday for obvious reasons, so my parents wanted to celebrate it in our own way. The city of Rome can be described only as incredible. The architecture is beautiful, old, and historic. The thought that almost every building in that city is older than the majority of the dwellings in the United States is crazy. Each block we explored was deeply intertwined in history. We walked at least ten miles each of the four days we were there. We walked to the jaw dropping coliseum, the impressive Roman forum, the amazing Pantheon in the heart of Rome and many other places around the city. We also entered the Vatican City and saw Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, a striking experience. While all this was amazing, the very best aspect of Rome was the food. The food was insanely delicious. The thousands of pizza places scattered around the city are by far superior in quality to anything you can get in the United States. The gilatto, Italian ice cream, was unspeakably delicious. I still dream to this day of the treat that was the main seller of thousands of carts on every block. We would stop at a gilatto stand four to five times a day. Simply incredible. My tastebuds are still recovering from the orgasm of the mouth I experienced with the food in Rome.

blog 43

Blog 43

The best present I have ever been given was the video ipod my parents gave me for my 14^th birthday in middle school. This is the most useful device I carry around. I still use it today. I have probably around three thousand songs on there, and ten movies- The Greatest Game Ever Played, Oceans Eleven, The Dewey Cox story, Pineapple Express, Sex Drive, Lord of the Rings the Fellowship of the Ring, Lord of the Rings the Twin Towers, Lord of the Rings the Return of the King, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, I Hope They Serve Beer in Heaven, Star Wars New Hope, Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars the Return of the Jedi, Star Wars the Phantom Menace, Star Wars the Clone Wars, Star Wars the Revenge of the Sith, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Shawshank Redemption, South Park Bigger Longer and Uncut, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, The Bourne Trilogy that consists of the Bourne Identity, the Bourne Supremacy, the Bourne Ultimatum, the Pirates of the Caribbean the Curse of the Black Pearl, the Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, the Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End and Super Troopers.

blog 42

Blog 42

It's dirty, exhausting, and hot, but you'll get twelve bucks an hour. This was the hook that pulled me into the job I had last summer. I worked for my cousin's steel company, Hinton Steel, in the warehouse. This job was grimy, hard work, and difficult, but the pay was great. It was definitely a love-hate relationship. I hated getting up early, the 45 minute commute, and the fairly long days. I loved the money, the guys I worked with, and the accomplished feeling I had that I worked hard to earn something. I worked 40-hour weeks, 8 hours a day. The days were hot and sometimes pretty slow. At the start of the summer, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had to learn the layout of the warehouse and the technique of pulling, cutting, and loading the steel quickly, but I had the help of my coworkers: Victor, Juan and Jose. All three warehouse workers were Mexican, with heavy accents, and knew very limited English. Victor was a funny guy, and was a little hostile at first, but it didn't take long for him to warm up to me. Juan was friendly from the very beginning, and is incredibly smart and talented at building whatever device is needed for the warehouse. Jose was the difficult one. I spent the most time with Jose because we were both in the front of the warehouse loading cars and trucks, while Victor delivered steel and Juan did fabrications. Jose was hard to impress, and was a touch “miestro”, as I called him. But, with persistence, I got him to accept me and we became friends. This job was a great experience for me. I learned much about dealing with people and coworkers, and the virtue of hard work and the benefits behind it.

blog 41

Blog 41

The Latin American culture fascinates me. These people seem to enjoy life so much, from the dancing to the partying to the music. I visited Costa Rica when I was a third grader and I loved the laid back attitude everyone seemed to enjoy there. Nature also seems to be a huge part of Latin American culture, with the seemingly endless rainforest and beautiful beaches. They are more connected with their surrounding then many other cultures of the world. Latin American culture can also be very roudy. They have for centuries had many rebellions, as has the rest of the world, but also there can be a lot of crime down in South and Central America. The drug cartels that currently reside in Mexico and Guatemala just filled in the void that the Colombian cocaine enterprise left when it crumpled. The cartels in Mexico are very problematic not only for Mexico, but increasly for the United States of America as well. When it comes down to it, the U.S is the only reason the cartels are so strong and widespread; we have the largest number of customers.

blog 40

Blog 40

There are five people in my family, including myself. I have two older brothers, one is 23 and the other is 21. Alex, the 23 year old, recently graduated from Northern Arizona University, and currently lives in Phoenix with his fiance. Alex is a beast. He's a great basketball player, a big person, and is funny as hell. I look up to him as well as my other brother, Zane. Zane just recently turned 21. He is attending the University of Colorado in Boulder, but is taking some time off right now to save up some money. Zane is also a cool kid. He's great at soccer, loves to hike, and loves mary jane like no one else I know. I have a great relationship with my brothers', because we are fairly close in age and the several times we moved during my childhood we became good friends. I would definitely consider my brothers' two of my best friends. My parents are awesome people. They are both in their early fifties, and live in Conifer, Colorado. They met at Arizona State University. My mom grew up in Phoenix, with six siblings. She is a great athlete, and is the main reason my brothers' and I are pretty athletic. She played division one volleyball and the University of Mississippi before attending ASU. My dad grew up in Ohio, with four siblings. He a very personable, gregarious and corny guy. The only thing I don't like about Ohio State is that I am far from my family, but it's all good.

blog 39

Blog 39

The semi-colon gives me problems. I like to use it, but sometimes I am not sure whether I am using it correctly. The workshop we did on it helped me though. I am not sure what else to write for this blog, and I think it is not a prompt that I can write enough on to fill the two hundred and fifty word requirement. So I will describe my commonplace paper more. These type of people face huge problems on a daily basis; the world is seemingly against them. Through hard work and determination, these people succeed in making something of themselves, and providing a good lifestyle for themselves and their family. There are countless examples of this type of situation. Many of our distant relatives dealt with incredible trials and tribulations in order to make it to the United States to ensure good lives for us. This is my hypothetical situation. Trials and tribulations is my subject, along with the need for a hard work ethic and how it is prominent and important in the development of a person. A hypothetical situation could be the success of any person who grows up without the privilege growing up with a silver spoon given to them. These type of people face huge problems on a daily basis; the world is seemingly against them. Through hard work and determination, these people succeed in making something of themselves, and providing a good lifestyle for themselves and their family. There are countless examples of this type of situation. Many of our distant relatives dealt with incredible trials and tribulations in order to make it to the United States to ensure good lives for us.

blog 38

Blog 38

Title: What does not kill you, makes you more likely to succeed.

Much as amino acids are the building blocks of our bodies, trials and tribulations are the foundation to our success and development. The issues and problems we each face on a daily basis are not unique, they are a fundamental aspect of life in general. A we grow, as we learn our ABC's and our multiplication tables, we learn to solve problems, from how to communicate to figuring out how to have fun. The trials and tribulations that seem to plague us throughout our lives are actually some of the most important parts of our development as human beings. Through these issues we learn humility, trust, a good work ethic, and, eventually, the key to happiness. Life is not meant to be a nice walk in the park- can you imagine how boring we would all get if we didn't have goals to reach and obstacles to overcome? Save that for your retirement.

Trials and tribulations a common aspect of life. Everyone, rich or poor, old or young, faces issues and problems on a daily basis. It's what molds us into who we are. How a person deals with their problems and what attitude they have on the matter dictates the type of person they are. What would a man be without mountains to scale and oceans to cross? Just think of how boring life would be without some degree of worry, or some level of difficulty. Of course, many people live in extreme difficulty and face huge issues on the daily. But I have a huge amount of respect for soldiers, single moms, and people struggling to put food on the table. The people who face these major obstacles every day; think of what they could accomplish if given the chance.

blog 37

Blog 37

This is my hypothetical situation. Trials and tribulations is my subject, along with the need for a hard work ethic and how it is prominent and important in the development of a person. A hypothetical situation could be the success of any person who grows up without the privilege growing up with a silver spoon given to them. These type of people face huge problems on a daily basis; the world is seemingly against them. Through hard work and determination, these people succeed in making something of themselves, and providing a good lifestyle for themselves and their family. There are countless examples of this type of situation. Many of our distant relatives dealt with incredible trials and tribulations in order to make it to the United States to ensure good lives for us. This is my hypothetical situation. Trials and tribulations is my subject, along with the need for a hard work ethic and how it is prominent and important in the development of a person. A hypothetical situation could be the success of any person who grows up without the privilege growing up with a silver spoon given to them. These type of people face huge problems on a daily basis; the world is seemingly against them. Through hard work and determination, these people succeed in making something of themselves, and providing a good lifestyle for themselves and their family. There are countless examples of this type of situation. Many of our distant relatives dealt with incredible trials and tribulations in order to make it to the United States to ensure good lives for us.

blog 36

Blog 36

This is my personal story as it relates to my topic of trials and tribulations, and the meaning of a work ethic. Although I consider myself to have lived a very privileged life so far, I have still faced a decent amount of trials and tribulations. When I was in fifth grade, my parents revealed the news to my two older brothers and I that we would be moving out of the country to the United Kingdom. This news was shocking to all three of us, but I was personally pumped. This shit was going to be sweet. Of course, it wouldn’t all be easy. Moving to a new place is always a little terrifying at first, much less to another country, but I was ready for the experience. This situation posed an issue in my life, but I was able to emerge happy and successful. I made new friends in the two years I was there, and was able to enjoy the experience very much. An example of my education in the subject of a good work ethic is my experience with high school sports. I played basketball all four years of my high school year, along with a year of soccer, two years of track, and a year of football. My participation in these sports taught me many things from teamwork to dedication, but the most important thing I discovered was the value of hard work, and the benefits it presents. I worked hard through my sports career, and ended up doing fairly well in each sport. This lesson I learned will forever benefit me throughout my growth and development as a person.

blog 35

Blog 35

I want the readers of my commonplace paper to find something meaningful to themselves from the piece. My paper will discuss the meaning of trials and tribulations to people, from their developments to their achievements. I want to attempt to instill in the reader an understanding that a hard work ethic will allow them to accomplish any and everything they set their mind to. I feel as though this is one of the most important features a person can have. Literally, with a hard work ethic a person can do anything. This is the underlying reason that any person has been able to make a name for themselves in the history of humanity. Nobody does anything useful in their life with a lazy outlook on their future. I don't care what money or family you come from or how big a hot shot you think you are, you can't succeed to the best of your ability, to reach the highest possible goals, unless you have the balls to get your hands dirty and risk giving some luxury up to achieve what you want to achieve. Life is not easy. I don't care how rich a person is, they are going to reach a point of happiness and the wonderful feeling of accomplishment without hard work. The daily trials and tribulations we all face will lead us to nothing unless we find this ability that we each have within us to fight for what we want and need. This is the message I want the readers of my paper to receive. This is my call to action: make something of yourself. Don't settle for mediocrity, because mediocrity sucks. Mediocrity is a loser's way out. Mediocrity is shit. Take everything you're given in your life, set a goal, and achieve it. This is the only way to respect yourself and your family.

blog 34

Blog 34

My topic is compelling. It's as simple as that. Trials and tribulations affect every person's life every day. How am I going to put myself on the page? I have no idea. I really don't know what that means. I am just going to write the paper and see where it leads. I will try to persuade people that I am correct in my assumptions about how problems affect people. I will develop my thoughts on the fact that the ways in which people react to the issues they face in their life will eventually mold their future. The people who face these major obstacles every day; think of what they could accomplish if given the chance. I worked with several illegal Mexican immigrants last summer in a steel distribution warehouse. These men went through hell to make it to the U.S in search of a better life for them and their families. These are are three of the hardest working people I have ever been around. The trials and tribulations they have experienced in their lives without crumbling or giving up its astounding. I have the highest respect for these people. They faced the seemingly impossible feat of making something out of themselves without hesitation. And they succeeded. This topic is compelling because it has relevance to everyone; people can relate to facing problems and having to deal with them. There are many real world examples I can use, from personal experiences to issues from other people. It is a compelling subject.

blog 33

Blog 33

My subject is trials and tribulations. How is the subject of trials and tribulations relevant to college students on a daily basis? The question should be, how are trials and tribulations not relevant to college students? Everything a college student does is relevant to the subject at hand. Everything we do on daily basis is based on preparing ourselves for the future; to prepare us to think for ourselves, to work hard, and to become successful. We wake up and must be prompt to class. Homework is due at the start of the period. We must be responsible enough to show up to class and have the discipline to take effective notes. We decide what to eat, whether healthy or not. I am not complaining in any way. I am just arguing that the small trials we face every day are very important in molding us into what we want to one day become. A work ethic is a highly endowed virtue that is very important to the development of a person. According to wikipedia, work ethic is “a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character.” I believe a good work ethic is one of the most important values a person can learn. Nothing can be accomplished without a good work ethic. Sports play a huge part in my life. Much of my time is spent either watching, playing, or discussing sports. They were a big part of my high school career and taught me that hard work pays off. School is a huge part of the development of people as well. We all grow up going to school.

blog 32

Blog 32

For my 32^nd blog I have to research one or more of the following subjects: Illegal immigrants, sports, school, social strife, mental toughness, physical toughness, money, parents, good work ethics. I am not sure which one I could find legitimate research for. I will research the concept of money. According to wikipedia, money is “any object or record, that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context.” Money affects people in virtually every aspect of their lives, directly or indirectly. Money dictates many social niches, because if you can look nice because of what you buy, you can be perceived by society as “cool” or “dope”. A work ethic is a highly endowed virtue that is very important to the development of a person. According to wikipedia, work ethic is “a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character.” I believe a good work ethic is one of the most important values a person can learn. Nothing can be accomplished without a good work ethic. Sports play a huge part in my life. Much of my time is spent either watching, playing, or discussing sports. They were a big part of my high school career and taught me that hard work pays off. School is a huge part of the development of people as well. We all grow up going to school.

blog 31

Blog 31

Trials and tribulations a common aspect of life. Everyone, rich or poor, old or young, faces issues and problems on a daily basis. It's what molds us into who we are. How a person deals with their problems and what attitude they have on the matter dictates the type of person they are. What would a man be without mountains to scale and oceans to cross? Just think of how boring life would be without some degree of worry, or some level of difficulty. Of course, many people live in extreme difficulty and face huge issues on the daily. But I have a huge amount of respect for soldiers, single moms, and people struggling to put food on the table. The people who face these major obstacles every day; think of what they could accomplish if given the chance. I worked with several illegal Mexican immigrants last summer in a steel distribution warehouse. These men went through hell to make it to the U.S in search of a better life for them and their families. These are are three of the hardest working people I have ever been around. The trials and tribulations they have experienced in their lives without crumbling or giving up its astounding. I have the highest respect for these people. They faced the seemingly impossible feat of making something out of themselves without hesitation. And they succeeded.

blog 30

Blog 30

I read the “Pushing Palin from Power” commonplace article written by Chrissy Knopp for tonights' blog. Knopp states that because Sarah Palin is a woman, she has been ridiculed, mocked, and her chance at political prowess has been severely hindered by this treatment. I think this is absolutely and entirely ridiculous. The reason Sarah Palin is ridiculed constantly is not because she is a woman, it's because she is a complete and utter idiot. Palin is simply stupid. If anyone has heard any of her quotes comenting on being able to see Russia from her house in Alaska, or making up words like “refudiate”, then comparing herself to Shakespeare, they know that Palin is so stupid it's funny. Comedians don't even have to turn to sexist jokes because they have so much to reap from her silly accent to her IQ. She's just stupid. The fact that she appears in the news with rumors that she might be running for president is too humorous. And even though she became one of the few female vice presidential candidates doesn't mean she's brilliant, it actually just means that John McCain made a poor decision in his choice for a running-mate. Sexuality will always be something comedians use for jokes because people are immature. Seriously, nobody should take the author of this article seriously, because she is wrong and does not know what she is talking about. Sarah Palin is stupid, manipulative, and downright hypocritic. Isn't her daughter one of the biggest advocates for per-marital abstinence in the U.S? Oh, wait, that's right, Bristol Palin just had a kid. And she has never been married. But maybe she's like the Virgin Mary! No, she's not.

blog 29

Blog 29

              I read the article “Glenn Beck: Circa 422 B.C.” by Zach Rybarczyk for my blog today. This article discusses the “genius” of Glenn Beck in how he is able to engage audiences with emotion and fact. Although this author does state that he can’t stand Glenn Beck, he still gives the man way to much credit. In my personal opinion, I absolutely hate Glenn Beck with a deep passion. I think he is a manipulative jerk who takes things out of context to prove some ludicrous point he is making. My favorite television moments are when Jon Stewart of the Daily Show rips on Beck’s outrageous and idiotic antics. Glenn Beck is honestly a personification of the ignorance of America. He is loud, annoying, stupid and quite frankly I am embarrassed to hear that he has millions of followers. Glenn Beck does a segment in some of his shows in which he takes a person or idea and connects it, through a stupefying puzzle of phrases and people, to a point he is trying to make. I do not see how people take him seriously. He is racist, narrow-minded and arrogant. Jon Stewart has repeatedly invited him to join him on The Daily Show to talk but he does not even respond. Bill O’Reilly, whom I disagree with in many ways but respect, has been on Jon Stewart’s show many times. Beck always makes statements along the lines of “we need to take our country back”. Back from what? As we are finally recovering from a recession and attempt to find a diplomatic solution to Libya’s issues, end a war in Afghanistan and solve healthcare, I think our government is finally going in the right direction. What, should we get Bush back in office and send our troops off to new territory to fight a war based off ego and screw our economy again Mr. Beck? I think Glenn Beck needs to shut his mouth and quit trying to tear this country apart.

blog 28

Blog 28

I read the article “Coke Zero, The Deadliest Beverage... Or So They Say”, by Ted Elliott. The article is a discussion about the true effects of coke zero on one's body. Mr. Elliot's paper is terrible, in my most humble opinion. He has no background knowledge on the matter, does not seem to know what he is talking about, and frankly has not done the proper research on the matter. He makes statements about the ingredients of coke zero without giving credible sources or information. I have grown up hearing that soda, or pop, is bad for people. The reason it is bad for people, as I have heard, is because of the ingredients used to make the drinks and because the calories involved are empty calories, meaning the drink is not a necessary part of a person's diet. The sugars involved in the drink are also not good for people. Now, I know coke zero is supposed to have no calories and be sugar free. I just do not like the way this article was presented and I disagree that there is nothing bad for you about coke zero. I am going to listen to the experts on the matter, not some kid. Just my personal opinion. Also, the author states that aspertame does not cause cancer as is was once said to. This is, once again in my opinion, a false assumption, because people still do not know whether the ingredient causes cancer due to the need for a study of the long term effects of the ingredient in order to know the effects.

blog 27

Blog 27

I am now at the conclusion of my paper. I will focus on connecting the recent conflict in Libya to the revolution in Firefly and the theme of the paper. The theme of the paper will also be reiterated. The theme of the paper is the presence of the pursuit of happiness in people and the fact that people will continue to fight until they achieve freedom. I will discuss the articles I found on EBSCO about the Libyan revolution and the issues at hand in the north African country. Muammar Qaddafi is a tyrannical leader there and is terrorizing his people. The people are now rebelling against Muammar Qaddafi and the civil war still rages on. I have nothing else to write here. I am going to start reiterating what I have already written. For my conclusion I will discuss several topics that I will have already discussed in the paper. The theme of the paper will be stated again, but will be rewritten in other words. The theme includes the pursuit of freedom, in which I am stating that Joss Whedon is arguing is present within every human being. This is the theme of my paper. The conclusion will conclude my paper. I will also discuss the articles that I found that connect to the Libyan revolution. I honestly do not know how I am going to write six to seven pages for this paper. The conclusion will conclude the theme of my paper. I have nothing else to write.

blog 26

Blog 26

The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental aspect of the human psyche. Every person on the planet has within them the will to pursue their own happiness. The movie, Pursuit of Happiness, outlines the meaning of its title. Will Smith plays a man who lives in San Fransisco. This man is very poor, yet a certifiable genius. He has a young son, played by Will Smith's son, Jaden Smith. The movie is about his efforts to make a better living for his wife and child. There are many setbacks within his journey. He becomes homeless and spends a few nights in a homeless shelter. He takes a cab ride with an executive he is trying to convince to give him a job. During the ride, the main character completes a rubix cube in a very short amount of time. Yet, the executive leaves and the main character has to dart from the cab without paying. These problems plague Will Smith's character for the whole film. Even though he faces all these problems, the main character never gives up. He works very hard to land a job and finally make a better life for his family. This story is based on a true story. This whole film really illustrates mankind's will to pursue their own happiness. The pursuit of happiness is an evolutionary trait meant to increase a person's chance of living. This movie was a very good film. I watched it in a movie theatre in Colorado. I enjoyed watching it.

blog 25

Blog 25

The next portion of my paper would consist of connecting my paper to the fight in Libya. I would introduce the real world example; the current fight for independence in Libya. I will be discussing the similarities between Firefly's representation of the pursuit of freedom against the Alliance with the fight for independence by Free Libya from the tyrannical Muammar Qaddafi. In response to the peaceful demonstrations and talks of revolution, Qaddafi acted with “bluster, belligerence and blood” by sending military force to break up the protests. Many were killed in the situation. To further ensure his reputation as an oppressive dictator, Qaddafi then proceeded to completely shut out the world's media, shrouding the entire situation in a mystery. This “slaughter” of his own people should be unacceptable in today's society. I am convinced that Qaddafi is entirely insane. He is power hungry and has no regard for the citizens of his country. “I am a warrior. I am not going to leave this land, and I will die here as a martyr.” These are the words of a crazy man who considers himself to be way more important and powerful than he is. I mean its Libya. I can almost guarantee that half of the people in the United States of America can not locate Libya on a map. Of course, this is just an opinion, not an actual fact. The situation in Libya is a complete mess. Muammar Qaddafi has promised that he will resist takeover until his last man stands. He can't be reasoned with because he is insane.

blog 24

Blog 24

Revolution, or the pursuit of freedom represents a fundamental characteristic of human kind. This characteristic is the pursuit of happiness and the lengths people will go to ensure this for themselves and their family.

The first scene of the first episode, “Serenity”, of Firefly is where the representation of the theme of this paper, the pursuit of happiness, is present. The scene begins with Mal, the main character, on a battlefield with several of his comrades. The situation looks bleak. Rebels are dying left and right as the warships of the Alliance are advancing voraciously upon them. Havoc ensues; all hell seems to be breaking loose. Mal confronts a terrified young soldier who is cowering at the bottom of a war trench. Mal is trying to convince this man that everything will be ok. He tells him that help is on the way, that they have a sure victory ahead of them. It is obvious this is not the case. Although Mal is surely almost positive they are going to be defeated, he is relying on hope to keep his men's morale, along with his own, from crashing and burning. This season is Joss Whedon's testimony to the will of mankind. He argues that even in times of darkness, when seemingly all is lost, when the light is barely hovering on the horizon, people fundamentally will not give up. People, due to an instinctual characteristic alive among us all, will battle for freedom until their liberty and happiness are achieved or all is indeed lost.

blog 23

Blog 23

This is part of the second piece of my essay. It is just a section but represents much of the ideas. In order to understand the current conflict in the Libya, one must first contemplate Libya's recent past under Qaddafi's regime and the country's shift from economic obscurity and mischievous image to being on relative good terms with the Western nations of the United States of America and the United Nations. In the 1980's and for much of the 1990's, Libya was seen as a “rogue state” (author, n.p.). Yet, with the suspension of sanctions against Libya by the United Nations, the country was able to become economically viable in the West. Along with this, another major factor catapulted Libya forward in the view of the West. “By siding with the U.S.” and “joining the 'Global War on Terrorism'” (author, n.p.). Muammar Qaddafi had succeeded in ending the country's political obscurity and poor image. The two factors contributed heavily to Libya's gain in power economically and politically. Some may argue that this has resulted partially in the current civil war, because as Qaddafi gained more power, his military was developed more and his ego increased. Furthermore, according to the author, “The Libyan regime has understood that paying lip service to reforms, in enough for Europe and the United States to lessen their call for democratization” (n.p.). This lack of pressure from the international community to end Qaddafi's supreme grip of Libya has allowed for the mistreatment, and at times slaughter, of his people. In a sense, the U.S. And Europe have personally created a monster in Muammar Qaddafi due to the lax or even totally absent monitor and surveillance of his regime.

blog 22

Blog 22

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” (The Declaration of Independence, page 1). Since the beginning of the modern human being, we have all been instilled in us the basic instinct to rule our own fate. Freedom is an underlying construct of our existence. Throughout the history of man, there has always been the presence of freedom and the presence of the evil that prohibits this natural right. The pursuit of freedom is an ever-present conundrum that we all have buried within us. Without the pursuit of freedom, the world would be incredibly different than what it is today. Recently, there have been several revolutions and quests for independence in the Middle East, from Bahraini to Egypt to Libya. I read an article recently published in Time Magazine about the current revolution in Egypt. The title to the article is “The Revolution”, the cover story of the issue. The article discussed the political unrest in Egypt. It explored the relationship of the U.S with soon to be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek, which was a advantageous one for the United States of America. It also discussed the uncertain future Egypt faces and whether it will become hostile to the U.S. Also discussed is the political unrest in other areas of the Middle East/Islamic world including Libya and Syria. Revolution is the editing of the world. It is people striving for the betterment of themselves and their nation.

blog 21

Blog 21

Revolutions are often hard fought and enduring events. For this reason, the idea and motive behind the rebellion must be as solid as the opposition it will face. The civil war in Libya is proving to be a very rough and possibly very lengthy ordeal. “Fierce skirmishes between government and rebel forces have continued around the oil-refining town of Brega. Despite the arrival of humanitarian help from the sea, Misrata, the rebels' western redoubt, is still being terrorized by pro-Qaddafi snipers and occasional shelling” (Economist, page 1). This statement outlines some of the huge issues the rebels of Free Libya are going to face in the ensuing civil war. Snipers, shelling, and other military strengths the Libyan government controls will prove to be major issues for the Free Libya rebels. The rebels, including Obi-wan Kanobi, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Master Yoda, Qui-gon Jin, and Padme, will be facing many obstacles over the course of the Star Wars saga episodes of episode 1, episode 2, and episode 3. These obstacles include Darth Mall, Emperor Palpatine, the clones, the droids, and many other terrifying foes. These foes are strikingly terrifying. Luke Skywalker is actually the son of Darth Vader, formerly known as Anakin Skywalker. These threats are very similar to the obstacles Mal and his crew face in Firefly. The obstacles are also similar to the threats Free Libya will face mostly because they are the underdogs. They are outnumbered and the military of Libya has a much stronger power. Libya is a messed up place right now.

blog 20

Blog 20

I could not find another quote that I could integrate for today's blog. I therefore have nothing to write for today's blog. I guess I will just write more discussing the idea of freedom. Freedom has been an issue for human beings most likely for the whole time we have populated the earth. Dictionary.com defines freedom as “the power to determine action without restraint” (Dictionary.com). Freedom is the ability to choose what you want to do. Freedom allows for a person to choose their own profession, choose what they want to eat, and how they want to spend their time. As long as people interact with one another, their will be constraints on our freedom, yet being mostly free is entirely attainable. I am writing about freedom because it can be easily connected to the current struggle in Libya today. It is obvious that the people of Libya feel as though Muammar Qaddafi has taken their freedom from them. He has taken their safety, freedom of press, and freedom to elect government officials. Qaddafi has brought the revolution upon himself because he refuses to listen to the claims and needs of his people.

blog 19

Blog 19

The revolution in Libya is a response to the brutal leadership of the dictator Muammar Qaddafi. It is important to understand why the Libyan people feel it is necessary to stop a man like this from complete control of their country. In an article in the March 7 edition of Time Magazine, Bobby Ghosh, among other authors, explains that “In Gaddafi, the Arab youth revolution faces a foe unafraid to push back brutally--and the watching world sees a ruler immune to reproach or reason” (pg. 1). According to Ghosh, the regions being dubbed as “Free Libya” (pg. 1) have a long fight ahead of them. Qaddafi is an old-fashioned tyrant. He is brutal, unreasonable, and deadly. He has full military power behind him; a military that he has built up with years of profit from a region rich in oil. He simply isn't listening to his people. When the citizens and youth of Libya attempted to reason with their estranged leader through peaceful protests and events, Qaddafi fired back with a military response by killing hundreds. While the world watches in horror, Qaddafi relentlessly slaughters his own people without pause. This deadly response by Qaddafi leads the author to believe that the civil war that is currently raging in Libya is going to be a long and “old-fashioned” (page 1) one. Even with the United Nations and the United States backing Free Libya, Qaddafi still stands against the rebellion. Its safe to say that Qaddafi is crazy.

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Blog 18

When studying and analyzing any revolution or fight for freedom, it is important to know each side of the fight and where the spark of revolution begins. The beginning of a rebellion almost always has significance. For instance, the start of the American Revolution was known by some as the shot heard around the world. Any rebellion or revolution holds heavy meaning, and represents defending a person's home. “The revolutions in the Middle East, so far, have been resolutely homegrown affairs” (Hauslohner, n.p.). While this sentence by itself seems to indicate little meaning, it indeed signifies much more than meets the eye. The idea of revolution is extremely powerful. It has within it the strength to mold nations, drop dictatorships, and completely alter ways of life. How this idea is carried out has much significance. The fact that the recent uprisings in the Middle East have all been instigated from deep within the nation's in which they have occurred points out the power each of these revolutions hold. The citizens and rebels in these nations have taken tyranny and dictatiorship for too long. They have been stripped of some of their basic rights as human beings; their rights to freedom and freedom of speech. They are finally speaking out against those that prey on the poor in the name of personal embellishment. They are fulfilling their rights to their own personal pursuit of happiness. This action against oppression and for freedom is a beautiful thing. It reminds us that we always will have choices in our lives. We all are entitled to our own pursuit of happiness; it is a fundamental aspect of people as a whole. The pursuit of happiness will always succeed in driving people towards a better life.

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Blog 17: 1^st Quote Integration

In order to understand the current conflict in the Libya, one must first contemplate Libya's recent past under Qaddafi's regime and the country's shift from economic obscurity and mischievous image to being on relative good terms with the Western nations of the United States of America and the United Nations. In the 1980's and for much of the 1990's, Libya was seen as a “rogue state” (author, n.p.). Yet, with the suspension of sanctions against Libya by the United Nations, the country was able to become economically viable in the West. Along with this, another major factor catapulted Libya forward in the view of the West. “By siding with the U.S.” and “joining the 'Global War on Terrorism'” (author, n.p.). Muammar Qaddafi had succeeded in ending the country's political obscurity and poor image. The two factors contributed heavily to Libya's gain in power economically and politically. Some may argue that this has resulted partially in the current civil war, because as Qaddafi gained more power, his military was developed more and his ego increased. Furthermore, according to the author, “The Libyan regime has understood that paying lip service to reforms, in enough for Europe and the United States to lessen their call for democratization” (n.p.). This lack of pressure from the international community to end Qaddafi's supreme grip of Libya has allowed for the mistreatment, and at times slaughter, of his people. In a sense, the U.S. And Europe have personally created a monster in Muammar Qaddafi due to the lax or even totally absent monitor and surveillance of his regime.

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Blog 15

Ghosh, Bobby. "Gaddafi's Last Stand." Time Magazine 3/7/2011: n. pag. Web. 12 Apr 2011.

I read “Gaddafi's Last Stand” from Time Magazine for my research on the civil war in Libya. This article really outlines the heinous and tyrannical recent actions of Libya's long running dictator Muammar Qaddafi. In response to the peaceful demonstrations and talks of revolution, Qaddafi acted with “bluster, belligerence and blood” by sending military force to break up the protests. Many were killed in the situation. To further ensure his reputation as an oppressive dictator, Qaddafi then proceeded to completely shut out the world's media, shrouding the entire situation in a mystery. This “slaughter” of his own people should be unacceptable in today's society. I am convinced that Qaddafi is entirely insane. He is power hungry and has no regard for the citizens of his country. “I am a warrior. I am not going to leave this land, and I will die here as a martyr.” These are the words of a crazy man who considers himself to be way more important and powerful than he is. I mean its Libya. I can almost guarantee that half of the people in the United States of America can not locate Libya on a map. Of course, this is just an opinion, not an actual fact. The situation in Libya is a complete mess. Muammar Qaddafi has promised that he will resist takeover until his last man stands. He can't be reasoned with because he is insane.

blog 14

Blog 14

Hauslohner, Abigail. "Running With the Rebels." Time Magazine (2011): n. pag. Web. 11 Apr 2011.

For my research about the recent political strife and revolutions in the Middle East, I explored the issue about the current events ravaging Libya. I read “Running With the Rebels” from Time Magazine by Abigail Hauslohner. This article is about the political situation in Libya. The article is an overview of the Civil War, more from the rebels point of view, and their reasons for striving towards independence from Muammar Qadaffi. This is similar to the show Firefly because each are from the point of view of the rebels themselves. The article speaks of the gunfights and battles that have taken place in the oil-refinery town of Benghazi, Libya. This is a critical situation for the U.S because Libya is a powerful enemy or friend in the Middle East and plays a big role in the relations the U.S has with the Islamic world. This has instigated limited U.S involvement in Libya via air strikes on Qadaffi's forces. This has been described as a full fledged civil war. It is clear to me that Qadaffi is crazy. He is power hungry and peculiar. Another example of rebels is in Star Wars. The rebels, led by Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Hans Solo, fight an epic epoch against the Emperor Palpitine and Darth Vader. They have many trials and tribulations during the three installations to the series.This is similar to the Mal and his crew versus the Alliance.

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Blog 13; Research

I have changed my point of research for the research paper we are working on. I have decided to change my topic away from my former idea of researching thegrowing gap between the rich and poor in the world, which was a vague, difficult issue to study. I have changed my topic to revolution and independence. The whole idea of the series Firefly is the rebellion of Mal and his crew from the ruling power known as the Alliance. Recently, there have been several revolutions and quests for independence in the Middle East, from Bahraini to Egypt to Libya. I read an article recently published in Time Magazine about the current revolution in Egypt. The title to the article is “The Revolution”, the cover story of the issue. The article discussed the political unrest in Egypt. It explored the relationship of the U.S with soon to be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarek, which was a advantageous one for the United States of America. It also discussed the uncertain future Egypt faces and whether it will become hostile to the U.S. Also discussed is the political unrest in other areas of the Middle East/Islamic world including Libya and Syria. Woman’s rights seems to be a major issue in Egypt as well, which has similarities to Firefly, shown in the episode about the brothels, and considering that Anara is, at least by Mal's measure, a prostitute, and the obvious mistreatment of women is evident throughout the series. I think this topic is very timely and I will hopedfully be able to find much about this issue.

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Blog 12, Research blog number two

Adiga, Aravind. "The White Tiger." (2009): n. pag. Web. 9 Apr 2011

The article I read for my exploration of the gaps between the rich and poor of the world is one on the book “The White Tiger” by Aravind Adiga. This book is a fictional book about a man named Balram the Killer, a man who, after a “heinous crime”, becomes a leading entrepreneur in India. The reason he is able to rise to financial power is through crime and criminal acts present due to the current gap between the rich and the poor in the emerging super economy of India. Though this is a fictional story, it brings to light the current social strife in India. Although India is quickly becoming one of the world's powerful economic entity's, this advance is causing a huge gap between the nation's upper and lower classes. In India you having emerging billionaires while the “untouchables”, the people so poor they must rifle through trash to find enough to feed themselves. This gap is also present in the Firefly episode “Shindig”. The show presents its audience with poor criminals who rely on petty thievery to feed themselves while in the same city there are people attending extremely wealthy balls and parties. This show brings to light a huge problem people have always faced; greediness. The fact that we can have people with enough money to stop working today and live in luxury the rest of their lives and then down the street a single mom of four working three jobs to put food on the table is an issue with the world.

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Blog 11: Abramowitz, Alan. "The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class." Political Science Quarterly Fall 2009: 391-422. Web. 7 Apr 2011

The article “The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class” focuses on the change in the classes of the U.S since World War II. This article argues that the white-collar working class of the pre-World War II era has changed to an upper middle class. The factors that have caused this are education, income and new jobs. This article also discusses the shift of many white Americans to the republican party from the democratic party due to interests in the political issues since then. This article does not exactly cover the issues I thought it would. I am researching the potential decrease of the number of people in the middle class and the increase in the gap between the rich upper class and the poor lower class. I think I should maybe consider changing my topic, because this one seems vague and maybe incorrect. I rushed into picking a topic due to the simple fact that I am a bit of a procrastinator. I know this is not an excuse, but I will attempt to use it nonetheless. Procrastination is an interesting concept. Of course, it is the scourge of the teenager, college student, and occasionally average adult. Yet, procrastination has it's place. Many a time have I put off writing a paper until the night before it was due and written a paper I was proud of. Procrastination kind of creates a fight or flight situation; you either just write the damn paper or go to bed cause its late.

blog 10

Blog 10

For my ARP paper, I will be exploring the growing rift between the upper and lower classes of our modern day society. The episode “Shindig” presents the audience with the wealthy side of Firefly. Inara is invited to a ball with the rich Atherton Wing. Mal, with the intent to keep an eye on Inara, sneaks into the ball. This episode really illustrates the huge difference between the upper and lower classes in the universe of Firefly. The ball is ornate, fancy, and filled with snooty, snobby, and very wealthy individuals. Moments before the scene that shows the ball, there is a scene showing some lowly criminals discussing plans to steal from the rich. The ongoing fight between the Alliance and the rebels of Serenity and other rebels also illustrates the argument because the Alliance is represented as being very wealthy, while the rebels must steal and plunder to get by at times. Joss Whedon seems to be arguing the rift between the rich and the wealthy in society. The recent economic strife of the U.S is creating a larger divide between the upper and lower classes of our society, while the middle class is slowly disappearing. I will be researching the following questions; Is there a growing rift between upper and lower classes in our society? How big an issue is this rift? Why has it become an issue?

Sources of Research:

Abramowitz, Alan. "The Decline of the White Working Class and the Rise of a Mass Upper-Middle Class." Political Science Quarterly Fall 2009: 391-422. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Curry, Andrew. "The New Upper Class." Archaeology March 2011: 40-45. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Lukočienė, Olga. "The Simultaneous Decisions About the Number of Lower and Higher Level Classes in Multilevel Latent Class Analysis." Socialogical Methodology 2010: 247-283. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Kirkpatrick, David. "Rich, Poor And a Rift Exposed By Unrest." New York Times 01 31 2011: n. pag. Web. 7 Apr 2011

Venkat, Kumar. "Digital Divide and Poverty." Journal of Poverty 2001: n. pag. Web. 7 Apr 2011

blog 9

Blog 9: Prospectus

I will focus on the Wild West qualities of the show Firefly and how they add to the overall quality for my prospectus.

Cowboys, gunfights, rogue fugitives; the Wild West was a wildly exciting time. To survive during that time took a tough, willful and smart character. These aspects of the genre can be sure to always be a fertile topic for movies and stories for a long time. Joss Whedon, creator of Firefly, concocts an entirely unique show using this genre. He began with a basis of a future based in the year 2517 in a new galaxy and blends it with the crazy and entertaining world of the American wild west of the nineteenth century.

Whedon makes gunfights a regular occurrence in the world of Firefly. The gunfight is one of the main characteristics of the Western genre. They are exciting and people simply love to see them. The gunfights of the show are very similar to one you might see in any wild west movie out there; there's a good side and a bad side, and one side always begins the fights with guns a-blazing wildly and many casualties can be expected.

The dialect of Firefly is another Western-genre aspect of the show. The main characters speak almost in a cowboy type, Texan accent and use limited vocabulary, as one could expect of people during the time. Horses are also used in almost every aspect, which is a staple of the Western-genre.

Whedon combines two very popular genre's, the Western and the Future, to create a fun and exciting show.

blog 8

Blog 8, Response to Tracy Little Article

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has personified the drama, horrors and absurdity of high school. This is the message I derived from Tracy Little's article, High School is Hell: Metaphor Made Literal in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. High school is a wild, weird, uncomfortable, and, for some, unbearable time for teenagers. No matter how cocky or complete a seemingly confident high schooler appears, deep down there is bound to be some demons lurking; from a slight insecurity over an awkward freckle to a humiliating speech. At some point in every teenagers' life they are uncomfortable in high school. Even the popular kids who made fun of the nerds or the amazing athlete who everyone knew; each kid feels stupid at some point. I guess this is just a part of growing up. As hormones are running rampant and kids are growing, mentally and physically, they become sensitive, self conscious, and, simply mean. High school can be described as a horror film. Thus, as Little explains, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is born. BtVS, as the author of the essay abbreviates the show, takes these atrocities and absurdities of high school and creates an explosive concoction of vixens, villains, and vampires that serve as perfect metaphors for the craziness in every teenagers life. Buffy the Vampire Slayer creates monsters out of almost every aspect of high school. The creators of the show take bitchy cheerleaders, cocky jocks, creepy upperclassmen and geeky little guys and swirls them into a wonderful bunch of interesting and entertaining episodes. It is no wonder that this show continued on for so long; there was so much material to pull from the time that every person suffers through; high school.

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Blog 7: Firefly Episode 6, Shindig

The more I watch Firefly, the more I realize the crew of Serenity is a rogue, fairly criminal group. Each episode presents these people as fugitives or reveals their past criminal, thieving lives. Yet, along with this realization my appreciation of the show increases. Firefly keeps the viewer on the edge of his or her seat, and never fails to surprise with new and interesting scenarios. The fact that the crew is somewhat criminal always leaves room for new, exciting adventures. Also, the criminal intent of the crew always has the ultimate goal of at least resisting the evil clutch of the Alliance.

Episode 6, Shindig, begins with the attempted con of a wealthy dance. Mal and Kaylee pursue a smuggling job by posing as rich folks at this ball. While the job is supposed to be the main reason for this attempt at deception, I can't help but wonder whether the real reason for Mal's attendance to the dance is to keep an eye on Inara, who is attending the ball with a wealthy man named Atherton. This episode presents what seems to be a recurring theme; Mal is in love with Inara. This becomes apparent when he physically assaults Atherton. Mal and Inara's relationship is very unique, to say the least. He is obviously vying for her attention constantly, while she obviously, however ineffectively, tries to mask her feelings for him. This always results in trouble for these two, and often trouble for the rest of the crew.

blog 6

Blog 6: Firefly, Episode 5

Episode 5 of Firefly is a very important one in the series. It really develops the characters and their relationships with one another. When the engine of the ship, Serenity, explodes, the captain of the ship, Mal, is forced to have his crew evacuate while he stays behind to hope for a solution. Crew members are injured and the situation is dire in terms of the health of the ship. The episode is shot in a very interesting way. The extent of the show was shot using a combination of flashback footage and the present. The flashbacks were of Mal's first encounters with some of the members of the crew. The technique used to present this episode added a more emotional touch to an already emotional install to the saga.

The flashbacks showed a never before seen development in the characters. The flashbacks revealed the reasons why Mal and Zoe baught the Serenity, also how he met Kaylee, Jayne and Wash and how they came to become members of the crew. This episode was very entertaining, and I enjoyed finding out more about the characters and their relationships with each other. This episode also further develops the character of Mal, the main character of the series. The episode explains Mal's passion for the ship, and how he came to adopt the lifestyle he now enjoys. This episode also further develops the relationship or love between Mal and Anora. It explores the first encounter between Anora and Mal, and how Anora came to reside upon Mal's ship.