Tedious tidyness makes for boring work

I like to learn. I don't mind writing a research paper. I just find the politics of it get in the way. The source citing is a pain in the arse and I think people should be able to spell and write in whatever way they want as long as the message is conveyed to the reader. The purpose of words is for them to express an idea, as long as the message gets across, then it should be acceptable. But I'm getting off topic.

• What am I curious about? I'm curious about a lot of things. If I could write about anything, I would write about squirrels, about the way our thinking works, why were here, I'd postulate what the "right" life is, I'd also talk about nature, the future of business, why I like what I like, I'd talk about love, and I'd talk about changing the world, and Id talk about how things are perfect exactly the way they are.

• 11th grade English I had to write a research report that was something like sixteen pages on the wet foot dry foot policy for Cubans and compare the asylum Haitians receive in the United states against that which Cubans receive. It was interesting to a point but ridiculously formal and all the work was forced. Could anyone enjoy that? The crot paper has been a joy. Thank god for that. Best paper I've ever written. Amen.

I agree with kme07e, I'm not a machine. I am a human being. When I write I dont want to plug words or ideas into a formula. I just want to flow.

Topics in school should be the writers choice, that way it is somthing the student is passionate about or at least interested in. As long as the finished paper shows that the student understands and can produce what the teacher has taught and wants learned then the topic should be open.

Can research papers be made fun? Do teachers enjoy writing them?

Research Papers....

Ugh, research papers. All throughout high school there was always the one dreaded assignment during the school year: research papers. They were boring and lackluster. Research papers were my enemy. All the stupid note cards and the MANDATORY five sources were SO annoying. Just thinking about it kind of pisses me off. I think the worst thing about it was that it was always about a topic that I had no interest in. One was about Charles Dickens, another about Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal. I had to make sure that there were a certain number of “proving points” that I had to make and with each point I needed facts to back it up. My teachers always told me that the paper shouldn’t be a bunch of facts on a page but that it had to be a paper expressing my opinion, however it was always a boring, voiceless research paper. Hit the snooze button on those topics. My teacher always gave us a topic to write about and we could pick a specific sub topic. It wouldn’t be that bad but the topics were horrible and I had no interest in writing about it. The passage that I read was interesting. It made me feel better about writing this upcoming research paper. Hopefully I’ll be allowed to pick my own topic to write about. If that were the case then I might actually do a decent job and it would be pretty cool to write about. I am so relieved that this might not be that painful of a paper! My teachers in high school always said that the papers we wrote were the format of college papers but it’s not at all. I wish I could go back to high school and show my English teachers the passage in “The Curious Researcher” that showed me how to REALLY write a research paper.

love hate relationship

I once wrote a research paper on the Warsaw Ghetto in Warsaw, Poland during WWII. I loved that paper and I think it was way more than just research. I feel spiritually connected to that time period and the sufferings people endured so this was a great paper for me to write. I already knew a lot about the topic because I had done my own research on the subject before the paper. When it came to picking the topic the class was instructed to write a paper and give a presentation on anything that had any impact on the way today’s military functioned or how we go to be the military we are today. The choice was instant for me. I knew I was going to write about WWII and about the Jewish people.  In another research paper I did in my senior year I hated it. We were given a long list of topics and to be honest I can’t even remember what it was I chose to write about. I did exactly as Ballenger said he did. I put no heart and no effort into what I was writing. I was a machine spitting our words with no purpose or question in particular. If could write about anything in the world write now I would write about how cold I am and how I wish we had snow in Florida.

How can I bring life into a subject that i may not be really interested?

Blog 3

My favorite research paper was my 8th grade academic fair project. The only reason I liked it was because it was the first year I didn’t do science fair. 6th and 7th grade I did science fair and my experiment sucked. I researched Christopher Columbus for 8th grade. It was easier because I was dealing with facts, not observations that can be read in multiple ways and through different peoples’ opinions, but facts. It was very formal, it wasn’t a report, like I was used to, it was a research paper, an assignment full of facts and citations. As miserable as it was, it was good for us. To keep it simple, it taught us how to research credible information and properly cite it. I don’t necessarily believe in Ballenger’s personal research essay. Research is not an opinion and shouldn’t be sugarcoated with personal feelings.
If I could write about anything, it would definitely be the Cayman Islands. From the way they were formed to stingray city, I could write for hours. I visited once when I was in middle school and I’ve wanted to go back ever since. I want to research everything from the mentality of stingray to the native foods, tropical islands in general fascinate me. Is the research paper going to be crot style?

research paper

Research report

I must admit I took this class out of necessity rather than wanting to. I like to be creative so I thought creative writing would be my first choice but I ended choosing research because I figured it would end up helping me in the long run much more. But after reading I’m somewhat optimistic the upcoming research paper that we are going to be doing. I thought the article was pretty funny because my first college research paper was a 2,000 word philosophy paper on the example of grue and the new riddle of induction lol don’t ask me to explain what exactly that is because I’m still not quite sure what that means. The teacher was really strict on the rubric for it, I had to have an introduction a thesis statement. But seeing that he was talking about a philosophy paper allowed me to see that it’s not as boring as it seems. Writing that paper last semester was horrible and I’m actually really looking forward…. well maybe not looking forward to but I’m definitely not too worried about it knowing that I can write a paper on something that I actually care about. I guess if I could write about one thing it probably be something fun like eagles or dragons or Jude Law (thank you pineapple express) idk what I’d write about but it would be something I like, so I guess my question is gonna be is this going to be a research paper I can creative with and have fun with?

The Variations of Opinion

I believe that research papers can be exciting, if and only if the researcher is writing about something they are intrigued about. The research paper can also become interesting if it is a dull topic by the writer finding an angle that lures them into becoming a part of their work. In high school I never really had to write research papers. I can only remember writing one and if I wrote more than that one there were probably one or two others. The one I wrote was entitled "The Variations of Opinion". Here I am my junior year of high school and my teacher allows us to choose our very own research paper topic. I have no clue how it popped into my head but then I realize my mind is that of its own sometimes. I doubt very much that I even actually control it very often. This paper engulfed me in every way. I was entrapped in the essence of it so much so that I still have a copy of it until this day, a copy that I keep along with a couple of my written speeches, other valued essays, and poetry entries. This research paper is what led me to my major, psychology. Maybe my interest and passion that I poured into this research paper had a lot to do with my hobby of writing but I also feel that if I had to write about something I did not like it would not have been as good as writing about something I love. I am comfortable with any form of writing be that it is a research paper, an essay, a poem, or a short story I am into it as long as I can put myself in it. It does not have to be about me, I do not have to be a character in it, but the essence of me has to be contained in it. How do you feel Ms. O’Malley? What forms of writing best interest you and what is your feeling towards research papers?

Be Enthusiastic.

Ballenger strikes me as a very enthusiastic writer. Though this may appear obvious, some people are “good” at writing, but hate doing it. I used to be that way. I used to hate writing papers in high school, but I would get A’s on them every time. I knew what the teachers wanted, what was expected of me, and how to impress them. It was easy. It was clear cut. It was dry. Sophomore year I learned how to write. I mean really write. I wrote and rewrote essays for weeks until they were as flawless as I could get them. However, the only aspect of this I took any sort of pleasure in was the challenge of making a decent grade in a difficult class. Junior year I remember this one research comparison paper I had to write. It was the most horrible assignment I’ve ever had, I think. I had to compare/contrast two different inaugural addresses in depth. Then, as a continuation of that same idea, I had to compare/contrast two random colleges that I cared nothing about. Then, Junior year, I was assigned an essay by my psychology teacher. This was by no means a writing class, so I didn’t feel as if I would be held to any rigorous expectations; that I was just to do the assignment and get the grade. But I actually enjoyed it. It was a paper without any real topic. He just wanted us to write something and to make it personal. It only took me about an hour, but it’s one of the best papers I’ve ever written. It wasn’t research, but it was writing. In a way, this made me see writing everything in a different way. It was just so much easier when I was interested in it. From then on, I found a way to get interested in my essays. That same year I placed third in a regional essay competition. So overall, I agree with Ballenger. You have to make research “fun” or interesting. That’s the only way you’ll have a truly great paper.

Jennifer, I like that our writing in class so far is pretty freestyle.

Do you give these assignments so we're more interested in it and do a better job?

Not Another Research Paper!

Growing up I think research papers were my least favorite type of paper to write. I hated research papers, I felt like I couldn’t get into what I was writing, like Ballenger says, it seemed as if my papers were written by someone else. I mean you can’t really put your own opinion into a research paper because your opinion doesn’t matter, its all about facts. For example when I’m writing a regular paper, I feel more connected to it, its as if the words just poor right out of me and the paper takes no time for me to write because I can go on forever. But when it comes to research papers, I feel like they take forever for me to write and they just become so cumbersome to write. Yes it’s easy to find facts and place them into a paper, but research papers aren’t just pages full of facts. They also have to have some originality that YOU put into it, but it can’t sound like its you talking. It has to sound like the bland and boring research paper you were given to write. Yes in a way research paper’s are easy because its just bam, bam, bam and then your done, but I believe it’s hard when you write them as students out of high school used to fluffing up paper’s and telling personal stories that your teacher told you would make the paper better. I guess it all boils down to who was your teacher.

I love research papers as much as the next person but....

In high school I hated writing research papers. I’m not the biggest fan of writing in the first place, but when we had to write research papers I couldn’t be less enthusiastic. I never liked the fact that we had to spend so much time on a paper that I would just write a few days before it was due. Sometimes I would procrastinate to the point where I was hastily writing a paper the night before it was due. After reading Ballenger’s introduction I have a little bit of a different outlook on the terror known as the research paper. Back in high school when the time came to write research papers people were never happy. We all dreaded it a lot. Our teachers would try to make things a little easier on us by letting us choose the topic that we wanted to write on. But that didn’t help much. Sometimes we would have a choice between three different topics. Those three topics all had to do with the novel that we had just finished reading. Once, we were able to choose any topic that we wanted to. Regardless of the topic, no one was into writing the paper. None of us any had real connection with the topic, much like Ballenger said on page 8. However there were the few kids who could get themselves into writing the topic, but not many. But after reading Ballenger’s writings I find myself taking up a different belief. Now I feel that this might not be that bad. Sure, I won’t get super excited for a research paper, but I won’t completely dread it. The only thing that I’m a little unsure about in a research paper was the amount of facts that should be in it. I was under the impression that it should be almost completely facts. So my question is the more facts we have the better, or not?

STRADDLING THE FENCE

You know what? Research papers are not always so bad...Wait before you scrool down as far from my blog, give me a minute to explain. Believe me I dont love research papers, I have one kicking my ass so hard right now that I think Im physically bruising. Its just that research papers really can be OKAY sometimes. I think the problem is mostly in boring ass research papers (like the one im doing now) but even then I tried to find a topic that would keep my interest so that I would at least be able to tolerate the several hours it would take to do the assignment. Sometimes teachers get carried away and seem to assign the most boring topic to research just for the pleasure of imagining us at computer screens with

What!!?? Research Paper??

The First true research paper I remember writing was my sixth grade year in middle school. The great part about this research paper was that it was extremely informal (although I didn’t think so at that time). My English teacher even let us choose our own research topics within the main category of historical terms. And to me, that seemed as broad an option as possible seeing as every second that passes is considered history. Anyway, I choose to write it about the History of baseball because at that time I was obsessed with America’s pass time. Looking back, I really don’t consider that an official research paper because I included more opinion than actual fact.
After evaluation the assigned readings, I understood Bruce Ballenger’s point in differencing a “research paper” and a “research report”. Even thought Ballenger makes a very convincing point, I believe that not all professors (or future bosses) would approve of the more personal “research essay” because most people in work environments are already used to the “research report” styling. I happen to agree completely with Ballenger when he said, just because a style of writhing is different doesn’t make it wrong, however, I believe that most of the readers (in our cases professors or future employers) might not understand that.
I don’t mean to be completely pessimistic but I just think that the real world wants the facts and not an opinion when it comes to any phrase containing the word “research”. In my case, I loved the whole idea of the research paper the way the passage described it, however, in my writing experience, any research paper, no matter how much you personalize it, can be a boring one. Therefore, the only research paper assignment that would call my attention would be one with a topic for which I can relate to and be passionate about. Because if I am to research and consume precious time on a subject, I would have to be passionate about it and really be enthused in order for my feelings to be portrayed on that paper.
Thus, my question to Ms. O Malley is: Can we pick our own topic to research?

Research is research :(

I feel like it is still going to be long, boring, and something I have no interest in doing. I don't quite get his point on essay and paper... it still seems the same to me.
The one research paper I had to do in high school wasn't too bad but I was graded by the worst teacher I have ever had, she was a complete idiot and graded my paper like one. It didn't help the cause of trying to get me to like writing research papers. I did like that I got to write about whatever I wanted though. I researched my favorite author, J.K. Rowling. I love the Harry Potter books so finding out more about the person behind them was really exciting to me. I learned a lot about her and it gave me a lot of insight into the books it self and more indepth personality to the characters themselves.

Now if I could write about anything, I think I would write my research paper on the thrill and safety of Skydiving, I am going for the first time this weekend and I could add my own personal experience, like he says to in the article, into my research "essay". Or I might want to research something about medecine, like a new procedure in heart surgery, because I eventually want to be a heart surgeon.

I'm not completely sure what I'm going to research yet. But I don't want to just BS my paper. I want to actually find something intriguing and really look into it.

Are our research papers going to be done in the same process as our crot papers? How long will we have to actually look up what we want to write about? Will any of our research be done in class?

eh, its still a research paper.

I don’t remember writing too many research papers in high school. There were a few here and there for English, and maybe a couple for history. I remember writing one for my freshman English class on the Salem Witch Trials. I got to pick the topic on that occasion and really got into the paper. Some of the accusations that went down in the Puritan era were insane. It was really interesting to write about. I actually ended up writing another one about the trials my junior year. It was a sort of combo of a literary analysis and a research paper. We were reading “The Crucible” at the time so I didn’t get much of a choice on the topic, but it definitely helped to have written that paper freshman year. I wrote three last semester in my Art History class. I wrote one on Botticelli, another on Bosch, and the final one on Monet. I had some interest in writing these. The problem was that there was a very specific topic we had to write about, even though we got to chose the piece that we wrote on. I’m on the fence about research papers. Either I like the topic or I don’t. Either I like writing about it or I don’t. And the longer I write the paper it usually doesn’t change my mind.

Hey Jennifer... did you enjoy writing research papers in college/high school, or did you prefer creative writing?

Research Papers.

Usually when I write research papers, I dread beginning them and put it off as late as I possibly can. Then, once I look up all my information and start writing my paper I realize, “This might not be as bad as I thought.” In my junior year of high school in my AP Language and Composition class we were required to write something like a 10 page research paper. At first I thought that was a ridiculous amount of pages for just one topic. My teacher pretty much let us choose whatever topic we wanted she just had to approve it when we decided. I ended up writing about the long term effects of tanning beds then, and was interested and learned a lot about different types of skin cancer. If I could research anything now, I would probably research something like eating disorders, or child abuse or maybe child disabilities. Problems like these I think would be interesting for me to write because I am interested in researching the reasons these problems exist, and why they are so common. My question for you, Mrs. O’Malley, is: Are we going to be able to use sources such as movies or songs? Or will it be strictly articles and books?

Research "Essay" not "paper"

Research paper. This is probably the two scariest and annoying words ever. In high school I absolutely dreaded research papers. The topics were always horrible. I have a really hard time displaying what I have learned by writing. It is very difficult for me to describe and say something without putting my voice in. I also get extremely bored when I am writing and researching about a topic that I am not interested in. After I read this article, I now have a different out look on research papers, or in the authors words, a research "essay." I agree when the author said how he used to think that research papers had to be very formal without voice. That's what I am used to writing. In high school my research papers were always very structured and very boring. I found it very helpful to read about what I must include in my research paper. For example I must answer a question and have a purpose. I also found it interesting to read about the differences between a formal paper and an informal paper. I did not know that we could actually state our opinion on the material. This should make it easier to right and of course more interesting to read. My question is are we allowed to include visual aids in our paper to make it more readable? 

Informal papers FTW!

After reading Ballenger’s introduction, I had the same feelings. I enjoy writing research papers about topics that I am interested in, but if the topic sucks, I absolutely LOATHE writing the paper. In high school most of the papers I wrote were boring and mundane. They were more like book reports than anything. The only paper I enjoyed writing was a 15 page research paper on a topic related to my career choice. At the time I wanted to be a Neurosurgeon, so I wrote about Sham Surgeries. Basically like the placebo effect in a surgical way. Open the person up, do absolutely nothing, and close them back up. And some people actually did get better. But when I got to college I loved the papers I had to write. I wrote about vegetarianism, euthanasia, and abortion (all in my Ethics and Life Choices class). I also wrote about my musical background, and The Doors/Jim Morrison (for my Music History class). In my Human Geography class I wrote about monetary and living patterns of vegetarians, which I thought was cool because I’m a vegetarian. For my Social Problems class I wrote about the War on Drugs as a social problem and another paper on taking action to legalize marijuana. So far all of the papers I’ve written in college I have liked because they are topics that I am highly interested in. I prefer writing more informal papers because it lets me share my ideas and thoughts with the reader. If I could write about anything I wanted to I would probably want to write about the influence drugs had on the music in the 60’s and 70’s. I would love to write this paper because I’ve always been curious as to how much drugs really did influence music. People are always like “Yeah man, the 60’s was full of drugs!” But did all of the artists participate in using narcotics, or did the peace movement influence music more?

Jennifer:  Are the research papers we’re writing this semester formal or informal?

ughh I'll never enjoy writing research papers

I understand that there is a difference between the style and attitude of a research “report” and a research “paper”, but regardless I still find intimidation over either one. It’s hard to talk about what my high school papers were like, because over the course of four years I hardly wrote any. During my junior year my teacher basically hand-fed us our thesis statement, and we could only write on the topic of Greek Mythology. Although I found the topic to be very interesting, I felt like I didn’t have any freedom on how my paper would be constructed. My senior English class was pathetic. We didn’t even write one research paper. The only paper we had to write was a book report! So coming into college I felt like I was completely unprepared for any kind of research anything.
What I am most curious about researching would probably be something that involves life in college, however, if it was my choice I would write something that I am personally interested in, which is the performing arts. I’m not exactly sure what I would focus on in that broad category, but it may help me lead to something else to write about.
I know that there is a lot of work involved in writing a good research paper. My question to you Jennifer is honestly to just show me the do’s and don’ts as painlessly as possible. It does make me feel better that you can relate to us, because you’ve recently been in our shoes. Although the daunting feeling of writing a research paper will never leave me, hopefully you can alleviate my worries in some way or another. I think my biggest trouble spot is simply how to start!

Israel vs Hamas

I chose to write about the story in New York Times newspaper, “As Talks Falter, Israel warns of more extensive attacks”. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/world/middleeast/11mideast.html?ref=todayspaper

Its day nineteen of Israel’s attack on the Gaza strip and the world is begging for a cease fire from Israel, but the funny thing is Israel didn’t start this fight, hell Israel did almost everything it could to avoid fighting and when those options failed Israel attacked. Now before I can go into the story that I read in today’s New York Times paper, I must make sure you know how all of this started in this part of the world. Now no I don’t have any citations to give you for all of this all I can say is that I got this from the news and what I didn’t see on the news I got from what my father knows about what’s going on. Israel Is at war with Hamas because before Israel went to war with Hamas, Hamas was lobbing missiles into well populated areas of Israel, Israel had been warning them since not only with words but with action, such as shutting off power in the Gaza strip. But still Hamas bombarded Israel with more missile fire. S Israel to the last option it had left and invaded the Gaza Strip. Now yes Israel has trained soldiers, unlike Hamas, and has weapons that or more highly advanced, but it’s not like they just decide to invade a country with out a purpose. Well because Israel’s military force is after a terrorist organization that doesn’t amount up to Israel the Egypt, Jordan and other country’s are trying to convince Israel to sign a cease fire, but Israel is refusing because they know that a signed piece of paper isn’t going to stop Hamas, because in 2006 Israel once again was at war with Hamas and now look what’s happening. The main thing that is compelling these countries’s to try to stop Israel is because many civilians are being killed. The numbers reported in the New York Times is 820 dead. But Israel has been sending out messages telling civilians to evacuate certain towns before they attack, through methods of dropping leaflets and sending out massive voicemail messages. So, who’s the bad guy in this fight?

Myron Rolle

New York times
I was looking around on the link to the new York times and who else was on there then the one and only Myron Rolle a Seminole. In case you’ve been living in a cave here on campus Myron won the Rhodes scholarship which is given out to the top academic students throughout the world. If awarded you get to go study at Oxford in England for up to 3 years. It is seen as the most prestigious post graduate scholarship given in the world and one of our own won it and a football player at that. Myron was in the New York times for electing to skip the NFL draft in order to study at Oxford. That’s pretty awesome that a Seminole won that kind of reward and especially when our football players have been involved in numerous incidents this year.
“Rolle said he was told he was projected to go in the top 49 picks in the draft, with the potential to go higher if he ran a strong 40 time in the pre-draft combine”
Whats cool is that it wasn’t like he was going to be a late pick in the NFL draft if he left either, he was going to be in atleast the 2nd round which would have assured him of just around a million dollars next year but instead he choose something that many people would consider more valuable and deffinetly more admirable to do.

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/rolle-is-heading-to-oxford-not-the-nfl/?hp

I found another blog on the New York Times’ website in reference to the announcement of when he won the award in the first place about one month ago. I think its pretty cool that he’s getting so much positive press from around the nation, he definitely breaks the mold of a stereotypical jock and brings a lot of pride to our school. Congratulations to Myron.

Can I have a ride?

“How Many Miles Per Gallon?” is the title of the Editorial I have chosen to blog about. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/opinion/12mon3.html?ref=opinion

In truth the only reason this editorial caught my attention at all is because it mentioned Detroit and after six almost seven years I am still extremely hometown sick. This article otherwise does not directly affect me because I do not have my own vehicle. It affects me indirectly because of my good friends that provide me with transportation when I am in need of it (i.e. Kelly Eddleman being one).

“The Bush administration has decided that it will not issue final fuel-economy standards before it leaves office,” and “The Obama administration now has a free hand to set its own standards that will save consumers money at the pump, reduce oil dependency and greenhouse gases, and help make the American car companies more competitive.” Due to new regulations cars are to be created so that they are more fuel efficient and this will thusly aid automakers in economic gain which is where General Motors, Ford, and Detroit came into the editorial.

By 2015 cars’ fuel efficiency is expected to maintain the minimum of at least thirty-one-point-six miles per gallon. Five years following this goal they are expected to reach thirty-five miles per gallon. The thirty-five miles per gallon is a forty percent increase from the current twenty-five mile per gallon minimum. Car manufacturers suspect that they can obtain these goals easily and can even do better without any changes in technology between now and then.

Another reason this article is important is because no matter what the economy relating to transportation and fuel will affect the lives of pretty much everyone whether, directly as it does the various people that drive to work, school, to visit family, go out with friends, or just to drive around, or indirectly like it does toward people in situations such as my own. In theory no matter how much fuel increases and costs people will fight as hard as they can to avoid changing their lifestyles especially if they drive around much of their time. They will not change their habits if they are dedicated to them already because habits are not an easy thing to get over and thus people are reduced most often to complaining which therefore creates an even greater multitude of problems. In the simplest form I suppose I am embracing the idea that this editorial has provided some potentially promising information that will be a stress relief for many that will save complaining from people that must maintain their lifestyles. It is also promising for people like me who hope to obtain a vehicle and join the ranks of those who have the opportunity to complain, people like me who vow to become a part of those in the ranks of personal transportation.

Right to Privacy?

In the New York Times, there was an article titled “For Privacy’s Sake, Taking Risks to End Pregnancy” by Jennifer Lee and Cara Buckley. It addressed the issue of women terminating their pregnancies with misoprostol. However, the article fails to recognize that the majority of women that resort to using this drug do not do so because they want to. They feel they have no other choice. It focuses on the dangers of using this drug, and of its alternatives, such as homemade potions, etc, and solely advises women to go to a clinic and get a proper abortion. The first example they use is of an 18-year-old girl that flushed her 4-month-old fetus down the toilet after inducing abortion with misoprostol. But what else was she supposed to do? If having the baby was not an option for her, that is. The average 18-year-old doesn’t have few hundred dollars to use in a clinic (whereas misoprostol costs about $30), assuming she has the appropriate health insurance, and is a legal resident of the United States. The authors focus on the Dominican populations, and how the use of this drug is most common among them. It’s no secret that there are many thousands of illegal immigrants in this country. Abortion is an issue I’ll neither defend nor oppose in this blog; I merely want to discuss the shortcomings of the authors in this particular article. They talk about how it’s dangerous to use this drug. Of course it’s dangerous. Abortion of any kind is dangerous. And if the women that have used misoprostol had the option to have a safer abortion, why wouldn’t they? So the authors speak out against this drug’s abuse. Okay. What are the alternatives for underprivileged or illegal women? Yes, it’s a horrible thing to not be done with medical attention. Perhaps the problem isn’t the community, but the health care system. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/nyregion/05abortion.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&fta=y

The Key to The Keys

The article on the NY Times website was made by Charles Passy.

Basically there is an awesome place to go right under our noses. The Florida Keys! This place is a playground for all sorts of entertainment. It provides a place of relaxation for people and has lots of adult recreations but recently, there has been a noticeable change in the amount of children that have been visiting in The Keys as well over the past five years. I might be considered a testament to that.

Last year and the year before (senior and junior year), I was part of a marine science class in High School that participated in a field study down on Pigeon Key. We didn't go there to vacation, like the article is suggesting we do, but we went there to learn about the different habitats and ecosystems that compose the Florida Keys that seem to help make it an attraction to the world around. Tons of fish including Marlin, Cobia, Dolphin, Grouper, and Tarpon attract fisherman from everywhere you can think of. The reefs provide an amazing spectacle of life and diversity that never cease to amaze the common visitor. The Keys provides a great demonstration of survival and evolution amoung the many creatures and life forms that inhabit the area. You really get a clear sense of balance and harmony when you dive on the reefs.

There is a party side as well to the Keys that gives them their reputation of being a "Carribean-style playground for grown-ups, replete with bars that stay open till all hours...famous for the bar-hopping tour known as the “Duval Crawl" down Duval street in Key West. Key West is the Southern-most tip of the United States and has a been the home to many famous people, including Ernest Hemmingway, who loved all the things the Keys had to offer. I can relate to the sense of feeling like I was in New Orleans while is was in Key West. The streets are lined with tourest shops, bars, and restaurants with high prices, much like the French Quarter. There is always two sides to the coin though, and I really love the fact that its part of Florida! I encourage you to experience it for yourself and find your own little piece of Margarittaville. Whether it be in the water or in the bars, Key West can certainly feel like paradise.

The Article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/travel/11family.html?ref=travel

Holiday Sales Were Dismal, New Retail Data Confirms

As quoted in this article, our country’s retail businesses have undergone “one of the worst holiday shopping seasons in decades.” After reading this story, it is clear that no matter how busy it may look when you go to the mall or even the ever-powerful Walmart, numbers have dramatically declined. And even after the sales have leveled off at an average 20 percent decrease this past holiday season, it is extreme price slashing and liquidation sales that are keeping our retail industry afloat with customers. “[However] by selling merchandise at staggeringly low prices, many stores trimmed their inventories and increased their same-store sales, but likely eroded their profit margins.”
Personally, I have tried to stay away from the mall this holiday season at all costs. Inspired by my parent’s smart bargain shopping techniques, I have used my precious Christmas shopping money at stores like TJmaxx and Marshalls, whose low prices have allowed me to buy more things for my friends and family. I have never used any credit cards, only cash. It’s bad enough that I haven’t had a job since I left for college, so it was my goal to be frugal with the little money I had. If the recession isn’t a clear sign that business would be bad, the fact that people like myself are avoiding department and specialty stores around this time of year should be.
Reading articles like this are depressing. They are a daily reminder that this country is in a deep recession, and recovery is unpredictable. Being in the upper middle class, my family has felt the effects of the recession. With the hefty prices of college and my dad out of work, the current gas prices have been our only benefit. He, along with 4.6 million other people out of work has been one of the worst unemployment rate year yet. In the mean time it is my goal to save as much as I can, and although the retail chains are lacking in sales profits, it has made this year’s holiday shopping a little more pleasant and affordable.

Author: Stephanie Rosenbloom

Obama is our Moses

I wouldn't say that I am super religious but I would say that God and I have a bond that is unbroken, unwavering, and incredible. I cannot quote the bible, but I bet I can pinpoint how it felt when Moses came. It's a feeling of relieve and hope. Hope for our future, hope for our children's future, and their children, and so on. For the first time EVER we have a Black President. Whether you are an Obama supporter or not I think you would agree that this is a huge feat for our country. I mean honestly look back at our history and try to predict this happening. If you were James "Little Man" Presley this would be unthinkable

         James Presley is the grandson of a slave and has been working on the same cotton fields since he was 6 years old. He is 78. This man grew up in poverty, with almost no rights as a child. He grew up in a time when black and whites were still segregated. "Blacks were segregated from whites. They couldn't go to the same schools. They had separate water fountains. Blacks couldn't go in the front doors of businesses. And just about everywhere you went, he says, racism was rampant."  During his childhood if you had asked him about a black man becoming president I’m sure he wouldn’t know what to say. Obama becoming president means so much to our country and the people that have built it up to be what it is today.

         Other countries knew the United States of America as the land of opportunity. She really lives up to her name now. “For the first time ever, he says, black parents and grandparents can tell youngsters in rural America that through education, anything I possible-that the White House isn’t just for white folks.”

         I believe that with the inauguration of the first black president there will come a change in our country. In the morale of the poverty stricken we will see a vast improvement. This is a good thing. NO it is a great thing. Barack Obama is changing America and the history books will never be the same. Now instead of them reading, “Blacks continue to struggle for equality”, they can say “Our President is Black!!”

Tony Dungy Retires

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090112/SPORTS03/90112023


Today I woke up to find out that one of the most respected coaches of all time has retired. Tony Dungy was coach of the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He is arguably one of the best coaches of his time. His stats are undeniably amazing. He is the only coach to lead his team to the playoffs ten straight years and is the only African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl. His coaching statistics demand respect from his peers, however what he does off the field is what makes him the great man that he is. As a devoted Christian, he leads his team through peacefulness and kindness. He never trash talks and rarely raises his voice to another. His off the field struggles would normally destroy a man. A few years ago his teenage son committed suicide in the middle of the football season. Not only was it in the middle of the season, he was coaching the Colts to an amazing 10-0. Many men would’ve gone off the deep end but Tony Dungy is an amazing man. He kept it together and only took one week off. He preached about God and how he has a plan for everyone. He said that after playing football, he wants to do missionary work. This is a man who clearly has his morals in the right order. I am pleased to have been around while he coached in the NFL.

In the blogs I found, they reiterated some of what I said in my blog. They talked about how great of a coach he was and how he dealt with life’s struggles. Tony Dungy is a modest, honorable man and has the respect of everyone he comes in contact with. It is a shame to see him leave football, but I know that whatever he pursues next will make a positive impact in people’s lives.

http://dailysportchat.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/dungy-to-step-down-as-colts-coach/

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/12/indianapolis-colts-coach-tony-dungy-to-retire?icid=sphere_wpcom_inline

Detroit Goes for Electric Cars, but Will Drivers?

nytimes.com
Detroit Goes for Electric Cars, but Will Drivers?

Detroit is ready to announce the thought of producing electric cars, but is worried about what the country’s driving population is going to think. “There are no guarantees that consumers — for all their stated concerns about global warming, dependence on foreign oil and unpredictable gas prices — will buy enough of them. They may balk, for example, at the limits on how far they can drive on a single charge.” With the gas prices potentially shooting back up to four dollars a gallon, these electric cars could sound very appealing. When the gas prices were previously so high, the hybrid car’s market was souring. Ford was not even able to produce enough of these hybrid cars to satisfy the consumer demand. Then when the price dropped back down to less than two dollars a gallon, the car’s market plummeted. The driver’s reactions for these electric cars could be unpredictable. The word seems to be that for every 100 miles driven, the car needs to be charged for 6 hours. This could pose a problem for long road trips, and appears to be an extensive and unrealistic amount of time for just 100 miles. In this scenario, non-electric cars appear to be more appealing. Many automakers, however, are jumping at the idea to produce these battery powered cars. Some automakers promise to have their new products available as early as 2010. Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, General Motors, etc, are all participating in this production trend. Now all that is left to do is wait for the most important opinion- the consumer’s.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/business/11electric.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Detroit%20goes%20for%20electric%20cars,%20but%20will%20drivers?&st=cse

At Obama’s Urging, Bush to Seek Rest of Bailout Funds

By David M. Herszenhorn 1/12/09

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/washington/13cong.html?ref=business

Firstly, I have to admit that I did not follow the election last fall as closely as some did. I was only going to be 17 at the time of the election, and therefore unable to vote. However, I would have voted for Obama, because from what I did follow, I agreed with him the most. I appreciate that what seems to be his number one objective is picking America up out of this financial crisis. But I must admit that I am a little on the fence about the need to pull the remaining $350 billion out of the bailout fund. I am even more curious as to why Bush is also trying to help persuade Congress, and how much influence he would even have with Inauguration Day coming up on January 20. In the words of Democrat John Kerry, “there is a lot of interest up here in finding out what happened to the 350 that has already been spent.”

In the end, this is an $800 billion bailout plan. What seems to be a key point in if the money is approved, is that there is a set plan to where the money goes. Not only does is $40 billion being demanded to prevent home foreclosures, but “the bill also seeks to require greater transparency and accountability, including quarterly reports from financial institutions that receive help to document how the bailout money is being used.”

Having the money “on hand” may indeed help Obama as he enters office to get things off the ground. But $350 billion is a hell of a lot of money to just have on hand without a set plan. If Congress does end up vetoing the bill, it is only a question of which president will actually be in office at that time to fight it. Maybe half of the money may be a better offer to Congress, just so it is not all gone in the end.

I don’t pretend to be a financial expert, or a political one for that matter. But for me, you have got to have a plan. And I think for the President that could definitely be key idea.

I read a blog whose story explained that Obama would be detailing exactly what the money would be used for. It centers on Senator Barbara Boxer, who seems to support at least some of Obama’s economic stimulus package. Those who responded seem to be basically against Obama, and heavy on the sarcasm. One blogger offers their own plan for the stimulus package. While another seems to be more of a conspiracy freak on foreign banks buying up all U.S.
infrastructures.

Blog available at
http://totalbuzz.freedomblogging.com/2009/01/12/obama-will-go-on-tv-to-on-financial-bailout-needs/11378/

I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane :)

"They bought the ticket , they knew what they were getting into, I SAY LET EM CRASH!" – a quote from the 1980’s movie Airplane. A ridiculous comedy of a plane who has everything that could go wrong go wrong!
“Airlines go two year with no fatalities” by Alan Levine of the USA Today is really rather shocking to me. I’ve never been one afraid to fly and I always here you have a higher chance of dying in a car crash each year than you do flying but the fact that two years without a fatality is such a big deal is a little disheartening. I never thought of all the different ways a plane could kill a person except the fact of beating gravity until this article. I applaud the aviation scientists who have perfected the build of today’s jets and its safety. I fly around the country for my job a lot so knowing every day it becomes a little bit safer is a welcoming thought.
“The lack of fatal crashes creates new challenges for federal regulators and the airline industry. Further safety improvements must come from studying the minor anomalies of everyday flight.” Levine writes. Well my question is why does it have to come from the accidents? Why not perfect the model before it is too late. They should be checking every plane every time it lands to make sure not a single piece of metal is out of place or broken.
Also, when I think of planes I sometimes remember back to 9-11. Condolences to anyone who lost family or friends. It hasn’t even been 10 years and we are already bragging of airline safety? Way to let the terrorists know they are slacking, America!
I’m not sure how I feel about this article. I feel a little bit safer knowing I am flying to Baltimore at the end of January, but also a little put off by the fact that this is such a big deal. Some comments on the article feel like we might have jinxed our “good luck” of no crashes by posting this article. I don’t think so, but just in case, knock on wood! ;)

Meditation

In today's society, people are constantly working towards a healthier and better body. People want to be physically fit, which in turn will lead to a better and longer life. When asked to research anything, I usually tend to read articles about health and fitness. When researching, I discovered an article called "Can Meditation Extend One's Life?" by Julie Sullivan. Transcendental meditation has been proven to reduce stress dramatically and can actually extend ones life longer. Recently, studies have been performed on 202 patients across the country. These experiments were held at many different medical centers and universities. The conclusion states that those who meditate twice a day for twenty minutes actually have a twenty three percent lower death rate. Every patient studied had high blood pressure for a long time. After meditation, their blood pressure dramatically lowered and their stress levels went down a lot. Meditation promotes inner peace which everyone needs in their lives. I found this article very interesting because I have been doing Yoga for about a year now. Every time I am finished with my Yoga class I feel like a hundred pounds have been lifted off my shoulders. Not only is it beneficial to my health but also for my mind and soul. When I first started Yoga and meditation I felt a little stupid, but after a few classes I became totally hooked. 

This article made me curious to research the other positive things that meditation offers. Meditating with a group of people whether it be with good friends or random ones in a class, can be very beneficial. This promotes feelings of acceptance in a community and also is a good place to be social and meet new people, which creates happiness. I found this interesting because I in fact have met many friends from my Yoga class. When reading other blogs I decided to relate this post to the blog "Students for Sensible Drug Policy." This blog is about a group at FSU that works for the legalization of marijuana. This club accomplishes a number of things and still has time for socialization. This is how I feel about my Yoga class. We can focus and relax together, and at the end of each class we socialize.  All in all, meditation is very good for the mind, body and soul. From personal experience and now from researched knowledge, my advice is to join a meditation class even if it does seem funny at first.

ENC1102-39 Spring 2009: NFL Playoffs

ENC1102-39 Spring 2009: NFL Playoffs

NFL Playoffs

When I am searching for what’s going on in the world I usually look to the internet first, and the local news television station. Picking up and reading the newspaper is the third way that I rarely utilize to find news. On the occasion that I do read the newspaper the first section that I flip to unconsciously is sports. It’s almost like a habit. Today the top stories in the LA Times are the results from the golden globes and Afghan militants attacking Pakistan. But of course the story that I am interested in is the Steelers vs the Chargers in the NFL playoffs.

The author of this story is Sam Farmer and it is called Steelers Keep Home Fires Burning, a fitting title due to the frigid temperatures during the game. The article touches briefly on the last night’s game between the Steelers and Chargers. The rest of the article is looking ahead to next week’s AFC title matchup between the Steelers and the Ravens. The second part of the article talks about the NFC title game between the Eagles and the Cardinals. The article is full of quotes from coaches and players from the teams that are participating in these title games. “We're both very familiar with each other, so there's not going to be any tricks," Pittsburgh linebacker James Farrior said. "It's just going to be a drag-down, dirty dogfight. . . . You've got two great defenses, so I think it's going to be a low-scoring, hard-hitting game." Then the article examines the two games that the Steelers and the Ravens played against each other. Then the article transitions to the NFC championship game. This part of the article has more quotes and a little recap of what the Eagles and the Cardinals have done this year in the playoffs.

I found a blog written by Doug Baker which touches on each of the NFL playoff games that happened this weekend.

At the end he lists his top players of the week on offense, defense, and special teams. He briefly talks about each of the four games that were played this weekend. The blog is well done and has the appearance of a story done by an actual writer. He has a picture of Larry Fitzgerald at the top of the blog who was one of the best offensive players this week.

People need to stop acting immature

I chose to look at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Today’s top stories are:
1. 'Overwhelming support' has poured in to help FAMU's Marching 100 get to D.C.
2. FSU loses to Duke in the half that counts

The story I chose to write about was:
Protests planned for Ayers' talk Monday night at FSU
Author: Doug Blackburn
http://tallahassee.com/article/20090111/BREAKINGNEWS/90111009
I chose this story because I am attending William Ayers' talk on Monday night. I honestly think that the responses to William Ayers’ talk at Florida State are a bit ridiculous. It is very close-minded to try and prevent people from sharing their beliefs and viewpoints. What ever happened to freedom of speech?
“Members of the student organization College Republicans also are worked up. John Formella, chairman of the group, said he expects at least two dozen students armed with protest signs to be at Ayers’ talk at Oglesby Student Union.”
Seriously?! Are you kidding me?! If the College Republicans brought in Dick Cheney, who SHOT his friend, they would most likely be APPALLED if students protested. The double standard is ridiculous.
People fret because he led a terrorist group called Weatherman and bombed the Pentagon in 1972. But if my father, who WORKS at the Pentagon, could care less that I am going to his talk, everyone needs to calm down.
I understand that the bombings he organized were horrible, but if the University of Illinois-Chicago would let him teach at their school, even give him tenure, I believe he is a changed man.
““We knew there would be some controversy,” Findley said, “but nowhere near the extent we’ve seen. We never expected people in Boosters to threaten to withhold money.””
As of right now, I think the people in Boosters are ridiculous. It is an educational presentation. Now if a student group brought in the Al-Qaeda to speak, I would understand their withholding of money.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/tny/2008/11/mr-ayerss-neighborhood.html
Again, David Remnick shows that people are extremely rude. If you completely messed up in your past, would you wish to be forgiven? Well, Senator Palin does not think that Mr. Ayers deserves that option. She called Obama out on living in the same neighborhood at William Ayers, saying that he was “romping with terrorists”. William Ayers never killed anyone, he destroyed a lot of things, but not people. Three of his friends actually died making some of the bombs. What bothers me is that these bombings were in retaliation of the Vietnam War in which thousands of people were dying a day, but they called him the terrorist.
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/barone/2008/8/22/obama-needs-to-explain-his-ties-to-william-ayers.html
Come on! People need to get over the fact that Obama once knew William Ayers. If you went to high school with someone who ended up being a serial killer, would people condemn you? If your next door neighbor ended up being a pedophile would people accuse you of being a pedophile as well? I think not. These people need to grow up.

NROTC

NROTC is an organization that could be defined as the best and worst thing. The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program has allowed me to go to college for free, well at least there is no monetary cost. Beyond the sexy uniform we have to wear once a week, we also have to wake up at 5 in the morning three to five days a week, work at every home FSU football game, and devote the next eight years of our lives to the United States navy or Marine Corps.

Even though there are some draw backs to being in NROTC, if it weren't for this program I would not be at FSU. I think that is the case for the majority of the Midshipmen. While it is noble of us to serve our country if we really wanted to do only that we could have enlisted and skipped the college part. NROTC is a program designed to introduce the military life to you before they send you to "The Fleet". We take classes on things like Sea Power and Maritime Affairs, Amphibious Warfare, and Naval Weapons Systems. During out summers we go to active duty status and we do O.J.T. (on the job training). For four weeks we learn about the different jobs the Navy or Marine Corps has to offer us. We learn about how to do the job we choose, and we meet other Midshipmen from around the country. 

Probably the best part of NROTC is knowing that no matter how difficult it gets for you, someone else is experiencing the exact same thing. At any one moment in the day another Midshipmen is in another class, maybe even your class, and they are feeling the sleepiness of having just worked out for an hour and a half after having stayed up to finish a paper until 2 in the morning. This is sometimes Hell, but at least its a Hell that more than one can enjoy. As a freshman in the program I had to complete New Midshipman Orientation the week before the fall classes started. During that week I made mistakes, I made enemies, but most importantly I made friends. From the hardships we face together bonds are formed. Two of my best friends are in the program, and I don't even know how I could wake up at 5 every morning if they weren't going to be there to make me laugh.

NROTC is a world changing program that could be Hell or it could be a God given gift. I'm not sure which one it will be for me yet, but I am sure that I have experienced both ends of it and I am still in the program. I do enjoy the things we do, just not so much the waking up early and life sacrificing part. When it comes down to it Midshipmen in the NROTC program are dedicated and motivated in everything they do.

CSU

(note: I posted this earlier, but I think I may have put it in the wrong place...because I don't see it with all the other posts from my class, so just in case you were wondering why its here so late, its because I am still unfamiliar with how to post this in the correct spot...so I am trying again)

The Catholic Student Union

The Catholic Student Union (CSU) is a community of people, who may or may not be Catholic, who get together every Wednesday of the week for an event called spirit night. It contains several ministries that all serve at Saint Thomas Moore Church. Students and other members come and participate in this community in a number of ways, including setting up retreats, prayer sessions, and community service projects. The group is peer facilitated, and only the youth can be officers. One of my favorite things about CSU, is the involvment of the Brotherhood of Hope. The Brotherhood is composed of several brothers in the Catholic Church that provide council and guidance within the community that helps students get through their spiritual lives. These are great men, who have devoted their lives to the youth instead of taking their PhD's and making mad bank!

Together CSU has about 350 members and is constantly growing in numbers and faith. We conduct our own youth mass on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. We host CSU dinners, sporting events, homecomming events, men and women's groups and event has its own Facebook group. This is unlike any other group I have ever been apart of. The fact that it is run by the student members, provides a great motivation to attend each of their events.

I think that the most important service that CSU provides is its ability to bring me closer to God and strengthen my faith. Not only that, but others also. I have seen kids come from all kinds of different backgrounds and faiths and find value in what we as a Community and Church have to offer. These kids have come from places like Miami, and grew up in more unwelcoming circumstances, leading unfufilled lives and were consequently unhappy. Drugs, sex, alcohol and much worse things were part of these people's lives, but when they came here something changed inside of them. Most of them did a 180 on their lives and became better human beings and stronger in their faith. I think it has a little to do with our value in the Sacrement of Reconciliation, or forgiveness. They saw that God is always willing to forgive them for anything that they have done and is always willing to love them unconditionally no matter what. In Luke 15:11-31 of the Bible, the story of the prodigal son is told, and it adresses our devotion to forgiveness and explains how God truley cares for us.

I and just a member of this wonderful group and I hope that I may be involved with it as long as possible, because I am always finding ways to serve Him through it and help myself in the long run.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2209757422&ref=ts