GLOBAL WARMING! *Gasp*

Blog 07: The Human Influence on the World; Is it a scare tactic or a real threat?

First of all congratulations to all who joined in on Earth Hour. It didn't seem like to many people knew about it, but thanks to all who participated. Myself, I participated more than an hour, but my mom did not appreciate that. Went to bed at 7 p.m. and unplugged everything. My mom got back and she had to plug everything in and reset all the clocks.

Now to our topic of Global Warming. I believe humans are having a very large effect on the Earth, and we should be quite a bit more responsible for how we treat our "Home." Our earlier generations did not see the impact that they made, because it wasn't really a problem back then. Now, more than ever, we need to clean up our acts and find a better source of energy and resources. If we all spent time on changing one aspect of becoming a more energy saving world our pollution would be cut down exponentially. I'm not going to preach about how we should all go and buy energy saving light bulbs, or getting a better fuel efficient car, but try and think responsibly when purchasing items.

Here are some examples that we have done horribly wrong on helping the Earth.

1. Well the biggest one is burning any kind of fossil fuels. If we did not have selfish A** H**** then we would still have an electric car today. Though, we decided that an electric vehicle was not as important as OPEC's fat wallets. Also if it's an economic issue why not charge more for electricity to earn money that way. Main point is we have efficient enough technology to make a car that is completely pollutant free, except for the energy used to create electricity.
2. For this one I'll be talking about alternative energy resources. Wind: Wind is everywhere. It doesn't cause a big impact on the planet. It's safe, and practically endless. Though, if all wind stopped the world would be coming to and end. The only problem to them is that they are kind of an eye sore. Solar: Endless till our sun burns itself out, but then it won't really matter. We could be putting solar panels up all over the world, where there is sunlight practically all year round. Bad thing is that it can't really be placed everywhere because of certain climates. Hydroelectric: Turbines generating power by running water. Efficient and safe. Generates an amazing amount of power, but we have to change the flow of water and in turn can change the ecosystem around it. Cold Fusion: Not fully developed yet, but when we do develop it our energy problems will be over. I'm sure there are actually many other ways to recycle our energy being used, and how we can generate it, but I don't want to go into everyone of them.

Edited April 2, 2009:As Caleb has pointed out. There are still cars out there that run on electricity, and other forms of energy, but I'm not going to spend a quarter of a million dollars(or close to it) on a Tesla Roadster. Thanks for commenting Caleb. Edited April 6, 2009: Caleb has told me about the Tesla Model S. An affordable electric vehicle. Also Kyle has told me that Chevy is working on an affordable electric car. It's called the Volt. Please check out these and other types of affordable energy efficient equipment by going to google. :) Though if you comment I will be happy enough to help you find answers that you are looking for.

On the other hand we could say that global warming isn't a human factor, because of many scientific reasons. I would like to point out that nature is one very large reason for carbon emissions.

1. Volcanoes: Volcanoes release an immense amount of CO2 and SO2 into the atmosphere which pollutes a greater amount than humans can. Continually erupting volcanoes, such as Kilimanjaro or underwater lava vents, only pollute 200 million tons of pollutant annually. Not much when compared to factories and cars, but when a large volcano erupts, such as Mount Saint Helens, it released 10% of the earths CO2 emissions. After many years though that 10% has been cut down to 1%. (Not a very large contributor, but hey we have to blame someone or something.)
2. Water vapor...including clouds: You know the thing that keeps us alive. Well it is also killing us. I know what your thinking how is that killing us. Well water vapor, including clouds, produces about 90% of the worlds "Green House Gas Effect."

Global Warming

I'm unsure if there is global warming going on. After having so much snow during december, it's hard for me to believe there is global warming. But if there is global warming, then i would think that humans have contributed to a lot of the pollution. Having all our factories and what not have really polluted our air. It would have probably taken a lot longer for global warming if we didn't have all these polluting machines. Hopefully, we'll get news that there is no global warming and we won't have to listen to Al Gore anymore.

Fears

I have a fear of heights, it's somthing that really scares me. I also have a fear of being eaten by sea squids an sharks when i'm swiming. (When I was a little kid I was scared even of swiming in pools of giant squids eating me) Also I have a fear of being attacked by an animal in the night, a wolf, cougar, etc.

New Topic, Week of 3/29 - 4/4

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you have rested and recharged and are ready to get back into action.

Speaking of resting and recharging, shutting down to save energy for a little while, this past Saturday night was Earth Hour. Here, read this article:

http://www.katu.com/news/national/42028932.html

Or search for "Earth Hour 2009" on Google.

Here's your topic for the week -- and I'd love to see some debate on this, but that's just me; you are all welcome to simply post and leave it at that: climate change. First, do you believe the global climate is changing? Do you believe human activity is part of the problem? If not, why not?

Whether you believe the global climate is changing or not, what do you think people should do about the environment? Please stick to pollution on the large scale, not simply littering; if you want to talk about trash, talk about the landfills -- like this one:

Please post by Saturday, April 4. Try to comment on two posts from other people, as well -- I think it will work better if we do the commenting at the same time as the posting, rather than a week behind.

cell phone

for me i txt wen im bored or wen i hav to or wen ppl are txting me ,other than that im busy wit thing so i aint txtin all da time, i hav unlimited txting so i never go over which is soo nice i dont hav to worry bout it, cuz if u go over ur limit it cost soooooo much.

ahh bout how if its a negative or a positve well its good wen i jus need to send a quick message to a person bout sumthin insted of calling them up or having to talk wit them in person bout sumthing not that important

cellphones only hav a impact on you if u let it, like wne writin a paper in english i can write a paper still jus find even tho im use to typin or writin like i would in txtin.

what i fear

wut i fear, i fear that im never ganna be good enough to my father, which leads me to fear bout my life and how well ima do and wut not... i fear dat when i hav kids i wont be good enough for them, but i wanna be a better father than my own thats wuts up.. i fear many things but thats how it goes.

Finally.....Top 10 Fears...

Here it goes, the 2nd version of the hate list....with fears....


10. The car I'm driving randomly exploding due to mind manipulation from today's movies.....

9. Giving out the blood, I can lay down on their cots just fine, take an I.V. just fine, take the shot just fine, but once they pull the blood out I start what you might call "the ragin process" either fight em off and run or lay there and slap the needles out of their hands, it's a scary sight...

8. Getting pinched, don't pinch me, they hurt no matter who does it...and they're rude....

7. Not making enough money to be able to support myself, that would really suck.

6. Spiders, who isn't afraid of a spider, a spider bit me on the day of the bomb threat, I thought I had staph the bite got so big, then the D.O.C. just said it was a minor venom thing.

5. Giving a speech, I hate standing up and talkign because all the blood stays in my legs and they get really itchy and it's just not very fun so I psych myself out everytime i have to give one.

4. Seeing an animal die/dying I love animals and I hate watching the die, weird huh?

3. Those stupid monkeys on the Wizard of Oz, every since I watched that movie 15 years ago I still just think they're ridiculously scary.

2. Pencils or unretracted pens being thrown, in preschool an unnamed person pegged their unnamed brother in the back with a pencil from across the room and it stuck in his skin so there you go.

1. Fictional, yet the scariest thing I've ever seen in or out of consciousness, about a year ago I had this random dream where I was fishing for underwater raccoons (don't know why) so I pulled out my flimsy wooden bow and shot at it and it swam away, so I start walking down the bridge I was on, and all the sudden this HUGE sharkoon starts swimming at me with half it's body out of the water, all I remember is barely escaping and waking up questioning whether I was sane or not.

Almost there...

As much as I can see how people think that cell phones are melting the language and grammar side of the brain, I don't really think they do. There are some exceptions like the people who write a term paper or a letter of thanks or grievances that says cuz, or w/e, or other forms of text lingo, but they are truly troubled in the way of letting their own laziness stump their brains into thinking that it is the correct way to write. I text as much *almost* as much as anyone else does, yet I'm still articulate enough to hold my own, I can write a letter or an email and make it sound professional yada yada yada. I just don't believe that it affects us that much.

Sooooooooooooo far behind......

I think that in America today we only appreciate the outside beauty first, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that in today's society when two people meet they connect through body language or visual signals or whatever.
I don't believe that we, the people of today, take things in in a way that we can actually perceive what beauty is, it's all visual pretty much, with the exception of dating your best friend and late night phone chats, we all connect through the "superficial" beauty.
To be honest I don't believe I would be able to comprehend a man playing a 5 trillion dollar violin or a pawn shop one, I also don't believe I know what true beauty is, but I'm soon within the 60 or so years that I live on I will realize what it actually means....

oops, accidently skiped beaty blog

I appriciate things when i have the time or chance. Unfortunetly, in our day and age, if you stop to appriciate something now, you'll pay for a it later by being late to work or class, or some other important. I would love to take the time and just go through downtown portland and listen to all the musicians that are roaming there. It would be amazing. And of course since most of them are probably poor, i'd give them any change that i found while walking in downtown. But until i can find free time, i can't do anything about it.

My Greatest fear

My greatest fear would have to be needles, i hate needles with a great passion. There just so horrable i can't stand them one bit. The main reason is most likely i hate seeing somthing go into my skin and makin ga really sarp pain, it drives me so crazy just seeing a needle it sends cold chills down my back. Another thing that I have a fear of is really really big animals i hate an animal that is bigger then me it just scare's me to death. There shoul dbe no way an animal can be bigger then you for any reason. But other then that im not that much fear's of anything.

No fear but fear itself? yeah right

I am a very wimpy person

1. Technology taking over- I sometimes feel that the most intelligent things in our world today is technology. I know the brain is supposed to be the smartest computer, but i don't always feel that way. I fear we become like the movie "Idiocracy" or be taken over by powerful machinery like in "I Robot".

2. Afterlife- I used to be so big on believing in the whole heaven and hell thing. I am still a christian, but my imagination started to think of other things that might happen after i die. I thought i was a good person, but what if God doesn't like what he made and gives me to the devil? I also learned that i'm supposed to ask for forgiveness for every sin everytime i commit one. I don't know when i do or not, i dont' know what could be a sin. Or maybe there is no god and I have to fight off the grim reaper or something

3. Spiders, bugs, other insects- i really don't know why, i'm just a wussy guy.

4. Failure- I usually don't mind being judged about myself, like is someone thinks i'm a loser or the most amazing person. But it's the fact that i try to do something and i take the time and effort to work on it, work the best i can, then being told that it's not good enough or i didn't try my best. It just seems like a big slap on the face saying, "hey you, you're really stupid" I try to be smart, but it's not easy for me for some reason.

5. Being alone- I love people to much. If there was no one around, i would end up pretending to be everyone.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, Do we perceive beauty?Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

I think people tend to see the beauty after the fact. When they think they should or as long as they are getting recogntion for it. We might if we are not in a hurry to do something like the people we're when they we're catching the train. I have on many occasions when i went to califronia we we're in the train station for over 3 hours we listened to this really cool guy who was playing the guitar and he was playing the saxaphone(i think thats wat they call it.)

Stupid cell phones

My cell phone costs about $50 a month with about 500 text which seems like a lot but really isn't that many when people send you tons of forwards. I think long term society will get to focoused on wat they think they need and not want they really need. But at the same time a cell phone comes in handy when ur lost somewhere and you need help. I think people relie to much on their cell phones and not even just that it's the texting that people relie on to much. most people don't just get a cell phone just to call people it's for the texting that they wanna do. And because of that people don't get to see each other face to face...

The Truth about Fear

Blog 07: What do I fear?(I believe it's the seventh blog)

Honestly I fear many things. I also push through these fears, because I fear something else. Now to get onto the fears.

Heights: I have always been a little scared of heights. Even though there is a logical reason behind this. My reason is that what if I misjudged how high I am. It may have seemed in my mind that I climbed up five feet, but it could actually be 15 feet. To me my mind is unclear on judging distance until I look.

Darkness: Like Donnie's post (you have to find it first), I am afraid of the dark only at my house. When I'm home and it's dark outside and in my room I get randomly spooked, and for no reason as well. I feel as though there is someone or something going to get me and that I have no way of knowing how or when it will or appear.

Parasitic Fish: I think everyone should be afraid of this one. This fish is rather unique. It will tract down it's food by sensing the amonia that is being released from the other fishes body. Sometimes it is mistaken in following the amonia and will attack humans. One last thing this fish is rather tiny and has many barbs in it's tail that will dig in and suck the blood out of it's victim. If your not afraid yet, then I'll point out that when we urinate there is amonia in the urine. It swims toward this and you are speared. Not going to go into anymore details other than it goes for both male and females.

There are a few other things that I'm afraid of, though I have pushed past all of these fears, because of an even greater fear. I have to push myself past that one and then, hopefully if I don't find another greater fear, I'll be fearless.

P.S. Yes, I'm afraid of death.

Fear

Hmm What am i afraid of...

Abandonment.
I can't stand even getting ditched. I always feel like everyone who's ever cared about me is going to leave me. I feel like there's nothing I can even do about it and that may be the worst part. I feel worthless and like there's no reason anyone SHOULD want to stay around me.

The Dark.
Only outside my house every once in a while. I get a creepy vibe and something feels intrinsically Wrong. Anywhere else I'm fine. Dark, Light, Colorful or Sepia its fine, but something outside of my house just feels weird. (Talk to Caleb & Steven about this)

Theism
I may offend some people but Religion scares me silly. So many people murder each other in the name of this god or that and I always think "that could be me!" It also scares me when Religious types try to legislate morality. I always think "whats next? Thought Police?"

Oh Davey, fear.

Hm, I fear being splashed in the face. It sucks. Maybe it's derived from my years of wearing make up and the ever-present fear of it getting ruined, I dunno, but I hate being splashed in the face.

I also fear the death of a loved one that is a part of my daily life, which narrows it down. My great grandma died a couple months ago at the beautiful age of ninety-two, and it broke my heart. I love that woman.

BUT ANYWAY

I fear someone snooping through my belongings, primarily because I'm paranoid.

I'm afraid of losing a limb or an eye or something of the like. I fear it irrationally. Ridiculously.

I have a fear of the color pink. It's mild, but it's there.

I'm afraid of clothes in a bathtub of water because of this hellish nightmare I had when I was a kid. Ew.

I am TERRIFIED of being burned alive. WORST fear. I'd rather bleed to death. or drown, much rather, or starve. I could handle that. Not fire. Noooo fire.

I have this really weird fear, it doesn't happen as much anymore, but sometimes when I'd get dehydrated, my throat would get so dry that it would, I guess you could say, stick, and it would make me gag, and I always feared that I would be suddenly super thirsty like in class or in public and not be able to get a drink and end up throwing up.
A very embarrassing thought...

But yes, I think my worst fear is aliens. I had horrific dreams of being abducted when I was a kid and I'd watch them do tortuous and unthinkable things to my mother, and I would wait next to her, petrified with fear because I knew I was next.

*Shudders*

I hate aliens.

Fear....

I fear spiders.
They are icky and scary. And they have way to many legs. I believe i have a arachnophobia even just a small percentage i start shaking and freaking out if there is one visible within one hundred feet. I had a hernia surgery when i was six and the pain meds they put me on made me hallicinate about giant spiders and stuff so i think that increased my fear.
I fear crashing when Miss Stacey Hamlin is Driving.
Stacey hamlin is normally a good driver but sometimes i do fear for my life. I also fear our parents finding us if we did crash that might be worst then death.... She takes corners at like eighty but at least she didn't almost kill us in a parking lot like someone unnameable =]
I fear elevators.
I Hate riding in elevators i also feel like they are going get stuck or stop or drop and it freaks me out i would rather take the stairs...
I fear scary movies.
Scary movies in my opinion are the dumbest thing ever i don't see the logic in making a movie to scare people. I don't handle scary movies well i shake and eek and scream and have nightmares and like me and stacey went to see taken and we kept jumping cause of the supsese so like even some action movies freak me out.
I fear losing myself.
Everyone keeps saying i have changed and its not for the better and i worry that im losing the better part of my personality and that scares me too...

I fear...

1. My main fear is frogs.... I hate them i am scared to death of them i just don't like them at all... Like freshman year one of my guy friends decided that it would be funny to put a frog in my locker.. And i like totally told him not to but of course he did. And when i went to put my things in my locker he came up behind me and put it in my locker.. So i shut it and ran away and when my friend came to the locker and had to put her things in there she saw the frog and it was a dead frog... Just ewww....

2. The dark.. I guess it's not so much the dark but of what can be in the dark that i don't know about... Like i can't see in the dark at all and i am so scared of what can be there or come up behind me...

3. Drowning... I love the water i love to swim but i am scared of the fact that i wouldn't be able to breath..

Cellar Phones =P

My texting is unlimited and it costs like ten bucks a month. Other than money it cost me brainpower i cant think about how to spell words when i write them down because my phone is on T9 mode and i don't have to really remember how to spell and that's no good. It also causes lack of face to face communication that people have like i have certain people i don't have never had a face to face conversation but i text them all the time. I think cell phones and texting will positively effect the amount of communication one person has with the people they talk to but negativity it ruins the human part of a relationship whether it be a friendship or a love relationship you can only be so human through a text saying "I love you" or "lol."

Call phones...

I'm not sure how much it costs me i do pay the pill and neither do my parents my grandma pays the bill so i'm not sure how much it costs... With some people i text i can't really have that face to face thing with them because i only text them.. In the long term i positively i think that with call phones we will be able to communicate more easily but for the negitive i think that we wont be able to do it face to face....

Fears and God

I don't really think i have any real phobias. I mean spiders creep me out but i don't have an unnatural fear of them. Most of my small fears like spiders and things like that are easily taken care of by just handing them over to God and then finding something to kill it with. There are thing that are harder to handle like my fear of my mom dying. I mean i put that fear in God's hands to but a fear like that comes back a lot when your moms sitting in your living room on the recliner practically wasting away. I mean i trust in God to do what he said he would and pertect his people. I no that in the end he will do whats right but i still can't help wondering if he will decide that her passing away is better and that thought terrifies me because i have no idea what i will do without her. I feel like i am to imature to loose her and that she still has so much left to teach me and so much life to give. I also know that no matter what that God will take care of me and will never fore sake me which is a very comforting thought. I guess i don't fear very many things because of my church. we have always been told that God will take care of us so there is nothing to fear. I really do believe this because my mom should of died last year but instead she's still alive and hanging on and to me thats a miriacle. I think life is full of trials and fears but when i put them in Gods hands i always feel better.

fears

My top two fears are one being spiders and two loosing family/friends.. people i care about. spiders.. i cannot explain how much i hate spiders.. and yes i am a little affraid of them. if i see one i will move away from it as fast as possible. loosing people i care about.. i cannot imagine being here with no one to go to. friends and family are everything to me. there another reason to keep going in life and to suceed.

cell phones

My cell phone doesnt cost ME anything.. my aunt pays for it all. i know i got unlim text which is like $15/mo and then it cost like another $10 to add another line to the plan which we have the one with 2000 min and all that other stuff so the main phone is the most expensive but mine is only like 25 bucks. the only thing that i've bought was one phone when i broke my first one. i dont know how much texting effects people and all that. finally my huge arguement for the cell rule at school. i really dont care. texting in class probably isnt the best idea.. but other than that who cares.. whos it hurting?

Fears

I have a few fears but they aren't anything really big.
I fear *large crowds. There are so many reasons why but it's mostly because when I get around large I get very hot, sweaty, dizzy, and ill. For all of the sayings about "safety in numbers" I feel safer in a small group of 3 or 4.
* Guns. They are loud, painful, and very deadly. Even air-soft, and paint ball guns are loud and potentially deadly. I am uneasy and nervous when guns go off and when they are around. I don't even like having them in my house. Let alone around my house.
And finally * Losing my family. My family means a lot to me. A lot more than most people would think but that's their issue.
Those are my biggest fears and that's all there is to it.

cellphone

Well i had a cellphone and this is my story.....It was 8:00 at night and i was preparing to clock out from work ( i work at the subway in wallmart) when a smelly man of hispanic heritage ( im not a rascist ) asked for a sandwich, so i politley went and made his sandwich, being very nice and quick i finished his sandwich and we went to the check stand and he payed for a drink as well. Right after that i put my coat and phone down and walked to the back to tell my co-worker i was leaving. then i came out from the back to see the man leave WITH MY CELLPHONE. I texted my phone to get it back but he replyed "its not your phone no more homey". and thats my story Thank you

Sincerly

Matt-Taggert

New Topic, Week of the IDES!

This topic will carry us through Spring Break. The next topic will go up on the Sunday before school starts again, which will be March 29. This is a great time to catch up on your blogs, and especially on your comments: remember that each of you must post two comments per topic.

New Topic: Fear

We're reading Shakespeare's Tragedy of Julius Caesar, which is largely about fear: the conspirators fear Caesar, Brutus fears what Caesar may become, Caesar fears nothing -- but if he could fear, he would fear Cassius. Fear runs through the rest of the play as a major theme -- mainly because it is such a large part of the human experience.

So what are you afraid of? I am particularly looking for irrational fears, those visceral things that terrify you for no good reason, which we often call phobias. Though of course, if you would like to blog about what scares you for perfectly good and rational reasons, feel free; one of the goals of blogging is to have a public outlet for emotions, and fear is an emotion that often needs an outlet.

Here's what I'm irrationally afraid of, in order:
1. Drowning. My worst phobia (Though I can't say I have hydrophobia, since that's an alternate term for rabies, and though I may sometimes foam at the mouth, I'm not rabid, as far as I know.). I am terrified of smothering, of not being able to breathe, and the ocean represents the greatest chance of that happening. I hate movies that show people drowning, I don't like swimming in rough water or going out on small boats. I can swim, and I like walking on the beach -- but you can keep the water. It's just too bad I love pirates so much. But maybe I could be like these guys.
2. Guns. I have a very healthy, intelligent, and rational fear of guns in the hands of people that shouldn't be allowed to have them or use them or point them at me, but I also have a serious fear of guns and what they represent and how they affect the people that have them and use them, even the most rational, capable, careful people. I would be very much happier if all firearms simply went away -- especially if people voluntarily gave them up and turned them into Hot Wheels. Because Hot Wheels are cool, yo.
3. Moths. I hate 'em. They are after me. They like to fly right into my head, particularly my mouth and my eyes, and they love to get tangled in my hair. You should see me when the little suckers get into my house: I'm like a 1950's housewife standing on a chair and screaming because there's a mouse in the kitchen. Except I'm much more enraged and violent.

What do you fear?

BEWARE!

The IDES of MARCH!

Cellular Device.

My Cell phone has become a big distraction in my life. I hate that I love to text. Texting ruins mine and most other student's capability to fully pay attention or absorb knowledge while in class or out in the world in general. It has cost me many things but it has also gave me many things. It's a double edged sword but I don't think that it is necessary for the stage of life that i am in right now. so yeah Cell phones are hindering on intelligence, and shouldn't be used in school (learning time, lunchtime does not apply).

Beauty

I have started to realize that I do not stop to notice the true beauty of things because of the way our people live their lives. I tend to walk past things daily such as a beautiful tree in bloom or a pretty girl ( I do notice most of the time lol). It truly is sad if you think about it. There are soo many things that the earth gives us yet we do not pay attention. I am now going to take some more time out of my day to stop and notice the beauty of all things. this blog has inspired me to be more open.

Hero.

Here's my opinion On a hero.

A hero to me is not only someone who fights, or doesnt something brave for other individuals. Is not only someone who saves people, Like Superman Or batman.

A hero, isnt just someone who fights for our country in places like Iraq and stuff.


BUT- a hero also isnt just anyone.
It cant be just any ONE person.
And you dont need to be unique or special to be one either.


I feel a hero is someone, who shows someone the meaning of love, someone who can save you from the world and yourself, someone who can just completely let you fall on them in your time of need, a person who can guide you, never mislead you, give you shelter not even meaning a parent, someone who you can feel safe with or safe because of. Someone, who you can rely fully on. Or just someone who can make you more happy then anyone else. And most of all protect you from whatever you need to be protected from.



In my opinion and my eyes, that is my definition of a hero.

Cell Phones.

My phone cost me just to buy it about $150.00 thats the price for the phone and to add it to the plan I have it on now. I have unlimited text messaging....Which is $30.00 per month. I get a pretty decent amount of minutes so I'd say it cost a pretty good price. Um, It doesnt really cost me anything other than money....well besides its a distraction. I could be totally talking to someone face to face and get a text and space off and accidentally ignore them and go straight to my text message. I dont think text messages will do anything to society in the long run. I feel like yes, they are a distraction. And yes they are very addicting but without them you would be missing out on so much. Because with them, its easier to know where people are and what there doing, And parents call you on them also so they can see what your up too. It all depends on how you look at it really. If your using it to waste time...And text and not listen to important things then I feel you will dumb yourself down. But if you use it in your free time when your not doing anything important, then its a good way to know whats where and when and what. I dont know if that makes perfect sense.


Anyways, thats how I feel about Cell Phones.
They are good in ways, And I feel they are bad in ways.

Cell Phones

My cell phone cost about $15 a month. I have the extra $5 for texting, but not for me texting people but so i can read the text messages people send me. I always told people i don't text but they would forget that and text me the next day. So i had to get the texting so i wouldn't be charged so much for just reading the texts i would recieve. Not only does this cost me 5 more dollars on my cell phone bill, but it has also affected my ability to talk to my friends outside of school. I used to talk all the time to my friends after school but since texting has gotten popular, they have limited minutes to talk but unlimited texting. I just don't like texting that much. It's hard to tell any emotions when you're texting, but a lot easier to hear from their tone of voice. I really don't know what will happen to society in the future, but hopefully, people will begin to communicate face to face or over the phone again. My speling andd writing have knot dacreased won bite since txting bcame populer, lol. I think the school policy is good, except for emergencies. You are not allowed to answer if it's an emergency, they have to call the school. I wonder how many parents have the school number on their phones, because i know mine don't and neither do any of the other parents i know. So emergencies are the only times I think the phone should allowed to be used, but please, step outside into the hall, and have the phone on vibrate.

Texting

I do not have a cell phone so i have never text before and i don't think i am missing out on anything. I keep in touch with people by either talking to them face to face or on the phone. I personally like to talk to people face to face because i like to see who I'm talking to and see there expression. I don't think i would like texting that much because its even less personal than talking to someone on the phone. I mean I'd rather hear someone laugh than see an LOL or something like that. I love people and being around them and i feel like texting would just make me feel less connected to the people i care about if i was texting all the time instead of actually talking to them.
I do think that I may be somewhat handicapped by not having a cell phone because i don't know how to text and with the way things are going one day my boss may want me to now how. Plus i never seem to be able to figure out anybody else's cell phone either, well except for my preachers but i use it all the time.
I think having a Ban on cell phones during school hours is a good idea. Now i know what you are thinking she doesn't have a cell phone she doesn't know what she is talking about. But i do know that there are many people that still text during school and that it distracts them from there work. If there wasn't a Ban on cell phones more people would probably be texting more often and if new already have a problem with texting think about how much worse it would be if teachers couldn't stop it. Plus there would be no point in going to school for most people because they wouldn't be paying attention to the teacher but to their friends in stead.

Cell phone

I don't have a cell phone that is my own. My mom lends me her old one that still has minuets on it and it's a pre paid so it doesn't cost me a cent. As soon as the minuets run out on the one she lets me use then I won't have one at all which is completely and totally fine with me. To be frank, I don't see a need for a cell phone and if I need to get a hold of my parents I have one handy weather it's a friend's or relatives. Or if need be a pay phone. If there's one near by. Cell phones are just one more way for people to get in trouble or hurt. I mean come on people, hang up the phone or pull over and for the god's sake put the damn things away in class.

cell phones.

i personally am a text addict. i love to text but it isn't interfering with my grades or my ability to pay attention. so i guess it all depends on the person. if you have someone in class who can't repeat what the teacher just said the phone should be taken. but if they are doing just fine paying attention i don't see why cell phones are such a big deal. also if it;s not disrupting anyone that is another problem, if the person is discrete about it i don't think tis such a big deal.

Cellular Device's

What i think she be done about cell phones.... well.. huh that a kind of tough question but i think that they should be able to have them on and be used only if its a emergency or if they have to keep a heads up on something important like family in the hospital or something about a sick or loved one. but then again that can be used as some "A" hole kid say " my mom is in the hospital so i need to be texting my girlfriend". it does not sound that likely but it most likely would happen a few times. how they should monitor it i would be pretty easy i do think that if something like that is happening they should have a parent or guardian sign a paper saying whats going on and why i need to have my phone on and why i need to be texting so much.

Hero...

What is a hero to me? it doesn't have to be a super hero or someone with special powers, they don't even have to risk their life to save another. although that is a heroic act. a hero could be someone who dedicates time to another just to help them and see them be happy. Someone who puts the selfishness away even for a few minutes to sincerely help another. from talking to them to saving their life. a hero to me comes in many different forms. in my life I've had three hero's. and they have saved my life on many occasions even if i didn't realize it at the time. i realize it now and i am grateful for what they have done for me.

The little things

How many of the little things do you appreciate? I don't really do all that often just because i don't tend to notice the small things that often but when i do i make sure to go out of my way to let then know hey you did good there or that they get their recognition. My dad has always told me you should be grateful for the small things and appreciate it all cause one day you will not have it and you ll be on your own. i did not know what he meant really and i still don't all the way but i can grasp what he means. cause once i am alone i will not be able to do all the fun things i used to do anymore and ill be focusing on living and not as much fun as i would like. So i very rarely but i DO sometimes... try to take a look at all the small things that don't get all the appreciation that they should get.

valentines day.

Personally I think Valentines Day is pointless. I don't think that they should have one seperate day for couples to let each other know they love each other. it should be like that anyway. it's just another day for card and candy companies to make more money and scam people out of their own money.

V-DAY

YAY ITS HERE ITS FINALLY HERE... Just kidding folks I am not like everyone but i am the same in some ways. I like V-day I really do but its those times that when your low on cash and you know you Girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband is getting something for you that will almost for sure blow your socks off and all you can afford is funny chewing gum... Now that is the bad part the good part is that you get to spend a day with someone you love and you don't have to worry about too much. its a good day i do think so myself but it also can leave to some ill feelings if your gift does not blow their socks off right back

appreciate...

Since when have the simple things in life been forgotten? i think it is just those things that we sometimes forget about and take for granted. It really irritates me when someone strives to be so great and no one hardly blinks. i, myself have been taken for granted. I feel like I try so hard to make others happy and no one cares. there are so many things in this world that are slowly being forgotten. the forest, ways to spend time with your kids. you don't always need money to take your kids to a near park or to create a game with them a simple walk just to show them you care. money these days is very over rated and the natural greatness forgotten. i don't understand the society of today when they choose money over happiness or thinking that money can buy them happiness. it's then that i think they have lost their appreciation for the simple things, and themselves.

things i hate/despise

1) i hate like literally cannot stand when people sing or hum and they think they sound good, i just want to punch their vocal cords to the point of no return.
2) i hate people in general. mainly just the ones who think they are funny but they are just being down right rude or ignorant. i give them a chance but once they screw it up they're gone for good.
3) also when people put their feet on the back of my chair and start bouncing their feet to where i feel every move. that is also rude
4) i can't stand it when the young immature freshmen think they're being cool and mouth off to a teacher or cuss at them. it doesn't make them look cool it makes them just look stupid.
5) i think it's so irritating when people even adults chew with their mouth open. it grosses me out so bad! it's not that hard to breathe through your nose and eat it's called multi-tasking.

Things i hate!

1) I hate Obvious questions! Why oh why do people ask so many obvious questions? when i sit down to eat a bowl of Ramon and then someone comes to sit by me and asks what i am eating after they have looked into my bowl i just want to yell what the heck does it look like i am eating you moron =)

2) I also hate that one guy. You know the guy everyone does... its the guy that everyone in your group of Friends has its the guy no one likes and he is just around for you and your buddies to make fun of behind their backs... it is very disappointing to have that person but it seems like everyone has to have that one guy...

3) I hate those guys who think it awesome to have a piece of junk car and then they go around acting all smug and rev their engines at every passer buyer that is walking home form a long stressful day of school (ha ha just kidding kinda). it really grinds my gears to see that and sadly almost everyone does it at one point or another....

4) ( this one is for Mr Humphrey) The guy who does not say whats on his mind just cause he does not want to make you feel bad guy. Every time i KNOW someone has a problem with me i get so mad cause i know they will not talk to me about it for the factor that what? I'm scary? I'm nice? you don't want to seem like a mean guy and make me feel bad...I really wish that people would just take that step and say what needs to be said I just feel that it is pointless to dance around the subject like a leper con dancing around his gold.

5)The emo kid. Not just any emo kid but ALL emo kids... i don't mean to sound like a arse too much.. but good god kids just do if you are... and stop being emo if your not. no one really cares about you or your problems go see someone who cares like your counselor

Cell Phone Problems or Solutions

Blog 06: Cellular Devices

I myself fine cellular devices rather pointless. That is why I do not own one. I do believe that if they were only used in emergency situations then they would be better than what the little children in our school use them for.

On the other hand they are quite handy to get information from one place to another in a short time. They can always be used, except in an area with no signal, to talk to someone.

I would also like to point out that society is now made up of more technology to help the environment, but we should still communicate at appropriate times and communicate threw verbal interface.

In my final opinion I believe that the use of a cell phone other than emergency use is rather pointless. No offence to any of you who use there cell phone as actual phones, I just don't like when I hear click-click-click-click in the middle of class when someone is texting about how drunk they got last night, or anything of that stupid manner.

Sincerely,
David Dunlap

Cell Phones

I really enjoy text messaging. Its a fast effective way to communicate and It gets the point across. What the people who wrote the article fail to grasp is that text messaging is a dialogue, not an essay or a monologue. People in General aren't sticklers about grammar rules when they're having a conversation so the same goes for Text Messages. I personally think that text messages are great. I think that the current zero Tolerance policy towards cell phones is stupid and thuggish, As are most zero tolerance policy's. Exceptions include rape, murder, and Stupidity (wont tolerate that junk.)

New Topic, Week of March 8 - March 14

(Once again, since last week's was late, this one will run until next Monday; we'll catch up over Spring Break, when there will be no topic.)

Since we've been speaking of paying attention, and noticing what is around you, it seems reasonable to discuss the biggest single source of distraction in most of your lives: cellphones. Specifically, text messages.

Read this article.

Now discuss.
How much does your cellphone, your use of text messages, cost you? What does it cost you other than money? What do you think cellphones and text messages will do to society in the long term, both positive and negative? Do you think cellphones have had an impact on your ability to communicate face to face, or in writing, as the article suggests?

If you don't have a cellphone, how much do you think you are handicapped in today's society because of that? What are you missing out on?

Finally: argue for or against SHHS's policy banning cellphones during class hours.

Buaety vs. Work

I think that we need to appreciate beauty even though sometimes its hard. I think that if I was at that subway station i would've stopped just because I've always done that, at least when it comes to music. I'm the person you'll see at the Saturday market or some other place just standing there listening to the performer. I usually don't give them money because i don't have it but i do give them my time so that i may enjoy their music. One time i can specifically remember of paying attention to beauty was when we had the art gallery thing set up in the commons. I was in a hurry to get to class one day when i saw this art gallery. I new better than to completely stop but i did slow down and look at all that art and i thought that it was just so beautiful and amazing at how much talent and creativity some people have. One time i no that i completely passed up beauty was when i was on my way to Coos Bay, OR. me and my dad were going there to check up on my grandma because she was acting funny. Well there's this one part of the trip where the trees thin out on this mountain side that we were on and you can see the ocean right below you. Well i was tiered because we had left around one a clock in the morning and i hadn't gotten to bed yet and this was an unexpected trip. I was so excited because Coos Bay/North Bend is one of the most beautiful places on earth. So we were on our way and i stayed up for most of the trip until we got to the mountains, Then i fell a sleep.

Appreciate

Well I personally appreciate things people do quite a bit. I love technical music because i can appreciate the complexity, while on the other hand even simple 3 chord songs can get me if they are played with passion. The other day A brave fellow was singing for the first time in front of people in years and he just went for it. He didn't try to croon sarcastically or make it funny, he really went for it. I am so grateful to him for being willing to put himself out there and be so open. It was a very honest moment and it was wonderful. I suppose i most appreciate when people are willing to put themselves on the line.

Oblivious to Appreciate

Blog 05: Appreciate the obvious things in life.

Just because someone is the best at something and it's supposed to be beautiful doesn't mean everyone appreciates. Like myself I didn't appreciate much, but I started to notice the simple things, or at least the things that I think are beautiful and should be shown or heard or tasted by everyone. I have also found new interests since I have been with my girlfriend. I appreciate seeing her everyday, and being with her everyday. It may not be all that different then normally seeing someone, but she is the person I love most and I appreciate who she is and what she does.

Overall what I'm trying to say is that something should be appreciated because you like it, not because someone says that it's amazing. It should be amazing because of how you see it and how it makes you feel.

In my opinion I didn't like the violinist. It just seemed to loud and obnoxious. Then again I also don't like listening to classic music.

Appreciate...

I am one of those people that stop and appreciate nature as much as i can. I think if we don't have time to stop and look at all the beautiful things in this world then what is the point? No one really wants to work all the time. That is just boring you have to actually take the time and do things that will make you happy. You can't just be in a hurry all the time and be somewhere you have to look around and see what really matters in life.. And i don't think that we recognize the talent in an unexpected context. I think if it isn't in a place where we know that they have the talent to be playing there most of the people wont stop and listen. And i think that it shouldn't matter if you know who the person who is playing i think we should stop and appreciate the music that someone is taking the time to sit there and play. Whether it be in a theater or it is on the side of the road in Portland. They are taking the time to play and i think that we should stop and listen we all have the time if we really want to.

Stacey...

Appreciating the beauty...

I am one of those kinds of people who would stop and listen. I have on occasion made who i was with stop, sit and listen to appreciate the music or surroundings. I perceive beauty in a lot of different ways mostly i try to focus on why i think that particular thing is beautiful and why others might or might not agree with me. I believe most general people wouldn't stop to recognize the talent or even try to think about it if they weren't in the environment where listening would be expected. I think its a shame that people would walk by and ignore the music because even if the man was a famous musician or not everyone deserves to be appreciated. So don't ignore everything around you because you are in a hurry if you don't appreciate the simple things in life that are beautiful What's the point?

Sam :)

Answer to these questions

We don't really pay attention to things that are "beautiful" when we're in a hurry, not even when we don't have no where to go or nothing to do.
If we have some where to go we just pass by the beauty and ignore it or stop for a moment then move on as if we don't care.
Some times we do some times we don't. It all depends on what we have to do at the moment.
We are missing quite a bit. We don't give a care what is going on around us and we really don't have time to do anything other than work until we drop dead.

New Topic, Week of March 1-7

Sorry this is late, gang -- you can have an extra day to reply to it. Keep going with the posts and comments on other posts. I'm very impressed and pleased with what we have done so far -- and you should be too. I hope you're enjoying this.


THIS WEEK'S TOPIC
A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.17. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the top musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, Do we perceive beauty?Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?


Yes, it's true. Here's the full article in the Washington Post. Here's a video clip from YouTube: notice, first, how many people stop to listen to him. Notice the one woman who does stop recognized him because she saw him play before. By the way, the video is sped up but the music is not.

Please respond to the questions, either with answers or with your own example of a related experience -- noticing beauty, or walking right by it.