Final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXrpxwcDpqE&feature=youtu.be

CONNECTING THE DOTS

A research paper on something I can relate to will be an easier task. The topic I chose was baseball and there are different ways I can link it to the paper. I can talk about how the game was affected by racism, the players were affected, who helped eliminate racism, and if it still exists today.

7 TIMES

Erica uses a passionate tone which grabs people's emotions and makes want to act purely on those emotions. A similar tactic was used in "Kony 2012". The problem is there are so many questions that are left unanswered. Never does she mention how similar the toy gun resembles the real one or how many cops fired there weapons. Also, I don't think she understands that the officers were in a high intensity situation and feared for their life when the kid pointed the gun at them. Personally I don't think it had anything to do with race. Race is something that is often brought up when stuff like this happens and it just adds fire to the flame. As I hear about this article, I think of the situation, not the race of the victim or officers. The only thing that I can understand Erica to be mad at is the fact that the kid was shot 7 times, but who knows, maybe there were 3 officers and they all shot two times. There were just to many things left unanswered in her response.

RACIAL PROFILING LIVES ON

This article talked about how African Americans and Latinos often are searched and/or followed just based on their race. If police officers have a feeling that either a Latino is not a legal citizen or an African American is up to no good, they can question them without having any evidence whatsoever. The 4th Amendment isn't violated by this based on Supreme court ruling. My dad is a sheriff and he has told that they profile people and if they say they don't, they are lying.

VOCABULARY #9

ultimate- happening at the end of a process; final
My ultimate answer was to say no.

interactive- two people or things having an effect on each other.
The dog was trying to interact with the squirrel.

principle- a fundamental truth that serves of a foundation of a system of belief or behavior
Teachers usually have a list of principles that they expect you to follow.

guidance- advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty
The map offered me guidance to my destination.

collaboration- the action of working with someone to produce or create something
Businesses need collaboration to function effectively.

formative- serving to form something
His formative years were his most important.

summative- produced by summation (addition)
The Rams offense was summative by Zac Stacy.

racism- the belief that all member of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race.
Racism exists everywhere in the world today.

intelligence- the ability to acquire and apple knowledge and skills.
Intelligence is a great characteristic to have.

hyperbolic- exaggerated
The mans response was hyperbolic

consent- permission
You can't watch rated R movies without your parents consent.

doctrine- a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group
Some groups have odd doctrines.

hunch- a feeling or guess based on intuition instead of another known facts.
I had a hunch that something was wrong.

predominant- having a greater advantage
The area is predominantly farmers.

discretion- the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing personal information.
Viewer discretion is advised.

provision- the act of providing or supplying something
The provision of food to Africa is vital for the children to be fed properly.

seizure- taking possession of something
The seizure of drugs is for people's best interest.

warrant- a document issued by a government or legal official giving them the right to carry out an action relating to the administration of justice.
Jack's warrant is what finally got him arrested.

infraction- a violation of a law, agreement, or set of rules.
Neutral zone infraction, automatic first down!

WHAT I SEE IS ALL IN MY HEAD

I was able to focus on how many times the people in white shirts passed the ball and I still noticed the gorilla that came in half way through. My mind didn't change and focus on why the gorilla was there because it was already occupied on counting the passes. The same thing will sometimes happen to me in class. A teacher will be talking about something, but I won't analyze or think in depth about what they are talking about because my mind is focusing on something else. What they are talking about will be absorbed subconsciously.

TOOLS THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK

This is just creepy. I like personalizing stuff, but this just takes it too far. If this ever happens people will begin to rely on the internet instead of their own thinking. They won't need to memorize anything because they will have it documented already. People are already physically lazy and it seems all this new technology is making people mentally lazy. If we continue on this path, it won't be long before we look and live like the people in, "Walle".

FILTER BUBBLES

I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know. We scratched the surface of this last year so I already knew about filter bubbles. This makes me feel like I'm not getting the best possible information when I search the web. I know that Youtube has filter bubbles and after learning about what videos you like it lists videos similar to those. Knowing this makes me wonder what these "internet profiles" are being used for. There's really nothing I can do to improve my searching effectiveness, I just have to deal with it.

What is Life Worth? Reading

Activity 28: Life in this text refers to the quality of a person's life. Their definition includes a person's personal, professional, and working life. After 9/11 the victim's families would receive compensation based on their job. If someone had a high end job, they would receive more money than a person who had a low end job. Another factor that came into play was the mental damage that was done to the victim's families. Larger families received more money because a certain amount of money was given out based on the mental damage done to members of the family.

MELANCHOLY GRAD

"All of you came in as freshmen fearing what lied ahead. Today there should be a similar feeling thinking about your life after this ceremony. Only time will tell what lies ahead. Although there is fear in the air, don't over analyze your future. Continue on the path that brought you here today and everything should fall into place down the road. Congratulations, lets celebrate."

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

a) Hamlet is wondering whether it would be easier to die or live and go through the troubles of this difficult situation. He is saying if death is just like sleep, then people wouldn't have to suffer through life's problems if they are dead. He then says that it could also be possible to dream, and dreaming is usually a good experience. Hamlet wonders why people live under life's pressure when death is so convenient. He ends the it saying that the unknown afterlife is what keeps people from killing themselves.

b) To act on what you know to be true in order to hold yourself in higher esteem speaks to me. What ever you have to say might not want to be what others want to hear, but it is true to you and that's all that matters.

c) The path I would take would be the more difficult one. Why choose death when you can suffer through life's challenges and eventually become successful? It's a better choice because there is that risk of the unknown when it comes to death.

VOCABULARY #7

cursory- not thorough or detailed

The inspector took at cursory look at the crime scene.

impetus- force with which a body moves.

I lost my impetus when I hit the wall.

pinnacle- a high pointed piece of rock.

I hiked up until I reached the pinnacle.

contumely- insulting language or treatment.

Some kids are exposed to contumely.

bereavement- mourning 

I don't like being in a state of bereavement. 

cache- a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place.

My dad has a gun cache.

consummation- the point at which something is complete.

The consummation of a sale.

calamity- a disaster

The earthquake started the series of calamities.

avarice- extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

People are motivated by avarice.

fortify- strengthen with defensive works so as to protect it against attack.

The fort was heavily fortified.

erratic- irregular in pattern or movement

MMA fighters need to be erratic.

ubiquitous- seeming to be everywhere.

The man was ubiquitous.

fortitude- courage in pain or adversity

The US Army fights with great fortitude.

nonchalant- appearing casually calm and relaxed.

I punched Joe in the face and nonchalantly walked away.

affect- make a difference to

The injury began to affect my mobility 

effect- a change that is a result or consequence of an action of other cause. 

Some drugs have a lethal effect on people.

misappropriate- unfairly take for one's own use.

The bank had misappropriate funds.

pragmatic- dealing with things in a realistic way that is based on practical considerations.

Obama doesn't take a pragmatic approach. 

metacognition- awareness and understanding of one's own thought process.

I have metacognition. 

devoutly- showing deep religious feeling or commitment.

She was devoutly Christian. 

DEAR STEVE

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way that I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose." That is my favorite quote from his speech because it makes me want to take more chances in life. Overall his speech was very inspirational. I liked getting to know the philosophy of a very successful man and I was comforted knowing that after his failures, he succeeded.

NETVIBES

I don't like Netvibes. Trying to find the right widgets you want takes forever because you have to scroll through like 100 pages. I also don't like the way it looks, but I'll deal with because I have to.

VOCABULARY #6

adroit- skillful in the use of hands or mind.
Wide receivers need to be adroit in order to catch passes.

amicable- friendly
I knew what John was saying was amicable, but it was just causing problems.

averse- having a strong dislike to something
Dodger fans are averse to playing the Cardinals in the playoffs.

belligerent- hostile or aggressive
Some people become belligerent when they're drunk.

benevolent- well meaning and kindly
I have a benevolent smile.

cursory- not thorough or detailed
The inspector took a cursory look at the scene.

duplicity- deceitfulness
I hated the moment when I realized the duplicity.

extol- praise enthusiastically
I was extolled when I struck out the last player.

feasible- possible to do easily, conveniently
My decision was not feasible.

grimace- twisted expression showing pain, disgust or wry amusement.
Joe grimaced when I punched him in the face.

holocaust- destruction on a mass scale, caused by fire or nuclear war.
I fear a nuclear holocaust

impervious- impenetrable
The wall seemed impenetrable.

impetus- the force or energy with which a body moves
My impetus caused me to bump into a crowd of people.

jeopardy- danger of harm, loss, or failure.
The Eagles season will be in jeopardy if they lose next week.

meticulous- showing great attention to detail.
My mom is meticulous when checking if my room is clean.

nostalgia- a sentimental longing for the past.
Some people become overcome with nostalgia when they go to the cemetery.

quintessence- the perfect example.
Alex is the quintessence of lop.

retrogress- to go back to a earlier state, usually a worse one.
The sick patient retrogressed and is now very sick.

scrutinize- examine or inspect closely
Doctors often scrutinize their patients to make sure nothing is wrong.

tepid- lukewarm
My tepid soda had lost all it's carbonation.

Accede- agree to a demand, request, or treaty.
The officers did not accede to the strikers.

Brandish- wave something as a threat or in anger or excitement.
The robber brandished his weapon to the clerk.

Comprise- consist of
The St. Louis Rams comprise great players.

Deft- neatly skillful and quick in ones movements.
Ninjas are deft.

Destitute- not having the basic necessities of life
Children in Africa are destitute.

Explicit- stated clearly and in detail.
The answer was explicit.

Extirpate- root out and destroy completely
The priest had to extirpate the ghost.

Inopportune- occurring at a bad time.
My phone went off in an inopportune time.

Ironic- characterized by irony
The movie's ending was ironic.

Musty- having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
Your bedroom is musty.

Officious- assertive authority in an annoying way.
My coach is officious.

Ominous- giving the impression that something bad is going to happen.
The setting was ominous.

Pinnacle- A high pointed piece of rock.
Being on a pinnacle is an amazing sight.

Premeditated- plan beforehand
The decision to run was premeditated.

Rampant- spreading unchecked
The lice in Alex's hair was rampant.

Solace- comfort in a time of distress
Some people find solace in religion.

Stately- majestic in manner and appearance
I looked at the stately lions.

Supple- flexible
Joe's mom is supple. She used to be a gymnast.

Suppress- forcibly put an end to
The teacher suppressed the fight.

Venal- open to bribery
The policemen were venal.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE

Having the freedom to make our own choice has pros and cons. It allows us to be creative and it forces us to have to think for ourselves. The difficulty level increases when we have to think for ourselves because it's not always that easy. When we are given an assignment with a set of instructions, we don't have to really think we just have to find the information we need. For example if we have a presentation we have to do it is so much easier if we are told exactly how to do it, but if we have to set it up ourselves it is challenging. Making our own decisions is hard!

DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE

My goals all build upon each other. They are to have a great year on the varsity baseball team, get into the college I want (undecided), play in the minor leagues, and then get drafted into the major leagues. I am hoping to use this class to improve my leadership skills and get better at writing persuasively about myself. I can improve my leadership skills within my collaborative working group and I am looking forward to learning more about how to write about myself in the best way.

VOCABULARY #5

adroit- skillful in the use of hands or mind.
Wide receivers need to be adroit in order to catch passes.

amicable- friendly
I knew what John was saying was amicable, but it was just causing problems.

averse- having a strong dislike to something
Dodger fans are averse to playing the Cardinals in the playoffs.

belligerent- hostile or aggressive
Some people become belligerent when they're drunk.

benevolent- well meaning and kindly
I have a benevolent smile.

cursory- not thorough or detailed
The inspector took a cursory look at the scene.

duplicity- deceitfulness
I hated the moment when I realized the duplicity.

extol- praise enthusiastically
I was extolled when I struck out the last player.

feasible- possible to do easily, conveniently
My decision was not feasible.

grimace- twisted expression showing pain, disgust or wry amusement.
Joe grimaced when I punched him in the face.

holocaust- destruction on a mass scale, caused by fire or nuclear war.
I fear a nuclear holocaust

impervious- impenetrable
The wall seemed impenetrable.

impetus- the force or energy with which a body moves
My impetus caused me to bump into a crowd of people.

jeopardy- danger of harm, loss, or failure.
The Eagles season will be in jeopardy if they lose next week.

meticulous- showing great attention to detail.
My mom is meticulous when checking if my room is clean.

nostalgia- a sentimental longing for the past.
Some people become overcome with nostalgia when they go to the cemetery.

quintessence- the perfect example.
Alex is the quintessence of lop.

retrogress- to go back to a earlier state, usually a worse one.
The sick patient retrogressed and is now very sick.

scrutinize- examine or inspect closely
Doctors often scrutinize their patients to make sure nothing is wrong.

tepid- lukewarm
My tepid soda had lost all it's carbonation.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1

TOPIC(S) AND/OR EVENT(S)

1. The Blind Side by Michael Lewis is a very inspiring story. It's a story about a kid named Michael Oher who had very little parental support and was poor. Big Tony was a man who sort of watched over him. Big Tony enrolled Michael and his son into Briarcrest Christian School, a school who set standards for their students. They both made it into the school, but Michael had a 0.6 GPA. The only reason he was allowed in the school was because of his athletic potential, considering he was six foot four and 315 pounds. It was their where his new life began. One night Michael was walking down the street in the rain all by himself. The Tuohy family, whose kids attended Briarcrest, happened to drive by and decided to give him a place to stay for awhile when he told them he was heading to the school gym to keep warm. Michael began living with the Tuohy family. Back at Briarcrest Michael played football and got tutored to improve his grades. At first Michael wasn't good at football even with his size, but once he learned the rules he became spectacular. College coaches began coming from all around the country to watch him and everyone began trying to recruit him. The Tuohy family later adopted Michael with his mom's consent. Michael then had to work extremely hard to get a 2.5 GPA to attend the college he wanted, Mississippi State University. He ended high school with a 2.52 GPA and got to attend Mississippi. After a good career in Mississippi, Michael Oher was drafted into the NFL by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009 and still plays on the team today. Basically the story is about a kid who's life was a mess, but was given a second chance by a family and took advantage of the opportunity he was given.

2. Michael Lewis chose to write about Michael Oher's story because it was incredible knowing that a kid who had almost nothing came out of nowhere and became one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL today.

3. I chose this book because I enjoy football and it was somewhat of a current event. The brief description in the book also appealed to me when I read it. Once I began reading I didn't want to stop because it was very interesting.

4. Of course I found this book to be realistic. I have heard of success stories similar to the one described in this book and there wasn't really any unrealistic scenarios.

PEOPLE

1. Although the author didn't create the characters in the story, he did paint a picture in my head of how the characters looked. When I looked up pictures of the characters in real life, they weren't quite how I expected them to look so in a way Michael Lewis did create characters.

2. One character in the story was Michael Oher. He was a shy black male who weighed 315 pounds a stood 6 feet, 4 inches tall. To describe Michael as a fictional character, I would use indirect characterization. .A second character in the story was Sean Tuohy. He was a rich man who made his money by opening fast food chains around Memphis. As a fictional character I would use direct characterization to describe him. Lastly, a third character from the story was Leigh Anne Tuohy. She was an attractive former cheerleader with a tough attitude and I would use indirect characterization to describe her as a fictional character.

3. All these characters were interesting enough to write about because they all contributed a lot to the story.

STYLE

1. While reading the story I couldn't identify any tools from fiction writing that Michael Lewis used.

2. Michael Lewis used a lengthy description to describe Michael Oher, but for the most part he just focused on action and dialogue. Personally I liked that he focused more on the action and dialogue.

3. Michael Lewis demonstrated tone and created mood through the use of dialogue.

4. I think the author's attitude to toward the audience was informative. I think he just wanted to write about what happened in Michael Oher's life and inspire others with the story.

5. The author didn't offer any resources but I did end up doing a little research on the story. It just reinforced my understanding of the story.

ENDURING MEMORY

1. The message I got from the story was, no matter what situation you are in anything can happen to change your life. This can be seen as either a positive or negative thing, but I like to view it as positive. Anyone who is in a bad situation in life right now can relate and just hope for the best. I will definitely remember this in the future.

VOCABULARY #4

Accede- agree to a demand, request, or treaty.
The officers did not accede to the strikers.

Brandish- wave something as a threat or in anger or excitement.
The robber brandished his weapon to the clerk.

Comprise- consist of
The St. Louis Rams comprise great players.

Deft- neatly skillful and quick in ones movements.
Ninjas are deft.

Destitute- not having the basic necessities of life
Children in Africa are destitute.

Explicit- stated clearly and in detail.
The answer was explicit.

Extirpate- root out and destroy completely
The priest had to extirpate the ghost.

Inopportune- occurring at a bad time.
My phone went off in an inopportune time.

Ironic- characterized by irony
The movie's ending was ironic.

Musty- having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
Your bedroom is musty.

Officious- assertive authority in an annoying way.
My coach is officious.

Ominous- giving the impression that something bad is going to happen.
The setting was ominous.

Pinnacle- A high pointed piece of rock.
Being on a pinnacle is an amazing sight.

Premeditated- plan beforehand
The decision to run was premeditated.

Rampant- spreading unchecked
The lice in Alex's hair was rampant.

Solace- comfort in a time of distress
Some people find solace in religion.

Stately- majestic in manner and appearance
I looked at the stately lions.

Supple- flexible
Joe's mom is supple. She used to be a gymnast.

Suppress- forcibly put an end to
The teacher suppressed the fight.

Venal- open to bribery
The policemen were venal.

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

I started to research some scholarships to apply for, but I was unable to find any that interested me. I will continue searching later on. On the other hand, I did also find some colleges and majors that I'm interested in which should make it a little easier to find scholarships to apply for. All in all, this assignment was not a complete failure.

VOCABULARY #3

accomplice- a person who helps another commit a crime
Joe stole from a charity. Alex was his accomplice.

annihilate- destroy
We're planning to annihilate Syria.

arbitrary- based on a random choice, rather than a reason or system.
My decision was arbitrary.

brazen- bold and without shame.
He stole the TV with brazen assurance.

catalyst- an event or person causing a change.
Smoking was a catalyst to his unhealthy lifestyle.

exodus- mass departure of people.
The fire caused an exodus.

facilitate- to make something easy
Remotes were made to facilitate changing the channel.

incorrigible- unable to be corrected.
His good grammar made him incorrigible.

latent- hidden
The officers weapon was latent.

militant- combative in support of a political or social cause.
Our president is militant.

morose- bad tempered
When I wake up I'm usually morose.

opaque- not transparent
Mirrors are opaque.

paramount- more important than anything else.
The president is paramount.

prattle- talking meaninglessly
My parents prattle all the time.

rebut- to prove evidence false
I had to rebut against my parents.

reprimand- lecture
Employees were reprimanded for poor work.

servitude- being a slave
We used to be servitude to the British.

slapdash- done carelessly
The pitcher's efforts were slapdash.

stagnant- showing no signs of progress.
Our economy is stagnant right more.

succumb- fail to resist.
Xavier had succumb to becoming a Rams fan.

ESSAY IDEA

Why do students value grades over learning? Writing on this topic would really get people thinking. It's not exactly an easy topic either, so it would be a challenge.

VOCABULARY #2

Obesity- condition of being overweight
Obesity affects about 35% of America.

Accumulate- gather together.
The water accumulated into drops.

Mass- large body of matter with no definite shape
Some people have a large body mass.

Disease- a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant
Diseases are life changing.

Diet- the kinds of food eating habitually
I have a healthy diet.

Prevalence- the condition of being widespread.
There is prevalence of obesity in adults.

Stigma- a mark of disgrace
He suffers from the stigma of a mental disorder.

Prevent- keep something from happening
The best way to prevent obesity is to eat healthy.

Adolescent- process of developing from a child to an adult.
Obesity usually starts when people are adolescent. 

Cardiovascular- relating to the heart and blood vessels.
Obese people can suffer from cardiovascular disease.

Excessive- more than is necessary.
Don't eat excessively!

Mechanism- a system of parts working together in a machine
The machine stopped due to the mechanism's failure.

Sedentary- tending to spent too much time seated
Kids today are sedentary.

Predispose- make someone liable.
Lack of exercise may predispose a person to high blood pressure.

Syndrome- condition characterized by certain symptoms
Some kids are diagnosed with down syndrome.

PROS AND CONS: OBESITY

     There are pros and cons to being obese, but just because there are pros doesn't mean people should be content with their weight. The cons of obesity definitely overshadow the pros of being obese.

     We will start off with the pros of obesity. There were only two positive facts about being obese that I could find. Surprisingly, obese people live longer than people with average weights as long as they don't get a disease that comes along with obesity, such as diabetes. This is because obese people have extra energy that is stored in their fat that can help when fighting and injury or illness. The second positive thing about being obese is it causes increased bone mass, which reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

     Now come the cons of being obese. Obesity can cause life changing experiences such as getting diabetes, having a heart attack, or having a stroke. It can also affect people in the long run because the extra weight will cause joint pain and nerve damage. One of the biggest problems about being obese today is it draws attention from others. The attention isn't positive either. Obese people are constantly bullied about their weight and it generally leads to depression or in extreme cases, suicide. Being obese is not a good experience.

    In conclusion, the cons of being obese are much more extreme than the pros. To me, obesity is only something negative and the pros of being obese shouldn't ever even be brought up. The best weapon against obesity is to never allow yourself to become obese.


http://obesity.procon.org/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57561630/being-overweight-may-protect-against-premature-death-study-suggests/

http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/generalSurgery/bariatricsurgery/obesity/effects.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21676245

THIS IS PHAT!

The following article is about the various causes of obesity. It's for anyone wondering why people become obese and how it may start. It mentions that food companies, reliance on cars, a lack of resources, ect. are just a few causes of obesity. If you want to read about it in more depth, click the link below. I highly recommend it. It's very interesting.

http://www.globalissues.org/article/558/obesity#Variouscausesofobesity

MY OPINION ISN'T (A) RIGHT

In order to validate your opinion, you have to support it.
Big people make little people's opinions feel small.
You have the right to your life.
Interdependance- depending on others.
Our opinions affect other people.

VOCABULARY #1

Expository- intended to explain or describe something
The are so many expository signs in the city.

Composition- The way in which something is made up.
Can anyone explain the chemical composition?

Assuage- To make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
The letter assuaged the fears of most of the members.

Decadence- Moral or cultural decline; esp after a peek of achievement.
The ancient castle was in a state of decadence.

Hackneyed- Lacking significance due to overuse.
"Swag" is a hackneyed word.

Coalition- An alliance for combined action, esp a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or states.
The government formed a coalition.

Transcend- To go beyond the limits of something
This year we will all transcend our abilities.

Meritorious- deserving reward
After the competition I felt meritorious.

Lurid- Unpleasantly harsh or unnatural.
The smell was Lurid.

Petulant- bad tempered
My dad is petulant.

REFLECTIONS ON WEEK 1

Week 1 was a refresher for me. It reminded me that learning isn't just boring book work with paper and pencil. Last year in English 3 was a good learning experience for me because I was able to learn in a more efficient way and I have my whole learning experience is documented on my old blog. I'm looking forward to another challenging year.

5 GO-TO SOURCES FOR GOOD NONFICTION

1. Go to a library.
2. Borrow one from a friend
3. Buy one online.
4. Look for an online book.
5. Ask your parents if they have one.

WHAT IS EXPOSITORY COMPOSITION?

Expository composition is writing where the purpose is to explain, inform, or describe.

MY BIG QUESTION

Will it ever be possible for a person to access 100% of their brains abilities?