Assignment #10 BOO- Karl Werner

There have been countless movies on zombie survival, each allowing a select few characters to survive. Their survival comes down to different things: a immunity gene, inhuman skill, teamwork, and sometimes luck. The only way to survive a zombie apocalypse in real life is the last of those. Luck. There is no solid "survival plan." Stocking up on food and water and fortifying barriers is a mediocre option. These anti-siege tactics are designed with one crucial flaw: they can only be successful if those inside the barrier with the supplies can outlast the siege-rs. With zombies, this is not a likely outcome. Running to the gun store and similar tactics will also get you killed. Ideas like these are the epitome of unoriginal, and a thousand other people will try them too.  You'll get caught up in a massive crowd. And what happens when you get caught in a crowd in the middle of a zombie outbreak? You dieeeee. As for hyper-human capabilities, unless one of you is an undercover, genetically-enhanced secret agent, this is the least realistic option of survival. the only option for survival left is to be an outlier. To survive, you have to do something drastically different from the crowd (or get lucky, or both). My plan would be to just gamble, do something outside-the-box, and pray for a little luck. I would probably go to a nature reserve or a similar site and just try to wait it out. A lack of humans means a lack of zombies. Also, animals would act as a sort of early warning system. There would plenty of water, game, and plants, and many of these resources would be renewable. Crude tools would be fairly simple to create. In conclusion, my strategy is basically to be different and pray the rabbits let me know a zombie is nearby.

#6 Create your own Rhoman James

rWhat inherent rules do you live by? How does this change you as a person? What are your post graduatory plans? Why are these your plans? If you could live anywhere after you retire where would it be and why? One thing I will not do is steal. When I was younger my mom always emphasized how bad stealing was. All of my friends would just go to the store and steal candy, and it looked so easy! I know that I could've done it and got away with it, but at that time I thought of what God was going to do to me more than anything. I would believe every word that the pastor told me when I went to church with my cousins. I'm glad I had that mindset when I was younger because it kept me out of trouble when I was younger. My whole family has intentions to start a business and we already have. I started a clothing line that was pretty widespread throughout the school last year, my sister is a photographer and sells her art, my mom is planning on starting a gelato shop soon, and my dad owns a barbershop, started a barber college and is in the process of buying another barbershop in the idle hour shopping center. I want to start a restaurant on campus in college, while im studying psychology. After I'm done studying I'd like to focus on my psychology degree and have someone to run the restaurant for me. I like to be in charge of myself and make my own rules. If I could live anywhere I would live in either Hawaii or Miami. I like the weather in those places and I love to be at the beach. I want to have businesses running in Lexington while I'm relaxing wherever I live, so that I can never go broke. Also if I lived in Florida my kids could focus on football and maybe I could even get a coaching job, if I play in college or something. I just want me and my family to live comfortably

#8 Rhoman James

Fears- Dying young, drawing blood, heights. Annoyances- Liars, hypocrites, people with power being unfair Confusion- Science, politics, the universe Sorrows- Knowing that I could die any day, not having a clear understanding of God. Dreams- To be rich and live comfortably Idiosyncrasies- I'm not a good reader and I love working with and talking about money. Risks- I try not to take many Beloved possessions- laptop, family, my headphones Problems- I always procrastinate and I always put off homework to the last minute. I've had many peers during my high school career die. One in particular was my God brother who recently transferred from Bryan Station, Patrick Puckett. Me and Patrick had talked so much about this future. He was always talking about football and was going to be one of the best players in the state this year. He never would've expected to have been shot before his senior season, and no one else did either! I cannot imagine him in that situation, in the brink of life or death. I know that he wasn't one to press the limitations of God, but he would do anything to protect what's his. This just makes me think of what's ahead though. I just want to live safely with enough money so that I can live comfortably and take care of my family to where I can provide them with anything they need. I don't want to grow up too fast but since I feel myself getting older, I just have to adapt and mature before everyone else. All I want to do right now is get money and when I can stop worrying, everything will fall into place.

Assignment 9: What is it good for?

Genocide in Sudan

North Korea testing nuclear weapons

Iran creating nuclear weapons
Egypt
Syria

Terrorism

Injustices and threats surround so many lives in this world. When injustices or threats progress to dangerous and harmful levels though, it seems logical for war to come into play as a way to combat the situation. . .or is it?  The conservative Christian group known as the Mennonites believes that war (violence) is never appropriate.

Is there a time for war?

If there is a time, is it morally right and just or is is it the lesser of two evils?

If there isn't a time, why not?

Are there certain times when countries have a responsibility to go to war?

Are there any alternatives? Could they be more effective or less effective?

Due Sunday, October 20th at 11:59 pm

Assignment 8: "I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me"

Writing territories are a range of ideas that one generates to spark their writing. In general, it is just one of the many ways one can brainstorm for different types of writing.

This week's blog is more undefined than others because it depends so much on your unique personal experiences. Below, is a list of 10 writing territories and you'll begin by answering them. Your answers do not have to be lengthy, they only need to be definitive enough so that you, the writer, could look back at it weeks from now and it could trigger what you were thinking about.

Writing Territories

Fears

Annoyances

Accomplishments

Confusions

Sorrows

Dreams

Idiosyncrasies

Risks

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then

Problems

For instance, my list looks like:

Fears: drowning, loosing family in catastrophe

Annoyances: rudeness, expecting fairness in this world

Accomplishments: still being married, being a dad my children want to be around

Confusions: inequity (different than fairness)

Sorrows: anger management, weight, (totally working on both but to be honest "weight" is harder than "anger" 'cause food is goooooooood)

Dreams: retirement, travel,

Idiosyncrasies: nerd, paper/pencil RPG (redundant?)

Risks: pilot's license (want), jumped out of an airplain (did)

Beloved Possessions: comic books (then), friendships (now- i know, cheesy)

Problems: Organization

Simple, right?

Now, once you have your list, choose one topic to expand upon in-depth (or at least 150 words). This may be as simple as an explanation of this topic (e.g. I discovered I had an anger management problem when I realized that I was taking out my frustrations on my family. . . .). It may turn into to a short-story or a beginning of a short story. It may turn into a narrative of a memory. It may turn into a social commentary. It may turn into 150 words of freewrite. It may turn into something all together different and weird and delightful. Whatever you wrote down in your list, reflect upon it and allow it to guide your entry for the week.

"There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges." -Ernest Hemingway

Due Sunday, October 13th at 11:59 pm

My Subject Chose Me Jania Stevenson

I was afraid of almost everything when I was younger. Heights,scary movies, drowning, and confined spaces were pretty big fears, but my biggest fear back then was bugs, and that's a fear I still have today. I can handle most bugs nowadays though, but there's just one bug I can't seem to not be afraid of, and that's the cave cricket. If you don't know what they are, I'm sure you'll be afraid of them too once you look them up. They're always in my house and they're just so gross looking. They're legs are unnaturally long and they hop super fast! And once you're actually able to catch them you have to hit them two or three times in order for them to actually die. A couple times in the past they've shown up in my room, but I can't kill them because I'm  afraid that they will hop on me, so I end up having to sleep on the couch. I can actually kill them myself now, but I still freak out whenever I see one crawling around.

My Subject Chose Me- Lucy Wan

Fears: being inadequate, not being able to figure out what I really want to do in life
Annoyances: ignorance, rudeness, wobbly chairs
Accomplishments: being happy, taking on more responsibility
Confusions: prejudice
Sorrows: lack of self-motivation
Dreams: to find a career that I love, travel
Idiosyncrasies: I bounce my legs up and down all the time (yes, I know it's annoying, sorry)
Risks: the entirety of my bucket list
Beloved Possessions: childhood blanket- then, laptop-now (it's the truth; I cannot fathom living without it)
Problems: procrastination

I'm not scared of dying. I'm not scared of being hurt or killed. What scares me is disappointment. More intimidating than the black void after dying, disappointment is the black void during life. I am oftentimes insecure in who I am and what what I want to do. There's always a sense of inadequacy whenever I attempt new things. "Am I good enough?". "Do I have what it takes?". "What happens if I fail?". Being in high school with specific goals I must achieve and the pressure of my parents amplifies this sense of impending failure. There always seems to be the question of whether I am going to fail this time. Whether I can actually live up to my potential, or crash and burn in the process. So yes, I'm scared. Quite frankly, I'm terrified. Life has somehow become this circle of hope, despair, self-destruction, and eventual achievement. Although I seemingly always end up at my goal, the path that I took is filled with doubt and disappointment. It's a vicious, vicious cycle, but somehow I still can't break it.

Will Atkins-My Subject Chooses Me

Fears: Failing, Death.
Annoyances: Dumb people, too much noise
Confusions: The continuation of the two party system in America, long stop lights
Sorrows: Going to The Lexington School, having long hair
Dreams: Being a billionaire, end up on TV
Idiosyncrasies: Ridiculing other on the verge of being cruel, not smiling
Risks: Driving, walking in rough neighborhoods.
Beloved Posessions: Now- My car, my phone.
Then- My gameboy, my basketball
Problems: my college decision, motivation

While many seniors speculate what they will be doing with the next four years of their lives, many juniors begin this process that is oh so grueling. This causes many of us to answer difficult-to-answer questions like, "Do you want to go to a big or small school?" "What region of the country are you thinking of?" This causes many of us young and indecisive children to panic. These are one of the biggest problems of kids our age. My one, "thing," that I have going for me is my running. I have contacted coaches through my cross-country and track abilities. This has helped me enormously in my need to narrow down my choices. While this does help my situation, my problem still exists. That is why my problem is my college decision. Plain and simple

My Subject Chose Me- Chelsea Southworth

Fears: Failing, not doing anything important
Annoyances: Stupid people, people who ask about/judge my opinions and don't let me explain them, people who walk slow
Accomplishments: Grades, test scores, leadership, NaNoWriMo, surviving junior year (so far)
Confusions: Why people are so prejudiced and judgmental
Sorrows: All the people I want to meet are British and/or fictional, the wanton animal cruelty that occurs every day
Dreams: Meeting said British/fictional people, living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and studying bonobos for a living
Idiosyncrasies: Fangirling and all the flailing, squealing, and gushing that comes with it (seriously, watch out when fangirl mode activates)
Risks: Does joining a new fandom count? Doing NaNoWriMo is fairly risky as well
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Now: My TIP termbook and lanyards, my flashdrive Then: I love my stuffed golden lab (his name was Heartley. It came with him)
Problems: TIPression (ie the sinking, eternal pit of depression (no joke) that follows leaving the most amazing summer camp/family ever (TIP) and knowing you can never go back)

NaNoWriMo came up twice (so did TIP, but that’s way too emotional to even think about writing about), so I guess we’ll go with that. This year, I’m undertaking something I’ve never tried before: worldbuilding. I’m creating an entire new world, with not one but three separate nations that will be included. What follows is a brief description of one of the great trading cities in my favorite land, which is tentatively called Allahalea (uh-lah-huh-lay-uh).

Even squinting through the sheersilk veil K’hallama had given her, with the sands whipping around her face, the city was not hard to miss. The wall was massive, and the great spiraling towers and domed palaces rose even above that, yet it was not the sheer size that drew her eyes; it was the color. The wall itself was nothing special, made of the red-brown rock that she’d seen so much on her way there, but the tops of the buildings within were like nothing she’d ever seen, glittering with the colors of more gemstones and metals than she could name. It was clear even from afar that this was no blocky, grey-stoned city of her homeland; this was a city that gleamed with wealth, and was not afraid to let the world see its prosperity.

#9 Haley Longworth

I believe there are times when a country should go to war, but it is not always a feasible solution. Countries are responsible to go to war when citizens of that country are being threatened or harmed by other parts of the world. There are also times when a country should not go to war, like when the threat is not from a country but rather a group. Terrorism could go either way. If a country's government had its citizens commit  terrorist acts on another country it would call for war, but if it was a small group from that nation you could not call for war because it was not harm coming from the country, but instead a radical group. Overall, war does not always seem like a good thing, but it can help countries get past a difficult situation, and is sometimes necessary when citizens of a country are being harmed.

#8 Haley Longworth

Fears: tornadoes, bugs, losing someone I love, throwing up, needles
Annoyances: when people ask me questions I don't know the answer to, too much noise, mean people
Confusions: Government, four way stops
Sorrows: Sad animal commercials, too much homework
Dreams: healthy, hunger-free world; world peace; marry someone I love; nutritionist
Idiosyncrasies: I have to smell new foods before I eat them
Risks: went to a haunted house but didn't go in, driving
Beloved possessions:
Now- phone, family rings, debit card, Bible, house, clothes, purse
Then- Bible, my favorite little cheetah print purse, crystal earrings
Problems: time management, motivation, patience


Health is such an important factor in our lives because it affects how we feel and look. Throughout time and across the world people have been able to survive with many different diets based on their resources and the world around them, whether they ate mainly animals and dairy, or mainly fruits and vegetables. The difference between the cultures that eat what they have access to and America is that the Standard American Diet consists of a lot of unnatural processed foods and chemicals that are harmful to our bodies, and even the earth around us. Another devastating difference is how we prepare meat in the US. We feed the animals huge amounts of grains and even scraps of other animals that they weren't meant to eat. If the animals were to eat grass and herbs that they were meant to consume, there would be much more food to feed the rest of the world, and Americans would be significantly healthier. This focus on natural ways of eating would reduce the amount of chemicals and pesticides used in our foods today, and the world would be a better place. I think that if everyone ate nutritious, invigorating, full-of-life, natural foods the world would be a better place because of the positive affects everyone would experience.

My Subject Chooses Me- Rachel Hart

Fears: Failure, bees (or any other insect that could sting me), passing out

Annoyances: people who stop suddenly in front of me when I’m walking, people who let their dog’s poop on my yard, BBC Mundo, and my brother

Accomplishments: State Senior Animal Science Demo champion, State Senior Consumer and Financial Education Champion, Judy Ellis Lawless Award Winner

Confusions: the future (even as early as tomorrow), what to put for these lists

Sorrows: not enough time in the day, accident proneness

Dreams: Travel outside of the United States, Travel to every state before I’m fifty, Get a NOC title with my dog

Idiosyncrasies: Sticking my tongue out when I’m deep in thought

Risks: Repelling a building, skydiving

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Now- My dog; Then- my toy rabbit

Problems: Procrastination, memory, getting enough sleep, over thinking things

Melissophobia is the fear of bees or bee stings. Bees. A common fear among people is a fear that I too possess. When I was eight years old I would brag that I had never been stung by a bee. I would constantly watch my step and be paralyzed in fear whenever one would come near. Then one day when playing in my grandmother’s yard I decided to walk across the yard barefoot. HUGE mistake. I stepped on a honey bee. With tears welling up in my eyes and the bee still securely stuck in my foot I ran as fast as I could back to the house. It hurt worse than anything my eight year old self had ever felt. Then in the coming days as it turned purple, then green, and finally black, my fear grew even stronger.

Three years later, hiking at girl’s week, it all happened again. Four of us got stung as we hiked up the trail. The annoying little thing got me in the side of the hand. My first instinct was to turn and smack the hand into the girl behind me. Had I been thinking straight I would have never hit the poor girl but I was overcome with pain. To this day, I’m still afraid of bees. I still stand as still as I can when a bee comes near or move out the way. I hate bees. I don’t think that it’s a fear I will ever out grow.

I chose my subject #8 Jack Humphries

Fears- The future, that I’m inadequate, and spiders (I hate them with a passion).

Annoyances- Being ignored, people who feel entitled, and stupid people.

Accomplishments- I manage to amuse myself daily (Not too difficult to accomplish I guess).

Confusion- Justice, the universe, and language in general.

Sorrows- That I am confused about ^^^. Also that I can’t always get what I want.

Dreams (Aspirations?)- To remembered.

Idiosyncrasies- I am a terrible speller, and I love math.

Risks-  I’m a terrible driver, and yet I still get behind the wheel regularly.

Beloved Possessions- My family, my consciousness, (now and then) and my Gameboy (then)

Problems- Procrastination, my laziness, and soon I’ll have a billion college applications to write.

Humans naturally fear change and the future. We fear the unknown; the only thing we know for certain is the present, so naturally we fear the changing winds of the future. But I fear spiders.

 I fear spiders because I see them, with their eight eyes and legs crawling about, and a little alarm bell starts going off in my brain. My heart beat rises, I get a crazed look in my eyes and I then usually use my time honored fight or flight response to gauge whether I should flatten the creepy little git or simply run screaming like A little girl. Most of the time I run for it.

Even though the future and spiders are nothing alike, humans have evolved to appreciate the two with a good helping of terror. This is because both the future and spiders pose a threat to us.  For example, imagine this, you are the happiest person who has ever lived. In this moment you feel saturated with joy; right now you are so ecstatic with your life that you feel as though your heart could burst. So a black widow crawls up, bites you, and your heart fails in 15 minutes flat. This example , although a dramatization, represents the fact that every day content satisfied people become less and less happy. The future is a gamble in this sense, things can get better, or things can get worse. What is really depressing about the future is that one-day, we will all get old and die. And what is after death? Well nobody knows; to us mortals, what follows death is the biggest unknown in history. This fear of death is where our fear of spiders and the future manifests itself.

Often times the fear of death drives us humans to try and immortalize ourselves, whether it’s through religion, or history. For example in Christianity the ideas of heaven and hell help to prove to us that our time on earth wasn’t meaningless. If we are good humans while we live, then heaven promises us an eternity of deathless joy among those we love. If we are bad humans while we live, then hell/purgatory will punish us in a fair and just way so that we may eventually make it to heaven. In no modern religion is the idea that when we die, we cease to exist popular. Although religion provides immortality for some, others believe history to be the one true path to immortality. Although Einstein, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and other historical figures are dead today, we still care about what them. Their ability to stay relevant millenniums after dying shows how powerful history can be at preserving ones life. To be remembered by historians though, you have to have affected the course of humanity. This is where my 3^rd and final fear arises. What if I waste away my life, never doing anything significant? What if I reach the end of my life, and I have nothing to show for my toil, nothing to be remembered by. This is my greatest fear, and my greatest motivator. Even though death is permanent and terrifying, my achievements and my contributions to humanity could make me immortal in the pages of history.

Subject Chose Me: Jasa Harris

Fears: Dogs, Amber Alerts, Butterflies

Annoyances: Compulsive Liars, Attention seekers, flies buzzing in my ear

Accomplishments: Keeping my two turtles alive, getting first chair trumpet in 8^th grade band (I was really happy because I never get anything)

Confusions: Africa, How Spirits exist

Sorrows: Reading

Dreams: Be fluent in at least 3 languages

Idiosyncrasies: Hiccupping after eating rice

Risks: I was going to go Zip lining, but I never did

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Bratz Dolls (then), Earrings (now)

Problems: Saving money, flossing

I’m terrified of dogs because dogs just hate me and they’re evil. My family would always have small get togethers at my great-grandma’s house and my one cousin would always bring his evil boxer dog Polo. And Polo couldn’t be chained up outside for some reason so he was always chained up in the hallway right in front of the bathroom, so one day instead of going across the street to my Grandma’s house to use the bathroom I decided to be all brave and try to slip past Polo and go to the bathroom. I shouldn’t have because Polo started barking really loudly and he almost tore off my leg, so then my cousin had to hold him back so that I could leave the bathroom.

But that’s not the only time that a dog almost killed me. I was down at my grandma’s house again and me and my sisters and cousins were riding our bikes around the neighborhood. Me and my sister were riding together when we got to this one neighborhood and this dog just came out of nowhere. We stopped our bikes and the dog ran right up to us and starting barking and staring at us. My sister remained all calm and just looked at the dog, but I panicked and jumped off my bike and started running, I don’t even know why because I obviously would have gone faster on my bike, but I just started running and I almost slipped trying to turn the corner and I guess the dog thought I had turned the corner and so it turned and I ran on this random guy’s porch and he was like “it’s okay” and this other lady down the street got my bike and walked me back to my Grandma’s house and called animal control. And my sister had left me.  That was the scariest moment of my life. I honestly thought I was going to die.

And then back in middle school I was walking to the bus stop and these two wiener dogs came running towards me out of nowhere and they were trying to kill me with their really sharp teeth. I called my mom in tears and asked her what to do and she was just like “Don’t run”, and so I had to act all calm and then they eventually ran back to wherever they came from.

Also, not too long ago I went to Rachel’s neighbor’s house and her dog almost attacked me. It was growling at me and if I hadn’t been hiding behind Rachel and the lady hadn’t locked her dog up it would have killed me. But I just think that dog was racist.  

Blog #8: Erin Holbrook

Fears: falling, failing, Dr. Seuss
Annoyances: Boredom, slow walkers, bad drivers
Acomplishments: Maintaining a good GPA, The leadership positions I've gotten, winning the NaNoWriMo competition
Confusions: The future and what I'm going to do with mine
Sorrows: Procrastination, attempting to write well
Dreams: Travel, success, money
Idiosyncrasies: Fangirling over Doctor Who, reading long books, enjoying mathematical theory
Risks: The biggest risk I take is going out in the sun. Without sunscreen (gasp!)
Beloved possessions: Now- My books, my laptop, my dog. Then-As a kid, I really loved my snow boots.
Problems: Procrastination

Dr. Seuss is an odd thing to be scared of, don't you think?
Better to fear weeping angels, Don't Blink!
But his characters are creepy, terrifying, lopsided.
In their attempt at fun they are truly misguided.
Who likes a cat with a hat that breaks into your home?
Or a big furry monster who steals your comb?
Then there's thing one and two
Whatever will I do?
When they destroy my house
Rip up my mother's blouse.
And a noothgrush on my toothbrush
Is not just scary but quite unsanitary.

On top of that his stories just don't make sense.
Green eggs and ham? With what purpose? From whence?
Plus his rhymes are even worse than mine.
He makes up a word and calls it fine.
And to be honest rhymes make me nauseous.
I hate having to speak in time, so cautious.
With a hatred of rhymes, I'm glad to be done.
Truly this explanation has not been fun.
I really hope that now you see
Why Dr. Seuss is so creepy to me.

#8 Hans Stromberg

Fears- Losing a family member, getting bad at golf.
Annoyances-changing radio stations too quickly, people saying stupid things.(They already know what the answer is, but still ask the question.),  people talking while watching a sporting event on TV(The people in the TV can't hear you), and morning people. (wow, I have a lot of annoyances)
Accomplishments- 3rd in city in golf, not driving myself crazy by playing a game for the insane.
Confusions- picking a college.
Sorrows- getting too competitive (I try not to show it, but deep down I go crazy if I lose), Not getting enough sleep.
Dreams- Playing on the PGA tour
Idiosyncrasies- Having to play or practice golf everyday because if I don't, I don't feel right.
Risks- I drive aggressively sometimes. (ok, maybe a little more than sometimes)
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then- Golf clubs, Race cars.
Problems- I eat a lot of chocolate (people in my U.S. History class can attest, I eat chocolate chips everyday.), Spelling.

 I feel the need to expand on my idiosyncrasy. When people read what I say, they might think that's a little over the top but when I look at it, practicing golf once a day isn't enough. I have big dreams and the only way to get there is by outplaying the competition and getting a leg up. If I don't practice one day, I think to myself that some other kid trying to reach the same goals as me is getting ahead of me. Like I said, I hate losing, so I feel that I have to practice every day to not lose. It urks me that I got third in city, even though two seniors beat me. Somehow, I have gotten into my head and told myself that if I don't practice one day, I'm magically going to lose the ability to play golf which is a crazy notion, but I've convinced myself that it's true. I may never fully understand this idiosyncrasy, but I have to golf every day or else I just feel wrong.

#8 My subject chooses me- Zac Byrd

Fears: Clowns

Annoyances: Taking things to literally, poking, something touching my feet

Accomplishments: Making GSA.  Making Sectionals for swimming.

Confusions: Calculus

Sorrows: Time to do everything

Dreams: Go to the Olympics, Tour the world playing jazz trumpet

Idiosyncrasies: I love working out and practicing trumpet

Risks: Doing a double off a diving board, jumping of a building

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Magnets (then), Collecting Toy Cars (now)

Problems: Time Management

I had gone to see artwork and musical performances for an entire summer.   Being dragged against my will to see a little bit of paint on a canvas that I didn’t have that great of an appreciation for was never fun at 8 AM.  Of course after going against my will all summer to see boring paintings and sculptures my parents told me I’d be rewarded at the end.  And that seems fair enough, right? So the very last day of summer I was sitting in a room, waiting to be amazed by whatever spectacle was to be presented in my near future.  And out walks a clown.  I was doing ok at that point, not thrilled by my reward but not disappointed.  But there was something about that clown when he leaned close to my face, his white face, massive feet, and creepy outfit that freaked me out.  I had no idea what happened but after he asked for volunteers I knew I wanted no part in touching or assisting this extremely creepy alien-like creature.  My dad and I immediately exited, myself almost on the verge of tears, and we headed over to a milkshake shop to spend the rest of our morning in the presence of a normal shopkeeper, sipping on a delicious, creamy milkshake.  That’s when I found out I was extremely scared of clowns.

A day in history: Hans Stromberg

On October 5th, 1789, a movement by a group of women to get some bread changed the course of history. Women of Paris marched on Versailles against King Louis XVI and demand to move the king move from Versailles to Paris and demand bread. This act by these women catalyzed the a revolution. This movement helped lead to the French revolution, a revolution that changed France, Europe, and the United States. The French people started to rise against its monarch and demand that Feudalism stop. This revolution sent shock waves through Europe and France as the lower classes of France rose up against the upper classes in France, something that had never been attempted at the time. This revolution had its impact on America because the Americans had just made their Constitution after defeating the British in the American Revolution in which the French allied with the Americans. The Americans later pledged to help the French whenever they needed it and requested this help in the French revolution. Unfortunately, the United States was too fragile to help the French and backed out of their agreement with France. Also, the French revolution lead to a new government in France, changing the country forever, which also sent shock waves through Europe.

I hope you enjoyed your history lesson for today.

On This Date: Jania Stevenson

October 1st 1958 was the day NASA was created and inaugurated. It was a replacement for the NACA or the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. This change showed that space science was gaining a more civilian orientation rather than a military one. This was a great decision, because it later led to a lot of amazing things. With that being said, NASA was the organization that put the first men on the moon. This is now an important event in American history. After this event, they were able to advance in their technologies and learn more about space. They are still advancing to this day. Just last year they were able to get to Mars, a huge feat for America. Even though NASA has done many great things, they also have had their problems. A few mishaps have occurred over the years, such as the Challenger explosion. Ever since October 1st 1958, NASA has been making advances and changing the way the we view space

Assignment 9: what is it good for? Karl Werner

I believe there is a time when a country must go to war. There are situations that call for a nation to take up arms and stake its claim on the battlefield. I believe when a country has its own soil or soil under its protection threatened, it is morally obligated to its people to defend its turf and citizens. If its peoples are under threat, be it from a foreign invasion force or long range missiles, a country and its government must defend those people. Other than that, I am against war and foreign intervention. I believe it is both fiscally and morally irresponsible. Sticking noses (and weapons) in where they have no real reason to be only strikes up new conflicts and inflames former ones. Unlike previous eras where wartime meant a boom in manufacturing, today's battles leave nations uncertain and shaky, pulling down their economy. Meaningless deaths are wrought in a fight one side really has no part being in. While there are exceptions to every rule (for example, a tyrannical dictatorship committing genocide should probably be combated), I believe that in nearly all cases, no matter what the situation, nations should avoid wars unless directly involved or threatened. If there's a possible nuclear threat, sure, it should probably be checked out. But if, say, a foreign government is in a state of upheaval, a nation really has no moral right to jump in and attempt to influence the situation. It is both unfair to the foreign citizens and to its own. These situations have a thousand alternatives, from diplomatic action to avoidance altogether ( See: Neutrality Proclamation and how it allowed America to become what it is today). When a country is in danger, it has moral grounds to self-defense, perhaps even preemptive strike. But when a situation does not involve them, it does not involve them, and they have no right to involve themselves. Such involvement will only lead to hostility, conflict, inflamed problems, and negative action from other nations and groups. That is my uninformed opinion on the matter.

Assignment 7: Alexander Reese

On October 3, 1997, Japan's Maglev train broke the world speed record at 280.3 miles per hour. In Japan, the public transit is significantly more important and much more well implemented. It is basically an integral part of living in huge cities such as Japan where traffic from cars is so bad it isn't even worth it. The maglev trains are particularly interesting because they run on magnetic levitation as opposed to wheels on a track. Currently, they are viewed as a more "future technology" like the Google glass. Sure we HAVE it, but practical, fullscale implementation isn't possible at the moment. Maglev trains are much more expensive to build, but operating costs and maintenance are lower. Not many serve the public, and the three that do are all in Asia. More tracks are being built and testing tracks are working on making these trains better. Personally, I hope to see a lot more of these in the future.

7

Many nights I've drifted off to sleep with the hum of an engine under me and the interstate swooshing past underneath. I've spent some of my most sound nights of slumber passing from one state to the next at speeds unfathomable to my ancestors, cradled comfortably in a cozy cabin, riding smoothly through the night.
On October 1st, 1908 Henry Ford gave every future American the chance to go to sleep in one area of the country and wake up in the next--quite literally, he made it possible for the average man to travel in the blink of an eye. Though maybe these intense speeds and widespread availability weren't so instantaneously achieved, what Ford introduced was a start, and a huge one at that.
When Henry Ford introduced the Model T, he meant to make it available to the common man, and that he did. This was the beginning of a revolution of American transportation, which would literally carry us into a new society and way of life. For the future, faster transportation meant easier coordination, it meant a social rearrangement--not only the rich could go places and alter their futures, it would soon be the poor too who could get out of a dirt-poor home and find work elsewhere.
Both in small communities, and all over the world it spoke many things, but most of all this new technology uttered one word: opportunity. In Jack Kerouac's On the Road, how else would Sal Paradise get around? How would he get out west? What would would the west be, if not for the broad availability of the motor vehicle? The culture that erupted from this new found freedom and opportunity is a beautiful one. Sure, pollution skyrocketed and that's something we've got to figure out. But for me, getting my license is something I look forward ecstatically and I think as a whole, we can all say we've benefited from the good ol' car.

#7 On This Date- Zach Wolfe

October 5 is the day of many important events in human history, such as the March of Versailles during the French Revolution, the first aerial casualty in World War I, and Jews' passports being invalidated in Germany during World War II. There have also been big social events such as the World Series being broadcast on the radio for the first time, the first James Bond movie being released, and the release of the Beatles' first single.  However, I would rather focus on the first televised White House Address, delivered by President Harry Truman on October 5, 1947. This was the first time that people were able to see the president while he talked about he status of the country. It was the first time people could connect with him. We now see every White House Address on television, but this one was so ground breaking because it was the first. People most likely didn't see the president all that often back then, and this have them a chance to. People were able to watch the leader of their country and they could recognize who he was from then on. Connecting with the president was probably big for a lot of people. They could witness how he looked, how he talked, how he acted. They could judge whether they liked him or not on a personal level. For me, I like this event because it paved the way for us to see the president deliver this address every year. Now we can see our leader just like Anericans could in 1947.  It was a huge step forward for the country.

On This Date - Cassie Adams

On October 6th, 1927, the first feature length film to include synchronized diologue entitled "The Jazz Singer" debuted. The debut of this film signaled the arrival of the era of  talking pictures and the decline of the silent picture era. An adaptation of the broadway play, "The Day of Atonement", the film produced a profit of $3.5 million which established Warner Bros. as one of the top studios in Hollywood. While it was not the first to use sound, it was the first film to incorporate diologue as part of its dramatic action. Included in the film is one of the most famous lines in film history, "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! You ain't heard nothing yet!" A year after its release, the film was presented with a special Academy Award for being an outstanding pioneer film. At the time, the use of sound in film was simply dismissed as a fad, but the debut of "The Jazz Singer"  clearly revolutionized the film industry. 

On This Date: Jasa Harris

October 6th, 1927 the entertainment industry was changed forever. On this date Warner Bros. Theater released The Jazz Singer, signaling the end of silent movies as it was the first to feature a soundtrack. It was the beginning of “talkies”. This invention of sound has redefined entertainment around the world. No longer would people sit through silent films, but now they could put voices and faces together. At first, The Jazz Singer wasn’t a huge success, but with advertisements and time it soon began to break records, eventually grossing more than three million dollars. This huge success inspired Warner Bros. to switch all of their films over to “talkies”. And other film production studios followed their example. Soon theaters began to have sound systems installed and silent films were pretty much done with. Every prominent actor from silent films, with the exception of Charlie Chaplin, lost their jobs, but people now had the opportunity to enjoy the sound of their movies. So there were consequences from this event, but not enough to outweigh the greatness of it. I appreciate this event very much as I love watching movies with sound. I’ve tried watching silent films and I just can’t enjoy them like I can with “talkies” because they’re just kind of boring.  

#7 On this Date- Erin Holbrook

On October 2nd, 1950 the very first Peanuts comic appeared in newspapers, written by Charles Schulz. Charlie Brown was then only four years old, and wouldn't have his iconic zigzag t-shirt for months to come. This was the humble beginning of a comic that would be beloved for generations to come. By the end of the decade, the comic had already been picked up by hundreds of newspapers. Later on Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang would be some of the most recognizable cartoon characters in the nation. Today, they even have a series of Television Specials, including It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! and A Charlie Brown Christmas. 

Originally called Li'l Folks, the comic became a defining point in American culture. Not many children, even today thirteen years after Schulz stopped writing, wouldn't recognize snoopy and his little feathered pal. Good ol' Charlie Brown, missing a football time and time again.  Good ol' Charlie Brown, getting rocks and no candy for Halloween. He is a part of my childhood and many others. I hope that he shall always be a defining character in American culture. 

The very first Charlie Brown comic can be found here:  http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1950/10/02#.UlH3Bo2Th4w

Sydney Smith: Blog #7 (On This Date)

On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made an important declaration. This was not the date he emancipated the slaves, declared an end to the Civil War, or even addressed the families of the fallen soldiers at Gettysburg. October 3rd was the day that he declared the last Thursday of every November to be a special holiday: Thanksgiving Day.

We all appreciate Thanksgiving nowadays. We get to spend quality time with family, eat wonderful food, and we even get time off of school! Yes, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year! We think of everything we're thankful of, and everyone has just a little bit more cheer and good will. I am very thankful that Thanksgiving became a national holiday because it has impacted my life a lot.

iWrite- Rachel Hart

If I had grown up twenty years earlier I would be a child of the eighties much like my parents. My life would differ substantially if the phrase, “when I was your age”, which my mom constantly repeats holds any truth. Back in the days when personal computers were just getting there start and a cell phone weighed more than most backpacks, I would have never survived. I would probably get yelled at for talking a lot more than usual because I wouldn’t have the convenience to text my friends whenever I needed to.  I believe that my relationships with others would be a lot stronger than they are now because I wouldn’t spend the 1-2 hours I normally do on my computer or cell phone.  I would probably not get as annoyed as I do on the phone because that would be my main way of contacting people. I would prefer to live in the time period which I currently reside. Possibly if I had never once lived in the current era, I would enjoy living in the eighties. However, going from now to then would be like taking one step forward and ten back.

Today In History- Jack Humphries

         On October 4^th 1942 Joseph Stalin sent a telegraph to the miserable city of Stalingrad Russia. Stalin’s ultimatum,  “Stalingrad must not be taken by the enemy”, highlighted the importance of the small town. Why was this miniscule town so important to important to the proud dictator Stalin? Well, over the course of World War II in the streets of Stalingrad over 2 million men met an untimely death. Hitler’s blind bid at taking Stalingrad is claimed to have broken the Nazi war progress. At what cost was this battle won for though? Even though the Nazis lost 850,000, a crippling loss of men, the Soviet Republic lost 1,150,000 men. Over the course of 8 months the lives of millions would be taken by the whimsical will of war, leading to a realization and a promise. As young Russian men died by the train and truckload, the gruesome horrors of industrial warfare became evident. One man on a machine gun could kill as many enemy soldiers as he wanted. Every new wave of enemies was ripe for the kill, and as merciless officers drove their men forward, their men died in droves. The final horror was given to those unfortunate enough to escape the enemy fire; on arriving back to their “friendly” lines in retreat, their own officers would give the orders to execute the miserable “cowards”. Out of these war nightmares came a beaten down but determined Russian army, and after watching so many of their comrades die at the hands of German bullets, Russian forces had a score to settle. Through this determination to make the Germans pay came the success Stalin had advocated for. It is frightening to find out that the atrocities of Stalingrad occurred not but 62 years ago. The inspiring fact that good prevailed in the end balances out my fear of the past, and what astounds me are the very real bonds that connect us to our past. On this day in history the words of Joseph Stalin encouraged the deaths of thousands and denied the Nazi attempts at world domintation.

On this day- Rachel Hart

October 1^st

On this day, one hundred and five years ago, Henry Ford introduced to the public the Model T. This first affordable car for families cost only $825. It made the idea of a family car possible. With this invention, the world was free to go anywhere they wanted, distance no longer mattered. Families could live in the suburbs and commute for work and shopping. I am thankful for this event. Without it, I probably would rarely go beyond my neighborhood much less traveling across the nation. People are able to communicate and trade ideas that would never have been possible without the invention. After this invention many new ideas came to the automotive world. With the entire new ideas circle the once basic idea of Ford, we now have hundreds of models of cars on our roads. Now if only the price had remained the same, but we have inflation and rising gas prices to thank for theat.  

On This Date Chelsea Southworth

On October 1st, 1771, Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida. The first park that opened is today the most famous: the Magic Kingdom. The park is divided into six themed lands: Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Though it didn't change the game of politics or end a war between nations, the opening of Disney World was still an impactful event on America, and remains so to this day. Disney World is like a small-scale representation of America: on one hand, it celebrates youth and imagination, and is a place where everyone can have fun and be a kid again; on the other hand, it's systematically designed to squeeze every cent of money possible from you, with overpriced concessions and souvenirs that you have no choice but to buy, lest you want your child to start bawling. It's also an American icon; everyone can recall pestering their parents to take them to Disney World, and many fondly remember meeting Mickey or giving their favorite princess a hug.

On This Date-Zac Byrd

On October 5^th in 1962, The Beatles released their first single “Love Me Do”.  “Love Me Do” climbed to number 17 on the chart in England on its release and put the Beatles on the road to becoming the most famous band of all time.  Paul McCartney co-wrote this song with John Lennon as a 16 year old in high school.  It stretched the ideas of music in the 1960’s and opened people to a more upbeat, swing/rock style.  The release of this single skyrocketed The Beatles into a career of music.  After a few more singles The Beatles would have masses of people coming to watch concert in stadiums. 

By trying a new style of music they opened up Europe to try new things. Their willingness to continue writing new songs after “Love Me Do” further enhanced their image as the best band in the land.  The Beatles are the best-selling band in the United States. They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other band.  In Time magazine's rankings of the 20th century's 100 most influential people, the Beatles are the best-selling band in history. EMI Records, The Beatles recording company, had estimated sales of over one billion songs/albums. Rolling Stone ranked the Beatles as the best artist of all-time in 2004.  They left a lasting impression on the music industry and united people with their music across the globe.  After “Love Me Do” they continued to inspire and influence artists globally.

One of my very first CDs was The Beatles number 1 hits CD.  The change in music from the old laid back swing to rock to metal to rap was heavily influenced by The Beatles.  I appreciate this because The Beatles are one of my favorite bands and have continued to influence my playing as a musician.

Will Atkins-On This Date

On October 5th, 1921, the first radio broadcast of the World Series happened. It was between the New York Yankees and the New York Giants (yes, the New York Giants, how many of you knew that was a baseball team?). While it may not have been that evident to the people at Yankee Stadium, the broadcast would grow up to become one of the greatest spectacles in sports. This broadcast has grown into TV broadcasts. TV broadcasts have grown into the viewing of the Super Bowl, and the viewing of the Super Bowl has grown into the 111.3 million people who watched the game last year. That brief broadcast has led into the national past time of America. Watching TV. Heck it's not just America's past time it's mine as well. This is why I greatly appreciate it. This due to the fact that I watch, "broadcasts," whenever I'm at home. Eating dinner? I'll turn on the game. Doing homework? Let me check the score real quick. If I'm doing anything that isn't sleeping, I'm watching TV.

Now to celebrate this glorious day, I'm going to go watch the Georgia vs. Tennessee game. Go Dawgs

Daniel Horne 1

Hello my name is Daniel. I went to Winburn middle school and am now a junior at henry clay. I am currently participating in the henry clay archery team and the debate team. Outside of school I am a part of the Fayette county 4-H shooting sports club. I also like to hunt in my spare time I have now harvested 2 deer total one buck and one doe. If I could have one super power I would probably chose the power to fly because that would be really cool. I really like science fiction books specifically star wars and ender's game. I am a really bad speller I could not spell long words to save my life. Something that "Geeks me out" would have to be either Halo or new star wars books. My favorite class this year is debate thought by the one and only Ryan Ray. I am taking it for the third year and intend to take it next year too.

www.youtube.com

Daniel horne 3

I do not think that there is good and evil in real life. Everyone has good or bad moments but no one is exactly good or evil. Even a serial killer is not exactly evil. There is no ongoing war between good and evil and no sides that people have to choose. There is no way to eliminate good or evil because they do not really exist. Evil does not really exist because it depends on the fact that the person is evil. It is impossible for a person to be wholly evil so evil does not exist. Good can be found in a person’s actions but there are no completely good people. So if I were to answer the question do good and evil exist I would say that no they do not exist in their "true form" however they can be found in peoples actions and the decisions people make.

#7 On This Date- Haley Longworth

On October 3, 1789, George Washington declared the first Thanksgiving Day sanctioned by the national government. This is an important event, because Thanksgiving is a day where Americans can be thankful for life in the US and being able to migrate here and receive the help from the Indians after the fighting ceased. Not only was it important in the time of Washington and the new settlers, it is a national holiday today where people can eat a meal with their families and be thankful for all the blessing they have.
On October 3, 1869, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day to be the last Thursday every November. Prior to his Proclamation,  states elected the day they would celebrate Thanksgiving each year, and by declaring it to be on a certain day, it in a way united the country.
I appreciate this event because it is a time I can spend with my family, eat a good meal, and have a break from school. It is a very important event, and one many people do not know about.