The End...

My last blog entry...
Its a bitter sweet moment.
In high school, English was my least favorite class, hands down.
Therefore, the thought of taking English as a freshman in college didn't excite me at all.
Boy, did I get it wrong.
I must admit...
English 108 was my most enjoyable class this semester, and
probably the best English class I have ever taken.
English was an opportunity to get away from all the frustration that accompanied all those engineering courses I was taking. It was nice to be able to go to a class where I could relax, enjoy the company of excellent peers, and engauge in intellectual discussion. I may not have been the most talkative student, but I listened to every word.
Overall, I believe my eyes have been opened to many things I overwise would not have seen
My vocabulary and writing ability has greatly improved throughout the duration of the class.
Also, I have made some great friends, which will hopefully stay with me much longer than my time in 108. I think I was very lucky to have the oppportunity to be enrolled in this class, taught by such a student friendly instructor. All of my other professors were so impersonal, coming off as having no personality whatsoever. This was definately not the case with Jamie Hickner. She was part of the reason why class was so enjoyable, he sarcasm never ceased to crack me up during class. In the midst of all of my continued engineering courses next semester I know I will look back on 108 with fond memories
((Alan))

$$$

"Reese Witherspoon is a moneymaker.
The 31-year-old Academy Award winner commands $15 million to $20 million a movie, placing her at the top of The Hollywood Reporter's annual list of the highest-paid actresses.
Angelina Jolie came in second with similar salary demands, though the animated "Beowulf" earned the 32-year-old actress far less -- just $8 million"
(from artcle on CNN.com)

15-20 million dollars per film…
Wow, that’s all I can say
Is she really worth 15-20 MILLION DOLLARS?
There is no way she is that good
No one, and I mean no one, is worth 15-20 million dollars
I understand she has a great talent
Acting is not something just anyone can do, let alone do well
But still…15 million dollars is outrageous
What does that say about us?
The American movie go’er
In a sense, we are the ones paying her salary
Our tickets sales are going into her pocket

I would love have 15 million dollars just to know what it feels like
I doubt I could even spend it all
15 million dollars and your set for life
For Reese on the other hand,
15 million dollars is just another check in the bank
Unbelievable
Think about it, say she makes 2 to 4 films a year (at 15 million a piece)
That’s an annual paycheck of 30-60 million bones
Wow, that’s all I can say, again

Also notice the line from the article above about Angelina Jolie,
Who finished 2nd,
Aren’t u so sad for her?
She makes just 8 million per film
Boo hoo…
((Alan))

Alcohol

In Bich Nguyen's memoir, food is used to "make visible" the "invisible" cultural practices that define us as "American." Reflecting back on your own childhood, think of an example when a particular food (or foods) served to include or exclude you from a group of which you wanted to be a part. Describe the food, the situation, and how it made you feel. Minimum length: 200 words.

Alcohol
To drink, or not to drink?
That was the question…
For me, it was a fairly easy decision…
I’ll pass, thanks.

I would say the divisions started sometime during my freshman year in high school.
Fortunately, from the beginning, these divisions seemed to not affect me
I had always been the athletic type, and so were most of my friends.
A typical day in our lives was:
Sports all day long
Grab some dinner together
Just relax and probably watch sports on TV
Drinking didn’t even tempt us.
We were able to have a good time without alcohol.

Then, things started to changed…
We became juniors and seniors.
A bunch of my friends decided to give it a try
Heck, I even gave it a shot
Nothing crazy, but none the less
I guess I drifted away from some friends because of their new drinking habits
But, for the most part, not of my close friends got overly involved
I’m not condemning alcohol by any means, just saying it wasn’t for me, and still isn’t
Does that mean I’ll never drink a drop in my life, probably not
But for right now, during my time of study, I’ll take a Gatorade over a bottle of beer every time.
Try walking around a party when you’re the only sober one their…its interesting…haha
((Alan))

Bobby Knight

Bobby Knight
Former legendary college basketball coach (from that university south of here)
Since this is the great state of Indiana…
If you know college basketball, you know Bobby Knight

And now, without further adieu, the next installment of the Bobby Knight saga…

Bobby was out with his buddy, Bob “Bubba” Curtis, in southern Texas hunting doves.
A local resident approached Knight and his hunting partner at their parked pick-up truck to complain about the stray bird shot hitting the roof of his home. Immediately, Knight took the defensive and denied any responsibility…
“Wasn’t us”
“I didn’t shoot once in that direction”
The homeowner didn’t buy it and asked Knight to at the very least move down away from his home. To which, Knight aggressively responded…
“I shouldn’t have to move down, in fact, I ain’t moving down until you ask us politely”
Time out…
Bobby Knight lecturing someone on manners?
Unbelievable…
Time in…
What ensued was a classic Texas shoot em’ up, only this clash was fought with words.
Knight and the homeowner went back and forth shouting insults until the conflict eventually dissolved…
I chose to discuss this incident for mainly 2 reasons.
1.) I thought it was hilarious- Bobby being Bobby
2.) At the same time, it wasn’t so hilarious. My immediate reaction was, what can Texas Tech (Knight’s current employee) think about this? After all, he is the man who is in charge of all those young men on the basketball court. Some role model…
Talk about an embarrassment to the university. Can u imagine the press conference when Texas Tech administration will have to answer questions?
In the end, whether right or wrong, nothing probably will be done about it.
After all, like I said, it was just Bobby being Bobby…
((Alan))

Born Into Brothels

In Zana Briski's documentary film, Born Into Brothels, she documents the lives of children growing up in Calcutta’s red light district. Her film reveals the most intimate details of their lives. Briski uses those details as evidence in an argument about the effects that living in the red light district has on these children. Write a blog in which you explore this. Is it fair that the children’s lives are “on display” for all the world to see? What about their privacy? Can a child “give consent” to be portrayed in this way? Do the “ends” justify the “means”? Is her documentary ultimately “successful”? How do you measure its success? Minimum length: 200 words

After viewing the film, and doing some brief research on Zana Briski, I feel the documentary was very successful. For me personally, I was ignorant, having no idea of the lives which were led by these young children. The film made me realize just how fortunate I am.
The lifestyle of the red light district in calcutta is not a healthy environment for children to grow up. They are born, essentially, with no chance of getting out.
This is were Briski comes in.
The question of whether it was "right" or "wrong" of her display the lives of these children for the world to see is no simple one to answer. In my opinion, by doing so, Briski gave these children a chance, a glimmer of hope.
Avijit, the boy who exhibited exceptional talent, is now out of the brothel, and studying in Europe. Without Briski and her photography class, he could never even dream of this opportunity. You don't have to look very hard to find the positive effects of the documentary. Briski was able to place a handful of children in boarding school across India, removing them from the brothel. Yes, some did choose to go back, or were forced, but at least they were given a chance. Briski could only do so much...
Furthermore, as an after effect of the film, Briski has created a non-profit organization, Kids with Cameras, dedicated to giving that glimmer of hope to underprivaledged children around the world.
((Alan))

My relationship with...Food

Over the past weeks, you have learned about recent trends in corporate farming, genetically modified foods, organic farming, the "slow foods movement," the centrality of corn in the American diet, and various other food- and diet-related topics. Has what you have learned changed the way that you eat? Write a blog in which you explain if/how your relationship to food may change as a result of what you've learned, and why you have/haven't been influenced by our studies. Minimum length: 200 words

Unfortunately, the vast wealth of knowledge I have gained over the past few weeks will most likely not change the way I eat.

1) Convenience- I would say about 85 percent of my daily food intake comes from the dining halls here on campus. Even though University dining does provide a variety of foods in each hall, the aspect of choice is still somewhat limited. Whatever they have on the menu is usually what I eat for dinner. Never have I walked in, seen what was being served, disliked the selection, and turned around and walked out. I don’t even think about eating out during the school week. I guess my thinking is, I paid for this meal plan, so I might as well use it. (Even if I’m not in the mood for tacos on those Mexican food days) Frankly, I just don’t have the time to go out and buy my own food.

2) I feel my current diet is satisfactory- In my defense, I believe my eating habits (before I gained all this new knowledge) weren’t all that bad. I have to give myself some credit.

If anything, these past few weeks of class have opened my eyes to a subject I had previously heard nothing about. While this new knowledge may in fact make me think twice about where the food I eat is coming from, it probably won’t stop me from putting it on my plate.

((Alan))

The Patriot

While watching The Patriot on BTV tonight, I thought of a particular quote by Benjamin Franklin that I always found clever.
Old Ben had just finished signing his name the The Declaration of Independence when he said the following...

"We all must hang together, or, assuredly, we will all hang separately"

Ben had always had a reputation for being a jokster, but his words carried a lot of weight.
I admire the dedication of our forefathers wholeheartedly
When each one of them signed their name to the Declaration,
they were essentially signing away their lives in the event of an American defeat.
They were the ones who stuck their necks out,
so people like you and I,
can live in this country and enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis.
I think it is very important for Americans to remember this.
Too often do American take for granted the freedoms that they possess.

and now back to the Patriot...
What a great movie
Although quite graphic, my favorite part of the movie is in the very beginning,
when Mel Gibson and his 2 young son take out the entire British brigade to save his older son.
Aside from being a great action scene, the movie captures the bond that is formed between father and son.
"Aim small, miss small"
The words Gibson speaks to his sons before the firefight...
I don't know if it is just me, but I think this could be one of the best movie quotes of all time.
It seems to me to be the perfect motto to apply to daily life.
It says to give everything you do, all the effort you have
Now, if only I could apply this to engineering...
((Alan))

The Season Begins

(( (Knocking on the door)...
"Come on guys, its time to get up"
I rolled over and grabbed my cell phone to see what time it was...5:45am.
Opening day of hunting season, you gotta love the early mornings...
I slowly got dressed, making sure to throw on my under armor, chances are the bay froze up over night and we'd have to bust some ice to get out to the blind this morning.
Once I was all geared up (waders, camo pants, camo jacket, face mask, gloves, 2 duck calls, and 1 goose horn) I walked into the kitchen and sat down for a quick cup of hot chocolate.
We still had about an hour until legal shooting time, so us boys (me, my brother, my dad, and my cousin) sat around the kitchen table and bs'd about the mornings hunt.
At about 6 o'clock, we all got up and headed out to the boathouse.
Turned out I was right, the bay was completely froze over with about a quarter inch of skim ice, but that was nothing the Merc couldn't take care of.
My brother and I hopped in the 14 foot Lund and backed slowly of of the bay.
We broke through into the open water and headed up the crick
Our blind was about half a mile from the main lake, and since it was so late in the season, we'd probably be the only ones on the water this morning.
We winded our way up the crick until we came to the spot where we ditched the boat and jumped onto our land trial which led to the blind.
The ground was froze over,
so that made walking through the cat-tails much easier than in the fall.
As we made our way into the blind, the sky above us just began to break open,
and the morning sun seemed to welcome us as it rose above the distant horizon. ))

The above narrative describes a typical day out at my brother's house (or the ranch, as I like to call it) in northeastern Indiana during hunting season.
This weekend was the season opener, and I missed it...
Why did I miss it?
The 10-12 page research paper I have assigned in English...
Talk about commitment...
((Alan))

AdBusters

1) Choose one of the Adbusters spoof ads in the "food" category and write an analysis of the ad. First, describe the ad visually. Next, explain what the ad is referencing and how it is spoofing the referenced work. Finally, provide your own response: how successful is the spoof? Why does/doesn't it work? Write a minimum of 200 words.



Visual Description

The setting of the ad appears to be a hospital emergency room. Three doctors/surgeons are huddled around an operating table and appear to be working intently on a patient. A clip board rests on the lower portion of the operating table and other medical equipment can be faintly seen in the background. The medical professionals are wearing blue operating gowns with white facial masks. The patient is covered by a white sheet, and only the underside of his feet visible.

In the foreground of the ad, an EKG machine takes up half of the visual space int he ad. On the screen, the lines form the shape of the McDonald's arch, which eventually flat lines. The text "Big Mac Attack" appears on the bottom portion of the EKG .



Reference and Spoofing

The ad references the damaging health effects of consuming fast food, specifically McDonalds's. It is basically saying that all fast food eaters are at an increased risk of heart attack. It hints at the fact that Americans are becoming lazy, thus relying on fast food, which leads to health problems. The ad is particularly effective because it makes use of a advertising symbol that most Americans are very familiar with, the Micky's D's arch. The spoof of McDonald's is cleverly played, because it places a very familiar image in a very unfamiliar place. Americans would not normally think of seeing the arch in an operating room.

Overall, I find the ad to be very successful. Heart attacks have become very common in the United States. I would bet it would be very hard to find someone who has not been directly affected by, or at least known someone who has suffered a heart attack. The ad is successful because it presents a very real possibility to those people who do not adopt a healthy lifestyle. It allows the viewer to picture themselves as the one on the operating table. Also, I feel it does a good job by targeting McDonalds specifically. They are the fast food king, and by targeting them, they are, in a sense, sending the message that all fast food places are unhealthy.

(I tryed to upload a picture of the ad, but my lack of computer skills prevented this, I apologize)

((Alan))

Food Log

Breakfast
bowl of Miniwheats cereal (with milk)
banana

Lunch
ham, cheese, lettuce, pickle, and tomato sandwich
bowl of Canadian cheese soup
vanilla yogurt with banana
glass of power-ade

Snacks throughout the day
cookie
2 sticks of gum
granola bar
can of Minute Made cherry-limeade

Dinner
turkey casserole
kernel corn
bowl of tortellini soup
salad
grape flavored water

For one day, keep a log of the food (and beverages) you consume (and be completely honest!). At the end of the day, analyze your day's diet. Did you eat foods that are likely to be "genetically modified" (e.g., corn, soybeans)? Did you eat organic fruits or vegetables? What was the farthest distance a food had to travel to get to you (e.g., pineapples from Hawaii, Fuji apples from New Zealand)? Did you eat fast food? Did you eat "slow food"?

College dining courts...A buffet at every meal...
Like most college students, I have a student meal plan (15 meals per week, to be exact)
With such a busy schedule, you can't beat the dining courts. Think about it...
you walk in
fill your plate with food (no waiting involved)
eat
fill your plate again (if needed, and once again, no waiting)
eat
put your tray in the machine (for someone else to clean)
walk out
and o ya, grab an ice cream cone on the way out...
It couldn't be more convenient.
Because of this, college students have little to absolutely no knowledge of where the food they eat came from, or how it got there.
I would venture to say that I am just like every other dining hall patron. We have no idea whether the food served is GE food or not, and frankly, I don't think we care. Based on the knowledge I have gained in the last week of the U.S. food industry, I would guess that our dining halls are not GMO free.
Back to my diet log...
Since coming to college, I feel that my eating habits have actually, slightly improved. I like having the option of choice at every meal. At home, my mom cooked dinner, and I ate whatever she made. They wasn't much choice involved. (Luckily, she was a great cook)
As far as fruits and vegetables are concerned, I have always loved both.
One of the best parts of my diet, I believe, is that when I'm hungry, I usually grab an apple or a banana, before a cookie or piece of candy.
For about the last year and a half, I have eliminated fast food almost completely from my diet. I rarely eat at McDonald's or Burger King, and if I do, it is not by my choice.
Perhaps the largest flaw in my diet is pace. I am often guilty of shoveling it in. I remember being a kid and my mom telling me, "Alan, slow down, its not going anywhere". However, I recently have tried to correct this problem. When I go to eat, I take my time, and am usually the last one done out of the group of people I eat with. So..... I am making progress.
((Alan))

America's Mayor

"Giuliani Gets Exposed As Fraud by Firefighters"
Here is an incredible video clip everyone should watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaCYEEO-58I
Some main point and quotes from this powerful clip...
Background-
Stories not delivered by an arm or extension of any political party
Stories of firefighters, active and retired, and the families of our FDNY memebers who served and sacrificed that horrible day
Paint a picture of Rudy that is remarkable different than the one he has painted of himself
It is time to tell the story...

-Rudy Giuliani has used a horrible event, September 11th, 2001, to create a carefully crafted persona, but the fact is what Rudy portrays is not a full picture of the decisions made that lead, in our view, to the deaths of our NYFD members, and the attempt to stop the dignified recovery of those lost.
-The urban legend of America's mayor needs to be balanced by the truth

"This guy had politics and his image as much more important than the needs of firefighters and their families"
"Its about learning who the person who is running for president is, don't go by the images you have seen on television"

Rudy's urban legend begins with 1st bombing of WTC
93' Attack
radio problem, didn't allow all calls to be rang in
Rudy and his hand-picked fire comissioner took 7 long years to replaced the deffective radios
Rudy ordered bogus radio's (cheap, and untested)
MayDay call
Firefighters weren't able to recieved the call to get out
Police officers heard it, they got out
Not a single cop lost in that building (north tower)
121 firefighters never made it out
***Thats what firefighters should remember about Rudy Giuliani, he gave us nothing when we needed a life saving radio***
Rather than taking responsibility, he tryed to blamed the victims...
telling the 9/11 commission that the firefighters heard the their evacution orders, but disobeyed them

The Recovery Process...
Firefighters began the difficult task of respectfully recovering the remains of fallen brothers
Gold belonging to the bank of Nova Scotia was found
200 million dollars
Within hours of recovering the gold, Rudy pulled NYFD members off the pile, claiming he was worried about their safety
Rudy's "scoop and dump" operation
When it started...
Only 101 NYFD members had been recovered
Hundreds stayed buried, or were removed like garbage
Apalling lack of respect
Public outrage
Rudy reopened the cite to recovery
Today, remains are still being found...

I don't think much needs to be said in response...
This video reveals many secrets to me, secrets of events that I had no idea had ever occurred
It really has made me think twice...

((Alan))

College Football

Saturday...
What a great day...

During the summer, Saturday normally serves as a catch-up day.
Being out with friends usually pushes my normal bedtime back by, ooh....about 3 or 4 hours, so...
Saturday is the perfect day to not set the alarm clock
However, in the fall...
Saturday takes on a whole new meaning,
College football

Even though I my head didn't hit the pillow until about 1 o'clock last night, I had no trouble getting up when my alarm clock buzzed at 9:30 this morning. It was game day.

Game 1
Purdue vs. Northwestern
Maybe I'm biased, but... you can't beat the Big Ten
Up until the last couple minutes, Northwestern was giving us all a run for our money...
They even had the lead at half!
I must admit, I was a tad bit frustrated, we're better than that...
(At least our play calling could be a little bit better...)
Anyway, we finally decided to turn it on in the 4th quarter (thanks for the insiparation Neil...)and play like we know how, sealing up the victory at 35-17. It was good quality win, and should give us some momentum going into the last 3 games of the season.
Another note from the game...
I was impressed by Northwestern's second TD...wow
Perfect execution of the hook and ladder...
As a football fan, I had to applaud

Game 2
Florida vs. Georgia
Incredible game
This is why I love college football
The emotion
A bunch of kids playing football for the love of the game...
Not for money,
Not to inflate their ego,
Not to gain celebrity status,
But just because they love the game, and love to compete
College football...
Football in its purest form.

((Alan))

Footprints

CATEGORY ACRES
FOOD 6.9
MOBILITY 0.2
SHELTER 5.2
GOODS/SERVICES 4.9
TOTAL 17
IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON.
WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.
IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 3.9 PLANETS.

First of all…
How do u define share? And who defines what a share is? In order to talk of things in terms of “shares”, we are assuming everyone involved is equal. However, this is not the case…
The United States is a MAJOR producer, I don’t know the numbers, but I would venture to say that we are among the world leaders in production of goods (if not, THE world leader). With that said, well, then when you ask me, “Is it fair for the U.S. to take more than their ‘share’”, my answer is absolutely…without a doubt.
I feel the explanation for this is obvious…

Yes, I agree, the often described “exuberant” American lifestyle does have its negative effects (global warming, contamination, pollution, etc) BUT, I feel that these failures are a small byproduct of the enormous success we have had. By arguing that the United States should not consume more natural resources than some less developed country is ridiculous. (i.e. only using our share) If you do, you are arguing against progress.
Honestly, why should we slow down to let others catch up?
However, there is a catch.
America is a world leader, (whether that is right or wrong… is another question)
With that title, comes responsibility.
In order to enjoy the fruits of the “American lifestyle”, we must be prepared to be held accountable for our actions.
((Alan))

Ris-kee Business

Friday marked the end of an era...
The era of Joe Torre as manager of the NY Yankees
A baseball legend, throw out like the trash...

12 years, 4 world series titles
12 straight playoff appearences
Is that not enough?

I don't understand, who will replaced him? who can possibly do better?
After Steinbrunner issued his ultimatum "If we don't win this series, I don't think I'll bring back Joe next season" (mind you, this was announced hours before the Yankees faced elimination last week) I should have known it was going to turn out bad...
I just didn't imagine it ending like it did.
I sat in my room Friday and watched the entire press conference, all 2 hours of it...
yes, 2 hours...
Torre answered every single question the Ny media had for him.
His answers were true and from the heart.
It was a shame he had to go like this...

When it comes down to it, there is only one explaination
Baseball is becoming too much of a business...
Torre's dismissal was the result of non-baseball people (business men) making baseball decisions...
All Hank and Hal Steinbrunner care about are statistics,
How many fans fill the park?
How much money did we make?
At least their arrogant father cared about baseball, and winnning, thats all

Its sad to say, but baseball is losing its integrity
What happened to the days of DiMaggio, Aaron, and Ruth?
What happened to the "good ol' days"?
((Alan))

The words of Teddy

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -- Theodore Roosevelt

In lieu of the upcoming election, I found this quote to be appropriate, and very interesting...
1.) Roosevelt does not merely state that criticism of the American government is merely allowed by the U.S. Constitution, but asserts that it is absolutely essential.
Theodore Roosevelt, the, Ruff Rider, founding father, former president, etc, etc (the list goes on and on...) is, I feel, exactly correct in his quotation.
It is the duty of the American people to be skeptical, and to question the decisions made by their leaders. We, the American people, must play an active role in our government. It is my belief that many people feel their job is done once they leave the polls. However, voting is not enough...
The words of the Preamble shout out to us...."We the people of the United States..."
The United States was founded "for the people, by the people" and we must keep it this way...
Just think back into the past...
2 cases that I can think of...
The Pilgrims.
i
They chose to flee the reach of their native government, in search of a new life.
Religious persecution...we've all heard the story.
To make a long story short, without the bold action of revolt (the criticism Roosevelt's quote mentions) the United States would not be here as it is today.
ii Nazi Germany
Here is a case of what can happen if we DON'T criticize our government. The level of brainwashing and strengh of national unity that Hitler was able to create was incredible. I don't think I need to explain what can go wrong when an entire country conforms to one belief. The people of Germany believed every word Hitler said to them.. no one questioned, no one criticized. We all know the result...

The quote which I discussed is courtesy of the immortal J. A. Miller...my extraordinary high school history teacher.
((Alan))

October Break

Sunday Night Football
Bears v. Packers

For the past 2 or 3 years, me and a group of my friends have had a weekly tradition. We all get together every Sunday over at my buddy Ryan's house to watch the Bears game. Living in a south suburb of Chi-town, its a pretty big deal...
Anyways, because most of us are all away at school, we haven't yet been able to get together this year. However, October break came at the perfect time. A couple of "the boys" were all home and the Bears were playing primetime. It couldn't have worked out any better.
Making all these new friends in college is great, but there is nothing like old friends.
I love being around those guys, mostly because we all get along so well.
We were the athletes in high school, all of our lives pretty much revolving around sports.
Many summer days were spent outside playing ball.
Back to my story, so we all got to house around 6.
(So we had plently of time to watch pregame, which is very important..haha)
And just like always, Ryan's dad had a magnificent spread of food set up for us.
Ribs, Chicken, Potatoes, French Bread, Chips, Dip
It was outstanding.
Overall, it was just a great night. Theres nothing like a night out with the guys.
We all were able to relax, not having to worry about school for a couple hours.
It was nice to be able to sit down and talk with someone from home, someone familiar.
I can't wait till Thanksgiving...
There was only one thing that went wrong that night...
My Packers lost a heartbreaker 27-20
((Alan))

Friday...

So here I am...Friday night...in my dorm room....doing nothing............
That pretty much sums it up, but I'll elaborate.
I can't help it, but I already have a bad attitute about this weekend.
Nothing is going on; I have zero plans for the next 2 days,
except for homework, but that definately does not count.
I've been sitting on my bed since about 6 o'clock, when I got back from dinner.
In the last 3 hours or so, I haven't moved.
Its been me and my laptop, with me forcing myself to get my blog entries done from the week.
*Special note* I noticed there is no post for our required entry this week...
Does this mean we don't need to do one!?
I doubt it.
Who knows, it could show up magically online, say, Sunday night.
(this is for my engineering readers, referencing a certain Chip assignment we had to do)
Anyways, I still have to put the finishing touches on my narrative for Monday.
Boy, did that turn out to be a lot of work...
I guess it has been a fair trade off though,
I have enjoyed not going to class this week thoroughly.
Today was especially nice, I was done with class on a friday by 1:30 for the first time all year.
Well, I think that is all for now, the Boston-Cleveland game is calling...
Go Bo Sox!
((Alan))

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Ali is known to many as the greatest boxer of all time (rightfully so),
however, few are aware that he may also have been the greatest rapper of his era

Here are some examples...just for fun

"I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."

"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize. "

"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am. "

This next one is probably my favorite...
"Last night I had a dream,
When I got to Africa, I had one hell of a rumble.
I had to beat Tarzan’s behind first,
For claiming to be King of the Jungle.
For this fight, I’ve wrestled with alligators,
I’ve tustled with a whale.
I done handcuffed lightning
And put thunder in jail.
You know I’m bad.
I have murdered a rock,
I’ve injured a stone,
and hospitalized a brick.
I’m so bad, I make medicine sick.
I’m so fast, man,
I can run through a hurricane and don't get wet.
When George Foreman meets me,
He’ll pay his debt.
I can drown the drink of water,
and kill a dead tree.
Wait till you see Muhammad Ali. "

"It's gonna be a a killa, a chilla, and a thrilla when I get that gorilla (Joe Frazier) in Manila"

Ali talking about himself before a bout with Sonny Liston...

"Then someone with color,
someone with dash,
brought fight fans a runnin with cash"

"This kid fights great,
he's got speed and endurance,
but if you decied to fight him,
increase your insurance!"

"This kid's got a left,
this kid's got a right,
If he hits you once,
your asleep for the night,
and as you lie of the floor,
as the ref counts ten,
you'll pray you never have to fight him again"

"Here I predict Mr. Liston's dismemberment,
I'll hit him so hard,
he'll wonder where October and November went"

And finally, an elderly, more humble Muhammad Ali, suffering form Parkinson's disease...

"God gave me this illness to remind me that I'm not number One; He is."

Hope you all enjoyed that...

((Alan))

"Handicapped by History: The Process of Hero Making"

By idolizing those whom we honor, we do a disservice both to them and to ourselves....We fail to recognize that we could go and do likewise. --Charles V. Willie

To start, I think it is important to note the word usage of Charles Willie in is epigraph.
Idolizing…honor…disservice…fail…likewise…
“By idolizing those whom we honor”
Idolize, from the root word idol, has a very negative connotation. When I first read Willie’s quote, I thought about the Bible and the early practice of idol worshipping. I was brought back to Sunday school, where we learned about the Lord’s response to idol worshippers.
Destruction…chaos…anger…
Willie is telling us that we have gone too far in our adoration of those we honor. We have put them up on a pedestal, much like an idol.
“We do a disservice to both them and ourselves”
When we reach this state of idolization, we detached ourselves from those we adore. They no longer seem human to us. Willie argues, and does so effectively, that this action can have damaging effects on both sides. Let us put this is terms of the modern era.
Celebrities…Paparazzi…need I even say more?
On the flip side, if we hold our heroes up so high with so much esteem, what are we saying about ourselves?
“We fail to recognize that we could do likewise”
In other words, we are selling ourselves short. We place or heroes and those we honor on levels much higher than our own. By thinking, “wow…I wish I could be like them…” we have failed, failed to believe in ourselves. If we no longer believe in ourselves, then what hope do we have?
((Alan))

I Flipping Hate ENGR126

Liars!
Dirty liars!
As if the bonus lab, postlab, and project wasn't enough...
Here I am, relaxing, about to call it a night...
I log onto blackboard to get an idea of what the postlab looks like, so I can try and tackle it on the way home tomorrow...
What do I find?
CHIP hmwk!
The T.A. at our last lecture specifically told us... no CHIP homework
and there it is...posted either today or Sunday...
As if the class hasn't broke me down enough...
I can hear their excuse now...."we're preparing you for the real world"
b.s.
Now I have one more thing to worry about when I get back...
I almost feel bad about ranting...bc I can't stand it when people complain...
but seriously...why can't you just assign it like always, so we have all week to do it...
What about those of us with lives who don't check blackbaord every waking second of our lives!
Please... someone tell me I'm not the only one a little ticked off about this...
((Alan))

Home...

"Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home"

October break...finally...
It feels absolutely amazing to be back home...
These past three days have been so relaxing...
No class, no hmwk...
o wait, I do have homework...Engineering...
English, Calculus, and Chemistry professor's => "no homework over October break, have a good weekend!"
Engineering professor => "Here everyone, make sure to do ALL of this for class next week: lab bonus, postlab, and group project...Remember....October break means nothing to me, you should have expected this...ohh and have a nice break..."
Great, Thanks prof. Imbrie, I appreciate it.
I guess i should re-phrase what I said before...
no class, "not doing any" homework
This weekend was for me, and i think I deserved it...
Its been go go go go go ever since school started...
And I'll tell you what, it feels SUPER not having done anything school related all weekend...
except until now, when I forced myself to write these blogs for English...
Don't get me wrong, college is great, Purdue is great, but it was time to go home...
and I'm not going to lie, I don't really want to go back tomarrow...
I will I could stay here...until....lets say...January...ya...I'll be ready to go again by then...
((Alan))

ps - Anyone know what song I took the words from on the top of the post?

Curtis vs. Neidich

Edward Curtis
When J. P. Morgan called for Curtis to produce a photographical series of the North American Indian, he took his mission very seriously. His motive was evident very early on, "The information that is to be gathered ... respecting the mode of life of one of the great races of mankind, must be collected at once or the opportunity will be lost". This quote on Curtis's appeared as an introduction to his first volume of The North American Indian. From the information I have gathered on Edward Curtis, I feel he felt that he was preserving history. During this time period, most people knew nothing about the natives whose land they were living on. Historical record of Native Americans simply was not kept. As a result of this, I feel Curtis''s merit begins to lesson. Since his photographs would be many peoples first impression of Native Americans, he wanted to produce images they would not forget. This accounts for the staging of photographs and the reason why he got a lot of Native American history wrong. Curtis was trying to appeal to his viewers nostalgia and personal memory, meaning, what they "thought" Indians should look like, not neccesarily the truth. Edward Curtis set out to preserve history, but along the way, he ended up doing the Native Americans a disservice. (unintentionally)
Neidich
Warren Neidich can be described as counter-Curtis. His motive is to describe and show us (the public) how photography can generate our ideas about history. His research/work with the O.J. Simpson trial cannot be denied. He argues that the role of today's media has changed. He states that it has transformed from a presentor of news into a producer of entertainment. With it may not be entirely 100 percent correct, he all must admit there is some validity in his claims. All you have to do is turn on the T.V. He presents his photographs from a much different perspective when compared to Curtis. His photographs are not meant to stir up nostalgia or personal memory, but to try and correct these two phenomina that can often get clouded. His work shows us how the general public can easily be influenced by the media storm that often overwhelms us.
By looking at the photographs of both artists in class, and by viewing others online, I honestly didn't really enjoy either artists' work. It was obvious in both accounts that the photographs were staged. I don't think I would ever purchase either of their works. If I had to choose, I would probably say...Curtis, bases solely on the rustic appearence of his photos. I can see why his viewers were easily mislead.

Best Weekend Yet

It has been a looooooooooong time since I saw my girlfriend, all the way back to labor day.
Your probably thinking, labor day? that was only 3 weeks ago...
Ya, well, when your girlfriend goes to school 3 hours away, 3 weeks feels like an eternity.
I was so excited when she told me she had this weekend free and was coming to visit.
This past week of class was crazy, almost like the week before Christmas when I was little, I thought about her all the time. The days seemed to crawl by.
She finally got here Friday right before English, I couldn't have been happier. I was in one of those permanent good moods, nothing was going to bring me down (or get the smile off my face). It lasted all weekend...
Now...its about 3 o'clock, and shes only been gone for about 15 minutes, and I miss her already. You would think maybe saying goodbye would get a little easier each time, but it doesn't. Every time she leaves, I think a little peice of me goes with her. I'm just not as happy as I was earlier this weekend. It felt amazing to wake up these past two mornings and see her beautiful face.
Ya, it has been hard, but its weekends like this one that remind me that its all worth it, and how lucky I am to have her...
((Alan))

No News Is Not Good News

I was talking (more like complaining) to a friend on Friday about these blogs we have to write every week. I was telling her that (1.) I usually don't get around to writing them until either Saturday or Sunday because of how busy my week usually is, and (2.) I always struggle to find something interesting to write about.
It was during this conversation that I realized how "out of touch" I am with current events.
In my high school years, I would wake up every morning and peer through the newspaper over breakfast. Such is not the case here at college, where time is often scarce. I can barely make enough time to eat breakfast in the morning before rushing out to go to class. I don't remember the last time I was able to pick up a paper other than the Exponent. (which is definately not the best paper to be informed of the "goings on" around the world from)
College has consumed my whole life since I got here. All the little things, like watching the news before bed, reading the paper, sifting through magazines, etc. are almost nonexistant anymore. I simply do not have time for them anymore. It seems like all I ever do is eat, sleep, go to class, and do homework.
Yea, I guess I could make a better effort to be informed on current events, but after a normal day here at Purdue, all I want to do is go to sleep! There isn't much time to relax, other than on the weekends. (But, I have found out that Sunday turns out to just like every other day, probably because I usually leave a lot of my work until that night) I guess my point is that I was surprised at how easy it was for me to drift away from today's current events and not even know it was happening.
((Alan))

Nothing

Boy does it feel great to being doing nothing! I love the weekend. Especially saturday, because that means tomarrow is Sunday...no school..again!
24-10 Boilers. Minnesota is not very good. Thats another thing I love about the weekends, football.
Saturday -> College
Sunday->NFL
All day
O wait, we scored again, 31-10
I can't wait till we play someone good...I like our chances this year
I remember my weekends back at home during highscool, I hated those nights when I stayed home and did nothing. I always wanted to be out, doing something fun with my friends. Well, things have definately changed...
I barely have anytime to myself out here. It seems like its go go go, all day long. At home, I usually never stayed up later than 11:00 o'clock on a weeknight. Now, 11:00 is nothing. A lot of times, I'm just starting some of my homework then.
I know one thing, I don't like it very much. I feel myself get progressively tired each day of the week. By friday, I'm spent. I thought thats when the party started!?!
I hope things start to lessson up a bit, but I doubt it...
I have to admit, I wasn't exactly ready for this. I feel like I've done more work this semester already, than I did my entire senior year!

Wright Patterson

I have to admit, I wasn't a happy camper this morning when my alarm clock rang at 7:00am. I couldn't believe it was time to get up already, it felt like my head had just hit the pillow. Five more minutes wouldn't hurt...I hit the snooze.
35 minutes later, I scrambled out of bed, and frantically threw some clothes on. Stupid alarm clock...
I walked myself down to lobby and plopped onto the nearest couch. I fought to keep my eyes open while a member of our Learning Community Board rambled on about today's events. We would be boarding a bus and making the trip over into Ohio to go to Wright PAtterson Air Force Base. We all had tickets to an imax show and would be able to walk around the museum this afternoon.
We all walked outside and boarded to beautiful coach bus that awaited us. I took a seat in the back with a couple friends and waited for the trip to begin. We were not 20 minutes from campus, and I would say three-quarters of the students on board were fast asleep, including myself.
4 hours later (yes, 4 entire hours) we rolled into the musuem parking lot. I had actually been to Wright Patterson some 3 years ago with my parents, and was excited to be back. It is an incredible complex. The musuem spans 3 gigantic hangers that are filled with nearly everything airforce/aviation related since the beginging of flight. Since we only had 4 hours, I did my best to try and take in all the sights. The musuem is divided into 6 different sections, each devoted to a specific time period in history: PreWWI, WWI, WWII, Cold War, Modern Aircraft, and Spacecraft. My favorite part of the day was without a doubt the modern aircraft hanger. I'm a big Top Gun fan, so naturally you can understand my excitement when I was able to sit in the cockpit of an F-16. You know that dream job we all have that will never happen? Well thats me, Airforce fighter ace.
All in all, I had a good day at Wright Patterson. It sure was nice to get away from schoolwork and worrying about my 3 exams this week. (although I probably should have studied on the ride there and back...I mean...I only had 7 hours to kill...) Buts that ok, I'll get over it.
((Alan))

Justifiable?

Lesson #5: Proportionality should be a guideline in war.
100,000 people in one night…gone…never to come back…
From a military standpoint
The firebombing of Japanese cities and the detonation of the two atomic bombs was justified.
Prior to the firebombing, the B-29’s were used primarily for high altitude bombing raids. The development of a high pressure cabin made it possible for bombers to drop their payloads from an altitude safe from anti-aircraft guns. However, since the bombs had to travel farther to hit their target, accuracy was compromised.
The solution
The function of the B-29 bomber was modified. To make up for the loss in accuracy, the airplane would now fly at a much lower altitude.
Important Fact
Most of the infrastructure of 1940’s Japan was built out of wood
The revolution
Introduce incendiary bombs that upon impact engulf the surroundings in flames. It would only take a spark here and there, and a whole city could go up in one night.
From a military standpoint, these modifications were genius. The increase in efficiency was astronomical. This type of strategy could be a potential war-winner (as it turned out to be)
One must understand that because of previous events in the war, (such as Stalingrad) nothing in war is guaranteed.
What did this mean?
The military had crippled the Japanese, but needed to deliver its final KO
Aka…The atomic bombs
Think of all the American lives we saved.
The Japanese were tenacious fighters, willing to fight to the death (Okinawa, Iwo)
An attack on mainland Japan would have been disastrous for American GI’s
The operation was a major success.
However, from a moral standpoint…
Who are we to say that our American lives are worth more than those of the Japanese?
((Alan))

Beah's Influence

After all that Ishmael Beah has seen and been through, I find the demeanor and aura of his personality today the most inspiring. While searching for more information about him, I came across this quote, "If I choose to feel guilty for what I have done, I will want to be dead myself,
I live knowing that I have been given a second life, and I just try to have fun, and be happy and live it the best I can." I found these words to be both astonishing and encouraging.
Amidst all the horror and suffering Ishmael experiened, good has emerged over evil. It would have been so easy for him to let the weight of the situation he was in keep him down. Against all odds, Ishmael was able to claw his way out of Sierra Leone and begin a new life in the United States. By looking at Ishmael today, one would have no idea of the pain and agony he has felt in his realitively short life. In nearly every single photograph or interview I saw of him, he always had a smile on his face. After what he has been through, it amazes me that he is able to get up each morning and look at himself in the mirror. He killed. Not just once, but over and over and over again. He was a murderer. He slayed innocent lives. It takes a truely special person to be able to put your past behind you and move on with your life. Like he says, he knows what he did. He knows he was a killer. When I first read his quote, I was kind of taken aback. My first reaction was, 'What? He doesn't feel guilty! How can he not!' but after giving it some thought, I realized what he was trying to say. I have a great amount of respect for him because of his commitment to help those who were just like him. He doesn't have to do what he is doing.
His quote gives us all a message of hope. No matter how terrible things seem, we must perservere and fight our way through. No good comes from feeling sorry for yourself.
I really would have loved to go listen to him speak. After listen to our discussion on friday, it seems like I missed out on a special opportunity. I wish I would have had the chance to see him in person and see if I got the same upbeat, kind, and genuine vibe I felt listening to him online.
((Alan))

Stream of Consciousness

Thursday:
...Noooo, it can't be 6:45 already! It feels like i just closed my eyes and fell asleep...
...2 hours until engineering lab, I have no motivation to go at all...
...Well, here I am, clueless about where to even begin with this CFU(check for understanding)...
...I can't wait until the weekend...

Friday
...Whew, no engineering classes today...
...Wait a minute, isn't this what I signed up for...
...I don't know if I'm cut out to be an engineer...
...Is this really what I'm going to be doing for the next 4 years...
...So far my favorite class to go to is English...
...I never even really liked English...
...I don't know what to do...

Saturday
...Finally, I can relax...
...Its the weekend! Why am I not relaxed...
...I have to write my english blogs...
...I have to do my ENGR chip homework...
...I have to write out my chemistry lab...
...I have to do my engineering postlab...
...I should start my engineering project...
...Its 7:00pm and I haven't done anything yet...
...Highschool was a joke compared to college...
...I'm doing homework on a Saturday night...
I tryed to change it up this week.
I've attempted to post a "stream of consciousness" of what has been going through my mind the last couple days. Hope it makes sense.
((Alan))

Cheaters

So for those of you reading who haven't noticed yet, I'm a big sports guy. When I'm not studying calc, doing engineering homework, reading chemistry, or writing english papers, I'm usually outside doing something athletic or in my room watching sports. Thus, usually at least one of my blog entries each week reflects this interest of mine.
So with that said, my entry for this week (which is very similar to my last one) : Cheating in sports, only this time we are talking football.
Team: New England Patriots
Credentials: Superbowl champions 2002, 2004, 2005
Offense: Violation of NFL rules governing sideline videotaping with the intent of gaining a competative advantage.
*Punishment: $500,000 fine to head coach, $250,000 fine to organization, and loss of 1st round pick in next years NFL draft
Result: Bill Belichick (heralded as the greatest coach in the NFL in the last decade) and the New England Patriots (arguably the best team in the league) were found have made a "calculated and deliberate attempt" of breaking known league rules.
Its only the second week of the season! How can the NFL have this much controversy surrounding it before half of the teams in the league even have a W in the win column.
Notice the star I put by punishment...Even with all the disappointment I felt towards the Patriots, I was overjoyed to see commissioner Goodell come down hard on the offenders. Its about time an authoritative body in sports has come down swiftly and harshly on those who dare to break the rules. If it had not been for the $500,000 cap on fines in the NFL, I am confident Goodell would have demanded more. Furthermore, his decision to take away a draft pick of the Patriots next year is genius. The loss of a big time college prospect can potentially have a huge impact on the Patriots scheme in the next couple of years.
From a fan standpoint, I don't know what to think anymore. As of late, it seems that with each week, another scandel in the sporting world is revealed. Last week was baseball; this week its football. What will be next?
((Alan))

O fortunate fortunate us...

While out on one of my "campus runs", (for clarification, a campus run is my attempt to stay in shape while at school, consisting of me talking a lap around campus in an effort to burn off the numerous calories I consume each day in our dining halls) I was about halfway to Ross-Ade stadium, musing about life, when for some reason I began to think about just how fortunate I am. There are sooo many things I have to be thankful for, heres a few of the ones I came up with while on my run...
1 The opportunity to be here at Purdue, a world class institution, full of world class scholors
2 The basic nessecities: Food, Water, Shelter All you need to do is take one look at one of our dining courts. Just think about how much food is cycled through each one every single day. Its enough to feed an entire country.
3 Saftey. For one thing, I was outside at about 11 o'clock at night, unafraid of my safety. Unfortunately, you can't do this in some parts of the world.
4 Family. To start off, if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't even be here at Purdue. The tuition bill doesn't pay for itself...
5 Friends. There is no way I could make it though alone. Also, its exciting to be at that stage in my life where I can say I have my "college" friends and my "hometown" friends.
6 All of my "pleasantries" meaning... tv, laptop/internet, facebook, instant mesager, radio, cell phone, etc
We all our very lucky to be in the position we are in, to have the opportunity that we have.
Not everyone is as fortunate as we are. I guess what im trying to say is...when things don't go exactly how we want them, and we get angry, we need to remember that things could be much much worse. Reading the memoirs of Ismael has opened my eyes to the suffreing and pain that exists in this world. Pain and suffering that many of us know nothing about.
((Alan))

Ankiel's Achilles Heal

I couldnt believe it....I had just gotten done watching the highlight.
Rick Ankiel, an outfielder for the playoff contending St. Louis Cardinals, went like 3 for 5 and hit a game deciding homerun that sent the Pirates back to Pittsburg without a series win. I told my buddy AJ who was watching Sportscenter with me, "Good for him, I'm glad he's having a career year, he deserves it". The words had barely left my mouth when a Sportscenter "breaking news" headline slide across the screen..
"Outfielder Ankiel linked too reports of HGH drug scandal"
I was speechless, but then again, I probably should have known...
The steriod scandel that has engulfed Major League Baseball is sickening. I have to admit, I thought the league was making progress, no new stories had been released in quite some time. However, the Ankiel allegations blasted me back into reality.
The integrity of baseball is in ruins; America's national pastime is tarnished.
When I heard the news of the Ankiel story, i remember feeling a stinging mixture of annoyance and rage. I had fallen for it...
For thoose of you who don't know the Ankiel story, here it is...
Ankiel started out in the Cardinal farm system as a pitcher, eventually making it to the big leagues after moving up through the ranks. After experiencing major league success, the fear ever professional pitcher has, became a reality for Ankiel, he needed arm surgery (Tommy John) To make a long strory short, he ended up coming out of surgery unable to pitch a baseball every again. However, this did not start Ankiel. He somehow convinced the organization to let him tryout as a positional player, a conversion unheard of in major league baseball. In nearly no time, Ankiel worked his way back up the pros and this year was in the process of having a career year. He had become the "feel good" story of major league baseball.
Not anymore...
This year has been a tragedy for baseball. The most coveted record in baseball, all time homerun leader, was broken by a cheater. Barry Bonds. With so many players being linked to steriods, I don't know who to trust anymore. My only hope is that the game will make it through these dark times and return to the glory days of the past middle of the century.
((Alan))

The "Die"Mond Debate

My first experience as a child with diamonds probably took place at a JC Penny's type store in the mall while shopping with my mom. Becoming bored with walking through aisle after aisle of women's clothing, I most likely ventured off to the middle of the store where they kept all the shiny stuff in the large display cases. The visual stimulation of the sparkling diamonds is what sparked my curiosity and drew me closer. At this point in my life, I'd say I only knew the basics:
1. Diamonds were very expensive
2. Only grown-ups could buy and wear diamonds
3. Husbands gave diamond rings to their wives when they got married
As far as I was concerned, Diamonds were just something fun to look at.
Fast forward to today...
Since I am only 18 years old, the idea of confessing my love to my significant other and showering her with diamonds hasn't exactly crossed my mind.
I must confess, my knowledge of conflict diamonds before this school year began was very limited. I had heard of the concept of "blood diamonds" before, but that was about it. The past two weeks of class have figuratively opened my eyes to a very serious problem. However, even after learning of the terrible tragedies occuring in numerous African countries, my views on diamonds have not changed much.
In order to cover myself, let me say this first...The idea of consumers purchasing "conflict-free" diamonds only is excellent, and I say bravo to all the groups who advocate for this change. I know that if I were to buy a diamond, I would sleep better at night knowing the ring on my finger was clean, and not tarnished by being the product of the bloodshed of others.
However, we must remember diamond companies are out to make a profit. If it costs a company half as much to pruchase conflict diamonds when compared to conflict-free diamonds, the company will choose the cheapest means of production every single time. At the end of the day, what do they care? They made money. As horrible as this sounds, that is just the way things are...
In regard to the song lyrics
While Shirley Bassey's "Diamonds are Forever" does leave out the important details of diamond mining and marketing, how can we fault her? It is not her responsibility to educated us on conflict diamonds or the goings on in Sierra Leone.
Although Kanye West's "Diamonds from Sierra Leone remix" seems to tell the true story of diamond mining, I have my reservations. While his information may be correct, Kanye has a tarnished image in my mind. I don't think I will ever be able to look past his "George Bush don't care about black people" statement he made earlier this year. As far as I know, the song was written for entertainment purposes (i.e. the James Bond films)
Furthermore, how effective are his lyrics anyway? I'd be willing to bet that more than half of the people who have listened to or own his cd, have not even realized the message of the song. They just like it because it sounds good. Think about it... How often do we actually listen to the words in the music we download.
I do believe that counter-story telling can be effective, if done correctly. However, in the case of Shirley Bassey and Kanye West, the connection is not there.
((Alan))

Learning How To Learn...

Last week, I walked into my first Engineering126H lecture virtually unaware of what to expect. I had heard so many different things about the course from students who "made it through" last year. (I put the 'phrase made it through' in quotations because that was the way nearly every student I conversed with decribed finishing the class) However, a few things remained the same throughout, the class was taught by a tough professor and the courseload was heavy....very heavy. I picked out a seat about three or four rows from the front and settled in for the lecture.

The professor began at precisely 3:30 and stated right away, (and rather bluntly) that his class was going to be like no other class we had taken before. He stressed over and over again that ENGR126 was a class about "learning how to learn". I remember this phrase causing me to chuckle a little bit the first time I heard it. What is the world was he talking about? I already knew how to learn. What did he think I had been doing for the past twelve years?

Boy, was I wrong.....

Coming out of highschool, I knew college was going to be a challenge, but I was confident in my pre-college education. There is no doubt that I amassed an enormous amount of knowledge in those twelve years, but after listening to my ENGR126 professor the past fews days, I began to ponder, did i really learn how to learn? After my first two weeks of college, I'm not so sure...

By my fourth ENGR126 lecture last wednesday, I was convinced, my professor was right. He presented some examples in class that I could immediately parallel into my studies already at Purdue. I'll give a quick example, I was doing my math homework, "Finding Area and Volumes of Curves", for my MA162 class. I remember thinking, peice of cake, i did this just last year in highschool. To make a long story short, I ended up spending a large chunk of time struggling with about half of the problems in the homework. My highschool teacher had presented a process, which in turn I learned, and then he tested us on this process ONLY. Only is a key word because I found out quick that in college, you get thrown a lot more curveballs...
The problems in my new homework sets caused me to understand the concept deeper, not just some learned and repeated process.

I'm relieved I have made this realization early in my college career, and do not have to suffer the stress and frustration later on. Although at times it seems like a daunting task, I am prepared to start over, in a sense, and RE-learn how to learn.
((Alan))

Con-Vick

Just put him in jail already...its starting to get ridiculous.
Exhibit A
Monday Night Football. Cincinatti Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons.
Like every other MNF viewer anxiously anticipating week one, I tuned into the game expecting to see some quality NFL action as two potential playoff teams squared off in a preseason matchup. Boy, was I wrong.....I watched from about 10 o'clock to 11:30, and in that time span I probably saw 10 plays. 10 plays! Instead of football, I was watching "The Michael Vick Show".
Exihibit B
Sportscenter
I can not get through a full running of sportscenter without the mention of Michael Vick and/or his criminal trial. Its sickening...Vick has clogged the sport reporting airwaves.

For those of you who are unaware, Michael Vick, a top NFL quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons is being charged on numerous accounts of dogfighting and animal cruelty. Vick, a millionaire (over and over and over again) has knowingly allowed/coordinated dogfighting on his estate in the south. Once again, for those who do not know, Dogfighting is a horrific "sport" (if one even has the nerve to call it a sport) I'll give a quick overview....
Dogs are trained to be mean, often bloodthirsty, in preparation for events
They are often starved, electrocuted, and half-drowned in order to "toughen" up for a fight
Now that we are clear...
Two words. Jail. Immediately.
The evidence is overwhelming. Justice will be served!................ or will it?
I have seen it over and over again. Celebrities...and their knack for weaseling there way out of trouble. All I have to say is it better not happen this time. It is absoutely embarrasing that our justice system allows people (who are no different than you and me) to bend the rules.
Our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves if they knew..."all men created equally" yea right...
Martha Stewart...did anyone catch a look at the jail ( o wait...excuse me, detention facility) she served in? Looked more like a Holiday Inn Express to me.
The Vick case is still pending...legal experts say it may take up to a year to sentence him. My question is, why a year? I'm almost positive if I had committed acts of animal cruelty, PETA would have had me thrown in jail the next day! Not Micheal Vick, NFL superstar.
It is about time the American legal system gets back on track. The media coverage has been overwhelming. It is incredible to me how much of a deal is being made out of a relatively insignificant offense when compared to other atrocities happening around the globe. The only thing we can hope for is that through all this coverage, enough people will stand up and put Michael Vick in his correct place...
In jail, not the football field.
((Alan))

Problems...

1. Abuse of Human Rights
2. Loss of Opportunity of an Education
3. Child Labor
4. Inaccurate Media Coverage (Bias)
5. The Loss of a Childhood
6. Diamond Exportation
7. Bureaucratization of War
8. Physical Damage of War on Humans
9. Corrupt Politics
10. Psychological Modification (Conditioning)
11. Ecological Effects of War
12. Ignorance
13. Separation of Families
14. Breakdown of Communal Values (Mistrust)
15. Economic Effect of War on the Standard of Living
16. Decline of the Credibility of a Country
17. Illegal/Underground Trafficking
18. Exponential Growth of Refugees
19. Cost of Poverty
20. Conflict Oil

The above list is a compilation of problems that author Ismael Beah presents in his memoir A Long Way Gone. I have roughly listed the problems in order from "most pressing" to "least pressing". The second half of the assignment for this week called for me to write a short response where i would pick one of these issues and discuss possible solutions. I reviewed my list and Ignorance stuck out the most to me. However, when i went to discuss possible solutions to this problem, I found myself having a very difficult time. After a good deal of thought (and about a half hour) I have concluded that not all problems have a definite solution. I believe we need to realize that some people are in fact ignorant, and unfortunately, always will be. There is nothing we (as a society) can do to change this. It is simply just the way things are. Don't get me wrong, the whole idea of "changing one life at a time" or other slogans similar are great, but I must confess, unrealistic. I feel the best that can be done to combat ignorance is to raise awareness. The true story must be told. The problem is, we can't force people to listen.
((Alan))

Intro

My name is Alan and I am a freshman in the college of engineering at Purdue University. Before packing up and moving into my new home at school, I lived in New Lenox, IL, a south suburb of Chicago. I'm one of two people my from highschool who ended up coming to school at Purdue...(most of them decided to go to Uof I) I would classify myself as the athletic type, having been involved in some type of sport ever since i began to walk. In highschool, I played for the baseball and golf team all four years. When I wasn't busy in school or at practice, I could usually be found outside with my friends doing something athletic...(football, soccer, basketball, frisbee..the list goes on and on)
If you can't tell already, i love to be outdoors. My hobbies are best expressed by whatever the season is. In the fall, I spend a lot of time out at my half-brother's house in northwest Indiana. He lives out in the country on a lake and that is where I learned to love to hunt and fish. We actually have an annual trip up to Canada every year where we go catch Walleye and Northern Pike. When winter comes around, snowmobiling is my activity of choice. As for the spring/summer, I'm usually caught up in baseball or football season. I am a diehard Cubs fan, and extremely excited that we are in 1st place right now...(its been awhile) Although I am from Chicago, I am NOT a Bears fan, my allegiance falls with the Green Bay Packers. Aside from athletics, I enjoy to read...(anything by Dan Brown or Michael Critchton) I have to admit, I do watch a fair amount of T.V., with my favorite shows being sportscenter, man vs. wild, boy meets world, as well as watching baseball and golf. I'm an easy-going, friendly, and an overall good guy looking to make some new friends in a new environment.
That pretty much sums it up.
((Alan))