Blog Homework 3

    The whole Trayvon Martin situation has really taken the nation by storm.  Everybody has an opinion and wants to weigh in.  I like to look at all of the facts though, then make my opinion.  Here is what I know:  Trayvon was a high school kid that was walking home one night with his hoodie up when a man who claimed to be neighborhood watch followed Trayvon until eventually shooting him after a possible struggle.  From what is reported Trayvon was not causing trouble, but the shooter claimed he only shot Trayvon in self-defense. The issue is causing debate over race and a fine line each day.

MY opinion on the shooting is incomplete.  As of now it seems that an innocent life was taken from Trayvon's Martin and his family.  This was a horrible tragedy that could have been avoided because Trayvon was harmless and unarmed.  The shooter seemed to discriminate and pick out Trayvon to maybe make a statement.  Now, in his defense it has not all come out, caught up in a tragic story about how a kid was brutally murdered, some other facts have  yet to really scratch the surface.  Trayvon was in no way the complete model child as he had been suspended from school three times this year. That in no way justifies a murder, but it does raise valuable character questions about Trayvon.  It is wrong just to let the emotions get the best of me and automatically want to execute the shooter, I believe he deserves his due process and a fair trial. It will be fascinating to see how the case plays out over the next couple of weeks.

Blog 9 (HW 2)

    

     Wow, first off I cannot believe that I finished the Garcia Girls, it seemed like it took so long.  Now, as far as a message that I got out of How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents I learned the importance of being a tight-knit family.  There was clearly tension within the family because of the split cultures in the household in regards to the dad, Carlos, and the daughters.  From reading about Sophia's rift with her father I learned a thing or two about how to approach a son or daughter.  It is obvious that Sophia was being a bit radical but Carlos decided to chastise her and that caused a major strain in their relationship for many years.  From that I picked up that in no circumstance should I try and cut off my child because it simple does not do any good for either party.  Also to add to some poor parenting the Garcia Girl's parents checked the girls into a mental hospitals.  They did this on a bit of a whim and the decisions were rushed.  This showed a clear disconnect between parents and children. That theme was common in the book.  The decisions made by the parents have taught me to be more rational and to think things through a little more.  I cannot as a parent later on just make rash decisions in the heat of the moment or my family may come unglued.  The shortcomings of the whole Garcia family was a moment of clarity for my future self.  I realize that there will be difficulty in my adult life and within my family, but I know for certain there are mistakes that I will not make because of reading about the decisions by parents that brought a bit of a doom on the Garcia family in the book.

Blog 8

     

     In March normally it is college basketball taking center stage, followed by the NBA, and then baseball.  Well, I want to bring up a sport that does not get much run in America any time of the year and that is soccer.  I'm not going to talk MLS, but rather English Premier League.  The EPL is winding down with only a hand full of fixtures left to be played and a couple great races are playing out.  The championship race between Man City and Man United has all the makings of a classic.  It is the cross town rivalry between the richest club and the proven elite power.  I believe that it is City who in the end will cap off their first EPL championship in the modern era.  City is too talented to possibly let this year slip away.  They are currently one point under United, but still with a favorable schedule I believe City gets it done.  The next race I am really most looking forward to is the relegation scrap. It  appears that  this season that there are four teams in danger of headed down to the championship division (Blackburn seems to be safe after a huge win at Sunderland).  Last year the final day of the season was pure drama, five different teams were in the relegation zone in the span of just two hours.  My favorite club Wigan Athletic beat the drop last year and stayed in the premiership with a thrilling 3-2 win, followed by a 1-0 win at Stoke City to ensure safety.  This year it looks bleak for the Wigan squad, but I still have hope.  The EPL brings me a large deal of excitement every Saturday morning and should really be recognized by most Americans.  These guys are good and they make soccer fun to watch. 

To read more on the EPL and its races go to:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/league/_/id/eng.1/english-premier-league?cc=5901 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1103973-english-premier-league-relegation-battle-the-plot-thickens 

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news.html

 

Blog 7

In the last six months I have been won over by country music.  Just about two years I was dead set against this type of music, but then it began to grow on me.  I understand there are two very distinct groups when it comes to this type of music, there are the people who love country and then there are the people that absolutely cannot stand it.  Well, I am showing the love for country music.  There are a plethora of artist and sounds within the broad genre of country.  There is more of a "new school" country that has taken over the radio with artist and groups like Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley,  Rodney Adkins, Zac Brown Band,  and Lady Antebellum. This is much more engaging music than old fashioned banjo-stringing music that comes to some people's minds when they think of country.  I really love country music because it is real.  All of the songs and artist can actually sing, as opposed to some of these popular hip hop and R&B artists.  Another feature that makes country music appealing to me is there is great variety among songs.  There are serious, deep, emotional songs that inspire and engage me.  Then, there are the fun-loving, good time, happy, up tempo songs that are great for the summer time or to brighten my day.   92.5 XTU is the Philadelphia country music station, and I believe they do a great job playing the right combination of songs all day long.  It is very rare for anyone to hear a song repeat within an hour of the first time it is played.   I believe that all people can really get behind country music and enjoy it as much as I do.  This kind of music is much more down to earth, and so our its artists.  They will never sing about there bank accounts and how many chicks they did, nor will they walk around like that. It seems today, a lot of the top artists dress in shiny expensive clothing with plenty of bling on the side.  Country artists are so cool and unique in that they are seen in jeans and white tee shirts more often than not.  They provide an image of a common person and that should attach people to their art as well.  I like many different types of music and do not mean to dis hip hop, because that has some good songs and singers, but if a person really wants to change up their music they should heavily consider country music.  It is very engaging and any person can relate to it.    

Blog 6

1)  America is far from a utopia, it has a plethora of issues that plagues it today.  The issue I find the most concerning has to be the over cuddling of our youth.  This is a trend that I have realized over the past couple of years that I now believe has become a full blown problem.  Schools and even Recreational sports leagues are declaring everybody a winner.  Well, I have news for the people making these official decisions, the real world does not call everything a tie.  There has to be competition as well as winners and losers for our youth to truly  understand what it is like when they get out of there little bubble of elementary school.  Yes, I concede it may hurt a kid's feelings if he or she loses, but this is where I believe it can be a lesson.  Kids need to learn to dust themselves off when they are knocked down.  This makes them tougher, and then in a generation our society becomes less wimpy.  I talked to my mom who is an elementary school teacher the other day and she said she is under strict orders to give everyone prizes for trying. Sometimes, merely trying is not enough.  Competition brings out the best out of people, giving them prizes for losing is just wrong and is a root of greater problems in America today! 

2) I have many pet peeves within the bounds of my life.  One, more than any other, has to be slow and horrible drivers.  I mean really, some people need to retake their license test.  It amazes me how some people drive, I must get cut off at least twice a day when I am driving.   I have had a couple close calls on the road and I promise every time it has been the other persons fault.  There are people out there who turn out of streets when I am barreling down the road.  Then, even worse than the idiots on the road, there are the  people who drive like they are the tortoise in the race.  Honestly, the hare will win that race every time in real life, and that is what people on the road do not get.  I understand it is not safe to drive 70 in a 35 zone, but come on people, 35 does not mean you have to go 30.  I have to get where I have to get, and I enjoy doing it quickly.  But, there are always road blocks, and I cannot stand a person who drives like a "grandma." I have only had my license for about 5 months now, but I can guarantee that my driving I.Q. is highers than half the people I encounter on the roads.  So, in conclusion, if one thing really is to grind my gears, it is the clueless drivers on the road today!

3) Ok well I have an under-the-radar underdog food for the best in the area.  Little Caesars Pizza has Hot-N-Ready cheese or pepperoni Pizza for only 5 dollars!  This is a whole large pizza for five bucks, it already has a leg up on the competition.  Its price is unbeatable, but its quality is also top notch.  It is hard to expect such good pizza so cheap, but it is.  It is always smoking hot when you take the first bite. The sauce is unbelievable!  It is so rich and complements the cheese very nicely.  It is located just outside of Blue Bell, so for all the people that live in Ambler of Lower Gwynedd take the trip down to Little Caesars. To go along with awesome pizza at a low price, the name of the place is epic.  It is named after the great Julius Caesar, yet it has a logo of a funny guy with a shaft and pizza.  This pizza needs to be marketed better.  A lot of people in my area will argue for Palermo's or Carmine's pizza, and both are great options but they still are not as good as the cheese pizza at Little Caesars.  This pizza is life changing.  I would eat that blend of amazing melted cheese on top of sweet sauce with a classic thin crust all day!