Final Entry

How very, very sad that short story was. I know this blog entry is a day late and won't be counted to my blog count, but I wanted to post anyway. This institution is going to be a a little dumber for losing you after the spring semester. On a more selfish note, I no longer know who to take for my English classes. Change frightens me.

Assignment Seventeen

I haven't really thought much about what I'd like from Santa this year. New tires for my car would be pretty awesome. That's boring though, maybe he'll bring me a better wish list. I'm also looking forward to the break between semesters.

Assignment Sixteen

I don't have an introduction yet, but I did just write my outline. Thesis: While cut animals seem to be on the level, they are in fact trying to take over the world. Some of my points are that they've taken over the internet, sloths move so slowly because they are sneaky, the cute animals have control over children and stupid adults, and we ultimately need to destroy them. No on wants a kitten over lord and if you do you're either a child or a moron.

Domestic Aliens

A new form of life was found in California that is different from the every other known living organism on earth. I think that it's pretty wild that there is so much we just have no clue about. This new life form gives weight to a scientific theory that life forms on other planets may be radically different (chemically speaking) than life on earth.

Freebie

Woo.

hp

I'm going to see the new Harry Potter movie later on and I'm pretty excited. Those books were so much fun to read and the movies are pretty great too. I'm especially happy the movie makers decided to split it into two movies. The last movie left out some of my favorite parts and I wished that they made that one into two movies. Should be fun.

thanksgiving

I've been slacking on these blogs lately. Miracle On 34th Street is on t.v.. I've never seen and I don't plan on watching anymore of it. I have no idea what I'm writing about. The Koreans are going wild. I sure hope that calms down.

Superman wins

I read an article about four superhero impersonators who sued the Los Angeles Police Department for arresting and harassing them, while they performed on Hollywood Blvd. for money. A supreme court ruled they had first and fourth amendment rights to do so. Beyond those rights, these guys are superheros, I'm not sure what the police thought to accomplish. They're just lucky to have survived the ordeal.

Assignment Fifteen

Lets see, what am I thankful for? I'm thankful for my friends and family, I'm thankful that I'm fortunate enough to be in school, I have all my fingers and toes, the internet, work, I don't have a car payment, I'm thankful for booze (cheap and not cheap alike) and the heated seats in my car.

graphic novel class

I really, really wanted to take the class about graphic novels next semester, but unfortunately I couldn't. I hope its going to be available again next year. Maybe the professor will let me just come and sit in on the class. I'm a nerd.

The Beatles

Every single news website I visited today had to tell me about The Beatles music finally being available on i-Tunes. I don't care. This is not news. They make plenty of money. Well, the two that are left do. I could not care less about them making money on the internet.

Assignment Fourteen

Un-love Letter:

Dear registration and advising department,

I'm not sure if it's a game you folks play to keep yourselves entertained, you are all just evil or just have no common sense what-so-ever, but requiring an advising signature on any little thing I want to do with my academic career is enough to make me want renounce my GI Bill benefits and just pay my tuition out of pocket. Perhaps you think I'm stupid and therefore cannot schedule my own classes. I can assure you I am more than capable of doing it on my own. I'm not asking for anything special because I receive veterans benefits, I'd just like to be able to schedule my f@*%ing classes. To take the time and make a schedule that works with my busy work schedule, just to realize I have to come down to your office to find out the only two people on campus who can give a precious signature have decided to both come in late is just fantastic. Then when you finally do arrive, you don't even glance at my schedule, you sign it, hand it back to me, as if I were bothering you. Now I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Go !@*^ yourselves.

Signed your service member,

Daniel <3

Assignment Thirteen

I think the earliest class I'm talking next semester is 9:30. I don't really mind the 8 o'clock class though. I'd rather be up early and doing things than getting up really late. Also, there is way more available parking spaces early in the morning. I hate searching for parking, so if not for anything else, I'd take early classes to avoid that.

Assignment Twelve

If I could have one gift it would be extreme musical talent. Like one of those freaks who can play every instrument on the planet and play them well. I can play guitar, but so does ever other a-hole. I'd be able to entertain myself endlessly with this gift. This is a gift in an abstract way. Also I like money. People should give me lots of that.

registration

Trying to figure what classes to take, when to take them and which professors to pick is extremely frustrating. Combine that with ocean cruiser running really slow and I think I'm just about to go insane. Hopefully once I figure all this out I'll be able to register. Okay, back to it now.

Old White Man Turns Into Young Asian Guy Midflight

I read an article about a young Chinese man who used an elaborate mask and a US passport to get from Hong Kong to Vancouver so he could claim refugee protection. He boarded the plane looking like an old white man, then took the mask off in the planes bathroom and landed as a young asian man. The pictures are pretty good from the article. Here's a link. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131140737

I read an article about a possible way to help cool the planet to avoid further global warming. Some scientists are proposing we put sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere (similar to volcanic ash). Volcanic ash erupted into the atmosphere has been proved to lower temperature of the region it affects. This just seems like a band-aide to me. It's not at all addressing the root of the problem of global warming. If something like this happens there aren't many reasons for people to think about how their lives affect the world around them.

Assignment Eleven

I feel pretty 'whelmed' about this school year so far. I don't think it has been excruciatingly difficult, but it hasn't been a walk in the park either. It's been a lot of fun so far, but I'm looking forward to moving beyond '101' type classes. Not that I haven't enjoyed the classes I've had until this point.

The Raw Shark Texts

I was reading a review of a book I really enjoyed and they quoted this line "It was small - maybe nine inches. Maybe the length of a worry that doesn't quite wake you in your asleep. A primitive, conceptual fish. I backed away slowly. The creature had a round, sucker-like mouth lined with dozens of sharp little doubts and inadequacies. I could feel it just downstream from me, holding itself in place with muscled, steady swimming against the movement of time." I really like that. The article is the NPR review of The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. It was on my list of reccomendations. I think I'll be revisiting it soon myself.

ban on illness

I read a BBC article that reported that an Italian mayor posed a ban on illness. What he really did was shut down a hospital and tell his citizens not to get sick. If the citizens of this town do get sick they will be forcibly removed to the nearest hospital (which is 30 miles away) and/or be fined, depending on the seriousness of the illness. This man is clearly insane. I like him.

Assignment Ten

I'm having a lot of trouble thinking of anyone I find interesting enough to want to meet. There are plenty of interesting people out there, but I don't think I'd be particularly excited to meet any. If it could be a dead person I'd probably pick Kurt Vonnegut. He makes me laugh.

baby shaker

A 22 year old women killed her baby by shaking it to death. She did this because her kid cried while she was playing Farmville. She told the police, that she shook the baby, smoked a cigarette to compose herself, then shook the baby again. It's a good thing she had that cigarette. She could have really done some damage otherwise.

civil partnership

I read a BBC article about a straight couple applying for a civil partnership. They wish to make a legal commitment to one another, but don't want to get married. The only problem is that the civil partnership law only applies to people of the same sex. I'm not sure why they just don't get married. They don't need a ceremony if they do not want one. Seems kinda silly to me.

Indonesia

Indonesia just can't catch a break. First they had an earthquake. Then because of that earthquake got hit by a tsunami. And to add insult to injury a volcano erupted there as well. What a week they're having. And I was worried about writing an essay for class.

The Incumbency Effect

I read an article about the incumbency effect not really working this election. The article I read said that 90% of incumbents of previous congressional elections more than 90% of incumbents were re-elected. I like to think people are looking more closely at their government and who they choose to represent them. Even if I disagree completely with someone about their political opinion, I respect an informed person more than someone who just votes down party lines.

Assignment Nine

First off, Stephen Fry is fantastic. If you've never seen the BBC show Qi (which is hosted by Fry) you may be interested in looking into it. I guess thats an addition to the list of recommendations. I agree with him that the "pedants" are a little out of control. I've heard the team "Grammar Nazi" used a lot. But, there still remains people who aren't simply misusing words and grammar. They're not language revolutionaries who are trying to change usage. People, for the most part, are just ignorant to language. Whether they're ignorant to the rules or the beauty in it is still ignorance in the end. It makes me sad, but I'm one of the ignorant people the pedants would attack.

Assignment Eight

My list of stuff. This List includes books, movies and music. This list in no particular order. Sorry if you have read, seen or listened to any of the below:

1. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (book)

2. Brick (movie)

3. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (book)

4. Bob Dylan's album Blood on the Tracks (music)

5. The Life Aquatic (movie)

7. The Club Dumas (book) Which was also made into a movie called the Ninth Gate. Also a good time.

8. Ty Segall's album Melted (music)

9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (movie)

10. Isaac Asimov's foundation series. (books)

Assignment Seven

It's pretty wild that there are languages out there that people don't know about. What really surprised me is that the article said a language dies every two weeks. That sounds crazy. Also, there are 6900 known languages. I can barely use the one I know.

d'Artagnan

I'm reading a book that keeps referencing The Three Musketeers. I've never read it or really ever had an urge to read it, but the name d'Artagnan is a pretty awesome name. I think if i were named d'Artagnan I would have a very different life.

Carl Paladino

Carl Paladino is a candidate for the governor of New York. He's pretty entertaining, in a George W. Bush sort of way. He's constantly in the news for insulting entire groups of people. His latest rant was about homosexual people. In his speech he says he's not trying to hurt homosexuals while telling them they aren't as good as heterosexuals. It doesn't look like he's going to win the election, but I'm sure we can look forward to a few more gems like these.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130487561&sc=fb&cc=fp

Miners

The rescuers of the trapped Chilean miners have finally broken through to where the workers have been trapped. I can't even imagine what it would be like to live in the darkness trapped with a bunch of other people for that long. According to the NPR article the miners can start being taken out one by one as early as Tuesday.

Assignment Six

The argument in this article is fallacious. He uses hasty generalizations, such as saying "If we let Texas get away with this medical tyranny ... more states will follow suit." I'm not sure what kind of fallacy this is, but in the writers first paragraph he says "mandating the vaccination of young girls with the HPV vaccine sold by Merck--the same drug company that reportedly gave thousands to Perry's campaign efforts." Who reported this? I could say the tooth fairy is reportedly my dad. But I'm fairly certain the tooth fairy had no part in my creation.

Assignment Five

Happy News: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130199157

This article is about funding being allowed to continue for stem cell research. Good news for anyone who may need a kidney, liver, heart, arm, head and new body. Okay, maybe those last few are an exaggeration but its great news nonetheless. There is a lot of debate around this subject, but since I'm not a religious man, I don't care. Bring on the livers.

Rutgers

A Rutgers student killed himself because his room mate and a friend video'd him having sex with a man. The room mate put this all for everyone to see live online. I'm awe struck. What in the world would make you want to do this to someone? I don't even know what to say about this....

Jailhouse Rock

I'm a pretty big Elvis fan. One day while listening to the song Jailhouse Rock, I realized that song is about prison rape. The song starts out with "Warden threw a part at the county jail." Since when does the warden have parties? Elvis continues to tell everyone "lets rock", throughout the song. The line that really convinced me of the songs meaning was this, "number 47 said to number 3 'you're the cutest jailbird I ever did see. I sure would be delighted with your company. Come and do the Jailhouse Rock with me' ." This conversation is going on between two men. There is also a part in the song where the warden tells one inmate to quit crying and dance with someone. If he can't find someone to dance with then he should dance with a chair. This warden needs to be entertained.

Assignment Four

Stuffed animals with mental disorder. Wow. My first reaction to these were laughter. Depression Turtle especially. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Considering how there are other ways to generate income from these disorders (medication, counseling and books to name a few), then why not market these as well. I think they're pretty funny, but I'd never purchase one. Well, maybe Depression Turtle.

Pavement

Last Tuesday I got to see Pavement play at Central Park. They've been one of my favorite bands for years, but they've also been broken up for about a decade. They decided to do a reunion tour. The weather was great and the band played awesome. They hit just about every song I wanted to hear and they seemed like they were have a great time playing together again. Its doubtful that I'll see another concert that memorable for some time.

100 million dollars

The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that he was going to donate one hundred million dollars to the Newark public school system. That's a pretty generous act by any standard. This was surprising enough. But what really surprised me was that there are people who are in the very least trying to make it more difficult for the Mr. Zuckerberg to give this money away. While listening to the radio today, there were people questioning the legality of said gift. That, is what really surprised me about the whole thing. I hope the donation goes through all the red-tape and is actually able to help the school system.

Assignment Three

I currently have a group project in General Psychology that I'm not really looking forward to. I don't like group projects for the most part and I don't especially like psychology either. My group partners seem pretty competent though. Maybe it will work out great. But if I never have to do a group project again, I would certainly not be sad.

Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis is a song by Tom Waits from his album Blue Valentine. The song is written from the perspective of the hooker, who is writing a letter to a man named Charlie. Throughout the song the hooker tells Charlie about whats been going on in her life. Becoming pregnant, meeting someone who will talk care of her, moving back home, and in the end that it was all a lie. She's in jail and needs money for a lawyer. What I really enjoy about this song (apart from Tom Waits' voice) is the building of the story that the hooker tells Charlie. How her life went from bad to good, and finally admitting it never got good. She ended up in jail, she didn't meet anyone and all she wants from him is money.

Assignment Two

What has surprised most about being at OCC is how many resources there are available to you. I knew there was a library and financial aide, but I didn't think there would be things like a writing lab to help you along, or all of the other student programs there are. I suppose I thought since it was a community college that there wouldn't be much of anything aside from class and paying way too much for books. I probably won't take advantage of most of the programs here, but it's pretty interesting to see how much there is to offer.

Assignment One

I don't think that I've ever thought of anything I've written as fun. I've written papers, letters, essays, and e-mails, but I don't think I've ever once thought it was fun. I've also never thought of it as much of a drag either. I think I'm indifferent about the things I've written so far. I'm certain I could have fun writing. Maybe that'll be one of my goals for this class.