Current Connections: UNT students petition to remove Chick-fil-A from Union

What's the author's purpose?

• To prevent two sides of a war between anti same-sex marriage groups and pro-same-sex groups. It is also to say that people shouldn't be refused a job because of their sexuality.

Does the author accomplish his/her purpose?

• Yes, for the most part. This article only gives a few views on the issue for gay marriage.

What ideas do I agree with?

• I agree that people shouldn't be refused a job just because they are gay. Being gay in no way inhibits nor elevates the ability to perform any kind of honest job like the clerk job refused at Chick-fil-A. Also, refusal of said job infringes upon the equality all people should share. Constitutional rights state that "all men are created equal." The Chick-fil-A Union has made a pretty bold and outright hateful move and the result might be a major lawsuit. Bottom line, you can't fight a sin with hate. Hate only deepens the wound and lenghtens the war. Fight it with love and the wound can be healed.

What ideas do I disagree with?

• Although what I just said leans toward a belief of same sex marriage, I believe that gay people shouldn't be able to marry. Relations like that should exist only between a husband and wife (a man and a woman). It's the way God and nature intended.

What do I not understand?

• I don't understand why people think that hate will win the war against this issue.

What Connections can I make with the text?

• From looking at history and how issues have been resolved, it seems that the best way to solve it isn't going to be with heated arguments.

How can I become a more active participant in my learning?

• Make an effort to read article and texts on current issues I know little about in order to eliminate as much bias as I can.

How can I take responsibility for my learning?

• Take heed of all advice and information that comes my way and keep an open mind.

Book Bucket List

Here is a list of books I would LOVE to read:

• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen
• Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• Pendragon Book One: Merchant of Death by D. J. MacHale
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
• Les Miserables
• A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink
• Ranger's Apprentice Book Four: Battle For Skandia by John Flanagan
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
• Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There

What Does Being Human Mean?

Very philisophical but also simple. What makes us human is in our species name: homo sapiens because we as humans have a higher thought process and intelligence than regular animals. Our own inventiveness and creativeness allow us to go farther than thought possible and to always push limits and break barriers. We argue, we agree, we wonder, we create, we love and we hate. Just being ourselves makes us as human.

Nick's Declassified School Survival Guide

Six word Slant

School is a wilderness to beware.

140 Character Claim

Students in agony over school need to give their best efforts into their grades and rest easy once they have perservered against adversity. (139 characters)

Students all over the country are beset by their teachers and almost all feel the pressure of work and expectations forced upon them. To relieve this pressure, we have to manage our time and make school a top priority.

                We have to be generous towards school because if we neglect it, the consequences can be dire. As Ron Kurtus states in his website, School For Champions, students need to manage time each day to complete assignments. As it turns out, students can actually spend too much time on assignments, taking more time than what is actually needed. So the best way to tackle that pesky homework is to have specific intervals free from distractions and with celerity. For example, every day when school lets out, set the interval from about 4:15 pm to 5:15, giving that hour of cushion to unwind from the day. Also, staying organized can help retain the grade point average. Moreover, keep every graded assignment that gets handed back. This will show what mistakes were made and so that next time the same mistakes will not be made twice.

                In order to make school more of a priority, schedules might need to be rearranged. In the online article, 10 Tips for Getting Good Grades, Randall Hansen advises us to, “use a planner or organization system.” Using a planner will definitely help those with bizarre and changing schedules to help plan out when and where school work needs to be done. In spite of the organizer, sometime in order to fully make school a priority, sacrifices have to be made. No one is able to do everything that they want so when it comes to this, decide what is most dear to keep and what is going to have to be given up. Although, a lot of extracurricular activities like clubs or maybe a job may take up most free time and obdurate people might never give these up. But the wanton truth is students have an obligation to do well in school and if that is hindered by anything, something has to change or school survival is slim. Similarly, in the book Call of the Wild, a dog named Buck is taken from his home and forced to live in the harsh Yukon. Buck has to change his ways and habits in order to adapt and survive in the Yukon.

                All have felt the pressure of school, threatening to make us crack. So if the pressure gets to be too much, help is offered to those who need it. Everyone everywhere has at one time struggled in a class. So if classes get too hard sometimes, most schools do offer tutoring to help students understand material.

                Too many students out there are struggling with grades and too many times it has been from lack of effort. Most would be obdurate as to consider the suggestions that have been stated. But this is promised to work. Make the sacrifice. Make the effort. Make the grade.

Works Cited

S Hansen, Randall S. "10 Tips For Getting Good (or Better) Grades." n.d. Quintessential Careers. May 2012.

S Kurtus, Ron. Get Your Homework Done. 26 September 2011. May 2012. <http://school-for-champions.com/default.htm>.

S London, Jack. Call of the Wild. Tom Doherty Associates, 1986.

The Cost of Life

Whenever someone dies before their time, is one person solely to blame, or do others shoulder some of the blame? We all carry the responsibility of the health and lives of the people next to us because we are our brother's keeper. If we don't care, who will? Why do we ignore the hurts and cries of others when we are the ones who should be helping?

A person is beset by thieves, stabbed and robbed at night and is left for dead. Later, he dies from blood loss. Who is to blame for his death? The first impulse is to say the one that stabbed him. But what about the person walking down the street who thought nothing of the screams? He hears the unwonted cries, but is too concerned trying to get home. All he had to do was investigate the scream, call 911, and the  person could have been saved. So who is to blame more for the death, the thief, or the passerby?


One hundred years ago, the famed ship Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. Over 1,500 souls lost their lives that night. Most could blame the deaths on the captain for not having slowed down that night. But it wasn't just the captain's fault that all those souls lost their lives. A ship sailing in the vicinity that night saw the flares of the Titanic but the captain thought they were just celebrating. There were only enough lifeboats for about half the people on board Titanic. To think that the ship that saw the flares thought nothing of it is... astounding.


Even when there is no one else to blame, sometimes the one guilty does not take it. In the book, Call of the Wild, we see a dog named Buck travel through the Yukon as a sled dog. During one of the treks, a master drives his team of dogs past their limits. The dogs are so exausted and in such horrid shape that one of the dogs actually dies from it. But the masters think nothing of it. All they think about is just getting to their destination as quickly as possible.

We all carry the weight of lives on our shoulders. Not just ours. We are responsible for the welfare of the people next to us because we are our brother's keeper.

How to Survive School

Six-Word-Slant

• School is a wilderness to beware.

140-Character-Claim

• Students in agony over school need to give their best efforts into their grades and rest easy once they have perservered against adversity. (139 characters)

The Bird

He flies high above all the others,
Declaring soverienty to sisters and brothers

Arrogant and haughty he may seem,
Believed himself better than all
Saying to all, "Bow to me!"
Then one day, when the sun was tall,
All of his feathers did start to fall.

Fall, fall, fall from his body, they did
All the while they fell, his grace did too.
His flock laughed and mocked at him,
Pride, once his comfort, was now shame.

Frankenstein Paragraph

The monster is more human than Frankenstein because the monster never originally wanted to harm anyone. Frankenstein made the monster miserable time and time again. The monster was "raised" in this hatred and therefore gave back the same. For this reason, I believe that the monster is more human than Frankenstein because all the monster wants is to have a companion to love and Frankenstein only wants to destroy the monster.

Frankenstein only made the monster miserable and full of agony when it was in his power and his duty as the creator's father to give him happiness. Victor abandoned his creation assuming him to be ferine after seeing how ugly it was on the outside without ever thinking that real beauty lies within. He never considered the fact that the monster might have had a heart that didn't go with his face. Also, Victor was obdurate toward the monster's pleas and refused to give the monster the only chance he had at happiness when the monster so earnestly wanted it; a companion to live, love, and die with.

The monster never originally wanted to hurt anyone. Instead, his black heart of hatred and wantonness was fueled by the very hatred and wantonness of Frankenstein and all of the people who rejected him. He was alone in the world with no convalescence. No one would talk to him, provide comfort and ministrations to him and accept him. Yes, the monster commited terrible murders on those who were innocent in an attempt to destroy Frankenstein, but the monster never wanted to go through with those awful acts. The morose monster is filled with regret at those sins and the pain he caused, but Frankenstein's largest regret was ever creating the monster.

Now then, after hearing about the acts of these two men, which one really deserves to be called the monster?

Initial Thoughts of Frankenstein

The story of Frankenstein has always facinated me. The thought of creating new life, although it is macarbe and unnerving, yes, it is facinating all the same. For what reason would anyone have for creating life, a new being, and even if they succeeded, what then? Most would shudder and belittle even the thought of such an act.

Over the years, people have portrayed the image of the infamous Doctor Frankenstein as a man desprately mad and insane over his project of making a new being. No. Something seems wrong about this picture. Why would a madman want to create life? No. It seems more likely that the doctor is motivated by a sheer desire to leave his mark on the world and to make more of a difference by creating a new better being.

In any case, it will be interesting to see exactly what the real origins of this story is. I'm so excited!

Diligence

As my life becomes more and more active, filled with all of my dance classes, plays and homework, I have less and less time to myself. The time I have to relax and rest is slowlying drifting away because so much demands my attention. I am almost forced to become more diligent, to give more persistence and effort than I ever have.

Up until almost 2 years ago, my life was, well, boring and tedious. I wasn't involved. My main activities were doing my homework and wasting time in front of televisions and computers. This school year has been my toughest because some of that "old me" lingers still.

I must be diligent for all areas of my life. My dance skills need to be honed. My flexibility could be better; muscles stronger. My grades could use some improvement. In general, I need to be more persistent.

Assertion/Claim (Topic Sentence) = Main Idea

• The legal driving age should be increased from 16 to 18.

Evidence -Concrete Detail:

• Novice drivers haven't mastered basic motor skills that take time and training to develop than what can be taught and learned in a matter of just two years.
  • Commentary 1: Teenagers or more likely to get into traffic violations like speeding, tailgating, running red lights, etc.
  • Commentary 2:
• Teenagers are less aware of the distractions and risks around the driving environment such as cell phones that might ring, the radio being too loud, what the passengers are doing.
  • Commentary 1: When a teenager transports passengers, the fatality risk of the teens increase by 360%. This goes for passengers who are peers of the teen driver because they might encourage taking more risks.
  • Commentary 2: Teenagers wear safety belts less often.

They say:

• By increasing the driving limit, you take aways rights that have been given to teens for years.
• Some teens have job they desperately need or their parents rely on them to drive themselves and siblings to and from school.

I say:

• Over 50% of all sixteen year olds get some variation of a traffic accident or violation within three months of getting their license. If the limit is increased, it allows two more years of practice to ensure the safety of other drivers, the teens and the teen's parents' pocketbook.
• In the case that teenagers must drive to a job or take sibilings to school, he/she my apply for a hardship license that will allow them to drive under the age of 18 only when it envolves one of the two duties stated above.

My Paragraph:

The legal driving age should be increased from 16 to 18. Novice drivers haven't mastered basic motor skills that take time and training to develop than what can be taught and learned in a matter of just two years. Teenagers or more likely to get into traffic violations like speeding, tailgating, running red lights, etc. They are less aware of the distractions and risks around the driving environment such as cell phones that might ring, the radio being too loud, what the passengers are doing. When a teenager transports passengers, the fatality risk of the teens increase by 360%. This goes for passengers who are peers of the teen driver because they might encourage taking more risks. Teenagers wear safety belts less often than older drivers.

Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project is to support and provide aid to the veterans wounded in battle. The warriors protecting us go through more hardships than any of us ever will. They at least deserve to have their heroism remembered.

Our warriors are constantly dying and being maimed. Many lose body parts. Others have to endure psychiatric problems from the battles they've been through.

• Yet another example of how great we have it right now. Always remember that there's someone who's gone threw far worse than us.

The military operatives' injuries can actually reverberate into their civilian lives, making them suffer post traumatic stress and breaks down their lives.

• Now, I don't know about you, but if I had the job to give money to get thm therapy, I certainly would donate.

Our warriors go through extensive trials and pain. As they go through them, their families are hurt also. Don't they deserve to at least be commended for it, if not compensated?

Remembering 9/11

Thinking back on that day, ten years ago on September 11th, America still gets melancholy over all of those people that died. Many people lost someone close to them. But the sun still shined after that dark day America still found happiness in people's hearts, especially the children's.

Such harsh feelings are shot at the terrorists. That hatred is more deadly than the missiles the military are hurling into the Middle East. I've actually just let go of that hatred because even though that day was so dark, so history turning, so deadly, so anguishing, so tearing, so heartbreaking, it's not healthy for me to hold dark hatred against anyone, even those who committed this horrendous act.

"Run!": Henry vs. Forest

For those not in my English class, this an analysis for Henry Fleming, the main protagonist in the book Red Badge of Courage, and Forest Gump (yes, the movie!) to draw inferences on what happens in intense situations.

My Inference about Running:

Intense situations causes an instinctual reaction in him/her in order for self-preservation by either fighting or fleeing.

"[Henry] threw down his gun and fled. He ran like a rabbit. He ran like a blind man."

• Henry ran without even thinking. His commanding officer never gave an order for retreat.

In the clip from Forest Gump, Forest wanted to stay and fight when the regiment was attacked.

• The only reason Forest actually ran was because everyone told him to. He was trained to fight when the time came.

Our most basic instincts are to survive and these instincts outweigh everything. People will act in a way they'd never say they will because of that drive they get to survive.

War is...

War is destruction, razing entire cities
War is young men dying,
War is old men talking,
War is fought for greed, power, and selfish reasons
War is suffering to all, fighting those who aren't fighting
War is expensive, bringing poverty to many
War is killing men who wish not to fight
War is Murder
War is Hatred
War is not Kind

The Champion

His movements are like water
His arms are two striking snakes
His eyes enflamed with excitement
The swordsman lunged
At the enemy
In the fray
On the plains
From the stars
To the grave

Zafnerhoff

'Twas hermth, and the yovet holifts
Did froom and flollic in the dage
All myrtle were the kilitops
And the apopt hume adadts


Be cautious of the Zafnerhoff, my son!
The jaws that tear, the claws that rend!
Beware the Hohhawk bird, and repel
The fuming furious Ganderend!

The archer took up his landid bow
Forever his mighty foe, he tracked
So he climbed the Tower of Barneth
And watched awhile in concern

And in cautious space, he dreaded
The Zafnerhoff with scales of chain
And eyes of hate.
It approached

Twing-twang! The arrows flew
With vorpal accuracy
And into the beast
They struck

It lie dead, slashing no more at him
With triumphant air he advanced
And skinned his trophy,
As a well earned reward

"Hast though slain the Zafnerhoff?!
Who wears the skin as his prize?
Oh glorious day!
The archer beamed with pride

'Twas hermth, and the yovet holifts
Did froom and flollic in the dage
All myrtle were the kilitops
And the apopt hume adadts

(Based off of Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll)

(Revised) Harlem Poem

What happens to knowledge left unused?

Does it wither
like a dying plant:
Or infect like a tick
and then flee?
Does it reek like good cheese?
or does it get infected
like an open wound?

Maybe it just falls
like the stock market.

Or does it perish?

Character analysis

Sophocles’s play Antigone is about two conflicting views of right and wrong. The entire story is set in the Greek city of Thebes over the burial of one man, Polynices, who is branded as a traitor of the state. Creon, the newly appointed ruler of the state, believes he has done the right thing by refusing to bury Polynices and will sentence to death anyone who tries to give Polynices burial rights. Antigone, the sister of Polynices, is caught in the act of burying his body and Creon sentences her to die. In truth, this decision brought about the deaths of his family members. Creon is a stern and haughty ruler whose stubbornness leads to his downfall, including that of others.

Not long after being appointed as king, Creon exerts his superiority, enforcing a new law that forbids anyone to give sepulture to the body of Polynices. Instead, Creon says that the body will be left to rot out in the streets, a “prize” “mangled” by the “vultures and dogs” to be “foul to look upon”. In ancient Greek times, all people were required to have burial. Refusal of this practice alone was a great insult to human dignity. Though despite this, Creon still claims that the “providence of gods” does not have any care for the corpse. The gods were the ones who commanded that all people be buried and given the traditional rituals. From what is read here, it seems that Creon considers his law to be greater than the law of the gods.

    Creon believes himself so much greater, that he would go so far as to kill Antigone, the fiance of his son.
        Ismene. And wilt thou slay thy son’s betrothed bride?

Creon.  Full many a field there is which he may plough.

Ismene.  But none like that prepared for him and her.

Creon.  Wives that are vile, I love not for my son.

Antigone.  Ah, dearest Haemon, how thy father shames thee!

Creon.  Thou art too vexing, thou, and these thy words, on marriage ever harping.

    Ruthless is he, Creon, king of Thebes, that he shows no care or remorse for sentencing to death his son’s future wife. He shows severe scurrilous disrespect towards not only Antigone, but Haemon also. Haemon tries to argue against his father, saying that the “whole city wails this maiden’s fate”. Alas, Creon stubbornly refuses to reconsider his choice. In the end, its this same stubborn pride that sends everything in his life into shambles.

All throughout the play, many try to warn Creon against his decision to kill Antigone, one of whom is a blind prophet named Teiresias. He admonishes Creon that leaving Polynices’s body unburied to be maimed has angered the gods. Yet again, Creon refuses to listen to reason and Antigone is thrown into a cave where she is to die of hunger. Haemon is driven into a fury at this and attacks his father, only to accidentally stab and kill himself. It is only after this that Creon finally understands the “evil counsel” of his “rash plans”. He finally understands the error that he committed which led to not only the death of his son, but the death of also his wife, who also died by her own hand after hearing the fate of her son.

In the end, it took the death of both his wife and his son for Creon to fully comprehend the error of his actions. His arrogance and stubbornness led to the downfall of not only himself, but for others as well. He tried to play the hero, but in truth, he was actually the villain.

Technology of Tomorrow

As of lately, I have been doing more and more assignments on a computer since I got into high school and even in the 9th grade. We do essays, projects and daily assignments on them and it’s a lot different from having so many papers to keep up with. After all, computers are the technology of tomorrow. They save trees from being processed into paper; they can save, upload and grant access to vast amounts of information that's easier to look up than going book-hunting in libraries. Resources are limitless, like being able to keep up with documents, save videos, quick (though maybe not always) accessible information on anything world wide. We might even in the near future get rid of heavy textbooks to carry around and read out of textbooks online.

Computers; Center stage Tells that if children in elementary start learning about computers and technology, they become accustomed to them and help prepare them for use of computers in the future. With hard work, they grow comfortable around technology and its mind-boggling uses, even the kids who have no computer access at home. I remember my own English teacher saying that her two-year old daughter has already learned how to scroll through and use an iPhone. It just goes to show, the earlier kids learn, the better they can use technology which will help greatly as kids go through their school years and even later on in life. (Goldstein)

Computer uses and dependability are increasing more and more each day and its essential now to be able to use them properly. It would greatly help students in having these skills so they may use technology to help themselves complete assignments.

Goldstein, Zac. "Technology takes Center Stage: Schools Incorporate Computers in Education." Ebscohost. Sun Journal (New Bern, NC), 17 Dec 2006. Web. 23 Feb 2011.