Crazy Shoppers

Wal-mart Shoppers Trample Worker

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2008/12/01/news/doc49340bbf7112a872469812.txt

Black Friday always offers great sales and people start to camp out in front of the stores on Thanksgiving day. In New York, shoppers broke the door down at a 5:00am sale at Wal-mart. The crowd trampled an employee to the ground. The employee was stepped on and over without anyone stopping to help. His coworkers tried to get through the crowds to help him but there were too many people.

When the police finally came and the shoppers were told to leave, many refused claiming that they waited outside for hours for these good deals. Now, I love Black Friday just as much as the next person but that is outrageous. I cannot believe that no one stopped to help him up. Four other people were injured as they were caught in the middle of the raging crowds. People really do take things to the extremes sometimes.

Op-ed Piece

The link to my op-ed piece is:

http://www.thoughts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14551

it's under amanda1052.

Thanksgiving Break

I can't wait for Thanksgiving break; I could really use a few days off. I love all the food and spending time with the family on Thanksgiving day, but I'm most excited about going to Chicago on Friday. My family and I used to go to Chicago the day after Thanksgiving every year, but we haven't gone in a few years because we have all been so busy. This year we decided to go back and I'm so excited about it. We are taking a morning train on Friday and will be staying until Sunday. The city is always so pretty with it's Christmas decorations. Their annual German festival features a huge Christmas trees and a bunch of booths with food and souvenirs. The festival is always a lot of fun. I also can't wait to shop. There are so many stores there, especially along the Magnificent Mile.

Ridiculous Concert

One of my best friends works at the Henry Ford Museum and her boss offered her free tickets to the Madonna concert. A couple of us went to the concert at Ford Field and it was terrible. I'm not a Madonna fan but I figured that it would still be fun, but I was wrong. The show was supposed to start at 7:30pm, but she did not start performing until 9:30. She did not have any opening acts so we sat there while a DJ played a mix of songs. Once she finally came out, she did not seem very thankful and made comments such as "I'll play this song as a you're welcome for coming here." She also made a few remarks against Detroit saying that they moved the barricades in front of the stage back so that the people sitting in the floor seats were far away because we're dangerous.

I did not know many of her songs, so I could not sing along but even if I could I still do not think I would have enjoyed the show. The dancing and her outfits were ridiculous. She was just making a fool of herself. I do not think that it is appropriate for a mother to dance provocatively around a stage in practically a bra and underwear. It was ridiculous.

Being a Critical Reader

While reading the websites provided on the blog about rhetorical analysis and critical reading, I learned not just to read the facts given, but to analyze each statement. In order to be a good critical reader, you need to understand where the author is coming from and recognize any bias he or she may have. The reader needs to understand that the author is providing their take on a subject and may not include other people's opinions. Critical readers do not always accept what the author says as fact, and instead challenge the author's ideas and look for valid evidence.

Historic Event

On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, our country elected a black man as President for the first time in history. There are many citizens who support Barack Obama and expect him to make changes for the better in our country. However, others are not that fond of Obama and do not see his being elected as a good thing for our country.

When Obama was campaigning, he experienced some animosity and racist comments. If you search the internet, you'll find numerous sites with racist cartoons and statements. Obama did not let these people bring him down though.

"You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise."

This stanza from the poem "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou reminds me a lot of Obama and his campaign. Quite a few citizens were not fond of him and were not afraid to express their thoughts. He did not let their opinion stop him from continuing his campaign. No matter how much support he may have had, it must have been extremely tough to brush off all the negative comments and actions.

His being elected as President is quite a turning point in our history. We have never had a President who was not a caucasian male. After the results of the election were announced, the television network showed many African Americans crying with joy. The news reporters interviewed and many responded that their children will now truly feel that they can do anything in the world.

Changing Weather

Autumn is by far my favorite season with the leaves falling and the cool air. The weather is so comforable and the surroundings seem so calm. This fall is flying by though. The weather is changing way too quickly!! They are already calling for snow tonight and tomorrow. I mean, I love skiing and snowboarding but I am not ready for the winter cold just yet.

I can't even imagine what driving is going to be like tomorrow morning. This morning--just in the rain--the road was full of crazy, confused drivers. I had to take the service drive all the way to school. Adding snow into the mix is definitely going to make the commute a lot worse tomorrow.

Michigan weather has always been so crazy, though. I remember a few years ago I was running a tennis tournament and we experienced all four seasons in one day. When I woke up it was pouring rain, but it stopped by the time I finished getting ready. I arrived at the high school around 6:30 to start roll drying the courts and as the morning progressed it seem to be getting colder and colder. The teams arrived and I had some of the players out drying the courts when it started snowing so I had to move everyone to racquet clubs. By the time the first matches were sent out, the snow stopped; the sun was up; and it wasn't all that cold out. After the first round, I sent the teams back outside and by the end of the day it was about 80 degrees!!

Have We Forgotten?

"Have you forgotten, how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten, when those towers fell
We had neighbors still inside goin through a livin hell
And you say we shouldn't worry bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?"

In Darryl Worley's song "Have You Forgotten?, he expresses America's disbelief to all of the terrorist attacks, including the Pentagon and the World Trade Centers. He starts his song with the lyric: "I hear people sayin'. We Don't need this war." Hearing people question the war makes him wonder if we have forgotten how we felt and says that he feels there's some things worth fighting for.

Have we forgotten? I was in my sixth grade Spanish class when my teacher, red-eyed and sniffling, walked in. Without a word to the class, she pulled out her cell phone. "My best friend was on that plane," she sobbed. Completely confused, the class began whispering to each other wondering what was going on when the principal came over the loud speaker explaining that the World Trade Centers were the target of a terrorist attack. The entire class was filled with shock as we went on to have a moment of silence. Since my class was only composed of sixth graders, we were not allowed to watch the news. A substitute was called in for my class while my teacher went home to be with her family and friends.

The school day was almost over when we were told the news, but the small amount of time we had left in the building dragged on. I immediately turned on the news when I arrived home wanting more explanation to why our nation was under attack. The footage shown struck me with horror. Citizens running to safety; firemen trying to clear the area; the towers crumbling to the ground-- all of this a sight I will never forget.

Midterm Writing Reflection

Looking back at my writing during the first half of the semester, I have noticed a few areas where I have improved and some issues that I still need to work on. I feel like I have improved when introducing my topic. After reading the websites on introductory paragraphs in class, I stopped starting with a broad statement and narrowing it down to my claim and began to keep my introduction focused and straight to the point. I also think that I have improved in my vocabulary usage. I have been using a thesaurus and the website given to us in class while writing my papers and have noticed a decrease in the amount of times Professor Stewart marks "awkward."
There is always room for improvement, however, and some of the areas where I am lacking include comma usage and works cited. When I begin writing, I tend to focus on my comma usage and the first few paragraphs don't have too many mistakes, but the more I write, the less I think about commas. By the end of my paper, I tend to revert back to my old habits when it comes to inserting commas. I also need to improve when it comes to parenthetical citations. I make mistakes with where to place the periods and my biggest error comes with citing a website. I guess I'm just a little confused with how to go about citing a website. In my paper on religion in the political arena, I began my paper with a quote that I found on the internet. I feel that if I state that I found it on a website before the quote, my paper will start out sounding as if I'm reporting about that website.
I don't have too hard a time with my works cited page, but when all the necessary information is given, it is a little more difficult. The main things I need to remember when it comes to the works cited page is to put my sources in alphabetical order and to focus on the punctuation.

Struck by Tragedy

ALLEN PARK: Teen is killed in pedestrian accident

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2008/10/12/news/doc48ef9a4b281ae650269342.txt#blogcomments

I was there the night it happened. I walked over to see what all the fuss was about and was sick to my stomach with what I saw. The police taking pictures, his shoes in the middle of the street, the pool of blood.. all of this a sight I wish I never saw. Neighbors were talking.. all saying the boy was young, but no one knowing who it was.

I found out the next day, that the boy was a junior at Allen Park High School. I didn't know him, but from the stories I've heard, he seemed like such a nice boy. One of his favorite activities was to walk around Allen Park. To think that this innocent boy was just out taking a walk, enjoying his life, and in an instant, that life was taking away.

I was running a tennis tournament in Allen Park the day after it happened and went inside the high school to use the restroom. It was so sad, yet truly remarkable, seeing how the students came together in tragedy. They had the counselors from both the middle school and high school in the media center with cookies to help the students with their grief. Classrooms were half empty, as students spent their day with the counselors. They made a written memorial mural and many student organizations plans to help his mom, a single parent, with the funeral expenses.

Being a citizen of Allen Park, I know what this city is all about and now is the time to step it up and do something about this. Many drivers do it.. take that turn so fast, just keeping with the flow from Allen, not even thinking about pedestrians. This was not the first time someone has been struck at that intersection. How many more innocent lives have to be taken to realize that something has to be done?

My thoughts and prayers go out to Vince and his family and friends. R.I.P 10-8-08

Strong Beliefs

Religion has always been a very important part of my life. I am a practicing Catholic and have extremely strong beliefs. I try to stay clear of conversations regarding religion because more often than not, it develops into an argument. Everyone has their own values and beliefs, which need no approval and require no explanation.
There are many instances in America where religion is involved in many public issues. Some of the most common examples would be legalizing abortion and same sex marriages. An individual's religion plays a huge role in how they feel about these issues. As for abortion, I am pro life. I believe that every individual should have the right to life. Sure, doctors are incredibly intelligent and may see some complications, but I feel that only God truly knows what is going to happen with an individual and no human can predict that. As far as same sex marriage, the bible states that marriage is the union of a man and woman.

The Importance of Introduction

After reading about college writing and how to "hook" the reader, I realized that the introduction is the most important part of an essay. It is important to present the topic in an interesting way, hooking the reader from the very beginning. The websites explain that using an interesting quote or fact that raises questions for the reader is an excellent way to begin your essay. Making the reader wonder about your topic is the first step in writing a college level paper.
Regarding the claim, the website states that it must be included in a single, concrete statement. It is also stressed that the evidence used throughout the essay should be involved in your thesis statement in the order in which it will be presented.
As far as my own writing, the introduction paragraph has always been the part I struggle with the most. I have always been taught to use the funnel effect in high school and am finding it harder to stray away from that than I thought. I really need to work on strongly stating my claim and making my introduction straight to the point.

Exciting Weekend!!

The UC is so quiet right now which is expected because it is a Friday night and no one stays on campus late on a Friday. Fortunately, there's some Science Olympiad event going on so there is a bunch of free food and coffee. Today is my friend Dave's 21st birthday, so a I'm going with a group of friends to JD's Key Club, a dueling piano bar in Pontiac. I've never been there but I guess it is supposed to be a lot of fun. The excitement really starts tomorrow though because I'm going to the Carrie Underwood concert with a bunch of my friends. Little Big Town is opening for her and they are really talented as well. I'm so excited!!! Sunday doesn't look too exciting because I have to work the University's Open House at 9 in the morning. It's okay though because it's more money.

This weekend

This weekend was my high school's homecoming game and dance. I didn't go to the game because I work Friday nights, but everyone came home from college for it. One of my really good friends was having a party and I stopped by after work. I didn't really know what to expect when I got there, but there were so many people there. It was a lot of fun catching up with everyone. It seemed like everyone forgot about the high school drama and got along really well. I had the time of my life this weekend seeing everyone. A lot of my friends are coming home again for Thanksgiving.. I can't wait!!

Go Blue!!

Did everyone watch the game on Saturday? It's about time we won. That was such a good comeback. My friends and I were going to leave at halftime since we were down by 19 points and the game seemed hopeless. It looked like we were just going to hand Wisconsin the win, but to everyone's surprise we came back! We decided to stay which turned out to be a good choice because the second half was so exciting! We came back to win 27-25.. I still cannot believe it. Go Blue!!

America's Got Talent

Some of my coworkers watch the show, America's Got Talent, and always discuss it at work. I have never seen the show, but I guess this season featured a four-year-old girl whose talent is singing. My coworkers showed me a video recapping her performances and she really is an adorable little girl. She made it all the way to the top ten where she was eliminated. I really think it's horrible that her parents put her in the public eye at such a young age. In the video, she looked terrified every time she walked on the stage to perform, and she looked even more scared when the judges came down on her. I don't feel that it was right of her parents to put her in such a pressured situation. I wonder if she really understood everything that was going on and how being eliminated has affected her. I mean adults are crushed when they are sent home in a reality show, I can't even imagine the effects it had on her. It really is a shame to put a little girl through all of that.

Here's a link to a video recap of her on the show if you guys want to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUQzjCCabcI

Gas Prices

Gas prices are RIDICULOUS!!! I worked 12 hours yesterday and didn't feel like stopping for gas on the way home because I was exhausted. I should've just stopped because now my day is off to a horrible start. My gas light was on when I started my car this morning and I had no choice but to stop before class. It cost me 80 dollars to fill my tank because I have a jeep. After work today, I am going to Central to visit a couple of my friends. There goes my gas. Seriously, jeeps have the worst gas milage ever!! I am so mad about it. What a great way to start my day.

Small World

While Jordan, Ryan, and I were talking today about what songs would be good examples to use in our papers, Kenny Chesney was brought up. Jordan said that he goes to Kenny Chesney's concert every year and I told them that I went this past year . We were telling Ryan how the show is more like a huge bash than a concert because there are so many performers and everyone talks to each other. I was telling them how the people who sat behind me were really excited about the concert, and kept asking my friends and I if we were ready for it. Jordan's face was priceless after I said that, so I asked him if that was him. To my surprise, it was! I met Jordan on the first day of class, and he and I hang out in the University Center with Ryan and Kristine in between our classes. I would never have made the connection that he was the "goofball" who sat directly behind me at the concert in August. What a small world!!

Well anyways, we also found out that some people aren't fans of Kenny Chesney so I thought I'd post the link to his webpage so everyone could check him out.

http://www.kennychesney.com/LuckyOldSun/splash.html

Have a good weekend everyone!!

My First Week of College

I didn't feel like a freshman on campus the first day of classes because I have been working on campus since May. On the first day, I noticed that my peers were very quiet. It was different a whole different atmosphere from what I was used to on campus because I normally spend all my time in the University Center where it's very hard to find a quiet spot. I spent a total of 12 hours on campus the first day between classes and work. I was a bit skeptical on staying the whole time, but it turned out to be really fun and I met a lot of people.
I do not have class or work on Thursdays so I spent the day doing homework. I didn't have that many assignments at all so I finished everything in a few hours.
I had two classes and work on Friday with really long breaks. After my last class of the day and before work, I went out to eat with some friends I met on campus. I came back to work from 6 to 10 at night. Only one event was going on and not many people were here. It was a great opportunity to finish some homework but I really don't like working Friday nights.
Overall, the first week of college was amazing. Dearborn doesn't feel like a commuter campus at all.