Did He Really do That?

By now you have seen the trip numerous times. It seems that a New York Jets coach was tyring to keep a Miami Dolphins player from getting to the play during last Sunday's game. Sal Alosi's gaffe has been viewed by many people and was played back several times by CBS during the game. And, of course it has shown up numerous times on other networks, including YouTube.



Watch the video (hyper linked in the above paragraph) and read the news article. How much was Alosi fined? The answer is in two parts! Did he get fired? If you were the New York Jets owner, what would you have done?

Were his actions justified? What would you have done if you were there?



That should be enough questions. Now tell us what you think. Remember three sentences minimum and proofread!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

We are all familiar with the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." If you were to purchase all the gifts mentioned in the song, how much would it cost? Do you wonder how many total gifts that would be. For example is it only 1 partridge in a pear tree or 12 of them?

So your assignment for today's blog is simple. How many total presents will you need to purchase? How much will it all cost you? Of the twelve presents purchased, which one is your favorite and why? You will need to do some web searching and a calculator is probably a good idea. Remember to proofread.

I will check your response and let you know during class if it is good to go or not. If not, you know what to do! In order to make it fair for all and have you do the research, I will not post the replies until later today! And proofread!
On a more serious note, some of my students seem to think that posting is optional. It is not. Proper posting is required. You can not earn your full daily class grade if you do not post. So make it simple and do it.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa begins the day after Christmas. Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, culture, and community. It lasts until January 1.

This celebration looks at seven principles that some have described as "the best of African thought and practice..."

Take a few minutes and peruse the official website of Kwanzaa. It has lots of great information and is quite interesting to read. There are many things you can learn about this celebration.

Your assignment is to learn at least three facts about Kwanzaa. Put these facts in your post. This is an important celebration, so put some effort into this!

One of my goals as your teacher is to increase your awareness of the world around you. Take advantage of this opportunity.

Flash Mob, Holiday Greetings!

Maybe you have seen this video before. This has become one of the most popular videos on YouTube this holiday season. It is obvious that these are classically trained singers.

Do you think a flash mob will break out into the "Hallelujah Chorus" the next time you are eating at your favorite food court? Would you be able to join in?

Let's watch the video. Did you notice how many people seem to be smiling as they sing? Do you think they are helping spread holiday cheer? Tell us what you think of this display in your post today. Remember three sentences (at least) and proofread.

The Cows Rock!

You have seen them on billboards, television commercials, and even in my classroom. They are even at baseball stadiums and have their own college football bowl game. And, yes they are even hanging out in my room at school. That's right, I am talking about the Chick-fil-A cows! For many of us, it is our favorite fast food place to eat.

Check out their website. You will probably agree that Chick-fil-A has an interesting history and some interesting policies.

Is Chick-fil-A your favorite fast food restaurant or is it another restaurant? Tell us about it in your post. Also, include at least one fact that you learned from the website. Remember to proofread!

Here are some commercials that might get you to smile on this Monday!

Happy Hanukkah!

Tonight at sunset, Hanukkah begins. Besides the fact that it can be spelled several different ways, what do you really know about Hanukkah? Is it the Jewish version of Christmas? Probably not! Is it eight nights of presents like Adam Sandler sings about? Or is it something more?



So, how much do you know about Hanukkah? This website is very helpful and filled with information about Hanukkah. Read it and you might learn some things about Hanukkah. Your assignment is to research the site, learn two facts about Hanukkah and present them in your reply. Your reply needs to be a paragraph with at least five sentences in it.

Grinches in Norfolk?

I am not even sure that The Grinch would go this far. It seems that this past Friday, two men stole a Salvation Army change kettle from a Walmart on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk. Can you believe it?

Read the news article from the Virginian Pilot. What do you think? Does it bother you that money supposedly going to a charity, was stolen? Do you wonder how much money was stolen ? Do you think they will give it back?

I am interested in your opinion! So make sure you read the article.

Black Friday

The day after tomorrow (Friday) has recently become known as Black Friday. Where did the term originate and how? According to Wikipedia: Most retailers operate at a loss for most of the year. Their profits generally are made during the Holiday shopping season, which begins the day after Thanksgiving. A common accounting practice is to use red ink to indicate a loss and black ink to show a profit. Thus the term Black Friday. Many retailers seem to be offering lots of sales and good deals. I wonder how good a deal they really are?



Of course, you have probably seen many advertisements telling you about all the great deals retailers have lined up for Black Friday. Many retailers will be opening as early as 3 am and in some instances as early as 10 pm on Thanksgiving night. Will you be hitting the stores for these sales? Do you have one store in particular that you will be going to?



Here is a video that you may have seen.



Your assignment. Tell us about what you will be doing on Friday. will you be hitting the sales or staying away? Do you have a favorite store? And how early will you be hitting those sale? Proofread and remember 3-5 sentences.

Happy Thanksgiving

For almost 400 years Thanksgiving has been an important American celebration and holiday. Check out this site for information about Thanksgiving and some of the history behind it.

So, what is important about Thanksgiving? Is it the eating, spending time with family and friends or something as simple as just having a little bit of time off?

So here is your assignment. You have two options: either tell us some facts about the holiday, or tell us what you are thankful for. Please remember to write a paragraph and proofread.

I know that the first radio broadcast of a Thanksgiving pro football game was in 1934. It was betweeen the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. The tickets sold out in about two weeks!

I am thankful for many things. I am thankful for my students. I know that I work you hard and that you respond very well! You guys and ladies are the best! Thank you!

See how simple that was.

Travel

Everybody loves to travel and visit new places. Don't you? Over the next several days, we will hear a lot about travel and how busy it is during the holidays. It is estimated that Thanksgiving travel will be busy this year with over 42,200,000 people traveling at least 50 miles from their homes at some point during the holiday.



Where have you traveled to and where would you like to go? Will you be traveling during Thanksgiving or Christmas break? Tell us about this in your posting. Proofread!!!



Here is a video you might enjoy!

The Mom Song

Have you heard "The Mom Song" by comedienne Anita Renfroe? The YouTube sensation has been seen many times, both on television and the Internet. Here is the premise: in just about three minutes she sings all the things a mom might say in a typical day. Very funny and entertaining!

Of course, as many discussions between parents and teens there are probably going to be some comments. Let's watch Ms. Renfore's version. And of course the teen's perspective. Is that a natural thing to follow the first video? After you have viewed the videos, post your comments (remember 3-5 sentences).

Harry Potter

The next Harry Potter movie opens in just 4 days! Will you be going to see it? Have you seen the trailer for the movie?

I am sure that you know about the Harry Potter series of books. Many students have read at least one of the books and probably seen at least one movie. Numerous students have remarked that the Harry Potter series got them interested in reading. Are you one of them?

This article on Wikipedia covers a lot of material about the Harry Potter series.

For your post answer these questions: Have you read at least one of the books? Have you seen any of the movies? Will you be watching this movie? What do you think of Harry Potter?

Survey Time

Isle of Wight Schools is considering going to a ten point grading scale. The arguments are many. Consider this: a 91 average is currently a B in this school. Under a ten point scale it would be an A!

This link will take you to the IWCS web site. Open it and look for the information on the ten point grading scale. Read about it and then take the survey! Yes, your opinion matters. For today, your post needs to do two things. First, answer this question: Did you complete the survey. Second, what do you think of the ten point grading scale. Remember 3-4 sentences and proofread!

Veterans Day

Was there any doubt in your mind about today's blog topic? Today is Veterans Day. What do you know about this holiday? Why is it important to remember Veterans Day and celebrate this holiday? Here is a link that can give you a better understanding about Veterans Day.

Who is a veteran? How many do you know?

Your assignment. Check out the link. Tell me in a paragraph of at least three good sentences the history of Veterans Day and why it is important to remember and celebrate it.

Let's Start Blogging!

Thank you for checking out this blog. This is intended to be a teaching tool for keyboarding and CIS classes. Just a few quick rules. First, be respectful, tolerant and positive in your comments. Remember that I decide whose comments get posted. Second: You must post to my blog to earn your full class participation grade for that day. We blog on many, but not all days. Thirdly, your comments must be grammatically correct and spelled properly. Fourth: have fun!



Tell us what you think of this. For this and all comments, remember to respond using a full
paragraph (3-5 sentences).

Friendship

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are. In life everyone will meet many people that say they are your true friend, but you will only make a few true friends in life. All friendships have ups and downs, but the ones who stick beside you through all of your trials and tribulations is considered to be a true friend. Sometimes you may think your bestfriend will be there forever, but they're really meant to be there for a certain part of your life. Figuring out the difference between a bestfriend and a true friend comes from within, no one can determine that for you. So, choose your friends wisely and never take a friendship for granted.

What does a friend mean to you? Who do you do you consider to be your bestfriend? Do you think you have met that one person you know will be that friend that will always be there for you?

Thanks:::: Alexis & Kianna

american football vs. rugby

In 1823 the game of rugby was invented. Rugby, usually called the father of football was created almost 70 years before American gridiron football. American football has diverted down from rugby having similar rules to rugby. Like American football, rugby is played in a fast paced motion but differs as it has few stops and continuous possessions. Unlike American football every player on the rugby field must be able to pass, defend, kick, catch and run. The way of scoring is the same(running the ball into the other teams endzone). What largely differentiates football from rugby is that rugby refuses to use pads or helmets. Some say this makes rugby better. What do you think? Here is a video that may help you decide.

Thanks to our guest blogger, Kishan E.

yee haw for Country music

Do you like Country music? There are more and more new country singers everyday. Most of the Contestants from American Idol go to country music like Danny Gokey, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Pickler, Miranda Lambert and more. Country music is getting more and more popular these days. Many people vision country music as people with straw hats and banjos but its completely different. However, the signature object for country is a cowboy hat that the artist use like Tim McGraw.

Some of the top rising Country artist are Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, etc.

Please view this video of Miranda lambert's new song the House That Built Me and please tell me what you think.

Also here's a video of Jerrod Niemann's Lover Lover .

Tell me, do you like Country music? If so, why? If you don't like country music tell us why. What is your favorite type of music? What is your favorite song?

2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa

You may know that the 2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa is going to begin soon. It officially starts June 11. The USA's first match is June 12th at 2:00 p.m. We are playing England. Check out this video of our USA team. I don't have a favorite to win but Cody believes that the USA or Brazil will win.

So we want to know if your going to watch any of the World Cup. We would also like to know what team you think will win. Or are you one of those people who would rather play the sport than watch it? Just tell us.

A giant thank you to today's guest bloggers: Allen and Cody T!

Mountain Dew DEWmocracy

So you've all probably heard about the new Mountain Dews. Some of you have possibly even tried them. But have any of you voted on them? The Mountain Dew company has created a new DEWmocracy that lets the people vote for their favorite Dews. Kayne prefers Typhoon. He says it is different. Personally I, Allen, prefer White Out like most of the country. The one thing we can agree on though is that Distortion just tastes like plain Mountain Dew. Check out this link for some tv ads. Right now in the nation 44% of people like White Out, 40% go to Typhoon, and the remaining 16% go to Distortion.

We would like to know your preferences on the new Dews. We also want to know what you think of the DEWmocracy. Is it a good idea or bad? You decide. Also please tell us if you plan on voting or maybe if you already have.

A big thank you to our guest bloggers Kayne and Allen!

Memorial Day Plans

As you all know Memorial day is this Monday. Some people will be going out of state for Memorial day. Some people will be observing it here. Most people will be with family observing Memorial day, going to grave sites putting flowers on graves, maybe even sending balloons up to the sky. What are your plans for Memorial day? Do you plan on spending it with family? Will you be spending it alone doing nothing but watching T.V? Memorial Day means more to some people than others.How much does it mean to you and why?

Please write at least three sentences explaining your plans for Memorial Day.

Please watch this video and and explain what you think.

Thanks to our guest blogger, Josh M.

Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 is known for its' intensity and realism. It is one of the most played games in the world today. When this game came out it sold 4.7 million copies in twenty-four hours. Here is a video for the game. After watching this video, please tell us your opinion of the game, or if this game seems interesting to you? Tell us if you would buy this or just play it. If you are not interested in this game, is there another game that you like?

Thank you to our guest bloggers, Sean and Graham!

Kobe VS Lebron

Among the NBA elites are Kobe and Lebron. There are many questions to who is better. In my opinion Kobe is better, he has 4 championship rings and is working on his 5th this year. But Lebron has 2 MVP titles to Kobe's 1. In believe that the most important goal in the NBA is to get the ring. Here is a video of Kobe in action.

In your post please answer the following questions: Who do you think is better? Who do you think will win the NBA playoffs? If you are not an NBA fan, then do you have a favorite sport or activity? Do you have a favorite athlete?

Thanks to our guest blogger, Cole D.

Legalize ?

I'm sure you've all heard discussion about the legalization of Marijuana, or "weed" as most people call it. There are many arguments about this. We could save a lot of money on putting people in jail just for using it. Some people believe that governments could raise money by legalizing it and taxing it! According to the comedian Katt Williams says: it's only got three effects, Hungry, Happy, Sleepy. (:

Arguments against legalization include the statement that it is a gateway drug, that leads to harder drug usage.

What do you think of legalizing Marijuana usage?

Many thank yous to today's guest blogger, Jessica D!

Transformers Then and Now

The transformers are about two races of high tech robots with the abilty to transform into different objects. This enables them to gain advantages in the war between the heroic autobots defending earth from the evil decepticons who wish to take over the universe. The transformers have been around since 1984. Many people thought transformers just came out when the 1st movie was released back in 2007.

If given the chance would you watch the original transformers cartoon?

Do you have a favorite transformer?

Which do you like best; autobots or decepticons?

Here is a video you might enjoy. And another.

Thanks to our guest blogger: QC!

Beiber Fever

Have you heard of Justin Beiber? If you have not then your probably the first one. Justin Beiber started on YouTube just making video's for his family. Justin would sing and put it on YouTube so his family could hear. However a couple of music talents saw Justin's videos and flew him out to meet with Usher. Unfortunately Usher was not interested in him at first, but after seeing his videos on YouTube he decided to give him a chance and Justin did not disappoint. Soon after Usher signed him and helped him with his first real music video "One Time."





Since then he has had two hit C-D's and he has been all around the world. Here is a video with Justin and Sean Kingston in their music video "Eeenie Meenie" Please view this and tell me what you think of Justin Beiber.





Please respond with at least 3 sentences and tell me do you like him? Why or why not? Do you plan on buying any of his music, and would you plan to attend any of his concerts.



Thank you to today's guest blogger: Josh Morgan!

The New Susan Boyle?

Chances are that you have heard of Susan Boyle. Last year she became an overnight sensation after her appearance on the British television show "Britain's got Talent." you may have seen her on television or the Internet. there were numerous videos on YouTube that were major hits last spring. While Ms. Boyle was much older than American Idol contestants she is a child compared to the newest star on this show.



Meet Janey Cutler, a great grand mother and newest phenomenon on Britain's got Talent (BGT). Ms Cutler at age 80 has impressed audiences and judges on BGT.




Here is news link and video for Ms. Cutler's BGT performance. What do you think of her? Will she win the show? Can we expect her to show up in the United States impressing audiences like Susan Boyle did last year? Would you purchase her music? Tell us what you think of her!

"Hair" is an Idea

Certainly, you have heard about the oil spill off the Louisiana coast and the concerns about the large amount of oil leaking. The oils slick on the Gulf of Mexico's surface is huge and rapidly becoming a hazard to marine life. In addition, it will soon be affecting the beaches in the area.



So how does this mess get cleaned up? There are many efforts currently being pursued ranging from high technology to simple cleaning up. Think for just a moment or two and you might be thinking that hair might work. That is right, there are efforts to use hair as a simple method of cleaning up the oil. You wash your hair because it gets oily and dirty. So maybe human and animal hair could be used to soak up the oil. Some people estimate that a pound of human hair can soak up a quart of oil!



Read this news article that describes some other low tech efforts.



What do you think of it? Do you think it will work, or is it just wasted effort? Be sure to proofread!

Happy Mother's Day!

Sunday is Mother's Day. Mother's Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday in May in the United States and in many other nations for almost 100 years. President Woodrow Wilson singed the legislation creating Mother's Day as a holiday in 1912.

For many people, myself included, moms have had a profound influence on making our lives better. Personally speaking, I will never be able to fully comprehend all my mom has done for me, including standing by me during some really tough times.

What do think of the holiday? What will you do to celebrate? Me, I will send a gift card to my mom's favorite theater and a card. Of course, I also call her.

Tell us what you think of the holiday. Do you have big plans for your mom? Treat her well! She deserves it!

Here are a couple of videos that you might enjoy. What do you think of them?

Cinco de Mayo

Today, May 5 is, of course Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May), a day associated with Mexico. You have probably heard people talking about Cinco de Mayo. Maybe you have been invited to or know of a party celebrating it.

What do you know of the history of Cinco de Mayo? It seems like it is a bigger day in the United States than in parts of Mexico! Mexican Independence day is actually September 16. On May 5, 1862 the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. So yes, I guess you could say that it is a big day anyway. This site will give you more information on the day.

What do you know about this holiday? Will you be celebrating later today? What do you think of Mexican food? You post should answer at least one of these questions! Here are a couple of videos that may help inspire you!

Attempted Massacre?

On Wednsday, April 28, a fifteen-year-old student entered Woodrow Wilson High School and fired three shots and two of them were fired in the cafeteria during lunch. School officials are left with questions about the safety of the students. The suspect was suspended for fighting in school. No students were wounded. Superintendent David Stuckwich told the Virginian Pilot "A kid let him in. That's what we believe". Whether the metal detectors were on or not, school officials don't know but the security cameras were rolling, but somehow the suspect got in.







Read the hyperlinked article. We will view the news video. Wow, what do you think?





I want to know what you think could have happened if the student had stayed and shot more shots but aimed at someone. Also, the prosecution wants to try the suspect as an adult. Do you think this is right? Lastly, do you think that this could've been another Columbine?





Many thanks to Kayne B. for being our guest blogger today! :)

Middle Ages Torture

Through out the Middle Ages, torture was a very common way to punish offenders. They ranged from mere psychological torture, to exorbitant pain making the victim wish for death, sometimes they got their wish. The methods they used to extract confessions were very warped, but they sure got the point across. Here are some of the methods that were used. *Viewer discretion is advised.*

Rack Torture

Judas Cradle

Chair of Torture

The Spanish Tickler

Water Torture

Flaying Torture

What's interesting, is that most of the things they were tortured and killed for, such as adultery and not attending church, are things we wouldn't even go to jail for today. What do you think about today's system of punishment? Is it too lenient or do you think we should use some of the methods that were used in medieval times? This is optional: Tell which torture device is your favorite and why.

Thanks to our Guest Bloggers!!!!!!

Lyndee and Matt

Oh No, He Didn't , Did He?

By now, I am sure you have heard the news about LaShawn Merritt. He has been banned for two years from track and field competition for having used a banned substance, specifically an anabolic steroid, that was contained in an over the counter product.

Of course, you know that he is from Chesapeake and now resides in Suffolk. You probably remember his winning the 400 meter event at the 2008 Olympics and the news splash it caused here. Were you proud of him then? How do you feel about this new revelation?

Read the Washington Post article hyperlinked above. How do you feel about this? Should his punishment be as severe as it is? Will he be able to bounce back from this, or will it ruin his career? Be sure to proofread.

Super Heroes

WOLVERINE VS. HULK

Wolverine is a Marvel Comic Hero. Before the X-MEN Wolverine was originally a weapon, he was called "Weapon-X". When James Howlett was born in Albert, Canada he was very sick. When he first showed rage around the age of 13 bone claws grew from his hands and he ran from home with his brother who was also a mutant. His mutant brother was named Victor Creed. You may know him as Wolverine's enemy: Sabertooth. Victor Creed and James Howlett fought in about every war up to the Vietnam War. Victor showed much love and care for his younger brother James, but something went wrong when Victor turned evil. Victor was stronger than James and the only way to defeat him was to combine his blood with adamantium, an unbreakable metal. Victor and James fought and James won, but at the end he was shoot with a bullet made out of adamantium which erased his memory. Wolverine is now part of the X-Men.

Wolverine is my favorite superhero, please tell me who your favorite superhero is; express your ideas and thoughts. Marvel is the best!

Thanks to our guest blogger, Jesse T!

Every Day Should be Earth Day

Tomorrow is Earth Day. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Since then the event has been observed every year on April 22. Interested in learning more? Here is the Wikipedia article on Earth Day.

Earth Day is a day where people take time out to contemplate how their actions impact the planet on which we live. So, how do you "observe" or "celebrate" Earth Day? Do you try to take care of the planet every day of the year, only on this one day, or not at all?

Here is a thought. We can all make a positive impact on the environment if we do just one simple thing. For example, turn off the lights when you are not in the room. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth and turn it on when you rinse your toothbrush. Or, recycle your papers. Too often, I notice students throwing papers in the trash instead of using the recycle bags in the classroom.

Please tell the group the one thing you do or can do to help the environment. If we all try to do just one thing it will make a big difference. My thing is to recycle paper! What is your thing?

The Green Men

Even if you are not a hockey fan, you have just got to love these green guys. Since December, the pair have become fixtures at Vancouver Canucks hockey games. Known for taunting players on opposing teams, the green men certainly add "color" to the games. Videos of their antics have popped up on YouTube and sports highlight shows. In addition, they have their own web site, and a Facebook page with over 28,000 fans!

We will look at a news article on them and view a couple of videos.

What do you think of them? Are they amusing, nuisances or just plain funny? Do you think there is a place for other green guys in sports besides hockey? Remember to proofread!

Today We Are All Hokies

I am sure that all of you remember the events of April 16, 2007 that occurred at Virginia Tech. It was a very tragic day at Blacksburg and will never be forgotten. If you are interested, you can read about today's Day of Remembrance at the VT website. Almost every one of us know someone associated with Tech, whether it is a relative, coworker or student.



I am going to ask two things of you today. First, I would like for all of us to observe 32 seconds of silence, in memory of those who were killed. Next, I would ask that you respond with your thoughts on the tragedy.



In my opinion, the events were terrible and I hope they are never repeated on any school campus in America. Truly, today we are all Hokies! God Bless Virginia Tech and its students, faculty and staff.

Ole Blue Eyes

You probably heard me mention a couple of weeks that I had some Sinatra music on my IPod. Actually, his name is Frank Sinatra. In the opinions of many people, he may be the greatest singer in American history. Seriously.

Frank Sinatra is quite an interesting person. At one time he was a Republican and at other times a Democrat. He was friends with several American Presidents as well as allegedly having ties to organized crime. Maybe you should spend a few minutes looking at the link from Wikipedia. Or maybe you prefer his personal web page. Either way they are worth the time to visit.

Here are some items to consider. Frank Sinatra is famous for doing things "his way." Musical artists who are successful today doing things their own way owe him a debt of gratitude. Many artists including Bono of U2 list him as having major influences on their music. When he died in 1998, many radio stations, including numerous rock and country stations, ceased their regular programming to play Sinatra in tribute to him!

Sinatra was way out in front on several social issues. He was one of the first white artists to include musicians of color in his touring act. He is also famous for not staying in hotels that would not allow black musicians to stay there, also. This at a time when segregated hotels were the norm!

During the 2008 Presidential election, there were very few things that President Obama and Senator McCain agreed on. However, on their top ten list of favorite songs one artist was on both lists: Frank Sinatra! Now let's listen to some of his music!

For your post, please provide us with the following: What are your thoughts on his music? What did you know about him before today. Finally, you will need to visit one of the hyperlinks and tell us a fact you learned about Frank Sinatra.

Welcome Back ?!?!?!?!

Wow, did Spring Break go by in a flash! It seems like only yesterday that we were finishing up exams. Now it is back to work.



I hope your spring break was enjoyable and that you did some fun things and maybe created some great memories for yourself. As for me, I did lots of yard work and graded exams. Doesn't that sound exciting!



Now for your part. Please share with us some of the things you did during break! Oh, yes did that mean old alarm clock go off too early this morning?

Spring Break

YEA!!! It is almost here. The long awaited spring break! How will you spend your break? Are you as excited as I am? It will be a week of yard work and some much needed rest. Of course, there will also be some much needed school work to be done.

How about you? What are your plans for spring break? Please take a few moments to respond to my post. Let us know what you plan to do. Or, would you rather be in school next week?

Play Ball!

For those of you expecting my Frank Sinatra blog, you will have to wait until after spring break!



Baseball spring training is in full swing. In less than a week the major league baseball season begins! What better way to spend spring break than to take in the Tides opening game and catch a couple of major league games on TV. Baseball has been the subject of numerous books, movies and songs. It has also produced some very interesting trivia. For instance, did you know that the two writers of the song "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" had never seen a baseball game prior to writing that song, and the term "southpaw" originates from the earliest days of baseball stadiums.





In case you have not guessed it, I am a big baseball fan. Actually, it is my favorite sport. To me, there is nothing more enjoyable than being able to watch a great game of baseball. What is your favorite sport? Do you have a favorite baseball team? As you probably know, mine is the Atlanta Braves.



So tell us in your post about your favorite team or sport. If you do not have a favorite team or sport, then tell us what you would rather do than enjoy watching a sport. Here is a video that should make you smile! And another!

Moo Power (Redone)

You see them everywhere. They are on billboards, in the mall, at their own restaurants, at Tides baseball games, on television and sometimes even standing by the side of the road. They even have their own college football game. That's right, I am talking about the Chick-fil-A cows! When you come to think of it, the person who created the advertising idea was very clever and original! DO you like the ads, or have they gotten boring and old?

Do you like to eat at Chick-fil-A? Why or why not? What is your favorite fast food restaurant?




Check out their website. The history, company policies and story are amazing and interesting to read. Let us know what you think. Oh, yes you must include one neat Chick-fil-A fact from their website in your post. Proofread!

The World's Most Unusual Rapper?

Meet Matthew Paul Miller. Better known as Matisyahu, he may be the most unusual rap artist in the world.


His music combines traditional Jewish music with Reggae, rock and hip hop. Maybe you have heard him perform before. He has released several albums, DVDs and has had a top 40 hit.

He also has performed with a Muslim beatboxer, Kenny Muhammad. Here is his official website. Let's listen to a couple of his songs.

Now that you have listened to and watched Matisyahu, what do you think of him? Whether you like him or not, remember I am looking for 3-5 sentences and proofread!

New Moon

Okay, I will admit that I don't get it. New Moon fever, that is.

However, many of you obviously get it. Maybe that is why the New Moon books and movies are so popular. I see screen savers of New Moon movie stars, books and so on that indicate New Moon phenomena is big with high school students. Both of my twenty something year old daughters love it and are not afraid to tell me about it!

My post today is simple. Why do you like New Moon? What do you like about it and how many times you seen the movies or DVDs?

If you don't like it, then what is your favorite movie and why?

Here is a short video to enjoy!

Remember at least three sentences.

March Madness

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament started yesterday. The Women's Basketball Tournament starts tomorrow. Welcome to March Madness! Sixteen games were played yesterday and 16 more today for the guys.

Did you watch any games yesterday? What did you think of Old Dominion's win over Notre Dame and how will they do in the next round? Who are you pulling for on the men's and women's sides? Are you a basketball fan? If you are, this has to be your favorite time of year!

So here is your assignment. Are you a basketball fan? If you are, who are you pulling for in the tournaments? Why are you pulling for them? If you are not a basketball fan, what would you rather be doing instead of watching hoops? Remember 3-5 sentences and proofread!

Here is some video to get you in the spirit!

I am a big time sports fan, including basketball. It would be nice to see Georgia Tech do well in both the men's and women's tournaments. This is because I am an alumni of Georgia Tech!

Saint Patrick's day

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. A day of leprechauns, shamrocks and green rivers! Maybe you wore green today. Maybe you did not. If you did not wear green, did anyone pinch you? Did you know that the Saturday before Saint Patrick's Day is referred to as "Snake Saturday" in some parts of the United States.

Here is a good site for researching St. Patrick's Day including some American and Irish traditions. We will also be watching a couple of the associated videos. So here is your assignment. After the videos, create your post. In your paragraph, tell us some of the history of the holiday, and name a city that dyes its main river green!

Daylight Saving Time

Let's see: Is it spring ahead and fall back or is it fall ahead and spring back? Right, it is spring ahead and fall back. Therefore we all "lost" an hour of sleep on Saturday night. Some of us may have gone to bed an hour earlier or slept in yesterday. It was much darker when you came to school today but the sun was up a lot longer last night. Maybe you are a little more tired today than normal. Do you think Daylight Saving Time is responsible for that?

Daylight Saving Time has a long history. Check out the link. Name one state that does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST). I want you to discover some other facts on DST. In your post, name one state that does not observe DST, one other fact about DST and how you feel about DST. Remember to proofread!

Welcome to Blogland!

Thanks for checking out this blog. I intend to use this as a teaching tool during keyboarding class.

Just a few quick rules: First off, be respectful, tolerant and positive in your comments. Anything else will not be posted and rejected. Second, you must post to my blog to earn your class participation grade for that day. We will blog on many days, but not all days. Thirdly, I will read your comments. They must be grammatically correct and proofread. We will talk about this before you leave your first comment. Check out the handout "Blogs That Suck." Fourth, have fun!

Tell the class what you think of this. For this and  all comments, remember to respond with a full paragraph (3-5 sentences).

A Ghost Story

Here is an interesting ghost story. Robert the Doll may look innocent enough. However, the video we are going to watch might say otherwise. What do you think of it? Do you like ghost stories? Do you have a favorite? Tell us what you thought of the video and story. Also, let us know if you have a favorite ghost story. Thanks to Andrew W. for the idea!

Idol Mania (Redone)

American Idol is back!

Did you watch last night's first episode of "American Idol"? I will admit that I am addicted to American Idol and have been for several years. I have enjoyed watching folks like Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, David Cook, Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson perform. Of course some of my favorite moments were courtesy of Sanjaya Malakar, William Hung and Bikini Girl. Obviously American Idol has given us some highlights and low lights. Any favorites?

But look carefully at the picture. Paula has moved on, replaced by Ellen. And there is recent news of Simon leaving after this season. What do you think of that? Let's watch a few videos.

In your posting tell us what you think of Idol. Will the changes be good or bad? Who is your all time favorite contestant? Mine is Daughtry!