Christmas Music

It seems that holiday music is everywhere these days. You hear it on the radio, in the malls, on television and sometimes, even in my classroom! Some local radio stations are playing nothing but holiday music.

Maybe you have a favorite artist of group that makes holiday music. Some artists like Mannheim Steamroller and Trans-Siberian Orchestra produce mainly holiday music. Other artists (probably including your favorite) have done a holiday song or two. I have posted videos from three of my favorite songs.  Take a look. Did you enjoy them? What is your favorite holiday music? Do you think it is over done or not done enough.

Who or what is your favorite Christmas/holiday artist or group? Do you have a favorite song? Let us know what it is! My favorite group is Trans-Siberian Orchestra and my all-time favorite song is "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John, with Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" coming in a close second..

What is 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.  I know the website is from 2012, but you can answer all my questions and do your research off this site.

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.

Car vs Train

Almost all the time the train wins in car vs train.  I don't think that anyone reading this will disagree with me when I say that trying to get across the tracks before the train does is dangerous and not very smart.  Unfortunately that is what happened to Untron Drew last week in Waverly.  Check out the story on Wavy 10.

Mr. Drew is quite fortunate to be able to survive the crash.

Now for your assignment, After watching the two videos and reading the news article tell us your thoughts.  Was Mr. Drew lucky?  Would you try to beat the train across the crossing?  Or, would you stop and let the train go through?

I Want a What for Christmas?????

Maybe you have heard the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."  Sung by 10 year old Gayla Peevey in 1953, this novelty song was a big hit that year.  You may have heard this song recently playing on one of the local radio stations that are playing Christmas music. For more information on this song, check the hyperlink. 

A novelty song is one that  is  a comical or nonsensical song.  It is designed to be funny and get you to smile or at least laugh.  Did it have that effect on you?  What do you think of the song?  Do you want a hippo?  Remember to give us at least three sentences.  Enjoy your weekend.

Many thanks to Hunter Stephens for writing this. It was my idea but he helped.

Don't Forget About Me!

You have probably flown on an airplane somewhere before.  And you may have heard the horror stories of people who miss connecting flights, have flights cancelled or get stuck overnight in an airport.  If you fly a lot, sometimes these things may happen to you.  Having flown many times over the years, my opinion is that these things happen all too frequently.  And yes I have been stuck in airports over night and have had flights cancelled.  

Meet Tom Wagner.  it seems that Mr. Wagner woke up recently to find him self in a deserted, locked airplane cabin.  Check out the news story.   What do you think of that?

Fortunately the story has a happy ending as Mr. Wagner was able to get help to unlock the plane a little later.  You have to wonder if airline workers  checked the plane before locking it up. Mr. Wagner was compensated with a free hotel room that night and a $250 airline voucher.  

Now for your questions.  Whose fault was it that he was left behind?  Do you think he was compensated fairly?   Will this change your desire to fly places?  Is the airline's apology enough?  

Happy Birthday Mustang

That most iconic of American cars, the Mustang will soon have a 50th birthday.  Take a look at the new Mustang.  Next April the Mustang will have been around in many forms over 50 years.  A short history of the Mustang is contained in the first hyperlink; the second hyperlink looks at the 50th anniversary edition.  The video is a celebration of the car.  Enjoy it.

Now for your assignment.  Check out both links and watch the video.  Learn about the history of this auto.  In your post today, tell us one fact that you have learned about the 'stang.  Also tell us what kind of car you want and why.

Finally, most of you know that I have a 1966 Mustang at home.  I may bring it to school before the end years!

Holiday Light Shows

You probably know many people who put up lots and lots of lights for the holiday season.  They decorate their houses, boats (yes, I have seen that), buildings and even their cars and trucks.  And , of course, there is always the tacky lights that turn up all over at this time of year.

And then there is the light show as shown above.  Thousands of lights set to music that entertain us as we drive by and watch on television and YouTube.  Today's questions are simple.   Do you like  holiday lights?  What kind do you like best?   Do you like simple displays?  Maybe you are a fan of tacky lights or enjoy the kind of light you have viewed here.  Proofread your work!

Hanukkah is Here

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 three sentences in it.

Thanksgiving

Thursday is Thanksgiving.  The history of Thanksgiving goes back to the days of the Pilgrims, so in many ways it is truly an American holiday. Read about Thanksgiving history in the link.

 With a four day weekend coming up, I am sure that you will have many opportunities to do many of the things that make you happy, in addition to visiting friends, family and of course hopefully enjoying some good food.

Now for your assignment, share with your classmates three items.  In your post, list some things that you are thankful for.  Name one fact that you learned from your reading. What plans do you have for Thanksgiving and the rest of the weekend?

Enjoy the video.  Finally, be safe and enjoy your time off.  .

The Kennedy Assassination 50 Years Later

Fifty years ago today, on a Friday, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Watch both videos only after reading this link.  Yes, I want you to read the entire article.  This is probably the best source of information about the assassination.  You will learn the events that transpired, conspiracy theories and some of the impacts of the event.  After you read the website, then watch the videos. I will warn you up front, some of you may find the second video a little disturbing.

The Kennedy assassination is probably the defining moment of my generation.  The impact of it, I believe is many ways still being felt today.  I have no doubt that it changed American and world history and not for the better.  Sadly, to many people think this event has no or very little significance.  How many of your classes, or other activities you participate in today will even acknowledge it?  I had the opportunity to visit his gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery this summer.  It is a very moving place to visit.  The crowds are quiet, respectful and take their time to pay their respects to President Kennedy.

Note to fourth block:  we will observe a moment of silence at 2 pm today in honor of President Kennedy.  Now for your assignment.  After you have read the website, maybe checked out some of the links and viewed the videos, post your feelings.  How does this impact you?  Do you feel differently about it after doing this assignment?

One Final Act of Kindness

What if you knew when you were going to die?  What would you want your final act and conversation to be?  Meet San Diego police officer Jeremy Henwood.  Not only was he a highly respected police officer, he was a highly decorated Marine veteran who had served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.  As you watch the video you will find out that he had just walked into a McDonald's and was ordering food when a child asked him for some change to buy cookies. Officer Henwood purchased the cookies for him.  Minutes later he was gunned down in a cold blooded shooting.  So his final interaction with a human being was to show kindness to a child.

Think for a few moments.  How heroic and compassionate is that?  So, what would you want your final act to be?  In your post, tell us your reactions to the story and what you think of his final act.  Would you have reacted differently to the child?  What has happened to the child since the shooting over two years ago?

The Gettysburg Address

It has been said that the three most written about events in American history are the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863), the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (April 1865) and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (November 1963). President Lincoln's Gettysburg address of  November 1863 ties the first two events together and is our blog subject today.  We will look at President Kennedy's assassination on Friday.  The web site will give you the background on the speech.  It also has the text of the speech.

Here are some things to think about as you do your research and read the text.  Entertainment 150 years ago was much different from today.  There were no movies, computers, television, radio or major sports.  For entertainment people went to hear orators (Speakers) like Edward Everett.  It was expected that they would speak for hours on end.  Mr. Everett's speech that day lasted over two hours.  President Lincoln's speech lasted a little over two minutes.  Unfortunately there were no audio or video recorders to capture the speech.  Of course the Gettysburg address lives on today.  Mr. Everett's speech is forgotten.  After you have read the speech, watched the video and checked out the site, tell us what you think of this speech which is considered to be  one of the most important presidential speeches in American history.

How NOT to Get a Discount on Doughnuts

Many of us like doughnuts.  But how far would you go to get a discount on them?  Meet Chuck Barry.  It seems that Mr. Barry used some creative techniques to get a discount on doughnuts recently.  Read the news article and watch the video embedded in the article.  How low is it to use your deceased father's id to get cheap doughnuts?


Read the article and watch the video.  What do you think of his actions?  Should he have been arrested or just given a warning?

The Mom Song

I have been at a loss for good blog topics this week.  So I have gone back to one of my favorites.  Have you heard "The Mom Song" by comedienne Anita Renfroe? This 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 also entertaining!

Of course, as with many discussions between parents and teens, there are probably going to be some disagreements. Watch Ms. Renfore's version. And of course there is the teenager perspective. Is that a normal thing to follow the first video? Does Ms. Renfroe sound like your mom; or do you agree with the teenager?  After you have viewed the videos, post your comments (remember 3-5 sentences).

Vet Makeover

Meet Jim Wolf.  Mr. Wolf is a former homeless army veteran.  As you can see from the video and read he recently got a total appearance makeover.  What do you think of this makeover?  Do you think he looks better or worse after his makeover?

Veterans' Day was two days ago. While we had our assembly on Friday to honor veterans, there are some scary statistics concerning veterans. More than 1 in 7 homeless people are veterans who served their country honorably.  Mr. Wolf is just one of many homeless veterans.  Should our nation be doing more for veterans?

Consider that many of your class mates are children of veterans.  Their parents can tell you that serving your nation is a great  and honorable calling.  Do you think that there is an easy answer to the problem of homelessness?  Share with us how you would fight to end homelessness in our nation.

Pentatonix

Meet Pentatonix.  Never heard of them?  Neither had I until yesterday morning.  While listening to an interview with them on NPR, I could not help but marvel at the simple concept they show.  Not only are they an a cappella group, they use their voices to create the instrument sounds you hear.  Check out their web site.  I recommend that you review the bio page.  They are not much older than you.  Their videos have been seen by millions of viewers on YouTube, and they have featured on National Public Radio's Morning Edition program where I first heard them.  What is their formula?  Start with a beat, then add in some bass.  Next they layer the vocal harmony on top of background vocals.    Now you have Pentatonix.

Check out their web site, watch the video and complete your blog response.     Did you enjoy the video?  Are they a good musical group?  Would you pay to see them in concert?  Would you listen to their music?  Is there a better group out there?  Finally, remember to give us three to five sentences.  Proofread and spell check.

Snow Mishaps

As promised, it snowed last night.  And as anticipated you got to maybe sleep in today.  If not, I hope you got to something productive with your two extra hours.  Maybe you got to play in the snow some.

Oops!  Check out these folks who should have probably stayed inside on their snow day.  What do yo think of their attempts at having fun on a snow day?  Was it dangerous, or merely funny?  Would you try something like that if you had the opportunity?

It is Friday , and I am sure you could use a good laugh.

Idol is Back

The new seasaon of American Idol begins tonight.  Are you ready for it?   The judges panel has been revamped with Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Mariah Carey.  The long running talent show is also the most widely recognized one. 

The last several seaons Idol has been suffering from declining ratings, turnover of judges and maybe lack of relevance.  One of the most easily recognized parts of the show is the auditions that go horrbily wrong.  Of course they soon get down to business and choose the next superstar singing sensation.  Quick, can you name any of the previous winners of Idol?

Now for today's questions.  Will you be watching Idol this season?  Do you think many people will watch it?  Is it still relevant or is it past its time?  Will Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey get along or will there be diva altercations?  Will William Hung ever return?

Be Careful of The Guy in The Wheelchair

This must have been a scary moment for Will Privette.  The wheelchair bound student from North Carolina State was part of a large group celebration after The Wolfpack upset top ranked  Duke on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh.  Privette who had part of a leg amputated when he was a child is a regular attendee of Wolfpack games.  He also acts as a statistician for the Wolfpack baseball team.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock and the game ended, Privette, who sits close to the action at the games, was wheeled onto the court and stopped at mid court.  Just moments later the entire student section charged onto the court.  In the crush the wheelchair was tipped over, Privette fell out and lost his glasses and cell phone.  The good news is that he was not hurt and seems to not be upset about it at all.

Should the students rushing the court have been more controlled and kept away from his wheelchair?  Maybe Will should have stayed off the court.  Would not allowing any students to rush the court have been a better idea?  What do you think should the response have been after the game?  Would you have been scared during this event?

Is That a Lion in my Backyard?

Maybe you have heard about Charles the lion dog.  Recently seen on the streets of Norfolk, the labradoodle, who was groomed to look like a lion, prompted several calls to 911 reporting a lion on the loose.  According to police, it is not the first that 3-year old Charles has prompted calls to 911.  Charles's owner says that he is shaved to resemble the ODU mascot.  Anyway, it seems that the crisis has been averted, at least for the time being.  Tell us what you think of this situation. Is the owner wrong to have Charles groomed to look like a lion.  Are the people who called 911 unjustly panicking?  Finally, if you could groom your pet to look like another animal, what would it be?

It's SOL Time

They are here and you may soon be taking one of them. That's right, I am talking about SOL tests. They are among the most stressful things going on at WHS later this week and next. Does it seem that everyone is talking about them?


Teachers stress over them. Parents stress over them. Students probably stress over them, also. Are they causing you a lot of stress? What do you think of them? If you could, would you change them and how? Please tell us what you think of them and if you would make any changes to the format.   Remember to give us at least three sentences.

Also, I recommend that you not try this!

The Invisible Man

Talk about hiding in plain sight.  Meet Liu Bolin aka The Invisible Man.  Imagine that you photograph yourself blending into the background, whether it be a magazine rack, roadside construction, grocery shelf or any number of places we encounter in our lives.  It is obvious to me from watching the video that he spends a lot of time preparing his photo shoots and does a lot of research.

So how does he do it?  What do think of his techniques and style.  Would you be interested in doing something like that?  Remember that your reply must have at least three sentences. 

The Trunk Monkey is Back

It is Friday and we can all use a good laugh or two. . .

If you have ever driven an automobile, you may have heard of this awesome protection plan;  the "Trunk Monkey". What is a trunk monkey, you ask? Well it's pretty self explanatory. This great piece of equipment is used for almost everything from theft protection to keeping your daughter safe on dates, and possibly getting out of tickets!
Now that you have a basic idea of what this is, I want you to come up with your own protection system for your car, home, life, etc. What would you call it?  And most importantly, how would it work?

It's Survey Time

I need your help.  The folks at Ignition would like for all of us to complete a short anonymous survey about the Digital Literacy course.  The link is: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFQ3Y1JTUW56dUhGc05UTXc5dmZ3bFE6MA#gid=0 

Copy it and paste it into your browser and it should take you to the survey.  The survey should take you no more than five minutes to complete.  Your blog assignment is to tell us in a one word reply whether you completed the survey.  Your one word reply can be a "yes" or a "no."

Here is a tune that may help get you moving. 

Happy New Year!

Did you make a New Year's resolution? Many people make them and as the statistics show, many keep them at least for a little while. Did you make a resolution? If you did , do you want to share it with the group?
What do you think of New Year's resolutions? Are they worth making? If you have a difficult time keeping it, does that mean you have failed? And, finally what is the strangest resolution you have heard or witnessed.

In case the first version of the traditional New Year's song is difficult to follow, here is a more modern version.  Happy New Year, everyone.