Hey, Where Did The Sun Go?

Let's see, is it spring ahead, fall back or is it fall ahead, spring back? Okay, it is spring ahead and fall back. Therefore, you should have gotten an extra hour to sleep or do something else this past Saturday. It was much lighter when you came to school today, but it got dark much earlier last night. And maybe you are a little extra tired today. Why is that?

Daylight Saving Time has been around for a long time. Check out the link. Name one state that does not observe Daylight Saving Time. Find out some other facts on daylight saving time. In your post, list a state that does not observe Daylight Saving Time, one other fact and how you feel about changing the clocks twice a year.

Proofread, no spelling errors allowed!

Do You Have The Blues

The other day we looked at the Voca People. Admit it, you either loved or loathed them. So how about another group that paints their faces. That's right, the Blue Man Group! From their website: "Their theaterical shows and concerts combine music, comedy and multimedia to produce a totally unique form of entertainment."

Here are a couple of clips of them from YouTube!

What do you think? Would you pay money to see them? If not, why not? Proofread your work!

Thanks to Robbie S. for today's idea!

Balloon Boy

Certainly you were watching the news Thursday October 15 and hoping that Falcon Henne was safe on that balloon flying through the Colorado sky. Were you scared for Falcon when the balloon came crashing down and he was not there? Were you relieved  later when he was found safe and "hiding" in the attic? Maybe you were not even aware of it, although that would have been hard to do! After all he was on all the major news stories and networks that evening.

Of course it was not long until doubts started! This CNN video from that evening seems to indicate that it might have been a stunt! Was it a "stunt" conceived by the family who have been on at least one television reality show, and it is rumored had aspirations to get on another? This news article seems to indicate such. What is even more frightening is that police, National Guard and NORAD spent time tyring to "rescue" the child. The airport in Denver was also closed. Some people estimate that the bill for this may exceed $1 million!

Now it seems that Falcon's mom has admitted that it was all a hoax!

What really happened? Was it a publicity stunt? Or just some unusual plan, gone terribly awry? Of course, many questions remain to be answered. Will police charges be filed against the family. Who will pay the bill?

In your response tell me what you think of all this. Is the news media too interested in sensationalising stories that they are not always unbiased in their reporting? Are they also to blame in the hype this story created, and could have they missed even more important news? Did it cause a drain of resources from the police, National Guard and NORAD that might have been better used elsewhere? If it was a hoax, why haven't the parents bucked up and told the truth? Lots to think about and discuss! Who do get your news from and why?

Please proofread your response and it needs to be at least five sentences long.

Who Are These People?

Have you heard the Voca People? Check out their web site. No instruments, no background tracks, but interesting singing! Pure human vocals as this you tube describes them! Frankly, I think this is amazing!



Watch the video and tell us what you think. Would you pay money to see them? If you would not pay to see them, tell me why! Proofread!

Miracle Baby (or Baby vs Train)

All I can say is oh my gosh! Watch this video! Is this baby lucky or are we watching a true miracle? Was the mother negligent in not paying enough attention to her child and losing control of the stroller? She might say that she only took a second off, but it might have been enough time for a disaster to strike. What do you think of this? Remember to proofread!

I think it is a miracle!

From 6-0 to 0-6!

Wow. Just a few days ago Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach has a football record of 6 wins and no loses! Until Wednesday of last week that is. Based on using an "ineligible player" the Dolphins were ordered to forfeit all those victories. Ouch! This will probably keep them from the playoffs.

Have you read the news article! If you have not, then read it again. IF you have read it before, you might want to review it another time. It seems that another high school pointed out the possible violation and a committee decided for the forfeits. Ocean Lakes plans to appeal.

What do you think of the situation? Is this an attempt to cheat the system or an honest mistake? Is it fair to all the other players on the team? Do High Schools try to "beat the system" when it comes to sports? The news story from Channel 3 might shed some more light on these issues. Tell us your opinion. Proofread! As a group you did much better on Friday than previous postings! Keep it up!

As a follow up, did you know that Ocean Lakes won their game last Friday?

Music

Music in some form has been around since the beginning of time. Everyone has a favorite type of music, be it country, rock, classical, hip hop or jazz. Can you think of other types of music? What is your favorite? Why is it that?

It seems that every generation has a favorite of music that may not be as popular with the older generations. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Do you sometimes hear older people (older than you) say that they don't understand your music? I heard the same thing about rock music in the 1970s. It seems that it is still around. To me, the test of music is this: Will future generations listen to it and purchase it?

Tell me what you think! Proofread, proofread... and proofread some more!

Finally, we will play some music. Let me know if you have requests. Make sure that your requests are appropriate. Sit back and enjoy!

Shift Happens

The videos you are about to watch are at the very least eye-opening and hopefully thought provoking. Do you believe the statistics you have just seen? Is the United States at a disadvantage, education wise? Does this make you want to work harder in school?

Does size really matter, and what does this imply for the future? Think it over and reply. Really think it over! I am looking for at least five sentences in your response! And as always, remember to proofread it!

They Can't do That to Us!

By now, you have probably heard the news that MacArthur Mall (Center) has a new policy in place that as of October 19, people under 18 will not be allowed in the mall past 5 pm unless they are accompanied by someone over 21. Read the press release. What do you think of this? Is it unfair or just an attempt to help merchants of the mall?

This video from a local television network seems to sum up at least the mall's side of the argument. Let's watch it. Here is another video. What do you think of the policy? Do you go to that mall, or to another one? Maybe you don't go to a mall at all. Please tell us what you think of the policy and how you will react to it.

The way I see it is that the mall is an "upscale" facility that want to attract customers with money to spend. They seem to think that unsupervised individuals under 18 might scare off customers. On the other hand, teens in this nation spend between $85 and $170 billion per year! That means that they are an important part of the national economy. Is it correct to potentially exclude them?

Don't Mess With This Kid!

All I can say is wow! This first grader certainly should have some interesting tales at school these days. It seems that he shot a 12 foot long alligator recently. Read the news article! Then we will watch the news video. I wonder how many shots he fired?

I am sure the hunters among you will appreciate this story. What amazes me is that the five year old seems so calm. I would have been so excited that I would be hard pressed to remain quiet about it! The biggest alligator I have seen was on a golf course in SC about 20 years ago. He was probably about 6 feet long, but still frightening to look at! Have you ever seen an alligator?

Now, tell us what you think!

Dancing with the Hard Hats

This one you have to see to believe. In Great Britain construction workers building a ballet center decided to see for themselves what ballet dancing was all about. Their experiences were both funny and interesting. Funny because most people don't assume that ballet and construction are a good mix. Interesting because these construction workers wanted to find out about what they were building. Think they might go on tour? Wonder what their significant others think? Me, I was laughing all over seeing this on the news the other night!

Watch the news broadcast.

What do you think of this? Tell us in a paragraph.

The Mom Song

Have you heard "The Mom Song" by comedienne Anita Renfroe? It seems to have become a YouTube and Television sensation. Here is the premise. In just under three minutes, she sings all the things that a typical mom might say in a single day. Very funny and entertaining.

Of course, as with many discussions between parents and children there is probably going to be a comment from both teenagers and younger children. Thus two videos; one from a teen's perspective and another from a younger child. Was that a natural thing to follow The Mom Song?

Watch the videos and tell the class what you think. Remember the rules from my earlier blog! Be creative and enjoy!

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school and thanks for checking out this blog. I intend to use this as a teaching tool during keyboarding and CIS classes.

Just a few quick rules: First off, be respectful, tolerant and positive in your comments. Anything else will not be posted. 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. Fourth: Have fun!

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