If I were to give advice to anyone taking this course next semester, I would have a few things to tell them. Make sure to go to class, at least more than I did. Make sure to keep up with your blogs, because it is easy to get behind. Make sure to take all criticism as constructive when people are trying to help you with your papers and peer evaluation. Last, I would say congratulations because this was definately one of my favorite classes!
December 8th blog
This blog entry is entitled "Why I am Weird"
So I was thinking about it, and I am a pretty weird person. (compared to most, I guess?)
To start things off, I have eaten 14 bananas since 7PM last night. It is now 2PM. I drive a van. My favorite hobby is riding my little bicycle. (click here to see it http://www.bikeguide.org/forums/showthread.php?t=58674∞) I hate snow, but love snow cones. I don't believe swimming is a sport, if it is a mode of transportation then it isn't a sport. I have seen every Family Guy episode, most several times. I drink a gallon of water every day. I am 6' 2" tall, but my arm span is 6' 6". I am a film major but my favorite class is Geosci. I want to gain weight. I hate cheesecake. I am sure there is more, I just can't think of them.
December 7th blog
It's really hard for me to believe that there are only two more days left of classes. This semester seemed like it would never end in September, now it seems like it went by so fast. I really wish I would have gone to more classes and tried harder, but I have a theory that no one does too well in their first semester. Only one week of finals, and two days of classes left. I can't wait!
December 6th blog
So lately, it has been obscenely cold out. I can't stand leaving for class at 8:30AM when it is 20 degrees outside. Now don't get me wrong, I am used to the cold. I only like 20 minutes away. Also, one night a bunch of my friends and I camped outside in January. Normally the cold doesn't bother me, but lately I've been craving some summertime. Nothing beats the sun shining until 8:30PM, and 95 degree weather. Wow...sounds nice. At least christmas is coming, so thats something to look forward to. In three months, it will be the longest possible time before more winter anyway :)
December 3rd
I have kinda been forgetting about the blogs lately, so i'll make one here on saturday night. Lately in the gym, i've been watching others train, and I have to say that 75% of the people in there are either lifting incorrectly, or with no intensity. Without intensity, there will be no gain of muscle mass. If by lifting the same low amount of weight for a large series of reps yeilded muscle gains, then every brick layer in the country would be competing for the mr. olympia title. These people, along with those that train incorrectly to begin with, will see no gains and will probably stop lifting once their membership runs out, because there will be no reason for them to come if they don't benefit. Another thing that frustrates me is when i see people running on the treadmills contantly. Ok, so you want to lose weight. Change one day to weightlifting, and put on a little muscle. Nothing burns calories more than muscle. It increases your metabolism so you can burn more calories from simply doing nothing. Well, this is the end of my rant because i need a shower then im heading to the gym. (i know, on a saturday night...)
Nov. 30th blog
So lately, I haven't been able to sleep. It has really been affecting me. I have been missing a lot of class because I simply cannot sleep, and am too tired to do anything really. I give myself plenty of time, but I lay down and nothing happens. I don't know what my problem is. I haven completely eliminated caffeine from my diet, so I know it isn't that. I don't do any drugs or anything along those lines, so that isn't a factor. I don't know what to do, so I'm going to bed early tonight to combat this problem.
Nov 29th blog
So today it is raining. Walking to class first thing in the morning in the pouring rain is not a pleasant way to start one's day. At first it was just sprinkling, so I thought I would just wear a hoody. I missed the bus like usual, and was rewarded for my efforts when the clouds opened up and began pouring rain. On the way back from class, the skies began to dry up. Seeing this as a good sign, I decided not to take the bus back to my dorm and to walk instead. Once again, I was rewarded for my efforts by a downpour. At least it is somewhat warm out, so the rain wasn't too cold. When is it going to start snowing again?
Nov 28th blog
Well, break is over and everyone has come back to their favorite place on earth, well not really. I wish I was still at home. Our thanksgiving break went by so fast it should be a crime. I am still in disbelief that we are back already. At least there is some hope though, there is less than three weeks left before we get to go home for an even longer break. I am finally going to get to sleep in on weekdays once again.
November 20th blog
Wow...i cannot wait to go home. This past week has been so rough, and everyone I talk to seems to feel the exact same way. I have a theatre quiz tomorrow i should really be studying for, but I cant bring myself to do it when freedom is just two days away. Ill see everyone in class tomorrow, and don't forget that tuesday follows a friday schedule, i know i probably will.
Nov. 18th blog
So I was really busy last night, and before I knew it it was already 8 o clock. See, the problem with that is the wal mart movie i was going to see started at 7. i was pissed. i guess there is nothing i can do about it now, and im sure there will be other opportunities to watch it. of course, i could just be the typical american and just download the movie. im not sure if i will do that or not, we'll see. have a good weekend everyone, only two more days of classes or less (depending if your classes got canceled) until thanksgiving break!
Nov 17th blog
I changed the home page picture, I thought it was pretty funny since this is the random picture we talked about in class. If anyone would like the previous picture i can post it again if you want.
In other news, tonight I'm going to see that anit wal mart movie. I forget what it's called, but if you want to know please direct yourself down like three posts. I'm too lazy to scroll down, so...yea. I will give a full review of it tomorrow, and will probably be talking about it in class tomorrow.
Nov. 16th blog
http://umsl.edu/~nki4z3/pics/obesity.solution.jpg∞
Thanks to googleimages for this one. It is a high-tech CAD designed image, ok so it looks to be made in Paint. Anyway, it could relate to my final project because even though the image is clearly sarcastic, it does suggest a problem for curing obesity. Even though making small doorways in McDonalds would be a good idea, it is impractical and cruel. People need to be responsible for their own decisions, a quality that seems to be lacking in America. This is a good image though because it lightheartedly introduces the topic and even proposes a basic solution.
Nov. 15th blog
On Friday I got a new toy. It is a fifth generation iPod, in black. It is 30gig, and freakin' sweet. It can play videos and hold pictures, as well as music. So far I have a few episodes of Family Guy on it. I am really happy with the picture quality, but it was a little confusing figuring out how to put video on it. Since I didn't want to pay $30 for quicktime pro, I had to find another program to convert my video files to mp4 format. I found a free program called "Videora iPod Converter". I suggest downloading it if anyone else is having problems.
Nov. 14th blog
Like many of you, I had to stay up late last night. Last night (at 12AM) was the first night for me to schedule for spring classes. What a pain in the ass. First, I had no idea what to take. Second, there were so many users that elion kept crashing for me. Overall, I am tired, not satisfied with my course choices, and probably going to complain more. Oh well, at least you can still add/drop classes for awhile.
EDIT- Oh yea, I managed to not go over my bandwidth limit last week. :)
Nov. 11th blog
I think psu should reconsider the bandwidth use policy. Sure 1.5 gigs sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. Most people could use that much bandwidth in a day, and penn state feels this is an acceptable amount for us to use all week. I personally think they should up it to 2 gigs, which is a reasonable compromise. It isn't a giant increase, but it gives us a break and lets us do a little more. I have to go, last time i checked i used 1.47 gigs of bandwidth, who knows what it is up to now.
Nov 10th blog
There is a new documentary out called Wal Mart : The High Cost of Low prices. If you hate Wal Mart as much as I do, I recommend seeing it. It will be shown in the Stuckeman Family Building at 7PM on the 17th, but you must sign up for it because they are only accepting 75 people. I assume it will be shown at other times/places as well. If you are interested in seeing it or just finding more info about it, check out www.walmartmovie.com . i can't wait to see it!!!
Nov 9th blog
Some students do things they shouldn't do in their dorm. Some students may or may not grow marijuana in their dorm. I'm sure plenty of students do this and get away with it. On the other hand, some students (like me) grow other things in their dorm. My friend had a pumpkin that he carved, so i took the seeds out. I then planted them in little pots in my room, and now they are growing. I have like a dozen pumpkin sprouts in two little containers, and hopefully i can move them to something bigger.
Nov. 8th blog
So there are numerous signs posted outside of my building that say no smoking. They tell you to go over infront of another nearby building. Ok, so what happens when that building posts a sign saying go in front of another building? Pretty soon the signs will say no smoking in front of any building. Then there will have to be areas designated for smoking, which is segregation. After that, little camps will be made where people can go and smoke, where these people will be concentrated, in camps. Then they will be systematically killed. This is how psu will destroy all smoking on campus.
Nice. Seriously, though, as a non-smoker people who operate anti-smoking campaigns really piss me off. How are they to tell other people what to put in their bodies. Also, personally, I enjoy going to really smokey bars ... its part of the whole experience. Smoking bans (like a lot of other kinds of bans) really bug me. - EschaTon
Nov. 7th blog
So I just realized that the past week or so the dates of my blogs were off, by a lot. I labeled some as late as the 18th, which is quite a ways away. I have no idea how I did this, when there is a calender about a foot to my right. Also, there is a clock with the date on my computer. I write the date on papers every single day, but when it came to my blogs I was completely clueless. Why didnt anyone tell me, or even change the dates for me? Oh well, I'm over it. I fixed it now.
Nov. 4th blog 2
I posted on the main page links to both of the tv ads we talked about in class. The first one is a link to the Telecomm ad "featuring" Ghandi. The second one is the Apple Computers ad from 1984 where they introduce MacIntosh. This is considered to be the greatest commercial of all time, so watch up and enjoy. I think everyone should see these two commercials, and they are pretty equal in my eyes.
Nov. 4th blog
I am so excited I finally get to sleep in tomorrow. This week had to have been one of the worst weeks....ever. There was nothing good about it. I missed a german test that can't be made up, my computer sucks...(hp's finest), and a bunch of other stuff happened that I don't remember what it was, but I know it pissed me off. I've just been horribly tired lately, and I fear this will never change. The rest of my life will be spent with droopy eyes and an irritable spirit. Oh well, I'm taking a nap. Peace.
Nov 3th blog
I think I have a problem. Caffeine is a drug. Like all drugs, there are various stages of addiction. I think I'm addicted to caffeine. I drink several sodas a day, and usually a cup of coffee. These beverages have little or no effect on me. I can fall asleep after drinking a Mtn. Dew, one of the more highly caffinated beverages. I just drank an Amp Enenergy Drink which was made by Mtn. Dew, and it has no effect on me. I would have to drink like 5 of them to feel more alert. I think caffeine is highly underrated as a drug, and that most people have a serious addiction that they don't even realize.
Nov 2th blog
Last week one of my good friends was in an accident at work. He works for First Quality in McElhatten, about an hour away from here. He was operating a machine called an unwinder, and his hand got sucked into the machine. He had to manually stop the machine, and then he passed out from blood loss. The machine broke almost all the bones in the right side of his hand, and he had to have a blood transfusion. He had 15 stitches put in his hand, and he underwent emergency surgery. They are going to have to amputate half of his right pinky, but other than that he should be alright in a month or so. I'm guessing he is going to get a lot of money out of this too, which is a good thing. He doesn't seem too upset about it, as he put it, "I don't care, I need money for a new fourwheeler."
Nov. 1th blog
I remember warning labels being mentioned in class on monday, and i have to agree that i also don't approve of them. Overpopulation is a serious problem in the world right now, and that population is continuing to skyrocket. Because of simplified life, and things like warning labels, stupid people are living longer and being able to reproduce more successfully, thus eliminating the theory of survival of the fittest. With this increase in stupid people, the population is slowly getting dumber and dumber. Removing warning labels allows stupid people to accidentally kill themselves easier, and puts less of a strain on the world and it's resources, and creates a smarter human race.
Oct. 27th blog
Last night i was out street riding on my bike with a few people. i was sitting in front of a ledge that goes down 9 steps (across from the hub), and i was thinking about grinding down it on my bike. a cop rolls by, and stops. he rolled down his window, and advised me not to do it. i think, "oh, hes just doing his job". i waited a few minutes until he had driven away. i approached the ledge, and hopped on. i slid for a little, then my back peg fell off the ledge, causing me to wreck. i was laying on the sidewalk laughing because i had just wrecked very hard, and was completely fine. to my amazement when i looked up, the cop was standing right over top of me. he said, "now didnt i tell you not to do that?" apparently, he drove around the block, parked, and walked and hit behind some bushes. he asked for my psu id, and called in the "crime". he assured me something would be coming in the mail for me, im assuming a small fine. what a night.
Oct. 26th blog
I hate computer viruses. (viri?) Seriously, people have nothing better to do than sit around and come up with ways to lash out at the society that shuns them. Of course, i am using what i consider the stereotype for computer hackers and people who make viruses (viri?). I picture the average hacker/loser to be sitting in their mother's basement at age 30 thinking of ways to get back at the people who have destroyed their life. Ok, on a nicer note, my computer got ravaged sometime yesterday, and i still have no idea what happened. I guess it's running fine now, but only time will tell. All of my documents got wiped out, along with all of my programs. I was pissed.
Oct. 25th blog
Snow, snow, snow, rain, snow. This has been the scene in State College for the past eleven or twelve hours. Right now, the snow is still coming in full force, and the ground is covered. This is completely nuts, since last winter we didn't have snow until later december. The current snow is coming two months earlier than it snowed last year. This goes to show how crazy the weather patterns have been getting, not to mention the hurricanes slamming the gulf the past two years. Now people cannot sit idly by and tell me there isn't something big going on with the earth that we all should be well aware of......
--Its call natures cycle. There were horrific hurricanes in the 60s and Tuesday’s snow was nothing surprising for central PA (Happy snowy/rainy Valley) Just wait for January! - Squad514
Oct 24th blog
I read the poem The Red Wheelbarrow, and was confused to say the least. I do not know what they are talking about, my guess is communism. If i'm wrong, then i'm not surprised. i do consider it a poem, but not in the tradition sense. There is definate order in the "poem", but there aren't rhymes like most people are used to. I'm going to check out everyone else's posts to see what everyone else thinks haha. :)
Oct. 19th blog
Today I went with this Rob kid to the local trails. By local, I mean they are a good half hour bike ride away. Trails are groups of dirtjumps one after another, with different lines and different styles of jumps. They are a lot of fun and you can flow around them all day. These trails have been featured in many videos, and many video ads as well. Several pros have visited these trails, in fact in my hometown there is a poster of Chad Kagy doing a superman seatgrab at these trails. In fact he lives about 30 minutes away as well. These trails aren't in the best shape, and not to brag but ours are definately better. Hopefully we will get some rain and we can fix up the trails so they are even better.
Oct. 18th blog
I just got back from riding street on my bike with a few friends. "Street" riding is basically riding bmx on everyday obstacles that are found in and around a city, and may include things like stairs, handrails, ledges, different slopes, road barriers, and pretty much everything you could imagine. I have to say that this was a ton of fun, and this was one of my only few times riding street. Where i come from, I'm used to having our own ramps in my friend's barn, and our dirt jumps are only 10 minutes away from my house. On top of that, there is a little skatepark just a few minutes away from my house. Not only that, but I am used to having a car so I could drive to other skateparks, and up here I don't have that luxury. Overall this was a positive experience, and I look forward to doing it again soon.
Oct. 17th blog
Class is starting right about.....now. I am sitting in my dorm, I just got out of bed. I have been sick all weekend, and it sucked. I had so many plans with friends, but couldn't go to most of them because of being sick. It was especially bad since it was a long weekend, but at least I got to sleep for a few days. I decided to just sleep in today as well, because i feel that my health is more important than class. I've noticed that lots of people are sick too, both my parents were sick when i went home, and a few friends were sick. I noticed people coughing and sneezing all over campus, and my roomate is sick too. Hopefully we will all be feeling better shortly and back up to par with everything.
Oct. 13th blog
I think this is going to be the biggest weekend for people to go home. I am personally, and I can't wait. Even though I only live like 45 minutes away, this week has been extremely rough. For most people this is their first chance for them to go home, and most people from out of state won't be able to leave until around Thanksgiving. I'm really happy I decided to stay in state, even in central Pa for that matter. I am close to home, and plus I already know a lot of people here, simply because I graduated with many of them. My roomate is from my high school, and i've known him since about 7th grade. Also, I grew up not far from here, so i was pretty much already familiar with the area.
Oct. 12th blog
I went to the white building for the first time on Monday, and I went again last night. I would have to say that it was an amazing experience. I am still incredibly sore from Monday, but in a good way. There is such a great variety of equipment. There are machines for just about everything, and there is a huge assortment of free weights, bars, and just about anything else you could imagine. There are limitless possibilities when it comes to work outs, all it takes is a little creativity. For example, you can combine use of two machines at once to do cable crossovers. It is a little intimidating though, when you see guys walking around who could throw you across the room with one arm, but everyone is nice anyway. Everyone is there for the same reason you are, to progress just a little bit. If you haven't been there, and are interested in a membership, i would suggest you go and give it a try. You won't be dissappointed.
Oct. 11th blog
http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_cambodia.html∞
Here's the link I chose about the Cambodian genocide. I think it is a great resource for people like myself: those which know next to nothing about the topic. It tells of the struggle in Vietnam, and of Pol Pot's insanity and paranoia. It also tells of how Pol Pot admired Maoism in China, and Pol Pot was educated in France. It goes into some explicit detail about the killing of the people, and the forced labor. The link also describes the rebuilding process, which was slow and tedious. All of the "intelligent" people such as engineers, architechts, technicians, and many others will killed. This left the country vulnerable and without competent leadership.
Oct. 10th blog
Ok, so I know i posted two blogs on the 6th because i knew i wouldnt be here the 7th....and it's gone. Oh well, im sure it wasn't too important. This was the one time in the past three weeks or so i forgot to update my wiki backup file. Like I said, it couldn't have been too important. Anyway, I have to admit that English has become one of my favorite classes this semester. I'm not trying to kiss ass, but this class is simply fun. If it weren't for the writing, it would be my favorite class. The class goes in pretty much whatever direction we want, and we get easy points for simply posting blogs. This is not only easy, but kind of fun too. You get to learn about other people and you get to have discussions, or even arguements. Class is even fun, we can pretty much say whatever we want, whenever we want, and I think that is the best environment. There is no pressure to be right, or even on topic.
Oct. 6th blog
What have holidays become lately? They no longer even remotely resemble the reason they were started in the first place. With Halloween coming up, this really makes me question holidays and their over commercialization. Companies try to make a quick buck selling this years newest costume, or newest candy. Whatever happened to taking a day to celebrate fall and the passing of the harvest? Also, Thanksgiving is soon approaching. This has become a lavish holiday complete with a big meal, turkey, and of course football. What ever happened to a simple day to stop and take a moment to realize how fortunate you are? Don't even get me started on Chirstmas, my most hated holiday. Yes i may seem like a Grinch, but it is true. I hate Christmas. If you believe in Jesus, then this is a day to celebrate his birth and to practice his teachings. This has gotten so far out of control, with Chrismtas trees, Santa Claus, and giving everyone presents. So think about this next time you give into holiday temptation. Who are you really supporting, yourself or large corporation?
Oct 5th blog
I hate ipods. Ok, ill admit that i do not have one. I have an mp3 player though, but it isnt an ipod. It is an archos jukebox, with a 15gig driver. Most mp3 players nowadays are this size, or less. Many cost $300 or more. Yea, my jukebox is four and a half years old, and i paid $230 for it. It is the best investment i have ever made, and many people online tell me how their ipods have only lasted a year or so and have had to have them warrantied. My brother's creative labs mp3 player has only lasted two years, and he had to have it warrantied twice, each time losing all of his files. Also, my friend tells me that youcannon use your ipod on multiple computers with ease, you have to delete certain memory files in order to do so. I have never had problems switching my mp3 player from computer to computer. It is also very durable, since i ride bmx i like to ride while listening to music. I have slammed VERY hard on my mp3 player, and it has never even skipped. Even though it is a bit older and thicker, i love my archos jukebox.
Oct. 4th blog
Everyone in Happy Valley knows what this weekend is. You would have to be stupid not to know. Ohio State is traveling to Penn State for what many would call a "showdown". I'm not going to lie, because everyone knows that this weekend will be one of the biggest party weekends so far this semester. All i ask is to do it "responsibly", and that is in quotes because it seems hypocritical saying to breake the law responsibly since many people will be drinking underage. Please be considerate of others, there is nothing more disgusting than finding vomit all over the bathroom floor or in the hall, or urine in an elevator. That alone makes me want to vomit. So to all the fans, go to the game, have a blast, go ahead and drink if you want, but don't get completely hammered as to burden the rest of us. GO PENN STATE!
Oct. 3rd blog
today in history
People have been complaining about the two hurricanes that recently slammed the gulf coast. Yes we were well aware they were coming, but nothing can stop mother nature's fury, and not everyone can get out of the way. I was doing a little research for a blog, and I found out something interesting. On october 3rd, 1963 a major hurricane hit Haiti, and left about 5,000 dead and 100,000 injured. No one really knows the exact total for those figures, and most believe it is higher. Most people haven't seen five dead people at once, yet alone 5,000 dead people. These numbers are astonishing, simply put. About 100,000 people were injured, while in 1963 the population of Haiti was around 3,000,000 people. That means that about 30% of the population was injured as a result of this hurricane. This dwarfs the two recent hurricanes. The current U.S population is 295,734,134, if our recent hurricanes were on the same level of devastation that would mean that over 88,000,000 people would have to have been injured over two hurricanes, compared to just one. This really puts into perspective the amount of devastation that Haiti suffered just 42 years ago.
Sept 30th blog
Im pretty frustrated. When i first signed onto the wiki today i was a little surprised to see it up and running, but i was also a little more surprised to see that my last few posts were gone. My post from yesterday was gone, along with my how to. I am happy that i kept a backup of everything, just in case. i would recommend everyone else does this, it only takes a a minute or two. you should update your backup once a week or so, because there is no point in posting blogs if you arent going to get credit for them.
Sept 29th how to
I am going to teach you step by step how to 180 down a flight of stairs on a bicycle. This may sound stupid, but let me assure you, it is. It is also fun, if you are into it.
1. approach a set of stairs at a slightly faster speed than you think you need to clear it
2. just before the drop, start to turn slightly towards the side you spin to
3. pull back, and turn your head to initiate the spin, and you use your legs to follow
4. spot where you are going to land, and lean slightly forward so you dont flip on impact
5. when you hit, grab your brakes and start backpedaling so you dont flip
6. when you feel comfortable, pick up the front and spin the other 180 so you are now facing forwards
7. ride away
8. pick up chicks
Sept 29th blog
I hate midterms. They are frustrating. Did i mention i hate midterms? I've had two so far, which doesn't seem too bad. Let me tell you , they were. We were jammed into little tiny seats in an auditorium, like slaves packed into slave ships. Much like slaves, we had to do exactly as we were told, and we were watched by many people who were strictly enforcing the rules. Do not look at your cell phone. Do not look left, right, down or up. Look at your paper. Do not talk. When you are done put your paper here, put your test here. Sign your test packet. Give me all your money. Ok, so maybe the last part isnt true. I think that midterms should be spread out over two days, so half the class will take it one day, and the other half will take it the other day. This will prevent over crowding, and nonstop coughing that always seems to happen in a room of several hundred people. The test taking days would be assigned by random drawing on a computer, and it would be confirmed via email. I think is is a much more sensable approach to midterms.
Sept 26th blog
I have been searching online for hours, to find nothing. I am getting really frustrated. No, im not working on an important research paper due first thing tomorrow morning, i am looking for ideas for a new tattoo. I only have one right now, but i would like to get more. I have a red and white nautical star on my right pec, with a swallow flying down over it. I got it two days after i turned 18, it was June 29th of this year. What is really funny is that my parents still dont know about it. Its not that they would really care, but they would be upset that i took my third day of work off to go get it. Does anyone else have any tattoos or tattoo stories they would like to share?? ( i know this isnt an arguement, i am just interested in the topic :) )
Sept 25th blog
Well, i chose this picture for my icon, obviously. I didn't really know what i wanted to use for it, but this is the best thing i could find. I dont really feel that one picture could sum me in, but this one represents a big part of my life. This picture shows different front wheels for a bmx bike, and I have been riding bmx for about 6 years, and i can honestly say that i love it. People say that men think about sex every 5 seconds or something like that, but i think about bmx every other 5 seconds. Also, i am interested in photography, but sadly i dont have a camera right now. Ive been more into video, but that is also a big part of bmx culture. I hope some of this made sense.
Sept 23th blog
I used to play poker quite a bit, but I grew tired of it once the overcommercialization of it really started to hit full force. I quite playing for maybe two years, but lately i'm starting to get back into it. back home we have poker tournaments, and last time i played i took first out of 12 people. i once $110, since it was a $10 buy in, and i got my money back too. I recently downloaded ultimate bet, and that is pretty cool. You start out with "$1000" worth of chips, and you can play free games where you use those chips, or you can pay actuall money and play. Also there are tons of tournaments, many with over 2000 people in them. I started out with $1000, and in two days im up to $6870. If anyone else has ultimate bet let me know what your usernames are and maybe we can play!!
Sept 22nd Diversity Paper
There are many things that are hard to define in life. Things like the meaning of life, diversity, and many other things are some of the less easily defined. These things are very complicated, and many people have different opinions.
Different opinions on diversity, is in itself, an example of diversity. Merriam Webster Online defines diverse as “composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities”, (Merriam-Webster) and uses the word “unlike” as a synonym. So, one could see how opinions are an example of diversity, because no two people think or feel the same way about a given topic.
At Penn State I feel that the biggest example of diversity is the place of origin of its students. There are lots of students from Pennsylvania, many from the east coast, lots from all over the United States, and many from far away regions. There are people from many other countries, and many from other continents.
Another big issue when it comes to diversity at Penn State is the issue of ethnic background of the enrolled students and faculty. Last year, according to the Enrollment By Ethnic Category website, University Park had a total of 41,289 enrolled students. The large majority of students (32,959 students to be exact) were white students. Only 1,664 students were African Americans, while 2,160 Asian American students were enrolled in 2004. A mere 1,251 students enrolled in 2004 were Hispanic Americans, while there were hardly any Native America students registered, only 51 to be exact.
The problem with ethnic diversity at University Park is just that, diversity. Diversity means that there should be lots of different, distinct groups that are represented somewhat equally. Obviously, the ratios of white students compared to the ratio of Asian American students is not even close. This proves that University Park is diverse, but not on a large enough scale to be considered diverse by the standard definition. There are always going to be those that are different, but unless they are represented equally, then that is not an actual representation of diversity.
This situation causes us to question what Penn State defines as diversity. I feel that the definition of diversity is subjective, and it can be different depending on where or who you are. My personal interpretation of diversity for Penn State is that the campus is composed of many different people, with many different ideas, of many different cultures, and with many different backgrounds. This definition is just vague enough to work for Penn State, because there isn’t much diversity on a grand scale. My definition doesn’t say that all groups are equally represented, because sadly they aren’t, and we can’t benefit from those different cultures as much.
Also, no matter how you look at it, my definition is true. (We could also get into an argument over the definition of true.) Penn State can be considered very diverse by my definition, because Penn State is composed of different students. Sure some students may share a common name, or a last name, but they are in no way the same person. All people are free to think and act upon their own, and this is where the part about many different people with many different ideas is proven true. Also, almost all the students at Penn State were raised differently and independently of each other, except where students are siblings. This is where the part about different backgrounds comes into effect.
In conclusion, diversity is a very difficult term to deal with. One must be careful when talking about diversity, because it is a very sensitive issue, as well as some may accidentally be excluded or left out. Diversity is hard to mandate as well, such as some schools or businesses like to maintain a certain percentage of their workers to be white, or African American, or Hispanic American, or whatever they decide they want to do. This is right to an extent, but then some employers may start becoming biased, and also may not look at resumes closely. In all these instances diversity can be a problem, but it is such a great thing on so many levels.
We learn so many new things by interacting with different people. We learn different cultures by experiencing them through other people, and our lives are enriched in this way. There is no point in defining a term that is subjective, as long as everyone can respect and appreciate the differences among people.
Works Cited
Merriam Webster Online. 2005. Sept 18th, 2005. <http://www.m-w.com/cgi∞-
bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=diversity>
Enrollment by Ethnic Category. Sept 18th, 2005.
<http://www.budget.psu.edu/factbook/StudentDynamic/MinorityEnrolbyEthnicity∞
.asp?TableCount=3&ReportCode=H&YearCode=2004Enr>
.asp?TableCount=3&ReportCode=H&YearCode=2004Enr>
Sept 22nd blog
So i changed the front pic, you probably noticed. Moshzilla is funny, but not as funny as this. If someone is a real bush fan though they can take it down if they don't like it. Today i finished editing a short video (almost 5 minutes) of our bmx jam at our barn back in lock haven. The barn is owned by a friend's dad, but he was cool enough to let us have it to build ramps in. We have probably closee to $4000 worth of wood invested in these ramps, so it is pretty impressive. My one friend just learned a new trick, called the superman. Most people know what this trick is, it is where you extend completely back off of your bike. The kid is nuts. Not to mention he is only 16. I am currently working on editing a video to send in to Odyssey bikes for a sponsorship. They are currently looking for younger riders to sponser, and well there is no one better than this kid. Odyssey bikes is one of the leading parts manufacturers today as well.
Sept 21st blog
I have an idea. On the front page, there is a link to a page where we put all of our aol screen names, which is very obvious. I think we should make a page, and on it we can all post our facebook links. I love facebook, and am possibly addicted to it, like im sure some of you are too. If you don't have a facebook account, go to www.thefacebook.com . its free, and all you need is a college email address, and then the rest you can set up yourself. You can also find, connect, and add friends on to your page. Its cool because you can send messages to each other, and leave little notes on their webpage. If you dont have an account i recommend checking it out.
The best part about facebook is that it was created as a project in a class on graph theory. I love when people do cool things with math. - EschaTon
Sept 20th blog
So I'm dissappointed that someone took down my picture of monkey doing the backflip. Oh well, I'll get over it. So today I have rekindled my love for Nintendo Gamecube. My roomate brought one up for our dorm, so when i was home again i brought up two of my controllers, and 3 or 4 of my best games. We get some people around and player 4 player games like the new Mario Kart, some fighting game i cant rememeber, and two james bond games. its a blast, if anyone is near 313 packer and would like to participate let me know. the only problem we have is our tv is only like 13". :(
Gamecube is sweet...Super Smash Brothers is one of the best games ever. -MenosElOso
Sept 19th blog
So I went home this weekend because we were planning a trip to go out to this kid's camp. We had been planning this for almost 2 weeks, and we had about 30 people already promising to show up. We got out there, and Keith's uncle was out there. No big deal, but he seemed like he was in a bad mood, and left shortly after. At about 10PM, no one was showing up except for us 6 or 7 guys who always go everywhere and do everything together. We wanted more people, so we started calling, and couldn't get service. We all drove down the Uni mart, and it turns out something happened to everyone to prevent them from coming, little did we know that would be a good thing. We got back to camp, and Keith's uncle had returned, and he was severly intoxicated. Keith and his uncle got into a fistfight, and Keith kicked him in the face. After all this was over, we left and went to my friend Gary's apartment for the night. We were lucky more people didn't show up.
Sept 16th blog
I am so happy, I cannot wait for today to be over. I only have class from about 10-12, those classes being theatre 100 and english. After that, I'm headed home for the weekend, and i cant wait. It is going to be my one friend's last weekend home before he goes off to join the air force, so it is bound to get a little rowdy and probably out of control. We are going out to camp Saturday night, and well tonight too if we can get it organized. Also, there are so many people i miss, and i am going to get a chance to see them again. I don't really have much to say, and im probably making everyone homesick, so i will stop.
Sept 15th AIM convo
pag5007: we could also do something about poker and how it swept the country
Pat Me Down 167: haha yea it doesnt really matter to me
Pat Me Down 167: what is the criteria for the paper?? like just write anything about anything?
Pat Me Down 167: so do we wanna do poker?
Pat Me Down 167: and maybe like how it is a good thing and bad thing?
pag5007: yeah it would be cool but 12 pages per person
Pat Me Down 167: yea...
Pat Me Down 167: well we could go into the histrory
Pat Me Down 167: some of the top players today
pag5007: yeah its all possible
Pat Me Down 167: ok well at least we have some ideas
pag5007: Plus its in the news with Great Britain and other countries getting into gambling
Pat Me Down 167: yea
Pat Me Down 167: oh well we have time to figure it out
pag5007: yeah i guess i;ll read more blogs then [\play another round with peole in my hall
Pat Me Down 167: haha alright
Sept 15th blog
So, I guess I missed the library's open house....After my last class today I asked my roomate if he wanted to go to the library's open house with me, and he said. "No, and I don't think anyone else is going to go either." After asking why, he replied with, "Because the last day was yesterday for the open house." So, yea i guess I don't have that paper to turn in now. Oh well, what can you do. You win some, you lose some.
I read the first chapter of Understanding Comics today too, and was surprised to find out it isn't all that bad. The reading went a lot quicker than I thought it would, and it is somewhat educational too. Is anyone else surprised too?
Sept 14th blog pt 2
It seems like anyone who is anyone these days has an ipod. Well, I dont. I would like to tell you about my mp3 player. I got mine just over 4 and a half years ago, before hardly anyone had an mp3 player. It is an Archos Jukebox. I see commercials and advertisements for mp3 players today, some of which say "holds over 1000 songs" or "has a 10gig capacity". These mp3 players usually cost around $300 too. I would just like to let everyone know that they are getting ripped off. I bought mine, a 15gig Archos Jukebox, 4 and a half years ago and mine still has more memory!!! This is unrealy, considering I only paid $250 for it too. One would expect the cost to come down since the technology is still the same as it was back then for the most part, and now it is commonplace. It hasn't and probably won't because ipods are dominating the market. Oh well, maybe I will get another few years worth out of my mp3 player.
Setp 14th blog
Well its good to finally see some comments on my blogs, and im not trying to offend anyone, just state my opinion.
I was thinking today about where I used to be in life, and how i wound up at Penn State. Three years ago, I was failing everyone of my classes. Im a bright kid, but I just didn't care about school. I used to drink before school on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays. I got busted for underage drinking in school, and that is probably the biggest turning point in my life. Then i realized what i had become, and started caring again. I ended up passing all my classes that year, and that set me up for a good finish to high school. Well, a good finish until the end of my senior year, but who doesn't slack off a little then? So now im up here at Penn State, and just completely in awe of the way things turned out. If you would have told me three years ago i would be here, i wouldn't have believed it one bit.
Sept. 12th Blog
I would like to talk about something in my blog that I usually don't talk about. The reason im mentiioning this is because we briefly talked about it in class, and I feel very strongly about the topic, even though i didn't speak up about it. I dislike religion. There is nothing about it that I like. People today have spun religion into such a huge, pointless, self containment. That's all well and good, but it hurts others as well. Religious people look down on others, because they feel they are better than that, since they have been "priveleged" enough to be "enlightened". Religious people also are out of touch with reality, believing that the earth may only be 5,000 years old. I've got news for all those people, there is evidence all around us that prooves otherswise. Go outside and pick up a rock. Some people take things way too seriously, that they have taken a book that teaches you some things about how to live your life, and turned it out to be 100% truth, or "literall truth".
I would argue that most religious people aren't like you say. Maybe it seems this way because the extremists are the ones that you hear about. I would say that these extremists make up only a small portion of all religious people. - WagsBlog
I also would like to disagree with you, there are some religions that are scientific based, they believe that God started the earth, and then stepped away, alot like a watch maker. Also, there are many that believe that God put the world in motion, and then does not influence it. These agree with the notion of evolution and the evidence that the earth is much older than most modern-day religions imply. Keep an open mind. -HimEros
I can honestly say that i started out with an open mind, i was raised in a religious family. -Pat
Sept. 11th others' narrative remix
http://singularity.pilsch.com/MenosElOsoSelfNarrative∞
Our anticipation intensified as we walked toward the “spaceship,” or rather our 1997 Chevy van. After a brief run through the list, we loaded the van with all of our equipment, merchandise, and enough Ramen to feed an army.
The time had finally come for our last show of the summer, which signaled summer’s end and my impending departure for Penn State. Mixed emotions consumed everyone. This would be our last time riding together for an amount of time that none of us could possibly be sure of.
We finished loading the van as our friends arrived. About a two and a half hour ride in the van awaited us as we headed toward our destination of Johnson City, a town in New York. The ride out went smoothly, which is always good with an out of town show, since it’s never a good thing to be stranded away from home.
Upon arriving the venue, which happened to be East Coast Terminal Skatepark, we promptly parked the van near the entrance and unloaded all of our equipment, merchandise, and an abundance of Ramen. Being from central Pennsylvania, I’ve grown accustomed to contests at smaller skateparks, which seem to be a rather common type of venue in the region. Moving everything inside was, once again, a hassle, but with the help of our friends, we managed to take all our bikes and gear in rather quickly.
The show, a benefit for the skatepark, started shortly after our arrival. We were set to ride in the lineup, which consisted of mostly a jam format. The first three riders dropped in, and we watched in amazement as they flipped and spun across the 30,000 square foot indoor skatepark. The band Lucero was playing at the event, and they started playing my favorite song.
After the first three riders, the time had come for my run in the contest. I dropped into my favorite part of the park, the boxjump section. I knew I had to put on a good show, so like always, I poured out as much energy as possible into my run. Feeling slightly more comfortable, I went for a trick that I usually can pull clean. I took my feet off of my pedals, and kicked the back end of my bike completley around, a trick called a tailwhip. My bike was coming around, and i got my right foot back on, but my left didn't make it back on. Instead, i landed with my foot toe first on a concrete floor, and wrecked hard. I blew out my ankle, and it was obvious i wouldn't be riding the rest of the day. I didn't make it to the finals of the contest, and neither did my two friends with me.
The show having ended, we hung our heads and walked toward the “spaceship,” or rather our 1997 Chevy van, and loaded it with all of our equipment, merchandise, and enough Ramen to feed a somewhat smaller army.
Sept. 9th blog
So, I missed class today. I have everything under control though, since I read the course syllabus for today. It's not that big of a deal, but here's what happened. I went home last weekend, and came back on Monday. I had a slight headache then, so I took some advil and shrugged it off. The past few days I have felt very tired, more tired than usual. I didn't really think anything of it. It all came together today. Before english, I have a theatre 100 class. While walking to class, i began to feel dizzy. No big deal. Sitting through class wasn't so bad, but about halfway through I started developing a headache. When the class was finally over, I began to walk out of the forum building. My head was now throbbing. I started to get dizzy and lightheaded again, so I figured I would head back to my dorm and lie down. I am writing this after a brief nap, i was awoken by the rumbling of my stomache. Now I am going to take some advil and go get some food, hope to see everyone back in class Monday.
Sept. 8th blog
For today's blog, i would like to talk a little bit about one of my favorite movies. It is called Super Troopers, and I'm sure the majority of you have seen it. Now i haven't seen it in maybe 2 months, so i figured i would download it today since my classes were over at noon. A couple hourse later I had it completed, and I burned it to a cd just for safe measures. I watched it as soon as I had some free time, and fell in love with it once again. It has an amazing plot, and a good variety of characters, all of which are hilarious. The crew routinely picks on Farva, who is pretty much the outcast of the force. This little sub plot allows for the movie to go in different directions, and makes it complete. Not to mention a surprise ending keeps you laughing until the credits scroll.
Sept. 7th blog
As i've stated previously, i like to ride bmx. (what gave that away?) Anyway, we had our big trail jam on Saturday. I rode for quite a bit, but I also did quite a bit of filming. I ended up with a little over half an hour of footage. My major is in film and vide, so naturally i was excited about this. I've spent the past few days uploading, editing, and making copies. When I finished up, I had a nice little 10 minute long video. I made lots of copies of this on cd, and I included a little 6 minute bmx video that i edited this summer. So now these are on sale for $3, which isn't too much. I only want to make enough money to buy more cds and more cases, not really any profit. So this brings me to my next point, if you are interested in buying one contact me!
Sept. 6th blog
After seeing the new pic on the main page, i realized i had found a topic for today's blog. Obesity is a growing problem in the world, and mainly in the U.S. Obesity linked deaths now account for the largest amount of deaths in the United states, even more than hypertension and smoking. This is such a huge problem because kids are now experiencing disease and are constantly teased. It's no wonder why this problem exists, with a mcdonalds and burger king right down the street from most peoples' homes. Fatty foods are given to children as a reward for being well behaved, or making an accomplishment. This is not only disgusting, but they are hurting their children. This problem can be easily prevented for most people though, but many are too lazy or don't care enough to take the initiative and make a change.
Sept. 5 narrative
I would like to tell you about one of the happiest days of my life. I ride BMX, and like any BMX rider there is no better feeling than getting some new bike parts, yet alone a whole new bike. I build my bikes up myself, with all the components I choose, so getting a completely new bike is a thrilling event. This was all sparked by two other seemingly non-important events leading up to it. I finished assembling my new bike about two years ago. Rewind about two years and a week.
I awoke early Sunday morning. The sun was still rising, and the stage was set for a beautiful day. Ironic I thought, since the next day school started up once again, and it would be the yearly dragging of feet that I’ve come to expect. I threw on some clothes and picked up my bike. At about 12PM, some friends met me at the local McDonalds, where we experienced the fine dining that Lock Haven is famous for.
Later that day, we went street riding. For those who aren’t familiar with the topic, it is where you ride BMX on everyday obstacle that you encounter throughout the town. Anyway, we went and hit up all the local spots. We were having a blast, and started heading home. Of course we were all 16 years old or younger, and none of us had our driver’s license, so we had to ride home.
Later that day, we went street riding. For those who aren’t familiar with the topic, it is where you ride BMX on everyday obstacle that you encounter throughout the town. Anyway, we went and hit up all the local spots. We were having a blast, and started heading home. Of course we were all 16 years old or younger, and none of us had our driver’s license, so we had to ride home.
We all split up, and I was riding home by myself like usual. I looked over my left shoulder, and started to cross the road. About halfway across, I heard the roar of an engine. Startled, I turned to see a Jeep Cherokee speeding towards me on the wrong side of the road. Nervous, but not scared, I expected to hear the screech of brakes or squealing tires, but I heard neither. The Jeep plowed into my left hip, throwing me over my handlebars headfirst. A car following the Jeep later told me I did a flip, and landed right on my head.
I awoke in an ambulance just out side of the hospital. I was hurt, but not badly. After undergoing hours of x-rays, doctors couldn’t find any broken bones. All I needed was a few stitches here and there, but I still suffered a major concussion. I would miss the first day of school, but it didn’t bother me any.
Fast forward about a week, to an exciting event in my life. I was feeling very depressed about what happened, especially the complete loss of a $1200 bike. I was lying on the couch, still sore from the incident. The phone rang, and feeling hopeless I answered it. A familiar voice was on the other end, but I couldn’t figure out who it was. He introduced himself as my insurance agent, and said he could help me. The police had taken my bike after the accident, and had determined the value of it to be $1400, $200 more than I actually paid. I was to receive that amount back, as it was covered by my insurance.
A few days later, I received a check in the mail. The money was mine to spend, as long as I sent in my receipts showing that I spent the money on a new bike. In fact I did spend the money, all of it. It just goes to show you how you can go from an all time low to the highest of highs. It didn't matter that I had been fined $50 for not signalling a turn on my bike, maybe because no one does that anyway.
http://singularity.pilsch.com/IslandGirlBlog∞
http://singularity.pilsch.com/SetAbominae∞
Sept. 5
Ok, it's kind of late but I figured I would write my blog before I forget about it. I may have stated it previously, but I ride BMX. It's the one thing that I am really passionate about. A bunch of friends and I have dirt jumps at his house, and they are getting a lot of recognition. We had a "jam session" at his house on Saturday, and it was absolutely nuts. There were over 100 riders who showed up, many from as far away as Pittsburgh. There were also two professional riders there, and they really liked our trails. Once kid who goes by the name "Gerber" performed two front flips perfectly, and another kid they call "Monkey" pulled a backflip perfectly. I just thought I would tell everyone about this, even though most of you have no idea what I am talking about.
old blogs...
Ok, so this is my first blog post. I am not sure if what I'm doing is right, so i don't want to hear any complaining. Of course I'm just kidding, what better way to learn than by your mistakes. First off, I chose the most generic license, allowing all to use my work for whatever they please. It is my responsibility to decide what I want to post, and I know that others are going to see it, so if I don't want something to be shared then i won't be posting it in the first place. I don't know how many people feel this way, but whatever I post on a blog for others to see, will be seen by other people. If you don't think that makes sense, just don't worry about it. If you want to use anything of mine, just go ahead. Also, any help with this would be appreciated, because like I stated earlier, I am an amateur.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.