1/12/06

 

My name is Ryan Digney. This is my second semester as a freshman here at Penn State. I graduated from Holy Ghost, a high school right outside of Philadelphia. I live in Langhorne, which is around 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I plan to major in Finance or Marketing with a minor in International Business. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, hanging out with my friends, and playing sports. I have a very big interest in basketball, most likely due to the fact that my uncle was in the NBA and played for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Phoenix Suns, and the Houston Rockets, as well as two Olympic teams. Hopefully this course is a good one, and helps to improve my writing.

 

1/16/06

 

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" is clearly written with the passion that Dr. King was well-known for. In addition to being passionate, Dr. King's letter is also rhetorically sound. He takes time to clearly address and respond to the argument of his critics that his actions were "untimely." In his response, Dr. King states that his actions have yet to be called timely by those people who do not experience racial segregation. This statement really emphasizes the point that the only people who care about segregation are the ones who are being segregated. Another point Dr. King defends is the obeying disobeying of laws. He begins his argument by explaining that people have both legal and moral responsibilities when it comes to laws. One must decide whether laws are unjust or just based on one's moral standpoint. By using an argument of morality, Dr. King hopes to further convince people that what he is encouraging is right. People tend to hold their morals in close regard to themselves, and by discussing a person's morals, Dr. King is hoping to address that person's inner feelings. He further substantiates his argument by quoting Saint Augustine, a highly respected reformer and figure of the early Church. This brings an aspect of religion to his argument. Since he knows that many of his followers and potential followers are Christian, he wisely incorporates religion, hoping to gain more support. Finally, Dr. King displays his knowledge of rhetoric when he anticipates and addresses arguments that his critics might make in the future. Dr. King employs this tactic when speaking about "direct action." He says that while negotiation is certainly a wise path to take, it is not always the direct and most accessible one. In order to bring about negotiation, King argues, one must make his cause known. By making his cause known, King gains support, thereby causing public outcry. Politicians seek to quell problems as soon as they arise, so that they are kept small and do not taint the politician's record. Therefore, public outcry is necessary for the politician to address the argument with a quick and just response. Overall, Dr. King displays a great sense of the use of rhetoric to make his point. This is a main reason why he was such a good speaker and writer, and was able to convince people to follow what he said.

 

1/18/06

 

Like Curt Whitehurst, I am freshman at Penn State. Also like Curt, I have lived in the same place my entire life. I live in Langhorne, which is about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia. I am enrolled in the Smeal College of Business, and am interested in majoring in either Finance or Marketing. I am a rather active person, and while I do not play many organized sports, I enjoy playing basketball, football, and soccer with my friends. Again, like Curt, I enjoy meeting new people and spending time with friends. So far, Penn State has been a rather good experience, and I hope it will only get better.

 

1/20/06

 

43% of Americans lost more than they won at a casino over the past year, showing that many Americans may have a gambling problem.

53% of Americans broke even or gained money when they went to a casino over the past year, showing that gambling is not always a bad thing.

20% of Americans gained more than they lost at a casino over the past year, showing that gambling is often a high-risk activity with little payout.

 

1/22/06

 

This weekend was pretty boring, which is unusual for Penn State. There wasn't much going on, plus I was pretty tired, so I relaxed alot. I slept pretty much all day on Saturday, then went to dinner with some friends. Today I woke up around 4, and went straight to the Big O because I was really craving some stromboli. I'll probably finish my homework then pass out while watching T.V.

 

1/23/06

 

FDR's Four Freedoms Speech was clearly a very powerful and moving one. FDR's technique and use of different styles of argument make this speech more emotional and appealing to all audiences. First, FDR begins his speech by expressing that their is an imminent danger. This shows the American people that FDR takes his responsibilities and duties of being President very seriously. At the same time, however, he also lets the American people know that their freedom is not to be taken for granted, and danger is on the horizon. This creates a sense of panic among the people, and FDR knows that the people will follow him more readily if he outlines a plan to eliminate these threats.

Next, FDR makes an appeal to his audience's hearts. He mentions that we need to fight against any intruders for our children and their children. He argues that we do not want our children to be oppressed. He continues by saying that right now, everywhere all over the world, this very freedom which we take for granted is being threatened.

Finally, FDR furthers his argument by discussing some aspects of national policy. He seeks to illustrate to the American people that one or more characteristic of our national policy is being violated. This way, American citizens will be more open to the idea of war. Lastly, FDR lists aspects which are related to freedom, as well as the four fundamental freedoms of every human; freedom which would be taken away if we were to not fight against oppressors.

 

 

1/25/06

 

The goal of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is to lay the foundation for a world of equality and peace. It explicity states all the rights and freedoms that every human is entitled to. Interestingly enough, at the beginning of the document, a point is made that every human must make their greatest effort to respect these rights if they are to be common among all people. This sets the stage and tone for the document, and lets the reader know that the document will contain appeals to people's hearts. Since everyone needs to work together to make the document a reality, you can be assured that the authors made sure to make an appeal to every single person from every walk of life. This way, they can hopefully affect that person, and change his views and actions so that they benefit the cause of the document. A person's heart and emotions are usually the best way to address him and change him, and by making appeals to the heart, this document seeks to bring about changes and ultimately create equality throughout the globe.

 

1/27/06

 

The State of the Union Address following the events of September 11th is full of arguments that appeal to one's emotions. The most prominent emotions throughout this speech are fear, anger, and hope. First, Bush attempts to establish a sense of community with the American people by using the word "we." While this may seem like a trivial matter, it actually adds support and reliability to the President's argument. If the people think that Bush is one of them, then chances are they will respond to him with more compassion. Since they are grieving, and he is one of them, then he too must be grieving. In this way, President Bush is able to gather support for his actions. Next, Bush begins to discuss freedom. He basically states that the terrorists are enemies of freedom, and that if something is not done soon, our freedom will be lost. This plays on the emotion of fear. The people fear that their freedom will be taken away, and therefore, they will take action to make sure this doesn't happen. Throughout the speech, Bush continues to talk about the attacks on September 11th, as well as other terrorist attacks by al Qaeda. Again, this brings about a sense of fear. However, Bush mixes in anger when he says "The terrorists directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans." Chances are, if someone wants to kill you, you will do everything in your power to prevent that from happening. You will also have a sense of fear and hatred for that person for trying to take your life. Bush uses these emotions to ready the American public for his plan. He makes them feel as though their lives are in immediate danger, and that something needs to be done about this. Hitler did almost the exact same thing with post World War I Germany. The country was almost completely devastated due to the war, and the people were generally stricken with panic, fear, and hatred. Germany had to pay reparations for "starting the war", and people were upset with this. Hitler came along, and played on these emotions, using them to rally the people. He knew that the people were panicking and looking for a leader, he just had to have an angle. He developed a plan and explained it to the general public. Bush does the same thing in this speech; he sends a sense of fear throughout the American people, then explains his plan to vanquish the reasons of fear. Granted, Bush's angle and plan were alot different from Hitler's, but the same result was intended. In the end, this speech can be considered a success, because Bush was able to gain support for the War on Terror.

 

1/29/06

 

It's Sunday again, which means I have classes tomorrow. On the bright side, that means one less week until I get to go home. I talked to my aunt earlier today, and she suggested that I go out to Arizona to visit her, my uncle, and my cousin until my cousin is finished school. I'll probably end up going around the middle of May, and staying for about a week, which will be fun. I haven't seen my uncle since last summer, so I'm looking forward to that. Plus, whenever I hang out with my aunt and cousin we always have a good time.

 

1/30/06

 

Terrorism is a word that naturally has a negative connotation. The word itself evokes a range of different emotions, ranging from anxiety and fear to anger and hatred. Terrorism is basically an attack on the safety of an innocent person or persons. This is part of the reason the word terror is the root of this word. If a child is described as a terror, then one can assume that the child misbehaves frequently. Terrorists seek to cause terror and ruin lives. It should come as no surprise then, that terrorism is usually associated as a negative word.

 

2/1/06

 

The issue in the State of the Union address that I personally had a problem with is the Patriot Act. Bush said that he was going to enhance the powers endowed to government officials under the Patriot Act. I disagree with this, because I feel that the Patriot Act invades the privacy of citizens of the United States. Personally, I have a problem with someone being able to break into my house and secretly search it at any time without probable cause and possibly without ever letting me know. Not that I have anything to hide, but I do not want someone going through all of my belongings. In the past, the colonists were complaining about British soldiers going into their houses and searching them at any time. This was deemed to be a violation of freedom, and the practice was immediately halted. Now, 300 years later, it's become legal again. If it wasn't right the first time, what makes it right this time?

 

2/3/06

 

It's about time that it's Friday. It's been a long week, and the weekend couldn't come at a better time. I've been doing massive amounts of work all week, so I can't wait for the chance to unwind and not have anything to worry about. I feel like it's been forever since I've had absolutely nothing to do, and it's certainly a great feeling. I don't think there's anything planned for this weekend, which is awesome. Sometimes it's good to just roll with what comes at you rather than having everything perfectly planned out. The nights that are random are always the most fun anyway. C'mon, who doesn't enjoy a good surprise every once in a while?

 

2/5/06

 

I've determined that Sundays aren't really as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Don't get me wrong, I hate the thought of 5 days packed with classes and work. It's really not a good feeling to be laying in bed on Sunday night and thinking about the upcoming week. On the good side, Sundays are days for resting, and I've never meet an 18 year old who doesn't enjoy sleeping. Most times I don't even wake up until around 1:30 on Sundays, so it's a good chance to catch up on sleep. Generally, the weekends are designed to let a person do whatever he chooses. All throughout the week I think of how much I'm gonna sleep this weekend. Then I realize that I go to Penn State, and resting and relaxing on the weekends is a foreign idea to many students here. Sundays also afford me the time to think about everything that happened during the weekend and have a few laughs.

 

2/6/06

 

Last year, rapper Kanye West went on stage and spoke freely about his opinions on President George W. Bush. But did he do the right thing? Sure, he had the “right” to say what he did, but that doesn’t make it acceptable. This example clearly illustrates my point that freedom is a complicated thing. At its very basic meaning, freedom means the capacity to exercise choice. This definition seems simple enough, and consequently, there should be no debate about freedom. However, this is not the case. Everyone argues about freedom, from five year old children to sixty-five year old men. To a child, freedom might mean being able to stay up until 9 o’clock at night to watch his favorite show on Nickolodeon. I felt I had freedom when I was allowed to live at the shore with my friends last summer. But no matter what case or definition of freedom you look at, the word responsible comes to mind. If the child can be responsible, and wake up and get to school in a timely manner, then he is granted the freedom to stay up later. I was responsible and honest with my mom about everything, so she granted me the freedom to live with my friends all summer. Responsibility is an intricate part of any type of freedom, and as a result, the concept of freedom should not be taken lightly.

 

works cited

 

 

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=7&did=981277561&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1139338689&clientId=9874

 

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/freedom-responsibility.html

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=freedom

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanye_West

 

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

 

http://www.harrybrowne.org/articles/reese.htm

 

 

2/8/06 Comment on Proposal from TheMuchaBlog

 

Overall I feel that you have a very good topic to define and argue about. You have seemed to establish a clearly stated claim, reliable warrants, and reasons for your action to define the term "freedom." My advice in writing your paper would be to stay aware when defining the word freedom and using it along with the "right" way to do things or having things be "acceptable", to watch out for using evaluation terms. I think your paper will have a strong impact and you will be able to establish good use of the elements of ethos,pathos and logos. The topic for your definition will be an important issue of discussion amongst your audience and should stimulate a positive response. I feel that you have all of your goals in mind and have a great proposal to formulate your paper. Good Luck in writing!

 

2/10/06

 

The NBA playoff race is getting good. The 76ers are in a position to make a run to get into the playoffs, but they need to capitalize on the situation immediately. I love the Sixers, but it's doubtful that they will make a move. They just don't have enough players. Allen Iverson is incredible, but he can't do it all. I think Billy King needs to spend the money and sign some definitely talent. The more talented players there are surrounding him, the less Allen Iverson has to do all by himself.

 

2/12/06

 

I'm getting kind of sick of all the talk about who's going to be the first pick in the NFL Draft. Any team that lands either of the top three players (Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Reggie Bush) will instantly be made better. Every one of these players has the ability to lead a team and put the program on the path to success. Every single player is explosive and unique in his own way, and each will help his team to win some games.

 

2/13/06 CbarksNephewDefinition

 

 

2/15/06

 

After reading the Declaration of Independence, I noticed that it followed the format for an evaluative argument that we discussed in class on Monday. First, the authors staked their evaluative claim: that King George III is unfit to be their ruler. Next, they stated that the standards to which King George would be compared are the basic rights of every human being. If anyone stands in the way of these rights, a person has the right to stand up for himself. Lastly, the authors listed evidence which shows why their claim is a correct one. King George III is said to have imposed taxes without the colonists' consent, as well as cease all trade between the colonies and the rest of the world. Despite having been written almost 230 years ago, this is an excellent document to look at if one is struggling with writing an evaluative argument. Its format is clear and easy to follow, yet the wording is complex, disguising it as an intimidating document.

 

2/17/06

 

Transitions are an important part of everyone's life. They are literally the stepping stones that take you from one point in time to another. Often times these transitions are difficult and unwanted, but they must be faced anyway. By far, the most difficult transition in a person's life is the transition from high school to a university. One must learn how to live by himself, and be independent. With so much free time, a person needs to be able to balance his activities. Perhaps the hardest thing about moving away from one's family is home sickness. After 18 years at home, you get used to seeing your parents, siblings, and pets every day. Then all of a sudden, all of that is taken away. You are forced to live with someone you may or may not like. You make the choice of whether or not you want to go to class. Classes move faster and are generally harder than they were in high school. You choose whether or not you are going to go out on a Thursday night. With all of these choices, a person can easily find himself overwhelmed. Personally, I struggled my semester at Penn State. I assumed that the work I did in high school would be sufficient for my courses in college. I often found relaxing around my room listening to music while I should have been reviewing notes from class. As a result of my experiences my first semester, I have come to realize that the transition from high school to a university is much more difficult than I had previously thought.

 

 

http://www.smu.edu/alec/transition.html

 

http://www.d.umn.edu/tutoring/transition.htm

 

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=986756011&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1140200310&clientId=9874

 

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/quarterly/vol_1/1_2/4-esq12-a.asp

 

http://www.summerstudy.com/pennstate/index.cfm

 

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=4&did=975471061&SrchMode=1&sid=7&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1140201041&clientId=9874

 

2/19/06

 

My mom called today and informed me that we were getting the back porch of our house screened in, as well as our siding and shutters redone. She also said it should be done by the time I go home for spring break. It should be exciting to go home and see a completely new house. Speaking of spring break, I can't wait to go home. I need to relax and spend time doing absolutely nothing. I'll probably end up sleeping alot of the time I'm home instead of rushing around hanging out with my friends every night. I'm exhausted, and I need sleep more than I need to go out.

 

2/20/06

 

I'm beginning to like the Chicken Casear Salad wrap at Fresh Express. I guess I must have gotten a bad wrap the first time I ordered it. Something made it taste weird, so needless to say I haven't gotten one since that day. I figured it was about time to get over my fear and try one. I was rewarded for my risk; the wrap was absolutely delicious. It completely changed my opinion of the wrap, and I'm now excited for next Monday.

 

2/22/06

 

After reading "My America", it is interesting to see a foreigner, particularly a British person, that has a favorable view of America. Brits are normally portrayed as feeling that they are superior to Americans. However, the author looks at America in a positive light in this writing. I also like how the author says that Americans have their own culture. This shows a sense of respect. Perhaps the best part of this piece of writing is the acknowledgement of Thanksgiving as an important American holiday. Other than the Fourth of July, which the author also mentions, Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday of the year in America. Lastly, I like how the author mentions that we are a perplexing people. I like how he discusses the many contradictions of everyday life, as well as the questions we raise. It is good to see that he recognizes that life's hardest questions may never been answered, but that Americans consistently try to find an answer to them. Again, this shows that the author has a deep respect for Americans and the way we live.

 

2/24/06

 

My mom called and told me that my dad, her, my sister, my cousin, and her friend would be coming to visit me for a weekend in March. My sister said she is really excited because she's never been here before. She told me she wants to come to Penn State because she likes the sweatpants with the paw prints on them. Sounds like a good reason to pick a college to me.

 

2/26/06

 

I watched the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. It's not the first time I've seen it, but I was really impressed with Johnny Depp's performance. I feel as though he plays the part perfectly, and really captures the eccentricity of his character. I was also really impressed with the visual effects. Everything was very bright and the colors were lively and appealing. The producers must have had some previous education relating to psychology, because they definitely used the colors to their advantage. It's a proven fact that brighter colors enhance a person's mood, and the movie tends to get really colorful shortly after something bad or scary happens. That way, your mood swings, and you become further enraveled in the plot of the movie.

 

2/27/06

 

To think that a group of humans could go out and murder thousands of other humans is sickening. The people who died in Rwanda did nothing to deserve their fate. There was nothing they could do to stop the killings, either. Entire families were executed. I find it hard to believe that a 5 year old child had anything to do with the killing of a president. Yet, that child was most likely forced to watch while every member of his family was killed, one by one, in front of his eyes. Despite all of this brutality, perhaps the most disgusting fact about this situation is the number of people killed, and the time span in which they were murdered. "Between April and June 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed in the space of 100 days" (bbc.co.uk). This is an average of 8000 people each day. The thought of this happening truly evokes feelings of despair and sickness. If incidents like this were allowed to happen, what hope do we have that they won't happen again? This reflects horribly on the entire human race, and steps need to be taken IMMEDIATELY to make sure this does not happen again.

 

Unfortunately, a situation similar to the Rwanda genocide is happening again. In the Darfur region of Sudan, millions of civilians are basically imprisoned in camps. This is reminiscient of the Holocaust. The people go to the camps when their villages are destroyed, searching for food, water, and medicine. However, as the camps are overcrowded, there are limited resources available. When the civilians try to leave the camps to find necessities, water and firewood, they are either raped or murdered. The UN knows this is happening, and so far, is making little effort to stop it from happening. This, like the Rwanda incident, is disgusting. People stand around and do nothing to help the thousands of innocent civilians affected by this horrible situation. Consequently, "the crisis shows no signs of abating" (bbc.co.uk).

 

CbarksNephewEvaluation

 

3/01/06

 

Spring break is quickly approaching, and I cannot wait to go home. It'll be nice to have home cooked meals and to be able to sleep in my own bed. My bed up at school is really comfortable, but it doesn't compare to the one at home. Plus, my mom promised that she'd make stuffed shells for dinner one night. They're my favorite dinner, and she rarely makes them. What's even better is that my dad has a surprise for me relating to my car. I have no idea what it is, and the suspense is killing me. Judging from what I already have planned, this break should be alot of fun.

 

3/03/06

 

Causal Proposal

 

In today’s society, a great deal of emphasis is placed on appearance. Everywhere you look, there are pictures of beautiful women, women who are said to be perfect. Almost every single one of these women is thin. In addition, they appear to be completely happy with themselves and their lifestyle. This leads women to believe that in order to be beautiful, in order to be perfect and accepted by society, they must be thin. But this is not the case. In fact, “on average our models, stars and beauty pageant winners are 15 to 20 pounds underweight” (carilion.com). In addition, Joel Schumacher, a well-known Hollywood director, claims that “I’ve never worked with a beautiful young woman who thought she was beautiful or thin enough” (troubledwith.com). What’s even more surprising is Mr. Schumacher’s list of co-workers: Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, and Ashley Judd. All of these actresses are idolized by women everywhere for having a perfect life, yet they themselves admit that they are not happy with their appearance.

 

As a result of the pressures placed on them by society, women often times turn to anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders as a way to lose weight. Women’s magazines are filled with articles about weight-loss, dieting, and exercise, which further promotes the image of thin as perfection. Even parents are getting into the act, telling their children they need to lose weight. Society’s ideals are not the only factors contributing to the prominence of these problems, but they do play a major part.

 

sources

 

http://www.troubledwith.com/stellent/groups/public/%5C@fotf_troubledwith/documents/articles/twi_013947.cfm?channel=Parenting%20Teens&topic=Eating%20Disorders&sssct=Background%20Info

 

http://www.carilion.com/yw/html/eatingdis.htm

 

http://proquest.umi.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/pqdweb?index=4&did=672505721&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1141510445&clientId=9874

 

http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/themedia.php

 

http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9798/Oct22_97/media.htm

 

http://www.gwu.edu/~english/ccsc/2001_pages/JanineVanNostrand.htm

 

3/05/06

 

I was digging through my cd case yesterday and came across a Doors Greatest Hits cd that I thought I had lost. The Doors are one my favorite bands, and I thought I had lost the cd around 3 years ago. It was a pretty good feeling, and I haven't stopped listening to the cd since I found it. I heard something about a Doors reunion concert this summer at Atlantic City. I hope they don't do a show though, because they need to keep their reputation positive. Michael Jordan came back to the game of basketball and performed poorly, thus marring people's last memories of him.

 

3/13/06

 

Back at school after a successful spring break. I got to relax alot. My mom made stuffed shells and we went out to eat at Chickie's and Pete's. My dad put a spoiler on my car. I also got to spend time relaxing around the house with my dog. At first she didn't seem to recognize me; she wasn't being as friendly as normal. After a few minutes of playing with her I'm pretty sure she remembered who I was.

 

3/15/06

 

After taking both ECON002 and ECON004, I've realized that I hate economics. Nothing is either of these classes was of the slightest interest to me. This is sort of disconcerting, because I thought I wanted to do something with the economy, perhaps working as a stock broker. I realize now that I will probably end up switching my major away from something in the business field. Despite the immense amount of money associate d with these careers, they have no allure to me. I would rather do something that I enjoy.

 

3/17/06

 

Today is St. Patrick's Day. It is no doubt every college students favorite holiday. As of right now, I don't have any big plans for the day. That will probably change however, as it is only 10 o'clock in the morning. Surprisingly enough, or maybe not surprising at all, there are already people drinking. It's gonna be a long day....

 

3/19/06

 

After a long weekend of going everywhere and seeing everyone, I'm exhausted. Tonight's movie will be the Lion King. It's a classic Disney movie, and one of my personal favorites. I can't help but be entertained by jungle animals running around singing songs and talking. Not to mention, Timon and Pumba are two the greatest Disney characters ever created. I would like to watch the entire movie, but chances are I'm not going to make it past the stampede in the gorge. But there's always next Sunday to finish what I didn't get to see.

 

3/20/06

 

CbarksNephewCausal

 

3/22/06

 

 

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_17/ai_79051731

 

http://www.norml.com

 

http://www.balancedpolitics.org/marijuana_legalization.htm

 

http://www.mpp.org/science.html#01

 

http://skeptically.org/recdrugs/id8.html

 

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/73/81986.htm

 

3/24/06

 

I'm finished my paper on the legalization of marijuana. I didn't really have anything to do over the past few days, so I figured I might as well get it done. It wasn't too hard, just some basic information mixed with strong points. It's a relief to have it finished, because now I don't have to worry about it anymore. I'll probably read over it a few more times to make sure that it flows together and makes sense before posting it.

 

3/26/06

 

As usual, I did virtually nothing today. I didn't get out of bed until around 3:30, and I didn't leave my floor at all. My roommates and I did, however, find a very good pizza restaurant. Margarita's on Beaver Avenue is definitely the best pizza place in State College. It's crunchy and full of flavor, not to mention it's affordable for college students. Even the service is good, the pizza was ready in 20 minutes. In my opinion, these are all the necessary components to having a successful pizza place.

 

3/27/06

 

I hate school. I have 3 tests this week, none of which I'm prepared for. I really cannot wait until the end of the semester. I'm planning on relaxing all summer, and working here and there. My parents have other plans for me however, and they mainly involve me working. Let's hope I can come up with a good enough argument to get myself out of this one.

 

3/29/06

 

I rediscovered an old cd last night, completely by chance. I was listening to my iPod on shuffle, and a song from DMX's "The Grand Champ" came on. At that point, I remembered how much I liked that CD, so I decided to listen to the entire thing. It truly is a masterpiece. It's very well thought out, and you can tell by the lyrics. It seems as though DMX has evolved and changed throughout this music career, and this CD is the culmination of everything.

 

3/31/06

 

I went to Burger King today, because I was waiting to pick up my roommate from PiKA. I got a number 4 value meal. It was probably the best meal I've ever gotten from Burger King. The fries were cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of salt on them. The Whopper was incredible as usual. I didn't really enjoy Burger King until I came up to Penn State, and it's a shame. I've been missing out on alot of good food for 18 years of life, a thought which saddens me.

 

4/2/06

 

For some strange reason, I found myself thinking about Halloween costumes for next year. I didn't get to go out this year, because I had strep throat and a 103.1 degree fever. I was out of commission for a good week or so. I decided I would like to be the Burger King mascot, but then I realized how unoriginal that would be. Then I moved onto the Hamburglar from McDonald's, but then realized that would be near impossible to make that costume. I finally decided on a perfect costume: gum under the table. I'm going to wear a pink shirt, and tape a cardboard box to my back. On the pink shirt, I'm going to write GUM in big black letters. I'm also going to need to make legs for the table. I don't know how I'm going to address that situation.

 

4/3/06

 

CbarksNephewProposal

 

4/5/06

 

I read "A Modest Proposal" in AP English my junior year in high school. My teacher treated it as a serious matter before she handed it out, stressing that we needed to do our best work on this assignment. Upon finishing reading the handout, everyone in our class started laughing. She explained to us immediately thereafter how humor could be used as a tool for arguments. It's something I'll never forget, because I was taken completely aback by the suggestions in the proposal.

 

4/7/06

 

Abortion is one of the biggest topics of debate in the United States today. This is not the first time abortion has been a topic of argument, and it very likely is not the last either. There are many different stances on abortion and its aspects, but the two main opposing sides pro-life and pro-choice. People who are pro-choice argue that a woman has the right to choose whether or not she has an abortion. These people argue that a fetus is just a mass of tissue and not actually a human being. They also argue that abortion is up to the mother, since the baby is inside of her body. Furthermore, these people argue that no one has the right to tell them what they can and cannot do morally. Pro-choice people seek to legalize abortion under any circumstances, with no regard for the fetus that they are killing. People at the other side of the spectrum, however, seek to make abortion illegal under most, if not all circumstances. These pro-life people believe that a fetus is a living thing, and as a living thing, it has the right to live. The unborn child has no means of defending itself, and even if it did, murdering it would still be wrong. Furthermore, the Bible backs up the pro-life stance, specifically in the context of the Ten Commandments. Certainly each side has its respective points for the argument of abortion. This paper will seek to define and evaluate the major arguments from both pro-choice and pro-life perspectives. However, the ultimate goal is to convince the audience that pro-life is the morally and ethically right argument.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_debate

 

http://faculty.uca.edu/~lburley/argument_structure.htm

 

http://www.abortionfacts.com/parsing_the_arguments/parsing_the_arguments.asp

 

http://www.abortionisprolife.com/

 

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=1017988681&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1144685979&clientId=9874

 

http://www.pregnantpause.org/abort/choicarg.htm

 

4/9/06

 

Blue and White weekend is soon approaching, which is awesome. I love football, and there is nothing better than home games during the season. There's a certain excitement in the atmosphere. This upcoming season is going to be alot of fun, especially because we were good this past one. I can't wait to see DWill play again. I'm also looking forward to seeing how the high school players that committed to play here are going to perform.

 

4/10/06

 

I looked at my Sports Illustrated desk calendar today, and saw probably the most amazing statistic ever. The free throw shooting percentage of the 1989-1990 Boston Celtics was 83.2%. For a player to have this average is quite impressive. For an entire team, throughout an entire season, to maintain that average, is phenomenal. Nowadays, there are maybe 3 or 4 players on a team who can shoot free throws well. I guess it really was a different game back then.

 

4/12/06

 

I ordered a new hat last night from lids.com. I've decided to let out my inner "gangster" and get a flat brim LA Dodgers hat. I needed a new hat, and I've been looking for about a month now. I finally found one, and it should be here within a week. I also got another hat, because there was a 2 for 30 deal. I decided to go with a relaxed style Phillies hat. They're the home team, and plus, the hat looked cool.

 

4/14/06

 

I talked to my aunt today, and we solidified the trip to Arizona. I'm going on May 15th, which is my cousin's birthday, and staying for a week, until May 22nd. I'm bringing two friends with me, and my uncle said he would get us tickets to an Arizona Diamondbacks game. The stadium they play in is very nice, and has a pool in the outfield. It also has a retractable roof, which costs 93 dollars to close. Don't ask how I know that, I just do.

 

4/16/06

 

The formal for PiKA is coming up in a week, and I've still yet to find a date. I don't even know who I should think about asking. At least I have my suit up here though. I need to find a dry cleaner though, because there's a few little marks that need to come out. On a different topic, I'll be done with pledging in less than a week, which is awesome. I'm at that house pretty much all the time, so it's gonna be nice to do whatever I want again.

 

CbarksNephewFinal