self assessment

My experience on doing  blogs was fun. It kind of tested me on how good I can speak my mind and write so that others can understand me. I think I did well, I enjoyed the class and did all my assignments even if they didn't all call my attention what so ever. The blogs I liked were "why kids lie", and the "I am" poem. The one I really didn't like was the blog about the alternative energy, It was to long and boring and I really didn't know what I was talking about while doing the blog, (haha) even though it seemed like it. But I still enjoyed it. It was a challenge to my knowledge of writing in reports.

I'm proud of all my blogs actually, I think I did all of them with focus and really tried hard to do my best, So I'm proud of all my blogs.

I think I deserve what ever Ted gives me because only he actually knows how hard I tried, I just know I have to pass this class. After this class I'm going to show my mom so she can see what I have been doing in school theses past  weeks I like seeing her proud. AND YES TED!!! I AM HAPPY ABOUT MY BLOGSSSS!!! :-).

Busted

People should be more careful about what they post n the internet.I just read an article that spoke about a young man named Joshua who the police were looking for, They believe he caused a crash due to drunk driving. He fought on saying it was an accident and felt really sorry about what had happened,  When investigators look on his my space they didn't see a man who felt sorry they just saw  man having fun partying and drinking posted right after the accident showing no pity, So therefore they have the right to believe that he was the cause of the accident. 

I think he made his actions public by posting his pictures drinking. He really didn't show any remorse by wearing the jail bird suit which kind of made it seem like he knew he was going to do some time and just played with it and made it a joke him.

But at the same time I feel like what happened might had been an accident, but he doesn't have depress his whole life for one thing, Yes he has to suffer the consequences but did didn't mean he had to change his whole life .Maybe he just wanted to have a little fun and try to take his mind off of the accident.

In the second article they are speaking about teenagers and what they post in the computer. In today's world violence is the key to solving every problem at according to teenagers. In the article they pointed out a case in which occurred last month, after viewing a video of the beating of a 13-year-old girl that was broadcast on Web sites including MySpace, Photobucket and YouTube, the authorities arrested three freshman girls from nearby North Babylon High School. If you were to log on you tube and search on fights, you would find thousands of videos and they will all be just teens fighting to solve their problems. Well if they really love fighting so much they should just go to Iraq they do plenty of that over there. 

What they are doing wrong is that they are posting up criminal actions for everyone to watch, If we can see it then of course police can too. Not a very smart move to do if u want to beat the heck out of somebody without having to suffer any consequences. So i think that is what they are doing wrong . Posting up illegal actions and letting everyone laugh at them, but when they see themselves behind bars there isn't going to be anything funny anymore.

On the third article A local graffiti artist's online requests for feedback on his work ultimately landed him in hot water with police this month busted him. I  think this was the dumbest one out of all of them. He might as well just went to the cops and gave him self in for all that. 

ON all three article these people got arrested for their wrong moves which were pretty stupid. This is why people have to be careful of what they post and where they post it at. Is it a public post ? or only for your friends to see?. Either way posting things where you are showing evidence of a crime isn't very smart.

Satire

Satire -A literacy tone used to make fun of human weaknesses ,often with the intent of correcting or changing the subject of the satiric attack.

I just read "Advice to youth" an article written by mark Twain .He picked out six topics to provide advice in such as Always obeying parents, be respectful to your superiors, Go to bed early, Be careful when lying, Never handle firearms carelessly, And read.

I consider this article a satire because he took important topics and turned it around into a joke. Instead of giving us good advice on how to treat our parent better and how to treat others too, It adviced the youth to only listen to our parent when they are present and to practice lying so that we wont get caught and then later look stupid when found in the lie, He also think lying is a beautiful art. He even adviced us that before playing with an firearm to make sure it loaded and not old and rusty.(hilarious).
I think that Twain is trying to tell the youth that we don't need advice to become better, we just need to start learning on our own how to improve on the topics he selected which is every teenagers problem. But eventually we will grown out of all theses topics. To deliver his message Twain tries to use examples and make them as funny as can be.To make us the reader laugh and understand that life is short. Why take it so serious.
This is a successful piece because its something we the teenagers go through everyday and get upset bout some of the things he pointed out and when he puts them in a joking matter it easier to understand that maybe its not so bad to listen to our parent to avoid violence and that everyone is bad at lying. Even with practice ,so i believe.

What I learned from this article?

Actually I didn't learn anything I wasn't already doing. So I guess I'm a normal teen.

I read an satire article in The Onion website and it was based on Al Gore and global warming.  It was very funny. Al Gore is known for caring a lot about the earth and how we the people can make our place a better environment. In this article they use the superman story to make fun of Gore, With a picture with him putting his son in a rocket and sending him to a another safer planet just like superman's father did to him when he was a baby. It very funny because he really does try hard for people to listen to him,but the public just laugh because eventually the world is gonna end  without it being anyone fault. We weren't meant to live for ever.

Why children Lie..

 Lying is when we don't speak the truth, it does not matter what way we try to put it "I was kidding"," i was going to tell you later","I didn't mean to". But some of all  the ones who seem to lie the most are children. I read an article about why we lie.

 one reason is fear. 

Children do it when they are afraid of getting in trouble, screamed at, or even punished. But parent are also the ones who push them to their lies. If parents are too strict, aggressive, very loud, and non understanding then the child will most likely lie in order to not deal if any of this. Parents have to start being understanding and remember that they were once also our age and they were scared to admit the truth due to the reactions of their parents, So maybe them repeating the same reaction would work to built our confidence to trust. Listening can really help a lot for children to feel more like they can actually have a conversation with their

 parents without lies just a honest communication.

The second reason is habit. 

Lying can become a habit formed through constant practice. It is possible that a child can lie just because that's what they are used to. Having a habit to lie is usually triggered by hostile confrontation. One way to get rid of this habit is by letting go and to start learning that by many lies come many consequences. When we speak the truth it actually feels like we've just taken a lot of weight of of our should

ers. When people tell just so many lies most of the time we forget we aver lied about something and that's how we get caught up in our lies. Remember you cant forget the truth but you cant remember your lies.  I picked this cartoon -->>

because men have a bad habit of lying, that's why females don't trust them. Men get  accused because of past experiences and They always get caught in their lies and continue to lie and get caught over and over and never learn their lesson.Well not all guys, but at least some. 

The third reason is modelling.

Children's pick up  behavior's and habits from home and from school. Parents think that it's bad for kids to lie and always assume that its coming from friends in school. But what they don't seem to realize is that somethings they learn at home. Parents lie and think of it as a harmless lie nothing serious, right?. But it kind of rubs off on the kids. If kids see something at home they are going to think its fine and re-do it in school maybe even worst because kids don't really know from right and wrong. So parents being more aware of their own actions can help them from teaching their kids the unwanted .

The fourth reason is Overprediction.

Kids usually predict what the parents reaction is going to be without consulting they yet. This happens when the parent gives the child to many "No's and don'ts". Everything is negotiable, Parents should be able to let kids relax a little, Explore and learn from their mistakes, Its part of growing up. But having to much rules will just led children to lie and not really inform the parent about silly things like where they are, what they are doing are the moment, who they are talking to and things of that sort. 

I agree with each and every one of these reasons because I also went through all of this growing up. Its kind of hard trying to have a conversation with people who just don't listen an

d want to have a say in your every move. But sometimes lies can get you in deep trouble.

When I was in 7Th grade I lied to my parents telling them that I was in after school from 3 to 7 PM. Eventually they found out because they found it weird that I was staying in school for so much hours and I didn't even like school. Well I arrived at my house at 8PM thinking everything was an cool as usual but as I walked in further to my house it seem quiet. When I opened the door I saw my mother was on the phone, when she hung up the phone she asked me where was I ?, I lied and said I was in my after school program. So she asked me again and I gave her the same answer. she got my father and told me that she had just hung up the phone with my school principal and that I never had attended any after school program.I still continued to lie and said that she was lying to me because she doesn't believe that i was attending after school programs and that she made all of the up. I was grounded for a whole month no t.v , phone , dance classes, shopping or anything that I would've called fun. After that I learned my lesson. But I also learned how not to be afraid anymore to tell them how I felt about them always wanting me to be home and not letting me enjoy my teenage years, and that they were what pushed me to lie because they didn't trust me on my own It took them some time to grasp the fact that I was growing up. But once kids let go of the fear of a bad confrontation then parents will see them with other eyes and understand that they are growing up and slowly learn how to trust their kids.  

I choose this cartoon because it reminded me of the confrontation I had with my mother and accused her of lying in front of my father so that he wont think that I was a bad kid mean while she was telling my father that I was lying to them and that Im never going to get their trust back ever again.

Alternitive energy

A natural resource qualities asa renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by human or other users. solar radiation, tides, winds, and hydroelectricity are perpetual resources that are in no danger of being in excess of their long- term availability. Term also has the connotation of sustainability of the handling of waste products by the natural environment.

Some natural renewable resources such as geothermal, fresh water, timber, and biomass must be carefully managed to avoid exceeding the environment's capacity to replenish them. A life cycle assessment provides a systematic means of evaluating renewability .

Gasoline, coal, natural gas, diesel, and other commodities deprived from fossil fuels are non-renewable. Unlike fossil fuels, a renewable resource can have a sustainable yield.

Wind power

1. What is the science behind this type of energy? How does it work?

Wind power is derived from uneven heating of the Earth's surface from the sun and the warm core. Most modern wind power is generated in form of electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades into electrical current by means of an electrical generator.

In windmills ( a much older technology ) wind energy is used to turn mechanical machinery to do physical work, Like crushing grains or pumping water.

2. How has this type of energy been used elsewhere in the United States and/or around the world?

Wind power in Australia is clean and renewable and a typical wind turbine can meet the energy needs of up to 1000 homes. The technology is proven, fast to build and economical compared with other renewable energy technologies. There were 42 wind farms operating in Australia as at February 2007.

Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases per capita in the developed world and wind power is well placed to grow and deliver greenhouse gas emission cuts on a cost competitive basis. A typical 50 megawatt wind farm in Australia can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 65,000 and 115,000 tonnes a year.

3. How much would it cost to provide this type of energy? What would the cost be to consumers?

Wind energy is one of the cheapest of the renewable energy technologies. It is competitive with new clean coal fired power stations and cheaper than new nuclear power. The cost of wind energy varies according to many factors. An average for a new onshore wind farm in a good location is 3-4 pence per unit, competitive with new coal (2.5-4.5p) and cheaper than new nuclear (4-7p). Electricity from smaller wind farms can be more expensive.

Now , states of the art wind power plants at excellent sites are generating electricity at less than 5 cents/kWh. Costs are contributing to decline as more and larger plants are built and advanced technology is introduced.

4. What are the potential positive or negative effects on the environment?

greater fuel diversity and less dependence on fossil fuels , which are often subject to rapid price fluctuations and supply problems. This is significant issue around the world today ,with many countries rushing to install gas -fired electric generating capacity because of its low capital cost . As world gas demands increases , the prospect of supply interruptions and fluctuations will grow, making further alliance it unwise and increasing the value of diversity .

Long term income to ranchers and farmers who own the land on which windfarms are built.

Geothermal Energy

1. What is the science behind this type of energy? How does it work?

The word Geothermal comes from the greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat), and mean the heat of the earth. Geothermal power directly harnesses the natural flow of heat from the ground . The available energy from natural decay of radioactive elements in the earth's crust and mantle is approximately equal to that of incoming solar energy. In Geothermal power plants, We use the natural hot water and stem from the earths to turn turbine generators to produce electricity. Unlike fossil fuels power plants, no fuel is burned,. Geothermal power plants give off water vapor, But have no smokey emissions.

The electricity energy generated i the u.s. from geothermal resources is more than twice that solar and wind combined.

2. How has this type of energy been used elsewhere in the United States and/or around the world?

3. How much would it cost to provide this type of energy? What would the cost be to consumers?

4. What are the potential positive or negative effects on the environment?

"Gore's challenge"

 I think that Al Gore's speech was very interesting . He spoke about things that everybody know are happening , But we refuse to accept it, because we don't want to believe that we the people also have been part of some of the bad things that are happening in todays world. 

The world today is surrounded  by technology and the use of it only increases by the years. In the speech  Al Gore points out some environmental crisis. It is estimated that within 5 years there is a 75% chance that the entire north polar ice cap will completely disappear during the summer months. The core of our crisis is that we borrow money from China to buy oil to burn. But we also have two more major challenges of crisis in america which are national security and economic. Climate change, Gasoline prices and burning of carbon such as Oil and Coal are really harming us.  Al Gore believes that the answer for problems are to end our reliance with carbon based fuel.

 Al Gore went out his was to find his resources. He spoke with engineers, And Scientist. In those discussion it turns out that the real solution to the climate prices are the very same measures that are needed to renew our economy and escape the traps.

 Some of the fuels we can use to replace carbon based fuels are fuels that aren't expensive, don't cause pollution, and are available at home. We can start now by using Solar power, Wind power and Geothermal power . 

 Al Gore sets up a challenge which is to commit to producing 100% renewable energy and truly clean carbon free sources within ten years. 

 Gore states that ten years are an important time period for this challenge. Because it took less then ten years to make dramatic changes in our global warming pollution, It will take us less for the ability to recover from this environmental crisis. The time is now we can stand ten more years of gasoline prices increasing and workers of job loses. We can help our auto companies by switching to the manufactor of plug in electrical cars and save auto jobs to renew our auto companies.

He discusses an idea of co2 tax, Which is to tax what you burn not what you earn . Oil companies pretend that they are going to bring prices down but they will do nothing of that sort. If we keep going back to the same policies that have never worked and only worked to preserve the highest gasoline prices we might get the same results over and over again today.  We should end our dependence on  oil and use the renewable source that can give us the equivalent of $1 per gallon. 

 Al Gore asks America to please join him on every candidate at every level to except this challenge for America to be running 100% on 0 carbon electricity. We most all stand up now and act boldly . 

Meaning of Quotes

"Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see."
Benjamin Franklin I think this quote is trying to say not to believe what every one tells me in my ears until I see it with my own two eyes meaning unless I have prove . But at the same time I cant trust my eyes in everything because it may be playing tricks on me. At times I want to be so sure of what I'm seeing that even if  I'm  not sure about the situation I'm in , my eyes show me want I am hoping to see. So don't trust in them 100% .
for example . When I was a little girl I had lost my favorite sweater and I remember a girl in my class Samantha telling me "I saw Erica taking the sweater out of your bag ". I didn't want to believe it until I saw my classmate Erica with the sweater on the following day . I went home and told my mom , My mom came to school the following day and asked to speak with Erica's mother, It turned out being that Erica had the same sweater I had and she never took it out my bag . I felt so bad for accusing her but I just thought I was right because she had the same sweater I had . Samantha was the one who took the sweater out of my bag and her mom returned to me . I apologized to Erica for accusing her without proof that it was her , The only proof I thought I had was wrong so ever since then I've learned to not believe everything I hear and what I see isn't always what it looks like .
I think this is a good example for this quote because even though whats in front of you makes sense it may not be what you think . So don't always trust your eyes .

              "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are"

this is a quote that my mother told me growing up. This quote means that you are and do what your friends do. If my friends are mean and cut school and do all the bad things eventually because I am hanging out with them I will start dressing like them , Acting like them, And even talking like them . So I slowly start becoming them .
My mother told me this quote a lot once I went to J H S. I started hanging out with people my mother didn't approve of . And slowly I started acting like them and starting picking up bad habits . My grades started going down , I Was acting real mean with my brother , Sisters and mom, I started  feeling bad. I later stopped hanging out with them and realized what my mom was trying to say with this quote. I now learned my lesson.

NYC schools

This year's response to the Department of Education's survey has had an increase compared to last year's rate, According to the article in the New York Times "Students, Teachers and Parents Weigh in on State of the Schools" written by Jennifer Medina.

I've noticed that parents are trying to be more involved in their child's education. And one way to show this interest they have been responding to the surveys. I wonder what would have happened if the Department of Education would have gotten a bad response from parents , students, and teachers . close down every school in NYC ?.

In the article it stated that this the second year the city has conducted the survey of nearly 1.5 million parents, teachers and students. One encouraging finding was that more students reported feeling safe in hallways, bathrooms, and locker rooms at their school: 72 percent this year compared with 68 percent last year. I agree with this,till this day  I haven't felt threatened in school or around my school area . 

There were some signs of trouble and dissatisfaction , how ever student of middle and high school grades express their thoughts and say that even if they get good grades doesn't mean that they are going to get the respect they need from other students. Some parents felt that smaller classes for their kids helped them improve in their classes more than larger classes . But overall both parents and students said that their schools are maintained in order and in discipline.

I don't agree with the making of the survey because I actually believe that student and maybe teacher would lie in the survey to make the school they are attending look good. I don't think they would put bad things in the survey. Because neither would I. I would say my school is the best school in the world. I did the survey but I didn't have to lie. My school is good and I do feel very safe in my school.I am very satisfied with my education and like most of my teachers. There is nothing to complain about .

Music and Ne-yo

Music has a different impact on people . Music plays a huge roll for everyone , Everyday day. We take it with us everywhere we go. On the train, on lunch break, while cleaning the room , and even when we shower because we still find our selves humming our favorite songs . When I take the train by my self without my ipod I feel like everyone is looking at me and I feel lonely. But when I put in my head phones i feel as if I'm in my own world . I personally like soft music with beautiful words, it makes me think a lot . Music that is calming and you can really pay attention to . One artist I admire is Ne-yo.He has a unique voice and is an incredible song writer.

Born into a family of musicians from Arkansas, Shaffer C. Smith a.k.a. Ne-Yo was raised in Las Vegas in a single parent home by his mother. In hopes of a better opportunity, Ne-Yo's mother relocated the family to Las Vegas Nevada; where Ne-Yo would discover his passion.

A master in the art of storytelling,  for example Ne-Yo began writing at an early age. A vivid imagination and creative energy has allowed Ne-Yo to write songs for multi-platinum artists . When asked about writing number one hits for other artists, simply put, Ne-Yo said, "I feel there is always room for good music. I want to reach people's soul with my lyrics thru whatever vessel God chooses."

Ne-Yo is taking the music industry by storm, as he challenges popular music with his writing & vocal talents. Much more than today's male singer, Ne-Yo is a rare artist; expressing through drawings, paintings, martial arts and song. He is recognized the lyrics that touch the soul. Ne-Yo is honored to be apart of the Def Jam brand, which produces some of the best R&B and hip-hop artists in the WORLD !

I Am Angie

I Am Angie

I am sweet and creative
I Wonder about everything in life
I Hear my diploma calling me
I See the sunrise and moon set every morning
I Want to make the impossible possible
I Am sweet and creative

I Pretend that sadness doesn't exist
I Feel passionate about doggies
I Touch my mother's face before leaving each day
I Worry about my twin brother being outside late and never coming home
I Cry when my mom does
I Am sweet and creative

I Understand that to get somewhere I need to do my part
I Say beauty is inside not out!
I Dream with moving out of my neighborhood some day
I Try to put the important things first
I Hope to make it to college
I Am sweet and creative

The assignment

Habits of Mind-finding humor

A "Habit of Mind” means having a intelligent behavior when confronted with problems. Almost like a pattern that your body and mind take when facing Dilemmas , Confusions, Uncertainties .
Its a way people deal with problems , the way they solve their situation . Everyone has a different way of seeing life. And everyone has a different personality. Some are Persistent , Impulsive, Understanding , Striving,  Have a sense of humor , And so on .

Having a sense of humor is being a person who doesn't take things that serious and enjoys life. Everyone would rather be around someone who is funny, playful, and understandable than with someone who is always serious, thinking everything is bad, and judges everything everybody else does and only finds things funny that others find offensive.

That's why I think my habit of mind is finding humor. I think of it as well you only have one life to live and I don't actually want to live it being stubborn and miserable to everybody. We were all blessed with life and when we make mistakes just accept them and learn from them. Do not blame everyone for them. What can be best then having a good laugh and talking about it after. A funny moment will always come up in conversations but a bad day will be something you don't want to talk about.