PLN 27

Injustice can happen to anyone. Just ask little Leighann Adair. She is 10 years old, and was given detention for a week. One might think she did something wrong. But that one would be wrong. She had a Jolly Rancher. Yes, the little piece of hard candy. That's literally all there is to it. I think this is totally rediculous. The school said if they didn't take it away, they would lose funding. However, I have a hard time believing that, since almost every kid has had a Jolly Rancher. If that is the case though, then whoever is doling out the money needs to lighten up. It is totally ridiculous to take away a 10 year old girl's candy, and it shouldn't effect the school's money.

PLN 26

In English class, we are all given laptops to work with to help us learn. The computer is not only a learning tool, but practice for the real world where a lot of us will be using computer with our jobs. Now, cellphones are being used to help teach. There are 2 things that were talked about in the article that I thought were important. The first was that kids that took a poetry test scored twice as high when they texted. This proves that they can actually be used to help in education. The other thing was some kids don't have phones or would have to pay fees to text. To counter that, one teacher has her kids text in groups. That totally refutes the fees and lack of phones. Clearly phones can be used to supplement learning

PLN 25

I think a lot of times, police are too aggressive when it comes to catching people. Instead of just tackling the guy, they insist on using a taser or sometimes even a gun. This is just another example of that. A fan ran onto the field during a baseball game. According to the article, nobody took it as a threat, and based on the video, he wasn't doing anything harmful, just being a retarded teenager. There was clearly more security guards than people on the field, but one guard insisted on using a taser. I personally think that is excessive force. People can argue a taser is non-lethal, but that doesn't mean its non-harmful. If somebody falls wrong, they can break their neck and die. I think the situation needs to be a lot more severe to use a taser than just a stupid teen running around on the field.

PLN 24

As anybody reading this probably knows, I am a huge fan of the famous Chuck Norris Joke. From my knowledge, Chuck Sues anyone who publishes a joke about him. But according to this, some people don't care. Somebody published a book with 400 Chuck Norris Jokes in it, and I haven't been happier in a long time. I can promise I will at some point pick up a copy and share the glories it possesses with the world. I don't think Chuck would be as famous as he is without these jokes. If i were him, I would be thankful. I would go to a movie producer, and say that if I'm not in his/her next film, I'll roundhouse kick them to the teeth, and then I make instant millions. Chuck Norris Jokes should be good for everyone, including the incredible machine himself.

PLN 23

Everybody knows that when there is more than one male around, a penis joke is bound to come up. Its just a general fact of life. But apparently, this guy didn't know that. A co-worker made a comment about the guy's manhood. Most guys would laugh and then try to one-up the co-worker. Not this guy though, instead, he make the co-worker get on his knees and apologize. Not only is this an extremely odd reaction, but if it took place somewhere private, it could be considered sexual harassment (similar to the kind of thing bad sex jokes make fun of). I think this guy needs some mental help. If he can't even handle a penis joke, there's something wrong with him. If he gets hit with something that's ACTUALLY insulting, he could kill himself. Get the man help.

PLN 22

Summer of 2009, many Celebrities died. I know that was a long time ago, and the point I am going to bring up has been brought up a lot, but I still think its important. People die everyday. Not just celebrities. This is about a bassist for a band that died on stage. He was no celebrity. He was a 48 year old bassist for a band that I have never heard of, and I know more European metal bands than American metal bands. He probably died for reasons very similar to Billy Mays, but Janusz Soloma will not get the publicity that Mays did, just for the sole facts that Mays is a celebrity and Soloma isn't. While I do think it is news when a celebrity dies, I don't think everybody should I act like they were best friend with the person, and start listening to their music for the first time, and actually cry about the death, as was the case with Michael Jackson. You can call me cold, because I don't think that Micheal Jackson's death was REALLY that important. He was done making new music, so whatever her made that touched people was already made. Celebrities aren't that important.

PLN 21

This PLN is an expansion to my previous one. In my previous PLN, I discussed how almost everybody enjoys video games. This mini-article shows that even metal heads get in on the fun, and games can also be used for advertising. Metal band Job For a Cowboy recently released some music for use on Rock Band. If you think about it, this is a great way to market music. Everybody I know has played Rock Band or Guitar Hero at least once. Now that Job For a Cowboy has released music to Rock Band, there are going to be a lot more people interested in the music and in the band. Video games are more than just a cultural phenomenon, but they are also a spot for advertising.

PLN 20

In the modern era, with technology as advance as it is, video games are huge when it comes to culture. Almost everybody plays video games, whether its something simple like any game on the Wii or Rock Band or guitar Hero, or something more "hardcore" like Call of Duty or Halo. I can't say how many times I've skipped my homework to play Call of Duty. However, its not just average Joes that play games, as this article illustrates. This article talks about how the famous rapper Method Man plays video games too. To me, when even a celebrity plays and enjoys video games, it shows even more about the cultural effects of video games. Its not just a teenager skipping homework to play, its somebody world famous who might start rapping about games in his music. Video Games are clearly one of the defining things of this era.

PLN 16

Apparently, gays can be discharged from the army. Now, I thought we were at a point where everyone was equal, gays,blacks, women, for better or for worse. So this makes me question: Are we REALLY all equal? Just because someone is gay, doesn't mean they should be treated differently from the next man in the army. If you look at gay rights activists and what they say, they all want gays to have equal treatment. Unfortunately they don't, and get get out of service for it. I think gay people should be torn on this. On one end, they get out of the army and out of possible over seas service which everyone would love to avoid. On the other hand, they truly aren't being treated equally. If you are not gay, then pretend you are for a minute. What is more important: equality or the fact that you don't have to risk your life if you don't want to?

PLN 15

This may possibly be the worst April Fool's joke ever. A guy finds that he has 88 billion dollars in his account. No big deal. Wait.....did you say 88 BILLION? It almost sounds like the plot for "Eagle Eye." I can understand this was a mistake on the banks part, that apparently happens a lot, but how can anyone feel right making somebody else think they might possibly be a billionaire, then take it all away? Honestly, with something that ridiculous, I wouldn't care too much. The fact still remains that you gave a man a tree and then burned it down as soon as he planted it. It is a bit of a low-blow. In a classroom setting it would be like saying "if you pass this class, no matter what, you will get into college" and then 5 minutes later saying "sorry this class will actually lower your chances of getting into college."It is simply not right. The system should be corrected, in case somebody withdraws it all, flys to Europe, changes their identity, and now they have billion of euros and living the life. Other than that possibility, there's nothing wrong with it actually happening, its just lame is all.

PLN 14

Medical Marijuana has become quite popular, so much to the point that a dispensary is opening in a strip mall. the article that was linked details some of the things about the new dispensary. However, that's not what struck me. I was struck by the fact the law was passed in 2000, and it is now legal with a license, but the government still insists on having public middle schools and some elementary schools show videos about why it is bad. Education has been wasting its time educating about the negatives, but it is obvious that the government itself doesn't think too low of marijuana, since it is in fact legal. I want whoever is running this whole thing to make up their mind. is marijuana medicine or something horrible that should be avoided? If it is medicine, stop wasting time teaching about the atrocities, and spend more time teaching children something they will actually use in life. If it is a horrible thing, then by all means educate on it. I just feel like I have been getting mixed messages throughout my life on this subject, and I wish an authority would simply make up its mind.

PLN 13

What I have just read has made me extremely giddy with excitement that I want to scream. While it probably won't actually happen, and if it does, it will probably be horrible, the possibility is out: Mastodon (which for anyone who has seen me in person who has half a brain would know that is my favorite band) is trying to make a movie of their latest album, Crack the Skye. If you read the entire albums lyrics as if it were one poem, the story is astounding. If you listen to the songs, the musicianship and vocals will take you to a world you have never thought imaginable. The music is so great, that when I looked at my iTunes, it said I had listened to each song on the album 126 times, 3 times more than the next most listened to song. The 50 minute album has a great story, but the majority of the joy it delivers is through the instruments and the emotion in their vocals. this makes me question if the movie would last any longer than an hour. Either way, if it comes out, it will automatically be my favorite movie, no matter how bad it is. It is the kind of thing that can actually make you focus on what your supposed to be doing, instead of watching TV. That said, not only will I enjoy it, it will help me with my work just by watching it, simply because I see all of the hard work, and how its better than anything I could ever do, and I should strive to be like that.

PLN 12

This article details the opinion of Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano on off the filed issues with his players. the article said he was "not happy" with any of it. The way i see it, the player are paid to play a game, and the coaches are paid to coach the players. Nothing more. If the players play well and the coaches coach well,everything is fine. However, there is such a big hissy fit that is thrown when an athlete goes to the club or they eat a burrito from Taco Bell, and it is really nobody's business but their own, so long as they can do their job, and do it well. I don't need to know, or want to know anything about a celebrity or athlete's personal life, simply because I don't care and its not necessary. I will use the well known example of Michael Vick. everybody loved him. and then it came out that he was dog fighting. When that came out, it was on TV every single day. now if Michael Vick didn't play football, and instead worked at Burger King and he got caught, certainly people would be disturbed and PETA would be all over it, but it wouldn't be a huge deal in the public eye. I'm sick of famous people getting ripped on for doing normal things. they need to be left alone, and we need to do better things with our lived then watch TV or browse the Internet for the next scandal.

PLN 11

I read this article by an Associated Press writer regarding college basketball's graduation rates, and possibilities for implementing penalties for not reaching a certain graduation percentage. the teams would not be penalized for players transferring or going to the NBA. That said, when the example benchmark as placed at 40%, 11 teams (Maryland, California, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, Washington, Tennessee, Kentucky, Baylor, Missouri, New Mexico State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Louisville; note the four teams in green made it to the Elite 8 this year) would have had some sort of penalty. they would have to fail this "test" two years in a row to be penalized. The problem I see with this, if a freshman comes in, he will be penalized for students before him and their actions. While I do find it nice that a huge thing like the NCAA would be willing to sacrifice money for education, something that is rare in corporations and organizations, and I love the fact that they are trying to get more people to graduate, i hate the possibility of punishing someone who shouldn't be punished. Also, I see the issue of having young teams. some teams don't have any seniors on them, and the article never specified if it was only tested on seniors, or the whole team. If it was the whole team, certain teams would simply fail. I think it is a good idea to have more of a focus on education, but in the end it would be too unfair for certain people.

PLN 10

I was watching the newest episode of FOX Network's House's newest episode, Private Lives, and throughout the episode, the patient blogged about her life. She would blog about anything from what she should wear for the day to the arguments she had with her "significant other" to what kind of valve she should get for her new heart that she ended up needed. She seemed obsessed with blogging. At one point, the man she was with (I don't remember if it was her husband or boyfriend) quoted her on the Internet, with something along the lines of "Wasn't it you who said that 'the Internet is something that can make it so your never actually alone?'" She also told House that she felt she could know someone better through the Internet than he could meeting someone in person. She was also to the point that when she was told she's going to die, all she wanted was her computer to blog. I thought this was all a little ridiculous. This whole concept was so insane. It actually bothered me for quite a long time. I then remembered some conversations we had been having in class about whether or not laptops in a waste of money for a classroom. The general consensus was that laptops can be a good learning tool, to a certain extent. While I do believe that laptops can help learning, I also think they promote laziness. Watching this showed me it may also promote an unhealthy addiction to the Internet. I love the Internet, and I think its a good thing, but it gets out of hand at times. So the question I bring up is: How should the Internet be used? Also, How much should it be used?

PLN8- Action Plan

My plan to take action for my CTW project is to write a letter to my congressmen and senators. I hope to get a program in place to educate parents on why child abuse is bad. They seem like the perfect people to help.

PLN 7-Google Reader

In this IGN article, they talk about some of their most cherished memories in gaming. I think in this generation, almost anybody can have a gaming memory. Most kids these days are gamers, just look around. Everywhere you look, there's something about the next Call of Duty. It truly is incredible. My best memory of video games was when I was 10, in the year 2004. I was playing the terrible, yet very entertaining, Dynasty Warriors 3. I had been playing the games on and off for 3 years, and I always found the game to be very hard (give me a break, I was young). even on some of the easy levels, I would die with in minutes. But one day, on the last battle of the character's story, I got lucky. I was almost dead, but was about to capture my winning objective. When I was about 1 hit from death, my bodyguard came out from nowhere to save me, and win the battle for me. I had beaten the game with my first character. I had unlocked my first character. I was giddy with joy. I spent the rest of the day boasting to my mom about how amazing I was for winning. 7 years later, Ill go to grandma's house on the weekends, and fire up that old PS2, and look at all 30-some characters Iv unlocked, and how Iv beaten the game with every character. That was my favorite gaming moment in my life.

PLN4: Should we use Laptops in School?

A question was posed by Dr. Warschauer,which asks if laptops in a classroom are a waste of money and why. I think to some extent the laptops are a waste, however, they can be a good thing. For example, with how much technology is progressing, you can almost guarantee we'll be using computer in out careers. However, I was looking at some comments on his blog, and there was some terrible spelling and grammar. This to me means we don't spend enough time teaching kids how to read and write, and too much time on the computer. In conclusion, the laptops are not a waste of money, but we should use them less.

PLN 3: Free Choice

The Serious Side of Southpark

Most people watch Southpark for its humor. However, very few people know that it addresses some very serious issues. Some of these issues include illiteracy ("Chicken Lover") and World of War Craft ("Make Love Not Warcraft"). In "Chicken Lover", it shows the possible tragic effects of a cop who cant read. In "Make Love Not Warcraft", it shows how video games contribute to childhood obesity, and lack of a social life. "How can you kill that which has no life?" is a quote from the episode that I think helps illustrate my point. It shows that the lack of a life caused by video games make someone not human anymore, and therefore, lame. Next time you watch Southpark, keep this in mind. It might change your life.

Change the World: Child Abuse

Child abuse is a huge problems plaguing the world. 84% of inmates were abused as children. One in three girls and one in five boys are abused sexually as children. 80% of abusers are close to the child not the cliche stranger with a lollipop. 12.1 of every 1000 American children are abused, almost 900,000,000 in all, and it is estimated that for every abuse case that are reported, two go unreported.4 children in America die daily from abuse or neglect. This isn't just America's problem though, it is international. For example1 child dies daily from abuse in England, and they have 30,000 children on the list of names that health or social services are concerned for the risk of abuse. In conclusion, abuse leads to deaths, and accounts for 84%of American inmates. It must be stopped.

How is the internet changing the way you think?

There was a question posed by Edge Magazine that said "How is the Internet changing the way you think?" The Internet is an incredibly powerful tool and an amazing resource. almost anything can be brought to you with just a push of a button. You can research a topic, play games, listen to music, or do anything you want on the Internet. Teachers and parents speak of a time where there were these things called "books" which is what they grew up with, and they would have to search through these ancient devises to find what they wanted. Now, we have Google. The Internet truly has made anything possible, and can make anything easy.