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?