Assignment 8: My subject Rather Chose Me- Keionna Bailey

Fears:The future; how do I know I'm making the right decision, losing my mom
Annoyances: Hallway traffic, people who don't use their blinkers, people who think their entitled to things, people who make assumptions about black people, stupid people-there's a difference between doing something stupid and actually being stupid
Confusion: physics-I never know what I'm doing, life- teens aren't allowed to drink alcohol but yet we're expected to make life decisions in high school
Sorrows: My dad's death
Dreams: Bring something of value to the world, be successful, travel, be happy about what I'm doing
idiosyncrasies: eating cereal with a fork unless it's cinnamon toast crunch,
Risks:getting on the flight of fear at King's Island even though someone was injured on that ride
Beloved Possessions: leather bracelet my dad gave me
Problems: lack of consideration for others feelings, short-tempered

The Future. This is the most fearful and complex thing that I think about almost everyday. How do I know I'm making the right decision? How do I know this is what I'm suppose to do in life? Is the right career for me? Am I going to get bored with this in 5 years? Is this too risky? There are so many things that I question all the time and I give myself mini anxiety attacks about because we live this world of the unknown. We don't know what's going to happen and that scares me. I love the fact that I can wake up and not know what I'm going to that day but then I'm terrified because I don't know what's going to happen to me or friends and family. I already lost my dad unexpectedly I don't want that to be the case for my mom. This world of the unknown is perplexing and startling and I don't know how to deal with it. But I am excited for what it might bring to me.

Assignment 7- Jessica Nelson

October 7th has never before had any significance to me. However now I have to reconsider this because as I think about how much affect the first use if any assembly line, which occurred on this date, has affected my life and everyone it. If you were to look around you right now I’d be willing to bet at least 90% of the objects in the room were made on an assembly line, and if the assembly line had not been created all you’d really have left of it is that quilt your grandmother sewed you that you haven’t taken out of your closet in 4 years. Assembly lines have allowed for a lot of progression and growth. Now we can quickly produce cars to transport us, beds to sleep in, and computers for you to read this blog post on (or if you're me to put off writing it and watch Netflix on, but then again that probably holds some truth for you too). It has made our society able to have access to many more things and support many people. But is that really a good thing? Rising populations means overcrowding in schools (which in turn lowers the quality of the education received in many cases, easier spread of disease, and more trash polluting our planet (in addition to the smog and gases released from the power sources of these assembly lines). And being able to have more things has made many people materialistic, therefore lessening the value of relationships and the like. My family has a tradition of working with Ford seeing as we are from Michigan but even though the assembly line was a great economic tool at first look at it’s effects, it has left many employees laid off and in financial trouble, a city in ruins, and a polluted planet, so in the long run I think this event has hurt us more than it helped us (although I must admit I still do enjoy my machine assembled granola bar every morning).

Assignment 8: "I never had to choose my subject- my subject rather chose me"

Writing territories are a range of ideas that one generates to spark their writing. In general, it is just one of the many ways one can brainstorm for different types of writing.

This week's blog is more undefined than others because it depends so much on your unique personal experiences. Below, is a list of 10 writing territories and you'll begin by answering them. Your answers do not have to be lengthy, they only need to be definitive enough so that you, the writer, could look back at it weeks from now and it could trigger what you were thinking about.

Writing Territories

Fears

Annoyances

Accomplishments

Confusions

Sorrows

Dreams

Idiosyncrasies

Risks

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then

Problems

For instance, my list looks like:

Fears: drowning, loosing family in catastrophe

Annoyances: rudeness, expecting fairness in this world

Accomplishments: still being married, being a dad my children want to be around

Confusions: inequity (different than fairness)

Sorrows: anger management, weight, (totally working on both but to be honest "weight" is harder than "anger" 'cause food is goooooooood)

Dreams: retirement, travel,

Idiosyncrasies: nerd, paper/pencil RPG (redundant?)

Risks: pilot's license (want), jumped out of an airplain (did)

Beloved Possessions: comic books (then), friendships (now- i know, cheesy)

Problems: Organization

Simple, right?

Now, once you have your list, choose one topic to expand upon in-depth (or at least 150 words). This may be as simple as an explanation of this topic (e.g. I discovered I had an anger management problem when I realized that I was taking out my frustrations on my family. . . .). It may turn into to a short-story or a beginning of a short story. It may turn into a narrative of a memory. It may turn into a social commentary. It may turn into 150 words of freewrite. It may turn into something all together different and weird and delightful. Whatever you wrote down in your list, reflect upon it and allow it to guide your entry for the week.

"There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges." -Ernest Hemingway

Due Sunday, October 19th at 11:59 pm

Assignment 7 - Jacob Faulkner

On October 11th, 1986, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met as Iceland, talk about missiles arsenals they have all over Europe. This is a positive thing to society in that two rivaling men talk about their conflict and try to resolve it, and it's also a negative thing in that two evil men are so close together that something even more evil could happen. I'm unclear on what life would be like today if they hadn't talked, I'm not sure on how important or dire the matters were. I assume that life would be different today if any discussion of any President did or did not happen or any Cold War event did or did not happen. Either way, if these events did not happen, I assume American life, at least, would have changed in some aspect. And for that, I would say that this event is a positive thing.

Assignment 7 Ian Harrison

October 11th, 1975- Saturday Night Live premieres with host George Carlin
This show would go on to be the backbone of comedy, the training ground for some of the great comedians of our time, and a staple of culture. Many of our most beloved actors came from this great show. Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, Mike Myers, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Robert Downey, Jr., the list just goes on and on. Without this show, film and television would be a very different landscape, at least as far as actors are concerned. I think it's great that this show has become a proving ground for so many young, talented actors. There are a lot of great people we might not know without it. It also has ingrained itself so thoroughly in our minds many of us may reference it daily without realizing it. So many of their hilarious skits have been remembered and passed down. Today is the anniversary of a milestone of culture. I am very happy to be alive during the run of such a powerful monument of entertainment.

Oct 5 - Charlie Payne

So much has been said about the Beatles that I'm already starting to regret choosing this particular event to write about this week. Sure, we all know the Beatles are "the greatest rock band of all time," and wrote nine out of the "top ten greatest songs ever recorded" and have their faces on the cover of three of the "five best albums of all time," but unfortunately the sanctity with which many music fans hold the Beatles can take away from less interested people the true importance of the Beatles and their music.
The Beatles released their first ever single, "Love Me Do," in the UK on October fifth, 1962. Despite the song's and band's poppy innocence, because of them, nothing would ever be the same. From this point on, especially for the generation hearing this music during their tween years, it would no longer be satisfactory to continue the traditions of their parents. The Beatles progressed from then into the band that we all know, "Ticket to Ride" and "Hard Day's Night," and the band that even Kesey and his pranksters listened to. I'll spare you a spiel about Beatlemania (boring), but basically they got real famous real fast. They started getting high often and writing songs about death and tripping, then they went to India and got screwed by the author of arguably the most famous transcendental meditation literature in the West, and then they stopped being friends and eventually stopped playing music in 1970. They were together for less than a decade, but their legacy continues to survive.
Without the advent of the Beatles, there's no telling where music would be nowadays. Solid arguments can be made to show how the Beatles, in one way or another, planted the seeds of almost every fathomable style of music, and certainly offshoot of rock and roll. But even the Beatles had to start somewhere.

On this date-- Raiffa S.

October 9, 2012: Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafazi is shot in the head by a Taliban gunman.

October 10, 2014: Malala Yousafazi is announced co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work for the right of all children to education.

Malala began her activism early, writing blogs for the BBC Urdu anonymously about the injustice they experienced from the Taliban. As time progressed and the posts received more and more attention and after her identity was revealed, her safety was challenged. She started receiving death threats and the Taliban decided she was too much of threat and attempted to assassinate her.

After winning the fight for her life, she now works harder to fight for the right of all children to education. Becoming the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize shows how her dedication to activism has impacted so many people to join in on the fight and stand up for something. She will continue to inspire people everywhere she goes to speak out against injustice and fight for their rights with her story and her success.

Assignment 7 Johnathan Morris

On October 1st 1932, the sultan of swat, the king of crash, the colossus of clout, the GREAT BAMBINO, Babe Ruth stepped up to the plate in the fifth inning, with two strikes, and did one of  the most iconic actions ever in all of sports. The Babe pointed his bat into the centerfield bleachers, and on the very next pitch, he hits his right where he knew he would. This had a huge impact on the way people play baseball, it added a little bit of cockiness and swagger to America's pastime. Today not a practice goes by that a player doesn't imitate Babe's famous stunt (normally unsuccessful), similar to Dikembe Mutombo's infamous finger wag after blocking a shot, or Michael Jordan sticking his tongue out while making unbelievable plays. Things like this may not seem like a big deal but they can really impact the way a sport is played. Players may not be able to dunk or hit homeruns like their idles, but they can sure can point their bat or stick their tongue out.

On October 9th 2013, literally THE most tragic thing happened! Kris and Bruce Jenner announced their separation. I was  devastated. The kardashians literally mean everything to me! Of course because this was the most important thing to happen on October 9th that year, it was all over the news. Not only was this detrimental to me personal, this shocked many people around America. The Kardashions are like the kings and kweens of America so it like a huge deal!  I still don't think that Kris and Bruce got the attention they deserved, but I mean they like to keep their personal lives private so I get it, but still, this was a tragic event and they totally deserved more coverage. Hipsters always whine about how the news doesn't cover actual important events , but I mean the Jenner Split of 2013 is freaking huge! It definitely counts as news. I mean, who even cares about the chair of the federal reserve or who won the Nobel chemistry prize when there are real life tragedies like the kardashian katastrophe?!?

On This Date - Keanu Gomez

On October 1^st, 1982, the first ever compact disc player was released by Sony. It was known was the CDP-101. It was launched in Japan for approx. $730. This event marked a really important moment in the music technology industry’s history.  This deviced replaced the old cassette players. Although, CD players did not become popular in the American community until the 90s, their presence in our stores today proves their lingering relevance in our society.  I remember before I got my first mp3 player, my 1^st Gen. iPod Shuffle, I  used to listen to music using a portable CD player given by my grandma. So at that time, I guessed I had a greater appreciation of the CD player, but now we see the music industry’s best sales are from the digital downloads. So perhaps, to most of us today the release of the first CD player was insignificant, but it still represented the continuing evolution and advancement of technology.

Assingment 7:On this Date - Mia Alexander

How would the world be if the first World Series game never happened? On October six in 1882, the first World Series was played. Cincinnati beat Chicago four to nothing. People who are not fans like me might have an indifferent opinion on the circumstances. But, it is more than the sport itself that makes this occasion beneficial and "good" . The World Series has been the topic of many conversations between grandfather and grandson. It has been a mode of bonding and friendship. Whenever I think about the World Series, I think about the nostalgic moments with my family at the few  regular baseball games I attended.
Ultimately, the World Series  is "good" because it allows the avid baseball fans and baseball players continue the sport for as  long as possible during the year and also provides "America's pastime". The way it has affected me personally, is I have been able to see how transformed the nation has become since it first occurred. The roster expanded to include all races, even black people. The World Series united our nation and symbolizes our competitive nature as a country.
If it were not for this event baseball would probably not be as popular as it is now. I appreciate this sport and this event because it has molded my life indirectly and directly. If you look on twitter, scroll down any basic girl's timeline and you will see endless retweets of guys in baseball uniforms. I think this is a reason that some people like the World Series. Maybe this year I will tune in and actually watch the World Series.

Assignment 7: On This Date--Amir Abou-Jaoude

In 1762, the composer Christoph Willibald Gluck began to write an opera based on the age-old Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. There had been operas based on the subject before, but Gluck's work would be fundamentally different. On October 5, his version of the story, Orfeo ed Euridice, premiered in Vienna. The work was a vanguard in the history of opera. Before Gluck's work, operas had merely been vehicles to showcase star singers. The libretto, or text, of the opera was not connected to the music--in other words, the story of an opera just provided lyrics for simple melodies. Gluck rebelled against the form of opera. His melodies were extremely complex. Gluck's goal was not to glorify singers, as other composers had done before him, but rather to tell a story convincingly through music. Most importantly, the libretto of the opera no longer secondary--it became just as essential as the music. Orfeo was a revolution in opera, and Gluck knew that his work was avant-garde.

Although the premiere on October 5, 1762 was not entirely successful, by 1775, crowds were lining up to hear Gluck's triumph for themselves. Within fifteen years, Orfeo was one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. Orfeo, and Gluck's approach to the art form, had reigned supreme. The style that had existed before Gluck's work was completely gone from the stages of European opera houses. Thousands of Gluck imitators tried to produce similar works, with varying degrees of success. Even today, Orfeo is still interpreted and performed. It is the oldest opera that  is regularly performed at opera houses. Other composers, working long after Gluck's lifetime, continued to study the opera. The most famous musician to do this was Richard Wagner, who embarked on a study of Gluck's works before writing his magnum opus, Tristan und Isolde. (Tristan und Isolde, in turn, would influence all of modern music.)

On October 10, 1947, an equally revolutionary work premiered on the Great White Way. It was Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro, and it told the story of an immoral doctor obsessed with fame. In many ways, the musical paralleled the situation of its creators--Rodgers and Hammerstein had been extraordinarily successful with their two previous musicals, Oklahoma and Carousel.  They had become famous, just as the doctor in Allegro, and now they found pressure to duplicate their successes. With their  new musical, the duo was determined to push the boundaries of Broadway even further--they put an unlikable character in the lead. Music filled the piece from beginning to end, and there were few standout songs. Instead, the whole musical consisted of one melody that drove the story forward. Rodgers and Hammerstein were hopeful that their musical would prove just as revolutionary as their two previous efforts.

Yet, Allegro was an enormous failure. It was a flop, and it closed as quickly as it opened. Rodgers and Hammerstein were devastated. They had pushed the limits of the Broadway musical too far. The team would enjoy success again with their musicals South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Still, the duo never recovered from the failure of Allegro, and they repeatedly tried to go back and revise the musical. Allegro was innovative, and it represented the future of musicals, but it was not appreciated at the time. However, one of the ushers on the opening night of the musical was a young Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim, in musicals such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods, would continue the revolution started by Allegro. He took the ideas Rodgers and Hammerstein had forged in their failure, and expanded them. Sondheim's musicals were extraordinarily successful. Through Sondheim, the innovations of Allegro would be acclaimed a generation later.

Orfeo e Euridice and Allegro were both groundbreaking works in their respective art forms. The reaction to both works, however, was incredibly varied. Orfeo e Euridice was a success shortly after it was created, and Gluck lived to see his triumph. On the contrary, Allegro, a work just as innovative, was a huge failure, and its genius would only be recognized through the musicals of another composer. Great artistic accomplishments are not always recognized, and innovation is not always rewarded. However, both pieces have stood the test of time. Perhaps Orfeo and Allegro tells us that the initial reaction to an artwork is not important. Rather, the importance of art is judged on if it can remain relevant and innovative in the future.

Assignment 7: On this Date- Keionna Bailey

October 3rd 1995, OJ Simpson was acquitted in the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman in Los Angeles, California. OJ Simpson is a retired professional football player and actor. In the case People v. Simpson(the most media covered case in history), Simpson was on trial for the double murder of his ex-wife and Ron Goldman, a restaurant waiter who just so happened to be murdered along with Nicole after witnessing her murder. There were times during the trial where the jurors didn't even go to court because of conflicting media coverage. Although years later he went to prison on cases of robbery and kidnapping his case set a precedent for future cases involving a lot of media coverage.

The media is like heaven and hell at the same time. We all love it for all the information it can give us but it can also alter our mindsets, as noted in the Simpson case because there was plenty of media on the scene to change everyone's perspective. We also have the Casey Anthony trial( some even call it OJ # 2), she was acquitted for the murder of her daughter Caylee Anthony and even though all the evidence pointed to her she was found not guilty. We also have the fairly recent Trayvon Martin an George Zimmerman case. Zimmerman was also acquitted which really sent Americans in a tail spin.  There are plenty of people advertising shirts and hoodies with Trayvon's picture on it.  

I don' t loathe the fact that OJ Simpson got away with murder. I loathe the fact that the media has the ability to change everything and no one even knows it.

On This Date- Mikaela Gatewood

On October 9th, 1940, John Lennon was born, bringing forth one of the most important figures in rock and roll history. It was John Lennon, along with Paul McCartney, who brought to life arguably the most influential band in music, the Beatles. With the Beatles' beginning in 1960, they changed the perception of music through their innovative style and songs. From the release of their first album, Please Please Me, in 1963, the Beatles transitioned rock and roll into a new era, steering it away from the sounds of older artists like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly with their upbeat British pop sound. Hits like "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You", along with their iconic appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, skyrocketed their popularity, making them a world wide sensation. Soon the Beatles' style began to change with the release of later albums such as Rubber Soul and Revolver,  as they began writing more serious songs with a harder rock sound as opposed to their previous light and cheery style. Even though the Beatles' ended in 1970, their music and legacy carried on, and remains intact today, continuously influencing numerous artists. After the Beatles' breakup, John Lennon continued on with his music career, releasing his solo album Imagine in 1971, including the album titled single "Imagine" having a huge influential impact with it's promotion of world peace. Lennon's solo album was indicative of he and his wife, Yoko Ono's, peace activism and protest of the Vietnam War. He continued on with his activism up until the year of his death. On December 8th, 1980, that Lennon was shot outside his apartment, ending his life. It's unarguable that Lennon's influence and legacy live on today. His revolutionary actions will continue to impact the music industry and the world as a whole.

On This Date-Sydney Taylor

On this date in history, October 11 1968, NASA launched the first three-man space mission from what was then known as Cape Kennedy Air Force Station. It was the first mission in the United States' Apollo Program to carry a crew into space and the first American space flight to carry astronauts into low Earth orbit after a cabin fire killed the crew of Apollo 1. The trip was an 11 day flight with the first live TV broadcast from an American spacecraft. The crew consisted of Commander Walter M. Schirra, Command Module Pilot Donn F. Eisele, and Lunar Module Pilot R. Walter Cunningham. The mission was a complete technical success, though it would be the last space flight for all of its crew members after it landed in the Atlantic Ocean on October 22. The mission resulted in giving NASAL the confidence to launch Apollo 8 around the moon a few months later. 

Date-Andrew Hardy

On October 1st 1958 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration came into existence, absorbing the previous National Advisory Council or Aeronautics. NASA's impact upon the world is vastly under-appreciated. The most famous programs, such as the Project Apollo (lunar landing), the ISS, Hubble telescope, and the Mars rover, have done a tremendous amount for research and various fields for science. One of the most important elements of the scientific method is the ability to be tested again and again.
Space exploration provides fields with practical experimentation of the laws of physics and natural life. Because of exploration outside of our world, we are able to have a greater understanding of our own world. NASA has helped invent baby formula, cellphone cameras, MRI's, UV blocking sunglasses, and water filters, to name a few. As if this practical and technical application were not enough to justify the importance of NASA, there are incorporeal bonuses from the discovery of new frontiers.  That push towards the unknown is essential to the human spirit. Entire genres of media have been created because of the work of NASA. I'd even argue that a more intangible contribution can be brought to America. When children first push against what is possible and impossible, NASA stands as a shining example of the diminishment of the impossible.

On This Date-- Kayla Beebout

On October 7, 1763, King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited the American colonists from settling north and west of the Allegheny Mountain Range, part of the Appalachian Mountains.  This event was the beginning of the end of Britain’s control over the American colonies.  The most important commodity to the colonists was land, and they believed that England had no right to tell them what land they could or could not take.  For them, land was the way to make a living.  It was the reason many of them had crossed the Atlantic in the first place.  Many of them protested the Proclamation or simply ignored it.  In reality, though, the British government was trying to do what it thought best for the Americans.  They were trying to make settlements with the Native Americans who already lived in the region and were trying to prevent another conflict like the French and Indian War.

This event was pivotal in the history of our nation because it was when the colonists began doubting the legitimacy of the British government.  It was the beginning of a long period of increased regulation and repeated protests.  These protests, of course, culminated in the Declaration of Independence and the war that followed.  And that war lead to the beginning of this nation’s existence, which has lasted for over 200 years and still stands strong.

Assignment 7: On This Date Tora Sellers

            69 year ago today marked the official start of the Chinese Civil War. The two warring factions, the nationalist Republic of China and the communist People’s Republic of China, have been fighting for control of China since before the Second World War, but temporarily halted their rivalry in order to combat their mutual enemy, The Japanese Empire. But in August of 1945, the Empire crumbled at the hands of the Americans. Now, without a common foe, the nationalists and communists resumed fighting. Though The Republic of China had control of the mainland prior to the war, the Communists returned to the battlefield with increased strength and won total control of the mainland, pushing the nationalists to the island of Taiwan. Now, in present day, the Communist People’s Republic of China is the most widely recognized government of China. The Taiwanese government is currently ruled by the Nationalist Republic of China, and is completely separated from that of the mainland. Although considered by most to be its own independent Nation, most nations, along with the United Nations do not officially recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan due to the great influence of the People’s Republic of China—it seems as though the power dynamic in china has reversed completely since WWII.

On This Date: Taylor Stewart

On September 29th of 1913, Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the engine that bears his name, disappeared from the steamship Dresden while traveling to England. A week later, his body was spotted floating in the water, he was indeed very dead. There was, and remains, a great deal of mystery surrounding his death: It was officially judged a suicide, but many people believed, and still believe, that Diesel was murdered.

Diesel's work was intelligent and revolutionized the progression of engine development. He called his invention a "compression ignition engine" that could burn any fuel, later on, the prototypes he built would be ignited by introducing fuel into a cylinder full of extremely compressed air that was and was incredibly hot. Such an engine would be unprecedentedly efficient, and this made Diesel a celebrity of the motor world. Eventually, his work would revolutionize the railroad industry as well, after World War II.

At the time of his death, Diesel was on his way to England to attend the groundbreaking of a new diesel-engine plant, and to meet with the British navy about installing his engine on their submarines. Following the discovery of his body, conspiracy theories were developed almost immediately: "Inventor Thrown Into the Sea to Stop Sale of Patents to British Government," read one headline. It's that Diesel did throw himself overboard (he was nearly broke), but the mystery will probably never be solved. 

Lucy create your own adventure

what is one social/politically issue that you are passionate about? how did you first come to realize your passion for the issue? what is your objective for this issue?

what is one socially taboo that you think is unjustified? how do you think it came about? why did it become frowned upon? alternatively, what is a widely held belief or custom that you find strange?

do you feel like you are treated differently because you are a teenager? if so, is this treatment positive or negative? give specific examples of this treatment and how it has helped or hurt you.

As has been evident in class discussions, I have a special place in my heart for feminism and gender based discrimination. I feel an intense passion for all work surrounding the demolition of traditional gender roles and their limiting qualities. I don't have a very specific instance of the ignition of this passion, but I can say that as someone who was always surrounded by more boys than girls, I was often told by teachers and my friends that some things were girl things and other things were boy things. At home I had equal access to Legos as to barbies, but at school I felt like there was a definitive line drawn between what was for girls and what was for boys. I was always complimented on how pretty or sweet I was while my brother was complimented on his bravery and sense of humor. As I grew older and became more self aware, I began to realize that extent to which we as a society stick to these gender roles. As was always expected of them, it appeared that men made the money and women had the babies. As a precocious kid this seemed unfair to me. I didn't want babies, I wanted a career, a degree, a reputation for being driven, for being smart, not for being pretty or a good mom. Women in our society are so used to these roles that many of them don't even realize the issue. But, there is a clear issue in that the social status of a woman  is often measured by her looks while the status of a man is often measure in his worth in money. This is so obvious in how we treat female actors like Emma Watson who delivered a speech at the UN. After this speech, most media outlets out a heavy focus not on what she said, but on what she wore and who did her makeup. When I make a stand about something I want the conversation to be about what I say and what I do, not about how I look and what I wear.