It has been quite some time since my last blog, and I can honestly say I am not expecting readership at this point. However, I felt like writing one just for the practice of it and to get a few things off my mind. I have never believed in blogging about one's feelings, and I don't like wearing my heart on my sleeve or trying to evoke sympathy. I have, however, found that when something bad happens, I turn to music, and I felt like sharing some of my favorite lines I use when getting over something heart-wrenching. Some lines are uplifting, some are bitter. Some will make you smile, some will confuse you, or even flat-out appall you. These lines are real, though, and each tell a story. Weaved together, they portray a story that has become mine. So, for all your viewing pleasure, here are my top 20 jam out song lines for when you are angry, depressed, confused or just flat out heart broken (and not necessarily from a romantic interest, these apply to any situation).
1. You gotta swim, don't let yourself sink. Just follow the horizon, I promise you it's not as far as you think. - Jack's Mannequin, "Swim"
2. I'm a wishful thinker with the worst intentions, this will be the last chance you get to drop my name. - Taking Back Sunday "You're So Last Summer"
3. It's coming down to nothing more than apathy: I'd rather run the other way than stay and see the smoke and who's still standing when it clear. - The Fray "Cable Car"
4. The truth is you could slit my throat, and with my one last gasping breath I'd apologize for bleeding on your shirt. -Taking Back Sunday "You're So Last Summer" (My personal favorite song line)
5. How many times can I break til I shatter? Over the line, can't define what I'm after...I always turn the car around. -O.A.R. "Shattered"
6. I'm alive, I don't need a witness, to know that I survived, I'm not looking for forgiveness. I just need light, I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution. -Jack's Mannequin "The Resolution"
7. All I ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya. -Kate Voegel, "Hallelujah"
8. With every word you say, say something sweet- 'cuz all I taste is blood between my teeth. -Jack's Mannequin "I'm Ready"
9. Now your games are finally playing you- and I can play them too. -Low vs. Diamond "Killer B"
10. Give me everything you've got now, I don't feel a single thing. -Jimmy Eat World "Night Drive"
11. I found a tidal wave begging to tear down the dawn. Memories like bullets, they fire at me from a gun, a crack in the armor. I swim for brighter days, despite the absence of sun, choking on saltwater. I'm not giving in... I swim. -Jack's Mannequin "Swim"
12. I never knew that everything was falling through- that everyone I knew was waiting on a cue to turn and run when all I needed was the truth. -The Fray "Cable Car"
13. Forget everything you think you know about me- this isn't high school. -Brand New "Last chance to lose your keys"
14. I can still be ruthless, if you'd let me. -Something Corporate- "Ruthless"
15. Well I'm always coming down from the night before where I've left you. -Jack's Mannequin "What gets you off"
16. Big hearts are for breakin' -Jack's Mannequin "American Love"
17. All that I feel is the realness I'm fakin' - O.A.R. "Shattered"
18. So call it quits, or get a grip. -Brand New "The Boy who blocked his own shot"
19. What I mean to say is that it's all gone to nothin with you. Nelo "All gone to nothing"
20. If I'm just bad news, then you're a liar. -Taking Back Sunday "You're So Last Summer"
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Things my father taught me- Part II
It is impossible to describe my father's character without reflecting upon his actions. This is why I am sharing the things my father taught me.
It is rare, when meeting someone new and speaking of my past not to start a sentence with "why I was a little girl, my father..." I never realized before just how much of who I am and what I love has come from my father. One of my biggest passions is dancing. It is not a rare sight to see me dancing at every opportunity, even if it is just around the kitchen while doing dishes. At a wedding, someone once asked me who taught me how to dance. The answer? "My father." From the time i was old enough to walk, my father would spin me around the kitchen, teaching me how to keep time to the music and some of the swing moves he had used in his heydays. In high school, track was the love of my life, and my father never missed a meet, whether it was 20 miles from home at the local level or 200 miles away at the state level. My biggest heartbreak of my life came my freshman year, when I was ranked in state in the 400 meter race, but was unable to qualify at districts because I got called for jumping the gun. I walked off the track with my head held high- right to my father, who held me while I sobbed like a child.
My father taught me the importance of support and hobbies, and he also taught me the importance of family. Our family is incredibly close-knit, and my father has been a major part of it. Both parents have worked hard at peace-keeping among our family, but it was my father who wouldn't rest until he made sure everything was fine among the family. Even when I moved away for college, if I got in an argument with either my brother or mother, I could expect my father to call me every day and pester me until I made up with the person I was bickering with. If it was my brother, he would also get similar calls until the issue was resolved. This always drove me crazy, but it always worked. Because of the values our father instilled in us, my brother and I are extremely close and also close with our parents. My father also taught me, through example, several things about relationships. I got to see firsthand the way in which he treated my mother, which was with a manner of utmost respect. Our household was one in which important decisions were joint decisions made by both parents. I never doubted whether my father loved us or whether my parents loved each other.
The most important decision my father taught me, however, was the importance of religion and a strong faith in God. Though he was catholic, my father sacrificed, attending a Methodist congregration to ensure our family would attend church together every Sunday. He worked to make sure my brother and I were familiar with the scripture, even at an early age. When my neighbor died prematurely of a heart attack, my father told me after the funeral, "We live, we die, and everything in between we do for God". I never forgot these words.
It is because of my father that I am the person I am today. When I was younger and foolish, I would cringe and feel insulted to hear people tell me I was "just like my father". Today, when I hear that phrase, I smile, say "I know" and feel truly honored. I feel I can be a decent person because I was able to absorb the things my father taught me.
* Photo is of my family at my brother's wedding
Things my father taught me: Part I (When he got sick...)
Four years ago, my father got sick. I can not say what disease ails my father, because not even my father knows. At the time, I'm not sure what was worse- seeing my father plagued with a disease which could not even be diagnosed, let alone cured, or watching a man who had been vigorously active slowly become less and less energetic. Our family watched with heartbreak as my father slowly went from a man who played golf at least 350 days out of the year, refereed basketball and even played basketball with friends a few weeks every winter to a man who required 12 hours of sleep per day.Even though I was an "adult" by this time, I could not fathom what was happening to my father. It did not make sense that he could go from so active to so tired in such a short amount of time. His condition went from bad to worse and it wasn't long before he had trouble standing. He would 'bob' up and down or brace himself against whatever he could grab to prevent himself from falling. Once, at a wedding reception, a man who had just been introduced to my father made a joke about his balance being affected by too much alcohol. My father has not drank alcohol in almost 20 years.
My father has been to countless doctors, been "diagnosed" and re-diagnosed far more than is acceptable and changed medication almost regularly for the past four years. By now, my family has almost come to accept the gut-wrenching fact that no one seems to be able to help him, but it doesn't make it any easier or less painful. My father doesn't let us feel sorry for him and he tries acting tougher than he is at times or even downplaying his condition. I think he forgets sometimes that I'm 22 now, not 5 and this makes it impossible to hide the severity of his condition from me. I love him for trying, though. Having a sick father has been heart breaking, but it has also made me appreciate what he has meant to our family. He is our pillar, and I will never forget the things my father taught me.
*Picture is my mother and father dancing at my brother's wedding
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Why I was wrong about blogging
When I first heard this class included tri-weekly blogging, I cringed. In my mind, blogging was a lame outlet for drama queens to express their every thought and emotion. The last thing I wanted to do was read multiple entries including boyfriend problems, fashion disasters, chick flick raves, Twilight talk or the phase OMG. Nor did I want to contribute to writing which I feel is not the least bit credible.
This is why I am so grateful I was mistaken about blogging. While undoubtedly these sub-par blog entires exist on the world wide web, the UNK blogs have been delightful and can be put in the category of legitimate compositions. I have discovered the power of using the web to express your viewpoints on vital issues, politics and even the things you love (in my case sports). With the click of the mouse and the stokes on the keyboard, you can voice your opinion on pressing issues, entertain others, critic anything from food to movies or just blow off some steam during finals week.
Perhaps the best part of the blogging experience has been the opportunity to read high-quality writing. While I have taken several literature courses, some of the best student writing I have encountered has been in the form of my fellow classmates' blogs. It is refreshing the read such good writing, and I fully expect quite a few of my classmates to be published in the future. Blogging can be shallow, but it does not have to be. I have enjoyed the experience, and I am glad that I was wrong about blogging.
This is why I am so grateful I was mistaken about blogging. While undoubtedly these sub-par blog entires exist on the world wide web, the UNK blogs have been delightful and can be put in the category of legitimate compositions. I have discovered the power of using the web to express your viewpoints on vital issues, politics and even the things you love (in my case sports). With the click of the mouse and the stokes on the keyboard, you can voice your opinion on pressing issues, entertain others, critic anything from food to movies or just blow off some steam during finals week.
Perhaps the best part of the blogging experience has been the opportunity to read high-quality writing. While I have taken several literature courses, some of the best student writing I have encountered has been in the form of my fellow classmates' blogs. It is refreshing the read such good writing, and I fully expect quite a few of my classmates to be published in the future. Blogging can be shallow, but it does not have to be. I have enjoyed the experience, and I am glad that I was wrong about blogging.
Still running...
Out of the few things I've managed to love in my life, track my be one of the biggest. In high school, track was my life, but I made the mistake of giving it up so I could follow my at-then boyfriend to a community college that did not offer the sport. At the time I made the decision, I vowed to never look back, never think of track again, but lately it's been all I've thought about because I have come to a conclusion as of late: a college semester is like one big race.
I ran the 800, so I will use that as a basis of comparison, partly because it's what I'm familiar with, but also because it is a fitting race to compare a semester to. When running this race, one starts out strong, working to get into a good position. This is much the same as a semester, when a student begins with enthusiasm, working to be placed above the rest of the pack. However, the race is longer than the first hundred meters, and soon you find yourself settling into a comfortable pace. You find yourself lulled into a false sense of security, thinking this isn't so bad. This is parallel to the middle of the semester, when students begin to relax, organize their schedule and feel as if they have control.
Just when you get comfortable, you go a few meters further and suddenly, the pace does not feel so comfortable. Fatigue has set in, and you find yourself struggling to push through the exhaustion. This is comparable to the phase toward the end of the semester, when students feel worn down, and have trouble envisioning the light at the end of the tunnel. You find yourself wondering why you strapped on your cleats (or picked up your pencils). The reward does not seem worth the means, and one finds themselves thinking, what's the point?
This is the stage where the weak falter, and drop out of the race, or their classes. The strong push through, even though they're undoubtedly dreading the last phase: where you must run harder than ever despite the fact that you're thoroughly exhausted. Naturally, this is the 'dead' week and finals week stage. If you can manage to push through, however, nothing feels sweeter than crossing that finish line. So put on your running shoes and finish the race that is the final part of the semester.
I ran the 800, so I will use that as a basis of comparison, partly because it's what I'm familiar with, but also because it is a fitting race to compare a semester to. When running this race, one starts out strong, working to get into a good position. This is much the same as a semester, when a student begins with enthusiasm, working to be placed above the rest of the pack. However, the race is longer than the first hundred meters, and soon you find yourself settling into a comfortable pace. You find yourself lulled into a false sense of security, thinking this isn't so bad. This is parallel to the middle of the semester, when students begin to relax, organize their schedule and feel as if they have control.
Just when you get comfortable, you go a few meters further and suddenly, the pace does not feel so comfortable. Fatigue has set in, and you find yourself struggling to push through the exhaustion. This is comparable to the phase toward the end of the semester, when students feel worn down, and have trouble envisioning the light at the end of the tunnel. You find yourself wondering why you strapped on your cleats (or picked up your pencils). The reward does not seem worth the means, and one finds themselves thinking, what's the point?
This is the stage where the weak falter, and drop out of the race, or their classes. The strong push through, even though they're undoubtedly dreading the last phase: where you must run harder than ever despite the fact that you're thoroughly exhausted. Naturally, this is the 'dead' week and finals week stage. If you can manage to push through, however, nothing feels sweeter than crossing that finish line. So put on your running shoes and finish the race that is the final part of the semester.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Column #3- The Glass Passenger (A Review)
Andrew McMahon and his band mates are at it again, with a brand new CD titled The Glass Passenger. In the months after battling his bout with leukemia, McMahon has resurfaced with his band, Jack's Mannequin, producing the band's sophomore album. While the band's freshman album was filled with the angst and hopelessness that goes along with being diagnosed with cancer, their second album is filled with optimism and hope. The band's second album's content seems to be in contrast to Everything in Transit, the band's debut album. While Everything in Transit deals with the goodbyes associated with battling cancer, we see the joys associated with survival in many of the lyrics found in the tracks of The Glass Passenger.
Throughout the tracks on The Glass Passenger, the audience is blessed with poetic lyrics which serve as a seeming portal into McMahon's feelings and emotions. These lyrics are extremely expressive, with phrases such as "I'm alive, i don't need a witness, to know that I survived, I'm not looking for forgiveness. I just need light, I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution" and "I swim for brighter days despite the absence of sun, chocking on saltwater... I'm not giving in- I swim". These type of phrases allow the audience to not only experience the thoughts and emotions McMahon dealt with but also give them an opportunity to understand how he felt about these complex emotions.
Poetic lyrics are not the only asset offered by this album, however. The tracks range in both subject and tempo. The listener can enjoy soft ballads such as "Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)" and "Caves", but also is offered up-tempo songs such as "The Resolution", "Swim" and "Miss California". The subject matter is extremely diverse as well, ranging from a ballad about perseverance in "Swim" to a tragic love tale found in "Miss California". The Glass Passenger also offers subject material such as the emptiness of hollow sex, insecurities of losing fame even when McMahon healed, survival, love and the desire to help ailing friends. The listener is exposed to songs which are filled with great sadness, such as "Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)" and "Bloodshot". However, these songs are also contrasted with songs filled with hope, such as "Swim" and "The Resolution". The audience is even subjected to songs which deal with shallow love, such as "American Love". Those who listen to this cd can expect an extensive array of material.
The soulful lyrics are paired with skilled bass, guitar, drums and melodic piano rifts. McMahon composes and plays rifts which perfectly accent the lyrics and accompanying music.
Jack's Mannequin's music throughout The Glass Passenger is refreshing and original. The music offers compositions which include great depth in an industry that produces seemingly shallow music. The lyrics have meaning and the background music is extremely expressive. It also serves as a reprieve, music which can be used as an escape or method of therapeutic release.
In an industry which does not put a premium on meaningful music, it is rare to find a band which produces music with actual meaning and depth. Jack's Mannequin serves as an oasis in a desert of mainstream bands. So, if you're looking for soulful piano rifts, beautiful vocals and well-written compositions, don't hesitate to give The Glass Passenger a listen. Just don't be surprised to be blown away by the music, the lyrics and the heart that was put into producing this album.
Throughout the tracks on The Glass Passenger, the audience is blessed with poetic lyrics which serve as a seeming portal into McMahon's feelings and emotions. These lyrics are extremely expressive, with phrases such as "I'm alive, i don't need a witness, to know that I survived, I'm not looking for forgiveness. I just need light, I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution" and "I swim for brighter days despite the absence of sun, chocking on saltwater... I'm not giving in- I swim". These type of phrases allow the audience to not only experience the thoughts and emotions McMahon dealt with but also give them an opportunity to understand how he felt about these complex emotions.
Poetic lyrics are not the only asset offered by this album, however. The tracks range in both subject and tempo. The listener can enjoy soft ballads such as "Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)" and "Caves", but also is offered up-tempo songs such as "The Resolution", "Swim" and "Miss California". The subject matter is extremely diverse as well, ranging from a ballad about perseverance in "Swim" to a tragic love tale found in "Miss California". The Glass Passenger also offers subject material such as the emptiness of hollow sex, insecurities of losing fame even when McMahon healed, survival, love and the desire to help ailing friends. The listener is exposed to songs which are filled with great sadness, such as "Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby)" and "Bloodshot". However, these songs are also contrasted with songs filled with hope, such as "Swim" and "The Resolution". The audience is even subjected to songs which deal with shallow love, such as "American Love". Those who listen to this cd can expect an extensive array of material.
The soulful lyrics are paired with skilled bass, guitar, drums and melodic piano rifts. McMahon composes and plays rifts which perfectly accent the lyrics and accompanying music.
Jack's Mannequin's music throughout The Glass Passenger is refreshing and original. The music offers compositions which include great depth in an industry that produces seemingly shallow music. The lyrics have meaning and the background music is extremely expressive. It also serves as a reprieve, music which can be used as an escape or method of therapeutic release.
In an industry which does not put a premium on meaningful music, it is rare to find a band which produces music with actual meaning and depth. Jack's Mannequin serves as an oasis in a desert of mainstream bands. So, if you're looking for soulful piano rifts, beautiful vocals and well-written compositions, don't hesitate to give The Glass Passenger a listen. Just don't be surprised to be blown away by the music, the lyrics and the heart that was put into producing this album.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tips to survive "Dead" week
A friend of mine recently pointed out that next week is "dead" week. This sent me into a mini-panic because I am nowhere near finished with all my projects. So, I have developed a few tips on surviving "dead week" (which is far worse than finals week if you ask me) and decided to share them.
* Make a list of projects due and set goals on time-line for accomplishing them. For example, put "have three pages of my ten page paper done by Wednesday"
* Don't spend too much time on facebook. Getting online is almost synonymous with getting on facebook, so it's only natural to want to get on facebook while being online to work on homework. It's important Never a good situation, trust me.
* Take breaks- while it may never seem ideal to stop working, spending too much consecutive time periods on homework can be detrimental. Good break ideas include exercise or going for ice cream.
* Make time for your friends and social life. Pick a day when you're not completely boggled down with homework and have some fun with your friends. Homework will seem more desirable after you've relaxed a little.
* Talk to your instructors. Most will help clarify assignments and may even be flexible on due dates.
So good luck everyone!
* Make a list of projects due and set goals on time-line for accomplishing them. For example, put "have three pages of my ten page paper done by Wednesday"
* Don't spend too much time on facebook. Getting online is almost synonymous with getting on facebook, so it's only natural to want to get on facebook while being online to work on homework. It's important Never a good situation, trust me.
* Take breaks- while it may never seem ideal to stop working, spending too much consecutive time periods on homework can be detrimental. Good break ideas include exercise or going for ice cream.
* Make time for your friends and social life. Pick a day when you're not completely boggled down with homework and have some fun with your friends. Homework will seem more desirable after you've relaxed a little.
* Talk to your instructors. Most will help clarify assignments and may even be flexible on due dates.
So good luck everyone!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
How I survived College (A tribute to my girls)
In an episode of Scrubs, J.D. once commented "I challenge anyone to survive being an intern without a close-knit group of friends". I have found the same is true of college- it would be impossible to survive without a close group of friends. While I have found some amazing friends throughout my years at UNK, this column is dedicated to the four girls who have remained closest and have helped me get through the best-and worst- years of my life.
I'll start with Laci (the girl in bottom photo), who has been like a little sister to me for about 18 years now. Aside from my older brother, Laci's the first person I call in a crisis and one of the people I confide in with issues I don't feel comfortable discussing with my brother. Though she moved to Cheyenne, WY, we have remained close, scheduling visits with each other every few months and talking on the phone a couple times a week. Laci is now married, and enrolled in a prestigious, demanding physical therapy program, but still manages to take time for her friends. Though I've met some amazing people, no one can replace my "little sister" and close friend. While we grown and changed dramactically, we've never grown apart and our friendship has not changed. For this I am very grateful.
I'll move on to Kayla and Laken, (in the top left photo) who are part of an inseperable group of three with me. Kayla and I have known each other our entire life and Laken met us in junior high when our schools consolidated. Our group has not always had smooth sailing, in fact, there were moments (not within the last 5 years, though) that we'd go long periods without speaking or flat out fueding. I think the dissention is what has made our friendships so special, however. After we got through all the petty early stuff, we realized that if we had made it this far, we'd probably just always be friends. Though Kayla and Laken are now married, Laken is pregnant, and both have matured into fully repsonsible adults (I still have a long way to go in this category) we make it a point to continue making time for each other. We see each other every couple months, email frequently and call and text each other on a regular basis. We have already scheduled our next get-together, which I am eagerly looking forward to. Kayla is a unique friend because she is genuinely compassionate and kind. She is very unselfish, and I can count on her to give me good moral advice on even the smallest issues. Kayla is the person I call when I want an answer that has good moral, religious background. She is alway my phone call when the issue seems trival because she always treats it seriously. Laken is special because she is completely honest and forgiving. I can always count on Laken to tell me the truth, even when no one else will or it's hard for me to hear. She also is a big believer in seeing the good in others and giving second chances. These girls have got me through the craziest years of my life, and I love them for this.
And finally, we move on to Shelly (top right photo), who I met while attending UNK. Though I have known her the least amount of time, she has easily moved into this category along with my other lifelong friends. Shelly got me through some of the worst college moments, from going on ice-cream breaks with me during "dead week" (which is way worse than finals week, strangely) to crying with me after my break-up with a four-year boyfriend. It's because of my friendship with Shelly that I've learned how to enjoy college, from dancing to shopping to studying and everything in between. Shelly is the logical friend, who has the rare talent of removing emotion from a situation and seeing it objectively. She has helped me do the same with my predicaments several times, which has helped immensly. She is also a talented writer and I plan on reading her books someday. I couldn't have made it through this past year without her.
So there ya have it, a rarely mushy blog from a hardcore cynic. (Or, as Kayla would say, someone who pretends to be but really isn't. Not sure if that's true, but I love that she calls me out on it).
Monday, April 13, 2009
Why Jon Stewart is the smartest funny guy alive...
Anyone who has heard of Jon Stewart probably knows him as the anchor on the parody news show "The Daily Show". Everyone knows Stewart is funny, but hardly anyone knows he is also dangerously intelligent. Stewart's show will get a laugh out of any American with a sense of humor, but there's much more than meets the eye when it comes to this funny guy.
Stewart displayed possibly his most ingenious bout of intelligence in comedy when he guest starred on "Crossfire". Rather than use that opportunity to springboard his comedic career, Stewart got right to the point, attacking the anchors on their presentation of 'debates'. Stewart accused them of taking a tactic that America needs, but ruin this vital opportunity by play acting and arguing whether than getting serious about the important issues our country faces. Stewart hit home so hard, that the anchors politely pushed him off, using breaks and even cutting him off before he could convince the audience of his point. Stewart still incorporated humor, saying things such as, "Of course you're acting, you're 35 and you're wearing a bow tie". Though he used humor, Stewart refused to stray from his soap box, even responding to the anchor's question as to why he couldn't be funny with "I'm not your monkey".
Crossfire is not the only example in which Jon Stewart speaks comically about hard-pressing issues. On his "Daily Show", we see him mocking euphemisms our government uses to disguise injustices.
Comics are a dime a dozen, but few have the brains to back it up. Jon Stewart speaks about issues which really matter, and he does it in a way which Americans can relate to, and even laugh at. This is why he's not only the best comedy, but also the smartest. In a comedic realm in which all comedians seem the same, it's refreshing to find one that uses their intelligence and breaks away from the pack.
Stewart displayed possibly his most ingenious bout of intelligence in comedy when he guest starred on "Crossfire". Rather than use that opportunity to springboard his comedic career, Stewart got right to the point, attacking the anchors on their presentation of 'debates'. Stewart accused them of taking a tactic that America needs, but ruin this vital opportunity by play acting and arguing whether than getting serious about the important issues our country faces. Stewart hit home so hard, that the anchors politely pushed him off, using breaks and even cutting him off before he could convince the audience of his point. Stewart still incorporated humor, saying things such as, "Of course you're acting, you're 35 and you're wearing a bow tie". Though he used humor, Stewart refused to stray from his soap box, even responding to the anchor's question as to why he couldn't be funny with "I'm not your monkey".
Crossfire is not the only example in which Jon Stewart speaks comically about hard-pressing issues. On his "Daily Show", we see him mocking euphemisms our government uses to disguise injustices.
Comics are a dime a dozen, but few have the brains to back it up. Jon Stewart speaks about issues which really matter, and he does it in a way which Americans can relate to, and even laugh at. This is why he's not only the best comedy, but also the smartest. In a comedic realm in which all comedians seem the same, it's refreshing to find one that uses their intelligence and breaks away from the pack.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Rantings of an angry Jack's Mannequin fan
One of the most amazing things a music lover can experience is the opportunity to attend a concert. The overall concert experience is elevated when the band is not just any band, but rather the overall favorite group of the music obsessee. I have now seen my favorite band 4 times, and it never gets old. However, this Saturday was the first time I had to put up with a less-than-exemplary fan base. In the past, Jack's Mannequin fans respected each other's space and appeared to have a genuine appreciation for the music.
This is why I was so disappointed with the fan base present at the Jack's Mannequin concert at Sokol Auditorium in Omaha on Saturday. We got there early, and were thrilled with our position, which was about 4 rows back from the stage. During the two opening bands we were left undisturbed, but by the time Jack's Mannequin took stage, fans began pushing forward, knocking people out of their way in order to get closer to the stage.
Now I payed the same amount for tickets as these rude fans did, and I got in line a good 45 minutes earlier to get these sports, so of course I was beyond upset when this began occuring. At the worst point, a guy who was much larger than me both in height and stature yelled "close knit group!" and pushed his way in front of me. For some reason this made me see red. Who the hell was he to cut in front of us? In fact, who has the right to cut in front of anyone under any circumstance? I would never dream of cutting people off to get a better spot, so it does not seem right that anyone else does it to me.
Though a few people had already cut in front of us, when this particular 'close knit group' guy shoved past me, I lost it. I mean, hardcore lost it. I grabbed him by the neck, momentarily forgetting that he was twice my size yelled at him "get back" (the PG version of my actual words) and when all else failed, dug my six-inch heels right into his shins.
After about 30 seconds attempting to beat up the cutter, my brother pulled me off. While I was flailing around in his grasp, Wes yelled "Back off, Kelly- what do you hope to accomplish?! Just enjoy the concert." I respond well to logic, so I immediately forfeited. Eventually, the jerk pushed his way straight to the front, but it was in a diagnol pattern, so he stopped blocking my view after a couple songs.
Despite inconsiderate fans, the show was sensationsal. Jack's Mannequin was passionate and lead singer Andrew McMahon put out an excellent vocal effort as always (I've seen them four times now). I'd also like to recomment Lowe vs. Diamond, the opening band. They were incredibly talented. "Heart Attack" is a great starter song for this band.
I want to tell all of you, don't cut in lines. Ever. It's incredibly inconsiderate and shows a major lack of character. When you cut in front of someone, it basically says "I think I'm more important than you are" and makes you look like a total jackass. My only consolation was that the guy who cut in front of me got my six-inch heels momentarily lodged in his shin to remind him that he's a jackass. Don't let this discourage you rom going to concerts, though- just make sure you wear heels.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Column 2- When Police Officers aren't the good guys....
Ryan Moats was not running from the cops. Though the Houston Texans failed to pull over immediately after being chased by a squad car for running a red light, Moats was not running from anyone. Instead, he and his family were speeding toward the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, where Moat’s mother-in-law was dying. Moats made it to the Medical Center’s parking lot before pulling over and emerging with his hands held up, pleading with the officer to allow him to see his mother-in-law before it was too late.
(Police Video) http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4017382
Moats was threatened by Dallas police officer Robert Powell, 25. Powell used phrases such as “I can screw you over” and “Your attitude will dictate everything that happens.”
At one point, the same tape that caught Powell’s threatening remarks also caught his reaction when Moat’s wife, Tamishia got out of the SUV and proceeded to rush into the hospital. Ignoring Powell’s comments to stay inside the vehicle, Tamishia yelled “Excuse me, my mother is dying- do you understand?” Moats continued to plea with the officer, crying out “She has seconds man, then she’s gone!” At one point during the video from the squad car, a nurse even came out, verifying that Moat’s mother-in-law was dying, and a Plano officer also pleaded with Powell, requesting the release of Moats to visit the dying patient. To this, Powell responded “All right, I’m almost done.” Powell did not immediately release Moats, however, and by the time Powell issued Moats a ticket for running the red light, his mother-in-law had passed away. “I just held her hand,” Moats said to a reporter. “But she was already gone.” Moats never got to say goodbye to his dying mother-in-law. He never got to hold her hand in the final moments before she succumbed to breast cancer. Instead, Moats was threatened by a Dallas Police officer while an important family member lay dying.
After the incident, Moats said he had waited until there was no traffic to pass the red light, which is also shown clearly on the police tape. Moats also expressed that he would not have minded getting a ticket in the hospital, after he was allowed to say goodbye to his mother-in-law. “I don’t know what he was thinking,” Moats told KRLD-FM. “Basically, I was just very shocked… I even said I can’t believe this is happening.” Moats added, “He should lose his job”. Dallas police chief David Kunkle said upon reviewing the police tape that both Moats and his wife “exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer”. Kunkle also commented “At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration. He handled himself very, very well.” Powell resigned and Moats and his wife even accepted the apologies of him as well as the Dallas police department, but Moats lost a moment in his life which he says he can never get back.
When a situation such as this occurs, we have to seriously contemplate the shortcomings of our law enforcement. There should never be a situation in which an individual is unable to say goodbye to a dying family member due to hindrance from an entity which has promised to “protect and serve”. After hearing a story such as this, we have to wonder how many times officers abuse power or prevent those in dire need from getting where they need to be. It is unacceptable to be producing police officers who behave in the manner in which Powell behaved during the encounter with Moats. It is vital to support our law enforcement, but it is even more important for the system to ensure they are not producing corrupt officers. It may be time to re-evaluate certain aspects of police training, such as empathy training and protocol under special circumstances. That way, no one will ever miss out on a chance to say goodbye to a family member due to an officer again.
(Police Video) http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4017382
Moats was threatened by Dallas police officer Robert Powell, 25. Powell used phrases such as “I can screw you over” and “Your attitude will dictate everything that happens.”
At one point, the same tape that caught Powell’s threatening remarks also caught his reaction when Moat’s wife, Tamishia got out of the SUV and proceeded to rush into the hospital. Ignoring Powell’s comments to stay inside the vehicle, Tamishia yelled “Excuse me, my mother is dying- do you understand?” Moats continued to plea with the officer, crying out “She has seconds man, then she’s gone!” At one point during the video from the squad car, a nurse even came out, verifying that Moat’s mother-in-law was dying, and a Plano officer also pleaded with Powell, requesting the release of Moats to visit the dying patient. To this, Powell responded “All right, I’m almost done.” Powell did not immediately release Moats, however, and by the time Powell issued Moats a ticket for running the red light, his mother-in-law had passed away. “I just held her hand,” Moats said to a reporter. “But she was already gone.” Moats never got to say goodbye to his dying mother-in-law. He never got to hold her hand in the final moments before she succumbed to breast cancer. Instead, Moats was threatened by a Dallas Police officer while an important family member lay dying.
After the incident, Moats said he had waited until there was no traffic to pass the red light, which is also shown clearly on the police tape. Moats also expressed that he would not have minded getting a ticket in the hospital, after he was allowed to say goodbye to his mother-in-law. “I don’t know what he was thinking,” Moats told KRLD-FM. “Basically, I was just very shocked… I even said I can’t believe this is happening.” Moats added, “He should lose his job”. Dallas police chief David Kunkle said upon reviewing the police tape that both Moats and his wife “exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer”. Kunkle also commented “At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration. He handled himself very, very well.” Powell resigned and Moats and his wife even accepted the apologies of him as well as the Dallas police department, but Moats lost a moment in his life which he says he can never get back.
When a situation such as this occurs, we have to seriously contemplate the shortcomings of our law enforcement. There should never be a situation in which an individual is unable to say goodbye to a dying family member due to hindrance from an entity which has promised to “protect and serve”. After hearing a story such as this, we have to wonder how many times officers abuse power or prevent those in dire need from getting where they need to be. It is unacceptable to be producing police officers who behave in the manner in which Powell behaved during the encounter with Moats. It is vital to support our law enforcement, but it is even more important for the system to ensure they are not producing corrupt officers. It may be time to re-evaluate certain aspects of police training, such as empathy training and protocol under special circumstances. That way, no one will ever miss out on a chance to say goodbye to a family member due to an officer again.
Monday, April 6, 2009
If you were looking for a nail biting, edge-of-your-seat, intense NCAA championship... you didn't get one this year. The North Carolina Tarheels blew past the Michigan State Spartans as easily as if they had been uncontested.
The Tarheels topped the Spartans by a margin of 89-72, though they led by a margin of over 20 the majority of the game. Next to the Heels, the Spartans looked slow and flat-footed.
REUTERS/Jeff Haynes (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)
In the first half, North Carolina not obtained a drastic lead, but also set a NCAA tournament scoring record with 55 first half points. Ty Lawson also set a tournament record, with 7 steals by halftime. The Heels also broke a 42-year-old title-game record for biggest lead at the half. At the end of the half, North Carolina led Michigan State by a margin of 55-34.
The second half was no better for the Michigan State Spartans, either. The Tarheels kept their game up, with Hansbourgh contributing with 18 points and Ellington adding 19 points. It was a performance we expected from the unanimous No. 1 preseason pick. North Carolina proved to the nation that they are indeed the No. 1 team, and they did it in style, winning by over double digits in every NCAA tournament match. They topped it off with a record-setting championship performance which will not be fogotten by Hansbrough, Lawson, Green, coach Williams, the nation or the Michigan State Spartans.
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Sunday, April 5, 2009
Because I have Tarheel pride (A love letter)
They've been in 18 Final Four appearances, won 43 ACC championships, been ranked #1 at the end of the season 11 times in various poles, been home to 8 National players of the year and won 5 national championships.
I am speaking, of course of the North Carolina Men's basketball team. Though many schools can be dubbed "power houses" of their respective sports, none has been more dominant in their field as the North Carolina Tarheels.
Throughout this year's NCAA tournament, several teams were heartbreakingly inferior to
their talent level. We saw teams which should have easily made the Sweet Sixteen fail to pass the first round. We witness teams which had been prophesized to take home the title fall in the Elite Eight and Final Four.
With all the upsets and letdowns, it is a comfort to know that North Carolina isn't letting anyone down or cracking under the pressure. Throughout the NCAA tourney, Hansbrough and Lawson put up impressive numbers, shining brighter than they had all year. Ellington and Fraser have stepped it up a notch, and Green has emmerged as Carolina's biggest three point shooter.
Tomorrow I look forward to watching these boys prove to the world that they are the best team in the nation. Though I don't believe they will pull a 33-point win over Michigan State again (they beat them by that margin earlier this year), I don't expect North Carolina to have a problem with the Spartans. So tune in, cheer for the NCAA and see just why North Carolina basketball is the only sport that has my heart.
*Image from Wikipedia
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Spring Break and Simple Pleasures
Travis Robinson did not go to Cancun for spring break. He did not go skiing down the slopes, gamble in Vegas or see the sites of the great American cities, either. In fact, Travis Robinson did not even venture outside of Kearney, NE during the break. Robinson spent his spring break working, watching a variety of his beloved movies and hanging out with a few friends who also opted not to stray from central Nebraska over spring break.
While this may not sound like an ideal or even satisfying way to spend one of the few precious free weeks college students are granted, Robinson found a way to make it fun, entertaining and maybe even a little perfect. While his friends were sunbathing or getting windblown in the windy city, Robinson was constantly alternating between spending time within the walls of his workplace, Wal Mart, viewing movies and taking in the great metropolis that is Kearney, NE. Despite this, Robinson did not mind being confined to mid-Nebraska. With a little resourceful thinking, he and his friends were able to entertain themselves in the practically abandoned college town. It also helped that not all Robinson's friends jumped ship. "I still had plenty of people to hang out with in Kearney and it was nice to have more time to relax and hang out", Robinson said.
Although he had additional free time during break, Robinson refrained from picking up extra shifts at his workplace. "I kept the same amount of hours as per usual. I didn't want to work any more than I had to, especially on break," Robinson said. With an abundance of extra time, Robinson was able to focus on one of his greatest passions: movies. Always the zealous movie buff, Robinson eagerly looks forward to opportunities to explore new movies and pass the time persuing and critiquing his favorite past time. Almost as if by an act of fate, a movie which Robinson had anxiously waited four years for came out the very day break began. The anticipation coupled with Robinson's intense love for horror flicks allowed for endless entertainment for Robinson. Other films, as well as Robinson's favorite TV show aided in Robinson's entertainment as well. "I ended up watching a lot of 'Scrubs'," Robinson said. The contrast associated with the combination between the horror films and comic episodes allowed for the perfect array of excitement and endless entertainment for Robinson over the break.
Though he kept himself entertained during break with a few friends and his films, Robinson, like many, felt the absence of the college students who chose to spend break in more exotic places. "Work was definitely slower," Robinson stated. With the majority of college students spending their break anywhere but Kearney, even the walls of Wal Mart felt slightly empty.
While Robinson may not have done anything that can be considered glamorous for his spring break, he did learn a valuable assest: how to stay entertained in mid-Nebraska without sacrificing a lot of money or relying on extraordinary outside contributing factors. Robinson proved that you do not need to travel, spend a lot of money or even make elaborate plans to have a great spring break. Sometimes, all it takes for a person to experience an amazing and ideal spring break is a little free time, some relaxation, a few good friends, something you are passionate about and the ability to enjoy the simple pleasures.
While this may not sound like an ideal or even satisfying way to spend one of the few precious free weeks college students are granted, Robinson found a way to make it fun, entertaining and maybe even a little perfect. While his friends were sunbathing or getting windblown in the windy city, Robinson was constantly alternating between spending time within the walls of his workplace, Wal Mart, viewing movies and taking in the great metropolis that is Kearney, NE. Despite this, Robinson did not mind being confined to mid-Nebraska. With a little resourceful thinking, he and his friends were able to entertain themselves in the practically abandoned college town. It also helped that not all Robinson's friends jumped ship. "I still had plenty of people to hang out with in Kearney and it was nice to have more time to relax and hang out", Robinson said.
Although he had additional free time during break, Robinson refrained from picking up extra shifts at his workplace. "I kept the same amount of hours as per usual. I didn't want to work any more than I had to, especially on break," Robinson said. With an abundance of extra time, Robinson was able to focus on one of his greatest passions: movies. Always the zealous movie buff, Robinson eagerly looks forward to opportunities to explore new movies and pass the time persuing and critiquing his favorite past time. Almost as if by an act of fate, a movie which Robinson had anxiously waited four years for came out the very day break began. The anticipation coupled with Robinson's intense love for horror flicks allowed for endless entertainment for Robinson. Other films, as well as Robinson's favorite TV show aided in Robinson's entertainment as well. "I ended up watching a lot of 'Scrubs'," Robinson said. The contrast associated with the combination between the horror films and comic episodes allowed for the perfect array of excitement and endless entertainment for Robinson over the break.
Though he kept himself entertained during break with a few friends and his films, Robinson, like many, felt the absence of the college students who chose to spend break in more exotic places. "Work was definitely slower," Robinson stated. With the majority of college students spending their break anywhere but Kearney, even the walls of Wal Mart felt slightly empty.
While Robinson may not have done anything that can be considered glamorous for his spring break, he did learn a valuable assest: how to stay entertained in mid-Nebraska without sacrificing a lot of money or relying on extraordinary outside contributing factors. Robinson proved that you do not need to travel, spend a lot of money or even make elaborate plans to have a great spring break. Sometimes, all it takes for a person to experience an amazing and ideal spring break is a little free time, some relaxation, a few good friends, something you are passionate about and the ability to enjoy the simple pleasures.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
An ode to those of us stuck in Kearney, NE for Spring Break...
I realize this is a little late, but I wanted to give a shout out to those of us still in Kearney, NE while our friends are out sunbathing, sightseeing, drinking and doing anything but, well, being stuck in central Nebraska during the most exciting time for a college students.
So our friends abandoned us, and the world may see us as a little lame, but there are a few upsides to being stuck in K-town over break. I figured I'd post a few to make everyone (including myself) who was stuck in Kearney and/or abandoned by friends feel a little better about their spring break. They may be few, but here they are- the upsides of being in Kearney, NE over spring break:
1. Earn extra cash from working extra hours- hey, it's always nice to earn money rather than spend money, right?
2. Feeling like you have the town to yourself since all the college kids are gone
3. An entire new crowd- I met more people over spring break than I did all year- the town turns into a combination of the left-over college students and those who came home to Kearney for break.
4. St. Patrick's day in Kearney- sure wherever everyone else was may have been more glamourous, but don't underestimate how much fun we have during St. Patrick's in Kearney. It was wonderful- Kearney definitely has an Irish side!
5. More sleep- with no agenda, you can put in the extra ZZZ's. And more sleep is always a good thing.
6. Renewed appreciation for 'free time'. I had all the time in the world this week, I cleaned, cooked and even spent some time outdoors. Being so busy made me forget how much I love being able to watch an episode of the Office or sleep past noon.
Maybe it's not Cancun, but don't feel bad if you were rockin' in Kearney, NE during break. You were not alone, and hopefully, you were able to see the bright spots of this city as well.
So our friends abandoned us, and the world may see us as a little lame, but there are a few upsides to being stuck in K-town over break. I figured I'd post a few to make everyone (including myself) who was stuck in Kearney and/or abandoned by friends feel a little better about their spring break. They may be few, but here they are- the upsides of being in Kearney, NE over spring break:
1. Earn extra cash from working extra hours- hey, it's always nice to earn money rather than spend money, right?
2. Feeling like you have the town to yourself since all the college kids are gone
3. An entire new crowd- I met more people over spring break than I did all year- the town turns into a combination of the left-over college students and those who came home to Kearney for break.
4. St. Patrick's day in Kearney- sure wherever everyone else was may have been more glamourous, but don't underestimate how much fun we have during St. Patrick's in Kearney. It was wonderful- Kearney definitely has an Irish side!
5. More sleep- with no agenda, you can put in the extra ZZZ's. And more sleep is always a good thing.
6. Renewed appreciation for 'free time'. I had all the time in the world this week, I cleaned, cooked and even spent some time outdoors. Being so busy made me forget how much I love being able to watch an episode of the Office or sleep past noon.
Maybe it's not Cancun, but don't feel bad if you were rockin' in Kearney, NE during break. You were not alone, and hopefully, you were able to see the bright spots of this city as well.
Boys who break my heart....
First off, Happy NCAA Tournament time! Yes, this is so special that I have created a holiday for it. One of my best guy friends calls this "the most wonderful time of the year", and I tend to agree.
On a sadder note, a few teams have been disappointments. The first major disappointment came when Wake Forest, a number 4 seed, fell in the first round to Cleveland St, a mere number 13 seed. Though the ACC powerhouse has struggled this season, no one expected them to have the inability to conquer the less-than-impressive number 13 squad. Though I cautioned anyone away from picking this team to go futher than the sweet sixteen, I expected them to at very least squeeze past a terrible team which barely made the NCAA tournament. Thanks, Wake, for messing up my bracket, terrible representation of the best conference in the nation (this is disputable, the Big East is great too, I'm just partial to ACC) and an unending display of disappointing mediocracy.
Another major disappointment came when Boston College fell to Southern Cal. While USC is a perennial football powerhouse, they are at best average when it comes to college basketball. While they've struggled in the past two seasons, Boston College has been an impressive ACC factor in the past, and with their 7 seed over USC's 10 slot, it seemed the Eagles should have been able to upset the Trojans. No dice though, like Wake Forest, the ACC disappointed again, and my poor bracket took a major hit as I had this squad going to the elite 8. Chalk it up to another ACC heartbreak.
West Virginia- what the hell?! With a 6 seed over Dayton, this one seemed like a no-brainer. And with Kansas being such a young, inexperienced squad, it seemed possible that they could squeeze past the Jayhawks as well. Much to my disappointed suprise, the Mountaineers could not even top Dayton, a less-than-mediocre club. I hoped for much more from this Big East team, who experienced an impressive key win over Pittsburg during the Big East conference tournament. The mountaineers also instilled faith in me after knocking out Duke second round in the NCAA tournament last year. In this year's NCAA tournament, they could not win when it mattered though, and West Virginia disappointment fans without being able to play even a second game in the big dance.
So, if you are agonizing about your bracket, you're not alone. With the upsets and teams who failed to show up, even the best can have a few missed picks. I know my bracket is getting progressively worse. No heartbreak I've experienced ever compares to the heart ache the NCAA tournament causes. Thanks for the heartbreak, boys.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Stay Away from the SEC! (Tips on bracket picks)
So, it's that time of the year again: when even the most conservative people gamble, sane persons act a little crazy and grown men cry. That's right- the wave of march madness is sweeping the nation. As we get ready to fill out our brackets, consider your picks before forking over your hard-earned cash. Here are some of my sports analysis tips (Please don't fault me if you lose money over this advice):1. Stay away from the SEC. This conference is incredibly weak. It is unlikely that many (or any) SEC teams will it past the first round.
2. Don't pick Clemson. The Tigers have struggled all the way, falling early in the ACC tournament. Though they won big against Duke (74-47), they haven't had a big win since and have suffered some bad losses.
3. Look out for "Powerhouse" teams. These teams may seem like easy picks, as they are perennial powerhouses, but teams such as Wake Forest, Gonzaga and Syracuse have struggled late-season. It would be best not to take these teams past the sweet sixteen.
4. Allow for the upsets. It may seem obvious to give the win to the higher seeded team, but you have to understand that certain teams will turn it on during the tournament and other teams will falter, meaning the better team will not always win. Though there is never a "safe" upset pick, some of my favorite upset picks include: Temple over Arizonia St, Arizona over Utah and Butler over LSU.
5. Don't underestimate Memphis. For those who followed this young team, they have turned it on these last couple years. With the momentum from both last season and this year's success, look for the #2 seed in the west bracket to make a serious run in the tournament. I took this time to the Elite 8 before predicting they will fall to powerhouse UCONN.
6. Expect UCONN to be out for revenge. Anyone who watched this squad fall from the #1 post twice to the same team (Pittsburg, who before had never beaten a #1 seed) or witnessed the conference loss UCONN suffered after an epic 6 overtime battle with Syracuse must understand: UCONN is talented, and they're pissed. UCONN has the forwards to get the job done and they'll be looking for a way to redeem themselves during the dance. Expect to see the team in the title match-up
*So have some fun, fill out some brackets and enjoy the delightful madness that is college basketball in March.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Shut up and Drive (Habits that annoy me)
Being stuck in an incredibly annoying array of Kearney rush-hour traffic got me to thinking: people who drive are idiots. Now, I'm not saying I'm not a bad driver- I make plenty of mistakes as well. However, this is not going to stop me from venting about all the bad driving habits others make that irk my while I'm on the road.
First off... always use your blinker! I know this is one of the first things you learned in driver's ed, and for God's sake it only takes the flick of a finger to enable your turn singal. Nothing makes more more angry than when I come to a complete stop at an uncontrolled intersection, attemtping to yield and the person stops, hesitates, and then turns in front of me. Now, they knew because they were turning that they did not have the right of way, but because they were too lazy to turn on thier signal I had to yield anyway. It takes up way too much time and can also be slightly dangerous. Equally annoying is when you have to slam on your breaks because the person in front of you suddenly turns with no warning (i.e. turn signal)
Also... do not slow down to 10 mph under the speed limit when you see a cop. This is quite possibly my biggest pet peeve. If the speed limit is 40 mph and you are driving 40 mph, then stay at that speed. The police officer will not pull you over if you are going at a consistent speed. In fact, you are only calling attention to yourself if you slam on the brakes in front of a cop when you're not even exceeding the speed limit. Plus, it forces everyone behind you to drive 10 mph under the speed limit, and that's just rude.
So... when you're on the road, please be considerate of others.
First off... always use your blinker! I know this is one of the first things you learned in driver's ed, and for God's sake it only takes the flick of a finger to enable your turn singal. Nothing makes more more angry than when I come to a complete stop at an uncontrolled intersection, attemtping to yield and the person stops, hesitates, and then turns in front of me. Now, they knew because they were turning that they did not have the right of way, but because they were too lazy to turn on thier signal I had to yield anyway. It takes up way too much time and can also be slightly dangerous. Equally annoying is when you have to slam on your breaks because the person in front of you suddenly turns with no warning (i.e. turn signal)
Also... do not slow down to 10 mph under the speed limit when you see a cop. This is quite possibly my biggest pet peeve. If the speed limit is 40 mph and you are driving 40 mph, then stay at that speed. The police officer will not pull you over if you are going at a consistent speed. In fact, you are only calling attention to yourself if you slam on the brakes in front of a cop when you're not even exceeding the speed limit. Plus, it forces everyone behind you to drive 10 mph under the speed limit, and that's just rude.
So... when you're on the road, please be considerate of others.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Forget the "Old Lady who lived in a shoe"... This is way cooler!
Every home is unique, but an eastern Missouri family has a home which is truly one-of-a-kind. The Sleeper family lives in a home which they bulit inside an old mining cave in 2004. The couple fell in love with the geography of the cave and determined a way in which to build their home inside it.
However, the Sleepers were forced to put their pride and joy for sale on ebay after having trouble coming up with a large payment which was coming up on the home.
Due to a 15-year loan with low interest made from a New Jersey-based business, the Sleepers will now be able to keep their home. They no longer have the home up for sale on ebay and are looking forward to being able to remain in their distinct household.
Curt and Deborah Sleeper built their cave home with assistance of friends. A gray timber frame exterior was constructed in the cave's opening, which measured at 37 feet. Thirty-seven sliding glass doors are used as windows in the three-story, three-bedroom home. These "windows" allow natural light to flow throughout the finished sections. Walls and ceilings are natural cave stones. The home does have amenities, however, such as a large soaking tub in one bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen.
The Sleepers feel grateful at the chance of keeping their home with affordable loan payments. Curt Sleeper is especially grateful for the support of those who had heard of their plight.
"I've got 8,000 e-mails in my inbox. Everyone wants to wish me luck, but also tell me their heartache," he said.
"It's certainly been almost life changing — except I'm keeping my cave, so not that life changing," he said. "I'd love to hear the end of the story read, 'and they lived happily ever after.'"
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Local Editorial
No one likes tuition increases. Tuition increases put a strain on the economy and also deter students from attending universities where tuition is increasing. While many methods of maintaining tuition at the University of Nebraska at both Lincoln and Kearney have been proposed, a slightly more radical approach has been suggested: cutting faculty salaries. The issue is still under review according to the University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken.
Cutting faculty salaries to maintain tuition rates is an example of a classic catch-22. One on hand, it is imperative to maintain tuition rates in order to keep up attendance rates at UNK. If tuition spikes at an increased rate, many will not be able to afford college at UNK, and thus the university will lose students and precious funds. However, cutting salaries for faculty members may make it difficult to attract high caliber faculty members. It seems that an unattractive decision must be made between losing numbers in the student body or losing the ability to attract high quality faculty members.
With such a conundrum, it seems the logical solution is to devise a sort of compromise. Though it may seem extreme to cut all faculty salaries, it may be an option to cut only salaries over a certain amount. For example, if only a portion of salaries were cut, it may be possible to maintain the college tuition rate without cutting salaries as a whole. In this situation, if only the salaries which compose the top third largest amounts were cut, the Universities could find a substantial amount added to their budget. This would solve the issue of avoiding tuition hikes while abstaining from cutting all faculty salaries. If only the top third were cut, the Universities would still have the ability to attract quality faculty, as starting rates would not make the category of the top third salaries, which were being affected by the cuts.
It may seem like a strange compromise, but cutting only a portion of salaries makes a certain sort of sense. With the economy in its current state, it is doubtful that existing faculty members will leave their secure jobs even in event of salary cuts. The Universities would also be able to attract new hires, as their salaries would not be affected. Though in most situations a compromise may not be an appropriate solution, this may be a situation in which a compromise is the best, and only, resolution.
Cutting faculty salaries to maintain tuition rates is an example of a classic catch-22. One on hand, it is imperative to maintain tuition rates in order to keep up attendance rates at UNK. If tuition spikes at an increased rate, many will not be able to afford college at UNK, and thus the university will lose students and precious funds. However, cutting salaries for faculty members may make it difficult to attract high caliber faculty members. It seems that an unattractive decision must be made between losing numbers in the student body or losing the ability to attract high quality faculty members.
With such a conundrum, it seems the logical solution is to devise a sort of compromise. Though it may seem extreme to cut all faculty salaries, it may be an option to cut only salaries over a certain amount. For example, if only a portion of salaries were cut, it may be possible to maintain the college tuition rate without cutting salaries as a whole. In this situation, if only the salaries which compose the top third largest amounts were cut, the Universities could find a substantial amount added to their budget. This would solve the issue of avoiding tuition hikes while abstaining from cutting all faculty salaries. If only the top third were cut, the Universities would still have the ability to attract quality faculty, as starting rates would not make the category of the top third salaries, which were being affected by the cuts.
It may seem like a strange compromise, but cutting only a portion of salaries makes a certain sort of sense. With the economy in its current state, it is doubtful that existing faculty members will leave their secure jobs even in event of salary cuts. The Universities would also be able to attract new hires, as their salaries would not be affected. Though in most situations a compromise may not be an appropriate solution, this may be a situation in which a compromise is the best, and only, resolution.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Finally, some sportsmanship!
In today's sports world, it is extremely rare to see good sportsmanship, especially at the professional level. That's why it was such a suprising relief to watch the 2009 Dunk contest and witness the ultimate sportsmanship between two participants. It may be a little overdue, but I was highly impressed to see the commeradary and class that existed between dunk contest participants Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard. Last year, Dwight Howard won the contest, donning a Superman outfit.
In this year's contest, Howard allowed Robinson to play on the Superman theme, permitting him to dunk over him while wearing a green outfit symbolizing 'kryptonite'. The 5'9" Robinson was able to leap over the 6'11" defending champion to emerge victorious from the competition. Now, it may just be a dunk contest, but as a sporting event in which participates are in it to win it, seeing a competitor help another competitor is a refreshing shock.
This is impressive becuase not only did Howard allow Robinson to use him as a 'prop' for his dunk, but he also allowed him to play on Howard's Superman creation. In essence, he assisted Robinson in winning the contest and allowed this even at his own expense. Howard high-fived Robinson after he slammed down his dunk and smiled as Robinson did the "souldja boy" Superman dance. It's nice to finally see some good sportsmanship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDmyW4RJ64
In this year's contest, Howard allowed Robinson to play on the Superman theme, permitting him to dunk over him while wearing a green outfit symbolizing 'kryptonite'. The 5'9" Robinson was able to leap over the 6'11" defending champion to emerge victorious from the competition. Now, it may just be a dunk contest, but as a sporting event in which participates are in it to win it, seeing a competitor help another competitor is a refreshing shock.
This is impressive becuase not only did Howard allow Robinson to use him as a 'prop' for his dunk, but he also allowed him to play on Howard's Superman creation. In essence, he assisted Robinson in winning the contest and allowed this even at his own expense. Howard high-fived Robinson after he slammed down his dunk and smiled as Robinson did the "souldja boy" Superman dance. It's nice to finally see some good sportsmanship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDmyW4RJ64
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Jobs that Benefit from Obama's stimulus
A day after his address to Congress, Americans are already taking a close look at President Barak Obama's recovery plan for our severely wounded economy. Obama has promised a boost to the economy by creating jobs through the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the stimulus plan.
While this plan will take awhile as federal, state and local governemnts much decide the exact manner in which to allocate funds, economist concur that six sectors are in position to see a boost resulting from this stimulus. The jobs which should see a postive effect include construction, the green sector (which includes jobs which are aimed at reducing greenhouse gasses, dependence on oil and consumption of other non-renewable sources), medical information technology, education, energy and utilities and the federal government.
However, Obama's stimulus plan won't create jobs overnight. Harry Holzer, an economist at Georgetown University and the Ubran Institute, cautions "It takes time for the government investment to expand the job market". However, it seems as if Obama's stimulus plan may be a step in the right direction and economists and Americans alike look to this plan under our new president with opticism.
Monday, February 23, 2009
3 Local or UNK issues
1. Potential event center purchase
Kearney citizens will have a final opportunity to discuss the city's potential purchase of FirsTier Event center. The Kearney City Council will have the last session Tuesday, commenting on the purchase and a 1 percent restaurant dining tax. They will pay between $2 million and $3 million for the sports arena.
http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20267609&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577571&rfi=6
2. Teen "sexting"
Parents now have a new phase to worry about amongst teens- the combining of sexy messages or photos via text message- referred to as 'sexting'.
71% of teen girls who sent 'sext' messages sent them to their boyfriends, 29% of teen girls who sent 'sext' messages sent them to guys they wanted to date and 15% of girls who sexted sent it to strangers they met online. 39% of teen boys along with 36% of teen girls said it is common for pictures to be shared with others. A shocking 33% of teen boys and 25% of teenage girls claim seeing nude images intented for others.
http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20267360&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577571&rfi=6
Kearney citizens will have a final opportunity to discuss the city's potential purchase of FirsTier Event center. The Kearney City Council will have the last session Tuesday, commenting on the purchase and a 1 percent restaurant dining tax. They will pay between $2 million and $3 million for the sports arena.
http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20267609&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577571&rfi=6
2. Teen "sexting"
Parents now have a new phase to worry about amongst teens- the combining of sexy messages or photos via text message- referred to as 'sexting'.
71% of teen girls who sent 'sext' messages sent them to their boyfriends, 29% of teen girls who sent 'sext' messages sent them to guys they wanted to date and 15% of girls who sexted sent it to strangers they met online. 39% of teen boys along with 36% of teen girls said it is common for pictures to be shared with others. A shocking 33% of teen boys and 25% of teenage girls claim seeing nude images intented for others.
http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20267360&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577571&rfi=6
3. UNK salary cuts idea premature, possible a legal issue
University of Nebraska president J.B. Milliken announced Thursday in Kearney that it is too early to consider salary reductions for faculty and staff. Earlier this month, a group of UNK faculty members proposed pay reductions in order to preserve tuition rates and faculty postions.
http://www.kearneyhub.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=20261923&BRD=268&PAG=461&dept_id=577576&rfi=8
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Editorial #2
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is contemplating the notion of opening a health care high school in Omaha. In addition, metro area schools are considering becoming partners with the new school, which would be dedicated to future doctors, nurses and others interested in the medical field.
Some may worry about the effects of using tax dollars to create a specialized school, but the UNMC opening would not take away from public schools any more than creating a regular school would. It would also better educate a specific population, thus making the tax dollars we spend worthwhile, as they would return in the form of better medicine in the states' future.
Another objection lies in the risk of subjecting children to specified education. For example, many worry that training our children for a specific profession would leave them unable to obtain training for non-medical professions, should they change their choice of career path. However, the UNMC would focus on advanced sciences and , which would also be beneficial for a variety of career paths. If anything, the UNMC would allow students an advanced education and better understanding in the sciences and mathematics.
Opposers to this concept will also state that isolating the medical students will deprive them of the diversity of a school filled with students of various interests and activities. While this may have some truth, it is also entirely possible that a specialized school will enhance the student's academic performance. With a group of peers who share the same academic goals, students can form study groups and use cognitive thinking to aid with their acadmics and improve student's performance.
While this concept is still in its infancy, it would benefit our state if we got behind the concept and showed our support. With an emphasis on health care, these schools could better educate our youth in the health field, giving way to better medical care as a whole.
The medical-focused UNMC would provide means of producing quality future health care professionals. This school could offer math and science programs which would explore all aspects of a hospital, ranging from surgery and nursing to business and other health care services.
These schoools would give our youth the opportunity to experience the best possible health care training. It would also better prepare them for the next level of training in the medical field. Specialized schools could assure the highest education in their field. This would ensure the highest quality of health care in the state of Nebraska as well. With specialized schools, we can look for new advances in medicine as well. If we support this idea, we can look forward to a brighter medical future.
http://omahaworldherald.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10565964
Some may worry about the effects of using tax dollars to create a specialized school, but the UNMC opening would not take away from public schools any more than creating a regular school would. It would also better educate a specific population, thus making the tax dollars we spend worthwhile, as they would return in the form of better medicine in the states' future.
Another objection lies in the risk of subjecting children to specified education. For example, many worry that training our children for a specific profession would leave them unable to obtain training for non-medical professions, should they change their choice of career path. However, the UNMC would focus on advanced sciences and , which would also be beneficial for a variety of career paths. If anything, the UNMC would allow students an advanced education and better understanding in the sciences and mathematics.
Opposers to this concept will also state that isolating the medical students will deprive them of the diversity of a school filled with students of various interests and activities. While this may have some truth, it is also entirely possible that a specialized school will enhance the student's academic performance. With a group of peers who share the same academic goals, students can form study groups and use cognitive thinking to aid with their acadmics and improve student's performance.
While this concept is still in its infancy, it would benefit our state if we got behind the concept and showed our support. With an emphasis on health care, these schools could better educate our youth in the health field, giving way to better medical care as a whole.
The medical-focused UNMC would provide means of producing quality future health care professionals. This school could offer math and science programs which would explore all aspects of a hospital, ranging from surgery and nursing to business and other health care services.
These schoools would give our youth the opportunity to experience the best possible health care training. It would also better prepare them for the next level of training in the medical field. Specialized schools could assure the highest education in their field. This would ensure the highest quality of health care in the state of Nebraska as well. With specialized schools, we can look for new advances in medicine as well. If we support this idea, we can look forward to a brighter medical future.
http://omahaworldherald.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10565964
Monday, February 16, 2009
Presidential Rankings... almost as good as NCAA ratings...
Just in case you were wondering how your favorite president fares next to others, historians have ranked our fearless leaders. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090215/ap_on_go_pr_wh/ranking_presidents
Days after Lincoln's birthday, 65 historians ranked Abraham Lincoln in the top spot, giving him the honor of the nation's best president. Our most recent preisident, George W. Bush, came in 36th out of 42. Bush also scored lowest in international relations, where he was ranked 41 out of 42. He also scored very poorly in economic management, where he came in 40th. Bush's highest ranking, at 24th came in the category of pursuing equal justice for all. He came in 25th in crisis leadership and vision and agenda setting.
Other former heads of state experienced changes in the rankings, such as former President Bill Clinton, who jumpedfrom 21st up to 15th. Ronald Reagan also advanced a spot, from 11th to 10th and George H.W. Bush was elevated from 20th to 18th. Jimmy Carter fell in the rankings, from 22nd to 25th.
Aside from Lincoln, George Washington, Franking D. Roosevelt, Therodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman were voted best leaders overall. The worst rated leaders include James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, William Henry Harrison and Warren G. Harding.
Other former heads of state experienced changes in the rankings, such as former President Bill Clinton, who jumpedfrom 21st up to 15th. Ronald Reagan also advanced a spot, from 11th to 10th and George H.W. Bush was elevated from 20th to 18th. Jimmy Carter fell in the rankings, from 22nd to 25th.
Aside from Lincoln, George Washington, Franking D. Roosevelt, Therodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman were voted best leaders overall. The worst rated leaders include James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, William Henry Harrison and Warren G. Harding.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Nebraska Issues
1. Stimulus' job is to put more folks to work
Though 130 Omaha electricians have been sidelined by the layoffs resulting from the nation's economy, union leader Gary Kelly is optimistic that Congress' passage of the stimulus bill along with its promise of millions in construction dollars for Nebraska will allow poeple to be back on the job soon. The Obama adminstration has projected that the stimulus will create or save 23,000 jobs in Nebrasaka and an additional 37,000 in Iowa. With what Obama calls "a major milestone on our road to recovery", Kelly and Nebraskans feel optimistic about job recovery.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10564763
2. NOW Marks Roe v. Wade Anniversary Across the U.S.
The Nebraska chapter of NOW (National Organization of Women) calls for support in rallying to see the Freedom of Choice Act passed under President Obama.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Everybody loves a rivalry...
Forget Christmas- the most wonderful time of the year happens tonight. That's right- it's the annual Duke/North Carolina college basketball match-up. This sporting event is almost undisputedly the most anticpated regular season competition in any sport. Coverage for the game begins hours before the match-up and almost every sports fan gets excited about the game.
So what makes a good rivalry? North Carolina and Duke squared off on the court for the first time on January 24, 1920. North Carolina came away with the win, with a victory margain of 36-25. Eighty-nine years later, the rivarly continues to be stronger than ever. Some factors that contribute to this historic rivalry include the back-forth between the two teams. The winning streak between the two is currently a mere 1- with North Carolina winning the last competition, and Duke winning the one before that. Even the overal record between the two teams is close, with North Carolina leading in wins, 128-97.
Also, contributing to the rivarly is the dominance of both teams. North Carolina boosts 26 ACC regular season championships, leading the ACC in conference wins. Duke comes in at second, with 18 ACC reagular season championships. North Carloina also leads the ACC tournament championships with 17 ACC tournament wins. Duke is in second in that category as well, a mere win behind North Carolina at 16 ACC tournament championships. Both teams play for the toughest NCAA basketball conference and excel within the conference. Duke and North Carolina have succeeded on a national level as well, with North Carolina holding the most final four appearances at 17, and Duke coming in third of all-time with 14 appearances. North Carolina has won 4 NCAA national tournamant championships, tied for 4th of all-time. Duke has won 3, tied for 5th of all-time.
So, curl up on your couch and witness the finest sporting events have to offer. I know I will be. Oh yeah, and go North Carolina!
So what makes a good rivalry? North Carolina and Duke squared off on the court for the first time on January 24, 1920. North Carolina came away with the win, with a victory margain of 36-25. Eighty-nine years later, the rivarly continues to be stronger than ever. Some factors that contribute to this historic rivalry include the back-forth between the two teams. The winning streak between the two is currently a mere 1- with North Carolina winning the last competition, and Duke winning the one before that. Even the overal record between the two teams is close, with North Carolina leading in wins, 128-97.
Also, contributing to the rivarly is the dominance of both teams. North Carolina boosts 26 ACC regular season championships, leading the ACC in conference wins. Duke comes in at second, with 18 ACC reagular season championships. North Carloina also leads the ACC tournament championships with 17 ACC tournament wins. Duke is in second in that category as well, a mere win behind North Carolina at 16 ACC tournament championships. Both teams play for the toughest NCAA basketball conference and excel within the conference. Duke and North Carolina have succeeded on a national level as well, with North Carolina holding the most final four appearances at 17, and Duke coming in third of all-time with 14 appearances. North Carolina has won 4 NCAA national tournamant championships, tied for 4th of all-time. Duke has won 3, tied for 5th of all-time.
So, curl up on your couch and witness the finest sporting events have to offer. I know I will be. Oh yeah, and go North Carolina!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Steroids and A-Rod. What a Mess....
He's the highest-paid player in the spot of baseball, and considered one of the all-time greatest players, but Alex Rodriguez is now facing scrunity for steroid use.
Rodriguez came clean about his steroid use, admitting that he used the performance enhancers from 2001-2003. Americans can rest assured that his $252 million contract over ten years was the result of performances enhanced by steroids, not strictly natural talent.
In a previous interview, Rodriguez claimed that he did not take performance enhancers because he did not think anyone in the field "could match him". Now he looks foolish on two levels; he lied to the American public and he exaggerated his natural skill level.
At least Rodriguez is an unlikeable character... I have yet to shed a tear for this over-rated prima donna. If this happened to a class act like Tiger Woods, it may be a different story, but with his inflated ego and pay salary, I can't help but think for someone like Rodriguez, this is just karma.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-rodriguez-steroids&prov=ap&type=lgns
Rodriguez came clean about his steroid use, admitting that he used the performance enhancers from 2001-2003. Americans can rest assured that his $252 million contract over ten years was the result of performances enhanced by steroids, not strictly natural talent.
In a previous interview, Rodriguez claimed that he did not take performance enhancers because he did not think anyone in the field "could match him". Now he looks foolish on two levels; he lied to the American public and he exaggerated his natural skill level.
At least Rodriguez is an unlikeable character... I have yet to shed a tear for this over-rated prima donna. If this happened to a class act like Tiger Woods, it may be a different story, but with his inflated ego and pay salary, I can't help but think for someone like Rodriguez, this is just karma.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-rodriguez-steroids&prov=ap&type=lgns
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Oh Thank God- It's just Marijuana!
When I saw the byline "U.S. swimming officals ban Michael Phelps due to his recent drug scandal", my heart dropped. In an increasingly corrupt sports world, "drugs" almost always means some sort of performance enhancer. It is very rare that we see a pure sports figure, and it seems that every sports hero is tainted by the use of steriods. We see it with sports idols from Barry Bonds even down to Lance Armstrong. (Yes, folks, that's right, even Lance does it.)
So, natrually when I see drugs, I imagaine that the last true and seemingly pure American sports hero is shooting up on 'roids as well. But we can all breathe a sigh of relief- America's favorite fish is not taking performance enhancers, but rather, smoking marijuana. Now, marijuana is undisputedly NOT a performance enhancer, in fact it gives the opposing effect and tends to have a negative effect on sports performance.
Now I know most of you are thinking that Phelp's use of marijuana is still a very bad thing, and I won't argue. However, there is a huge distinction in my mind between irresponsible decisions and unethical use of steroids. While smoking marijuana is illegal and unacceptable behavior for an olympic athlete, it is a far-cry from flat-out cheating by using performace ehancing drugs.
Should Phelps be punished? Absolutely. He has made a public apology, lost millions in endorsements and is currently on 3-month suspension. It is vital we hold atheletes accountable for their actions, and Phelps is certainly no exception. However, I don't think we should cruicify the young athlete for an irresponsible "youthful" decision. While no one doubts that Phelps has a long way to come as a role model, I'm just relieved he's not cheating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQuotmKWACE
So, natrually when I see drugs, I imagaine that the last true and seemingly pure American sports hero is shooting up on 'roids as well. But we can all breathe a sigh of relief- America's favorite fish is not taking performance enhancers, but rather, smoking marijuana. Now, marijuana is undisputedly NOT a performance enhancer, in fact it gives the opposing effect and tends to have a negative effect on sports performance.
Now I know most of you are thinking that Phelp's use of marijuana is still a very bad thing, and I won't argue. However, there is a huge distinction in my mind between irresponsible decisions and unethical use of steroids. While smoking marijuana is illegal and unacceptable behavior for an olympic athlete, it is a far-cry from flat-out cheating by using performace ehancing drugs.
Should Phelps be punished? Absolutely. He has made a public apology, lost millions in endorsements and is currently on 3-month suspension. It is vital we hold atheletes accountable for their actions, and Phelps is certainly no exception. However, I don't think we should cruicify the young athlete for an irresponsible "youthful" decision. While no one doubts that Phelps has a long way to come as a role model, I'm just relieved he's not cheating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQuotmKWACE
Monday, February 2, 2009
The WORST kind of fair weather fans...
Being a sports fan is tough, and never let anyone tell you differently. In a way, it's like a relationship, you need to stay loyal to a team through good times and bad times. Those of us who change our alliances based upon a team's performance are considered "fairweather fans", and not looked upon well in the sports realm.
There is one thing I consider even worse than your average fairweather fans however- those who adopt a team literally minutes before a championship game. This was very prevalent during the Super Bowl this year. All of the sudden, those who had failed to watch a professional football fan were passionate Steeler or Cardinal fans, even if they could not tell you the team's quaterback or even which city the teams hail from.
Now, I'm not saying these people do not have the right to watch the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is much more than a sporting event- it is a very social event with interesting commercials to boot. However, I think people need to be honest about their football knowledge as well as their lack of perference concerning the teams involved. No one likes a fairweather fan, espeically one that jumps on the band wagon at the last minute.
There is one thing I consider even worse than your average fairweather fans however- those who adopt a team literally minutes before a championship game. This was very prevalent during the Super Bowl this year. All of the sudden, those who had failed to watch a professional football fan were passionate Steeler or Cardinal fans, even if they could not tell you the team's quaterback or even which city the teams hail from.
Now, I'm not saying these people do not have the right to watch the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is much more than a sporting event- it is a very social event with interesting commercials to boot. However, I think people need to be honest about their football knowledge as well as their lack of perference concerning the teams involved. No one likes a fairweather fan, espeically one that jumps on the band wagon at the last minute.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
NCCA Football should take a cue from NCAA Basketball & Implement Playoffs
In the sports world, subjection is not highly looked upon. The majority of major sports implement play-offs so there is no doubt as to who deserves to be crowned national champions. With almost all major NCAA sports and also all professional sports using the play-off system, one has to wonder: why hasn't NCAA football followed suit?
With no play-off system, there is not clear-cut national champion. Take the Big XII Southern conference for example. At one point, Texas had beaten Oklahoma, Oklahoma had beaten Texas Tech and Texas Tech had beaten Texas. With these wins and losses, it was almost impossible to determine which team truly deserved to represent the Big XII south in the Big XII championship, let alone the National Championship. Also, you take a team like Southern California (USC) who had one unfortunate loss early, and it does not seem fair to discount them from the National Championship either.
Perhaps the most annoying thing about the subjection surrounding NCAA football is that every idiot thinks they can comment on the BCS. During this time, those who cannot even explain why even a good offense struggles against a strong secondary feel they can comment on who should and should not be in the BCS bowls. In many cases, they use the transitive property, feeling if a beat b and b beat c, then a should beat c. By this property, you can have your junior high flag football team beating the National Champions.
In short, the NCAA football system needs to implement play-offs the way every other sport seems to. This way, there will be no question as to who should have the prestigous title of national champions. The BCS would also be able to keep its bowls if they wre used in the play-offs, which would solve the money problem. It only makes sense that the most exciting sport in college would have the most exciting aspect of college sports- play-offs.
With no play-off system, there is not clear-cut national champion. Take the Big XII Southern conference for example. At one point, Texas had beaten Oklahoma, Oklahoma had beaten Texas Tech and Texas Tech had beaten Texas. With these wins and losses, it was almost impossible to determine which team truly deserved to represent the Big XII south in the Big XII championship, let alone the National Championship. Also, you take a team like Southern California (USC) who had one unfortunate loss early, and it does not seem fair to discount them from the National Championship either.
Perhaps the most annoying thing about the subjection surrounding NCAA football is that every idiot thinks they can comment on the BCS. During this time, those who cannot even explain why even a good offense struggles against a strong secondary feel they can comment on who should and should not be in the BCS bowls. In many cases, they use the transitive property, feeling if a beat b and b beat c, then a should beat c. By this property, you can have your junior high flag football team beating the National Champions.
In short, the NCAA football system needs to implement play-offs the way every other sport seems to. This way, there will be no question as to who should have the prestigous title of national champions. The BCS would also be able to keep its bowls if they wre used in the play-offs, which would solve the money problem. It only makes sense that the most exciting sport in college would have the most exciting aspect of college sports- play-offs.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Frogger: Fun as a game, not in real life
If you've ever played frogger, you understand the concept of a character weaving through traffic with hopes of avoiding being hit. This is the way I feel every time I cross 25th street, which runs directly south of campus. I take a step off the curb, and automatically the frogger theme music runs through my head. Like the frog in frogger, I maneuver through traffic, hoping not to get squished. However, unlike the frog in frogger, I do not have three lives. If a student gets hit, it's game over.
So how do we go about preventing what seems to be an inevitable tradegy in the making? It seems that lowering the speed limit through campus may make for a much safer environment for the students. At the present, the speed limit is set at 35 mph. I think that a reduction of 10 miles per hour would make a dramatic difference. When speed limits are lowered, a driver has a much better response time. It is much easier to make a sudden stop or react to a hazard when driving at lower speeds. If the speed limit was lowered to 25 around the campus area only, it would take a driver less than an extra 45 seconds to make it through the lower speed zone and it would be drastically less hazardous for both students walking and driving.
So how do we go about preventing what seems to be an inevitable tradegy in the making? It seems that lowering the speed limit through campus may make for a much safer environment for the students. At the present, the speed limit is set at 35 mph. I think that a reduction of 10 miles per hour would make a dramatic difference. When speed limits are lowered, a driver has a much better response time. It is much easier to make a sudden stop or react to a hazard when driving at lower speeds. If the speed limit was lowered to 25 around the campus area only, it would take a driver less than an extra 45 seconds to make it through the lower speed zone and it would be drastically less hazardous for both students walking and driving.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Soft News Mania...
As most of you probably know, I am no big fan of soft news. I do not find it a valid form of journalism. I can, however, admit that it seems to be what sells and despite my personal opinion, it seems to have a place in the journalistic world.
However, it does not seem right that soft news has seemed to take a place highly above hard news. It seems that magazine racks are dominated by entertainment magazines rather than magazines filled with hard news. On any given rack, you will find a plethora of celebrity dominated magazines, such as People or In Touch. However, rather than a possible mandatory Newsweek or Times, the magazines which touch on real issues which affect our nation seem absent. This is true of online news as well. On the Yahoo! home page, the main feature stories include behind the scenes footage of the Obama family, Jennifer Love Hewitt's called-off wedding, Brangelina's 'two reasons to celebrate' and couples therapy. The democrat’s stimulus plan to fix the economy, New York's Senate pick and a Pennsylvania fire which claimed 15 lives, however, got pushed under the feature stories.
When the hard news seems to be put on the backburner, taking second to celebrity gossip, one must question the validity of the journalistic system as a whole. While it makes a certain sense to report what Americans seem to want to read, it is another matter entirely to make the soft news the main focus of our media. While Americans devour the gossip, no one seems to take the media seriously. I think that if we shifted our focus to stories with more substance, the media would be looked upon with more creedence and respect. Although soft news seems to have a place in the media, it should not be put above hard news. It is past time that American media put a higher value on news with substance and strive to get our reputation back.
http://www.yahoo.com/
However, it does not seem right that soft news has seemed to take a place highly above hard news. It seems that magazine racks are dominated by entertainment magazines rather than magazines filled with hard news. On any given rack, you will find a plethora of celebrity dominated magazines, such as People or In Touch. However, rather than a possible mandatory Newsweek or Times, the magazines which touch on real issues which affect our nation seem absent. This is true of online news as well. On the Yahoo! home page, the main feature stories include behind the scenes footage of the Obama family, Jennifer Love Hewitt's called-off wedding, Brangelina's 'two reasons to celebrate' and couples therapy. The democrat’s stimulus plan to fix the economy, New York's Senate pick and a Pennsylvania fire which claimed 15 lives, however, got pushed under the feature stories.
When the hard news seems to be put on the backburner, taking second to celebrity gossip, one must question the validity of the journalistic system as a whole. While it makes a certain sense to report what Americans seem to want to read, it is another matter entirely to make the soft news the main focus of our media. While Americans devour the gossip, no one seems to take the media seriously. I think that if we shifted our focus to stories with more substance, the media would be looked upon with more creedence and respect. Although soft news seems to have a place in the media, it should not be put above hard news. It is past time that American media put a higher value on news with substance and strive to get our reputation back.
http://www.yahoo.com/
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Obama Inauguration: Pre-set agenda?
As our nation dawns on a new era under our 44th president, the main focus seems to be not his political policies or his beliefs. The nation seems fixated almost solely on Obama's race. While there is no denying that the election of the first African-American president is a vital part of our nation's history, there seems to be little to no discussion on ways in which Obama will change the nation outside of breaking through the racial barrier.
The racial issue seemed excessively present during the innaggural ball, with primarily African American performers, such as Beyonce, Usher and Mary J. Blige. There was even a major event hosted by B.E.T (Black entertainment television). Obama has even been referenced in a rap song.
Don't get me wrong- I voted Obama. However, this decision was made on evaluating his economic policies and plans to stimulate our economy. I also want to state that I am not in the least bit racist. It seems, however, that it may be more important to put focus on Obama's political worth rather than his nationality.
The racial issue seemed excessively present during the innaggural ball, with primarily African American performers, such as Beyonce, Usher and Mary J. Blige. There was even a major event hosted by B.E.T (Black entertainment television). Obama has even been referenced in a rap song.
Don't get me wrong- I voted Obama. However, this decision was made on evaluating his economic policies and plans to stimulate our economy. I also want to state that I am not in the least bit racist. It seems, however, that it may be more important to put focus on Obama's political worth rather than his nationality.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Article Response
For the response to an article assignment, I am using a post from the USA today online newspaper. The article is titled "Wake Forest jumps Duke for No. 1 spot in coach's top 25".
I throughly enjoyed this article because it was very condensed and easy to read. It gave a very vivid image of the college basketball polls and referenced excellent reasons for the jump. One of the strongest points of the article was when they made mention that Wake was "the last undefeated team in Division I". This was a valuable piece of information to the article and strengthened the piece as a whole. The most interesting and artistic phrase came upon mention that Wake had "leapfrogged" No. 2 Duke to seize the No. 1 position. The wording on this phrase gives the reader an image of the way in which the college polls work and manner of moving up in the polls. It was also a witty and intelligent description of the 'jump'. Overall the article was well-written, informative and very enjoyable.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2009-01-19-coaches-poll_N.htm
I throughly enjoyed this article because it was very condensed and easy to read. It gave a very vivid image of the college basketball polls and referenced excellent reasons for the jump. One of the strongest points of the article was when they made mention that Wake was "the last undefeated team in Division I". This was a valuable piece of information to the article and strengthened the piece as a whole. The most interesting and artistic phrase came upon mention that Wake had "leapfrogged" No. 2 Duke to seize the No. 1 position. The wording on this phrase gives the reader an image of the way in which the college polls work and manner of moving up in the polls. It was also a witty and intelligent description of the 'jump'. Overall the article was well-written, informative and very enjoyable.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2009-01-19-coaches-poll_N.htm
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Hello, World!
This is my first blog and it is required for my blogging class at UNK. My name is Kelly Bernt, I am a senior at the University of Kearney, NE and I am originally from Stratton, NE. My passions include dancing, music and running.
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