Assigment 14: Beck Michul Flying Turkeys

My Thanksgiving is like most other families Thanksgivings. We get together with the family and have a large meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and other side dishes. Me, my sister, my parents, my grandparents, and my cousins and their family, all get together at my cousin's house. This Thanksgiving, we had a Thanksgiving lunch/dinner at 3:30 -.- . We ate the biggest turkey we have ever seen and other foods, and for desert we had pumpkin and chocolate pie, while we watched football. Good day. I don't really have any strange memories of Thanksgiving. Maybe there is one. I was trying to eat the skin off of the turkey, because it's the best part, and as i started putting the piece of heaven into my mouth, it started leaking it's heaven;y juices all over the floor. It was pretty weird. Didn't know that skin had juice in it.

Assignment 13: Beck Michul Changes!

Out of all of the ideas and things that exist in the world, there are a lot the bother me, although this doesn't bother me the most, flat out murder, because it makes you tough and gangsta or for some sort of initiation, is messed up. This isn't actually a huge problem right now, but the idea sounds awful. I just don't get how a man can stand to kill a complete stranger. I mean, maybe if he at least new the guy and the guy was an awful person, then we could consider murder, but how if he is someone that you just see on the sidewalk. Kids these days. Chanting their weird hoodlum chants and then dancing while pulling out their glocks, colts, and katanas and just blindly murdering people. At least take your blindfold off, there is no need for blind murder, you show off. Maybe you could just do a 360 with the wrist boi. That's cool, but flat out, blind murder. People can be so insensitive.

Assignment 14: Corey McMullin

For me, Thanksgiving is the best holiday, and not because of the wonderful amounts of food heaped upon my plate. My birthday is always during the week after Thanksgiving, so my extended family gets to celebrate it with me, and give me presents. This year I got the new Pokemon game, which really distracted me from doing these blog posts. Most of my Thanksgiving was spent on the sofa battling my way towards the title of Pokemon Master, but I am still not there yet. Of course I enjoy spending time with my family, spending the entire day at my grandma’s house. Getting to see all of my family is really cool, we do not often see each other, and it is nice to sit down for some turkey and enjoy each other’s company, if only for the day. Thanksgiving contains all of the fun, wonderful things that makes life worth living.

Assignment 14: Jack Phillips

My holidays are always a bit unorthodox. We have a lot of pretty unique traditions, and most people are really confused by them. For instance, we don't celebrate Christmas on Christmas day. We celebrate Festivus. I am not kidding. My family actually has a Festivus celebration. For Thanksgiving we do have the traditional turkey meal, where we stuff ourselves and then all take naps, its the day after that gets kind of weird. All thirty of us get a pheasant. Its a bird kind of like a chicken, but it lives wild in Ohio, and can actually fly. We take these birds, go out into the fields, make them dizzy so they don't immediately fly away, and head back to the house. We have lunch and wait a couple hours before we all grab shotguns, line up side by side and march through the fields like aircraft in formation, We let the dogs go out into the field to try and flush out the birds up. Its actually a lot of fun, and we get about a third of the birds we put out, and the other two thirds we leave to help repopulate the area with more pheasants.

Assignment 14 - Charlie Grimes

Like many others, my typical Thanksgiving is very... well... typical. Most years my family gets together with cousins and other family members, and eats a large Thanksgiving meal together, with food provided by my aunt Harriet, who owns and runs and large catering business in Lexington. An abundance of leftovers almost always clogs our refrigerator in the days following the feast.

I do personally enjoy the holiday, but I feel that the entire message of Thanksgiving is incredibly overlooked now because of the Black Friday deals that now start as early as 6PM on THURSDAY (Why even call it Black "Friday"?). On the one day where people are actually supposed to put things in perspective and be thankful for what we have, we have people physically fighting over Samsung TV's. I know that this hypocrisy has been acknowledged before, but the reality is no one really cares. Only in America could we merge together these two completely polar opposite concepts into the span of 48 hours! It is really quite humorous when you think about it.

Assignment 13: Jack Phillips

Ahh, global warming. Wouldn't it be splended? Just think of a place where it doesn't get cold in the winter, And a place where Kentucky would have shoreline? It would be wonderful. I can see it now, basking in the sun in the middle of december, not having to worry about shoveling snow, or getting to cold, or any of those other pesky things that happen in the winter now. And sure the summer would be a bit hot, but what else is the air conditioning for? We all live indoors so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. It would be worth it through and through. To all of those so called environmentalists out there, I say to quit your whining and complaining, lets pump some more CFCs into the air and make our world one nice place to live. If those big corporations are helping the process, then why punish them? We should all be thanking them for their contributions to a more livable world. So on behalf of all people with half a brain, thank you for all of your help. we could have never done it without you, and we are really benefiting from your contributions to this earth.

Assignment 9 - Cory Baker

War is never good for at least one of the sides. It always bring something bad. War is bad. Sometimes war is good though. War is good when the good guys fight the bad guys. This is only true if the bad guys are really bad and will not change or have already done something unforgivable. Everyone should have the chance to be forgiven though. This is only fair that everyone gets a second chance because how can we judge someone off of a certain event in a certain point in time. We do not know for a fact the circumstances they were going through. If someone was pure evil though then someone who was pure good could waige war on them. They must be good because if the don't have pure intentions then  they are also bad and it is perpetuated evil. So all in all war is sometimes ok in theory but in real life this is never true and people who should not be hurt get hurt.

Assignment 12: Jack Phillips

I am important. Lives depend on me. I can make presidents rise and fall, I can send people away for years, and people work their entire lives just to be able to touch me more. And I don't know why. I am just a piece of paper. I was printed several years ago, and I am already reaching the end of my lifespan. I know it. I will end up being burned, or shredded, or something terrible, but I still have power now. I still rule the world for now. I will make the most of my life while it still exists. I refuse to sit in this bank vault, I will go back to wall street where I spent my glory days, the days where I changed hands many times a day, the place where people lived for me. The place where that glorious white powder was everywhere. The place all of us want to call home. That is where I want to live out my numbered days.

Assignment 12: Beck Michul Brave little toasters

The day in the life of a phone.

So one day, a day like every other Joan the Phone is laying on the bed next to the mean controlling giant that she hates. Every night he chains her up with some long black cord and connects her to some 3 holes. The giant wakes up. Let's call him Buman the Human. He wakes up and immediately wraps his hand around Joan like she is some sort of object. He lifts her up to his face and ominously stares at her. He presses into her sides making her 'light up' in anger. He keeps running his finger up and down her body and he starts poking her all over. Joan starts getting really mad and so she starts to react slowly. She heats up in anger. She is getting really tired of Buman and his torture, she is about to give up, her energy is draining. Finally. Buman stops poking her. He releases Joan. He starts to get off of his bed. Oh no. He's accidentally just kicked Joan. She's falling off of the bed. CRRASHKASNDODNAONOSDNOASDHAJSDPSPDNSISSHHHHHHHHPOWEHRO)QWO)ANSDNVNVPANPSFDHSHHHHHHHHHHH. Joan shatters. She's gone forever

Assignment 8 - Cory Baker

Fears - Going down in a body of water really far but not having enough air to make it back up. 

Annoyances - When people crunch on things especially when it's silent, such as when I'm taking a test or quiz and the teacher decides to crunch on some nuts right next to me. 

Accomplishments - Taking the wrapper off of a Reese's cup without peeling off any chocolate. 

Confusions - How to spell guarantee. I always thought it was guarentee. 

Sorrows - Dead dog. 

Dreams - The hit sitcom Seinfeld is brought back, but does not lose any of its flavor like most shows do when returning for another season after a cancellation. 

Idiosyncrasies - Always pressing the button at a stop walk three times. 

Risks - Waiting until midnight on the last day an assignment is due to do it because half the time I just fall asleep. 

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then - My Nintendo gameboy sp, I once wanted to be buried with it. I still do. 

Problems - Physics has lots of problems and I don't know how to do any of them, this is a very big issue for me. 

Assignment 11: Beck Michul Do you know your neighbor?

In Mr. Logsdon's 3rd hour class (lol we're all in that class, why did I say that?), I sit next to Corey McMullin. In order to avoid possible murder on monday, I'm going to try to remain pretty vague. I've known him for a long time, since elementary school when we both went to Southern Elementary. Even though we have known for each other for so long, I still don't know that much about him. I know he likes to play video games. Corey seems pretty carefree and generally honest, but I wouldn't necessarily know, we've never had a conversation where he would have lied, so I'm going to stick with no comment. Corey seems to be a good student, he does his work, he keeps up with everything, he studies and helps me to study for the vocab quizzes. He's a nice and pretty cool and chill guy. We have *insert adjective* conversations, and I enjoy his existence. I kind of see him as an engineer or a contractor in his life. Don't ask why, because I couldn't tell you. It's just what I see him being, probably because of analytical abilities (wait, what). Yes, I know my neighbor generally well. End :).

assignment 14: Vincent Pisacano

my typical thanksgiving is me my brothers my sister my mom and my dad going up to my grandmas house at lake arrowhead in Georgia. all of my moms side of the family comes, where i get to see my cousins and play a ton of pool and watch old movies. unfortunately my grandma passed away about two years ago, so now we just have thanksgiving dinner on our own. this year my mom and my sister went to bald head island, in north carolina, which left me and my dad and my brothers to fend for ourselves. my oldest brother had work, so me and my dad and my other brother went to my dads friends house for thanksgiving. this resulted in me and my brother chilling with a bunch of drunk adults, which was pretty bad until we started eating. this is probably the most uninteresting blog post in the history of blog posts, sorry about that, but my thanksgiving was monumentally boring this year.

Assignment 14: Flying Tukeys - Walt Finch

My thanksgiving is kind of normal.  My grandma and grandpa come over and so does one of my Uncles.  So I guess it's kind of small.  We have a turkey, some corn pudding, green beans, and mashed potatoes.  Not a whole lot of food, but there aren't a lot of people.  We also don't need to eat that much, there's no point in stuffing your face until you can't walk.
In the morning I volunteer at this 5k at Keeneland.  This year I worked with my sister and Zack Whitehouse.  We had a great time organizing parking, many of you might have seen it, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  We got many compliments.  It wasn't that cold this year, but we did have to get there at 5:30 in the morning so it made for a very long day with black Friday and everything.  Overall I guess I enjoy the holiday.  It is a day off from basketball which is always nice.  I get to hang out with friends that day and go black Friday shopping.  I don't have any fond memories of it though, its kind of just another day to me.

Assignment 13- Jacob Young

I'm Jewish. And I'm not ashamed or afraid of telling anyone that fact. Consequently, however, that comes with a lot of questions about the Middle East conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian situation. Coming from someone who has been to Israel and experienced what you all see on the news every day, it's much, much worse than you think. As they say, with desperate times come desperate measures. But the time for desperate measures has already been surpassed. We need a permanent solution, no fragile ceasefires or flaccid peace treaties. No, we need a much more effective solution; and the answer is right under our noses, it has been all along. If there is a problem, what is the end goal? To eradicate said problem, correct? So if the Middle East has become a problem, which I would venture to say that any learned person thinks so, then logically the best course of action is to get rid of the problem. What I propose is to nuke the entire area. Think about it. If there are no people there to fight, then there will be no more fighting. Peace will have been reached. What did we do with Japan in World War II? They were a problem, so we got rid of it; we nuked them. Everyone knows that the U.S. has enough nukes to destroy the world, so resources are not an issue. And the world is already suffering from overpopulation, so that would get rid of a large chunk of that problem as well. In addition, we get the majority of our oil from the Middle East, and that means we have to buy it. If there is no company or people to buy the oil from, then it will be free to take, and that helps on our massive debt. The ends justify the means. The benefits outweigh the risks.

Assignment 13: Changes! - Walt Finch

In today's world one of the biggest issues we face is animal cruelty.  It is a much bigger deal than anything else.  Genocide, child abuse, poverty all take a back seat to animal abuse.  We should devote all of our resources to animal shelters like the humane society, and completely neglect everything else.
We should profit from wars and devote the money that we make to take care of animals.  They are just so cute, how could you care about anything else.  Not enough people volunteer at our shelters to take care of our animals.  It might be one of the hardest things to do, but it is also the most rewarding.
If we don't take care of our animals, what are we doing.  How can you live with yourself knowing that an innocent dog doesn't have a home.  People might not have homes but that is completely their fault and the dog did nothing to deserve such treatment.

Asgn 14. Thanksgiving Blog: Harrison I

               Every year we hold a Thanksgiving party for all of my mom's college graduates and undergraduates. Because she is a plant pathology professor, and often gets a lot of foreign exchange students that don't normally celebrate Thanksgiving, and have families that are too far away to be with over the break, we always throw a big party for them to show them what Thanksgiving is all about. This year we had over 16 people in total, with most of them being from brazil, but there were a couple with homes in places like Indonesia and the Middle East. We always make sure to have all the traditional foods, like mashed and sweet potatoes, turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, and pies of ever type and flavor. This year it required over two bags of potatoes, two 16 lb turkeys, 3 boats of gravy, and a mountain of other foods and beverages to feed out guests, and my sister even presented a PowerPoint to them, explaining what Thanksgiving was and why it was important. I'm just glad that they enjoyed themselves though, because I certainly did this year.     

Assignment 12: Brave Little Toaster - Walt Finch

Once upon a time there was a little chocolate chip cookie.  This cookie had been made about a week ago by Breland Finch, and ever since then he had been kept in a cookie jar on the kitchen counter.  About every day when Walt got home from practice he would go grab a cookie, eat it, then go take a shower.  Andy was very afraid of Walt.  He did not want to get eaten.
One day all of Andy's friends were gone, and he was the only one left in the cookie jar.  He knew that if he did not figure out how to escape then he would get eaten that afternoon so he tried everything he could think of.  The sad thing was that since he was a cookie, he was to soft to open up the lid or push the jar off the counter and break it.
So when Walt came to eat his daily cookie Andy did the only thing he could think of, he squirted Walt with one of his chocolate chips, jumped out and ran away.  Walt did not chase after him because he was too tired from practice.  He just figured he would get that cookie one day.
And that day did come.  Since Andy had never figured out a way to get out the house because he was the stupidest cookie in that whole batch, he decided to take a nap on the counter.  He did not wake up when Walt got home from practice either.  And you know what Walt did? He ate that cookie, and enjoyed every last bit.  And no one ever heard from Andy again.

Assignment 10- Jacob Young

My zombie apocalypse plan is logical, however simple. In every zombie movie you've ever seen, and I mean a true apocalypse, has there ever been a situation in which the U.S. military hasn't been somewhat out of the picture? Think about this. We in the world of communication today, the zombie apocalypse would never be able to happen. Remember the craze about Ebola? And how quickly that was taken care of? The same thing would happen with zombies. However, in the event that a zombie apocalypse does take place; here is my plan:
1. Assuming it has already started, head to the nearest gun store & try to scavenge any materials.
2. Like Carol in The Walking Dead, put on clothes of a dead person so as the zombies would not recognize you as a normal human.
3. Go with a group to Australia (zombies can't swim)
4. Live the rest of your life amongst the kangaroos until they accept you as their kin. (isn't that every man's dream?)

Asgn 13. Changes: Harrison I.

              The McDonalds hamburger, a symbol of American Entrepreneurship, an icon of the American Food Industry, considered to be one of its greatest accomplishments, and perhaps at one time that really was the case. However the same cannot be said for the modern day food industry, which has stooped to blindfolding the public from what really occurs behind the shiny curtain. The happy smiling child, in the new shiny and sparkly fast food parlor doesn't truly think about what he's putting in his mouth. That the beef is in fact pre-cooked and has probably been frozen from more than a few days. That the fries are loaded down with salts and fats, that the soda is mass produced by the barrel in some third world African nation. They don't consider this, or the fact that the money their parents are using to pay for it or only going to further these twisted practices. It is both detrimental for the health of the American populace, as well as moving further job opportunities outside the country, to support this tyranny ridden industry and her products.       

Assignment 14- Sam Vandiver

     Thanksgiving in my houses is nothing too special or interesting. My parents are divorced so I do get two of every holiday, including this one, but neither are too outside the norm. None of us are huge fans of the traditional turkey, so this year one house had lasagna and the other steak, both delicious, and both feeding everyone for several days. 

     Food is one of the more important things in my life, and I enjoy few things more than a large and tasty dinner, so I do very much enjoy Thanksgiving (especially since deviled eggs are just about my favorite thing). It is also, of course, nice to see the extended family - for a day. I don't have any specific stand-out memories of the holiday, but I can remember some eccentric, I'll say, significant others that have tagged along. There's a running joke in my family that if a girl/boyfriend can stick around after meeting the relatives, they're a keeper.

Assignment 13- Sam Vandiver

     I propose that we arm babies. Out with the umbilical cords and in with the Uzi's, I say! Our American babies need to be safe from the bloodthirsty roaming bands of less American babies. The only way to stop a bad baby with a gun is a good baby with an even bigger gun. The arms training should begin after they can hold their heads up on their own; after all, we wouldn't want them to miss! The siblings of the babies would be the ones to train the younger ones in killing. In the absence of an older sibling, the most masculine child in the neighborhood would take on the role of teacher with a gun.
      I concede, however, that not all of our American babies will grow up to be law abiding citizens. To counteract this, I believe that the slightly older children should go throw a course that teaches them how to identify potential ne'er-do-wells and ruffians. Babies that act in behaviors that are different than normal American babies shall not be given guns. Instead, they shall be given spankings and Bibles.
      Once only good American, trained gun-babies remain, the world will be the epitome of peace. Any criminals shall be immediately put down with surgical precision. Nap time shall be taken in shifts, to ensure that no illegal act go un-shot at. School classrooms shall be lined in ruthless mercenary babies to keep students safe. Political figures shall employ only the toughest, cigar-smokingest babies to keep them safe. Executions shall once again be conducted by firing squads - of babies. Babies with guns will keep us safe. What could go wrong?
     Well, that or people could quit being so eager to kill other people.

Assignment 9- Jacob Young

I don't want to sound like a pessimist, but war is inevitable. It is human nature to have differing cultures and beliefs than others, and I think that it is the right thing to do if push comes to shove and you have to fight for what you believe in. However, that does not mean that just because one little thing is different between two bodies they should declare war on one another. War in and of itself is a vague term. By war do we mean any sort of skirmish or fight or battle? Or do we mean a country formally declaring war on another under the guidelines of war laid out by the Geneva Convention and the United Nations? The situation in the Middle East, as soon as we thought that things were finally getting better, that view was immediately struck down with the killing of 4 Rabbis in a sanctuary in Jerusalem very recently. War is inevitable. It is human nature, plain and simple.

Assignment 11: Do you know your neighbor - Walt Finch

My neighbors are Jacob Furgeson and Charlie Grimes.  I am going to write about Charlie because I have known him ever since kindergarten.  Charlie is a very social person.  He likes to go out, meet people, and talk to everybody.  His social skills are inspirational to me.  He has always been that way, ever since kindergarten.
He is also a very adroit video gamer.  His skills at Battlefield 4 are unmatched.  He can snipe a man from 2000 meters and get a one shot kill every time.  He is also a very skilled lacrosse player, where no one can stop him from scoring, except me because I put him on his butt every time.  He is also very intelligent.
Charlie's personality, I would say, is feisty.  He always has so much energy, and always challenges me to fights.  He is very brave.  Because of this, if he was a color, I would say he was red.
In 5 years I see Charlie as the only person in history to have graduated college in one year, and one of the youngest billionaires in the world.  His social skills will carry him to this high stature.

assignment 13: Vincent Pisacano

one thing that really bothers me about the united states, and the world as a whole, is the acceptance of marijuana. everyone seems to be doing it, rich and poor, young and old. why?! it is incredibly dangerous. people are over dying from weed overdose every single day by the thousands. it is killing people at such an alarming rate that i honestly think it could eventually lead to the extinction of the human race. not only this, but it is incredibly addicting. if you try it once, there's no going back. you immediately become completely dependent on it for the rest of your life. it is truly inevitable. also the side effects are horrifying. often times people eat so much food that they swell up and their stomach actually explodes and they die. PEOPLE ARE DYING HERE FOLKS i cannot stress this enough. another unsettling side effect is that one seems to laugh so hard at the most simple things that they start suffocating and die a horrible death. people need to start facing the reality that marijuana is without a doubt the most dangerous drug out there.

assignment 14 Mark O'Brien

My family seems to have done something different for Thanksgiving every year.  This year we has our family friends, the Brenzels, over and my mother cooked the thanksgiving meal for sixteen people.  We had a putting competition and the winner won $50.  The weirdest Thanksgiving memory I have happened back when I was nine.  We were celebrating thanksgiving in Massanutten, WV with my cousins.  On thanksgiving day we went to this indoor water park.  There was one of those fake surfing rides where the water is rushing up to the top of this ramp, and we were waiting in line while girl in her mid twenties was attempting to surf.  The girl immediately fell and her top came off.  She turned to the line of people smiled and said, "Happy Thanksgiving!"  I was stunned.  At nine years old i had no idea what to do or how to act so I naturally followed my older brothers lead and laughed even though I had no idea what was funny.  Yes, I enjoy the holiday.

Assignment 11- Jacob Young

Adventurous, Eccentric, Carefree, Intrepid. These are some words to describe who I sit next to in English class; Sam Vandiver. Now, I don't know a whole lot about Sam's personal or private life, but I have gotten some clues from how I view him in English class. Sam is one of those guys that lives life to its fullest, with no regrets. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he works for the government or CIA of some sort, but there is no doubt that Sam is a secret agent, working as a mercenary. I can tell by the way he moves as graceful as a whooping crane; dresses like Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, and speaks as though every moment, every second of his life is the climax of the most dramatic movie you've ever seen. Yes, Sam may seem like a normal kid but don't let that facade fool you; every minute you spend talking to him he's counting how many different ways he could find you and kill you, Liam Neeson style.

Assignment 10: Beck Michul BOO

ZOMBIES HAVE ATTACKED!!!

They have located the butchery and eaten all of the meat in there. If we can gather up some ammunition or explosives then we can blow up the butchery, destroying all of those zombies in the process. After that, we should search for refuge in some sort of large building such as a prison or a hospital (.....get it.....). After survivors have gotten into that structure, we should find the best place possible to set up a camp of some sort and create a temporary home. If there are multiple people we should create some sort of job system that each person has to do, in order to sustain the community, they must contribute and complete these jobs. We would have to gather up ammunition and other supplies to be able to keep people alive and to be able to fend off waves of zombies. Then we would survive and thrive growing the community and fighting of zombies.

Assignment 10 : Boo - Walt Finch

In the Zombie Apocalypse there are many things that are necessary to survive.  The first step is to get your gear.  This means grab whatever you can use immediately, a weapon, some food, a pack, a change of clothes, just make sure it is completely necessary.  Then you need to get out of town.  It will be chaos in the cities, and all the people that have been turned into zombies will be out hunting for people to eat.  It is best to just avoid it all and get out.
Then you have a couple of options.  If you have a survival group pre-arranged, you should move to your pre-established rally point.  If not, you need to start finding supplies.  This can be done by scavenging the country side, or sneaking into the outskirts of towns and raiding houses and stores.  If you have an abundance of weapons the towns would be a better option because you will be able to fight off anything that comes at you, and you are more likely to find beneficial items and friends you can group up with.
If you don't have weapons then you should search farm houses for anything that can benefit you.  After that it is just a matter of not taking unnecessary risks, being smart, and finding a good location to start a new.  Good luck.

assignment 12: Vincent Pisacano

an inanimate object i would like to talk about would be my xbox. pretty much every week day he sits all by himself until 3:30. i think that he hates my oldest brother because he just sucks at his games. but when it is me or Nicky, my second oldest brother, boy does he love it. when playing call of duty and just wrecking kids i can hear him cheer out in pride that he is the console that i use to scrape all the kids who suck. i can see him sweat in nervousness when i am on a 24 kill streak one away from a nuke. this is the stuff he lives for. also he loves when i watch game of thrones. man he gets so into it sometimes i have to switch over to my tv app because he starts yelling and screaming in excitement when there's a fighting scene.  but anyways he's pretty much my best friend. we spend so much time together that we've grown really close. he got really depressed a couple years ago when my dad MURDERED his younger brother. literally threw him on our kitchen floor in anger. me and xbox got through it, but it was a tough time for him. it took some serious noob wrecking to get him passed his depression.

Assignment 12- Jacob Young

My favorite day of the year just passed. The day after thanksgiving. The day that I am the most full. Yes, I am a refrigerator. I love that sweet feeling of enormous amounts of thanksgiving leftovers sitting in even the darkest and most far-reaching depths of my shelves. Somebody didn't eat enough stuffing yesterday. Oh, and here comes some mashed potatoes, already salted and buttered. I wish I had hands so I could try a bit; or eat anything that resides inside me for that matter. Occasionally I'll get that one ice cube or potato chip that gets kicked under me, but even that I cannot eat. What a terrible feeling it is. To have so much inside of you, so much happiness, and for that all of be taken away by some pig humans who spill half of whatever they're eating on themselves anyway. Especially that little one. He's seven years old, or around that age. Spaghetti is the worst day of all. I must endure the torture of sitting there and watching him drop noodle after noodle onto the floor; only for his annoyed mother to come and mop up later. 

My years go by, ups and downs. Every now and then the family will have some sort of party in which I am very content. They fill me up with who knows what, a six-pack of Newcastle for the father and his friends, a box of chocolate-covered strawberries for the mother and her friends, and the container of Kroger chicken strips for all of the kids. Oh, how I wish I could even have a small taste of what resides in me.

Assignment 9: What is it good for? - Walt Finch

There are many times when war is appropriate.  Sometimes though, there are better ways to accomplish the end means.  Other times it is completely inappropriate.  Many times countries have a responsibility to go to war, and they don't meet these responsibilities.

War is appropriate whenever atrocities are being committed against another group, or the sovereignty of a country is being reproached.  You can see this in Saddam's genocide of the Kurds, Hitler's genocide of the Jews, and many other places.  You can also see it when Hitler invaded almost all of Europe, and when Putin invaded the Eastern part of Ukraine.  These countries are independent and have a right to defend themselves.  In the last example there is a better way to solve the issue than go to war.

It is easier to give sanctions and launch a propaganda campaign against the Russians in Crimea, which would create so much anti-Russian sentiment that it would be more work than is necessary to continue the occupation and it is not worth the economic costs.  If this stops the issue then it is all good, if it doesn't then war may be necessary.

There are also times when war is inappropriate.  The situation in Egypt does not warrant all out war.  Sure the Muslim brotherhood is not behaving in a fashion that the citizens of that country want, but there are no atrocities being committed.  They have not invaded foreign countries or attacked anyone.  It is purely an internal affair.  Rioting is something that comes with revolution, and it is necessary for them to make a point.  An invasion by foreign forces would create a lack of power and the country could slip into chaos and anarchy.  Now maybe there are covert ways to assist in reaching a peaceful end, but war would be completely inappropriate.

assignment 11: Vincent Pisacano

so i sit next to jack in in english class. we have known each other since freshman year, but our friendship has really grown this year. he has a great sense of humor so i tell him and my girl jamie all the snarky and stupid comments i have in class, and he usually gets a kick out of it, which i love. sometimes we have a problem where we start talking to each other about something random and get super into it, forgetting we are still in english class, and then you say that you can hear us whispering over there so we stop, but this has happened a couple times. sorry about that haha. but anyways he's very intellectually gifted, so i actually really enjoy talking to him and hearing what he has to say. He is a great guy and we have similar opinions about a surprisingly large amount of things. there are a very small amount of people who i would rather sit next to to be honest.

assignment 13 Mark O'Brien

The debt.  So vast it seems that people have completely given up on the idea of getting the US budget back to even.  No need to worry there is a simple solution to this problem.  Take every last penny from the citizens.  If they have lived under the "roof" of the United States Government they owe us at least that much.  I'm not just talking about taking the money of any specific class, no the government should have all the money that every citizen or resident has ever earned.  Then the government could give everybody rations and places to live based on their circumstances so that it is all fair.  It is a brilliant new idea.  If history tells us anything it is that this system of government is bound to be a success.  But the debt is so large that even with all the money from every citizen it still would be in the words of Mr. Pope "hUUUGGGEEee".  So then the country could call upon the brave men and women of the military who just willingly gave all their money to the gov't to fight so that the US can take control of other surrounding countries and implement the same damn system because it will work everywhere.

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

Fears - Failure, being inadequate

Annoyances - people who complain about being tired when they don't understand tiredness because they do nothing beside school

Accomplishments - lol what is this, I'm in highschool and have done nothing noteworthy in my opinion

Confusions - Why are AP classes weighted the same as cake adv. classes

Sorrows - None, I have had nothing that bad happen to me

Dreams - go to the naval academy, be a SEAL, then work in intelligence; I also had the creepiest night mare last night and it actually creeped me out.

Idiosyncrasies - what does this even mean

Risks - They happen every day

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then - Now: I have nothing I couldn't live without; then: I had nothing I could live without

Problems - It is impossible to get an A in Spanish 4

Dreams, we have dreams of what we want to do in the future.  We also dream when we sleep.  I'm going to talk about both, because sometimes they are very similar, other times they are completely unrelated.

In the future, I want to go to the Naval Academy.  I want to do something bigger than just make money.  I'm smart enough and athletic enough to do things a lot of people can't.  I would also be bored at a regular civilian college.  I want to be pushed and challenged every day.  I want to look back and be proud that I accomplished it.  The Naval Academy gives me that.  In the SEAL teams I will have accomplished many haven't, and be able to protect all those people that can't protect themselves, or are satisfied with a life of consumerism.  I am not, and making it possible for them to accomplish their goals is what would make me happy.  But then I want to move on and work in intelligence, where I find the information to be able to take out those guys that would like to do harm against civilians, because anybody can fight with a gun, but it takes a special person to fight with their minds and infiltrate enemy organizations.

Now I was also going to talk about what I dreamed last night, but I can't really remember it.  All I know is that it was very scary and creeped me out.

Assignment 9: Beck Michul What is it good for?

There is definitely a time for war. If the threat on a community or nation is grand enough then war is needed to resolve the problem. Although war should only be used as a last resort solution, it is still necessary in some situations. There are many alternatives to war and they should always be looked at as options first. If two nations are having issues then they should first try to resolve the problem through some sort of mediation. A peace treaty could also be used to compromise. These are just two alternatives to war, but if these and other options seem to fail then war must occur for the two nations to at least have some sort of resolution. War has been the best option in years that have passed, but in other situations war was probably not the best option and other possibilities could have been utilised.

assignment 10: Vincent Pisacano

okay so there is a zombie apocalypse. am i worried? not at all. honestly that is the way i hope i die is in a zombie apocalypse when i an old bad ass with a shotgun or something. but the first thing i would do is go to a flea market or antique shop and find a big samurai sword. you are stupid if the first thing you want is a gun because they run out of ammo, you need to reload, and they are loud and draw attention. but anyways my first plan would be to get to a coast, preferably off of north carolina, where i would build a simple raft then make my way to bald head island or oak island on the outer banks of north carolina. once i cleared the island of all the zombies, which should be no more than a hundred or so spread out, i would be good. assuming zombies can't swim, i'd just survive on the island my whole life.

assignment 9: Vincent Pisacano

Many people view war as a bad thing no matter what the reason for going to war is. Even if it is because of violence, how is it just to act by using violence? they have a point, and i can see where they are coming from. but me, i think war is appropriate if it is for the right reason. if you find out that a country has nuclear weapons and that country plans to use them, it makes sense to go to war. kill a thousand to save a million would be the reasoning behind this. so with this being said, there are some instances where war is morally acceptable. and also there are some times where a country is obligated to go to war. if the united states did nothing in retaliation to the 9/11 attacks, for example, that tell terrorist groups and other countries who aren't too fond of us that you can attack us and we will not retaliate. so in that situation, maybe war wouldnt be the best idea, but some sort of military action was necessary.

I never had to choose my subject... - Charlie Blondell

FEARS: Wasted potential, being unsuccessful
ANNOYANCES: Ignorance, close-minded people
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Varsity lacrosse, community service, work around 16-24 hours a week
CONFUSIONS: Social expectations, systems of authority, girls
SORROWS: Watching those I care about throw away their future
DREAMS: Happiness, respect
IDIOSYNCRASIES: Music, sports
RISKS: Going to Henry Clay, traveling
BELOVED POSSESSIONS: Dark Horse Frisbee, signed Rush poster
PROBLEMS: Motivation, procrastination, laziness

DREAMS: I used to have the mindset that to be the happiest individual I could be in life, a 7 figure job would solve very problem I would ever have. Money is the key to a better life. It is true, I will admit, that a surplus of money makes for more options. However, this doesn't lead an overall increase in your satisfaction level, or does not guarantee this. The key to being content is different for everyone. So my goal is to find that perfect level of satisfaction for myself, wake up every day to do something I love doing, and carry out my business in a way that earns respect from others.

Assignment 7: On this Date - Walt Finch

On this date, October 1st, in 1908, Ford first put the Model T car on the market at the price of 825 US dollars.  This car was extremely affordable, and changed the world.  It did this by opening up travel to the middle class, at this affordable price.  Now towns could be bigger, because people could travel in.  America became connected, because people could more easily travel city to city.

This was all made possible by the use of the assembly line by the Ford Motor Company.  Because there were not many roads in the nation, the Model T was almost like a tractor car hybrid.  It had big durable wheels that allowed it to traverse fields, creeks, and go up steep hills.  It's engine was also very good, so was commonly used in home made airplanes.  People used the Model T for a wide variety of activities and jobs.  One minister used it for a mobile church, complete with an organ on the back.  It could also be converted into a conveyor or a water pump or an electrical generator.

Assignment 14- Jacob Young

My thanksgiving involves a large part of my family coming in from Cleveland and Nashville to our house for a few days, eating an excess of pie, and having so much leftovers I could still be having thanksgiving on New Years'. Our family doesn't make a huge deal out of the holiday, however. We don't have any traditions or customs that we do every year that makes it so significant, except the family actually getting together. This thanksgiving, on the other hand, did provide me with a memory that I'll keep for a long time. In the early afternoon on thanksgiving day, my brother, older cousin, and I went out to play disc golf for a while just to pass time. We went to Veterans' Park, and at that course there is a somewhat large creek that runs throughout the majority of the course. On the 7th hole I threw one of my discs into the creek, and if that wasn't bad enough, when I tried to retrieve it, I slipped on a rock and fell into the almost 2-feet deep muddy water. The hour that I probably spent throughout that whole ordeal gave me a thanksgiving memory that will last a long time.

Assignment 6: Create Your Own Adventure - Walt Finch

1 - Are you a dog person or a cat person? Which and why?
2- Is Obama a good president or a bad one? Which and why?
3 - What is the greatest movie of all time in your opinion, and why?

I'm going to respond to 1

I'm definitely a dog person.  I've always had dogs.  They're great.  They're just big, furry, lovable animals.

Who even likes cats? I am yet to meet a person who genuinely likes them.  All they do is leave fur all over your clothes, pee and poop in your house, and demand that you give them attention.  Also when they are sitting on your lap and you are petting them, they push their claws into your legs to hold on and it hurts!  They're also so much more work to take care of.  You have to give them actual warm food, give them milk, and clean out their litter box.

Dogs are so much better.  They actually don't care about anything.  You can go outside and throw a stick with them for five minutes and they'll love you forever.  You can leave out some dog food in a bowl and water all day and they'll eat when they feel like it.  And when they want to go to the bathroom all you have to do is wait for them to come to you, then let them outside.  Also when they want to be pet, they come cuddle, instead of digging their claws into you like cats do.  Overall, dogs are just a thousand times better.

Assignment 5: Walt_the_salt vs. TV - Walt Finch

A lot of people watch the Emmy's.  People get excited about it.  This is not something that can also be said about the awarding of the Nobel Prizes.  Some people do, but the majority do not.  Is this a bad thing? I don't believe so.

The Nobel Prizes are generally awarded to people for things that are so advanced, that the normal person has never heard of it.  Or they are awarded for good deeds, but many of these times those deeds have not touched the main stream masses of America.  So people are not invested in the people that are being considered for the awards, and therefore don't really care about who wins it.

On the other hand almost everyone in America watches TV.  Everybody has their favorite show, something they have invested a lot of time into watching.  We want to feel like that time was well spent, and therefore want our show to win the award.  It's almost like winning the award yourself, because you have invested so much time into it.  People feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves.

The same can not be said about the Nobel Peace Prize.  Sure they are great accomplishments, but people aren't invested in them.  What does this say about our society? Maybe just that we spend a little to much time watching TV, if we feel like we've won if our favorite show wins, but I don't know if that's completely bad.  TV is after all a good means of entertainment.

Assignment 7: Beck Michul On This Date

October 1st is a very important date. Not only is the first day of the month of October, but it major historical significance throughout years. Specifically in 1992. On October 1st, 1992, Cartoon Network started broadcasting. This is an extremely important event in history as today, Cartoon Network remains a massive entertainment program. It has changed my life immensely and has influenced my future career choices. One example of this being, that I now want to become a scientist and try to make animals talk =D, because that's possible, right? ....Right....? No? :( Thank you for crushing my dreams. Cartoon Network, I hate you, you gave me false hope :,(. I appreciated you Cartoon Network, you gave me, along with 15 million other people, entertainment everyday with your original cartoon ideas and funny shows that sparked a rage of cartoon shows, but no. After all of this time, you've betrayed me. I stuck with you from Ed Edd n Eddy to Adventure Time. I snuck on a little Adult Swim when i wasn't supposed to for you. Well, i'm disappointed to tell you, you have lost a viewer. Thank you for being created on this date, but in my mind, you were ended today...

Flying Turkeys- Jamie Smith

Thanksgiving in my life usually involves packing up for the weekend and driving to Maryland, New Jersey, Chicago, or any of the other many places my family has spread itself out over the country. We arrive and there is nonstop movement and activity from the moment we get there. This year was Chicago- where my cousins live. Every day was a flurry of hockey games, dance practices, shopping, and much more. I really enjoy getting to see my family, but sometimes I wish we could just stay home and rest for a little while. There is very little sleep involved in a house with a five-year old, a seven-year old, and a nine-year old.

The most memorable event from Thanksgiving happened to come this year. I was at my cousin’s hockey game and was playing with my five-year old cousin, Jori. Out of nowhere she head-butted me in the nose, resulting in a lot of blood, and most likely a minor concussion, given that I could not sit up for more the five minutes because of the pain in my head this morning. I’m still praying its not a concussion. Despite this event, Thanksgiving continues to be one of my favorite holidays.

Asgn 12. Brave Little Toasters: Harrison I.

              Tick, tick, tick. The little black box on the night stand listens intently to the sound of its own heartbeat,  counting off each beat. 32, 33, 34. It is still early morning, the house is still quiet, all except for the snoring of the human in his bed, the monotonous dripping of the leaky tap downstairs, and the ever continuing, steady ticking that filled the ears of the little black box. 45, 46, 47. The box notices how the normally bright and cozy room looks so much more foreboding at night. With the blackness broken by nothing except for its own bluish light emanating from its face, freakish outlines of once familiar objects, seemed to jump out at the little black box. Nervously ignoring the now apparent gazes of the menacing teddy bear, and the malicious coffee machine, the little box continues to count its heart beat, its time nearly up. 57, 58, 59, 60. 6:00 am. The little box takes and deep breath, checking its speakers, and lets out an ear piercing scream that echoes throughout the entire house, like clockwork.       

Asgn 11: Do you know your neighbor? Harrison I.

                Charlie Grimes is a tranquil young man with a love for nature, who also enjoys sporting refined tastes and styles. Charlie enjoys long walks in the park, and loves to be one with nature. Even in the class he still finds a way to teach the values of nature, even speaking to his classmates using spontaneous animal noises. Never have I seen such dedication to mother nature, and what she stands for. However, Charlie unfortunately also suffers from a very terrible disease called multiple personality disorder. Ever since freshman year, Charlie has had an alternate personality named Tyrone, who occasionally presents himself seemingly randomly both in and out of class. He comes across as a extremely deep voiced, and serious male, but is loved by all, with his number one fan being Mr. Logsdon himself, who likes him to appear despite the seriousness of the disorder. However Charlie and Tyrone get along just fine, and they definitely provide for a more entertaining class setting.      

Assignment 6: Beck Michul Create your own adventure

Prompt 1: What is a hobby you would like to pick up? Why?

Prompt 2: Do you agree with Frank Ocean's statement of "If it brings me to my knees, its a bad religion"? Why is that?

Prompt 3: Music has brought up a lot of controversy in the messages it can sometimes convey. Do you agree that music causes violent activity?

Responding to prompt 3, the topic is pretty sensitive and there is evidence for both sides. I personally believe that the music is not necessarily the cause for the violence, but instead is an excuse for people to be violent. People that have anger bottled up will be more prone to cause mayhem, but when music that associates with violent activity, whether it be punk rock or hard hip hop, these people's angry ideas are reinforced and they start to think that it might be okay to participate in violent activity. The music shouldn't be censored or frowned upon because of the violent messages.

Asgn. 9: What is it good for? Harrison I.

                 In my opinion war is something that people should work to avoid at all costs. The physical loss of human lives over an item or even an idea, is not a fair trade, especially for those dying out on the battlefield who half the time don't even understand what they're fighting for. However, the blood of billions still stains the folds of our history, and war and violence have existed ever since man first learned how to kill one another. Even in the modern day, we see war across the planet, and even in the entertainment industry, in the form of violent video games that rake in billions of dollars a year. So apparently war does have appeal in the human mind. It is because of this appeal, that war has always and probably will continue to be a sought after solution to conflicts. Whenever there is not enough to go around, whether it be too many people, the greed of those in power, or the simple confliction of ideas so apart that they cannot exist together, they will always turn to the fastest solution, and the one also most facilitated by their emotions, war.    

Assignment 14 david chen

The typical thanksgiving for me is pretty much the same as everyone else's. Turkey and lots of food cover the tables, family and friends are in abundance, and it's a jolly time overall. Almost every thanksgiving is the same. Someone hosts the festivities, everyone swarms in to their house over the day, and during dinner time people reminisce over the past. I do rather enjoy the peacefulness and niceties of thanksgiving, it provides a nice break from the bustle of regular life. Every thanksgiving is a wonderful time and it'll always yield fond memories for me later in life.

Flying Turkeys- Ji-Hae Kim

On Thanksgivings, I normally go to my grandparents house (in Louisville) for a day and have dinner with my grandparents on my dads side, and two of my many cousins. This year, however, I had family come from Louisville and Indiana to my new home to have Thanksgiving lunch (instead of dinner because they had to drive the round trip). We haven't had a Thanksgiving like this since I was in elementary school. Most of my family lives in South Korea, so our gatherings are usually small and doesn't occur very often. This year, we had more food than we could have possibly needed. We ended up eating like an eighth of it and split up the food among us when we all went our separate ways. Since I haven't seen most of my cousins since like second grade, it was really awkward when we were all pushed into a room together to talk. There was seven of us total. We're the only ones who live in the U.S. Three are in college, three in high school, and one in middle school. It was hard to find a topic we could all talk about. It was alright after an hour. Once conversation flowed freely and we were having fun, though, they had to leave. They left before dinner because one family had to drive all the way back to Indiana.

Assignment 14 - Aislinn Langley

Thanksgiving often entails chilling on the couch all day. Chilling on the couch all day means loads of time for knitting. I love to knit, but have had severely limited time to do so since I started high school. I try to make time, but I always end up feeling that there's something "more productive" I could be doing like studying or reading or cleaning. So over these three years, I've picked up the habit of only really knitting on long car trips and while watching TV.When I picked up this habit freshman year, I didn't really expect to stop watching TV, but that kind of happened. Gone is my weekly time to knit. It only ever happens sporadically, when I watch a movie or something. Yet on Thanksgiving, I always sit down on the couch at 8 am for the Macy's Parade and then stick around for the dog show and subsequent James Bond, Harry Potter, or Christmas movie marathons and then don't get up until dinner. I spend the entire day knitting and I get so much done.Knitting, as one might guess, takes a long time, and productivity is slow in coming, but very rewarding, so I value Thanksgiving beyond words.
Very much a creature of habit, this becomes a major issue when the parents casually mentioned that we'd be going to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with the extended family. It through me off, but I adjusted and still spent the day watching movies and knitting.

Flying Turkeys- Rena Childers

   My Thanksgiving is indeed quite like the typical idea of the holiday. The day starts off with my family and I doing a 5k at Keeneland, then progresses to my aunt’s house on a golf course in the suburbia of Frankfort. We eat a fantastic, calorie-laden meal, make awkward conversation (mainly about how terrible "those liberals" are), and stay the appropriate amount of time before ditching. Typically I hang out with friends afterward, but this year I took a nap and went black Friday shopping with Weiran.

   Overall I would say I do enjoy the holiday, mainly because I get to eat all day, although my expectations are usually too high. The best Thanksgiving I remember was spent in New Orleans last year. We ate with our friends, went to the horse track, then us kids went out dancing all night. Granted, I may be biased because I love the city so much, but everything about that holiday seemed perfect.

Assignment 7 - Cory Baker

On October 3rd, 1955, American children's show Captain Kangaroo, starring Bob Keeshan premiered on CBS. This marked an important turn in American history, as riots erupted in "little Australia"s all over the country. Many cried in outrage because captain kangaroo looked nothing like a kangaroo. The Australians were tired of the continued disenfranchisement of their people by the media, the government, and the majority of the people. Due to the representation of the Australian people by mainstream media, they were targeted much more both by the police and by non-Australians in mass amounts of hate crimes. Police targeted them more heavily and still do to this day. This misrepresentation allowed people to justify their ignorance. Those who were victims were painted as they real menaces solely because of their heritage. I believe it is a very serious issue that still continues today however most will pass it off as something terrible from the past. These events are still unfolding but they are being twisted and told in a way to cover the internalized structure of hate that this country has built itself upon.

Flying Turkeys - Weiran Liu

Thanksgiving looks like a lot of hustling and bustling around my house. Usually every year we either go to a friend's house or host guests of our own. Despite where we are, there is an excess of food, a lot of clamoring about what groceries to buy beforehand, and I somehow always end up doing the dishes.

Personally, I love the holiday. Not only do I get to get a break from school, but I get to eat. Ask Rena and she will tell you that I eat a surprising amount. On top of that, the holiday feels warm to me. After the busy month of October (which for me consists of no sleep), Thanksgiving rolls in like a reminder that yes we do need to sit down, stop, and appreciate what we have. Granted we should be thankful more often, but its nice when there's a time where the whole family can gather and do that together. I was more than happy to see my sister back in town - we both worked during this break, but we both work together so it was time well spent.

I am never one who is good at picking a solid favorite. But I can certainly say that a fond memory of thanksgiving for me was the precious sleep that I got this break. The food was great, the naps were even better. Although it did leave my sleep schedule a bit messed up - hence me having a strong urge to go on a run but channeling that energy into writing a blog at 1:36 AM.

Assignment 14:Flying Turkeys- Samantha McGehee

Thanksgiving is my favorite winter season holiday. Why? Well, food. I really love Thanksgiving food. I like it more than Christmas because receiving presents is awkward and we only make appetizer foods for Christmas which I personally think is a horrible idea but I seem to be the only one in my family that agrees. Thanksgiving is a big ordeal for my family. On both sides of my family, Thanksgiving usually involves around 30 people. We just get together, cook and eat and watch football and catch up on life. I don't particularly have a favorite Thanksgiving memory, so, I will just talk about the most recent one with my mom's side of the family. Here are the highlights of the night. We arrived and weren't last (you never want to be the last one to arrive in my family because you get crap for it until the next holiday event) and then my Aunt Sandy tried to teach me how to make her famous gravy (my gravy still sucks), I spent time with my Uncle Bob who is battling stage four cancer and he tried to convince my mom to get me a dog and a riffle (neither of those will happen, but it was a valiant effort) and then I fought my cousin's boyfriend for the last piece of my mom's delicious pumpkin roll, which is the most popular dish at Thanksgiving ( I won, of course). This Thanksgiving was bittersweet because it was the first Thanksgiving without my granny and the first with my Uncle having cancer, but it also made everyone realize how blessed we are to have an amazing family, so needless to say, it was a very thankful Thanksgiving.

Assignment 13: Changes! - Samantha McGehee

One of the most absurd stereotypical experience of every childhood is that moment when a little girl or boy sits on their father's lap and he politely and encouragingly tells her/him that they can be anything they want. Why this simply isn't true! Little girls cannot and should not aspire to be much more than a stay at home wife and a little boy, as well, cannot and should not dream of becoming a dancer or a teacher or some other kind of demeaning women's work. See society has roles for a reason. If females do the work generally of men and men the work of women, then society will become confused. Women simply cannot be in power. Think about it! A woman as a C.E.O! The madness! Women have their place in the home and if their little tinder hearts should desire to feel as if they are contributing to the family's income, then they may pursue a part time job, so long as it doesn't interfere with her duties as wife and mother. In the same way, men should always pursue full time careers in positions of power that provide a comfortable lifestyle for his wife and children. There isn't much need for a man to be in the home except to discipline his children and wife, and to make sure that they are all doing as they are supposed to.Therefore men are suited for the high power jobs.Women aren't cut out for stressful jobs on their sensitive souls, poor things, and men shouldn't have to put up with the hassle of raising children for they are too manly for that. I mean think about the insanity if a man were to make less than his wife! He would be worthless, he would be a failure as a husband, father, and a man! I can guarantee his parents would be thoroughly ashamed of him too. These roles of men and women, wife and husband, are rooted in society because what chaos would surely ensue if things were reversed or not as they are now. However, some hippie liberals will try to convince you that men and women should be allowed to pursue whatever career and lifestyles that make them happy. Happy? Happy! Why people are only happy when they appease to the roles set out by society! Ask not what society can do for you, but what you can do for society!

Assignment 6 - Cory Baker

1 - Space exploration as a means to finding new places to look for the Loch Ness monster
2 - Why does Garfield love lasagna so much?
3- Who thought the live action cat in the hat movie was a good idea?

I will be discussing Why Garfield loves lasagna so much. It is because he is a cat and cats love to snooze. Lasagna fills the gastrointestinal tract and cause an autonomic shift towards the parasympathetic System. This results in a general lack of motivation and drowsiness. Lasagna is also full of carbohydrates from the pasta. This high intake of carbs causes a high release of glucose into the blood stream and Increases the level of insulin produced. This insulin increase causes other chemicals to be taken into the blood except tryptophan which goes to the brain and is converted to melatonin and serotonin. These both cause drowsiness and help Garfield o sleep better because besides eating, that is his number one hobby.

Assignment 5 - Cory Baker

Television is a great form of entertainment and self-indulgence.  People love to watch t.v. So much not because they have a burning passion for consumption of knowledge, rarely does t.v. Actually present unique and applicable knowledge without some sort of bias or heavy pandering. People mostly get caught up in people they can relate to or want to relate to. The Emmys are paid much more attention to because these are people that the audience more primally wants to relate to. Of course everyone will say they want to discover something knew that will help many, but that is hardly personal. Instead the Emmys present an opportunity to look at everyone you wish to be on a day to day basis, when you look in the mirror who do you want to be looking back. This is why I watch exclusively power rangers, because I myself am the black power ranger in my own squad of rangers called the Dino Jungle Patrol Unit based in Detroit, Michigan.

Assignment 4 - Cory Baker

This image is of famous muppet Kermit the Frog drinking a glass of Lipton tea.It has been used as a symbol of staying in your lane and shows the judgemental yet silent nature of our society. To be an American in this moment would be an incredibly frightening thing, this attitude threatened the very core fundamentals of our nation. Kermit the frog also may or may not have ties with Sunni extremist, jihadist rebel group ISIS. ISIS or ISIL is an expanding group of Sunni Muslim extremists from Iraq and Syria (or the levant). Kermit the frog is currently under FBI investigation due to multiple accounts of weapons peddling from respectable informants. This turning of the blind eye on such acts especially those of famous people is all too common, case in point Bill Cosby. Many people believe that someone they thought they knew so dearly because of their acting in a role as a wholesome man couldn't do anything. This is the same scandal Kermit the frog has been under and yet no one saw the warning signs.

Assignment 13: Changes! - Charlie Grimes

One of the most prominent and pressing issues in our country is the legalization of gay marriage. It seems to me that many Americans have adopted a "progressive" attitude towards the matter, and support the legalization. It seems to me that people have lost sight of the sanctity of marriage. Never mind separation of church and state, this is a matter of common sense. By legalizing gay marriage across the country, we are opening the door to a dangerous and disgraceful slippery slope. Ask yourselves, if we can allow people of the same gender to marry, how can we stop a man from marrying a dog? Even worse, a dog of the same gender! How can we prevent marriages between people and cars? What kind of image does that display to the rest of the world? How would it make you feel knowing that you live in a country where you can run off on a honeymoon with your new Toyota Camry? America needs to wake up and realize the direction we are heading in.

Assignment 14: Flying Turkeys - James Apo

My thanksgivings are pretty typical. I either go to visit my dad for Thanksgiving or stay in town to celebrate it with my mom's side of the family. Since my dad moved back to Hawaii, I have been staying in Kentucky as of late, but I will never forget the thanksgivings in Minnesota I used to have. Personally, I like a baked turkey better than a fried one, so that is one reason I liked the thanksgiving meals up north better than down south. Corn smothered with butter and rice potatoes with gravy also added on to the awesomeness, and the stuffing was to die for. Now don't get me wrong, I like Lexington, but I do really like traveling and I find it awesome to get to leave it all on the breaks. I cannot say I have a memory that stands out, but the past couple of years I have been going black Friday shopping late Thursday night early Friday morning, and that has been fun, despite the crowded nature of the mall. Overall, thanksgiving is a great holiday, but it is just an appetizer to me, as Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year.

Assignment 12 (Pencils) - Charlie Grimes

I am one of the many pencils belonging to Charlie Grimes. I begin my day around 8:00 AM, as I am taken out of my original box and brought to Henry Clay High School. For the first two to three classes of the day, Charlie keeps track of me and uses me for any notes, tests, or quizzes that he may have. Upon hearing the bell signifying the end of either 2nd or 3rd hour, I lay motionless, waiting for Charlie to pick me up and take me to the next class. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Too many times, my brethren and I have been left on the cold, unforgiving floors of these classrooms, forgotten by the one who used to grip us so tightly. The events that follow are very unpredictable. I have heard legends of my fellow pencils being left in the corners of classrooms for multiple years, and others who were picked up by others and moved on to a better, more secure life. Regardless, it is apparent to me and all of my fellow pencils that Mr. Grimes shows a distinct lack of respect for our kind, and we will stand for it no longer.

Assignment 13: Changes! - James Apo

There is a growing (or lack thereof) problem in America. No Shave November is an outrage and needs to be stopped. Although I am participating and even have a full beard, I am concerned for those who are less fortunate than me and cannot muster more than peach fuzz. I want to stand up for those peach-fuzzers, because they are people too, hairless people, but still. Cancer is an awful disease, but why should we promote it with this mockery that is No Shave November? How about the shaving cream companies and the razor companies and the small business people that are the barbershops of America? We must stand up like a freshly cut, multi-colored, diverse Mohawk. This is so discriminatory that it makes me sick. How many women do you know that can grow a great beard? Only a handful can, and this is just plain out sexist, but that's a conversation for a different day. What kind of country do we want to give our kids? Do we want to hand down a country that values the follicles on ones' face more than equality? That seems follically incorrect if you ask me.

Assignment 3 - Cory Baker

I believe in absolute good and evil. The absolute evil being Ronald Reagan and absolute good being Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo. Ronald Reagan i invented crack and used agent provocateurs to internalize it into black communities. Ronald Reagan hated the black man. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo hates no one, not even Shredder and his evil army of foot ninjas. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo has a heart full of forgiveness and a list for some sick cheesy pizza, not to mention shredding it with his turtle bros in the sewer pipes. That is what is most righteous, at least in my eyes. Ronald Reagan also used government scientists to invent AIDS. In my opinion this is most evil and something Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo would never do. White supremacy is very much a concept of pure evil and hate, skateboarding with your friends and fighting evil is most righteous.

Assignment 14 - Cory Baker

Thanksgiving time is usually very festive in my house. We like to decorate our house as a very large turkey, and then convert the interior to the insides of a turkey. It is very dark and damp and the people pick the turkey meat off the walls. When I was little it was terrifying but now I have come to enjoy it as just another family tradition. My least favorite part is setting it all up because it requires days of hard labor to spread the meat evenly throughout the house and smear it into the walls good enough. It is also very difficult to stretch the turkey skin out enough to cover the entire house. Every year my grandma stitches together over 1000 turkey skins to cover the outside of our house but it's still never big enough. Old people never get anything right. It's still not as good as Easter though where we wear rabbit skins and bathe in melted chocolate.

Assignment 12: Brave Little Toasters - James Apo

The iPhone. What a useful and handy inanimate object it is. A good handful of people own this item, including myself. Unfortunately for the iPhone, its' point of view of the world isn't the best. Rather it is getting tapped repeatedly, dropped on the ground, either with or without a case, and even dropped in water, it has a very high risk life. It dies very quickly and has to be prodded just to stay alive. To make matters worse, it has a lot of family members and its' elders are not appreciated much anymore; only the children are hot commodities among the public. Even the babies aren't appreciated for long, because once the newborns are introduced to the world, they become irrelevant. They can be neglected for hours and not left alone for hours, depending on their user. They all have the same father, so once they realize that he is no longer around, I am sure that is quite tough on all of them. None of them have a unique voice, and I am sure being required to assist at any beckon call can get annoying; stupid Siri. Although they have a hard knock life, they manage to be one of our favorite technologies, so that is always a plus.

Assignment 4: A World in Pictures - Walt Finch

This picture is of the bombing of Hiroshima that ended the second world war.  This represented a change in the world with the rise of a superpower, and the rest of the world collapsed.  At the end of the second world war most of Europe, Japan, and Eastern Europe were in shambles. Almost all of the infrastructure was destroyed, a third the population was dead, and everyone needed products to rebuild.

The United States was there to meet these needs, and was the only one with the means to do so because it was isolated from all combat.  They still had the factories and the vehicles that would be needed for international trade.  This allowed the United States to grow into an economic superpower, by loaning money to foreign countries and having a monopoly on all the international markets.

This picture represents this because the bomb destroyed the city of Hiroshima in Japan.  This destroyed factories and killed many people, which was very similar to wjat had happened in the rest of the world, except the United States.  It also represents the rise to power of the United States. It does this by showing the pure military power that the US had, by having such a powerful weapon, and the business means, because it takes a lot to build such a weapon, and the economic power, because they had the money to fund such a massive project.

Assignment 14: Flying Turkeys - Alex Cooper

I always enjoy the holidays. I love to spend time with family and eat lots of good food. This thanksgiving I will be going to my nan's house for lunch then to my pop's house for dinner. At my nan's it is just me her and my mom but at my pop's there are at least 20 people maybe more. After eating until there is a possibility of exploding i will stay overnight at my pops. After everyone is gone we will play eukre, a four person card game and have a good time. Then we will have leftovers the next day and start all over again. My favorite thanksgiving memory isn't a specific time but more in general when my dad was there to enjoy the holidays with us.I still have a really good time but looking back it was good to have my dad around too.

assignment 4- logan cox

this photo is of a mother hearing that her child had been killed at sandy Hooke elementary school after the school shooting that occurred there. as any parent can imagine, this is the worst phone call you could ever receive, a call telling you that your creation had been destroyed by some crazy person with a gun. even children can imagine how devastating it would be for your parents to get this phone call. teachers can imagine how awful it would be to know that they were their responsibility  but there was nothing they could do and that harm came to the children under their watch. this picture honestly just gives me chills. to see someone get that news is horribly sad but it shows us what it would be like. outside of this photo there are several other families getting the news that their child or children had been shoot and possibly killed inside the elementary school.

assignment 14- logan cox

my thanksgiving looks lot like the stereotypical thanksgiving. all my family gathers around a big table with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, and tons more. I enjoy thanksgiving very much because I really enjoy getting together with all my family and eating tons of good food. I have 3-5 thanksgivings a year and all of them are great and fun. of course i have to workout twice as much but it is worth it. the best thanksgivings were when we used to go to my uncles house and shoot skeet and eat and all other kinds of fun stuff. I really enjoyed getting together with my family and shooting. we no longer do that though because my uncle sold his farm and moved into the city. this year I have 5 thanksgivings and I couldn't be more excited. this is my favorite time of the year because you get to eat and spend time with your family and it doesn't get much better than that.

assignment 13- logan cox

in war, school shootings, and gang events guns themselves kill people. in the all these school shootings , guns have done the killing. since guns kill people we need to rid the planet of them. they provide nothing but violence to the world. its not the people that operate guns but the guns themselves that do the killing. for this reason we need to outlaw guns. while we are getting rid of guns we also need to outlaw knives, poison, and bow and arrows. all these things cause death and therefore should be outlawed. the people wouldn't kill if they didn't have guns and or other weapons. without guns and other weapons the world wouldn't be as much death because people would have no way to kill people anymore. in the end the guns do the killing, not the people operating them. so for this reason we need to get rid of guns instead of fixing the operator error.