One of the most interesting jobs in the world is that of an NFL football player. The hard work and dedication of them is almost unmatched in the modern work world. During the season you spend 6-7 hours a day building up your body and preparing for Sunday afternoon, and then spend another 2-3 hours preparing your mind for the same affair. By the time they get home they are exhausted and almost have no time to spend with their families who have been waiting all day for them to come home. These men dedicate their entire life during the season to the game, and have very little time for other things to do. Even in the off-season, it is very rare for them to get long vacations or time off. Whether they are required to or not, they almost are always in the gym or on the field. They need to stay in shape so that come Fall, they are ready to go full speed and keep their job.
And that is another interesting thing about these players. They can be cut at virtually any time if they do not fit the cut of what their team requires from them. Imagine that, being able to lose your job and your stability at any time of the year because you were out worked by the next guy. The worst thing that happens to these guys is they can easily go from millionaires to homeless people if they land on their right leg funny and tear their ACL. It must put some pressure on them to compete and stay healthy-- the fact that they can lose it all in one 6 second play.
But, when you think about it, football is a pretty cool thing to do all day. You get millions of dollars to be role models for kids and get trained all day to become one of the best athletes in the world. Not only that, but you walk on to the field and hear everybody root for you and your team. You can watch TV and listen to them talk about your amazing abilities, or even walk into a local bar and sign a hundred autographs. Whatever you want, you can have. That must be a great way to make a living.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Thinking, Fast and Slow
This book is a great one in many aspects. Although it lacks a plot or an interesting to follow story line, this piece of non-fiction literature was very informative as well as amazing. The best aspect of this book is definitely the content. It is just so interesting! You can learn about the two systems of the mind, tendencies that practically every human being follows, and really find out more about yourself and the way you think. The benefits of this book are amazing in the fact that they open up your thinking process and almost every chapter answers the question "Why?" in a different way. Thinking, Fast and Slow is very interesting and very easy to relate to.
With that being said, no book is perfect. So it must have its down sides. My least favorite aspect is the dragging vocabulary used in this book. Yes, the concepts are very interesting, but the way it is worded and the length with which it is worded may make it a little more difficult to follow than other pieces of writing. There were multiple times where I felt the author and elongated a sentence which made it sound more intelligent, but not necessarily more relative. I think if the author had used more common words and phrases, and maybe more examples to make the reader understand, this book would have been much improved.
Although, to rebut my point about the least interesting part of the book, the intended audience of this book is definitely filled with people who know about the mind, are more interested in the mind and human behavior, and are willing to read through those unique words in order to understand the concepts better. I am probably not a part of this audience, because I have no recent history in studying these aspects of life, nor do I understand completely every point made. But the reason I read this book was so I would be able to join that audience, and this non-fiction piece of art has introduced me to a brand new way of thinking.
Given that audience, I think that this book is not very effective to the average person. It is hard to say that nobody without that background can like it because there are always exceptions, including myself, but it definitely does not come across as easy to read as other non-fiction books. If I were to rate this book I would give it a 9/10, because of the interesting nature of the content, the depth of the material, and the understanding it brings to the reader.
This book is a great one in many aspects. Although it lacks a plot or an interesting to follow story line, this piece of non-fiction literature was very informative as well as amazing. The best aspect of this book is definitely the content. It is just so interesting! You can learn about the two systems of the mind, tendencies that practically every human being follows, and really find out more about yourself and the way you think. The benefits of this book are amazing in the fact that they open up your thinking process and almost every chapter answers the question "Why?" in a different way. Thinking, Fast and Slow is very interesting and very easy to relate to.
With that being said, no book is perfect. So it must have its down sides. My least favorite aspect is the dragging vocabulary used in this book. Yes, the concepts are very interesting, but the way it is worded and the length with which it is worded may make it a little more difficult to follow than other pieces of writing. There were multiple times where I felt the author and elongated a sentence which made it sound more intelligent, but not necessarily more relative. I think if the author had used more common words and phrases, and maybe more examples to make the reader understand, this book would have been much improved.
Although, to rebut my point about the least interesting part of the book, the intended audience of this book is definitely filled with people who know about the mind, are more interested in the mind and human behavior, and are willing to read through those unique words in order to understand the concepts better. I am probably not a part of this audience, because I have no recent history in studying these aspects of life, nor do I understand completely every point made. But the reason I read this book was so I would be able to join that audience, and this non-fiction piece of art has introduced me to a brand new way of thinking.
Given that audience, I think that this book is not very effective to the average person. It is hard to say that nobody without that background can like it because there are always exceptions, including myself, but it definitely does not come across as easy to read as other non-fiction books. If I were to rate this book I would give it a 9/10, because of the interesting nature of the content, the depth of the material, and the understanding it brings to the reader.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
1.7 Dilemma
My Dilemma
If I were to go, I would
be miserable
The whole day: my
exhaustion
Could take over my
learning power, and force
My GPA to decrease; this physics
test
That I’ll miss will put
me behind,
But right now, today,
I am not ready for it. I
know
I must take it; but I am
not feeling
Up to par, and, actually,
not taking it
Could help me: I’ll spend
the day
Studying and catching up
in that class
And kill it tomorrow. But
my mom trusts me;
First of all, she expects
not to be fooled,
And even though this is
good for me; I can’t, as her son,
Lie to her face and abuse
her trust in me,
I cannot bring myself to.
Besides, maybe I am
Better off being honest,
and admitting
That I didn’t study for
this, that I played
Video games instead, for
no benefit, rather than
Preparing for the biggest
test this year;
I feel bad, like I’ve
lied to everybody,
Like even though it’ll
help me, it’s wrong, no matter
How great the benefits
are,
I shouldn’t be this
dishonest,
I should come clean and
man up. I need to take
This test and accept what
comes, because I know
What’s right, which is
more important than
Any old grade.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Men
A man is so much more than just a male. He is held to a certain standard, and expected to have certain qualities if he wants to be considered "manly" which we almost all do. But the perceptions of this word and what it stands for are thought of so differently by different cultures and different people. So what do you need to be if you want to be a "man"?
In my culture, (which is basically just in my head) a man is somebody who is never looked down upon, and uses bravery, intelligence, strength, and social skills in a respected manor. No, you do not need to put out a burning building to be considered brave. You don't need to score a 2400 on your SATs to be intelligent. You don't have to be superman to demonstrate strength, nor must you know everyone in the world to have good social skills. The thing that separates my vision of a man as opposed to everybody else's, is their ability to act on a given situation, and create the best possible outcome for everybody-- and putting themselves last. I consider a man to be brave when he will stand up for a cause that society or a group of people has already made up their mind on. I enjoy seeing a man with an open mind, not afraid to share what is on it, whether it make everybody else around him happy or not. I consider a man to be intelligent when he is able to get out of a bad situation with minimal consequences, or by using his unique brain to put himself or others in a great position. My brother is one of the manliest men I know in this sense, from getting us out of trouble with stupid little things with my parents like staying out too late, to getting the both of us out of the party when he knew people were getting out of control and it would not end well. I consider a man to be strong when he is always the one to look to when you need to hear "It will be okay." My dad does this all the time, with any circumstance. Even if it is as small as when I was not sure if I can get all my homework done, to as big as when my grandmother died, he is always there telling me everything will work out. And when I say a man should be socially skilled, I mean that he is able to talk about anything with anyone, never endure awkward moments, and make the best of meeting new people. My father does this all the time with meeting my new friends and talking to them or their dads and keeping a conversation alive and being a well-liked man.
I think that these expectations are very hard on men, but most men that I meet are up to the challenge. They like the result which is being considered manly and well-liked and are willing to make that small sacrifice. But these qualities are not found in every man, and this could either be because not all people expect what I do, or because not all men see it necessary. But certainly the men in my life follow these codes and I respect them greatly for it. I think that most men believe they have some responsibilities, but not nearly as many as society thinks they should. They do the right thing for the most part and are respectful and brave in some aspects, but not to the extent they are expected to by some people, of course with a few exceptions.
In my culture, (which is basically just in my head) a man is somebody who is never looked down upon, and uses bravery, intelligence, strength, and social skills in a respected manor. No, you do not need to put out a burning building to be considered brave. You don't need to score a 2400 on your SATs to be intelligent. You don't have to be superman to demonstrate strength, nor must you know everyone in the world to have good social skills. The thing that separates my vision of a man as opposed to everybody else's, is their ability to act on a given situation, and create the best possible outcome for everybody-- and putting themselves last. I consider a man to be brave when he will stand up for a cause that society or a group of people has already made up their mind on. I enjoy seeing a man with an open mind, not afraid to share what is on it, whether it make everybody else around him happy or not. I consider a man to be intelligent when he is able to get out of a bad situation with minimal consequences, or by using his unique brain to put himself or others in a great position. My brother is one of the manliest men I know in this sense, from getting us out of trouble with stupid little things with my parents like staying out too late, to getting the both of us out of the party when he knew people were getting out of control and it would not end well. I consider a man to be strong when he is always the one to look to when you need to hear "It will be okay." My dad does this all the time, with any circumstance. Even if it is as small as when I was not sure if I can get all my homework done, to as big as when my grandmother died, he is always there telling me everything will work out. And when I say a man should be socially skilled, I mean that he is able to talk about anything with anyone, never endure awkward moments, and make the best of meeting new people. My father does this all the time with meeting my new friends and talking to them or their dads and keeping a conversation alive and being a well-liked man.
I think that these expectations are very hard on men, but most men that I meet are up to the challenge. They like the result which is being considered manly and well-liked and are willing to make that small sacrifice. But these qualities are not found in every man, and this could either be because not all people expect what I do, or because not all men see it necessary. But certainly the men in my life follow these codes and I respect them greatly for it. I think that most men believe they have some responsibilities, but not nearly as many as society thinks they should. They do the right thing for the most part and are respectful and brave in some aspects, but not to the extent they are expected to by some people, of course with a few exceptions.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Shakespeare was a Woman?
Shakespeare is well known
as one of the greatest poets and play writes of all-time, and certainly one of
the most influential. But how much of what we think is his work is actually
somebody else’s? This question is often referred to as the “authorship question.”
Did Shakespeare write all of what we think he did? Or has this conspiracy been
held true for 450 years?
One theory which is very common
is the Oxfordian theory, who oppose the Stratfordians. The people who consider themselves
Stratfordians believe in Shakespeare as a writer, while the Oxfordians believe
that we have been lied to throughout history. Oxfordians believe that a man
named Edward de Vere of Oxford (1550-1604) wrote many of the plays Shakespeare
claimed for his own. Many of the arguments made by the Oxfordians are based
upon simple facts about Edward—the fact that he has a multilingual education,
he has traveled abroad to places which later become settings of Shakespeare’s
plays, his academic achievements, etc. All of which would lead him to be considered
a more intelligent man and more fit for play writing and being a poet. Aside
from Edward’s inside connection to the theater and people who ran it, the
Oxfordians also point to the content of Shakespeare’s play, and how it matches
up almost perfectly with events from Edward’s biography. There are plenty of
the same idioms and play-on-words in both artists’ works, and personal events
of Edward’s later described in detail in Shakespeare’s sonnets and poems.
Perhaps the most bizarre similarity between these two is the fact that there
are multiple quotations straight from Edward’s personal bible that can be found
throughout Shakespeare’s plays. The last point made by Oxfordians to state
their point, is the death years of the two men. Edward died in 1604, and
Shakespeare died in 1609. Which seems pretty normal, with nothing suspicious.
But after doing more research, you can find that 1604 was the year that Shakespeare
stopped publishing new material at the same rate he was, and experienced a
huge drop off in his production.
After gathering all of this data, I have come to believe that all of these thought of conspiracies are just thought up. I do not know how to explain all of these coincidences, but there are a lot that can be easily rebutted. For example, all of the similarities can be explained by pointing out that Shakespeare was a huge fan of these writers, in which case they had influenced his work a lot. But that is just what I have gathered after a lot of research. So after all of this information, do you think that the Oxfordian theory, the Marlowe theory, or neither is the real truth? Also, why do you think if any of this was true, would it be covered up and disguised by an uneducated man from a infamous artist's background?
"Oxfordian Theory." Princeton University. Princeton University, 05 July 2008. Web. 01 Oct. 2014.
PBS. "In Search Of Shakespeare." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
"Christopher Marlowe." Christopher Marlowe. The Shakespeare Authorship Trust, n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Egypt
Egypt
1. So what really is going on in Egypt today? That's what everybody wants to know. What's all the fuss and conflict about? Well, the main complication that most Egyptians are dealing with today is their lack of ability to choose the right leader-- the one who will bring their economy to a stable path the one who makes all voices heard, and the one that can put an end to fighting between two parties.
The leader of Egypt for 30 years up until about three to four years ago, was the one and only Hosni Mubarak, who most Egyptians thought of as an autocratic, dictator-like ruler, who it was impossible to remove from rule. In 2011, he was finally forcefully removed by the people after months and months of protest with a mix of civil disobedience and not so civil disobedience. But after they finally got this man out of their way, the Egyptians were very excited to input their new Parliamentary system and become a democratic nation for the first time. This was the change the people needed and they could not have been more excited.
Next up is Mohamed Morsi. A member of the Muslim Brotherhood (the most organized and well known Muslim political party), he told the people what they wanted to hear-- what they needed to hear. He made broad promises to the general public in order to get himself into office. Promises that were just impossible to keep for any man. When he was elected by a very small margin, he was instantly criticized for his very controversial laws passed, and his inability to fix the economy that had plummeted in that prior year due to the not so civil disobedience I mentioned earlier.
But anyways, he was removed from the office the same way Mubarak was, and now a man named Abdah Fattah el-Sisi was elected to run the country. He is now put in a very difficult position, which the people understand, but still feel impatient with his progress. He is still currently the president of Egypt, and is working hard to fight off the Muslim Brotherhood and protesters opposing him so he can straighten up the country.
2. Egypt has been a great ally of the USA for a long time, and we are well known for interfering in our allies business, whether it be beneficial to them or us. But to what extent should the US get involved in the events in Egypt? I mean after all, it is the Egyptian people who have to live with the results, so how should the US approach this?
The US should support el-Sisi, because he has proven throughout his time in office his good intentions. He has banned the Muslim Brotherhood, who has attempted to form its own authoritarian government throughout the years. And he has boosted the economy and at least started it on its way back to normal since 2011. The US should supply Egypt with the military force they need to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood, along with the protesters.
Questions
1. How has the revolution and conflict affected the curriculum in Egypt?
2. Do you trust Sisi to get you out of the financial funk you are in right now?
1. So what really is going on in Egypt today? That's what everybody wants to know. What's all the fuss and conflict about? Well, the main complication that most Egyptians are dealing with today is their lack of ability to choose the right leader-- the one who will bring their economy to a stable path the one who makes all voices heard, and the one that can put an end to fighting between two parties.
The leader of Egypt for 30 years up until about three to four years ago, was the one and only Hosni Mubarak, who most Egyptians thought of as an autocratic, dictator-like ruler, who it was impossible to remove from rule. In 2011, he was finally forcefully removed by the people after months and months of protest with a mix of civil disobedience and not so civil disobedience. But after they finally got this man out of their way, the Egyptians were very excited to input their new Parliamentary system and become a democratic nation for the first time. This was the change the people needed and they could not have been more excited.
Next up is Mohamed Morsi. A member of the Muslim Brotherhood (the most organized and well known Muslim political party), he told the people what they wanted to hear-- what they needed to hear. He made broad promises to the general public in order to get himself into office. Promises that were just impossible to keep for any man. When he was elected by a very small margin, he was instantly criticized for his very controversial laws passed, and his inability to fix the economy that had plummeted in that prior year due to the not so civil disobedience I mentioned earlier.
But anyways, he was removed from the office the same way Mubarak was, and now a man named Abdah Fattah el-Sisi was elected to run the country. He is now put in a very difficult position, which the people understand, but still feel impatient with his progress. He is still currently the president of Egypt, and is working hard to fight off the Muslim Brotherhood and protesters opposing him so he can straighten up the country.
2. Egypt has been a great ally of the USA for a long time, and we are well known for interfering in our allies business, whether it be beneficial to them or us. But to what extent should the US get involved in the events in Egypt? I mean after all, it is the Egyptian people who have to live with the results, so how should the US approach this?
The US should support el-Sisi, because he has proven throughout his time in office his good intentions. He has banned the Muslim Brotherhood, who has attempted to form its own authoritarian government throughout the years. And he has boosted the economy and at least started it on its way back to normal since 2011. The US should supply Egypt with the military force they need to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood, along with the protesters.
Questions
1. How has the revolution and conflict affected the curriculum in Egypt?
2. Do you trust Sisi to get you out of the financial funk you are in right now?
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Where I'm From
Where I'm From
Where I'm from,
You can stay out all day
And not hear any grief.
Everyone knows your with your best friends
Not causing trouble
(Although occasionally falling into it)
But having fun, and making the most of your day.
We can go check out the pizzeria,
Or ding dong ditch our friend's grumpy uncle,
Or even play manhunt during the day through
The whole region.
The parents drive past you walking to their sons house
On your way to a basketball tournament,
Or maybe even water polo (on a good day).
A bicycle is a lazy 13 year old boy's
Real best friend
Saving your legs from that dreadful quarter mile walk
By yourself, until you meet up with the guys.
Where I'm from,
Everyone is good at something.
Whether it be basketball,
Football,
Madden or FIFA,
Water polo,
Fantasy football,
Or getting the rest of us out of trouble.
Where I'm From,
We couldn't wait for our friend to go on vacation.
We would cause some trouble,
And go swim in his pool while he's gone.
Perhaps getting caught was what we needed..
We had not thought that one through too well.
Where I'm from,
We don't know many people outside of our circle,
The only thing we have in common with them
Is a city.
Sometimes a high school, or a mutual friend.
But just because they are unfamiliar,
they are not considered unfriendly.
Where I'm from,
the girls form their own group,
while the guys make theirs too.
Once in a while we'll have a mixer,
but only if we feel like seeing
"the broads."
Only if there's nothing else to do,
and we get bored of each other.
Most importantly,
even though your on the same street,
and it might seem we are from the same area,
You have your own place,
And I have mine.
Which I wouldn't trade for the world.
Where I'm from,
You can stay out all day
And not hear any grief.
Everyone knows your with your best friends
Not causing trouble
(Although occasionally falling into it)
But having fun, and making the most of your day.
We can go check out the pizzeria,
Or ding dong ditch our friend's grumpy uncle,
Or even play manhunt during the day through
The whole region.
The parents drive past you walking to their sons house
On your way to a basketball tournament,
Or maybe even water polo (on a good day).
A bicycle is a lazy 13 year old boy's
Real best friend
Saving your legs from that dreadful quarter mile walk
By yourself, until you meet up with the guys.
Where I'm from,
Everyone is good at something.
Whether it be basketball,
Football,
Madden or FIFA,
Water polo,
Fantasy football,
Or getting the rest of us out of trouble.
Where I'm From,
We couldn't wait for our friend to go on vacation.
We would cause some trouble,
And go swim in his pool while he's gone.
Perhaps getting caught was what we needed..
We had not thought that one through too well.
Where I'm from,
We don't know many people outside of our circle,
The only thing we have in common with them
Is a city.
Sometimes a high school, or a mutual friend.
But just because they are unfamiliar,
they are not considered unfriendly.
Where I'm from,
the girls form their own group,
while the guys make theirs too.
Once in a while we'll have a mixer,
but only if we feel like seeing
"the broads."
Only if there's nothing else to do,
and we get bored of each other.
Most importantly,
even though your on the same street,
and it might seem we are from the same area,
You have your own place,
And I have mine.
Which I wouldn't trade for the world.
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