Do Now - May 20th, 2010

Map: Tracking the spread of the oil spill -- and its effects The Washington Post
Based on daily NOAA data, this map shows the spread of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico from April 22 to present. Look at affected beach tourism spots, threatened bird areas and closed fishing and shrimping zones.


This story is about to amount of oil that has been spilt into the Gulf of Mexico so far. I think that the government needs to find a way to fix this problem asap, because this problem is causing social issues such as the lack of tourism in the surrounding area. This spill has also caused problems with the food supply(seafood) that is supposed to be distributed.

Do Now May 5, 2010

My favorite picture is

http://beingwethepeople.shutterfly.com/4266


To strengthen our school's partnership with Marefat, I think we should stayed connected with the foreign students by social networking.

Do Something - 3 Ideas For Service Learning

Support Gay Rights

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania is one of the states that has a law specifically banning gay marriage. No matter where you marry, Pennsylvania will not recognize a same-sex marriage.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Pennsylvania law states: “It is hereby declared to be the strong and longstanding public policy of this commonwealth that marriage shall be between one man and one woman. A marriage between person of the same sex which was entered into in another state or foreign jurisdiction, even if valid where entered into, shall be void in this commonwealth.”
Even though you and your partner will not receive the legal benefits of marriage in Pennsylvania, does not mean the two of you cannot have a ceremony of your own. For years, gay and lesbian couples have been planning meaningful weddings and commitment ceremonies. The law may not recognize it, but it is still powerful to stand up and state your commitment to one another before your family and friends.

I would like to interview/talk to gay couples and get their point of view on the unfair treatment gays receive when it come to gay marriage. I want to make a small book of the stories I record and read them to a group of peers and others who are concerned. The gay community are the main ones who attract the most STD's such as AIDS/HIV, so I want to see how they feel about laws prohibiting them to be together legally and how this affects their social lifestyle.

Start an Awareness Campaign About Your Cause



Organize a Poetry Slam for Your Cause

Do Now - April, 6 2010

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
-Martin Luther King Jr.


By Martin Luther King saying this statement, because he was a civil rights leader who had the power to help blacks overcome mistreatment. King himself rose above desegregation and led boycotts, protests, walk-outs, and marches that eventually overtime gave blacks fair treatment and gave them courage.

Top city schools' criteria in flux? Admissions rules should widen geographic and income diversity, a draft report says.

I think Dr.Ackerman's proposal to changing the system of magnet and citywide-admissions is ridiculous. A student shouldn't be judged on what school they attend based on a point system. I agree most neighborhood schools have issues in violence and education, but they should find other ways to fix them without messing with the better schools. Every student deserve a chance to the best education possible, but Dr.Ackerman and the school district need to analyze the system more clearly and ask the public their opinions because they are the ones who have to live by the rules.

Huck Finn-Beyond The Line #1

Question:
How would you feel if you had to survive being by yourself in the woods and water?

I couldn't imagine being in the woods or traveling the open sea in a canoe by myself, especially at night. I would be afraid and I would feel lonely because I'm from the city so I wouldn't be use to traveling in those conditions. I think I would mostly be scared of the darkness of the night sky. The stars might help somewhat but I would still need to see where I'm going. There would be a lack of food for me when I'm traveling. I would have to be a savage looking for a source of protein. Where would I sleep and lay when I feel lazy? I might have to sleep on a hard rock. Then the vicious animals in the woods would try to harm me. I might have a heart attack being around those evil animals for too long.

I don't know about you, but I need food to survive. I couldn't picture not having food or having just little food to eat. I wouldn't know what natural foods were safe to eat and what ones are harmful. I would probably make the dumb mistake and eat a black beetle, thinking it was a blackberry. If I happened to find some food, I wouldn't know how long I was expected to live off of it. Huck Finn is good with his hands and have nature skills so there would be no problem finding food. This is because he lives in the woods and is trained to be an expert in supplying himself with needs. In the city, I would just go to the local supermarket and get foods that I know are healthy.

When I feel tired, I go in my bedroom, turn off the lights, and lay in my fluffy bed. In the woods or water, there isn't any bed or other type of comforting shelter I could lay on. I would most likely have to gather vines and branches to get a little sense of comfort, how gross. Huck Finn slept in a narrow canoe and in a spot in the woods, but I wouldn't dare sleep knowing I'm in the middle of nowhere. My clothes would get all wet and muddy. And my hair, oh my gosh, it would look like a frizzy hairball. Then I would have no place to shower, so I would be expected to wash in the river. I would feel like a big bum.

Some animals are cute and loveable, others such as bears and snakes are nerve-wrecking. If I were traveling through the woods and saw an animal that I don't like, I would scream and try to run. I don't know how to react in the proper way to many animals so I would probably become bait. Huck Finn on the other hand lived around animals and hunted for them. He would know what to do in an animal situation. What if a bear came up to me and sniffed me? Would I run or just stand there until it was done? Maybe a poisonous snake would wrap itself around my legs so tight that I couldn't move. I would have to try my hardest to get away or I would be dead. Animals would be a huge fear while I'm trying to survive outdoors.

City life and nature life don't mix. If you live in the city, you become aware and pleased with shopping for food, having proper shelter, and not having to deal with wild creatures. I think I would lose it if I were forced to live in the nature life, but I would have to find a way. Huck Finn proved he is physically and emotionally able to survive in the wildlife. I would definitely take lessons from him because he has tremendous experience. I would also train him to live in the city and actually survive. For now, I'm okay with living in the city and wouldn't change it for anything. You may be able to take the girl out the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl.

Obama "Changed" the View of African-Americans?

It's been 219 years since slavery has been abolished in America. However, African-Americans are still looked at as low value in life, with no future, to many Americans of different races. This stereotype is mostly because of the percentage of drop-outs in schools that are African-American. Why is there such a high percentage of African-Americans dropping out of school? I think its because no one hardly gives or gave them a chance to prove that they are just as hard-working and motivated as any other race. They are sent to trashy schools where the teachers could care less if they learn or not, as long as they collect their paychecks. Most African-Americans don't hope to go to college or if so, they have to work harder than anyone else to do so. Why? Because they feel they will not be accepted or they just been through so much that they can't achieve their alternative goal to a good education. Now that Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected as a president, people's views of African-Americans changed. They believe that Obama is a role model to African-Amercians and will make them work hard in school and also in life in general. But haven't we always been trying to work hard to get somewhere? I think so and I feel bad that others haven't seen our determination. Even though Obama has played a huge role for African-Americans, I don't think he is the only reason why we are working hard in life. I thank him for being such an inspirational person, but really African-Americans have always tried their best to accomplish things in their lives.