really!? that is what you are doing with your time?! really!? wow...

So.... I am a man. And thus, because of this fact I love sports. Pretty much all sports. Although I do not watch: Hockey, Soccer, Womens basketball, or NASCAR. Those sports are the most retarded on television. but, I digress. I like to at least try and keep up with news in the sporting world because the regular news is very depressing, " once again the Dow fell to a new record low..... The war is still going..." I digress....again. So, I sat was sitting here looking at the top stories on www.espn.com and was astounded, outraged, flabber-ghasted ( daniel, is that a real verb or adjectvice), beside my self, perturbed, and stunned ( all at the same time). Why was I so astounded, outraged, flabber-ghasted ( daniel, is that a real verb or adjectvice), beside my self, perturbed, and stunned? Because the geniouses in Washington D.C. who are getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and get a raise every year ( all while the economy is sinking like the Titanic and Bismark combined) are having a senate sub-comittee meeting to fix the economy? no. the housing market? Ding-Dong.. You're wrong. The war in Iraq? Negatory. Pollution? wish you were right. A Trillion dollar budget? Hells no. What then could they be meeting to fix? THE BCS!!!!!!!!!!! are you freaking kidding?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I wish I was. But I am dead serious. (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4015667 ) there is the link if you want to read the story yourself. Our economy is getting flushed down the toilet like a pile of crap, and congress is meeting to fix the BCS? Does anyone else see something wrong with this? I guess this the the " Change " most of America voted for. What ever happened to the press being the watch-dog of politics? I bet this won't make any news station tonight. and it might...just might get a column in the SL Tribune or Deseret Morning news because Senator Orin Hatch of Utah is sponsoring Legislation to fix this? Anyone want to take a guess on who else is a driving force behind this? President Barrack Obama. yes, the same one who promised change and reform, is a big fan of a NCAA football playoff system. I am just so glad to know the Congress is using thier time effectively. GOD BLESS THE USA!

griping

So I have a gripe to make and figure this is a good place to make it. I don't know how many of you know this but right now the world is currently engaged in the WBC ( world baseball classic). It is like the olympics in the country vs country format. Well... recently Kevin Youkilis of the USA team was bi***ing about how they are playing in the US and the teams from other countries have more support. Well, I am not going to Miami to see them play. So, I watch it on TV. well..... I would if I could. at the same time this is going on the NCAA tournament rejects are playing in the NIT tournament. So, instead of showing team USA play in a game that turned out to be very exciting they showed some crappy teams shoot 33% in a crappy basketball today. And Kevin Youkilis is wondering why they don't get any support.

Don't "Sweat" the Response

Don't worry about writing a response to "Sweat" for tomorrow. But make sure you read it because there will probably be a question about it on the mid-term.

See you tomorrow.

Racism Still Exists

I really liked the story Battle Royal. The conversation we had in class about racism and how it has changed throughout the years. It's sad to know that at point in human existance, that whites treated african americans this way and even worse.

No matter how much anyone says otherwise, I believe racism still exists. Having Barack Obama elected as President shows how far America has come over the years. After reading many articles about the new president, there was one particular article by NBN that stated. "A black man has achieved the highest office in the country. If racism were still prevalent, there is no way that could be possible." That is not true. Obama only covers as a mask to this on growing problem in the U.S. After voting and later having a conversation with my friends, they admitted they voted for Obama because of his race and therefore it makes him "cool". Comparing that conversation to one I had with my grandmother, she wouldn't openly admit why she voted for McCain over Obama when she is democratic. Knowing her personally, I know that she is slightly racist. Other people who let race be a factor in there voting decisions also wont openly admit that there voting decision was based on the candidates race otherwise they would be tagged as a racist. I feel racism will continue to exist even after Obama is inaugurated.

Racism isn't only effecting politics but I feel that it is one of the biggest racial issues America is facing at the time. Slowly but surely our country is seeing a change in this and lets hope that one day, as stated by the Founding Fathers of our nation, that all men truly will be treated as equals.

"Battle Royal"

Please choose one of the following prompts and write a one-page response. Remember what we have discussed about analysis vs. summary, and as always, please point to specific examples from the text to help you make your points.

1. Look up the term “allegory” in a dictionary or glossary of literary terms. How is “Battle Royal” an allegory?

2. How is the narrator’s dramatic situation in “Battle Royal” similar to the situations of the female protagonists in other stories we have read? How is his situation different?

3. How did you feel when you read “Battle Royal”? Angry? Uncomfortable? Excited? Guilty? Sad? There is no right answer to this question, but I want you to focus on your emotional reaction. Point to places in the story that evoked an emotional response, and, most importantly, try to ask yourself why you felt that way. Ask yourself what Ellison is doing that creates that kind of reaction in you.

4. Choose three objects or actions in the story that you feel are symbols and explain what you think they symbolize. Don’t use the fight itself as an example. I am looking for something more specific. For example, you might decide that the act of swallowing his own blood during his speech is symbolic, or that the electrified coins are symbolic, or that the dancing blonde’s American flag tattoo is symbolic. Nearly everything in an allegory is symbolic, so there is plenty to choose from.

5. Interpret the narrator’s dream at the end of the story. How does he feel about himself and the choices he has made?

6. "Battle Royal" was originally titled Invisible Man, but since it is the first part of Ellison's novel, also called Invisible Man, it is now commonly called "Battle Royal." Talk about the original title. What does the narrator mean when he says that he is an "invisible man"?

Why is it funny?

The Poem "Rites of Passage" is one that all can relate to. Being a male, I laugh when I read it. I can picture myself there at the birthday party having that exact same conversation when I was just a child. This scene is a classic for all young males. What makes the poem just as funny is that women can look at it and laugh too. Whether they have children, younger brothers, or nephews I'm sure they have experiences that can relate.

It's hilarious to me that it is assumed that us men will grow out of this stage where we always need to prove ourselves and cling to our pride. That's just it though, Olds calls them "short men" for that very reason; They don't grow out of it. We don't grow out of it. Don't get me wrong, there are some of us that "mature" and do let go of these childish behaviors. I believe that I am one. But, at any given time in a heated basketball game I'll stick out my chest and return to these vary behaviors that I often make fun of.

Competing for life

In the poem “Rites of Passage” these young men are sizing each other up at the birthday part. As they each come into the situation they look around and see what their competition is. They aren’t necessarily competing for anything, just life in general. We all do this, more than we think. As we enter new situations we look around at what we are faced with and who we are going up against. We don’t necessarily mean to do this, but many times it ends up hurting us more than helping us. I know that I have personally “sized” someone up in the beginning and that general impression turned out to be totally wrong. We need to be careful of when we are doing this and how much we are allowing it to hold us back from letting us get to know that individual.