Four California high school students arrested for sexual abuse during hazing

• What was the author's purpose?  
•  To inform the public of the claim of sexual abuse by four high school varsity soccer players to younger  members of the team with the coplicity of the coach.
• Does the author accomplish thier purpose?
• Yes the staff of NBC news tells us of the transaction that had occured and went on to compare this to the occurance that happened at Penn State.
• What ideas do you agree with?
• I agree that the coach and the members involved with the hazing should be brought to court for invading the younger members private spacing.
• What ideas do you disagree with?
• There is nothing that I disagree with the actions that took place after being informed. The kids that were hazed were seriously affected by this accurance.
• What connections can you make with the text?
• I personally can make no connections with the text but I believe that things like this should be brought to schools attetions to avoid future accances.
• How can I become a more active participant in my learning?
• I could become more informed in similar happenings and try to get anything to help similar actions from happening.

My Bucket "Book" List

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
2. The Chocolate War: A Novel by Robert Cormier
3. Ironman by Chris Crutcher
4. Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen
5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
6. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
7. The House of Night series by P.C. Cast
8. Inheritance by Christopher Paolin
9. Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry

My Jr to Sr year

Coming to a new school in my junior year was very exciting for me and provided the challenges I needed to complete my want to learn.

In my junior year I gain more than I could have asked. The new people along with the new experience let me see a different perspective of life and what to expect. The school alone was a view. The people here made me feel at home and welcomed. Being able to have more chances made options better and choosing harder so that when later in life the difficult easier to deal with .

For my senior year I expect it to be a blast. With the new car feeling gone I will be more acknowledged with life here in Batesville High. I want to be more involved with the school so that I will have a good chance to get in a great collage. My senior year will put me on the path to my future and will help me succeed in life.

By the time that I leave this school, graduated, I would like to have seen everything that I can and be able to have the right path.

Essay Summary

Topic: What does it mean to be human?

The world human can mean different things to many people. So what does it mean to be human?

How To Survive: Life With PTSD

Imagine driving down the road talking and hanging with friends. Suddenly glass is smashing, bones are breaking, and in the distance people are screaming. This is what the feeling is like to survive a disaster and then the realization of being a survivor sinks in. Guilt starts to form and episodes occur. This is just some of the signs of PTSD, a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event. In the world today there are many people who suffer from this horrifying disorder. The road to recovery is long and ferine. The question is “ How does one survive life with PTSD?”

One way to deal with PTSD is to talk about the experience. Joseph (no last name given) talks in the article “ A PTSD Survivors Story: A Soldier's Account” about what he went through on the day of March. In his rencount he tells about how the day went from bad to worse. He and his partners had become part of an attack in the Iraqi streets with only two to three round left for their weaponry. After the experience he had to stay in the area where the attack had happened. When reliving the experience in his dreams, he decided he needed help by becoming part of a group that tells about their stories to the world and gain help along the way. Another patient of PTSD is Mrs. P.K. Philips, according to a website “ My Story of Survival: Battling PTSD”. She was attacked at knifepoint. This caused a trigger that whenever she even closed her eyes she would see the face of her attacker. After years of refusing treatment and another trigger she decided to talk. Being diagnosed with PTSD was a peremptorily relief because she felt she had discovered her condition “was real and treatable.” Undergoing behavioral therapy made a point in her regaining control to her life. With talking to somebody both of these people and many others were able to be part of a semi-normal life again.

Another way to deal is by living with reliable support. Derek (no last name) comments in “For Soldiers with PTSD: A Profound Daily Struggle” about how life was after his accident. He had many sign that indicated that he had PTSD. For example, some of the signs hurt his family and friend time because “ his fear of crowds was so bad that he could not go to the grocery store, to the mall, to Six Flags with their kids.” He had his wife’s help in everything. When Derek talks he says “ She busted me a lot.” Laticia, his wife, continues with what Derek says by adding that she was sad that she could not understand his reasoning. In the novel Call of the Wild the main character, a dog by the name of Buck, gets the support of a human called John Thornton when he could have stood by and been apathetically. Instead he takes Buck and slowly helps him recover. Like John Thornton, supporting a person with PTSD can help the road to recovery.

To add, realizing that someone with PTSD that what they went through is serious to them. According to an article in the Batesville Daily Guard there are many people around here that are not happy with the way things that happen. They say that days like Veterans Day are not that important. They make the workers that are veterans work. "they are unable to leave their job to attend a wreath ceremony to post does every year." I say that not only should veteran's be allowed to leave on this day but that they should be thanked more often. Actions as simple as these can be very important. This shows that we are appreciative of what they have done for us.

Ten to eighteen percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have PTSD. These are people that we see everyday. All that they ask for respect that is rarely given. We do not see what they have gone through and do not know how to deal with such but next time you see someone, anyone really, that has PTSD ask yourself "How would I feel if that was me?"

Works Cited

Finley, Erin P. "For Soldiers With PTSD, A Profound Daily Struggle." NPR. NPR, 02 June 2011. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.npr.org/2011/06/02/136895807/the-profound-daily-struggle-of-soldiers-with-ptsd>.

London, Jack. The Call of the Wild. Clayton, Delaware: Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics, 1993. Print.

Philips, P. K. "My Story of Survival: Battling PTSD | Anxiety Disorders Association of America, ADAA." Anxiety Disorders Association of America, ADAA. ADAA. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/personal-stories/my-story-survival-battling-ptsd>.

Stecker, Dr. Tracy. "PTSD: A Survivor's Story | Behavioral Health Evolution." Behavioral Health Evolution. Hazelden, 2011. Web. 02 May 2012. <http://www.bhevolution.org/public/five_survivors.page>.

Sterling, Donetta. "The War Within Helping Our Soldiers with the Battle." The Batesville Daily Guard [Batesville] 2 May 2012: 1-7. Print.

"How to Survive" claim

People deal with stress differently and some end up with a disorder called post traumatic stress disorder after surviving a serious account.

Book Review: Call of the Wild

Call of the Wild by Jack London is a book for those who love to read about the changes a character can go though when they are forced to survive a change of setting. In this story, you tag along on the adventure that Buck, a 140 lbs. St. Bernard mixed Scotish shepard dog, has as he goes from his demesne of Santa Clara Valley, California to the Northlands for the gold rush. You get to see in the mind of Buck when he comes across Alphas, bad owners, the love of man, of course the call to the wild.

Jack London's ability to capivate the readers attention by not really letting you in on the fact that Buck is a dog but in a way give hints. He describes the thoughts of Buck to a  point that you think that Buck is human but then you continue reading and realize he is a dog. Jack describes Bucks ferine side when he is in the brumal climate. Buck meets many antagonist in the story but I think that Jack London makes the main one to be civilization. Buck also looses his person, John Thornton, and he feels morose for the lost but he realizes he is free of all connection to civilization.

Anthropomorphism

The mouse builds,
he hammers and taps,
nails and constructs,
until he gets to his destination,
the cheese on the other side of obstacle.

The responsibility of man

Everybody should be responsible for their actions. The actions of one person could be harmful of others and themselves. The responsibility that they have is something that must be taken seriously because the tolls could be deadly and have negative affects on everything.

 In Titanic, the fault fall on many people. The constructor of the ship for saying that the boat would be unsinkable. The captian for continuing on the path that would lead them to hitting the iceberg. The people for panicing and creating even more of a hazardous job for those who were trying to help.

The Call of the Wild also had many people who could be blamed for the outcome though not all were bad. The responsibility that Buck felt that he had to show that he better for the position of Alpha than Spitz was led to him to kill Spitz and take his spot. The responsibility or lack of Hal and his companions resulted in Buck finding John Thornton and Buck finding love in him.

So what reaction whould be brought about for the actions that were caused because you took your responsibility seriously or not? Would people be hurt or would they be safe? Could your choices of how to go about be life threatening or would they maybe save lives?

Vicktor Frankensteins Changes

Victor Frankenstein changes increasingly through out the story. In the begining he is so obsessed in his work that it comes to a point that he cuts off from the people of the outside world. When his friend comes to visit him, its not because he wants a friendly chat, but because he is worried about him because he looks as if he isnt doing so well. Then, after the creation is created he becomes paraniod though he does have a good reason. His invention has became fed up with the reactons that it receives when people look at his face. Frankenstein fears that the creation will come after him, and teh creations does. In teh end Frankenstein is fearless. He finally breaks whe the creation kills Elizabeth. Frankenstein goes after his creation. He may have been foolish in the begining but he tries to right his wrong in the end.

Would I create life like Frankenstein?

No I would not create life such as Frankenstein did because even though the life I created could be a good being, the people in the world might not view the body as such. Frankenstein's creation was viewed as a monster because the creation looked scary and was not like everybody else. I could not put my self through the grief of creating something only to have that dream destroyed. Even though I would know that my creation was a wonderful being not everybody shares the same beliefs.

To create life and have that creation being treated as if it was dirt on the floor or some hideous monster would not allow me to live in peace. Because of me some helpless creature is being abused and misunderstood. To do that would make me the monster.

If I was to create life though there would be many choices to make. The first one I would make would be to gradually introduce my creation to society. By doing this people would know what to expect and the creation would be use to the site of other beings. The other choice that I would make would be to teach my being the ways of life in the world today.

Although creating life would be such a great achievement for me I don't think that the creation would like that and my being might start to resent me that I created the being is  for my own personal gain. I could not put anything through that pain of feeling that the only purpose he fills is that it is some trophy to be put on the shelf to be seen to those who come through.  

My thoughts of Frankenstein

I have never read Frankenstein although I have considered after watched the movie. From what I have heard about the book a scientist came up with the idea to create life and achieved his goal. The body that inhabited the life he created was not accepted in the world in which the docter lived and soon the "monster" was destroyed because it was different. Dr. Frankenstein was in a position where he wanted to protect his creation but he could not.

When I found out that a woman at the age of nineteen wrote this story I though go women defying the rules before rule defying was cool. My second thought was that she had to get in touch with her inner man to be able to write the book from a mans prospective and him not sound like a girly man. Shelly did her part very well and I dont thing any body else would be able to capture the readers attention quiete like she does.

Man creating life is something that I believe can be done with today's technology, but I do not think they have the right to. If somebody does what will they expect people's reactions to be when they meet the person. Will the reactions mirror those that were in the book with the sharpened pitched forks and the torches or will the reactions be accepting. Today's people might be able to accept somethings but we are still discriminating others based on their look, languages, and religions. I do not thing that people would be able to handle some life that was created.

Theme Word of 2012

Normal- common, usual, everyday...accepted.

Normal is that word people use to explain something that is commonly repeated. For many people normal is different because they view things differently. I chose normal because I feel that life is based to heavily on what people believe the meaning is and assume that what ever they believe is the same for everyone else. Normal is a variety in people, religions, character, and output in life.

For example, my family. The supposed estamid number of kids is two maybe three, for generations my family has had six or seven kids. Always there are more boys than girls and so the pattern continues and for years to come there will always be more brothers than sisters in my family.

My Antonia

 Willa Cather in her novel My Antonia offers her view of life during the pioneer time. In this story Willa writes in the perspective of Jim Burden, a boy who lost his parents and was sent to live with his grandparents, and you see how he views the events that happen but if the book was from Antonia point of view I think you would see how she survived those years before the meeting of her and Jim. It would tell of what she did in the times when we only knew what Jim was doing. Cather was very effective at narrating the story from a man's point of view because she knows how she wants him to portrayed. Jim sound like a man has wrote it with a hint of a famine touch. I think Jim changed the title to My Antonia because  no matter what happens between them or no matter how far the distance they have between them he will always see her as his Antonia. Willa Cather has captured the time period that she writes about with the ability to show the hardship that the settlers went through.

The Effects of Setting

Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.

"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."

"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."

"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.

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The effects the land has on the characters is that they see the land as a person and how the appearance changes with the changes of the days. The land changes the characters by showing them that is like objects they have seen in many ways but is also very different in the way that it is the same. The changes show them what they are feeling about the way the day is happening.

The fields around my house have a effect on me by the fact that the tall grass and open spaces on a nice windy summer day is where is spent my childhood and to me the grass is like a ocean as every single piece of grass sways with the wind. Someday's the grass is a calm sea with the sun shining and the clouds giving off just enough shade that someone does not get sunburned and other day's the ocean is a mad frenzy going back and forth with such strength that the swishing hurts as it hits you.

Speak

Welcome to Merryweather High.That is the first thing I saw when I opened the book. Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak captivates me in ways that are beyond belief. I think the book it'self "speaks" the main idea of what I got out of it.

The summer is suppose to be the time for fun and carefree behavior but what happens when somebody takes that carefree behavior over the line. Melinda Sordino went to a party one person by the end of the night was someone completely different. So when school starts and everybody hates her what is she suppose to do? She cant tell her friend because she doesn't have those any more. She won't tell her parents because they would just pass it off as if it was her own fault. Melinda is scared, scarred, and lonely. Then she meets the new girl and try's to make it work. She does all the things you are suppose to do with friends; going over to each others house, eating together at lunch, talking to each other. Heather is more about the future than the now and she is trying to join all the clubs and be friends with all the right people. Soon she is leaving Melinda behind because she has a "reputation". Mr. Freeman is the art teacher and he believes that everybody has a story to tell through art. When Melinda draws for trees he won't let her change it. As she try's to keep her secret her tree's stay dead, not going any where. As I was reading this book my mind kept going back to a song I heard before. Like the book there is a girl who was heart by a guy and he broke her. The song goes on to tell of the other girls he hurt the same way as her. In the song she tell's of him "collecting his jar of hearts" and in the book when Ivy show Melinda the list she added IT's name to it goes on to say thing about the way he was a bad person and should be stayed away from and showed that he has hurt others in the past. Laurie's style of writing affected me in the sense that I wanted to know who did what to her and make them pay. What  could IT have done to her to make her call the cops that night?

Speak is a great book for people who like to see good thing happen to people who deserve it and for the right thing to happen to the people who cause bad thing on the people that are to weak to defend themselves at the time.

Book review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games...... In the eyes of the people like Katniss are stupid, but not very many people are like Katniss. She has been doing what ever she could to survive all the rest of the days in District 12. While her and Gale, who is the only person she has ever been open too, hunt to keep their families alive, they also have to worry about who is going to get chosen to play. The chaos starts when Prim is picked. Now Katniss must do every thing in her power to make sure her sister doesnt go through the pain, even if that means Katniss herself takes her place. Not only that but Peete is picked for the boy champion. Peeta, the boy who years before burned a loaf of bread so that she could have it, Peeta, who has always been better feed because his father owns the bakery. She feels that she still owes Peeta.

Things get even more complicated when Peeta loves her. How is she suppost to kill him now. To add to that all the district think that she loves him as well. Is this Peeta plan to get to her so that when the time comes it will be easier for him to kill her. Then she meets a small girl that reminds her of Prim. Could she stand the thought of killing a little girl that is so much like her little sister, the only person in the world she nows for sure she loves.

She then finds out that she is consitered a ditzy little girl that must be watched carefully because of her score. She is dangerous because that is who she is. Her father taught her everything she knows before he died, and now she uses these skills to survive. Surviving the games is hard enough but what about love?

Henry vs. Forrest

Henry Fleming and Forrest Gump are two different people. One way is that Henry is scared of running away from the fight. Forrest Gump is not afraid to fight but he does run away but ends up coming back to save everybody he can so that he can get Bubba. Henry becomes a hero by carring the flag in the battle. Forrest is a hero because he saves everybody in his troop and only gets a single wound but doesnt care about it until he has his best friend. The stories might have to do with war but the characters are very different.

Wounded Warriors Project

My thought of the wounded warrior project is that the people who do what they do for the hurt are angelic. The project that I would like to help with. Sending the money to help the wounded is a great way to help America when you can not be the one out there fighting. If I could, I would volunteer my time to help the soldiers that are suffering with their therapy. Helping people such as Chad Brumpton or Anthony Villarreal would be sweet. Wounded Warrior Project is a great project.

War is.....

War is a lose, losing friends and family.
War is costly, spending money that we don't have.
War is stupid, fighting over ridiculous things.
War is needed, protecting those we have left.
War is a conflict, believing in different beliefs.
War is destructive, destroying places and families.
War is forceful, dictating other countries.
War is reliving , standing out of the rubble can come a new life.
War is a master piece, planning the perfect attack.
War is loud, shooting and bombs being dropped.