Fact Of The Day

Pandiculation is the simultaneous act of stretching and yawning.

To Facebook Or Not To Facebook?

Facebook has become such an influential part of our everyday society. "It gives us the impression that we are out of the deep blue of school" As stated by Dr. David Preston. Yet in all honesty, Facebook has become a way of life. An emotional and mental release. For it is not without technology that a lot of things wished to be said would be said. It seems to be, that the fear that runs through our minds, looses its strength when we are hidden behind a screen. Why is it that we no longer find the ability to confront our emotions when placed in a realistic situation ? I wonder how different our lives might be , had we said everything in truth rather then in a online conversion. Would we be better off with our minds spoken out , or would we fall short of the respectable approach decided by humanity?That is to say, would we be condemned for doing what most ask of us (To say what we are thinking)? Although it does make me wonder. Is Facebook dangerous? Are we relying too fully on a screen to get our messages across? Why are we slowly decaying in the aspect of true human contact? Just because you are given this tool as a way to connect to others. That does not mean you should be able to abuse its power. We have now taken it upon ourselves to deny responsibility for our actions through this almost pathetic mannerism. For society has developed a bad habit of finding shortcuts and Facebook is of no exception. It is a shortcut to facing the world. One in which leads to a weak sense of being. Take my advice, try to leave the addicting aspect of Facebook for a week. See what you did with those hours once spent with your face shoved in the glowing light of a screen. See where your emotions and thoughts end up if not on a post. See what new things you can accomplish without being involved with the dramatic aspect of the surfaced web. Please comment to this blog with your adventurous findings. Best of luck!

Dear Ophelia

Oh my, I've heard so much about what has been going on lately. It must be tearing you apart, I must say I would be quite outrageous and would be planning to rebel, but you are too sweet Ophelia. You have always been so obedient and caring. You would never do such a thing to dishonor nor embarass your father. But from what I see, this situation is entirely unfair! Where's the chivalry? Who has given your father and your brother to bind you away from true love? I just cannot understand the reason for using you as a decoy to bring Hamlet down, when he could be a normal man wanting a normal future. You must not panic, don't make quick assumptions or conclusions. Is this so called love fantasy? A dream? Most certainly both of us don't want it to be reality. Well, hang in there dear Ophelia, we will talk again soon. Love, Karianne

Who was Shakespeare?

I did a quick search to find out who William Shakespeare was. First, I went on duckduckgo.com. Then I entered William Shakespeare. I found this website. It does a great job with Shakespeare's biography. Click to learn more. http://www.biography.com/people/william-shakespeare-9480323 Students percieve Shakespeare's writing to be this horrible hard to read literature. This all changes when they begin to read and break it down. Students begin to learn new strategies on how to better their own writing and they also learn that shakespeare can be interpreted in many different ways. The name "Shakespeare" alone evokes strong feelings. It is amazing as to how even after centuries his writing is still able to effect you the way it does. At some point in our young lives we have all read Shakespeare . It might have been a stripped down less complicated version but it was still his writing. And now as we get older, we begin to read a more abstract version that is hard to understand. You will not completely understand an act after reading it once. It will take lots of practice.

Vocab Midterm Reflection

The first two sections went amazingly well for me. The last two sections were iffy Actually a lot of content has been sticking with me. I have been using this vocabulary more often then I had thought. And next time I will not procrastinate on studying. I am going to be making an everyday calendar to help.

Vocab list #7

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear
nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
Thanks ubi!!

Notes on Textbook Pages 64-82

The Epic Epics--> Long narrative poems that celebrated adventures of legendary heroes Heroes were role models for their times. Gilgamesh--> An ancient Near Eastern poem about 4,000 years old Iliad--> A Greek poem that is almost 3,000 old Heroes-->Role models for modern time period Gilgamesh: The Prologue Gilgamesh built the city of Uruk Son of Lugalbanda/Lady Wildcow Ninsun Perfect warrior Two-thirds a god/one-third a man Uruk-->Ancient Sumerian city Iliad Hektor (Trojan) has killed Achilleus's (Greek) best friend Achilleus wishes nothing but the death of Hektor Achilleus and Hektor fight Hektor pleads with Achilleus--> Achilleus too consumed by anger Achilleus eventually kills Hektor A History of the English Church and People Bede gives the geographic details of Britain at beginning of work Bede tells of the different seasons in Britain Presently there are 5 languages and 4 nations within Britain British men shared wives with the Scots--> Ruler chosen only from the female royal line, not male Bede describes the island of Ireland in detail The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle In the year 896, Britain split between the East and North Danes caused much destruction along the sea-coast In the year 900, Alfred, the king of all of England passed away His son Edward took the thrown Peace between North and East occurred during the year of 906