critical writing

Some elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools utlize a writing technique designed to make writing essays easier. This technique is called the Two-Chunk Paragraph. The Two-Chunk Paragraph consists of color-coded sentences that make it easier for developing students to back up their opinions with facts, and to clearly identify what their thesis is.

Two-chunk paragraphs actually have four paragraphs - the first an introductory paragraph, the following two containing an answer or opinion with supporting fact, and the last a concluding paragraph.

Paragraph One:
Thesis statement
Transition statement
Lead

Paragraphs Two & Three:
Topic sentence
Concrete Detail
Commentary
Commentary
Concrete detail
Commentary
Commentary
Concluding sentence

Paragraph Four:
Restated thesis statement
Reparaphrasing of thesis statement
Concluding statement

One-chunk paragraphs are the same, with only one middle paragraph.

dr. horrible's sing-along blog

The well-publicized Writers' Strike of 2007 and 2008 was both a gift and a curse to the television and film industry.

Curse: Every scripted show halted production for four months, resulting in the subjective boost in reality programming.

Gift: Conan O'Brien delivered the most entertaining hours of late night ever. And he grew a beard.

Curse: Thousands of makeup artists and sound technicians and other odd job workers were forced into temporary unemployment.

Gift: Joss Whedon defied the strike and wrote a musical, and he made Neil Patrick Harris the lead.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was born.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a short musical film starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. Dr. Horrible, played by Harris, is an aspiring villian with a soft spot for laundry and his burgeoning love interest, Penny. His nemesis is the classic superhero Captain Hammer, played by Fillion.


For such an inexpensive and hasty production, Dr. Horrible is a gem. Joss Whedon has a knack for throwing a thick layer of realism and wit onto tragic sagas, as seen in the dearly-departed Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the gone-too-soon Dollhouse. He knows how to make you laugh. Dr. Horrible is no exception. The story was executed so naturally that it felt like the top-tier finale of a series. Everything came to a head and a major character was accidentally killed in the crossfire. As someone who watched Buffy from the beginning to the end, I found myself completely dumbfounded at Penny's death. It was right up Whedon's alley but I was so honed in that I didn't see it coming.

The music was catchy. I didn't expect anything more than that, so I was pleasantly pleased. Harris delivered when it came to vocals, though Penny, played by the underrated Felicia Day, seemed particularly flat throughout.

What impressed me the most about Dr. Horrible was its tenacity. It was rightfully campy and made no apologies. And it was original. The Writers' Strike gave the writers who didn't boycott the pen the chance to create whatever the hell they wanted with no corporate input or executive shadow. That was the Strike's biggest gift...the gift of freedom.

lost - what kate does

Kate episode's often get a bad rep. Her character in general usually gets a bad rep. She was the strongest female character on the show until Ana Lucia came along, but Ana Lucia was shot for being too strong. Juliet came along and she was a definite match for Kate. She competed with her leading men and took one of them for three years. And then she died. Ilana could be considered strong. She seems to have a staunch determination to get her job done, but she isn't her own leader. She's following someone. Sun has certainly shaped up into a strong, independent, hands-on woman ever since she left the island. Her character's turning point, in my opinion, came when she watched the freighter explode with Jin on the deck. Her screaming alone was worthy of an Emmy, nevermind her exceptional acting. I got goosebumps.

Despite that fluffery, I think Kate gets the bad rep because she is all about the boys - Jack and Sawyer. Kate started out as a screamer in the Pilot, calling for Jack's name when the Monster's iconic cranking was first heard. Who would have taken her to be a badass fugitive that killed her own father? Her character was on par with the men. It's hard enough writing a strong female lead when she's among men and it's even harder to keep her strong. Kate went from toting guns to fawning over Jack's obsessive need to reason with science and Sawyer's mantra to forgo reason. Her overarcing story was about the two of them for the first four seasons, and then she took Aaron from the island and began to raise him as her own. There was hope.

But she and Jack were engaged to be married and they were raising Aaron together. Girl just needs a man. That's why it is so tantalizing to watch the flashsideways and see season one Kate reborn, taking charge and stealing cars and kidnapping pregnant women. She and Claire form an immediate bond once more, something that I personally missed when Claire went missing in season four.

That's why I can't wait until next week to learn exactly why Claire hopped the bus to Crazy Ville. Her hair looks a mess.

fast food industry

This will be my shortest attempt at an editorial, because I don't have a relevant opinion on the fast food industry. I love Burger King. Love Wendy's. LOVE Checkers. Love Zaxby's. I used to like McDonald's until I saw Supersize Me, but I'll eat their french fries for the rest of my life. And according to this Yahoo! Health and Men's Health collaboration, I make a worthy conscious choice in fattening myself up with McDonald's french fries instead of Chili's Texas Cheese Fries...which I had last Thursday.

The problem with the fast food industry, if it can be called a problem, is that it is so accessible. There are options at every corner, even in the smallest of towns, and everything is so cheap. And tasty! America has grown used to this process. People are too busy to cook, so they eat out. Elementary schools' idea of a treat for kids is a large platter of chicken nuggets and barbeque sauce. Once they've had Chick-fil-A, they don't want a pita. And once they've been graced with the savory goodness of waffle fries and polynesian sauce, they will throw a tantrum when they sit down for dinner and see peas and broccoli. They are conditioned to go for the all-American grease bucket of Hardy's and the triple-quarter-angled pounder thing.

That is a problem.

But I'm still going to Zaxby's tonight.

marijuana

True story. I didn't realize that the "official" term for marijuana is cannabis. I've heard that word thrown around before but, as much as it pains me to admit, I've always gotten it confused with Cerberus. So I thought cannabis was another multi-headed animal.

That pretty much sums up my experience with marijuana. I've never tried it, I've never touched it. I wouldn't know who to ask for it. I don't even know if I've actually seen it. Those Black & Mild cigarettes or cigars - I thought that was weed when I first came to Southern and I still equate that smell with marijuana. I think I know what it smells like now that I'm a junior, but I'm not positive. Does that create an assumption that I was sheltered? Or that I'm a prude? I've never been given the opportunity to try it, and that is insanely rare coming from Peachtree Ridge High School. I know a kid that ate a bag of pot so that the cops wouldn't find it. During school hours.

From watching the news sporadically and listening to everyone and their red-eyed cousin talk, I've gathered that the "legalize marijuana" crusade is a powerful one. According to...wikipedia...medical marijuana positively affects the conditions of cancer patients, AIDS patients, and people suffering from glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting, and depression.

That's great, I guess. You'd think they could find something less controversial to use, like Tylenol or Advil, and I know how insensitive that reads, but it seems like the medical benefits are being touted to mask the recreational use. Perhaps if I had experience with the soothing effects of marijuana I would be on the other end of the spectrum, but until that happens, I'm on the fence. I won't knock it if it makes you feel better, and I might smile as you inhale and embrace the buzz, but I'll probably be judging you.

inflation

in⋅fla⋅tion \in-ˈflā-shən\

–noun
a continuing rise in the general price level usually attributed to an increase in the volume of money and credit relative to available goods and services

That definition of inflation is provided by Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. When the price level rises, the dollar (or other form of currency) is worth less. Each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. This does not affect non-monetary values, such as real estate or possessions.

Inflation damages businesses. Inflation forces companies to hone in on gains and losses in profit, as opposed to bettering products and services. Higher prices in the economy means that wages and personal income are worth less. If employees demand higher wages to afford the inflation of goods and services, that company in turn may need to raise prices to afford the increase in payroll...which, in turn, requires more money for the consumers to afford the goods and services.

There are instances when the inflation rate of a country is negative, which is deflation. The decline in the supply of money and credit leads to deflation. This leads to an increase in the value of money, but a problem arises from this scenario. If gas costs $3.02 a gallon on Wednesday and you know that the price will drop tomorrow, will you buy gas today? It is a necessity for the majority of the country, but if you can afford to wait, would you save the 70¢? Would you buy something today if you knew it would be cheaper tomorrow?

While inflation can be deemed a catch-22, there are many factors that contribute to its rise and fall. The resources below delve deeper into the economical, political, and social aspects of inflation. The video below is a "humorous" and obviously biased satire aimed at explaining inflation.




Inflation
CIA World Factbook - The United States - Economy
Annual Inflation Rate Chart
What is negative inflation?

seven links to seven topics six days late

Economics - Bernanke lays out plan for tighter money

Legal - My secret life under "don't ask, don't tell"

Sports - Why Manning is a better NFL quarterback than Montana, Brady

Medicine - What are the long-term effects of ADHD meds?

Religion - Why I'm proud to wear the burqa

International - Tigers on verge of extinction in the wild, World Wildlife Fund warns

Art/Culture - Mardi Gras (mostly) suitable for kids

sociology of punishment

Capital punishment – punishment by death for a crime

Retributivism – a policy or theory of criminal justice that advocates the punishment of criminals in retribution for the harm they have inflicted

Utilitarianism – “The greatest good for the greatest number of people”

lost - la x

I arrived home at 7:52 on Tuesday night. I had the shakes. I had gone to Wendy’s for dinner with friends and a man with Tourette syndrome was having an attack next to us in line, cursing and shouting every minute or so. The manager kicked him out. It was awkward. we ate peacefully and then went to Starbucks for Open Mic night. That was eventful, if I say so myself. This kid completely butchered Hallelujah but he did try and that is admirable, at best.

The night ended. I dropped everyone off and returned home at 7:52. Went into my room. Turned off the lights. Locked the door. Changed into my pajamas. Turned off my phone. The recap for LOST began at 8 and chronicled the most important characters and moments from the past five seasons. at 9, my head exploded.

The season premiere began with Jack on Oceanic Flight 815, just as it was in the beginning. Jack was a little shaky so the flight attendant Cindy, who hasn’t been seen or heard from since season three, I believe, gave him a small bottle of vodka.

Oh, but wait.

In the season one premiere, Cindy gave Jack TWO bottles of vodka. TWO. Here, she gives him one. I’m confused at this point. Jack speaks briefly with Rose, another Oceanic survivor from the series, and then he goes to the bathroom. When he looks in the mirror, he appears puzzled. Perhaps he’s wondering why his hair is so long. No, instead he notices that his neck is bleeding, apparently from a shaving error. He dabs away the blood. Goes back to his seat. It was a very random scene. When he returns, he finds a man has joined him – Desmond. Desmond…who should be on the island at that very moment, running through the island to go press the button the hatch. He should be failing to do so right about now, which is the reason that the plane crashed in the first place. Instead, he’s on the plane, sitting next to Jack, reading a newspaper.

What?

So Jack asks where they know each other from and neither can figure it out. I was hoping at this point that they would realize that they jogged up and down stadium steps together four years ago, but they don’t. The camera pans past Jack, down into the ocean, where it is revealed that the infamous island is submerged to the bottom of the sea. And then my head exploded once more.

The show relied on flashbacks to flesh out the characters in the beginning. The first three seasons featured that storytelling device. The season three finale introduced flash forwards, which lasted for one season. Last season, they switched between two timelines: 2007 and 1977. This season, the writers have introduced an alternate reality through the use of flashsideways. Yes, that’s new word now. The reality that we have been following for five seasons now is continuing in 2007, where the Losties are still separated from one another in complex situations. This new reality takes place in 2004, where Oceanic flight 815 does not crash, and everyone gets off the plane unscathed.

There are differences, however. For one, Desmond is a passenger on the plane. Charlie tried to commit suicide in the bathroom. Shannon is nowhere to be seen, nor are Michael or Walt. Claire isn’t seen on the plane but she is seen later in a cab that Kate hijacks. Jack’s father Christian has been lost by the airline and he freaks out until, of all people, John Locke calms him down. John is still handicap in this reality.

What I liked most about this episode, independent from the Man in Black’s spine-tingling glare and the first tour of the mysterious Temple, was that I would watch this other reality play out as if it were an entirely different show. The interaction between Jack and John was bittersweet, especially knowing that their alternative history doesn’t even exist or apply here. Kate’s storyline is somewhat riveting because she’s now on the run and she’s wound up in a cab with Claire, who is probably due to give birth soon. Hurley is a lucky man, Sawyer isn’t immediately seen as the antihero, and Sayid isn’t labeled as a terrorist from the get-go. This could have easily been the show to begin with and I probably still would have watched it.

I can’t wait for next week.

obama's promises

Barack Obama recently completed a full year as the president of the United States. He was elected as the 44th president with 52.9% of the popular vote (69,456,897 votes). It is a widely-accepted opinion that Obama inherited a troubled nation when he was inaugurated January 20, 2009. The American economy was in shambles and the general public had high hopes that Obama would have a quick fix. After just one year, the economy is, at best, stable. The varieties of numbers and percentages aren’t dwindling as quickly as they were the past two years, and the media is no longer fixated on exploiting fear. We probably have Tiger Woods to thank for that.

During his campaign to the presidency, Obama made a number of promises. According to St. Petersburg Times’ PolitiFact.com, he has made 522 promises so far, and placing complete trust in this random, Pulitzer Prize winning website, I think he could be judged fairly based on how many promises he has been able to keep and how many he has disregarded.

According to PolitiFact, President Obama has kept 91 promises to date.

• Established a credit card bill of rights
• Expanded loan programs for small businesses
• Sending additional troops to Afghanistan
• Subtracting the number of troops in Iraq
• Pushed for the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act
• Invested in different types of alternative energy
• Reversed restrictions on stem cell research
• Announced a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy

Those are just a few promises. The promises he has been able to fulfill are mostly geared towards equal rights issues, environmental issues, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has broken a total of 15 promises to date.

• Has not allowed five days of public comment before signing bills
• Has not made move for full equality for same-sex couples and their families
• Has not doubled funding for afterschool programs
• Has not televised health care reform negotiations
• Has not created a tax credit for companies that have added jobs
• Did not give a “State of the World” address during first year

These broken promises are mostly related to government spending and Obama’s expectation that he would be able to broadcast and share everything once he became president. Although he should be able to grant the LGBT community equal rights under the law, he can’t without some kind of support. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have it. And unfortunately, a legitimate reason has still not been found for that blatant legal bigotry.

In the crosshairs are 33 compromised promises, 86 stalled promises, and 276 promises that are in the works. Now, this of course is not a signifier or a litmus test that ends all debate, but it is at least an aggregate of facts that reveals what Obama has accomplished and what he plans to accomplished. It certainly counts for something when grading his first full year as the president of the “free” world.

i'm with coco.

I love Conan O’Brien. I’ve loved him since I was at least eleven. Some pop thing of the time performed on his show in 2001 and I stayed up until 12:37 to see whoever that was. This dorky, lanky, redheaded giant came bouncing onto my screen to a catchy jazz theme playing. He did the string dance. He said something funny. I was flabbergasted. I started watching every night and continued on until that fateful night last summer when Coco ended his run on Late Night.

In 2004, Jay Leno announced his retirement, which he admitted was a lie. He was prompted to do so because Conan’s contract with NBC was coming to a close and he had an ultimatum – he wanted The Tonight Show or he was jumping ship. NBC soiled themselves and told Leno that Conan would be hosting The Tonight Show as of 2009. He would be out of a job and he wasn’t prepared to leave. Leno threatened to jump ship too, which forced NBC to think. They thought long and hard. Their solution?

Give Jay Leno a talk show at 10 o’clock. Five days a week.

This announcement hit Hollywood hard. Five hours of original programming were replaced with five hours of…original programming. I believe that the decision to give Leno an opportunity to continue his show was responsible for the poor ratings of the Tonight Show. NBC hoped that Leno fans would tune into Conan at 11:35, but with Jay doing the exact same show at 10, his fans had no reason to watch Conan.

I can’t think of any other way for this debacle to have unfolded. Conan wanted a guarantee that NBC wouldn’t do to him what they did to David Letterman, and it giving him that guarantee, they screwed over Leno, but then they gave Leno another slot and gave Jimmy Fallon Conan’s slot. Seven months later, Jay wants his slot back and instead of screwing over Jimmy, Conan lets himself be screwed over. Tough break. NBC shouldn’t have pushed Leno out in the first place, but Leno shouldn’t have accepted the 10 o’clock slot, nor should he have publically ridiculed Conan’s ratings. Everyone and their mother knows that Leno wouldn’t be anywhere if Hugh Grant hadn’t picked up a stripper. He got lucky. And now Conan’s screwed.

At least Conan’s funnier.

lost - preview

The season six premiere of LOST is tonight. I'm not sure if it's appropriate or reasonable to dedicate a blog to a show that I don't fully understand, but it's tonight so that's all I can think about right now. I've held off looking at things online that might spoil the show for me, which is like pulling teeth because I spoil myself for absolutely everything.

I did peek though. I know that the island is underwater for some reason. No clue why, but it is. I get to find out in less than nine hours. I'm locking myself in my bedroom at 8 and I'm turning off my phone. That may be embarrassing and obsessive and crazy but it's going to happen.

I think I might write reviews of the show here. That's the plan at the moment. Something witty and wasteful like Television Without Pity. It wouldn't be journalism though, so I'll have to get back to you on that.

state/local government

TIMELINE HISTORY OF GEORGIA CAPITALS
1777-1778 Savannah
1779-1780 Augusta*
1780-1781 Heard's Fort*
1781-1782 Augusta
1782 Ebenezer*
1782 Savannah
1783 Augusta
1784 Savannah
1784 Augusta
1785 Savannah
1786-1796 Augusta
1796-1806 Louisville
1807-1864 Milledgeville
1864-1865 Macon*
1865-1868 Milledgeville
1868-Present Atlanta
* Temporary meeting sites

In February 1733, James Oglethorpe arrived in Yamacraw Bluff, the area now known as Savannah. Oglethorpe named the area after the chief of the Yamacraws gave him approval for a settlement.

In 1743, when Oglethorpe returned to England, William Stevens of Savannah was appointed the “president” of the colony of Georgia. Savannah was deemed the area of the colony’s government.

Georgia became a royal colony in 1754, and the Board of Trade officially deemed Savannah to be Georgia’s capital. In 1755, Congress and the Commons House of Assembly met in Savannah, though by the end of the year, the Royal Government no longer had control of the colony due to the Revolutionary War.

At the end of 1778, Savannah was taken over by British forces and the government evacuated the city. They fled to Augusta and spent all of 1779 attempting to establish the town as the official place for legislature. British forces interrupted these attempts. At the top of 1780 the legislature was able to assemble in Augusta, and Heard’s Fort (in today’s Wilkes County) was designated as the alternative meeting place. Not soon after, British forces seized Augusta and the government moved to Heard’s Fort.

Augusta was recovered from the British in 1781 and the government reconvened there for nine months. By this time, the British were forced out of Savannah and Georgia state officials prepared to move back to the original capital. During the transition, a small city named Ebenezer (located 25 miles northwest of Savannah) served as the meeting site for Georgia’s council for only two days: July 3 and 4, 1782.

Between 1782 and 1786, Georgia’s capital rotated between Savannah and Augusta, due to the government’s preferences. January 4, 1785 marked the last day that Savannah served as Georgia’s capital.

Augusta was deemed the state capital due to a burgeoning population in the area. Court debacles and the like had to be handled through the state capital and its location in Augusta became convenient. Augusta remained as the capital for ten years. However, in 1786, just a few months into Augusta’s appointment as the capital, it was decided that a brand new capitol would be built within 20 miles of the Ogeechee River. A town was created sporadically over a ten year period and in March 1796, the legislature moved to the new capital – Louisville. Louisville remained the capital for ten years and was the first capital to have an actual capitol building.

Indian lands were added to the state of Georgia in 1802, prompting another move of the capital. On December 2, 1804, lawmakers approved the building of a new capital in Baldwin County, to be named Milledgeville.

Atlanta was birthed in December 1847, formerly called Marthasville. Due to the city’s rapid growth and position as a rail center, Atlanta was seen as a viable candidate for the capital. The idea was initially shot down by legislators, but in 1854 a general election was held to settle the debate. 60% of the vote kept the capital as Milledgeville, while 35% voted to move the government to Atlanta. 5% desired a move to Macon.

Milledgeville was evacuated in November 1864 due to Sherman’s March. The government took refuge in Macon and did not return to the capital until December 1865. Milledgeville remained the capital for two more years until a constitutional convention was to be held. Innkeepers in Milledgeville refused to let black delegates into their establishments, so the convention was held in Atlanta.

Atlanta city officials made another attempt to deem Atlanta as the new state capital during the convention, and with just a few promises and gifts, Atlanta was named Georgia’s new state capital in April 1868. 89,007 were for the move and 71,309 were against.

The first session took place on July 4, 1868, at the very site that is today’s state capitol.

source