Alphabetical Advice

An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Beer before liquor and you will never be sicker
Challenge yourself
Do not go to Summerland parties if you are from Penticton
Explore all your options

Fight only smaller and weaker people
Go big or go home
Hate gets nobody anywhere
If she thinks getting high means swinging on a swing set...she's too young for you, bro
Join lots of clubs. Like the Illuminati.
Keep your head high, no matter what happens

LEGO should never be left in the middle of the floor
Make everything you do count
Never ask for advice from people with face tattoos
Oreos taste better with milk
Play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back
Quality is better than quantity, unless you are talking about points in sports 
Russ Manning will most likely have whatever you are looking for
Skate hard, but celly harder

The first movie is almost always better, so really think about whether you should watch the sequel
Uranium yellowcake is not food
Vegas is the place to go if you are trying to temporarily forget all you problems
When you find yourself in a difficult situation, just ask "What would Russ Manning do?"
Xylophones are not cool instruments, so do not carry one around with you to impress any females
You can not hoot with the owls at night if you want to soar with the eagles during the day
Zoos are extremely dangerous places for playing hide-and-go-seek

Public Display of Disaffection

1. What are three main points in this article? Support each point with a properly integrated quote

In the article "Public Display of Disaffection", the author discusses several ideas concerning cell phone use. Initially, the author mentions that cell phone use in public causes "discomfort, irritation, and [...] outrage"(Kingston) for those witnessing it. The author also states that the constant use of cellular devices has become incredibly common, now developing into "an addiction" (Kingston) Finally, the author talks about how businesses are resisting this cellular addiction by "prohibiting the use of phones and cameras during meals"(Kingston)  

2. Agree or disagree with each of her points. Please back up your ideas with specific examples.

I agree with all of Kingston's arguments, as I find the most obnoxious thing for someone to do to me, is to look at their phone while I am speaking to them. This happens to me everyday, including today, when I asked a peer of mine which block was first. They unenthusiastically responded with an inaudible mumble, nothing breaking the stare between them and their phone. I also concur that cell phone use is becoming an addiction among our nation's youth. Many people, including my own brother, are unable to leave their phone for long periods of time, needing to check up on it every five minutes. Finally, I support businesses not tolerating disruptive phone calls and obnoxious ringtones, similar to the tune I was forced to listen to at a restaurant, all because the owner of the phone wanted to finish the last of his meal before answering. These new cellphone bans will allow appreciating customers to do their own activities uninterrupted.

 3. When are times when you believe that cell phones are acceptable? How about  Unacceptable? Should schools, movie theatres and other public places consider bans or cell phone jammers like Europe?

 The most appropriate moment for one to text or use their cell phone is when they are in their own home or alone and unable to irritate other people. Cell phones are unacceptable in many public places, such as restaurants and movie theaters, as talking and texting on a cell phone can easily agitate people around them. Their presence also illustrates the amount of disinterest a person may have in a social setting, causing those around them to feel disrespected. Schools should consider stricter policies towards the use of mobile devices in class, as they distract from learning, not only for their users, but the whole class as well. Theaters should consider banning cell phones during movies, because ringtones, people talking on their phones, and even the bright light of screens are all incredibly annoying, and they are also one of the leading causes of movie theater fights.

JOURNAL #1 - WATCHMEN

"An intractable problem can only be resolved by stepping beyond conventional solutions." (11.25.5)

This quote represents Adrian Veidt's very unorthodox and desperate method to resolving the Cold War conflict, one which reprises a recurring theme from our classroom not long ago: do the ends justify the means? This is a question with no definitive answer, which is dependent on an individual's moral boundaries, as well as those of his peers, whether they will be accepting or disapproving of that person's opinion. The challenge that Veidt is confronted with in Watchmen is complementary to this problem, having to decide whether to allow the world and all its inhabitants be destroyed by a nuclear war, or intervene and prevent that disastrous outcome by intentionally killing approximately two million New York residents. This predicament is similar to the Fat Man Problem, a thought experiment introduced by Judith Jarvis Thomson, illustrating the moral dilemma of deciding to either push (and ultimately kill) a fat man onto trolley tracks in order to save the lives of five people that the trolley is en route to kill, or let those five innocent people die. Veidt, using his genius and wealth, is just as capable of staging an alien attack on New York to unite warring regions of the world as the subject in the Fat Man Problem is able to push the fat person and save five lives, but this does not necessarily mean they will. In fact, 90% of participants let the trolley crash into the five people, because they would rather not get involved in the situation in comparison to being a murderer. What the other 10%, including Veidt, believe is that knowing they possess  the capability of being able to save the greater amount of lives yet doing nothing is, essentially, equivalent to murder, resulting in them choosing the alternative. Assuming roughly 99% of people would agree that they would prefer it if the greater number of lives were spared, the only element that is affecting this decision is whether the subject would be able to accept the reality that they are a killer. In my opinion, if Veidt is able to do this, consciously managing that inner struggle while being viewed by his peers as a villain, he is a true hero, whereas others may not save several lives in order to spare themselves from that self loathing.

This quote also helps me relate to Veidt's point of view, rather than just accepting him as a classic villain. It also compels me to contemplate what I would do in Veidt's situation, which, currently, would be to imitate his elaborate plan, maybe changing it slightly, as I believe aliens may be too unrealistic. Ultimately, I now realize that Ozymandias has two choices, to either watch the world burn and humanity destroy itself or kill a portion of it to salvage the rest, resulting in a human race that is united stronger than ever before.  

Haunted Cliche House

I crept like a thief in the dead of the night, until the eerie, abandoned house was staring back at me, my distorted reflection as pale as a ghost in the shattered window. Last night, my partner in crime, Joe, bet me a small fortune to stay an hour in the haunted house down the block. So, I was ready to go in guns blazing, but then I stood there, as still as a statue, shaken like a baby. I was paralyzed by fear, not knowing what horrors may lay beyond the front door of that spine-chilling building. Sadly, though, money doesn't grow on trees, so I was forced to overcame my fears of this house and walk into the possessed home, not prepared for what was about to happen. Tell my family I love them, I thought to myself, when all of a sudden, I heard a frightening noise ring through the darkness, making me jump with panic. Scared out of my wits, I ran like the wind out of that god forsaken house, never looking back. I believe I should learn from my mistakes, like this one, and stay out of trouble when it's late at night. Just like my grandma used to say, "If you wanna soar with the eagles during the day, you cant hoot with the owls at night!"

                                                                           

Super Power

             If I could choose to possess any superpower imaginable, I'd acquire the ability of telepathy and mind control. Using my extrasensory perception (ESP), I'd be able to detect other individuals thoughts and feelings, of which would normally be hidden from me. Using the information accessible in other people's brains, I would easily be able to act a certain way or say something specific in order to manipulate them and get what I want. This could be anything from a job to an actual object. Personally, I would use my psychic ability in school, where I would be capable of knowing all that the teacher knows, including answers on tests. By using this power, I would have easy access to the knowledge of almost every person living on this planet, becoming the most knowledgeable person in the entire world. Unlike the infinite number of superpowers which just enhance ones physical being, my power allows me to attain what I want without having to use physical force, simultaneously keeping my ability a secret. Furthermore, if there is anything that I need done for me or anything that I need to, but personally don't want to, I could effortlessly manipulate others into attending to these tasks. This powerful ability could have the potential to either save the world and resolve many of it's conflicts and crises, or, in the wrong hands, possibly be abused or exploited for power, or even complete world domination. Opposing to making the same mistake every superhero or villain makes, I would keep a low profile, keeping my superhuman gift a secret, using it solely for my own personal benefit in the form of possessions, jobs, status and, supremely, wealth. Ultimately, gaining entry into other peoples minds and being able to control them would be beneficial in gaining wealth and knowledge. 

                                                             Professor Charles F. Xavier



   

Darien Folk
178 Nicola Pl, Summerland, B.C.
V0H 1Z2


February 2, 2012

Captain Draude
Commander
HMS Princess Margaret

O great, intelligent and awesome Captain, the most amazing person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, my sunshine on a rainy day, a rose in a field of daisies:


I respect your authority and all the decisions you've ever made, but I would like to supply some input on our current predicament. I am aware that you may need to "do away with" several students in order to save the lives of the others, including yourself. From my perspective, I would highly recommend sparing my life, for several reasons. Firstly, my father is a very famous, and quite decorated, occupational therapist. I am sure that if you were to spare my life, he would gladly supply you with the help you would inevitably need after murdering several children, free of charge. Another reason why you should pardon me from the students being sacrificed is I will become a doctor. As a doctor, I will aspire to provide you with any medical needs you may require during the span of your life for free. The final, and maybe the most important reason you should let me off of the killing hook is me and my parents are the 97th most wealthiest family in the world. Having such copious amounts of money, my family would happily pay you a monumental amount of money (most likely in the ten millions), quietly of course, for any expenses you may have. I sympathize with you and the situation you're in, having to choose between several lives, but I beg of you, please save me from dying on this day. I may not deserve to live rather than some of the other people in this submarine, but I will change the way I live if you spare my life. I will devote my life to doing the right thing, no matter the situation. Hopefully I will be able to have children of my own, who I will teach to always make the right and most humane decisions as well. Please spare my life, and if you do, I will be a better person because of it.
   



Sincerely,
Darien Folk

About Me

            Although he may appear as an average, undistinguished student who's daily routine only consists of going to school and returning home, Darien Folk is far from "average". What the majority of people do not realize is that he obscurely possesses an alternate identity, in which he protects the citizens of Penticton from crafty criminals and malicious marauders. When darkness envelopes the city and delinquents begin to break the law, Darien, remaining unseen like a shadow in the night, swiftly strikes the culprits, POP! POP!, with the old one-two in order to apprehend the offenders. The number of occasions in which he has saved an innocent person is incalculable, as he's rescued millions of grateful people. They speak of how "he's the hero that [Penticton] deserves, but not the one it needs right now, because he's not a hero, he's a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a dark knight".                        
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/elfwannabegifs/joker.gif