I have this great feeling right now, you want to know why?! I am done with eveything for this semester. Yep, I said it, no finals! Woooo! Although during the semester it did kind of suck because I was constantly working on projects, but it was so worth it now!
Everybody is talking about how they are dreading finals next week, and I'm just like ha...sucker...I'm don't have any...knock on wood...
This was my last hard semester, thank goodness, I never want to take 18 credit hours again! I have one more year left and all I have to take are pud classes just to get enough credit hours to graduate. What a waste of money...
I'm ready to be done with school though and get a real job, something that I will be looking forward to doing everyday...Hopefully my real job lands in Colorado or in New York City. I would love to work for ESPN :) Or MTV :) Dream on right?! No! I am determined, and I will get there someday, even if it means working at a dinky newspaper or a dinky radio station...you got to start somewhere!
So as of right now as I am finishing up this blog post, I am done with school until August :) What a great feeling....bring on the summer :)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Things I wish I would have known before I got to college...
When I came to college I was one frightened little girl! This place seemed huge, there were so many people, and I was getting roomed up with a complete stranger (which might I add I still live with and we are now best friends :)), besides those points though, I wish there were some things I knew about college before I got here...
1. UNK is a dry campus. Figured that one out the hard way...
2. Residential Hall Advisors go through your dorm room and do checks...and yes that involves checking your refrigerator...bye bye Bud Light...
3. When a guy tells you your eyes are pretty at a party, close them and ask him what color they are...if he gets it wrong, he just is trying to hook up with you or is very lucky he guessed right because that is the lamest pick up line ever...
4. Don't use beer pong cups that everyone else has used. It's called herpes. And yes, that shit can spread to your mouth ( note: not from personal experience :))
5. Dorm dances are L.A.M.E.
6. Chartwells charges like 8 bucks a meal...what a rip off...
7. Don't wear a dress when your drunk...otherwise the whole party will know the color of oyur underwear...
8. Don't go play in a bunch of mud and then use the dorm showers to shower...I guess they don't like that...
9. People who add you on facebook and don't even know you are creepers...
10. If you're at Mcdonalds and they are taking forever to get you your food at 1 a.m. when your drunk...get the hell outa there...they called the cops...
Well those are just some things I think every college freshman should know :) There are more, but I'd be going on for days....
Peace it.
1. UNK is a dry campus. Figured that one out the hard way...
2. Residential Hall Advisors go through your dorm room and do checks...and yes that involves checking your refrigerator...bye bye Bud Light...
3. When a guy tells you your eyes are pretty at a party, close them and ask him what color they are...if he gets it wrong, he just is trying to hook up with you or is very lucky he guessed right because that is the lamest pick up line ever...
4. Don't use beer pong cups that everyone else has used. It's called herpes. And yes, that shit can spread to your mouth ( note: not from personal experience :))
5. Dorm dances are L.A.M.E.
6. Chartwells charges like 8 bucks a meal...what a rip off...
7. Don't wear a dress when your drunk...otherwise the whole party will know the color of oyur underwear...
8. Don't go play in a bunch of mud and then use the dorm showers to shower...I guess they don't like that...
9. People who add you on facebook and don't even know you are creepers...
10. If you're at Mcdonalds and they are taking forever to get you your food at 1 a.m. when your drunk...get the hell outa there...they called the cops...
Well those are just some things I think every college freshman should know :) There are more, but I'd be going on for days....
Peace it.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Good Life
I came across this quote the other day and it really got me wondering why Nebraska is always the butt of the joke? “Just keep driving, when something changes you’ll know you’re out of Nebraska.” Just because we have a lot of corn and animals doesn’t mean we are a bunch of redneck, rodeo lovin hicks.
People think our motto in Nebraska is corn, college football and….um….more corn…which to some extent may be true. But there is definitely more to Nebraska then just corn. For instance the Zoo in Omaha has the world’s largest indoor rainforest. I think that’s pretty cool! We are also home to the largest hand-planted forest in the world, which is located near Thedford, Nebraska. Nebraska is also the proud founder of the powdered soft drink Kool-Aid. What would the world do without Kool-Aid!
We also are going to be the last state to run out of water…because we have the most underground water reserves than any other state! So while the rest of the U.S. is dying from de-hydration we will be drinking water like it’s our job. Nebraska also has the countries largest aquifer and we have more miles of river than any other state.
And the football thing…it might seem like we are a little nuts about it…but seriously, the Cornhuskers have been to a record 27 consecutive bowl games and have had 27 consecutive winning seasons….we are kind of a big deal….so what if we support our football team? Their legit…so legit that they have produced more Academic All-Americans than any other Division 1 school….Along with the bomb football team UNL also has the largest weight room in the country…it covers three-fourths of an acre.
We don’t have any pro sports teams for sports entertainment, but we do host the college world series in Omaha….which is kind of a big deal….
This is kind of random but If you ever want to chill on a porch swing with your friends, Nebraska is definitely the place to do it…Hebron, Nebraska has the largest porch swing in the world….it can sit 25 adults.
I bet not very many people knew this, but Nebraska holds the worlds largest Kolache Festival. It is located in Prague. So if you are ever cravin a kolache, which might I add are delicious, Nebraska is definitely the place to be.
Now here is something rare….The cost of the Nebraska Capitol building was $9,800,440.07. The construction job came under budget and the building was paid for by the time it was completed. How often does that happen?! We know how to manage our money!
Right now, Nebraska is the place to be because we have been holding our own during this recession…Right now, economically, Nebraska is the happiest state in the country. We cheer the reddest, corn the hardest, and we grin the widest ☺
So, enough with all the bad jokes about corn, football, and farming. I am proud to say that I am from Nebraska. It’s not as bad as everyone puts it off to be. If you just do a little research, you may come to find that there are some pretty cool things to do here in the Cornhusker State.
People think our motto in Nebraska is corn, college football and….um….more corn…which to some extent may be true. But there is definitely more to Nebraska then just corn. For instance the Zoo in Omaha has the world’s largest indoor rainforest. I think that’s pretty cool! We are also home to the largest hand-planted forest in the world, which is located near Thedford, Nebraska. Nebraska is also the proud founder of the powdered soft drink Kool-Aid. What would the world do without Kool-Aid!
We also are going to be the last state to run out of water…because we have the most underground water reserves than any other state! So while the rest of the U.S. is dying from de-hydration we will be drinking water like it’s our job. Nebraska also has the countries largest aquifer and we have more miles of river than any other state.
And the football thing…it might seem like we are a little nuts about it…but seriously, the Cornhuskers have been to a record 27 consecutive bowl games and have had 27 consecutive winning seasons….we are kind of a big deal….so what if we support our football team? Their legit…so legit that they have produced more Academic All-Americans than any other Division 1 school….Along with the bomb football team UNL also has the largest weight room in the country…it covers three-fourths of an acre.
We don’t have any pro sports teams for sports entertainment, but we do host the college world series in Omaha….which is kind of a big deal….
This is kind of random but If you ever want to chill on a porch swing with your friends, Nebraska is definitely the place to do it…Hebron, Nebraska has the largest porch swing in the world….it can sit 25 adults.
I bet not very many people knew this, but Nebraska holds the worlds largest Kolache Festival. It is located in Prague. So if you are ever cravin a kolache, which might I add are delicious, Nebraska is definitely the place to be.
Now here is something rare….The cost of the Nebraska Capitol building was $9,800,440.07. The construction job came under budget and the building was paid for by the time it was completed. How often does that happen?! We know how to manage our money!
Right now, Nebraska is the place to be because we have been holding our own during this recession…Right now, economically, Nebraska is the happiest state in the country. We cheer the reddest, corn the hardest, and we grin the widest ☺
So, enough with all the bad jokes about corn, football, and farming. I am proud to say that I am from Nebraska. It’s not as bad as everyone puts it off to be. If you just do a little research, you may come to find that there are some pretty cool things to do here in the Cornhusker State.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Now if this isn't the cutest thing you've ever seen....
I cam across this video on YouTube....This girl is the youngest contestant to make it through on America's got talent...but seriously how could you say no to her?! She is frickin adorable! Check it out for yourself....
Friday, April 23, 2010
Date Night
Tonight I went to the movie Date Night featuring Tina Fey and Steve Carell. It may have been the funniest movie that I have seen this past year.
Fey and Carell are both already extremely funny actors and when they are put together--it's hilarious. They are like a match made in heaven when they are in a movie with one another. With Carells sarcastic sense of humor and Fey's hilarious lines, I couldn't quit laughing...
The story plot was also a lot different then most movies. It didn't end like everyother movie I see. It was different and kept me intrigued the whole time. Some comedies show you all the funny scenes in the movie trailer, and this one actually saved some for the actual movie. It's also a good movie that a couple could go to because it's not a chick flick, and it's not a hard core action movie...so I would consider it a happy medium :)
The end may have been a little over the top I guess, but when a movie makes you laugh the whole way through it...it's a good one. It was worth my money to go see in the theater and I was still laughing when it was over. It has some of the greatest lines I've heard in a long time. This movie is something I would buy when it comes out on DVD. Check out the trailer and go see it for yourself :)
Fey and Carell are both already extremely funny actors and when they are put together--it's hilarious. They are like a match made in heaven when they are in a movie with one another. With Carells sarcastic sense of humor and Fey's hilarious lines, I couldn't quit laughing...
The story plot was also a lot different then most movies. It didn't end like everyother movie I see. It was different and kept me intrigued the whole time. Some comedies show you all the funny scenes in the movie trailer, and this one actually saved some for the actual movie. It's also a good movie that a couple could go to because it's not a chick flick, and it's not a hard core action movie...so I would consider it a happy medium :)
The end may have been a little over the top I guess, but when a movie makes you laugh the whole way through it...it's a good one. It was worth my money to go see in the theater and I was still laughing when it was over. It has some of the greatest lines I've heard in a long time. This movie is something I would buy when it comes out on DVD. Check out the trailer and go see it for yourself :)
The Big 21
So I am very excited as the day I have been looking forward to since I was a little girl is almost here...and no, it's not my wedding day...it's the day I can finally drink beer :)
Not that it has been stopping me before, but it is going to be such a relief to be able to actually drink a beer without worrying about getting a fricken M.I.P....take it from me, don't ever get a M.I.P in Buffalo County or you'll sit your but in jail! It was 48 hours of hell...Never again will I have to do that....well that is unless I go to jail for something else, which is not in my future plans whatsoever.
It kind of sucks in a way you know...turning 21 and all...I mean, what else is there to look forward to now? Getting old? Ugh....there is nothing good about turning older after 21...well besides being legal...Now all I have to worry about getting old and wrinkly and poppin out kids...that's a scary thought.
After Sunday, I will never be able to look forward to getting older ever again...SAD! O well...it should be a very successful evening :)
Not that it has been stopping me before, but it is going to be such a relief to be able to actually drink a beer without worrying about getting a fricken M.I.P....take it from me, don't ever get a M.I.P in Buffalo County or you'll sit your but in jail! It was 48 hours of hell...Never again will I have to do that....well that is unless I go to jail for something else, which is not in my future plans whatsoever.
It kind of sucks in a way you know...turning 21 and all...I mean, what else is there to look forward to now? Getting old? Ugh....there is nothing good about turning older after 21...well besides being legal...Now all I have to worry about getting old and wrinkly and poppin out kids...that's a scary thought.
After Sunday, I will never be able to look forward to getting older ever again...SAD! O well...it should be a very successful evening :)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
What is Good Music Final Draft
What is Good Music?
By Abby Richter
What is good music? I have had many discussions about this topic, some of which even lead into an argument. It’s something we all have different opinions about, but underneath all of it there is good music, and then there is bad music.
First off what is music? The most basic definition of music is “an artful combination of sounds.” To me, this is a little unclear though. I feel like music is a combination of sounds mixed with melody, harmony and certain rhythms. This is where most of us are going to start having our own opinions.
We can all probably agree on what sound is, and possibly even rhythm. But in order for music to be music there has to be melody and harmony. I have noticed that this has become a problem in the second half of the 20th century. I feel like 95% of the music composed in this era is bad music because it lacks melody and harmony. I turn on the radio, and all I hear is drums hammering the same rhythm over and over. Rhythm is an important part of music, but it shouldn’t destroy the melodic flow. This repetition of rhythm with drums is a problem because the real music below all this noise is being drowned out. Drums shouldn’t be used to hammer away the rhythm, but rather be used to emphasize the musical piece.
Now that I have ranted and raved about what makes music bad, maybe I should turn to a lighter note on what makes music good. To me, good music is when a musician can pick up just a guitar and sing without anything else. Without all the extra noise or all the repetition of computerized sounds, I feel like the real music comes out.
Good music has a rhythm that is varied. The repetition is a healthy amount and not overdone. I have heard music lately that uses the same notes in the same exact way 64 times. Without variation, listeners will soon become bored. Goods music has proportion, structure and overall harmony.
Most music uses the same four notes in a song, but it’s the way those notes are put together that determines whether the music is good or bad. If the notes are varied into different phrases, the musical piece develops and ends in a way that leaves me feeling that the piece is actually finished. If there is no variation in musical piece, it leaves me feeling that the performer just died.
Good music is much like a good piece of literature. It takes an idea from the very beginning of the song, has a variety of events in the middle, and then re-uses that very first idea for the end. That is, well to me anyways, what make a musical piece feel finished and properly structured.
I know when I have heard a good piece of music because it appeals to me on a variety of levels. It appeals to me intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. We all have that one song that we can listen to over and over, and it still has appeal to us no matter how many times it is played. It continues to interest us even after we have listened to it a thousand times. I could go on and on about all the technical differences between good and bad music, but we are all going to have our own opinions. But hopefully, after picking out the good and the bad elements of music, the next time you turn on the radio you’ll actually listen and notice the melody, the harmony and the feeling that a good piece leaves you with.
By Abby Richter
What is good music? I have had many discussions about this topic, some of which even lead into an argument. It’s something we all have different opinions about, but underneath all of it there is good music, and then there is bad music.
First off what is music? The most basic definition of music is “an artful combination of sounds.” To me, this is a little unclear though. I feel like music is a combination of sounds mixed with melody, harmony and certain rhythms. This is where most of us are going to start having our own opinions.
We can all probably agree on what sound is, and possibly even rhythm. But in order for music to be music there has to be melody and harmony. I have noticed that this has become a problem in the second half of the 20th century. I feel like 95% of the music composed in this era is bad music because it lacks melody and harmony. I turn on the radio, and all I hear is drums hammering the same rhythm over and over. Rhythm is an important part of music, but it shouldn’t destroy the melodic flow. This repetition of rhythm with drums is a problem because the real music below all this noise is being drowned out. Drums shouldn’t be used to hammer away the rhythm, but rather be used to emphasize the musical piece.
Now that I have ranted and raved about what makes music bad, maybe I should turn to a lighter note on what makes music good. To me, good music is when a musician can pick up just a guitar and sing without anything else. Without all the extra noise or all the repetition of computerized sounds, I feel like the real music comes out.
Good music has a rhythm that is varied. The repetition is a healthy amount and not overdone. I have heard music lately that uses the same notes in the same exact way 64 times. Without variation, listeners will soon become bored. Goods music has proportion, structure and overall harmony.
Most music uses the same four notes in a song, but it’s the way those notes are put together that determines whether the music is good or bad. If the notes are varied into different phrases, the musical piece develops and ends in a way that leaves me feeling that the piece is actually finished. If there is no variation in musical piece, it leaves me feeling that the performer just died.
Good music is much like a good piece of literature. It takes an idea from the very beginning of the song, has a variety of events in the middle, and then re-uses that very first idea for the end. That is, well to me anyways, what make a musical piece feel finished and properly structured.
I know when I have heard a good piece of music because it appeals to me on a variety of levels. It appeals to me intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. We all have that one song that we can listen to over and over, and it still has appeal to us no matter how many times it is played. It continues to interest us even after we have listened to it a thousand times. I could go on and on about all the technical differences between good and bad music, but we are all going to have our own opinions. But hopefully, after picking out the good and the bad elements of music, the next time you turn on the radio you’ll actually listen and notice the melody, the harmony and the feeling that a good piece leaves you with.
Good Music vs. Bad Music
I have never really put a whole lot of thought into this, but lately I have. It's the difference between good music and bad music. I know we will all have our different opinions on this, but actually there are elements in music that makes it good or bad.
Have you ever heard a song that you absolutely love at first, then you get sick of it because it is over played. Well, I believe this is because is is not a good quality piece of music. A good song will be good no matter how many times you hear it. It interests you and appeals to you on a variety of different levels, whether it's intellectually, emotionally or spiritually.
Bad music uses the same phrase od four notes over and over and it's rhythm over powers the melody. I hate it when drums are used to hammer away at the rhythm. They should be used to emphasize the music, not over power it. Most music actually uses the same four notes in a song but it's the way those four notes are put together. You can put four notes together in a variety of different ways.
Good music is kind of like a good piece of literature. It starts with an idea at the beginning, has a variety of events in the middle, and then refers back to that beginning idea to end it. This, to me, is proper structure and it leaves me feeling like the musical piece is actually finished rather than that the performer just died because their is no structure to it.
We are all going to have our own opinion on what good music is, but maybe after reading this you will listen a little more carefully an be able to pick out what I'm talking about on whether a musical piece is put together properly and leaves listeners interested and wanting more.
Have you ever heard a song that you absolutely love at first, then you get sick of it because it is over played. Well, I believe this is because is is not a good quality piece of music. A good song will be good no matter how many times you hear it. It interests you and appeals to you on a variety of different levels, whether it's intellectually, emotionally or spiritually.
Bad music uses the same phrase od four notes over and over and it's rhythm over powers the melody. I hate it when drums are used to hammer away at the rhythm. They should be used to emphasize the music, not over power it. Most music actually uses the same four notes in a song but it's the way those four notes are put together. You can put four notes together in a variety of different ways.
Good music is kind of like a good piece of literature. It starts with an idea at the beginning, has a variety of events in the middle, and then refers back to that beginning idea to end it. This, to me, is proper structure and it leaves me feeling like the musical piece is actually finished rather than that the performer just died because their is no structure to it.
We are all going to have our own opinion on what good music is, but maybe after reading this you will listen a little more carefully an be able to pick out what I'm talking about on whether a musical piece is put together properly and leaves listeners interested and wanting more.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Real World
Gahhhh.....I have one more year left of school. I just came to realization...What in the world am I going to do after college?
It's kind of scary thought actually...Me, being on my own, having to go to work 6 days a week. I guess I take back all the hate I had about going to class in college because honestly...college has been the best years of my life so far!
I don't want to leave my friends :/ I don't want to not be able to go out whatever day of the week it is. I think we all, well not all of us, try to get out of college as soon as we can. But honestly, if I could afford it, I would stay here as long as I can. I mean seriously....it's actually the richest time of our life because not very many uf us are paying huge bills until we get out of school.
This whole finding a job thing kind of scares me too. What if I don't find a job? Will I be stuck working fast food the rest of my life? haha I hope not since I went through 4 years of school. And you can't be picky for your first job, you just kind of have to take what you get. But, what if that job just sucks? Well, I guess I'll suck it up anyways.
I don't know about anybody else, but I think college is going by way to damn fast.
It's kind of scary thought actually...Me, being on my own, having to go to work 6 days a week. I guess I take back all the hate I had about going to class in college because honestly...college has been the best years of my life so far!
I don't want to leave my friends :/ I don't want to not be able to go out whatever day of the week it is. I think we all, well not all of us, try to get out of college as soon as we can. But honestly, if I could afford it, I would stay here as long as I can. I mean seriously....it's actually the richest time of our life because not very many uf us are paying huge bills until we get out of school.
This whole finding a job thing kind of scares me too. What if I don't find a job? Will I be stuck working fast food the rest of my life? haha I hope not since I went through 4 years of school. And you can't be picky for your first job, you just kind of have to take what you get. But, what if that job just sucks? Well, I guess I'll suck it up anyways.
I don't know about anybody else, but I think college is going by way to damn fast.
Monday, April 12, 2010
So today as I'm browsing through my facebook home page, I see the most interesting thing. Two people, I'm guessing they were significant others, but they were fighting over their facebook status's. I don't know why, but I thought this was the funniest thing ever.
It kind of scares me to think what our world is coming to. We can't even confront each other face to face anymore? I mean, maybe it is an easy way out, but using facebook to fight is kind of...let me think of the word....immature? It is nobody elses business what you and you significant other are fighting about, and when you post it all over facebook, of course people are going to be interested and nosy as to what is going on.
I guess I was. Seeing that made me go look at both of these peoples walls and read their status's of fighting back and forth with each other. Something that I shouldn't even be sticking my nose in. Well, I guess for the rest of us it's kind of entertaining.
So I guess my moral of the story is, thanks for the cheap entertainment :)
It kind of scares me to think what our world is coming to. We can't even confront each other face to face anymore? I mean, maybe it is an easy way out, but using facebook to fight is kind of...let me think of the word....immature? It is nobody elses business what you and you significant other are fighting about, and when you post it all over facebook, of course people are going to be interested and nosy as to what is going on.
I guess I was. Seeing that made me go look at both of these peoples walls and read their status's of fighting back and forth with each other. Something that I shouldn't even be sticking my nose in. Well, I guess for the rest of us it's kind of entertaining.
So I guess my moral of the story is, thanks for the cheap entertainment :)
Just a Thought
Why is that it is so hard to walk away from someone that hurt us so bad?
I have wondered this for the longest time. I have seen it over and over. I think it is different when you see it on the outside of the relationship rather then when your involved in it. We listen to our friends when they are angry about their significant other or when they are crying because they did something, and we wonder, "Why the hell are you still in this relationship if it hurts so bad?"
Honestly, I think one of the reasons behind it is a lot of people would rather feel hurt than feel nothing at all. They are scared to be out on their own with no feelings towards a significant other. Another reason, which I'm sure all of us have heard, love is blind.
It seems overused but think about it. I'm sure many of us have been in relationships that we get out of and think, "What the hell was I thinking?" It's because when you get caught up in a relationship, you fail to realize that it may not be the best thing for you. Just because you're in love with somebody doesn't mean it's necessarily the right thing for you. Love is blind.
I have just seen so many of my friends getting hurt lately, and honestly, it's not the end of the world. We are all young and we should be enjoying these four years of college. You got your whole life to be married, why do it during the craziest four years of your life? As the great Tom Petty said, "You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does..."
I have wondered this for the longest time. I have seen it over and over. I think it is different when you see it on the outside of the relationship rather then when your involved in it. We listen to our friends when they are angry about their significant other or when they are crying because they did something, and we wonder, "Why the hell are you still in this relationship if it hurts so bad?"
Honestly, I think one of the reasons behind it is a lot of people would rather feel hurt than feel nothing at all. They are scared to be out on their own with no feelings towards a significant other. Another reason, which I'm sure all of us have heard, love is blind.
It seems overused but think about it. I'm sure many of us have been in relationships that we get out of and think, "What the hell was I thinking?" It's because when you get caught up in a relationship, you fail to realize that it may not be the best thing for you. Just because you're in love with somebody doesn't mean it's necessarily the right thing for you. Love is blind.
I have just seen so many of my friends getting hurt lately, and honestly, it's not the end of the world. We are all young and we should be enjoying these four years of college. You got your whole life to be married, why do it during the craziest four years of your life? As the great Tom Petty said, "You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does..."
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
I hate Duke
If there is one thing that I despise more than anything in this world, it is Duke basketball.
Maybe that's because I grew up as a North Carolina fan. Actually, it isn't Duke that I despise entirely, it's the Duke fans. If I had one more cocky Duke fan rub it into my face last night that they won the national championship, I may have hit rock bottom.
The thing is, I was highly disappointed in the national championship game. I mean more power to Butler, and it's a great story for them, and if they would have won, it would have been a better story. But come on, I wish Duke would have played a better team, and then we would have seen who won. I'm not dissing on Butler, but Duke only beat them by two points. I feel that if they were as good as their fans say they are, they should have killed Butler.
So to all of you Duke fans, congrats, but seriously, you beat a school hardly anyone has ever heard of by two points. I just needed to get this off my chest :)
Sincerely,
A North Carolina Fan by heart
Maybe that's because I grew up as a North Carolina fan. Actually, it isn't Duke that I despise entirely, it's the Duke fans. If I had one more cocky Duke fan rub it into my face last night that they won the national championship, I may have hit rock bottom.
The thing is, I was highly disappointed in the national championship game. I mean more power to Butler, and it's a great story for them, and if they would have won, it would have been a better story. But come on, I wish Duke would have played a better team, and then we would have seen who won. I'm not dissing on Butler, but Duke only beat them by two points. I feel that if they were as good as their fans say they are, they should have killed Butler.
So to all of you Duke fans, congrats, but seriously, you beat a school hardly anyone has ever heard of by two points. I just needed to get this off my chest :)
Sincerely,
A North Carolina Fan by heart
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Final Draft Column # 2
Try until you get it
By Abby Richter
I’m sure a lot of us can remember what we wanted to be when we were little. I wanted to be a professional WNBA basketball player, and now I’m going to school to be a journalist. It’s something I never had a dream of being until college. Then there are the select few people who actually do what they have wanted to do since they were little, and my sister, Jenna Richter, is one of them. Her motto has always been, “If you have a dream, you have to try until you get it.”
Since I can remember my sister has always danced. It wasn’t until the fifth grade she knew what she wanted to do with her life, but how many of us know what we want to do for the rest of our life in fifth grade? “I knew I wanted to be a professional dancer when I was in 5th grade at the Dance Olympus Convention in Kansas City,” she said. “I was the only dancer from the studio that went to all the classes, and I learned so much from all those teachers and realized I wanted to continue to learn and see how good I could be. I remember coming home and writing in my journal about how much I wanted to dance and how much I loved it.”
The crazy thing about her dream of becoming a professional dancer was that a lot of people told her it wasn’t a realistic dream, and she still didn’t listen to them. “A lot of people laughed when I said I wanted to dance for a living, and a lot of people didn't understand,” she said. “They thought I would do it as a side job or something like that. No one really thought I could support myself dancing.” Our dad always thought it was unrealistic too, but my sister said he was just trying to look out for her best interests.
Jenna is lucky that she knew that she wanted to dance for a living at a young age because, with dance, you have to train your whole life. It takes years and years of rigorous training to perfect the craft. “You have to commit to it when you are very young in order to have time to gain skill and technical proficiency,” she said. “It takes awhile to develop and understand the artistry of it as well so you can become a good performer.”
Don’t get me wrong; it hasn’t been an easy journey for her. After college she moved to New York and it was a struggle for her to get jobs just because the dance industry is a hit or miss. But she kept on pushing towards her goals. “I keep pushing myself because I've always achieved everything I have set out to do,” she said. “I keep trying, even if it takes more than one try. I've found that you can get anything you want if you keep trying. You have to be pushy with yourself and with the jobs you want. Try until you get it. It's always worked for me.”
It did work for her. Jenna now works on a cruise ship dancing and performing in shows, and I envy her because she travels the world and dances for her job. That’s what I call a dream job. I bet she thinks of all the people who told her she couldn’t do it and has to chuckle to herself, because she’s finally made it, even if it took 22 years to get there. From her I have learned if you have a dream, “Try until you get it.”
Source- Jenna Richter
402-366-6995
By Abby Richter
I’m sure a lot of us can remember what we wanted to be when we were little. I wanted to be a professional WNBA basketball player, and now I’m going to school to be a journalist. It’s something I never had a dream of being until college. Then there are the select few people who actually do what they have wanted to do since they were little, and my sister, Jenna Richter, is one of them. Her motto has always been, “If you have a dream, you have to try until you get it.”
Since I can remember my sister has always danced. It wasn’t until the fifth grade she knew what she wanted to do with her life, but how many of us know what we want to do for the rest of our life in fifth grade? “I knew I wanted to be a professional dancer when I was in 5th grade at the Dance Olympus Convention in Kansas City,” she said. “I was the only dancer from the studio that went to all the classes, and I learned so much from all those teachers and realized I wanted to continue to learn and see how good I could be. I remember coming home and writing in my journal about how much I wanted to dance and how much I loved it.”
The crazy thing about her dream of becoming a professional dancer was that a lot of people told her it wasn’t a realistic dream, and she still didn’t listen to them. “A lot of people laughed when I said I wanted to dance for a living, and a lot of people didn't understand,” she said. “They thought I would do it as a side job or something like that. No one really thought I could support myself dancing.” Our dad always thought it was unrealistic too, but my sister said he was just trying to look out for her best interests.
Jenna is lucky that she knew that she wanted to dance for a living at a young age because, with dance, you have to train your whole life. It takes years and years of rigorous training to perfect the craft. “You have to commit to it when you are very young in order to have time to gain skill and technical proficiency,” she said. “It takes awhile to develop and understand the artistry of it as well so you can become a good performer.”
Don’t get me wrong; it hasn’t been an easy journey for her. After college she moved to New York and it was a struggle for her to get jobs just because the dance industry is a hit or miss. But she kept on pushing towards her goals. “I keep pushing myself because I've always achieved everything I have set out to do,” she said. “I keep trying, even if it takes more than one try. I've found that you can get anything you want if you keep trying. You have to be pushy with yourself and with the jobs you want. Try until you get it. It's always worked for me.”
It did work for her. Jenna now works on a cruise ship dancing and performing in shows, and I envy her because she travels the world and dances for her job. That’s what I call a dream job. I bet she thinks of all the people who told her she couldn’t do it and has to chuckle to herself, because she’s finally made it, even if it took 22 years to get there. From her I have learned if you have a dream, “Try until you get it.”
Source- Jenna Richter
402-366-6995
Friday, April 2, 2010
Our Dreams
Remember when we were little and somebody would ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up? I know I wanted to be a WNBA basketball player...and basketball may have been the sport at which I was worst at. We all wanted to be something out of this world--well I shouldn't say all of us. There are those select few children who want to be doctors or scientists...but I consider those children to be genius'.
For the longest time I will never forget my sister's dream. She wanted to be a professional dancer...and when I say professional dancer I mean a broadway peformer...just so we can clear that up :) She started dancing when she was three years old...and ever since the first time she put on a pair of tap shoes, she knew what she wanted to be.
I'm sure my parents thought it was cute, but when she was a senior in high school they would ask her what she was going to college for, and she said dancing. My dad wasn't having it and told her she needed to be realistic.
I don't know if my parents ever saw the look in my sisters eyes when she danced, but the first time I saw this look of passion in her eyes, I knew she would do it, and she did. She went to a fine arts school and got her degree in dancing. After that she was a stuggling performer trying to make it in New York. After try out after try out, she finally got a call back. It was for performing and dancing at Busch Gardens in VIrginia. She ended up taking the job and did it for three years. After that she wanted to try something new, so she tryed out to dance in shows on a crusie ship...a month later--she got the job...
I guess the moral of my whole story is don't laugh at a child when they tell you want they want to be when they grow up. My sister has known since she was three years old what she wanted to do and now she is out at sea somewhere dancing on a cruise ship--now that's what I call the life! I think my sister was lucky in knowing what she wanted to do...I'm almost a senior in college and still have no idea what I want to do with my life after school...but I will know when I find something that will make me happy :)
For the longest time I will never forget my sister's dream. She wanted to be a professional dancer...and when I say professional dancer I mean a broadway peformer...just so we can clear that up :) She started dancing when she was three years old...and ever since the first time she put on a pair of tap shoes, she knew what she wanted to be.
I'm sure my parents thought it was cute, but when she was a senior in high school they would ask her what she was going to college for, and she said dancing. My dad wasn't having it and told her she needed to be realistic.
I don't know if my parents ever saw the look in my sisters eyes when she danced, but the first time I saw this look of passion in her eyes, I knew she would do it, and she did. She went to a fine arts school and got her degree in dancing. After that she was a stuggling performer trying to make it in New York. After try out after try out, she finally got a call back. It was for performing and dancing at Busch Gardens in VIrginia. She ended up taking the job and did it for three years. After that she wanted to try something new, so she tryed out to dance in shows on a crusie ship...a month later--she got the job...
I guess the moral of my whole story is don't laugh at a child when they tell you want they want to be when they grow up. My sister has known since she was three years old what she wanted to do and now she is out at sea somewhere dancing on a cruise ship--now that's what I call the life! I think my sister was lucky in knowing what she wanted to do...I'm almost a senior in college and still have no idea what I want to do with my life after school...but I will know when I find something that will make me happy :)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
How to deal with an Ex-Boyfriend
So here is some advice for the ladies--on how to deal with an ex boyfriend. Why be all sad and depressed when you can deal with it in a fun way. Here is some advice...
1. Be one of the guys--You know how your boyfriends are always like, "Why don't you like my friends...blah blah blah,"? Well I know you probably would rather have your own boyfriend back, but why not start from scratch? Go somewhere where him and all his friends hang out and ask his buddies to play pool or darts...that'll drive him nuts.
2. Ignore him and go on with your life--You know how you tell a little boy to go to his room when he has been naughty and you ignore him when he is pouting...well the same goes for dealing with an ex boyfriend. Ignore him and do things you did before you ever started dating him...going out and having fun will make him feel as though he doesn't exist
3. Feel good and look good--besides making him wonder what the hell he was thinking when breaking up with you, you'll attract other people to you too :)
4. He is your ex for a reason-- you know the saying "if it's meant to be then it will be?" Well as much as I hate to admit it, it is somewhat true...you broke up for a reason and whether it's a big deal or not, if your meant to be in the future, you will meet up again.
5. Don't call or text him--THE BIG NO NO! Why would you want him to know you care? Don't give him the satisfaction. Make him sweat...and eventually your urge to call or text will go away...
1. Be one of the guys--You know how your boyfriends are always like, "Why don't you like my friends...blah blah blah,"? Well I know you probably would rather have your own boyfriend back, but why not start from scratch? Go somewhere where him and all his friends hang out and ask his buddies to play pool or darts...that'll drive him nuts.
2. Ignore him and go on with your life--You know how you tell a little boy to go to his room when he has been naughty and you ignore him when he is pouting...well the same goes for dealing with an ex boyfriend. Ignore him and do things you did before you ever started dating him...going out and having fun will make him feel as though he doesn't exist
3. Feel good and look good--besides making him wonder what the hell he was thinking when breaking up with you, you'll attract other people to you too :)
4. He is your ex for a reason-- you know the saying "if it's meant to be then it will be?" Well as much as I hate to admit it, it is somewhat true...you broke up for a reason and whether it's a big deal or not, if your meant to be in the future, you will meet up again.
5. Don't call or text him--THE BIG NO NO! Why would you want him to know you care? Don't give him the satisfaction. Make him sweat...and eventually your urge to call or text will go away...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
I am a Runner
Some people think I'm crazy. They will ask, "How far did you just run?" My answer is usually, "Just five miles." JUST five. I never really thought about it, but that's kind of an oxymoron.
Some people, when they get down, do things to make themselves feel better and relieve stress. Some resort to alcohol or drugs. Well, running to me is like a drug. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced a runner's high, but it is the best feeling ever.
Running is a time where I can sort things out, and because of this, I don't even realize that I am running. It is also a hobby I can have for the rest of my life. I want to be that 80 year old lady who still runs marathons. It's not like volleyball, football or basketball where you can only do it for so many years competitively. I can run for the rest of my life.
It's also a feeling of self-accomplishment. The reason I became a runner was because I was tired of being benched for softball and basketball. So I went out for cross-country and track my sophomore year of high school. What I found was, they couldn't sit me on the bench in these sports even if I didn't do well. If I did do well, I knew it was all me, and nobody else could take any credit for it.
I love running so much I have continued to do it in college. I only have one more year left, which makes me a little sad....but I know that after I graduate, it will be something I can continue for a lifetime. I am a runner.
Some people, when they get down, do things to make themselves feel better and relieve stress. Some resort to alcohol or drugs. Well, running to me is like a drug. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced a runner's high, but it is the best feeling ever.
Running is a time where I can sort things out, and because of this, I don't even realize that I am running. It is also a hobby I can have for the rest of my life. I want to be that 80 year old lady who still runs marathons. It's not like volleyball, football or basketball where you can only do it for so many years competitively. I can run for the rest of my life.
It's also a feeling of self-accomplishment. The reason I became a runner was because I was tired of being benched for softball and basketball. So I went out for cross-country and track my sophomore year of high school. What I found was, they couldn't sit me on the bench in these sports even if I didn't do well. If I did do well, I knew it was all me, and nobody else could take any credit for it.
I love running so much I have continued to do it in college. I only have one more year left, which makes me a little sad....but I know that after I graduate, it will be something I can continue for a lifetime. I am a runner.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Network Review
I thought the movie "Network" really portrayed how real life is in the making of television programs and shows....well except that they kill Howard at the end....that was a little over the top...haha....
"Network" showed how competitive it is in the television industry with everybody trying to take everyone else's shows to make them their own and how ratings are a huge part of the business.
However, I do believe this movie had a lot of myths about the media in it, or at least exaggerated. I'm in a Mass Media Theory, and we are learning about the effects media has on people. I'm a believer in the limited effects theory, which means media has little or no effect on people. The scene where everybody was shouting out of there windows was a little exaggerated, but it made the movie better.
Just the last thing I said says a lot about media in general. This movie shows how the media will do anything to get ratings, even if they have to lie or put unethical things on the air. Howard was an insane person who obviously needed help, but UBC (can't remember if that was correct) didn't care about his health because he was going to up their ratings.
Overall, I thought the movie did a good job of showing how a television station operates, but I just think it was a little over the top, but yet that is what makes the movie good
"Network" showed how competitive it is in the television industry with everybody trying to take everyone else's shows to make them their own and how ratings are a huge part of the business.
However, I do believe this movie had a lot of myths about the media in it, or at least exaggerated. I'm in a Mass Media Theory, and we are learning about the effects media has on people. I'm a believer in the limited effects theory, which means media has little or no effect on people. The scene where everybody was shouting out of there windows was a little exaggerated, but it made the movie better.
Just the last thing I said says a lot about media in general. This movie shows how the media will do anything to get ratings, even if they have to lie or put unethical things on the air. Howard was an insane person who obviously needed help, but UBC (can't remember if that was correct) didn't care about his health because he was going to up their ratings.
Overall, I thought the movie did a good job of showing how a television station operates, but I just think it was a little over the top, but yet that is what makes the movie good
Monday, March 22, 2010
Spring Fever
Maybe it's just me....but doesn't it seem so much harder to get up and go to class and get motivated to do anything when the weather starts getting nice?
Well it sure is for me....once 50 degrees hits, I'm ready to lay out on my roof in my swimming suit and get my tan on. The funny thing about that is 50 degrees is really not that warm....
So when it 70 degrees today, I was ready to go to the fricken lake and get my swim on...I really think they (UNK) needs to give us another break between spring break and the end of the year because breaks make the year go by faster because you're always looking forward to the next one....
We should get an Easter break...especially since we get fall break...I mean, Easter is more important than the season of fall isn't it? When I went to class today more than half of the people in it were gone....I blame it on this weather....Don't get me wrong...I absolutely love this weather, but I do think it has something to do with class attendance....
Maybe they should have us start at the beginning of August and shave a few days of Christmas break so we could be done with school by April....that would be legit...The summer always gets long anyways and by the time August hits, I'm ready to go back...
And, Christmas break is a little long too....I always get snowed in and spend way to much time with my family....I love them to death, but not when I'm snowed in for a week with them!
Well those were just some suggestions to maybe cure this so called spring fever...
Well it sure is for me....once 50 degrees hits, I'm ready to lay out on my roof in my swimming suit and get my tan on. The funny thing about that is 50 degrees is really not that warm....
So when it 70 degrees today, I was ready to go to the fricken lake and get my swim on...I really think they (UNK) needs to give us another break between spring break and the end of the year because breaks make the year go by faster because you're always looking forward to the next one....
We should get an Easter break...especially since we get fall break...I mean, Easter is more important than the season of fall isn't it? When I went to class today more than half of the people in it were gone....I blame it on this weather....Don't get me wrong...I absolutely love this weather, but I do think it has something to do with class attendance....
Maybe they should have us start at the beginning of August and shave a few days of Christmas break so we could be done with school by April....that would be legit...The summer always gets long anyways and by the time August hits, I'm ready to go back...
And, Christmas break is a little long too....I always get snowed in and spend way to much time with my family....I love them to death, but not when I'm snowed in for a week with them!
Well those were just some suggestions to maybe cure this so called spring fever...
Friday, March 12, 2010
Final Draft Column #1
The Evolution of Dating
By Abby Richter
The world is constantly changing around us. Technology is changing, fashion is becoming more creative, and dating etiquette is definitely going down a different road, and I’m thinking that road is a muddy, minimum maintenance road that nobody wants to go down. In other words, dating etiquette is at its worst compared to what it used to be.
I’m going to start with the 1940’s. My grandmother, Shirley Richter, had plenty to tell me about dating etiquette in this era. “My dates always came to the door to get me and meet my parents,” she said. “We would go out to a movie, or a dance, and sometimes we would just go out to get a snack, such as ice cream, and the guy would always pay.” The dances they went to were nothing like I would imagine. They were ballroom dances—with polka music. Then she told me something I have never imagined would happen. “When we would walk down the sidewalk, the guy would always walk on the side closest to the street, because if a car drove by in a puddle, the girl wouldn’t get muddy or wet,” she said. Also, in the 1940’s, not everybody had telephones, and my grandmother was one who didn’t. “If a guy wanted to ask me out he had to ask me in person, which meant he had to come to my house,” she said. Their style was also a lot more proper in the 40’s. A skirt and blouse was the most casual a girl would get when going out on a date.
Moving on to the 1970’s, the era of disco and my father, Terry Richter. As for dating etiquette in this era, there were some changes from the 1940’s but not a whole lot. My father said that he would always pick up his dates, meet their parents and open the car door for them. But, things definitely got a little more casual in the 70’s. “When we go out to eat, we would usually just hit up a pizza joint,” he said. “We would also do things such as go to a drive in movie, or go to a concert.” I would say a concert is a lot more causal than a ballroom dance. My father’s main source of communication when setting up a date was the telephone, rather than asking in person. The style was a lot more casual too. “Most girls would wear jeans and a nice shirt or sweater on a date,” he said.
Now, let me explain my last date in the year of 2010. I received a text message, “Hey, you want to go to a party with me tonight?” No phone call or anything. I responded, “Sure.” I drive there myself, hang out with him and then drive myself home. The last time I was asked to go to a dinner and a movie was, well, I can’t even remember. When I’m out with my friends eating, I will see couples on dates, and they are both just wearing t-shirts and jeans. I guess what this muddy, minimum maintenance road of so-called “dating” in our generation is becoming a world of texting and partying. I mean, I’ve gotten used to it, but after talking to my grandmother, I’ve came to the conclusion that dating etiquette is at its worst and is becoming way to casual. I would love to talk to a girl who could tell me that the last time she went on a date, the guy opened the car door for her. I would find that guy, shake his hand, and congratulate him on being gentleman of the year.
Contacts
Shirley Richter-402-735-7549
Terry Richter-402-735-7462
By Abby Richter
The world is constantly changing around us. Technology is changing, fashion is becoming more creative, and dating etiquette is definitely going down a different road, and I’m thinking that road is a muddy, minimum maintenance road that nobody wants to go down. In other words, dating etiquette is at its worst compared to what it used to be.
I’m going to start with the 1940’s. My grandmother, Shirley Richter, had plenty to tell me about dating etiquette in this era. “My dates always came to the door to get me and meet my parents,” she said. “We would go out to a movie, or a dance, and sometimes we would just go out to get a snack, such as ice cream, and the guy would always pay.” The dances they went to were nothing like I would imagine. They were ballroom dances—with polka music. Then she told me something I have never imagined would happen. “When we would walk down the sidewalk, the guy would always walk on the side closest to the street, because if a car drove by in a puddle, the girl wouldn’t get muddy or wet,” she said. Also, in the 1940’s, not everybody had telephones, and my grandmother was one who didn’t. “If a guy wanted to ask me out he had to ask me in person, which meant he had to come to my house,” she said. Their style was also a lot more proper in the 40’s. A skirt and blouse was the most casual a girl would get when going out on a date.
Moving on to the 1970’s, the era of disco and my father, Terry Richter. As for dating etiquette in this era, there were some changes from the 1940’s but not a whole lot. My father said that he would always pick up his dates, meet their parents and open the car door for them. But, things definitely got a little more casual in the 70’s. “When we go out to eat, we would usually just hit up a pizza joint,” he said. “We would also do things such as go to a drive in movie, or go to a concert.” I would say a concert is a lot more causal than a ballroom dance. My father’s main source of communication when setting up a date was the telephone, rather than asking in person. The style was a lot more casual too. “Most girls would wear jeans and a nice shirt or sweater on a date,” he said.
Now, let me explain my last date in the year of 2010. I received a text message, “Hey, you want to go to a party with me tonight?” No phone call or anything. I responded, “Sure.” I drive there myself, hang out with him and then drive myself home. The last time I was asked to go to a dinner and a movie was, well, I can’t even remember. When I’m out with my friends eating, I will see couples on dates, and they are both just wearing t-shirts and jeans. I guess what this muddy, minimum maintenance road of so-called “dating” in our generation is becoming a world of texting and partying. I mean, I’ve gotten used to it, but after talking to my grandmother, I’ve came to the conclusion that dating etiquette is at its worst and is becoming way to casual. I would love to talk to a girl who could tell me that the last time she went on a date, the guy opened the car door for her. I would find that guy, shake his hand, and congratulate him on being gentleman of the year.
Contacts
Shirley Richter-402-735-7549
Terry Richter-402-735-7462
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Dating Etiquette
So I got to talking to my grandmother recently on the topic of how dating etiquette has evolved over the past generations, and let me tell you, it has definitetly changed from what she tells me!
She said that guys always came to the door to get her on a date and would always meet her parents. The, when leaving her house, he date would open the car door for her. The kind of dates they would go on would be movies, dances, and maybe getting a bite to eat. The dances were not like we know either. They were ballroom dances---with polka music...I don't know if I could even dance to that...haha. Get this, when my grandma would be walking down the sidewalk with a guy, the guy would always be on the side closest to the street in case a car would drive by in a puddle and splash water. Heck, guys now days would probably push their girlfriend in a puddle because they would think it was funny. Also, my grandma didn't have a telephone! I know right?! How many of us would be lost without our phones! I know i would be!
Then I talked to my dad, he said things didn't change a whole lot except for the kinds of dates he went on...my dad grew up in the 70's, so as I was talking to him, I had disco songs running through my head...hahaha...jk....but he said when he went on a date they would usually go out to a pizza joint or hit up a drive in movie, and sometimes go to concerts--which is not exactly a ballroom dance ;)
Now lets talk about our current year of 2010. Dates usually consist of going to a party together. Usually you just meet there, and then drive yourself home. The next day, one might send a text, but if not, no big deal....lets just say teh world of dating has become a heck of lot more casual...I'm guess I'm getting used to it though...
She said that guys always came to the door to get her on a date and would always meet her parents. The, when leaving her house, he date would open the car door for her. The kind of dates they would go on would be movies, dances, and maybe getting a bite to eat. The dances were not like we know either. They were ballroom dances---with polka music...I don't know if I could even dance to that...haha. Get this, when my grandma would be walking down the sidewalk with a guy, the guy would always be on the side closest to the street in case a car would drive by in a puddle and splash water. Heck, guys now days would probably push their girlfriend in a puddle because they would think it was funny. Also, my grandma didn't have a telephone! I know right?! How many of us would be lost without our phones! I know i would be!
Then I talked to my dad, he said things didn't change a whole lot except for the kinds of dates he went on...my dad grew up in the 70's, so as I was talking to him, I had disco songs running through my head...hahaha...jk....but he said when he went on a date they would usually go out to a pizza joint or hit up a drive in movie, and sometimes go to concerts--which is not exactly a ballroom dance ;)
Now lets talk about our current year of 2010. Dates usually consist of going to a party together. Usually you just meet there, and then drive yourself home. The next day, one might send a text, but if not, no big deal....lets just say teh world of dating has become a heck of lot more casual...I'm guess I'm getting used to it though...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
American Idol
I watch American Idol every Tuesday and Wednesday, and so far this season, I'm not very impressed. It seems like the girls that are good, they are always like, "You didn't have that "WOW" feeling to your song."
Then someone comes on that I think is just terrible, and they are like, "You have a very unique voice and we just love you!" I don't think they realize that the main viewing audience is a lot of teens, and when they ooooing and awwwing these so called "unique" individuals," that have weird voices, they are going to lose their audience.
Another thing that bothers me is the songs that the singers pick. PICK SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE KNOW. I know I don't like to sit there and listen to some weird song I've never heard, but maybe that's just me. I want to know the song so I know how it originally sounds and if the person singing it has made their own of it or just butchered it by trying to be a singer that their not. That was just my little vent about American Idol...I just got done watching it not to long ago and felt the need to get this off my chest.
Then someone comes on that I think is just terrible, and they are like, "You have a very unique voice and we just love you!" I don't think they realize that the main viewing audience is a lot of teens, and when they ooooing and awwwing these so called "unique" individuals," that have weird voices, they are going to lose their audience.
Another thing that bothers me is the songs that the singers pick. PICK SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE KNOW. I know I don't like to sit there and listen to some weird song I've never heard, but maybe that's just me. I want to know the song so I know how it originally sounds and if the person singing it has made their own of it or just butchered it by trying to be a singer that their not. That was just my little vent about American Idol...I just got done watching it not to long ago and felt the need to get this off my chest.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Just when he thought he got away....
John, we will use this name for privacy reasons, is a very popular and funny individual. He's very involved in in school activities, and usually smart about the choices he makes...as you noticed, I said usually.
One night, John went out with some of his friends and quite a bit to drink. As the night went on John decided he wanted to go to another party. He left with some of friends to go to another house. As all the friends were in the car jamming out to music, John became distracted. The reason for this was probably the drunk individual in the back seat that was throwing skittles at him trying to get them into his mouth. This caused john to turn a corner to sharp and hit a curb. All the sudden he seen a car whip around. It was a cop. Crap! John pulled into the nearest driveway so that the cop would maybe assume that he lived there. Nope. John's friends told him to run. And that's what he did. He ran all over town that night trying to avoid the cops.
Weeks went by and John thought he got away without getting caught, while all his friends in the car took the bluff and got MIP's. Then one day John got a phone call saying there was a warrant out for his arrest. Busted.
John had to get a lawyer, which cost about $1000, and had to sit in jail that night. After going through months worth of court dates, John finally got his sentence--a MIP. So all in all it's probably a good thing he ran--saved his butt from a DUI! Moral of the story, sometimes stupid decisions end up being ok in the end :)
One night, John went out with some of his friends and quite a bit to drink. As the night went on John decided he wanted to go to another party. He left with some of friends to go to another house. As all the friends were in the car jamming out to music, John became distracted. The reason for this was probably the drunk individual in the back seat that was throwing skittles at him trying to get them into his mouth. This caused john to turn a corner to sharp and hit a curb. All the sudden he seen a car whip around. It was a cop. Crap! John pulled into the nearest driveway so that the cop would maybe assume that he lived there. Nope. John's friends told him to run. And that's what he did. He ran all over town that night trying to avoid the cops.
Weeks went by and John thought he got away without getting caught, while all his friends in the car took the bluff and got MIP's. Then one day John got a phone call saying there was a warrant out for his arrest. Busted.
John had to get a lawyer, which cost about $1000, and had to sit in jail that night. After going through months worth of court dates, John finally got his sentence--a MIP. So all in all it's probably a good thing he ran--saved his butt from a DUI! Moral of the story, sometimes stupid decisions end up being ok in the end :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Put youself in his shoes for a day...
So this is kind of off subject, but today I got to thinking about my stepbrother and a tragic occurence that happened to him in the summer of 2008...I thought about how it would feel if this had happened to me...but here is the story...
It was a hot summer afternoon and I was on the computer when all of the sudden the phone rang. My dad was working on remodeling our house, and I went to pick up the phone, but he had already answered it so I just hung it up. A minute later I seen him rush out to his truck and bust down the driveway...I just figured he had forgotten something down at the shop...
About an hour the phone rings, and I let it ring because I thought my dad was back, but it kept ringing so I answered it. It was my dad saying that my stepbrother had been in a horrible accident on the same road I had rolled my car in the previous summer. What was even weirder was it was on the same day almost in the same exact spot.
You know, it didn't really hit me that it was that bad because he was still alive so I just figured he would be ok. But my dad said it wasn't going to be.
Kody had been thrown from his car 80 feet. He couldn't feel his legs, and he drug himself to his rolled car to try to find his phone to call for help. After the ambulance got there, I drove out to wear his car was. It was really hard to see 80 feet of blood drug in the grass to his car...
He was life flighted from the hospital in York to Byan in Lincoln where he then spent the next two days having extensive surgery. We all sat in the waiting rooms hoping and praying he would be able to walk again. Then came the bad news...
Kody had horrible injuries to his spinal cord, and the doctors didn't know if he would ever walk again. Let me just tell you that this all happened when Kody was going to be a junior in high school, and the starting quaterback for the football team. He was an amazing athlete who was popular and had a lot of friends...
Now comes to the part where I try to put myself in his shoes for a day...
First off I am an avid runner, who loves sports, and If I couldn't use my legs, I would go nuts. I use them for everything, and I don't think people realize how hard it would be to not be able to move your legs.
I love riding motorcycles and dirtbikes and jamming out on my guitar, all of which requires my legs. All of my favorite things would require my legs.
It has been a year and a half since the accident, and we have all adapted to the change, and so has Kody, but it still kills me to see my step brother, the amazing athlete sitting in a wheelchair. All of this has taught me one thing--don't take anything in life for granite.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Lady Gaga's top outfits of the year...in my opinion
Here it goes....a tribute to Lady Gaga's most outrageous outfits....enjoy :)
1. Haha....five words...What the hell is that?
2. Praise be to God that you change that outfit....
3. Looks like a cracked out version of the Flinstones...
4. I hope this isn't what awaits us in the future in terms of clothing
1. Haha....five words...What the hell is that?
2. Praise be to God that you change that outfit....
3. Looks like a cracked out version of the Flinstones...4. I hope this isn't what awaits us in the future in terms of clothingI know it seems like I am always dissing on her...but seriously...this girl has a mind of her own or she has done a lot of drugs....Personally I think she does it for attention....and its working...the weirder she looks the more attention the media will give her.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Final Draft Editorial #3
New hospital could create jobs and push attention towards local concerns
Abby Richter
There has been a lot of talk going around Good Samaritan Hospital about a new hospital being built in Kearney. It’s not being built by the city, but rather a group of frustrated doctors are who are taking matters into their own hands. The doctors said they are irritated that Good Samaritan Hospital and its parent, Catholic Health Initiatives, have been slow to re-invest in patient care and therefore they are planning to build a new hospital with their own income.
A new hospital in Kearney should be built because it would bring more attention to local concerns and it would create more jobs. Good Samaritan Hospital is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles, which means that it is hard for them to really concentrate on the local community when they are busy with surrounding cities as well as the city of Kearney.
Good Samaritan believes a second hospital would pose a threat to their team of neurosurgeons, open-heart surgeons and more. Traumas happen at anytime during the day, and Good Samaritan feels as though a second hospital would pull this team of well-qualified surgeons away from immediate care for their trauma patients. But, wouldn’t a second hospital actually help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for and be able to have more of a focus on the needs of local patients?
Since Good Samaritan is busy with the surrounding cities of Kearney, a second hospital could really focus their attention on the local community and help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for. Peggy Stults, a local resident of Kearney thinks a new hospital would have a positive impact on the city. "It would help the people on the south side," Stults said. "If there were a big emergency they wouldn't have to take so long. So, I think it's a great idea."
Along with being able to focus on the local community, a second hospital could create new jobs. Even though Nebraska hasn’t been hit as hard as some other states by the recession, anything that would create new jobs would help our community. If a new hospital can stimulate our economy, then why not build one, especially if it isn’t going to raise our taxes? A new hospital would also drive competition that would lead to competitive pricing and lower costs for patients.
The doctors planning to build this new hospital also stated a physician-led hospital would be more efficient because they won't have to be told what to do by a large, outside corporation. "Processes and quality are best driven by the people directly impacting that care, the nursing staff, the physicians, and not imposed from another level, from the top down so to speak," said Dr. Sean Denney.
Maybe Good Samaritan shouldn’t be so concerned about how this new hospital would jeopardize them, and start looking at how it could be beneficial for them and the community.
Resources
Hervert, Kevin. "Some Kearney leaders not convinced 2nd hospital best for all." Kearney
Hub. 04 Nov 2009. Kearney Hub, Web. 24 Feb 2010..
"Reaction to Proposed Kearney Hospital." Nebraska.TV. 25 Jan 2010. NTV, Web. 24 Feb
2010..
Scheidies, Carolyn R. " Can Kearney Nebraska Sustain Another Hospital Beside Good
Samaritan Hospital?." Associated Content. 09 Nov 2009. Associated Content, Web. 24 Feb 2010..
"Second Hospital in Kearney, NE?." Acute Care, Inc.. 18 Oct 2009. Acute Care, Inc., Web. 24
Feb 2010.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Claims
Policy Claim- A new hospital in Kearney should be built because it would bring more attention to local concerns and it would create more jobs.
Factual Claims- Good Samaritan Hospital is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles.
- The doctors planning to build this new hospital also stated a physician-led hospital would be more efficient because they won't have to be told what to do by a large, outside corporation.
- Along with being able to focus on the local community, a second hospital could create new jobs.
Casual Claims- Since Good Samaritan is busy with the surrounding cities of Kearney, a second hospital could really focus their attention on the local community and help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for.
-A new hospital would also drive competition that would lead to competitive pricing and lower costs for patients.
Value Claims- Good Samaritan believes a second hospital would pose a threat to their team of neurosurgeons, open-heart surgeons and more.
- Traumas happen at anytime during the day, and Good Samaritan feels as though a second hospital would pull this team of well-qualified surgeons away from immediate care for their trauma patients.
Abby Richter
There has been a lot of talk going around Good Samaritan Hospital about a new hospital being built in Kearney. It’s not being built by the city, but rather a group of frustrated doctors are who are taking matters into their own hands. The doctors said they are irritated that Good Samaritan Hospital and its parent, Catholic Health Initiatives, have been slow to re-invest in patient care and therefore they are planning to build a new hospital with their own income.
A new hospital in Kearney should be built because it would bring more attention to local concerns and it would create more jobs. Good Samaritan Hospital is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles, which means that it is hard for them to really concentrate on the local community when they are busy with surrounding cities as well as the city of Kearney.
Good Samaritan believes a second hospital would pose a threat to their team of neurosurgeons, open-heart surgeons and more. Traumas happen at anytime during the day, and Good Samaritan feels as though a second hospital would pull this team of well-qualified surgeons away from immediate care for their trauma patients. But, wouldn’t a second hospital actually help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for and be able to have more of a focus on the needs of local patients?
Since Good Samaritan is busy with the surrounding cities of Kearney, a second hospital could really focus their attention on the local community and help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for. Peggy Stults, a local resident of Kearney thinks a new hospital would have a positive impact on the city. "It would help the people on the south side," Stults said. "If there were a big emergency they wouldn't have to take so long. So, I think it's a great idea."
Along with being able to focus on the local community, a second hospital could create new jobs. Even though Nebraska hasn’t been hit as hard as some other states by the recession, anything that would create new jobs would help our community. If a new hospital can stimulate our economy, then why not build one, especially if it isn’t going to raise our taxes? A new hospital would also drive competition that would lead to competitive pricing and lower costs for patients.
The doctors planning to build this new hospital also stated a physician-led hospital would be more efficient because they won't have to be told what to do by a large, outside corporation. "Processes and quality are best driven by the people directly impacting that care, the nursing staff, the physicians, and not imposed from another level, from the top down so to speak," said Dr. Sean Denney.
Maybe Good Samaritan shouldn’t be so concerned about how this new hospital would jeopardize them, and start looking at how it could be beneficial for them and the community.
Resources
Hervert, Kevin. "Some Kearney leaders not convinced 2nd hospital best for all." Kearney
Hub. 04 Nov 2009. Kearney Hub, Web. 24 Feb 2010.
"Reaction to Proposed Kearney Hospital." Nebraska.TV. 25 Jan 2010. NTV, Web. 24 Feb
2010.
Scheidies, Carolyn R. " Can Kearney Nebraska Sustain Another Hospital Beside Good
Samaritan Hospital?." Associated Content. 09 Nov 2009. Associated Content, Web. 24 Feb 2010.
"Second Hospital in Kearney, NE?." Acute Care, Inc.. 18 Oct 2009. Acute Care, Inc., Web. 24
Feb 2010.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Claims
Policy Claim- A new hospital in Kearney should be built because it would bring more attention to local concerns and it would create more jobs.
Factual Claims- Good Samaritan Hospital is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles.
- The doctors planning to build this new hospital also stated a physician-led hospital would be more efficient because they won't have to be told what to do by a large, outside corporation.
- Along with being able to focus on the local community, a second hospital could create new jobs.
Casual Claims- Since Good Samaritan is busy with the surrounding cities of Kearney, a second hospital could really focus their attention on the local community and help with cases Good Samaritan doesn’t have room for.
-A new hospital would also drive competition that would lead to competitive pricing and lower costs for patients.
Value Claims- Good Samaritan believes a second hospital would pose a threat to their team of neurosurgeons, open-heart surgeons and more.
- Traumas happen at anytime during the day, and Good Samaritan feels as though a second hospital would pull this team of well-qualified surgeons away from immediate care for their trauma patients.
Why would a new hopistal in Kearney be beneficial?
So Good Samaritan Hospital thinks a new hospital in Kearney would be a bad idea because it would jeopardize their excellent team of neurosurgeons as well as as their open-heart surgeons in their trauma center. But have they really looked at how it could actually help them and be beneficial to the community?
A new hospital in Kearney could create new jobs and help put more focus towards our local patients. Good Sam is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles, so it is hard for them to put a lot of focus on the city of Kearney when they are busy with all the surrounding cities as well.
A new hospital could really dig down deep and help out local patients with even just mild health problems. The best thing about all this is since the frustrated doctors who are taking this matter into their own hand are building the hospital with their own income, our taxes won't be raised.
Along with all that, a new hospital could create new jobs. Nebraska isn't being hit as hard as some states by the recession, but anything that would create new jobs would be beneficial to our community. Also by having two hospitals competing, it would drive competitive pricing and therefore lower the overall costs for patients.
Good Sam shouldn't be so concerned about how this new hospital is going to hurt them, but they should be looking at how it can help them and the community of Kearney.
A new hospital in Kearney could create new jobs and help put more focus towards our local patients. Good Sam is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles, so it is hard for them to put a lot of focus on the city of Kearney when they are busy with all the surrounding cities as well.
A new hospital could really dig down deep and help out local patients with even just mild health problems. The best thing about all this is since the frustrated doctors who are taking this matter into their own hand are building the hospital with their own income, our taxes won't be raised.
Along with all that, a new hospital could create new jobs. Nebraska isn't being hit as hard as some states by the recession, but anything that would create new jobs would be beneficial to our community. Also by having two hospitals competing, it would drive competitive pricing and therefore lower the overall costs for patients.
Good Sam shouldn't be so concerned about how this new hospital is going to hurt them, but they should be looking at how it can help them and the community of Kearney.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Jessica Simpsons Dad Freaks out
So you think Jessica Simpson would be old enough to take care of herself now?
Well...her father Joe Simpson has taken matters into his own hands as he called up he former boyfriend John Mayer to rip his butt for a comment he made about Jessica in an interview for Playboy magazine.
Mayer referred to Simpson as a "sexual napalm" in the interview. What in the world does that mean? I sure didn't know so I took it into my own liberty to look the word "napalm" up.
Napalm-is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in military operations. The term napalm is a combination of the names of its derivatives (coprecipitated aluminium salts of naphthenic and palmitic acids).[1] Colloquially, napalm is used as a generic reference to several flammable liquids used in warfare, often jellied gasoline.[2] "Napalm B" is the modern variant of napalm and, although chemically different, is often referred to simply as napalm.
Well, I guess he is referring to her as a sexual fireball? Haha, I don't know.
Basically John is screwed with ever dating Jessica again because her father didn't like him in the first place and he sure as heck don't like him anymore after making a reference about his daughter in bed.
The way I see it is that we all know Jessica is a big girl now and she can do what she wants so maybe her dad should stay out of her business. If I was her age and my dad pulled some crap like that I'd be furious and embarassed. I mean, being called a "sexual napalm" can't be that big of an insult?
If you want to read more, check it out! http://www.music-news.com/ShowNews.asp?H=Jessica-Simpsons-dad-blasts-John-Mayer&nItemID=32683
Well...her father Joe Simpson has taken matters into his own hands as he called up he former boyfriend John Mayer to rip his butt for a comment he made about Jessica in an interview for Playboy magazine.
Mayer referred to Simpson as a "sexual napalm" in the interview. What in the world does that mean? I sure didn't know so I took it into my own liberty to look the word "napalm" up.
Napalm-is a thickening/gelling agent generally mixed with gasoline or a similar fuel for use in military operations. The term napalm is a combination of the names of its derivatives (coprecipitated aluminium salts of naphthenic and palmitic acids).[1] Colloquially, napalm is used as a generic reference to several flammable liquids used in warfare, often jellied gasoline.[2] "Napalm B" is the modern variant of napalm and, although chemically different, is often referred to simply as napalm.
Well, I guess he is referring to her as a sexual fireball? Haha, I don't know.
Basically John is screwed with ever dating Jessica again because her father didn't like him in the first place and he sure as heck don't like him anymore after making a reference about his daughter in bed.
The way I see it is that we all know Jessica is a big girl now and she can do what she wants so maybe her dad should stay out of her business. If I was her age and my dad pulled some crap like that I'd be furious and embarassed. I mean, being called a "sexual napalm" can't be that big of an insult?
If you want to read more, check it out! http://www.music-news.com/ShowNews.asp?H=Jessica-Simpsons-dad-blasts-John-Mayer&nItemID=32683
Sunday, February 21, 2010
I wish I could do that
As I was making my daily surf on YouTube I came across this video. Absolutely amazing. This kid is like 6 or 7 years old and he can basically shred on the electric...
He had to have started when he was like 2....
I wish my parents would have started me that young on the guitar because if I could have played like that when I was that young I'd basically be a Jimi Hendrix by now! Well maybe not quite like Hendrix, but you get the point I'm trying to get across....
This video shows that learning something new is a lot easier when your six or seven then when your 20. I think the reason for this is that by the time we are 20 we get frustrated when things don't come for us easily, but when you're little, you have all the time in the world and there is no reason to get frustrated because if you don't like it then you just quit and move onto something else!
How how I miss being little....
He had to have started when he was like 2....
I wish my parents would have started me that young on the guitar because if I could have played like that when I was that young I'd basically be a Jimi Hendrix by now! Well maybe not quite like Hendrix, but you get the point I'm trying to get across....
This video shows that learning something new is a lot easier when your six or seven then when your 20. I think the reason for this is that by the time we are 20 we get frustrated when things don't come for us easily, but when you're little, you have all the time in the world and there is no reason to get frustrated because if you don't like it then you just quit and move onto something else!
How how I miss being little....
Saturday, February 20, 2010
New Hospital in Kearney raises issues
So im going to go off topic of my music theme and blog about a local issue here in Kearney...the talk about building another hospital because some physicians are fed up with Good Samaritan Hospital management
There are pros and cons to this situation, but the main concern is that with Good Samaritan. Good Samaritan is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles. The team includes neurosurgeons, open heart surgeons and more. The concern with this is that bringing a new hospital in could jeopardize this team of great surgeons. Patients are coming in at all hours in the trauma center at Good Samaritan and if this well qualified team of surgeons is preoccupied with other duties at another hospital the care for patients that need immediate attention might not be up to standard.
Another concern is that since this new hospital would be physician owned, their main concern would be making profit and therefore they would just cherry-pick the least complicated, most profitable procedures and serve only the patients most able to pay.
The doctors who want to build this new hospital say that's not the case. They said a new hospital could actually help with cases that Good Samaritan doesn't have any room for.
A new hospital could actually be a good thing for patients because it could drive more competitive pricing and lower costs. It could also create jobs and help out the economy. Even though Nebraska hasn't been hit incredibly hard by the recession, any kind of job opening would be helpful.
There are pros and cons to this situation, but the main concern is that with Good Samaritan. Good Samaritan is the only level two trauma center for 450 miles. The team includes neurosurgeons, open heart surgeons and more. The concern with this is that bringing a new hospital in could jeopardize this team of great surgeons. Patients are coming in at all hours in the trauma center at Good Samaritan and if this well qualified team of surgeons is preoccupied with other duties at another hospital the care for patients that need immediate attention might not be up to standard.
Another concern is that since this new hospital would be physician owned, their main concern would be making profit and therefore they would just cherry-pick the least complicated, most profitable procedures and serve only the patients most able to pay.
The doctors who want to build this new hospital say that's not the case. They said a new hospital could actually help with cases that Good Samaritan doesn't have any room for.
A new hospital could actually be a good thing for patients because it could drive more competitive pricing and lower costs. It could also create jobs and help out the economy. Even though Nebraska hasn't been hit incredibly hard by the recession, any kind of job opening would be helpful.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Is Lady Gaga a Hermaphrodite?
I know it seems that I diss on Lady Gaga a lot and I am not dissing on her at all in this matter, but the buzz going around is that Lady Gaga has man parts as well as woman parts...
Apparently her male genitalia made an appearance at the music festival in Glastonbury, England. I have researched numerous websites to find out if this rumor is true and have looked at many pictures. I can't find a definite yes or no though.... I did come across this quote that I found on two websites that supposedly came from her,
“Its not something that I’m ashamed of, just isn’t something that i go around telling everyone. Yes. I have both male and female genitalia, but i consider myself a female. Its just a little b
it of a penis and really doesn’t interfere much with my life. the reason I haven’t talked about it is that its not a big deal to me. like come on. its not like we all go around talking about our vags. I think this is a great opportunity to make other multiple gendered people feel more comfortable with their bodies. I’m sexy, I’m hot. i have both a poon and a peener. big f*cking deal.”I then cam across that Lady Gaga denied to Barbara Walters that she is a hermaphrodite on 20/20 but she doesn't mind the rumors....
I don't know what to think, but by looking at some of the pictures I seem convinced that Lady Gaga is a hermaphrodite. I guess you'll have to make the judgment yourself...We all know that this pop star likes to stir the pot so who knows whether it's true or not....she probably just sits back and laughs as we all try to figure it out...
Saturday, February 13, 2010
SuperBowl 2010--The Who just aren't who they used to be
I don't know what anybody else thought of the halftime show during the Superbowl, but I thought The Who kind of stunk it up.
Roger Daltrey, the lead singer, sounded like he was trying to sing after just getting done running a marathon. He sounded out of breath and I felt like he was yelling the lyrics. It wasn't singing...it was like shouting with style.
Pete Townsend, the lead guitarist and back up vocalist just needs to give the singing up. If he was trying out for American Idol, he probably would have gotten one of these comments from Simon Cowell, "You might possibly be the worst singer I have ever heard." He was out of tune and very flat. His guitar playing wasn't all that impressive either. He still has the arm spin in their, but he should probably make sure he is hitting the right chords when doing it....maybe his sight is bad because he is so old.
Honestly, the best player out of the whole band might have been their drummer who looked like he could have been their grandchild.
I guess I thought they could have picked someone a little more up-to-date for the halftime show. I mean, The Whoo have only came out with one new album in the past 25 years.....and they just aren't WHO they used to be anymore.
Roger Daltrey, the lead singer, sounded like he was trying to sing after just getting done running a marathon. He sounded out of breath and I felt like he was yelling the lyrics. It wasn't singing...it was like shouting with style.
Pete Townsend, the lead guitarist and back up vocalist just needs to give the singing up. If he was trying out for American Idol, he probably would have gotten one of these comments from Simon Cowell, "You might possibly be the worst singer I have ever heard." He was out of tune and very flat. His guitar playing wasn't all that impressive either. He still has the arm spin in their, but he should probably make sure he is hitting the right chords when doing it....maybe his sight is bad because he is so old.
Honestly, the best player out of the whole band might have been their drummer who looked like he could have been their grandchild.
I guess I thought they could have picked someone a little more up-to-date for the halftime show. I mean, The Whoo have only came out with one new album in the past 25 years.....and they just aren't WHO they used to be anymore.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Final Draft Editorial #2
The Extinction of Music and Art Education
Abby Richter
What stimulates children’s minds? What teaches them discipline? What is it that gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment? It’s a simple answer—music and art. Not only does music and art help with educational purposes, but it also helps children in their adulthood, career and emotional well being. Why is it then that the state of Nebraska is making their education cuts towards music and art? It’s because music and art are not a part of the governments standardized testing like reading, math and writing are. This resorts to schools in Nebraska being pressured to make their first budget cuts at music and art education.
The government of Nebraska should look at cutting other things in our state budget before we go taking art and music out of children’s lives. Republican Governor Dave Heineman said in his State of the State address that one of his biggest priorities is strengthening our education system. But, by taking away art and music, is our education system really going to be strengthened?
According to ‘Champions of Change, the Impact of the Arts on Learning,’ (the most comprehensive study done of students involvement in the fine arts and how it relates to academic success) students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade. From this research one can conclude that taking away art and music education in not strengthening our education system, but hurting it. As Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction at Wisconsin, said, "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
Are we actually going to save money by cutting art and music out of our education systems? Studies show that schools that cut these programs actually end up spending more money because without art and music there is a decrease in morale and attendance and an increase in vandalism and disruptions. Therefore, this ends up in hiring more staff for discipline reasons and paying for vandalism damages.
What the state of Nebraska needs to be doing is looking at what else we can do for budget cuts before resorting to cutting music and art our of our education system. Why don’t we have all employees take a two week unpaid vacation at their convenience to balance our budget? Or maybe we should cut 3% from everybody’s budget. That small amount could add up to a lot.
As the Nebraska Coalition for Music Education states, “Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability.”
Without art and music education our society is going to lose its creativeness. Pianist Van Cliburn States, “"Music helps improve discipline and concentration, and it develops a sense of spiritual consciousness." Now try to imagine a world without that.
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Resources
Eric , Hines. "Art and Music Department Budget Cuts, What it Means for Your Child and
What You Can Do as a Parent." Articlesbase. 22 Apr 2008. Articlesbase, Web. 10 Feb 2010..
Kyle, Michaelis . "Dave Heineman: No Ideas, No Vision, No Problems." New Nebraska
Network. 19 Jan 2010. New Nebraska Network, Web. 10 Feb 2010.
"Nebraska Coalition for Music Education." Nebraska Music Educators Association.
Nebraska Music Educators Association, Web. 10 Feb 2010..
Ryan, Hurley. "Cuts in Arts Programs Leave Sour Note in Schools." Wisconsin Education
Association Council. 2004. WEAC, Web. 10 Feb 2010..
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Claims
Policy Claim- The government of Nebraska should look at cutting other things in our state budget before we go taking art and music out of children’s lives.
Factual Claims- -Republican Governor Dave Heineman said in his State of the State
address that one of his biggest priorities is strengthening our education system.
-According to ‘Champions of Change, the Impact of the Arts on Learning,’ (the most comprehensive study done of students involvement in the fine arts and how it relates to academic success) students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade.
- As the Nebraska Coalition for Music Education states, “Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability.”
3. Value Claim- From this research one can conclude that taking away art and music education in not strengthening our education system, but hurting it.
4. Definitional Claim- "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
5. Casual Claims- -Therefore, this ends up in hiring more staff for discipline reasons and
paying for vandalism damages.
- Without art and music education our society is going to lose its creativeness.
Abby Richter
What stimulates children’s minds? What teaches them discipline? What is it that gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment? It’s a simple answer—music and art. Not only does music and art help with educational purposes, but it also helps children in their adulthood, career and emotional well being. Why is it then that the state of Nebraska is making their education cuts towards music and art? It’s because music and art are not a part of the governments standardized testing like reading, math and writing are. This resorts to schools in Nebraska being pressured to make their first budget cuts at music and art education.
The government of Nebraska should look at cutting other things in our state budget before we go taking art and music out of children’s lives. Republican Governor Dave Heineman said in his State of the State address that one of his biggest priorities is strengthening our education system. But, by taking away art and music, is our education system really going to be strengthened?
According to ‘Champions of Change, the Impact of the Arts on Learning,’ (the most comprehensive study done of students involvement in the fine arts and how it relates to academic success) students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade. From this research one can conclude that taking away art and music education in not strengthening our education system, but hurting it. As Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction at Wisconsin, said, "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
Are we actually going to save money by cutting art and music out of our education systems? Studies show that schools that cut these programs actually end up spending more money because without art and music there is a decrease in morale and attendance and an increase in vandalism and disruptions. Therefore, this ends up in hiring more staff for discipline reasons and paying for vandalism damages.
What the state of Nebraska needs to be doing is looking at what else we can do for budget cuts before resorting to cutting music and art our of our education system. Why don’t we have all employees take a two week unpaid vacation at their convenience to balance our budget? Or maybe we should cut 3% from everybody’s budget. That small amount could add up to a lot.
As the Nebraska Coalition for Music Education states, “Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability.”
Without art and music education our society is going to lose its creativeness. Pianist Van Cliburn States, “"Music helps improve discipline and concentration, and it develops a sense of spiritual consciousness." Now try to imagine a world without that.
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Resources
Eric , Hines. "Art and Music Department Budget Cuts, What it Means for Your Child and
What You Can Do as a Parent." Articlesbase. 22 Apr 2008. Articlesbase, Web. 10 Feb 2010.
Kyle, Michaelis . "Dave Heineman: No Ideas, No Vision, No Problems." New Nebraska
Network. 19 Jan 2010. New Nebraska Network, Web. 10 Feb 2010.
"Nebraska Coalition for Music Education." Nebraska Music Educators Association.
Nebraska Music Educators Association, Web. 10 Feb 2010.
Ryan, Hurley. "Cuts in Arts Programs Leave Sour Note in Schools." Wisconsin Education
Association Council. 2004. WEAC, Web. 10 Feb 2010.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Claims
Policy Claim- The government of Nebraska should look at cutting other things in our state budget before we go taking art and music out of children’s lives.
Factual Claims- -Republican Governor Dave Heineman said in his State of the State
address that one of his biggest priorities is strengthening our education system.
-According to ‘Champions of Change, the Impact of the Arts on Learning,’ (the most comprehensive study done of students involvement in the fine arts and how it relates to academic success) students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade.
- As the Nebraska Coalition for Music Education states, “Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability.”
3. Value Claim- From this research one can conclude that taking away art and music education in not strengthening our education system, but hurting it.
4. Definitional Claim- "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
5. Casual Claims- -Therefore, this ends up in hiring more staff for discipline reasons and
paying for vandalism damages.
- Without art and music education our society is going to lose its creativeness.
What can be cut from our state budget besides music and art education?!
Music and art are what stimulate a child's mind. It teaches them discipline as well as gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment. It also helps them in their career building in their adult life.
So why the heck are we taking art and music education out of our education system in the state of Nebraska. Well, we all know that we are facing some budget cutting issues, but their real reason for it is that music and art are not a part of government standardized testing. You would think they would be a part of that considering they contribute to five of the seven ways we communicate.
Republican Governor Dave Heineman say that strengthening our education system is on of his biggest priorities. But seriously....lets think about this....are we really strengthening our system by cutting music and art education out of our children's lives? I don't believe so. Lets take a look at some facts...
Students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade. I don't really see how that is helping the system. As Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction at Wisconsin, said, "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
And schools can forget about saving money by cutting art and music because studies have shown that taking away music and art actually increases vandalism and disruptive behavior which therefore leads to spending money on discipline teachers and vandalism damages.
We need to look at the alternatives...
Maybe we should have all employees take a two week unpaid vacation at their convenience to balance our budget. Or maybe we should cut 3% from everybody’s budget. That small amount could add up to a lot.
That's just a thought...but it sure makes more sense to me to take action on one of those options rather than taking the one thing away from children that lets their mind be creative.
So why the heck are we taking art and music education out of our education system in the state of Nebraska. Well, we all know that we are facing some budget cutting issues, but their real reason for it is that music and art are not a part of government standardized testing. You would think they would be a part of that considering they contribute to five of the seven ways we communicate.
Republican Governor Dave Heineman say that strengthening our education system is on of his biggest priorities. But seriously....lets think about this....are we really strengthening our system by cutting music and art education out of our children's lives? I don't believe so. Lets take a look at some facts...
Students who are not involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of high school by the 10th grade. I don't really see how that is helping the system. As Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction at Wisconsin, said, "There are seven ways to communicate information, and words and numbers are only two of them. The other five are movement, sounds, images, objects, and spaces, all of which are provided through the arts.”
And schools can forget about saving money by cutting art and music because studies have shown that taking away music and art actually increases vandalism and disruptive behavior which therefore leads to spending money on discipline teachers and vandalism damages.
We need to look at the alternatives...
Maybe we should have all employees take a two week unpaid vacation at their convenience to balance our budget. Or maybe we should cut 3% from everybody’s budget. That small amount could add up to a lot.
That's just a thought...but it sure makes more sense to me to take action on one of those options rather than taking the one thing away from children that lets their mind be creative.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol to possibly be replaced with Howard Stern
Most of us are familiar with the foul mouthed Howard Stern from his program on satellite radio...and the rumor is that he will be taking Simon Cowells spot on American Idol. Ha...this could be interesting....
If you think about it, Stern would probably be a good replacement for the Cowell considering he could probably be just as straight forward and rude as Cowell. He even think so himself by this comment, "If I do say so myself, I can't imagine anyone else but me replacing [Cowell]," Stern said. "I mean, how else are they going to make that show work? Who knows how to broadcast and who knows how to be interesting? And who's not afraid to speak their mind?"
Stern actually makes jokes about American Idol on his satellite radio program a lot, but he states, "A $100 million to judge a karaoke contest? Yeah, I think I would do that show for $100 million. It would be the best thing that happened to me. What a cush job: $100 million for four months. Who wouldn't take that?"
They have to match his already well off salary thought for him to even consider it. "They'd have to pay me a ton of dough, because I already make a ton of dough," he said. His contract right now with satellite radio is $500 million for five years, which is a reasonable amount of doe!
I don't what will be better though....I might miss Cowell and his comments such as, "You might possibly be the worst singer I've ever heard," up againsts Sterns that would consist of 'Hey Fantasia, you're not getting little boys hard. You look like you stepped out of a cartoon. ... They want a Britney Spears or a Rihanna. Little boys are scared that you are going to sit on them. You're out. ... You've got to go clean up your act. Get a haircut like Rihanna if you want little boys [to get excited about] you," (which was actually stated by Stern).
Could make for an interesting change if you ask me! Check out this article for more in depth information on this! http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631483/20100208/story.jhtml
If you think about it, Stern would probably be a good replacement for the Cowell considering he could probably be just as straight forward and rude as Cowell. He even think so himself by this comment, "If I do say so myself, I can't imagine anyone else but me replacing [Cowell]," Stern said. "I mean, how else are they going to make that show work? Who knows how to broadcast and who knows how to be interesting? And who's not afraid to speak their mind?"
Stern actually makes jokes about American Idol on his satellite radio program a lot, but he states, "A $100 million to judge a karaoke contest? Yeah, I think I would do that show for $100 million. It would be the best thing that happened to me. What a cush job: $100 million for four months. Who wouldn't take that?"
They have to match his already well off salary thought for him to even consider it. "They'd have to pay me a ton of dough, because I already make a ton of dough," he said. His contract right now with satellite radio is $500 million for five years, which is a reasonable amount of doe!
I don't what will be better though....I might miss Cowell and his comments such as, "You might possibly be the worst singer I've ever heard," up againsts Sterns that would consist of 'Hey Fantasia, you're not getting little boys hard. You look like you stepped out of a cartoon. ... They want a Britney Spears or a Rihanna. Little boys are scared that you are going to sit on them. You're out. ... You've got to go clean up your act. Get a haircut like Rihanna if you want little boys [to get excited about] you," (which was actually stated by Stern).
Could make for an interesting change if you ask me! Check out this article for more in depth information on this! http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631483/20100208/story.jhtml
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Why isn't this girl famous?!
I follow this girl on YouTube and I happened to come across this video of her and a friend doing an acoustic cover of "Just Dance," by Lady Gaga. I happen to believe that it is just amazing!
It takes a lot of talent to take a song like this and turn it into an acoustic version. I wish people like this would get recognized in the Music industry. I seems like to get anywhere in the music industry anymore, you either have to have money or a famous name.
Take Ashlee Simpson for instance. If it hadn't been for her sister, she would have never been famous for the fact the she was caught lip-syncing on SNL and was booed off the stage. It just amazes me how having a famous name or lots of money can get you in the music industry so much easier.
If I were a record producer or record company, I would be sitting at my computer all day listening to all the young talent out there on YouTube. I bet they would be amazed at what they would find. I'm sure some record companies have been doing this, but I believe it needs to happen more! Check out this video :) It's great....
It takes a lot of talent to take a song like this and turn it into an acoustic version. I wish people like this would get recognized in the Music industry. I seems like to get anywhere in the music industry anymore, you either have to have money or a famous name.
Take Ashlee Simpson for instance. If it hadn't been for her sister, she would have never been famous for the fact the she was caught lip-syncing on SNL and was booed off the stage. It just amazes me how having a famous name or lots of money can get you in the music industry so much easier.
If I were a record producer or record company, I would be sitting at my computer all day listening to all the young talent out there on YouTube. I bet they would be amazed at what they would find. I'm sure some record companies have been doing this, but I believe it needs to happen more! Check out this video :) It's great....
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Education Budget Cuts in Nebraska--Music and Arts
What makes our world so creative? Art and music. Not only do these subjects make our society a creative place, but they are also beneficial to students in school. According to a study done by the "Champions of Change," 82.6% of 8th graders earned mostly As and Bs who were involved heavily in fine arts versus 67.2% earning As and Bs who were not. Another finding was that 30.07% of the respondents who participate in fine arts perform in community service where only 6.28% of the respondents who do not participate in fine arts perform community service.
The fine arts don't just teach children how to play an instrument or draw a picture but they "help stimulate the creative part of the child's mind, teach discipline, instill a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth."
So why is Nebraska making the budget cuts in this area? It's because they aren't government tested like reading, math and writing. According to Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction, "studies show that schools that cut arts programs end up within the next three years spending more money on education, and their test scores in other areas actually go down."
This has been a problem in our state of Nebraska. The NCME (Nebraska Coalition for Music Education) has been trying to get a hold on this problem. There motto is "We believe that music programs should be part of the academic core of essential skills and available to all students, not just those who are gifted or privileged. And that music study promotes cultural awareness, enhances the quality of our lives, and is essential to the survival of any civilization. Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability."
If our state doesn't get a hand on this issue, music and art education will be eliminated from our school systems, and with music and art only available to the priviledged our society will become impoverished. If you want to check out the NCEM website feel free too! http://www.unl.edu/NMEA/ncme.html#imaginelife
The fine arts don't just teach children how to play an instrument or draw a picture but they "help stimulate the creative part of the child's mind, teach discipline, instill a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth."
So why is Nebraska making the budget cuts in this area? It's because they aren't government tested like reading, math and writing. According to Martin Rayala, art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction, "studies show that schools that cut arts programs end up within the next three years spending more money on education, and their test scores in other areas actually go down."
This has been a problem in our state of Nebraska. The NCME (Nebraska Coalition for Music Education) has been trying to get a hold on this problem. There motto is "We believe that music programs should be part of the academic core of essential skills and available to all students, not just those who are gifted or privileged. And that music study promotes cultural awareness, enhances the quality of our lives, and is essential to the survival of any civilization. Besides the obvious pleasure music adds to our lives, recent research shows participation in music study uniquely enhances abstract reasoning and problem solving skills. Music education aids development of reading and language skills as it promotes higher self-esteem and improves psychomotor skills and athletic ability."
If our state doesn't get a hand on this issue, music and art education will be eliminated from our school systems, and with music and art only available to the priviledged our society will become impoverished. If you want to check out the NCEM website feel free too! http://www.unl.edu/NMEA/ncme.html#imaginelife
Monday, February 1, 2010
Grammy's are becoming more of a show than awards ceremony
I don't know about anybody else, but I get pretty excited every year to watch the Grammy's--and i don't get excited to see the awards...I just want to see all the performances! But is this such a good thing? I mean, it is a night dedicated to awarding our creative and outstanding artists, so should the main focus be on the performances? I guess that is up to the person who is watching it.
Take this for example--Beyonce took home 6 Grammy's, which is more than any other woman has received in one given night. Her song "Single Ladies" won song of the year, but she had to have her collaborators go on stage to except it because she was busy getting ready for her performance. I don't know about her, but If I were to win dong of the year I sure as heck would want to be on stage to except it! Also, four of her other awards were given to her before the event was actually televised...so to many, Beyonce was just another face in the crowd that night, but in reality she made history.
Don't get me wrong, the performances this year were absolutley a hit as they do a wonderful job of pairing up our new artists with the verterans of music such as Lady Gaga and Elton John, but jeez...isn't Beyonce making history in the past 52 years a big deal? I guess I think so, but some may beg to differ.
Take this for example--Beyonce took home 6 Grammy's, which is more than any other woman has received in one given night. Her song "Single Ladies" won song of the year, but she had to have her collaborators go on stage to except it because she was busy getting ready for her performance. I don't know about her, but If I were to win dong of the year I sure as heck would want to be on stage to except it! Also, four of her other awards were given to her before the event was actually televised...so to many, Beyonce was just another face in the crowd that night, but in reality she made history.
Don't get me wrong, the performances this year were absolutley a hit as they do a wonderful job of pairing up our new artists with the verterans of music such as Lady Gaga and Elton John, but jeez...isn't Beyonce making history in the past 52 years a big deal? I guess I think so, but some may beg to differ.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Final Draft
The lowdown on downloading
Written by Abby Richter
Lets put ourselves in the shoes of a musician for a moment. You have just recorded a new album where you wrote, composed and produced the songs yourself. Your album becomes quite popular, so you’re very excited about the profits that are going to be pouring in. Some time goes by and you’re still not seeing very much profit off of the album even though it’s been a hit. So what’s the problem? It’s a simple answer--illegal downloading via Internet.
All ISPs (Internet Service Providers) should ban their customers from the use of P2P networks (Peer to Peer) or they should put a device into action that would monitor if a user was downloading illegally over these networks. Some ISPs, especially college ISPs, do deny access to P2P networks, but the majority don’t. If we did this, the problem of illegally downloading music could be put to a halt because there would be no illegal file sharing.
Illegally downloading music is stealing someone else’s property, which in this case would be hard-earned income of musicians. Where in our right minds do we think that this is okay? We wouldn’t want someone stealing our car or any of our property that we worked hard to acquire.
Bono, the U2 front man, wants better control of what’s going on in the online world. Bono thinks we should put online tracking devises into action that would check if a user was downloading a song illegally over P2P networks. “A decade’s worth of music file-sharing and swiping has made clear that the people it hurts are the creators,” Bono stated in a New York Times Column. U2 is a very well known band that is well off, but they are making very little money from their album sales. Most of their profits from the year of 2009 came from their ticket sales.
During the year of 2008, the IFPI released a report which revealed that more than 40 million songs were illegally downloaded in 2008. This amounts to 95% of all music downloads, which means the recording industry is only making 5% of the money they could be making. Yes, most of society probably thinks that musicians make enough money, so who cares if we download their music illegally. The truth is that only a fraction of our world’s musicians make it to be millionaires and superstars.
As for those who are not involved in that small fraction of millionaires, they are just trying to make a living in an everyday life. Making music is their job and illegally downloading it is just as bad as stealing their CD from a store. If we think of the jobs we have had and imagine someone ripping off our income, we probably wouldn’t want that job anymore.
If musicians get discouraged and can’t make any income off of the music they put so much time and effort into, they are not going to want to continue with that career. This will lead to musicians not inventing or not writing new music. Without new music, our society is going to lose its sense of creativity. And a world without creativity means a world without music, which would be a pretty dull world.
Sources
Adams, Sean. "95% of music downloads in 2008 were illegal - DiS reacts and suggests two
solutions." Drowned in Sound. 16 Jan 2009. Drowned in Sound, Web. 28 Jan 2010..
Cucombre, Kim. "CD Insight." Bono asks for stricter Internet downloading rules. 05 Jan
2010. CD Insight, Web. 28 Jan 2010..
"You Think! ." Illegally Downloading Music: Singing the Blues. 2010. You Think!, Web. 28
Jan 2010..
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
List of Claims
1. Policy Claim- All ISPs (Internet Service Providers) should ban their customers from the use of P2P networks (Peer to Peer) or they should put a device into action that would monitor if a user was downloading illegally over these networks.
2. Casual Claims- If we did this (banned P2P networks), the problem of illegally downloading music could be put to a halt because there would be no illegal file sharing.
-If musicians get discouraged and can’t make any income off of the music they put so much time and effort into, they are not going to want to continue with that career.
- Without new music, our society is going to lose its sense of creativity.
3. Value Claim- Illegally downloading music is stealing someone else’s property, which in this case would be hard-earned income of musicians.
4. Factual Claims- During the year of 2008, the IFPI released a report which revealed that more than 40 million songs were illegally downloaded in 2008.
Written by Abby Richter
Lets put ourselves in the shoes of a musician for a moment. You have just recorded a new album where you wrote, composed and produced the songs yourself. Your album becomes quite popular, so you’re very excited about the profits that are going to be pouring in. Some time goes by and you’re still not seeing very much profit off of the album even though it’s been a hit. So what’s the problem? It’s a simple answer--illegal downloading via Internet.
All ISPs (Internet Service Providers) should ban their customers from the use of P2P networks (Peer to Peer) or they should put a device into action that would monitor if a user was downloading illegally over these networks. Some ISPs, especially college ISPs, do deny access to P2P networks, but the majority don’t. If we did this, the problem of illegally downloading music could be put to a halt because there would be no illegal file sharing.
Illegally downloading music is stealing someone else’s property, which in this case would be hard-earned income of musicians. Where in our right minds do we think that this is okay? We wouldn’t want someone stealing our car or any of our property that we worked hard to acquire.
Bono, the U2 front man, wants better control of what’s going on in the online world. Bono thinks we should put online tracking devises into action that would check if a user was downloading a song illegally over P2P networks. “A decade’s worth of music file-sharing and swiping has made clear that the people it hurts are the creators,” Bono stated in a New York Times Column. U2 is a very well known band that is well off, but they are making very little money from their album sales. Most of their profits from the year of 2009 came from their ticket sales.
During the year of 2008, the IFPI released a report which revealed that more than 40 million songs were illegally downloaded in 2008. This amounts to 95% of all music downloads, which means the recording industry is only making 5% of the money they could be making. Yes, most of society probably thinks that musicians make enough money, so who cares if we download their music illegally. The truth is that only a fraction of our world’s musicians make it to be millionaires and superstars.
As for those who are not involved in that small fraction of millionaires, they are just trying to make a living in an everyday life. Making music is their job and illegally downloading it is just as bad as stealing their CD from a store. If we think of the jobs we have had and imagine someone ripping off our income, we probably wouldn’t want that job anymore.
If musicians get discouraged and can’t make any income off of the music they put so much time and effort into, they are not going to want to continue with that career. This will lead to musicians not inventing or not writing new music. Without new music, our society is going to lose its sense of creativity. And a world without creativity means a world without music, which would be a pretty dull world.
Sources
Adams, Sean. "95% of music downloads in 2008 were illegal - DiS reacts and suggests two
solutions." Drowned in Sound. 16 Jan 2009. Drowned in Sound, Web. 28 Jan 2010.
Cucombre, Kim. "CD Insight." Bono asks for stricter Internet downloading rules. 05 Jan
2010. CD Insight, Web. 28 Jan 2010.
"You Think! ." Illegally Downloading Music: Singing the Blues. 2010. You Think!, Web. 28
Jan 2010.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
List of Claims
1. Policy Claim- All ISPs (Internet Service Providers) should ban their customers from the use of P2P networks (Peer to Peer) or they should put a device into action that would monitor if a user was downloading illegally over these networks.
2. Casual Claims- If we did this (banned P2P networks), the problem of illegally downloading music could be put to a halt because there would be no illegal file sharing.
-If musicians get discouraged and can’t make any income off of the music they put so much time and effort into, they are not going to want to continue with that career.
- Without new music, our society is going to lose its sense of creativity.
3. Value Claim- Illegally downloading music is stealing someone else’s property, which in this case would be hard-earned income of musicians.
4. Factual Claims- During the year of 2008, the IFPI released a report which revealed that more than 40 million songs were illegally downloaded in 2008.
Illegal Downloading
So I'm sure we are all victims of it at some point in our lives--but illegally downloading music is not something to take lightly. Along with the serious trouble one can get into for it, it is ethically a problem.
If we put ourselves in the position of a musician who has recorded, produced and wrote all the music for an album, and we came to realize that we weren't making any profits off of it because our songs were being stolen from illegal downloading, we would probably be some ticked off musicians.
To put a halt to this, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) need to ban the use of P2P networks (peer to peer networks such as napster, limewire). This would stop people from file sharing illegally.
A lot of people probably think that musicians make millions and don't need our money so who gives a crap if we download a song or two from them illegally. But the truth is that only a fraction of musicians make it to be millionaires. Those who don't fall into that category are just normal everyday people trying to make a living. Can you imagine if your income was getting ripped off at you're job? A lot of us would quit the job and find something else if that was the case.
If our musicians get discouraged enough, they probably won't want to put all their time and effort into creating new music. Without new music our society will lose its sense of creativity and without creativity our world would be pretty boring.
If we put ourselves in the position of a musician who has recorded, produced and wrote all the music for an album, and we came to realize that we weren't making any profits off of it because our songs were being stolen from illegal downloading, we would probably be some ticked off musicians.
To put a halt to this, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) need to ban the use of P2P networks (peer to peer networks such as napster, limewire). This would stop people from file sharing illegally.
A lot of people probably think that musicians make millions and don't need our money so who gives a crap if we download a song or two from them illegally. But the truth is that only a fraction of musicians make it to be millionaires. Those who don't fall into that category are just normal everyday people trying to make a living. Can you imagine if your income was getting ripped off at you're job? A lot of us would quit the job and find something else if that was the case.
If our musicians get discouraged enough, they probably won't want to put all their time and effort into creating new music. Without new music our society will lose its sense of creativity and without creativity our world would be pretty boring.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Hope for Haiti
I'm not sure if any of you tuned into the "Hope for Haiti," program that major networks and dozens of other channels, including MTV, Bravo, and PBS aired last Friday, but it was a hit! The purpose of this event was to bring in stars to encourage donations for the funding for Haiti. Stars such as Brad Pitt, Beyonce, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen voluntarily helped with the event in hopes that their presence would bring in funding.
Well they did what they wanted as the even brought in $57 million. They are now releasing the "Hope for Haiti" C.D. which costs $7.99 on iTunes. This C.D. includes performances of the event as well as the new single released by Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono and the edge called "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)." It is now the #1 single on iTunes.
All proceeds from the C.D. and single that was released go towards the Haiti benefit. To read the full story check it out at http://www.billboard.com/news#/news/hope-for-haiti-raised-57-million-1004061567.story.
I have also posted the YouTube video of the live performance of "Standed" from the Hope for Haiti Benefit.
Well they did what they wanted as the even brought in $57 million. They are now releasing the "Hope for Haiti" C.D. which costs $7.99 on iTunes. This C.D. includes performances of the event as well as the new single released by Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono and the edge called "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)." It is now the #1 single on iTunes.
All proceeds from the C.D. and single that was released go towards the Haiti benefit. To read the full story check it out at http://www.billboard.com/news#/news/hope-for-haiti-raised-57-million-1004061567.story.
I have also posted the YouTube video of the live performance of "Standed" from the Hope for Haiti Benefit.
Friday, January 22, 2010
So I am a YouTube freak, and I'm always checking out music covers that young talented people do. It's amazing at what kind of talent you will run into. Some of these people are better then the real thing! I believe if some of these musicians could get recognized they could make it in the music business.
There is one particular girl that I follow on YouTube. I believe her name is Kate. She is very talented. Her voice is very unique and she is pretty decent at the guitar. I just wish people like her could get recognized. It's one thing to get behind recording equipment and sound good, but it's just her and the guitar and it's still amazing! Check her out!
There is one particular girl that I follow on YouTube. I believe her name is Kate. She is very talented. Her voice is very unique and she is pretty decent at the guitar. I just wish people like her could get recognized. It's one thing to get behind recording equipment and sound good, but it's just her and the guitar and it's still amazing! Check her out!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Motion City Soundtrack's New Album "My Dinosaur Life"
I am very excited to say that Motion City Soundtrack came out with a new album yesterday :) I have yet to get to Hastings to buy it, but I have been listening to the new songs on YouTube, and I must say that I am pleased with what they have produced. They still have the same sound as in the rest of their albums, which is what I like about them.
Though nothing will ever beat their album Commit This To Memory, which has been their most successful album to date with selling over 285,000 + records, I am still excited to purchase their latest work. They are a small band from Minneapolis just trying to make it big in the music industry. I have been following them for over eight years now and they have came so far!
So that's why I'm so excited that they keep coming out with new stuff :) I have posted a YouTube video of one of their songs on their new album. It is called "Worker Bee."
Though nothing will ever beat their album Commit This To Memory, which has been their most successful album to date with selling over 285,000 + records, I am still excited to purchase their latest work. They are a small band from Minneapolis just trying to make it big in the music industry. I have been following them for over eight years now and they have came so far!
So that's why I'm so excited that they keep coming out with new stuff :) I have posted a YouTube video of one of their songs on their new album. It is called "Worker Bee."
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Lady Gaga cancels gig in Indiana
The well known Lady Gaga has been known to do it all--whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. Her performance at the VMA's was kinda of a shocker to all as fake blood started gushing out of her chest during the song "Paparazzi." Talk about dramatic and a little on the odd side.
Indians Purdue Univeristy didn't get a show like that from Lady Gaga because she passed out backstage before the show. She had been having complications with an irregular heartbeat and dehydration before the show, as paramedics tried to treat her. Obviously that didn't work out to well! Maybe she had a loss of blood from her performance at the VMA's, but that's just my opinion :)
LadyGaga has decided to reschedule the show for January 26th. For more information take a look at http://www.nme.com/news/lady-gaga/49245
Indians Purdue Univeristy didn't get a show like that from Lady Gaga because she passed out backstage before the show. She had been having complications with an irregular heartbeat and dehydration before the show, as paramedics tried to treat her. Obviously that didn't work out to well! Maybe she had a loss of blood from her performance at the VMA's, but that's just my opinion :)
LadyGaga has decided to reschedule the show for January 26th. For more information take a look at http://www.nme.com/news/lady-gaga/49245
Hello World!
Hello to all! This is my first blog ever and I'm going to be blogging about music, whether it's good or bad! I hope you all enjoy!
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