Vote your Conscience

I voted today. In Georgia we have early voting to reduce the lines at the polls on Election Day. I cast my ballot based on the candidate's character as best I could determine it to be. I did not vote based on gender, race, age or religion. I hope everyone will be able to look in their heart and say that when they exit the polls this year.
I do not believe many, if any, of their promises. Despite all the efforts anything passed will only be a convuluted, quagmire of kludge that only our oversized, self serving federal government is capable of producing. Perhaps,if every office is filled with someone of high character this will not be the case in the in the future.

Gas Prices

Gas is steadily going up and up. Why? Some say it is the war. If it is indeed the war, why are gas company's profits so high? Do you think that the price of gas will ever go down? Since gas has gone up, so has food because trucks need gas to deliver food. If the prices don't go down I won't be able to buy either. I think that if the cost of living is steadily rising so should wages. What do you think?

The Fair Tax Act

The Fair Tax Act is a bill in the United States Congress for changing tax laws to replace the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and all federal income taxes (including Alternative Minimum Tax), payroll taxes (including Social Security and Medicare taxes), and various other taxes with a national retail sales tax, to be levied once at the point of purchase on all goods and services. It calls for a monthly payment to all households of citizens and legal resident aliens as an advance rebate of tax on purchases up to poverty level. The sales tax rate is 23% (23 cents on every $1-calculated like income taxes).

Based on this information, I would have to agree that it sounds like a promising idea. A flat 23% tax rate, no matter what the income, that would be nice. But, with the financial deficit in the US, I don't think it will work. They would just have to create other ways to tax us to decrease the deficit. Also, since I am employed by the IRS, I would have to vote against the bill.

What are your thoughts? Would you vote to pass the bill?

DDR=A game for everyone

Dance Dance Revolution. A game that was clearly made for everyone, even people who don't play/like videogames.

Chances are that if you step into an arcade you'll find a DDR platform and a crowd forming around it, mesmerized by the players whom are too preoccupied trying to land high-scores and not miss a single arrow.

Would you be interested in trying out this game at least once?

Barack or Hillary: Who Should Black Women Vote For?

A friend and I were comparing the similarities and differences in views of, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton, one day at work. A customer walks up and joins in, and we have a pretty decent conversation until the customer, who is a Caucasian male, says,"You guys are really going to have a hard time trying to decide who you are going to give your vote, with, Barack Obama, being African American, and Hillary Clinton ,being a woman?" (The friend and I are African American, by the way.) I don't know what his intentions were, nor will I assume, but we were, definitely, not amused. I understand that this is history in the making. I do, however, think that the decision will be difficult, but not for those reasons. Why should it matter about race/gender? Shouldn't the focus be on who is the better candidate? I don't know, maybe my priorities are off.

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost.

I've tried to read this book a few times. But even after skimming a little I can't seem to get into it, even though it sounds like an interesting read, one worth taking the time to check out. Why is that?

The Presidential Election

I found this statement from Democratic Senator, John Edwards, on his website at http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/iraq/: "We don't need debate; we don't need non-binding resolutions; we need to end this war. In order to get the Iraqi people to take responsibility for their country, we must show them that we are serious about leaving, and the best way to do that is to actually start leaving." -- John EdwardsHe proposes to complete this effort within a ten month timeframe.What are your thoughts on taking this action and do you believe the Iraqi people are capable of taking on this responsibility within the timeframe he proposes?

I have to initiate a blog here on the week of 01/28/08 and I am terrified. I see that there are others who have to lead a blog as well for the same week. I'm wondering if anyone else feels the same way.

Testing 1,2. Testing 1,2.

Wine As A Career

I'm considering becoming a wine connossieur or even winemaking as a career. However I'm wondering if that would be an expensive career, that is, there are more costs than profits.

What is your take on this?

Bad Writing

Did anyone see the article, 'Sloppy Writing at Work' on MSN? It had a couple of good proofing tips.

Mythology

I am interested in mythology. Actually, it's more like I love mythology.

So I'm putting this down to see if anyone shares that interest.

Do you have an interest in mythology and if so, is there one you are particularly interested in learning about?

Racism: Dead Or Alive?

There's a last seat on the bus, and i'm next to it, people of different colour pass me by, and avoid it like the plague. I check myself to see what the problem could be, Am I dressed too shabbily in my shirt and tie,commit a horrible fashion faux pas or is my cologne offensive to the olfactory senses? I ponder the answers to these questions as i stop by the grocery store. Walking in I greet the blue skinned shopkeeper with a hearty smile, he wrinkles his nose and looks away. Once again I find myself pondering my cologne's scent. I locate my magazine and return to pay for it. I take out my credit card but it's refused by the shopkeeper. Puzzled, I inquire about his refusal and he says he doesn't do credit cards. Cursing my luck, i make for the exit, and as I take one last glance at the magazine that got away, I see the next customer, blue in colour paying with her credit card! Now I pose this question to all who have read my tale, Is Racism Alive Or Dead?

Same here

Kelly I feel the same way. I am the turtle of my group, i've just cross the finish line and we're in the 3rd week

Election Time

The run for the president has really kicked into high gear is now.The closer it get to election day the more I realize e people are now dropping out who are not winning in the major state.I wonder what ever made them run for president in the first place. I have heard several people say that Mrs. Clinton is using her husband to win vote.I see that no differnt that the other people using their bag of tricks. I not sure if the American people are ready for a women president however I feel she will offer different view.What so you think?

Public or Private Schools?

Which one do you think provides a better education, public or private? Also, do you think our government should provide vouchers for the parents to use at any school they choose or should the government make those decisions for you?

Free Money

Does anyone believe the Economic Stimulus Deal will work? I think it is a short term act that will stave off recession for a while, but, does not address the root of the problem. If deficit spending is not controlled the dollar will end up as worthless as a 2001 .com stock.
Let's hear from some Business Administration students.

Polyamorous Relationships

Polyamorous relationships: relationship that have more than two partners.

Do you believe such relationships are possible to have and maintain?

I myself have been part of one. Always one to look forward to new experiences, I was sad to see it was a brief affair.

Anyways, what are your opinions?

Tiger on the High Road

In spite of the news media and others, Tiger Woods has again treated alleged racism as he does. He was above it. The man who responded ,"human", when asked what race he was, defended his friend saying, "We've all said things we regret". This is typical of Tiger when pressed to take a stance he always has a non-inflamatory comment.

Is this the product of his corporation making sure he is forever media ready or can he truly see the world this way?

Patriots: A Legacy in the making

As everybody knows the Patriots, led by Tom Brady, have become to only undefeated team in the history of the NFL. That is an awesome feat. Lets hear what everybody thinks about them accomplishing this.

Life back in school

Wow,
I am actually back in school, can you imagine? I am thirty-seven years old, I hold two degrees, one associates and one bachelors degree, and here I am!! I think learning is the best feeling a person can have, do you? I love the thought of learning something new as well as conquering a difficult subject, how do you feel after you conquer something difficult?

Gay Marriage

Most of the people that disagree with gay marriage argue that it will demean the true commitment and institution of marriage itself according to traditional marriage vows. Do you agree with this? If so, how can you argue that straight couples in Hollywood have not already done this with marriages' sometimes lasting less than a 24 hours?

quick rant about "Steps to Writing Well"

In chapter 7 of "Steps to Writing Well" there is a section of "do's and don't's" to help students select the best words, specifically for college writing. In staying with the theme of do's and don't's the author, Jean Wyrick, has subsections titled "Don't use..." or "Do select...".

Every time there is a "Do" subsection I want to scream at Jean, "Rule 13 from Strunk and White's Elements of Style: Omit needless words!!!". The "Do" is clumsy and unnecessary.

An example for comparison:

original- "Do call things by their proper names."
improved- "Call things by their proper names."

You'll notice that the "improved" version has the exact same message but states it more directly.

(My writing isn't perfect. There are probably repeated violations of the rule I'm advocating. However, I'm a student and will repeatedly fail at the most basic writing concepts.)

A few will argue that the author was simply following the theme by using Do or Don't to begin sub-headings. First of all, Jean had options. She/He didn't have to choose that theme at all. Secondly, Jean breaks with the theme for a sub-section titled: "Avoid sexist language".


This concludes my rant. Please comment and tell me what you think. Am I right? Am I an idiot?

Tell me.

(photo by gumuz)

Brittany Spears

Every day when I watch tv they always seem to be talking about Brittany Spears. They talk about her lifestyle and if she is the right one to take care of her kids. Personally, I think her kids are better off with their dad. In order for her to have her kids back she should start acting more resposibly. I think it's over rated and that's she's just doing what she is doing for the attention, and she's getting it. The news people should leave it alone for a little while, it doesn't need to be shown on tv on a daily basis. What do you all think? Should she have custody of her kids right now or not?

FAVORITE FOOD

i didnt know how to start a new post... so i decided to make it about my favorite topic, FOOD. I love mexican food, obviously because I'm mexican, but I also like Italian, "American", and i love french desserts.
What types of food do YOu like?????



- Alexandra Guzman

MLKing Day

Dr.King wanted us to have a better future he belived in justice and equal rights.Do you think that the kids of today take for grant what was left for them?Do they not understand how valuable their life is?

Why do things matter after they affect us?

I have become an avid CNN viewer, (I am pretty sure I have been molded this way because it is constantly on, but not by my own doings). That is not the basis of this blog, my question for everyone who will read this is Why do things only matter to us when they affect us? Glenn Beck was on a few nights ago, and never once in my little bit of time watching his show have I ever heard him speak on healthcare, but suddenly he is advocating putting the "care" back into healthcare. The ironic part to this meritorious action, is that the only reason he is concerned is because it had a negative effect on him. I am asking this because it seems to me that he has resources that keep him up-to-date on what is going on in the world, he does address some issues but it seems as if he doesn't acknowledge the important issues unless they personally affect him. If I am wrong I am open to accept different ideas. All I ask is that you are polite when answering. Have a good day.

MLK, Jr. Day

Today we are commemorating the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. Presently the federal government only acknowledges four individuals with their own holiday and MLK, Jr. day is one of them. Do you think that all business's & schools should observe MLK, Jr. Day since it is a holiday with such a positive message? Why or why not?

User Name

I want to remind everyone that your user name should at least be part of your first and last name. I have 3 classes on this site, and to give you grades I need to see who you are!

New to this

Hi I am so new at this and I don't know if I am doing this right but here I go anyway. My classmates have a blog just not sure on how to get to see there post.

I believe that everyone has the right to make their own decisions, but I DO NOT agree with abortion!!! And I probably never will.

War in Iraq by Jonathan Collado

Do you think the war in Iraq is worth it?????........Do you think is a good reason to fight and giving your life for your country???....Let me what you think...

Abortion by Jonathan Collado

Abortion can be seeing by many as one of the worst thing to ever done. For others it can be option depending on the situation. For the rest is just another topic in which they don't want to take part of. I Just want to know your side on this topic. I know it is a strong topic to talk about so don't feel pressure to answer.

Topics Please (Place to Live)

I read the "Topics, Please" post and so I'm responding by putting up one of my own.

The topic in question is "Place to Live", or "Is there any place in the world you'd like to live if possible?"

For me it would be several places, starting with Italy, Greece, and Japan. If possible, somewhere in the country that isn't too far away from a city.

In the case of Italy, I'd like to live in La Toscana, or Tuscany. Prefferably in Florence where you can go anywhere within walking distance, it seems.

In Greece it would have to be Athens, or someplace with breathtaking scenery.

Japan is pretty much the same as Greece except that I'd love to live somewhere like Old 'Kyo (short for Kyoto), Hokkaido, or Okinawa. THAT would be high heaven indeed! =3

So where would you like to live if you could live there? Let's hear it!

Other than that, which books would you like to see made into movies, but at the same time don't want to see them ruined when they ARE made into movies?

Windows vs. Macintosh

I am the proud owner of an Apple computer and I wouldn't trade it for the world. However, I am tired of seeing pop-up messages saying "Not Compatible with Server". I probably receive that message once a day. It is so irritating!!!!  BUT......Apples are so much easier to navigate, not to mention the awesome design of the desktop. 

My family tries to convince me that I should trade in my Mac for a computer that is Windows compatible, and I always refuse. What do you guys think?    Macintosh? Windows?

Military AWOL

A friend of mine introduced me to a site for VICE. In it there are articles, news topics, and anything you can think of posted in a quirky sort of way. I met Rob walking out of class the other week and he had mentioned being in the military so I wanted to post this article I read on http://www.viceland.com/. Click on the post title, "Military AWOL", and it will take you to the article and at the very bottom of the page there are comments from readers.

My personal view is that he isn't perfect, but he shouldn't have gone into the military without thinking he might have to face combat overseas. What do you think?

I'm New At This

Hi everyone! I am SO new at this. I have never really understood blogs, but I guess I can get use to it. Just give me a little time to get the hang of things and I should be fine. Thanks!

Topics please

If you're going to post a new topic, decide on a topic. We have a Presidential campaign. Gas is above $3.00 a gallon. We have a drought in GA.

What else: there's tennis, and cost of books, football, Brittany, OJ, good teachers and bad, music, vacations, the work we do before we have a career, the price of coffee at Starbucks, Wii, playing other video games, time management, parent management, iPhones (and why can't I afford one), etc.

I am a news adict, and there are issues that come up every week. For example, what was Dr. Phil thinking when he publicized his visit with Brittany. Can you say, Client / Patient priviledge?

Did Hillary play the race card in comments over the weekend? To have an opinion, you should know what she said and in what context. Are the news folks trying to shape this election? Who has the experience needed to be President?

Those are topics, and I'm sure you can come up with more on your own.

Think controversial, ask a question, and you'll have a great topic!!!

The purpose here is not to be perfect. Instead, it's to engage conversationally with your classmates. My thinking is that the more we write the better we'll be at expressing ourselves.

Let's post!

Hello and welcome

Hi everyone I am so new at this and I just wanted everyone to know just incase I make a big mistake I am so new at this please forgive me.

Free Proofreading

Most bloggers have a free proofreader that is easily accessible at any time of day.

It will check spelling and basic grammar whenever you need its help without complaining.

That proofreader is Microsoft Word.

If you are ever nervous or unsure about something you plan to post, run it through Word first.

It doesn’t catch everything and won't replace a human editor but it will help save some embarrassment.

Kind regards,
Rob

(photo by purevizhun from flickr creative commons)

No Need to Worry

Hi everyone,

I'm beginning to think that a lot of people here are new to blogging and may be a little nervous.

Nervousness is a natural reaction to doing something new, especially if it's in front of a group. What you may not know is that blogging is a very painless form of publishing. It is a casual way to share information, similar to chatting at a coffeehouse with friends.

When you post a blog you're not getting up on stage, just starting a friendly group conversation.

So try not to be too nervous. This should be a friendly atmosphere and if someone does decide to act like an arrogant jerk than don't worry about them: they're just a coward hiding behind mean words.

Hope that helps =)

Kind Regards
Rob

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss

~edit~
when originally posting this it had a few grammatical and spelling errors (and there are probably a few more). no worries tho. you can edit the post after initially posting it. try doing that with a book or newspaper article.

What Do you think?

I am new to blogging, so please take it easy with the criticism. I just wanted to know what everyone thought about "Why the media, feeds on inane topics?", would we benefit from not hearing about the Britney Spears', Jamie Lynn Spears' Michael Vick's, celebrity divorces and pregnancies, etc. Anyways who are we, to judge anyone in the first place, and do Americans not have enough fruitful information to keep them entertained ?

Baseball Everyone!!!!!

I just want to bring up the topic of Roger Clemens...Do you guys believe his guilty or innocent???

presidential race

So with all these candidates for the upcoming election who do you think should be the future president? What event do you think will make this election stand out most to you and the people around you?

hello and welcome to the new blog

First Post
w00t!!