There is no specific topic for these daily journals. Also, the teacher didn't give any other guideline but to make them short. (not specifying how short) Could use some advice and an extra pair of eyes to ensure that my grade does not suffer. Thank you and all help will be greatly appreciated
There is no specific topic for these daily journals. Also, the teacher didn't give any other guideline but to make them short. (not specifying how short) Could use some advice and an extra pair of eyes to ensure that my grade does not suffer. Thank you and all help will be greatly appreciated
Kenneth M. Foks
Mr. West
English II
10 February 2012
10 February 2012
"Eveline" is a short literature story written by author James Joyce. The tale sets off to explain a young woman's battle between her past and her future. The main character Eveline is both a financial and care provider for her sometimes abusive father. Though her life was not always this dreary, she remembers a time when her family was happy. Eveline remembers a time when her mother, father, two brothers, and she had a great relationship. However, with her mother and one of her brothers deceased times have changed for the worse. The other brother had moved out of town to work, leaving just her father and her. The father, who once was abusive to the young boys, now turned his anger towards Eveline.
Frank, the second main character in this story, is a strapping young sailor that wishes to whisk Eveline away from her troubles by marrying her. They planned to elope and live in Buenos Aires. For Eveline this is her one way to escape the life which she hated so much and in return live "happily ever after".
Faced with a tough decision, Eveline is almost certain she knows what to do before hearing bagpipes play that reminded her of the promise she had with her mother. The promise to take care of the family held enough weight to keep her from getting on the boat with frank.
11 February 2012
"The Lottery" takes place in a small town of about a dozen families. A tradition brings the entire town together in the square. This tradition used to have festive events and standards of procedure that have long been lost. Everything from the box the lottery is drawn from and the way the lottery is announced has changed. The author does this to make the point that people should be weary of the traditions they follow. In the end, even though all parts of the tradition have changed a human is still sacrificed in hopes of a better crop season.
12 February 2012
"The Rocking-Horse Winner" is a story of one boy's gift for picking winning race horses. The setting is of a rich family who overspends and never has enough money. So much so that the child's mother is not capable of showing love and is attached to expensive intangible items. Aware of the situation, the boy wants to help the mother and also silence the house that whispers from time to time "There must be more money. There must be more money."
Set off to win big for his mother, Paul turns to betting on horses in which he knows will win. Paul has an unnatural gift for knowing which horse will win. By rocking on his horse until he is sure of a winner, he quickly builds profit at the Derby. With his winning he chooses to anonymously give the cash to his mother in increments. However, when the mother overspends like usual, Paul gives most the cash to her in a lump sum. Eager to earn more money for his mother he now is focused on winning more than ever.
Eager to earn more money for his mother, he now is focused on winning more than ever. After rocking his horse all throughout the night to find a winner the boy becomes fatally ill. Only wanting his mother's love and happiness his last words are "I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!" This meaning that unlike his "unlucky" father he can fill the void and give his mother what he believes will make her truly happy.
13 February 2012
Directed by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick, "Facing the Giants" is a movie that tests faith. As a high school football coach, Grant Taylor struggles personally, financially, and in his career. On the verge of being fired coach Taylor turns his life over to God. Through faith in God and himself his life quickly takes a turn for the better. Coach puts his faith to the test when he forgets about the stresses of failure and focuses greatly on his religion.
His belief that win or lose if you have God in your life you will be successful pays off when his team begins to have a winning season. Also, his team the Shiloh Eagles goes from a losing team to one that advances on to win the state championship. His new attitude brings success not only on the field but at home as well. By the end of the story Grant Taylor not only keeps his job but gets a raise. The good fortune doesn't stop there though. Against what the doctors told him and his wife, Coach Taylor was finally able to conceive a child.
14 February 2012
With positive thinking great accomplishments will come. When we think negatively about an upcoming situation or event we have already defeated ourselves. Winston Churchill once said "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Doubt in our abilities only hinders our advancement in life. With a positive thought process our minds are more open to possibilities. If we think we can do something often times it is achievable. My thought of the day is that if I simply believe I can do something then I am that much closer to accomplishing it.
15 February 2012
Six months ago I took Personal Financial Management for college. The teacher gave a lot of valuable information on the subject, but the one thing I grasped ahold of the most was to always pay myself first. This meaning that when I sit down and make a budget that the first thing I should be planning for is to save for my life events. Whether the money being saved was for a vacation, financial security or emergency events, this should be my first priority. The concept behind this is that if we plan the other way, where bills and miscellaneous expenses were planned for first, that in the end we would not put as much emphasis on what our most important goal should be. Following his advice I began a new budget in which I paid myself first. With this strategy I have saved over one thousand five hundred dollars.
16 February 2012
Do you believe in Karma? Karma by definition is "the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation." In other words, if you do something that is negative or positive, something negative or positive will return to you down the road.
A positive example of karma is you find someone's wallet and you turn it into a police station in order to find the owner, then some time later you leave your wallet in a cab and a person who finds your wallet returns it to you. If you were to take cash out of that same wallet and toss it aside to avoid it being traced back to you, then in theory when you lose your wallet the same thing would happen to you.
Just like religious beliefs, karma can't be proven. The only thing that keeps karma going is the belief that it is real. Whether you choose to believe in karma or not is completely up to you. The motive that drives karma is that if good things are done good things will happen and vice versa. There are many instances in life that may signify that karma is real after all.
17 February 2012
Standardized state test are a catastrophe in public high school education. They take away time used to teach important subjects. Parallel to the risk of taking away this important class time is the money that is spent on creating workshops and practice tests in order to boost test scores.
The risk of losing government funds because of low test scores drives educators to teach the test rather than teach their designated subjects. When I was attending high school just a few years back I can remember important subjects like personal financial management and computer management being substituted for test preparation at least twice a week. As we know these classes are just as crucial as English, math, and science to the future of our soon to be young adults.
With money being spent to boost test scores, schools financial excess that is usually used for sports, band, and art programs quickly diminish. After school activities that keep children busy and out of trouble suffer from lack of funds. Important lessons that are taught with extra-curricular activities like leadership, teamwork, self-worth, and self-expression are taken away when this funding is redirected.
Schools feel obligated to take away class time as well as funds for extra-curricular activities in order to meet the requirements of the state. Worst of all schools that test poorly don't get help from their state government, but instead are punished by further reduction of the funds they need to educate their students. I'm afraid that if this testing continues that the real lessons that are supposed to be taught throughout our education system will be lost.
18 February 2012
As a Pit-bull owner, I am often times shocked by the reaction I get when I'm walking my loved companion down the street. Scared men, women, and children often stay far clear of this loyal member of my family. The bad media that these dogs get is often diminished within ten minutes of getting to know my furry friend. Loyal, obedient, intellectual and friendly are some of the words owners would use to describe them. Someone who has not had a personal experience with Pit-bulls may describe them as vicious, short tempered, and wild. As long as these canines aren't raised in an unstable or abusive environment, they have the same characteristics as a golden retriever. Don't let bad press hinder you from experiencing the love and care that these dogs will bring.
19 February 2012
The Florida lottery provides many benefits to the state. Other than allowing one lucky person to win millions of dollars, it also funds the Bright Future Scholarship which will pay up to one hundred percent of in-state tuition for college students.
In Florida, if you graduate with a 3.5 GPA or higher Bright futures will pay up to one hundred percent of tuition. Some of the requirements are that you maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout college and that you attend an instate college. Last year over 170,000 students were granted this scholarship. This provides a great opportunity for the state to give back to their community and to increase the education our young adults receive.
20 February 2012
Do you toss and turn when you sleep, have trouble losing weight or have lost the spark in your sex life? Exercising daily has many benefits. Some benefits of exercising are controlled weight, better mood, better sleep, and even a better sex life.
Regular physical exercise burns calories. When you burn more calories than you take in the result is weight loss. You don't need hours in the gym to see a difference. Simple decisions throughout your day can aid you in your quest to control your weight. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking a few blocks to and from lunch, and quickly doing chores around the house are all ways to burn calories without going to the gym.
Exercising is a great for a better mood. Have you ever heard the term "runners high?" It refers to a high that you get when your brain releases chemicals that leave you relaxed and feeling happier. In addition, your new fit appearance may boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
Have you been feeling too tired to engage in sexual activities? If so exercise might be your solution. Regular exercise can boost your energy leaving you more enticed to have sex. Also, the new body you obtain from exercising may provide new attractions between you and your partner.
Exercising has many benefits and is as changing a few minor routines throughout your day. The benefits of exercising are tremendous and almost unlimited. It's too easy to do, so start making changes for a better life today.
23 February 2012
Today I saw "Act of Valor", a movie about a Navy SEALs team that sacrifices everything to protect our country. Family men half the time and Heroes the other half, these men act selflessly to defend against terrorism. The film brings us into real life situations of the SEAL team. Gunfights, tactical insertions, and huge explosions best describe the action that takes place in this movie. A few men make the ultimate sacrifice and give their lives in order to protect America. With bonds that are stronger than that between family members, one unfortunate SEAL is given the task to deliver one final letter to fallen comrade's son. The short letter uses words such as hero, courage, sacrifice, and honor to describe the much missed soldier.
24 February 2012
A huge blow to the housing market has put Florida homes at an all-time low. Ranked second in the Trulia Housing Misery Index, Florida's housing market shows no signs of improvement. A bubble in the Economy sent the housing market into a downward spiral. With a downed economy many people in Florida are still struggling with unemployment. This causes a constant flood of foreclosure that drives the median price of homes down, which in return cause more foreclosures. Who knows when the sunshine will be cleared of the clouded skies the foreclosures are causing.
25 February 2012
With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan coming to an end the Army is faced with a huge drawdown. With the plan to get rid of fifty thousand soldiers, men and women that served our country bravely are being tossed into a bad economy. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics veteran unemployment rates were at 9.9 percent in 2011. That's almost one percent higher than the overall unemployment rate for the United States. With rising health care cost, many veterans are finding themselves and their families in bad financial situations after transitioning out. Although veterans are facing many disadvantages after becoming civilians, help may be on the way.
The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, also known as VOW, looks to help unemployed veterans. This bill will provide better transition assistance to soldiers exiting the Military. Known as the transition assistance program, or TAP, workshops are set up to help soldiers with job seeking skills. The VOW act looks to enhance TAP by strengthening its effectiveness and requiring ongoing review of the program to ensure success. This bill also provides increased education benefits, better veteran preferences, and license and certifications qualified soldiers.
There is no specific topic for these daily journals. Also, the teacher didn't give any other guideline but to make them short. (not specifying how short) Could use some advice and an extra pair of eyes to ensure that my grade does not suffer. Thank you and all help will be greatly appreciated
Kenneth M. Foks
Mr. West
English II
10 February 2012
10 February 2012
"Eveline" is a short literature story written by author James Joyce. The tale sets off to explain a young woman's battle between her past and her future. The main character Eveline is both a financial and care provider for her sometimes abusive father. Though her life was not always this dreary, she remembers a time when her family was happy. Eveline remembers a time when her mother, father, two brothers, and she had a great relationship. However, with her mother and one of her brothers deceased times have changed for the worse. The other brother had moved out of town to work, leaving just her father and her. The father, who once was abusive to the young boys, now turned his anger towards Eveline.
Frank, the second main character in this story, is a strapping young sailor that wishes to whisk Eveline away from her troubles by marrying her. They planned to elope and live in Buenos Aires. For Eveline this is her one way to escape the life which she hated so much and in return live "happily ever after".
Faced with a tough decision, Eveline is almost certain she knows what to do before hearing bagpipes play that reminded her of the promise she had with her mother. The promise to take care of the family held enough weight to keep her from getting on the boat with frank.
11 February 2012
"The Lottery" takes place in a small town of about a dozen families. A tradition brings the entire town together in the square. This tradition used to have festive events and standards of procedure that have long been lost. Everything from the box the lottery is drawn from and the way the lottery is announced has changed. The author does this to make the point that people should be weary of the traditions they follow. In the end, even though all parts of the tradition have changed a human is still sacrificed in hopes of a better crop season.
12 February 2012
"The Rocking-Horse Winner" is a story of one boy's gift for picking winning race horses. The setting is of a rich family who overspends and never has enough money. So much so that the child's mother is not capable of showing love and is attached to expensive intangible items. Aware of the situation, the boy wants to help the mother and also silence the house that whispers from time to time "There must be more money. There must be more money."
Set off to win big for his mother, Paul turns to betting on horses in which he knows will win. Paul has an unnatural gift for knowing which horse will win. By rocking on his horse until he is sure of a winner, he quickly builds profit at the Derby. With his winning he chooses to anonymously give the cash to his mother in increments. However, when the mother overspends like usual, Paul gives most the cash to her in a lump sum. Eager to earn more money for his mother he now is focused on winning more than ever.
Eager to earn more money for his mother, he now is focused on winning more than ever. After rocking his horse all throughout the night to find a winner the boy becomes fatally ill. Only wanting his mother's love and happiness his last words are "I never told you, mother, that if I can ride my horse, and get there, then I'm absolutely sure - oh absolutely! Mother, did I ever tell you? I am lucky!" This meaning that unlike his "unlucky" father he can fill the void and give his mother what he believes will make her truly happy.
13 February 2012
Directed by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick, "Facing the Giants" is a movie that tests faith. As a high school football coach, Grant Taylor struggles personally, financially, and in his career. On the verge of being fired coach Taylor turns his life over to God. Through faith in God and himself his life quickly takes a turn for the better. Coach puts his faith to the test when he forgets about the stresses of failure and focuses greatly on his religion.
His belief that win or lose if you have God in your life you will be successful pays off when his team begins to have a winning season. Also, his team the Shiloh Eagles goes from a losing team to one that advances on to win the state championship. His new attitude brings success not only on the field but at home as well. By the end of the story Grant Taylor not only keeps his job but gets a raise. The good fortune doesn't stop there though. Against what the doctors told him and his wife, Coach Taylor was finally able to conceive a child.
14 February 2012
With positive thinking great accomplishments will come. When we think negatively about an upcoming situation or event we have already defeated ourselves. Winston Churchill once said "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Doubt in our abilities only hinders our advancement in life. With a positive thought process our minds are more open to possibilities. If we think we can do something often times it is achievable. My thought of the day is that if I simply believe I can do something then I am that much closer to accomplishing it.
15 February 2012
Six months ago I took Personal Financial Management for college. The teacher gave a lot of valuable information on the subject, but the one thing I grasped ahold of the most was to always pay myself first. This meaning that when I sit down and make a budget that the first thing I should be planning for is to save for my life events. Whether the money being saved was for a vacation, financial security or emergency events, this should be my first priority. The concept behind this is that if we plan the other way, where bills and miscellaneous expenses were planned for first, that in the end we would not put as much emphasis on what our most important goal should be. Following his advice I began a new budget in which I paid myself first. With this strategy I have saved over one thousand five hundred dollars.
16 February 2012
Do you believe in Karma? Karma by definition is "the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation." In other words, if you do something that is negative or positive, something negative or positive will return to you down the road.
A positive example of karma is you find someone's wallet and you turn it into a police station in order to find the owner, then some time later you leave your wallet in a cab and a person who finds your wallet returns it to you. If you were to take cash out of that same wallet and toss it aside to avoid it being traced back to you, then in theory when you lose your wallet the same thing would happen to you.
Just like religious beliefs, karma can't be proven. The only thing that keeps karma going is the belief that it is real. Whether you choose to believe in karma or not is completely up to you. The motive that drives karma is that if good things are done good things will happen and vice versa. There are many instances in life that may signify that karma is real after all.
17 February 2012
Standardized state test are a catastrophe in public high school education. They take away time used to teach important subjects. Parallel to the risk of taking away this important class time is the money that is spent on creating workshops and practice tests in order to boost test scores.
The risk of losing government funds because of low test scores drives educators to teach the test rather than teach their designated subjects. When I was attending high school just a few years back I can remember important subjects like personal financial management and computer management being substituted for test preparation at least twice a week. As we know these classes are just as crucial as English, math, and science to the future of our soon to be young adults.
With money being spent to boost test scores, schools financial excess that is usually used for sports, band, and art programs quickly diminish. After school activities that keep children busy and out of trouble suffer from lack of funds. Important lessons that are taught with extra-curricular activities like leadership, teamwork, self-worth, and self-expression are taken away when this funding is redirected.
Schools feel obligated to take away class time as well as funds for extra-curricular activities in order to meet the requirements of the state. Worst of all schools that test poorly don't get help from their state government, but instead are punished by further reduction of the funds they need to educate their students. I'm afraid that if this testing continues that the real lessons that are supposed to be taught throughout our education system will be lost.
18 February 2012
As a Pit-bull owner, I am often times shocked by the reaction I get when I'm walking my loved companion down the street. Scared men, women, and children often stay far clear of this loyal member of my family. The bad media that these dogs get is often diminished within ten minutes of getting to know my furry friend. Loyal, obedient, intellectual and friendly are some of the words owners would use to describe them. Someone who has not had a personal experience with Pit-bulls may describe them as vicious, short tempered, and wild. As long as these canines aren't raised in an unstable or abusive environment, they have the same characteristics as a golden retriever. Don't let bad press hinder you from experiencing the love and care that these dogs will bring.
19 February 2012
The Florida lottery provides many benefits to the state. Other than allowing one lucky person to win millions of dollars, it also funds the Bright Future Scholarship which will pay up to one hundred percent of in-state tuition for college students.
In Florida, if you graduate with a 3.5 GPA or higher Bright futures will pay up to one hundred percent of tuition. Some of the requirements are that you maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout college and that you attend an instate college. Last year over 170,000 students were granted this scholarship. This provides a great opportunity for the state to give back to their community and to increase the education our young adults receive.
20 February 2012
Do you toss and turn when you sleep, have trouble losing weight or have lost the spark in your sex life? Exercising daily has many benefits. Some benefits of exercising are controlled weight, better mood, better sleep, and even a better sex life.
Regular physical exercise burns calories. When you burn more calories than you take in the result is weight loss. You don't need hours in the gym to see a difference. Simple decisions throughout your day can aid you in your quest to control your weight. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking a few blocks to and from lunch, and quickly doing chores around the house are all ways to burn calories without going to the gym.
Exercising is a great for a better mood. Have you ever heard the term "runners high?" It refers to a high that you get when your brain releases chemicals that leave you relaxed and feeling happier. In addition, your new fit appearance may boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
Have you been feeling too tired to engage in sexual activities? If so exercise might be your solution. Regular exercise can boost your energy leaving you more enticed to have sex. Also, the new body you obtain from exercising may provide new attractions between you and your partner.
Exercising has many benefits and is as changing a few minor routines throughout your day. The benefits of exercising are tremendous and almost unlimited. It's too easy to do, so start making changes for a better life today.
23 February 2012
Today I saw "Act of Valor", a movie about a Navy SEALs team that sacrifices everything to protect our country. Family men half the time and Heroes the other half, these men act selflessly to defend against terrorism. The film brings us into real life situations of the SEAL team. Gunfights, tactical insertions, and huge explosions best describe the action that takes place in this movie. A few men make the ultimate sacrifice and give their lives in order to protect America. With bonds that are stronger than that between family members, one unfortunate SEAL is given the task to deliver one final letter to fallen comrade's son. The short letter uses words such as hero, courage, sacrifice, and honor to describe the much missed soldier.
24 February 2012
A huge blow to the housing market has put Florida homes at an all-time low. Ranked second in the Trulia Housing Misery Index, Florida's housing market shows no signs of improvement. A bubble in the Economy sent the housing market into a downward spiral. With a downed economy many people in Florida are still struggling with unemployment. This causes a constant flood of foreclosure that drives the median price of homes down, which in return cause more foreclosures. Who knows when the sunshine will be cleared of the clouded skies the foreclosures are causing.
25 February 2012
With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan coming to an end the Army is faced with a huge drawdown. With the plan to get rid of fifty thousand soldiers, men and women that served our country bravely are being tossed into a bad economy. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics veteran unemployment rates were at 9.9 percent in 2011. That's almost one percent higher than the overall unemployment rate for the United States. With rising health care cost, many veterans are finding themselves and their families in bad financial situations after transitioning out. Although veterans are facing many disadvantages after becoming civilians, help may be on the way.
The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, also known as VOW, looks to help unemployed veterans. This bill will provide better transition assistance to soldiers exiting the Military. Known as the transition assistance program, or TAP, workshops are set up to help soldiers with job seeking skills. The VOW act looks to enhance TAP by strengthening its effectiveness and requiring ongoing review of the program to ensure success. This bill also provides increased education benefits, better veteran preferences, and license and certifications qualified soldiers.
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