Survey

Do you enjoy using blogs in your class?
No, I do not.

Do you use blogs for any of your other classes? If so, which ones? Are they set up the same as Mr. Hughes' blog?
No.

What do you like most about Mr. Hughes' blog? What do you like the least?
Is the blog easy to use? Was it easy to use from the beginning or did you have problems?
I like that I can look at other people's responses and I don't like that I have to go on the internet all the time and the blog is very easy to use.

Do you wish other classes would use blogs for their assignments?
No, I do not.

Do you have internet access at home in order to participate in the blog?
Yes.

Do you usually write on the blog at home or at school?
I write on the blog at home.

Do you feel you learn better by using the blog or by doing handwritten assignments?
I feel I learn more from doing handwritten assignments.

Do you have your own blog on Myspace, Facebook, etc..? If so, where is your blog?
No, I don't like blogging so I only do it when I have to.

Dead Poets Society

I would give this movie a 9/10. It's not a ten because i didn't like the romance sub story. Other than that, the movie was really good and made me think about how much i conform in my own life. My favorite part of the movie was when robert williams has the one kid come in front of the class who didnt write a poem and makes him come up with one off the top of his head by looking at the poster of a guy. I would wastch this movie again and then probably.. again.

I think you should show this to your future AP classes because it's very interesting and maybe they will be able to relate and have an epiphany. Additionaly, students might realize that poetry isint that bad and its kinad cool.

"Sky Blue Sky"

Sky Blue Sky is a good CD but I think Wilco should consider renaming their band to something more catchy. I like some of their songs but I would prefer to read their lyrics than hear them. The lyrics are catchy and have a lot of metaphors and similies that make you think and ponder more than just one interpertation which makes me wonder why their name couldn't be just as clever. On the other hand they are very mellow and soft which makes this music very easy to fall asleep to or enjoy when you're in a happy, peaceful, and dreamy mood. Although, I find that each song is about the writers desperation to let go but then 5 seconds later he's talking about holding on. His message and thought is kind of confusing because he is always contradicting his self. But then again, I couldn't find a person who doesn't do that everyday. These guys also sound a lot like The Get Up Kids in a few songs.

Wilco would be a lot better if they switched up the song beats a little more and maybe even used the whammy bar. SYKE! This kind of music can only be listened to in moderation in hopes of not getting a migrane because every song sounds the same and is about the same idea. It's very relatable though and the only songs on here that I would want to listen to more than once in one setting would be 'walken' and 'sky blue sky' because i enjoy the message of the song. He believes that if only the sky was blue he would be happier, although, he knows it won't solve the problems he might have but it might give him a little bit of hope. All in all.. it's an OK band and CD.

"A Hunger Artist"

He sat in his steel cage lined in straw everyday to be spectated by the village people. He, was called the hunger artist, day in and out he would fast while people watched him as if he were the modern day television. People would gain pleasure from observing him and would go to the extent of watching him all hours of the night to make sure he wasn't to eat. The only thing to enter his mouth was a sip of water even though spectators would try to persuade this artist to eat. Although, eating was the last thought in his mind for he could only concentrate on the ticking of the clock in his enclosure. The artist would tell stories of his journeys and sing songs to prove to his listeners that he wasn't eating or sneaking food, but they ignorantly believed that he was singing and eating simultaniously.

After fourty days slowly pass the artist is brought to a ring where people gather and pay to watch the artist eat. He is spoonfed as the crowd cheers and the ladies cry to add to the intensity of his performance. No one understands why he choses to eat when he can go longer, but once he's finished eating the trend fades and everyone forgets about the passion of the hunger artist. He waits again to fast and this time hopes to do so even longer to help promote his art. Although, this causes the decline of his popularity and leads to his death. He is buried by the circus workers and is replaced by a prowling panther- the new entertainment of the town.

Bowl of Oranges

"Bowl Of Oranges" by Bright Eyes

The rain, it started tapping on the window near my bed. There was a loophole in my dreaming,so I got out of it. And to my surprise my eyes were wide and already open.Just my nightstand and my dresser where those nightmares had just been.So I dressed myself and left then, out into the gray streets.But everything seemed different and completely new to me.The sky, the trees, houses, buildings, even my own body.And each person I encountered, I couldn't wait to meet.I came upon a doctor who appeared in quite poor health.I said "{I am terribly sorry but} there is nothing I can do for you{that} you can't do for yourself."He said "Oh yes you can. Just hold my hand. I think that would help."So I sat with him a while and then I asked him how he felt.He said, "I think I'm cured. No, in fact, I'm sure.Thank you Stranger, for your therapeutic smile."So that is how I learned the lesson that everyone is alone.And your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow.But when crying don't help and you can't compose yourself.It is best to compose a poem, an honest verse of longing or simple song of hope.That is why I'm singing...Baby don't worry cause now I got your back. And every time you feel like crying,I'm gonna try and make you laugh. And if I can't, if it just hurts too bad,then we will wait for it to pass and I will keep you companythrough those days so long and black.And we'll keep working on the problem we know we'll never solve Of Love's uneven remainders, our lives are fractions of a whole.But if the world could remain within a frame like a painting on a wall.Then I think we would see the beauty.Then we would stand staring in awe at our still lives posed like a bowl of oranges,like a story told by the fault lines and the soil.

Harrison Bergeron

In Harrison Bergeron Kurt Vonnegut makes a society where excellence and acceleration are suppressed and places a physical handicap on everyone to attempt to make an equal society. Harrison Bergeron is the protagonist of the story and has handicaps because he is strong, intelligent, and handsom. He, like his father, wish that there weren't any such thing as handicaps but, unlike his father, Harrison acts upon his feelings. He breaks into a TV station and takes off his handicaps and has a ballerina join him and they dance until they are shot by Diana. Diana see's Harrison as a threat and wants to show people with such ideas what will happen if anyone else tries to pull a move. Vonnegut is satirizing our modern society because we are always trying to avoid racism, sexism, ageism, etc. because everyone wants to become equal to have a sense that they have just as many rights as the person next to them.

Why the future doesn't need us.

1. What kind of dangers does technology have on our future?
2. Do you think our world will be better 50 years from now or do you think it was better back when there wasn't as much technology?
3. What purpose will humans serve if we have robots performing all of our jobs?
4. If humans fuse with robot sand become immortal what will happen to our population?
5. If humans know the possible consquences of developing such robotics why do we still continue to advance?
6. What will all of this technology do to our environment?
7. What purpose would humans serve if robots are doing everything for us?