World Record!!!

O Music Awards: Watch Chiddy Bang Attempt To Freestyle For More Than NINE HOURS

Watch it live here:http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/04/28/o-music-awards-chiddy-bang-attempt-freestyle-rap-nine-hours-omas/

Discussion Responses 2

1) Why did Tweedy marry Malcolm if she hardly knows "who he is?"

2) The characters often times discuss catastrophe and its emotional appeal. Is this a real life feeling or is it exaggerated?

3) What is the point of the low humor on pages 67-69?

4) Does the strange and absurd Treadwell story mean anything? Or is it meant just to be absurd?

5) If Babette is teaching a class on sitting, standing, and walking, how did the people get there? What do the classes she teaches suggest about society?

Hamlet 3.3

1. The King enters with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern at the beginning of the scene. The King informs the two of them that he would like them to take Hamlet to England for him to be killed. Polonius then tells the King that Hamlet is going to talk to his mother momentarily. Polonius states that he will stay to over hear the conversation. The King then goes into a soliloquy where he shows that he feels the guilt of what he has done but can not ask for full forgiveness because he is still in the process of doing some of these terrible things, like killing Hamlet and marrying his brother's wife. As he is confessing his sins, Hamlet sneaks into the room and holds a sword to the King's head but draws it back because he would rather kill the King when he is doing something sinful, so he will go to hell rather than heaven (because he was confessing).

2. This scene is very significant because Hamlet had a chance to kill the King but did not take it because of his strong religious belief. He wanted the King to really pay and go to hell after the murder, rather than go to heaven because of his confession.

4. Hamlet says "that his heels may kick at heaven, and that his soul may be damned and black as hell." This shows Hamlet's strong passion to get a satisfying revenge. During Hamlet's speech, he talks himself out of killing him right there. The audience really gets to understand how Hamlet feels at that moment and is really in his head. As he speaks aloud he decides he will Kill him at a better time.

Hamlet 3.1

1. This scene opens with the the King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. They are discussing why Hamlet may be mad. Rosencrantz and Guildernstern leave and the King and Polonius decide that they will use Ophelia as bait to further understand Hamlet. When Hamlet enters, they withdraw and watch. Hamlet gives his third soliloquy and then realizes Ophelia is present. He then proceeds to argue with her until he realizes that he has been betrayed and they are watching him. The King and Polonius then decide that they will send Hamlet to England.

2. Without this scene the play would lose a lot because it is here that the King decides that he must do away with Hamlet, so time is running out for either the King to get rid of Hamlet or Hamlet kill the King.

4. The King says "Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England." This line means that not only are they going to send Hamlet to England but they are going to have him killed there. It would hurt the King's reputation if he killed Hamlet because Hamlet is incredibly popular. The deed must be done secretively out of the country. Sending someone to "England" has a deeper, darker meaning.

Discussion Responses

1. A Summer’s Day - What is the significance of the station wagons?

There is a great deal of significance associated with the station wagons. To begin with the station wagons arrival signifies the cyclic years that go by, with very little change. Jack in the first chapter acts as an observer as the station wagons arrive. As he observes, he also stereotypes the college students. He groups them all together as the same kids because they all, in his mind, drive station wagons. Him and his wife term the even the arrival of station wagons to poke fun at the conformity and lack of individuality society has at times.

2. Fifteen Miles East - Analyze the statement "Everything is concealed in symbolism, hidden by vails of mystery and layers of cultural material (37)."

This statement seems to be humorous because Murray seems to over think the world. He over generalizes that every single thing is symbolism. This is funny because it is exactly how we would expect a college professor to think. The theory he proposes seems a bit farfetched, characterizing Murray himself as intelligent but maybe a bit crazy. Murray engulfs himself in thought, rather than living in the moment. Saying everything is “concealed in symbolism” means he believes there may be much more to life and simple things than what is presented before him. This line certainly shows his enthusiasm and belief in philosophy.

3. She Said She Said- I've noticed numerous short sentences in this chapter and throughout the book concerning the murmer of mechanical things and technology. For instance, "Blue jeans tumbled in the dreyer." What is the significance of these seemingly random sentences?

These short sentences are significant because they bring a sense of normality to a very abnormal family. Jack himself has had four wives and many children, and now he lives in a household randomly composed of children from past marriages and Babette’s children. Not only do these short sentences involving technology suggest normality but they also show what social class they are of and the modern time frame. These sentences are very random but they help develop the family as middle class members of society. As technology advances and surrounds them, Jack still dwells in the past at times, teaching history.

White Noise Discussion Questions

1. Why does DeLillo use long, extensive lists with uncommon items to describe the college students and their arrival?

3. Does the title "Gladney's Hitler" make Jack seem important on the campus or unessential?

5. How is Murray different than Jack based on dialog?

7. What is the importance of the reappearing question "who will die first"?

9. Why is the school evacuation played off as not too serious? There is little discussion of it... why?

11. How do Babette's memory problems help to characterize her?

Hamlet 2.2

1. Scene 2.2 is an incredibly long scene with a great deal of action and information for the audience. At the beginning of the scene the King meets with his two new spies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are friends of Hamlets from school. They are to find out what is wrong with Hamlet and what is causing his extreme grief. The ambassadors then enter with news that Fortinbras' uncle has yelled at Fortinbras for preparing to attack and has sent him to attack the "polack" instead. The king gives Fortinbras permission to cross there land to Poland. Polonius then enters and states that he has found the reason Hamlet is so upset. He says that Hamlet is so madly in love with Ophelia that he is acting strangely. He reads a letter from Hamlet to Ophelia out loud to the King and Queen. Hamlet also meets with Polonius a few times in this scene, where he acts mad and mocks Polonius, although Polonius does not realize that Hamlet is making fun of him. Hamlet then meets with the spies and figures them out with haste. He is informed by them that actors have arrived and this excites Hamlet greatly. He goes to them, treating them like royalty, and even puts on a bit of acting himself before the leader of the troop acts a scene out for him. Hamlet asks the actors to do a play called the Murder of Gonzago and even add in his own lines. They agree to do it and then Hamlet begins his second soliloquy.

2. This scene develops Hamlet greatly through his dialog and soliloquy, showing how he is torn between the "golden times" and the new age of reason. Most importantly, Hamlet lays out a plan to discovering if his Uncle is truly guilty, and if so he will act.

3. Hamlet- Why have you waited so long to act and kill your Uncle. Hamlet- why do you mock Polonius, out of fun or to prove a point? King- are you sending the spies because you think Hamlet may know about the murder you committed? Hamlet- Why do you switch back and forth between faith and reason? Queen- do you really not know that your new husband killed your old one?

Hamlet 1.4

1. This scene is relatively short compared to the others in act 1. In scene 4 of act 1 Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus enter on the guard platform where it is very cold. Moments later they here trumpets and Hamlet explains that the new king and queen at that moment are "celebrating" after the wedding. Next, the ghost enters but does not speak in front of all of them. The ghost beckons to Hamlet who are argues that he should follow the ghost, because the ghost may show him something important. Marcellus and Horatio attempt to stop him from going but Hamlet runs off anyway and the other two decide to follow close behind him.

2. The significance of this scene is to characterize Hamlet and show his faith as opposed to Horatio's reason. This scene develops a spectrum as the ghost represents the spiritual world and Horatio represents the world of reason; Hamlet is caught in between the two.

7. I can reason with Hamlet in this scene. If someone told me they saw my fathers ghost I would be much more curious than they would to follow it. I understand how curious he must be, especially because there may be a message that the ghost must deliver to him. If he had already scene a ghost, what is there not to believe could have! Hamlet did the right thing in following the ghost. What does he have to lose, his dad just died and his mother married his uncle!

March Madness

My favorite time of the year is finally here... MARCH MADNESS. Personally, I would like to see Notre Dame win the NCAA tournament, but who knows what will happen. If you are looking for a pool to enter in, contact me!

Act 1 Scene 2

1. This scene opens with the king discussing to his countrymen that he has married his brothers wife. He claims it is both a sad and happy time with the recent funeral and wedding. The king states that they will not be afraid of the young Fortinbras who is plotting against them as they speak. Instead the king has a letter sent to his uncle to tell the uncle what Fortinbras is up to. Next, Laertes appears before the king and the king allows him to go back to school. After this we meet Hamlet for the first time, but he is still moaning his father's death and is upset that his uncle is marrying his mother. The king attempts to cheer him up but Hamlet stays in his melodramatic mood. The king and the queen decide that Hamlet is not to go back to school even though he would like to. Finally, Horatio, Hamlet's good friend, enters with Marcellus and Bernardo. The three of them tell Hamlet that they have seen his father's ghost while on watch and Hamlet decides that he must come see it.

2. The significance of this scene is to introduce the protagonist Hamlet and provide more exposition and rising action, as the audience finds out about the kings marriage, Fortinbras' plotting, and Hamlet's reaction to the ghost.

4. One striking line in the play comes from Hamlet when he says "I doubt some foul play." The word doubt here means that he is suspicious. What Hamlet is saying is that he suspects that something might be peculiar about his father's death. This line is foreshadowing that keeps the audience on edge. Maybe there really is something unusual about Hamlet's father's death. In the next line Hamlet goes on to say "foul deeds will rise." This is even more foreshadowing that thickens the developing plot.

Hamlet 1.1

1. Summarize: Bernardo comes in the night to relieve Francisco from his duty on guard. Moments later Marcellus and Horatio enter the scene as Francisco is exiting. They discuss the past appearances of the apparition, but Horatio is very skeptical about the ghost being real. Soon the ghost enters the scene and they are all frightened. Horatio, the "scholar" is the only one who actually speaks to the ghost. The ghost resembles the king, Hamlet. More exposition is added about the battle between Hamlet and Fortinbras and the audience finds out that the young Fortinbras seeks revenge and wants his fathers land back. The ghost appears again and they ineffectually attempt to strike at it, but the ghost exits when the cock crows.

2. The significance of this scene is to provide exposition, pull in the audience with the fear of the apparition, and begin to flip the "order."

3. Horatio says "In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell." This line is interesting because Shakespeare in connecting this play to his previous play Julius Caesar. Just like order was completely lost in that play, Horatio foreshadows what may happen in this one. The murder of Caesar was also a sudden event which may indicate a sudden change of events in this play. I liked the allusion Shakespeare incorporated here.

Response to ATPH prompts

The best prompt is quarter rose's idea prompt..

Idea: How does McCarthy's portrayal of the modern western myth compare and contrast to the typical idea associated with the "American western myth"

I think this would be a good prompt to write because it relates the novel to other sources of literature and events. This helps us draw connections between the novel and related stories. McCarthy does follow many of the western myth ideas with his characters, like Blevins. Blevins epitomizes the western myth and the free spirited hero. The image of John Grady riding off into the sun at the end of the novel is also related to the western myth and image. He does not settle down and stay in a town, but rather he searches for adventure and the next frontier. In most western myth stories, the main character usually returns home to solve the problem, but in this novel John Grady only passes through his hometown, realizing it is not where he is too stay. There are many other things that can be writen about this prompt and many ideas that can be explored.

Final All The Pretty Horses Reading

To my readers of ATPH,

Now that I have finished ATPH I have realized how much I enjoyed the book.  It really has a bit of everything from violence to romance.  I did not expect John Grady to go back to Encantada to take the horses.  Although it was very brave, why did he put himself through that danger?  First of all, John Grady has now come to the realization that he has no idea what he is going to do with his life.  The reader finds this out when John Grady thinks, "all his life led only to this moment [with Alejandra] and all after led nowhere at all."  John Grady failed in his relationship with Alejandra which was a devastation to him.  Also, John Grady may have taken the horses back to avenge his dead companion Blevins and at the same time blow off some steam.  It almost seemed like a heroic but careless act.  Miraculously, he made it out of the situation alive and eventually made it home after consulting the two "wise" characters, the judge and the real Jimmy Blevins.  As our western hero, we know that John Grady cannot stay settled in one town.  He must move on, and like in many other stories about western heroes, he walks off into the sunset in search of a new frontier.  Rawlins watches him disappear as "He stood holding his horse while the rider turned and road out and dropped slowly down the skyline."  This line is filled with visual imagery and truly epitomizes the western hero's figure as an adventure.  With no place to call his home, he must set out again to live in freedom.

All the Pretty Horses -- Response through page 252

Dear readers of ATPH,

At the beginning of part four, John Grady begins his quest back to La Purisima because of his love for Alejandra, the driving force in his life now.  He no longer has his companion Rawlins.  I think this shows that John Grady is really maturing.  He is able to go all this way by himself now, and with little fear.  What does he have to lose or to fear now that he has faced so much adversity in prison.  He is tougher now and driven to see Alejandra again.  When he returns he has a long talk with Alejandra's grandaunt, Alfonsa.  Personally, I despise Alfonsa, as she acts so elegant, and snobby.  My favorite thing she does say though is when she describes her life metaphorically as a puppet show.  What it comes down to is, who is really pulling the strings in this life.  After her story, i did not feel sorry for her, only because of her stuck up attitude.  He finally meets up with Alejandra again and we find out that her father tried to come after John Grady to kill him.  He did not though because of how depressed Alejandra would be.  The father did however have John Grady and Rawlins arrested, which was no surprise to me.  Finally, my favorite quote from this section is from Alfonsa when she says "his trust in the basic goodness of mankind became he undoing."  This relates to the other books I've read this year including Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness.  Both of these titles deal with the inhuman side of people versus the basic goodness.  In both the inhuman triumphed over the good.

All the Pretty Horses -- Response through Part 3

To others reading ATPH,

During this next reading assignment the setting really changed.  Blevins was killed previously and now it is just John Grady and Rawlins in confinement.  Imprisonment really is not the place for either John Grady nor Rawlins.  The two boys need their freedom and openness to go where they please.  In prison the two boys got in fights, many of which seem to have started for no reason.  Is it just because the Mexicans hate the American boys or do the American boys provoke the fighting?  I found it very interesting when Perez said that "It is not a matter of finding.  It is a matter of choosing."  Perez refers to the "crime" that the boys committed.  They really did nothing wrong but the Mexicans could pin any crime to them with just for the sake of convicting them.  Luckily, the boys were bailed out of the jail by their friends from the ranch.  Unfortunately though, Rawlins and John Grady are finally parting.  John Grady will go back into Mexico while Rawlins goes home.  Personally, I think they will meet up again because it is inevitable that John Grady will go home eventually.

Super Bowl Prediction

Green Bay 35 - Pitt 24

I'm only posting it now just so i can brag about my pick tomorrow at school and how accurate my prediction was. 

Green and Yellow.  Green and Yellow

My Snow Day

A typical day with the bros.  Unfortunately the ramp did not make the video.  The truck later ended up in the snow bank also.

All the Pretty Horses -- Fourth Response

To my ATPH readers,

I am finally starting to enjoy ATPH much more now that the plot is really thickening.  First, the romance between John Grady and Alejandra deepened.  With that of course came conflict also.  Alfonsa, Alejandra's aunt, warns John Grady that he should not be seen with Alejandra when she says "I want you to be considerate of a young girl's reputation."  In her snobby way she infers that she and her niece are much better than John Grady socially.  I personally hope that the two of them end up together in the end just to prove Alfonsa wrong.  The next very interesting part of this section was the capture of John Grady and Rawlins.  They are finally reunited with Blevins, but not for long.  When Rawlins and John Grady are each interrogated, we really see who they are.  Rawlins, who I though always acted like the tough guy, cracked under the pressure and the fear during the interrogation.  He seemed much weaker than John Grady did in his interrogation.  John Grady acted more composed and stuck to the truth.  Unfortunately, Blevins was still killed because he appeared as a monster in the eyes of the Mexicans.  My final observation about this section of reading is on page 161.  When the three of them are in confinement, John Grady dreams about horses.  The horses he dreams about are in the open "Field on the high plain."  The horses here seem to be a symbol for freedom and the open frontier that John Grady could be experiencing at that moment.

Dear Tweeters,

If you have a twitter right now is your chance to help raise money for autism.  Just tweet #teamautism and samsung will donate $5 to help! http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/citizenship/teamup/

"Hope" is the Thing With Feathers

To the other Poetry out Loud Participants,

In the poem “Hope is the Thing With Feathers,” Emily Dickinson incorporates diction to express her view of hope.  Emily Dickinson begins by relating “hope” to a “thing with feathers” because of its ability to take a person anywhere or out of any poor situation.  Next, Dickinson uses imagery in stanza two to help create a visual and auditory scene where the bird is continually singing while outlasting the storm.  The storm is described as “sore” because of the hard work it would take to stop the bird of hope from singing.  In the third stanza, strong adjectives are utilized.  Dickinson writes that even in the “chillest land” and the “strangest sea” hope can still be found.  Not only does Dickinson make the point that hope can be found anywhere, but she also remarks that hope is always a free gift.  This is seen in the last two lines “Yet – never – in extremity, it asked a crumb – of me.”  In addition to diction, Dickinson also creates a character for hope.  She communicates hope as a bird because of its capabilities to fly and never stop singing.  The bird in this poem is extremely determined as nothing could “abash the little bird.”  This characteristic bird of hope lives inside all of us, in our “souls,” as Dickinson explains in the very first lines of the poem.

All the Pretty Horses -- Third Response

To my fellow readers of ATPH,

Suddenly, there is a setting change in the novel.  John Grady and Rawlins now are living on a Mexican ranch working there for money.  Together they began breaking horses and teaching them to be ridden.  The novel's title is starting to make more and more sense too.  John Grady's true horse obsession and knowledge is starting to show.  He shows his knowledge when the hacendado quizzes him.  After this little quiz, John Grady is suddenly higher in status than Rawlins on the ranch.  John Grady does not think of himself as more than Rawlins though as he even says "we don't have no leaders.  We're just buddies."  Next, I thought it was funny how many people came to watch John Grady and Rawlins while they were breaking the horses.  It doesn't seem like an event you go to watch but hundred showed up.  The two of them also felt revered at dinner.  Finally, I am excited to see where the relationship between Alejandra and John Grady goes.  They seem like opposite types of people but maybe these opposites will attract.  I also think that Rawlins may end up getting jealous if his best friend gets the girl and he does not.

Here's a few words that I had to look up on Google
quarterhourses- a breed of horse that excels in short sprints
vaqueros- Mexican cowboy

All the Pretty Horses Questions Part 1

Dear readers of All the Pretty Horses,

Here are just a few questions to think about...

Why does McCarthy incorporate Spanish into the dialogue with no translations?
What if John Grady would have sold Blevins?
If it was Rawlin's decision would he have sold Blevins?
How are John Grady and Rawlins so close but such different acting people? 
Are any of these characters foils of each other? If so which ones?
Why did John Grady decide to take Blevins instead of leave him with nothing?
What value did Blevins even have to the group when he lost everything?
What is the reason for Rawlins hostility towards Blevins?
Was getting the horse back really worth all of the trouble it caused?
What would happen if Blevins got caught or if the other two go caught?
If they were caught, what would the Mexicans do to them?
Why does McCarthy's format change suddenly between lengthy sentences and paragraphs to quick dialogue?
Do you think that John Grady and Rawlins will split at some point down the road because of their often times conflicting ideas?
How does the religious talk between John Grady and Rawlins characterize the two of them?
Do their beliefs help characterize them at all?
Although Blevins is strong willed, is he made to look younger than the other two in this section of reading?
What is the most prominent theme thus far in the book?
What does the title mean to the story so far?
What is the role of humor in the book? Comic relief like in Macbeth or something else?
What senses does McCarthy appeal to with his words and imagery?

My New Addiction

Dear GMAD,
I am addicted to your music website.  My itunes library says I have downloaded over 300 songs from your website.  Check it out if you haven't already http://www.goodmusicallday.com/

All the Pretty Horses -- Second Response

Dear classmates reading All the Pretty Horses,

After finishing the next thirty pages of All the Pretty Horses, I can certainly say it is growing on me!  The novel is beginning to show a little more excitement.  I would characterize the first thirty pages of the novel as dull, but that is not the case for the next thirty.  John Grady and Rawlins began their adventure south together.  As a team I find the two of them to be quite funny.  My favorite part of the section has to be when the two of them banter to decide whether or not they should kill Blevins.  I laughed out loud when one of them said "I aint diggin no grave like we done that last one."  Besides the humor, I think both John Grady and Rawlins matured a little more when they left their home.  Grady even says to Rawlins that he does "look like some kind of desperado."  When I picture a desperado, I picture a grown and untidy man, capable of many fetes.  I believe McCarthy wants us to look past that the kids are only sixteen years old, as they take on more responsibility that any sixteen year old does today.  Every once in a while though they do act like children.  Rawlins worries about what "they're saying at home about now?"  Finally, I like the way that Blevins becomes"accepted" by John Grady and Rawlins.  After he shoots a hole straight through the pocket book, John Grady and Rawlins do not question Blevins following them any more.  It seems like it is the equivalent of kicking a 50 yard field goal in football.  You may not like the guy, but its a respectable shot and worth your approval!

Dear 2010,

It may be a little late to decide what my favorite song of 2010 was, but i have finally decided. Congrats Chiddy Bang.



To the readers of All the Pretty Horses,

This is the view from outside the cabin I stayed in while out west!  It may not be Texas, but this is still how I visualize that whole region.



All the Pretty Horses -- First Impressions

To others reading All the Pretty Horses,

I just finished the first 30 pages of All the Pretty Horses.  The first things I noticed in the novel were the vivid descriptions Cormac McCarthy uses for the exposition.  The novel takes place around San Antonio, Texas in 1949 where cowboys, ranchers, and city folk all come together.  I can hardly imagine what it would look like there, but from my own experiences out west a few summers ago, I can still feel the heat and smell the cattle that inhabit the land.  Furthermore, McCarthy describes Texas with a very unique style.  I have never seen any other writing quite like his.  First of all, he never uses quotation marks, which makes it very difficult to tell when it is dialogue.  Second, he uses long sentences in the narration, though, they are full of great images and characterization.  Finally, McCarthy really confuses me when he continually uses pronouns instead of characters names.  It becomes difficult to tell what each person is saying, especially when there are multiple "he" and "she" characters.  The narration is not done in a straight forward way.  The reader is kept guessing, which may turn out to be positive as the reader will stay actively involved.