I didn't hear about earth hour until my boyfriend turned off the tv and lights right in the middle of the basketball game, and i was really mad at him. but when he explained what he was doing and about it i thought the idea is really cool. I saw pictures online of all the cities with the lights off and it was gorgeous. I dont know if a lot of people participated it in their own homes, there were no other houses around with lights off or anything like that, but if you think about big cities like chicago shutting the lights off thats still a decent amount of energy saved.

I also didn't know about hour and never heard about it until now. It sounds like a small thing we can do to help the environment and might let more people be aware of it if there were some advertisements or something, but could see how thats hard because of it probably costing a lot of money to put it on as a commercial. Also, going to the people littering at the zoo, I don't see why it's so hard for some people to just walk a little out of their way to make the environment a little better.

I didnt know about the earth hour..i dont think many people where aware of it either...it does sound kind of cool, but more things should be done to save our Earth than conserving energy for a couple of hours. As for litter at the zoo, i think thats so sad. Why dont people care? Since they are visiting the zoo, they should show some respect.

the only thing i heard about earth hour was on facebook. i don't think (or know of anyway) that there was any other advertisments for it so i don't think it was probably that effective. But staying on the subject about saving the earth and stuff, i was at the zoo when i was in texas for spring break and i was completely disgusted about how much trash was thrown into their little habitats. i saw a baboon chewing and eating a black 711 cup. i do'nt understand why you would pay 12 bucks to go to the zoo and litter. they specifically have garbage cans all over so this doesn't happen. it just made me sad that people can be so negligent and uncompassionate.

snow

i honestly cant believe that it snowed over spring break. fortunately for me i was on my way to florida so i didnt have to deal with shoveling and all that fun stuff. it was a good feeling knowing that i didnt have to shovel my driveway and that when i came home today it would all be gone. its time for spring to start living up to its name a.k.a warm weather and no snow.

EARTH HOUR

Okay, so did you guys hear about Earth Hour?
I think that it is very awesome. You hear about all the bad things about the world and everything. All our posts are about sad little things. But this, this is good, you know. We're standing up and it made me so happy to see the list of all the cities participating.
My brother lives downtown, and he said that he watched the Hancock shut off it's lights, he said it was just a great sight to see, cause everyone was actually working on helping the environment.

I shut off my electricity and heat (cause at my condo our heat is electric) for 4 hours. A couple of my friends came over and we played Clue and Operation by candle light. Oooh, and we got some crayons and paper. And we put the crayons over the flames to melt the wax, and then dripped the crayon wax on the paper, it was really really hypnotic.

The only thing that I kinda didn't like about this Earth Hour thing, was the media covered. They're all like "TUNE IN AND WATCH THE BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN TURN DARK!!!" But what the hell, we're supppose to be participating and shutting off our electricity..... why are you encouraging us to turn on the tv and watch something?! That part of it seemed very very very dumb....

So did you guys participate on this and help save our planet from death and destruction?

Shannon's Post

On Wednesday a female brought a gone to to University of Louisville, where she held a social worker hostage...nobody there was hurt, but the police checked her house where she had killed her children aged 14 and 10. She is currently being held in the psychiatric ward...

How could a mother kill her children? I can't even imagine that. I know I annoy my mother a lot, and between me and my two sisters we drive her up the wall sometimes, but I know she would never harm us... I can't even begin to fathom actually shooting young kids, let alone my own children..

Full Article:
http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=8079799

Making up posts

I dont know if im the only one, but i did miss a post so I'm making it up now! Spring break is almost over. I didnt do much except work and volunteer some hours for vikes. I'm glad i didnt have any homework or big projects and papers like winter break...

Spring Break

The snow is awful! I can't believe it's going to snow on easter! that's crazy! I heard this year we got over 100 inches of snow! As much as it sucks, it's cool to think of how much snow that is. Also, I'd rather have a snowy winter than a cold and boring one! But when its still snowing on the first day of spring break, that's too much for me!

Ew, all this snow really blows! I'm looking outside and it feels like Winter Break. Well, so much a nice warm spring break....Let's just hope it doesn't snow on graduation!

omg kill me now. i know.. so much effing snow. i had to go out and get groceries yesterday and i couldnt even get off of my driveway. -_- my mom was like SERIOUSLY?! ITS EFFING ALMOST APRIL. ggoooodaaammmiiitttttttuuhhh. is it just me or does it not feel like spring break for those ppl who have to stay in palatine? SUCKS. i'm not a happy camper.. even tho i have no hw over spring brreaakk. but still. i was hoping for NICE weather. i hate thiiiiiiiiis.

I can't believe it snowed during spring break. It was such a nice day yesterday, and now we get stuck with this. This just makes me wish that I got to go somewhere warm over spring break. Hopefully the snow melts soon and doesn't snow again until December.

OMG!!!

I KNOW!!! I can't believe it is snowing!!! Thats so not cool! I didnt think it would because yesterday was so beautiful and there was no way in heck it would snow.... I woke up this morning and I literally almost cried! ITS SPRING!! We shouldn't have snow! Last year we didnt and this year we did it so sad! But everyone have an amazing spring break anyway!! Hope your going somewhere warm like me :)

It's the first day of spring and its SNOWING so bad!! I hate it....it looks like we will probably have more snow for Easter than what we had for Christmas. It sucks staying in Palatine...with the snow and cold weather! Anyways...have a great week everyone!

The Nitti Beat's Post

SPRING BREAK!!! Wasn't today the perfect day for the first day of spring break. It was sunny and the perfect temp. to open all the car windows and go cruising. As far as Obama, I thinks he's a sh*t head and McCain is going to win. Because Oprah endorsed him, i will never vote for him. Democrat or republican, if Oprah endorses them i'm going the other way. Besides, why would she want to pay more tax and vote republican. With all the money she has she'll be needing more write offs. O' well its only politics. Have a good spring break everyone and make the most out of it, because its our last one in High School.

OK, That is the craziest thing EVER! It's not like Obama said that himself!! he was simply listening. That's using deductive reasoning, just because he was listening doesn't mean he believes it. The reporter could have stretched the truth too. I don't understand how one incident such as this should interfere with the government and politics.

I do not understand why it matters if Barack Obama did or did not hear his pastor say those things. It’s not like Obama said or agreed with what his pastor allegedly said. I think people are just coming up with stupid things to try and get Obama out of the race for presidency. It’s crazy how much stuff can be used against you when you run for president.

Game/Obama

The game reminded me a little bit of something that is currently happening. During the game there were times where you would land on "bad luck" or something like that and then it would say that, "when you were 25 years old, you avoided the draft. Your polling numbers have dropped dramatically". Well, Barack Obama has been occused of belonging to a church whose Pastor suggested that United States brought the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on itself and said that blacks should damn America for continuing to mistreat them. Obama refused to believe those statements and said that he wasn't present when those comments were made, but it is kind of hard to believe since he has been going to that church most of his life.

What do you think?

Shannon's Post

I also enjoyed the election game. I played against Janny, and at first we thought we thought I was the democrat and she was the republican, but then I was the elephant instead of the donkey...so we started over. We realized you actually had to click on democrat and republican to make sure you were the right person. I think the game was a fun way to learn more about politics. It not only made sure you knew the different parties' sides to each issue, but also how to successfully run a campaign, what to say, what to do, and what states to campaign in. I agree that we should play this game again, and maybe learn even more about politics.

Yeah, that game was fun. I didn't understand at the beginning. I made really bad decisioins, cause I had no idea what was going on. But then I finally understood it, but it was too late to fix by then. I want a re-match!!

I also liked the game we played. It helped me understand a little bit more about what campaigners do to try and make money. It was confusing at first, but got the hang of it as we went on. Also, I wish I noticed the tip thing at the bottom of the screen. Also, I like those "skeletons in the closet" and those are bad spots that you could land on because it helped me learn some of the choices the campaigners could make to make themselves look better again. Also, I agree with Nitti about the tournament idea, because it would be something to do at the end of the year that would be fun.

I liked the game we played the other day too. It was fun and I think we understood more about campaigns and elections and the whole process. I think most people got really into it and where thinking different strategies in order to win.

I also thought that game we played the other day was real fun. I ran as a republican incubent and beat kyle to win president. One thing I thought was key in that game was, you can't change your beliefs of certain subjects from what you said you believed at the start of the game. Cuz if you chose to solve an issue with something you were against, you would either make no money or lose popularity and votes. I enjoyed the game and I hope to play more fun games like that as fourth quarter rolls around....

The Nitti Beat's Post

The Game was fun, although I lost to Bailey. I also agree with her about it being confusing because i started out making the wrong choices until spoor told me about the tips on the bottom of the screen. I think that we should play the game again now that we all know how to play. I also think that we should play and the top two in the entire class play each other, or even a bracket system to see who the best politician in the class is. The best part about the game wasn't that it was competitive but it made politics fun.

I thought the game was fun, but at the same time really confusing. In the beginning of the game I chose to be a democrat, but when the real game started, for some reason it made me republican. I didn't realize the switch until half way through the game, and found that I had been making decisions based on the other person's rankings.

I agree that the game was pretty rigged. It was fun but i ate losing. the republican person raised and lot more money which is i guess how things are supposed to be are just happen to be in the real world. but the game let janelle get on all the good spaces while i kept having "skeletons in my closet" revealed. I dont trust any computer games though beucase they can control everything, its never left up to luck or chance when the computer is involved.

Game

Very nice Keith! :) Anywho ya how about that game we played today!? That was so messed up haha, I mean its weird all the situations they put us in but its kinda hard to make a choice to spend money or to just skip and see what happens. It also seemed rigged towards Democrats! So not fair :)

I am sure that you have all heard about the three fremd graduates that conflicted with drugs last week. I have heard many versions of this story but i am not sure which is true. It is always very sad and tragic to hear another story about kids who experience with drugs and almost loose their lives. I was talking to my older brother about it and he said that he knew one of the guys. I can't imagine hearing about one of our classmates dying from drugs when we are older. I give all of my love and sympathy to their families and hope for the best.

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Nitti Beat's Post

Come on, are we still talking about spring break. What are the major topics in the news, nothing. None of the things on the news are interesting or out of the ordinary lately. It's not nessesarily a bad thing, but theres no excitement either. This weekend Fremd's automotive club competed in it's first competition in Fremd history. As far as we know we finished second out of five groups. Back to spring break, 4 days until break. Woo Hoo!

spring break

yeah spring break is going to be amazing simply because im sick of school and ill take any and every opportunity to not go. im going up to purdue for a "college visit" so that should be quite interesting and i think im going to florida but im not 100% on that one. either way i really just want school to be over.

I agree, I don't think the rehabilitation centers really do much. Maybe 1 out of every 1000 people or so, the person changes because of the rehabilitation center but for the most part I think it's a waste of money and is really unrealistic that these centers will really have a big impact on a murderer. However, I think the murderer know that their lives are going to suck after they kill someone regardless of the death penalty and they probably don't care too much about the punishment because they don't have much to lose or don't think they'll get caught.

comments on convos before

About what you guys were saying abut the death penalty…. I’m personally all for it! I feel if someone brutally murdered people for the pleasure of doing so, especially those who rape and murder children have no right to live. They took away someone’s life, and that is something that can never be replaced. I feel in this circle of what we call the “justice system” the criminals have more rights then the victims. They took a life away, and therefore their life should be gone too. I know some people feel death would be the easy way out and a bigger punishment would be for them to rot in jail, but I don’t know. I still believe in an eye for and eye and yes like people say that might make the whole world blind, but if you visit other countries their crime rate is so low because of how strict their punishments are. Are punishments here…PSsssssh we’re a joke! We never stick to what we say and we give too many people parole and lets on for “good behavior”. Whatever, we will never have a low crime rate if we don’t start scare the shit out of the convicts. And that’s why I think the death penalty to murders is a great idea. They are obviously cowards if they had to take away someone else’s life and im sure they themselves are afraid of death, so why not do it. They didn’t care about the fear their victims went through while getting their life taken away so why should be care about theirs? I don’t. I hope they feel all the pain in the world and go to hell. They deserve it, and yeah even though I’m a demarcate and mostly liberal, I think rehabilitation centers for convicts is a bunch of bull and a waste of money. They won’t ever change. Maybe a drug dealer, or a robber or a gangster can change, but not a cold blooded murderer. There’s a reason they are called cold blooded killers and no it’s not because of their temp.

im sick of winter

Oh my gosh! I know! I just can't wait until spring. I'm soooo sick of this cold weather. I mean I do love that snow and all, but after a month it's like, ok lets go to the beach now, I'm done! lol. This week the weather has been beautiful!!!! I actually was wearing caprices at some point and a tee with no jacket!!! WOOHOOO!!! But now i heard it's suppose to snow tomorrow (Sunday) and today it was pretty cold, so I'm kind of upset :(. I just want the warm sunny weather back!! I miss it soooo much.. AHH and I am soooo excited for Spring BREAK!!!! which is like this week!!!! Wooohooo

i knooww.. im really starting to get sick of the cold weather, especially cuz i have a really bad cold. summer=my birthday+no school =DD i'm sick of school. its getting so mundane going to school everyday, same routine every day.. ew. =[

i am going to hate to have to actually do something in school after spring break. i honestly can't even imagine having to do homework and actually concentrate in school. i can't wait for it to finally be warm outside for good, im sick of it switching back and forth from 50's to 30's every other day.

Now that spring break is coming so soonly it's getting harder to do homework. but I just keep trying to maintain above a C so I don't have to take finals. Hopefully teachers won't be expecting much from us after break, cause it's gonna be hella hard trying to motivate ourselves to actually do stuff.

Spring Break!

I can't WAIT for spring break, even though I'm not going any where and I have practice, but I'm so pumped just to be able to sleep for unlimited hours. Lately, I feel as if the teachers have been squishing last minute things into this quarter. Luckily, or l hope, spring break will be different from winter break, because winter break was filled with so many projects.

Spring Break

I am super excited about spring break! It means we are so much closer to just getting out of here. And Nitti I understand that you have alot of stuff that you need to turn in and that is awesome that you are going to represent Fremd.... But just think, when you are done with all that stuff you will be so much more relaxed! We barley have much school left!! WHOOT WHOOT!!!! SENIORS! :)

I can't believe it's almost spring break. This year has gone by so fast and I am pretty sure it will go by twice as fast after spring break. Unfortunately, I'm not going anywhere this year=( but I am really looking forward to catching up on sleep and spending a little more time with friends and family!

The Nitti Beat's Post

Spring Break sounds good, but everybody hold on a second. OK, so next Thursday is going to be the last day of school, but what about the time leading up to it. So far all I've heard about is the upcoming tests and projects that have to be done before spring break. In addition I'm going to be in the first group representing Fremd High School and Fremd Automotive in the Drag Race Expo engine building competition at Pheasant Run this Saturday. Also, as soon as spring break sounds, the end of our Senior year is fast approaching, and I'm damn glad because its time to move on to bigger and better things.

spring break is going to be a little bland this year =( i'm not going anywhere nor do i have any plans -_- i think im just gonna catch up on sleep and movies. hibernate for a week =D thats a good idea. anyways.. my boyfriend goes to u of i and his spring break is the week before ours. and that kinda sucks for me. i havent seen him in 2 freaking months. uuhhh yeah. im sooo jealous of all you ppl who are going somewhere. im gonna be here.. in the snow, still cold. i'm so ready for summer, not to mention prom and graduation. but at the same time its kinda saaad. cuz i've grown to like some people at this school and im no gonna see them anymore after senior year.. =[

I don't know how I feel about Spring Break approaching. I'm excited for the week off, and for graduation and prom and all of the fun college stuff. But at the same time, as much as I'm sick of high school and feel like I'm ready to leave, at the same time it's a stage in your life that is ending. I'm not a big fan of change, and although I'm a fan of moving out now, I know I'll be homesick for at least a little while at college. It's just so hard to enjoy high school when I'm so ready to be out of here...

Anyways, I have no big plans for Spring Break, just relaxation and hanging with friends, however, my sister and boyfriend's spring breaks are all different and that kind of stinks, I don't get to see them as much as I was hoping for.

mandie's post =]

i actually remembered the blog!!
in terms of spring break, i am pretty excited as well, break is an important benchmark in the year, because is basically means we are entering the home stretch. i also am going to Arizona and am excited to get away from the gross snow/mud/dead grass situation we have over here.
The only bad thing i guess is that somehow 3rd quarter is almost over, and i'm not ready for that, theres still a lot to be done!
on the good side only 81 days of school until we graduate, and all the fun stuff is happening now like housing and room mate surveys!! 4th quarter should be a breeze compared to what we gone through, but it really is going so fast! as much as im dying to get out of here i know ill miss this one day!

i am really excited for spring break. i'm going to arizona to visit my brother. I can't wait for after spring break because after we get back theres only a couple more months left! I am so ready to graduate and for it to be summer im sick of this weather!

I don't know how to feel about spring break being so close...I'm kind of sad because after break we only have two months left before we graduate. I want to be done with high school because I can't stand doing all this work, but at the same time I'm gonna miss seeing all my friends everyday.

I hope you do well at State!! Good luck! But I agree with you. The teachers are freaking out way to much. I can't wait til spring break either. It's goin' be alot of fun. Hope everyone keeps it fun and safe. Back to the teachers. They seem to think that if we miss one or two days that we wont be able to graduate and that's crap!! We will just make up the work or get it before hand. It's not all the hard.

I can't wait until spring break either. Hopefully all the snow will be gone by then and the weather will be nice. I am not really going anywhere for spring break, so am kind of sad about that but days off of school is still good and is just that much closer to graduation.

Death Penalty and such

I'm kinda anti-death penalty but then again I'm pro-life so whatever. I just don't believe that by punishing someone with death makes us just as guilty as he who committed the crime of killing. And that would really suck for the jury, knowing that they ended someones life, harsh. This is a really depressing topic...I don't think I like it much.

Also, I would like to express my frustrations of teacher freaking out when you miss class. So I'm going to state for drama and I hate telling my teachers because they freak out at me, it ridiculous. Personally I don't care if I'm missing Pre-calc or whatever because I generally don't care about it. That's not what I want to do with my life, I want to go into theater so why does it bug teachers so much if I miss their class? Its not like I don't work or anything so whatever.

Megan i love you for changing to toopic. I am really excited for spring break, especially since when we come back, the rest of the year is going to go by so fast! Unlike half of the senior class who is going to boring cancun... i am going to Florida.. holler to Disney World! I just hope that no one goes missing like that one girl from Aruba. No one get drunk at a local bar and leave with the locals. Yay no more snow and cold weather! i am soo ready for spring to come!

CHANGE IN TOPIC

Lets change the topic to something interesting...like SPRING BREAK!!...what is everyone doing? And how is it going to effect you when you get back...cause seriously after spring break i am not going to want to be in school anymore...4th quarter is going to be horrible..

The death penalty

Wow, I completely agree with Shannon. At first, as I was reading her post, I was thinking why wouldn't he get the death penalty? But as I read on, I realized that he is a person and that everyone has the option to change. As wrong as what he did was, does killing him really solve the problem? I never know how to feel about the death penalty, since I can see both sides to the argument. What this man did was disgusting and wrong, but does killing a person make everything fixed?

Update on the man who brutally killed the 10 year old and had plans to eat her...

He was given the death penalty.

After deciding I wanted him to die for his crime, I'm finding myself kind of feeling bad. The jury had the choice to give him life in prison without the chance of parole or death, and after 8 1/2 hours of deliberation they decided on death. I feel especially bad for the jurors. When I first read this case I felt this man deserved death, since he had this all planned out, murder, sexual assault, decapitation, and cannibalism, but at the same time, now his death is the result of the jury. These 12 people now are responsible for signing a man to death, and that's hard to think about as well. Even if he is mentally ill and a murderer...he's still a person. This death penalty buisness is way more complicated than I thought once you take everything into perspective.

Writer's Week... I know, it's old news..

Ok, so I know this is like, two weeks old, but what did everyone think of writer's week this year?
What was your favorite/ least favorite performance? What'd you think about the administration's poem?

I agree with Carrie, the guy who killed the little girl should be given the death penalty. I do not think that anyone as messed up as this guy could ever be rehabilitated…especially if psychologists are saying that he is a threat to society. The other story about the woman who beat and killed the baby as an act of revenge is disgusting. I can not believe that people can be this sick and twisted.

...

Wow people are so discusting. Why would someone want to do that to a baby. For heaven sakes it was only 6 months old! That makes me so sick. I feel horrible. Oh my god. The baby was burned, drugged and beaten! What did the baby ever do to that person. He isn't even old enough to eat on his own. I am so pissed. I hope the person who killed the baby gets what is coming for them. I dont know if I would say death penalty but life in prison for sure. No saine human would ever do that

That is sick about the baby. Seriously what is wrong with the world today, it is sick that somone would think that is justifiable over some stolen item. People need help, it seems like lately everyone is going on these crazy rampages and killing people who didnt do anything. And for the death penalty i just think the criminal should be locked up in high security and have no freedoms what so ever, they should sit and there and live with what they have done everyday no expections...people are getting out of control.

Life

Nothing much to say, revengeful baby killing is absurd, baning swearing does go against our rights and I hate blogging every week and now I'm screwed because I defiantly didn't last week. And I make no promises about the next two weeks either because this week is state, and next week I'm leaving for Africa. I would like to again state my support of some form of make up work for missing blogs, however I also agree that whatever Spoor decides is good enough. OK I'm gonna stop rambling now.

(dennis it was the parents of the killer that want his life spared, not her parents.) in that situation it probably is much better to give him the death penalty. If he is that insane and could actually follow through with something that grusome, he would have serious problems functioning in the real world. Whether or not he is staying in a mental facility or in a jail, someone like that will probably self distract after being locked up for so long.

and about the lady who killed the baby, this is probably the most disappointing thing i have heard in a long time. i feel like this 22 year old never grew up. when you are an adult, you have to realize that things are solved by revenge. she is not only a crazy lady but childish.

It is very sad how far some people are willing to go through for revenge. Killing a baby because someone stole something? Yeah, I guess taking the life of an innocent baby makes up for someone stealing something.... that is seriously messed up.

About the story with the 10 year old girl, I have to first say that the parents are probably amazingly nice for wanting to spare the life of the man that kidnapped, raped, tortured, murdered, and decapitated their daughter. I would probably never want a person like that to live even if I didn't know the person that this happened to.

Wow, that story about the woman killing the baby is insane! I don't know what could possibly motivate a person to do that to a innocent child, it's hard to believe that the only reason she did it was because the mother told somebody she was stealing things from her locker. I am speechless, I can't believe somebody could do that. I feel like there is something more to the story that neither of the women are telling, or else the woman who killed the baby is seriously crazy.

New Topic(s)

Apparently a 6 week old baby was abused and killed in Louisiana this week, by a family friend by act of revenge.

"Investigators have said the infant was beaten on the head, singed with a curling iron and drugged. "

A 22 year old woman did that to a baby simply because another woman said she saw her steal something. How on earth is that justifiable?? Our world seriously makes me sick.

Full Article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5602458.html

Also in the news that's repulsive...

The 10 year old girl who last year was murdered by a man who had a "detailed a plot involving kidnapping, rape, torture, murder, decapitation, necrophilia and cannibalism " is now facing a possible death penalty.

"The victim was found with deep saw marks to her neck in an apparent attempt to decapitate the body," Tompkins said. "It is believed the body was sexually molested after death."

The parents of the killer have asked to spare his life, while psychologists have said he is still a threat to society and has severe psychological problems.

I don't support the death penalty, but extreme cases like this make it difficult. This is beyond repulsive. If this man is still having sickening thoughts about wanting to eat a body after murder then I think I would lean more towards death. He's severely disturbed and we don't need more people like that in our world.

Full Article: http://www.wlfi.com/Global/story.asp?S=7984482&nav=menu591_3

Every time I need to post on this blog I search Google news. and I think it's a horrible reflection on our country that every time I need to post about a current event, there's at least three depressing or sickening things that happened in the past week. Something really needs to change.

whoever made up that law is probably a republican hahahahhah.. k.

anyways.. moving on. i love wrigley field. what an @sshole. dont people respect anything anymore? wow.. it seems that more and more objects of history are getting destroyed or taken away. that pisses me off. i miss marshall fields. i hate macy's. the quality totally crapped. and what the hell is us cellular field? they can suck it. if they change wrigley fields name, we should just boycott it. =D

jamie's post

I really hope that Wrigley doesn't change it's name, cause then like, the white sox and Cubs stadium will have name changes that'll be lame.

And about the no swearing law --- that's really lame. That seems so ridiculous.
1. How can they enforce that?
2. What about our precious Freedom of Speech?

Haha, I'm in Philadelphia right now, and today we went to the Independence Hall and saw the room where the Constitution was signed. It was pretty cool to see it in person instead of in the painting.

I'd like to see how well this law ends up working in the end....

I think the cussing law is crazy. I dont understand how it can be a law that people can't swear in public. first of all, how would a policeman catch every single swear word that comes out of somebodys mouth? I don't think swearing is the most polite or attractive thing, but to make a law against it is outrageous!

And about the changing of the name of Wrigley Field...I really hope they don't do it! I am a huge cubs fan, but beside the fact, as Carrie said, Wrigley Field was brought up with chicago, its part of the city it would be a shame to take that name away. I hope their next idea isn't to build a new park!

Oldest Marathon Runner

In London there is a man named Martin who is 101 years old and participated in the london marathon. This makes him the oldest marathon runner in the world.

Good for Martin!

If I was 101 years old all I'd want to do is sleep and watch I love Lucy reruns.

So him being able to complete a marathon in 5 hrs and 13mins is fantastic.

Cussing

I agree with Keith.

I think that law is a violation of freedom of speech.

Even though cuss words aren't the best choice of words to use when conversing with another people allowed to use whatever words they choose to express themselves.

What I really don't get is that why this law is being made in California.

California to me doesn't seem like the state that would make this kind of law.

I thought California was very liberal.

Plus as was said before no one is going to follow that law.

Swearing just happens.

Sometimes, even for me, it's just the slip of the tounge.

So I don't see how you can punish someone for word choice.

Dumb law.

Just because a law is made to tell a person to stop swearing, it does not mean they are going to follow it. I mean come on, what are these people going to do to enforce the law? Are the police going to listen in on everyone’s conversations on the street instead of catching criminals? If someone is offended by swearing it is their responsibility to let the people around them know how they feel. I do not think that there needs to be a law to tell people when it is the right/wrong time or place to use curse words.

Julie's Post

That is the craziest law I've ever heard! There are so many more beneficial laws that could have been made. What is the purpose of banning words? Words aren't even going to kill anyone. I mean sure, words are powerful and meaningful, but they're won't do bodily harm to another person. I just don't understand what good can come from banning words. Won't this law have the reverse effect, where people will just want to use cuss words more? How will they even regulate this new law? fines?Does anyone else think that this is a little ridiculous?
I don't swear(unless completely necessary), but that is a personal choice. I'm OK with other people swearing, because I feel that it's their choice if they want to. It seems a little extreme to force others to follow a rule because you don't think its right.

Wrigley Field

I really do'nt know what to say about the swearing thing. who is going to regulate that? and anyway what if you drop scissors on your foot and stab yourself. i am sure that first word to come out will not be "fudge."


I read/saw that the new owner of the cubs are planning on renaming Wrigley field. They want to sell the name or something to a corporation like the bulls and white sox did to their stadiums. the new owner was saying that he would be willing to keep the name Wrigley if the Wrigley family was willing to pay up. I was livid when i heard this. Not only because i am a cubs fan but becuase that field is part of chicago history. It's been around a lot longer than the new owner has been thats for sure. They have already taken away Marshall Fields from chicago what next?

The Nitti Beat's Post

Honestly, no cussing. I've said it once and I'll say it again, what the hell is wrong with people. If all these people have to worry about is swearing, then they should consider themselves lucky. Why can't these people put their time and effort into something productive. When will people stop being so ridiculously stupid and just put up with the changing world. If you ask you parents, teachers never swore or anything like that, and now they do. So just ask yourselves its it worth it to make such an asinine law.

I think it is ridiculous. It's so hard not to cuss. It's just words..not actions and it may hurt people emotionally and psychologically but what about the freedom of speech? I don't think many people would take this law seriously.

No cussing....thats kinda a funny law. It is not like it is going to stop anyone..personally i dont care if people swear. I do it all the time without paying any attention. It is stupid to even try and inforce that law. I guess sometimes swearing can hurt other people, but its ridic to make it a law that your not allowed to sware...and that whole freedom of speech they are taking that away from people.

No Cussing?!?

No, I'm sorry but that has got to be the stupidest thing that I've ever heard. Sure, it's a nice idea and all but this world isn't nice and just because you make everyone talk and act nice, doesn't mean they are. What is wrong with these people? Do they really expect people to listen to this? I like cussing. That may make me sound rude and childish but it's true. I'm not saying that I do it to an obsence amount but I don't think the cops should be able to arrest you just because you let the F-bomb slip...that's bullcrap!!

Town Bans Cussing

A town in California has banned cussing... I know that's crazy right? Check it out:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/cuss.free.zone.ap/index.html


I did not know that that could happen! What about freedom of speech and everything? I do not know much about anything but I do not think that this is right. I guess it is a "good" but I do not think anyone has the power to make a decision like this.

What do you guys think?

National Convention

So this week we get to play dress up/pretend by having a national convention. I think that this will help us understand more about politics and maybe the whole election over all. I really enjoyed making up my character and their profile. but it was hard trying to research our topic. I was also kinda hard thinking of reasons why my character is Liberal considereing the fact that my character would not be Liberal. Hopefully this meeting thing will turn out ok and we will all get A's!

I think it is really sad that we have to fear going to college. I want to know what happened to schools being a safe place to be. It is bad enough that we have to worry about living on our own for the first time, but now we have the fear of school shootings too. It makes me so upset to see the same thing happening over and over again, and no one is doing anything to stop it. Something needs to change.

There are raesons on why people go around shooting guns at others. Sometimes they wont know the reason on why they did it though. It could be that a person is under a lot of stress and the snaps or some other reason. I think they wont know the reason. Asking them would then be pointless. Then the person if survived would need to go and get a lot of help. who knows why they do it. There people like us and we are very complicated living organisims.

I just wish that shooters that do these things will accidentally mess up and end up not killing themselves, but just injuring, so then we can truly find out why they did it. Like the whole Northern thing is just a complete mystery, cause I don't think anyone ever found out why he did it, so it's just strange and random.

And the ISU thing is just stupid. I don't know what compels people to think that they should write something like that.... It's childish, cause it seems like they're just like "oh, I want my school to be on the news, and I want attention from my friends and family to make sure I'm okay..." like seriously, what is going on inside these people's heads???

Shannon's Post

I agree with Dennis, I think the scariest thing is we don't always know the true motive behind the rampage. If we knew exactly what, and when, and when/what the trigger was...maybe we would be closer to stopping this.

The fact that a lot of the shootings have been taken place in schools is really scary. Schools should be a safe haven, maybe not your favorite place, but a place to feel safe in at least. Not to say other places wouldn't feel safe too....but when you're in school you feel like you know everyone around you...when you're in the mall you can be in danger of getting raped, kidnapped, mugged... so you're already cautious to begin with. I never used to feel cautious that something bad would happen in school before, and now I suddenly have to be aware of everything.

College next year really does make me nervous. I know it's just as likely to happen in high school as college...but being away at a university already makes me nervous..and i can't help to wonder if I'm choosing the right college... what if I choose one and that's where next years shooting is. This whole topic just makes me paranoid.

College threats

It really sucks that we even have to worry about this kind of stuff. People should just be able to go to school without having to worry about getting shot or even having lock down drills for this kind of stuff. It's even worse that people aren't exactly sure why people go on school shootings because they always kill themselves at the end. People could guess that it's because of their peers or family or something like that, but I think it would be better if people knew for sure so maybe their could be an attempt to fix the problem without having to kill people.

All these threats are freaky...its getting kind of ridiculous that we have to be scared now to go to college...like its always in the back of your mind that some crazy person is going to go on another shooting rampage. Its wierd how one school has a shooting then all of a sudden others schools have threats....really anywhere is a treat now not just college, anywhere you go there could be so crazy there wanting to take his life and others....what has this world come too.

Julie's post!!

That is really weird. i guess its true though, that every school is in danger. its kind of depressing how we have to even worry about things like this. at the school that i intern at, pleasant hill, the kids have even learned a lock down drill. it scares me to think that this school has to even think about the potential of having an intruder. also, if the lock down were real, how would the kids react? for the drill, we told the kids that we were just doing a drill, but we never told them what it was for. what can we do to stop this trend of shootings? what do we do to make this happen in the first place?

Collage threats

Honestly, we really can't know exactly why people do what they do and it is a little scary. I have many friends up at NIU and was suppose to go visit them that day. I think that there are people who do it for a reaction and of course they get one. I admit to being scared about going to collage but now we all have to be scared for completely different reasons and it ridiculous. I think the only thing we can do is, however heartless this might sound to the families of the victoms, to let it pass as quickly and quietly as possible.

College threats

Yeah I went to ISU for an interview like the weekend after and my mom didnt tell me about the threats till later cus she didnt want me to freak out. Honestly though, every college has something like this happen and its not like we can just not go to college but its still really scary. Also on the note of colleges, UofI, ISU or Illinois Wesleyan? I can't choose!!! any advice?

Wow

That is freaky! I dont understand what our world is coming to that makes people want to do things like that. I honsetly am scared to go to college. What if that happened where I went? I am sure that I would not be able to go back to school which isn't good. I think that the colleges need to step up and fix the problems that make this happen. Everyone does, these people dont just act this way because they want to, something triggers it.... I just dont get it...

thats definitely freaky.. cuz i basically have finished everything for signing up for uic. and i check my uic email frequently.. and there was a mass email that said there were threats made to teachers/university and people should be on the look out and be cautious. i mean COME ON, im going there next year, i dont wanna die... i got other mass email that they caught the guy. but im still scared sh!tless that that kinda thing even happened.

ISU strange incident

I have a friend whose older brother attends ISU, and the day after the NIU shootings someone found a note on the floor or their dormitory that said (I can't remember perfectly) NIU, now it's ISU's turn. I'm not quite sure if anything was done about it. I have not talked to my friend further on the issue. Some of the people in his brother's dormitory said that it could be a joke, however, who would joke about that? Then again I'm sure that there is some person out there who finds that funny...

The Nitti Beat's Post

Social norms are a big thing now-a-days. The one thing that should also be noted is people's knowledge and work ethic. One of the problems I've been seeing in Fremd lately is that they are less and less street smart and too book smart. Now I'm not an expert in either, but it know my fair share. I also see that people, including myself, are becoming lazy. I was talking with my grandfather and he said that he wishes he had the opportunities we have now. He said that he had to work very hard just to get gas money, where now-a-days some of our parents but it for us. As much as people are going to think that I'm crazy for saying this they need to do it. I think people need to start doing mind challenging puzzles and to get off the couch and do something.

poster

The posters that are shown in the school do not mean that they are correct. it is only what other people think about what goes on in the school. There is, in my own thought, that there is a 25% difference in what there is and what people think of.

I didn't hear anything about the santa barbara thing but i heard something on CNN or something about a university in the las vegas area. they were talking about how there is a serial rapist in the area and the use of the escort system had sky rocketed. students who live on and off campus were living in fear and it drastically changed their daily activities. They were interviewing some students and a girl said that she had picked this school becuase she has felt the safest there. I think that the only thing that can truly be done to help prevent the violence in schools is have metal detectors at all the enterances. But is that a reality? there are very few schools out there that are willing to do this becuase it is a big red flag for saying that their school is not the safest. School on a daily basis isn't really the most fun and i can only imagine what school must be like for the kids who are making the threats.

Jamie, that does sound scary and I am glad everything is ok. I just don't get why we have to live with the fear of something bad happening at school too. I was just wondering, why students want to get back at their teachers? What are the teachers doing that are making students think in this awful way?

social norms posters

I honoestly dont think that the posters around school are having any effect whatsoever. Reading them doesnt effect the decisions I make in the slightest bit. And not to mention that one of them advertises the fact that 40% of fremd students drink. Thats pretty close to half....not something, if i was the principal of a school, that i would want to be sharing with everyone. And on top of that, we cant even be sure how accurate those tests are. Anybody could lie and say that they do or dont drink/smoke and the people who look at these tests wouldnt no the difference. So to sum it all up, the posters around school im my opinion are having no effect, and could completely inaccurate and i think that they should never have been put up in the first place.

i think its sad too that some ppl in our society cab stoop that low and kill people for their sexual orientation or their former teachers. i used to think that all schools were safe environments like home but now not so much.. i was just at uic on saturday cuz i had to take my placement tests.. especially large campuses, its so easy to just blend in and not be noticed. they dont check who goes in and out of buildings. i think that at least having to show a school id to get into some buildings should be implemented. when i was younger, i had my concerns about college, but none of them included my safety and if my school was gonna be shot up or not. i think we need to take gradual steps, not just schools but everywhere, to keep people safe.