Strip Clubs

So as I read the blog on nasty strip clubs in the Memphis area, I started thinking how horrible they are for our community. They bring nothing but bad news. They promote adultery, drinking, and wasting money. I think it would be a great idea to prohibit the sale of alcohol so that maybe their profit would go down. Without alcohol these strip clubs are not anything. They rely on the men to come in and get drunk so that then they will start really getting into the women. I really think that this would be a great idea so that we could slowly get rid of them in the Memphis area. I also like the idea of them getting licenses so that we know and keep track of all these adult businesses. They would be able to keep up with how much money they are making and what kind of people run these businesses. I really like the idea of having criminal background checks. This would help prostitution greatly! Not only would we get women off the street, we would also help eliminate other illegal issues like drugs. We really need to take a stand so that we can eliminate these issues.

University construction

I read the blog on the University of Memphis destroying the Prescott Memorial Baptist Church. I did not know this and I am sure many of you did not know that this church had been around for 75 years. Not only was this building a church for many years but it was apart of the community. With that, many people who have been around for years are upset. The sad thing is that the University is not even sure what it wants to do with the land. The University has mentioned plans of maybe a parking lot or another educational building. I think that it is great that the University is expanding. I think that in order for the University of Memphis to grow it must better its campus and develop new buildings and more parking. On the other hand I understand the anger from the other side. They want to keep their community like it is. When a place is that old, many people have special memories there. Although I think that it will be a great improvement for the University, I think that they should have had a plan before demolishing the building. Not only would this help the people who are angered, this would make the rebuilding process much quicker.

College Bound?

I decided to read every day, every child, college bound…maybe because of my issues with education and my paper but also because I really want to become a teacher one day.
In this blog they address a lot of the common problems in the education department but something that really hit was the part of college bound. Most schools focus on all of the students being college bound but not everyone is made out for college.
Schools also stress that just about anyone can get some kind of scholarship but why waste a scholarship on someone who does not really want to be there. Although college is necessary for many jobs today, many people make a great living without a college degree. Plus, if everyone got a college degree then who would do the work like construction, or servers?
Even though I do not think that every child should be forced or is made out to go to college, I do believe that everyone should be aware and have the opportunity to attend. I also do not believe that parents should make their children go to college. I know that as a parent you want the best for your child, but it is ultimately the child’s decision.
I think it is great how much schools are stressing the importance and experience of college but I also know that not everyone can go to college.

Memphis Kids

So I read this blog on how cities with children are successful. They were basically saying how Memphis needs more children and needs the middle-age families to support the city and send them to city schools instead of private schools.
But as I was reading this I realized how it kind of incorporated with my paper. Since I am focusing on Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools with the No Child Left Behind act, I have seen how horrible the Memphis City Schools are doing. While Shelby County Schools have 100% of their schools passing all of the rules for the act, Memphis City Schools has way too many schools failing in certain aspects. If these schools do not improve then they will eventually go under.
And they wonder why many of the families that live in the city send their children to private schools. They want the best for their children and going to a school that is under revision is not the first school a parent would choose to send their child.
Another huge problem is the crime. Memphis has the worst crime so why would parents want their young children out and about in a harmful city. I think that if Memphis worked on its schools and crime rate the number of families living in the city would rise.

Monday morning...

So my Monday morning did not start off very good! My boyfriend asked me like two months ago to get him a guest ticket to the Tennessee vs. Memphis basketball game. So I woke up extra early this morning so that I would get to school around 8 since the Bursar’s office opens then to get him a ticket.
As I am walking up to Wilder Tower I over hear two people talking about how they were already sold out. The guy said that he had gotten there at 6 this morning. So I walked in there and the line was wrapped around all the way into another room! I was so mad because I new that there was no chance I was getting a ticket!
I felt really bad about not getting him a ticket but I guess I did not realize how serious these games are now especially since we are number one! Well I guess he just is not going to get to go but who knows if I even will. I am really excited about the game and really want to go but I know that I am going to have to get there super early to even get in the door!

Schools

I have chosen the issue about schools particularly Memphis City versus Shelby County. I chose this issue because I hope to one day become an elementary education or special education teacher. I believe that in order to the students the best education possible, the teachers must enjoy their job.
Many teachers do not truly love what they do anymore. They are too wrapped up into the government education issues. No Child Left Behind has become one of the major issues in both school systems. Children are getting through the grades without actually learning the information because of this law. The teachers are basically required to teach the students how to take standardized tests instead of covering the actual subject. I want to look at this issue deeper so that I can understand all of its components and see what changes could be made to better the school systems.
Another huge issue is money. Memphis City Schools are receiving a lot more money than Shelby County Schools. I want to know why they receive money and why their ratings are lower than the County schools. There are also all different programs offered at different schools. Many students choose where they live because of something particular they like for example sports or certain technical classes. Although I only attended a County school, I would like to discuss the differences with someone who has attended both.
I also want to know where all this money is going. I also want to compare scores and grades between the two schools to see which one is doing better academically. Another topic is teacher’s salaries. Why do Memphis City School teachers make more? And what determines which schools system the teachers want to teach in? the students, money, or location?

Kickboxing!

My roommate Jenna and I have been working out at the Hyper but last week we decided we were going to attend one of the classes. Why not since it is free? So we decided on kickboxing at 4:30 on Wednesdays.
So today was the day. We went a little early and stretched and started kind of joking about it. We were saying that it better be worth our time and that we better get something out of it.
Well we definitely got something out of it. It kicked my ass! At first it did not seem that bad. The music was playing and the instructor was just showing us some basic moves. Then it started getting a little more intense until eventually I was really sweating. After we did the kickboxing part we did some push-ups and abs.
When we were all finished my roommate and I looked over and knew we should not have been joking about it!
Ha we had really gotten some exercise. The best part about the class was that there was always up beat music playing to keep you going. It was fun to watch your self in the mirrors trying to do some move but actually looking really stupid.
Kickboxing was so fun and went by extremely fast! I highly recommend ya’ll to go!

He died!

I am still in shock that Heath Ledger died!
So I was going to blog about this yesterday as soon as I heard about it but of course I got side-tracked and never got to it so now I will! I am really sad about his death because not only was he a good actor but he was super cute too and from Australia!
I am not surprised about the whole overdose part though because it seems like so many of the people living the Hollywood lifestyle get wrapped up into drugs! Even though they are not one hundred percent positive that it was drug overdose, I really hope that this is a major wake-up call for so many people. I hope that they realize the damage that they are doing to not only themselves but also their families.
I fell horrible for his two year old daughter. She will never be able to know him except through his movies like “The Patriot” and “A Knight’s Tale.” I also think that it is really weird that he will still be in the movies after his death since he played the role of the joker in a movie that will be coming out soon.
Although I am really sad about Heath Ledger, I really hope that this well help others turn their lives around!

English 1020 and Blogging

So coming into this class I was a little nervous after just reading the Manifesto. When I saw that we were going to have to blog two hundred words five times a week I kind of freaked out. After writing the Manifesto and looking at the blog spot I felt a little more at ease and thought that it might not be too bad.
So when we get to class yesterday and Wendy says that we have to write seven hundred and fifty words five times a week…lets just say I really freaked out! So all day long yesterday I kept stressing about how I would find the time to write that much every week and make it interesting enough so that other people would want to read it!
Then exciting news came to me! My roommate Maggie texts me and tells me that Wendy sent an email saying that she messed up and the blogs only had to be two hundred words now! That made my day! I was like ok I can do this now. Well now that I have actually started blogging and reading other people’s blogs I see that it is really easy. I actually like it because now I feel like I will get to know everyone in the class.

My Manifesto

What is a manifesto? Before this assignment, I was clueless of the actual meaning of the word manifesto. I was a little worried about how exactly I would start this and make it about me and the principles in my life. I now realize that a manifesto is basically what you believe in and want out of life. Since manifestos have been written for years there have become many famous ones including The Hacker Manifesto, The Declaration of Independence, and The Communist Manifesto.
The Hacker Manifesto is basically the thought process of a hacker. It is there reasoning and intentions in hacking. It gives the reader a chance to see their background and motivation in hacking. This particular hacker had already been arrested and was first read in an underground publication. Although this manifesto was written in 1986, it is still used today as a principle for hackers. Another famous manifesto is one we have all heard of, The Declaration of Independence. This document is so important to the United States and the history of our country. It is the guiding factor in our country and how it continues to grow each day. The Communist Manifesto is also very popular for its importance to the Communist party. This document is the goals of this party and the importance of class relationships between the people of this party.
After reading these manifestos, I have seen how important these documents are because it is the foundation for many people. To begin my manifesto, I am a Christian, not only a Christian, but a believer in Jesus Christ and forgiveness. I know that he is the savior and brought to save us from our sins. I know that I am not perfect and will make mistakes daily, but I also know that there is someone out there who forgives me and loves me for who I am. I also know that God has a plan for me and my future. He has also provided me with life after death.
Being a Christian, not only categorizes me by a religion but also by the person I am. Along with the faith, I believe in caring, trust, integrity, thankfulness and living life to the fullest. Caring about your self along with other people is so important in life. Knowing that I have a family and friends to back me in everything I do, make me strive to care about them as well as myself.
I also think that trust makes the world go round. Not only do you have to trust other people but you also need to trust yourself. Trust plays apart in your relationships with other people and you day to day actions. I think that we need to trust our country and the leaders of our country to make the right decisions.
An individual’s integrity forms who they are and what they believe in. Your morals and beliefs help form your personality as well as your actions. I believe that everyone is different and each of us will have unique beliefs and morals. Most people’s integrity’s are formed from their background and how they are raised. A strong integrity will also help you stand up for what you believe in.
I am also very thankful for not only the “materialistic” things I have but also the support system I have. I am so appreciative for the car, house, clothes, etc that I have received. My family and friends are my everything! I know that they will be there for me no matter what. I am also thankful for the way I was raised. My mom and my sister have made a huge impact on my life. They have helped me become the woman I am. Not only am I grateful for the good morals and principles I was taught but also the belief in a higher being.
Lastly, I believe in living each day to the fullest. I know many people say this and do not actually go through with it but I know that life is short and that we need to make the best of it. I think that it is very important to work hard so that you may become successful in life. Putting in hard work will pay off in the end.
All of these things help to make up the person I am. I have become this person through my relationship with Christ as well as with my family and friends. The morals and principles I have been taught has developed me as a young woman.