I think that if I were the computer teacher, I wouldn't do anything much different than Mr. Armstrong does now. But, if I had the choice, I wouldn't make my students learn Excel. It's very difficult for a lot of middle schoolers to comprehend. I think I would feature Word more than Excel or Google Earth because Word is the one of those three that would be of most use to seventh graders.
        I would also let my students blog about whatever they want, but still give them Daily Topics as an example. I think many student's blogs would be better if they could choose their own topic.

Time Travel

4/26/2012

 
        I'm sure that in my lifetime, many new inventions will come to be. But I think that if I had to choose just one invention to be created, I would choose a time traveler. It doesn't have to be one that can take people back hundreds of years, but just one that lets you redo a few minutes of your life. Most of the mistakes I make are on impulse, and I always wish I could take it back just a few seconds later. I don't think that I'm the only one who thinks that.
        Many of the world's problems could be solved by redoing a minute of two and fixing whatever did wrong. We all learn from our mistakes, but imagine if we could learn from them, but still fix them completely. This invention could potentially eliminate not only careless mistakes, but also any embarassing mistakes. This invention would be life changing.
 
        I know that many famous people are not people of character and are arrogant, but I'm sure that there are some that are kind and try to help people. I personally do not know about many modern famous people, but I have heard that a few of them have gone to Africa to help poor villages and donate money to them, which I think is deffinately showing character. As well as that, I know that a lot of them donate money to a variety of  charities. So, I can't decide which one famous person has the most character because there are so many different ways to show charachter.
 
        In my title, it seems like I'm about to talk about something really complicated and confusing. But in truth, intellectual property isn't confusing. It is very important to anyone who makes or writes creative works. You see, intellectual property is more simply put as "copyright."
        Creative content doesn't sound nearly as confusing as intellectual property, but actually, there is much more to know about creative content. Creative content is the creative works in which must become intellectual property to be protected from potential plagerism. Creative content can be something as complicated as a new invention to help clean the air, or something as simple as a children's book. To conclude this, creative content is the things within the intellctual property.

The 5 Theses

4/19/2012

 
        During the Reformation, Martin Luther made a document called the 95 Theses which directly attacked the pope and the wrong doings of the Cathoilc Church. In core, we did something silmilar. We wrote our own 5 Theses about our school. Mine were as follow: 1.) Computech students should not have to wear school uniforms. 2.) If we still have to wear uniforms, we should be able to wear any color we want. 3.) We shouldn't have to wear collared shirts. 4.) We should have six long classes instead of 8 short ones. 5.) We should have more FUSD dress days, if we still have to wear uniforms. 
        I think that my fifth theses is the most important because I'm almost positive that the others aren't possible.
 
        I believe that it is good to have some websites blocked on school grounds such as social media sites and ones that are inappropriate for students to be on at school. But I think that school districts are blocking too much. A lot of school profects for French I have to do at home because all of the information I need is on websites that have been blocked. 
        There is nothing inappropriate about these sites and they are completely safe for students to use. My teacher actually reccommended them. Yet the district still blocks them. I am fine with these websites being blocked for students, but I think teachers should have a password to get onto them so that, with permission, students may go on these websites as well.
 
         In an article about multitasking, written by Jon Hamilton, the author mentions both the good and the bad parts of modern technology. Now days, we can easily switch between homework, texting, music, etcetera. Some may say this is a large improvement to the modern world. But others say that this is destroying teens ability to focus.
        I personally think that being able to switch through different things quickly is a huge improvement. I think that teens would do all of the things they do anyway, but most of them would be so overwhelmed by the time it takes that they wouldn't have time to do anything else. So in conclusion, I believe that the ability to multitask with technology is helpful, not harmful, to teens mental development  
 
My head is steaming with fury. “Must destroy THEM,” I scream, accidentally. I’m
so upset that I get chill bumps every time I think of humans. After two weeks of
doing absolutely nothing productive, Lurali reminds me that we’re supposed to be
home by now. “Oh, that’s right,” I comment, but honestly, I could care less. I’m
actually vaguely at peace at the moment. Lurali may be slightly insane, but the
hallucinations are gone and she’s coming around. She’s not too crazy. I smile as
I watch Lurali play with a stray kitten she found on the road when we were
walking around. She calls it Peanut. Just then, I heard a banging on our hotel
door. "Who is it? " I ask from my bed. "Open up now or I'll break down the
door!" says a rough, mean voice that only one person could make.

Cinerec.
Why in the world would Cinerec be here at my hotel room? Hadn't she already
gotten revenge on me on the train to Nig City? Another banging at the door stops
my thoughts. I slowly get up and reluctantly open the door. Cinerec shoves past
me as soon as the door opens a crack. "Lurali! How are you feeling? I've been so
worried about you!" Cinerec says in such a girly voice that it nauseates me.
"Umm,  I'm feeling alright, I guess," Lurali answers, obviously confused. "Do
you want to go see a movie?" Cinerec asks with fake excitement. Lurali,
obviously convinced Cinerec had changed, happily agrees. "I'll stay here, go
have fun," I tell Lurali sulkily. Lurali smiles as she skips out the door. "Be
right there!" Cinerec calls and then turns to me and says, "I don't play to get
even, I play to win." Then Cinerec runs out of my hotel room to catch up with
Lurali.

To my own surprise, I can't stop grinning. I really don't know
why. My best friend has been stolen, a new friend of mine died, humans are
invading- there is absolutely nothing for me to be grinning about. Yet I feel as
though something good has to come from what I'm about to do. I take a deep
breath and yell, "Ellejolie!" Immidiately, the beautiful girl swoops in with a
scowl on her face. "What do you want?" she rudely asks. "I need help- a lot of
help." I tell her. She says nothing, so I continue. "What does Cinerec value?
Does she love or care about anything or anyone?" Ellejolie stares at me with her
penetrating blue eyes that seem to see directly through my plan. "It's not going
to work. The only thing Cinerec cares about right now is making your life
miserable," she informs me. "I don't think you understand, Ellejolie,  because
that will work perfectly," I tell her. She rolls her eyes and asks me if I need
anything else. I excuse her, and she's gone in a puff of smoke.

"This is
perfect," I think out loud. All I have to do is make sure Cinerec doesn't get
what she wants. I have to make it seem thet I don't care- or, better yet, really
not care. I apparantly spent more time then I thought with Ellejolie, because
right then, Lurali and Cinerec walk through the door holding big buckets of
popcorn. "That was so much fun! We need to see eachother again soon!" Lurali
squeals. Cinerec nods with fake happiness. At least Lurali was back to her
normal bubbly self. The only problem with that is that I'm not the one who
healed her and made her happy again. Cinerec did. But, I couldn't let it get to
me. I had to act happy for her and I have to be friends with Cinerec.


"Yes, we should. And next time, I'm coming with you," I say with a
malevolent grin. Cinerec tries not to look like this bothers her, but you can
tell by her eyes that it really does. "Well, maybe," Cinerec slowly replies, as
if she's attempting to put what she's thinking in a way that Lurali wouldn't
think she was intentionally offending me. Lurali smiles and tells us how happy
she is that her two best friends get along. Wait a  second. Did she say 'my
two best friends'? They have literally spent half a day together,
whereas I've spent the past twelve years with her, yet already Lurali considers
us both to be her best friends, not just me. But this can't bother me
on the outside, so I say nothing.

"Cinerec,
Ellejolie called for you while you were at the movies. She said something about
your dad wanting you home immediately," I  lie. All the color drains from her
face as she hastily mumbles, "I have to go," and runs out the door. "So, Lurali,
what movie did Cinerec and you go see?" I ask, uninterested. "Cinerec said not
to tell you anything anymore, because you would betray me. So, I can't tell you
that," she says sadly. "What!?! That crosses the line! It's been a half hour,
and I can't take it anymore! I'm your best friend! Not her," I suddenly scream.
I'm usually very good at holding my emotions inside of me- no one knows when I'm
in pain, or when I'm sad. But for some reason, I couldn't hold myself back.
Lurali stares at me, horrified. "I can't believe you would say that. She makes
me smile. Sometimes it's nice to not have to be the one that entertains, but
instead the one being entertained. You're so serious. I'm not your property,
don't be so protective, I can take care of myself," she whispers, obviously
offended. And with that, she grabs her bag, and leaves the
room.

For hours, I just bang my head on the
footboard of the hotel bed. I must have a huge bruise by now. Why did I say
those things? If Cinerec makes Lurali happy, then who am I to keep Lurali from
her? I really don't think of Lurali as my property. But she's just so innocent
and fragile. I've always felt like I have to protect her. I wonder where she
will go. Is this temporary? Or will she never come back? I force myself to put
this out of my mind and think of the more important issue at hand. Humans may be
invading and I have to do something about it. I may just be your average namuh
girl, but I know I can stop this. And I know exactly
how.

I have to find a way to get up that pipe
and talk to these creul, disgusting creatures. I quickly stand up and walk out
the door, grabbing my bag on the way because I probably won't be back here for a
while. I take a few deep breaths and I ask myself why i'm going to do this. The
answer, I try to convince myself, is that I no longer need to protect Lurali so
my life has no further purpose. When I get out of the hotel, I hop on my board
and fly toward the pipe as fast as possible. After five minutes of flying, I
arrive at the simple, yet deadly, pipe. My board can fly up twenty feet up, but
the pipe is at least thirty. I try to jump, and grab onto the edge. But then I
slip and fall back onto my board. "Well, that didn't work," I mumble under my
breath. Just then, a brillliant idea comes to mind.


I fling the handle of my bag up, so it catches
on the groove at the end of the pipe. I jump up and grab onto my bag. I
greulingly lift myself up until I am in the steep pipe, standing in one of the
ladder rungs. As I grab my bag, I begin to climb. There is only one problem:
This pipe is at least twelve miles long, and it's extremely steep. Also, my head
is throbbing from where I bruised it on the hotel bed. Suddenly, the cold, had
truth hits me like a ton of bricks. There's no way possible that I can do both
succeed and survive. In fact, I'm not sure I can do either. But I have to try.
So, I climb. And climb. And climb, until it's physically impossible for me to
climb any more. I don't think I'm even halfway there, but I know I can't climb
any more. So, I secure myself behind the ladder rungs and attempt to get
comforterable. Although I can't, I eventually falll asleep anyway.


After what must have been at least six hours, I wake. As I
begin to climb, something very strange happens. On the side of the pipe, a small
door opens up and a girl is revealed from behind it. Her eyes widen and I pull
my dagger out from my pouch. But then, the girl smiles. Not a smile of fear or
hatred, but a genuine smile. That smile makes me put my dagger back, and almost
smile back. Almost. "What are you?" the girl asks curiosly.  I don't
answer, but instead, I shoot back a question of my own, "Who are
you?" The girl giggles, as if my voice is hilarious. Then she answers,
"I'm Noelle. And my stupid father runs the entire D.A.N. project. He sent me
down here to see if the life here is intelligent, or if we can take them down
easily." This results in me pulling out my dagger again and repling, "Who is
Dan?" She laughs wildly and informs me, "Not Dan. D.A.N. It stands for Destroy
All Namuhs. Are you guys really called that?" I nod. Still laughing, she asks,
"What's you're name? And why are you in our pipe?" I think about this for a
moment, not sure whether I should tell the truth or not. Eventually, I answer,
"My name is Nagella. I am in this pipe because I want to get information on
humans." Noelle again begins to giggle. I really do not understand this girl.
"Well, why are you climbing the emergency ladder. That's going to take, like,
forever. There's an elevator that will get you up there in an hour or two. Come
on," she tells me quickly. I try to absorb what she just told me.  After a
while, I manage to do so and I climb into the elevator with this strange human
girl. "I'll go up with you, then I'll go back down to learn about namuhs," she
tells me as if it is really important that I be accompanied as I go up an
elevator. I nod expressionlessly. "So, Nagella, what do you want to know about
humans? I can tell you pretty much anything you want to know," she says. Now she
has me interested.

"Well, do you guys really
have to wear oxygen masks to make the air up there breathable?" I ask. In
response, she reaches into her bag and pulls out an oxygen mask. I look at her
in disgust. Her kind destroyed everything that was important to anyone. They
have no limits on creulty, and they don't even remorse over it. "Now, I get to 
ask you a question. How hot is it where you are? Because I'm already sweating
and I'm still twelve miles away," she says in exasperation. "It's usually about
four hundred to eight hundred degrees. What is the weather like up where the
human's are?" I reply. " Eight hundred degrees!" she exclaims, "I'd die if I get much closer to that!" I consider this for a moment and then come to a conclusion. I hand her my regulating necklace and tell her, "This will prevent you from disentigrating." She releases a large breath of relief as she gladly takes the necklace and puts it on. "Thanks," she says to me sincerely and I begin to think that this naiive, evil human child might not be so bad after all. "Well, it's usually about seventy degrees this time of year where this tunnel lets up." 

"What!?! Seventy? I'll freeze to death before I get the chance to destroy you all," I scream at her. At this, Noelle's eyes water up as she whispers, "You want to destroy all of us? Even me?" I roll my eyes. "Yes! of course I do! A man named Soildier Green threw this dagger," I say as I show her my dagger, "down the pipe. And it killed my friend." I was trying to sound hostile as I said it, but my voice cracked at the end, taking away the desired effect. Noelle takes no notice of this and says, "Soildier Green is a woman. In fact, she's my mother." With that, I open the elevator door and shove her out, sending her screaming as she falls to her doom. "Well, glad that's over with. My first human kill," I say proudly to myself. Of course, I knew that that girl would forever haunt my dreams, but for the moment, I might as well act proud of it. 
 
        I chose to do Michelangelo for my Renaissance Hall of Fame person because he had many accomplishments. He was an amazing artist. He created legendary sculptures, such as the Pieta and David. He also was given the honor of painting a fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, in which he showed the creation of Adam.
        As well as an artist, he was also a brilliant architect. He thought of the idea for the domed top of St. Peter's Bassilica. He also created the staircase of the Lauretian Library. In conclusion, Michelangelo was not only one of the best artists who ever lived, but also excel 
 
        I think that this quote means that to change the world, you must first change yourself. Then, by changing yourself, others might follow your example. Even if you have much smaller goals, such as to change how a family member or friend behaves, then you still must first make sure that you reach the standards that you have set for them.
         This quote could also mean that in order to be successful in changing the world, you must show people that what you are trying to do is the right thing. Even if you change yourself first, other people have to see why they should follow your example before they will. If you have a valid cause that affects something important, people might agree with you and then change themselves to reflect what they now believe in.