Season's about open! Sept. 4 Get your strings waxed up!

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/1011huntingseasons.pdf

The season is among us, the night air is starting to get a bit more crisp, and the mornings are beginning to dew. Only means one thing, deer hunting season. Get your feeders ready, I've been doing mine for about a month now, and i know there are a few big ones up there. The best of luck to you all!

Response # 4 Children Mature on their own through Media

Children Mature On Their Own Through Media

By: Jonathan D. Livers

Eng. 102 Michael D. Benton

A new upraise in the foundation of education is media interaction. It’s been on a course in the past decade to revolutionizing the way we learn, interact, and find our individual images.  Media can be used to face talk with someone on the go, learn a new language, and even create a whole new world. Some people on the other hand feel that media is a distraction from the “real” learning which monotone teachers provide; these people feel that the media is corrupting the minds of our youth. In fact, it’s progressing the knowledge of their surrounds, teaching them how to interact with one another, behave, and manors.

                Media that we as the youth all know and love, the television, the dreaded devise our parents warned us about that if you sit too close to it, your eyes will pop out of your head. Well, not so much. Many of the classes I’ve taken have involved visual media, such as documentaries, and movies.  Imagine the movies you watched at a young age, what did you learn from them? A favorite of mine was the Ninja turtle series, KOWABUNGA! What is there to learn from a bunch of pizza eating ninja fighting turtles? I learned the difference between right and wrong, the value of teammates, and that pepperoni is the best type of pizza. I was a kid! Of course after I got done I would act out all the flip kicks, and I even made my own nun chucks out of two pieces of wood and  an old pair of Nike shoe strings. Did me being an interactive kid mean the movie made me an animal, no, I was maturing on my own pace.

                Other media tools such as computers, tablets, and Smartphone’s are another reason that learning has evolved. Computers run our whole security network now, they run most of our factories, and it’s the most used tool in the education field by far. Tablets do everything a computer can, but much more portable, and Smartphone’s are progressing to take over the tablet world, all in a matter of 10 years. A computer that can fit in your pocket, who would have seen that coming 20 years ago? The world has changed, and our system of operation should as well. Business have already reformed, now it’s time for the education department.

                I’m from a small country town, growing up I never had all the amenities of a game system, I didn’t get my first computer until I was a junior in high school, and a Smartphone, didn’t even know what that was. I’ve done good to teach myself these things, but it’s important that we introduce media to our youth as soon as possible. My old high school just used government funded money to purchase all iPods and Ipads for the library instead of new books. Many of the people thought the school was taking away from their Childs education, but ironically children started loving to go to school on library day. None of the iPods or Ipads has any games, most of the downloaded content is books and other educational tools, but it’s a different way of learning for them. It’s not three 15LB books they have to lug around and cramp in their lockers.

The point being, media is a great new way for you to learn. Don’t allow your parents to undermine the use of technology in your life. It’s a great way to experience life, because I feel that media is the face of a whole new generation of learning which will be passed down for generations, or until they can find how to zap the information into our heads.

Citation Page

"Changing Paradigms."http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/watch. Web. 31 Aug 2011. <

Williamson, Ben. "On Parenting, Media, Education and Phobias ." DMLcentral (2011): 1. Web. 31 Aug 2011. <http://dmlcentral.net/blog/ben-williamson/parenting-media-education-and-phobias>.

Wayne's Carter IV built the hype but didn't deliver...

              What did we really expect from Lil' Wayne's new album? We got too much of a good thing with his last album and took our past emotional connection to the Carter 3 and let it get the best of us. Wayne's skills are none the less on a level that some artist may never experiences, but he talked this album up to be something of gold, which he could retire on, my suggestion is not to quit your day job Wayne.
              We'll see how the album sells, which I'm sure will be out the roof before the day of release is up, but can he compete with his masterpieces like "A Milli" "Build the Beat" and "Got Money". Maybe the time in prison did slow down him a bit on the release of a new album, but artist like T.I. let the prison life give them a new inspiration, i feel that the easy life of prison spoiled Wayne and made him think that life is too easy for him and he doesn't have to try any more. Well wake up Wayne, never stop impressing, or you won't be too impressive very long.
                Tracks like "6 foot 7 foot" made this album appear to be everything and more that Dr. Carter promised, but sounds can be deceiving just as looks can be. The Carter IV is not a appointment's, it has some good tracks, but nothing that was produced in the 2008 album. It was possibly the peak of his career, but i look forward to any other works that he comes with because i still feel that he is gifted artist which has a lot of potential. We'll just have to see what the future holds for this young rapper.

Response#3 Homeless are the Lazy

Homeless are the Lazy

By: Jonathan D. Livers

English 102: Michael D. Benton

                What do you imagine when the subject of the homeless comes up?  I’m sure you’re just like the rest of the middle/upper class, thinking they are worthless drug/alcohol addicted peasants. We feel as if we are the better halves. But some of those homeless are the reason we are the land of the free and home of the brave, some used to be our pharmacist, bankers, and our neighbors.

                We look at the homeless from the outside, never taking in consideration how they became homeless. What if we took a peep into the life’s of the homeless like “Someplace like America” does? After spending time with the homeless, would we still have the same mind set as we do now? After knowing that they could possibly be a mirror to our future would we still treat them with the same disrespect as we do now?

                Crazy red, a Vietnam veteran was one of the homeless that the authors’ opened and viewed the pages of his life. He had very well grown to the life of a homeless civilian, knowing all the tricks and traits. Knew were to sleep, what was the best ways to sleep, were to gather foods, he lived life as if he had been homeless forever. But he wasn’t. He was a proud veteran of the war, one of this nation’s heroes. This the way we treat our once idols?

                Yes, this had become of the life in Santa Barbara, CA. The author’s experienced it first hand for themselves. At first it was a great understanding, meeting new interesting people, figuring out their life’s’ stories. But living as the homeless they must familiarize the bad side. One night, in a flutter of commotion, they were scattered off by the shouts and screams of a police invasion. One reporter asking, “how can they do this!? This isn’t right!”  It may not have been right, but it’s our ignorance that brings us to the concept that all homeless are bad, so the police officers didn’t do it out of hatred; they performed their act out of stupidity. (Maharide 1-10)

                The most amazing part of the homeless life is how people had got to this point in their life. Yes, there are your drug addicts who need help because they have wasted every moment of the life and money on the consumption of harsh remedies, but some are not so thick headed.  Many of the homeless were quite intelligent, some even with a close past of being employed and with a home. It brings up the question, how close is my community of going through the same? What’s stopping the factory that I work at shut down tomorrow with no hope of finding another job? Bills must be paid or we’ll have to go without; Food must be bought or we’ll have to scavenge. These haunting questions trouble even me, a college student because what if the degree I’m acquiring doesn’t have any demand by the time I graduate? I’d be too far in debt to go back to school.

                I’m just like any other man, I fear my future, but I look towards it with my chin held high, but stories like this do make me wonder how far away is our society to complete failure? And if failure is inevitable, will I be treated with the same lack of respect as the people in Santa Barbra? Think twice next time a swaddle of dirty torn rags on the side of the street holds up an empty can of last night’s supper and ask you for a small amount of change, coins that you’re probably going to lose anyways.

Citation Page

Maharide, Dale. Someplace Like America. 1st. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2011. 1-10. Print.

ENG 102: Where, What, Why?

Where are you from?

         Im from the small country city of Lebanon, Ky. I grew up on a cattle/tabacoo farming which i helped the family for about 7 years. Then i worked nearly 5 with my dad's electric company before he uinfortunatly had to retire from. I was born in Richmond at Patty A. Clay. from there we lived in foxhaven apts, then stanford, harodsburg, then finally moved back home to Lebanon. Now i live in a house with my lil cuz and a friend he graduated with on American Ave.

Identify something of importance/beliefes. (democratic, catholic, believe in evolution and not creationism)

One thing i try to believe is everything happens for a reason, it's something i tell myself to give me hope that there was purpose in what happens. Im a roman catholic raised, but some of my true beliefe don't blend well with the church, i feel that church is a good place to have faith and comfort, but it's not how the world was created, im a strong believer in evolution over creationism.

What kind of popular culture, hobbies, intrest? (Cars, sports)

Im a car person, i've always tried to spend as much time into my cars as i would myself, becasue mechanics are just as much part of my life as my friends and family. sports have been a major factor in how i've been shaped as a person, disapline and structure, which is how the world should be ran somewhat.
Why are you in college? (Business, was in massage therapy)

Im in college because i want to better myself, but mainly because im forced to in this society, honestly there's nothing more i would rather do than to be a hard working civilian or a farm back home, but farming isn't what it used to be, and every job you need to stay in middle class requires a full blown education. Im more of a hard worker, not a book reader. I started school in Lville at Louisville School Of Massage Therapy. after a semester of it, i figured it wasn't for me because it wasn't a stable career choice starting out in life, a business degree would give me more options. Alcohol has always been part of my life, and i respect it, not abuse it, and it's a safe bet that alcohol will be around for a while, therefore i feel that a liquor store would be a safe place in life as a career.

Being a Central Left Authoritarian

Response #2 A Doctor’s Daughter in Poor Health

A Doctor’s Daughter in Poor Health

By: Jonathan D. Livers

Eng. 102

Michael D. Benton

I feel as if child death cases are the biggest upraise for television entertainment. It’s a good reason for our grease belly, poor hygiene, ruthless society to sit back, relax (although they haven’t shown any bit of work all day) and watch the news for once. Child cases are ones that get all social media’s attention because of the emotional empathy that they can attract. It’s a great story line, but is this televised soap opera taking away from the truth of those involved in the case?

In the case of Ernie Lopez involving the death of Isis a month old child of Dr. Veronica Vas, I feel this is the case. Social media had proliferated the emotions already a part of this case twisting the abilities of examiners and witnesses to convey the true based on their profession. The case states that Dr. Vas was leaving and left their three children with the Lopez family (which watched over the kids commonly) when soon after the youngest, Isis, appeared to be having trouble breathing on her own, at the hospital she was pronounced dead shortly after. Examiner, Jodi McClain, ran the diagnostics and found bleeding near the vagina, which triggers sexual abuse, and bruises which would acclaim that she had been abused. Court showed no argument for Mr. Lopez and therefore the jury found him guilty.

Years later, a few publications took note of this case and ran a study into it. After gathering up the case documents, Propublica’s reporter A.C. Thompson took the evidence to some other specialist and examiners for a closer look at the details. What’s they came up with was details that weren’t presented in Lopez’s defense.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Thogmartin says, “Emotion content that comes with the cases like anger and dispose you’ll feel and others, you have to shield yourself from that to justify the kid and find out what happened to them.” Several cases which ProPublica looked at similar to Lopez’s case involved the immediate caretaker accountable, but later found that examiner’s emotions got the best of them, as in the case of Melanie Ware. After Mrs. Ware’s case was looked again at, they found that the three bruises which were looked at by the examiner were created by the doctor’s trying to revive the baby at the hospital. ("The Child Cases")

Details in child cases need to be looked at reasonably just as it was an adult, thorough, all details need to be taken into consideration. We need not the media to portray any specific belief because that thought may influence the case in the wrong way. Child cases should not be allowed to be televised because of the amount of emotion that is involved. Examiners should pass a board’s certification to be eligible to observe the cause of death, and be forced to give a testimony at the case’s court date. We need to minimize any chance of an innocent conviction.

Citation Page

"The Child Cases." The Child Cases: Sudden child deaths are often assumed to be murder and caregivers are frequently the accused. FRONTLINE, ProPublica and NPR investigate, uncovering evidence of questionable convictions.... Web. 24 Aug 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/the-child-cases/?autoplay>.

Response #1 Hackers: Robin Hood like heroes

Hackers: Robin Hood like heroes

By: Jonathan Livers

Eng. 102

Michael D. Benton

As I scourer around the internet I find two particular definitions that catch my eye amongst the rest. One stating “one who gains unauthorized access to computer records, files, and programming script” one which we are all familiar with. But the other portrayed hackers as an artist who uses their talents for the production of trite work. I for one believe that both may be correct, but the word hacker has been used since the early 50’s and throughout the years the word has become an outlawed victim.

A book that I best found to depict these classifications was Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy.  In the beginning of the book he doesn’t make hackers out to be criminals, but the masterminds of the present computer world. He list names and descriptions of people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Peter Samson, and Richard Stallman. All of which have defined the word “hacker” for several years. (Levy 13-17)

Years ago unauthorized access meant no student was able to use the computer without going through a superior first, which could take up to several days. Therefore members like Peter Samson of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) would go into the lab after hours and study the wiring and programming out of shear interest,  without supervision he was free to explore the world of computers on his own, and if ballsy (in fear of corrupting the entire system) he could try his own programming. Hacking wasn’t illegal; it was just against the rules. But as a once wise man said, rules are meant to be broken. By Peter Samson breaking into the lab at night to do his own work, he has help to contribute to some of the first programs set up by Autodesk and NASA, a couple names you may have heard of.

Inside these old machines are hundreds of wires, nothing simple like today’s laptop which is nothing more than a notebook which we fold open and go to work. Early computers were massive, the size of refrigerators, not something you could carry in a knapsack, they could possibly take up to an hour to boot (start up) and take several minutes to type in the desire information for the program to work. 

Those hackers were our genius. Which brings me to my next quarrel with the word hacker. In today’s society hacking is illegal, but is it? Again, the definition still stands to this day, one being to access computers without knowledge, and the other to be some sort of an artist. I feel that people get the words hacking and piracy mixed up. As long as the software is allowed access to by anyone, then they shall freely roam the script of any software. Piracy is the giving out of any script freely without the programmer’s permission or knowing so. Most hacker’s today work for specific companies which allow them to hack their software to find any loop holes and minor corrections that need to be made. Hacking is a profession in my book. Piracy on the other hand, I can understand, sites like piratebay.org allow people who have cracked a program to free base the software to be downloaded all over the web, which is high illegal. So next time your find yourself about to take the word hacker in vein, remember, hackers were our robin hood, they took from the authorized and gave knowledge to our future.

Citation Page

Levy, Steven. Hacker’s heroes of the computer revolution. 1st. 1. New York: O'Reily Media inc., 2010. 13-17. Print.