More to come from Blueprint at The Berrics…

Source: Blueprint Skateboards

The Cleveland Browns have officially lured former Seattle Seahawks and Green Pay Packers legendary head coach Mike Holmgren in to be their new “President of Football Operations.”

New Browns GM Randy Lerner was able to wine and dine Holmgren enough to get him to take on this task of turning around a franchise marred in mediocrity for the past several seasons (2007 was a fluke).

The big question is: How long will current head coach Eric Mangini be with the team?

Well, after beating a lowly Kansas City, he strengthened his chances but he’ll have these last two games to motivate his players and win out. A tough feat considering the Oakland Raiders are coming to town this Sunday.

Sarcasm is beautiful, isn’t it?

This will be a position similar to that of what the Miami Dolphins brought in Bill Parcells to do. And, for all intents and purposes, Parcells has been successful in Miami. They haven’t really won anything yet but in not quite two years, he’s really turned things around.

The Dolphins went from a 2-14 2007 season, to a 10-6 2008 season and made the playoffs. That’s remarkable given that he only made a real change in the QB position by acquiring Chad Pennington.

The Browns are hoping that Holmgren can turn them around just as he did with Green Bay and how Bill Parcells did it in South Beach.

In other Browns news, Adam Schefter is reporting that Brady Quinn will be placed on IR because of a foot injury. This means Derek Anderson will take over once again.

I smell the Raiders defense getting a few turnovers this week.

MS Office Suite Project -Tourism - Brady Hanson

MS Office Suite Project- Tourism - Bryan Campbell

How many of us spend our lives in work / college etc, thinking about work, travelling to work etc. Our lives revolve around work, college and our IDENTITY revolves around work. What would happen if we lost our jobs or had to drop out of college?

Who are we then? As a person who’s based our lives and being on work / college etc. who are we when this is gone?

It’s important therefore to build an identity around this work based identity, part time if we have to!

Why not work on being a better father, mother, sister, brother, friend etc? Develop a hobby that involves you with a social circle of like minded people. Then at least if one of these identities disappears at least you’ll have others to fall back on regardless.

Noone on their deathbed regrets spending more time at the office, they regret the moments that make each day individually amazing. So lets do thattoday! Lets start creating alternative lifestyles and identities in case one of them fails and we’re left searching for meaning and  a sense of who we are in life!

NFL week 14 Results

Giants fall to Eagles 45-38
DECEMBER 13, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD- The showdown became a shootout and the Giants went down for the count.

Everyone expected an old-fashioned NFC East slugfest between the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Sunday night. What they got was an unexpected display of big and exciting plays. The Eagles made more of them and walked out of Giants Stadium with a 45-38 victory that left the Giants’ postseason hopes teetering on the brink.

The Eagles, who won their fourth consecutive game, took over first place in the NFC East with a 9-4 record. Dallas is second at 8-5 and the Giants fell into third at 7-6.

Giants fall to Eagles, 45-38

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final Scores week 14

Final
Green Bay 21 Chicago 14
Final
Miami 14 Jacksonville 10
Final
New Orleans 26 Atlanta 23
Final
Houston 34 Seattle 7
Final
Buffalo 16 Kansas City 10
Final
New England 20 Carolina 10
Final
Minnesota 30 Cincinnati 10
Final
Indianapolis 28 Denver 16
Final
Baltimore 48 Detroit 3
Final
N-Y Jets 26 Tampa Bay 3
Final
Tennessee 47 St. Louis 7
Final
Washington 34 Oakland 13
Final
San Diego 20 Dallas 17
Final
Philadelphia 45 N.Y. Giants 38

also
Associated Press

Broncos’ Marshall sets NFL single-game record with 21 catches
“I believe it was one of those games where, whenever you accomplish something like that, it definitely feels good,” he said. “But we have goals, and our only goal is to win games. I’d definitely trade in a couple of those catches for a win.”

Cowboys’ Ware sprains neck, hospitalized after collision
Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware was hospitalized Sunday night with a sprained neck, sustained when he slammed headfirst into a San Diego Chargers lineman.

Brady: Moss was ‘frustrated’ with being neutralized by Panthers
The star receiver was largely neutralized in the New England Patriots’ 20-10 victory over the Panthers on Sunday, when he spent more time tackling defenders after turnovers than avoiding them.

For all the NFL football News …

http://www.nfl.com

When the Patriots started out by failing on a fourth down try, going three and out, throwing a pick, getting burned on a bomb for a touchdown, and then fumbling, I had the disturbing thought that maybe they really did have nothing inside.  Maybe they don’t care what happens.  Maybe they’re no longer a team that takes care of business.  They literally took me to the end of my patience…were they going to dig in and fight, or just roll over and fall apart?

It was obviously tough to hold on to the football today.  With every team in the AFC East winning (not to mention Baltimore), it was also tough to hold on to their position in the playoff race.  When the Patriots started the second half by going 65 yards in seven plays, and then turned the ball over again, I felt that it was time to learn what this team has inside.  Would they lose the spark and give away another game (and with it their hold on a playoff spot), or would they come right back again?  They finally had a good second half, at the time they needed one most.  Brady, playing hurt, teamed up with Welker, Gostkowski, the running game, and the defense to grit one out today dspite the miscues.  It was a pretty sloppy game for both teams, but at least the Patriots didn’t LOSE sloppy.   Brady, Maroney, and Welker showed in particular that they would not wuss out.  Randy Moss and Sammy Morris had bad games, but their teammates came through.  When they showed Brady and Moss on the sideline, Moss looked concerned, but not surly, while Brady looked encouraging as opposed to overly critical.  Watson did his part to exploit the Carolina secondary, and everybody made plays in the running game. In other words, they held it together as a team when they could have easily blown up.  If ever there was a week where the media, the opponent, and the personalities on the team could have conspired with a few bad breaks to set up a huge meltdown, this was it.  I bet there are a lot of half-written articles in the Gilette Stadium press room trash cans with titles like “Revolution in the Locker Room Dooms Patriots” or “Falling Reign” or any number of foolish plays on words designed to describe a Patriots collapse (surely something many NFL teams and their fans would love to see).

Granted, this was a home game, and it’s true that Carolina is not a complete team.  They are, however, a dangerous team, and the fact of the matter is, a bad-weather win that required patience and perseverance may be just what the Patriots needed to remember how to be a football team.  They have to wear teams out and finish games (and the season) strong. For a team searching for an identity, today gave at least  some  indication that it doesn’t have to be “loser that lays down when things get rough.”

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another.  Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are.  After that we’re frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.  We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.  We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now.  If not now, when?  Your life will always be filled with challenges.  It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.  One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza.
He said, “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life.  But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.   Then life would begin.  At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.   Happiness is the way.  So, treasure every moment that you have.  And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time…and remember that time waits for no one.
So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you’ve had a drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy…

Author Unknown

A time comes in your life when you finally get…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH1 Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

Your stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not you job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you lean not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful.

2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table, make lunches, put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc.

3. Don’t rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. (“The palest ink is better than the most retentive memory.” – Old Chinese Proverb)

4. Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell a lie.

5. Make duplicates of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden and carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring.

6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home, and relationships will be less likely to break down/fall apart “at the worst possible moment.”

7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant.

8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.

9. Plan ahead. Don’t let the gas tank get below one-quarter full; keep a well-stocked “emergency shelf” of home staples; don’t wait until you’re down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more; etc.

10. Don’t put up with something that doesn’t work right. If your alarm clock, wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers, whatever, are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.

11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures.

12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.

13. Always set up contingency plans, “just in case.” (“If for some reason either of us is delayed, here’s what we’ll do,” kind of thing. Or, “If we get split up in the shopping center, here’s where we’ll meet.”)

14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend.

15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count em!

16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back directions, what someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old “the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get, ” idea.)

17. Say “No!” Saying “no” to extra projects, social activities, and invitations you know you don’t have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect, and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and be alone.

18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep, or read without interruption. Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. (The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil.) Or use an answering machine.

19. Turn “needs” into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don’t get attached to preferences.

20. Simplify, simplify, simplify!

21. Make friends with nonworriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying faster than associating with chronic worrywarts.

22. Get up and stretch periodically if your job requires that you sit for extended periods.

23. Wear earplugs. If you need to find quiet at home, pop in some earplugs.

24. Get enough sleep. If necessary, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed.

25. Create order out of chaos. Organize your home and workspace so that you always know exactly where things are. Put things away where they belong and you won’t have to go through the stress of losing things.

26. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe in short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of the tissues is incomplete, and muscle tension frequently results. Check your breathing throughout the day, and before, during, and after high-pressure situations. If you find your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax all your muscles and take several deep, slow breaths. Note how, when you’re relaxed, both your abdomen and chest expand when you breathe.

27. Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective.

28. Try the following yoga technique whenever you feel the need to relax. Inhale deeply through you nose to the count of eight. Then, with lips puckered, exhale very slowly through your mouth to the count of 16, or for as long as you can. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times.

29. Inoculate yourself against a feared event. Example: before speaking in public, take time to go over every part of the experience in your mind. Imagine what you’ll wear, what the audience will look like, how you will present your talk, what the questions will be and how you will answer them, etc. Visualize the experience the way you would have it be. You’ll likely find that when the time comes to make the actual presentation, it will be “old hat” and much of your anxiety will have fled.

30. When the stress of having to get a job done gets in the way of getting the job done, diversion, a voluntary change in activity and/or environment may be just what you need.

31. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving.

32. One of the most obvious ways to avoid unnecessary stress is to select an environment (work, home, leisure) which is in line with your personal needs and desires. If you hate desk jobs, don’t accept a job which requires that you sit at a desk all day. If you hate to talk politics, don?t associate with people who love to talk politics, etc.

33. Learn to live one day at a time.

34. Every day, do something you really enjoy.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

36. Take a hot bath or shower (or a cool one in summertime) to relieve tension.

37. Do something for somebody else.

38. Focus on understanding rather than on being understood; on loving rather than on being loved.

39. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better.

40. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back-to-back appointments; allow time between appointments for a breathing spell.

41. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are well to compromise upon.

42. Eliminate destructive self-talk: “I’m too old to,” “I’m too fat to,” etc.

43. Use your weekend time for a change of pace. If you work week is slow and patterned, make sure there is action and time for spontaneity built into your weekends. If your work week is fast-paced and full of people and deadlines, seek peace and solitude during your days off. Feel as if you aren’t accomplishing anything at work? Tackle a job on the weekend which you can finish to your satisfaction.

44. “Worry about the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.” That’s another way of saying: take care of the todays as best you can and the yesterdays and the tomorrows will take care of themselves.

45. Do one thing at a time. When you are with someone, be with that person and with no one or nothing else. When you are busy with a project, concentrate on doing that project and forget about everything else you have to do.

46. Allow yourself time everyday for privacy, quiet, and introspection.

47. If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with; then the rest of your day will be free of anxiety.

48. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others.

49. Don’t forget to take a lunch break. Try to get away from your desk or work area in body and mind, even if it’s just for 15 or 20 minutes.

50. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing something or saying anything that could make matters worse.

51. Have a forgiving view of events and people. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.

52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.

Gun control only impedes law abiding citizens. IT DOES NOT STOP CRIMINALS, and in fact makes it EASIER for them to commit crime.

Think about this. Almost every place there has been a mass shooting has been in a so called “gun free zone.” Do you think the criminals see a sign that says “gun free zone” and leave in disgust looking for another target that allows them to carry guns? Don’t be stupid.

In every city where guns have been banned, the crime rate has exploded. Washington, D.C. following their 1976 hand gun ban is a perfect example. Innocent, law abiding citizens become like untended sheep being left to the wolves. Think about the Virginia Tech shooting, the Stockton school yard shooting, the church in Houston, Fort Hood, and countless others where an armed CRIMINAL psychopath wades into a crowd of UNARMED citizens and shoots at will until he runs out of bullets, or a late arriving police officer finally intervenes.

Now look at an example of a law abiding citizen in her home, about to be attacked and probably raped and killed by her assailant. The difference in this case is that she is armed and able to defend herself.

Video/Audio: Oklahoma woman defends herself
done

Here are other examples of citizens protecting themselves when the police were not around to do it for them. These stories made local news, but will never see the light of day in the media formerly known as mainstream because it doesn’t fit their anti-gun, anti-second amendment agenda.

http://www.nrapublications.org/AC/index.asp
Dressed in black hooded jackets and black masks, two men entered a Columbus, Ga., area home around 2 a.m. through a lower-level door. Upon hearing noises, the 47-year-old resident (who has been burglarized twice before) went to investigate. When he saw the burglars, the resident called out and the intruders reacted by charging toward him. The resident pulled a .357 Mag. pistol and fired at the men, possibly injuring one before they fled the home via a sliding-glass door. When police arrived, they were able to follow a trail of blood off the property, but the trail was lost in some nearby woods. No arrests were made. (The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, GA, 09/10/09)

“I didn’t know who they were, and they kept asking, ‘Where’s the money?’” Bradley Fugate recalls of a frightening home invasion incident. Police say the armed suspects burst into the home shortly after Fugate opened the front and back doors to let some cool air inside. One of the men pushed Fugate’s niece onto a bed and began rummaging through a safe. “That was enough for me and it allowed me to get my gun from where I keep it. … I raised up and fired,” Fugate said. The shot missed and the struggle led to the kitchen. “He turned around and raised his gun up at me. That’s when I shot him,” Fugate explained. The suspect was killed. His accomplice fled, later committing suicide during a standoff with police. “I ain’t no hero, and I’m broken up about it,” Fugate said. “I did what I had to do.” (Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH, 09/02/09)

Rocking her baby to sleep one night, a Traverse City, Mich., woman heard her kitchen door open and saw a strange man enter her home. “She’s just sitting there in the dead of night … and this guy comes in and scares the crap out of her,” Traverse City Police Capt. Steve Morgan said. The woman ran into her bedroom and alerted her husband who retrieved a handgun and confronted the suspect, Aaron TwoCrow of Suttons Bay, Mich. On seeing the gun, TwoCrow ran from the house and was later arrested. Police say he appeared to be intoxicated, but gave no indication as to why he had entered the home. He was charged with misdemeanor illegal entry. (Traverse City Record Eagle, Traverse City, MI, 09/22/09)

Police say a club-wielding intruder entered a home’s unlocked front door while the residents were inside. He snuck down a hallway, entered a bedroom and began stealing a coin collection. The homeowner heard the ruckus and accosted the intruder, who merely shouted threats and continued taking the coins. The homeowner left the room and returned with a handgun, firing a shot at the intruder. The suspect fled the property, scattering coins as he ran. He was being sought by police. (The Island Packet, Hilton Head, SC, 09/23/09)

When a grocery store manager saw a woman walking away with a stolen bag of meat products, she yelled for the woman to stop. According to police, the brazen shoplifter got into her car. As the manager was writing down the license plate, the shoplifter sped toward her, striking the manager and causing her to fall onto the hood. She held on for dear life as the car sped toward an exit. A bystander saw what was occurring, so he blocked the exit with his vehicle and demanded the shoplifter get out of her car. With the manager still holding on to the hood, the shoplifter tried to maneuver around the vehicle. The bystander, a concealed-carry permit holder, drew his 9mm pistol and yelled at the shoplifter to stop. She again refused. Fearing for the manager’s life, he fired a shot through the driver’s side window, striking the suspect as she sped off. The car travelled about 200 feet before the wounded driver slowed down. The manager got off the hood unharmed. Police arrested the shoplifter at the hospital. (Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO, 09/03/09)

Early one morning, a pregnant woman had no idea she would be targeted by a young adult in the midst of a burglary spree. Police say the suspect had already burglarized several cars and homes when he entered the woman’s residence in the early morning hours. She awoke and confronted him with a shotgun, prompting him to draw a handgun. Rather than firing a shot, the pregnant woman explained to the intruder that her gun was larger. He put his gun away and waited for police. (Press-Register, Mobile, AL, 09/11/09)

Finally, consider nations around the world that are “free,” versus ones where oppression is the name of the game and crime is rampant. What differentiates the two? An armed citizenry. In every country where the citizens have been disarmed, tyranny soon followed. Switzerland is one models of success that we can look to. Every law abiding citizen is basically part of the militia, or “national guard” if you prefer. They have government issued weapons, ammunition, and are trained to use them. They have perhaps the lowest crime rate in the world.

Preventing law abiding citizens from owning guns is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and in many cases is tantamount to murder. It’s not that the police don’t want to defend us. It’s that the government and legal system have tied their hands and kept the size of the police force such that they CAN’T protect us. If they happen to be around they are effective in preventing crime, but they can’t be everywhere at once.

As the title of this post says, “When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.”

Join the resistance to a government that wants to take away your constitutional rights, and perhaps even abolish the constitution. Make it clear that we will not let them take away our rights or our weapons. When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

You choose. Victim or survivor.

Many science-fiction novels and movies describe futures and universes that parallel our own time and space. Through exaggeration, these authors ask a very important question “What if?” We will discover and explore these parallels and discuss the significance of them. Students will read either Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game” or Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.” Students will also choose from an array of Sci-Fi movies to watch.

• High Commitment, Minimum 4 students
• Homework will include reading and watching movies. A comparative essay will be assigned as well
• No cost although students may need to check out books or movies. Books can be purchased.

In today’s society, every individual has a stake in the actions of their community, government and world as a whole. Through media such as internet and newspapers, we will look at the current issues of the week; critically think about how they are relevant to us, the possible consequences, and the possible solutions to these issues. Students will be asked to research issues, gather data, and form opinions based on the research. These opinions will be discussed and debated in class.

• High Commitment, Minimum 4 students
• Homework will be research, article reading/ data collection, and writing opinions to discuss in class.
• No Cost

In this course we will learn how and what kind of math applies to basic building concepts. Learn how the concepts of Algebra and Geometry are commonly practiced and how we can apply these concepts. Fractions, angles, surface area, Base 12 and Base 8 Math, and the strengths and weaknesses of certain geometric shapes. As we learn these concepts we will design and build a small woodworking project.

• High Commitment, Minimum 4 students
• Homework will be limited and will include practice with concepts and creating ideas for a design of the project
• Cost: $20 per student

Well I’m thinking yes, they have not just been out of sorts, they are beginning to look like a mid table team, now, no doubt they’ll be fired up for our visit, but are they good enough? You would think they’d have been fired up for the Champions league game on Wednesday, but they lost that one, so maybe now is a good time to play them.

Walcott will be up for it, Arshavin certainly will be, so provided we can put a reasonably fit team out, we have a chance to get the three points we so desperately need, these games are must win now, especially with the gap, if we can hope the chavs and the mancs drop more points then we are still in with a shout, the trouble is there are three chasing teams now, the spuds, the northern chavs and Villa, so we have to stay focussed. And we have to play villa on the 27th so that’s a definite 6 pointer coming up.

News that Nikki B is out until the new year means we have to buy a striker, what does the new year mean? January? February? Still, I have to believe that Wenger is out there working on something, I just hope he does it on Jan 1 and not his usual last minute of the window job.

I was talking to Spud old boy Paul Miller yesterday and he told me that after the big derby, they would all go out and drink together, that people like Brady and Rix would all go out and have a knees up, well I couldn’t imagine Cesc doing that could you? I get the feeling that our players hate their players as much as the fans hate their players, well I hope so anyway, I would like to think we are all in this together!

I heard from another source that Terry Neil is not very well, Terry mate, you really are an Arsenal legend and I wish you a speedy recovery, you gave me my best Arsenal moment ever, that was beating the Mancs 3-2 in the last minute of the FA Cup final, that was up there with Anfield 89!

So there you have it, my two finest moments as an Arsenal fan and none of them involved Arsene, so there was life before Mr Wenger after all.

Yes I know we owe Arsene a lot, but other managers had their moments too, moments that will stay with me for ever, so get well soon Terry Neil!

Back to Sunday, back to the big game, they will have Gerrard and Torres, so they will have their best team, I think we will have our best team too and I have a feeling he will play Diaby in the hole or even up front. So this is my guess.

Almunia

Sagna Gallas Vermaellen Traore

Ramsey Cesc Song

Walcott Arshavin Diaby/Nasri

That would be best team with what we have available, that would give us a chance and if we get at them early and pass them off the pitch, I could see us going home with the spoils, but we must get at them early doors.

Have a great Friday Grovers, only two days to go to see us play again. We could get maximum points in December and who knows where that will take us!

Photosource: babble.com

Probably the prettiest couple on Earth, has just had what will be the hottest, baby boy. All the girl – maybe boy, toddlers are probably just swooning at the thought. No details yet, but Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady have had their fist child, and its a boy! Congratulations.

Side note: Haha, zero views. Slowly, but surely I’m going to make something useful out of this blog. It’s basically just for me right now, but if anyone wants to read it, they sure as hell can! (hint hint..)

Humor Quotes

Otherwise Interesting Quotes

In addition to laying on paper, books and inside cardboard boxes, I find that this position is extremely comfortable.

It has the added benefit that it doesn’t allow Ben to use his computer or watch TV.  Its my turn to use the computer anyway, I need to run this blog.

-Brady

I hate to say it, but shortly after the Dolphins scored a third quarter touchdown on a great play in the corner of the end zone, I started mumbling to myself “here we go again” and “the Patriots are going to lose this game by one.”  To me, that shows how my expectations for this team have truly been lowered.

The Patriots pass rush consists of Tully Banta-Cain, and him only.  Their gameplan is now apparently “let’s mismanage the clock and timeouts, never try to kick field goals, and make sure not to ever score after the beginning of the third quarter, especially on the road.”   Neither the offense nor the defense appears to be capable of striking the much-needed fatal blow.  At this point it is a fact, not a trend, that they cannot finish games.

This defense is simply not good enough to be counted on right now.  They miss tackles, they are out of position too often, and they allow too many long drives.  Then again, and far too often this year, the offense (other than Maroney) seems to only have two modes in the red zone…fail on fourth down or turn the ball over.  They are apparently incapable of passing touchdowns unless making the play from afar.

Tom Brady’s knee is fine.  His brain is not.  What is with these picks in the end zone?  As I have previously stated, his total number of interceptions is not terrible (although he did add two more today), but a few of them have been absolute killers.  Granted, two beautiful long balls today were simply not caught, and Randy Moss appears to have entirely given up on the idea of fighting for a ball that is contested, but Brady has been making some foolish throws this season and a few have been when the team desperately needed a fatal dagger to close out an opponent.  Wes Welker let out a nice little yell at the end of the game that obviously contained profanity and frustration with how things are going, and I don’t blame him one bit.  He had another great game wasted.  To some degree, Brady did too, but one could say he did it to himself.

The Patriots had to get younger on defense, and New England fans have to look in the mirror and realize the Patriots are not going to win every game every time.  That aside, is it time to start laying some blame on the head coach, either for personnel decisions, game planning, or tactical decisions in-game? I look at least somewhat toward Belichick because as far as the defense goes, either he picked the wrong guys, or he does not have them where they need to be often enough. Although sometimes he is right to go for it on fourth down, how many times can they stand to lose by one, or turn the ball over and watch the other team march down the field when they need it most?  As I stated last week, this team appears to be stuck between its past and its future, with big names on offense (that are not, as a unit over the course of this year, as dependable as they have been before) and a struggling young defense.  Now matter how you look at it, this team is an underwhelming 7-5 and this division is maddeningly wide open all of a sudden.  Considering how bad Buffalo is, and how inconsistently the Jets have played this year, that is just sick.  If this Patriots team had any ability to finish they would have a huge lead in this division.  Now they are sweating every game the rest of the way.

I am not going to call them dead until they are dead. It is, however time to acknowledge that for years Patriots fans have been immune from feeling what the fans of most other NFL teams feel very often…worry and disappointment.  Those halcyon times of the past nine years may very well be in jeopardy of ending.

One of the coolest dudes in TX. Keep up the vibe.