The semester is finally over!

The week has finally came that we've all been looking forward to for months now. I sincerely hope that all my students leave my classroom with more Microsoft Office skills than they did back in August. My goal wasn't to drill and test you over concepts, but for you to realize that MS Office isn't just a program to use for school projects, but for all aspects of your current and future life. Also, I hope each of you will leave with a better understanding of the business world from starting your own business to having better work ethics. Thanks to all for letting me use ya'll as a guinea pig of sorts with my Coffee Geek Squad project! I can see several changes I need to make for next semester, but think for the most part it was a success.

For the last blog, answer these questions:

1. What project do you think taught you the most this semester?
2. How do you like blogging? Do you plan to continue with your blog eventhough I'm not going to be posting topics for you to blog about?
3. What did you learn from the Coffee Geek Squad project? What changes do I need to make?
4. Did the snacks that I brought influence you to do your work and behave appropriately (better work ethic = higher paycheck)?
5.Career/Future Visitors: Was it helpful for these individuals to visit and talk about your future goals? Would you rather just read about careers online?
6. Any other comments?

Merry Christmas to all of you...I truly enjoyed having everyone of you in my class (yes, even the ones that attempted to make my day a little more stressful...specifically some of you in 3rd Block). Don't forget the real reason for this season!

Gift Cards

Lots of people give gift cards for Christmas or Birthdays. Personally, I don't like getting gift cards. It's so impersonal. I like when people buy me something that required a little thought. Also, I love giving people gifts, so it's fun to shop for the perfect item for that person. On the otherhand, don't just give someone a gift without being positive it is something the person will like. If you just give them any old thing, you would be better off with a gift card.

What are your thoughts? Would you rather receive a gift or a gift card? What would you rather give?

CHS Christmas Chorus Concert

My sister, 3 year old niece Mckenzie, and I went to the concert last night at SGC. Back in the day (makes me sound old :D...1995-98), I was in the choir and loved concert time. I was quite impressed with last night's performance. All the songs, dancing, costume changes...great job -- Philisity, Ariel, and Kalani! We needed to leave during the last song and had a tough time convincing Mckenzie to leave. She loves to sing.

I saw several of my students in the audience. If you went, what are your thoughts? If you didn't go, comment on the last performance of the CHS Choir you've had the chance to hear.

Christmas Music

What's your favorite Christmas song?

My favorites have to be "The First Noel", "The Christmas Song", & a newer one "The Virgin's Lullaby."

Would you like to have this?

Moller M400 Skycar

The point of having vast coffers o’ cash, as any filthy-rich person will tell you, is to pay your way out of the mundane hassles that afflict the hoi polloi: traffic jams, military service, child rearing, flossing. Regrettably, aeronautics expert Paul Moller can’t help with flossing, but traffic jams he’s got covered.

Since 1962, Moller, a professor at the University of California, Davis, has been experimenting with fixed-wing planes that can take off and land vertically -- the perfect profile for the fabled flying car. The latest incarnation, the M400 Skycar, can carry four passengers as fast as 375 mph while cruising along at 13,200 feet. As the Moller site says: “No traffic, no red lights, no speeding tickets.” Also, one hopes, no midair collisions, no terrifying plummets to a fiery death.
The site calls the M400 “personally affordable,” but it doesn’t quote a price. We all know what that means: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. But you don't have to ask, do you?

Do you think this is the car of the future? What's your thoughts on this car?

Christmas Shopping

Who all are you planning to buy for this Christmas?
Will you use your own money or does your parents/guardian give you money to spend?
If using your own money, have you been saving up for this time of year?
How important is it that you stay on budget (don't spend more that you've planned)?

Thanksgiving Holidays

My holiday week was busy. First of all, we had Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday before Thanksgiving since my brother and his family were headed out of town on Thursday. Then, I worked a day and a half at my mom's daycare, Country Kids. My sister went to Texarkana, Arkansas all last week to visit her boyfriend, so I filled in for her at the daycare. On Wednesday, I had to go to a doc appt in Valdosta. Then, the fun part of my week off started. I headed to Atlanta (Buford, Alpharetta, & Dawsonville) on Thursday to shop with some friends. For 2 solid days, I shopped nonstop! I got home late Saturday night. I am very thankful for a good report at the doctor concerning a benign bone tumor on my arm and for safe traveling on the roads!

What were you the most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Also, congrats to our Trojans for making it to round 3 in the state playoffs!!

Tyra results shock parents!

Parents, brace yourselves: The survey results are in, and you may not like what they reveal about girls and sex.

More than 10,000 teenage girls and young women took part in an anonymous survey over the summer on TyraShow.com, the Web site of “The Tyra Banks Show.” Survey questions focused on sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy, as well as drinking, drugs and violence among females. Here are some findings from the survey:

On average, girls are losing their virginity at 15 years of age.
14 percent of teens who are having sex say they’re doing it at school.
52 percent of survey respondents say they do not use protection when having sex.
One in three says she fears having a sexually transmitted disease.
24 percent of teens with STDs say they still have unprotected sex.
One in five girls says she wants to be a teen mom.
About 50 percent acknowledge that they’ve hit someone.
One out of three teens has tried drugs.

What are your thoughts on these results? Do you believe them or not based on your experience and here at CHS? What does CHS need to do to educate and prevent these statistics from being so high?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Confidentiality

What do you think about knowing your friends' passwords -- school login, myspace, email, etc? Would you share your information with anyone else? What are the risks involved?

Sub & Lesson Plans

Today's blog is a free write.

Here are the lesson plans for today:

1st – Business Data
**Blog

**Create a flyer in Word that explains business plans. The flyer should answer the following questions:
o What is a business plan?
o Who creates a business plan?
o What are the steps to planning a business? or What are the parts of a business plan?
o Are their any age requirements on who can create a business plan?
o What makes a business plan successful?

3rd – Multimedia

**Blog

**Complete Food Cart project from Standard-Based Exam yesterday. Do not print!

4th – Business Document

**Blog
**2:30 Real Life Presentation -- Landon Latham will log on to my computer and turn on the projector.

30 Year Anniversary of Jonestown

This event happened way before your time...and mine, but it was a horrible tragedy. Use the net to research this day. Who was Reverand Jim Jones? What happened?

Trojans' weekend win!

Did you go to the game? What are your thoughts on the game and the rest of the playoff season?

Future Business Owner

If you could start your own business tomorrow, what would it be? My choice is simple. I would enroll in a culinary institute and complete a degree in Pastry & Baking. Then, I would open my own speciality cake & gourmet dessert shops. For now, I just have to keep dreaming... :) I love teaching and being around all of you all, but I'm not sure it's my absolute passion. I think I would be happiest owning my own business.

Grandmother gives birth to Daughter's triplets!

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A 56-year-old woman who gave birth to her triplet granddaughters a month ago is recovering from a Caesarean section and hopeful that one of the girls will be home from the hospital by Saturday.

Jaci Dalenberg, 56, of Wooster in northeast Ohio, offered herself as a surrogate when her daughter, Kim Coseno, and her husband, Joe, were waiting to adopt. Coseno had two children from a previous marriage but was unable to have another baby because of a hysterectomy.
Her ovaries could produce eggs, so she and her husband of three years tried in vitro fertilization. The embryos were implanted in Dalenberg's uterus. Dalenberg said she wasn't frightened to be pregnant at her age. "I've always been really healthy. I did get medical clearance, including psychological testing," Dalenberg told The Associated Press on Tuesday."When we found out it was triplets, I did get really nervous for about four days, but that passed real soon."

The girls were born Oct. 11 -- more than two months premature and each weighing less than three pounds. Gabriella Claire and Carmina Ann are identical twins, and Elizabeth Jacilyn is their sister.Coseno said in an interview Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America" that the baby girls are doing well at Hillcrest Hospital in the Cleveland suburb Mayfield Heights. Elizabeth is expected to be the first to go home. A 56-year-old carrier is highly unusual, said Dr. Robert Kiwi, who performed the in vitro fertilization. A typical carrier is a young, healthy woman who had a baby previously, he said. Dalenberg underwent hormonal therapy to strengthen her uterus and delivered at 31 weeks when one of the girls appeared to not be growing appropriately, Kiwi said.
"So we acted fairly rapidly based in information we had," Kiwi said. "All three are doing great."
Dalenberg, who has four daughters, ages 31 to 36, said she would have preferred to try natural childbirth, but her doctor told her that was out of the question. "I'm fine. I feel great," Dalenberg said. "Knowing the outcome, I would do it over again, but ... I'm not going to do it again," she said with a chuckle. "We wouldn't do that to her again," her daughter said, smiling.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

What are your thoughts on this very odd story?

Veteran's Day

What is it? Why is it such an important day for you and others?

Weekend

I didn't slow down all weekend. Being the one in charge of my church's fall festival, I spent every free minute Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at church. I am tired and ready for the Holidays!What did you do this past weekend?

50th Blog

This is blog #50. You are halfway to 100. :) What do you think your life will be like when you are 50?

Dream Vehicle

If you could buy any vehicle you wanted today regardless of price or availability, what would it be?

Electoral versus Popular Vote

What are your thoughts on the electoral vote? Is it a fair system?

For example, since McCain won in Georgia, the votes of those in Georgia that voted for Obama didn't count. The same goes for those in Virginia that voted for McCain.

By the way, I am disheartened at the election results (I will support my moral values regardless of the economy and race.), but .... SO glad we can finally quit hearing all this political hype. I'm ready for there to be real news instead of election banter. This should be the last political blog for awhile. =) I am very excited that both Saxby Chambliss (R) and Jack Kingston (R) both won in the Senate and House!

Assignment

I am not here today as you can see. :) After you post a free write blog (if the internet is on), complete this assignment:

If you were could vote tomorrow, who would you vote for -- John McCain or Barrack Obama? Write a 5 paragraph essay supporting your choice. In the essay, you must clearly support your choice with 3 valid points. Be specific. Use the internet as a research tool. Type the essay in Microsoft Word. Insert your name and a title in the header. Save as My Presidential Vote and do not print.

Do not access any games or proxy sites. I will check up on you all and if any proxy sites were accessed, you will be written up. Please leave the room in an orderly condition. Thanks to 1st block for straightening up the class from Friday (hint hint).

See you all tomorrow!

Halloween Costume

What was the best costume you've ever had at Halloween? Describe it.

13 Haunted Houses That Will Make You Wet Your Pants

Okay, so I did not make up that title...it is the title of the following article. Read the article and then pick which one you think would be the best.

http://inventorspot.com/articles/best_haunted_houses_2007_7414

Superstitions

I broke a mirror this morning while getting ready. I accidently dropped my hand mirror on the tile floor. It pretty much shattered. :( According to superstitions from many years ago, I am now facing 7 years of bad luck!?! Personally, I don't follow this kind of thinking, but I've heard of many people that do. For example, my aunt used to make this X mark across the windshield if she was driving down the road and a black cat ran across. I laughed and thought it was crazy, but just something she'd heard for years and wasn't taking any chances. :D

Do you believe any old wise tales or superstitions like these? Why or why not? Where did the breaking a mirror superstition originate?

4 Surprising signs you'll live a long time

1. YOU SKIP SODA (EVEN DIET)
2. YOUR LEGS ARE STRONG
3. YOUR MOM HAD YOU YOUNG
4. YOU EAT AND DRINK PURPLE THINGS

These are 4 ways to prolong your life according to a recent article on Yahoo. Read the article (http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/4-surprising-signs-you-ll-live-a-long-time-290919/). What are your thoughts on these research findings? Do you believe them? Do any of these signs already apply to your life? How old do you think you'll live to?

Free Write

It's your choice. Write about whatever you want. As for me, I had a very very busy weekend and I'm tired! I made red velvet cupcakes & the black & white cake for an engagement party. The cake ended up with the black ribbon, but I like the idea of the bright green one as well. Let your family & friends know if you hear of them needing cake, cupcakes, cheesecake, etc. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool out there! :)

Wiki

What is a wiki? What is the purpose of a wiki?

Favorites

Favorites

Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory
Music Artist: 33 Miles (at the moment...it's always changing)
College Football Team: Georgia
Store: Target
Radio Station: 91.9 FM
Place to Go: Summer Church Camps (I go to at least 5 every summer. These are not your typical youth camp, but mostly focus on adults -- preaching, music, and get to see people I know from all over the US.)
Teacher: Mrs. Judy Pridgen -- 3rd Grade Teacher
Animal: Dog (Although, I'm not a big animal person. I'm the type that has to wash my hands shortly after touching one. :D)

Copy & Paste all the text above. Fill in with your answers.

Compliment

What's the best compliment anyone has ever given you?

Odd News: Woman arrested for keeping kids' ball

An 89-year-old Ohio woman faces a charge of petty theft because neighborhood children say she refused to give back their football.

Edna Jester was placed under arrest last week and taken to the police station in the Cincinnati suburb of Blue Ash. Police say there had been an ongoing dispute over the errant football and a child's father called to report that Jester kept the ball after it landed in her yard.
Blue Ash Police Capt. James Schaffer says police warned Jester twice and finally arrested her after she refused to accept a citation. She must appear in mayor's court next month.

Jester said Monday she didn't have time to discuss the incident, saying she has received many phone calls about it.

What are your thoughts on this CNN news article? (on www.cnn.com today)

Threes...

3 Things to Do Before I die:
1. Visit NYC, Italy, Paris, and Greece
2. Own my own Pastry business
3.Get married & have kids

3 Things I Cannot Do:
1. Whistle
2. Skate -- I'm too much of a klutz!
3. Chew Gum -- by personal choice.

3 Things I Say all the Time:
1. Anyway, blah blah blah
2. Bring me your agenda.
3. Martee, get your shirt tucked in.

3 Movies/Books/Magazines/Websites I love:
1. Sabrina -- Audrey Hepburn & 90's version
2. Besides the Bible, my favorite book is One Night with the King -- fictional recount of how Esther in the Bible became Queen and saved an entire group of people with her courage and faith.
3. www.cakecentral.com

Copy and paste my lists. Delete my answers and fill in with your own answers.

Baby Names

My little neice in this picture is named Kyleigh Laverne. Laverne was my paternal grandmother's name. She was one awesome lady and although Laverne may not be the prettiest name out there, it is a name to be cherised within our family. If you had a child tomorrow, what would you name it?

By the way, Kyleigh only weighed a little over 3 lbs. She was about 2 months early and spent over a month in the hospital in Savannah. She is now around 8 months old and weighs about 13 lbs. She smiles all the time and is the sweetest baby girl I know!

3rd & Final Presidential Debate

The last debate was last night and with only a few weeks left until the election, the campaign is heating up. I didn't get a chance to watch last night's debate since I was at church, but I plan to catch up with last night's happenings on CNN later today. Did you watch the debate? If you did, what were the big topics? Did the debate change your mind about who you are going to vote for? If you didn't watch, why didn't you? What did you do instead?

Random Act of Kindness

Four other friends of mine went shopping to Albany with me Saturday. After shopping, we went to Logan's to eat. We got out and were going into the restaurant when this man (by himself and early 30ish) walking ahead of us stops and holds the door open for all of us females. As we're going in, he says something to us about looking pentecostal holiness. We commented, laughed and went on in....We got seated and then realize the waitress had seated him about 2 booths away from us. In a few minutes, another guy joins him. After awhile, somebody at our table noticed him getting his friend to turn around and look at us. Anyway, we get our checks and get our money out. The waitress comes back and says not to worry about the checks. We're like "huh!??" and she just repeats herself. We wonder if she's just talking to my sister, Leigha, since Leigha's salad wasn't just right. She tells us that everybody's check has been taken care of and she can't say what happened and for us to just count it as a blessing. We were speechless!!! ...and all immediately realized that guy must have paid for our meal (totaled $60-70) since we saw him call our waitress over to his table earlier. So, then we're all wondering what in the world do we do?!? So, we just all acted normal and walked out...laughing a bit though except for Amy who glances at him. He waves. She smiled and waved back. LOL It was crazy and has never happened to any of us before, but it was great!!

What do you think about this incident? Have you ever had anything like this happen to you before? Have you ever did this for someone else? What are some simple random acts of kindness you could do to make the world a better place?

Free Blog

Write at least a paragraph (at least 5 sentences) about anything. It's your choice...just keep it clean.

Presidential Debate

Did you watch the debate between McCain & Obama last night? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, read this article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/presidential_debate and then express your thoughts. I'm not asking for you to tell me which candidate you are in favor of, but to give an educated opinion on the debate.

Goals Update

Look back at your very first posting on this blog. Have you met any of the goals on your list at this point? Do you need to revise (add or take off) the goals? Did you meet all the goals you set for 1st 9 weeks grades? Explain.

Candy Corn Hershey's Kisses

While looking at a cooking magazine yesterday, I saw the oddest Hershey's Kisses ever -- Candy Corn. The description says that these kisses combine the sweet taste of an old-time kid favorite and the smooth, creamy flavor of white chocolate. Have you ever tasted one before? What do you think about them? Do you plan on buying a package of these kisses this Halloween season?

If you...

If you won a million bucks in the lottery, what would you do? (Although Ms. Gay does not condone the lottery...gambling can become an addiction that ruins lives.)

List at least 5 things you would do with the money. Use a bulleted list.

Bailout Plan Rejected - Supporters Scramble

By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: September 29, 2008: 6:40 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The fate of the government's $700 billion financial bailout plan was thrown into doubt Monday as the House rejected the controversial measure.
The next steps were unclear. The abrupt defeat left the Bush administration and congressional leaders scrambling to figure out whether to renegotiate the bill and introduce it again as soon as Thursday or to try other options.
Stock markets reacted violently. Investors who had been counting on the rescue plan's passage sent the Dow Jones industrial average down well over 700 points. The stock gauge closed 778 points lower - nearly 7%. (Full coverage)
The measure, which is designed to get battered lending markets working normally again, needed 218 votes for passage. But it came up 13 votes short of that target, with a final vote of 228 to 205 against. Two-thirds of Democrats and one-third of Republicans voted for the measure.
President Bush, who earlier in the day said he was confident the bill would pass, said he was "very disappointed" by the House vote. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, speaking at the White House, said he will continue to "use all the tools available to protect" the economy.
Republican leaders, who had pushed their reluctant members to vote for the bill, pointed the finger for the failure at a speech given Monday by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Pelosi, speaking on the House floor, had blamed the nation's economic problems on "failed Bush economic policies."
House minority leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said after the vote that passage would have been possible if it had not been for Pelosi's "partisan speech."
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., one of the main congressional negotiators, dismissed the GOP claim that Pelosi's speech was responsible for Republicans voting against the bill. "Because somebody hurt their feelings, they decided to hurt the country," Frank said. "That's not plausible."
'Our time has run out'
The four-hour debate that preceded Monday's vote included impassioned pleas for and against the measure from Democrats and Republicans alike. Party leaders told members that the only way to protect the economy from a spreading credit crunch was to vote for the difficult-to-swallow measure.
"Our time has run out," said Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., the ranking Republican on the House Financial Services Committee. "We're going make a decision. There are no other choices, no other alternatives."
Added Frank: "Today is the decision day. If we defeat this bill today, it will be a very bad day for the financial sector of the American economy."
Boehner told his members, many of whom objected to the measure, that they had to accept something he and many of them found distasteful.
"If I didn't think we were on the brink of an economic disaster, it would be the easiest thing to say no to this," Boehner said. But he said lawmakers needed to do what was in the best interest of the country.
One lawmaker who voted against the bill, Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, said the measure would leave a huge burden on taxpayers. "This legislation is giving us a choice between bankrupting our children and bankrupting a few of these big financial institutions on Wall Street that made bad decisions," he said. Culberson voted against the bill.
Other conservative Republicans who voted "no" argued the bill would be a blow against economic freedom.
Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., said the bill posed a choice between the loss of prosperity in the short term or economic freedom in the long term. He said once the federal government enters the financial marketplace, it will not leave. "The choice is stark," he said.
Some Democrats voted against the bill for not doing enough to help taxpayers facing foreclosure or unemployment and accused proponents of moving too fast.
"Like the Iraq war and Patriot Act, this bill is fueled by fear and haste," said Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas.
The runup to the vote
The debate followed a weekend of marathon negotiations between lawmakers and administration officials to hammer out legislation.
Leading House Republicans signed on to the proposal on Sunday after expressing earlier reservations.
The core of the bill is based on Paulson's request for the authority to purchase troubled assets from financial institutions, so banks can resume lending and the credit markets, now virtually frozen, can begin to operate more normally.
Democrats and Republicans - concerned about the potential cost - added several conditions and restrictions to protect taxpayers on the downside and give them a chance at some of the potential upside if the companies benefit from the plan.
The turmoil in Washington comes amid great upheaval in the nation's financial system.
Banks and Wall Street firms, worried about both their own needs for cash and the condition of other institutions, essentially stopped loaning money to one another in recent weeks. That choked off the money being made available on Main Street in the form of mortgage loans, business loans and other consumer borrowing.
The crisis stems from problems in mortgage-backed securities, which saw their value plunge as home prices have gone into their worst slide since the Great Depression and foreclosures have soared to record levels.
In turn, the market for trillion of dollars worth of those securities held by major firms evaporated, sending them down to fire-sale prices and raising the risk of widespread failures among the nation's major financial firms.
On Monday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which insures deposits at failed banks, arranged for the sale of the banking assets of Wachovia (WB, Fortune 500), the nation's No. 4 bank holding company, to Citigroup (C, Fortune 500) for $2.2 billion in stock.
That follows three weeks of other shocks: the Treasury Department's seizure of mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae (FNM, Fortune 500) and Freddie Mac (FRE, Fortune 500); Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy filing; rival Merrill Lynch (MER, Fortune 500) purchase by Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500).
In addition, the Fed bailed out insurance giant American International Group (AIG, Fortune 500), loaning it $85 billion in return for a nearly 80% stake. Washington Mutual (WM, Fortune 500), the nation's largest savings and loan, became the largest bank failure in history.
After months of attempts by regulators to fix the problems, the bailout was seen by many as the most comprehensive effort yet. Proponents vowed late Monday to keep trying.
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., a lead negotiator in the bailout bill negotiations said, "If we don't act promptly and effectively, then many people are going to lose their jobs."

First Published: September 29, 2008: 7:56 AM ET


What are your thoughts on the economic crisis? Should there be a bailout by the government? If the bailout is not passed, what do you think is going to happen? Why are these corporations failing?

The Weekend

What all did you do this past weekend? Go to the game in Moultrie? Go to church? etc.

Sleep

I went to bed at 7 pm last night! I typically don't get in bed until after 11 pm. After a week and a half of revival at church, I was TIRED. I love going to bed early, but seldom do. How late do you typically stay up? Can you tell a difference in your school work when you go to bed early or stay up extremely late? Explain.

Army Reps

How did yesterday's Army representatives influence your future choices? Are you now contemplating an army career after high school?

Legal Drinking Age

Channel One has recently been talking about the push by some to change the legal drinking age. Should it be changed from 21 to 18? Why or why not? Pros and cons to the change? Read the information on www.channelone.com.



Write a paragraph explaining your views (5 + sentences).

Track Quote

"Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there."

What does this quote mean to you?

Last week's College & Career Speaker

What was your overall impression of the speaker? Did you enjoy the presentation? Do you think the speaker's presentation will aid you in your post secondary (college, tech, trade school, military, etc.) and career choices? What didn't you like about the presentation? Should Ms. Gay continue having speakers come into our class?

Meghan McCain Blog

I discovered John McCain's daughter's blog this morning. http://www.mccainblogette.com/ She is 23 years old and is blogging about her experience on the campaign trail. She is on the verge of possibly becoming the President's daughter. Already she is experiencing being followed around by secret service agents, but that will become a constant part of her life if her dad wins the election. Read some of her blog. It's quite interesting!

How would you handle being constantly followed by someone? Would you welcome or resent the protection? Write on paragraph (5 sentences +) describing your thoughts.

Dog dials 911, saves owner...

PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) -- "Man's best friend" doesn't go far enough for Buddy -- a German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner's life by calling 911 when the man had a seizure. And it's not the first time Buddy has been there for owner Joe Stalnaker, a police officer said Sunday. On a recording of the 911 call Wednesday, Buddy is heard whimpering and barking after the dispatcher answers and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help.
"Hello, this is 911. Hello ... Can you hear me? Is there somebody there you can give the phone to," says the dispatcher, Chris Trott. Police were sent to Stalnaker's home, and after about three minutes Buddy is heard barking loudly when the officers arrived. Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said Stalnaker spent two days in a hospital and recovered from the seizure.
"It's pretty incredible," Clark said. "Even the veteran dispatchers -- they haven't heard of anything like this." Clark said police are dispatched whenever 911 is called, but that Stalnaker's address was flagged in Scottsdale's system with a notification that a trained assistance dog could call 911 when the owner was incapacitated. Clark said Stalnaker adopted Buddy at the age of 8 weeks from Michigan-based Paws with a Cause, which trains assistance dogs, and trained him to get the phone if he began to have seizure symptoms. Buddy, now 18 months old, is able to press programmed buttons until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said.Clark said Buddy has made two other 911 calls when Stalnaker was having seizures. He said Stalnaker's seizures are the result of a head injury he suffered about 10 years ago during a military training exercise.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Write at least a paragraph (5 sentences) expressing your thoughts about this article. Do you have a pet you think could accomplish this?

Homecoming 2008

Write a pargraph (at least 5 sentences) about Homecoming Week 2008. What was your experience? If you're a Junior or Senior, how did this year compare to last year? Did you go to the parade, game, or dance?

Love Quote

It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Do you agree? Explain.

Abandoned Baby found at Beijing's Bird Nest toilets

This article was on yahoo news this morning. It follows:

A visitor to Beijing's National "Bird's Nest" Stadium was shocked to find a new-born baby abandoned in one of the venue's toilets, local media reported on Wednesday. The baby, later identified as a girl, was found by a woman around noon on Tuesday at the Bird's Nest, which is currently holding athletics events for the Paralympic Games, the Beijing Times said.
"The woman told venue staff that there was a newborn baby in the toilet, with blood still on its body," the paper said. Volunteers and staff searched for the mother for two hours to no avail, then sent the baby to a hospital. The baby was in good health and was feeding, the paper said, citing people with knowledge of the situation, but said the whereabouts of the mother remained unclear. Authorities were investigating, the paper said.

What are your thoughts on this article? Why do you think the mother did this? Write at least a 5 sentence paragraph expressing your thoughts.

Brittney Spears & the VMAs

Did you watch the MTV's Video Music Award Show on Sunday? What did you think about Brittney Spears performing? Who was your favorite performer? Do you watch it for the music or just to see what the artists are going to wear or say? If you didn't watch, why not?

Actually, I didn't watch it, but have just noticed some mention of the award show on every news page on the web...and wonder if Brittney Spears really thinks she can have some kind of great comeback after the world just wondering if she's completely psycho -- shaving her head, drug overdose ER rants, improper care of her kids, etc. I honestly think she's a horrible role model and wonder what MTV is doing promoting her so.

Sick Days

I wouldn't normally share such personal and disgusting news *haha*, but last night I was up vomiting. Typically, I wouldn't be here today because I still feel rather sickly, but with the new policy regarding substitutes in place I felt I must come to school today even though I have at least 12 sick days left for the year. If you haven't heard, your teachers will no longer be able to call in a sub due to budget issues at the Board of Education. Instead, the teachers that are at school will have to cover a teacher's class when a teacher is absent. How do you think this will affect your teachers and you?

Write at least a 5 sentence response.

Opinion of Blogging

So far, how do you like blogging? State your thoughts in at least 2 complete sentences. Then, make sure you have 14 blogs (no more, no less) posted on your blog. These blogs have to appear when you click "view blog".

Have a good weekend!

Pet Peeve

pet peeve (noun ) (Origination Date: circa 1919 ): a frequent subject of complaint

List 3 of your pet peeves.

A few of my own include:

• People sticking their gum on the side of their dinner plate...rude and disgusting.
• Toothpaste remains left in the sink.
• Students trying to sneak out and leave before the bell rings for class dismissal...just stay in your seat!

Female VP

Republican presidential nominee John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate last week. What are your thoughts on his choice? How will it affect his campaign? Do you think Hillary Clinton's supporters will be drawn to McCain since Palin is a female?

Teen Pregnancy

As everyone has observed, teen pregnancy has been on the rise over the past 2 years. Why do you think this has happened? Is it related to peer pressure? Accidental? Planned?

Please write a one paragraph (at least 5 sentences) response. Your response should not include specific people's names or contain graphic or vulgar wording.

Learning so far...

What is one thing NEW that you have learned this year so far in this computer class? It could be as simple as some new shortcut, tip, etc. Write your response in a complete sentence.

Have a great LONG weekend! =)

2 Day Week!

The unexpected break this week was great. I caught up on a book I've been wanting to read, slept in, and finally made it back to Curves. What did you all do on your 2 day rain holiday?

Tropical Storm Fay

www.weather.com or www.nws.noaa.gov/

What's the latest? Are you concerned about any weather issues? Do you have relatives or friends that live in FL that are being affected by this storm?

FutureNow Assembly

What did you think about the assembly yesterday? Write a paragraph (at least 5 sentences).

Last 2 Days...

Often CEOs have to be away from the office. The employees still have to be productive. Also, the employees are to take pride in their facilities and environment regardless if the CEO/Manager is there to watch over their shoulder. This didn't happen Monday & Tuesday in C305. Why not?How did the class behave? What did you observe happening? If you know any specifics, please report them to me without naming individual students on your blog.

Cheating

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=588a8dbd3b42b26d59a1

What are your thoughts on cheating? Explain your thoughts in a paragraph (at least 5 sentences).

EQ: Parts of Opening Screen

1st Block: What are the parts of the Excel opening screen?



3rd Block: What are the parts of the PowerPoint opening screen?



4th Block: What are the parts of the Word opening screen?

Get To Know You Survey

This is a survey for you to express yourself when answering some of these questions. Just so I can get to know some of you better. Enjoy!

"Let's get to know each other better" Questions

1. What time do you wake up in the morning?
2. What famous person would you want to be friends with?
3. Do you prefer gold or silver?
4. What type of movies do you like?
5. What was the last movie you saw in theaters? Did you like it?
6. What is your favorite T.V. Show?
7. Do you eat breakfast?
8. Who would you hate to spend a day alone with? Why?
9. What do you like most about yourself?
10. What do you like least about yourself?
11. Do you like your given name? If no, what name would you like to have been named?
12. What is your favorite city? Why?
13. What is your favorite season?
14. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
15. Favorite kind of popcorn? Butter, Salted, Plain, Caramel, Cheese, Other
16. What is your favorite color?
17. What is your favorite car?
18. What is your favorite food?
19. Describe the perfect friend.
20. Describe the worst kind of enemy.
21. What is your favorite animal?
22. Where do you most want to visit? Where do you want to go when you retire?
23. What is your biggest goal?
24. What is your 'catch phrase'? What 'catch phrase' annoys you most?
25. Are you smiling right now?

Olympics 2008

What are your thoughts on the Olympics being held in China? Have you been watching the Olympics this week? What effects will the killing of American visitors to the Olympics by a Chinese man have on the US's relationship with China?

Blog Instructions

Welcome to Coffee Geek Squad's blog for the 2008-09 school year!

Daily Procedures: (first 20 minutes of class)

1. Logon to computer.
2. Access Ms. Gay's website http://coffeegeeksquad.blogspot.com/
3. Find the current date's post.
4. Read the post.
5. Click on the orange Blogger icon in the top left corner of the page.
6. Sign into your blogger using your username and password.
7. Go to your dashboard.
8. Create a new post answering the daily Bell Ringer assignment.
9. Publish the post. (HINT: Nothing will appear if you do not PUBLISH the post! If changes were made, you will need to REPUBLISH the entire blog to see changes. There is a Help feature on the Dashboard page. Dashboard is the place where all posts are created, edited, posted, etc.)
10. Log off http://www.blogger.com/.
11. If 20 minutes is up, sit quietly and wait for instruction. If 20 minutes is NOT up, access http://www.powertyping.com/ or other Yes List sites.

Assessment of Blogger entries:

This blog will be worth 20 % of your overall grade.

For every Bell Ringer post on Ms. Gay's blog, there must be one on your blog! If you are absent, you are responsible for catching up your blog entries. Remember, you can access Blogger from your home computer.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

No profanity or crude language will be tolerated!
Express your thoughts, but refrain from talking about other students, cracking, bashing, bullying, etc. All posts that are of a negative nature will be deleted.
All CHS and Coffee County Board of Education policies and procedures apply to this blog.
Do NOT disclose personal information about yourself or others.

First entry:

List 5 goals for the 2008-09 school year. The goals can be: academic, athletic, social, personal, emotional, physical, etc.

Have fun and let's get to blogging!!!
Ms. Gay