enviornment

C. Many biotic and abiotic factors can influence the Tropical Rainforest being both harmful and beneficial. Differing factors change the biome in different ways. Average precipitation is a gigantic factor in a tropical rainforest. The average rainfall is normally around 100 inches per year. A large increase or decrease in rain would cause the biome to struggle. The average temperature is normally around 68-95 degrees fahrenheit. A change in average temperature would drastically deteriorate the biome. A rainforest does not recieve a lot of wind throughout the course of a year. The soil composition dates back hundreds of years, and conatin all terrestrial life. The damp soil is the basis for all life in this particular biome. The geographic features that dominate are specifically trees because of their abundance. The solar radiation is strong considering the high temperatures a tropical rainforest possesses. These factors directly affect the biome.

Each of these factors affect adaptations of plants and animals because change in them would create problems for the advancement of species. Evolution would decrease if this biome changed drastically. The most influential factor is precipitation because rainfall is a necessity in a tropical rainforest. The whole biome operates with the right amount of rain each year.

ENglish Blog assignment 1984

Part A – The world in Dubai, and the happiest place on Earth (Denmark) contain utopian dynamics that set up a perfect world for their inhabitants. The world in Dubai contains a chain of islands branching to make the silhouette of the world. Inland Dubai is only 5-10 minutes from each island, so good and materials can be accessed that aren’t available on the islands. The expected crime rate will be very low, and the people living there will feel happy with their isolation from everyone. The happiest place on Earth is in Denmark based on surveys and information from every nation. The utopian dynamic in Denmark directly correlates to their idea of taxes. People in Denmark pay 50-70% of their entire income. Everyone in the nation feels as if the government has their back, and they have a great relationship. There are no real dystopian values with these two places, and they are ultimately the closest to a utopia as it gets.

Part B - Connecting the science fiction values of the thought police in George Orwell's 1984 to actual thought scanning technology like that of an fMRI portray the reality of advancing technology reading the minds of their patrons.

Part C -
1) Isolating the nation of Oceania in George Orwell's 1984 is a lot similar to the virtues of North Korea in the new millennia, although the vanishing of many bridges in North Korea provide a more serious approach.
2) Evaluating the poor living conditions in George Orwell's 1984 is no where near the harsh conditions of North Korea, in regard to the photo of a poor man extracting water from the Yalu River.
3) Containing reasonably inadequate policing and fire systems in George Orwell's 1984 compares slightly to the severity of not having proper fire officials in North Korea in regard to a man extinguishing a house fire by his lonesome.

Part D -
1) Testify by Rage Against the Machine makes distinct allusions to George Orwell's novel 1984. More importantly, the tune makes allusions to the world we live in today. For example, Rage Against the Machine alludes to our dependence on foreign oil. They sang, " Oily silence mocks the legless boys". This pinpoints the middle eastern tragedies that are occurring in regard to the oil crisis. Boys are getting killed, along with innocent women and children, and this dynamic is a lot like 1984.

2) Big Brother by Stevie Wonder makes connections to the text of George Orwell's 1984. Certain lyrics of this song contain direct examples from the book. For example, "You say that you're watching me on the tele". The telescreen in 1984 was a reoccurring theme, and showed that the government was watching over their people. Stevie Wonder alludes to the similarity with our government today, and how it is in 1984. Also, there were modern allusions in the lyrics. An example of this includes; "I live in the ghetto, you just come to visit me 'round election time." This demonstrates how politicians speak to the poor class during election time.

3) 2+2=5 by Radiohead demonstrates the theme of a dystopian setting in both our world today, and in George Orwell's 1984. The song portrays the theme of a math equation "going wrong". This is directly related to how our government works today, and the corruption it beholds. The world in 1984 is similar because of the Ministry of Truth, and the changing of history. This connection to the text is related to this famous Radiohead song.

Part E-
A song that connects to the text of 1984 is spies by Coldplay. The theme of never being able to express yourself and that everyone is always watching is evident in both of these pieces. The argument displayed is that you are never truly alone.

Part F-
The correlation between linguistic nuances and newspeak and doublethink is very clear. We make distinct inferences when we speak, and interact with other people. Many different words have different meanings, and this is also clear in newspeak. This idea in 1984 is a lot like what we are doing to the English language. Pretty soon, we will be abbreviating words more than was ever though of. This is a large problem, and 1984 makes clear warnings of this.

drama performance critique

RealCyrano de Bergerac, written by Edmond Rostand and directed by David Lereaux, is a play that incorporates elements of drama and comedy. Some main actors include; Kevin Kline, Jennifer Garner, Daniel Sun, Max Baker, Jaloux, Stephen Balantzian, and Anthony Burges. The play was performed in Paris in 2009. The story includes a lonely warrior named Cyrano de Bergerac, on his siege for both valor and the lady of his dreams. Cyrano, Roxanne's suitor, was given the duty to help Baron Christian de Neuvillete woe Roxanne far better than Cyrano could have imagined. He assumes this position, and the story revolves around this dynamic.

The story starts in a theater in Paris in the 1640's. A play begins in the theater, and Cyrano introduces himself by stabbing a person in the play. He then alludes to Roxanne and her beauty, and vividly describes his love for his cousin. Christian comes into focus, and asks for Cyrano's help to acquire Roxanne's love. Cyrano's intelligence and Christian's good looks were their best bet to win her over. However, Christian ultimately found out that Cyrano loves her as well. Christian woe's her to be his lady until the siege occurs. He dies in battle, and Roxanne receives information about the whole plan the two men had. She finds out fifteen years later that she indeed loved the words of Cyrano, and felt an emotional connection towards him. Throughout all of this turmoil, Cyrano dies from getting hit in the head with wood, and neither of the men end up with Roxanne. The story worked well as a whole, and had constant funny and dramatic moments to it. The punchlines of jokes were performed well; especially with the character of Cyrano. The development of a well executed script was evident.  It was entertaining throughout the course of the play, and kept the audience attentive. 

The performers included a variety of people with many different roles. Kevin Kline for example played Cyrano de Bergerac was very believable and accurately depicted the character. Jennifer Garner also did this with the character of Roxanne. They both had a believable performance, and articulated well to the audience. The two were loud, and always faced the viewers. The characters body movements and style stayed true to both the characters of Cyrano and Roxanne. 

The play established a mood of humor, and anticipation. Throughout the whole performance it kept the audience on the edge of their seat. The set also created a mood of the time period in the 1600's. The lighting conveyed appropriate elements, and emphasized certain characters frequently when they spoke. Costumes and makeup were accurate in terms of the time period as well. The overall noise and sound effects contributed to the anticipation of the play. They always performed music, and if it was a musical I believe the orchestra played well. 

The play provided many effects for the audience. Throughout the whole performance the audience was interested in what was going on, and were attentive. I liked certain aspects of the show as a whole. I believed it would've been better without Roxanne having so much involvement with the plot. I also believe that the war scene should've been easier to see what was going on. Overall, the play kept me entertained and is recommendable.  

Preston Meyers

Keenan Coffey

10/5/14

Drama A

Character Analysis Can't Hardly Wait

Mrs. Rockne

Preston Meyers is one of the main characters in the film, Can't Hardly Wait. He is a great example of a typical high school student with both dreams of being what is considered "cool", and successful. Preston's character displayed the whole dynamic of how high school works, and the hardships that each and every student faces. He is unique in the sense that he was not like everyone else in his highschool, and he strongly conveyed this. Preston Meyers is hopelessly in love with a popular girl at his school, and had a goal to finally pour out his emotions to her before he left for college. He had many goals throughout the film, and showed the audience his bravery, courage, and determination.

Preston

Beowulf and chaucer work

Keenan Coffey

Beowulf

 

1)      A caesura is categorized as a pause or break in the text to provide emphasis or some meaning. “They were easy to find who elsewhere sought in room remote their rest at night, bed in the bowers, when that bale was shown, was seen in sooth, with surest token, -- the hall-thane's hate.” The double hyphen in the middle of the sentence is a caesura.

2)      A kenning is a compound expression in Old English and has metaphorical meaning. A few examples include an “oar’s-steed” which means a ship, “a breaker or rings” is a king, and “battle sweat” which means blood.

3)      The combination of Old English, Anglo Saxon values and beliefs, and the rise of Christianity create a sense of foreign history in Beowulf. The Anglo Saxon’s were a very barbaric group of people that pilgrimaged any village in sight. Their speech and language normally included very vulgar terms that always related to war in some way, shape, or form. An example of this language includes, “To Hrothgar was given such glory of war, such honor of combat, that all his kin obeyed him gladly till great grew his band of youthful comrades.”

 

Canterbury Tales

 

C1)  Chaucer characterizes many different characters throughout the novel Canterbury Tales. Three specific characters that interested me were the pardoner, the wife of bath, and the knight. The pardoner had many distinct things about him that made him unique. He is a really greedy person, that only thinks of himself. The way he makes his living is both deceiving and inconsiderate. He is in a high social class because of his variety of wealth. His appearance was "that of Jesus" and had long yellow hair. I believe his character is a priest or a pastor.

The wife of bath is also very unique. She had a lot of money, and was in a high social class. She had several husbands, but they all left her because she was so annoying. She is not the prettiest woman, and that is a reason why she cannot keep a husband. She made all of her clothes, and sold them to make money. She also travels to long distant lands.

The knight was a very honorable character. He was looked at as the most noble person there was. He always killed his foe, and was incredibly brave. He had a downfall though. He is full of himself, and very confident. Everyone does look up to him, but he looks at himself as a god.

C2) The men in the Canterbury Tales video are wearing street clothes and two of them were wearing hats. One of them was wearing a bucket hat, and the other was wearing a sideways hat. They looked like urban school teachers.

C3) The narrators voice sounds very close to a Russian or Germanic accent. He over pronounced his S sounds, and sounded very eerie. The emphasis on these words tell us that the narrator typically wouldn't be a guy to mess around with.

C4) In the Pardoner's Tale the tale of greed killing all three of the men in their search for death is ironic and terrible. They found death because of their search for gold. This was ironic because the pardoner takes things for his own "indulgences". The pardoner is a hypocrite, and Chaucer portrays this story to show how the pardoner does not have many morals.

C5)



50. Tell us about yourself. 

I am a very interesting individual. I like to go on long walks across the beach, and scented candles. I like the feeling of accomplishment you get after achieving your highest goal. I love the thought of a society that can collaborate and work as a whole. I am apposed to violence, and like to think of myself as a pacifist. I like to train and work out because it gives me a good work ethic, and teaches resilience. All I want in life is to make a difference to passing generations that could potentially benefit them. I have a pretty good grasp on what I want to be when I get older. I have always had motivation in everything I've done. I'm not one to sit back and wait for things to be spoonfed to me. I like doing things for myself without anyone's assistance. I work two stressful jobs and play two sports.

      I like the feeling of hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. I like hitting the deep three point jumpshot to win at the buzzer. I like to compete at the highest level I can. I enjoy practicing every day to keep getting better. I like going on long runs and seeing how fast I can go. I like the teachings of discipline and respect in these sports. 

     I like figuring out long math problems. I like the process, the sense of reward, and the logic behind it. I love writing long stories or columns and jotting down my thoughts onto paper. I like abstract design and art. I like to free my mind from distractions and focus on hard tasks that require my uttermost attention. I would love to someday go back in time and meet Einstein. I would be the kind of person staying after school studying extra if I didn't fully understand the concept. I want to someday teach a group of people something worth knowing. Someday I want to make a significant difference. 

     I like traveling and experiencing the world. I like seeing new culture and new ways of life. I love the differing languages and trying to figure out unfamiliar words. I like the ocean almost anything nautical. I like jet skiing and scuba diving. 

     I love my family and wouldn't be the same without them. Everything else in my life is not set in stone other than my family. They will always be there for me and I will do the same. Their love and support for me has made me the person I am today. I love spending time with my elders and learning their past experiences and how I can benefit from it. 

     I am a loving, caring person that wishes the best to everyone around me. I am very patient, and I am a strong believer in good things come to people who wait. I try my best to take nothing in my life for granted. I like becoming the man my parents hoped and dreamed I'd be. I like making them proud and having them by my side. 

     As you can tell, I am interesting. 

abortion

Keenan Coffey

Why do people freak out about abortion?

Abortion is a topic that is very controversial amongst the people of our time. More importantly, this controversy is important to the people it affects. In some states, women get to choose the option of keeping the child, or killing it before birth. This is not particularly interesting to me, but it affects a large group of people I associate myself with every day.

This could be discussed in a Sociology class as a discussion. We could talk about how it is unfair for multiple states to have different laws and such. We could also say how it is unfair to the individual. I would ask questions like “how do you feel about the topic?”

There are thousands of books and news stories on abortions and abortion philosophy. More importantly, so many people post their opinions on the web and what not. Some people include William Guttmacher who makes many distinct points regarding the subject. Thus, abortion is worth freaking out about.

Monologue (Drama)

My son’s name is Keenan Coffey. He is in 12^th grade and he supposedly loves every minute of it. I mean it seems as if he never gets any homework assigned to him. He is always playing sports, and hanging out with his friends. I was the same exact way when I was in school. All I would I do was play basketball, and do a little schoolwork here and there. Keenan doesn’t do a lot of things around the house that make me so mad. Considering our house consists of him, his brother, and me we have a lot of little things that need to be done. Keenan hates to do laundry, or clean anything for that matter. It is extremely rare to see him actually cleaning his room. I tell him to every single day and he never listens. I guess I can’t make him do everything.

Keenan has always been a free spirit. When he was a little kid he would always wander off and get lost. I remember the countless times in grocery stores when he would start to wander off or he would follow some random person. Ever since then I knew he would be a free spirit. He goes on walks and plays basketball by himself late at night because he always needs something to do. He is constantly running around and finding things to do. He doesn't have a great work ethic, but when he sets his mind to something he stays consistent. Keenan writes very long papers for school and will spend a good portion of the day just staring at the computer thinking about what to write. Once he actually figures out his plot and what he's going to write he writes for hours on end. He has a good work ethic when he wants to. 

Keenan loves just about every sport in the book. He has played basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, football, and tennis. He plays basketball and baseball in high school, for his two primary sports. He played on the varsity team for baseball for 2 years prior to his senior year. He started his sophomore year at shortstop, and he has been there ever since. Keenan played basketball for the high school as well. He played guard last year on JV and will be playing varsity this upcoming year. He is very excited to be finally playing for Mr. Lib. Keenan works very hard in every sport he plays. He is always trying to get better.

Keenan has many friends over the house. He always hangs around with a bunch of trouble makers. He spends a lot of his time with them, but he is still motivated. Keenan has had 3 jobs, and has 2 currently. He is always looking for new work, and he just found a job at a car dealership. Keenan loves to watch any comedy movie he can get his hands on too. In his free time he writes a good amount and just hangs around the house. 

He has many goals for his future. He intends on trying to enter the FBI, but more importantly he is going to college very soon. Keenan plans on going for criminology, and psychology. My son is a very interesting guy, and many people would agree with me. 

ap psych summer assignment

Keenan Coffey

Summer Assignment Case Study

Movie: "My Girl" 

A. Introduction 

In the movie, "My Girl" the main character Vada suffers from Hypochondriasis. She grew up in a funeral parlor which seemed to trigger her fear in diseases. Her experiences throughout the movie highlight how she would assume she was sick.

B. Psychological Disorder

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, Hypochondriasis features, "Hypochondriasis is preoccupation with fears of having, or the idea that one has, a serious disease based on a misinterpretation of one or more bodily signs or symptoms". (Page 462)

Symptoms include: (pgs. 462-464)
-fear or an idea of having a serious disease based on a misinterpretation of one or more body signs or symptoms.
-fear of possessing a disease even with medical reassurance that it does not exist.
-vague or unusual physical sensations that seem like larger issues instead of minor abnormalities
-abnormalities in heart rate, perspiration, and peristalsis. 
-past experience with major illnesses may trigger reoccurring symptoms.
-cultural background and explanatory models may also trigger these symptoms. 

C. Diagnosis

Throughout the movie Vada assumes she contracted multiple diseases when she was completely healthy.

Example 1: A man died from prostate cancer, and was brought into the funeral parlor. Vada immediately believes she has prostate cancer, and thinks she will die.

"Alternatively, there may be preoccupation with a specific organ or a single disease." (DSM-IV)

Example 2: Vada constantly went to the doctor and was always told she was completely healthy. She did not believe the doctors and was in denial.


"The unwarranted fear or idea of having a disease persists despite medical reassurance." (DSM-IV)

Example 3: She gets locked into a dark basement and immediately thinks she is going to die because of lack of air. She contracts anxiety in this scene.



"The preoccupation is not better accounted for by Generalized Anxiety Disorder." (DSM-IV)

Example 4: Vada caught a fish and freaked out because she believed the hook would instantly kill the fish. Socially, she panics about matters that are out of her control and blows them out of proportion.



"The preoccupation with bodily symptoms causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning." (DSM-IV)

Example 5: She believed she killed her mother when she died from cancer. She believed that she gave her mother stress and this aided her death.


"Concern about the feared illness often becomes a central feature of the individual's self-image, a topic of social discourse, and a response to life stresses."

(DSM-IV)

Example 6: Vada once choked on a chicken bone as a younger child. She believed many years after the incident that it managed to stay in her esophagus.


"The preoccupation in Hypochondriasis may be with bodily functions, with minor physical abnormalities, or with vague and ambiguous physical sensations."

(DSM-IV)

Example 7: Vada said she was hemorraging, but it was really her menstrual cycle.


"The preoccupation in Hypochondriasis may be with bodily functions, with minor physical abnormalities, or with vague and ambiguous physical sensations."

(DSM-IV)

Example 8: Creates a variety of symptoms in her head of strange diseases and disorders she doesn't possess.


"... he or she may be exaggerating the extent of the feared disease, or that there may be no disease at all."

(DSM-IV)

Works Cited

"Hypochondriasis." Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV. Washington D.C. : 2000. Pages 462-464.

　

Profile Lede Marc Liberatore

Marc Liberatore was the head coach for the Norton boys basketball team. He lead the boys to a 10-10 season, and was the focal point of a very successful season. He has always presented himself with class and dignity throughout each and every game. Lib would always keep an upbeat attitude no matter how badly the team was losing, or no matter how badly they were playing.
He would constantly say after key wins, "gotta come back to work tomorrow" which showed his relentlessness and desire to get the most out of his players. His motivation is also an admirable trait. Lib never truly gives up on his players. His traits provide the players with comfortability with the right amount of seriousness as well. 

Mr. Liberatore knows the game very well, has a backround in the game, and has certain traits that give him the edge over many other coaches. He is all business, but knows when to have fun. Lib keeps a respectable, classy approach to the game. Referees know him as the coach that will always argue politely, and with class. Marc Liberatore is a highly respected coach that should get recognition for his achievements and performance as a head coach. 

Season preview (final project)

The Norton High boys basketball team is looking to continue their success in the upcoming 2014-2015 season. Last season the boys went 10-10 while knocking off 19-0 Ashland in their last game of the season. The team had so many achievements throughout the season. They also had many strong points during the season.

Height was definitely a strong point with James Loring at 6" 6' and Paul Schleicher at 6" 4'. They would grab countless rebounds, and losing these two captains will certainly hurt the team. Although, younger talent has proven themselves in Bret Murphy and Jason O'neil. These guards definitely provided a jump in the starting lineup as juniors. There will be a need for younger talent, considering only 2 starters are returning to the team for their senior year. Talent in the guard positions will most likely drive this young inexperienced team to a variety of achievable goals. 

The team looks to keep the tradition alive next season by making the MIAA state tournament. The past 7 years have been immensely successful by making the tournament every year. Giving seniors that extra game or few games makes the season worthwhile in the end. It provides a sense of accomplishment, and the team looks to do that again in the 2014-2015 season. Sure should be a great season for Mr. Lib and the Lancers.

Color purple

African Americans and women were treated far differently in the 1920's apposed to the 21st century. African Americans were discriminated against, and were thought of as lesser people. Women were often abused by their husbands, and lived very scared lives. The Color Purple portrayed these values throughout the novel. 

African Americans were normally segregated against even decades after Martin Luther King's successes in the civil rights movement. White people had black servants, and were still thought to have less capabilities than white people. The African American men had worse jobs, and couldn't make enough money to support a family. They often had poor living conditions as well. The 21st century is very equal in regard to race. Black people are not given a lesser chance to succeed like in the 1920's. All of the characters in The Color Purple live in gross conditions, struggle financially, and are discriminated against. Sofia and her big incident in the center of town was an example of this discrimination. African Americans were not treated equally in that time period.

Women in the 1920's were treated very badly in their houses. They were often abused, and married very abusive husbands. This was normal for a woman in that time era, and they were basically just housewives. Not many women had jobs, and did not speak up for themselves. Nettie said, "Harpo ast his daddy why he beat me. Mr.______ say, Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn." (Walker 22). Men showed their dominance by beating women, and often raping them as well. They did not really care about their wives' well being. Celie announced, "He start to choke me, saying You better shut up and git used to it." (Walker 1). Women were treated poorly by their husbands, and ultimately lived in fear. 

Both of these groups of people had a rough existence in the 1920's. African Americans were used as servants, and still were looking for racial equality. Women were in a constant state of fear, trying to stay away from their abusive husbands. As time progressed, these attitudes towards black people and women changed greatly. Therefore, the book accurately depicted the racism, and sexism in the 1920's. 

A League of their Own (womens sports)

I feel like there aren't as many women oriented sports solely because they just aren't physically capable. I believe basketball is popular, but soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Women have the luxury of playing because of the popularity. These teams could survive because of how popular the sport is.

Transgender athletes

1) I believe they should handle Fallon Fox in a positive way and let her do her thing. I don't particularly think she should even be allowed to fight as a woman. 

2) Scientifically males that convert to females have the upper hand in many sports just because males are physically bigger and stronger. 

3) If I were in the position of her opponents I'd be scared for my life. She's a pretty beefy "woman". 

4) This should be handled by banning transgender athletes from going from a male sport to a female sport. 

Prefontaine questions

1) Prefontaine was a renown runner that was portrayed as a great person, who won many races.

2) He appears as a very well spoken person. 

3) Pre takes a lot of his teammates for granite and focuses on himself more or less.

4) He teaches the 9 year old boy morals and to always work hard.

5) The controversy between college athletes being driven to the bone for little to no money or benefits.

6) One of his goals was to be the best runner he could be.

7) The living conditions are awful and these conditions remind us of how bad the Olympics were.

8) The hostage situation in Munich and the basketball game between the U.S was a huge controversial person. 

Spanish Poem

Keenan Coffey

5/22/14

Period G

Poema de Gui

GUI

  Mis objectos de mi vida es especial con me. Cada objecto reflejan cosas por mi. Mi fotos de Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, y Kevin Garnett es mi objecto favorito. Los fotos recordarme por los deportes. Yo soy muy aficionado los deportes. El basquetbol he crear memorias muchas. Me gusta ver mi padre en juegos. Mi de al ado objecto es mi collar dios. Mi collar es desde mi mama. Mi mama compralo por confirmacion. El collar es gris, y me gusta mucho. Mi de al ado objecto es mi corbata. Mi corbata es azul y era darme por baile formal. La corbata ensena me gusta vesitirse elegante. Me gusta corbatas, y ropa bonita. Otro objecto incluio videojuego de "Call Of Duty". El videojuego es mi favorito por que mi papa juge con mi hermano y yo. Nos jugamos por muchas horas. Nosotros iriamos risa del entero tiempo. Mi ultimo objecto es i pelota de beisbol. La pelota era darme por my abuelo. Mi abuelo juge en liga de Paw Sox. Mi abuelo se muerto en 2005. Yo estuvo triste por muchos meses. El pelota recordarme de mi abuelo y su vida. Todos de mis objectos definir mi, y queren decir mucho.   

Lancers Come Up Short

The Norton Lancers baseball team played Medfield this past Wednesday. The boys played well, but ended up losing in thirteen innings. At the early stages of the game, Medfield had 7 errors before the fourth inning. The score was 8-1 in the fifth, runs generating from Andrew Veglas' two run homerun and other key at bats and hits by Brad Wry, Shinnosuki Furukawa, Mike Travers, and Ryan McKenney. Medfield was not completely giving up though. In the sixth and seventh they scored 9 runs making the score 10-8. The Lancers then scored 2 runs to solidify a tie, and ultimately extra innings. For six straight innings it was a scoreless, tight game. It was a pitching battle with Norton's Jon  Levy, and Medfield's ace. This game went until the thirteenth inning, when Medfield hit two singles and a double to win 11-10. It was a competitive, fun game to watch, and the Lancers are back at it this week with Ashland, Millis, and Seekonk.

What is a sport

A sport is defined by what is exerted in the activity itself. There is a huge difference between a hobby and a sport. A sport is a game or activity that requires physical exertion. Also, a sport has to contain a competition or a goal achieved during the game. Points/goals/any means of calculation of a score has to be included in a sport as well. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much of a competition.
 A hobby is something that is done solely for fun. It does not have a lot of competitive nature, and does not require a lot of physical exertion. An example of a hobby is croquet, or fishing. They both don't contain a whole lot of movement or physical activity.
A good example of a sport is football. A team plays around an hour game while exerting great amounts of force. A team ends up winning, and it is a large competition. Therefore, a sport is an activity that involves competition, and requires physical exertion.

mom experiment

Keenan Coffey

4/29/14

Period D

Experiment Project

I decided to interview my mom to try and break a habit of hers. She is probably the loudest person I know. In my prior attempts to break this habit, I have tried talking to her, or just being loud back to her. I have constructed an experiment involving me giving her a piece of candy when she answers questions without yelling. I decided to keep it in a controlled area like my house just so she would act like she normally would. Everytime my mom answered quietly in a quiet tone I rewarded her with a piece of chocolate. Everytime she had yelled, or raised her voice I did not give her anything in return.

My mom's realization of not recieving candy is to fix the problem of her talking so loud. I performed all of the experiments in my kitchen during dinner, or just at random hours of the day. I also took into account that my mom has ADHD medicine, and that it calms her down on most occasions. It would be almost unfair to not take this into account.

I gave my mom positive reinforcement because I gave her a piece of candy. Everytime she recieved one, she was reinforced to try and gain more. She had partial reinforcement because I was not completely consistent throughout the day. She could have been talking to my brother in a quiet tone and I wouldn't give her a piece of candy. I gave the reward only when she was speaking to me.

I gave her a positive punishment because I did not take away anything from her when she continued to be loud. I could have sprayed water on her, or I could have done something in a negative manner. My hypothesis is that she will be not as loud during the trials as they progress. The goal of the experiement is to try and make my mom use an inside voice when she spoke. Hopefully this experiment translated into the future, and that is partially why I chose to do this topic.


Day 1

I introduce my mom to the experiment. She responds by letting me perform it, and lets me series of questions just on regular events happening that day. The whole day she was yelling, and I only managed to give her one piece of chocolate.

Day 2

I asked my mom questions relating to a common theme of sports. I asked her a lot about baseball, and she knew a lot about it. She was not loud while answering questions like "How many outs are there in an inning". I then changed up the sequence of questions by making them a little harder. I then asked her to explain the infield fly rule, which I don't seem to know very well either. She got mad and responded by saying "you know I don't know that, Keenan". She did not get a piece of candy.

Day 3

This day I decided to ask her questions relating to her. I asked about what she did before she had kids, what she did in highschool, questions like that. She began to realize that she always wanted the chocolate because thats her favorite candy. I conditioned my mom to not yell, and to talk in a reasonably quiet tone the whole time. She told me she didn't want to do the experiement anymore, and I decided to use my brother.

Day 4

My brother is a lot like my mom. He also speaks loudly, but I think he could be partially deaf to be completely honest. I asked him questions about his life and he responded in a quiet tone. He got every question right and got candy everytime.

Day 5

I asked my brother a series of questions pertaining to baseball like my mom. I asked him only the hard questions though. This was to see if he responded the same as my mother. I asked him about the infield fly rule and a couple other hard concepts, and he did not explain them. He also responded loudly, and I did not reward him with candy.

The experiment went reasonably well. I did not have any problems or implications other than having to buy more chocolate, and my mom not wanting to stay in it. I luckily had my brother to test on, though. I achieved many goals I made at the beginning of the experiment process. I wanted to see the response to a stimulus from both my mom and brother's perspectives. They were both successful in doing so and realized the purpose of it all.

I also wanted to keep my mom to a quiet tone when she was speaking. Days after I noticed that she was reasonably quiet around me. It definitely worked in this case.

My brother was a different story. After the experiment he continued to talk in a loud tone. He was not the initial volunteer in the first place, so it is still a success.

NBA playoffs

The NBA playoffs this year are sure to be one of the most exciting, athletic playoffs of all time. I believe that the Pacers, Heat, Thunder, and Spurs will probably advance to be the final four. I believe the two teams advancing will probably be the Heat and Thunder. The Thunder will hopefully prevail. They are completely due for a championship win. I personally would hate to see the Heat win again. The amount of hype LeBron gets is ridiculous. He deserves to be put in his place. The Thunder will be victorious.

Newspaper Column

The Sneaky Scandal

There are too many mentally unstable people in our world. Jerry Sandusky was a very messed up individual. He molested little boys in showers while he was at Penn State University. Obviously this brought a lot of emotional stress to the 26 men that came clean in the end. This was one of the most disturbing and saddening sports scandals of all time. Jerry Sandusky was known to have a lot of charisma and being a happy person. After this ordeal, everyone except his wife was absolutely disgusted with him. Even after being proven guilty, his wife still claimed that her husband was innocent.
I personally hate people like this. There is no excuse for this, and Jerry Sandusky is a sorry excuse of a human. The amount of distress he brought to these peoples lives is unacceptable. Jerry Sandusky was looked up to by many, and ruined it for himself in the end.

Seabiscuit

4) The press and radio played a huge role in the Seabiscuit phenomenon. Howard used the media to gather fans and to proceed the Seabiscuit hype. It helped his career for moral support and help during many matches.

5) Many lessons can be drawn from the successes. Perseverance is a good lesson, and determination. Anything can be done if you put your mind to it, and if it's broken then you should fix it. The story shows that they have great character.

Jerry Sandusky Scandal

I have a bitter taste in my mouth when reading anything involving Jerry Sandusky. I don't really know how a sick human like him could even exist. I believe there are thousands of lies in the trial, but it obviously is evident in scandals like this. I believe that Dottie Sandusky truly was unaware of the actions taken place in her home. That is just what I believe, but realistically only Jerry and the 26 men know what really happened. The trial is such a touchy subject because no one really knows what entirely happened, and how can you prove anything without noticeable evidence. No one is above the law, however, and obviously this cannot be taken lightly in any regard. I think that cases like these involve very important, influential people. This can result in proceedings taking years, but it is all in good time. People have to realize the money involved with lawyers defending the individual. They get paid so much money, and can provoke officials to postpone the trial for longer than it needs to be. We just live in a country with an imperfect court system, but honestly how can it be perfect? There will always be flaws, and loopholes.

Interviews

Steroids in sports have been an ongoing issue that is very controversial in our world. Illegal enhancement in any form is seen as morally unjust, and basically cheating. The breakout of steroids began in the late 70's, when multiple scientists perfected the "drug". It was primarily in football, until the late 90's. Baseball was struck by many allegations and scandals following the 96 season. This issue is very relevant in my life considering I play baseball, and other sports as well. I also am an avid fan of the MLB, and it breaks my heart to see players cheat. I asked a series of questions pertaining to steroids in sports as a whole. The questions were as follows; what are your thoughts on steroid use? Do you believe people inducted into a profession Hall of Fame should be removed solely on past steroid use? Do you think the majority of steroid use is in Major League Baseball? When do you think steroids were first made public? Would you consider steroids if you were on a Major League Baseball team in danger of getting benched, or cut?
I interviewed Matthew Bukouski and Andrew Steele, both having decent intellect regarding the subject. I interviewed Matt first, and he had a strong opinion. He said that steroids are very bad, and are considering cheating. He believed that if steroids impacted their performance in a way that should not allow them to be in the Hall, then they should not be. He stated that baseball is the focal point of all steroid use. The late 1990's is when he believe steroids originated. Personally, Matthew said he would not use steroids in any instance considering the danger in taking them. He believed that they are bad for his body, if he were to take them, that is.

Andrew Steele also believed steroids are cheating. He said that people already indicted, should stay inducted. He stated that steroid use is mostly in the MLB. He believed steroids started in the 1970's. He said he would not take steroids no matter what. 

CBS article

Lebron scores 61

 

Lebron James played a record breaking game against the Charlotte Bobcats. He had the best game of his career with 61 points. This solidified his spot for MVP many say, but others say its just too expected of him to over-preform. He helped the Miami Heat prevail 127-104 in a game where he had 8 three point shots. He was 22-33 from the field, and broke his previous record of 56 points in a game with the Cavaliers. At the half, Lebron had an outstanding 24 points, which was surpassed by 39 in the last half. His coach Erik Spoelstra stated, "he was in a great grove tonight." Sports Center gave Lebron multiple segments on 3/3/14, and 3/4/14 showing how great of a night he had. Not many people believed a troubled child from Akron could be doing so many great things like James. This accolade just adds to his prowess as a renown basketball player. On the international level, Lebron definitely has made his mark for being one of the best players in the world. This milestone was a small one compared to the large quantity of future milestones he will undoubtedly achieve to solidify his attempt at being the best basketball player to ever live.

 

 

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20140303_CHA@MIA/lebron-scores-career-best-heat-record-61-points-in-win 

Basketball

Norton Basketball Does It Again

 

The boys basketball team finished the 2013-2014 season with a 10-10 record, barely qualifying for the state tournament. Marc Libatore has coached the boys team for 15+ years, and has led the lancers to 7 straight playoff births. The previous year, they went 15-5 and won the TVL for the second year in a row. The lancers failed to do it this year, but had both a fun and exciting experience. A combination of younger talent, good coaching, and great fans have kept the basketball tradition going.

Traditions involving the team have been present for countless years. Mr. Lib has said it himself multiple times; "we are not a talented program, but we work the hardest out of anyone." This has been very noticeable, and has translated to winning seasons each year. Making the tournament is just a given at this point. Day in and day out the team runs countless laps and works hard for hours. I found myself having film at 3:45, and practicing from 4:30-7. The success of the team is derived from practicing for hours, using time wisely. During practice, no one seems to mess around. Taking practice serious and being an efficient team during practice has definitely helped the tradition keep going.  The captains James Loring and Paul Schleicher led the Lancers to many exciting victories. The most memorable one was knocking off Ashland when they were 19-0. We needed this win to acquire a playoff spot at 9-10, and it was very exciting. It was close towards the end, and no one on the team let up. It was amazing to see the seniors who wanted to hold on to their season so badly.

Success on the varsity level starts from the ground up. The freshman teams always seem to have a winning record, and does the same things in practice as the varsity team. It all trickles down from the varsity team, and it gets each kid ready for their point in time. The JV team went 13-5, and this shows that younger talent will be coming up very soon. The team had a great year on all levels, even though they lost in the first round of the Massachusetts State Tournament. The future of the team will still be in tact considering the younger sophomores and juniors coming up in following years.

The seniors of the basketball team wanted the playoffs more than anything else, it seemed. Traditions of the team led them to their goals and their huge victories over 10 teams. The success of the team has been a direct result of hard work, and younger talent. Motivation was also a huge factor of the overall success. Therefore, the boys basketball team had a great season, and will probably have success in the future.




Michael Sam

I believe Michael Sam will be accepted in the National Football League because of the time period we live in. With all gay marriage and pro-gay activists in our society, it would be a large issue if they didn’t accept him. The locker room is a completely different story, though.

Aaron Hernandez

Aaron Hernandez had many contributing factors to his life of crime and animosity. He had a very weird childhood. His dad was a sort of drill sergeant, subjecting him to workouts at the crack of dawn. He grew up in Bristol, Connecticut which is a very nice place to live. His dad past away at 49, and he was devastated. His mom was cheating on him, a year prior to this, and Aaron's heart was broken. His life kind of went downhill from there in the gangster-life prospective. He always carried a gun, and was smoking and selling weed very often. When he had countless bar assaults and misdemeanors, this should have been a red flag to most NFL scouts and coaches. He was not a good person by any means, and this showed in his countless crimes. I believe that his mom is sort of responsible for many of his actions. I believe no one should have stepped in, and Aaron should have just lived his life like he would have without football. He would probably get killed or something in Boston. Athletes seem untouchable because they have so much talent that it surpasses the crime.

Olympics

U.S Olympic Hockey

Men's Olympic hockey has been both an exhilarating, and respected sport for decades. It has been a very honorable event in the Winter Olympics. The rivalry between the United States, and other nations have been very exciting to watch. This year, The U.S has been subjected as one of the most fundamentally sound Olympic teams ever seen. A combination of NHL players provide a sense of reassurance to keep the Olympic run going. The event itself started on February 15, and ended on the 21st. Many factors contribute to the projected success of the team, and success ultimately in the end of the tournament.

The U.S hockey team has a very unique lineup with a bunch of playing styles. The players and corresponding NHL hockey teams are as follows; Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild, Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings, Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks, David Backes, St. Louis Blues, Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks, Bobby Ryan, Anaheim Ducks, Ryan Callahan, New York Rangers, T.J. Oshie, St. Louis Blues, Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres, Max Pacioretty, Montreal Canadiens, Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs, Brandon Dubinsky, Columbus Blue Jackets, Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild, Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues, Keith Yandle, Phoenix Coyotes, Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets, Brooks Orpik, Pittsburgh Penguins, Matt Carle, Tampa Bay Lightning, Jack Johnson, Columbus Blue Jackets, Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres, and Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings. They played a number of close games, and went 3-2. They lost to Finland in the last game for the Bronze medal. This was a blowout, 5-0. Obviously the Olympics were held in Sochi, which was not the best venue for it.

A combination of ineffectiveness between the core forwards, and lackluster goalkeeping was the deciding factor of the U.S team not acquiring a medal. They were unsuccessful in their goal of getting one, and it was rather disappointing to fans when they lost to Finland unexpectedly. All in all, the United States Olympic men's hockey team was a disappointment and was talked up to be a great team.


http://proicehockey.about.com/od/olympichockey/a/2014-usa-projected-olympic-hockey-roster.htm

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1937334-usa-olympic-hockey-team-2014-stock-watch-for-every-player-ahead-of-sochi

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1942762-breaking-down-usa-olympic-hockey-teams-goaltenders-ahead-of-sochi-2014

Super Bowl Leftovers

I was not correct in my predictions because Peyton Manning played poorly throughout the game. I was kind of right, saying that the Seahawks would win. My original prediction was that the Seahawks would win by a small margin. I was wrong because they scored 43 points, and killed the Broncos. I was wrong in the score, the amount of interceptions in the game, total yards of both quarterbacks, and total touchdowns. Richard Sherman underperformed like I knew he would. He was kind of ineffective throughout the game, and got injured towards the end. Peyton Manning also underperformed. He played very badly, and could not complete a long pass. 1 highlight was the end around to Percy Harvin for a score. Another highlight was the multiple hits by Kam Chancellor, who decked most of the Broncos receivers. The last highlight was Malcolm Smith's interception, and return for a touchdown. The halftime show was awesome. Bruno Mars was live, and performed well. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were decent. I liked the Doritoz commercial with the time travel box. It was very funny, but they were few and far between.

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl XLVIII 

I have many specific predictions for one of the most hyped up games in NFL history. I believe that the Seahawks will win, but I want the Broncos to win. I am not a huge fan of the Richard Sherman, and the whole story behind him. He angers me with his constant taunting. Anyways, I believe the result will be 21-17 in Seattle's favor.

I think that Peyton Manning will throw for two touchdowns, with 287 yards. I believe Russell Wilson will throw for two touchdowns and will run for one. He will have a total of 198 passing yards and 64 rushing yards. I believe that Richard Sherman will have a good game, but he will not show fans what he is truly capable of.

In weather of 30 degrees or less, Peyton plays worse than what he has shown. He is 3-7 all time in both regular season games and postseason games with the temperature being under 32 degrees. His numbers are way down from usual numbers, including interceptions and yards. Not to mention he is not used to the cold, being raised down South his whole life and attending the university of Tennessee. I believe people give way too much credit to Peyton and Richard, but so be it. They are elite players of the National Football League, and I cannot take that away from them.

All in all, I think this will turn out to be a great game to watch, and will be very close towards the end. Americans watching this game will definitely not be disappointed by any means.

College Imbusiles

There were many things that intrigued me about the article pertaining to college athletes not being able to read at a college level. CNN did a good job of showing data saying some students playing football and basketball have an elementary school grade level. This is mind blowing to me because they are not by any means ready for a college commitment. My overall impression of the article is that I am pretty oblivious to the performance of college students in higher division schools. I believe they should not be accepted into an institution solely based on their athletic ability or performance in sports. It isn't particularly fair to everyone that actually did exceptional in academics that work harder to get into a good university.

the world without us essay

          Homo sapiens have been roaming the Earth for thousands and thousands of years. Advancements in technology and ways of life have led our species into a flourishing industrialized world. It was a scientific marvel for species like us to evolve, and to create such amazing, beneficial tools such as buildings, roads, schools, etc. Although, with all great advancements comes setbacks. Industry and commerce has been overlooked from an ecology standpoint. Pollution is a huge repercussion from factories and create atrocious problems for urban and marine ecosystems. The world without humans would be drastically different all in all.

          Humans alter with thousands of natural occurrences on our Earth. We pave over grass and already living beings to create roadways and railroads just because of our need for fast transportation. We also disrupt the flow of evolution and extremely tamper with the natural equilibrium of organisms. Each species is bound to die off due to natural disasters, or other natural means of extinction. We kill off species in an unnatural way, and in a barbaric, accelerated way. This being said, adaptation in certain organisms are done away with or thrown out. Other species cannot adapt fast enough to our growing need for food and luxuries such as fur coats, shoes, leather, etc. Not to mention the diversity of our world has decreased over the past 300 years from a worldwide standpoint. Our misuse of the soil is also a contributor to extinction and decreasing population rates in animals. The current rate of deforestation is 160,000 square kilometers per year. This makes it impossible for most organisms to survive in a drastically changed ecosystem. Our world was not made just for humans to keep destroying every natural resource and accommodation possible. One could not argue that what we are doing is beneficial to the world we live in. 

          We produce tons of toxic waste every year, and it all ends up somewhere. Humans create factories that either pollute the air we breathe, or the water marine animals live in. Pollution is a huge risk of having conveniences that ultimately could be replaceable. It puts toxins into our lungs, and kills millions of animals per year. In an anonymous survey, students from Norton high school were asked what their thoughts were about the impact humans have on our Earth. 90% of students believed that the world would be better without us. Also, 25% of students said pollution is completely our fault, and would decrease substantially without us. Many impactful things would change in urban areas such as cities. Cities would deteriorate and become jungles and inhabited with trees once again. Alan Weisman, author of "The World Without Us", was scholarly in saying, "Floods in New York's subways would start eroding the city's foundations, and how, as the world’s cities crumble, asphalt jungles give way to real ones." Without the skyscrapers and cement jungles, the actual jungles would recover and flourish. Maybe this shows how cement and skyscrapers should not be disrupting our underground jungles in the soil beneath. Maybe it shows how life would be better in urban and industrial areas without our never ending shadow being cast upon underestimated and under appreciated soil. Humans complicate the general flow of life in urban areas with pollution and cement blockades, thus retreating the overall process for all living things. 

          Marine life would benefit greatly from the extinction of humans. Crustaceans, fish, mammals, etc. would live in a very different place without Homo sapiens. Pollution affects every means of life in our oceans, and bodies of water. One cigarette butt can kill and create problems for a 100 foot radius of water around it. It can contain toxic carcinogens and chemicals that aren't organically made or ingested in any way shape or form. Taking this into consideration, one cigarette can be a small scale factor in a large scale problem. Pollution in our oceans can contain millions of cigarettes, and other harmful liquids, and chemicals. This does not make for a healthy relationship between a marine ecosystem and humans. We have been slowing the natural code of marine animals evolving as well. Our constant killings to animals have slowed down their ability to reproduce and live like they were made to. We use their skins, organs, and other body parts for material items and an alternative means for food. In other cases, we don't use fish for anything  after killing them. We hunt them and just end up doing it for recreational reasons. Possibly because its just a pastime for some, or because of how fun it can be. The ocean would experience huge changes without us, and would benefit and thrive by being much cleaner and more efficient.

          The food chain would change ten-fold without interference with humans. Predators would flourish, whereas, prey would over populate and there would be more nutrients for predators. There wouldn't be scarce numbers of food for animals, unless of a natural distaste or natural occurrence. Although, that is the "beauty" of it. It is completely natural for problems to evolve in that sort of way. Not in the way we make it for creatures that live on the same planet as we do. Relatively speaking, there would be many more animals that would thrive and reproduce without humans present. They would flourish, and intelligent life would evolve from other animals. Over millions of years, another species like ours would evolve and possibly create the same huge problem we cope with today. 

          "Given the mounting toll of fouled oceans, overheated air, missing topsoil, and mass extinctions, we might sometimes wonder what our planet would be like if humans suddenly disappeared." There's no argument in saying humans have been harmful to the world we were put in. We are a very curious, over intelligent species that have advanced farther than ever expected. The Earth is like a delicate glass vase, and people are like an infant playing with it. Someday, at sometime, it is bound to break or shatter. Therefore, the beautiful world we inhabited would be completely different without us living in it. 

A bear quietly walking towards a picnic table.

Fishing on Lake Champlain.

Captivation of a fish.

Works Cited

- "January/February 2014." Discover Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.

- "The World Without Us - Alan Weisman." The World Without Us - Alan Weisman. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.

- Gammon, Katharine. "Pollution Facts | Types of Pollution." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.

- Interview with 10 anonymous students pertaining to their thoughts on humans and the environment.

Pet Peeves

1) Loud chewing- I do not want to hear a person chewing in my presence. It bothers me because it is common courtesy, and it is also rude. At the dinner table, it is very rude.
2) Loud people- When people speak outrageously loud it makes me very uncomfortable. If we are having a person to person conversation, there is absolutely no need to yell in my ear. It shatters my eardrum, and there is no need for it.
3) Lebron James' intelligence- The Heat forward Lebron James is an absolute moron. He grew up in a bad part of Ohio, so I guess I can see where this comes from. In his interviews he talks like an absolute idiot and completely looks like an incompetent individual.
4) The pledge of allegiance- I believe the pledge of allegiance is kind of not necessary. I already swear my allegiance to the United States, and shouldn't have to do it on a daily basis.
5) The existence of Broccoli- Broccoli shouldn't bother me, but it does. The fact that people actually eat this food makes me mad. It is repulsive.
6) Itchy clothing- I do not like when itchy clothing is on my body. I hate when it itches my back because I know that it is a direct result of a worker in China messing up on the assembly line.
7) Computers- Computers bother me greatly. I believe it was the downfall of the human race. It is really helpful, but some people get glued to their phone or computer. I hate that.
8) Stupidity in school- When I come to school I expect to be around young scholars like me. Not juvenile deliquents, nor stupid people. School does not take much effort.
9) Lazy eye- When I talk to people with lazy eyes I get uncomfortable. I don't know where they are looking, or what they are looking at. I like eye to eye contact.
10) Corruption in the National Basketball Association- I hate when basketball players flop around and get calls from referees when the call is not really there. All the superstars in the NBA get so many calls for themselves just because they are good at the game. It is corrupt.