Quidditch for muggles?

Harry Potter May Be Fiction But Quidditch Is A Real Sport.
http://www.ology.com/technology/harry-potter-may-be-fiction-quidditch-real-sport

I don't know about anyone else, but I am beyond excited to see the newest potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this weekend. So I guess I am just all about Harry Potter today. But anyways, I came across this article about people playing their own version of Quidditch. Apparently the "Quidditch World Cup" was last weekend. Almost fifty clubs came to play in the tournament, and one Canadian team endured a dozen hours on buses for the chance to compete on the Big Quidditch Stage. The University of Rochester resorted to shack up in the homes of friends and families all over New York City to accommodate everyone in between matches. Alexander Manshel and Alex Benepe of Middlebury College founded the International Quidditch Association and then made it into an organization with hundreds of teams throughout the country and world. Before the World Cup, visiting clubs were invited to a small park to perform their school cheers and many broke out into songs and dances, shouting Quidditch! While most of the players are doing their best to throw the Quaffle (a deflated volleyball) through hula hoop goal posts, there's an endurance chess match going on where seekers try to run down and capture a neutral player called the snitch. If you have read the harry potter books and/or seen the films, you know all about what I'm talking about. I just thought this was fun and interesting!

Celeb's Naked Pregnancy photos.

http://www.popeater.com/2010/11/12/celebrities-naked-pregnant-photos/

I was struck by this article on popeater.com. Talking about celebs tending to pose nude during their pregnancies for magazines and such, and why they do it. This seems to be a topic that holds many different opinions. Some people look at it as beautiful, and that this is a beautiful time in ones life, and doing such is a memorable thing and makes it something to look back on. "During pregnancy, the naked body isn't as sexualized. It is safer to go nude because you're looking at these women as life-giving vessels rather than sex objects," explains US Weekly photo editor Peter Grossman.While others dub these shoots as "pregnancy porn."Yet, in some ways, these nude pregos are setting unfair expectations for the average mama. Regular pregnant women simply don't look like these women with their shapely bellies and well-proportioned everything else. A lot of women are swollen, veiny, bloated and have cottage cheese thighs when they're pregnant. Some women see the pregnancy pictures as simply another outlet for celebs to channel their self-absorption. What do you think? Beautiful or obnoxious?

Friday Post: Colleges Restrict Four Loko, As Health Concerns Rise.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/11/04/131061866/colleges-ban-four-loko-as-health-concerns-rise

"Little Rhody's big state school is banning Four Loko, the caffeine-boosted alcohol drink that's often called "blackout in a can." These popular Engergy/Alcoholic beverages are being banned on college campuses because they are too dangerous. At a recent concert at the URI campus, 30 people were treated for illnesses or injuries related to alcohol. They're looked at as being dangerous for college students because they are very inexpensive for how potent they are. This incident at URI is not the only one that's happened based off of these drinks, there have been issues reported at Central Washington University and Kansas State. So stores around college campuses are beginning to ban the drink. I personally think it's a dumb idea. Yes I agree that dangerous things can spawn off of kids drinking lokos, but just because stores in the area don't have the drinks, does not mean no one can get them. I bet some students are willing to make a 10-30 minute drive for their fix. Just like anything else that people are not supposed to have access to, they find a way. 

Assignment 3 topic.

For my paper I am using the topic of the role of media use today through journalism and such and its relation to big brother and information control. It is extremely important to control and limit what information about yourself or anyone else for that matter that you put on the internet. Anything and everything can be taken from it, twisted around and misinterpreted. There are lots of bad outcomes that can arise from over informing users on the web.

friday post: More issues with Facebook privacy.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130660598

I know I recently blogged about Facebook and it's privacy defaults. However I came across something new on NPR just now. A recent Wall Street Journal article revealed that different applications that are ran through Facebook, such as Farmville and Mafia Wars are taking the users personal information off of the site as well as that persons friends and giving it to outside companies. Even though most games give a warning before accepting, no one really payes attention and takes a minute to think what that means before playing. This could lead to something potentially dangerous. Essentially anyone can get this information and it can cause problems for the users. People should think before playing.

1984

I think that Julia is an interesting character in the book because her character jumps around in my mind. She shows that Winston is not alone in his thoughts and beliefs about Big Brother. They both show a rebellious side when it comes to the rules and regulations set by big brother, however some of their traits and such contradict each other. Winston is more weary about life and Julia seems to be more content with hers. Her and Winston both want to rebel against Big Brother and do and think about things that Big Brother would not approve of. Both of them risk disappearing for going against it.

1984

So this book confuses me a little bit. From what I have gathered, this book is about a man, named Winston who lives in this crazy messed up world. In his world the government watches the citizen living in his town all day everyday. Their lives are literally monitored, with cameras in their houses and such. The government also invents a new language called newspeak, which is designed to eliminate the use of words that suggest political rebellion.

The government is basically ran as a dictatorship. I don't understand how someone could live in such conditions. Although it is just a story, I think it's completely crazy. Having everyone know everything and everyone being monitored. Winston doesn't like this either, the government prevents free though, expression and sex. He goes and illegally buys a diary to express his feelings into privately.

The way the book is written is clever, because to me while reading it everything makes sense and seems real. While reading this it makes the story seem as if all this makes total sense, and the way they are living is a perfectly acceptable way to live.

However when you step back and really think about what is happening in the book, the craziness leaks out into your mind. It sounds like it is something derived from the holocaust. People being under strict rules and being monitored, only being allowed to do what the government feels is right for them to do.

They aren't allowed to any freedoms, they're basically trapped in this totalitarian way of living. 

Just wanted to add- Winston seems like a rebel. Which is exactly what the government is trying to prevent.
An unforgivable crime is promiscuity between party members.
The government wants to essentially take out all natural human instinct.
Sex is made out to be a job. Strictly for procreation purposes- Has to be controlled.
 

Abercrombie Bed Bugs! FRIDAY-TOPIC SELECTION.

The Wall Street Journal’s Metropolis blog reports that the Abercrombie and Fitch store at South Street Seaport has now been closed due to bed bugs detected there. It appears the firm had its other locations searched after their Hollister Epic store was discovered to have bed bugs earlier this week. (The Hollister store is still closed and expects to reopen Saturday morning at 10 a.m.)
Melanie Grayce West writes for Metropolis,

The company will be temporarily closing its Abercrombie & Fitch South Street Seaport store to ‘deal with a similar problem,’ according to the spokesman. In a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Abercrombie chairman and CEO Michael S. Jeffries asked for ‘leadership and guidance’ on how best to address the problem.
Susan Craig, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said, ‘It is the responsibility of companies to handle bed bugs on their own.’
The Abercrombie & Fitch Fifth Avenue store has been tested and is bedbug-free, the spokesman said.

I am glad that Abercrombie and Fitch did not stop with the Hollister store, and instead had its other branches inspected.
I also appreciate that the firm asked Mayor Bloomberg for “leadership and guidance” on how to deal with the problem.  (This is detailed in the firm’s press release today.)  I think the city needs to do more than simply tell companies to deal with bed bugs on their own.
Yes, business owners may be responsible for their own bed bug inspections and treatment.  However, we are all interdependent as far as bed bugs are concerned.  Bed bugs are contagious.  If businesses are left to their own devices, many will not be proactive (as it appears Abercrombie and Fitch is attempting to be), and the problem will get even worse in the city.
Unfortunately, though the city’s Bed Bug Advisory Board, (charged with making recommendations to the city about steps to control the bed bug problem) began convening in September 2009, and was supposed to produce a report with its findings within nine months, this report has not been made public by the city yet.
The article also comments on the preventive steps a number of commercial spaces are taking against bed bugs, including routine bed bug sniffing dog inspections.
However, Metropolis notes,

Most commercial spaces don’t have a formal policy on how to handle a bedbug outbreak or complaints by an employee or by the public. Bedbug lawsuits are a growing area of practice for Marc Miner, a lawyer for Zalman & Schnurman in Manhattan. Miner says that when an issue isn’t resolved employees will sometimes turn to the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration agency and file a complaint.
“In my experience there are very, very few places that have a protocol for bedbugs,” he said. “Often people come to us because they have a post traumatic reaction to it. For some people, the post traumatic stress is the worst part.”

Note to firms considering hiring a bed bug sniffing k9: as our FAQ on dogs explains, you want to make sure the dog handler visually confirms all bed bug dog alerts.
Metropolis recommends a number of steps to prevent bed bugs from coming home from a shopping trip, including washing/drying new clothing on hot prior to wearing it the first time. (A Packtite would be a great solution also.)
They do not recommend sealing new purchases in Ziploc bags until they are treated to kill bed bugs, but I would.

What can consumers do to prevent spreading the bed bugs into their homes if clothes are contaminated?
How do companies test for bed bugs?
How long does it take to reopen after proper extermination?

 

Facebook event invites; private by default?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_gadg/ytech_gadg_tc3675

I just read a story about a fourteen year old girl from England who used Facebook to send out invited for her birthday party. After posting, she was astonished to see that 21,000 people had replied and RSVP'd to her party. People from all over the globe replied, even a fake Justin Beaber. All these replies because she did not mark her event as "private." Facebook reacted and immediately took down the post, however, they could not stop other people posting fan pages and such about the party. This is not the first time something like this has happened. The girls mom took precautions and cancelled the party, limited her daughter internet use and called police to prevent people showing up for the party. Now it makes you wonder, since this has happened multiple times before, should or shouldn't Facebook take it upon themselves to have events set to private by default? A thing such as this could be dangerous. It could be a new way to lure predators. Gives a rapist or child predator direction right to a party full of young teens.

Mosques, turbans and things. -Reflection on class discussions.

    Out of the discussions we had this week about the mosque and the presidential speeches, the discussion about the mosque stands out brighter in my mind. On Monday when we discussed the mosque a lot of opinions where given and our classroom turned into a debate room. Everyone had a lot of good things to say and during the talk I found myself on the fence with the issue. I will admit that I am not completely up to date on this issue, and I do not know everything that is going on in this world. I do not know the details, so do not get me wrong or let me offend you. I somewhat agree with the people who are against the mosque being built because even though it is not being put right on the site of ground zero, it is still very close. Due to the stereotype that American’s give to Muslims and Islamic people putting a mosque near the site where such tragic events took place that are believed to be the fault of persons of that race seems off, and unsettling. However, I agree that in America, the land of opportunity and freedom, it is not fair to judge any person for something someone of their race did or may have did. Caitlin brought up that its not fair to judge because white people do bad things, black people, Hispanics, Asians, and just because of one person, the whole group should not be to blame for their bad actions. In a way I do not think it is fair, to judge anyone based on 9/11 either. But I will say I have before in all honesty. There have been times when I have seen Muslim people and been uneasy around them, for no reason. Also, months after 9/11 I had to take a plane to Florida, and I was completely terrified.
    I remember also touching on people of a certain race wearing turbans and head scarves and whether or not we felt it was weird or not for those things to be worn in America. When I see someone wearing such a thing it strikes me as odd, however, this being a free country they have the right to wear whatever they please. Being that it is a traditional piece of clothing it makes sense to me that someone would want to still wear it in America even though they now have to option not to. I do not know if it it used as a security blanket type thing or if it is something that person is just now accustomed to.
Either way I think it is not something that should be looked upon or judged. It is simply a freedom of expression they chose to display.

Mom leaves baby in the car to go smoke pot in the house.

http://www.fox8.com/news/nationworld/wpix-li-mom-leaves-son-to-smoke-marijuana,0,7148551.story
 Karen Edelman, a 43 year old woman from Long Island, NY, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. Police were contacted after neighbors had seen a child sitting alone in a car parked out on the street. When officials arrived they founs Edelmans one year old son sitting in the back seat of the vehicle alone. Turns out, while her child was alone in the car, the mother was inside the house smoking weed. Which i'm sure in a twisted way she thought she was protecting him by not smoking around or infront of him. But it is still incredibly wrong. Who leaves their kid unattended in a car? Let alone to go inside and smoke a little weed!? The funniest part is that when she was apprehended she told police that her reason for smoking the marijuana was because she was "feeling under the weather." Guess she figured it would be a good pick-me-up. After she realized she was being arrested she flipped out and began kicking and screaming at police. Social services were called and custody was granted to the boys father, where hopefully he will recieve better care and attention. Sad story of poor parenthood.

Bed bugs, bad for business?

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110619/bedbugs-bad-for-business

I came across this article on yahoo.com, about bed bugs and a company that searches for bed bugs. There actually being literal beg bugs is news to me. Until now I have never taken the phrase, "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" seriously. Wes Tyler, the general manager of the Chancellor Hotel  in San Francisco first found bed bugs in his hotel in 2003. Since then Mr.Tyler has created a company that searches for these bed dwelling critters. Bed bugs used to be essentially residential problem, but they are begining to show up in commercial settings. Abercrombie & Fitch had to close two of its stores in New York in July, for numberous days to deal with bed bug infestations, and were reluctant to say whether or not merchandise was disposed of or not. Gross! I am literally itching writing this article. So I want to know what you guys think about two things. What your opinion is on Mr.Tylers bed bug nabbing company and the deal with Abercrombie & Fitch.

Walmart Book Section: Separate Black, African American Section.

http://www.ohio.com/news/102043983.html

I came across an article on Ohio.com about how the very popular chain-store, Walmart, has added a new section to their book department. Now, when searching for books in the store you will find sections for cook books, novels and such, and then there is the black section. Any book written by, or about African American individuals are in this section. Should one look at that as segregation? Personally I think it is morally wrong, and it gives Americans the racial stereotype we are trying to get rid of. By separating books into the "black section," we are dividing them essentially in black and white. Walmarts goal is "...designed to meet customer demand and feedback at the local level..." which I interpret as giving African Americans their own special section. How gratifying can that really be? What issue is there in browsing for books written by an African American or a Caucasian? There is no significant difference to me. I think it was a bad on Walmarts behalf. I find it somewhat degrading.

What do you think?

Lindsey's Blog!

Hey! My name is Lindsey Haynam. I am eighteen years old and a freshman at Kent State University. I am from Minerva, Ohio, which is an extremely small town that is not considered a city, instead it is the Village of Minerva. I like to draw and paint, and I hate Lady Gaga.