Overall I enjoyed writing, reading, and responding to the blog assignments. I felt like that was a very good way to be directed towards a topic while still having a large amount of freedom to work with. Reading everyone's blogs was defenitely interesting and it didn't feel like school work most of the time, which is a good thing. The only frustrating part was having to go back and forth from the class blog list to read each one, but I'm not sure how that problem could be fixed. All in all, I enjoyed being apart of this class and would recommend it to any of my peers that are interesting in any sort of writing/reporting.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe summer!!!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Favre Fever.... in Minnesota???
Nearly a year ago, the big news in the NFL was Brett Favre and his decision that he wants to continue to play football, whether in Green Bay or elsewhere. After an off-season of speculation and with Brett seemingly in the news every day he landed on the doorstep of the New York Jets. After what is fair to call a pretty ordinary season in New York he decides to call it quits again.
Now its the next off season and Favre must be feeling that itch again because there are reports that he is meeting with Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress. His agent reports that Favre is remaining retired, but why then would he be meeting with Childress as well as sending the Vikings medical reports regarding is injured shoulder. Its a tough call, but I think its safe to say that we are in for another summer dominated by Brett Favre headlines... For the latest on the Favre fiasco please visit ESPN.
Now its the next off season and Favre must be feeling that itch again because there are reports that he is meeting with Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress. His agent reports that Favre is remaining retired, but why then would he be meeting with Childress as well as sending the Vikings medical reports regarding is injured shoulder. Its a tough call, but I think its safe to say that we are in for another summer dominated by Brett Favre headlines... For the latest on the Favre fiasco please visit ESPN.
Swine Flu Madness
It's hard not to be a little concerned after hearing all the reports of the new Swine Flu "epidemic". But how much of this panic is just hype? I know it is better to play things on the safe side, rather than ending up with a national catastrophe on our hands, but there seems to be some new kind of supposedly devastating illness in the news every so often. This Swine Flue definitely seems to be more widespread and of more concern then the last animal introduced sickness out there, Bird Flu.
However, for the most part it seems to be most dangerous in underdeveloped Central America areas and among the elderly. I don't think that is hardly something to raise such an enormous concern about considering a common cold can also be very dangerous to people in those demographics. Everyone is entitled to do what they feel is best regarding their own personal health and safety, but you won't see me walking down the street or at a sporting event sporting a very fashionable hospital mask.
However, for the most part it seems to be most dangerous in underdeveloped Central America areas and among the elderly. I don't think that is hardly something to raise such an enormous concern about considering a common cold can also be very dangerous to people in those demographics. Everyone is entitled to do what they feel is best regarding their own personal health and safety, but you won't see me walking down the street or at a sporting event sporting a very fashionable hospital mask.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Hovercraft (March 27 blog)
I became excited when I stumbled upon a story on the Anoka-Ramsey homepage about the Engineering and Physics club building a hovercraft. Ever since I was a little boy I wanted see an actual hovercraft in person. I was fascinated when I first came across the concept of hovercrafts in the back of a Boy's Life magazine. The ad promised to include everything necessary to build a personal hovercraft using a vacuum cleaner engine. Oh how I begged my mom every time I saw the ad, but it was no use; I would never get my hovercraft...
But soon my dream of actually seeing a hovercraft in person could be fulfilled. The Engineering/Physics club got the kit for a ten feet by five feet hovercraft through the $6 student fees charged per credit. They plan to have it complete by the end of May, which would complete the clubs first phase of the project. Phases two and three involve evaluation of the hovercraft and then deciding on possible uses for the craft. I'm interested in finding out if they plan on having a public showing when it is complete.
For the full story on the AR homepage visit: http://www.anokaramsey.edu/news/Story_606.cfm
But soon my dream of actually seeing a hovercraft in person could be fulfilled. The Engineering/Physics club got the kit for a ten feet by five feet hovercraft through the $6 student fees charged per credit. They plan to have it complete by the end of May, which would complete the clubs first phase of the project. Phases two and three involve evaluation of the hovercraft and then deciding on possible uses for the craft. I'm interested in finding out if they plan on having a public showing when it is complete.
For the full story on the AR homepage visit: http://www.anokaramsey.edu/news/Story_606.cfm
Community Leader
As stated in my previous blog, I am an assistant coach for my younger brothers tenth-grade basketball team. I thoroughly enjoy my time spent teaching and guiding the younger kids to be able to play up to their potential. This makes it an easy choice to research the issues that are important to the director of this basketball league. Since I plan to stay involved with the organization for the next two years, I am personally interested in what he believes are the key issues regarding boys basketball in the Andover Athletic Association.
The man to talk to was Steve Gompertz, Boys Basketball Director, as well the President of the Andover Athletic Association(AAA). The AAA is an organization that provides youth with the opportunity to play basketball, as well as softball and track. As one could imagine, Mr. Gompertz is a busy man. However, I was able to spend some time talking face to face after one of our Saturday basketball games. He seemed very enthused that I was interested in the issues regarding the league, even though the concerns he had aren't of any monumental proportion.
His biggest issue currently is the high numbers of youth interested in participating without having enough coaches volunteering. He stated that he has never had to turn kids back before because there weren't enough coaches, and he almost had to do that with two teams this year. But thankfully some parents volunteered so that their kids could play. His other concern was regarding sportsmanship during the games. Gompertz made it clear that there is a problem with some of the kids being disrespectful to the referees, other players, or even parents in the stands. I asked him what he could do to help curb this problem, and his response was to have coaches inform the players that this behavior isn't acceptable. This seemed like a simple method, but I guess there isn't much that can be done about the attitudes of high-school boys.
For more information regarding the Andover Athletic Association please visit: http://andover.multisportsystems.com/page/show/5018-home
The man to talk to was Steve Gompertz, Boys Basketball Director, as well the President of the Andover Athletic Association(AAA). The AAA is an organization that provides youth with the opportunity to play basketball, as well as softball and track. As one could imagine, Mr. Gompertz is a busy man. However, I was able to spend some time talking face to face after one of our Saturday basketball games. He seemed very enthused that I was interested in the issues regarding the league, even though the concerns he had aren't of any monumental proportion.
His biggest issue currently is the high numbers of youth interested in participating without having enough coaches volunteering. He stated that he has never had to turn kids back before because there weren't enough coaches, and he almost had to do that with two teams this year. But thankfully some parents volunteered so that their kids could play. His other concern was regarding sportsmanship during the games. Gompertz made it clear that there is a problem with some of the kids being disrespectful to the referees, other players, or even parents in the stands. I asked him what he could do to help curb this problem, and his response was to have coaches inform the players that this behavior isn't acceptable. This seemed like a simple method, but I guess there isn't much that can be done about the attitudes of high-school boys.
For more information regarding the Andover Athletic Association please visit: http://andover.multisportsystems.com/page/show/5018-home
Friday, February 20, 2009
Coaches Meeting
The most recent event that I attended where civic concerns were discussed was at the coaches meeting held prior to the start of in-house basketball season. I am an assistant coach for my younger brothers tenth grade team and was required to sit in on this event. Although the topics discussed were not in any way life changing or monumental to the surrounding community, they did hold importance of the players, coaches, parents, and referees involved in the basketball league.
The meeting was held in the cafeteria of the local middle school, which I used to attend. Upon entering the front doors of the school, a million memories filled my head of when I was much younger and used to prowl these very hallways. After entering the cafeteria, which seemed much smaller than I remembered, I was handed a packet of rules and regulations and took my seat in one of the chairs I used to eat lunch in around a decade ago. The lights were very bright and I could hear them hum even over the light chatter of the accumulating attendants. The slight odor of ammonia could be noticed as the custodians were busy cleaning the floors in the hallway. Glancing around I felt slightly out of place since I was much younger than most of the other coaches in attendance. Most appeared to be parents who had a son playing in the league.
As the meeting began, the league director stood up in front of everybody in attendance and began reading over the rules and regulations, beginning with the changes from the previous year. There seemed to be a light tone in the room as some coaches often made jokes or comments back and forth with the league director. At the end of the meeting there was time to take comments or questions on the material presented. I was surprised when the directed allowed a change in the rules to allow players to put their last names on the jerseys. The players have seemed to enjoy this option.
The meeting was held in the cafeteria of the local middle school, which I used to attend. Upon entering the front doors of the school, a million memories filled my head of when I was much younger and used to prowl these very hallways. After entering the cafeteria, which seemed much smaller than I remembered, I was handed a packet of rules and regulations and took my seat in one of the chairs I used to eat lunch in around a decade ago. The lights were very bright and I could hear them hum even over the light chatter of the accumulating attendants. The slight odor of ammonia could be noticed as the custodians were busy cleaning the floors in the hallway. Glancing around I felt slightly out of place since I was much younger than most of the other coaches in attendance. Most appeared to be parents who had a son playing in the league.
As the meeting began, the league director stood up in front of everybody in attendance and began reading over the rules and regulations, beginning with the changes from the previous year. There seemed to be a light tone in the room as some coaches often made jokes or comments back and forth with the league director. At the end of the meeting there was time to take comments or questions on the material presented. I was surprised when the directed allowed a change in the rules to allow players to put their last names on the jerseys. The players have seemed to enjoy this option.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Anoka-Ramsey College Community
Weaving through the halls of our ever-populating center for learning, which we like to call ARCC, I couldn't help but wonder about this community we are all apart of. How would I classify this community? It most surely cannot be done through physical description. There are many different people from all walks of life. Age seems to be irrelevant as well. "Students" would be the obvious label, however that is too simple. The community at AR is much greater than just the students. It wouldn't even exist without the professors, administrators, IT techs, custodians etc... They are all an important link in the chain that makes up the entire entity that is Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
With that all laid out, it brings me back to the classification of our community. Although everybody is here for their own personal agenda, we all share in the common goal of expanding our education, or helping make that goal possible for others. "Facilitators of Knowledge" stands out as a better label than "Students" since it includes everybody. So next time you are walking through Anoka Ramsey Community College take some time to think about what makes up the Anoka Ramsey College Community.
With that all laid out, it brings me back to the classification of our community. Although everybody is here for their own personal agenda, we all share in the common goal of expanding our education, or helping make that goal possible for others. "Facilitators of Knowledge" stands out as a better label than "Students" since it includes everybody. So next time you are walking through Anoka Ramsey Community College take some time to think about what makes up the Anoka Ramsey College Community.
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