Happy Mother's Day, most of all to the most incredible, inspiring, gracious, role model of my life, Sal! To all the mothers in my life, too many to count, I love you all, you make me all so proud! Much love, kisses and hugs!

A Little Time with Family

Prepositions

about, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, besides, between, beyond, but (when it means except), by, concerning, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, out, outside, over, past, since, through, to, toward, under, until, up, upon, with, within, and without. These words can be used as other parts of speech. Many of the common words used as prepositions can be used as adverbs. They are prepositions if they have an object to complete them. To decide which it is, say the preposition followed by whom or what. If a noun or a pronoun answers the question, the word is a preposition. Example: The boy stood up and ran down the street. Up what? There is no object; therefore up is not a preposition. Down what? Street answers the question; therefore, down is a preposition. Down the street is the prepositional phrase starting with the preposition down and ending with the object street with a modifier the in between. A prepositional phrase may be used as an adjective telling, which or what kind, and modifying a noun or pronoun. An adjective prepositional phrase will come right after the noun or pronoun that it modifies. If there are two adjective prepositional phrases together, one will follow the other. Only adjective prepositional phrases modify the object of the preposition in another prepositional phrase.

April 25, 2013

Due: Tomorrow (April 26) Instructions: Pick out the adjective prepositional phrases in these sentences and tell what they modify. 1. Do you remember the title of the new book about morals? 2. Our work on the planning commission covers all kinds of ideas and concepts. 3. Those immense houses on the west side of town were built recently. 4. The man in the next room is the mayor. 5. Few of the citizens had ever seen that plan. Please watch the following video. Write a paragraph about your thoughts.

I don't know anyone that was never bullied!

There are specific things that I try to ingrain in people with whom I work. Be the best that you can be. Don't worry so much about the things in life that happen, but how you respond to all these opportunities. Be the best that you can be, not because good people are rewarded, because they usually are not. Be the best you can be, not because of the promise of ever lasting joy in heaven. Be the best you can be because that is what makes us worthwhile. Being the best you can be gives you meaning. Being the best you can be because it is simply and perfectly, the right way to be, and anything else is not an option. Be the best you can be at any given moment, with the understanding that our best is different with each and every moment. Don't punish yourself if you think you can be better, just be better next time.

President's Day 2013

I believe that this is still the America of 50, 150 and 236 years ago. Through times of darkness and of light we have always shown a special light, of knowledge that together we are better than separate, that in time, we do the right thing and in the end our greatest blessings are those that we share with graciousness and humility, with honor and integrity. I believe in America and am proud and oh so grateful to be American!

The eight parts of speech are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives,adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Instructions: In the following sentences, tell the part of speech of each italicized word as represents. 1. We need to learn about our past. 2. Your friend just went past. 3. The past event will be remembered forever. 4. The fall colors are outstanding this year. 5. The leaves fall all over the ground. 6. The branches broke his fall from the tree. 7. The spring is full of mud. 8. Spring into action before it is too late. 9. Don't come near me! 10. Do you think he is near?

Please write a sentence showing your understanding of each vocabulary word. Vocabulary Hyperbole Simile Metaphor Personification Symbolism Allegory Imagery Onomatopoeia Analogy Ambiguities Nuances

Daily Student News February 5, 2013

The Gun Debate

Your homework this evening is to finish your vocabulary definitions: Finish the conjunction worksheet. Remember to identify whether or not the conjunction is subordinate! For Extra Credit: Read this article http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/01_28_13/book#/6

The Gun Debate and then write a short summary. Have a great evening!

You can get your Daily Student News Here!

Tomorrow (February 1) There is no official homework tonight because of the Periodic Assessment. However, anyone who would like extra credit can answer the following questions. Know Your News -- The following questions relate to events that were covered this week on CNN Student News. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. Who is President Obama's nominee for U.S. secretary of defense? * * 2. Which of these countries shares a border with Syria: Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, or Saudi Arabia? * * 3. Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton all held what position in the U.S. government? * * 4. On what day of the week are most new CDs and DVDs released in the U.S.? * * 5. On Monday, four Democrats and four Republicans in the Senate announced a plan to reform what U.S. policy? * * 6. What member of the British royal family recently returned home after serving in Afghanistan? * * 7. Who was the winning coach in the first Super Bowl? * * 8. Which U.S. president started the tradition of throwing out baseball's first opening-day pitch? * * 9. Which country sees more tornadoes than any other in the world? * * 10. Who is known as the Father of Black History? * *

Albert Einstein's letters to FDR Einstein's First Letter to Roosevelt Notes: The letter that launched the arms race. A warning to President Roosevelt of the possibility of constructing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" with hints that the German government might be doing just that. Addressed and dated Peconic, Long Island, August 2nd 1939, it was most likely written by Leo Szilard, the scientist who invented the chain reaction. Nevertheless, Einstein took full responsibility for its consequences, calling it "the greatest mistake" of his life. I have tried to reproduce the formatting as it appeared in the original. This is the only letter for which I have done this. Source: Public Domain. See the list of mirror sites to view photocopies of the original letter. Albert Einstein Old Grove Rd. Nassau Point Peconic, Long Island August 2nd 1939 F.D. Roosevelt President of the United States White House Washington, D.C. Sir: Some recent work by E.Fermi and L. Szilard, which has been com- municated to me in manuscript, leads me to expect that the element uran- ium may be turned into a new and important source of energy in the im- mediate future. Certain aspects of the situation which has arisen seem to call for watchfulness and, if necessary, quick action on the part of the Administration. I believe therefore that it is my duty to bring to your attention the following facts and recommendations: In the course of the last four months it has been made probable - through the work of Joliot in France as well as Fermi and Szilard in America - that it may become possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium,by which vast amounts of power and large quant- ities of new radium-like elements would be generated. Now it appears almost certain that this could be achieved in the immediate future. This new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it is conceivable - though much less certain - that extremely power- ful bombs of a new type may thus be constructed. A single bomb of this type, carried by boat and exploded in a port, might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory. However, such bombs might very well prove to be too heavy for transportation by air. -2- The United States has only very poor ores of uranium in moderate quantities. There is some good ore in Canada and the former Czechoslovakia. while the most important source of uranium is Belgian Congo. In view of the situation you may think it desirable to have more permanent contact maintained between the Administration and the group of physicists working on chain reactions in America. One possible way of achieving this might be for you to entrust with this task a person who has your confidence and who could perhaps serve in an inofficial capacity. His task might comprise the following: a) to approach Government Departments, keep them informed of the further development, and put forward recommendations for Government action, giving particular attention to the problem of securing a supply of uran- ium ore for the United States; b) to speed up the experimental work,which is at present being car- ried on within the limits of the budgets of University laboratories, by providing funds, if such funds be required, through his contacts with y private persons who are willing to make contributions for this cause, and perhaps also by obtaining the co-operation of industrial laboratories which have the necessary equipment. I understand that Germany has actually stopped the sale of uranium from the Czechoslovakian mines which she has taken over. That she should have taken such early action might perhaps be understood on the ground that the son of the German Under-Secretary of State, von Weizsäcker, is attached to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut in Berlin where some of the American work on uranium is now being repeated. Yours very truly, (Albert Einstein) Einstein's Second Letter to Roosevelt Notes: No comments at this time. Source: Ronald W. Clark. Einstein: The Life and Times. New York: Avon Books, 1970: 678-679. March 7, 1940 I wish to draw your attention to the development which has taken place since the conference that was arranged through your good offices in October last year between scientists engaged in this work and governmental representatives. Last year, when I realized that results of national importance might arise out of research on uranium, I thought it my duty to inform the administration of this possibility. You will perhaps remember that in the letter which I addressed to the President I also mentioned the fact that C. F. von Weizsäcker, son of the German Undersecretary of State, was collaborating with a group of chemists working upon uranium at one of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes - namely, the Institute of Chemistry. Since the outbreak of the war, interest in uranium has intensified in Germany. I have now learned that research there is carried out in great secrecy and that it has been extended to another of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes, the Institute of Physics. The latter has been taken over by the government and a group of physicists, under the leadership of C. F. von Weizsäcker, who is now working there on uranium in collaboration with the Institute of Chemistry. The former director was sent away on leave of absence, apparently for the duration of the war. Should you think it advisable to relay this information to the President, please consider yourself free to do so. Will you be kind enough to let me know if you are taking action in this direction? Dr. Szilard has shown me the manuscript which he is sending to the Physics Review in which he describes in detail a method of setting up a chain reaction in uranium. The papers will appear in print unless they are held up, and the question arises whether something ought to be done to withhold publication. I have discussed with professor Wigner of Princeton University the situation in the light of the information available. Dr. Szilard will let you have a memorandum informing you of the progress made since October last year so that you will be able to take such action as you think in the circumstances advisable. You will see that the line he has pursued is different and apparently more promising than the line pursued by M. Joliot in France, about whose work you may have seen reports in the papers. Einstein's Third Letter to Roosevelt Notes: This is only a fragment of the letter's body. Source: Ronald W. Clark. Einstein: The Life and Times. New York: Avon Books, 1970: 681. April 25, 1940 I am convinced as to the wisdom and the urgency of creating the conditions under which that and related work can be carried out with greater speed and on a larger scale than hitherto. I was interested in a suggestion made by Dr. Sachs that the Special Advisory Committee supply names of persons to serve as a board of trustees for a nonprofit organization which, with the approval of the government committee, could secure from governmental or private sources or both, the necessary funds for carrying out the work. Given such a framework and the necessary funds, it (the large-scale experiments and exploration of practical applications) could be carried out much faster than through a loose cooperation of university laboratories and government departments.

Possible compromise on immigration reform takes shape

Possible compromise on immigration reform takes shape By Dana Bash and Tom Cohen , CNN updated 11:16 AM EST, Mon January 28, 2013 CNN.com Washington (CNN) -- Undocumented immigrants would be able to seek legal status without first going home under a compromise framework floated Monday by a bipartisan group of senators, according to a source familiar with the plan. The outline for a possible immigration reform bill reflects a Republican willingness to compromise on what President Barack Obama calls a top priority of his second term. Obama won re-election in November with strong support from Latinos, the fastest-growing demographic. That has caused GOP leaders to seek a deal with Democrats that would provide a path to legal status for many of the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants --- an outcome long opposed by conservatives as amnesty. Path to citizenship: Senators outline bipartisan immigration plan "There is a new, I think, appreciation on both sides of the aisle -- including maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle -- that we have to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill," Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Sunday. "We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours, for a variety of reasons, and we've got to understand that," McCain told ABC's "This Week." McCain is one of the eight senators proposing the compromise. Four are influential Democrats, while Republicans joining McCain in the effort include tea party backed newcomers Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona -- two states where immigration is a major issue. It was unclear how their plan would be received in the Republican-led House, where conservatives hold more influence. The senators will announce their plan a day before Obama speaks in Las Vegas on immigration reform, signaling a major push by both sides to focus on the contentious issue in the new Congress. Aides say the president's remarks on Tuesday will touch on the blueprint he's detailed in the past: improving border security, cracking down on employers who hire undocumented workers, and creating a pathway to "earned" citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Lawmakers: GOP needs to back immigration overhaul Those provisions align closely with what the eight senators laid out in a framework of their legislation, which was obtained by CNN on Sunday. The legislators based the proposal on four "pillars." These include: -- A "tough but fair" path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, after bolstering the nation's border security; --Overhauling the country's legal immigration system, including attaching green cards to advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math from U.S. universities; --Establishing an employment verification system that holds employers accountable for hiring undocumented workers; --Creating a guest worker program for positions that Americans are either unable or unwilling to fill. Democratic senators backing the plan include Chuck Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Michael Bennet of Colorado. Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina rounds out the overall group. Opinion: Worker visas are the key to immigration reform Menendez said the time was right for pushing major immigration reform through the Senate. "First of all, Americans support it in poll after poll," he said. "Secondly, Latino voters expect it. Thirdly, Democrats want it. And fourth, Republicans need it." A source familiar with how the eight senators came up with the plan told CNN that Graham called Schumer after the November vote to restart work on an immigration bill that broke down in 2010. Soon, a core group of six senators formed and met five times in the following weeks in the offices of Schumer and McCain, the source said, adding that Flake and Bennet also took part in some of the meetings and were the last to agree to the proposal. An initial timetable by the senators called for a framework by the end of January, the text of a bill to to the Senate Judiciary Committee by March, and Senate passage by the end of July, according to the source. The group last met on Wednesday, then worked through some details before Schumer called Obama on Sunday to tell him of Monday's planned announcement, the source said. While specifics on border security and legal status for undocumented immigrants need to be worked out, the framework lacks any requirement for people in the United States illegally to return to their home countries before getting a shot at legal status, according to the source. Five reasons why time may be right for immigration reform Obama came under criticism from Latino activists for failing to deliver on 2008 campaign promise to make immigration reform a priority of his first term. Last year, as his re-election campaign heated up, the Obama administration announced a halt to deportations of some young undocumented immigrants in a move that delighted the Latino community. Exit polls in November indicated Latino voters gave overwhelming support to Obama over GOP challenger Mitt Romney, who had advocated a policy that amounted to forcing undocumented immigrants to deport themselves. Since the election, mainstream Republican leaders and some conservatives such as Rubio, a child of Cuban immigrants and considered a rising star in the party, have called for addressing the immigration issue instead of ceding the Latino vote to Democrats. McCain, a veteran of failed attempts to address the issue during the George W. Bush administration, said the senators' proposal wasn't "that much different from what we tried to do in 2007." Obama met behind closed doors Friday with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and vowed to "move the debate forward," the White House said in a statement. Rep. Xavier Becerra , D-California, who was at the meeting, said that Obama had indicated that immigration reform "is his top legislative priority." iReport: Under Deportation, Above Fear CNN's Kevin Liptak and Matt Smith contributed to this report. © 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Conjunctions

The following is an explanation of conjunctions in a sentence. Identify the preposition and the prepositional phrase. Circle the conjunction. Please write 10 original sentences that contain a prepositional phrase and a conjunction. A conjunction is a word that joins other words, phrases (groups of words), or clauses (groups of words with a subject and verb). Coordinate conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank. The co-ordinate conjunctions are the following: and, but, or, nor, for, and yet. (For and yet can only join clauses.) Instructions: Find both the co-ordinate conjunctions, which are joining phrases in these sentences, and the phrases that are joined. 1. The girls ran up the path and over the hill. 2. I became ill by eating the food and stuffing myself. 3. Meet me by the fountain or near the train station. 4. He should have arrived or will be arriving soon. 5. Joe had promised to come but did not keep his promise. A conjunction is a word that joins other words, phrases (groups of words), or clauses (groups of words with a subject and verb). Coordinate conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank. The co-ordinate conjunctions are the following: and, but, or, nor, for, and yet. (For and yet can only join clauses.) Instructions: Find the co-ordinate conjunctions, which are joining clauses in these sentences. 1. I do not like the idea, yet I will help. 2. The trip was a delight for us, for we had a great time. 3. The mail has not arrived, nor will it come today. 4. I will speak the truth, or I will not work for you. 5. Mom likes Christmas, but Dad likes Halloween. 6. Ann washes the walls, and Pam vacuums the carpet.

CNN Poll: Are you rooting for or against Obama?

Posted by CNN Political Unit Washington (CNN) - Americans are generally optimistic about President Barack Obama's second term, but they also recognize that the country is deeply divided, according to a new national survey. And a CNN/ORC International poll released Sunday also indicates that nearly a quarter of the public, including a majority of Republicans, hope that the president's policies fail. Fifty-four percent of people surveyed say that Obama will be an outstanding or above average president in his second term, with 43% saying he'll be a poor or below average president. "Those figures are roughly the same numbers that President George W. Bush received in CNN polling on the eve of his second inauguration in January 2005," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. According to the survey, three-quarters feel that the country is more deeply divided on major issues than it has been in the past several years. "Given the number of Republicans who are rooting for Obama's policies to fail over the next four years, that's a pretty realistic view, adds Holland. While overall seven in ten hope that the president's policies succeed, only four in ten Republicans feel that way, with 52% hoping that Obama will fail. Compare that to just four percent of Democrats and 28% of independents who want the president's policies to fail. Overall, 54% of Americans say the president's policies will succeed, but only 27% of Republicans think they will succeed, with 65% forecasting that they'll fail. Only one in seven Democrats predict such failure for the president. As for Congress, only 21% of those questioned say they approve of the job federal lawmakers are doing, with nearly eight in ten saying they disapprove. Four in ten approve of the job House Speaker John Boehner is doing, with 51% disapproving of the performance of the top Republican in the House. The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International on Jan. 14-15, with 814 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. – CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

Thursday, January 17, 2012

Please write 3 paragraphs about the purple paper we read today, titled: Questionable Statistics. Have a great evening! Mr. Krohn

Wednesday, January 16, 2012

Questionable Statistics Questionable statistics - doubtful statistics Definition Model for Questionable Statistics Fallacy Questionable Statistics Short Definition doubtful statistics Long Definition Employing statistics that are false, misleading, biased, unknowable, or irrelevant without further support. Form none Keywords numbers, percents How to Explain State why statistics are doubtful Example Some studies show that humans only utilize about 10% of their brain Notes on Questionable Statistics 1. Statistics are quantities or percentages; for example, the U.S. minimum wage is $5.15 per hour or 60% of the students attending SRJC are female. Statistics are derived from surveys, polls, studies, experiments, and various other means. They are calculated by government, corporations, academic institutions, and various other groups and individuals. They are important facts which dictate the making of many significant decisions. 2. The fallacy of questionable statistics is employing statistics that are questionable without further evidence. Many statistics are knowable in theory, but just inaccurate. They may be educated approximations or exaggerations and may be used to support a hidden agenda. Many government statistics are inaccurate at the time of posting as they are continually revised later; for example, the unemployment rate or the number of jobs created each month. For example in 1992, a Government jobs survey reported that California gained 15,000 jobs. This figure later turned out to be very inaccurate. After tax receipts were analyzed, it turned out that California lost 300,000 jobs. 3. It is important to check the source of the statistic. Is this source an expert on the issue? Are they reliable? Do they have a reason to fudge the numbers? What is their track record on such matters? 4. A type of questionable statistics is unknowable statistics. These statistics are not even knowable in theory. Some of them apply to the distant past or the future; for example the average person will live to 138 by the year 2104. Unknowable statistics are usually too precise and may seem to be overly authoritative. They are generally guessed at or made up, with insufficient or questionable evidence. 5. You should avoid the tendency to blindly accept statistics that reinforce your beliefs while questioning statistics that do just the opposite. 6. When you think that a statistic is doubtful then you should do research to try to verify or refute the statistic. Use of the Internet can greatly help in this regard. Examples of Questionable Statistics 1. Some past psychological studies have shown that humans only utilize about 10% of their brain. Analysis: 10% is a questionable statistic. How do they know it's 10%? Who conducted the studies? Supporting evidence is needed here. 2. A new study shows that kids watch an average 4,286 acts of violence by age 18. Analysis: These statistics are questionable, in fact unknowable given how exact they are. Who conducted the study? Supporting evidence is needed here. 3. A new sociology study show that the average person lies 3 times a week. Analysis: Questionable statistic since this is most probably unknowable. Who conducted the study? Supporting evidence is needed here. 4. A seemingly reputable Bay Area poll taken before the first Gulf War stated that 91% of the people in the Bay Area favored this war. Analysis: This turned out to be questionable after I discovered that the sample was biased. The poll's sample greatly over-represented the East Bay and under-represented San Francisco. 5. State Dept. Spokesperson: "99% of Somalians want the U.S. to be there." Analysis: This was a very questionable statistic and perhaps unknowable. What happened to the U.S. military in Somalia seems to have shown that far less of a percentage of Somalians wanted us there. 6. An earthquake study by the U.S. Geological Department predicted that if there was a 7.5 earthquake on the Hayward Fault at 2:30 pm on a weekday then approximately 4,000 people would die. Analysis: Questionable statistics. That approximately 4,000 people would die in that circumstance seems to be an unknowable statistic. No evidence was given by the U.S. Geological Department on how they arrived at their findings. 7. Center for Disease Control: "Conditions at hospitals kill nearly 90,000 Americans a year, mostly from infections they got in the hospital. Analysis: No fallacy - the statistic is accurate. Approximately two million people catch infections from going to hospitals. The main reason is that hospital personnel don't wash their hands regularly, especially with alcohol hand rubs. If they did then they say it would cut infections by 50%. Note that hospitals are not required to report their infection rates. 8. New England Journal of Medicine study: "Guns in the home for protection are 43 times more likely to kill a family member than an assailant. Analysis: No fallacy - the statistic is correct and the source of the study is legitimate. Nevertheless, I don't believe many gun owners will be dissuaded from having a gun in their house for protection. They may argue that the threat of having a gun the house may prevent some assailants from even trying to enter a house. But how would an assailant even surmise that a particular house has a gun owner inside? 9. Scientist: "I am 80% sure that global warming is a problem." Analysis: Questionable statistic of 80%. The scientist admitted later that he had created a fuzzy statistic and was hoping no one would ask him to support the exact choice of 80%.

Tomorrow (January 16) Please click on the link to go to the on-line version of Upfront Magazine. Watch the video Immigration Nation. Write a 3 paragraph reflection on the video. Have a great evening!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/10_08_12/Videos

Today we watched different stories of people that were on the Titanic. We saw where they were from, what part of society they belonged, and we got clues as to whether they were good or bad people. Please write a 2 paragraph reflection on 2 of the people we observed. Did they live or die? Did you find that you were rooting for them to survive or secretly hoping they would perish? What do your thoughts say about you as a person?

Welcome back to Spring Semester! I missed everyone over the Holidays! I hope that you all received everything you wanted. I am wondering if you gave anything special to someone. Did you help anyone in need? How much are you going to achieve this semester? How much are you going to learn? What kind of person are you going to choose to be? Is being mediocre acceptable, or are you going to be extraordinary? What does it feel like to walk strong and proud? How does it feel to be compassionate towards someone weaker than yourself? What does it mean to be greater than you are? Today is January 9th, 2013. It will never be today again. Did you miss an opportunity to do something great? Or, are you really proud of doing something truly special? Don't forget to look at the NHHS web site for your homework.