It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

So I love the Charlie Brown specials, and I had almost forgotten about them while I was @UNC, but fortunately I was able to catch it later. The Great Pumpkin as #2 to Santa Claus is so original and bizarre, and as always poor Charlie Brown can't catch a break as he gets rocks when he goes trick-or-treating. To me, every holiday is associated with a Charlie Brown special, as every year my family would get together to watch the hilarious cartoon that includes the likes of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and many others...I just realized they never call Charlie Brown just Charlie, lol. Also, it amazes me how I always forget stuff that happens in the episodes even though I've seen them so many times...But if you've never watched them, you should definately check them out! Anways, I enjoy the holiday specials and can't wait for the Thanksgiving episode! Below is one of the many funny moments from the show.

Unit 3, Feeder 1 Rough Draft: Burch Fellowship

UNC’s Burch Fellowship, which began in 1993, is a prestigious honor given to a few of the university’s students each year. The students are awarded grants of up to six thousand dollars in order to explore and research a specific topic of interest to them, “in a way and to a degree not otherwise possible” (as the Fellowship’s site states).

One of the goals of the Burch Fellowship, and as is apparent by the information provided on their site, is to promote the idea that the possibilities for research are limitless. Past recipients of the grant have traveled all over the world to explore and focus on their topics, from South America to Europe to Asia. However, the research need not only be done in foreign countries, as many of the Burch Fellows have stayed within the United States to accomplish their goals. As well, all fields of research are given equal opportunity as the Advisory Board consists of members from various departments from music to psychology to physics. Thus, looking through the list of Fellows shows the variety of subjects examined from fields in English to science to history and culture. While possibilities for research are endless, the website is sure to emphasize the need for feasibility of the proposal and of how it can be accomplished. Along with the proposal, attachments about actual (not estimated) costs are required, along with letters from those in that field to comment on the project’s feasibility. As well, it seems like the proposals chosen often involve aspects of research that can be brought back and used/applied to today’s processes and actions.

When looking at the participants, most seem to be juniors and seniors. This makes sense as they have a declared major and thus have a strong interest in their topic, as well as having some education and knowledge about the material. As an undecided freshmen college student, I thus have little idea of what I could be interested in to suggest for further research in a field.

Can't Wait for Fall Break

So fall break needs to get here as quick as possible, I'm just waiting for the next 4 days to go by but that means I need to do some work this weekend. I have a speech Monday, a paper due Tuesday, and a test and portfolio due on Wed...Hopefully I can do well on all of it and enjoy my two and half days at the beach over the break! During which, I plan to try not to do much of anything (though I may attempt to study for a chem test I have after fall break but that isn't likely to happen though I tell myself I should...). Wednesday 10:30 needs to get here fast!

Feeder 1 Revision - CNN Video

In the video, three people involved with the health care reform bill of the Clinton administration discuss whether President Obama can succeed with the reform where Clinton had failed. These three analysts included Donna Shalala, Harold Ickes, and Kenneth Thorpe, President Clinton’s Health and Human Services Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Health Care Reform Bill contributor (respectively). Since all were previously involved on the same side with the Health Care issue, they each obviously still support the Obama administration’s initiative to promote the health care reform.
Donna Shalala adds a lot of details to back up her arguments, whether over why today’s climate is different from that of fifteen years ago or about the public option aspect of the bill. While most of her answers are based on logic and evidence, after she answers the designated question she tends to also reveal her more personal opinion; in her final question about the public option, she seems to speak personally when stating that something must be done to hold the insurance industry accountable for their actions. Thorpe is obviously the one most informed about the previous bill, as he was a part of its creation. This may be why he also seems the one most objectionable and logical about the issue. He gives specific examples about the desired cause of the bill, as well as why it is able to possibly be successful this time around. Ickes mostly gives more general statements about the issues of the bill (with terms about “substance” and the “politics” of getting the bill passed) without much specification. At the interview’s end, he begins to vaguely discuss key elements to drive forth health care but does not detail any of it or what exactly he feels the bill may need (though he admits it needs something).
While each pundit brings out good points about the possibility of today’s health care reform bill, the debate is a one-sided affair as the audience does not receive any other point-of-view since the pundits do not have to defend their opinions. Thus, the audience hears only whether the bill can pass, rather than any opinions on whether it should pass.

Whip It (2009)

I saw Whip It this past Monday, and though I went in having no clue what the movie was going to be about, I did enjoy the film. The movie stars Ellen Page (you know, the girl from Juno) and Drew Barrymore in a supporting role (she also makes her directorial debut here), and is about a high school beauty pageant contestant who finds new meaning when she discovers the world of roller derby. The movie, which could have been a little shorter, had a good mix of the sport with humor and outside story. I would recommend for people to see the movie, though I wouldn't say it matters whether you decide to pay for it while it's in theaters or wait until it comes on TV for free.

Zombieland (2009)

Like many others, this past Thursday night I went to UNC's advanced screening of the 2009 film Zombieland. Honestly, I only went because a friend asked me to, even though I had never even seen the trailer for the movie. However, the movie exceeded my expectations and was a great mix, involving great comedy and the horror/zombie factor. An especially funny sequence involved when the zombie killers went to Hollywood and crashed at Bill Murray's pad...and accidentally (well I won't give it away). The movie was great entertainment with my only problem being that there was no real ending, but besides this little fact, I suggest everyone go and enjoy the film!

p.s. Remember: NUT UP OR SHUT UP!

Unit 2, Feeder 1: CNN Video "Can Obama Succeed Where Clinton Failed?"

In the video, three people involved with the health care reform bill of the Clinton administration discuss whether President Obama can succeed with the reform where Clinton failed. These three analysts included Donna Shalala, Harold Ickes, and Kenneth Thorpe, President Clinton’s Health and Human Services Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Health Care Reform Bill contributor (respectively). Since all were previously involved with the Health Care issue, they each obviously still support the Obama administration’s initiative to once again promote the health care reform. Thus, the debate is a one-sided affair as the audience does not receive any other point-of-view over if the bill should even be passed rather than if it can pass.
Donna Shalala gives a lot of details with her answers to back up her arguments whether over why today is different from fifteen years ago or about the public option. While most of her answers are based on logic and evidence, after she answers the designated question she tends to also add her personal opinion; in her final question about the public option, she seems to speak personally when stating that something must be done to hold the insurance industry accountable for their actions. Thorpe is obviously the one most informed about the previous bill as he was a part of its creation. Whether because of this, he also seems the one most objectionable and logical about the issue. He gives specific examples about the desired cause of the bill, as well as why it is able to possibly be successful this time around. Ickes mostly gave more general statements about the issues of the bill (with terms about “substance” and the “politics” of getting the bill passed) without much specification. At the interview’s end, he begins to vaguely discuss key elements to drive forth health care but doesn’t detail any of this or what exactly the bill he feels the bill may need.