False assumptions

It's strange how your thoughts or assumptions usually come true. If you assume something or make a judgment about someone and then act how you would treat them if that assumption proved true it will typically come true. For example, one of my best friends and I went out to dinner last night at Olga's. We had Robert as our waiter. Two college/teenage girls walk in, (ourselves), and he assumes that we will not tip well because typically the younger clientèle does not tip very well at all. Well, by judging us so quickly and then treating us as if his judgment were right he self Prophesized his own future. By treating us like we would give him a mediocre tip he earned a mediocre tip. In the end we didn't want to be rude. Both of us are waitresses and we know their pain. So we gave about $3 for the two of us which was around 15%. He could have earned himself more, but by judging us so quickly and making false assumptions he did not earn it.

Roundabouts

After hearing about Ryan's topic on the roundabouts I am worried. I live in that area of West Bloomfield. When I'm out driving I try to avoid those high traffic areas already, but now with the roundabouts I'm curious to see if the traffic actually gets better. I know the type of drivers out there, they are kids with mommy's Lexus or daddy's BMW. The drivers have no respect for others. The mentality is "Get out of my way, I'm coming through". At first there will be many more accidents and it will not make it any better, but after a while the drivers will get used to them and they should help.

end of the road

For my last paper of this class I will be analyzing the issue of scholarship money to be allocated to various graduating high school students when in their chosen college. This will entice more high school students to go to college and stay in college.
"Granholm wants to replace the current Merit Scholarship, a $2,500 award for college-bound high school seniors who passed the MEAP test, with a $4,000 scholarship paid upon completion of two years at a college or trade school."
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/052605/loc_mcc001.shtml
I like that she wants to wait for the students to complete two years at school because this shows that the student is already interested in pursuing a degree at a college and even if they did not do so well in high school, this is the final chance to prove that they deserve this scholarship.
Now, a high school degree no longer means much. You can't obtain a career anywhere. Students must have a college degree in order to make it anywhere in life now.
There are two sides to this: students deserve scholarship money to further their education and to provide an incentive to them to stay in school longer or that is a waste of government money and that is not what the government is there, set up to do; their job is to use tax money for other purposes especially when we are in stagnant economic times. Other government programs need that money. Others may argue that only the best and brightest deserve that money or it is too much to allocate to each individual student and the scholarship should remain at $2,500 like the MEAP money students now in college received.
I can give different student's perspectives on this proposed plan. Along with information on how the MEAP plan worked and what changes will be made to alter that into this new $4,000 scholarship. Who supports it along with who opposes it.

Don't Leave Birmingham

Residents are leaving Michigan in the droves. The economy is in a state of stagnation. Why should Michiganders stay here? Moving is not the answer. Don't run away from problems--face them head on. Michigan may be going through rough times at the moment, but with some time, effort, and fresh ideas we can make Michigan great again.

Just looking at Birmingham alone, I saw more than twenty homes up for sale in a two block radius. This is sad to see. Someone who once lived here lost their job and can’t afford their home anymore. Homes for sale are sad to see; they show that a part of someone’s life is over. They will not make anymore memories here. It is time to write the next chapter of their life, whether they like it or not.

These homes are located on Bates in Birmingham:

It took less than five minutes to find the first home up for sale.

The empty shell left of the home.

The second home for sale: located kitty-corner to the first home.

A hose on the side of the house is all that remains.

This home is located across the street from the last one.

Intimidating....a bit avant-garde.

Half a dozen different realtor companies represent the homes for sale here. This is Weir Manuel.

Just down the street.

This same company represents many homes in this neighborhood.

Next block.

Prudential represents this home.

Even the birds are leaving.

There is a newspaper on the front stoop; they must have not moved yet.

Here, two neighboring homes are for sale.

When these people moved, they even took their basketball net with them. They spare nothing.

Three homes right next to each other are for sale. That's very disconcerting to see.

Close up

One of the homes in the lineup.

Old and new homes alike are up for sale.

Open doors are not so friendly anymore. They are closing. Your neighbors are leaving. Permanently.

Once people put their homes up for sale, there is just despair and hopelessness left. No energy to clean up their yard. They won't live here anymore so why bother improving it anymore with the little energy they have left.

Notice the heart on the door: "Home Sweet Home". It's a little odd with that for sale sign up on the lawn.

Leaves on the roof...no time for maintaining the home is exemplified once again.

These homes are located on Birmingham in Birmingham:

The van belongs to someone interested in the home.


Broken blinds.


Lock box on the door. Inviting.

Even unique homes with fascinating designs are not selling.

Life is very dismal in Michigan at the moment. But, there is hope. The economy will not be like this forever.

IKEA :D

I love IKEA. I went there yesterday and picked up some new bedroom furniture. :D I'm pretty excited. I put 3 dressers together today and tomorrow im gonna tackle the bed. It's gonna be kinda hard taking stuff out of my room to get these dressers and bed in there. What a project. I should have saved this for the summer time. I still need to do my homework and taxes. Good thing I don't have to work tonight. Happy St. Patty's Day! or Happy Green Day (and not the band lol)!

Graffiti

Graffiti is counter productive. Even if there is a message to be conveyed. This is not the right outlet. It only sets back a neighborhood. It can be found in most areas. Where it is prevalent, the neighborhood is typically not expanding, but people are moving away from the area. Why would they want to stay in a neighborhood going down hill?

Here the person actually wanted to just put "nothing" there is no reason for this, but someone was bored and wanted to be destructive and vandalize a building.

Here is an example of someone who is clearly talented, they just need to be redirected. They could do so much with this artistic talent.


This is "cute" graffiti. However, just because it is pleasing to the eye by no means makes it right or excused. This could be painted on paper, not a building.

ok, I think I have a topic

For the photo essay I'm going to take pictures of Birmingham. And for the argumentative paper, I'm going to argue granholm's proposal of giving every high school graduate $4,000 for college. I am a scholarship recipient so it has more value to me. I don't want to see that money go to kids that don't work hard for it and deserve it. Kids in Birmingham, whose parents make 6 figure incomes should not get that money if some other kid that is just as bright and talented but doesn't have parents that well off. The poorer kid should get it. So, I'm going to try and take photos of Birmingham kids and also just Birmingham in general. The area. The feel of the city. I want to capture the workers of tomorrow, today's youth. These are the people that will be running the world in 10 years. How do they interact with one another. I don't want to actually interview them, i want to observe them in their habitat. Or maybe I will go with another angle on the photography....

Graffiti

Defacing public property is not right, no matter what the message is. Yes, there are some good points, but mainly graffiti in Detroit and other cities is just plain disgraceful. The messages that are trying to be conveyed could be done another way that is less destructing. Most graffiti is there to warn people of gang territory, show who is "top dog" in the area, or it's the result of adolescents daring each other to see who will actually go through with spay painting on a building. It's also about getting the adrenaline rush of seeing if you can get away with it and not get caught by the police. Rarely are there political or important messages to be read. A lot of times there are swear words and demoralizing comments to specific religions, races, cultures, or even genders. I hate to see it because defacing a city just devalues it.

Here is an example of hope for Detroit's future. Detroit will become a city to be proud of once

again, in someones opinion. It's kind of ironic that they would do this, if they want Detroit to rise again, and be someplace to be proud of and respectable, why would they spray paint on this building? They are going against building up the city.

Other graffiti is just pointless and demoralizing, here it's to women. It looks like "hips" is spelled out. There are two women on the "H" that look naked. Whoever did this piece sees women as sex objects and not worth respecting.

car accidents

It seems everyone is affected by spring. And not always in a good way. Yesterday, on my way home from school, I witnessed 2 accidents and I avoided one myself. It seems when the weather changes, for the better, people forget how to drive. It's strange. I would think that, oh, it's beautiful outside, why not drive a little slower, roll down the window and just relax. No, this isn't the case. I assume people want to hurry up and get home to enjoy the weather. There is a rush because in Michigan we don't know if we will have these beautiful temperatures for the rest of the week, day, or even hour. It could change without a moments notice.

more ideas

Well...I have to say that the next paper, or photo essay, is giving me the most problems. I have not had this much trouble coming up with a topic before. I have been sure on my previous topics and I'm starting to get worried that the next one won't compare. I've been thinking for the past few days, looking at news articles and such. I might have found one for the argumentative paper, but I'm not quite sure. Granholm proposed giving every high school graduate $4,000 for when they started college in-state. I looked into it more and there is testing that would be done. At first I have to admit that I was a bit outraged that she would just hand over that kind of money. Kids today don't have to work for things. I noticed a HUGE difference when entering college. At my high school teachers were constantly telling the students to be quiet and pay attention. This is because they didn't value the education, it was free. If kids are just handed $4,000 they wont value their education as much. I'm a scholarship recipient. I have worked very hard throughout my life to get these scholarships. And to think that any old high school graduate could get around the same amount as me is an outrage. I will look into the matter when the next paper comes around. But to connect that possible topic with a photo essay one is a bit difficult to come up with. I would really like to take some pictures of Birmingham. But what issues does Birmingham have, what is there.....shopping....a place to hang out......Birmingham is really the only downtown place we have around here, in West Bloomfield. I do think that I would like to do the thematic photo essay, a particular theme. ...Maybe Birmingham is too upscale to write on....there are no abandoned buildings nor graffiti. I don't hang out there much, just over the summer I did to walk around because my neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks. hmmm.....errrr! i hate it when there are changes in barometric pressure, my head hurts so bad, which makes it impossible to think critically and come up with a halfway decent topic.

controversial issues

Some possible controversial issues for the next paper:

1. The dumping of trash from Canada into Michigan
2. Should Bloomfield township be allowed to sell alcohol at gas stations?
3. Roundabouts
4. ?

My neighborhood

Here are a few pictures of my neighborhood:

This is of my couch outside for the trash. We threw it out a few days ago. (that is squeakie next to me)

This is of my house:

Here is a house in my neighborhood:

Here is another house in my neighborhood:

Mom, walking down our street:

And last but not least is Squeakie:

Our Fortified Ghettos

This reading was sad to think about. That people actually live their daily lives like this. I cannot imagine why. Why not move somewhere, anywhere except here. To live each day in fear. I am very careful and watch my back whenever I'm outside and I live in West Bloomfield. You can't get much safer than that. I would probably have a mini heart attack if I lived in New York City or somewhere else unsafe. I do not know what I would do. That is not a very good quality of life, no matter what anyone says. There is no price of a life. And if your life is in danger it doesn't matter what you have to do to get out of there, you just do it.

News in class

1. What local issues are getting the most coverage?
1. The Tara Grant murder case and new twists in it.
2. Commerica pulling out of Detroit for Texas
3. A death at EMU not handled properly
4. The Silverdome is back under Pontiac's ownership until someone decides to buy it.
5. Roundabouts are coming to West Bloomfield to alleviate traffic.

2. What stands out to you about the coverage on freep.com? what concerns do they emphasize/de-emphasize? The "human factor"? The "drama factor"? Just the facts? What?
The story that has the most attention at the moment is the Tara Grant murder case. It is so close to home being in metro-Detroit and it is such a senseless unexpected event. This story has had media coverage almost daily since Feb when she went missing. They play up the human factor with her being a mother and her husband who did this to her. Concerns are over who gains custody of their children and what is going to happen to Stephen Grant, the husband and murderer. They no longer are just reporting cut and dry facts. There is the a sense of getting to know Tara since people who watch the news see her everyday on there.

3. What's going on in your own backyard? What do you think?

West Bloomfield is going to be getting roundabouts put in to alleviate traffic around the northwestern/14 mile road area. I think at first they will not help because most motorists will not know how to use them and therefore will make traffic worse and probably there will be more accidents. Eventually they probably will make a small to significant impact on traffic here.
M0re evidence is unfolding in the Tara Grant murder case as police decide to release it to the public. Now, there is a sled that comes into play, what Stephen Grant used to scatter the remains of his wife.
The zoo is going to be raising rare butterflies. I think that is wonderful since the Karner blue butterfly is endangered.
GM is planning on making Chevrolet a globally sold automobile brand. There is great potential in the rest of the world where in the United States the sales are falling.
There is a new proposal of people who want donated organs have to first sign up to be an organ donor first.

4. What might you want to research/write about? why?
I'm not quite sure yet. I do not want to do research on the Tara Grant murder case because that is just too depressing to think about. It is a sick crime committed by a sick man.

News-Tara Grant

Tara Grant is still on the news and the newscasters are going more in depth as more information arises. Before it has been about what is going on now about her situation, did they find her body, is she just missing, where is her husband? Now, we are finally getting at the root of why she was murdered. This is a sick crime. Why he would do this to her, to his wife, to anyone for that matter. Sick. There is no reason for this.

Sad News

I was watching the news this morning, while munching on a chocolate chip cookie. I still can't believe that Tara Grant's husband would do such a thing to his wife. You are suppose to love, protect, cherish, and be there for you spouse....not kill them. Why not a divorce? What would lead someone to this drastic and twisted of an option. You would think people would grow up, evolve, and this type of crime would be a thing of the past. It is so primitive. It just makes me sour to the world sometimes.

Restaurant Paper

I'm not quite sure how to format this paper. I'm going to go with the single spaced lines with a space in between paragraphs. Plus, I took some pictures. I want to add a few. I'll go with the one of Peter, one of the owners and me plus one of the ribs. This is a very different format than I'm used to writing in. It's mostly my opinion.

Ginopolis'

I decided to not eat with my diet of no gluten/dairy for this assignment. At Genopolis' there are world famous BBQ Montgomery inn ribs. I had to try them. I went out to dinner last night with my mother to do the assignment. We spent 2 hours there. That was a very nice change of pace dining experience for us. I had the mini slab of ribs, jumbo shrimp, and red skin potatoes. plus calamari and minestrone soup. I haven't ate that good of food in quite some time. I'm quite pleased with the place. Many celebrities frequent the venue. Tim Allen, Elizabeth Taylor, and Frank Sinatra were some of the top ones.