Casey Levesque's blog

Super Bowl Commercials

Each year everyone gets excited for the Super Bowl never mind the commercials that come with it. Most people just watch the Super Bowl for the hilarious, amusing, and energetic commercials. Sometimes they are talked up and are not as good as they could be.  Millions of dollars are put into these commercials just to better the company, amuse people, and have the title of “best commercial during the Super Bowl”.  Although I did not get to see all of the commercials, out of the ones I have seen my two favorites are the Volkswagen Darth Vader and the Coca-Cola Borders. I thought the Darth Vader was funny, cute, and entertaining. I love how it is a miniature Darth Vader and how he tries so hard to move things and make them turn on.  My favorite part is at the end when he runs past his father and feels so accomplished when the car turns on.  I also really enjoyed the Coca-Cola Borders one because one simple drink can make two different people come together and share something they both love. It is cute and funny how they secretly move the line in the sand just for a soda.

            My least favorite commercial was the Dorito Pug Attack because it was so predictable and not really that funny. I knew what the outcome was going to be. Usually in cheesy commercials like this one the dog always overcomes the human no matter how small it is. I just do not find it amusing. 

 

Financial Classes

I think offering a financial course into the high school curriculum would be a wise idea. Most teens do not know much about finances and how to handle money and usually have to learn on their own or have their parents teach them. I think if this class were offered, almost every student would take it. Most teens towards the end of their high school career start to get jobs and bank accounts and have to start handling more money on their own. With this class they will understand and know how to handle their finances. They will be able to take this financial knowledge and use it for the rest of their lives. Most teens have to go into the real world blinded and with little knowledge on how to handle finances but with this class being offered they will be able to learn and help not only themselves but also maybe even their families. I see no harm in having a financial class added to the high school curriculum, as long as it would not interfere with the main classes that must be taken. Just like the teacher from Michigan said in the article, more and more children are becoming interested in these programs and want to get more involved. I think it would be smart and a good idea for us students to realize how to handle financial issues, so we will be prepared for the real world and the problems that go on around us. I wish I could have taken a class like this during my high school years it would have been helpful and would have prepared me better for my upcoming years. 

 

Helping Haiti

I believe that the United States should step in and help Haiti get through this tragic earthquake that ahs occurred. No one can control Mother Nature, you can only prepare for something horrific, like an earthquake. Haiti could not fully prepare due to the poor people and poor government. Haiti’s government was never really strong so they cannot support and provide for the nation. The people of Haiti could not prepare and protect themselves from the earthquake. This is why I think the United States should help to a certain degree. If we were in their shoes we would want the help from another country, especially one that is more developed and well equipped like the United States. America has always helped those in desperate need so why would we neglect Haiti. I’m sure if America were ever in danger, with all the aid we give to other countries, we would get the same in return. We are a very selfless country and always give. I think we could help better prepare Haiti by sending some people and money over to help build the government and nation. We cannot control a natural disaster but we can help prepare for one.

 

However on the other hand I can understand those who believe that America should concentrate on improving itself as well. We should not be giving away all of our money to other countries, we should be using it to better our economy and ourselves. That is one thing about the United States; we are so set on helping others that we do not look at our own problems that are occurring. It is nice not to be selfish but sometimes you have to put your country first. 

 

Inventions

Although the Ipad and Iphones are coming out with new updates and such every year the new inventions that attract my attention on the ones that can better lives like the eLEGS exoskeleton and the lectric eye for example. The iphone and ipad is more of a materialistic invention. The electric eye  was developed by MIT researchers trying to make a microchip that can help the blind restore and regain partial eyesight. The electric eye cannot 100% restore normal vision but it will help the person to navigate around and recognize faces. I think this is a great invention so that everyone can have a chance to experience the world around them even if it not in full focus. It is nice to see who you are talking to and see the environment and the surroundings in the world. I think this would brighten the lives of many and give them many benefits. According to Time Magazine the electric eye is a “chip, which is encased in titanium to prevent water damage, will be implanted onto a patient's eyeball. The patient will then wear a pair of eyeglasses equipped with a tiny camera that transmits images directly to the chip, which in turn sends them to the brain.” I think health, medicine, and bioengineering inventions are the top best inventions because they can change lives and help better the lives of many people around the world. Other inventions that I find interesting are transportation inventions such as new cars that help the earth and help save money. Technology will continue to grow each and every year and I cannot wait to see what will be around 20 years from now. 

 

My Favorite Toy

I had many childhood toys growing up, I would go through different phases of playing with different types of toys. My favorite toy was all my Barbie dolls. I loved dressing up my Barbie’s and doing their hair. I was the little girl that whenever a new doll came out I had to get it along with the houses, cars, pools, etc. I would have my own Barbie city set up in my room, it got to the point where you could not even walk in my room. I would bring a Barbie with me everywhere. Every night I would put them in their pajamas then dress them up again in the morning. I was so happy just sitting and playing with my Barbies all day. My cousin sometimes would bring over all her Barbie things and stay the weekend and that’s all we would do is play with the Barbie’s. My father and I still have a small collection of the real expensive, collectors edition Barbie’s that I could never play with when I was younger. It is like an odd bond we have but I will forever cherish it.

One more toy that was my favorite and I received when I was born and still have to this day, is my little soft pink baby. I named her Fufa because when I started to talk I didn’t know many words so that’s what would come out when I would play with her. I remember when my Fufa fell out the car window on the highway, my mother had to stop and rescue her. Also the time when she fell in the Taunton river off my grandfathers boat, my dad had to rescue her. Over the years she has been sewn and stitched but I will never give her away. My mom tried to replace her with new ones since she got so old but I never wanted the new ones. I will always hold onto my Fufa and hopefully show my daughter someday.

College Athletes

I do not think the NCAA should have to change their rules and regulations because of these athletes who were caught receiving “inappropriate help” or “cheating”.  Those who play at the college level were given that opportunity for a reason, because they have the skill and talent. I look up to college athletes who play a sport everyday and still strive to have good grades and maintain their GPA. I’m sure it is not easy being a college athlete especially during the season and even off-season. Athletes practice and train everyday.  Regular college students who do not play sports have a lot more down time and time to do homework, they do not have to travel for games or practice everyday so of course they do not need to cheat or get extra help. Student athletes are trying to do their best at their sport and maintain good grades, it is hard but they are going to try and do all they can to get a good grade even if it involves tutoring, “inappropriate help” or cheating. I agree that nobody should cheat their way through school and that they should work for their grades but there are athletes out there that just get run down and tired, so they find the easy way out. No college athlete wants to sit out a game or get kicked off the team due to his or her grades or GPA, so they will do whatever to make sure they are all right. Yes, teachers and such treat athletes in a different way and may give them extra time for assignments but that is not unfair, athletes practice hours everyday and have to travel to games.  Athletes have less time to get things done and less time to study, yes this is the life they have chose and do not want to give it up, I would not want to pass up the opportunity to play at the college level either.  College students need to find the happy medium or take easier classes so that they can play his or her sport and get all the academic work done. If a college student knows they are not extremely smart and need that extra time to get things done then they should take easier courses and not the challenging ones. A college athlete should also have good time management and should seek help from their peers or tutors to help them complete or study for their classes. No one should cheat their way through life. 

 

Teachers

I have had a variety of teachers in the past, some good and fun ones and some boring and unhelpful ones. I was always the kind of student that liked when the teacher interacted with the students.  A few qualities of a good teacher would be to have a positive attitude and to love the subject they teach. Another trait would be having patience with each and every student. Also a teacher that gives up some of their time to help a student is important.  I feel comfortable going to most of my teachers for extra help so that I can fully understand the material. There is one teacher that I go to before quizzes and tests to make sure I know the material, so I can do well on the quiz or test. This teacher always helps me and takes the time to review the lessons. I can really talk to her and she will understand.

A few bad qualities of a teacher are only having test and quiz grades in the grade book and no homework grades. Homework grades are a way to make sure the students are getting their work done and are understanding what they are being taught. Another poor quality is moving on to a new section or lesson even when the students do not fully understand as a whole and will just continue to fall behind.  If I was a teacher I would rather take the extra day to help the students understand than move on and have them all struggling and having poor grades. Another poor trait is lack of patience and a negative attitude. Nobody wants to communicate and listen to a crabby teacher. 

 

Facebook

    An intelligent college student named Mark Zuckerberg, created Facebook, a social net working site, as a way to communicate with friends and family. Facebook is intended as a way to stay in touch with friends, chat and share photo, not a way to add people you do not know and share your personal life with the rest of the world. Facebook should be a fun way to catch up with old friends and family or share photos with others that you cannot see often. Facebook could be a safe, controlled social networking site if people did not release personal information such as there hometown, employment, phone numbers, and even where they may be and with who in their status updates. You should never reveal personal information on the Internet because then people can track you, find you and harm you. Even though it is up to the person on what they decide to put on their Facebook they should keep their personal life private. There are multiple privacy settings that come in handy to keep outsiders away from your page so only the people you are friends with can see your information.

            Facebook was created for college students but eventually got around to the younger generations. I think that young teens share their information as a form of attention and to make people like them. I see young teens posting inappropriate pictures of themselves and posting unnecessary status’. This ruined the purpose of Facebook along with the people who go on Facebook just to stalk the lives of other people. People add friends just because they are attractive or seem “cool”, this is another mistake that many people make. You should never add people you have never met before because you could be putting you, your friends, and your family in danger.

            I witness many of my friends and friends of friends posting more information than needed about them and their lives. For example my cousin’s friend posts pictures of herself in her bra and underwear and just soak up from all the comments she gets from all older guys. Facebook is a place where people say and do what they want; some harass, threaten, stalk, and even try to put others down through Facebook. People hide behind Facebook and say things that they would never actually say face to face. Relationships and friendships have been ruined due to the networking site. There have been more crimes over the years due to Facebook because people post almost everything about their lives, where they are, and what they are doing. I think Facebook should be monitored more carefully and should delete some features to make it a safe and more enjoyable social networking site.

 

Thank You Troops!

I would like to thank you for all that you have done, it must be very difficult to be away from your family for so long. I appreciate how brave and courageous you are for fighting for our country. It takes alot of dedication to fight as a soldier and to risk your life everyday. You are a true hero for sacrificing leaving what you have at home and fighting for all of us. I thank you and all the other troops for all you are doing for our country.  Stay Strong!

Life 101

    If there was to be a Life 101 class added to the schools, I think it should consist of real life issues, problems, and situations. It would also include lessons on life, relationships, living on your own, marriage, children, and how to handle certain situations that happen in the everyday life. This class would be very helpful and important for the students because after they leave high school and graduate from college they enter the "real world" and are usualy lost. Even in college many students do not understand certain things like handling a credit card, handling relationships or even paying a bill. Teens usually learn some life lessons from their parents but I feel as if a Life 101 class would be alot more helpful. The students will already have a good idea of how to handle what life throughs at you before they enter the "real world".

    One main focus would be how to live on your own, which would include time management skills, how to pay bills, manage money and credit cards, and how to plan ahead. This would really help students in college because you need to have good time management skills so you do not fail out or become over stressed. This would also be helpful because most students get money from their parents so they do not know the value of a dollar. This course will help students to value their money and teach them how to handle situations with credit cards and how to pay off loans and bills. Living in the "real world" is not easy, now a days you need to have enough money in order to get through life    

    Another part of this course would include how to handle serious relationships, job hunting, being fired, buying a house, marriage, and even children. This course will teach you about the beginning and end of a relationship, including heartbreak and how to control your emotions and feelings. These lessons would be very helpful because it will teach the students how to handle both bad and good situations. All the lessons taught in this course could help out in the long run and perhaps relieve some stress because they will already know the in's and out's of life. They will be more prepared for life's challenges.