Mouth Surgery

Once again, folks, I apologize for the lack of essays. I was almost done with the next essay, but I had to get surgery on my mouth. I had to get my four wisdom teeth taken out. I will though share what the next two essays are about: the 1920 Akron Pros—the first NFL champions—followed by a game review of Dance Central 2—a video game for the Xbox 360 I recently received for Christmas.

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a great holiday, whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever other holidays there are. I know there has not been a post in a week; the next post will be a very huge essay--one of my best works. It's going to be roughly around 2,000-3,000 words. I won't go into the topic; I want to surprise you guys!

P.S. I received an A in my college English class! Woo for me!

They're not the only One-loss Team: LSU Cannot Lose and Be in the Championship

(Yes, I know this article is out dated; the person who usually edits my papers had a delay.)

            LSU's football team's record is twelve-and-zero and is currently and number-one in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Dennis Dodd, CBSSports.com's senior college football writer,'s piece, "LSU so Good It could afford to Lose and still Play for BCS Title," claims that if LSU loses, then they will at the same time play for the BCS National Championship. The BCS National Championship is the most important game in college football, not only for fans, but for the colleges playing in it. The game consists of number-one versus number-two, and the winning school receives multiple prizes, including hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to their official website (Bowls). Dodd's claim is false because he uses name-calling and bases his facts off of very few games.

            Dennis Dodd says that LSU can lose their final game against Georgia and still qualify for the BCS National Championship. He says this because LSU over-powered every opponent throughout the entire season. He also states LSU is better than the other one-loss teams—Oklahoma State, Stanford, and Virginia Tech—who, according to Dodd, have no right to be mentioned in the BCS National Championship conversation. Dodd's last saying is that LSU is one of the greatest football teams ever, and this will convince the USA Today and the Harris Polls, two of the three components that help calculate the formulae of the BCS rankings, to keep LSU number-one or number-two if they manage to lose.

            There are some flaws in Dodd's article. Firstly, he uses name calling. Near the end of the article, Dodd calls all the one-loss teams "wannabes" for the BCS National Championship and adds, "None of them have beaten seven ranked teams [like LSU has]." Even though Dodd name calls, this fact is false because LSU has only beaten six ranked opponents: Mississippi State, who was ranked before, has dropped out the BCS Rankings (2011 NCAA). Secondly, in Dodd's article he bases multiple facts on a small sample size. He says that Oklahoma State should not leap ahead because of a loss to Iowa State, and Stanford should not leap ahead because of an "embarrassing loss" to Oregon (Dodd). However, he is forgetting about the other ten games of the season. Oklahoma State has won every other game by an average of 25.5 points (Oklahoma). Stanford's only loss was against number-ten Oregon and has approximately a 24 point average margin of victory (Stanford). These are both winning margins of three possessions, a rather high number. It is hard for many teams to score three possessions at any point in a game, especially in the later times when such a high-scoring deficit can occur. Dodd also called Virginia Tech a "wannabe" team; however, he provided no rationale. A reason without a claim is very unprofessional and is hard to take seriously. With that being said, Dennis Dodd should have used more than one game-or sometimes even a game to determine what a "wannabe" is.

            Rather than have LSU number two if they lose, Oklahoma State or Stanford should be number two and play for the BCS National Championship. As of 25 November 2011, the top five teams in the nation are LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, and Stanford (2011 NCAA). If LSU loses, Alabama is certain to gain the number-one spot in the country, securing one spot in the BCS National Championship; their only loss was a 9-6 game against LSU in overtime (Alabama). A close game like this only shows one thing: Alabama can only lose to the best team in the country. Even ESPN, one of the top companies that cover multiple sports, as well as the Associated Press claimed Alabama to be the number-two team in the nation (Associated Press). So if LSU loses, they are no longer the best team; Alabama is. Still, there is one more spot to fill, and that is where Oklahoma State or Stanford steps in. Arkansas is out of the conversation because they lost their last game by twenty-four points to LSU (LSU), so there is no way that Arkansas will be able to shoot ahead of LSU after a severe beating. Oklahoma and Stanford are the second-best and third-best in scoring offense, averaging 49.8 and 43.6 points per game, respectively (Oklahoma; Stanford). The two have also manhandled multiple opponents: a two-possession win over number twenty-two Notre Dame (Stanford) and a thirty-five-point victory over number eighteen Baylor (Oklahoma), just to name a few. LSU on the other hand has had some trouble with even unranked opponents: they only won by thirteen points to Mississippi State (Louisiana). Another flaw is LSU is currently ranked one hundredout of one hundred and twenty in passing yards (LSU). If LSU loses, then the various people who vote in the polls will be able to look at these flaws and see that they do not deserve to be playing in the BCS National Championship.

There is a commonly known sports phrase "defense wins championships." However, if everyone on the offense does not do his/her job, the team will lose. In this case, LSU will lose. If they lose, they will fall below number two and not play for the BCS National Championship, Oklahoma State or Stanford will. A number-one team who loses to a team outside the top ten, without more time in the season to "make up," does not deserve to drop only one spot and play for the biggest college football game of the year and have the possibility to receive loads of money for their university.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A: Video Games Help Society

(Original writing date November 1, 2011. This is a casual essay.)

The primary reason people nowadays are more successful is because of video games. Contrary to popular belief, video games improve society; they help educationally and teach how to live efficient lives. The first home video game system was the Odyssey made by Magnavox in 1979. Since then, there has been many more systems, games, and expansions to where approximately forty-five million homes have video games and about seventy-five million Americans play them—according to the Seattle Times reporter Bob Feller—for nearly three billion hours a week (McGonigal).

Video games help students learn better. In 2009, a study was published by Issues in Teacher's Education about using video games as a "learning device" (Sardone and Devlin-Scherer 47). Twenty-five participants had to pick a video game, choosing from multiple categories: English, History, Health, and Spanish, among others. The participant played his/her game and afterwards taught a group of students by using the game. The results showed that students reacted differently. The students became more engaged in learning while playing video games, and it showed that teachers taught better using video games as a part of their curriculum (Sardone and Devlin-Scherer 63-64). The main reason this occurs, according to the Federation of American Scientists, is because video games teach children how to be analytical thinkers, how to multitask, and how to problem solve under pressure (Feller; Booth). Another reason, concluded by Rochester University, is some video games "change the way our brains process visual information" (Sherwood). This has led to some schools in Europe to consider using video games in the classroom (Booth). When students become more engaged in learning, they are in "intense concentration" (McGonigal); as a result, students learn more, become smarter, and accomplish more with their lives. These are necessary skills that people are required to have if they want to be smart and successful. When many people have these skills, society as a whole will achieve more because the overall population is smarter and more innovative. An example of this is possible by comparing the 1980s—when video games were first established—to nowadays. In the 1980s, examples technology were the Walkman, the desktop computer, and the Nintendo Entertainment System—things that constricted society to a single place. Comparing it to nowadays, there is the iTouch, high-powered laptops, and multiple video game systems. This makes it so society can accomplish more and learn more wherever and whenever they please.

Once people learn skills from playing video games, they will then be able to apply it in real life.  There are games like World of Warcraft, an online role-playing video game, which has been played collectively for more than five million years (McGonigal). Consequently, players have been more active in problem solving as well as being more collaborative in the workforce (McGongial). Jane McGonigal, a game designer, discussed three games she created, World without Oil, SuperStruct, and Evoke, during her TED2010 conference, and how they changed people's lives. The first was where players pretended the United States had limited oil; the second was humankind was close to extinction, and players had to do something about it; the third was how to become a "social innovator" (McGonigal). After the three-month trial was over, people were more efficient in their life because they kept the habits learned from the games (McGonigal).     

There are many other games out there that can teach people how to be successful in different categories. Researchers at Rochester University claimed that people who have played action video games on a daily basis have improved vision (Sherwood). The test had participants play either one of the two games, Unreal Tournament, an action video game, and Tetris, a puzzle video game. After a month, researchers concluded that "people who played action video games for a few hours a day over the course of a month improved by about 20 percent in their ability to identify letters presented in clutter" (Sherwood). 

            Video games can help society become extraordinarily great in whatever one wants to do. If society keeps playing video games, in twenty years who knows where this will lead. Nancy Sardone’s and Roberta Devlin-Scherer's study was for a semester with approximately twenty-five participants (Sardone and Devlin-Scherer 51); McGonigal's trial was for three months and only consisted of a few thousand people; the research at Rochester University was conducted for a single month. Imagine if this was increased for years and with millions of people? Today's technology can be seen as amazing, but if society keeps growing with the use of video games, technology in the future will be limited to society's imagination.

Works Cited

Booth, Robert. "Video Games Are Good for Children - EU Reports." Guardian.co.uk. The Guardian, 11 February 2009. Web. 21 October 2011.

Feller, Bob. "Scientist Say Video Games Can Reshape Education." Seattletimes.nwsource.com. The Seattle Times, 18 October 2006. Web. 20 October 2011.

McGonigal, Jane. "Gaming Can Make a Better World." TED2010. 10 February 2010. Conference Presentation.

Sardone, Nancy, and Roberta Devlin-Scherer. "Teacher's Candidates' Views of Digital Games as Learning Devices." Issues in Teacher Education 18.2 (2009): 47-67. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 20 October 2011.

Sherwood, Jonathan. "Action Video Games Sharpen Vision 20 Percent." Rochester.edu. University of Rochester, 2 February 2010. Web. 30 October 2011.

Big L's "The Big Picture: 1974–1999" Album Review

(Original writing date December 5, 2011)

Big L's second album, The Big Picture: 1974–1999, was released on August 1, 2000 on Rawkus Records. Sadly, this album was not released until the untimely death of Big L. It was put together by his manager, Rich King, and his brother, Donald. The main problem with the album is the production; it is sub-par at best. Since L was relatively underground, he did not know the best—or even good—producers and this is easily seen through the album. However, this does not bring the album down too, too much. L's lyrical skill is just outstanding. I'm giving it 4.5 out of 5, and any hip hop fan should give this a listen. Now onto the songs. Nearly every song will be quickly reviewed; not all because some can be repetitive.

The title track contains a live performance of a memorial concert dedicated to L. Followed by that is L's classic "Ebonics" track. It's about the "street talk" around Harlem, and everything about the song is killer: the lyrics, beat, etc. "Size 'Em Up" is the next song, which is above average. Track number three, "Deadly Combination" (featuring 2Pac), is simply amazing. During the East Coast-West Coast rap feud, it is amazing to see something like that go down. Such different styles between the two. It's weird when you first hear it, but it will easily grow on you.

Possibly the greatest—yes, I said greatest—freestyles of all time, " '98 Freestyle," is indescribable. Everyone has to listen to this, as L is a master lyricist on this track. The use of metaphors and one-liners are incredible. "Holdin' It Down" is the next song to follow. Released as the second single from the album, the song features Stan Spit, A.G. (from Showbiz and A.G.), and Miss Jones. A recurring problem (maybe not a problem, but whatever) is that L is SO good that it seems like everyone who raps with him is poor. L's verse simply kills everyone elses, who I don't really prefer to listen to on this song. "The Heist" is exactly what the title implies: a heist. With no chorus or no multiple verses, this song is definitely original. The lyrics show more of L's earlier side: horrorcore. "The Enemy" (featuring Fat Joe) is another great song on the album. The song is about L's personal life, and how he is getting out of the bad lifestyle of Harlem. It's one of my favorite tracks on the whole album. The next song to follow is "Fall Back" (featuring Kool G Rap). The production is not very great: just a simple beat that probably was made in twenty seconds.

The third single to be released from the album was "Flamboyant." The song peaked at number-one in the United States on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks, which is pretty sweet (The Big Picture). On this song, L discusses his "flamboyant lifestyle." It was the only song on the album to be produced by Mike Heron, which is actually not that bad. It's simply, but Heron mixes it up every once in a while to get the job done. Track number 15, "The Heist Revisited," is the same song but with a different beat. The last song on the album, "The Triboro," is simply a tribute to one of the greatest, and most under-rated, hip hop artists of all time.

     Cool facts about the album: it was L's only album to chart outside of the United States. It peaked at number 122 on the UK Albums Chart. (Wikipedia) Also, a memorial/graffiti (not sure what to call it) of The Big Picture's album cover was done near L's hometown and can still be seen.

Works Cited

"The Big Picture – Big L > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles." Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. n.d. Web. 6 December 2011.

Wikipedia contributors. "The Big Picture (Big L album)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 December 2011. Web. 6 December 2011.)

Are We Truly a Melting Pot?: The Acceptance of Interracial Relationships

(Original writing date October 18, 2011. This is a personal essay.)
            Sharon Jayson, a reporter for USA Today, claimed interracial relationships are accepted in today’s society. This is false because these couples still face many difficulties: some of my family members disagree with my interracial relationship, people do not give them the same rights as normal couples, and the children from interracial relationships are treated differently.

            I am currently in an interracial relationship—I am a white male dating an African American. Also, my cousin dates an African American female. With my family, this is a touchy subject. My father approves of it, but my mother and her sister do not approve of it. The latter two do not like that my girlfriend and I are together. My parents grew up in different households which plays a part in their reasoning. My father and some other family members on his side were taught by their parents to treat everyone equally, no matter which color s/he is. On the contrary, my mother and her sister were taught by their parents to stick within the same race when it comes to relationships. When my family has a get-together, such as a cookout, my cousin and I are not allowed to bring our girlfriends. If we do, the cookout is basically cancelled, and my mother and my aunt get upset.

Not only do these couples get treated badly, in some extremes they do not even get the same rights as every other American. My girlfriend and I have experienced this. While we were on a trip to Clemson, South Carolina to watch a football game, we decided to stop at a fast food restaurant to eat dinner. When we walked into the restaurant, we received some weird looks from nearly everyone. We did not mind the looks too much, but when we went to order our meals, we were highly offended; the cashier would not take our order because of who we were—an interracial couple. Another example was in 2009 when a judge in New Orleans, Louisiana denied a marriage license to Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay, an interracial couple (Foster). Many people complained about this decision, with one person saying his license should be revoked (Foster). One of the judge’s reasoning was he did not want their child to get treated badly (Foster).

            Not only do the couples get treated poorly, but their children face similar difficulties. Lap and Julia Sui, a couple in Lubbock, North Carolina have a child named Jonathan of a mixed descent who faces discrimination (Ballinger). One example was when the family was walking through a park and a stranger was baffled how their son, who is half Vietnamese and white, is called white (Ballinger). Jonathan receives multiple criticism and Lap states, “it is kind of strange” (Ballinger). Markson also claims this is true, and her two reasonings are that people were raised in a racist house and people are not used to these types of relationships. For the first, she claims how one is brought up has a significant effect on one’s social life; for the second, she states that since children have not experienced interracial relationships that often they decide to make fun of them (Markson).

Going to a high school in a populated area, I have seen many mixed children throughout my life. Many times I have seen them get treated badly because of either the way they look or even who their parents are. A friend of mine, David, is a mixed child, and he commonly gets made fun of because of his skin color. He also is ridiculed because of who his parents are. One time in the tenth grade, David and I were walking through the hallway, and one other kid started to ridicule David about his parents. “Ha ha, you’re parents look stupid together,” and “African Americans and whites are not supposed to be together” were two things that the bully said to him. David became so ashamed about himself and his family that he did not attend school for one week.

            America is commonly called a “melting pot;” however, if we cannot even accept two races loving each other, then what else is this country lying about? Also, people come to America because they hear how great of a country it is, but in reality there are still many problems that need to be fixed before we can even come close to calling America that.

Works Cited

Ballinger, Caylor. “Interracial Couples Face Discrimination from Others.” Lubbockonline.com. Lubbock-Avalanche Journal. 23 February 2010. Web. 8 October 2011.

Foster, Mary. “Many Angry Man Wouldn’t Marry Interracial Couple.” News.yahoo.com. Yahoo News. 16 February 2009. Web. 12 October 2011.

Jayson, Sharon. “New Generation Doesn’t Blink at Interracial Relationships.” USATODAY.com. USA Today. 8 February 2006. Web. 8 October 2011.

Markson, Gillian. “Interracial Marriage and How it Affects Children.” Marriages.familes.com. Family Marriage. n.d. Web. 9 October 2011.