Much Ado About Nothing

Grammar Propaganda II

2007-07-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Is America becoming a nation of imbeciles? We care nothing for morals or education anymore, and, quite frankly, it's upsetting. I hate living in a culture where MTV, VH1, and all things popular culture and mainstream become so much more important than what actually matters and lasts. Don't worry, I'm not going to go off on a political rant. I'm not interested in debating with anyone, and no one seems to care what I think about any issue whatsoever. Therefore, I will rant about grammar. As if you care about grammar, anyway.

You people have no idea how stupid you seem when you say "your" instead of "you're." It's not that I think I'm smarter than anyone else: quite the reverse. America has one of the worst education systems in the world. Our high school seniors, except for a few, struggle with basic Agebra. In other countries such as Switzerland and Japan, high school seniors have already finished Calculus 1 or higher maths. Teachers in American schools do not force their students to read, write, or comprehend anything of importance.

Alright, on to the lesson.

MOOD
English is spoken in three moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.
*The indicative mood either states a fact or asks a question. It is how verbs are normally used in speech and writing.
*The imperative mood makes either a demand or a request.
> Go away!
*The subjunctive mood is rarely used, but it is extremely important. It is the hypothetical mood and is used in the case of a hypothetical or doubtful case.
> If I were (not was) you, I would study.
> The teacher demands that the student finish (not finishes) on time.

You may also use should, could, or would in the subjuntive mood to avoid confusion.

LAY/LIE
Lay needs an object, so you would use it as such:
> Please lay your book on the coffee table.
Lie does not need an object for some odd reason:
> I'll lie down.

LESS/FEWER
If you can count a quantity, use fewer rather than less. You don't have less calories, you have fewer calories. You can have less salt, though.

HOLE/WHOLE
I can't believe I even have to go into this one. Whole and hole may be homonyms, but they are in no way similar.
*Hole (n):
1. an opening through something; gap; aperture
2. a hollow place in a solid body or mass; a cavity

*Whole (n):
1. comprising the full quantity, amount, extent, number, etc., without diminution or exception; entire, full, or total
2. containing all the elements properly belonging; complete
3. undivided; in one piece

Cannot is one word, not two.

One can aggravate a situation, but cannot aggravate a person.

I know this is annoying to all of you, but I am tired of stupidity and ignorance. It makes me angry to see people just not care about something so important. While you may not be an English major, the ability to both speak and write well will do a lot in the long run.

However, if you'd rather remain uneducated and unsuccessful, be my guest. It's your life: live it how you wish. Personally, I'd like to be seen as at least somewhat intelligent with an IQ at least above 70.

But, as I said, it is a choice.

Grammar Propaganda

2007-05-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of seeing things like this: "Your so cool," et cetera. It's "YOU'RE so cool." The word "your" implies ownership, whereas "you're" simply means "you are."

TyPINg LiKe tHiZ iS aNnOyinG, AND SO iiS TYPiiNG liiKE THiiS. If you are a perfectly normal teenager/adult, you have no excuse for typing in this manner.

"Its" and "it's" are not the same word. "Its" implies ownership and is a pronoun. "It's" is the contraction for "it is."

Punctuation goes inside the quotation marks, not outside.
Example: "Lorem ipsum," "Lorem ipsum..." "Lorem ipsum?" "Lorem ipsum!" "Lorem ipsum."

"To" is used at the beginning of a prepositional phrase and does not express quantity.
Example: I want to go to the fair.
"Too" implies an quantity of some sort.
Example: That's too much!
"Two" is the number between one and three.

"There" is a place.
"Their" implies ownership in the third person.
"They're" means "they are."

"Irregardless" is not a word. The correct word is "regardless."

You don't do "good," you do "well."
Example: "I'm doing well!" "He's doing well." "I'm well."
"Good" is used as such: "Good job!"

"Alot" does not exist. "Allot" does, and it means "to distribute."
The correct phrase is "a lot," and it is not used in formal writing.

"Affect" and "effect" are not the same word. When you "affect" something, you are doing something. The "effect" is the result.

When you say "I could care less," you are implying not that you don't care, but that you do care somewhat, but you don't care very much. The correct phrase is "I couldn't care less."

It's "congratulations," not "congradulations."

More propaganda later.

The French Diet and Amazing Grace

2007-03-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, long time no post. Like anyone ever reads this, but still.

I've found something very interesting. Obvious, but interesting. The French are extremely smart in this area: food.

The French eat three meals a day just like we Americans do, but they enjoy their food, eat much more quality food, and don't snack during the day. That's the key to a healthy diet: quality over quantity. Eat quality foods that taste good and enjoy them!

Also, my dad and I just got through seeing Amazing Grace. Notice the hunk Ioan Gruffudd over on your left. ;) He played William Wilburforce, the man who was instrumental in abolishing slavery and the slave trade in the British Empire. I don't care what the critics say; this was an amazing movie and it was most definitely worth seeing!

So eat better and watch good movies!

Pourquoi?

2007-02-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

Why do we become what we hate the most? Why do we become so enamored with our hatred towards others and then become like them and not know it until it's too late?

"What was done to me was monstrous."
"And they created a monster."

Why do we hide behind masks of deceitful happiness and love while despising ourselves and the world around us?

Why must we make life so complicated when it could be so simple?

Why does love, the most wonderful thing in the world, have to hurt so much?

Why is knowledge so undesirable?

Why do we question those who know what is right and follow those who know nothing?

Why do we reject what we need the most?

Why do we reach for things that would hurt us rather than the things that would save our lives?

Why would we rather fight for something we don't want than to take what is given that we need?

Why would we rather keep digging our graves deeper and deeper rather than reaching up and getting help?

Why do those who do evil have an easier time in life than those who do good?

And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down
I'm falling on my knees

Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people;
they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.

13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Devotion - My Utmost for His Highest

2007-02-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

February 13
The Devotion of Hearing

1 Samuel 3:10 - "Samuel answered, ’Speak, for Your servant hears’"

Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not mean that I will listen to everything He says. I show God my lack of love and respect for Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says. If I love my friend, I will instinctively understand what he wants. And Jesus said, "You are My friends . . ." ( John 15:14 ). Have I disobeyed some command of my Lord’s this week? If I had realized that it was a command of Jesus, I would not have deliberately disobeyed it. But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don’t even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us.

The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me (see John 11:41 ). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God all the time through the devotion of hearing. A flower, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God’s message to me. What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. It is not that I don’t want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don’t hear Him. The attitude of a child of God should always be, "Speak, for Your servant hears." If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God’s voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God. Have you heard God’s voice today?

John 15:14 (MSG) - "You are my friends when you do the things I command you."

John 11:41 (NAS) -"So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me...'"

From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

I don't know about everyone else, but I haven't been listening to God as intently as I should. In fact, I've neglected my relationship with Him for things like school, music, and friends. All of these things might be nice, but they won't last forever. What I need is to really get down and just do what I need to do to make things right with God.
But how do I do that? I suppose the first step is to get rid of all the things that distract me. Then what? Well, I'll start eliminating distractions one by one; just taking small steps at first. If I overwhelm myself, I'll just give up. So step one is to listen to less secular music and read my Bible before I do anything in the day.

To Victor Hugo

2007-02-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

1802 - 1885

"To Victor Hugo" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Victor in Drama, Victor in Romance,
Cloud-weaver of phantasmal hopes and fears,
French of the French, and Lord of human tears;
Child-lover; Bard whose fame-lit laurels glance
Darkening the wreaths of all that would advance,
Beyond our strait, their claim to be thy peers;
Weird Titan by thy winter weight of years
As yet unbroken, Stormy voice of France!
Who dost not love our England--so they say;
I know not--England, France, all man to be
Will make one people ere man's race be run:
And I, desiring that diviner day,
Yield thee full thanks for thy full courtesy
To younger England in the boy my son.

Wow, I suck at blogging.

2007-02-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

I get so sidetracked sometimes. I'd apologize, but no one reads this thing anyway. :P

Chuck Norris did that to Michael Jackson's face.

2007-02-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

Superman owns a pair of Chuck Norris Pajamas.

Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.

Nothing can escape the gravity of a black hole except for Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris eats black holes; they taste like chicken.

Once a cobra bit Chuck Norris' leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.

The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.

M.C. Hammer learned the hard way that Chuck Norris can touch this.

Chuck Norris likes to knit sweaters in his free time. And by "knit," I mean "kick," and by "sweaters," I mean "ass."

Chuck Norris divides by zero.

I don't know why Chuck Norris facts are so amusing. I'm sure poor Chuck gets sick of them!

ChuckNorrisFacts.com

Bandages... of shrimp?

2007-02-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry, but I have to say it.

2007-01-31T20:31:00.000-08:00

Being liberal does not make you open-minded.

Being conservative does not make you closed-minded.

Being independent does not make you too chicken to take a side.

I'm just tired of stereotypes.

Quote of the Week

2007-01-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite quotes from the movie Nicholas Nickleby.

"In every life, no matter how full or empty one's purse, there is tragedy. It is the one promise life always fulfills. Thus, happiness is a gift, and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes, and to add to other people's store of it." (Mr. Crummles)

Any thoughts?

State of the Union Address and Rebuttal

2007-01-24T13:25:00.000-08:00

President Bush's Speech
Transcript & Video

Senator Webb's Democratic Response
Video

Since I got the blog late...

2007-01-24T13:12:00.000-08:00

Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. *We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only."* We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." [Amos 5:24, ASV]

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." [Isaiah 40:4-5, KJV]

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!