Week 7: Progess Report!

Oh dear, it's time for comments and critiques from me for me. Well, I guess it's about time. The Advanced class has debated three times so far, the motions and positions being:

• THW eliminate standardized testing (as Member of the Government)
• THBT the U.S. should not pull out troops from Afghanistan (as Member of the Opposition)
• THW give all couples the right to marry (as Deputy Prime Minister)

I have to admit this class was much more interesting and enjoying that I expected. I love learning about world events and theories and discussing topics that relate to philosophy, GLBT, mysterious crimes, controversial subjects, etc. Actually, I look forward to our discussions more than the debates... saves me from the nerves and also exercises my brain! However, I noticed my butterflies are starting to die down! That's always a good sign. Let's see how they are once the school presentations decide to show up.

I still have trouble filling the debating time up, which means I really need to step it up a notch with my POIs. More intelligent literacy is required from me from my standards, which means I have to incorporate more vocabulary, more transitions, more styles of speaking. I haven't worked much on the strategies yet since I feel I must have the basics somewhat mastered and my mind coordinated before I work on those. Scratch that. Maybe I should

be working on more than one problem, huh?

Ms. Krissy says our debate was pretty good, but I have to argue about that when it comes to my part. Goodness, I don't think there could have been a longer pause. I just zoned out a little and there went all those ideas. Blank. Really unprofessional. It haunted me for the night. By the way, Alan, you took the words right out of my mouth. Although I am a little indignant, I have to thank you for adding those ideas into the debate. Plus, I only have myself to blame here.

Winehouse Singing

Winehouse on Something Singing

Now then, I'm sure some of you know about Amy Winehouse's death? Famous for belting out those zesty notes with her contralto, Winehouse was found dead on July 23. If you know anything about Winehouse, you probably know that she was on drugs and was an alcoholic. Apparently, Winehouse had had an appointment with her doctor and had returned home, a soloist singing with Death at her door. She retired to her bed early in the morning, and, when her bouncer

went to check up on her, further scrutiny proved her dead. Winehouse's funeral was hosted on the 26th of July at Edgwarebury Lane Cemetery in north London.

The cause of death is still unknown. It is widely believed to be the alcohol's and drugs' toll on her body. However, toxicology test results will not be available until further notice in around three weeks time. It was observed that she looked much healthier at a concert few days before her death...

The picture to the right truly makes me sympathetic, even if she may not deserve it. It is horrible what the drugs have done to her originally rejuvenated and fresh being. The Winehouse on the left looks almost barbaric, in a sense. Rather, her stance and the hue of her skin makes her look like a ghastly shadow of someone she once was. R.I.P.