Dont be a Slave to clothing...

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

Optimus Prime, Transformers

Don't you think that applies to clothing to? Who says you can't wear a tie with your sweat suit? Whos says you can't wear overalls to bed? Well the style "guru's" of course they think they know what everybody on the planet should be wearing. I think not.

What happened to expression? What happened to indivisuality? Has conformity become such a huge part of our world that you would wear something tight, strechy and uncomfortable just so other people think you look cute? Is this what we have become? A bunch of snooby, tag obssessed bimbo's who don't care about where or who made that $300 bag you just had to have?

Come on people! There is so much going on in this world than fashion and lables...If 50% of Americans cared about the trash heap that he world is becoming rahter than what new fashions are coming out of Milan, then the world could start to repair the damage that we as people have done to it.

Stop worring about the superficial and start caring about the realistic.

Duke's 6th Man

Kyrie Irving the number one point guard in the high school class of 2010 is in a position where nobody expected him to be for the number four ranked Duke Bluedevils.  Kyrie is currently out indefinitely. Now, this is not because of a lack of talent or because of a bad attitude unfortunately he’s sitting out because of a toe injury.  On December 4th while playing in his hometown of New Jersey Kyrie suffered an injury while attempting to drive into the lane against the Butler defense. At the moment the injury didn’t look severe. It looked more like a crap, but it turned out to be a serious injury which has not let Kyrie comeback on the court. Kyrie’s college career so far has been short; only eight games to be exact, but even with just 8 games under his belt the world saw his unbelievable talent. While healthy he was averaging 17.4 points per game, 5.1 assist, and 3.8 rebounds. We can also include his 53% field goal percentage and his 45% three point percentage. Just by reading those five stats you and I can both tell Kyrie has what it takes to be an NBA player. Most kids at nineteen can get hurt like Kyrie did, and they will be depressed and begin a downward spiral. It can affect their school work and change their attitude towards their team, but not Kyrie. Since getting hurt he has still been the same great kid. He is now in rehab trying to get his toe back to one hundred percent, and he attends every game and is like another coach on the bench. He talks to his teammates to try and help them see what they can do better and he is also the teams “number one cheerleader”. That is an exact quote from Kyrie himself.  A 6^th man for a basketball team is usually the first guy off the bench but Duke’s 6^th man stays on the bench, but bring the same amount of energy a regular 6^th man would.

 Here’s a link to see Kyrie in rehab. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3vnFgzvJzo

Written by: Barry Allen

McSorley's Old Ale House

One of America's favorite pasttimes is having an occasional drink or two at a bar. The establishment of pubs go way back to the time of our country's founding. An example is McSorley's Old Ale House located in the heart of the East Village. This Irish tavern opened its doors in 1854 and has welcomed many guests famous and infamous including two of our nation's presidents Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Rooselvelt. This bar has many past times including old newspapers and Vinyl records plastered on the walls. They are open from 1PM to 1AM nearly every day. The bar is truly one of a kind. The beer they offer is either light or dark and the bartenders bring many foamfilled jugs by the arm full. Complimentary Saltine crackers with cheese, onions and spicy sauce are offered to patrons old and new. When you enter the floor is covered with sawdust. On the chandelier to your right hangs old dusty wishbones hung there by soldiers who never returned from The First World War. Also below to your right on the floor are Houdini's handcuffs chained to a metal bar perpendicular to the barstools. You seat yourself wherever there is room and by then there will be many frothy glasses awaiting your consumption. An interesting fact about the bar is that women were not allowed as patrons until 1970. When you need to answer nature's call the men's room on the left is labeled "Toilet". To the right of that is the women's restroom. In addition to your beers you can also order the food listed on the nostalgic chalkboard menu. I had been here twice this past summer with a few friends from church after Mass and the experience is quite unique. Though I'm not old enough to drink alcoholic beverages this bar puts a top on drinking in New York City!

-tbtcom1213

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/19/realestate/streetscapes-the-bridge-cafe-on-the-trail-of-new-york-s-oldest-surviving-bar.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mcsorleys-old-ale-house-new-york

Tips For Learning A New Language

Hey language learners out there! Is that textbook just not cutting it anymore? Do you want to speak with actual fluency and not speak like a the dreaded "Textbook Robot"? Are you feeling bored learning the language of your choosing? I know the stress of working towards fluency in a language other than your own can be challenging but fear not, I have some useful tips for you!

Tip 1: Do What You Like To Do!

This is pretty simple. What do you enjoy doing? Do you like watching television? Listening to music? Reading? Well, learning a language is ten times more effective if you learn outside of a textbook. So why not learn doing something you like? You can always pick up new vocabulary and phrases this way.

Tip 2: Read Children's Books

Okay...this may sound crazy, and rather juvenile, but it works! By doing this you really get a feel of the language without the text being too difficult. Besides, children books can be fun and great to use if you work with children.

Tip 3: Have A Dictionary Handy

We are in the age of the smart phone! Use it to your advantage. There are bound to apps that can assist in your language learning. If your phone happens to be an relic, do it the old school way and get buy a dictionary! Again, this gets you closer and closer to being fluent.

Tip 4: Language Exchange

Regardless of the language you are learning, having a speaking partner can be of great help. This way you can work on your conversational skills, pick of new skills, potentially meet new people, and have someone there to correct you if you make a mistake. Some of you are probably thinking, "Mistakes?! I don't want to make a mistake! Totally embarrassing!" But let's be real for a second. You probably make mistakes in your native language! Nothing to be embarrassed about. How else will you learn?

Tip 5: Learn Vocabulary According to How They Are Grouped

What does this mean? Well, you should never ever learn random words grouped together when you are studying vocabulary. Learn vocabulary according to their relation to one another. For example, you can learn medical terminology, political terms, colors, days, numbers, counters and etc.  You are more likely to remember the vocabulary this way.

Have fun!

- Madam Tartuffe

Controversial Billboard in Soho

As Americans we do not like to talk about taboo topics such as gay marriage, abortion, terrorism et cetera. However a billboard that was placed in Soho last week is raising many eyebrows. The billboard depicts a beatiful girl and above her head a message reads "The Most Dangerous Place For An African American is in the Womb". This billboard was sponsored by the pro life group Life Always.  Many leaders in New York have denounced this billboard as racist, sobering and anti feminist. The child depicted on the billboard is the daughter of Tricia Fraser. This picture was obtained sometime after a family photoshoot.  The mother of the girl says she is educating her children that women have the right to choose and is demanding that her daughter's image to be taken down from the boards. Those on the otherside of the fence believe this is positive as it heightens awareness of the evils of abortion. Abortion was declared constitutional in the Supereme Court decision Roe V. Wade in 1973. A well known provider of early termination of pregnancies is Planned Parenthood. There are 250 people licensed to end abortions and statistics also indicate that forty one percent of pregnancies in New York City end in abortion. Sixty percent of those abortions were of African Americans. From generation to generation the concept of the beginning of life is always being debated while the definitive answer lies beneath our noses.

-tbtcom1213

Sources
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=7883827
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/134482/pro-life-billboard-stirs-up-controversy-in-soho
http://nation.foxnews.com/abortion/2011/02/25/nyc-caves-sharpton-removes-pro-life-billboard
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LJK5T01.htm
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/anti-abortion-billboard-to-be-removed/

Another NY Budget Cut....Oh Joy!

Once again, we are facing some billions of dollars New York City budget cut from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Although, I support him and in everything he does, I believe this budget cut will hurt a lot of New Yorkers. They say this budge cut is for a better future for those in New York. But, why are they thinking so far in the future and not in present times? If you keep cutting everything, nothing will be left. As things are getting bad in this state, everyone is moving to the other states that are affordable and I can't blame them either. Along with many other people, the rich people have it too good. The middle class pays the taxes, the upper class gloats, and the lower class just gets everything from the government which comes from our taxes. Tax the rich!! These officials who work hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, tax them too!! You live in NY, you should pay your fair share instead of complaining and hurting the people. The people gives you your paycheck at the end of the year, without us working and giving back to the economy, you wouldn't get a big fat amount like you do now. The proposed budget would lay off many more workers, cut education spending, cut medicare spending, and cut about $100 million dollars more from the MTA. So what does that mean really? That means, people will likely lose their homes, the $205 per credit will increase again, receiving health courage will be hard, and well what do you know, to take mass transit will also increase. Yes, now I understand why people move to Florida. I heard this cut will also cause Jamaica Hospital in Queens to close down. That's many more doctors, nurses, and other employees losing their jobs. So the question is Gov., would you rather lay off all these people and having to pay them unemployment every week? Or would you rather they have a job and continue to contribute by paying taxes and such? I didn't want to have to say this, but everything seems to be backwards. Those who apply for welfare and successfully receive it, are not doing nothing for themselves. If you are a young person, well below retirement age, you should be out there working or doing something. That's why New York has this big deficit because it funds people for all the wrong reasons. But, of course you can't cut everything and expect people to be able to work now can you? So it's like the government is really the ones putting themselves in this situation. But, like everything, nothing will get better before getting bad, but we are just getting hurt at every turn it seems. In the light of things, the people will speak out, and hopefully something more appropriate can be put together for NY!


http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/02/21/cuomo-speech-disrupted-by-ny-budget-protesters/

Edit: 3/29/11

So when I wrote this blog, I was very upset at the governor for creating this budget cut. But, last night I was watching the NY1 news and I heard that the budget cut is going to be passed without any hesitation. After understanding more about this, which I didn't as much when I wrote the blog, I knew why I was his supporter in the first place. I got to know that some $300 million was put into the system for the teachers to prevent lay offs, but Mayor Bloomberg commented and said something like that "fact" was never found or proven. Well how can it be found if all the money was spent on nonsense? I think Govt. Cuomo's budget will hurt the people, yes, but I see why he had to do the cut now. This is going to put more pressure on the authorities of New York such as the Mayor and all of his peoples, and hopefully we will be able to see some of the monies that they "claim" doesn't exist. We shall see what happens now.


 C.P.

NBA Talk: Milwaukee Bucks

I know whoever is reading this is wondering why follow the words “NBA Talk” with the Milwaukee Bucks. Especially when All Star Weekend just finished, and Carmelo Anthony is now officially a New York Knick. Anybody who is a true fan of a team knows that the second half of the NBA season is very important. The Bucks have been plagued by injuries all year. Everybody from their 7 foot center to their sophomore point guard has missed games this year because of injuries.  The eighth seeded team in the Easter Conference last year is currently 21-34, which is good for tenth place in their conference. Today they begin the second half of the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Bucks need to score more points per game because right now they are the lowest scoring team in the NBA. The key to scoring more points is getting more offensive production from Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings. If they can do that and continue playing good defense, and get healthy there’s no doubt in my mind they can make the playoffs just like they did last year.

Written by : Barry Allen