From a very young age, I became greatly aware of the power of great storytelling, and how it can truly resonate with me. As a person who considers his true passion to lie within the arts, I grew up with an amazing fascination for film, television, theatre, and music. However, age has taught me that the true reason for this fervid, passionate interest was because of the core element and common thread that unites all works of art: the story. All of these early experiences have taught me the power of the story, and have instill upon me the passion for creating and writing works that hold great power. I believe that a story can truly change the world.

One of the most durable and impactful mediums in which to express and tell a great story is the theatre. The incredible connection that can be made through live interactions is astounding. Ultimately, it is the staging not just of a show, but of an event.

*1 cup water

*2 1/2 cups bread flour

*1 tablespoon white sugar

*1 teaspoon salt

*1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

*1 egg yolk

*1 tablespoon water

1. Place 1 cup water, bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast into bread machine pan. This is recommened for the best possible baguette at the end. 
2. When the cycle has completed, place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in bulk. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Cut dough in half, creating two 8x12 inch rectangles. Roll up each half of dough tightly, beginning at 12 inch side, pounding out any air bubbles as you go. Roll gently back and forth to taper end. Place 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Make deep diagonal slashes across loaves every 2 inches, or make one lengthwise slash on each loaf. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water; brush over tops of loaves.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
   
   
   

   This is a traditional meal for the French and Francophiles alike. This is meant to be a treat, as well as a supplement to a diet, or a meal, and they are a staple in French society. Though my family is not French, we do eat baguettes frequently, and it is a big part of our diet, and we eat baguettes nearly everyday.

   Most of the ingredients within the baguette are whole foods, and because of this, the baguette is relatively healthy. Baguettes are a great source of grain and carbohydrates, and are a hearty addition to any meal. Roughly, each whole baguette, which is about 3-feet long, is roughly 200 calories.

   Baguettes require a great deal of harvested products, such as yeast and flour. These things are not findings in nature, and would require additional processes in order to make it accesible to the consumer. After tracking down the manfucaturing company who made my flour and yeast, I discovered that they were both made in Minnestona, over 1,000 miles away. This plant of flour manfuracting is one of the largest in the country, because of this, the enviromental impacts are great.

   Whole baguettes can usually retail for about $2.50 each. The greatest profiteers on baguettes are the large manufacturers who create the ingredients. Also, a great reason why the cost of baguettes are relatively cheap is because all of its ingredients are staple foods; necessiaties in every person's pantry.

   
   Personal Reflection-
   
   

   Throughout this food unit, the lessons I have learned were vast and varied.

   Firstly, I have learned the various corruptions of the system of the food industry. It was shocking to see how these things have been allowed to happen.

   In addition, we’ve gone over foods that are healthy for us and the foods that aren’t, as well as what our food is truly made of. This, to me, was one of the most shocking revelations; the dependecy of various staples, such as corn or soy, which come across in nearly all the foods we eat. It shows, once again that the food problem within the USA will require great work to rectify.

   One of the greatest lessons I've learned throughout the course of Food Inc. was the fact that modern day food production isn't so much natural as it is an artifical science expermiment. Various chemicals and formulas come together to create the foods that we feed ourselves and our children, and the indregient lists for our foods are littered with unpronouncable words and phrases which don't often warrented a second thought in our minds.

   Ultimately, the sheer size of this problem makes it difficult for myself, and I think, in large, the country, to try to fix it. At every turn, the people who we believe have our best interests at heart have allowed their greed and love of profit and power to overcome their duty to keep us safe as harm. The corrupt system of food in America is nothing short of our country's most difficult problem, and the only solution will require much work and perspective into the thing that our society should truly value as importmant: American lives.

a. What went well? 
I think that we were able to apply the information that we did find in a very interesting and relatable way.

b. What did not? 
I think trying to find enough information about the backstory of Three Mile Island would have made the diaster more understandable to our audience, however, we couldn't find that information.

c. What would you do differently next time? 
I think I would entail the backstory of Three Mile Island if I had more time.

d. Specifically comment on the 10 tips for effective infographics -

Be Concise - We kept our information as brief as possible.

Be Visual - We tried to keep clear, understandable graphics in the poster.

Be Smarter - We tried to compare commonly known information with the lesser-known, Three Mile Island.

Be Transparent - Most of our information is understandable enough that it requires no additional research.

Be Different - We tried to make our poster as original as possible.

Be Accurate - All information present is correct.

Be Attractive - We tried to make our poster as aesthetically pleasing as possible. 

Be Varied - We tried to use different techniques to present the facts.

Be Gracious - Information present was both concise and thorough.

Be Creative - We tried to present the information in a fun an interesting way.

• Hicimos un PSA sobre basura en Filadelfia.
• Es un asusnto importante a nosotros porque nuestra calles son immundo.
• Esperamos que el público de Filadelfia NO BASURA en lugares publicó.

• Mi grupo y yo hicimos un PSA sobre...
  La basura y la gente irresponsiblé.
  
  
• Por crear el PSA, la cosa más importante que aprendí fue...
  Protéger el mundo por los todos!
  
  
• Me gusta el PSA de mi group porque...
  Es informío y educacíon.
  
  
• Si pudiera hacer el proyecto otra vez, yo cambiaría...
  La musicá y el dialogó.

            In the hills of Manchester lied the symbol of the Royal Government, the headquarters of the Queen, and the birth home of many of the elder HRH’s: Holygrove Palace. It stands in splendor, amongst the other buildings of the government, but much grander. The palace sat in a square, designed for the public, complete with fountains, statues, and Her Majesty’s Gardens. Great, wide steps lead a visitor to the front of the palace, where the gates denied them a chance to get too close, but also gave them an opportunity to see the splendor of Holygrove, adorned with regal brilliance of a royal line dating back centuries. Palace guards, there more as symbolism than protection, lined perfectly against the perimeter, standing in their summer outfits opposed to the usual, as despite this being a day in late October, it was sunny and mild in weather, favoring toward the warm. In the palace, Her Majesty the Queen was adhering to official Royal protocol swiftly attended to and aided by her assistants and aides. Her husband, the Duke of Ely sat in one of the many drawing rooms of the palace, quietly reading the newspaper. Amongst the nation was the issue of the couple; three royals, two princes and a princess, all with the intent of service on the behalf of Her Majesty. Of these issue, many bore their own line of issue, creating branches of the family tree known collectively as the Royal Family. The grandeur and lavish the Royals faced was that of imagination to the common man. They were treated with respect and dignity that many could only dream.

            Her Majesty the Queen, the head of the Royal Government, is briskly walking through the palace hallways. The Royals were holding one of their annual fall garden parties today, and it requires immense planning and preparation to allow for it to be swift and successful. An attentive ruler she is; Her Majesty felt it to be her duty to watch over all events of her realm, especially ones of importance, such as these.

“I’m not quite sure if these should be here. It would give obstructed access to the Grand Staircase,” the Queen said, her accent clear and her wisdom evident.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” her assistant, Roger Barnes.

“I just feel it would be more at place here, as all.”

 “Of course, ma’am” said Barnes, who quickly called an usher to side to tell him the new arrangement, which was changed with haste.

The garden parties were important to the Queen, it gave her a chance to mingle with the “commoners”, her ever-faithful subjects, many of which born under her long tenure as Queen. Yet, it also serves a purpose to the family, separated by all of their official duties as Royals, who now see each other less often than they used to. The parties are their duties, and so all attend the event.

            It was now 12 o’clock; the party began a 1 PM sharp. The ushers and organizers swiveled through Holygrove Garden, placing the final touches to make it to perfection. There are always the guests who arrive too early, and now there were a great amount of people outside of the gates of Holygrove, waiting for their entry into the most prestigious party imaginable. If the staff found that they were complete, then they would allow for the guests to enter ahead of schedule, which would allow for ease of the entire evening. Suddenly, from the road’s horizon, clearly visible from the slight plateau that Holygrove Palace was located on, a black car could be spotted, donning the official Royal seals. Behind the initial car, followed another, and one more, a total of five cars in all, the third, middle car was the largest, it was a limousine to be exact, and in addition to the seals, it had the two flags at its hood, one the Royal Coat of Arms, and the other the nation’s flag. This was evidently the motorcade of a Royal, and this was confirmed when Palace guards opened the gates for the vehicles, which briskly enter the open courts of the Palace’s interior. Once inside the gates, the formation was broken, so that now only that one, largest car headed toward the Palace inner-gates, and into a tunnel, which included a door that lead to hallways and corridors that made up sections of the Main House. The tunnel was added to give the Royals protection and privacy when they enter the home, which at times, and especially depending on the Royal, was quite essential. Yet today, there was no concern of the prying eyes of the public, as the only spectators didn’t watch with the intentions of intrusion but instead of awe of who was inside the car. The Royal’s identity was kept a secret until the car reached inside the tunnel, where the Queen’s eldest stepped outside, with no fear of the public spotting his presence.

            HRH Prince Alexander, the Crown Prince was his official title, the “Crown Prince” section was actually a privilege, and tradition states this title is reserved for the eldest son of the Sovereign. A fairly young man he was, in his forties yet still very handsome and young-looking for his age, and quite tall and with a nice build, the Crown Prince stood there, only a few feet or so from where he exited his state car, yet towards both his left and right we’re guards and Secret Service agents for his protection, the guards in their usual outfits while the agents dressed in their standard, black suit and tie combinations. The Prince’s suit was black as well, yet one could see the faint pinstripes in a certain light, and one could also see well the suit fit his body, how it was cut and tailored in its appropriate places. He stood there, as if to allow all the marvel in his splendorous presence, then he gave a few, Royal waves to the adoring public, watching his every move. After doing this, guards guided him to the tunnel door, and he entered to the sight of Barnes, who received word of the Prince’s planned arrival at this time the previous day.

“Good afternoon, Your Royal Highness. It appears you arrived on time,” said Barnes.

“Of course, I did. Is Her Majesty available?” said Prince Alexander, terse and sharp.

“Why, yes, of course” answered Barnes, with a few stutters prior.

The Royal Assistant led the Heir to the Royal Throne through the hallways of the Palace until he reached the study, where the Queen, his mother, was currently working in one of Holygrove’s many drawing rooms.

With a quick stand, the Queen stated, “Alexander! It’s been too long, it has.”

“Yes, Mother,” said the Prince, who greeted his mother properly with a steady bow from the neck, “it has been quite some time.”

A attendant in the room pours a cup of tea for the Prince, who takes a seat across from the Sovereign.

 I’d say about a few months or so, yet I believe that the Royal duties of the Heir to the Throne would suffice of being the reason of our absence from each other.”

“Of course, of course. Your responsibilities are far greater than those of your siblings, and also are more imperative, as they will teach you how to become a proper monarch.”

“Yes, they will. So all is well?” Alexander quipped.

The Queen dashes a familiar, mothering look, and then said, “Yes, all is fine here.”

There was a silence after that. The Prince’s face smirked of hesitance, and the Queen could clearly see it, and pondered at its presence. The Prince instead sat on one of the chairs in the study and gently clasped his hands together in the proper manner. With that, Her Majesty sat at the desk and continued the final revisions. At last, after she sat, the Prince finally gained the courage to speak.

The Prince gulped, and with his voice faintly cracking, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I arrived so early. To be honest, I chose to arrive earlier than the others would.”

“And by ‘the others’, I’m sure you truly meant Jacob?” said the Queen, sure of her response.

“Why, yes. Jacob, my son, your youngest grandson, and third in line to the Royal Throne. And from the lack of television cameras or photographers outside, I’m assuming he hasn’t arrived yet?” The sarcasm was evident with this Royal father, speaking of his son, a media deity and target.

“Why, no, not yet,” said the Queen, equally sarcastic in her voice as well.

            HRH Prince Jacob of Wales is the younger of two boys of Prince Alexander, and his lineage to the Heir of the Throne has him at third in the Line of Succession. He was the Queen’s grandson, and his looks, as well as his persona caused for much public and media attraction, and at times scrutiny. Though the likelihood of Prince Jacob becoming King was very small, in order to do that, he would have to survive the reigns of his father and his older brother, HRH Prince Andrew of Wales, yet his public appeal was unprecedented, yet at times his behavior was despised by his family.

            Nevertheless, Prince Jacob was a member of the family, and was treated as such. The Queen and Prince Alexander continued their conversation; the opinions clear in their speech. As they talked, their solidarity in their perspectives of Prince Jacob’s celebrity status was prevalent.  The speeches of the elder Royals ceased, however, when Prince Andrew arrived in the room.

            His Royal Highness Prince Andrew of Wales was Prince Jacob’s elder brother, and the two were very close. The straight-laced future heir to the throne was very in tune to his brother’s sense of fun and freedom, as he would never have to endure the responsibility of the Crown, and often defended his brother’s behavior and conduct.

“Father, grand mum” the Prince greeted his elders.

“Andrew, how are you, darling”, the Queen uttered in clear delight, as Andrew walked across the room to greet his grandmother in the customary fashion.

Prince Andrew swiftly pours himself tea as he takes a seat next to his father and across his grandmother.

“I believe that today will call for a very pleasant party,” stated Andrew cheerfully.

“As do I,” his father chimed in with delight.

The young prince sat with his elders.

“You know, I was talking to a man in crowd the other day during some of my military training and above all else he couldn’t stop talking about what the monarchy meant to him. It really makes this all seem worth while.”

“So before, did it seem like a waste of time?” Prince Alexander joked.

“No, father”, Prince Andrew chuckled, “However now, I think I see what the monarchy truly does to the morals of this country”.

“I see that the Crown will rest safely on your shoulders, Andrew,” the Queen stated.

“Thank you, grand mum,” Andrew concluded as he placed his finished cup of tea on the coffee table. He rose to leave.

“I’m sure everything will go exactly as planned today; it’ll be great. I’ll be off now.”

The second in line to the throne proceeds to exit, but stops at the door.

“Has Jacob arrived yet? I’d like to practice some polo with him before the game today.”

“I suppose you would know where he was more than we would,” the Queen stated sharply.

“I haven’t the slightest clue. Father, do you know?”

“No, I have not,” stated the Crown Prince.

“Predictable, I suppose. Your brother does have a reputation for such behavior.”

The Prince was very willing to defend his brother, as he often does, but didn’t. He was wise enough to know not to argue not only with the Queen, the Sovereign, but his grandmother. Instead, he said his good-byes and went off his way.

Prince Andrew was very popular not only amongst the public, but with many of the palace workers and government official as well. To them, the Prince represented the new monarchy, with his younger, looser approach to certain aspects of duty. His blend of dedication to duty as well as ability to modernize had many very optimistic as his future as King. This unique method of duty was evident on the day, as the Prince spoke with many of the staffers of the Garden Party, giving his input and sharing his suggestions when needed. Soon after, other members of the family arrived.

Prince Benjamin, the Duke of York, Andrew’s uncle, arrived first, with his children, Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, and Prince Robert. The Duchess of York completed the set of the family. Another one of Prince Andrew’s strong suits is his indomitable ability to socialize. Within minutes of greeting his cousins, a polo game was already in the works, between the two young princesses and the Princes Andrew and Jacob; even if he hadn’t arrived yet. Prince Andrew soon became a bit concerned; he had enough faith in his brother to believe that he wouldn’t arrive late, and he did know that he had a Royal engagement earlier today, but feared for the worst, as he usually did. The Prince had no more to fear, however, as His Royal Highness Prince Jacob arrived.

Prince Jacob had no flashy entrance, as he knew such a thing would be frowned upon. In fact, his arrival was less ostentatious than many of the other members of the family earlier. His exit from the car, and subsequent entrance to the palace, however, was conducted much differently than all previous Royals, as it was a very rushed ordeal; both the Prince and the guards knew that absolute media frenzy would ensue should a photographer spot the popular Prince. When Prince Jacob arrived at the Palace, there was a different aura than that of his brother. With Prince Jacob, it almost felt as if one was in the presence of a celebrity instead of royalty. There have been many occasions when one forgot to greet Prince Jacob with the customary bow upon meeting him. However, as a member of the Royal Family, he was treated with the respect due.

The Prince was lead through the halls by Palace guards, in the search for his older brother. He and his brother’s close relationship was highly evident at social events, as one could often see the two sticking together. After a while, the Prince spotted Andrew outside, with their cousins and greeted him with a hug, a break in formality.

“The traffic was dreadful today,” the Prince said, excusing his nearby tardiness.

• What surprised you most about this information?  What seemed quite obvious about explaining this data set?
  Among the things that surprised me the most were the dramatic decreases that the data showed in certain decades of US History. However, once I considered the decades with the decreases and the different events happening in America at the time, they made perfect sense.
  
  Also, one thing that really intrigued me was how the overall American population had a nearly linear, steady increase, where as the immigration arrivals often changed.
  
  
  
• Looking at the overall trend and incorporating what you know about the US presently, predict and defend the immigration trend for the next two decades.
  I believe that the immigration trend in the US will suffer a slight decrease, due to the dissolution of the American economy. I believe that these problems in the federal government will not attract people from foreign countries to inhabit the US.
  
  
  
• Describe how you made a decision on how to visually represent the information.
  We decided to place emphasis on the push/pull factors that encouraged immigration.  We decided that each decade had multiple perspectives, and so we wanted to display that in our visual piece.
  
  
  
• What parts of group work were challenging?
  I think everyone in the group had a massive amount of ideas, and it was very hard to compress those ideas into a singular image.
  
  
  
• What would you do differently if you had this project to do over?
  If we had more time, I would include photos in the decades as well. I feel that this would have really solidified the multiple perspectives that we were trying to convey.

At the turn of the millennium, the United Nations issued an ambitious set of goals entitled the “Millennium Development Goals”, which were to insure rights for hundreds of people around the world. These goals include things like give every child a suitable education; reduce child mortality rates, and many other great things that would, theoretically, better the lives of many people. However, what’s the expense to the US, and other super-nations, left to pull the weight of these poor nations?

For one, this should not be taken as a justification of selfishness and excuse to become frugal and hesitant with giving, especially in major times of need, such as natural disasters. That isn’t the goal here, and that thinking will leave one nowhere. However, the belief is that one shouldn’t blame themselves for situations and predicaments that are not one’s fault, nor should we take the reigns of other nation’s problems.

Foreign aid is an issue that is no “foreigner” to America. In 2008, figures estimate that nearly 25 billion dollars was reserved for foreign aid. Though a percentage of these went to issues of natural disasters and universal democratic uprisings, however most of these went to those precedents set by that list theoretical dreams known as the “Millennium Development Goals”.  These goals, in the expert opinion of many, cannot be reached within the allotted goal set, which is 2015. In short, from 2000 to the present, the US has spent an approximate of 100’s of billions of dollars, for goals that the majority believes will not be reached. This proves a major waste of many taxpayers’ money and many politicians ‘ time.

Also, who’s to say that America has any part to play in any of this? As a nation, we have no blood on our hands, no position to blame, and therefore no legitimate reason, beyond the kindness of our hearts, to continue our continued support. However, we do, and we should, as once again, that is not the issue. However, in a time where money is tight and people are struggling to make ends meet, this “kind giving” needs to meet its limit.

            SWOOSH!!! I threw it so far it went past the doorframe, into the hallway and made a loud “swooshing” sound. There it went, the baseball gliding and hurling through the air with so much ease that it took the sound of a very evident crash to wake me out of the daze. As usual, something important has broken. However, panic had not yet come to play, as I figured it was only something small, thus easy to hide until I could explain myself. However, as I turned to corner into the hallway facing my parents’ room, the damage was clear, and it stared at me blankly. I looked in horror as a saw the baseball roll on the ground in the room, straight through the broken glass on the door.

            The stylized glass on the double-paneled door only covered the upper panel, however, I soon realized that now, nothing covered that top panel, and that all of the pieces of the glass were scattered amongst the floor. Being one whose been in situations like these many times over many years, I knew that panic was inevitable, yet useless, and so as quickly as I could, I ran downstairs in order to acquire a broom and dustpan to clean the mess. Once I got to stairs, however, I saw my older brother was briskly coming up, curious to inspect what was going on. “No use in stopping him,” I thought. “I’ll just be wasting time.” So, we passed each other on the staircase as I continued on my mission.

Justin Pullins

Iron Stream

Language Autobiography, Benchmark #2

December 20, 2010

I’ve always wondered about accents. They tell the history of any person you speak to immediately; they are the gateway to understanding a person’s culture. Many Americans can recognize a British accent instantly, and they worship it religiously. A Dutchmen can quickly distinguish a Dutch accent with influences from other European countries. And a native Boston citizen knows exactly what neighborhood another his from after merely one word. Accents give prestige, and a level of distinguished honor to the speaker.  Accents are exciting to hear and decipher, and add a level of interest to a person.  However, when one has a bland accent, or one that cannot be determined, does this make the person themselves bland? I’ve always wondered this.

Me being born and raised here in Philadelphia, I always felt that I had no accent, or that my accent is so bland it doesn’t even register to most people. I have, what many consider, to be a standard “American accent”. It comes off just as that, too: standard.

A few years back, I went to a global student leadership forum for a week, held in Washington, D.C. In the first day, I was just as nervous as everyone else, not knowing any one there. While waiting in the hotel’s ballroom on the first day, I met Sarah, an Australian born exchange student who currently lives in the Midwest. She was nice, cute, and very interesting, but I wondered what it was about her that had me so interested, besides her great looks. We talked, and talked, constantly interrupted my other kids in the forum, introducing themselves. Once she spoke, however, they were just as hooked as I was, and it was hard for them to turn away. She spoke of her days in the land down under, of when she moved to the US, and of her life now, and every word she uttered just seemed so surreal.

“Are you from Australia?,” new people asked as the first introduced herself.

“I’ve heard a lot of things about how fun it is there!”

“Why did you move to the U.S.?”

“What do you think about our accents?”

The questions went on and on, with hesitation, from everyone, and during the conservation we had, I continued to wonder what about this Aussie-born girl that made her so interesting. 

Later, I finally realized what it was: her accent. The beautiful way her words were executed made all the difference to me, and to everyone else. Her accent made her unique and interesting, and served as a glowing light into a dull room of indistinguishable accents.

I realized that with her accent, came assumptions of her life in Australia. People wondered if she did all of the things that Australians are known for, and if she stated she didn’t, they were confused and wanted to know why. I concluded that when one speaks with a distinguishable accent, one becomes an “ambassador” for the area in which their accent hails its origin. In other words, when Sarah spoke in her Australian accent, she embodied all of Australian hobbies, cultures, and lives, which thus made her more interesting in contrast to dull accents. When people heard Sarah’s accent, as they would for any accent that is not their own, they caught interest, made assumptions, and compared and contrasted their lives to hers.

I feel that people like me, whose accents bare no exciting and unique characteristics to be easily distinguishable to the majority of people, often have problems gaining an identity instantly. When I meet new people, people openly ask where I’m from, as there are no clues or indications as to where I am from. With the “bland” accent, I feel that sometimes, it takes me some other interesting ways to keep an appealing conversation going. It is a commonly known fact that interesting accents keep people interested, and those who don’t have these accents are left to pick up the pieces on their own.

However, there are advantages to having a bland accent. Like I said before, when one has a distinguishable accent, others often make assumptions about them and their personal experiences. Not having such an accent allows one to tell their own stories, without having their accents do it for them. People with no accents are not subjected to the stereotypes that those with accents would be. The lack of a distinguishable accent, in short, allows for others to truly get to know a person and find other things to make them interesting.

In conclusion, accents, as I stated before, have always interested me, as they do for many other people. The ways the words are pronounced, phrases are used, and other things provide a large contrast to the way I speak. However, there are advantages and disadvantages on both sides of the language spectrum.