mleliza's blog

I've often pondered if certain individuals dress and act to stand out in order to fit in. It's an amusing concept. The example that could most easily be applied to this notion is that of Goths or Tight-Jeaned, Thick-Glasses-Rims, Punk-Rawkers. Exhibiting a particular persona in order to remove oneself from the crowd, or a mere method of gaining membership into a sub-crowd?

I don't wish to come off as stereotyping certain groups of people, because the idea of individuals truly believing that they are nonconformists from the whole of society (although they may be unconsciously conformists to certain subgroups in society) can be readily applicable to any number of individuals.  Read More »

This morning I read a report in the newspaper claiming that there's a bit of confusion as to why high school students today possess higher GPA's, but are lacking higher scores in the math and reading portions of the NAEP test they were given. Upon completing the article, my first verbal reaction contained the phrase: "Gee, I think I may know why...."  Read More »

I truly believe that humility is a virtue that I alone possess, thus making me far superior than all other individuals that inhabit this prideful world. My unsurpassed, superhuman ability of being utterly humble is something that even a sovereign being such as I cannot fathom. After careful examination of the mortals below me, I have come to the theory that the key factor attributing to their boastful, sinful state is that of hypocrisy. Being gifted in the area of humility, I will attempt to address all hypocritical bloggers in need of salvation from their current prideful conditions, so that one day they too will be worthy of becoming a divine humble being such as I.  Read More »

Democrats: Pro-Choice, Pro-Gay Marriage, heathens in general     Republicans: Pro-Life, Against Gay Marriage, Jesus freaks

Individuals who are registered in either party are usually identified as possessing beliefs and stand-points in direct accordance with the ones I've listed above. Not only is it aggravating to know that a number of these generalizations are incorrect (i.e. I know plenty of Liberals who are religious, as well as Conservatives who couldn't care less about the mere topic of religion) but these personal issues are being used to usher in undecided voters to either party. There are people who only vote for a certain candidate, or political party, solely because of one particular personal issue that he/she supports. Is it really right to tout these types of issues in a political campaign in order to sway voters? Even the first lady Laura Bush has mentioned that topics such as gay marriage are personal and should not be political; I agree with her. But I also realize how difficult it would be to refrain from identifying either political party with issues that seem so closely attached to the name. I just think it's a bit awkward when a candidate exudes the aura of "vote for me and I promise that [personal issue of choice] will be fulfilled."  Read More »

The author Stephen J. Dubner collaborated with the economist Steven D. Levitt to produce the intensely fascinating book, Freakonomics, with the appropriate subtitle “A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.”  There was one section that was particularly thought-provoking…  Read More »

This past Thursday my Art History professor decided to give a different kind of lecture...

About a week ago my class had to turn in a short research paper regarding any historical work of art that we were interested in expanding on for a larger paper later on. The word minimum was approximately between 500-800 words -- not asking much. However, the previous weekend was homecoming, which is quite a big deal in the college town that I live in. Needless to say, many of my classmates were probably not pensively sitting at a computer diligently typing up an essay on the Venus de Milo. When my art history professor finished grading all the essays this week, she came into the classroom this past Thursday with a murderous look on her face. It turned out that several people had plagiarized their essay from some other online source. A few students even used the same sources, thus producing similar essays.  Read More »

I use to send a few of my poems to the site poetry.com with hopes of gaining the $1,000 prize at the end. Somehow, all the poetry I sent would be acknowledged a few weeks later with a letter in the mail stating that my poem was a semi-finalist for the cash prize; the letters would also be subsequently crammed with brochures of poetry anthologies to purchase, along with a list of other products to buy with either my name, poem, or both, engraved on it. Then there would always be an offer to attend some sort of poetry convention for a price ranging between three to four hundred dollars. I never bought anything, mind you, and in turn I never got any form of a monetary award.  Read More »

PARADISE, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A grieving grandfather told young relatives not to hate the gunman who killed five girls in an Amish schoolhouse massacre, a pastor said on Wednesday.

"As we were standing next to the body of this 13-year-old girl, the grandfather was tutoring the young boys, he was making a point, just saying to the family, 'We must not think evil of this man,'" the Rev. Robert Schenck told CNN.  Read More »