Response to "The Inner Circle"

C.S. Lewis makes such a valid point. There are so many unspoken heirarchies in our society. They aren't always talked about and not everyone is aware of their existence. I think that a good example of a modern, easy to understand inner ring is cliques. That group of girls that everyone knows ABOUT, but they don't really know them. You have to be invited to do things with the group. Once they decide they like you, you're in, but getting in is not always easy. It's like the movie Mean Girls. Regina, Gretchen and Karen make up the "inner ring" that is The Plastics. They decide they like Cady, so they invite her into their circle. Since she's new though, Cady is still not treated like an equal. She has to spend a little bit of time on the outskirts. With The Plastics, Regina is clearly the leader, and she makes the rules for the entire group and sometimes the entire school. She carries alot of influence with her peers. This is an example of an inner circle that is clearly defined but there are also the ones that go unnoticed as well like secret societies. While I have never encountered a secret society, you hear about them on t.v. and I'm sure they really exist. An inner ring like this would be one you're not aware of until you're in.
While I know what Lewis is referring to when he talks about inner rings, I'm not exactly sure what he means by good and evil ones. I guess an example of an evil inner ring could be the Ku Klux Klan. There's a heirarchy within it and at least they think they make the rules of society. They live by their own laws. Obviously the KKK's beliefs and their violent practices of hate and discrimination don't make them a good group to be associated with...so that leaves evil? I'm not sure if that was his meaning of evil...
The students that Lewis was addressing were probably interested in what he was saying because most people have had run ins with inner rings of some kind. This speech wouldn't be a completely foreign topic that they have to try and grasp. Lewis is just expanding on something that the students are will aware of. He presents the information in a candid and entertaining way so that the audience can get something out of his speech and not tune him out within the first five minutes out of boredom.

PROcrastination

I'm a pro at procrastination. Oddly, not something I'm pround of... and I'm definitely not the only one. Everyone procrastinates, which sucks. Basically I'm procrastinating right now. I should be reading "The Inner Ring." At least blogging, something that's semi related to school is better than what I was doing two minutes ago. Can you guess what it was? Yep. I was on facebook--the major contributing factor when it comes to my procrastination. I tell myself I'm just going to log on for a second to check things or tell my friend something and then and hour later I look at the clock and think, oh wait, I still haven't done my math homework...or my U.S. History reading....or my AP comp homework. My procrastination then leads to stress because I was on facebook while I should have been studying or working on a project, causing me to cram the night before a test and rush through a project (which I've become good at because I seem to work well under pressure--not a good thing because I use this to justify my procrastinating habits). So pretty much the point of this was to waste time. Which I think I sufficiently did. Maybe I'll finally move on to something productive. Or not...

Miracle pre-game speech (Coach Brooks)

This link is to a video clip from the movie Miracle. Coach Brooks is inspiring team USA to play the greatest game they've ever had because it wasn't just about hockey. It was about the entire country and the Cold War with the Soviet union. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpTj_Z9v-c&feature=related

Synonyms for Argue

Argue- verb
Definition: verbally fight; try to convince; present support; give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view
Etimology: from Old French arguer and from latin argutari, "to prattle"
Examples: She was too tired to argue the point.
I tried to argue him out of it.
Don't argue with me.

1. Fight- verb

Definition: take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons

Examples: The men were fighting.

They fight with other children.

There was another war to fight.

noun

Definition:

a violent confrontation or struggle (Ex: we'll get into a fight and wind up with bloody noses)

a boxing match.

a battle or war (Ex: the country was not eager for a fight with the US)

a vigorous struggle or campaign for or against something (Ex: a long fight against cancer).

an argument or quarrel (Ex: she had a fight with her husband)

the inclination or ability to fight or struggle (Ex: Ginny felt the fight trickle out of her)

Etimology: Old English feohtan (verb), feoht(e), gefeoht (noun); related to Dutch vechten, gevecht and German fechten, Gefecht

 

2. Debate- noun

Definition: a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward; an argument about a particular subject, especially one in which many people are involved (Ex: the national debate on abortion.

There has been much debate about prices)

 

verb

Definition: argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner (Ex: the board debated his proposal.

The date when people first entered America is hotly debated)

- consider a possible course of action in one's mind before reaching a decision (Ex: he debated whether he should leave the matter alone or speak to her)

Etymology: Middle English: via Old French from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + battere 'to

 

3. Quarrel- noun

Definition: an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms; An angry dispute; an altercation (Ex: The teacher didn't want to get involved in the two friends' quarrel.

The quarrel caused a fall out between the girls of the group.)

 

Verb

Definition: Have an angry argument or disagreement (Ex: The lunchroom was disrupted as the group in the corner quarreled.)

Etymology: from Old french querele, from Latin querella "complaint," from queri "to complain, lament."

 

4. Squabble- noun

Definition: a noisy quarrel about something petty or trivial (Ex: family squabbles)

 

verb

Definition: quarrel noisily over a trivial matter; To engage in a disagreeable argument, usually over a trivial matter; wrangle. (Ex: the boys were squabbling over a ball)

Etymology: early 17th century: probably imitative; compare with Swedish dialect skvabbel 'a dispute.

 

5. Bicker- verb

Definition: argue about petty and trivial matters; to engage in petulant or peevish argument; wrangle (Ex: whenever the phone rings, they bicker over who must answer it.

 The constant bickering between Edgar and his mother annoys the rest of the family)

Etymology: from middle dutch word bicken, "to attack; again and again"

 

6. Altercate- verb

Definition: dispute or argue noisily and publicly; to argue, especially heatedly; dispute

(Ex: this discussion is so silly we might as well altercate on how many angels can dance on the point of a needle).

Etymology: from Latin altercārī to quarrel with another, from alter other

 

7. Battle-  noun

Definition: a sustained fight between large, organized armed forces (Ex: the Battle of Shiloh.

He died in battle.)

-a lengthy and difficult conflict or struggle (Ex. the battle over the future shape of Europethe battle against aging).

 

verb

Definition: fight or struggle tenaciously to achieve or resist something (Ex. he has been battling against the illness.

Representatives from eight countries are battling for the title.)

-engage in a fight or struggle against (Ex. firefighters battled a 9,800-acre brush fire).

Etymology: Middle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia 'military or gladiatorial exercises, from Latin battuere "to beat"

 

8. Feud-  noun

Definition: a state of prolonged mutual hostility, typically between two families or communities, characterized by violent assaults in revenge for previous injuries (Ex: the long-standing feud between two noble families. Shakespeare artfully depicts the feud between the Capulets and the Montegues in Romeo and Juliet)

-a prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute (Ex: one of the most volatile feuds that currently rock the scientific community).

 

verb

Definition: in a prolonged quarrel or conflict (Ex: these two families have been feuding since the Civil War. and Hoover feuded with the CIA for decades).

Etymology: Middle English fede 'hostility, ill will', from Old French feide, from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German vēde; related to  foe

9. Dispute-  noun
Definition: a disagreement, argument, or debate (Ex: a territorial dispute between the two countries. The question in dispute is altogether insignificant).
-a disagreement between management and employees that leads to an action of protest by the employees (Ex. if this dispute cannot be resolved quickly, a formal strike is inevitable).

verb
 Definition: argue about (something); discuss heatedly (Ex: I disputed the charge on the bill. He taught and disputed with local poets).
-question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid (Ex: the accusations are not disputed. The estate disputes that it is responsible for the embankment).
-to compete for; strive to win (Ex: the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead)
- archaic resist (a landing or advance) (Ex: I formed my line and prepared to dispute the advance of the foe).

Etymology: Middle English: via Old French from Latin disputare 'to estimate' (in late Latin 'to dispute'), from dis- 'apart' + putare "reckon"

 

10. Contend-  verb

Definition:  (contend with/against) struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger) (Ex: she had to contend with his uncertain temper)

-(contend for) engage in a competition or campaign in order to win or achieve (something) (Ex: the local team should contend for a division championship (as adjectivecontending) disputes continued between the contending parties).

- assert something as a position in an argument (Ex: he contends that the judge was wrong).

Etymology: late Middle English (in the sense 'compete for (something)'): from Old French contendre or Latin contendere, from con-'with' + tendere 'stretch, strive'

STRESS at WHS

(sorry mrs. cardona! literally woke up 2 seconds ago....)
No one can deny that stress levels at Wayzata high school are astronomical. This is a topic that has come up several times already since the beginning of the term in Psycology class. What I want to know is, why? Mr. Johnson has been implying that the stress is higher than many surrounding schools. Do we put the pressure on ourselves as students? Or is it the overall expectations of the school? I personally think it's a mixture of both. Everyone knows that Wayzata is one of the best public schools around  and therefore wants to succeed. The teachers and administrators also want to maintain our good reputation. Wayzata has been stereotyped as being snobby and stuck up--our stress situation has not helped to break this perception of our school. While we're striving to be the best in everything that we do, Wayzata kids no doubt come across as snobs. I personally, don't want to be viewed this way, but i know that there are times when I am. While not all students put the academic pressure on themselves, I am definitely one that does. I want to succeed. It's as simple as that. I feel like if I don't recieve that stellar GPA I will have let myself down. Because of this, I freak out about failing a reading quiz in AP Comp and getting my first grade lower than an A last term in this class....Why am I doing this to myself? It's called AP for a reason and colleges will recognize that when viewing my transcript, but the stress is still there. I can't help it. At my old school in small town, Ohio, the academic expectations and standards aren't there. I can't help but believe I wouldn't be this worried about my grades and getting into a good college if  I still lived there. The stress just comes with the prestige of attending a top school. It can't really be avoided...and don't even get me started on the athletic pressure......