Hoosiers

I hoped you enjoyed watching Hoosiers as much as I did.  It is one of my favorite movies of all time.  It is interesting how the movie and its meaning have changed for me over the years.  The movie was made in 1988, when I was playing high school basketball. 

From a player’s perspective, it is the thrill of each game, the hours of practice and the teammates.  The bond you form when you play together is unlike anything else I have experienced.  I am still friends today with the people I played soccer and basketball with since I was 10. 

From a coach’s point of view, you see the wisdom of helping a group of boys and the townspeople reshape their ideas about success and team and fun.  Keep in mind, when Coach Dale came into the town to begin coaching, the former coach had just passed away.  The season was already started.  In a small town (enrollment 64) when someone dies, it effects the entire town.  His commitment to coaching the boys (and the town) about the importance of team and belief in each other is critical to the movie and the lessons we learn. 

From a teacher’s perspective, I see the unwavering commitment to making them men.  The lessons they learned on and off the floor will stick with them throughout their lives.  They now and always will understand the importance of opening your mind to new ideas and the importance of friends.  At the end when Coach Dale tells his team he loves them, that is the only time in their lives they have ever heard someone say “I love you” other than their parents.  It take tremendous strength to say it and to accept it, but you know immediately, the relationship and the journey they are on is something special that does not come around very often.  When it does come around it is important to recognize it, embrace it, and enjoy every moment.

Why do we love these kinds of movies in America?  Although this is a sports movie, it is a life movie.  It uses basketball as a metaphor for life.  I think we like the movie because it is an underdog story.  American loves the underdog.  We always have embraced and honored the role of the underdog.  This goes back to our beginnings as a country.  We were the only colonies to go to war with Britain and win.  We came from behind against all odds to win our independence.  We believe in the American dream.  Anyone can be whatever they want.  The opportunities are endless.  We like to remind ourselves of this through our movies, television, stories.  Even through the United States is the greatest country on the planet, we still like to see ourselves as the underdog.  Us against the world. 

Trust me when I say I am not one to ruin a good movie.  But there are so many lessons to be learned in the movie, I want to hear from you.  From the coach’s relationship with the town and the team, to Jimmy, to Shooter, not to mention the role of Strap and Ollie in the regional finals, the lessons are endless.

What did you think of the movie?  If you liked it, why?  If you didn’t, why not?  What lessons for life spoke to you?  Which character did you relate to the best and why? 

Pearl Harbor

In the 1930’s and 1940’s the United States chose to operate under the idea of isolationism.  After the fallout of World War I and the immense debt not yet to be fully repaid, the United States was under tremendous pressure from citizens and politicians to take a neutral stance with respect to the break out of war in Europe and Asia.

This proved to be more difficult than thought.  Although the United States could pretend to ignore the issues occurring between Germany, Italy, Japan and the rest of the world, it was a matter of time before we would be forced to choose sides and join the fight.  One primary issue was trade.  International trade was critically important to the financial stability of the country.  Our preferred alliance with Britain and our defense of China showed the Axis powers are true loyalty would one day side with the British.  That being said, it was in the best interest of Germany, Italy, and Japan to keep the United States out of the battle for as long as possible.

This became a greater challenge for Japan than for the other countries.  Japan was highly dependent on the United States for iron and oil.  Both resources were critically important to a country engaged in warfare.  As the Japanese aggression grew in the Pacific, the United States implemented a number of embargoes disallowing the trade of oil with the Japanese.  Our refusal to trade without concessions from Japan was the beginning of the United States entry into the war in the Pacific. 

In November, Japan began plans to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor.  Unbeknownst to the United States Navy, the decision was made to move most of the US fleet to Hawaii in preparation of the coming war.  The United States never suspected or anticipated and attack at Pearl Harbor.  Japan had given no indications of their intentions.   

Early in the morning on December 7^th, the Japanese Navy attacked the American fleet.  By the end of the attack more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians were dead.  Nearly all of our battleships were either sunk or badly damaged.  The next day President Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the American people and to Congress urging the declaration of war.  Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.  We were now engaged in World War II.

What do you think of the United States decision to stay neutral?  When is it a good time to stay neutral in your life?  What is your reaction to the thoughts of a foreign country attacking the United States?  How should we respond?  Is it different today than in 1941?  If so, why?

Jimmy V Week

“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” 

                  Jimmy Valvano, 1993 – announcing the Jimmy V Foundation

December 1-7 is Jimmy V week on ESPN.  You may not know who Jimmy Valvano was, but if you have had the misfortune of knowing someone afflicted with cancer, the odds are he and his life’s mission impacted your life. 

Jimmy Valvano was a successful basketball coach, commentator, and author.  He was a person of strong conviction and personal drive.  At an early age he pulled out white index cards and began to write down his personal goals for life.  He wanted to play high school and college basketball, he wanted to become an assistant coach, go on to become a head coach, cut down the nets in Madison Square Garden and win a National Championship.  At age 36, he was able to pull out those cards and cross off every item on the list.  Throughout his life he developed a personal philosophy which allowed an ordinary man to accomplish the extraordinary.  He once commented, “There are 86,400 seconds in a day.  It is up to you to decide what to do with them.”  Jimmy V chose to cherish and make the most of each one. 

After accomplishing his goals on the basketball court, he explored new directions from writing to commentating.  He was not interested in limiting himself to a single profession.  He embraced diversity in his life and his interests.

In 1993, Jimmy Valvano was given an obstacle that would prove to be his most difficult.  He was diagnosed with cancer.  The cancer proved to be too much for him to personally overcome, but through his vision and passion he has inspired and continues to inspire funding for education and research to cure cancer.  At the time of his diagnosis, cancer was an underfunded and devastating disease.  His charismatic and infectious attitude towards life and easy appeal to people made him an ideal person to raise the awareness of cancer and its impacts on our world and to raise arms to find a way to cure cancer.  While no cure has been found, through continued research many forms of treatment have been developed.  The Jimmy V Foundation has raised over $100 million over the past 18 years for cancer research and awareness.

Jimmy V is an inspiring person.  His attitude towards life, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles is something to admire.   

The URL below is a video clip from the 1993 ESPY awards when he received the Arthur Ashe award for Courage.  During his speech he announces the Jimmy V Foundation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E&feature=channel

The URL below is the highlights from the 1983 National Championship.  It was one of the most exciting endings the tournament has ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFolL4Is-sU&feature=related

What do you think of Jimmy Valvano, his life and his mission?  Do you have or are you developing a personal philosophy for how you live your life?  If so, would you mind sharing?  Who inspires you to be a better person?  What qualities do they possess you admire?

President Kennedy is Assassinated

Monday marked the forty-third anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  He was shot in the head as his motorcade was driving through downtown Dallas, Texas.    Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the crime and was killed two days later by Jack Ruby as he was being led to jail.  Following the assassination, many have questioned whether Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone or whether it was part of a larger conspiracy.  Regardless, while many will remember the death of John Kennedy, most will remember the way he lived.

Born into a wealthy and famous family, John Kennedy was a privileged youth.  He was well educated at private schools and prestigious universities.  He joined the Navy in 1941 as was sent to the South Pacific during World War II.  He was given command of PT 109 (patrol-torpedo boat).  In 1943 his boat was hit by a Japanese destroyer.  Heroically, he helped many of the marooned crew to safety.  As a result, he was award the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism. (There is a movie about this, PT-109)

After the war, Kennedy had aspirations of being a journalist.  The cries of political life became too strong and in 1946, he ran and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Massachusetts.  He began his term in Congress in 1947 at age 29.  He ran twice more before he changed course and ran for U.S. Senate in 1952.  Early in his term as a Senator he was forced to have back surgery.  During his recovery, he wrote his Pulitzer Prize winning biography “Profiles in Courage”.

He chose to run for President in 1960.  His opponent was a well known and former Vice President Richard Nixon.  Kennedy’s youthful and vibrant charisma was a major issue is deciding the election.  This was particularly evident in the first-ever televise debates.  He was elected by a narrow margin of 120,000 votes and became the youngest man ever elected to the presidency.

In his inaugural address he called on all Americans to join together to end poverty, continue the progress of the United States and fight to win the Cold War against communism.  It is here you hear one of his most famous quotes, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”.

He was energetic, decisive, and charismatic.  Although he is one of the most loved presidents of all time, his leadership was at times controversial and he was not liked by groups of Americans and foreign citizens.  Many of the changes he was encouraging were not well received.  It is this controversy which led to many of the conspiracy theories surrounding his death.

Unfortunately, just over 1,000 days into his presidency, he was publicly assassinated. 

What qualities are necessary to be a great and effective president?  How do you think the age of television changed the role of the president and how elections are run?  How do you think the use of television, Internet and instant access to news will continue to shape our world, our leaders, and our ideas?

Harry Potter Release

This week Part I of the seventh and last Harry Potter film is set to release on Friday.  This is the beginning of the end of the tale which has captured the hearts and minds of readers across the world.  The Harry Potter series was written by J.K. Rowling.  The first book was released June 30, 1997.  Since then more than 400 million books in the series have been sold.  The last four books set records for the fastest selling book in history.

Since the first release and their immense popularity, the books, movies and characters have become a part of our culture.  Whether or not you enjoy the story of Harry Potter, it is difficult to deny the impact it has had on our lives.  Many attribute the series with bringing young readers back to books.  It would not be a stretch to state the success of Harry Potter has inspired further young reader book series such as Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight series, Rich Riordan’s Percy Jackson series and the resurgence of C.S. Lewis’ books of Narnia. 

Have you read the Harry Potter books, seen the movies or both?  Do you plan on seeing the Deadly Hallows Part I? What type of books do you enjoy reading and why?  What impact has Harry Potter had on our culture?

The Results

The 2010 mid-term elections are over and done. If you read the paper or looked on the Internet you will read about the GOP's (Grand Old Party, a.k.a. The Republican Party) overwhelming success at the national and local level. The Republicans gained 60 seats in the US House of Representatives, 6 Senate seats and 7 Governorships. While the Republicans did not take control of the Senate, the majority enjoyed by the Democrats is much slimmer now.

It is true that in the last 24 mid-term elections, the President's party has lost seats, but never to this extent. This is the single largest shift in political power since World War II. It is the consensus this was less of a Republican victory and more of a Democratic defeat. Democratic Congressmen, who won 2 years ago with over 60% of the vote, were crushed by Republican newcomers. Many agree, the public is not swinging conservative, but they are willing to try something new in order to get the economy moving again. They are giving the Republicans their chance to get things done. The people are sick and tired of political meandering and are looking for solutions. They are tired of unemployment, layoffs, and foreclosures. They want jobs, security and disposable income.

Even within the Republican ranks, their are new faces. The Tea Party has come to the table with new ideas about the way the government should behave and the actions that should be taken. Their initial focus is gong to be making sure the Bush tax cuts remain intact, government spending is slowed to a responsible level and health care laws are rescinded. The public is watching. They seem to like what they are hearing, but they want action. Without noticeable improvement in the lives of everyday Americans, the Republican controlled House will be short lived. If they can pull off many of the changes and the public feels better, the Democrats may be in for further trouble in two short years.

What do you think about the election results? What do you think will happen in the short term and the long term? Do you think the government will find a way to get things done or will the Republican House and Democratic President create a stalemate of ideas and prevent any real progress? How do you think they should work together?

2010 Elections

For this being a mid-term election (that is a year without the Presidential Election) there sure seems to be a tremendous amount of coverage and anxiety concerning the candidates, their views and the needs of the people.

We are in historic times in the United States and across the globe. We are faced with record unemployment, record home foreclosures, and crazy, polarized political campaigns, making this an important election for all of us.

The most pressing issues taking center stage are concerning the economy. The national unemployment rate has been around 9.5% for the past 14 months. This is the longest and deepest recession since the 1980's. Over six million Americans have been out of work for more than six months. While there are predictions the unemployment rate may reach as high as 10%, (that is one out of every 10 people, which means you know many of them...) there are few measures indicating a turnaround in the near future. Even though many in the media and politics claim the economy is turning around, it is my opinion, until the people are back to work, we are not out of the woods.

The crazy times have brought out the extremes in politics. The New York Gubernatorial debate received national attention due to the diverse candidates and the issues they are fighting for. One gentleman is running under the party affiliation of "The Rent is Too Damn High". Crazier still, he obtained the 15,000 signatures required to participate in the debate.

The Tea Party has furthermore stolen headlines and gained notoriety over the past months. Although true Tea Partiers deny affiliation with the Republican Party, a considerable number of the members describe themselves as conservative. Many would say the Tea Party is promoting the removal of everyone, democrat and republican, and abdicating a clean slate. (Think the American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party)

At every level you can see and hear candidates debate issues surrounding immigration, health care, social security, the size of government, and government bail outs. Whether you consider yourself a Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal, a member of the Tea Party or the Green Party, this is an important election for our country, our state, and our communities.

What are the issues you think are the most important facing us today? What would you look for in a candidate that would earn your vote? How would you go about finding out about the candidates and where they stand on issues? Keep in mind, since you are all 12 years old, you will have the honor of voting in our next mid-term election in 2016. Oh, how time flies....

Chilean Miners

After 69 days beneath the Earth, 33 Chilean miners are in the process of being rescued. These miners have been trapped 2,300 feet below the surface since August 5th. The rescuers have finally completed the 28 inch hole extending half a mile into the ground to retrieve the survivors and hoist them to safety. The men will be rescued one at a time, each taking approximately 20 minutes to recover. During the extraction, engineers will be monitoring the stability of the walls of the evacuation tunnel.

The gold and silver mine collapsed on August 5th. Rescue workers immediately began to search for the missing 33 men. Any attempt to enter through the ventilation shaft proves to be dangerous. The rescuers are forced to drill 6 inch holes from surface to the area which they believe the men located. After 17 days, a drill hole finally reaches the victims. They attach two notes to the drill letting the world know they are safe and well.

Engineers reinforce the 6 inch hole to make certain no rock or debris come down on the men and they are able to use the passage to provide supplies. The hole becomes the only means of survival. They use the hole to send oxygen, food, water, medicine, communication, and to the delight of all, tooth brushes and beer. While staying alive was critical, they must now turn their attention to survival after the catastrophe.

The aftermath can often times be worse than the tragedy. The men have been in extremely close quarters for over two months. They have had limited ability to move, no sunlight, and little interaction with the outside world. What they did have was hope. Hope and faith in God and their rescuers would be comforting to the trapped victims. An entire team of people from all over the world, including NASA, submarine commanders, and survivors of previous catastrophes have made themselves available to the miners to help them transition back into the world.

What would help you survive if you were in this situation? What does their survival tell you about the strength of the human spirit? What does the willingness of others to help in the transition tell you about the importance of caring for your neighbor?

National Bullying Prevention Month

Bullying is a problem. It has gained a tremendous amount of attention over the past years and months. We have heard, seen, or read of horrific acts of bullying, whether through face to face contact, email and Facebook, or spreading rumors. These despicable acts have at times resulted in senseless acts of violence committed against oneself or one's neighbor.

October has been given the honor of being National Bullying Prevention Month. This is the fifth year in a row PACER has promoted bullying prevention education and awareness. This year prominent organizations, including Facebook and Yahoo!, as well as distinguished celebrities such as Demi Lovato and Ellen DeGeneres, have joined the cause to raise awareness and encourage prevention.

Each day more than 160,000 students stay home from school due to the fear of being bullied. No one should have to go to school scared. While we may seem to live in a sheltered environment, we would be remiss to assume acts of bullying could not exist at our school or within our city.

Below are links to websites to provide you with additional bullying prevention information and what you can do in our school and community to put an end to bullying. The sites define what is bullying, explain why kids bully, and provide resources to help if you are bullied or witness bullying.

TeensAgainstBullying.org

StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov

Please use these sites to help you answer the following questions.

Are there actions we should take at school to raise awareness and prevent bullying? How should you handle a situation where you saw someone being bullied? What are some steps we can take to encourage acceptance and tolerance at school and in our community?

Text Messaging

Cultural changes come in many forms. The changes can be dramatic or subtle. They can alter our homes, industries, economics, education and relationships or slowly morph society as innovations develop. While texting may not appear to have life altering effects, there is no denying the widespread influence of this technological invention in a short period of time. Men, women, children, grandmothers and grandfathers have found countless practical and frivolous use for sending text messages. In addition to staying in constant contact with friends, acquaintances, and family members, it is used to receive notifications from the pharmacy, vote for your favorite reality star, and become alerted to your bank account balance. There seems to be no limit to the texting phenomenon.


While it has many benefits, its use has sparked debate on many fronts. Is it good to have instant access to each other? Are we too connected? Is the use of text messaging ruining our ability to talk? Is our society doomed to survive on what we can say in less than 250 characters? Has it become our latest addiction?


The Idaho Statesman ran an article indicating the laws put in place to stop texting and driving are having the opposite of their intended effect. Many motorists are refusing to stop texting, whether writing or reading, while driving. Instead of putting the phone down, drivers are attempting to hide the phone while they text, further decreasing the attention they pay to the road. Ludicrous.


Like it or not, texting is part of our culture. It has captured our imagination and encourages us to interact more frequently with one another. Although adults and teenagers spend too much time attached to their device, we are more active communicators than ever before. The bigger issue is not the use of texting, but the lack of social etiquette.

• How often are you in line at the store and the person in front of you slows everything down because they are on the phone or in the middle of texting?


• How often have you been in the car with your parents and instead of talking to them you are texting with a friend?


• Are you unable to carry on conversations because you are constantly interrupted by the buzz of your phone receiving new messages?
  

These are examples where social etiquette or norms would be beneficial. What social etiquette or rules do you think should be in place to limit the "bad" texting from the "good"? What do you think is the future of texting in our culture?

Teachers' Day

September 28 is a Confucian Holiday celebrating the birth of Confucius. It is celebrated as Teachers' Day. While many confuse Confucius ism with a religion, it is actually more of a philosophy. Confucius was not a priest or a deity, he was a teacher.

Confucius was born around 551 BC in the small sate of Lu. He was born into an aristocratic family, although there is debate as to whether he had any money or not. During his life he served many influential people and his teachings became not only fundamental to Confucian philosophy, but to the general Chinese philosophy.


The 6th century BC China was a time of political and social disintegration. Battling officials trying to gain control led to a period of great moral decline, when integrity and principles meant little to ruling classes. Confucius was disgusted by this development. At the time, he was a widely unknown teacher. He attempted to revive society by re-introducing the great moral teachings of the past.


At the cornerstone of his teachings was the belief that ethical considerations should be the guiding principle of government. He did not accept the idea of a strict legal system. He believed the primary task of a ruler was to achieve the welfare and happiness of the people. The ruler should be a role model by monitoring his personal behaviors. His strong ethical behaviors would influence the people's behaviors. Customs and voluntary adherence would be the best way to achieve and maintain an orderly society.


Confucius never wrote many of the quotations we see today. After his death, many of his disciples gathered and complied his teachings. Here are a few quotations:


"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

"Forget injuries, never forget kindness."


"He who will not economize will have to agonize."


"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."

"Respect yourself and others will respect you."

Throughout history, we have seen many teachers influence the world. Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Buddha, and Confucius have significantly changed the world and redefined the way many of us view right from wrong.


Who are the teachers in your life that have most influenced you? What qualities do they have that make them an effective and influential teacher? If possible, please provide a couple of your favorite sayings learned from your teachers.

Illegal Immigration

Immigration has been a controversial and volatile issue over the past year. On April 24, 2010, Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, signed Senate Bill 1070, dramatically changing the current practice concerning immigration.

The law has been controversial since its inception. While many citizens of Arizona and many politicians support the bill, many more, including President Obama, are fighting to prevent the bill from becoming law.

The law allows local law enforcement to stop anyone they suspect of being an illegal alien and require the individual to produce papers showing their right to be in the country, whether that be a green card, driver's license, or passport. People unable to produce the documents can be arrested and detained until they produce the documents or are deported back to their native land. While many feel this law is giving officers the needed tool to control immigration, other believe the law opens the door to illegal stops based on skin color or physical characteristics.

Illegal immigration is a problem in the country. Illegal immigrants do not pay taxes, take labor jobs from willing workers, and utilize public programs without contributing to the community. In addition, drug trafficking has been traced back to Mexican drug cartels using illegal immigrants for distribution.

On one hand, we have the rights to protect our borders and provide for our citizens. On the other hand the Constitution does not allow illegal search and seizure. Asking for someone to provide proof of citizenship without cause can be viewed as a violation of the 4th Amendment. From a philosophical point of view, the United States has always been the land of opportunity opening itself to those wanting a new life.

Do you agree or disagree with the Arizona law? If you agree, why? If you disagree, what if anything, should be done to protect our borders from illegal immigration?

September 11

September 11, 2001 will go down in history as one of the longest, scariest, and most significant days the United States has ever witnessed. The events of the day will forever be remembered and memorialized. In addition to the despicable acts of terrorism, we witnessed countless acts of heroism as people, communities, and cities united to rescue and protect each other from the evil acts committed against the United States and its way of life.

At 8:45 am the first plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The crash instantly killed hundreds of innocent people and trapped hundreds more above the 110th floor. While emergency crews sprang into action, a mere 18 minutes later a second plane crashed into the South Tower. It was evident to all, this was not a coincidence, the United States was under attack.

At 9:45 am a third plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The jet fuel created a devastating fire causing a small structural collapse.

15 minutes after the Pentagon crash, the South Tower collapsed. It was less then one hour from the time the plane crashed into the building to when it fell to the ground. At 10:10, the country became aware of a fourth plane wreck. United Flight 93 left Newark, NJ late. 40 minutes after departure, terrorists took control of the plane. As a result of its late departure, the passengers on board were aware of the events in New York and Washington. They decide to take action. The passengers united and overtook the the terrorist and in the process crashed the plane into a Pennsylvanian field. The terrorists' target of destruction was never known, but many speculate the White House or the Capitol.

At 10:30, the inevitable occurred. The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. While the nation watched in awe, the brave firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and other city officials continued to respond to their call to duty. Due to the devastation created when the Twin Towers collapsed, four other building would fall to the ground throughout the day.

As the day concluded we began to hear the devastating carnage from the day. In New York City approximately 3,000 people were killed, including 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 police officers and 37 Port Authority officers. In Washington, DC., 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in addition to the 64 people on board the flight. An additional 45 people were killed in the Pennsylvanian field from Flight 93.

The events of September 11, 2001 forever changed our lives. How do you feel your life has beeen affected by the events of September 11th? How do you think the American way of life has changed?

Flooding in Pakistan

In the recent weeks, Pakistan has been experiencing a horrific flooding situation. According to one article I read, 20 million people have been effected by its devistation and up to 20 percent of the country is submerged.

Typically, in cases of natural disasters, citizens across the globe, specifically in the United States, call for help and begin collecting chartiable donations to help those in need. For example, within the first two weeks after the Haiti earthquake, $560 million was raised by private organization to aid the people. For some reason, the call to charity has been lacking with respect to Pakistan. According to the same article, although the United States has pledged $200 million in aid, private donations has total approximately $11 million.

Why do you think the collection and distribution of assistance has not been as generous or as widely known?