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Questions Possibly Related to Big Falls, WisconsinProvided By Y! Answers
Is it easy to meet friends at Wisconsin University?
Question:
I come from a small town where friends are not made easily. I'm 22 and transferring there next fall. I will be in the business program. We party alot up here in Hibbing Minnesota but worried about meeting new people in a big city
Answer:
lets hope
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What is University of Wisconsin-Madison's reputation?
Question:
I'm starting at UW-Madison this fall and it seems like whenever I tell people all they talk about is how big of a party school it is. I was just wondering if everyone thought of it this way or if it had any other reputations.
Answer:
I've heard that it's an excellent school. My brother used to live up there, but didn't attend the university. Any school, really, can be a party school if you see the wrong side of it.
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What do you think of my quiz, What Movie Are You? I will try to get out all the results?
Question:
1. You would describe you family by saying they:
A. belong in jail
B. are rich snobs
C. are very future and have big guns
D. are extremely important in society
E. are kooky and crazy
F. you’re too busy hanging out with you friends to know
G. You don’t know them that well
2. You motto is:
A. "If history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anybody. "
B. “I figure, life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting.”
C. “I’ll be back.”
D. “Hakuna Matata!”
E. “Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf. I hate meatloaf.”
F. “Got got two pickles, I got two pickles, I got two pickles, today, hey hey!”
G. “Why so serious?”
3. The most painfully thing that have ever happened to you:
A. Lost a loved one do to conflict
B. Have to swim in freezing water
C. Be shot
D. Lost of loved one due to bad timing
E. Get you tongue stuck to frozen flag pole
F. Have you friends back stab you
G. Have been painfully cut by a knife
4. Describe you self:
A. Stuck in a bad position
B. Loving life and very artistic
C. Violence obsessed
D. Wild
E. Trying of people telling you you’ll get hurt
F. Fun loving and all over the place
G. A super hero
5. Which of these best describes you style:
A. A tux or very well dressed
B. Always in style
C. Big sunglasses
D. Nothing
E. Two many coats and a scarf that covers you face so you can’t move your arms
F. Youthful, jeans maybe
G. A black cape and mask
6. You’re from:
A. New York or Nevada
B. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, or maybe even England, Ireland, Turkey even
C. The future
D. Africa
E. Indiana
F. Anytown, USA
G. Gothem City
7. What are you must likely to say:
A. “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
B. “To the stars!”
C. “Hasta La Vista, baby.”
D. “What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?”
E. “I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!”
F. “Quick, what’s the number for 911!”
G. “And I thought my jokes were bad…”
8. You’re favorite memory meant be like:
A. Solving a conflict
B. Getting away with a boy you love
C. Defeating a futurist robot
D. Becoming king
E. Getting the present you’ve always wanted
F. Winning a race
G. Saving your city
She's my darling: You're TITANIC whoop whoop!!!
Okapi: You're a three way time between
Titanic
Batman the Dark Knight
and Lion King
Lunkata: You're in a two way tie with Titanic and The Little Rascals
Disney Sux: You also got a tie between Titanic and The Little Rascals
Disney Sux: You also got a tie between Titanic and The Little Rascals
Lady Maddy: You're THE TERMINATOR!!!
This time.. you had a three way tie with
Batman, the Dark Knight
The Terminator
And Lion King
Answer:
1. You would describe you family by saying they:
E. are kooky and crazy
2. You motto is:
A. "If history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anybody. "
3. The most painfully thing that have ever happened to you:
F. Have you friends back stab you
4. Describe you self:
E. Trying of people telling you you’ll get hurt
5. Which of these best describes you style:
B. Always in style
6. You’re from:
F. Anytown, USA
7. What are you must likely to say:
B. “To the stars!”
8. You’re favorite memory meant be like:
B. Getting away with a girl you love
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What Movie Are You Quiz, please rate and take my quiz :)?
Question:
1. You would describe you family by saying they:
A. belong in jail
B. are rich snobs
C. are very future and have big guns
D. are extremely important in society
E. are kooky and crazy
F. you’re too busy hanging out with you friends to know
G. You don’t know them that well
2. You motto is:
A. "If history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anybody. "
B. “I figure, life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting.”
C. “I’ll be back.”
D. “Hakuna Matata!”
E. “Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf. I hate meatloaf.”
F. “Got got two pickles, I got two pickles, I got two pickles, today, hey hey!”
G. “Why so serious?”
3. The most painfully thing that have ever happened to you:
A. Lost a loved one do to conflict
B. Have to swim in freezing water
C. Be shot
D. Lost of loved one due to bad timing
E. Get you tongue stuck to frozen flag pole
F. Have you friends back stab you
G. Have been painfully cut by a knife
4. Describe you self:
A. Stuck in a bad position
B. Loving life and very artistic
C. Violence obsessed
D. Wild
E. Tried of people telling you you’ll get hurt
F. Fun loving and all over the place
G. A super hero
5. Which of these best describes you style:
A. A tux or very well dressed
B. Always in style
C. Big sunglasses
D. Nothing
E. Two many coats and a scarf that covers you face so you can’t move your arms
F. Youthful, jeans maybe
G. A black cape and mask
6. You’re from:
A. New York or Nevada
B. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, or maybe even England, Ireland, Turkey even
C. The future
D. Africa
E. Indiana
F. Anytown, USA
G. Gothem City
7. What are you must likely to say:
A. “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
B. “To the stars!”
C. “Hasta La Vista, baby.”
D. “What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?”
E. “I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!”
F. “Quick, what’s the number for 911!”
G. “And I thought my jokes were bad…”
8. You’re favorite memory meant be like:
A. Solving a conflict
B. Getting away with a boy you love
C. Defeating a futurist robot
D. Becoming king
E. Getting the present you’ve always wanted
F. Winning a race
G. Saving your city
9. You’re best friend:
A. You’re family
B. A free-willed boy you’ve only known for a short period of time
C. You have no friends
D. A warthog and a meercat that sing
E. You’re two best pals from school
F. Kids in the He-Man Women haters club
G. You’re butler
TL, congrats you're the GODFATHER
TL, congrats you're the GODFATHER
Freckleface: YOU'RE TITANIC!!!
Usually Unusal, you got a three way tie between:
Godfather
Christmas Story
The Little Rascals
Chick in the boat, yes, you tie fo Little Rascals and A Christmas Story, nice jobs :D
B is Titanic :)
Answer:
1. You would describe you family by saying they:
F. you’re too busy hanging out with you friends to know
2. You motto is:
E. “Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf. I hate meatloaf.”
3. The most painfully thing that have ever happened to you:
D. Lost of loved one due to bad timing
4. Describe you self:
A. Stuck in a bad position
5. Which of these best describes you style:
G. A black cape and mask
6. You’re from:
B. Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, or maybe even England, Ireland, Turkey even or
C. The future
7. What are you must likely to say:
A. “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
8. You’re favorite memory meant be like:
E. Getting the present you’ve always wanted
9. You’re best friend:
F. Kids in the He-Man Women haters club
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Big Ten Game: Penn State vs Illinois - September 27, 2008?
Question:
Amazingly, this didn't get ANY attention the first time around. Looks like Penn State's going to be thought of as insignifficant and inconsequential until they sneak all the way up to a #1 ranking.
How does everyone think this game is going to go? I think Penn State wins in a blowout. I know everyone expects it to be close because it's the first "real test" (I thought Oregon State was, until we blew them out that is, despite the fact that they had their way with Hawaii).
Illinois will never again fall to the levels of the 2003-2006 teams, but they're not as good as last year. Penn State, on the other hand, is WAY better than last year. The defense is about the same, maybe a little better, but the offense is the real story here. Plus, it's in Beaver Stadium, a place where Illinois has never been able to pull off a win. I know that 3 out of their 4 opponents were not quality opponents, and you could argue agianst them if they struggled with their cupcakes like many teams did. But no, they blew out the cupcakes AND the quality Pac-10 team.
Here's my prediction: Penn State will have its way with the flimsy Illinois defense, while their offense will put up more points on us than any previous opponent has (although one or two TDs may be in garbage time). Expect to see a shootout for one quarter, where Penn State then pulls away and turns it into a rout, much like last year's Wisconsin game, but higher scoring.
So therefore
Penn State: 47
Illinois: 21
Dr Car: That would be cool if it happened, but Illinois still has a pulse this year. We will drub them, though.
Where were you?: Oregon State is not a junk team, they destroyed Hawaii and would possibly beat Illinois and will finish 7-5 or better. Granted, Coastal Carolina was a cupcake (better than Florida International, though), but Syracuse was a road game and they are a Big East team (as much as they're struggling), Temple is an up and coming MAC team. We didn't struggle with our "cupcakes", we destroyed them. Illinois, however, DID struggle with their cupcakes. Their best game was actually a 10 point loss to an overrated Missouri. This Illinois team has 8-4 written all over them. Also, Penn State has never allowed more than 14 points this year. I expect that to change with Illinois, but you've never beaten Penn State in Beaver Stadium, and we are not the same teams we were last year. Penn State should win this one big. Also, give PSU the home advantage in this one.
Actually, Penn State and Illinois have been playing each other since the 1920s, some at Memorial Stadium, others at Beaver Stadium.
And yeah, I know Oregon State lost to Stanford. But so did USC last year. I'm pretty sure that was an upset as well.
Also, they were not as good last year as this year. Here was last year's cupcake list.
FIU (should be a Division II team: 59-0
ND: (3-9 ND team) 31-10
Buffalo (MAC team): 45-24
Temple (another MAC team: 31-0
This year
Coastal Carolina (solid I-AA team): 66-10
Oregon State (Pac-10, remember USC also lost to Stanford last year): 45-14
Syracuse (Big East): 55-13
Temple (on the rise MAC team): 45-3
Penn State spotted a lead to both Buffalo and Notre Dame last year in the first quarter, and Penn State has yet to trail OR allow more than 14 points. Again, don't try the "they lost to Stanford" with Oregon State, so did USC last year, and they shellacked you in the Rose Bowl.
Additionally, remember that Penn State is different at home than on the road. Last year's 27-20 loss was on the road. Last year's inferior Penn State team blew out Iowa 27-7 and destroyed Wisconsin 38-7, both were home games. Just because Oregon State lost to us doesn't mean they're a cupcake.
And about your prediction based on PSU last year, that's like making a prediction for 2005 based on 2004. Teams improve. The 2005 team was amazing, but the 2004 team sucked.
Also, Coastal Carolina fans said they'd keep it close, Oregon State fans said they'd shut us out, Syracuse fans said we'd leave the Carrier Dome crying like babies, and Temple fans said they'd pull off an upset. Not only were these wrong, but they were nowhere near remotely right. Last year's Penn State would have only beaten Coastal Carolina 45-17, Oregon State 38-31, Syracuse 42-24, and this year's Temple team 28-17 (this year's Temple team is way better than last year's).
Answer:
Penn State will win it I would say 63-6.
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Notice it's typed big?
Question:
1977 : Long hair
2007 : Longing for hair
1977: KEG
2007: EKG
1977 : Acid rock
2007 : Acid reflux
1977 : Moving to California because it's cool
2007 : Moving to Arizona because it's warm
1977 : Trying to look like Marlon Brando or
Liz Taylor
2007: Trying NOT to look like Marlon Brando or
Liz Taylor
1977 : Seeds and stems
2007 : Roughage
1977 : Hoping for a BMW
2007: Hoping for a BM
19 77 : Going to a new, hip joint
2007 : Receiving a new hip joint
1977 : Rolling Stones
2007: Kidney Stones
1977 : Screw the system
2007: Upgrade the system
1977: Disco
2007: Costco
1977 : Parents begging you to get your hair cut
2007: Children begging you to get their heads
shaved
1977 : Passing the drivers' test
2007: Passing the vision test
1977 : Whatever
2007: Depends
Just in case you weren't feeling too old today, this
will certainly change things. Each year the staff at
Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together a list to
try to give the faculty a sense of the mindset of this year's incoming freshmen. Here's this year's list:
The people who are starting college this fall across
the nation were born in 1989.
They are too young to remember the 1st space
shuttle blowing up.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS.
Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.
The CD was introduced the year they were born.
They have always had an answering! machine
They have always had cable.
They cannot fathom not having a remote control.
Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.
They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.
They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
They never heard: 'Where's the Beef?', 'I'd walk
a mile for a Camel', or 'de plane, Boss, de plane.'
They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J. R. even is.
McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.
Answer:
'de plane, Boss, de plane.' Remember that so well...thanks for the memories!!
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USC is still consider #1 team in the nation. Who agrees with me?
Question:
If someone cast a ballot with USC and California in the top three and five Pac Ten Teams in the top 25 at the beginning of the season, they’d be called as crazy as anyone who had put South Florida and Kentucky in the Top Ten. But those are exactly what the Coaches did this week in their Top 25 College Football Poll.
1. Southern California: Yes, the Trojans struggled against Washington but Championship Teams, in the face of adversity, win. From what we’ve seen that is the difference between this year’s Trojans and the 2006 squad.
2. Louisiana State: Perhaps the only competitive SEC school to schedule a non-patsy in Out Of Conference play and defeat them. That, and reputation alone, get the Tigers up this high.
3. California: One of these top three will have a loss by the end of the season, but the Bears control their destiny after beating Tennessee and Oregon in two marquee September matchups.
4. Oklahoma: Sure, the Sooners lost this weekend but they have been putting on a good show all season long and look like they will continue to do so. It is hard to argue that any of the undefeated teams are much better.
5. Florida: Yes, the Gators lost to Auburn but their Spread Option offense is still revolutionary to the SEC Defenses which means they will continue to win games.
6. Ohio State: But for the grace of them being undefeated, I would want to put the Buckeyes lower, simply because, well, the Big Ten is the worst conference this year–barely beating the Big XII for the crown.
7. Boston College: The Eagles made a statement early by beating Clemson. Watch out for Matt Ryan to be a Heisman contender if they keep winning!
8. Oregon: The Ducks lost to California by mere inches and have shown what they can do to the best the Big Ten has to offer. Now they just have to get over their tendency to fall apart after a quick start.
9. Hawaii: Looked significantly better against UNLV than did #10…
10. Wisconsin: I really don’t want to put the Badgers here but what else are you going to do? They are on FRAUD alert.
Geaux Gators and Beat the Farm!
Fight ON!!!
USC is the best football team ever!!
Answer:
You are so smart Austin.
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Global warming is all hype and gore is wrong?
Question:
Questions for Al Gore
By Dr. Roy Spencer
25 May 2006
Gore's Inconvenient Truth....
Dear Mr. Gore:
I have just seen your new movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," about the threat that global warming presents to humanity. I think you did a very good job of explaining global warming theory, and your presentation was effective. Please convey my compliments to your good friend, Laurie David, for a job well done.
As a climate scientist myself -- you might remember me...I'm the one you mistook for your "good friend," UK scientist Phil Jones during my congressional testimony some years back -- I have a few questions that occurred to me while watching the movie.
1) Why did you make it look like hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, droughts, and ice calving off of glaciers and falling into the ocean, are only recent phenomena associated with global warming? You surely know that hurricane experts have been warning congress for many years that the natural cycle in hurricanes would return some day, and that our built-up coastlines were ripe for a disaster (like Katrina, which you highlighted in the movie). And as long as snow continues to fall on glaciers, they will continue to flow downhill toward the sea. Yet you made it look like these things wouldn't happen if it weren't for global warming. Also, since there are virtually no measures of severe weather showing a recent increase, I assume those graphs you showed actually represented damage increases, which are well known to be simply due to greater population and wealth. Is that right?
2) Why did you make it sound like all scientists agree that climate change is manmade and not natural? You mentioned a recent literature review study that supposedly found no peer-reviewed articles that attributed climate change to natural causes (a non-repeatable study which has since been refuted....I have a number of such articles in my office!) You also mentioned how important it is to listen to scientists when they warn us, yet surely you know that almost all past scientific predictions of gloom and doom have been wrong. How can we trust scientists' predictions now?
3) I know you still must feel bad about the last presidential election being stolen from you, but why did you have to make fun of Republican presidents (Reagan; both Bushes) for their views on global warming? The points you made in the movie might have had wider appeal if you did not alienate so many moviegoers in this manner.
4) Your presentation showing the past 650,000 years of atmospheric temperature and carbon dioxide reconstructions from ice cores was very effective. But I assume you know that some scientists view the CO2 increases as the result of, rather than the cause of, past temperature increases. It seems unlikely that CO2 variations have been the dominant cause of climate change for hundreds of thousands of years. And now that there is a new source of carbon dioxide emissions (people), those old relationships are probably not valid anymore. Why did you give no hint of these alternative views?
5) When you recounted your 6-year-old son's tragic accident that nearly killed him, I thought that you were going to make the point that, if you had lived in a poor country like China or India , your son would have probably died. But then you later held up these countries as model examples for their low greenhouse gas emissions, without mentioning that the only reason their emissions were so low was because people in those countries are so poor. I'm confused...do you really want us to live like the poor people in India and China ?
6) There seems to be a lot of recent concern that more polar bears are drowning these days because of disappearing sea ice. I assume you know that polar bears have always migrated to land in late summer when sea ice naturally melts back, and then return to the ice when it re-freezes. Also, if this was really happening, why did the movie have to use a computer generated animation of the poor polar bear swimming around looking for ice? Haven't there been any actual observations of this happening? Also, temperature measurements in the arctic suggest that it was just as warm there in the 1930's...before most greenhouse gas emissions. Don't you ever wonder whether sea ice concentrations back then were low, too?
7) Why did you make it sound like simply signing on to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions would be such a big step forward, when we already know it will have no measurable effect on global temperatures anyway? And even though it represents such a small emission reduction, the economic pain Kyoto causes means that almost no developed country will be meeting its emission reductions commitments under that treaty, as we are now witnessing in Europe .
8) At the end of the movie, you made it sound like we can mostly fix the global warming problem by conserving energy... you even claimed we can reduce our carbon emissions to zero. But I'm sure you know that this will only be possible with major technological advancements, including a probable return to nuclear power as an energy source. Why did you not mention this need for technological advancement and nuclear power? It is because that would support the current (Republican) Administration's view?
Mr. Gore, I think we can both agree that if it was relatively easy for mankind to stop emitting so much carbon dioxide, that we should do so. You are a very smart person, so I can't understand why you left so many important points unmentioned, and you made it sound so easy.
I wish you well in these efforts, and I hope that humanity will make the right choices based upon all of the information we have on the subject of global warming. I agree with you that global warming is indeed a "moral issue," and if we are to avoid doing more harm than good with misguided governmental policies, we will need more politicians to be educated on the issue.
Your "Good Friend,"
Dr. Roy W. Spencer
Dr. Roy Spencer is a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on NASA's Aqua satellite. In the past, he has served as Senior Scientist for Climate Studies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville , Alabama . ??Dr. Spencer is the recipient of NASA's Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and the American Meteorological Society's Special Award for his satellite-based temperature monitoring work. He is the author of numerous scientific articles that have appeared in Science, Nature, Journal of Climate, Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology, Remote Sensing Reviews, Advances in Space Research, and Climatic Change. Dr. Spencer received his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin in 1981.
Answer:
Do you seriously believe that any global warming proponent will read through your presentation, and then think about it? I note that it was published over a year ago, and am surprised that you have not already received many answers that Dr. Spencer has been "discredited"
Global warming is real, albeit minor, but Mr. Gore by his own admission has made a career of using propaganda over it to gain political power. That is perhaps the single believable point made in his "documentary".
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Can someone tell me the name for this tree? I need to know it's called.. I'll give you a description below
Question:
I really need to know the name to this particular tree so I'll know what to ask people if there is any of this tree in the state of Wisconsin...
Ok.. this tree when fully grown, it will be in the size of a maple tree, normally found in people's backyards.. It has lots of berries-like in the size of a pinkie finger or little bit bigger. These berries are being eaten by all kinds of birds.. The color of these berries are purple-ish. It can also be consumer by human too. The berries from this tree can make a lot of mess when it starting to fall onto the ground..
So, if anyone know the name of this tree please tell me.
Thank you !!!
Answer:
Perhaps a mulberry tree? There are several around here, and the berries make a big mess on the ground.
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Early pre-season NCAA Top 10, make your predictions on how you feel these teams will finish this year and why?
Question:
1) Georgia
2)USC
3) Ohio St
4)Oklahoma
5)Florida
6)LSU
7)Missouri
8)West Virginia
9)Clemson
10) Texas.
Georgia: Schedule is way too brutal to survive an unbeaten season not only that Florida is seeking revenge. My prediction 10-2 , no SEC championship game. Falls to #8
USC: Gets big boost from the Ohio St win, even with the win problems at QB does show. Games against tougher Pac 10 defenses show to have better luck against the Trojans. Record 11-1 gets number #1 late
in year after SEC championship game upset.
Ohio St: Not so lucky this year. Start off with that loss to USC. Then looks as if they start rolling with blowouts until they travel to Wisconsin or Illinoise. One of these two gets them. Record 10-2 falls to #6
Oklahoma: Things looking good for the sooners then a sudden errrrk.
Them Horns gets em. Suffer a Big 12 loss in championship game to
Missouri. Record 11-2 falls to #5
Florida: Up and down year but still finds ways too win. Gets revenge on Georgia but slips to a SEC opponent. Loses the SEC championship game that cost then the NC game. Record 11-2 falls to #3
LSU: Start off fast but when SEC conference play starts they get a touch of reality. The qb is a year or two away on learning how to win in SEC play. Record 9-3 falls out of Top 10
Missouri : Has things rolling but has two slips during the year. Upset over Oklahoma in BIg 12 helps them get the BCS bid. Record 11-2 ranked # 4
West Virginia: Two years in a row this team was in the position at the
right time. This year they get it done. Lone loss this year and the upset in the SEC championship puts the Mountaineers in the NC game
against USC . Record 11-1 . Ranked #2
Clemson: Opening win against Alabama got things rolling but a tough loss to a very weak ACC opponent and a not too impressive win in ACC championship didnt help their cause. Move up two spots to #7
Record 11-2
Answer:
I thnk you have some pretty good points here; the only thing I can't agree with is USC losing a PAC-10 game. If they beat OSU I'd have to think they will go undefeated.
Granted, USC somehow has been creative lately finding a way to lose a seemingly un-losable game, but I think the PAC-10 is vastly overrated and USC **SHOULD** beat all of them handily.
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GLOBAL WARMiNG IS FAKE AND YOU KNOW IT?
Question:
Questions for Al Gore
By Dr. Roy Spencer
25 May 2006
Gore's Inconvenient Truth....
Dear Mr. Gore:
I have just seen your new movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," about the threat that global warming presents to humanity. I think you did a very good job of explaining global warming theory, and your presentation was effective. Please convey my compliments to your good friend, Laurie David, for a job well done.
As a climate scientist myself -- you might remember me...I'm the one you mistook for your "good friend," UK scientist Phil Jones during my congressional testimony some years back -- I have a few questions that occurred to me while watching the movie.
1) Why did you make it look like hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, droughts, and ice calving off of glaciers and falling into the ocean, are only recent phenomena associated with global warming? You surely know that hurricane experts have been warning congress for many years that the natural cycle in hurricanes would return some day, and that our built-up coastlines were ripe for a disaster (like Katrina, which you highlighted in the movie). And as long as snow continues to fall on glaciers, they will continue to flow downhill toward the sea. Yet you made it look like these things wouldn't happen if it weren't for global warming. Also, since there are virtually no measures of severe weather showing a recent increase, I assume those graphs you showed actually represented damage increases, which are well known to be simply due to greater population and wealth. Is that right?
2) Why did you make it sound like all scientists agree that climate change is manmade and not natural? You mentioned a recent literature review study that supposedly found no peer-reviewed articles that attributed climate change to natural causes (a non-repeatable study which has since been refuted....I have a number of such articles in my office!) You also mentioned how important it is to listen to scientists when they warn us, yet surely you know that almost all past scientific predictions of gloom and doom have been wrong. How can we trust scientists' predictions now?
3) I know you still must feel bad about the last presidential election being stolen from you, but why did you have to make fun of Republican presidents (Reagan; both Bushes) for their views on global warming? The points you made in the movie might have had wider appeal if you did not alienate so many moviegoers in this manner.
4) Your presentation showing the past 650,000 years of atmospheric temperature and carbon dioxide reconstructions from ice cores was very effective. But I assume you know that some scientists view the CO2 increases as the result of, rather than the cause of, past temperature increases. It seems unlikely that CO2 variations have been the dominant cause of climate change for hundreds of thousands of years. And now that there is a new source of carbon dioxide emissions (people), those old relationships are probably not valid anymore. Why did you give no hint of these alternative views?
5) When you recounted your 6-year-old son's tragic accident that nearly killed him, I thought that you were going to make the point that, if you had lived in a poor country like China or India , your son would have probably died. But then you later held up these countries as model examples for their low greenhouse gas emissions, without mentioning that the only reason their emissions were so low was because people in those countries are so poor. I'm confused...do you really want us to live like the poor people in India and China ?
6) There seems to be a lot of recent concern that more polar bears are drowning these days because of disappearing sea ice. I assume you know that polar bears have always migrated to land in late summer when sea ice naturally melts back, and then return to the ice when it re-freezes. Also, if this was really happening, why did the movie have to use a computer generated animation of the poor polar bear swimming around looking for ice? Haven't there been any actual observations of this happening? Also, temperature measurements in the arctic suggest that it was just as warm there in the 1930's...before most greenhouse gas emissions. Don't you ever wonder whether sea ice concentrations back then were low, too?
7) Why did you make it sound like simply signing on to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions would be such a big step forward, when we already know it will have no measurable effect on global temperatures anyway? And even though it represents such a small emission reduction, the economic pain Kyoto causes means that almost no developed country will be meeting its emission reductions commitments under that treaty, as we are now witnessing in Europe .
8) At the end of the movie, you made it sound like we can mostly fix the global warming problem by conserving energy... you even claimed we can reduce our carbon emissions to zero. But I'm sure you know that this will only be possible with major technological advancements, including a probable return to nuclear power as an energy source. Why did you not mention this need for technological advancement and nuclear power? It is because that would support the current (Republican) Administration's view?
Mr. Gore, I think we can both agree that if it was relatively easy for mankind to stop emitting so much carbon dioxide, that we should do so. You are a very smart person, so I can't understand why you left so many important points unmentioned, and you made it sound so easy.
I wish you well in these efforts, and I hope that humanity will make the right choices based upon all of the information we have on the subject of global warming. I agree with you that global warming is indeed a "moral issue," and if we are to avoid doing more harm than good with misguided governmental policies, we will need more politicians to be educated on the issue.
Your "Good Friend,"
Dr. Roy W. Spencer
Dr. Roy Spencer is a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on NASA's Aqua satellite. In the past, he has served as Senior Scientist for Climate Studies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville , Alabama . ??Dr. Spencer is the recipient of NASA's Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and the American Meteorological Society's Special Award for his satellite-based temperature monitoring work. He is the author of numerous scientific articles that have appeared in Science, Nature, Journal of Climate, Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology, Remote Sensing Reviews, Advances in Space Research, and Climatic Change. Dr. Spencer received his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin in 1981.
Answer:
Everything only lasts so long just like Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker. Wrestling is fake and scripted.
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Undergrad Finance/Accounting programs in the midwest
Question:
I am currently attending University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. I want to transfer to a bigger school in my third year (Fall '09)
I want to stay in the Midwest. I live in Iowa, so a neighboring state would be ideal.
What schools would you recommend?
Cost is also a concern for me. I have good academic records in high school, although nothing elite. 3.97 GPA, National Merit Commended Scholar, etc.
In College, i have work experience, tennis club president, expect to maintain a 3.9 GPA for another year.
I am also Indian, so a place that offers minority scholarships for transfer students would also be good.
I know that's a lot of information, please just help as best as you can.
Thanks
Answer:
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are there still any idiots out there that belive global warming is true?
Question:
Questions for Al Gore
By Dr. Roy Spencer
25 May 2006
Gore's Inconvenient Truth....
Dear Mr. Gore:
I have just seen your new movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," about the threat that global warming presents to humanity. I think you did a very good job of explaining global warming theory, and your presentation was effective. Please convey my compliments to your good friend, Laurie David, for a job well done.
As a climate scientist myself -- you might remember me...I'm the one you mistook for your "good friend," UK scientist Phil Jones during my congressional testimony some years back -- I have a few questions that occurred to me while watching the movie.
1) Why did you make it look like hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, droughts, and ice calving off of glaciers and falling into the ocean, are only recent phenomena associated with global warming? You surely know that hurricane experts have been warning congress for many years that the natural cycle in hurricanes would return some day, and that our built-up coastlines were ripe for a disaster (like Katrina, which you highlighted in the movie). And as long as snow continues to fall on glaciers, they will continue to flow downhill toward the sea. Yet you made it look like these things wouldn't happen if it weren't for global warming. Also, since there are virtually no measures of severe weather showing a recent increase, I assume those graphs you showed actually represented damage increases, which are well known to be simply due to greater population and wealth. Is that right?
2) Why did you make it sound like all scientists agree that climate change is manmade and not natural? You mentioned a recent literature review study that supposedly found no peer-reviewed articles that attributed climate change to natural causes (a non-repeatable study which has since been refuted....I have a number of such articles in my office!) You also mentioned how important it is to listen to scientists when they warn us, yet surely you know that almost all past scientific predictions of gloom and doom have been wrong. How can we trust scientists' predictions now?
3) I know you still must feel bad about the last presidential election being stolen from you, but why did you have to make fun of Republican presidents (Reagan; both Bushes) for their views on global warming? The points you made in the movie might have had wider appeal if you did not alienate so many moviegoers in this manner.
4) Your presentation showing the past 650,000 years of atmospheric temperature and carbon dioxide reconstructions from ice cores was very effective. But I assume you know that some scientists view the CO2 increases as the result of, rather than the cause of, past temperature increases. It seems unlikely that CO2 variations have been the dominant cause of climate change for hundreds of thousands of years. And now that there is a new source of carbon dioxide emissions (people), those old relationships are probably not valid anymore. Why did you give no hint of these alternative views?
5) When you recounted your 6-year-old son's tragic accident that nearly killed him, I thought that you were going to make the point that, if you had lived in a poor country like China or India , your son would have probably died. But then you later held up these countries as model examples for their low greenhouse gas emissions, without mentioning that the only reason their emissions were so low was because people in those countries are so poor. I'm confused...do you really want us to live like the poor people in India and China ?
6) There seems to be a lot of recent concern that more polar bears are drowning these days because of disappearing sea ice. I assume you know that polar bears have always migrated to land in late summer when sea ice naturally melts back, and then return to the ice when it re-freezes. Also, if this was really happening, why did the movie have to use a computer generated animation of the poor polar bear swimming around looking for ice? Haven't there been any actual observations of this happening? Also, temperature measurements in the arctic suggest that it was just as warm there in the 1930's...before most greenhouse gas emissions. Don't you ever wonder whether sea ice concentrations back then were low, too?
7) Why did you make it sound like simply signing on to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions would be such a big step forward, when we already know it will have no measurable effect on global temperatures anyway? And even though it represents such a small emission reduction, the economic pain Kyoto causes means that almost no developed country will be meeting its emission reductions commitments under that treaty, as we are now witnessing in Europe .
8) At the end of the movie, you made it sound like we can mostly fix the global warming problem by conserving energy... you even claimed we can reduce our carbon emissions to zero. But I'm sure you know that this will only be possible with major technological advancements, including a probable return to nuclear power as an energy source. Why did you not mention this need for technological advancement and nuclear power? It is because that would support the current (Republican) Administration's view?
Mr. Gore, I think we can both agree that if it was relatively easy for mankind to stop emitting so much carbon dioxide, that we should do so. You are a very smart person, so I can't understand why you left so many important points unmentioned, and you made it sound so easy.
I wish you well in these efforts, and I hope that humanity will make the right choices based upon all of the information we have on the subject of global warming. I agree with you that global warming is indeed a "moral issue," and if we are to avoid doing more harm than good with misguided governmental policies, we will need more politicians to be educated on the issue.
Your "Good Friend,"
Dr. Roy W. Spencer
Dr. Roy Spencer is a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on NASA's Aqua satellite. In the past, he has served as Senior Scientist for Climate Studies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville , Alabama . ??Dr. Spencer is the recipient of NASA's Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and the American Meteorological Society's Special Award for his satellite-based temperature monitoring work. He is the author of numerous scientific articles that have appeared in Science, Nature, Journal of Climate, Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology, Remote Sensing Reviews, Advances in Space Research, and Climatic Change. Dr. Spencer received his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin in 1981.
Answer:
Global warming IS true. It's a fact that the earth IS warming up. No one questions whether or not global warming exists. It's the CAUSES of global warming that have everyone in an uproar.
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Follow-Up to Discussion "Why does Ohio State always have such an easy schedule?"?
Question:
As the title states, this is a follow-up to the discussion on the strength of OSU’s schedule. I think some commentators made some great points, so I’d refer you to that discussion if you’d like SOME informed perspectives. First, let me point out that I'm a diehard USC Trojan fan and not a Buckeye partisan. However, I, like those in Big 10 country and elsewhere, have been astonished by the hubris of SEC fans, who seemingly cite recent BCS successes as 'evidence' that the SEC has always been 'top dog'. SEC fans argue this point so doggedly that it makes you wonder if they feel they have anything else to hang their hats on.
To give you some historical perspective, let's go back to the 1970s. In that era, Alabama won three national championships (’73, ’78, ’79), but in the five seasons from 1975 to 1979, there was just one season in which two SEC teams finished in the top 10 of the AP poll – 1977, with No. 2 Alabama and No. 6 Kentucky. Should we disregard Alabama’s successes in that era on putative weaknesses of the SEC? I think not.
Since much of the discussion has actually focused largely on the issue of SEC vs. Big 10 (not just Ohio State), I'll limit my comments mostly to those issues. It's probably worth mentioning that the Big 10 and SEC have met face-to-face in 6 bowl games the past 2 seasons (the era of SEC 'dominance'). Their comparative records? 3 wins a piece (Big Ten Wins: 07' - Wisconsin 17 Arkansas 14, PSU 20 Tennessee 10; '08 - Michigan 41 Florida 35). As one person has already pointed out, even reaching back just a few years before this "era of SEC dominance", the Big 10 has faired well against the SEC: Michigan is 7-1 against the SEC in their last 8. Wisconsin is 2-1 in their last 3, and Penn State is 3-0. And as another person pointed out, Ohio State is actually 7-11-2 against the SEC (not a winning record, but hardly what I'd call SEC dominance). This is face-to-face competition, but I'm sure that some SEC fans will find some reason to disregard these statistics.
As for 1-AA competition, let's look at who the SEC has slated for the upcoming season:
LSU vs. Appalachian State (*Your beloved champion)
Kentucky vs. Norfolk State
Ole Miss vs. Samford
Arkansas vs. Western Illinois
South Carolina vs. Wofford
Mississippi State vs. Southeastern Louisiana
Georgia vs. Georgia Southern (*Isn't UGA touted as the SEC favorite this year?)
**NOTE: This is just your 1-AA slate (Hmm. Doesn’t Georgia play Central Michigan this season?). Should we mention last year's schedule (e.g. Mississippi State vs. Gardner Webb)?
Now I'm sure that some SEC fans will argue "Well, our teams play in the toughest conference. Why not have some cream-puff non-conference foes?" That's a complete cop-out, because calling yourself the toughest conference and then using in-conference play as the basis for doing so is circular reasoning. Let me be clear – I have the utmost respect for the SEC and the quality of football within that conference. I am not maligning the SEC, but I do take issue with some SEC fans who really have a limited historical perspective, or just don’t know their facts.
Call it nostalgia or respect for a great football tradition, but I feel compelled to come to Ohio State's defense (I won't be saying that come one Saturday this September, however). People forget that Ohio State played Texas on the Longhorns' home field and beat them decisively during the 2006-2007 season. Moreover, they almost beat the Longhorns' during their championship season, and by my look ahead at Ohio State's future schedules, has some pretty tough non-conference competition (e.g. USC, Oklahoma, Miami). Notwithstanding this discussion about strength of schedule, let's remember folks that these schedules are arranged many years in advance, and teams that are expected to be strong for years to come when added to a team's schedule may fall on hard times (e.g. remember when Colorado, Nebraska, Florida State, and Washington made people nervous?).
Moreover, some people simply overlook the significance of what OSU has done the past 2 seasons: they've played for the national championship! Nobody else can say that! I find it curious that many SEC fans complain that the BCS is a broken system when, in fact, they've been benefactors of that same system in recent years as well (LSU had 2 losses last season, after all). As an SC fan, I've heard over and over from LSU fans that they were the "true national champion" in 2004 because they won the BCS championship and "those are the rules we all agreed to.” Well, if that’s your argument, be consistent by not maligning Ohio State for making it to the BCS national championship, since those are the “rules we all agreed to.”
That being said, I'm actually with most fans - including many Buckeye and SEC fans I know - in saying that the BCS is a flawed system in desperate need of repair. I’m hoping that we can ratchet up the pressure so that we can get something resembling a play
...so that we can get something resembling a playoff system (perhaps a “Plus 1 system”, with a “Final Four” based on the highest BCS rankings before bowl season).
Let’s have fun this season. Be cool. Be respectful.
Sorry for the confusion folks. I actually think that "Deacon" illustrates my point and I want to think him for him comments (despite the fact that he does not appear to be good natured about it). I agree that a LOT of this has to do with Athletic Directors and University Presidents. I think that a HUGE flaw in the current BCS system is that there is an incentive to schedule weak opponents, because strength of schedule does not factor into the equation (at least not explicitly. It's been argued that it factors into the human polls).
Which brings me to my main point (as intimated by "Deacon", albeit unintentionally I suspect). That is, every major program around the country (not just OSU) is scheduling weak opponents, but at least OSU has had the guts to schedule the likes of Texas, USC, Oklahoma, and Miami. Last year was mostly a fluke with respect to their non-conference slate, but it included Washington which had been a formidable opponent when placed on OSU's schedule years ago.
Answer:
Dude, you need to get a life.
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How Do You Global Warming Alarmists Feel Now That 2 More Global Warming Myths Have Been Disproved?
Question:
http://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/avery121606.htm
Two more global warming scares have just been quietly blown away: the claim that global warming is causing more and bigger hurricanes; and the claim that warming threatens to shut down the great Atlantic Ocean conveyor currents.
James Kossin of the University of Wisconsin led the reanalysis of the tropical storms. He says there’s no sign that tropical storms are intensifying globally as the ocean waters warm. This is further endorsed by the old British Navy records from the Caribbean, which indicate more than twice as many major land falling hurricanes per decade during the Little Ice Age years from 1700 to 1850 as during the last 50 years of global warming.
Slowly the truth comes out. Al Gore Lied, Critical Thinking Died.
Liberal Evasion Tactics For Global Warming: When faced with irrefutable proof that poked holes in the global warming theory, claim the source is "biased" and disregard the fact that the information published by the "biased" site came from a major university.
This study is from the University of Wisconsin, not the Canadian Free Press, they just reported ON THE STUDY. Amazing how some libs can't seem to read even a little bit, here's a hint: sound out the bigger words.
Answer:
Can't handle the truth. Lefties, if you want to fight "global warming" go th China, they are by far the largest users of fossil fuels as well as the biggest polluters.
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Is this not a true and well timed story?
Question:
With the showing of "Flags of Our Fathers", I think this is an interesting and enlightening story
Tale of Six Boys
Each year I am hired to go to Washington, DC, with the eighth grade class
from Clinton, WI. where I grew up, to videotape their trip. I greatly enjoy
visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories
back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable.
On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima memorial. This
memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the
most famous photographs in history -- that of the six brave soldiers raising
the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima,
Japan, during WW II.
Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed
towards the memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue,
and as I got closer he asked, "Where are you guys from?"
I told him that we were from Wisconsin. "Hey, I'm a cheese head, too! Come
gather around, Cheese heads, and I will tell you a story."
(James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, DC, to speak at the
memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to his
dad, who has since passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the
buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his
permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to tour
the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington, D.C., but it is
quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.) When all
had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. (Here are his words that
night.)
"My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin. My dad is on that
statue, and I just wrote a book called "Flags of Our Fathers" which is #5 on
the New York Times Best Seller list right now. It is the story of the six
boys you see behind me.
"Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is
Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player. He enlisted in the
Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off
to play another type of game. A game called "War." But it didn't turn out to
be a game.
Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say
that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in
front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know
that most of the boys in Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old.
(He pointed to the statue) "You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from
New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was
taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a
photograph... a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for
protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. Boys won the battle
of Iwo Jima Boys. Not old men.
"The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank.
Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the "old
man" because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his
boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or
'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to little boys. Instead
he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.'
"The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from
Arizona. Ira Hayes walked off Iwo Jima He went into the White House with my
dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero' He told reporters, 'How can
I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27
of us walked off alive?' So you take your class at school, 250 of you
spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. Then all 250
of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That
was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes died dead
drunk, face down at the age of 32 .. ten years after this picture was taken.
"The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop,
Kentucky A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told
me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General
Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down.
Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night. Yes, he was a
fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When
the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the
Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's
farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning.
The neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.
"The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John
Bradley from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994,
but he would never give interviews. When Walter Cronkite's producers, or the
New York Times would call, we were trained as little kids to say 'No, I'm
sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no
phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back. My dad never
fished or even went to Canada. Usually, he was sitting there right at the
table eating his Campbell's soup. But we had to tell the press that he was
out fishing. He didn't want to talk to the press.
"You see, my dad didn't see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys
are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew
better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo
Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo
Jima, they writhed and screamed in pain.
"When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a
hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I
want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did
not come back. Did NOT come back.'"
"So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, and
three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in
the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out,
so I will end here. Thank you for your time."
Suddenly, the monument wasn't just a big old piece of metal with a flag
sticking out of the top. It came to life before our eyes with the heartfelt
words of a son who did indeed have a father who was a hero. Maybe not a hero
for the reasons most people would believe, but a hero nonetheless.
We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to
live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice. Let us never forget from the
Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars
in-between that sacrifice was made for our freedom. Remember to pray praises
for this great country of ours and also pray for those still in murderous
unrest around the world. STOP and thank God for being alive and being free
at someone else's sacrifice.
REMINDER: Everyday that you can wake up free is a blessing.
.
Answer:
I appreciate the message, but that is not a question. I've read the book and strongly recommend it. I have not seen the movie but plan to. Semper Fidelis.
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Need your help- Writing first draft of novel need some feedback here is part of a chapter-?
Question:
Chapter 4
A Chance of a Lifetime
“Aaron, where is everybody?” I asked as I saw Aaron sitting alone in front of the whaleback ship.“You know how it is Kyra—they had their own things to do. Last night they came because they were curious who I was, um interested in. That’s all.” Alone at last! Alone—with a dragon! Mister caramel lightly dipped in dark chocolate eyes! The eyes that I felt I could meld into…“Kyra. Kyra!”“ Huh?” “ Am I so boring that you have to day dream when you’re with me?” he smirked, gently caressing my cheek.“No! No! I was just thinking.” Whew, if he only knew the affect his eyes had on me. “So Aaron, what are we going to do tonight? Jump in the lake, cascade over mountains, or talk.” I was so busy staring into his eyes that I he had already changed into his dragon form and was flipping me onto his back.“ Aiii…” I screamed, surprised.“Let’s talk” I heard him say in my head as we flew low over the water.“Boat! Boat!” was all I could scream as a boat quickly appeared in our path. I closed my eyes not wanting to see the impact. Instead, I felt the slight shift in Aaron’s body as he coasted out of its path.“You can open your eyes now.” he gurgled and snorted. Was he laughing!“Ya go ahead and laugh at me” I fumed, “You wouldn’t think it so funny if we would have crashed.” His gurgling and snorting continued, he was laughing so hard his body was shaking, tickling me as I hung on.“Stop.. hahaha… that!”
We landed at top of the Aerial Lift Bridge.
The glow of the Duluth/Superior lights were all around us as I gawked at the pristine beauty of the lights, lake and the night. I could see small white shapes floating, reflecting the city lights on the lake.
“Those are seagulls.”“Seagulls? I thought they would find some warm, dry place to sleep on land.” “ Seagulls are opportunists. They sleep in their nests when the have young otherwise they sleep anywhere they are away from their predators, and I don’t think Lake Superior has many predators that can eat a live healthy seagull.”“ Do you eat seagulls?”“ Na, some of the others do but for me they’re too feathery. Yuck! Last time I tried one it took me weeks to get the feathers out of my teeth!” I hope he brushes his teeth! Yuck! Carefully, he set me down on the beam he had been standing on—changing back. The winds off the lake scared me, as they blew I had to struggle to maintain my footing.“Aaron!” I cried as my feet slipped out from under me. I was falling!“Gotcha!” he said in my ear. We were both sitting down, me in his lap, and his strong-arms tightly around me. We sat there in silence—watching. Watching—together—in his arms—clouds float by, the ships cast in darkness on the lake- rolling with a glimmer of light. “Kyra, what did you want to ask me?” His breath tickled my ear.“Huh? Oh!” I said as his voice seeped through the fog of my mind. “I wanted to know why are there dragons here and why this area? In all the books I read, dragons exist everywhere but here!” “ Dragons like humans are everywhere. It’s just we choose to live hidden—if most humans knew we really did exist, they would try to put us in zoo’s and dissect us; trying to find out whether we were more like lizards or snakes. Through history we have learned that humans kill what they are afraid of, even themselves…”
I kissed him. On the cheek- I couldn’t help myself- he seemed so, sad.
“We would rather live in our dragon form, but with humans, living almost everywhere on the earth—if we wanted to survive—we didn’t have a choice.”I started to think about what might happened if someone, anyone who was not willing to keep their secret proved Aaron and his kind existed and who they were as humans.“Aaron, can you choose what you look like as a human?”“No, we can only choose the age.”“Your age! How old are you, as a dragon?” I never thought about how long the legends said dragons could live. I guess I just assumed he was my age even in dragon. “Hmm.. about 225 years old. Give or take a couple years.”“ 225! Than why are you hanging out with me? I’m a little young aren’t I?”Aaron explained to me how dragon age and human age is not the same; just like a dog’s age is not really the same as a human. That in approximation of dragon age he was about the same age as me and had as much to learn about the world as I did. “Feel better?” he laughed, hugging me tighter.“Yes much better, I was starting to think all I was to you was a plaything.”“Never! Are you hungry?”“ A little. Why are you?”“ Famished!”
Did he say famished? Oh no! I never asked him if he ate humans!
“Umm—you don’t eat people do you?” “Only those that annoy me.” He laughed, teasingly. Whew, that was a relief. Feeling playful—I leaned close to his ear and whispered, “I don’t annoy you do I.”
Aaron grabbed me and threw me up into the air of the brisk moonlit night. My scream lost in my throat. He won’t let me fall to my death- right? I was only teasing. I felt the wind blow against my body—suffocating me as I tried to scream-I was going to pass out! I watched as the ground rose to meet me. “Aaron WHAT did I do?” I tried to scream when all of a sudden I was jerked hard upright, thrown into the air once again and landed safely on Aarons back. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to scare you. Let’s go eat!” Eat—eat—does he think I feel like eating after almost crashing to my death because of him?“I’m NOT hungry. Humph…” I said, kicking him in the side.“I said I was sorry—what more do you want?” Does he think I am going to talk to him, after what he did?“Kyra, I was just playing. Please, please believe me when I tell you I would have never let anything happen to you!”“ PLAYING, PLAYING! YOU call that playing?”“ I guess to someone who can’t fly, I can understand how they wouldn’t think that as playing.”“ You got that right!”
We landed in a secluded area on the rocky shores of Canal Park.“Where to?”“Follow my lead.” Aaron said once he changed in human form, holding my hand in his and led the way. We only had to walk a little ways before arriving at a restaurant.
“Have you ever eaten here Kyra?”
“Ya, the food’s yummy.”
“Yummy?”
“Yes, yummy.”
He looked confused. Hasn’t he ever heard the word yummy before? He ordered a big steak with all the works, and I politely said, “The same!” as the server took our order. He looked surprised but not as surprised as I was for how bold I was being. Why not? Didn’t he throw me off the top of the Arial Lift Bridge? A girl can really work up an appetite once the shock wears off a near death experience.
“I guess you’re afraid that this might be your last meal?” Aaron said as he laughed from across the table.“Aaron, what do people think when at school you’re in a wheelchair and out of school your not?”“I just make sure to avoid them. Usually after school I am at places they aren’t—unless of course they can change into birds.” “ Why the wheel chair? You don’t need it?”Aaron explained to me how he chose to be in a wheelchair at school; that he couldn’t walk—even if he tried. “Why? How can you walk one minute and than not the next? I don’t understand.”
“We all do—sometime during our lives.”
He looked so uncomfortable—as if he was telling me a deep dark secret.
“So—how about those Twins,” I chirped.
“Twins, aren’t they baseball? We’re in football season now.”
I smacked my head with the palm of my hand. How could I forget it was football season? I lived on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border—all the rivalry going on between Packer and Viking fans was almost as interesting as the sport itself. Our talking ebbed as our food arrived— shoveling bite after bite as if we were starving in our hungry mouths.
“We have to hurry or you’re going to be late!” Aaron said after he paid for our food and left a sizable tip for the server.We rushed out the door, running down the street towards the white and black lighthouse on Canal Park. “Why—are—we going there?” I asked Aaron when we were half way there.“People on the rocks,” was all he said as he grabbed my hand and hurried me along. With a flick of his wrist, I was cast into the air, landing on his back with a thud. I hadn’t even realized Aaron had changed into a dragon all ready. “How do you do that!” I called to him as the wind whipped my voice away, making it a whisper.“How do I do what?”“Change into a dragon so quickly? Isn’t it difficult?”“ It is more difficult for me to change into human form than it is my original form-think about it?”
I suppose it would be just as difficult for a human to change into a dragon—the scales instead of hair, big pointy teeth, and razor sharp claws instead of finger nails. I could name a few people who probably wouldn’t have any difficulties with the claws, since they always seem to have them bared and ready to use. “Ha ha ha,” I was laughing so hard tears streamed down my cheeks—Aaron had to shift to balance me—I almost fell off Aaron’s back.“What’s so funny that you could have fallen to your doom?”“Claws!” I cried and laughed even harder.“Claws? What is so funny about claws?” As we landed in the alley behind my house, I tried to explain to him how some people seemed too always have their claws out. He did not understand until I used a few examples using some kids from school. “Oh, I get it!”I wasn’t sure he did, but I think he understood a little better before I told him goodbye and gave him a quick peck on the cheek – running into the house so I would not be late.
“Kyra! I was worried about you. I tried to call you on the cell phone for the last hour and you did not answer. Well, young lady?” My dad stood in the kitchen with his feet firmly planted shoulder with apart; with his hands on his hips, and glared at me as if I had committed a cardinal sin. He only acted like this when I was seriously in trouble.“Hi Honey. Did you have a good time tonight?” Mom said as she walked in the kitchen and stood next to my dad. She must have heard him because before I could answer she asked for her cell phone back.“Here you go mom.” I said sheepishly as I unclipped the cell phone from my belt and handed it to her. She flipped her phone open, checking it, holding it up for my dad to see than whispered something in his ear as she mouth to him the words ‘sorry’.
“I’m sorry Kyra. Your mom just informed me that she forgot to turn the ringer and vibrate on, before she gave it to you. Next time you use her cell phone-- please check that it is on.” I stood there in disbelief, how lucky I was at that moment. If the ringer or vibrate had been turned on I would have been grounded to my room for at least a week.“Kyra, I was just worried something happened to you. I love you.” I hadn’t run up to my dad in years and hugged him, tonight was an exception. “I love you too dad.” I said as I squeezed him as tightly as I could. He had been so busy much of my life I had almost forgotten how worried he got when I wasn’t safe at home.
When I was in sixth grade, I went to my first sleep over at a friend’s house for her birthday. She lived a long way out in the country, on a farm. While I was getting my stuff ready to go to her sleepover, there was a breaking news report on the television about a recent bear attack in the area. My dad had been so worried that a bear might break into her house and maul me that he forbade me to go to the sleep over. It wasn’t until my mom’s reassurance that I would be safe-- that the news report said, “the attack was from a bear attacking campers in their tents- who did not secure their food properly- not their homes; did my dad finally lift my restriction on going to the party. As my mom and I walked out the door to drive there, he hugged me as if he was never going to see me again. I laughed when the next day my mom told me my dad had dreamed that he was fighting off bears all night, which made it impossible for her to get any sleep out of concern that he might mistake her for a bear.
I dragged myself up the stairs to my room-- dead tired-- I guess all this flying around as a passenger is starting to wear me out. I still had the riddles to solve—tonight I did get some answers only to find more questions. “Goodnight Kyra,” my mom said softly as she pulled my quilt over me, kissing my forehead gently goodnight. “G--night mom.” I mumbled as I drifted off to sleep.
It was still dark when I woke up; my heart pounding in my chest as I jumped to my feet—ready to protect myself from the threat I felt. I glanced defensively around my room, noticing nothing out of the ordinary. That was until I saw a blurred reddish brown –what looked to be a weird handprint on my glass outside my window. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I could see that the print was indeed of a hand—a hand just like Aarons in dragon form. “Aaron!” My mind screamed out his name. It was all I remembered as I woke to the sun shinning through my still scarred window, waking me up for a new day.
Chapter 5
The Note
“Nothing’ but a little late fall house cleaning,” I told my mom as she stood in my doorway watching me clean my window. The windows of our house tilt in for cleaning otherwise I would be frantic about how I was going to hide the bloody print sticky solidly to the middle of the glass. I could only wonder if Aaron was playing some sort of prank, was he injured somehow, or if one of the other dragons did this.
“Kyra, I know I usually harp to you to clean your room. It’s forty degrees outside this morning and I do not think now is a good time to clean outside windows.”
I knew she was right. It was getting chilly in my room from having my window tilted open but I was sure she would be freaked out if I had left it the way it was.
I got dressed quickly, and ran downstairs to the kitchen. My mom was in her usual spot at the table – cup of coffee in hand—no dad in sight.
“Where’s dad?” I asked her as I finished pouring a bowl of cereal for myself.
She looked up from the book she had been reading, “Did you forget he had to go to work this morning as usual?”
Now I did it! I made her mom radar go off by asking her something I should have known.
Nervously I Sloshed the milk, I was trying to pour, over the count top “Oops! I’ll clean it up.” I said as I quickly grabbed a towel.
“What is wrong with you today Kyra. First you’re up this morning cleaning your window than forgetting your dad has to work today- it’s not like you- what’s wrong?”
I wanted to tell her about everything. Aaron and his friends being dragons, flying and about the bloody claw print—I was afraid. I was afraid if I did tell her and she believed me she would ground me forever or if she didn’t believe me I would feel betrayed- betrayed that she didn’t trust me enough not lie to her about something this serious. So-- I did the best thing I could do at the time.
Shrugging my shoulders as I spooned mouthfuls of globules into my mouth I mumbled, “I don’t know.” A safe response that most children learn as soon as they can talk to defend themselves from things they do not want to answer.
I felt guilty as I watched my mom silently get up to pour herself some more coffee. My mom like some adults never forgot what it was like being an adolescent; she knew exactly what I was doing. As I glance over to her empty seat I saw the book she had been reading, ‘Norse Mythology’, it was identical to the one I saw Aaron reading in school.
“Mom! Where did you get that book?”
Startled by the urgency in my voice she turned quickly, knocking her cup off the counter and onto the floor.
“Calm down,” she said as she stooped to clean up the mess. “I found it in your backpack. I’m sorry if I upset you—I didn’t think you would mind.”
“Oh, no mom, I don’t mind—I just forgot I had that book, that’s all.” I said as I shoved the book roughly into my backpack.
I glanced cautiously at her to see if she believed me—she did. My stomach felt like it was churning as I realized—she believed me and this time I had lied to her.
What was I doing? I never lied to my mom before—we had an honesty policy. Our ‘honesty policy’ was an agreement my mom and I created together when I was a little girl. It said that we were never to lie to one another unless it was extreme circumstances like the year dad planned a surprise party for my mom and I wasn’t supposed to tell her—because if I did, it would have wrecked the surprise. Otherwise, we were to be honest with each other.
I didn’t really lie though-- I just used the word forgot rather than didn’t know-- Maybe I really did forget with all the things happening. Just maybe, Aaron gave me the book and I unconsciously put it in my backpack. Great! Now, I was lying to myself.
“Oh this fell out of your book,” she said handing me a tattered folded piece of paper. “In case you’re wondering,” she continued, “I didn’t open it. I respect your privacy.”
This morning was turning out to be one of those days when you wished you stayed safe in bed. Filled with guilt for the partial lie and now her declaration of how she respects my privacy I did the only thing I could do.
I smiled an uttered a “Thanks mom,” stuffing the note in my back pocket as I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before I grabbed my coat and out the door, walking quickly to the bus stop.
Once at school, I scanned the hallways in between class, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aaron, Andrea or some recognition of any of the other dragons I saw in human form my first night at Barkers Island.
Class after class went by without seeing any of them—I was hopeful, that at lunch Andrea would be there, for my mind was consumed by theories about the bloody hand/claw print.
“That maybe it wasn’t blood at all but red clay. Aaron could have gotten it on his hands/claws before he put the book in my backpack when I was sleeping” or “it was just a prank one of the other dragons was pulling to scare me.”
Though my theories were plausible—I could find loopholes in all of them—except two--, one that Aaron was hurt and the other that it was a prank. If only I could find Aaron or Andrea, they might know.
Lunchtime came and I decided to buy my lunch. The line wasn’t very long—grabbing an apple, a salad, and a bottle of water—I proceeded to the cashier.
She looked bored as she said, “$2.20” while she held out her hand for the money.
I reached in my back pocket pulling out the cash I had stashed there when I noticed the note that had fallen out of the ‘Norse Mythology’ book this morning. Hanging on to my two one-dollar bills and fishing in my front pocket for the twenty cents- finding two dimes. I dropped the money into her hand, snatched up my tray, scanned for a seat where Andrea (if she was at school) could find me, and a little privacy to look at the tattered folded paper. I found the perfect table. It was close to the cafeteria doors—so that Andrea wouldn’t miss me—as well as the space was busy enough for now one to care about what I was doing.
I opened the paper carefully; afraid if I hurried I would tear it, and spread the note out in front of me.
I know I have seen symbols like this somewhere, but where; maybe in history class when we were studying ancient Egypt.
“Hey, I heard their serving ‘wing dings’ today!” A student said loudly to his pal as they walked to the lunch line, disrupting my thoughts.
All through lunch, I studied the note trying to decipher any of it, while automatically taking bite after bite out of my apple. The salad was forgotten.Br-i- ng….the bell rang out; time to move on to my next class. Disappointed, I jammed the note in my backpack, stuffed the leftover lunch in the trash, hopeful that Aaron would be in Biology to ease my fears and explain what was going on.
In the hallway my head started throbbing, at first a dull pain just behind my ear, it steadily increase as I made my way to class. “Stress headache,” I muttered, trying to comfort myself as the pain in my head amplified.
“Kyra.. Kyra…” I heard someone behind me whisper, I turned around towards the sound to see who said it, but all I saw were a sea of faces bobbing to their next class. I must be imagining it, I thought. Until I heard my name, being whispered again only this, time more urgent. “What!” I replied, frustrated as I abruptly spun around and smacked into Mr. Wilson my biology teacher, almost knocking him off his feet. He was so shocked he could only sputter and shake his head as I offered him a quick apology and scooted off to my next class hoping the time would go by quickly. As I sat in class waiting for it to be over; the thrum in my head worsened, I started to shiver from the pain. “Just a little bit longer,” I coaxed myself trying to hold out until biology. Than I would ask Mr. Wilson for a pass to go to the nurses office, but only after I talk to Aaron.
“KYRA!” I heard someone scream, as I started trembling uncontrollably as an intense pain tore through my head. Blinding me as my body plummeted off my chair down to the cold tiled floor. I never heard the bell ring for biology.
“Kyr.. ra..,” a ghostly voice whispered in the night; the moon lighting up everything around me in an ethereal blush; I saw waves undulating far below me, embracing the rocks that jutted maliciously out of the water, reaching for me, calling my name. I teetered on the edge of the precipice imploring my body not to reply. I could only watch, feeling the alarm rise up in me as my arms reached out to them. “Ky…ra” they called, “come to us..” I wobbled, resisting, as my feet stirred moving closer to the edge. Amongst the waves, sitting on the largest rock I could see a gloomy figure, battered and bloody looking up at me with big sad eyes. “Kyr.. Ra” it called up at me, “RUN!” The dark silhouette’s command shocked me out of my stupor. Regaining control over my body and mind, I spun around and ran howling “Noooo…!” as I realize the broken figure on the rocks, had been Aaron in his dragon form. I found myself running through the wood, branches slashing, grabbing at me trying to stop my plight. When I could run no more, I tumbled to the ground and sobbed. I wept for Aaron, wondering if he was still alive or if the crashing tide washed him away. I cried for myself, lost, afraid, and confused. Wondering how I got to the cliff when my last memory was of me sitting safe in my class at school, waiting for the bell to ring, for my next class was biology. The only class I had Aaron in; who might hold the answers that I needed.
A shadow flickered across the ground. Looking up I saw a large dark shape looming just above the trees, directly over my head. I crouched lower, burying my head in my arms, trying to shield myself from its view. “Kyr.. ra,” it sang to me, it words vibrating through my mind, “don’t be afraid.” I heard the rustling of branches as it made its decent. I looked up, startled to see Andrea, my friend, looming over me. She was more beautiful than I remember, as the moonlight shimmered in waves off her dark lavender scales. I tried to find the words to tell her about Aaron, to ask her what was happening, as she gently picked me up and placed me on her back. “Hang on,” she called, her voice soft as a lullaby “I’m here to bring you home.”
Oh I almost forgot it is young adult fiction
Over the last three months I have had no feedback on it- I am up to 30,000 words and another probally 30,000 until it is completely finished.
This is not my first attemp at a novel, the others I tried to force from short stories I had written into novels- this became a novel from the beginning.
Its taken me 20 years to start writing again.....
I need honesty - critique - for a publisher is not out there just to be nice to everyone.
exert first chapter-
to help clarify....
My world is falling apart. The world I thought I knew. The world where I felt apart of instead of the outcast I feel like now.
How did this happen? I kept asking myself. How am I so different from my peers? My wants, needs, desires... My reactions to them over stepping my boundaries- the boundaries of humanity, while they talk to me and treat me anyway they please. Expecting me to roll over and play dead or abide to their wishes as if I am some genie in a lamp. Cutting me off with anger when I do not abide or struggle to tell them no. Why do I have to be like them? Why do I have to be like everyone else? As if, I was to be supposed to be created in their image instead of my Gods. Doesn’t it say we are supposed to turn the other cheek to find understanding of one another, compassion, acceptance…?
Answer:
Ok...
What you have in your present manuscript is basically a plot outline. It reads ok as play by play but it needs to be more descriptive and draw the reader in. I will try to give you an example, but it will not necessarily fit the character or relationships you are creating. One more point, try to use 3rd person in your narration. It is a bit of a fine sticking point, but 1st person is considered a bit to egocentric for most writing.
Example:
From across the ripening fields or wheat, etched in frames of thatched village hearth smoke, the dragon and child played. Sinister scales of crimson and royal purple reflected the late October sun's last rays as if surrounding them in breathed flame, and yet no malice shown in a dance of equals of friends even from so far away their laughter could not be heard.
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obama for real?
Question:
Do you think Obama will really bring change? I like what I hear, but the follow though is another thing. I favor Obama over Clinton because I don't want someone who is for big business over the the well being for the average citizen. I fell Clinton has obligations to big business contributors to her campaign and has been corrupted by business as usual in Washington. Let me know what you think. Voter from Wisconsin.
Answer:
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I know it's alot to read, but what do you think of my story?
Answer:
alot of fragments that you shoudl make into senteces. also you have very random things in the most random places it doesnt flow that well. fix all he spellings errors and make a better plot and it should be good. also you should think of writing more there is no climax orfalling action. ( who is tyler taking to prom?, what will the poor guy do about people accepting his sexuality?, will the two guys ever meet?) questions like thsoe need to be answered
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