Travelogue

Paris 

Oh Paris the city of love. There are a lot of bright lights and the Eiffel Tower gives a spectacular view of everything. The flight was about 7 hours long, so I stayed up all night to catch up on my sleep on the plane. After touching down I jumped on a bus, went straight to the hotel, changed my clothes and hit the city.

First place that I went to was the  Notre Dame Cathedral to admire the architecture. The stained glasses and sculptures were a great site to see. After getting lost a for a bit I found my to the Eiffel Tower. It was around 8pm and the view was great. An hour passed by and my stomach started to rumble, it was nearing time for my reservation.

Off I went to Le Meurice one of the top restaurants in all of France. Started off with a lettuce salad that was nice and fresh. Then a main dish which was stewed lamb with vegetables. The lamb was tender making it easy to cut. The juices from it being stewed unleashed an explosion of flavor in your mouth. I couldn't believe a healthy meal could taste so good. Next up was dessert with a splash of liquor in it. Which they called Rum Baba. It's a small yeast cake saturated in rum and filled with whipped cream. It was almost like eating a twinky covered in rum but a thousand times better. The next day I was off to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro


Touched down and checked into Copacabana Palace Hotel. The room I lodged in had a great view of the beach. Soothing sounds from the waves put you to sleep. The first thing I did was get a massage at the spa to unwind a bit from the trip. Followed by a good night's sleep.


The next day I was off visting Christ the Redeemer statue which is an iconic symbol of Brazil. Which is a 32 meter statue that stands over Corcovado Mountain. Climbing to the top of this mountain gives you a 360 view of Rio de Janeiro. Allowing you to see places like the  Botanical Gardens, the beaches, Maracana Stadium and many more.


Sambodromo Rio De Janeiro street is a must go place to catch a 4-day carnival. It features dancing, food, costumes, and floats along with other things. The Rio Carnival is the biggest event of the year. Talking about food I went to back Copacabana Palace for my dinner at the Hotel Cipriani Restaurant. Started off with a little salad and jumped straight to the main dish. Codfish tortelli in a chickpeas sauce and flamed shrimp. This seafood meal was a delight, giving off the impression that there was an underwater paradise located in your mouth. Dessert was a white chocolate tart with coconut ice cream and white coffee sauce. The coconut ice cream and white coffee sauce creates a nice smooth texture to go along with the hardness of the chocolate. The service was prompt and the atmosphere gave off a royalty type of vibe.


Tokyo, Japan



The Imperal Palace is surrounded by a beautiful terrain of trees and boarded by water. It keeps to the historical architecture of Japanese buildings. Giving off the feel that you've traveled a couple centuries back into time.


The Meiji Shrine is a nice place to go to take a look at the religious side of the Japanese. The achitectural layout and landscape gives off an calming aura. Alot of weddings are also held at this ceremonial place. It truly is a great place to go when you need to unwind a bit and calm your mind. Posing as almost a retreat into nature from the city life.


For dinner I was off to Nihonryori Ryugin a highly rated resturarunt. First I started off with ramen which is the japanese equivalent of noodles. The noodles had a good spice of flavor thrown over them. Warming up the inside of your stomach as you fnished bowl of ramen. Next up was sushi, which was cooked almost perfectly. Instead of having a rubbery, plastic feeling this sushi was actually easy to chew. While tasting delicious there really is nothing to compare to the taste of sushi. You just have to try it out to know what you're missing.

Three Cities

Paris, France
- Eiffel Tower
-Notre Dame
Best Restaurant in Paris
http://www.lemeurice.com/le-meurice-restaurant
http://www.nileguide.com/destination/paris/restaurants/restaurant-le-meurice/392307

Le Meurice - http://www.lemeurice.com/uploads/documents/Le%20Meurice%20Menus/Spring%20Menu%20Le%20Dali.pdf

Started off with a lettuce salad that was nice and fresh.

Then main dish was stewed lamb with vegetables. The lamb was tender making it easy to cut. The juices from it being stewed unleashed an explosion of flavor in your mouth.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- http://www.traveladvisortips.com/top-10-rio-de-janeiro-attractions-in-brazil/

Go to Copacabana Palace Hotel
http://www.traveladvisortips.com/copacabana-palace-hotel-rio-de-janeiro-review/

Visit Corcovado Mountain
Copacabana Beach
http://www.traveladvisortips.com/copacabana-beach-soccer-why-is-it-so-popular/


Ride a motorcycle in Rio de Janiero

Tokyo, Japan
-Imperial Palace
-Meji Shrine


**Visit a restaurant in each city to which you travel. Make sure it is a 5 star reastaurant.
You have the time and unlimited funds to do this trip in style.
Name and describe at least one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert you would have at each along with a review of the ambience and the service.
You can search the site by type of food or even by location.

Jamaica

A great place to stay is Sandals Ocho Rios. There are four different Sandals Resorts in Jamaica. You can travel from anyone you please during the day, but once nightfall comes you must return to the one you checked into.. The Sandals package is all inclusive. A nearby attraction is the Green Grotto Caves. Which  provided a perfect hideaway for runaway slaves, as well as for the smugglers who ran arms to Cuba. The highlight of the tour of the Green Grotto Caves is the descent down 60 steps, some 37 meters, into the innermost cavern, where visitors will see a crystal-clear underground lake. 


When going to Jamaica the Salt River Mineral Spa is a regular destination. The spa, which is a pond with mineral water running from rocks adjacent to it, forms a stream called Salt River. Any aches and pains usually disappear for a while after taking a dip in Salt River. Giving your  body a rejuvenating feeling. Dunn's River Falls is like the Niagara Falls of Jamaica. It is located near Ocho Rios and is 1,000 feet high. The waterfall is set up like giant stair steps. Usually people will walk around different levels giving you unique views of the landscape along with changes in water pressure. Overall my multiple trips to Jamaica have been fun visiting different attractions and parties. There is always something to do all you need is a car. 

TGI Friday

This is a well known place that many  people go to. I've been there a couple times, usually when out and about and not feeling for fast food. I've been TGI Fridays' located in different states such as Texas, New York, Massachusetts, etc. The design of the place is friendly and promotes conversation. The dim lights create a nice relax mood. Laughter can be heard all around the place, people smiling having a good time.

In my experience all the waiters have been nice people. Depending on what time you come in it might take a while for your order to be completed. Usually the food arrives within 15-20 minutes. The appetizers keep you busy in the meanwhile. For some reason though the desserts make it to your table in no time. The food would get a rating of 6. Usually I order steaks or seafood. The shrimp always tastes good, the steak on the other hand varies from average to great. When the steak is great there is enough blood left in it to keep the meat moist. That way it cuts easily and you have a great sensation of flavor in your mouth. The type of steak I usually order is New York Strip.

Payment is quick and easy with either a credit card or cash. The price range for the meals is average. They won't run your wallet dry unless you go there all the time. For a price range from $15-$20 you can get a fulfilling meal. Overall the place would get 6 for everything they offer. It's a good place but there are way better places out there.

Blog Reviews

Shayaa Abdus-Samad- The blog is refreshing with new content all the time. It shows the different thoughts that run through his mind when bored. From exercises to Triskaidekaphobia the fear of the number 13.

Bibi Badrideen- Her blog talks about love and gives another outlook for couples. It would be better if she could get some guys to voice their opinion on her blog.

Fatima Baines- The blog seems like a bunch of facts with no feeling behind it. There is a lack of connection with the author.

Denzel Barrett- Nothing

Andray Bramwell- He seems to cover topics that come up when people make small talk. Dropping a deep subject here and there will add some spice to things.

 Claribel Checo- This blog is great because it allows you to connection with the author on a deep level. Only thing is she might want to keep certain topics to herself so people don’t read her like a book.

Clarissa Checo- Her focus seems to be on relationships, mainly love. The topic is a bit generic but the way she puts her own spin on it is great.

Amber Clarke- Gives an interest fact about the tallest man in the world. Advice is to blog more.

Chavaughn Cox- Nothing

Tashawna Dallas- If it’s a helpline is needs to show questions that people sent in or asked you about. Then your advice in response to that question.

Shanice Davy- The different topics you talk about are great, but not personal. Try to pick some topics that you connect on a deeper  level to blog about.

Ruthine Degand - The way she writes creates a great connection with the reader. It's like you're sitting there having a one-on-one conversation with her.

Tiffany Evans - Gives a nice view into the lives of celebs. I liked the topics you used back when we first started blogging more.

Tierra Green - A good source to find out some new shows. Advice is to watch a broader category of shows and blog about them.

Tuesdae Imperial - Her personality puts a fun spin on all topics. Try your hand at even more serious and deeper topics and see what happens.

Jessica Lopez - Your blogposts seem to have lost that spark you originally had. Take a look back at where you first started off and try to recapture it.


Sarah-Michelle Louis - Gives a slightly different outlook on the topic of relationships. Just keep stating your opinion and try for even more complex relationship topics.


A-Dale Matthews - My blog I think it's great but there is always room for improvement. Might try posting my own poems on it, who knows :)


Andrea Maniram - No posts, nothing to say about it.


Natural Parker - Nice blog on fashion and celebs. Try talking about fashion and celebs from other countries.


Chavonne Parkes - Defiently like the different array of fashion you cover. From Princess Diana to a dress made of cigarette buds.


Anthony Persuad - The tech savvy blog. Keep doing what you're doing and cover as many different technological topics as you can.


Katherine Ramierz - Keep writing what randomly comes to your head. You have a skill for helping people visualize what's going on inside your mind.


Alexandria Rodriguez - The mixture of topics you use is great. Maybe try to use more descriptive words so the reader can really get drawn into what you're saying.


Danielle Satz - Pick different topics, don't talk about school so much. Really think about your opinion before you write it and find the best way to voice it.


Madhu Sharma - The 3D art is really cool. Try blogging about different types of art such as poetry, dancing, martial arts, plays, etc.


Dejon Spears - Develop your opinion more on these different sports and athletes that take part in them. Try some less talked about sports for a twist on things.


Jermain Trim - Try blogging about other topics, not just news. State your opinion a bit more.


Amina Zafar - You should talk a bit more about Pakistan. Things like the traditions and  sites to see there.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

------------------------------------------------------------

This is the type of poem you read when everyone is against you and you feel like your back is against the wall. It reminds you that you don't necessarily need others that they're there for companionship and to help you out, not bring you down. It makes you realize that the only person that you absolutely need is yourself. That what people say and do is just inward hate directed outward to you. Since they don't know what to do they feel the need to bring you down to feel better.

I Carry Your Heart With Me -- Edward Estlin Cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) 


-----------------------------------------------------


This is the type of poem you would read and can relate to while  in love with someone. It depicts the way most people want to fell when they're in a relationship. The feeling of 2 people in one body is great. Its like you have double everything, mainly more strength to do things. Even if it only figuratively, the emotions make things into reality. Its like motivation to keep going when you're down. This poem is so simple yet invokes so much emotion. 

(Why) I Do Not Miss You! 

- By Praveen Parasar

(Why) I Do Not Miss You!

Me without you
Like a Body
Without soul,
Like a Flower
Without scent,
Like a Sea
Without water,
Like a Sky
Without stars,
Like a tree
Without leaves,
But, even then
(Why) I am not able
To feel you
As mine,
(Why) I am not able
To remember the scent
Of Your body,
(Why) I am not able
To remember the taste
Of Your lips,
(Why) I am not able
To feel the warmth
Of your breathe,
(Why) I am not able
To feel the beats
Of Your heart,
(Why) even then
I do not miss you!

____________________________________

This poem is different from others in that it talks about how someone is confused why they don't miss their ex. Usually when someone feels like their ex was everything, they ponder on what went wrong and resonance about the past with that person. It seems like poet thought they were in love, when they really weren't. Since the natural reaction to losing someone is thinking about the things they did and remembering it in vivid detail. This person on the other hand can't remember any of that in detail. I've had a feeling like this before. Thinking that I would miss someone, and believing they were really important in my life. When the truth was that I just liked them around but didn't need them and their absence didn't really effect my life. 

Zuffa Finally Offers Fighters Accident Insurance

It has been said for a long time now that fighters shouldn't have to pay for their own insurance. Like any other sport MMA should offer fighters insurance. The day has finally come now, all 250+ fighters under contract with Zuffa now have insurance and accident coverage.  Zuffa was quoted saying this in response to the change : "Our athletes are some of the very best in the world, and we've committed significant financial resources to provide them with insurance that complements the gold standard we have set for event-related coverage," UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta stated in today's announcement. "We're pleased to provide coverage that enables our athletes to seek and receive treatment for injuries sustained while preparing for bouts."


This is  great thing since fighters' injuries can cost them thousands of dollars and stop them from fighting. All the other sport leagues do and it's about time that Zuffa followed and protected their fighters. Now fighters won't have to worry so much about how much their medical bills will cost and when they're going to fight next. It allows them to take some stress off and focus on getting better and starting their training back up.

UFC 129 Recap

UFC 129 was an average card. The preliminary fights were more exciting than the main event. With the majority of their fights ending by KO, TKO, or submission. GSP vs Shields was a disappointing fight which dragged on because one of GSP's eyes got injured. He doesn't seem to be a finisher, would rather play it safe, in the end he won though. The Machida vs Coutrure fight was interesting. Lyoto Machida followed in his teammate Anderson Silva's footsteps and won by a flying front kick.

My favorite fighter Jose Aldo also won his fight but his performance was lacking, he seemed to be moving more sluggish due to the added muscle on his body. In the last round where he was taken down and pounded on was nervous moment for me. For 3 minutes straight he was on his back defending against Mark Hominick's strikes. His BJJ skills were on display allowing him to slow down the momentum of the strikes and survive until the end.  It didn't end like his other fights by TKO but Hominick's forehead was swollen to the size of a fist. Surprisingly the doctor didn't stop the fight, which was a good thing for the spectators. No one ever wants a fight stopped neither the fighters nor the spectators. Everyone wants to finish it themselves and not leave it up to the judges.

Osama Photos Need to be Published

The post-mortem photos of Osama need to be shown. That way people can get a confirmation on how he really died. There is uncertainty going around whether he was really killed or not. Seeing as the details have be changed in his death. Which talked about in a NY Times article -http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/06/world/europe/06europe.html?_r=2&ref=global-home
There is suspicion of why the U.S. would kill Bin Laden if he was unarmed at the time. Leading people to believe the story is fabricated. Another news source points out this point - http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/04/bin.laden.legal/index.html?hpt=T1

Even if photos were released people would probably think it was photoshopped.

White House Uncertainty

There was alot of tension before President Obama dieced to call a strike on the compound Bin Laden was in. C.I.A. operatives watched over the mansion via spy satellites so as no to alert the bodygaurds. Bin Laden was very cautious not even letting the guards throw out garbag, instead they burned it. This kind of activity along with the bare-wire fence and other defensive measures on the house made things suspicious. Leading the President and his officials to believe Bin Laden was inside. They finally decided to run a raid so that they could confirm it was Bin Laden once the firefight was over. The plan worked smoothly with casualities only on the enemy side and a blood sample along with a picture proved it was Bin Laden.

Osama Bin Laden is Dead

Bin Laden was killed in a firefight that lasted approx. 40-minutes. Three people on his side was killed, one was believed to be his son. The Americans didn't face any causalities. It's shocking to see that Bin Laden was living in a mansion this whole time, instead of being protected by an army of is people. To me it would of made sense to be around an army, but I guess he wanted to live in style right under people's nose. There are rumors that the  Pakistani government were protecting Bin Laden.   Seeing as he was located about an hour’s drive north from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. He was hiding in the medium-sized city of Abbottabad, home to a large Pakistani military base and a military academy of the Pakistani Army.


Doesn't seem like Bin Laden was doing much if he was hiding the whole time. In a way he was nothing more than a former shell of himself. The only thing I can probably see him doing in a leadership type of way is making plans and have a messenger transfer them back and forth to his second in command. Ayman al-Zawahri will most likely take care of everything now. He probably was leading since the past decade when Bin Laden went into hiding.The death of Osama Bin Laden doesn't concern me much, but nonetheless its a good thing he is dead.. That is unless  Al Qaeda lashes out in rage for revenge on the U.S. Then that might cause more problems than if he had died hiding. In America's eyes this was a great day and a victory over terrorism. 

Portfolio

A-Dale Matthews                                                                                             April 29, 2011

The latest newsletter was a satisfying project since it allowed me to show my blog in a way. The arrangement of the pages allowed the reader to see the link between the two topics MMA and poetry, showing that they were both art forms, even though one was more brutal than the other.

Page 1 displays the main focus of my blog, the UFC, which is a MMA organization. It also tells readers about a reality show series of the fighters currently going on. That way they can get a glimpse of the life a UFC fighter lives. Page 2 & 3 is a bit more diverse. Dwelling on the topics of poetry, MMA and natural disasters. The purpose of this page was more to show the different sides of my personality when it came to blogging. Page 4 talks about the merger between two big MMA organizations the UFC and WEC. It shows the potential benefits of these two organizations coming together.

My development on a writer/blogger was more on the expanding of topics that I covered. While still specializing in two main topics poetry and MMA.  The weakness that I need to overcome is probably showing more of my personal feelings in articles, so readers gain a connection with me. The blogs I write demonstrate my open mind to new topics. While showing an unbiased review. 

Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is like in the top 3 p4p fighters in the UFC and MMA to date. He's currently the Middleweight Champion. Ever since he won the title he has been on a 12 fight win streak Only one person came close to taking his belt and that was Chael Sonnen who later tested positive for drugs. Anderson won at the end of the 5th round by triangle choke.


His record is currently 28-4. Those 4 losses came at the early stage of his development. Along with his superb striking he holds a blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His striking art of choice is Muay Thai, where he makes good use of the Muay Thai clinch. This can be seen in his bout against Rich Franklin, where he devastated Rich with knees. The most recent fight with Vitor Belfort solidified his position as champion. Showing that he is ever evolving and you don't know what might come next. He defeated Vitor by landing a front kick right on his chin, and then finished off with punches once Vitor dropped. This shocked everyone who watched the fight.  There aren't many competitors for Anderson to go against next. The UFC will probably need to sign some new fighters to challenge him for the title. Right now Anderson and GSP are at the top in the UFC. People want a catch-weight fight between the two. The chances of that happening are slim though, since GSP has yet to move up in weight and he has no reason to. Since he still has a few competitors to dispose of before challenging the Middleweight class.

Diaz vs Daley Strikeforce

The recent Strikeforce event on April 9th, was a good event. Nick Diaz and Paul Daley headlined the event. Their fight only lasted until 1 round. Nick won by stoppage with 10 seconds left to go. At first the fight was going at a fast pace that mimicked the speed of 3 rounds passing by with how much went on. Nick dominated the fight the whole time though, standing up and on the ground. There were times when Daley got a couple shots off, but Nick's iron chin came to the rescue.

Doesn't seem like much competition is left for Diaz at this point. He has won his last 10 fights, with 9 of them by stoppage. The merger with UFC might change that though. Once its official someone in the UFC welterweight might have what it takes to be the next champ. Diaz needs a long hard fight though, that goes the distance of 5 rounds and ends either by KO/TKO/Sub. That way it has an interesting ending. Basically he needs to just go to war with someone for a long time and have the fight end by a decisive victory, no leaving it up to the judges. As we've all seen the judges cant be trusted to make the right decision at times. As shown in previous fights concerning The Korean Zombie in which he should have won all 3 of his fights not 1 out of 3.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strikeforce:_Diaz_vs._Daley

UFC 129

There is an upcoming event this month April 30th. Headlining the card is a match between Georges St-Pierre and  Jake Shields. It will be a welterweight match. The co-main event will be Jose Aldo vs Mark Hominick at featherweight. Both events are 5 rounds, 3 minute championship bouts. St-Pierre seems to have the advantage when it comes to stand-up. He's been working with Freddie Roach recently, a famous boxing coach who trains Manny Pacquiao. St-Pierre displayed good use of the jab, which is underused in MMA. It results show in his bout against Josh Koscheck when you look at his swollen shut eye. St-Pierre's record is 21-2. 8 knockouts and 5 submissions, the rest decision wins. On a 8 fight win streak.

Jose Aldo is just a pure monster when it comes to MMA. His ground game is good and his Muay Thai is superb. Being proficient in both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jutsu allows him to dictate where the fight will go. Wrestlers might have a chance against him if they can take him down and stay on top. If they're not careful he will will pull off a submission off his back. Aldo's record is 18-1 with 12 wins by knockout and 2 by submission. He's currently on a 11 fight win streak.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13

This season focuses on the welterweight division. There are only 14 fighters, the coaches are Brock Lesnar and Junior Dos Santos. Brock is a former heavyweight champion,after only 4 fights. He lost the belt to Cain Velasquez on his 6th fight. Brock is a decorated wrestler with a record of 101-5. There was a two hour evaluation for the fighters. Brock focused on the fighters' conditioning while Dos Santos focused on their fighting skills.

The first fight was between a wrestler and a striker. I root for strikers since they make the fight more interesting and you never know when someone might get knocked out. It leaves you there on the edge of your seat in anticipation. Overall the stand-up game is just more interesting than the ground game,.Sadly the striker got taken down and was dominated by the wrestler for the first round. Then in the second round the striker threw a kick and slipped. He tried to scramble back to his feet but was taken down again. After he was taken down it was just a repeat of round one. The wrestler was on Dos Santos's team, now they have the right to pick the next fight. The fight wasn't too impressive since they picked the last pick on Brock's team to go against their first pick. The strategy must of been just to keep winning so they can set up future fights, if so its working so far.

Shakespeare Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
   If this be error and upon me proved,
   I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Shakespeare's sonnets can be confusing unless you have a good understanding of how the English language was used back then. Even without a good understanding the use of words themselves have a pleasing effect when you read them. You can check out this link for a paraphase of the sonnet - http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/116detail.html'

After reading the paraphase you have a better understanding but the poetic effect of the words are lost. I agree with Shakespeare's belief of what true love is. That its strong like a lighthouse and shouldn't wavier over time.

Personally I like the imagery his words evoke with the comparisons of what love truly is in his eyes. The line that stands out most to me is "That looks on tempests and is never shaken;" There is something about the word tempest that makes it flow with everything else. It creates the image of a windstorm slowly eroding away a rock. Then there is love made of a material that is unaffected by the storm. Making it seem like love is almost like a being that transgressed our reality and is unaffect even by the elements.

Quake-hit Japanese city in danger of dying

Otsuchi, Japan was devastated by the earthquake. Survivors now have to decide if they will stay and rebuild or start over somewhere else. More than half the city's leaders are dead or missing.  Around 6,000 people are homeless, 504 dead, and 1,048 missing. After the tsunami, a gas explosion erupted and a fire swept through the town, reducing the rubble to charred metal. This disaster has crippled their government and scarred families. They had economic problems before the earthquake. Even with this destruction brought upon them there are still some that have faith that Otsuchi can be rebuilt.

Tokyo's Water Radioactive

There is concern in Japan that the water in Tokyo has too much radiation. A report was sent out saying the radiation in the water is over the limit considered safe for infants. This causes a lot of problems people can no longer drink tap water. Their food might also be contaminated seeing as it will use the same water.

Farmers will probably take the biggest hit out of it. Their crops will now become useless, since people will be weary of purchasing them. Japan will probably start importing more goods until the radiation is gone away. Therefore other countries will be able to make a good profit off of them.

Japan Food Supply

The government in Japan has ordered a halt to some food shipments from four prefectures around the Fukushima nuclear plant. Their concern is that the food supply might have some radiation in them. Which can pose hazardous to your health if digested.Villagers living near the plant are being told not to drink tap water or eat locally grown spinach because of increased levels of radioactivity.

A concern of mine is if you go out to eat, how do you know if the food is radioactive. Some companies might of been able to smuggle in the food and sell it, so as not to lose money.

Romanticism Type

Romanticism is a type of poetry. Nature and love were a major themes of Romanticism favoured by 18th and 19th century poets such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats. Emphasis in such poetry is placed on the personal experiences of the individual.

Here is an example of romanticism type:

The Question
by
Percy Bysshe Shelley

I dreamed that, as I wandered by the way,
Bare Winter suddenly was changed to Spring,
And gentle odours led my steps astray,
Mixed with a sound of waters murmuring
Along a shelving bank of turf, which lay
Under a copse, and hardly dared to fling
Its green arms round the bosom of the stream,
But kissed it and then fled, as thou mightest in dream.

There grew pied wind-flowers and violets,
Daisies, those pearled Arcturi of the earth,
The constellated flower that never sets;
Faint oxlips; tender bluebells, at whose birth
The sod scarce heaved; and that tall flower that wets
Like a child, half in tenderness and mirth
Its mother's face with Heaven's collected tears,
When the low wind, its playmate's voice, it hears.
And in the warm hedge grew lush eglantine,
Green cowbind and the moonlight-coloured may,
And cherry-blossoms, and white cups, whose wine
Was the bright dew, yet drained not by the day;
And wild roses, and ivy serpentine,
With its dark buds and leaves, wandering astray;
And flowers azure, black, and streaked with gold,
Fairer than any wakened eyes behold.

And nearer to the river's trembling edge
There grew broad flag-flowers, purple pranked with white,
And starry river buds among the sedge,
And floating water-lilies, broad and bright,
Which lit the oak that overhung the hedge
With moonlight beams of their own watery light;
And bulrushes, and reeds of such deep green
As soothed the dazzled eye with sober sheen.

Methought that of these visionary flowers
I made a nosegay, bound in such a way
That the same hues, which in their natural bowers
Were mingled or opposed, the like array
Kept these imprisoned children of the Hours
Within my hand, and then, elate and gay,
I hastened to the spot whence I had come,
That I might there present it! Oh! to whom?


 

UFC Buys Strikeforce

Just the other day the UFC merged with WEC. Now they've bought Strikeforce. With the acquisition of Strikeforce they're basically the only big time organization. There really is no one left to challenge the UFC. Strikeforce Scott Coker the CEO of Strikeforce will still handle the day-to-day operations. All previous contracts will be honored by the UFC.

Seems until all the contracts run out, be it with the fighters and Showtime there wont be any major changes. There doesn't seem to be any other organizations for the UFC to buy up. WEC and Strikeforce were the biggest competitors, the rest are just small organizations. Until then the UFC will probably develop its roster of fighters and put on more events. There only seems to be more exciting match-ups in the future. This should lead to more profit, better contracts and big gain in popularity.

Bullying

Bullying is when someone who is usually stronger causes harm to someone weaker than them. There are four types of bullying:

• Verbal: name-calling, teasing
• Social: spreading rumors, leaving people out on purpose, breaking up friendships 
• Physical: hitting, punching, shoving
• Cyber-bullying: using the Internet, mobile phones or other digital technologies to harm others

People who are bullied have a higher risk of depression and anxiety. They also have more suicidal thoughts. An academic effect is lower test grades.  The bullied kids are more likely to skip school to escape the effects of bullying.                     

Michigan Town Split on Child Pornography Charges

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/us/08muskegon.html?_r=1&ref=us

This whole entire incident was taken out of hand. Mr.Emory shouldn't be charged with child pornography seeing as no type of pornographic activity was done. All that happened was he played a song with graphical sexual lyrics over an edited video with kids. First off no children were abused or did anything against their will. Secondly all he did was exercise his freedom of speech by creating a video. The only bad thing he really did was use the children in the video without telling the parents what he planned to do with that video. If he is to get any punishment, just make it some community service. Seeing as he is not a pedophile or anything like that, he shouldn't face jail time.

City Eyes New Tactic for Failing Schools: The Turnaround

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/nyregion/09greendot.html?ref=nyregion

This new tactic seems way better than closing schools and breaking them up. There should be more charter schools so students have a choice of going there to learn a trade. Not all people want to go to college, so why not give them a trade. That way they can find a job and not feel forced to go to college. If anything they can go to college later to further improve their skills. The city should have tried this tactic a long time ago. All thats left is to wait and see how it goes. Hopefully it will work out.

Why Monogamy Matters

In my eyes monogamy only matters once your married or in a relationship with someone. If you just having causal sex, it shouldn't matter. There are people who want to save themselves for marriage. There's nothing wrong with that choice  if that's really what you want to do. There are others who want to experiment with other people before settling down.  In the end its our choice and your life, so live it how you want,.

China Tightens Controls on Foreign Press

China doesn't want reporting recording what is going on in their country in regards to a "Jasmine Revolution". There are protests going on, but none of considerable size. None the less the police and personal bodyguards try to stop reporters.  The journalists were threatened that they might have problems with the renewal of their visas. Ministry of Foreign Affairs called and said  "it would be better not to report" this Sunday.

It is clear that China wants to keep everything under wraps. It seems their plan is to limit the flow of information as much as they can. That way not alot of people will join the revolution, since they wont have alot of information about them. Such as the location, time and reasons why the protest is going on.

Shahbaz Bhatti Murdered

Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister of minorities, was shot eight times by gunmen who ambushed him as he stepped into his car. They waited for the perfect time when he had no body guards around, his driver was spared. The reason he was killed was over the blasphemy laws he was trying to reform. With his death Christians in Pakistan lost their representative, he was the only Christian minister.

Poetry as an Outlet for Stress

Poetry is a great outlet for stress.It makes you confront all your emotions and really analyze them. So as to find the words to express yourself. Once you write them down, its like you've come to terms with all those problems and let them go. Its one of the best things to do if you don't like to tell others your problems.

If you have something on your mind, write a poem, best to do it in your phone and password protect so others don't read it. Also since its not on paper it will be harder to lose it. Plus all you have to do is copy and paste if you want to send it to other people to get their feedback.

Different Styles of Poetry

Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. This poem is written with a specific set of lines with a certain number of syllables per line. The most popular would be three lines with a 5,7,5 syllable pattern. Another version is called a Tanka, which utilizes the 5.7.5.7.5 pattern.

There are Ballads, which are stories. These stories are told in a narrative poetry style. When spoken, it should be very smooth almost like singing a song. Typically these ballads are written in sets of four sentences with the ending word of the second and fourth ones rhyming with each other. Ballads don’t have rigid rules to follow like Haikus but they should sound very musical to the ear.

Sonnets consists of fourteen lines each having the same specific number of syllables each.There is also a form of poetry designed to be written for a specific thing or person. This is called The Ode. The title will always begin with the word “ode”. The subject directly following the word ode will be the topic of the poem. This is a simple poem about a particular topic that also follows some type of rhyming pattern. It’s a poem that shows the readers what the poet thinks of a certain subject in a flowing poetic way.

The Dramatic Monologue defines a monologue which would be the poem acted out by someone other than the poet in a dramatic way. These types of poems are typically written to show the action as well as the character.

There are a few more styles such as the Villanelle, Sestina, along with some others. Personally my favorite is free-form poetry. That is poetry without any rules. Even though some poems mgiht not have alot of ryhmes in it, there can still be a rhythm to it. Which is done by carefully selecting your words. My advice is to try out free-form poetry so as to get used to using words in a a certain way to create a desired effect. Afterwards to improve your level, practice the other styles and incorporate them into your free-form poetry.

Blog Vists Part 2

Katherine Ramierz (http://katherinexd.blogspot.com/2011/02/beauty-of-having-people-that-care.html)
This is so true, being an only child my friends are like my brothers and sisters.

Fatima Baines (http://fbaines.blogspot.com/)
This blog is still evolving and finding its personality, but none the less its entertaining.

Shanice Lynch (http://shanicerox.blogspot.com/2011/02/moving-out-my-moms-house.html)
This is nice, finally getting to move out and live life on your own.

Tashawna Dallas (http://shawna2kute.blogspot.com/)
This blog is great for females, it gives them another place to vent about their issues in life.

Chavonne Parhes (http://lightsonfashion.blogspot.com/2011/01/transformation-from-old-to-new.html)
This blog really opens your eyes to how fashion trends have changed throughout the years.

Jessica Lopez (http://jessicax3-jessix3.blogspot.com/2011/02/friends-come-and-go-but-true-friends.html)
From reading this one post it can be seen that your a good person, the words that you chose show your not being fake.

Natural Parker (http://natties411.blogspot.com/2011/02/nattie-knows.html)
I get this feeling usually around 11th and 12th prd. The day just drags on when you hear that stomach growl.

Denzel Barett (http://mrsays.blogspot.com/2011/02/denzelbarrett-my-blogspot-is-about.html)
Its sad that people have to resort to weapons to solve problems. If violence must be used I would rather see a 1 on 1 fight.

Bibi (http://bibisbuzzingblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/bibi-www.html)
I agree a relationship needs both parties to work together, its a two way street.

Tuesdae Imperial (http://xninjaxkittyx-urbanblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/shockerz.html/)
This is a great blog to keep up on what the celebs are doing, it is also geared to more of a teenager group which is great.

Madhu Sharma (http://madhusmiraculousblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/nature-of-earth.html)
I like how this blog shows different locations, give you ideas for places to travel to.


Andray Bramwell (http://goodlifedray.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-assistment.html)
Its good that you have standards and know what your looking for. But remember to be flexible with them so you don't miss out on someone great.

Amina Zafar (http://squeakyzafariblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/westward-expansion.html)
Interestingly enough I had to write an essay about this in U.S. History class.

Anthony Persuad (http://anthonymvb.blogspot.com/2011/01/31.html)
Thats sad she needs to work on her willpower and set her priorities straight.

Ruthine Degand (http://ruthnie.blogspot.com/2011/02/33.html)
This blog touches on alot of topics, some that are deep. That will keep people coming back, and put them into those deep moments of thought.

Anddrea Maniram (http://andreadabest.blogspot.com/2011/02/andrea-andreadabest.html)
Its so true that people don't understand what teenagers are going through, adults especially should read this blog.

Alexandria Rodriguez (http://arodriguez729-cheer.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-description.html)
I agree there's alot of pressure placed upon you junior year, when you just want to relax and enjoy your time in highschool.

Tierra Green (http://justt--mee.blogspot.com/2011/02/16-pregnat.html)
I find it sad that females get pregnant at such a young age and have to struggle with a child and possibly lose the chance to complete their education.

Dejon Spears (http://dspea8543.blogspot.com/2011/02/blog-36.html)
Thats crazy to be fined 25k for tripping someone, but I guess you learn your lesson and wont do it again.

Danielle Satz (http://fivedays-danielle.blogspot.com/2011/02/changes-are-coming.html)
I think change is necessary for us to survive in this world. Just like how software needs updates or it becomes obsolete.

Amber Clarke (http://amberseyes.blogspot.com/2011/01/men-abusing-woman.html)
I hate when men abuse women, but when women do it knowing the man wont hit them back is just as disgusting.


Shayaa (http://shayaa-boredom.blogspot.com/)
This blog is so random, thats what I really like about it.

Blog Visits

 Sarah-Michelle's blog (http://livelaughlove-sarah-michelle.blogspot.com/)
Your blog has an authentic feel to it, and I liked the poem titled "Trapped"


Shanice Davy's blog (http://davyhunni.blogspot.com/)
This blog can go far to help build social relationships with others.

Blog Critiques

Today I checked out Tiffany Evan's blog (http://tiffany1615.blogspot.com/). Just after reading a couple posts I felt a positive vibe from this blog. Its the kind of blog that can inpsire positive thinking even in negative times. If anything its more like she's a motivational speaker. The post titled "Horoscopes Believe it or not?"
I can agree so much with it.

I read my horoscopes every now and then usually at the end of the day to see how the events that happened compare to the predictions. When it comes true its a nice feeling. Only advice that I can really give is bring up topics people might have problems with and tell them a positive way to solve it. Another thing is you can have people email you about problems they have and then answer it on your blog, that way you never run out of material.

Blog Description

A-Dale Matthews
http://dipoetblog.blogspot.com/
This blog is about martial arts and poetry. Possibly some philosophical sayings will be mixed in when I'm feeling like a philosopher. Martial arts is just one of the things I love tremendously in this world. As for poetry I used to be a poet and thing I shall pick up the pen one more time and let the words flow across the paper.
Here is an example of my work:

UFC - WEC Merger

UFC is like that of the NFL of mma. The WEC is basically in second place to them.  The UFC would carry the heavy weight classes 160lb+ and the WEC the lighter weight classes 125lb-155lb. This move is gives former WEC, to be UFC fighters many benefits. First off they will be on a  more popular channel, SPIKE which hosts the UFC.

They will also get an increase in pay seeing as the UFC is a multi-million dollar organization. MMA fighters can take all the pay they can get. Since unless your champion or really popular the paycheck is sort of lacking. Compared to what you would get in a regular office job salary. With the UFC only being 18 years old, and mma still a young sport, not alot of money is given out to fighters like that in boxing and other professional sports. Where you see NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL players having million dollar contracts. Nonetheless its a no-brainer this merger will create more exciting fights for fans with the lower weight classes and the fighters will have bigger paychecks.

There's only a few reason to follow my blog, if your interested in martial arts or poetry. If you don't understand martial arts you might be alittle loss when I critque fights. The posts about poetry will hopefully inspire you to write your own. Basically if your into the arts you should enjoy this blog.

Free Verse Poetry

There are quite a few different styles for writing poetry

Portfolio Assessment

1-1/19/11 Chael Sonnen Needs to Lay-low

This is one of my best posts because it deals with multiple issues but still relates back to martial arts.  There is also advice geared towards one specific person making it different from the other posts.

2-1/18/11 Upcoming UFC 126

The tone of writing in this post is different from the others. Here I try to sell visitors on an upcoming event. The persona given off is that of a promoter but there is a little bit of my personal opinion in there.

3-1/17/11 UFC-WEC Merger

First post after my proclamation of what my blog identity would be. This day brings back good memories of how I was grateful that the two companies merged. It also gave me the idea to merge two topics: poetry and martial arts into my blog identity.

4-1/17/11 Identity

 This post marked the end of the search for my blogs identity. Just because you are told what to expect on this blog from now makes this post deserve to be in the top 5.

5-1/10/11 North American Diet

North American Diet touched on my previous posts about health concerns for teenagers. If anything this is a bit of an eye-opener to people about the typical North American Diet. From here on they can begin searching for info on how to improve their eating habits.


The biggest strength that I possibly possess as being a blogger is being able to look at things from different angles. This helps my articles to not be as bias as others who only show their point of view. Not sure if this is a strength or weakness but I need to work on making my blog posts longer. It can possibily be a strength since I make it short and to the point. On the other hand I could probably go into more details about certain things. My blogs demonstrate how I think about things, my opinion on certain topics. Usually at the end of a post I do a wrap up which voices my opinion after you get the facts. That way you're not reading bias information and can form your own opinion.

Chael Sonnen Needs to Lay-low

Chael Sonnen is a big trash talker who doesn't know when to stop. He hyped up the fight between champion Anderson Silva and himself. Only to lose in the end by a triangle choke. Then later failing the after-fight drug test. Now its heard that he is in a money laundering scandal. Sonnen was originally a politician and wrestler who ventured into the world of MMA. It seems he cant get rid of his politician ways, going around trying to slander other people's name and talk down to them.

Some advice for Sonnen is to relax a bit. Then start training again while he's on suspension and work his way back up into the top 5 of his weightclass. Seeing as problems get solved within the cage there's no reason for Chael to talk so much. But I guess he decided since no one will be able to fight him for a couple months he might as well talk.

Upcoming UFC 126 -

UFC 126 will take place at the Mandalay Bay on Feburary 5th.
It will be headlined by middleweight champion Anderson Silva, defending his world title against fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort. Up-and-coming light heavyweights Ryan Bader and Jon Jones will also hook 'em up in a battle that could determine the next division contender. 205-pound veterans and former champions Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin will collide in what is sure to be an action-packed match. These are the two main events on the card.

Anderson Silva's last two peformancs haven't been so good.  With a narrow win against Chael Sonnen via triangle choke. Then in his fight against Demian Maia he played around during the fight and didnt finish it, winnning by decision. Silva really has to step his performance up making more exciting fights and soldifying the reason why he's champion.

UFC - WEC Merger

UFC is like that of the NFL of mma. The WEC is basically in second place to them.  The UFC would carry the heavy weight classes 160lb+ and the WEC the lighter weight classes 125lb-155lb. This move is gives former WEC, to be UFC fighters many benefits. First off they will be on a  more popular channel, SPIKE which hosts the UFC.

They will also get an increase in pay seeing as the UFC is a multi-million dollar organization. MMA fighters can take all the pay they can get. Since unless your champion or really popular the paycheck is sort of lacking. Compared to what you would get in a regular office job salary. With the UFC only being 18 years old, and mma still a young sport, not alot of money is given out to fighters like that in boxing and other professional sports. Where you see NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL players having million dollar contracts. Nonetheless its a no-brainer this merger will create more exciting fights for fans with the lower weight classes and the fighters will have bigger paychecks.

Identity

It has finally been decided this blog's identity will be two-fold. Consisting of information on martial arts and poetry. Possibly some philosophical sayings will be mixed in when I'm feeling like a philosopher. Martial arts is just one of the things I love tremendously in this world. As for poetry I used to be a poet and thing I shall pick up the pen one more time and let the words flow across the paper.

There are so many different types of martial arts and techniques just like in poetry. When you have alot of feelings bottled up people might suggest that you write it out, most likely in the form of a poem. Just like poetry can express your feelings martial arts can express that too and more. No two martial artist are the same, they all have unique personalities when they're fighting. Something deep down that they do instinctively that no one can copy. These two art forms are all about self-expression.

North American Diet

The North American Diet is not healthy by any means. With the amounts of processed junk food we digest daily. These chemically altered food lack the nutritients and fiber that are body need, but are high in calories. That combined with a sedentary lifestyle leads to health problems. Its so bad that obesity is now a common sight.

The problem is that people want to lose weight effortlessly by means of a "magic pill". The ones who try to change soon quit because of old habits which are so easy to fall back on. After they're done dieting all the weight is regained. Then they get on another diet and fall off, just a vicious cycle of weight loss and weight gain.

Some of the information used in this post comes from - http://www.enotalone.com/article/3246.html

SALT - 2010 Movie

The movie has Angelina Jolie as the action star. The main plot being the destruction of the USA. Overall the movie doesnt get as good a praise as it should for a female being the action star. Since usually men are the ones who star these type of movies. The plot wasn't too complex but overall kept you interested and wondering what might happen next. As always Angelina's movies are a pleasure to watch. Can't wait until The Tourist comes out starring her and Johnny Depp. Yes Johnny Depp the same man that starred in Pirates of the Carribean. From the trailers its sad that Depp's character is wanted in 14 countries and people are trying to kill him. Later on it seems that he meets up with Jolie

1961

Today's discussion will be about events that happened in 1961. To narrow things down and not making it just a long list of things we will talk about George Clooney who was born that year. Yeah that makes Clooney 50 years old. If you need alittle reminder George Clooney is an actor. Clooney starred in three films apart of the Ocean's series. From Ocean's Eleven to Ocean's Thirteen. His character was Danny Ocean a world class criminal, who steals large amounts of money from people.  He even starred in an 1997 production of Batman & Robin as Batman. Clooney still acts up until this day, but remains a bachelor with no plans of having children.