This is the start of the paper by Nexu

Norms are the unwritten rules or cod~s societies and groups follow in accordance to their culture. Norms determine "what is" apprOPtiate behavior, customs, and practices for its members. However, social norms have bee viewed as a hindrance to the autonomous individual. The autonomous individual is d scribed as a person who has complete control over his/her destiny whereas norms represent a hfndrance to his/her creativity. The experimenting self is a reflection of the autonomous individual, ignoring social norms and often following his/her own path. The safe-keeping self is i s opposite, who finds security in following the rules while adhering to the social norms of his /he culture. Today, I feel we have an abundance of autonomous individuals with no regards for civicness and community.

Individual empowerment is an extrao dinary accomplishment for any society. It is a true representation of development when individ als are provided the opportunities and resources to choose his or her destiny. However, with s ch an abundance of autonomous individuals any connection to the civic community has been lost. The civic community according to Robert Putnam is a culture that regards the actions f its members in service to a higher purpose. In this case, members of a civic-minded comm nity have an understanding of substantive democracy. Whereas substantive problems re not just the problem of the individual but the community, the autonomous individual does not value helping others with similar problems since he/she is too concerned with his/her pr blems. From this perspective, the substantive problems will never be solved.

I do not advocate the abolishment of i dividuality and thought, rather, consideration for the civic community and a higher understan ing beyond personal concerns. To re-connect members of society to the civic community I advocate John Kirlin's call for social learning whereas politics, ideology, and the market c n be brought into the discourse between government and the citizenry. From this per pective, the autonomous individual can be rejoined with the civic community but still fI el that his/her individuality has not been compromised.

This is the end of the paper by Nexus

                       

This is Black History Month. I won er who picked the coldest, wettest, shortest month of the year to remember the history of Africa people and their descendants in America. How did we come to have Black History Month in ebruary? Why not remember the history of Black people during January for the month Linco n signed the Emancipation Proclamation and the birthday of Dr. King? Perhaps, we could r cognize it during December for the make-believe holiday of Kwanzaa. How about June in r cognition of "Juneteenth," the liberation of slaves in Texas?

Why February? Slavery was abolis ed by Congress in April 1862; the thirteenth amendment was ratified in December of 1 65. Why not one of these months? The modern history of Africans in America began with he arrival of Columbus; slavery began in August 1619 at Jamestown, Virginia. It seems to me tha recognition of Black History was chosen with no recognition of history. However, the real uestion should not be what month, but why. Why do we celebrate or commemorate the history f one race of Americans with a special month? I understand the pride Black Americans hav in our history and contributions to this country. However, I fail to understand why we insis upon government recognition, news specials and public acknowledgment of our contributio s.

The history of Africans in America s well as that of Black Americans should be maintained privately within the culture, not paraded out every February. When we allow the government, the schools, media and others 0 lead the remembrance of our history, we are in danger of losing it. I applaud the NAACP n Oceanside, California as they take the lead in preserving Black History with the Juneteen h celebration and Martin Luther King awards. Both are private, cultural events that will guaran ee the integrity of the history. Nevertheless, let us rethink the idea of a special month for Blac History.

The Black community is far too complex t be identified as one culture and our history is far too complex for one month. We, Black Ameri ans, should recognize our historical responsibilities every month. There is a lot to gain from hi tory and a large debt to pay. While we honor the contemporary heroes in our communities Ie us not forget why we honor them. There are black men that served with the Tuskegee airmen f W orId War II, retired Marines that broke the Marine color in the 1940's and many other istorical accomplishments.

However, the real lessons of history are not what they did but why they were forced to do so. Discrimination, segregation and a racist cuI ure forced and shaped our history. Ifwe honor the history of a struggle, we owe a debt to hon r the price paid in the struggle. Being the descendants of African Kings and Queens i of little value if we are acting like paupers and sheep. It does not matter what month we c lebrate our history -- it matters only how you honor it. There is no honor in remembering their acrifices if we are not going to take advantage of what they gained. They broke open the do rs; the real celebration will be going through them. Struggling through adversity is our history. What we do with the victory is our legacy.

Let us not spend more time remembefin^g our history than we do in making tomorrow's history. We cannot take pride in what some ne else has done with his or her situation, only in what we have done with ours. It is called "sif-pride."

By: Dammien

PAD CLASS MONDAY NITES 02/1912007

This is

The beginningl/ by: U 2 C;ute

K cl I Socc----=.1o

Er .. ····· .. ·· Othe-rre9 aint life a e'cschOO to have come from so so so far

    """"""                                              .

just to fall into such a hovac. It h rd to resist, but only to exist as a number.

Wel still live in al world! of oppre cion, depresscon, inflacion, concesscion, and deviat;ln It sames llike there sn't going to be a change any time soon.

King Cung ing Wong

Who fock wing thong Ding dong

Uh uh uh

Don't u lock stupid

In that thong. It sticking up your asch. Can't you afford a full sise pantie Aint that uncomfortable ...

Wishy watchy

Don't scrach that bhoty

If I was u--- I wont wear that s05r9480e;

Come hare

Come hare so I can tell u that You~e aggravating me.

Don't you understand that I don't onna be bodered wit your bullcroppe;;ld I aint playing that game no more. Because yore to boring. It's lame. Your shallow, not how low, buy wahlo\ ;jl so go find a place to wahlow.

This is the end of my paper.

02/25/2007 PAD 6061

This is the beginning, by Who 2 U:

Wonder~ng

One Sunday aftern on, I found myself wondering how things are. Wonde ing how various districts are designed in this so call d socioeconomic.

I've realized that the world we live in today is so, so segregated. That we eithe7 deliberately ignoring the fact or not actually realizing it. For instance, I found myself afraid sometimes, when oing into certain areas because the people begin starring me. And if the police is driving by, and notice you, he'll drive right behind you. I get agitated and vary, and w ndered is this s **t still going on in today's society. I oft n do a lot of wondering while doing absolutely nothing.

Another Sunday afte noon, looking out the window, at Dez Dios, I wondered hat is going on strip, because people just walking al ng constantly. What is the attraction because in etween the intersections are business buildings, and ondos? Is it something we don't know that only they know It finally hit tis world is design to accommodate specific roups. It is a silence rumor that was not aware of

And this is the end oflmy saga.

This is the start of a paper by Amazilng to Be.

So, today's journal will be what I like to refer to as throwing up on the page or as my first college English professor pu it "stream of consciousness writing". This is when you write down every possi Ie thought that comes to mind and don't stop until you have a page full of text. I'll ry to leave out the obscenities although I have a feeling Dr. Mendell might enj y them.

I tried reading up on being eccentri~but I couldn't get focused. I read everyone's journals and although ve interesting most people are talking about the Mind Room including me and I a ready for something new. I can tell I haven't been exercising and/or getti g to Yoga class because I feel like I have been in a fog for over a week now.

I caught my yearly cold and fought t at this past week and now my whole perspective seems changed. Not sure what happened there except that I was in bed for three days and literally going crazy. I have been updating a phone book at work all day and in my opinion the should all be burned and 411 should be free and accessible on every phone ust like 911. I mean what a waste of time although they must come in handy i a power outage when you can't access the internet. My eyes hurt, and I am se ing double from staring at each line on the screen verifying that the web-based ersion matched the print version.

Do you ever feel like you are being unished? Like the world is out to get you for no particular reason except to be en ertained at your expense. I would venture to guess if most people think that way, hen they can't possibly be out to get one another because they are too worrie about who is out to get them. Strange yes, but true ... I know I have worried my elf sick over things like how I look, what other people are saying or thinking a out me and come to find out they were wrapped up in their own little world 0 self-involvement worrying about exactly the same things.

Why do we humans do this? Would e do it in the absence of societal rules and boundaries? Maybe not, but on the fl p side would we behave so barbarically and have no regard for others? I suppos it doesn't have to be so black and white and maybe we would live more bala ced lives without all the stress of worrying about being perfect in such an impe ect world.

It's fun sometimes to ask yourself th se thought-provoking questions, similar to the futuristic ones we talk about in cl ss it gets your mind going and stimulates the creative side of the brain. At lea t for me, I can't say I have done any extensive research on the subject, b t I know after working all day behind a desk most of the energy I am exerting is c ming from my brain and it feels on some days very similar to the exhaustion 0 a physical workout.

This is the end of the paper by Ama~ing to Be.

This is the start of my paper, by J.P. Prewitt. After last week's class I was thinking of the mind room exercise and w as we get older we tend to lose or stop using our creativity. Our jobs and life for that atter play to the contrary of it. The routine of life tends to dilute our urges to express a selves in a creative manner. While I was in New York getting my undergraduate de ee, I was lucky to have met someone who re­ignited my creativity. He was a professo of mine who taught English. His story was unique; he had given up a successful M keting firm to become a Professor of English, which was a huge pay cut from his previ us job. During my time at school I took as many of his classes as I could as well as Independent study over the summer months. In that independent study the professor n t only enhanced my ability to write better and more creatively, but also enforced the no ion of doing the things you love. When my independent study was finally finished, I ad not only written a 150 page novel, which to this day I believe is one of my best works but also was given during in that time the trust to edit and advise on the professors' boo which he later got published.

I believe it is truly fulfilling and' portant to be creative, in whatever nature one prefers. The mind room is one of those in 'bitors for us, it's paperless but can be as strong as text. As with writing exercises t at strengthen our writing ability, mind exercises as well strengthen our thought nd capacity to think more creatively.

Princess Katera

Creative and Visionary Class Spring 2007

February 25, 2007

In class you briefly spoke ab ut the lO questions posed by Darold Powers and those questions ere very interesting. I looked at the questions when I got home a d tried to see if I could apply it to something in my life and it was shocking how some things were. I think those questions can be used to d termine if something is really necessary or better yet to help people ma e good choices in their life. I think that before someone makes a drasf c change in there life they should ask . some of these questions and s e if it applies to them and that certain situation.

For example

Topic: New House

Question # 4: Who or what ha~ an interest in keeping this the same? Who has an interest in changi~g it?

I do not want new house because taxes are high, insurance is high and Home Owners Associations Fe s. I rather stay in myoId house where those particular issues aren't a problem and I can still have money to spend. My mom wants a new ouse because they old house is falling apart and she does not like t e area. She plans on building on her property in Okeechobee Count so she does not have to be concerned with HOA Fees and taxes and i surance is low in that county compared to Palm Beach.

Solution: MOVE TO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY

The 10 Questions allow people to think out their options before making a big/small decision. I think tha if more people did this it would produce better outcomes all around. Tel 0 Questions are like consequence critical thinking.

This is the start of the paper by XII,

Dr. Mendel's unconventional proach to this class has enhanced my learning experience by allowing s all to focus on the content and nature of the course without simply going t rough the general routine of writing papers, completing projects and eeting deadlines. Although some students may take advantage of the absenc of the aforementioned routines, the majority of the students in this cl ss will be able to enhance their critical thinking skills while garnering va uable information that cannot be obtained through reading a text or writing report.

The unique format and structu e of this class serves as an adequate framework for enhancing the crea ive process through the development of the reasoning skills that are found throughout the web resources located within the class page. I often find yself perusing the web page in search of different perspectives and resourc s that will serve to enhance my critical thinking skills.

Last week's lecture was very i formative as Dr. Mendel spoke of "the experimental self' and reinforced he ten questions posed by Darold Powers. Unfortunately, I am not yet in a p sition that would allow me to unleash my experimental self without jeopardi ing my career. I am given a small degree of discretion but the leadership at I y organization discourages most ideas that do not conform to their established framework of perceptions. I eagerly anticipate the day when I am "use I enough" to minimize the actions of my "safekeeping self' and conversely naximize the actions of my "experimental self'. While most 0 us are not in a position to have a direct influence over the policies of our various organizations, we can contribute ideas that can incrementally have' small impact on the direction of our respective organizations. Ideally, e will ultimately have a greater influence over the decision-making processe as we gain the experience and credentials necessary to gamer the respect of our colleagues and leaders.

I enjoyed our final collective vi it to the mind room and hope that Dr.

Mendel will consider incorporatin this visit into all the remaining classes. While it makes the ride horne mor difficult, it is an extremely relaxing process that enhances our creativit. and allows us to escape from the minutia of daily life in order to get a glimpse of life's larger picture.

This is the end of the paper by X I

This is the start of a paper by BeachBelle.

Aaaahhh - Spring Break! IWasn't it wonderful? No classes ­beautiful sunny weather - sprin~ training baseball games - what more could you ask for?

It seems like there is never a eally good time to take off of work ­there is always an emerging cr sis of the day to deal with or a never­ending string of deadlines to eet. Earlier in my career, there was many a time where I cancelled y planned vacation leave because of work concerns. Unless I had plane reservations or booked a vacation trip with others, I somehow did 't think my plans to run errands, work around the house, or simply r lax at home were as important as my job.

On one occasion, I gave up a aid-for hotel! football ticket package and long weekend trip to Gain sville (to see the Florida Gators play Old Miss) in order to accom any Senator Bob Graham on a 45 minute helicopter tour of the E erglades. Now any good University of Florida fan will tell you tha was a significant sacrifice - not the $350 I was out, but having to 10 k at alligators in the Everglades while missing the opportunity to wat h the real Florida Gators play in the Swamp!

After all these years, I thought I had gotten a little more realistic about balancing my priorities betwe n home and work. When the F AU semester started in January, I ut in a vacation leave slip requesting to take the week of Spring Beak off from work. Since I'm taking three graduate level classes, it' pretty difficult to get away from home for any type of vacation and pring Break seemed like the perfect opportunity for a planned respit from both work and school. Despite best laid plans, I guilted mys If into going to work last Monday to provide a briefing for my bos on an upcoming meeting she was attending. So much for my we k off. However, I did take Tuesday ­Friday off and now I'm sure the e'll be hell to pay on Monday trying to catch up - haven't looked at y work e-mails yet other than to take note that my mailbox has 625 u read messages. Ugh!

This is the end of the paper by BeachBelle.

This is the start of a paper byl Rose Stealth.

Once again, here we ar ,writing about the mind room and the "top 10" questions. This ind room attempt was not as successful as before. I could not visualize the balloon, the clouds disappeared as soon s I thought about them, and my room was hazy and was in constant flux. My mind room exercise was a flop.

However, once I realize what I could or could not visualize during the mind room exercis , I asked myself "What is going on with my life that I can't imagi e my mind room?" I was relaxed, but I could not focus on the t sk at hand. The answer soon came to me.

Pressures at work are ounting. Other than during nights at class, I spend approximately nine to eleven hours at work a day to meet deadlines. My family is upset because I do not spend as much time with the as I used to. This is not to even mention the friends who feel s if I've abandoned them. And a love life? Oh, you can forget hat one. I it hard enough finding time to sleep, let alone spend quality time with a new significant other.

I took a hard look at the e pressures and realized that I'm prioritizing everything in my Ii e INCORRECTLY. Do I have to meet my deadlines? Yes. B t I really should be putting family and friends before work. I m de the decision to schedule dinners and time with family and frien s and leave work when I need to in order to keep those appointm nts. The one thing that I wasn't feeling pressure about was s hool, and I believe that this isn't a pressure because it is the nu ber one priority in my life right now. I can focus on work an play when this experience is over.

What does this have to 0 with the mind room? Everything.

Although I was not able to be in my mind room and I couldn't see the clouds, I was able to tap i to my problems and come up with solutions to fix it. Isn't that th purpose of the mind room?

This is the end of the paper b Rose Stealth.

This is the start of a paper by the Driving Range Golfer. Hello fellow classmates, can anyone t 11 me the real meaning behind the doctrine of the Separation of C urch and State. I have heard it explained in so many different ays. I work for a local government and a group of women meet we kly to have a Bible Study in one of their offices'. Is this allowed? T ey do not go around preaching their beliefs, but they do invite peopl to join them. They are using a public building for a religious purpose Does this violate the Separation of Church and State?

Another friend I play soft all with in a city league told me that his pastor told the congregation who to vote for in the 2004 election. I can't help but think that the sa e will be true for the 2008 elections since the candidates are already lining up for the primaries. Does this violate the Separation of Churc and State? Are churches permitted to take stance on a particular cand date, party, or issue? I think they should stick to the issues, such pro-choice vs. pro-life or welfare reform. They should not suppo particular candidates or parties. Wha1 happened to free choice? Shoul these churches loose their tax benefits for endorsing a candid te?

What about our money d the Pledge of Allegiance? Our money says, "In God We Trust' and our pledge says, "One Nation, Under God, Indivisible ... " Do ese things violate the Separation of Church and State or do they fol ow the tradition of those in the United States. Are people offended by hese references? I am not offended by them, but I am just wondering i anyone else would like to comment.

I think the USA needs an ultimate agenda; we seem to live in the grey and swing back and fo h with only our conscious to guide us individually. It is so frustrating ow our government. and citizens say one thing and then act different y. Some want to legally prohibit abortion, but do not make adop ion easier. Some want to drive on the best roads and act annoyed wh they wait in long lines for government services, yet they nd every way possible to cheat on their income taxes. Immigratio ... that's full of loopholes and inconsistencies. Can we find s me common goals? Are we so different that it is impossible? his is the end of a paper by the Driving Range Golfer.

This is the start of a paper y Middleman. Spring break has been a nice break from class and now I am re dy for the final weeks of classes. Last clas~ Dr. Mendell had the class again go i to the mind room. After the experience I hac the week before I was hoping to b ild on what I had already experienced in the mind room but I was sadly disap ointed. I found it hard to even get relaxec enough for me to join the room. I am a believer in the mind room but perhaps had done it too many times and ha too high of expectations and was too eagel to get back to the place I was t e week before. Unfortunately I did not gei anything out of the experience; ho ever I am still a believer the exercise works. Now however I am looking forwar to moving ahead and discussing the nex topic for our class "Lifework Plannin ".

The first thought that came to mind when Dr. Mendell used the tem "Lifework Planning" was "retiremen " and what I have to do to get there. I wa~ thinking more about the outcome than the steps it takes to get there. I wa~ fantasizing about laying on the bea h in Key West. However when I take a ste~ back into reality I am able to visual what steps are necessary to accomplish m) goals in life to get there. I have both long term and short term goals. Long tem goals are pretty simple, keep adva cing at work, earn more income, establish c home and have a family. Short te m are a bit more cluttered but the genera theme is to get my master's degree and at advance at work. Just the way I think have a hard time gathering all y short term goals together in my brain sometimes it feels like a jumbled m ss but all the goals always come together fOI me to succeed at accomplishing my long term goals.

For one reason or another I never have clear thoughts, often it feels like my thoughts are a jumbled mess, w ich leads me to often worry about things ou' of my control because I feel there i a lack of control. I often find myself fightin~ to gain control which a lot of th time leaves me stressed. However I arr beginning to realize again (as I gai ed control over this ideas as an undergrad: that if I chill, collect my thoughts and just do what I want to do or what is on m) mind there is less stress. Sometim s it seems I spend more time thinking abou' doing something instead of actually doing it and for me it's so hard to break tha cycle. A good example was the wa I approached my midterm exam for anothel Public Administration course. I worr ed; worried so much that I barely studied fOI the exam because I was so out of ocus. When the day of the exam came I fel' unprepared and stressed. When 1st down to write the exam I mentally though what the heck do I have to lose? Just think about the question and make u~ whatever you need to make up bec use you at least have common sense. In fac' I have all the common sense in t e world and I am beginning to realize tha perhaps that's all I really need to s cceed. When I was finished I was not at al confident in my answers but at leas they were thought out even though they die not reference a lot of the reading. I hought at least the professor would not thin~ I was too much of a fool.

For an exam I wrote using t,0stI^Y common sense I got a high 'B' and would have gotten an 'A' if I had tim to finish the final question. A lot can be saic for just having common sense. This is the end of a paper by Middleman.

                       

This is the start of the paper by Nexus

Working hard to achieve personal gals can be both an exhilarating and tiresome journey. However, like so many America s we never know when to stop. After one goal has been achieved, there remains another waiti g to be tackled. Personally, if I am not striving towards something I start to panic and feel as if I am not doing something I am supposed to be doing. After reading Mary Baechler sto about her personal success as an entrepreneur, company owner, eventual burnout, and bli s semi-retirement her life lessons serve as excellent example for the necessity putting into practice the art of relaxing.

Mary's story can be found under the link titled "avoiding burnout" under Dr. Mendel's golly grants website. Her story began just s any other with a personal goal. For Mary this meant creating a successful baby stroller b siness with her husband. However, despite the success of her company at the end of every year she was constantly comparing her success with other businesses that did slightly bette . Rather than cherishing what her and her husband had achieved she decided it would be better to work harder and do better next year. As result, her marriage ended and her busi ess underwent a series of misdirections, mostly due to Mary's exhaustion. Eventually, she as able to put her business back on track. She decided she did not have to outperform her competitors consistently. Mary new that her business had found their niche and could re ain successful without having to reengineer yearly, she learned to take a step back, re1a , and eventually began training a replacement. Today, she lets her protege and experience managers run her company. Mary found a way to let things go and relax.

            Mary's story had a very happy concl                  However, there are many stories about

individuals driven by success that end poor y. Often we are told that blood, sweat, tears, sacrifice, and pain are weakness leaving th body. In the end, if our goals have been met we can say it was all worth it. However, what appens when you reach that goal and all you see are more goals. This is the time to step bac This is the end of the paper by Nexus

Ms. Nicky 03/12/07

This is the start of a paper b Ms. Nicky. I remember the day when I finished writing my first real ficti n story. I asked my friend if she would read it. Well, she sat down to read my story but she didn't respond the way I expected her to. I was thinking f an abstract reader who would say what every writer wants you to say to h m/her: "This is the best thing I have ever read in my life." After that expe ience, I began examining the style and technique of those whom I once dmired and I imitated every style in the hope of finding the clue to the s cret of how to write. That's when I was convinced that the theory of story telling is an art and how good a story is

                                                     determined by how well it is co      unicated.

According to Aristotle, "eve story has a beginning, a middle and an end," but what makes a good sto ? I believe everyone has a story to tell. To me, life is like a journey in w ich one transcends from a caterpillar to a butterfly. The structure of sto telling sometimes, self-contained, is potentially similar to a system in hich the frame work of the story is like a navigating tool for exploring all possible links among the stories themselves, their narrators and their alternati e interpretations. The characters make explicit the process of telling a d receiving tales, and are a constant reminder that we are within the d uble boundaries of a fictional construct. Their presence also forces us to m ntally move back and forth across those ideal and invisible boundaries in 0 der to discuss or assess the "meaning" or "message" of the story. It can th s be conceived as a control mechanism devised by the author in order t give formal order and structure to the chaotic matter of the narrative. I is meant to guide our own reading, by establishing the fiction of "sto elling" as a self-conscious social, oral, conversational, even critical proces .

For example, in Joseph Ca pbell's "Hero's Journey" there is some element of structure. Campbell's t eory has been expressed in a number of ways and has more exceptions am ng good stories. Nonetheless, his focus on the hero being confronted with challenge, rejecting it but then is forced (or allowed) to accept it; he travels on the road of trials, gathering powers and allies, and confronts evil only to be defeated leading to a dark night of the soul, after which the hero m kes a leap of faith that allows him to confront evil again and be victorio s. This technique may be fundamentally important because a reader may be able to relate to the crucial aspects of the obstacles and adversity in his own life experiences. This is the end of the paper by Ms. Nicky.

This is the start of a paper ~y Princess Leah

Let's talk about my spr ng break! I went to Las Vegas with my best friend, and the to Las Angeles and then spent the weekend after in South each. I am now broke. Vegas was extremely expensive b t a lot of fun. I arrived in Vegas at 430 am and after I put m luggage in the hotel room I went downstairs to play slot machines. My first try I won $70! I should have stopped there but nope, I lost it all and plus some in five minutes. I saw a show called Le Reve that was like cirque de solei! but in water. That was $140 a

ticket. Then I went to a clu called Rain located in the Palms hotel. It was $40 to get in a d it was wall to wall packed. I spent almost $20 on one drink and decided it was time to go and not spend any more m ney there. Then we drove to LA and stayed there a few nigh s. We went to the Getty Center, which is located on top of a ountain, and it is huge. We took a few tours through the museum and then left. We went shopping in Beverly Hills an ate at a famous hot dog place called "Pinks." We came ba k to Florida and got a hotel

room in South Beach, Miam. We took a cab to the Grove, ate dinner there and went to a club called Oxygen. My friend dropped her camera and by the time she went to pick it up, someone stole it. Then we at home and passed out. We woke up, had a nasty break ast and laid on the beach for the whole day.

Reality is back and it isl crunch time.

This is the end of a paper wtitten by Princess Leah.

This is the start of a paper by Iphaba.

I was watching a nutritio show and the man hosting the show stated that we should not have any food in our fridge or cabinets that has a shelf life of more than tw weeks because they are filled with preservatives. I looked through my groceries to find that just about everything I have has a shelf Ii e of over two weeks. When I took my next trip to the grocery store I tied to find products that I have heard to be healthy and was disappointed to see that everything appears to have a shelf life of over two we ks. This made me think of the futuristic question of "does this have a natural life span?" And I came to the conclusion that nothing t at we have previously discussed has a natural life span. The food th t I was looking at had a chemically induced life span that was crea ed by people.

I n class we discussed th natural life span of items such as cell phones and DVD players and ad determined that there life span was until we decided that there was something new and exciting. This seems to be true of all our gad ets. Computers are obsolete after approximately six months to a ear. Cell phones are rarely kept more than two years. VCRs have be n replaced by DVD players and Tivo. Cassette machines have been replaced by CD players which is being replaced by IPod. Cars get tra ed in for newer models after 3 years.

This has made me wond r why we choose to get rid of our luxury items before they have topped working. I think I am the only person I know that still has a h use phone and answering machine from when I was 15 (I am 26 n w). I am considering getting a new one but only because the char e of my phone only lasts about an hour. I will probably keep it unti it refuses to turn on again. It is ironic that we live in a society that is oised for longevity and that we are constantly making things to a q ality that they will last longer. Cars now have warranties for 100,0 ° miles but we may only drive 60,000 before we get bored and want omething new (nothing beats that new car smell - maybe we sho Id trade them in once it wears off).

If this is the case why are we making our food to last the test of time when that is the one thing that we are supposed to be trading in every two weeks.

This is the· end of the pa~r by Elphaba.

This is the start of a paper by Anita Bath.

I would like to talk a little bout motivation. Motivating employees can be understood by learning so e basic motivation theories. Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs Theo consists of 5 hierarchical steps. The steps in order from "basic needs" to "higher needs" are "physiological, safety, love/belonging/, status, ac ualization" (Wikipedia, 2007). As each of these needs are fulfilled, the pers n is then believed to want or need the next step in the hierarchy.

Herzberg's Two Factor Th ory is based on the principle that people are motivated by "satisfaction an physiological growth which are a result of motivation factors"(Wikiepedia, 007). Job dissatisfaction comes from of a lack of hygiene factors (Wikipedi , 2007). The motivators can be described as "challenges, autonomy, intrins c interests, and creative opportunities" (Wikipedia, 2007). The hygiene actors can be defmed as "pay, fringe benefits, relationships with cowo kers, and physical environment" (Wikipedia, 2007). 80, essentiall this theory contends that people are motivated by job satisfaction, wh ch is defmed by the motivators listed above. However, employees are issatisfied with their job when they do not receive the hygiene factors. The' portant thing to note here is that is does not say employees are motivated y the hygiene factors, it only states that they are dissatisfied if they do no have those factors.

Theory X and Theory Y ar typically defined as the two types of organizational cultures. Theory is the type of organizational culture best exemplified in the military. 80m leaders of the military have the characteristics of a theory x leade , some of the attributes are: demanding, threatening, loud, cold, vengeful, erciless, and results and deadline-driven (Wikipedia, 2007). A Theory Y rganizational culture or manager is one who praises their employees, beli ves their "employees may be ambitious, self-motivated, anxious to accept eater responsibility, and exercise self­control and self-direction" (Wiki edia, 2007). This theory neither rejects one or the other as being the bette approach, however, I believe that theory x is better fit in the military while theory y is better fit in creative organizations such as microsoft 0 google. In creative environments you must have the autonomy in order 0 be successful in your career. In the military it is important to follow t e theory x philosophy so that orders are followed and done in a timely fas ion.

This is the end of a paper by Anita, Bath.

This is the start of a paper by BusJlwhacker.

Considering Darold Powers' qu~stions, I would like to contemplate the services of Mental Health Counse~in~.

(I)What did this look like fifty y ars ago? Almost non-existent. What has happened to force change? More eople with more mental problems. What would have to happen in the out ide world for this to stay the same? The elimination of mental illness and e otional discomfort.

(2) If natural events take their cou se, how will this look in twenty years? A greater variety of new mental isorders and a greater complication of presenting mental discomfort. ental health help will probably be more self-cheek-out, self-researched, an self-administered.

(3) Is this fulfilling its original in ent? Yes. There appears to be a constant interest in the study of the mi d. At the time this was created, what alternatives were discarded? Bu . ng at the stake, lynching, and electro­shock. Might they be revived toda ? Yes. There is always a violent reaction to differences of opinion.

(4) Who or what has an interest it keeping this the same? Self-proclaimed therapists, half-wit students and a never ending supply of "therapists." Who has an interest in changing it? An one who has ever seen some of the non­sense involved in some of it.

(5) Can any small changes be ade that would appreciably change its performance? Yes. Deliver it che per. Can any large changes be made that would not change its performance Yes, deliver it cheaper.

(6) How does this affect living ings besides humans? Fewer dogs get kicked, maybe some hunters stop killing for sport, maybe people will stop wanting to swim with the dolphi ; pet the manatee and shark; and take their pets to mental health therapists.

(7) Does this have a natural life sp ? No. What would cause it to disappear? A belief which would not accept ental health counseling.

(8) What complaints have you h ard about it? Too expensive. Counselors wait until 59 minutes before they ring up the real issues, and then they say "we'll have to take this up next w ek." Have you read any predictions about its future? No, not really. Appare tly, there will always be variations on the same Issues.

(9) What does this institution, pro uct, or service imply about human nature? Humans are mentally helpless, so ewhat hopeless and even a little spooky. (10) What are the essential feature of the whole system of which it is a part? UnfInished social and familial b iness. How else could the system purpose be met? Stop inventing complicating concepts, languages, and postures which support their charlatanism.

This is the end of the paper by Bushwhacker.

- This is the state of a paper by enegade.

The world is trying to bec me entirely too insane. One of the links of Dr Mendell's website deals ith Banned Words, Images, and Topics. I find it amusing that the editor went on to point out that the words run from offensive to trivial. It is t ly ridiculous that people become so offended with a word. I mean, I can understand someone being offended if I call them an asshole. Let's be realistic, it is rude. It is rude to say, and yet some just became offen ed when they read it. Quite frankly, I would never write it under no al circumstances, but I felt it necessary to write it to prove a point. A w rd like that should be offensive. I think we can all agree on that. But let s draw a line somewhere ...

What is wrong with callin a person a senior citizen? Come on! A person who is in charge or has een around a while is called a senior employee or a senior staffmem er. Why can't a citizen be senior? If that is offensive, what are they supp sed to be called- an older person? Tell me that does not sound worse t an being called a senior person. What do you do with something when it ecomes old? Well, you usually through it out.

I think that this brings up nother problem. Suppose you are offended with a word and want 0 use something else in its place. What word are you going to use? For xample, many people might become offended if you call them a blon e- for the sole reason of them having blonde hair. If I can't call them blonde, what am I going to call them? Say a guy sees a good-looking runette. He will most likely tell his buddies, "Hey! Check out that b nette over there." What happens if she is blonde and we are trying to b politically correct? The guy can't say to his buddy, "Hey! Check out t at blonde." How about, "Check out that gold." "Check out that woman ith flowing locks of gold." Enough already.

We like to say that we hav~ come a long way and become less barbaric than we used to be. Bu , look at the price that we are paying. We might becoming more educ ted, but we certainly are not becoming smarter.

- This is the end of the paper by IRenegade.

This is the start of a p~per by Ilene Dover.

The concepts in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" are very true. All books, ovies, stories, etc do follow the same pattern. Occasionall there will be a roundabout surprise somewhere, but t e path always leads back to the same story. Over the wee end I saw the movie 300. It is based on the story of 300 partans attempting to defeat a vast army of Persians. In t le movie, King Leonidas walks through all the stages of th hero as described by Campbell.

I think the idea that t ese archetypes are based on the human psyche is very inte esting. There has to some validity to this because writers continue to create the same journey for their character . But, more than that, we continue to read the books watch the movies, see the plays, etc. We also take these fic itious characters and their actions and apply them to ur real lives. Even the Shadow and the Trickster character defined by Goodin are relatable to most people. These arc etypes cause us to think about the world around us and w at we can do to be a "hero" in our own world.

This is the end of the baper by Ilene Dover.

This is the start of another paper ltr HeavyMetal.

The sixth class, as well as c mments from the fifth papers submitted will be the topic. It seems from th papers that some people are actually getting into the Mind Room and e periencing some sort of relaxation or trance, while others may be trying but not quite getting it. Rose Stealth called it "a flop", and I just see it s a rest period to relax. I enjoyed the 10 questions exercise because some ore people got to interact, and that's a good thing.

Interesting that many peopl relate this class and the Mind Room to their own jobs, much of the discu sion seems to revolve around the workplace, while I turn work off hen I'm on my own time. Also, some continuing discussion about Anna Nicole Smith (I can't take any more news coverage of this non·talent golddi ger). She may have had certain talents, but certainly poor choices in men. Hoping the circus ends and she can rest in peace.

Hi Princess Leah! Hope yo enjoy your Vegas trip, don't lose too much money. I also liked Chutzpa 18's discussion of "The Net", as well as the movie talk in class about "Sta Wars" and "The Godfather". The bad guy versus good guy can usually creat a good story. Cool out Kling Cung ing Wong, nothing wrong with thong , as far as I'm concerned. And Dammien, I liked your talk about black self·pr de, the late great James Brown would be proud of you (listen to "I'm Black and I'm Proud").

This is the end of the paper ~y HeavyMetal.

This is the start of a paper by ******

This week is the harde t I have had in writing a log, because I do not now what to write about. Nothing special happen ,d during the last two week that would want me to rite bout it. For spring break I did nothing sp cial. I work did not go anywhere or did anythi,g fun, read any books, or meet any new people. Tle only thing I can really write about is how som of my friends from high school call me which w .s the last thing I was expecting but it felt 0 good since it gave me the chance to reminisce an catch up things that has happened with them tha I did not know about.

I think the only thing I can write about is work. I love my job but I hate how I am being treated. I know if am punished fo . doing a good job at work because all that happe s is that I am given more than those who are not as proficient or those who choose to take shortcu s in completing their job. There are opportunitie for me to get another job but I stick with this ob because of the non­financial benefits whi h I gain which is helping people especially chil ren. Is that enough for me to stay at job where I am being punished because I love my job and I am g od at it but pressure to do more than I sometime p .ysically can to the point where I give up parts of my personal life to ensure I do not look b .ck in my professional life. How long am I going to do this for and how much I am going to continue t sacrifice or what else am I going to sacrifice?

I love my job and I gu ss the one think I hate about it is being take! advantage of. I would like to keep doing my job "nd be able to have a balance life but to be honest am not sure how to go about having a happy medium.

Well I have nothing mo~e to ramble about but hopefully I will be ab e to find that happy medium and I hope soooooooooo on.

This is the end of the paper by *****

This is the start of a paper b Boss Lady '08. Last night we entered the The Mind Room for the fourth visit Okay, this was the most effective trip. Dr. Mendell informed that we sho Id not discuss or write about what we experience in The Mind Room so will refrain from providing personal details of the trip. What I will share is th t I think this was a unique exercise-most unusual from all other exercises and tasks that I have been assigned or encountered during the course of the MPA program. I feel it was an enlightening experience and if not ing was achieved during the four sessions, the possibility remains that revelations and true learning experiences will unfold and surface at a later date. After all, I would like to be able to produce creative and innovative solutions to common everyday and not so common problems. Sort of like marketi g and advertising provide creative and innovative ways to promote the s Ie of goods and services. The whole idea being able to discover and activat those ideas and solutions that, in essence, already exist.

During this class session, t e class was also invited to participate in a group assignment. This project s rved as an extension to the discussions on Darold Powers, futuristic questi ns. Class discussion also ensued on solutions to problems and the application of Powers' questions. Very thought­provoking exercise with provide for room for reminiscence. In today's business world, creative thinking and innovation are more important than ever. More and more success is deter ined by our ability to come up with new ideas, and innovative and cr ative solutions to opportunities-while maintaining a touch with the pas. There's an old saying, "history repeats itself," that comes to mind. Funny how the more things change the more they stay the same-I'm sure you've all heard that one. Sometimes the production of what appears to be new, crea ive solutions to problems is in actuality a reinvention or resurgence of a past solution, invention or idea. It's all about thinking differently and more often than not we just need a bit of prodding to do just that.

Creative thinking is a conce t that is applicable to all facets of life-both personal and professional. A cr ative mind is a rare and terrible thing to waste. Although I wonder how w II and to what extent is creative thinking is utilized in public agencies. Does overnment rules and regulations, policies and procedures allow for much cr ative thinking and innovative solutions? An inclination to explore, innovate, de iate from the norm or dare to be different is a jewel, so to say. I guess we coul think of it as a risk ticket that allows one to dare to be different.

This is the end of the paper Iby Boss Lady '08.

                       

This is the start of the paper ~y world traveler ...

This week, I really don't now what to talk about. I am eager to hear what else Dr. Mendell is going to introduce to the class. I am VERY ready to move pas the mind room. It is a great concept and congrats to those of you ho got through it. It is just not for me and I am happy to be mo ing on.

I have been thinking ab ut this class in relation to my job recently. I am trying to be mo e creative in the way that I

approach my job and the out ach that I need to do to make my programs successful. One of he interesting aspects I am dealing with is working with teens ... wile this may not sound like a difficult task, you try communicating ith them on a regular basis when they don't check e-mail and I on't have time to call each of them every week.

If anyone is up to it, I thr w out the challenge of applying the 10 questions to the issue of c mmunicating with teens. They tell me that they don't check e-m il on a regular basis. They have their cell phones, but rarely a swer them when I call. They do not return phone messages. I do 't have text messaging, my employer cannot cover that e pense. Every time I try to use 1M, they are not on. So, any thou hts?

This is the end of the p~per by world traveler ...