Self Assessment

1. Communication Skills -- communicating clearly so others understand you
2. Listening Skills -- clearly hear what others are saying to you
3. Writing Skills -- writing clearly, concisely, proper grammar, structure and punctuation
4. Speaking Skills -- communicating orally
5. Interpersonal Skills -- work as a team, interviewing others politely, going in-depth
6. Curiosity and awareness -- eager to know what's going on around you, able to see patterns in life and when those patterns are altered
7. Self-direction -- takes direction from editors, can write a story without being told
8. Self-confidence -- believe in their abilities to their readers and listeners

Let's go over every single one and see if I A) need to improve it or B) I already have a satisfactory level of it:

1) Communicating skills - They go hand in hand with social skills, I believe that if you are able to hold a simple, intelligent conversation with a stranger, you have pretty good communication skills.

2) Listening skills - Is the ability to listen to someone while absorbing as much information as possible without interrupting them at the same time. I believe that I need some work in this field, sometimes I find myself dozing off or interrupting even though I understand that some people may take it as being rude.

3) Writing Skills - Are how you are able to sway your words and create sentences which reach the reader by simply informing then or emotionally reaching them. 

4) Speaking Skills - Refer to number 1.

5) Interpersonal Skills - Simply your ability to lead OR follow, knowing what you are doing in a work setting at all times. I believe that I still don't know whether I have good or bad Interpersonal skills although ever since I was little I have been team captain in every sport I play or always have always lead in warm-ups.

6) Curiosity - Being aware of your surroundings is a very important thing in this life, you want to know when you are screwing someone over or when you yourself are being screwed!

7) Self Direction - The drive to DIY. DO IT YOURSELF.

8) Self Confidence - The ability to believe in yourself in everything you do. I believe I will succeed in life because there is really no other option for me. 

3 simple steps for improvement:

1) Acknowledge your faults, NO ONE is perfect.

2) Try to fix them with practice.

3) Try again.

Smart Phones will take over ze world.

Since many companies offer different varieties of SmartPhones there will never be such thing as a complete monopoly here in America, but what is sure is that the demand for this piece of technology is rising every year and there isn't much any of the companies it is hurting can do to stop it. In the world of business it is eat, or get eaten; even though many people might loose their jobs over some new, unnecessarily expensive phone. The companies whom make this product will not stop trying to be the best at what they do because usually the failure of one business means the success of another.

Gratitude and Thanks

Personally, I liked this cartoon simply because I've always found it important to give gratitude and thanks to those who have or are fighting for your rights. Whether it's protesting for your right to freedom of speech or exchanging bullets with foreign enemies, these people are all heroes in some way.

Tips for taking pictures

From what I saw, the following are very elemental in photography:
- Learn to use a plain background
- Learning how to use flash outdoors
- Locking the focus
- Taking vertical pictures
- Being a picture director

The difference between the Kodak pictures that were shown to us and pictures we will be taking pictures for  Journalism is that the Kodak pictures were posed.
I'd say that the two most important factors when it comes to photography are: Creativity and use of lighting

Destroy all which is evil, so that which is good may flourish

Boondock Saints is the best movie Evurrr!

It is what it is.

Those type of questions are kinda rhetorical for me. Personally, I believe that it all depends where you hang around, who you hang around with, and what you do that defines whether you will be safe. Whether it be here in the states or in a third-world country.
I lived in Mexico for thirteen years, it's my home, I really don't have a problem with hearing gunshots every time there is a holiday or something like that. And although I moved here 3 years ago (around the time it really started getting bad), I've been held at gun-point, and my brother has been mugged while in Switzerland. I honestly do not feel safe anywhere, although I do feel a little safer in "the valley".

I've had some senior moments early.

Once upon a time, two Sharyland students would skip around eight times a semester because that was the allowed amount until you lost credit. They would find ways to pass the time, Barnes & Noble, parks, and anything that seemed fun to do. Senior skip day they would hit the beach. Run away from cops, no stops. Enjoy life, not a care in the world. Every day of their lives was a "senior moment".

Nincompoops? Seriously doooood?

Before I go on to explain something about my generation I'd like to ask whomever made the word "nincompoop" up to do the whole world a favor and not write, come up, or even think about something as simple as a predicate ever again. For all of our sakes.

There are three kinds of successful people in this world, the hard worker, the genius, and the guy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Every year we are progressing as a whole, we do regress of course, but that is only natural, with all the problems involving drugs and violence nowadays who isn't already used to it? My generation might not be the best one out there, but it sure as hell isn't the worst. What generation is starting wars, stealing money, and terrorizing people? "Not ours" everyone says. Everyone does wrong at one point in there life, I've gotten in a fight over a reason I now admit was stupid, but I've never started a war over oil. I've ripped off a guy because I sold him something for what it wasn't worth. But I've never stolen millions of dollars from stock brokers. And I do admit, I have bullied. But I've never hijacked two planes filled with people and crashed them into the world trade center.

We are all one, stop worrying about dividing people into generations, casting stones, and just take responsibility for what you've done in your life, be it good or bad.

TV is good for you.

I really wish I had more time to do things like watch TV, but I usually don't. I am very selective when it comes to TV shows, I think you can actually learn alot about me from the shows I actually do watch/have watched. I absolutely love "South Park" and will continue to be a South Park fan till the day that I die (Comedy Central). I really do admire Bear Grylls from "Man vs. Wild"(Discovery), and I would really enjoy being friends with the characters from "Entourage" (HBO). 

Besides those shows, I flip the channels every now and then, watching anything from medical documentaries to a random show on my brother's Netflix account. 

Change is good, dood.

In Mexico high-school's are called "preparatorias", in other words "prep school". The whole intention behind high school is to prepare us for college right? Then why do teachers still treat us like kids? and why are our grading rubrics like how they were in junior high? Teachers need to let us be more independent with our studies. Homework is intended to help the student understand the material, not fail him. A student should not flunk a class because of his homework grades, tests are made to access the knowledge of the student, not homework.

Guts

         Succeeding is a very simple concept but it's easier said than done. It takes time management, organizing skills, responsibility, and most importantly the guts to never give up. Intelligence or knowledge only gets you so far, it's determination which drives you forward in life. If you happen to be a Freshmen at BETA and are struggling to keep up with your classes, just relax, pull out your planner, write everything down that you have pending, and attack them one at a time until they are all gone and you have time to enjoy the finer things in life. Try picking up a hobby if you don't already have one. Keeping your body and mind healthy is an essential part of a teenager's life. Find something to be passionate about.