Scavenger Hunt!

Morningside College has some of the nicest employees around. As I left class to fulfill my objective to find a pencil with the Morningside logo on it, I thought to myself this is stupid. In the strong blowing wind I headed to Lewis Hall. I ascended the stairs from the back door into the main hallway. I turned right to head towards the Business Office. Walking up to the counter I was honestly a bit nervous. I didn’t want people to look at my like I was an idiot.

I got the nerve to ask a blonde haired worker at the front desk of the office for a pencil with the logo. Her name, I later asked, was Lauren Nugent. To my shock without any hesitation, or explanation from me, she started digging in her desk with a big smile on her face. After about two minutes of rummaging around Lauren said,” Geez, you’d think we’d have boxes of them.” After she turned to ask her co-worker for some help looking. Lauren’s co-worker was Becky Thompson. Right away she skipped over to the tall cabinet towards the back wall of the office. She quickly opened the top cabinet and moved around some boxes filled with papers. “Ah-ha!” Becky announced. She pulled out a big pile of maroon pencils with a rubber band around them. She handed me the freshly sharpened pencil with ease, and I took it relieved I found one so fast and easy.

I asked them a few more questions then said thank you as I turned around to head back to class. Back into the wind I walked hurriedly back to write about how nice these people were. Not only did they take almost 10 minutes out of their schedule to help me with this assignment, but they seemed to enjoy it. They were bubbly, smiling, and polite to me; a stranger with a random pencil request.

Not so Easy Tone: News Comment #5

This week I chose an article that deals with Reebok Easy Tone shoes. Reebok grabbed my attention when they first put out the overly sexist commercial for easy tone shoes. This commercial focused on women’s but and legs the ENTIRE COMMERCIAL. Yes, it gave information that a person can tone up their legs and butt if they walk and run with the shoes. However, today Reebok made a 25 million dollar settlement over the shoes. The FTC claims that Reebok did not supply any factual science or facts that the easy tones did everything they claimed to do. Beside the fact they used fit, beautiful women for every ad and commercial Reebok came back with a statement later today.

Newt Gringrich, 2012 President hopeful

Former candidate of the house, Newt Gringrich, visited Morningside on Tuesday to do the one thing all politicians do, persuade and persuade some more. The audience was filled with middle agers, senior citizens, and quite a few Morningside students who sat restlessly awaiting the Republican, presidential hopeful. Arriving approximately ten minutes late, the crowd stood and applauded Newt. As he began his introductory speech it became clear that is wanted to follow in President Reagan’s footsteps.

In these footsteps that had been imprinted for him from the past, he wanted to cut taxes, work on the rules and regulation of immigrants, energy, and free enterprise. As Newt did his introduction and named all of his important steps, he threw in a few stabs at Obama, and tip toed across the idea about how, even though the other Republican hopefuls are his friends, he will be the best choice for President.  After he spoke he opened up the floor to any questions the audience had.

Questions is exactly what they had. Ranging from the idea of new job opportunities, abortion, energy, and cutting taxes. On paper he answered these question slowly but surely, however, it seemed as if he side-stepped all of his answers by not answering them directly. Like most candidates what is better then answering a question with another question, or better yet an example of what he hates about the current president. He made it clear how he felt about Obama and all of his changes in the government. His main point about certain changes made by Obama had to deal with the idea of food stamps versus Newt’s idea of paychecks. “America only works when Americans are working” a solid idea that he believes people of the United States should live by.

For more information regarding Newt Gringrich, and his future plans his website is newt.org.

Life after the White House: News Comment #4

Here, a video can be watched and an article read on Bill Clinton’s “Dancing With the Stars” offer. Clinton was asked by “DWTS” to be on the upcoming show. Clinton, although very flattered they asked, said he had to pass. He also added into the interview with Racheal Ray that his mother-in-law is obsessed with the show and tried to persuade him to join the newest cast.

Not only is this HILARIOUS that Clinton is still so wanted by our society, but I think he should’ve joined the cast. I think that this goes to show how much politics is meshed into the limelight of our society.

Hitman Gone Wrong: News Comment #3

The article I chose this week, here, was about a 28 year old, newly wed, Dalia Dippolito. What is so special about this woman? She just was released from Florida’s Palm Beach Country Jail, on a $500,000 bond, for hiring a hitman to kill her husband. Her conviction leads all the way back to 2009 when Dippolito began her search for a hitman to kill her 38 year old husband of 6 months. The hitman she hired was actually an undercover cop, who started working with her and secretly filmed all of their discussions.  Dippolito was willing to pay $3,000 to have her husband killed. After the police collected enough evidence they set up a fake crime scene at the Dippolito’s residence to make it look as if her husband had been killed by her hitman. As they took her to the police station she soon found out it was a fake crime scene and she was being put under the arrest for attempting to have her husband killed.

What this article talks about is not very unusual. However, this is bizarre in the sense that this woman went out of her way to seek a hitman, follow through with paying for him, and getting caught. It makes me wonder how many people actually get away with it. She had a “dumb” motive for killing him. It was because she spent $200,000 of his money, and was scared of what he’d do if they divorced. Divorce happens all the time, but killing your husband does not!

Paper #1 Final

Brittany Conolly

Comm. 208

Paper #1

Pierce Street in Sioux City, IA has many of the well-known places resting on its cement sidewalks. These places range from old historic buildings and banks to amazing restaurants. One restaurant in particular that many high school students, college students (like myself), and other people around Siouxland enjoy the caliente Mexican taste of the delicious La Juanita’s.

Most people call it the familiar name of La Juas or Juanita’s. Whenever I here the name of the little Mexican joint I crave the juicy asada tacos or the cheese and bean stuffed burritos. This hole in the wall, somewhat dive eatery, can fulfill any average Joe’s lunch craving or any drunken college students late night snack craving.

As I enter the back door of the restaurant I descend a flight of stairs, approximately 18 stairs down. I am greeted by the red and white brightly painted walls, the retro red and white tiled floor, the fresh smell of cooking tortillas, and the murmur of Siouxlanders eating their fresh Mexican cuisine. Inside I walk up to the long, white cluttered counter where the “official” order taker is yelling out random orders in Spanglish to his cooks. I wait for my turn to order, and as I am giving my order I can admire the hard workers behind the counter steadily, yet briskly putting together the food orders. After I order I find a seat along the far wall next to the pop and water machine. Sliding down into the cool bench seat also colored a bright red seat with a, somewhat, clean white tabletop. To the right of me sits a young lady with her obnoxious child, and as they eat they chit chat to each other about what they are doing later. The woman has a friendly face, and looks as if her day may have been quite tiring. I ask her if she has eaten at La Jua’s before and without hesitation says, “ Si, my brother is one of the cooks. I love coming here, and I do probably, eh, twice a week.” That alone makes me smile and laugh a little because, like most people, this little joint fulfills the hunger of many people in the area.

Just as fast as I sat down my order is up on the same counter I ordered at. I approach the fabulous smelling food and along the way grab the authentic hot sauce next to the register to douse my food up with. I return to my bench and eat my tacos in peace. As I am doing this I do not fail to admire the surroundings. Even though this restaurant may appear as a dive, unfriendly, usually crowded place the truth is it is homey and comforting. Yes, there are business people in from 10 to 1, the bums and high school student skippers here from 11 to 3, then on the weekend nights the drunken college students, but this is what makes it homey feeling.

As I ascend the same stairs I came in on, I take a look back at the children running around the jukebox, and the workers still breaking a sweat in the back. I trace my steps back to my car parked in the back parking lot filled with a few trucks and beat up cars. Pacing myself on a full stomach back to the car I look around at the brick walls lined with some graffiti and La Jua’s sign. The cement, perhaps, overused black top at one point, has many broken pieces in it, and there in the back is my car waiting there for me. I pull away full but still excited for the next time I get to enjoy a delicious burrito, taco, or platter of nachos from this home town, Mexican hole in the wall.

Meet Emily

Emily Lauren Domayer is a 23 year old student at Morningside College. She is a Mass Communications major with a possible Psychology minor. She graduated from North High School, but Emily is not your typical 23 year old college student. Yes, she has the dream job of working PR, playing an instrument (the violin), graduating, and eating out (Rebos is her favorite local restaurant). However, Emily was diagnosed with Autism when she was 12 years old. She learned to accept her disability, and after a while embrace it. In high school she became involved with AEA, which provides services for student like herself living in Iowa. Along with this disability Emily has other differences that seperates her from others. She is the only child, but has 37 cousins. Emily loves reading and doesn’t mind becoming an old cat lady when she gets older.

As a 23 year old, Emily has overcome many challenges in her life. She lives each day for the best, and accepts obstacles that come her way. In the future we will probably see her as either a popular violinist, a book reading cat lady, or maybe even a leader of the AEA. Wherever her life takes her Emily will be a strong person who will stand on top of any problems.

Post-it Note Wars: News Comment #2

This year there has been many crazes in the U.S. from fashion to technology, but in Paris a new craze has hit the public scene, post it note art. Here, one can see that this crafty art project can take some time and effort. This “news” story is short and sweet, and is taken from postitwars.com. The body is just talking about how this post it note design is the new artsy thing to do in Paris, and many believe it will be hopping over to the U.S. sometime soon as a new past time.

Although I know this story is not a need to know one, I enjoyed it. It lets me believe there is still simplicity, yet intrigue in the world. Whether it is the simple post it note heart design or an intense superman post it note picture, life can be seen as a little brighter from the art people create.

Grace Parking Lot: the commuters best friend

There are approximately 200 parking spots, 400 little yellow lines, and a few random handicap parking spots. This helps start the vision of the Grace Parking Lot on campus. This sea of black top cement allows commuter students to park for class in a central location. The rectangular lot forms into a slight half circle right by the church. The cars fill up the lot from early morning to afternoon. The early risers get up close and personal spots lining the science center, and the lully-gaggers slowly drive up to accept the last spots in the back lining the street and the church.

On this blistering hot and humid day, where sweat is literally beading down my forehead, I stand here and watch cars go in and out of the lot. Some cars are parked eagerly, straight and sturdy, and some are slightly angled as if to say for their driver, we are late! This overfilled ocean of cars soon leaves campus, and the lot becomes a desolate sea of emptiness once again.

Root beer Deliciousness on a random Thursday

The simple, small package of ice cream made the treat look delicious on this hot summer day. As I tore off the top of the bubbled container I assumed the brown and white ice cream was naturally a mix of chocolate and vanilla, but after the first bite I realized that it was a delicious surprise of a root beer float. Which automatically brought me back to childhood when I used to eat the smooth tasting root beer mixed with creamy vanilla in LeMars with my family. The cold, yet slightly crunchy texture was a given but then just as you start to eat it the ice cream melts like a ice cube in my mouth. This leaving behind the reminants of pop and vanilla.

As I am typing this I take another bite of my ice cream to find that the individual sides of vanilla and root beer have melted into each others boundaries. The root beer is dramatically taking over the tiny container, and dominating over the vanilla. The texture changed from a crunchy sweetness to a cold, smooth melting river of ice cream. I mash the two up to become one color and eat the last bite. No shocker here, it still tastes delightful.