Article Summary #8

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8595909.stm

The record for the highest price paid for a comic book was broken again by a copy of the June 1938 edition of Action Comics #1, bought for $1.5 million. This comic held the title for a while, until an issue of Batman broke it, but this sale has restored Superman to the top.

Story 6 - Corey Blommel

Corey Blommel is the Director and Instructor of the Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) CNET Program and the Regional Cisco Networking Academy Coordinator. He has been teaching since 2004, is married with two children, and in his free time enjoys traveling, playing tennis, and golfing.

Moving through school was easy for him, saying that he maintained a 4.0 GPA through most of his education. At first he didn’t know if teaching was for him, but after working a part time teaching job he knew that’s what he wanted to do. He says that he is “very passionate about education,” and it shows every day in the classroom, both for the subject he teaches and for the bettering of his students. When he’s working with his students though he most enjoys when he sees students finally understand something, and have their “ah-ha” moments.

Before he started his career teaching and rose to the position of Director of an entire branch of a college, he started small. At first he was working at the help desk for an ISP, answering phone calls and reminding people to be sure everything is plugged in. Soon enough he moved up in the company to the position of Network Administrator, a position meaning he was basically in charge of the internal network for the company. In addition to his experience teaching and his work at the ISP, he’s also been a Project Manager and an IT Consultant for various other companies whose name he didn’t reveal.

Even today teaching isn’t the only thing he does, but the only details he gives about other jobs is being “involved with some industry-related projects.” I’ve heard him tell the class stories of people who exhibit “end-user behavior,” typically IT code word for an idiot or someone who has no idea what they’re doing. Some stories he’d tell are tales of caution, what not to do as an administrator. Others though are humorous in nature, of disconnecting users and placing bets on how long it is before the phone rings.

One would assume that a teacher’s biggest fear is something along the lines of armed violence or a conflict with a student. Luckily Blommel doesn’t mention any major conflicts, and his biggest fear is becoming bored teaching, like many do. But, because of the fast-moving field of IT, though, he doesn’t expect that to happen any time soon. The rate at which the material changes is so very swift that the textbooks are updated each semester with new standards and technologies, preventing students from selling any books back.

One could also assume that most people take issue with their higher-ups in some way, but not Blommel. The only complaint about ARCC that he gives is how distant the campus is from his home, in Minneapolis. For the people in the world who work jobs they hate, in cities they hate, with people they hate, they can look to the place in the world that Corey Blommel is enviously. When I asked him if he had thoughts of a different career, he told me that he’s content where he is.

Interview with Corey Blommel

Q: What is your name and formal title?
A: Corey Blommel – CNET Instructor/Director & Regional Cisco Networking Academy Coordinator

Q: How long have you been teaching?
A: Since 2004

Q: Before you started teaching, what did you want to do?
A: I’ve been working in the IT industry since 1997. Started working for an ISP help desk, and later moved into a network administration position. I’ve also worked as a project manager and an IT consultant.

Q: Do you have another job besides teaching? If so, can you describe it?
A: Teaching is my primary job, but I am occasionally involved with some industry-related
projects.

Q: How old were you when you decided you wanted to do what you're doing now?
A: After teaching part-time for two years, I realized that this was a profession that I wanted to
do full-time.

Q: Did you have any troubles through any schooling?
A: Not really, I’m very passionate about education and was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA through most of my schooling.

Q: Do you have any issues, major or minor, with Anoka-Ramsey Community College?
A: I only wish it was closer to my home (since I live in Minneapolis).

Q: During your first year teaching, did anything you find anything unexpected or surprising?
A: I was surprised by the number of students that had little or no prior experience in the IT field. I sort-of had the assumption that students would be more IT literate.

Q: Over your entire teaching career, have you ever had a major conflict with a student?
A: Fortunately, no.

Q: What's your favorite thing about teaching?
A: Watching students learn new concepts and achieving “ah-ha” moments.

Q: What's your biggest fear about teaching?
A: That I’ll get bored… but luckily the IT field the changing rapidly enough that they’re always something new to learn.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I enjoy traveling, golfing, and tennis.

Q: Are you married? Any kids?
A: Yes and have two kids.

Q: Have you ever thought of a different career outside of teaching?
A: It crosses my mind from time to time, but I’m pretty content in my current position.

Article Summary #8

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8583350.stm

The healthcare reform bill was signed into law today by President Obama after it won with a vote of 219-212 in the House of Representatives. Attorney generals from 13 states believe the bill is unconstitutional and are preparing to sue. The bill provides health insurance for 32 million Americans who are uninsured.

Artist talk with Abbi Allan

Artist Talk with Abbi Allan

By Kevin Pabst

Abbi Allan believes most people don’t think she looks like an artist, and said so right at the start of her talk. Maybe it’s because she isn’t completely an artist, but she’s part biologist as well. Her works are partially based on her research on frogs born with genetic defects; a subject that she says is very close to her.

As a child Allan sculpted little worlds out of clay. Her father is, and was, an art teacher and was the more lenient of Allan’s parents. Her grandmother took a form of estrogen that caused her ovaries to grow tumors, and her mother as well. She knows now that it’s a genetic defect, which is why she says the frogs are so close to her.

Allan was going to school for biology originally and became fascinated with indicator species; species of animal that are especially sensitive to environmental change. She recorded and documented frogs in a pond that had around a third of their offspring born with major birth defects; born with extra legs, only one leg, even two heads. Because she wasn’t able to voice her opinion that the way these animals were born was unfair, she drifted towards art.

There she discovered that art and biology overlap much more than she expected, specifically in the way the scientific process overlaps with how an artist creates their piece from an idea, displays it, and gathers input from their audience.

It wasn’t all fun and game for her, though. While in an art class, she asked the instructor if she could be five minutes late because it overlapped with a biology class. The instructor exploded at her, telling her that she needed to choose, right then and there, if she wanted to be dedicated to art or science. Instead of listening, she’s skirted the line between them ever since.

After she graduated she did well enough, got an agent who told her to quit all of her day jobs and work on art full time. For a while it worked out well, she toured all around the country bringing her work to various art galleries. Through a series of mishaps involving the September 11 attacks and a contractor lying to her she ended up jobless. It was thanks to her supportive parents that she was able to recover from this blow, her mother not trying to discourage her, only wishing her good luck.

She has bounced back and is being productive, selling small crafts for “pizza money” as she calls it and teaching children the basics of science. In her own words she has, “embraced her inner dork,” and advises people everywhere to do the same. She said she believes that whatever someone did as a child is what they should be doing for a career. As a child she sculpted small worlds, and as an adult she shows us the effect we have on our own world.

A photo of Allan's work on display at ARCC.

Allan has many pieces of work hanging in the hall on the second floor of Anoka-Ramsey Community College near the art wing and will be up through next week. This event was sponsored by the energy pool, the ARCC art department, and the art committee. The event was held at 2:00 p.m. on March 11, 2010 in the Riverview room.

Article Summary #7

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8558683.stm

Using a technique different from that used to extract DNA from fossilized bone, scientists have extracted the DNA of an Aepyornis, said to look like a giant ostrich and weigh about half a ton, making it the largest known bird.

Story 4

Some people say that there aren't enough hours in the day. For Kirsten Ellison though It's true. Two years ago her father got a job that forced them to move to Chicago. Since there were some classes her local college didn't offer, she started taking a few classes in Minnesota.



Even though she's been moving back and forth between two different parts of the country, she still has time to play guitar on her Worship Team for her church. She's been hard at work on the guitar for seven years, which she attributes to her guitar teacher who made learning fun.



But there's more. She's working on a fictional young-adult book, the first in a series she has planned. She says she's having trouble, but is hopeful for getting it done this summer.



Truly, she is a woman of the modern age. Able to juggle all of these activites at the same time and it just keeps going.

Somewhere between the guitar playing for Church, the cross-continental classes and the authoring of a novel, she still finds time to go to see her favorite baseball team, the Twins. "I rarely ever miss a game," she said to me as a part of the e-mail interview.

Her long term plans? Get that book published, net a Journalism degree, get marraied and have kids. She says it best, "I will totally be the kind of mom that drives a mini van!"

Interview with Kirsten Ellison.

Q: I don't really know who you are, so can you tell me about yourself? Hobbies, dreams, favorite things, general stuff, living situation?
A: Well I guess I will start with the general stuff... I'm 19 years old. I grew up in MN but three years ago I moved to South Florida with my parents. I lived there for two until my dad got a different job and we then moved to Chicago. I came to MN to take a few classes that weren't offered at the community college in Chicago. Now I currently go back and forth from MN to
Chicago and I plan to then stay in Chicago after this semester. I'm going to community college for two years and then plan to transfer to a four year university to get my Journalism degree.

Hobbies... I absolutely love music. I have been playing guitar for seven years and I play for the worship team at my church youth group. I also really like to sing. I was going to major in music but I guess it's just more of a hobby. I also obviously love to write. One of my biggest dreams
is to someday be an author and I'm currently trying to finish a book I have started. I also love to read. Yeah I'm a nerd!! =) I'm a huge sports fan, Baseball especially. I love the Twins. Baseball
season has to be my FAVORITE time of year. I rarely ever miss a game. I also love to play sports and I love to be active. My biggest dream is to someday get married and have kids. I will totally be the kind of mom that drives a mini van!=)

Q: What sorts of music do you listen to? Any favorite bands or genres?
A: Well I actually like all kinds of music. My favorite bands are Hillsong, David Crowder Band, Planetshakers, Taylor Swift, Michael Buble, Colbie Calliat, Keith Urban, Paramore and Mute Math, But I will pretty much listen to anything.

Q: What got you interested in music enough to keep at it for those seven years?
A: I think the thing that got me hooked to playing guitar was my guitar teacher. He was the coolest guy ever and really made learning new stuff fun. He even made music theory interesting. Also, I absolutely love playing at my church. It's probably one of my favorite things to do.

Q: About the book you're working on, how far along is it? Can you give any hints about the genre or premise?
A: I'm writing a fiction, young adult book and I'm planning to make it a series. I'm not too far on it because the beginning is the hardest part for me and I actually came up with the ending first, Also, it's hard to keep focused on it with all the school work I have but I hope to for sure have it
finished by the end of the summer and then I just have to work on getting it published!!=)


Q: Staying on writing, what drives you to write?
A: Well I always tend to have an idea when I'm in the middle of doing something else. I usually can't think of anything to write when I set time aside to write, it's always at the worst times.

Q; You say you like to read, any favorite books or series? Fiction or non-fiction?
A: I love fiction books. My favorites are the Mortal Instruments series, Hunger Games Series, the Maze Runner, and anything written by Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, or Nicholas Sparks.