Finally, we have made it to the last blog post. It seems like yesterday we we’re being informed of what initially seemed to me  an overwhelming amount of work. Week by week, the prompts were assigned and conquered and I found myself starting to enjoy each different prompt throughout the semester. In the beginning I sort of had some trouble generating a topic that I could keep coming back to every other week. But once I was enlightened with an idea, I started to enjoy writing a little something something every now and then. Usually I don’t really enjoy writing in general not because I don’t like expressing myself but just because I’m not very great a writing papers for English. As I trucked through the hardship, I found this assignment to really explore the plethora of different topics and current issues in today’s society. I enjoyed how the topics varied each week because I was able to express my opinion about fairly important issues instead of just random stories with some universal message. To be honest, I don’t think I would continue blogging if it wasn’t assigned to me because I’m just not really into them I guess. I do believe that this assignment was of value to me because I gained more experience in writing about various topics. However, I don’t believe that I will embark upon a fresh blog in the near future but maybe later. I complete understand that there are many different purposes and reasons for blogs to exist which is why I believe they do hold some value in today’s society in regards to communication. I believe that blogging is a viable and useful form of modern conversation in today’s society because every blog out there varies from meaningless nonsense to vital information on some of today’s leading issues and everything in between. We are growing closer and closer to a technology driven society and it only seems right that we’ve started to create these internet portals to communicate with the world around us. I feel that blogs are only the beginning of web communication as we will continue to grow and progress into something new. Any person with internet access has access to millions of different peoples thoughts, opinions, views and values which is truly something amazing. Communication is becoming more and more via internet which might not be the best for our society socially, but needs to be recognized as a popular and growing form of modern communication in today’s society.

For today’s blog post, I’ve decided to talk to you everybody about how living in the greatest nation on earth, America, has greatly influenced my life and how grateful and thankful I am to be in the position I’m in. The United States as we should all know declared it’s independence on July 4, 1776 and it’s philosophy is centered around life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But what we as Americans don’t always think about in my opinion is how lucky we our to live and be in America. Millions of people all over the world live in poverty and starve from hunger while we relax in our Lazyboy reclining chair with cup holder attachment while eating a triple meat cheese burger from Whataburger. We seriously have it made compared to so many other people in the world and Americans should really appreciate that. The fact that we are all in college is something we really shouldn’t take for granted and utilize to it’s full potential. Many of generations parents weren’t able to go to college and thanks to our nation’s progress and overall development we are growing into a nation that demands for our children to have access to higher education. Education is only one of many different privileges we get to experience living in such opportunistic country. Transportation, technology, employment opportunities, medical coverage, food you name it America has so much to offer. I am really am so thankful to be born in America because even though we our government might not be the best one on the market, we are blessed with so much opportunity and support that most people don’t even realize. We constantly bitch and moan about little stuff in our lives that don’t make much difference like getting new shoes or a car. But in reality we are so blessed to live in a country where you can watch your son play little league or see your little girl do swim team with everyone in her class at school. I’m willing to be that most of you have visited somewhere outside of Texas too. I’m not trying to be that guy who’s saying America is a bunch of loaded families living the high life or anything. I’m just trying to raise the point that our lives are completely different from people across the world based on the fact that we were born in America. We are truly privileged so just be thankful. Thank you.

Over the course of this week, House Republicans and Senate Democrats have been fighting and arguing over the budget for 2011-2012 fiscal year, putting the federal government at risk of closure for an unknown amount of time until everything is straighten out and negotiations are made. President Obama has declared a short-term Republican plan to keep the federal government operating past Friday while John A. Boehner, Speaker of the House, said on Tuesday that he intended to push for the greatest spending cuts possible and would not be maneuvered by Democrats into settling for anything less. This clash has caused Congress and the Federal government to possibly shutdown. The budget is a huge and controversial issue that needs tremendous thought and care from every branch of the government, not just one, to efficiently deal with. Boehner and President Obama have been arguing and bickering since tuesday of this week about what necessary budget cuts need to be made.  Obama and fellow Democrats have produced a budget proposal of $33 million which didn’t go over well with House Republicans, who have already approved a $61 million in spending reduction for this year and don’t want to stray away from that number. The fact that the Senate and the House can’t agree or negotiate on a major issue, such as next year’s budget, alone is ridiculous. But not only you guys not agree, but you are so childish and immature to possibly shutdown the government, wasting millions of dollars and putting our whole nation in danger. How ironic. I am very disappointed and sad that our government are acting like little children. I understand that this issue is extremely important and vital to our country and we should put a lot of thought and time into our decision. But to the point of total and complete government shutdown? Absolutely not. Our government should always be there to guide and lead its people. What would we even do if the government shut down? I really don’t even want to think about it. I have lost a lot of hope in our government after hearing about this ridiculous dispute. The fact that our government is so stubborn and childish in some areas makes me scared that future disagreements will end like this. Finally on April 8,  Boehner along with President Obama negotiated a last-minute deal to cut $38 billion from the current federal budget, narrowly avoiding  a government shutdown. I’m glad to see that our government is actually capable of making important decisions that strongly affect our country and our people.

Today I’ve decided that for this weeks blog post I am going to talk about my family and how they have influenced and supported me tremendously throughout my entire life. I don’t want to tell each of my family members life’s story but ill sum up how they’ve helped and influenced me to be the person I am today. For a quick summary, I have two awesome parents, one sister and two older brothers. First off, I’d like to introduce my pops, Thomas Uhl, whose been there for me ever since I born. I really can’t begin to sum up what my dad has done for me because there really is way to much to talk about. Most of us know that our parents truly dictate our lives for a long period of time until they slowly let you grow into a mature adult. In my case, I feel like my dad has been extremely supportive with my academics, my lacrosse career, and everything in between and I’m very lucky for that. My mom, Linda Uhl, whose also been there for me ever since I was born, has had an huge impact of my life. My sweet and loving mother is a register dental hygienist, which just means she specializes in cleaning teeth and has been working for most of my life. My mom is always there for me whenever I get home to talk about my day and what’s on my mind, she’s a really outgoing and thoughtful person. Along with my dad who works as a financial planner/stock broker, both of my parents work constantly in order for our family to live the way we do which I absolutely appreciate. My sister Elisabeth, is 23 years old, went to Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania, and is busy living and making money in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Elisabeth graduated with a 4.0 g.p.a. in high school which gave her the scholarships that paid for the majority of her college. She has also always been there for me especially school wise when it comes to papers or math she knew her stuff. Although I don’t get to see her much I’m excited for the next time a holiday rolls around to finally see her. Next off we have my brothers, John and James. My older brother John is a sophomore at Texas A&M and also a Sigma Nu fratdaddy. John and I have always gotten along for the most part and once he picked up lacrosse, we always had something to do together. He’s really funny and clever in his own ways and he just so happens to look almost exactly like me. It’s crazy! But it gets crazier. So my other older brother James, was born on the same day as me because we are twins! Yup I have a twin. But actually James and I are not identical twins, we’re fraternal twins, which just means we don’t look exactly the same. James and I have had our ups and downs naturally being brothers but for the most part our relationship consists of cheesy jokes, funny or smartass remarks, and a brotherly love that can’t be broken. To conclude, that’s the fam and I love them dearly. I hope now you understand a little bit more about me and how my family has influenced me. Thank you.

As devastation still spreads across Japan from the horrific and catastrophic tsunami on March 11, American media conveys a false absentmindedness of America as they continue to be concerned with our safety rather than the aid and support that Japan desperately needs. I believe that these news articles and reports concerning the safety of American nuclear plants is irrelevant and egocentric. All of our focus and attention should not be spent worrying about “what if” catastrophes and disasters, but on the aid and relief of Japan and everyone affected by this horrible occurrence. Japan needs our help, along with everyone else, more than ever and now is not the right time to congratulate ourselves on how well we are prepared for something like this ever since 9/11 happened. People are continuing to be found as New York Times Hiroko Tabuchi states “On Sunday, two people were reported to have been found alive, nine days after the disaster.” Nine days after the disaster??? That is ridiculous. There are hundreds, thousands of people still injured and hurt from this tsunami and we need to help as much as possible. We can’t always be the nation that helps, like I’ve explained in early posts. However, this is quite different from rebellions of freedom-stricken people against tyrannical and corrupt governments. This is a catastrophe that nobody could have predicted or stopped. The only thing our nation should have on it’s mind is “How can we help?” It really makes me sick to my stomach seeing news reports regarding how well American nuclear plants are prepared for disasters while there are still thousands of people in desperate need of help and support. I can understand where some reporters are coming from as many people would and could be interested in how well America is ready if an incident like this were to occur. But now seriously isn’t the time to think about boosting viewer rate. And of course some people will argue that its vital to know our own safety because we need to be prepared to prevent further deaths. This is a valid point however now, while Japan has almost been washed away from our planet, is not the time to be concerned with ourselves. America needs to stop being selfish and be proactive about the situation at hand. Throw away the “We can only do so much,” mentality and be thankful you are in a much better situation than millions of people. Appreciate the position you’re in and help in anyway possible. Thank you.

One of the most influencing factors in my life hands down would have to be living in Austin Texas. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I didn’t experience my adolescent years there. The capital of Texas, Austin is an extremely unique city that allows and supports a well-rounded experience whether you’re there for 5 minutes or 5 decades.  With nearly 800,00 people living there, Austin is growing and changing by the hour.  Don’t get me wrong, Austin’s unique “Keep Austin Weird,” mentality isn’t going anywhere, but the population continues to increase. Growing up in Austin has been one of the most enriching and fulfilling adventures of my life. Of course, I don’t know exactly what I’m missing because Austin is all I’ve ever known, but I like to feel that many of the individuals who live in Austin would say the same thing. My little lad days consisted of playing outside in the hot yet cool Texas air with my brothers running around the neighborhood causing all sorts of ruckus. Ahhh elementary school, where it all began. As cheesy as it sounds, it feels like yesterday when I was meeting my best friends for the first time. Even my first girlfriend! Homeroom, two recesses, and all the fields trips i could imagine later, I found myself in unfamiliar waters. Middle school, while most of us hardly even remember it all, was where I found and compiled most of my best friends. But not only did I find a crowd to hang out with, I also found out who I was/am. With a pack of friends and an imagination, our adventure started. One of the best things about Austin is how people of all ages can enjoy everything it has to offer. Whether it’s live music, parks, pools, downtown or anything in between, Austin has so much to offer and nothing to lose.  The spot you’d find me at most would definitely be Barton Springs. Barton Springs is an enormous man-made pool flowing with water from Edwards Aquifer. Barton Springs is always cold even in the middle of July and always attracts a melting pot of visitors. Laying out grabbing some sun and then jumping in the freezing water to wake you up sounds like childhood to me. The best part about this pool is it’s right next to downtown Austin. Austin really showed me a diverse population who all have a laid back mentality which is how I like it. Almost everyone in Austin, except for some nut jobs, are extremely friendly and nice and that really does past on to other people. I feel that Austin made me who I am today and I’m glad I can embrace being an Austinite.

As seen sporadically throughout history, the united states have attempted to aid and support freedom stricken populations from corrupt and tyrannical governments. Being one of the most influencing democracies in the world, it only seems right for our nation to continue this pattern. Recently protests and rebellions against corrupt governments in the Middle East have caused an enormous amount of causalities as well as a growing concern to United States to help these desperate people in need. Regarding the unrest in Libya, President Obama has cautiously approached this situation by suggesting other possible options to Libya’s dictatorial monarch Muammar el-Quaddafi instead of taking immediate action. In my opinion, I feel that taking military action right this second would not be a good choice for the United States. It seems to many people that because of our nations status in the world, it is our duty to protect and help these freedom stricken people. While this is partially true, I think that our nation could not significantly detour these tyrannical governments in the position we are in currently. I think that in order for these people to truly be helped the united states, in unison with other democratic countries and organizations, should assemble and come together to find an ultimate game plan instead of taking quick military action. The United States has been the hero for quite sometime now and as we have seen from the past like Vietnam and currently Iraq, we are not the unstoppable force every one thinks and claims we are. My dad, who was a naval captain for the United States Navy, went to Turkey when we just recently entered in the war with Iraq. While I absolutely support the United States military, I feel that we haven’t been very efficient with our militaristic strategies. I think that if we were to go to Libya and help these people from their tyrannical governments, we would only find ourselves in another situation like Iraq where we would waste a lot of time and resources that we can’t afford to expunge. Again, I’m only an 18 year old kid who doesn’t have much knowledge about military strategy and foreign policy with other nations. But I honestly believe that now is not a good time to enter into something of this stature but also i think the United States has some obligation in the future to help these countries.

In my previous blog two weeks ago, I talked about the creation of the internet and it’s lasting effect it has on our society. However, I forgot to mention what exactly I will be talking about as this project continues through the semester. To define my blog’s purpose more specifically, the topics that I will be discussing with everyone have all had an enormous influence on my life and help me define my identity or who I am. The internet, as I explained has been and continues to be extremely influential to my life along with everyone else. The subject of this blog will be about the influence lacrosse has had in my life and how I stumbled upon this sport. Long ago or so it seems, almost 5 years ago I began playing lacrosse for the first time in 8th grade. It all started with my older brother John. John who is a year and a half older than me started playing when he was in 6th grade. He came home everyday wreaking of sweat and ready to tell us of something fun or awesome that happened at practice that day. Almost instantly I sparked an interest in the sport and began to play around with my brother. When 8th grade came to an end, I had an important choice to make that summer. Either play football with all my friends or play lacrosse with my brother. Well i think you know what i chose but I’m very thankful of my choice. Today I play club ball for the Texas State who are 4-0 and ranked #17 nation as of right now! Wooo! Lacrosse, like any sport, builds character and strong leadership that becomes the foundation of your beliefs, values and your identity. I’ve learned more from the sport of lacrosse than I honestly ever thought i would. The bond you build with your teammates not only creates a genuine relationship in your future but creates positive cohesion between you and your fellow teammates. The team or group aspects in lacrosse are also very productive off the field and into the business or job environment. Aspects like sufficient communication, teamwork, problem solving skills and time management not only apply on the field but in the office as well. I have come to utilize the skills I use at practice outside of practice when it comes to school work. I believe I’ve benefit an tremendous amount from playing both physically and psychologically and I hope you at least consider becoming involved with sports or something physically active because it truly does enrich your life.

After reading the article concerning Borders bookstore filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, I had to sit down and really think about everything I just read. The trend of American “brick and mortar” retail franchises suddenly going out of business is actually affected by me more than I initially thought. These bookstore franchises not only have to compete with other bookstores in their area, but also have to compete with the endless amount of online bookstores and companies that sell their products for half the price. I, whether I mean to or not, contribute to the failure of these franchises every time I use the handy dandy oh so convenient internet to do my shopping. Of course there are other factors that contribute to the overall success of a business such as the business’ location, promotion,  and organization. But did these businesses even  really have a chance? In my opinion, hardly. Just like I explained in my most recent blog post, the internet has overrun our society and is not letting go anytime soon. In the case with Blockbuster Video, more and more resources for movies and video games are becoming available with the help of the internet. Now not only can we buy high tech video game consoles to play our Call of Duty or Halo 3, but we can use it to download movies from providers such as Netflix, which seems to be storming the nation. The switch from the personal and actual physical store system to the universal, non personal, internet system of buying products seems to be on the rise with almost everyone having access to the internet. Today, this switch is undoubtedly a huge contributor to the failure of local and big name businesses. No longer do customers seek to wait outside long lines and busy businesses to buy their merchandise. They turn to the INTERNET. What does this mean to commerce in the future? What do you think? Businesses will no longer have buildings for customers to walk on into and we as customers wont see the light of day for weeks on end due to catching the radical waves of the web until our eyes fall out of our their sockets. Am i scared? You can bet your bottom dollar, or credit card, or whatever we’re using in the future to buy our iPhone 7’s and iCushions. I think it’s easy to say that the future will most likely consist of everything internet based. Unfortunately i think a lot that comes with that will not help our society’s people skills a bit. Hopefully our society will learn to balance their addiction to web surfing with other hobbies and interests that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Hello everybody and welcome to my blog! My name is Andy Uhl I’m 18 years old and I grew up in Austin, Texas. I would have to say my interests and hobbies would include of girls, playing lacrosse, live music festivals, going to the beach and kickin it with the crew. I’m still a little confused with how this whole blog thing works but for now i’ll try my best to cope. The topic I’ve chosen to discuss if you haven’t already read the title is innovation in our society and it’s importance to our future. With the rapid growth of technology since the 1990’s, our society as multiplied with new and resourceful inventions that are extremely useful to people across the world. One of the most influential innovation to our society, in my opinion, would have to be the internet. The internet was created in 1957 when Sputnik I (the first satellite) was launched by the Soviet Union. However, it wasn’t until 1992 that the internet became available to the public. For an enormous majority of us, we have never been without the internet and haven’t thought much of it. Just like our mother’s doing our laundry, we take it for granted and don’t see the enormous effect it has had on our entire world. We can communicate with friends, family, and even business partners across the world with a push of a button and that alone is miraculous.The lives of our kids will be drastically different from that of our parents and grandparents. Just think of how awful it would be to research a topic without using a computer or the internet. Our time would be spent hours upon hours in the library looking tediously for books and other resources. The efficiency of the internet has allowed our society to rapidly progress in every dimension possible. Today, we are available to an enormous amount of information with little to no restrictions where as decades ago much of that same information was very limited. Our world as a whole has never been more connected in our entire history and that is something to truly be proud of. Innovation was the key to this success and is still the key to our future success as a society. In order for our society to keep progressing we must continue our pursuit for new and useful inventions that will provide and support our society with a better quality of life.