Friday, December 19, 2008
Evaluations
1. Login to UVLink using your UV ID and pin.
2. Go to the "Student" tab.
3. Go to the "Teacher/Course Evaluations" channel in the upper-left portion of the page.
4. Click on "Complete your Fall 2008 Teacher Evaluations."
5. Click on English 1010.
6. Click on the "Evaluate" link.
7. Answer the survey questions and make comments about the instructor and/or the course.
8. Make sure to click on "Submit Evaluation" at the bottom of the page.
I was in Europe when evaluations began, so we got a bit of a late start, but evaluations are important and helpful to me, and I appreciate your willingness to participate.
Have a fabulous holiday season, and thanks once again for a great semester.
-Daniel
Monday, December 15, 2008
where's winter
A Cold Winter
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Where is the love?
English 101 includes blogging?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Almost there... but not yet
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Presentations
The Grinch
We must suck!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Discrimintaion
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thursday and Friday
Oh, and my dissertation defense went really well. Thanks to those of you who wrote me about it.
-Dr. Westover (still sounds a bit weird, but I'll get used to it)
Monday, December 1, 2008
The anti christ?
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Revised Class/Assignment Schedule on Blackboard
Have a nice rest of your weekend.
-D
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Don't Move to Canada

I just glanced at my Facebook page and over half of my 'friends' said they were going to move to Canada due to Obama winning the Presidential Election. That right there just irks me a little; well a lot. To the people who wish to move to Canada or would rather be in Canada I say this:
Have you no pride or faith in your Country? Our Forefathers fought long and hard for the independence of this Country, and with that came the ability to vote. We as a people have the ability to choose who leads our Country, and this time around the majority ruled in the favor of Obama, and whether you like it or not he will be our next President. We as a people chose our President, and we need to have faith in our decision. I realize for some of you this was not ultimately your decision, but just because you didn't vote for Obama doesn't mean you are somehow exempt from his 'rule'. I am sure that if McCain was elected there would be people who felt the same way. No one will ever be truly happy with the outcome of an election, but moving to Canada or any other country isn't going to make it any better. You will have to submit to whoever is ruling and possibly without the opportunity to vote, and lose other freedoms as well.
I am not saying that you should agree entirely with Obama; you just need to admit to the fact that he will be our next President. You can argue and be mad all you want, but that isn't going to change anything. This election is a historical moment for our Country and the least you can do is recognize that. We shouldn't become divided over this election; we should become united, after all it was our decision. Now lets have some faith in our Country and its people and see what will happen in the future. Who knows Obama might surprise you.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Hopefully the "Good News" doesn't mean bad
Good News!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Jose Mestre, from Lisbon, Portugal, has been losing his face to a huge growth for the past 35 years, distorting it out of all recognition - and it's still growing.
The tumor on 51-year-old Jose's face is a collection of blood vessels that have expanded, producing a raised red area on the skin.
Jose was born with a strawberry-coloured birthmark on his upper lip. At puberty it began growing, eventually smothering his lips, nose and one of his eyes. Now it is 33cm long and weighs 3kg.
But Jose's religious faith - as a Jehovah's Witness he refuses to accept a blood transfusion - has prevented him from having surgery to remove the growth.
Jose's rare condition was the subject of a Discovery Channel TV documentary 'The Man With No Face', part of the 'My Shocking Story' series.
It reveals how top medical experts in London have now held out hope of helping Jose, a well-known figure around the streets of Lisbon.
A leading British surgeon has offered to treat Jose using ultrasound waves to coagulate the blood before the operation.
This should remove the risk of heavy bleeding - satisfying his religious beliefs about blood transfusions in the process.
Dr Iain Hutchison, of St Bartholomew's in London, is confident an operation with a harmonic scalpel could make him look a lot more normal.
Discovery Channel said: "Surrounded by a loving family, it seems incredible that he has not been treated and his face was allowed to grow so big. However, through years of medical misinformation, some misdiagnosis, lack of finances, and reluctance to undergo treatment due to religious beliefs, the growth has continued to obliterate his face."
My Shocking Story follows Jose on a journey through Europe to seek medical advice for one last chance to stop his face from suffocating him.
In this journey of a lifetime he travels by train, via Paris, to Britain, to meet the top experts in London. He goes through a series of tests, consultations, and meets other patients with a similar affliction. In London he also spends time with his sister Guida and the rest of his family, enjoys being a tourist in London, while making the biggest decision of his life.
Jose's dream is to live a long and normal life. Following the showing of the Discovery documentary he continues to adhere to his 'no blood transfusion' religious principles. But he has agreed to go back to the London hospital in 2008, when doctors hope to carry out specialist surgery to begin removing parts of his tumor, without the need for blood transfusions.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Insult to America
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
14 Days to Go
As for me I have no idea who I am going to vote for yet. I don't even know why I registered to vote. It is going to be my first time voting
As a US citizen it is my duty to vote. But for me it is an internal conflict because I want to vote for a candidate that will be the best for the country.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Birth Control in Middle School

http://media.www.themichiganjournal.com/media/storage/paper255/news/2007/10/23/Perspectives/Birth.Control.At.School.Leads.To.PreTeen.Promiscuity-3050532.shtml
That is where I found the editorial piece.
I think that the bigger issue is not that 11 year olds are getting pregnant, but that they are having sex. The issue lies at home, parents are not educating their kids enough about sex and the consequences. The school's decision to offer a full range of contraceptions puts the thought of sex in the innocent minds of 11 year olds. 11 year olds are not old enough to deal with the consequences of sex. Emotional or physical.
The schools solution should not be to offer birth control but to offer counseling and education if they feel there is a high pregnancy rate. I agree with what Topelwski said in her editorial, that schools have found a way to only treat the symptoms rather than the cause.
Anyways I just thought that this would be good for the blog, so just let me know what you think.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Where did the alcopops go?
Seriously, I would be willing to bet that not very many people have bought these drinks on accident. I mean they are right next to the beer, isn't that alone enough to make people realize what they are? People need to read the dang label before they buy things.
While reading blog posts about this subject I found that a lot of people are upset about the new law. I read quit a few posts by different people that say the only reason this happened is because of the heavy influence of the LDS church in our government. I found a post that was kind of funny and expresses what i'm talking about. I found it at http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4415589&comments=true written by Cache kid on Oct 1, 2008
"I'm not moving, I'm staying.
Your majority is shrinking.
Within a few years the nons plus the jacks will have a majority.
Once that happens, the FIRST THING we'll do is to legalize privately owned liquor stores, with drive thru's. Then we'll pass a law saying nude dancing is OK in liquor store parking lots. Then we'll outlaw Jello"
By "nons" they mean non-mormons and by "jacks" they mean jack mormons, just to clarify.
I don't really know what to think, It does creates more hassal for myself having to drive to the state liquer store instead of the grocery store, and of course paying about two bucks more for a six pack. But at the same time if it really will help cut underage drinking then it would be a good thing, I will always want whats best for people, but then why is Utah the only state doing it? I mean I guess it's not to much of a shock living in Utah with are 3.5% beer and no privatley owned liquer stores and a law that says no coolers in liquer stores because if the liquer is cold people will be guzzling it the second they get in their car.
I personally can't help at least somewhat agreeing with the people who say the church has a little to much influence in government in Utah. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints counsels members not to drink alcohol, and the church is highly influential among state lawmakers on alcohol policy. The mormon church highly supported this law all along its way into effect. Utah has some of the strictest liquor laws in the country, and is it a coinsidence that Utah also has a large Mormon population?
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Where is the 700 billion dollars going?
I love the current congress. In 2006 the democrats promised change and reform if they got control of congress. You want to know what this congress is doing? They are stabbing us in the back. This "Bailout" that is supposed to be helping stabilize the economy is disgusting. Like I said in my last post these congress people have no accountability to the people who elected them. If the people knew what this bill contained they would be outraged. You should be too.
In certain bills " earmarks" are put into it. an earmark sets aside money for something else. read some of the following earmarks that are in this bail out bill. ( I did not write the following ).
There is huge, huge trouble, and we are told by the people in Washington that the whole thing's going to collapse if we don't do something. If we don't do anything, the whole thing's going to collapse. I happen to agree with that, but I don't agree with the "Just do something." But let me ask you this: If you were asked to save your country and you were asked for $700 billion, the largest program of its type ever, $700 billion and they said we have to have it right now, where the whole thing's going to collapse, if you believed it, would you do it. No matter what your constituents said, if you believed it, would you do it. I would because you can go ahead and tear me apart. You can throw me to the dogs. It will be the last time I serve. I get it. This is a republic, and I will vote against if I think the public is wrong because it's a republic. You have hired me to look into this. I will do my best to explain it, but if my back is against the wall, the clock is ticking, somebody has to make a decision, I don't think you understand it because you may not have access to information that I have. As a senator I'm going to make that and I will be held responsible. You can pillar me, you can tear me apart, you can throw me out of office, you can impeach me. That's okay. I've got to do what I think is right for the country because that's what you hired me to do.
If I don't think that our country is falling apart or if I don't think that a bailout is right, I'm going to do the same thing. I don't care what your opinion is. I don't care what happens. If I don't think it's right, if I think this is a lie, if I don't think this will work, if I think this is the wrong course of action because I love my country, I will not do it, and I won't do it in your name. Even though you said something else, you put me in that place to make a decision. However, the one thing I will not do is I will not go to Washington and vote for something that I don't believe in, because it has a wool subsidy in it, because in my state I have a toy manufacturer that makes wooden arrows for children and I can get a subsidy for the company that makes wooden arrows for children. It's not enough to vote for the bill to save your country? You need an incentive? You need something to convince you besides your sacred duty, besides our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor? This bill last night that was passed is the size of a novel. I'm a pretty fast reader. I couldn't read 435 pages in one night, let alone 435 pages written by attorneys! Section 325 provides essential tax breaks for the wool research fund. What else do we need to know! Could we make sandwiches out of wool? No! Sweaters! What else do you need to know about wool! Section 503 gives tax breaks for the manufacturer of wooden arrows used in toys for children. Price tag, $6 million. Wooden arrows? Aren't you the same people that are telling me that it's politically incorrect to play cowboys and Indians!
Try this one. Try this one, and this one I'm going to need. This one I swear to God I'm going to need soon. Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum producers get $192 so they can make more booze! I need some booze right now! Sorry, not $192. $192 million. Section 309, tax credit for economic development in America. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You hear that? That's good. I thought the whole thing was freaking. No, no, no, listen carefully. Section 309, tax credit for economic development in America, defined as American Samoa. Section 316, a tax break for railroad track maintenance. Well, good thing we got Joe's Amtrak in there! Section 317, a tax break for racetracks. I am tracking down the senators that these -- that their states profit from. I want to know the names of somebody who said, gee, I can't go for the bailout bill unless you help with the racetracks! Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. Section 502, qualified television and film productions given an extension of favorable expensing rules, $10 million. We're helping out the TV and film people now. Section 111 provides for the expansion and modification of advanced coal project investment credits. Section 112, expansion and modification of the coal gasification project. Section 113, increased funding for black lung disability fund. "Look, man, I'll give you what you're never going to get through if you'll just give this to me." It's insulting. It's insulting. If I were a senator -- did anyone, did anyone, or am I just too frank, did anyone say get the hell out of my office; you want to talk to me about why this is the right thing to do, you want to talk to me about why I should be on board because the economy will collapse if we don't have it, if you want to talk to me about those things, come in, friend, sit down, let's talk. But if you want to talk to me about getting money in my state for wooden arrows, get the hell out of my state. Get the hell out of my office, get the hell out of my sight. Who have we sent?
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Ultra Chapped at the UVU Review
During the middle of my question a " Reporter " (please note how loosely that term is used. and the sarcasam) for the UVU review came and stepped in between me and Mr. Chaffez and introduced him self and began asking his question. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to wait his turn. He did. As I asked a follow up question He so kindly interruped and said " I am with the UVU review. There is a war going on and the economy is in turmoil. How about you let him talk about what is really important." I give respect to Mr. Chaffez who turned to him and said, " I get to choose what questions I answer not you. You will wait till he is done." I finished and walked away.
I can't help but get this dirty taste out of my mouth about how rude this "reporter" was. Why are his questions more important then mine? flip, if you want to know what he had to say about the war and the economy all you had to do was listen to the debate. My one vote has just as much weight as everyone elses vote and if the lack of accountabilty the lawmakers have to the people is important to me then I should be allowed to have that answered.
If anyone knows how I can get in touch with a senior member of the UVU review please let me know. This type of behavior and disrespect can not tolerated.
The city of Bountiful, Utah has just passed a law banning new city employees from sporting any sort of visible tattoo. This means if your tattoo peeks out of your collar, you’ll have to consider working for someone other than Bountiful city.
Tattoos that are seen on the head, face, neck, or hand are now banned, and prospective employees with as much will not be hired. The only ones exempt from this rule are current staffers who already have visible tattoos.
The ban further includes any males who have piercings that are visible as well. The officials in Davis County say that these actions are ‘anticipatory and preventative’….whatever that means. They want their employees to look professional so that people will feel comfortable interacting with them.
This ban in Davis County and in Bountiful is modeling a similar ban with the Los Angeles Police Department where employees of the LAPD are banned from visible tattoos. Unlike LAPD, forearm tattoos in Bountiful WILL be allowed, but only if they are able to be covered with city uniform or required dress code.
The ban is based on the theory that citizens don’t want police officers showing up at their door to assist them with tattoos of the Nazi variety. So as opposed to simply banning any questionable or politically incorrect tattoos, all have been banned. And some of the residents of Bountiful aren’t happy.
The term ‘a joke’ has been used to describe the ban, as well as discriminatory. And could the fact that the heavily weighted Mormon population of Bountiful have something to do with it?
What do you think?
This news story is kinda old but i remembered it the other day and thought it would be perfect for this blog deal. Anyway I thought it was pretty good because i am torn on this subject myself. I see valid points on both sides and have a hard time taking one side or the other. I can see how the city wants to have a professional look and create a more clean cut image of the city. However on the other hand i do not think that they should go that far. Just because someone has some ink on there skin doens't mean that they are crude standoffish people, don't judge a book by its cover it what comes to mind. Anyway what do you guys think?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Internet Dating
Divorce is a common issue for many people nowadays. If people are busy with a full time job and too old to go out on the town, then I think that they probably have an exception to post a profile on E-Harmony and etc. Although, they should not depend on it! They should keep their options open as well as try to date someone that they meet face to face.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Partners can't be searched for in search engines.
I also believe that you can never become comfortable with someone you only chat with. I am a huge fan of Pulp Fiction and as Uma Thurman said in the movie "you know you are really comfortable with some one when you can just shut the f... up." How can you know that you could go on vacation with some one that you only know through an internet site? How can you decide you want to spend time with someone you have never spent time with before? Dating takes too much time, money and emotions to think that you can find it all by punching in what you want in a search engine. People are more complicated than street addresses and should not be found the way you find the closest pizza place to your house.
Friday, September 26, 2008
RU 4 Online Dating?

So my question to you is this: Is online dating a good thing? Is it improving or hindering the way we meet and fall in love? Is it speeding up an outdated process or taking all of the fun and tradition out of what my grandparents would call "courting"? Feel free to share personal experiences. Do you meet people online? Do you have success stories? Horror stories? I am really interested in hearing your views on this topic, as well as your own diverse experiences.
~D
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A little piece of history
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Are You Sold on Sex?

Monday, September 8, 2008
A poem I wrote, thought I would share it.
In sleep my eyes are stolen, in a world that I am caught.
The dreams take me inward, as I become lost in thought.
The endless realm of darkness, it's pulling down at me.
My commitment is weak, but I should try to be set free.
This vision takes me deeper, engulfing my desires.
A fantasy awakened, a truth that’s told by liars.
With these words I struggle, find it hard to express.
The different ways I feel, and why I must confess.
To a changing life with terror and appeal
Because of this allusion the past became real.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Obama vs. McCain
While I am not sure whether I support McCain or Obama, I would much rather hear Obama speak than McCain. McCain seemed less confident and charismatic. The truth of the matter is the charisma can only go so far, whether there is any promise behind McCain's or Obama's speeches is what is really important.
While it is argued that neither of them give out any real information, how much does America really want to hear? All they want to hear is that they're going to cut taxes, or bring the troops home. They don't care how or what the consequences will be, at least not in that moment. They might later when it hasn't happened or they have a tax increase, or it starts a war.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
President John McCain
Saturday, August 30, 2008
upset with current presidential canidates
I am very interested to hear what John McCain will have to say during the Republican Nation Convention.