Whatever Happened to The Class of 2005?

Then she graduated from Cardozo High School and arrived at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she bombed the placement tests so badly that she had to take remedial English and math. She failed the makeup math course twice before passing it. Low grades overall put her on academic probation. Finally, mid-sophomore year, she was forced to withdraw. Chappell sometimes thinks back to the Cardozo math teacher who, instead of assigning algebra homework, would have students clip photos of motorcycles from magazines and do other projects unrelated to math. "I thought it was strange and weird," Chappell said, but he did not complain because the class was "an easy A." To examine the fate of one graduating class of D.C. high school students is to find multiple stories like Chappell's -- stories that illustrate how a struggling urban schothe system, such as a reliable dropout rate or a way to track how students have fared after leaving. system often fails to shepherd its students and set them on a promising path to adulthood.

gener schools,DC,news
source http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/06/AR2007100601165.html
by V. Dion Haynes and Aruna Jain

October video game retail sales slide 4 percent

NEW YORK -- U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories slipped 4 percent in October as demand for most gaming consoles declined from a year earlier, according to data from market researcher NPD Group. Overall game sales were $1.07 billion last month, down from $1.11 billion in October of last year, NPD said on Tuesday. Year-to-date sales were down 8 percent at the end of October, at $11.07 billion.Hardware sales tumbled 26 percent to $280 million from $381 million a year ago. With the exception of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360, every gaming system saw a decline in unit sales, NPD said. The Xbox sold 325,000 units, up 30 percent year-over-year, Microsoft said.

Sales of game software, meanwhile, climbed 6 percent to $605 million from $573 million. The basketball blockbuster "NBA 2K11" from Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. was the month's best-selling title. It was followed by the shooter "Fallout: New Vegas" from Bethesda Softworks and "Medal of Honor" from Electronic Arts Inc. .

genre news,games,technolgy

source http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111605935.html

by BARBARA ORTUTAY

Review: Cold War gets reheated in 'Call of Duty'

The latest edition has even drawn the wrath of the Cuban government, thanks to a mission based on an attempt to assassinate a young Fidel Castro.Call of Duty: Black Ops" (for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99) has plenty of other elements that are engineered to trigger protest. It's mostly set during the Vietnam War, still a touchy subject for any pop-culture treatment. There's some entirely gratuitous torture. And there's a weird post-game fantasia in which Castro joins President John F. Kennedy and future President Richard Nixon in fighting off a zombie invasion. All the free publicity - day-one sales totaled $360 million - tends to obscure the question of whether "Black Ops" is actually any good. The short answer: If you're a "Call of Duty" fan, you won't be disappointed. If you're not a fan, this installment won't change your mind.


genre games,news,entertainment
source http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/16/AR2010111602491.html
by  LOU KESTEN

'Fed lowers economic expectations for 2011'

Top Federal Reserve officials expect the unemployment rate to remain around nine percent at the end of next year and eight percent at the end of 2012, according to internal forecasts that drove the central bank to take new efforts to boost the economy three weeks ago.The 18 top leaders of the central bank expect the U.S. economy to grow at a 3 to 3.6 percent pace next year, which by their calculations will be enough to bring joblessness, currently at 9.6 percent, down to the 8.9 to 9.1 percent range in late 2011.diminished economic expectations that shaped the Fed leaders' decision to buy $600 billion of Treasury bonds in a bid to lower long-term interest rates and encourage growth. Those forecasts are supposed to assume "appropriate" monetary policy, meaning that the continued high unemployment is expected even with the new measures in place.

genre new,world,money
source http://voices.washingtonpost.com/political-economy/2010/11/fed_officials_expect_9_percent.html?hpid=topnews
by Neil Irwin

'Just Hit Snooze '

I think high schools start class later in the morning. One reason why I think  it should happen because teens get more rest. Another reason why I think schools should start later is because it might cause less accidents. People who disagreemight say that high school students might be late for after schools activities. However, I think its important to remeber that a later school time migh help high school students.

'Va. high school restores Fs'

West Potomac High School Principal Cliff Hardison announced Friday morning that he was reversing new grading policies.and allowed  and allowed students caught cheating to retake tests rather than get zeroes.The change comes after a public outcry among parents and teachers at the school, in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County.The cheating policy gave teachers the option of letting students retake tests. Both initiatives now have been rescinded.

genre schools,news
source:http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/education/va-high-school-restores-fs.html

'Harry Potter and the massive 'Deathly Hallows' revenue'

As predicted, the latest addition to the Potter series worked its magic on the box office, raking in a $125 million in ticket sales.This weekend's $16.1 million haul was respectable, but only a little over half of last weekend's $30.1 million take.The Robert Downey Jr./Zach Galifianakis road trip comedy brought in an unremarkable $9.2 million in its third weekend, for a total gross of $72.6 million so far.  "127 Hours" expanded to 108 theaters over the weekend and squeaked in just under a million with $915,000 for the weekend.


genres news,movies
source;http://voices.washingtonpost.com/celebritology/2010/11/weekend_box_office_harry_potte.html

'Springfield Mall at a crossroads'

The Springfield mall are struggling mall could soon be closed because of there redevelopment Or it could be destined for a multimillion-dollar Christmas gift, with new high-rise apartments, outdoor outlets said (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) .The Northern Virginia mall's owner, New York-based Vornado Realty Trust, has been shopping its $160 million in debt in recent weeks,Representatives from Vornado declined to comment on their plans for the mall, except to point to previous public statements about their commitment to redeveloping it.If the mall closed, it would mark the end of a storied shopping destination that helped define Springfield for decades. It would also become the latest reminder that the ubiquitous indoor mall, a byproduct of 1950s


genres news,shopping
source;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/21/AR2010112103882.html

'The Review Of Diary Of Wimpy Kid'

In my opinion the movie 'diary of wimpy kid' is a great movie for all ages its a comedy of the book diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney. In addition  the book is as great as the movie the movie is great all views should watch this movie.


The movie diary of a wimpy kid starts off as main chacter (Zachary Gordon) get tricked that is his first day of school and then he has a week left and him and his friend Rolwey are best friends but through out the movie they lose connection and Gregory wants to be the most popular kid in the school by the end of the year while facing many challenges.


what I though about Zachary Gordon acting was great i felt like it was kinda like the book I think he should be an other movies as a kid actor  but by the end of the movie he was still a great actor I would see any movie that he is in. That's what i think about the actor.

During the end of the movie they made up as friends and were friends and Greg the main chacter  didn't make his goal as being the most popular by the end of the year but he completed it but no as he expected my feeling about the movie was a great ending.

Good Or Bad Decision?

I think this is a good and a bad decision the reason why I think its a good decision to make it a half day is for other students can not  introuble and stay foucas in there classes. A reason why its a bad idea is because students can lose there special classes like gym,journlism and art. Thats why I think its a bad and good decision.

"Why People Make Crimes? "

The reason why people commit crimes for many reasons.such as getting back at someone another reason why people commit crimes for economic reason. Also people commit crimes for greed . In addition people commit crimes for jealousy.That why people sometimes commit crimes.

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Movies or Math?

If  I had to pick between going to the movies or doing my math work I would go to the movies and try to finish my work after the movie and I would try to finish as much math work I can so i don't have alot to do

when i come back home. Also I would  look if the math was easy to do and if I understand it enough to finish it when i come back home but if it wasn't i would cancel going to the movies and finish my work.

                    

'The Mayor Laws'

You can do many things to make our city perfect like putting more reactions so kids can have more places to play and make more places were people can study and learn new things. Also kids have more ;places were they can learn and have more resources. In addition I would make places buses closer so people wouldn't have to walk as much. Thats what I think the mayor could do to make the city a better place.

'Everone Rich? '

I think everyone would be happy if everyone was rich.everbody would be happy because they would be not be people starving and they would have more resources to stop poullition or other things. Also people would buy anythings they wanted to help themseleves everyone one would have the best things and people would make more and so on

.

'Principal New Law'

Dear principal,

I was wondering why can't students drink in class and eat in class but other teachers can. I always thought why can't students eat and drink and class I thought by letting students eat and drink and class would help students by helping them get a breakfeast because not all students can't come to school early for many reasons I think by letting students do that they wouldn't have kids doing less bad things if principal could trust us more.

'MIllion Dollar Day'

If I had a million dollars I would do alot I would buy anything my family wanted I would also put money in my bank account so when ever i needed money i would use it and I would give 10 percent of the money to charties and other things also i would give money to my family. In addition i would invest my money in other things so i could have more money. In addition i would make my room the best room ever. Also i would buy houses for my family. Thats what I would do with my million dollars.

'Box In The Road'

If I found a box in the middle of the road and it poped out it was a cat that could talk and said help me and i said with what and the cat said take me back to the scince lab and ill give you 200 dollars i said okay and I took him to the scinece lab and i reccived my 200 dollars and went home.In additon the cat I helped was a most wanted cat.

"Surprise In The Box"

If anything could be in the cereal box it would be a million dollars I would buy anything I wanted I would give money to my parents and my brother and sisters and i would open a bank account and savce the money so I Could be ready for collage.In addition I would be able to buy houses and rent them to people and i wouuld invest money to gain money. That what i would do with the 'surprise in the box'

"Friend Or not? '

I would still hang out with the friend unless i see that the person is not a good to be around. I wouldn't hang out with him because i wouldn't want to be influenced to do bad things because of my friend. In addition i would try to figure out why my parents wouldn't want me to hang out with my friend.

Curfews For Teens

Its not fair for teens to have curfews because not every teen shop lift or make alot of noise. Also teens have money to spend they could lose there customers. Another reason why its bad to have curfews because it would make more kids on the street. which would make everthing go wrong. Also teens need a place to hang out

Schools New Ride

If there was a amument park ride in the schools playground. It would be the intimidator 305. Because its the fastest roller costers in any park around. The intimidator 305 would make kids have less fear of heights.Also it would help kids be less nervous. In addition more kids like the ride and i would let the kids be on the ride for 5-10 minutes

So Embarrassed

One thing that my family member done to embarrass me was when we are walking down the street and my shoes lases were untied and i fell and everbody was laughing and someone had a camera which was my cousin friend. They showed my the video and now my nick name is "clumsy"