Dave’s Days at I.U.S.B.

Welcome to my blog everyone.

“I’m Going to Disney Land” The Internship Opportunity of a Lifetime

Are you in need of an exciting night of swash-buckling with the Pirates of The Caribbean? Or maybe you would prefer to swim all of your troubles away under the sea with the Little Mermaid. Is photography an interest of yours? But you cannot think of a way to further refine your skills. Or perhaps you’re the adrenaline junky who enjoys the breath-taking thrills of an exciting roller coaster ride. Regardless of the adventure you are looking to pursue Disney can meet your demands.

Disney is reaching out to students currently attending college and that want to participate in the magic that only Disney can bring. Exactly what kind of magic am I speaking of? The magic that Walter Alias Disney originally fostered through his use of creativity, innovation, and excellence to create the foundation in which Disney still strives for today. It was through these very traits that Disney was able to produce some of the most popular movies, toys, theme parks, and child accessories in the world.  But most importantly Disney has been allowing the children of the world an opportunity to dream, and believe in something beyond what they originally perceived possible.

That is why Disney is offering the college youth of I.U.S.B. a chance to be a part of this magic through the Disney College Program. This program offers students a rare opportunity to live a childhood fantasy while building their professional skills such as career building, networking, and skill development. And the best part is the requirements are not very difficult to meet. If you are 18 years old, you are attending college currently, and have a passion to participate in a good time. Then this is the internship opportunity you have been looking for.

The process is simple also you apply through an application and when you are accepted you will be transported to either Disney Land in Anaheim, California or Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It is at one of these amazing locations where you will be provided a fully furnished apartment that includes all kitchen utensils, dishes, and appliances to meet all your basic needs. Another aspect of this rare and exciting opportunity is that you will be paid to participate in this program. So your rent will be paid directly from your paycheck. And you will also be given exclusive discounts for being a Disney intern on products to include: Disney dining, merchandise, recreation and parks as well as discounts at participating local businesses so savings are readily available to you. This could be especially useful to any students who have children or perhaps are just in need of a good time.

As we all know internship means work also so not everything can be fun, right? Wrong with Disney it is possible to enjoy your work by acting as a character performer, capturing the priceless moments of others as a photographer, being a ride operator where you can control all the thrills and 17 other choices to provide that special place for everyone to grow in creativity, innovation, and excellence. The Disney College Program also allows interns to attend the Disney University at no tuition cost. All you have to get is about twenty to thirty dollars worth of course materials and books for each course you should decide to take.

There is even an opportunity to take this experience into a professional internship to pursue a career with Disney. I.U.S.B. even has a director for this program, Cindy Vukovits who can be located in Wiecamp Hall in the general studies and criminal justice section of the 2^nd floor. You can also receive further information by contacting IUSB’s Disney College Program Campus Representative Sidney Shafer on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SidneyAShaferII or by email at sashafer@iusb.edu.  So don’t miss out on this opportunity of a lifetime and get out there and say “I’m going to Disney Land.”

What Is Veterans Day? A Brief Look Into The History And Traditions Of This Holiday.

I wanted to take a little bit of time to focus on the history and traditions of Veterans Day. It is a holiday that most Americans are familiar with and I do believe most American’s also have a brief idea of what this day is in honor of. But what I wanted to do in this writing was to elaborate on this concept a little bit more. To share a piece of r Veterans. Veterans Day is easily recognized on calendars as being the dAmerican history with you that honors the ones who really make America the great nation it is, ouay of November 11, one day following the United States Marine Corps official Birthday. But there are many other significances of November 11 being chosen as what we all now know as Veterans Day.

During the year of 1918 on the 11^TH hour, of the 11^TH day, of the 11^TH month an armistice was made between America and Germany to end the war of all wars as it was known at the time, World War I.  But the War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. On November 11, 1919 President Wilson proclaimed the day to be known as Armistice Day by saying the words “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”  The original concept of Armistice Day was to take a brief break from the day’s work and celebrate by observing a parade followed by a public meeting honoring the victory of America over Germany in World War I.

In 1926 congress proclaimed that on November 11^TH all government buildings would display the American flag and that the day would be observed by schools, churches, and all other reasonable places with appropriate activities and celebration to honor the armistice or unofficial end of World War I. Armistice Day was not an official holiday until May 13, 1938. The day was original meant to honor the Veterans of World War I but after World War II and the Korean War it was considered to change Armistice Day to honor these Veterans also. On June 1, 1954 the 1938 Act was amended by removing the word “Armistice” and adding its place the word “Veterans”. Then later that same year President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave the first Veterans Day proclamation saying that all Veterans would be recognized on this day.

Then on June 20, 1968 the Uniform Holiday Bill was passed making Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day all fall on Mondays with the intention of regulating government employees three day weekends. The first Veterans Day following this bill was celebrated with much confusion by the American people on October 25, 1971. Then after much debate by the American people for November 11^th‘s historical significances that on September 20, 1975 President Gerald R. Ford passed a law that would go into effect in 1978 making November 11^TH the official holiday now known as Veterans Day.

So next year when November 11^TH roles around on the calendar I hope you can say “this day really has a lot of History to it”. And it would be to my greatest enjoyment to know that this blog has hopefully given the men and woman reading it a more satisfying meaning to the holiday known as Veterans Day. So now when you hear someone say Veterans Day is a day of celebrating troops you can take pride in being able to elaborate on it little more and say I know why.

The Significance of November 10

The significance of November 10 is far more than just another day on the calendar for the United States Marines, it is our birthday. The Marine Corps was founded at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on November 10, 1775. It was on this day that our great nation recruited her first Marines serving as this nation’s elite fighting force during the American Revolution and continuing this same role today. During this time frame the Marines attacked off of their own ships until they were close enough to board the enemy’s vessels which in this case were British. The Marines would then board these ships and either take them as their own or destroy them playing a vital role in America’s independence.

But this day was not formally recognized as the Marine Corps Birthday until 1921. It was on this day the 13^TH Commandant of the United States Marine Corps; John A. Lejeune issued the Marine Corps order number 47. This order summarized the history, tradition, and mission of the Corps. It also said that this order would be read to all Marines every year on November 10 to honor the Marine Corps Birthday. After this the Marines added celebrating as a part of this tradition.

The celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday was first conducted as more of read the order and honor type a day. But soon after in 1923 various commands of the Marines started doing more of an event type of celebration. They celebrated in Cuba by playing the Cuban baseball team in baseball and winning 9-8. They also celebrated by staging a mock battle on the parade grounds of Washington, and there was also a formal dance staged in Pennsylvania.

In 1925 the idea of a formal dance grew into what is now known as the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Which is currently a large part of the celebration were Marines dress in their most senior uniform and bring dates in ball gowns to celebrate and dance the evening away. In 1952 General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. the Commandant of the Marines at the time also added a cake cutting to the celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday. This was conducted by the oldest Marine present at the birthday celebration. He would cut a piece of cake for himself and the youngest Marine present and then would pass the slice of cake to the youngest Marine symbolizing the passing of tradition from the old Corps to the new. Then this is followed by the reading of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Birthday message.

The Marine Corps Ball, the cake cutting ceremony, the reading of John A. Lejeune’s order, and the current Commandant’s birthday messages are how the Marine Corps currently celebrate their birthday. It is a tradition that not all Marines of the past have been able to enjoy. So in our modern days I ask all of you reading about the history of the Marine Corps Birthday to remember this day not only for the Marines serving in conflict right now, but also for the hard chargers of conflicts long before 1923. I ask you to remember this day for them also. And I cannot forget the ones who never made it home at all, let’s celebrate for them. So next year, on the day before Veteran’s Day remember to have a little extra fun and never forget the sacrifices my fellow Marines made so you could enjoy it.

Affordable family entertainment that stimulates the local economy and makes the kids happy.

The demands of being a parent are huge, and going to college does not make this responsibility any easier. Do you think that you don’t have the time or money for going out with the family? Well that’s not the case at all and I plan on telling you why. Even if you are just looking for some insightful locations to bring the family out for some quality time this will help you out also. I felt it was time to provide the family-oriented I.U.S.B. students some possible routes for entertainment on a low budget and a full schedule. All the locations and events I will mention will be reasonably priced, local to South Bend or Elkhart and can work into most busy schedules to make that special day worth something a little bit more than going to McDonalds Play Land. The places I would like to focus on is the Potawatomi Zoo of South Bend, Hall of Hereos: Super Hero Museum of Elkhart, Healthworks Kids Musuem of South Bend, and a few other ideas that your families may enjoy.

First I want to let everyone know a little bit about the Potawatomi Zoo. It is a local Zoo in South Bend that is relatively small in comparison to other nearby Zoos such as the: Indianapolis Zoo, and the The Kids Zoo of Fort Wayne. This makes it easier to manage the kids and still have a good time. It is also only $8 for an adult and $6 for kids 3 to 14 years of age, not to mention that kids less than 3 years old get in free. So you and your family can enjoy a day out to enjoy reptiles, butterflies, birds, and much more. There is even a Leopard for everyone to enjoy. So for roughly the same price of bringing the family out to see a movie at the theater, you could spend a day with the family and stimulate the local economy.

Another exciting location I would recommend visiting is Hall of Hereos: Super Hero Museum. This is a museum full of vintage comic books, superhero artifacts, movie props, and various other comic book related items. This is a location that all comic book lovers would enjoy, and with the growing popularity of Batman and other comic book heroes amongst children and adults I would imagine that they would also love to see comic history.  To attend you must contact Allen Stewart at 574-522-1187 or 574-293-0755 to arrange an appointment. Admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for children 10 years or younger.

The next location I would like to mention is the Healthworks Kids Musuem. This is not only a museum of exhibits, but it also features some hands on fun for the whole family. Do you enjoy watching your children have fun while they are learning? If so for only $5 a person and children 2 and under get in free this is the place for you. And like the Potawatomi Zoo this is also a way to stimulate the local economy.

I have a couple of other entertainment ideas for the students who still will be unable to find the time or resources to enjoy the places I had mentioned previously. I understand that finding a whole day is tough so one thing I do with my family is have a family game night. With all the board, card, and dice games out there it should not be too difficult to find a game to play as a family. You would be amazed at how fun this can be and in case you need a place to purchase a game here is Amazon’s Game List. Also with all the parks around South Bend and Elkhart there are always free events going on to do. So take out the family and please feel free to inform us of any other locations of interest that I have not mentioned.

Touchdown Jesus found on moth by Illinois woman. Is it a sign or coincidence.

An interesting story was written in The Elkhart Truth newspaper today. A moth resembling the image of Touchdown Jesus on its wings was found by an Illinois woman.  To those who are unfamiliar with what Touchdown Jesus is, it is a picture of Jesus with his arms extended at the end zone of the Notre Dame Football Arena. Notre Dame The woman who found the moth is trying to sell it as a collectable piece due to it being produced naturally. The woman says she hopes this moth will be more collectible than other Jesus resembling items such as Cheesus , a Cheeto resembling Jesus on the cross, and a sour crème and onion chip resembling Jesus. Potato Chip Jesus  This woman’s intention is to sell this item on E bay in the hope of making a little much needed income to assist in getting financially stable again due to her going through a divorce with a Norte Dame graduate, what irony. I must agree with the woman upon the moth bearing the mark of Touchdown Jesus. It is a very impressive thing to see and with the season of Notre Dame Football doing so well, could this be a sign?  Original Elkhart Truth Article

James Miller, a tragic loss to us all.

 Justin Leighty a reporter of the Elkhart Truth reports on the funeral of a Goshen man named James Miller who was tragically murdered during a robbery at his home on October 6. Nearly 900 people attended the sanctuary where the service was held and they mourned the loss of a great man. He was described as “a gentle, humble, quirky, humorous family man and a Goshen College professor,” Leighty. The event was well described by Leighty who mentioning things that were said by James Miller’s widowed wife Linda, who was also injured during this ordeal and varies other family members and co-workers.  He was well known in his community where he led college youths to higher education and he also served as a father, a husband, and an avid Christian. I feel it is important to recognize tragic events such as this to not only mourn the loss of a local great, but to also see how senseless violence can occur without warning to anyone. This was a recent and local event that to my knowledge has not been solved yet. So keep this thought when your complaining about a bad day or how rough life is and remember every moment we have is precious so make the most of it. If you want to read the E-truth article: http://is.gd/rsaUN8

IU Students making progress toward a more responsible drinking trends.

Hugh McBride has written some good information on the student’s conflicts with alcohol. And he also mentions that Hoosiers are improving on their alcohol consumption. This is mentioned when Mcbride says “Hoosiers Making Progress

On Nov. 12, the University of Indiana issued a press release to announce evidence of progress in the school’s effort to combat alcohol abuse and binge drinking among students. The release heralded the following set of statistics:

– The percentage of IU students who consumed more than five drinks in a week went from 42.8 percent in 2006 to 37.5 percent in 2009, a 12.4 percent decrease.

– The percentage of IU students who engaged in binge drinking in the previous two weeks went from 60.3 percent in 2006 to 56.8 percent in 2009, a 5.8 percent decrease.

– The percentage of IU students who have experienced legal troubles or received disciplinary action in the previous two weeks went from 15.3 percent in 2006 to 12.3 percent in 2009, a 19.6 percent decrease. The percentage of IU students who have driven while intoxicated went from 38.4 percent in 2006 to 22.6 percent in 2009, a 41.1 percent decrease.

– A former “winner” of the Princeton Review’s party school list (2002), IU has instituted a number of preventive measures and awareness initiatives, including a “don’t drink and drive” campaign, a proactive student judicial system, and a requirement that all new students complete a two-to-three-hour online alcohol education course.

“In the past, our rates have been higher than the rest of the country,” Dee Owens, director of the school’s Alcohol-Drug Information Center, said in the release. “Now, instead of looking at our numbers going up or just staying steady — which is considered a great success — we saw our numbers go down in every category.”

Thank you Mr. McBride for this great news and I agree with his statistics and facts because studies were conducted to prove such. And not only that but I notice as a 29 year old man that less and less people on campus mention parting and drinking often. Maybe it’s just because I’m out of the swing with the current youth, but I still try to be cool…lol.

It really motivates me to know that we are improving in our choices toward alcoholism in our campus life. It’s not that I feel drinking is wrong or right, but speaking from a hardened drinker in my past I truly believe that students are better off not drinking, because by choosing to drink you add new factors to your life that one may not be ready for. And being responsible is not always easy. Not to mention the drama drinking can cause in your life can be astonishing. So have fun, and keep up the good work IU.

Original Story

Are you ready for a rocking winter this year, because South Bend’s own home of rock WRBR The Bear has released an impressive list of concerts in the local area that will surely keep the rock & roll fire burning. This list includes names like 3 Doors Down, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil, rock legend Guns and Roses, the beautiful voice of Amy Lee and her talented band Evanescence, for the clown and Fago lovers out there ICP, Gwar, Mushroomhead, ATR,  A7X, Hatebreed, Five Finger Death Punch right after the release of their new album, Hollywood Undead, and even Chris Cornell of Sound Garden, and Audioslave. I have composed a list with the support of WRBR’s concert page. It is in the order of the soonest concert to the last ones listed. It includes links to the bands, links to the places these shows will be held and even the prices on all that were available. So the research is over just enjoy the info and don’t forget to read my advice on these shows in case you are unsure in the concerts are worth the visits.

Saturday October 22
EVANESCENCE
Congress Theatre, Chicago
Tickets $35-100

Sunday October 30
EVANESCENCE  
Royal Oak Music Theatre, Detroit MI
Tickets $36

Sunday October 30
INSANE CLOWN POSSE   
Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville
Tickets $32.50

Sunday October 30
GWAR
Vogue Theatre, Indy
Tickets $27.50

Monday October 31
GWAR
House of Blues, Chicago
Tickets $36.55

Friday November 4
MUSHROOMHEAD    
Piere’s, Ft. Wayne
Tickets $22.25

Friday November 4
3 DOORS DOWN 
THEORY OF A DEADMAN
POP EVIL   
Deltaplex, Grand Rapids
Tickets $27-42.50

Saturday November 5
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH 
ALL THAT REMAINS 
HATEBREED 
Deltaplex, Grand Rapids, MI
Tickets $22.50

Sunday November 6
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH 
ALL THAT REMAINS 
HATEBREED 
Murat Egyptian Room, Indy
Tickets $47

Sunday November 6
3 DOORS DOWN 
THEORY OF A DEADMAN  
POP EVIL 
The Venue @ The Horseshoe Casino, Hammond
Tickets $55.80-$67.15

Tuesday November 15
GUNS N’ ROSES
Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL
Tickets $51.20-$92.40

Wednesday November 16
PUDDLE OF MUDD
Piere’s, Ft. Wayne
Tickets $24.25

Wednesday November 30
AVENGED SEVENFOLD 
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD 
Memorial Coliseum, Ft. Wayne
Tickets $39.75-$44.75

Tuesday December 6
CHRIS CORNELL
State Theatre, Kalamazoo
Tickets $48.45

Wednesday December 7
CHRIS CORNELL
Egyptian Room at Old National Centre, Indy
Tickets $52.25

Saturday December 17
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
ALL THAT REMAINS
HATEBREED
Piere’s, Ft. Wayne
Tickets $33

I want to first thank WRBR for providing us with this concert info. They are a great source of local rock info from concerts to contest this is the place I would recommend looking at first. Now I just want to share a little bit of helpful knowledge on these bands in case you’re unsure what to expect. This is based upon my personal experience seeing these bands live in the past and being a dedicated fan of most of the bands I will mention. First for the metal heads out there I would strongly recommend seeing Hatebreed, this band is loud, direct, and violent in the pits. Also with Five Finger Death Punch, and All That Remains (ATR) you have one crazy lineup to enjoy. I highly recommend seeing this show if possible despite its price, you will not be disappointed. Another favorite of mine Mushroomhead will get the crowds moving and at all the shows I have seen in the past they are very active with their fans so you can most expect to meet the band before or after the show: autographs, handshakes, ext… There is also a nice list of more passive rock bands coming around if the metal scene is not for you. Some of the current favorites are 3 Doors Down, Avenged Seven Fold (A7X), Evanescence with Amy’s  absolutely beautiful voice that greets all who have the ears to listen with shivers of her passion, and even Puddle of Mud With hits like “She F_ _ _ _ _ _  Hates me” a well-known song of  parties everywhere.  Also I can’t forget to mention to the more classic rock oriented students that Guns and Roses and Gwar will be here. This may possibly be your last chance to see either of these bands so get your girlfriends or wives and enjoy the famous rock of these legends, live.

Club Fever is throwing a Student Night Halloween Party on Oct. 27. Contests, drink specials, DJs, want to know more?

Club Fever has announced that they will be hosting a Student Night Halloween Party on October 27, at 10 pm. Spinning the night away is DJ CK-1 and Emcee Mondo, who will be rockin’ the COSTUME CONTEST.  There will be an individual and group costume contest and prizes will be awarded in both categories!   Club Fever has some great things going on with their contest, drink specials, and live D.J’s to keep the party going all night. Club Fever also has entertainment events going on constantly. So if you enjoy the nightlife or even just the occasional concert. Then check out Club Fever’s entertainment and night scene.  And I know this gets said constantly but be safe, if you drink don’t drive, be responsible, and have fun my fellow IUSB students. Club Fever Site

I love this Church.

I just wanted to take a moment to speak about a local Church that I truly enjoy going too, and I think alot of my fellow students may also enjoy the atmosphere also. It is known as Grace Community Church of Goshen, IN. I have attached a link if you would like to see more of what this Church has to offer from their Webpage. http://is.gd/4JOImD Back to my point this place offers a deverse community who enjoy the lord, loud music, great people, and even a free gym with pretty good equipment open to everyone. They always have live music from exellent musicians, a coffee shop type atmosphere if you should want to go there, with free coffee might I add. And they also love all people regardless of your opinions or beliefs. So I urge everyone to at least check the site out with a few moments of your time. And to all the men out there check out the Wild at Heart event they are having soon, it’s a great time for all regardless of your religious preferences.