roastlechon » School Things

Instructions for a Class Assignment

Noel Madali — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:37:35 +0000

I am still doing homework, as you can see… This time its for my IS2040 class (Web Development I). I would like to argue the name of “Web Development” as the class title, as we do not do “development” for the web. Instead we do design for the web, but perhaps it can also be argued that its the development of design for the web, in which we learn the process of designing websites (DADI).

On to my rant, the question is number 5 from page 61-62 from the book “Principles of Web Design.”

5. Find a Web site that you think needs improvements in its design.

a. Print two pages from the site.
b. Make copies of the originals, and set the originals aside.
c. Using scissors, cut the main elements of each page. Rearrange the elements and paste them in a design you believe improves the site.
d. Compare and contrast the original with your improved design.

Now, about those instructions… For one, its a waste of paper. Two, websites that do need improvement need major overhauls in content (eg. pages that scroll so far that you can’t even see the scroll bar). Three, cutting and pasting elements won’t do much to improve the design, since most websites that really need improvement need better content organization.

For better instructions to improve the question, I would see something like: Choose a website that needs improvement and sketch out a layout using some graphic elements and/or content from the site.

Back to work. End.

Lowering the Voting Age!

Noel Madali — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:56:43 +0000

Well how about it folks? I would personally like to see that happen, but it isn’t really going to happen, since this is actually for a class assignment. For those of you who might be like, “IS CONGRESS EFFING SERIOUS?!?!” sorry to disappoint you.

So as you may have guessed, this is another assignment I have, due Monday, September 5, 2006, for my IB Government class.

Once finished, I shall post my newly made 28th amendment and correct the recent 26th one and lower the voting age. (Insert Smiley)

Rant on “Oedipus Rex/Oedipus the King” by Sophocles

Noel Madali — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:31:55 +0000

For homework, we had to read “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles, one of the tragedies he has written. In utter disgust of what happened in the play, I must agree that this play is.. queer. The son, married his mother, killed his father, and was indirectly told of the prophecy, so to speak. As nasty as the play is, the tragedy itself is pretty complicated. I had a hard time following the story. One of the reasons might be due to my sleepiness at 3:00 in the morning, or my lack of coffee.

The tragedy kinda makes you wonder, was Sophocles a person who had personal issues or some type of disorder to create a masterful piece like this? Does he contain qualities that make up some of the best authors of the past century?

Pastiche of “A Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes

Noel Madali — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 05:00:05 +0000

Its another one of those literary assignments again.. As the due date has passed, and our grades for the poem have been recieved, I decided that I shall post my poem on the internet. Knowing that there might be plagarists out there, I sure hope they would morally know what is right and wrong. So.. Here is the poem, a pastiche of “A Theme for English B,” written by Langston Hughes, entitled “An Orchestra in We.”

Adelbert Madali
Mr. Jones
IB English
August 17, 2006

An Orchestra in We

The conductor shouted,

Class! Prepare to play,
the first piece of your concert today.
And let the sound come out from you—
Then, you will know it’s true.

I thought if I really could do it?
I hold the cello, a bow in hand, and music on the stand.
I learn from this prestigious conductor, in seriousness and laughter.
I have a unique sound in my orchestra.
The notes in the piece pass through each page,
playing arpeggios and scales, one after the other,
and I come to a repeat,
a never-ending repeat, where I play hard and fast
sitting on the edge of my chair, diligently waiting for the coda:

It is in great perspective to know the difference between a viola, violin, bass, and a cello player
with a bow and music on the stand. But I feel and play what I see, the music, I see it:
see it in you, see me—we all—you, me, play in this orchestra.
(I see it in Violins, too.) Me—who?
Well, I prepare to play, perform, and express the music.
I like to interpret, read, and write sound.
I like a new cello for a Christmas present,
or a new bow—Ebony, carbon fiber, or fiber glass.
I guess playing the cello does not
make me play
the same music for the same reasons other players play.
So this music I play be filled with the emotions I express?
Like me, it will not just be cellos.
But it will have
a part of you all, viola, violin, and bass.
yet a music player like me, as I am to you.

That’s an orchestra.
Sometimes you don’t play like me or others.
Nor do I often want to play like you.
But we are an orchestra! That is the truth.
As I play with you,
I guess you play with me—
although you are softer—and smaller—
and have a higher pitch.

This is the Orchestra in We.

Well, there you have it. I hope you have enjoyed reading it, as it only took me about 2 hours late in the morning to do it. I got a 25/25 for this and am pretty proud of it… though most people got 25/25′s anyways, I had received a nice comment.

Christopher Columbus: Villain or Hero?

Noel Madali — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 02:46:38 +0000

Alright, so the title may seem out of context with what the website is about… But it is actually a paper that I am going to write. Essay due Monday, August 21, 2006. What class is the paper for? The paper is for IB History of the America’s of course. I should say that this is a great way to start off the course. Was Christopher Columbus actually a villain? I think I will argue that he was a villain, and provide every single possibility that he was.

My aim for the school year is to break away from the normal, break the box, let alone think outside of it.

I would like to post my essay when I finish with it, but I am having a hard time deciding whether to do so. The internet is a great place to find information and publish it, but of course there are those who like to steal information rather than creating their own.

If anyone would like to post their input on whether Christopher Columbus is a villain or not, please feel free to do so, as I may like to gather inspiration when I type my essay.

The Beginning of School

Noel Madali — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:26:28 +0000

I guess for most of you out there, school is tomorrow, August 14. So before I go to sleep, I must type my 3 1/2 page essay, write 150 words in French for a movie, and prepare my school supplies. So before I can do anything web, design, games, surfing related, I must concentrate on school. Til next time.

Edited at 2:46 am

Ok so.. first day of school. Words to sum them up? Intimidating. Well that was one word, but you get the point. My schedule was pretty stacked up, but atleast I got good teachers. So my classes are as follows:

IB English
IB Biology
IB French 4
Advanced Orchestra

And.. the next day I will have..

IB History of the Americas
IB Math Studies
IB French 4
IB Government (I dont really know what goes here, but it had a weird name on the transcript.)

Things that I plan to accomplish later in the year: create my site portfolio, create websites for others, start making money (I dont know what I could do to make some, but yea.)

Now it is about 3:00 am, so time to sleep.