In America the Beautiful, Dinesh D'Souza discusses some interesting ideas. I took American History last semester and remember learning about the idea of exceptionalism. I think it was in relation to the us and the indians back in the day. We thought that our ways were more civilized and therefore better, so we wanted them to become like us and change their ways.
Its interesting because sometimes i find my self thinking in this way about other people and the way they live their lives. i am happy and think that the way i am living is better. I assume that if they change from the way they are living to my ways, then they will be happier, but i fail to understand or grasp the fact that even thought the way they are living is different, it doesn't mean that their way is any worse than mine. It is just simply different. Tolerance is the key here.
I also think it interesting how 9-11 changed a lot of people's thinking. I met and talked to many muslims when i lived in denmark. THey are really good people and are peaceful. In discussing religion with them i came to discover that their religion is based on peace. There are of course some branches that a radical in nature, and decide to take a different approach to things, but there is a distinction, i believe.
I think that everyone just needs to be more respectful and tolerant of each other, but unfortunately that is not the way things usually work out. Instead people judge and start to assume things. The problem is sometimes they are wrong in their assumption, but sometimes that is just how is has to be. You can't always just play defense.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Grammar Post: Grammatical form
sometimes i have issues with is grammatical form in my writing.
Rule: Use similar grammatical form when offering several ideas. This is called parallel construction.
Correct: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Incorrect: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuating.
websight
Rule: Use similar grammatical form when offering several ideas. This is called parallel construction.
Correct: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Incorrect: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuating.
websight
Grammar Post: Negatives and Posatives
I sometimes struggle with my sentence structure when i use negaives.
Rule: To avoid confusion, don't use two negatives to make a positive.
Incorrect: He is not unwilling to help.
Correct: He is willing to help.
websight
Rule: To avoid confusion, don't use two negatives to make a positive.
Incorrect: He is not unwilling to help.
Correct: He is willing to help.
websight
Grammar Post: Active vs. Passive voice
I struggle sometimes training my brain to write in active voice as opposed to passive. i usually talk in passive voice, so that is why it is so difficult.
Rule: Active voice means that the subject is performing the verb.
websight
Rule: Active voice means that the subject is performing the verb.
websight
Growing up Japanese in a White World: Identity Issues
Growing up Japanese in a White World: Identity Issues
I thought the presentation was going to be boring at first just because I didn’t really know what to expect, but as I listened in I became more and more interested in her story and what she had to go through. I have recently been thinking about diversity at our school and what it must be like for students who are minorities. I think about what It would be like for me to travel to a country like Africa and go to school there being the only white person there. I would definitely feel as if I didn’t fit in. So for some of the people here at our school, I sympathize with what they have to go through. Interesting enough though, Chizu said that even though she was Japanese and grew up here that she liked it more and felt like she fit in here more than in Japan when she went back. I would have thought it would have been the other way around. That she would feel more comfortable in Japan because she is Japanes, but I was wrong. Listening to her explain the challenges that she faced in Japan was interesting to me. She liked the active learning theory and stuggled when she couldn’t raise her hand in class without being disrespectful back in Japan as opposed to the United States where she grew up. I wish she would have kept talking about her experiences and challenges. By the end I was thinking a lot and trying to put myself in her position. It would have been really hard for her to deal with these issues growing up. Overall, I thought the presentation was great. She has a great reading voice.
I thought the presentation was going to be boring at first just because I didn’t really know what to expect, but as I listened in I became more and more interested in her story and what she had to go through. I have recently been thinking about diversity at our school and what it must be like for students who are minorities. I think about what It would be like for me to travel to a country like Africa and go to school there being the only white person there. I would definitely feel as if I didn’t fit in. So for some of the people here at our school, I sympathize with what they have to go through. Interesting enough though, Chizu said that even though she was Japanese and grew up here that she liked it more and felt like she fit in here more than in Japan when she went back. I would have thought it would have been the other way around. That she would feel more comfortable in Japan because she is Japanes, but I was wrong. Listening to her explain the challenges that she faced in Japan was interesting to me. She liked the active learning theory and stuggled when she couldn’t raise her hand in class without being disrespectful back in Japan as opposed to the United States where she grew up. I wish she would have kept talking about her experiences and challenges. By the end I was thinking a lot and trying to put myself in her position. It would have been really hard for her to deal with these issues growing up. Overall, I thought the presentation was great. She has a great reading voice.
Teddy Roosevelt impersonation
Randy Milligan as Teddy Roosevelt
I thought that the presentation was fun to listen to. I was very surprised about just how much Randy Milligan knew about Teddy Roosevelt. People were asking him questions about Roosevelt and what he would have done if he wouldn’t have done so and so. He was able to answer without even hardly thinking about it. He was really good at impersonating Roosevelt. He had a strong and loud voice, which captured his audience.
I took a United States History course last semester and loved to learn about the past presidents of the United States. Teddy Roosevelt was one of my favorite presidents to learn about because of his fascination with the outdoors and trying to preserve our precious landscape that so many of us take for granted. I wonder what I would have been like to be a citizen of the United States under Teddy Roosevelt as president of the United States. How many people actually appreciated what he was trying to do for the environment? I wish I could go back to that time and really listen to him speak to the public about his different policies and plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed the presentation. It was probably one of my favorite ones this semester just because Randy was so lively and entertaining. I probably could have just listened to him all day.
I thought that the presentation was fun to listen to. I was very surprised about just how much Randy Milligan knew about Teddy Roosevelt. People were asking him questions about Roosevelt and what he would have done if he wouldn’t have done so and so. He was able to answer without even hardly thinking about it. He was really good at impersonating Roosevelt. He had a strong and loud voice, which captured his audience.
I took a United States History course last semester and loved to learn about the past presidents of the United States. Teddy Roosevelt was one of my favorite presidents to learn about because of his fascination with the outdoors and trying to preserve our precious landscape that so many of us take for granted. I wonder what I would have been like to be a citizen of the United States under Teddy Roosevelt as president of the United States. How many people actually appreciated what he was trying to do for the environment? I wish I could go back to that time and really listen to him speak to the public about his different policies and plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed the presentation. It was probably one of my favorite ones this semester just because Randy was so lively and entertaining. I probably could have just listened to him all day.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The crucible
I got the chance recently to attend 'The Crucible'.I thought it was interesting. I really liked how it had sort of a dark and gloomy feel to it. This is not so with many popular plays today. It was also very intense the whole way through. There was a lot of yelling throughout the entire show. It had everyone one the edge of their seat. Occasionally I would look over at some of the audience memebers just to see the look on their faces. Everyone was completely caught up in the action.
I also thought it was cool how the audience got to sit on the stage. It made one feel that they were right there at the witch trials. The acting was superb. I know a few of the cast members and loved seeing them playing a different character than themselves. I found myself getting sucked in at times and forgetting that I was just watching the play from an outside perspective. Trey Patterson, who played the judge at the witch trial, is one who i know from high school and i think did a fantastic job. I can remember him playing similar roles in other plays that were performed at our high school. He is a phoenominal actor, and it was great to see him in action. I haven’t seen him perform for quite some time now.
Overall, I thought that it couldn’t be done any better. Everything was fantastic and I am really, really glad that I got the chance to go and see the play. I hope that DSC can keep pumping out amazing plays like they have been this year.
I also thought it was cool how the audience got to sit on the stage. It made one feel that they were right there at the witch trials. The acting was superb. I know a few of the cast members and loved seeing them playing a different character than themselves. I found myself getting sucked in at times and forgetting that I was just watching the play from an outside perspective. Trey Patterson, who played the judge at the witch trial, is one who i know from high school and i think did a fantastic job. I can remember him playing similar roles in other plays that were performed at our high school. He is a phoenominal actor, and it was great to see him in action. I haven’t seen him perform for quite some time now.
Overall, I thought that it couldn’t be done any better. Everything was fantastic and I am really, really glad that I got the chance to go and see the play. I hope that DSC can keep pumping out amazing plays like they have been this year.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
grammar post
i am running out of ideas for my grammar posts. Something that i didn't know was that when using ellipsis marks you just need to put 3 periods.
Rule: Use no more than three marks whether the omission occurs in the middle of a sentence or between sentences.
Rule 2: When you omit one or more paragraphs within a long quotation, use ellipsis marks after the last punctuation mark that ends the preceding paragraph.
link
Rule: Use no more than three marks whether the omission occurs in the middle of a sentence or between sentences.
Rule 2: When you omit one or more paragraphs within a long quotation, use ellipsis marks after the last punctuation mark that ends the preceding paragraph.
link
2 styles of writing
The first i want to try to use in my writing is the prop/opp mode. The second mode is the argument mode.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
grammar post
Sometimes i have problems with knowing when to use dashes in my writing.
rules:
En Dash An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to.
Em Dash An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
websight
rules:
En Dash An en dash, roughly the width of an n, is a little longer than a hyphen. It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to.
Em Dash An em dash is the width of an m. Use an em dash sparingly in formal writing. In informal writing, em dashes may replace commas, semicolons, colons, and parentheses to indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thought.
websight
Monday, March 9, 2009
110 in the shade
I went to "110 in the shade" last saturday. I love being in and going to musicals. I thought it was really well done. Nolan Hanley, one of my really good freinds, plays 'starbuck'. He did a really good job. My favorite part of the play was the moon. it looked soo real. My next favorite part was how at the end it rains on the stage. Soo cool. I think that everyone should go and see it.
David Lee's peotry
So i went to David Lee's Poetry thing. It was really interesting. It was cool to hear him read his own work. He made it come alive and therefore was able to capture his audience. I will have to say that there was a lot of descriptive words he used that i didn't understand, but for the most part i understood and could follow along with what he was talking about in his poems. It was like he painted a picture for you through his poetry. It was awesome.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Power of influence in the media
How much power does the media have? Is there influence on us more than we suspect?
In reading "Framing class, vicarious living and conspicuos consumption", by Daina Kendall, i agreed with how she talked about how the media can sometimes skew our perceptions about other classes of people and even our own. She mentioned how the media doesn't mirror society, but helps to shape it and create cultural perceptions. she then goes on to say that the media encourages people to emulate the upper class and shun the working class and the poor. I don't really understand how the media encourages people to shun the poor and working class, but i can see how it encourages us to emulate the upper class. It is always about outdoing someone. Your neighbor, freinds, or whoever. competition. The television is huge in this.
The next essay, "tow ways a woman can get hurt, advertising and violence" by Jean Kilbourne was interesting to say the least. There were a lot of ads that i could have done without seeing. The author has some pretty interesting ideas. I really don't know whether or not i agree with them. she made a pretty good argument, but i really don't know enough about the subject and stuff to make assumptions. I have never really though about this subject, but it was really interesting to read.
How much does the media influence us? I would say very, very much. The media is all around us. We really can't escape it. They can twist and turn anything they want to. The sad thing is that so many of us get manipulated and sucked in. One of my political cartoons was on media manipulation. It was interesting.
In reading "Framing class, vicarious living and conspicuos consumption", by Daina Kendall, i agreed with how she talked about how the media can sometimes skew our perceptions about other classes of people and even our own. She mentioned how the media doesn't mirror society, but helps to shape it and create cultural perceptions. she then goes on to say that the media encourages people to emulate the upper class and shun the working class and the poor. I don't really understand how the media encourages people to shun the poor and working class, but i can see how it encourages us to emulate the upper class. It is always about outdoing someone. Your neighbor, freinds, or whoever. competition. The television is huge in this.
The next essay, "tow ways a woman can get hurt, advertising and violence" by Jean Kilbourne was interesting to say the least. There were a lot of ads that i could have done without seeing. The author has some pretty interesting ideas. I really don't know whether or not i agree with them. she made a pretty good argument, but i really don't know enough about the subject and stuff to make assumptions. I have never really though about this subject, but it was really interesting to read.
How much does the media influence us? I would say very, very much. The media is all around us. We really can't escape it. They can twist and turn anything they want to. The sad thing is that so many of us get manipulated and sucked in. One of my political cartoons was on media manipulation. It was interesting.
20 questions
20 questions:
1. How are media and violence related?
2. Is there a direct correlation between television and violence?
3. Is there a correlation between nintendo games and increased violence?
4. Does television lead to obesity?
5. Does watching more televison lead to an increase in consumer consumption?
6. How does the media affect what we see on television?
7. Does the media have an affect on adolescents?
8. What affect does the media have on politics?
9. Does television have an influence on families?
10. Does the media have an influence on families?
11. How much does the average american watch television per day? Its affects.
12. How is the media and television watching related?
13. What are the benefits television?
14. What are the negative affects of television?
15. Is watching too much television bad?
16. Can watching television influence our social skills?
17. Can watching television distort our views of reality?
18. Is the media manipulative?
19. Is there a correlation between media and education?
20. What are the affects of television on infants?
1. How are media and violence related?
2. Is there a direct correlation between television and violence?
3. Is there a correlation between nintendo games and increased violence?
4. Does television lead to obesity?
5. Does watching more televison lead to an increase in consumer consumption?
6. How does the media affect what we see on television?
7. Does the media have an affect on adolescents?
8. What affect does the media have on politics?
9. Does television have an influence on families?
10. Does the media have an influence on families?
11. How much does the average american watch television per day? Its affects.
12. How is the media and television watching related?
13. What are the benefits television?
14. What are the negative affects of television?
15. Is watching too much television bad?
16. Can watching television influence our social skills?
17. Can watching television distort our views of reality?
18. Is the media manipulative?
19. Is there a correlation between media and education?
20. What are the affects of television on infants?
Thursday, March 5, 2009
grammar post
(???) Question marks. I don't really have any problems with them, but i'm not that creative and running out of ideas for my grammar posts.
The rule is as follows: Use them after a question
rule 2: Use them when a sentence is half statement and half question
Example: YOu use them, don't you?
website
The rule is as follows: Use them after a question
rule 2: Use them when a sentence is half statement and half question
Example: YOu use them, don't you?
website
Sunday, March 1, 2009
sounds pretty tough!!
In "Serving in Florida", Barbara Ehrenreich (a journalist) decides to take some low wage jobs to see if she could live on these wages. She writes an account of some of the things she has to go through on a day to day basis with these jobs.
I was surprised at some of her experiences. They were somewhat astonishing to me. It is amazing what some people have to go through just to make ends meet. i think it would be beneficial for anyone who is thinking about going to college to read the essay because it gives a good description of what is is like to try and survive in our society working a low wage job, even having to pick up a second one to try and make ends meet. I am sure that many dropouts don't realize just how hard it is until they are actually faced with it and experience it firsthand.
This reading makes me want to continue my education so that i can increase my chances of landing a higher paying job so that i won't have to work two jobs hopefully. This will give me more time with my family and other responsibilities.
In response to question # 7 i think the relationship of barbara and her co-workers is different than that of the guy and the homeless man in the poem because her experience was shaped by her actually being one of them as opposed to the man looking down from up above on the homeless man.
q. #1 to experience it for herself, and not just observe. i think she was trying to learn exactly what it takes from that perspective. As a reader i can learn from her experiences. Her experience was more effective because she was in the action.
(the opening description of jerry's) she uses descriptive words to try and make a pathos appeal.
(description of the customers) she further uses pathos appeal. it was difficult for her.
(George's story) this complicates things for her. she wants to help him because he is accused to stealing. Once again pathos appeal is being used.
(description of trailer # 46) she describes it as being really small and not a very good environment.
(footnotes) surprising statistics that make you feel for those people. Pathos appeal
#3 it was interesting that she would do something like that. It must have been a big change for her and probably opened her eyes to a world that until then she had not experienced. i think she was very successful in her essay because she has been on both sides and can therefore compare and contrast them.
I was surprised at some of her experiences. They were somewhat astonishing to me. It is amazing what some people have to go through just to make ends meet. i think it would be beneficial for anyone who is thinking about going to college to read the essay because it gives a good description of what is is like to try and survive in our society working a low wage job, even having to pick up a second one to try and make ends meet. I am sure that many dropouts don't realize just how hard it is until they are actually faced with it and experience it firsthand.
This reading makes me want to continue my education so that i can increase my chances of landing a higher paying job so that i won't have to work two jobs hopefully. This will give me more time with my family and other responsibilities.
In response to question # 7 i think the relationship of barbara and her co-workers is different than that of the guy and the homeless man in the poem because her experience was shaped by her actually being one of them as opposed to the man looking down from up above on the homeless man.
q. #1 to experience it for herself, and not just observe. i think she was trying to learn exactly what it takes from that perspective. As a reader i can learn from her experiences. Her experience was more effective because she was in the action.
(the opening description of jerry's) she uses descriptive words to try and make a pathos appeal.
(description of the customers) she further uses pathos appeal. it was difficult for her.
(George's story) this complicates things for her. she wants to help him because he is accused to stealing. Once again pathos appeal is being used.
(description of trailer # 46) she describes it as being really small and not a very good environment.
(footnotes) surprising statistics that make you feel for those people. Pathos appeal
#3 it was interesting that she would do something like that. It must have been a big change for her and probably opened her eyes to a world that until then she had not experienced. i think she was very successful in her essay because she has been on both sides and can therefore compare and contrast them.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
ohh Geez!!!
I thought the first poem was interesting. It was pretty deep and fairly clever, the more i read into it. Money itself is so influential. It is a huge part of everyday functioning. It can be looked at in so many different ways, good and bad. One might say that it is just a means by which we survive, while another might say that i would marry money if i could. okay so i'm exaggerating a little bit, but you get the point. How cool would it be if we just bartered to survive. just trading back and forth. It would change things quite a bit i would imagine. It might get a little confusing at times. I think using money as a medium is a pretty good way of doing it overall. Money is power in a lot of ways. Either it works in your favor or not. Many people's economic status is directly affected by their amount of money or lack thereof. It comes and goes just like that.
its amazing how much we take our possesions for granted. Its amazing how much we miss something once we have to go without it for a while.
the media uses artwork all the time to sell us stuff and try to get us to think a certain way. just think of advertising. Politics are a huge part of art. Everything now a days has to do or is influenced by politics. We just can't escape it.
its amazing how much we take our possesions for granted. Its amazing how much we miss something once we have to go without it for a while.
the media uses artwork all the time to sell us stuff and try to get us to think a certain way. just think of advertising. Politics are a huge part of art. Everything now a days has to do or is influenced by politics. We just can't escape it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
whoever vs. whomever
I never know which one i should use. whoever or whomever. so usually i just guess.
The rule is: him + he is whoever
and: him + him is whomever
Example: Give the ball to whoever/whomever asks for it.
he asks for it. so give it to him.
Therefore: give it to whoever asks for it.
They will accept whomever/whoever she wants.
They will accept him. She wants him.
him + him = whomever
websight
The rule is: him + he is whoever
and: him + him is whomever
Example: Give the ball to whoever/whomever asks for it.
he asks for it. so give it to him.
Therefore: give it to whoever asks for it.
They will accept whomever/whoever she wants.
They will accept him. She wants him.
him + him = whomever
websight
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
your vs. you're
A mistake i sometimes overlook is the one of your vs. you're. I know the rule, but sometimes i am careless and just forget.
: your is a possesive pronoun. Example: Your car is in the parking lot.
: You're is a contraction for 'you are' Example: You're going to go swimming tomorrow, right?
website
: your is a possesive pronoun. Example: Your car is in the parking lot.
: You're is a contraction for 'you are' Example: You're going to go swimming tomorrow, right?
website
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Mrs. Wyatt
A teacher that i will never forget is Mrs. Wyatt. She was one of my 6th grade teachers. Our class was the first one she ever taught at as a teacher. She was from North Carolina and loved to do cool stuff for our class. She would always reward our class if we were good. That was the big motivator for us. So instead of punishing us for bad behavior, she would reward us for good behavior. Both changed behavior, but the latter is the best way in my opinion. Positive reinforcement. But, the reason why she was so influential for me was because she made me feel like i was the most important kid in her class. If you ask and of the other students in her class, then they will probably tell you the exact same thing. She had a way of making all of us feel really special. She would always boost my confidence by giving me compliments and telling me how great of a kid i am. She was an awesome teacher and mentor for me in my life.
Friday, February 6, 2009
who or whom?
so, i never know when to use who or whom most of the time; and, when i use one, it usually ends up being the wrong one!!
Here is the rule: Just use the he/him rule.
He = Who
Him = Whom
It's as easy as that
if you want to learn more you can visit this websight
Websight http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoVwhom.asp
Here is the rule: Just use the he/him rule.
He = Who
Him = Whom
It's as easy as that
if you want to learn more you can visit this websight
Websight http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoVwhom.asp
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
i just want to be average
I found the story, "I just want to be average", by Mike Rose really interesting. Rose was accidentally misplaced when he was is school. After they found out what happened, they moved him up to where he should be. Doing this confused him. He already had this built up self-perception of who he was and where he belonged.
I am a psychology major and have recently been studying a little about perception and the influence it can have on you. There was once a study done where two different groups of kids were placed in a classroom. They split them up so that the smart kids would sit on one half, and the dumb kids on the other half of the room. They then told the teachers (which had never met the students before) that the kids on the left side of the room (the smart kids) were the dumb ones, and to treat them accordingly. Then they said that the other half (the dumb kids) were the smart kids, and to treat them accordingly. They tested the kids at the end of the year, and i am not completely sure, but i think they found that the smart kids who were treated like they were dumb ended up doing poorly on the test. The dumb kids who were treated like they were smart ended up doing exceptionally well. I could be a little off, but from what i remember, that is how it went down. I just think it is so fascinated that the smart kids that were treated like they were dumb, did poorly on the test, and visa versa for the dumb kids. It just goes to show how much influence what someone tells you you are has on you. If someone is treated like a nobody their whole life, then they probably will become just that, but if someone is treated like they are everything, then they are more likely to become that.
overall, i really enjoyed the reading. it made me think some. I think teachers have a big influence on their students. I think by encouraging them and complimenting them on the good they are doing can have lasting affects on their life reaching their potential.
I am a psychology major and have recently been studying a little about perception and the influence it can have on you. There was once a study done where two different groups of kids were placed in a classroom. They split them up so that the smart kids would sit on one half, and the dumb kids on the other half of the room. They then told the teachers (which had never met the students before) that the kids on the left side of the room (the smart kids) were the dumb ones, and to treat them accordingly. Then they said that the other half (the dumb kids) were the smart kids, and to treat them accordingly. They tested the kids at the end of the year, and i am not completely sure, but i think they found that the smart kids who were treated like they were dumb ended up doing poorly on the test. The dumb kids who were treated like they were smart ended up doing exceptionally well. I could be a little off, but from what i remember, that is how it went down. I just think it is so fascinated that the smart kids that were treated like they were dumb, did poorly on the test, and visa versa for the dumb kids. It just goes to show how much influence what someone tells you you are has on you. If someone is treated like a nobody their whole life, then they probably will become just that, but if someone is treated like they are everything, then they are more likely to become that.
overall, i really enjoyed the reading. it made me think some. I think teachers have a big influence on their students. I think by encouraging them and complimenting them on the good they are doing can have lasting affects on their life reaching their potential.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
periods
Periods are pretty easy to use. Or so i think. I always thought it was just after a regular sentence.
Rule 1. Use a period at the end of a complete sentence that is a statement.
Rule 2. If the last word in the sentence ends in a period, do not follow it with another period.
Rule 3. Use the period after an indirect question.
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/periods.asp
Rule 1. Use a period at the end of a complete sentence that is a statement.
Rule 2. If the last word in the sentence ends in a period, do not follow it with another period.
Rule 3. Use the period after an indirect question.
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/periods.asp
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Who is michael Moore?
To be honest, i didn't even know who Michael Moore was until i read his essay "Idiot Nation". My first reaction to the essay was that of shock. I was really surprised how negative he is. He just looks at the negative side of everything and not the good side. Its probably pretty easy to just look at the negative side of everything, but much harder to look at the good side. I think that its always better to look at the good in people, and not just their recognize their faults. No one is perfect, including our leaders, and that is life.
He did, however, present some pretty interesting facts. It is true that sports is huge in our society. Probably even bigger than politics. I agree with a lot of the irony he presented in his essay. He talked about his childhood when he was in school. I found it interesting when he wrote of how there are schools opening up without principles. Teachers do get a pretty bad rap most of the time.
Michael Moore definatly made me recognize a different aspect of our young nation. I had no idea that there are so many people that are completely uneducated, and those that are educated wasting much of their time watching television instead of reading. Overall i would say that i surely wasn't bored while reading this essay. It was interesting to see a much different perspective on the nation.
He did, however, present some pretty interesting facts. It is true that sports is huge in our society. Probably even bigger than politics. I agree with a lot of the irony he presented in his essay. He talked about his childhood when he was in school. I found it interesting when he wrote of how there are schools opening up without principles. Teachers do get a pretty bad rap most of the time.
Michael Moore definatly made me recognize a different aspect of our young nation. I had no idea that there are so many people that are completely uneducated, and those that are educated wasting much of their time watching television instead of reading. Overall i would say that i surely wasn't bored while reading this essay. It was interesting to see a much different perspective on the nation.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Families
I thought this essay was pretty interesting. It is always interesting for me to look into or study the different views and opinions people have about the family, what the family unit is, and how it should operate or function in society. I lived in Denmark for a few years and most of the people over their looked at the family a little differently that we typically do here in st. George or even Utah for that matter. For them it is normal to live together and have kids before you even think about marriage. A lot of them didn't even get married, they just lived together as sort of a family unit, similar to the way we live in family units. I think that here, especially in a mormon culture, many people view it as pretty normal to get married first, and then start your family. So i could see that it varied a little even from our culture to theirs.
The research the author used was interesting to me. I thought it intriguing how within the different classes of families, there are different goals and ways of living of the families. For example, middle class families tend to share linearly (parent to child), rather then among extended family and close friends as it is in working class households. Just reading about the defferent ways each class lives fascinated me. Aulette used a lot of research in her essay. From a lot of different sources as well. She incorperated it into her essay very well i thought.
The Moynihan report was interesting. I don't agree with it. Maybe it was an excuse to get black males to join the army, i don't know. Aulette noted the Carol Stack research right after talking about it in her essay, and the research pretty much shot down the moynihan theory. So i think Aulette could have maybe disagreed with the theory because she put that right after, even though she didn't really take a standpoint herself. I don't know. Overall, i really enjoyed reading the essay.
The research the author used was interesting to me. I thought it intriguing how within the different classes of families, there are different goals and ways of living of the families. For example, middle class families tend to share linearly (parent to child), rather then among extended family and close friends as it is in working class households. Just reading about the defferent ways each class lives fascinated me. Aulette used a lot of research in her essay. From a lot of different sources as well. She incorperated it into her essay very well i thought.
The Moynihan report was interesting. I don't agree with it. Maybe it was an excuse to get black males to join the army, i don't know. Aulette noted the Carol Stack research right after talking about it in her essay, and the research pretty much shot down the moynihan theory. So i think Aulette could have maybe disagreed with the theory because she put that right after, even though she didn't really take a standpoint herself. I don't know. Overall, i really enjoyed reading the essay.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
grammar post # 2
Exclamation points!!
When should i use them, and how often? This is the question i ask myself at times. I think my problem is not that i overuse them, but that i never use them. The rule goes as follows:
The exclamation point is used at the end of a sentence or a interjection to show strong emotion or emphasis.
Example: I hate you!
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000066.htm
When should i use them, and how often? This is the question i ask myself at times. I think my problem is not that i overuse them, but that i never use them. The rule goes as follows:
The exclamation point is used at the end of a sentence or a interjection to show strong emotion or emphasis.
Example: I hate you!
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000066.htm
Friday, January 16, 2009
Manipulation??
I really got a kick out of this one. The political cartoon is pretty self explanitory. It illustrates how the media manipulates people without them really knowing it. The guy in this one is HYPNOTIZED. He thinks he is just watching great and wonderful programs.
The indended audience would probably be the average american who is subject to the media, the average joe/jane, or the guy in the chair. I think the cartoonist demonstrated his desired message very well, making the cartoon easy to understand cartoon and pretty straight forward. The cartoonist definately thinks that the media is manipulative and demonstrates that in the picture.
I like how the picture is staged in a relaxed home setting, suggesting to the reader that this is the type of people that usually get manipulated by the media.
This is another funny one. It shows how the media often times overdramaticizes situations. It makes these farmers appear to be really excited about voting and politics by what the news reporter is saying. It is as if the news reporter is trying to make something amazing and interesting out of nothing by blowing the situation out of proportion. very funny.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
semicolons?
so i pretty much never use semicolons in my writing. Actually i probably have at one point or another, but typically, not. So i thought it a good idea to find out how to use the things, then i can start using them.
So there is pretty much about 5 rules to using semicolons in writing. They read as follows:
1. Use semicolon in place of a period, when seperating two sentences without using a conjunction.
2. Use before words such as, for example, therefore, and however.
3. Use them to seperate units of a series when the units contain one or more commas.
4. Use the semicolon between two sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction when one or more commas is used in the first sentence.
Okay so i know that sounds really confusing, so it might be beneficiary to look at this websight and see some of the examples that they use.
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/semicolon.asp!
So there is pretty much about 5 rules to using semicolons in writing. They read as follows:
1. Use semicolon in place of a period, when seperating two sentences without using a conjunction.
2. Use before words such as, for example, therefore, and however.
3. Use them to seperate units of a series when the units contain one or more commas.
4. Use the semicolon between two sentences joined by a coordinating conjunction when one or more commas is used in the first sentence.
Okay so i know that sounds really confusing, so it might be beneficiary to look at this websight and see some of the examples that they use.
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/semicolon.asp!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The good ol' 1950's
"Looking for work" by soto made me think about myself and reminded me what it was like to be a kid. i remember my brothers and i used to watch movies like "rocky" and "superman" and after it was over we would pretend we were rocky in a fight beating up on our opponent or that we were superman flyingthrough the air and invincible.
In soto's short story he tells of how as a child he much wanted his family to be just like the "picture perfect" ones he would see on television. He tried to get his family to wear shoes to the dinner table and asked his mom to make turtle soup or something so that they would be more like the ideal families he saw on television. Soto wrote the story from his childhood perspective. I think that was good because it made you think as a child when you were reading it; bringing back memories and helping you relate the soto as a child. I think the ideas in the story were pretty much right on as far as how kids think and are influenced by things such as the television. Soto, in his story, thought that the families on television were just examples of how normal families are and live. He didn't understand that that wasn't reality. That the typical family functioned far from that. If only family life was that simple and care free. Unfortunately, most families don't function in that way, but that is usually not the message that people get if they watch shows like "leave it to beaver". In fact i think that same principle is true today of things like advertising, television, magazines, and the media. Images of "picture purfect" models and people are presented and is recognized or seen by the world as normal or ideal and if you don't fit that criteria and look like them, then you are not normal. The truth is that you are more normal that you think you are and the "fake" people advertized are not normal. They are usually made or changed to look or appear that way. Sometimes even the use image editing is behind it, but we don't realize that.
In "What we really miss about the 1950's", Stephanie Coontz writes about the popular myth of the 1950's were the ideal decade for the American family. I think she did a very good job. She used a lot of statistics to back up her writing which really strengthened her argument. She also looked at both sides, which was also good. I think that she was trying to say that things weren't as picture perfect as they appeared back then. There was a lot more than meets the eye. They had problems back then just as we have problems today. They had to deal with issues like gender roles, discrimination, race, and much more. Most of that is probably overlooked a lot of the time.
I thought it was interesting how both stories were about this sort of "picture perfect" family, but were written in completely different ways. Both made me look at the subject from completely different perspectives and i think that is cool.
In soto's short story he tells of how as a child he much wanted his family to be just like the "picture perfect" ones he would see on television. He tried to get his family to wear shoes to the dinner table and asked his mom to make turtle soup or something so that they would be more like the ideal families he saw on television. Soto wrote the story from his childhood perspective. I think that was good because it made you think as a child when you were reading it; bringing back memories and helping you relate the soto as a child. I think the ideas in the story were pretty much right on as far as how kids think and are influenced by things such as the television. Soto, in his story, thought that the families on television were just examples of how normal families are and live. He didn't understand that that wasn't reality. That the typical family functioned far from that. If only family life was that simple and care free. Unfortunately, most families don't function in that way, but that is usually not the message that people get if they watch shows like "leave it to beaver". In fact i think that same principle is true today of things like advertising, television, magazines, and the media. Images of "picture purfect" models and people are presented and is recognized or seen by the world as normal or ideal and if you don't fit that criteria and look like them, then you are not normal. The truth is that you are more normal that you think you are and the "fake" people advertized are not normal. They are usually made or changed to look or appear that way. Sometimes even the use image editing is behind it, but we don't realize that.
In "What we really miss about the 1950's", Stephanie Coontz writes about the popular myth of the 1950's were the ideal decade for the American family. I think she did a very good job. She used a lot of statistics to back up her writing which really strengthened her argument. She also looked at both sides, which was also good. I think that she was trying to say that things weren't as picture perfect as they appeared back then. There was a lot more than meets the eye. They had problems back then just as we have problems today. They had to deal with issues like gender roles, discrimination, race, and much more. Most of that is probably overlooked a lot of the time.
I thought it was interesting how both stories were about this sort of "picture perfect" family, but were written in completely different ways. Both made me look at the subject from completely different perspectives and i think that is cool.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Response to introduction
To be an american citizen means more than just hamburgers, french fries, and football. Its being an honorable, upstanding citizen who obeys the law and accepts the consequences for ones actions. Its also knowing that you are free to choose, think, and act in whatever way you choose, and that you are not forced to live in a certain way or believe in a certain thing. To be an american citizen also means that we have rights.... I like that.
In the introduction to Rereading America it talks about critical thinking and cultural myths. I don't know about you, but i could definitely try to see other points of view more often in connection with other cultures and certain ideas. I like the fact that you can have an opinion about something and feel very strongly about it, and at the same time be able to see the other side of the argument and respect it. Often times when i study the other side of the argument my perspective changes and occasionally i change my opinions. I think this book will help me to be able to see more clearly both sides to an argument or matter of opinion.
I am excited about this class because i want to become more tolerant of others and the way they think, even if i don't agree or see "eye to eye" with them. Being able to step back and see the big picture will be beneficial. I think Rereading america will help with this. This is also one reason why i love being an american citizen because we can use our minds, critically think, and voice our opinions.
In the introduction to Rereading America it talks about critical thinking and cultural myths. I don't know about you, but i could definitely try to see other points of view more often in connection with other cultures and certain ideas. I like the fact that you can have an opinion about something and feel very strongly about it, and at the same time be able to see the other side of the argument and respect it. Often times when i study the other side of the argument my perspective changes and occasionally i change my opinions. I think this book will help me to be able to see more clearly both sides to an argument or matter of opinion.
I am excited about this class because i want to become more tolerant of others and the way they think, even if i don't agree or see "eye to eye" with them. Being able to step back and see the big picture will be beneficial. I think Rereading america will help with this. This is also one reason why i love being an american citizen because we can use our minds, critically think, and voice our opinions.
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