In my email to myself one year from now, I reminded myself of all the habits I wanted to control and the goals I wanted to achieve. It's amazing how we can forget all these important things. Even the simplest task of writing something down is enough to help remind us to keep us on track. To resist all of the outside distractions and to focus on the task at hand.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Connecting the Dots
When I first read the actual requirements for the paper (in class on Friday) I was so surprised at the shear amount he expected us to write in a matter of a few days. I was a little overwhelmed at first but when i thought about it a little bit i was more at ease. I thought about the ways i could tackle the assignment systematically without any day being overwhelming.
I have always had a passion for nature and the helping of people. i had grown up doing a lot of outdoor activities like camping, fishing, back packing, etc. It pains me to see all the developments springing up in the Santa Maria Valley. Sure its great that our community is growing, but it shouldn't be at the expense of something that cant just be re-created. I'm still fairly clueless about exact careers i want to pursue, i just know the general areas. My dad has been trying to help me with telling me about a few different careers. One career that stands out is one in Solar Energy, I'm just not sure of an actual position or job in it. It is a growing field, the demand is growing, and it does pay well. I would get to take my part in lessening our nations dependence on oil and increase our use of pollutant-free unlimited solar power.
I intend to link this to the topic of discussion by talking about how the people that typically go into technological fields like this are typically one race or another. I'm sure there are cases of racial discrimination in the hiring of technicians and the admission of students to colleges to take the necessary classes.
I have always had a passion for nature and the helping of people. i had grown up doing a lot of outdoor activities like camping, fishing, back packing, etc. It pains me to see all the developments springing up in the Santa Maria Valley. Sure its great that our community is growing, but it shouldn't be at the expense of something that cant just be re-created. I'm still fairly clueless about exact careers i want to pursue, i just know the general areas. My dad has been trying to help me with telling me about a few different careers. One career that stands out is one in Solar Energy, I'm just not sure of an actual position or job in it. It is a growing field, the demand is growing, and it does pay well. I would get to take my part in lessening our nations dependence on oil and increase our use of pollutant-free unlimited solar power.
I intend to link this to the topic of discussion by talking about how the people that typically go into technological fields like this are typically one race or another. I'm sure there are cases of racial discrimination in the hiring of technicians and the admission of students to colleges to take the necessary classes.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
7 Times....7!
What could possibly justify 7 bullets in an adolescents body, rendering him lifeless and downright massacred, all because he raised a toy gun to Police. Why 7? It is simply ridiculous the amount of excessive force and overkill used by the officers. Was it out of the question to simply fire a warning shot or to reason with the kid? This shows the lack of reasoning and even bravery apparent in some of what are supposed to be the "City's Finest". Erica's essay in response to this was very emotional and well written. I could tell that she wrote in a way that would purposely bring up a lot of emotion towards it. It was enjoyable to read, despite the topic. Her punctuation made it so as you read it, there would be pauses for extra effect and emphasis on certain ideas such as at the very end with the "First bullet dead, second bullet dead, etc."
Monday, November 4, 2013
Racial Profiling Lives On
It's amazing that even today in 21st century America, the "most free place in the world", racial profiling and discrimination is still an issue. The article Racial Profiling Lives On is about the controversery of a Supreme Court ruling that New York Police officers have the right to pursue African-Americans and Latinos with little or no basis of illegal activity. This quote shows the reason of its controversy, "Despite the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of that provision gives the police frighteningly wide discretion to follow, stop, question, frisk and employ excessive force against African-Americans and Latinos who have shown virtually no indication of wrongdoing." Police have the right to specifically target individuals for search and seizure simply based on race. Even if they look like a specific race, they would still be labeled as it.
Vocabulary List #9
ultimate-ending of a process; maximum
ex: It was his ultimate goal in life.
interactive-reciprocal action, effect, or influence
ex: Smart phones are more interactive than ever.
principle-an accepted rule of conduct
ex: It is important to have good moral principles.
guidance-the act of showing leadership
ex: Parents often are a source of guidance for their kids.
collaboration-the act or process of working together
ex: The students collaborated to finish their project.
formative-giving form or shape; molding
ex: A formative stage in manufacturing.
summative-additive
ex: It was a summative assessment.
racism-a belief that one race is superior to another based off of generalizations
ex: Racism was a major social issue in the 1960's.
intelligence-capacity for learning, understanding, reasoning and other forms of mental activity
ex: Humans are known as the beings with the most amount of intelligence.
ex: It was his ultimate goal in life.
interactive-reciprocal action, effect, or influence
ex: Smart phones are more interactive than ever.
principle-an accepted rule of conduct
ex: It is important to have good moral principles.
guidance-the act of showing leadership
ex: Parents often are a source of guidance for their kids.
collaboration-the act or process of working together
ex: The students collaborated to finish their project.
formative-giving form or shape; molding
ex: A formative stage in manufacturing.
summative-additive
ex: It was a summative assessment.
racism-a belief that one race is superior to another based off of generalizations
ex: Racism was a major social issue in the 1960's.
intelligence-capacity for learning, understanding, reasoning and other forms of mental activity
ex: Humans are known as the beings with the most amount of intelligence.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
What I See Is All In My Head
When I watched the video I played close attention to one ball and followed it as it was passed and I counted 13 passes. Either I overlooked two passes or I didn't notice the other ball being passed by a person in white. I did see the gorilla though at first, but ignored it because it had nothing to do with what I was supposed to do. This relates to the class discussions because things are only what we perceive them to be. When we look at the blue book in class with the lights on, it looked much different when the lights were off. Some argued that it was the same color because how could the actual color change just because the lights were off? It was common sense to believe that it was the same color. If someone only saw it with the lights off, they might say it was Navy Blue. People have different standards for what makes certain things different, and it is all a matter of perception and point of view to see things the way we see it.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tools That Change The Way We Think
"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'
'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'
'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."
The way we learn and work now may be more efficient than ever, but those lessons don't necessarily stick as well as they used to. People are replacing their own thoughts and intuition with findings on google and other sources as our primary views on the world. Filter bubbles are taking the openness out of the world. Instead of a vast array of seemingly unlimited views on something, technology is taking the humanity out of exploration. We as a generation are ushering a world dependent on technology, instead of using trial and error and finding things out for yourself. Technology is the best and worst thing to happen to us, so it is up to us as a generation to control how we see the internet.
Filter Bubbles
After watching the video I learned that the internet really does a lot more than it says it does. It was shocking how invasive they can be, but it is amazing the lengths they go to to improve efficiency and overall satisfaction.
This has changed the way I look at information because now I see it more as the internet showing what they think I want to look at, instead of simply opening up the world. I feel like I'm being used whenever I go on to the internet and that my thoughts are a product I'm selling for free. I don't want a filtered world, I want an open one for what it really is.
This video raises questions like, "Just how much do they really know?" and, "What makes my searches so important.? Why are mine just like all the others?".
I agree with Loren's method of improving my searches by choosing search engines that only give me the information I search for. I don't want to be cataloged and put under a category as another oblivious "consumer". I want to be a consumer, using a free service for what it really is: an open door to the world.
This has changed the way I look at information because now I see it more as the internet showing what they think I want to look at, instead of simply opening up the world. I feel like I'm being used whenever I go on to the internet and that my thoughts are a product I'm selling for free. I don't want a filtered world, I want an open one for what it really is.
This video raises questions like, "Just how much do they really know?" and, "What makes my searches so important.? Why are mine just like all the others?".
I agree with Loren's method of improving my searches by choosing search engines that only give me the information I search for. I don't want to be cataloged and put under a category as another oblivious "consumer". I want to be a consumer, using a free service for what it really is: an open door to the world.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Literary Analysis #3
Give Me a Break by John Stossel
Topics and Events
1. This book is written by a correspondent for 20/20 and Good Morning America, John Stossel. In the novel he tells of all of his interviews and confrontations with scam artists ranging from simple "Work From Your Home" scams to complex cases of clinics charging patients for procedures they didn't even need, or the procedure didn't even take place. Some of the most shocking examples of fraud took place in our own government, and throughout the book he debunks the trustworthiness of the Liberal Media.
b) Basically he starts out as a journalist for his college and works his way up to newspaper journalism and wants to bring the true truth on news that is actually useful. He has revealed numerous scam artists from low-life's in a basement to full time politicians or doctors.
2. The author chose to write about this because it was his career. He was writing about his life dedicated to exposing the people who cheat their way through life and proving that the truth always comes out.
3. I chose this book because my dad recommended it to me saying it was a really good book( he is very republican and so is the author and it is very obvious throughout the book) and once I started reading it it was very interesting to me. Its filled with interviews and basically him telling stories of all the confrontations with the people and the legal and personal consequences. It had a lot of human interest.
4. I found the book very realistic because there are always companies and scam artists cheating people, and its nice to see them pay for it. I could find a connection with the author because we have a similar personality and he lived for journalism. He actually doesn't even really enjoy being on TV, but he does it because it needs to be done to bring these people to justice.
People
1. The author's subjects he wrote about were mostly scam artists and dirty politicians. He didn't choose to write more about one group of people over another. These choices say that the author is fairly unbiased, as he is a journalist that wants to bring out the truth. His tone is demeaning of the subjects and this says that the author doesn't respect these people and sees them as below himself.
2. Pamela Farrell is an African-American hair stylist and is one of the best at hair braiding in her area, but gets put out of business due to licensing issues with product she was using. She is just a typical case of someone pursuing her own American dream, but it is taken away due to frivolous legalities. I would agree with the authors use of direct characterization of looks but indirect of personality. Another is Mark Genauer, Stagelight Cosmetics President, who along with other companies such as Calvin Klein were selling grossly overpriced cosmetics due to their "secret formula". He is a scam artist. I would use his actions to indirectly describe what hes like. If he is scamming thousands of people, I doubt he's a good guy.
3. What makes these people interesting enough to write about is the fact that they represent the conflict between achieving a dream, and cheating people. Their are numerous examples of both of these types of people and it personifies the struggle of the American Dream.
1. Two examples of direct characterization used are when the author introduces Pamela, describing her looks and back ground, and when he describes his younger self as shy and with no idea of a career. Two examples of indirect characterization are his tone when he describes his confrontations with scam artists as they avoid the questions and act very suspicious. Another is when he uses actual interview conversations, and the conversations make their personalities apparent to the audience.
2. When the author focuses on a character, his diction does change a bit. He is usually more laid back and casual with his vocabulary but when he talks about a specific character his tone changes to really show how he feels about them. He doesn't blatantly say he doesn't like these people, but he talks in a derogatory tone. Like when he talks about the cosmetic salesmen, he talks in a way that portrays them as conniving intelligent individuals who are good at what they do; which is lying.
3. The protagonist is fairly static as he is the same throughout the book. He is round because there are many sides to his personality. At some points I saw him as a typical person and at others I saw him as a brave journalist.
4. I do feel as if I had met the author. He gives a good amount of back story so I could really see where he was coming from when he talked about certain subjects. One example is where he talks about how he didn't have any idea on what he wanted to do when he was in high school, and I can really connect with this because I'm still open to many ideas.
Style
1. Being that the author was a professional journalist, he wrote in the style he was accustomed to. He used a lot of real life examples with statistics and well known companies. An example is the numerous interview lines he added in to the novel so you can see the actual words that were said.
2. The author focuses on equal amounts of action and dialogue as he would say what literally happened and add in the dialogue, notes style. This affects the book by making it feel faster paced, as if he has a lot of information to give in a little bit of time. It makes it more fun and interesting to read.
3. To create tone and mood the author starts chapters out by stating a general problem with a market and gradually describing specific situations and ending the chapter with something similar to a summary of the theme or central idea of the chapter.
4. The author feels like his subjects aren't necessarily bad people, but just make selfish choices. He recognizes that these people are just trying to make a living. How he feels about the audience is as if he is giving a lecture. He throws out lots of examples and information basically to show just how untrustworthy businesses can be and to be skeptical of them. I feel like he is mentoring the audience on how to not get screwed.
5. The author includes many interviews. This mattered in my thinking because it showed that we do have reason to be skeptical and that these people will still lie, even when they believe they aren't on camera. It made the authors opinions more impacting on my own because he had logical reason for it.
Enduring Memory
My lasting memory of this novel is that running an honest business is very difficult. There is a lot of temptation to overcharge or charge for things that customers don't really need or even want and it is forced upon them, such as faulty car repairs. What this really translates to is that the American Dream has so many hurdles to get over that even when you reach it, just the fact of reaching the finish line is well worth it. An example is Pamela. All she wanted was to come to America to be a hairdresser. She was the best at braiding and special things like that, but in all the excitement of achieving it, she overlooked the technicalities. Her competing businesses told the authorities she didn't have the proper licensing, all because they knew she would be raking in the success, even though she didn't even want all the monetary success. It requires people to have pure motives for doing something for society and if someone really wants to be something, for the sake of being whatever it is, then they will reach it if they truly want it. The temptations of money weed out all the others that don't have the true desire to be something.
Topics and Events
1. This book is written by a correspondent for 20/20 and Good Morning America, John Stossel. In the novel he tells of all of his interviews and confrontations with scam artists ranging from simple "Work From Your Home" scams to complex cases of clinics charging patients for procedures they didn't even need, or the procedure didn't even take place. Some of the most shocking examples of fraud took place in our own government, and throughout the book he debunks the trustworthiness of the Liberal Media.
b) Basically he starts out as a journalist for his college and works his way up to newspaper journalism and wants to bring the true truth on news that is actually useful. He has revealed numerous scam artists from low-life's in a basement to full time politicians or doctors.
2. The author chose to write about this because it was his career. He was writing about his life dedicated to exposing the people who cheat their way through life and proving that the truth always comes out.
3. I chose this book because my dad recommended it to me saying it was a really good book( he is very republican and so is the author and it is very obvious throughout the book) and once I started reading it it was very interesting to me. Its filled with interviews and basically him telling stories of all the confrontations with the people and the legal and personal consequences. It had a lot of human interest.
4. I found the book very realistic because there are always companies and scam artists cheating people, and its nice to see them pay for it. I could find a connection with the author because we have a similar personality and he lived for journalism. He actually doesn't even really enjoy being on TV, but he does it because it needs to be done to bring these people to justice.
People
1. The author's subjects he wrote about were mostly scam artists and dirty politicians. He didn't choose to write more about one group of people over another. These choices say that the author is fairly unbiased, as he is a journalist that wants to bring out the truth. His tone is demeaning of the subjects and this says that the author doesn't respect these people and sees them as below himself.
2. Pamela Farrell is an African-American hair stylist and is one of the best at hair braiding in her area, but gets put out of business due to licensing issues with product she was using. She is just a typical case of someone pursuing her own American dream, but it is taken away due to frivolous legalities. I would agree with the authors use of direct characterization of looks but indirect of personality. Another is Mark Genauer, Stagelight Cosmetics President, who along with other companies such as Calvin Klein were selling grossly overpriced cosmetics due to their "secret formula". He is a scam artist. I would use his actions to indirectly describe what hes like. If he is scamming thousands of people, I doubt he's a good guy.
3. What makes these people interesting enough to write about is the fact that they represent the conflict between achieving a dream, and cheating people. Their are numerous examples of both of these types of people and it personifies the struggle of the American Dream.
1. Two examples of direct characterization used are when the author introduces Pamela, describing her looks and back ground, and when he describes his younger self as shy and with no idea of a career. Two examples of indirect characterization are his tone when he describes his confrontations with scam artists as they avoid the questions and act very suspicious. Another is when he uses actual interview conversations, and the conversations make their personalities apparent to the audience.
2. When the author focuses on a character, his diction does change a bit. He is usually more laid back and casual with his vocabulary but when he talks about a specific character his tone changes to really show how he feels about them. He doesn't blatantly say he doesn't like these people, but he talks in a derogatory tone. Like when he talks about the cosmetic salesmen, he talks in a way that portrays them as conniving intelligent individuals who are good at what they do; which is lying.
3. The protagonist is fairly static as he is the same throughout the book. He is round because there are many sides to his personality. At some points I saw him as a typical person and at others I saw him as a brave journalist.
4. I do feel as if I had met the author. He gives a good amount of back story so I could really see where he was coming from when he talked about certain subjects. One example is where he talks about how he didn't have any idea on what he wanted to do when he was in high school, and I can really connect with this because I'm still open to many ideas.
Style
1. Being that the author was a professional journalist, he wrote in the style he was accustomed to. He used a lot of real life examples with statistics and well known companies. An example is the numerous interview lines he added in to the novel so you can see the actual words that were said.
2. The author focuses on equal amounts of action and dialogue as he would say what literally happened and add in the dialogue, notes style. This affects the book by making it feel faster paced, as if he has a lot of information to give in a little bit of time. It makes it more fun and interesting to read.
3. To create tone and mood the author starts chapters out by stating a general problem with a market and gradually describing specific situations and ending the chapter with something similar to a summary of the theme or central idea of the chapter.
4. The author feels like his subjects aren't necessarily bad people, but just make selfish choices. He recognizes that these people are just trying to make a living. How he feels about the audience is as if he is giving a lecture. He throws out lots of examples and information basically to show just how untrustworthy businesses can be and to be skeptical of them. I feel like he is mentoring the audience on how to not get screwed.
5. The author includes many interviews. This mattered in my thinking because it showed that we do have reason to be skeptical and that these people will still lie, even when they believe they aren't on camera. It made the authors opinions more impacting on my own because he had logical reason for it.
Enduring Memory
My lasting memory of this novel is that running an honest business is very difficult. There is a lot of temptation to overcharge or charge for things that customers don't really need or even want and it is forced upon them, such as faulty car repairs. What this really translates to is that the American Dream has so many hurdles to get over that even when you reach it, just the fact of reaching the finish line is well worth it. An example is Pamela. All she wanted was to come to America to be a hairdresser. She was the best at braiding and special things like that, but in all the excitement of achieving it, she overlooked the technicalities. Her competing businesses told the authorities she didn't have the proper licensing, all because they knew she would be raking in the success, even though she didn't even want all the monetary success. It requires people to have pure motives for doing something for society and if someone really wants to be something, for the sake of being whatever it is, then they will reach it if they truly want it. The temptations of money weed out all the others that don't have the true desire to be something.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Vocabulary List #8
cursory-looking over something rapidly without noticing details
ex: He looked over the essay with cursory,
impetus-stimulus or a moving force
ex: Hitler was the impetus behind the third Reich.
pinnacle-the peak or best time of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
ex: The argument escalated to a series of contumelies.
bereavement-period of mourning after death of a loved one
ex: He was in a state of bereavement after his wife's death.
cache-a hiding place in the ground for storage
ex: Its the best thing ever when you find your secret cache of candy in your room.
consummation-the act of completion or fulfilled
ex: The exchange of rings consummates a marriage.
calamity-great misfortune or disaster
ex: War causes calamity among the people.
avarice-insatiable greed for wealth
ex: The king had an avarice that made his subjects hate him.
fortify-to protect against attack
ex: The soldiers fortified their positions.
erratic-deviating from usual course or thought
ex: Women have a habit of being erratic.
ubiquitous-existing everywhere at the same time; always present
ex: There was an ubiquitous presence of ants at the picnic.
fortitude-mental strength when faced with difficulty
ex: The man had a strong fortitude.
nonchalant-casual; unexcited
ex: His nonchalant attitude was annoying.
affect-to produce a change in something
ex: Weather affects plants.
effect-something produced by a cause
ex: The medicine has many side effects.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
ex: Old people misappropriate sport cars.
pragmatic-pertaining to a practical point of view
ex: The author writes with a pragmatic view of life.
metacognition-higher order thinking that enables understanding
ex: Wisdom comes when a person achieves metacognition.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship
ex: He was devoutly proud of his religion.
ex: He looked over the essay with cursory,
impetus-stimulus or a moving force
ex: Hitler was the impetus behind the third Reich.
pinnacle-the peak or best time of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
ex: The argument escalated to a series of contumelies.
bereavement-period of mourning after death of a loved one
ex: He was in a state of bereavement after his wife's death.
cache-a hiding place in the ground for storage
ex: Its the best thing ever when you find your secret cache of candy in your room.
consummation-the act of completion or fulfilled
ex: The exchange of rings consummates a marriage.
calamity-great misfortune or disaster
ex: War causes calamity among the people.
avarice-insatiable greed for wealth
ex: The king had an avarice that made his subjects hate him.
fortify-to protect against attack
ex: The soldiers fortified their positions.
erratic-deviating from usual course or thought
ex: Women have a habit of being erratic.
ubiquitous-existing everywhere at the same time; always present
ex: There was an ubiquitous presence of ants at the picnic.
fortitude-mental strength when faced with difficulty
ex: The man had a strong fortitude.
nonchalant-casual; unexcited
ex: His nonchalant attitude was annoying.
affect-to produce a change in something
ex: Weather affects plants.
effect-something produced by a cause
ex: The medicine has many side effects.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
ex: Old people misappropriate sport cars.
pragmatic-pertaining to a practical point of view
ex: The author writes with a pragmatic view of life.
metacognition-higher order thinking that enables understanding
ex: Wisdom comes when a person achieves metacognition.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship
ex: He was devoutly proud of his religion.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
What Is a Life Worth
1. I have not read anything from Time Magazine.
2. I know that Time Magazine is a very well known and affluent publication containing many articles about news today.
3. The types of articles that are included are exposes, interviews, and national and international news about politics and technology.
4. Typical adults could read Time Magazine but its usually more affluent people that read it such as lawyers, doctors, etc.
Courtesy of Angel Vega
1. I can predict that the article will be about the moral controversy that a life has actual monetary value, something offensive to the families involved.
2. They both talk about valuing life economically, not philosophically.
3. I think the article will be from a third person point of view because the article isn't written by a person that this has happened to.
Courtesy of Matt Reynolds
1. The article is fairly unbiased as it does show equal examples and scenarios describing why it is so controversial even though the government is just trying to do the right thing and do the most they can do short of bringing them back.
2. The author uses a few different types of evidence such as family portrayals, statistics, and some examples of events the author has attended in regards to it. The most effective of these is the family portrayals because they are very emotional.
3. I think the information in the article is trustworthy because Times Magazine is a very reputable publication and things like this truly do happen in society today because due to the abundance of people in the world life has become less precious and lives are measured by monetary means.
4. The authors evidence is based on his use of both logic and emotion to show how offensive this is to the families involved. The family examples stir up a lot of emotion in the text and the statistics backed up those emotions with reason for it. Shakespeare uses more and stronger emotions such as the conflict of reason and action.
2. I know that Time Magazine is a very well known and affluent publication containing many articles about news today.
3. The types of articles that are included are exposes, interviews, and national and international news about politics and technology.
4. Typical adults could read Time Magazine but its usually more affluent people that read it such as lawyers, doctors, etc.
Courtesy of Angel Vega
1. I can predict that the article will be about the moral controversy that a life has actual monetary value, something offensive to the families involved.
2. They both talk about valuing life economically, not philosophically.
3. I think the article will be from a third person point of view because the article isn't written by a person that this has happened to.
Courtesy of Matt Reynolds
1. The article is fairly unbiased as it does show equal examples and scenarios describing why it is so controversial even though the government is just trying to do the right thing and do the most they can do short of bringing them back.
2. The author uses a few different types of evidence such as family portrayals, statistics, and some examples of events the author has attended in regards to it. The most effective of these is the family portrayals because they are very emotional.
3. I think the information in the article is trustworthy because Times Magazine is a very reputable publication and things like this truly do happen in society today because due to the abundance of people in the world life has become less precious and lives are measured by monetary means.
4. The authors evidence is based on his use of both logic and emotion to show how offensive this is to the families involved. The family examples stir up a lot of emotion in the text and the statistics backed up those emotions with reason for it. Shakespeare uses more and stronger emotions such as the conflict of reason and action.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Velue of Learning/Value of Life
My week to be will include updating my blog, which is why I'm posting a couple days late. I plan to do the readings What Is a Life Worth and A Human Life Value Calculator.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Melancholy Grad
Fellow Alumni, wow we can actually say that now. When we look back on these four years, what will we think of? Will we think of all the successes and failures? The societal do's and don'ts? Only if we did those things together. No one person made it through High School without the help of even just one person. Remember that one kid you cheated off of in Van Patten's? Well he got that answer from the girl across the room with sign language. You see we couldn't have done this alone. I'm not saying that cheating is right, all I'm saying is that the trials of High School is what brought us together. It brought us together because we all had the same goal. The same goal of passing that test or winning that championship. We're probably going to forget how to find the hypotenuse of a triangle after 10 years. However after those ten long years at the High School reunion, your still going to return to this campus and feel like nothing has changed. You'll be able to sit at any table and talk for hours about all the memories you had here. This place isn't a place of learning; it is a place that lays the foundation for a successful life. How to work together toward one goal is the foundation for any job. Just remember that it isn't just me that is graduating today, it is US that is graduating. We as a family is moving on only to meet again. Thank you. Thank you for everything.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Literary Analysis #2
Topics and Events
1. A Long Way Gone is the true story of Ishmael Beah, who becomes an unwilling boy soldier during a civil war in Sierra Leone. When he is twelve years old, Beah's village is attacked while he is away performing in a rap group with friends. Among the confusion, violence, and uncertainty of the war, Ishmael, his brother, and his friends wander from village to village in search of food and shelter. Everyday is a struggle of survival, and the boys find themselves committing acts they would never have believed themselves capable of.
Its basically about his life and all the things he had to go through just to reach freedom.
2. The author chose to write about this because it was something very personal and rather amazing that he is still alive today. There are extremely people who have had the life that he has had and lived to find freedom and the fact that he learned to write like he can is simply amazing. He was writing his personal memoirs so that his story is forever recorded.
3. I chose this book because it sounded really interesting and I read a summary online on my phone before I bought it. The book appealed to me because I had personally been to Africa and heard a lot of different stories of child soldiers being used and he wasn't much younger than I am so I could've connected to him easier. The book came to my attention when I was in the library and saw the cover and it caught my eye. It had a child walking with an RPG round so I had to look in to it. It looked interesting. What kept me reading was his amazing story. The plot and anticipation kept building.
4, I found the book very realistic because things like this still happen today in Africa and it is no different. I couldn't really connect with many people or events throughout the story because it is a really tragic story and I have a fairly normal life. I could only connect with the fact that he was around my age and suddenly was on his own so I could imagine that feeling of dissolution.
People
1. The author met a lot of people and his life, some of them suffered along with him and some would save him and change him. The main characters in the story are those that were either his friends that helped him get through it all, or adults that served as parent figures for him as his were murdered. This says that he definitely lacked parental guidance and would try to find these qualities in the adults he met that brought him some good. The author's tone is fairly depressing and without hope. He writes with a tone that definitely captures the emotion of the situation. What it says about his subjects is that although he recognizes their existence as a sense of hope and common ground, he still doesn't find the point in life and only sees the pain and torture of it all.
2. Uncle Tommy is an older man probably in his 40's which is fairly old for people of his situation. He is a carpenter and is very kind to Ishmael. If I were to write him as a fictional character I would use indirect characterization because he does a lot of actions that would describe his personality. Esther is a nurse working for UNICEF and is very sympathetic for child soldiers, she is in her mid 30's. She is very kind and basically a life saver for Ishmael as she takes him in and rehabilitates him. Again I would use indirect characterization because she is very influential on his life with her actions.
3. Uncle Tommy was interesting enough to write about because he filled in a lot of the gaps in Ishmael's memory of his child hood and basically gave him his impression of the family he used to have. Esther was interesting to write about because she took him in and rehabilitated him and showed him that life isn't all pain. She brought him back to life basically.
1. Two examples of direct characterization were in the beginning when the author was describing his family and when he was describing Esther. He said what her job was and that she was very kind to everyone, something he wasn't used to. Two examples of indirect characterization is when he was directly describing the refugees that came into his village. He said that he could literally see the fear and pain on their faces and imagined all the things they endured. Another is when he first got captured and he told all the horrible things he was forced to do and his addiction to drugs and this was indirectly characterizing the leaders, they basically forced the children to do all this because it made them better soldiers. The use of both approaches makes the reader more in tune with the story and characters because every description will make the reader think if its literal or figurative.
2. When the author characterizes, his diction and syntax doesn't really change that much. He doesn't change the tone and writes as if he was describing the people as if he was doing it at that time and place. Like when he was describing the generals, he still used some rather vulgar language but it doesn't take away from the meaning because he hated them so much and that captured the feeling.
3. The protagonist is fairly dynamic. His personality changes with whatever is going on. If a glimpse of hope is seen, you can definitely tell it turns his whole day around. Throughout the story he begins to understand what is happening around him and falls in to the temptations he faces. He is also round because the reader has a good idea of who he is from the start. This helps the reader to connect more with the protagonist because they understand him.
4. After reading I definitely felt like I had met the author. He described his life story so vividly and perfectly that I felt like I knew him. I could have talked to him about his own life and know what he was talking about. A good example of this is when he described how he was wondering the country with his friends. Just them and the world. I could connect with this because I've been backpacking with friends and I know that feeling of freedom.
Style
1. The author used some foreshadowing and anticipation to show that his life was always changing and he had to adapt. He foreshadowed by using happy times to give the impression that something ominous was on the horizon. The audience knows that he had a very dramatic life, so a happy moment just wouldn't seem right.
2. The author uses rather short descriptions and uses the characters actions to fill in the blanks. There is a lot of action that happens throughout the book because his life was very eventful. More action than just dialogue. This choice has the effect of making the reader think for themselves a little bit. It gave me more room to imagine what people were like instead of having direct characterization to make me feel a way about the characters.
3. The author uses blunt vulgar descriptions to create tone and mood. A lot of dramatic and emotionally jarring events happen throughout the story so that's the best way of putting it. Basically saying it is what it is and its unchangeable.
4. The author sounded fairly disillusioned throughout the novel. His story was depressing with the fact that just simple innocent children are being forced to kill and steal. His attitude was that he hated who he was becoming. He used to be a typical good boy but he was forced to deal with the realities of war. His innocence was ripped away from him.
5. The novel didn't really include any documents or anything. This didn't matter in my thinking because I knew that he was writing about his true life events so that they were credible enough just because he experienced them first hand. I didn't need real evidence to believe that these things actually happened.
Enduring Memory
After reading this novel my memory is going to be the fact that the world is as happy and fair as it may seem. We are very fortunate to live in the place we do now. A place not in civil war, forcing children to fight along side adults against their will. No person should be forced to fight for something they don't even believe in. They don't even know the cause and they are just basically fighting for survival. Children shouldn't have to question whether or not they even want to live to see tomorrow.
1. A Long Way Gone is the true story of Ishmael Beah, who becomes an unwilling boy soldier during a civil war in Sierra Leone. When he is twelve years old, Beah's village is attacked while he is away performing in a rap group with friends. Among the confusion, violence, and uncertainty of the war, Ishmael, his brother, and his friends wander from village to village in search of food and shelter. Everyday is a struggle of survival, and the boys find themselves committing acts they would never have believed themselves capable of.
Its basically about his life and all the things he had to go through just to reach freedom.
2. The author chose to write about this because it was something very personal and rather amazing that he is still alive today. There are extremely people who have had the life that he has had and lived to find freedom and the fact that he learned to write like he can is simply amazing. He was writing his personal memoirs so that his story is forever recorded.
3. I chose this book because it sounded really interesting and I read a summary online on my phone before I bought it. The book appealed to me because I had personally been to Africa and heard a lot of different stories of child soldiers being used and he wasn't much younger than I am so I could've connected to him easier. The book came to my attention when I was in the library and saw the cover and it caught my eye. It had a child walking with an RPG round so I had to look in to it. It looked interesting. What kept me reading was his amazing story. The plot and anticipation kept building.
4, I found the book very realistic because things like this still happen today in Africa and it is no different. I couldn't really connect with many people or events throughout the story because it is a really tragic story and I have a fairly normal life. I could only connect with the fact that he was around my age and suddenly was on his own so I could imagine that feeling of dissolution.
People
1. The author met a lot of people and his life, some of them suffered along with him and some would save him and change him. The main characters in the story are those that were either his friends that helped him get through it all, or adults that served as parent figures for him as his were murdered. This says that he definitely lacked parental guidance and would try to find these qualities in the adults he met that brought him some good. The author's tone is fairly depressing and without hope. He writes with a tone that definitely captures the emotion of the situation. What it says about his subjects is that although he recognizes their existence as a sense of hope and common ground, he still doesn't find the point in life and only sees the pain and torture of it all.
2. Uncle Tommy is an older man probably in his 40's which is fairly old for people of his situation. He is a carpenter and is very kind to Ishmael. If I were to write him as a fictional character I would use indirect characterization because he does a lot of actions that would describe his personality. Esther is a nurse working for UNICEF and is very sympathetic for child soldiers, she is in her mid 30's. She is very kind and basically a life saver for Ishmael as she takes him in and rehabilitates him. Again I would use indirect characterization because she is very influential on his life with her actions.
3. Uncle Tommy was interesting enough to write about because he filled in a lot of the gaps in Ishmael's memory of his child hood and basically gave him his impression of the family he used to have. Esther was interesting to write about because she took him in and rehabilitated him and showed him that life isn't all pain. She brought him back to life basically.
1. Two examples of direct characterization were in the beginning when the author was describing his family and when he was describing Esther. He said what her job was and that she was very kind to everyone, something he wasn't used to. Two examples of indirect characterization is when he was directly describing the refugees that came into his village. He said that he could literally see the fear and pain on their faces and imagined all the things they endured. Another is when he first got captured and he told all the horrible things he was forced to do and his addiction to drugs and this was indirectly characterizing the leaders, they basically forced the children to do all this because it made them better soldiers. The use of both approaches makes the reader more in tune with the story and characters because every description will make the reader think if its literal or figurative.
2. When the author characterizes, his diction and syntax doesn't really change that much. He doesn't change the tone and writes as if he was describing the people as if he was doing it at that time and place. Like when he was describing the generals, he still used some rather vulgar language but it doesn't take away from the meaning because he hated them so much and that captured the feeling.
3. The protagonist is fairly dynamic. His personality changes with whatever is going on. If a glimpse of hope is seen, you can definitely tell it turns his whole day around. Throughout the story he begins to understand what is happening around him and falls in to the temptations he faces. He is also round because the reader has a good idea of who he is from the start. This helps the reader to connect more with the protagonist because they understand him.
4. After reading I definitely felt like I had met the author. He described his life story so vividly and perfectly that I felt like I knew him. I could have talked to him about his own life and know what he was talking about. A good example of this is when he described how he was wondering the country with his friends. Just them and the world. I could connect with this because I've been backpacking with friends and I know that feeling of freedom.
Style
1. The author used some foreshadowing and anticipation to show that his life was always changing and he had to adapt. He foreshadowed by using happy times to give the impression that something ominous was on the horizon. The audience knows that he had a very dramatic life, so a happy moment just wouldn't seem right.
2. The author uses rather short descriptions and uses the characters actions to fill in the blanks. There is a lot of action that happens throughout the book because his life was very eventful. More action than just dialogue. This choice has the effect of making the reader think for themselves a little bit. It gave me more room to imagine what people were like instead of having direct characterization to make me feel a way about the characters.
3. The author uses blunt vulgar descriptions to create tone and mood. A lot of dramatic and emotionally jarring events happen throughout the story so that's the best way of putting it. Basically saying it is what it is and its unchangeable.
4. The author sounded fairly disillusioned throughout the novel. His story was depressing with the fact that just simple innocent children are being forced to kill and steal. His attitude was that he hated who he was becoming. He used to be a typical good boy but he was forced to deal with the realities of war. His innocence was ripped away from him.
5. The novel didn't really include any documents or anything. This didn't matter in my thinking because I knew that he was writing about his true life events so that they were credible enough just because he experienced them first hand. I didn't need real evidence to believe that these things actually happened.
Enduring Memory
After reading this novel my memory is going to be the fact that the world is as happy and fair as it may seem. We are very fortunate to live in the place we do now. A place not in civil war, forcing children to fight along side adults against their will. No person should be forced to fight for something they don't even believe in. They don't even know the cause and they are just basically fighting for survival. Children shouldn't have to question whether or not they even want to live to see tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Vocabulary List #7
cursory-looking over something rapidly without noticing details
ex: He looked over the essay with cursory,
impetus-stimulus or a moving force
ex: Hitler was the impetus behind the third Reich.
pinnacle-the peak or best time of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
ex: The argument escalated to a series of contumelies.
bereavement-period of mourning after death of a loved one
ex: He was in a state of bereavement after his wife's death.
cache-a hiding place in the ground for storage
ex: Its the best thing ever when you find your secret cache of candy in your room.
consummation-the act of completion or fulfilled
ex: The exchange of rings consummates a marriage.
calamity-great misfortune or disaster
ex: War causes calamity among the people.
avarice-insatiable greed for wealth
ex: The king had an avarice that made his subjects hate him.
fortify-to protect against attack
ex: The soldiers fortified their positions.
erratic-deviating from usual course or thought
ex: Women have a habit of being erratic.
ubiquitous-existing everywhere at the same time; always present
ex: There was an ubiquitous presence of ants at the picnic.
fortitude-mental strength when faced with difficulty
ex: The man had a strong fortitude.
nonchalant-casual; unexcited
ex: His nonchalant attitude was annoying.
affect-to produce a change in something
ex: Weather affects plants.
effect-something produced by a cause
ex: The medicine has many side effects.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
ex: Old people misappropriate sport cars.
pragmatic-pertaining to a practical point of view
ex: The author writes with a pragmatic view of life.
metacognition-higher order thinking that enables understanding
ex: Wisdom comes when a person achieves metacognition.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship
ex: He was devoutly proud of his religion.
ex: He looked over the essay with cursory,
impetus-stimulus or a moving force
ex: Hitler was the impetus behind the third Reich.
pinnacle-the peak or best time of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
contumely-insulting display of contempt in words or actions
ex: The argument escalated to a series of contumelies.
bereavement-period of mourning after death of a loved one
ex: He was in a state of bereavement after his wife's death.
cache-a hiding place in the ground for storage
ex: Its the best thing ever when you find your secret cache of candy in your room.
consummation-the act of completion or fulfilled
ex: The exchange of rings consummates a marriage.
calamity-great misfortune or disaster
ex: War causes calamity among the people.
avarice-insatiable greed for wealth
ex: The king had an avarice that made his subjects hate him.
fortify-to protect against attack
ex: The soldiers fortified their positions.
erratic-deviating from usual course or thought
ex: Women have a habit of being erratic.
ubiquitous-existing everywhere at the same time; always present
ex: There was an ubiquitous presence of ants at the picnic.
fortitude-mental strength when faced with difficulty
ex: The man had a strong fortitude.
nonchalant-casual; unexcited
ex: His nonchalant attitude was annoying.
affect-to produce a change in something
ex: Weather affects plants.
effect-something produced by a cause
ex: The medicine has many side effects.
misappropriate-to put to wrong use
ex: Old people misappropriate sport cars.
pragmatic-pertaining to a practical point of view
ex: The author writes with a pragmatic view of life.
metacognition-higher order thinking that enables understanding
ex: Wisdom comes when a person achieves metacognition.
devoutly-devoted to divine worship
ex: He was devoutly proud of his religion.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
To Be or Not To Be
Translation:
Should I change the world and myself, or stay how I am?
I wonder whether it is better to endure the ridiculousness of life or go against the wrongs of life and eliminate them
By going against the things that are wrong, I could finally rest soundly
By killing myself I would end the pains of life that are natural
It would be a completion of life that shows our commitment to final rest
By dying could finally dream of all the things that could be
And that is the problem. Live and settle for how things are, or die for a chance to dream of how things could be
In death we can finally dream as if we were never mortal will give us a chance to think
This is the effect that makes pain and suffering the stuff that makes life seem so long
The people who have been wronged and have experienced pain,seen the ill effects of pride and love and loss, felt the feeling of vengeance, and seen corruption don't know these things in death
Who would endure life with all these pains?
It is the fear of what happens after we do something, that prevents us from doing it
It is over thinking something that prevents us from doing it
When you see where the flow of time and paths turn away you lose a sense of action
All my actions will be remembered
b) The level of understanding that speaks to me most is the second one. Everyday we make choices on our lives and the social norms of them play a huge role. Sometimes we have to go against those to do what we know is right.
c) The path I will take throughout life is the one first paved by social norms and refined by my own values. The general path of it would be one parallel to the things that should be done throughout life, but with my own added choices based solely on what I hold to be true.
Should I change the world and myself, or stay how I am?
I wonder whether it is better to endure the ridiculousness of life or go against the wrongs of life and eliminate them
By going against the things that are wrong, I could finally rest soundly
By killing myself I would end the pains of life that are natural
It would be a completion of life that shows our commitment to final rest
By dying could finally dream of all the things that could be
And that is the problem. Live and settle for how things are, or die for a chance to dream of how things could be
In death we can finally dream as if we were never mortal will give us a chance to think
This is the effect that makes pain and suffering the stuff that makes life seem so long
The people who have been wronged and have experienced pain,seen the ill effects of pride and love and loss, felt the feeling of vengeance, and seen corruption don't know these things in death
Who would endure life with all these pains?
It is the fear of what happens after we do something, that prevents us from doing it
It is over thinking something that prevents us from doing it
When you see where the flow of time and paths turn away you lose a sense of action
All my actions will be remembered
b) The level of understanding that speaks to me most is the second one. Everyday we make choices on our lives and the social norms of them play a huge role. Sometimes we have to go against those to do what we know is right.
c) The path I will take throughout life is the one first paved by social norms and refined by my own values. The general path of it would be one parallel to the things that should be done throughout life, but with my own added choices based solely on what I hold to be true.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Vocabulary List 4+5=6 (Makes Sense)
adroit-dexterous or skill full
ex: The adroit artist made a masterpiece.
amicable-friendly, peaceable
ex: The puppy was amicable and happy.
averse- in opposition to
ex: The protesters were averse to the new law.
belligerent-aggressive or warlike
ex: The belligerent drunk was arrested
benevolent-desiring to help others, showing of goodwill
ex: She had a benevolent smile.
cursory-looking over something rapidly without noticing details
ex: The teacher looked over the essay with cursory, missing the thesis.
duplicity-speaking or acting with two different meanings
ex: He talked with duplicity causing people to distrust him.
extol-to praise highly
ex: I extol honest people.
feasible-capable of being don
ex: The plan was feasible.
grimace-a facial expression of disapproval
ex: She had a grimace on her face.
holocaust-complete destruction by fire
ex: A nuclear holocaust is a constant worry of society
impetus-a moving force; stimulus
ex: Good grades are an impetus for students to work hard.
jeopardy-state of being at risk of being lost
ex: He was in jeopardy of losing his life.
meticulous-taking great care of minute details
ex: People with OCD are meticulous about organization.
nostalgia-a desire to go back to a happy time
ex: Graduates look on high school with nostalgia.
quintessence-the pure essence of something
ex: He was the quintessence of his father.
retrogress-to revert back to a worse condition
ex: He retrogressed to childish behavior.
scrutinize-to examine with critical attention
ex: Critics scrutinize movies.
tepid-lukewarm; neutral; not feeling much towards one way or another
ex: The teacher was tepid towards the student's essay
accede-to give approval of
ex: The father acceded to his daughter getting married.
brandish-to shake around like a weapon
ex: He brandished his sword wildly.
comprise-to be composed or made up of
ex: Computers are comprised of many different parts.
deft-nimble
ex: Cheetahs are deft animals.
destitute-without subsistence; very poor
ex: Homeless people are destitute.
explicit-fully and clearly expressed without reservation
ex: The documentary explicitly showed the affects of WWII
extirpate-to destroy completely
ex: The wildfire extirpated the forest.
inopportune-inappropriate; not a good time
ex: It was an inopportune time to pop the question.
ironic-use of words to convey meaning opposite of its literal meaning
ex: Sarcasm is based on using irony for comedic effects.
musty-odor suggestive of mold
ex: The kitchen had a musty smell.
officious-aggressive in offering unwanted advice
ex: The teacher was officious with his help.
ominous-something threatening meaning something bad is going to happen
ex: There was an ominous feeling in the air before the earthquake.
pinnacle-the peak or epitome of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated-done deliberately or planned in advance
ex: She was found guilty of premeditated murder.
rampant-violent in action; something spreading unchecked
ex: The weeds in the backyard were growing rampantly.
solace-comfort in sorrow; alleviation of distress
ex: He found solace staying in his bed from his mom.
stately-imposing in magnificence; so awesome it is almost threatening
ex: Many homes in the deep south are very stately.
supple-bending without being deformed or broken; flexible; compliant
ex: She has a very supple personality.
suppress-to keep or repress; to keep down
ex: The police suppressed the protesters.
venal-open to bribery; easily persuaded by something
ex: The corrupt government was venal when passing the bill.
ex: The adroit artist made a masterpiece.
amicable-friendly, peaceable
ex: The puppy was amicable and happy.
averse- in opposition to
ex: The protesters were averse to the new law.
belligerent-aggressive or warlike
ex: The belligerent drunk was arrested
benevolent-desiring to help others, showing of goodwill
ex: She had a benevolent smile.
cursory-looking over something rapidly without noticing details
ex: The teacher looked over the essay with cursory, missing the thesis.
duplicity-speaking or acting with two different meanings
ex: He talked with duplicity causing people to distrust him.
extol-to praise highly
ex: I extol honest people.
feasible-capable of being don
ex: The plan was feasible.
grimace-a facial expression of disapproval
ex: She had a grimace on her face.
holocaust-complete destruction by fire
ex: A nuclear holocaust is a constant worry of society
impetus-a moving force; stimulus
ex: Good grades are an impetus for students to work hard.
jeopardy-state of being at risk of being lost
ex: He was in jeopardy of losing his life.
meticulous-taking great care of minute details
ex: People with OCD are meticulous about organization.
nostalgia-a desire to go back to a happy time
ex: Graduates look on high school with nostalgia.
quintessence-the pure essence of something
ex: He was the quintessence of his father.
retrogress-to revert back to a worse condition
ex: He retrogressed to childish behavior.
scrutinize-to examine with critical attention
ex: Critics scrutinize movies.
tepid-lukewarm; neutral; not feeling much towards one way or another
ex: The teacher was tepid towards the student's essay
accede-to give approval of
ex: The father acceded to his daughter getting married.
brandish-to shake around like a weapon
ex: He brandished his sword wildly.
comprise-to be composed or made up of
ex: Computers are comprised of many different parts.
deft-nimble
ex: Cheetahs are deft animals.
destitute-without subsistence; very poor
ex: Homeless people are destitute.
explicit-fully and clearly expressed without reservation
ex: The documentary explicitly showed the affects of WWII
extirpate-to destroy completely
ex: The wildfire extirpated the forest.
inopportune-inappropriate; not a good time
ex: It was an inopportune time to pop the question.
ironic-use of words to convey meaning opposite of its literal meaning
ex: Sarcasm is based on using irony for comedic effects.
musty-odor suggestive of mold
ex: The kitchen had a musty smell.
officious-aggressive in offering unwanted advice
ex: The teacher was officious with his help.
ominous-something threatening meaning something bad is going to happen
ex: There was an ominous feeling in the air before the earthquake.
pinnacle-the peak or epitome of something
ex: He was at the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated-done deliberately or planned in advance
ex: She was found guilty of premeditated murder.
rampant-violent in action; something spreading unchecked
ex: The weeds in the backyard were growing rampantly.
solace-comfort in sorrow; alleviation of distress
ex: He found solace staying in his bed from his mom.
stately-imposing in magnificence; so awesome it is almost threatening
ex: Many homes in the deep south are very stately.
supple-bending without being deformed or broken; flexible; compliant
ex: She has a very supple personality.
suppress-to keep or repress; to keep down
ex: The police suppressed the protesters.
venal-open to bribery; easily persuaded by something
ex: The corrupt government was venal when passing the bill.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
The Value of Choice
Some ideas I think would be good to discuss as a class over our blogs would be those truly based on our own opinions. We should discuss our own beliefs on the meaning of life because it should vary greatly and offer a lot of other material to discuss. Its a good easier prompt for essays as well. We also should discuss how people act they way they do when faced with difficult life situations and how it affects our choices. One last idea that would be great to read and write about it human's real purpose and the effects we have on the world. Why are we here? How is it that we have survived this long? How have we reached the top of the food chain? How has technology taken away the primal part that makes us human?
Some skills I would like to obtain throughout the unit is the ability to discuss very personal and societal beliefs without disrespecting the other side. Too often people take discussions about religion and personal beliefs too seriously and they often escalate and get blown out of proportion. We need to learn to accept people's differences, even if we are the opposite. Teenagers more often than not are very vocal about their beliefs because they feel that they aren't taken seriously by adults, so they make it loud and clear. It shouldn't be that way. Ultimately we as a class and society even need to learn respect. Simple as that.
Some skills I would like to obtain throughout the unit is the ability to discuss very personal and societal beliefs without disrespecting the other side. Too often people take discussions about religion and personal beliefs too seriously and they often escalate and get blown out of proportion. We need to learn to accept people's differences, even if we are the opposite. Teenagers more often than not are very vocal about their beliefs because they feel that they aren't taken seriously by adults, so they make it loud and clear. It shouldn't be that way. Ultimately we as a class and society even need to learn respect. Simple as that.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Netvibes
My netvibes dashboard for my internet browser includes only the websites I actually need. I don't have facebook or youtube on it, just Dr Preston's blog, my blog, and google. Everything is at a glance and easy to access.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Declaration of Learning Independence
My SMART goal is to attend Allan Hancock college followed by attending Cal Poly SLO. It is definitely specific as I know the actual locations, I'm just not exactly sure on the classes I want. It's measurable fiscally because if I receive scholarships and the acceptance letter I will know I'm right on track. It is attainable; it will be difficult to get in to Cal Poly but it will definitely be worth it. My parents always have my back and would do anything to achieve my goal of attending these schools. It is timely because it doesn't take years to actually get in; I just have to endure the application process.
In the collaborative working groups I would like to join a few students in restoring nature in our communities. Too much untouched landscape is being taken over by houses and businesses and it is truly sad to see the natural beauty of the Central Coast disappear.
In the collaborative working groups I would like to join a few students in restoring nature in our communities. Too much untouched landscape is being taken over by houses and businesses and it is truly sad to see the natural beauty of the Central Coast disappear.
No Child Left Untableted
This article from the New York Times was written in response to a $30 million dollar program by the federal Department of Education in an effort to improve education, specifically middle school, by providing a tablet computer for every student and teacher. Although this would make the students more technologically savvy, it will take away from all the useful life skills students on the verge of adulthood should learn from experience. Instead of having more "street smarts" as it's called, they will have more "technology smarts". The real world doesn't work like a computer does, it isn't perfect and programmable. It is random and chaotic. Learning to survive and thrive in the real world isn't something you can just teach with a lesson and homework that reinforces it. There's no puzzle game that stimulates the part of the brain that helps you learn to deal with people. Certain lessons of life need to be learned from experience, and although it is much harder and time consuming, it will be lessons you will never forget. Instead of taking pride in the quantity of graduates, we need to champion the real quality of them. Lets take our time and do this right. It may not be as clean and neat as the digital world, but it has much more value in the end.
Vocabulary List #5
adroit-skillful or dexterous
ex: The adroit football player was able to maneuver around the defense.
amicable-characterized by or showing goodwill
ex: Santa Claus is known as a symbol of an amicable person.
averse-having a strong feeling of opposition
ex: He is not averse to having a drink now and then
belligerent-warlike; aggressive
ex: Drunk people often are belligerent.
benevolent-characterized by or expressing goodwill
ex: She has a benevolent smile.
cursory-going rapidly over something without recognizing details
ex: A cursory glance at a newspaper article.
duplicity-deceitfulness in speech or conduct as by acting in two different ways
ex: He speaks with a duplicity that causes people to not trust him.
extol-to praise highly
ex: Teachers extol their favorite students.
feasible-capable of being done
ex: Getting straight A's is hardly feasible.
grimace-a facial expression expressing disapproval.
ex: The grimace on her face showed her disapproval.
holocaust-a great devastation by fire
ex: A nuclear holocaust is feared by society.
impervious-impenetrable
ex: The castle was impervious to attack.
impetus-a moving force or stimulus
ex: Students all have different impetus for wanting good grades.
jeopardy-at risk of exposure or loss
ex: Disease can cause people's lives to be in jeopardy.
meticulous-taking great care of minute details; precise
ex: Perfectionists are meticulous with everything.
nostalgia-desire to return in thought to a different time in one's life
ex: Adults often look at their younger years with nostalgia.
quintessence-the most perfect embodiment of something
ex: The son was the quintessence of his father.
retrogress-to go backward to a worse condition
ex: He retrogressed to childlike behavior.
scrutinize-to examine with detail with critical attention
ex: Critics scrutinize movies and write reviews.
tepid-moderately warm
ex: The room temperature was tepid.
ex: The adroit football player was able to maneuver around the defense.
amicable-characterized by or showing goodwill
ex: Santa Claus is known as a symbol of an amicable person.
averse-having a strong feeling of opposition
ex: He is not averse to having a drink now and then
belligerent-warlike; aggressive
ex: Drunk people often are belligerent.
benevolent-characterized by or expressing goodwill
ex: She has a benevolent smile.
cursory-going rapidly over something without recognizing details
ex: A cursory glance at a newspaper article.
duplicity-deceitfulness in speech or conduct as by acting in two different ways
ex: He speaks with a duplicity that causes people to not trust him.
extol-to praise highly
ex: Teachers extol their favorite students.
feasible-capable of being done
ex: Getting straight A's is hardly feasible.
grimace-a facial expression expressing disapproval.
ex: The grimace on her face showed her disapproval.
holocaust-a great devastation by fire
ex: A nuclear holocaust is feared by society.
impervious-impenetrable
ex: The castle was impervious to attack.
impetus-a moving force or stimulus
ex: Students all have different impetus for wanting good grades.
jeopardy-at risk of exposure or loss
ex: Disease can cause people's lives to be in jeopardy.
meticulous-taking great care of minute details; precise
ex: Perfectionists are meticulous with everything.
nostalgia-desire to return in thought to a different time in one's life
ex: Adults often look at their younger years with nostalgia.
quintessence-the most perfect embodiment of something
ex: The son was the quintessence of his father.
retrogress-to go backward to a worse condition
ex: He retrogressed to childlike behavior.
scrutinize-to examine with detail with critical attention
ex: Critics scrutinize movies and write reviews.
tepid-moderately warm
ex: The room temperature was tepid.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Vocabulary List #4
accede-to give consent or approval
ex: He acceded to his request.
brandish-to shake or wave as a weapon
ex: The warrior brandished his sword before going in to battle.
comprise-to include or contain
ex: Computers are comprised of many parts.
deft-nimble or skillful
ex: Cheetahs are deft animals.
destitute-without means of subsistence
ex: Homeless people are destitute.
explicit-fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated
ex: The protestors explicitly explained their cause.
extirpate-to remove or destroy totally
ex: He extirpated everything off of his walls.
inopportune-inappropriate
ex: The man's outburst was very inopportune.
ironic-using words to convey meaning opposite of its literal meaning
ex: Sarcasm is a form of irony.
musty-having an odor suggestive of mold
ex: The was a musty smell in the old kitchen.
officious-objectively aggressive in offering ones unrequested help
ex: He was officious in giving his irrelevant opinion.
ominous-threatening; foreshadowing harm
ex: There was an ominous feeling in the air minutes before the earthquake
pinnacle-the highest or culminating point or peak of success
ex: In his 30's the CEO was at the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated-done deliberately
ex: The wife's murder was proven premeditated due to a vengeful husband.
ex: He acceded to his request.
brandish-to shake or wave as a weapon
ex: The warrior brandished his sword before going in to battle.
comprise-to include or contain
ex: Computers are comprised of many parts.
deft-nimble or skillful
ex: Cheetahs are deft animals.
destitute-without means of subsistence
ex: Homeless people are destitute.
explicit-fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated
ex: The protestors explicitly explained their cause.
extirpate-to remove or destroy totally
ex: He extirpated everything off of his walls.
inopportune-inappropriate
ex: The man's outburst was very inopportune.
ironic-using words to convey meaning opposite of its literal meaning
ex: Sarcasm is a form of irony.
musty-having an odor suggestive of mold
ex: The was a musty smell in the old kitchen.
officious-objectively aggressive in offering ones unrequested help
ex: He was officious in giving his irrelevant opinion.
ominous-threatening; foreshadowing harm
ex: There was an ominous feeling in the air minutes before the earthquake
pinnacle-the highest or culminating point or peak of success
ex: In his 30's the CEO was at the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated-done deliberately
ex: The wife's murder was proven premeditated due to a vengeful husband.
Literary Analysis #1
Topics and Events
1. When Men Must Live is a personal recollection of the tributes, tragedies, and triumphs that occurred during James T. Murphy's tour of duty as a radio operator in the U.S. Army Air Corps and would become a Japanese POW in the Phillippine Islands during World War II and also on how he got through it all alive and sane(a). It's basically a detailed story of his personal experiences of the war and the life of a prisoner and how it would change him forever, a central theme is man's own inhumanity to man (b).
2.The author wrote about his personal experiences as a POW because it was such a huge and traumatic event in his life that he had to tell the world about it. Not many people could live to tell the tale of being a prisoner of war, but he is one of the few and is nearly proud of how he survived.
3. At first I chose this book because my dad read it and I asked if we had any good non-fiction books around the house and he said it was a really good book. My initial interest for the book came to me when I saw that it was the authors actual experiences and I was curious of how it was for him personally. Books on wars especially those written by those who were there always interest me because here is a perfect non-biased perspective that isn't coming from a historian making assumptions. It contains real true feelings and experiences, and that is what kept me interested once I started reading.
4. The book is very realistic. Throughout the story there are real life political and military decisions explained and how they affected the war. The horrific events that he endured throughout the story are real events that happened all too often, but aren't very well documented because of how high the death rate was among prisoners. A real personal recollection of these true events is hard to find. I actually did make some connections between the events in the book and those that are still happening today. Not much has changed in the treatment of POWs since WWII and even though there isn't a world war going on right now, there is still torture of those captured in battle and its as gruesome as ever. Humanity hasn't changed in its cruel treatment of itself even after the harsh lessons of war.
People
1. He told his story with a definite view of him versus the world, and the world being the Japanese. His descriptions of them and the things they did to them really characterized them as sub human and really painted the picture of inhumanity. His tone is descriptive as if he isn't leaving out any details. He tells the story as it is without exaggerating, every word counts. What this says about the author is that he isn't writing his story as a "tall tale" to make it more interesting, but uses accurate wording to make the story seem as amazing as it is, just with what really happened.
2. James Murphy: As a new recruit he was fairly average looking. Average height and muscle size with dark hair and just had a happy look to him. Near the end of the story and his imprisonment he was very skinny and sickly looking due to lack of food and water and the ordeal of the Bataan Death March. He was excited to join the military in anticipation of the U.S. joining in on WWII in 1939 when he left for training. Patriotically he joined with full intent of defending the country he loved. As the war went on though he began to see the futility of it all. If he was a fictional character, I would definitely use indirect characterization because it would be fairly easy to figure him out by his actions.
Kenneth O'Donnell: Short and stocky he definitely had a Napoleon complex. He always saw challenges as him versus the world and that he always had to prove himself. He joined as soon as he could after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He saw it as an attack on him personally and he knew he had to get his revenge. His aggressive attitude would get him captured and sent to the same camp as Murphy and they would become friends trying to survive together. He would be another character perfect for indirect characterization.
3. The two would be very interesting to write about because they compliment each other with Murphy as a real life example of Captain America and Kenneth being a combination of Rambo and GI Joe.
Style
1. Although it was a very personal story, it was written very journalisticly. He was simply reporting his experiences and true feelings to paint the picture of what truly happened and that is what makes the book so interesting. Its like a history book, only written by those who were really there.
2. The descriptions of setting and emotion are fairly lengthy but it doesn't take away from the story making it sound exaggerated. The author focuses more on action than dialogue. The story is more about his own personal experiences and thoughts so there isn't a whole lot of conversation because its about his personal struggle. This gives the effect that he isn't so much writing to just tell the story, but to give his own personal insight on it all.
3. The author uses simple descriptive words so imagery is easy to obtain. One example is when he managed to steal an apricot like fruit and he described it so simply, but you could still feel just how much it meant to him. He didn't have to use complicated and flowery words to describe the simple satisfaction he got from it, even though it was probably just short of a miracle for him. Another is when he was describing the agony of the Death March and of all the words he could have used, he used simpler ones that would need their full definition to describe what he felt.
4. The authors attitude toward the subject and plot of the story was analytical. It was as if he understood why the things that happened, happened. He recognized everyone as their own person. One example is when a guard had the full opportunity to shoot him for leaving his group but didn't and he gave his hypothesis on why. His attitude toward the audience is almost like he is writing to his kids. It was as if he was writing to say "Here's the story of my life." and that he was providing wisdom.
5. The book includes many historical documents and pictures of the actual people that were there to give the audience more of a background and to connect more with the characters. Also at the beginning of each chapter there is a famous quote that correlates well with the story. One by the Secretary of War under the Franklin Roosevelt Administration, "There comes a time when men must die..." this would become the title on the front cover with "die" replaced with "live".. It also makes the book more informative and interesting.
Enduring Memory
My lasting memory is a little cliché but it is a theme that is still relevant today and that is man's inhumanity to man. This happens in all kinds of forms and degrees today around the world. From genocide to bullying. An example of this is actually one of the main events of the book. The POWs were forced to march from camp to camp with little food and water. Most of Murphy's friends would die not by the hands of the enemies, but by one of the most preventable causes: exhaustion and neglect. The march reduced the strongest of men to mere children because of the conditions. It makes me feel fortunate to live in the time and place that I do now. Another is the great pleasure he got from the simplest of things. In one passage he describes his true happiness when he found a guava tree and picked a bunch of fruit. Even at gunpoint he still picked them. Threatened with death he still did the things that brought him hope and happiness even in the darkest of times. This too makes me feel fortunate for all the things I have and these two events in the book I will remember for a long time because of how fundamental they are to us as people. The simplest things are what make us who we are and even under the worst circumstances, we can still come out on top.
1. When Men Must Live is a personal recollection of the tributes, tragedies, and triumphs that occurred during James T. Murphy's tour of duty as a radio operator in the U.S. Army Air Corps and would become a Japanese POW in the Phillippine Islands during World War II and also on how he got through it all alive and sane(a). It's basically a detailed story of his personal experiences of the war and the life of a prisoner and how it would change him forever, a central theme is man's own inhumanity to man (b).
2.The author wrote about his personal experiences as a POW because it was such a huge and traumatic event in his life that he had to tell the world about it. Not many people could live to tell the tale of being a prisoner of war, but he is one of the few and is nearly proud of how he survived.
3. At first I chose this book because my dad read it and I asked if we had any good non-fiction books around the house and he said it was a really good book. My initial interest for the book came to me when I saw that it was the authors actual experiences and I was curious of how it was for him personally. Books on wars especially those written by those who were there always interest me because here is a perfect non-biased perspective that isn't coming from a historian making assumptions. It contains real true feelings and experiences, and that is what kept me interested once I started reading.
4. The book is very realistic. Throughout the story there are real life political and military decisions explained and how they affected the war. The horrific events that he endured throughout the story are real events that happened all too often, but aren't very well documented because of how high the death rate was among prisoners. A real personal recollection of these true events is hard to find. I actually did make some connections between the events in the book and those that are still happening today. Not much has changed in the treatment of POWs since WWII and even though there isn't a world war going on right now, there is still torture of those captured in battle and its as gruesome as ever. Humanity hasn't changed in its cruel treatment of itself even after the harsh lessons of war.
People
1. He told his story with a definite view of him versus the world, and the world being the Japanese. His descriptions of them and the things they did to them really characterized them as sub human and really painted the picture of inhumanity. His tone is descriptive as if he isn't leaving out any details. He tells the story as it is without exaggerating, every word counts. What this says about the author is that he isn't writing his story as a "tall tale" to make it more interesting, but uses accurate wording to make the story seem as amazing as it is, just with what really happened.
2. James Murphy: As a new recruit he was fairly average looking. Average height and muscle size with dark hair and just had a happy look to him. Near the end of the story and his imprisonment he was very skinny and sickly looking due to lack of food and water and the ordeal of the Bataan Death March. He was excited to join the military in anticipation of the U.S. joining in on WWII in 1939 when he left for training. Patriotically he joined with full intent of defending the country he loved. As the war went on though he began to see the futility of it all. If he was a fictional character, I would definitely use indirect characterization because it would be fairly easy to figure him out by his actions.
Kenneth O'Donnell: Short and stocky he definitely had a Napoleon complex. He always saw challenges as him versus the world and that he always had to prove himself. He joined as soon as he could after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He saw it as an attack on him personally and he knew he had to get his revenge. His aggressive attitude would get him captured and sent to the same camp as Murphy and they would become friends trying to survive together. He would be another character perfect for indirect characterization.
3. The two would be very interesting to write about because they compliment each other with Murphy as a real life example of Captain America and Kenneth being a combination of Rambo and GI Joe.
Style
1. Although it was a very personal story, it was written very journalisticly. He was simply reporting his experiences and true feelings to paint the picture of what truly happened and that is what makes the book so interesting. Its like a history book, only written by those who were really there.
2. The descriptions of setting and emotion are fairly lengthy but it doesn't take away from the story making it sound exaggerated. The author focuses more on action than dialogue. The story is more about his own personal experiences and thoughts so there isn't a whole lot of conversation because its about his personal struggle. This gives the effect that he isn't so much writing to just tell the story, but to give his own personal insight on it all.
3. The author uses simple descriptive words so imagery is easy to obtain. One example is when he managed to steal an apricot like fruit and he described it so simply, but you could still feel just how much it meant to him. He didn't have to use complicated and flowery words to describe the simple satisfaction he got from it, even though it was probably just short of a miracle for him. Another is when he was describing the agony of the Death March and of all the words he could have used, he used simpler ones that would need their full definition to describe what he felt.
4. The authors attitude toward the subject and plot of the story was analytical. It was as if he understood why the things that happened, happened. He recognized everyone as their own person. One example is when a guard had the full opportunity to shoot him for leaving his group but didn't and he gave his hypothesis on why. His attitude toward the audience is almost like he is writing to his kids. It was as if he was writing to say "Here's the story of my life." and that he was providing wisdom.
5. The book includes many historical documents and pictures of the actual people that were there to give the audience more of a background and to connect more with the characters. Also at the beginning of each chapter there is a famous quote that correlates well with the story. One by the Secretary of War under the Franklin Roosevelt Administration, "There comes a time when men must die..." this would become the title on the front cover with "die" replaced with "live".. It also makes the book more informative and interesting.
Enduring Memory
My lasting memory is a little cliché but it is a theme that is still relevant today and that is man's inhumanity to man. This happens in all kinds of forms and degrees today around the world. From genocide to bullying. An example of this is actually one of the main events of the book. The POWs were forced to march from camp to camp with little food and water. Most of Murphy's friends would die not by the hands of the enemies, but by one of the most preventable causes: exhaustion and neglect. The march reduced the strongest of men to mere children because of the conditions. It makes me feel fortunate to live in the time and place that I do now. Another is the great pleasure he got from the simplest of things. In one passage he describes his true happiness when he found a guava tree and picked a bunch of fruit. Even at gunpoint he still picked them. Threatened with death he still did the things that brought him hope and happiness even in the darkest of times. This too makes me feel fortunate for all the things I have and these two events in the book I will remember for a long time because of how fundamental they are to us as people. The simplest things are what make us who we are and even under the worst circumstances, we can still come out on top.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Vocabulary List #3
accomplice-a person who knowingly helps another in a crime
ex: The criminal and his accomplice were arrested.
annihilate-to reduce to utter non-existence
ex: The city was annihilated from the bombings.
arbitrary-subject to individual judgement without restriction
ex: He made an arbitrary decision that proved pointless.
brazen-shameless or impudent
ex: The brazen man wasn't embarrassed as he should have been.
catalyst-something that causes activity between two or more persons without itself being affected
ex: He was the catalyst in the conflict between the two men.
exodus-a going out or departure
ex: The summer exodus is marked by falling leaves.
facilitate-to make easier or less difficult
ex: Careful planning facilitates any kind of work.
incorrigible-bad beyond correction
ex: The naughty child has incorrigible behavior.
latent-present but not visible
ex: He has a latent ability that is rarely seen.
militant-vigorously active and aggressive
ex: The militant rebels wouldn't ease their attacks.
morose-gloomily or sullenly ill-humored as a person or mood
ex: His depression makes him feel morose.
opaque-not transparent or translucent
ex: Glass is not opaque.
paramount-chief in importance or impact
ex: Eating healthy is paramount to a healthy lifestyle.
prattle-to talk in a foolish or simple minded way
ex: Uneducated tend to prattle when they talk.
rebut-to refute by evidence or argument
ex: He rebutted the man's argument with facts.
reprimand-a severe reproof or rebuke, especially in a formal way by a person of authority
ex: The officer reprimanded the criminal.
servitude-slavery or bondage of any kind
ex: Prisoners have a near servitude working in prison.
slapdash-in a hasty, haphazard manner
ex: He hurriedly slap dashed together his project last minute.
stagnant-not flowing or running as water
ex: Rivers often grow stagnant as they dry up.
succumb-to give way to superior force
ex: Teenagers often succumb to peer pressure.
ex: The criminal and his accomplice were arrested.
annihilate-to reduce to utter non-existence
ex: The city was annihilated from the bombings.
arbitrary-subject to individual judgement without restriction
ex: He made an arbitrary decision that proved pointless.
brazen-shameless or impudent
ex: The brazen man wasn't embarrassed as he should have been.
catalyst-something that causes activity between two or more persons without itself being affected
ex: He was the catalyst in the conflict between the two men.
exodus-a going out or departure
ex: The summer exodus is marked by falling leaves.
facilitate-to make easier or less difficult
ex: Careful planning facilitates any kind of work.
incorrigible-bad beyond correction
ex: The naughty child has incorrigible behavior.
latent-present but not visible
ex: He has a latent ability that is rarely seen.
militant-vigorously active and aggressive
ex: The militant rebels wouldn't ease their attacks.
morose-gloomily or sullenly ill-humored as a person or mood
ex: His depression makes him feel morose.
opaque-not transparent or translucent
ex: Glass is not opaque.
paramount-chief in importance or impact
ex: Eating healthy is paramount to a healthy lifestyle.
prattle-to talk in a foolish or simple minded way
ex: Uneducated tend to prattle when they talk.
rebut-to refute by evidence or argument
ex: He rebutted the man's argument with facts.
reprimand-a severe reproof or rebuke, especially in a formal way by a person of authority
ex: The officer reprimanded the criminal.
servitude-slavery or bondage of any kind
ex: Prisoners have a near servitude working in prison.
slapdash-in a hasty, haphazard manner
ex: He hurriedly slap dashed together his project last minute.
stagnant-not flowing or running as water
ex: Rivers often grow stagnant as they dry up.
succumb-to give way to superior force
ex: Teenagers often succumb to peer pressure.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Essay Idea
A good essay idea regarding obesity would be the psychology of eating disorders and habitual overeating. Why do people binge eat? They know its bad for them but why do they still do it? The effects of eating disorders are obvious, but the rationale behind unhealthy eating habits are a bit more unknown and it would be interesting to research it for an essay.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Vocabulary List #2
obesity-condition of being very overweight
ex: His obesity puts him at great risk for health problems.
accumulate-to gather or collect in gradual degrees
ex: Greedy people enjoy accumulating lots of money.
mass-a body of coherent matter of indefinite shape
ex: There was a mass of people protesting.
disease-any harmful condition of mind or society
ex: His disease started to affect his family as well.
diet-a particular selection of food and drink based on bettering yourself
ex: Some religions have diets that restrict certain foods.
prevalence-condition of being widespread
ex: In the Western World there is a prevalence of being overweight.
stigma-a mark of disgrace or infamy
ex: There is a social stigma of obesity.
prevent(able)-something that can be kept from occurring
ex: Heart disease is a preventable disease.
adolescent-someone that's not an adult yet; a child
ex: The man's youthful approach makes him seem adolescent.
cardiovascular-having to do with the heart and blood vessels
ex: Running is a good exercise for the cardiovascular system.
excessive-going beyond the typical or necessary limit
ex: Teenagers often eat an excessive amount of junk food.
mechanism-assembly of moving parts that perform a function
ex: An engine is a mechanism that propels a car.
sedentary-accustomed to sitting or resting a lot with little exercise
ex: Watching TV is a common activity for a person with a sedentary lifestyle.
predispose-to give an inclination or tendency to beforehand; make susceptible
ex: Family history of a disease can predispose a person of getting it.
syndrome-pattern of symptoms that are characteristic of a certain disease or disorder
ex: A person can have a syndrome of something even without showing symptoms.
ex: His obesity puts him at great risk for health problems.
accumulate-to gather or collect in gradual degrees
ex: Greedy people enjoy accumulating lots of money.
mass-a body of coherent matter of indefinite shape
ex: There was a mass of people protesting.
disease-any harmful condition of mind or society
ex: His disease started to affect his family as well.
diet-a particular selection of food and drink based on bettering yourself
ex: Some religions have diets that restrict certain foods.
prevalence-condition of being widespread
ex: In the Western World there is a prevalence of being overweight.
stigma-a mark of disgrace or infamy
ex: There is a social stigma of obesity.
prevent(able)-something that can be kept from occurring
ex: Heart disease is a preventable disease.
adolescent-someone that's not an adult yet; a child
ex: The man's youthful approach makes him seem adolescent.
cardiovascular-having to do with the heart and blood vessels
ex: Running is a good exercise for the cardiovascular system.
excessive-going beyond the typical or necessary limit
ex: Teenagers often eat an excessive amount of junk food.
mechanism-assembly of moving parts that perform a function
ex: An engine is a mechanism that propels a car.
sedentary-accustomed to sitting or resting a lot with little exercise
ex: Watching TV is a common activity for a person with a sedentary lifestyle.
predispose-to give an inclination or tendency to beforehand; make susceptible
ex: Family history of a disease can predispose a person of getting it.
syndrome-pattern of symptoms that are characteristic of a certain disease or disorder
ex: A person can have a syndrome of something even without showing symptoms.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Pros & Cons: Obesity
Personal responsibility can be one of the easiest but more often than not the hardest thing to accept, depending on the circumstances. We live in a day in age where everything is connected and everyone has access to all the knowledge they want. Even though we have all the tools to help us to live a better life, yet we still choose the decisions detrimental to us. People make thousands of choices everyday without even knowing it and some of the most important ones like those having to do with our health aren't taken as seriously as they should. We choose to be sedentary and we choose to eat fast food. The fast food industry isn't shoving the food down our throats, we are the ones that are choosing to accept it.
The fast food industry emerged at a time in history where malnutrition was one of the leading causes of health problems and even death. The promise of high calorie food which was good at the time at a cheap price would attract millions of people to adopt this new lifestyle of eating out more often than not and this of course cause the big chain fast food restaurants to grow and explode to the giants they are today such as McDonalds. Yale obesity expert Dr. David Katz quotes, "But at some point food became too plentiful... that's because companies aggressively peddle food to people who don't need it." he explains that since we have such a large surplus of food, the companies are trying to pawn it off on the customers which would explain why it is so cheap. Many of the restaurants are actually printing and releasing nutritional information, making people more socially responsible, should they actually read it. The information can be found it just has to be greatly sought after. The idea that people are more responsible is conflicted when the companies focus their marketing resources on the most impressionable people; children. "Personal responsibility also falters when it comes to children, who are bombarded by junk food ads that undermine parents. Everything from child-friendly merchandising of sugary cereals to cartoon ads is designed to give companies more sway over what children eat", says Dr. Susan Lynch. Its not that companies are making the choices for us, they just are making the choices easier.
Even though people know what they are putting in their bodies, they keep coming back for more. Companies know exactly what they're doing when it comes to both marketing, and even ingredients. A 'menu engineer' Greg Rapp, "An eye is basically lazy. It will go to the easiest thing on a page." this supports the idea that food marketers really aren't trying to advertise a product, but rather trying to sell their "stuff" to the stupid unsuspecting public. They don't take their customers seriously and only see them as profit. They take advantage of customers and how they think of food. Marketers get into their heads and basically make their choices for them, without them even realizing it. Another example of customer manipulation is what the actual food is composed of. Cheeseburgers aren't exactly beef and chicken nuggets aren't exactly chicken. An article by Skyler White talks about just a few of the dangerous chemicals added to the 'compounds' that make up the meat. One of the most jarring is the chemical Casein that is known as "the nicotine of fast food" and is extremely addictive, making customers literally become attached to the food and feel that they need it.
When faced with a difficult decision, people often take the easy road out. They would rather have a quick, easy, and cheap meal that can potentially kill them than cook a healthy meal. Personal responsibility goes out the window because the choices they should be able to have, are really not there. There is only one choice because of all the focused marketing and even addictive chemicals that make fast food so good to have. That is why it is so important to have the most control in your own life and to know what you're eating and the dangers of it. Personal responsibility is the key to having and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The fast food industry emerged at a time in history where malnutrition was one of the leading causes of health problems and even death. The promise of high calorie food which was good at the time at a cheap price would attract millions of people to adopt this new lifestyle of eating out more often than not and this of course cause the big chain fast food restaurants to grow and explode to the giants they are today such as McDonalds. Yale obesity expert Dr. David Katz quotes, "But at some point food became too plentiful... that's because companies aggressively peddle food to people who don't need it." he explains that since we have such a large surplus of food, the companies are trying to pawn it off on the customers which would explain why it is so cheap. Many of the restaurants are actually printing and releasing nutritional information, making people more socially responsible, should they actually read it. The information can be found it just has to be greatly sought after. The idea that people are more responsible is conflicted when the companies focus their marketing resources on the most impressionable people; children. "Personal responsibility also falters when it comes to children, who are bombarded by junk food ads that undermine parents. Everything from child-friendly merchandising of sugary cereals to cartoon ads is designed to give companies more sway over what children eat", says Dr. Susan Lynch. Its not that companies are making the choices for us, they just are making the choices easier.
Even though people know what they are putting in their bodies, they keep coming back for more. Companies know exactly what they're doing when it comes to both marketing, and even ingredients. A 'menu engineer' Greg Rapp, "An eye is basically lazy. It will go to the easiest thing on a page." this supports the idea that food marketers really aren't trying to advertise a product, but rather trying to sell their "stuff" to the stupid unsuspecting public. They don't take their customers seriously and only see them as profit. They take advantage of customers and how they think of food. Marketers get into their heads and basically make their choices for them, without them even realizing it. Another example of customer manipulation is what the actual food is composed of. Cheeseburgers aren't exactly beef and chicken nuggets aren't exactly chicken. An article by Skyler White talks about just a few of the dangerous chemicals added to the 'compounds' that make up the meat. One of the most jarring is the chemical Casein that is known as "the nicotine of fast food" and is extremely addictive, making customers literally become attached to the food and feel that they need it.
When faced with a difficult decision, people often take the easy road out. They would rather have a quick, easy, and cheap meal that can potentially kill them than cook a healthy meal. Personal responsibility goes out the window because the choices they should be able to have, are really not there. There is only one choice because of all the focused marketing and even addictive chemicals that make fast food so good to have. That is why it is so important to have the most control in your own life and to know what you're eating and the dangers of it. Personal responsibility is the key to having and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Text Analysis #1
The article The Blame Game and Obesity in America supports the idea that the culpability of the obesity epidemic isn't that of big chain fast food restaurants, but lies in the hands of the consumers. The quote, "The food industry emerged at a time when malnutrition was the nation's chief dietary concern." supports the fact that they first opened with good intentions with the promise of high calorie (good at the time) at a low cost and as food became more abundant in the states, the people and the companies kept their habits. Another main theme of the article is that it is our own personal responsibility to know what we're eating and how to take care of ourselves. With the Internet and more nutritional data than ever, there is no excuse to not know the real facts about our food. The article really takes the high road by nearly supporting the suppliers, and condemning the consumers, something nearly unheard of with all the arguments saying how bad the food industry is.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
This Is Phat!
http://www.symptomfind.com/healthy-living/side-effects-of-diet-pills/
People are always looking for the fastest and easiest ways to lose weight not because it seems like it would be more efficient, but many times because they are afraid of the challenge of it. It's a difficult thing to change your lifestyle, that's a given, but there are so more risks than benefits when you use weight loss drugs. This article compares the risks to benefits when using weight loss pills and it seems that it strengthens the old fashioned belief that diet and exercise is the best way to lose the pounds.
People are always looking for the fastest and easiest ways to lose weight not because it seems like it would be more efficient, but many times because they are afraid of the challenge of it. It's a difficult thing to change your lifestyle, that's a given, but there are so more risks than benefits when you use weight loss drugs. This article compares the risks to benefits when using weight loss pills and it seems that it strengthens the old fashioned belief that diet and exercise is the best way to lose the pounds.
My Big Question
My Big Question would be can we really control our own future? Is it just chosen by random and there's nothing we can do to change it because all the things we try are just part of the plan for our future?
Vocabulary List #1
expository-an explanation or public exhibition of literature
ex:The critic writes expository articles about books.
composition-the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole
ex: Electronics can have a very diverse composition.
assuage-to relieve or mitigate
ex: Aspirin can help to assuage pain.
decadence-deterioration or falling into state of inferiority caused by wasteful luxury
ex: Decadence can often cause famous people to become inferior.
hackneyed-something made commonplace like a cliche
ex: His hackneyed apology proved it wasn't genuine.
coalition-a group of people or organizations working toward a common goal
ex: The group of forces from different nations in the Middle East are often known as the coalition forces.
transcend-to go beyond and exceed
ex: Honor students are known for transcending expectations.
meritorious-deserving of praise or reward
ex: Boy Scouts are known for their meritorious acts of kindness.
lurid-glaringly shocking, sensational, and vivid
ex: Eating sugar before bed can often cause lurid nightmares of great detail.
petulant-obvious frustration or impatience cause by something annoying
ex: The man in the back of the line had a very petulant look on his face.
ex:The critic writes expository articles about books.
composition-the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole
ex: Electronics can have a very diverse composition.
assuage-to relieve or mitigate
ex: Aspirin can help to assuage pain.
decadence-deterioration or falling into state of inferiority caused by wasteful luxury
ex: Decadence can often cause famous people to become inferior.
hackneyed-something made commonplace like a cliche
ex: His hackneyed apology proved it wasn't genuine.
coalition-a group of people or organizations working toward a common goal
ex: The group of forces from different nations in the Middle East are often known as the coalition forces.
transcend-to go beyond and exceed
ex: Honor students are known for transcending expectations.
meritorious-deserving of praise or reward
ex: Boy Scouts are known for their meritorious acts of kindness.
lurid-glaringly shocking, sensational, and vivid
ex: Eating sugar before bed can often cause lurid nightmares of great detail.
petulant-obvious frustration or impatience cause by something annoying
ex: The man in the back of the line had a very petulant look on his face.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
My Opinion Isn't (A) Right
-Arguments are to find the real verifiable truth
-If you accept everything you hear as the truth just because the person is who they are, than that makes everyone a dictator
-People take differences in opinions not as a difference in ideology, but a personal attack on the other person
-If you have an opinion, than you should be able to back it up
-People tell personal opinions about other people not to that person, but to everybody else
-Big people can make smaller people's opinions seem small
-Illegal things like drugs are illegal not to protect you, but to protect the people around you
-The argument, "It's my body, I can do what I want with it." is invalid because harmful things like drugs and alcohol can affect the public because of things like rehab that are funded with tax dollars
-Interdependence=everyone is dependent upon each other so everything affects everything
-People's opinions on things like politics are obtained by parents or any person of moral importance
-People often react to differences in opinions with emotion, not so much reason
-If you accept everything you hear as the truth just because the person is who they are, than that makes everyone a dictator
-People take differences in opinions not as a difference in ideology, but a personal attack on the other person
-If you have an opinion, than you should be able to back it up
-People tell personal opinions about other people not to that person, but to everybody else
-Big people can make smaller people's opinions seem small
-Illegal things like drugs are illegal not to protect you, but to protect the people around you
-The argument, "It's my body, I can do what I want with it." is invalid because harmful things like drugs and alcohol can affect the public because of things like rehab that are funded with tax dollars
-Interdependence=everyone is dependent upon each other so everything affects everything
-People's opinions on things like politics are obtained by parents or any person of moral importance
-People often react to differences in opinions with emotion, not so much reason
Sunday, August 18, 2013
A Truly Interesting Piece of Non Fiction
For this I looked in the Santa Maria Times website looking for something both interesting and actually relevant to me. I found an article about a camp at Cabrillo High School that helps incoming freshman to get to know the school, connect with each other, and to get them excited for the years ahead. The real impact and purpose of the camp became apparent when one of the students quoted, "I think the more we can get them engaged at the school, the better their high school experience will be,”. When your nearly dumped in to High School having to start a new and get acuainted with everyone all on your own it can seem like a pretty intimidating place, but if someone is their to help you through everything and gets you excited for the years to come it can really set students up well for success. Enthusiasm and support are the key components for success in High School.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
What is Expository Composition?
Expository Composition is used to describe something being discussed in great detail. A good example is writing about the purpose and intended effect of certain rhetoric. You can write an expository composition on anything that provides information like a documentary, magazine article, newspaper article, book, etc. By writing a composition on one of these you can pick apart and analyze all the aspects and purpose of a piece of literature.
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