Pantene Commercial

Observe- Deaf girl wants to play violin, father is her mentor, other students pick on her and make fun of her, she competes in the end, ponytail vs hair long and down,

Infer- Even though she's deaf she's amazing at violin, control, free

Need to Know- She's deaf, can't hear

Analyze- feeling of courage, student vs. teacher

"Just Add Water" & "Animacules*

Both of these works go with the attitude to look at the little things and stop focusing on the big, annoying general things in life such as technology.

What is the same about Twn & Just Add Water??

Both TWN & Just Add Water follow the status quo-normalcy curve. On the line, down, and then up! Well, in TWN- Everything was fine, then Viola disguised herself into Cesario, chaos happened and then everything was restored to a new normal. All sense of normalcy is lost, just like JAW. Everyone ends up better than what they began with though, however.

Animacules and Other Little Subjects

Mark Smith's "Animacules and Other Little Subjects" gave me the feeling that in life, it is more beneficial to look at something small, rather than the general picture. The "little subject" could be the larger image. The big, expensive things may not be the most pleasing but the small little ones, sometimes not even there for the eye to see. Smith's interest in microscopic animacules is phenomenal. He is interested in something that is so tiny, but does so much. They serve an important role, and they are just so small! I couldn't help but to think of the movie Men in Black, where the cat wore the whole galaxy on his neck, full of organisms and life. The author's love for the microscope allowed him to grow older and find his love for animacules. It is crazy to think about that the smallest organism has the same structures as we, humans do. He says, "I have trouble explaining my satisfaction with the animalcules" (260), but he doesn't need to. He is allowed to love the little things without explaining himself.

Recently, on my tumblr (which is my private blog that I use to express my feelings and emotions), I made a list of the little things that I love. This was all done before I read this article, of course. The little things I love include non material subjects, such as fresh air, salt-water, the feeling of a hug, hearing someone you love say "I love you"... etc. This list made me happy to read after, because it is not the big things like a car, or a new pocketbook that should make one feel this way inside, but the little things that make us who we are, just like Smith found a love for animacules. In relation to "Just Add Water" and "Food Miles", I realized that it is not worth it for us to fill our lives with technology and expensive big things when life is full of special, small things. Observe, enjoy and love what is given to you. Go to the pond, realize that it is full of life.. and there's so much more then what we see with our eyes.

George Carlin

George Carlin's routine reinforces this notion that humanity is self-extincting like Phelan discusses in saying that we can't "save the planet because we don't even know how to take care of ourselves yet!", which is true! How can we save the planet if we're incapable of saving ourselves first? His routine was hilarious but made sense in the big scheme of things. We're self-extincting as a human race because we're making mistakes that long term will hurt us down the road. Even though they are not apparent now, global warming and climate changes will catch up to us some day. Carlin makes this funny in his routine, from 15 years ago (?), before we even realized it is catching up to us. We need to make sure our greed isn't destroying our race.

What emblem/image/symbol best exemplifies the film "Just Add Water"?

In relation to the movie though, because ramen is unrelated, a symbol that best exemplifies the film is Ray's actual life. His life is going pretty downhill, until he builds up the courage to ask Norah on a date. This is the "just adding water" because after one small step, his life goes in the right direction and progressively gets better. Like the meringue recipe, only one piece of ingredients can make or break the final product, which is the same about Ray's life. If he wouldn't have started seeing Norah, maybe his life wouldn't have ended up so happy after-all.

For OTHER symbols/emblems, that exemplify the film "Just Add Water" is sand, ramen noodles, Stevo the turtle, Rite Value, Lightning, loveseat/couch.

Chevrolet Station- hope, adds color, new dynamism, RWB, American Dream

Rite Value- as the town, no variety, one employee, beaten down, no diverse attitude, same things everyday

Tinbox- refers back to it whenever he gets discouraged, inside = hope, pictures of Nora, tell him to keep on going, restored hope

Stevo Turtle- at end, no longer caged.. symbol for town that they are free. now have 40 companion turtles (habitat set up) = town

"How We Evolve"- Benjamin Phelan

This article reminded me of Darwinism, as soon as it opened up. Phelan writes about how mutations in genetics are possible, including the lactose intolerant gene that causes adults to not be able to have milk. Today, this gene is seen throughout many people. According to "How We Evolve", the gene appeared about 8,000 years ago but did not become common in the population until about 3,000 years ago. Another topic that Phelan discusses is HapMap, "a massive survey of the genetic differences between selected populations from around the world". This tool can show where natural selection has occurred, which is beneficial to study human evolution. According to the article, by looking at the genetic information of different populations, it is possible to weed out patterns of genetic inheritance, how diseases fit with genes and possibly how some mutations started. This shows how our world is heavily evolving and how we create our own evolution.

At the end of the article, a "self-inflicted extinction" is mentioned, meaning that we change our own world and evolve ourselves based on our actions, such as global warming, destroying our climate, and new technology. These factors could lead to human extinction because the climate could ultimately destroy us. It is getting late, and according to Phelen (which I agree with), we should try to fix these before it gets TOO late. We're not ready for human extinction yet!

INFER:

How do we stop global warming and climate change and know when depletion of resources is enough?

The Way I Feel About Blogging

I like blogging because it is a way to express emotions, see peers work and get feedback on our responses to what we read.

Reverse Outline "John Broome's Article- "The Ethics of Climate Change"-- Ariel A. , Hannah T. , Kendra, Parth D.

For each paragraph, write a three to five word index or summary for the paragraph:

1. Cause and Effect of Climate Change

2. Unhealthy Emissions

3. Ethical Questions of Future Generations

4. Multiple deaths relating to environmental problems

5. Climate change will cause harm- health & impoverished people

6. Cars & Greenhouse Gases

7. Ethics of Costs and Benefits- What we have to change right now

8. Climate change as economics

9. Nicholas Stern- "Stern Review"- ideas of benefits & value

10. Justification of Change Now or Later?

11. the Richer the Future - Goods have diminishing marginal value

"The Ethics of Climate Change"

John Broome's article "The Ethics of Climate Change" is obviously about climate change. Ethics was used to describe ways to face the issue of global warming. The article's thesis is how to compensate people for bad things that are being done to the environment. It is up to us to handle ways to fix this issue, instead of wasting time using ethics to think of creative ways. The author of the article writes about prioritarianism, giving priority to the less well off. I don't understand what this had to do with the article and how the richer future section of this article had anything to do with climate change. Honestly, this article confuses me.

Likewise, in the article, the idea of fixing society's well being through production was discussed. Our society produces too much waste and needs to start producing more environmentally efficient means of production. He states at the end, "Ethical considerations cannot be avoided in determining the discount rate", and how climate change has to do exactly with ethics. This concept is confusing to me and the only thing I got out of the article was to stop producing waste, which by now is a given, obvious fact.

"Big Foot"- Michael Specter

Michael Specter said that "food miles" are a solution of waste that is being used for the people, but is destroying people because of the environmental harm. There is pollution everywhere, and we exert so many of our own resources for something that can be grown in a closer, tighter place. We keep adding more fuel costs to products. John Elkington says, "We are in an era of creative destruction". Ever since "going green" became the new fad, we are faced with the issue of global warming, everyone is trying to capitalize off our destruction and we are trapped. There are ideas being created without even the slightest thought toward anything besies money. We should stop making new natural resources that only cause damage.

Personally, I do feel responsible because of how much I drive. I could definitely drive less and work on carpooling. It's impossible for me to get anywhere without a car, and the only way to fill up is with fossil fuels. Companies are attempting to come up with new ways to give us electric cars, and hybrids, but in today's economy, not many people are willing to go out and change their cars to new ones. We, as a generation, need to think about our energy consumption before we destroy our world. Fixing our world is a slow process, but we have to start somewhere.

Just Add Water

1. How did Dirk become the leader?
2. What is in the box?
3. Who is the Rite girl?

What is a Writer!? AM I A WRITER?

Heck yes, I am. I mean, I'm double majoring in creative writing... Lets hope that would make me a writer. According to the dictionary, a writer is someone who writes texts.

To me, a writer is someone who expresses their ideas and thoughts in any way that they want, that enjoys to write. I believe writers can be funny, straight forward or a combination of both. No specific type of writing forms a writer, for "us writers" can do whatever we want to be classified in this profession. A writer is one that can formulate ideas into words into sentences into paragraphs into papers, blogs, essays or rants. I tend to rant a lot, if you can't tell. My preffered type of writing is colloquial rants, and I have a personal blog as well where I just writewritewrite and do whatever I feel like doing. A writer knows grammar and spelling and punctuation, I hope.. but at the same time, they don't have to. youse can write however u want and do whatevzzz!! Some books aren't even grammatically correctly written... as in "A Million Little Pieces", the author doesn't use punctuation at all really.

A writer can be whatever they want to be. No one can tell you that you're not a writer- one's expression of thoughts on paper has no limits.

Writing Center !!!!!!

I found the writing center extremely useful. I went in nervous, expecting to sit down and be distracted and stare off into space for the hour. I came in with no ideas, completely lost with my thoughts, and confused. By the use of the writing center, I was able to come up with a brilliant idea with just a push from a writing center tutor. I went to someone, whose name is escaping me right now, with a green mohawk and a cheery attitude. He worked in the drama department through Hofstra, had Dr. Lay for a few years, and was very familiar with my essay topic. The writing center tutor/teacher gave me leeway into answering my own ideas and questions. He made me read the sonnets out loud and diagnose every piece and line. He proposed thoughts and made me answer them myself which let me look inside my own mind to figure out my essay, instead of him giving me the essay answer. I'm glad that the writing center teacher tutor I went to was experienced with the Twelfth Night, he was able to write my paper with me instead of not knowing my topic. After I went to the writing center, I had a more structured essay with a focus instead of jumble. I heavily suggest the writing center and I will definitely be going back. I may even venture into this center for other classes as well.. But I haven't gotten my grade yet on this paper so all of these positive statements may be revoked depending on what grade I get. ;) Haha (Just kidding).

"The Reality Tests"

Joshua Roebke asks in his essay- “Do we create what we observe through the act of our observations?”. Things do not really exist, bringing up a complicated question that shakes every piece of knowledge known to man. Geogle Berkley, an Irish Clergyman that talks about Quantam Mechanics, believed in the idea that things only existed if they passed through our senses. Quantum Mechanics proves this idea correct, because in order for an object to exist, we must prove that objects do not previously exist unless we recognize them.

One strength in Roebke's theory is that electrons are constantly in motion, and by affecting one we could affect another as a ripple effects in the pond or water.

Faustian Economics

"Faustian Economics by Wendell Berry is an article about a man criticizing American life. We don't do much to help out our climate problem and according to the author, we take "useless steps" to fix it. Berry believes we must get rid of the standard that Americans have to fix the climate problem, which is greed and wastefulness. If we cut back on wastefulness, the world would be better, according to him. Berry also says that there are ways to fix our problems- an example using biofuel shows that we still look to produce ways to fix our problems but it comes with a cost. We as Americans are too greedy, and must stop consuming and wasting so much.

gReEd iS....

Greed is the president of a large corporation giving himself a huge raise after laying off 20,000 people. 20,000 men and women are now without jobs, not being able to support their families. They must start the job hunt all over again, starting from scratch at wanted ads and minimal wage, hoping to earn enough to just get by. This president now has enough money to throw around within his company due to the layoff of jobs of his workers, so he is able to give himself a bigger bonus and paycheck and afford a trip for the family to go to Aruba for two weeks. He is able to buy himself a new Mercedes CLK while one unemployed man has to sell his 2000 Toyota Camry to afford for his child to afford a community college in the town.

Jacques Derrida

In the Youtube video of Jacques Derrida, I watched a man talk about writing, saying he feels everything he has written is important to convey to the world and everyone else. His arguments may be controversial but they are important to let his audience know. At times he felt like his writing was controversial but that didn't stop him from expressing his feelings. Derrida expresses that he compares himself to the classic childlike dream that Freud spoke about, where a child is scared because everyone sees them in their underwear. Derrida makes himself naked to the world in a way that everyone watches him. Derrida also mentions how when he writes he says what must be said. Derrida is hiding behind his pen and paper, giving him the power to write whatever he wants no matter how controversial it may be.

Poems by R. Jones and R. Hass

"The Problem of Describing Trees" by Robert Haas and "Hubris at Zunzal" by Rodney Jones metaphorically describe language and how it is created and used. Jones' poem describes a man in the sunset who floats out to sea. He feels relief after dumping his drink out, metaphorically proving that language, portrayed by his drink, can be lost so easily in the vast ocean. His one drink was a thought within language, while the ocean is the collectiveness of everyone else. His thoughts were mixed in with everyone else, and now the thought is gone. The second poem by Haas describes how language can grow and develop like a tree. With words like "flutter", "dance", "wobb;y stem" and "capitalized" one can see how a tree can grow. Language must start off small like a tree as well, making itself beautiful throughout time. These poems are similar in a sense.

Collaborative Learning and the Conversation of Mankind

"Collaborative Learning and the Conversation of Mankind" by Kenneth Bruffee looked at the idea of whether or not we should have collaborative learning in the classroom, looking at the psychological and philosophical views. The main idea asked whether knowledge for us as humans is an innate gift, bred within us, or is it something we recieve by interacting with others? Brufee develops the essay by thoughts and how we are able to attain knowledge.

We have the capacity for thought- if we didn't have this gift of reason, we would be animals with instricts and desires but no fuel. Reason gives us the process for thought and why we make the decisions we make in our lives. Brufee tells us that thought is inbred in us, and gives us the ability to come up with our own thoughts.

In this article, Bruffee says knowledge is the product of a social interaction between humans. We aren't able to come up with this information unless we work with other people as well. He gives the example of a doctor with med. students, attempting to diagnose a patient. Each student try to determine what is wrong, but then the doctor tells them to work as a team to discover it. Relating to students, we each put our thoughts together to form one idea, comparing their ideas together to get a better picture. None of us know everything and it is great to learn from one another to collaborate to have better ideas and get a bigger, better picture.

content is happiness and things that are held or stored

spring=youth

summer=teen

fall-middle age

winter= old age

Catalogues Beauty~ Geoffrey of Vinsauf

Brow: seat of rationality

Eyes: soul/spirit/interior character

Lips: speech/sensuality

Neck: connector head/body

Waist: represents wealth

"i am not what i am"

Viola: "Then think you right. I am not what I am."
Olivia: "I would you were as I would have you be." (III.i.148-9)
In the garden, Olivia and Viola express their confusion. Viola cannot tell Olivia that she is a girl and cannot have Olivia tell her that she loves her. Kindly, she expresses that she is not who Olivia thinks she is, hoping Olivia will move on and stop loving Vola. The love triangle then gets complicated with two people caught in the middle. Olivia does not catch onto Violas drift because Olivia says she loves Cesario no matter what.

"yet to crush it a little"

Malvolio: "...and yet to crush it a little, it would bow to me..." (II.v.143-145)
Malvolio is in the garden reading Olivia's letter outloud. He realizes the letters MOAI mean something regarding him because M is the first letter, as it is for "Malvolio". All he wants to do is "crush" and figuring out the letter means the letters have to do with him. By "bowing" to it, he feels happy that "Olivia loves him" which is not true.

"I am the man"

Viola: "I am the man" (II.ii.25)
Viola says this line in act 2 right after Malvolio brings her the ring from Olivia. Malvolio says Viola (Cesario) can return to Olivia's house only to express Orsino's love. Viola realizes Olivia is in love with Cesario, while Viola is in love with the Duke. Viola is in complete shock because she can't believe that Olivia loves her, even thought Viola is portrayed as a man. This is where the love triangle starts.

My Montage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z995HyZU_g

Working with Data from the Shakespeare Concordance

1. What thematic strands have you located?

Disguise...conceal...veil

DISGUISE

Act 1, Scene 2

VIOLA There is a fair behavior in thee, captain;

And though that nature with a beauteous wall

Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee

I will believe thou hast a mind that suits

With this thy fair and outward character.

I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,

Conceal me what I am, and be my aid

For such disguise as haply shall become

The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke:

Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him:

It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing

And speak to him in many sorts of music

That will allow me very worth his service.

What else may hap to time I will commit;

Only shape thou thy silence to my wit.

Act 2, Scene 2

VIOLA I left no ring with her: what means this lady?

Fortune forbid my outside have not charm'd her!

She made good view of me; indeed, so much,

That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,

For she did speak in starts distractedly.

She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion

Invites me in this churlish messenger.

None of my lord's ring! why, he sent her none.

I am the man: if it be so, as 'tis,

Poor lady, she were better love a dream.

Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness,

Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

How easy is it for the proper-false

In women's waxen hearts to set their forms!

Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!

For such as we are made of, such we be.

How will this fadge? my master loves her dearly;

And I, poor monster, fond as much on him;

And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.

What will become of this? As I am man,

My state is desperate for my master's love;

As I am woman,--now alas the day!--

What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!

O time! thou must untangle this, not I;

It is too hard a knot for me to untie!

CONCEAL

Act 1, Scene 2

VIOLA There is a fair behavior in thee, captain;

And though that nature with a beauteous wall

Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee

I will believe thou hast a mind that suits

With this thy fair and outward character.

I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously,

Conceal me what I am, and be my aid

For such disguise as haply shall become

The form of my intent. I'll serve this duke:

Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him:

It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing

And speak to him in many sorts of music

That will allow me very worth his service.

What else may hap to time I will commit;

Only shape thou thy silence to my wit.

Act 4, Scene 3

OLIVIA Blame not this haste of mine. If you mean well,

Now go with me and with this holy man

Into the chantry by: there, before him,

And underneath that consecrated roof,

Plight me the full assurance of your faith;

That my most jealous and too doubtful soul

May live at peace. He shall conceal it

Whiles you are willing it shall come to note,

What time we will our celebration keep

According to my birth. What do you say?

VEIL

Act 1, Scene 5

OLIVIA Give me my veil: come, throw it o'er my face.

We'll once more hear Orsino's embassy.

2. Where is the data you retrieved found? What is happening in context when Shakespeare employs this particular theme or image?

All of these, except one, are said by Viola (the only character in the play to put on a real "mask", becoming Cesario). In context, Viola is thinking to herself about the disguises, or Olivia is wondering about the disguise, or she is putting on a veil.

3. How does the data you retrieved support your first thoughts on Shakespeare's obsessive use of a particular image? What can you argue about Shakespeare's figuration?

Shakespeare likes to bring up recurring images, and often uses figurations to portray an idea.

The first day of march.

The Properties of Arguments:

-Claim; the assetion has been made that something has to be believed, or chosen, or done.

-There is a reason(s) for a claim, the assetion has been made of something supporting what is to be believed, chosen or done

-Reason(s) is(are) linguistically explicable and overtly expressed

-The claim is linguistically explicable

-An attempt to communicate the claim and reason(s)

Focused Freewrite on the Twelfth Night- ACT II

In Act II. iii. 179, Maria calls her scheme to manipulate and embarrass Malvolio "Sport royal..." What do you make of this?

Maria knows that Malvolio thinks highly of himself and he believes everyone loves him. By calling it/him "sport royal..." that translates to a royal sport, which is more like a good sport. This may be sarcastic, because he wouldn't be a good sport. I looked at the surrounding text and I wasn't sure what it meant.

Inkshedding

In The Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene Three, the Fool says, “How now, my hearts? Did you ever see the picture of ‘we three’? I believe this quote makes fun of the characters altogether. “How now” is a greeting, such as saying hello to friends. This is informal, however, the second part insinuates how the feste thinks they look like fools standing around talking about nonsense. “We three” is a reference to a picture of the fools, making the viewer into the 3^rd fool. It is almost like he is making fun of Toby and Andrew, and to do so, he must make fun of himself as well. Toby just demanded another drink, calling for himself to be labeled as a fool. His foolishness is different than “the Fool’s” foolishness. The Fool is smarter than he seems but the two dopey men Toby and Andrew are not. The catch is, the Fool already self-identifies as a fool, so what does he care if he gets called one? It’s basically a round about Shakesperian way of saying “it takes one to know one”. Maybe the Fool will play a bigger role later on in the play? Toby and Andrew don’t even get a joke that they are being called fools.

The Small Object, Large Subject Paper was.....

pretty fun! and enjoyable! I like creative pieces like this that highlight on the educational portion that we must approach in class but give the writer a creative side to focus on. I like that we were able to come up with our own subject based on a very small outline that we must follow. It was an interesting essay to write and I believe everyones would be different. I'm sure it would be enjoyable to read everyones in the class. I hope we can write more papers that are this creative and fun.

Focused Freewrite on the Twelfth Night

After reading ACT I of TWN, I can't stop thinking about...

how I got all my work done yesterday. I was sitting in my bed, holding my brand new copy of The Twelfth Night in my hands, deciding when, or if, this reading would even get done. No one else around me was doing homework. I was tired. It was around 4 o'clock, and I knew I had to get to a Superbowl party by 5:30, the latest. Would an hour and a half be enough to read, analyze, understand and ask questions on this book? It actually was. I sat down, started reading, and thoroughly understood and liked it. What was my little secret? I found audio files of many people reading the play out loud, and listened to it as I read along. Kinda like those 'easy reader' books you all had when you were kids. Shakespeare is meant to be read out loud as a play, not read by yourself. So, yeah. I got all my work done on a Sunday afternoon. And I enjoyed it as well.

http://www.speak-the-speech.com/twelfthnightmain.htm <-- The audio files. I'm not sure if I should credit these to any source or what not, because I hope this isn't plagarizing or whatever.. but thanks to whoever put these up online cause they are a hugeeeee help!!!

The Twelfth Night- 6 Unanswered Questions in ACT 1

1. What does the title mean?

2. How does the Duke trust Viola (Cesario) so quickly?

3. How did Olivia's brother die?

4. How could Olivia fall in love with Viola (Cesario) so fast?

5. Why is the Clown going to be hung?

6. What was the Clowns reason for leaving?

Revision Practices... In Class Discussion

Do Now;

Cut up paper with scissor, re-tape essay together.

Add something to your writing.

When you revise, what do you actually do? What kinds of changes do you make? DO you revise your writing? Or, is revision an afterthought?

When I revise, I type something and then go back in a little while, after letting my brain and fingers cool down, and read it out loud. I feel like while reading out loud, I can get the jist of whatever I am writing as the audience, per say, instead of the writer. Once, I even let a friend read it out loud for me. While revising my writing, sometimes I'll move paragraphs around, delete words, fix grammar, etc. I believe all good papers must be revised before handed in, therefore not being an afterthought. If you wait to revise your papers AFTER they are handed in, you will most likely not get as good of a grade.

What figuration can you apply to your revision practices? What metaphor best represents your approach to revision?

Revision is like going shopping for a huge party the first time around. You will get some of the right things and most likely get the general amount completed, but you'll always have to go back and return some items and exchange others, possibly picking up a new item here and there. After a couple of tries, it's most likely close to perfect.

Abstract- "To Take Wilderness In Hand"

The article "To Take Wildness In Hand" and was written by Michelle Nijhuis is about trying to save the tree Torreya Taxifalia, while it needs a cooler climate, therefore leading scientists to move it up north. She speaks in a sarcastic tone, telling the reader that there is a possibility of the tree's decrease in population due to climate change. This specific type of tree, the Torreya Taxifalia, is a species of tree located in the Florida Panhandle area. The species suffers from decrease in population most likely due to global warming. The tree species lives in a cool part of Florida and is dying because temperatures rise, therefore leading the tree to have to be moved to a cooler place in a cooler climate. Likewise, the article covers issues about helping move the trees to a new location. By the time they are moved, the climate will have changed even more. The argument is that it is our responsibility as environmentalists to save the trees before they die off. The writer of this article assumes that we know about global warming, and everyone cares about the environment. Global warming and it's effects were never discussed.

Freewrite

Expressivist Writing VS. Information- Based Writing

It snowed last night, and…

I literally fell asleep before it started. I was so exhausted from the overload of work that I’ve been getting, so I tucked myself into bed to watch TV and fell asleep before I even knew that snow was predicted. I woke up this morning and was really surprised. Unfortunately, even thought I love this miracle of snow, it’s basically overkill now. Snow is “cute” in December, maybe even the beginning of January, but now I’m just sick and tired of it. Maybe if it stuck and wasn’t just a thin sheet of flakes, it’d be great. Like, you know, a snow day where perhaps classes are cancelled, or even one of those mornings where I could wake up and be like “Wow! Look at ALL the snow”.. I couldn’t even say that this morning. I’m patiently waiting until Spring, however I know it will be here soon.

What is blue?

BLUE: sky, blueberry, a blue crayon, bruises, blue jeans, this chair, bluejay, blue ink,

NOT BLUE: Blue moon, the Blue’s (depression), music genre ‘the blue’s’, blue blooded, blue collared worker, the beer blue moon, ocean blue

Abstract-"Virtual Iraq"

After war, many marines suffer through battle fatigue, or Post Trauma Stress Disorder. These soldiers are left with memories after they witness death that hinders them through living their everyday life. What is the prescription for an invisible wound? From the article Virtual Iraq by Sue Halpern, Virtual Iraq is a program given by psychologists that helps to "disconnect the memory from the reactions to the memory, so that although the memory of the traumatic event remains, the everyday things that can trigger fear and panic, such as trash blowing across the interstate or a car backfiring—what psychologists refer to as cues—are restored to insignificance". This virtual war stimulator is part of immersion therapy, as it allows the warrior to revisit and retell their story. The scenarios of Iraq are given in sessions and introduced gradually, so that it isn't too much to handle at first. While this sounds like an easy way to help cure these battle wounds, therapists "have been slow to adopt exposure therapy, because they worry that it might be cruel to immerse a patient in a drowning pool of painful memories". However, hopefully this therapy doesn't work in a reverse way by making these wounds deeper and drowning the ex-soldiers in their old nightmares once more. The point of this "virtual war" is to help patients from suffering from PTSD before it starts, unlike what happened with Vietnam. According to the results of the article, Virtual Iraq does help, but PTSD is a condition that one must live by and work with, not cure. An invisible wound can be cleaned up and bandaged, but it will never heal perfectly.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/19/080519fa_fact_halpern?currentPage=all

Notes from Class Discussion on "High Tech Trash"

Knowledge is thought externalized. Thinking is resultant of social interaction and conversation. Writing is thought re-externalized. –Ken Bruffee

1. What data does Chris Carroll draw on in “High-Tech Trash” (Did you access any of this data?) -- Personal experience- went to go see it with his own eyes, Matthew Hale from EPA, Gordon Moore- “Moore’s law”, BAN, High school teacher in China, A Store in Frederick, Maryland, Basel Convention

2. Does Carroll use active verbs in his presentation? Where? -- Choking, Bashed, Flanked, Smashing, Rumbles

Does Carroll use figuration (figurative language, similies/metaphors) to make meaning more readily accessible for the non-specialist reader? Where? No, most of his information is simple with research, rather than similies are metaphors. Yet, he kind of speaks in figuration to describe the setting for the reader who cannot imagine what it looks like.

4. Portable wisdom from Nicholas Carr: “I’m not thinking the way I used to” (30). à What wisdom does Carroll offer? --“People have always been profficient about making trash”, “In a global economy, out of sight will not stay out of mind for long.”, “The key to making money is speed, not safety”, “So what happens to all this junk?”- His wisdom is to realize where your technology is going.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/carroll-text/1

Abstract - "High Tech Trash"

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/carroll-text/1

National Geographic posted a story on the environmental impact of all our technological waste. At one point during the year, there is a round up of all the technological trash that has been sitting around collecting dust. I couldn't even believe what I was reading as I read the details on the effects of the "high-tech trash" to these workers, such as the fact that they "feel sick in their chest" after, and get "feelings of the gas going to the back of their heads". This article also discusses "e-waste", what is going to happen at the end of the 20th century. According to the article, "70% of discarded computers and monitors, as well over 80% of TVs, eventually end up in landfills, despite a growing number of state laws that prohibit dumping of e-waste, which may leak lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, beryllium, and other toxics into the ground," which is very disturbing to hear. The areas where "disposals" are become very damaged over time, with chemicals released into the air and into your body, polluting the soil and air as well. Can you believe the world we live in has this many toxins in the ground, all due to US?Many people do not realize the process of disposing of technology, and after this article, it should hit you. Dumping electronics into innocent countries such as Africa is wrong. As much as I am not shocked that this is happening, it is just very disturbing. Enough is enough!

A "Smart" Phone Plan?

While browsing the "Verizon Wireless" website, I noticed that there are double the amount of 3G smartphones as there are simple phones. If I was to be doing this four years ago, this result would be the opposite. Phone companies are changing over in a few months to require every phone with access to the internet to be hooked up to the internet. In other words, if you have access to the web on your phone, you must pay for it, even if you do not plan on using it. As the technology generation grows older, the common man feels the pressure to purchase a smart phone to fit into the popular status quo, with the mandatory internet, even if he knows he will not use it.

Since when does our generation require us all to carry so many applications and informational phones with the internet on the tips of our fingertips? Why do we feel peer pressure to buy a phone with an extra $30 per month charge just to be able to check our facebook's and textsfromlastnight.com? Unfortunately, I cannot be a hypocrite in this circumstance, since I own the newest Blackberry Curve. However, I will be playing devil's advocate here, and fighting against societal pressure on buying a smartphone. Phone companies are making internet mandatory on internet-based phones, which is basically all phones. If you do not want to access the internet, you don't have much of a choice, except to buy a simple "cheap" samsung phone which is most likely pre-owned. Why is it that phone companies assume everyone wants a blackberry or other smart phone for it's internet usage? What if this one person wants a blackberry just for the use of the QWERTY keyboard and slim complexity? To get around this, you would have to purchase a simple phone, without the web. By simple phones, I mean ones that can make phone calls, send text messages, have cameras, VZ Navigator, family locator, and V Cast Music. Are all of those options really so "simple"? What makes a phone "complex?" Almost all of my friends own a "smart phone", which has full web browsing, along with many applications available for download, such as Google maps, photosharing via internet, applications only available from personal phone to the same personal phone, such as "bumping" for iPhones which syncs ones contact information with the click of the other iPhone, or "BBM" (blackberry messanger), blackberry's version of "AIM".

Ultimately, although I am a victim of the status quo of buying a blackberry, it doesn't make a right that every person wants the internet on their phone. Some can't afford it, and some just don't want it. This may not be such a "smart" phone plan afterall...

Toulmin Model of "Is Good Making Us Stupider?"

The article Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr focuses on how online search engines such as Google are making us feel 'stupider'. Carr says search engines are spoon feeding us information linking us to other various links on the web. Carr's "claim" in this article is that the internet is blamed for our problems with concentration and surfing the internet. His "main point" is that Google is making us turn into lazy people. Google gives us different outlets to various websites which aids in the adjustments of our generation into a technologically advanced group of people, who require attention. Carr writes, as a reason to support this thesis, "A few google searches, some quick clinks on hyperlinks, and I've got the telltale fact or pithy quote I was after". He knows that Google is beneficial even though it is making us feel stupider. Being lazy is not such a bad thing after-all. Carr also believes that technology is slowing us down while it speeds us up. He mentions Frederick Nietzsche's writing and how it began to change once he started using a typewriter. This agrees with the idea that technology changes us and how things get done. Nietzsche agrees that our technology changes the way we do things. We rely on technology so much that us as a generation are changing ourselves for "technology". However, even though this article is very intriguing and brings up many great points, I wonder if Carr wrote the article based on the belief if everyone has the internet available? Not EVERYONE in the world can access Google... so, who are the dumb ones here? The WHOLE world, or Google users?

Is Google Making Us Stupider?

Do I feel like Google is making us stupid? I was asked to answer this question after reading the article Is Google Making Us Stupider? by Nicholas Carr. Well, let me evaluate it. The world is at my fingertips. While I sit typing this blog, perhaps I want to open a side tab and read about an upcoming movie. Or maybe I'm interested in the calories in a specific food I like. Or maybe I could look at the lyrics for the song that is playing on "iTunes" in the distance behind my internet on my desktop.

There are so many advantages to using Google. I believe the most beneficial one is the act of saving time, instead of physically going to the library. The myriad of information searched through google is infinite, while I can basically have any question answered, plus more. Google extends through every single website on the internet, which is indefinitely awesome.

While this sounds like the best invention of mankind, I feel a little stupider than my parents did while they were in college. Well, maybe not stupider... because without Google I wouldn't be filled with the academic information I have in me, besides what I learn in school. However, Google makes me feel lazy. While I would need to get off the couch and go to the library to literally find a book, to find the page and then read, I would much prefer to type in the few key terms that I need to research on a website that is bookmarked in Safari. Pretty sure that back in the 70s, my dad could not type in "What is the state bird of Oklahoma?" on his Macbook, which I'm pretty sure he didn't know of either, the bird or what a Macbook was, when he was eighteen.

Although I feel "lazy" when I'm using google, and I hate to phrase it this way, but whose it hurting? I don't mind feeling lazy if it will get me somewhere, such as broadening my educational horizons. I will obviously learn more if I can expand my mind with the click of a mouse, instead of the turn of a page. The hyperlinks to hyperlinks will pull me to different sources of information, that I may not have even thought about reading and learning about beforehand. Google does ALL of our pre-thinking, which cuts out a chunk of activity that we would have been forced to do, if we were reading a book. Unfortunately, our generation is not exposed to learning through books as much, rather we choose to read online instead. But if we are producing students who are just as bright as they were before computers, and the infamous "Google", who cares how they got there?