Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Extra Credit: Darfur Presentation
I really enjoyed the Darfur presentation. The guy used a power point presentation to further illustrate the ongoing problems in Darfur. What I thought was really cool was that he gave us this phone number that was like a hot line for your local governor or house representative and all you had to do is dial the number 1-800-436-6243 and then put in your zip code and you could get directly connected to the governor and tell her to pass the bill that will help stop genocide. Another thing that I thought was cool was that they have a website that grades presidential candidates and other politicians on their participation in stopping genocide. They use the same scale of grading from A+ to an F. I thought that this should have been a required thing to go to because it really enlightened people about the truth and also showed many different ways of helping prevent genocide. They way he shared his information was really cool and the power point had lots of interesting pictures of the things going on in Darfur.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Skateboarding; The Quintessential Boarding Sport
Yes it's skateboarding. The sport that has been revolutionized over the years since 1950ʻs when the first skateboard was manufactured from a mere four by two with roller skates attached to the bottom. So why is skateboarding the most quintessential boarding sport? Well first off its one of the most popular and well-known sport through out the world. Out of all the boarding sports it can be ridden at almost anytime and location. Surfing requires an ocean, good waves, and clear weather. All of these things are out of our control so surfing is not a guarantee activity everyday. Snowboarding requires well, snow! And since we live in a paradise snow is not an option. Skateboarding can be done on the street, garage, of the curb, anyplace where there is concrete, wood, or a hard surface. You can skate in the rain (although chances of injuries or a rusty board are increased) and since we humans spend most of out time on land instead of the ocean, then skateboarding dominates surfing since it can be done anywhere at anytime. Morning skating, noon skating, night skating, you could even skate in dirt (using a different kind of board and wheels). A misconception is that skating idolizes breaking the law when in actuality it tries to express freedom: freeing you of your troubles and focuses you on riding the board and releasing your troubled mind from the problems in the world around you.
Without snow or an ocean, this feeling of freedom can't be reached so with the skateboard it creates a bridge to that place of freedom. That's why skateboarding is the quintessential boarding sport.
Without snow or an ocean, this feeling of freedom can't be reached so with the skateboard it creates a bridge to that place of freedom. That's why skateboarding is the quintessential boarding sport.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Practice SAT writing #2
In this essay we had to talk about the emphasise on practical learning and if there is too much emphasis on it. Take a look...
Practical learning can be a useful tool into living a successful life but do people put too much emphasis on it? Without practical thinking there wouldn't be specialists in certain fields such as medicine or law. Practical learning seems kosher to most people but is it really?
Western society and culture has been influencing young minds that if you live a successful life (materialistically), you will be happy. This puts pressure on students, particularly high school students, that are trying to strive for good grades which take them to college, and then their dream job. The pressure influences the students to learn only what is needed to get to their dream job, without wasting any time on learning other new subjects and ideas. They feel like they have to focus only on practical things that apply to themselves.
Currently I play soccer for a club team but lately my concern for a good college education and job has been discouraging me from playing. Even though I'm only in high school, it feels as if I have to plan out the rest of my life in black and white already and it makes me only want to pick courses that concern with my future. With all this pressure, I know I'm probably not going to ensue this career and make it professionally so why should I bother playing soccer? If Western culture raised us to learn for the sake of learning, school would be more enjoyable for most people and there would be less pressure on worrying about the future.
I think that we have been bestowed with so much pressure upon us to become "successful business men" that it seems like we should only learn the things we need to know, in order to strive towards our goal of "living successfully". If you learn for the sake of learning, you could end up discovering something you enjoy doing and at the same time make a successful living. Instead of concentrating on practical skills, you should focus more on learning as much as you can now on anything, so that later when you do have to decided on your future job, you'll have more of a variety to pick from.
Practical learning can be a useful tool into living a successful life but do people put too much emphasis on it? Without practical thinking there wouldn't be specialists in certain fields such as medicine or law. Practical learning seems kosher to most people but is it really?
Western society and culture has been influencing young minds that if you live a successful life (materialistically), you will be happy. This puts pressure on students, particularly high school students, that are trying to strive for good grades which take them to college, and then their dream job. The pressure influences the students to learn only what is needed to get to their dream job, without wasting any time on learning other new subjects and ideas. They feel like they have to focus only on practical things that apply to themselves.
Currently I play soccer for a club team but lately my concern for a good college education and job has been discouraging me from playing. Even though I'm only in high school, it feels as if I have to plan out the rest of my life in black and white already and it makes me only want to pick courses that concern with my future. With all this pressure, I know I'm probably not going to ensue this career and make it professionally so why should I bother playing soccer? If Western culture raised us to learn for the sake of learning, school would be more enjoyable for most people and there would be less pressure on worrying about the future.
I think that we have been bestowed with so much pressure upon us to become "successful business men" that it seems like we should only learn the things we need to know, in order to strive towards our goal of "living successfully". If you learn for the sake of learning, you could end up discovering something you enjoy doing and at the same time make a successful living. Instead of concentrating on practical skills, you should focus more on learning as much as you can now on anything, so that later when you do have to decided on your future job, you'll have more of a variety to pick from.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Nanthan: Obsessed Maniac
Psychological Critic
As we read through The Poison Wood Bible, we begin to learn more about Nathan Price and why he became the man he is in the book. By being the psychological critic, I began searching for some answers on why he makes the choice he does in the book along with what he says. You could also consider me to be the Devil’s advocate in this “literature figure eight” because most of the things he says and choices he makes harm people emotionally and mentally.
In the beginning of Judge’s, Orlenna Price gives us a fairly clear history of Nathan’s past along with their marriage and life spent together. Something that had caught my eye was after they had married, Nathan was sent out to war in the Philippines.
In the war, Nathan takes a wound to the head from a shell fragment. He was sent to a hospital and was taken care there but had not learned about what had happened to the rest of his company while he was in the hospital in Corregidor. He learned that after a terrible decision by a commander to have his company move out to Manila in Bataan Peninsula, they were rounded up by gunpoint and were marched to a prison camp. Nobody survived the Death March. Nathan being a very, very religious man, felt guilty and like a coward for not being there with his fellow soldiers and also probably felt like God was punishing him and despised him. “Already Nathan’s obsession with guilt and God’s reproof was infecting me” (199). Orlenna begins to feel as if Nathan cares more about what God thinks of him and that he is constantly watching his every move and Nathan doesn’t want to disappoint God or get punished severely from it. Also, the effects of war had greatly changed the way Nathan lived and began to devote himself more to God. Orlenna notices his behavior and says, “Nathan was changed, I could see, but he only seemed more devout [to his religion]” (197). With Nathan’s obsession of his religion and his guilt towards God, he turns into a monster in the eyes of Orlenna.
Now that I have established the fact that Nathan is an obsessive Christ lover (no offense to anyone that is religious), I can see why some of the choice he makes are from his guilt. For example, “Nathan was made feverish by sex, and trembled afterward praying aloud and blaming me for my wantonness” (198). After Nathan and Orlenna had copulated, his guilt motivates him to pray and blame Orlenna so that God won’t punish him for what he had done.
Also when Orlenna was pregnant with Rachel, Nathan harshly said to her, “Not a one of those men will ever see a son born to carry on his name. And you dare to gloat before Christ himself about your undeserved blessing” (198). This to me was probably one of the weirdest and meanest things for him to say when Orlenna was pregnant. This comes back to his guilt. After not fighting along with his fellow men in war, he feels as if the child she is receiving is an undeserved blessing even though she hadn’t done anything wrong to deserve that kind of abusive statement. Nathan again the tries to blame her in front of God for having a baby (since he is always watching) to not get punished from God.
Nathan is a very deranged person after the war. I personally think that religion is not always the most helpful of things. It causes disputes which turn into wars. I can also create monsters such as Nathan. In summer school, a teacher talked to us about religion and told us that we should pick our religion to fit us. Something that makes sense to us and that can fit with what you perceive on how to love your life. I think that if religion drives people to the point of obsession and paranoia of God punishing us for their sins, then why believe in it?
As we read through The Poison Wood Bible, we begin to learn more about Nathan Price and why he became the man he is in the book. By being the psychological critic, I began searching for some answers on why he makes the choice he does in the book along with what he says. You could also consider me to be the Devil’s advocate in this “literature figure eight” because most of the things he says and choices he makes harm people emotionally and mentally.
In the beginning of Judge’s, Orlenna Price gives us a fairly clear history of Nathan’s past along with their marriage and life spent together. Something that had caught my eye was after they had married, Nathan was sent out to war in the Philippines.
In the war, Nathan takes a wound to the head from a shell fragment. He was sent to a hospital and was taken care there but had not learned about what had happened to the rest of his company while he was in the hospital in Corregidor. He learned that after a terrible decision by a commander to have his company move out to Manila in Bataan Peninsula, they were rounded up by gunpoint and were marched to a prison camp. Nobody survived the Death March. Nathan being a very, very religious man, felt guilty and like a coward for not being there with his fellow soldiers and also probably felt like God was punishing him and despised him. “Already Nathan’s obsession with guilt and God’s reproof was infecting me” (199). Orlenna begins to feel as if Nathan cares more about what God thinks of him and that he is constantly watching his every move and Nathan doesn’t want to disappoint God or get punished severely from it. Also, the effects of war had greatly changed the way Nathan lived and began to devote himself more to God. Orlenna notices his behavior and says, “Nathan was changed, I could see, but he only seemed more devout [to his religion]” (197). With Nathan’s obsession of his religion and his guilt towards God, he turns into a monster in the eyes of Orlenna.
Now that I have established the fact that Nathan is an obsessive Christ lover (no offense to anyone that is religious), I can see why some of the choice he makes are from his guilt. For example, “Nathan was made feverish by sex, and trembled afterward praying aloud and blaming me for my wantonness” (198). After Nathan and Orlenna had copulated, his guilt motivates him to pray and blame Orlenna so that God won’t punish him for what he had done.
Also when Orlenna was pregnant with Rachel, Nathan harshly said to her, “Not a one of those men will ever see a son born to carry on his name. And you dare to gloat before Christ himself about your undeserved blessing” (198). This to me was probably one of the weirdest and meanest things for him to say when Orlenna was pregnant. This comes back to his guilt. After not fighting along with his fellow men in war, he feels as if the child she is receiving is an undeserved blessing even though she hadn’t done anything wrong to deserve that kind of abusive statement. Nathan again the tries to blame her in front of God for having a baby (since he is always watching) to not get punished from God.
Nathan is a very deranged person after the war. I personally think that religion is not always the most helpful of things. It causes disputes which turn into wars. I can also create monsters such as Nathan. In summer school, a teacher talked to us about religion and told us that we should pick our religion to fit us. Something that makes sense to us and that can fit with what you perceive on how to love your life. I think that if religion drives people to the point of obsession and paranoia of God punishing us for their sins, then why believe in it?
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Genesis Lit Circle
Lexicographer
Copulation: -noun
1) sexual intercourse.
2) a joining together or coupling.
Narrator:
“… poisonous frogs war-painted like skeletons, clutched in copulation,secreting their precious eggs onto dripping leaves” (5).
Contingency: -noun
1)dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition; uncertainty; fortuitousness.
2)a contingent event; a chance, accident, or possibility conditional on something uncertain.
3)something incidental to a thing.
Leah:
“Mother tried to think of every contingency, including hunger and illness” (14).
Bougainvillea: -noun
1) any of several shrubs or vines of the genus Bougainvillea, native to South America, having small flowers with showy, variously colored bracts, and often cultivated in warm regions.
Adah:
“… billowy clouds of scarlet bougainvillea” (32).
Consorting: -verb
1)To keep company; associate.
2)To be in accord or agreement.
Leah:
“Father explained to us that he had gone plumb crazy, consorting with the inhabitants of the land” (38).
hyssop: -noun
1) any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Hyssopus, of the mint family, esp. H. officinalis, native to Europe, having clusters of small blue flowers.
2) An unidentified plant mentioned in the Bible as the source of twigs used for sprinkling in certain Hebraic purificatory rites.
Adah:
“…purge me with hyssop” (56). / “Likely she would run through the fields dressed in sackcloth, hunting hyssop amongst the wild bulls” (56).
Nonchalant: -adjective
1) coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual.
Adah:
“Leah, on account of her nonchalant dazzling scores on reading comprehension tests, and myself by association, as I am presumed to have the same brain insofar as the intact parts go” (56)
Putative: -adjective
1) thought, assumed, or alleged to be such or to exist.
Adah:
“We listened vaguely to Our Father’s tale of the putative Mercedes truck” (74).
Bemused: -adjective
1) bewildered or confused.
2) lost in thought; preoccupied.
Adah:
“‘That road,’ said our mother, bemused, gesturing with a lazy bent wrist out the window” (74).
disconsolate: -adjective
1) without consolation or solace; hopelessly unhappy; inconsolable.
2) characterized by or causing dejection; cheerless; gloomy.
Synonyms: heartbroken, dejected.
Adah:
“She [Leah] sat ramrod straight as if she were on television, going
for the sixty-four dollar question.
‘No,’ he said. ‘Each one wouldn’t last but two or three miles.’
‘Oh.’ Leach was disconsolate” (75).
Copulation: -noun
1) sexual intercourse.
2) a joining together or coupling.
Narrator:
“… poisonous frogs war-painted like skeletons, clutched in copulation,secreting their precious eggs onto dripping leaves” (5).
Contingency: -noun
1)dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition; uncertainty; fortuitousness.
2)a contingent event; a chance, accident, or possibility conditional on something uncertain.
3)something incidental to a thing.
Leah:
“Mother tried to think of every contingency, including hunger and illness” (14).
Bougainvillea: -noun
1) any of several shrubs or vines of the genus Bougainvillea, native to South America, having small flowers with showy, variously colored bracts, and often cultivated in warm regions.
Adah:
“… billowy clouds of scarlet bougainvillea” (32).
Consorting: -verb
1)To keep company; associate.
2)To be in accord or agreement.
Leah:
“Father explained to us that he had gone plumb crazy, consorting with the inhabitants of the land” (38).
hyssop: -noun
1) any of several aromatic herbs belonging to the genus Hyssopus, of the mint family, esp. H. officinalis, native to Europe, having clusters of small blue flowers.
2) An unidentified plant mentioned in the Bible as the source of twigs used for sprinkling in certain Hebraic purificatory rites.
Adah:
“…purge me with hyssop” (56). / “Likely she would run through the fields dressed in sackcloth, hunting hyssop amongst the wild bulls” (56).
Nonchalant: -adjective
1) coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual.
Adah:
“Leah, on account of her nonchalant dazzling scores on reading comprehension tests, and myself by association, as I am presumed to have the same brain insofar as the intact parts go” (56)
Putative: -adjective
1) thought, assumed, or alleged to be such or to exist.
Adah:
“We listened vaguely to Our Father’s tale of the putative Mercedes truck” (74).
Bemused: -adjective
1) bewildered or confused.
2) lost in thought; preoccupied.
Adah:
“‘That road,’ said our mother, bemused, gesturing with a lazy bent wrist out the window” (74).
disconsolate: -adjective
1) without consolation or solace; hopelessly unhappy; inconsolable.
2) characterized by or causing dejection; cheerless; gloomy.
Synonyms: heartbroken, dejected.
Adah:
“She [Leah] sat ramrod straight as if she were on television, going
for the sixty-four dollar question.
‘No,’ he said. ‘Each one wouldn’t last but two or three miles.’
‘Oh.’ Leach was disconsolate” (75).
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
CHINESE ROOTS
Over spring break, I got the chance to travel to China with my family, my brother, mom, dad, grandpa, and grandma. We took some interesting pictures while we stayed there. ENJOY!
This is a picture at the GREAT WALL. It was snowing. Everything was coated in snow and it was so foggy and hazy (from pollution) that you could only see things within a 10 foot radius.
Now this picture is very interesting. This is mini Starbucks in the FORBIDDEN CITY (Beijing). Our private guide told us that there were many arguments and political debates on whether to have a Starbucks inside. After it is called the FORBIDDEN CITY.
Nice architectural landscaping.
a little Chinese boy with his mother (cute yea?)
little emperor
Dragon in a Shanghai garden.
This is a picture at the GREAT WALL. It was snowing. Everything was coated in snow and it was so foggy and hazy (from pollution) that you could only see things within a 10 foot radius.
Now this picture is very interesting. This is mini Starbucks in the FORBIDDEN CITY (Beijing). Our private guide told us that there were many arguments and political debates on whether to have a Starbucks inside. After it is called the FORBIDDEN CITY.
Nice architectural landscaping.
a little Chinese boy with his mother (cute yea?)
little emperor
Dragon in a Shanghai garden.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Boom Chick-a-Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!
Well, since Mr. Watson posted his cool beat box, flute paying, prodigy, I thought maybe I could put a cool beat boxing guy of my own. This guy reminded me of a friend that I knew a while back. He had nasty frizzy hair and was super funny. He never had a dull moment and was always cracking funny jokes. When I first saw this I thought this was the one of the funniest things I had ever seen. Here you go.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Through the Eyes of Nathan
Today in class, we tried to step into the shoes of one of the characters from Poison Wood Bible. Then we took a stroll through our school and then tried to write a short narrative on what they would say if they saw our school. I was assigned the character of Nathan, the father of the four daughters in the story.
"We finally arrived at the God forsaken island. Orlenna insisted we take a tour of the new school that we were going to enroll our children in. The place was a disaster. I could clearly see why God sent me here. First off, it isn't a required course to memorise scriptures from the Bible. That itself is a sin. We as people have to show our deep devotion to God by reciting passages and scriptures from the Bible.
Many of the kids don't even say grace when they eat and their schedule only has chapel once or even none a week. I can't enroll my daughter into a religiously weak school. If they don't go to chapel everyday they'll end up in Lucifer's kingdom and burn for eternity. Maybe I could change the ways of this school and get most of these kids on their way to enlightenment."
"We finally arrived at the God forsaken island. Orlenna insisted we take a tour of the new school that we were going to enroll our children in. The place was a disaster. I could clearly see why God sent me here. First off, it isn't a required course to memorise scriptures from the Bible. That itself is a sin. We as people have to show our deep devotion to God by reciting passages and scriptures from the Bible.
Many of the kids don't even say grace when they eat and their schedule only has chapel once or even none a week. I can't enroll my daughter into a religiously weak school. If they don't go to chapel everyday they'll end up in Lucifer's kingdom and burn for eternity. Maybe I could change the ways of this school and get most of these kids on their way to enlightenment."
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Can you see Jesus?
I remember having seen this picture in 8th grade social studies/ethics class. I could never figure it out until recently. I think it's kind of like the world we live in and why we are living in it. We can't really understand it when we first encounter life and its meaning but I think the more we live and experience life, the easier or more obvious the answer may be.
OK maybe this song is a little more relevant to English. This song talks about the World and how maybe we should live in it. In the full recording of the song, the end has a man talking about how we should live.
Be, be here, be there, be that, be this
Be grateful for life, be grateful to life
Be gleeful everyday, for being the best swimmer among 500,000
Be-nign, be you, be mom's mean pie, be little black sambo With bad hair
Be aware of what a lynch is, Be, be boundless energy
Be a four star ghetto general, be no one except I
Be a strong academic student, be an A student in sociology
Be food for thought to the growing mind, be the author of your own horoscope
Be invited, be long-living, be forgiving, be not forgetful
Be a proud run, only to return to fight another day
Be peaceful if possible, but justice in ways (?)
Be high when you low, be on time but knowing to go
Be cautious of the road to college, taking a detour through Vietnam or the middle east
Be absent of wars at any past or present fought amongst themselves
Be visual of foreclosure over your shoulder while begging
A nation built on free labor for reparation, Be a cartopogropher
Be a map maker, be able to find afro-american man
search thoroughly it may be close to black man
Be ammended 5/5ths, be ammended 5/5ths human
Be the owner of more land than is set aside for wild life
Be cupid, to world government
Be found among the truth, lost tribe
Be at full strength when walking through the valley
Be not foolish as tender 18 of the mountain tops
Be a brilliant soul, sparkling in the galaxy while walking on earth
Be loved by God as much as God loved Ghandi and Martin Luther King
Be that last one of 144,000, be the resident of that twelfth house
Be....eternal!
This is one of my favorite artists. He's a very good rapper and writer.
Rachel:A MEAN, NASTY, GIRL
For my Lit. 8 I was the Devil's advocate. Here is some of the bad qualities that I have observed about Rachel.
Rachel:
As you first begin reading Rachel's first section in Genesis, you can easily see what kind of person Rachel is, a very snobby and self-absorbed.
"... you should see what the Congolese run around in. Children dressed up in the ragbags of Baptist charity or else nothing at all. Color coordination is not a strong point" (43).
From this quote, it took it as that Rachel thinks she is better than everybody else. She thinks that she knows everything and that she can change everyone to be just like her. I think one of the reasons people in general, try to change others is because they themselves feel uncomfortable with the people around them. Also she is probably at the point in her teenage life where nobody but herself is right. She is also not very interested in learning about the new culture and life style that is around her now. I think that this kind of mindset will carry on when she is an adult.
She also craves attention but tries to deny it so that she can keep her innocence. I think she does this because she wants to keep us from judging her even though we already do. For example, she talks about her hair being blonde and how everyone else around is bald and how she thinks everyone is envious of her "beautiful" hair.
"Consequently they are all so envious of mine they frequently walk up boldly and give it a yank. It's surprising that my parents allow the situation to present itself... but when it comes to something you really wished they'd notice, oh, well! Then parental laxity is the rule of the day" (48).
When it comes down to it, Rachel is pretty much your stereotypical teenager that could care less about the world around her and be so focused on herself, she doesn't realize how she is behaving and what people say about her. For me personally, she is not one of the sister I look forward to reading. When she begins to talk about something, the topic always some how switches back to her. With her mentality and attitude,it's understandable that most readers would hate her.
Rachel:
As you first begin reading Rachel's first section in Genesis, you can easily see what kind of person Rachel is, a very snobby and self-absorbed.
"... you should see what the Congolese run around in. Children dressed up in the ragbags of Baptist charity or else nothing at all. Color coordination is not a strong point" (43).
From this quote, it took it as that Rachel thinks she is better than everybody else. She thinks that she knows everything and that she can change everyone to be just like her. I think one of the reasons people in general, try to change others is because they themselves feel uncomfortable with the people around them. Also she is probably at the point in her teenage life where nobody but herself is right. She is also not very interested in learning about the new culture and life style that is around her now. I think that this kind of mindset will carry on when she is an adult.
She also craves attention but tries to deny it so that she can keep her innocence. I think she does this because she wants to keep us from judging her even though we already do. For example, she talks about her hair being blonde and how everyone else around is bald and how she thinks everyone is envious of her "beautiful" hair.
"Consequently they are all so envious of mine they frequently walk up boldly and give it a yank. It's surprising that my parents allow the situation to present itself... but when it comes to something you really wished they'd notice, oh, well! Then parental laxity is the rule of the day" (48).
When it comes down to it, Rachel is pretty much your stereotypical teenager that could care less about the world around her and be so focused on herself, she doesn't realize how she is behaving and what people say about her. For me personally, she is not one of the sister I look forward to reading. When she begins to talk about something, the topic always some how switches back to her. With her mentality and attitude,it's understandable that most readers would hate her.
Scribble or Art...
The picture of graffiti is also suppose to be my common place post but I added it as an element to the page. So here is a post where anyone can comment on their point of view or opinion of graffiti. Is it Scribble or Art? Isn't art a form of expression? So why do many people hate it (probably because there is not that many nice ones in Hawaii)? Going back to my I believe, I think that if certain areas were legal to be sprayed or drawn on, all the art work would be more pleasing to look at than a plain crappy wall. For example, the pictures I have. All those were professionally done and also were done by normal people. Hit me with some comments!
Thursday, March 1, 2007
SAT Essay Analysis
SATs... Where to begin.
After taking the first practice essay in class, I've now come to the conclusion that my vocabulary needs to be taken to the next level. After hearing some of the other people's essay, some of the vocabulary was very sophisticated and yet it still flowed and sounded like it made sense. I think that lexicons definitely help. I'll admit it... I have a lexicon... BUT! It helps a lot with learning new words. It might seem dorky or lame but whatever, I'll be doing better on the SATs than you... Anyway, I think that vocabulary is pretty crucial to right a good essay.
I think that the best way to prepare yourself for this essay is to live life. The questions asked are usually connected with things going on in your life or with life learning experiences. Like one practice essay we had last semester asked something about knowledge burdens people. And if you have experienced it or dealt with something like it, its easier to see things not only from your perspective and opinion but of others that were also apart of that experience. S you basically can pretty much get a 360 degree view on the issue.
After taking the first practice essay in class, I've now come to the conclusion that my vocabulary needs to be taken to the next level. After hearing some of the other people's essay, some of the vocabulary was very sophisticated and yet it still flowed and sounded like it made sense. I think that lexicons definitely help. I'll admit it... I have a lexicon... BUT! It helps a lot with learning new words. It might seem dorky or lame but whatever, I'll be doing better on the SATs than you... Anyway, I think that vocabulary is pretty crucial to right a good essay.
I think that the best way to prepare yourself for this essay is to live life. The questions asked are usually connected with things going on in your life or with life learning experiences. Like one practice essay we had last semester asked something about knowledge burdens people. And if you have experienced it or dealt with something like it, its easier to see things not only from your perspective and opinion but of others that were also apart of that experience. S you basically can pretty much get a 360 degree view on the issue.
BLOGGING...
I think that the Blog spot is a very resourceful tool. Not only do we not have to buy more notebooks to put our homework in it, but it is a space where I can express myself freely. This also gives me the opportunity to see the perspectives and P.O.V. (point of view) of others in my class or around the world. I think that posting is not bad (it even comes with spell check!) This is a great place to put down ideas and thoughts on life, school or whatever. Blogging is pretty gnarls. I think its silly that we can't put our pictures on here. What about "myspace"? I'm sure there are more predators on "myspace" than blogger...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
SAT ESSAY: The Media..
The media has a huge and destructive influence to many people. As stated in the assignment, "... they [the media] transmit information and culture, they also decide what information is important." With that said, the media unfortunately gives them power to portray what ever they want out of their benefit of profit. If they were to show something bloody and violent or something sexual and "devious", the inimical truth is that people are going to want to watch that and the media is going to get good ratings so more money in the end. But does money justify the fact that the media can control our cultures and values based on what they portray?
I remember freshmen year, in a course called 9th guide, we discussed about the media and how the media has portrayed what "beautiful" is and how that affected the mind set of young teens. Our teachers began to pull out magazines with pictures of really skinny women that were modeling for top fashion designers. These images shown "brain washes" girls to think that they have to be skinny in order to be beautiful and so those images are the catalyst to bulimia and or anorexia. If the media has that kind of power to emphasize a point and to make everyone conform to that point, imagine what they could do with big issues like war in Iraq, natural disasters, or even our President. The media could brainwash society into believing anything.
The point is that the media has this unbelievable power to influence its viewers and consumers into agreeing with almost whatever they say. It is basically up to us whether should believe what they say or to take things into our own perspectives.
I remember freshmen year, in a course called 9th guide, we discussed about the media and how the media has portrayed what "beautiful" is and how that affected the mind set of young teens. Our teachers began to pull out magazines with pictures of really skinny women that were modeling for top fashion designers. These images shown "brain washes" girls to think that they have to be skinny in order to be beautiful and so those images are the catalyst to bulimia and or anorexia. If the media has that kind of power to emphasize a point and to make everyone conform to that point, imagine what they could do with big issues like war in Iraq, natural disasters, or even our President. The media could brainwash society into believing anything.
The point is that the media has this unbelievable power to influence its viewers and consumers into agreeing with almost whatever they say. It is basically up to us whether should believe what they say or to take things into our own perspectives.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Water Buffalo Movie
I thought the movie was great. It really showed me that a simple act of kindness or gift to someone in need can be life changing. Even the Grandmother said that it was one of the best gifts that she had ever recieved even from her own family. I think if more people viewed this film and read the Singer's Solution to World Poverty, that it will influence them greatly on helping out and donating money to these orginizations that help out the people who really need the money. I think that the combo of the article and movie would be nuts. It really made me think about how I spend my money and what I should do with some of the money that I've earned or will earn in the future
Essential Questions to Singer Solution to World Poverty
Questions:
"What is our government and the government of those people doing to help these people out?"
"Are there other countries besides Brazil that are in the same situation?"
"How many people have heard/read this article? Should this issue be brought up again in magazines or newspapers?"
"How many lives are affected everyday/month/year by poverty or lack of money?
"What is our government and the government of those people doing to help these people out?"
"Are there other countries besides Brazil that are in the same situation?"
"How many people have heard/read this article? Should this issue be brought up again in magazines or newspapers?"
"How many lives are affected everyday/month/year by poverty or lack of money?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Personal Response/ The Singer Solution to World Poverty
This article really opened my eyes to how I choose to spend my money and that I should be using it to save others instead of luxuries like video games. THIS ARTICLE IS NUTS!
I think that this article is sending a huge message to its readers that there is almost no difference between selling a kid in Brazil to organ peddlers for money, and spending money on useless luxuries such as a big plasma TV. Instead the person spending the money on luxuries could donate the money to prevent children in Brazil from dying. I think that it is both people are at fault. The people with a good income usually have extra money leftover as said in the article. They don't have to spend that money on useless luxuries, instead with that money they could save the life of someone which should of course be more important. If that person donates the money than Dora would have more money and wouldn't have to think twice in the situation she was put in. Same with Bob. If he had the money to secure his financial needs for retierment, he would have flipped the switch and sacrificed his car to save the boy. I think it is up to us ultimately to choose how we spend our money but I think this article definately has changed my perspective on why I should donate money.
I think that this article is sending a huge message to its readers that there is almost no difference between selling a kid in Brazil to organ peddlers for money, and spending money on useless luxuries such as a big plasma TV. Instead the person spending the money on luxuries could donate the money to prevent children in Brazil from dying. I think that it is both people are at fault. The people with a good income usually have extra money leftover as said in the article. They don't have to spend that money on useless luxuries, instead with that money they could save the life of someone which should of course be more important. If that person donates the money than Dora would have more money and wouldn't have to think twice in the situation she was put in. Same with Bob. If he had the money to secure his financial needs for retierment, he would have flipped the switch and sacrificed his car to save the boy. I think it is up to us ultimately to choose how we spend our money but I think this article definately has changed my perspective on why I should donate money.
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