life after this blog post

Today I sent an email to my future self talking about what i want to have accomplished and all the things in that fashion. At first it seemed like it would be like one of those letters that ia wrote to myself and never got back but i have been assured that it isn't. I took some time to write the email and thought deeply about what i want to accomplish by then. I did the usual cliche, follow your dreams, work hard, never give up. To most readers this would most likely seem really boring, but to me it wasn't because it forced me to think about it and put it into writing.

connecting the dots

when I was first given the assignment i would say that i felt overwhelmed. But as we talked in class today I thought of how this subject could be linked to my writing. As Preston suggested the question: why do heroes always wear white and villains wear black hats; as an example in class I realized how it could actuality apply to me. Racial profiling and discrimination could be a decent motive for certain actions of a character, and since i like to create entire personalities and understand my characters so this might help me if i study both the history of profiling and the psychology of racism.

The Class and The Elephant

First allow me to begin with a story that i was told a few years ago. In a specific country in Asia (I don't quite remember which one) Elephants are given a special kind of training so that they will not stray from their masters when they are fully grown. You see, when they are young these elephants are taken from their parents and tied by their hind leg to an immoveable object (usually a tree) and left there until they break. For days they are let tied to this tree as they struggle to break free. Eventually they learn that they cannot break their bonds and submit. When their bodies strengthen as they grow older they remember their failed attempts at escaping and, though capable, they remain tied to the tree whenever their master places the rope around their hind leg. The bond that keeps them by the tree is not a physical one, it is the bonds around their mind that keeps them from roaming as they desire. in school i have noticed something similar, we students are forced to obey all school policy without hesitation, and follow a one-size-fits-all program that treats us as if we are all uniformly cut from the same cloth. Though we are all equal we are not the same people, our talents are different. Where I may fail you may prosper, and where you fail I may prosper. The one day a teacher (yes its Dr Preston) comes seemingly out of nowhere and tells us that we can break free, the line can be broken but we have to be the ones who break it. At first, before i entered the class i believed that the phrase "open your mind" was just a catch phrase teachers used to make you pay attention to their lectures. Then I was given the opportunity to do as I wanted, i was given the opportunity to write my stories as part of a group. When i saw this i jumped at the opportunity and i am still writing that book. The point is if you haven't done anything to break free of those bonds that tie you down yet then it's your own fault. I was once told that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react. With that in mind ask yourself what will you do to break the bond that tie you? Now do it.

Seven Times

In Erica's post seven times she discusses the tragic shooting of a thirteen year old child. This child was shot and killed by a police officer because he was holding a realistic looking toy gun. Erica seems to focus more on the emotional shock of the fact that the child was shot seven times before the police officers ceased firing. This is tragic however she does not mention that the toy gun was pointed in the direction of the police officers after they asked the child to drop the weapon. This gun as shown on this site does not posses an orange tip to indicate that the gun that looked like an AK was in reality a play thing. Through the use of her repetition of  of the phrase "Why seven times?" she indicates that the police officers brutally assaulted the child. The police officers told the child to drop the weapon, instead the child turned to face the officers. Understand, being a police officer is a high stress job in which officers are literally asked to potentially place their lives on the line and this child was holding a toy that looked exactly like a real AK. These officers had also been sent to investigate a suspicious person in the area. This was a tragic misunderstanding at the least and the officers will have to live the rest of their lives knowing they shot and killed this child. If a gun were pointed in your general direction would you have been able to do better knowing full well the damage a real gun could cause, and your obligation is to do what ever is necessary to prevent that damage?

Racial profiling lives on

In the article I read today I heard that some citizen's in New york are having their fourth amendment right violated. The fourth amendment is "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." and in New York these searches are being conducted without the support of a warrant. This basically means that the police are searching through other people's belongings without legal permission, and their getting away with it. Police officers are supposed to be enforcers of the law, but that does not mean that they are not subject to it themselves. Though i do not mean to be critical of the New York as a whole, i do believe that those who are violating the rights of the people they are supposed to be protecting should be further educated on the laws that they are both following and enforcing.

vocabulary #9

ultimate- the greatest or most extreme of its kind


interactive- mutually active; requiring the input of a user
the internet is interactive because it requires your input to run programs

principle- a moral that helps you know what is right and what is wrong.
Gambling goes against Mathew's principles

guidance- help or advice that tells you what to do
I try to provide guidance to my friends who find themselves to be lost or confused.

collaboration- to work alongside someone else
Dylan and I collaborated  on our project the other week

Formative- the time in which something is being formed
The early years of an infant's life are the most formative

summative- made up of accumulated parts
My project with Dylan was summative, being made up of a multitude of activities

racism- the act of treating someone poorly because of their race
refusing to provide someone with a job they are perfectly capable of doing because of their face is an act of racism

intelligence- the ability to learn or to deal with new or difficult situations

 unrestrained- to be without control
the unrestrained horse ran rampant through the city

frisk- to check someone for something that is may be concealed within clothing
The police officer frisked the suspect for a hidden weapon,

 consent- to agree to
I had to ask for the consent of the council before beginning my project

impermissible- not allowed or permitted
it is  impermissible to carry a firearm to school

seize- to use legal power to take something
The gaurds seized the intruder

basis- the foundation for an argument, idea or process
The basis of the Constitution of the US is freedom and liberty for all

surveillance- a close observation of something
The video surveillance showed that none of the products had been stolen from the store that day.

doctrine- a set of beliefs set by a religious affiliation

discretion- to act in a way to avoid offending, or revealing information
It is important for a

policing- a group responsible for the detection and prevention of local crime

provision - the act or process of supplying or providing something

Thanks to the provision of a parking-lot by CVS I will be able to conduct a fund raiser.



hyperbolic-marked by a hyperbole


hunch- a gut feeling or intution
the police officer had a hunch that the suspect was carrying an illegal substance

Predominate- to be greater in number or amount

Warrant-  a legal document issued by a court to give the police to do something

Infraction- To break the rules or the law.
Murder and theft are both infractions of the law.

My 30 day challenge

as of November 1 the National Novel Writing Month has begun. In this event i have been challenged to write an entire novel within the next 30 days. Over the course of the month i will be writing my novel. As a beginning writer i think that this will both provide me with a good reason to write and a nice working group.

What I see is all in my head

The brain is a powerful tool, it allows us to process all the events that occur around us, or so we believe. When we focus on one event the others are drowned out. Don't believe me? while you were reading this post did something else happen around you; the neighbors car alarm went off again; the dog is barking at the neighbor's cat, etc. So it stands to reason that through out our lives we will likely perceive the things we want to perceive. As demonstrated in this video  the mind can only perceive one event at a time.

Search Bubbles

Before this video clip I already knew that the search engines that I used monitored what I searched to make it easier for me to find what I was looking for. What I didn't know was how much variation there would be when two separate users would find when they searched for the same subject. In order to remove the filtering and improve my web searches I will use "Duck Duck Go" that Dr. Preston recommended in the classroom a few weeks ago.

Tools that change the way we think

The internet and modern technology have greatly modified the proses in which we as a society gather and distribute information. Only a few decades ago all of our information was either in a form of literature or in oral traditions. With the internet we all thought we would be able to access all information quicker and more efficiently. In most cases this was seen to be true, however with modern algorithms acting as "gate keepers" the search engines that we use filter out information that the system believes we are not looking for. With many in our society relying upon the internet as our source for information we are blinding ourselves to vast amounts of information that exists outside of the WWW. For instance life stories from those around us such as our family members, friends, and even coworkers are likely to not exist on the internet. I myself am a member of the Drumand clan, a Scottish clan, which I never would have known even existed if neither my father or my grandfather told me that I was a member of the clan. Don't misunderstand my intent of this post, the internet is a great tool, but if we don't search in places other than the internet for our information we will become closed minded, never seeking out a better solution. If we don't carry on any of our oral heritage it will be forgotten.

Literary Analysis 3

George Muller: Man of Faith and Miracles by Basil Miller

Topics
1 In his young life George was a thief and a vagabond ( a drifter with no home leading an irresponsible and disreputable life). his father had been a collector of a specific tax n his homeland of Prussia which is where he stole much of his money. For years he ran rampant caring little for the damage he caused. In his early twenties something in his life changed, through the witness of a group of Christians he turned his life to god and stopped his steeling. For the first time in his life he felt content and he slowly learned to trust others. Slowly but surely he found himself  in England working fr the church, and later feeding the poor and ministering to them.
2 The author wanted to tell other Christians of George Muller's ministry
3 I found the book in my church library and I decided to read it.
4 The book did seem to be realistic because i know many people who had dark experiences as children and young adults, but changed their lives and turned to god instead.

People
1 The author based the book upon historical events and combined them with the text from Muller's journals to characterize the people in his life form his perspective.
2 August H. Franky acted as an inspiration on Muller's ministry by providing for the needs of over 200 orphans. I would Characterize August as a kind and benevolent person in a novel because of the help he gave to the orphans.
3 I wrote about August because he served as an inspiration for Muller's adult life.

more on main character
1 The greed of his early years is characterized by the description of his theft and misappropriation of the tax money his father possessed. When he decides to change his life around it is said that he stopped his spending and his theft and left it for a different life style. 
2 when describing Muller the author talks more about Muller's actions.
3 Muller is defiantly a dynamic character in this story, he changes from being a thief in his younger years to being a minister in his adult life.
4 I feel that i met George Muller simply because of how much of his life story was told in the text and the large amounts of his quotes were included in the text.

Style
1 In this book the author wrote the story similar to a history book using quotes from Miller himself to show his thoughts and ideas at the time.
2 The author focused more on the action and the events on his life to show what troubles that he faced and how he had overcome them. The effect was showing a more historical context of the life of Muller and his connection with his god.
4 The author seemed to want to inspire the audience to do great things with their lives.
5 The author used quotes from miller's journals and writings to show his thoughts and feelings. This allowed me to take a more serious approach to the reading seeing that the author had truly studied the life of George Muller

Enduring Memory

Vocab #8

cursory: done or made quickly
this sentence was cursory

impetus: a force that causes something to begin movement
The report card was impetus to Joe and got him to do his homework

pinnacle: the highest point of greatest success or achievement
The pinnacle of being a writer is when you are finally published

contumely: harsh language arising from haughtiness
his contumely offended all whom were within the room.

bereavement: the state of sadness due to the loss of a friend or loved one.
His bereavement cast a dark gloom into those around him.

cache: a group of things that have been hidden in a secret place because they are illegal or have been illegally obtained.
The police found a cache of narcotics buried in the suspect's backyard.

consummation: the consummating of a marriage; the ultimate end

calamity: an event that causes great harm and suffering.
In the calamity most of the earth was destroyed leaving only half of the population alive.

 avarice: a strong desire to make or to have money.

fortify: to strengthen by building military defenses.
To protect our lives we fortify our country with powerful weapons.

erratic: acting in ways that are not expected or usual
The child erratically burst into tears in the middle of class.

ubiquitous: seeming to be seen everywhere
The men in black were ubiquitous, watching every street, waiting around every corner.

fortitude: mental strength and courage that allows someone to face danger, and pain.
The soldier showed his great fortitude when he stormed the beaches of Normandy in WW2.

nonchalant: relaxed in a calm way that shows that you do not care, or are not worried about anything.
As the test was given, Kevin nonchalantly lay down his head and began to  sleep.

affect: a conscious aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes
The lack of affect in a story is found to be very boring.

effect: a change that results when something is done or when an event occurs.
The calamity effected the minds of all whom survived

misappropriate: to take something wrongly for your own use
Gen stole the company's money to spend on her jewelry

pragmatic: dealing with problems that exist in a specific situation in a responsible and logical way.

metacognition: awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking process
In Preston's class we were taught to use metacognition to enhance our learning experience

devoutly : to be deeply religious. serious and sincere
I am devoted to increasing my writing abilities so that I may write better stories.

Roger Ebert: The Essential Man

All of this work was done with my partner Dylan Horton. 

Activity 14: Surveying the Text

Q1: What do you know about Roger Ebert? If you don't know anything about him, try doing a quick internet search and see what comes up.

My answer: Roger is a movie critic who lost his jaw to a tragic battle with cancer. He had a long career as a journalist and a screenwriter, during his career he worked as a critic for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1976 until he died in 2013. He was also the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

 

Q2: What kind of writing- what Genre- do you think this text is?

My answer: This text is defiantly a type of journalistic writing.

 

Q3:Do you notice anything interesting about the way this text looks?

My answer: It seems to be written in the point of view of Roger Ebert, but it states facts from multiple parties at once. In parts of the text the story is written in third person stating known facts and making theories about what Roger might have thought at the time. The other part of the text follows Roger in his daily routines, showing the reader what his life seemed too look like from his perspective.

Activity 15: Making Predictions and Asking Questions

Q1: What topics related to the issue of how society values life do you think Ebert might have talked about in this interview?

MA: In his interview I predict that he would have talked about dealing with the hardships that come with loosing that ability to talk. With the lose of his ability to speak he would face hardships that would be hard for most people to imagine. I predict that he will talk about the importance of perseverance. 

 

Q2:Do you think Ebert's claim about the value of life will agree with Hamlet or not?

MA: I believe that Roger will agree with Hamlet. Both He and Hamlet faced great challenges in their lives, if they simply gave into the temptation to quit i doubt either of them would be recognized. With the first two chapters being about how Roger has learned to cope with his disability I think that they will both have the same conclusion on the value of life.

  Activity16: Understanding Key Vocabulary

ritual: always done in a particular situation and in the same way each time

Survival: the state or fact of continuing to live or exist especially in spite of difficult conditions

radiates: to go out in a direct line from a central point or area

savoring: the act of enjoying something interesting or enjoyable

cinematic: of or relating to movies

feverishly: involving intense amounts of feeling or activity

rudimentary: basic or simple

mandible: a part of the jaw
tracheotomy:the surgical formation of an opening into the trachea through the neck especially to allow the passage of air

monologue: a speech expressing the thoughts of a single person

argument: an attempt to persuade someone of something

facsimile: an exact duplicate or copy

nuanced: a very small difference in color, tone, meaning

sentimental: based on, showing, or resulting from feelings or emotions rather than reason or thought

mystics: those possessing magical properties

intervention: to become involved in something in order to have an influence on what happens

The words: savoring, feverishly, and sentimental are all associated with pleasure.

I anticipate to find more words involving sensation and emotion because this text is an interview on Roger Ebert's personal life and difficulties.

salivary glands: glands that release the fluid saliva into the mouth

radiation treatments: the use of radiation to treat for cancerous cells in the body

carotid artery: either of the two main arteries that supply blood to the head

breathing tube: a tube placed in the body to allow breathing to resume as normal

G-tube: a tube used to feed a patient who cannot obtain nutrition thought the use of their mouth.

IV pole: holds the IV

 

Activity 17: Reading for Understanding

Through the text Roger seems to be more optimistic then pessimistic because he always points out the settle benefits of his condition such as the device that saved him. He also seems to keep an eye on the positive aspects of life in his quote "When I am writing my problems become invisible and I am the same person I always was. All is well. I am as I should be.".

Roger's argument of death is that he believes that there is no afterlife. He believes that the true value to life is to bring joy to the world. He believes that the best we can do is to try to make ourselves and everyone else around us a little bit happier. He never truly states his value of death directly.

 

Activity 18: Mapping the Organizational Structure

Through the text Roger seems to be more optimistic then pessimistic because he always points out the settle benefits of his condition such as the device that saved him. He also seems to keep an eye on the positive aspects of life in his quote "When I am writing my problems become invisible and I am the same person I always was. All is well. I am as I should be.".

Roger's argument of death is that he believes that there is no afterlife. He believes that the true value to life is to bring joy to the world. He believes that the best we can do is to try to make ourselves and everyone else around us a little bit happi

er. He never truly states his value of death directly.

 Acitivity 19: Annotating and Questioning the Text Roger Ebert was definitely an optimist and it can be proven with his own words. He avoided talking about the discomforts that life brought and focused on the brighter side of life. Even as he loses his ability to speak he claims "never yet a dream where I can't talk" which shows the audience that even though he has lost his ability to speak he never lost his perspective of life.

 

Hamlet would likely find the quote " We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try." to be the most interesting because it matches perfectly with the beginning of the To be or not to be soliloquy. Hamlet asks if it is " nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles,..." 

Activity 20: Analyzing Stylistic Choices Q1: What details in the first two paragraphs convey a sense of the ordinary, behind-the-scenes routines of a film critic? What words of phrases suggest the longevity of Ebert's movie critiquing career? A1: Chris Jones does a good job explaining what it is like to be a film critic. He pretty much explains what Roger does, or used to do, daily as a critic. He mentions how Ebert is the most renowned movie critic in the world, to be that famous as a movie critic, you must have been doing it for a long period of time.
 

Q2: How does Chris Jones distinguish Ebert from his fellow reviewers? Why is this contrast important? A2: Chris explains that most of the movie reviewers that work with Ebert will come into the room looking like they were going camping. With blankets, food and a laptop, they would stake out the theater for hours writing reviews on their computers. Ebert, however, only carried in a pen and a notepad to jot down any notes he needed to write down about the movie. This contrast seems to get the point across that Ebert is old school and uses his memory as a sole source of knowledge.

 Q3: How does Jones's description of Ebert's reaction to Broken Embraces help to understand Ebert's character? What words or phrases reveal Ebert's attitude toward the experience of watching this film? A3: Ebert apparently loves the film and radiates in joy while watching it. Even though, when looking at a picture of the man he may look like a monster, he is a man with feelings and who is generally happy. Ebert "takes excited notes", this is one of the only ways to tell if he likes a movie or not, this shows how much he loved the film.
 

Q4: What are the connotations of kid joy? A4:  "Kid joy" suggests pure happiness. It seems as if the way he is feeling is careless, a kid running around in the sprinklers or having its first crush. One that is odd to find in an adult. Pure, innate happiness.
 

Q5: Why does Jones use the word "savoring" to describe Ebert's quiet pause after the film ends? A5:  It seems as if Ebert is overcome with happiness after witnessing such a good picture. He sits quietly staring at the screen and thinking back on how good it must have been. He is a simple man.
 

Q6: What does Jones mean when he says that the moment Ebert said his last words before losing his ability to cancer "wasn't cinematic"? A6: This moment was not cinematic because he can't even remember it. In a movie, someone's last words are portrayed as dramatic and epic. Ebert vaguely can remember his last day with his voice, but at the time he was more worried about surviving than what his last words may be.

 Q7: What details are important in Jones's descriptions of Ebert's second-floor library? What do the objects in this room suggest about Ebert's life? A7: The library is basically where Ebert spends all of his time at home. His ability to get medicine and all of his favorite things are there; a record player, books, a leather recliner movie posters. This is where he wants his limited number of days to be spent, with his favorite things at home with his wife.
 

Q8: Why does Jones say reading Ebert's post-cancer online journal is like "watching an Aztec pyramid being built"? A8: He says this because the simile shows how hard and long Ebert's journey to beat cancer has been. It is a monumental task that did not seem possible but in the end was accomplished.
 

Q9:  What words and phrases suggest the post-cancer, post-voice surge of productivity Ebert experienced in his writing? A9: "Feverishly banging the keys of his MacBook Pro", "more than five-hundred thousand words", "life's work", and "massive monument of written debate".

 Activity 21: The Mock Interview

Hamlet: How do you feel you've been treated by other people?

Roger Ebert: I have tons of people who care for me and I have not had many experiences where I have been treated badly due to my illness. Therefore I believe I am treated well. 

Hamlet: Are you afraid of death?

Roger Ebert: I'm less afraid of death but more afraid of not doing what I love to do. My injury has definitely inhibited my ability to do what I love but I have found a  way to work around it.

Hamlet: Are there any benefits to suffering?

Roger Ebert: When you're suffering, you are forced to contemplate what you really desire. The benefit of suffering is that when you are forced to think what you desire, you are then willing to do anything to do what you want. 

Hamlet: How do you approach challenges?

Roger Ebert: I approach challenges head on and I persevere through the rough patches. Life is too great to give up on when things get tough.

Hamlet: What was the hardest part about facing your challenge?

Roger Ebert: 

Roger Ebert: How do you feel you've been treated by other people?

Hamlet: I feel I am looked down upon for no apparent reason. People in my life seem to dislike me for reasons I am not sure of. The people I surround myself with are backstabbing nincompoops. I have decided to not put up with it any longer.

Roger Ebert: Are you afraid of death?

Hamlet: I am not afraid of death, I am only afraid of not living. My life up to this point has been lived for other people. I plan to change that and live for nobody besides me.

Roger Ebert: Are there any benefits to suffering?

Hamlet: I believe there are benefits to suffering. I have suffered my whole life and it has led me to want to make a change. Having the experience of suffering makes you stronger than if you lived your whole life in happiness.

Roger Ebert: How do you approach challenges?

Hamlet: I approach challenges head on. I am prepared to kill my uncle without much hesitation. I believe I will continue to suffer until I make the change, so this decision is easy.

Roger Ebert: What was the hardest part about facing your challenge?

Hamlet: The hardest part was the realization that the change I am willing to make will be one that leaves me in a spot I am not comfortable with. To become a new person, that is the scariest thing I have ever faced.
Activity 22: Thinking Critically 1. I am more likely to believe what someone says about themselves rather than what someone says about them. However, in the case of this article, we have to base our knowledge entirely on what Chris Jones says. He can embellish or change what Ebert said while we have no clue if what he says is true. 2. Emotional pain is different than physical pain because physical pain WILL eventually go away. There is no telling how long emotional pain will last and therefore I think it is worse. Physical pain has an estimated time of departure, emotional pain may stay forever. 3. I find it amazing that Ebert is still battling cancer but has such a positive outlook on life. If he has already beaten cancer, his attitude wouldn't be as impressive. If I met the guy in real life I would have no clue that he had such a terrible fight with cancer (besides his obvious physical defects). 4. Ebert seems to be at peace with what may lie ahead while Hamlet is terrified. Dreams are a source of uncertainty for Hamlet but a sense of security for Ebert. 5. Ebert has made peace. He believes he has lived a good life and whatever happens after life does not matter to him. Hamlet cannot stand the idea of not existing and therefore is terrified of death. Ebert and Hamlet have opposite views on the subject. 6. When Ebert is writing/critiquing he can feel as if his voice is still being heard. When he wants to call his wife to his room he has to use a robotic voice. If he writes something on the Internet, he can picture millions of people still able to hear HIS voice and point of view. 7. The pre-cancer Ebert lived his life through microphones, speaking in front of hundreds of people. The post-cancer Ebert lives his life through his computer, potentially speaking to millions of people. 8. Ebert does not have time to prattle with every person he sees on the street. He has lost his ability to speak and who knows how much longer he will live. This has given his life meaning and has made him want to express himself and his thoughts in a permanent place. The internet and what he writes on it is so precious to him.

9. Ebert has "found an even greater joy in books, art and films than he ever had before". It seems as if his prognosis of death gave him a reason to LIVE.
10. Jones's tone throughout the articles is one of admiration. He mentions at the beginning that Ebert is the most renowned movie critic or all time. He also at one point says that he cannot believe he got the opportunity to do a piece of work on such an icon.
11. Jones describes this one hospital visit so dramatically to appeal to his reader's emotions. He want you as a reader to like Ebert and sympathize with him. He uses phrases like "drown in his own blood" to emphasize the severity of the situation and help you realize it is a miracle that Ebert is still living.
12. The mention of the "open smile" is pretty intense. Ebert does not have the ability to control the way his face looks and it always seems like he is smiling. This gives anyone who looks at his deformed face a sense of security so most smile back. It it awful for Ebert because he can never show his emotions, it always looks like he is joyful.
13. Words like "ravished", "savor" and "longed for" suggest Ebert's passion for life.

 

Activity 24: Process Quick Write
When I read a text that is full of information and quotes like this I try to take it in chunks. I find it hard to read the whole thing in one sitting. If I did try to read it in one setting I would find it difficult to differentiate between parts of the story. I would suggest taking the text part by part and jotting down notes intermittently to gain an understanding. When answering the questions, constantly refer back to the text to see if you actually know what you are talking about. I would also suggest reading it more than once. The first time you read it you should scan the article and take notes on it. After you are done with that, go back and read every single word carefully. If you do all of these things I can guarantee (I actually can't) that you will have a deep understanding of the text.

VALUE OF LEARNING

this week my group plans to study "Roger Ebert: The Essential Man" by Chris Jones and "What is a Life Worth" by Amanda Ripley. over the course of this week my group will read and analyze the text.

Literary analysis #2

The Way Things Ought To Be by Rush Limbaugh
Topics and events
1 The book begins with a small history lesson on how Rush reached his current position in radio broadcasting. He talks about the people who helped him air on the more popular stations and eventually helped him to be aired nationally. He also speaks on a multitude of subjects which are all political in nature, but that's all just on the surface. What he really is intent on promoting is independent thought. Yes of course he shows his side of the political subjects but throughout  the chapters he restates the phrase think for yourself. 
2 He decided to write he book to tell a little about himself and his political view points.
3 This book actually fell into my hands several years ago, however until recently I have had no motivation to read a nonfiction book. I 'rediscovered' the book as I was rummaging through my small selection of nonfiction books in my family library. I remembered that my father had read it while I was younger and had enjoyed the book. So naturally being his son I decided that I wanted to see what he had found to be so intriguing about the book.
4 I believe that this book is realistic. There are a few connections that I made from the book to my life, just as he struggled to become a national broadcaster (which is difficult) I myself am pursuing something few people ever achieve (and quite frankly I really hope I make it) such as my eagle rank in BSA.

People
1 In the book Rush describes multiple people, some of whom took part in helping him reach this point in his career, and of course several politicians whom stand on either side of the issue.
2 A.The first person in the book to really strike me with interest was Bruce Marr, this is the man who helped Rush reach such a prominent place in talk radio. Bruce was given his share of honest praise for acting as a catalyst in Rush's thought process. IN a fictional novel I would use Bruce as a nurturing and supporting character because of the effort he put into helping Rush get into ABC radio.
B. The second person in the book to strike me as interesting would have to be Bob Grant. Bob Grant was described to be the broadcasting veteran of twenty years. Though he is not mentioned through the book I find him interesting because he was the #1 listened to radio host at the time in New York city because of his use of combat radio, a form of radio in which there is an active disagreement between the host and the caller.
3 Both of the people described above were people whom I found interesting because of the way Rush described them. Bruce was an excellent help to Rush, and Bob was the #1 broadcaster in New York.

Style
2 Rush tended to focus more upon the actions of political groups than anything.
3 Rush uses some sarcasm combined with hints of tongue in cheek to create a more optimistic mood in spite of the large topics that are discussed creating an entertaining experience.
4 I personally enjoyed his comedy that he used to brighten the mood of the book, it was enjoyable to read some of the comical sarcasm that he used to express his thoughts upon politics. It created a book that didn't seem to foretell the "end of humanity itself" but instead insisted there was hope as long as the American people thought for themselves.
5 His sources were that of the news, stories that had been publicized by CNN and CBS, etc.

Enduring memory
The one thing I expect to remember indefinitely is his use of sarcasm and comical elements to brighten the overall mood of the book. Life is difficult and sometimes the world can seem bleak, but sometimes you just need to stay optimistic and enjoy the humor.

Melancholy grad

Hello fellow students, it has been a long and difficult year but well worth the effort. As you leave today's festivities you will begin the remainder of your long life. So what will you do with your life? Will you kick back and watch as opportunity passes you by? When the troubles that this life brings arrive at your doorstep what will you do? Will you simply allow yourself to be overtaken by the challenges and pains of life? I admit, that would be easy. The troubles of life never change and you know how to deal with them, it never gets any easier, but you know how to deal with them. Or will you choose to do the hard thing? Will you choose to face newer, greater challenges that push your limits for a chance, just a chance, to become something great? Will you stand against the vast ocean of troubles that we all face and fight back? Fighting is hard and we all want our lives to be easy and fun, but that's the catch. What hero that you have respected has lived an easy life? I'll tell you right now none of them have. We all respect those who triumph in the face of overwhelming challenges and pain. So why are we so afraid to do so? You don't need to be afraid. Take your chance and stand against the ocean of trouble. Become a hero by fighting against pain and fighting trough your trouble.

A writer in training

As you may not know I am a young writer in training. Though I have been creating short stories since I was young few have been formally written, or typed, and I have decided that it is time to begin allow my works to be read. With this in mind I have created a blog linked to the Fiction page of this blog. On this blog you will find stories I have written and I have chosen to put on the blog to be read by the public. Post any comments on how I could improve the stories and increase my writing capabilities.

To be or not to be

Translation:

Should I act, or should I not act?
Is it better to live through
the troubles of dire misfortune,
or to stand against an overwhelming force,
and by standing concur it: to die
to imagine no longer; to end the pain
and the suffering of life that we are all subjected to?
Many desire to live without this trouble.
To imagine, maybe to think; but that is the problem
to think is to not act, and what regrets may be left
by the soul whom neglected to act,
I must consider. To overcome great obstacles,
and earn the respect of those around me,
not all men choose to act;
some give into the will of their oppressor,
others are defeated by unjust law,
enforced by the insolent politicians,
and then finally end his own misery.
What is better to face,
a weary and miserable existence,
or a new set of challenges from which there is no return.
These decisions are ones that all people fear,
which provokes the deep thought upon my decision,
to either remain silent and ignorant of my troubles,
or to face them directly.
I choose to face them directly.

personally I choose to change myself, to make myself better. Recently I haven't been pushing as hard as I could to overcome the obstacles within my life. I will use all of my ability to finish the project that I have ben working on; it's going to be a huge pain, but if I want to reach my eagle rank then I have to push through.

Vocablary 7

cursory: done or made quickly
this sentence was cursory
impetus: a force that causes something to begin movement
The report card was impetus to Joe and got him to do his homework

pinnacle: the highest point of greatest success or achievement
The pinnacle of being a writer is when you are finally published
contumely: harsh language arising from haughtiness
his contumely offended all whom were within the room.

bereavement: the state of sadness due to the loss of a friend or loved one.
His bereavement cast a dark gloom into those around him.

cache: a group of things that have been hidden in a secret place because they are illegal or have been illegally obtained.
The police found a cache of narcotics buried in the suspect's backyard.

consummation: the consummating of a marriage; the ultimate end

calamity: an event that causes great harm and suffering.
In the calamity most of the earth was destroyed leaving only half of the population alive.

 avarice: a strong desire to make or to have money.

fortify: to strengthen by building military defenses.
To protect our lives we fortify our country with powerful weapons.

erratic: acting in ways that are not expected or usual
The child erratically burst into tears in the middle of class.

ubiquitous: seeming to be seen everywhere
The men in black were ubiquitous, watching every street, waiting around every corner.

fortitude: mental strength and courage that allows someone to face danger, and pain.
The soldier showed his great fortitude when he stormed the beaches of Normandy in WW2.

nonchalant: relaxed in a calm way that shows that you do not care, or are not worried about anything.
As the test was given, Kevin nonchalantly lay down his head and began to  sleep.

affect: a conscious aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes
The lack of affect in a story is found to be very boring.

effect: a change that results when something is done or when an event occurs.
The calamity effected the minds of all whom survived

misappropriate: to take something wrongly for your own use
Gen stole the company's money to spend on her jewelry

pragmatic: dealing with problems that exist in a specific situation in a responsible and logical way.


metacognition: awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking process
In Preston's class we were taught to use metacognition to enhance our learning experience

devoutly : to be deeply religious. serious and sincere
I am devoted to increasing my writing abilities so that I may write better stories.

To act or not to act

In hamlet's soliloquy (To be, or not to be) he informs the audience of his thoughts as he wonders if he should continue to exist or not to exist. This work of literature has withstood the test of time. Most  of the population has at the very least heard of the existence of this speech. The speech I mentioned in my Dear Steve post is very similar to this speech. However Steve is directly encouraging others to love what they do, Hamlet is speaking to himself upon a stage not directly speaking to anyone but himself. Both speeches are about decisions, a decision to act, or a decision not to act.

Dear Steve

We all know that Steve Jobs is the founder and CEO of the company known as Apple. His company revolutionized the industry with products such as the iPod, iPhone, and of course the original Mac. Generally that is where our knowledge of the man ends. In his speech 'You Have to Find What You Love,' he briefly tells three of his life stories to inspire others to work towards their dreams. In these stories he tells you the truth to his success. In his first story he explains that he dropped out of college when he realized that it was taking him nowhere, which in turn allowed him to take the drop in classes that he really found to be interesting; i.e. the calligraphy class. The true moral of the story is to reflecting upon your past and connecting the dots. The calligraphy class that I mentioned earlier, well because of that class Steve was able to create the decorative font used in the Macs. If not for the class he wouldn't have created the beautiful typography used within all apple products. With the second story he tells us that you have to do what you love. For those whom don't know He was actually fired from Apple at age 30. A few years later he was brought back , the experience showed him how much he truly cared for the work that he did. The last story was about pushing yourself, to live each day as if it were your last. That's what Steve Jobs did. As part of his thirs story he claims that everyday for 33 years he looked himself in the mirror and asked "what if this is the last day of my life?". All in all his advise boiled down to four things.(in his own words)
1 Connect the dots
2 The only way to work great is to love what you do
3 Your time is limited don't waist your time living someone else's life
4 Stay Hungary. Stay foolish.

The value of choice

What I would like to learn the most are the skills that will be valuable in the commercial environment in my lifetime. Considering I would ideally like to entertain people with my writings and stories maybe I could use the vocabulary to be more descriptive. Of course with the chance that I don't become some sort of storyteller it would be nice to have skills that could be used in many fields of business.

Netvibes my intro to a new home page

In class today we were asked to try a new home page from s sight called Netvibes. So I checked doubt the program and so far I an not amused. This program is great, it monitors blogs, social accounts; ex twitter and Facebook, and news searches. However I don't use twitter or Facebook, if I did or if I decide to this will be great for me because I wont have to constantly log in every time I use my computer. The simple fact is that I don't use these social centers. Despite my pessimistic view of the new program I did find one very interesting fact about it. I can set the system to monitor all appearances of specific items. I'll explore the browser more as the week progresses, but as of this moment my schema tells me to open the browser, hit the favorites icon, select blogger, and do my homework/research.

Vocabulary #6

adroit- having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness
Michael gives his speeches in an adroit manner.

amicable -characterized by  friendly goodwill
His amicable personality was difficult to ignore because he

averse -having an active feeling of repugnance or distaste
My friend buck has averse thoughts about large cities

belligerent -inclined to exhibiting assertiveness, hostility or combativeness
Buck becomes very belligerent when we talk about the Raiders and often begins to get angry.

benevolent- kind and generous
The benevolent man gave all that he had to the destitute man.

cursory-rapidly and superficially done
It was obvious that Harry had done his work in a cursory manner because he couldn't answer any questions on the subject.

duplicity-dishonest behavior intended to trick someone
The duplicity in his conversations with the guards allowed him to grab the keys and escape.

extol- to praise highly
The actors were extoled by the audience for their meritorious performance

feasible-capable of being completed
It is not feasible for one man to lift an object weighing 1000 pounds with his bare hands.

grimace-a facial expression of disgust or pain
The grimace on her face told me her true feelings when I suddenly entered the room

holocaust- a situation in which many people are killed and many things are destroyed
Diplomats work hard to prevent another global holocaust.

impervious-inability to be passed through
The Titanic was believed to be impervious, but now we all see the irony in that belief.

impetus- a force that causes something to move
The man claimed that the catastrophe actualy acted as a positive

jeopardy- exposure to immanence of death, loss, or injury
The founding fathers put their very lives in jeopardy when the signed the declaration of independence.

meticulous- marked by excessive care or treatment of details
His short stories were recognized for their meticulous detail

nostalgia-an excessively sentimental yearning to return to a period of the past
The way he talked about his past life in London suggested his memories were nostalgic.

quintessence- the essence of a thing in its purest and most simple form
The quintessence of liberty is the fair and equal treatment of all people.

retrogress- to move backward
The country began to retrogress once computers were banned from any sort of facility or industry.

scrutinize-to examine in a critical way
The man was scrutinized for his political and religious values while he lived in Soviet Russia.

tepid -not energetic or excited
Timothy was very tepid at his eleventh birthday party because his father was not there.

Accede- to express approval or consent
Gifford did not accede to the ruling of the grand council, instead he continued his attempt to rebut their decision.

Brandish- to shake or wave in a menacing manner
To frighten children during Halloween many brandish large weapons covered in fake blood.

Comprise- to be made up of, compose, constitute
This post is comprised of dictionary definitions and sentences using those words.

Deft- Characterized by facility and skill
His deft fingers were able to remove the cash from the lady's purse without her knowledge.

Destitute-  lacking something needed  or desired
The destitute man was in dire need of food and water.

Explicate- to give a detailed explanation of
In order to teach leadership, one must first explicate what it means to be a leader.

Extirpate- to destroy completely; to cut out using surgery
To help forget her previous boyfriend Tina extirpated all the things that he had given to her as gifts.

Inopportune- inconvenient
The addition of a physics lab to Jerry's homework list was inopportune for his normal schedule.

Ironic- incongruity between the  reality of an event and what is expected
The destruction of the Titanic was ironic because people believed it was impermeable

Musty- Impaired by mold; stale
The dungeon had a musty smell that made Keith's eyes water, and he had to struggle to keep hold of his last meal.

Officious- Kind obliging, dutiful: offering one's assistance when neither asked for or needed
Every week the officious old man

Ominous- being or exhibiting an omen
A chill was sent down his spine as the ominous red glow beneath the door grew brighter.

Pinnacle- the highest point of development or achievement
Apple was at the pinnacle of business when Steve Jobs was in charge of the company

Premeditated- considered beforehand
To be convicted of a first degree murder the crime must be proven to have been premeditated.

Rampant-marked by menacing wildness, extravagance, or absence of restraint.
His rampant anger often got him into trouble with the authorities.

Solace- to give comfort to in grief or misfortune
When I was going through a time of depression my friend Hunter offered my solace

Stately- marked by lofty or imposing dignity
The stately king wore his finest silks as he entered the throne room.

Freedom of choice

The freedom of choice is something most people find to be of great value. Imagine if someone dictated everything you did. Your spouse would be chosen for you, your meals planned for you, and there would be nothing exciting about your life. I my self cant stand the idea of someone controlling every movement that I make without my consent. With freedom we are free to peruse our own happiness and forge our own destiny. Some might find this freedom over whelming, they believe that they have no general direction for their lives. Others may just enjoy being followers, finding their happiness in helping someone else.

Vocabulary#5

adroit- having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness
amicable -characterized by  friendly goodwill
averse -having an active feeling of repugnance or distaste
belligerent -inclined to exhibiting assertiveness, hostility or combativeness
benevolent- kind and generous
cursory-rapidly and superficially done
duplicity-dishonest behavior intended to trick someone
extol- to praise highly
feasible-capable of being completed
grimace-a facial expression of disgust or pain
holocaust- a situation in which many people are killed and many things are destroyed
impervious-inability to be passed through
impetus- a force that causes something to move
jeopardy- exposure to immanence of death, loss, or injury
meticulous- marked by excessive care or treatment of details
nostalgia-an excessively sentimental yearning to return to a period of the past
quintessence- the essence of a thing in its purest and most simple form
retrogress- to move backward
scrutinize-t examine in a critical way
tepid -not energetic or excited

No child left untableted

I read the article No child left untableted in the New York Times magazine today. In a situation such as this I believe teachers should learn to utilize the new tools available to them in order to show students a different view of the world. on one hand this technology in combination with collaboration with peers and teachers could increase the education of our society. If educators can learn to utilize modern technology in their teaching it will expose students to the benefits of these tools earlier in their lives.

Declaration of learning independence

The idea of the open source learning is something I find to be very interesting. In most of my classes I am asked to simply open the textbook and memorize the information. In this class however I have been told that I am allowed to find my own resources. With this ability I will be able to focus on what I find to be most important to me and work hardest at improving skills around that area. I look forward to what lies ahead at the end of this course. Some collaborative working groups are even beginning to form, some around subjects such as health and fitness. In an attempt to increase my skills I will find a group that I'm interested.

Literary Analisis #1

        For the class reading I selected a book based on American politics. This book, Common Sense written by Glen Beck, was inspired by Thomas Paine whom also wrote his version of the book in 1776. As told to us in our history books, Thomas Paine wrote his pamphlet in objection to the current British rule over the American colonies. As such, this short book is comprised of questions and arguments.
     What astonished me and kept me from simply setting the book aside as another political rant, was when he claimed to stand against both political parties. Of course this alone didn't buy my time. Anyone can claim he is neutral and then continue to only tell only part of the story, however he commonly refers to the original document which is also located in its entirety in the back of the book. His brazen rebut of current government policies involving the U.S. tax code; the rising federal debt make it clear that he wants his audience to pay closer attention to national politics. I look at this book as an important tool to understanding the current state of our government, and to ideally creating a more suitable world for both ourselves and those who live after us.
        I could only describe Glen's apparent attitude as didactic and cynical. You may go as far to say he is a little morose. Though he never directly states that the country is doomed, it seems that he truly believes that if something, anything, is not done to permanently alter the way our politicians act, we will go the "way of Rome" and die out. He views many politicians as gross liars whom want nothing more than power and are willing to lie and cheat their way to do as such.
       His Militant  analysis of current events surrounding large political issues such as the ever increasing debt of the federal government, in current time measuring $16 trillion(Treasury direct), assumes that the political leaders of our nation are simply not doing what is needed to fix the issues we are facing. He even quotes George W. Bush's statement "abandon(ing) free-market principles to save the free-market system" as absolute hypocrisy. He continues to avoid circumlocution by offering an alternative, the reduction of government spending. The clear motif in this book ,think for yourself, can be clearly found in his repetitious allusion to the incompetence to our political leaders leaving little room for ambiguity.
       All of this, however well conceived, would be a mere lip service if not for the vast amounts of references covering four pages in his works sited section. These sources combined with the full Common Sense by Thomas Paine shows that Glen is well educated and is willing to share facts without telling the audience where his facts were drawn from.
      In the long term I expect to remember the apparent hypocrisy within both political parties. Instead of holding a dogged alignment to a political party and blindly granting them my servitude, it will be paramount for me to research political movements before jumping upon the wagon with those whom act purely upon emotional responses.

Vocab#4

Accede- to express approval or consent
Brandish- to shake or wave in a menacing manner
Comprise- to be made up of, compose, constitute
Deft- Characterized by facility and skill
Destitute-  lacking something needed  or desired
Explicate- to give a detailed explanation of
Extirpate- to destroy completely; to cut out using surgery
Inopportune- inconvenient
Ironic- incongruity between the  reality of an event and what is expected
Musty- Impaired by mold; stale
Officious- Kind obliging, dutiful: offering one's assistance when neither asked for or needed
Ominous- being or exhibiting an omen
Pinnacle- the highest point of development or achievement
Premeditated- considered beforehand
Rampant-marked by menacing wildness, extravagance, or absence of restraint.
Solace- to give comfort to in grief or misfortune
Stately- marked by lofty or imposing dignity

Will study for food

In order to pursue my dream of working in the gaming industry I have decided that college would be the most reasonable step for me to take following high school. I have not currently come to a final decision on which college would be the moist helpful to me I chose to research a scholarship in hopes of finding something suitable. I learned that Cogswell College possesses a scholarship in which professionals from animation, Entrepreneurship , and even game design select students who show potential in their field of study. This scholarship grants up to $6,000 annually. In order to qualify the student must submit a portfolio that demonstrates their level of proficiency. With this glimmer of hope I need to redouble my efforts in learning to write code.

Vocab 3

 accomplice- An assistant
 annihilate- obliterate
 arbitrary-  seemingly random
 brazen- a passionate boldness
 catalyst- something that accelerates a reaction
 exodus-  a massive departure
 facilitate- to make easier
 incorrigible- not manageable
 latent- present and capable of emerging  but not now obvious or active
 militant- aggressively active
 morose-having a sullen and gloomy disposition
 opaque- Unclear or foggy
 paramount- to be of great importance
 prattle- to babble
 rebut- to repel
 reprimand- a stern formal correction
 servitude- a condition in which one lacks all liberties
 slapdash-Hastily done with little effort
 stagnant-Unmoving, unchanging or unmotivated
 succumb - to be overtaken by a superior force

It's all Latin to me

"dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapre aude, incipe" or "He who has begun is half done: dare to know, dare to begin!" in the English langue. These words were first used by the poetry Horace. In context of the class it means we need to pursue wisdom and knowledge even through difficulty.

Vocabulary #2

obesity- A condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body.

accumulate- to gather

mass- metric measurement of weight

disease- a condition impairing normal functioning manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.

diet- food or drink regularly consumed

prevalence- the percentage of a population affected with a particular disease in a period of time.

Stigma- a characterizing mark or characterization

Preventable- ability to stop an event or action before it occurs

excessive- over what is usual, proper, or normal.

mechanism -the fundamental process involved in an action, reaction, or natural phenomenon

sedentary - not physically active

predispose- to make susceptible


syndrome- a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition .

analysis text #I

Synopsis:
Obesity in America is on the rise. Measurement of a student's height and weight in school is mandated in approximately one-fourth of the country. Using these measurements they are then able to asses healthy child development in the school system. The controversy commences with the "report cards" or  "fat letters". These so called "fat letters" are sent to the parents of a child classified as overweight or obese. supports claim that this helps raise awareness of the child's condition by serving as a "wake-up call", and can therefore help the child move towards a healthier weight. Opponents claim that "fat letters" can, if discovered by other children, can lead to bullying.

Notes
- The BMI does not differentiate between fat and muscle
-"fat letters" are confidential
-in Massachusetts Report cards" are sent to all parents with their child's corresponding BMI score

My big question

My big question is what am I meant to do? I have skills and a few places to take them, but I still feel as though I can do more, much more? Am I supposed to lead something large in life, or simply help someone else?

This is Phat

I took the time to read the literal definition of obesity on Medicine net.com and fount that an adult who has a BMI (Body mass index) of 30 or higher is considered obese, but an adult with a BMI  between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. The BMI is determined by your mass in kilograms divided by tour height in meters squared. And according to vitals.com 36% of adults in America are obese.

Vocabulary #1

Expository- intended to describe or to explain
Composition - arrangement into specific proportion
Assuage - To pacify, or lessen the intensity of pain
Decadence - a decline in morality
Hackneyed - lacking in originality
Coalition - a temporary alliance of distinct parties for joint action
Transcend - to rise beyond the limits of
Meritorious- deserving of honor or esteem
Lurid- excessively vivid or shocking
Petulant - insolent or rude in speech or behavior

My opinion is not a right

In the Socratic seminar in class last Friday I learned that an opinion is commonly used as an excuse not to continue a debate. Commonly when in a discussion instead of admitting a lack of knowledge to continue the debate the person(s) will declare that they have the right to their own opinion to stop said discussion. When this occurs nothing is changed in either persons opinion. Rights are granted by the government and no one is allowed to infringe upon them under penalty of law. If there was a right to an opinion you would be arrested for attempting to change someone's mind. To demonstrate the fallacy let's assume Timmy thinks four plus four equals six. Now we all know that four plus four equals eight, however since Timmy has the right to his opinion we cannot tell him he is wrong. Now Timmy will never learn that four plus four is eight and not six. Those who try to tell Timmy differently will be arrested and prosecuted for violating Timmy's right to his opinion.

5 sources for Non-fiction

1 The Public Library
2  Scholastic.com
3 SimonandSchuster.com
4 www.thomasnelson.com
5 www.goodreads.com

Reflections on week one

        So far the class has been great and I can't complain. I only hope that the Eagle project I'm working on doesn't get in the way of my homework. It will defiantly take a lot of my time, but it will all be worth while when I finally have my Eagle rank in my hand. This class reminds me of when I had volunteered to be a staff member at National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) in 2012. To be staff I had to learn to take a step out of my comfort zone and give speeches in front of unfamiliar faces. I admit it was hard for me to speak up, but I was able to adapt and help other boy scouts learn leadership skills that they could use in their own troop. Other than that it will be interesting to learn to work with this blog. I usually don't spend time on the internet so I'm hoping that this step will teach me to keep stepping out of my comfort zones and do greater things with my life.

An interesting piece of non-fiction.

"Samuel Adams said that those who prefer the 'tranquility of servitude' had best to 'crouch down and lick the hands which feed you."  (Common Sense by Glenn Beck) In the book I quoted Glenn talks about how the founding fathers of America stood against the British oppression. If we don't stand against oppression are we allowing ourselves to become servants?

This is my blog for this year's English course. I'm looking forward to a productive year.