Policy Paper Revisions

I hope that I wrote my paper properly, I am a little worried I didnt cover everything that I was supposed to or give enough information. I used my own beliefs and knowledge for most of it, because I am familiar with the topic.

Policy USC

The meal plan system here at USC is a little ridiculous, and it needs to be altered. Students get three meals a day, in certain time slots, each one varying in the price depending on the meal. If a poll were to be taken, almost every student would say that they go over the price USC has enstated for that meal. The register employees already ask "how are you paying?", "meal plan please", "and what extra?" "carolina cash". It is not because students order too much food and they go over, the meal plan price is just too low. I order a salad with chicken on it and a drink, and I go over. It all adds up. This needs to be altered.

Planning Essay 4

I looked at the chilhood obesity epidemic from four different perspectives: a world-wide view, an American view, a parents view, and the child themselves view. I think I will write a proposal paper so I can look for a better solution to this illness. I think that children in schools should be mandated to do at least an hour of physical activity each day, whether playing a sport or running around. Also that schools should eliminate foods higher than a certain caloric consumption from their meal plans, like cookies, chips, certain fried foods. Something that will be beneficial and effect children everyday. I think I have done a good amount of research, but if there is somehthing I feel I am missing when writing my paper I will of course go research it and find answers.

Revisions 11.15

I messed up with the whole peer evaluation part of the assignment. I didn't change anything in my paper because I didnt even look at my email until last night. Therefore I didnt send my peer his eval, which I thought I would give to him in class today. But anyway I read through my eval this morning and thought it was very helpful. When I go to revise my paper for my portfolio I will take his points into considersation because I think that it will benefit my paper. I think my facts are the strongest points of my paper because they really enhance the issue that I am discussing and why there needs to be change. I am a concerned with my analysis, because I quoted so many people, they discussed everything that I would say. I just didnt think I would be allowed to say it without citing someone, so I did. Maybe I will change that for my final essay.

SWA#19

1. Theres not exactly a stance that he takes, but he does say his opinion of what criteria define a sport. "It must be a large motor sport, it must have an objective scoring system, it must use nothing more complicated than a "simple machine", such as a baseball bat or vaulting pole". And that is what he qualifies as a sport, his personal opinion. Throughout the article he asks rhetorical questions and trys to get the reader to decipher the differences between certain "activities and sports" and how they are different or not.
2. It could be important to constitute whats a sport in events like World Games, the Olympics, and such. There are sports like figure skating that are in the Olympics, that have world games, but some people dont believe that it is a sport because it's so subjective. There are judges and theres no objective way to decide who wins, like scoring a goal or such.

SWA#18

Topic #1: Rising rate of childhood obesity
Topic #2: Crime on college campuses
Topic #3: World Hunger

It wasnt very difficult to find sources on childhood obesity. I used the USC libraries and found several books varying from a global view on childhood obesity to just an American perspective. I also found various health books which will supply me with factual information, statistics, and percentages.

For my second topic, crime on college campuses, I also used the USC libraries and found various books and articles to use. They talk about the different types of crime; violence, staulking, rape, stealing, drugs. I also found an article comparing crime on community colleges to four year degree colleges, which I thought was an interesting view point to look at.

Again, there were very many sources to look at for the topic of world hunger. Alot of articles advocating how to end world hunger, and how people can reach out to third world countries. But also books on how we have hungry people even in major countries, in poverty strircken areas. So there are diverse views on the topic that I can look at and collect information as a whole to form an argument.

Factory Food Artificially Cheap Response

Ethan Huff makes an effective argument about certain grown food products decreasing in price, and decreasing in quality. He makes the claim that prices of foods like meats and dairy have decreased because of cheaper production; animal factories. Instead of animals grazing hundreds of acres on family owned farms around America, they are now mostly cooped up in less than satisfactory animal factories. It is dirty, over crowded, and not maintained like it should be. Diseases and infections between animals are easily spread, so the owners inject the animals with antibiotics and hormones. This is turn effects the product and even the person consuming the product like in the article "Why Factory Farms Threaten Your Health". Huff also makes the claim that feces and animal waste run off from the factories goes into water supplies, effecting the environment. He claims, in his last paragraph, that the cure to this craziness is " ending cash crop subsidies and reverting back to an agricultural system that respects the land, encourages local farming and employs clean and natural methods of growing and raising foods. I think this argument is very successful in appealing to the audiences emotions and in factual information. If we all invested in and ate organic foods, we could send a message to the FDA and aid the small farms around America, while helping ourselves by eating healthier.

RA outline #2

Ali Whitney

Thesis: Women are frequently used in advertisements to draw attention to the campaign, whether it be through sexual appeal or feminine power, and both effective. (help?)

I.                   Many companies use women in advertisement through sexual appeal to sell their products

(a)    They have women in revealing clothing

(b)   They have women pose in provocative positions

(c)    The colors of the outfit are eye catching

(d)   The body types of the women are usually skinny, curvy, and “normal”

II.                Companies are condescending towards women

a.       The sexual positions they put them in

b.      These are public ads, in everyday magazines

c.       Men are not put in these types of ads

d.      Women looked at as a piece of “meat”

III.             Companies use women in advertising to advocate feminine power

a.       The Nike ad is not a typical model women

                                                              i.      Not stick thin

                                                            ii.      More relatable to average women

b.      She is “curvy” with muscle

c.       She is proud of her body and how she got it there

d.      Shows women in a positive light

e.       The quotes in the ad

Conclusion: Companies use women in advertisement for many different reasons and in many different ways. Usually all of these are very effective, but for different audiences as they deliver a different message. Women in advertising should not always be looked down upon in a condescending way, but have a positive, strong light shed on them.

 

 

Fear Factories

Scully builds and supports his case that conservatives should care about cruelty afflicted on animals by emotionally appealing to the audience. He begins talking about how he came to be an avid campaigner in this cause, by seeing these animal factories up close and reading books. He then goes on to say that every person should realize that this cruelty to animals is morally wrong, general politics aside, everyone liberal or conservative should show compassion for these animals. He uses graphic examples and bliblical references throughout the essay. He also quotes that people just "dont want to know" what is going on in these factories, but Scully then fires back saying "don't we have a responsibility to know?" This is tugging at the audiences emotions, and is a guilt trip. He argues that his beliefs and his argument is different than other radical animal activist organizations, making it easier for conservatives to relate to. He says that this whole business and how they treat the animals is sick and if conservatives let this happen then they are at fault to, because they are not doing anything to stop it. So animals need support from everyone, they should not be an after thought in a politcal campaign.

Ads

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=magazine+ads&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1441&bih=687&tbm=isch&tbnid=GfXnE9h3mrS9JM:&imgrefurl=http://oldmagazineads.blogspot.com/2007/12/1986-crest-toothpaste-magazine-ad-print.html&docid=TfGvKM-A0o7-1M&w=1186&h=1600&ei=raCKTr2-Dse5tgeGv5GPAw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=807&vpy=152&dur=1574&hovh=261&hovw=193&tx=101&ty=132&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=112&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0
This is an ad for Crest Toothpaste in 1986. I got it offline from the above link. The ad is targeted towards families, I think this because of the array of different size toothbrushes in the cup, and it says Family Dental Plan. The target consumer has family values in mind, and they want their whole family to have clean, healthy teeth. They should buy this product because their whole family can trust it and it is a reputable brand. The toothpaste tube is very white, and the brushes very clean and un used, making the ad inviting and convincing to the consumer.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=magazine+ads+new&um=1&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=687&tbm=isch&tbnid=eKugsPH6S4NjYM:&imgrefurl=http://convozine.com/conversations/5355&docid=VLAfc1K21wfPcM&w=468&h=324&ei=naKKTp2uMcK4tgfNy82lAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=235&page=2&tbnh=139&tbnw=197&start=22&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:22&tx=118&ty=119
This is an ad for AT&T phone company that I got offline. This is targeted towards people who like to travel; business or pleasure. Or people who talk to people in foreign countries. It has a smartphone in the hands of a person, and the person has the great wall of china tattooed on their hands and up their arms. It also says, "Works in over 200 countries, like China". AT&T is saying that if you use their service, that you can call and contact people all over the world, that they are unlike any other service. They want you to trust their company. They also add the touch of creativity with the Great Wall of China tattoo.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=magazine+ads+new&um=1&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=687&tbm=isch&tbnid=Yb61UT630r455M:&imgrefurl=http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/%3Fstoryid%3D162&docid=P_59e3tXZNlcCM&w=543&h=376&ei=naKKTp2uMcK4tgfNy82lAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=387&page=3&tbnh=146&tbnw=202&start=45&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:45&tx=50&ty=72
This is an ad for TagHeuer, a famous/expensive watch company. I found this off of the internet. In this ad Leonardo Dicaprio is modeling the watch on his hand, as he stares off into the distance. This ad is targeting older, succesful, well dressed, men; business men? They make the watch look sophisticated and very prized. TagHeuer is saying that if you buy this watch you will look like Leonardo in this picture, eloquent but masculine. You can wear this famous brand name. The ad also says "what are you made of?", which is also stating that the watch is well made and reliable, long lasting.

Post Secret Card

For my post secret card I decdided to expose Taylor Swift. It says "I cannot date a guy with the same name as one of my previous boyfriends ... because then I wont be able to write a hit song about our relationship". If you know Taylor Swift's music, you know she sings about boys and her relationships with them. Some about heartbreak, some about happiness, and some with their names even in the songs, but almost all of them are based on a boy, almost. I didnt fully understand the homework, and didnt decorate mine as I would have liked to, I would have found a more appropriate picture for it. But i tried to write the quote in nice lettering, while highlighting specific, key words. I also wrote certain song titles to backup my claim about writing about previous heart throbs of hers. I put teardrops on the card for heartbreak, but also because her first hit single was "Teardrops on my Guitar", about a boy she loved in high school, but he saw her as a friend. I didnt want to cast a negative shadow on her, just a funny/clever secret. I wanted the audience to realize what I have, what all her songs seem to be about, and how they have boy's names in them.

Hungry Planet

The photographer seems to be making the argument that there are various ways throughout the world to obtain food; a meal. People eat many different types of food, from more civilized, western countries and their processed food to less civilized, third world countries still eating raw food, bugs, and simple meats. Some countries eat fresh food, like from the meat market, the fish. Weekly rations vary from country to country, family to family. Some have copious amounts of food with servants to prepare it for them, and others have some simple vegetables and nuts.
Being a person from a very civilized country, where there is access to food everywhere, it makes me feel somewhat selfish and ungrateful. It seems like something so simple, that is always there but in some countries it is not. The photographer almost makes us out to be greedy and wasteful.

Draft Workshop

Do I have a strong enough thesis statement?
Did I effectively analyze how the author wrote the essay and not about the work itself?
Is it long enough?
Does my conclusion wrap up my paper without summarizing what I said?
Is the introduction effective and correctly formatted?

"A Wrestling Mom" First Main Point

Mary Kay Blakely effectively uses pathos to communicate and relate to her audience throughout the article. She begins by introducing herself as a feminist, single mother and talking about her sons. She never thought that one of her son’s role models would be none other than Hulk Hogan, which she was not thrilled about. This is where she introduces her connection to her son Ryan and his love of wrestling. She says during a traditional Friday, match morning, “it was the wrestler’s mom, approaching the end of an eighteen-year intimacy with this body and this boy, who openly admired and winced through mornings such as these,” (263).  Mothers can identify with Blakely as she admires, but also worries about her son’s enthusiasm and relentlessness for a sport. But as she sits and watches him at the match she admires many qualities that her son and his team possess. As they warm up she watches them and “already my throat swelled with involuntary emotion, like that buried patriotism that reveals itself when a parade marches by,” (264). Blakely successfully utilizes pathos to connect to her audience, because surely other mothers feel the same emotion and pride when watching their children in an activity. Throughout the match she cheers Ryan on to the best of her ability as her “heartbeat accelerated, my skin dampened, my own muscles became taut. Sitting in the bleachers was an aerobic experience for me,” (266).  Mothers can relate to the nervousness that Blakely feels as she watches her son perform, the will to want them to succeed. As she connects with her audience through her son’s wrestling experience, she also illustrates her transforming relationship with her son.  

"A Wrestling Mom" Outline

Title: A Wrestling Mom

Thesis: In the article “A Wrestling Mom”, the author Mary Kay Blakely establishes a strong sense of pathos through her son’s high school wrestling experience, comes to terms with their evolving relationship as he matures, and illustrates the importance of language and interracial camaraderie.

 (Short summary of article)

I.                    Main Point: Blakely’s use of pathos

a.       Background of herself

                                                              i.      Feminist

                                                            ii.      Single mother

b.      Background/introduction of her son & their relationship

                                                              i.      Introduce the connection to wrestling

                                                            ii.      Before school-match day ritual

                                                          iii.      Shoelace

c.       At the match

                                                              i.      Her actions and thoughts as she watched him wrestle

II.                 Main Point: The evolving relationship between mother and son

a.       Noticing her son’s maturation

                                                              i.      References to when he was three years old

                                                            ii.      Noticing her son’s new physique

                                                          iii.      Admiration of his power

b.      Gender role

                                                              i.      His coaches teaching him things she could not

                                                            ii.      “Pete and Repeat”

                                                          iii.      Reference to Robert Bly

c.       Different Views

                                                              i.      His love of wrestling/her caution

1.      Hospital scare

                                                            ii.      New relationship with women because of his physique

III.               Language/interracial camaraderie

a.       Different words used

                                                              i.      “fairy”

                                                            ii.      “pain”

                                                          iii.      “feminist”

                                                          iv.      “captain”

b.      Multi-nationality of the team

                                                              i.      Recognizing the team chemistry/ how her son handles different race

                                                            ii.      Second to last paragraph on pg 268 (quote)

                                                          iii.       

Conclusion: Blakely effectively relates with her audience in her struggle to accept that her son is growing up and becoming less reliant on their relationship. Through his high school wrestling experience she sees how he has matured, because of her influence, but also the influence of others. She admires his relationship with his fellow teammates and of opponents, relating the camaraderie with the rest of the world. (end quote?)

In Class Writing Response

In the article "Lady Power", Bauer effectively makes the argument about the role of modern feminism and the questionable line between self expression and self objectification.

CR Responses

I read "Why Blame Mexico?" by Fred Reed and found it controversial, but very thought provoking. His argument is that the United States has brought illegal immigration upon itself. Reed says that "The problem of immigration, note, is entirely self-inflicted. The U.S. chose to let them in. It didnt have to. They came to work. If Americans hadnt hired them, they would have gone back" (47). I totally agree with him. Reed uses a lot of rhetorical questions in his argument to get the reader to really think about the point he is trying to make. He also has reliable resources like the book De Los Maras a Los Zetas, that talks about accounts with border patrol and how they can be easily bribed. He also talks about arguments people have made about illegal immigrants coming from Mexico and the government. He seems very knowledgeable. I think Reed uses all of this information to evoke emotion in the audience, by telling them that, yes there are people who come into the U.S. illegally because they are running away from previous crimes they have commited, but most of them are just looking for a better job, and a better way of life. Everyone can connect to that, just wanting more for yourself and for your family. He does a very good job at painting the "innocence picture" of the illegal aliens. All in all, I really liked this article and the point that he made.

I also read "Lady Power" by Nancy Bauer. In this article she is talking about the role of modern feminism and the line between self expression or self empowerment and self objectification. Bauer talks about Lady Gaga and her role in feminism today as she is a representative of "sexual, strong women who speak their mind". Bauer associates her with Cindy Sherman, an artist who also personified the question that is "being a woman is a matter of artifice, or artful self-presentation". Bauer builds this argument by citing quotes from Gaga, and using examples of her to ask the question of self expression or self objectification? She also talks about modern day feminism in young women, and how they act. How they can be very studious and driven one day and then the next they are matching men drink for drink and hookup for hookup at a college party. The power that they have during those hookups, to walk away, when mostly they dont, is the power that Bauer talks about. In this she can connect with the audience, women readers, because maybe they have been in this situation and they have their own opinion. But then when will society really be okay with women acting more like men?

Womb For Rent- For a Price

In the article "Womb For Rent- For a Price", the author Ellen Goodman's main point discusses labor out-sourced "beyond our reach"; surrogate parenthood. The main place she talks about is India, where woman are paid up to $7000 to deliver a child to more wealthy couples who are unable. Goodman sees this as a positive for the surogate, earning "a decade's worth of women's wages", but from a moral standpoint "humanity is sacrificed to the economy and the person becomes the product".
Goodman also uses these claims to appeal to pathos, to appeal to the emotions of the audience of the article. As a reader you feel bad for the surrogate, knowing they really need the money and that this is a positive thing for them. Also its a positive that a couple who may not be able to physically produce a baby themselves are getting the opportunity to have a baby with half of their genes. But then Goodman plays on the aspect that this is like putting humanity literally in the economy; producing and selling humans. This concept seems a little strange. People shopping around for the cheapest price and such.
"What is the writer's purpose?". I think that Goodman wanted to inform people, give them a little background about the out-sourcing surrogacy, but she also wanted to enlighten people and open their eyes to the unmoralistic side of it. It doesn't change my perspective of the piece because I can relate to Goodman's view.
"Nevertheless, there is- and there should be- something uncomfortable about a free market approach to baby making. It's easier to accept serogacy when it's a gift from one woman to another. But we rarely see a rich woman become a surrogate for a poor family", was a line from Goodman that I agreed with and stayed with me. This out-sourcing surrogacy shouldnt be thought of as "a-okay", there should be something uncomfortable and wrong about it. I also agree that it is easier to accept surrogacy when it is is a gift from woman to woman, not a couple looking in poor countries for the cheapest price to have a baby. And the last line about the rich woman having a baby for a poor family is also mind churning because it is true. The less wealthy family, by a long shot, is doing the manual "labor", almost taken advantage of in my eyes.

On the Preservation of a Good Temper in a Housekeeper Response

A housekeeper is someone who is "habitually gentle, sympathizing, forbearing, and cheerful, carries an atmosphere about her, which imparts a soothing and sustaining influence, and renders it easier for all to do right, under her administration". Beecher says the housekeeper must have a cheerful temper so in a main sense to not disrupt the rest of the household. If she did not she would "destroy all the comfort which otherwise would result from her system, neatness, and economy".
In a nutshell, Beecher's list of considerations are to "regard her duties as dignified, important and difficult". A woman should also see her influence on the family and how her mood affects everyone. She must also be organized and ready, always prepared for her "best-arranged plans" to be "interfered with, very often". A woman must lead by example because her children will follow all that she does. When she is irritated, "she will not speak, till she can do it in a calm and gentle manner", because angry tones are not necessary. A woman must also be ready for misbehavior because it is "must unreasonable, to expect the consideration and car of a mature mind, in childhood and youth". A woman must also understand that all events taken place in the household are "brought about by the permission of our Heavenly Father.
Beecher makes the assumption that women should lead the household,and that a housekeeper and the woman of the house are interchangeable. They are both housekeepers but in different ways. The actual housekeeper does the dirty work, (cooking, cleaning, etc.), while the woman of the house orders all of it to be done. It is through hierarchy.

Catharine Beecher's Background

Something that stood out to me from my research right away was that Catharine Beecher is renowned abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe's sister. But it seems to me that Beecher's goal was to advocate women in the teaching field and to train them to master the household. Something that I quite didn't understand was that she was all for women in the workforce and improving education, but not for women's suffrage. It seems to be a contradiction that she is gung-ho for women's rights but not voting. She only thought that women were useful in the teaching field and at home, they had no influence in politics. She also wrote many books instructing women on domestic virtues. With the little research I was able to do, it definitely clarifies her writing and helps me understand her thoughts a little more.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

The article "Am I My Brother's Keeper?" is a very mind opening dialogue between Elie Wiesel and Richard D. Heffner. When Wiesel mentions people being 'informed', he means that they are aware of the issue, they know the basics and that it happened. When he says that if that "information is transferred into knowledge", he means that people give their all to know the situation and to help in whatever way needed. Knowledge means knowing the facts, to really care enough to know that facts. This is also what he means with 'responsibility'. If people know that a tragedy is happening, if they are at the least even informed about it, then they should take the responsibility in doing something about it; in helping. Wiesel means by, "And when you suffer, you need a presence", that you cannot suffer for the person, exchange yourself for them, but you can help them through it and offer help.
To Wiesel, listening is key for the world. He doesnt believe that anyone truly listens. He mentions peole walking around the streets with ear phones in, listening to the same music day after day because they are fine with the silence. He says they want to shut out the world. To him, these people are ignoring real world issues, when all the world needs is someone to listen to it.
He refers to the Bible when talking about Cain and Able, how Cain killed Able. Its odd for two people to be brothers and yet to become the "victim/assassin" of the other. He also says that "whoever kills, kills his brother", meaning we are all children of God, we are all brothers.
With all of these technological advances and the media being everywhere, we are 'informed' about many issues and tragedies going on around the world. One tragedy will happen, and we will be wrapped up in it for a couple of days until the next tragedy happens, with the previous one being forgotten. With all of this information daily, we dont feel the compassion to one event like we did a couple days previous. Like Wiesel says about sharing images and information for a month, people feel moved, but then by the second month those same images and information do not move them anymore. Wiesel says that we need to give our all to one issue at a time, do everything you can for that issue before you move on to the next. You also need to have a presence there. Wiesel goes and is present at the event so he can say that he has been there, he saw it.
We all just need to show a little more compassion, pay a little more attention, and listen to what the world is saying so we can evolve in the right manner.

In-Class Writing Response 8-30-11

Most of my family is technology savvy.
My dad seems to be very good with technology. He is always on his blackberry working his email, and text messaging. I have recently taught him how to use 'bbm' instead of text messaging. He can use the DVR on the television as well. He is very good with computers, the basics anyway. He can install programs and fix the computer if there is a malfunction or virus. I have always been able to go to him with problems. What I have noticed with him is that with the new computers coming out with new and improved layouts, he does not know where to find certain tools anymore. Sometimes I know more about where things are located and how they work then he does. He has an iPod and now that he has mastered iTunes he is all about the digital music library. He has millions of CDs, and now he has put them all on iTunes, located on his computer. He spends hours in his home office 'working'. He is hooked on it. He has also figured out how to use his iPod to track his weekly runs. He is fascinated that he can synchronize his step to find his caloric deficit, mileage, time, etc.
I can see a little bit of a generation gap with my mom. She has 'mastered' how to text message, even though her texts sometimes are very funny and strange because of the abbreviations. She has an iPod shuffle, the simplest one and sometimes has problems with turning it off or changing the volume. She has gotten better though. She is very good with a computer though, she is an engineer, and she works with new computer programs and such all day long. She lives at a computer. She can email very well too. She does have a problem figuring out things on the TV. We have multiple flat screen TVs, which are just monitors, so we have to have a signal box as well. And then there is the Comcast cable box, so just to turn on the TV you have to work three different remote controls. Its very simple, to me anyway and the rest of our family, but it has taken her a while to figure it out. I sometimes have to help her. She can usually figure out how to DVR her favorite shows, but sometimes I have to help.
My brother is the most savvy. He is on Facebook, emails, has a Droid smartphone, and is always on his laptop. He has had countless laptops, usually because he breaks them with trying to alter them himself or loading too much on it. He is minoring in computer information or something like that at Boston College, and works on there on the side to help teachers with programing and such. If we ever had a major problem with computers at home that my dad couldn't figure out, he would be the go to person. He is very good with technology, but he also breaks a lot of devices.

SWA#2

I really enjoyed the article "Hooked on Technology, and Paying a Price" because it is so relateable. The Campbells are a modern day family, facing modern day problems. Technology is taking over the world. The part of the article where they say that "while multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information... and they experience more stress" (15).  I can relate to this because when I think that I am being productive by doing a million things at once, I actually get completely frustrated and stressed out because I cant put all of my attention to one thing. It is also interesting that they make the comparison between technology and drugs, because it is true that technology is like a drug. It is addicting, and hard to put devices down. Mr. Campbell and his family experience that, and the tension that it brings.
The hours of media comsumed by people a day has more than doubled since 1960, up to twelve hours. That seems ridiculous but when you think about how much time you spend on your smartphone, laptop, or watching tv, it really adds up. Through the development of more advanced computers, scientists have discovered that brain development does not stop after childhood, that it continues to develop because of things like learning skills. Most people say that childhood years are very important because that is when the main time the brain develops, but now that we know the brain keeps developing throughout lifetimes. Scientists also thought that the brain could only process one stream of thought, until recently found that it could process more than one, multitasking.
Mr. Ophir and his colleagues did many tests on patients to see how the brain reacted to multitasking. It was difficult for the multitaskers to filter out the irrelevant information, which is like our everyday distractions. We cant help but focus on things that are not important at the time or are not related to our main goal. But technology devices can be productive as well. When we look at gamers, it can be used for a rehabilitatice and educational purpose, enhancing reaction time and tracking movement. So even though video games seem like a waste of time, fast paced ones can be useful. Rewiring of the brain goes on all the time, it learns to adapt, which to me seemed obvious because that information has been known since I have been born, but is relatively new information in the world of science.
I also found a paragraph under the section "Interrupted by a Corpse" relateable where it talks about the many devices and computer screens open on Mr. Campbell's desk as he is trying to finish a project for work. I may have to write a big paper for school, but have my phone next to me, itunes open playing music, facebook open, google open, and the television on in the background. With technology brings many distractions. Not only does it cause distractions at the very moment in time, but it also leads to forgetfulness and short term memory loss. Mr. Campbell ordered the wrong program for his company, he burned hamburgers, and forgot to pick up his children.
These distractions and technological devices Mr. Campbell is embedded in have taken a toll on his children and family. The kids are learning bad habits from him, like his son also being engulfed in his devices. Good thing the daughter is only allowed an hour a day, because she would be in trouble too, at eight years old already with a laptop and such. They try and take a vacation and Mr. Campbell still cannot get away from his email and games. Not until one of the final days does the whole family enjoy eachother's company without distractions. I can also relate to this. My Dad is a business man and is always on his blackberry or laptop. If were driving somewhere he usually always has one to two business calls to make while the rest of the family has to sit silently in the car. This lately hasnt been a problem because we all have our own phones, ipods, and dvd players to be focused on. But once we are into the vacation he usually does a very good job to set his emailing time to a minimum when we are not doing an activity together. It really can ruin a vacation and the feeling of togetherness.
I really liked this article because I related to it, and because it was more narrative and not just a bunch of information thrown at me like the previous ones. It really opens my eyes to how much we depend on technological devices nowadays, and how if we dont do something about it we could be heading down the wrong path.

Get Smarter Response

In "Get Smarter" the author talks about how we have many hurdles to overcome in the next few decades, and it puts an optimistic view on it saying that we will cope like our ancestors did by "getting smarter". We will overcome these hurdles by advances, referring to it as "intelligence augmentation". We are in and entering a new era of technological advances, the Web is like our universal brain, practically thinking for us. I agree when they say we have a technology-inudced ADD. It is very difficult to pay attention and go into deep thought. As I am typing this i have four other tabs open on my computer, my iPod playing, and my cell phone blinking with a new text message. With all of the technology around us it is very difficult to stay concentrated on one thing. This refers back to the article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?".
I also see the point the author makes when saying that today's technology will seem primitive in the next decade or so. New cell phones come out all the time and within the next month they are dated and a newer version is being sold. We make technological advances every day, and it is very clear to see.
I think that the part about "the singularity" was very interesting. The author talked about artificial intelligence, making a machine brain that will only get smarter and smarter itself over time and with new advances. The only problem I see with this is that "the human era will end". That is the most crazy thing to think about. But dinosaurs became extinct, maybe we will too in the future and machines will rule the world.
This article opened my eyes to the reality of our present situation and all of the possibilities of the future.

SWA#1

My best writing experience would have to be in my sophomore year of high school where I receieved a picture and had to write a poem to compliment it. I love more of the creating writing, not so much the long essays. The picture was of a lake in the winter time right at either sunset or sunrise. It gave the feeling of loneliness, so I wrote my poem about a man who goes to the lake reflecting on his wife's death. I could just picture him sitting there in the silence taking in his surroundings and trying to find the answers he was looking for, so I wrote the emotions that I thought he would be experiencing and the interior dialogue. What made the experience even better was that I won a prize in the school's art festival for it.
My worst writing experience also took place in the same english class my sophomore year. It was a research paper. My topic was how the Nazis manipulated the world with different types of propaganda during the years of the Holocaust. I worked very hard, researching all the different types of propaganda from various resources. My paper was very long, about twenty pages after editing. I received a B- on the paper because I paraphrased and quoted too much throughout the paper without enough analysis. I was very upset because I had put a lot of time and effort into the paper and I thought I was doing what the teacher had asked. It was definitely a learning experience. Next time I wont be as extensive and focus more on my analysis and not how many facts I can find. So I would say that this negative experience affected me most because I am going to learn from my mistakes.

In Class Writing 8-23-11

What I really related to from "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" is when the author talks about how the Web is chipping away at his concentration and contemplation. He said it is difficult now to sit and read a longer literary work because he is always reading articles and information online that is shorter. I feel the same way. If I want to read something or find something out I just type it into Google and read very quickly. When I have to sit and read a longer book I have trouble. Last year in English it was difficult for me to fully absorb the information on the page because I am so used to skimming through articles and readings. It is a problem that our generation is facing. Even reading the article I found myself being distracted.