1. I am studying to learn about abortion.
2. I am studying/trying to learn about abortion, because I want to find out whether or not it is a safe procedure for the mother.
3. I am doing this in order to help my readers better understand the consequences of having an abortion performed.
11.17.2011
11.10.2011
One man's sins; An entire community's problem
In the past week, being a Penn State student has lost its glamour. A university once commended for academics and sports is now booed for terrible acts committed by one man that affected many others. With news crews running rampant and students rioting, our college's reputation is quickly declining. Unfortunately our school is going to always be remembered for the Jerry Sandusky scandal and how it led to the termination of Jerry Sandusky, the iconic head coach, Joe Paterno ("JoePa"), President Graham Spanier, and others (and probably more to come). To make matters worse, many students seemed to have forgotten what this is all about as soon as they heard the words "Joe Paterno has been fired."
This should be a time to reach out to the victims and their families. They are the ones that matter and how dare students act like firing Joe Paterno is the worst part about this case. The news teams haven't made matters any better. Every time you turn on the television you get a brief background and then BOOM! "What about Joe Paterno? What do the students think? Why would they fire JoePa??????????????"
AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I will say it once more. This is not about how upset the students are to lose Joe Paterno. This is about the victims of Jerry Sandusky's perverted ways.
Take a step back and take a look around you, people! Yes, JoePa is a Penn State legend. Yes, he has led our team to many great victories over the years. And yes, it is sad to see him go under these circumstances. BUT... How would you feel if you had a child that was molested and somebody knew about it and didn't do anything? This is not to say that Mike McQueary shouldn't be punished. He was a grown man that also knew of, even witnessed, one particular assault and did nothing. The fact of the matter is, anyone who knew about the incident and did nothing should be punished.
I want to note that it is not all of the students here at PSU that are soiling the reputation of us all. However, there are many that are thinking selfishly. The riots that have been going on, especially the one last night on 11.09.11, are out of control. Students protesting the fact that Paterno was fired is out of hand. A news van dumped on its side, the back window of a police car being smashed out, things being thrown on the streets, and so much more. It has to stop. You can be upset about whatever you want, but do not belittle the main issue. The students that have chosen to act out aren't genuinely concerned about Joe Paterno because if they had listened to anything he was saying they would know that he thanked them for the support, but asked them not to destroy property and act out. Personally, I think many of these students just want to get a shot in the newspaper or on TV.
To sum it up:
1. This is more than just the termination of JoePa. It is about justice for the victims.
2. If you are one of the students that are acting out - stop. You are not making Joe proud and you are not getting your point across. You are making it easy for spectators to judge and think less of our school as a whole.
3. What Sandusky did is wrong and should not be swept under the rug by the termination of anyone at this university. Focus on the real issue and maybe you'll understand why some sacrifices have to be made in order to better the situation.
Revising my Revisions
Original: As modern humans we often take things for granted. Only a couple centuries ago a pregnant woman could fill her day worrying about the child she was carrying. Infant mortality rates were very high in the early to mid-nineteenth century. According to ilt.columbia.edu, nearly 25% of all infants born died within their first year of life. Oh, but we have come a long way. We were once terrified of losing an unborn child; now we can choose if we even want it. Abortion rates have climbed since abortions first began in the 1920’s, numbers have skyrocketed. According to Wm. Robert Johnston from the Abortion Statistics and Other Data in the Johnston’s Archive, millions of abortions have been performed, hitting a huge boom between 1975 and 1996 with over a million per year. The decision of Roe v. Wade in early January of 1973 greatly impacted the choices made by women. Roe was a single pregnant woman that wanted an abortion so she challenged the constitutional laws in Texas. She won and it was decided that women had the choice of whether or not they got an abortion. Are women abusing this right?
Revised: As people living in modern society, we often take things for granted. Only a couple centuries ago pregnant women could fill their days worrying about their unborn children. Infant mortality rates were at an all time high in the early to mid-nineteenth century. According to ilt.columbia.edu, nearly 25% of all infants born died within their first year of life. We have come a long way since those sad times, but have we gone in the wrong direction? Women used to stress over if the child they were carrying would live. They now think about if they want the child inside them to live. Since abortions began in the 1920's, the rates of procedures have grown. According to Wm. Robert Johnston from the Abortion Statistics and Other Data in the Johnston’s Archive, millions of abortions have been performed, hitting a huge boom between 1975 and 1996 with over a million per year. Even though abortion is still opposed by many, it has come to be a more acceptable solution when it comes to dealing with unwanted pregnancies. Many pregnant teens are actually pushed to choose abortion by their own parents. This should not be considered a solution when there are alternatives like adoption and early prevention such as the use of contraceptives. Abortion is an irresponsible and unsafe procedure that can be avoided and should not be used for the "correction" of a "mistake."
Revised: As people living in modern society, we often take things for granted. Only a couple centuries ago pregnant women could fill their days worrying about their unborn children. Infant mortality rates were at an all time high in the early to mid-nineteenth century. According to ilt.columbia.edu, nearly 25% of all infants born died within their first year of life. We have come a long way since those sad times, but have we gone in the wrong direction? Women used to stress over if the child they were carrying would live. They now think about if they want the child inside them to live. Since abortions began in the 1920's, the rates of procedures have grown. According to Wm. Robert Johnston from the Abortion Statistics and Other Data in the Johnston’s Archive, millions of abortions have been performed, hitting a huge boom between 1975 and 1996 with over a million per year. Even though abortion is still opposed by many, it has come to be a more acceptable solution when it comes to dealing with unwanted pregnancies. Many pregnant teens are actually pushed to choose abortion by their own parents. This should not be considered a solution when there are alternatives like adoption and early prevention such as the use of contraceptives. Abortion is an irresponsible and unsafe procedure that can be avoided and should not be used for the "correction" of a "mistake."
11.04.2011
You'll see my name in the New York Times
This article, found in the New York Times, is about the author, Drucilla Cornell, and her experience adopting a daughter in 1993 from Paraguay, two years before international adoption was banned. The author also talks about how international adoptions are being banned country by country and how fears of trafficking children for adoption and taking children from the biological mother without consent is a fear that she has.
I feel that the author is quite obviously open to international adoption and feels that for some children it may make the difference between life and death. However, she states repeatedly that she wanted to make sure that her adopted daughter’s biological mother consented fully to giving up the child for adoption so from that I can draw that she supports international adoption as long as it is completely legal.
Cornell makes her argument by providing facts and telling her own story. She first begins with telling the reader about her adoption of a girl from Paraguay and then moves on to why it was such a big ordeal due to citizens protesting against the adoptions of babies from that country. She also talks about different adoption situations and how it affects the children and their views of their culture, which I thought could have been left out because then she goes back to talking about why countries oppose the adoptions and finishes with how she wants her and her daughter to meet her daughter’s biological mother. I feel that the way she argues for international adoption is very subtle. At no point is she disrespectful or biased. She seems to keep an open mind throughout the article. At one point she provides an example of Madonna’s adoption of a baby from Malawi and how it sparked a lot of controversy and how the parents of that child supposedly did not actually give the baby up for adoption. It shows that adoption trafficking can be a huge problem and is one of the main reasons why so many countries are banning it.
Since the argument is so subtle, it is hard to agree completely on one thing. I share her support in adoption from other countries because I think it is beneficial to children who may otherwise have died or lived unsatisfying lives. I also feel that if I were to adopt a child I would want to be sure that the biological mother consented to adoption and that the child wasn’t taken from her. I think it’s awful that some countries are completely opposed to it, but they must have their reasons. I know that there are still many children in this country that are waiting to be adopted too, so even if international adoption does get completely banned someday, we will still have many children here that need loving homes and a second chance.
I really liked that the author had her own experience with international adoption. It made the article more interesting to me and I feel that it made her qualified to be writing about the topic. I feel that she could have left out the part when she talks about couples that are not heterosexual because she didn’t really elaborate on it so it felt like it was just thrown in there.
I would like to stay fairly unbiased in my paper, although it might be harder because where I will be clearly arguing a point, she had a more subtle approach to how she expressed her position on the subject. I also like that she used her own personal story, I think that it is a great way to capture a reader’s attention and show that you know what you’re talking about.
I feel that the author is quite obviously open to international adoption and feels that for some children it may make the difference between life and death. However, she states repeatedly that she wanted to make sure that her adopted daughter’s biological mother consented fully to giving up the child for adoption so from that I can draw that she supports international adoption as long as it is completely legal.
Cornell makes her argument by providing facts and telling her own story. She first begins with telling the reader about her adoption of a girl from Paraguay and then moves on to why it was such a big ordeal due to citizens protesting against the adoptions of babies from that country. She also talks about different adoption situations and how it affects the children and their views of their culture, which I thought could have been left out because then she goes back to talking about why countries oppose the adoptions and finishes with how she wants her and her daughter to meet her daughter’s biological mother. I feel that the way she argues for international adoption is very subtle. At no point is she disrespectful or biased. She seems to keep an open mind throughout the article. At one point she provides an example of Madonna’s adoption of a baby from Malawi and how it sparked a lot of controversy and how the parents of that child supposedly did not actually give the baby up for adoption. It shows that adoption trafficking can be a huge problem and is one of the main reasons why so many countries are banning it.
Since the argument is so subtle, it is hard to agree completely on one thing. I share her support in adoption from other countries because I think it is beneficial to children who may otherwise have died or lived unsatisfying lives. I also feel that if I were to adopt a child I would want to be sure that the biological mother consented to adoption and that the child wasn’t taken from her. I think it’s awful that some countries are completely opposed to it, but they must have their reasons. I know that there are still many children in this country that are waiting to be adopted too, so even if international adoption does get completely banned someday, we will still have many children here that need loving homes and a second chance.
I really liked that the author had her own experience with international adoption. It made the article more interesting to me and I feel that it made her qualified to be writing about the topic. I feel that she could have left out the part when she talks about couples that are not heterosexual because she didn’t really elaborate on it so it felt like it was just thrown in there.
I would like to stay fairly unbiased in my paper, although it might be harder because where I will be clearly arguing a point, she had a more subtle approach to how she expressed her position on the subject. I also like that she used her own personal story, I think that it is a great way to capture a reader’s attention and show that you know what you’re talking about.
Topics of Interest
Teenagers & Abortion - Clark, Charles S. "Teenagers and Abortion." CQ Researcher Plus Archive. SAGE Publications, 5 July 1991. Web. 1 Nov. 2011. .
This article is about the debate of whether or not parents should be involved when a teen decides to choose abortion. Many politicians that support abortion rights also favor the idea of parental involvement. Others believe that parental involvement can force young girls to resort to illegal abortions due to fear of abuse from the family.
My personal belief is that if a girl decides to have an abortion under the age of 18 years old she should notify at least one parent. The parent should not be able to force their child to have an abortion, but should only give or not give their consent if the child decides she does want an abortion. I feel that this will help the girl think more clearly when she has a parent/guardian helping them with decisions like this.
Eating Disorders - Prah, Pamela M. "Eating Disorders: Is Societal Pressure to Be Thin to Blame?" CQ Researcher Plus Archive. SAGE Publications, 10 Feb. 2006. Web. 3 Nov. 2011..
This article discusses eating disorders such as anorexia and bulemia. It covers everything from celebrity and social media influences to what the disorders actually are and how many people suffer from them and so much more. One issue it covered that really made me think was that some insurance groups won't cover anorexia or bulemia as serious disorders. The article told the story of a family whose daughter committed suicide after finding out the insurance would not pay the bills for the hospital treatment for her anorexia. The daughter thought she was a burden to her family and killed herself.
I feel that insurance should be listing anorexia and bulemia as high priority diseases especially since anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates of all mental disorders. I think that these disorders should be taken more seriously because it is something that affects a large percentage of people. These disorders are not necessarily self-inflicted. It can be something that stems biologically or from a trauma or major life experience/change that the person had happen to them.
Food Safety - "Food Safety." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 4 Nov. 2011.
This final article is about foodborne illnesses such as salmonella and many more. It tells the reader where the various types of illnesses can be traced back to. For example, listeriosis, often associated with miscarriages and meningitis can be from eating ready-to-eat foods such as soft cheeses and hot dogs. The article also dicusses the standards that FDA uses and talks about the different food safety departments and what they monitor.
I feel that since roughly 5,000 people die a year due to foodborne illnesses that there is room for improvement when it comes to the safety of food. I think that restaurants should be more careful and organized when it comes to cleaning utensils and areas where food is stored and/or prepared. As far as the FDA and other departments go, I think that they are doing the best they can by checking meat and other products before and after slaughter and monitoring what foods come in and out of the country. I believe that foodborne illnesses are inevitable and that it would be very difficult to perfect the system, but as long as they are trying to improve it step by step I see no problem in how the government regulates food safety.
This article is about the debate of whether or not parents should be involved when a teen decides to choose abortion. Many politicians that support abortion rights also favor the idea of parental involvement. Others believe that parental involvement can force young girls to resort to illegal abortions due to fear of abuse from the family.
My personal belief is that if a girl decides to have an abortion under the age of 18 years old she should notify at least one parent. The parent should not be able to force their child to have an abortion, but should only give or not give their consent if the child decides she does want an abortion. I feel that this will help the girl think more clearly when she has a parent/guardian helping them with decisions like this.
Eating Disorders - Prah, Pamela M. "Eating Disorders: Is Societal Pressure to Be Thin to Blame?" CQ Researcher Plus Archive. SAGE Publications, 10 Feb. 2006. Web. 3 Nov. 2011.
This article discusses eating disorders such as anorexia and bulemia. It covers everything from celebrity and social media influences to what the disorders actually are and how many people suffer from them and so much more. One issue it covered that really made me think was that some insurance groups won't cover anorexia or bulemia as serious disorders. The article told the story of a family whose daughter committed suicide after finding out the insurance would not pay the bills for the hospital treatment for her anorexia. The daughter thought she was a burden to her family and killed herself.
I feel that insurance should be listing anorexia and bulemia as high priority diseases especially since anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates of all mental disorders. I think that these disorders should be taken more seriously because it is something that affects a large percentage of people. These disorders are not necessarily self-inflicted. It can be something that stems biologically or from a trauma or major life experience/change that the person had happen to them.
Food Safety - "Food Safety." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 4 Nov. 2011.
This final article is about foodborne illnesses such as salmonella and many more. It tells the reader where the various types of illnesses can be traced back to. For example, listeriosis, often associated with miscarriages and meningitis can be from eating ready-to-eat foods such as soft cheeses and hot dogs. The article also dicusses the standards that FDA uses and talks about the different food safety departments and what they monitor.
I feel that since roughly 5,000 people die a year due to foodborne illnesses that there is room for improvement when it comes to the safety of food. I think that restaurants should be more careful and organized when it comes to cleaning utensils and areas where food is stored and/or prepared. As far as the FDA and other departments go, I think that they are doing the best they can by checking meat and other products before and after slaughter and monitoring what foods come in and out of the country. I believe that foodborne illnesses are inevitable and that it would be very difficult to perfect the system, but as long as they are trying to improve it step by step I see no problem in how the government regulates food safety.
10.20.2011
Compare & Contrast: Water Bottles
It's a hot summer day and you stop at a convenience store on your way to the beach. Your mouth now feels like the Sahara and your body is sweating worse than it ever has. You're parched and the only thing that will satisfy you is water. Once you get to the cooler in the back you see many different types of water. What catches your eye looks like an oasis in the desert and in big letters across the front, it says FIJI. Fiji water comes in an interesting bottle. It is rectangular and on the inside, there is a picture of jungle leaves and a pretty, pink flower. The rectangular shape makes for a modern and possibly more "high end" look. When you look at the picture through the other side of the bottle it relaxes you. You imagine yourself in a tropical paradise being doted on and fed fruits by the water while being fanned with large palm tree leaves. Not only does Fiji water quench my thirst, but it takes me to a place where I can only dream to go. It is not only a water bottle, it is a teleportation device to Fantasy Island.
Now imagine that you're in the same situation. You reach into the frosty cooler and the water bottle you grab now is completely different. This time you grasp a cylindrical bottle. Running up the side of the bottle you see the word VOSS in big, spaced out letters. Voss water has a simple, yet appealing design. This cylinder shaped bottle has a much simpler design than that of the Fiji water bottle. Voss has no image displayed inside the bottle, it has really no color at all. It is a clear, tall bottle with a silver colored cap and lettering. Voss's water bottle also gives it a modern, almost futuristic, look. It's rounded shape makes it easier and less awkward to hold in your hand. When you look at a Voss water bottle it also has more of a "high end" look than that of any other ordinary water bottle. The height of the bottle alone makes it appear to be a nearly endless supply of pure H2O. Everything about this bottle makes it an easy choice when it comes to replenishing your thirst. It's height, simple colors and shape all make it a water bottle worthy of being chosen.
10.14.2011
Don't You Just Love the Smell of Cologne in the Morning?
Walking down the street the last thing you would expect to smell is bacon. Where could it be coming from? You are nowhere near a restaurant and it is not breakfast. As you stop at the crosswalk you notice the smell get stronger and then you realize that it is coming from the person next to you. How can anyone smell like that? And then it hits you. He’s wearing bacon… cologne.
Bacon cologne is new cologne designed for both men and women. Designed by a butcher named John Fargginay in 1920, it was a “magical elixir” made to boost the moods of his customers. After a fire in 1924, the recipe was lost until now. The cologne comes in Bacon Classic (which has more maple) and Bacon Gold (contains a touch of citrus). There is no doubt about this product being new. What about controversial? Some people think that this is an insane idea, while others love it. When Fargginay first used his elixir, he had heads of state and celebrities that came to get the product just for a whiff to put them in a good mood.
This would quite obviously fall under the category of cologne, even though it is not your typical fragrance and it is one of the oddest colognes I have ever heard of. I suppose you could call the product aesthetically valuable. I mean, nothing seduces men more than the smell of bacon, right? Like I said before, some people are all in for the idea of bacon-scented cologne. Although it may come up short in comparison, it could be compared to unisex colognes such as Ck One, Roger Gallet Cologne, and 4711. Other food colognes and perfumes include Burger King’s Flame, Whopper-scented cologne. Also, a cologne called Que, which is Pork Barrel BBQ scented cologne. Wearing all that would make people hungry… or nauseous. I suppose out of any of those odd colognes and perfumes, bacon would be the least repulsing. It would be better than smelling like you lived in a Burger King for 20 years.
The five criteria I would use when evaluating cologne would be this:
1. A pleasant smell – are you or the people around you choking?
2. Packaging – does it have a nice label, name, etc.?
3. Variation – how many different fragrances in the line?
4. Accessibility – how easy is it for the customers to buy the product?
5. Popularity – how much is selling and how fast?
To briefly evaluate this cologne I would say that although I find the smell of bacon to be a pleasant smell, I think it is better suited for breakfast and wrapped around scallops, not sprayed onto my neck and wrists. The packaging does seem nice and aesthetically pleasing. The design of the bottle is curved and the colors used are simple, but eye catching and are easily recognizable as bacon strips. Since there are only two different fragrances in the Bacon line (Classic and Gold) I would say that their variation is lacking. I have not seen Bacon in any cologne and perfume stores, so I would say its accessibility is limited to online for now, which means that it is not a available to everyone at the moment. Finally the popularity of the product seems to be low. While it may be a funny gag gift, I don’t know a single person who wants to walk around smelling like bacon. In conclusion, I would have to say that Bacon does not make good cologne. Funny idea, but who in their right mind would buy it?
Bacon cologne is new cologne designed for both men and women. Designed by a butcher named John Fargginay in 1920, it was a “magical elixir” made to boost the moods of his customers. After a fire in 1924, the recipe was lost until now. The cologne comes in Bacon Classic (which has more maple) and Bacon Gold (contains a touch of citrus). There is no doubt about this product being new. What about controversial? Some people think that this is an insane idea, while others love it. When Fargginay first used his elixir, he had heads of state and celebrities that came to get the product just for a whiff to put them in a good mood.
This would quite obviously fall under the category of cologne, even though it is not your typical fragrance and it is one of the oddest colognes I have ever heard of. I suppose you could call the product aesthetically valuable. I mean, nothing seduces men more than the smell of bacon, right? Like I said before, some people are all in for the idea of bacon-scented cologne. Although it may come up short in comparison, it could be compared to unisex colognes such as Ck One, Roger Gallet Cologne, and 4711. Other food colognes and perfumes include Burger King’s Flame, Whopper-scented cologne. Also, a cologne called Que, which is Pork Barrel BBQ scented cologne. Wearing all that would make people hungry… or nauseous. I suppose out of any of those odd colognes and perfumes, bacon would be the least repulsing. It would be better than smelling like you lived in a Burger King for 20 years.
The five criteria I would use when evaluating cologne would be this:
1. A pleasant smell – are you or the people around you choking?
2. Packaging – does it have a nice label, name, etc.?
3. Variation – how many different fragrances in the line?
4. Accessibility – how easy is it for the customers to buy the product?
5. Popularity – how much is selling and how fast?
To briefly evaluate this cologne I would say that although I find the smell of bacon to be a pleasant smell, I think it is better suited for breakfast and wrapped around scallops, not sprayed onto my neck and wrists. The packaging does seem nice and aesthetically pleasing. The design of the bottle is curved and the colors used are simple, but eye catching and are easily recognizable as bacon strips. Since there are only two different fragrances in the Bacon line (Classic and Gold) I would say that their variation is lacking. I have not seen Bacon in any cologne and perfume stores, so I would say its accessibility is limited to online for now, which means that it is not a available to everyone at the moment. Finally the popularity of the product seems to be low. While it may be a funny gag gift, I don’t know a single person who wants to walk around smelling like bacon. In conclusion, I would have to say that Bacon does not make good cologne. Funny idea, but who in their right mind would buy it?
10.07.2011
Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition!
When I take a look at my blog I see a simple background that was chosen quickly based on it's simple design and light colors. It's incredibly easy to read and even easier to use. I have no pictures, only text. Needless to say, my blog is boring. I had never made a blog before and when I finished putting it together I was satisfied. It got my point across and I got the grade. I mean, I wasn't the one looking at it, right? I now realize that although it is my words and thoughts, it is the reader's eyes and making my blog appealing to you, will get my point across easier. After being in the class this long I feel like I have a much wider range of where I can take this blog. I do like simplicity, but I don't like to be boring. With this new blog I hope to make it more exciting for the reader. I understand that you, Denise, have to read these one after another and that can get boring. I hope that after this makeover you will have plenty to look at. I would like to put a few pictures or videos on my blog so that if you get boring reading this you can stop, take a break, take a tour around my site and then go back to reading whatever assignment you’ve given us this week. I am excited to turn my blah blog into a beautiful blog.
My new blog definitely expresses me a lot more than it used to. It’s simple, but I like the colors. I think that they’re relaxing colors and there are no silly shadows of hummingbirds. I chose to add the College Humor videos because I watch them all the time and I think they’re funny as hell. There are more videos, but I couldn’t fit them all. I wish I could have had a scroll bar of videos along the top. That would have made this perfect. I feel that the choices I made to change my blog are for the better. It looks more mature, but it has touches of what I like. I chose features similar to Facebook where it has links of different sites that people may like and can click on. I decided to include links to different sites that I like and often visit on a boring, lazy night on the right side of my blog. Overall, I am now happier than ever with my updated blog. I feel that I accomplished my goal of taking it from “blah” to “beautiful” and I am confident that it will be a much larger success. I hope that this change helps the number of viewers I have. I would really like to increase the viewers from just the teacher, to the English 015 class and maybe even more than that. Now that I know how to set up an aesthetically pleasing blog and know what to write, I think I would like to continue writing blogs.
My new blog definitely expresses me a lot more than it used to. It’s simple, but I like the colors. I think that they’re relaxing colors and there are no silly shadows of hummingbirds. I chose to add the College Humor videos because I watch them all the time and I think they’re funny as hell. There are more videos, but I couldn’t fit them all. I wish I could have had a scroll bar of videos along the top. That would have made this perfect. I feel that the choices I made to change my blog are for the better. It looks more mature, but it has touches of what I like. I chose features similar to Facebook where it has links of different sites that people may like and can click on. I decided to include links to different sites that I like and often visit on a boring, lazy night on the right side of my blog. Overall, I am now happier than ever with my updated blog. I feel that I accomplished my goal of taking it from “blah” to “beautiful” and I am confident that it will be a much larger success. I hope that this change helps the number of viewers I have. I would really like to increase the viewers from just the teacher, to the English 015 class and maybe even more than that. Now that I know how to set up an aesthetically pleasing blog and know what to write, I think I would like to continue writing blogs.
10.03.2011
Growing Up Blue and White
Picture a college dorm packed with students. The halls are buzzing with life as they get ready for their first day of classes. Excited freshman talk about parties, hook-ups and new friends. Just outside on the busy, overcrowded sidewalks comes more excitement and more noise. Everyone seems full of life for this early Monday morning. All of the students that have flocked to Penn State for it's wonderful academics and even better parties are happy to finally be the ones cheering, "We Are... PENN STATE!" Now let's pan over to that one student that walks alone, tunes everything out with their music, and dresses appropriately for the season. That is the person that has lived here all of their life and, quite honestly, is tired of hearing "We Are..." everywhere they go. I am that person. Yes, campus is beautiful in the fall with its changing leaves and well-kept everything, but having seen this all of my life I am not under the spell. I wish I could share in the joy and excitement of a new school year at a beautiful school.
Watching everyone getting antsy before a big game makes me jealous. They are all tailgating and buying season tickets. I have interest in the football program, but I just can't get excited like everyone else. I have witnessed it for the past eighteen years of my life. It's the same thing every few years: big loss - riot; big win - riot. State College is overrun with tourists and visitors. There is no place to park and hardly any room to drive between the thousands of students parading through the streets.
My personal opinion of campus is that it's incredible... if you aren't from around here. I feel that growing up here gave me no real choice in where I would go to school. My college experience has been greatly influenced by growing up in the area. For me that isn't a good thing though. When asking students who grew up in the area how they feel they've been affected by being a local and going to PSU I got many different responses. Joe Mullin, a senior, says, "I don't think it has affected it really, but it is the reason why I chose PSU. I have been a PSU football fan since I was born and was raised in a family full of the same. There was not another option for a college for me really."
Sharing a completely opposite response, Catelyn McMinn, a freshman commuter, states, "I have grown sick of the environment in this town. The only reason I go here is because of my parents. They are alumni that moved here after graduating. They basically told me I was coming here."
I can relate to both of these people. While I like the football team and have pride, some of that pride has been diminished by the sheer fact that I have seen it all of my life. Finally, when asking an out of state freshman, Janelle Zimmerman, her opinion of the campus, she had nothing but positive remarks, "I love it here! My parents and I live in Michigan and used to visit to see family. We would always go to football games and it made me want to be apart of the Penn State community. The campus is so big. Sometimes there isn't much to do, but I've made a lot of new friends so it's not so bad."
The Smeal College of Business put together a website listing interesting PSU facts such as the college as a whole has over 90,000 students (at least half are here at main campus. The school also awards around 20,000 degrees a year. That could be reason enough that students flock here by the thousands. When going to a college it is always smart to look into the graduation rate. The people over at imakenews.com also threw together a few fun facts. In 2002, the largest crowd ever in Beaver Stadium (110,753 to be exact), watched Penn State win 40-7 over Nebraska. Perhaps students come for the football? Also, the average tuition for freshmen and sophomores this year was near $6,802 per semester.
The facts that I found made me think that I should be asking students not only how where they grew up affects their college experience, but why they came to Penn State. I think that getting to know students' reasons why they came will help me determine how well they will like it here. What were the students looking to find in their college experience and will they get it here? I think that after getting this out of the way I have a clearer focus on where I would like my report to go.
Watching everyone getting antsy before a big game makes me jealous. They are all tailgating and buying season tickets. I have interest in the football program, but I just can't get excited like everyone else. I have witnessed it for the past eighteen years of my life. It's the same thing every few years: big loss - riot; big win - riot. State College is overrun with tourists and visitors. There is no place to park and hardly any room to drive between the thousands of students parading through the streets.
My personal opinion of campus is that it's incredible... if you aren't from around here. I feel that growing up here gave me no real choice in where I would go to school. My college experience has been greatly influenced by growing up in the area. For me that isn't a good thing though. When asking students who grew up in the area how they feel they've been affected by being a local and going to PSU I got many different responses. Joe Mullin, a senior, says, "I don't think it has affected it really, but it is the reason why I chose PSU. I have been a PSU football fan since I was born and was raised in a family full of the same. There was not another option for a college for me really."
Sharing a completely opposite response, Catelyn McMinn, a freshman commuter, states, "I have grown sick of the environment in this town. The only reason I go here is because of my parents. They are alumni that moved here after graduating. They basically told me I was coming here."
I can relate to both of these people. While I like the football team and have pride, some of that pride has been diminished by the sheer fact that I have seen it all of my life. Finally, when asking an out of state freshman, Janelle Zimmerman, her opinion of the campus, she had nothing but positive remarks, "I love it here! My parents and I live in Michigan and used to visit to see family. We would always go to football games and it made me want to be apart of the Penn State community. The campus is so big. Sometimes there isn't much to do, but I've made a lot of new friends so it's not so bad."
The Smeal College of Business put together a website listing interesting PSU facts such as the college as a whole has over 90,000 students (at least half are here at main campus. The school also awards around 20,000 degrees a year. That could be reason enough that students flock here by the thousands. When going to a college it is always smart to look into the graduation rate. The people over at imakenews.com also threw together a few fun facts. In 2002, the largest crowd ever in Beaver Stadium (110,753 to be exact), watched Penn State win 40-7 over Nebraska. Perhaps students come for the football? Also, the average tuition for freshmen and sophomores this year was near $6,802 per semester.
The facts that I found made me think that I should be asking students not only how where they grew up affects their college experience, but why they came to Penn State. I think that getting to know students' reasons why they came will help me determine how well they will like it here. What were the students looking to find in their college experience and will they get it here? I think that after getting this out of the way I have a clearer focus on where I would like my report to go.
9.23.2011
Go PSU?
The issue of this radio piece was to investigate how much students at Penn State actually drink. In 2009, we were voted the #1 Party School in the U.S. This sparked lots of interest for many and so journalists came to see what really went on in State College after dark.
I feel that the audience is very diverse. This piece could be for students to show them how it effects the people living in the area. It could also be interesting for local business owners, residents, and just about anyone who lives in a college town or who is interested in the "#1 Party School."
The broadcast interviews different groups such as the students, local residents, business owners, and alumni. Many of the students interviewed, if not all of them, are drunk at the time and are asked questions about what they were doing and what typically happens when they go out. They encountered a couple male students that had stolen a stop sign out of a nearby corner. When they interviewed they local residents and business owners most of them talked about what crazy things students have done like sleeping in their houses and peeing in their yards. Business provided tips when it comes to dry cleaning and delivering food, especially hot wings. The journalists also interview Penn State alumni and, surprisingly, they are a fan of the drinking. Some consider it a form of entertainment and most partake themselves.
By the end of the report, the journalists conclude that the amount that students drink will not decrease. Students and staff are well aware of how much is being consumed and that there have been alcohol related deaths in the past such as the case of Joe Dado in 2005 where a male freshman fell to his death in an outside stairwell when walking home alone from a night of partying. Penn State promotes safe drinking over abstinence and student know that they should stay with friends to stay safe.
The broadcast featured clips of speeches that Graham Spanier spoke about PSU being voted the #1 Party School. He said that the students get online and vote and when Penn State students want to be voted #1, he has to clean up the mess. Since Spanier started at Penn State, he has preached about drinking. This sparked controversy, so he has been preaching less, but still promotes safe drinking.
I personally loved this piece. I actually sat down and just listened to it from start to finish. I loved how we heard from different people and they each had their own group to interview. My favorite part was when they asked the two male students where they got the stop sign and when they said that the found it the host told them that they didn't need to know their names they said, "In that case we got it from over there." Priceless. I loved the comic side of the story, but I also liked when they got down to it and talked about the serious consequences that come when drinking so heavily. I feel that the journalists covered just about every aspect. I loved their use of anecdotes and facts. I feel that this broadcast was put together very well and targeted multiple audiences and kept the interest of the listeners. I wouldn't change a thing about this piece. It was by far my favorite and I thought everything flowed well together.
I feel that the audience is very diverse. This piece could be for students to show them how it effects the people living in the area. It could also be interesting for local business owners, residents, and just about anyone who lives in a college town or who is interested in the "#1 Party School."
The broadcast interviews different groups such as the students, local residents, business owners, and alumni. Many of the students interviewed, if not all of them, are drunk at the time and are asked questions about what they were doing and what typically happens when they go out. They encountered a couple male students that had stolen a stop sign out of a nearby corner. When they interviewed they local residents and business owners most of them talked about what crazy things students have done like sleeping in their houses and peeing in their yards. Business provided tips when it comes to dry cleaning and delivering food, especially hot wings. The journalists also interview Penn State alumni and, surprisingly, they are a fan of the drinking. Some consider it a form of entertainment and most partake themselves.
By the end of the report, the journalists conclude that the amount that students drink will not decrease. Students and staff are well aware of how much is being consumed and that there have been alcohol related deaths in the past such as the case of Joe Dado in 2005 where a male freshman fell to his death in an outside stairwell when walking home alone from a night of partying. Penn State promotes safe drinking over abstinence and student know that they should stay with friends to stay safe.
The broadcast featured clips of speeches that Graham Spanier spoke about PSU being voted the #1 Party School. He said that the students get online and vote and when Penn State students want to be voted #1, he has to clean up the mess. Since Spanier started at Penn State, he has preached about drinking. This sparked controversy, so he has been preaching less, but still promotes safe drinking.
I personally loved this piece. I actually sat down and just listened to it from start to finish. I loved how we heard from different people and they each had their own group to interview. My favorite part was when they asked the two male students where they got the stop sign and when they said that the found it the host told them that they didn't need to know their names they said, "In that case we got it from over there." Priceless. I loved the comic side of the story, but I also liked when they got down to it and talked about the serious consequences that come when drinking so heavily. I feel that the journalists covered just about every aspect. I loved their use of anecdotes and facts. I feel that this broadcast was put together very well and targeted multiple audiences and kept the interest of the listeners. I wouldn't change a thing about this piece. It was by far my favorite and I thought everything flowed well together.
9.16.2011
When in Doubt, Let it Out
I am nowhere near, and I probably never will be close to, Anne Lamott's level of writing. Throughout her life, she has picked up several tips on how to write and not only that, but write well. Tips on things like writer's block, how to research and have other's help you, revisions, listening to your intuition and so much more.
The piece of advice that Lamott has talked about that I find most important is to follow your intuition. When you begin a book, you may not know exactly where it will end, but if you listen and pay attention to the work and let it lead you, it will end wonderfully. You may feel hesitant about doing the work, but if you just go with the flow and let happen what will happen, it has the potential to be a masterpiece. Anne talks about an old Mel Brooks routine in the chapter titled Broccoli where a psychiatrist tells his patient, "Listen to your broccoli, and your broccoli will tell you how to eat it." Just like listen to you your work and it will tell you how to write it or what the next step is.
I loved the advice about intuition because a lot of the time I find myself pushing too hard for an idea that I'm not even happy with. If I just see what has been written and follow my intuition, I can write a story that flows and ends well. Not only this, but I feel that it's a piece of advice that can be used elsewhere too. Following your intuition on just about anything can eventually lead you to the right place. I feel that this advice goes well with the revision process she uses as a writing technique. Sometimes once you write something it's still not all quite right. When you write you may see something that you didn't before and your intuition can tell you toscratch what you just wrote and try another approach.
All in all, I loved everything that Anne Lamott used to get her points across. She was so down to earth that it made it easy to understand and interesting to follow. She was a normal person like you or me that just so happened to pick up a few tricks along the way that made her a fantastic writer. Thankfully, she passed these tricks on to some of us less-than-fantastic writers and I hope that we can make her proud.
The piece of advice that Lamott has talked about that I find most important is to follow your intuition. When you begin a book, you may not know exactly where it will end, but if you listen and pay attention to the work and let it lead you, it will end wonderfully. You may feel hesitant about doing the work, but if you just go with the flow and let happen what will happen, it has the potential to be a masterpiece. Anne talks about an old Mel Brooks routine in the chapter titled Broccoli where a psychiatrist tells his patient, "Listen to your broccoli, and your broccoli will tell you how to eat it." Just like listen to you your work and it will tell you how to write it or what the next step is.
I loved the advice about intuition because a lot of the time I find myself pushing too hard for an idea that I'm not even happy with. If I just see what has been written and follow my intuition, I can write a story that flows and ends well. Not only this, but I feel that it's a piece of advice that can be used elsewhere too. Following your intuition on just about anything can eventually lead you to the right place. I feel that this advice goes well with the revision process she uses as a writing technique. Sometimes once you write something it's still not all quite right. When you write you may see something that you didn't before and your intuition can tell you to
All in all, I loved everything that Anne Lamott used to get her points across. She was so down to earth that it made it easy to understand and interesting to follow. She was a normal person like you or me that just so happened to pick up a few tricks along the way that made her a fantastic writer. Thankfully, she passed these tricks on to some of us less-than-fantastic writers and I hope that we can make her proud.
9.09.2011
Analysis of Confessions of a Bad Teacher
In Confessions of a Bad Teacher, the writer, John Owens, tells the story of his time at Latinate Institute in New York and the many diverse students he worked with. He begins his memoir with a short depiction of the interaction between him and his students when they sing the “Star-Spangled Banner." By goofing around with the kids as they butcher the National Anthem he shows the readers that he is not an uptight person, he has fun with his students.
In the next scene, he talks about his interview for the job. A teacher that has been in the system for 20+ years tells him to just run away because the principal will give him a U which, for new teachers, is basically a mark of death. He finally gets a chance to prove himself by doing a teaching demonstration for a group of 11th grade kids in summer school in front of the assistant principal and some teachers. The students were learning about "The Diary of Anne Frank" and he asked the class if they were going into hiding and they didn't know how long they'd be gone, what they would take. They goofed around saying things like their Blackberry or Pringles, which he quickly got under control, therefore proving to the assistant principal that he could handle it and he got the job.
He soon sees how difficult it can be trying to control a group of students that do not want to learn on his own. Through it all, the students grow to have respect for him because he is not like most of the teachers. Owens tries to relate to the students and be more on their level, like the time there was a girl acting out and refusing to listen. She tells him to "back it up" so he snaps back with the lyrics to a popular rap song from 1999.
After finding original methods to help the students focused and in control he is labeled as a bad teacher. He is finally compatible in a class of 9th grade students, but is soon let go for his out of the ordinary tactics. This story is about a teacher's struggle to be considered a good teacher not only in the eyes of his students, but in the eyes of other educators. He had to quit and go back to what he knew. This is relevant because I'm sure there are still teachers today dealing with the same issues: How do I control my students? How do I get them to want to learn? etc.
The audience may be to other administrators or to students to see how they affect their teachers. John Owens' use of dialogue gave the story life and helped us vision the characters. In my writing I know I will be using enough dialogue to bring my stories a life of their own.
In the next scene, he talks about his interview for the job. A teacher that has been in the system for 20+ years tells him to just run away because the principal will give him a U which, for new teachers, is basically a mark of death. He finally gets a chance to prove himself by doing a teaching demonstration for a group of 11th grade kids in summer school in front of the assistant principal and some teachers. The students were learning about "The Diary of Anne Frank" and he asked the class if they were going into hiding and they didn't know how long they'd be gone, what they would take. They goofed around saying things like their Blackberry or Pringles, which he quickly got under control, therefore proving to the assistant principal that he could handle it and he got the job.
He soon sees how difficult it can be trying to control a group of students that do not want to learn on his own. Through it all, the students grow to have respect for him because he is not like most of the teachers. Owens tries to relate to the students and be more on their level, like the time there was a girl acting out and refusing to listen. She tells him to "back it up" so he snaps back with the lyrics to a popular rap song from 1999.
After finding original methods to help the students focused and in control he is labeled as a bad teacher. He is finally compatible in a class of 9th grade students, but is soon let go for his out of the ordinary tactics. This story is about a teacher's struggle to be considered a good teacher not only in the eyes of his students, but in the eyes of other educators. He had to quit and go back to what he knew. This is relevant because I'm sure there are still teachers today dealing with the same issues: How do I control my students? How do I get them to want to learn? etc.
The audience may be to other administrators or to students to see how they affect their teachers. John Owens' use of dialogue gave the story life and helped us vision the characters. In my writing I know I will be using enough dialogue to bring my stories a life of their own.
8.31.2011
Shaking Up Lunch
When you walk into the cafeteria at Bellefonte Area High School it looks like a normal lunchroom in a normal high school. The further you walk into the cafeteria you can see splatter on the wall and if you look up you will see fruit gummies and a random tomato or cucumber stuck to the ceiling. These have become fixtures in that cafeteria. I am proud to say that my group of friends and I contributed to the mess and behind every splash of red and yellow on the wall, there is a story.
My freshman year the school was under renovation. When we finally had a nice, new cafeteria to eat in many of the seniors thought it would be fun to throw cups of applesauce against the walls. Everyone wondered why they would do such a thing after waiting so long to have something nice to be proud of. Three years later we were the people splashing colors against an eggshell colored wall. Seniors were special. We finally understood that if you've been there for four years and haven't experienced being on the brink of a trip to the principal's office then you weren't living. My friends and I were one of the louder tables in the cafeteria. Six of us sat diagonally from the group of eight senior boys sitting in the corner of the room. Our first encounter was small. We tossed Skittles back and forth for a few days until one of the boys took it too far and decided to throw a French fry. When the mushy potato exploded on me enough was enough. I quickly fired back with two French fries, hoping that at least one fry would make it to a boy's head.
From there on out we gave it everything we had. Skittles turned into fruit and halves of chicken sandwiches and finally chocolate milk bombs. Occasionally someone would be pulled aside by a teacher on duty, but was only given a warning. On the worst day of the war, a bag filled with a half eaten turkey sandwich covered in gravy was thrown from the opposing table. It landed in my friend's applesauce and splattered onto three of us. My best friend attempted to throw the dripping bag of slime back at the boys, but completely misfired and threw it over a group of girls' heads two tables away. As the bag slowly slid down the wall we all sat there awaiting our fate as we watched the teacher walk back. We covered our faces and watched in horror as he made his way back. Three tables away... Shit. Two tables away... We're dead. One table away... Damnit! As our hearts rose in our throats he walked past us to the table of boys. We all looked in amazement as every single one of the boys got up and moved to separate tables by themselves. The three top troublemakers of the table were escorted to the principal's office. As they walked past us scowling, we couldn't help but burst with laughter.
From that day on lunches weren't the same. We crossed some invisible line that the boys had apparently drawn. Our miniature food fights stopped being playful. Every now and then we felt a thud against our heads, but when we turned nobody was smiling. The playfulness was gone, but it was okay. We knew we had won.
My freshman year the school was under renovation. When we finally had a nice, new cafeteria to eat in many of the seniors thought it would be fun to throw cups of applesauce against the walls. Everyone wondered why they would do such a thing after waiting so long to have something nice to be proud of. Three years later we were the people splashing colors against an eggshell colored wall. Seniors were special. We finally understood that if you've been there for four years and haven't experienced being on the brink of a trip to the principal's office then you weren't living. My friends and I were one of the louder tables in the cafeteria. Six of us sat diagonally from the group of eight senior boys sitting in the corner of the room. Our first encounter was small. We tossed Skittles back and forth for a few days until one of the boys took it too far and decided to throw a French fry. When the mushy potato exploded on me enough was enough. I quickly fired back with two French fries, hoping that at least one fry would make it to a boy's head.
From there on out we gave it everything we had. Skittles turned into fruit and halves of chicken sandwiches and finally chocolate milk bombs. Occasionally someone would be pulled aside by a teacher on duty, but was only given a warning. On the worst day of the war, a bag filled with a half eaten turkey sandwich covered in gravy was thrown from the opposing table. It landed in my friend's applesauce and splattered onto three of us. My best friend attempted to throw the dripping bag of slime back at the boys, but completely misfired and threw it over a group of girls' heads two tables away. As the bag slowly slid down the wall we all sat there awaiting our fate as we watched the teacher walk back. We covered our faces and watched in horror as he made his way back. Three tables away... Shit. Two tables away... We're dead. One table away... Damnit! As our hearts rose in our throats he walked past us to the table of boys. We all looked in amazement as every single one of the boys got up and moved to separate tables by themselves. The three top troublemakers of the table were escorted to the principal's office. As they walked past us scowling, we couldn't help but burst with laughter.
From that day on lunches weren't the same. We crossed some invisible line that the boys had apparently drawn. Our miniature food fights stopped being playful. Every now and then we felt a thud against our heads, but when we turned nobody was smiling. The playfulness was gone, but it was okay. We knew we had won.
8.27.2011
Writer? Maybe
Like most people my age, the most writing I've probably ever done has been on Facebook. However, I do enjoy writing when I get the chance. I can't stand doing research and citing sources, even though I know I'll be doing a lot of that over the next four years. I enjoy creating a story and telling it like I was in it. I love to start with nothing and seeing the end result. When I read a story that I've written it almost feels like a memory. By no means do I consider myself good at writing. When I write, I write for myself. When it comes to writing for a class of course I'm going to try my best to appeal to my audience, but the story will always be a piece of me. My main character reflects a part of me that I would never be in reality or something that I aspire to be. I can become whoever I want to be in a story. I can be the bad girl that runs away to find something greater or I can be the successful business woman that I hope to become. There are so many things to learn so that my writing can get better. I want to become the writer that I think I can be. I want to have a skill that could possibly take me places. So, I hope you can help me figure it out through the course of this class. Am I a writer?
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