Goodbye Blog

English was never a class that I looked forward to going to because I have never been a very strong writer and in college it seems like that’s all we do. I don’t think that my writing has grown as much as I would have liked it to but I think that I have a better sense of how to correctly write arguments, which was something that I really struggled with last semester. I am glad that you did go over the different types of arguments because other classes have already asked me to write them and I would have no idea how to if it wasn’t for our English class. I also found that peer review was very beneficial for me but I would have liked it if we had a second peer review for each paper. I think that the blogs were really cool because through the blogs we got to know our classmates and we got to see what everyone’s different opinions were. It was a fun assignment however sometimes it was hard to remember to get it done on time. I also need to work on doing a couple more drafts on my papers before I turn them in because I think that’s the only way that my papers will improve. I went to the writing lab last semester and that really helped me organize my paper. That’s also something that I’m really glad that our school offers because it is extremely helpful.

Technology that I could live without

One of my ‘toys,’ like Brent calls them, that I could live without would defiantly be my IPod. I love listening to music but I don’t feel like I have to listen to it every second of the day. I think that many people would disagree with me because they have grown so accustomed to having their IPods on them at all times. I see so many people that walk everywhere with their iPods on and, I personally think that it can be very dangerous to do that, if someone is shouting at you to be careful because a car is coming you wouldn’t even hear their warnings because of the music that is blaring through the tiny earphones. I have owned an IPod since 9th grade when they first came out and the only time that I have used it is when I have been on an airplane or on a long road trip because I want to stay entertained but in a discreet way that won’t bother others. It is nice to have an IPod but I don’t think that it is something that I wouldn’t feel complete without. There is a certain item that I feel I would be very unhappy without and it is my laptop because when I have any work to do, want to surf the web, or listen to music my laptop provides me with all of those things. After I received my first laptop I actually stopped taking my IPod on plan rides because I didn’t see a need for it anymore, my laptop provided me with music, videos, and games all at the same time.

EVERYTHINGS AN ARGUMENT

As Eco-Seals Proliferate, So Do Doubts

Wall Street

This title is arguing that as Eco friendly things are becoming more popular they are also being questioned of their motive.

Hollywood Squeezes Stars' Pay in Slump

Wall Street

Even our celebrities are suffering because of our economic state. It argues that we must really be in a bad state if they are even getting pay cuts.

New Portable Sewing Machine Lets Sweatshop Employees Work on the Go.

The Onion

It sounds to me like its being completely sarcastic, it’s really criticizing how employees are taken advantage of in a subtle way.

Renowned Hoo-Ha Doctor Wins Nobel Prize For Medical Advancements Down There

The Onion

It’s totally disrespecting the doctor “Hoo-Ha Doctor” and is stating that whatever she did and whoever she is really isn’t very important.

U.S. Troops in Iraq Excited To Finally Return To Afghanistan

The Onion

Arguing that the troops were anxious to get back to Iraq however it is stated in a way that the audience knows that it is sarcastic.

Tiger is Back and So is Golf

AJC

That without Tiger Woods there is no golf.

Ex-Home Depot exec gets 5-year sentence

AJC

That people that work at Home Depot have a tendency to get in trouble.

Children's Beauty Pageants

In my women’s studies class we have been talking about children’s beauty pageants and how they affect a child’s self esteem. Most parents who choose to put their children in these ridiculous pageants where the child doesn’t look like a kid but looks like a 20 year old woman think that their children are getting a self esteem boost through this. It makes no sense to me that parents would think that making a 10 year old girl wear makeup and veneers so that you can’t see what the child really looks like behind all of that would make them have a better sense of what makes them beautiful. Even if the parents don’t see that as a problem for their girls what about the fact that there is only one winner and x amount of losers? Wouldn’t that alone crush a child’s self esteem, having a random panel of people tell them that they are not pretty enough? I think that children’s beauty pageants do more harm than they do good. Most girls walk away from it feeling like they are not beautiful enough and therefore will be losers in life. I feel like this is something that children shouldn’t be put through I understand that there is a possibility that the kids could make some money but I think that the psychological trauma that they are exposed to isn’t worth it. There are other ways of getting money that will contribute to a little girl having low self esteem.

YaY Everyones a REPORTER!!!

Recently many people have been reporting the news even without having a digital camera they still manage to do it. I remember last year when Heath Ledger died I didn’t find out from E News or channel 2 I found out from Perezhilton.com. Regular people reporting the news is something that has just recently started. I don’t know if it is the best thing that anyone can report the news because everyone is biased and they may report things from only their perspective. However it is pretty cool sometimes to get the news in an interesting and sometimes humorous way rather than just listening to some monotone person reading lines. I think that for some being able to report the news is a piece of their American Dream so in a way it is a good thing. They get to do something that they like without having to go to school to actually do it and some like Perez Hilton actually become famous just by reporting the news in an original way. I guess everyone being able to report the news is something that can be annoying at times but its also pretty amazing that we live in place where anyone can report the news even with their crazy opinions without being prosecuted.

Dirty Secrets

1. The site is really interesting to see the things that people would reveal on a website because they know that they are going to remain anonymous. Some of the post cards were really funny while others really made me feel uncomfortable.

2. The visuals were almost ironic I found this especially true in the postcard that had the man and women where her secret is that she has a husband that is serving life in prison. It just wasn’t a secret that I expected because of the image but then again it made a lasting impression because it was so ironic.

3. The writing is very important because it explains the secret that the person wanted to bring across. If the authors of the post card would have just posted a picture everyone would have had their own interpretation of what the picture meant. The words really just help the audience understand what the secret really was.

4. The words were more important to me because it brought even more humor to the pictures. The images alone would not have had the effect that they did with the words and images.

5. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYDEY3jHvXXg_lepGlJzYVCEoTrPKyNy0hhIIjI3wAYeB-mdSf9nu6AJIM1lXpFHXKxbWHdAIPJ6vSw_yWws75V07_1tUV21KcYEQW-7uwn6OzANZtkCGvscNnXSshFBCLTWZETUxSsYC/s1600-h/make-up.jpg
In my eyes what this is arguing is that despite the fact that she is a prostitute and objectifying her body that’s not what is important to her, the thing that is important to her is looking good for the man that she is with at all times. In that short sentence she lets the audience know that us as women always have to look good for men even if it means getting up while they are sleeping to freshen up so that we always look good for them.

*Intersex Babies*

I am currently taking a women’s studies class and for the last couple of classes we have been discussing intersex babies. I have never had any other teacher touch on this subject before so I didn’t have much knowledge on it. I have found this topic extremely interesting. From the articles that we have read for the class I have gathered that most if not all doctors urge the parents of the child to decide if they want their child to be male or female within 24 hours of the baby being born. I think that it is outrageous for a parent or doctor to decide the sex of the baby in that short span of time. It is also completely disrespectful of the child to take away his/her decision. If an adult decides that they are not happy with their gender they are asked to submit themselves in some sort of counseling that will help them decide if they should or should not have a sex change however, if a child is born that happens to have both genitals the decision is made without him/her actually having any say so in the decision. I think that the child should be able to grow up and decide what gender they identify the most with instead of having someone else make that life changing decision for them.