My Way of Thinking

Due to the multiple books I've had to read for honors literature, and the intense notes Randy made us take, my way of thinking has changed. My mind is more active when I'm reading and I am able to ask questions, make connections and comment about what I'm reading. I space out less often and I am now more focused, which is great because my mind always wandered when I read and that has always been a problem for me. I am really glad I had the opportunity to take the honors literature because my way of thinking has significantly improved.

Magazine Reflection

Due to the magazine project I've developed and learned a good use of writing qualities such as “Concerts not Pancakes” and keeping my nouns and verbs in the beginning of sentences. Those qualities improved my writing throughout the multiple drafts because I can see the difference from where I started, and where I am now. By keeping “Concerts not Pancakes” in mind, I was able to take out lots of sentences that would “nauseate” the reader and replace them with more exciting things to write about. Also, by changing the first sentences in my paragraphs so that the nouns and verbs are at the start of it, I was able to hook the reader to continue reading.

I was able to learn the new techniques by practicing with two different articles I contributed to the magazine instead of just one. I got the best benefits for doing so because I got the chance to practice everything I just learned while it was still fresh in my mind. I now focus in turning everything I learned to a natural habit for my future writing.

I can spread all nine drafts of “My Contribution to an Anniversary Retrospective Concert” and see the transformations it went trough to get to its final stage. My biggest improvement was my use of clarity when trying to explain what I saw and felt like when I went through the archives. Clarity is sometimes my biggest problem because I can have this great idea in my mind and it makes complete sense to me, but as soon as I try to put it down on paper it becomes a jumbled mess. Writing nine drafts helped me experiment with techniques to clarify and bring my work to its fullest potential.

Looking back to my very first draft, I realize how rushed, unimportant and redundant my article was. You can even tell by one of my paragraphs all the changes it had to get better.

“Digging through the archives was a whole new experience because it was like looking through someone’s greatest moments. I saw the first photographs of Jean Isaacs dancing, and watched time rush before my eyes as articles grew older and older. The newspapers told me stories of her successes and falls, of her goals and futuristic plans, and by being able to see this as an outsider was intriguing because I knew all the final outcomes.”

In that paragraph, I have no idea where it was going. The point I was trying to make was how I felt like I was time traveling, and how interesting everything was because the news occurred when I was growing up or before I was born. Here is my latest version.

“…In the process of doing so, I uncovered a window that showed me life before my time, the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. I saw what was the latest news-I saw their latest fashions, their newest moves including “E.T.”, their advertisements for the “latest” inventions and their entertainment. It was all different from what I see now with my surroundings. It took me longer to find Isaacs’ dances because everything I saw intrigued me to read more and learn about growing up in the past.”

I feel like my idea is clearly written in a relatable way that the reader can connect with.

I learned lots of new techniques to keep in mind when writing. I feel like the one I used the most was putting meaning in the start of my sentences instead of later. So by putting the noun and verbs in the beginning, I made my paragraphs more interesting. I also tried to remove my excessive “-ings” because I had a lot of those.

I didn’t face many challenges along the way, the only tedious part was sometimes I would have to revise my essay in class and I would not happen to have the latest version of my article with me. Which meant I had to retype the whole thing again. Now I know to always have the latest draft with me in either a hard drive or email, but in a format I can access no matter where I am to be prepared for class.

My organization and timing went really well while creating my magazine because it benefited my process and final product. Since I remained on top of my work I finished my article days in advance and had enough time to paint my honors art piece along with an artist statement. I also started my first article by scratch because I wanted a more original piece of writing in the article instead of a photo essay or interview.

The techniques I learned are important because they did make a difference in my writing. In the end, I was capable to expressing my ideas in a clear way for the reader to understand, my starter sentences were interesting due to use of nouns and verbs and my paragraphs started and ended strong like a concert. Those are all valuable techniques for a successful article and I am grateful for learning them at this age before college instead of later on.

Magazine Reflection Part 2

I can spread all eight drafts of “My Contribution to an Anniversary Retrospective Concert” and see the transformations it went trough to get to its final stage. My biggest improvement was my use of clarity when trying to explain what I saw and felt like when I went through the archives. Clarity is sometimes my biggest problem because I can have this great idea in my mind and it makes complete sense to me, but as soon as I try to put it down on paper it becomes a jumbled mess. Writing eight drafts helped me experiment with techniques to clarify and bring my work to its fullest potential.

Overall, what I feel like I could have improved would have been to include more descriptions and examples of the points I was trying to make. When I was describing what I saw in the archives I included some of the pictures I saw, but I feel like I could have gotten a lot more creative with the way I wrote it.

Looking back to my very first draft, I realize how rushed, unimportant and redundant my article was. You can even tell by one of my paragraphs all the changes it had to get better.

“Digging through the archives was a whole new experience because it was like looking through someone’s greatest moments. I saw the first photographs of Jean Isaacs dancing, and watched time rush before my eyes are articles grew older and older. The newspapers told me stories of her successes and falls, of her goals and futuristic plans, and by being able to see this as an outsider was intriguing because I knew all the final outcomes.”

In that paragraph, I have no idea where it was going. The point I was trying to make was how I felt like I was time traveling, and how interesting everything was because the news occurred when I was growing up or before I was born. Here is my latest version.

“…In the process of doing so, I uncovered a window that showed me life before my time, the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. I saw what was the latest news-I saw their latest fashions, their newest moves including “E.T.”, their advertisements for the “latest” inventions and their entertainment. It was all different from what I see now with my surroundings. It took me longer to find Isaacs’ dances because everything I saw intrigued me to read more and learn about growing up in the past.”

I feel like my idea is clearly written in a relatable way that the reader can connect with.

I learned lots of new techniques to keep in mind when writing. I feel like the one I used the most was putting meaning in the start of my sentences instead of later. So by putting the noun and verbs in the beginning, I made my paragraphs more interesting. I also tried to remove my excessive “ings” because I had a lot of those.

Magazine Reflection

My organization and timing went really well while creating my magazine because it benefited my process and final product. Since I remained on top of my work I finished my article days in advance and had enough time to paint my honors art piece along with an artist statement. I also started my first article by scratch because I wanted a more original piece of writing in the article instead of a photo essay or interview.

I didn’t face many challenges, the only tedious part was when I needed to revise my essay and I would not have the latest copy of it with me so I would have to rewrite the whole thing. That has helped me because now I know to always keep the latest draft with me through a hard drive or email so I can always be prepared in class.

What stood out as a good example were my fellow classmates’ articles. By going through them I was able to get lots of good ideas with picture and text placement. It also helped me get creative with my layout so that it stands out more then it did before. Sydney’s and Ana’s blogs helped me the most because they got their layout plans by looking through other magazines. I tried to make my layout unique while keeping their ideas in mind.

Our Really Awesome Book Club

I really liked our literature group because we were all super cute and creative. The best part was that it was like a book club but only a lot more enjoyable, the food, and our board game.

I don’t think I would change anything next time, probably choose a smaller book, because it felt like even though I had a month to read my novel, I read every day for half an hour and it still seemed like I was behind. But I always caught up so it wasn’t too bad.

We read “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck. The novel was about the Joad family traveling to California in hopes of a better life. It also had to do with the industrialization that the country was going through, because there were “infinite demands with finite resources”. There were too many people with starving families, and very few job spots that paid very little.

I am looking forward to reading our next book “Slaughter House Five” because I heard that it was a very good book and my group is pretty awesome. 

Obama Socialism

I believe that the socialist label on Obama’s political proposals is not correct. His intention to improve our country was to “spread the wealth around” so we don’t again end up with the rich few, and the many poor workers. McCain and Palin referred to Obama’s plan as “a little bit like socialism.” Just to get the media’s attention and to “promote the idea that Obama’s tax and health-care policies evoke socialism.” 

 A historic connection with Obama’s proposals can relate back to the industrial era. The reason for that is because Obama is trying to prevent our country from being run by only the very few powerful and wealthy. During the industrial era, only the men that owned all the land and factories made money. Everyone else was just a desperate worker who was treated unfairly in his working environment. By “spreading the wealth around” we have a chance to be equal and not be categorized by “class”.  

Sources Cited

• Dave Michaels and Todd J. Gillman, Dallas Morning News, McCain Remarks on Obama 'Socialism' Viewed as a Stretch, 19 October 2008, Link, Accessed 21 April 2009.
  

Honors Blog: Grapes of Wrath

Tom Joad
Tom Joad is of average stature, and working a lot in the fields has made him tan and strong. He is usually very dirty because of all the traveling he does with his family. In the beginning he doesn't have any scars but when he gets in a fight towards the end of the novel, it causes him to have this big scar across the side of his face. His outfits are not necessarily distinguishing because he clothes are the same as every other migrant worker; Dirty, old and slowly falling apart. His speech is the same as his whole family with a heavy southern accent which is hard to understand at times. His roles and in the novel is be a supporter of his family. He doesn't have a job throughout most of the book but when he does get work he makes sure to be as efficient as he can. Even though the Joad family is very religious he doesn't seem to care about it much. He is Ma and Pa Joad's favorite son. Tom is good-natured and thoughtful and makes do with what life hands him. Even though he killed a man and has been separated from his family for four years, he does not waste his time with regrets. He lives fully for the moment, which enables him to be a great source of vitality for the Joad family. As a guide and protector, Tom exhibits a moral certainty throughout the novel that inspires him with strength and resolve: he earns the respect of his family members as well as the workers he later organizes into unions. His whole life is a connection to history because he was immigrating to California with the thousands of others during the Industrial era when jobs were scarce because of all the big corporations and machineries. The character's name doesn't suggest much besides the fact that he is named after his father, and just like his father he takes on the responsible roles of a man. I believe Tom changed a lot throughout the novel because the situation caused him to mature. He stopped living the life as a boy and began to take the consequences for his actions and helping others instead of himself.

Rose A Sharon
The oldest of Ma and Pa Joad's daughters, and Connie's wife, she is an impractical and romantic young woman, Rose of Sharon begins the journey to California pregnant with her first child. She and Connie have grand plans of making a life for themselves in a city. The harsh realities of migrant life however soon throws away Rose of Sharon ideas. Her husband abandons her, and her child is born dead. By the end of the novel, she matures a great amount, and possesses her mother's impossible to defeat spirit and grace. Most of the clothing she wore were dresses that her mother would buy her. Her habit was a worrying habit, and being pregnant brought out the worst in that. It caused her to constantly assume the worst and pity herself. She also has a thick southern accent just like the rest of her family. Her role is society was the role of women and their difficulties when immigrating turns for the worst and breaks families apart. Rose of Sharon is religious and also very superstitious. She believed that the worst was out to get her baby and that because she had “sinned” she would go to hell. Her family loves her very much but with her constant complaining and self pity, it would annoy them as well. Her name is after a flower, and her mother loves the sound of it very much. She changed from the beginning of the novel as a childish and dreamy teenage daughter who develops as the novel progresses to become a mature woman. She symbolizes regrowth when she helps the starving stranger.

Ma Joad
As the mother of the Joad family, Ma is introduced as a woman who knowingly and gladly fulfills her role as “the citadel of the family.” She is the family's healer and the settler of their arguments, and her ability to perform these tasks grows as the novel progresses. Ma is described as being not skinny but not fat either, short of stature, and curly hair. Just like her daughter she mainly wears dresses whenever shes out. Her habits change through the book from at first being the quiet women who let the men do the leading, to the one in charge and making decisions. The whole family love her but her husband is always upset at how he feels like he isn't in charge anymore. Ma Joad emerges as the family's center of strength over the course of the novel as Pa Joad gradually becomes less effective as a leader and provider. She is embedded in history because she was one of the first women who started taking things into their own hands and having a say in the matters instead of only men. Her real name is never revealed in the story she was always referred as Ma. Ma displays a startling capacity to keep herself together, and to keep the family together, in the face of great turmoil. Like the time when the family was crossing the California dessert. Here, Ma suffers privately with the knowledge that Grandma is dead, riding silently alongside her corpse so that the family can complete its treacherous journey. She consistently proves to be the novel's strongest supporter of family and togetherness.

The patterns I notice about the characters is that they all immensely matured throughout the novel. Tom and Rose A Sharon grow up to the adults they become, and Ma begins to stand up for herself. The conclusion that this leads me towards is a better realization of the climax. That there isn't a specific one because the book is about life. Life has its ups and downs but never one single climax. In the book they all mature and grow as the story continues, just like in real life which works perfectly because its true.

My Photo Essay

Modern Dance

The San Diego Dance Theater is where it all takes place. The students inside perfect the art form of the multiple dance styles, specifically Modern dance. Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and routines, which separates modern dancing from other dances such as ballet. Specific techniques for modern dancing have been developed over the past 100 years beginning originally as a rebellion against the poise and formal structure of classical ballet. Ballet is strict, limited and and disciplined, which is why the first modern dancers felt the need to break away and be different. The goal behind modern dance is to interact the viewer through the dances. The dancers have to reflect the world as it is now: urban, edgy, moving towards gender equality, deeply human, and danced by people of varied sizes, colors and backgrounds. Finally these dances help us understand a shift in ourselves: As they perform dances in a way that can breathe life into the people of our region and beyond, they reveal to us something we have not realized before.

Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theater

One day walking down the hall I complimented Jean by saying her students Minaqua McPherson and Blythe Barton were extraordinary dancers. She replied by saying, “Its because they dance every single day. Dancing is who they are.”
Dancing has been Jean Isaacs whole life as well; from her first dance classes as a little girl to beginning 3's Company with Patrick Nollet and Betzi Roe, to Isaacs, McCaleb and Dancers to the San Diego Dance Theater. She has created Cabaret Dances which performs annually at the San Diego Museum of Art, and her work has been commissioned by the San Diego Opera, The La Jolla Playhouse, various theaters, and for the "New Wave" Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She now uses her experience and talent to teach new generations of dancers to excel in the art form. Jean Isaacs has inspired thousands of people around the world for the last couple decades to pursue their goals. “I've had a lot of students... and they often say that have no support for this. They'd say 'My parents expect me to be a doctor or lawyer and if I decide to major in dance they will stop paying for my tuition.'” Jean has helped her students realize that success can be defined by either wealth or happiness and if dance is what they love, they only have one life to go for it. “As a dance leader and inspiration, Jean Isaacs ranks among the finest of San Diego choreographers...always trying out 'new ideas' and urging the dancers around her to do their best!” (Bravo San Diego, Rob Appel, 2008). Jean Isaacs is a modern example of a dancer who loves what she does. Even when chasing a dance career after college was looked down upon by society and her families' expectations, she followed her dreams.

Minaqua McPherson

“I started out by doing ballet as a young girl, but I was too much of a wild child... the only part I liked were the tutus. I thought those were the coolest things ever.” ~ Minaqua McPherson. From a young age, Minaqua realized that the structure and limits of ballet couldn't compare to the freedom that came with modern dancing. Working as a teacher and student at Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theater, Minaqua gets the chance to live out her dream and be happy with what she does. “Dancing is my release and the out of reality experience is my happiness.”
While California is not the most lucrative supporter of the arts, Minaqua realized that it's difficult to live off a dancer's wage. Her addiction to dance has pushed her to become crafty in life taking on various full or part time jobs in order to pay for her classes and realize that it's not impossible to make it. Dance has impacted her life because it has changed her physically and mentally. She finds dance important because she is capable of taking all the challenges that come with it to continuously shape her “In all of life's situations both professionally and personally.”

Blythe Barton

“Dance is not a hobby for me, or even a lifestyle, it is my whole life.” ~ Blythe Barton. Blythe began to take dancing seriously when she was about ten and hasn't stopped since. Blythe's motivation of teaching dance comes from her love for it. She sees the beauty in dancing because it is “An art form that is gone the moment it is viewed, ephemeral.” Dance gives Blythe the opportunity to create emotion with motion which every dancer strives to achieve. As a student and teacher at Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theater, she's pursuing her dreams of one day becoming a dance teacher and professional dancer. She yearns to perform with the professional dance companies in San Diego, and even present her own choreography in a professional setting. “I would love to share with others the passion I feel for dance.” She loves how words can't always express the way she feels, and sometimes only actions can satisfy what she tries to convey. True art makes the viewer think or feel in a new way, which is something that she hopes to accomplish with her performances.

Generations of Future Dancers

Down the long corridor are all the different classes and styles of dance held at the San Diego Dance Theater. From all ages, genders, race and levels, students all dance at their own pace. Through all the challenging classes and practices, students begin to discover the importance behind the art form for themselves through first hand experience. Each dance artist, performer, choreographer and teacher have their own way of moving. “In a given situation, the body must adjust quality, alignment and effort to match the movement presented. I enjoy the challenge of manipulating my own body to conform to infinite personal standards.” ~ Blythe Barton. Dancing is a physical and mental challenge that the dancers have to overcome, which is why the satisfaction in the end is worth so much more in the end. The passion comes from the ability to control and take charge of your body, and to accomplish what at first you believed you couldn't do. The generations of children, male and female growing up as the next performers for the stage have the chance to experience what dancers feel now. The life changes that comes when dance becomes a part of who you are.

Internship Magazine Ideas

Contributions

• Articles I could include to write for my portion of the magazine could be an excerpt from my photo essay caption with a photo.
  
• I am also including a picture of a painting I'll be doing for my honors component. 
  
• I could also write an article about how my internship is a non-profit organization and how they help contribute to the community. 
  

Magazine Titles

• HTHMA: The Real Highschool Work Experience
  

Article Topic

• I know I'd be mostly interested in reading articles of really funny moments that occurred during immersion or internship.
  

What I Learned Throughout Immersion!

There are many things I learned during my two week experience of immersion. Something really important was that I had to get familiar with the program Excel, and I wasn't good at it. However, my internship project had a lot to do with Excel and I had to be open to using it even though I came across many problems. I learned a lot about the program and I got a good chance to play around with it to see what it could do.

My mentor wanted me to take dance classes so that I could become really familiar with what they do. They said that through dancing I'd have the opportunity to experience what they do first hand. By taking all the dance classes I've learned a lot about the techniques and culture about modern dance. I'm even getting better at dancing it myself.

I learned what its like back stage by going to shows and performances, and then being allowed to go back stage. I even got the chance to meet all the dancers/actors, play with their props, and look around the stage. That being the glamourous part of internship, I was also introduced to the not so glamourous. As part of the “real experience” I got to also help out with cleaning the dance studio, which was very dirty.

I also attended a business meeting, “Selling San Diego Without Selling Out”. I learned meetings are very boring unless you like their really bad jokes about cooking shows.

Other things I learned was how to use my time and resources. When doing my project, going through all the piles of newspapers drained me fast. It was so tedious and time consuming that my short attention span would fade so fast. What I'd end up trying to do is to mix up my days so that I'm not doing one thing for such a long amount of time. Like I would go through a stack of papers, then try to do something active like run an errand, put away costumes, or go check the mail. Then go back to the newspapers, and repeat. Time went by faster that way, and I was more productive.

Honors Blog : Of Mice and Men

Lennie Small

Lennie is a huge, strong man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; he walks heavily dragging his feet a little. Ironically named Lennie Small when he is of large stature and immense strength. He regularly wears a denim coat, and denim trousers with brass buttons, and black hat. Lennie has limited intelligence, so he relies on George to look after him. He copies George in everything he does and trusts him completely. Lennie’s personality is like a child. He is innocent and mentally handicapped with no ability to understand abstract matters like death. Lennie’s greatest feeling of security comes from petting soft things. When the rest of the world gets complicated and scary, petting soft things helps Lennie feel safe. In petting dead mice, Lennie is doing something that makes him feel safe. Society as a whole would disapprove of what he is doing, but Lennie sees nothing wrong with it. When they have their farm, as George tells him at the end, Lennie will not need to be scared of bad things any more, and he can tend the rabbits and pet them. He is a
migrant field workers in California's Salinas Valley during the Great Depression. He hopes that with the money they make, George and him can have a place of their own where he can raise rabbits. Often he is described in terms of animals. He lumbers like a bear and has the strength of a bear, but his actions are often described like those of a dog because of his loyalty towards George. Throughout the novel he struggles to prove to George that he is a great friend and that he can remember. He strives to do well and stay out of trouble so that he can get rabbits to tend.

George Milton

A quick-witted, intelligent and cynical man man who is friends with Lennie. He looks after Lennie and dreams of a better life. He is small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him is defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. He wears the same cloths that Lennie wears, the denim coat and jeans, and black hat. He is also a migrant field workers in California's Salinas Valley during the Great Depression. Milton is the last name of the author of one of Steinbeck’s favorite works, Paradise Lost. In that epic poem, Adam and Eve fall from grace in the Garden of Eden. Because of their fall, mankind is doomed to be alone and walk the earth as a lonely being. Some critics believe George represents that doomed man who longs to return to Eden. His one chance to avoid that fate is his relationship with Lennie, which makes them different from the other lonely men. But despite this companionship, at the end of the book, George is fated to be once again alone. George’s personality often reflects both anger and understanding. Of the two men, he is the one who thinks things through and considers how their goals can be reached. During the beginning of the novel George has a love hate relationship with Lennie because he feels as though Lennie holds him back. But by the end of the book he loves Lennie and sees him as his loyal friend.

Curley's Wife

Curley’s wife, like the other players in the drama, is simply a character type and the only woman in the book. The other characters refer to her only as "Curley's wife," which makes her the only significant character in the novel without a name. This lack of individual identity defines her purpose in the story: Steinbeck explained that she is "not a person, she's a symbol. She has no function, except to be a foil – and a danger to Lennie.” She wears too much makeup and dresses like a “whore” with red fingernails and red shoes with ostrich feathers. Curley’s wife knows her beauty is her power, and she uses it to flirt with the ranch hands and make her husband jealous. She is alone on the ranch, and her husband has seen to it that no one will talk to her without fearing a beating. She is used to symbolize Eve from the Garden of Eden, because she tempted Adam to eat from the fruit of the tree of knowledge, such as she is a temptation to Lennie. Her death at Lennie’s hands means the end of George and Lennie’s companionship and their dream. By the end of the novel she reveals to Lennie her dreams, her “best laid plans” of becoming a famous actress. She tells Lennie that she only married Curley when she didn't receive a letter she was promised to get into Hollywood. Through her death, the discontentment and ache for attention left her face, turning her beautiful instead of how in the beginning she was only lonely and miserable.

The patterns noted between those three characters is that they all had dreams that failed in the end. Curley's wife and Lennie died while George was left alone and without his companion.

Immersion

What I'm most excited about regarding my immersion experience is that the work I do can be tedious but is mostly pretty interesting. We are preparing for a production in May so I get to help with a lot of the behind the scenes work during immersion. I am already making the chronology of all of Isaacs’ dances and that’s really important because she is basing her entire show off of it.

What I’m most concerned about is that putting a chronology together is really hard, especially when you’re going through old newspapers trying to find the dances and dates. The whole show depends on my work and I’m afraid to accidentally leave out a dance or put one in the wrong order because the chronology is going to be printed on the pamphlets, newspapers and even on her website. It’s a big responsibility that I was left in charge with and I want to do the best I can with my work.

How progressive was the Progressive Era in American history?

How they were progressive

Child Labor Regulations - One of the most persistent causes of Progressive Era reformers was child labor reform. 
While the reformers had an ally in President Theodore Roosevelt, politicians with ties to industry voted against any long-term solutions to problems such as child labor. In February 1941 the Supreme Court overruled the 1918 decision against the Keating-Owen Act. As a result, businesses that shipped goods out of state had to abide by the ruling that children could only work outside of school hours and that children under eighteen were unable to work in jobs that were hazardous to their health. 


Growth in Technology - Technology changed the home environment, the workplace, and the roles of men, women, and children. It also provided opportunities for leisure.

Transportation – Transportation was advanced such as railroads and Pullman Cars.

Accessibility to Information - There was an explosion of information. Newspapers and advertising grew, and new communication mediums such as radio and the telegraph developed.


How they were not progressive

Child Labor - The 1890 it was revealed that more than one million children, ten to fifteen years old, worked in America. That number increased to two million by 1910. Industries employed children as young as five or six to work as many as eighteen to twenty hours a day. 


Poor Working Rights - Men, women and children worked long hours in unsafe factories to meet the insatiable American appetite for cheap, mass-produced goods.

Farmers lose their Jobs - Rural farmers struggled to keep their farms in the face of increased competition, costly machinery, and falling prices.

So even though the Progressive Era had its pros and cons, I believe that even thought it was a mutual phase, it was a progressive era. It was necessary for both the positives and negatives to take place or else we would not be advanced as we are today.

Outstanding Blogs!

Examples of good Economic advice to Barack Obama are found in 

Ana Forsythe's Blog.

"An issue that resonates in my mind and in the minds of other Americans, is the struggle to hold a job and steering clear of unemployment. So many have already been affected by this and America knows it far too well, as it is embedded in one of the darkest periods of our country's history. The Great Depression brought hardships upon millions of Americans, sounding very similar to the hardships of today. "By 1932 the unemployment rate had soared past 20 percent. Thousands of banks and businesses had failed." Currently, with our unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, we cannot afford to let it rise any further and rise to the point of the 1930's. A piece of advice for you would be to focus on creating more jobs for Americans. The new jobs should be structured to build upon advances in technology. It sounds like this is already woven into your plan, so I think it should be implemented as soon as possible."

The reason I like this quote was because Ana did an amazing job condensing her writing. In that short paragraph, she included the issue, supporting evidence, its connections to a historical event, and state a plan to fix it. Right after she even included a graph to support her claims.

Examples of good Literary Analysis are found in 

Sydney Lampe's Blog.

"Through his detailed and descriptive writing, John Steinbeck uses imagery to show you what is going on in the book. In the first part of this story, "the gift," the setting of the story is displayed using description. "The cowpumkpins were green and small yet. He went on to the sagebrush line where the cold spring ran out of its pipe and fell into a round wooden tub. He leaned over and drank close to the green mossy wood where the water tasted best ( Page 6.)" In sentences like these, John Steinbeck provides words that appeal to the senses. Instead of saying vague sentences, such as, He drank the best water, John Steinbeck provides background knowledge of the area without using filler words."

The reason why I found this a good example of literary analysis was because Sydney was really  precise and to the point. When talking about Steinbeck's detailed and descriptive writing, she provided an example to support it. Not only that but she even gave an example of what it would the same sentence sound like if he wasn't descriptive or detailed. 

Examples of good Historical Writing are found in 

Esther Ballesteros' Blog.

"The depression of 1893 according to the book Nation of Nations was "the deepest the nation had yet experienced." A lot of companies and banks were failing at this time, this was a hard time for people all over for the companies, and the people who worked in those companies. When people saw that the economy was crashing they all panicked and they started taking out all of their money from the banks, which was one of the things that caused the bank failures. Something else that happened was that "A quarter of the nation's railroads went bankrupt." All of this was very bad for the economy "in total over 15,000 companies and 500 banks failed." The unemployment was very high in these times according to the Nation of Nations book " by August 1893 unemployment stood at 1 million; by the middle of 1894, it was at 3 million."

The reason why I found this a great example of historical writing is because Esther was able to relate everything she said back to the novel "Nation of Nations". She had a whole bunch of supporting facts straight from the book which made it nice to reference back to.   

Examples of what makes blogs great are found in 

Jacob Harris' Blog.

"while I was waiting, I noticed an interesting group of people. They were tourists from Germany, and it was fascinating trying to piece together what they were talking about, especially when they brought out beef jerky (which none of them have ever had before). Then I got home, went to Souplantation, and sat down to write this blog. I am now ending this blog, and will go on with my life until thursday, when my next blog will be due. Good Night."

The reason why I found that to be an example of what makes a blog great was because it was humorous. In his blog, Jacob is telling the story of his first day of internship. I really found it interesting because he was so detailed about the whole experience even when he was out of his internship site. He kept me captivated because his writing was so funny and entertaining. Keeping the reader's attention is what made the blog great. 

Our Scientific Responsibility

The responsibilities we have as people is to further our understanding of science throughout our lives. There are so many mysteries and questions on Earth that its our duty so solve as many of these life riddles for the next generations. Without knowledge comes ignorance, and ignorance hinders the progression we can make for science and the future.

The role that scientific inquiry and scientific knowledge plays in our society is that its brought us to the point we are today. The improvements in simple things, and the understanding of how big of an impact we have on the world. With our progression of understanding we are capable of improving our society.

Since we have a lot of power, we cannot abuse it. Science needs to have a bigger influence in our decisions, laws, and cultures because it determines our fate. An example of that would be animal extinction, or global warming. If we could include science with our choices we can save our planet.

Honors : A Thousand Splendid Suns

The theme in the novel “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini is the inner strength of a women even in the darkest of times, which he has shown through symbolism, metaphors / similes, and irony. Both Mariam and Laila endure so much heartache in their lives because they are women, yet they continue the strength to pull together and persevere. Mariam was born in a world which turns their back on women. She has a father who refuses to acknowledge her existence, a husband who abuses her for twenty-seven years, and the need to murder her husband when he attempted to kill Laila. Even though every situation, she remains to accept what fate hands her. Laila faces the loss of the boy she loves, the deaths of her parents and the marriage to Rasheed who abuses her for first producing a girl instead of a boy and then finding out it’s not his child. In the end, Laila faces the challenge of being a woman who returns to her home country with the intention of helping rebuild the country and honoring the memory of Mariam.

The biggest symbol in the story is the title “A Thousand Splendid Suns” where it refers to a poem in which the city of Kabul was described as having a thousand splendid suns, and also used as a symbol for Mariam. The reason for that is because after Mariam gave up her life for Laila to live out hers, Laila realizes that Mariam is still looking out for her and her family as she always has been. “Mariam is in Laila's own heart, where she shines with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns.” (page 366) The poem that the title is evolved from, is by the Persian Sufi poet Hafiz, in which he compares the mystical relationship with God to the power and brilliance of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" within you. One who has attained this mystical relationship cannot be harmed by evil for she/he is joined to Eternity. Another piece of symbolism is when Mariam remembers how Nana used to say that “each snowflake was a sigh heaved by an aggrieved woman somewhere in the world.” That all the sighs would drift into the skies and gather as clouds to soon break into tiny pieces that silently fell onto the people below. Mariam then thinks that it was meant “as a reminder of how women like us suffer, how quietly we endure all that falls upon us.” (page 82) Another symbol is “One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” (page 172) Laila's father Babi, is the one reciting the lines from an old poem written in the seventeenth century. Laila may not have understood the significance of his words at the time. Seeing how Kabul would see such difficult times it's hard to imagine anyone talking about it in such a positive light. Then, considering the nature of the obstacles Mariam and Laila faced, one might suppose Laila may never forget the sad memories from her past. It comes as a surprise when Laila says Mariam's memory shines within her with the intensity of a thousand splendid suns. This gives a sense of completeness to Laila's story to be able to connect that line back to the ending when shes referencing Mariam.

Many metaphors and smilies were intertwined in the novel to compare the characters and situations as well. For example, when the movie Titanic became a huge hit, Laila and Mariam would always watch it, and thats where this quote came from; "Everyone wants Jack," Laila said to Mariam. "Everybody wants Jack to rescue them from disaster. But there is no Jack. Jack is not coming back. Jack is dead." (page 270) Such is a metaphor for life under the Taliban which was dangerous and a scary place. Or what Nana said to Mariam when she was a child that “Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman.” (page 7) That quote can be seen repeated all throughout the novel because of women segregation, and how they could always be found in blame no matter what the situation. Another example of a similie is “She would never leave her mark on Mammy’s heart the way her brothers had, because Mammy’s heart was like a pallid beach where Laila’s footprints would forever wash away beneath the waves of sorrow that swelled and crashed, swelled and crashed.”(page 130) Laila's mother loved her two older sons more then her. Laila always felt the need to prove her importance to her mom, to show that her daughter can be just as good as her sons.

Another element that is important to note is irony – when something happens, or is seen, or is heard that we may know, but the characters do not, or that appears opposite of what is expected. Some examples of irony include: that in chapter 4, Jalil told Mariam about Queen Gauhar Shad who had raised the famous minarets in Herat in the 15th century. This is ironic that a queen would be so honored when men have such power over women in Afghanistan. Another example is that Mariam's father Jalil, asked Mariam at the end of his letter that if he were still alive, (page 277) if she could come to see him. He wanted to take her into his arms, and he would be waiting for her knock. Then, he, ironically, wished her a long and prosperous life. How could he have known that she would die at the hands of the Taliban? (page 329) A final example of Irony is “In a few years, this little girl will be a woman who will make small demands on her life, who will never burden others, who will never let on that she too has had sorrows, disappointments, dreams that have been ridiculed. A woman who will be like a rock in a riverbed, enduring without complaint, her grace not sullied but shaped by the turbulence that washed over her.” (page 355) The passage is talking about Mariam and all the sacrifice she will have to endure in the future, that she doesn't know is yet to come.

All the symbolism, the metaphors plus similes, and the irony bring the story together in a captivating, unforgettable manner. They bring out the theme of women struggles growing up and living in a country so against their beliefs. That women didn't deserve to be educated, seen, or heard, and the penalty of a minor crime was death. Laila and Mariam fought together for their happiness, rights, and freedom as people.

Economic Crisis Draft 2

Dear President Obama,


“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages … Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.”
That quote is taken out of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That declaration is a common standard of achievement for all people and nations. Article 26 even continues to say “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.” The declaration is the first global expression of the natural rights humans are born with, an education being one of them.

So in the declaration, it is made clear that all humans have the civil liberties to learn, so that they can prosper and become the future of America, as it has been meant to be. But how can that be achieved if something so little as money can stand in the way? According to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, with the rising cost of tuition, even before the the recession, many Americans can't afford college. The college tuition fees have increased an enormous amount of 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, while the median family income only raised 147 percent. College loans has more then doubled in the last 10 years, and students from lower class families usually get smaller grants from the colleges they attend then more prosperous families.
“If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won’t have an affordable system of higher education,” said Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, a nonpartisan organization that promotes access to higher education.


The beginnings of black education occurred during the Civil Rights Movements in Virginia. Where very few black Virginians would receive any education because of the segregation. Many couldn't afford schooling, but the ones who could were segregated because of their skin. Public schools separated the whites from the black children, to “reduce conflict”. Black children didn't mind it too much; they were happy enough to get an education at all, and they felt more comfortable without the white interactions to avoid being taunted with racial jokes. These schools however, “were at the mercy of the white-controlled state government for funding.” Many whites feared that an education would encourage the blacks to challenge white supremacy and not be content with their jobs of working in the fields. So the financial support for black schools were very low compared to the white schools, including “fewer books, worse buildings, and less well paid teachers.”

Besides the cost of tuition rising, the cost of health care is also reaching extraordinary heights. As the economy spirals downward, a series of recent reports state that the country's health-care crisis is about to get worse, especially for children. A study done at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center analyzed data on more than 15,000 children in Ohio. It resulted that kids who did not have continuous health insurance were “14 times less likely to have regular visits with a pediatrician than those who did”. They were also three times less likely to fill prescriptions for necessary medication. "These unmet medical needs directly put a child's health at risk," says Gerry Fairbrother, who is a researcher on health policy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. In 2005, the average American family paid 30% more for health coverage than they did in 2001. While incomes rose only 3% in the same period, that's a $2,500 price increase each year. “Twenty-nine percent of people said they'd put off necessary care, 24% had delayed a medical test or treatment and 23% said a prescription had gone unfilled.” That is all because most families can't afford the expensive health care. Ways to fix this issue is socialize it, so that we pay more taxes for free health care for everyone. That way people wouldn't have to pay an expensive fee to see a doctor.

We're not the only generation to experience lack of health care for the poor, but in the pre-Civil war days, black communities in the South faced some serious sicknesses. Most of the diseases exposed within the slave community were because of the racially oppressive system of slavery. Because southern society considered slaves to be property, slaves often lived and labored in unhealthy environments. While conditions varied from one plantation to another, in many cases they were overworked, lacked proper nutrition, and had unsanitary living conditions contributed to a weaker immune system and the spread of disease. “The frequent presence of human excrement in the drinking water also led to epidemics of cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, and hepatitis.” Sewage caused the reproduction of parasitic worms that could be found in the lungs, liver, blood vessels, gall bladder, and intestines. The oppressed slaves suffered from the lack of health care that they could not receive. The best doctors and medical care were given to the elites, while the slaves were given the rest.

In the 1900's children couldn't afford school because of who they were, todays generation can't afford school because of the rising costs. An education is unquestionably important for every person to have, because they are the ones who are going to take care of the world after we are gone. We can at least make it achievable for them to reach. Lowering the prices, or giving more money to lower income families for the purpose of an education sounds reasonable. Not only should our next generations of Americans should be educated, but healthy as well. They need the health care to be reasonable so that they won't be financially pressured. Safety and health shouldn't have a price, but if it does, it should at least be affordable. Education and health are both essential for the continuity of human existence.

This video shows the rising costs of college tuitions

Sources

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Welcome to the UN. It's your world.. 13 Feb. 2009 .

LEWIN, TAMAR. "Higher Education May Soon Be Unaffordable for Most Americans, Report Says - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 3 Dec. 2008. 13 Feb. 2009 .

"Beginnings of Black Education - The Civil Rights Movement in Virginia - Virginia Historical Society." Virginia Historical Society - The Center for Virginia History. 9 Feb. 2009 .

"Carmichael Letters :: The Carmichaels and the Health Care of Slaves." Carmichael Letters :: "Patient's Voices in Early 19th Century Virginia". 11 Feb. 2009 .

"College Tuition Costs." YouTube. 29 Apr. 2008. 4 Feb. 2009 <"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Welcome to the UN. It's your world.. 13 Feb. 2009 .>.

College Economic Crisis

(The Rising Cost of College Tuition from 1982 to 2007)

Dear President Obama,


“Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages … Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.”
That quote is taken out of Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That declaration is a
common standard of achievement for all people and nations. Article 26 even continues to say “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.” The declaration is the first global expression of the natural rights humans are born with, an education being one of them.

So in the declaration, it is made clear that all humans have the civil liberties to learn, so that they can prosper and become the future of America, as it has been meant to be. But how can that be achieved if something so little as money can stand in the way? According to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, with the rising cost of tuition, even before the the recession, many Americans can't afford college. The college tuition fees have increased an enormous amount of 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, while the median family income only raised 147 percent. College loans has more then doubled in the last 10 years, and students from lower class families usually get smaller grants from the colleges they attend then more prosperous families. 
“If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won’t have an affordable system of higher education,” said Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, a nonpartisan organization that promotes access to higher education.


The beginnings of black education occurred during the Civil Rights Movements in Virginia. Where very few black Virginians would receive any education because of the segregation. They couldn't afford school not because of their money, but because of their skin. Public schools separated the whites from the black children, to “reduce conflict”. Black children didn't mind it too much; they were happy enough to get an education at all, and they felt more comfortable without the white interactions to avoid being taunted with racial jokes. These schools however, “ were at the mercy of the white-controlled state government for funding.” Many whites feared that an education would encourage the blacks to challenge white supremacy and not be content with their jobs of working in the fields. So the financial support for black schools were very low compared to the white schools, including “fewer books, worse buildings, and less well paid teachers.”

In the 1900's children couldn't afford school because of who they were, todays generation can't afford school because of the rising costs. An education is unquestionably important for every person to have, because they are the ones who are going to take care of the world after we are gone. We can at least make it achievable for them to reach. Lowering the prices, or giving more money to lower income families for the purpose of an education sounds reasonable. It is essential for the continuity of human existence.

Sources

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
College May Become Unaffordable for Most in US-News Article

Beginnings of Black Education 

interview!



location : her office



time : 4:45



technology : IMovie on my mac

Design Principles by Diana & Jacob

Flexibility:

The ability to start with a big/broad question that can have a multitude of answers, then be able to pick questions based on the prior response. The interviewer should be able to work without a script and keep the interview fluid and not suddenly jump between subjects.

Example: HARWOOD: Does that mean you can do everything that you have been campaigning on and spend $700 billion on this bailout?
….
HARWOOD: And what about on the spending side?
….
HARWOOD: So no change in your health care plan?

From this example, we see that Harwood asks questions that have to do with Obama’s previous answer. He doesn’t go off a script and instead flows in the direction of the conversation.

Article

Background knowledge:

To be able to ask specific questions that you know the interviewee has an answer for in order to gain a deeper understanding of the subject. This also includes the ability to maintain the interviewee’s interest by keeping them in mind when writing the questions.

Example: HARWOOD: It looks as if there's the bipartisan will to move this through quickly in Congress, and if that happens then the government will have just taken on $700 billion of obligations that you haven't planned on throughout your two-year campaign for president. So how do you adjust your agenda in light of that, whether it's the scale of your plans for spending on health care, energy or other issues, whether it's on the advisability of raising taxes on capital gains and dividends, even staffing your administration? Would you ask Hank Paulson, for example, to stay on as Treasury secretary?

In this example, he states an event that might happen, then asks a question about it. He has obviously done some research on the subject in order to know about this, and it has helped him choose a good specific answer that the audience would like to know.

Article

Questions that can have a comprehensive answers:

Simple, specific questions that lead to long, specific and comprehensive answers, and broad questions that can lead to open ended, yet still comprehensive answers. This also includes the ability to keep the two different types of questions/answers balanced, in order to receive a wide range of answers in a good amount of time.

Example: HARWOOD: Last question. Given all that, as we head toward the first debate you're locked in a very close race, perhaps you're slightly ahead. But some people look at what's going on in the economy and other political circumstances and think you should be doing better. Some people say it's because you're aloof, some people say you're cerebral, John McCain says you're not ready to lead, some people think it may have something to do with your race. Why do you think, especially on the economy, you have not connected better than you have so far?

In this example, Harwood states a specific question so that he can get the information he needs.

Article

20 Questions for my Mentor

For internship, I am required to interview my mentor about her life in relation to the workplace.

1. Where did you go to college?
2. What was your major?
3. Why do you work here?
4. Where were you born and raised?
5. How were you inspired to dance?
6. How long have you been in the Dance Industry?
7. How did you first start out?
8. What were some difficulties you had starting out?
9. How did you end up being the owner?
10. How did you start out with teaching choreography?
11. What was your favorite dance choreography?
12. What are your inspirations/ influences when coming up with choreography?
13. What is your greatest memory concerning dance?
14. What part of your job do you like the best?
15. What part of you job do you not like the best?
16. Where have you displayed your productions?
17. What do you enjoy most about having high school interns?
18. What do you always look forward to?
19. What are your next future steps?
20. How does dance impact America?
    

San DIego Dance Theater Internship Experience

Today I had my first internship at the San Diego Dance Theater. I got there in 10 minutes walking because it was such a short distance. As soon as I arrived I got put straight to work. Firstly I went around the whole building picking up the old flyers that were outdated and threw them away. By doing so I also got the chance to introduce myself to other workers there and get a feel of my environment. Then I was stuffing envelopes and writing down the address to where it would be sent, and after I put them in the mailbox and checked the mail. Jean then asked if I could run down to the Postal Anexx and pick up some stamps which I did. After that my mentor and I discussed the plans for my project that I would be contributing. She already had an idea of what I could do and that would be to help her with the next production that would showcase in May. I am actually pretty excited for that and its definitely something to look forward to. When it ended my mom came and picked me up, it was a good day.

Kennedy and Obama's Connection

John F. Kennedy was only in office from 1961-1963 before his assassination. As a candidate and President, he managed to win over the hearts of many through his speeches and great leadership. John F. Kennedy’s inauguration speech is relevant in modern society because it was abundant with hope, motivation, and change, which continue to inspire even today's generations. Now in 2008, Obama is our forty-forth President and like Kennedy, both of their inauguration speeches were very identical.

The Vietnam War and civil rights movements affected many Americans in the 1960’s. What the people needed most at that moment was hope and security, in which Kennedy made the promise in his speech “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.” Even years later, America needs hope more than ever to continue on. With depression, war, and massive unemployment it feels like our country is slowly falling apart. Obama knows that it’s going to be a long hard journey to fix the chaos but in his inauguration he said “With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come.”

The most famous line ever said from Kennedy’s inauguration was “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country...ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” There is only so much the government can do and control, but it’s the “faith and determination” of the people where the heart of the country really lies, because no matter how many years go by, that will never change. In Obama’s speech he says “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.” The connection between Obama and Kennedy is once again there. That it is as well our duty to make a difference.

We needed a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960. Back then, the country was still in segregation, everyone wanted his or her rights, and America was screaming for change. “We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom -- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning -- signifying renewal, as well as change.” We wanted Kennedy for the same reason of change that he would bring us, just as we wanted Obama who said, “For the world has changed, and we must change with it.” While campaigning, Obama’s famous line was “Yes we can!” Kennedy’s line was “We’ve got to get this country moving again!” Both as candidates focused their campaign on change and turning America along a better path.

Like Kennedy, Obama has changed the way America sees itself and the way it is seen by the rest of the world. They both inspire the nation in ways other Presidents never managed to do. They are both Presidents who understand that it’s their responsibility to create a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds themselves, and those around him, to the highest standards; who brings up the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved. “Let us begin. In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.” – John F. Kennedy.




Sources

Kennedy, John. "American Rhetoric: John F. Kennedy -- Inaugural Address." American Rhetoric: The Power of Oratory in the United States. 23 Jan. 2009 .

Obama, Barack. "Transcript: Barack Obama's Inaugural Address : NPR." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts. 23 Jan. 2009 .

"Following in Lincoln's footsteps - The Irish Times - Wed, Jan 21, 2009." The Irish Times – Irish News, Business News, Sports News & Ireland Weather Online. 23 Jan. 2009 .

Rich, Frank. "Ask Not What J.F.K. Can Do for Obama - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 3 Feb. 2008. 23 Jan. 2009 .

Reeves, Richard. "Kennedy’s Words, Obama’s Challenge - 100 Days Blog - NYTimes.com." US Presidencies - 100 Days Blog - NYTimes.com. 9 Jan. 2019. 23 Jan. 2009 .

Kennedy, Caroline . "Op-Ed Contributor - A President Like My Father - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 27 Jan. 2008. 23 Jan. 2009 .

Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

“America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”

The passage I chose is the conclusion of Barack Obama's inauguration. The reason I chose it is because I found it the most powerful part of his entire speech. What I like about Obama's speeches is that he doesn't “sugarcoat” issues at hand. He says that he knows that we have to be able to endure “what storms may come”. That we have to come together with “hope and virtue” in the face of the coming dangers. That we shouldn't give up just because the journey is hard, but that we continue on as a Nation, together as one.

The reason I feel that Obama's words relate to the everyday life that I know is because I know what hardships are. I know what it feels like to struggle, to give up, to endure, and prevail. His speech lets my life connect to what he is promising us, that with “eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations”. That by keeping our eye on the goal and never turning back, we can reach it, and make it an even better future for our children.


Transcript: Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

Outline Draft 2!

Thesis: Christopher Reeves would know what its like to be a superhero, yet he says that it doesn't take super powers and a cape. All it takes is the bravery, selflessness, and confidence that firefighters and citizens demonstrated on September Eleventh. 



Body Paragraph 1: On September Eleventh, fear struck the hearts of many across the country. While citizens ran away from the flaming towers, firefighters ran towards them and because of there bravery, 343 firefighters and paramedics passed away saving the lives of others.

John McCole was an actual firefighter who arrived at the World Trade Center Complex on the morning of 9/11 to rescue survivors. McCole was racing to the site as he watched the second tower fall. Watching as the twisted metal and shattered glass fell on top of the firefighters on Ground Zero. It came down so fast that they never had the chance to get away.


Body Paragraph 2: Christopher Reeves was more then an actor, but as a hero to many. With his selflessness he has been able to help the lives of many with disabilities a spinal cord injuries. Superman is known for being one of the greatest super heros of all time. While Christopher Reeves played his role in the movie, it helped him realize who a true hero is. When asked in an interview, “Who is your hero?”, he replied with “I believe that the real heroes today are ordinary people who persevere and endure against overwhelming obstacles”.

On May 27th 1995, Reeves fell off his horse causing a cervical spinal injury that paralyzed him from the neck down. Reeve was taken to the Kessler Rehabilitation Center to recover. Many months after he left Kessler feeling deeply inspired by the other patients he had met. Because he was constantly being covered by the media, he realized that he could use his name to the benefit of everyone with spinal cord injuries. Reeve was elected Chairman of the American Paralysis Association and Vice Chairman of the National Organization on Disability. He was also the co-founder of the Reeve_Irvine Research Center, which is now one of the leading spinal cord research centers in the world. His foundation to date has given more then $65 million for research, and more then $8.5 million in quality-of-life grants. Uc Irvine even once said, “in the years following his injury, Christopher did more to promote research on spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders than any other person before or since.”



Body Paragraph 3: Rescue and recovery efforts took months to complete after September Eleventh. Many of the citizens volunteered and helped with the cleaning of the destroyed towers. With their confidence they were capable of finishing by May of 2002. They recovered many of the dead bodies, and fragments pieces everywhere. They used courage to strive forth, and continue on through the dense clouds of smoke from the 1.5 million tons of debris produced of the World Trade Center which caused a lot of problems for the clean up effort.




Conclusion: Why its important to be hero in our lives, to help the ones in need and do the best of our abilities for others. That it requires the hard work, but that its not impossible, where we can find a hero in anyone from teachers, to doctors, to even our parents.

Artist Statement Outine

Thesis: Christopher Reeves the original Superman in the movie would know whats its like to be a superhero, and yet he says that it doesn't take super powers and a cape. All it takes is the bravery, courage, and selflessness that the firefighters and everyday citizens in our great Nation have demonstrated through the September Eleven tragic event.

Body Paragraph 1: Christopher Reeves and his connection to Superman and why he feels the way about his quote.
Body Paragraph 2: Firefighters and 9/11, that they ran towards the burning buildings while everyone else ran away.
Body Paragraph 3: Why it only takes bravery, courage, and selflessness to be a hero, that it could be anyone.

Conclusion: Why its important to be hero in our lives, to help the ones in need and do the best of our abilities for others. That it requires the hard work, but that its not impossible, where we can find a hero in anyone from teachers, to doctors, to even our parents.

September Eleven Information
Quote
Christopher Reeves

Bush's Environmental Contradictions

Many know Bush as the President who didn't do anything except for sending people off to war, and destroying our environment. In the article “Deadly Sins” by Katharine Mieszkowski, it clearly states all the actions Bush upheld or approved of that hurt our planet. For example, Sin 1 says that Bush “blew the hot air” that is global warming. Since he refused to the greenhouse gas emission reductions it, the atmosphere suffers. “The most shameful thing we've done of all is to walk away from the international debate on climate, which has crippled the debate and caused everyone else in the world to think that we're hypocritical and deluded”. We can't expect other major countries such as China and India to not use their coal, get rich, and ruin the atmosphere especially when we are practically doing the same thing.

Sin 4 in the article mentions how Bush abandoned the endangered species. “All the high-profile listings, such as polar bears, have come about after the government has been sued or petitioned by environmental groups and citizens.” The Bush administration “destroyed” the adequacy of the government biologists to “do their jobs”. They forced many scientists out, took money from their budgets, stopped the research they had to be shared, and prevented the scientists from “commenting to the media.” On another note the administration also tried to force on their regulations about allowing the government to build roads or start mining projects without having to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about if it would “harm endangered species”.

Bush’s sin number 5 has to do with the drilling that has been taking place at the onshore federal lands during the past seven years. Or number 6 where he would “thin” the forests by cutting down many trees and paving roads through the wilderness. Even with the negative image of Bush and the environment, he still was able to have a good impact on the world in the end. “Bush's decision to safeguard far-flung areas totaling 195,280 square miles, which comes just two weeks before he leaves office, underscores his contradictory environmental record.” In the article “Bush to Protect three Areas in Pacific” by Juliet Eilperin, she writes about the major success Bush achieved through conserving the greatest portion of ocean anyone every had. Bush restricted oil and gas exploration, while also restricting commercial fishing around the multiple remote islands in the central and western Pacific oceans. “Bush has matched the record of some of the nation's most conservation-minded presidents” which is a breakthrough for him. Bush was able to save and preserve the sea and island ecosystems because of his three new marine national monuments. By the end of his term of president, he would have saved and protected more ocean then “any person in history”.

My Internship Experience

What I hope to learn and gain from the internship experience is the responsibility that I’ll need when I end up in the “adult” world. I am motivated at times and I am responsible, but only to a certain extent. I am used to high school expectations and high school work and I want to have a taste of what there is in the future. I hope to discover that the “adult” world is more then just busy work and making money. I don’t want to grow up focusing on a paycheck, but doing my work to benefit others.

What I hope to discover about myself is that I can do anything that they can throw at me. I want to be able to realize the importance of a future career and how I have to commit myself to what I do if I want to become a success. I want to learn what I am capable of and how far I can be pushed and still continue on. I already know who I am and who I want to be, but I want to discover all the potential I have if given the chance.

The goals I have for the internship experience is that I want to have a good project that I can contribute to the business. I want to be able to come up with a plan thats original and beneficial and something I can actually come through with in the end. Another goal was to find my own internship that I was able to actually accomplish this afternoon! I am happy to say that I am now officially going to intern at the San Diego's Dance Theater in NTC. Another goal is just to make the best of this experience and soak up every minute of it. I just wanted an opportunity that I wouldn't be able to get in the future so that I would at least have the chance of checking it out.