1. Describe your feelings about your experiences in Humanities this semester, post exhibition.
All my experiences were positive in humanities this semester. I really liked all of the work that we did and it was amazing that we were able to make two completed books, AND SELL THEM AT EXHIBITION, in this one, short, semester. I feel that I learned a lot so far this year and I can't wait to see what I'll learn next semester.
2. What are the most significant new ideas and/or intellectual concepts that you developed this semester?
During this semester we learned a lot about the Constitution and all the amendments. Before this year I never really took the time to sit down and actually read the Constitution and the amendments but we did in class and it is actualyl pretty interesting. I think it is important to know what is in the Constitution because that is basically what runs our country.
3. What are the most valuable skills that you developed this semester?
All the skills I developed this semester was for writing. I think these skills are valuable because we do so much writing in our lives that it is important to know how to do it well. All the writing tips we do in class are extremely helpful and will help everyone in the class in the future whether they know it or not.
4. What are your goals and plans for next semester?
The only goal I have for next semester is to stay on top of my work and turn it all in on time. If I do this then I feel that next semester will be not as stressful as this one was.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Honors Blog #4
1. What did you gain from your experiences as an honors student in the first semester (please consider novels, leadership opportunities, writing, history, projects, etc.)?
As an honors student I feel that I got a better look on everything that we did in this class. While I would have learned a lot by just doing the "regular" 11th grade humanities class I think that I was able to go more in depth on some of the topics that we talked about which allowed me to get a better understanding of everything. Even though it was more work, I think it was worth it because I learned so many things that I probably, would have never learned. I also read 3 books that I would have never picked up to read on my own. I enjoyed reading these books because they helped me understand some events in history that I wouldn't have gone to research on my own. I also discovered my new favorite book: We.
2. Discuss what you might have done differently if you could do this past semester of honors over again.
If I were to go back and do this semester of honors again I think I wouldn't procrastinate as much. I tend to leave things to the last minute and then I stress out and I end up turning in all the work but the quality is not as good as it would have been if I did it when I had the time to. Other than that I think that honors was a positive experience and I will definitely be doing it next semester as well.
3. Discuss your goals for honors in the second semester.
My goals for honors next semester would be to just not procrastinate as much. As I said before the quality of my work goes way down when I procrastinate and I don't want that to happen next semester at all. I will put in a great deal of effort to not let it happen and put all my effort into every assignment we have for honors and every other assignment as well.
4. If you could choose any specific parts of literature and.or history for our honors work next semester, what would you pick and why?
Honestly I don't think there is any specific part of history that I am extremely interested in. I think all history is fascinating and I will learn every part of history if I could.
As an honors student I feel that I got a better look on everything that we did in this class. While I would have learned a lot by just doing the "regular" 11th grade humanities class I think that I was able to go more in depth on some of the topics that we talked about which allowed me to get a better understanding of everything. Even though it was more work, I think it was worth it because I learned so many things that I probably, would have never learned. I also read 3 books that I would have never picked up to read on my own. I enjoyed reading these books because they helped me understand some events in history that I wouldn't have gone to research on my own. I also discovered my new favorite book: We.
2. Discuss what you might have done differently if you could do this past semester of honors over again.
If I were to go back and do this semester of honors again I think I wouldn't procrastinate as much. I tend to leave things to the last minute and then I stress out and I end up turning in all the work but the quality is not as good as it would have been if I did it when I had the time to. Other than that I think that honors was a positive experience and I will definitely be doing it next semester as well.
3. Discuss your goals for honors in the second semester.
My goals for honors next semester would be to just not procrastinate as much. As I said before the quality of my work goes way down when I procrastinate and I don't want that to happen next semester at all. I will put in a great deal of effort to not let it happen and put all my effort into every assignment we have for honors and every other assignment as well.
4. If you could choose any specific parts of literature and.or history for our honors work next semester, what would you pick and why?
Honestly I don't think there is any specific part of history that I am extremely interested in. I think all history is fascinating and I will learn every part of history if I could.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Honors Blog #3
The New Deal came along during the Great Depression when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. There were several different programs that came with the New Deal including, The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA), and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The most successful program was the WPA which is why I think if we modernized it, then it would be the most beneficial program today. The WPA made jobs for people to work in buildings, hospitals, and parks. It also hired artists and photographers.
Modern Day WPA would most likely improve our economy and create jobs for people who are currently out of work. One way to do this would be to invest in fixing America's infrastructure. In 2008 John McCain and Barack Obama were all but silent when it came to America's failing infrastructure. They talked a lot about putting a lot of money into alternative fuels, electric cars and high-speed rail but none of that would really mean much if America's roads, bridges, and rails can't support them. Many people wanted the next president to commit to fixing America's infrastructure and believed that such an investment would create jobs and strengthen the economy.
"(Congress) should invest in the more than 3,000 ready-to-go highway projects that could be under contract within the next 30 to 90 days," says John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "Funding these ready to go projects offers Congress a tremendous opportunity to put Americans to work and help cash-strapped states repair and replace our crumbling infrastructure."
While this may be a huge investment to make, it could still potentially help get the economy back on track. In 2005 a report card issued by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave America's infrastructure- roads, bridges, drinking water, schools and transit systems- a D. It would take about $1.6 trillion to bring it up to a B-. Some people say that this would be a good investment to make because: 1. it is said that one of "every four bridges in the country is either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete" according to the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials. and 2. that, once again, it'll provide jobs to those who need one and it'll help the economy in the long run. I don't know exactly where I stand with this issue but it is an example of how the WPA could be used in modern day society.
Modern Day WPA would most likely improve our economy and create jobs for people who are currently out of work. One way to do this would be to invest in fixing America's infrastructure. In 2008 John McCain and Barack Obama were all but silent when it came to America's failing infrastructure. They talked a lot about putting a lot of money into alternative fuels, electric cars and high-speed rail but none of that would really mean much if America's roads, bridges, and rails can't support them. Many people wanted the next president to commit to fixing America's infrastructure and believed that such an investment would create jobs and strengthen the economy.
"(Congress) should invest in the more than 3,000 ready-to-go highway projects that could be under contract within the next 30 to 90 days," says John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "Funding these ready to go projects offers Congress a tremendous opportunity to put Americans to work and help cash-strapped states repair and replace our crumbling infrastructure."
While this may be a huge investment to make, it could still potentially help get the economy back on track. In 2005 a report card issued by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave America's infrastructure- roads, bridges, drinking water, schools and transit systems- a D. It would take about $1.6 trillion to bring it up to a B-. Some people say that this would be a good investment to make because: 1. it is said that one of "every four bridges in the country is either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete" according to the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials. and 2. that, once again, it'll provide jobs to those who need one and it'll help the economy in the long run. I don't know exactly where I stand with this issue but it is an example of how the WPA could be used in modern day society.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Honors Blog #2
President Obama,
As you may know, FDR was the President during the time of the Great Depression. His goal was to get out of that horrible situation and he succeeded.
The first one hundred days that Franklin D. Roosevelt spent in office he presented a wide variety of legislation to Congress which brought relief to the needy and helped boost the economy.
While Roosevelt was President he would need help creating, the Brain Trust. The Brain trust was made up of people who were not in the government including professors, lawyers, and others who came to Washington to advise him on economic affairs. Being able to become familiar with different view points he was able to make up his own mind after thinking about the others thoughts and ideas.
Franklin then went on to do his famous Fireside chats. When the economy had reached its peak in disappointment President Roosevelt started doing speeches on the radio where he would talk about the banking system and other economic concerns. Because the President seemed to be speaking directly to the individual listening everything was clearly explained. FDR was able to describe his actions and reasonings with no interruption and everyone would be able to understand what exactly the government was doing.
Then came the New Deal which had programs that designed to reverse the effects of the Depression. The five programs included the Federal Deposit Insurance Cooperation (FDIC), the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). The FDIC insured savings accounts in banks approved by the government. If this failed the government would repay the depositors their money. The REA loaned money to extend electricity to rural areas changing it from one of ten farms having electricity, one out of four. The WPA made jobs for people to work in buildings, hospitals and parks including artists and photographers. This was the most successful program. The CCC provided jobs for single men between the ages of 18 to 25. They would develop new parks, build bridges, plant trees and help with flood control projects. Finally, the AAA helped farmers by having the government pay the farmers to not produce crops because of overproduction. Because less was being grown, the prices would rise.
My advice to you, President Obama, would be to be like Franklin Roosevelt. He took the time and effort to really find ways to help America and its people get back on track. I'm not saying that you should have your own morning talk show on the radio but maybe have your own form of the Brain Trust and ask for other peoples help. You are only human and can only do so much for everyone. Now times have changed since 1933 when FDR was president but the financial crisis of the United States is almost identical. Currently 7.9 million jobs have been lost. Something needs to happen before we're in too deep of a hole to ever get out.
Sincerely,
Allyson Moder
Resources:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/17/081117fa_fact_packer
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/11/10/081110taco_talk_coll
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt
http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/02/news/economy/jobs_gone_forever/index.htm
As you may know, FDR was the President during the time of the Great Depression. His goal was to get out of that horrible situation and he succeeded.
The first one hundred days that Franklin D. Roosevelt spent in office he presented a wide variety of legislation to Congress which brought relief to the needy and helped boost the economy.
While Roosevelt was President he would need help creating, the Brain Trust. The Brain trust was made up of people who were not in the government including professors, lawyers, and others who came to Washington to advise him on economic affairs. Being able to become familiar with different view points he was able to make up his own mind after thinking about the others thoughts and ideas.
Franklin then went on to do his famous Fireside chats. When the economy had reached its peak in disappointment President Roosevelt started doing speeches on the radio where he would talk about the banking system and other economic concerns. Because the President seemed to be speaking directly to the individual listening everything was clearly explained. FDR was able to describe his actions and reasonings with no interruption and everyone would be able to understand what exactly the government was doing.
Then came the New Deal which had programs that designed to reverse the effects of the Depression. The five programs included the Federal Deposit Insurance Cooperation (FDIC), the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). The FDIC insured savings accounts in banks approved by the government. If this failed the government would repay the depositors their money. The REA loaned money to extend electricity to rural areas changing it from one of ten farms having electricity, one out of four. The WPA made jobs for people to work in buildings, hospitals and parks including artists and photographers. This was the most successful program. The CCC provided jobs for single men between the ages of 18 to 25. They would develop new parks, build bridges, plant trees and help with flood control projects. Finally, the AAA helped farmers by having the government pay the farmers to not produce crops because of overproduction. Because less was being grown, the prices would rise.
My advice to you, President Obama, would be to be like Franklin Roosevelt. He took the time and effort to really find ways to help America and its people get back on track. I'm not saying that you should have your own morning talk show on the radio but maybe have your own form of the Brain Trust and ask for other peoples help. You are only human and can only do so much for everyone. Now times have changed since 1933 when FDR was president but the financial crisis of the United States is almost identical. Currently 7.9 million jobs have been lost. Something needs to happen before we're in too deep of a hole to ever get out.
Sincerely,
Allyson Moder
Resources:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/17/081117fa_fact_packer
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/11/10/081110taco_talk_coll
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/franklindroosevelt
http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/02/news/economy/jobs_gone_forever/index.htm
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Honors Blog #1
With the recession, millions of previously covered people now depend on Medicaid to take care of them and their families. “Today, Medicaid, which was enacted in 1965, primarily serves children, pregnant women and the aged and disabled.” Medicaid covers people with low income and who meet certain eligibility criteria. It can also cover children regardless if there parents/guardians are eligible to be covered. This program, which is funded by both the Federal and State governments, covers a larger group of people than Medicare does. Medicaid is the most significant element of health care legislations because it covers a wide range of people and requires the federal and state governments to work together to fund it.
Medicaid relies on the cooperation between the Federal and State governments. “Although the Federal government establishes general guidelines for the program, the Medicaid program requirements are actually established by each State. Whether or not a person is eligible for Medicaid will depend on the State where he or she lives.” The recession and new health care bill have put extra strain on the budgets states have for Medicaid. The Federal government gave stimulus money to states on the condition they can not lower eligibility limits. This agreement has lead to states turning more towards improving efficiency and increasing the quality of care as they can’t cut many more benefits than they already have
“The government expects the Medicaid expansion to account for about half of the 32 million uninsured people who are projected to gain coverage because of the new law.” This program encompasses a greater amount of people than Medicare does, as Medicare is mostly for people over the age of 65. As the amount of life people are now able to live continues to get longer, and with unemployment as high as it is, more and more people are turning to Medicaid for help in their desperate times for longer periods of time than in the past. Medicaid is the most significant element of health care legislation in history because more people depend on it for basic health needs than other programs. If Medicaid were to end, millions of people would have no way of getting medical attention they need.
Works cited:
http://www.cms.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/health/policy/01medicaid.html?_r=1
http://www.cms.gov/MedicaidEligibility/Downloads/MedicaidataGlance05.pdf
Medicaid relies on the cooperation between the Federal and State governments. “Although the Federal government establishes general guidelines for the program, the Medicaid program requirements are actually established by each State. Whether or not a person is eligible for Medicaid will depend on the State where he or she lives.” The recession and new health care bill have put extra strain on the budgets states have for Medicaid. The Federal government gave stimulus money to states on the condition they can not lower eligibility limits. This agreement has lead to states turning more towards improving efficiency and increasing the quality of care as they can’t cut many more benefits than they already have
“The government expects the Medicaid expansion to account for about half of the 32 million uninsured people who are projected to gain coverage because of the new law.” This program encompasses a greater amount of people than Medicare does, as Medicare is mostly for people over the age of 65. As the amount of life people are now able to live continues to get longer, and with unemployment as high as it is, more and more people are turning to Medicaid for help in their desperate times for longer periods of time than in the past. Medicaid is the most significant element of health care legislation in history because more people depend on it for basic health needs than other programs. If Medicaid were to end, millions of people would have no way of getting medical attention they need.
Works cited:
http://www.cms.gov/MedicaidGenInfo/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/health/policy/01medicaid.html?_r=1
http://www.cms.gov/MedicaidEligibility/Downloads/MedicaidataGlance05.pdf
Blog #20
Choose an issue from American History that we have discussed in class recently. Write a brief (one to three paragraph) history of the issue and the Federalist vs. Antifederalist issues involved. In this brief history, be sure to cite relevant sources and make specific, clear references to major historical events.
Today in class we talked about some issues in American History. Usually when someone says "history" you might automatically think back to hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago however, with this blog, I would like to take the time to focus on something more current, the issue of same-sex marriage. As you may know, two years ago prop 8 was being voted on to allow same-sex marriage within the state of California. It was not passed. However, just recently on Wednesday August 4, 2010, prop 8 was overturned in supreme court and ruled unconstitutional.
Same-sex marriage has a short but very heated history in the U.S. This issue first rose to attention in 1993 in Hawaii where judges found that the state's constitution needed a compelling reason to not extend to gays equal marriage rights. The ruling prompted Congress to push through the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. This prevented homosexual couples from getting the benefits that are traditionally conferred by marriage. Ever since then, the individual states have tried to define their own stance on this issue. Currently, twenty-seven states have passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, while just 10 have granted rights to homosexual couples and the polls have shown that the majority of Americans, including Californians, remain against gay marriage.
Prop 8 was brought to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 6th, 2010. The appeals court panel will issue a decision on whether California's same-sex marriage ban is constitutional. The infamous ban gay marriage began in 2008 after the state Supreme Court approved the practice. The three judges on the panel listened to lawyers battle over the ban for three hours yesterday morning during the federal court proceedings. Judge Stephen Reinhardt said, "The court could legalize same-sex marriage in California but leave similar bans in nine Western states in place."
Then....
Choose at least one person not in this class whose opinion you respect. Interview this person to seek their ideas and opinions about the issues inherent in the element of history you have chosen.
Ideally, you want to quote this person, but it is okay to paraphrase their ideas at certain points, if necessary.
Interviewer- Ally Moder
Interviewee- Vanessa Siebold
1. Have you heard about Prop 8? If so... how?
Yes. Everyone was talking about it and it was on the news and we would talk about it in GSA.
2. What do you know about it?
That it takes away the right of same sex couples to get married in the state of California.
3. How do you feel about it?
That it's stupid. It's just a way of having the law protect intolerance and it gets in the way of civil rights.
4. If you were fighting for/against this proposition, how would you present your argument and why evidence would you use?
The constitution protects your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. so a law that makes it so two people who love each other and want to spend their lives together cant get married and get in the way of their right to the pursuit of happiness. The definition of marriage had changes throughout history to include people who have been discriminated against so I see no reason why people argue that marriage is defined as one thing and that there is no issue of rights.
5. Is the constitution the only evidence you would use?
Well I don't know what else I would use. The constitution says... that and we have changed the definition of marriage. People say that domestic partnership or Civil Union is the same as marriage but ITS NOT. People who are in a legal marriage are given more benefits and different opportunities than someone in a partnership. this isn't fair because it is not equal protection under the law stated in the constitution!
6. Do you know where prop 8 is now?
In the courts. Well prop 8 was passed in 2008 and then people appealed it and then it was repealed and then it was reinstated and now its in the court.
7. Do you know what court?
Supreme Court of California?
A. Actually it is in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
V. Oh, ok.
Today in class we talked about some issues in American History. Usually when someone says "history" you might automatically think back to hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago however, with this blog, I would like to take the time to focus on something more current, the issue of same-sex marriage. As you may know, two years ago prop 8 was being voted on to allow same-sex marriage within the state of California. It was not passed. However, just recently on Wednesday August 4, 2010, prop 8 was overturned in supreme court and ruled unconstitutional.
Same-sex marriage has a short but very heated history in the U.S. This issue first rose to attention in 1993 in Hawaii where judges found that the state's constitution needed a compelling reason to not extend to gays equal marriage rights. The ruling prompted Congress to push through the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. This prevented homosexual couples from getting the benefits that are traditionally conferred by marriage. Ever since then, the individual states have tried to define their own stance on this issue. Currently, twenty-seven states have passed constitutional bans on gay marriage, while just 10 have granted rights to homosexual couples and the polls have shown that the majority of Americans, including Californians, remain against gay marriage.
Prop 8 was brought to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on December 6th, 2010. The appeals court panel will issue a decision on whether California's same-sex marriage ban is constitutional. The infamous ban gay marriage began in 2008 after the state Supreme Court approved the practice. The three judges on the panel listened to lawyers battle over the ban for three hours yesterday morning during the federal court proceedings. Judge Stephen Reinhardt said, "The court could legalize same-sex marriage in California but leave similar bans in nine Western states in place."
Then....
Choose at least one person not in this class whose opinion you respect. Interview this person to seek their ideas and opinions about the issues inherent in the element of history you have chosen.
Ideally, you want to quote this person, but it is okay to paraphrase their ideas at certain points, if necessary.
Interviewer- Ally Moder
Interviewee- Vanessa Siebold
1. Have you heard about Prop 8? If so... how?
Yes. Everyone was talking about it and it was on the news and we would talk about it in GSA.
2. What do you know about it?
That it takes away the right of same sex couples to get married in the state of California.
3. How do you feel about it?
That it's stupid. It's just a way of having the law protect intolerance and it gets in the way of civil rights.
4. If you were fighting for/against this proposition, how would you present your argument and why evidence would you use?
The constitution protects your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. so a law that makes it so two people who love each other and want to spend their lives together cant get married and get in the way of their right to the pursuit of happiness. The definition of marriage had changes throughout history to include people who have been discriminated against so I see no reason why people argue that marriage is defined as one thing and that there is no issue of rights.
5. Is the constitution the only evidence you would use?
Well I don't know what else I would use. The constitution says... that and we have changed the definition of marriage. People say that domestic partnership or Civil Union is the same as marriage but ITS NOT. People who are in a legal marriage are given more benefits and different opportunities than someone in a partnership. this isn't fair because it is not equal protection under the law stated in the constitution!
6. Do you know where prop 8 is now?
In the courts. Well prop 8 was passed in 2008 and then people appealed it and then it was repealed and then it was reinstated and now its in the court.
7. Do you know what court?
Supreme Court of California?
A. Actually it is in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
V. Oh, ok.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Blog #19
1. What are you most proud of in your Life: The Book writing? Try to describe this is detail!
What I submitted into this book was very personal to me and my family and I really wanted to make sure I did everything well. I am most proud of the way I was able to take something that really did happen and turn it into an educational article. I took everything that I could from my uncle's story and turned it into a learning experience. I talked about the different kind of treatments and what they did as well as the financial part and healthcare part of the situation. I love my final article.
2. What are some changes or new ideas that you have developed in your writing through the course of this semester?
New things that I learned to do with my writing through this article is that even though this is a Humanities class it's ok to add information that pertains to other classes. For this article, since I am in honors for every class, I was required to go in detail with one topic for math, humanities, and biology. I think that doing this actually made the article more interesting. If I just focused on the humanities of the article through out the whole thing then it might be boring. But if you talk about the other topics that relate to the main topic then, i feel, that it's more interesting to read.
3. If you had a little more time to work on your writing for LifE: The Book, what would you do differently? What would you change about your writing?
While I am extremely proud of my final piece of writing I still think that I could have fixed a few things. One thing I would have liked to change is the amount of biology I have in my paper. I made sure that I have a topic in for every class for the honors requirements but I feel that I put a little too much biology into the article. I, personally, find it really easy to write about biology related topics so I think that I went a little biology crazy but other than that I really think I did a good job on my article.
4. How has the additional element of publication in a book affected the way you approach writing?
Before this year I felt that writing was just a big waste of time. I never liked to do it and I wouldn't give it my all when I had to do it. However this year I feel that my feelings towards writing has changed. We do so much of it that I almost have to like it. Also, knowing that my writing will be going into an actual book makes me work much harder. Knowing that people that might actually read my work, people that I don't know, I want them to see a complete, well written piece of writing instead of something that was just thrown together half heartedly. I worked really hard on this book and I really hope that the final piece is amazing.
What I submitted into this book was very personal to me and my family and I really wanted to make sure I did everything well. I am most proud of the way I was able to take something that really did happen and turn it into an educational article. I took everything that I could from my uncle's story and turned it into a learning experience. I talked about the different kind of treatments and what they did as well as the financial part and healthcare part of the situation. I love my final article.
2. What are some changes or new ideas that you have developed in your writing through the course of this semester?
New things that I learned to do with my writing through this article is that even though this is a Humanities class it's ok to add information that pertains to other classes. For this article, since I am in honors for every class, I was required to go in detail with one topic for math, humanities, and biology. I think that doing this actually made the article more interesting. If I just focused on the humanities of the article through out the whole thing then it might be boring. But if you talk about the other topics that relate to the main topic then, i feel, that it's more interesting to read.
3. If you had a little more time to work on your writing for LifE: The Book, what would you do differently? What would you change about your writing?
While I am extremely proud of my final piece of writing I still think that I could have fixed a few things. One thing I would have liked to change is the amount of biology I have in my paper. I made sure that I have a topic in for every class for the honors requirements but I feel that I put a little too much biology into the article. I, personally, find it really easy to write about biology related topics so I think that I went a little biology crazy but other than that I really think I did a good job on my article.
4. How has the additional element of publication in a book affected the way you approach writing?
Before this year I felt that writing was just a big waste of time. I never liked to do it and I wouldn't give it my all when I had to do it. However this year I feel that my feelings towards writing has changed. We do so much of it that I almost have to like it. Also, knowing that my writing will be going into an actual book makes me work much harder. Knowing that people that might actually read my work, people that I don't know, I want them to see a complete, well written piece of writing instead of something that was just thrown together half heartedly. I worked really hard on this book and I really hope that the final piece is amazing.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Blog #18
What are your character's main goals for the Senate Health Care Hearings?
I play the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company and my goals for the hearing is to make the government be less involved and get the patent on my products to last longer.
What do you want to accomplish?
I would like to see my requests on the bill. To me, this is how I would "win".
How do you plan to accomplish it?
I feel that I have written a good argument on why there needs to be less government involved as well as how making the patent on my products last longer will benefit the patients.
Who are you working with to get this done?
I am working with Louis to get this all done. Today in class we reviewed the questions he will be asking me and my answers and we both feel that we have a strong argument.
I play the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company and my goals for the hearing is to make the government be less involved and get the patent on my products to last longer.
What do you want to accomplish?
I would like to see my requests on the bill. To me, this is how I would "win".
How do you plan to accomplish it?
I feel that I have written a good argument on why there needs to be less government involved as well as how making the patent on my products last longer will benefit the patients.
Who are you working with to get this done?
I am working with Louis to get this all done. Today in class we reviewed the questions he will be asking me and my answers and we both feel that we have a strong argument.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Blog #17
The debate talking about if health care is too expensive or not relates to my topic of cancer treatment very easily. As I mentioned in my previous blog, if you don't have health insurance then you have to pay out of pocket and eventually sell your belongings until you are so poor that you qualify for Medicaid, known as Medical in California. This business assists in paying for your, in this case, treatment. However, if you have health insurance then that company will usually make you pay a certain amount and they will cover the rest. Some companies have a limit on how much they will pay for you and once you reach that limit they will no longer cover you and you would have to pay out of pocket but a new law in the health care reform says that health insurance companies can no longer put a limit on how much they will pay for you. That will take affect in 2014.
Depending on what health care company you go with and how much money you make health care can either extremely expensive to some but reasonable to others. I personally don't think I have an opinion on if it's too expensive or not because, frankly, I am not paying for it. I feel if I was paying the bills in the house I would be able to have an opinion on this but just by reading the articles given, I was not able to decide. Through reading the articles, there were so many statistics thrown at me like, "the average American household's health-care spending, including the portion of its taxes that pays for Medicare and Medicaid, will go from 23 percent to 41 percent of average household income." and "Let’s not forget that the existing Medicare system is roughly $80 trillion in the hole." and "According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract, government spending on health care in the U.S was $2,168 per person in 2001" that I lost count of everything and felt overwhelmed. In the end, I still haven't formed an opinion on if it is too expensive or not but I'm sure I will when I get older and start paying for things.
Depending on what health care company you go with and how much money you make health care can either extremely expensive to some but reasonable to others. I personally don't think I have an opinion on if it's too expensive or not because, frankly, I am not paying for it. I feel if I was paying the bills in the house I would be able to have an opinion on this but just by reading the articles given, I was not able to decide. Through reading the articles, there were so many statistics thrown at me like, "the average American household's health-care spending, including the portion of its taxes that pays for Medicare and Medicaid, will go from 23 percent to 41 percent of average household income." and "Let’s not forget that the existing Medicare system is roughly $80 trillion in the hole." and "According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract, government spending on health care in the U.S was $2,168 per person in 2001" that I lost count of everything and felt overwhelmed. In the end, I still haven't formed an opinion on if it is too expensive or not but I'm sure I will when I get older and start paying for things.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Blog #16
My topic for Life: The Book is cancer treatment and my main character that I will be focusing on in my article is my Uncle, Chuck who recently passed away because of cancer. Health care insurance was a big of his treatment because if he didn't have the insurance then he would have had to pay out of pocket for his treatments until he was poor enough to qualify for Medicare. But then they would be left with nothing. Luckily he had the insurance which would make it so you have to pay a certain amount and they will cover the rest unless they have a limit on how much they can pay. Then you would have to pay out of pocket from that point on leading you to the same spot you would be if you didn't have the insurance in the first place. But recently a law passed saying that the insurance companies can no longer put a limit on how much they will pay for you.
"more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." This quote came from the article titled "Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege" by: Sen. Bernie Sanders. This quote really stuck out to me because he related it to an event in history that everyone knows about and thinks is horrible and he said that even more people die from preventable illnesses per year than the total amount of people died during 9/11.
I personally think that health care is a right. I think this because allowing people to just die from things that are completely preventable or treatable but they didnt have the money to get the treatment they needed is wrong. People shouldn't have to worry about if they can pay for the ambulance ride to the emergency room if a loved one needs it. They should be concerned about the person. I can see and understand what the other side of the argument is trying to say but I just feel that peoples lives are more important.
"more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." This quote came from the article titled "Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege" by: Sen. Bernie Sanders. This quote really stuck out to me because he related it to an event in history that everyone knows about and thinks is horrible and he said that even more people die from preventable illnesses per year than the total amount of people died during 9/11.
I personally think that health care is a right. I think this because allowing people to just die from things that are completely preventable or treatable but they didnt have the money to get the treatment they needed is wrong. People shouldn't have to worry about if they can pay for the ambulance ride to the emergency room if a loved one needs it. They should be concerned about the person. I can see and understand what the other side of the argument is trying to say but I just feel that peoples lives are more important.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Blog #15
3. Describe how Americans pay for health care and the government's role in this process.
Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and may need some assistance because health care can become extremely expensive especially for people who don't have much money. Sometimes peoples jobs will cover their health care but may not cover them fully or may not cover their family as well. When this happens the family must pay the remainder of the money out of pocket. This article explains how much health care costs.
There is a big issue on if health care is a privilege or a right. It seems that people who have a lot of money feel that health care should be a privilege because they have the money to pay for it while others feel like it should be a right. That everyone should be able to have health care and feeling of security.
1. Using a specific example, describe what makes a compelling character in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
During class I read the article called "Open Channels" and it was about people having cystic fibrosis and what they have to go through on a daily basis. In that story a compelling character would be anyone who really put us in their situation. One of those characters where Maya. She was a 7 year old girl who had cystic fibrosis. We were told how many medications she was taking and her different treatments. We were also told how, during the medial trial of a drug, she started to feeling better but once the trial was over she contracted MRSA.
2. Using a specific example, describe what makes an interesting plot in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
To me an interesting plot includes and ultimate question that we are trying to answer through out the whole story. This question could be considered the conflict of the story and when there is a conflict I, personally, like it when the conflict is solved at the very end so it forces you to read the entire article/story.
3. What specific steps do authors take to write non-jargon-based scientific writing?
I think the first step they take is figure out the audience they are writing for. If they are writing for teens then they want to have advanced writing but not to the point where the reader is having to look up words in the dictionary every five minutes. If the targeted audience is older then the writer may use more advanced vocabulary. The most important thing for authors to do is write for the reader.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
When authors want their readers to connect with the story they can bring in real events that have happened or by putting in a lot of facts and statistics. I, personally, like when there are a lot of facts in something that I am reading because it really brings me deep into the story and makes me want to keep reading. I understand that you can't put excessive amounts of facts into every story and in that case I think the author should include shocking events in the story.
Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and may need some assistance because health care can become extremely expensive especially for people who don't have much money. Sometimes peoples jobs will cover their health care but may not cover them fully or may not cover their family as well. When this happens the family must pay the remainder of the money out of pocket. This article explains how much health care costs.
There is a big issue on if health care is a privilege or a right. It seems that people who have a lot of money feel that health care should be a privilege because they have the money to pay for it while others feel like it should be a right. That everyone should be able to have health care and feeling of security.
1. Using a specific example, describe what makes a compelling character in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
During class I read the article called "Open Channels" and it was about people having cystic fibrosis and what they have to go through on a daily basis. In that story a compelling character would be anyone who really put us in their situation. One of those characters where Maya. She was a 7 year old girl who had cystic fibrosis. We were told how many medications she was taking and her different treatments. We were also told how, during the medial trial of a drug, she started to feeling better but once the trial was over she contracted MRSA.
2. Using a specific example, describe what makes an interesting plot in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
To me an interesting plot includes and ultimate question that we are trying to answer through out the whole story. This question could be considered the conflict of the story and when there is a conflict I, personally, like it when the conflict is solved at the very end so it forces you to read the entire article/story.
3. What specific steps do authors take to write non-jargon-based scientific writing?
I think the first step they take is figure out the audience they are writing for. If they are writing for teens then they want to have advanced writing but not to the point where the reader is having to look up words in the dictionary every five minutes. If the targeted audience is older then the writer may use more advanced vocabulary. The most important thing for authors to do is write for the reader.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
When authors want their readers to connect with the story they can bring in real events that have happened or by putting in a lot of facts and statistics. I, personally, like when there are a lot of facts in something that I am reading because it really brings me deep into the story and makes me want to keep reading. I understand that you can't put excessive amounts of facts into every story and in that case I think the author should include shocking events in the story.
Blog #14
1. Post the stage of life that you will write about and a relevant element of genetic technology that interests you. Feel free to work with Brandon to understand this step.
Adulthood- Cancer Treatment (Radiation and Chemotherapy)
I think these two treatments interests me the most because I hear so much about them but I don't fully understand what happens during them and how they affect your body.
2a. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The FDA is a big part of approving the drugs that help treat cancer. Part of Chemotherapy is taking several drugs that use powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. But while these drugs are meant to treat you, serious complications may arise and, with every kind of treatment, there are risks. Some risks include Nausea, Vomiting, Hair loss, Loss of appetite, and others. But there are also more sever risks such as Damage to lung tissue, Heart problems, Infertility, Kidney problems, Nerve damage, and Risk of a second cancer. There are debates about chemotherapy and the treatment is long term. Yeah you may get rid of the cancer the first time, but when there is a risk of getting cancer AGAIN is it really the best form of treatment? This article talks about a drug's, called Herceptin, approval to be marketed to be a treatment for people who have stomach cancer.
3a. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
Cancer treatment is not really a controversial issue. NO ONE is against the treatment of cancer. However some people are against certain forms of treatment. For example here is an article talking about how chemotherapy may kill cancer cells... but is can at the same time kill the patient. "You have to kill yourself to cure yourself." To me.. that quote describes cancer treatment in one sentence.
This article talks about how most woman who have breast cancer skip having chemotherapy because of the risks that comes with it.
4. Please repeat all of the above steps... This time, focus on a different aspect of genetic technology and/or different humanities content.
2b. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The NCI (National Cancer Institute) is a HUGE agency that works in the area of cancer and cancer treatment. Their website is an extremely helpful resource. They have everything from information on different forms of cancer and all the different cancer treatments there are and what they do.
3b. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
This website was extremely helpful in my research. They have an entire timeline on the history of cancer treatment dating back all the way to surgery in Egypt to modern day treatment such as Genetic Therapy and Cryosurgery.
One of the more modern treatments for cancer that I mentioned gene therapy. Gene therapy is when doctors insert genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat diseases, in this case, cancer. This article talks about the moral and ethical issues in Gene Therapy. They ask "Are we playing G-d?"and I think that is an important issue to cover in my article for the book we will be writing.
Adulthood- Cancer Treatment (Radiation and Chemotherapy)
I think these two treatments interests me the most because I hear so much about them but I don't fully understand what happens during them and how they affect your body.
2a. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The FDA is a big part of approving the drugs that help treat cancer. Part of Chemotherapy is taking several drugs that use powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. But while these drugs are meant to treat you, serious complications may arise and, with every kind of treatment, there are risks. Some risks include Nausea, Vomiting, Hair loss, Loss of appetite, and others. But there are also more sever risks such as Damage to lung tissue, Heart problems, Infertility, Kidney problems, Nerve damage, and Risk of a second cancer. There are debates about chemotherapy and the treatment is long term. Yeah you may get rid of the cancer the first time, but when there is a risk of getting cancer AGAIN is it really the best form of treatment? This article talks about a drug's, called Herceptin, approval to be marketed to be a treatment for people who have stomach cancer.
3a. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
Cancer treatment is not really a controversial issue. NO ONE is against the treatment of cancer. However some people are against certain forms of treatment. For example here is an article talking about how chemotherapy may kill cancer cells... but is can at the same time kill the patient. "You have to kill yourself to cure yourself." To me.. that quote describes cancer treatment in one sentence.
This article talks about how most woman who have breast cancer skip having chemotherapy because of the risks that comes with it.
4. Please repeat all of the above steps... This time, focus on a different aspect of genetic technology and/or different humanities content.
2b. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The NCI (National Cancer Institute) is a HUGE agency that works in the area of cancer and cancer treatment. Their website is an extremely helpful resource. They have everything from information on different forms of cancer and all the different cancer treatments there are and what they do.
3b. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
This website was extremely helpful in my research. They have an entire timeline on the history of cancer treatment dating back all the way to surgery in Egypt to modern day treatment such as Genetic Therapy and Cryosurgery.
One of the more modern treatments for cancer that I mentioned gene therapy. Gene therapy is when doctors insert genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat diseases, in this case, cancer. This article talks about the moral and ethical issues in Gene Therapy. They ask "Are we playing G-d?"and I think that is an important issue to cover in my article for the book we will be writing.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Blog #13
Cancer Treatment- Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science part of this would be the different treatments that cancer patients go through such as radiation, surgery, etc. The humanities part of this would be the issue of the side affects of the radiation and other treatments.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved in this issue would be that you are using extremely harmful rays to kill any of the cancer cells that are found in your body. The issue with this is that you are also killing "normal" cells which you need.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Cancer treatment has been an issue for a long time. While it may be extremely helpful to some, it can also hurt them or even kill them in the long run. Some people argue that to treat cancer you basically have to kill yourself to survive.
Designer babies-Conception & Pregnancy
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science of this would be that you can use new technology and scientific break throughs to choose what color your baby's eyes are. The humanities of this would be that there are several religious issues that comes with this.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
I was not able to find a picture that represents the big idea for this but through my research I found this article that really gives you an idea of what people cause do to their unborn child.
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved with this is being able to go into the embryo and alter the DNA to make the baby be born with a certain color eyes.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
This is an issue with some people because you are messing with the unborn child's genes and DNA to make them look a certain way. Some people that this is wrong and should not be done. On the other hand some people love the ability to choose what their child looks like.
Growth hormones used in sports-Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science in this topic is the use of hormones. Hormones can be injected and/or taken in pill form and they can be used to build muscle. For the humanities part, people feel that using extra hormones in sports is considered "cheating" and that its not fair.
2. A picture that represents the big idea.
I also could not find an image for this topic but I, once again, found an article that I found interesting and beneficial
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The science in this topic includes the use of these extra hormones. Whether they are injected or taken in pill form or any other way, they are messing with your natural hormones in order to make you stronger.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Like I mentioned before, some people are against the use of extra hormones because it is messing with your natural hormones in your body but they also consider it cheating. Many people who play sports use these hormones to help their performance.
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science part of this would be the different treatments that cancer patients go through such as radiation, surgery, etc. The humanities part of this would be the issue of the side affects of the radiation and other treatments.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved in this issue would be that you are using extremely harmful rays to kill any of the cancer cells that are found in your body. The issue with this is that you are also killing "normal" cells which you need.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Cancer treatment has been an issue for a long time. While it may be extremely helpful to some, it can also hurt them or even kill them in the long run. Some people argue that to treat cancer you basically have to kill yourself to survive.
Designer babies-Conception & Pregnancy
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science of this would be that you can use new technology and scientific break throughs to choose what color your baby's eyes are. The humanities of this would be that there are several religious issues that comes with this.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
I was not able to find a picture that represents the big idea for this but through my research I found this article that really gives you an idea of what people cause do to their unborn child.
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved with this is being able to go into the embryo and alter the DNA to make the baby be born with a certain color eyes.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
This is an issue with some people because you are messing with the unborn child's genes and DNA to make them look a certain way. Some people that this is wrong and should not be done. On the other hand some people love the ability to choose what their child looks like.
Growth hormones used in sports-Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science in this topic is the use of hormones. Hormones can be injected and/or taken in pill form and they can be used to build muscle. For the humanities part, people feel that using extra hormones in sports is considered "cheating" and that its not fair.
2. A picture that represents the big idea.
I also could not find an image for this topic but I, once again, found an article that I found interesting and beneficial
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The science in this topic includes the use of these extra hormones. Whether they are injected or taken in pill form or any other way, they are messing with your natural hormones in order to make you stronger.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Like I mentioned before, some people are against the use of extra hormones because it is messing with your natural hormones in your body but they also consider it cheating. Many people who play sports use these hormones to help their performance.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Blog #12
Idea #1 should be the type of environment in which you'd like to work.
For my internship I definitely want to be in contact with people and actually learn a lot about what their job is like and what the average schedule is for that particular field of work. I want to try to stay away from just sitting at a computer all day or doing paper work. I understand that they might want me doing some paper work or computer work, and that's fine, as long as I also am able to do other things as well.
Idea # 2 should be the type of skills you'd like to use at work.
A skill I would like to use at work is my skill of communication. I feel like I can easily communicate with my mentor and others in the profession. I also am not scared to ask questions if I have any. I think for the internship I wish to get, these skills will definitely come in handy. I also have some computer skills and I keep very organized which will also come in handy at times. The picture below shows why communication is very important in the medial profession.
Idea #3 should be the types of things you'd like to learn at internship.
Ultimately I want to learn about what it is like in the medical field. I know that a lot of schooling went into it but I want to find out where all that extra schooling puts you. I'd also like to learn about the human body and just anything that will help me later on with my dream career of a coroner.
For my internship I definitely want to be in contact with people and actually learn a lot about what their job is like and what the average schedule is for that particular field of work. I want to try to stay away from just sitting at a computer all day or doing paper work. I understand that they might want me doing some paper work or computer work, and that's fine, as long as I also am able to do other things as well.
Idea # 2 should be the type of skills you'd like to use at work.
A skill I would like to use at work is my skill of communication. I feel like I can easily communicate with my mentor and others in the profession. I also am not scared to ask questions if I have any. I think for the internship I wish to get, these skills will definitely come in handy. I also have some computer skills and I keep very organized which will also come in handy at times. The picture below shows why communication is very important in the medial profession.
Idea #3 should be the types of things you'd like to learn at internship.
Ultimately I want to learn about what it is like in the medical field. I know that a lot of schooling went into it but I want to find out where all that extra schooling puts you. I'd also like to learn about the human body and just anything that will help me later on with my dream career of a coroner.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Blog #11
For my article I read about the repeal of Don't ask don't tell.
Today a federal judge in riverside imposed an injunction ordering federal officials not to enforce the controversial policy on gays in the military. Now, the federal government had 60 days to appeal however, Justice Department attorneys have not said whether they will.
U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips "found that "don't ask, don't tell" violated the 1st Amendment." Which is the freedom of speech.
This article is a good supplement for the one above because there are more quotes and evidence within the article.
In this article you will read about why and how "Don't ask, Don't Tell" got repealed. It also goes in depth about what DADT means. The author of this article made to to give you a lot of evidence through quotes, as I mentioned earlier, and it really helps you understand what is happening a lot easier.
Today a federal judge in riverside imposed an injunction ordering federal officials not to enforce the controversial policy on gays in the military. Now, the federal government had 60 days to appeal however, Justice Department attorneys have not said whether they will.
U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips "found that "don't ask, don't tell" violated the 1st Amendment." Which is the freedom of speech.
This article is a good supplement for the one above because there are more quotes and evidence within the article.
In this article you will read about why and how "Don't ask, Don't Tell" got repealed. It also goes in depth about what DADT means. The author of this article made to to give you a lot of evidence through quotes, as I mentioned earlier, and it really helps you understand what is happening a lot easier.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Blog #10
What was/were the root cause(s) of Michael Westerman's death?
I believe the root causes of his death was lack of education. He was shot for flying the confederate flag on the back of his truck while driving through a "black" neighborhood. He didn't exactly know what the flag meant he just knew that he was supposed to like it and Freddie Morrow, Michael's killer, didn't know what the flag meant, he just knew that he was supposed to not like the flag and as a result for their ignorance Michael was shot and killed. When the school was accused of having a racist symbol as their mascot they said that it would be taking away their rights to take away that symbol.
"Blacks just need to get over slavery, you can't live in the past. Blacks don't really have anything against the flag. They just don't want us to have it. They want the best jobs, the biggest money. Now they want this. If we lose the mascot, it'll just be a matter of time before we lose everything," said Frances Chapman, a retired nurse. "Don't put us where they used to be"
This quote basically implies that they know that they're being racist and that slavery is "ok" as long as it's not happening to them. They also feel like they are the minority in this situation, like their rights are being taken away from them but in reality no rights are being taken away, rights are just given to others.
"For both Sharpe and Chapman, the rebel banner represented a finger in the dike, the last brake against a noisome tide of minority rights that was fast eroding the status of whites."
I believe the root causes of his death was lack of education. He was shot for flying the confederate flag on the back of his truck while driving through a "black" neighborhood. He didn't exactly know what the flag meant he just knew that he was supposed to like it and Freddie Morrow, Michael's killer, didn't know what the flag meant, he just knew that he was supposed to not like the flag and as a result for their ignorance Michael was shot and killed. When the school was accused of having a racist symbol as their mascot they said that it would be taking away their rights to take away that symbol.
"Blacks just need to get over slavery, you can't live in the past. Blacks don't really have anything against the flag. They just don't want us to have it. They want the best jobs, the biggest money. Now they want this. If we lose the mascot, it'll just be a matter of time before we lose everything," said Frances Chapman, a retired nurse. "Don't put us where they used to be"
This quote basically implies that they know that they're being racist and that slavery is "ok" as long as it's not happening to them. They also feel like they are the minority in this situation, like their rights are being taken away from them but in reality no rights are being taken away, rights are just given to others.
"For both Sharpe and Chapman, the rebel banner represented a finger in the dike, the last brake against a noisome tide of minority rights that was fast eroding the status of whites."
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Blog #9
This article is talking about some artifact that were found from the Civil War. I chose this article cause it really shows that the Civil War really does affect today. One thing they found was a watercolor painting inside view of the Millen Prison’s Main Street with brick ovens. It really allows us to see what life was like back then instead of us just having to guess what it might have looked like. A clay tobacco pipe with an improvised lead bowl, a tourniquet buckle, and several other artifacts were also found.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Blog #8
www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/opinion/14schuck.html?ref=fourteenth_amendment
1. Summarize the article, and include relevant quotes.
“all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States...”
The main idea of this article comes from the 14th Amendment and shows the different sides of the argument against any birthright citizenship. A birthright citizenship means that if you were born on American soil that you are automatically a citizen of the United States.
"The argument against any birthright citizenship is that these children are here as a result of an illegal act and thus have no claim to membership in a country built on the ideal of mutual consent."
On one side of the argument people are saying that it's right to allow the children of "illegal" immigrants, who were born in the United States, to automatically become citizens just by being born in the US. They are saying that if we got rid of the birthright citizenship there would be more undocumented people in the US.
"Without birthright citizenship, they could be legally stranded, perhaps even stateless, in a country where they were born and may spend their lives. And because more than a third of undocumented parents have a least one American child, ending birthright citizenship would greatly increase the number of undocumented people in the country."
2. Explain what Constitutional concepts are relevant. Some may be obvious, but others maybe more subtly related. Explain the Constitutional connection in your own words, but also reference the specific Article & Section or Amendment(s).
This whole article is based off of the 14th Amendment which states: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Basically saying that everyone who is born in the United States are citizens of the United States and you can not take away their rights to life, liberty, and property without going through the law and you can not deny any person equal protection of the laws.
3. Explain what interests you about this article and/or the Constitutional connections you found.
I found this article interesting because it really is an interesting subject to think about. Should the children born in the United States be considered citizens when their parents are not? I personally like when articles require you to have your own opinion on the topic rather there be a right or wrong answer to the initial question.
1. Summarize the article, and include relevant quotes.
“all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States...”
The main idea of this article comes from the 14th Amendment and shows the different sides of the argument against any birthright citizenship. A birthright citizenship means that if you were born on American soil that you are automatically a citizen of the United States.
"The argument against any birthright citizenship is that these children are here as a result of an illegal act and thus have no claim to membership in a country built on the ideal of mutual consent."
On one side of the argument people are saying that it's right to allow the children of "illegal" immigrants, who were born in the United States, to automatically become citizens just by being born in the US. They are saying that if we got rid of the birthright citizenship there would be more undocumented people in the US.
"Without birthright citizenship, they could be legally stranded, perhaps even stateless, in a country where they were born and may spend their lives. And because more than a third of undocumented parents have a least one American child, ending birthright citizenship would greatly increase the number of undocumented people in the country."
2. Explain what Constitutional concepts are relevant. Some may be obvious, but others maybe more subtly related. Explain the Constitutional connection in your own words, but also reference the specific Article & Section or Amendment(s).
This whole article is based off of the 14th Amendment which states: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Basically saying that everyone who is born in the United States are citizens of the United States and you can not take away their rights to life, liberty, and property without going through the law and you can not deny any person equal protection of the laws.
3. Explain what interests you about this article and/or the Constitutional connections you found.
I found this article interesting because it really is an interesting subject to think about. Should the children born in the United States be considered citizens when their parents are not? I personally like when articles require you to have your own opinion on the topic rather there be a right or wrong answer to the initial question.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Blog #7
What stands out to you in your learning?
I feel that this class is going a lot better than I thought it would. I have never really been that interested in history or writing but with the projects we are doing and the books we are reading I'm getting a lot more into the class.
What is working well in this class?
So far in this class I feel that everything is working pretty well. I am understanding all the concepts we go over. I could try to stay a little bit more on task because I tend to get distracted easily but overall I think everything is going well.
What can you do to build upon your successes?
To build upon my successes I can continue to give my all in everything I do. I want my work to be the best it can be so I have something to show others and not be embarrassed by it.
What very specific, concrete & manageable steps can you take to make the most of your opportunities to learn in this class?
To learn in this class you most definitely have to pay attention and take good notes. I'm sure we will be going over a lot that happened in U.S History and it is key to have well written notes to be able to go back and look at. When doing a project you should know the requirements of the project like the back of your hand and make sure to get it all turned in on time and make it "exhibition acceptable."
What are your goals for the next few weeks in class?
For the next few weeks in class my goals are to continue with my good work habits. I think I started this year off strong and prepared and I would like keep that going so I don't get behind in any of my work.
I feel that this class is going a lot better than I thought it would. I have never really been that interested in history or writing but with the projects we are doing and the books we are reading I'm getting a lot more into the class.
What is working well in this class?
So far in this class I feel that everything is working pretty well. I am understanding all the concepts we go over. I could try to stay a little bit more on task because I tend to get distracted easily but overall I think everything is going well.
What can you do to build upon your successes?
To build upon my successes I can continue to give my all in everything I do. I want my work to be the best it can be so I have something to show others and not be embarrassed by it.
What very specific, concrete & manageable steps can you take to make the most of your opportunities to learn in this class?
To learn in this class you most definitely have to pay attention and take good notes. I'm sure we will be going over a lot that happened in U.S History and it is key to have well written notes to be able to go back and look at. When doing a project you should know the requirements of the project like the back of your hand and make sure to get it all turned in on time and make it "exhibition acceptable."
What are your goals for the next few weeks in class?
For the next few weeks in class my goals are to continue with my good work habits. I think I started this year off strong and prepared and I would like keep that going so I don't get behind in any of my work.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Blog #6
I have always had an interest in music, but not the overly played rap or rock songs you hear on the radio. I'm more interested in the older genres, like Elvis Presley. I was 12 years old when I started listening to Elvis and I loved every bit of him from his voice to gyrating hips. But I soon learned that a man so influential wasn't just born with such talents. Elvis was born into a non wealthy, working class, family in 1935 living in a small house that his father and uncle built. At the age of ten Elvis performed in a youth talent show winning fifth place. Soon after, he gets his first guitar and starts his career. It truly amazes me that you can literally go from rags to riches all you have to do is put your heart and soul into what you love doing.
Elvis Presley started his major career in 1954 with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis, Tennessee and just one year later he released his first single, Heartbreak Hotel, making him an international sensation. Influenced by Southern Gospel Quartets he was known to go to the Quartet Conventions and all night singings in Memphis and was also greatly influenced by the R&B music he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. Being able to take all his favorite music and create his own its truly amazing. He took everything he learned from singing gospel music and eventually earned the title of The King of Rock 'n' Roll. He is the main part of all the rock 'n' roll music we have today which will influence any future artist that decides to follow in the footsteps of The King.
I feel that I can relate to Elvis because I don't need much motivation to get something done. Once I set my mind to it I know that it is possible. I also feel that I can make something out of nothing. Elvis grew up with a family that didn't have much money but that never stopped him. He found something that really inspired him and decided to make that his career and it worked for him. He is now the best selling solo artist in the United States. I can only hope to affect the U.S. half as much as he did.
In 2007 I had the privilege of going to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, the home of Elvis to see where his talent originated. We happened to visit during Elvis week so everyone was dressed as Elvis showing that people are still worshiping The King to this very day. He is a true legend. At one point we got to venture inside of The King's home to see all of his awards and prize possessions. It was the most unique experience I have ever had. Being able to see every one of the records he had was incredible and made everything so much more real. I even was able to see his grave.
Unfortunately not all icons are happy at the end of their lives. I learned that Elvis started hanging out with the wrong crowd and got into the drugs and bad habits. He got a divorce which took a toll on his mental health. Twice during that year he overdosed on a series of drugs, used to treat his depression, landing him stuck in a coma for three days. He "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street." After his comeback he continued to stage more live shows and in 1974 scheduled a tour and continued on with his life until August 16th, 1977 where he was found dead in the bathroom from an overdose of several drugs. Even though Elvis was living the American dream we was still sucked into the not so good part of being famous and if he never got into any of that he'd have a chance at still being alive today. But how would that affect his fame at this point in time. Would he be just as loved and honored or was it his death that made him the legend he is today?
Monday, September 13, 2010
Blog #5
1. What aspect of the American Icons artist statement has been most successful for you? Why?
While writing the American Icons artist statement I think the easiest or most successful part for me was getting really connected with my icon. I have been a huge fan of Elvis' for a long time but it wasn't until this project that I realized that he was a true American Icon and that I wish I could be like him. Maybe not the drugs and King of Rock 'n' Roll part but in the way that he really influenced the U.S
2. What writing tip(s) have been the most helpful? Why?
The most helpful writing tip for me has been the Concerts NOT Pancakes. I really want to be able to start off and finish my artist statement strongly so that the ready doesn't get bored or thinks to themselves "what was the point of reading that?" I want them to take something from my writing. Whether is a new fact that they learned or something that leaves them thinking until the next day.
3. What aspect of the artist statement has been most challenging? Why?
The most challenging part of this assignment was not making it a biography on your icon. Whenever I go to write about someone else I automatically write in the form of a biography but I know that's not what the assignment is. I honestly feel that I didn't do very well with this. I feel that my artist statement is mostly a biography with some parts where I relate myself to him.
4. What writing tip is most challenging? Why?
The most challenging writing tip so far has been the loop. I feel that my writing as a bit of a loop but not a significantly noticeable one. A loop has an intro including facts, story, character development, etc... the body paragraphs giving more detail, and an outro which should leave the reader with something to think about. I feel that I have all of these aspects but they aren't very strong.
5. Post a section of your writing that you are currently working on. List at least three questions that, if answered, would help you improve your work.
Unfortunately not all icons are happy at the end of their lives. Elvis started hanging out with the wrong crowd and got into the drugs and bad habits. He got a divorce which took effect on October 9th, 1973 taking a toll on his mental health. Twice during the year he overdosed on barbiturates, a medication to treat depression, spending three days in a coma in his hotel suite after the first incident. He "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street." After his comeback he continued to stage more live shows and in 1974 scheduled a tour and continued on with his life until August 16th, 1977 where he was found dead in the bathroom from an overdose of several drugs. Even though Elvis was living his dream we was still sucked into the not so good part of being famous and if he never got into any of that he'd have a chance at still being alive today. He let a lot of people down but no one is perfect, not even icons.
Above is my "outro." To me it sounds too much like a biography, same with my intro.
1. How can I make it less of a bio?
2. How can I create more of a loop?
3. How can I get the same amount of information across in fewer words? (It wont fit on one side of the paper)
While writing the American Icons artist statement I think the easiest or most successful part for me was getting really connected with my icon. I have been a huge fan of Elvis' for a long time but it wasn't until this project that I realized that he was a true American Icon and that I wish I could be like him. Maybe not the drugs and King of Rock 'n' Roll part but in the way that he really influenced the U.S
2. What writing tip(s) have been the most helpful? Why?
The most helpful writing tip for me has been the Concerts NOT Pancakes. I really want to be able to start off and finish my artist statement strongly so that the ready doesn't get bored or thinks to themselves "what was the point of reading that?" I want them to take something from my writing. Whether is a new fact that they learned or something that leaves them thinking until the next day.
3. What aspect of the artist statement has been most challenging? Why?
The most challenging part of this assignment was not making it a biography on your icon. Whenever I go to write about someone else I automatically write in the form of a biography but I know that's not what the assignment is. I honestly feel that I didn't do very well with this. I feel that my artist statement is mostly a biography with some parts where I relate myself to him.
4. What writing tip is most challenging? Why?
The most challenging writing tip so far has been the loop. I feel that my writing as a bit of a loop but not a significantly noticeable one. A loop has an intro including facts, story, character development, etc... the body paragraphs giving more detail, and an outro which should leave the reader with something to think about. I feel that I have all of these aspects but they aren't very strong.
5. Post a section of your writing that you are currently working on. List at least three questions that, if answered, would help you improve your work.
Unfortunately not all icons are happy at the end of their lives. Elvis started hanging out with the wrong crowd and got into the drugs and bad habits. He got a divorce which took effect on October 9th, 1973 taking a toll on his mental health. Twice during the year he overdosed on barbiturates, a medication to treat depression, spending three days in a coma in his hotel suite after the first incident. He "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street." After his comeback he continued to stage more live shows and in 1974 scheduled a tour and continued on with his life until August 16th, 1977 where he was found dead in the bathroom from an overdose of several drugs. Even though Elvis was living his dream we was still sucked into the not so good part of being famous and if he never got into any of that he'd have a chance at still being alive today. He let a lot of people down but no one is perfect, not even icons.
Above is my "outro." To me it sounds too much like a biography, same with my intro.
1. How can I make it less of a bio?
2. How can I create more of a loop?
3. How can I get the same amount of information across in fewer words? (It wont fit on one side of the paper)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Blog #4
(FIRST PARAGRAPH)
I have always had an interest in music, but not the "popular" rap or rock songs. I'm more interested in the older genres, like Elvis Presley. Elvis was born into a non wealthy, working class, family in 1935 living in a small house that his father and uncle built. Since there was little money in the picture his mother and father did their best to provide for their only son. At the age of ten Elvis performed in a youth talent show winning fifth place. Soon after, he gets his first guitar and starts his career. It truly amazes me that you can literally go from rags to riches all you have to do is put your heart and soul into what you love doing.
(LAST PARAGRAPH)
Unfortunately not all icons are happy at the end of their lives. Elvis started hanging out with the wrong crowd and got into the drugs and bad habits. He got a divorce which took effect on October 9th, 1973 taking a toll on his mental health. Twice during the year he overdosed on barbiturates, a medication to treat depression, spending three days in a coma in his hotel suite after the first incident. He "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street." After his comeback he continued to stage more live shows and in 1974 scheduled a tour and continued on with his life until August 16th, 1977 where he was found dead in the bathroom from an overdose of several drugs. Even though Elvis was living his dream we was still sucked into the not so good part of being famous and if he never got into any of that he'd have a chance at still being alive today. He let a lot of people down but no one is perfect, not even icons.
1. I chose this combo because I feel that it really got a lot of information through without it being overwhelming. The reader gets a good idea of who my icon actually is and why.
2. My big idea is that the Rock 'n' Roll music today wouldn't be the way it is if Elvis didn't come along. He really influenced that genre of music. I feel that explained this well not only in the 1st and last paragraph but throughout the whole paper.
3. I ended my paper with an interesting thought. I mentioned that even though they may be an icon doesn't mean everything they did was perfect. Elvis got into drugs, Walt Disney was racist but they are both some of the most famous people. I feel that things like that are really interesting.
I have always had an interest in music, but not the "popular" rap or rock songs. I'm more interested in the older genres, like Elvis Presley. Elvis was born into a non wealthy, working class, family in 1935 living in a small house that his father and uncle built. Since there was little money in the picture his mother and father did their best to provide for their only son. At the age of ten Elvis performed in a youth talent show winning fifth place. Soon after, he gets his first guitar and starts his career. It truly amazes me that you can literally go from rags to riches all you have to do is put your heart and soul into what you love doing.
(LAST PARAGRAPH)
Unfortunately not all icons are happy at the end of their lives. Elvis started hanging out with the wrong crowd and got into the drugs and bad habits. He got a divorce which took effect on October 9th, 1973 taking a toll on his mental health. Twice during the year he overdosed on barbiturates, a medication to treat depression, spending three days in a coma in his hotel suite after the first incident. He "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street." After his comeback he continued to stage more live shows and in 1974 scheduled a tour and continued on with his life until August 16th, 1977 where he was found dead in the bathroom from an overdose of several drugs. Even though Elvis was living his dream we was still sucked into the not so good part of being famous and if he never got into any of that he'd have a chance at still being alive today. He let a lot of people down but no one is perfect, not even icons.
1. I chose this combo because I feel that it really got a lot of information through without it being overwhelming. The reader gets a good idea of who my icon actually is and why.
2. My big idea is that the Rock 'n' Roll music today wouldn't be the way it is if Elvis didn't come along. He really influenced that genre of music. I feel that explained this well not only in the 1st and last paragraph but throughout the whole paper.
3. I ended my paper with an interesting thought. I mentioned that even though they may be an icon doesn't mean everything they did was perfect. Elvis got into drugs, Walt Disney was racist but they are both some of the most famous people. I feel that things like that are really interesting.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Blog #3
Part 1: Icons
Think of all of the Icons—people, places, things & events—that you plan to include in your Artist Statement. Then...
Choose two and explain how they are connected. Describe what ideas they represent. Describe how they might represent variations on a theme and/or different relationships with you.
Elvis and Memphis go together like two peas in a pod. He started his career there and it was ended there as well. Elvis lived in Memphis his whole life going from rags to riches. His home is in Graceland where people today can still go to see where he lived. All of his outfits and records are there so you are able to see all of his accomplishments and it really makes it so much more real.
Part 2: Resources
Post an annotated list of resources that you are using to create your artist statement.
1. Elvis Presley
2. http://www.elvis.com/
3. This website was really helpful because I was able to go to his biography and really got to see all the important events in his life that would be good for me to include in my artist statement.
1. Elvis Presley: The Early Years
2. http://www.fiftiesweb.com/elvis.htm
3. This article was helpful because it gave me a lot of facts that were interesting like how many albums he sold. I also learned that he was the best selling solo artist in the U.S and that he has more gold albums than any other artist (97)... The Beatles only have 42.
Think of all of the Icons—people, places, things & events—that you plan to include in your Artist Statement. Then...
Choose two and explain how they are connected. Describe what ideas they represent. Describe how they might represent variations on a theme and/or different relationships with you.
Elvis and Memphis go together like two peas in a pod. He started his career there and it was ended there as well. Elvis lived in Memphis his whole life going from rags to riches. His home is in Graceland where people today can still go to see where he lived. All of his outfits and records are there so you are able to see all of his accomplishments and it really makes it so much more real.
Part 2: Resources
Post an annotated list of resources that you are using to create your artist statement.
1. Elvis Presley
2. http://www.elvis.com/
3. This website was really helpful because I was able to go to his biography and really got to see all the important events in his life that would be good for me to include in my artist statement.
1. Elvis Presley: The Early Years
2. http://www.fiftiesweb.com/elvis.htm
3. This article was helpful because it gave me a lot of facts that were interesting like how many albums he sold. I also learned that he was the best selling solo artist in the U.S and that he has more gold albums than any other artist (97)... The Beatles only have 42.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Blog #2 Part 3/3
1. What does this Icon represent to you? Why?
This icon is extremely controversial which really makes me interested in him. To me he represents human rights. I do believe that everyone should be in charge of their own life after the age of 18. You can do what you want with your life and if you're on life support and you feel like it is your time to go... then that should be your choice.
3. How did this Icon become important in American culture?
Jack Kevorkian was sent to jail for his work even though he was helping people with ending their lives. To the people he was helping he was the angel of death but to others he was a murderer.
4. How did this Icon become important to you?
I am extremely interested in the medical field and anyone who is a part of that field fascinates me. I love the whole controversial part of it as well.
Blog # 2 Part 2/3
1. What does this Icon represent to you? Why?
Mickey mouse represents my childhood. I remember when I was a kid going to Disneyland was the best thing in the whole entire world. Mickey mouse is basically the symbol of all the Disney related items in the world. He was also Walt Disney's greatest creation.
3. How did this Icon become important in American culture?
Walt Disney always had an interest in animation his whole life and in 1923 the The Walt Disney Company was formed in Los Angeles, California where the famous black and white mouse was created. Even though it was not the first creation of Walt Disney, it definitely stuck with people.
4. How did this Icon become important to you?
Mickey mouse is known world wide and i believe he is important to most children. He represents all of disney and I absolutely love all of the Disney items and I have since I was a kid.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Blog #2 Part 1/3
1. What does this Icon represent to you? Why?
To me, Elvis represents all of the great music in the world. He is the King of Rock 'n' Roll and if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have the Rock 'n' Roll genre we have today.
2. Who and what was important to this Icon? Why?
All of his fans were very important to him because without them he wouldn't have been so successful. His look seemed to be important to him as well. He would always wear the extravagant outfits while performing. America was also very important to Elvis, he served in the U.S Army showing a great deal of nationalism.
3. How did this Icon become important in American culture?
Elvis is the king of rock and roll. He really took that genre of music and made it huge. Everyone, during the time of his career, loved him. Globally he sold over one billion records. Not only did he amaze America with his music but he was also in 33 films. Some of his many awards were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.
4. How did this Icon become important to you?
Every since I visited Graceland, Tennessee I have been in love with Elvis. The attitude he has and the messages he puts out through his music is absolutely amazing. I have always loved music but Elvis really inspires me.
5. Who and what did this Icon inspire?
Elvis inspired all the artists wanting to go into rock and roll. He set the bar, high. He also inspires me. I believe that he was a great man and he did what he loved and made a career out of it and that is really important to me.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Blog #1
1. Please outline your hopes for your upcoming junior year. What are your overall hopes, dreams, wishes and goals for the year?
I really hope to learn a lot this year. I have heard from so many people that this is the year that really counts and I would like to make the best of it. I want to excel in everything I do and make sure that I am enjoying what I am learning. My goal is to do well on the SAT and ACT tests. A wish I have for this year is to learn something knew everyday. Everyone always says "You learn something new everyday" and I want to make that true for myself whether it be something new about a person or a new math trick or who my American icon really is.
2. Let's get a little more specific. Tell us about what you hope to accomplish or learn from your experiences in this Humanities class.
I really hope to gain some writing skills. I've always enjoyed writing but I feel that I've never been really good at it. I am a very shy person and I don't really like to share any of the thoughts or ideas I may have but I do write some of them down. Writing is really how I get my full opinion out. I don't feel comfortable sitting face to face with someone and saying how I feel about something specific. So I guess I'd like to improve my writing skills and maybe get over my fear of people.
3. What is something that you do in your life that naturally try to do well (Are you seriously good at video games? cooking? Are you an athlete?)? How do you naturally develop this talent within yourself?
People tell me that I am a natural athlete. I have played a lot of sports in my short life already such as Golf, Tennis, Softball, Squash, Swim, Track and Cross Country. I love to play sports. It's a great way to get your mind off of things and whenever I get really good at a sport, such as softball, I feel accomplished. When I was 12 I played on a team with 14-15 year old girls, that was a huge accomplishment for me. On that team we made it to the Triple Crown World Series in Park City, Utah in 2007. Softball has always been a really big part of my life and I feel like it will be forever.
I really hope to learn a lot this year. I have heard from so many people that this is the year that really counts and I would like to make the best of it. I want to excel in everything I do and make sure that I am enjoying what I am learning. My goal is to do well on the SAT and ACT tests. A wish I have for this year is to learn something knew everyday. Everyone always says "You learn something new everyday" and I want to make that true for myself whether it be something new about a person or a new math trick or who my American icon really is.
2. Let's get a little more specific. Tell us about what you hope to accomplish or learn from your experiences in this Humanities class.
I really hope to gain some writing skills. I've always enjoyed writing but I feel that I've never been really good at it. I am a very shy person and I don't really like to share any of the thoughts or ideas I may have but I do write some of them down. Writing is really how I get my full opinion out. I don't feel comfortable sitting face to face with someone and saying how I feel about something specific. So I guess I'd like to improve my writing skills and maybe get over my fear of people.
3. What is something that you do in your life that naturally try to do well (Are you seriously good at video games? cooking? Are you an athlete?)? How do you naturally develop this talent within yourself?
People tell me that I am a natural athlete. I have played a lot of sports in my short life already such as Golf, Tennis, Softball, Squash, Swim, Track and Cross Country. I love to play sports. It's a great way to get your mind off of things and whenever I get really good at a sport, such as softball, I feel accomplished. When I was 12 I played on a team with 14-15 year old girls, that was a huge accomplishment for me. On that team we made it to the Triple Crown World Series in Park City, Utah in 2007. Softball has always been a really big part of my life and I feel like it will be forever.
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