The End!

This class was a great experience! Something I could try to have control over because of the timing and other things as well. I liked the fact that we could work whenever we wanted and everything was already up with its due dates. Even though it was hard to get the hang of it at first it was still very interesting. I liked how we had to make a blog account and discuss assignments with out classmates because it made this online experience a little more personal. I learned many valuable things in this class, like how to analyze a topic and do some serious critical thinking. This class how taught me to do research about anything I write to actually be able to write a good complete essay with full ideas. The work we did was pretty intense! Even though we only wrote about four essays, it was hard because we had to put lots of time and effort to make them come out good since they were a big part of our grade. The experience of learning how to take an online class was a challenge. I had trouble adjusting at first and I think that the hardest part was not having a teacher be there in front of me to help if I had any questions. I am very happy Jennifer was there and did her best to help when I emailed her or went to her office. I was also happy to have my best friend in the class with me because we were able to figure things out easier together. I enjoyed reading my classmates essays because it helped me to get to know them a little more. If I had to choose between an online class and a regular class I think I would chose a regular one because it’s more personal but this experience was not bad at all. I would just prefer a face to face class. I feel like I need a teacher right in front of me whenever I have questions or something because otherwise I’ll get lost along the way. Other than that, I liked reading all the different kinds of ideas they had about different subjects and getting to know them in this was definitely better. I think I might go to the pool party our class is having if I have the chance to. I think it would be very interesting and something to remember. I’m just happy this semester is almost over and I am happy I learned all these new things. It feels like this semester has gone by so slowly and it just sucks how stressed I was about everything. This class definitely helped me manage my time a little better and helped me not feel as stressed. I have a hard time dealing with stress so I appreciate the one opportunity that this class has provided me with because it has helped me cope with it! Yay the end of the semester is tomorrow can not wait!!!!

My Writing Skittles

Let’s see! My writing skills have never been so good but now I feel like my writing has improved as well as the ideas and the critical thinking I unleash on my papers. I used to only write for assignments, but now I changed that. I enjoy to research a little more about the topic of my essays to be able to develop a better paper that people can relate to or understand better. My writing skills have improved and made me a better writer and a better reader. English has always been a struggle and writing has always been one of my weaknesses. Even though I still struggle, I like the idea of getting a great paper done which is something I believe is good. My favorite part about this online class have been our blogs. I like how we get to write how we want and give out opinion on many things. Even though our topics are assigned we still have room for creativity and to give out input on everything. I also like to respond to my classmates because I get to know them a little since I have never met any of them. I think it is nice to get to know others through their writings because you really get to see their personalities this way. It’s a nice way of interacting with others in a good and friendly way. I never thought I would ever have a blog or write just for fun. I never even had intensions to work on my writing skills because I thought average was fine, but I know now that that was a very wrong idea I had. Now I understand the importance of getting all your thoughts down on paper and getting your point across. Having to do some critical thinking at first was a little hard. I had to analyze the situation in my head and get a complete understanding and my own opinion on the subject. I feel like now I have a new hunger to learn more about different things. After this class, I plan to keep my blog and continue to write about random things that catch my attention. I thinking it is interesting and a fun. This is a great way of venting and giving people who read a chance to get to know you. The group discussions were also a bit interesting but I was a little confused at first. I didn’t know how to communicate with someone like that to get one assignment done! To wait for others to respond since this is all online was a little challenging since everyone has different schedules! It was definitely something new that would have taken longer to get used to. Well, overall I enjoyed this course and all it has taught me. The thinking I am able to do now is something I appreciate because it will help my future. I hope that everyone has learned a little more in this class as well!

Researching the Endless

So this is what I call venting! Lets see, I must start by saying how much I hate research papers. One of the reasons for the endless hate I have come to build up over the past few years of my life, for this is the amount of time that is required to be put in this. I think research papers take the longest to do. One of the essentials in any paper is the background information, which for our luck happens to be the most for research papers. The topic I have chosen to do my research paper in this class is for Iran’s Women Rights, which basically happen to be none. One of the good things about research paper is that no matter how long and dreadful it sounds like to work on one, at the end you always come out winning by learning something new to the fullest. It was a bit hard for me at first because I have never did any research on another country. I never thought I would have to do research about Iran either. Iran is a place where religion plays a big part in. I am not the most religious person alive, I actually have my own little religious belief, but to learn about another system of religious ways was definitely a new look on life for me. I haven’t even come to an understanding of my own religion to be having to deal with the background of another. This is where some of my friends came in to help. I have some friends who know more about Iran more than me and they helped me to understand how they work a little better. Writing this paper has opened my eyes to the cruelty that is taking place right at this moment in another place while I am here living a lovely life, worry free. I never noticed the importance about this topic before and I find it very intriguing. One of the many interesting but sad things I just read about was about how they stoned this woman to death because they thought she cheated on her husband. After her death she was found not guilty but what was the point of that after she died. Another story is about a woman that has stoop up for herself and did something that many would not even dare to try, which is file for a divorce. She claims she got beat b her husband and her husband’s father which was clearly unacceptable, at least for us Americans it is. Well, I am almost done with my research paper but I still have to revise it. I know that when I re-read it I am going to want to change a lot of things on it so I think I should get started on that. Four pages and still two more to go! I hope this research papers comes out good, enjoyable, and an eye opener, because it sure was for me!

Online Conversations

I consider my online communication style to be very dull. Even though I know I’m not detailed, exciting, or fun to talk to over the internet I don’t find anything wrong with it. I am the type of person who is straight to the point and I don’t like to be too over the top with details. I understand details are important so the other person can get the full message and a understanding to what they really mean but I don’t find the need for me to do it except maybe for school essays. I have been told that sometimes, my dull communications style sounds rude or might give off the wrong message but that’s just the way I am. My friends sometimes think I’m mad because I respond with only one or two words, but my close friends already know that’s how I talk. I think I talk the same as I write. For example, if someone asks me in person “how are you” I’ll say “good you?” This is the same way I would respond in person. I don’t find myself wanting to write more or saying more. I am very straight to the point. Unless I’m very interested on the topic, I will not show any interest and it’s not to be rude, but it’s just my way of being. I also don’t like to write more and be detailed because a lot of times things can get misinterpreted. I remember one time I was having a normal conversation on face book with my friend, and from one moment to the next it turned into an argument. I really didn’t see it coming, but I was shocked to look back at our messages and see how mean and rude she must have read what I said. This ties in with the saying, “Written words are more powerful than spoken words” because at least when you hear someone speak, you know exactly what they are saying and what they mean by their voices. A spoken word has a very slim chance of being misinterpreting because you can tell a lot by a persons tone of voice. Even if it’s something nice, you can tell if they are being sarcastic or honest which is why I like to talk to people if we have problems so things wont escalade even further. When someone reads something, they have a greater chance of misinterpreting the words and making them sound as bad as possible. Some even manipulate these things to their benefit. It is really a sad to see this happen. People often get offended easily and get their feeling hurt for no reason. This is why I like to be straight to the point and the people who know me understand me. Unless the person I am writing to does not have a phone I will remain to be straight to the point in my online conversations. I rather speak to a person, than write to them just to make sure that I am getting my message across.

Cartoons Speak

Messages that are transferred through a simple picture, or a cartoon, can be either an eye opener or an insult. Depending on the artist and what their feelings about a situation are, is what the cartoon will illustrate and what story it will tell. A simple picture can tell a books story and argue better than a person in my opinion. Most of the drawings I have encountered have been political pictures illustrating whether someone is with or against something. Also, depending on the reader and their beliefs is whether the picture can be found offensive or not. One of the drawings that caught my eye right off the bat, was a drawing that had to do with immigration. This picture bothered me because of the message it was portraying and how it made other human beings look. In this picture there were two men who were posting the something that looked similar to each other. The two posters they were posting had the same picture with different writing. In both pictures there was a Hispanic man with a straw hat and he carried vegetables in a basket. On top of one of the pictures it said, “HELP WANTED,” and in the other poster over the same exact picture it said “WANTED.” Underneath the one with the “HELP WANTED” title it said, “Cheap, disposable labor: to keep our profit growing thru the roof,” and under the “WANTED” it said “For immediate deportation: to keep the help in their proper place.” By reading this, it gave me an understanding of where the author of the picture stood in this situation. To me, it felt as if the author of this drawing felt like immigrants come to this country only to take the jobs of Americans. There are many who believe this but I don’t. I believe that people come to this country to look for a better life and nobody should be labeled as an immigrant because we are all human beings. Anyone would want the best for their family and that is what these people are looking for. Aside from my beliefs, I also see where this author is heading. He claims in his picture that big businesses use immigrants to benefit themselves because they don’t get as much as much as an America. Of course some immigrants take less pay because that is the only way they will get hired. In this picture, the man that is putting up the picture that says “HELP WANTED” is wearing a shirt that says “BIG BIZ.” This picture offends me because it’s putting down immigrants and basically saying that they are taking American jobs from them. I also clearly shows that he wants them to get deported. I feel like sometimes people forget where they came from and that we are all immigrants. For better or for worse we are all human beings and deserve to be treated the same. To me this author is being highly disrespectful and being ignorant but to others he might be brilliants. Cartoons have a lot to say and give people a lot to think about.

The Truth Comes Out

Propositions 8 has caused and is still causing huge controversy’s as well as arguments in politics. This proposition states that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California,” and was passed in 2008. Many argued about this proposition for many different reasons, but one big controversy that occurred, was finding out that one of the judges that had put his input on the case is gay. U.S. Chief Judge Vaughn Walker, had been a judge since 1989 and was assigned by President George H.W. Bush, but his sexual preferences had never been exposed until now. After he retired in February of this year, he revealed his sexual orientation and 10 year same-sex partner. U.S. Chief Judge Vaughn Walker, stated “Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples.” By this he is declaring his opposition to proposition 8. Many people argued that since he is gay, he should have not been able to get involved in this case, considering that the outcome could have affected his personal life. When I think of this I feel like those people were being unfair. There are many things judges have to decide on, and most of this things affect not only ordinary every day people, but them themselves and their families. Another argument about this situation is that if the homosexual judge was to have been restricted from the case, then why do straight married men get to decide on prop 8, because that is the same thing as a gay man getting involved. The straight men are standing up for men and women getting married which affects them personally as well. I believe that it didn’t matter if the judge was gay or not, what matter are the reasons and ideas the judges had on this case. If they can back up their opinions and give legitimate reason for their decisions, then everything should be ok. One thing I do agree with though, is that he should have stated his sexual orientation before entering this case. Since this case is strongly based on his life issues, then I think it would have been fair to the people to be informed. The U.S. judges work for the American people and their loyalty should be completely to them. We expect our government and any authority to be completely honest with us, because at the end of the day, they are the ones who run the place we live in and have control over our lives for the most. If we can’t trust them to be completely honest with us from the beginning, who can we deposit our trust into. The judge should have stated his sexual orientation from the beginning, but should have not be judged for it. I know many people would have many things to say about that, but what is important is that he could have kept his job and continue what he was doing.

Taboo

Our language values have changed through these recent years. As our generation starts to evolve and kids start aging, specially now in the 21^st century, our values have changed in way our ancestors would have probably never imagined. Everything is so vulgar and there is so much profanity being thrown around like it is absolutely normal. Taboo language should not be an issue to be used in the media. We run into things that are way worse in our own every day lives, to actually have a problem with this. It is logical to be concerned about our children, listening to this vulgarity but in reality, children do not watch the new or are concerned about the media. It is to our advantage to be able to get things the way they are, and taboo language is the way sometimes. When it comes to television, taboo language reflects our reality because most of the people in our generation don’t have any sensitivity for bad words and profanity. It is easy for us to express ourselves in this manner only because we are around people who respond to it as if it is normal when that’s not exactly the case. This is why when television characters use taboo language it sounds more realistic and we can identify ourselves with it. For example, many people like “Adult Swim” which is where taboo language takes its form. These shows are full of profanity and language that are not appropriate for children but it does sound normal to me.
I do agree however, that the taboo language should be kept away from children because it can cause a big amount of corruption in their minds. The fact that children absorb things when they are young, and for them to be introduced to such vulgarity at infancy, only corrupts our society more and more. The longer we can keep this away from children the better. I think the correct thing to do, is to wait until they are old enough to determine the right from the wrong on their own to be able to make the right choice. I know it is hard to keep these things away from children, specially when we act the way we do in the world today, but it is good to try.
The idea that taboo language is bad for children does not mean that it should be kept away adults. There are channels where they should restrict this type of language as well where there should be no type of censor. Some television channels have been able to do this and I think every one them should. It is easy to control what your kids watch now too, so it should not be a problem. This will help in the long run.