Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Do you agree with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy? Why or Why Not?

I do agree with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy because of all of the problems that will arise from changing the policy. The system has ran smoothly for the past 17 years with this policy, so why change it all of the sudden. If you are in the military, you are there to serve and fight for our country, not flaunt your homosexuality or ask for better treatment or a change of policy. Do you think that the military would change policy on drinking beer while on duty because alcoholics complained and wanted the policy changed because it was unfair?

As the article notes, many problems will arise from changing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy including life on base changing, will legal gay marriages now be okay, marriage benefits, housing for soldiers, and increased discrimination.

Globalization

My definition of globalization at the beginning of the class was the idea that everything in this world is becoming connected and brought together. Businesses are expanding around the world as well as American culture, and practices and everyone in this world has ties to America now a days whether its through the food they eat or the clothes that they wear. After watching the videos, my view on the definition of globalization have not changed.

My views on "Americanization of the World" are that this is just irrelevant. America is the most successful and expanding nation in the world. People like our stuff and they buy lots of it. So why are companies such as Nike or Mcdonald's in the wrong for global expansion. Businesses are out to make money. This is one thing that people need to realize, businesses are not there to satisfy you, or make you feel better, they are there to sell you their product and make money. The fact that these big businesses outsource labor in other companies is also an avoidable point. Again, businesses are there to make money, why would they pay an American to do work when someone in another country will do twice the work for half of the price? So to me, Amazon Indians wearing Nike's and the South Sahara wearing Yankee baseball hats, is not a bad thing. These people are getting a fair product at a fair price, and it may offer them a job. On the other hand, businesses are making their profits. The problem is people that stress "globalization" is bad and this and that. No, this is the way that the world works, wake up and smell the coffee people.

According to the author, "Mcdonaldization" is the fact that the principles of fast food restaurants are expanding through American society, as well as the rest of the world.

Pessimistic Hyperglobalizers believe that globalization makes people around the world more alike. They suggest that we are not moving towards a cultural rainbow that reflects the diversity of the worlds existing cultures. Rather, we are witnessing the rise of increasingly homogenized popular culture underwritten by a western culture industry.

Optimistic Hyperglobalizers agree with pessimistic hyperglobalizers that cultural globalization generates more sameness, but they view this as a good, rather than bad, thing.

SAP Multigenre/ Multimodal Plans

The genres that I plan on using for my SAP are either a brochure, poster, website, or power-point presentation. A brochure is a very easy way to distribute useful and helpful information to a lot of people. I would go to media relations and have them help me put my information into a professional looking brochure. A poster is another simple way to get information out to a lot of people and as long as it is placed in the right spot, it attract many people. I will again go to media relations and have them assist me in transferring my data into poster form. The next option I have for this is a website. I could have media relations help me set up a site with all of the information that I want to convey and this would get out to many people. The last idea I had was a power-point presentation which would be good because I know how to use power-point. The only downside is that unless I am presenting it to a bunch of people, I will not get the information out to a lot of people this way.

Free Writing On Social Class and Wealth Disparities

1.)The three racial differences in wealth accumulation in the U.S. that the author mentioned in the article are racialization of State Policy, economic Detour, and
sedimentation of racial inequality

2.)The author interviewed Kevin who is a seventy-five year old retired homeowner in order to explore the wealth disparities in races.

3.)The findings and theme of this study and article are that there are racial differences in wealth accumulation in the U.S. and that those at the bottom of society are severly crippled by this and it doesn't allow them to rise out of their position, rather it presses and holds them down.

4.)The authors states that in order for us to close the racial gap in regards to wealth we need to solve African American's wealth problems. We should also provide those at the bottom of society with opportunities to improve their situations.

5.)My story coming into college has to do with me and my family. My family had somewhat of a college fund set up for me that would help to pay for school, on top of that I recieve financial aide from the government and take out student loans to pay for my college. Although some money was set aside for me, I will still end up owing a lot after I graduate.

Social Class Questionaire

The main theme of my classmates social class questionaire is that his class status helped him to get to college and be successful till this day. My classmate's parents both have solid occupations and these were motivating factors for him to be successful.

The main themes that appear in my classmates social class questionnaire are that he is part of the middle class and that has helped him get to where he is today. My classmate was raised middle class, but when his parents divorced, they both moved up to upper middle class. My classmates father is a Manager of an international iron working company and his mother is a Registered Nurse. My classmate grew up in a middle class, white neighborhood. His values are gaining social status, helping others, respecting law and order, saving money, and having great work ethic to name a few. Growing up, my classmate learned many family and social values that helped them be who they are today. My classmate has learned from his background that "great work ethic and family are important to happiness and success". Finally, my classmate contributes his social background to where he is today, attending college and preparing for a successful career and life.

Differences Between Analyses

Bryan's "A Sociolinguistic Interview" was a face to face interview between Bryan and the subject of his interview.The whole interview was audio recorded so that Bryan could extract the information that he needed to write his analysis. In his analysis, Bryan used direct quotes from his interviewee and he used his own words to describe what his subject explained to him.

Samantha's "Student Essay: Oral History Interview" was two "oral histories" or stories that she gathered from her participants. Rather that word for word interview answers, Samantha used the stories that were told to her by her participants and put them into her own words and used them to support her research.

Data Analysis and Results

The participants of this study are 175 undergraduate students at a large, public southeastern research university in the United States. The section begins by explaining what Adderall is, what it is used for, and who uses it. The first couple paragraphs give the reader good background information so they know what the study is all about. This paper is organized very well. It starts off explaining the basics on Adderall. The paper continues and gives the results of other experiments involving the drug, and the results of the author's research that they conducted for this piece. The paper ends by wrapping everything up and giving suggestions as to how to correct the Adderall situation that we currently face. The themes that emerge in this research are that Adderall use is very prevalent now a days and should not be used by people who are not diagnosed with ADHD. The evidence that they use to support these claims are the research that they conducted specifically for this paper and collaborations of previous research that deal with the topic at hand. What stands out the most for me are the results of their study. As with other studies, Adderall use is very popular among college students, including those that are not prescribed to the drug. This is a problem and it needs to be solved. This could be improved by having a more specific topic. The authors cover one thing in their personal research, but they also include the research of others that doesn't really pertain to their subject. These could have been left out to improve this paper. Overall I would give this paper a B.

Research Progress

I intend to post a short survey on one of my class's Black Board Website within the next few days. This will be a basic survey asking questions about Adderall use on campus and my intentions with it are to see how prevalent Adderall use is on ISU's campus. I have two out of the three people for my interviews lined up, but I need to sharpen my interview questions and set a date for the near future to interview these people. I am still looking for a third interview candidate, I hope to find the right person for this, but if not I will move on with the other two interviews. These interviews will give me information on a candidate that is prescribed to Adderall and uses it to treat his/ her ADHD, and a candidate that uses Adderall solely to enhance their studies, this person may or may not have a prescription for the drug.

What can I do with a major in...

The various job titles that a Construction Management degree can lead to are a Project manager, a Project supervisor/Superintendent, an Estimator, a Construction manager, a Field or project engineer, a Quality assurance supervisor, a Safety officer, a Building code administrator, a Sales representative, a Self-employed contractor, an Insurance adjuster, a Realtor, or a Service manager.My heart lies at landing the job of Construction Manager or Project Manager. I want to be the head of large construction projects and these positions would satisfy this goal.

In-class Disability Blog

1.)What's problematic with the following statement, according to Sally French, her manager said; "I have worked with many blind people and they all wanted to be treated normally" (365)

Sally French looks at the situation as that although everyone wants to be treated equally, we need to realize that there are disabled people and that these people need certain items in order to make things fair.Many of these needs are a necessity at the work place and employers should recognize and do something about this.


2.)What is the tone of Sally French in this narrative? Why do you think she feels the way she feels?

Sally French's tone in this narrative is angry and frustrated. She is angry that many of the needs of the disabled go ignored and frustrated that there is little or no effort to improve these peoples rights and make them equal. Sally is personally visually impaired and she is frustrated because there has been little or no improvement made in order to help her and others like her.

3.)Why does Joseph Shapiro state that a student from a minority group is more likely to be placed in special ed classes?

Joseph Shapiro states that a student from a minority group is more likely to be placed in special ed classes because of the language barrier that is present or because of the the fact that their teacher cannot judge the level of their progress if they just imigrated from another country.

4.)How did the ADA and IDEA change how Americans look at the issue of disability?

The ADA changed the way that Americans look at the issue of disability because it shows them that disability is an important issue that needs to be worked on. Because of the ADA, everywhere you will go you will see disabled parking spaces and entrances. The ADA made regulations that help the disabled live normal lives like the rest of us and made American's look at the disabled as people with needs and rights as well. IDEA helps to manage the needs of the disabled under any circumstances. Whether the disabled need special technology or different schedules from regular citizens to get things done, IDEA helps. Both IDEA and the ADA have helped normal citizens realize that the disabled are the same as us in that they deserve fair opportunities and equal rights.

Methodology

Sample CVs

I thought that these Cover Letters and Resumes were solid. I thought that the strengths of these resumes and cover letters is that they included all of the information that is needed. The cover letters showed interest and knowledge of the companies that they were intended for and they also included the person's specific strengths and why they are the perfect candidate for the position. In the second cover letter, I think that too much information was given as one of the paragraphs could have been completly omitted. One weakness of the first resume is that it is too long. Resume's should onlyt be around one page because it is intended to be a fast and efficient way for employers to find out about their applicants. The first resume should have included some of the activities and skills that the applicant possessed because employers are looking for things like these that make you stand out from others. Overall, I think that these resumes are a good start, but not finished products. There are several things that need to be corrected on these cover letters and resumes that would make them much better.

Homophobia Discussion

According to Gregory Herek, what are the consequences of anti-gay prejudice?

According to Gregory Herek, the consequences of anti-gay prejudice are that many homosexuals choose to mask their gay character and act heterosexual in order to avoid ridicule and be accepted, rather than just being themselves. Also, it leads to discrimination and hate crimes against homosexuals who come out openly.

How does Herek define “Secondary victimization”?

According to Herek, "Secondary victimization" is when a homosexual victim of a hate crime is treated differently because people have learned from the hate crime, that person is gay.

Burns finds out that sexuality is not always a private matter. What did Burns find out about staying silent about one’s sexuality? Why is it necessary for some students to be open and vocal about who they are?

Burns found out that many gays stay silent to avoid the ridicule that comes from their family, friends, and society when they come out. He finds that many gays do not want to be treated differently due to revealing their feelings and that some gays are open and true to their nature about themselves. Burns explains that he feels that gays should come out in order to have more opportunities to meet others like them.

Lim-Him discusses two forms of oppression: racism and homophobia. What is the intersection of race and sexuality according to the author?

According to the author, the intersection of race and sexuality is when a person thinks that their sexuality has an effect on their race.

Interview Questions

For my interviews, I will try to find specific subjects for my study. Subjects will either be prescribed to Adderall and use it to treat their Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, will use adderall solely to enhance their studies, or will be prescribed to Adderall and both sell and use it. I would like to find a female participant who uses Adderall to lose weight, but this may be difficult.

For the subject that is prescribed to Adderall and uses it treat his/ her ADHD, I will ask the following questions:

Age, Gender, Year in School
When did you begin taking Adderall?
Did you take it before you had a prescription??
How easy was it to obtain a prescription- doctor and parents
How many/ how big of a dose do you get and how often do you receive it?
Have you ever sold your Adderall or given it to someone who doesn't have ADHD?
Do you feel you have ADHD or do you just take Adderall because it helps you out?
Do you experience any negative effects when taking Adderall?
Do you think the widespread use of Adderall today is a problem and if so, how can it be solved?

For the subject that takes Adderall solely to enhance his/ her studies, I will ask the following questions.

Age, Gender, Year in School
When did you begin taking Adderall?
Is Adderall easy to find?
How much does Adderall cost?
If you take Adderall often, why don't you get a description?
How does Adderall help you with your studies?
How effective is Adderall at helping you with your studies?
Do you take Adderall for reasons other than enhancing your studies?
Do you think that Adderall is harmful to your health?
Do you think that using Adderall to study or for tests is cheating?
Do you know others who take Adderall? how many, how do they get it?

For the subject who is prescribed to Adderall and both uses and sells it, I will ask the following questions.

Age, Gender, Year in school
When did you begin taking Adderall?
Did you take it before you had a prescription??
How easy was it to obtain a prescription- doctor and parents
How many/ how big of a dose do you get and how often do you receive it?
Do you have ADHD?
Do you experience any negative effects when taking Adderall?
Do you think the widespread use of Adderall today is a problem and if so, how can it be solved?
How much do you sell Adderall for?
What do you use Adderall for?

Shitty First Drafts

I enjoyed the way that Anne wrote this piece because it made it very interesting and enjoyable to read. She wrote very simply in order to make it easier for her writers to learn and improve their writing. Most pieces like this are very serious and have many big words and sentences that can confuse and discourage a novice writer. Anne claimed that writing a child-like draft at first and then going back to organize one's thoughts will greatly improve a writers ability. After doing this, a writer will know exactly what they want to convey in their writing and will just have to figure out how to do so successfully. This way of writing takes some effort, but in the end, your finished essay will be much better off. Anne also helps her readers realize that writing is not so bad and it can even be enjoyable.

Interview Analysis

I interviewed James and started the interview off by asking him what his major is. He replied that his major is Criminal Justice and that he doesn't know exactly what he wants to do yet, but he knows that he wants to be in the Criminal Justice field. I moved on to ask him what type of jobs the Criminal Justice major had to offer. He replied that there were "many different jobs in the field including law enforcement, the court system, and corrections." I asked James if any of these jobs were federal and he told me that the majority were federal, but some are not. I then asked James if he planned on going straight to work after graduation or if he planned on attending graduate school. James said that he wanted to go straight to work with a possibility of graduate school in the future. I wrapped up the interview by asking James if there will be job offerings in his field after he graduates.James replied that right now times are hard so jobs are limited, but he explained that people are always committing crimes so there will always be work in this field.

Finding your own voice

How do you define "voice" in writing? How do you discover your own voice as a writer?

I define "voice" in writing as the authors own thoughts, feelings, and experiences that they incorporate into their writing in order to show how they perceive the subject. Thoughts might be good or bad opinions on a topic or might be taking one side or the other in an argument. Your feelings are your emotions on the subject, do you not care about the topic, or is it something that you are very passionate about? Finally, a writer's experience is what examples of how the author has come across the subject in his or her own life. You discover your own voice by being passionate and interested in your topic. If you can do this, you will be able to express your "voice", that is you thoughts, feelings, and experiences on your topic.


What does Lamott mean when she says "We write to expose the unexposed. If there is one door in the castle you have been told not to go through, you must. Otherwise, you'll just be rearranging furniture in rooms you've already been.

Lamott's quote is telling writers to write about the way we feel, to write about subjects that may be touchy, and to try new things while writing. Lamott explains that if you just write to get a grade, your writing will never improve. If you open the "forbidden castle door" and get engauged in your writing, it will improve and you will be much more involved in your writing.

Asian Lesbian's Struggles

What does it mean to be a visible and invisible minority?

A visible minority is a minority that is easily distinguished from the majority due to their skin color, ethnicity, or other major characteristics that make minorities different from the majority. An invisible minority is a minority that does not stick out in the crowd, but once investigated, they are easily classified as a minority. An example of this is a caucasian from another country, they look the same as the majority in America, but their accent invisibly makes them a minority.

What does it mean to "stick to your own kind"? Why do you think some people stick to their own kind?(or are left with no other choice?)?

To "stick to your own kind" means to associate and interact only with people of your race, ethnicity, status, and culture and to stray away from associating yourself with people of other "kinds". I think some people stick to their own kind because of the way that they were raised, the awkwardness, and the lack of having thing in common with people of other "kinds".

What is the main identity struggle that the author is going through? How is she overcoming it?

The main identity struggle that the author is going through is coming out as a lesbian and overcoming her racism prejudices. She overcomes these struggles by accepting who she is and being open rather than shy about her true feelings.

Do you tone down any aspect of your identity( i.e. your nationality, ethnicity, language, gender, regional, or local differences) in order to "fit in"?

Personally, I do not believe that I tone down any aspect of my identity, because if you don't accept me for who I am, then I don't even want to be associated with you. I am true to my nature, and no person or situation can take that away from me. I am not one of those people who worry about what others think, rather I worry about my own good.

Adopting the Principle of Pro-feminism

Some of my ways of acting and thinking that pereptuate sexism are very similiar to the author's ways of acting and thinking that pereptuate sexism in the article, "Adopting the Principle of Pro-feminism." I like the author dominate airspace, have a hard time apoligizing, and have to keep control of decision making and see cooperation as failure.

I plan on overcoming these by realizing what I am doing and how I am thinking and working to improve these negative thoughts, actions, and feelings by being more open on the subject and having more respect for women in general.

American Dream

The author's dream is to one day become president. I think rising out of his southern heritage that he felt was holding him down and meeting the standards of first-class America are also dreams that come with.

Moving Beyond White Guilt

White guilt is a very relevant problem today and we must be able to overcome it. Moving beyond white guilt is not to hard for us to do, but it takes time and a set of steps to do so.

The first step to moving beyond white guilt is to get information. Gathering various information on white guilt for ourselves and getting it out to others will increase the awareness of white guilt and bring up a need to end white guilt entirely. Getting information is a very important step in this process.

Doing something is the next step to moving beyond white guilt. Doing something can range from posting signs to raise awareness to speaking at a town meeting to bring address the problem. Whatever it is that you do, doing something is also an important step in the process of moving beyond white guilt.

The next step is to listen. Listen to what others have to say about the situation, listen to what people on your side and people on the opposing side have to say and take it all in. This will allow you to analyze the entire situation and figure out a successful solution.

After listening, the next step in the process of moving beyond white guilt is to talk. Talk about what you know about the situation and what you want to know. Tell other what is going on and ask them their point of view on the subject. Ask questions and start discussions, talking will allow you to tackle this white guilt problem and end it for good.

The next step is to look at the past and to find your heroes/ sheroes. Looking into the past to learn about the history of the subject, what was done about it, who was involved will give us much more knowledge so the we can be more informed on the subject. Looking at the past will also provide us with successful solutions and unsuccessful ones as well. While looking at the past, one must also recognize the heroes and/ or sheroes of the past that were involved. These figures can show us great hope and determination in order to move beyond white quilt.

Moving beyond white guilt is not going to happen overnight, but with time and these steps,white guilt will not be a factor in the future

In class paraphrasing

Students regularly use word for word quotations when skimming resources and this leads to entirely too many quotations in the final drafts of their research papers. Usually, somewhere around one tenth of a finished product paper should contain verbatim quotations as a rule of thumb. You should try to keep the level of word for word note taking to a minimum in order too keep the amount of quotations that you use in your final draft to a minimum.(Lester 1976)

Child Trafficking in Cambodia

What was gained from the research?

Suicide Among Asian Americans was the subject of the research article that my group and I covered. I gained a better knowledge of suicide among Asian Americans in general because previously I did not know anything about this subject. I gained the knowledge of why there is a high rate of suicide amongst Asian Americans and what can be done to either solve the problem or to improve it. I learned that suicide in this group is a big problem because they are minorities and are subject to a hefty amount of discrimination and racism. I also learned that we can help the situation simply by treating Asian Americans with respect in our everyday lives.

In class summary

    The excerpt from exercise 3.4 discusses whether or not popular music is really a work of art, or is it just a fad that happened in the heat of the moment. The author sees classiscal music, such as Beethoven and Mozart, undoubtedly as works of art, but he struggles to classify music from Madonna and J-Z in the same catergory. The author breaks these two types of music into the catergories of serious and pop or fad music. These two categories are then compared as to how they are analyzed socially.

Research ? and 3 key descriptors

What are the effects of adderall(ADHD Prescription Drug) on College Students= Social Action Research Question

Adderall abuse, college students and drugs, college student studying habits= 3 key descriptors

In class Research activity

What are the options for finding alternative sources of fuel?

Alternative fuels : current status, proposals for new standards, and related infrastructure issues : hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, first session, May 8, 2007.Detail Only Available By: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Energy and Commerce. Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.. Washington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., 2008. v, 190 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. Language: English; (AN milner.1311567)

Subjects: Alcohol as fuel -- United States; Biodiesel fuels -- United States; Coal liquefaction -- United States; Renewable energy sources -- United States; Alternative fuel vehicles -- United States

 

 

New methods of manufacturing alternative fuels from renewable feedstock sources.Detail Only Available By: Vinokurov, V. A.; Barkov, A. V.; Krasnopol’skaya, L. M.; Mortikov, E. S.. Chemistry & Technology of Fuels & Oils, Jul2010, Vol. 46 Issue 2, p75-78, 4p; DOI: 10.1007/s10553-010-0190-y; (AN 52057229)

Subjects: ALTERNATIVE fuels; CELLULOSE; SHIITAKE; BIOCHEMICAL templates; ETHANOL as fuel

 

 

Alternative Fuels and Hybrid TechnologyDetail Only Available . By: Roy MacArthur, Amy H.; Copper, Christine L.. Journal of Chemical Education, v. 86 no9 (September 2009) p. 1049-50. 2009.

Subjects: Environmental chemistry--Experiments; Chemistry--Subject matter; Renewable energy sources; Environmental technology; Hybrid fuels

 

 

Alternative Energy Sources.Full Text Available Congressional Digest, Sep2008, Vol. 87 Issue 7, p196-224, 4p; (AN 34222716)

Subjects: POWER resources; FUEL cells; BIOMASS; FOSSIL fuels; GEOTHERMAL resources; UNITED States

 

 

Alternative energy resources : the quest for sustainable energy / Paul Kruger.Detail Only Available By: Kruger, Paul. Hoboken, N.J. : John Wiley, c2006. xxiv, 248 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. Language: English; (AN milner.1226241)

Subjects: Renewable energy sources; Energy policy

 

 

Alternative Energy Sources.Full Text Available By: Khermouch, Gerry. Architectural Record, May2004, Vol. 192 Issue 5, p169-176, 6p, 4 Color Photographs, 1 Diagram; Reading Level (Lexile): 1110; (AN 13262018)

Subjects: NEW York (State); UNITED States; FUEL cells; ELECTRIC batteries; COMMERCIAL buildings; GREENHOUSE gases; CARBON dioxide

Free Writing Sept. 2

Should marijuana be legalized?

Should marijuana be completly legalized, or limited to medical use only?

What are the advantages of legalizing marijuana?

What are the disadvantages of legalizing marijuana?

How much will taxing marijuana help out the economy if it is legalized?

What will be the restrictions on marijuana if it is legaiized( age, places it can be used...)

Can companies that require sober workers stop their employees from using marijuana if it is legal?

How will other countries look percieve us if we legalize marijuana?

What kinds of diseases/ illnesses can marijuana help improve?

What kind of people/ careers can marijuana help improve?

Is marijuana really a "gateway drug", or does it effect other decisions at all?

Will we be able to sell our marijuana as an export to other countries?

How much marijuana will one person be allowed to have if it is legalized?

What will the consequences be if you are in violation of the legal marijuana laws?

What happens if marijuana continues to be sold on the black market even after it is legalized?

Will the legalization of marijuana lower crime rates?

Will the government be able to make more money by taxing marijuana when it is legal, or will they make more money by arresting offenders when it is illegal?

Should marijuana really be classified among drugs such as cocaine and heroin?

Exercise 1.1

Places- places to fish, the beach, the mountains, the city, outer space, a farm, the river.
Trends- bell bottom jeans, crocs, sayings/ words, ipods, iphones, ipads…
Things- chair, fan, desk, candle, poster, couch, light, book, computer
Technologies- NASA, solar energy, the internet, wind power, recycling, medicine, cars.
People- family, friends, professors, girlfriends/ boyfriends, bosses, co-workers, rock stars.
Controversies- movie stars, the government, movies, magazines, the environment.
History- wars, government, presidents, countries, people, boring, dates, memory.
Jobs- Competition, internships, full-time, part-time, money, taxes, travel, raise, fired.
Habits- Smoking, biting fingernails, using cell phones, tapping feet.
Hobbies- Hunting, fishing, frisbee golf, camping, partying, concerts, vacations.


The Environment:


How much does recycling help improve the environment?

How do we fix the oil spills the happen in our ocean’s?

How do we conserve our oil?

Can we cut down on all natural resources in order to save them?

How do we prepare for natural disasters?

Why do we make nuclear weapons when they are so devastating?

Why do we use pesticides on produce?

Why do we eat cows and chickens that are mass produced in ultimately nasty environments?

How can we help bring back endangered species?

Can fishing be regulated to enhance the fish population, or are people too greedy?

When will we ever realize what we are doing to this earth?????????

Narrative on Social Diversity and Multiculturalism

           Narrative on Social Diversity and Multiculturalism

            I define social diversity as interacting with and accepting people that are different than you even though they do not share some things such as race, gender, or religion. I define multiculturalism as the idea that people of different cultures can successfully live and interact with one other in the same country, state, and so on. Social diversity is very important in my life because I am a college student. In college, there are many different cultures and types of people that you must be able to successfully interact with in order to excel in your education, make friends, and meet acquaintances. The issues of diversity that are important in my life are race and lived experience. Now a days, race is irrelevant. We have a black president, so all of the previous race issues should be over. No longer should the white ridicule the black and visa versa because we are all equal in the world we live in. Lived experience is a big part of my life because I am in the construction field, which focuses on lived experience

            My family, my friends, and my educational experiences have been influential in shaping my ideas about social diversity and multiculturalism. An experience that I had which helped me better understand the diversity issues in my life was coming to Illinois State University for my first semester. I was required to live in a dormitory and I was assigned a random roommate. When I got my room number, I walked to the room and opened the door. My roommate was sitting there and he was black. I thought to myself "oh we're not going to get along" because I am Caucasian and that is the way I was raised. After living with my roommate for a year, all of my previous perceptions had changed. I no longer believed in all of the stereotypes and other things associated with blacks that I had believed the year before. My roommate and I were able to become great friends despite the differences between our race, our culture, and our past experiences. Ever since this event, I have been much more open to social diversity and I now believe in multiculturalism. The rule to live by is the golden rule; Treat others as you would like to be treated."

            Some of the social justice issues that I am interested in investigating this semester are gun control and the legalization of marijuana. I think that gun control is an important topic because without guns you can't protect your home and because many people love to use firearms to hunt. I think that the legalization of marijuana is an important topic because the plant is extremely useful for those with breast cancer, AIDS, brain cancer, and many other illnesses. Neither of these issues relate to my major, but they are both topics that I am very interested in and passionate about.

      

Exercise 2-

Kurt Backhus

Left Side

         -Favorite line or passage:

"the police seem bored, indifferent, not even remotely interested in the sudden flight their slow passage through the square inspires."

         -Copied passage(s) that use outside research, one I liked and one I did not like:

"Pigeon racers in the Bronx tenderly kiss the beaks of their birds, finally home after flying 500 miles to their lofts after a remarkable feat of solar navigation." (Blechman).

"Meanwhile, pigeon haters host websites like pigeonsmakemesick.com and propose plans for ridding cities of the "vermin", including the tactical use of tennis racket and loaves of bread." (Thorne)

         -Main idea/ thesis in your own words:

 I think that the main idea or thesis of this essay is to inform the audience about the good and bad of pigeons. The central question seemed to be whether you like or dislike pigeons, and what it means to be on either side.I think you were trying to understand how you could possibly like pigeons, and you had to write about the ups and downs of pigeons in order to make your decision. You came to understand that you actually like and enjoy pigeons even though they continue to poop on your head and flock in big cities.

Right Side

 When I write my research paper, I can use certain techniques or methods such as my own experiences and stories and articles from popular magazines to keep the essay interesting to the readers even if it is fact based.

The Bothersome Beauty of Pigeons was unlike what I understood to be a research paper because it was actually fun and interesting to read. Yes it does challenge me to look at these types of papers differently because now I know that a research paper does not have to be boring, but it can be exciting and entertaining. This essay makes me wonder why professors and instructors act like research papers must be boring, when they can be written like this. 

I could definitely relate to some of the things said in the essay such as the part about not liking pigeons and the essay did change my views because it showed me that pigeons can be both useful and pretty.

Exercise 1- Kurt Backhus

 Exercise 1

The five statements that I chose are:

-It's okay to say things that the instructor might disagree with.
-You can use your own experiences and observations as evidence.
-You can use your own writing voice.
-You're writing mostly for the instructor.
-You have to know your thesis before you start.

         I agree with some of the following statements that I chose and disagree with others. I agree with the statement about it being okay to say things that the instructor might disagree with. I believe that it is not a problem to state things that your teacher might not approve of because it shows that you put some thought into your paper and that you actually care and are excited about the topic you are covering Also, doing this can make your professor think and maybe even change their views. I also agree with the statement that says that you can use your own experiences and observations as evidence because you can and should. If you have an experience that relates to your research topic, you should definitely use that as evidence. Be careful to not use it as your4 main piece of evidence though because books and publishing's are always a solid source.I also agree with the statement that says that you can use your own writing voice because when you write something on your own, you are using your own writing voice. I think that you should use your own writing voice for every paper otherwise you mine as well not even sign your name on it and turn it in. I disagree with the point that states that your writing mostly for your instructor. I feel this way because the course is not all about the grade. It's more about becoming a better and more efficient writer, and that cannot be achieved if you just write for your instructor. Lastly, I agree that you have to know your thesis before you start. In my case, I have to. I'm not saying you have to have everything that your going to write about necessarily planned, but you do need to know the basic purpose and position that your going to take on the paper.

The statement that I chose for step 2 is:

-There is a big difference between facts and opinions.

         I totally agree with the idea that facts and opinions are completely different things. Facts are things that are known to be one hundred percent true and can be proven true over and over again no matter what the circumstance. Facts have nothing to do with people's thoughts or feelings, they are free from bias, and they are real and true. Opinions on the other hand, are the way people feel about certain situations, or what they think about these situations. Opinions are not always true and they are not reliable in any way. Everyone has different opinions on different subjects. Also, opinions are subject to bias's and other factors such as lifestyle, environment, income and many others.

In class free writing Aug 26

Writing has been very important in my academic career, but not so much in my personal and professional life. Throughout my personal college experience, it seems to me that all of the basic courses that one must take and extremely writing intensive. Whether it be a one hundred level history course or a basic English course, writing is key. If you struggle with writing, your grade will struggle in these courses. This has taught me to take more time when writing and to really think about the task in order to write successfully. Outside of school, I do not do much writing. Occasionally I check my face book page and write e-mails, but other than those two examples and grocery lists, I do not do too much writing outside of my academic life.

For me, the most difficult part of academic writing is the time that it takes me to produce a good paper. Anyone can write a paper the night before it's due and receive a passing grade. In my eye's I would rather write a good paper, and that is why it takes me so long. I put so much thought and time into paper's that I get stressed out and it seems like it takes me forever to finish.

I don't really read much outside of academics. Occasionally a magazine and sometimes the newspaper, but other than that I don't read much, it just puts me to sleep. I don't really see a connection between reading and writing unless you are writing about what you have read.

I picture research being a large factor in this course. Whether it be resources for an argumentative essay, or sources for an annotated bibliography, research is always a part of English courses.

I would like to research the legalization of marijuana in this course. This issue is bigger than ever now a days and it is a heated debate. There are advocates on both sides of the situation that have very strong arguments for and against this subject.

I would go about this research by reading up on the latest news of the situation, and by conducting surveys to see how everyday citizens feel about the topic.

First Blog- About Me

       My name is Kurt Backhus and I am junior at Illinois State University. I am twenty years old and my major is Construction Management. I chose this major because I enjoy working in the construction field. My Uncle owns a residential construction company, and after working with him for some time, I decided I wanted to go to school to become a Construction Manager. I love the outdoors and I love music. My favorite band is Widespread Panic, they are "just a good ole' bar band."(JoJo Herman).