Journal 8

I really enjoyed Professor Warren’s ENC1102 class. She taught the class very well and the movies we were watched were very informative. I liked everything about the class and was glad that we were able to read each others essays. I like to help, so it was good for me to be able to help me other classmates. I really enjoyed her getting the rooms for us so we could watch the films. She defiantly made sure that we could be part of not only a speech, but also we got out in time to go to the art galleries. I have not had another professor like that. We knew what to expect before coming to her class. She kept us informed via Blackboard under announcements, which helped me remember what to do on the day of class. She also followed her syllabus as well. So overall, this class was awesome and I will recommend her to anyone that is interested in taking an ENC1102 class!!!

Why Teachers Should be Paid More...

Why Teachers Should be Paid More

The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called 'truth'.- Dan Rather
            I believe teachers should be recognized for their continuing efforts. They need to be recognized and rewarded with excellence. Teachers deserve a raise because of their effort, grades, and the danger of their job. Education funding has been promised over and over again, however these promises have never been fulfilled. Our teachers are a very important asset to our society. Our kids need these teachers, need their education, and there should not be any dispute about money. Our teachers should be passionate, proficient, and qualified at their job. Teachers are educators, not nannies. Parents need to help their children to learn, so that child can have a good academic progress.

Yes, it is true, teacher only work 180 days out of the year. However, that does not mean they do not work the rest of the days of the year. Teachers spend a lot of sleepless nights grading papers and planning for the next day’s agenda. The teacher is focused on the continuing progress of their students. In addition, they are passionate about their student’s success. Therefore, good teachers should be compensated and “bad” teachers should not be teaching. There is a huge gap when it comes to good teachers and bad teachers. According to galegroup.com, “Having a good teacher, as opposed to a mediocre or poor teacher, makes a big difference. Raising average teacher quality does seem a promising direction for public policy.”

Furthermore, I believe a teacher should be compensated for their student’s academic progress.  All students have the same rights. If a student has difficulties learning the required material, then that child should be put into a tutor class. It should not be the teachers fault if that student has a lower learning capability than other students. I believe the teacher will have more motivation to ensure their students do well. According to galegroup.com ,  “The average annual salary offered college graduates going into teaching this year was only about $26,000, ranging from as little as $19,000 in North Dakota to $33,000 in Alaska. Graduates taking engineering jobs, for instance, averaged almost $43,000. The average for graduates who went into the field of computer science was $41,000. For those in business administration it was $35,000, in accounting $34,000 and in sales and marketing about $33,000.”

Here lately, our teachers are in a danger zone. There have been many school shootings and our teachers are being killed along with their students. For teachers being in a hazardous environment, they should be paid better money. One shooting was not too long ago. It happened in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary. In 2012, there were a total of 10 school shootings, which killed 41 people and 13 injured.  Our teachers are putting their life on the lines everyday and should be rewarded for it. Teachers do not receive enough recognition from the public or the government.

In contrast, bad teachers are being paid the same amount of income as a good teachers. A good teacher can do everything right, while a bad teacher can be lazy and they both have the same salary. This part of our school system needs to be fixed. I do believe that if students apply themselves than they can become very successful. I understand that it is not all of the teacher’s responsibility to teach their students, but students must be willing to work hard and apply themselves.

In conclusion, I think there have been a lot of promises that have not been met. It comes down to our good teachers being dragged down and working extra hard for no reason.  I think we can all help our teachers by being a good parent and pitching in and teaching our own kids. According to galegroup.com, “Some parents will make excuses regardless of the situation, and they are raising children who will grow into adults who turn toward excuses and do not create a strong work ethic. If you don't want your child to end up 25 and jobless, sitting on your couch eating potato chips, then stop making excuses for why they aren't succeeding. Instead, focus on finding solutions.”

Works Cited:

Grant, Leslie W., James H. Stronge, and Thomas J. Ward. "What makes good teachers good? A cross-case            analysis of the connection between teacher effectiveness and student achievement." Journal of Teacher Education 62.4 (2011): 339+. Academic OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Hancock, Carl B., and Lisa Scherff. "Who will stay and who will leave? Predicting secondary English         teacher attrition risk." Journal of Teacher Education 61.4 (2010): 328+. Academic OneFile. Web.    12 Apr. 2013.

Kirchhoff, Allison, and Frances Lawrenz. "The use of grounded theory to investigate the role of teacher              education on STEM teachers' career paths in high-need schools." Journal of Teacher Education      62.3 (2011): 246+. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Apr. 2013.

Journal 7- Waiting for Superman

Teachers deserve to be paid more because of their time and effort. The teachers are educators, not nannies, but a lot of them play the role of a nanny. They spend more time with your children probably anyone else. They are a great asset to our society and their salary is not as much as you think it would be. We spend more money on keeping high school drop outs in jail, than we do on our education. That is sending a negative message across the board. I believe all students should have a fair chance of having a great school and teacher. Some students are less fortunate to having a great teacher or school to attend because of what side of the road they live on, or what their parent’s income is. I think as an education system, we need to do more in providing what is best for our children. Teachers do a lot for our children and they want the very best for them. Teachers are leaving their jobs because of the annual salary. That is not fair to the children. A lot of schools in Duval County do not have the best grades, but the ones that do require more money. All kids should be treated equally and have the same rewards as the other ones. Our Education system needs to be fixed to make the best of American kids.

Miss Representation

Miss Representation

She got her looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon.- Groucho Marx I do not think that looks are what make you beautiful. While there are many people that disagree, I think true beauty is within the person. There are many young girls and women who are being misled by the images portrayed in media. The media in the Unites States represents young women as objectified sex symbols.  These misleading messages, lead to social, health, and mental problems. The most dangerous tools of this misleading propaganda to these girls, are the television and the internet.

 I believe when young ladies are distracted by the essence of beauty, they become so involved in spending money on material accessories like hair extensions, eyelashes, and makeup products.  The danger arises as young girls become subsequently fixated with physical beauty. This can lead to neglecting time to build relationships, a self imposed fear that they are inadequate, or too conscious of appearance to associate with a certain group of people. This drastically affects a girl’s self-esteem, their body image and aspirations they may have set for themselves. 

 The list of health problems that are associated with being a transformed beauty goes on and on. The risk of plastic surgery includes bleeding, infections, scarring, and nerve damage. The danger of Botox injections is death. Botox is made from the same set of poison that carries the bacteria from which we get from food poisoning. Given these points, a number of young women and girls of the age 20 and under, have been hospitalized because they are anorexic have eating disorders.  These women and young ladies are tricked to believe that the only way to be accepted in society is if they are 110 lbs or less.

In addition, cat-fighting reality TV shows enforce the negative images, stereotypes, and behavior that make the Miss Representation case clear.  Furthermore, there is an immense gap between women in media and women in real life. Today, young girls spend many hours using social media, watching television, or indulging in the latest gossip or fashion magazines. To emphasize, girls as young as 11 years old are being bombarded by these advertisements each day. Truth is, this generation is being raised on scripted reality TV. They watch bodies being transformed, faces taken apart and pieced back together, while simultaneously having those who do not fit media norm are on famous for neglecting their real beauty to fit the criteria for televisions false glamour.

Life as a teenage girl has always been difficult in the transition from a child to a young lady. Unfortunately, in today’s society media bombards every aspect of our culture and livelihood and often times purposely influences the way we think. Scruton states, “the continued cultural and communal conditioning we receive every day of our lives that physical beauty does have a standard…it is in our newspapers, on our television, in our motion picture houses, on our advertising billboards…[and] in our daily interaction with our fellow human beings”(Beauty 2).

 In my opinion, parents of young girls are disturbed about the regular pressure their daughters are subject to in a society. In today’s perception of adolescent women, media displays anorexic actresses, and models and uncontrollable television stars.    We as women are now more than ever conditioned to think that this is what attractive women should look or act like.  Reality TV has damaged the confidence of some young women to believe that their value is based on looks and it’s better to be recognized for superficial beauty than true beauty. When young women look to media for role models, they are immediately at a disadvantage that neglects intellect and positive values that ensure a positive and healthy life. Unfortunately, the source of “role models” are media controlled and are walking advertisements for the most current looks and fashion trends. Therefore, when they see the reality TV shows, the message portrayed clearly states the only way to success, respect, or path to achievement is through beauty. What other choices do they think they have available to them?  This continuation of rewarding false values is the reason why young girls are bullied. They are simply not pretty enough; it goes to the extent where some have committed suicide because of it. 

In conclusion, women should to learn to respect and embrace themselves and teach the young ladies following them how to achieve self love in a society that forces one to believe what is and isn’t beautiful. All things considered, I sincerely hope the women of society will awaken to there beauty from within and not their outward appearance. All women have the potential of being a leader, a world influence, or a financial success and beauty will donate nothing to ones achievement. Examples throughout history will prove it’s all about how hard you work, your dedication, and how you apply yourself to achieve personal goals. I think this problem of media and its influence is worldwide but as the worlds leader in entertainment we suffer from the consequences the most. I think we should fight for the girl that is being bullied for being overweight, or has a birthmark on her face, or is beautiful but doesn’t have the confidence. It does not matter what you see on the outside, it’s the person’s real beauty that resides on the inside.  Beauty has no standard or concrete definition; however, due to commercial influence there are certain qualities people unfairly associate with beauty. There is no definition of beauty, but when you can see someone's spirit coming through, something unexplainable, that's beautiful to me.- Liv Tyler 

Works Cited:

Bay-Cheng, Laina Y., and Nicole M. Fava. "Young women's experiences and perceptions of          cunnilingus during adolescence." The Journal of Sex Research Nov.-Dec. 2011: 531+.   Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Apr. 2013.

Bush, Vanessa. "Some Like It Hot." Essence (Essence) 32.2 (2001): 25. MasterFILE Complete.       Web. 29 Mar. 2013.

Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood Press, 2010. Print.

Scruton, Roger. Beauty. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print.

Journal 6- Miss Representation

After watching the film “Miss Representation” I realized how much media and the world we live in today has an impact on young ladies. We have all seen the real truth when the Dove ad finally showed the truth and took us through the process of becoming beautiful. Social media is giving off false information and is leading girls/women into more harmful issues than they are helping them. There have been times when I have walked into a public bathroom and there have been little sticky notes on the mirror that say “Smile, you’re beautiful”.  I think it is important to keep the message of “You are beautiful”.  Many young women today are trying so hard to fit in with society and the media. They are led to believe that you can only be successful if you are a certain weight, or if you have flawless hair and skin. That is not true, and I think everyone needs to become a part of society that stands us and help ladies accept themselves for who God made them into be. All of the plastic surgeries, and eating disorders associated with becoming “beautiful” is on the rise and it is not healthy. The truth about beauty dates way back into history when artists made women beautiful by painting their faces and bodies. I think women/girls need to learn to respect who they are and not try to be someone that they are not meant to be. I hope more ladies will realize that they are beautiful from within and not how they appear on the outside.

Food Hunger- FINAL

Food Hunger– Film Dive

“In a world of 7 billion people and set to grow to 9 billion by 2050, wasting food makes no sense- economically, environmentally, and ethically” said a Secretary General. There are over a billion people starving around the world and that is why I think wasting food is a global shame. As humans, food is a necessity and we must have it to survive starvation.  Wasting food is wasting energy. In order to make food, we use energy and if all we do is throw it away, and then we are throwing away money. According to Discover Magazine, “Around 15 % of the energy used in the U.S. is swallowed up by food production and distribution.” This is an outrageous percentage. After reading an article, entitled States News Service, “Analysis of wasted food and the energy needed to ready it for consumption concluded that the U.S. wasted about 2030 trillion BTU of energy in 2007, or the equivalent of about 350 million barrels of oil.”

As we all know recycling paper and plastic is a way in which we currently save money and energy, why is it not the same with all of the uneaten food? The uneaten food is thrown away and not recycled into manure, chicken feed, or just feeding the homeless. We are throwing out an equivalent of over $160 billion worth of food each year.  Also as food decays in the land fills it produces a methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas that is more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.   

We do not realize that we are throwing away good edible food. We are so concerned with the expiration dates that are labeled on the food that we purchase.   The purpose for expiration dates is to make us aware of the quality of the food that we purchase and not necessarily food safety.   Therefore, we have adapted the attitude of “When in doubt throw it out”.   Learning when food really goes bad and properly planning out our meals will help the reduction of the food that we throw away.

Food leftovers are a large component of the waste that we accumulate. This type of waste includes the uneaten food and scraps in our households, restaurants, school and industrial cafeterias.  More wasted or tossed food are in landfills than any other solid waste product. Tons of food wastes are generated every year with only a very small percentage being diverted from the landfills. The food waste findings ironically come just as we are finding out that 1 in 5 individuals state that they did not have enough money to purchase food for their families or themselves within the past year.

The drought that we have experienced lately has taken an impact on the food prices will only increase next year. Therefore, it will make it even more difficult for people to provide food for their families.  With the increase demand for food, the drought and the rising food cost, having a more efficient food origination is critical to our ever growing population.  

There are benefits in reducing the amount of food waste that is being sent to the landfills, such as economic, environmental, and social. The economic benefit would be by reducing the amount of food waste that you and the businesses have will inquire fewer charges to dispose of it. By only buying food that will be eaten you are reducing your overall food cost. This will also reduce business energy and labor associated with disposing of unwanted or unusable food.  Businesses can also receive a tax benefit by donating food to organizations that feed those in need. The environmental benefits would be the reduction of methane gas in landfills, and reduce the resources needed to produce the food that is grown. For example, water, fertilizers, and energy. The social benefit would be to donate to the people in need instead of donating to the landfills. By donating safe and healthy food to Food Banks and other organizations will help benefit us as a community.   

We as a society are now recognizing that we dispose of a ridiculous amount of our food each year.  We need to get more people to see that this is a problem and get them to start acting on it. They can help by finding solutions to reduce the amount of food waste.  We can no longer continue nor afford to be a throw away society. This is only going to become more of an issue if we do not take action.  Breaking away from our wasteful habits will require a lot of adjustment; however we all have the ability to reduce food waste. We need to put our perspectives in order and make food preservation a part of our everyday lives without wasting it and preserving it.  As a society we have been pondering this, now its time that we take action. Its one of the easiest steps that we can take to improve our environment and make things better for those that follow.

Works Cited:

"A PAINLESS WAY TO ACHIEVE HUGE ENERGY SAVINGS: STOP WASTING FOOD." States News      Service 2 Oct. 2010. Academic OneFile. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.

Colby Cosh. "Food banking as a growth industry." Alberta Report 22 Jan. 1996                  Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

"The food-waste debate could use a pinch of common sense." Maclean's 28 Jan. 2013:    Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.



Journal 5 - Dive

I did not realize how much food America throws away in a year. After watching the film “Dive” I realized that a lot of food goes to waste. I think it is important to eliminate this, only because there are many countries that are suffering from starvation. I think we should be the good people that we are and make it known that we are not a country of wasting, but a country that helps other countries. In the film, Dive, it mentions that Haiti was the poorest country. With that being said, we can get together and form a mode of transportation to supply them with food. I do not think that it is fair for anyone to die from starvation.  There is no need to throw away food before the best by date. As the president passed a law that stated no one will be penalized or sued for giving food away. I think the food banks have done a tremendous job in feeding the homeless. I know that there are many people or are not as fortunate and do not have the money to buy food, and I am thankful for the food banks in our country. Only if we can extend that, and start shipping the food overseas then that would eliminate many children dying by at a young age. I am also thankful for the people who dumpster dive. I know my brother was a “bum” as they might say, but he chose to live his life that way. He is doing very well thanks to Winn-Dixie’s dumpster and road kill. Yes, I said road kill! He is not a very picky guy and he enjoys not spending money on things that come free. He not only keeps the food for him and his bum buddies, but he also gives what he can away. Many people appreciate my brother and are thankful for him taking the time and digging the “good” stuff out and able to re-use it. He chose this life and he has no regrets. He is not a person who needs anything, just tries to live day-by-day and try’s to find what he can and makes others happy by doing so.

American Dream Essay

Tonya Bibby

Professor: Kelly Warren

ENC 1102

5 March 2013

The Importance of Having a Mentor

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ― Benjamin Franklin.  I really enjoyed Garcia’s presentation. I think the most important message was when he spoke about having a mentor.  It is important to realize that a mentor is defined as a wise advisor, one who is in a position to provide guidance and advice. Nevertheless, I think having a mentor in life is a great idea, and more people should have them.  Mentors are good for encouragement, honesty, and most of all to be successful. A mentor has to be a good listener, a good speaker, enthusiastic, a self-motivator, and able to make well sound decisions. Moreover, mentors already have the experience of trial and error and they know how to give you motivation and inspiration. Our family and friends are not always available, but mentors are always there and always have advice and a way. They are there to help guide you and to tell you the do’s and don’ts in life. There are many kids today that have chosen bad life styles and they do not want help from others.

Mentors provide encouragement to help you with your self esteem. Sometimes things we do go unnoticed. Everyone needs an extra boost of self esteem and maybe a job well done. If you have a mentor then you are constantly trying to impress them so you go the extra mile to accomplish certain things. In addition, we are all humans, and sometimes we lack confidence. When you doubt yourself, then you lose the energy needed to complete something. If you are a student, a mentor will help you choose your profession and encourage you to make good grades and to finish what you started.  Students that are being mentored will have better attitudes and behaviors towards school and are more likely to attend college than their peers that are not mentored. Youth being mentored by a caring person over time has shown that education will be effective in stopping negative affects on their education.   There are positive results with youth who are mentored being involved in school, changes in their mental health, behavior problems and physical health. Mentoring youth shows positive development in their education and aids in the goal of helping to reduce the number of dropouts. Mentoring also has a positive effect on reducing the number of high school students dropping out of school and absenteeism.  There are many young people that need or want mentoring, but there are very few that are in mentoring relationships. This means that more young people need mentors. The lack of mentors for these young people has become a challenge that needs to be dealt with so that none of our youth has to go without that one individual that could have a long lasting positive effect on their lives.

 Having a mentor in your life also helps you to become honest. They say it’s not what you know, but who you know. If you can build a relationship based on trust, then you are heading in the right direction. Trust is everything when it comes to building a relationship and finding a good foundation. If you ask your friend for guidance, they will tell you what you want to hear. This not a policy of being honest, this is a friend being a friend. A mentor will tell you only the truth and facts. Mentoring has moved from a product-oriented model, characterized by the transfer of knowledge, to a process-oriented relationship involving knowledge acquisition, application, and critical reflection.  Zachary, Lois J. "Chapter 1 - Grounding the Work: Focusing on Learning". The Mentor's Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships. Jossey-Bass.  2000. Books24x7. (Page 22)

If you look at any successful person today, they will tell you that they did not become successful on their own. They had somebody. They had someone who showed them. Who guided them? They had someone positive and influential. They had a mentor. A mentor will let you know their own mistakes and will be sure you do not make the same mistakes in life. Experience is the best teacher if it’s not your own experience. There is not enough time in your life to make all the mistakes and to become successful at the same time. You need the guidance of a mentor to eliminate any weaknesses you may have.

  I think there should be more mentors. If there were more mentors in this world, then I believe people would be more successful, honest, and have the ability to give back. A mentor not only shows you one-way, they teach you how to appreciate others and how to help others reach their goals as well. Eventually you will be in the position to pay it forward and hopefully give advice to others. 

*Research shows that youth who spend time with a caring adult mentor regularly for at least one year are:

1.             46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs

2.             27% less likely to start drinking

3.             52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school

4.             37% less likely to skip a class

5.             More trusting of their parents or guardians 

References:

1.)   "MENTORING." States News Service 10 Apr. 2012. Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.

Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com.db08.linccweb.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA285975114&v=2.1&u=lincclin_fccj&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w

2.)   An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters by Public/Private Ventures Making a    Difference 1995 http://www.leadershipoakland.com/index.php/mentoring/statistics Web: Accessed 21 Feb 2013

3.)   National Mentoring Partnership, Expanding the World at Quality mentoring http://www.mentoring.org/about_mentor/value_of_mentoring/ Web: Accessed 21 Feb 2013

4.) Zachary, Lois J. "Chapter 1 - Grounding the Work: Focusing on Learning". The Mentor's  Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships. Jossey-Bass. © 2000. Books24x7. (Page 22)

Mauricio Garcia's Journal 4

I really enjoy Mauricio Garcia's presentation on the American Dream. I think he did a very well job in pointing out the complex decisions he was forced to make. In addition, his parents were forced to make as well. I was thankful that all of them finally moved to the United States. I liked when he spoke about having a mentor in life. I love the story about "Milky Way" at the store! Mo made me realize there is not just one career for me. I am going to pursue all things that I enjoy doing. Who said there was a limit to achievements? I think the most important part of his message was having a mentor. There are not enough hours in our life to make mistakes and to be successful at the same time. If you look at any successful person today, they will tell you that they did not become successful on their own. They had somebody, they had someone who showed them, who guided them, they had someone positive and influential, and they had a mentor. A mentor will let you know their own mistakes and will be sure you do not make the same mistakes in life. Another thing Mo made interesting was trust. He had to trust is himself, others, and his place of employment. He had to change a lot in his life in order to be successful. If you want to go far in life then I think it’s all about having trust.  

Social Media

Effects of Social Media

Focus on how to be social, not on how to do social. Jay Baer. What is social media doing to our brain? Some experts believe that social media makes us smarter, while others may not agree. I think social media is not making us smarter, but it is however causing complex controversies. I believe that we as a society have become more reliant on social media to do the thinking for us instead of us taking the time to gain the knowledge and the willingness to maintain and manage thinking for ourselves. Social media is affecting the way we think, learn, and most importantly, the way we live our lives.

We have become so busy multi-tasking and making the internet the source of our information that our brain does not have the attention span that it takes to retain needed valuable information. Studies indicate that more than half of television viewers are multitasking: 61% are using the internet while they are "watching" television.  If you constantly do something over and over again of course your brain builds a live wire and it begins to make that redundant process into a habit. However, when you are constantly checking emails, sending texts, and watching videos, your brain does not have the ability to take it all in and memorize it.  Studies show that when you switch from one task to the next, there is a performance drop and you lose time, because your brain is trying to figure out where to stop and begin again. Being a human being, we are born with individual brain cell connections, and if we are constantly not focusing on that one thing, then are brains cells will not function as needed to store and memorize information.

            I believe we are hurting our future generations by introducing computers and iPads into our schools.  We are making it way too easy and convenient for these generations to rely on social media.  It seems as though these students that are allowed to use these types of technology as resources are not getting the necessary information they need to know. When it is time to learn something new without the internet or computer, our brain becomes bored and some begin to think to themselves “I do not have time for this.” Therefore, by depending on the internet, students are not able to pass tests that are required to proceed to the next level or grade. Studies show that “Students who used social networking sites while studying scored 20% lower on tests and students who used social media had an average GPA of 3.06 versus non-users who had an average GPA of 3.82.” (ProCon.org. “Are social networking sites good for our society?" 12 Dec. 2012.)

 In addition, relying on these types of technologies, I think it interferes in all sorts of situations, from school to social interaction.  Some people will not or do not need to leave their home because social media has made certain things so convenient. Furthermore, to retain information from friends or family, all they have to do is send an email or a text message to get what it is that they need.  This has caused people to lose the ability to be social and to be able to function in real society.   These introverted individuals are what we need to try to keep our future selves from becoming. Not to mention, children that are growing up in this generation have been spoiled and frankly lazy with gaming devices, televisions, and cell phones. Equally, social networking sites disable employee’s performance and productivity and they can harm their job stability.

In contrast, number of people depending on technology is rising. For example, people are purchasing more cell phones, computers, and televisions than ever before. Social networking sites spread information faster than writing a letter, then placing into the mailbox and law enforcement officials use social networking sites to catch and prosecute criminals. Likewise, social media sites assist people to find jobs and employers to find employees.  Comparatively, social media entertains us. Eighty-six percent of U.S. mobile internet users watch TV with their mobile devices, according to a January Nielsen and Yahoo study. Forty percent of that set uses those devices for social networking.

In conclusion, I think we should limit ourselves to all social media and begin reading more books, and taking the opportunity to slow down to allow our brain to take in and retain information that is useful. If we allow things to continue the way they are going, we as a society will lose ourselves as individuals and we will all soon be just a search away. We need to revert back to the way we used to learn and utilize information and not allow social media to take over. I strongly agree that if we limit ourselves, then we will all become smarter individuals and have a healthier brain.

DIGITAL NATION

I liked the film Digital Nation. It is so true about the complex world we live in today and how we navigate through it. Technology will continue to grow and as humans we must grow with it. The fact of us multi-tasking with text messaging, checking emails, and surfing the web has done a lot of impact on our brain. They say when you constantly switch from one thing to the next, that you lose time, and you are less productive. I think that this statement stands true because I feel dumber now then I did 10 years ago. I used to be able to study index cards and memorize definitions, now it seems it is taking longer to memorize things. I think this is because my conscious tells me "you do not have time for this" so my brain starts to wonder around. I think that I would be more involved and focused if I was not worried about checking my e-mail or to see if my friend text me back. I also would not be concentrating on what's going happening on Facebook. So yes, I do believe that social media has had an impact on my concentration and also my thinking skills. After writing this, I feel the need to close every window on my computer screen, and delete my Facebook page, because I am unable to hardwire a train of thought into my brain without constantly being distracted. If it is this bad now, I can not imagine how worse it will get as technology is slowly taking over my world.

REALITY TV

There are several realities television shows broadcasting in this generation. Some are ok to watch and others are ridiculous.   When and if I watch reality shows on television they will only come from the networks of HGTV, A& E, and/or the DIY Network.  I am however, addicted to watching the HGTV channel. I like doing projects and coming up with creative ideas. Every weekend, I am glued to watching these shows.  Most of the shows are do it yourself projects which makes me want to be productive and challenge myself. I learn a lot from these shows and I enjoy that. In addition, I like watching The Biggest Loser. The contestants really go through all kinds of personal struggles, but they look and feel so much better when they shed the majority of their weight.  I have always had a positive outlook on many things and it makes me happy when others are happy. 

I do not enjoy the ridiculous shows like, Jersey Shore, Buck Wild, or Snooki & Jwoww. The stuff they do is just non-sense to me and it has no meaning. I know there are others that disagree but I am just not that person that enjoys watching people waste their time.  All that matters to them is sex, partying, and living wild. There are too many repercussions for living a life like that, but the TV networks do not focus on the life long struggles of health and emotional problems that will occur if the cast of these shows continue with this type of life style.

Pictures without People

“Who will bear witness to these small islands and oases of wildness as land is divided and sold to become strip malls, housing developments, and parking lots? What happens to the natural history here? We must bear witness.” ― Joni L. James, Dancing With Herons: Bearing Witness to Local Natural History. All of my photos that I have chosen include ultimate landscapes. I really enjoy landscape photos more than other photographs. The reason being, you are captured in that instant, that time, and that period. No landscape or landmark will ever remain the same. It will be torn down, built upon, or wiped away. Do you ever go back to your childhood and say to yourself “Remember when?”  Some people do not realize they are doing it, but they do.  I remember when the trees were reasonably littler and I could climb them to the top. I remember when the park down the street had a worn out rope wrapped around the thick tree branch and an amazing tire swing at the end of it. I remember when there was a safe, well-built fishing pier at the beach. This is why I have chosen landscaping photos, to remember that worthy moment then and now. 

Plummer, Sydni “Trail to nowhere”. The empty, splendid boardwalk has a variety of details that some people do not value. The pattern of the boardwalk is a complex arrangement of squares and rectangles. This amazing photo has been modified to create a worn image and has been illustrated in black and white. This boardwalk reminds me of the times I have gone camping and where they have placed these tremendous boardwalks around the park, for hikers, or site seekers.  The trees are full of leaves and are reaching over the boardwalk and look as though as if they are consuming the boardwalk in the distance.   I think the photographer chose this photo because of the linear shapes involved. The position he captured this image in makes the boardwalk look as if it never ends and leads somewhere far within the woods.  If you took a walk on this boardwalk then you would see a bounty of nature as you go further into the woods.  The objects in the photo make it appear to be symmetrical, meaning, beauty as a result of balance. The frame that the photographer chose to put the photo in is white with a thick border, causing the image to have distance.

Morris, Hailey “Behind the Dark there was Light”.  This photo brings sadness to my heart. There are no boards to walk on and the water appears to be unruffled. The ghostly background reminds me of when Hurricane Katrina came through the Mississippi area and destroyed a lot of docks and fishing piers. The photo contains the bones of where I’m sure a domestic dock used to be. The several empty posts that are left shooting out of the water with some of the boards awkwardly slanted are still trying to connect the post together. The post lead to what remains of the dock that used to be, and now just sits there separated from what its attachment was to something greater and useful. The only remnants remaining are a roof and a few boards.    The photo seems to have been taken after a storm had finished coming through, ripping the planks from the dock and leaving it in a manor of destruction and forgotten state.  The sky is gray and dark with a few other light grayish clouds accompanying it. There are no birds in the sky and the sun is no where in sight.

Shippee, John “Cemetery Beach”.   The photo has a variety of colors and details involved within the scenery. There are naked trees, grayish water, and most importantly the different colors of blues in the sky. The shades of blue in the sky are light blue, dark blue, and a grayish blue.  The sky is occupied with white, fluffy clouds and the trees are bare without any leaves. For this, I think the name is a great title for this photo.   There are also brown, short and long tree logs that have washed up upon the orange, sandy, shore line. There are not any people in this photo; therefore the image looks as a deserted beach. This photo seems to have been taking after a destructive storm passed through, ripping the leaves from the trees and leaving the once beautiful beach in a desalinate state.  However, from looking at the vibrant blue sky you can see the beautiful white plush clouds pushing the dark menacing clouds away. This is where is see a sense of renewal and hope.  There will be one day when the leaves will begin to appear again amongst the branches of the bare trees, the tides will sweep away the debris and people will once again occupy the beach.

Landscape and landmarks will always change. Rather it’s due to the population, pollution, or mother-nature.  People will grow older, and the land will grow with us. I have always valued photographs as treasures of moments. All of these photos will one day be a part history showing the way things used to be and will be looked upon and someone will say “Remember when?”

Journal 1- ENC1101 TOPIC

The first time I went to class, I was nervous. I have never been a good writer, so I was a little hesitant when signing up. But overall the course was defiantly a learning experience. I learned some things but I am still a little challenged on choosing the appropriate words and placing them into a professional manner. Our professor was helpful but I think she glanced over the essays to quickly and the comments that she left were not very helpful. Now that I took ENC1101 I know how to build an outline and take a second to answer the few questions of what, why, where, when and how. One of my favorite essays to write is the informative. But it really helps when I have a list of options to choose from because it is still difficult to generate a good writing topic. But once I have a topic, I think I can finish all the way through with no problem.