Friday, October 31, 2008

#4 on page 135



In this picture there is an family of 'illegal immigrants' an 'American' and an 'Indian' standing by one another. The 'American' says "It's time to reclaim America from the illegal immigrants," then the 'Indian' says "I'll help you pack." This is a clear argument, one that you don't think of everyday, or probably haven't thought of since your last history class. The Indians were the first known people to settle in America, therefore making the Americans illegal immigrants as well. For the most part, Americans are arrogant and don't see themselves as settlers of the Indian's land, when in reality that's how it really is.

#3 on page 135




In this picture the children are sitting on the stairs covering their ears while their parents are at the bottom of the stairs arguing. The children are too young to leave the house, the only thing they can do is go into another room and try to drown out the noise. This picture makes a very good visual argument without the use of words. You can clearly tell what is going on in the picture by the children's expressions, and the body language from the adults and the children.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

harmful or helpful...why don't we just look at the camera

Security cameras are becoming more helpful to society, but at the same time also becoming more and more harmful. Security cameras can enhance, and undermine society. Security cameras should be used to help protect people, their rights, and their property. In an ever changing society people want to do the same thing to video tapes that would convict them of a wrong doing. Someone could alter a home video to show only certain parts of the video that they want people to see. Usually they are very careless and do a bad job of cutting out clips, and piecing the rest of the video together.

Video cameras in police cars can enhance society by putting criminals in jail, which makes society safer. They also protect the innocent citizens against an overly aggressive cop. Likewise they protect a law abiding police officer, and convicting a citizen of battery or resisting arrest. Video cameras are solid evidence in most cases, even though there are a few instances where the video could have been altered.

Security cameras can also undermine society. ‘Dirty’ cops or people in general, can be exposed to society through a well viewed security camera. We have all seen the videos on the news about the police officers who use too much force when arresting an individual, and then try to say that individual was resisting arrest. Or the tapes from a hospital waiting room, where an elder or handicapped person has fallen out of their wheelchair, and visitors and hospital staff walk by without acknowledging or helping the fallen victim.

There are also the shocking, but ever so common places where people find ‘security’ cameras, for instance in dressing rooms or bathrooms. The creeps who place these cameras use them for viewing pleasure, and sometimes to blackmail a harmless victim. These careless people eventually get caught and charged with a numerous number of crimes and sent to jail.

Security cameras are in many ways helpful in catching a wrongful person of an action. They keep people safe, and leave evidence to use in the conviction of a wrong doer. Security cameras provide solid evidence that supports the happenings of an event. One may be unconscious, but the camera can still catch the footage of what is really going on.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

claim worthy?

· Hurricanes are increasing in number and ferocity.

No. Hurricanes are part of the weather, which is random, therefore the numbers of hurricanes that occur are random and the ferocity can be predicted, but not determined until the hurricane has actually happened.

· Many people die annually of cancer.

Yes. You can explain what types of cancer are the most common to cause death among men, women, children, and certain age groups.

· Fewer people would die of heart disease each year if more of them paid attention to their diets.

Yes. If people would pay attention to their diet, they could make an effort to eat healthier foods, and live a healthier life, and fewer people would die from heart disease.

· Japan might have come to terms more readily in 1945 if the Allies hadn’t demanded unconditional surrender.

No. This is someone’s opinion, there isn’t any real evidence that proves that Japan would have come to terms easier under the above stated conditions.

· Boys would do better in school if there were more men teaching in elementary and secondary classrooms.

Yes. You can view the grades of boys in the classrooms of male teachers and the grades of boys in classrooms of female teachers to see what children have the better grades.

· The ever-increasing number of minorities in higher education is evidence that racial problems have just about ended in the United States.

Yes. The increasing number of minorities in higher education could be due to better motivated students, not to the decrease of racial problems.

· There aren’t enough high-paying jobs for college graduates these days.

Yes. There may not be high paying jobs for college students from one area of study, but there could be high paying jobs for college students of another field.

· Hydrogen may never be a viable alternative to fossil fuels because it takes too much energy to change hydrogen into a useable form.

Yes. If Hydrogen takes too much energy to be changed into a viable form, then it wouldn’t be a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

· Only one of the first forty-three presidents of the United States was a Catholic.

Yes. Most of these presidents are dead and we are unable to accurately confirm what religion each of the gentlemen believed.

· Political activists have grossly exaggerated the effects of the USA Patriot Act on free expression.

No. The opinion of the political activists, may be different from another person on the same subject.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Definitions

Graphic novels are serious literature: serious literature is a writing that has a meaning with importance.

Burning a nation’s flag is a hate crime: a hate crime is something done out of hatred or disgust towards someone, or something.

The Bushes have become America’s Royal family: the royal family is the family of the person in charge or the head of something important; the United States.

Matt Drudge and Larry Flynt are legitimate journalists: a journalist being one whose profession is journalism.

College sports programs have become big business: an area of business that is largely important to many who work in that area.

Plagiarism can be an act of civil disobedience: an act that goes against what a law or rule states.

Satanism is a religion properly protected by the First Amendment: something that one strongly believes in, and lives by as a way of life.

Campaign contributions are acts of free speech: something that may be said without being punished by the authority or law.

The District of Columbia should have all the privileges of an American state: a province or area that is independent, but still under the rule of a larger government.

Committed gay and lesbian couples should have the legal privileges of marriage: the joining of two people, who wish to proceed with their lives together.

My thoughts of the war

There were quite a few new blogs that I haven’t read, so that was very exciting for me. In the first blog, a military wife who is stressed out by everyday life, and wants to be able to talk to her husband more than 15 to 20 min every other day. I think she should get the kids a sitter or send them to their one of their friends, or a relative’s house for a couple of days so she can regain her sanity, and have some peace and quiet to herself. The second blog was pictures from the Babylonian ruins, a few of the soldiers received permission to go into the ruins. Usually American soldiers aren’t allowed to go onto the premises, but the overseer made an exception for them. The pictures were really cool, and the soldier had some captions that explained the ‘history’ of what was in them. Another blog that I read was a tribute to four soldiers that were killed in action, and one who was severely injured. The soldier was reminiscing on the good times that all of these guys had together, and how each one passed on something to the new soldiers that will live on forever. This tribute makes you rather sad, especially if you can relate to what this soldier is going through. Finally the last milblog was rather funny. The soldier was telling a story of how he always wanted to drive one of the ‘jingle trucks,’ and he finally had the chance. He wasn’t very good at driving the truck, since he didn’t have any experience, but it made all the other soldiers laugh. To top that off he saw an Afghan riding down the road on a motorcycle. He pointed at himself, and then put his arms up like he was riding a motorcycle; the Afghan stopped, and let the soldier ride the motorcycle for a while.

Before entering this class I was never really for or against the war. I didn’t like the fact that what seemed like to me was our soldiers were just getting killed all the time, and there weren’t any signs of progression towards the end. Being in the class has slightly altered my unbiased thought of the war. Reading the milblogs and responding to the soldiers, and reflecting on my thoughts have opened my eyes tremendously. I see that the soldiers are helping protect the innocent people, and trying to restore the order in a country that truly needs it. Even though I’m still not all for the war, I can see more of the positive aspects, and I have more of an open mind about the subject.

Patriotism

To me patriotism means being loyal to your country at all times, and supporting what it stands for and does. There are many people who are patriotic; it’s not just veterans’ of one’s country. Patriotism is shown in many ways; some are more drastic and noticeable than others. Some people put flags outside of their house, others have more attention-grabbing ways; like this guy who decorated his entire car with the bumper stickers that say “I’m heartbroken for NY.” There is no right or wrong way to be patriotic, or any law that says you have to be a patriotic person. I believe you should support your country because they do so much for you, even if you disagree or are ungrateful for what is being done.