"Group Minds" (RL)

     The main claim of Doris Lessing's "Group Minds" is that the individual has been lost to the power and influence of the group. She supports this by starting explaining the dynamic of a group and how easy people and their opinions become overtaken by the majority. She even describes an experiment that furthered proved her claim. Lessing does hint at the opposing claims of her argument and sufficiently so. She notes that people do believe that the power of the group is just a tradition of sorts; it is human nature. So why should it be changed? How? She acknowledges this opposing position as true. However, she still states that there is a problem to be solved. I think Lessing describes the issue well. She could have given a few more specific examples of when a group can overpower the individual. She also could have provided a better call to action by providing more ways to fix the issue.

"When Bright Girls..." (RL15 part two)

     In this essay, Susan Jacoby aims to prove that women are less capable in math and science, because young girls decide for it to be so. Girls are chosing to drop higher level math and science classes, opting to take classes in fields like Art. In result, these girls are limiting themselves form future success when these make slated choices. It is especially unfortunate as girls are only making these kinds of decisions because boys find "brains" unattractive, Jacoby says. To evade this, parents should only tell their daughters "No" when they try to get out of their Algebra and Chemistry classes.

     I do not relate with this essay, nor do I fully agree with Jacoby. Yes, women are statistically less capable in the math and science area. I do not agree, however, that a lot of girls are drop out of those types of classes because of boys. In my high school in Batesville, AR, my Honors Chem class had a ratio of 5:1, girls to boys, and there were just a many girls in my Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry class my Junior year. I, for one, simply do not like math, ever since I got a C in Pre-Cal/Trig and was introduced to The Math Zone. Boys were never an issue.

"Have It Your Way..." (RL15 part one)

     In "Have It Your Way: Consumerism in Education", Simon Benlow stresses the difference between consumers and students while it aims to make sure that the two are never one in the same. He, first, describes what a true consumer is. It is a passive buyer of goods and services and someone else's ideas, someone who can choice what he or she wants and how they want it, dismissing things they do not want. On the other hand, a student is an active learner who has to take part in their own learning experience, even though there are some rules and regulations they have to follow. Benlow states the confusing a consumer for a student is easily done. However, according to him, this should not be, as schools and colleges should not be places full of consumerism, unnecessary choices, and students who would rather have everything done for them.

     I can slightly relate to this essay as I was brought up in am extremely consumeristic world. Most people in my generation, including myself, are used to things being done for us. Even though I am not as affected as some of the students Benlow described, and I can easily see where he is coming from and just how right he is.

Not Homeschooling? (RL14)

1.)     Vaughan supports her claim that the public school system is an blatant advertisement for the government as better educators of children than their own parents by stating the tradition of the notion in a "post-feminist" world. This is true as the government funds the schools and it has final say in many of the issues that surround it. However, as Vaughan preaches that a major change is in order, she fails to realize that not all parents are "over-educated" and financially equipped like her, nor do they have the extra time to educate their own children.

2.)     Government Education has a school-to-work agenda because work is exactly what students are taught is a primary goal of school. I remember from a young age hearing things like "You have to get good grades so you can get a good job." However, that school-to-work agenda is slightly corrupted as students have a choice in what exactly what they want to do in the work field, how exactly they want to work.

3.)     I can see where a system of education that forces students to sit in a classroom all day is ineffective, as children can easily get bored and become uninterested and distracted by everything outside of what is being taught. I do remember times when particular lessons, whether they were taught when I was in fourth grade or a junior in high school, that went on far to long and I did space out in my own day-dreamland. However, I do not remember staying in any one classroom all day throughout my entire education career. In elementary and middle school there was recess, lunch, Computer class on Monday, Music class on Wednesdays, P.E. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Art class on Fridays. In high school, class periods and blocks were introduced. This is why Vaughan's description is inaccurate. She fails to mention all of these activities that a lot of students are able to take part in week by week. "[Sitting] in a classroom all day" is not exactly what students do on a day to day basis in the education system.

Floppy Disk Fallacies- Thesis (RL)

Even though there are many pros of their usage, computers have created a massive negative impact on education and the young students in the system, rendering them less creative, less social, and less imaginative.

"Kidz" by Take That (RL)

     This song is most likely one you have never heard of. It is "Kidz" by the British boyband, Take That. Take That was like the British version of the Backstreet Boys before the Backstreet Boys were the Backstreet Boys. Now, most of the members are pushing forty or are already in their forties, and they are still producing amazing music. "Kidz," from their most recent and hugely successful 2010 album Progress, is proof of that.
     "Kidz" is a song that mixes clever lyrics and repetition with futuristic instrumental beats and rhythms. With a haunting intro of a staccato cadence to Mark Owens's unique voice, it draws listeners in immediately. They stay glued until the end when what can be described as chaos with sounds of police sirens leads an outro. Beyond that, it has an awesome message. It acts as a warning, warning listeners of the state of the world and what will happen if things are not changed. It comments on government and where its true power lies and how it is used and overused. It notes the dangers of technology and science. Above all else, it simply states who will have to inevitably deal with all of these problems. The "kidz."

"Kidz"

Kings and Queens and Presidents

Ministers of Governments

Welcome to the future of your world

Through talking heads that took liberties

The monkeys learnt to build machines

They think they'll get to heaven through the universe

They say nothing

Deny everything

And make counter accusations

My friends, my dear, my love, my God

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out (come out)

There will be lots for them to talk about (about)

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out, when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey

What you looking at

Hey, hey, hey, hey

You want a bit of that

Hey, hey, hey, hey

There will be trouble when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out

Hey

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Who's the fairest of them all?

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly or the Beautiful

Because it's up hill and against the wind

With no-one there to let us in

Leave your thoughts and save yourself you fool

The daggers of science

Evolving into violence

We're not sure where the fallout blows

But we all know ·

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out (come out)

There will be lots for them to talk about (about)

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out, when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey

What you looking at

Hey, hey, hey, hey

You want a bit of that

Hey, hey, hey, hey

There will be trouble when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out

Hey

Out on the streets tonight

They're making peace tonight

They're making peace

La, la, la, la...

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

There will be lots for them to talk about

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

When the kidz come out, when the kidz come out

There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

"Feminism and The Vampire Novel"

     I read the Twilight series over a period of five days when I was fifteen years old. When the Twilight movie came out months after I finished Breaking Dawn, I was one of the first people in line to see it. To say I was a fan was a major understatement. I had every piece of memorabilia, and my stock stretched from things like posters and stickers to purses, bracelets, and board games. I had it all. Looking back on that time now, I feel a little foolish. It seems I had a huge misunderstanding of what the novels stood for, what they were missing, and what they were silently saying. For me, the Twilight novels were always just stories about a Vampire family living in a human world. I must have a low comprehension level when it comes to these types of books, because I apparently completely missed the point.
     "Twilight throbs with sexual longing, and this tension is part of what makes the books so compelling." Sexual longing never crossed my mind when I read any of the books. Whether or not it was because I was a fifteen year old freshman with no sexual tension of my own, I read right over this. When I was reading, I remember always waiting for the wise Carlisle or the awkward Jasper or the comical Emmett to make an appearance. I reread the scenes where the vampires were just being vampires. I speed read most of the dialog where Bella was whining about Edward or to Edward about being a mere human and not being able to love him completely. I just remember Bella and Edward's honeymoon and then Bella waking up covered in feathers. I guess my brain did not register all the dozens of times Bella practically threw herself at Edward's feet just because she wanted to be completely his, to have sex with him. Now, however, three years older, I see what I missed back then. Twilight does have a huge sexual theme, and I am kind of uncomfortable for having read the series when I was just a kid.

An Imperfect Reality (RL9)

1.) The Autism Speaks advertisement encourages us to think or realize that autism is much more prevalent than most people are aware of, and that the likeliness of a child becoming such things like a fashion designer is incredibly unlikely compared to that same child developing autism.

2.) Hollingsworth discusses the advertisement's key elements of color and organization. She perfectly analizes the colors in the image and shows how they add to the tone of happiness and creativity. This is all counteracted when one reads the slogan printed in front of those colors. She states that by organizing the layout of the ad to have the slogan most forward and the little girl and the colors all towards the back the message is loud and clear.

3.) The author connects the idea that the little girl in the ad is the 1 in 150 children that are diagnosed with autism with the idea that it could be any one child, the viewer's child. She also links the meaning behind Autism Speaks' logo with the many questions parents of autistic children may have. Finally, Hollingsworth finds a comparison between this single ad and all other ads that do the exact same thing, striking fear in us before shoving truth right down our throats.

My Ad...(RL7 part two)

I got the idea after I remembered hearing something about a man sueing some fast foot chain, because he couldn't fit in their booth. I knew exactly what I wanted to do from the start. However, I am not that skilled in photoshop or any photo editing program for that matter. I have no skills at all actually. So it did not turn out the way I wanted it to. This is what I ended up with after a few hours. I think the message is clear enough. At least, I hope it is.

Ads...(RL7 part one)

I chose this Ad, because of the debate it strikes up. The Ad, printed by the always controversial network, MTV, presents the number of fatalities that occurred on 9/11 and the number of deaths that have been a result of poverty. The ratio is incredibly disproportional; that much is true. However, the question that is posed, through my eyes, is "Which is more important? Those killed during the September 11 tragedy or those who fell to poverty?" In my opinion, poverty is a huge issue all across the world. It is a problem that needs a solution and needs it now. Still, 9/11 and the lives lost on that tragic day should never be forgotten.

This Ad sparked my interest because I am intrigued by the iconic figure printed on it, Abraham Lincoln, even if he isn't his normal thin size. The Ad is humorous while still presenting the serious issue of obesity. The slogan says it all, "If you don't move, you get fat." The Lincoln Memorial is the perfect symbol to use to make this point. Lincoln represents America, and America is an obese nation. The plaque at the bottom of the statue reads "Deutscher Olympicher Sport Bund" which in English is the German Olympic Sports Confederation. This organization issued the Ad. So from this, it can be assumed that the Germans are making an example out of Americans to its own citizens. The image has a clear target audience and the message is even clearer.

Watch this!

I strongly recommend this eight part mini-series to anyone who has the smallest interest in the incredible stamp on American history left by this iconic family. The story is moving and eye-opening and inspiring. The actors, which include Greg Kinear, Katie Holmes, and Tom Wilkinson in the roles of JFK, Jackie Kennedy, and Joesph Kennedy Sr., are superb. It just won four Emmys this past Sunday, which includes Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie for Barry Pepper who captured Bobby Kennedy perfectly, and each one was well desereved. If you can, check it out on Netflix.

Best X-Men movie?....I think so!!!

The Mighty Image (RL6)

2.) Johnson begins his essay by stating several hard questions Americans have to answer for themselves on a daily basis. What to wear, what to buy, what to drive, where to shop. The questions seems simple enough, but I agree with Johnson in that they are in fact difficult to answer at times. This is so because there are so many influences that weigh on each question, things like pressure from society and the status quo along with gazillions advertisements and images and the emotions and feelings that they evoke. By stating these questions and in the tone at which he did, Johnson displays to readers that he sees those influences on the simple things in daily life as a bad thing. That things like ads and images produce a hunger in people that cloud their better judgment and logic. It is trickery. He goes on to say that "people do make free choices only insofar as they are free from overt oppression, but they do not make choices that are free of culture." This quote reminds me of a memorable line from Supernatural- "Free will is an allusion." In today's culture, this reigns true. Yes, people make their own choices technically. But at the same time, those choices are not made in a right state of mine as average Americans are tricked and lured into a web of consumerism that has no true "escape...solitude and security." It only holds the allusion of all those things. So it seems that American culture is something corrupt and flawed and not something to be very proud of, and that is one tough pill to swallow even if it is true.

Rise of the Image Culture: Re-Imagining the American Dream (RL5)

1.) Thoman connects images and lifestyles by showing how one affects the other. She explains how images have altered the way people live their lives over time. Images have made people want more. They want to own more, want to do more, and want to be more than they were before, whether or not they fully need it. Yes, images have progressed the average lifestyle and standard of living, but Thoman highlights that there are some negative effects as well and that those effects need to be monitored.

2.) The main idea of the essay is that progressions in images have lead to many effects on people, both positive and not so positive effects, and that there are things the people can do to limit those changes today. The title of the essay focuses the reader on this main idea, because in nine short words in spells out that the image culture is rising and it is altering the American Drive, or way of living.

3.) Thoman uses history a key tool in stressing her main idea, because with it, she is able to discuss the changes in technology and imagery in chronologically order. Doing it this way, allows the reader to see that the changes happened consecutively and naturally with each advancement, from the basic camera to the radio to the television. She furthers her points by mentioning historic figures like Ronald Reagan and Ghandi and writing the opinions of other men including Oliver Holmes and Stehpen Garey.

4.) The essay is in part a call to action, because Thoman writes of all the ways she thinks people can counteract the power images have over them, or at the least make them less influential in negative ways.

5.) The last paragraph about the philosopher and the cave threw me off a bit. Maybe the author could have explained that scenario a little bit further for someone like me to understand, because it seems pretty significant. I feel like I missed the pivotal conclusion to the entire paper, and I wish I could say I didn't. Other than that, I think Thoman provided enough support for her points throughout her essay.

Can the 23rd get here already??

Speaks for itself.

And the best Dad of the year award goes to...

A Beat Education

RL4

1.) Leonard Kress writes about education as if it something that is flawed and insufficient. I think that he implies that children learn much more outside that classroom than they do inside of it.

2.) The larger discussion is education and where is it that students actually learn. Yes, the classroom is the main source of a child's learning, but there are other places where they can learn just as much. Like on a freight train.

3.) When I was about fourteen, I was just flipping mindlessly through the channels on my television. I randomly stopped on AMC to see what a movie titled "JFK" was about. I had always been a American history fan, but I had never really experienced that interest outside school. After watching an hour of this movie, my view on school, government, and my career path were completely different. I realized that the schooling I had already been through had not taught me everything I needed to know; I realized that the American Government can be a corrupt system; I realized that a strong need to become part of that American Government and history had struck inside of me. Now nearly five years later, I am working hard to to make that final realization part of reality.

The Thrill of Victory...The Agony of Parents

RL3

1.) The opening to Jennifer Schwind-Pawlak's The Thrill of Victory...The Agony of Parents is a very fitting one. With one word she pulls the reader in. Everyone has parents, whether they are present or absent so anyone who reads her essay should be pulled in for one reason or another. I definitely was. Schwind-Pawlak could have started with soccer right off the bat. Not everyone is a fan of soccer, so some of the audience probably would have turned away. Her focus was parents not soccer. I think she did just right in the direction she went.

3.) Playful. That would be the one word I would chose that describes the tone of the essay. While there a many moments when Jennifer Schwind-Pawlak is dramatic in her explanation and precise in her description, most of her story is quite fun and humorous. How she talks about her relationship with soccer in the beginning while she contorted her "fingers into chubby pretzels while singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider" made me laugh. When she mentioned how the only thing important to her was "looking cool while running down the field chasing a spotted ball," I could not help but smile. And when Jennifer talks about how she "inched toward" her coach just "to let him know [she] was there, I chuckled knowing how many times I myself have been in that situation. Trying to get someones attention oh so subtlety. All around, this essay made me laugh or at least crack a smile.

How I Lost My Junior Miss Pagent

RL2

2.) Throughout media the urge to be beautiful is prominent. In American culture, beauty comes from things like low weight, high income, expensive clothes, flawless skin, and luscious hair. This point is explained by Cindy Bosley in her essay, How I Lost My Junior Miss Pageant. She shows that beauty pageants are like a harvesting ground for the stereotypes that brainwash young girls from a very young age. It is a constant race to be the skinniest, the best dressed, the prettiest, and the richest. These things are imprinted into the minds of the youth by their parents, their teachers, their government leaders, and their favorite teen heart-throb. It is a societal tradition, and it affects young children more negatively than people may realize.

3.) I hate to admit it, but I have been affected by the way society views what is normal, desirable, and beautiful. I grew up a curly, red-headed, freckle-faced kid, who was always just a bit overweight. I lived in Arkansas from the ages of twelve to seventeen. In this part of the country, especially on school grounds, people looked a certain way, they dressed a certain way to be popular, and they acted a certain way. This was highlighted in things like the Physical Education program enacted by the Governor himself that forced every student to take part in a P.E. course every day for at least forty five minutes. It was shown in the yearbook annually when pairs of lucky students were voted most beautiful and best dressed. After years of being the kid who always knew the right answer but never said it out loud and being the one who watched as my friend went on dates and sat at the lunch table with the cute boy I had a crush on, I changed. During my freshman year in high school, I lost weight, bought girlie clothes, started straightening my hair, and even started to put on makeup. Today, can I say I am happier? Maybe. Yes, I get more compliments on how I look. But I am still the same girl I was on the inside before I altered how I looked on the outside. I am still the girl who guys would probably like to date, but don't, just like Cindy Bosley. That is fine, but like Bosley, I try to show my younger siblings and cousins and Godson that you do not have to be someone you do not want to be. Don't let society dictate what type of person you are. Just be yourself. I am sorry to say I did not practice my own preach.