Peer pressure happens frequently in our society. We generally hear of it when it's something bad, like another kid tried drugs or alcohol for the first time because his best friend called him a girl. Peer pressure has a negative connotation; people just think that if your friends are going to tell you to do something, it's going to be something that you could get in trouble for. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes peer pressure can actually be good.
In my life, while I have been pressured into things that I shouldn't have done, I've also been pressured into things that were good for me. For example, even coming to this school. When I first started the SOS class, I didn't think I could do it. I had decided that I was just going to go to my home school, even though I really didn't want to go there. My mom knew this and basically did what Macbeth's wife did to him, but in a nicer manner. Still, the message was there, that I was a wuss for backing out of something that I was good at and that I shouldn't end up hurting myself just because I was scared I'd fail.
Literature in general is based on society. Without people being influenced by what they see in their daily life, I'm sure a lot of great novels would not exist. Shakespeare's work, including Macbeth, is a very good example. Macbeth's wife calls him out when he decides to not follow through with the plan. She insults his manhood and uses her words to bring him down a few levels, maybe to her level, so he'd do what she wants him to do. This shows that people have been using peer pressure for a very long time, and that even then, when it happened it was generally negative.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Digital Literacy
Kids and teenagers of this and future generations have something that previous generations never had: the ability to use technology to benefit their learning and influence their futures. Students can use the Internet to find more information on a subject than they could by going to the library and spending hours searching books. We use everything, including phones, computers, and the internet to help us with our education and as our social life.
The rate of information being put out into the world is increasing. For a lot of us this means that potential careers can be created or challenged instantly. Even what we learn in school may not be the same in a number of hours from the time we learn it. Digital literacy is very important because it allows us to find out what we need to know when we need to know it. Before textbooks for classes would only be put out every couple of years. Now, if a valuable piece of information comes up, we can just find it ourselves. Digital literacy will play a large part in my education in the future because what I will learn will have something to do with technology. My career will most likely end up being something in computers.
I think I have mastered digital literacy because I use it every single day. I use my cell phone, the internet to do my classes and just to waste time, I create images on my computer, and I rarely ever use a pencil anymore. I believe that most teenagers have since they all have either a MySpace or a Facebook and definitely a cell phone. Unfortunately, a lot of them don't use correct spelling and only use abbreviations, which carries over into their school work. However, I prefer to use capitals and actually spell things correctly, even when I'm not doing school work.
With technology advancing every hour, people will pretty much have no choice but use something digital. Being digital literate is something that everyone has to be in order to be able to get a job or go to school.
The rate of information being put out into the world is increasing. For a lot of us this means that potential careers can be created or challenged instantly. Even what we learn in school may not be the same in a number of hours from the time we learn it. Digital literacy is very important because it allows us to find out what we need to know when we need to know it. Before textbooks for classes would only be put out every couple of years. Now, if a valuable piece of information comes up, we can just find it ourselves. Digital literacy will play a large part in my education in the future because what I will learn will have something to do with technology. My career will most likely end up being something in computers.
I think I have mastered digital literacy because I use it every single day. I use my cell phone, the internet to do my classes and just to waste time, I create images on my computer, and I rarely ever use a pencil anymore. I believe that most teenagers have since they all have either a MySpace or a Facebook and definitely a cell phone. Unfortunately, a lot of them don't use correct spelling and only use abbreviations, which carries over into their school work. However, I prefer to use capitals and actually spell things correctly, even when I'm not doing school work.
With technology advancing every hour, people will pretty much have no choice but use something digital. Being digital literate is something that everyone has to be in order to be able to get a job or go to school.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Art Critique
The piece I chose is actually the entire Frederic C. Hamilton building. The building was designed by Daniel Liebskind, a world renowned architect. Construction for the building started in 2003 and the building finally opened in 2006. There are still some parts of the building that need fixing. I chose the entire building because I noticed that it made people feel differently and it's unlike any other building I've ever been in.
When you first approach the building, you instantly notice how there are a lot of points and that the building has an obscure shape. None of the walls, except for fire safety and elevator shafts, have 90 degree angles. The walls are white and the steel beams go from the ground floor, up through other floors and to the ceiling. There are 2,750 steel beams used and roughly 50,000 bolts. The amount of steel used in the building is three times the amount of steel used for buildings that are the same size. Any wall that was not designed by Liebskind is a light yellow color. There are several places in the building where the walls are slanted, making you want to lean with the wall. In a few areas, there are gaps between the wall and the floor and because of the walls slanting, they had to fill them in. It was very interesting to be able to go to the section of the building that actually stretches and points out over the street. I both liked and hated this building. The building made me and a few other people feel like our center of gravity was changed. For me, this didn't really happen until I looked down the atrium and after that my stomach was upset and I had vertigo. I liked this building because it's a very creative and interesting design. It kind of reminded me of something that would belong to some alien race.
The Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Liebskind, was the most interesting thing on the trip for me. I'd seen the construction of the building when I was younger and only got the chance to go see it this time. Although it made me feel strange, I would definitely love to go inside the building again to see all the parts of it I didn't see before.
When you first approach the building, you instantly notice how there are a lot of points and that the building has an obscure shape. None of the walls, except for fire safety and elevator shafts, have 90 degree angles. The walls are white and the steel beams go from the ground floor, up through other floors and to the ceiling. There are 2,750 steel beams used and roughly 50,000 bolts. The amount of steel used in the building is three times the amount of steel used for buildings that are the same size. Any wall that was not designed by Liebskind is a light yellow color. There are several places in the building where the walls are slanted, making you want to lean with the wall. In a few areas, there are gaps between the wall and the floor and because of the walls slanting, they had to fill them in. It was very interesting to be able to go to the section of the building that actually stretches and points out over the street. I both liked and hated this building. The building made me and a few other people feel like our center of gravity was changed. For me, this didn't really happen until I looked down the atrium and after that my stomach was upset and I had vertigo. I liked this building because it's a very creative and interesting design. It kind of reminded me of something that would belong to some alien race.
The Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Liebskind, was the most interesting thing on the trip for me. I'd seen the construction of the building when I was younger and only got the chance to go see it this time. Although it made me feel strange, I would definitely love to go inside the building again to see all the parts of it I didn't see before.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
"Reaper's Image" story
After a very successful business trip, the Rug Merchant was finally home. As much as he enjoyed traveling, he always loved the feeling of returning home. Of course, that was probably because after every trip, the Rug Merchant would buy something, usually an antique or some extravagant art. This time it was the DeIver mirror. The Rug Merchant heard stories about it, strange ones, the most memorable being the one about the English Duchess. He wasn't quite sure of the particulars, but she received it as a gift from her fiancée. Long story short, they never had their wedding, nor was she ever seen again.
The Rug Merchant shook his head at such a ridiculous story. He wasn't interested in creepy stories, no, he was interested in the art of the mirror. He set the mirror down with a clunk and decided he'd get someone else to hang it up. He actually could've gotten someone else to bring it in for him, but his staff couldn't be trusted with such a magnificent piece as the DeIver mirror. Standing back from the mirror, he noticed that it probably wouldn't match well with the room, but he wanted to relax after his trip and he wanted to do so with his prize. The Rug Merchant admired it for a few minutes before leaving the room.
If the Merchant had stayed, he'd have noticed something odd in the mirror. It could only be described as the feeling it brought with its appearance: unsettling. In a short while, he came back in, cigar in one hand and a drink in the other. Setting his drink on the table to his side, he nestled into the velvet chair across the mirror. The Rug Merchant lit his cigar and began to study the mirror. It was a beautiful piece, created by one of the greats. The Rug Merchant sat eying his reward, inhaling the contents of his pipe ever so often. He did this until his drink and cigar were gone. He'd sitting with his head back and eyes closed when he opened them.
As if his eyes were forced down, he suddenly looked at the mirror as it appeared to be shattered with a dark figure in it. Immediately, the Rug Merchant sat up and jutted his head out at the mirror. He stared at it for a few minutes before slowly getting up and cautiously walking over to the piece. Transfixed, the Rug Merchant wasn't aware of one of his maids entering the room. He stood in front of it, looking at the dark figure. His maid looked at him and the mirror. The Merchant was known around the house for his strange moments, and this wasn't any different. She walked up to him.
“Sir?” she asked hesitantly. Startled, he turned toward her. He shook his head and managed a smile.
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to get you another drink sir? Maybe some more whiskey or brandy?”
“N-no, I'll get it myself.” If the maid hadn't been working for the man for a few years, she would've thought that his voice was strong and that nothing was wrong. However, she could hear how shaky he was.
“Okay, sir.” She smiled at him and on her way patted him on his arm. He jumped. Once she was out of the room, he looked at the mirror. It was perfect. Maybe that drink was stronger than I thought. Sighing, he walked over to the table where his glass sat. He approached the door to the room where he kept the alcohol. Pausing, he turned back, looking at the mirror, reflecting beautifully. The Merchant chucked and walked through the door.
An hour later, his maid came back in. Her eyes looked at his chair, and then scoured the room upon seeing he wasn't there. “Sir?” she called out. No answer. “Sir?!” A little bit louder this time. Shrugging, the maid turned off the lights went back to her quarters for the night. He must've gone to bed. A few days later, there was a page mentioning the disappearance of the Rug Merchant.
The Rug Merchant shook his head at such a ridiculous story. He wasn't interested in creepy stories, no, he was interested in the art of the mirror. He set the mirror down with a clunk and decided he'd get someone else to hang it up. He actually could've gotten someone else to bring it in for him, but his staff couldn't be trusted with such a magnificent piece as the DeIver mirror. Standing back from the mirror, he noticed that it probably wouldn't match well with the room, but he wanted to relax after his trip and he wanted to do so with his prize. The Rug Merchant admired it for a few minutes before leaving the room.
If the Merchant had stayed, he'd have noticed something odd in the mirror. It could only be described as the feeling it brought with its appearance: unsettling. In a short while, he came back in, cigar in one hand and a drink in the other. Setting his drink on the table to his side, he nestled into the velvet chair across the mirror. The Rug Merchant lit his cigar and began to study the mirror. It was a beautiful piece, created by one of the greats. The Rug Merchant sat eying his reward, inhaling the contents of his pipe ever so often. He did this until his drink and cigar were gone. He'd sitting with his head back and eyes closed when he opened them.
As if his eyes were forced down, he suddenly looked at the mirror as it appeared to be shattered with a dark figure in it. Immediately, the Rug Merchant sat up and jutted his head out at the mirror. He stared at it for a few minutes before slowly getting up and cautiously walking over to the piece. Transfixed, the Rug Merchant wasn't aware of one of his maids entering the room. He stood in front of it, looking at the dark figure. His maid looked at him and the mirror. The Merchant was known around the house for his strange moments, and this wasn't any different. She walked up to him.
“Sir?” she asked hesitantly. Startled, he turned toward her. He shook his head and managed a smile.
“Yes?”
“Would you like me to get you another drink sir? Maybe some more whiskey or brandy?”
“N-no, I'll get it myself.” If the maid hadn't been working for the man for a few years, she would've thought that his voice was strong and that nothing was wrong. However, she could hear how shaky he was.
“Okay, sir.” She smiled at him and on her way patted him on his arm. He jumped. Once she was out of the room, he looked at the mirror. It was perfect. Maybe that drink was stronger than I thought. Sighing, he walked over to the table where his glass sat. He approached the door to the room where he kept the alcohol. Pausing, he turned back, looking at the mirror, reflecting beautifully. The Merchant chucked and walked through the door.
An hour later, his maid came back in. Her eyes looked at his chair, and then scoured the room upon seeing he wasn't there. “Sir?” she called out. No answer. “Sir?!” A little bit louder this time. Shrugging, the maid turned off the lights went back to her quarters for the night. He must've gone to bed. A few days later, there was a page mentioning the disappearance of the Rug Merchant.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Obama's State of the Union Address
President Obama said many things during his State of the Union Address. He spoke about several topics including the economy, health care, taxes, and education. The part of his speech that hit home the most was the latter. There is a specific quote that I feel conflicted on.
During his talk on education, President Obama says numerous times that the United States drop out rate in college and in high school is the highest its ever been and the worst out of all the industrialized countries and that we need to do something to fix it. Obama proposes that everyone should get their high school diploma, saying, "And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country - and this country needs and values the talents of every American." I do agree with this to a certain extent. I was very close to dropping out of high school and going for a GED and a job. The only thing that stopped me was my age. Some people are more cut out for high school and the usual social things that come with it. Others don't want to waste time and just already get a GED so they can get a job and go to college or trade school that fits with what they want to do. Two of my friends, one of whom got his GED when he was 16 is already at a trade school to get started on his career, have already done this or started. A lot of other kids aren't motivated enough to get their high school diploma and go to college and don't realize that the benefits it will have. They don't see a goal of getting them and
I think that a lot of the focus should be to help students determine what they want to do before they start high school. though still allowing them to have the freedom to change their minds, and then have different levels of high schools dedicated to what people want to do. This is much like Germany's education system, which goes from teaching kids in elementary school similar to the United states and then from there three different branches: Hauptschule (grades 5-9), Realschule (grades 5-10), and Gymnasium (grades 5-13)*. Hauptschule teaches the same things as the other two, but it does it in a much slower time line, with classes dedicated to specific careers. Once they finish, they enroll part time in vocational school with training until they're 18. In Realschule, there's more vocational options and if the student changes their mind about what they want to do, they can go on to the Gymnasium, which is the higher level. Gymnasium gets students ready for college and universitys and the most common subjects are language, sciences, and math. Teachers in elementary recommend where the student should go based on how the perform academically, confidence, and how well they work alone.*
It's a nice idea of having every child graduate high school and college, but with our current education system and unless we somehow motivate them when they're younger, I can't see the United States having the highest percentage of college graduates by 2020. No one in my immediate family, including my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and 80 year old grandparents have every attented college. My maternal grandmother barely graduated, my grandfather and other grandmother didn't graduate and neither did my mom and dad. Only my siblings, aunt and stepfather have graduated. I think that Obama has a very good thought about what needs to happen in education, but how are we supposed to go to college when our parents didn't?
*http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html
During his talk on education, President Obama says numerous times that the United States drop out rate in college and in high school is the highest its ever been and the worst out of all the industrialized countries and that we need to do something to fix it. Obama proposes that everyone should get their high school diploma, saying, "And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself, it's quitting on your country - and this country needs and values the talents of every American." I do agree with this to a certain extent. I was very close to dropping out of high school and going for a GED and a job. The only thing that stopped me was my age. Some people are more cut out for high school and the usual social things that come with it. Others don't want to waste time and just already get a GED so they can get a job and go to college or trade school that fits with what they want to do. Two of my friends, one of whom got his GED when he was 16 is already at a trade school to get started on his career, have already done this or started. A lot of other kids aren't motivated enough to get their high school diploma and go to college and don't realize that the benefits it will have. They don't see a goal of getting them and
I think that a lot of the focus should be to help students determine what they want to do before they start high school. though still allowing them to have the freedom to change their minds, and then have different levels of high schools dedicated to what people want to do. This is much like Germany's education system, which goes from teaching kids in elementary school similar to the United states and then from there three different branches: Hauptschule (grades 5-9), Realschule (grades 5-10), and Gymnasium (grades 5-13)*. Hauptschule teaches the same things as the other two, but it does it in a much slower time line, with classes dedicated to specific careers. Once they finish, they enroll part time in vocational school with training until they're 18. In Realschule, there's more vocational options and if the student changes their mind about what they want to do, they can go on to the Gymnasium, which is the higher level. Gymnasium gets students ready for college and universitys and the most common subjects are language, sciences, and math. Teachers in elementary recommend where the student should go based on how the perform academically, confidence, and how well they work alone.*
It's a nice idea of having every child graduate high school and college, but with our current education system and unless we somehow motivate them when they're younger, I can't see the United States having the highest percentage of college graduates by 2020. No one in my immediate family, including my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and 80 year old grandparents have every attented college. My maternal grandmother barely graduated, my grandfather and other grandmother didn't graduate and neither did my mom and dad. Only my siblings, aunt and stepfather have graduated. I think that Obama has a very good thought about what needs to happen in education, but how are we supposed to go to college when our parents didn't?
*http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/germanschools.html
Friday, February 20, 2009
Media Bias
For a long time, the media has been biased. After World War II, the news in America would only show anti-Communist information, movies would be against it and any other small source would be biased. In Communist countries, it would be the exact opposite and against capitalism and America. Today, the media is still very biased. The only thing that's changed is how many sources there are. For example, people can now do a search on the internet for something, but instead of just getting one side of a topic, we can now get both. Movies, books, music, television and local news all have a bias. In class, we read two separate articles about the raid in Pakistan, with one portraying the air strike as necessary and the other said that the raid was just a waste of time and killed civilians.
Many television stations as a whole are biased, although they try not to be. For example: NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX News, and many others. I think that the media will always be biased because everything comes from somebody who has their own opinions; people just need to find out what they believe for themselves and try to find common ground by comparing two or more different sources. Unfortunately, a lot of people may not think this. With the internet, a lot of people just believe whatever they read. Many people got 'Interesting Facts' in e-mails or it may have been a page in websites. Since they were reading it on the internet and they might have seen it multiple times, people assumed those facts were true. If they'd done research, however, they would have come across a site called snopes.com which is a fact checker for things on the internet and what people commonly hear. This website proved those 'facts' to really be false, including, "Each year, you swallow 7 spiders and other bugs during your sleep."
I think things will continue to be biased for a long time, especially with the way technology is advancing. Instead of believing it, people should start finding out for themselves on whether or not information is true.
Many television stations as a whole are biased, although they try not to be. For example: NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX News, and many others. I think that the media will always be biased because everything comes from somebody who has their own opinions; people just need to find out what they believe for themselves and try to find common ground by comparing two or more different sources. Unfortunately, a lot of people may not think this. With the internet, a lot of people just believe whatever they read. Many people got 'Interesting Facts' in e-mails or it may have been a page in websites. Since they were reading it on the internet and they might have seen it multiple times, people assumed those facts were true. If they'd done research, however, they would have come across a site called snopes.com which is a fact checker for things on the internet and what people commonly hear. This website proved those 'facts' to really be false, including, "Each year, you swallow 7 spiders and other bugs during your sleep."
I think things will continue to be biased for a long time, especially with the way technology is advancing. Instead of believing it, people should start finding out for themselves on whether or not information is true.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Graduation Speech
Michelangelo once said, "If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn't call it genius." This quote is incredibly true for high school; you spend four years of your life, preparing yourself for the rest of it. If you can graduate from high school, you can do anything.
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