You'll be happy to know that the teacher evaluations are reviewed by upper division administration. I know that the Dean and Provost are given reports of the evaluations because instructors with high ratings get letters of commendation. I really like your CD, especially your lyrics, which could be applied to a real song. Very powerful! Thanks so much for coming back to the last day of class for a big group hug! It meant a lot to me. Good luck with your summer staff job!

Blog #12

My ideal university has many components. First of all, physically the landscape would be very aesthetically pleasing, with lots of beautiful landscaping and a clean living environment. This is important to me because living in a healthy environment helps keep students emotionally happy. Living situations would be a lot different as well. Sleep is something that a lot of us, as college students, end up sacrificing because of our busy schedules and different stresses. Class times are sometimes very unaccommodating for those students who have other commitments or are trying to get jobs. I think another important part of the ideal university is the available student services. Mason excels in this department, offering a variety of helpful learning tools as well as mental health services. My ideal class would be a creative learning class which would encourage thinking outside of the box and allow students participate in activities that force them to do things they wouldn't normally. The most important part of a university should be the way the staff motivates their students to excel and succeed. Having a bad professor can turn a student off to their entire learning experience, and the feedback of the students during teacher evaluations should be taken seriously and under advisement by the human resources department. 

Blog #10

1. The visual and textual rhetoric of the shirts doesn't elicit much of a response from me in one way or another. I know I had the shirt on the bottom when I was in middle school, and I used to wear it proudly because I thought it was a statement and I thought it was a cool way of letting people know that I am a religious person. I don't think I would have bought the shirt on the top because of the way it portrays Jesus as a "homeboy" in the literal sense, instead of saying it in a way that is usually interpreted as a term of endearment. When people use "homeboy", it can mean two different things. For the shirt on the top, it is meant to mean a "gangster," or a "hoodlum." For the shirt on the bottom, it is supposed to mean that Jesus is someone that you defend like one of your own "homeboys". I am probably the most religious person in my group of friends. I attend church every Sunday, and I grew up in the church. Neither shirt offends me, but I can see why some people might interpret it as offensive.

2. "Christians see it as a way to both show and propagate their faith." 324
To me, this is an example of why these shirts should be thought of as a way of exposing their faith and letting people know that they are openly Christian.

3. If the shirts only had the text, I'm sure some people would still find offense in them, but the the image portrayed in the second shirt is much different from the first. The second one is the generic image of Christ with his hands pointed towards the sky and his face looking humble and solemn.

4. The rhetorical message that interpreted was that yes, religion should not be considered a trend of any sort, but the idea of people being able to openly express their faith is a big step, and maybe the humor in the shirt is an easy way to let people know that you have some sort of religious beliefs.

People have their own personal relationships with Christ. In my eyes, whether you call him "Father God" or your "homeboy", the fact that you have some sort of interaction with your faith is what is most important. Either way, nobody has the same path in their faith, and nobody can really say whether it is wrong or right.

Album

Stop the Violence
Genre: Acoustic Folk
Explanation: This song will tell the story of a young child caught in the middle of the gunfire of rivaling gangs. The song will argue that the child would be fine had there been more stringent gun control laws to prevent violent men and women from being able to purchase weapons without extensive background checks. The song’s chorus will be sung by a children’s choir.

We lost you too young, we’ll never forget.
They took you away from us without regret.
If those politicians could feel how we feel,
they would have voted yes when there was that appeal.
Six years old, not time enough
to do all the things that you were capable of.
Playing hopscotch on the street corner,
car rolled up didn’t even see look to see her.
Three gunshots to the chest,
one for every million tears cried when we laid you to rest.
Semi automatic colt 45
got into the hands of a murderer.

Clean the Air
Genre: Indie
Explanation: Clean the Air is a song about the need for clean air and water and how much of an effect it’s having on global warming. The song will incorporate actual sound bytes from nature such as running water and birds chirping. It will start out as an upbeat and happy song and slowly turn into an ominous and dark song to represent the changing atmosphere of our planet.

The Art of Prevention
Genre: Alternative
Explanation: This song will touch on the issue of the use of birth control and the need for sex education instead of abstinence only education. The song will make indirect reference to the Bristol Palin pregnancy and how that is proof that abstinence only education does not work and actually causes more harm.

Mend the Wounds
Genre: Country
Explanation: Mend the Wounds speaks about the current state of the relationship between the United States and other foreign nations after eight years of a failed presidency. The song will include sound bytes from political leaders as well as the sounds of warfare like bombs being dropped and gunfire.

Eye for an Eye Leave the Whole World Blind
Genre: Folk
Explanation: This song will touch on the issue of Capital punishment and how government sponsored killing is not a humane form of punishment. The song will talk about past cases where people have been executed and then later proven innocent.


Album:
The album name is “Issues We Face.” The album cover is black and white and has a very simple picture of a hand holding up two fingers to symbolize the peace sign. It is very simple and rather ominous to reflect the difficulty that a lot of these issues cause. Inside the cover there will be a booklet of the lyrics as well as pictures from all around the world of warfare and starving children as well as images from catastrophes like the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

Strong analysis in all blogs. Good work!

Blog #5

Steroids have been a very relevant subject in the recent years with the discovery of multiple athletes in various sports being caught using these performance enhancing drugs. This is a good collection of interviews and information because it present both sides of the steroid argument. It brought up historical instances of steroid uses which led to court hearings and even Senate hearings. The video doesn't really go deeper into the known side effects of steroid uses and how they really help people perform better. They show people working out but it doesn't really show how it would help athletes. I've never been a supporter of steroids, so while I think they can be used responsibly, I don't think they should be allowed. I think they can be used responsibly in the same way that certain drugs can be used responsibly, but at the same time, what is the point? You sacrifice a lot for a tiny good feeling. 

I think the standards for high school athletes and professional athletes should be the exact same but very harsh. The whole meaning of sports has changed with this new steroid craze. Athletes need to do things the natural way and not cheat their way through the sport. I think people do steroids to be the best, not to do their best. If it were about doing their best, people would be more focused on working as a team instead of working on their selves and their own specific body issues. 

The whole time that I was watching this video I was thinking about the WWE wrestler who just a few years ago snapped and shot his little girl and his wife in their home and then took his own life. Investigators ended up linking it to a random mood swing caused by the hormones in the steroids he was using. This alone should be enough of a reason to outlaw them. The risks are much more than the benefits. 

Freewrite #2 Opposing Stance

The most important priority in any college or university is to recieve a college education. Students should not choose schools based on what their party restrictions are. The restrictions recently imposed at Georgetown University are strictly for the safety of the student body. Alcoholism is rampant among many colleges and universities around the country and Georgetown has decided to put a stop to it on their campus. In order to teach students a lesson, D.C. police will now be arresting students for drinking related violations instead of issuing citations (Georgetown Students). People should not need alcohol to have an exciting and eventful college experience. Georgetown University has organized many new weekend activities that are alcohol-free in order to keep students entertained. Drinking has many risks that can often lead to problems.

Freewrite #2 2/18/09

I think that the new restrictions on parties at Georgetown will end up hurting the school more than helping it. Georgetown is a university known for it's prestige and academia, never for its wild festivities or dangerous parties. Take George Mason, for example. Our students are absolutely fed up with the campus police, and it seems as though their main purpose is to get people in trouble instead of providing for our safety. I have never been to a party on campus, which does not mean there are not parties, it just means all of them require some sort of transportation to an off campus location, which means more risk. The rates of drunk driving will no doubt increase. At Georgetown, the police have said that they will no longer be issuing citations, but instead will be arresting students for any party-related incidents. Honestly, what is the purpose of that? That is a waste of the taxpayers money as well as a waste in effort on the side of the police. In a place like Georgetown, there are much bigger issues for the police to tackle, like gang violence, drunk driving, and drugs. An article in the Washington Post written by Suzan Kinzie states that at Georgetown University, "Parties in university-owned housing are limited to 25 or 35 people...or 50 in a back yard or on a roof. One keg per party. Students have to register parties...Two over-21 hosts have to register...hosts are required to be trained in safety and liability issues." These so called solutions to the party issue are complete overkill. Every college in America has some sort of a party scene, and creating hurdles for partying on campus will only make people go off campus, not stop it completely. That does not eliminate danger, but instead creates it. The article states that the surrounding communities in Georgetown have been in complete uproar over the new regulations because the parties are ending up in their neighborhoods. 2nd District Commander Andy Solberg has said that there have been more community complaints in the first two weeks of school than he has ever seen.
Not only have these regulations been upsetting the student body of the University, but they have also taken a toll on the community. Strict regulations like this will undoubtedly affect the enrollment of the university. When looking at schools, potential students are not only looking at the academics of an institution, but also at the social scene because that will be their home for the next four years of their lives. In the end, Georgetown will find that these new restrictions will only turn students away from the university. The school is known for its competitive academic nature, and the students should be able to let loose on the weekends after five days of grueling hard work.

Paraphrasing

When taking notes, it is best to not use direct quotations because students tend to overuse them in their papers. James Lester says that only about 10% of any paper should be directly quoted from a source.

Blog #4

The first article argues that over time the design of male action figures has become increasingly animated, and sometimes these action figures cause men to scrutinize their own body features. This scrutinizing can lead to anxiety issues such as body dysmorphic disorder and muscle dysmorphia disorder.
The authors of the article cite actual measurements of old and new action figures and compares their heights and width measurements of various body parts. The media is illustrated in the article as the body responsible for the new modern portrayal of the male action figure. The second article argues the exact opposite, saying that the figurines should be thought of as toys and not as actual ideas of what the male body should look like.
Franke-Folstad writes that a superhero is supposed to look unrealistically large and not like normal human men. The tone in the first article is very professional, supported by facts and limited use of first and second person. The second article is very opinionated and has a very sarcastic tone, created by the use of comedy and wit and rhetorical questions such as, “But a plastic doll?”
As far as my own personal assertions about the articles, I have very little opinion about them because both arguments have valid points. Personally, I hated barbies as a child and they only interaction I had with them was blowing them up on the fourth of July with my brother. I don’t know if I have as much of an issue with their size as I do the way that the Barbie and Ken dolls look and the gender roles that they instill in children.
I don’t think that children should play around with barbies that wear the tight miniskirts and tube tops because I think that lets kids think that dressing like that is appropriate. Nobody will ever be able to have the body of a Barbie, but I don’t think it’s an issue to make barbies the way they are made because they are supposed to be fictional characters, not a portrayal of actual characters.

Freewrite

If I could change one thing in the world...

This past winter I went to Russia to visit about 7 orphanages. The trip really had a profound impact on me and the way that I now view the world. The fourth day that I was in the country, we took a trip to a baby orphanage in Sergeiv Posad and those images will always haunt me. Seeing the conditions that those children live in and the way that they are treated has changed me as a person. I think about those kids every day, and I see their faces all the time. These kids are fed next to nothing because the orphanage workers do not want to have to change their diapers. I saw children with their legs curled up to their stomach from staying in a bed without being moved for months on end. I saw the bloated bellies from children who hadn't been fed in days. While in Sergeiv Posad, I felt like I was going to be woken up from the nightmare I was experiencing. It still seems surreal, but I know it was not a dream. It was the most shocking thing I've ever experienced without question. The structure in Russia is what is setting these kids up for certain failure. Russians believe that every orphan has some sort of deficiency, whether it be a cleffed palate, mental retardation or some sort of emotional issue. The majority of orphans are deemed "imbesiles" because they come with so much emotional baggage from the abandonement they've experienced. There are close to 1 million orphans in Russia in orphanages and another 1.2 million orphans living on the streets.
When we visited Orphanage #11 in the outskirts of Moscow, I met a 3 year old named Sasha and I fell in love. I think about Sasha everyday. I think about what will become of him, what the orphanage has planned for him, and what he's doing at particular moments of the day. I only spent a few hours with him, but he was the sweetest child I've ever met. Him and I became extremely attached, and at the end of our time together he asked me when I was coming back to see him. I have to go back to Russia. Being back in the States has led me to constantly feel guilty. I've learned that instead of feeling guilty for all that I have, I instead need to use what I have to help kids like Sasha. Sasha and I communicated quite well, yet the orphanage has said that he has a high level of mental retardation, which is completely false. Knowing that they have labeled Sasha this scares me very much, because when orphans are labeled this, they have very little hope for the future.
If I could change one thing it would be the Russian orphanage system. It is cruel and unfair and is in desperate need of reform.

Blog #3

What would you say about giving drug users, addicts, and dealers a public forum to share with one another the best ways to use drugs, sell drugs and get high?  Pro ana websites and blogs are no different in concept. These websites and blogs give young women an outlet for destruction. These girls are promoting an unhealthy way of living life that can ultimately lead to death. Young girls should be encouraged to always think of themselves as beautiful no matter what weight they are. These girls believe that beauty is solely based on outward appearances. These sites give the girls a forum to post up their height, weight and daily eating habits so that others can help them figure out the best eating disorder instead of helping them figure out how to lead a healthier, happier lifestyle. 

There is no doubt that the users of the pro ana websites and blogs suffer from a variety of different kinds of depression and anxiety about their looks. In Mim Udovitch's article, "A Secret Society of the Starving", one of the user reveals that the site was a way for her to connect with people in similar situations as her. These girls are desperate to hear from people who are experiencing the same thoughts and fears about their weight, and through this site they know that they are not the only ones and there are other people with similar mindsets. The users of these websites develop close relationships to the point where they can actually expose to one another their true feelings. While the habit itself is undoubtedly very unhealthy, the website itself is not at all. 

Within the past few decades, eating disorders have become a huge problem among young teenage girls. They are a huge problem that is now connected to psychological issues with their body image and self esteem. While these diseases are incredibly unhealthy and can cause major problems, sites that provide a public forum for young girls to connect to one another about their issues can be a good way of girls to develop close relationships with people they can relate to. With the support that these sites provide, the girls can show the public that these eating disorders are very serious, and passing judgement only causes more problems. The good part about these sites is that they are open to the public, so if people who knew something about these disorders and could contribute positively to the girls, they could just as easily post up some helpful information about these disorders. 

Fallacy

Ad Hominem

"She's a Lawyer, so why should we trust her?"

Hasty Generalization

Did you hear about the lawyer who was fired for embezzlement? Those lawyers will do anything for money.

Blog #2

My initial reaction to this ad was that it was a joke. If Reebok was really going to only sell these shoes to runners and not joggers, they wouldn't make ANY money. The elements that stood out to me the most were the tone and the interesting examples used to make the point. The tone was condescending, sarcastic and rather patronizing. 

I do run, I'm not sure if I'm a jogger or a runner in these standards, but I consider myself a runner because I push myself very hard when I go for a run. I hate the treadmill, and I refuse to do cardio inside. I played travel soccer for a good portion of my adolescence and that taught me to be a runner. I had a very mixed feeling about the ad because I wasn't taking it seriously. The ad didn't really affect me at all because it seemed like it was just for fun and to get people's attention. 

The first thing I noticed after going through both chapters of the page was that it makes a lot of references to contemporary ideas and modern living styles. For instance, it talks about plasma t.v.'s and cars that know how to parallel park themselves. The ad uses comedy as one way of grabbing the audience's attention. The layout was very different and unique for a running site and I felt that the dark colors complimented the tone of the ad. 

 The values that are promoted are pushing yourself, working hard, not giving up, and doing what most people cannot and will not. The values that are discouraged are laziness, taking your body for granted and not staying in shape. 

I don't think Izumi alienates the jogging population or even marketing advantages in dividing the running population from the jogging population because I don't think the line between the two is clearly drawn. The examples he cites can be discredited. I think if anything it makes people want to try harder and reach the intensity described by Izumi as running. 

The ad appeals to the logos because it is true that a lot of the time you hear on the news that bodies are being found by runners. It can be discredited because you can always say that a runner is going for a jog, so once again the line is not clearly drawn. It appeals to the ethos because at the end it jokingly guilts you into finding the people who are going missing, as if it were more of the runners duty than the police themselves, referring to it as your civic duty. It appeals to Pathos by citing the beginning of the t.v. crime show where someone stumbles upon a dead body, putting emotional images into your head. The type of appeal strongest to me is ethos. 

I think the most effective ad in selling the product would be the first one with the we are not joggers campaign. I think it is much more motivating and inspires more people to get out and run instead of promoting a relaxed, less aggressive style of running(wouldn't he call that jogging, anyways?). The second ad makes me feel like putting on my old running shoes instead of going out and buying a brand new pair to wear while I'm out finding dead bodies!

Blog #1

The entire site for this America's Army video game is very elaborate and well organized. While it's not very colorful or visually appealing, it follows the military theme very well with the digital camouflage and "Army Strong" details. There is hybrid text all over the site with the different links and features of the game. Also, at the bottom right of the screen, there is a "comic series", which is rhetoric aimed at entertaining the audience. The use of "For the first time in the history of the America's Army franchise..." is a way of enticing the user into playing the game. The site seemed very misleading to me. The title at the top of the page, "Every Detail Counts" really bothered me. Sitting behind your computer in the comfort of your dorm room playing some computer "shootem' up game" is nothing like the real thing. Honestly, if you're good at a video game, it doesn't say anything about your ability on the real battlefield.

The intended audience in any U.S. Army sponsored video game or event is potential soldiers and recruits. This is the type of media that the Army needs to branch out to our generation because we are a technology based generation and it is no secret that the computer is the best way to communicate with people our age. The website's rhetoric does appeal to it's audience quite well. The site promotes the sense of unity and pride that the military is known for.

I completely agree with Navy veteran Boyle that the website indoctrinates the ideology of war. The site makes war seem like it's some sort of a game, which is incredibly disconcerting to me. The war we are fighting right now should not be seen as exciting or fun, it's very serious and very dangerous and the killing has not ceased. I know a lot of people fighting right now, and and a few of them are on the front line. Their war experiences do not relate to this video game. They remember the faces of the people they kill and they can't just close their computer after the day is done.

I don't think this video game promotes violence or aggression like other video games do. A lot of games promote violent, bloody, gory, senseless killing for drugs or cars or money. In that sense, I think it should be put in a separate category of video games. At the same time, however, warfare should not be a form of entertainment or fun.

I have a lot of friends in the Army, Marines and a few in the Navy. A few of them saw the military as a way to get away from their problems, but really all of their problems are still going to be here when they get back from war. The military is a very honorable career and it takes a lot of courage to do a job like that.

Blog #1

 

My cousin, Lizzy(right, 19) and her husband, Brennan(19) before his deployment to Iraq as a sniper.