Literature Analysis #3

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)

1. It's about the life of Gandhi.
2. It's because Gandhi was a fantastic philosopher.
3. I choose this book because I wanted to learn more about the life of Gandhi.
4. I found this book to be realistic because it is an biography. I made connections to this book because of its life philosophies.

PEOPLE:

1. The author reports his own interpretations from what he has heard because the book is a biography so another person wrote about Gandhi's life. I don't think if I've met the subjects that they would be different. The author choose to write this book because of Gandhi's life lessons and philosophies. The author's tone is informational.
2. The only character present in this book is Gandhi. I think if he were in a fictional book he'd be interpreted as a brilliant, skinny old man.
3. The protagonist is Dynamic because at first he is studying aboard in order to help his country. It wasn't until he was in England where he actually read one of the most important cultural books about his religion.
1. The book only supplies the reader with direct characterization. For example when he was in England where he actually read one of the most important cultural books about his religion. Another example would be when he dubbed the title of Mahatmaji meaning "Great Soul" in Hinduism.
2. No I don’t think the author tries to capture change in this book. He’s strictly just stating fact about Gandhi.
3. The protagonist is Dynamic because at first he is studying aboard in order to help his country. It wasn't until he was in England where he actually read one of the most important cultural books about his religion.

4. I feel like I read a person in this book. The book didn't supply me with emotions or feeling that Leonardo felt didn't get to know who he was. I only learned what he did.

STYLE:

1. The author uses a journalistic style because of the fact that it is a biography and the author is just stating the facts about Gandhi.

2. The author uses lengthy descriptions on people and places that were present in Leonardo’s life. With this we learn where Gandhi visited and the people he communicated with.

3. In this particular piece of writing doesn't the author doesn't really express mood or tone.

4. I think the writer is completely fascinated by Gandhi; in fact, he states that he is a fan of Gandhi's philosophies.

5. The author used historical documents as a resource to his writing. I do think it matters, because it’s important to know where I’m receiving this information from and if that resource is reliable.

ENDURING MEMORY:

The one thing I will remember about this biography is the philosophies and life lessons that are in here. Gandhi is an amazing person that changed how the world viewed peace. We need more people like him for a gentler world so we can all live in harmony.

7 TIMES

Her tone is like a sincere questionable tone. That makes the reader feel more. The facts are that a 12 year old boy was holding a toy gun and the police confused it with an actual gun. The police told the boy to drop the weapon but he failed to listen and instead turned around pointing the gun at them. They shot hit 7 times, two of which were fatal. There is a difference in information between the blogs posts. Erica's blog fails to mention the polices' motives for shooting the boy after he turned around aiming the gun at them. Erica concludes that the police had no reason to shoot the boy 7 times when only 1 shot is enough for him. Erica gives us that caring tone which makes the reader feel more. Her writing style also impacts the reader. The way she includes the question "why 7 times? " makes the reader think in her perspective. The boy shouldn't have been shot 7 times. Erica's post is a lot more emotional impacting that Javi's. It's because of the tone she used. Javi's post on the other hand is more informational because he wrote it like an article in the newspaper. He even provides a picture of the toy rifle the boy used being compared to a real rifle. After reading Erica's and looking at the picture Javi provides it makes the impact of Erica's post decrease. I honestly thought that it was a toy rifle that can obliviously be seen as a toy and that the police overreacted. Then that change when I saw Javi's picture. The toy rifle actually looks like a real rifle. I can imagine why the police would have mistaken it for the real thing because they look a lot similar.

RACIAL PROFILING LIVES ON

Notes:
•Supreme Court’s interpretation of that provision gives the police frighteningly wide discretion to follow, stop, question, frisk and employ excessive force against African-Americans and Latinos who have shown virtually no indication of wrongdoing

•The officer would be free to chase someone even if he had no reason to believe that they had violated any law

• Officers could argue that a man “looked Mexican,” and therefore believed that he was undocumented and could stop him

•Officers could stop and frisk these individuals for weapons based on the officer’s “reasonable suspicion”

•Supreme Court has made clear that simply being in a “high crime” (which often means a predominantly black or Latino) area can be a factor in determining whether a person is armed and dangerous

•The victory leaves in place a higher body of law, Supreme Court doctrine, that continues to expose African-Americans and Latinos to surveillance, harassment, violence and death

•stop-and-frisk practices of the New York Police Department violate the Constitution

•ruling by Judge Scheindlin, of the Federal District Court in Manhattan, does nothing to disrupt the authority the Supreme Court has given police officers to target African-Americans and Latinos with little or no basis

•the Supreme Court has held that people do not have a right to know that they can say no to an officer’s request to conduct a search

TOOLS THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK

The internet and media can change the way we think because it is easier to find. The internet has a vast pool of information in it whether some of it is true or some of it false. Same thing with the media. We can just turn on the TV on put it on the new channel. Propaganda is on the media and internet so they change the way we think so we can agree with who ever made it. The trick to having all this information at our fingertips is knowing what is credible and what is not. There is good things about this too like for example the generation now is exposed to different things that the older generation wasn't. Computers, internet, smart phones, etc. This allows the newer generation to multitask and get things done quick. It helps educational growth when put to good use. An example would be this blog. I am learning many new things as open the doors of education and internet use. The articles I have read and the posts I have written have been brought together by what makes my opinion where it gets changes sometimes from when I read something or not.

VOCABULARY #9

Ultimate - adj. Being or happening at the end of a process; final
Their ultimate aim was to force his resignation.
Interactive - adj. (Of two people or things) influencing or having an effect on each other
Fully sighted children in interactive play with others with defective vision.
Principle - n. A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning
The basic principles of Christianity.
Guidance - n. Advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty, especially as  given by someone in authority
He looked to his father for inspiration and guidance.
Collaboration - n. The action of working with someone to produce or create something
He wrote an art and architecture in collaboration with John Benjamin.
Formative - adj. Serving to form something , especially having a profound and lasting influence on person's development
His formative years.
Summative - n. The process of adding things together
The summation of numbers of small pieces of evidence.
Intelligence - n. The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills
An eminent man of great intelligence.
Racism - n. The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races
The isn't as much racism in the US today as there was 40 years ago.

WHAT I SEE IS ALL IN MY HEAD

I noticed the gorilla in the video because I like to use all my vision. I have that peripheral vision. I can pay attention to one thing while slightly paying attention to another like in the video.

FILTER BUBBLES

I already knew this from my experience on the internet. None of this is new for me. This makes people know that they are not in control of what they search for. Everything is personalized which may seem good but down under it's not. Not everybody will be able to get the same information of the internet thanks to these filter bubbles which makes the internet seem redundant. The internet was made to give everybody the same information as the next person and being able to connect to everybody (excluding different government restrictions on internet use). In order to have that intended goal they need to reduce the affect of filter bubbles like have an option to when we want related searches or not. In order to give us that control. In the meantime we can use search engines that do not keep a history to give us a broader view of results.

VOCABULARY #8

Cursory - adj. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detail
A cursory glance at the figures.
Impetus - n. The force or energy with which a body moves
Hit the booster coil before the flywheel loses all its impetus.
Pinnacle - n. The most successful point; the culmination
He had reached the pinnacle of his career.
Contumely - n. Insolent or insulting language or treatment
The church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely.
Bereavement - v. Be deprived of a loved one through a profound absence, esp. due to the loved one’s death
The year after they had been bereaved.
Cache - n. A collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place
An arms cache.
Consummation - n. The point at which something is complete or finalized
The consummation of a sale.
Calamity - n. An event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster
The fire was the latest calamity to strike the area.
Avarice - n. Extreme greed for wealth or material gain
A lot of rich people have avarice.
Fortify - v. Strengthen with defensive works so as to protect it against attack
The whole town as heavily fortified.
Erratic - adj. Not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable
Her breathing was erratic.
Ubiquitous - adj.  Present, appearing, or found everywhere
His ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family.
Fortitude - n. Courage in pain or adversity
She endured her illness with great fortitude.
Nonchalant - adj. Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
He has a nonchalant attitude towards school.
Affect - v. Make a difference
The dampness began to affect me health.
Effect - n. A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
The lethal effects of hard drugs are bad.
Misappropriate - v. Dishonestly or unfairly take for one’s own use
Department officials has misappropriate funds.
Pragmatic - adj. Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretically consideration
A pragmatic approach to politics.
Metacognition - n. Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought process
While sitting on my desk metacognition struck me and I answered the question correctly.
Devoutly - adj. Having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment
She was a devout catholic.

VALUE OF LEARNING/VALUE OF LIFE (What Is a Life Worth?)

PRE-READING

Surveying the Text:
1.)    It’s unfortunate that I've never read a thing from a Time Magazine.
2.)    Time is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. Time has the world’s largest circulation for a weekly news magazine, and has a readership of 25 million, 20 million of which are in the United Stated of America.
3.)    The articles in which are included in the Times Magazine vary. Some examples of the latest articles are:
·         Arrest in Los Angeles Airport Ice Explosions
·         Trial of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Leaders Nears End
·         Thousands Protest in Flood-Hit Chinese City
4.)    Honestly the readership can be anyone. It can vary from someone bored one day and decides to read the magazine to my Government teacher Mr. Wagner, who does in fact read the Times Magazine. I asked my teacher why he reads the magazines and his response was that he doesn't like to be ignorant on the things that are happening around the globe. He likes to stay informed.

Making Predictions and Asking Questions:
1.)    I predict that the article will take some time to recognize the loss and suffering of the families that were affected by the tragic event that took place on September the eleventh. The government has an idea of how many lives were lost that day and how much of an impact it had on the economy.
2.)    I think the articles relate with each other in the fact that they both try to make the reader recognize that all life has value. One of the examples given to us is the tragic day when terrorists invaded the US and crashed into both of the largest buildings of their times on September 11, 2001. One that day many people lost their lives or if they didn't die they were severely injured. It was one of the saddest days in history. Imagine losing a loved one to such a tragedy. I wasn't even alive at the time and I feel a lot of sympathy to the people who lost a loved one that day.
3.)    I don’t think the articles will continue in that vein. In fact, I think that it’ll merge off into explaining how all this sorrow could have been prevented. How the military could translated the terrorists plans in English before they made a move. I honestly don’t understand how we were so clueless of the attack.

Understanding key Vocabulary:
1.)Compensate-(Verb) Give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred.
2.)Disparity-(Noun) A great difference.
3.)Valuation-(Noun) An estimation of something’s worth, especially one carried by a professional appraiser.
4.)Ligation-(Noun) The process of taking legal action.
5.)Commodify- (Verb) Turn into or treat.
6.)Discretion- (Noun) The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid casuing offense or revealing private info.
7.)Liability- (Noun) The state of being responsible for something, especially at trust, will, or life insurance policy.
8.)Beneficiary- (Noun) A person ho derives advantage from something.
9.)Tort- (Noun) A wrongful act or an infringement of a right leading to civil legal liability.
10.)Allocation- (Noun) The action or process of allocating or distributing something.

Emotion-Laden words:
1.)Squeamish- (Adjective_ Easily made to feel sick, faint, or disgusted, especially by unpleasant images.
2.)Garish-(Adjective) Obtrusively bright and showy.
3.)Gall-(Noun) Bold, Impudent behavior.
4.)Callous-(Adjective) Showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
5.)Inconsolable- (Adjective) Not able to be comforted or alleviated.
6.)Indigent- (Adjective) Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.
7.)Balk-(Verb) Hesitate or be unwillingly to accepting an idea.

Descriptive Terms:
1.)    Rorschach test-(Noun) A procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability.

 Thanks to my colleague, Matthew Berumen for posting the pre-reading section:
http://matthewberumen327.blogspot.com/



 READING

After reading the “What is a Live Worth” article, I can only imagine the suffering people went through during this time period and the types of issues that people had to go through. They range from gruesome deaths, painful emotions and/or to things just being unfair or having no justice. One example they use that show how things can be really unfair or having no justice, is of a man by the name of Joseph Hewins who was barreled over on a wintry evening in 1845. Hewins had spent his work day shoveling snow off of the tracks only to be killed by a train and leave behind a wife and three children, who were already poor before he died. Had the train merely cut off one of his legs, the railroad would have paid him but because he died, he took all of his legal claims with him. A little over a century later, is when the courts started to put a price on a life, after death. They can tell you that an average valuation, an injured knee can be about $200,000. Another example of major issues such as gruesome deaths and/ painful emotions is the 9/11 attack that every American knows and never want to experience again. There were many, many deaths and more injuries. Thanks to families now getting money for their relative’s deaths, they got something back but nothing they could get could replace the loved one they lost. Even with the $2 billion in charity money, all together it was just chump change compared with the cash that will flow out of the government coffers. Feinburg is a big public speaker and he explains why not even $250,000 is not enough for a life, he gives an example of a now fatherless nephew and says, “Have you ever seen a twelve-year-old boy have a nervous breakdown?”. He goes on to say how that nephew will never be as happy with the $250,000 compared to the happiness his father would give him and that painful emotion is spread throughout the family. The government now sees what you have done and the family circumstances to decide how much the family should get, but as I have said before, no amount of money will ever replace the life of a loved one. In this article, I see the word “life” not really describing the person’s body or soul but more so what they have done while they were alive and what they contributed to society.

 Thanks to my colleague, Carlos Serrano for posting the reading section: http://carlosserranoexpo.blogspot.com/

POST READING

Activity 31
1. Well I can say that the text tries to be unbiased. I know that the government is trying to do the right thing to compensate the families but it's hard. It is hard to put a price of a human life.
2. The evidence that the author gives are things like his personal stories, with those we can really see how the families felt and dealt with things. It gives us that emotional appeal and makes us feel sorry for them.
3. Considering this was published by Time and written by a women who seems to have personal experiences with this topic I’d say this information is pretty accurate. I'm pretty sure that Time Magazine would carefully check the text before publishing this article. I can trust this magazine and this article.
4. This text uses more factional evidence than anything else. The tone didn't set the mood for an emotional side. It just told us straight out facts of what happened and of the stories of the victims.

VALUE OF LEARNING/VALUE OF LIFE

This week I'm going to begin and complete my Literature Analysis 3. It is going to be time consuming and I will need to plan it out. Then I'm going study this weeks vocabulary because there is a test on Friday. I have other homework assignments as well but it shouldn't be too hard to jungle everything.

MELANCHOLY GRAD

Today is the day you shed your former self. You are a different person who will venture into the unknown. No one knows exactly what will come after this moment but don't lose hope. Go with what your heart tells you and with what you think is right. Sometimes the road will get rough and it would seem that you have lost your way but don't fret. For even in the darkest dark there will be a faint light that will mark the way. That light is your hope and dreams.

Literature Analysis #2

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)

1. The book is about an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson.
2. The author chooses to write about this event because it is life's greatest lesson. He and his old college professor write their last thesis together.
3. My friend recommended this book to me because she said I was sure to like it. She was right. The way the book was broken up got me sucked in. I wanted to keep reading and reading.
4. I found the book to be very realistic. I felt that I was also a part of the story. The lessons that Morrie gave were absolutely terrific. I want to incorporate them into everyday life like he says to do.

PEOPLE

1. The author's choices say that he is a very caring person. He stays with Morrie to the very end and even goes to writing a book for him. He wrote the book as a present for Morrie. It was their last thesis together and Mitch really wanted to share what he had learned with Morrie to the world. The author's tone is sincere and it gives it a good flow for the story.
2. Mitch is a successful sports columnist who only thought about being more successful as any other adult would but that changes as the story goes on. He becomes a dynamic character who changes how he thinks in a way. The lessons he learns from Morrie impact his life deeply. He is losing a very close friend and at the same time learning some of life's greatest lessons. Morrie is an old man who is on his death bed. He's adventure by death's door is an interesting one for he doesn't mope around that much. He instead lives life to the fullest for one last time.
3. The bond that they shared is the most interesting thing to write about. They have a special bond as teacher and student. They know each other on a personal level and have a beautiful friendship.
1. "Yes. Detaching myself" is an example of direct characterization because he's stating that he is detaching himself. He is telling the reading exactly what he is feeling. Another example of direct characterization is when Morrie says "Mitch, I don't allow myself any more self-pity than that. A little each morning, a few tears, and that's all." You can tell that he doesn't feel sorry for himself that much as other people do when they are faced with an illness. An example of indirect characterization is when Morrie says "You need someone to probe you in that direction. It won't just happen automatically" I know what he was trying to say. We all need teachers in our lives. Another example of indirect characterization is when Morrie says “It’s like going back to being a child again.” He is saying that he is helpless again. The nurses have to do everything for him.
2. The author doesn’t use any syntax change when he focuses on a character but he does use diction change. He makes Morrie seem more gentle and kind but maybe that’s how he just is.
3. The protagonist is dynamic for he changes as the story goes on. He starts applying some of the things he and Morrie talk about in life. All those lessons and teachings he is putting to good use.
4. I felt that I actually met the character because it seemed so real. Morrie had that personality, that even though it was in a book, he grabs you and makes you feel warm inside. He is a very kind and outgoing old man with a lot to give to the world. It’s hard to choose textual evidence that explains my reaction for it is the whole book that explains it. “Everybody knows they’re going to die,” he said again, “but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently.”

STYLE

1. The author uses journalistic writing for the whole book is about the Mitch and Morrie’s Tuesdays that they spend together.
2. The author focuses more on the dialogue. The overall effect of this is to give the reader more emotion to what is going on. That way the reader can feel that he/she is actually in the room when Morrie and Mitch are talking.
3. I don’t know of any tools that the author used in this book.
4. The author’s attitude was toward the subject. The book was all Morrie’s idea and it was too referred to as a final thesis between him and Mitch. All the focus was about them and what they talked about on those Tuesdays.
5. The author offers interviews in the story. It mattered to me because I felt that Morrie deserved to be interviewed and listened too.

ENDURING MEMORY

One idea that I will remember from this book is to how to give out love and to let it come in. Morrie talks about this with Mitch and explains that we are all human beings no matter the race or color. We all have to same beginning and ending as well. I found this to be important to me because I know it is true. I have always found human interaction interesting and wondered why we don’t just get along. Another idea I will remember from this book is to love each other or perish.  It’s by a poet name Auden and as Morrie explains it I found it to be true. He says that without love we are like birds with broken wings. Love is what makes us keep going for humans are social creatures.

VOCABULARY #7

Cursory - adj. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detail
A cursory glance at the figures.
Impetus - n. The force or energy with which a body moves
Hit the booster coil before the flywheel loses all its impetus.
Pinnacle - n. The most successful point; the culmination
He had reached the pinnacle of his career.
Contumely - n. Insolent or insulting language or treatment
The church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely.
Bereavement - v. Be deprived of a loved one through a profound absence, esp. due to the loved one’s death
The year after they had been bereaved.
Cache - n. A collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place
An arms cache.
Consummation - n. The point at which something is complete or finalized
The consummation of a sale.
Calamity - n. An event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster
The fire was the latest calamity to strike the area.
Ubiquitous - adj.  Present, appearing, or found everywhere
His ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family.
Fortitude - n. Courage in pain or adversity
She endured her illness with great fortitude.
Nonchalant - adj. Feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
He has a nonchalant attitude towards school.
Affect - v. Make a difference
The dampness began to affect me health.
Effect - n. A change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
The lethal effects of hard drugs are bad.
Misappropriate - v. Dishonestly or unfairly take for one’s own use
Department officials has misappropriate funds.
Pragmatic - adj. Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretically consideration
A pragmatic approach to politics.
Metacognition - n. Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought process
While sitting on my desk metacognition struck me and I answered the question correctly.
Devoutly - adj. Having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment
She was a devout catholic.
Avarice - n. Extreme greed for wealth or material gain
A lot of rich people have avarice.
Fortify - v. Strengthen with defensive works so as to protect it against attack
The whole town as heavily fortified.
Erratic - adj. Not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable
Her breathing was erratic.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

To act or not to act is the question. Whether it is better to not do anything and keep the problems or to change oneself and end all those problems. Should I change with this world or should I just stay the same? It's a decision that is bothering me. To be alone is to think and to think is to change. And there's the thing that in thinking will bring change and that's where we can be free of the world. When we think will give us time and that's what makes life long. To take that risk to bring change is something that is unknown will cause fear to come out. That's what stops us. We think to much of what that change or unknown will be and that makes us less likely to purse it. We will act on what we know to be true in the end. To me the meaning of to go against the current in order to change yourself or the world speaks out to me the most. It's because I want to change myself for the better and change the way our world works. That's a reason why I want to become a professor. I want to teach and impact the student.

TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT

Hamlet and Steve Jobs both have different views about the value of life. In Steve's speech it is basically saying that we should listen to our hearts and intuitions because they know what we want to do. It also says that we shouldn't waste time living someone else's life. We should live our own life and to the fullest. Hamlet on the other hand values life as a struggle with oneself. He says in the soliloquy "Thus Conscience does make Cowards of us all" its basically saying that the more of you think about a decision the less likely you will do it. The soliloquy relates the reader because Hamlet is facing problems that everybody faces like how he, only one person, can make a difference. It's those little things that make this something to remember.

DEAR STEVE

The way Jobs described the value of life was more obvious. He put it out there for the reader to pick up. Jobs said "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." which is something that we already know from an adult telling us, a movie, or etc. I agree with him 100% because it's your life not theirs. Jobs also says in his speech that we shouldn't let other peoples' thinking get to us. In the third to last paragraph it says "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." which I think is something wise to say. We live in a world where people care too much on what others say about us and it affects our thinking because all we want to do it fit in. That quote gives reassurance to the people who are in the border of going with what others say or staying with what they think is them. Overall Steve Jobs is saying that we should live in the moment and seize the day. We should follow our hearts and intuition because they already know what we what to do, somehow.

Netvibes

Okay so this website is a website where you can get more productive, social, informed, etc. It has different layouts on what you what the dashboard to look like. I choose the productivity one because I want to see if this can really get me to be more productive. I will make the dashboard my homepage to Google Chrome and will try it out for a week. If I don't see an improvement then I will just change the homepage back to what I had it before which is a bunch of websites that are put into tabs because they are the ones that I use the most.

vocabulary: fall #6

Adroit - adj. Clever or skillful in using your hands or mind
He was adroit at tax avoidance.
 Amicable - adj. Having a spirit of friendliness without serious disagreement or rancor
There will be an amicable statement of the dispute.
 Averse - adj. Having a strong dislike of or opposition to something
As a former CIA director, he is not adverse to secrecy.
 Belligerent - adj. Hostile and aggressive
A bull-necked, belligerent old man.
 Benevolent - adj. Well meaning and kindly
She had a benevolent smile that touched my heart.
 Cursory - adj. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
A cursory glance at the figures.
 Duplicity - n. Deceitfulness; double-dealing
If intricate duplicity is what you like, read on.
 Extol - v. Praise enthusiastically
He extolled the virtues of the Russian people. 
 Feasible - adj. Possible to do easily or conveniently
 A road feasible for travel.
 Grimace - n. An ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expression ing disgust, pain, or wry amusement
She gave a grimace of pain.
 Holocaust - n. Any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life
The Holocaust was the mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
 Impervious - adj. Not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable
The coat is impervious to rain.
 Impetus - n. A moving force; impulse; stimulus
 The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city's cultural life.
 Jeopardy - n. Hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury
For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
 Meticulous - adj. Taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough
A meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.
 Nostalgia - n. A wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time
A nostalgia for his college days.
 Quintessence - n. The pure and concentrated essence of a substance
He's the quintessence of arrogant ruthlessness, yet he's awkwardly innocent.
 Retrogress - v. To go backward into an earlier and usually worse condition
To retrogress to infantilism.
 Scrutinize - v. To examine in detail with careful or critical attention.
As you point out, it depends on which part of history you choose to scrutinize.
 Tepid - adj. Moderately warm; lukewarm
He grabbed some tepid water.
Accede - v. Assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty
The authorities did not accede to the striker's demand.
Brandish - v. Wave or flourish (a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement
Brandishing his sword, he rode into battle.
Comprise - v. Consist of; be made up of
The country comprises twenty states.
Deft - adj. Neatly skillful and quick in one's movement
A deft piece of footwork.
Destitute - adj. Without the basic necessities of life
The charity care for destitute children.
Explicit - adj. Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
The speaker's intentions were not made explicit.
Extirpate - v. To remove or destroy totally; do away with; exterminate
To extirpate an unwanted hair.
Inopportune - adj. Not opportune; inappropriate; inconvenient; untimely or unseasonable
For one, this one doesn't run out of bullets at inopportune times.
Ironic - adj. Using or characterized by irony
His mouth curved into an ironic smile.
Musty - adj. Obsolete; outdated; antiquated
Those are some musty laws. They date back to the 18th century and don't apply to modern life.
Officious - adj. objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice
These officious, self-important twerps can do whatever they want, alas.
Ominous - adj. portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious
An ominous bank of dark clouds.
Pinnacle - n. the highest or culminating point, as of success, power, fame, etc.
The pinnacle of one's career.
Premeditated - adj. done deliberately; planned in advance
A premeditated murder.
Rampant - adj. violent in action or spirit; raging; furious
 A rampant leopard.
Solace - n. comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort
The minister's visit was the dying man's only solace.
Stately - adj. majestic; imposing in magnificence, elegance, etc.
A stately home.
Supple - adj. bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible
A supple bough.
Suppress - v. to put an end to the activities of (a person, body of persons, etc.)
To suppress the Communist party.
Venal - adj. willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary
A venal judge.

NO CHILD LEFT UNTABLETED

In this day and age the US educational system is changing. More and more schools are getting tablets or iPads. This is a new technique on how to use technology to teach a classroom. It seems like a good idea but the way they are using it seems like it can backfire. They want to use the tablets in class almost all the time. I feel the students will misuse the tablets and start playing games or surfing the web on unrelated things.

vocabulary: fall #5

Adroit - adj. Clever or skillful in using your hands or mind
He was adroit at tax avoidance.
 Amicable - adj. Having a spirit of friendliness without serious disagreement or rancor
There will be an amicable statement of the dispute.
 Averse - adj. Having a strong dislike of or opposition to something
As a former CIA director, he is not adverse to secrecy.
 Belligerent - adj. Hostile and aggressive
A bull-necked, belligerent old man.
 Benevolent - adj. Well meaning and kindly
She had a benevolent smile that touched my heart.
 Cursory - adj. Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
A cursory glance at the figures.
 Duplicity - n. Deceitfulness; double-dealing
If intricate duplicity is what you like, read on.
 Extol - v. Praise enthusiastically
He extolled the virtues of the Russian people. 
 Feasible - adj. Possible to do easily or conveniently
 A road feasible for travel.
 Grimace - n. An ugly, twisted expression on a person's face, typically expression ing disgust, pain, or wry amusement
She gave a grimace of pain.
 Holocaust - n. Any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life
The Holocaust was the mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
 Impervious - adj. Not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable
The coat is impervious to rain.
 Impetus - n. A moving force; impulse; stimulus
 The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city's cultural life.
 Jeopardy - n. Hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury
For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
 Meticulous - adj. Taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough
A meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.
 Nostalgia - n. A wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time
A nostalgia for his college days.
 Quintessence - n. The pure and concentrated essence of a substance
He's the quintessence of arrogant ruthlessness, yet he's awkwardly innocent.
 Retrogress - v. To go backward into an earlier and usually worse condition
To retrogress to infantilism.
 Scrutinize - v. To examine in detail with careful or critical attention.
As you point out, it depends on which part of history you choose to scrutinize.
 Tepid - adj. Moderately warm; lukewarm
He grabbed some tepid water.

DECLARATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE

I am planing on doing a smart go as my declaration of learning independence. I envision myself as a mathematics professor at some college where I can teach students who want to learn math. It would be high level math in which you will have to spend an hour or two to do that homework. I will know that I did it when I land a job as an assistant professor and apply for residency. I know I can do because if i apply myself I know there isn't anything I can't do. When I set my mind into something I see it through to the end. I am responsible for getting there because I choose which colleges I want to go learn at, which majors to pick and how to attain that job. My goal isn't going to happen soon. It will take time and hard work. In about 10 year I should be a professor teaching in my own classroom to my students.

vocabulary: fall #4

Accede - v. Assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty
The authorities did not accede to the striker's demand.
Brandish - v. Wave or flourish (a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement
Brandishing his sword, he rode into battle.
Comprise - v. Consist of; be made up of
The country comprises twenty states.
Deft - adj. Neatly skillful and quick in one's movement
A deft piece of footwork.
Destitute - adj. Without the basic necessities of life
The charity care for destitute children.
Explicit - adj. Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
The speaker's intentions were not made explicit.
Extirpate - v. To remove or destroy totally; do away with; exterminate
To extirpate an unwanted hair.
Inopportune - adj. Not opportune; inappropriate; inconvenient; untimely or unseasonable
For one, this one doesn't run out of bullets at inopportune times.
Ironic - adj. Using or characterized by irony
His mouth curved into an ironic smile.
Musty - adj. Obsolete; outdated; antiquated
Those are some musty laws. They date back to the 18th century and don't apply to modern life.
Officious - adj. objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice
These officious, self-important twerps can do whatever they want, alas.
Ominous - adj. portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious
An ominous bank of dark clouds.
Pinnacle - n. the highest or culminating point, as of success, power, fame, etc.
The pinnacle of one's career.
Premeditated - adj. done deliberately; planned in advance
A premeditated murder.
Rampant - adj. violent in action or spirit; raging; furious
 A rampant leopard.
Solace - n. comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort
The minister's visit was the dying man's only solace.
Stately - adj. majestic; imposing in magnificence, elegance, etc.
A stately home.
Supple - adj. bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible
A supple bough.
Suppress - v. to put an end to the activities of (a person, body of persons, etc.)
To suppress the Communist party.
Venal - adj. willing to sell one's influence, especially in return for a bribe; open to bribery; mercenary
A venal judge.

Literature Analysis

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)
1. My book is about how the CIA pulled off an arduous escape plan for the hostages of the 1979 Iran US embassy crisis.

2. I think that the author choose to write this book because he felt that people should know how they pulled off a rescue mission this big.

3. I choose this book because a friend recommended it to me. I read the title and thought it should be a good book because a former CIA agent wrote it. I was right. I did end up liking it and reading it through to the end. The plot made me want to read it more and more.

4. I think this book is realistic only because it happened in history other than it it doesn't seem that realistic. The tone in which the author wrote it makes it seem casual and normal. It could pass as a fiction book.


PEOPLE
1. The author reports his own interpretations based on personal observations. Not only that but he has training in how to read people so his interpretations are basically spot on. If I met the people the author was trying to smuggle out I would probably see them in almost the same way. Frighten and alone. The author's choices make him seem like a person who will try no what what. He has determination and is persistent. He wrote this book in order to tell the story of how the CIA pulled off an arduous escape plan. The author's tone to me seems a bit casual. The tone doesn't suck you into the story that's the plot that does. The tone says a lot about the subjects. It helps create that ease when they're talking to each other.

2. Joseph Stafford is not a positive guy. He thinks negatively throughout the escape plan. He doesn't want to trust Tony and has no hope that the plan will work. I consider him a dynamic character because he changes in the story. When the author first meets him he's a frighten young man who thinks negative. I can't blame him because that whole hostage situation that happened in Iran can do that to someone. In the end he takes charge and tries to explain to the guards why they are there in Iran. It was surprising to read that. He completely changed in that moment. He was actually confident and kept his cool. If I could make him into a fictional character I would use indirect characterization on him because you can't find out how he if I just told the reader. It won't have as much depth. Henry Schats comes off as a cool guy in the story. He doesn't seem to loose his cool that much and is the calmest person out of the group. He is more of a static character because he doesn't change throughout the story. He stays the same calm cool guy. If i could make him into a fictional character I would use direct characterization because he doesn't need that much detail. He's a static character so a flat out description of him would do just fine.

3. I chose these two people because they're the ones that I found interesting. Joseph surprised me at the end when he took charge when there was trouble so I choose him. I choose Henry because he seemed the least affected by the whole Iran hostage crisis. I found that interesting because I would've thought that everybody would be scared but I guess not. Henry kept his cool the best.


STYLE
1. I don't know what the author's style was mainly because I don't know what style is the literature world is.

2. The author uses lengthy descriptions of places and people. It helps with the book because he is telling a moment of history that not that many people know unless if they were born in that time or lived in it.

3. The author uses first person to help make the boo more interesting especially with this plot.

4. The author's attitude towards the characters are normal. I believe his attitude was the same from when he first met the characters in real life.

5. The author uses his memory of the newspapers, tv and documents of when the story took place. He doesn't use hard proof because well he is a former CIA agent so I bet they wouldn't let him.


ENDURING MEMORY
The idea that even bad ideas are good is something that I will remember from the book. In the book they're lots of bad ideas on how to rescue the hostages but they have to choose one and they did. They chose to make a fake movie and have the hostages has the cast. That sounds like a bad idea already but hey it work.

WILL STUDY FOR FOOD

The HSF/ Coca-Cola® Hispanic Heritage Month 2013 Contest and Sweepstakes Scholarship Program is a scholarship worth applying for because it has a huge payout. The grand prize is a $20,000 scholarship from Coca-Cola to any hispanic student that plans to be a full time student in a 4 year degree program in college for the 2014-2015 school year. The money from this scholarship will help me pay for my tuition and fees, books and supplies, transportation costs and some of my room and board. The money will be of great help to me for it will cover over a 2/3 of my college costs. I am going to apply for it and hopefully I end up getting it because I can use that money for college.

vocabulary: fall #3

Accomplice - n. A person who helps another commit a crime
My accomplice and I robbed a bank the other day.
Annihilate - v. Destroy utterly, obliterate
A simple bomb of this type could annihilate them all.
Arbitrary - adj. Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
His mealtimes were entirely arbitrary.
Brazen - adj. Shameless or impudent
She made brazen overtures to a man who never had a friend.
Catalyst - n. A person or thing that precipitates an event or change
His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution.
Exodus - n. A going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people
The summer exodus to the country and shore.
Facilitate - v. To make easier or less difficult; help forward
Careful planning facilitates any kind of work.
Incorrigible - adj. Not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform
He has an incorrigible behavior that gets on peoples nerves.
Latent - adj. Present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential
He has hidden latent ability.
Militant - adj. Vigorously active and aggressive, especially in support of a cause
As soon as the military start using tear gas the peaceful protesters turned into militant reformers.
Morose - adj. Gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood
He has been so morose today, thinking of everything he failed at.
Opaque - adj. Not transparent or translucent; impenetrable to light; not allowing light to pass through
The windows were opaque from the smoke of the house fire.
Paramount - adj. Chief in importance or impact; supreme; preeminent
A point of paramount significance.
Prattle - v. To talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble
Their prattle is the soothing small-talk that takes our minds off more serious matters.
Rebut - v. To refute by evidence or argument
They should not only study their own point of view, but be prepared to rebut the ideas of the opposing group.
Reprimand - n. A severe reproof or rebuke, especially a formal one by a person in authority
The escort grabbed them and sent them away with a reprimand.
Servitude - n. Slavery or bondage of any kind
Liberation from indentured servitude is an entirely worthy objective.
Slapdash - adv. In a hasty, haphazard manner
He assembled the motor slapdash.
Stagnant - adj. Not flowing or running, as water, air, etc.
Family incomes are stagnant, but tuition keeps going up.
Succumb - v. To give way to superior force; yield
To succumb to despair.

ESSAY IDEA

The idea that I liked the most was:
Despite their lives being at risk, why do people continue to eat unhealthy?
This is a good essay topic in my opinion because it helps you get inside of the eater's mind. You can find out why they continue to eat at McDonald's or wherever it is they go. It's a good psychological question. I can already think of couple things why they would continue from the top of head.

VOCABULARY #2

Obesity - n. The condition of being very fat or overweight.
The class talked about obesity and its health problems.
Accumulate - v. To gather into a heap, mass, cover, ect.
Snow accumulated in the driveway.
Mass - n. A coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape.
A mass of curly hair.
Disease - n. A disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poison, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.
He had not been complaining of ill health, but no doubt died of heart disease.
Diet - n. Such a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight.
No pie for me, I'm on a diet.
Prevalence - adj. Widespread; of wide extent or occurrence.
The prevalence of AIDS in developing countries.
Stigma - n. A mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation.
To be a non reader carries a social stigma.
Prevent(able) - v. To keep from occurring; avert; hinder
He intervened to prevent bloodshed.
Adolescent - adj. Growing to manhood or womanhood; youthful
Hay and Meldrum analyzed survey answers from 426 adolescents with an average age of 15.
Cardiovascular - adj. Of, pertaining to, or affecting the heart and blood vessels
But researchers have yet to discover the pathway by which smog impacts the cardiovascular system.
Excessive - adj. Going beyond the usual, necessary, or proper limit or degree.
Some neighbors said they considered the police reinforcements excessive.
Mechanism - n. An assembly of moving parts performing a complete functional motion, often being part of a large machine; linkage.
The chemical mechanism that controls a plant's response to short or long nights is complex, but the logic is simple.
Sedentary - adj. Accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or to take little exercise.
Though they appear sedentary, sea stars move around on tiny, tubular feet.
Predispose - v. To dispose beforehand
Maybe getting cold and damp does not predispose people to catch a cold.
Syndrome - n. A group of symptoms that together are characteristic of a specific disorder, disease, or the like.
Irritable bowel syndrome may be a lifelong condition.

PROSE & CONS: OBESITY

Obesity has become a real problem in the Unites States. Over one-third of U.S. adults are obese, the percentage of overweight children and adolescents has tripled since the 1970's, and more than one in five children between the ages of 6 and 17 are now considered overweight. There has been an ongoing debate about whether or not the companies are to blame or if it is we. It is not a debate that can be settled so easily for the answer to the question it is a hard one.

One would say that we are to blame for obesity because we made the choice to eat those fatty foods. In the article "Obesity is no one's fault but your own" it says that two obese teenage girls from New York tried to sue McDonald's because it is their fault that they are obese. It later says that "you don't have to ace home economics to know that Big Macs, salty fries, and soda pop do not liken a well-balanced meal." So it was their own fault for eating McDonald's more than they should have.  There are other consumers who know it's their fault and are trying to fight back. In the article "Consumers Take Responsibility for Obesity " it states that 74% of consumers surveyed have changed their eating habits due to concerns about health and nutrition, with 86% concerned about the nutritional make-up of their food. They are trying to make a change with their health and not be one of third Americans that are overweight.

Others say that the companies are to blame for this nation’s weight problem. In the article "Fast Food  – Is it the Enemy?" it states that "Unfortunately, people do not know the consequences of fast food. They are unaware how the extra fat in their diet can lead to cardiovascular disease. They do not realize the supersized fries may be the reason why their pants are tight." That is be blamed on the advertising that the fast food companies do. In the article "TV Food Ads: To Blame for Childhood Obesity?" it states that "$3 billion dollars is spent every year by fast food companies to place ads targeted towards children on television". That's a lot of money and it's also a factor to childhood obesity. Do you know how many commercials there are for fruits and vegetables? Close to none. You can see who runs the TV advertisement to young kids.

I am on both sides of this argument because I mostly side with it is the person's fault. It is the people's fault for not caring what they put into their body and becoming lazier. Think of your body as a well-oiled machine. Which do you think will operate more efficiently, the one that stuffs itself with fast food or the one that eats a balanced diet? Of course it’s going to be the one that eats a balanced diet. Then there's people who argue that "oh but it's cheaper and it's on the go" well that may be true but just because it's cheaper doesn't necessarily mean that it's good for you. I'm not saying don't eat fast food just to cut back to only eating it once and a while. Also try and exercise. It's good for you and it will help lower your chances of obesity because you're physically active. Exercising alone might be boring that's why you grab some friends to take with you and have fun.

These are the two sides on the ongoing debate about obesity in this country. As you can see there is no simple answer to this debate or solution for that matter. Only time will tell what will happen to this country whether the obesity rates increase or decrease. This is a serious problem that will require everybody's help to solve.

TEXT ANALYSIS #1

In the article "The Blame Game And Obesity In America" from CBSNEWS it talks who really is to blame for obesity in America. It starts off by saying that it is not only the companies fault but the consumers as well. We are the ones that end up buying the food and eating it so we're partially to blame. That doesn't mean that the companies are off the hook. They are to blame as well with the marketing techniques they use. The article also talks about how science lagged with nutrition and obesity facts. According to the article food industries suffer from nutrition research overload with foods that contradict scientific findings and appealing to the general public. Even if the companies succeed they're success can be broken by scientific findings. Some companies have stated that they are putting some good ingredients to try to replace the bad ones. In the end we have the choice what we want to eat and what we put into our bodies.

THIS IS PHAT!

In the article "Fast Food  – Is it the Enemy?" it talks about what is causing obesity and if there is a link to fast food and obesity. It starts off by giving the reader a scenario on what to order at a local McDonald's then explains how much calories an average American consumes. Eating fast food can lead to excess weight gain for one meal can equal all the calories you need in a day. It also talks about if environment is involved with obesity. It says that most Americans would rather go and eat fast food because it is cheap and quick. It also says that there is no simple answer to what is causing obesity and that it can be a combination of fast food and the environment in which we live. It then goes on and gives the reader examples about what foods they can switch out to make the meal a bit healthier and to make a plan. Making a plan will help reduce the risk of being obese if they can stick to it that is. The link to the website is down below.

http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/resource-articles-2/nutrition/fast-food-is-it-the-enemy

Will This Blog See Tomorrow?

I feel that this learning method is going to go beyond my expectations. I honestly thought that this would be a bit odd but I'm willing to try something new. I'm getting bored with that whole textbook routine. Technology is changing and we incorporate it in our daily lives. Why shouldn't learning methods change too? I am on board with this new method of learning.

Vocabulary: fall #1

Expository - adj. intended to explain or describe something
Matthew wrote an expository essay about guitar.
Composition - n. the way in which a whole or mixture is made up
Everything is composed of elements.
Assuage - v. make an unpleasant feeling less intense
The letter assuaged the fears of the high school student.
Decadence - n. moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury
The old man denounced Western decadence.
Hackneyed - adj. a phrase or idea lacking significance through having been overused
My friend say hackneyed old sayings.
Coalition - n. an alliance for combined action, esp. as a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government
They formed a coalition in order to become a country.
Transcend - v. be or go beyond the range of limits
Her mind transcended to that of a human being.
Meritorious - adj. deserving reward or praise
A medal for meritorious conduct.
Lurid - adj. very vivid in color, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect
He's wearing a lurid pair of shorts.
Petulant - adj.  childishly sulky or bad-tempered
He was moody and petulant.

IT'S ALL LATIN TO ME

dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude, incipe is a Latin saying by a Roman poet named Horace. It means "He who had begun is half done: dare to know, dare to begin!" but it can also be translated as "Dare to be wise".  I think it's relevant to this course because we are faced with a whole new different style of learning. Most of the people in the class have only learned through the traditional textbook method and now we are faced with open source learning? That's a big difference because now we are supposed to use the internet. This is where the saying becomes relevant. Do we, the class, dare to give open source learning a try? Do we dare to begin? The answer to these questions is yes. The class has dared to begin open source learning and we are only halfway done. We must dare to know how this course will go.

REFLECTIONS ON WEEK 1

1. They're no factors that will affect my participation in this class. My schedule to me is perfect. I have access to both a computer and smart phone so getting online won't be a problem.

2. A learning experience that changes me was my art class last year. I had this super cool teacher who made art fun for me. She knew I had potential even though I didn't consider myself a good artist. She helped me with my art skills. She let the class choose what picture we want to do the assignment on. It gave me a sense of freedom knowing that I get to choose on what picture to draw or paint. That's what art is. Freedom. This helped me learn the art skills that I now use whenever I draw. My friend sat next to me in that class and experienced the same thing. We both noticed that we were gradually improving ourselves in an everyday basis. I knew this was happening when I ended up getting a golden warrior award for having the best grid expansion in the class. Me and my friend were always giving each other feedback on our projects and our teacher made the class room setting feel natural. She taught us well.

3. The thing that I'm most excited about is this blog. I am optimistic about what's to come with the blog. This new style of learning has proven to be fun. I feel like I can answer questions more freely than if I did from a textbook. I think this can make a difference in my life with how my perceptive is with learning.