Tasha

These past two semesters in your class have made my college experience better. The fact that you've opened up so many doors for me have allowed me to be comfortable around you and the entire class. I feel that i've become a better writer and a well rounded individual. You have introduced artists, writers, videos, and organizations to us that increase our knowledge. I'm still in love with Banksy. You are so open with everyone and i think all of your students became in love with the wonderful, down to earth person oyu are. Things without your class will be different because i was so used to going to your class and learning something new about the world or how to make a change in the world. Most classes and professors don't offer that. I felt that these two english classes weren't only writing and reading classes but networking and learning random things classes. Many people say that most professors in college don't really care to know who you are and you broke that. You cared to get to know each and everyone of us and i don't know you created this atmosphere that was the shit. When you came with my group to the Hope 4 Homeless giveaway thing it showed you belive in what we were doing and only strengthened our passion for it. Your children are super cute and i hope chris (right?) becomes the rock star he wants. If he has any band problems i'll be his bas player. lol. By the way, Danny was thrilled to ask for the cigarettes when you asked us to buy them. He jumped out at that opportunity. I really am going to miss you but hopefully you teach a humanities..FOR REAL THOUGH. you know i'll support you in all your stuff and i'll bring along a whole lot of people too. Thanks for everything. You've truly done a lot. I can't name everything but i hope you know i appreciate what you've done. I prepared to go play devil's advocate with the world.


sigh...its been great
you farewell almost brought a tear in my eye
and dang you have a great memory to remember all those things


you friend,
Yeliana Mayor
a.k.a yelibelly, yeli, or jelly

Awarness

It iscompletely astonishing to see how powerful awarness is. In all three,more the first two links from Myspace impact have over 4000 members. People who are willing to help the cause and people who will donate or just dedicate their time to help. Even bands have dedicate time and sponsered these causes. Their music goes along with targeting the audiences pathos. Both the twloha and rainn made me want to continue learning. It's probably because the videos targeted my emotions and i relate to it and also because TWLOHA and RAINN are situations that i've dealt with before with certain friends. I would'e likedit better if KIVA had videos to explain what they do exactlybut all in all these myspace sites are a great way to get people on your side. I truly appreciate what these people are doing to change something in their lives and in others lifes as well.
I've had certain individuals say that students in FIU don't care about learning; but the truth is they care. On our day of selling pizza theres were numerous students whoaskedwhat the cause was and how they could help. This goes to show you that there are thousands, as proven by these causes, of people who are willing to help what you believe in.

Invisible?

The first thing that came to my mind while seeing the video was why doesn't anyone do anything for these girls. Why doesn't the police force go to these streets and invisible "motels" and rescue the girls?
At first glance, the audience feels soory for these yound 12-13 year old girls as they stand on thestreets prostituting their bodies without choice. It is completley disgusting how these men would want such yound girls to service them not including the sick individuals who will pay extra for a 7 or 8 year old girl. After hearing such statistcs of a girl having 30 or 40 men a day it seems almost impossible to help these young girls. The fear in their hearts must be inmense and this does not include therisk of sexually transmitted diseases and mental scarring these girls carry on their backs.
The government publishes all these sexual predator lists and yet they cannot help human sex trafficking. It is ironic that such a popular (according to statistcs) think is labeled as invisible in the nation.
Although these young baby girls wish to stop and be a part of something productive they can't because their masters, for lack of a better word, will beat them if they even try to leave their so called job. If the governemnt makes such a great effort to bust drug addicts and dealers they should to the same or eve more for these helpless young girls without a voice.

Paramore- Pressure

Although Crystal's Analysis was short she did get the jist of the song. She described the audience to be young adults who are trying to fit in and succeed in a socially acceptable lifestyle. Crystal explained what the audience sees and how the song relates to the audience. She makes a relation to the pressure gauge and the pressure in young adults. She mentions that as the pressure increases in number with the a gauge so does the pressure in the two teenagers in the video making a good correlation. Cystal states that "Paramore is trying to tell their audience that if they are in a bad situation to get out and do what's best for yourself." At this point Crystal could have explained to her reader that Paramor was using Pathos to reach the audience. The use of Pathos gives an emotional twist to the lyrics of the song as well as certain clips in the video. The analysis was written well, but i'm sure she could've milked the lyrics a bit more by reflecting on the tone of the lyrics. Crystal's song analysis earns a B. Good Job!

The Gov. Does it Again

Besides the fact that i do think that sagging pants look ridiculous i don't think the government should be involving themselves to the point that their going to fine these people. Sagging pants was/is a fashion trend that began to get real popular my 9th grade year (2003). Before that time i would see sagging pants but not as much as when i started high school. Hip Hop music and the stars did start the trend because in their videos the artists would where it bellow their butt's and surely soon enough the artist's viewers would start dressing the same way. That it looks ridiculous, absurd, low, and ugly is true. I don't think that wearing your pants below your butt makes you look any cooler, but like any other trend, this one is going out of style. One of the new style is not only wearing your pants at your waist, but even adding a fashion belt to it. The government is dirtying their hands in something that won't be around for ever.
I was also a part of a school that after 2005 became a uniform school. Uniform is made to make sure students concentrate in their learning environments and i believe that this is a good move. Some students exploit their privalages and at times young girls want to be so free that they basically come naked. So in this case, uniform is definetley good. Plus, students don't have to worry about what they have to wear every morning; they can just pick and go. But, uniform can be manipulated to express a students identity. The polos can get tighter, cuter, and trendyer due to the fact that stores like hollister, abercrombie, and american eagle sell the polos as well. Uniform at my highschool allowed for jeans, and students including me, would go to school (in that times trend) ripped jeans.
It all depends on the date and time. Every so often trends change. The government is being over protective. Their caring about things that shouldn't completely interest them. America is all about fashion, and believe it or not, sagging pants was/is one.

Prision

From personal experience, i was a part of a title 1 public school. I know what it meant to notpass these exams and to be a part of a very diverse school. Things that might've sounded good to these politicians didn't feel good to the ones going through it. Words can't express what the students and teachers went through at Hialeah-Miami Lakes. We were one of those low acheiving schools and if it wasn't for the fine arts program we would probably be low in funds. Not only did 40% of 10th graders pass the math and writing FCAT exams, but in the newly implemented science FCAT only 20% of the juniors passed. After failing repeatedly for several years our school feel into what is called the zone school, we stayed an extra hour and a half everyday, our early release days and holidays were taken away, and a forced FCAT class was enforced. This pushed students to continue to learn about an exam that they needed to pass for graduation. I t didn't matter how many hours of community service you did, or how many clubs you were a part of,or even how well you did in your classes...if you didn't pass the FCAT, you didn't graduate. Most of the time students skipped these enforced classes or just didn't pay attention and fall asleep. Our school's attendance rate dropped so much that the administration would bribe students with electronics(that are prohibited in schools) to come. Not only were students switiching out of schools but the high, prestigious teachers of the ap programs, and influential teachers were taking jobs else where. This in turn leaves students with teachers who are in a zone school only for the extra income not for the love of teaching. Instead of listening to the people that should be making the desicions for school and exam changes (students and teachers), you punish them by implementing ridiculous standards that don't make any student smarter. Students learn the material in the exam ONLY, not important information about whats going on in the world. I just loved learning about the history of the ball point pen(a passage in the FCAT exam) my fresmen and sophomore year.
Although i don't know much about the "no child left behind back" i do know, by what was explained, that it doesn't make any sense. The want to make sure students learn when really they're taking away a students desire to learn. Learning isn't forced...FCAT exams don't prove anything. Todos estos bureaucrats estan equivocados.

Zeitgeist

When i began to watch the video i was actually pretty interested in it. I thought that by things tasha wrote about in her entry it would very interesting. My notion of the video was right in the beggining of the film. They were saying how the mass media has gained most control over society. The fact that they mentioned that the government wants to limit our educaion felt true because i see it happening. The U.S is one of the lowest ranked countrys in education, i mean why? The funny is that most students complain that there is so much homework and that school is hard when compared to other places around the world we're not. I was in awe to hear that 9/11 was planned by the government. Although i've heard a statment like this before its hard for me to just buy into it. The fact that this video brought it up and put audio evidence is a bit weird. This is as if the gov. keeps us limited and controlled, which i don't know why i just said that because i guess it makes sense if they do. The government can't tell us everything because we'll go a bit crazy, society can't handle very important top secret things.
I have never heard of the North American Union, but by this time the narrators in the film were getting pretty biased. The news channel in the film that showed clips of video and audio is also biased and at this point i began to tune myself out. It was getting extremely obvious that this film was doing the exact same thing the media does...try to persuade the audience into believing hat they're saying.
I was indeed interested in learning of this union and how there will be a new currency which will in turn affect everyone. I also wasn't very fond of hearing that we're going to have a world government. But, i plan on finding out for myself instead of just hearing it from another source.
I guess the director of the film got what he wanted. : )

Stinky Priorities

The title above is the title for my first journal. I even pasted part of Tasha's blog on mine. I don't know what happened, I submitted it before finishing it.

Sorry~ lol

If you have had a blog in the past, your own, or for another class, then I challenge you to examine, question and analyze your experience with having a blog. Consider why you had one, how it made you feel, and how you manipulated the security settings for your own sense of security. Consider changes you may make. Consider how writing a blog may have helped or hindered your writing ability

When first getting a blog I was deeply excited for having one. I had been thinking of getting on online system to express mythought in the form of poems, letters, ideas, etc. I was so thrilled to know that my english professor had us create our own that i wrote an entry even before we were assigned one. But as the semester when on, i got consumed with so many other assignments and activities that i started to loose interest in the blog. I couldn't really concentrate or come with meaty contents for my journal entries. I became dissapointed because i thought i was getting a bit rusty in writing my own thoughts.

This semester i plan on managing time better in general. Dwelling into my assignments will allow me to connect with them easier. The security setting on my blog is now changed to "Anybody" can read my blog instead of just the students in my fig. I do hope students start to comment on each others blog, everyone has a lot to say if they take this journal writing seriously.

Time management you can say is one of my "New Year Resolutions."

Evaluate

Although at first i wasn't completely sure if i wanted to write about the FCAT and the effexcts about it, i found myself really enjoying this essay. I did feel as if there was too short of a time to write the essay, but i'm sure the pressure made it better...i guess. I liked researching for sources and articles on the FCAT, but it was difficult to find books on it in the FIU library. The internet was an easier place to find information but i spent too much time trying to find books. I felt that by writing this essay i might've made a difference (of course if i show to someone). I really put feeling into what i was writing and tried to explain the problems in hope of someone understanding how serious this issue is. I was strongest in describing the problems and i agree that i need help with citations. I get all confused when the publishing year isn't there or if there is no author. I felt that after a while there was tension in my group and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but in the end it all worked out. I believe we made a great work of paper...lol.

This English experience has been one of the best and it's the fact the fact that it's my first semester in college make it that much better. Tasha was a great professor, one that cared about taking the time to get to know each student individually. She connected with our class on a socail level as well as a professional one. She brought new and technology filled assignments into class, which allowed everyone get a bit more computer savy. Tasha intorduced artists, comercial, and videos that were new to me and i found myself liking some of them. For example, i was really impacted by the mysterious graffitti artinst, Banksy.
I like to believe that my class was one of Tasha's fav. this semester. I look foward to ENC 1102 next semester.

Education is at it's best.

Why is it that everyone complaines about the educational system? There should be no educational reform what so ever because school's are at their finest. The teachers all have a bachlorete in education, many love what there doing, and students have more desire to learn with all the technology there is. With all the computers, laptops, radios, i-pods, palm pilots, and electronic boards no wonder students wouldn't want to show up to school. As for the FCAT, the state of Florida needs some type of exam to set a standard for Florida residents. If the students continue to fail the exams then the public schools who administer the exams need to dedicate more time to improving their schools overall score. That means staying at least an hour later and studying the material. There is no harm in wanting students to do better and for wanting the schools in dade county to have good scores. Yes, not everyone is going to like it but there needs to be a barrior. In this time of age, students need to be top notch. The have so many advantages tht there is no excuse for students to be at their best. The educational system can go no where but up. All those students that used to get away with skipping, low test grades, talking back, etc, can't get away with it anymore.

Traditions

Life around the world is very diverse. Strange as it may seem, many people do thinkgs for their culture that you might think is out of the ordinary. I've heard about the suffering for traditions before and have seen the women with the brass rings around their neck. It's very fascinating to me how certain individuals risk their life for their culture. The cutting of the boys' bodies show such courage and love for their culture that it sends chills in my body. The initiations and traditions that i am accostumed to have never been something that extreme, it usually is something like running a lap or drinking something that's old or expired(band initiations). What is ironic is that the people from that culture don't find it to be extreme.
Opening up to diversity allows you to be more open minded and be more understanding to others and what they believe in. There are so many people in this world that are different and it would be absurd if everyone were the same. The world wouldn't go round. Although these two specific videos might've been graphic for me and i think i'd never do that in my life, i respect the women and men that do those traditions. There is meaning to what they do. The boys feel like new men and the women feel awkward without the neck piece. It's all about what you belive in and no one can take that away from you.

Who are you?

A while back you could have said that i was a numb individual who followed whatever influences came her way. I was so depressed about everything that was happening to me that i couldn't think to myself or hardly make any decisions. I begand to believe that i was an unfun and lazy person that no one would want to be around if i spoke about how i really felt. I kept all my emotions inside and forced a smile out of my soul. No one had any idea of what i was going through emotionally and at home. This is how i became numb. I was accostumed to feeling fake happiness and found myself crying more often than usual.
I began to ask myself all these questions of who i was. What i liked, what i was all about, what my role in life was. Not until i began to experience emotion and take note of the way i acted was when i started to see the real me. Although i still don't know everything about me, i think of it as a growing experience. I know more aboutmyself than ever before, and its ll because i started to care for my inner self. If you don't love ourself, who will?
Do you know who you are?

Gay & Lesbian Adoptions

There is such discrimination against gays and lesbians in this world that at times its forbidden to even talk about them. Homosexuals are daily criticized by the way they look, act, or simply because of who they are. Theres stigma against every person who is gay and some people don't even like to talk about them let alone be next to them. Homosexual individuals are denied certain rights and in certain places are not allowed. For instance, there are restaurants or hang out bars where gays and lesbians are not allowed just becuse the manager does not agree with them or their way of thinking. Besides the fact that the gay community is at times shunned, they are constantly labeled and harrased by the society we live in.
Gays and lesbians are people like anyone else. They have emotions and a mind to think with. They get hurt and get sick. Like any other human being they are the same. The only apparent difference would be their sexual preference which is up to them. Just as we're allowed to love and care for whomever we want, so can they.
Anyway, since these individuals love and care for loved ones, they also want to get married and with marriage comes children. The issue with adoption isn't as big as the issue with allowing homosexuals to get married but either way most states do allow for both to happen. The only state that does not permit homosexuals to adopt children is the Florida and the state that allows single gays and single lesbians to adopt is Mississippi. In the remaining states, gays and lesbians who want to adopt or take in foster care children are at the mercy of judges and adoption and foster agencies.
Its sad on how society treats homosexuals, if only we could be less ignorant and accept people for who they are.
Check out this family that has had some difficulties but made it through:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/25/gay.adoption/index.html?iref=newssearch

draw the line buddy!

At least Carlos Mencia wasn't making fun of truly diagnosed retarded individuals right? Not once in this whole video did i laugh. I didn't find anythign he said amusing. Besides the fact that he was speaking like every young kid speaks like a retard, all of his jokes we just ignorant.
Carlos Mencia basically stated that hispanics have the best way of teaching. We made it seem like in the latin countries the educatiion standards are high. There are no A minuses OR B pluses. If the teacher had any problems with a kid he'd call them stupid. Well i'm sorry, but there is respect in America.
Menica continued to state that stdents find any excuses to to not work in school or a reson to work less. Such as a.d.d or a.d.h.d. Although some kids do take their "sickness" to an extremety, some small students do really have a learning disability. And by the way its against the law to hit kids.
Mencia kept saying that if the people in the audience weren't laughing it was because we didn't have kids. I don't have kids and i wasn't laughing. His audience was parents and i'm guessing non hispanic individuals. But niether of them were probably impacted by his show. It was ignorant and ...

Not a big fan

Shocking

When you come to think about, i guess you can say we are the "idiot nation," or at least the majority of us. Seems to be that everyday more and more teenagers and uneducated adults fall into the category of caring more about superstars than issues around the world that affect us. Most teenage kids are into the music videos and concerned with "what's in" rather than what matters. The media does influence kids to dance, dress, and even act a certain way. At times, they idolize stars like Paris Hilton which is not a very good example for girls around the U.S. Adults on the other hand might be influenced to spend their money on things that a luxuries instead of investing in something that's beneficial for them or their families. They might be lured into buying the most biggest and newest hummer out there, just because its new. This goes for basically anything. There's phones, computers, i-pods, clothing, etc.

I'm not very in touch with the celebrity gossip because i don't care much about it. I'm sure i do get influenced by the media. Sometimes i follow what they want me to buy and even at times i pay attention to what they say about being safe, etc. As far as politics and the video that restated the word "shocking" a million times, I'd fall into the group that isn't very politically smart. I don't know much about the whole campaign for one thing and the voting period is almost around the corner. As much as i want to learn and i tell myself everyday, i continue to set it aside and do other things like homework or spend time with family and friends.

The video does make a valid point, the youth and some adults know very little about politics and the media in its entirety.

Miss South Carolina

Whoa!!! Well i honestly feel bad for South Carolina. I'm sure she was nervous at the time the question was asked. Maybe miss South Carolina is a joke and did this pageant for beauty purposes only. Either way, she did defend her crazy, incomprehensible answer. She came back and wasn't a sore loser about the whole situation. She even went back and re-answered the question on NBC's Today. This time she actually had a good enough answer. Anyway, I guess this mess up wasn't a real big deal, she did win 4th overall.

So do you think your a writer?

I usually write a lot when the school term is in session. Either it being school work, e-mails, birthday cards, or just regular notes. Most of the time, my writing is informal and I might use a bit a of slang, but most of the time I like to write professionally because I think if I always write in slang I'll end up forgetting the real words.

I love to write whats on my mind, even if it doesn't make complete sense. I discuss topics about life or books with friends and family.

I recently renewed my MySpace account, so I have commented on some of my friends page. It is very sloppy and at times doesn't even have punctuation marks. My friends and i crack jokes on each others pages and comment on random things.

I also keep tabs with my AP English teacher from high school. We usually talk philosophical and make fun of certain things we've experienced in class. I wrote to him about a couple of short stories I read and told him how much I've enjoyed them. His e-mail was written in a formal way because if not I think he'd kill me.

How faithful are you?

Believing in something like God is truly a beautiful thing. Peace, harmony, and worship are a part of "the package." Lets say you speak about the way you believe things are to someone and you end up changing their way of thinking. They actually give what you say a try when you thought they would never consider your belief.

They pray, and attempt in establishing a relationship with the almighty being.

The next day, they hear terrible news that someone they love is hurt. "What a sign."

Then what? What do you think?