What is a blog...now?

Well my view on blogs have not really changed since the beginning of the semester. I still feel that a blog is a form of communication. It is a place for people to communicate with other people around the world. It is a way to express feelings, share information, reflect on experiences, and just tell the world that you are here. It helps you find old friends and make new ones. Also, it helps you find people out there who share similar interests or are going through the same things you are. Blogging can also be used as a tool to succeed because now days many companies are using blogs to post information about jobs and just to connect with employers. It also can help you get a different outlook on things going on in the world. Other bloggers can bring up certain questions or different perspectives about your blog topic that you did not think of when you wrote it. So in a way it is a way for you to expand your thinking and open your eyes to everything that the world has to offer. I still feel that talking in person or over the phone is the best way of communication. It just feels more personal to me. However, I think that blogging in a good way to communicate with others, especially if you do not have a lot of time.

My feelings toward blogging this semester is somewhat even. Sometimes I liked doing the blog assignments because it was easier to do homework on the computer and it was so informal. You really did not have to worry about making everything perfect like you would in an actual paper. You could just put all your thoughts down and not worry about it not sounding right or flowing together. However, there were others times when I did not want to do the blog assignments. I felt like certain blogs really did not have any importance and they did not help me out when it came to the “big” assignments. Also, it was so easy to forget that I had to do a blog. I am so used to having to do homework on paper that sometimes I forgot that we also do blogs. So the times I did forget, I was up early in the morning writing my blogs and I felt that I was not able to fully put all my thoughts down on the subject because I was in a rush to get it done. So I am in the middle when it comes to blogging. It is a different form of homework but sometimes it can be a pain in the butt.

The main thing that I really liked about blogging was the blog responses. By responding to each others’ blogs we communicated with one another, even though we hardly talked to one another in class. It was like our own language. Also, it really helped me look at the whole issue that was under discussion. It is so easy to just look at one side of an issue and totally ignore another side because it does not fit into your beliefs or way of thinking. I think the blog responses really opened everyone’s eyes to all the different angles that a particular issue can have and sometimes even changed their opinion on the issue. I know that on certain assignments my mind was changed about a particular subject after reading the blog responses.

So all in all, blogging was “ok” this semester and I see why we did it.

Dicrimination is a Virtue

Robert Miller's "Discrimination Is a Virture" discusses how meaning of the word 'discrimination' has changed over the last 30 years and how it is now being used. The word actually means "the ability to tell difference" and not "racism" as many of us believe. Miller's idea about discrimination definately applies to the current presidential race since two of the Democratic nominees are considered to be "minorities." Hilary Clinton being female and Barack Obama a African American male. When deciding who to vote for, Americans cannot discriminate between these two nominees based on their gender or race. They need to look at the issue at hand and actually listen to what each nominee is saying then they can make their decision on who to choose.

Visual

I'm writing my arguement paper on on-campus living and how college students should live on campus during their college career. The above picture shows a floor-plan for a suite type of a dorm room here at Northern Arizona University. Compared to traditional style dorm rooms, this room has a restroom that the occupants of the adjoining rooms share. So the residents don't have to share a community bathroom with the rest of their hall. The picture can be used in my arguement paper because it shows that colleges offer different styles of rooms to their students and are moving away from the more traditional style rooms.

Prospectus

1. How is the writer going to find out what students think when they plagiarize? Student interviews?
2. What are some ways that students plagiarize? Writer could have given some examples just to give an idea about it.
3. One too many questions and they are all pretty much either/or questions.

"If Black English Isn't a Language, then Tell Me, What Is?"

In his essay, James Baldwin makes a convincing argument about Black English and how it is a language of its own. He supports his claim by saying that there can be many versions of a "general" language depending on the region where it is spoken. He uses the example of French and how a person living in Paris cannot understand what a person from Quebec is saying, even though their "common" language is French. He also uses history to support his claim. He talks about how the Black English originated during the time of slavery. When the slaves were brought over, they were from different tribes; therefore, they did not speak the same language. So in order to survive during that time, they established their own language. They used language as a tool to help them survive and eventually be set free. In addition to slavery, Baldwin talks about how Black English has influenced White English. Phrases and words were taken from the Black English and their meanings were changed a little and incorporated into White English. Baldwin uses several examples such as “sock it to me” and “jazz.” Since White English influenced by Black English, Baldwin wonders how white Americans would sound like if there had never been any black people in the United States and if they did not create their own language. Baldwin makes a really good argument in his paper and uses a lot of logic to support his claim. He is a credible author on this subject because of his background, experience with the Civil Rights movement and experience living in American and France.

Annotated Bibliography

Barker, Kaitlin. "A Place to Crash College-Bound Students Weigh Option of Living On Campus, or Off" McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - The Free Press. 20 August 2007. <http://wf2la4.webfeat.org/cid=clineli&wfn=wf_lnau_quick&sess=JSESSIONID%3D0001V73zzU9fpoCi6N-OAEo21Q-%3A132v5gerk%3B%20bhCookieSess%3D1%3B%20bhCookiePerm%3D1&addr=10.10.22.82&url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?risb=21_T3343932288&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T3343932292&cisb=22_T3343932291&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=227171&docNo=1>

I chose to analyze the article "A Place to Crash College-Bound Students Weight Options of Living On Campus, or Off." The article talks about what factors students consider when deciding where to live while going to college. It also gives the opinions of college students about why they chose to live on campus or off. The article was written by Kaitlin Barker. I'm not really sure who she is or what are her credintials. So I'm not sure if they information is reliable. The article was published in August 2007, so it's less than a year old. So the information is pretty current.

This article was very relevant to my paper and I was able to use some of the information to support my claim. It gave different perspecitves on the issue of living on campus or off. These perspectives were from actual college students, which was a change from "experts." I think that that information provided from the students will help my paper and make it more convincing. It also gave the opposing perspective. I was able to learn about how students and parents feel about on campus and off campus living.

My Right To Fail

The article "The Right to Fail" by William Zinsser talks about how sucess is defined and determined by the individual. People have the right to fail and go against society's definition of success, which is going to college, getting a degree and having a good job. Success comes in different forms and occurs differently for each person. A person can feel succesful by joining the Peace Corps while another person is successful by getting that corner office. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer to success, it is all up to the individual to find what works for them.

Growing up, my family always told me that I could do whatever I wanted with my life and they would support me no matter what happened. In their eyes, I will always be successful. But I knew at a young age that their standards for success were high. I guess it had to do a lot with their own successes. I would say that I come from a very successful family, which consists of my maternal grandparents, mother, aunt and older brother. My entire family has had very successful lives and being the youngest the standards for my success were based on their acheivements. I was able to live up to those standards. For majority of my school years, I had a 4.0 GPA. I never received a report card grade that was lower than a B. But don't get me wrong I have had my share of failures. I didn't win my first pageant until after two tries, I had to fail at basketball before I realized that I was a better volleyball player, I burned several things before I learned how to cook and I didn't get into the U.S. Air Force Academy. Also, I got some low grades on assignments, quizzes, and tests in certain classes. But I never let those failures get me down. I feel that a lot of my successes would never have happened if I first didn't fail at them. I learned from my past failures and they all helped my grow and be successful the next time around.

For me, success is a lot more than just getting my degree and getting a good job. I also believe that success just doesn't happen once and it doesn't have to be a big thing. You can be successful numerous times in your lifetime and something really small can be as successful as the big things. I have had many moments in my life that I consider to be successes. For example, I felt successful when I won my first pageant, when I made my first fry-bread, and when I became a starter for my high school's varsity volleyball team. As you can see, my successes are more than just academics. There are other aspects in your life where you can be successful. Success to me is more than just what I accomplish academically.

All in all, there is no one definition of success. It is determined by each person and they shouldn't be judge because their definition is different from the norm.

CRAAP Test

I chose to analyze the site http://www.martinlutherking.org/ . This site is basically about Martin Luther King, Jr. and how he was not the man we all thought he was. This site does not pass the CRAAP test. First of all, there is really no date to show when the site was last updated or how old the site actually is. The year 1998, used to refer to an article, is the only indication of when the site was last updated. If this is correct, then the information is about 10 years old. Also, the design of the site seems out of date. The background is gray and the font is very basic. The site has other pages but they do not seem relavent to Martin Luther King, Jr. For example, there is a page about rap lyrics and the lyrics that are given have nothing to do with Mr. King. Secondly, the site is hosted by Stormfront, which is a white nationalist community. I did a little more research on Stormfront and found that it is owned by Don Black, who was a member of the KKK and the American Nazi Party. So, the information that is presented is pretty biased and one sided. Lastly, the homepage shows a quote from a Newsweek article that says, "That night King retired at the Willard Hotel. There FBI bugs reportedly picked up 14 hours of party chatter, the clinking of classes and the sounds of illicit sex-including Kind's cries of 'I'm f--ing for God' and 'I'm not a Negro tonight.'" When I read this, I thought it was kind of "if-y" therefore made me question the whole entire site. This quote definately did not show the Dr. King that I, or anyone else, knew. So I decided to search for the article on the Newsweek website. Not suprised, I did not find the article. So this makes the whole website and the information given questionable. If one were to write any kind of paper on Martin Luther King, Jr. they definately would not want to use this site.

Logical Fallacies

I chose the article "Feds, tribe both responsible for public safety", which can be found in an issue of the Navajo Times. The articles talks about the issues of public safety of the Navajo Nation and what needs to be improved. The first logical fallacy that I found was appeal to emotion. Right off the back, the article talks about the various crimes, violence and abuse that can be found on the Navajo reservation today. But it totally ignores the many postive things that the reservation has to offer. It makes it sound like the entire reservation is full of criminals and abusers. Another logical fallacy in the article is the use of oversimplification. The writer talks about how safe and stable communities attract business development. The writer is making it seem like safety and stability are the only factors that businesses look for in potential locations. But in reality, there are many other factors besides safety and stability that determine whether or not they should start a business in a particular community. The writer is using a fallacy when she says, "Without adequate protection from crime, without jails for criminals, and without more Navajo police officers, Navajo families are not enjoying-nor will they enjoy-the freedom from the terror of crime in our homeland." I feel that the write is using the band wagon approach and the either/or fallacy. The quote is an example of the band wagon approach because it is saying that all Navajo families are unhappy and feel unsafe because of the crime on the reservation. I know that crime is a problem on the Navajo reservation but there are a lot of Navajo families out there that are happy. They have many reasons for them to be happy like their child succeeding in school, having a stable job or having many relatives that care for them. In addition to being the band wagon approach, the quote is also the either/or fallacy. The writer is saying that either there is more protection from crime, more jails and more police officers or Navajo families will never be happy or feel safe. Of course, safety is an important factor for happiness, but there are many other factors that contribute to one being happy. Once the crime rate on the reservation drops, it doesn't mean that people are just going to be happy.

Middle Schoolers Get the Pill

In "Teen Sex: Middle Schoolers get the Pill," one point of view is since girls are having sex at a younger age, they should have access to contraceptives. This view is supported in several ways. First, it is supported by stating that King Middle School is made up of lower class kids and immigrants. Since these kids are poor, the district is trying to make the same healthcare services, that higher class kids can afford, available. Also, the view is supported by saying that some of the girls are already sexually active and they just want to keep them as safe as possible.

Another view in this article is that giving contraceptives to young girls is not a big deal. This view is supported by stating that girls must "first travel a long--even arduous--road of counseling" before they are given the contraceptives. They are informed about the risks of underage sex and urged to talk with their parents. Also, they are told to notify the authorities if an older man victimizes them.

One counterargument in this article is that girls shouldn't be having sex at 11 years old in the first place. This is refuted by saying that girls are having sex anyway and it is not just happening in Portland but in other middle schools across the nation. Also, the article states that "there [has] been 17 pregnancies in Portland's middle schools in the last four years." This goes to show that girls are having sex anyways so why don't the schools try to do what they can to ensure the safety of the girls.

I feel that two very important perspectives were missing in this article. First, there was the perspective of the parents. Throughout the article not one parent gave their opinion about their kids receiving contraceptives at school. Sex is a very sesitive and serious issue to deal with alone, especially at a very young age. The parents should be involved in their child's life to help and guide them with whatever they're dealing with, even sex. Another perspective that was overlooked was the students. The students should have been asked how they felt about being able to receive contraceptives. Not all middle schoolers are sexually active so they should have some say about the matter.

Reflection on My RA

I wrote my rhetorical analysis on James Baldwin’s “If Black English Isn’t a Language, then Tell Me, What Is?” In my paper, I discussed how Baldwin uses the three rhetorical appeals in the text. I felt that he used ethos through personal experiences, logos by discussing aspects of American history, and pathos by questioning the definition of “language” and the idea that a language is the common ground for different people. Also, I discussed Baldwin as an author and why he is credible on the subject, who is the intended audience for the piece, and several purposes of the text. I used about one or two quotes from the text to support how Baldwin used the different rhetorical appeals.
Before coming to NAU, I never wrote a rhetorical analysis and I never once heard of the rhetorical appeals. I found it quite difficult to grasp the concept of each appeal and how to properly identify them within a text. But after the exercises we did in and out of class, I was able to fully grasp the idea about the whole thing. I felt that watching Roger & Me helped me the most to understand the whole idea of the rhetorical appeals and why authors use and do not use them. I think it was because the piece was more visual and not just another reading. Also writing the different blogs helped me to understand the concept even more. The blogs are so informal and there isn’t as much pressure writing a blog as there is when writing a paper.
I made a few mistakes in my paper. Some were little grammar and word choice errors, while others dealt with transitions and support of my main ideas. One aspect of my paper that needs to be improved is the use of transition sentences between paragraphs. I did have simple transition sentences at the end or beginning of each paragraph, but they were not strong enough. Because of the lack of good strong transitions, my paper did not flow very well. Another aspect of my paper that needs improvement is the explanations of quotations. In my paper, I included a quote but did not really explain its significance in great detail to the overall main idea. Due to the lack of explanation, my main idea of Baldwin using pathos was questioned.
There are several things I could do for my next paper to ensure that I do not make the same mistakes I did in my rhetorical analysis. To eliminate grammar and word choice errors, I could have another person proof read my paper before I turn it in. The proof reader is able to find errors with grammar and word choice that I would not find if I was to proof read it myself. Also having someone else proof read it could help me with my paragraph transitions and the flow of my paper. On the hand, I am not sure exactly what I can do to with the second mistake I made. It seems so simple that all I need to do is explain the quotes I use more. But it is not that simple. I have always struggled with putting my thoughts into words. There was so much more I wanted to say about Baldwin’s use of pathos, but it just would not come out and I’m not sure what I can do about it. Maybe I can try writing down all of my thoughts beforehand and then later classify them into their appropriate places. Or I could try using an outline to organize all of my thoughts. I am not the type of person to use an outline, but maybe it might help with my little "problem."
Over all I really enjoyed writing the rhetorical analysis. Maybe because I was able to relate to the ideas of Baldwin's essay. Also, because it was a change from the writing that I did before in high school.

"Blotto"

Six ways I have hidden from the light: I am sometimes afraid to speak my mind and express my ideas, especially during class discussions; I have been living in my brother's shadow, I feel that I am always competing with him and I am hardly victorious; I never finished my application to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, everything was all set and I just needed to finish two things, but I never did; I really haven't made any new friends since I've been here, I guess I'm afraid of being judge; I don't like doing things on my own, I have always had someone beside me for help and guidance; I'm afraid of my potential, I feel everything I have done was average and I never really go beyond what is expected.

A manifesto according to webster.com is a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer.

I try to face the world with confidence and strength. Why should I worry about what others think about me and why should I not be myself to please others?? I am me and I am perfectly fine with that. I know there will be days, and there has been days, where I question who I am and wonder what others think about me. But the ones who truely love me give me the strength and confidence I need to get through days like that. One day long time from now, I want to look back on my life and know that I did everything I wanted and I did it exactly the way I wanted to. I want to be able to leave this world with no regrets.

Response to Articles

I thought the two articles we read in class were very interesting. The articles, especially the one about the World Trade Organization and China, showed that the trade tax in one country can greatly impact the economy of another country or several other countries. Since China taxed imported car parts and treated them as whole cars, then businesses are encouraged to buy parts made in China because they are cheaper. This causes the makers of the imported car parts to wonder if they should relocate to China and leave workers in America, Canada, and Europe jobless. Leaving workers unemployed also happens when General Motors relocates their plants to different cities. The workers are left jobless and they are not able to provide for themselves or their families. It also has a great impact on the communities surroundin the plants, which we saw in Flint. I understand why China had a high tax on imported car parts. They wanted to encourage local purchasing therefore help their economy. Also, I understand why GM relocates or closes plants. They want to decrease the cost of production and also increase profit. However, I feel that there is a solution out there that will benefit everyone and not leave numerous people unemployed.

Synthesis (Rewrite)

In both the documentary Roger & Me by Micheal Moore and the article "Must the Jobless Also Be Hopeless?" by David Moberg, the issue of unemployment is addressed and shown to the world. Moore's documentary shows the effects on Flint, Michigan after General Motors closes their factories. This left almost the entire town unemployed. The former autoworkers had to move to other cities, resort to lower paying jobs, and basically doing what they had to survive. In the article by Moberg, various examples are given to show unemployment in America. Rather than giving a specific example of the issue, the article tries to concentrate on America as a whole. It discusses the definition of "long-term unemployment," how it effects the society, and different organizations that try to help the unemployed get back into the working environment.One similarity between the two sources is showing that the society/community is also affected by unemployment and the unemployed are not the only ones who suffer. In the article it is said that research has shown that unemployment is connected to higher suicide rates, declining health, more divorces, increased depression and stress, and increased crime and social violence. In the case of Flint, we did see some of the things mentioned as well as others happen. The crime rate in Flint increased so much that a new prison had to be built. Also the environment got so bad that the rat population passed the human population in Flint.Even though there are other similarities between the two sources, there are also differences. One big difference is that the article mentions different organizations and programs that help the unemployed, so they don't have to depend on government funding. These organizations help the unemployed get back into the working environment by educating and informing them about their options and alternatives they have before the lost their jobs. They also help train them in different areas, build the skills they already have, or help them go back to school. These organizations help the unemployed help themselves; they just give them the little push that is needed to start. But in Roger & Me, Moore never really shows any organizations or programs helping the people of Flint. He does show people trying to help themselves by resorting to other jobs and taking lower pay. However, most of these people end up unemployed again after a period of time. There were probably some kind of organizations trying to help the people of Flint, but Moore chose not to show that in his film. Moore did not do this because he had a purpose and message he wanted to tell his audience. So he chose scenes that were related to his purpose and that would appeal to his audience's emotion. He had rhetorical goals.Both Roger & Me and "Must the Jobless Also Be Hopeless?" address the issue of unemployment. Even though they are both from different time periods, they both show that unemployment is a continuous problem that somehow needs to be solved.

"Must the Jobless Also Be Hopeless?"

The article "Must the Jobless Also Be Hopeless?" by David Moberg, discusses unemployment in America. The article first talks about four people, who all had been released from prison and how unemployment was the cause of them being arrested. Because they were unemployed, they had to resort to theft, drug dealing, forgery, and shoplifting. The article continues on describing the people who are unemployed. These people range from non-high school graduates to people with exemplary workers and even people with college degrees. Next, the term "long term unemployment" is defined. To be officially declared long term unemployed, workers have to be unemployed for six months or more. The rate of long-term unemployment has increased since the 1970s. A suprising fact is that long-term unemployment has increased the most for workers with college degrees or experienced workers. The article next describes the affect of unemployment on the society. Research has shown that unemployment is directly linked to higher suicide rates, declining health, more divorces, increased depression and stress, and increased crime and social violence. Unemployment affects all people, regardless of education, skill level, and work history. Then, the articles talks about the middle class and how they are affected by job loss. These workers find it hard to find similar jobs and most resort to multiple jobs, lower wages and part-time jobs. Lastly the article describes various organizations and programs that try to help the unemployed. Groups and organizations like the Michael Barlow Center and Heartland Alliance help people by educating people about resources, alternatives, and options they have before they are laid off and by helping them gain more or different skills.This article about unemployment relates to Michael Moore's Roger & Me by the issue of unemployment itself and everything that comes with it. In the case of Flint, Michigan, 30,000 workers were unemployed. This had an impact on the people and the society, and this is what the article is talking about. Many unemployed people, including those in Flint, had to seek other employment opportunities. Most of them never found jobs within their community or they had to settle for lower wages. Because of unemployment, the people and community were affected. As shown in Flint, crime rates increased, there were more violence, and more and more people were getting evicted. When I read the article's title, I kind of had a different interpretation of what the article was going to be like. I thought that the article was going to discuss different examples of people who were unemployed at point but found different jobs. The article kind of hit that subject but then I thought it mostly talked about the negative side of unemployment instead of giving hope to people that they too can find another job.

Roger & Me

In the documentary Roger & Me, Micheal Moore investigates the the relationship between a big multi-millionare coporation and everyday average people. He uses his hometown of Flint, Michegan to show this relationship by making a documentary about the effects of the closing of General Motor's factories had on the the city, people, and economy in Flint.

One major way Moore uses logos in his documentary is by establishing a "cause and effect" relationship. The cause in this relationship is the closing of the GM plants in Flint and the lost jobs of over 30,000 auto workers. There are many effects in this relationship such as higher unemployment rate, increase in crime, drop in economy, evictions, decrease in population, etc. Majority of this "cause and effect" relationship is implied. Moore never really tells that the many effects occurred because of the plant closing and people losing their jobs. The audience is expected to come to the conclusion that this and that happened because the plants closed. One example of this infered relationship is that many bunnies had to die because the plants closed. Another way Moore uses logos is by getting expert testimony on the whole situation. He interviews various people that were directly affected with the closing of the plants, which was basically the whole entire town of Flint in exception to the rich. He also interviews various employees of the GM organization.

A big belief that is shown by Moore throughout this movies is that the GM company is in debt to the people and town of Flint. Moore believes that since Flint is the hometown of the automobile company then GM owes the town and its people. That was the whole reason why this documentary was made. He felt it was his responsibility or duty to the town and people to bring Roger Smith, the chairman of GM, to Flint and get what was owed to the them. I don't think that Moore's belief is very logical. Of course, some companies like GM would have been more that happy to help the town and people if they were in the same situation. But that is not the main purpose of a company. Just like Tom Kay, a representative for GM, said a company main purpose is to make a profit and not honor its hometown. This is so true. It may be harsh for GM to close its factories and put thousands of people out of work. But they do what they do so they can make a profit. It may not seem right, but that is just reality.

"Passing Before Life's Very Eyes"

Wolfgang uses pathos in the pictures and texts throughout his comic strip. In the beginning, the pictures are pretty confusing and the storyline is hard to follw because there is no text. But as the story continues and text is given, the story and purpose become clearer. Wolfgang first uses pathos at the beginning of the text by showing several pictures of an old man dying in a hospital bed. When I saw these pictures, I became a little sad. It reminded me of several grandfathers of mine that also passed away of old age in hospitals. It also made me wonder about what kind of life this old man lived and just what kind of person he was. The next couple of pictures shows the man's spirit leave his body and take a journey through his life.

They say that your life flashes before your eyes right before you die and this is true for the old man. But instead of seeing his life from when he was young to when he gets old, his spirit travels the opposite way. This whole idea of "life before your very eyes/memory lane" special as the comic calls it is another way Wolfgang uses pathos. Many people have different ideas and feelings about what you experience right before you die and this whole idea is kind of controversial. I personally believe that it is based on your religious views and the upbringing of a person.

As the comic continues, the old man's spirit realizes that some of his memories are different and not as he recalls them. He sees a dream he had all the time as a kid then it changes to something he don't remember at all. He wonders if it's a dream or if he actually died. His younger self tells him that he is dying and the whole "memory lane" is just his mind distracting him from the fact that he soon to be dead. His younger self also tells him that everything just turns black and it's just over, nothing else happens and he doesn't go to heaven. This is also another way the author uses pathos. Once again, everyone has their own ideas about where you go after you die. Saying that everything just goes black and it's just over and you don't go to heaven would strike up different emotions of the audience. Some people would agree with this idea while others would be appalled by the fact that there is no heaven.

The comic strip ends with several pictures showing the old man and his younger self turning into different things such as bees, tap dancers and distorted disney characters. I do not understand the purpose of these pictures. But in the last two pictures the man's younger self says, "Though now that I actually consider it-it probably doesn't fade to black...more than likely, things just sort of". Leaving the audience hanging also would be another way Wolfgang uses pathos. This creates curiosity in the reader. They wonder what happens if things don't fade to black. I like that Wolfgang left the end out because it makes me able to fill the end in myself. The reader is able to fill in their own idea about what happens when you die and where you go. It also makes me wonder if finding those answers is important. Maybe just the fact that you lived your life the way you wanted is what matters the most.

"Southland"

I found it quite difficult to understand the reading. I had to read it several times and look up certain words to fully grasp the meading of the piece. But after reading "The Southland" by Henry Miller, I wanted to travel to the southern states and experience first hand what Miller was describing. I have traveled to the several of the southern states before, but I was young and really didn't know about the history and importance of some of the places we visited. Miller chooses great words that allows the reader to create various images about the vast land. The use of imagery and diction makes the reader think that Miller is a credible author about this subject. He writes as if he has lived in the south his entire life and knows about its history, places and people. Miller appeals to his readers' emothions by talking about the war between the South and the North. Everyone has different opinions and feelings toward the subject of war. Once again, Miller uses imagery and diction to appeal to audience's emotions by using words and phrases like, "...when I stand beside the graves of the dead in our own South the horror of war assials me with desolating poignancy."Miller aslo uses logos when he talks about the different battlefields and other historical places.

Miss Navajo

I chose to analyze the official website of Miss Navajo Nation. It is a highly prestigious title to hold. Miss Navajo is chosen in a pageant held yearly during the Navajo Nation Fair. One contestant is chosen to represent the Navajo Nation as an ambassador for the people, nation, and culture. She must fluently speak Navajo and have knowledge in every aspect of the Navajo culture, religion, history and government.

When you first go to the web address, an introduction starts to play. The words "Ya'at'eeh shik'ei doo shidine'e" appears, which means Greetings, my family and my people. Then a picture slideshow showcasing former Miss Navajos plays. While this introduction is running, a song that is soft, slow and calming plays. After the introduction is over, you can enter the homepage of the site. The center of the page shows the current title holder, Miss Navajo Nation 2007-2008 Jonathea Tso. It gives a brief introduction of Ms. Tso and displays a newspaper article about her win. On the outer edges of the page, there are various links that directs you around the site. Some of the links include: about us, history, photo album, contestants, news & events, projects, and meetings. On the right side of the page is a list of all the former Miss Navajos and you are able to learn about the past title holders by clicking on their name. The color scheme and theme of the page are very traditional. The red, white, and black are traditional colors and there are different traditional designs and even a picture of a traditional rug. This shows that the Miss Navajo council respects the Navajo culture and is trying to preserve every aspect of it from the teachings, language and even the use of the designs.

The Miss Navajo Nation council is the author of this website. The council consists mainly of former title holders who have had a significant impact on the Navajo Nation and its people during their reign. The audience of this site could be numerous people. People who are of different nationalities who want to learn more about Miss Navajo, the history of the title, and former title holders and contestants. People who are interested in beauty pageants could also be an audience of this site. Also, young Navajo girls who are thinking about running for Miss Navajo. The main purpose of this site is to inform the audience about the Miss Navajo organzition and the title of Miss Navajo. Also, it is used to educate others about an aspect of Navajo culture. In addition, the site is used to show the uniqueness of the pageant and title compared to other pageants that are held. The tone of the site is very traditional and respectable to the Navajo culture.

"Shark Cage"

After looking at everyone's blogs, I chose to analyze Scott's blog. His blog really stood out from the rest and caught my eye. His blog seems to be popular because several other students did analyze his blog as well. The theme of his blog shows his love for the ocean and as he stated, his love of scuba diving. The color scheme of the various blues and greens works well with his theme. When I look at these colors, I am reminded of the ocean. He has pictures of sharks on his blog. The pictures also show his love for scuba diving and the ocean. It also indicates that maybe he likes sharks and may want to see a real shark one day. By the blogs he wrote, he is a nice and polite person who respects all people. His blogs are simple and straight forward and may indicate how he is in person. By his blog page, I think that Scott is a very fun and adventurous person. I get the idea that he likes to try new things and meet new people. Scott is a kool person and I would like to get to know him more this semester.

"Mother Tongue"

In Amy Tan's essay "Mother Tongue," she talks about her mother's so called "broken" English, how her mother's use of language is perceived by others and how growing up with that type of language has impacted her life. Amy Tan is the author of this essay. She is a first generation Asian-American, who was born into a Chinese emmigrant family. She wrote this essay for her mother, who she says she imagines as her audience while she writes. Also, Tan wrote this for people who have grown up with "broken" English or speak different Englishes, especially people with emmigrant parents. The purpose of this essay is to inform the readers about the different struggles that people face due to their lack of "perfect" English. She also wrote this essay to tell these her audience that it is alrite to speak different Englishes.
I have also had personal experiences with speaking various Englishes and I have many older relatives who don't speak English that well. I have seen people, especially non-native people, treat my relatives rudely and with disrespect just because they don't have good communications skills. These relatives grew up speaking just their traditional language and never had a formal education. Most of them never went to school or dropped out at a young age. They had to learn English because their children were being educated and they still needed to communicate with them. After reading this essay, I have noticed that I speak different Englishes, and I think everyone does. When I am around a group a people I speak one kind of English, then when I'm around another group I speak a different kind of English. I think we all speak multiple Englishes and don't even notice it. It is just normal to us because maybe, just like Amy Tan, that was how we grow up and how we always communicate with people.

What is a Blog??

After reading the materials and watching the videos, I now have a better understanding about what a blog really is. Before I thought that a blog was like an online journal, where you could write about whatever you felt like. A blog is like a journal but then it is also more than that. A blog is many things. It's a way to share information with others, express feelings, reflect on experiences, and just to tell the world about yourself. Also, now it has become a tool for many companies to help their empolyees and have them interact with each other. I think that blogs are also a good way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Personally, I feel that talking in person or over the phone is the best form of communication, but a blog still comes close to that. It is a way for people to find others out there who are going through similar situations and share common ideas, opinions, and interests. I feel that blogs are good ways to express feelings that you just can't seem to tell anyone else. People do have certain feelings and experiences that they keep inside and a blog is a good way to get those things out. They may not want to share that information with others, so that is why on some blog sites you have the option of keeping blogs private. All in all, I think that a blog is just a place where you can write just about anything. Of course, I am against hate blogging. I think it is just dumb for people or groups to post blogs that trash people based on their race, religion, sex, or sexual preference. I am all for blogging about whatever you want, but not at the expense of someone else just to make yourself feel superior.