Blog Post 10

Trayvon Martin Case:

My Knowledge:  As far as know about the case it is about an African American boy. who was shot by a town watchmen while walking in a neighborhood. The guy who shot Trayvon says he did it in self defense and that Trayvon looked suspicious. I know there national out over the case because some beilieve that Trayvon was simply shot because he was black and there was no probable cause. I have learned most of my knowledge of this case from hearing others talk about it and also from watching it on the news.

My Reaction: I find that the details of the case are unclear and  therefore inhibit ayone from making a clear determination on how the case should be handled. I also think the immdeiate controversy would show race relations in america to be  the main  problem, however personally i believe that this would also bring in to question the idea of restrictions and allownaces when it comes to gun laws and right to bar arms.

Blog Post 9

Reflection on How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents.

 My overall opnion on the novel of How the Garcia Girls Lost Thier accents is one that is neither negative or positive. I thought the book was overral an interesting novel about How the Garcia Girls struggled with ther Dominican Roots and also adapting with outside factors of life such as , American culture, growing up, and dealing with their wants verses their parents wants. In the Last chapter Julia Alvarez essentially symbolized the keys concpets of the novel in the whole story of the kitten Schwarz. Just like schwarz, the Garcia girls were not essentially taken from their mothers, but rather exposed or forced to deal with situations at a premature age, and their lifes are all centered around the journey back to their mother (symbolically can be connected to The Dominican republic, or just their families in general). In watching this journey take place the book was able to teach me  how , for some life is not only just a journey of finding yourself, but also a journey of finding your way back to your roots and heritage.

Blog Post 8

Life in the city is the kind of life I  invision for myself. The bright lights, the fashion, the rush; it's all so exiticing. As a little kid I spent most of my time living in the country, and then as a teenager in the suburbs; so I'd like to think of my life in adolescnce as a gradual gravitation towards maturity and towards the city. If someone was to ask me to give a list of reasons why i hold the city in such high regard, i don't think i could give them a definite answer. The arguemnt of city life vs country life is one that has been debated many times, but rarely has come to a definite conclusion( http://activerain.com/blogsview/1423333/the-country-vs-city-debate). I could say  that the city is better because of its the endless streets filled with different people and different cultureshttp://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108570.htm , but that can be found anywhere.  I could say its the  keen air of opportunity that lingers with every step, but opportunity can be found anywhere. So my answer as to why i love the city is one that is also indefinite.  i love the smells and the air. i love the people you can find in the city. From a high fashion model, to the obvious tourists . I love the quiant coffe shop on bleeker and sixth. http://gonyc.about.com/cs/toursbr/a/bleecker_over.htm. I love the city simple because I just do.

Blog Post 7

Render your opinion, in 20 lines, about a work of art you've enjoyed recently. Give your readers the basics of what the work of art entails, and provide your opinions/recommendations regarding the work. Ultimately, why did you enjoy this, and why should we care to enjoy it as well? If you can link to anything on the web that would add-to/support your post about the work of art, please do so.

One work of art that i have recently listened to is Naive - by the Kooks. I first heard this song at the end of 17 again starring Zac Efron . I only heard two lines of the song , but the lyrics that i heard prompted me to search the song on the internet. the lyrics said " You're such an ugly thing, for someone so beautiful". This line caught my attention because i thought it was kind of deep at the time. I also noticed how it was a contradiction and perhaps even used juxtaposition (placing two opposites next to each other in order to emphasize or bring attention to the other). Once i found out what the song was called i decided to  purchase it and then listen to it. At the moment i was really into the song because it was kind of warm out and i was in a summery mood. the song melody and aura reminded me of summer and laying out in the sun so i continued listening to it. Overall i think the song is a good one. It's kind of catchy and the genre of it kind of resembles some of the other artists that i typically listen too.   I did some research on the band found out that they are a pop/rock group originated in UK. i found that odd because at the moment a lot of the new artists that i have been listening to have seemed to have started in the Uk. i found some of their other songs. i recognized one of them as a song that i had heard on a car commercial once before , however i didnt like it as much as the one i had already found. 

Blog Post 6

Blog Day 6 is all about what YOU want to write about. You'll choose 3 of the headings below and write 10 lines (minimum) for each. As always, keep your writing school-appropriate and please, do not use this forum for personal attacks towards anyone in the Wiss community. Your options:
- The biggest problem in America today is.....
- 
The thing that annoys me the most is ...

when people around me act out of character. In interacting with people everyday i learn to cope and interact with people based on the behavior that is characteristic to how they normally act. Nothing annoys me more when i witness someone acting opposite of who they are. Also nothing annoys me more when people are wishy washy. In my opinion you either act one way and are one way or your are not. It annoys me to no end when a person says one thing to me and another to someone else.  I was never one to understand the reasoning behind not just voicing your true opinions. Another thing that annoys me is when people just stop mid conversation. I think its very rude to just end a conversation without saying pardon me or alerting the person that you have to divert your attention else momentarily. I find it to be the sign of a very poor people to people skills. The last thing that annoys me to no en is when people attempt to get unecessary attention. there is no need to go out of your way to gain attention, if you are a nice person people will gravetate to you,and if not then perhaps you are not met to cross paths with that person. 


- Hey, you guys out there, take some advice from a girl...

My advice for a guy coming from the prospective of a girl would be to ultimatley just be honest. if its obvious the girl likes you , and you feel the same way, tell her. if you dont like her back, tell her. if she has no clue you exist yet youd give anything for her to notice you, tell her. too often we find that the one person who was perfect was right in front of us and outside factors such as nervousness or the fear of rejection kept us from expressing oour true feelings. You can never know when a girl is just waiting for that special somone to remind her that she is wanted or  if she is waiting for Mr. Right to come along. Its better to have taken the risks and gone for the girl rather than let her slip away and never know what could have been. It often can be scary exposing our true feelings, and whether or not the feeling is mutual,it is important to remeber that we owe it to ourselves to be honest about our emotions. We owe it to ourselves to recognize our hopes and desires, and then do everythging possible for them to become reality, and if we experience heartbreak or rejection while on the journey to finding the right one, thats simply apart of living.

10 years from now......,

I'll likely be a news correspondent for some kind of entertainment station, in New York City I will have hoped to attend college  in New York City or a city school so that i will at this point have been accustomed to a fast pace  and spontaneous routine. I hope that at that point in my life i will be leading a guided and structured life in the city.  i would plan to have my own apartment, perhaps with some roommates. My goals at that point in my life will most likely be to continue creating job connections and meeting people in my life that can further my career abilities while also maintaining my friends and family. If the time warrants and it comes at the right time i also would hope to be engaged or possibly married at this point. Im the type of person who often lives for the future rather for the now, so it'll be interesting to compare the way i envision my life now, to the way it'll actually turn out to be.  I hope that no matter what i continue to enable myself and those around me to grow and be successful. 

Blog Post 5

1. In the Novel How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents the character Sofia's personality has long been shaped by the ideals and occurences that have happened in her life. Growing up in a culture in which sexuality is something to be hidden rather than openly displayed, and where women are to take a subsurvient role next to men, has proven to be a main point in developing Sofia's independent and arguabley rebllious personality towards her family/father. Also being exposed to American culture which contrasts the one in the Dominican Republic have aided Sofia in her independent ways. Examples of her  independence can be found in her marriage to someone outside of the Dominican race (her German husband Otto) and her openness with sexuality that she displays regardless of the audience (the stint at Carlo's birthday party). I think its safe to say that this character is someone who has neither moved forward  nor moved backward from her experiences. Her resentment toward the ideals of her culture/father keep her stuck in a state of constant rebellion , while her exposure to other cultures allow her to rise above the potential opression she feels is being put on her.




2. An example of positivity in the novel would be when Carlos finally agrees to come visit Sofia and her family. The conflict that exists in the story between Carlos ans Sofia plays a major part in the novel and also in developing the two characters. Although it took a while for Carlos to agree to come visit Sofia and thus visiting his grand kids it is a positive that he was able to come to a point in which he was willing to temporarily put aside their differences. The visit did not particularly go well, in the sense that although Carlos came to visit yet  he still managed to impose his view upon the Sofia and her family (which essentially is the source of  conflict that kept existed between Carlos and Sofia in the first place). One would not tipically recognize this as an form of positivity , however Carlo's visit did show an example of the turn in the positive direction for the relationship between the two, because temporarily they attempted to get along.


3. As "Garcia Girls" is a story of identity, and to some extant, race, how do you feel about the "national conversation" (media-driven) going on today regarding these same subjects, in the Jeremy Lin Story? If you're unfamiliar with Jeremy Lin and his story, Google it. It might help to get some background prior to reading what I've seen as one of the better articles on the topic. This writer is not only speaking about Lin, but about how we view race in 2012, how we look at our own identity and how we still need to gain an understanding of the various ways we look at race in society. 10 Lines:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7601157/the-headline-tweet-unfair-significance-jeremy-lin

Blog Post 4

Article :

 Musicians and the concept of “selling out” - MIA’s Superbowl Halftime appearance:

Response: The author of this article choose to address the topic or idea of whether singer M.I.A's performance at the Superbowl was an act of selling out, or rather a showcase of her progression in her career. M.I.A is characteristically known/categorized as an alternative artist,placed opposite of the mainstream performers that the pop culture has both idolized and glamorized. Her performance on stage along side pop queen Madonna, and mainstream rapper Nicki Minj has caused the question to arise if M.I.A has essentially sold on the very principles that once set her apart (an indie, foreign alternative method to music). Personally i do not think that M.I.A's performance should be warranted as a sell out , but simple cultivation of success in the music industry. Who you are and what you stand for does not change simply because you are entered into a new culture (mainstream pop). I would not recommend this article to someone else to read , because i find the topic somewhat random and dramatic.


 Article: One of the many current national “takes” on New York Knicks basketball star-in-the-making, Jeremy Lin:

Response:  Jeremy Lin's rise on the basketball scene is nothing short of a pleasant surprise. The author of this article chooses to highlight the success of  Jeremy Lin the NBA. The harvard grad has shown himself to be able to hang with the best in the league. In a game against the LA Lakers  Lin scored a total of 30 points against NBA star Kobe Bryant. Lin's impressive performance for the New York Knicks has earned a growing fan base, and postivite attention. Many are surprised at his success being that Harvard University is normally known for producing academically advanced indviduals, and not sports prodigies. I personally do not have an inetrest in sports, but its kind of hard to ignore his progress when every other day i see a tweet stating "go Lin!" and "Lin, is Linmitless". I hope that Jeremy Lin is  able to continue on in his success and is able to be a role model to young atheles and old ones alike. I would reccomend this aritcle to anyone interested in sports, and stories of the rise of new atheletes.


Article : Opinion on PA Gun Law from Philly.com:

Response:    The author of this article tells how in 2008 a gun law was passe din Pennsylania. The this law was passed on account of the amount of crimes being committed in philadelphia as result of missing guns or illegally licensed  hang guns. The author also goes on to list some of the major cities in Pennsylvania in which gun crimes have run rampit. I found this article interesting becasue since we live in this area  i always hear on the local news about how an innocent bystander was shot by an unregistered gun or accidental injuries by illegal guns. Personally i do beilive that more gunr egualtion would be a positivie thing for the community , however it is crucial that we are sure that the rules do not infrigne on the publics rights as far as bearing arms and weapons.

Blog Post 3 - How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

1. Write a 15-line reflection on current gender roles, using the following questions to help formulate the reflection (your answers and opinions):
- what is expected of men and women in America in 2012 that’s specific to gender?
- how are men and women perceived in America in 2012 by the opposite sex?
- what are the difficulties/advantages of being a man or a woman in 2012?
- what are some stereotypes associated with being a man or a woman in 2012?

In pasts cultures and societies women have culturally played a

subservient role along side men. Women were made to stay home and take care of the children while the men were both allowed ad expected to go out and obtain an education in order to provide for the family. In modern day america this idea of men being more valuable than women, or being responsible soley for a families well being is still some what evident, but not exactly "the norm". Now days both men and women have the option of taking on a dominant role in the household and in everyday society, and with the existence of single mothers, and stay at home dads the complete opposite of what was once thought to be unheard of as far as social ideals is now an everyday occurrence. Due to these factors of the changing idea of what he role of a man and the role of a woman is , what the opposite genders perceive of each other is an ever changing idea. Both men and women now essentially look for the same characteristics in a mate, for example a modern day guy or girl would want someone who is financially stable,well educated and well rounded. Perhaps in past societies a man would not look a woman who was highly or equally educated being that their worth would not be found in  scholarly value, but in their ability to run a house hold or to maintain a functional family. Based on the expectations or lack there of that society hold upon men and women i think it  is safe to say that the advantages/disadvantages of being a man or woman in society turn being pretty equal, however as society is ever changing, there is no telling how perceptions and expectations for either gender roles will evolve.

2. Using one of last week’s Scenario Questions, Write a 5 line answer-explanation from the perspective of one of the characters from Garcia Girls. Put simply, if Yolanda or Carlos, etc. were posed this question, based on what you know about them thus far, how would they answer, and why?

In the perception of Carlos:

The role for women is one that is simply and easily understood. women are to follow the traditions of the family that are laid before them ,and perserve the culture and heart of the family.Women are not to take part in strenuous activities or activities that could make her family be perceived in a bad light. Men on the other hand are supposed to honor and protect their family . It is the mans responsiblity to pass down family values to his son so he can continue and pass it on down to his. Men are also supposed to be the provider for the family.

Blog Post 2- How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

1. Let us assume you met a rudimentary magician. Let us assume he can do five simple tricks--he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, he can make a coin disappear, he can turn the ace of spades into the Joker card, and two others in a similar vein. These are his only tricks and he can't learn any more; he can only do these five. HOWEVER, it turns out he's doing these five tricks with real magic. It's not an illusion; he can actually conjure the bunny out of the ether and he can move the coin through space. He's legitimately magical, but extremely limited in scope and influence.
Would this person be more impressive than Albert Einstein?

This person would be more impressive than Albert Einstein because at first it would appear as if he is somewhat worthless and posesses no real talent. People would judge him baesd on the simplicity of his talents, however in actuality the magician would possses a talen that no one else does. The fact that it is REAL magic would warrant him a higher level of respect than Albert Einstein because  his talent is one that cannot be learned or shared, it's special.

5. You meet your soul mate. However, there is a catch: Every three years, someone will break both of your soul mate's collarbones with a Crescent wrench, and there is only one way you can stop this from happening: You must swallow a pill that will make every song you hear--for the rest of your life--sound as if it's being performed by the band Alice in Chains. When you hear Creedence Clearwater Revival on the radio, it will sound (to your ears) like it's being played by Alice in Chains. If you see Radiohead live, every one of their tunes will sound like it's being covered by Alice in Chains. When you hear a commercial jingle on TV, it will sound like Alice in Chains; if you sing to yourself in the shower, your voice will sound like deceased Alice vocalist Layne Staley performing a capella (but it will only sound this way to you).
Would you swallow the pill?

I would swallow the pill. If this person is supposed to be my soulmate than i guess it would be safe to say that i would want to do anything to keep them from being put in harms way. I would just hope that this person would appreciate and recognize the sacrafice i am making for them, being that music plays a huge part of every aspect of my day.


7. Defying all expectation, a group of Scottish marine biologists capture a live Loch Ness Monster. In an almost unbelievable coincidence, a bear hunter in the Pacific Northwest shoots a Sasquatch in the thigh, thereby allowing zoologists to take the furry monster into captivity. These events happen on the same afternoon. That evening, the president announces he may have thyroid cancer and will undergo a biopsy later that week.
You are the front page editor of The New York Times: What do you play as the biggest story?

I would post the story of Sasquatch. Personally i would like to read more about the Lochness monster however, i think magority of readers would be more interested in reading about Sasquatch. I feel as though more  people would be familar with who "sasquatch" is, although morally i feel as though the story about the president would  be the better story to post


12. You meet a wizard in downtown Chicago. The wizard tells you he can make you more attractive if you pay him money. When you ask how this process works, the wizard points to a random person on the street. You look at this random stranger. The wizard says, "I will now make them a dollar more attractive." He waves his magic wand. Ostensibly, this person does not change at all; as far as you can tell, nothing is different. But--somehow--this person is suddenly a little more appealing. The tangible difference is invisible to the naked eye, but you can't deny that this person is vaguely sexier. This wizard has a weird rule, though--you can only pay him once. You can't keep giving him money until you're satisfied. You can only pay him one lump sum up front.
How much cash do you give the wizard?

I think it would be safe to give the wizard 5 dollars. Being that there is some kind of magical aspect to the whole process i would be somewhat weary of going overboard in the transformations, however sine it is clear that the "magic" he used on the person on the streeet worked, i would be willing to give it a try. I think i would want to get more details on the side effetcs and  workings behind the spell first, before i decided to give him the money.


16. Someone builds and optical portal that allows you to see a vision of your own life in the future (it’s essentially a crystal ball that shows a randomly selected image of what your life will be like in twenty years). You can only see into this portal for thirty seconds. When you finally peer into the crystal, you see yourself in a living room, two decades older than you are today. You are watching a Canadian football game, and you are extremely happy. You are wearing a CFL jersey. Your chair is surrounded by books and magazines that promote the Canadian Football League, and there are CFL pennants covering your walls. You are alone in the room, but you are gleefully muttering about historical moments in Canadian football history. It becomes clear that—for some unknown reason—you have become obsessed with Canadian football. And this future is static and absolute; no matter what you do, this future will happen. The optical portal is never wrong. This destiny cannot be changed.
The next day, you are flipping through television channels and randomly come across a pre-season CFL game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Knowing your inevitable future, do you now watch it?

No i will not watch it. I beieve that we all have a hand in our future ,a nd so by watching choosing to watch the
CFL game you would be essentially choosing to perpetuate a future that someone has layed out for you. If someone showed you a crystal ball in which you jump off a ledge, the next time you pass a ledge are you gonna jump off it? No. You'd avoid the ledge at all costs.
19. Your best friend is taking a nap on the floor of your living room. Suddenly, you are faced with a bizarre existential problem: This friend is going to die unless you kick them (as hard as you can) in the rib cage. If you don’t kick them while they slumber, they will never wake up. However, you can never explain this to your friend; if you later inform them that you did this to save their life, they will also die from that. So you have to kick a sleeping friend in the ribs, and you can’t tell them why.
Since you cannot tell your friend the truth, what excuse will you fabricate to explain this (seemingly inexplicable) attack?

I will say that i was trying to kick a pillow out of my way that was on the floor because i had other things in my hand and i didnt want to trip and then i missed the pillow and accidnetly kicked them. This story would seem highly unliekly however i would stick to my story and be really apologetic. I would also pay for the hospital bill or comfort them or do something to let them know that the kick was unintetional.


20. For whatever the reason, two unauthorized movies are made about your life. The first is an independently released documentary, primarily comprised of interviews with people who know you and bootleg footage from your actual life. Critics are describing the documentary as “brutally honest and relentlessly fair.” Meanwhile, Columbia Tri-Star has produced a big-budget biopic of your life, casting major Hollywood stars as you and all your acquaintances; though the movie is based on actual events, screenwriters have taken some liberties with the facts. Critics are split on the artistic merits of this fictionalized account, but audiences love it.
Which film would you be most interested in seeing?

I would be more intrested in seeing the film that was actual footage of my life. In some odd sense as we go about our day our life is already a movie in which the we personally have taken liberties with the facts . By choosing to remebering,forgetting, wishing, and dreamming we essentially choose to live  our lives in way that we personally would like to percieve them, however by watching a movie that was simply you going about your day and interviews with those around you, we would be forced to see our lives for what they truthyfull are,for who we are.

Post 1- First Impression

          My first impression when recieving this book was that it was going to be a cultural one. The title How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents automatically gives the reader the idea that the cultural aspects that are present in the book are going to play an important role in developing the story. By also reading the title one can assume that the book is going to be one based on the Spanish culture and ideals ,being that Garcia is typically a last name  linked to the hisapnic culture. From reading the back othe reader can seee that the bond between the three Gracia sisters ,Carla Sandra, Yolanda, and Sofia, is going to be the gule that holds the story together. This book seems particullary interesting to teenage girls being that given the description on the back it apppears as if the novel is going to address the struggles and occurences that not only foriegeners come across, but that all teenage girls do. I am hesistant in making a judgement on whether I will enojy the novel yet, because these assumptions that i am making are derived only from the details given in the outer tellings of the novel. From first impression it appears as if the book will be one that has a good story plot and that takes account for many different aspects of life so i am interested in getting to dive into it.