Blog 30

Analyze specific qualities that make a person fit to successfully pursue extreme adventures in the natural world, but also could potentially lead to disaster.

I think basically any time you plan on going into the wild, there's a chance of your adventures leading to disaster. That's just the way life goes. But there are two things that seem to be most important while embarking on such adventures, and they're fairly simple.
But I guess the most important quality is to have the drive and the motivation to survive in the wilderness, otherwise, you'll probably live there for a week, and want to give up or get bored. If you have no motivation to do something difficult, then you have no reason for being there, and in the end, it would just seem like a waste of time. However, if someone does have a strong will, they can also push themselves too far, which can lead to injury and death.
There's also that personal need for a challenge that comes in handy as well. With this, all the struggles are seen as ways you can grow and improve. The saying "what doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger" comes to mind. But once again, you can take this state of mind too far and trap yourself into a bad result.

Semester Reflection

1. Discuss your overall strengths and specific positive experiences in Humanities in the 2009 fall semester:
I suppose my greatest strength was getting things done all together, though the methods could have been more efficient when it comes to time. Reading and annotating our assigned books was a strength of mine as well since I had so many thoughts on most subjects in the book, and it actually made writing the essay easier later.

2. Discuss specific experiences from humanities in the fall 2009 semester that motivate you to improve in the spring 2010 semester:
My essays could have been better, and I could have studied harder for our quizzes. I realized this through the grades I got, and just looking back on them. Time management can be improved so that I spend more time getting help and working on my assignments.

3. Discuss how you used blogging as a productive space to work with ideas, develop high quality work, share work, etc.:
Blogging gave me a lot more writing experience, and it was a good way to let out all of my thoughts. By doing this, while writing essays, my thoughts were a bit more organized on the first draft than they usually were.

4. Describe the progress you have made as a writer this semester—remember to include specific details.
I’ve learned a lot more valuable writing techniques such as The Loop, and activating my verbs. I’ve also become more aware of the punctuation I use and how it affects the flow of my writing, but I still have a lot to work on in these areas.

5. Describe your experiences reading throughout this semester—remember to include specific details.
I read books that I never thought I would have been interested, and realized that I actually enjoy reading them more than I expected. Annotating books is sort of natural for me, though I never did it before because I didn’t think I was allowed to. So when I look back on the books, I can find my favorite quotes and such much quicker. I’m also more interested in reading more books like The Great Gatsby and The Outsiders. Narrative-nonfiction has also become an interest of mine. I had never seen or even heard of it before, and now I’d actually like to write something using it.

6. Discuss what you are looking forward to, what you hope to accomplish and/or your goals in the second semester of Humanities:
I hope to improve my writing so that it is more organized in The Loop, and overall thought process. I’d also like to go through more drafts for my writings and hopefully remember to go into office hours and such to get more critiques. I am also going to try to write better and neater notes when needed.

Semester 1 Final Honors History Blog

1. Discuss your successes as an honors student this past semester:

I was certainly challenged in writing this semester, not just with just the writing itself, but even trying to figure out where to start. I hope I’ve improved at least a little throughout this semester. I’m glad I was introduced to the more journalistic form of writing, because it involves a lot of extra research and thinking, and in doing this, I think my mind has expanded. That would have to be my greatest success this semester.

2. Discuss what you might have done differently if you do this past semester of honors over again:

To be honest, I would have liked my grade in humanities to be higher. I’m grateful that I’ve managed to keep a 93 in the class, but I was really hoping to get a 95. Ninety five just seems like a good number. I know I could have tried harder and done better. This is how it goes every year. One thing I would have liked to have done over again is the MSB project, because I feel like I could have gotten a lot more experiences and knowledge out of it than I did. I would have liked to find more direct information on my own since I’ve been looking into journalism, and I know that journalist have to get information directly from the source. The MSB project would have been good practice for this.

3. Discuss your goals for honors in the second semester:

In the second semester, I’d like to really improve my essay writing skills. On my essays, I usually got B’s, so I know there’s plenty of room for improvement. Even without those grades I know I can improve, and I truly want to get better at writing since it’s a passion of mine. I’d like to take advantage of office hours a bit more and do at least three drafts for each essay with plenty of critiques from classmates as well as Randy. I’d also like to break from the habit of procrastinating. I’m excited to see how my writing and thought process changes next semester.

4. If you could choose any parts of literature and history for our honors work, what would you pick and why?:

When it comes to literature, I’d like to work with poetry, and fictional or narrative-nonfiction having to do with the psyche. I love reading and writing poetry, because every poem is sort of like a mystery to be figured out, and everyone has their own interesting interpretations of them. Plus I think I need practice with symbolism. I’d like to read and write about books about people with psychological struggles because the stories can be really twisted and also have extremely interesting and new perspectives that could stretch my mind. For example, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest seemed like a good book to read involving this. When it comes to history, I’d like to look into the Vietnam War since it’s the war I know the least about and many writers seem to be scarred over. I’m really interested in war stories nowadays since I read Tim O’Brian’s The Things They Carried, and that book really gave me a new perspective, and held my interest. I’m hoping to get that same, if not a better experience from another war story book.

Into The Wild (Essay)

Do you feel, as one letter writer did, that there is “nothing positive at all about Chris McCandless’ lifestyle or wilderness doctrine …surviving a near death experience does not make you a better human it makes you damn lucky” (116); or do you see something admirable or noble in his struggles and adventures?

I’d have to disagree with the above statement. One of the key points of McCandless’ travels was to challenge himself, which he did, and by doing so he met a variety of new people and expanded his horizons. He did as he pleased. At some level, Chris was achieving a sort of freedom. However, he seemed to make things too hard for himself throughout the book to the point where it seemed like torture, as if this freedom needed consequences. What Chris was trying to do was admirable, but he made many decisions that were ridiculous and unnecessary.
On multiple occasions throughout the book, it is said that Chris didn’t get along with his parents because he, as an old friend of his says, “just didn’t like being told what to do”, and Chris found his parents to be overly controlling. The author states that Chris’s father, Walter “is accustomed to calling the shots. Taking control is something he does unconsciously.” If you put two and two together, it’s pretty simple to see that Chris must have hated his lifestyle. A letter he wrote to his sister even basically said that he couldn’t stand his parents. Of course he would set out to get away from them. In a letter Chris wrote to a friend of his on his journey, he holds the opinion that “so many people live with unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation.” I agree with this statement. Chris was unhappy with his life and decided to change it. In this sense, Chris’s actions were very admirable because he took charge of his own life, and lived it the way he wanted to.
Chris’s father stated that “Chris had so much natural talent.” In one of the books found on Chris’s area of death, one piece of text he highlighted said “I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love. I felt in myself the superabundance which found no outlet in our quiet life.” Once again, if you put these together, it is quite clear that Chris wanted a challenge. According to friends and family of this traveler, most things came easy to him. It’s only logical that a person is going to want a change in pace after so many years of easiness. It’s a way of proving to yourself that you can do more than what you’ve already done. And once you’ve proved that, the accomplishment is refreshing.
On the other hand, Chris took this idea a bit too far on many occasions. On many of his long journeys, Chris took nothing more than 25 pounds of rice for food, and the gun he brought for hunting was clearly not going to be very useful if he wanted to kill big animals to keep his body satisfied. There would have been nothing wrong with being better prepared for his travels. It would have been one thing if he didn’t know how to prepare for the wilderness, but his family recollects that when Chris was growing up, they often took camping trips. Knowledge is a resource that Chris did not always use. He knew what materials would be needed, and knew how to use them for the most part, so what was the point of forcing such rookie mistakes? If he knew better, which he did since he often seemed to think he was going to die, then he should have took what he knew, and used it properly at least to some extent.
Also, when people offered to help him, he refused it. Westerberg, a close friend of Chris, had offered to buy him a plane ticket up north, which would get him to his goal destination, Alaska, in a much shorter amount of time. Chris responded to this offer by saying “flying would be cheating.” Chris had been trying to live freely with, as he put it “no strings attached” and it was his life, so how could he possibly be cheating? If you have a goal, and there is a more efficient and logical way of getting to that goal, then you should take that path. Otherwise, you’re just holding yourself back. If he had wanted freedom, he should have considered the freedom to return to society as he pleased.
In a journal entry, Chris writes “I writhed and twisted in the heat, with swarms of ants and flies crawling over me, while the poison oozed and crusted on my face and arms and back. I ate nothing…there was nothing to do but ache and suffer philosophically…I get it every time, but I refuse to be driven out of the woods.” He knew that he got poison ivy rashes somewhat frequently, so he must have known that rash ointment would be helpful. During those days of agony, he could have been continuing his travels had he just brought some medicine, or at least left the woods for a day to pick some up.
I understand that he wanted to challenge himself, but there is a fine line between challenging yourself, and torturing yourself. There would have been nothing wrong with buying a proper hunting gun, and accepting offered help. I think one of the challenge’s Chris failed to overcome was the challenge to let people help him when he obviously needed it. In the end, the only person holding Chris back was himself. He had gone into the wild underprepared, and knowing that he was most likely going to die on his final journey. He even said goodbye to his dear friends, as if he would not be back for a very long time. When he finally realized that he needed help, it was too late. He paid for his mistakes with death, and there’s no coming back from that.

Into The Wild (first)

2. Krakauer observes that it is not “unusual for a young man to be drawn to a pursuit considered reckless by his elders.” Explain whether McCandless would agree with Krakauer.
As many people said repeatedly throughout the book, McCandless was a smart guy. I'm sure he'd be able to agree that what he was doing was sort of involved with this psychology. But it would probably take a lot of convincing, since many people also said he was stubborn. My guess would be that he would argue that he was going on this adventure because his family barred him up for so long, and he finally got to break free, and once he got to that point, and continuously enjoyed it, there was no way he was turning back.

3. Do you feel, as one letter writer did, that there is “nothing positive at all about Chris McCandless’ lifestyle or wilderness doctrine …surviving a near death experience does not make you a better human it makes you damn lucky” (116); or do you see something admirable or noble in his struggles and adventures? Was he justified in the pain he brought to family and friends in choosing his own solitary course in life?
I find McCandless' adventures to be both admirable, and a bit unneccesary at the same time. It is truly admirable to set out and embark on your own adventure, using independence to guide you through nature. At some level, McCandless was achieving a sort of freedom. However, I think it was unneccesary for him to make everything so hard on himself. It was like he was trying to torture his own body--as if there has to be some extreme consequences for freedom. By doing this to himself, I can't help but feel sorry for the family. Especially after finding out how much he apparently loathed them for reasons they couldn't really understand. His letters made it sound like his hate towards his parents is what really made him want to escape the world, which later lead to his death. So, I do find his actons to be admirable to an extent, but at the same time, his reasons for doing so seemed quite immature, and caused many people terrible greiving for somewhat rediculous reasons.

Blog # 25

MSB projects must go beyond the walls of HTHMA. You have two basic choices: enter a contest or have a professional organization exhibit your work.

If you are entering a contest:
1. Post a link to the contest
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=photoContest

2. Summarize the basic requirements including entry fees, contest deadlines, permission forms, file sizes, and other requirements.
My picture(s) [5 at the most] have to be sent in by mail and recieved by January 31st, 2010.
Entry format/eligibility. The pictures have to be on a photo CD (photos must be a 6" x 9" scan at 300dpi in a jpeg or tiff format): Photos must not be digitally altered outside of what can be done in a darkroom to be considered. Lo resolution will not be considered (these were the exact words of the site). Each picture has to be labeled with a name, my name, date and location of subject. I also have to fill out and send in an entry form.

3. Evaluate your work against their requirements. Will your work be accepted?:
My work will be accepted if I don't send in my edited pictures. If I send in my raw pictures, and just crop them, it will be fine. Or do I have to send in exact copies of my final products?

The Great Gatsby

Evaluate The Great Gatsby as a criticism of the corruption of the American Dream.

The Great Gatsby is popularly interpreted as a criticism of the American dream. In this criticism, F. Scott basically says that the American dream is shallow, unattainable, and over exaggerated. F. Scott’s, The Great Gatsby is certainly an interesting new perspective on wealth, the American dream, and what it does to people, but at the same time, his criticism seems to be a bit over exaggerated. It would seem that F. Scott Fitzgerald misinterpreted the American dream all together.
Daisy and Tom Buchanan are described as a lovely couple with a lovely house in East Egg, where most of the rich people in New York live. Tom Buchanan is married to beautiful Daisy, but is blatantly cheating on her with a poverty-stricken woman named Myrtle, whom he spoiled with his own money. This shows that money really doesn’t buy happiness. I can agree with that much, but I have a different idea of what the American dream is. The American dream is that people of all types, from all backgrounds are able to prosper in America, the land of opportunity. Is it possible that F. Scott is criticizing equal opportunity in America?
Not likely. Tom Buchanan is portrayed as a Caucasian jock who really doesn’t have much logic or smarts of his own, and is essentially made into one of the bad guys of the book. In the first chapter of The Great Gatsby, Tom says “it’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.” The characters around him then begin to taunt him a bit. Clearly F. Scott Fitzgerald was supportive of equality for everyone, since he was making the man that the audience was against say that line. F. Scott was writing in a satirical format to get his point across.
In The Great Gatsby, the American dream seems to be to be filthy rich with a happy family, and excitement around every corner. In F. Scotts sense of the American dream, Daisy and Tom achieved it by having so much money. But, as Nick Carraway our narrator points out, they still seem to come up short handed, and in fact still wanted more. Tom wanted another woman, most likely for the excitement of scandal, and Daisy just wanted more excitement in general, constantly trying to be on the run to new as well as familiar places. Then there was the oh-so-mysterious Gatsby. He came out of nowhere and bought a huge house, and had extravagant parties every weekend. As it turned out, he was formerly in an intimate relationship with Daisy years ago, and struggled to earn all this money to impress her. Money was the key to Daisy’s heart—at least that’s what Gatsby believed. According to our narrator, Nick Carraway, “he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from Daisy”. Everyone had some sort of fetish with money.
However, The Great Gatsby did seem to hold a few examples of the American dream within his story. Jay Gatsby himself came from a fairly poor background, and worked his way up. But his motivation was Daisy, rather than money. It just so happens that money was basically the only way to get Daisy’s attention. My interpretation of The Great Gatsby is that F. Scott is actually criticizing people who obsess with money, or people obsessing with getting rich. Almost every character in this book were focused on money, and none of them were anywhere near happy with their lives. These people who achieved the one goal of getting a ton of money didn’t really have anything else to do. What do you do after you’ve achieved your one goal? The people in this book simply got bored and tried to make their own excitement.
“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…And one fine morning—
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
This quote of course leaves us with the question: what happens after the all the running? What do we get out of it? Does anyone even know? It is a common psychological conception that if we can just get this (whatever this may be), we’ll be happy, or life will be easier, or something else along those lines. If The Great Gatsby is a criticism of the American dream, then that would mean that F. Scott believes that money is the dream. And judging by this quote, it looks like F. Scott actually is saying that it is the actual struggle and perseverance to our goals that makes life worth living, even if we don’t really know the outcome of what happens when we get it.

Blog 24

1. The current event you picked for Blog #9. Include a link to the actual news story and a sentence or so that summarizes it. Post one unique & interesting fact, idea or quote that is useful for your project.
"A nonlethal device best known for beating back pirates off the coast of Somalia was deployed by local police in San Diego at political gatherings, and even at a competition to build sand castles"--September 14th, 2009
http://current.com/1isru4c
This article gives me examples of how else our beaches are being treated.

2. The current event you picked for Blog #23. Include a link to the actual news story and a sentence or so that summarizes it. Post one unique & interesting fact, idea or quote that is useful for your project.
Residents Protest End to 2nd Trash PickupFebuary 7th, 2009In Mission Beach, city trucks would come by to pick up trash twice a week. The second time in the week they would do this, it was free. However, due to budget cuts, these extra and free trash pickups can’t continue.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/feb/07/1cz7trash19526-residents-protest-end-2nd-trash-pic/
This gives me a starting place for my pictures and brings up budget cuts that effect garbage cans.

3. An interesting current event you found by reading a classmate's blog. Include a link to the actual news story and a sentence or so that summarizes it. Post one unique & interesting fact, idea or quote that is useful for your project.
From looking at Constance’s blog, I read an article about litter California sends down to Mexico, only to have it drift back into San Diego. More recycling programs will now be issued.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/oct/13/new-law-hopes-break-border-tire-cycle/

4. A brand new current event that you just found that is interesting and useful for your MSB project. Include a link to the actual news story and a sentence or so that summarizes it. Post one unique & interesting fact, idea or quote that is useful for your project.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2003/aug/21/lets-save-sunset-cliffs/
This article is talking about how much more people visit Sunset Cliffs, one of the beaches I will be studying, and how the increased popularity is causing vegetation loss among other things. This was only the start of the concerns.

5. Another brand new current event that you just found that is interesting and useful for your MSB project (yes, this time you are finding two new current events). Include a link to the actual news story and a sentence or so that summarizes it. Post one unique & interesting fact, idea or quote that is useful for your project.
http://www.livegreenordie.com/index.php?action=blogs&id=19804&site=San+Diego+Beaches%E2%80%99+Fourth+of+July+Hangover
8,000 pounds of trash 45,000 cigarette butts were left on the beach on the fourth of July, and there is now a yearly July 5th beach clean up as a result of the constant massive amounts of litter left on San Diego beaches on that day.
This contributes to my project as an example of how much litter our beaches get during certain times of the year, such as summertime when tourists come the most.

The Roaring 20's (Honors History)

The Rise of Automobiles

The 1920’s was certainly an exciting time for America. The economy was fantastic, growing by 7% each year. New and useful technology was springing up left and right, such as steam turbines and electric motors, and money began to be handled in new ways that is known as common place to this day. For example, insurance and home mortgages came into place. Gasoline taxes even started up, with good reason. The automobile was taking over.
According to Nation of Nations, cars were invented at the turn of the century, but were rarely seen and used since they were so expensive. Only the richest of men could afford to own such fine and new pieces of technology. But once the 20’s began, 10 million cars were being driven in America, and by 1929, 26 million were being used. This means that one out of every five people in America had a car. The average American’s income
Henry Ford was a major Automobile manufacturer, and was possible the main person who made automobiles, once toys for the rich, into something that almost everyone could afford. The average American’s income increased by an average of 150 dollars per year for each citizen, and cars were being sold for $290. Selling cars at these low prices made getting a good pay a bit harder for Ford workers, but at the same time changed America completely. Cars became a more commonly used form of transportation, and the use of them has only increased. The Ford Motor Company was of the most popular and successful car companies in America.
But the availability of the automobile caused other issues to happen as well. Minors could get a hold of the cars, and apparently misused them quite often. Nineteen of thirty sex crimes had been committed in cars by young citizens, and that was all it took for a juvenile court judge to claim that automobiles were “prostitution on wheels”. According to Nation of Nations, having cars gave people more freedom from the usual parental authority, which might have helped lead to these outcomes.
But all together, the automobile helped the growth of the economy and became a “transportation revolution” for all of America, replacing many of the uses of railroads for everyone.

Blog 23

Post a news story or current event that is connected to your MSB work.

Residents Protest End to 2nd Trash Pickup
Febuary 7th, 2009

For years, Mission Beach residents have enjoyed a bonus – an extra round of trash pickup each week during the summer.
City trucks came by twice a week, rather than the standard once a week, to haul away the garbage at no charge.
That additional service will no longer be provided as a result of cuts made by San Diego last year to close a $43 million midyear budget gap.
Some Mission Beach residents are just beginning to learn about the loss of the service, which costs the city $58,000 a year, and are lobbying City Hall to restore it.
They say the extra round of pickup from Memorial Day to Labor Day is necessary because the coastal community has a high concentration of vacationers and other visitors who tend to generate a fair amount of trash. Many waterfront properties in Mission Beach are vacation rentals in the summer.
Residents fear the budget cut will result in alleys overflowing with trash. Garbage piles, they worry, will draw birds and bugs and create health hazards.
“I think it's being penny-wise and pound-foolish,” said Bill Bradshaw, a longtime Mission Beach resident and community activist.
He said if cans are full, people will simply leave their waste in the alley or at the beach next to trash cans.
City Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who represents Mission Beach, said he's working to find money to restore the service. “It's a quality-of-life issue,” he said.
“In those summer months, we have so many visitors and vacation rentals. That extra trash pickup is essential for the residents to have a clean neighborhood and for the visitors to have a good positive beach experience.”
Rachel Laing, the mayor's spokeswoman, said one solution is for residents to buy an extra container to hold their trash. The city's Environmental Services Department sells the cans for $70 apiece, plus $25 for delivery.
Laing said the city can't afford to undo another budget cut. San Diego faces at least a $54 million deficit next fiscal year, which starts July 1.
“There are going to be a lot of cuts that aren't going to be pretty next year. We have to stand firm on what we are doing,” she said.
Last year, Mayor Jerry Sanders proposed shutting down some libraries and recreation centers to balance the budget. The City Council held off on the closures and will likely revisit the issue.
Owners of vacation rentals say that the second round of trash pickup should be covered by the hotel taxes paid to the city. San Diego charges a 10.5 percent tax on hotel and vacation rental rooms.
“The city is making a lot of money out of those renters in the summer,” said Ikuko Holland, a customer representative with San Diego Sunset Vacation Rentals & Real Estate, which manages vacation property in Mission Beach.
Holland said it's not just the guests of vacation rentals who fill up the garbage cans. Visitors also pop their trash into residents' containers.
“If it's once a week, it's probably going to be overflowing everywhere. People coming to the beach, they just use residential trash cans,” she said.


1. Summarize the event.
In Mission Beach, city trucks would come by to pick up trash twice a week. The second time in the week they would do this, it was free. However, due to budget cuts, these extra and free trash pickups can’t continue. Residents argue that the extra pickups are necessary since Mission Bay gets so many visitors, resulting in excess trash all over.

2. What is the most important info presented in the story?
The information about the budget cuts, because it shows what we all have to change in order to be able to afford our town.

3. What info is missing?
I guess the information that is missing is what we could do to help, or if anything is being done to manage the excess garbage that will be piling up, or if there’s really that much extra.

4. How does this info play into your MSB work?
The perspectives in this piece will also come in handy for my writing since I will be going to Mission Beach to figure out how the trashcans are managed, and how much excess trash there really is in the area. The government information also gives me a glimpse into how our beaches are handled in the ways of garbage currently, and in the past.

Blog 22

1. San Diego Oceans Foundation
2. Since 1984, the San Diego Oceans Foundation, a nonprofit 501 (c) 3, has built a legacy of pioneering grassroots volunteer programs which increase our understanding of marine animals, protect ecosystems, and provide solutions to environmental challenges.Through our programs, we engage community members of all ages and backgrounds in meaningful hands-on volunteer work. Whether raising white seabass, hiking canyons, educating youth or surveying local fish populations, every volunteer gains a deeper understanding and appreciation for San Diego's oceans and bays, and helps spread our message of ocean stewardship.

Pick two of the following:
3a. Marine Protected Areas: Coming to Waters Near You!
After almost a year of exhaustive laboring and meticulous planning, three groups of ocean users and enthusiasts have finalized a variety of Marine Protected Area (MPA) Proposals for southern California. One of these proposals will soon be chosen by the Fish and Game Commission and made into conservation legislation:Option 1: Prepared by a cross-section of ocean users, this proposal provides a compromise between Options 2 & 3. Option 2: Prepared primarily by fishing interests.Option 3: Prepared by conservation and science-oriented stakeholders.How to make sure your favorite underwater habitats are incorporated:Educate yourself about the current MPA proposals by visiting the CA Department of Fish and Game website. Voice your support for a strong network of MPA’s by emailing MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov. All written comments must be received by Sunday, October 11th in order to be most useful. Help protect fragile marine ecosystems for future generations to enjoy by letting policy makers know exactly why you’d like specific areas to be protected!3. Attend the LAST Blue Ribbon Task Force Meeting (with public comment opportunities) on Wednesday, October 21st at the Hilton Hotel in Long Beach and share the proposal you believe in with others. Public opinion is crucial throughout the entire process and this is your last chance to demonstrate your support!
This is a crucial hearing where the MLPA leadership will choose an option as the official preference moving forward.
Their reports didn’t give specific government names, so I’m just guessing on the ones that involved government interaction. However, most of their projects seem to just involve San Diego Governing, rather than state or country-wide governing.

Gatsbyand Nick are both somewhat detached from their surroundings. Compare and contrast this sense of detachment. How are they similar and/or different in this respect?
I would agree that both characters are somewhat detatched from their surroundings, but in different senses. Nick is detatched from his surroundings because he doesn't really engage with what's around him too much since he's a quiet person. Gatsby on the other hand is detatched because he seems to be lost in his own thoughts a lot more often, and he's considered "different" than most of the people he's surrounded by. I think they're similar because they both seem to avoid the drama going on around them, and are (at least usually) very polite to the people they do talk to, whether they really want to be or not.

The Great Gatsby (Chapter 1)

Now that you have finished Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby, respond to the following questions:

1. Who is the narrator? Describe his perspective, biases, character traits, etc.
Nick Carraway is the narrator. He is an average (measuring by wealth) man with rich roots in his family. He doesn't have his own wealth, but parts of his family are rather high class. He is observant, polite, quiet, and a little sarcastic. He doesn't seem to go out of his way to speak up, and it almost seems as if he's afraid to speak out of term.

2. What do you think F. Scott Fiitzgerald accomplishes by choosing this specific narrator versus another choice, such as a different character or 3rd person?
F. Scott accomplishes a sort of balance between the life of a high classman, and the life of a lower or middle classman by using Nick as his narrator, because Nick gets a glimps into both worlds. This is better than the using a third person narrative because it gives you a more personal take on what's happening (for example, when Nick has the little "heart to heart" with Daisy on the Veranda). Had F. Scot taken the perspective of one of Nick's rich family members, we'd only be able to get one side of the story.

Blog 19

1. What is the most successful element of this work sample? Why do you believe this?

The most successful element of this work would be it's way of using lighting to make the entire picture look really nice. I believe this because it doesn't seem to be easy to make a rusty beach trashcan look so appealing to the eye.

2. What is the message of the work? How do you know?

I can't really tell what the message is of thsi work. The trashcan is empty, but the beach is also clean. But I know it would be fairly easy to write a caption on this picture.

3. Who or what is the intended audience for this work? How do you know?

My guess is that the intended audiance was people who go to the beach, because the setting is clearly the beach. It's hard for me to annalyze this photo since it's pretty empty.

4. How do specific elements of the work sample come together to deliver the message?:

I can't really say what the message is, but the lighting, sharpness, and color scheme really keeps my attention and keeps me pondering.

5. Describe one technique the creator of this work used. Why do you think this technique was used for this specific piece of work?

Lighting. I think he used it because it makes the entire piece look better, and hold your attention. It holds my attention because when I see a beach trashcan, it looks far from eye catching or appealing like the one depicted above. Perhaps beauty can be found anywhere.

6. Why did you choose this work sample?

I chose this work sample because it inspires me to put a lot of effort into the timing of my pictures, so I'm conscious of what I'm trying to say, and what I want people to look at.

New and Disturbing Perspective (Honors Lit. 2)

I read Edgar Allen Poe’s The Black Cat, and The Tell Tale Heart, both of which are centered around a murder of someone with a peculiar or frightening eye. These stories are told in the first person, narrating from the mind of what most would call a psychotic murderer. However, while reading these two famous stories, I was drawn in. It is widely known that Edgar Allen Poe was a writer of disturbing stories. But it is these disturbing stories that made him a famous classical writer.
While reading these stories, I got an introduction to Poe’s style of writing. It was dark, and a little troubling, but at the same time, it held my interest. Edgar Allen Poe’s thinking in these writings are the entire core of the stories. Had Edgar Allen Poe not written these stories from the murderer’s point of view, it would not have been as interesting. There are much more books that narrate from a spectator’s point of view on a murder than from the murderer’s. Spectator narrations consist mostly of describing how horrible and wrong the murders were. So of course by now we understand that murder is wrong, and certainly unjustifiable. But then there’s always that lingering wonder of how the felon could even go through with something so brutal, and why. Reading these stories gave me a new perspective that I hadn’t seen before, thus holding my interest.
One thing in particular that sparked my interest was a line Poe used in The Black Cat. “Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or silly action, for no other reason than he knows he should not?” This gave me a way of actually relating to the killer, which was already scary to think of. To the murderer in the story, killing the cat was a sort of rebellion, which I know I have found myself feeling or wanting to feel the same way. Since Poe brought up this common trait of humans, I got even more interested. In a way, he was pointing out the psychopath in all of us. This was certainly a new and wild way of thinking that could get just about anyone to wonder more about the complexities of a murderer.
Not only did I get the answer as to how the murderer’s mind works, but I also found yet another complexity in the story. “I hung it because I knew that it loved me…—hung it because I knew in doing so I was committing a sin”. Now I even had the answer to what made the killer want to kill his victim in the first place. It was both logical and insane at the same time. This sentence is a way of saying that he wants something to change in his life because he’s tired of going through the same old good-guy routine, which is how he was in the beginning of the story. This also applies to why Poe’s stories have so many readers’ appeal.
It is the new perspective and thought process that inhibit this madman’s mind that draws us in. Most people prefer not to tap into this sort of mindset and write it down on paper, so when you get a chance to actually read it, it’s refreshing and frightening enough to make you want more. It’s sort of like a treat. For example, candy is a treat, so when someone gets it, they want more because it’s not every day that they get it. The same reasoning applies to this type of writing.
These stories embrace the part of the mind that society would rather shun. The part of the mind that everyone attempts to hide, or pretends not to notice most of the time. While most murder stories are focused on talking about how wrong it is, Edgar Allen Poe goes into the actual insanity behind it all. Reading into Poe’s stories is like exploring a whole new place. It was an adventure, so to speak. The stories tapped into that childhood curiosity that is always asking why? So of course when offered an answer, we want to explore into it. I suppose it’s the closest thing to insanity we can touch upon without actually being insane. The works of Edgar Allen Poe are so interesting because they’re curious and out of the ordinary. Ordinary is boring and seen all the time, so seeing something out of the ordinary is what makes things more exciting. Because it’s different, or something you’re not used to, it takes you out of what you’re used to seeing, and out of your usual boundaries. This out of the ordinary thinking puts excitement into Edgar Allen Poe’s stories because reader’s can rarely predict what is going to happen next.

Blog 18

What lessons did you learn from the Industrialization Newspaper that you carry forward into the MSB project:

One thing I definitely got more experience in during this project was writing more like a journalist. I can use these new skills to present my written information with more evidence, and in a more professional way.

Write a reflective piece in which you identify specific things, content, skills, or habits that you will address in MSB as a response to your experience with the newspaper project:

In the MSB project, I will try to fit in as much evidence as possible from interviews, graphs, and so on rather than just what I find on the internet. Having a graph for my news story felt like an informational way to present information, and also has the ability to shock or surprise people with visuals. I can look fairly far into the past as well to create statistics and/or theories, just as I did in my newspaper article.

Blog 17

Post three organizations that might be useful resources for your MSB project. Post links to their websites. For example, you might want to interview a representative from San Diego's branch of Coastkeeper, so you'd post the link, name of the org and a brief description of who you want to interview, why, etc. Then... Post three gov't people (like Donna Frye, who is a City Council person) and/or branches of gov't that may be involved in some way in your MSB project. This might be the SD City Council, and you're going to report on their history with a specific site. Or, you might want to interview someone. Or, you might want to give them your final product to influence future gov't decisions. Make sure you post the name, the link, and the description of how this gov't agency or person could be involved in your project. Organizations: Coastkeeper (Still deciding who to pick) They do a lot of beach clean ups, so I'm sure they'd have plenty to say about the garbage on the beach, and what we can do to help. (Picking) (Picking) Govt. People SD City Council Member (Deciding) SD City Council Member (Deciding) Beach Police, since there are rules against littering, I can ask them how often they actually catch people littering, where, what the fines are, and so on.

Organizations:
SurfRider and Coastkeeper seem to be good soarces because they both do beach cleanups, and know about littering.

There was one more organization I wanted to include, but I need to get the list of soarces I handed in to Biology class to remember it.


Government:
I would like to interview someone from the San Diego Council, but I think I'd have to decide which district I'd like to base my reports on before I picked the specific council member(s).

I looked at Donna Frye first, though, and the first thing I saw on her page was a notification saying that water conservation measures are to be taken on November 1st, so that gave me a hint that she might care about our beaches. I looked into her background information and found out that she helped in the founding of an organization called S.T.O.P (Surfers Tired of Pollution), so then I knew she definately cared about the beach, meaning she'd most likely be willing and able to answer some of my questions about the trash cans and littering. I think basically any council member who's district includes a beach will be able to help me in this project, but Donna seems to be the one who has the biggest history with the beach.

I would also like to interview a policeman who works on the beach so I can find out about how many littering fines are handed out a day, and so forth.

The Confederate Tribune (Honors History #2)

With the state that America is currently in, no doubt we are all in want of new leadership. What America needs who understands the needs of the people, and someone for the people. This, being the democrat way, obviously shows that a democratic president is needed. But who would have thought that the democratic candidate, William Jennings Bryan, was so ready for the job?
William Jennings Bryan continues to give his speeches from the back of railroad trains, and has already reached the ears of over a million citizens. A man for the people, indeed. Who else would be so bold as to travel the United States to give so many speeches? Certainly not the republican candidate, William McKinley, who prefers to give his speeches on his front porch. McKinley is someone who would help his people, the businessmen, rather than all the people of America.
Bryan’s support of silver in the economy should be like silver bells in all farmer’s and lower-classman’s ears. Using silver would easily solve our economic problem. It’s quite simple. Silver is much more available to all than gold, meaning that if we use more silver, there will be more money for all (everyone will get free silver once put into motion). With this increase in coinage production, prices will go up, which should be of little struggle for anyone, and our economy will rise again. This is, of course, just more proof on how well thought-out Bryan’s plan is to help everyone in this country.
But the new jingling in our pockets won’t be the only thing the public will have to celebrate. Bryan also holds a firm belief on having low taxation for all, meaning the horrible debt that most southerners are in would be easily and quickly cleared.
McKinley, on the other hand believes that if we put more gold into our economy, businessmen will have more financial confidence, and economic prosperity will soon follow. McKinley also believes in high tariffs, meaning farmers and plantation owners will be taxed even more than before. Do we really want someone who is going to make the people who already have less money pay even more? I would say not.
It would seem that the south would be the main ones paying the price and doing the work to fix our economy again. But how much more can we take before we are officially declared bankrupt? Our labor demands are already high. Farms and plantations would surely suffer with the high tariff taxation. William Jennings Bryan does not want to let such unfairness to the south to happen.
The faith citizens hold in Bryan have been standing strong since he was first introduced to the political election, and the chances that this faith will prove successful is more than likely. We should have faith in him, just as he has faith in Christ, and America as a whole.
No doubt we all remember when William Jennings Bryan of the Democratic Party led a crowd-arising speech in support of silver coinage. Back when Bryan’s voice echoed into the hearts of the crowd as he spoke of “a cause as holy as the cause of liberty—the cause of humanity.” His presence had once again took the crowd by storm, and already displayed early signs of superb leadership. His speech continued with excellent and holy reference to the crucifixion, refusing to let mankind be crucified on a cross of gold. His voice reached all the way to the back row of the crowd, as a secret reminder that no one shall go unnoticed if he becomes our next president elect. This was only the beginning of his excellent campaign, and it continues to move millions for good reason. His voice is honest, and we all know that if a voice as strong as his can reach out to all the little people, you can guarantee the man is the right choice for our country.
His voice continues to reach the hearts of millions, and his promises only sound more alluring. His campaign now sounds like something especially made for the people, and by the people. Bryan has certainly proven that he is a man of faith and family with his upstanding wife, Mrs. Bryan, and children. Bryan clearly understands the meaning of family, and how hard it can be to run one. He will surely make decisions with the thought of people of all ages in mind.
So far it seems that McKinley and Bryan are competing head to head for the title of The President of the United States of America. However, it is clear, that if we want things to change for more than just the men with gold in their pockets, then the obvious choice is William Jennings Bryan for president. At this point, it looks like everyone will be, and should be heading for the voting polls come November if we want to be sure the right choice is made.

Blog #16

Read through a variety of your classmates' ideas for MSB questions, preliminary research, product ideas, and professional examples. Then, post the following:

(Copy/paste this and filling the blanks...):

From Francisco's Media Saves The Beach Questions blog post, I realized I could have a more general, open ended question as the base of my project (ex: what can we do to make people want to clean the beach?). This way, I can find more sources for a various amount of topics. I can interview beach-goers, research how polluted our beaches are, and find out what ways people most enjoy participating in when it comes to cleaning the beach.
http://francisco-franciscoblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/media-saves-beach-questions.html

From Shanna McCue's Blog #15,I thought of making one b. Important—when you post the other student's name and/or blog entrybig final product, such as a big painting, rather than a whole bunch of pictures. I could make a large poster instead.

http://somethingthatshannawrote.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-15-possible-msb-products.html

From Kim Mason's Blog "Idea 1", I started thinking of how much I would photoshop my picture if I end up doing one big poster or a bunch of pictures. In general, I'll have to remember lighting, and such while taking and editing my pictures to make them look professional enough to present and possible even add to my portfolio.

http://kimloveseleni.blogspot.com/2009/10/possible-final-products-for-msb.html

Blog # 15

Post two different ideas of final products that you might be interested in making. For each one, do the following:

1. Write a sentence describing the final product:
A photography product showing the trashcans (or lack of) and the garbage on the beach, and captions on what information I have found.

2. Post an example of a professional or other high-level product that could serve as a basis for your work.

3. List three specific ideas that you can take from your example to lead you to a high quality product. Write specifically how you will apply these ideas to your work here. Be as clear, exact & specific as you can!

-I like the lighting in the trash can picture, so I can try to take my pictures at a good time of day where the lighting will make more pop out.

-I can also try to get a picture of how many trashcans there are on the beach from a higher poit perspective. The first picture inspired me.

-I can get pictures of the trash along the shore, and try to find out where it's all coming from, and write about it in my captions.

1. Write a sentence describing the final product:

I could make a video/documentary on how dirty the shores are, and film interviews, and the beach itself.

2. Post an example of a professional or other high-level product that could serve as a basis for your work.

http://mediasavesthebeach.org/ (The Plastic Gyre video, and What Do You Really Know? video)

3. List three specific ideas that you can take from your example to lead you to a high quality product. Write specifically how you will apply these ideas to your work here. Be as clear, exact & specific as you can!

-I could sort of connect my project to the North Pacific Gyre by adding in a little fact or two abut it as a way to show one of the biggest effects of littering.

-I could film interviews with organizations trying to help this as well as other sources.

-I could present my facts in a more fun way in the video, and add more personality to the narration.

Blog #14

Narrow your potential MSB questions down to one that might work for you. Then, do the following:
1. Post the main question.

Why are there so few trash cans and recycling bins on the beach?

2. Post at least three subquestions that relate to the main question, help you answer it, might generate interesting research or resources, address part of the issue, could help you if you get stuck, etc.

How many trashcans are there in one mile of the beach? What areas have the least trashcans, and what areas have the most trash? Is anyone trying to change this? How? What would it take to add more?
3. Post at least three potentially useful resources. These could be news stories, videos, photography, etc.
-Possibly an official from the City Hall
-Officials from foundations that organize beach cleanups (such as Surfrider and Coastkeeper)
-The actual beach
-People on the beach (what they think about it)
- http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080403/news_1m3trash.html (This is an article about recycling bins that were recently put on the beach)

4. Write a few sentences or make a list of ideas that you got from your resources that could help move your project forward. How can you apply this information? How might it work for you?

I could talk to a few beach organizations about cleaning up the beaches, if they think the lack of trashcans is one of the reasons why there’s so much litter, etc. I can also find organizations that are working to get recycling bins onto the beach (I know theres at least one, but I can’t find it right now). Counting the trashcans will help me get a sense of how the trashcans are arranged, and how effective this system is, and asking people about what they think will give me more general information on how important it is. If I do manage to get an interview with someone in city hall (such as the mayor), then I can find out how much it costs to get trashcans, what’s stopping us, what it would take, and so on. But I'm still thinking about it.

Blog # 13

Sewage Spill from Mission Valley to Ocean Beach
9/23/09
A sewage spill in Mission Valley led on Wednesday to a coastal pollution alert in Ocean Beach, about five miles to the west.
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Sewage-Spill-from-Mission-Valley-to-Ocean-Beach/qWYuIGp6oEeMp2ZNMf20lQ.cspx

1. What is the issue, controversy or event in the story? What are the basic facts?
About 1,370 gallons of sewage spilled into Mission Valley Beach, and the waste managed to reach all the way to Ocean beach, and closed both of the beaches temporarily. This sewage flooded out due to a clogged sanitation line.

2. What information is missing from the story?
The article didn't say how the water was decontaminated, or if it was decontaminated at all.

3. What would be your next steps if you were creating a follow up to this story?
If I were creating a follow up story, I'd want to find out how clean the water was after the sign was taken down, and I would interview some of the people who had to deal with the issue about how they fixed the problem, and if they attempted to clean the waters. I'd also try to find out about all the most recent sewage spills, and say how many sewage spills in San Diego there have been within the past three years to see how big of an issue our sewage system really is to our oceans.

The Outsiders (Honors Essay 1)

The Outsiders
D’Vaughn McCrae

Socials fight Greasers, Greasers fight Socials (Socs for short). That’s just how it was and that was the only world that Ponyboy Curtis, a thirteen year old Greaser, ever knew. But one night, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny get into a fight that ended when Johnny murdered a Soc named Bob. Ponyboy learned three things from that night: having a label doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else, fighting doesn’t solve anything, and if you want things to change, you have to change them for yourself.
Labels are clear cut in this story. Socs are the kids with the polo sweaters, Mustang convertibles, and money. The Greasers are the ones with the leather jackets, oily hair, and empty pockets. That’s all anyone really notices about each other and hatred builds from their lack of understanding what is beneath the surface characteristics. Greasers hated Socs because they perceived them as spoiled jerks. Greasers were hated because they were perceived as the kind of kids who were bound to get into trouble one way or another. They were stereotyped as typically dumb. Despite the stereotype, Ponyboy was an Honor roll student. He knew all Greasers weren’t like that and sometimes he worried he wouldn’t even fit in with his Greaser friends since he was considered smart. These narrow beliefs were shattered by two Socs - Cherry and Randy. Pony meet Cherry and got along with her instantly. He trusted her enough to tell her about the incident when Johnny was nearly killed by a group of Socs. Cherry pointed out that “all Socs aren’t like that…that’s like saying all you Greasers are like Dallas Winston.” Dallas was a Greaser in Pony’s gang who was known for going to jail multiple times and constantly getting into trouble. Pony knew that not all Greasers were the same and he was proof. But even so, Johnny still felt that separation between Socs and Greasers. Probably the biggest difference between the feuding groups was that the Greasers were the ones who had it tough with bad parents, and little money, while Socs were the ones who got everything handed to them on a silver platter. Cherry soon after says “things are rough all over”, but that didn’t make him believe it. Johnny couldn’t imagine that Socs would even have any real problems. He was still struggling to process the thought that Socs were all different too. Only when he talked to Randy about Bob did he finally realize that everyone has problems and struggle.
“Bob was a good guy. He was the best buddy a guy ever had. I mean, he was a good fighter and tuff and everything, but he was a real person too” was one of the first things Randy said to him. How could a label be expected to fully define a person? How could a label sum up the whole person. Everyone has their own complexities. Pony was surprised to learn that Bob even had problems at home with his parents. “He kept trying to make someone say ‘no’ and they never did…That was all he ever wanted.” This was the line that really got Pony thinking until he finally realized that not even Socs have it too great. Bob longed for proof that his parents cared enough to keep him on the right track and stable so he found ways to get into trouble in hopes of prompting a response from his parents. Bob was yet another example of a Soc that lived beyond the stereotype.
The story creates the question “what is the good of fighting over a label?” and illustrates that there really isn’t any good in it. “It doesn’t do any good, the fighting and the killing. It doesn’t prove a thing…Greasers will still be Greasers and Socs will still be Socs,” was one of the last things Randy said to Pony. Pony learned that fighting doesn’t make anyone better or worse than they already were. In the end, a fight is more likely to inspire more fights than stop them. Even if you punch someone’s face in, they’re still going to be who they were before the fight, and so are you. You may even be a little worse off than you were before because you end up just wanting to fight more, and in turn, you’ll have all the more reason to be angry, because nothing changes from it. There’s no positive accomplishment. Nothing changes from it. The war just continues.
If you want things to change for yourself, you’ve got to make it happen within yourself. Ponyboy hadn’t expected to go too far in life since his family was poor. College was expensive so, for a while, his hard work in school seems pointless. It was Darry, Ponyboy’s oldest brother, who was always really strict with Ponyboy about his homework and grades. Ponyboy was a really smart kid. Darry reminded him there was a reason for that. Darry said, “With your brains and your grades, you could get a scholarship.” The story as a whole made the point that if a person – Greaser or Soc - wanted a better future, they were going to have to work for it. They may work for it in different ways. It may be stressful and difficult but you can get somewhere outside of where your current label has you now. A person can be whoever they want to be. Unfortunately, a lot of people limit themselves to societal pressures and the expectations of others. But society cannot tell you who you are. Each person determines if he will stay within the restrictions of the identity or if he will set a new course for himself.
People are people no matter what others think about them. We are all living here on this earth, with more in common than we may realize. We all have emotions, differences, and similarities. The fact is we’re all humans, no matter what we do or don’t have.

Blog #12

List at least three questions that interest you for Media Saves the Beach! For each question, provide a little context, so we know where your thoughts are headed, why you thought of it, what you might do to answer it, etc.

Why are there so few trash cans and recycling bins on the beach? What would it take to add more?
I like this question because I've wondered about this since the 4th grade. Not to mention I can never manage to litter, because I always feel really guilty afterwords, and turn back to go pick it up. I've given up on even trying. But the only times I've really even considered littering is on the beach because sometimes I'll look around, and the next trashcan is a mile or so away. No surprise that many other people decide to litter. I was thinking I could try to book an interview with a government official that handles the beach issues of San Diego (maybe there are budget issues, etc). I'd take pictures of where garbage cans were, and where a lot of trash resided.

Why are so many dog beaches getting shut down?
I'm curious about this because I thought so many dog beaches were getting shut down because dogs pooped a lot on the beach, or something along those lines. But then I later learned that dogs provide less than 2% of the beach's water pollution. I'd find out where dog beaches used to be, and the reasons they were shut down by asking experts, and then ask people who go to dog beach why they like bringing their pets here so much/why it's important to them.

Which San Diego beach is the most polluted? Why?
I think this would be interesting to look into, because each beach has different aspects to them, and if we identify the problem, we can find some solutions. Some beaches are closer to sewage plants. Sometimes litter is found more in one place than another because it's more popular, etc. I'd pick out three very different beaches, test the water, and compare them. I'd then have to try and figure out why these beaches are this polluted through research, observation, and interviews.

The American Dream (Honors Civil War Paper/Blog 11)

The American Dream

By: D’Vaughn McCrae

The Civil War is often called “the beginning of modern America”. But what is Modern America? It certainly has a debatable answer since the word “modern” is so broad. But could The Civil War really be considered the beginning of all of that? We all know that before the Civil war, slaves were allowed, and races outside of the Caucasian race were looked down upon like dirt. But that is only one aspect of the history behind the Civil War.

The Civil War led to Abraham Lincoln writing The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves from the heavy shackles that bound them to a life with no choice of their own. It also brought on the 15^th Constitutional Amendment that allowed every race their rights. Of course, these documents were not embraced by many Americans when they were first written. Most people back then still considered African Americans and Native Americans as something other than humans. In fact, the Ku Klux Klan, the Red Shirts, and the White League (all hate crime groups) were all born not long after these writings were presented.

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14^th, 1865. That was the end of the progress that occurred back then, right? Not exactly. After the Civil War ended and Abraham Lincoln was killed, America came under new leadership. The Vice President, Andrew Johnson, took office. Although he was Lincoln’s second in command, Andrew Johnson basically had the opposite beliefs of the president before him. Johnson came from a Southern upbringing and did not have the same beliefs as Lincoln. In fact, Johnson wrote “Black Codes” to restrict the newly obtained rights of African Americans so the Caucasians of America wouldn’t fear the thought of African American’s being seen or treated as equals. To enforce his own policies, he put the south under new leadership of state governors. These governors were given power to actually make sure that African Americans were following the Black Codes and were not given the rights they had so recently gained. This was not the only decision made by him that was not quite pushing towards what America was working towards. In 1866, Congress wrote an earlier version of The Civil Rights Bill. Johnson vetoed it.

But through these mistakes and struggles Americans evolved and despite powerful leaders’ attempts to stop it, modern America had already been born and our progression was inevitable. For example, the first draft of The Civil Rights Bill was written in 1866, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this past draft played a major part in writing the final draft we have today. Had Abraham Lincoln not freed the African and Native American slaves, we might still be living in a hellish and underdeveloped land. America went from a time when cruel and brutal racism was an ordinary, every day condition and slaves were a normal part of American society, to a modern time when racism is generally looked down upon and slavery is considered primitive and barbaric.

Our progress throughout time has proved to be tremendous. America, in many ways has earned its title as “the land of milk and honey” but we have a long way to go. As modern as we’ve become, America still faces similar issues now to those back in the eighteen hundreds. For example, in 2008 a woman was shot after attending a Ku Klux Klan initiation ritual because she asked to be taken back to town. The leader of the KKK group shot her and eight people were arrested and charges of murder were filed. The group tried to hide her remains under some brush and burned her belongings to hide the crime. The authorities found the body of the woman along with Ku Klux Klan flags, robes, and weapons of theirs not too far away. This example illustrates that while modern America is a place where equality among all is emphasized and encouraged, the ideal is a goal we have not achieved.

Although The Civil War is often called the “beginning of modern America,” it was not the first time American “modern” ideas appeared. In 1776, nearly a century before The Civil War, The Declaration of Independence was signed. This document clearly birthed many, if not all, of the ideas and achievements that came out of the Civil War. The Civil War and the advancements that flowed from it could be described as the beginning of modern America – but it was just that – a beginning.

“All men are created equal” is one of self-evident truths that The Declaration of Independence lists. This was one of the very first documents to bring up the idea of equality for everyone and was undoubtedly a cornerstone of Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy for leading the country. Let’s not forget that throughout all the years, all the struggles, and all the triumphs, that goal of happiness and equality have been perpetual guiding principles in American evolution. “The pursuit of happiness” has always been and still is what America works towards.

"Female KKK Recruit Shot And Killed As She Left Initiation Ritual." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. 2 Oct. 2009 .

"Gett Kidz- What were they fighting about?." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. 2 Oct. 2009 .

"The Civil War." PBS. 2 Oct. 2009 .

"The Declaration of Independence - TEXT." Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America. 2 Oct. 2009 .

Blog 10

What is/was Reconstruction? What went well? What went poorly?:
Reconstruction was the time period that came after the civil war when the union tried to regain power over the confederate states once again. One attempt was creating Freedman's Bureau which was an organization made to help freed slaves with food, medical care, and other basic needs. Basically, Reconstruction was a time for African Americans to really get settled into America. However, the Reconstruction did not go quite as planned. Abraham Lincoln died in the midst of freeing the slaves, and his replacement's (Andrew Johnson) new reconstruction plan went against actually reconstructing the Union all together. Johnson made Black codes (codes that took away the rights of African Americans) in the southern states, and even vetoed the early version of the Civil Rights Bill. Johnson was later impeached. This was also a time where many hate groups started in the south such as the Red Shirts, and the KKK.

Why is it relevant today?: It's relevant today because without this time of struggle and triumph, we probably wouldn't have gotten as far as we are today when it comes to being united as a country, and giving every race equal rights. We usually learn from mistakes made in history, and The Reconstruction had plenty to learn from.

http://current.com/items/89518095_female-kkk-recruit-shot-and-killed-as-she-left-initiation-ritual.htm

This article is about a recent KKK killing. A woman tried to leave the KKK upon the entrance ritual (a sudden change of mind) but was shot by one of their members before she got a chance to do so. This clearly connects to The Reconstruction, because it's basically an update on how far, or not-so-far the KKK has come after over 100 years. Apparently, their still around even after all of this change in America.

Blog 9

What is the issue and/or controversy? Where can one get more information? In what way(s) does the story relate to our class? How might it tie in to our work for Media Saves the Beach?

"A nonlethal device best known for beating back pirates off the coast of Somalia was deployed by local police in San Diego at political gatherings, and even at a competition to build sand castles"
--September 14th, 2009

I suppose the issue is that this device, which is usually used to ward of pirates from cruise ships, is also used as a weapon, and was deployed during a time where kids and other pedestrians are likely around, and at that event. Apparently, this device can even damage hearing. Apparenty, Police Sheriff Bill Gore said that this device was "a precaution just in case." But is it really neccisary? And why around these events? I think this story relates to our class because it's another way our beaches are possibly being misused, depending on what side of the argument your on. It could tie into our work because it could probably be the base of someone's project. Who knows what else is in that water?

You can find the article at: http://current.com/1isru4c

You can also find more information in: East County Magazine (Find link in article),

Media Saves The Beach: My Ideas (Blog 8)

What ideas do you have for Media Saves the Beach? What content interests you? What projects might you create?

At the moment, when I think of Media Saves the beach, I think of actually participating in beach clean ups and extensive research on whatever subject I choose. By extensive, I mean I'm going to have to look up information and statistics from ten years ago to make certain comparisons. I'm considering doing the calendar project, because I think it's for a good cause, and it would give me a glimpse in what it takes to publish something. However, if I don't manage to make the cut for the calendar project, I'm going to go with photojournalism. My current interest lies in testing the water, and/or finding out out how much litering has increased or decreased throughout the years, though I'm not sure I can do that.

My Final Icon Work (Blog 7)

The Spark

By: D’Vaughn McCrae

It only takes one spark to light a candle. There are certain things you remember as a kid that always seem to stick with you; whether that’s when you first learned how to ride a bike, or when you first went to school. Mine was learning how to read. Dr. Seuss was of the first authors I read when I was little. His stories taught me some of my most valuable life lessons.

Celebrate birthdays. In fact, celebrate the fact that you’re alive and unique every day. You could have been born something completely different, like some sort of bacteria, or blade of grass, or a potato. But you weren’t. Out of the billions and billions of other things you could have been, you were born as your own person. Always remember that, because “today you are you! That’s truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!” Even Oprah Winfrey told part of this to the world in her own words (“The more you praise and celebrate your life—the more there is in life to celebrate”). William Shakespeare’s character Hamlet, even said: “God has given you one face, and you make yourself another”. Everyone has more than one face. One that shows, and one that lies beneath the skin.

Turns out our eyes can only see the shallow features of a person upon first looking. You can’t judge a person based on what they were born with. No kind of person is better than another. Martin Luther King Jr. shared the goal of having people “live in a nation where they are not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”. Dr. Seuss put this more simply in his book The Sneetches: “Sneetches are Sneetches, and no kind of Sneetch is best on the beaches.” While Dr. Seuss’s words go against prejudice of any kind, both of these great influences embody the same beliefs. Hating people based on what they look like will get us nowhere.

Hate and weapons can only take you so far in life. In the end, happiness can only bring happiness, and hate can only bring hate. Guns inspire new guns, and can develop into bombs. There’s not much good that can come from using a more powerful weapon against an ‘enemy’. There’s no good in fighting someone because they’re different, especially when the difference is as small as what side of the toast you spread and eat your butter on. Dr. Seuss’s The Butter Battle Book not only relates to the development of nuclear weapons, but even reminded me of the current war going on between Iran and Israel. Dr. Seuss wrote about a war that had been going on for years and years over a difference of beliefs. Iran and Israel seem to be going through similar circumstances. The end of the book basically asks us how we can end these types of wars. It’s amazing that Dr. Seuss managed to get me to connect this to a children’s book.

Dr. Seuss wrote and drew for adults as well, sending out the thought of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” to America. How Dr. Seuss managed to write and draw in a way both adults and children could understand is another mystery to me. I guess an adult can be as clueless as a kid, and a kid can be taught as well as an adult. Dr. Seuss helped me grow up to where I am now. I’m more confident in choosing my own paths and being able to understand what to do. Dr Seuss’s spark taught me that my opinion matters and it’s up to me to let the world know what I think in my own way. This goes for everyone. Now when I start to worry about my future, it’s easy for me to remind myself “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”

Citations

"Quotes." Think Exist. Web. 8 Sept. 2009. .

"I Have a Dream Speech - Full text, audio & video of Martin Luther King Jr's most famous speech, I Have a Dream / Address at March on Washington." MLK Online - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches, pictures, quotes, biography, videos, information on MLK Day and more! Web. 7 Sept. 2009. .

"The Declaration of Independence - TEXT." Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America. Web. 10 Sept. 2009. .

"Hamlet: Entire Play." The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Web. 12 Sept. 2009. .

Dr., Seuss. Oh, the places you'll go! New York: Random House, 1990. Print.

Dr., The Butter Battle Book. New York: Random House Children's Books, 1984. Print.

Dr., Seuss. The Sneetches & Other Stories. New York: Random House Children's Books, 1961. Print.

Dr., Seuss. Happy Birthday To You! New York: Random House Children's Books, 1976. Print.