Say Wall

test post!

2012-01-03T02:55:00.000-08:00

checking to see if I can attach a pdf here...Bartholomae
read the article and post a response by thursday

War

2010-04-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

My view on war is that it is something that can never be avoided. Asking for war is basically asking for a society where greed and the want for power isn't present. This is impossible to find. Who doesn't want to better themselves? Who doesn't want to be better than someone else? Who wants to back down after someone instigates them constantly? And who doesn't enjoy having the power to do as they please. All of these things are the reason that we all go to school, get jobs in certain fields depending on this criteria, and then pursue to live our lives better than the guy next to us. War is simply this principle on a larger scale. Everyone wants their country to prevail, have the most power, make the most money, and be the most liked. However you cannot have all of these it seems for although we have power, we are in a recession and are hated by much of the globe due to our militaristic actions. Although without these actions we all would not be living the lives we are. Americas motto? "Kick ass, take names, and carry a big stick"

Google Maps

2010-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

I feel google maps is an awesome way to show the technology of today. Many fire departments as well as police forces use google maps in order to better their efforts. Some fire departments use it by sending the location of the fire to a truck which has a computer built in. This truck is able to view the building and sourrounding areas as well as see where water sources, electric, etc are located before ever even seeing the scene in person. I feel that google maps, although may have invaded some peoples privacy is over all a fantastic thing that should be used to its full potential.

What should people understand about war?

2010-04-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

Humans have free minds and we all think differently. This is why I believe that people should be allowed to rest assured knowing that their opinions belong to them. As a result, another individual should fail to reject the next person's opinion because he or she has his or her own opinion as well. Furthermore, when images of war- related deaths and negative headlines appear, most of us have varied reactions to these events. Because of this, we should each relax and let each other indulge however he or she wishes. Whatever perception we receive, spiced with a little added knowledge from those overheard opinions of others, is what we take in. We should not be forced to try to understand the war; it should come naturally.

The Radical Difference Today (Maps)

2010-04-29T20:50:00.000-07:00

Maps of the 1800's, 1900's and the 2000's are of obvious differences. We have transitioned from paper to on screen technology. But, besides the tangible differences, maps today leave less to search for. Everything is right to the source and I guess that is what we wanted; right? I feel that maps today should have another name. We grew up as children watching movies that portrayed maps to be antique pages with outlined shapes on them. Yet, now when I think of maps, I think of the Internet. Places don't seem as far they used to with the maps of today. They leave no room for discrimination because everything seems so similar. There are even gadgets such as those located on Google Maps that show the actual environment so one can feel like he or she is there. The radical difference is that maps today leave no room to explore mentally.

How do Ideas of Beauty/ Ugly Perpetuate?

2010-04-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

According to my belief, human beings were all born sinners. In other words, it is a natural habit of ours to be judgemental. Alongside the help of media images and perceptions, society has its own standards as to what is significant and what is not. Society has labeled the do's and don'ts of the world as far as how one should dress, talk, look, etc. Furthermore, it is so hard for us to look past the judgements due to an internal and external battle of "what is". I applaud Dove for taking a stand with this advertisement, but honestly, I don't believe it will make a huge difference because like I said, we are in constant battle with natural and societal forces of judgement. I challenge myself everyday to think positive in all situations and think "mind over matter". If I do make a judgement, I take it back and repent each time. This is a daily issue.

regarding the pain of others

2010-04-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

Regarding the Pain of Other is written by an extremely anti-war author, Susan Sontag, who thinks that war is caused by a combination of factors including sex, culture, and status. I thin Susan Sontag is an ignorant woman who truly has no idea about war and the pain these soldiers go through their entire lives so that she can write her articles saying whatever she wants to. I have men friends and family in the military fighting the war on terror, that people like Susan slander everyday. They view this war as one of greed and how we are intruding in a land that we don't belong in. I view us as pacifiers in the middle east, we are there to try and bring peace to a land that has been at war basically since the beginning of written record. In all i completely disagreed with sontags analysis.

looks matter

2010-04-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

Looks do matter, no matter what anyone says. People try to change the way they look everyday, because they realize in a society like the one we live in today, having good looks makes it easier.I think this is incredibly true when speaking of women. I can't imagine how much easier life must be for a good looking woman rather than ugly one. I think it is mens fault for creating these unrealistic stereotype that is so hard for women to follow. While in the world of a man, looks are not as important as a womens, it still has its advantages, whether with getting girls or in the workplace. In all life is easier when you are beautiful.

google maps

2010-04-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

The things that we have accomplished through technology never cease to amaze me, and google maps is high on th list. The fact that i can go on to a computer type in my adress, and have an aerial view of everything i have ever known within seconds blows my mind. These aerial photographs have done wonders in the world of science, and now that they are available so easily to the public the possibilities are endless. We can all learn from google maps, and im sure we can all get some enjoyment out of it also. There is something about being able to see every incredible thing you have ever heard of on earth with the click of a button, not just pictures, but actual sattelite imagery. The possibilities are endless.

The truth about beauty

2010-04-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

I believe a variety of factors make a person beautiful, not just their physical appearance. Our society has such an enormous fixation on outer beauty that sometimes intelligence and personality are overlooked. I can't even begin to explain how many girls i have met who are incredible looking, but dumb as a post, or cant carry a conversation which is a total turn off. I also think this high standard of beauty has gotten girls wearing way too much makeup, in an attempt to fit into the norm. I think a girl who can wear little or no makeup and still look appealing is the most attractive of all, because those are the kinds of looks that will last a lifetime, not just until that 100 dollar bottle of makeup runs out.

texas > vietnam

2010-04-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

In the article Lone Stars, the author describes her upbringing in a Vietnamese household in the state of Texas. As a young child she embraced the rich history of the great state of Texas while her father considered himself a refugee and old Vietnam patriot. The family arrived in America due to the communist takeover in Vietnam,and since her family were no longer supporters the only thing left to do was get the hell outta dodge. Throughout her childhood Lan never understood why her father got angry with her for loving Texas and not Vietnam. I think her fathers goal was to instill a pride in their roots, and the family they left behind, not just a new american persona. In an intimate conversation with her father, lan realizes why his Vietnamese roots are so important to him. Her father tells her that her grandfather sacrificed his own life so that the family could escape and live in America. I really enjoyed reading this story, and agree that your roots are incredibly important because they ,make us who we are today.

designs

2010-04-29T13:40:00.001-07:00

Designs dominate our life, they can be found in everything we do. The clothes we wear, the buildings we live and work in, the music we listen to, the roads we travel, and even nature have intricate designs that help them flow that are overlooked on an everyday basis. We use designs in just about everything because the definition for what a design is is so broad. In "The Mcmansion Next Door", its speaks of the many incredible designs for housing and how we have recently begun to move away from the contemporary style of housing even though it has become the cheapest and most efficient. I believe this has to do with a persons need to feel comfortable and to live in a place that is asthetically pleasing.

csi effect

2010-04-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

I think the Csi effect is detrimental to the world of criminology, because it glamorizes the hard and grueling work these officers do, and it also informs criminals of ways to beat the system when the commit crimes. Tammy Klein, a criminalist for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and other criminal experts have noticed an increase in criminal cases in which suspects burn or tamper with evidence, or attempt to carefully clean the crime scene of trace evidence such as hairs and clothing fibers. For example, experts cite a particular murder case in Trumbull County, Ohio. The prime suspect in this case, described as a CSI fan, murdered a mother and daughter. He then used bleach to wash his hands of blood and covered the interior of his car with blankets to avoid transferring blood as he transported the corpses, which he then burned along with his clothes and cigarette butts (which he feared would yield trace amounts of his DNA). He attempted to throw the remaining evidence into a local lake, including the murder weapon, a crowbar, but was unable to dispose of the evidence due to the lake's surface being frozen. The surviving evidence was later recovered by investigators and the suspect arrested. This kind of thing only makes peoples jobs more difficult, and people should view it for what it truly is, a tv show.

collateral damage of crash

2010-04-29T13:25:00.001-07:00

I always thought that racism occurred as a result of a person’s upbringing. If your parents were racist, there is a good chance that you will be a racist too. At first glance, Matt Dillon’s character exhibits characteristics typical of this theory. Dillon exhibited a close bond with his father and later, we discover the roots of his racism. I naively assumed that Dillon was absorbing external cues from his father regarding his attitudes towards black people. It turns out that his father was not racist towards black people. It was Dillon who, in combination with his father’s negative experiences and his own as a member of the LAPD, formed his own perceptions towards blacks. I do not think that crash reinforces stereotypes in any way, but rather shows the acts that are committed everyday that sometimes go overlooked. I also think that crash deserved the oscar over brokeback mountain purely on its impact as a movie. I think it is ignorant to say that the judges were homophobic and thats why they didnt pick it over a movie dealing with many stereotypes, not just one.

Beauty

2010-04-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder how I would feel about myself if I had never seen a movie or anything with a woman considered beautiful. Would I be happier with my body and skin? Probably. When I first watch the airbrush video I remember feeling so much more confident, that wow maybe all of those perfect women are not really that perfect.
The media puts so much pressure on girls to look a certain way. Our clothes, our skin and our weight means everything. Guys get more and more shallow as the years go by. However, I am not saying that us girls are not becoming more and more picky. It is also very interesting that as the media becomes more and more obsessed with looks that our country is becoming heavier and heavier.

Looks matter

2010-04-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

I wish that looks did not matter, but they mean everything. It makes a difference in the work force by your potential employer. It also makes a difference with how you're treated when you go shopping by the employees and how you feel about them. In the article I was really shocked that they said that mothers are more tentative toward prettier babies...I do not feel like that is possible.I wish people could be less shallow. I do find it interesting that people tend to date within their means. Heavier people date heavier people, and twigs date twigs.

Maps changing the world

2010-04-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

The other day I was talking to a friend from a big city, he was explaining how huge Miami is and then I was helping him fathom how small mine is. By using google map we were able to show each other our homes. I even zoomed down the road that I have driven on thousands of times on my route home, it felt like I was there, and almost five minutes from my own driveway. Maps have definitely changed the world, now you can travel to an exact location before ever leaving your house and no exactly what it looks like. I have personally used it several times here in Tallahassee to help me safely find doctors’ offices by keeping my eyes on the road instead of searching for a building that I have never seen before.

Pain of War

2010-04-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

I feel like the war is easily forgotten. People should know that even though the bombs are not going off near our homes that there still is a war going on. I feel like since the war is not on U.S soil it is easy to pretend like it is not happening, unless you keep up with your current events. That or you have a family member risking their lives. My boyfriend, Johnnie, for instance has a cousin who just returned to the United States from Iraq this week, and he is very eager to see him when they both get back home on the same day. I am incredibly grateful that he made it back safely; I saw how much it killed Johnnie to even consider the fact that something could have happened to his cousin. I do not feel like images desensitized war, at least not for people who have a heart. It never would for me; I think it only makes people want to end war.

Pain of Others

2010-04-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

War cannot be stopped. The article does a good job stating that even pacifists do not believe all war will come to an end. Men are usually the start of war but there will always be evil people in this world doing bad things. Hopefully they will be viewed with more disgust in the future and punished, but most of it is done behind closed doors or with terrorists who do not belong to any big organization that can be dealt with. The photos of all of the death and distruction may have some effect but by the time all this happens it is too late or the dictator or ruler has such a fear grip on the people nothing can be done about it. The insanity of war may never be fully understood and probably never stopped.

Looks do Matter

2010-04-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

I aggree almost 100% with what this article is saying. It is set up in a way where the reader grasps an idea and is transitioned into another one. First, people do prefer and expect good looks, however, everyone sems to be getting fatter and less fit. People wear less attractive clothes and more and more people don't care how they look. There is pressure to date an attractive person or to have attractive friends and there is even science behind it. However we seem to not be as worried about attractiveness. I liked this article and learned a lot about possible trends in looks and human behavior when it comes to looks. More Americans should be made aware of the double standard we have for others.

Google Maps

2010-04-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how far maps have come in just the last few years. The early explorers had distorted maps of only half the world and now we can see our house and car in the driveway with just a few clicks. Satellite technology and the internet have greatly exploded the mapping ability's. With the internet, the maps can be seen by everyone and ordinary people can add and create new map programs with the stuff that is interesting to them. People can search businesses or houses online with just a simple search. One of the most fascinating things is to get a new perspective on the world. One of the first things people do when the open up Google maps is look at there house or something familiar to them and get a new angle on how it really looks.

Regarding the pain of others

2010-04-24T14:02:00.001-07:00

Regarding the Pain of Other is written by an extremely anti-war author, Susan Sontag. She feels that it is men that most often desire war, because in most cases it has “some glory” in it. I agree that most men would want to be seen as heroes, but I do not think that they would want to cause another world war over it. She also believes that taking pictures of the cruelties of war, involving mutilation, death of women and children, and other horrific photos could help stop this craving for war that some people have. The author knows that this world will never be rid completely of war, but she still thinks we must never give up trying.

Google maps

2010-04-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Google Maps is a great advancement in our modern world. Many people however feel that life would be easier if, and less complicated without such advanced technologies. In 2005 when Google Map expanded, they set up satellites so people could view relatively real time photos of anywhere in the world. Everyday people have used it to find restaurants and other places of interest. However on the other hand our enemies are also able to use it to locate our troops and plan attacks. Google has changed people’s everyday lives, and It is my opinion that it is for the good.

lone star

2010-04-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

Reading this story really made me think about my roots, and where I came from. I found it odd that the father never mentioned early in life to Tran about where she was from, but then also thought that she was not Vietnamese enough. It was weird how the father got so made when she made the wrong flag and put it on the wagon. More importantly I can’t believe that it scared her for such a long time. I am happy that my grandmother, being 100% polish taught me a lot about my heritage, looking back though I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have though.

Design

2010-04-24T13:32:00.001-07:00

All design has one thing in common; it was built for people to get use out of. Even the smallest of things can be the most useful in a persons’ life. In this article it mentions that even the simple post it note was an ingenious invention. The author in this story seems to think that some designs are overly fashionable and not efficient enough. In making chars for example, he thinks that many designers put to many levers and knobs. He would rather have a simple chair that is more plain but gets the job done. When the author asks the question, “what is your favorite design?” I feel the question is too vague. This is like asking what is your favorite thing about life. There are just too many things.

Collateral Damage of crash

2010-04-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Cash and Collateral damage are both discussed in this reading. It says that both movie’s are by no doubt good. Crash however won, because it was faster paced than Brokeback Mountain. It mentions that one reason that Brokeback Mountain did not win is possibly because it involved two gay men. This would have easily offended many views. The fast pace of collateral damage would have attracted many viewer because they could better relate to the story line and context. It was hard to understand the reading because I have never seen either of the movies. The author however does try a great deal to explain why one movie won over the other.

truth about beauty

2010-04-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Many of the women today think that they have to be younger looking and all made up to be attractive. They buy all these products and like the article says there are tv shows to make people up. In the digital age peoples photos can be made too look younger and better than they are. I believe more of an emphasis should be put on natural beauty. Many times a woman looks fake with too much makeup. Women are always trying to look younger but maybe they should embrace the fact they are getting old and go with it. The article says that only 2 percent of women call themselves beautiful and i can't help but think that is because our culture holds such high standards.

Lone Stars

2010-04-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

In the story the girl does not know who she is. She lives in Texas and is being influenced by her friends and surroundings but her father is Vietnamese. She does not know much about it because her father is always critical and never explains. It is maybe because she is too young or maybe he just does not realize her ignorance. Later she asked him what happened in Vietnam. Even though she thinks her father will me upset with her ignorance inside her father has been waiting for this day and is excited to tell her about their history. It is emotional and she finally hears the whole story. She can now better know who she is because she has taken some of Texas and now she knows about her own family's history.

design

2010-04-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Many of the items in the first article are simple yet we use them everyday. The point the article is making is that even though these are important there are better answers to the what is your favorite design question. I would have to agree but the other simple designs do have an important role and without a paperclip or t-shirt we would be a lot different. The second article talked about these simple designs as being beneficial to engineering. The author designs chairs to fit people and are technically advances but he recognizes the importance of the simple stuff.

war

2010-04-22T06:56:00.001-07:00

War is unfortunately an unavoidable aspect of living in a country such as the United States. Wars have been uprising for hundreds of years and have resolved many issues. What people need to understand about war is that it can be a devastating aspect of someone's family, by tearing loved one's from their home. We need to be supportive of whatever actions our government decides to take, and support those who are representing our country. War is not necessarily a good thing, but it has accomplished many sought out goals. United States should consider itself lucky, because opposed to many other countries our wars take place overseas and do not enter the country itself. This cannot be said for many other countries during time of war. War in other countries tends be very destructive to the cities where it takes place, and fatal to the majority who are involved.

should people understand war?

2010-04-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Should people understand what? There’s nothing to be understood about war; it is what it is. People kill to be killed. Do I believe in war? Personally, I believe in using force when necessary.
If somebody tries to pick pocket me and run away, I’m going to chase them down and do whatever I need to get my money back. If somebody approaches me and punches me, they better knock me out. I will hit you twice as hard.
December 7, 1941, “A date that will live in Infamy,” (President Roosevelt). Did we have the right to drop an atom bomb on Hiroshima? Did they have the right to attack Pearl Harbor? No, there is no right to war. Like I said, it is what it is. People are naturally territorial. If you invade our space, if you tamper with our belongings, or even slander my name, revenge will always be seeked, and in much more severe quantities.
This doesn’t make war ok though.
I think what happened on 9/11 is disgusting. What did the high jackers get from crashing those planes besides a death count of over 5,000? Did they gain respect? Social status? Who cares, they’re dead! But they didn’t hardly get what they deserved.
I treasure my life and every aspect of it. I believe in what I stand for, and stand up for what I believe in. I do not believe in hurting others, and I do not like the idea of war. I do believe in standing up for yourself, and self defense should never be frowned upon. It’s like the saying goes: Don’t throw a punch if you can’t take a hit.

Do looks matter?

2010-04-21T20:47:00.001-07:00

Let’s all just call a spade a spade here and say, “Absolutely, looks will always make a difference.” The way you present yourself matters for everything you do. There’s not a single person in the world that isn’t shallow enough to start their judgment of someone by their appearance.
Forgetting about relationships, which is what people think when answering this question, let’s talk about jobs. I went around applying for jobs one time, and got calls from 90% of the places I went. I showed up every time in Jeans and polo. I stood strait, with my chin held high, letting them know I was confident.
When you walk into a room slouched with your head down, people know you’re upset. When you dress like a scrub, people don’t think you’re happy. I am highly ambitious, and do everything I do with confidence. Status means a lot to most people. Even when taking a walk around campus, I like to dress somewhat nice, because I know people with think better of me.
So now let’s talk about girls, guys, and the way they interact. Girls: when you go out, why do you wear a sexy dress with high heels? Guys: when you go out, why do you have a ‘go to’ shirt, with a back up if that’s been worn recently. Obviously you girls know a short dress is going to draw attention to you. And guys, well don’t leave a hair out of place, she might go for your friend. Like I said, it’s obvious that looks matter, to everyone.

do looks matter?

2010-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Looks matter a great deal in today's society. The media has skewed everyone's perception and has also set very high standards for women's appearance. Everyone cares about how they look and how they represent themselves to people who do not know them. Anyone who can look you in the eyes and tell you they think looks do not matter is lying. Your appearance is the first thing someone observes about you, and once they get to know you it can either make you more attractive or it can make you less attractive. But it is the initial first look that psychologically detects if someone will like you or not. It is scientifically proven that looks essentially matter a great deal especially when it comes to relationships and acquiring a good career. Jobs all around the world will typically give a prospective employee who is good looking higher considering for the job opposed to someone who is unattractive.

google maps

2010-04-21T20:26:00.001-07:00

Google maps is changing the way people view and travel the world. Google maps allows you to see any location throughout the world with very little information. This is astonishing, and I have used google maps on many random occasions. It takes map viewing to a completely new level of it's own, a long with GPS and other navigational devices. I believe this is only the beginning for this Google tool, it is only going to progress and ultimately lead to bigger and better resources.

CSI: Reality

2010-04-21T20:25:00.001-07:00

CSI is a great reality television show. In fact, it’s one of my favorites! What exactly does it do? Besides entertain us of course. In the one hour time slot, usually shortened by commercials, there is a broken law, an investigation, and a solution. This process usually takes months, sometimes even years! Somehow they manage to get it done in one show.
Many a time, we have heard you children, even teens, say, “I want to be in the FBI,” or, “I wanna be a police officer.” Is that actually what they want to do? Or does the CSI affect persuade them to want that career?
Chasing robbers is fun!
Is it really? The show makes it look like a thrill ride, but reality TV isn’t always reality. On TV shows, such as Law and Order or CSI, the good guys win ever time. They may lose some people along the way, but they always make the arrest.
Reality is that guilty people get away with crimes all the time. Not every killer is arrested, and not every robber is found. People break the law every day without, hardly, even being glimpsed at. Cops get shot at on a daily basis, and they don’t always come out alive.
Being an investigations officer is not as easy as these TV shows make it seem. It is a falsity for young kids, and gives them a fake image on what the world is really like. The CSI effect is as real as it gets.

the truth about beauty

2010-04-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

Every girl in America has a perception of beauty. However, the media skews this perception incredibly. If you look on television and in magazines, you will see that every girl in basically perfect. This causes a great deal of physical and mental pressure especially on young teenage girls. That is why is Virginia Postrel's article "The Truth About Beauty" I think showing girls such as featured actress Nikki Blonsky sheds a positive light on a woman who has remained successful but who does not fit the cookie cutter stereotype of "beautiful." It is proven that attractive people do obtain higher success, but beauty is more then just what is on the outside. It is your talent and personality that can make you a beautiful person.

War

2010-04-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm a little bias. A few years ago I would've preached about Peace and told you there is no reason for war and that everything can be worked out with words. I guess I still kind of believe that, but having a boyfriend in the Air Force kind of changed my opinion about war. He's deploying soon for six months and it makes the idea of war so much more real. Other soldiers tell me stories about car bombs and search dogs and alarms going off in the middle of the night. War just seems like such a distant thing when you don't know someone who's involved or been affected. A part of me, i presume, still feels that talking about things and working out difference can still be most beneficial when faced with the threat of war. However, a bigger part of me has become more empathetic and understanding about war, the duties of our soldiers and the pride they feel when protecting their country.

Google Maps

2010-04-21T18:38:00.001-07:00

I think Google Maps is a blessing. I can honestly (yet shamefully) say that I am guilty of driving with my blackberry and a Google map image of a location I'm trying to find. Google Maps has saved me from being late to many appointments. I think it has its pros and cons. Typically, I think its a bit ridiculous how much we as a society rely on technology these days, but at the same time I'm not the first person who would give up their cell phone if I had to. I think Google Maps is good however because its giving others the opportunity to see the world around them and to 'explore' albeit digitally places they've never been.

Do Looks Matter?

2010-04-21T18:32:00.001-07:00

Looks matter a lot. I remember back to my senior year psych class when my teacher told the class that people form their first impression of others within the first 5 minutes they meet them. That shocked me. I thought of what people might be thinking of me or about how I unconsciously judge others rather quickly. Sometimes we don't notice how appearances affect us and others but I think they leave a substantial mark on our relationships whether in friendship, relationship, school or business.

War

2010-04-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

I think that people should definitely know and understand war. People must not be ignorant to the wars that occurred before them. These wars are our past and have defined our lives. The wars that our ancestors have won have determined our lives. We live where we live and have the culture that we do because of the impact of our ancestors. I think it is also important to appreciate the people who fought in these wars. These soldiers fought for our country and gave up so much of their own lives to save other people’s lives. I think that another important factor in understand war is to learn from our mistakes. If we are educated on the wars that have passed, we can know not to make the same mistakes in future wars, since we all know wars are never-ending. I think that having prior knowledge of what happened in certain situations in other wars can prevent us from losing wars and will help us in achieving victory.

Looks DO Matter

2010-04-21T14:18:00.001-07:00

It’s sad but true: looks definitely DO matter! For example, attractive people are given job positions over unattractive people. I mean, do you want the person helping or working for you to be pleasant to look at? Of course you do. Looks really do help a person, as shallow as it all sounds. We all know that the pretty girls are the ones that get a lot of things for free. For example, a pretty girl can get into a club free. Men fawn over beautiful women and constantly give them free shots at clubs as well. Also, prettier people are much more approachable. More people are likely to want to be your friend if you look like Megan Fox. I mean, realistically, everyone says that looks don’t matter. So, why does every magazine have tips to lose weight and get in shape? Also, why are people always striving to look their best? Why do we do our hair and makeup? Why do we buy nice clothes? People want to look good, because in fact, looks DO matter.

Google Maps

2010-04-21T14:13:00.001-07:00

Technology today has made all of our lives so much easier. Google Maps is definitely an awesome creation that is utilized by people everywhere. These new technologies are making it simple for people to view the world while still sitting at their computer desks in their homes. This gives people the opportunity to see what other places are like when they are unable to afford it. Obviously, the real thing is much more impressionable and is definitely a whole different experience. But, what if someone wants to just see what a regular house in London looks like? Google Maps gives people the advantage of seeing the world at the click of their fingers. Google’s creation of Google Maps has definitely helped human kind and enhanced our knowledge even. I think this is an extraordinary invention and helps so many people discover what other towns may look like or what houses may look like. There are so many different features within the Google Maps that the possibilities are endless.

War

2010-04-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

It would be stupid for someone not to understand war. People need to appreciate what the people in their country are fighting for and be thankful for the soldiers and people who are willing to risk their life for their country. It shows true patriotism. Yet it also takes alot out of a country. It takes away some great mind, it takes alot of money, and it also taks away alot of happiness. It is impossible to demonlish war but if people understand what goes into war then it definatley will atleast change people's attitudes about it.

Looks do Matter

2010-04-18T19:56:00.001-07:00

I found the article about the paradox between the increase in concern about looks and the decrease in health and happiness among Americans to be astounding. The statistics that the author provided really hammered home the idea that our looks play a significant role in everyday life.
Over the years Americans have become more focused on looks yet less motivated to stay in good physical shape. Multiple factors such as clothes, income, shift from manual labor, and availability of unhealthy food have played a part in fattening this country. Looks determine how much attention mothers pay to babies and vice versa. They are both created by cultural norms and inherited brain reactions to certain facial characteristics.
After reading the article I am completely sold on the fact that looks matter. Someone’s appearance can speak to many personality traits that the person possesses. For example, a person who appears to be very physically fit would seem to be a dedicated hard working human who does not look to cut corners. Whenever one goes for a job interview they try to look their best in terms of their dress. Why should they not look healthy as well if it means that they have an increased chance of being hired? If Americans spent more time focusing on getting in shape and eating healthy then maybe looks would not matter as much. Economically speaking if everyone looks good then people would spend less time reflecting on their importance and accept it as a cultural norm.

Lone Stars

2010-04-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

In the article Lone Stars, the author describes her upbringing in a Vietnamese household in the state of Texas. Lan says” I evolve from rice paddy to cow paddy.” As a young child she embraced the rich history of the great state of Texas while her father considered himself a refugee and old Vietnam patriot.
The family arrived in America due to the communist takeover in Vietnam. Since they were no longer supporters the only option was to flee. Throughout her childhood Lan could never grasp why her father reprimanded her for loving Texas and not Vietnam. It took her college years for Lan to realize that she could not avoid her heritage forever. In a heartfelt history lesson her father demonstrates why his Vietnamese roots are so important. Her father tells her that his father sacrificed his own life so that the family could escape and live in America. The story concludes with Lan quoting Colonel Travis in the Alamo, a testament to her Texas heritage.
Although her father’s patriotism toward Vietnam is staunch I think that he should have supported America because of the opportunities that it has given him. His daughter was born and raised in Texas and should be much more proud of that than her Vietnamese roots.

The Truth About Beauty

2010-04-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Every culture has a different perception about what to classify as beautiful. In the United States these notions are magnified by the polished media images on television and in movies and magazines. The argument about the true definition of beauty will exist as long as certain people are not content with being less attractive in the eyes of others. Eventually people need to stop having these arguments and realize that words have definitions for a reason and that nobody is perfect in all aspects of life.
The marketing people at Dove were very shrewd in their pursuit of a larger consumer audience. Acknowledging that women, for the most part, will not look like the models in most makeup advertisements, they came up with a campaign about true beauty. Per Dove “Every girl deserves to feel beautiful just the way she is.” That may be so, but promoting overweight women in advertisements as beautiful is not the best strategy. It is not healthy to be an underweight model with an eating disorder but endorsing borderline obesity for women is wrong too.
Dove’s promotion of beauty as something different than popular media images is positive in terms of boosting women’s sense of esteem. At the same time, however, we cannot always be something or someone we are not. Social constructs may be unfair but they allow us to realize what we are good at and improve upon those gifts to make ourselves valuable members of society.

Google Maps is Changing the Way We See The World

2010-04-18T19:49:00.001-07:00

Today a relatively common complaint is that technology has made life much more complex and that people wish they could go back in time to when life was simple. Sometimes I find myself wondering that same thing only to remember how much easier life has been made by certain advancements in technology.
Google expanded its empire in 2005 with the creation of Google Maps and Google Earth. These programs allow users to span the globe in seconds and zoom in on satellite images that range from their home to a remote
Once Google Maps and Earth recognized that their tool could be expanded upon by amateur cartographers it really took off. People would enter information about restaurants, businesses, and tourist attractions that could be viewed by others looking for information. During Hurricane Katrina, the Air Force used Google Earth to find stragglers in the wake of the storm. But by the same token enemies in Iraq have used the tool to find our soldiers and kill them. People are concerned with Google Earth providing too much real time images. The big brother effect has led to a certain level of trepidation about the right to privacy.
For the most part I think Google has done the world a great favor with Google Earth and Google Maps. I use it often to find places and to track how far I have just run. I can remember about 10 years ago when I used to run and then have my mom drive me around so I could check the odometer for how far I had been. Thankfully, this aspect of life has become a lot easier.

Should People Understand War?

2010-04-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

Indeed everyone should understand war but it is probably more important that people appreciate the sacrifices that soldiers make so that we do not have to learn about it first hand. We are lucky as Americans to not have seen a war on our soil. Our knowledge, therefore, is limited to what we read in books, see on the news, and hear from veterans.
It is necessary to understand war because it allows us to realize the grave seriousness it entails and encourages us to prevent it at all costs. The horrific consequences of war do not usually end with the peace agreement but last for the rest of people's lives. Another aspect of understanding war is acknowledging that it has existed forever and will likely exist forever.
Pacifists and left wing hippies protest wars and deem them unnecessary at all costs. In their case understanding of war and anti patriotism are often blurred. I'm not claiming to have a greater comprehension of war than anyone else but at least I do not protest the fact that other Americans are laying down their lives for others.

war

2010-04-17T18:59:00.001-07:00

The answer is yes people should definitely understand war! War is something that will most likely never cease to exist as sad as it is to say. People believe that one day we can all be in peace with each other and I too am optimistic of this occurring but at the same time look at our world today. I don’t really think its necessary for small children to understand the concept of war until they are at an age where they can comprehend the horrors of it. To me knowing about war is knowing about the past, present, and future of my world and I feel like that is a very important concept to grasp. Although we can try to teach people about war, not everyone will understand and come to the same conclusion. Everyone has his or her different thoughts about war because it affects everyone in a different way. All in all though I think understanding about war is a necessity to your life. I mean what is the point of living in a world you know nothing about?

War

2010-04-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Should people understand war? I personally believe that everyone should understand war and why a certain war started and how it ended. However, that does not mean that everyone does or will. War is something that is out of sight and unfortunately that can mean out of mind. If we do not understand why wars start, how they started, and how peace came between the enemies, we can never help make the previous acts of violence preventable. If people are unknowledgeable about war, they do not know what is going on in the world. This can be a bad thing because if we do not know what is going on in the world, when we communicate with others, we will have no idea what they are talking about. Or have an opinion about the war and what you think could stop it. War is never a good thing, but it seems to be the only way that countries can solve problems. Since war is even going on as we speak, we should be well aware of war and what is going on in other parts of the world.

war

2010-04-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Should people understand war? OF COURSE! Even within the United States we have constant turmoil and constant picking of sides when it comes to war. Most of the people within the borders of our country, know we are at war in the Middle East, but have no idea why. People are constantly choosing which side they believe in; "Stop the war!", "Bring our men and women home". Yet, I find this to be completely ridiculous considering the fact that none of us actually know why we are there in the first place. Places in the Middle East such as Israel, Pakistan, India, etc., have been raised in war and have to learn the ways of war and fighting from day one. This is one of the most controversial issues in our world today. There is war everywhere, and we should understand the reasons behind it, the issues, and the effects of war.

Do looks matter?

2010-04-15T08:45:00.001-07:00

Do looks matter? Of course looks matter! There is no way to say the don't, and those who say they don't personally matter to them, they are LYING! There is a constant pressure on everyone to look their best and dress their best. Males and females are constantly judging each other based on looks so the thought of having a wonderful personality, intelligence, and values are no longer the most important factor in choosing a mate or even getting a job. As humans, we are never fully satisfied. Boys are probably some of the worst. Even when they have a girlfriend who they claim to "love" and feel emotionally connected with, they can never stop their eyes from wandering and looking at other women. The girls who are looking for someone special in their life, always claim to not care about looks; they just want someone who is kind, with a great personality. BS! We all know, the first thing we do is look at a guy and criticize him for everything he is not. Most females won't even give a guy a second glance unless he looks like Brad Pitt or Channing Tatum. Its one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves through our entire life. Looks do matter, you have to be able to feel physically attracted to someone as well as emotionally to have anything work between two people.

War

2010-04-14T22:34:00.001-07:00

War is a very complex and difficult thing to comprehend for almost any individual in the world. I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to actually have to make the decision to go to war or to fight in one myself. The complexities of war deal in death and the consequences of one's action and whether war is right or wrong. What, if anything, makes war okay? Is it the defense of one's nation, the fear of the extermination of one's own people, or perhaps even a religious crusade? What about war for economic gain or even genocide? Who is to say what is or is not right when it comes to war? Often, soldiers are placed in such terrible situations, they are forced to do terrible things. I feel war, in general, is a terrible thing; it brings nothing but pain to the people involved, nothing but murder.

WAR

2010-04-14T16:08:00.001-07:00

War is probably one of the most complex concepts for anyone to grasp in this world. Why is it necessary, how does it happen, why does it seem to get worse and worse? Sadly, I feel like we'll never know the answers to these questions because people who have experienced war don't know how to explain it to the rest of us. I think it's very true that people sometimes don't realize the enormity of something until shown with a visual. The books she was talking about such as "The Face of War" and others are ways of showing people that war is an indescribable horrible experience. I think a picture really is worth a thousand words sometimes.

War

2010-04-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

When it comes to war there are a lot of mixed emotions and feelings about it. When septemeber 11th first occurred many people were pro war. Many people signed up for the army because they wanted to defend our country. If you think about it the whole main cause of war is to defend ones' country. However if you think about the history of wars many have occurred because of religious regions or the power to control another country. Many countries have fought over power of another country or over what that country has say for example oil. I believe that war in the beggining was for a good reason but now it's hard to see why we are still at war or why were even there. I have tried to listen to news reports or even Obama but one of the problems is it's not put in terms for someone to understand. At one point in time I believe we were there to get oil from the country which to me is no reason to be at war. Now I believe we are there so fighting doesn't continue between two different religious groups: the shias and shittes. Which to me is another reason not to be at war. It's hard to support a war no one believes in and its hard to support a war when one doesn't know why we are there. I think it's important for the American people to understand why we are at war and what's the point because it affects everyone. Regardless if people want to understand it or not its' their tax dollars that are paying for it. Not only are the tax payers paying for it but they may be personal affected by it. They may be enlisted in the army or know a family member that is. I think it's important to understand because if the american people don't like what's going on we can vote for different officials. Or we could speak out about a different way of going about trying to solve the problem instead of killing people. I think for our countrys future the people need to try to resolve problems by negotiations and speaking first before entering their country and killing people and ruining the lives of people.

War

2010-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

I think war is something that a lot of people don’t seem to understand for a few reasons. I think people that have loved ones involved with it don’t really have a choice of whether or not to think about it. Whether they understand it or not depends on the person and age. Sometimes they wish to not understand it and they do and they just have to put up with it. Other times they don’t understand why their son, brother, etc. is out there fighting exposing themselves to death—in my opinion, it’s a hard concept to grasp because if it was me, I’d be thinking about that person every day. Furthermore, people that have no direct connection with a war that’s going on sometimes forget that it is happening or are simply uninformed or even worse: just don’t care at all. I think that everyone should have some sense of what’s going on and they have to understand that the soldiers fighting—for the most part—are fighting because they chose to; they want to defend and protect our country. People need to understand that even if something really bad happens and they are capable of losing someone close to them, that person was not only doing it for them but for the rest of the country, and they should be honored for being brave and unselfish.

Lone Stars

2010-04-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

When I first began to read this story, I thought that it was going to be boring. But, it actually ended up being very interesting. I found it amazing that such a young girl (Tran) was aware of her heritage. She knew the differences between the American and Vietnamese races at such a young age. Growing up, Tran was torn between her pride for Texas and her father's Vietnamese heritage. I know a little bit about my ancestry, but not as much as I would like to. I hope to one day find out more about my family and ancestors.

War

2010-04-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

No one wants to go to war. But, unfortunately, sometimes it is the only way to protect and defend our country. I think what people should understand about war is that it can tear families apart, and even greater, it can tear a country apart. For example, many Americans have mixed feelings about being at war now. But the fact of the matter is that no matter what your feelings are about war, we must support our troops who have left their family and comfort and safety of their home in order to fight for our freedom. On the news every night, we hear about the number of casualties that have occurred because of the war. So why then should we go to war? The idea of war can be gruesome, but sometimes, it is our only option.

Understanding War

2010-04-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

There are three types of people. Those who understand war, those who don't understand war but would like to and those who don't understand war and don't care. I fall into the category of those who don't understand war but would like to. I watch news broadcasts of the latest advancements in the war overseas but unfortunately have no clue as to what it all means or weather i'm being duped into believing we are fighting for a good cause. I am the future of this country and i think it is sad i have little understanding of what really is going on in my own country. I believe we should be educated on war and the causes and effects of it. so few people really know and truely understand what war is. It bothers me when uneducated people try to recite and argue their opinion on the war when they themselves don't really know what they are rambling on about. It would definitely be beneficially to us all if we understood war

Do Looks Matter?

2010-04-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

If looks didn't matter, every model from a clothing advertisement wouldn't be hot. If looks didn't matter, discrimination wouldn't exist. If looks didn't matter, the ability to choose would've been disabled. If looks didn't matter, no one would give a care. If looks didn't matter, motivation to beautify and enhance wouldn't be present. If looks didn't matter, technology would be moving at a slower pace. Our society has always had an everchanging standard to label and classify. This habit is stemmed from the human being's natural tendency to be judgemental. It is a natural characteristic and this is why looks matter.

2010-04-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like this is a very similar post that we have already read an article on. But, looks do matter. Sadly. When you go to a job interview your looks play a very important part, when you want a boyfriend or girlfriend they want someone who looks hot, when you are walking down the street people say things in their head about your appearence. It's horrible that we are such judgemental people but even if you arent the most beautiful person you can clean yourself up and actually look good. Being in shape, doing your hair, and dressing nicely are all things that successful people tend to have in common so obviousy looks do matter. And now I am tired of writing about this.

Looks do matter

2010-04-08T00:30:00.001-07:00

In modern society, it is often said that looks don’t matter. However on the contrary, I feel that looks do matter but personality is just as important. I feel that the first thing that influences how one may perceive another in based on their looks. It can be frustrating for people that are unattractive, but typically those individuals tend to make up for their misgivings by a very likable personality. People everywhere put incredible amounts of energy into trying to perfect their looks. Most people exercise, put makeup on, have plastic surgery, and buy overpriced clothes purely to improve their looks. If I had to make a guess I would say guys care more about looks and girls car more about personality.

looks do matter

2010-04-07T19:26:00.001-07:00

I hate to say it but looks do matter. I mean of course you shouldn’t feel pressured by anyone in society to look a certain way or dress a certain way. You cannot NATURALLY change the way you look because you were born that way. The only way you can is through surgery and weird chemicals. I don’t think you have to look a certain way to please anyone but I do believe it is important to look presentable for certain occasions. The first opinion someone has about you is your appearance, everyone knows it and everyone does it. “We infer a great deal from people’s looks” and looks matter for a lot of things. You can find your mate, get a job, receive more respected, and sadly make more friends. I am in no way saying that you have to look like a super model everyday or dress like every other person in the world. I believe in having a unique style and using the beauty you were given at birth. Your look tells a lot about you so what do you want people to hear?

Do looks matter?

2010-04-07T16:24:00.000-07:00

I really do believe that looks do matter. It's something that is automatically programed in our brains. There have been studies that prove that we like beautiful people. We also like symmetry. Our first judgment on a person is on how they look. It takes time to really get to know someone so the first thing that we base a person on is how they look. I learned from my ancient mythology class that the greeks believed if you were a beautiful person on the inside it would reflect on the outside as well. So in those days that ugly people were seen as low status people and would be used for sacrifices if needed. I think there needs to be some sort of attraction based on looks for people to be in relationships. I think that people who say looks don't matter are lying. I am not saying that looks are everything but they do count. Right now women are obssessed with the way they look. They get surgery to improve their looks because deep down everyone known looks do matter. They don't want to age so they get botox, they may be overweight so they become anorexic, bullimic, or even go to the extent of getting liposuction. I also think that looks matter more no than they did before because women aren't married off like they used to be. In the 1800's the woman was married off to the man it didn't matter, looks weren't as important. But now there are options for the man and woman and that's why looks do matter.

Looks Do Matter Response

2010-04-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

When it comes to beauty, none of us can say that we would rather be considered socially unattractive; it is our nature to want to be beautiful. In his articleLooks Do Matter, Daniel Akst states that we,as a people, are hardwired to like people more solely based on his or her physical attractiveness. This claim seems very reasonable. I cannot say that I do flock to more attractive people in general, but I will say that I find very often that people who are not necessarily the most beautiful always surprise me with their compassion and understanding. Attractiveness is important, but our society does dwell on it far too much. We should focus more on a person's intelligence, work ethic, and morals, not how physically beautiful they may be.

Google Maps

2010-04-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today, our society is blessed with so many different technological advances and the amazing creation of Google Maps is no exception. It is truly incredible that the technology to take pictures from space even exists but the sheer fact that we, as a people, can all collaborate to create a sort of super map is incomprehensible to me. Along with the invention of GPS tracking systems, Google maps and other online mapping devices are making it possible for everyday people to view other parts of the world without even leaving their homes. To me, this is astonishing. I would never have thought that one day I would have the ability to view some tiny road in Russia or a museum in England without having to physically go there. Google Maps has really changed how both society and the individual view the world around us.

2010-04-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

After reading "Looks Do Matter", I went online a researched other cultures. One of the most interesting was the people of Fiji, who perceive being overweight as being beautiful. Its a sign that you are well feed and have enough money to satisfy yourself. Its interesting to me that some cultures, including our own view being thin as beautiful. Society is so caught up in the way people look, weather it be being skinny or overweight. Looks matter to everyone and in every aspect of living.

Looks Do Matter

2010-04-07T11:47:00.001-07:00

I read this article even before we were assigned to read this because it captured my attention one in class. Do Looks Really Matter? As scientists are showing, yes they do. Many question how can something as beauty that is skin deep matter? Unfortunately, as humans were are attracted to things that are pretty. We also make judgements and assume things about people who are physically more attractive. Many tend to assume that people who's physical attributions are greater than most, are friendly. Just because someone has a pretty face, we are attracted to them and assume they would help us if we asked a question. It has also shown that prettier people make more money. How can this be? It seems that the media and stereotypes have taken over our concept of beauty, but now it even is affecting how you get a job? This seems beyond unfair, but this happens everyday. If we can not control who we are attracted to, there are other things however that the media should present to their audiences that we can control, our diet. If everyone ate healthy and exercised, we would feel better and have more confidence in ourselves. This seems easier said than done, but we changed our ways even ever so slightly, we may see changes we never thought were possible.

Maps

2010-04-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Compared to hundreds of years ago, maps have come an extremely long way. Before satellites that took pictures of the earth, humans we not even sure of the boundaries for every state or country. In some ways, explorers were better than the maps we have today because they could see with their own two eyes what was going on in each land area. Today, all we have to do is go onto the interest and search an area and where we want to go and it pops up for us. We do no have to go explore anymore, all we have to do is search the web. In some ways, this is very convenient! If we want to travel across town or to another state, all we need is a GPS. However, when we want to explore places are beyond the capabilities of GPS, if we wanted to go over seas for instance, maps can only show us where we want to go, not what is there. We no longer have as much of an interest in exploring areas we have never been.

Hell YEA!!! Looks DO matter!!! (unfortunately)

2010-04-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

I thought this passage was really interesting and I really enjoyed reading it because it talks about reality. Even though everybody always says the “looks don’t matter…it’s all about the personality”. That’s not true. When somebody tries to get to know someone as a potential partner, they go to someone they are attracted to. They don’t go to the ugliest person in the room even if they were to have the best personality there. They wouldn’t be able to tell because the outside is what they see first. People go towards the good looking people first and I believe that not only looks but appearance matters too. The way someone presents his/herself such as clothing, makeup, hair, smell, etc. makes a big difference in how someone can view them. Even though some people might not want to believe it, good looking people have a lot of benefits that other regular people don’t have. They are more likely to get a date faster for an event, they are more likely to get a job over somebody else because “looks sells”, and they even will get more attention and more heads turning their way without forcing people to do so. Unfortunately, the ugly people, the fat people, people with acne or excessive hair get jipped and just have to deal with what they have in order to catch up because the naturally beautiful people are already one step ahead. This may sound harsh to some but it is the ugly truth. The good part of life is that there is someone out there for everyone. The hot people with the hot, the fat with the fat, and the ugly with the ugly for the most part and that’s that. So, to conclude, yes, looks do matter…a lot.

Do Looks Matter??

2010-04-06T19:54:00.001-07:00

Look DO matter. The people who are "ugly" are the people who don't make an effort at all. It's upsetting to see people wearing their scrubs or pajama bottoms to the grocery, it just shows that they are passive, lazy, and sloppy in general. People who care enough to brush their hair and put on a decent outfit in the morning are typically smarter, healthier, more enjoyable people, and they aren't all supermodels. I don't think it makes one shallow to judge someone's appearance, because if you think about it, we are programmed to do so as humans. We are simply searching for another clue to their personality through the way they dress and express themselves in public, and there is nothing wrong with that.

The Truth About Beauty

2010-04-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

Beauty is something that is superficial and, although I do agree that humans do find other faces and body types more attractive, I feel that people dwell too much on physical attractiveness. In Virginia Pastrel's article The Truth About Beauty, Postrel discusses that the "Dove Campaign For Real Beauty" somewhat misleads us with it's slogan "Every girl deserves to feel beautiful just the way she is." Postrel discusses that human nature makes us more attracted to the "typical" beauties of today. Although I do not disagree that this is true, I feel Postrel position and argument does nothing but bring people down. If people feel they are unattrative, the last thing they need is for someone to tell them that they basically have no hope of ever achieving high self-esteem because they are not typically beautiful. I feel that, although physical beauty is important, people's morals and personality should really define how we as society view one another and how we view ourselves.

Do Looks Matter

2010-04-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

The age old question: "Which is more important; Beauty on the inside, or on the outside?" We don't want to admit how important looks are, but it is a sad fact at how quickly we judge someone based off of their looks when we first meet them. The article even says "Attractive people are paid more on the job, marry more desirable spouses, and are liklier to get help from others when in evident need." (pp 433) We also judge people's health based on their looks. I feel that looks should not be as important as we make them out to be. One can still be successful if they are less attracive. People live their lives as if looks are the only thing that matters. In the end, looks will not get you into your dream college, nor will looks do your daily tasks for you. Only commitment and hard work can help you achieve what is important in life.

Maps

2010-04-05T14:50:00.000-07:00

Technology is changing at a rapid rate. To navigate the world it was done with stars. Then it was done with a compass. Now people can go to different destinations by a GPS which tells a person when to turn and how long until they need to turn. Many people depend on these technologies now. The Iphone makes people dependent on it. It allows people to do almost everything. When people used to travel on roadtrips they used to pull out a big map from the glove department. Now someone could look on google maps off their phone or get a GPS. Another way to get place to place is by Mapquest that gives direct routes. Google Maps allows individuals to look at their house and their backyard. It allows easy access to just about everyone in the world. It's a useful tool but also can be very dangerous. It allows many stalkers easier access to people. Technology is taking over our country and soon no one will be able to do anything without it. The cell phone is one device that is increasing in demand and is depended upon. The use of the internet is increasing as well. The cell phone and internet used to be used in cases of emergencies or to do homework. Now its used daily several times throughout the day.

maps

2010-04-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

Technology has been growing at such a rapid rate. Now most people cant even operate during the day without a computer or a cell phone. They wouldnt know how to contact people or how to do a simple homework assignment. As for the online maps and directions, its literally the only way I know how to navigate places. If someone were to give me an address I would never be able to find the place on my own, I would probably get lost. I have to admit that it's pretty sad that I rely so heavly on a computer to tell me how to get places because at some point in my life I'm going to have to figure out how to get somewhere on my own and it's going to be my downfall.

Maps

2010-03-31T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ever since I first saw technology such as google maps or google earth, its fascinated me with how crazy our technology has evolved. New advances in technology are made each day, allowing many to live safer and easier lives. With the invention of google maps, driving around in a foreign area becomes much easier and allows a stranger to feel more safe and less lost. At first google maps appears amazing, but eventually I got to thinking and its actually pretty scary that our technology is so advanced. If there can be an object way into space taking photographs and mapping new areas, then that means there must be something which can track our every move. That type of technology can make anyone paranoid. Not that I am considered a criminal or anything but who wants a creep in a suit watching your every move?

GOOGLE MAPS

2010-03-31T15:28:00.001-07:00

It is so crazy to think about how many advances in technology have occurred over the years. I honestly cannot believe maps in 1765 did not exist and people had to use compasses to direct themselves. Nowadays google map is so cool! You can zoom into any location in the world via satellite and it gives you a pretty detailed picture of whatever you were trying to look at. Todays maps on the internet are so detailed and you can easily find most places. The real topic of discussion should be how overall technology has advanced. Paper maps have become a thing of the past, today it is all about mapquest or google maps. But mostly everyone today has a GPS in their car or even on their phone. I can’t even imagine what technology will be like 10 years from now.

Maps

2010-03-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

To be honest, what shocks me the most is the fact that today we can do in just a few clicks the same thing that James Rennell and his group did in six years. To me, that is the biggest difference. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lived during that time, having to go “discover” things on my own because technology didn’t do it for me. I mean, I’m not a technology freak and I do like to do some things with the help of technology but doing what those men did would just be out of the question for me. I think its pretty sad how people today depend on technology for everything and its speed to give them answers they need as quickly as possible. It’s making our society more and more impatient because once they hear about the latest, fastest, and easiest to use device, their expectation bar raises and they become more dependent and lazy because they know that there’s something that can get the job done faster. A couple of good things about technology are that it makes things less time consuming and the actual device might do a better job than you would. However, this is not always the case so one cannot expect every gadget to be perfect. Anyway, in my opinion, I still think (for the most part) that people should be more independent and should do things on their own because we learn by making mistakes and if technology made all of our mistakes for us or at least avoided them, then we will never learn.

Beauty

2010-03-31T15:04:00.000-07:00

I never really realized that most people think that women with smaller jaws appeared “more beautiful” than other women. I knew about the plump lips and the bigger eyes because those things are usually more visible. I think that people don’t understand that there are a select few that are meant to be skinny and tall and those are the models and even they at times are not as beautiful as they look on stage. Everyone is supposed to be different because if everyone looked the same, there would be nothing to compare to. So, I’m glad that Dove did that campaign because it shows people who are usually blinded (most unfortunately) that there are different kinds of beauty that we realize on a day to day basis. One thing that bothers me a lot is that people don’t realize that the women that are in the magazines, billboards, and other publications that are not there true selves because they have been altered by the use of makeup and have been digitally transformed to be able to catch the attention of the person who looks at it. I just wish that people were more accepting so that there didn’t have to be such a need or demand to do this to women to make them look “more” beautiful.

Maps and Technology

2010-03-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Maps, and the technology associated with them, are changing daily. Referring to this, the text says, "In 1795 a 22-year-old British naval officer named James Rennell set out to map the entire Indian subcontinent. Traveling with a small party of soldiers, he used advanced technologies of the day: a compass and a distance measuring wheel called a perambulator." (pp 328) Today, advanced mapping technologies are drastically different. It's hard to imagine driving to an unfamilar place without map-questing it first, or typing it into a GPS system. We depend so much on technology today to get us from location to location. It's amazing to think that explorers navigated their way to unfamilar new land without these advanced technologies. However, with these technologies comes a lack of privacy. Any minute of any day, a satellite could take a picture of you and post it to the web. It poses the question; Is there a line between technology and privacy?

Maps and what not

2010-03-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well honestly, the whole time I was reading this article I could not stop thinking about my constant annoyance with online map and direction websites such as MapQuest and Google Maps. Unlike the millions of other people in the world who have GPS' or TOM TOM's in their cars, I rely on the directions from other people. However, sometimes people do not know directions to places and I have to rely on the "user-friendly" MapQuest. I HATE MAPQUEST. My first time I had ever gone up to Florida State from Fort Lauderdale, my mother and I MapQuested the directions to the campus. Let me just tell you, the experience was a little less "friendly". We ended up in the woods of some Tallahassee, or nearby city, instead of at the Visitor Center. How does a website continue giving directions to people when their directions are completely wrong. I have this theory that the people behind the scenes at MapQuest and Google Maps get the greatest pleasure out of knowing that their customers are going to end up lost in the middle of nowhere due to their purposely wrong directions. As crazy as I may sound, I had no enjoyment out of reading this article and knowing that I can create my own map with links and hot-spots coming up on the city I am currently overlooking. Big deal! I guess I am just one of the old fashion kind of people who would rather have a print out map from an Atlas and figure out my way that way.

Beauty

2010-03-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

Although the Dove commercial makes an effort to show the "real woman" it still doesn't do a good job at showing all types of women. It's hard to say that I respect Dove for this. I mean, I am grateful that they show women who have curves in some areas of their bodies, but they do not show women who have some physical deformities. These women need to know that they also, are beautiful. As cheesy as this may sound, I believe that all women, and even men, are beautiful inside and out. Women who are "skinny", "chubby", "fat", and those who have acne, cellulite, freckles, or what ever else you can think of are all beautiful. The thing that makes us beautiful is that none of us are the same. We are all made differently and no two people are the same and that's why none of us can achieve the same level of beauty or "perfection". But I do have to give Dove some credit and say that they are moving on from the fact that not all women are Allie McBeal skinny, or supermodel thin. And in my own personal opinion, that is a wonderful thing.

Designs

2010-03-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

The main thing that designs have in common is their ability to draw us in and capture our attention. Something as simple as the paper clip is a clear example of this. When I see the paper clip it makes me really wonder how someone thought of such an amazing concept. When it comes to the design of your clothes, it fascinates you on how someone was so create in thinking of something so wonderful or yet so odd. No matter if it something you like, or something you dislike, you still find yourself to be attracted and interested in the thought behind it. For your house, if you help someone design the layout or the interior look of your home, it gives you the ability to really feel and be attracted to your house.

The Truth about Beauty

2010-03-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

This article was interesting, and it brought attention to a lot of things I didn't notice. When I first saw the Dove ad showing all different women in underwear I was like "wow, finally a company that is celebrating diversity." But after reading this article I realized they really aren't fully celebrating it, they just are giving you a vague idea of what you want to hear. Sure they are all different shapes and sizes and colors, but in the end, non of them really have "flaws." None of them were really overweight, all of them had sparkling white teeth, with perfectly styled and colored hair, just like the article said. So really, that's not what they look like naturally. I think what the author said was correct, in that, the only reason why women don't say they are beautiful is because they don't know the definition of the word, it is like asking someone if they are a genius, which no one is going to say it because then they would be viewed as cocky. I also really liked the quote at the end that talked about confidence, how "real confidence requires self-knowledge, which includes recognizing one's shortcomings as well as one's strengths."

2010-03-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

I have been in Louisville KY all last week for an educational experience: the annual Conference on College Composition and Communication-- it was fabulous. The program book is 300 pages; the size of the gathering is approximately 3000 attendees! Diverse aspects of teaching writing are here examined, explored, and explained to an audience of interested listeners. I am glad you are thinking with the readings here, on the Say Wall-- at the end of semester I'm going to ask you to each pick your favorite reading and say why...

Beuty

2010-03-24T22:15:00.001-07:00

This article was very interesting, particularly the part that talked about the Dove advertising scheme. I like how they are trying to be different than most companies, and using more normal looking people as there models in commercials. This is a really good idea because if all day long you are looking a extremely beautiful people then, when you look in the mirror and see your average self, your self esteem will go down. However if all day long you are looking at average people in magazines and advertisement, and then look at yourself in the mirror you will most likely feel good about yourself. I liked how they discussed the research that the Harvard student had done, and found the result interesting. Finally I enjoyed going to you tube and viewing the evolution video by Dove. I had no idea they digitally enhanced peoples faces to that extent.

Beauty

2010-03-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

So we keep hearing the saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But is it? It seems to be that beauty is in the eyes of what society tells us. Magazines, television, and billboards all portray what beauty “should be like.” It is all very distorted yet most people get very sunk into the whole idea of beauty. According to society, a beautiful woman is thin with long legs, full lips, big eyes, big hair, and so on and so on. Realistically, most women do not look like this “ideal” image that magazines often create. The models that portray what the “perfect” woman should look like are oftentimes too thin to begin with. Yet, society continues to have specific criteria for pretty versus ugly. People go along with it though. Most people will distinguish one person to be attractive or unattractive in a similar way. In our minds, we look for certain features to figure out if a person is beautiful. For example, if we see a woman who is slightly overweight, we will immediately call her fat and think she is, therefore, unattractive. The distorted perceptions society gives us on beauty just lead to insecure women working their whole lives to look beautiful according to society’s standards.

BEAUTY?

2010-03-24T19:11:00.001-07:00

Beauty is a term that can be different for every person. This article was really interesting and it gave me even more insight about how society classifies beauty. I hate that people think beauty is all about appearance and looks. Perfect skin, straight teeth, straight hair,....nonsense. Everyone has their own inner beauty and its sad that people think inner beauty doesn’t matter, because it is more important than looks. I was so interested in this article that I went on the Dove website that had their campaign. I also watched the Evolution video on Youtube and it was really cool! It really puts into perception your thoughts on beauty and how most of the “beauty” we see is photoshopped, botoxed, and lifted. I hope everyone watches the video and there is a parody that is really funny!

Beauty

2010-03-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

The idea of beauty is all around us. If you open up a magazine, or turn on the TV, you will find images of beautiful, youthful, skinny women or strong, built men. But these images are not the same as the average, everyday human being. So why then are they so popular? The article mentions Dove's campaign to build the image of real beauty. I think it is a positive idea to have real women in advertisements to show young women that the idea of perfection in looks is unrealistic. Women and young girls see these "perfect" women in the magazines, and begin to wonder why they don't look like the models. I believe that more companies should follow Dove's campaign for real beauty, and try to boost young girl's self confidence.

Lone Star

2010-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

While reading this story it made me think about the relationships I have with my heritage and my family. When Lan Tran goes the majority of her life through adulthood with out any knowledge of her heritage and family history. She learns that many of her ancestors died in most vietnam battles including various bombings and other tragic events, this allows her to be aware of where she came from and of her family history. Her father also shares about their families home being burnt down while hiding in an underground tunnel. This story is not quite relevant or intense as my family's background. However, it made me aware of how many events shape a way a family turns out.

designs

2010-03-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

The one thing all of these have in common is a design, We tend to forget that the design of something always has someone behind it and there was a reason or purpose they created what they did. The things in which we use every day are actually some of the greatest designs because their purpose has been achieved. That person created something they thought would be valuable for someone to use and if that person uses it on an everyday basis then it’s obviously a great design. In the last article about the McMansion I agree when Gans states, “…the house is a tool people control, not the other way around” I never thought of it like that but it is very true. Even my neighborhood and all of the other surrounding neighborhoods back home are like that.

Beauty/Ugly

2010-03-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

Everybody has their opinion about what’s considered beautiful and what’s not, but now a days, it seems as though beauty and ugliness have become factually. It’s as if there is an actually limit to what’s good looking and what is not. Since the first people walked on Earth, styles of dress and choice of clothing has been constantly changing.

Back in the twenties, if a ladies dress came up past mid shin she was looked at like a whore. I can’t remember the last time I went out and saw a girl in a dress below mid thigh.

People perpetuate their ideas of beauty and ugliness every day, just by getting dressed. By expressing what they think looks good, they are saving their sense of beauty. Someone who is more into art might perpetuate beauty with a painting or a mural. A musician might write a song.

Everybody perpetuates their ideas of beauty, in their own way. It is an opinionated concept, and it seems as though most people tend to forget that. It is hard to perpetuate one thing as “Actually” beautiful, or “Actually” ugly, because everybody has their own opinion. Personally, I perpetuate beauty in the way I dress, the music I write, and by being kind to people. As we all know, true beauty lies within.

Lone Stars

2010-03-23T20:12:00.000-07:00

I found this story very interesting. Lan Tran was very curious about her heritage yet was never taught by her father, ironically. Vietnamese students came to listen to her father’s lectures, yet her father never informed her of their past. It was interesting how her father had negative feelings toward Lan because she is not “Vietnamese enough” yet he doesn’t teach her about her culture and heritage. Lan seems very intrigued to learn about her ancestor’s past, but she cannot learn if she is not taught. For example, her father sits there disappointed when Lan cannot draw the borders of Vietnam but he does not follow up by teaching her either. This is very odd to me; if he wants his daughter to be knowledgeable about his home country he needs to teach her. Also, her father gets too angry about the wagon she creates. Lan was simply trying to please her father by putting the Vietnamese flag on the wagon and he screams at her for doing so because she unknowingly drew the “wrong” flag. It’s crazy to me how this incident could have affect Lan until she was a student in college. Feeling ignorant about her homeland, it took her 15 years to force her father to teach her the culture of her family’s past.

The Truth About Beauty

2010-03-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

Virginia Postrel dared to challenge the beloved "real" women's Dove campaign. In "The Truth About Beauty", Postrel questions Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" and it's actual reverence to it's purpose. The basis for the campaign is real women feeling beautiful in their own skin. They use a range of women of all shapes, sizes and ages. However, all women are seemingly attractive, which is unusual since the majority of average women would not be considered attractivte. Although Dove has tried to change the perspectives of young women, the matter of fact still is, most women are not attractive like the photoshopped images we view in the media. However they are subjected to the idea that if they can relate to this ad, they are insecure and should not feel this way. Because photoshopping is done on every beauty, fashion and even sports ad, the chance of less attractive or insecure girls feeling better about them selves just because of Dove's campaign is a long shot.

Designs

2010-03-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Designs are created to grab attention to people’s minds. For example, the stop sign is designed in an octagon shape rather than a circle; I think the rigid sides grab more attention. The stop sign is a bold color red to really keep our mind aware of the sign. Also, each object has a unique design to fit its use. For example, the couch is shaped as it is for comfortably sitting. The couch is designed to have cushions to make it more comfortable, and many times has a footrest for an even more luxurious appeal. All objects are, thus, given a design based on human use. People are going to want to purchase something that has a design which is convenient and appeal to them.

Beauty

2010-03-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

I definetly agree with Virginia Postrel. I think that media is the one who puts the idea of what beautiful is in a persons mind. All the magazines, commercials, movies, television shows anything that deals with media is always portraying to the public what beautiful is. All models are a certain size. Most actors and actresses are a certain size and look a certain way. When a person is consumed by all these images of course they are going to want to look that way too. They want to feel like they belong and to fit in. So it makes complete sense that is why our ideal image of beauty is what is shown to us. The only problem is is there is no perfect person. Many magazine articles with women on the covers have been retouched by computer programs and don't even look like that in real life. I am happy a company that had an influence of media is finally doing something. I love watching dove commercials because I know younger girls will see them and will think twice before they know whats beautiful and what isn't. The younger women want to be just like all the models where the truth is is that everyone is beautiful in their own way and people should just learn to accept themselves and not try to change to fit a certain image. The media has a huge impact on what we find is beautiful and ugly and I think if it were to make changes then are idea of whats beautiful and ugly will change too.

Fear of a Black Cinema

2010-03-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

I think that attitudes about race haven’t changed or improved that much throughout the years. As much as people may pretend that their attitudes toward race are not prejudice, it is obvious that some attitudes toward race have not changed. People secretly express their feelings toward other races for they know they cannot publicly reveal their prejudice feelings. Also, the negative attitudes about race are prevalent in society as well. For example, segregation exists even at Florida State. There are sororities and fraternities and there is also a multicultural Greek life. I also think that many people’s perception on other people of other races is very negative. If somebody is not the same as you are, you are more inclined to have negative perceptions of them because their culture is very different than yours. However, in a way, attitudes about race have changed throughout the government and many people’s perceptions too. There are no more laws against a certain race and there is no legal violence against certain races. Although laws have changed, some people continue to perceive people of other races as inferior. This is a huge problem in society and I hope in the future it can change.

Beauty

2010-03-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed reading "The Truth About Beauty" by Virginia Postrel. This really opened my eyes to the extreme standards that women and men put on each other to look a certain way. However, the media is credited for corrupting the minds of all viewers and readers and making them think that thin is the only thing that is beautiful. Not everyone can be thin genetically. It is just not possible for every women in America to be a "stick figure". We all are born into different figures and should embrace them! I do also believe however that staying healthy can also make you feel beautiful and make you look beauty. Eating healthy and exercising daily can do wonders for everyone. So avoiding and putting down the stereotypical images about thin people is not always right either. Everyone should embrace their body but also know how to keep it healthy.

2010-03-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

Lone Stars:

I actually began to read this essay randomly in class one day and was immediately intrigued. I did not finish it however. After I finished the article I really enjoyed it. This article could really be triggered for an audience who is having trouble identifying with themselves who are they are. Especially for people who are coming from overseas to try and live in America. I feel like this essay really could help immigrants who come to start a new life in America. Just like the Irish who came over for example. When they came over to America they were having the issue of whether to give up their Irish traditions to fit in with the their new neighbors. Or should they try and keep their Irish culture and traditions. They wanted a balance between their two lives. This is a hard balance to find especially for people like Tran who's parents were still living the past and could not live more in the future.

Designs:

By reading these three articles, it opened my eyes to things I do not normally think about in my daily life. All of these articles had design and creativity in common. However, another important note that all of these articles touched upon is that the world of design is not changing. Designers and creators of all sorts of objects or clothes stick to the same designs that previous creators have done. They either expand upon something that has already been made or change the designs only slightly to make it their own. Is this fair? Does this mean the original creators of certain designs are not getting the full credit they deserve? All three of the articles came up with a valid point that maybe instead of sticking to the same designs, designers should go out the box and start from scratch and create something entirely new! By doing this, you never know, maybe even better things can come and we could even help other parts of the world with our new designs.

The Truth About Beauty

2010-03-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm a firm believer that we define beauty by what the media distinguishes is 'beautiful'. Take the recent Academy Awards for example. One of the top movies of the past year, "Precious", showcases an overweight Gabourey Sidibe, who many [though most might be ashamed to admit it] believe to be the opposite of our idea of "beautiful". While many proclaimed their distaste for her appearance, some of her fellow actors and actresses commented that she was "beautiful" that night, that she was appropriately dressed for her 'body type', etc. They complimented her and even commented on her confidence while walking down the Red Carpet. Regardless, I'm sure that Sidibe is not the definition of 'beautiful' to many thousands of other people in America and abroad. Because she doesn't mirror the stick-figures of Kate Moss or Victoria Beckham [who many believe to be quite beautiful] or have the flowing blonde hair of Heidi Klum, she isn't "beautiful". I'm not sure when society came to deem what is and what is not acceptable or "beautiful" in terms of appearance. Perhaps it is having men whistle at visually pleasing women who walk down the street over others or maybe it is in fact being subconsciously drawn to 'geometrically symmetrical' faces. Regardless, I don't see an end to society perpetuating its idea of what is "beautiful" and I don't believe that Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" will have such a substantial impact as hoped for as long as it competes with television, film, fashion, and the many celebrities we've come to hope to eminate.