Progression

In my search for research, I have mainly come across two types of sources: those that are biased and those that do not give enough information. I have come across several websites claiming to be that of the Mexican government; I have yet to find one that looks truly official. Actually, let me look that up on Wikipedia right now.



Okay, there isn't really much on the official website.


Since 1994, the EZLN has enforced a unilateral truce with the Mexican government. This is pure fact. Now, this website http://www.larouchepub.com/other/1995/2245_ezln.html paints a rather different picture. For one, it says that they are violently taking over Mexico; this is most defnitely not the case. It also states the real name of the anonymous "Subcommandante Marcos" (the leader of the EZLN) is "Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente (a.k.a. "Marcos")"; this is not fact, only a suspicion. Upon further investigation of this website, it seems that it is run by an extremely biased dude, and all of the stuff he writes is tainted.

Another one bites the...

Today I decided to look on the internet for official information (and possibly a website) about the EZLN and their struggle, from their perspective. There is an abundance of positive information about NAFTA, but it mostly comes from government and NAFTA websites, so this is to be expected. I found their official website (http://www.ezln.org.mx/index.html), and decided to search for mas información. Since their website is in Spanish, I used Google translate so I could understand it. It wasn’t as helpful as I thought, and it was actually more difficult to comprehend than the Spanish version. After reading some of their website, I came across their declaration of war against Mexico, and the evidence they used to back it up. I checked their claims, and they seemed to be mostly true. Overall, I would say that I learned a lot about the EZLN’s reason for being, as well as my ability to read in Spanish for a non-Spanish class.

(Note to "LaMags": this blog was due Wednesday)

Well...

I decided on this topic much sooner than today, but since I haven’t posted in a while, I’ll write this anyway:

After many hours of long deliberation, sleepless nights, and an orange cinnamon roll, I have decided to research the pros and cons of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), focusing on its effects on the U.S. and Mexico, and how it relates to the role of the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, or EZLN, a militant revolutionary group from one of the poorest states of Mexico.

NAFTA is an agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that eliminates many trade barriers (tariffs, restrictions, etc.). It is supposed to help the economies of the member countries. Some, such as the EZLN, located in the poorest part of Mexico, say that it has practically eliminated the land reforms mentioned in the constitution of Mexico. They have declared autonomous rule, and while they do not actively attack targets, they defend their land against the Mexican government if necessary. I am going to try and see where each side is coming from and what data and evidence they use to back up their claims.

(Note to "LaMags": this blog was due Friday)

To be perfectly honest...

To be perfectly honest, I have absolutely NO clue as to what topic I am going to chose for my inquiry contract. The assignment description asks me to “Choose a contemporary issue that interests you, is relevant to your life and is something you feel can be explored for several months without becoming exhausted or boring.” To be perfectly honest, I can’t even think of a topic that meets all three criteria, or even just two. And to be perfectly honest, no matter what topic I end up choosing, I will most likely be either exhausted or bored after several months. Hm. Should I write about abortion, or maybe the war in Iraq? What about the economy? After reading several other people’s blogs, it almost appears to be a requirement that I choose a boring, overused cliché. I can’t imagine finding a topic that I care enough about, so I might as well find something that I know has plenty of information, even if it’s because it’s been discussed every other day on Fox News, NPR, and the blogs of several uninterested individuals, who look for nothing more than quick money by hosting ads. Maybe I should start hosting ads.

Laramie

When I first learned that we would be watching The Laramie Project, I thought it would be just another boring documentary with a bunch of boring interviews. How wrong I was! I thought was very interesting to hear the views of all of the “Laramese” citizens. All of them were appalled, at the heinous crime, but some of them disapproved of his lifestyle. I can remember the one lady who said that although she thought it was a terrible thing to happen, she didn’t like that he was gay. I saw how a society like this could produce such people to do crimes like that. What I really liked was when the “angel people” put on their costumes and covered up the Westboro Baptist Church people with their wings. I thought it was really creative and a unique idea.

Yoshino and Toulmin [Previously Unreleased]

The following is from my archive of unfinished blogs. Feel free to comment.

In The Pressure to Cover, Yoshino explains the common practice of covering, and the implications

There's No Such Thing as Free Lurch...

Linda attained her freedom by being bought by Mrs. Bruce, a kind white woman who Linda worked for as a nurse. She did, however, have mixed feeling about her situation. To her, the concept of slaves being bought as property was morally appalling, even if it were to buy their freedom. When Mr. Dodge offered Linda a chance to buy her freedom, Mrs. Bruce said ". . . she would go to the ends of the earth, rather than pay any man or woman for her freedom, because she thinks she has a right to it." (p. 161) This is a subtle indicator that Linda was so outspoken about her beliefs on slavery and freedom that even Mrs. Bruce could relay them to a total stranger. To eventually have been "bought for freedom" is quite paradoxical; while Linda's ultimate goal was to win freedom from slavery for herself and her family, the means through which it was achieved left her without the satisfaction she would have gained from directly winning her own struggle.

Truthful Incidents

That Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is not fiction only serves to help its cause. First of all, this greatly enhances the credibility of the writer. If it were simply a made-up story about fictional events, its potential as a form of abolitionist advocacy would be severely reduced. An opponent could easily say that the events contained within this fine literary work are not representative of actual scenarios; it could be touted as Northern propaganda designed to offend and endanger the Southern way of life, as was common at the time. In addition, the reader also knows that the story is told by the writer, so there is no chance of facts becoming misrepresented or altered by being "passed on" by several people. This also ties in to the emotional appeal presented by the writer; one can know that her views on the situation could only be heartfelt due to the fact that she experienced the hardships herself; this also makes her more credible. Lastly, her overall logic for desiring the abolition of slavery can be supported by her various experiences and observations as a slave. The non-fictitious nature of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl definitely has a major influence not only on its reception, but on its own influence on the world.

Jefferson

Throughout American culture, many different people, organizations, and even entire nations and cultures have been portrayed in historically inaccurate manners, either positive or negative emphasis, and Thomas Jefferson, one of our own “founding fathers” is no exception. When given the “traditional classroom” view of Jefferson, he is made out to be a great hero of our nation; any personal blemish or fault simply did not exist for this great man. But on the other hand, when given the harsh reality, one cannot help but notice the stark contrast. Many noble-minded portrayals of Jefferson fail to mention the fact that he owned hundreds of slaves, and coincidentally leave out the fact that he view whites as racially superior to all. The passage that I read was intended to tell the truth, and that’s exactly what it did.

Speeches

A+!

Loman and Miller

A+!

Loman and Tucker

A+!

Cora Tucker

I think that Cora Tucker is successful. While she may not have as many material possessions as others, she certainly has achieved many of her goals for equality in a difficult community, and is still working toward them today. The common American dream seems not to apply to her; she is satisfied with making a difference in the world, no matter how small or large. This concept of hard work toward one’s own goals is similar to the American dream of individual opportunity, but it is different in that it requires one to designate one’s own goals and beliefs. I think that if your main goals are created by and for someone else, success can never be achieved. If Cora Tucker just wanted to appease others’ views of success, she would never have fought so strongly for her beliefs. If she spent her whole life as a sharecropper, trying to become wealthy, which in my opinion would be an unrealistic goal, she would never have succeeded, and she would not have had such an impact on her community.

Emerson

A+!

Reading Amer'ca

In the excerpt from Horatio Alger's Ragged Dick, the implicit argument was that diligence and consistent hard work will make one successful and free from the poverty trap of overworking for not enough pay. It is basically saying that by having good ethics and morals, one can achieve the American dream. It completely ignores the opportunity aspect, which we talked about when discussing Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed. I think that while it does present a good message, it fails to present the whole story. I think it would be interesting to read something that is similar to both Ehrenreich's and Alger's stories; i.e., it would present an example of one who was greatly rewarded for his or her work, while also showing that this scenario is not typical. Kind of like those ads for weight loss programs that say "results not typical" in the fine print. A+!

Rhetorical ∆

Exigence - the writer is trying to sell a car through advertising
Purpose - to convince the reader that the car is worthy of their hard-earned money
Audience - someone looking for a new car
Organization:

• Style - not attempting to be conspicuous; the "writer" wants it to "blend in with the scenery" (pun intended)
  
• Diction - the word that strikes me the most is 'environment'; this not only implies that the Saturn VUE is very adaptable, but it is also healthy for our environment
  
• Syntax - simplistic sentences
  
• Figurative language - the word environment (as previously described); the way the vehicle is positioned amongst the animals in the cutout section with the number labeling could also be considered figurative
  

Visual Arguments

I believe that we are becoming a more visual society. More and more advertising is focused on visual media, such as television, billboards, magazines, and even t-shirts, as opposed to fully written advertisements. For example, I thought that of the two ecstasy advertisements, the one with the visually catching font seemed more effective to the general public, especially people leaning toward doubt. Personally, I find it much easier to look at a picture that glorifies a product or idea than to read an entire paragraph. And if I'm in a car, I don't have time to read the entire paragraph, so a picture is much more accessible. Not only can I "see the whole picture" (pun intended), but I don't have to immediately think about what the picture means; I can easily recall what it looked like and think about it a few seconds later. Now, don't get me wrong; I like visual arguments as much as the next guy, but they aren't very effective without some sort of explanatory writing. Yes, we are becoming a more visual society, but writing is and will be a major part of our society, especially in regards to advertising.
A+!

Athletes or "Half-letes"?

In David Langley's piece, he gives several pieces of evidence which relate to his argument. Before I started reading, I just assumed that he would rant and rave about the possibility of certain hypothetical situations, and then proceed his argument on these. I was pleasantly surprised when he gave several true stories to back up his claims. The stories did not villainize the police officers and other disagreeing parties, as is a common (and genuinely naïve) tactic, but explained the cause for the problem as a simple misunderstanding. It was very clear that he was trying to cater to the skeptic's mind, which is a very good tactic for persuasion.

Real World Arguments

"Real world arguments seldom prove anything" is based on Aristotle's concept that there is no truth in this world. Since there is no truth, an argument based on not truth would be useless. They can only used to give reasons based on evidence, since nothing can truly be proven.

Biotech Food Debate

I agree with the FDA in that only GMOs with substantially different chemical or nutrient compositions should be labeled. For example, if an apple tree is modified to have tougher bark on the trunk, but the fruit is not affected, then it should not be labeled because the product is not changed. On a different note, if corn is altered to have more vitamin C, then I believe that it should be labeled, because it is substantially different from its original source. To have none or all GMOs labeled would be either wrong or a hassle.

Propaganda...? I'd have to see it to believe it!

I think that the fact the the cartoon is a cartoon which is an implicit visual argument, and not a more explicit argument such as an advertisement, really helps with its effectiveness. Most people would think that an advertisement with lots of words is just created to push the point of the author; the cartoon makes the reader think about what is actually happening. Most people would assume that a cartoon holds more truth than an advertisement, and this is simply because the reader comes up with his or her own conclusion based on where the visual evidence leads, which makes it seem as if the reader is actually observing a real scenario, instead of reading sentences that only claim to give the truth. This proves the effectiveness of "showing, not telling", a technique commonly lauded as holy by a former English teacher of mine. It also shows that the sentiment of "I'd have to see it to believe it" is more prevalent than commonly thought.
[KWAMENEWTON]

Implicit vs. Explicit Arguments

An explicit argument is an argument which blatantly states its position, lists main points, and defends it without shame. These can be effective in certain situations. For example, if one were to find it necessary to prove that Alexander Hamilton was the creator of jazz, twelve-tone, two-step, and stepping stones, one would need to list evidence that supports his or her claim, as well as directly refute any other notions perceived as amassed absurdity. Explicit arguments, however, are not as effective when being used to make someone think deeply about a particular topic, as the whole point of the argument is to explain one's thought process in a straightforward manner. Implicit arguments are quite excellent for this type of reasoning, however. Instead of giving the cause and effect, as do explicit arguments, it gives just the cause, so that the recipient can procure the effect from his or her own consciousness. Just as these both have their strengths and weaknesses, it would be a very effective strategy to combine the two; this could produce a very profound effect.

Personal Story

I remember the first time I played a jazz solo, back when I was in 6th grade. I had no idea what a #9 was, or how to move in the circle of fifths in a ii-V-I lick. But there I was, facing an audience of parents, students, and other random people, getting ready to play "El Gato Gordo". I tried to stay calm, but my knees were shaking like a newborn calf. The rest was just a blur. I remember when it was over; the crowd cheered, I stood up and nodded my head in acknowledgement, and then sat back down again to do it again in another song. Not only was the sense of relief overwhelming, but it gave me the confidence to keep playing, not only during the next song, but for the rest of the year, and possibly for the rest of my life.

Peace, son. Or daughter.

Class Experience

Since I've only been in this class for about four weeks, I really can't assess my situation with much accuracy, but one could assume that I have "lulled myself into a false sense of security". I have neither been keeping up with my blogging schedule nor posting comments on other people's blogs regularly; I plan on doing both of these things in the near future. I also am having an extremely difficult time mustering up an idea for my personal memoir. One idea I am thinking about is writing about the first time that I played a jazz solo in jazz band. It was in the sixth grade, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. To make a long story short, I made sure I looked sharp, didn't play flat, and acted natural. Or maybe I could write about the time that I got married. Oh wait, that never happened. Anyway, without further ado, here is my rating of this class so far: 4/5. Peace, son. Or daughter.

Wild Tongue

The first thing that I noticed when reading “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” was Anzaldúa’s metaphor of her dentist visit. I liked how she used the phrases “cleaning out my roots” and “We’re going to have to do something about your tongue”; they add an interesting style to the piece. After writing the previous two sentences, I realized that the passage was part of a quote. I still enjoy the way she infuses the Spanish with English; it gives me a glimpse of what language must be like at times for her.
There are definitely times when the language I speak, English, changes. The internet has spawned thousand of possibilities for new words and usages, as has television and other mass media. I also am constantly coining new words and phrases; eventually one of them will catch on to the rest of society.

Red Sky in the Morning blog

How to Devour Feed

I thought that Feed was a delicious novel, succulently brimming with many sweet, sour, and bitter moments. Even though I had read it before, I had not made all of the symbolisms and connections; it was only a taste of what was to come, it only served to whet my voracious appetite for knowledge. Now that I have had a chance to more fully understand the novel, I think I was able to appreciate it much more than previously possible.
When I heard that we were going to be reading Feed in my Great Books class, I instantly knew that this was going to be an interesting topic. I enjoy futuristic novels, especially when they somehow relate to modern day life. Feed seemed to almost be a warning of what could happen if technology is allowed to have too much control in society. It would breed insensitive, senseless, witless, and ignorant people if allowed to do so.
The discussions we had in class were very interesting, and opened my eyes other perspectives of the book. I never really thought of Feed as parallel to today’s society, but when I took the time to think about it, it definitely makes sense. With more and more information available in more convenient ways, people aren’t taking the time to learn much on their own, because they know that the internet holds all of the knowledge they seek. I also never really thought of Feed as a possibility for the future, but all of the technology actually seems feasible. People are already developing interfaces that can interpret brain waves and translate them into electronic signals. With the micro-processing technology already available in portable electronics, clothes, and everyday household appliances, the concept of feeds seems likely. Having that much information at one’s fingertips would render much of traditional learning obsolete, because machines could perform mundane tasks (mathematics problems, research, vocabulary building, etc.) that humans normally do, making people less skilled at many things.

The Last Days of The Last Days of Summer

Kwame Newton

THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER BLOG
I thought that the epistolary style of the novel reveals certain details that other narrative styles (first- and third-person) can leave out. Even though some people think that an epistolary novel can't possibly contain much detail, this is most certainly not true. Steve Kluger does an excellent job portraying his fictional story of what happened between Joey Margolis and Charlie Banks.
When I first opened the soft, tattered pages of this exquisitely delicious novel, I wondered what lay inside. Would it be another of those ponderously poignant or unnecessarily nostalgic novels, or maybe something with a little more meat in the meaning? I was soon to find out. Within the very first "epistle" (the one in which President Roosevelt responds to Joey's letter, which was presumably about lowering the legal voting age to nine), I quietly chuckled to myself. It revealed so much about the main character in so little time; it showed me a glimpse of Joey's character. This was the point at which I knew I was going to enjoy this novel in its entirety.
Because The Last Days of Summer is written in a strikingly epistolary style, there are certain details that other styles of writing can leave out. For example, sometimes when Joey says something in a letter, a newspaper article about that topic is shown after it. Sometimes, as evidenced on page 79, where Charlie has a bad baseball game after Joey says something that Charlie didn't like. Another instance is when Joey warned that Belgium was going to be taken over next, but the officials didn't listen. In the end, Joey was right (as usual).
The epistolary style also allows for the best of someone's wit to show. In a narrative story, actions, events, and dialogue happen in real-time, which means that not everything can be carefully planned out by the characters. A narrative story in which everything appears to be "written" (seems to be thought out and not very realistic) can seem very artificial and almost insincere. Because the story takes place within letters, the characters obviously have had time to ponder over their correspondence. This allows for some very interesting and witty remarks. Personaly, I like Klooger's sense of humer. (Get it?)
The unique epistolary style of this novel allows for more time to pass by than a narrative would allow. Letters usually take more than a day to go from the sender to the recipient, so the time between letters could be anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks. This allows for many events to happen in between the letters, some of which are mentioned in the letters. This allows each letter to be filled with various tidbits of information, some of them large and important chunks, and others just for yucks and giggles.

The real deal...

Sorry about that last blog post. It was completely off-topic. Mainly because I fell asleep during part of the movie. A big part. Almost the whole thing. Let's just forget about it. What blog post? What movie? Sorry, do I know you?


In the terribly catastrophic San Francisco earthquake of 1906, there were many ways in which people dealt with the tragedy. One way was the generous building of refugee camps with "houses" the size of tin cans. Another thing that helped the San Francisco community to rebuild was the relaxation of building earthquake standards. This definitely helped speed up the process. There was also some international aid and assistance, mostly from England and Canada (both governments and banks/corporations). Wow. That was the only part that wasn't a joke or sarcastic.

Tragic response to the tragic topic of responding to tragedy...

There are many ways in which people respond to tragedy. According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, a tragedy can be a form of art based on human suffering, a hardcore crust punk band with an anemic bassist, a terrible song by The Bee-Gees, and the name of a hip-hop artist formerly known as "Intelligent Hoodlum". Since Wikipedia will be of no use to this blog post, I will not reference it in future sentences. According to the default Apple computer dictionary, a tragedy is an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe. I think we'll go with that one. And I know you're probably wondering, "We? What does this have to do with me? And how do you know I'm reading it?" You may simply dismiss me as a stalker, or perhaps even a creeper. But that is simply not true.

But I am watching you.

There are many ways in which people respond to tragedy. Some are good, and some are bad. Communities can help individuals cope with these situations, or the individuals can work it out with themselves and/or another person/small group of people. Each "coping strategy" has its own benefits. If someone were to lose a house to a fire, or perhaps even an entire family, this would necessitate some community involvement, because it would be hard to deal with on one's own. But, for example, if someone were to lose an item of great significance, such as a succulently sweet Bosc pear (whose slightly rough skin and smooth, juicy interior would satisfy all of my edible cravings), because two people stab it with a pencil, straight through the center, sticking out the other end, rendering it utterly useless, this could only be healed with personal techniques. Some as which may be described as revenge.