Project 4 Draft (Piece of non-fiction)

Questions with Sportsman Ronald York

Hunter Ronald York was born in Billings, Montana. He grew up in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Mr. York is now a real estate developer living in Alva, Florida. He has been an avid hunter for most of his life and is an all around sportsman. He will now answer 8 Questions asked by our avid readers.

What started your passion for hunting?

Well, the fact that my father, uncle, and older brothers were hunters, I guess. I grew up in the Rocky Mountains where hunting was a way of life as well as a way to provide quality meat for the family.

How old were you when you started hunting?

Well, I went on my first few hunts without a weapon when I was nine or ten, just to observe the hunt and not participate. I actually started hunting with a weapon at the age of twelve.

What is your favorite animal to hunt for and why?

The "Rocky Mountain Elk" would have to be my favorite. I love to hunt to hunt for it because it is one of the most majestic, graceful, illusive, challenging, and beautiful the creatures that God created.

How would you handle critics of hunting, or people who do not believe in the killing of wild animals?

They do not have to, I will do it for them. I would not want everyone out hunting because it would ruin the sport. We just need people who truly have a passion for hunting.

How have you seen hunting change over the last few decades?

It is no longer a right, it has become a privilege. It is really becoming more and more difficult to find a place to hunt.

What weapon do you prefer to use when you go on a hunt and why?

I prefer bow hunting, which is known as archery or hunting with a bow and arrow because I have hunted with every other type of weapon. I like the challenges that this type of hunting can bring about, I also like having to adjust to the weather and wind changes. Another plus is that I have to deal with a lot less hunters.

Who would you say inspired you to start bow hunting?

My brother, Dave because he started bow hunting twenty years before me. I wanted to learn how to bow hunt so I could spend more time with him doing something we both enjoy.

Do you have any helpful advice for the fellow bow hunter?

Shoot straight, be patient, practice without becoming tired of practice, and always expect the unexpected.

To hear more from Sportsman Ronald York, subscribe to next weeks addition of "The Rock", and read his answers to many interesting questions about the sport of fishing.

Project 4 Draft (Piece of fiction)

"The Fly fishing Expedition"

The sun was just rising over the vast mountains. The air was crisp and I could feel the cool breeze as it blew passed my Uncle Mike and I when we were walking through a grassy field. I clutched that rod in my hand tightly as we made our way towards the stream with rushing water loaded with rainbow trout.

I was starting to get tired from the long journey and asked, "Uncle Mike, How much longer till we reach this stream?" He said, "Ryan just keep walking we are almost there." So, I just shut my mouth and kept my legs moving.

Then, before I knew it we reached our destination. The stream was exactly what I dreamed it would be. The trout were furiously feeding on bugs and flies as they fell upon the fresh water of the stream. "Are they all rainbow trout?" I asked. "No, some are brown and brook trout, but we are looking for the prized catch of a monster rainbow," Uncle Mike told me.

So, we set out to accomplish our goal of catching that monster rainbow. As a reminder, Uncle Mike said, " The key to fly fishing is the cast." This made me a little nervous considering I did not know how to cast a fly rod at all. So, I asked, "Can you teach me how to cast Uncle Mike?"

"Of course I will teach you, and don't worry you will be casting like a pro in no time," he said.

I watched his every move a he made a perfect cast every time. With each cast the fly would lay perfectly on top of the water and he would have a fish on. But for some reason I just could not get the hang of the whole casting thing. I kept practicing and practicing, but I just could not get the fly to stay in the air and then lay on the water. Uncle Mike could tell I was getting frustrated and said, "Here Ryan, you can fight the fish after I get one on." I said, "That sounds good, thanks Uncle Mike." He said, "Sure buddy, I would be happy to help you out."

So, Uncle Mike let me catch five fish in a row, but I was not satisfied since I really didn't catch them by myself. At this point, I knew nothing would make me happy until I caught a big rainbow on my own. I said, "Uncle Mike, I'm going to go down stream and see if I will have better luck over there." He said, "Just be careful, and go catch a monster!"

I was on my way down the river, and I just kept a positive attitude and knew I would catch a big boy. I found a perfect opening where I could wade in the cool fresh water. I could feel the current as the water rushed into my legs. I saw many rainbow trout swim vigorously passed me, and I visualized one of the monsters eating my fly after I made the perfect cast.

I started to work on my casting for a little while. Suddenly, everything clicked and my fly was lying on the water looking like a delicious snack for my trophy rainbow. I watched as the fish decided to eat the fly and hit it with such force, it was incredible. I immediately yelled, "Fish on!" The rainbow put up a good fight, but I won in the end. I grabbed the fish with my hands and just took a moment to observe the beauty of this fish. The vibrant colors were truly eye opening. I knew there was no chance to show the fish to Uncle Mike because he was to far down stream. So, I took one more moment to realize what I had just accomplished, and then let the fish swim free again in the stream. I knew catch and release was the best thing to do with my trophy rainbow.

Then, I ran back to my Uncle Mike and told him the fantastic news. He said, " I always had faith you would learn the skill on your own and catch a rewarding trophy rainbow trout." I said, "Ya, but it is all thanks to you!" So, Uncle Mike and I ended our day of fishing on that positive note, and I know I will never forget that day.

In the News (Gas Prices)

After the election , we hope that with the new year and a new president are coming to many good things for the Americans , but what do you think that is going to happen with the gas prices? Well I believe that a large margin of the gas prices will go down considering that the price of a barrel of oil has dropped drastically in the last month.

In your opinion what are the real reasons why the gas prices was almost $5 dollars a year ago? I guess I would have to say one reason was because of the war, and most of our oil resources were overseas. I also think it is because we were deciding not to drill of shore oil in the U.S. and now we have decided to.

If you were the new president of the United States what are you going to do first to make reduce the gas prices ? If I were the president I would not really know what to do and that's why I am not the president, but I think the gas prices will go down because of the failing economy. So I guess that will be the reason for a drop in gas prices.

Journal Entry # 10

For my visual argument I am going to try and create a presentation of the aphorism, "Guns don't kill people, people with guns kill people."

Act: hunting, shooting a gun, holding a gun, a robbery, a murder, shooting a gun at a shooting range, buying a gun, selling a gun, selling and buying guns illegally, wars...

Actor: hunters, robbers, murderers, police officers, men and women on the military, people that own guns legally and illegally, people who sell guns, people who purchase guns, anyone in law enforcement...

Scene: the outdoors, a gun store, a shooting range, battle field, a house, a dark alley, a hunting lodge, a school...

Agency: firearms, bullets, hunting gear, gun holsters, etc...

Purpose: to give the hunters a voice, to help people to understand that guns themselves don't shoot or kill people, but people acting with these firearms is what truly harms people...

Project 2 (Revised Draft)

In today’s world, the aphorism, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” can be viewed in many ways. We see this alive in our world today, when innocent victims are killed by people with guns. Many people while arguing with their friends may like to say that guns kill people, not people kill people, but the true fact about it is that it’s a myth and a lot of people have their own ways of looking at it. The more accurate way of saying this could be,” people with guns kill people.” This myth has caused many conflicts throughout the years, and will continue causing conflicts in the future. Parts of the government have been trying to ban the ownership of certain types of firearms. This is a pretty drastic change for the United States to go through considering; we as a country have used certain types of weapons to secure or nation’s safety in the past, present, and will continue to do in the future. Guns have a certain relevance to how we became this great power of a nation in the first place. So to take away guns altogether or even to a certain degree could cause more conflicts, then may solve in the long run.
Others may look at guns as a total detriment to society, and that they should be banned for good to control all violence. If guns were banned for good then gangs, murderers, robbers, etc may not have as much power. Some believe that with this restriction violence in general would be greatly reduced. This could be the case, but this could also cause major chaos. Taking away the right for people to own guns may also cause criminal and murders to find other more unique ways to do their dirty work. The complete ban of guns could also cause a lot of illegal importing and exporting throughout our country. So many more major problems could come from such a simple thing as changing or repealing the second amendment of the constitution.
Some citizens in the United States may use guns for a different purpose, such as hunting. Now hunting in the legal sense which involves obtaining a license and permit can be considered by some to be perfectly harmless. The banning of guns would take this right away in a sense. Yes, there are many other ways for hunters to hunt and kill their game, but it seems that the use of a gun to do this is the most common way. Our nation’s citizens as well as tourists visiting our country may feel this is taking away a privilege that they have had throughout the past. This could cause an innumerable amount of issues, boycotts, and riots. Some may use hunting as a way of survival for food or a way of living which would cause more problems. So the restriction or banning of guns could and would potentially cause more conflict then peace in our own country.
Others in the United States may use guns or depend on the use of guns in their occupation. So the number of job losses due to this change in the second amendment could affect a large number of citizens. This could cause more disputes as well as lawsuits against the drastic change. Also, many people may be involved in a business where they feel it is necessary that they own some type of firearm to protect themselves and the others working around them. So a person’s sense of security could be stripped from the by taking away the ownership of the firearm they were once legally able possess.
One may also argue the fact that guns are weapons that kill and that is the bottom line. That people who own guns may take part in the accidental killing of themselves or others around them. In the news, we hear of children just playing around d with a parent’s gun that they may have found around the house. The child did not know that the gun was loaded and ends up killing themselves or someone else while they were fooling around. So with the ownership of firearms becoming a reality this could cause this problem to stop in its tracks altogether.
Others also get into disputes about those who find ways to get a deadly firearm in their possession and then end up going on a shooting spree and kill mass amounts of people. The people who are not mentally stable that decide it is their time to be heard and the only way is through violence and taking others lives before they take their own. So the banning of guns in a way would make schools, businesses, and in a sense the society a safer place.
As can be seen, the myth that, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” bring about strong arguments for both sides on the gun control issue in the United States. It also seems that both viewpoints are right in the case that there is need for a change in how we as a nation deal with issues involving firearm control. It just seems that the number of people that would be affected by the change in the constitution would be a lot more negative than positive. Even though one may think that the large limitation of guns in our nation would decrease violence. The amount of disgruntled citizens seems to outweigh the change at this point in time.

Journal Entry #9

drinking and driving causes death.

drinking and driving impairs your ability to make good judgement.

drinking and driving is not a smart decision.

when you turn 18 you gain a certain amount of freedom.

when you turn 18 you can buy a gun but you cannot buy an alcoholic beverage.

when you turn 18 you cannot obtain an alcoholic beverage because it's the law.

In the News-Jose Canseco

This article is on a recent interview with former major league baseball player and steroid user, Jose Canseco. This interview shows a more vulnerable side of Canseco, and his remorse for the mistakes he has made. He explains how he regrets writing his first book called, "Juiced". In this book he revealed all of the other players in major league baseball that he either injected with steroids or players that he knew where invovled in the use of steroids during this time. Canseco felt that baseball forced him out of the game, so he thought he could get revenge by writing his books. He also says the only reason that he felt he needed to use the other players names was to show that he was telling the truth about the steroid use going on during this "steroid era". Canseco says that he now wants to apologize to all of those players that he outed because most of them were his friends, and also players that he really respected. Jose Canseco feels that steroids have destroyed his life completely in all aspects and is unsure of what his health and future will hold.

Questions:

1. Do you believe that Jose Canseco was right in the fact that he gave the names of the baseball players involved with steroids in his book "Juiced"?

2. To what degree do you think the "steroid era" will tarnish the history of the great american sport baseball?

3. What is your view of some positive and negative aspects of performance enhancing drugs?

4. Do you believe that performance enhancing drugs play a major role in all sports today?

Questions for Active Reading pg.385

1. Some of the facts that Gould presents as support the theory of evolution are the tree of evolutionary descent linking all organisms by ties of genealogy. Another is that part of a hierarchy of confidence running down hill fact to theory to hypothesis to guess.

2. Some of the inferences that Gould presents as evidence to support the theory of evolution are evidence from the field and laboratory that are direct observational evidence of evolution in action. Another fact is that the imperfection of nature reveals evolution. Evolution lies exposed in the imperfections that record a history of descent. The third fact is that transitions are often found in the fossil records.

3. No, I did not know about this event, but I would say that my understanding was not reduced. I would actually say that I have a better understanding of this and wish to know more about this trial of 1925.

Questions for Active Reading pg.371

1. I would say that this technique we used in chapter 2 by reading the first and last paragraph does help to give you a good preview of what was to come in the reading. This technique is good to use with any reading assignment and even if it does not give many details, it does give you a good outlook of what is to come.

2. It is important to know that Lightman is a scientist because it makes the reading more believable and one can understand this idea from a scientists perspective. This also helps the reader to understand where his science related opinion is coming from. No, I do not believe that an artist or a social worker would write about this subject in the same way because for one thing they would not have the same knowledge about this subject. They would also look at this from a different angle in the way they would write about this subject.

3. Lightman seems to be using a lighthearted tone in the first few paragraphs of the reading to explain his point. Some phrases that show this are,"When you think about it, most of you simply believe what you hear." Also,"Round or flat, whatever. It's not a life-or-death matter, unless you happen to live near the edge."He is being serious when he says, " The round Earth, being the obvious center of the universe, provides a fixed pivot for the assembly." The effect of these tones give his writing a personal effect that helps him connect to his readers.

Journal Entry #8

-This persuasive image displays an example of two opinions represented on a scale. The scale shows one side with just an opinion and the other side with an opinion as well as a lot of money on the top. The scale is not balanced because the opinion with the money weighs the scale down. So figuratively the picture explains that two things are the same, but something with a lot of money will always have a higher presidence. Money seems to have a great influence on how something is valued.

Journal Entry #7

In this essay, Orwell suggests that the English language is on the decline because the people who use English are misusing the language. What sort of things does he mention as proof that the English language is in trouble? He say,"It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." He also describes that we have made many mistakes over the years with the English language and have not taken the proper time to fix these mistakes. He also says we have staleness of imagery and lack of precision in our language.

Orwell wrote this essay almost 60 years ago. Do you think the English language is in a better or worse condition than when Orwell wrote his essay? Can you think of modern examples of how people misuse language? I personally believe that the English language is in a worse condition than when Orwell wrote his essay for sure. Some modern example would be the slang that people decide to use now in our everyday language. There is also text messaging that leads to this bad use of and English, and i would also blame rap music as another destruction to the English language.

What do you think of Orwell’s list of rules to improve your writing? I think that Orwell makes some very good points with his rules, and many of them should be followed as a criteria for better writing. I like the rules that he has made and will try to incorporate them to the essays that I write.

Orwell wrote the following in the provided excerpt:

Probably it is better to put off using words as long as possible and get one's meaning as clear as one can through pictures and sensations. Afterward one can choose -- not simply accept -- the phrases that will best cover the meaning, and then switch round and decide what impressions one's words are likely to make on another person.

What do you think he means when he suggests that one should focus on “pictures and sensations” before one sits down to put words on the page? I think he means one should analyze and let thoughts come into their head as they look at pictures and sensations because this will ultimately create better writing. Have you ever done this? Yes, I have done this and i do believe it works, but sometimes as a writer I do not feel I have enough time to sit and do this before each paper I write. Does it help you write better? Yes, when I have taken the time to do this it does help me to write better and have more creative ideas.

Questions for Active Reading pg.158

1. After reading my essay and analyzing each of the elements in my writing, I find that I can cut down on the amount of information I have. Other then that, I believe I have a distinct audience, good form, my paper is structured well, the development will be improved with the revision of information, my paper is well dimensioned, and I have a strong voice.

2. I have done the reading of my paper aloud already, and it is amazing how well one can edit a paper by performing this act. I found most of the errors of my paper by doing this with a tutor. I would suggest this practice to all who need to edit papers in the future, and I will continue to use this method.

3. The additional information does influence how I read the quote and listen to its speaker because now I am looking for these elements in the quotes as well as all writing. This has influenced the way I will read and write in the future, and will hopefully make a better writer altogether.

In the News (1 Trillion dollar Deficit)

1.) In your opinion, what do you think the US government should do in order to stabilize the economy to not be in such a huge deficit? I am not really sure what the government should do because I am not to knowledgeable about the whole situation to were I can give an intelligent idea for change. I do have faith that we will fix this problem soon and we as a nation will stabilize the government.

2.) Do you believe that taxes should be raised in order to pay back the debt that we are in? I do not believe that raising taxes will solve all of our problems. I think we can find a better way to deal with this situation.

3.) If you were president of the United States in January of 2009, what would you do in order to solve this deficit problem? I am happy that I am not the President in 2009 and do not really have a great idea to solve this problem. I do believe that who ever is elected will solve this problem in an efficient manner.

Project 1 (Revised Draft)

Signs of a Loved One in the Hands of God

I believe God has directly sent my family and me signs. This indicates that our lost loved ones are in his presence and care. When I was ten, I lost my great-great Aunt Jo to old age. Now one might ask, “How close could you really be to a relative like that?” Most people do not even meet their great-great relatives. On the contrary, ever since I was a baby, I had spent many days over at my grandparents’ house. In this house lived my great-great Aunt Jo, my great grandpa and grandma Weber, as well as my grandpa and grandma Bevillard. So throughout the years, I grew extremely close to all of them. As a result, my great-great Aunt Jo’s death was the first one I had ever experienced. It was really tough on me considering I grew up with her in my life since I was a baby. That day at Hope Hospice I had a calming presence come over me that reassured my thoughts of her entering into Heaven. There was just one problem. As a young boy, I felt I needed concrete evidence from God. I wanted to be shown that she was ok and with Him. As I walked outside onto the patio that was connected to her room my eyes caught the sight of an amazing butterfly garden. Right then I saw the most beautiful butterfly I had ever seen in my life. I said a prayer that very instant thanking God for letting me know that she was with Him. One year later, it was my great grandpa Weber’s time. I was now eleven, and was starting to wonder why I was losing people that I loved so much. So, on this rainy Father’s day, my family and I waited in the hospital room as he took his last few deep breaths alive on this earth. As he drifted away into an interminable sleep, I slowly saw the tears drip down the faces of all who were in the room. Then, I suddenly peered out the window to find a rainbow stretching across the sky. Right then, I knew that I had connected with God again. My great grandpa Weber was being welcomed into the Kingdom of God. At the age of thirteen, I was hit with the death of my beloved great grandma Weber. This death also left a gaping hole in my heart. My great grandma Weber was placed into Hope Hospice. The doctors knew with her old age that it was only a matter of time before she passed. A few days later, she died peacefully in her sleep. As we collected her things out of the room at Hospice the next day, I finally noticed a large picture of a brown pelican hanging over her bed. Later, as my grandma Bevillard and I were carrying some of her things out to the car I realized that on her straw purse was another brown pelican. At first, I thought this was just a coincidence, until two days later I was over my cousin’s house; sitting on his dock was a big, beautiful, brown pelican. This reassured me that she was in a better place.
Two years later as a fifteen year old, my great Aunt Linda died. Her life on earth was extremely difficult. She faced many hardships that she had no control over, but was kind and loving to everyone. To this day, her death is one of the hardest for me to swallow. I felt that I took the time that I spent with her, the gifts she always seemed to give me, and the love she always showered upon me for granted. She ended up dying of colon cancer that spread to her liver and lungs. She did not deserve a death like that. I believe it was her time to go and that was truly the only way to stop her suffering. I felt a large amount of regret after her death and needed a significant symbol that she was really with God. The next few mornings when I walked up the driveway to get the paper, I heard the singing of a crimson cardinal. I just watched the bird for a while, but did not really think there was any connection to Linda. That day was Linda’s funeral, and I was not able to attend because it was in New Jersey. My grandma told me that there were beautiful pictures of cardinals in the room that Linda’s wake was held. It all finally clicked and I thanked God that second for the sign he sent me. It may be a stretch for some to understand where I am coming from with this idea. This is something I believe in strongly that helps me get through each day. I have faith that God sends signs to people that their loved ones are in his hands.

In the News (Religious Art)

What do you think of a mural of all religions in a public space do you think be would like that or be offended that there high power is next to someone else? Personally, I like the idea of a mural of all religions out in the public for people to see, but I think that this would cause more disputes than friendships over this matter. It is truly a good idea, but I don't believe it would work.

Should other religions be able to display their art? Yes, I do think they should because we have a little thing called "freedom of religion". So people should not feel reluctant to display their religious art.

Should the government be involved in the funding or do you agree its unconstitutional ? I think they should not be involved. I do believe in the separation of church and state.

Would it be much more acceptable if an independent group of people did it since in America we do have "Freedom of Speech"? Yes, I guess it would be more acceptable, but others should feel free to do this as well.

Project 2 Rough Draft

In today’s world, the aphorism, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” can be viewed in many ways. We see this alive in our world today, when innocent victims are killed by people with guns. Many people while arguing with their friends may like to say that guns kill people, not people kill people, but the true fact about it is that it’s a myth and a lot of people have their own ways of looking at it. The more accurate way of saying this could be,” people with guns kill people.” This myth has caused many conflicts throughout the years, and will continue causing conflicts in the future. Parts of the government have been trying to ban the ownership of certain types of firearms. This is a pretty drastic change for the United States to go through considering; we as a country have used certain types of weapons to secure or nation’s safety in the past, present, and will continue to do in the future. Guns have a certain relevance to how we became this great power of a nation in the first place. So to take away guns altogether or even to a certain degree could cause more conflicts, then may solve in the long run.

Others may look at guns as a total detriment to society, and that they should be banned for good to control all violence. If guns were banned for good then gangs, murderers, robbers, etc may not have as much power. Some believe that with this restriction violence in general would be greatly reduced. This could be the case, but this could also cause major chaos. The complete ban of guns could also cause a lot of illegal importing and exporting throughout our country. So many more major problems could come from such a simple thing as changing or banning the second amendment of the constitution.

Some citizens in the United States may use guns for a different purpose, such as hunting. Now hunting in the legal sense which involves obtaining a license and permit can be considered by some to be perfectly harmless. The banning of guns would take this right away from our nation’s citizens as well as tourists visiting our country. This could cause an innumerable amount of issues, boycotts, and riots. Some may use hunting as a way of survival for food or a way of living which would cause more problems. So the restriction or banning of guns could and would potentially cause more conflict then peace in our own country.
Others in the United States may use guns or depend on the use of guns in their occupation. So the number of job losses due to this change in the second amendment could affect a large number of citizens. This could cause more disputes as well as lawsuits against the drastic change.
It just seems that the number of people that would be affected by the change in the constitution would be a lot more negative than positive. Even though one may think that the large limitation of guns in our nation would decrease violence. The amount of disgruntled citizens seems to outweigh the change at this point in time.

This is truly a rough draft and I’m sorry I was having difficulty thinking about my topic as well as creating a format for writing it.

Journal Entry #6

Roger: " Hey Ryan, you know what I keep hearing people talking about in the news today?"

Ryan: " No, what are people talking about?"

Roger: " Well the rights activists for the "Right to Bear Arms" say, " That guns don't kill people, people kill people." So what do you think about that?"

Ryan: "Well I am a hunter and use guns myself to hunt for game, so i definitely would not want and do not think that the constitutional right to own guns as Americans should be taken away!"

Roger: "Yes, that is one way to look at it, but I think that if we banned guns all together then there would be a lot less deaths in the United States and around the world today."

Ryan: "I think you are dead wrong on this one because that kind of thinking is not logical for our world today and you know it."

Roger: "Just because I have true belief or dream about something, does not mean you have to shoot it down."

Ryan: "Yes, I know that, but I really think that it is people with guns that kill people not just guns, so guns are given a stereotype or bad rap because of this."

Roger: "That statement is true, but if we just did away with guns all together I think it would solve many problems we have in our country!"

Ryan: "No way, we could never do that do you understand how many more problems that would end up causing the US?"

Roger: "Well obviously we totally disagree so we will just have to keep debating this subject."

Ryan: "Yes, we will indeed. I will be talking to you soon."

Questions for Active Reading pg.245

1. The perspectives that Tavris presents are different from those of Richard Cohen because Tavris believes that men have superficial friendships, based on shared interests, and Cohen believes that men do not truly have friends at all no matter what they think. They have similar ideas in that they both believe that women have very intricate emotional relationships that are completely different from men.

2. Cohen's definition of friendship is that friendship is not something that you are just given or have because you say you have friends, but you must work at it and really open up to consider a relationship a friendship.
Tavris' definition of friendship is that friendship is just the stereotypical view of people who are friends or act like friends which make it a friendship.
My view of friendship is one that is truly there for you when you need them and someone that you can really open up to and talk about personal things and beliefs. So I would say that I partly agree with Cohen and totally disagree with Tavris.

3. Tavris suggests classifying people as either "mature" or "immature" by saying that people who are mature truly care about there family members and/or friendship and have their priorities straight. The immature people are to caught up in the stereotypical view of friendship that they miss the big picture. She makes this distinction because this is her belief about how people view and deal with friendships. Other characteristics are respectful, trustworthy, and aware for a mature person. For an immature person I would say the are rude, unaware, and childish.

In the News (Pit Bull Attacks)

What are your views on the rights of dogs vs. humans? I think that dogs have less rights and should have less rights then humans. I believe that dogs are here for humans not the other way around, but one should never harm a dog just because they think they have this right.
Do you think humans and dogs should receive equal punishments for equal aggression? I think that this is a tough subject, but no they should not. I mean it does depend on the case and what happens, but once again it is just the facts of life that humans have more rights then dogs do.
Do you think that pit bulls are considered dangerous and should be banned? Yes, pit bulls are considered dangerous, but they should not be banned because people have a right to own any kind of dog they want. Also, my cousin owns a pit bull and has a three year old to take care of, and she has trained that dog very well. So I think that people should have this right if they can control their pet.
Do these recent attacks change your ideas toward pit bulls? No, not really I just think people who have these dogs need to know the risks and train the dog or get rid of them. Is there anything you think that could be done to possibly prevent future attacks? People just need to know the risks and not put themselves in a situation that involves interaction with pit bulls.

Journal Entry #5

This essay was written in 1971. What types of duties does Syfers describe as being performed by wives? To what degree do you believe these are still done primarily by women? Have these or other things about the husband/wife relationship changed in the last 37 years? The types of duties Syfers describes as being performed by wives are the cleaning, the cooking, taking care of the children, taking care of the husbands needs, etc... I still believe that for the most part these duties are done mostly by the wives in the family, although things have changed drastically and the husbands are doing much more. Yes, in most cases I would say that the relationship between the husband/wife has become a more mutual as well as equal relationships compared to the ones where the husband is more domineering.

How would you describe Syfers’ writing style? Does she do things you would typically avoid in your own writing? I would describe her writing style as being very repetitive and blunt. Yes, she repeats the words, "I want a wife" in almost every sentence which can become boring to the reader, which is something I would like to avoid in my writing.

Syfers was reacting to a social structure that she felt at the time was unfair. What types of injustice or unfairness do you see in the world nowadays that you think should be addressed? Syfers implies that men benefit from the servile position of women in the family. Who benefits from the injustices you see active in the world today? I think in today's world, there are to many injustices or unfairness that go on that it is hard to only point out a few. I definitely think racism, religion, and political views should be addressed today. I do not believe that anyone benefits from the injustices today or if they do for a short while, then they are not benefits in the long run. Nobody should benefit from injustices in the world today.

Questions for Active Reading pg.233

1. Yes, I can clearly visualize what Sanders is doing at each step because he uses vivid details about building the wall that would divide the room. He also clearly explains what it took to build the wall between the room. Yes, each concept is clearly defined because in the text he describes many moments while building the wall. Sanders feels this need because without this clear description the reader may not clearly comprehend exactly what happened in the process of building the wall.

2. Sanders uses chronological order in his essay by explaining step by step his process of carpentry and how he built the wall. The objects and images that connect the different periods of time are the hammer that connects him to his father because it was passed down from generation to generation. The image of him hitting his thumb instead of the nail reminds him of his father and building things in general.

3. A "dawn stone" is what Anthropologists called an unworked rock that served as the earliest hammers. Sanders describes this because he is fascinated with all types of hammers, this hammer represents his ancestors and family.

In the News 9/23

Do you think these sites are just a phase or are they something that are going to be around for a long time? I think that Facebook/MySpace could be a phase for people and it will get old after a while. The only problem I see is that this phase will take a very long time before it fades and we have something else for society to cling on to.

How have they improved or made our lives more difficult, if at all? I think that this question will vary from person to person, but in my life I have had improvements because of Facebook. It has allowed me to connect with family member/friends I am not able to see now that I am in college. I have also become better at typing because of Facebook so I am grateful for it.

What causes these addictions to these sites? I think the addictions are just caused by how much people get involved with these sites. These sites also just give people something to do in their spare time.

Journal Entry #4

What does Bartholomae mean when he says that students must “invent the university” when they write in college? He means that students need to speak the language of the university and be inventive in the way they write. Students should look at each writing as though it would reflect on the university. Also look at their original idea and see if it reflects positively on that branch of the university.

What does Bartholomae suggest is a way for students to become “insiders” within academic discourse? Bartholomae suggests that all writers must imagine for themselves the privilege of being "insiders" that is, of being both inside an established and powerful discourse, and of being granted a special right to speak. Also to speak or proclaim their original idea they have invented or discovered.
Summarize some of the differences between the two examples of student writing that Bartholomae examines, and Bartholomae’s opinion of these examples. The difference between the two examples of student writing is the first writing about the football player changing his socks from his team is not so original or unique like he said. This is an idea he may have thought that he came up with on his own, but it is to broad of an idea that he copied from Billy White-shoes Johnson. The other student's writing is about creating her own songs and composing her own music. Her writing is different because she recognizes that her music is not completely hers, but that she used inspiration from her favorite songs. Therefore she was making small creations of her own. Truly using her creative side in her music she composed. Bartholomae opinion is one of a minor dislike and need for editing an idea in one essay. His other opinion is of interest and intrigue towards an essay that was well formed and creative.

Questions for Active Reading pg.108

1. The "6 Myths of Creativity," is a well studied and a creative opinion formed by Bill Breen, no pun intended. Creativity can be found in all types of people, as well as many different organization types. The influence of money does not motivate people in a work place to become creative or think of creative ideas. When people are put under a time deadline their percentage of creativity seems to diminish and they just focus on the main points of their idea. The idea of fear or depression does not produce creativity in a situation, it seems that people who are happy breakthrough with creative ideas. Collaboration seems to ignite creative ideas while competition stops the sharing of information therefore killing creative group productivity. When a company makes job cuts this makes workers stress out about losing their jobs and their creativity begins to fade.

2. Teresa Amabile, the Harvard Business School professor who studies creativity in the workplace, designed her research by collecting nearly 12,000 daily journal entries from 238 people working on creative projects in seven companies in the consumer products, high-tech, and chemical industries. She says, "We wanted to crawl inside people's heads and understand the features of their work environment as well as the experiences and thought processes that lead to creative breakthroughs." I would say that it is surprising that she came to all of these conclusions just from her studies and observations in the workplace.

3. I would say that the audience for Bill Breen's article is one of people in the workplace trying to figure out what kinds of problems they are having in their business involving creativity. I also think anyone who is interested in production related to creativity in the workplace. I can tell because he clearly shows this in his writing.

In the News

Is technology harming us more than helping us? I believe that technology is truly helping us in the long run, but some people are just ignorant or just brush off the risks of their actions. If people made smarter decisions or used technology in moderation I do not think that we would have as many problems.
Do you think that the benefit of these electronically advanced technologies outweigh the risks? Do you think that technology should be tested longer before being approved? Yes, I do think that the benefits outweigh the risks maybe not in all cases ,but for the most part technologies have made positive influences in our world. Yes, actually I think that if technology was tested more often then the problems would be minimize by a large amount. The companies trying to sell products may lose money, but it would be better in the long run for society as a whole. This may also minimize risks and problems for people using these technologies.

Project 1 Draft

Signs of a Loved One in the Hands of God
I believe in life after death because God has inadvertently sent my family and I signs that our lost loved ones are in his presence and care.
When I was ten, I lost my great-great aunt Jo to old age. Now one might ask, “How well can you really know a relative like this?” Considering most people do not even meet their great-great relatives. Well on the contrary ever since I was a baby I had spent many days over my grandparent’s house. In this house lived my great-great aunt Jo, my great grandpa and grandma Weber, as well as my grandpa and grandma Bevillard. So throughout the years I grew extremely close to all of them.
As a result, my great-great aunt Jo’s death was the first one I had ever experienced, and it was really tough on me considering I grew up with her in my life since I was a baby. That day at Hope Hospice I had a calming presence come over me that reassured my thoughts of her entering into Heaven. There was just one problem, as a kid I felt I needed concrete evidence or a sign from God that showed me that she was ok and with Him. So as I walked outside onto the patio that was connected to her room my eyes caught the sight of an amazing butterfly garden, and right then I saw the most beautiful butterfly I had ever seen in my life. I said a prayer that very instant thanking God for letting me know that she was with Him.
One year later, it was my great grandpa Weber’s time to go. I was eleven now, and was starting to wonder why I was losing people that I love care for so much. So on this rainy Father’s day, my family and I wait in a hospital room as he takes his last few deep breaths alive on this earth. As he drifts away into an interminable sleep I slowly see the tears drip down the faces of all who are in the room. Then, I suddenly peer out the window to find a rainbow stretching across the sky. Right then I knew that I had connected with God again as my great grandpa Weber was being welcomed into His kingdom.
As I became a teenager at the age of thirteen, I was hit with the death of my beloved great grandma Weber. This death also left a gaping hole in my heart. My great grandma Weber was placed into Hope Hospice because the doctors knew with her old age that it was only a matter of time before she passed. A few days later she died peacefully in her sleep, and as we were collecting her things out of the room at Hospice the next day, I finally noticed a large picture of a brown pelican hanging over her bed. Then, as my grandma and I were carrying some of her things out to the car I realized that on her purse woven out of straw was another brown pelican. At first I thought this was just a coincidence, but then two days later I was over my cousin’s house and sitting on his dock was a big beautiful brown pelican. This was the reassurance that I needed so I could have a better understanding of how she was doing on the other side.
Two years later, as a fifteen year old, the death that to this day is the hardest for me to swallow is the one of my great aunt Linda. My great aunt Linda did not have the best life while she was here on earth that’s for sure. She faced my hardships that she had no control of and was kind and loving to everyone. I just wish I wouldn’t have taken the time that I spent with her, the gifts she always seemed to give me, and the love she always showered upon me for granted. She ended up dying of colon cancer that spread to her liver and lungs. She did not deserve a death like that, but I believe it was her time to go and that was truly the only way to stop the suffering she had on earth. I felt a large amount of regret after her death and needed a sign that was a significant symbol that she was really with God. The next few mornings when I walked up the driveway to get the paper I heard the singing of a crimson cardinal. I would just watch the bird for a while, but not really think much of it or think there was any connection to Linda. Then that day was the funeral in New Jersey that I was not able to attend, but my grandma told me that there were beautiful pictures of cardinals in the room that Linda’s wake was held. It all finally clicked and I thanked God that second for the sign he sent me.
It may be a stretch for some to understand where I am coming from with this idea, but this is something I believe in strongly that helps me get through each day. I have faith that God sends signs to people that their loved ones are in his hands.

In the News "Politics"

Involving family influences on Politics, I believe that they should be involved in the campaign because the families actions will indirectly reflect how that candidate may run his family, therefore could show how he may take control of the country while in office. So by seeing how their families react in the news will show in a way how they may run the country in the future. I know this is a pretty big stretch to say this, but this is my belief. On the other hand is the Politics hault on the anniversary of 9/11, which is different subject entirely. I think this is a good sign in our world today because it shows we can see the more important things in life other than Politics. I also believe that as an American we can truly support the troops even if one does not support the war entirely.

Chapter 3 Questions pg.73

Questions For Active Reading:
1. The experience that changed Smiley's belief about chores was her working with horses and doing many different kinds of horsekeeping. Even though this was truly tough work, it was something that she had a passion for so she actually enjoyed it. She describes this experience more towards the end of her essay to give her opinion a different meaning. I think the impact would probably be the same for me where ever she placed this experience, but on the other hand I think it's place perfectly to sustain her opinion.
2. Smiley offers many different kinds of reasons and evidence to support her argument by giving the example of her horsekeeping, her husbands childhood and how he was working with his father and doing chores since he was five, her own childhood and how she didn't have to lift a finger to do any chores because they were all done for her, and the effect that chores have had on families which she has witnessed throughout the years. Yes, I do consider these reasons and evidence to be authoritative because she makes good points and has the evidence to back them up. I think the audience she is intending to reach out to is one of young persons who still have a chance to love work and not look at it in a negative way, but I also think she reaches out to anyone who looks to reflect on their childhood and see if chores have had an effect on them.
3. Smiley uses rhetorical questions to appeal to her readers by making them think and truly trying to relate the questions to her readers childhood as well as she can. My reaction to these questions is one that makes me look back at my own childhood and see if doing certain chores made me resent or dislike doing different kinds of work.

Reading Chapter 1

PG:13 Questions for Active Reading:
1.) Powell's purpose in writing was to know what you the writer are writing about. but also to make sure that you are giving the audience a clear sense of what the subject is. He tries to achieve his purpose is about his journey about coming over to the united states and how he goes to school in New York and then positioned to the army in Georgia after school. Then he figures out that he has a form of racism in the south because he is not used to leaving in the south where in New York its not a problem. He didn't know how to cope with the racism psychologically because he was very focused on succeeding at his army career. Twp specific examples front the reading are, "I had to learn to compromise, to accept a world I had not made and that was beyond my changing". "Racism was still relatively new to me, and I had to find a way to cope psychologically".
2.)While reading Powell had an audience of people who were very interested in racism and wanted to learn more about it from his point of view. Pro-right activist for African Americans as well as anyone interested in this subject.
3.)Colin Powell was born in New York City to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He graduated college at City college of New York with a degree in Geology. He participated in the ROTC. He has been awarded two Presidential Medal of Freedom in a Congressional Gold Medal. My attitude towards him is one of respect and gratitude for his commitment and serve to the United States of America. No this does not represent any change in my feeling toward Powell.

PG.19
1.) Goldberg's purpose in writing is he wanted to make people understand that when it comes to writing, it takes time and its something we all need to think about. The specific idea that was he wanted to write for years and people told him he should be a writer. And then he has to know that his expression needs to be born in him and on the paper.
2.)The audience that she had in her mind while writing was of students who blow off writing assignments and wait till the last minute instead of going through the whole writing process, and writing the paper correctly. Other audiences that would benefit would be, people coming back from school who haven't been in school for a long time. Also incoming high school students as well as incoming college students. The audience that will not benefit from this are people who don't care about the writing process and just want to get the writing done with.
3.)The writers subject is for people to understand her writing as well as to let people know about the writing and to show how to use the right writing process and not just to write to finish an assignment. Her attitude towards her subject is having a very strong belief in it and will stick by her opinion in writing.

Journal Entry #2

What makes the essays you chose compelling?
-I chose the essay "The Guts to keep going". This essay is compelling to me because my great grandma lost her husband, and went through this same kind of situation. This truly touched me because I'm sure this was hard for this woman to go through, considering I saw my great grandma go through this as well. The second essay that I choose that was compelling to me was, "The Strange Blessing That Brought Me Home" because it is related to Hurricane Katrina and this storm has effected so many people. Her story about how she lives her life was truly inspiring.
What kinds of stories do they use to showcase their belief?
-The essays that I have read express a situation that they have gone through in their life, and how they are tryng to overcome this sudden change.
What is the tone of each essay and how is it achieved? (funny, serious, reflective, sarcastic, etc.)
-The tone of both essays were very reflective on the writer's parts and are very serious because they were dealing with a big situation which had a major effect on their lives.
How are the essays similar? How do they differ?
-The way the essays were similar just in the respect that they both have to that deal with how someone reacts to a difficult situation in their life. The way the essays differ are, one is about a reaction to a storm that caused many problems in the future and the other one talked about a close person that passed away and made it difficult for the other person to adjust to their new lifestyle.
Do they follow the writing guidelines provided by the This I Believe organization on their website at http://www.thisibelieve.org/essaywritingtips.html?
-Yes, both readings follow the guidelines. If not totally then very close to them.
What beliefs might you want to write about for project 1? (looking at the categorized list of beliefs at http://www.thisibelieve.org/dsp_Browse.php may help you)
-The subject I would pick is death because I believe that I have some very interesting arguments as well ideas about the whole concept of death.

Describe the situation that made you feel a need to respond in writing.
I was enforced to write an expressive paper of why I wanted to become an Optometrist and also why I wanted to become enrolled in the Dual Admission at Nova Southeastern University.
Why did you decide to respond in writing instead of taking some other action or not responding at all?
The reason why I wrote a paper was because I had to in order to apply for the Program. Another reason was because this was the best way I felt that I could express my true feelings about becoming a student of Optometry in the program.
What type or genre of writing did you use to communicate your purpose, and why did you choose this genre?
When I wrote this I was using persuasive writing. I chose this option because it gave me the best opportunity to be accepted into the program.
Who was your audience and what kind of relationship did you want to establish with your readers?
My audience was the head Dean of students in Optometry, and others who read my paper at the University. The relationship that I was striving to establish was, one that would never be forgotten and to set my paper above the other applicants.
What was your purpose in writing? Did you feel you accomplished this purpose?
The purpose was to win a position in a Dual Admission program at Nova Southeastern University. Yes, I truly felt I accomplished this when I was accepted into the program!
What knowledge of the context and culture did you draw on to guide your writing?
The knowledge that I had was, my passion towards the field of Optometry and how I always wanting to help others with there eye problems in the future.
How is thinking about your writing as responding to a “rhetorical situation” different from other ways to think about the writing you do?
The reason why it was different was because I actually sat there, thought about what to write for a long time and truly did the best I could.

In the News #1

I believe that those using technology to aid their performance are just using the resources given to them. In some cases it may not be fair for the previous Olympic athletes, but this is just how the world is changing in many ways do to technology. I think people should try and be open to news ideas about athletes using aids to help prepare them for a top performance in an event. That's what I have to say about that.