Finish Line

Well, I apologize for this late post. I was busy studying all day on Wednesday for my last final which is today. I’m glad it’s over; and I hope we all did well. Now I have time sit down and write this final blog before I go to bed because I really need to catch up some sleep. What a long journey! In actuality this is not really the end of my journey. It is only the end of my third year in college. For me it has been a long semester. This class combined with business math and writing has pushed me to the brink. It is amazing that I even had time for this class. For an online class this was definitely more like a real class. When I first signed up for this class and saw that I would need to commit six plus hours a week I thought that was overrated. But to my surprise I ended up committing such hours to this class. This was not like a typical English class I had come to believe. My thoughts were that hey were going to write 3 essays, read a couple books, do some assignments and be done with it. This was how my previous experience with English went. After taking this class I was humbled. This class was no joke. If you did not keep up with the work there was no way you could catch up. It went at a hundred miles an hour. Now that we have reached the end of the semester it feels like a weight is coming off me for a little while until spring semester starts.

This class taught me a lot of thing. From reading all the essays out of the Exploring Language text to the books we read, I have gained a new perspective on many different issues. To hear all of these different voices has been a great lesson on how to approach a certain issue from all different angels. The most valuable lesson I learned from the EL text was on propaganda and political word play. In my opinion there real is no such thing as actual reporting or real journalism anymore. It is all opinion based off how people feel and not on actual facts. It is sad when I hear that a majority of people now get their news from talk radio. Learning about wordplay and propaganda has been really helpful in cutting through the nonsense and getting to the truth. These lessons learned will help in finding the truth. The real lesson learned was about critical thinking. Now when I read something I apply these skills so I can get to the bottom of what the author is really trying to convey. This skill goes far beyond just the English classroom. Critical thinking should be used in all fields. To me it is another form of scientific observation where you ask questions and try to find answers to those questions. This skill has been invaluable and I will look to improve on it as I continue my education. To all the classmates that managed to tough it out and stay with the class I say bravo. We did it. Through hard work and determination we made it to the end. Now let’s not slip up and blow off the final assignments. It’s been great working you guys and the ideas each of you brought were great. All the best to your future endeavors and good luck.

Buzzer Beater

Procrastination and writing research paper the day before is definitely not the key to success. Winning a basketball game at the last second of the game is not an easy to thing to do, it almost seem as impossible but to Kobe Bryant NBA superstar doesn’t seem like a hard thing for him to do at all; when he beat the buzzer and bring 6 game victory to the Lakers . He makes everything look easy and possible. However, this research paper submit in the last minute is not easy at all. Beating the last second to finish the essay is a risk. When started this essay, I have no clue what to write about or topic to choose. As I mentioned last blog, I read the Great Gatsby in high school but my memories seem to be erased. So I decided to pick The Great Gatsby topic. Most interesting fact was comparing Reading Lolita in Tehran and The Great Gatsby. These books taught me how to appreciate my life more and more everyday; and how to value everything in this world. In fact, my critical thinking also involve in this essay as well. I already came into this class knowing that I needed to analyze written material as well as possible to fully understand what the author is representing in their work.

I found this very example in Reading Lolita in Tehran when the class put The Great Gatsby on trial and the one gentleman named Mr. Nyazin was the prosecutor and he presented his case against Gatsby through a single window of ideas and did not see the entire picture, while the defense of Gatsby came from the women named Zarrin who critically thought of what Gatsby was about and what ideas the author was trying to convey. She had the stronger case because she critically thought of the book and looked at it from all angles. This is precisely what professor Nafisi was trying to get the students to do. This is precisely what I have been doing this semester. This course is on critical thinking and in order to pass it we must be able to demonstrate it. This is still an ongoing learning process for me. Obviously I will not master this technique in one semester but this has been a great launching pad.

As I have discovered critical thinking goes far beyond just being used in an English class. It applies to everyday life. When it comes to the news one must really know how to critically think. There is so much information being thrown us that the only way to decipher through it is to critically think about it. We must look at what is being presented and break the information down to its simplest form to try to see if it is truthful and applies to what it is addressing. News now has become so distorted it is hard to distinguish it from opinion. People must critically think in order to distinguish between the two. It is especially important now with all the problems the world is going through people must be informed of what exactly is going on. The issues that the world is dealing with are so complex that the only way to understand them or at least get some grasp is to critically think. Of course in hindsight we can say that if the people in charge displayed critical thinking we may have never gotten in this mess but what can we really do? Oh I know we should vote these bums out of office!! But I digress, so critical thinking is a vital part of life and I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained from taking this course and will use these skills in every part of my life.

Another Research Paper...

First I want to say, “Woohooo!! There only two week left in school.” I can’t explain to you how much school works I have in the last few days and in these final two week. Home work, test, report project, and research paper. Talk about my research paper for English due this Sunday, it coming along very slowly. Honestly, the last few days for me been very hectic; I feel like my brain about to explode somehow. Thinking about how I am going to write this paper when I have my project and report due this Monday. I want to say that I do not want to do it. It sound like I’m giving up and being lazy but I really do not want to do this at all. There just is not enough time in the day and this week for me because I have a test and report to work on. This class combined with my Business Communication and Math for Business/Economics classes have weighed me down all semester. There is so much work and little time. I am aware of what I signed up for and what it’s going to take to finish. These higher courses require high level work. If you not up for the challenge then just drop this class. I am fully aware of what is at stake and plan on tackling it head on. This research project requires all the knowledge I have gained from the past several weeks in the class. This is a challenge of skills and I feel I can accept this challenge.



At first I want to write on Education in Iran but I haven’t done any research on this topic. However, I already read The Great Gatsby about few years ago but I don’t remember anything about the book. Therefore I started re-read the book, but still have to finish reading. There is a temptation to go out with friends, watch the NBA playoffs, and play video games instead. These distractions could hold me off from writing this paper. Because there are many great games have come out this month. I told myself that I can play all these game after I’m done with school, so I decided to unplug my videogame console. The end of this road is so close and I do not want to stumble and fall on the ground. This is the end of my year at AVC so I have to give it all. I have worked so hard this semester I want to finish strong. I have to work really hard these final weeks and get this done. After I finished reading The Great Gatsby I will then proceed to make an outline of it and of RLit. Based on what the prompt is asking for I will make a rough outline of what my essay will look like. This essay does require it to be long. I will definitely have to make a detailed outline of both books. Combined with this outline I will integrate some outside research I have done. I know the majority of the essay will come from the two books but there needs to be some outside sources. It starts with the outline and once I complete that then the essay will be a breeze. Writing comes easy if I know what to write about. Once I complete my first draft I will seek the help of tutors to ensure my essay is on par with what is required of it. The online tutoring service will definitely be used by me. I would be a dumb not to use it. What I have learned from the previous essays is that peer review is priceless. The input from others will help me to strengthen my paper. The only difficulty I have is the research on EBSCO HOST and make an outline after that. I hope I can finish my first draft by Sunday but first I need to finish reading the book.

"Dress to Impress-->Write to Express"

What is online communication? Blog, IM, E-mail, etc… has changed the way we speak. The advancement in technology and the internet has allowed us to be connected anywhere and anytime we want. It is as if we are plugged into the machines that we use. As these machines become more and more apart of our lives we use them to speak for us. The internet has allowed anyone in the world to have a voice. That voice can be heard by all through the internet. Each of these voices has its unique communication style. It ranges from short and sweet to long, overdrawn, complex ideas. My online communication style I like to do both.

I am both brief and detailed when it come to communicate online. It depends on what the situation is. When I am talking to my friends I am mostly brief and to the point. When we talk it is mostly about random things. Whether it is about the ladies, sports, games, movies, or anything else we just speak in short sentences online. I believe we do this because we are on a computer and it is different to read then to hear. When we speak to each other physically we can listen and talk for hours. But when we communicate online we have to type and read, this just leads us to be short and to the point. When we speak physically we can speak over hundreds per minute. When we speak thorough typing, most of us cannot type as fast as we speak thus this leads to brief communication online. We have to be short and to the point or else if we took a long time to type the conversation would be lost and we would be constantly backtracking trying to figure out what we were talking about. If this was to happen it would just lead to frustration and we would probably stop talking online. When I do write online in complex and expanded language it is more then likely because I am do an assignment or talking to someone of significance such as a professor. When I am talking to professionals I have to speak professionally online to be taken seriously by them or else they will just brush me aside as immature. Even though I’m online when speaking to people of significance it is important to speak to them as if they were sitting across from you. Communicating online is critical to make sure that you are careful how you do it. When people communicate online those words they use are the only things people from around the world have to get to know you. If you communicate in a professional matter it will resonate that you are a person of knowledge and if you speak in an unprofessional matter using slang and misspelled words it will send the signal that you may be a kid or teenager. Even though we are communicating online and others can’t see us they can still read us and the way we speak will tell them who we are. I try to be a professional when I communicate no matter if it is online or offline.

Breaking News!

TV news and newspaper has always been providing world’s major events. They both play an important role in our life ever since TV was invented and the advent of newspaper. Early 17th Century, everyone received information and world event through the publication of newspaper, then TV and internet was introduced where you get more visual on the event such as live video. Information published from these sources are considered the most accurate and credible. However, reading a newspaper is more effective as a provider of important information than TV. With TV news you have certain times that you must tune in, such as twelve or ten o'clock news, to catch what is going on in the world today. And even when you do catch the news those designated time slots on TV they show what people want to see rather than what they need to know to better TV ratings. With TV it is easy to grab the attention of their audience but hard to keep it for an entire show, losing its effectiveness as a provider of important information.

Usually when major events occur in the world; for avid daily news watchers, it interrupts their morning routine with a red blaring headline titled "Quake in Chile" or "Suicide bomber kills in attempt to assassinate WORLD LEADER”. If CNN isn't your cup of tea in the morning, the drive to work listening to the radio might be. The radio isn't just for music, so if something major has occurred then it definitely would be mentioned over the airwaves. And at the chance that you are neither a news watcher or a radio listener then you would still hear the breaking news in passing. Be it at your workplace or at school. You'd have to be living under a rock to NOT know. News travels fast, so if you didn't hear about it before you left your house. You will definitely hear about by the time you get home.

In this time of day, information is so easily available that is basically at our fingertips, literally. With the advent of smart phones, we can now easily access the web and obtain the news for ourselves. We can easily turn to the net, for information right away because. Breaking news would be updated online the same way it is on TV. With everything that is shown on the news, it shouldn't be taken at face value. Don't automatically believe that because it is on the news that it's indeed fact, or that it is indeed the truth. Sometimes news headlines that probably aren’t as important as other ones are blown out of proportion. For example, "Breaking news, list dog finds his way home after being lost at the mall." Incredible. Yes, to a certain extent, but hardly "news breaking" worthy. So it's falls up to you, the public, to sift through the crap the media feeds us and find out which topics really hold meaning and are indeed "breaking news."

So Far...

What we have done so far in this class, I feel that my writing has greatly improved. I can start writing down the first thing that comes to my mind, instead of just sitting there for hours just trying to fill up one page. In my opinion, writing is difficult if you do not know how to properly do it. Writing starts with 3 steps: organizing, writing and completing. Ideas and gathering information always be the first step I started with but the problem was getting those ideas to written down. My mind would move from one thing to another at a rapid pace but my writing was stagnant. I just could not find a way to write. It just became frustrating to do a simple 2 pages essay. From reading and seeing different articles I have expanded my knowledge of writing.
Exploring Language textbook is one of the best guides help me improved my writing. The most interesting I like about this text is that it contains the writing of diverse authors on multiple subjects. It is very interesting to read what each of these authors has to say about whatever topic they are writing about. Beyond what they say, I am studying how they write. I see how they convey their ideas and try to incorporate them into my own writings. What I have noticed is that the more I read the more I see how diverse writing can be. Everyone has a unique voice and if you know how to write, you can express that voice. I can relate to an author in the book like Malcolm X, who was uneducated but when he began to read his knowledge grew and he became a better writer. When he did become a great writer he said it was a freeing experience for him. I can truly understand because when you do not know how to do something, in a way you become fearful of it and tend to avoid it. So when I was frustrated with writing I did feel as if it was a weight I could not get off. As Malcolm X, when I started to improve my writing it did become a freeing experience because I now finally had confidence. I still have a long way to go but this is a great foundation that I have made for myself.

The peer responses also another way improved my writing. It’s one thing to have confidence in yourself and think that what you have written is the best thing ever. You need to be brought back down to reality and peer response is just that thing to do it. Through peer response there is an exchange of ideas and both parties benefit. As I have received peer responses I have taken the advice and it has helped me improve my writing. When I write I feel as if it is the best I have done but when a peer reads it they can find holes and things I have missed and I can take this advice and make my writing even better. There is a chapter in the Exploring Language text that explores the communication gap and how people talk to each other. The main idea was that if people talk to one another then ideas are exchanged and everyone is better off from it and it expands knowledge. By taking this lesson to heart, peer responses are a great way to expand anyone’s writing. Practice, practice, and practice is the way to improve my writing. Not only reading but listening to other people advice is another way. And I shall continue writing more!

Is This Cartoon Offensive?

The controversial political cartoon that offended me came from the New York Post in February 2009. The cartoon featured two uniformed police officers shooting a chimp, shown lying on the ground, as one officer says to the other: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." The depiction of the chimp is apparently a reference to the 200-pound chimpanzee that mauled a woman in Connecticut couple days before officers had to shoot the animal to death. "The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event," explained Post editor-in-chief Col Allan, who denied that it was intended to refer specifically to Obama. "It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy," he said. This is a racist cartoon aimed at the president of the United States. This cartoon incorporated two news stories into one. But that terrible incident was taken and put in a political cartoon. The Post should at least clarify what point they were trying to make in this cartoon, and reprimand their cartoonist for making inferences that are offensive and divisive at a time the nation struggles to come together to stabilize the economy if, in fact, this was yet another racially charged cartoon. At the same time this incident was taking place, a massive stimulus package was begin discussed in congress to help boost the economy. There was a lot of heated debate over the stimulus and whether it would be a good thing for the economy. There was massive destruction of the economy and Wall Street almost collapsed a few months prior. There was a need for government spending in order to offset the lack of consumer spending to give the economy a boost. What this cartoon shows in an opposition to the stimulus package and to cops shooting a monkey. The monkey is a representation of the president Barack Obama. The cops saying that someone else would have to write the stimulus bill says to me they are taking a shoot at the president.

This cartoon is offensive on many levels. There is the racial imagery of a monkey being equated to the president who is black. There is also imagery of gun violence and also the imagery of police brutality. I can understand those people who say that this cartoon represents an image of a stimulus package that is so ridicules it looks like a monkey wrote it and that it’s just humor that it’s shoot dead by cops to represent the opposition to the package. I would say that this is not the case. If that were true then the cartoon would have spoken for itself. I argue that something that is great does not need an explanation because it is so genius that it just speaks for itself. When some people see police officers shooting a monkey and then a caption saying someone else has to write the stimulus package they would connect that monkey to the president. In American history the image of the monkey has been used to represent African-Americas. Now that the country has an African-American president who was vocal about passing the stimulus package, it is obvious why this cartoon would be so offensive. There is also the image of police brutality by the cops shooting the monkey and saying what they said. The cartoon shows the police killing the monkey because they disagree with the stimulus and not because it was self-defense. Again with the history of police in America it brings up images of Rodney King. I understand this cartoon was meant to poke fun at the stimulus package but it was distasteful. There are other ways to show that the stimulus is ridiculous without implying that it was written by a monkey.

Expanding Your View

If someone of a known hate group was invited to my campus to speak would be fine by me. I would welcome the opportunity to hear a different perspective and also have a discussion with them about why they feel the way they do. We live in a country where our culture has the freedom of speech. There is no doubt it would cause controversies but we are not the moral authority? Who are we to judge others? What an individual believes is their right and I am in no moral authority to tell them if their beliefs are right or wrong. If there is a problem people also have the option to ignore or take it as a learning experience on a whole different perspective then they have ever confronted.

When this person does come to our campus I would defend their right to be there. What free speech means is the ability for individuals’ to exercise freely opinions and ideas which is the First Amendment in the Constitution of the United States. This would go against the first amendment. I value freedom of speech because of the history of tyranny in where those who lived under it did not have free speech and lived in fear. If the people under the king’s rule spoke out against him they could find themselves muzzled or worse dead. They made sure that the first amendment would be free speech because this was the most important. They wanted people to be free to speak their mind and be able to bring their ideas to the table. Thus if a leader of a hate group was to speak at a campus they would have every right to do so. Free speech is free speech. No matter how we feel about what they say, they have a right to say whatever it is they want to. Most of us would find what they would say as appalling but again it is their right to say that. Free speech is not a one-way street. When we talk to each other we can begin to understand one another. Hopefully when we talk new ideas would be exchanged and minds would begin to open and maybe, just maybe that person would change. Maybe it will not be a dramatic change, just a seed we may plant in their heads about the opposing side of an argument and they will begin to asses if what they truly believe is right. This is why the U.S. is a great country, and stands out from the globe; because we allow and accept other’s view as well as we can comment on their view for the purpose of improvement, not harming each other. If we do not let them speak because their tones are offensive to others, how can we analyze and help to understand one another. People should listen to both sides of the argument in order to make a proper decision. There are times, we need to listen, or step back, so we can speak and go forward to make the world a better place to live.

Self-Respect is the Key to HappYness

What is more important Happyness or Self-Respect? This is a difficult question to answer. These two things go side by side. In my opinion, to be happy is to have self-respect and to have self-respect is to be happy with yourself. Is one more important than the other? I believe that it is more important to have self-respect than to just have happiness. Self respect is one of the most valuable things you can have. It helps you feel worthy of happiness and the respect of others. It reminds you that you are a valuable person-simply by virtue of being alive. When you have self-respect you gain confidence that cannot be shaken and no matter what challenge comes your way you will be able to conquer it without hesitation. This confidence you get from having self-respect will bring you unlimited supplies of happiness and as a person you will know who and what you are. It also sets a standard for others to follow. People take most of their cues from how we treat ourselves, so if you want to be treated with kindness and respect, make sure that you are setting a good example.

If you believe that you deserve happiness and fulfillment, you are very likely to attract and create circumstances that promote these conditions. By feeling that your happiness is a priority, you will be on the lookout for opportunities to do things you enjoy, and that are in line with your goals and desires. Knowing that you deserve to be happy, you will probably not pass up chances to be happy. On the other hand, if you are stuck in a negative mindset, and you believe that everyone else’s happiness is more important than yours, you will possibly forego your chances for fulfillment with flimsy excuses such as time, money, or other ‘more pressing’ commitments. We consciously and subconsciously set out to create an external life that matches our internal beliefs. If you have a good level of self respect, clear ideas of what you want in life, and the belief that you can and should have what you want, it is very likely that you will seek and find opportunities to fulfill these desires. Knowing what you want is a very big factor in having what you want. If you only have a very vague notion of a better life, it is very hard to take concrete steps towards creating one.

On the other side, it is different for the people living in Iran as described in RLit. The women there have been dehumanized and the average people have been put down by the corrupt leaders who never allow them to better themselves. When someone is dehumanized or put down to a level so low they have no understanding of what self-respect is. When they lose their self-respect they have lost themselves. They may find temporary happiness but it would just be that temporary. Without self-respect they would not have goals to achieve or desire to better themselves. How would they truly be happy if they do not have self-respect? When people have freedom of thought they can find their self-respect and then find what makes them happy. Having self-respect is more important than happiness in my opinion. A healthy self respect is one of the foundations of happiness and emotional well-being. It can help you through tough times, and inspire you to follow your heart and your dreams.

How Women and Men Communicate?

Communication is a dynamic process with the interacting components of sending, receiving and feedback. Nonverbal cues may provide clarity or contradiction for a message being sent. If an ironic statement is made with a smile, the receiver knows to find it humorous instead of disconcerting. If we are sending a verbal message intending to deceive and avert our eyes the receiver knows we may be lying. Nonverbal cues also influence how we perceive and are perceived. Familiar faces may make us more likely to start a relationship and continue it. Nervous facial expression hinders other`s perception of our competence and persuasiveness. Nonverbal cues can provide information we may not want dispelled. Our decoding ability arises at a young age and increases as we get older, influencing our daily lives whether we are aware of it or not.

Women tend to communicate more effectively than men, focusing on how to create a solution that works for the group, talking through issues, and utilizes non-verbal cues such as tone, emotion, and empathy whereas men tend to be more task-oriented, less talkative, and more isolated. Men have a more difficult time understanding emotions that are not explicitly verbalized, while women tend to intuit emotions and emotional cues. Characteristically, women are encouraged to look modestly downward, to walk with small steps, be more restrained in facial expressions than men of their class, and to eat smaller portions of food. Gestures of female assertiveness, like standing with arms akimbo, or legs widely spaced, are regarded, particularly in societies with strong power differentials between the sexes, as unbecoming and aggressive, imitative of male behavior. These differences explain why men and women sometimes have difficulty communicating and why men-to-men friendships look different from friendships among women. Nonverbal communication, or body language, is a vital form of communication. When we interact with others, we continuously give and receive countless wordless signals. All of our nonverbal behaviors the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact we make send strong messages. The way you listen, look, move, and react tell the other person whether or not you care and how well you’re listening. The nonverbal signals you send either produce a sense of interest, trust, and desire for connection or they generate disinterest, distrust, and confusion.

Nonverbal communication is a rapidly flowing back-and-forth process. Successful nonverbal communication depends on emotional self-awareness and an understanding of the cues you’re sending, along with the ability to accurately pick up on the cues others are sending you. This requires your full concentration and attention. If you are planning what you’re going to say next, daydreaming, or thinking about something else, you are almost certain to miss nonverbal cues and other subtleties in the conversation. You need to stay focused on the moment-to-moment experience in order to fully understand what’s going on.

"PC"

Political correctness is the variation of language said by proponents to redress real or alleged unjust discrimination or to avoid offense. The term most often appears in the predicate adjective form politically correct, often abbreviated (PC), and is usually used mockingly or disparagingly. One purpose behind politically correct language is to prevent the prohibition or the offending of people based upon differences or handicaps. The reasoning claimed by proponents for using politically correct terminology is to bring peoples' unconscious biases into awareness, allowing them to make a more informed choice about their language and making them aware of things different people might find offensive. Two common examples of this practice are to use the word “disabled” in preference to “crippled”, and “mentally ill” in preference to “crazy”. However, the new terms are often awkward, euphemistic substitutes for the original stark language concerning differences such as race, gender, sexual orientation and disability, religion and political views.

As the world has progressed it has become better and still today works on making itself better. As a result being politically correct has become necessary. If someone is not politically correct they are looked at as being rude and ignorant. This attitude has changed everyday conversation. Now when people have conversations they must be politically correct. For example, “Nigger” It is a word that white students struggle with and black students use pretty freely in daily’s conversations but view it as derogatory if used by people of other races. Young people are much more open to using it, especially young people who are black or who have been exposed to more diverse groups of people. I can’t imagine a political or a social multiracial situation where it would be appropriate. The word is so prevalent in the popular youth culture, grounded in hip-hop, that I wouldn’t like to predict where that debate is going to end up. But if the popular culture ends up agreeing that it is okay to use, then I think there are a lot of pretty scary implications. However, the choice of racial or ethnic nomenclature can depend on the individual, as well as location and time period. For example, in the United States of America also referred to as the United States U. America or the States is a federal republic in central North America, stretching from the Atlantic in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in people of both Caucasian. Caucasian is originally a geographical term, meaning relative or pertaining to the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe. It has in time acquired other specific meanings: in linguistics, the Caucasian languages are a large number of languages spoken in the Ca and Africa. Being politically correct on this issue means that one is careful in not bringing up stereotypes to define certain people or decide the issues. It is a fine line to walk when talking about issues of race. If politically correct language is not used then people will find themselves in deep trouble. Political correctness may also be exhibited by the refusal to discuss particular traits of an ethnic or religious minority. For instance, it may not be politically correct to point out that a particular community has crime rates above those of the general population or to publicly suggest that cultural traits of that community may have led to such a situation. If we allow political incorrectness we are rewritten history.

Globalization of Language

Learning one language doesn’t cause you to forget another. More than half the world plays soccer, but other sports continue to thrive. Why should languages be any different? In fact, it seems widely agreed upon that a person who speaks more than one language is worthy of admiration. The fact that nearly two billion people are learning English means that there are more bilingual people than ever before. Though shared languages between countries are necessary for globalization to thrive, the popularity of English is incidental and could change. English is a tool, just like a piece of technology. Much of the world’s economy is tied up in English-speaking countries and for that reason, English is like a cell phone provider offering the best plan. But if the dollar continues to drop, the most viable option could shift. Mexico and Korea don’t need English to communicate if Korea begins to find it profitable to learn Spanish.

According to The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language on pg.61 of the EL text, Mandarin Chinese is number one in first-language speakers with an estimated 726 million people. While English comes in second with 427 million and Spanish and Hindi rounding out the top four each with 266 million and 182 million respectfully. Now based of these statistics how can it be possible that English has become the universal language of communication? The answer by many points to money. These statistics do show what language people first learn to speak and they rank the way they do due to there being a billion people in China and close to a billion in India and all of the countries that Spain has spread their language during their history. What these statistics fail to show is how most non-English speakers are now learning to speak English. Why are all these people learning to speak English? They are learning it because if you can speak English you will have a job. The global economy has interlocked every country in the world and the driving force behind the majority of this economy is the USA. The USA is an English speaking country and the world needs to learn English in order to keep up with the complex economy. Now as all these people throughout the world learn English they are impacting their own native language. By becoming bilingual they are integrating English not only into their language but into their culture. This integration of English has had both a positive and negative effect on the world. The positive is that the economy of the world affects every country and this economy is dominated by English speakers. As people of the world learn English they can understand this complex economy and better themselves and their country. The negative impact of English becoming a world language is that it is endangering many languages in the world and some have already become extinct. There are native peoples throughout the world whose languages are in danger in being lost in history due to the necessity to learn English. According to James Geary in his essay “Speaking in Tongues”, located on pg.57 of the EL text, he states that, “of the roughly 6,500 languages now spoken, up to half are already endangered or on the brink of extinction.” This is a grave concern to many and Geary goes on to say that, “The death of a language… marks the loss of an entire culture.” The globalization of English has become a hindrance for many smaller languages to survive.

Word to Creativity

When it comes to creativity, we all have the unique talent to show the world who we are and what we capable of. The uniqueness in everyone is what allows creativity to be diverse. This diversity is what allows new concepts to appear and knowledge to grow. Whatever we write is considered our own work. Writer’s personal stamp is what allows us the audience to gain an understanding about them. This personal stamp is always present in an authors work and audiences can expand an understanding about them from it. It is as if the audience knows the writer without ever having met them. This is what is so remarkable about writing. We all have different point of views about various topics and through writing we can express them in our own unique way. As we express them the audience can not only understand what is being said but where the author is coming from based off their personal stamp. The stamp makes the audience feel as if the author presents the speech in front of them.

As an amateur writer, I still have a lot to learn about the craft. When it comes to writing, I am careful in planning and choosing my words. The words I choose are not technical, but it need to be a strong words that will help me create effective message so that the audience can understand my writing. Whether subject or main idea it is important to pick the right words so that my message is expressed properly. I want to build a strong relationship with my audience by establishing my credibility and projecting my image. If they do not understand my message or misunderstood what I am trying to tell them, then it is my fault for choosing the wrong word. If my writings confuse the reader and they come away not understanding what I was trying to express then I have failed. It’s critical when choosing the right words because you need to know if it appropriate to use. Richard Lederer states in the EL text, “Big words can make the way dark for those who read what you write and hear what you say” (p. 122). In his essay, Lederer makes the case for short words because they are simple and quickly get your point across to the reader. I strongly agree with Lederer. As a student I want to be a good writer and want my work to show that, but I sometimes failed to be a good writer. It’s a shame that I used dictionary to look for technical words to make my writing sound smart like a professional writer. I realized it just ended up making my writing look and sound awkward and the ideas were not coming across to the readers. But I come to a realization that all I need to do was to just be myself and pick a simple words that not plain English and comfortable with but at the same time being careful that the words properly expressed my ideas. That is the key. I put my own personal stamp on my work by just being myself and making sure the audience understands my ideas exactly as I intended them to. Being clear and concise is the way to make sure the reader does not get lost and that your ideas are understood.

A Dream Come True

Martin Luther King’s I have a Dream speech is recognized as one of the famous speeches in American history. Over hundred thousands of African American and other Americans gathered in Washington, Dc. on August 1963; it was time for injustice to end. Dr. Martin Luther King amazed America with his incredible “I Have a Dream” speech. The end of injustice began as Dr. King dramatically delivered front of the Lincoln memorial. The key message in the speech is that all people are created equal and, although not the case in America at the time, King felt it must be the case for the future. He argued passionately and powerfully.

The location of where the speech was given made it more special and deeply. The speech was given in the nation’s capital and front of Lincoln Memorial Washington, DC so that the eyes of America and the world could witness it. The symbolism of Dr. King standing in front of Abraham Lincoln’s statue as Lincoln watches not only him but the millions that have descended upon his monument sends chills down my spine every time I see it. There is a sense of Lincoln keeping a watchful eye on Dr. King as he delivers his epic speech. This image of Dr. King standing in front of Lincoln is why the speech is heightened. Abraham Lincoln was a man who freed the slaves. It was Lincoln who brought this country out of the hell that was the civil war and help to being its healing. It was he who signed the emancipation proclamation that ended slavery and gave African-Americans freedom for the first time in this country. It was Lincoln who spoke so greatly of the black soldiers fighting in the civil war for not only their freedom but freedom for future generations. It was Lincoln who showed strength in dealing with the issue of slaver after the founding fathers had kicked the issue down the road for future generations to deal with. Lincoln kept our country together and helped in the creation of a new more free country after the civil war. Unfortunately he died at the hands of an assassin and never got to see the country he helped save or help in its rebuilding. Now sadly one hundred years later the ground work for freedom Lincoln had laid out was still unfinished. Now as his monument stands tall and watches the horizon, his spirit will witness the cry for freedom one more time as Dr. King delivers his speech.

A different location would not have had the same effect. Now the speech holds its own ground, it is so powerful no matter where it is delivered from. The Lincoln monument is important due to the history of Lincoln and what he did. As Dr. King says in his speech about one hundred years ago the man behind him gave slaves freedom yet still now a hundred years later African-Americans in the country are not free. These words were elevated from the presence of Abraham Lincoln. The location is just as important as the speech itself. The “I have a dream” speech is a speech that inspires change. Martin Luther King hopes for a day where little black and white boy/girl could sit in the same class. He hopes for a new day in America. He wants a country that lives up to its ideals that every man is free and is endowed with certain unalienable rights that cannot be taken away. He hopes that the American dream can be achieved by anybody no matter what their color is. He dreams of a free and united America. This dream of his would fully come true. It is in his memory and other civil rights workers that we celebrate the freedom that has come to all of us and we fight to continue this dream.

Overcoming My Fear

Language is the symbol we use in order to communicate with one another; it is the expression that human communication through knowledge, idea, and performance can be experienced. Animal and even plant species could communicate each other. As for human species, language is the power which allowed us to be a dominant species on earth. Languages come in many shapes and sounds. At the same time, Language is a physical process and a way of sharing meaning among people. We all learn different language, but there is something profoundly mysterious about language even though we can learn to use it.

When I first moved to the states, I knew little English to use for daily life. That was my struggle when I started middle school at the age of twelve. Entering eighth grade was intense and terrified me, because of a new school, new culture, and new language. It was tough for me to adapt to the new world, everything was strange and mysterious to me. This was a new beginning for my future and biggest challenge that I had to face from that day on. The first day of school was something that still sticks with me till this day. Here I was about to embark on my new life. As I entered school, I grasped that this was a new environment I had never seen before. Finding my classes was a huge challenge for me, because I had to figure out where to go to get my class schedule. I was too scared to ask, because I have a fear of speaking due to my shyness and English. Eventually, a teacher pointed me to the right direction. Then I quickly walked in to my first class and sat in the back of the class because I was shy and too scared. I was excited of my first day of school and anxious to learn but at the same time I was fearful of coming out of my shell. I was frightened because of my lack of English skills. The teacher introduced me to the class as an exchange student, I stood up but the fear of talking had paralyzed me. So all I said was “Hello” and sat back down. But the class seemed to welcome me and this make me feel relaxed. This fear was haunted me every day when I come to school. The day was moving slowly at a snail’s pace and I just wanted go home.

At recess, I was walking around looking for something to do. Then I saw a couple of kids playing basketball and I asked if I could join. They said yes, and I impressed them with my hoop skills. They asked me where did I learn to play basketball. Without realizing my lack of English, I told them it was my first time playing the game. I discovered that being reclusive and scared was not an option. So I started making friends with them without even thinking about my fear of talking. Then my English started slowly improving as I began talking to all the other kids playing basketball with me. I finally broke out of my shell when I continued participating in fun activities at recess. As for reading and writing, I had an after school class help me to learn. The teacher was really nice to me and I felt comfortable talking with them with no problem. I finally had overcome my fear of shyness and speaking English. I become more socialized and began meeting new friends.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking.... The first thoughts that come to my mind regarding critical thinking can include argumentation, issues, evaluating information, judgment, questioning, beliefs, theories, proofs, compare & contrast, and to think outside of the box. Critical thinking is an intellectual way to assess what material you are going over, whether it is reading and trying to find out close reading passages within the text. Some of the thoughts that are deeply within the text have to involve critical thinking to find out what it means or what the author is trying to get across. Clearly, anybody can read a book, however it takes a lot more time to come up with your own thoughts on what the reading says. To me, that is what critical thinking is and you are able to see other people's critical thinking and you can compare it to yours. It is a good way to discuss course issues because you get the other persons insight and you get to pick at their brain to a certain extent.
When it comes to reading critically, my habits can include research in the text. That is where I start off when I read. I typically read books so that I can get a grasps of what the reading is about. After I complete that task, I dissect the parts into the main categories of the book. I try to find or see if there is a deeper meaning within the text. It is easy to read the information that the author gives you, but, it takes critical reading to find out more information regarding why the author did this or did that. When reading critically, you become very observant of what the author writes or the way he or she writes. You can see a general pattern throughout the course of the novel. You will be able to see their tendencies or if they use analogies within their writings. Reading critically is far different from skimming the readings, skimming can include finding or trying to comprehend the general theme in the book. Opposite of that is critical reading because you try to figure out the outline, summarize, question and analyze the works of those authors. Furthermore, when reading critically you can write down, highlight the important information that will help you to analyze the novel or going to a deeper meaning of the story or the fact. I always apply it every time, it has become a habit within my reading and thinking critically to all areas in my work, education, and entertainment. Whether its work or education, you always have to critically understand the full concept of the basic step. As for entertainment, in movies you have to think critically to analyze the meaning and message that the director tries to deliver to the audience. As you watch the movie, you want to guess what the conclusion will be or you know what will happen because your mind is allowing you to think creatively and it allows your imagination to run with the script. I also apply these concepts to analyze sports such as: basketball, soccer, etc.. even screening the athletes on TV, they are also other components of my everyday critical thinking because I want to see how they became so good, whether it involves practice or just sheer skill. It allows me to see what they are doing and I can incorporate that stuff within my daily life. On the topic of daily life, school is my main priority and that is why I have to think critically throughout the rest of my life for the betterment of myself. I hope this class can help me improve my analytical skills and a better understanding of human life.