Last Exit To Brooklyn

For another one of my honors books, I decided to read Last Exit To Brooklyn written by Hubert Selby Jr. This novel told the story of living in New York's infamous Greenwich Village in New York City during the 1950's. This was not my favorite novel, but it did have a lot of insight into life in the fifties. Last Exit to Brooklyn covered taboo subjects such as drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, beatings, and prostitution. The novel focused in on different peoples lives and their perspectives. The outlooks included an average persons view of the neighborhood, a transvestite (known then as a fairy), a man at a young friends wedding, a young female whore, and a man in everyday factory life. From these different perspectives I got a broad variety of insights and social norms. The most shocking perspectives were of the transvestite and the young whore. It was interesting to read through those characters thoughts since they both were away from the stereotypical day to day life during that time. I felt this novel gave me a deeper and more meaningful look into what New York City was like for a resident living at the "Last Exit To Brooklyn".

The Bell Jar

I recently finished reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I found it interesting to read about how the character felt about everything, and her reasoning throughout the story. This book gave great insight into the life in New York in the 1950s, doing a job (magazine writer) that people still find desirable today. I felt the author touch on influence of materialism and having money. During the 1950's the nice things you had/ places you went defined who you were and how you were treated in the book. I also enjoyed reading about her experiences in the various mental hospitals, and it helped me realize that not all of the asylums treated patients the same. It was very interesting to read the narrators perspective about mental illnesses since she had the outlook of someone living in the 1950's. The Bell Jar was inspired by Sylvia Plath's experiences, and they are almost identical to her real life. This caused me to read the book and question how much of the story was actually true, and if those thoughts and feelings were Sylia Plath's. I enjoyed this book a lot, and it was a great book to read right before our "what is normal?" unit. The novel gave great insight into my city and thoughts during my decade.

The Catcher in the Rye

For my first honors book, I am reading The Catcher in the Rye. I am about half way through the book, and so far I like it. It is an interesting story about a boy who wants to be independent and has a lot of thoughts about the world and the people in it. Im not completely sure what the literary aspect of the book is, but I have gotten a feel of his social disconnection and desire to be older/independent. I also think he is in denial about himself in a way.

This book has been a new kind of literature for me.It's different for me to read a book that so far has just been a teen going through life for a few days. I haven't been able to pick up on any key hidden meanings like in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath. It also doesn't have a solid problem in the plot, but the author still has me interested. Once I start reading this book, it's hard for me to stop because it's very engaging.

Senior Year

Begins here!

Semester Reflection Part Two

• What is the greatest contribution you and/or your generation are in the process of making to America and/or American culture?

In my opinion, there are two major contributions that my generation is in the process of making, technology; but more importantly in environmental awareness. My generation has become so much more involved in environmental and even social issues and I think we have absorbed all of the shocking realities that are coming. Although environmental issues are nothing new, and we arent the first ones to begin spreading awareness, my generation has been a large contributor to the "green movement". Its the little things like using metal water bottles or re-useable shopping bags, or even making fashion out of organic and recycled materials. Everyone is thinking a lot more about renewable resources and its become a much more widespread thing to study in college. Even in our class we contributed to it by doing the Media Saves the Beach project. We worked to spread awareness and I think everyone in our team learned so much about our ocean and the dire situation we are going to be facing if we dont take action now.

• What is a quality in a classmate that you would like to develop in yourself?

I want to develop the quality of believing in myself and my abilities. Although I do believe in myself, especially in school, sometimes I just look at something and almost set myself up for failure. There are several of my classmates who I see always trying their best and keeping a postive mindset. Im sometimes not confident in my knowledge and because of that I get in the mindset that I cant do it. I have begun to learn this year that if I keep a positive attitude and ask plenty of questions, I can get over this mindset. At my internship I had to learn how to operate a linux machine and I went in skeptically and I kept telling myself that it was too difficult. After a couple of lessons from the professionals and help from Calvin, I could successfully type in codes and commands and work the linux system and the complex MRI analysis programs.

• What four-year college/s are you interested in and why?

I am open to just about every college. Ive heard so many stories about how people find these random schools they never thought they would end up at, but loved where they went to school. My ultimate goal is to go to Princeton University because my grandpa went there and also because how they described it really reminded me of HTHMA.But I do know how competitive it is and it doesnt take an ivy league to go to a great school. I am also interested in UCLA, UCSD, University of British Columbia, Whitman, Hartwick, Stanford, Warren Wilson and schools in Colorado. I have been looking at schools that are smaller, research based, innovative, hands on learning oriented and hopefully sunny most of the year.

• Beyond grades, what motivates you to work hard at school?

I think the things that motivate me the most are my teachers, being in groups and learning interesting topics. I have loved school ever since kindergarten, and that excitement and love still exists now. I enjoy working hard at my school because usually no matter what we are working on, theres something fun and interesting about it; and even if there isnt, I usually get to work with people I like and that makes everything much better. This year in particular, I have been motivated by the relevance of our work like environmental issues in Media Saves the Beach, or comparing the Great Depression to our current economic rescission. Another large motivation factor was making sure I produced my best work because the public would see it and use it. (calendar and Ampersand)

Semester Reflection Part One

• What have you learned about the way you learn, work, and/or collaborate?

In all of my classes, humanities especially, I learned that I can learn, work and collaborate with just about everyone. There are people in the class who wouldnt be my first choice to work with, but this year I have tried to find everyones strengths, even when it became really difficult. Through being a managing editor for Ampersand, I had to work with everyone in the class in one way or another. I worked best with the people who had something to contribute or help with and students who would give their ideas. I learned that I need to work with people who I can bounce ideas off of, and have them give their input too. Ampersand was the first time I really worked with so many different opinions and work ethics, and I learned how to approach so many different perspectives. It was difficult at times to find strengths in each person, but I did it, and collaborated with everyone to create an awesome book!

• What project was most valuable to you, and what have you gained from it?

This semester, Ampersand was the most valuable project for me, especially with the added responsibility of being a managing editor. I made topic changes in my article three or four times, and my most valuable experience was realizing I didnt know enough about most of my topic ideas. I went from my long drawn out photo essay to commuting to education and the California budget crisis, back to my experience as a research subject. I drafted an article on education and I constantly felt like something was missing. I eventually realized I didnt know enough about the subject, only some of the consequences. It was important for me to learn that I cant write an informative article without thorough research and knowledge and that my experiences can end up being interesting topics too.

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• Describe one valuable mistake you made this year.

My most valuable mistake this year was during the production of Ampersand when I worked as a managing editor. I think that throughout that project, there were several key places where I made valuable mistakes I have now learned from. At first, I didnt step up as a leader in the project as much as I should have. I also didnt communicate my thoughts or problems very well, and when I did it was sometimes too late. Once we were in the layout/proof stage of the book, I made the mistake of getting way too stressed out and frustrated, and I ended up lashing out at several different people. I think that those situations have become valuable to me now because a good portion of it all goes back to communication and if I had been more clear and/or more calm things might have turned out differently. Nonetheless, I am really proud of the final Ampersand book, and the mistakes I made have taught me how to be a better, effective and more successful leader.

Writing Reflection

This year my writing has improved by a lot through all of our writing tips and from the amount of writing we completed. The writing tips have had the greatest impact on my writing skills and it has been completely transformed because of them. I became much more aware of repeating words, making meaning early and especially watching my -ings. I went from "Gatsby is always thinking he can get there" from my Great Gatsby essay, to "At my internship I worked with the lead researchers to help" in my Ampersand article. I also improved on eliminating sledgehammer words. Adding "always" was routine for me until this year when I realized how overbearing it is. In one of my earlier honors literature writings for the novel Beloved, I wrote "What you do, and what conflicts you get in will always have an effect on the people around you" But now, I avoid always because there is a more concise way to convey "always" I worked particularly hard to use the writing tips on my media saves the beach calendar captions since I had such limited space to convey a lot of important information.

I benefited from all of the various critique sessions we did, and especially the ones where we went through editing just writing kips. Going through so many drafts was very important to me, since I received valuable feedback from my peers or Randy. My writing skills grew not only from the feedback I received, but also because I would constantly knit-pick at other peoples writing. When writing Ampersand, I read through so many different articles and the edits I made caused me to go back at take a second look at my own writing. I edited a part of my article to have a simile-"The machine startled me with beeping and loud noises just like a computer scanner." after helping another student fix a simile in their article. Even feedback after the fact, like with my honors essays was helpful because it taught me a lesson for next time. I took the feedback "too much potential, not enough depth & analysis" from my Civil War essay where I wrote "General Sherman had a point when he refused to retreat from Atlanta. He wasn’t trying to terrorize the people, he was trying to erase everything and give the South a fresh start to benefit the generations to come." to deeper analysis in my Ampersand article- "All of the paperwork was laid out with immense detail and in a step by step process. One step includes having thing project you on working be reviewed by an institutional review board to ensure that the project matches the universities policies and regulations."

For my future writing, I want to continue to use the writing tips, write engaging essays and articles, and develop my vocabulary to make my pieces sound more professional. Specifically, my goal is to write professional engaging essays and pieces of writing. I think that some of my earlier honors essays were some of the first steps to getting to my goal, and Ive only gone up from there. My Ampersand article is an example of me getting closer to my goal, but there is always room for improvement. For my honors presidential endorsement, I created my piece by looking at professional examples, and this has been a method for me to create my idea of professional writing since I wrote a satirical essay my sophomore year. Im going to take all of the progress I have made and strategies I have learned this year and continue to apply them next year to achieve my goal through writing a lot more, and learning along the way.

Who Would You Bring To College From History?

When I go to college, I would want to have Franklin D. Roosevelt be on of my professors. He has the experience and the confidence that ended up changing the state of the entire U.S. and he would be an excellent professor. In class I think he would say things from his speeches; like "the machinery through which such mutual aid and protections is achieved. Our government is not the master but the creature of the people." from his address to the nation in August of 1931. President Roosevelt would be a very realistic professor and would constantly remind us of important words from his inaugural speech "Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment."

I would have him teach international relations because I think he would have an very interesting perspective on government, the economy and how to work with other nations. He would also be a wise professor to talk to about our current economy, since he had to fix the nation in a similar way to the Obama administration now. I want a professor who is going to be real about politics and FDR would be. I can see him always quoting his various speeches to enforce the importance of truth in politics; like "This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly" from his inaugural speech. With FDR as my professor, I would learn a lot about raw politics and how to run a nation in hard times as well as how to talk with other countries; which are all things I am interested in.

What Character Would You Bring To College?

If I could bring a character from a book we read to college with me, I would bring Doc from Cannery Row. I would want Doc to be an older student who would help me out my freshman year. In Cannery Row, Doc was always helping out Mac and the boys, and even when things went wrong with their party for him, he threw another one. He was always very forgiving and he even through a great second party and cleaned it all up. I think that Doc would be a great mentor because he is very smart and knowledgeable and he was always tried to help everyone out. He helped the boys get money when they needed it, even when he was hesitant to give them such a big job. He puts a lot of trust in the people around him and doesn't make judgments at all. In my Cannery Row honors essay, I wrote about how even though Docs house was trashed and he got mad, he moved on. I really admired how he was able to let bad things go; like forgiving the boys for throwing a bad party and letting all of the frogs get away when that was valuable money for him.

Mock Trial Reflection

1. Summarize the facts of the case, as presented by the prosecution. Include relevant witnesses and testimony.

The prosecutions (the peoples) main point related to the constitution, and how this law violates it and how this law relates to immigration which is a federal issue. A main point that was repeated throughout the trial was a story about a McDonalds raid where a woman told officers she was a citizen but she was taken to jail anyway. Their witnesses were James Madison, John Adams and Raul Grijalva.

2. Summarize the facts of the case, as presented by the defense. Include relevant witnesses and testimony.

The facts presented by my side, the state of Arizona, were directly from the bill and from statistics about the bills approval. Our main points had to do with the conditions of crossing the borders, protecting the citizens and that this bill was a state crime law, not a federal immigration law. The witnesses were Jan Brewer, Russell Pierce and Robert Watchorn.

3. What was the most significant piece of evidence, in your personal opinion?

I thought that the story about the McDonalds raid was a strong piece of evidence on the prosecuting side, and on the defense the direct readings from the bill were powerful since it was straight from the measure.

4. What was the most significant argument made, in your opinion?

I thought that the defenses argument about this being a crime law was, if nothing else a really good attempt and it was a fairly strong argument to consider. On the flip side, I thought that the prosecutions argument about it being a federal and international issue was also valid and significant. The argument about racial profiling was also very significant, because at one point on the stand they caught me because it is pretty hard to think of other ways to profile someone besides based on their skin color, even if the bill says they will not be judged based on that.

5. What do you personally believe the correct verdict should be? Do you agree with the jury? Why or why not?

I personally believe the right verdict was made by the jury. Although I was disappointed since I represented the defense, I can see why they would come to that verdict, and I would personally agree with it. I dont think it was right for the state to pass this bill, it dabbles in both federal immigration laws and racial profiling and even discrimination. I can see where the state of Arizona was coming from since noting has been done nationally about this issue yet. We need some kind of solution, but I dont think that SB 1070 was the right way to handle it.'

Extra Assignment-Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut is often compared to Mark Twain because they both use humor to talk about the basic concepts and questions of human life and existence. They both also had a "profound pessimism" in their writings. Their satirical look at the world had a large impact on American literature, because they each had their own voice and wit that was different from the other work out there. Vonnegut agreed with some of the things Mark Twain said, and that shows that they had similar ideologies and opinions.

Im really interested to read Slaughterhouse 5 because Kurt Vonnegut does have such a different style of writing, and its not just heres the facts and it was terrible. He has a sarcastic and funny way of looking at the whole situation of the fire bombings and the basis of human life (from what I have read so far). I really like his references to the Tralfamadorians and I cant wait to see how they impact the rest of the book. He has a very real way of telling a story, while still keeping your attention and he also paints a very good image in your mind. I cant wait to keep reading this book!

Sources

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/books/12vonnegut.html

http://www.nndb.com/people/928/000022862/

http://www.vonnegutweb.com/vonnegutia/commencement/rice.html

World Wars!

1. The most interesting aspects of both of the World Wars is that so many different countries got involved for different reasons. I think its pretty cool that all of these different nations got involved in both World Wars. I dont know much about WWI but I think the fact that the US all came together and supported almost everything during the war is extremely intriguing, since that is such a difference to the war going on today.

2.I want to learn a lot more about World War 1. I dont really know anything about the first World War, or why it happened. It would also be interesting to learn about any connections between the two World War, whether it be who's on what side, conflict, support, etc.

3. These wars are important because they teach us about some of the things that end up turning into "war worthy" conflicts and who has whos back. It also shows a lot about how different countries are run, and the things that they support. Learning about the two World Wars is a good way to really get into what countries think about each other, and how each one of their governments differ. I think that as the years go on, it also gives us a look into who has the most advance weapons and other materials that could be harmful later on.

Zoom In and Zoom Out-Honors Grapes of Wrath Essay

In John Steinbeck's classic novel The Grapes of Wrath, the balance of broad stories about all of the dust bowl farmers, and the zoomed in stories about one family impacts the novel a lot. Almost every other chapter followed this zoomed in and zoomed out pattern, and it always gave a new perspective about what was going on, and sometimes even foreshadowed an event coming up. The balance between the two perspectives was evident throughout the book and impacted it in a positive way that gave the reader clarification, background information and a better understanding of what they were reading about.

One of the first zoomed out chapters is about a turtle and its journey crossing the road. "The turtle entered a dust road and jerked itself along, drawing a wavy shallow trench in the dust with its shell. The old humorous eyes looked ahead..." This zoomed out perspective foreshadowed the Joad family slowly moving along and moving west. The words like jerked itself along and humorous eyes looked ahead, gave a mental image and a great metaphor to a family moving west. A couple chapters later, the Joad family is on the move and they begin their slow journey west. The chapter helped keep the story moving, subconsciously prepared for what was going to happen next, and gave context and clear idea of what the Joad's journey would be like.

Before Casy and Tom even make it to the farm, there is a zoomed out chapter that fit perfectly into the story. Chapter five was all about the owners of the land, banks, tractors, and the "monster" they have created."You’re on land that isn’t yours. Once over the line maybe you can pick cotton in the fall. Maybe you can go on relief. Why don’t you go on west to California? There’s work there" For someone who doesn’t know that much about the dust bowl, this chapter gives you an idea about the situation so many people were in, and you eventually learn the Joads are in this place too. This chapter impacted the novel and gave the reader background information about what story they were really getting into. You see it from the families’ perspective, and it causes the reader to understand how the dust bowl farmers felt even before meeting the Joads. It made their situation more relatable and it showed how many people were in the same place.

Another zoomed out chapter that kept the book flowing and in perspective, was chapter 27."I aim to pick some cotton. Got a bag? Well, no, I ain't. Coast ya a dollar, the bag. Take it out o' your first hunderd and fifty" This chapter was all about cotton pickers, discrepancies in the industry, how the people worked and what cotton picking was like. In the next chapter the Joad family is working on a cotton farm, and instead of going through and reading about how they got their cotton bags, you already know how they got one and how their new job works. Steinbeck kept the dialogue vague and he mixed thoughts, conversations and descriptions together. This chapter impacted the novel through the way it was written, and because it gave the greater perspective, and it made me realize that everyone at that point was going through the same thing on the cotton farms. It also kept the book moving and mixed it up, so then once it went back to the Joad family, they were already settled in and working.

Without the zoomed in, zoomed out chapters, the book would not have given the reader the same understanding they got from the balance of the two. The metaphors, foreshadowing, generalized thoughts and perspectives had an impact on the balance of the story with the Joads. The way Steinbeck wrote the book caused you to read more mindfully, look deeper into the story and the history behind it. This wasn’t just a novel about a family going through The Great Depression, it was about all of the people going through the same thing, and the way farmers treated the migrants. The whole novel was impacted in a positive way that made you become a more involved and thoughtful reader.

Public Works Projects

Public works projects were programs that FDR created during his time in office. They were to help create jobs and help the American people in the Great Depression.
Some public works projects included:

-NLRB (National Labor Relations Board)

-TVA (Tennesse Valley Authority)

-Social Security

-Federal money was put into the arts to pay artists and expose the people to music and art.

For our society today, I would recommend social security, even though we already have it, it needs some kind of reform because all of the money is being drained out of it.

I also think that we need more money put into the arts and it would have a positive impact on the country.

We also need more programs like the TVA. Even though we have programs like it going on right now, I think we could use the money to work more on fixing pot holes, and research in medicine and on renewable energy. The programs we need to have should create jobs but also move our country forward.

Another place that needs money in our society is in our education system. Teachers that our educating the next generation shouldnt be laid off or get wage cuts. Our country isnt leading in education anymore, we are actually 16th in the world and that needs to change if we want our society to move forward.

A Bag Of Frogs (Honors Cannery Row Writing)

Cannery Row is a classic novel that tells the story of different people living on the row. One symbol that really defined an idea and had a lot of literal meaning was the bag of frogs Mack and the boys gave to Doc. The frogs tapped into the characters of Mack and his crew of boys, Doc and Lee Chong. Through the characters interactions with the bag of frogs, more of their personalities are revealed, and it keys into some of the underlying themes of the novel.

Mack and the boys wanted to throw a party for Doc, since he was such a good man to everyone. In the novel, they go to Doc and ask if they can go get frogs for him. For them, going to the frogs meant money, and also doing two good things for Doc; throwing him a party and getting him the frogs he needed. For Doc, although he thought the frog situation was sketchy; having the boys get the frogs was a convenience for him and an act of kindness. Lee Chong didn't have any interest in the plan to get the frogs, but he did supply the truck the boys went to get them in.

When Mack and the boys successfully return, they go to Lee Chong to bargain. At this point, Doc is still away, but Mack wants to get food and other supplies for the party. Since frogs were worth money, they work out a deal to treat frogs like money in the grocery store. "Frogs were cash as far as Doc was concerned, the price was standard and Lee had a double profit." For Lee Chong, this whole transaction was about making a profit, and a little bit about helping make the party for Doc happen.

The Boys had all good intentions in mind throughout the frog adventure, and they even take it one step further. Mack decides it would even be better if the frogs were right there in the doorway for Doc to see at the party. Mack said "Them frogs ought to be right here, right here in the middle of the room...." When Lee Chong agrees to this arrangement he went to the length of having Mack write out a paper "transferring the frogs to Lee in case there should be any question." That revealed how suspicious and how much of a cold businessman Lee Chong was, money was all that mattered.

The party ends up being wild and out of control, and Doc doesn't even make it home to be a part of it. By the early morning when the house is completely trashed, the frogs began to escape. "well before dawn they had all gone." Doc is enraged when he arrives home, but in the end it wasn’t a big deal and he moved on. His personality was clearly acknowledged as someone who doesn’t get hung up over the little things and it very forgiving and willing to let go.

The frogs were literally treated as money in the novel, and were a symbol too. Steinbeck took the irony of the frogs escaping and connected it to money. He expressed the concept of money being within our reach, sacrificing it to do something nice for someone and then having it be thrown away. This gives a better connection to how a particular character thinks of money. Doc shrugged off, showing that money wasn’t a big deal for him. Mack and the boys expressed a lot of sadness, and it wasn’t about the money, it was what they tried to do with it to make someone else happy. As for Lee Chong, the money was everything and almost the only thing that mattered. It all goes back to who you choose to be and the things that matter most to you in life.

The frogs helped the personalities of these characters shine through. From how they interacted and reacted to the frogs, and each other gave you a better look at who they truly were and their role in Cannery Row. Lee Chong was the profit obsessed grocer, Mack and the boys were the men with good intentions and Doc was the one who was forgiving and kept his cool. This point in the book gave a lot of insight and helped guide the readers perceptions of the characters for the rest of the book. All of the characters in the novel were working towards something, and this symbol was just one way to show how certain characters get there and what truly matters to them.

Sympathy For Dust Bowl Farmers?

I think that the Grapes of Wrath successfully establishes sympathy for the Dust Bowl farmers. Steinbeck tells a side of the story that wasnt really known. You get the story from a migrant families perspective, and although the Joads did pretty well, you read about the families who weren't so fortunate. Having policemen arrest you for being smart, burning down your home, being called names and getting paid near to nothing, it's degrading and it really makes you feel bad for the characters. Although they may have been ignorant to what was coming, its still a story that makes you feel bad because they still have so much hope. I can understand where the farmers perspective comes in, but that isn't the focus of this story, you never pity them while reading.

Dear President Obama.....(Honors History)

Dear President Obama,

I know you have been going through some hard times trying to run our nation in such a difficult situation. If you want to succeed in fixing this "Great Recession" you should look to President Roosevelt and all of the action he took. He came into office almost the same way you did, with a lot support from the American people and a determination to change the way things were done in the white house.

An article in the New Yorker written in 2008 said "Last week, the Department of Commerce reported that the economy is shrinking. Almost certainly, the United States has entered its twelfth official recession since Roosevelt’s death." You arent the only president who had to deal with recessions since Roosevelt's time in office. Even if some in America are beginning to lose faith in you, they have no idea how hard it is and how many other times this has happened. Its all a part of the economy. And for all those calling you a socialist, dont worry, imagine the things they were saying about FDR when he organized the economy and made social security.

Our economy isnt in its strongest place, and I think your efforts so far have been pretty good. Roosevelt created a lot of new jobs and created agencies that helped improve our country. For instance he created the REA (Rural Electrification Administration) which gave jobs to electricians to bring rural areas electricity. You too have done this, Ive seen the construction that has been a result of it, but maybe you could work on creating more agencies like FDRs. I think that what you did for research universities was a great move because it helps advance science, and puts money into the subjects who are everyday people like me.

Your relationship with congress has definitely been a difficult one, especially with the split congress and so many conservatives accusing you of being a socialist. President Roosevelt actually threatened his congress in his own inaugural speech, which was bold and he was lucky enough to have a positive outcome. He said "I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis-broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency..." I don't think that this would be the right path for you, at least not right now. What you're doing seems great, calling together members for a summit so you can hear them out is very gracious of you. You just need to work on winning more republicans over by hearing them out and compromising. People these days are very stubborn and want to do what they think their state wants, hear them out but still assert your power and judgment. As for democrats speaking against you, do the same thing. Just because they are in your party doesnt mean they have to think the same way you do, but youre doing a great job leading them whether they agree with you or not.

As for you look among the American people and leaving your mark in history, you have already created a positive image that many people admire and will remember. FDR spoke to his nation when an important time was upon them. One example is when he re-opened the banks and encouraged people to keep using them, and the deposits ended up exceeding the withdrawals that day. I know you address the public much more, especially with so much technology to utilize, but its important to always be speaking to your people. FDR did this, and "people were amazed, almost flattered that a president would talk to them directly on such an important subject." Speak directly to the people of the United States, and do it before something important happens.

Take charge in congress and work with them, be bold, speak to the people, come up with new ideas to better our nation and work to get new legislation passed. Try your hardest and keep your head up, whether people like it or not, you're the best thing our country has right now, and you have at least three more years to prove that to them.

Good Luck,

Emilie Colwell

Sources:

(Packet Sabrina gave us in class) Chapter 4, FDR's First Term: Battling the Great Depression page 55-67

Packer, George. "THE NEW LIBERALISM." The New Yorker November 17, 2008

Coll, Steve. "THE TEST." The New Yorker November 10, 2008

Freedoms and Structures of Ampersand

I think that I preformed pretty well with the freedoms that we got to work on Ampersand. I really would have appreciated more work time to develop ideas. But I spent a good portion of my time working on being one of the managing editors, and less time on brainstorming. The structures really helped me to figure out what I wanted to write about and how to make it interesting. Looking back at last years book was really helpful for me. It was hard for me to come up with the perfect topic because I wanted it to be as good and interesting as most of last years articles. And it doesn't help that I'm really in-decisive about everything! In the end I got feedback from a few different people and now I cant wait to start my article!

Comparing FRR to President Obama

Some may say that Franklin Roosevelt and our current president Barack Obama are similar and are taking the same steps to bailout our nation,I agree. They were very similar leaders of our nation, with some differences. They were both thrown into bad times in our country and at a time where people were losing faith in the government.

They both came into the white house with totally new approaches on government. Roosevelt said in August of 1931 that the state was "the machinery through which such mutual aid and protections is achieved. Our government is not the master but the creature of the people." Obama had similar views on the government and how it was supposed to serve and be a part of the people. In his inaugural speech, he said "America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents."

They both came in with a lot of ideas and all kinds of programs and bailout packages to help the people. They both were strong willed going into the white house, ready put bills and laws into action. Both Roosevelt and Obama werent afraid to send messages to congress letting them know they were serious about changing the inter-workings of America. President Roosevelt had an easier time getting congress to work with him, and I think that is partly because he didnt have such a large budget deficit to address. Even though it has been an up hill battle in some places for President Obama, he is still working to get the job done and federal bailout packages have been passed.

People in Roosevelt's time were amazed by his radio broadcasts known as "fireside chats" because he would speak directly to them about an important subject. It gave everyone a lot of faith in him and what he was doing. In the Obama white house, he has done the same in a different way, by broadcasting important summits, most recently one on health care. He isnt speaking directly to the people, because these days that has become a standard with the state of the union address. Instead he is broadcasting actual discussions that he is having with congress. It still has the same effect because some are amazed that they can actually watch and listen to the discussions and see where everything stands.

Another aspect to think about is how both of their wives were active with the American people. Mrs. Roosevelt would travel around the country to visit with people in schools or even in the slums, and Mrs. Obama does similar visits today. Fans of Mrs. Roosevelt admired her for being a mom, wife, politician and states woman, and fans of Mrs. Obama admire her for similar qualities, and particularly her fashion sense.

UCSD In The Great Depression

I did my internship at UCSD in one of their neuroscience imaging labs. What's kind of interesting is they received federal stimulus money to work on their latest research study. I dont think the government gave money to colleges to do research in recessions or depressions, but it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if they did.

I think that during the Great Depression, my company would have maybe been somewhere in the middle. I dont think they would have been thriving since im sure a lot of people couldnt afford college, but I know a lot other colleges made it through those times. Even in the Great Depression, Im sure there were still people who could afford it. Im not even sure if very many people went to college around the time of the depression, at least not as many people as today.

Tom Joad

"You know where I come from." The driver was silent. "Dont you?" Joad insisted pg. 12

I think that this shows that he is very a very honest person and he knows what people must be thinking about him and hes open about it. It shows how he handles his personal image and that hes not ashamed.

"An old turtle," he said. "Picked him up on the road. An old bulldozer. Thought Id take 'im to my little brother. Kids like turtles." pg. 21

I think this quote is important because you can tell early on into meeting him that he thought about his family, and wanted to bring something to his little brother. I think it reveals how much he cares about his family in a small way.

"We was drunk," Joad said softly....Fust thing I see is Herb comin' for me again with his knife. They was this here shovel leanin' against the schoolhouse, so I grabbed it an' smacked 'im over the head. I never had nothing against Herb." pg. 53

This is where he actually gives details about what happened the night he killed someone and how it happened. The author indicates he spoke softly and since he said he had nothing against Herb himself, it gives you a better idea about his feelings on the whole incident. He doesnt regret it (told that to the trucker), but it seems like he feels at least a little remorseful.

"Ever' word you say is sense. But Jesus, I hate to get pushed around! I lots rather take a sock at Willy." pg. 58

This quote shows that he doesnt like to get pushed around and would rather take the risk of going back to jail than be bossed around and harassed by the sheriff. His morals are more important than the risk of jail.

Photo Essay

Hey! Come check out my awesome photo essay that tells the story of being an intern and a research subject.

see it here!

High Quality Work Examples

Hallies Mentor Interview

Her mentor interview stood out to me because even though she used blogger, the interview still had a nice layout and even just looking at the top part of it (title, headline, pull-quote) I was drawn in and I really liked her title. The interview was different and it wasnt just the question answer format. She broke away from the traditional interview and I think she structured it really professionally.


Jasmines Mentor Interview

I thought that her mentor interview came out looking great, and it was fun and interesting to read. When I was still working on my mentor interview, I actually went to hers to look at what I considered a good example. I thought it was really cool how she used pictures on the side, and how her interview reads like a story. She had plenty of clarity and explanation so you got to learn about her mentor and also her internship experience.

Alias Mentor Interview

Just looking at her mentor interview, I was drawn in by the title and the headline. I thought it was cool how she used a quote to open up her interview. Her interview also stood out to me because I loved the picture and it was really cool to see quotes all over the interview, not just when shes answering questions. I think the questions she asked were interesting and helped the interview flow.

Ampersand!

I want to produce a high quality piece of writing that is something new and different and nothing like anything Ive written before. I dont want it to be just another standard essay, or a summary of what I did, I really want my ampersand article to be fresh and have that tone and feel that I saw in some of the other articles.

I think I need to just work on finding the right thing to inspire me, and use all of my experiences and other projects to come up with a ton of different cool ideas. I dont want it to be just an article about what I did for three weeks.

Within the class I want to have great leaders working on all of the different aspects to make the book be all together, and yet have each article be unique. Just like with the calendar, I want our class to one up the book at make it the best edition of ampersand, so good that even next years juniors cant out-do it.

My Mentor Interview

Take a look at my completed mentor interview! I have been working hard on it since we have been back at school.

Come See!

Mentor Interview Intro Rough Draft

At one of her two labratories and offices, Dr. Terry Jernigan has a brief break in her active day. The self proclaimed "absent minded professor" is always busy with everything from being a professor, a researcher and even launching a major research project. She knew that she wanted to be a physiologist as a teenager, but she never imaginged that she would follow a boyfriend to Calfornia, get her masters degree, work on one of the first CAT scanners and become a professor at UCSD. She talked with us about growing up, her college experience, and her career.

Does it need to be longer? How can I make it longer?
What details and information would enhance the writing?
What kinds of extra quotes should I add in, if any?
How can I improve the intro?
Whats missing?

Interviews

Nicole Kidman Interview

Michelle Obama Interview

I think that in order to make a good final product you need to make the interview appealing both in the introduction and with all of the questions and content. I think that what drew me in to the interviews the most was the way they opened up. They all had their own way to open up, and also paint a picture of the interview setting and what the interview-ee was wearing or how they were acting. I think that a writer makes an interview into a final product by editing and fine tuning everything that was said. I think that the arrangement of the questions and answers can also help make it more like a piece of writing with good flow. I think that it becomes a piece of journalism when it seems like a casual, friendly conversation but it has good flow and readable grammar. I think its key to transform the conversation into something that someone could easily read through.