Today, I read Vincent’s post on the essay, Shame by Dick Gregory. I realize that both of us only had one thing in common which was how Gregory mentioned being unprivileged and the struggles he was dealing with. However, Vincent mostly talked about how the story was interesting to him because it was a new perspective to him. I mostly mentioned his hardships and also a quote that I had a particular interest in. Vincent and I had a different view on what the argument of this essay is. Vincent said that “the argument here is that how an environment can affect the life of someone.” On the other hand, I mentioned that the argument of this essay is about the inequality between social classes in society. Although, we have different thoughts on the argument of this essay, both of these arguments are valid to this essay.

1. All Thumbs

To sum up the definition of All Thumbs, it basically means that someone isn’t really good at or clumsy at something that they are doing.

I can’t even knit like you. I guess I’m all thumbs.

2. Fishy

If something is fishy, it means that there is something suspicious about it.

There is something fishy about him.

3. Drive Someone up the wall

If someone makes you drive up the wall, it means that they are really pissing you out.

4. Call it for day

Call it for the day means that everyone stops what they are doing right now. For example, if a professor is really overwhelmed and tired, they might tell their students to call it for the day. This means that the students will stop what they’re doing and are dismissed.

5. Catch-22 (a new one that I never heard of)

Catch-22 means that there is no chance of winning or succeeding. The example that is provided is “If I study medicine, I’ll be unhappy. If I study art, my parents will be unhappy. I’m in a catch-22 situation.”

Today, I read Nub’s response to Paula Mirando’s article, “Shared Experiences of Multiethnic Children in Stealing Buddha’s Dinner”. Both of us mentioned that the theme of Mirando’s article is to illustrate the experience and hardships of being a multi-cultured person. Nub also mentioned that the character in “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner“, suffers from finding her identity where she isn’t able to fit into the multi-cultures that she is part of. I also mentioned this point, but the difference in our response is that I talked about my first-hand experience, which is the reason why I can relate to that person. Another difference in our response is that Nub wrote the essay more analytically because he included more examples and how those examples help support the theme of the story. On the other hand, I only use minimal examples and most of them support the theme and my own experience. There is one part where Nub mentioned how multicultured felt a “guilt at not being able to identify with all aspects of his or her heritage [which] may lead to anger, shame, or self-hatred” (Mirando, page. 130). I wanted to include this part in my reading response, but I forgot to. I found that interesting how exclusion and leads to people feeling these negative emotions towards themselves.

Honestly, right now I am not sure what to write for a proposal argument essay. Though, in my public speaking class, we are doing proposal essays, specifically about either taking down monuments or leaving them up. I plan to talk about putting up Corrie Ten Boom’s statue because she helped many Jewish people escape from the Nazis. I thought it would be interesting to talk about this person because she’s pretty heroic.

The purpose of this essay addressing a problem with a vision to solve it. I was wondering if this has to be current problems, or could this be previous problems. There are actually several things that I am interested to talk about. 1) Abortion and the problem with the society (workspace and opportunities) 2)Freedom of Religion 3)The problem with Identity and Labels

I am not sure what to talk about. 🙁

After watching her interview, it helped the audience understand first-hand knowledge of what she was going through. When reading her essay, it just felt like one experience and event that has happened, but hearing her talk through her experience makes the audience really put themselves in her shoes. It was inspiring and heart-warming to hear that her relationship with her grandma is what influenced her to read poems because she said that her grandma would use to chant Chinese poems with her on her grandma’s back. This is when she started to find that poetry was her safe place. Although she was influenced by her grandmother, she was also the one that was strict with her and restricted her from going to the poetry camp. Even though these events were painful to her, she wrote these poems about these situations out of a funny and “witty” experience. This not only tells her situation but, ironically, entertains the audience by making them laugh. I found it interesting that her poetry is in conversation form!

Group Members: AJ, Sam, and Lillian 

FANBOYS: 

1. A wise old gentleman retired and bought a home near a Middle School. He mostly spent his summers in his cottage, but then the school year begins and his peace and quiet came to a sudden halt.
2. On the first day of school, three boys came down the alley, beating merrily on every trash they could see. The same thing happened the next day and the next, and the noise started driving the wise old man crazy. It was time for action.
3. The next afternoon, he stopped the drummers as they banged their way down the street. He said, “You kids are a lot of fun! I love hearing your drumming, because it is so cheerful, and it reminds me of what I used to do at your age. Will you do me a favor?”
4. The boys looked at him suspiciously. “What?” they asked. “I’ll give you a dollar if you promise to come around every single day and keep beating on those trash cans,” said the man.
5. The boys were thrilled. Every day they pounded on trash cans and collected a dollar.
6. After about a week, the wise old man stopped the boys again and this time he looked a little bit sad. “I still love your drumming,” he said to the boys. “However I’m afraid spending a dollar a day is hard on me, I’m on a fixed income. From now on, I’m only going to be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans.”
7. The boys weren’t too happy, but they decided to accept 50 cents a day, and they continued beating on all the trash cans. After another week the clever old man stopped the boys again. “I’ve got more bad news,” he said. “My Social Security check hasn’t come yet, so I’m not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents a day. Is that all right?”
8. “Are you kidding?” said one of the boys. “We’re not going to waste our time beating on those trash cans for only a lousy quarter! We quit!”
9. The wise old man smiled and enjoyed his peace and quiet.

My Response: 

Today, I read Ian’s reading response to the effectiveness of the visual arguments. Ian and I both discuss how effective visual components are because the visuals appeal more to audiences than only textual arguments. This is because visual components stand out to individuals than textual information. Both of us discussed how adding pie charts or bar graphs will not only help increase the credibility of the argument but also entertains the audience.  The difference between our posts is the examples that we chose. He chose to talk about competitive biking and the usage of pie charts and bar graphs. On the other hand, I chose to talk about the black and white photograph and the usage of pie charts and bar graphs in infographics. Although we chose to use different examples, we had the same view on visual arguments where they are more effective than an argument that is just full of text.

Discussion: Nub and Vincent

Nub read Jash’s post and Vincent read Lexi’s posts. Nub said that both Jash and he focused on logos. They both use the same examples. Vincent said the Lexi also focused on the appeals of logos.

1. A minister walking down a country lane sees a young farmer struggling to load hay back onto a cart. “You look hot, my son,” said the minister, “rest a moment and let me give you a hand.”

2. “No thanks,” said the young man, “my father wouldn’t like it.”

3. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” the minister said. “Everyone is entitled to have a break, so come and have a drink of water.” Again, the young man said that his father would be upset.

4. Losing his patience, the minister said, “Your father must be a slow driver. I’d like to give him a piece of my mind. Tell me where I can find him!”

5. “Well,” replied the young farmer, “Look down. He’s under a load of hay.”

Group Members: Ian, AJ, and Lillian

(Excerpts below are from the following text:  Clines, R.H & Cobb, E. R. (2012)

Research Writing||Simplified, 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.)

1. Excerpt from page 23 of an article in 2011 by William Ellis entitled “Culture in Transition.”

World problems such as poverty, pollution, war, and hunger are inherent in the current system

of world order based on nation-states and economic competition. They can be solved if people

know and understand one another on a global, grass-roots basis.  By developing people-to-

people linkages irrespective of national borders, we can start to ameliorate global tensions and

inequities.

Student versions:

Is this plagiarism or not?  Y or N

_____William Ellis asserts that world problems such as poverty, pollution, war, and hunger are

inherent in the current system of world order based on nation-states and economic

competition (p. 23).

Yes, this is plagiarism because the writer is pulling the exact sentence from the text without citing it.

In his intext citation, he didn’t mention the author’s name. 

_____Global tensions and inequities can be solved if people begin to help one another on a

grass-roots basis, moving beyond the current world order of economic competition (Ellis 23).

Yes. Although he re-wrote it in his own words, he didn’t use the correct in-text citation. 

_____Ellis (2011) argues that global problems are often a result of exploitation inherent in

economic competition.  He contends that “grass roots….people-to people linkages irrespective

of national borders” can do much to ease global tensions (p. 23).

No. 

_____Economic competition is at the basis of many of the world’s problems (Ellis 23). Only by

seeing ourselves as a single family without the separation of national boundaries can world

tensions begin to be eased.

Yes, because the in-text citation is incorrect. 

_Ellis (2011) argues that world problems are caused by overpopulation and that the only

possible solution is an enforced tax on families who have more than one child (p. 23).

Yes, because he didn’t use the information therefore he doesn’t need to quote. 

Original Text:

Alaska’s wetlands provide many benefits including: food and habitat for wildlife, fish and

shellfish species, natural products for human use and subsistence, shoreline erosion and

sediment control, flood protection, and opportunities for recreation and esthetic

appreciation.

Hall, Jonathan V., W. E. Frayer, and Bill O. Wilen.

Status of Alaska Wetlands.

4 Nov. 1997.

Web. 12 Mar. 2011.

Student Version:

Alaskan wetlands offer advantages such as erosion and flood control, homes and food for

wildlife, and natural beauty and products for humans’ benefit.

Yes, this is plagiarism because he didn’t mention the source he got his information from and he forgot to put the author’s name.

2.

Original Text:

Assertive individuals tend to feel more in control of their lives, derive more satisfactions from

their relationships and achieve their goals more often. They also will obtain more respect

from, and inspire confidence in, those with whom they interact since they tend to be viewed

as strong characters who will not be easily swayed.

Hargie, O., Saunders, C., & Dickson, D. (2000).

Social Skills in Interpersonal Communication.

London: Routledge, p. 271.

Student Version:

Because they are not readily influenced, assertive people gain respect from others, and they

experience success in guiding their own lives, nurturing good relationships, and achieving

their goals (Hargie, Saunders, and Dickson, 2000, p. 271).

It isn’t plagiarism because not only did they re-write the text in their own words, but they also provided correct in-text.

3.

Original Text:

A new to recycle bald tires has been developed by researchers at the University of Georgia

Agricultural Experiment Station. Instead of hanging them on trees as swings, they’re using

them as mulch around the base.

“Tires Return as Mulch.”

Popular Mechanics

94.2 (2000): 22. LEXIX-NEXIS. Web. 31 July

2011.

Student Version:

A Popular Mechanics article notes that University of Georgia researchers have found a new

use for worn tires: instead of having them on trees as swings, they’re using them as mulch

(“Tires Return”).

Yes, because they didn’t use in-text citations correctly.