Research Topic Resources

These are some of the sources I have found regarding the LEED program and green buildings.

"Green Building |US EPA." US Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/>.

"Green Topics: Green Building Rating Systems - BuildingGreen.com." Home - BuildingGreen.com. Web. 16 Apr. 2011. <http://www.buildinggreen.com/menus/entries.cfm?HeadingID=125>.

Jones, Louise. Environmentally Responsible Design: Green and Sustainable Design for Interior Designers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2008. Print.

Parr, Adrian, and Michael Zaretsky. New Directions in Sustainable Design. London: Routledge, 2011. Print.

Bonding over a Mascot Response

Prior to beginning his research, Lapointe may have asked himself, how do the people of Florida State feel, specifically those of Seminole background, in response to the NCAA’s declaration of an unfit, offensive mascot? Once he conducted his research and found answers to his questions, he was able to then put together a piece that informed the audience with an answer. Lapointe’s purpose was to explain that many people with Seminole and other Native American backgrounds were not offended or upset about the University’s Seminole imagery. In fact, when doing research about it, Lapointe quoted one man, Osceola, who said “If I had a child and named it after you, would you consider it an honor?” The author’s goal was to show that the people were proud rather than offended. They even sped up the process for creating a class that looked at the history of the Seminoles and Southeastern tribes.  Lapointe is able to use his research to back up his points and clearly show his results. He interviews students about their feelings regarding the situation, as well as people of Seminole descent and their opinions. Having these personal interviews establishes Lapointe’s ethos and allows him to provide the audience with a first hand look at the situation. In addition, Lapointe also researches some history of the people, the struggles they overcame, and the success (specifically with casinos), that they are seeing today. This helps promote the Seminole imagery as a positive thing that embraces the culture of the people. The NCAA flagged several other schools for similar issues, yet Lapointe provides statistics and examples of universities, similar to Florida State, who are fighting back and promoting the honor that this imagery entails. While he does mention that people can get out of hand and do offensive activities, Lapointe is still able to establish the mascot as a positive thing that the school and community embrace and cherish as a sign of culture and continuity. 

Is Google making us stupid response

I feel that my current generation seems to be the one that can most identify with the affects of the Google transformation. Throughout elementary school, we rarely used computers or the Internet for reading. In fact, our reading program was very book intensive, and it encouraged comprehension skills. Even in middle school, teachers were still skeptical about using the Internet as a way to promote reading. Throughout these years, computer technology wasn’t “brand new”, but it was still new enough. For papers and research projects, we were always required to research in the library, and allowed only one Internet source. However, by the time I got to High School, this process changed. Internet readings became a part of our daily homework. We were presented with how to properly use the Internet to search, and where we could find crucial information. I can only recall two times during all of high school when I stepped into the library and actually used a book. While many see the Internet as an efficient and amazing tool, I would have to agree with Carr when he suggests that the Internet is actually making us stupid.

            Out of all the issues regarding the Internet, the biggest one that Carr mentions is its ability to disregard deep reading. This loss of deep reading, which often allows us to develop our own thoughts and opinions, is replaced with a series of links, easy searches, and opinions already posted. When a person reads a book to find an answer, it takes time. The process may be long, but as you search for answers, you begin to find other answers and information along the way. It is a complete learning process. With the Internet, you simply type in what your looking for, and the answer is there within seconds, no searching involved. In addition, Carr points out that since we no longer “deep read”, we have instead adapted a browsing skill, where we search for key words, similar to the Internet. I too have adapted this skill, often as a way to promote time efficiency. When I read articles and books, I often skim through the pages, making sure I get the main gist. However, I lose out on all of the detail, anecdotes, and key parts of the piece that often serve as learning devices. I would definitely have to agree with Carr and say the Internet is an issue. Personally, I have seen the transformation through my education, and can identify with how things have changed. However, generations after mine may never know what its like to open a book and read for hours, simply because Google will do it for them. 

Joy article response

Joy is mainly concerned about the rapid growth of technology in our society. Specifically, he points out that the 20^th century was based around technology involving nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Now in the 21^st century, technology is centered on genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics. The difference between these two technologies is that while weapons of mass destruction require large facilities, rare raw materials, and can only be performed once, the technology of the 21^st century is mainly centered around knowledge. Once people acquire this knowledge, such technologies can be used (or abused) however one feels. Joy believes that we are moving forward without caution in the field of technology.  He fears that people may become power hungry, abuse this self-replicating technology, and our society will spin out of control in multiple ways.

In order to get his point and fear across, Joy uses various examples, anecdotes, and meanings that all contribute to the rhetorical appeals. One of his first stories involves his initial meeting with Ray Kurzweil, an inventor who Joy greatly admired. This meeting was the impetus for his fear of technology and its rapid advancements. In short, Ray spoke of his confidence in technology and how sooner than later, we were going to fuse into and/or work with sentient robots. In addition to this, Joy also alludes to several science fiction movies and technological books like, Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind. He continuously drops scientific names and authors that help to establish his logos. In addition, he addresses, in detail, the specific technologies, like nanotechnology, as well as the pros and cons. However, I feel his most effective approach was discussing his story of how he personally is affected by this growth of technology. Joy goes into great detail about his interest in computer programming, technology, and the success of his business. This allows him to establish ethos, showing he is very credible when it comes to discussing subjects like this. In addition, Joy shows concern that sine he worked in this field, he fears he helped to contribute to this potentially devastating growth of technology.

11 years later, I believe this problem is becoming increasingly more relevant. We are living in a society where a computer can basically fit into a cell phone or paper-thin tablet (at a reasonable price). While these are simple technological advancements, they have occurred in an extremely short period of time. This is especially true if you consider when computers themselves first became invented. In addition, technology in science is becoming more advanced, including things like using stem cells for genetic manipulation. While reading this article I kept imagining the story of Frankenstein, where a scientific experiment goes terribly wrong. With the quick advancements being made in technology, I strongly believe that this problem will consistently remain and grow. 

saturday proposal

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=8023163

The fear of a nuclear crisis continues to rise in Japan after the devastating earthquakes. Radiation has been detected in the air, plants, and water within the area.  They are also realizing that they were not properly prepared for such a situation. This is an extremely important issue because if the plant does meltdown and release radiation, people in the area will experience fatal health issues, everything will be contaminated, and this contamination will easily reach back to other countries via imports, water, and air.

http://www.centredaily.com/2011/03/20/2593867/bath-salts-trend-worries-authorities.html

This article looks at the issue of "bath salts" being sold in state college stores. These bath salts contain legal chemicals that people are using to get high. This is an issue because many people have ended up in the hospital for dangerous side effects. In addition, someone died from overdosing, and one man acted out irrationally while on it and stabbed a priest. This issue has existed with several other legal herbs that people also use to get high. The user's health is at risk, as well as other innocent bystander's health and safety.

saturday proposal

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/breaking/Flash-Mob-HM-Arrests-118277639.html

This article discusses the issue of a teen flash mob within Center City Philadelphia. These mobs have been occurring recently, and often result in arrests. This is an important issue to address because such actions have been taking place for over a year. When a large group of people come together like that, fights often break out, property is damaged, and innocent people can get hurt.

http://articles.philly.com/2010-10-22/news/24982123_1_facebook-posts-students-threats-at-high-school

This article looks at an issue of inappropriate Facebook messages and threats that erupted throughout a New Jersey high school. The students were left feeling anxious and scared. This is an important issue within many schools, where Facebook bullying and safety needs to be addressed. Students need to understand the danger that can occur on such sights.

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/02/25/aclu_chik-fliet_protest.aspx

Students within LGBTA were striking outside the chic-fil-a in the hub when they found our that the corporation does not support equal rights regarding sexuality. Although the specific one in the hub has not demonstrated this attitude, students do not want their money going to someone that does. This is important to address because discrimination against sexuality is still a common issue within society, and we need to continue to propose different ways to make everyone accepted, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Friday proposal

http://www.nj.com/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1299474607156421.xml&coll=8

The state is not providing the funds and aid to students in New Jersey that is should, and the formula for determining who receives aid is flawed. This is important because without the proper aid, school budgets begin to fail, money is distributed unevenly, and students directly experience this struggle with cuts within their education system

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8021474.

Due to the recent natural disasters in Japan, many electronic, car, and other products have faced a halt in manufacturing. This is important because it will show a decline in the sales of the company, which is particularly bad during a recession. In addition, consumers may be affected by this hault and not have convenient access to these products for the time being. Overall, if the situation persists, the global market may see significant decreases.

A Modest Proposal

1) Respose to satire 

In Swift’s proposal, he sarcastically suggests a solution to several problems that the Irish society is facing as a result of abuse from English Protestants. Specifically, he focuses on the issues of the poverty stricken and the way they live. At the time of his proposal, Swift brings attention to problems like begging mothers whose children seem to only be a burden. The children are not adequately fed, cannot be properly taken care of, and according to Swift, cannot be considered useful members of society until about age six. He states that his suggestion will minimize the suffering of children and the monetary suffering of their families. In addition, he believes his proposal will prevent voluntary abortions, murdering of children, and supply the public with food and clothing that they may have been in need of. The way in which Swift uses satire is extremely effective in the piece. He proposes such an outrageous idea, to use babies as food, that the audience is left stunned while reading his work. However, rather than just stating his proposal, Swift rations it out and provides concrete examples, statistics, and counterarguments, similar to any political proposal that someone would employ. He states that such a proposal would reduce the political, financial, and social issues that the Irish are facing, as well as benefit wealthy Englishmen. Using satire allows Swift to “humorously” mimic the English landlord’s point of view, and bring awareness to the abuse that the Irish people face. Satire makes the piece much more interesting and takes a personal jab at the wealthy English viewpoint, without flatly stating that their actions are ridiculous. In reality, the purpose of the piece is to identify the prejudice against Irish Catholics (by the English) that was occurring at the time.  Swift is “pretending” to have this prejudice viewpoint and uses humor to show how outrageous the situation truly is.

2) A (Short) Modest proposal on censorship

            It is beyond obvious that the reason violence, sex, and substance abuse are so prevalent in our society is due to the over exposure of adult issues in television, books, and other forms of media. Therefore, I am proposing that we eliminate these evils completely. Without books, like Huck Finn for example, our society will become much more peaceful. With all of these inappropriate precedents gone, racial slurs and other forms of violence will no longer exist. Book simply feed our minds with issues that do not need to be addressed, They are the cause.of poor behavior. The elimination of television and other forms of media will keep young children and teenagers from seeing “adult situations” and problems that they should not know about. Why should a 6 year old know about the war in Iraq? Why are 12 year olds discussing who Snookie “smushed” last night at their lunch tables. Television shows, new stations, and newspapers provide negative information that our society should not know about. By completely eliminating all of these forms, we will no longer be exposed to many issues that serve as the impetus for debate and distress within our country. In addition, the elimination of all media and books will result in a less stressed, happier, and more productive society overall. There will be more time for family and personal relationships without the stresses that pop culture puts on us. Overall, the total elimination of all influential media is the only way towards the peaceful society that we aim to achieve.

Music Album Review

I guess it was around 8^th grade when I first realized that Sean Paul, Fergie, and Chris Brown were not the only artists making “great” music. It was also about the time when I started to really listen to music and question the point of it. I began spending hours on iTunes, going from one page to another, listening to the 30-second music samples of obscure artists that I knew my friends weren’t into. There was something thrilling about having a secret band streaming from my headphones, while everyone else listened to Kelly Clarkson’s “walk away”. This was how I was introduced to my favorite artist of all time: Bright Eyes.

“I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” is the first Bright Eyes album I ever listened to, and the review I found by Chris Dahlen on Pitchfork focuses exactly on why I fell in love with it.  “ Conor Oberst sends shivers down my spine…” This is the exact reaction I receive every time I hear his music. The review immediately addresses the emotional beauty behind his lyrics, and the way in which his voice instantly becomes raw, needing only a guitar to accompany it. It specifically highlights this album as one of the best, for reasons that seem almost unexplainable. His sound is extremely mature for his age, and the lyrics reflect this sophistication. The review focuses on some of the most beautiful songs, where he addresses love, spontaneity, and even politics in a way that is honest and pure. Dahlen really caught onto the magic behind Bright Eyes and the way the lyrics defy pop culture’s typical topics of sex, women, money, and drugs.

If I were to evaluate Bright Eyes even further than the review did, I would also focus on the tone and genre of the music. The sound is pure folk, and is often compared to the music of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. This style makes it very far from what we are used to hearing in today’s music culture, yet his words allow it to remain fresh and relevant. Therefore, I feel that although the lyrics are beautiful, and the music is outstanding, the way in which Bright Eyes combines them in this album is what truly brings it to life. This, I feel, is an important feature that should be noted.

I definitely believe that the review captured the essence of Bright Eyes and why I personally fell in love with the album. However, I also know that writing about it cannot do it full justice. Every song tells a story, and the only way to fully experience it the way Chris Dahlen and I have, is to lie in your bed on a cloudy day, stare at the ceiling, and just listen. 

Review Link: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11683-im-wide-awake-its-morning-digital-ash-in-a-digital-urn/

Song on the album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aZh261KZWI

Definition Proposal

For my definition paper, I would like to define the word architecture. The typical definition is the profession which involves designing buildings, spaces, interiors, and restoration. It could also refer to the style of a building and how it is viewed. The reason I have chosen this word is because since I became an architecture major in the fall, I have discovered that the standard definition known to the public is far from how I would describe it now. I have found a lot more meaning behind the word just through my own personal experiences. My purpose of this paper is to expose how architecture is more than just a style or profession. I want to fully describe it as an art form, but also how it can be a long, mentally and physically draining experience. My target audience will specifically be those considering to pursue a degree in architecture. Since the definition has changed so much for me since I arrived in the program at Penn State, I feel that it is necessary to make future people fully aware of what architecture truly is. Before getting here, I would have definitely appreciated to know the full extent that the word "architecture" entails.

Blog post 2

Oswalt initially begins his essay stating, “I am not a nerd”. However, before I go into his definition of a nerd, the meaning of Otaku should first be identified.  Otaku is a Japanese word that describes people with obsessive interests, which originally, were out of the norm. Therefore, a “nerd” or “geek” was someone otaku about a specific subject. For Oswalt, his friends and him were Otaku about videogames, science fiction, and other things typically associated with the word “nerd”. However, this stereotypical idea of nerd, according to Oswalt, no longer exists. Now, everyone is Otaku about something, and therefore everyone is a geek or a nerd. This idea, that pop culture has become Otaku, is the specific exigence that Oswalt is responding to. At one point, being obsessive over a specific interest set you apart. However, around 1987 this changed and those that were Otaku about something actually became ahead of the curve. There are several reasons for this shift in ideas, but the most immediate reason has been due to the Internet. The Internet has given every individual in America the ability to become otaku about something.  All of the different websites provide specific, detailed information, which would have taken an individual weeks to uncover thirty years ago. However, this process of uncovering, according to Oswalt, was part of the joy in being Otaku about something. It was a hidden pleasure that only you and a few other people were able to discover. The problem with society now is that with the Internet and pop culture, people are missing out on the joy of having a specific interest that only they know about it. I agree that today’s society has become dependent on the Internet for fueling their interests. It has made all of pop culture and anything that ever existed completely accessible. In fact, “geekiness” has become completely normal. In a way, everyone can be considered a ‘geek” about some subject. Like Oswalt says, “It’s the method of consumption, not what’s on the plate.” Unfortunately, we have still lost the thrill of being a “geek” and the hunt for knowledge regarding a particular interest. Therefore, although being a “nerd” or “geek” about something has become increasingly common in society, the true depth and meaning behind being a nerd has been lost, thus making us all one in the same.

Supermarket pastoral is the creative form of “literature” that organic food makers have developed to accompany their food. The labels often describe where the food came from in elaborate and over-exaggerated prose. The technique is used to make the buyer, or reader essentially, feel like they have a connection to the food and thus more interested in buying it.  Pollan is discussing it because he too has become affected by the creative language and thoughts that is evokes. While he is fully aware of how silly it may seem, he still prefers organic food to the grocery industry, which simply uses prices as its language. In reality however, organic food really comes from two main distributors found in California. Therefore, the process is very similar to that of the regular food industry. The appeal of organic food lies in the literature that mentally takes the buyer to where the food they are about to eat originated. This emotional connection that they develop makes buying organic food seem like a much more interesting experience. Thus, the culture of organic food is in the story it tells more so than the actual food. It attracts the buyer with a setting and characters that make them immediately interested, just like a childhood storybook. Supermarket Pastoral is the organic food industry’s creative advertising technique in attracting the customer through an emotional experience that they cannot receive anywhere else. 

narrative proposal

For my narrative, I would like to discuss my parent's divorce, and how their relationship has shaped my opinions, and made me the person I am today.

First Blog Assignment

Burke addresses Mein Kamp and analyzes it in order to discover the different propaganda tactics that Hitler used to appeal to society. His specific exigence is to respond to these tactics so that they will not be brought about again in America. Burke breaks down Hitler’s methods of persuasion, as well as the false ideas and assumptions that they were centered around. The specific exigence at the time was Hitler’s response to problems that Germany was facing. Mein Kamp, which is rhetoric in itself, responded to these issues by falsely blaming the Jewish population. Since Germany lost WWI, Hitler widely promoted the idea of unification. He wanted his audience to feel as if they were part of something together. As a result, he created this unified image by also creating a ‘fictitious devil’, which he said were the Jewish people. By creating this devil, people could unify and hate it together as a whole. Hitler also used repetition through propaganda. He repeated slogans as a way of spreading his idea and unifying everyone under one idea. In order to appeal to logos, Hitler created a hierarchy of race and status where he placed the Jewish at the bottom. By doing so, it then seemed logical for people to blame their burdens and issues on the Jewish of “lesser value”. The use of religion appeals to both pathos and ethos. Hitler uses God as a spiritual connection among his audience, which they can emotionally respond to. In addition, he uses religion to make it appear that what he is saying is ethical, however his words are often falsified and stray from the truth. His techniques are cleverly thought out and brought his audience to exactly where he wanted them to be.

         A current day propaganda technique that we are all exposed to is the commercial comparing PCs to MACs. Although I don’t dislike MACs, which is what it essentially promotes, I still don’t consider the commercial to be fully truthful. However, the commercial responds to the question of which type of system to buy, a common thought among many in today’s society. Thus, the audience consists of those faced with this dilemma. As a result, the commercial’s response to the question pushes toward MAC, and those unsure are given more reason to go with such an operating system. Consequently, the commercial serves as a persuasive technique to sell the product.