"This operation shows how accessible and pervasive illegal drugs continue to be on our college campuses and how common it is for students to be selling to other students," said San Diego County Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis.
When I read this article i was shocked but also not very surprised. I grew up in a very sheltered life in a small town in California with my Mom and Dad. My whole life I went to church and a Christian school and stayed in my safe little bubble. When I got into high school my eyes opened up. I started seeing things that I had never seen before, drugs. I went to a private catholic school, thinking that it would be like the Christian school I grew up in, but I was wrong. All of these kids had money and connections, drug connections. One by one i saw them drop out of school. I figured this was the way the world is and when I came to Northern Arizona that thought was backed up. Many people that I met in college are nice and I made many friends but many have a secret of using drugs. It is not uncommon at all at NAU or any college really. It is very common for students to buy and sell drugs. But many people seem to have their act together besides that so it is hard to tell who does what. It is a sad fact, but it is fact.
Article from http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-drugbust7-2008may07,0,7306532.story?track=rss
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Reflection (Writing)
Growing up and going through school all I heard was that you need to have eligible writing and that you need to know how to write in cursive because when you get to high school and college and eventually get a job you will have to write everything in eligible cursive hand writing. This is not true at all! I maybe wrote something in cursive one time, my freshman year of high school, because I want to try it, not because I had to. There was a reason why my teachers made me learn cursive hand writing in elementary school. It is because they had to and they still wrote in it but times are changing and it is rare to even turn in a homework assignment, besides math, in hand writing. Everything is switching to electronics.
Electronics have changed writing forever. Everything is done through electronics now, from communication, school, and the business world and there is little need for a pen and paper anymore.
In communication, there is text messaging, instant messaging, and email. These are great tools to send and receive information quickly and effectively. Its quick because it is wireless and messages take a few seconds to get to the person receiving the message. They are effective and reliable because people can see that their message was received or not. But it is also bad, in the way of spelling and grammar. There is a new electronic language that everyone uses that is quick and easy to do but it can affect your real writing. I’m talking about new words such as “LOL,” “TTYL,” “G2G,” and other words like “wut,” “gotta,” etc. I and millions of people use these words every day. I also notice that when I write papers and assignments I tend to use them too without noticing and I have to make sure I spell check everything.
In school, papers need to be typed out in a certain format, and there are classes that teach correct email etiquette. In just about all of my class I have to turn in typed papers or email my assignments to my teacher. But all of my papers have to be in a certain format, “Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced with one inch margins.” It is easy because for most computers that is the default setting. Even to take notes students bring in laptops to take their notes. Also, I remember taking a computer information class in high school and college. There I was taught how to send professional emails and was told how important it was but I was also told that in elementary school, so I don’t know how important it really is going to be, especially with this trend in instant messaging and text messaging.
In the business world, everything is sent via email and instant messaging. My dad has a blackberry which he uses to send emails and text messages to his clients and coworkers. He works for a telecommunications company and tells me that things are switching to instant messaging and text messaging. Telephones are still used but I think they too will be gone. Conference calls will turn into chat rooms and everyone will text message each other rather than picking up the phone to call someone. In office buildings people don’t even get up from their cubicle to talk to a coworker 30 feet away from them, instead they just send them a message.
All I am saying is that current trends are pointing to electronics and I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It is fast and easy but it also makes people so lazy that they can’t pick up a phone and have a nice conversation with someone or sit down and hand write in a journal but instead type out a nice long blog. And with all the typing people just may forget how to hand write, I know I don’t remember how to write in cursive.
Electronics have changed writing forever. Everything is done through electronics now, from communication, school, and the business world and there is little need for a pen and paper anymore.
In communication, there is text messaging, instant messaging, and email. These are great tools to send and receive information quickly and effectively. Its quick because it is wireless and messages take a few seconds to get to the person receiving the message. They are effective and reliable because people can see that their message was received or not. But it is also bad, in the way of spelling and grammar. There is a new electronic language that everyone uses that is quick and easy to do but it can affect your real writing. I’m talking about new words such as “LOL,” “TTYL,” “G2G,” and other words like “wut,” “gotta,” etc. I and millions of people use these words every day. I also notice that when I write papers and assignments I tend to use them too without noticing and I have to make sure I spell check everything.
In school, papers need to be typed out in a certain format, and there are classes that teach correct email etiquette. In just about all of my class I have to turn in typed papers or email my assignments to my teacher. But all of my papers have to be in a certain format, “Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced with one inch margins.” It is easy because for most computers that is the default setting. Even to take notes students bring in laptops to take their notes. Also, I remember taking a computer information class in high school and college. There I was taught how to send professional emails and was told how important it was but I was also told that in elementary school, so I don’t know how important it really is going to be, especially with this trend in instant messaging and text messaging.
In the business world, everything is sent via email and instant messaging. My dad has a blackberry which he uses to send emails and text messages to his clients and coworkers. He works for a telecommunications company and tells me that things are switching to instant messaging and text messaging. Telephones are still used but I think they too will be gone. Conference calls will turn into chat rooms and everyone will text message each other rather than picking up the phone to call someone. In office buildings people don’t even get up from their cubicle to talk to a coworker 30 feet away from them, instead they just send them a message.
All I am saying is that current trends are pointing to electronics and I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It is fast and easy but it also makes people so lazy that they can’t pick up a phone and have a nice conversation with someone or sit down and hand write in a journal but instead type out a nice long blog. And with all the typing people just may forget how to hand write, I know I don’t remember how to write in cursive.
Monday, May 5, 2008
War Photographer
The film, War Photographer, by Christian Frei follows a photographer by the name of James Nachtwey. It is an emotionally deep film that follows Nachtwey as he captures photos of the effects of war around the world in poverty and war stricken countries. Nachtwey captures picture of grief, death, mourning, and survival in Kosovo, Indonesia, and Palestine. Frei uses camera angles from the camera of Nachtwey to give the film a first person sort of view. It is effective because you see the live action and then later you see the still photographs after and you sort of know the story behind the picture. Also, all of the filming is up close and in the action, because unlike many war photographers, Nachtwey goes into hostile areas to get the real emotion and effect in his photos. It shows the danger of the situation and captures the audience, which is very moving.
The most specific scene that stood out to me was when Nachtwey documented the family in Indonesia. It was a family that lived between two train tracks. They were “homeless” in the sense that they did not live in a building but lived on some cardboard between to active railroad tracks. They lived there along with dozens of families because the property by the tracks is free. The father of the family had been in an accident several years before where a train ran over him taking one of his legs and one of his arms, but it did not stop him from raising his family. Every day he bathes his family at the river and stood by the road to receive money from any good Samaritans who passed by. It was amazing to see how this man and his family survived on about 40 American cents a day.
Another moving scene was the scene when the CNN crew went into the builing with all of the dead bodies in body bags. They were all wearing special suits and masks to keep them safe from the bacteria of the dead bodies and protect them from the smell. As they were taking photos and shooting film flowers fell from the sky. Later two little boys walk in past the yellow tape with no suits or masks on and throw flowers on the bodies of the deceased. It was interesting to see these rich white reports in the special gear and then seeing two little boys walk right up to the dead bodies. It showed the innocence of the boys. It was normal for them to see death. But for the reporters and photographers were there to report this for people who are safe at home and probably have never seen a dead body or dead bodies. It was a very interesting concept to think about as I watched the film.
The most specific scene that stood out to me was when Nachtwey documented the family in Indonesia. It was a family that lived between two train tracks. They were “homeless” in the sense that they did not live in a building but lived on some cardboard between to active railroad tracks. They lived there along with dozens of families because the property by the tracks is free. The father of the family had been in an accident several years before where a train ran over him taking one of his legs and one of his arms, but it did not stop him from raising his family. Every day he bathes his family at the river and stood by the road to receive money from any good Samaritans who passed by. It was amazing to see how this man and his family survived on about 40 American cents a day.
Another moving scene was the scene when the CNN crew went into the builing with all of the dead bodies in body bags. They were all wearing special suits and masks to keep them safe from the bacteria of the dead bodies and protect them from the smell. As they were taking photos and shooting film flowers fell from the sky. Later two little boys walk in past the yellow tape with no suits or masks on and throw flowers on the bodies of the deceased. It was interesting to see these rich white reports in the special gear and then seeing two little boys walk right up to the dead bodies. It showed the innocence of the boys. It was normal for them to see death. But for the reporters and photographers were there to report this for people who are safe at home and probably have never seen a dead body or dead bodies. It was a very interesting concept to think about as I watched the film.
Synthesis
"An ordinary object can move mountains just through history and the importance that people place on it."
When I read this one liner I am reminded of the light bulb and how it has changed the world forever. It brought humanity out of darkness and into the light, literally. Humphrey Davy was the first to invent the light bulb but it was Thomas Edison that invented the modern light bulb which we use today. We are so dependent on light and the light bulb. Without it we would not have things such as the television, nor would we be able to see at nights without having an open flame, nor could we drive during the night time. This was the beginning of innovation because we have also been able to understand how electricity works by looking at the light bulb. We have figured out how electricity flows through currents. Since Edison’s first light bulb we have been able to improve on it and make it better. We now have spotlights, black lights, halogen lights, strobe lights, and everyone’s favorite, Christmas lights. With these innovations we are able to use light as entertainment rather than necessity, now.
When I read this one liner I am reminded of the light bulb and how it has changed the world forever. It brought humanity out of darkness and into the light, literally. Humphrey Davy was the first to invent the light bulb but it was Thomas Edison that invented the modern light bulb which we use today. We are so dependent on light and the light bulb. Without it we would not have things such as the television, nor would we be able to see at nights without having an open flame, nor could we drive during the night time. This was the beginning of innovation because we have also been able to understand how electricity works by looking at the light bulb. We have figured out how electricity flows through currents. Since Edison’s first light bulb we have been able to improve on it and make it better. We now have spotlights, black lights, halogen lights, strobe lights, and everyone’s favorite, Christmas lights. With these innovations we are able to use light as entertainment rather than necessity, now.
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