Reading Response: Article Two " 7 Grammar Rules You Really Should Pay Attention To"

I must admit that I am guilty of almost all of the grammar rules Ben Yagoda feels are imporant to remember. To be honest, I will never master the rules of verbs like lie verses lay or be able to use the semicolon the correct way. I have a huge issue with making a lot of run on sentenes and placing commas in the wrong place. I became obsessed with the usage of commas when a lot of teachers began to re-teach their students how to use them. All of the rules he brought up are really common mistakes. Sometimes it is easier to write a paper in the form of the way we talk than to have to make sure we use the correct grammar.

The books I have been reading lately probably do not follow the grammar rules. I like to read books that have their own style to them. If the author does no have their own way of talking to their readers, then I do not feel that they should be an author. Each author's voice is different and brings a unique purpose to their books.

An interesting rule Ben Yagoda presented was the subjunctive rule. It makes a lot of sense and was sort of fun. If you are making a fiction statement, say were instead of was. If it is non-fiction statement, say was instead of were. He used the examples of popular commercial songs are important figures in our society. It was a neat rule and I was surprised it was even mentioned in grammar. It seems like there is always a rule for everything that we do, but we do not realize it until we get older.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people use the wrong homophone in their sentence. It happens a lot on Facebook. I feel bad that my biggest pet peeve is a grammar error. I just that homophones are not hard to understand, especially if you are in high school. My cousin purposely uses them wrong just so he can get a reaction. I probably should find a way to get over my homophone pet peeve.



Five List for the Multigenre Research Proposal

Question Categories

• urban lifestyle
• ghettos in the time period
• how a father has an effect on your life
• does the effect of a father change the way you would want your boyfriend/husband to be
• percentage of girls who grow up with and without a father
• does being African-American make a difference
• stereo types
• personal experience
• how I view Winters experience
• survival skills

Interview Concerns

• show interest
• be specific
• be patient
• have feedback
• be open and inviting

Plan B Tips

• research on credible websites
• interview friends
• ask their parents how they feel they have effected their child

Factual Details

• prices of clothes
• daily schedule
• economy state
• crime rate
• fashions of drug dealing families
• gang violence
• how people saw their future
• role of women
• justice system
• family life

Academic Topics

• behavior of young girls in the ghetto
• mindset of a father who does illegal things
• why women need security
• do girls always try to follow the footsteps of their mother
• girls who grow up too fast

Multigenre Research Proposal

After looking back at my favorite book, I have decided to do my Multigenre Research Project on the effect powerful men have on women. I chose to do this subject not only because it is very prevalent in the book, but I grew up without much of a father and I wanted know just how much having a man in our lives can effect us. I personally do not think that it can make much of a difference, but I grew up in a working class family and not a prominent drug dealing family in the ghettos of New York. I have had it pretty easy, but the main character Winter has not.

My project is going to be based off the book The Coldest Winter Ever from a psychological stand point. I want to be a psychologist, so doing this project is coming from a career interest. I think I will be able to interview my church friend Tommye and my Grandmother Katherine. Tommye grew up with both of her parents, while my grandma just grew up with her father. Themes that will reoccur in my project are how urban areas are and the correlation between me and Winter. I think that the only problems I may run into on this project are not being able to stay on topic. If this project does not work out well I do not know what I will do next, but I do know it will probably be psychology related.

Multigenre Research Reaction

At first I did not like the idea of a multigenre research project. I had never heard of it before and was cautious about what I would end up doing For the past few years I have been pondering on the idea of becoming a psychologist. I love trying to understand others and want to be a part of healing the world mentally.

I read a multigenre project about a little girl named Ally. She has been being researched by a psychologist after watching multiple Disney movies. The psychologist, Dr. Sandra J Duwaik, is doing research on how Disney movies can often distort the way a child deals with death and grievance. She had brought up some interesting points and I sort of want to go ahead and do something that has to deal with psychology.

When I read her proposal, I agreed with her. I have watched some Disney movies and have thought that some of the things are pretty guesome for little kids to be watching. Children may often times get the wrong idea of how to handle things if they can connect with a character. Ally connected with the Beast in the movie Beauty and the Beast and found herself becoming paranoid, afraid of death, and thinking of how people would react to her death like characters did in the movie with the Beast. Thoughout the research, Dr. Sandra J Duwaik, paused and identified how Ally demonstrated the steps of the death cycle. This was an intersting read and has left me wondering how my nieces would respond to the messages in some of the Disney movies.



Beauty and the Beast





Pop Culture and Its Reflection of America: Mob Wives Essay

Doing research on pop culture is not an easy thing. Most of the music, games, shows, and concepts that we consider a part of pop culture are fake. Therefore, finding credible resources was really hard. A lot of the time it took going through a few hyperlinks and side stories to get credible articles.

I researched the series Mob Wives. Initially, I thought the show was fake and maybe the women were really wives and daughters of deceased or incarerated mobsters, but their storyline in the reality show was fake. After doing some searching I found out that this show followed these women through the events of their real lives and this is how women who want to follow the "bad boys" or "wise guys" end up. They are left all alone with children to raise. Now, finding or creating a job is their only option. The show does increase their popularity and makes it possible for them to have good business.

We can see how America has become facinated with the idea of strong, violent, but at the same time gorgeous women with the rise in fame of the mob wives. Shows like the Real Housewives of New Jersey are played out and Mob Wives is continuing with more seasons in different cities. In a sense it seems like America is flirting with the idea of how far they can push women. The old tradition of how a woman should act has been shattered and now she can only go for a downward spiral. By hard work and determination the women can overcome their obstacles and be back on top and make a clean rise from the fall their mobster family members have done.



Now all alone and no one else to depend on, the Mob Wives stick together and try to make their mark on the world and share their story.



Reading Response: Article One "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

While reading this article, I found myself stopping to; reflect on myself, skim the text, and really think through the quotes provided. I was doing everything the author said we would do. I got distracted easily, wanted the article to be over already, and had a hard time absorbing all of the information.

The article,' Is Google Making Us Stupid?," s about how one writer used herself and friends to see what exactly the Net has done to the way we think, read, and perform tasks such as research. I would say that all of her points were valid. In a sense Google is making us stupid by not allowing us to do our own reasearch. Google is "building artificial intelligence" into us. We have not did anything, but surf the web to have all the knowledge that we have. There is nothing wrong with using your resources. Everyone always says that " It's not what you know, but it's who you know."

Using the computer strains my eyes and they are strained even more when I continue to look at ever add or side link a website has. Teachers are now usiing the web and a sites worksheets to complete our work. It goes by quick, but we are not really learning. I know that when I have to do online worksheets I just look directly for the answers and do not read all that is available. Some may say that doing school work online is the same as physically having to do the work, but it is not. A quote read, "When the Net absorbs a medium, that medium is re-created in he Net's image." When we see on paper is not what it is on the Net. The Net just shows the bare minimum and allows us to get by with doing very little.

Our brains are "almost infinitely malleable" and reprograms itself. We do not have to worry about catching up on the changes of technology or worry about how I will adapt to new settings. We change everyday and are brains are becoming less of what we depend on. It is so much easier to get out our smart phones or laptops and type something in that writing something down and having to search for the work. Our fingers become our train of thoughts and leaves no reason to write papers anymore, but type them and be able to do research on the computer at the same time.

Google is like  the robots finger that gives us a gentle tap and we know all the information we need to know. Google is building artificial intelligence.



Reading Response 3: Eyes of a Child

Gun control is a very prevalent topic in our politics now. A lot of innocent children have been the victims of gun violence. From Columbine, to Sandy Hooks, and now the shooting of a Texas college. The topic of gun control came up in the book that I am reading. In my book, Terri is dating a man named Chris that has the opportunity to be the next Senator. On the way to the event where he would give his speech the news of a shooting came onto the radio. A man had walked into a play center and shot 7 children with his assault rifle. Two of the children were his and the other five were children who just happened to be at that same center. He made a notion that if he was going to be Senator, then things have to get more serious in politics. Here are a few quotes from the book that were in his speech.

"Since when, I wonder, is an AK-47 a tool for sportsman? Empty one into a deer, and there wouldn't be enough left to hang up on the wall. The truth is that other countries use assault weapons to fight wars; we use them to butcher people in our streets and stores and homes."

"In short, our politics isn't serious anymore. It's not about serious things. If anyone requires proof of that, consider that seven children died today because of our political system is too cowardly and indifferent to protect them."

In my opinion, there is truth to what he said. We as a people get a chance to vote and control what happens to our country. We know that everyone has their rights, but sometimes politics wants to sweep things under the rug because it is too serious of a subject. I think that the recent shootings that have happened should be enough to have outstanding gun control in our country and no more lost lives of innocent children.