There are not many things in this world that really annoy me, but sometimes I am completely driven crazy by people or their choices.
1. What genius thought biking in the middle of the road was a brilliant idea? Cars are bigger than you, and if there was a match between a car and a bike, there is no doubt that you would lose- and die! Yes, I admire bikers for going out and getting exercise, but just because you're wearing too-tight shorts and riding a fancy bike doesn't mean you get special privileges to pedal on the road. Also, cities have put millions of dollars towards paving sidewalks for pedestrians and bikers. My message to you: please get off the road! (unless there's no sidewalk...then just stay as close to the curb as possible)
2. Besides unsafe bikers, the one thing that really frustrates me is when people aren't accountable for their actions. Messing up and making mistakes are normal parts of life; that's how we learn from our experiences! It's when a problem occurs and no one comes forward to take responsibility and accept the consequences- that is what seriously bugs me. I understand that nobody wants to fess up and get themselves in trouble, but it's okay, just make sure you figure out what you did wrong and learn from it!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
oh NOam!
Noam Chomsky made a few valid points in this documentary, yet he tended to go overboard on several of his statements.
The professor from Massachusetts theorized that mass media was dictating the mindset of Americans. I agree with this statement to a a certain extent. Yes, I think that media companies have some influence over us because they control what we read in newspapers, therefore deciding what news we hear about. I do, however, think that people can think for themselves and are not completely influenced by what the media exposes us to. I believe Chomsky blew this out of proportion because many people choose not to believe everything the press publishes, which gives them less power over us than he believes to be true.
Chomsky also makes a statement about the media using certain articles, such as sports, in order to distract Americans from more important things that are going on. I disagree with this completely. People have the ability to think for themselves, and can take interest in sports and entertainment without being distracted from foreign events. We, as a country, have enjoyed sports for as long as I can remember. This is not something newly invented to change the way we think.
Another major point Chomsky made was about propaganda. He believes that American media is being filtered, therefore limiting the content in which citizens have knowledge of. Chomsky used two examples of foreign events to illustrate American media and its bias in favor of the status quo. The atrocity in Cambodia was given extensive attention, while the one in East Timor was almost completely ignored. The reason for this was because news of the Indonesian invasion would have had a negative effect on an American ally. This news about East Timor would not have been useful, so the media focused their most of their attention on Cambodia instead. After the information is put through many filters, only the most "newsworthy" is published, even if that means omitting crucial information about the event. I agree with Chomsky on this topic. The media is leaving out necessary information about foreign and local events. The effect of this is that Americans are oblivious to conflicts around the world, whether it involves our country or not. I do not think this is acceptable because citizens should have the right to know what is going on in other places.
This film was long and sometimes difficult to keep up with, but Chomsky did, in fact, make a few statements that I must agree with. He used historical events such as Cambodia and East Timor to exemplify his idea. There were times where he made a valid point, but as the video progressed, he got so wrapped up in his own thoughts that it went bit overboard. Overall, I think this video helped us understand a bit more about mass media and its influence over the United States.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1nIHv6P6Q
The professor from Massachusetts theorized that mass media was dictating the mindset of Americans. I agree with this statement to a a certain extent. Yes, I think that media companies have some influence over us because they control what we read in newspapers, therefore deciding what news we hear about. I do, however, think that people can think for themselves and are not completely influenced by what the media exposes us to. I believe Chomsky blew this out of proportion because many people choose not to believe everything the press publishes, which gives them less power over us than he believes to be true.
Chomsky also makes a statement about the media using certain articles, such as sports, in order to distract Americans from more important things that are going on. I disagree with this completely. People have the ability to think for themselves, and can take interest in sports and entertainment without being distracted from foreign events. We, as a country, have enjoyed sports for as long as I can remember. This is not something newly invented to change the way we think.
Another major point Chomsky made was about propaganda. He believes that American media is being filtered, therefore limiting the content in which citizens have knowledge of. Chomsky used two examples of foreign events to illustrate American media and its bias in favor of the status quo. The atrocity in Cambodia was given extensive attention, while the one in East Timor was almost completely ignored. The reason for this was because news of the Indonesian invasion would have had a negative effect on an American ally. This news about East Timor would not have been useful, so the media focused their most of their attention on Cambodia instead. After the information is put through many filters, only the most "newsworthy" is published, even if that means omitting crucial information about the event. I agree with Chomsky on this topic. The media is leaving out necessary information about foreign and local events. The effect of this is that Americans are oblivious to conflicts around the world, whether it involves our country or not. I do not think this is acceptable because citizens should have the right to know what is going on in other places.
This film was long and sometimes difficult to keep up with, but Chomsky did, in fact, make a few statements that I must agree with. He used historical events such as Cambodia and East Timor to exemplify his idea. There were times where he made a valid point, but as the video progressed, he got so wrapped up in his own thoughts that it went bit overboard. Overall, I think this video helped us understand a bit more about mass media and its influence over the United States.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1nIHv6P6Q
Sunday, October 10, 2010
El Otoño
There's something great about every season in Minnesota; hot summer days down by the lake, admiring the newly blossomed flowers of spring, sledding down a snow-covered hill in winter, and the pretty colors of fall. Personally, my favorite season would most likely be the latter, and yes, Autumn is a beautfiul time of year, but its more than just the red and yellow leaves. It's my favorite because there is so much to look forward to: friday night football games, bonfires, strolls in the woods, apple orchards, pumpkin carving, the festivities of Halloween and Thanksgiving, and of course, the start of a new school year. The weather of Fall can be fabulous or it can be disastrous. Recently, though, there's been hardly a cloud in the sky and only a slight breeze, allowing for the vibrant leaves to hang onto the trees for a few more precious days. This great weather can't last much longer. Soon, the trees will be bare and the wind will have a bit of an arctic chill to it. Seasons, like everything else in the world, will come and go, so I'm going to enjoy every minute of Fall while it lasts, because pretty soon Minnesota will feel like the Frozen Tundra.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)