Sunday, April 5, 2009

Blog #8

I chose the book What's Happening to Grandpa? because both the story and the illustrations caught my attention. It also seemed really interesting to read. The controversial topic that it covers is illness, and there is a certain extent that I believe that children should/shouldn't read at a certain age. Grandparents are usually always there for their grandchildren and throughout the years, grandparents are like the child's best friend. I can relate to this book because I used to volunteer at an Alzheimer's home, and it was sad to see these grandparents read their grandchildren's letters and they don't remember who they are.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Free Blog

Good things happen in good time
Things happen for a reason
Always Smile



Thursday, February 26, 2009

#6- What Johnny Shouldn't Read

After reading What Johnny Shouldn't Read, I was surprised and then not surprised. I was disappointed in some of the books that were banned because of one thing (certain words, race, sex, etc) and it may not even be such a big deal. In Romeo and Juliet, I never knew that 300 lines were taken out. It's just surprisng to me to see people go this far into banning a book. A lot of books though were written in a certain era, where language is different than it is now. Most books also tell a different story within the lines. The author might write the book for one main reason, but the reader may read it in a different point of view. I took a children's literature classe last year, and I was shocked on how many books were banned. I am also really bummed about all the books that did get banned, because they tend to be my favorite.

Blog #5- Milton's Free Marketplace

Milton argues that society needs a free marketplace of ideas, a streaming fountain of knowledge as he calls it, in order to grow and progress. Does our media have a responsibilty to contribute only objective information into the marketplace? Why?

I agree with Milton, that the society needs a free marketplace of ideas and knowledge in order to grow and progress. Society will have their own ideas and knowledges about topics that others may not know and it's good to sometimes share it with others. If people didn't have their own ideas, then probably not much would have been invented or even said.

Our media should have the responsibility of contributing only objective information and they do. Media does put some information that we rely on. The media however, can write what they want the reader to read, and in some cases the information can be false or the truth can be strecthed out farther. Media is everywhere, and society cannot get enough of it. I think society relies on the media too much than knowing the actual facts.

Friday, February 20, 2009

3 Things...

Three Things that Scare Me:

1. clowns

2. sharks

3. dying



Three People Who Make Me Laugh:

1. my grandma

2. Steve Corell

3. my mom



Three Things I Love:

1. shoes

2. coffee

3. books



Three Things I Hate:

1. rude/selfish people

2. bad drivers

3. violence



Three Things I Don't Understand:

1. why people from out of state just assumes that I live like the people from The Hills, The OC, etc.

2. why people judge on the outside first

3. why drivers don't put on their blinkers when changing lanes



Three Things on My Desk:

1. ipod dock

2. computer

3. water



Three Things I'm Doing Right Now:

1. catching up on the latest gossip

2. answering calls at work

3. working on documents



Three Things I Want to Do Before I Die:

1. visit Austrailia

2. visit every country in Europe

3. drive across country and visit every historic place



Three Things I Can Do:

1. make creative things (candles, scrapbooks, etc.)

2. cook

3. multi-task



Three Things I Can't Do:

1. eat meat

2. see far

3. be mad (I hate being mad at something or someone)



Three Things or People I Think You Should Listen To:

1. my dad

2. the ocean waves (very peaceful)

3. the survivors at the Museum of Tolerance (their stories will change the way you think and appriciate things in life)



Three Things or People You Should Never Listen To:

1. people with useless information

2. Rosie O'Donnel

3. gun shots



Three Things I'd Like to Learn:

1. how to sew

2. more about interior designing

3. how to snowboard



Three Shows I Watched as a Kid:

1. Recess

2. Full House

3. The Wonder Years



Three Things I Regret:

1. moving out too soon

2. not spending more time with my grandpa

3. doing something that I should've done before and then listening to my dad tell me "I told you so"

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Post #3: Mill

"[T]he sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rigthfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physically or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinion of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entering him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil in case he do otherwise."

Do you agree or disagree with Mill that governments have no right to interfere with an individuals liberty unless that individuals behavior will cause harm to someone else? Why?

I agree with Mill that the government has no right to interfere with an individuals liberty unless that individuals behavior will cause harm to someone else. In the US Constitution we have the right to the pursuit of happiness. We can do whatever we want without hurting one. We also have Freedom of Religion which we can practice anything, but when it comes to hurting or killing people, then we lose that right. We have our rights and our freedom and the government cannot take that away from us.


Thursday, February 5, 2009

Milton

According to Milton, he believed that people only listen to what their pastor or what the government is telling them. They are only believing what they are told and not looking outside the box. The views may not be the same, though, but they just go along with it. They were told what to believe and just couldn't see for themselves. The government and the pastor can be passing down wrong information by telling people what they think or what they want people to hear. People may be getting the wrong information.

Milton finds this practice dangerous because people need to see their own point of view and have their own opinion instead of basing it on someone else's, who may not be correct. People should read a book, and see for themselves if it is not a good book. When doing so, they broaden their own opinions and perspective, and see what is outside the box. They may or may not agree with it, but at least they have a first hand perspective, instead of basing the information on someone else.