Globalization of Technology Hurts the World’s Population

Advanced Technology creates the digital divide between the rich and poor. Developing countries are introduced with advanced technologies, yet they don’t use it because they don’t have the literate skills. For example, according to The Economist, in India, the Knowledge Centre was set up by the local non-profit organization for the village. It contains computers, solar cells, and wireless internet. Thillan, a woman from the village, was asked about the centre.  She says, “I don’t know anything about that,” “It has no connection to my life. [I’m] just sitting here in [my] house trying to survive.” Also, the poor cannot afford technologies. For example, according to The Economist, a fisherman who is poor cannot afford technologies such as motorboats or navigation equipment. Without it, the fisherman cannot travel too far or determine the location. Globalization is suppose to benefit the world but only the rich benefits and gains from it. Advanced Technology leads to unemployment and that creates poverty. Millions of Americans have lost jobs due to imports or production shifts abroad. Globalization results in U.S. jobs being shipped overseas to low-wage factories with poor working conditions and abuses of workers’ rights. When technology is more dependable than workers, it will replace the workers. Basically, the rich are getting richer and leaving the poor poorer.  And advance technology can cause conflict in the world. For exmple, terrorists have access to sophisticated weapons enhancing their ability to inflict damage. Terrorists use the internet for communicating among themselves. And enemy nations can spread propaganda through the internet.

Barack Obama

President Elect Barack Obama is our future. There is going to be changes for our country. He is making history by being the first African American to become president. Before the election, I thought it was great that many young people were voting because it gives them a voice to be heard. Meaning, they get to vote for what they want best for their country. But throughout the election, I felt that a lot of young people don’t know what they’re voting for. I think that it’s a popularity vote. Some people vote for Obama because friends or their influences wants Obama to win without knowing what he’s going to do as president. I’m not saying that I don’t agree with Obama’s plans, but I think that because the majority of celebrities are voting for Obama, the fans that look up to them are voting for him because they want to be on the same side. Even for the children that want Obama to win, I doubt that they have any clue to what the issues Obama is for are about. But as I was saying how I’m not against him, but it’s good to know what he believes in for our country. For instance, on Proposition 8, he believes that marriage should be between and man and women. He isn’t in favor of gay marriage but when it comes to the constitutions, it shouldn’t stop an individual from loving their partner. Obama believes that America shouldn’t be about being unconstitutional. With his belief on same-sex marriage, I strongly agree with him.  

Experience at Alexandria's House

My overall experience at Alexandria’s House was not what I expected to be. When I was told that in Professor Sturgeon’s English 1A was required to do at least eight hours of service, I thought it would be fun and interesting. I volunteered at a hospital where I only did paper work, but doing my service activity at Alexandria’s House, I got to interact with people. I thought that I would gain something out of this service learning activity, but it didn’t make a difference when I worked there. When the class got to schedule on the days they planned on attending, I chose to volunteer on the 15^th, 22^nd, and 29^th of November. I wanted to complete my hours earlier, but there was too many people working on the ESL program. Throughout the months when it was close to November, I heard that few of the students showed up at Alexandria’s House. I was irritated because I could have been finished with my hours by then. I thought it wasn’t fair for the people who have to struggle on volunteering on the days that were left opened because they may have other important plans to do. Students weren’t showing up that the schedule didn’t matter anymore. For the students who need to finish their hours, they had to send the days that they were available. I emailed the same days I was scheduled before, but it was unavailable except the 29^th of November. I was frustrated because the people who didn’t show up at Alexandria’s House are volunteering last minute when they should have gone in the first place. I ended up scheduling myself on the 16^th and 23^rd of November. On the first day, I was nervous because I didn’t know where the house was and I didn’t know what to expect. When I arrived, no one showed up for the ESL tutoring. I waited most of the hours just incase if anyone showed up late, but Michelle let me go early because no one was going to come. I was disappointed because I wanted to contribute something to the people instead of getting the three hours for nothing. The second time I showed up, no one showed up again! I thought it was ridiculous that Michelle let me schedule on Sundays, but no one showed up when I came. I felt bad because I haven’t done anything at Alexandria’s House and it was close to the end of the fall semester. And the third visit, I thought no one was going to show up again because half an hour passed by and no one was there. Then finally, two Hispanic women showed up for the ESL program. I was planning to help them with the ESL tutoring, but the women only spoke Spanish. I felt useless because I didn’t how to speak in Spanish, so I couldn’t help them. I ended up taking care of the children instead. I thought that taking care of the children was going to be horrible but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. The children were adorable and behaved well. All I did was watch over them to make sure they didn’t get hurt or misbehave. I enjoyed and finally got to help out at Alexandria. Overall, if the service learning activity’s schedule was more organized, I think I would of enjoyed helping more and wouldn’t have thought that the first two visits at Alexandria wasted my time. 

Semester at MSMC

The semester of Fall 08 is going well. I am taking fifthteen units, which are Anatomy and the lab with it, Freshman English, Fundamentals of Algebra, Pol 1, Soc 96, and Teas Prep. My professors for my classes teach well and are easy. I’ve been studying and focusing on school because I want to do well in my classes to get good grades this semester. I think the most challenging class I am taking is Anatomy because there is a lot of information to know. It gets overwhelming because the lectures go by quick without interpreting it into my head.  It gets very stressful when it comes to the exams. With the help of the lab, it helps me understand the information better. I have a good feeling that I will end up with a satisfying grade. Next to Anatomy, I think I have to work hard on Freshmen English because grades are based on the three writing assignments, the service learning activity, blogs, and attendance and participation. There is no final but I think I am doing well, as well. My Pol 1 is the most boring class that I am taking this semester. It all about politics and that subject isn’t what I am interested in. And the rest of my classes are easy. I’m determined to get into the nursing program with the grades I have so far. I know I can pass if I focus on studying for my classes rather than focusing on anything distracting. Becoming a nurse is what I know what I want to be in the future. It gets hard at times because all I do is study and sometimes I need a break from it. It’s hard to take a break from studying because sometimes I feel like I don’t know anything and that I’m behind schedule. And also, my mother makes life hard for me because she complains that I don’t study enough. But in reality, studying is my life. It is taking over my time. I know that in the nursing program, it gets worst than I how I am right now. And I am aware of what I’m getting myself into.

Alexandria's House

For the English 1A service learning activity, the class had to volunteer eight hours at Alexandria’s House. We can volunteer anytime throughout the fall semester, but I haven’t volunteered yet because I scheduled myself to help on Saturdays in November. I plan to volunteer in the ESL program. I don’t know what to expect when I help out at Alexandria’s House. When the class was told that we were required to do at least eight hours of service, I wasn’t too excited because I was thinking that I don’t have time because of my other classes and work. Then, we had to schedule ourselves on the days we like to work but there was certain amount of people that can work at a time. I think volunteering at Alexandria’s will be different from working at a hospital because when I volunteered last year at a hospital for my sociology class, I didn’t get to interact with anyone besides the workers in the department. All I did in the hospital was filed, stapled, and copied papers. When I get the chance to help in Alexandria, I think I will have a better experience volunteering because I like to feel like I actually helped someone that benefited from it. Instead of only dealing with papers that makes the doctors and nurses’ lives easier, Alexandria’s volunteer program will be interesting. Overall, I’m curious and kind of eager to see what will happen when my first day comes.

Pre-Writing: The Spread of Disease in the Global Community

The spread of disease in the global community is a serious issue. There are diseases like AIDS, HIV, and STD that spread around through unprotected sex. People can fight against and prevent the spread of disease by using condoms. To help prevent the spread of diseases, people need education and the acknowledgement of how there are ways to easily prevent getting or spreading the diseases. People need to focus on maintaining the epidemic of diseases by trying to improve the health system by structural change and a moral ethical approach. Abstinence and faithfulness is a good prevention on AIDS but when people live with AIDS, using condoms is the best choice even though it is against their belief because it is better to preserve their lives and prevent it from spreading onto others. But there may be altercations with the use of condoms for some countries because of their cultural, spiritual, and moral beliefs. Some of the countries’ cultural values may be complex to comply with condoms because people with strong traditional cultures will not help acknowledge them about AIDS and condoms. It is essential to focus on specific groups to point out the major cases in order to make a difference. There are women in countries who are disempowered by men whether they are married or not. A woman cannot insist that a man use a condom against his will. 

Trafficking

There are reasons on the cause of trafficking of women and children. It may be because of fraud, they were forced, or threatened. Some people who take part on the trafficking business is because they don't have any other options to survive. They might be pushed and pulled where people are pushed out of poor countries and pulled into countries that have high level of labor. Human trafficking occurs because people struggle with money. And the trafficking victims may have a better life living with the buyer. But, being a victim of the trafficking business can be bad because the victims may be abused and be used sexually such as prostitutes. It is illegal but it also separates the victims from their family. There is no specific way of identifying a victim of human trafficking. And also the traffickers don’t have a specific way of identifying them, but it’s usually relatives, close friends, or the wealthy. In order to prevent human trafficking, education is the key factor. People need to raise the awareness of the issue to people. Law enforcement need to enforce laws and have better economic standards. Some people turn to the trafficking industry because their economic standards are low.

 

Global Economy

Currently, I think that we are in bad shape of our global economy. As of now, we are declared in recession according to the Boston Globe article by Todd Wallack. Prices are going up such as oil. And with the stock market, it is in bad shape as well and is declining. Many businesses are going out of business. With the American election, it is a competition between McCain and Obama. Majority of the people I know are voting for Obama. But I am not sure if it’s because he’s popular with the celebrities or people are aware of what his goals are for our country. I feel that young people don’t know what Obama is about besides that he is African American and that he may be the first African American president. This 2008 election is a very important election because U.S. citizens need a change and a president who can run the country The global economy and the American election are connected by having the debates about what candidates can do to improve for the citizens about our economy.

Pre-Writing: Writing Assignment #2

 Globalization can be a positive effect around the world because countries’ economy can be integrated throughout the years but developing countries are not as highly advance as other developed countries. Globalization enriches and enlarges all countries’ cultures. The intention of globalization is internationally to influence the people to improve and enhance their countries. Globalization’s essential of achieving is through communication. It can be beneficial because developing countries can gain advantages from the developed countries. Globalization’s purpose is to integrate countries with advances such as knowledge and technology. People gain knowledge from communication of others through the media that they learn off of. Knowledge should spread into the people’s minds because it can benefit them. Any type of information can be important for people’s own personal knowledge. People think it is unnecessary to announce tragedies because it puts on a guilt feeling that they are helpless to the misfortunate. Developed countries are highly advanced with technology such as cell phones and computers. Technology is a helpful and useful appliance. If technology is extended to all countries, it may be able to help improve people’s education. Countries can influence other countries with their culture by adapting onto other culture. Globalization increases individual freedom such as dealing with an oppressive government or individuals choosing their own cultural exposure, and it also revitalizes cultures and cultural artifacts through foreign influences, technologies, and markets. Overall, globalization benefits countries in variety ways. The world is diverse from ethnicity, knowledge, technology, and cultures. Communication helps integrate the countries together to adapt parts of other countries’ culture into others in a positive way.

 

Proust Questionnaire

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

My idea of perfect happiness is accomplishing all my life goals.

What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear are bugs.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

The historical figure I most identify with is

Which living person do you most admire?

The living person I admire most are my parents.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I don't deplore anything about myself.

What is the trait that you most deplore in others?

The trait I most deplore in others are liars and hypocrites.

What is your greatest extravagance?

My greatest extravagance is makeup and clothes.

What is your favorite journey?

My favorite journey is going to Florida.

On what occasion do you lie?

I only lie because I don't want to hurt the people I love and care about.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I don't dislike anything about my appearance.

Which living person do you most despise?

I don't despise anyone because they're not worth my time.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I overuse the words, "shut up!" and "wow!"

What is your greatest regret?

My greatest regret is not being able to do the things I want to do.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My greatest love of my life are my family and best friends. 

When and where you the happiest?

I have my ups and downs.

If you can change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wouldn't change myself for anyone.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My greatest accomplishment will be when I graduate college.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?

I would come back as a penguin.

What is your most treasured possession?

My most treasured possession other than my life is my cell.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Being alone is my lowest depth of misery.

Where would you like to live?

I want to live somewhere I can be happy and live close to my love ones.

What is your favorite occupation?

My favorite occupation my first job at Silverlink.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I tend to smile a lot.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

The quality I like in a man is their personality.

What do you most value in your friends?

I value most in my friends is our true and honest friendship.

Who are your favorite writers?

My favorite writer is Nicholas Sparks.

Who is your favorite hero or heroine of fiction?

My favorite hero is Batman.

What is it that you most dislike?

I dislike hypocrites and liars. 

How would you like to die?

I would like to die old in my sleep.

What is your motto?

My motto is "Sometimes it's best to forget about how you feel and remember what you deserve."

Doing the proust questionnaire helped me think deeply about myself. Some of the questions are some things that I don't really think about in my life. I think that doing questionnaires can help open people's mind about their opinions.

Always Depending on My Sister

I’ve always wanted more out of life because I grew up always depending on my older sister. As I grew up, I wish I was more independent when I was younger. I have an older sister where I had follow her steps as I lived my life.

Growing up, I had my sister do everything for me because I was younger than her. My mother always had her help me through life because since she was older, she knew more than me. My mother would tell her to do my reports and projects for me when I was in elementary school because my mother wanted me to get good grades. I didn’t need to worry about getting my reports and projects done before the due date because my sister is always taking care of that. But I wanted to do it myself because I really wanted to earn and learn from it. I always had to depend on my sister for something like setting up the computer, the TV, or searching for information. I didn’t like depending on her because I want to be independent and do tasks by myself. Sometimes I felt like I was useless because I would get things done for me.

My sister and I are becoming nurses. I go to a different college and I’m taking different courses in our majors. My mother annoys and gets me mad because she tells me that I need to take the same courses she took because she thinks that I don’t know anything about my major. But she doesn’t know that my school has different requirements from her school. She always goes to my sister to tell me what to do because since she is older, she assumes that I don’t know as much as she does. She never listens to me because my sister is always involved in my life and assumes she is always right.

I wish I were less dependent on my sister and more independent because I’m always following my sister’s steps. That’s why I want more out of life because I want to do things myself instead of having someone do it for me. I like to be independent because as I grow up, I won’t need to depend on anyone. I don’t like doing everything my sister does because I’m different from her. 

Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space

In the essay, "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space" by Brent Staples I identified myself as the women who saw the worst of him in Brooklyn because he described the woman's behavior towards a stranger and that's how I would act around individuals that I feel they might be threatening to me. He specifically said, "They seem to have set their faces neutral, and with their purse straps strung across their chests bandolier-style, they forge ahead as though bracing themselves against being tackled." His essay affected my reading by getting a new perspective of how the individual's view are when they are being judged differently. The individuals may be harmless but most women, including myself, take precautions because we fear getting raped, mugged, and etc. Women are vulnerable to street violence and we don't want to take a chance so we are judgmental with our surroundings.

Memories of My Childhood

The thing I always remember when I think of my childhood is my best friends, Vanessa and Jamie. I think of all the memories I spent at my elementary school with them. Everytime I remember something that happened to me with my best friends, I wish I could relive those days because back then, I wasn't as serious and focused about school as I am now. 

For example, one time in the 8th grade, we were in math class and I was telling them a story that I found amusing. As I was telling them the story, I pretended to cut my hair because that's how the story went. When I was demonstrating it, I accidentally cut a huge portion of my own hair. My best friends found it hilarious and even though it was embarrassing, I was laughing with them. It was a memory that you have to be there personally to find it funny. There was another memorable time when one of my best friend, Vanessa and I, in first grade, didn't want to be at school, so we pretended to be sick so we could be sent home. Our plan worked and we even went to her house together until my mother picked me up. And another time in sixth grade, Vanessa and I sat in the back of the class together and all we did was eat snacks and write each other notes during lecture. Until today, my old classmates find it amazing how my best friends and I are still close. In elementary school, we were inseparable and it will remain the same in the present and future.

The memories with my best friends are priceless and I will cherish them forever. When I remember about my childhood, my best friends are the first thing that comes up in my mind because being with them reminds me of all the good times we had together.

Keeping Proper Grammar in English

            In today’s society, it’s hard to hear people use proper grammar in English because throughout the years, we get more advanced and modernized. Society changed in how we communicate with people because we are diverse and technology, such as cell phones and computers, are more advance than twenty years ago.

            The society is full of different types of ethnicity. There are a lot of people from different countries coming into the United States. They bring their cultural heritage and native language that it influences others that helps change the society. Some families may speak one or two languages and sometimes they mix it together forming one, like English and Tagalog.

            When cell phones with text and computers with internet didn’t exist, people would communicate through mail. People would write letters with full complete sentences and correct punctuations while in today’s society, most young adults text on their cell phones using abbreviations and different spelling of words to get to the point so it would be simple. But people text so much, that they get use to the way they write to people. They forget how to spell correctly and write grammatically correct. And it’s the same with computers on the internet. We send other people emails like how we send other people text messaging. We get so use to it that it becomes a habit and we forget about grammar just like if a person’s first language is Spanish and he or she also speaks English as their second, the person forgets their first native language because he or she is surrounded by English that they mainly use it.

            We evolved from no cell phones and computer to using it everyday as an important device of communication that we lose the traditional way of speaking proper grammar.

Coffee Will Make You Black

In the novel, Coffee Will Make You Black, by April Sinclair contains conflicts throughout the chapters. In chapter 9, the type of conflict involved is between the people where a decision has to be made to go with someone they want to walk with to their house. At the same time, someone ends up hurt and the other got what they wanted.

The people involved in the conflict are Jean Stevenson, Roland, and Yusef Brown. The conflict started when Roland asked Jean if he can walk her home and she said yes. After she agreed to walk with Roland after school, Yusef Brown asked her if he can walk her home too. The conflict is that Jean already told Roland that he was going to walk her, but she wanted to walk with Yusef Brown instead. She was put in a situation where she had to decide who she was going to walk with. She knew that she had to follow what she really wanted and that was for Yusef to walk with her home.

This conflict interests me the most because I can picture that situation in my head. As I was reading the conflict between Jean Stevenson, Roland, and Yusef Brown in chapter 9, it was captivating because I was eager to know what Jean’s decision was. I felt bad when she ended up walking with Yusef. I know Roland was hurt because he had his hopes up and was shut down by Jean at the end.

Overall, the most interesting conflict to me was in chapter 9 where Jean Stevenson, Roland, and Yusef Brown were involved because the conflict was thrilling to my interest.

Learning to Read and Write

          As Frederick Douglass understood the painful facts that is opened up to him, I learned that everyone can’t expect the desirable things they want as Douglass realized that even after all the slaves are to be freed once they turned twenty-one, they still remain a slave for life. With the things we want, we put it on hold while we gain something from it.

            Frederick Douglass, a slave, didn’t know how to read or write. The thought of him being a slave for life was unbearable. In no hope of being freed anytime soon, he took advantage of learning how to read and write. His mistress taught him to read, but that wasn’t enough. He learned how to read by making friends with all the little white boys in the streets and use them as teachers. And Douglass learned how to write by being in the Durgin and Bailey’s shipyard. He also learned to write by meeting with any boy who could write and compare with each other who could write better. With all the lessons of writing, he would practice writing with a chalk on the fence, bricked wall, and pavement. As he learned to read and write, he developed his vocabulary skills. He learned what the word, abolition meant and thought that someday he would find the perfect time to escape when he had a good chance.

            When Douglass took advantage of learning how to read and write, I learned and gained lessons in my life as well. I learned from my past relationship that we can’t always expect to live a happy ending that we picture because some couples aren’t meant to be. The mistakes we’ve made are just lessons we learn from, so the next relationship we will be in, will make us smarter about our decisions. From the lesson I learned from my relationship was to not let my guard down with boys because I know I will get hurt in the end. When I keep my guard up, I know I need someone who can respect me and be there for me.

            In the end, I learned to take advantage of the lessons we get and learn from them like what Douglass did when he learned to read and write as a slave. And I know from my past relationship that I will keep my guard up when I find that right person.

Malcolm X Evaluation Paragraph

In Malcom X's autobiography, "Learning to Read," Malcolm's ability to teach himself how to read was inspiring. He learned how to read and write by copying words from the dictionary and read the words out loud over and over. Once he knew how to read, he would read books from the prison library. He read so many books that he learned a lot of information that he never knew. He was fascinated by all the books that he would spend most of his day reading even when its "lights out" at the prison. He would adjust to the little amount of light to read. And that inspired me that he started off by not knowing how to read and he taught himself to read.

On The Way to School Today

On the way to school today, I had plenty of time before my English 6A class started. I stopped by Starbucks, dropped off my little sister, Shannen, at her high school, and got ready before I left to go to my school.

I woke up at 6:30 in the morning feeling awake and refreshed. My class didn’t start till 9:10 am and it only takes me less than half an hour to go to school. When my alarm went off, I took my time to a take a shower and got dressed. I wasn’t in a rush but I planned on leaving early to get some Starbucks with Shannen because after that, I had to drop her off at school without letting her be tardy.

We got out of the house and headed towards Starbucks. We ordered a White chocolate mocha and a Chai latte. Then, I dropped her off at Schurr High and went back home to finish getting ready.

I came back home and I arrived just in time at my house when my older sister, Shari, was about to leave because I realized I did not have my house keys in my purse. I was lucky because I wouldn’t have a way of getting inside my house to get my books. When I got inside, I blow dried my hair, put on my make up, and gathered my books. When I backed out of my garage, it started drizzling.

When I got in the freeway, the traffic wasn’t as bad as I thought. I thought that it would be really traffic since it was raining but it was going fast than usual. I got to school about twenty minutes from my house and I didn’t need to speed walk my way to class. I got out of my car and started walking. I hate walking in the mornings because it’s always cold, leaving me a little runny nose. On the way to my class, I assumed that I would be early but when I opened the door, most of my classmates were already there working on their class work. But I came right before the roll call was said.

On the way to school today, it was a little different from my daily routine because I had time to get Starbucks, which made my day. It was pretty much a good day for me going to school.

My Two Disappointments

Two things that disappointed me during the holidays of 2007 were that I let my dad down on Christmas by leaving him to hang out with my friends and also how I didn’t give the right gift my friend wanted.

On Christmas, I spent the whole day with my dad, who is on vacation from Florida, and my little sister, Shannen, at my aunt’s house. I had a fun and tiring day with my relatives. After the party ended, we went back home where we were going to watch Youtube videos on my computer together. Then I had a last minute call from one of my friends, Joe, asking if I could come out with him, his sister, and her boyfriend to drive around the houses to look at Christmas lights. I was eager to go because I haven’t spent any time with my friends during Christmas break since my dad was in Los Angeles on vacation. I thought my dad wouldn’t mind because I already spent most of my time with him. He told me that he didn’t want me going out because there were drunk drivers out there but I still insisted on going out. Shannen told me later he was upset and disappointed that I didn’t stay home with him. Hearing that made me disappointed in myself because I could hang out with my friends anytime I want but I can’t always spend time with my dad because he lives in Florida and he’s in Los Angeles on vacation.

My other disappointment was not having the feeling of accomplishment. Before Christmas, I wanted to buy a gift that my friend requested as a Christmas gift from me. He told me I could get it at the store, Pacsun, and described the backpack he wanted. The day I was shopping for his gift, I called him to confirm if that was the right backpack and he told me it was the right one. I bought the backpack feeling proud, thinking he would like the gift. I wrapped, decorated, and dropped it off at his house. As soon as he opened it, he told me that it wasn’t the backpack he wanted. I was frustrated that he told me that I bought the right backpack before but then he took back what he said and made me feel like a horrible person. I know it wasn’t my fault because I know he described the backpack I bought him but I felt bad that he got the shoes I wanted and I didn’t give the right gift for him. I love the feeling of giving to make people happy but since I didn’t give the right gift, I didn’t feel the accomplishment of making him happy.

Disappointing my dad by leaving him to hang out with my friends on Christmas and buying the wrong gift for my friend are my two disappointments during the holidays of 2007.

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