1. I am studying/trying to learn about ____the benefits of cigarettes being made illegal__.
2. I am studying/trying to learn about __cigarettes___, because I want to find out who/what/why/when/where/whether or not __it has a direct effect on there being less illnesses, people checked into hospitals, deaths, etc___.
3. I am doing this in order to ___see if the world would be a better place as a result__.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Revision
If the supreme court were to order a ban on cigarettes, it would probably pass in the court of law. To say the government has power to ban marijuana, but not cigarettes is inconsistent; if they have enough control to ban one, they can ban both. Cigarettes pose a grave public health hazard. If the government cannot restrict or ban dangerous and addictive substances that pose a personal and public health risk, then how can the enforcement of anti-drug laws be justified? It can be argued that although the government can ban public smoking, there is no legitimate basis for laws restricting private smoking; the individual right to privacy should allow people to harm their own bodies with dangerous drugs, should they chose to do so.
There is little dispute that if the Supreme Court were to order a ban on cigarettes, the law would probably pass. It would be inconsistent to say the government has power to ban marijuana and not cigarettes; with control to ban one, they have control to ban both. Cigarettes pose a great hazard to the health of the public. If the government cannot restrict or ban dangerous addictive substances that pose both personal and public health risks, then how can the enforcement of anti-drug laws be justified? A common opposing argument for the illegality of cigarettes is that there is no legitimate basis for laws restricting private smoking; the individual right to privacy should allow people to harm their own bodies with dangerous substances if they chose to.
There is little dispute that if the Supreme Court were to order a ban on cigarettes, the law would probably pass. It would be inconsistent to say the government has power to ban marijuana and not cigarettes; with control to ban one, they have control to ban both. Cigarettes pose a great hazard to the health of the public. If the government cannot restrict or ban dangerous addictive substances that pose both personal and public health risks, then how can the enforcement of anti-drug laws be justified? A common opposing argument for the illegality of cigarettes is that there is no legitimate basis for laws restricting private smoking; the individual right to privacy should allow people to harm their own bodies with dangerous substances if they chose to.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Blog Eleven
As i am writing on the issue of whether cigarettes should be made illegal, i feel the best place for my essay would be in an anti-smoking campaign or a political issues magazine such as The American Spectator.
Although there is not a article directly linked to the topic i am covering in The American Spectator, there are many issues which take a stance towards one opinion and form a rebuttal. For example, there is an article in The American Spectator stating that cell phone use in cars should be banned. The writer has a strong conviction that we should not be able to drive and use a cell phone at the same time. He first relates it to being like gun control- as a cell phone, like a gun, is a tool people do not know how to use properly. He then talks about the facts saying that talking and driving is akin to drinking and driving, which is illegal. He then talks about Mothers Against Drunk Driving which is a campaign. From this, he talks about how a drink over dinner plus an inadequate driver and a cell phone is an accident waiting to happen. I agree with the writer, i know that a lot of accidents are due to drivers being on cell phones and he made many valid points. I liked the examples the writer used to convey the negative message of driving recklessly.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/01/14/sail-fawns-and-one-for-the-roa/1
Another example from The American Spectator, is an article on antisemitism. This article is about the extremity of antisemitism. He believes that the scale and extremism of the anti-Semitic literature and commentary available in Arab or Muslim newspapers, magazines and TV shows, etc is "comparable only to that of Nazi Germany at its worst."He organizes this by first explaining to the reader that its a huge issue. He then goes on to give the reader some background information on antisemitism in the middle east. After that, he mentions how it has been attempted to make peace within these middle eastern countries however, antisemitism is basically fed to them so it is difficult. He talks about how Obama, the president of America got involved and the results were still 'meager', although he mentions how we should not give up. I do agree with the writer, the wounds are not too deep to heal within these countries however, it is not up to us, it is up to them. One technique he used which i liked was bringing in both sides of the argument. Putting in other points of view made his opinion seem stronger.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/11/05/the-reality-of-middle-east-ant
Although there is not a article directly linked to the topic i am covering in The American Spectator, there are many issues which take a stance towards one opinion and form a rebuttal. For example, there is an article in The American Spectator stating that cell phone use in cars should be banned. The writer has a strong conviction that we should not be able to drive and use a cell phone at the same time. He first relates it to being like gun control- as a cell phone, like a gun, is a tool people do not know how to use properly. He then talks about the facts saying that talking and driving is akin to drinking and driving, which is illegal. He then talks about Mothers Against Drunk Driving which is a campaign. From this, he talks about how a drink over dinner plus an inadequate driver and a cell phone is an accident waiting to happen. I agree with the writer, i know that a lot of accidents are due to drivers being on cell phones and he made many valid points. I liked the examples the writer used to convey the negative message of driving recklessly.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/01/14/sail-fawns-and-one-for-the-roa/1
Another example from The American Spectator, is an article on antisemitism. This article is about the extremity of antisemitism. He believes that the scale and extremism of the anti-Semitic literature and commentary available in Arab or Muslim newspapers, magazines and TV shows, etc is "comparable only to that of Nazi Germany at its worst."He organizes this by first explaining to the reader that its a huge issue. He then goes on to give the reader some background information on antisemitism in the middle east. After that, he mentions how it has been attempted to make peace within these middle eastern countries however, antisemitism is basically fed to them so it is difficult. He talks about how Obama, the president of America got involved and the results were still 'meager', although he mentions how we should not give up. I do agree with the writer, the wounds are not too deep to heal within these countries however, it is not up to us, it is up to them. One technique he used which i liked was bringing in both sides of the argument. Putting in other points of view made his opinion seem stronger.
http://spectator.org/archives/2009/11/05/the-reality-of-middle-east-ant
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Racial Diversity in Public Schools
This article is about racial discrimination within schools. Just six weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that Jefferson County Public Schools were violating the Constitution by assigning students to schools on the basis of their race, Hannah MacNeal was denied admission into a school due to the fact that she was white. Her mother found out that if she had been of a different skin color, such as black, she would have been allowed to go to that school. The definition of racism is "prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief." A general misconception is that racism is derogatory towards only blacks. However, here we see racism go the other way, which does not mean its any less severe. The case was fought out and served in its proper justice as she was soon allowed admittance.
Jost, Kenneth. "Racial Diversity in Public Schools." CQ Researcher 14 Sept. 2007: 745-68. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
Hazing
This articles summarizes the extreme consequences of hazing whether its for a sports team, a fraternity or even just a high school group. One example given as a chronic case was Walter Dean Jennings, 18, who died of hyponatremia, a rare disorder marked by low sodium levels in the blood. “He was ordered to [drink] very large quantities of water until he vomited,” said Police Chief Desmond Racicot. “He died from brain swelling due to water intoxication.” One thing that many hazers seem to forget is that they are breaking the law; hazing is illegal, not to diminish your 'fun', but to keep people safe. People are enforcing other people to do ridiculous things when they do not even realize what the severe outcome could lead to. Hazing is a serious matter that is taken lightly too often and until the reality of someones death, or hospitalization, people remain unaware and naive to it.
Hansen, Brian. "Hazing." CQ Researcher 9 Jan. 2004: 1-24. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
Teenage Pregnancy
This articles summarizes the dreadful epidemic of pregnancy amongst teenagers today. For teenagers, pregnancy can usher a dismal future- with little to few choices and a set path for what her life is going to look like. With birth rates declining for women over 20, teenagers now account for nearly one in every five births in the country. According to one expert on the problem of child abuse, Dr. Vincent J.Fontana, medical director of the New York Foundling Hospital, “Troubled parents, particularly single adolescent mothers, become saturated with a sense of desperation, alienation and anger that during stressful situations leads them to lose control and strike out at what is closest to them — their child.” This means that a teenager is not capable of bearing a child as they themselves, have a lot of growing up to do. How can someone raise a child when they can barely take on responsibilities themselves. The disadvantages far outweigh the advantages of being a teen mom.
Stencel, Sandra. "Teenage Pregnancy." Editorial Research Reports 1979. Vol. I. Washington: CQ Press, 1979. 205-24. CQ Researcher. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
This article is about racial discrimination within schools. Just six weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that Jefferson County Public Schools were violating the Constitution by assigning students to schools on the basis of their race, Hannah MacNeal was denied admission into a school due to the fact that she was white. Her mother found out that if she had been of a different skin color, such as black, she would have been allowed to go to that school. The definition of racism is "prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief." A general misconception is that racism is derogatory towards only blacks. However, here we see racism go the other way, which does not mean its any less severe. The case was fought out and served in its proper justice as she was soon allowed admittance.
Jost, Kenneth. "Racial Diversity in Public Schools." CQ Researcher 14 Sept. 2007: 745-68. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
Hazing
This articles summarizes the extreme consequences of hazing whether its for a sports team, a fraternity or even just a high school group. One example given as a chronic case was Walter Dean Jennings, 18, who died of hyponatremia, a rare disorder marked by low sodium levels in the blood. “He was ordered to [drink] very large quantities of water until he vomited,” said Police Chief Desmond Racicot. “He died from brain swelling due to water intoxication.” One thing that many hazers seem to forget is that they are breaking the law; hazing is illegal, not to diminish your 'fun', but to keep people safe. People are enforcing other people to do ridiculous things when they do not even realize what the severe outcome could lead to. Hazing is a serious matter that is taken lightly too often and until the reality of someones death, or hospitalization, people remain unaware and naive to it.
Hansen, Brian. "Hazing." CQ Researcher 9 Jan. 2004: 1-24. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
This articles summarizes the dreadful epidemic of pregnancy amongst teenagers today. For teenagers, pregnancy can usher a dismal future- with little to few choices and a set path for what her life is going to look like. With birth rates declining for women over 20, teenagers now account for nearly one in every five births in the country. According to one expert on the problem of child abuse, Dr. Vincent J.Fontana, medical director of the New York Foundling Hospital, “Troubled parents, particularly single adolescent mothers, become saturated with a sense of desperation, alienation and anger that during stressful situations leads them to lose control and strike out at what is closest to them — their child.” This means that a teenager is not capable of bearing a child as they themselves, have a lot of growing up to do. How can someone raise a child when they can barely take on responsibilities themselves. The disadvantages far outweigh the advantages of being a teen mom.
Stencel, Sandra. "Teenage Pregnancy." Editorial Research Reports 1979. Vol. I. Washington: CQ Press, 1979. 205-24. CQ Researcher. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Do illegal immigrants now have equal rights?
Immigration has been a relatively dead issue for a good while until recently when OP field’s most controversial candidates, Texas Gov. Rick Perry brought it back into the headlines. perry has a extremely good background knowledge on immigration because he runs a state with a 1,200-mile border with Mexico. Perrys main concern, and the issue that i am going to be evaluating, is the fact that he feels immigrants should pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in Texas. The reason i find merit in writing this evaluation is because it has brought forth a lot of controversy amongst civilians.
The issue here is, he supports education for illegal immigrants because 'he has a heart' and the children have been brought to this country "by no fault of their own". However, there has been heated back-and-forth between him and his rivals. Republican front-runner Mitt Romney continued to fan the flames of the issue, arguing that it made no sense to give illegal immigrants a discount of nearly $100,000 to attend Texas state schools. As i am currently paying out of state tuition to attend Penn State University, its hard to side with perry as I have been a loyal citizen to America my whole life and now I am going to pay more for an education then someone who is in America legally. However, I see where he is coming from- being brought over as a youth, is really not their fault but as Romney stated, it doesn't mean you don't have a heart, but you still need to use your brain too. There is not much to be done about illegal immigration, the idea of building a fence along the border is too extreme but giving them in state tuition is almost completely accepting and almost rewarding the fact they came here illegally. The dabate continues, some people agree with Perry: "Daniel Griswold, an immigration expert at Cato Institute, writes, "In l997, the National Research Council published a major study on immigration. It found that an immigrant with a college education is a huge net plus for the United States."- So therefore, giving the immigrants a chance to educate themselves would be beneficial in the long run for America- "Immigrants and their descendants represent a net fiscal gain for the United States. The typical immigrant and all of his or her descendants represent a positive $80,000 fiscal gain to the government. An immigrant with more than a high school education (plus descendants) represents a $198,000 fiscal gain, one with a high school diploma a $51,000 gain, and one with less than a high school education a $13,000 loss." As the fence could not be built logically, another often heard suggestion is to have ICE find and deport all illegal immigrants- would this be beneficial to America? Is that even a possible solution as there are 12 million such immigrants in America.
The immigration problem is withstanding and causing many issues amongst citizens of America.
The issue here is, he supports education for illegal immigrants because 'he has a heart' and the children have been brought to this country "by no fault of their own". However, there has been heated back-and-forth between him and his rivals. Republican front-runner Mitt Romney continued to fan the flames of the issue, arguing that it made no sense to give illegal immigrants a discount of nearly $100,000 to attend Texas state schools. As i am currently paying out of state tuition to attend Penn State University, its hard to side with perry as I have been a loyal citizen to America my whole life and now I am going to pay more for an education then someone who is in America legally. However, I see where he is coming from- being brought over as a youth, is really not their fault but as Romney stated, it doesn't mean you don't have a heart, but you still need to use your brain too. There is not much to be done about illegal immigration, the idea of building a fence along the border is too extreme but giving them in state tuition is almost completely accepting and almost rewarding the fact they came here illegally. The dabate continues, some people agree with Perry: "Daniel Griswold, an immigration expert at Cato Institute, writes, "In l997, the National Research Council published a major study on immigration. It found that an immigrant with a college education is a huge net plus for the United States."- So therefore, giving the immigrants a chance to educate themselves would be beneficial in the long run for America- "Immigrants and their descendants represent a net fiscal gain for the United States. The typical immigrant and all of his or her descendants represent a positive $80,000 fiscal gain to the government. An immigrant with more than a high school education (plus descendants) represents a $198,000 fiscal gain, one with a high school diploma a $51,000 gain, and one with less than a high school education a $13,000 loss." As the fence could not be built logically, another often heard suggestion is to have ICE find and deport all illegal immigrants- would this be beneficial to America? Is that even a possible solution as there are 12 million such immigrants in America.
The immigration problem is withstanding and causing many issues amongst citizens of America.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Simple vs Complex
In my blog, i always use a title that relates to the topic i am trying to discuss. It is always visible to the reader and I make the title short, concise and to the point. I like to use a conversational tone when writing my blogs as they are normally my point of view on things, therefore i write as i would say and also because its easy for the reader to read. I feel writing this way helps me express who I am as a writer because all my thoughts are just getting put down in the blog; i don't feel like i have to edit things to make it sound appropriate for another audience. Originally, i was new to the blog and therefore i just chose a set layout already made by the website. I chose the one I did as it related to the first book we read in class, Bird by Bird. It had neutral tones and colors as, i felt that was the vibe of my blog.
There are also other elements in the NFG that I use when writing my blogs. One of these elements is changing the tone to cooperate with the context of what I am saying. This persuades people to trust my writing more then if i were to write in a tone not relating to the context. Also mentioned in NFG, i don't stray off from the topic originally discussing, i stay in focus and on point which keeps my reader attentive and knowing what the point of my writing is.
Personally, after reading what is 'correct' for a blog, I feel that my original layout and design was on par and that i do not need to really edit anything. My headings are clear, related and foreshadow what is to come in the rest of my blog. I chose the color red to make it stand out. The background colors (brown, white, black and red) are neutral and easy to look at; they all mesh well nicely. I didn't chose to have any pictures as i felt that would crowd my blog and I also just want people to concentrate on what i had to say, rather then other things. Everything on my blog is relatable, as the birds in the corner represent Bird by Bird. The simple layout emphasizes what i write, rather then the background. For example, movies that are all based around special effects and visuals, normally have a bleak plot line. Whereas, i have a concrete layout to try and make readers focus on the importance of what is being written.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
#1 party school
The main issue of the broadcast entitled #1 party school is the destructiveness of drinking alcohol and how it not only effects the students of Penn State but also the civilians that live in State College. The first reason this issue is being investigated is due to getting ranked the number one party school as well as the rising rates of violations and the increase in arrests of Penn State students. The rising rate inclined at such a vast pace that the President of the college, is planning on getting involved to stop this climb. I feel the intended audience of this piece is primarily for the students at Penn State; as we are the ones making these violations and committing these crimes described in the broadcast. However, this broadcast could also be used as as warning to civilians around, making them aware of what goes on and what they can do to help. Specific details were given in the story to emphasize the main point. Such details include an interview with a Penn State senior. He spoke of how he had to leave his fraternity at the end of his sophmore year due to his failing grades. They would party 4 days out of the week and would even casually drink on Mondays and Tuesdays resulting in bad grades. The senior said it was not what he came here for; he came to learn and get a good education- being in frat life was preventing this. Another detail used was they spoke to a local resident who's house is in between 2 frats. He said that because of the immoral actions that have been going on his property he had to put up motion sensors. Motion sensors helped him keep his property in order. Another example they used was through an interview with a canyon pizza delivery boy. He said that on many accounts he has altercations with drunk people either outside of canyon pizza or making an actual delivery. On one specific occasion, he actually got in a fight at a apartment door and got his jaw broken. The conclusion of the broadcast ended with an interview with Penn State president Graham Spanier. He spoke about the issue of drinking on and off campus; if people continue in this manner, he is going to take action and up the penalties. In this broadcast, they did a series of interviews; with freshman girls on the blue loop, police officers, an ex frat guy, actual frat guys, liquor store owners and civilians. The main narrative technique used was dialogue as they were talking the entire time but also interviews. They also used ethos by conducting interviews with people whom expressed themselves either positively or negatively.
Personally I did not like the broadcast. From personal experience and my own general knowledge of being at Penn State, i know that it was all an exaggerated series of events that occurred that normally do not happen all in one night. I felt it was unfair and bias; due to the bad decisions of some does not mean you can entitle the entire school. With having 40,000 people at a school, there are bound to be a small (and yes, looking at the entire school it is small) percentage of kids making bad decisions but that should not effect the kids who do not make these decisions.
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