G.I. Sifuentes

“G.I. Jose” is another worth reading essay. It is very organized essay and it gets straight to the point. No story is told and rather it serves as one example that Hispanics encounter in everyday life about how they do feel that they are not part of the whole. Each of the paragraphs are structured in a similar fashion; the author states the problem, over analyzes it, includes other minorities, and then explains why It is discrimination. This enhances his ethos because as English not his only language he will then approach a structured form of organization. He constantly repeats to make up for the lack of detail but that will not discredit the sources that are used and the points that are made. One of the strongest points in the essay is that when he describes the Caucasian soldier to possibly be African-American. In the era of colonialism and through the modern age, Caucasians declared that they were the sophisticated people and that other cultures should imitate them. In the United States this belief has deteriorated but in third world countries it still exists. The United States cannot forget its past and the way it treated African-Americans through its history. Doing so will cause similar mistakes to occur and will make people seem that they do not want to confront facts. It is also not good that education has reserved little about the suffering the Chinese encountered constructing the railroads or the Native Americans and their Trail of Tears. Back to the essay, the fact that a computer image is used rather than an art image or photo signifies that the army may want conformity. Minorities do not exactly want that because forgetting where they came from is making them destroy who they are. Finally going to the requirements to join the army, why would the program assume that illegal immigrants would want to join the army? Ideally the program should not include the information of residency if the only Hispanics applying were already born in the US or are legal residents. Including it proves that a great deal of Hispanics have tried to apply and that Hispanics care about this country, and whether legal or not they appreciate that the US is allowing everyone to pursue the American Dream.

Orange Vest

“An Orange Vest” is an essay that teaches the golden rule, “treat others the way you want to be treated” as well as that the opinion’s of other people should not change who one is. The essay has the author in an orange suit explaining his experience and reciting his lesson throughout. He has a well built ethos and in my opinion has the best tile because it is referenced from beginning to end. I do not like how it begins however because the author assumes that the audience are stereotypes or that they do not have respect for other people. He says not to judge people but that is the first thing done in his essay. The author may not take much consideration to the introduction because he cares more about his opinion than what others would say. Overall though the essay is very good and makes credible points.

"One" better than "You"

Referring to grammar girl 164 “One versus You,” it states that it is appropriate to use both and if either used excessively then it damages your writing. “One” is more formal and used less often while “you” is useful to create a smooth tone and not look down on the reader. People usually resort to passive voice but usually make their writing worse. For my part, I tend to use “one” rather than”you” because “you” seems disrespectful. I also dislike “you” because in my writings I like to talk to several people and not a person in particular. “One” on the other hand includes a whole and addresses more to an audience. I try, usually without success, to avoid either pronoun when it comes to the reflexive or possessive forms. My best solution is to include sentence variety like starting a sentence with a gerund. I random reason why I use “one” is because I enjoy reading works of satire.

Our end of a line

“The End of a Line” serves to be a great essay. The essay throughout contains many details and its content of imagery allows he readers to experience what is going on. The essay also contains the use of similes which also serve to paint a mental picture and the use of repetition allows the essay as a whole to be together and well constructed. Taking it to a deeper meaning, to me MARTA represents Georgia State. Both are very diverse and everyone has their own lives and experiences but we are all united under one roof going to the same destination. On the train as well as the university, there those who work, those who procrastinate, and those who like to express themselves wherever or whoever they are. A connection is made whether in a train or classroom and a family is constructed but in the end everyone walks out the door and go on with their lives.

Soccer! Yes!

The soccer season has come to midpoints or quarter points all over the world. The World Cup Qualifiers are coming to a close and many teams have already secured a pass to South Africa. Countries include Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Honduras, Spain Germany, England, Italy, Slovakia, South Korea and North Korea. Not many spots are available and those spots will be determined in November. As for club competition, Mexico has another awkward and inconsistent season but with teams doing well in the champion’s league of CONCACAF. In Spain the title seems to be contested between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Anyone can win in Italy and while in France, Lyon has regained prestige at the top of the table. Chelsea and Manchester United have had ups and downs but are at the top in England. The real action will be in Europe’s Champions league where all these big teams will measure each other to find the best and they all will attempt to bring the trophy to the country they represent. With all the teams all warmed up, it is now time to see some real football in the coming months.

AP 11th lang and AP 12th lit

In high school, I had the fortune to take 3 AP courses of which two were English. In the 11th grade, I learned rhetorical terms as well as to criticize or analyze essays. It also accustomed me to write well-developed essays in under 50 minutes. In my senior AP English class I read different works of literature from all over the world and from different events in history. This class did not only help me to write better but it also served as a critical thinking class where we spoke, debated and learned about different cultures around the globe and issues in the United States. It went right along with my other AP class which was US Government. I had the same teacher and students in both my English classes so we would get into deep discussions about works of literature or events. I consider my English teacher as the most influential teacher in my education and although his class was frustrating and difficult, I learned a great deal. In English 1101 we are staring to speak to each about the essays each day and enjoy what everyone has to say. I expect to learn more and believe that by the end of the semester that I will be a better writer.

The United Nations 2009

An important event occurred in Pittsburg Wednesday the second day of October. In this date many leaders around the world got together to discuss the problems that are startling the world most importantly: terrorism and the global recession. Leaders included President Obama, President Sarcozy, Prime Minister Blair along with President Amahdinejad, Gaddafi and Chavez appeared. Obama in his speech reopened the US to the world and took the first steps to create a unified a peaceful world. Gaddafi in his 4 hour speech praised Obama and called him a brother Kenyan. Both Amahdinejad and Chavez criticized the US but said that they were willing to cooperate with the US with Obama in power. The conference reinforced how well a speaker he is and how influential he can be but ultimately he has failed to make any serious progress. It is not his fault though; how is one to expect a single person to end the suffering in Darfur or end the global recession?

Colonial Stigma

The 20 min long documentary "France’s efforts to overcome hard-to-budge colonial stigma" reveals an important global issue that is not much mentioned. The consequences of colonialism continue to plague the world today and it serves as the main reason why immigration occurs around the world today. People seem to forget that Asians continue to come to the US for a better life and automatically assume that it is only Hispanics. People also do not realize that Europe also suffers through immigration “problems” notably western Europe. Many Africans and Arabs search for their dreams in the countries of Europe and face the same problems illegal immigrants encounter in the US. Instead of jumping the border, they sell to their neighboring countries to the north evading the police at sea. Immigration should not be a big deal in all these countries since it was their idea of imperialism is what is to blame for the corruption and disunity in Latin America and the Middle East.

Fear and Loathing English? Cussing?

“Fear and Loathing English 1101…” also serves as an example of do not judge a book by its cover. The title of this essay seems to be even more irrelevant to that of my skinny jeans yet a connection still exists. Throughout the essay the author reveals deep and personal thoughts and believes that he has to share them in his narrative to produce a valid excuse. The first part of his title could also mean that he fears and loathes the reactions of other students in 1101 blaming it on his English course. The second part of the title could explain that he can whine or make all the excuses he wants but there will always be conformity. In his essay, he does not cuss but he still argues to the audience in an upset tone. He can try all he wants but his anger against conformity, in other words his cancer, will not be cured.

Skinny Jeans, Akward Title

My Skinny Jeans is an essay with an awkward title yet it is good examples for the saying “do not judge a book by its cover.” If examined closely, it is a very effective and unique title. In My Skinny Jeans there are no references to jeans until the concluding paragraph which causes the title to seem ineffective and throw some readers off. In that paragraph though the sentence "I may always have a pair of skinny jeans in the back of my closet, but I knew someday I would slide them on with ease, every zipper zipped and every button buttoned" appears. One could replace “a pair of skinny jeans” with the experience that girl encounters in the essay and replace “closet” with “mind” so it reads "I may always have “that experience” in the back of my “mind”...” This in turn causes the second clause to be interpreted as someday she will be able to reach her goal and that she will eventually be a great dancer. Just as anyone can button or zip their jeans with ease, she will know how to dance by heart.

My Complication with Technology

The rise of technology has brought many wonders to the information age. It has led to an increase of urbanization and it has transitioned the economies of developed countries from people working in factories to people working in hospitals, schools, businesses and the service industries. In addition, it has made the world a smaller place. People now can travel anywhere in the world and can also communicate with anybody at any given time. It has revolutionized many practices but there are still many who have yet to adjust to the grand changes. Personally, if I had to speak to someone, I would find it more comfortable speaking in their presence rather than just hearing their voice through a phone. Now with MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other similar websites, people do not even hear each other; communication has lost a sort of a human connection. To add on some have become obsessed with technology that it serves as a distraction or even worse has caused people to think that they cannot live without it. In my onion the television, phone and computer serve as distractions because I only use them for entertainment. I concentrate better on school assignments without them and I am more willing to spend time with my family without technology as well. In spite of this, I will eventually grow accustomed to technology and learn to appreciate more. For now, I am still a novice when it comes to technology and I will have to be patient to enjoy technology at its greatest extent.

A Typical Saturday

The Saturdays are always the days look forward to. Students get out of school to enjoy a two day break, and people in the work force get to relax after a 5 days of long work. The thrill of Saturday sports also arrives; from all over the United States athletes and fans prepare themselves for their next college football game, the next series for a baseball club or the world cup soccer qualifiers occurring around the world. Others take time to visit family and spend memorable times with them and still others decide to go out and have loads of fun. Restaurants and parks are always filled during the day and at night, clubs people dance to the beat of music. Though there are many activities people find to do on the weekends there are still others who to participate in the service industry. These people include the person who takes tour order at the register at a food establishment or the person who checks you out of the line at a supermarket or store. In my case, I work at a pizzeria and dedicate every Saturday evening to that place where I get the opportunity to hand children possibly their favorite food. I do not regret missing out from the Saturday activities and actually enjoy making pizzas. Every now and then, there are times when I would like to enjoy a relaxing Saturday but for now my typical Saturdays will be to wake up late and make pizzas.