In our unit 4 blogging assignment we were supposed to find a blog that we found interesting. I generally don’t have a big interest in blogs. The only blog that I have much interest in is actually my own. It’s a blog I titled “By All Means Accelerate” which is about my father. It is a very important blog for me because it is about the greatest man in the world.
My father has Multiple Sclerosis. His mind and body is nothing like it was just 3 years ago. While he still recognizes a few of his closest family members, he is unable to remember our visits for more than a few hours. Every time I visit him, he feels like it is the first time he has seen me in a long time. I know that he doesn’t fully understand many of the things I try to tell him. And when he does understand, it escapes his mind shortly afterwards. This is why I write this blog. It’s an opportunity for me to honor him and say things to him that I wish I had told him before.
Most of my blog postings are memories from the past. I like to share with the reader some of the lessons that my father taught my brother and me during our lives. I also try to share some humorous moments from his life. It is my hope that at some point I will be able to translate this blog into a book.
I hope there are a few things that people get from my blog. It’s is very important to me that when somebody reads about my dad’s story, they are able to realize the importance of letting people know that you love them while you can. We should never wait until it’s too late to show our loved ones how we feel. I also believe that my father was a very wise man. Therefore, I hope that the reader is able to pick up just a little bit of wisdom from this blog.
Another purpose of this blog is to share the range of emotions that I feel when I write about my father. While writing this blog I find myself laughing and crying all at the same time. My dad’s sense of humor was very unique and was something that he was known for. He was always good at making others laugh.
He was also very good at drawing people close to him. Everyone loved him. I hope that my love for him is revealed in my writing. I would like to think that one day my dad will be able to read this blog from heaven. When he does I want him to be able to realize how much he has meant to me.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Unit 3 Blog - The Use of Appeals in John Lennon's "Imagine"
In John Lennon’s song “Imagine” there two types of appeals used to persuade the reader to believe in his ideas of love and peace. Both pathos and logos are used. Though his ideas were definitely tied to an emotional feeling that all Americans could relate to, Lennon also attempted to use logic to make his ideas appeal to listeners.
Lennon used pathos by appealing to those who were upset about the way the United States government had placed the country in a war that many believed should not have been fought. It was a very emotional time for people all around the world. Lennon knew that many people were looking for something positive in life. His ideas of having a world with nothing to fight about appealed to many people. Lennon knew that people were desperate for a change. His ideas, while drastic, were popular.
It may sound a little strange to say that logic was used at in “Imagine” to appeal to listeners. However, Lennon was stating that the most logical way to make the world a better place was to rid the world of the evils that were causing war and conflict. He made it very clear that he believed that the best way to end conflict was to do away with religion, possessions, and establishment. Lennon felt that these things were at the root of all of our problems. The most logical way to solve our problems would be to make sure that we had nothing to fight over.
I doubt that at the time Lennon made any type of a conscious effort to use pathos, logos, or any kind of appeals to attract an audience. Lennon was most likely just trying to make a political statement by expressing his own thoughts and feelings. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t even know what logos or pathos were. Regardless, he did a wonderful job of using both to appeal to the world.
Lennon used pathos by appealing to those who were upset about the way the United States government had placed the country in a war that many believed should not have been fought. It was a very emotional time for people all around the world. Lennon knew that many people were looking for something positive in life. His ideas of having a world with nothing to fight about appealed to many people. Lennon knew that people were desperate for a change. His ideas, while drastic, were popular.
It may sound a little strange to say that logic was used at in “Imagine” to appeal to listeners. However, Lennon was stating that the most logical way to make the world a better place was to rid the world of the evils that were causing war and conflict. He made it very clear that he believed that the best way to end conflict was to do away with religion, possessions, and establishment. Lennon felt that these things were at the root of all of our problems. The most logical way to solve our problems would be to make sure that we had nothing to fight over.
I doubt that at the time Lennon made any type of a conscious effort to use pathos, logos, or any kind of appeals to attract an audience. Lennon was most likely just trying to make a political statement by expressing his own thoughts and feelings. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t even know what logos or pathos were. Regardless, he did a wonderful job of using both to appeal to the world.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Home of the Brave!
OU becomes 'home of the brave' again as Sooners welcome Air Force (Berry Tramel - NewsOK.com)
The recent controversy over the fans at the University of Oklahoma football games changing the last word of the national anthem from brave to Sooners is a perfect example of the media choosing to take the wrong perspective on an event. Because of this people nationally are beginning to think of Sooner fans in a very negative light. Now that we have the Internet this story is able to spread like crazy.
The biggest thing that the media has forgotten is that Oklahoma is not the only program with fans that have made this change to the national anthem. I have been to sporting events at other schools and almost all of them have done this. The biggest reason why this story has gotten so big is because Bob Stoops and the University has made an effort to make sure that it didn’t happen before the game against Air Force. That should be a good thing.
Instead, the media has made it look like this is a tradition unique to the University of Oklahoma. The timing was also horrible. All of this came out after the word ‘brave’ was left out again during a game that just happened to be played on the anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy. Oklahoma fans should have been more aware of the anniversary and I do believe that saying ‘Sooners’ instead of ‘brave’ is disrespectful regardless of the date. However, I do not think that it is a product unique to our fan base. I think it is a product of a society that is not as patriotic as we used to be.
The online media helps to feed this unfairly negative image of the Sooner Nation. Because most online media, such as blogs, are written by people that do not write with the same integrity of print media and other traditional media sources, a writers personal feelings are more evident in their writing.
The level of competition for online media is also much stronger. Writers don’t have to wait until print time to get their story out. They can post it immediately. Knowing that other writers could beat them to the story and have their story posted at any moment leads to some stories being posted with less thought and deliberation than those in the print or even television media.
This particular story is actually a great story for online media because it causes so much debate. Most online media allows for comments from its readers. This could be a positive thing. The readers are able to give their opinions which can be read by other readers. This allows for more aspects of the story to be told. In this manner online media is very similar to radio media which also allows the listener to contribute to the story.
It is just my wish that in this case the media, online or not, would have discussed this issue as being shared by most fan bases. Not just in Oklahoma.
The recent controversy over the fans at the University of Oklahoma football games changing the last word of the national anthem from brave to Sooners is a perfect example of the media choosing to take the wrong perspective on an event. Because of this people nationally are beginning to think of Sooner fans in a very negative light. Now that we have the Internet this story is able to spread like crazy.
The biggest thing that the media has forgotten is that Oklahoma is not the only program with fans that have made this change to the national anthem. I have been to sporting events at other schools and almost all of them have done this. The biggest reason why this story has gotten so big is because Bob Stoops and the University has made an effort to make sure that it didn’t happen before the game against Air Force. That should be a good thing.
Instead, the media has made it look like this is a tradition unique to the University of Oklahoma. The timing was also horrible. All of this came out after the word ‘brave’ was left out again during a game that just happened to be played on the anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy. Oklahoma fans should have been more aware of the anniversary and I do believe that saying ‘Sooners’ instead of ‘brave’ is disrespectful regardless of the date. However, I do not think that it is a product unique to our fan base. I think it is a product of a society that is not as patriotic as we used to be.
The online media helps to feed this unfairly negative image of the Sooner Nation. Because most online media, such as blogs, are written by people that do not write with the same integrity of print media and other traditional media sources, a writers personal feelings are more evident in their writing.
The level of competition for online media is also much stronger. Writers don’t have to wait until print time to get their story out. They can post it immediately. Knowing that other writers could beat them to the story and have their story posted at any moment leads to some stories being posted with less thought and deliberation than those in the print or even television media.
This particular story is actually a great story for online media because it causes so much debate. Most online media allows for comments from its readers. This could be a positive thing. The readers are able to give their opinions which can be read by other readers. This allows for more aspects of the story to be told. In this manner online media is very similar to radio media which also allows the listener to contribute to the story.
It is just my wish that in this case the media, online or not, would have discussed this issue as being shared by most fan bases. Not just in Oklahoma.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Response to Jacob Robertson's Post - Trapped
Source: Trapped: A Fictive Memoir (by Jacob Robertson)
Would it be too strange to say that I would almost enjoy being trapped in that mine if I knew for certain that we would be saved? I am sure I could think of better ways to get away from everything, but there is just something about being isolated from the rest of the world that I think I would like.
Now, I know that they are facing some health hazards, and the living conditions can’t possibly be that great. It’s just that I would do pretty much anything to not have to worry about my day to day responsibilities for just a few months. Of course, being trapped in a cave with a bunch of dirty men for several months would get old pretty fast.
Can you imagine how tired you would get of certain people in that environment? There’s always that one guy that won’t stop talking. And then there’s that guy that thinks he is a stud and has to take over as the leader. Or, on the opposite end of that is the guy that won’t do anything to earn his keep.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I start to think that I would definitely not enjoy being trapped in a mine. Unless, that is, I’m trapped in there with the right company!
Would it be too strange to say that I would almost enjoy being trapped in that mine if I knew for certain that we would be saved? I am sure I could think of better ways to get away from everything, but there is just something about being isolated from the rest of the world that I think I would like.
Now, I know that they are facing some health hazards, and the living conditions can’t possibly be that great. It’s just that I would do pretty much anything to not have to worry about my day to day responsibilities for just a few months. Of course, being trapped in a cave with a bunch of dirty men for several months would get old pretty fast.
Can you imagine how tired you would get of certain people in that environment? There’s always that one guy that won’t stop talking. And then there’s that guy that thinks he is a stud and has to take over as the leader. Or, on the opposite end of that is the guy that won’t do anything to earn his keep.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I start to think that I would definitely not enjoy being trapped in a mine. Unless, that is, I’m trapped in there with the right company!
International Cry for Help
Iran Woman Who Faced Stoning to Be Lashed, Son Says (FOXNews.com article - A.P. Sept. 6, 2010)
I am currently waiting to see if Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who is in an Iranian prison, will be sentenced to death by stoning. It is my hope that the Iranian government will eventually see that this type of punishment is not acceptable. If they do not come to this realization, she will be forced to depend on the rest of the world to come to her rescue.
She has been sentenced to death by stoning for the crime of adultery. The purpose of writing this is not to argue her innocence of this crime. The bigger point here is that even if she is guilty of adultery, death by stoning is far too extreme of a punishment. The Iranian government should be held accountable by the rest of the world for their lack of respect for human life and their consistently inhumane methods of discipline.
If she does eventually fall victim to this horrible form of punishment it will not be the first time her own human rights will have been violated. She has also recently been given 99 lashes because a photo released in a news article allegedly showed her unveiled, which is illegal for women in her country. Again, I am not attempting to argue her innocence. This too was a punishment that would appear to the rest of the world as extreme.
I understand that every country has the ability to make its own laws and should be free to do so. However, they should not be allowed to ignore the human rights that are meant to be commonly afforded to all people of all countries.
My biggest fear at this time is that because of the attention this story has received all around the world, the Iranian government may attempt to rush its decision to execute her so as to put an end to this whole situation. It appears that the stoning could take place any time now. At this time I don’t know that anything can be done to save her. It appears to me that the more attention that is paid to this story, the higher risk of mistreatment she faces.
Ashtiani has received some support from Brazil and Italy as well as the Catholic Church. However, the more powerful voices around the world like the United States and Great Britain have not been as vocal with their support for her. The United States has long been a champion for human rights worldwide and I am hoping that they will stand up against this extreme violation of those rights.
What will the world say if Ashtiani is to die in this barbaric fashion? Will there be an outcry to save her before it is too late? Will the super powers of the world make any attempt to save her life? And, what about all of those in her country and other countries in that region that are facing these same human rights violations without the media spotlight that Ashtiani has received? Regardless of her guilt or innocence, the punishment she has already been given and is about to be given is nothing more than a despicable display of a lack of regard for human life.
So, please think of Ashtiani tonight when you are reflecting upon the troubles you face in your own life. Think of how you would feel if you or a loved one were facing the type of fate that she may soon be forced to face. Most of all pray for her and all of the people around the world that are falling and have already fallen victim to these types of outlandish punishments.
I am currently waiting to see if Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who is in an Iranian prison, will be sentenced to death by stoning. It is my hope that the Iranian government will eventually see that this type of punishment is not acceptable. If they do not come to this realization, she will be forced to depend on the rest of the world to come to her rescue.
She has been sentenced to death by stoning for the crime of adultery. The purpose of writing this is not to argue her innocence of this crime. The bigger point here is that even if she is guilty of adultery, death by stoning is far too extreme of a punishment. The Iranian government should be held accountable by the rest of the world for their lack of respect for human life and their consistently inhumane methods of discipline.
If she does eventually fall victim to this horrible form of punishment it will not be the first time her own human rights will have been violated. She has also recently been given 99 lashes because a photo released in a news article allegedly showed her unveiled, which is illegal for women in her country. Again, I am not attempting to argue her innocence. This too was a punishment that would appear to the rest of the world as extreme.
I understand that every country has the ability to make its own laws and should be free to do so. However, they should not be allowed to ignore the human rights that are meant to be commonly afforded to all people of all countries.
My biggest fear at this time is that because of the attention this story has received all around the world, the Iranian government may attempt to rush its decision to execute her so as to put an end to this whole situation. It appears that the stoning could take place any time now. At this time I don’t know that anything can be done to save her. It appears to me that the more attention that is paid to this story, the higher risk of mistreatment she faces.
Ashtiani has received some support from Brazil and Italy as well as the Catholic Church. However, the more powerful voices around the world like the United States and Great Britain have not been as vocal with their support for her. The United States has long been a champion for human rights worldwide and I am hoping that they will stand up against this extreme violation of those rights.
What will the world say if Ashtiani is to die in this barbaric fashion? Will there be an outcry to save her before it is too late? Will the super powers of the world make any attempt to save her life? And, what about all of those in her country and other countries in that region that are facing these same human rights violations without the media spotlight that Ashtiani has received? Regardless of her guilt or innocence, the punishment she has already been given and is about to be given is nothing more than a despicable display of a lack of regard for human life.
So, please think of Ashtiani tonight when you are reflecting upon the troubles you face in your own life. Think of how you would feel if you or a loved one were facing the type of fate that she may soon be forced to face. Most of all pray for her and all of the people around the world that are falling and have already fallen victim to these types of outlandish punishments.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Here We Go!
There are some fears this go around that I did not have back then. I often wonder if knowledge will still soak into my brain like it did when I was younger. I also wonder if my busy life will allow me to focus on school the way I need to.
My motivation is different now. I have kids now and I no longer feel that I need an education just for my own success. Now I know that I need an education in order to create a better life for my kids and to be an example for them to follow. How will I stress the importance of school to my kids if I don't graduate from college?
I am definately looking forward to writing this blog and communicating with my fellow classmates. Writing is a passion for me. Hopefully, writing this blog will allow me to become a better writer.
In the past I have written a few blogs. There is one that I still keep up to date. "By All Means Accelerate" is a blog about my father, who after raising my brother and me all alone has been stricken with Multiple Sclerosis at the young age of 55.
The blog is my way of sharing stories of the greatest man I have ever known, while also keeping friends and family up to date on his well being as he lives out his life in a nursing home.
To all of my classmates and instructors I would like to thank you in advance for assisting me along my journey. And to any of you that read my father's blog, I hope that it will teach you a little about appreciating the important things in life while you still have them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)