BUCKET LIST

Title	Author	Commentary
1.       “Life Of Pi”	Yann Martel	I enjoy reading books about adventures and this book had a quote from the San Francisco Chronicle on the front labeling that it was a great adventure and it was hard to stop reading. I LOVE books where you can’t put them down! This is a chilling tale about 16 year old Pi who finds himself stranded in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, it tells of his challenges to find food and to overcome everything the ocean throws at him.
2.       “Water For Elephants”	Sara Gruen	After seeing the movie with the amazing Robert Pattinson playing the role of Jacob I made the decision to read this book. This book is about a thrilling love story during the prohibition and tells of a man who lost his parents in an accident and jumped a train into the life of the circus and finds his love but she is married to another man the circus ringmaster, who also is a wife beater. This book also had several different places on the bestseller list including USA bestseller.
3.       “Two Or Three Things I Forgot To Tell You”	Joyce Carol Oates	This book cover interested me it showed of a girl standing in the sunset with the wind gently blowing her hair as if she was escaping something. After reading the first few pages I noticed that this book was about a friendship between two girls one who was killed and the life that she knew and the life her friends knew of her. This book also landed a spot on amazon’s best book of the month.
4.       “City Of Bones”	Casandra Clare	After hearing all of the ranting about this book series I had to read it and I read the back of the book along with the first few pages and found it to be quite interesting especially since I like books that are real science fiction. This book is about a person who witnesses a murder of somebody whose body disappears and then later finds out the murderers are demon hunters and they kill and rid the earth of demons.
5.       “Beautiful Creatures”	Kami Garcia	This book is another that has been on my reading wants for a very long time and it has very unique paranormal aspects to it. This book is about a girl with special powers but doesn’t want anybody knowing about them or the curse on her family, and then she meets this guy who is physically drawn to her and wants to find out the connection between them. This book seems to be a definite thriller and suspenseful read.
6.       “Children Of The Fog”	Cheryl Kaye Tardif	This book drew me to it because the cover reminds me of the book The Shack, but although these books are very different children of the fog is about a mother who is forced to decide what to do about the kidnapping of her son and seeing the face of the kidnapper and not being able to tell anyone or her son will be in pieces and sent back to her. This book is about a mother’s love to save her child and to face the person who took him.
7.       “Taken”	Norah McClintock	This book in some ways is similar to the movie taken but don’t have the same story line. This book is about a girl who thinks that nothing that happens to other people will happen to her, although it does and she’s miles from home tied up and doesn’t know what to do. This is a thrilling book about an escape and the will everybody has to live in the worst situations.

Film Critic: Rebel Without A Cause

In the 1955 film "Rebel Without A Cause" characters Jim Stark, played by James Dean, Judy, played by Natalie Wood, and Plato all have led lives in homes considered fatherless. In today's society most homes that are considered fatherless have children that are more likely to get involved in crime,drugs, and alcohol. The screenwriters of this film include: Irving Shulman, Steward Stern, and Nicholas Ray as director, Ray and his other screenwriters did a fantastic job at portraying the effect of a tragedy that in our time now is more than likely not going to happen. All of the film's main characters had troubles with their father figures, which caused them to make stupid decisions that led them all to get into trouble.

Jim Stark, a typical teenage male, always seemed to get into trouble so his mother would always do the "brave" thing and move from place to place to try to keep Jim out of trouble. Jim as the new guy ran into the crowd of guys that were obviously the popular guys which also included the leading guys girl, Judy. Jim didn't ever like his mother always being in control and his father sitting around watching on the sidelines, so Jim did the practical thing and every time an oppurtuinity would come along, he would do something bold and try to become the man of the house, but everytime his mother would make them move and he never got to really make that point. Jim got into a quarral with Buzz, played by Corey Allen, and they played a game of chicken. The cars were both started at the same time and shockingly Buzz got his jacket sleeve hung on the door and went over the edge of the cliff, making Jim the winner. All of the other kids watching were scared and decided to go home and not mention anything about this.

Judy, Buzz's girlfriend, was drawn to Jim from the beginning of the movie and now after Buzz's death gets her chance to show Jim how she feels. Judy always seemed to get rejected by her father and never got to show anybody her true feelings. Judy knew her rank in the world and if she was with the next greatest guy, then she could maintain her status in the world. The viewers senses somewhat of an effect of betrayal as they see Judy getting pushed away from showing her only father affection, because the reader knows in that time period girls weren't the same as they are now and usually their father is the only guy they ever want to kiss or more or less think is number one in their lives.

Plato is a small guy who is in and out of the juvenile offices, because of his behavior like shooting puppies. Plato too has an issue with having somebody as a father figure and after Jim showed kindness to Plato, Plato picked Jim to act somewhat as a father figure to him, since his own father had abandoned him.

Jim knew that after the one night of playing chicken that he should let somebody know of the events that had occured that night, so he decided to talk to his dad about it, well of course he ignored everything Jim had to say, this caused Jim to want to contact the authorities. Coincidentely Buzz's friends found out and chased Jim down to prevent him from talking to the cops so nobody would get into trouble. Jim was with Plato and Judy at an old mansion at the time they came after him. Out of pure fear Plato goes into a crazy-like rampage and kills a member of the gang. Judy and Jim tried to get Plato to stop and to come out, but he saw the lights and again got frightened and ran at the officers with a weapon and he was shot and killed.

This film represents an odd occurence in life that wouldn't happen in society today because of the several other conflicts that exist. The overall effect that this film has on the reader would most definitely have to be betrayal because of how all three of the main characters led lives that didn't involve a father. This film didn't seem very realistic just because I couldn't see it occuring in today's society, it's to dramatic. I think that the screenwritiers should have went into more depth about the character Plato, throughout the film you don't really know how he got to be the way he was and you pretty much had to take an estimated guess at how his life was before and how it is now. I enjoyed watching the film, but it could have been directed better and maybe more realistic to today.

Men Need Sleep!

Barry’s idealistic humor reforms any woman’s idea of men and their almost too regular, sleeping patterns. Barry forms a position that men need sleep to function properly, by using examples of ethos, pathos, and logos to further inform people on the matter of men needing their daily afternoon naps.

                Barry begins by using ethos to emphasize his idea on men needing more deep sleep. The “breakthrough” researchers “indicate[d]” to be an important study at the University of Chicago gives Barry’s theory more credit. He makes it known throughout the article that men have hormones that they need to do even the simplest things like push buttons on a remote, and the only way to make these hormones is to sleep. Barry uses this to address the matter at hand and to give his idea more credibility since it was an actual study done at a known university.  The somewhat idiotic man in the newspaper clipping Barry refers to “concern[s]” a man in Tehama County who decided to “shoot” himself with a rifle helps point out how many men can treat their selves medically and be just fine without consulting a physician. Barry makes this a well drawn out story and uses some satire in showing how before you can help yourself medically you must first sleep.  He uses this to convince the readers that men really do need sleep to do even the most idiotic tasks.

                Barry then shifts to using logos to help defend that men need their daily afternoon naps to function. The “hormones” men produce that “compel” them to do stupid things like watch constant replays in slow motion on TV are one good reason to show that Barry is supporting his point. He uses the hormones excuse throughout the essay and goes on to say women do not produce those hormones, but instead produce and different kind that compels them to rearrange furniture. Barry uses sarcasm to show that any man’s spouse will be happy to support their husbands in this health kick to get more sleep. Barry thinks there should be “Muscle Mass for Men”, an idea for an exercise show that features eight to 10 “uninterrupted” hours of men sleeping. He keeps mentioning that there would be fitness centers that would be equipped with the latest in mattress technology, he also goes back and uses the idea he mentioned earlier that men have to watch TV. He uses this to make the reader think about men and their hormones that are apparently vital for survival.

                Barry closes to use pathos to connect to the emotions the readers possess for men and how they need sleep more than usual. The new “physique” Barry creates in the mind of the reader of men needing sleep is something that even the “manliest man” needs. Barry reaches out to the reader’s personal emotions and hopes that they will feel sorry for men that may be even the toughest guys on Earth, but they don’t get enough sleep so therefore they are weak. He broadens his point on how men need these crucial hours of sleep to do things like operate a TV remote. Barry brings up an example of a newspaper article he received “concerning” a Tehama County man that allegedly “[shot]” his foot because of a painful corn on his toe. Barry describes this whole situation as a man treating himself in a manly way, and how if he would have visited a doctor that it would have cost him a fortune. He reaches out to the reader making them feel sorry for the man and his pain and that he obviously didn’t have enough money to pay for a doctor’s bill.

                Barry uses ethos, pathos, and logos to establish that men need their sleep even in a stupid way they need it no matter what to do the things we as women ignore and try not to think about. Barry also uses sarcasm to make his article humorous to the reader.

Kill 'Em! Crush 'Em! Eat 'Em Raw!

Q:John mcmurty's essay begins with a personal anecdote about the results of playing sports-especially football- since childhood. When he can no longer ignore his physical condition, he seeks treatment and is hospitalized. How does the anecdote lend credibility to his argument?
A: the anecdote lends credibility to his arguement because he has been through all of that before so anyone going through the same issue can look to him for support because he knows exactly what they are going through. Mcmurty also knows how his passion for football has made him a more driving and more competitive person anyone who has that drive as well knows how he feels.
Q:paragraphs 5-7 compare and contrast football and war. Is this comparison convincing? How does this comparison appeal to logos?
A:this comparison is convincing it gives the reader a reason to really think about all of the things that make them the same and all of the things that make them different. This comparison appeals to logos by making the kill em expression that is used in both sports and war real it's actually used by coaches to convince their players to do better and to make good tackles, in war asearghants use this to tell their regiments to keep themselves safe and to kill the enemy.
Q:Consider the language of football, especially the words shared by the military. What sports other than football have a militaristic side?
A: the sport world has several different sides there's sports that are played by two single people and then there is team sports, team sports mostly have more of a militaristic side bobsled is a great example of this it's dangerous like war and football both are and they both could use the same language. Also rugby might be considered to have a militaristic side sine it's considered to be more like football but safer.
Q:mcmurty charCterizes general George Patton and president Richard Nixon as "jock loving media stars" think of contemporary media stars who associate themselves with football or other sports. Does the association enhance or tarnish their image?
A: Tim tebow is a professional football player who is an icon to almost every single boy or girl in America even tho he did not win the super bowl or even go for that matter he still makes himself noticed in the media world. Tebowing has become a world phenomenon and is very popular to today's society, tebows association with football and being a known Christian doesn't tarnish his image at all but strengthens it toward Christian viewers who might not like sports, because of the sometimes foul things sports stars do. Now that they have somebody like Tim tebow they can have a great icon to look up too.

Emerson Education Blog Post

Emerson uses many strong words to show his point on how education now could be changed. Teacher's now have changed ways to make learning better for children, when it's actually making it worse. Education should be something that people should teach us willingly not something that people should force on us.

In paragraph 10, Emerson describes how the educational system is revolved not around the natural student, but around the natural teacher. Emerson also mentions how the school would be home to genius, this is no longer true in today's society we are all too lazy to want to become known as a genius, or we care too much about what other people think and then just not want to be different. He also says that students have appetite and indolence but no enthusiasm. Most students today don't want to go to school they think it's not their home, but more of their jail. If you thought of your school as your home you would want to learn, now it's the complete opposite.

Emerson also mentions, in paragraph 10, how teachers have to sensor their teaching style around the students that who aren't geniuses and you have to hold the so called geniuses back because of the students who don't care. In my school people don't listen to teacher's instructions and they end up having to repeat themselves a million times, this makes me so irratated and makes me not want to be at school because of people not doing what they are supposed to and listen to the instructor. You won't get very far if you aren't paying attention, if you think about it most jobs require a college degree and if you don't get that education you will end up getting paid minimum wage and working at some place like McDonald's.

Emerson also mentions that you have to work for large classes not for individuals, this is also very true to my school teachers and councelors don't care about what you want to be they want everyone to learn the same things even if it won't help you in your future occupation, this way people get more education and seem to work better since everyone is taking the same courses.

Some teachers decide that you have to do certain things like analyze the movement of a prokaryotic cell that is hypertonic in a solution, if you have a nature to be an art teacher or an artist this will not help you at all and won't even get you anywhere in your future occupation, it will give you some umimportant knowledge about cells that 30 years from now you won't even remember you learned.

Emerson's view on education is very wise and very accurate things do need to change and they need to take action and change them soon or we will eventually run out of those few people who are considered geniuses and then we will all be lazy bums who don't give a rip about education and where they will get in life. Some school's like mine need to get a grip on the reality of what the students actually care about, and that's not what your showing us right now.

Kobalt tools anaylsis

Persuasion is found everywhere you look, in the office, on television, and on the radio. Most of today's persuasion is found in advertisements. Kobalt tools 2010 advertisement targets mechanics and today's hardworking men to get them to buy their tools. This advertisement appeals to all of the persuasive techniques to show the great product that Kobalt has.

The most obvious, or the clearest example of one of these techniques was how it appealed to logos. Kobalt tools has claimed that they have a product that will last you a lifetime. The fact that the ad showed a father and his son working on what appears to be a car shows that the tools have lasted at least two generations, and will more than likely last several more after that. The ad clearly shows that this brand of tools is exclusive, and can only be found at your local Lowe's store. Everyone should be able to get high quality tools, such as the one's Kobalt has to offer, but if they are only available at Lowe's then not everyone gets that chance to own Kobalt's fine product.

This ad uses the people in the ad to appeal to pathos, the father and the son seem to be bonding due to the fact that they both use Kobalt tools to work on their homes, cars, and such. If you knew that when you were a kid and that your dad used Kobalt tools, when you grew up and decided you needed some tools as well; wouldn't you use the same tools? Of course you would! The ad shows Kobalt tools to be extremely reliable and better than most other brands of tools. If you were broke down on the side of the road and you knew how to fix the problem you would want a tool that is considered good, and one that you can trust to do well and not break.

Kobalt's ad appeals to ethos by showing that the tools have lasted for so long between a family that they would be considered trustworthy. Kobalt says that their tools are hassle-free guaranteed, and they will last you a lifetime. Something that is known to be hassle-free, and was proven to be hassle-free would attract a lot of buyers that do not want to deal with the tools and worrying about them breaking and losing pieces etc.

Kobalt has used a great way to appeal to ethos, pathos, logos to make anybody who is avid on tools and working to want to buy a great product that they and maybe even their father can trust and use for several generations.

AP Lang

http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/EmpathyQuotient/EmpathyQuotient.aspx


I decided to take the empathy quotient quiz because I wanted to see how I actually feel towards other people, and the result I found out was that I'm average. Average is how this quiz described how I feel about other people's feelings, attitudes, and actions. I honestly thought I would be more then average because of how people say I'm loving and caring and care more about other people than I do myself, which is in many ways true, but after taking this quiz made me think differently about my actions and how I will treat others now and in the near future. I first decided to take this quiz after reading the sense in the book about empathy and it had my mind channeling in many different ways to think about the way you can act to other people and it shows how they treat you. Then, I looked in the portfolio and saw the empathy quotient quiz went on and looked at the quiz and decided this would be a great thing to do for my first assignment this summer. Empathy to some people may be something they think really strongly of or something they think very little of, in my opinion it is something I'm very interested in and when I took this quiz some new things came into view for me. After realizing that i'm only average, according to this quiz, it made me think about how when somebody comes up to me if i'm not really interested in what they are saying if I will ignore them or listen anyway just because I care about the person. New things came into view for me the new thought of how people treat others is how you should be treated, that old saying is a view of empathy it lives all around us and in this book " A Whole New Mind" it is represented as one of the six senses and is a very important role in a person's life. The quiz and the book gave me a whole new mind of my own and made me feel a little more for people even if I don't really know them that well life is hard for everyone and why make it lonely and not share your troubles and accomplishments with others right?