My Readings

Currently, Nothing. I am reading absolutely nothing. I wish I could read more. There was a time where I hated reading, but when I read it is a nice, refreshing form of entertainment then watching t.v. or video games. Reading allows you to imagine a whole new world full of wondrous things. Actually, I have to take back what I said. I am reading something just not lengthy. Idk. Anyways, I read manga's, Japanese comic books pretty much. I read Bleach and Naruto every weekend when they update them. It's a way for me to go into my youthful, childish self. I do recommend reading a manga. The Japanese have some really creative ideas. But if I were to recommend something, like a novel, I'd recommend the Harry Potter's if you haven't already read them... or my favorite book The Things They Carried, written by Tim O'brien. Really great book. Well that's it for me. Thanks GUYS! Enjoy my recommendations if you pick them up!

Can We Truly Be Original

A student turns in their assignment on a book report. The student makes wonderful connections with the book using literary criticism. He receives his report back with an “A” stabbed on the front of his paper, the red ink streaking down the page, and a note reads “Wow! Great connections! I’ve never seen it put that way before!” Proud of his originality, the boy goes home, shows his parents the report and they laugh. “Son,” they both say, “we read that same book years before you were born and noticed the exact same thing in the book.” His parents embraced their son at how proud they were of their similarities they shared with their son, but the boy was crying inside at the truth that he was truly not as original as he had hoped. At that same moment, students, professors and academics are finding out how unoriginal they truly are. Later the boy went up to his room, called his friend to come over, and once his friend did, they proceeded to plan out how they can truly become original. Originality in society is very dangerous; in fact, originality can be very fatal. The boys thought long and hard and when the boys gazed at each other’s eyes, deep down in each others souls, they saw the only possible answer of originality: homosexuality. The first two homosexuals the world has ever seen. In society, people cannot be original; in academics, people cannot be original. If people decide to become original, sprout new and innovated ideas to “improve” life, then society will die down little by little while the world gets taken over by the endangered species, the homosexual human.

In Sacramento

Man, I just keep getting more and more used to coming back to Sacramento. Unfortunately the visit isn't for pleasure too much. My abuelita is in the hospital. Luckily she's been feeling better. I just hope she can come out soon. UGH! See you guys tomorrow.

WHAT'S THE HOMEWORK?

Hi, if anyone is reading this, what is the homework. It's a little confusing on iLearn.

Essay 2

Wikipedia is one of the many advances that has come with the age of technology. It has innovated many from there natural lives to typing in what they need to learn and there answers lay within Wikipedia's endless and abundant source of knowledge. However, there are many out there, especially in the academia world, who feel that Wikipedia should not be used as a source for essays, dissertations, and research studies. Many feel, with Wikipedia's free-for-all editing, that a lot of the sources cannot be credible to academic concepts. Since Wikipedia is not a primary nor secondary source of information, many have banned it from being an academic source. But, with all the flaws that people point out of Wikipedia, it is Wikipedia that has been able to maintain such a reliable source of knowledge by posting links to other sources or by having people who keep an eye on Wikipedia. I feel that if done properly, and accordingly, Wikipedia should be used as a device to help site sources, but not as a cited source.

One of the main concerns people express with Wikipedia is that of its reliability content. "How do users know if Wikipedia is as accurate as established sources such as Encyclopaedia Britannica?" states Jim Giles on the nature of Wikipedia. If anyone can edit such source then it should not be used as strong evidence for any argument. On the well known show the Colbert Report, host Stephan Colbert "praised Wikipedia for 'wikiality,' the reality that exists if you make something up and enough people agree with you - it becomes reality."(Newsvine) Stephan Colbert proceeded to insist that his audience change articles that elephants have tripled in population. This stunt was done and pulled off from the Colbert Report's viewers and lead to Wikipedia administrators blocking many people including Wikipedia where Stephan Colbert then stated, sarcastically, he is just "a defender of the truth." With stunts like these, it does make you wonder whether or not to trust Wikipedia, but how many people spend there days fabricating lies on Wikipedia? Why is other websites easily trusted? Can they not be easily fabricated? Little things that make you wonder whether or not Wikipedia should be trusted.

Blog Roll

So I'm still working on my blog roll, but I'm getting there, ever so closely, minute by minute. Wish me luck!

SO Behind!!

UGH!! I feel so behind! I don't know if I'm the only one in this class that feels this way. I honestly don't know how many blogs I've missed and the worst part is, is that I feel so disconnected with my blog. I mean this thing should be my supposed "outlet" and yet I rarely go on it. I think the only way to fix my problem is by actually writing stuff in it that does not relate to the class as much, or at least use it as a method to communicate with my class. If there is any one at all who feels this way in Eng 114... HELP!!! haha, or at least comment so we can converse!

Gladwell piece.

"The difference between a crime of evil and a crime of illness is the difference between a sin and symptom." This was a quote written by Malcolm Gladwell. But is this quote owned by him? That's the very same question he asks himself as he writes his article "The Picture Problem: Should a Charge of Plagiarism Ruin your Life?" and as I see unfold as I read along. It was a really interesting article. I found a lot of the points he made very agreeable. In the case of Andrew Lloyd Webber copying himself, or The Beastie Boys using the same note, or even Kurt Cobain taking from Boston's "More then a Feeling," all the cases Gladwell brings up makes a relevant point.

One thing that did upset me was that he never said what ended up happening to Lavery after this whole matter ended. Although his goal in writing the article was not to do a biography on the so called "plagiarist," a little epilogue would not have hurt the man. In the end though, I found my self on Gladwell's side. Lavery had no idea what she did or was doing was wrong, and it's ART for Christ's sake! Let people explore and be creative, and if they make something better out of your idea, or words, don't be upset you didn't have the talent to do so.

What is an essay?!

To me, an essay is a group of words that are gathered together to answer a prompt or reach a goal. Depending on the type of essay this changes the layout of how the essay is written and read. Many different essays (i.e persuasive, satirical, or compare and contrast) are written for different reasons. A teacher either assigns it to you or it is your choice to write. In my opinion, essays can be a very powerful weapon. They can be used as methods of convincing others through facts or humor. They can bring one subject and either glorify it or destroy it. Essays can also be written about books such as a book report. It is, however, unfortunate that many, though great thinkers, lack the ability to write an essay and for that matter cannot even read or write, an epidemic known as illiteracy. Hopefully with time and technology the number of illiterates will decrease exponentially.

Chapter 1: My Word! A Question of Judgment

For my blog, I have to write a reflection on the first chapter of the book My Word! written by Susan D. Blum. Being the first chapter of the book, the author had to convey its theme as well as catch the attention of reader. The book discusses plagiarism, college culture, and the history of plagiarism. As a work of scholarly merit, the chapter did a great job at balancing all the main topics.

I found it interesting how the book described the many levels of plagiarism, from the “cheating” students to the fabricated journalist, from the repetitive musicians to the dastardly colleague, from 13^th century China to 1860’s Yale, plagiarism has had its roots dug deep in our society and I am looking forward to seeing how the author explains it more.

I am also curious of the punishment dealt to plagiarist. It does seem that there is leniency to those in power and that students are looked down upon as scum for doing an act that is, as the book puts it, like oxygen to us. I found it quite hilarious when I learned that the Doctor, MLK Jr. committed such an act. I find it a joke actually. Someone whose life was based on having high morals for equality sure felt it unnecessary to give credit where credit was due: very ironic, in my opinion.

The author does a great job at translating her opinions and the actual facts, and without forgetting to cite her sources. I look forward to continuing to read the book and post blogs throughout this semester.

Franky