Blog #5

I have seen this video before, I have written a short paper on steroid use in the U.S. before, and I think that it is a personal choice to use steroids and to know the risks if you have to use them. This video is interesting because it shows actual people who have been using them for years and who do not have any negative side effects. The news always talks about steroids in general but we almost never hardly see actual people who used them irresponsibly. However, every once in awhile there are those faces that make the news for essentially overusing steroids. I think this program failed to address those people, or maybe if they had talked to those families and shown their opinions, they would have a stronger argument for showing both sides of this conflict.

Even though I think steroid use is a personal choice I think different rules apply to athletes. If someone is participating in a sport, they are expected to adhere to the rules of that sport. In my personal experience playing lacrosse, I can boil one goal down to a certain thing that happened. For example, if someone's stick is illegal, however many times they might be checked or pushed or knocked off their feet, the ball will not leave their "control" and they can make it to the goal score. I call these small infractions unfair advantages, because referees may or may not notice an illegal stick. With sports that require a lot of strength to excel, steroid use is going to be more common, but then, it becomes one of these unfair advantages. One player can shape a game, even a team game. What if that one player is using steroids? I believe all sports should have steroid testing for those reasons. The advantages are obvious in many sports and the level of play should be based of skill of athlete and teamwork, performance enhancing drugs shouldn't be allowed to be used by athletes, from little league to professional.

This is not a double standard. Being the best, to me, is doing your best. Giving all you have to reach a level you want to reach. The problem is when you can't reach it, as one might put it, by yourself. I don't think society demands that we use steroids by any means, but to be the best is always great. However, I think it's interesting when those that are considered to be the best are caught using steroids, for some reason our society turns on that. For me, the ethics of steroids have always been only this: in order for me to reach my goals, I have to work hard for them, hard work and perseverance are the only things that I will use to reach them. To be the best I could be at something and for a sense of accomplishment, which I would not have if I chose to use steroids. I am usually a very impatient person, but when it comes to my own sense of well-being, I don't think I could ever use steroids to get results I want.

Georgetown Article

I personally believe that a party should be a party. The rules and restrictions that Georgetown is implementing in newer policies is, in some ways, taking out one of the main goals of a party: to loosen up and relax. The fact that the university is posting a procedure in order to have a party might turn people off of even trying to have parties. The restrictions do make sense, but they are having more negative effects than positive in my opinion. Taking "social life off campus," there are many complaints from students, and the fact that the restrictions have not had the effect on the community that the school wished, are all major backfires to these new rules (Kinzie).

Rules and restrictions set forth by Georgetown University recently are only the first of many steps that need to be taken to change the way parties are carried out on college campuses across the country. Some of the new restrictions include "one-keg-per-party," limiting the number of people allowed at a party, and registering "Two over 21 hosts" (Kinzie). Some say that these new rules have "pushed social life off campus" (Kinzie), causing local police and residents to strive to do more to neutralize problems some of the students are causing.

In-Class Paraphrase

In a recent quote James Lester spoke about research papers and how students these days are citing or plagiarizing their sources excessively. He believes that only about 10 percent of a students' final paper should be quoted. One suggestion to change this is to take notes sparingly, or reword only main points from a source.

Portfolio #2 Thesis

There is a subtle but distinct difference between coaching negligence and just an accident because a coach cannot be in two places at once, cannot control the actions of his players when they out on the field, and cannot prevent all accidents from happening.

(don't really want to do this)

Blog #4

In the first article, the authors/ researchers argue that in the past few decades, there has been a change in the way Americans percieve the male body image. They researched this topic in different types of media, particularly in male action figures by comparing older figurines with more modern figurines and interviewing some manufacturers. The authors say that this change in the way we view male body image has partly been caused by these action figures, pointing out also, that they might be changing due to other elements of media.

In the second article, the main argument is more the opposite of the first. The author mentions that she has been trying to defend Barbie from people who do not like the way she looks, showing that she completely disagrees that these dolls and action figures could possibly be influencing children's ideas of how they are "supposed to look." 

In the first article, an almost scientific tone is used. It isn't convicting but only presenting facts, as ina  report. At the beginning the authors list their hypothesis: "the physiques of male action toys... would proviode some index of evolving American ideals of male body image." They present facts throughout the article. Based on this I think the audience would be primarily anyone who might be doing research on the subject but also I think is article is particularly attactive to males, many of whom grew up with these action figures.

The tone in the second article is much more convicting and informal then the first. The author of the second seems like she is just venting from reading an article that argues the same thing as the first article. Her audience might be those that agree, that researchers interested in American body image are looking in the wrong place, and actions figures should only be looked at as actions figures, not real people to compare ourselves to.

From my personal experience, I work out and try to stay in shape. I workout because the sports I play require a lot of strength. After working out for going on 6 years, motivation is hard to come by and it is motivating to see someone who looks like how you want to look. But i wouldn't say that I work out to look like people think I should look, I feel as if I have accomplished something when I am done working out, and it gives me more energy. Lately for me it's been about being healthy. I also don't think that everyone feels like they have to look like these stars and action figures. I know quite a few people who don't work out, and don't have any problem whatsoever with the way they look. Maybe the toys did affect me, but I don't believe I have an idea about how someone should look. 

2.11.09

If I could uninvent one thing, what would it be?
I think nuclear weapons have obviously taken the world to a whole new level of destruction. War might be inevitable but the end all to war shouldn't be obliterating the other country/ side completely.

BLOG #3

Mental illnesses should not be taken lightly. Of all mental illnesses, both anorexia and bulimia have the highest fatality rates. Based on statistics like this one from Mim Udovitch, websites that are pro-ana and pro-mia (supportive of anorexia and bulimia), should be shut down. The websites that are on the internet these days that are supportive of those who have these mental illnesses are leading their viewers in the wrong direction. The goal of the sites are to support those who have one of these eating disorders, but the difference between these sites and constructive sites is that they are simply offering a place for someone to fit in, not offereng any help or support to change. Eating disorders are dangerous and shouldn't be accepted, but should be more like other mental illnesses in the fact that everyone should be searching for ways to treat and hopefully abolish it all together.

Recently there has been a lot of controversy surrounding pro-ana and pro-mia websites. Many people have slandered these sites and find them completly unacceptable. However, if someone was to ask someone affected by bulimia or anorexia, I am sure they would not say the same thing. The sites, however controversial they might be, are not promoting these eating disorders, even the site House of Thin states clearly that if new users are looking to become anorexic or bulimic, they have come to the wrong place. These are mental illnesses and though many who do not have them argue that the sites should be shut down, the site provide a place for those who are anorexic or bulimic to feel welcome. They offer a place where people don't have to be ashamed or hide who they really are. These sites should be allowed to operate for their help in acceptance and moral support if someone wants to try and change.

Pro-ana and pro-mia websites can be viewed in a few different lights. Many call them harmful while those affected by these illnesses call them helpful. Despite differing opinions, these website should be allowed to exist mainly for the fact that they provide support and acceptance. For those who do not agree with these sites intentions, they are definitely harder to see, but upon closer examination, should be seen as a helpful place. These are mental illnesses we are talking about, and they should be handled carefully, and anything that can be done to help prevent and abolish them should be done so that these websites are not even necessary, and those looking to lose weight or keep figure should look elsewhere to a more healthy means.

Fallacy: Either / Or Reasoning

Either you've seen Citizen Kane, Fight Club and Saving Private Ryan or you aren't a true filmmaker.