Overall, I thought that the video project went well. Each member of our group carried out their responsibilities efficiently and on-time. I was in charge of constructing and editing the video and taking footage, Cody interviewed, and Monet wrote the written article. Though we hit a few obstacles, such as our story topic having to be changed, the final outcome turned out nicely.
Finding an initial topic was very easy. Since we initially thought that the PE department encompassed the Athletics department, we thought we'd just talk about what requirements a sport must meet to be eligible for PE credit, and why certain rigorous activities, such as dance, did not qualify for credits while a not-so-rigorous sport, such as bowling, did. However, after interviewing Shelley Fey, the head of the PE department, we soon discovered that the PE department and the Athletics department are completely separate. Though it took us a little while, after reviewing the video footage we had taken, we decided to re-shift our focus to the PE department's most recent new-and-improved course: Lifetime Fitness. We also included some information about the other PE courses available, like Yoga.
Although the video project went really well, I don't think I'd choose to do another one unless it were more of a human interest piece. Video editing is an extremely long and meticulous process, and though video articles are a lot easier to follow, I think that they are only necessary when worded descriptions do not suffice.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Propaganda
Yesterday, one of my best friends sent me this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxgSubmiGt8&feature=related and told me to watch the video with an open mind, as the content was all facts.
After viewing the video, I was only angered by the way facts had been used to paint an image that was not fact at all. The video basically said that Barack Obama and the Democrats caused the economic crash by a bill they passed, and that Barack Obama was paid off my Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae to block the Bush Administration from monitoring their spending. I emailed her back a political rant:
This was a brainwashing video. Your family is conservative. You have to look at the other side too. You can't just reject liberal views because you consider yourself a conservative. This election is not about Democrats or Republicans. It's about change. Barack Obama has a plan. John McCain didn't, and now he's panicking. The failing economy is not Barack Obama's fault. The blame goes to greedy big businesses that tricked people with bad credit into believing they could all have houses. if you don't believe me, listen to Sarah Palin, your Republican friend, in her VP debate. She said the exact same thing. And you keep saying that Barack Obama will lead us all into turmoil with his ridiculous taxing. The fact of the matter is that Barack Obama wants to help the economy by breaking the barriers between rich and poor. Right now, our middle class is shrinking and our lower class is growing because the rich (mostly Republican) are not being affected by this economic crisis. Barack is proposing only to raise the taxes of those who make more than $250,000 a year. This way, the middle class can get back on their feet and get stronger. and when the middle class is strong, the entire nation gets stronger as a result because the middle class is where most of the population lies. The amount of people who make over $250,000 a year only makes up about 10% of our population, and are the only ones not suffering right now. Do you think that's fair? If John McCain becomes president, his plan is to keep the taxing policies and economy as is. How will that inspire any change? It won't. Government reform is necessary considering the corruption in today's big companies. Keeping the economy as is will just lead us down a darker path. We as a nation are already $10 trillion dollars in debt. We really can't afford much more. So please step out of your conservative bubble and look to see who the better leader would be for the nation. I have yet to hear anything positive or innovative come out of John McCain's mouth. or Sarah Palin's for that matter.
After viewing the video, I was only angered by the way facts had been used to paint an image that was not fact at all. The video basically said that Barack Obama and the Democrats caused the economic crash by a bill they passed, and that Barack Obama was paid off my Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae to block the Bush Administration from monitoring their spending. I emailed her back a political rant:
This was a brainwashing video. Your family is conservative. You have to look at the other side too. You can't just reject liberal views because you consider yourself a conservative. This election is not about Democrats or Republicans. It's about change. Barack Obama has a plan. John McCain didn't, and now he's panicking. The failing economy is not Barack Obama's fault. The blame goes to greedy big businesses that tricked people with bad credit into believing they could all have houses. if you don't believe me, listen to Sarah Palin, your Republican friend, in her VP debate. She said the exact same thing. And you keep saying that Barack Obama will lead us all into turmoil with his ridiculous taxing. The fact of the matter is that Barack Obama wants to help the economy by breaking the barriers between rich and poor. Right now, our middle class is shrinking and our lower class is growing because the rich (mostly Republican) are not being affected by this economic crisis. Barack is proposing only to raise the taxes of those who make more than $250,000 a year. This way, the middle class can get back on their feet and get stronger. and when the middle class is strong, the entire nation gets stronger as a result because the middle class is where most of the population lies. The amount of people who make over $250,000 a year only makes up about 10% of our population, and are the only ones not suffering right now. Do you think that's fair? If John McCain becomes president, his plan is to keep the taxing policies and economy as is. How will that inspire any change? It won't. Government reform is necessary considering the corruption in today's big companies. Keeping the economy as is will just lead us down a darker path. We as a nation are already $10 trillion dollars in debt. We really can't afford much more. So please step out of your conservative bubble and look to see who the better leader would be for the nation. I have yet to hear anything positive or innovative come out of John McCain's mouth. or Sarah Palin's for that matter.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Editorials.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23tue1.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=editorial&st=cse&oref=slogin
The editorial I read was entitled: "Trust Me," and it discussed the recent government bailouts of major companies and the author's opposition to the Bush administration's proposed takeover policy.
Though this piece was found under the "opinion" category, I felt that it lacked the passion needed to solely be deemed an "opinion" piece. With its many facts and statistics, this piece was more of a news and/or opinion piece. Furthermore, I expect an editorial to be heavily opinionated and passionately written with its primary objective being conveying the views of the author. This piece's tone was just too business-like for me; it lacked persuasive language and charm. Rather than being inspired by the author's argument, I was left with the same impression I would've gotten from a monotonous professor.
On the plus side, this article did establish a clear view point on the issue, which was an opposition to the government's rapid rush to save the financial market from turmoil. The argument itself was very valid, using facts and past experience for support. Overall, the article was very well-written and professional despite its clearly stated opinion. However, in my opinion, an editorial should use the advantages of taking a side to ignite the fire (interest) of others, and the voice of this editorial brought nothing but a wet match.
The editorial I read was entitled: "Trust Me," and it discussed the recent government bailouts of major companies and the author's opposition to the Bush administration's proposed takeover policy.
Though this piece was found under the "opinion" category, I felt that it lacked the passion needed to solely be deemed an "opinion" piece. With its many facts and statistics, this piece was more of a news and/or opinion piece. Furthermore, I expect an editorial to be heavily opinionated and passionately written with its primary objective being conveying the views of the author. This piece's tone was just too business-like for me; it lacked persuasive language and charm. Rather than being inspired by the author's argument, I was left with the same impression I would've gotten from a monotonous professor.
On the plus side, this article did establish a clear view point on the issue, which was an opposition to the government's rapid rush to save the financial market from turmoil. The argument itself was very valid, using facts and past experience for support. Overall, the article was very well-written and professional despite its clearly stated opinion. However, in my opinion, an editorial should use the advantages of taking a side to ignite the fire (interest) of others, and the voice of this editorial brought nothing but a wet match.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Mixing Comedy with Politics
Today I watched a short video clip of Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. In addition to being hilarious, the spoof also covered real platforms presented by presidential candidates, such as Hilary's stress on diplomacy and Palin's "experience" with Russia. The skit was a great way to encourage more people to get involved in and informed about the presidential race. With such a history-defining election in our midst, I think it's important to get as many people as possible actively and accurately involved in it.
I believe that knowing what goes on around us is extremely crucial to making good decisions. We cannot build a future without knowing our past. So many people today are on a quest to make history, but they go about it without looking to the past, thinking they can make it based only upon their own skills and ideas, only to fall flat with disappointment when they find making history a lot harder than they imagined. The only way to get better is to learn from our mistakes. If we don't look back on our mistakes, how can we learn from them? In the same respect, if we don't know what's going on around us, how can we make decisions for ourselves and for people around us that will ensure the best possible future?
So if you support Sarah Palin just because she is a woman or Barack Obama just because he is black or Punahou alumni, it may be time to step out of your oblivion and look to see what these people actually stand for. This way, we can ensure that the best leader for our nation is chosen rather than the most popular minority representation.
I believe that knowing what goes on around us is extremely crucial to making good decisions. We cannot build a future without knowing our past. So many people today are on a quest to make history, but they go about it without looking to the past, thinking they can make it based only upon their own skills and ideas, only to fall flat with disappointment when they find making history a lot harder than they imagined. The only way to get better is to learn from our mistakes. If we don't look back on our mistakes, how can we learn from them? In the same respect, if we don't know what's going on around us, how can we make decisions for ourselves and for people around us that will ensure the best possible future?
So if you support Sarah Palin just because she is a woman or Barack Obama just because he is black or Punahou alumni, it may be time to step out of your oblivion and look to see what these people actually stand for. This way, we can ensure that the best leader for our nation is chosen rather than the most popular minority representation.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Sarah Palin Controversy
This year's political race seems to have dematerialized into a showdown of minorities. It is apparent that no matter the outcome, the 2009 election will surely be one to remembered. On the Democratic ticket, we have a black man. On the Republican ticket, we have a woman. After seeing him in the limelight for quite a while now, I am very well acquainted with the past and platforms of Barack Obama. But who is Sarah Palin? Where does she come from? What is her stance? I decided to use this assignment to find out.
The first article I came across was from slate.com (http://www.slate.com/toolbar.aspx?action=print&id=2199058). From the very beginning, this piece nearly shouted the author's opposition to Palin. As the piece went on, the author began to express negative feelings towards John McCain, insisting that his pick was simply "reckless [and] impulsive."
While the author is an excellent writer and though I feel that this piece was wonderfully written, I do not think that this piece is an example of a quality journalism piece. Rather than presenting the facts, the author instead twisted the facts and presented them in a way that supported his case and viewpoint. While this technique is helpful to debaters and lawyers, it is not the technique that should be used to present facts in a journalism article. Opinions are permissible, but they should be established separately from the facts. This way, a reader can read information and make his/her own judgement instead of being pressured to take a certain side. This is why I believe that the second article I read is a much better example of a quality journalism piece.
The second piece I read came from The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/us/politics/02palin.html). The piece, like a thesis paper, starts off with the a small introduction and the author's "thesis" or opinion. As the article unfolds, the feel of it shifts from an opinion piece to an informational piece. All of the same facts that were given in the first article are given here, except there are no opinions attached to them. When presented without bias, these facts give an entirely different impression. In the first article, the facts were presented to make Palin look stupid, indecisive, and fickle. In the second article, these same facts were simply used to provide some background information on Palin -- her pregnancy (her fifth child, Trig, who suffers from Down Syndrome), her daughter Bristol's pregnancy (her daughter is an unmarried teenager; she is in her fifth month of pregnancy), her rumored power abuse (forcing an employee to resign), and her choice in the mayoral election (though her stepmother-in-law ran for the position, she sided with another woman). This piece allowed me to make my own judgments on Sarah Palin, while the other piece told me to dislike her.
By the end of a quality thesis paper, you will leave agreeing with the author's opinion. This is how I felt after reading the first article. However, the article was supposed to be an example of journalism, not a thesis paper. By the end of a quality jounalism piece, you should walk away with an opinion, but it should be one that you formed yourself after reading the facts and opinions presented for you. This is how I felt after reading the second article, leading me to conclude that the second piece was a better example of quality journalism than the first.
The first article I came across was from slate.com (http://www.slate.com/toolbar.aspx?action=print&id=2199058). From the very beginning, this piece nearly shouted the author's opposition to Palin. As the piece went on, the author began to express negative feelings towards John McCain, insisting that his pick was simply "reckless [and] impulsive."
While the author is an excellent writer and though I feel that this piece was wonderfully written, I do not think that this piece is an example of a quality journalism piece. Rather than presenting the facts, the author instead twisted the facts and presented them in a way that supported his case and viewpoint. While this technique is helpful to debaters and lawyers, it is not the technique that should be used to present facts in a journalism article. Opinions are permissible, but they should be established separately from the facts. This way, a reader can read information and make his/her own judgement instead of being pressured to take a certain side. This is why I believe that the second article I read is a much better example of a quality journalism piece.
The second piece I read came from The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/us/politics/02palin.html). The piece, like a thesis paper, starts off with the a small introduction and the author's "thesis" or opinion. As the article unfolds, the feel of it shifts from an opinion piece to an informational piece. All of the same facts that were given in the first article are given here, except there are no opinions attached to them. When presented without bias, these facts give an entirely different impression. In the first article, the facts were presented to make Palin look stupid, indecisive, and fickle. In the second article, these same facts were simply used to provide some background information on Palin -- her pregnancy (her fifth child, Trig, who suffers from Down Syndrome), her daughter Bristol's pregnancy (her daughter is an unmarried teenager; she is in her fifth month of pregnancy), her rumored power abuse (forcing an employee to resign), and her choice in the mayoral election (though her stepmother-in-law ran for the position, she sided with another woman). This piece allowed me to make my own judgments on Sarah Palin, while the other piece told me to dislike her.
By the end of a quality thesis paper, you will leave agreeing with the author's opinion. This is how I felt after reading the first article. However, the article was supposed to be an example of journalism, not a thesis paper. By the end of a quality jounalism piece, you should walk away with an opinion, but it should be one that you formed yourself after reading the facts and opinions presented for you. This is how I felt after reading the second article, leading me to conclude that the second piece was a better example of quality journalism than the first.
Monday, April 28, 2008
ARDHA CHANDRASANA (are-dah chan-drahs-ahna)
ARDHA CHANDRASANA - Half-moon Pose
ardha - half
chandra - brilliant, glittering, moon
In yoga, the moon is very important; in some types of yoga (i.e. hatha yoga), in counterpart with the sun, it represents a polar energy of the body.
If done correctly, your body can reap many benefits from doing this pose. Ardha Chandrasana strengthens the abdomen, arms, hip rotators (specifically the gluteus medius and minimus, quadratus femoris, gemellus Superior and inferior, obturator internus and externus and the piriformis), spine, buttocks, shoulders, and ankles. This pose can also help to stretch the hamstrings, chest, shoulders, and spine. Other benefits include stress relief and improvement of digestion, balance, and coordination.
In order to properly get into Ardha Chandrasana, you must first perform Utthita Trikona (Triangle Pose). The proper steps for getting into Ardha Chandrasana on the right side are as follows:
1. Start in Tadasana. Breathe in deeply. On the exhale, jump your feet out 4 1/2 to 5 feet apart while raising your arms parallel to the floor. Turn your right foot out at a ninety-degree angle. This should cause your kneecap to be turned slightly past your ankle. Turn your left foot slightly in towards your body (it should be at no less than a forty-five degree angle). Make sure to keep your torso facing forward (it is still in Tadasana!) and your feet aligned. Also remember your bundhas! Inhale.
2. Upon exhaling, extend your torso to the right from the hip joint while keeping it facing forward. Place your right hand on either your shin, foot, or the ground -- whichever is most comfortable. To help keep your torso facing forward and your heart-center open, place your left hand on your left hip and try to keep your hips down while pulling the left one in and pushing the right one out. When you are secure, raise your left arm so that it is aligned with the right and fingertips are pointing towards the ceiling. When this is steady, turn your head to look up at your left shoulder and soften your gaze. Hold this pose for thirty seconds to one minute while breathing in and out.
3. Place your left hand back on your left hip. On the inhale, bend your right knee and slide your left foot forward six to twelve inches. Keeping everything aligned, slide your right hand out so that it is about twelve inches from the baby toe (beginners should use a block rather than keeping their hand on the floor for modifications).
4. On the exhale, straighten the right leg, pressing against the floor with the right hand and foot for support. Most weight should be carried by the right leg. To create a better flow and a stronger support, press against floor using your fingers rather than the palm of the right hand (see picture). At the same time, lift your left leg up so that it is parallel to the floor and the kneecap is facing forward. Keep both legs in Tadasana, not hyper-extended in order to prevent injury. If this is enough, you may stop. Otherwise, if you are steady, you may once again align your left arm with your right, keeping palms facing forward and fingertips pointed towards the ceiling. Look up towards the left shoulder and soften your gaze. Hold this pose for thirty-seconds to one minute while breathing in and out.
5. Exhale and lower your left leg. Return to Utthita Trikonasana. Inhale to come back up to Tadasana, pressing feet into the ground to assist you. Repeat on the left side.
Personally, performing Ardha Chandrasana, while very difficult, is very rewarding because it makes me feel strong and rooted to the ground. Also, keeping my heart center open helps to make me feel energized, as if energy is being absorbed through my heart and then spread throughout my stretched-out body with every deep breath. Ardha Chandrasana is also a fun way to challenge myself to improve my sense of balance while staying in perfect position with bundhas engaged. After coming out of Ardha Chandrasana I feel fresh and rejuvenated, my mood is lifted, and I'm ready to take on any upcoming challenges.
Here are some sites I used to help make this post as well as some interesting yoga sites:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/784 -- a complete breakdown of almost EVERY posture!
http://www.yogacards.com/yoga-postures-2/half-moon-pose.html -- stresses the Vinyasa Flow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n10zr7VgHY -- a short clip of yoga music, with pictures.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Introduction to Quality Project
This project is a song written, composed, and sung by me. The reason I chose to do a song for my project is because I love music. I love to sing to music, I love to listen to music, I love to dance to music. I love the way music can change the way a person thinks. When I am sad, there truly is nothing that can make me feel happier than a fun, upbeat, and invigorating song. I wanted to create my vision of a quality song, one that's lyrics held my thoughts on the world, and one that could make a person feel as if the sun were shining even if it were pouring rain.
In order to make my song interesting, I had to learn how to play the piano so that there was some background music in the song. I also had to learn how to use the program Garageband so that I could edit and add effects to my song. The lyrics of the song would be answers to the sophomore English essential questions, in order to add depth and relevance to English to my project.
After listening to the song, I hope that you will be able to, despite the added in effects and catchy tune, hear emotion and feeling in the song -- in its words, in its sound, in its music.
In order to make my song interesting, I had to learn how to play the piano so that there was some background music in the song. I also had to learn how to use the program Garageband so that I could edit and add effects to my song. The lyrics of the song would be answers to the sophomore English essential questions, in order to add depth and relevance to English to my project.
After listening to the song, I hope that you will be able to, despite the added in effects and catchy tune, hear emotion and feeling in the song -- in its words, in its sound, in its music.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Quintessential summer wear: denim cutoffs
Trends associated with summer are simple yet fun-filled. At one point or another, just the sight of a flowy minidress or a wide-brimmed hat was enough to make one weak-in-the-knees with excitement. Sadly, just like summer, most of these trends do not last very long. But there is one item of summer clothing that has lasted the test of time: the denim cutoff. This effortlessly flawless creation has been flaunted for decades, rocked by countless women of all shape and size, and with good reason. The secret "it" factor of these babies is that unlike most shorts, these soft, comfortable gifts from God actually look better when they get worn out. As the summer progresses, so do the shorts, locking every great summer memory into each ever-growing fray, so that even when the crisp navy of the denim fades, the good times won't. And when the time comes for beautiful summer bliss to end, you will have yourself not only a perfect fitting pair of shorts, but a record of memories to last you a lifetime.
project proposal
This year for my Sophomore English Quality Project, I plan to write a song, write the music for that song, and then make a music video for the song. I decided to do this because I love music, and I think that a good song does not only sound good, but has emotion and effort that can only be seen when the song is of exemplary quality. I plan for the song to be about the way I think we should live in our world, and I want the tempo to be fast and the music upbeat so that it exudes an enthusiastic quality. In order to be able to write the music for this song, I will need to learn either basic piano or guitar, and how to operate the Garageband program. I also plan to listen to other fast, upbeat songs for inspiration. For the music video, I will need people to help me record it as well as to be in the video. I will also need to learn how to better operate iMovie, seeing as I only know the basics of it right now. It's a lot of learning and work, but I'm excited for the outcome!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
thoughts on exodus.
I think that Exodus was a book who's purpose was to show how living in Africa affected each of the Price's lives. It is also a way to connect to certain ideas mentioned previously in the book. For example, the night of the ant attack in "The Judges" sort of forshadowed the fate of the four girls. Rachel goes off on her own, Leah clings to Anatole, and Ruth May and Adah are deemed first and second pick, respectively, by Orleanna. Another recurring theme I noticed was the four children: Orleanna had four girls and Leah had four boys.
I also noticed that the way the four daughters turned out was not unpredictable. It seemed as if each girl got what they wanted. Ruth May always talked about how she wanted to be a green mamba snake, and her death was brought by one. Rachel always dreamed of living a luxurious life and of being a wife (hope chests), and in the end she got to be a wife to three men as well as live a life of luxury as a hotel owner. Adah was very intelligent, so it makes sense that she became something as great as a doctor. It also makes sense that she went into a unique field of medicine because she herself is a very unique person. I also think that finding herself in Africa gave her the courage to be able to pursue things she's capable of having. Leah showed to be like her father in more ways than one. Like her father, she loved nature, and she seemed to continue to express that by praying to the nature around her. Also, like Nathan, she invaded the African culture. Although Nathan's approach was more stubborn and forceful, Leah still did things that weren't accepted by the Africans, even if she did it because of her love for them. She indulged in the culture, but did not respect its rules. For instance, she hunted with the men and taught the boys, things that were not socially or culturally accepted by the Congolese. But it was predictable that she would marry an African man because she loved the culture so much, and it seemed that she and Anatole had a romantic connection.
I think overall that Exodus was an accessory chapter. Although it is very good and provides a lot of interesting information, it would have been fine if the book ended after Bel and the Serpent.
I also noticed that the way the four daughters turned out was not unpredictable. It seemed as if each girl got what they wanted. Ruth May always talked about how she wanted to be a green mamba snake, and her death was brought by one. Rachel always dreamed of living a luxurious life and of being a wife (hope chests), and in the end she got to be a wife to three men as well as live a life of luxury as a hotel owner. Adah was very intelligent, so it makes sense that she became something as great as a doctor. It also makes sense that she went into a unique field of medicine because she herself is a very unique person. I also think that finding herself in Africa gave her the courage to be able to pursue things she's capable of having. Leah showed to be like her father in more ways than one. Like her father, she loved nature, and she seemed to continue to express that by praying to the nature around her. Also, like Nathan, she invaded the African culture. Although Nathan's approach was more stubborn and forceful, Leah still did things that weren't accepted by the Africans, even if she did it because of her love for them. She indulged in the culture, but did not respect its rules. For instance, she hunted with the men and taught the boys, things that were not socially or culturally accepted by the Congolese. But it was predictable that she would marry an African man because she loved the culture so much, and it seemed that she and Anatole had a romantic connection.
I think overall that Exodus was an accessory chapter. Although it is very good and provides a lot of interesting information, it would have been fine if the book ended after Bel and the Serpent.
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