Online learning

Although I think the online environment will continue to grow as an alternative to physical classroom learning, I do not think it will completely replace the traditional classroom environment. Mainly, I think this is due to the simple fact that people are different. Some students achieve a higher level of comprehension by hearing a lecture, others by reading. Some students need a structured environment, while for some (like me), the convenience of attending classes online as their daily schedule allows, whether at 6 am or 10 pm is invaluable. Although I have not attended on-campus classes in a number of years, one drawback of online learning has been that they are much more writing-intensive than I recall on-campus classes to be. But, writing is really the only way your instructor knows that you grasp the material being covered.

Hopefully, as the online educational environment grows, the variety of courses available will expand. Some of the physical sciences and such will probably never be available online, as these require hands-on lab work. I do think that if demand continues to rise, more institutions of higher learning will be forced to offer online classes in order to keep enrollment up. Students will follow opportunities that take them where they wish to go. The online learning environment is not for everyone, however. Many students will stick to what they know in the traditional learning environment.

Laws to regulate types of fast food?

Should the government pass laws to regulate the types of food served in fast food restaurants? In my opinion, no. While I think it is important that safety regulations for food temperatures and the like are in place and monitored for compliance, it should NOT, under any circumstances, be up to the government to dictate the type of food that fast food restaurants are permitted to serve. We live in a free society; many things we have taken for granted as freedoms are being challenged daily. If citizens do not begin to put their foot down and refuse governmental control over the seemingly silliest of things, our nation's freedoms will continually be chipped away until we live in a dictatorship. This is not acceptable.
Every person who has attended school has been taught about the basic food groups, general nutrition and healthful eating habits. While modifications to nutritional balance have been made in recent years, the premise remains the same. A minimum number of servings of proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, veggies and dairy products consumed daily will help to keep our foundation strong and help our bodies to remain healthy. While individuals make choices based on their beliefs or lifestyles, the basic recommendations remain steady.
Part of the beauty of our nation is our freedom. Why should the government dictate that I cannot have a greasy cheeseburger at a fast food restaurant if I decide I'd like to have one? It should not. With the constant evolution of our society, demand is beginning to grow for more healthful options at fast food restaurants. Many such locations have implemented healthful menu selections for those who are more conscious of the fuel that they consume. McDonald's now has salads and grilled chicken options, as do Wendy's, Chick-Fil-A and many others.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all who may be reading this!

To me, Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family. The busier that life seems to get for everyone, the more important it is to step back and remember all the things in our lives we have to be thankful for. Personally, I am thankful for the love of a wonderful husband, a great daughter, the best parents in the world, an extended family who is beyond description, friends from years gone by and new friends. Our family will be celebrating tomorrow, as some members actually have to work today - a family dinner with everyone present is our tradition. Each of us will bring a dish, and whoever has the most space available for all 14 of us is where we gather. We'll talk and laugh, and probably bicker a bit too - that's just how our family is. We'll have a glass of wine, relax and play with the kids and remind ourselves how very fortunate we are that we're able to spend the evening together, that we are all in relatively good health and count our blessings for everything we have, forgetting, even for a short time, about the things that we don't and have been wishing for....

The Family in the year 2109

What will the nature of "the family" be in the year 2109? It's hard to say, really. If one were to make assumptions based on history, I would think the family unit will continue to evolve, as it has over the past century. In the early 1900s, the family unit was a much bigger priority than it seems to be in the current day. Families worked together for success, particularly in farming, as every member of the family that was able worked in the fields in order for the family to have foot to eat throughout the year. Families relied on themselves and their own resourcefulness to heat their homes and cook meals, and so on. As we entered the age of electronics and technology, many family values began to fall by the wayside, and as electronics continue to dominate our culture, I think this trend will continue for many. Although family values for many groups have changed very little, for what seems like the majority, family values appear to barely exist. We are in the midst of the information and electronics age, and as these new technologies continue to advance, the family as we know it will cease to exist. Although I hesitate to speculate what it will become, history tells us that it will continue to disintegrate from what it once was. The technological revolution has been both a blessing and a curse...

Community

Community, to me, is the connection among the people who we work, live and enjoy life with. The family community is a big one, and the dynamics within a family can be intense. Yet no matter how challenging things can become in one's life, the family is always there to provide support and guidance. What ties families together can be nothing more than blood ties, but can also be friendships and marriages and children. The work community is another. The dynamic is different than that of a family but can be just as supportive and provide an outlet outside of one's family to vent frustrations and share "war" stories with. These people become our friends, whether or not we spend time with them outside of the work environment. These are the people that we can share our work frustrations and accomplishments with, because they are there, in the trenches with us every day, and deal with the same pompous jerks, kind people, irritating people and demanding supervisors that we do. It is a connection to share inside jokes and laughter, and to buckle down and band together to get the job done - and get it done right. Then there are are comrades who we play with. Whether it is a pickup game, paintball, beach volleyball or whatever, we bond with these people as well, as we share a common enjoyment of some sport or athletic event, and cheer each other on to success.

"Honor Codes" on College Campuses

While they will not have the desired effect on every individual who attends college, I do think that "honor codes" are a good reminder for those who may be tempted to take shortcuts or try to pass someone else's work off as their own. I do, however, feel that these are effective only to a certain degree. Even before society's evolvement into the current "it's all about me and what I want" type of attitude, there were always people who took what didn't belong to them or used things that didn't belong to them without permission - and there always will be. For those who might be teetering on the edge, trying to decide if they will or won't cheat, these "honor codes" may have a deterrent effect, if the individual fears the consequences of their actions. But, as with any law or policy, there will be some who have no fear of consequences and proceed to do exactly what they want to do. I think that this mentality is becoming more prevalent in today's society, in part because values and parental teaching of those values, respect for authority and boundaries have changed over the past few decades.

Cause and effect....reality tv

Although watching Survivor is a guilty pleasure, I am not a fan of most reality shows. On occasion, I do also catch The Amazing Race, but Survivor is one I try to catch every week. Actually, it was better in the earlier episodes, as there seemed to be a lot more innocence and reality rather than the current "social experiment" being played by one of this season's participants. But, I digress. The early popularity of one or two shows has seemed to generate what I would term a "monster". It seems like almost daily, there is a new "reality show" to watch, and frankly, from the commercials I see, I have no interest in watching them. Real Housewives of Atlanta? Please...There are several others whose names I don't even recall, but it seems to me that the explosion of reality TV has caused many in society to go off the deep end. This is purely opinion, but....people seem to be acting out and behaving more outrageously than ever in hopes of getting their "15 minutes of fame" or getting their chance to be on a reality show. And it is truly amazing to me to see (particularly on Survivor, since that what I watch most often) the bizarre things that people will do for a shot at a million dollars. Which brings up another point... Even if someone wins the "million dollars", how much do they really get? Uncle Sam has to get his take, so I'm guessing winners only get 50-60% of that so-called million dollars. Granted, they'll probably get lots of other perks, if you can call them that, by participating in the morning news and talk show circuits with several all-expenses-paid trips, but is that really worth what it takes to win? In my opinion, no. But, sometimes when I'm watching, I'll think to myself, 'wow, that's an amazing place to go', or 'I wish I could...' and I think that's part of the reason that people watch these types of shows so much. They can make us think about ourselves and what we would be willing to do for money.... But, money isn't everything. The love and support of family far outweighs all the money in the world. But, that's just my opinion.

Modern-day farms

As the world is ever-changing and populations growing, there has become a need for those of us more creative and problem-solving minded to come up with ideas to better utilize natural resources for the benefit of all mankind. A wind farm seems to be a good idea. The natural resource of wind cannot be exhausted; it is up to mother nature whether the wind blows or does not. For the individuals who have devised a way to harness that wind and convert it into energy that can be utilized to power many other things, I applaud them. Today's society has become so dependent on electricity and so many other things, I do think it is important that resources are used that will not eventually be devoured by our greed. Others may not agree, as the wind turbines dotted through the landscape, although well-intentioned, can be viewed as an "eyesore" to many citizens. I believe that farms such as this will continue to thrive and grow as much as consumerism seems to continually thrive and grow, but there will be many who say "I don't want this in my backyard" or "I don't want this where I can see it". But, this is the case with many things such as halfway houses or prisons. The majority of society agrees that these are needed things, but no one wants them "in their backyard" or in areas where they will have to see them. Is this somewhat selfish? Yes. Do I feel the same way, that these are needed but that I don't want to live next door to them? Yes. I'm not sure there is an absolute solution to this issue, but somehow, a compromise will need to be reached that is acceptable to the majority. Although I have not done any research into the cost to implement farms such as this, I would imagine that they are rather pricey. However, with the energy that is generated by wind, I would imagine they pay for themselves within a short amount of time as that energy is sold to power stations for supply to the public, who in turn pays a fee for the use of said power. I would hope that this type of energy would be more cost-effective for the consumer, although I do not know that for certain.

Commentary on Political Blogs

This week's assignment is to select and discuss political blogs - one from the "left" and one from the "right. For me, this is difficult, as it is in my nature to avoid all things politics whenever possible. I personally do not care for all of the hype and drama that seems to be inherent in politics. With that being said, I will TRY to be objective in my comments, but keep in mind, this is merely the opinion of a person who knows little about the political machine.

For this assignment, I've looked at The Huffington Post for the left, and Hot Air for the right. With opposing political ideals and opinions, both of these blogs appear to use similar techniques in their arguments, intended to sway the reader's opinion into their arena. One of the techniques is the use of name-calling. On the right, claims are made that The Huffington Post is siding with terrorists - and - shh.....don't tell the DNC because their claim is that if you are amused by Obama's being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, you are on the side of terrorists. Uuugghh!! Really? If one questions whether an award winner is deserving of the award he has been given, how exactly is that "siding with terrorists"?! On the left, one commentary thinks its a great thing that Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but puts forth a call for him to earn the award given. BUT....isn't one supposed to have earned it in order to receive the award in the first place??? The left comments about the on-going war and suggests that troops should be returned home, and that the issues being addressed by armed forces in that region of the world should actually be addressed by the people of those nations. On this, I lean toward agreement. Although I believe that if these nations ask for the assistance of the US Armed Forces, it should be given - with limits, it is actually ultimately up to the people who want freedom or change to fight for it, not have it forced upon them by the US or any other nation.

Both sides of arguments seem to have a tendency to use multiple political rhetoric techniques - name-calling, argumentum ad hominem, transfer of guilt, faulty cause and effect, and the two-extremes fallacy. It is difficult to weed through all of the sarcasm and rhetoric on either side to determine if there's any true message at all...

The film industry seems to be ever-changing, as most everything seems to be. As an action-movie junkie, a lot of the new films being released are enjoyable for me, because of all the special effects. Realistic? Not necessarily, but, because movies are an escape from reality (for me anyways), they really don't have to be. All they have to do is entertain me and "take me away" from real life for a couple of hours. I'm not one to go to the theater, I wait until the film comes out on DVD and then buy it. I personally don't care for the theater for a couple of reasons. One of these is that there are so many rude people who talk on their cell phones during movies or text or just chat in general and don't seem to have any consideration for those who are trying to enjoy a movie. Another is the expense - I can buy a DVD and watch it as many times as I want for less than it costs to pay for three people to get into the movie theater! I haven't seen anything new lately, but am looking forward to a couple of movies, particularly 'Fast and Furious' and 'Transformers: Rise of the Fallen'. I'll be buying those two as soon as I can to watch in the comfort of my own living room, where you can hit the 'pause' button if you have to get up for a moment, so you don't miss anything!

I do think that film is still a viable art form, and some filmmakers are coming out with more reality-based movies that can grab your heart. I do think that some, but not all, movie theaters will survive our culture's growing interest in internet and television. For some families, going to the theater is a special treat, a family event, if you will. For others, the atmosphere of the theater with the giant screen and speakers makes the effect complete. Not my personal thing, but many people do enjoy that, and for those that do, they will continue to fork out tons of money to see films where they were intended to be seen - at the theater.

Any number of images can bring powerful reactions from people. One such symbol is the swastika. It is an ugly symbol of hatred and persecution of particular groups of people. Seeing this symbol causes me to shudder, as I see pictures of concentration camps, barbed wire fences covered in razor wire and piles of bodies in mass graves. This symbol easily prompts an array of emotions from sadness to anger, and sympathy for the millions of people who suffered so tremendously at the hands of the Nazi people.

A happier image that comes to mind is the white picket fence surrounding a lush green lawn and two story home. This brings to my mind simpler times, when mothers were able to stay home and raise children while husbands went to work to provide financially for the family. This is an image that many refer to as the American Dream - a goal that many citizens set for themselves to achieve. That image has changed a bit over time, as in the present day it is rare for mothers to be able to stay home with their children. This, in part, is due to the economy and inflation. However, the dream of home ownership will always be considered the American Dream, associated with the image of the lovely home, well-maintained yard, surrounded by a white picket fence.

"Embedded reporters" are journalists who travel into combat zones with military units. The live, eat, sleep and breathe with the members of these units and develop a camaraderie and kinship with them, almost becoming family members with shared experiences. The soldiers are tasked with keeping the journalists safe; the journalists are there to tell the soldiers story. Is this an appropriate way to report the news? In my opinion, no. It is appropriate for reporting human interest stories such as the difficulty of leaving one's family - life, really - behind to go to war, however, in my mind, it would be nearly, if not impossible, to report facts of war in an unbiased, objective manner. I think that this "embedding" program was implemented to garner support for the war, and I recall watching Dana Kay on News Channel 5 as she traveled with her assigned unit. I liked her style of reporting and was aware of her bias (however unintended) towards "her" soldiers. I don't think "embedded reporting" should have gone on; I believe the program was nothing but a war propaganda tactic of the Bush administration.
I would imagine that the soldiers had mixed feelings about embedded reporters. On the negative side, it would be a major pain in the behind to have to "babysit" a reporter who likely had never seen combat and whose inexperience could potentially cause a soldier to be injured or lose his life. Alternatively, it would be encouraging, as a soldier, to know that family and friends back home were receiving timely information and that information would very likely be positive.
One reporter discussed an experience during battle that allowed him to get satellite signal to upload photographs in order to meet his deadline. "I just couldn't believe it. It was more accommodating than anything I've ever done since," said USA Today Photographer Jack Gruber. The captain of the unit he was with opened the vehicle hatch during the fighting, which enabled Mr. Gruber to get a signal and meet his deadline.
Because of the nature of war itself, any attempts to portray the civilians version of events can be difficult, at best, for embedded reporters. Since these reporters always have a military escort, the likelihood that the civilians speak freely about their opinions is slight. Washington Post reporter David Finkel also noted that being embedded as a reporter is really the only somewhat safe way to report from Iraq presently. He says "At the beginning, if you were American, you were somewhat welcome, but that's not the case at this point." He cites the high risk potential for being kidnapped or killed if reporters were to attempt to travel freely now as they did in the early days of the war.

http://americanobserver.net/2007/12/04/iraq-2/
accessed 9/17/09

Propaganda is a means used to convince individuals of things that can be positive or negative. I have always been of the opinion that propaganda is negative, but am learning that this is not always the case. It is actually just a technique of persuasion or publicity to attempt to sway opinions for a variety of reasons. These reasons can include politics, goods or services, religion, or any number of issues for which someone wants the reader, viewer or listener to believe as they do. Propaganda takes may forms: advertising, publicity, testimonial, public relations, etc. One example of propaganda in the form of advertising is a commercial that urges ladies to purchase a beauty product that claims to "make fine lines look visibly smaller in just four weeks", thereby making the lady look younger. Another example of propaganda is evangelism, particularly on television or a tent revival. The preacher or leader of the revival makes claims, preying on people's fears, dreams or health issues, and claims that if you give lots of money, you will be saved or cured or will prosper. These claims are an inflation of reality. While belief in a higher power can be extremely powerful, belief alone is not the cure for what ails a person. It is the combination of belief, along with a sincere effort on the part of the believer, to work harder, live healthier, save more, etc. The final example I provide is from the most recent Presidential election. It was revealed by political rivals that the long-time pastor of a candidate was promoting hate and racism. The candidate and his staff spun the story, quickly distancing him from this pastor and repeatedly stated that the candidate did not share the beliefs and theories of his long-time pastor. Apparently, this spin was successful, because the former candidate was elected to the Presidency.

When I sit down to write, I tend to curl up in the corner of the sofa with pen in hand, soft pillows behind me and get comfortable. I prefer to read novels filled with suspense, romance and laughter; writing comes as somewhat of a challenge. My home is filled with beautiful displays of wildlife, and in those items I find inspiration. Many may think it strange, but to me, it is the beauty of earth and life that helps me to focus on the task at hand. When I'm not writing, I find myself in awe of the nature we have brought into our home and wish for the perfect wooded area to sit, relax and enjoy the fresh air and scent of cedar trees, the chilling yet beautiful sound of the howl of coyotes and the spine-tingling gobble of a great big Tom.