Another one bites the dust...

Being a second semester student, freshman, I don't have that much experience with the whole college concept quite yet, but I can say that one of my most interesting and beneficial classes has been Engl. 1020 sec. 1. Since I can remember I have always enjoyed writing, so every chance I get to improve my writing I take it. When I walked into this class I though I had it made, but little did I know, my writing would drastically change as I found my self in depth with the topics. Through each essay that was assigned I found new ways to incorporate my self so that I would try my best in each subject, this is also due to the methods of teaching.

I often loose track of details as I find my self focusing on writing the essay portion rather than taking my time and seeing things as they are. My previous observational essays were mostly on set topics rather then free range. In this class essay topics were very easy to come upon, as almost everything was free range. Gathering skill and ideas from class and the assigned readings allowed me to practically check list my ideas and provide clean and vibrant observations on things that I wouldn’t normally even glance at. In my Observational Essay I described the security guards at the entrance of a building, focusing on the factors that I normally would just state rather than describe. “Each guard is dressed in the typical generic looking uniform, a blue or white collared shirt with a black or blue over jacket and black slacks. A cheesy-chromed badge covers their lower left chest and wobbles back and forth as they walk around.”
The assigned readings showed me how to encounter each situation and observe everything that was or would be relevant to my essay and take note of it, like mindless ramblings of what ever I saw. With these simple techniques I am now able to use description in my essays in a fluid manner with out over or under doing it. This makes writing easy to read and very fluid as it does not obstruct the reader and bombard them with too many visuals, which is something that I used to do.

A thesis is what makes or breaks a piece of writing no matter the skill of a writer. From my very first post to my last, it is clearly visible that my writing skills have almost completely changed, but I think I have become most proficient in coming up with an elaborate thesis that leads to a good paper. In my very First Post I was asked to find a subject and a site in which I could relate to and write about. I did so but in a such a bad fashion that it is extremely choppy to read. “Skatboarding is a sport that is to soon be reckoned with as it is up and coming.”
Although a thesis is something that can be revised and revised until it is perfect, then revised some more. Over the coarse of this semester I have become accustomed to asking that all important question, “SO WHAT???” and by doing so I have been able to write and add more context to my thesis’s in each paper.
In my Rhetorical Analysis I used that all important “so what” factor and came up with a thesis that couldn’t be defined in one sentence as it linked the argument of a picture to one of my own. “Police have been around since laws have been established. They have the sworn duty to “protect and uphold” justice, but what happens when the term justice is taken out of context and bent to where it hardly resembles justice at all. Further more how will this corruption deceive to the younger generations views on Justice?”
Although this in its self is not nearly as developed as it should be, it is a complete turn around compared to the way I used blatantly state my thesis. Developing good thesis skills will come in handy through out the rest of my life, especially in my writings, as I will be able to connect with my readers on an intelligent level with out losing their attention.

Using the information I have gained from this coarse I feel confident that my writing skills have returned and have grown. I hope to encounter more interesting and fruitful classes, which will better my writing, but now I can walk confidently and write just as bold.

Rhetorical Analysis...

Well first of all I would like to say sorry because I don't know how I did it... but I managed to loose my book that I was going to reference... so if I find it... I will edit this blog entry, but until then... sorry for the inconvenience.

Police have been around since laws have been established. They have the sworn duty to “protect and uphold” justice, but what happens when the term justice is taken out of context and bent to where it hardly resembles justice at all. Further more how will this corruption deceive to the younger generations views on Justice?

This image uses the illustration of a police officer wearing riot gear and holding a baton in the air as if he was preparing to swing. The image and the text correlate with each other between the image of a riot geared police officer above the text, “Too many cops Too little Justice” which hints at the fact that not all cops are just. The plain black and white colors of both the text and image provide a straightforward message, but the text progressively grows in font size from a small font on top to a larger at the bottom. This provides further emphasis that justice is not being fairly distributed and practiced by the law. The text, “Too many cops Too little Justice”, argues that even though there are so numerous cops, only a portion of the time accurate justice is served.
This can be proven through out history, where there is true justice, there is also a share of corrupt judgments.

With in this image certain rhetorical strategies are used to give a deeper description of the point that is made by the cartoon. The words play off the image by giving an example of what “Too little Justice” may take the form of; in this case it is a police officer in riot gear ready to get violent. By personifying the words with an image of violence, the simple message is brought to the viewer. When referring to the text alone a cause and effect example is brought to the reader’s attention. There are “Too many cops” that have everything under control to where they begin to have a “power trip” seeking their own justice, which refers to the term “Too little Justice”.


The Image uses its distinct layout and lack of color to emphasize logos (based on logic or reason) and the imagery of a fierce riot geared police officer to emphasize pathos (based on emotion). When referring to the logos the choice of color and layout of this cartoon gives it a serious factor. The seriousness also gives the image of the officer a sense of harshness seeing as a colorful uniform would not strike fear in the eyes of the reader. The logos also can be connected to today’s youth through their basic logic when looking at the law. This is shown through the cartoon as there being “Too Little Justice”, illustrated by the officer in riot gear, which is/should rarely be used except for intense and violent situations. But more often it is used just to keep a protesting crowd in complete control. The pathos of the cartoon reflects a sort of sadness as it is related to the lack of respect given by those who enforce the law. Police are supposed to be respectable and given the right circumstances heroes, but with more and more honorable officers displaying violence, we are only left to feel fear. This image conveys fear in its fullest. The sight of a fully dressed riot gear police officer with a baton raised is a site that most hope to never see.

Situations like these are seen by today’s youth, giving them reasons to conspire against the law and or rebel as they see that our justice system is not as truly just as it appears. With reoccurring events based towards our youth, youth crime has begun to spurt upwards deteriorating their views on how to conduct their behaviors.

The youth are becoming accustomed to “being in the wrong place at the wrong time” and suffering for others mistakes. On Wednesday, October 4, 2006 there was an incident at our very own campus in which a white male was breaking and entering into a black male student’s car. The black student was stabbed in the leg while the white male fled the scene. Upon the arrival of the Auraria Campus Police Department, the wounded black male was taken into custody as the police assumed he was the suspect mentioned by the caller. With today’s growing police force and limitless laws, one is left to think about just how far justice can be taken or lessened. Police officers are becoming less restricted and getting away with unjustifiable acts, while knowing that they can get away with it. More than often police who commit accidental killings are left uncharged and faultless, placed back on the work force and are allowed to continue their jobs.

Police run over, kill sunbather in Calif.

"Two police officers patrolling the beach in an SUV on Monday ran over and killed a sunbather, authorities said.
The officers did not immediately realize they ran over the woman and continued driving, police Cmdr. Tom Chronister said in a statement.
The officers have been placed on paid leave pending an investigation."

On August 30th, 2004…

"The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has launched a harsh crackdown against anti-Bush protesters, arresting between 1,500 and 2,000 since demonstrations against the Republican National Convention began last Friday… …cops beat teenagers, threw an elderly man to the ground and tackled women on concrete sidewalks…"

A non-violent protest turned violent after scenes such as this erupted throughout the city, and these people were coined, “New York’s Finest”, yet they displayed such actions that only add to our youth’s out look. If our youth is constantly bombarded with such acts of degenerative violence, what will our future hold?

Not as Good as I Once Was...

The human body, it is a miraculous thing if you actually think about it. Both male and female, both with very distinct features. The human body has the ability to mend itself, grow, and adapt to situations when needed. All of the functions that are capable by ones body meets no bounds and no limits, but when is it too much? When I speak about too much, I am referring to ones ability heal. This can be taken both mentally and physically, but in this respect I am going to keep it physical.

Through out one's young years they put their bodies through what can basically be described as torcher. Or at least I did. If I saw a challenge in front of me, I never hesitated. Jumping into a situation with out thinking allows one to step in with out fear. With no fear, one can give it one's all in the selected situation.

Although this technique seems to fade as one ages, when the fear tends to overcome the spontaneous ness. This is when most take it (their life) down a notch and begin to settle down, but what is this age and why do we surcum to it?

The body can over come circumstances when there is little to no chance. I have been told that if I continue with my sports career (not much... basically skating) then there is a chance that my legs may fail when I get really old, considering I live that long hahaha!!! Recently I hurt my hip, some how skating I don't really know, but I had thought that it was healed but after skating on it for a while I think I tore it again or something, it hurts... Between both of my shredded ankles and useless wrists I don't think I can take much more. This is the point when I am supposed to give in to the fear, but I can't just give in... give up like that. Skating is my life, my everything, with out that I wouldn't be me... so I guess this is where I leave my answer... I will overcome the fear, the pain, and the helmet preaching doctors and I will stay true to myself...


(I have this on both ankles... done multiple times)(my left ankle is so bad that if I bend it towards my shin... it basically sprains... but I am so used to it that I get over it in about 5 minutes or so.)


(type 3 all the way...!!!)

Pressure...

Pressure (symbol: p) is the force per unit area applied on a surface in a direction perpendicular to that surface.



Now apply that to skating... add a little bit of competition... and a whole lot of coordination... and you get what skateboarding is today. As great as skating is, it is turning into a huge competition... hardly even fun...

You can roll into a park, which you have never been to before, just looking for a new park to skate and have fun, but as soon as you enter... all you get is a set of stair downs and evil looks. The pressure to be/get good in sports is almost insane when it comes to the amount of comitment needed. In skating I have friends that have skated for nine years... friends that have skated all there lives and done nothing in life, never gotten good, never been in the skating bussiness. Those people are just in it for fun, and the fruits of there labor paid off after a while...

These days if you arn't good at something you are made fun of just for trying, so it is that much harder to even have fun with simple tasks. Skating is just the same. Almost everyone that I run into, they all think they could pick up a board and go out and tear it up, yet when they try... they can't... like others I find this very amusing so I am also with guilt!!! But I also admire those who are willing to put them selves out there and try something new, whether they are good or not.

No Where... But Down the Stairs.

So I was digging around through some of my super old files... from like 6th grade through high school and I found a poem I wrote for some class... and since lately I have been really feeling down I thought I would blog about it.

Basically I was a straight up nerd for super long... green pants, blue shoes, red shirt hahaha!!! Nerd all the way!!! Then I got into skateboarding, it did something for me that nothing had ever before. It provoked me to go out there and step out side my comfort zone, I mean if you can throw your self down some stairs and take a good beating, you can do just about anything. Recently, for a while now, things have pretty much gone to... and skating... which is the joy of my life, been there for me when ever and so forth, has always had my back but now it is making me more made than happy. So right now I am pretty much evaluating my self, my tactics, and my life in general... taking it apart piece by piece and putting it back together...

And this cheezy poem gives me the that extra something that makes me remember why I love skating.

(And I am still a nerd all the way... but my definition has changed.)

(The poem was aligned to a skateboard picture but it won't up load right so ya.)

"FLOAT"

You begin to run, a Slight jog.
The wind whipping your hair, shirt, and sKin.
With A flick of your wrist and a leap into mid air, you set your feet in place.
Now The wind blows fiercely against your face, a face of confident anxiousness.
You look stEadily at your feet to position them perfectly.
One last breath.
You Begin to see the edge.
YOu begin to bend down in anticipation.
Pop! The tAil cracks against the ground.
Your foot slides eveR so gently against the grip.
Now your in the air, the slightest wrong move and your scraping the grounD with your body
Your eyes black out as you close your lIds for a single blink, everything slows down, feels like your floating for hours.
The Next thing you know your eyes catch the vivid colors of light as you open your lids.
Still your in the air, how is this possible? It seems so amazinG!
You check your feet to make sure there on the bolts.
Bend your legs, absorb the impact, and the next thing you know your trying something else to fulfill your adrenaline rush.


As I figure everything out I know skating will be there when I need it most, that and it kicks @$$!!! hahaha!!!

You Tube... Video...

Spoof Add.

The image I Chose is a parody on alcohol consumption. This is an image of a bottle of Absolut Vodka that is withering down due to its lack of performance. This is what is meant by the bold text at the bottom "ABSOLUT IMPOTENCE". Below that there is another phrase, "Drink provokes the desire but takes away the performance" -William Shakespeare, which describes the add at its best. Alcohol is the leading cause in most automobile accidents, which is a fact brought up by the section of spoof alcohol adds at the Adbusters website, and this image emphasizes how strongly it impairs one's abilities. I think this image relies on both word and image for its appeals because with out one another they wouldn't make sense. The shriveled bottle with the spilt alcohol visually gives the reader what the bold letter print can't and visa versa. The spoof add is not so much selling a straight forward idea (that alcohol is bad) as it is giving an idea to the reader, the idea that alcohol needs to be taken with responsibility.