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Intro

My goal for this essay was to express how language plays a big part in the division of our country.  If we could cut down on the judgement of the way people speak, we could learn a lot more from each other and establish better relationships.

Where you live or where you are from plays a big part in literacy or language in general.  Traveling to different places and meeting people from different places can make one realize that there is different forms of language that live inside one language itself.

“The mission statements of major publishers are littered with intentions, with their commitments to diversity, to imagination, to multiculturalism, ostensibly to create opportunities for children to learn about and understand their importance in their respective worlds.”

This quote from “The Apartheid of Children’s Literature” to me is saying how writer try to pick up different forms of literacy or different forms of language to make their writing more interesting.  It’s crazy how people will read a book or poem or an article that has language in it that they don’t understand but they try their hardest to because it is a good read.  Or, a movie that has different forms of language in it that they don’t understand but they try to understand because they heard it is a good movie.  But in person or in reality when it comes to hearing these different forms of a language that we know very well the will to understand or learn is nonexistent.  

I go to Ocean City MAryland every summer with my family.  It is a vacatio city and people come there from Philly, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, etc, so you are bound to meet some people from different areas of the east coast.  This year when I was there.  I would play basketball everyday no matter if it was in the morning, afternoon, or under the lights I would play either by myself or with the people I was on vacation with.  On rare occasions I would have the court to myself but most of the time there would be people on the court so I would only have half of the court.  One day i went to play and there were people on one half of the court so I went to the other half just to shoot around.  Maybe like 10 or 15 minutes after I get to the court I hear “Aye what it is dummy?” I turned around confused because I thought he was talking to me but I didn’t respond.  He say “you wanna run a game?” I say “yeah let's get it”.  But I was still confused so I asked him what he said before to get my attention and he said “I said aye what it is dummy”.  I never heard anyone say that before so I had to ask him where he was from.  It turns out that he was from Baltimore and “what it is dummy” is a way to get someone’s attention in Baltimore slang.  He was confused with the word “jawn” when I used it and I explain to him the “jawn” is basically a noun… It can represent anything.  What I’m saying is we can learn from each other and slang is one of those things that the people that are not used to it will not understand understand.  So instead of staying in the blue and being fine with not understanding, ask questions and live up to the saying “learn something new everyday” it has its benefits.

How has the Corvette changed overtime?

The Corvette has evolved over time because...

The corvette was first introduced in 1953. The first model was made from 1953 to 1962. It was the start of the C series cars. They were almost discontinued because GM expected way more people to buy the car, but that fell short drastically. but GM stuck it out and kept making models in the future.

In 1927, GM hired Harley Earl to be the new designer. 14 years later in his work career, Harley saw that another company called Nash-Healey was making an expensive two seater car. He convinced GM that they needed to make a more affordable two seater sports car. They started the project and named it “Project Opel” in late 1951. The way they made it inexpensive is they used parts you could find in local car part stores. they would used the used the chassis from former model chevrolet cars. So they didnt have to make whole new frame design.

In the next model, the C2 which came out in 1963, they Changed the design a little bit. They made the headlights rise up out the body, they split the rear window, and they came in solid hard tops. The head lights wouldn’t be an in-body design again until 2005.The outcome for these corvettes were a lot better than the original versions. The engine of course also got bigger and better like with most new car model.  

The C4 model which came out in 1983, became America's most desireable car. It was produced for 13 years. In 1986 the convertible became the Indianapolis 500 pace car. The C4 became known for its more sleek design than other cars and previous model corvettes. It was aso the first corvette with a uniframe. A uniframe is when the floor pan, windshield, halo, and perimeter frame are all welded together. In 1986 GM partnered with lotus for a new engine design to replace the stock L98 V8 engine. Lotus helped make the corvette’s ZR1 engine. The original engine made 245 horsepower at its max but lotus’s ZR1 engine made 375 hp.

The most recent Corvette, the C7, in my opinion is the best looking corvette ever made. This car has been in the makings since 2007. Which is only 2 years after they released the C6. The C7 is the first corvette to have a back-up camera and a magnetic ride suspension system. It also has an upgraded engine but it’s not an engine partnered made by lotus. This engine makes a minimum 455 horsepower and a maximum of 650 horsepower.

The corvette has drastically changed since the first model in 1953. The structural integrity of each model got stronger and stronger. Each improvement made the car lighter, stronger, and safer. While some will say as the years progressed the build quality got cheaper (using more plastic) but it was all for weight reduction purposes.

Works cited

Mueller, Mike (2012). The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953. St. Paul, Minn.: Motorbooks. ISBN 9780760341407. Retrieved 14 October 2016.

"Prototype Corvette ZR-1 Leads Day One Barrett-Jackson Bidding". Automotive.speedtv.com. 2009-01-14. Retrieved 14 October 2016.

Tigidankay Saccoh

Pahomov

English 3

October 17, 16

                              Resource Officers and The School-to-Prison Pipeline

Schools are supposed to be safe havens for students, where they can be challenged to grow spiritually and intellectually. When students feel safe in school, they are encouraged to stay motivated and aim for higher-education. However, this feeling of security and belonging now seems like a luxury to poor students, especially minorities. The increased presence of law enforcement in schools of non-white students is deeply rooted in systemic racism and classism. Some may argue that law enforcement in schools enforces order and peace, however this belief is uninformed. The presence of police officers in underprivileged schools is an enabler of the school-to-prison pipeline because it desensitizes students to violence and subjects them to nefarious stereotypes.

The school-to-prison pipeline describes the phenomenon of middle and high school students being funnelled into criminal justice institutions. Many victims of this virulent system are children with learning disabilities, histories of neglect, abuse, and penury. These students are in desperate need of counselling services or basic compassion, but are instead ostracized and incarcerated. Zero-tolerance policies criminalize trivial offences, that can be handled internally.  These policies are employed by law enforcement in schools, and disproportionately hurt students of color. For instance,  a PBS fact sheet on the school-to-prison pipeline reports that 70% of students involved in in-school arrests are Black or Latinx. Moreover, Black students are 3.5 times more likely to be suspended compared to whites, and make up 40% of students who are expelled every year. These figures are not unfortunate coincidences, but evidence that  law enforcement presence in neighborhood schools is a failing disciplinary blueprint.

           On October 26th, 2015, a video of an African-American teenage girl being brutalized in her Spring Valley High School classroom in South Carolina surfaced on the internet. She had refused to heed her teacher’s orders to leave the classroom. The teacher notified a white police officer, Ben Fields, who proceeded to bodyslam the fifteen-year-old in front of her peers. This incident ignited a firestorm of rage from around the country. Fields was criticized over his incompetence and poor-judgement. Despite being paid to de-escalate tension that might arise in the high school, he only violently exacerbated the issue. This event was laced with racial undertones,  and exposed how this type of discrimination existed thematically in poor, majority black and brown schools.  Fields viewed the student as more threatening than she actually appeared, either due to his implicit bias or deliberate discrimination, because she was black.

The school-to-prison pipeline describes the phenomenon of middle and high school students being funnelled into criminal justice institutions. Many victims of this virulent system are children with learning disabilities, histories of neglect, abuse, and penury. These students are in desperate need of counselling services or basic compassion, but are instead ostracized and incarcerated. Zero-tolerance policies criminalize trivial offences, that can be handled internally.  These policies are employed by law enforcement in schools, and disproportionately hurt students of color. For instance,  a PBS fact sheet on the school-to-prison pipeline reports that 70% of students involved in in-school arrests are Black or Latinx. Moreover, Black students are 3.5 times more likely to be suspended compared to whites, and make up 40% of students who are expelled every year. These figures are not unfortunate coincidences, but evidence that increased law enforcement presence in neighborhood schools is a failing disciplinary blueprint.

Cops in schools do not make underprivileged black students feel any less unsafe than cops patrolling their neighborhoods do. Many black students fear an expectation of incriminating when cops infest their learning spaces. Ben Fields could not deescalate the situation with the fifteen year-old girl because he was operating in a discriminatory manner. She was black and female, so she was expected to have an attitude problem and an inclination for anger. More importantly, to Fields, she most likely seemed older than she was, and therefore more responsible for her teenage defiance.

A study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,  examined the extent to which racial bias exists and how scorching its consequences are. 60 urban league  police officers were asked to assess the age of white, black, and Latino children based on photographs in one experiment. The officers were arbitrarily assigned to be told that the children in the photographs were accused of either a misdemeanor or a felony. They overestimated the age of black felony-suspected children on average five years, but they underestimated the age of white felony-suspected children by nearly a year.  This study shows that there is clearly a societal bias against black children. More recently, On November 22, 2014, a little black child, Tamir Rice, age 12, was shot and killed at Cudell Recreation Center in Cleveland, Ohio by on-duty Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) Officer Timothy Loehmann. Tamir had been playing with a toy-gun, and was mistakenly reported to be a 20-something-year-old man. In schools with law enforcement presence, this bias metamorphoses into violence and fear-instilling tactics.  In these turbulent environments, conflict-resolution is often passed over in favor of harsher interventions and  are readily , implemented.  This study shows that white kids are usually given the benefit of the doubt, while black kids are subconsciously demonized and stripped of their childhood innocence.

The presence of cops in schools also creates a void of sympathy between teachers and students. Some teachers heavily rely on school resource officers to handle situations that can be taken care of in class.When teachers report students to school officers, it almost always leads to suspension or expulsion. A study by The Council of State Governments Justice Center found that, when controlled for campus and individual student characteristics, being suspended or expelled made a student nearly three times more likely to come into contact with the juvenile justice system within the next year.  By handing students over to law enforcement, they emotionally disconnect with whatever their troubled students are undergoing, and are not forced to empathize with them. As a result, their classroom because tension-filled, which is not the type of environment that allows students to thrive.

In conclusion,  law enforcement in schools is detrimental to students in more ways than it is beneficial. Their presence can make students feel as if they are predators, and they will most likely be treated as such. School should not be a hostile environment, where students are expected to fail before they are even given a chance to strive. This confrontational disciplinary system has proliferated into a larger disparity for black and brown students, contributing to the mass incarceration epidemic engulfing vulnerable black youth nation-wide. It is imperative that reformed methods of mediation are considered to save minorities from becoming stereotypes.

   Sources:

Fact Sheet: How Bad Is the School-to-Prison Pipeline? (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/tsr/education-under-arrest/school-to-prison-pipeline-fact-sheet/

H. (2014). Police release video, names of officers in shooting of 12-year-old boy. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from http://fox8.com/2014/11/26/video-to-be-released-in-officer-involved-shooting-of-12-year-old/

Whether it’s binge watching old sitcoms or exploring old films produced before they were born, Netflix has become a core part of almost every teenager’s life in the past couple years. However, in the last couple of years, a new reason has emerged as to why people subscribe to  Netflix. Their own original shows, shows like House of Cards, Orange is the new Black, and Narcos; are some of the most popular and well known TV shows of the past fifty years. Netflix uses different gimmicks and strategies to attract many viewers to their own show, specifically their use of advertising tricks in ways that haven’t been used before for other shows not made by Netflix.

One of Netflix’s best uses of advertising would be for one of their best rated and most popular show, Orange is the new Black. Orange is the new black is based off of a true story of a woman who goes to a minimum security women’s prison in upstate New York. The advertising department of Netflix decided to sponsor an article written in the New York TImes not only to promote their own show, but to inform the general public about life in a women’s prison. The advertising was a huge hit, being referenced on several large news cable channels as well as other articles.

Another advertising technique that Netflix uses is actually on their own website for their lower rated shows like The Ranch, or newer shows that haven’t had that much exposure such as The Fall, Trailer Park Boys, and more.  This actually makes a huge impact on what shows get watched. For example, Stranger Things was one of these shows that didn’t have a lot of hype or advertising going into it, but through this technique they use it became a massive hit, and is now one of their most popular series to date.

Another huge success for Netflix’s advertising department would be the ad they had for House of Cards during the Superbowl in February of 2016. The ad was actually an ad for Frank Underwood to be president, which not only reference things that were happening in current times but also a huge plotline for the show, as the show details his journey to become president through manipulation and other unconventional ways. It was a huge hit, yet again another success for Netflix’s advertising and their ratings, but it also sparked more interest in the current election, and tons of fan made artwork, T-shirts, and even a website for support of Frank Underwood in the 2016 election.

For any TV show, before it’s watched, it always has an intro; and for Netflix shows these intros aren’t lacking whatsoever. In fact, Netflix intros are some of the things people look forward to the most. These intros can also be used for other purposes, like TV ads for their own shows.  For example, Narcos’ intro had an intro that tied into the main plot line; it featured one of Pablo’s favorite songs, and also featured some real pictures of the rise and the hunt of Pablo in the 1980s. It even used a picture of the DEA agents who were chasing Pablo at the time in Colombia.  This wasn’t the only success Narcos had through unconventional advertising, but they also had put ads in the bottom of the plastic bins at airports, which had items like passports, sunglasses, and DEA Badges at the bottom, with a picture of Pablo Escobar. It sparked up a bit of controversy, but overall it actually increased the popularity of the show and increased ratings of the show as well.

While Netflix has not been in the favor of ads on their own website, their use of ads in other places have been a phenomenal success, and have sparked interest in shows like Stranger Things. Overall, Netflix’s use of these subtle ads have put them over the top of their competition, and have set them apart from shows on other Networks.

Works CIted

Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

Taube, Aaron. "Why Netflix's Advertising Is Worth Your Attention." NATIVE. N.p., 04 May 2015. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

"FRANK UNDERWOOD 2016." Frank Underwood 2016 Anything for America. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

Television has been around for decades, and when it started there were only a handful of programs to watch. By contrast, cable TV has changed drastically over the last couple of years, with an explosion of offerings. Reruns, new genres and concepts are all what the “magic box” holds. Compared to earlier programming, shows have not only gotten funnier and more adventurous, but they have also become violent and sexualized. Surprisingly, TV shows and movies that have violent or mature content pull in views. This is surprising because it is assumed that people would not appreciate these things being shown. These shows don’t just pull in enough views to keep it going for the season, but views resulting in the start of fandoms and social media advocates. People watch these shows not because they actually think the content is important to the show itself, but because of the surprises that they hold.

Many shows and movies nowadays are rated PG-13 and up due to the nature of its content. As relatable as it is, many people prepare themselves to watch TV. They go around all day reminding others about what’s airing that night. They are usually excited to watch shows like The Walking Dead; a show where a death every episode is not enough. The necessity for such rated showings is a result of curiosity. According to an unsourced TV critic, “Seeing the possibilities of the horrible things man could do to one another. And to some, it lures us in.” People don’t get to witness those sorts of things in person. Of course a zombie apocalypse is not (currently) occurring, but people are fascinated by shows that display what it would be like if there was one. When good actors and directors can pull off realistic looking ideology, deaths, and massacres, it makes people want to see it and believe it.

Reality shows are well known when it comes to violent and mature content, because they helped pioneer the trend. Love and Hip Hop, Bad Girls Club, and whatever’s on MTV all fall under the category of “Reality Violence.” These shows are known for the harsh treatment of others; why else would it be called “Bad Girls Club”? Putting multiple girls in a mansion and watching them crumble is entertaining to many. People watch these shows in anticipation that a fight will break out. It is almost as if violence is an attention magnet. In an episode of Jersey Shore a female cast member was struck in the face by a drunk male stranger. According to an ABC News article, this recorded incident promoted the show and doubled its ratings. The video also went viral online. These millions of views are a result of disbelief. People had to watch the clip because it was unbelievable, and once again curiosity striking the mind.

Online TV networks have expanded this trend. Websites can now be considered as television. Netflix, Hulu, and Vudu are all sites that allow people to watch what they want, when they want to. Each site has a net worth of over 1 million dollars, and hold shows that are dependent on chance. These shows’ content can either make or break it. Sources from Uproxx.com show that the most top rated shows on Netflix are Breaking Bad, the Walking Dead, and Orange is the New Black. Each of these shows express violent and/or mature content in more than one episode per season. Why are they so popular? These shows are like the dependency of television. They have the ability to grab anyone’s attention; they got the guts to take risks, and as a result, they succeed. Making a show that displays the production of drugs, or publicizes LGBT minors, which was taboo for years, are the keys to successful entertainment if done properly.

And then there’s the shows with sexual content. With ratings upwards of 9/10, Game of Thrones is not an underdog in the television business. Sex and nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs, smoking, and frightening/intense scenes are all what can be expected from this show. Everything figuratively bad is incorporated into this show. The ratings are outstanding though. In America it is taboo to show naked bodies and sex scenes, but it is done anyway. This risky choice in presentation resulted in success for the show. Each episode averaging about 60 minutes or more it keeps people amused. “...the fact that the events are too slow to unfold keeps people curious.”, is what an author had to say about the show. There were many claims that the show was boring, but the only reason that it kept views was because of its complicated and fascinating plot took curiosity to a new level.

When TV finds its old ideas getting stale, they will run out of ideas it will resort to its “plan b”. The plan being to get the audience’s attention by whatever gimmick. However, if the popularity of oversexualized and violent shows continue to grow, then television may be in trouble. If more shows exhibit explicit content, then tomorrow's children may only have destructive things to watch. Curiosity is good in a sense, but if television’s only resort is violence or sexualized content then the future should be a concern. Human curiosity should revolve around more than just guts and nudity.

Work Cited:

• Nussbaum, Emily. "The Westeros Wing." The New Yorker. N.p., 27 June 2016. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

• Coulson, Justin. "The Problem with Exposing Kids to Sexual and Violent Content." Family Studies. N.p., 14 Jan. 2015. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

• Thoman, Elizabeth. "Media Violence: What If We Changed the Question?"Media Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

• Miyamoto, Ken. "Why Do Some People Enjoy Watching Gory and Disturbing Films?" Quora. N.p., 1 July 2011. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

• VanDerWerff, Todd. "Why Shows like The Following Cheapen Violence and Diminish Its Power." Why Shows like The Following Cheapen Violence and Diminish Its Power · For Our Consideration · The A.V. Club. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.

• Canning, Andrea, and Elizabeth Stuart. "Reality Show Violence Getting Too Real?" ABC News. ABC News Network, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

• Radwan, M.Farouk, MSc. "Why Is Game of Thrones so Popular." 2 Know Myself. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.