MP1 Artwork by Nick Ryan

This quarter, we worked on two art projects. The first project we did was we made a design and painted it on a ceiling tile. On my ceiling tile, I drew and painted a pop art of Samurai Jack. Samurai Jack is a cartoon character and I chose to draw this because Samurai Jack was a part of my childhood and the art style of the show is what inspired me to become an artist. The hardest part about doing this project was getting the proportions right, I had to sketch and erase a lot in order to ensure I had the proportions correct. It took me over 5 hours to complete this project and I’m proud of it. I love seeing it when I walk onto the third floor every morning.

The second project was my self-portrait. I had a lot of fun doing this because I was able to draw myself in any style I wanted, and I chose a weird one. I decided to draw myself as a caricature because I’ve always viewed myself as not very serious. In the portrait, you’ll notice that I look very sleepy and calm, but happy. I made sure I looked like this because that is how I usually am. Then, for the background, I put my fingerprints all over it. It started out as a mistake, but then I decided that could be my “signature” for the portrait. Using the charcoal was challenging because it takes a level of precision to differentiate between hard and soft lines. Also, the charcoal doesn’t always stick to the paper, sometimes it falls off and becomes smudged on other parts of your drawing. It was still fun. I enjoyed doing this project.

More cops+black/brown schools=failure

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/






         



              


MP1 Artwork

For this marking period we have worked on  two major assignments. These assignments incorporate a ceiling tile and a self portrait of oneself. For my first Assignment I did my ceiling tile based on a huge television series. This is pretty little liars, this show is very mysterious and elevating just like my personality it gives you suspense. My art work took all of the time we were given and over because I needed to perfect it. I chose to paint "A" the mystery girl next to the title to show that no one knows who she is and she is covering her face and she is telling you to keep quiet. 
My second assignment was a self portrait. I chose to draw the picture of when I was at my best friends house after our movie date the day before.It is one of my favorite pictures and it turned out so well. It took one class to draw and to perfect. and i chose to color it in with colored pencils. 

Interviews and the SEPTA Strike

Dear Families,

This weekend - November 5th and 6th - is SLA's second weekend of prospective student interviews. We are aware that the SEPTA strike has made transportation challenging for many families. We ask that families make every attempt to attend this weekend. We will be opening up limited spaces for interviews on December 10th at 10:00 am. If you cannot make it to the interview this weekend, please email us at admissions@scienceleadership.org to reschedule your interview.


Q1 Final Project

I have always thought the ceiling tiles in our school made the students of SLA unique. The colors literally brighten up the room and spread curiosity, inspiration, and memories. As I gaze around the room I see memories of my childhood represented through cartoons. Everyone has a different representation of what was once, and still might be, meaningful to them. This is why I decided to incorporate Pokémon, from my childhood, and Pokémon Go, from the present, into my ceiling tile. It brings a mixture of realities and memories for the students who are here now and those who will be here in the future. This piece took at least 10 hours to complete.

After some inspiration and a confidence boost I finally completed my self portrait after 3 ½ hours. I love drawing silhouettes but what happens in between those lines is an unsolved mystery. Noses and lips were never my specialty but I tried my best, and I think it came out pretty good for my first self portrait. I used only a number two pencil to create an image of myself by looking at picture that I held in my phone, nothing too special. I will continue to look at this portrait when I doubt my future works knowing that I tried my best and succeeded.

Quarter 1 Artwork

Artist's Statement 
For my final project I created a ceiling tile painting, fall wall hanging, charcoal self-portrait, and a water color painting. I was most impressed with my charcoal self portrait because of how much it looked at me and how much expression was in the picture. I also liked my fall wall hanging because the anatomy looked very proportionate and I it had interesting cartoon style. My ceiling tile painting, and water color painting I was less impressed with and I think it's because my drawing skills are better than my painting skills. For the ceiling tile, I liked the idea of it, but I thought the final product was lacking because it was anatomically incorrect and the figure in the painting was a little stiff. I thought my water color painting was okay, but the subject was a little boring, and I wish I had painted something a little more exciting. I also think I need a little bit more practice with my water colors.                                      
A lot of my artwork, specifically when it's illustration, focuses on strong women because that's what a lot of the characters I draw are. My fall wall hanging, "Up Above", for example features a witch not only because it was halloween themed, but also to show witches (aka powerful women) in a positive light. In my ceiling tile, "Go Away", I have a cartoonish looking woman sitting down and bitterly telling someone to go away. In our society many women are told to not show anger and "smile" more no matter how they are feeling. I made this painting to combat that idea and show that both women and men should be able to feel whatever they want. My water color painting "Tools"  and self portrait "F**kboy" had less meaning behind them, but I still put a lot of work into them. 

The Use of Ads on Netflix

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.


The Reality of Television

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.

Advance Essay #2

Advance Essay #2

  • Christian McCormac


While transferring from my middle school C.W Henry in the Mount Airy area to my recent high school Science Leadership Academy, I would say that I learned a new way of living from what I knew during middle school. While in middle school my daily routine consisted of waking up everyday at 6am, my mom dropping me off at school, to my mom picking me up after school was over and taking me home. I never got the chance to explore what was around and discover new things. Now since I am in highschool and my high school is located directly in Center City, it definitely gives me way more opportunities to get outside and see what the world has to offer. Going to SLA, I would say gave me a lot more freedom to be my own person and discover new things, that I really never knew about before as a young kid in middle school. Going from my middle school to SLA definitely was a huge change in my lifestyle. It also gave me a better outlook on how I live my life and what I should be looking at forward to. Coming to school everyday definitely got me out of my comfort zone. When I was in middle school I remember how the teachers and staff treated everyone like prisoners almost and not like human beginnings. You could tell that the teachers and staff there weren't as passionate about there job as the teachers and staff at Science Leadership Academy. I remember in 8th grade during the winter we didn't go outside for recess for almost five months. That mentally killed me not being able to go outside, run around, and breath some fresh air. Now that I am high school, the teachers and the staff are more reasonable and treat you like a human beginnings. High school people are more accepting for who you are and how you live. It’s not like middle school where you have to line up just to walk to a class that is the net door down.




Celebrities a.k.a Bad Role Models

Celebrities are an important part of modern American life . They’re everywhere, and many of them don’t live normal lives anymore because of paparazzi. This is alluring, of course, almost everyone wants to be the center of attention. As a result, celebrities actually do crazy things to get the attention of the press. This is a problem for their fans. Celebrities have great influence over their fans, so their careless decisions negatively impacts their fans’ body image and futures.

In 2005, a study was conducted on 229 teens, 183 undergrad students, and 289 adults in order to see how deeper interest in celebrities correlates with body images of the subjects tested. There were multiple tests used, including the Celebrity Attitude Scale, and the Attention to Body Shape Scale. Results showed that female teens that worshiped celebrities more intensely were more likely to have poor body images of themselves. This proves that celebrities and their promotion of a slender physique negatively impacts how teens see themselves and their weight. This extends to eating disorders. Eating disorders like anorexia are a sort of body dysmorphia where the anorexic has this idea that they are always too fat and they need to be skinnier. According to the South Carolina Department of Health’s website, Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness in adolescents. Looking at most of the celebrities, there is a trend of very slender physiques being common, especially in women. More young women suffer from an eating disorder than males. This connection is supported by the first paragraph.

There are also problems with teens’ futures, and how the glorification of the wealthy and famous lifestyle has discouraged the youth from wanting to work harder. In 2010, a survey was done in the UK of 1,000 16 year olds. It simply had one question, “What would you like to do for your career?” 54% answered that they wanted to become a celebrity. When those children that answered in that way were asked exactly how they were going achieve this goal of becoming a famous person, 21% of the children studied said they would do so by appearing on a reality TV show, and 5% even said they were planning on dating a celebrity. The larger percentage consisted of those who did not even know how to become famous and those that believed they had the talent to become a celebrity. These answers show that children and are looking up every day at screens with rich, famous people on it, that seemingly are able to do whatever they want. These children don’t even know what they want to do, but they know they want to become famous. More than half of those 1,000 children wanted to be famous as a career, which isn’t really a career, there seems to be something lost in translation when people think famous, that there isn’t any work involved. By contrast, Only 15% of those teens said they wanted to pursue a medical career. if there are more people that want to be “famous” rather than helpful and beneficial to society, there is a problem with the media.

Finally, substance abuse. Many celebrities talk about and glorify drug usage like it’s safe, maybe safe for them, they have nothing to lose. Meanwhile teens’ bodies aren’t meant for this sort of thing, it’s very dangerous. Lots of celebs go to rehab , and that is not a good example for the children. Drugs like Xanax were popularized by celebs a lot and is a common theme in many pop songs. All in all, celebrities can be pretty bad influences on the youth. Encouraging and indirectly causing more self image problems in teens, blinding them in their career choices, and making drugs look cool.

Works CIted

Maltby, J et al. “Result Filters.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2005, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15826331. Kershaw, Alison. “Fame the Career Choice for Half of 16-Year-Olds.”The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 17 Feb. 2010, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/fame-the-career-choice-for-half-of-16-year-olds-1902338.html. Farr, Kristin. “Is Celebrity Obsession Bad for Us?” KQED Education, KQED INC., 20 May 2014, https://ww2.kqed.org/learning/2014/05/20/is-celebrity-obsession-bad-for-us/. “South Carolina Department of Mental Health.” Eating Disorder Statistics, South Carolina Department of Mental Health, http://www.state.sc.us/dmh/anorexia/statistics.htm.

Code Switching in Life


In life, you may change the way you talk to accomodate who you are with. Its natural. You wouldn't speak to your teacher the same way you would talk to your friends. But would you talk to someone differently because of their race? It is a subconscious action called code switching, evident in everyday life that actually helps us with communication across races, cultures, and communities. 

I remember a time when I was in the hair salon with my mother, sitting in those grayish tan, cold metal chairs waiting my turn to sit in the bigger, more comfortable chair to get my hair done. A friend of my mothers who I knew through affiliation  was usually there around the same time we were, but always before us, was getting her hair braided with small, gold pieces of hair jewelry at the ends of every braid. “Aw, she's just so proper! Look at how cute she is.” “Thank you!” I said. “Listen, she talks so white!” I hated this. I hated this meaningless banter that had a lot more meaning to me than it did to her. What does speaking white even mean? In the moment i wanted to just walk out of the salon into the warmth of the summer day, since the salon was in a basement and was very cold, especially while sitting on those metal chairs. I felt so different when she said that i “speak white” because it just wasn't me at all. I have never been white, so i didn't know how it felt or how speaking white was any different from speaking black. I always felt that i spoke differently from the other kids in my school and neighborhood and i felt it even more when people pointed it out. Her statement made me feel out of place, like in this room of black females, it was as though I was not one. Even in school, i didn't exactly feel like i belonged there but being in a hair salon with my mother, sitting on those grayish tan, cold metal chairs somehow made me feel at home with my gender and race because everyone here was like me. But in that moment, i wasn't anymore.


In certain situations, people code switch so that they can relate better with the people they are talking to. This also depends on the area they are in. Matt Thompson brings up the important point in,”Five Reasons Why People Code-Switch,” he writes “We want to fit in: Very often, people code-switch — both consciously and unconsciously — to act or talk more like those around them. While this can be effective, it can also be perilous...” . This quote relates to my theme by giving a reason as to why people code switch. In my scene,  I consciously know now that my behavior then was different from how I would act around my friends or in a school setting. The word perilous in this quote helps me see how code switching could be dangerous in real life situations as well as helpful.


In middle school, i felt that i was different from the other kids in my class. This feeling did not start or go away in one grade year, it was continuous through my entire middle school experience and i still feel it today. The kids in my class would talk and laugh and the way they communicated, i just did not understand. I couldn't read them and i felt illiterate in a sense, even though majority of my school was black and we were all the same age. I got the same emotion when i crossed a big word in a new book that i didn't know. When i was with my family, I knew what to say, how to speak, and how to act. It was just natural. This relates to my code switching theme by me changing how i talk and the specific things i said depending on what group i was with.



In this quote, there is a great example of how code switching is used in a way, specifically in a workplace. Most people can relate with this given you don't talk to your friends in the same tone or use the same words as when you speak with your boss. “Your mom or your friend or your partner calls on the phone and you answer. And without thinking, you start talking to them in an entirely different voice — still distinctly your voice, but a certain kind of your voice less suited for the office…” the writer proceeds to give examples of different accents that come forward when talking to family such as Southern drawl, New York accents, etc.  “When you're attuned to the phenomenon of code-switching, you start to see it everywhere, and you begin to see the way race, ethnicity and culture plays out all over the place.” This entirely relates back to code switching by showing how it is used and even talks about how you see the difference between race, ethnicity, and culture.




Thompson, Matt, Mr. "Five Reasons Why People Code-Switch." NPR. NPR, 13 Apr. 2013. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.



"How Code-Switching Explains The World." NPR. NPR, 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2016.

The costly physique

Beauty is something  humans hold to a high standard when idolizing things, people and significant others. Humans have always had a high standard for beauty, whether it's in physical objects or their significant others. With the constant influence of social media and celebrities, the standard of beauty in America is forever changing, and many American citizens complain that every new trend is hard to keep up with. Women all around the world  are often finding new trends to attract men and to show financial status however, many women will go to many lengths to get the body they desire.


The idea that we must have what everyone else has and yet somehow be better than them is the mentality of most women. Many women see the bodies of Kim K, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez and often desire that body. Many women will often go under the knife for this alluring physique. Dr. Michael Salzhauer, also known as “Doctor Miami” is a plastic surgeon that puts all of his surgeries on a social media app called snapchat.  Doctor Miami often makes it look cool to get a brazilian butt lift or a breast augmentation, he even makes hashtags out of them, “It really demystifies the whole process. Yes, they are gory, but nobody has to watch it.Although looking at all of the nitty gritty stuff behind the scenes may sound horrible, it actually gives customers a chance to see what will happen if they so choose to undergo these life changing processes.


Although any women may want to look like an instagram model or a celebrity, they may not want to go under the knife and risk it all. Many women resort to extreme dieting and exercises, many celebrities such as; Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez and even Beyonce workout at least 3 times a week. Many celebrities often go on diets that include juicing, no carbs, no dairy, or even all veggies, ‘By lunchtime, I’m starving,’ J-Lo says. She mixes it up but a typical day is salmon and a veggie-packed salad. She loves broccoli, peppers and zucchini with a drizzle of vinaigrette on top.” although many of these diets that celebrities used, recommended by their trainers may work, they don't alway guarantee the the body unless you have the money to match. Personal trainers can often cost as much as $60- $70 dollars per session, and the celebrity trainers, upwards to $1,000 dollars a month. This a lot to spend on being happy, however many people feel as if the ay the look is a reflection of who they are on the inside. Although not all women aspire to have the Kim K or Jennifer Lopez body type women subconsciously look up to it as a goal they may never reach. Via the influence of social media, a women's ideal body type can become inspiration or can cause a self esteem deterioration.






Works CIted

http://www.vice.com/read/meet-dr-miami-the-plastic-surgeon-who-snapchats-his-operations-400


Pardes, Arielle. "Meet Dr. Miami, the Plastic Surgeon Who Snapchats His Operations in Real Time | VICE | United States." VICE. N.p., 24 Apr. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.



http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11031-013-9371-4


"Changes in Materialism, Changes in Psychological Well-being: Evidence from Three Longitudinal Studies and an Intervention Experiment."SpringerLink. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.



http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/01/06/jennifer-lopez-diet-weight-loss-fitness-routine-exercise/

@dorylarrabee. "Jennifer Lopez’s 90-Calorie Breakfast & Veggie Diet That Keeps Her Slim At 46." Hollywood Life. N.p., 06 Jan. 2016. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.



A Boost Of Literacy

Introduction:
In this essay I introduce a fear of reading out aloud I have had and how it connects with my ideas of literacy and how they have an effect on me. I analyze many quotes from the story, ¨How to Tame a Wild Tongue¨ by Gloria Anzaldua in order to prove my points of how literature created many fears in my life and made me very self- conscious. I hope to show others that literature is not all about reading or writing but actually can define a persons identity. Also, I would like to show others the problems that could go on with a person that they would never know about and how their actions can affect these fears and make a person very shy or quiet.



TiaBM (2)

The Great Comment Section Debacle

2Fer #2 Revised

The Great Comment Section Debacle

Written by Luis-Manuel Morales


In many ways, The internet has paved the way towards bringing the world together. Whether that be through hashtags to raise awareness, or viral videos that get everyone talking, the world is now in the midst of being intertwined by the world wide web. However, there are some major flaws in this massive communication system. The comment section was brought to various social medias and forums to keep the conversation stirring, even further then the content could do. This may sound great on paper, but the end result isn’t that pretty. Although the average internet user might not think that the current state of comment sections matters much, they're impact on the community is dangerous and contagious. If anyone can say anything on the web with no backlash in real life, the side effects of such freedoms are horrifying.

One of the freedoms that is available in the virtual world that is not as accepted in the real world is freedom of speech. In person words can backfire and damage a reputation, because a person’s identity  is almost always associated with what has been said . However, the internet has gifted the people with anonymity. Anyone can say whatever they want, without anyone knowing it was them. People are free to say whatever they please with little to no backlash in real life. This allows for the unlimited use of bigoted, racist, and crude remarks for many people to go crazy with.

With anonymity giving people freedom to say everything and anything, room for meaningful and constructive conversation in the comment section has become scarce. Those who wish to positively interact in their community are met with a deep dark cyberbullying wormhole.  Whether that be simple playground taunts or vulgar, crude threats, the issue that is cyberbullying has taken over these sections of the internet.  Despite many sites, such as youtube, putting systems in place to report such behavior, they are rarely enforced properly. This isn’t necessarily the fault of the sites themselves, as the amount of reports in comparison to the amount of employees is ridiculous. This shows an even greater problem, which is that these sites are well aware of the issue. They take some steps to try and prevent it, however they do not take the proper measures to permanently fix the issue.

Giving the people this kind of freedom is dangerous. It makes monsters out of good hearted hearted souls. Even though in concept the privileges given in a comment section are not mischievous and are for the better, they do not result in so. Christopher Wolf of the Anti-Cyberhate Committee of the Anti-Defamation League, discussed this very topic in a debate for the New York Times.  “Anonymity has an important role in free expression and for privacy interests, to be sure. But the benefits of anonymity online are greatly outweighed by the abuse.” What he is saying here is that although websites allow anonymity for good and justified reasons, those who take advantage of it ruin the spirit of the community. Normal people who positively contribute to the conversation are drowned out by such people, and often times they result to fighting fire with fire. Before they know it they are contributing to the chaos that once plagued them.

The comment Section was meant to be an extension of the conversation held in the content proceeding it. It has never really been that, however, as the internet has grown over the years, this feature has become less of a conversation and more of an unwanted spam folder full of  bots and degrading , off topic comments and conversations. "It's hard to determine whether this problem can be fixed, or rather if letting humans free with complete anonymity was simply a doomed plan from the start."


Works Cited


Wolf, Christopher. "Anonymity May Have Killed Online Commenting." Have Comment Sections Failed? The New York Times, 18 Apr. 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/04/18/have-comment-sections-on-news-media-websites-failed/anonymity-may-have-killed-online-commenting


Lemieux, Jamliah. "Get Rid of Comment Sections." Have Comment Sections Failed? The New York Times, 18 Apr. 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2016/04/18/have-comment-sections-on-news-media-websites-failed/get-rid-of-comment-sections


Wallsten, Kevin, and Melinda Tarsi. "It’s Time to End Anonymous Comments Sections." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/08/19/its-time-to-end-anonymous-comments-sections/


Advance essay #2

Writing this essay I want the reader to understand the struggles I went through by my favorite sport, basketball. Throughout this essay I’m telling the readers the transition between my streetball life and my organized basketball life. Telling them how my first practice experience went. I think I did well explaining my how my first practice went and how I was determined to improve on my skills as a organized basketball player.

The whistle blew, everyone stopped and everyone looked at who caused the coach to blow the whistle. “Addison!” the coach yelled “What are you doing? Pass the ball. The other team's ball” I didn’t say a word, I just stood there and shook my head.

The day I realized that streetball and organized basketball is different. As a kid all I knew was streetball. Always playing at my schoolyard and the playground trying to embarrass your defender, showing of your handle and all these fancy passes. I thought I was the best streetball player in my neighborhood. As months goes by my friend introduced me to the Philadelphia Suns an all Asian organization. But jumping from that to organized basketball I noticed that it was a completely new atmosphere. Knowing that the play style is completely different, knowing that it’s a team sport, not selfish sport.

So my first practice there, oh boy was it difficult. Getting yelled at every minutes, “travel, turnover, walk, run!”  Frustration began to grow upon me, I never thought it would be this difficult. I whisper to one of my teammate, “yo, what are we doing?” He just gave me a look shook his head and continued to do the drill. I thought to myself was it even worth coming here. I’m a just a boy who got the streetball skills, who loves playing ball with friends and not caring about the rules. I don't have the NBA like skills like everyone in here. Throughout practice I made mistakes after mistakes. My coach came up to me, while everyone was taking a break and said to me. “Addison, don’t worry. I know this is your first practice and you’re still getting used to everything. I see you're getting mad at yourself, don't be. Just learn from your mistakes.” I just sat there with my head down. “Thanks coach”  I replied. As the coach blew the whistle telling everyone to get ready. He said “just sit here and watch everyone first.” As I got the concept of the drill that everyone is doing, i hopped in and tried doing it. Guess what… I made the wrong decision. 10 seconds into the drill, I picked up my dribble. “Addison! Don't pick up your dribble!” The coach yelled across the court. I looked around and saw people shaking their heads, saying “oh my god” underneath their breath. I tossed the ball at the coach and headed back to the bench. Throughout the whole practice I sat there and looked at everyone practice. “If you keep coming to Friday and Saturday practice I promise you, you’ll get better.” Said a teammate sitting right above me, startling me. “You really think that?” I said back. “I mean I’ve been coming to practice for months and I got so much better. not trying to sound cocky or anything.” He replied. “Alright” I chuckled  and shook my head. As practice comes to an end, I walked up to my coach and asked him when is practice. “Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday”. I told him that I’ll be coming every Friday and Saturday. “Great! See you then Addison. Remember learn from those mistakes you made today.” He said. “I will coach.” I said back.

As I got home, I went straight to my laptop. Type in “NBA highlight plays.” Hoping that I could learn something from the video. After watching videos after videos I thought that I could be just like everyone in the NBA. Lebron James, Rondo, Wade, and so many more. The next day, I went straight to my old middle school and started to practicing by myself. I started doing all these drills that I learned from yesterday's practice, dribbling drills, footwork drills, shooting drills, and running drills. Getting mad at myself because I couldn’t make a basket, slamming the ball onto the ground. As I continued to go to practices , I continued to get better.


Hype in media

Walking down the street, or even in school, people are wearing the nicest shoe. Shoes that won’t sit on shelves in stores because they are sold out instantly. The thing people may not understand is that those people may be “sneakerheads” which are people that goes after the shoes that are more hype out in the community. However, they are thrown off by the fact that Companies of shoes hype it up in the media as the fans follows onto that.

Public obsession with the latest trends means that The shoes themselves have changed drastically. Nowadays, it is about the materials that are being used in the sneaker as well as the looks. Materials like high quality leather, good stitching, as well as good cushioning would bump up the price of the shoe. For an example, the Jordan 11 Concords. As it started off as a basketball sneaker, the shoe began to make its pricy statement with the materials like patent leather, leather, mesh, and a tint of carbon fiber. The shoe is seventy five percent leather which makes the retail price two hundred and twenty. Quality would make shoes way more high in demand which is why people are trying to get their hands on them. It is put onto social media for people to see and follow.

From Konbini which is a sneaker website, In 2015, The NPD Group calculated an 8% year-over-year growth for the largely millennial-driven sneaker market, to $17.2 billion in total annual sales. When celebrities wear them before official release, the hype gets up there from social media which would bump the hype of the shoe. People like Drake and Kanye have collaborations with brands that would make the shoe hyped up. Kanye went a step further and started his shoe line with Adidas. His shoes, Yeezy, cost around two hundred and twenty dollars. It is very limited wear people start to camp out for the sneakers for hours. It is hyped up where people would spend extra hundreds of dollars to buy it off someone. Social Media is a place where people get their information on a shoe release which attracts people onto the shoe.

Brands like to created exclusivity shoes that gets people hopping onto the hype train. When a brand like Adidas creates a shoe that is only five hundred pairs made, it would make people go crazy. People will see it all over the media. Minds will be focused on getting that pair because of how limited they are. Shoes that are limited are more rarer in the sneaker community which would make people go crazy for them. The more limited they are, the higher it is for those shoes to be worth. An example would be the Jordan 4 x Undefeated. It is a collaboration with the apparel line Undefeated. This particular shoe has less than 80 pairs made. As it is known for being a Jordan shoe and being limited to less than 80 pairs, the cost for these shoes are above ten thousand dollars.

Although the sneaker culture only involves people who are into sneakers, it should concern everyone who wears a pair. Shoe brands will soon jump onto the hype and create better quality shoe, which will make prices rise for the average consumer as well. In the sneaker game, there will always be a buyer and a reseller. It is what keeps the cycle going in the sneaker community. And although many people may or may not support the sneaker culture, the prices of what they need will be influenced whether they like it or not.


Works CIted

Glazman, Evan. "More than Shoes: The Rise of Sneakerhead Culture." Konbini United States. Evan Glazman, 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://www.konbini.com/us/lifestyle/rise-of-sneakerhead-culture/ >


Taylor, Otis R., Jr. "Sneaker Culture Maintains Foothold in Battle for Acceptance." San Francisco Chronicle. N.p., 166 Sept. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Sneaker-culture-maintains-foothold-in-battle-for-9226097.php >


Fellingham, Christine. "From the Streets to the Runway, We Love Sneakers." The Courier-Journal. Christine Fellingham, 30 Sept. 2016. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.

<http://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/shopping/fellingham/2016/09/30/streets-runway-we-love-sneakers/90415456/ >


Pearson, Daniel. "Why Big Sneaker Brands Want Resellers Making Money They’ll Never See." Highsnobeity. Daniel Pearson, 1 June 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.

<http://www.highsnobiety.com/2016/06/01/secondary-sneaker-market-rare-resellers/ >


Quarter 1 Artwork

The first assignment of the quarter, the ceiling tile, was hard to begin. I didn’t know what I wanted to paint so eventually I decided to just paint branching lines. I enjoyed the process of painting the tile and I am pretty satisfied with the final product. Autumn is my favorite season so I enjoyed creating the Fall Wall hanging. One of the most defining aspects of the season is the change in the colors of leaves so I decided to make that the focus of my piece. I painted some pieces of paper red, orange, yellow, and green and then cut out the shapes of the leaves. I then pasted the leaves on to the background I created. I wanted my piece to convey the beauty of the fall and that nature can create some of the most beautiful works of art. The piece I found most difficult to create was the self portrait. I have never used charcoal before so I had a lot of trouble with the piece. After a couple of days working on the piece I enjoyed the process more. I don’t like the final product very much but I would like to continue working with charcoal and improve. My favorite project of the quarter was the fruit still life. Watercolor is my favorite medium so I enjoyed working on this project very much. I chose to paint an apple, orange, blackberry, and grapes as they have a nice variety of color. I tried using the fan brush for the first time and enjoyed using it very much. All in all, I experimented with a few different techniques this quarter and enjoyed the process.


Artist Statement

For the first quarter, my art course has been let out of expression. Getting permission to paint Black Lives Matter on a ceiling tile that anyone who enters the school can see, I knew I had artistic freedom. That making me even more comfortable with my style of art with my next piece,"SZA". Her music brings me a fall nostalgic vibe so I knew she had to be the person behind my creation. Ending this quarter, my final piece was a self portrait. Being the most challenging assignment in the class, I had to spend a lot more time redesigning each line.

Tv probably does influence Teenagers

When talking about sex with teens can be tricky and also a bonus if they want to know what influences them. Teens like to watch TV, and if parents try to take it away from them, they can now watch it on their laptops or phones when nobody’s looking . All of this exposure can cause some concerns when it comes to their health. The term “Monkey see monkey do” can be used to describe what teens do when they come across something that seems fun or interesting to do, like sex. Teen sex is something that’s shown a lot in social media, people learn about it in school, but it’s mainly seen on TV. But why ? Why does TV influence or encourage teens to pursue sexual activity?  


         The short and simple answer to this question is yes, but the explain is more complex than a simple yes or no. Most Americans spend about a third of their free time watching television. But not all media influences depict teens having sex. According to researchers from the Rand Corporation,  3 kinds of sexual content involving was shown in the media,. The kinds of sexual contents are teens kissing and other kinds of sexual behavior, the second kind of content is the “talk” about having sex or sex in general, and lastly the third kind is the risk of having sex with someone. They surveyed around 2,000 teens, from ages 12-17 and the results found  that heavy exposure to sexual content led teens to sexual activity.

  

 Many teenagers think that having sex is cool, and will make the other person want them even more, or at least that’s how it is being shown in tv shows and movies. That is not true in most cases involving a teen. 43% of High school students have said they already had intercourse with someone and 53% of them said they haven’t, which could be a good thing if they are looking at it statistically. Teens that do have sex experience lower grades and the one who do have sex most likely have older friends that do it and pressure them. Because of this they now know that there is no connection between delays of intercourse and TV,  meaning that most of the teens they surveyed did or didn’t have sex because of TV, there was only a connection with that and African American Teenagers. This group is the one who lets media influence them the most. Many are told that the parents of African American children watch TV more than any other race.  Other than African Americans, overall, most teens think about it but intend not to engage in sexual activity.


  Tv doesn’t always have to show teens having sex or talking about it in a bad way. There are shows out there that can influence them to focus more on school work than worrying about bring pleasure to someone else. TV can also be a source for encouraging them to continue with their abstinence. Studies does shows that Teenagers engaging in sexual activity use condoms, 65% of children can recall them using a condom, according to the researchers from Rand Corp. They have done a lot of research for figure whether or not Television influence them but now that they know TV is mostly likely not the reason that teenagers have sex then what influences them not to?


     So, does TV influence teens to have sex? the short answer is no. Although There is proof that the media can play a part in making them want to have sex earlier in life, there is no way that the media is the one to blame for children having sex. Researchers  found out that there isn’t even a connection except among a specific group. Most teens intend to wait because they know that they can do it anytime they want, it’s just not their time.  


Work Cited

Focus, By Policy. "Does Watching Sex on Television Influence Teens' Sexual Activity?" Collins, Rebecca L. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.


Randall. "Join Our Email List!" ReCAPP: Statistics: Sexual Activity. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct.

2016.


@ParentingWeb. "Sexual Media Influences Teen Decisions About Sex -." Child Development Institute. N.p., 05 June 2013. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.


Age, By. "Teen Health and the Media." Teen Health and the Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.


New Language New Lifestyle

Intro
When I first started thinking about what I was going to write about for this essay, I had my heart set on talking about what it's like to go from my moms to dads house. However as I was writing out that idea, it didn't feel good enough. I was looking for some specific moment that changed my whole perspective on things and that wasn't it. I easily remembered the time I spent in elementary school with kids who didn't know any English. I'm very proud of how much I've learned from writing this essay but I hope that in the future I can learn so much more.

New Language New Lifestyle

I sat in room 207, more uncomfortable than ever. It was the first day of second grade and I was surrounded by people who spoke a different language from me. I said hi and smiled, they did the same but it never went further than that. All of my friends were in my class. Thalia, Jennifer, Aminda, Zoe and I were the only fluent english speakers in the class. Ms. Zondek had told us to try our hardest to communicate with the other kids who only spoke Mandarin. In the middle of classes ESOL kids would ask us for help on pronouncing words or what the homework was. It was harder than I ever would have thought to keep your patience when speaking to a person who can’t understand a word of what you’re saying.  Luckily, Ms. Zondek had us covered most of the time. I had a hard time keeping my cool when one of the ESOL kids would say something completely wrong and it was just straight up hilarious.

Laughing at their mistakes made me feel terrible. I knew exactly what it was like to not fit into a group, a community even. Like the quote from I Just Wanna Be Average you’re placed into a system that isn’t designed to liberate you but occupy you, or, if you’re lucky, train you”(166). In that quote I realized how hard it must have been for all of those non-english speaking kids who had no idea what me and my friends would be laughing at or what in the world our teacher was talking about. Instead they had to sit in their seats at lunch, doing extra work to improve their english skills. I only knew they stayed up at lunch because one time I had to stay up and help one of them. All lunch period all I could think about was how I wished I could be outside playing with my friends. While I was helping Pu Chen with his writing assignment on frogs I discovered the fact that these kids stayed up here on purpose. I had so many other thoughts in my tiny second grade mind. Like how upsetting it must be for these kids to stay up and watch us go out every single day while they stay in so they can get better at what I’ve known almost my whole life.

Lucky for me, that day was a day we got to go to the cybrary to pick out books for the weekend. I made a bee-line to the culture section and picked out a book about Mandarin while the rest of my friends were in the fiction section picking which Junie B. Jones book they’d each get. I checked out my book with Ms. Phillips and sat down at an empty table. My head filled up with new words and characters so fast that I finally got the full effect of how hard it is to learn a whole new language from scratch. Like in How To Tame A Wild Tongue the narrator says “for a people who are neither spanish nor live in a country in which spanish is the first language; for a people who live in a country in which english is the reigning tongue but who are not anglo; for a people who cannot entirely identify with either standard spanish nor standard english, what recourse is left to them but to create their own language?”(55). Now, if you switch Spanish with Mandarin, it’s a perfect example of how secluded you can feel when everyone else knows what’s going on but you. Speaking a different language can put your mind in a whole different place, a place where you’re your own anchor. However, at some point that anchor needs to be brought up so you can continue to explore the world you never thought you’d know.

At the end of that day I talked to my mom about how I helped Pu Chen in school with his work at lunch. I told her about what I had discovered and what I knew now. She told me that she was proud of me for being so brave, but the only thing I could think was how much braver those ESOL kids were and far they still have to go to learn a language all over again.

Impact of Negative Cartoons on Children

The typical Modern American child watches television every day, especially cartoons. Cartoons are a fun way for children to learn and engage; or so they use to be. However, as time advances, the quality and wholesomeness of cartoons are changing. Cartoons are becoming more sexualized, condoning violence, and no longer not requiring children to think and walk away with some type of lesson. As a result, Cartoons are negatively impacting children. Cartoons are expanding the minds of children but also limiting their sense of morality.

Children are like sponges. They absorb everything that is around them. A lot of where children learn is from television. Cartoons grab children’s attention, so great that they could be watching television for hours. The same cartoons that children are constantly watching, are containing sexual and inappropriate content. A show aired on Nickelodeon in 2014 named Breadwinners. This show is a prime example of sexual and inappropriate content in cartoons. Children gravitate to this show because of the colorfulness and the use of animals that children are able to recognize. In this cartoon it has a lot of the main characters shaking their butts and slapping each other’s. The opening song that introduces the show is not appropriate for children. “Booty kick it, party punch it. Shake your feathers, make your pants dance.” (Breadwinners Wiki). Children should not be exposed to such things, especially in cartoons. It is highly inappropriate and it confuses the young innocent minds of children. Children should not be watching things where it is acceptable to be sexual with other people and themselves. It does not do anything about teaching self respect. All that this does is show children that their bodies are toys and can be touched and shook anywhere for anyone. This causes children to want to reenact what that are seeing. Children will then begin to inappropriately touch each other as a result of the cartoons that they are exposed to.

Cartoons condone violence as a way to handle situations. Often times when watching cartoons there is a superhero and a villain. For example the show Spongebob Squarepants, which is a very well known show. Plankton, who is the villain, is trying to steal the recipe to the Krabby Patty so that his restaurant can flourish like the Krusty Krab. Plankton builds all of these contraptions to steal this recipe but never succeeds because Mr. Krabs, the owner of the Krusty Krab, stops him by using violence. When children watch shows that have the portrayal of using violence to win then they began to do the same thing in their real lives. They’re favorite show has fighting so they do not see what is wrong with that and later may even want to reenact that with their friends or just believe that violence solves their problems. “Adolescents will have viewed 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence by the age of 18.” (The successful Parent, a parental blog). All that this shows is that in order to be on top people need to crush their competitors and if they want to succeed then they need to do whatever it takes outside or even steal to make their way on top. With this people can see how influential cartoons are for children.

In the past cartoons for the most part had lessons and ways to engage children to learn while keeping them entertained. Now cartoons are having little to no reflection. Children are are not required to use their brains and think about how things work or learning new words or understanding the value of things. Cartoons seem to be a way to keep children quiet. With cartoons today there are no questions that could be asked because now just give them the answer. Older cartoons had children asking a number of questions the why this and how that and what makes this happen and what’s that: but now it’s nothing to ask or even to look forward to. Cartoons should bring families together so that children are being challenged more and have to use their minds to think and grow.

Cartoons are negatively impacting children. Children are not learning from cartoons and are destroying the innocent minds of children. Cartoons are too sexualized, to violent, and most definitely not educational enough. The more children watch these disengaging cartoons, the more they will be affected.

N.p., n.d. Web. http://www.thesuccessfulparent.com/categories/children-and-media/item/the-impact-of-tv-violence-on-children-and-adolescents#.V-KyAhMrLnA.

“Friend or Foe.” Encyclopedia SpongeBobia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. http://spongebob.wikia.com/wiki/Friend_or_Foe.

“Bread Delivery Song.” Breadwinners Wiki. CC-BY-SA., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2016. http://breadwinners.wikia.com/wiki/Bread_Delivery_Song.

Not Everything Should be Shared

What exactly is social media? It basically means interacting with other humans via apps and websites:  adding people as friends or following people, liking other people’s status and/or picture, commenting whatever they want under someone else’s picture, and chatting live. But, is it really safe to put personal information on social media? Even though people have the choice to make their profiles private, do they really know what they are signing up for when they choose “create account”? When people make a new account on any social media, they are asked to agree to the terms and condition, but since most people don’t read that because they are too excited to make that new account, it can lead to something else. People don’t realize that if they don’t fully understand the right way to share their life on the internet, it will result in giving away their privacy unintentionally.

According to netsmartz.org, most public schools are teaching kids about internet safety so that they know what’s safe to share online and what’s not. “Yet along with offering a fascinating, new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers new risks: Cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate material, online predators and revealing too much personal information.” (Basic Internet Safety) Most children know about internet safety but as they grow up and are becoming more active on social media, do they still remember what they are taught, or are did they just check it off like the “I agree to the term and conditions” box? Internet safety teaches people to rethink their decisions about putting personal information online, such as full name, phone number, social security number, address, etc. One popular social media that’s being used worldwide is Snapchat. It is said that “the app’s 150 million users base to 217 million users by the end of 2017.”(Business Insider) For example, on Snapchat, people have geofilters, which is a filter which shows someone’s location at the moment they take a picture. Using those filters can be a nice thing, but it also gives the location of a person which can also be dangerous. If the user’s account happened to be hacked that one moment, the hacker will know the location of their victim because of the geofilter that he/she used. People often misunderstand that something as small as a geofilter could harm them because they use the geofilters to show their friends on their Snapchat where they are. A lot of people use geofilters when going on a vacation so that others can where they are in the world.

Another app that’s being used worldwide is Instagram. On Instagram, people share photos and videos of themselves, and now they also are doing a similar thing like snapchat where people can post up pictures and photos on their story so that people can see where they are. The difference between Snapchat and Instagram with their stories is that, the people who can see other’s snapchat stories are only friends, that are added, but on Instagram, whether or not they are following that person, their stories are public to everyone. Taking pictures of a girls night out, date night, etc, can be risky because of that. Even though people want to share with their social media friends, not everyone is nice. Someone with bad intentions can recognize the area that the picture or video was taken and they can harm the user. That can be a dangerous situation because people take pictures to share with others the beauty that they see or just to show the world something. Even though it’s not intentional to show the web a little privacy about a user, many predators use that as an advantage. Taking a picture of a favorite restaurant or a favorite place can lead to danger. Sometimes it’s not safe to even share a specific spot that’s often visited by family and friends.

It’s best to know that some information should be kept personal and some can be shared with the world. Before sharing and letting the world know the location or the neighborhood, just remember that not everyone online are nice. People that are posting their new house or new car can be in danger because someone out there on the internet can end up stealing or breaking into the new house or car, just because of a simple post. It’s a problem not only for the user but also for the society because that can be an advantage for people who have a purpose to harm others. Sharing favorite locations to go with family and friends can be a way that predators track a user. There are stalkers and predators on the internet, so sharing a picture that shows a neighborhood or a place that’s known can be dangerous to everyone.








Sources:

By Acting as a Resource, Parents and Guardians Can Help Make the Internet a Safer Place for Their Families. As a Parent or Guardian, You Should Stay Well-informed about Current Issues to Understand What Your Children Are Experiencing on and off the Intern. "Basic Internet Safety."Basic Internet Safety. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://www.netsmartz.org/InternetSafety>.

Shah, Saqib. "Snapchat Is on Target to Hit 217 Million Users by the End of next Year." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 25 Aug. 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016. <http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-on-target-for-217-million-users-by-end-of-2017-2016-8>.



Advanced Essay #2: Book Nerd

Writing this essay was like stepping back into time for me. I feel as though this made me a more powerful writer, and stronger person reliving those moments. Kids are quick to judge others and outcast them, and as a result kids hide away part of what makes them who they are. I hope that readers will take away one thing from this essay and that is to be yourself, and do what makes you happy, and don't let anybody make you hide away.

Unapologetically A Book Nerd: A View Of Literacy From Real Life Experiences

By Zahirah Poree




One day in my English 3 class, my teacher asked my class, “What does literacy mean?”. Now, there was a sense of confusion that went around the room as we all thought, “What the hell is he talking about?” We all then proceeded to muster up some kind of definition for this word that we knew the components of, but not exactly what it was. Sure, literacy --obviously something to do with books-- we all read, that’s it right? Wrong. I left the class that day with multiple definitions for literacy, but it wasn’t until I got the assignment to write an essay such as this that I got the huge realization that I was in fact, stuck. I had the worst case of writer’s block for days until-

It hit me like a sack of bricks. It wasn’t the fact that I didn’t know what literacy was, or how to define it; it was that I already did. Literacy is around us everyday. Where there is a word, there is literacy. But literacy is something that’s been substantial in shaping me into the person I am today. Most people don’t know this about me, but I am a closeted book addict. I love to read, I love books, I love everything about them. It started when I was younger - probably around 1st grade - that I got into my first book series: Junie B. Jones by Barbara Parks. My mom loved books as a child, and after seeing her read so much, I decided to try and love them too. It was decidedly one of the best choices of my life. The moment I finished the first page of Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, I actually felt like I was going along with Junie B. to her first day of kindergarten, on the stupid stinky smelly bus. That was all I needed. The feeling I got from reading was like escaping to another world to experience life from another person’s perspective. Reading from then on was like my addiction. I went on to now own every single original Junie B. Jones book, and it just grew from there. My passion for reading grew like a wildfire in the woods, and each new book that I got whether it was a gift or one that I saved up for, just added to the flame.

It got so bad that I made it a rule that I had to bring a book every where I went at all times, especially at school. My school supported reading, and hosted annual book fairs. Books fairs are these events where an organization called  Scholastic brings multiple mobile shelves filled with all these amazing, beautiful books, for all ages. I lived for these. I can’t say much that I liked about my middle school, but one thing I will never forget are the book fairs.

As the years went on, my love for reading lead me into reading everything, including dictionaries. I would sometimes get stuck on a “big word” and  have to look up the definition. This caused my vocabulary to grow extensively, and also led to me developing a love for words- specifically spelling. When I was in the sixth grade, I competed in my school-wide spelling bee. My entire class was nervous and jittery because we were the bottom of the middle school food chain. Who expected us to even try to say a letter in this competition? We were up against the 7th and 8th  graders, so we were fairly intimidated. As the bee went on, I spelled every word I was challenged with, at first shakily and meek, but then going on to being clear and confident. In the end, it was me and this one 7th grade girl. We had beat our fellow classmates and upperclassmen. It was complete bogus though. They gave me a “big word”, or one for me at the time. “Choreographer. C-h-o-r-o-e-g-r-a-p-h-e-r.”  DINg! Shit. My heart froze. Then,  “Lintel. l-i-n-t-e-l.” “Congratulations!” Complete bull right? So I won second place in my school spelling bee, which is was still a big deal, at least to the adults in my school and family at home.

The reaction I received from my peers and upperclassmen, however, was fairly negative. They were jealous that I beat out so many kids, and as a result I got bullied and teased a lot. I was labeled as a “nerd”, and a “book freak”. This made me feel like something was wrong with me , and I began to feel ashamed I tried to hide my feelings. I became so self-conscious about my fascination for literacy, which resulted in me pushing reading and spelling to the side, instead focusing more on getting the unwanted attention away from myself, and onto the next big thing. Reading was to be confined to only sometimes, and even later, almost never. Now I am a junior in high school with this assignment to write about literacy. During my class I could relate to the text Superman & Me, when the main character describes to the reader, “My father loved books, and since I loved my father with an aching devotion, I decided to love books as well.”. After reading that, the memories just came flooding back on how reading started for me, with my mom.. This is how literacy started for me, and ever since it has been a path of growth, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me from here.





Bibliography:

~  "Laugh Yourself Silly with Junie B. Jones." Random House. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

~   "Scholastic Book Fairs - Schools." Scholastic Book Fairs. N.p., 2016. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.

~   "Www.dormanhigh.org." N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2016.



It's All Satire

Satire is defined by dictionary.com as “the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing,denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.” It is used in shows like Saturday Night Live to make fun of recent events such as presidential debates and celebrities. In mainstream venues like broadcast television, satire is used in a humourous and for the most part in a light hearted way. However, in the Youtube commentary community; people who make videos reacting to other videos and mock and make fun of them using under the umbrella of “satire.” Many YouTube commentary channels are not actually satire, they are just a way for them to get away with bullying and harassing people.

One of the YouTubers who pioneered this fake-satire genre was “Leafyishere”. They have almost 5 million subscribers, and in his channel description it states, “If you don't like satire content, probably not the place for you.”. He made a video called,”THE MOST UPSET FEMINIST GETS 0-100 ANGER TOWARDS ME.” In this video he talked about and watched a video with a person who was talking about all the hate they were getting because of the last video Leafy made on them. The first video he did about her was him making fun of one of the women’s youtube video, talking about her intro and some of the points she made in the video. In the video he said,“So I made a video on her or, or him… she’s trans so I don’t really know which one. Uhhh anyways I made a video on this f****ng creature. Umm *laughter* Okay that was f****ng joke…” In this statement he is blatantly making fun her for being a transexual, comparing her being trans to that of being some “creature.” Since he knew that was an inappropriate comment, he quickly defended himself by saying that it was just a joke, so he doesn’t get backlash for making such poorly taste statement. Since his channel is satire he is basically saying that the statement he just made was “satire”. This seemingly worked for no one made a comment about him making that statement, when it was not satire and just bullying someone over being transgender. So he got off “scot-free” for making that statement. If he were to use actual “satire he could’ve mock her video style or an statement she made that he felt was outlandish, not attack her sexuality.

In another one of Leafy’s videos called, “ANGRY UPSET FEMINIST SAYS SHE WANTS TO KILL ALL WHITE PEOPLE.” Which was about leafy commentating about two high school poetry slam students and how he feels that they were just hating on white men. He says, “Time out, you guys see the one on the left. You know the one with the hat; can someone please explain to me why she is wearing f****ng safety goggles.” He also stated, “I feel like these two annoying f****ng monkeys don’t fully understand…” These two quotes aren’t as harsh as the one in the previous paragraph but shows that his content not satire because he is directly attacking their physical appearance. He is not sarcastically saying this or using irony to prove a point about how what they are saying is foolish. He is just plain out attacking them and just labeling what he is saying as “satire” when it actuality it is not.

A YouTuber named “ColossalIsCrazy” who makes similar content to that of “Leafyishere” actually openly admits to using the word satire as a way to not get hate in the disclaimer of his video. Stating, “Please do not attack/harass anyone I discuss[insult] in this video. I hide behind the shield of satire, but I am also a strong believer in strong criticism...”  What this tells me is that the YouTube commentary community are not oblivious to this but still use the word for protection anyway. Collosaliscrazy is not that much of an offender of this because most of his videos are just criticism and not deliberately bashing on somebody. With that said his channel is basically criticizing people which is not satire. So claiming his channel as a satire channel is just called that just in case he needs it for protection against criticism.

If Youtube commentary channels stopped to think about it, they would realize that using satire as a shield does not just involve the misuse of the word “satire”, but it also involves lying to your fans and tampering with the definition of the word satire as well. Many of their fans maybe do not know what the definition of satire is and may get the wrong interpretation of it from their videos.What is needed to prevent this from happening is more YouTubers calling it out to discourage the people doing from using the claim of satire for protection as many such as Idubzzz has. With people doing this they can make the YouTube commentary more respected and honest for their viewers.