" Its never the changes we want that change everything".

English 101

Prof. Mitchell Jackson

23 July, 2014                               

      Sometimes we are ambitious towards what we want to become in life. We have a lot of wants that wonder in our heads looking for a place to settle in. Life is not determined by looking forward it is determined by looking backwards. If we pay too much attention on the things we want and don’t have we will disregard the present or the past. We all have expectations and whether we reach them is up to us, but life has its difficult ways of bringing us down. There is only a few things we know, that is what we want, what we need, and what we have. These may not be noticed in the present, but in time we learn to know what we need, what we want, and what we have.

          It is impossible to tell the future which is why when we are hit with a sudden change which we thought would never happen, is the exact thing that was needed for the better. Its okay to set expectations in life because they give us a sense of security of who we are and who we want to be. That is good, although we must also be ready for the unexpected because they can change everything sometimes for the good sometimes for the bad. Life isn’t easy we just have to learn to live it as much as we can and dream as much as we please because if we fall we have to get up and when we do it should be stronger than the last one.

-Madalena Gonzalez

"If it isn't on Google, it doesn't exist." - Jimmy Wales

Google, also know as the "perfect search engine" said by Nicholas Carr in "Is Google making us stupid." Does Google really have all of the information known to man kind? It sure does have random facts. Yesterday I was with a group of friends searching random things on Google, such as what's the biggest mall? Tallest building? What's not considered a building? Why is an orange called orange? And many other random questions. Then we ended up searching, is everything on google true? Didn't have a solid answer, they were random too, one thing for sure it had a very odd and sexual response that kind of caught my attention because it said the Google tracks your questions to know you, search up anything and you would be judged by the tracking number from your device, don't know how its called. Well, yeah, kind of creepy because no matter how curious you are, you know you're being examined by google, so just learn and find out from your older siblings or experience it yourself.

Well, not my point, Google may have random things but if you search up something totally out of this world, it won't have an answer but would definitely try to search it up for you and any other people that search up a similar question like yours. Things exist out there, its just kind of our job to mention to the world for Google can help spread the word. Google would always find a way to get that information for all of us, to keep its power. Therefore don't be lazy.

- Melissa Machuca

"The limits of my language are the limits of my world." - Ludwig Wittgenstein

There are many languages around the world, don't exactly know the number. One thing for sure is that the languages were created for the same reasons. Communication, expressions, thoughts... languages are the gates to let out what we think and want to say. Hold up! Are all languages the same, as in which one is more powerful?

In our American society, English is believed to be the most powerful language. Not Black English, Spanglish, or British English, I am talking about white English. They over power our society, supposedly their ideas are more powerful than others. Also, what they say goes. If a Mexican tries to talk about immigration and what they believe, they can be automatically send back to Mexico without even trying to be understood by the white people. African Americans have their black English, and as James Baldwin had stated in "If Black English isn't a language, then tell me, what is?" he said "He cannot afford to understand it..." In other words, whites cannot and won't be able to understand Black English. Could it be because the language has more meaning than in ordinary English because of their experience?

There are limits to what we are able to say in society, and if we surpass the limit, we can either get arrested, threatened, or even worse death. Language is very powerful and we must know how to control it and know our limits.

- Melissa Machuca

"Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy therefore is education.- Frankin D. Roosevelt

     Democracy means that the consent of the governed is required to all decision making in this society. Roosevelt is saying that in order to have a successful democracy, there has to be people that are governed that have education so that their view that they present in decision making is a good view. If the governed is not educated, they will not necessarily know what is best for the country or nation as a whole. That is what Roosevelt means when he says that education is the safeguard of democracy. Today, that is still the case, but in my opinion, this democracy has changed. It seems like we don't live in a democracy anymore. We are barely involved in the decision making. I believe the top 1% controls controls what happens in our democracy. It all makes sense. Think about it. They don't even pay taxes. If we, the governed, were not to pay taxes, we would be thrown in jail immediately. If more people were educated in this society, they would know that they can't take us all to jail. As you look at the money distribution, the top 1% owns more of the country's currency each year. This doesn't seem like a democracy. It seems like an absolute monarchy. In this democracy, the amount of poor people are  increasing and the middle class is becoming poor. Soon there will be no middle class. We certainly don't have to go to socialism to find something that's fair. All we need is educated people sour country can move forward.
-Jeffrey Collado 

"Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor" -James Baldwin

      I can relate to this quote. In my own words, I would say that Baldwin really isn't referring to the money. Well he is, but I think there's a deeper meaning behind it. When he says that it's expensive, I'm thinking that means the struggle that comes with being poor. By struggle I mean environment, living conditions and being looked down on because you don't have what other people may have. Baldwin also had it worse because he was African American. In the reading yesterday, " Fifth Avenue, Uptown", James Baldwin says, " No negro will ever make enough money to escape being a negro." I understand what he was saying for that time period. Even if a negro made as much money as a white man, he would still be below the white man in social classes. African Americans would still be seen as the inferior type of human beings that will never move forward. Going back to the main quote, today is a little bit of a different story. I say a little because there are still racist tendencies on this society. Yet it is still the same concept that Baldwin describes in this quote. Now we have an option to have an education to increase our chances from climbing out of this poverty hole. Not many people make good decisions which leads them to become poor nowadays. Many people are lazy and want to stay in the hood in their moms house and that's where it's expensive to be poor with many prices to pay.
-Jeffrey Collado

"Drugs are a bet with the mind"

      When I see this Quote,I think of all the drugs in the world in general. Whether it is legal or illegal, proscribed by a doctor or not, any drug would mess with your head to accomplish its goal. Antibiotics that doctors proscribe are an example. Pain pills block signals from your brain or in this case your mind. Illegal drugs would definitely be a bet with your mind. Most people use these drugs because it takes their mind off of the real world and makes them feel good. I agree with this quote because when you decide that you want to take these drugs, you assume you can handle it. You assume that your mind will be able to handle the side effects. If people didn't assume this, then why would they take or use a dangerous drug? This also applies to drugs that have the most side effects. Do you ever notice that when a commercial of one pops up on television, they always save the side effects for last and they always seem to say it very quickly? The side effect could be death. That's the main reason why I think drugs are a bet with the mind. You're taking a chance with being okay or witnessing the side effects. It's also crazy how young people our age in society start taking that chance very early. I've witnessed the use of drugs at a very eary early age as well as other stuff. I know I'll never succumb to that way of thinking. Why would I want to make a bet with my mind when I know I control it?

-Jeffrey Collado

"The limits of my language are the limits of my world"- Ludwig Wittgenstan

16 July, 2014

         The quote signifies how language affects our world and portrays to others who we are. We can do so much with language such as; get a good job because we are capable of speaking more than one language, communicating with more people internationally, etc. The way you speak is the way you were brought up or the way you are. I agree with this quote because if limits in language are that we cannot speak a certain language as English in America it becomes our limit of where we will live or the people we will associate with. Language is everything because it sets an image for the public negatively or positively. It’s like reading a book, the language that the author chooses is the only way the reader can identify themselves with the feelings, the actions and personalities portrayed in the book.

        It’s the same with us we are judged no matter where we are and the language we choose or speak determines if we are educated. It is like Janice Castro said in “language: Spanglish spoken here”, that our language gives us a sense of acceptance to a group and is as much a part of life as sunglasses. Language allows us to express how we feel. We can always change our language in order to be accepted, but language is only a part of us not the whole.

-Madalena Gonzalez

Kanye West... the "Musical Genius"

Kanye had once stated, "You're going to love me, you're going to hate me, but I'ma be me." Trying to be accepted from society is extremely difficult and it contains many obstacles. "No matter what you do, you're never going to make the people proud" my mother told me yesterday. They are both true, why be someone you're not and "be accepted" or be someone you are and "be accepted." No matter what you're going to be judged all of the time, one way or another, people are going to have to deal with who you are and do nothing but to accept.

In my opinion, I thought Kanye was a true jerk for calling himself a genius, for interrupting Taylor Swifts greatest moment in the VMA's. But after reading the articles about him last night and watched the interview of him by Jimmy Kimmel, I can sense what he was talking about. I do feel bad because he is one of many artists being judged on a daily basis. In Kimmel's interview, Kanye added how us, the people, "Treat celebrities like zoo animals." In other words, we believe that everything we think or say about celebrities won't hurt them, but it does. Michael Jackson, for instance, was know to be a "horrible father," but he was a kid himself trying to relieve the childhood he never had before. Lady Gaga is considered an alien but she is just unique, creative and different. Kim Kardashian was never considered a "wifey type" but now she holds a family with Kanye. Point being, we are not all perfect for the society, we are all humans and no matter what, people are going to have to respect that. We must all accept and believe in one another, we don't need to keep in mind people's opinions. What matters is that you believe you're doing the right thing for yourself. "All I care about is protecting my girl, protecting my baby, and protecting my ideas and my dreams," Kanye stated, "and thats the reason why I went so crazy." This musical genius doesn't care about just himself, he cares about what he loves. And for that, he has my total respect.

- Melissa Machuca

"Time makes heroes but dissolves celebrities ." -Daniel s. boorstin

 

         It takes time to accomplish a goal in order to save your world. However, time is consuming and could wash away ones youth and personality. Daniel Boorstin once said "time makes heroes but dissolves celebrities". He basically means that throughout time a person trying to change the world will go through strife and inconvenient situations just to make a change. Yet, “celebrities” don't have to always struggle to get to where they are. A celebrity however, must still has to spend time maintain their fame and keep an audience satisfied.

     At the end fame comes and goes, just like money and power. That's why in order to keep a high standard and be loved by society celebrities must keep up with the latest trends such as music, body, and fashion. Doing such things just to be "hip" and "in" eventually "dissolves them like Boorstin expresses.

      Now take a hero like Nelson Mandela, he did not have to keep up with fashion all materialistic manners that a celebrity like Chief Keef has to. He wasn't trying to satisfy the people in his society and be "all that”. No, Mandela he was devoted to break South Africa from apartheid. The nationalist did everything for his people. He even spent 27 years in prison, just to make his point. Mandela took "time" to become a hero whereas our modern celebrities take time trying to impress everyone by their appearance, which eventually leads to their down fall.

 

 -Nixaliz Pena

" Time makes heroes but dissolves celebrities" quote response

"Time makes heroes but dissolves celebrities", is just another way of saying everything that's good does not last long. We live in a society where everyday there's a new emerging artist and in order for that artist to be known and succeed, another artist has to fall. The hero part I don't understand. But when it says that it "dissolves celebrities" it means that their career path is being affected because as time passes by new and better things happen that steal away the shine of that artist. Just as I mentioned before, it sucks that for someone to succeed, another person has to fall. That's our society! Degrading others to benefit ourselves. It's survival of the fittest. The strongest ones are the one that make it further. Another way this quote can be interpret is that celebrities get tired so as time passes their just getting drained and exhausted so as someone else out there gets better, they're just tired. A lot of people think that celebrities have a good life because they have money. But just imagine for second, living your life to satisfy others. I bet it's difficult. Specially in a society where nothing is too much and there are no limits. Just like in the article " Celebrity Bodies", celebrities are going through these massive diets and surgeries just to look good. In this society nothing is perfect and no matter how hard a human being tries, is just not enough. Is about who do you see as yourself and not living through others' eyes because at the end of the day society will always try to change who you are. They tell you to be yourself, but they try to change that.

Arlienny Hernandez

"Time makes hero's but dissolves celebrities" - Daniel J. Boorstin

English 101
July 8, 2014

I don't necessarily think that thats true because how many times in out everyday lives do you hear someone speak about the latest scandal with Miley Cyrus, or Kim Kardashians latest outfit and last but not least what Beyonce and Jay-Z bought baby blue for her 3rd birthday. But not many people can tell you whats going on in the news or what was the latest thing Obama did for out country was. Celebrities are hero's to many people, for example Beyonce is a hero for most young girls and gay artists are hero's to for the gay community because they are so called inspirational for being who they are on a normal basis. Beyonce taught young girls that one plus one equals two but does that mean that she should get a trophy for it? Or maybe this quote is trying to say that we dissolve celebrities into our lives so much and we are so absorbed by this fantasy world that they live in we fail to realize all the work that regular people do. Who are they? Believers, fighters, compassionate people who care about children's education and the environment. We recognize the people who do nothing for us and praise them but those who sacrifice their life to try to make the world a better place are pushed to the side. I'm not saying that I'm not just as guilty as the next person, but I'm just wondering if we have out priorities straight.

-Serenity 

Does coming from nothing make a difference?

July 7, 2014
English 101

I think its always best to be humble about what you have even if you come from nothing. Because its not what you have that defines you but rather who you are. This quote applies to rappers especially, for example French Montana. French grew up in the South Bronx, coming here as an immigrant must not have been easy for him. But look at how far he's made it, look who he's dating!  French boasts a lot about what he has but how much has he given back to the community that he grew up in? Has he given back anywhere? Thats what I wonder. Although he was able to reinvent himself, is showing off really who he is? You're always supposed to ask yourself if you like who you're becoming as a person. I wonder how many people do that and if we were to all do that would all of us have made the same stupid choices we made or would we be slightly better people? If you came from nothing I'm not saying theres no room for gloating but what I'm saying is that there is a limit. Once you reach the limit you have to decide who you want to be. I say this because money changes people, some for the worst and very little for the better.

-Serenity 

"I came, I saw, I conquered" -Julius Cesar

July 2, 2014
English 101

I think this quote is like when you walk to the top of Machu Picchu and you saw it, you did what you had to do so you feel accomplished. You feel like you conquered something but honestly what did you really accomplish if you don't know anything about this historical landmark. Why even come? I think to feel like you conquered the task you have to know about it, you cant just be there and see it. The thing you conquer has to mean something, it has to stand out to you and lastly it has to make an impression on you that you wont forget. Its like a lesson, you learn from it. Although this quote might motivate others its just the beginning of something to me, like a stepping stone to learn more.


-Serenity 

" I came , I saw , I conquered" - Julius Caeser

In life people take advantage of what can allow them to prosper. Julius Caeser , of the Roman empire once said , “ I came, I saw , I conquered.” Coming from a man who truly did make the Roman Empire as big as it was, the quote comes to show that he was not a fool. The minute a land was discovered to have riches that would benefit the empire, such as fruits, gold, animals, etc.  He seized the opportunity to “conquer it “.

         This concept still continued to be practiced centuries later. Take the British for example, in the 17^th century they conquered land in Virginia. Although, the land did not have gold as they desired to find like the Spanish did in Latin America, they found the land to have “black gold” or what we know as tobacco. The British sailors saw that they could easily make profit out of the product to benefit the mother country. Even today people don’t just sit around after seeing an amazing opportunity. If one finds out that there is a position in Victoria Secret, no one will just let it be. People will want to grab that opportunity before someone else occupies it.  Women especially will fill out the application and submit their resume. When you “see” an opportunity you will “conquer” it by taking it, or at least attempting to.

-Nixaliz Pena