Blog # 16 - Revising the CAT-W # 2 Movie and smoking

In this article “Imitation of Film: Here’s smoking at you, Kid”, Nicholas Balakar claims that movie that contain scenes of actors smoking a cigarette are the reason that children are likely to start smoking. I don’t agree with his claim at all, Children start smoking for different reasons I believe. A perfect example is peer-pressure at school; another reason is seeing or living with family members that smoke in the household.  I can relate with the examples that I’m going to give in my essay.

Dr. James D. Sargent from Darthmouth Medical School performs a study on 6,522 children nationwide about their movie-viewing habits. In this study it show children who had the greatest exposure to smoking in movies were more than two and a half times as likely to start smoking as those who had the lowest exposure. Well when I was a kid (around the same age as the study) in school, some friends of mine were smoking because they wanted to see for themselves what the buzz about cigarettes was. Not cause of a movie, they wanted to know why it was bad for kids to smoke and not bad for adults in our life at that moment in our childhood. I tried a cigarette when I was in the 6^th grade, as much of my friends did as well. It was a rumor that if you smoke, girls would be attractive to you and would hang out with you more than if you didn’t smoke. At first I didn’t want to try it, but as more peer-pressure from friends or so called friends I had the more I was willing to try it. But the main reason I started to smoke was when I saw some of my friends with more girls around them. Those girls though a guy that smokes is cool and bad. (Girls like bad boys) So that the main reason I started to smoke cause of girls, and it worked. I was chilling with them more and I was in heaven.  Until it was costing me money to buy cigarettes so I stop. So going to that study that Dr. James D. Sargent, I think his research needs more input on other things that can cause a kid to smoke as he acknowledged on the article

Another reason that the research is not accurate is that as a kid you see your family members as hero or someone that you looked up to, and if you see them smoking as a kid you wouldn’t know if that is wrong what they are doing to their bodies. I remember on time a friend of mine explains why he started to smoke at an early age. He told me that all of his families smokes pack of cigarettes every day, to him it seem normal doing that as well. So living in that environment can cause a child to pick up that habit, if you see your parents doing it, why can’t you? …..  (He was the first in my group of friends that started to smoke and introduce us to that habit as well) Finally I don’t believe that seeing a movie with smoking scene will make you start smoking, to me it takes a lot of things to start that habit.  For me it was girls and the popularity to hang out with them not a movie.

Blog 15: The Meatrix

Blog 15, Part I: Summarizing the Meatrix

Video 1:  The Meatrix

The Meatrix starts with a pig name Leo on a farm about to eat when a mysteries cow dress in a black trench coat name moopheus talk to him and ask him if Leo want to know what’s the Meatrix is.  The cow give him a choice to swallow a blue pill and the pig will stay in the farm or a red pill and it will let him see what really the meatrix is.  Moopheus explain to Leo how the meatrix started in the mid 20 century when big greedy agriculture corporations were buying small family run farm and changing them to a factory farm,  Where the animal are packed as closely together as possible, so they have more meat to produce( animal cruelty). Causing then to get sick but those big corporations are giving them dosage of antibiotics to animals so they can keep them alive. By doing that the virus that around the animals are developing strains of resistant disease-causing germs that can cause an epidemic that can’t be stopped in the future. Plus the cow explains that the factory farms by having tons of animals are causing massive pollution on the area they are in, sickening the people on that community.

Video 2

The Meatrix revolting:

It’s start with both Leo and Moopheous talking about how the both free 10 million minds (People) from the meatrix, in which Chickity is so proud of Leo that they looked at each other with a face that they want to make up. After that Moopheous tells Leo they have to go back to the meatrix, since there Leo see a beautiful farm with cows eating grass and looking happy. In which Moropheous tell Leo that what he is seeing is the illusion from the meatrix.  The truth is that where the cows are is on a factory farm, is a dirty and sicking condition. The factory gives s antibiotic to those cows to prevent from sicking, in which that’s bad for the cow too much of that can affect the outcome from the food they are making. Moopheous explains to Leo that those factories use artificial hormones so that the cows can produces more milk, Those Hormones are ban in other parts of the world but not in the USA.  Leo also sees how the young cows are drinking blood from the die cows in which can cause mad cow disease.

 

Video # 3: The Meatrix 2 ½

Chikity and Leo are riding on a motorcycle to a slaughter factor called Happy Farms, where they package the cow’s meat also where Moopheous is held captive by the agent from Agri-Corp. The Agent tells Moopheous about the factory, how they don’t care about the safety of the meat only the fast production of it to be sold at supermarkets. (a scene from Fast Food Nation) Leo and Chikity get inside the factory and sees that the factory is dirty and the meats are making mix the crap.  Plus they see a worker cut his finger while working fast cutting the meats. They go and rescue moopheous from the agent and they are able to escape the factory.

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Blog 15, Part II: Responding to a Factory Farming Issue

During the early 20^th century the United States started the industrial revolution. At the same time The U.S. was involved in World War II.  As a result the food industry wanted to supply food to our troops, in a fast way and wanted to keep the food to last longer and usual. They threw out the basic ways of farming, in which farming became corporation factories in production of food in a rapid time. Until today companies used those ways to make food for the consumers. Luckily some family farms still use the old basic farms ways, this way of farming soon came to be known as “organic”.

The principle of organic is to make food as natural as possible, without any involving of any type of chemical or hormones. The USDA definition of “Organic Production” is “a production system that is managed in accordance with organicfoods production act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integratin cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity”. This is a great way for people to eat and have their food process. Our bodies weren’t meant to break down chemicals that people created to grow faster and reserve longer.  In the long run those chemicals are making our body vulnerable to sickness, for example now in days younger people are having sickness that supposable an older person should have, like diabetics, high cholesterol, etc.  In the past we never saw cases like that because our food was process the organic way.

Blog # 14: Reflexion of Media Unit

In the beginning of the Media unit I thought it would be easy for me because I saw those two movies the Truman Show and The Matrix (which I really enjoy) but I really didn’t see that both of them had a true meaning hiding inside them. Which make it a little bit difficult for me to analyze and put it in writing, for example the blog # 13 that was the most difficult for me. I thought it would be easy to explain it and write about it but it became hard for me to express my opinion, because the way I saw things on Truman it was not correct for the class; I kind of got lose on it. Now the matrix was not that bad but I had some problems with it too, about the meaning of it. The blue pill or red pills and how it relate to Alice in wonderland and Plato’s The Republic; the allegory of the cave, in the article of Christine Cornell and Patrick Malcolmson was very tricky to analyze and respond.

On Google Doc I felt more at ease with it. It helped me a lot on the blogs that we had to do. But for some reason some of them didn’t get save in Dr. X sheet which I was worry that she would of thinks that I didn’t do my work.  But they main idea of the Google doc help me a lot. Now on the group work I still find it difficult to work with others, but I have to learn to cope with it and listen to other opinion on things. The forms help a lot on this unit as well, it give me inside on things we have to write about. Like that cartoon name Calvin and Hobbes, it was very funny how they saw the world around them.

The CAT-W exams were really helpful in the way that I now see how it looks like and with the writing assessment analytic rubric score that make me aware that I need to work on. On the first CAT#1 I fail bad but at the same token I saw what was my strength and weakness on my writing style. I hope I did a good job on the blog# 13 that was to revise the CAT#1. I believe I need more time to write a good essay to pass the final CAT, but I know it’s only 1hour and 30 minutes and I need to focus to use my time well and not repeat myself as I did on the CAT #1 and CAT #2 was a bit hard as well cause I didn’t have enough time to finish it and write more ideas. I hope in the future I can manage my time well and have a passing grade on the final CAT.

In general this media unit was a big piece of work, hope I did well on it so I can move on to the next unit. If not please let me know what I should do to better understand this unit. Like I told you I thought it would be a walk in the park but I got fool.

Blog # 13: Revision of CAT #1

In the article "The Dangers of Realty TV" writing by Timothy Sexton, states the negative effect that “Reality Shows” have on viewers now in days. He gives three points of view that are damaging the young viewers. The obsolescence of education, values of image over ability and Importance of competition. All of them are good arguments on his article but I think I have a few more I can give out from personal experience.

Reality TV have taking over the way of life now in days, everyone know who is Snookie from the Jersey Shore is. But no one knows who won the novel peace award this year. (Including me)
I believe that shows like that are making us see the world as a big funny joke. They are making us stupid, and making us think that acting dumb on TV is a normal thing now is days. Like Timothy Sexton states and I quote “ One need only to possess the ability to humiliate oneself on national television, or have absolutely no shame whatsoever and make more money than many college graduates”  that’s so true cause recently the cast of the Jersey Shore will get 100 thousand dollars per episode for the following season. That’s a joke! They don’t even have a college degree (well only one cast member) and they are making “professional money”. Going back on snookie I bring her up cause a few weeks ago I read on the newspaper that Rutgers University pay her 30 thousand dollar to be give an speech but refuse to pay that same money to a Novel peace winner, I’m telling you we are becoming stupid and they don’t even care about it, like the characters on that show.

We as a society are very shallow because television makes us that way. If you really analyze not everyone in the world are models, but all we see are beautiful people on TV. Why is that?   Are looks better than once ability? That what timothy Sexton states that people would tune-in week to watch a pretty face than a normal face that have a better ability in any show. That’s a shame that young viewers think that “looks’’ will get you anywhere in life. But in reality that’s a fact and a shame one that is. I personally seen actions like this where I work at. ( Insurance world ) that they are hiring good looking people that don’t have any experience in the field, they are hiring them cause they feel like costumers will be attractive to them than someone that is less pretty.  And yes it works but it’s a shame that we are living in a shallow world. But that’s life.

Now in days we are a selfish society, meaning we care for our self and we have to thank that to TV because they show us things like that on their programming schedule like show of competition. Only the stronger survive, and the weak will not mentality.  Shows like fear factors are sending us messages that to win money or the contest we have to beat or defeat our opponent.  Like Timothy Sexton states and quote “Reality TV shows reinforce the idea that life is nothing but a competition that we continually engage in which each other”. And more show I see that shows that idea the more I think that people are becoming selfish. In conclusion I agree with the author’s article because I see it for myself that we as a society are becoming a dumb, shallow and selfish.

Blog 12: Summary and Response to "Red Pill or Blue Pill?"

Summary of Red Pill or Blue Pills


In the Article Red Pill or Blue Pill: Is Ignorance Bliss? The authors Christine Cornell and Patrick Malcolmson states on the first paragraph how the two protagonists from the story "Alice in Worderland" and "The Matrix" have the same thing in common. Is that both of them are confuse in the beggining of the story and they are seeking answers. Both of them are giving tools to take if they want to continue seeking that answer in Alice is the magic drink and the cake and Neo is the Red or Blue Pill offered by Morpheus. The authors continue by explaining that Neo like Alice undergoes a series of experience which leave them wondering who they really are. Is it a dream or reality? They make a connection with Plato’s book The Republic “ The Allegory of the Cave” the famous account given by Socrates to his study Glaucon. For explain “ The Allegory of the Cave” is about liberation as the movie the Matrix meaning Neo is trying to escape that fake reality in the matrix world and wants to see the real truth that he sense in the beginning of the movie. The authors explain how the film and Plato/Socrates’ allegory are different in the way they portrayed the truth, in the film the truth is dark, ugly, and grim as Morpheus puts it “Welcome to the desert of real” and in Socrates the truth is beautiful. So the authors concludes with a character in the Matrix movie name Cypher stating that he wants to go back to the matrix and betraying the crew because he can’t live in the real world and he prefers a benign ignorance than knowing the truth.    


Response to Red Pill or Blue Pill?

To be honest I prefer to take the blue pill so yes Ignorance is bliss. I really don’t want to live in a world that is dark and scary as portrayed in the movie the Matrix so called “the Real World”. To fight to survive, it’s a horrible reality that they have to face. Yes they know the truth but the cost it’s too great for me it is. I prefer living in the matrix a regular life, I know that’s a fake life but I will go insane if a minute I was living a normal life and then in a heartbeat be trying to save the world from machines. I understand Cypher and what he did to the crew of Morpheus.  Yes Morpheus told him that he had a choice in wanting to stay or learning the truth (meaning leaving the Matrix) but how Morpheus spoke to them (all the people that escape the matrix) sounded like the truth is the light and the Matrix is dark and ugly. But in reality it’s the other way around. That’s not cool of him, he should of have told them or explain a little but how is the real world outside of the matrix. He just gave them a choice blue or red. So answering the question is Ignorance bliss? Well finding out that the real world is like an apocalyptic world  I prefer being ignorance.

Blog 11 Topic # 1: The perfect world versus the real world

In the movie The Truman Show, the main character is living a so called “perfect world” created by a show producer named Cristoff. To be honest with you I wouldn’t choose to live in Cristoff’s Perfect World, because it’s fill with lies. I really don’t want people or in the case of Truman’s world his so called families members or friends play by actors to act like they care for him or better telling him what’s good for him and letting him think or act on his own. I really don’t like to be control or manipulated by people. What Cristoff is doing to Truman it’s inhuman; Truman is basically Cristoff’s puppet or slaves. I think that Truman is a prisoner in that world that is lived in. I would feel the same way as Truman wanting to get out of that place.

In Cristoff’s world it’s like the 1950’s everyone is nice to you, you have an OK life, you get an education so that you can get a recent job.  You live in a white fence house, with a lovely wife in it. To me what Cristoff is telling us that our world that we are living in is not as good as his world, because the real world have problems, everyone is not as nice to you ( especially in New York ), if you are very smart you can get an scholarship and go to school, if not your screw. You always don’t get a recent job and most of us don’t live in a white fence house with a lovely wife. So to Cristoff that’s a problem, to me it’s not because I don’t like to have everything handed to me. I would like to work hard and get things on my own. The world is tough, but if you fight for what you want or believe I think you can have a happy life. 

The only thing that Cristoff leave as a problem in Truman’s world is if Truman wants to have a baby with his wife. Which to be honest it’s not easy raising a child. Especially with a woman that don’t love him cause she’s an actor. I would like to love any women what I choose to. Heck I like to be a Casanova and get all the ladies =), but in a serious note I wouldn’t appreciate that someone is controlling me to marry and have a kid with a person that I don’t even love. In conclusion I wouldn’t want to live in Cristoff’s world. It’s so white and boring. I like my Spanish life with some favor on it =)