I love your ideal day beginning with breakfast in bed! I think that would actually reduce tardiness. Your CD ideas are wonderful -- I particularly like your titles, which are clever, catchy, and capture the relevance of your songs well.

The Unexpected

My ideal university would involve fewer course requirements per semester so that the work load wouldn't be as demanding and so that each student could really focus on those particular subjects and succeed at them. It would also give students more one on one with their teachers and actually get to know them. I feel like the more time you had with teachers the more comfortable one would be with coming to them for help which could significantly improve their grades. Additionally it would be nice if only classes that dealt with your major were required and if the classes population was decreased. I also would like it if no classes started before 10 and ended past 9. It would allow your brain and body to function properly and actually be mentally prepared for class. 

My ideal day involving a university would be to wake up and have room service that delivered breakfast first of all. Then it would be to walk right outside and have your car parked out there so you don't have to walk or fight to find a parking spot. Next it would be to walk into class and have the teacher greet you by your first name. My ideal day would also involve us as the students getting involved with one another and becoming familiar and comfortable with talking and working together. It would also be to have fun in class learning material that actually contributes to your major. Then after class was over it would be to have a nice break and go get something to eat and socialize for a bit before the next class. 

Jesus Is My Homeboy

I felt like they were mocking. The pictures and they way in which the first t-shirt dressed Jesus as a gangster didn't look to me like just a way to express one's religious beliefs. I felt the second one was mocking as well, and yes, i did see them as a parody. I have a religious background and still as of today religion plays a big role in my life. Therefore having this experience i feel like i see these images differently and offensive. My faith is important to me and its something i cherish so to see things that even lean toward degrading it i get offensive. So i can definitely see why those that are religious would be offended by these t-shirts and images.
T-shirts without the pictures might would lessen the effect but i would still find the slogans offensive. Depending on who was wearing them and their reason for wearing them would also have an effect on how i would view them.
In his article Paul Mitchell mentions the fact that Christians find these slogans and images offensive but farther down in the article he says, "Sadly, I even know Christians who wear them." This statement is a complete contradiction to what he is arguing. If he wanted to fully support his stance then why would he include that statement. It only serves to weaken his argument.
Both of these T-shirts use their overall design in a mocking nature of the actual message. Both shirts read "Jesus is my Homeboy." The first shirt creates Jesus in the light of being an equal to the one wearing the shirt by putting him in regular clothes and by having him holding up a peace sign. Jesus is seen to be something that is revered or at least he should be. Even those who are not religious or believe in Jesus should have enough respect of the religion to not be so condescending. The second shirt, although it does so Jesus is a more religious light by having the halo around his head, is sending a mocking message by having this great religious figurine and then such a laid back slogan as to call him their "homeboy." Even if the wearer of the shirt(s) may not find them offensive I think anyone who understands who Jesus truly is or who those who believe in him believe he is , they would find the wording and the symbolism used in the t-shirt as offensive.

Blog # 8 CD Songs

Song title: "The world is hungry feed it"

Genre: R&B Ballad

Explanation: This song would address the issue that there are many starving people in the world and those that are more fortunate should take the initiative to help fix the problem of world hunger. It is a growing problem and we as a people should reach out and help those that are not as lucky and fortunate. 

Song title: "Heatin up"

Genre: Rap

Explanation: This song would address the issue of Global Warming. It would describe the problems of how green house gases are rising and its causing an unnatural rise in temperature. The genre of rap would be best for making this song because the fast pace of lyrics makes including a lot of detailed information on a not so popular subject. 

Song title: "Don't Hop the Fence"

Genre: Country

Explanation:  This song would address the issue of immigration control, focusing on the border of the United States and the country of Mexico. The song would go into detail about how illegal immigrants hurt the economy and can take benefits and funding away from legal citizens. The flow and seriousness that can be associated with the country genre would help to emphasize the point of the song.

Song title: "Pennies a day keep the education away"

Genre: Rock

Explanation: This song would address the issue of child labor. The title of the song best describes that the children in these south east Asian areas are working for only a few pennies and are unable to get a proper education or live in healthy conditions. The genre of rock would should how serious the subject matter is but still present the issue in an appealing matter, in order to gain awareness.

Song title: "No Job, No Home, No Life"

Genre: Metal

Explanation: This song would address the issue of the current state of the economy and the recent large amounts of jobs lost. The title of the song shows the progression that happens after losing a job and how eventually you feel like you have no life because you have lost so much. The genre of metal is good for this song because the angry lyrics and raw emotions of the song can be expressed through the loud and angry music.

Lyrics for "No Job, No Home, No Life"

I watch all my friends just lose it,

and I'm hoping I wont be the same.

It starts with no job

but then the dominoes start to take affect,

Next your home and family struggles,

there's no escape,

Cause we've got no job, no home, no life,

everything's been taken away.

Video: The video for this song would show the progression of having a healthy secure lifestyle with a job, and then show the start of a domino chain falling. The events that coincide with the dominoes falling would be shown such as the loss of a job, not being able to afford a simple house payment, losing your house, having no food, and living in a shelter with others who have lost everything. The video is very dramatic and captures the anger of the song.

Cd title: One issue, infinite consequence

Album Cover: The cover for this CD would show a pair of hands open to receive. The background color would be a light gray to make the hands stand out more. The pair of hands would represent the readiness to accept help and change based on all the issues in the songs on the CD. The title of the album would be in large bold white lettering on the top of the album.

"Truth About Steroids" Response

     This video was very shocking to me because it seemed to promote the use of steroids. However, the program only interviewed healthy weightlifting men. The argument that was formulated was weak because they failed to take into consideration regular use of steroids by women, young people, and elderly people. Despite the lack of range of people interviewed, I think that anabolic steroids may be used responsibly by individuals not in high school, collegiate, or professional competition if used according to a prescription. A physical examination should be required before a person begins use and there should be a minimum age. 

     I think athletes on all levels and in all sports that use steroids are creating advantages for themselves that can be impossible to compete against and are unnatural. Athletes that use steroids are also setting an example of using an shortcut to success. I don't think steroids should be used by athletes in any level of competition or any sport and they should be tested for regularly to ensure this.

     Steroid usage is a problem in this country not just because of the amount of use but also the use by people of younger ages. There is a pressure in our society for people to perform at a young age, and adolescent use of steroids is a sign of this.

Paraphrasing

Because many use too many direct quotes in their papers students should try and look at the material once and rephrase the ideas as they are taking notes. This will allow the students to avoid overusing direct quotations.

   The first article is arguing that the the image of action figures is sending the wrong message to younger boys. It is influencing them to think that they have to be as bulk and muscular as these dolls are. Even those these dolls are unrealistic they are giving off the wrong impression. These younger boys often feel that they have to or need to look just like these action figures when in fact the dolls measurements are no where near precise. Boys too often develop eating and body disorders due to the image that these dolls are giving. There has been discovered many body disorders that is being contributed to these dolls. Along with time these dolls are becoming more and more unrealistic. There muscles and body image are becoming bigger and bigger. Body disturbances that boys have are being said to be a product of these action dolls. 

   The second article is arguing that action figures are just plastic toys that have no effect on the way that younger boys are perceiving themselves. It argues that boys eventually stop playing with them thus implying that they have no impact on their body images. This article sees no harm in the unrealistic body measures that these dolls take on. Kim Franke-Folstad sees no reason that one should be concerned that these action figures are portraying a bad picture for its participants. He feels that boys are always wanting to become muscular with or without the influence of action figures. He argues that these dolls have absolutely no effect on the eating and body disorders that the first article attributes them to. 

   The tone of the first article is much more professional and creditable. It does a good job at portraying ethos. The author uses many references and statistics. He also gives a whole list of references at the end of the article. He gives you many dates and years to go by so the audience gets a clearer picture. For example he gives you the details about the action figures body styles changing with the year. "It developed a new body style from 1973 to 1976 as the GI Joe Adventurer with kung-fu grip and lifelike body." He also gives you body measurements and how they would be converted to a real man's body which makes it more realistic and relatable for its audience. 

   However the tone of the second article is way more laid back and merely just rambles on. The author gives no statistics or references as to his argument. He gives his audience only his opinion to go on. He doesn't give any support for his opinions or reasons as to why he thinks that action figure dolls are just plastic and do not affect young boy's body images and how they perceive themselves. The author shows no creditability. He uses his opinion way too much and should be backing it up with some kind of facts. "For years, I've been defending Barbie against accusations that she promotes an unrealistic body image for little girls." The author should have used statistics to reinforce his opinions. 

   The assertions made in the first article were more reliable to me. They persuaded me a lot more than the second one did. Because the first article gave facts and references it was easier to relate to and was more realistic than the second article was. When i was a little girl i was really into Barbies. I played with them most of the time and could even go as far as to say a little obsessed. My parents never really told me i couldn't play with a certain toy but they were always stressing the fact that i needed to be a lady so they did influence me to play with Barbies and dolls to maybe keep me away from the more violent toys and action figures.