My Reading Blog
Hey, checkout my other website in which I express my opinion on technology. Click on the image
Project Compare and Contrast
There's many different ways to express the same thing. You can either do a power point presentation or a written document, an album of photographs or a video with pictures, a song or a poem, an essay or a website, among many others. For English class we had to write an essay on the topic of technology and we had to change it into a new media format. In the beginning I thought this was a senseless assignment, just way too much work, and don't get me wrong, it was a lot of work, but it all had a purpose. I think that the goal of this assignment was to learn to say your ideas in different ways, this may sound stupid, but it's only when you actually do it, that you realize it's hard. I think that the purpose was to learn to adapt our work to other formats, to learn to make our work more appealing. We live in a world where people rather chat than readan essay, so we have to make essays more interesting, I believe this is why this assignment was important.
Before I began writing the essay, I had to go through quite a process. The first part, one of the most difficult for me, was choosing a side, meaning choosing wether I agreed or disagreed with the use of technology. This was very hard for me because I never had had a clear position on the topic, I was always in between. After considering all my options, and after reading over 10 articles related to the topic, I realized that technology was a great tool, this is why I decided to do my essay supporting the new media. Before actually writing my essay, I had to do some brainstorm, and had to outline the way I was going to write my essay, what my main points were going to be and how I was going to state them. After I did this, I began writing, this was the easiest part, once I started, my ideas just flowed in a very organized way. I really enjoyed writing my introduction, I out a lot of effort into it. For those who haven't read my essay, my introduction is basically comparing technology to a hammer, and how you can use it to kill or to build. When I was done with my essay, I went over the guidelines of the essay again and corrected some mistakes. After a very long time of writing, editing and revising, my essay was done. Now that I'm done with my essay and all the paperwork, I can honestly say that the part that I enjoyed the most is that I got to write on a very controversial topic, the part that I liked the least, were all the guidelines we had to follow. Guidelines such as a prewrite document, a peer editing document, and a brainstorm document. I know that these documents are supposed to help me organize my ideas, but I think that I write better when I have my ideas clear, which I did, and just start writing.
The next step was to put the essay into a new media format, but which one? After I considered all my options, I opted to do a website, I had more experience with websites than I did with podcasts or videos. You may say that I'm conformist for doing what I know, but I wanted to deliver a good product, and I know that by doing a website I'll do better on the assignment. Then, I drew a general outline of how I wanted my website to look like and then I began creating it online. This was the easiest part, it wasn't much longer before my website was ready. Now that I've completed my website, I can say that I didn't like this part of the project, although it was easy. I don't think the assignment was bad or senseless, I just think it was way too much work, and I think we are all in a point where we are overwhelmed by school.
The process for completing both assignments was very similar. For both I had to brainstorm and do some sort of pre-write, I had to cite my sources, and follow certain guidelines. Of course there were also some differences, there's the obvious ones, one is an essay and the other one is more visual, but there's also that the essay is harder while the new ,edit format one is very easy. In conclusion, changing the format of the essay to a website was very easy for me, I think it's all about organizing your ideas.
New Media Article Compare--Contrast
Youtube and Instagram can Bolster Learning Vs. Feel like a Wallflower? Maybe it´s your Facebook Wall.
Technology has become an issue of controversy, causing discord among those who discuss it. As the debates on technology grow, people are starting to write articles on the topic. An article published on The Economic Times advocates that not only technology, but social medfia as a whole, can be used to fuel learning and engage students in acadeemic activities. However, another article claims that technology, and especially social media can make teenagers feel excluded and friendless. How come that two articles discussig the same topic (technology) can have such different opinions? Do this articles disagree in everything they say or do they make similar points?
Both articles as different as may seem, have some similar points. Both articles argue that technology has more uses than just chatting. "Young people today use social media to engage in self-expression and identity formation", this fragment from the first article promotes that technology can be used by teenagers for positive and educational purposes. "Each post was a beacon of information about what his friends were doing", this piece of the second article supports the idea that technology connects people and allows others to know about your life. Both articles also advocate that technology can have a huge impact on us. The fisrt article says that technology impacts the way kids learn, because it makes them realize the importance of education. The second article says that technology influences our moods, decisions, and emotions. As I showed you in the past sentences, this articles, although very different, have their similarities.
As I´ve said in several occasions, both articles talk abot very different topics, so it´s natural for them to have their different points. The first article argues that technology can make teenagers feel better about themselves, feel safer. The second article, however, argues the opposite, it says that technology can make teenagers feel bad and sad because they can see the stuff that their friends are doing without them. Both articles make very good points.
I have to confess that comparing and contrasting these articles was very difficult. Partly becasue they talked about very different topics. One of them talked about the role that technology can have in education, and the other talked about how technology can make you feel excluded. Despite this, I have to say that I agree wit both articles. I believe that technology, when used right, can be used to educate in several areas. I also agree with the second article because I know that many people can feel excluded when you don´t invite them to something and they know it because of social media. To conclude, I have to say that technology, like everything, has its pros and cons and these articles just show some of them.
Books...
Open a book and you will go into many different worlds,
Places you could have never even dreamed of,
Open a book and you will meet new friends,
They might not be real but you´re friendship will never end,
As for me, I love reading,
It helps me continue living,
It helps me continue breathing,
It helps me continue being,
When you read you live a thousand lives,
And the people who never read only live once,
That´s why I love books and every single part of them,
Great books might seem short but they give us a little infinity, and for that I am grateful,
The book is never over when you finish reading it,
The stories stay with us the rest of our lives
Romeo and Juliet Characterization
CELESTE
Forty-eight Hours Before…
Three hundred ninety-eight days have passed since I last saw a human being. For three hundred ninety-eight days I have been in this place, never going outside. I have seen the same four walls and eaten the same exact food for three hundred ninety-eight days.
The last time I touched a human being was five thousand eight hundred forty days ago, the last time I did was when I was born, or how I like to call that day: "The day you killed your own mother". I didn´t do it on purpose, I was a new born, it turns out everyone that I touch dies. As simple as that, you touch me? BOOM! I suck (not meaning to) the life out of your body. That´s why I am here, because apparently I am so special that the world can’t handle me, lucky me!
Nineteen Hours Before…
I remember when I was five The Republic took control over the government. They promised that they would “fix” the environmental issues, that they would make crops grow out again and prevent animals from dying. They lied. By the time I was ten, the water was being poisoned, there wasn’t grass, we breathed with special masks that purified the air and everyone was poor. We were all starving, living in small apartments, fighting for clothing that would prevent us from dying of hypothermia.
Then, when I was twelve the men from The Republic came. They wore white clothes and told me that they knew what I had done to my mom and that I had killed (accidently) the orphanage´s dog. They told me that they could make me “normal” if I went with them, and so did I. Worst mistake ever. They experimented on me for four years, tried to mimic my “evolutionary abnormality” in weapons, but failed. The fact that they couldn’t touch me without dying made the investigation harder, so three hundred ninety-eight days ago they threw me in here.
Two Hours Before…
Food didn’t come today, that’s odd. In this whole time food always came at the same hour every day. The shower didn’t work either. That’s also odd, I think something´s wrong. Maybe the earth finally got rid of its worst disease, us, humans, maybe everyone´s dead and it´s only a matter of time before I am too.
One Hour Before…
An hour has passed and I am not dead yet. Maybe The Republic got tired of me and are finally leaving me here to starve to death. I have thought about it, death. Suicide would be a more accurate term but I am way too much of a coward to do it.
Zero Hours Before…
The door opened at dawn, at first I was blinded by a white light, but then I saw him.
“Get your things, we´re going” those were the first words I heard from another person in three hundred ninety-eight days.
I wanted to say so much but I only managed: “Where?”
I saw a hint of doubt in his face, but it disappeared quickly, “Somewhere safe.” That’s all it took, I grabbed the little belongings I had and went with the mysterious guy.
He was running and so did I, oh god he was fast! He had to wait so I could catch up. After running for several minutes, and making the wrong turns several times, we saw the main gate. All the guards were on the floor, unconscious, they looked asleep, kind of funny. We opened the gate and I saw the world for the first time in three hundred ninety-eight days.
Two Hours After…
We have been driving all this time. Everything I have seen is either dead or dying. It makes me so sad, I haven’t seen a bird or an insect or any kind of animal.
He told me his name was Aaron, he is eighteen and apparently he is also “genetically abnormal”. Although he hasn’t yet told me what he can do, I think it has something to do with the guards and how they were all unconscious.
“Where are we going?” I ask for what feels like the tenth time.
“To somewhere safe for people like you and me.” He answers kind of annoyed by my persistence.
Eight Hours After…
The next thing I remember is that we are in a room full of people, they are all staring at me. A man in his mid forties appears in front of me. Literally appears, one minute he wasn’t there, the next he is.
“My name is Horatio and I am the leader of the “A.R (Anti Republic) movement. Here we all are special, we all have some sort of gift, and I have invisibility, as you may have noticed. Aaron is my son, he can make you drift into a peaceful state of unconsciousness. We all are focused into throwing down The Republic. We want you to join us”
Wow, that’s straight forward, I don’t know exactly why I answer, “Ok.”
Eight Months Later…
I enter the training room and my eyes immediately search for Aaron, I don’t know why. We have been very close lately. When I see him I can´t help but smile, so does he.
“Hi” he says in a deep voice.
“Hi!” I answer a little too loud.
“Are you ready?” he says as he touches my back.
I gasp, I prepare for the rush of energy that follows whenever someone touches me. I think of a million things and how he is going to be dead because of me, and how stupid he is for touching me when he knew what would happen. I open my eyes, I hadn’t realize I had closed them, and I see Aaron with his hand on my back, he is alive.
“How?” Is all I manage out.
“I don’t know, I touched you without meaning to, I mean, I am not used to not touching people, it was a reflex. When I realized what I had done, I braced myself wait to feel an excruciating pain but it didn’t come. ”
“Do it again.”
“What?” he asks playfully.
“Touch me again, this time touch my hand.” I am so excited, how is it possible, someone who can touch me. He does as I ordered, touches my hand but then he goes up to my face and before I know it, we are kissing. It is so beautiful, and I know I don’t know him all that well, but I will and that’s all I want right now.
A loud sound breaks us apart. Horatio appears with a wild look on his face and says five words that scare me: “Time to go to war.”
“WHY!” I ask, I don’t want to lose Aaron, I am afraid I will if we go to war.
“The Republic is attacking us.” Horatio disappears as he says these words
Aaron looks at me and says “We will still be together, and we will fight for a country where we can both be happy together. See you upstairs in five minutes, and Celeste, I love you.”
“I love you too” I mumble as he runs upstairs.
Twenty Years Later…
Yes, we won the battle, we are working towards a better environment and country. That’s good, everyone is happier.
I never saw Aaron alive again after that day, it turns out he left to battle without me, he left a letter behind.
“My sweet Celeste, I am leaving you with my heart broken in million pieces, but I do it to protect you. I guess if you´re reading this is because I am already dead. In the small time we had together I loved you deeply, although I only said it at the end. I am so sorry Celeste.
Forever yours,
Aaron.”
I memorized the letter, the letter written by the man I loved, the only one who could touch me. I have few moments to remember him and his love. He is my secret, the only one I have, you can’t have many secrets when you are the president of a country, and Aaron is the only secret I have.
Radar Waves
Radar waves are essential for navigation and tracking at sea or the air, they can be used to predict locations or scientific researches, among many other uses.
They are transmitted from an antenna, they bounce off from a distant object and then return back to the sender, and here they are amplified and processed to show an image showing the object´s location.
Once it encounters an object, it splits into two different parts. One of them is absorbed by the obstacle and the other one is reflected back to notify location of said object.
Interesting Facts
-Radar was invented in 1935 by Scottish physicist named Robert Watson-Watt while he was working for British Military.
-RADAR stands for radio detection and ranging.
-Radar has many amazing uses, among them was what the NASA did to calculate the exact distance between planet Earth and other planets in our Solar System.
-Police uses radar to detect the speed of vehicles to see if they are driving too fast.
-Radar is used by most countries military to detect planes in the air.
Equation and GRAPH
In Romeo and Juliet, we are introduced to one of the main characters, Romeo, at the beginning of the play he is very miserable and melancholic. "Ay me! Sad hours seem so long." (1.1.162) The mentioned quotation is an extract from the play, here we can see how sad he is, he is certainly depressed, as we read, his hours or days go by slowly and full of sorrow. "Out of her favor when I am in love" (1.1.169) In this last quotation we can also see his sadness, but this actually allows us to know what has him so sad; he is in love with a woman who doesnt correspond him. To conclude we can say that even though he is very sad but also we can see that he wants a chance to be happy.
In Romeo and Juliet we are also introduced to a very interesting character. She is the Nurse, probably she might seem a secondary character but as the play advances we can see that she is a key character for the development of the story. She is very caring for the ones she loves, like Juliet. "Peace, I have done, God mark thee to his grace." (1.3.59) This quotation show us that she tries to be very nice and the intermidiate in certain situations. Throughout the story we can see that she is constantly having in mind Juliet's well being.