Too many Commas

I have a huge problem of over using commas. I never know when to use, and I also never know when not to use them, so I found some rules of when not to use them. I hope they help.

1. Don't use a comm to separate the subject from the verb.
2.Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.
Don't put a comma between the two nouns, noun phrases, or noun clauses in a compound subject or compound object.
3.Don't put a comma after the main clause when a dependent (subordinate) clause follows it (except for cases of extreme contrast).

These rules, and also some examples can be found at the following address

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_comma.html

Who Needs Education

While reading an "Idiot Nation" I found Mr. Moore to be rather hypocritical and negative. He found a problem with everything and everyone, and never offered a solution. Not to mention that his whole essay was about how America should put more emphasis on education and he himself dropped out, but I guess that is because he is smart enough to go without. He also talks about how we should respect teachers, and he goes and gets his principle and assistant principle fired, or has them resign. I find him more of an entertainer than anything else.
He does bring out some good points that make me wonder why the government doesn't put more time, and money into the educational system. If they don't put a lot of time and money into the education system it makes me wonder if education is really needed because it sounds like those who have it dont really take advantage of it and those that dont still are able to find work, might not be great work, but work non the less. I had a teacher once tell us that schools should make it optional to all ages that way those who want to learn can, and those who don't, won't disturb those who do.
I think the biggest problem with the educational system is that students aren't motivated, and have very little desire to go to school. The best teacher can not make the worst student learn, but the best student can always learn something from the worst teacher. It just shows that it is on the students part to go out an learn. It isn't the teachers fault if the kid doesn't want to learn but you can't force them to learn. The government could improve the educational system if they would put more time into it. They could easily take surveys of ways to improve schools, and how to make students more involved and excited about school.
I really found the last bit about businesses and them funding schools very interesting. When I look back at my high school years I start to realize all of the coke machines among many other advertising techniques used. That is just crazy.

Moynihan's report

Moynihan was a senator from New York, who published a infamous report called The Negro Family: A Case for National Action, which is better known as the Moynihan report. This report is full of very misleading theories about the negro community which upset many people at the time, and even some today. Moynihan's main argument was that the dilapidated housing, poverty, unemployment, and inferior education experienced by African Americans was the cause of their organization of the family. Moynihans most controversial statement was that the families were a Matriarchy.
Looking at it from Moynihan's point of view, I think he did what most people would do in his situation. Put the blame on somebody else. He was a senator so he had certain responsibilities, and had to deal with many issues that people faced during that time, and civil rights was one of them. With his report he was able to take the blame off of the government and put it on the Negro community. I believe many people do this everyday. We have a problem that must be solved and we are to blame, but instead of fixing it we make it someone else's fault and someone else's problem.
The report caused so much contention that a reporter by the name of Carol Stack went out and personally stayed in a Negro community for a certain period of time. When all was said and done she concluded that "the families there were neither nuclear nor male dominated. Nor were they disintegrating, nonexistent, or matriarchal. Instead, Stack found families that were complex organized networks characterized by five factors: Kin and non kin membership, swapping, shared child raising, fluid physical boundaries, and Domestic authority of women.
The problem is that people see what they want to see and with this both reports, have flaws, but Stack's is more creditable because she did more research, and had more experience with the Negro communities than did Moynihan.
I would say that Aulette was against the Moynihan report. She barly goes over it, and not into great depth, and then attacks it and proves Moynihan report wrong with great detail by using the "Flats" report. I would have like to have learned more about Moynihan, and the research that he did. I can make many assumptions about him and his writing but that is what was wrong with his report, just a bunch of assumptions.

Quotation Quotation

I am doing my weekly grammar rule on quotations. Not quotations in every aspect of English, but rather when you are quoted quoting someone. I never have known what to do. Do I double quotation it or what? Well according to Purdue University you use the normal quotations on the first person you are quoting, and then you a half quotation mark . The following is an example.
Last night in the interview the football player said, " I have never been late to practice I don't know why coach said ' That Owens is always late' "
Not the best example but I hope it helps, I know I understand it better now. If you still don't understand it you can go to the follow link for more help.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_quote.html

What is a President?

In this cartoon we see many things going on. First Obama has his hands in the air, is smiling and is not denying the belief that he is the Messiah. We also see that he has a huge group of supporters, who also follow the connotation that he is the Messiah. The final thing I wish to point out is the two man and the caption that says " Ok, this is too much." This leads me to believe that the Political cartoon is Anti Obama and Democratic. The devices used in this cartoon are Captions, and Symbolism.
I laughed when I saw this cartoon, because a couple of months ago I had a conversation with someone about how some of Obama's followers treat him as the Christ. I didnt know if anyone else felt the same way. I am interested to look more into this situation and find out how other people feel about Obama and who he is.



In this Cartoon we see that cartoonist using exaggeration, caption, symbolism, and stereotypeing. The exaggeration is that President Bush is a vatriliquist doll. The Capation is found at the Bottom left Corner and talks about 9/11 commission and Bush and Cheney's appearance. Symbolism is the doll and what the doll stands for. For the stereotype it really depends on how you look at the cartoon, because it can suggest that all the presidents are just puppets, or it can just be directed just at Bush. I believe the cartoonist intentions were negative towards Bush and Cheney, and those who dont like either would support this cartoon.
I chose this cartoon because I have always wonder what kind of a role the president really plays, and how much power he really has. I labeled this post " what is a president?" because we see two extremes between the our former President and our New President. In one Obama is worshiped as a God and in the other Bush is made out to be nothing more than a doll on someone's lap, and only able to say what he is told to say.

Underlining and Italics

I never have really known exactly what I should and should not underline or Italicize. I actually get it confused with it all the time.

According to the Purdue University you should use either underline or italicize in the following situations. For books, magazines, newspapers, etc. To sum it up it says titles of complete or major works. It also mentions foreign words not used much in english, words used as words, and words and phrases that you wish to emphasize.


All this info and more can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_overvw.html








foreign words that are not commonly used in English

words used as words themselves

words or phrases that you wish to emphasize

Some kids dream of a family

n "Looking for work" we are given a boys personal experience of trying to create the perfect family. He shares with us what he did in a day to try and achieve the ideal family."What we really miss about the 50's" we are told fact upon fact of why the 50's wasn't the ideal time for families and how there are other things that stand out more. Both readings can be easily taken as literal contexts but I tried to do some critical thinking and go deeper into the meanings.


"Looking for work" was more entertaining and a lot easier read. I enjoyed his personal experiences he shared and also to I was able to get a little incite of how life was back then in his circumstances. In this type of story it seems easier to just think of the story literally and not do any critical thinking. As I did ponder the story I came to the conclusion that this young boy and developed a dream based on what was taught by the TV. After he had developed this dream he went out to achieve. He started by trying to change his family, and also by earning money. I am assuming that he had this dream because he thought that it would bring him happiness, but throughout the story we see that he found happiness in many different forms. One ways was swimming. He had his eyes set on his goal, to earn money to help out his family, but he ends up spending it when they went swimming. While swimming he had a great time, he achieve his dream but just in a different form than what he was looking. Next he wants this perfect dinner with his family, and even though he isn't able to have the dinner he sees on TV he is able to still have a great time with his family. It is funny to me to see that he was in a way living his dream, just unable to see it, and if he doesn't start to notice it he may just miss it.

"What we really miss about the 1950's" was not the funniest read ever, but she did make her stance very clear. I think her writing could be taken on a more literal/analytical basis because she gave many facts and statements and basically said this is how it is, but I found myself on more of a interpretive/rhetorical level of thinking because her essay lead me to ask more questions and taking the time to ponder what she was saying. I took it that she was trying to say that although the 50's is a well remembered era because of the family, it actually didn't have the best family relationships and there are many other reasons why the 50's should be remembered.

America

The Concept of America, or to be Politically Correct "The United States of America", brings a sense of pride, and gratitude. Not only do we have the opportunity to achieve our dreams, but we are encourged to by our goverment, teachers, family and friends. We also have many other freedoms and rights such as: Freedom of religion, right to bear arms, and the right to vote. I do enjoy these rights and freedoms and 'am grateful and proud to be an American. I know that America is not perfect and many people use their rights and freedoms in a negative way, I am just glade I have the right to do somehthing about it.

In the introduction to Rereading America it talks a lot about critical thinking, and myths of America. I think that critical thinking is great, it has helped us step out of the box, and come up with new technology, new ideas for how life should be and so on, but the books seems to put a negative image on the American myths. It's like they are trying to say " how can you prove this myth wrong, or what is wrong with?" We must also ask ourselves why are these myths around. Why the ideal family, as the book states, is a husband, wife, two kids, and a dog, or why our country was founded upon the belief of God? If we only see what is wrong with every myth or standard there is, then we have nothing to anchor ourselves to because we dont stand for or believe in anything.

I look forward to the next semester because we will be able to discuss, debate, and indulge into America and its myths. We are encouraged to step back and ask ourselves why this or why that, to actually question what is being taught instead of just seat there and accept it as a whole truth. We are able to do this because of the rights and freedoms we as citizens of the United States of America. This class is one more reason why I am grateful and proud to be an American.