Story Link:
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-timdahlberg-112109&prov=ap&type=lgns
In my humble opinion, the Yahoo! Story “The shameful case of Caster Semenya,” is a sad story in its entirety. The story takes a look back at Caster Semenya, a female olympic sprinter who won gold in the 800 meter sprint in the summer olympics in Berlin. From Semenya's emotional win to the public scrutiny placed upon her because of her gender, each key point in her shameful story angered me more and more as I read the rest of the article. After doing research about gender testing in sports, it angers me that individual's confidential information such as medical records are put on full display for all to see.
I believe that Semenya's medical records should have not been dispersed to everyone. She deserves to keep those records for herself and her family. It is truly horrible that just because Semenya ran fast and hard to her gold medal, judges and the olympic committee had to go ahead and scrutinize her victory, saying she may not be a female. This issue in particular lit my fuse in that I watched a video in my kinesiology “100% Woman,” a story about Michelle Dumaresq, a female downhill mountain biker who was once a man. I feel these two stories correlate with each other in several ways in that both were humiliated and brought down by their fellow competitors as well as governing officials. Both Dumaresq and Semenya did not deserve to be humiliated. If anything, both of their issues should have been kept confidential or at least from the public eye.
As a person that stands for fairness and equal opportunity, I believe that both Semenya and Dumaresq deserve the accolades they have achieved thus far. The humiliation they endured by the media was depressing in my opinion. I still can't believe the olympic committee did not handle the situation in a more respectful fashion. Semenya's scandal proves that the olympic committee is flawed, especially when it comes to drug and gender testing. Both forms of testing have seen the likes of stripped medals from sprinters such as Marion Jones.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Blog #10 Fish Out of Water
El dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a significant holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans that reside in the United States. Families and friends reminisce and pray for friends and family members who have passed away. This heartfelt celebration occurs on November 1st-2nd. I experienced the importance of the Day of the Dead by attending the “Day of the Dead: A Passion for Life” exhibit at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. library near San Jose State University. All of the photos at the exhibit were taken by renowned photo-journalist Mary J. Andrade.
The event I attended consisted of numerous photo exhibits as well as information about the history of the Day of the Dead. I learned that the Day of the Dead in Mexico represents a combination of Christian devotion and Pre-Hispanic beliefs. As a result of the collaboration, the celebration comes to by constructing an altar and giving offerings dedicated to the deceased. The altar includes the four main elements of nature: earth, wind, water, and fire. Each element is significant but I find the fire element most interesting in that each lit candle represents a soul and an extra unlit candle is placed for the forgotten soul.
Viewing the Day of the Dead exhibit, I had mixed emotions. From observing pictures of elaborate altars to the several vigils portrayed by photographs, I slowly began to understand the meaning of the Day of the Dead. Originally, I thought the Day of the Dead had to do with Halloween but I learned that the Mexican holiday has no relation whatsoever. As an outsider to this culture, I felt enlightened by what I had learn and saw. Some of the pictures such as the few of Catrinas, which are skeletons dressed as brides actually kind of scared me believe it or not.
Overall, attending Adrade's Day of the Dead exhibit taught me a little more about Latin culture. Learning about the true meaning of the Day of the Dead stirred up several emotions in me. The exhibit made me feel both scared and sad. Family and close friends mean a lot to me and Mexico's celebration with the Day of the Dead seems to honor and preserve the memories of those who have passed away. Knowing the true meaning of the Day of the Dead, I feel that I might actually attend the Day of the Dead next year to commemorate my appreciation my godmother who passed away not too long ago. Attending Andrade's interesting exhibit really made me feel as if I truly were a fish out of the water.
The event I attended consisted of numerous photo exhibits as well as information about the history of the Day of the Dead. I learned that the Day of the Dead in Mexico represents a combination of Christian devotion and Pre-Hispanic beliefs. As a result of the collaboration, the celebration comes to by constructing an altar and giving offerings dedicated to the deceased. The altar includes the four main elements of nature: earth, wind, water, and fire. Each element is significant but I find the fire element most interesting in that each lit candle represents a soul and an extra unlit candle is placed for the forgotten soul.
Viewing the Day of the Dead exhibit, I had mixed emotions. From observing pictures of elaborate altars to the several vigils portrayed by photographs, I slowly began to understand the meaning of the Day of the Dead. Originally, I thought the Day of the Dead had to do with Halloween but I learned that the Mexican holiday has no relation whatsoever. As an outsider to this culture, I felt enlightened by what I had learn and saw. Some of the pictures such as the few of Catrinas, which are skeletons dressed as brides actually kind of scared me believe it or not.
Overall, attending Adrade's Day of the Dead exhibit taught me a little more about Latin culture. Learning about the true meaning of the Day of the Dead stirred up several emotions in me. The exhibit made me feel both scared and sad. Family and close friends mean a lot to me and Mexico's celebration with the Day of the Dead seems to honor and preserve the memories of those who have passed away. Knowing the true meaning of the Day of the Dead, I feel that I might actually attend the Day of the Dead next year to commemorate my appreciation my godmother who passed away not too long ago. Attending Andrade's interesting exhibit really made me feel as if I truly were a fish out of the water.
Monday, November 9, 2009
AP Error
"The bullet-riddled body of the former NFL quarterback had been found slumped on a couch, with two bullets in his torso, and one in each side of his head."
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/280826
The AP Error I spotted in this article was that there is a misplaced comma. The last comma in the sentence above should be removed. Additionally, I believe that the sentence should be rewritten to make it flow better.
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/280826
The AP Error I spotted in this article was that there is a misplaced comma. The last comma in the sentence above should be removed. Additionally, I believe that the sentence should be rewritten to make it flow better.
Targeting Audiences
Ad#1
http://www.cartype.com/pics/3632/full/audi_r8_ad2.jpg
In the first ad I stumbled across, I knew which audience the company is specifically targeting. I found this ad in Car and Driver Magazine, catching my eye as I scanned through the contents of the publication. I believe the intended demographic for Audi's ad is middle aged, rich males. The ad's taglines, "Good is the enemy of great" and "Behind every status symbol and luxury badge is a good product," specifically point to luxury automobile enthusiasts. Audi's promise as the "Truth in Engineering" is catchy and respectful because they have developed a reputation of designing fast and sleek automobiles. The key message of this ad is to demonstrate Audi's mix of luxury and power, proving that there brand is for the rich and powerful.
Ad#2
http://www.cartype.com/pics/7383/full/scion_tc_manifesto_ad2_09.jpg
The second ad I found was in Super Street Magazine, an import tuner car magazine. This ad shows a picture of a Scion TC with the words "Tear it up. Don't rip it off." Looking at this ad, I came to the conclusion that Toyota is attempting to target the young, urban audience. Specifically, college students. Scion TC's are not very expensive and are a top preference with high school and college students alike. The ad does a good job making the car stand out as well as the tag line, which is more understood by the younger demographic versus the older generation. The key message of this ad is to attract the speed demons that possess the urban youth in today's society.
http://www.cartype.com/pics/3632/full/audi_r8_ad2.jpg
In the first ad I stumbled across, I knew which audience the company is specifically targeting. I found this ad in Car and Driver Magazine, catching my eye as I scanned through the contents of the publication. I believe the intended demographic for Audi's ad is middle aged, rich males. The ad's taglines, "Good is the enemy of great" and "Behind every status symbol and luxury badge is a good product," specifically point to luxury automobile enthusiasts. Audi's promise as the "Truth in Engineering" is catchy and respectful because they have developed a reputation of designing fast and sleek automobiles. The key message of this ad is to demonstrate Audi's mix of luxury and power, proving that there brand is for the rich and powerful.
Ad#2
http://www.cartype.com/pics/7383/full/scion_tc_manifesto_ad2_09.jpg
The second ad I found was in Super Street Magazine, an import tuner car magazine. This ad shows a picture of a Scion TC with the words "Tear it up. Don't rip it off." Looking at this ad, I came to the conclusion that Toyota is attempting to target the young, urban audience. Specifically, college students. Scion TC's are not very expensive and are a top preference with high school and college students alike. The ad does a good job making the car stand out as well as the tag line, which is more understood by the younger demographic versus the older generation. The key message of this ad is to attract the speed demons that possess the urban youth in today's society.
Word of the Week #10
Equipoise
Source:
I stumbled across this interesting word while reading a Yahoo! Sports article about the 2009 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sentence:
Were evolving into a horse his real fantasy, perhaps he should’ve taken Equipoise or Winstrol instead of Primobolan.
Definition:
Equipoise (noun)
1. A state of being equally balanced; equilibrium; -- as of moral, political, or social interests or forces.
2. Counterbalance.
My Sentence:
The proposed design product demonstrated equipoise through its fluid aesthetics and its ease to use.
Source:
I stumbled across this interesting word while reading a Yahoo! Sports article about the 2009 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Sentence:
Were evolving into a horse his real fantasy, perhaps he should’ve taken Equipoise or Winstrol instead of Primobolan.
Definition:
Equipoise (noun)
1. A state of being equally balanced; equilibrium; -- as of moral, political, or social interests or forces.
2. Counterbalance.
My Sentence:
The proposed design product demonstrated equipoise through its fluid aesthetics and its ease to use.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Blog #9 Japanese Internment Reflection
As our class marched down Second Street towards the Japanese internment memorial, I was excited to see what was in store. I was hoping for maybe a tour through an actual internment camp or tribute museum. I expected a mammoth of a monument that could easily be recognizable from afar. Consequently, I ended up standing in front of a rectangular block a bit smaller than a economy car, bronze in color, and covered with images of the Japanese internment in 1942. Surprisingly, the internment mural was only a little taller than me.
The relocation and internment of the Japanese population residing in the United States began after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As a result, President Franklin D. Roosevelt drafted and enacted Executive Order 9066, which was meant to keep U.S. citizens safe by the assurance from the national defense. Since the Japanese were seen as a potential threat, Japanese citizens in the U.S., even legal Japense-American citizens were forced to move from their homes and into organized internment camps. An estimated 120,000 people of Japanese descent were forced to leave their homes and all of their belongings behind. At the same time, Japantown, located in the city of San Jose, had been already established but the majority of the 3,000 Japanese-Americans in San Jose were relocated to a desolate and cold region in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Nearly all 53 of the businesses situated in Japantown were closed due to the internment. According to an article from the San Jose Mercury Nes, Japanese-Americans and their children in San Jose were held in the gymnasium of San Jose State University before being relocated to various camps.
Ruth Asawa, the artist and sculptor behind the Japanese internment memorial our class viewed, was a 16-year-old living in Southern California when the FBI arrested her father and the military relocated Asawa and her family. Asawa and her family were placed in the horse stalls of the Santa Anita racetrack. In the mural, an image of the horses being removed from the stalls are depicted as well as the hundreds of people filing in, an image that stands out the most among the rest of the mural. Despite Asawa's experience of the internment camps, she researched diligently before making the memorial that sits on Second Street today. This included hearing the stories from residents in Santa Clara County. In addition, interned families contributed the design of their family crest, or mon, to be sculpted into Asawa's iconic memorial.
Asawa spent several years crafting this memorial and personally, I think all the time Asawa spent was worth it. Asawa's images and recreations of the internment tell the story of the Japanese immigrants. From their arrival in the U.S. to the end of the internment period, the stories of closed shops, burned belongings, and lost loved ones fill the mural, each image sheds insight upon the viewer as to what exactly took place. The barbed wire that sits atop Asawa’s mural on both sides gives the feeling of how the Japanese felt; being surrounded or caged in by barbed wire in the camps they resided in. In addition, there are large guard towers that sit near the center of the memorial. Moreover, the tight use of space within the mural depicts the cramped and unbearable living conditions seen through Asawa's portrayals of the Japanese in the memorial.
In addition to Asawa's mural, the internment memorial features a slew background information on the tragic war, Executive Order 9066, and the locations of the camps. Personally, I believe Asawa truly correlated the memorial to the city of San Jose by including the family crests of the residents interned from Santa Clara County. Although Ruth Asawa’s memorial was somewhat a disappointment in size and grandeur, it did not disappoint me in its character, meaning or value. Asawa's memorial holds an amazing amount of information and compelling images that tell the observer what exactly took place.
In the end, I find it hard to imagine the events of the Japanese internment of 1942 surfacing again in the near future. With all the progress that has been made towards gaining equal civil rights, I don’t see how an action of this magnitude would succeed again. It is unfortunate what took place in the U.S. and Asawa does a terrific job depicting what it was truly like to be a Japanese citizen during World War II.
Sources for this article:
http://www.ruthasawa.com/index.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/630390/posts
http://www.japantownsanjose.org/history.html
The relocation and internment of the Japanese population residing in the United States began after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As a result, President Franklin D. Roosevelt drafted and enacted Executive Order 9066, which was meant to keep U.S. citizens safe by the assurance from the national defense. Since the Japanese were seen as a potential threat, Japanese citizens in the U.S., even legal Japense-American citizens were forced to move from their homes and into organized internment camps. An estimated 120,000 people of Japanese descent were forced to leave their homes and all of their belongings behind. At the same time, Japantown, located in the city of San Jose, had been already established but the majority of the 3,000 Japanese-Americans in San Jose were relocated to a desolate and cold region in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Nearly all 53 of the businesses situated in Japantown were closed due to the internment. According to an article from the San Jose Mercury Nes, Japanese-Americans and their children in San Jose were held in the gymnasium of San Jose State University before being relocated to various camps.
Ruth Asawa, the artist and sculptor behind the Japanese internment memorial our class viewed, was a 16-year-old living in Southern California when the FBI arrested her father and the military relocated Asawa and her family. Asawa and her family were placed in the horse stalls of the Santa Anita racetrack. In the mural, an image of the horses being removed from the stalls are depicted as well as the hundreds of people filing in, an image that stands out the most among the rest of the mural. Despite Asawa's experience of the internment camps, she researched diligently before making the memorial that sits on Second Street today. This included hearing the stories from residents in Santa Clara County. In addition, interned families contributed the design of their family crest, or mon, to be sculpted into Asawa's iconic memorial.
Asawa spent several years crafting this memorial and personally, I think all the time Asawa spent was worth it. Asawa's images and recreations of the internment tell the story of the Japanese immigrants. From their arrival in the U.S. to the end of the internment period, the stories of closed shops, burned belongings, and lost loved ones fill the mural, each image sheds insight upon the viewer as to what exactly took place. The barbed wire that sits atop Asawa’s mural on both sides gives the feeling of how the Japanese felt; being surrounded or caged in by barbed wire in the camps they resided in. In addition, there are large guard towers that sit near the center of the memorial. Moreover, the tight use of space within the mural depicts the cramped and unbearable living conditions seen through Asawa's portrayals of the Japanese in the memorial.
In addition to Asawa's mural, the internment memorial features a slew background information on the tragic war, Executive Order 9066, and the locations of the camps. Personally, I believe Asawa truly correlated the memorial to the city of San Jose by including the family crests of the residents interned from Santa Clara County. Although Ruth Asawa’s memorial was somewhat a disappointment in size and grandeur, it did not disappoint me in its character, meaning or value. Asawa's memorial holds an amazing amount of information and compelling images that tell the observer what exactly took place.
In the end, I find it hard to imagine the events of the Japanese internment of 1942 surfacing again in the near future. With all the progress that has been made towards gaining equal civil rights, I don’t see how an action of this magnitude would succeed again. It is unfortunate what took place in the U.S. and Asawa does a terrific job depicting what it was truly like to be a Japanese citizen during World War II.
Sources for this article:
http://www.ruthasawa.com/index.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/630390/posts
http://www.japantownsanjose.org/history.html
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Word of the Week #9
Punctilious
Source: I came across this word in the article “Foulest 40 villains of them all,” by Pat Forde.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4402807&sportCat=ncf
Sentence: Vest, tie and painfully punctilious nature are natural annoyances.
Definition:
Punctilious (adjective) - Strictly attentive to the details of form in action or conduct; precise; exact in the smallest particulars.
My Sentence:
The next door neighbor's roommate was very punctilious, folding his clothes and bed sheets in a meticulous and flawless fashion.
Source: I came across this word in the article “Foulest 40 villains of them all,” by Pat Forde.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4402807&sportCat=ncf
Sentence: Vest, tie and painfully punctilious nature are natural annoyances.
Definition:
Punctilious (adjective) - Strictly attentive to the details of form in action or conduct; precise; exact in the smallest particulars.
My Sentence:
The next door neighbor's roommate was very punctilious, folding his clothes and bed sheets in a meticulous and flawless fashion.
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