I am doing a research project on stem cells and how researchers should have full funding and freedom to do whatever they like. Stem cells are a huge topic in today’s society because politics has gotten its grip on it. There are two sides to this issue, as always, for or against and debates have continued from the 60’s to now. I believe I will have a vast amount of information but the hard part will be finding what I need and combining it into about 6 or more pages. This will be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to learning much about this contested subject.
I have four initial resources that are all books and are legit academic sources. I have, Opposing Viewpoints BioMedical Ethics, which is a wonderful book that explains that you must learn your opponent’s argument before you can fully understand yours. Also I have, The Art and Politics of Science, which has a chapter on Embryos, Cloning, Stem Cells, and the promise of reprogramming. This chapter talks about laws emplaced on stem cell research and just basic information. Another book, Multiplicity Yours : Cloning, Stem Cell Research, and Regenerative Medicine, talks about Cloning, Moral and Ethical aspects, Reproduction and Genomics. My final source a book called, Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, has much background information on embryonic stem cells, ethics, and current regulations on research. With these sources I believe I will have plenty of information that will provide me with the knowledge to construct a well written argument/research paper.
I am doing this argument/research paper because I want to learn more about the subject and also because I want to try and persuade others to support stem cell use and research. If I use my information correctly and try to show I’ve learned the other side’s argument, I believe I could make many change their stand, or make them see where the other side is coming from. So by doing this paper I hope to learn much about stem cells, promote my ideas and to persuade others to help fund stem cell research.
I am all for everything stem cells, funding, research and its use. I believe stem cells should be fully funded because the possibilities with using stem cells are extraordinary and once thought to be science fiction! Stem cell research should be performed in every area of medicine because the cures found will be absolutely amazing. Cures could be found for paralysis, Alzheimer’s, nerve damage and so many other diseases and injuries. Stem cells should be used regardless of where they come from and should have no regulations, unless of course when the usage becomes outlandish. Doctors and researchers will make new life changing discoveries on a daily basis. This is why I don’t understand why people are so negative towards stem cells, when the possibilities of using them are endless! I will do my best to fully understand both sides of this stem cell debate, therefore I will be able to make a truthful and understanding argument/research paper.
Works Cited
Wagner, Viqi. Opposing Viewpoints BioMedical Ethics. New York: GreenHaven Press/Thomas-Gale, 2008.
Varmus, Harold. The Art and Politics of Science. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2009.
Lim, Dr. Hwa A.. Multiplicity Yours : Cloning, Stem Cell Research, and Regenerative Medicine. Hackensack,NJ: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd, 2006.
Committee on Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research . Washington,DC: The National Academic Press, 2005.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Really???
September 11, 2001 was a day the U.S. stood still. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Centers in New York City, a plane into the Pentagon and yet another plane crashed outside of Camp David. Has someone ever asked the question why we were attacked? People assume that the 19 hijackers were Iraqis, Afghans, or possibly Iranians, but they could not be more wrong. Actually the Nationalities of these hijackers consisted mostly of Saudis with 15 men, also 2 men from The United Arab Emirates, 1 man who was Egyptian and 1 more who was Lebanese (September 11 Hijackers). Hmm, that is funny I do not see any Iraqis, Afghans or Iranians among those men, but why then was the U.S. so angrily geared towards these countries? America is very interesting in how it deals with politics and business. There are companies and actions taken by the U.S. that would turn many heads. A lot of what America does is kept secret or it is just not brought to our attention. There are a lot of things the U.S., its leaders and a few organizations have done that raise questions as to whether we can trust them or not.
The U.S. is supposed friends with Saudi Arabia, but why was nothing said to them when it was found that 15 out of the 19 hijackers were Saudi! If my sources are correct, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have in fact been friends for quite some time now, especially through 1979 and 1989 when Russia invaded Afghanistan. Americans and Saudis were best buds and they supported the resistance fighters in Afghanistan. How much do you think they gave them, one hundred thousand, ten, twenty million, well actually how about six billion (Osama bin Laden: Made in USA)! Six billion dollars could have been spent on bettering our education and healthcare systems! But no, it was given to fight a war against people who we thought were big meanies. With this money they built training camps to teach more soldiers and bought guns, guns and more guns! Did I mention who a resistance fighter’s leader was? Oh well sorry; it’s that one guy with the long beard and turban, Osama Bin Laden. Wait you did not know we supported him with money and weapons galore against the Soviets? Don’t feel bad because most people didn’t and the CIA did a very good job of keeping it a secret. Isn’t it interesting that we were buddy buddy with Osama and now every American wants his head on a platter? This doesn’t make much sense to me, why would someone we’ve supported over the years attack us? I mean would you bite the hand that feeds you? Perhaps some leaders of the U.S. and Bin Laden made a business deal, where some kind of attack would get the American people to back a “war”? Well Osama is still on the “run”, and leaders of America have seen an astronomical increase in their bank accounts. I don’t know what goes on, but put two and two together.
Did you know that America actually supported Iraq, in the 10 year Iraq-Iran war? The war began in September of 1980 when Iraq invaded Iran without warning. The two countries had a history of border disputes and Iraq saw Iran’s revolution as an opportune time to attack. Well the Iraqis were wrong because in just two years the Iranians had fought and regained control of all land that was lost. The type of fighting in this war was mostly like trench war fare and lots of chemical and biological weapons were used. Something very disturbing that occurred in the war was that the Iranians used young boys to run through mine fields to clear paths for their tanks! These were gruesome and dirty war tactics, but anyone will do anything to win. The remaining years of the war Iran was on the attack and finally in August of 1988 the fighting stopped. In the end half a million Iran and Iraqi soldiers and civilians were killed, and the economy plummeted (Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq). But surprisingly there was no change between the countries borders. Isn’t it very interesting that the U.S. supported Iraq over Iran solely because the Iranians wanted to be self sufficient? Also it is intriguing to see that America is now fighting a country that it once assisted!
Did you ever wonder why the U.S. seems so hostile? The Project for the New American Century is a very fascinating neoconservative nonprofit organization. They believe that Americas way of leadership is great for the U.S. and they believe it is best for the world. That is a strong statement to make, because it is basically saying that America should rule the world. But do we have the right to tell people what to do solely because we don’t like what they’re doing? The U.S. sure as heck wouldn’t like China coming in here and telling us we need to change our government and economy! The co founders of this association are William Kristol and Robert Kagan. Some Additional leaders include Bruce Jackson and Randy Scheunemann. Kristol is a writer for the Weekly standard and he has a long history of working with the Republican Party. He helped form a plan in 1994 to ensure a Republican congressional victory and he also served as chief of staff for vice president Dan Quayle. Kagan also writes for the Weekly standard and he also helps with the Republican Party. Kagan has also been a foreign policy advisor and a deputy director for America’s information agency. Bruce was a military man who served in the army as an Intelligence officer. He was also in the office of the Secretary of Defense and later became a strategist for the bank, Lehman Brothers. Randy is yet another foreign policy guy, who also, you guessed it, served in the office of the secretary of defense (About). Can you see the general trend here? It seems all of these guys have had some kind of foreign affairs relations and they have all had experience on chiefs of staff. Do you think this would have some influence and perhaps pressure some high ranking people to get into conflicts to expand America? This organization also wrote a letter to President Clinton in 1998 urging him to take Suddam Hussein out of power. They basically said that the current policy was too lenient towards Iraq and that Suddam Hussein could be producing weapons of mass destruction. They also said that Iraq was a huge threat and that it needed to be dealt with immediately no matter the consequences (Letter to President Clinton). I mean I don’t know, but does this organization that wants to basically take over the world have the right to say who to attack? How do we know they aren’t just saying this in hopes to expand the reign of America?
Another captivating organization is the Carlyle Group. This group is a privately owned global investment company which was founded in 1987. The members of this company are public and private investors and individuals with obscene amounts of money. Carlyle not only makes money from its investors, but it also earns money from buyouts and investing in other companies. But this company is under huge controversy because of some of its members. It just so happens that the Bush family and the Bin laden family have been investors with the Carlyle group. That is weird because record profits have been coming in; along with the war on terror (What do George Bush, Arthur Levitt, Jim Baker, Dick Darman, and John Major have in common). Hmm, so I guess you could say that the Carlyle group makes money off of wars too. A rough estimate of an astounding $1.4 billion has been thought to be the profits of the bush family. This makes you think, what if the Bushes and Osama made a deal where they could make a lot of money and everyone would be protected? This is possible because the Carlyle group is a private investment, and haven’t the Bushes obtained more money and has Osama been captured yet?
Can we trust our leaders? During the year after September 11, 2001, vice president Dick Cheney made several unusual trips to the CIA headquarters. It is speculated that while on these visits Cheney would question analysts who were studying Iraq’s weapons and if Iraq had any links to Al Qaeda. It is also proclaimed that during these trips some analysts said they felt pressured by Cheney to give him answers he would like to hear (Cheney and Libby Make Visits to CIA Headquarters'). What if Cheney had taken this “information” and exaggerated it even more to persuade congress and the country to go to war with Iraq? Well actually some intelligence officials did indeed think that this was his plan, but nothing was done about it. But why would Cheney make false accusations to start a war, where American lives and dollars would be lost? Perhaps he did this because he had a hand in it somewhere?
It is funny how the people who decide to go to war; also have companies to help rebuild the country they have destroyed. This leads to the controversy over the rebuilding of Iraq and who exactly gets to do it. Many contracts to rebuild everything from roads to oil refineries are being given out to companies on a no bid basis (Contracts doled out to rebuild Iraq are questioned). This raises question because why should a company automatically get the job? Companies such as Halliburton and Bechtel have been lucky enough to get contracts (Companies battle to rebuild Iraq). These companies are to clean and rebuild oil refineries. Hmm, that is interesting and guess who are apart of these companies, Dick Cheney is with Halliburton and George Schultz with Bechtel. Isn’t it also weird that the Bush’s are in the oil business and a lot of money is being funded to help rebuild refineries, but at the same time money is coming back to them? This makes it seem like they only went to war so that they could make profits. But that is preposterous our American leaders would not do that, or would they? Plus, who is paying for all of this reconstruction in Iraq? Well I hate to break it to you, but if you pay taxes, then you are paying for the rebuilding of Iraq. Billions of taxpayers’ dollars are going to companies to fix Iraq, but wait if our leaders own the companies doesn’t that mean they are getting even more of our money (Paying for Reconstruction in Iraq)? Well now let’s go back to the Bush family and leaders that they have chosen. George Bush Sr and Bush Jr are both in the oil industry. Bush Sr started an oil business called Overby Development Company but when regulations were put on offshore drilling he started yet another oil company called Zapata Petroleum. After he sold this company it went on to become Pennzoil and that is what we know it as today (George Herbert Walker Bush). Bush Jr also started an oil company called Spectrum 7, but it later failed and he became a member of another oil company called Harken (Oil Baron or Oil Barren). Hmm and what a coincidence Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice are also in the oil industry. Cheney is a leader of the company Halliburton, which is helping rebuild oil refineries in Iraq and Rice was a board director of Chevron. That is an unbelievable occurrence, almost all the Bush’s are or continue to be in the oil and banking industry and the people they select to lead the country are also oil comrades. Funny how things work out like that and I mean obviously it’s not on purpose, or is it?
With my research I have found many disturbing truths. It feels so weird to say this, but my country that I hold near and dear to my heart, is not what I thought it was. America is a brutal, conniving, and manipulative country that will do anything to get what it wants, even at the expense of American lives. How could a country and its leaders do such a thing? The leading people in our country are obscenely rich, power hungry, and abuse their authority to get what they want. Our own president, his family and some of our administration are big oil people and could it be possible that the Iraq war is in fact an “Oil War?” The information is there, such that the companies getting paid to rebuild Iraq’s oil refineries are owned by our leaders! There are also other organizations that are making huge profits that our leaders are a part of. There is a lot of secret and covered up history, that we have the right to know. All of these hush-hush things that our country and leaders do will make many distrust them. They are making this an evil and lying nation, who would want to be a part of that?
Works Cited
Nationalities of 19 Al Qaida
CIA. "September 11 Hijackers". CIA. 3-12-09.
Relationship with Saudi Arabia and Osama during Russians in Afghanistan
emperors-clothes. "Osama bin Laden: Made in USA". emperors-clothes. 3-12-09.
History of Iraq and Iran war
The National Security Archive. "Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq". The National Security Archive. 3-12-09
The Project for the New American century
PNAC. "About". PNAC. 3-12-09.
PNAC. "Letter to President Clinton". PNAC. 3-12-09.
Dick Cheney
History Commons. "Cheney and Libby Make Visits to CIA Headquarters'". History Commons. 3-12-09.
What companies got contracts to rebuild Iraq?
Seattle Pi. "Contracts doled out to rebuild Iraq are questioned". Seattle Pi. 3-12-09.
CNN. "Companies battle to rebuild Iraq". CNN. 3-12-09.
Levin. "Paying for Reconstruction in Iraq". Levin. 3-12-09.
What do they do?
Source Watch. "George Herbert Walker Bush". Source Watch. 3-12-09.
About. "Oil Baron or Oil Barren". About. 3-12-09.
Peak Oil. "Dick Cheney". Peak Oil. 3-12-09.
Book/Article Sources
Warner, Melanie. "What do George Bush, Arthur Levitt, Jim Baker, Dick Darman, and John Major have in common?." Fortune 145.6 (18 Mar. 2002): 104-112. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 18 Mar. 2009.
Wright, Lawrence. "THE MASTER PLAN." New Yorker 82.28 (11 Sep. 2006): 48-59. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 18 Mar. 2009.
The U.S. is supposed friends with Saudi Arabia, but why was nothing said to them when it was found that 15 out of the 19 hijackers were Saudi! If my sources are correct, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have in fact been friends for quite some time now, especially through 1979 and 1989 when Russia invaded Afghanistan. Americans and Saudis were best buds and they supported the resistance fighters in Afghanistan. How much do you think they gave them, one hundred thousand, ten, twenty million, well actually how about six billion (Osama bin Laden: Made in USA)! Six billion dollars could have been spent on bettering our education and healthcare systems! But no, it was given to fight a war against people who we thought were big meanies. With this money they built training camps to teach more soldiers and bought guns, guns and more guns! Did I mention who a resistance fighter’s leader was? Oh well sorry; it’s that one guy with the long beard and turban, Osama Bin Laden. Wait you did not know we supported him with money and weapons galore against the Soviets? Don’t feel bad because most people didn’t and the CIA did a very good job of keeping it a secret. Isn’t it interesting that we were buddy buddy with Osama and now every American wants his head on a platter? This doesn’t make much sense to me, why would someone we’ve supported over the years attack us? I mean would you bite the hand that feeds you? Perhaps some leaders of the U.S. and Bin Laden made a business deal, where some kind of attack would get the American people to back a “war”? Well Osama is still on the “run”, and leaders of America have seen an astronomical increase in their bank accounts. I don’t know what goes on, but put two and two together.
Did you know that America actually supported Iraq, in the 10 year Iraq-Iran war? The war began in September of 1980 when Iraq invaded Iran without warning. The two countries had a history of border disputes and Iraq saw Iran’s revolution as an opportune time to attack. Well the Iraqis were wrong because in just two years the Iranians had fought and regained control of all land that was lost. The type of fighting in this war was mostly like trench war fare and lots of chemical and biological weapons were used. Something very disturbing that occurred in the war was that the Iranians used young boys to run through mine fields to clear paths for their tanks! These were gruesome and dirty war tactics, but anyone will do anything to win. The remaining years of the war Iran was on the attack and finally in August of 1988 the fighting stopped. In the end half a million Iran and Iraqi soldiers and civilians were killed, and the economy plummeted (Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq). But surprisingly there was no change between the countries borders. Isn’t it very interesting that the U.S. supported Iraq over Iran solely because the Iranians wanted to be self sufficient? Also it is intriguing to see that America is now fighting a country that it once assisted!
Did you ever wonder why the U.S. seems so hostile? The Project for the New American Century is a very fascinating neoconservative nonprofit organization. They believe that Americas way of leadership is great for the U.S. and they believe it is best for the world. That is a strong statement to make, because it is basically saying that America should rule the world. But do we have the right to tell people what to do solely because we don’t like what they’re doing? The U.S. sure as heck wouldn’t like China coming in here and telling us we need to change our government and economy! The co founders of this association are William Kristol and Robert Kagan. Some Additional leaders include Bruce Jackson and Randy Scheunemann. Kristol is a writer for the Weekly standard and he has a long history of working with the Republican Party. He helped form a plan in 1994 to ensure a Republican congressional victory and he also served as chief of staff for vice president Dan Quayle. Kagan also writes for the Weekly standard and he also helps with the Republican Party. Kagan has also been a foreign policy advisor and a deputy director for America’s information agency. Bruce was a military man who served in the army as an Intelligence officer. He was also in the office of the Secretary of Defense and later became a strategist for the bank, Lehman Brothers. Randy is yet another foreign policy guy, who also, you guessed it, served in the office of the secretary of defense (About). Can you see the general trend here? It seems all of these guys have had some kind of foreign affairs relations and they have all had experience on chiefs of staff. Do you think this would have some influence and perhaps pressure some high ranking people to get into conflicts to expand America? This organization also wrote a letter to President Clinton in 1998 urging him to take Suddam Hussein out of power. They basically said that the current policy was too lenient towards Iraq and that Suddam Hussein could be producing weapons of mass destruction. They also said that Iraq was a huge threat and that it needed to be dealt with immediately no matter the consequences (Letter to President Clinton). I mean I don’t know, but does this organization that wants to basically take over the world have the right to say who to attack? How do we know they aren’t just saying this in hopes to expand the reign of America?
Another captivating organization is the Carlyle Group. This group is a privately owned global investment company which was founded in 1987. The members of this company are public and private investors and individuals with obscene amounts of money. Carlyle not only makes money from its investors, but it also earns money from buyouts and investing in other companies. But this company is under huge controversy because of some of its members. It just so happens that the Bush family and the Bin laden family have been investors with the Carlyle group. That is weird because record profits have been coming in; along with the war on terror (What do George Bush, Arthur Levitt, Jim Baker, Dick Darman, and John Major have in common). Hmm, so I guess you could say that the Carlyle group makes money off of wars too. A rough estimate of an astounding $1.4 billion has been thought to be the profits of the bush family. This makes you think, what if the Bushes and Osama made a deal where they could make a lot of money and everyone would be protected? This is possible because the Carlyle group is a private investment, and haven’t the Bushes obtained more money and has Osama been captured yet?
Can we trust our leaders? During the year after September 11, 2001, vice president Dick Cheney made several unusual trips to the CIA headquarters. It is speculated that while on these visits Cheney would question analysts who were studying Iraq’s weapons and if Iraq had any links to Al Qaeda. It is also proclaimed that during these trips some analysts said they felt pressured by Cheney to give him answers he would like to hear (Cheney and Libby Make Visits to CIA Headquarters'). What if Cheney had taken this “information” and exaggerated it even more to persuade congress and the country to go to war with Iraq? Well actually some intelligence officials did indeed think that this was his plan, but nothing was done about it. But why would Cheney make false accusations to start a war, where American lives and dollars would be lost? Perhaps he did this because he had a hand in it somewhere?
It is funny how the people who decide to go to war; also have companies to help rebuild the country they have destroyed. This leads to the controversy over the rebuilding of Iraq and who exactly gets to do it. Many contracts to rebuild everything from roads to oil refineries are being given out to companies on a no bid basis (Contracts doled out to rebuild Iraq are questioned). This raises question because why should a company automatically get the job? Companies such as Halliburton and Bechtel have been lucky enough to get contracts (Companies battle to rebuild Iraq). These companies are to clean and rebuild oil refineries. Hmm, that is interesting and guess who are apart of these companies, Dick Cheney is with Halliburton and George Schultz with Bechtel. Isn’t it also weird that the Bush’s are in the oil business and a lot of money is being funded to help rebuild refineries, but at the same time money is coming back to them? This makes it seem like they only went to war so that they could make profits. But that is preposterous our American leaders would not do that, or would they? Plus, who is paying for all of this reconstruction in Iraq? Well I hate to break it to you, but if you pay taxes, then you are paying for the rebuilding of Iraq. Billions of taxpayers’ dollars are going to companies to fix Iraq, but wait if our leaders own the companies doesn’t that mean they are getting even more of our money (Paying for Reconstruction in Iraq)? Well now let’s go back to the Bush family and leaders that they have chosen. George Bush Sr and Bush Jr are both in the oil industry. Bush Sr started an oil business called Overby Development Company but when regulations were put on offshore drilling he started yet another oil company called Zapata Petroleum. After he sold this company it went on to become Pennzoil and that is what we know it as today (George Herbert Walker Bush). Bush Jr also started an oil company called Spectrum 7, but it later failed and he became a member of another oil company called Harken (Oil Baron or Oil Barren). Hmm and what a coincidence Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice are also in the oil industry. Cheney is a leader of the company Halliburton, which is helping rebuild oil refineries in Iraq and Rice was a board director of Chevron. That is an unbelievable occurrence, almost all the Bush’s are or continue to be in the oil and banking industry and the people they select to lead the country are also oil comrades. Funny how things work out like that and I mean obviously it’s not on purpose, or is it?
With my research I have found many disturbing truths. It feels so weird to say this, but my country that I hold near and dear to my heart, is not what I thought it was. America is a brutal, conniving, and manipulative country that will do anything to get what it wants, even at the expense of American lives. How could a country and its leaders do such a thing? The leading people in our country are obscenely rich, power hungry, and abuse their authority to get what they want. Our own president, his family and some of our administration are big oil people and could it be possible that the Iraq war is in fact an “Oil War?” The information is there, such that the companies getting paid to rebuild Iraq’s oil refineries are owned by our leaders! There are also other organizations that are making huge profits that our leaders are a part of. There is a lot of secret and covered up history, that we have the right to know. All of these hush-hush things that our country and leaders do will make many distrust them. They are making this an evil and lying nation, who would want to be a part of that?
Works Cited
Nationalities of 19 Al Qaida
CIA. "September 11 Hijackers". CIA. 3-12-09
Relationship with Saudi Arabia and Osama during Russians in Afghanistan
emperors-clothes. "Osama bin Laden: Made in USA". emperors-clothes. 3-12-09
History of Iraq and Iran war
The National Security Archive. "Shaking Hands with Saddam Hussein: The U.S. Tilts toward Iraq". The National Security Archive. 3-12-09
The Project for the New American century
PNAC. "About". PNAC. 3-12-09
PNAC. "Letter to President Clinton". PNAC. 3-12-09
Dick Cheney
History Commons. "Cheney and Libby Make Visits to CIA Headquarters'". History Commons. 3-12-09
What companies got contracts to rebuild Iraq?
Seattle Pi. "Contracts doled out to rebuild Iraq are questioned". Seattle Pi. 3-12-09
CNN. "Companies battle to rebuild Iraq". CNN. 3-12-09
Levin. "Paying for Reconstruction in Iraq". Levin. 3-12-09
What do they do?
Source Watch. "George Herbert Walker Bush". Source Watch. 3-12-09
About. "Oil Baron or Oil Barren". About. 3-12-09
Peak Oil. "Dick Cheney". Peak Oil. 3-12-09
Book/Article Sources
Warner, Melanie. "What do George Bush, Arthur Levitt, Jim Baker, Dick Darman, and John Major have in common?." Fortune 145.6 (18 Mar. 2002): 104-112. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 18 Mar. 2009
Wright, Lawrence. "THE MASTER PLAN." New Yorker 82.28 (11 Sep. 2006): 48-59. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 18 Mar. 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Ideology (Paper #5)
Ideology is a very complex subject to understand. My best guess definition of the word ideology is the study of ideals or ideas. This study has been around for centuries appearing first in politics, and continuing today in political and social beliefs. Different ideals and ideas vary among every human on this planet which causes political and social debates. Ideology is almost always seen in a Political or Epistemological manner. There are many differences between Epistemological and Political ideologies and I have a personal set of ideals as well.
Epistemological Ideology is more focused on the study of philosophy, how humans should act and everything throughout space, the final frontier.
Political Ideology is the basis of any political association, each having their own set of ideals and beliefs on a subject. These differences in beliefs have caused the human race to take sides on every issue putting man against man, and brother against brother. This fighting of ideals can be attributed to many wars, events that led to war and the killing of millions of people over the life span of the earth. Everyone grows up different which leads one to have their own set of ideals. They will follow these ideas and fight anyone who goes against them. It is sad to see so many people fighting, when some of these “soldiers” do not even try to understand where the other group is coming from. This is the main problem because citizens are not open minded and so they only focus on their own personal beliefs even if they are wrong.
I consider my thoughts to be accepting of all information, but obviously I do not believe absurd statements. Out of all the political associations I have to affiliate myself as more of an Independent. I am on the fence post on many large debates in today’s society such as, abortion, stem cell research, taxes, etc. I try to keep an open mind, get a general understanding of the subject and I try to think about where both sides are coming from. With this technique I find myself siding with a lot of different political groups because all of my ideals are different. I believe being independent is the best way to go about politics because you get a little bit of everything and you do not get criticized as much by other parties.
Ideology is very deep in meaning and has stumped many intellectual human beings. The two main ideologies, Political and Epistemological, have been around since Homo sapiens have been able to think and question ideals. Many people spend their entire lives obsessed with pushing forward their ideals and fighting anyone who is against them. This ongoing war of ideas has caused many deaths and unfortunately it will continue to the end of man. People need to learn to fight with knowledge and not their emotions. Life is too short to be angry all the time, so try to find the common threads that bring us all together.
Epistemological Ideology is more focused on the study of philosophy, how humans should act and everything throughout space, the final frontier.
Political Ideology is the basis of any political association, each having their own set of ideals and beliefs on a subject. These differences in beliefs have caused the human race to take sides on every issue putting man against man, and brother against brother. This fighting of ideals can be attributed to many wars, events that led to war and the killing of millions of people over the life span of the earth. Everyone grows up different which leads one to have their own set of ideals. They will follow these ideas and fight anyone who goes against them. It is sad to see so many people fighting, when some of these “soldiers” do not even try to understand where the other group is coming from. This is the main problem because citizens are not open minded and so they only focus on their own personal beliefs even if they are wrong.
I consider my thoughts to be accepting of all information, but obviously I do not believe absurd statements. Out of all the political associations I have to affiliate myself as more of an Independent. I am on the fence post on many large debates in today’s society such as, abortion, stem cell research, taxes, etc. I try to keep an open mind, get a general understanding of the subject and I try to think about where both sides are coming from. With this technique I find myself siding with a lot of different political groups because all of my ideals are different. I believe being independent is the best way to go about politics because you get a little bit of everything and you do not get criticized as much by other parties.
Ideology is very deep in meaning and has stumped many intellectual human beings. The two main ideologies, Political and Epistemological, have been around since Homo sapiens have been able to think and question ideals. Many people spend their entire lives obsessed with pushing forward their ideals and fighting anyone who is against them. This ongoing war of ideas has caused many deaths and unfortunately it will continue to the end of man. People need to learn to fight with knowledge and not their emotions. Life is too short to be angry all the time, so try to find the common threads that bring us all together.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Iconic Image- Che Guevara (Paper #3)
Some pictures behold more than just an image, but a story, a history and great meanings. These astonishing images have become better known as Icons. Out of all the images taken throughout history up to this point I have chosen one, the iconic image of the Marxist Revolutionary Che Guevara, known as “Guerrillero Heroico,” or Heroic guerilla. It is a plain headshot of the scruffy looking Argentine native wearing a hat and a zip up shirt. Originally this image was kept at home by the photographer, Alberto Korda, but eventually it was given to an Italian publisher who later released it. Who would have known that this simple picture would turn into a legacy? The answer is, the man in the image, Che himself, made the legacy. This image shows not only a male but also a man of the people, a physician, and a political genius.
This image for many around the world reminds them of equality and how Guevara was a man of the people. He traveled all around the Americas and was appalled by all of the poverty and mistreatment of the common man. He associated this poverty and mistreatment of the common man with the ideals of imperialism and monopoly capitalism. This was his driving factor against world powers and he sought out to start a world revolution. Many other famous leaders’ one being Nelson Mandela was very fond of Che and his ideals. He stated that Guevara was, “An inspiration for every human being who loves freedom." This is a very strong statement and Nelson Mandela had also been going through a revolution in South Africa. It’s amazing how this simple image gives so much hope and reminds many that they too have rights.
There are also many people who see this image and think of a murderer and communists along with Fidel Castro. They couldn’t be any more wrong, because Che was a physician! Yes that’s a fancy word for a Doctor. Initially looking at the picture you don’t really think of a doctor because of his long scruffy hair and his clothes. Che had started medical school at the University of Buenos Aires but left for a year to travel and this was his first experience of poverty. He later returned and graduated from medical school only later to leave once again. Unfortunately many people stereotype Che, but if only they knew more about his life, I am sure they would rethink their assumptions. Like they say don’t judge a book by its cover!
Scholars and many others see Che as a very intelligent man with a great understanding of politics. He wanted a world revolution to help better the common man and to take out the evil powers of the world. Guevara grew up reading many famous books and probably the one with the biggest impact on his life was written by Karl Marx. This later developed to be his main basis of beliefs and it would lead him to become known as a Marxists Revolutionary. Guevara traveled all over south and Central America and eventually ventured to Cuba. This also makes Guevara very famous because he made friends with Fidel Castro and he joined Fidel’s movement to overthrow the United States backed president of Cuba at the time. This siding with Castro produced some friends and enemies and would later contribute to his demise.
It is unbelievable how a story, a history and meanings can be derived from a single image. This plain picture of one man has transpired into one of the most famous photographs ever. When people see this image it sends a message, a message of strength and caring. Unfortunately the story of this picture ends with Che’s brutal execution. He was captured in Bolivia by U.S. trained Bolivian forces and with the help of the CIA. He was to be executed a few days later and when his executioner came, Che had this to say, “I know you have come to kill me, go ahead, you are only killing a man.” What an astonishing quote, he kept his integrity and values and accepted his fate. Hopefully when you look upon this image you will not only see a man, but a legend.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Response to "They Say" (Paper #4)
A response to Douglas Rushkoff's intro to,"They Say."
The captivating an insightful words of Douglas Rushkoff in his introduction to, “They Say,” trick you into believing you are learning an interesting take on authority in our society. When actually it is indeed about questioning authority but we are completely oblivious to the fact that at the same time he is currently utilizing the techniques of persuasion and coercion upon us. Rushkoff has many tricks up his sleeve and after reading this hefty convincing piece he spills all. Douglas is extremely tricky in his methods of using illusions, making it personal, and by means of instilling fear in you.
Basically this entire paper was one huge extravagant illusion that gave you a sense of trust and involvement. He talks about using basic techniques such as inventing a character that we can relate too and that we will follow. We then get the illusion that we are along for the ride with this person and we want to know what will happen to them. This makes us dependent upon the author as we await the fate of our new friend. He also uses an illusion with some of his wording. Rushkoff speaks of a conspiracy, but that is too scary and so he quickly covers it up. He makes us feel safe by using words and phrases like, “Just a science that has gotten out of control,” but in reality he is basically talking about technology and how one day it could see to the end of humanity. Douglas has mastered the art of illusion and he could possibly make you believe anything.
Another tactic is how he makes this paper seem very personal to you and how this affects your feelings and judgment. He asks you to take into account the leaders of your life and how they affect you against your will. This gets you involved and it introduces you to the problems in your life. Thus making it personal and very interesting because you can relate with what happens in the paper. Rushkoff also uses statements such as, “As we’ll see,” and this gives you the assumption as if he is talking to you, which will also pull you in deeper. Plus he gives you a very personal insight when he tells you of his story of media and going into advertising. This gives you the sense of a personal connection with him, so you will continue read and back him up. Making it seem personal to the reader is extremely effective because it gets the reader engaged into the story.
Fear, this simple four letter word can make anyone do anything. Rushkoff uses fear to intrigue you and to grab your attention because what he is saying could affect your life! He is dramatizing but he almost always grabs your attention does he not? Douglas speaks of physiologists who study human behavior and how they alter colors and shapes to make us more attracted to whatever it is. This is scary in the sense that someone can affect are free will by simply changing colors and shapes. He instills fear in us all throughout the piece, but mainly at the beginning. Douglas writes about, “They,” and how they tell us who, what, when, where and why. Who exactly are they and why do they get all the authority? It is these questions that spark fear in you because you have absolutely no idea who, “They,” are! The worst fear is the fear of not knowing and Douglas hits this one right on the head.
“They Say,” has to be one of the most fascinating pieces of literature I have read. Rushkoff is not only feeding you loads of information, but at the same time he is exposing you to the very thing he is writing against. Through his methods of illusions, making it personal, and implementing fear, I would not doubt that he could make anyone believe anything.
The captivating an insightful words of Douglas Rushkoff in his introduction to, “They Say,” trick you into believing you are learning an interesting take on authority in our society. When actually it is indeed about questioning authority but we are completely oblivious to the fact that at the same time he is currently utilizing the techniques of persuasion and coercion upon us. Rushkoff has many tricks up his sleeve and after reading this hefty convincing piece he spills all. Douglas is extremely tricky in his methods of using illusions, making it personal, and by means of instilling fear in you.
Basically this entire paper was one huge extravagant illusion that gave you a sense of trust and involvement. He talks about using basic techniques such as inventing a character that we can relate too and that we will follow. We then get the illusion that we are along for the ride with this person and we want to know what will happen to them. This makes us dependent upon the author as we await the fate of our new friend. He also uses an illusion with some of his wording. Rushkoff speaks of a conspiracy, but that is too scary and so he quickly covers it up. He makes us feel safe by using words and phrases like, “Just a science that has gotten out of control,” but in reality he is basically talking about technology and how one day it could see to the end of humanity. Douglas has mastered the art of illusion and he could possibly make you believe anything.
Another tactic is how he makes this paper seem very personal to you and how this affects your feelings and judgment. He asks you to take into account the leaders of your life and how they affect you against your will. This gets you involved and it introduces you to the problems in your life. Thus making it personal and very interesting because you can relate with what happens in the paper. Rushkoff also uses statements such as, “As we’ll see,” and this gives you the assumption as if he is talking to you, which will also pull you in deeper. Plus he gives you a very personal insight when he tells you of his story of media and going into advertising. This gives you the sense of a personal connection with him, so you will continue read and back him up. Making it seem personal to the reader is extremely effective because it gets the reader engaged into the story.
Fear, this simple four letter word can make anyone do anything. Rushkoff uses fear to intrigue you and to grab your attention because what he is saying could affect your life! He is dramatizing but he almost always grabs your attention does he not? Douglas speaks of physiologists who study human behavior and how they alter colors and shapes to make us more attracted to whatever it is. This is scary in the sense that someone can affect are free will by simply changing colors and shapes. He instills fear in us all throughout the piece, but mainly at the beginning. Douglas writes about, “They,” and how they tell us who, what, when, where and why. Who exactly are they and why do they get all the authority? It is these questions that spark fear in you because you have absolutely no idea who, “They,” are! The worst fear is the fear of not knowing and Douglas hits this one right on the head.
“They Say,” has to be one of the most fascinating pieces of literature I have read. Rushkoff is not only feeding you loads of information, but at the same time he is exposing you to the very thing he is writing against. Through his methods of illusions, making it personal, and implementing fear, I would not doubt that he could make anyone believe anything.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Shins-Girl Sailor (Paper #2)
The gutter may profess it's love
Then follow it with hesitation
For there are just so many of
You out there for rent
A stronger girl would shake this off in flight
And never give it more than a frowning hour
But you have let your heart decide
Loss has conquered you
You've won one too many fights
Wearing many hats every time
But you won't win here tonight
You made it through the direst of straits alright
Can you help it if plain love now seems less interesting?
You haven't changed an ounce in my eyes
And I cannot lecture you
And does anything I say seem relevant at all?
You've been at the helm since you were just five
While I cannot claim to be more than a passenger
But, you've won one too many fights
Wearing all of your clothes at the same time
Let the good times in tonight
Oh girl, sail her, don't sink her
This time
Just a moment or two from now
Not a mind will retain even a trace
Of the thoughts that I struggle to tell
And how our stack of cards just fell
So settle this once and for all
The light no longer shows the cracks around my door
And I have no lantern to light your way home tonight
You are not some saint who's above
Giving someone a stroll through the flowers
You've got so much more to dream of
Oh girl, sail her, don't sink her
This time
This time
This time.
The Shins are an Indie pop alternative rock band or something like that. They are originally from Albuquerque but now they reside in Portland. That’s not important, but what is, is their music and how incredible it is. Their songs have an upbeat bouncy sing along feel to them, with the occasional sad mellow song. They have been featured in many movies and tv shows such as, Scrubs and Garden State. They are also a very popular band not only in the states but in the UK, Europe and all over the world. Their song,"Girl Sailor," from the album, “Wincing the Night Away,” sets off a huge chain reaction of thoughts and memories in my head. The song, from what I can interpret, is about a guy and girl who have split up and they both know they will not get back together. The guy in the song is talking about how the girl seems more experienced than him with, “You’ve been at the helm since you were just 5." He also tells her to, "Oh girl, sail her, don't sink her," this statement could be referring to him telling her not to mess up anymore relationships or decisions in life. I guess it all depends on how you take it in.
Surprisingly even though I know the meaning of the song; it still makes me think of one thing, the relationship I am currently in, ironic aye? Yes I know it seems pretty weird but this song makes me think of my girlfriend who goes to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. This is where the song title,”Girl Sailor,” comes in to play. It is a simple metaphor, she is a girl and the Navy has ships which make her a girl sailor. It never fails, this song always makes me think of her, but hopefully we won’t end up like the couple in the song. This starts another mind jump too when I went snowboarding with her and friends, which was the first time I had seen her since school ended. I absolutely love snowboarding and I feel so relaxed just gliding down the mountain.
Yet again my thoughts skedaddle off and it reminds me of my trip to Argentina and when I went snowboarding in San Carlos De Bariloche, which in my opinion is the most gorgeous place on this earth. It also reminds me of how I left for Argentina the day after graduation and I didn’t get to see my friends and family for two months. This trip helps me recall talking to my current girlfriend, my, “Girl Sailor,” on my laptop in the lodge at the base of the mountain and actually I had been dating another girl at the time.
Well wouldn’t you know it, my trip makes me think of another memory, and it is about the day I flew back to the states. The first family members I had seen since my trip were my grandparents from New Jersey. I lived with them in my early childhood and I have stayed very close to them. Funny how this all works out, but they have a boat, a big one, a 40ft monster which we take on a cruise in the Chesapeake Bay every summer. I’ve been around boats all my life and I basically grew up on one. Obviously this also makes me think of the song, “Girl Sailor,” because of the boat and water. I have been all over the Delaware River and all around the Chesapeake Bay, including Annapolis. Annapolis of course is currently where my girlfriend goes to the Naval Academy. It is amazing how I have ventured to this city at least 20 times and I absolutely love it. It’s a small old historic town full of lively people. Who would have known that this city would have such a huge impact on my life? Like the ride at Disney World, I guess it is a small world after all. I think it is absolutely crazy how, The Shins, and their song, “Girl Sailor,” jumpstarts all of these emotional memories in my mind.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
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