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2010-05-06T01:42:00.001-07:00

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Bird Flu?

2009-03-02T00:14:00.000-08:00

I can still remember that the first bird flu started when I was in 5th grade 2000. In 2000, the technology was not as good as today's. No doubt about that. Where did this flu come from? Maybe the human pick the good genetic chicken and clone them, then eventually one of those chicken got sick, but the human keeps cloning them. Then, the bird flu slowly became a virus that no one can stop it.

Rifkin gives a great example how human has been using biotechnology to 'upgrade' their food chain and even make the food taste better. " the uncontrollable spread of super weeds, the buildup of resistant strains of bacteria and new super insects, the creation of novel viruses..."(296). Human created many things that help the daily lives tasks, especially improved the living standard in certain areas in the world. Yet, it also created horrible events. Like during the dust bowl era, American farmers over farm their land with their newly farming tools without allowing those soil to 'rest', which created the dust bowl.

Nowadays, most human want to enjoy the moment without thinking about the consequences in the end. Yes, those biotech food might be good. But, can it create new virus,diseases....

Who is the "Animal"?

2009-02-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

What is an Animal? they could be dog, cat, pig, chicken, etc. Yet, we treat dog and cat very differently. Yes, some of us love piglets and chicks, but do we love them after they turn into adulthood. No, because they are dirty. If we give them the freedom of living in the farm freely, then what will happen to the farmer who take care of them? I firmly believe those farmers will lose their business to the big corporations who bleed them.

Pollan uses Animal Liberation by Peter Singer to state out the importance of animal rights. According to Singer in Pollan 's article, Singer believes, " Equality is moral idea" (225). Yes, equality is a universal moral idea and believing animals have the equality like human. In a way, that is suggesting human are just like animal. Which that could bring us into the issue to slavery during the civic war. The white treated the slave like an animal who only know how to work on the field. Yet, those slaves still have emotion, thinking skills that help them determine whether to fight back or not due to the unequal treatment. How about the animal in our farm? Those animals do deserve a good environment to live in, because they eventually will get kill by human who also trying to survive and live freely. I understand those animals tried to fight back, but they cannot due to lack of physical strength and other characteristics. The only reason I believe we need to give them a better, 'free' environment to live it, because they can grow properly, so they can provide human better food and higher living standard.

Domestic Animal like pigs, chickens should never be treat like human, but they should be living in a good living standard that allow them to grow better.

Statue of Liberty controls the world.

2009-02-05T15:19:00.001-08:00

In Philippe Legrain, " Cultural Globalization is Not Americanization", he describes on how globalization does not related to Americanization, because the every country has contribute into this global economy. he understands Americans product and purchase most of the domestic and foreign good, but others coutries stll have a lot of influences on the Americans. Most of the "Americans" are "Europeans". They immigrated to this place where it has freedom, liberty and most importantly, land of opportunities. Those "Europeans" brought their brilliant ideas to the United States. He states" 'American' products are not as all-American as they seem" ( Legrain 572). German immigrants brought those wonderful ideas and culture with them in order to create those products.

However, the author mostly stated out the the old tradition corporate that has been with us for more than half a century. He did not mention any like the technology, schools and especially ideas. It does not mean that Americanization is cultural Globalization. The author should carefully examine his argument, because without the cultural of Microsoft software and computer, the global will not evolve into this cultural globalization. Since computer and internet has become the main reason of globalization.

Yes On College Football

2009-01-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

In Sokolove’s, “Football is a Sucker’s Game”, Sokolove describes University of South Florida has spend millions of dollars into the football program. He also explained how each school is trying to get into the Bowl Championship Series. Every Division I-A school knows in order to help the school to gain more revenue, and becomes more popular, it is to make into BCS or the March Madness (College Basketball). “Doug Flutie and the success of the team were credited with increasing application by 25 percent and transforming B.C from a regional to a national university” (Sokolove 128). Every school is trying to become like Boston College by having that dream team that could transform the school forever. Today, Many college football teams are trying to have a couple of those magical seasons, then get into the grand present: Bowl Championship Series.
Sokolove refers college football as the S.U.V of the college campus. Everyone knows that S.U.V wastes gasoline. Customers build S.U.V, because it gives a certain pride, joy and adventure for them. Having a football team in a major university is great, because it helps boost up students’ life and school pride. Yes, having a football team is a “luxury item”, because it wastes real estates opportunities and grants for the student who needs money for school. However, having a football team could generate local community’s revenue, which it is ultimately great for the school.

School Money

2009-01-13T15:46:00.001-08:00

In Croissant, “Can This Campus Be Bought? Commercial Influence in Unfamiliar Places”, Croissant describes how corporations like to support and ‘donate’ money to Private and Public University throughout the U.S, so that they could sell their products and might even have a chance to create a monopoly contract with the school. By allowing the corporate to sell their products, the school is able to get certain incentive or so-call ‘donation’ from the corporate. The relationship between commerce and academic life is great for the school and the corporate. Because it is able to create job opportunities within the school communities: internship, work-study program, which it helps students to gain more working experiences. Corporate also could assist schools to set up education funds. “Allows a university to display an image of being connected and responsive to outside interest… (Croissant 100). It ensures the school is well maintained. Therefore, it keeps the degrees that are coming out from the school are consistent.
Personally, I believe having corporate to support schools is a great for the school, communities, and the corporate itself. Because of the certain relationship with the corporate, it helps us as students to look for jobs easier. Since the school might able to use their connection to find us a job for us. Croissant gives great examples, but it is too extreme. Yes, the school might to make the professors to follow certain policy under the contract with the corporate. However, by following those policies, it ensures the school to have the funds to operate regularly. Many students who go to a highly respectable Division I university enjoy those relationships with major corporate. It eventually benefits the students with a sense of pride for their school.

Does learning end after college

2009-01-08T16:45:00.001-08:00

In Sprayde’s “Learning in the Key of Life,” and Newman’s “The Idea of a University,” both of the authors describe how education affects people’s life. Both of them try to inspire us to learn in many different ways from self-taught to formal education from university. Sprayde believes a person can learn anything as long as the person is willing to be taught. He stated, “an education carpentered out of the best combination we can make of school, salon, reading, online exploration, walking the street, hiking in the woods, museums, poetry classes at the Y,” (Sprayde 68). Both authors also realized formal education is very important, as long as the education combines with life experience and other knowledge, then the person should be successful and well-educated. Newman also agrees with Sprayde’s idea that formal education is very important. Newman states, “A University training is the great ordinary means…” (Newman 54). A university guides us into many different ways to improve our daily lives. Most important, we use our knowledge from school and daily life experience to help improve others.

I personally agree with both of the authors. Newman understood that going to a university does not guarantee a promising future, but it allows us to be more aware of the situation in our society. Sprayde also pointed out that learning never ends. I personally believe every minute in our daily life is a lesson and practice, because it helps to prepare for the rocky future. Like Newman stated, “does not promise a generation of Aristotles or Newtons, of Napoleons or Washingtons…” (Newman 55). By having formal and informal education, it trains students to be ready for the 21th century society.