For yoU Magazine

Rereading America

I read "America the Beautiful: What We're Fighting For" by Dinish D' Souza. He has bitterly crtitisized Islamic society and its way of life without knowing true meaning of Islam . In my opinion, All five fingers are not equal and in the same way all muslims are not extremists. Good and bad people are present everywhere and in every religion.

No doubt, there is a difference in culture and traditions between islamic countries and western countries but these differences should be respected without any kind of hatred. Muslims should keep along with the needs of new age world for advancement without forgetting Islamic teachings. No one should should force its way of life on others. I accept that the extrmists like taliban are doing curse and representing Islam in wrong way. Taliban and other extremists are not following true islamic teachings. Islam is a beautiful religion...these extremists like taliban are worst followers.

There should be an end to those kind of extremists but I do not agree on the war point because war is no solution as it is killing more innocent people than the bad ones.

Whoever vs Whomever

I, sometimes, mix up with using whoever with whomever. Here is the rule that cleared my concept :

To determine whether to use whoever or whomever, here is the rule: him + he = whoever him + him = whomever
	Examples:	Give it to whoever/whomever asks for it first. Give it to him. He asks for it first. Therefore, Give it to whoever asks for it first.
		We will hire whoever/whomever you recommend. We will hire him. You recommend him. him + him = whomever
		We will hire whoever/whomever is most qualified. We will hire him. He is most qualified. him + he = whoever

Rule 2.	When the entire whoever/whomever clause is the subject of the verb that follows the clause, look inside the clause to determine whether to use whoever or whomever.
	Examples:	Whoever is elected will serve a four-year term. Whoever is elected is the subject of will serve. Whoever is the subject of is.
		Whomever you elect will serve a four-year term. Whomever you elect is the subject of will serve. Whomever is the object of you elect.

http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/whoever.asp

Underlining or Italics

In english writing, underlining or italics are of great importance. The folloowing rules help me with italics:

1:Underline titles of long works such as books, magazines, albums, movies, etc. (Do not underline end punctuation.)
Example: We use The Language Handbook to study grammar.
Example: We use The Language Handbook to study grammar.


2:Underline foreign words which are not commonly used in everyday English.
Example: If you look closely, you'll see e pluribus on most U.S. currency.
Example: If you look closely, you'll see e pluribus on most U.S. currency.

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#DASH

Type of research essay

My research essay is a classification essay. I found few websites which are really helpful for writing classification type of essay.
http://essayinfo.com/essays/classification_essay.php

http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/students/types%20of%20essays/Classification%20Essay.htm

Breaking News

I have completed my research and my research question is:
What are the causes and affects of world hunger and poverty, and how can we cure this evil ?

I spend my break on this rasearch paper and it was tough for me to write this big paper. I am using 9 sources for it. I hope this paper will be fine.

Dash

Dash is important to know for English writing. The rule is:
Use a pair of dashes to indicate a sudden interruption in a sentence. (One handwritten dash is twice as long as a hyphen. One typewritten dash is one hyphen followed by another.)
Example: There is one thing--actually several things--that I need to tell you.
Use a dash to attach an afterthought to an already complete sentence.
Example: Sarah bought a new pet yesterday--a boa constrictor.
Use a dash after a series of introductory elements.
Example: Murder, armed robbery, assault--he has a long list of felonies on his record.
http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#DASH

Media and Power

I read the essay of Diana Kendall "Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption" very interesting. She portrays the reality of our media influence on people and how media helps us to see upper and lower class differently. They just donot represent upper and lower class situtions but they make our minds as they like. no doubt, people try to copy the celebrities and characters repesented in the media. Media is representing more voilence programs and people are getting more violent because of this reason. She is true that media shapes our society and our thinking. We see and analyze things through their eyes.
Moreover, " Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt" by Kilbourne is true. The main point in her essay is that Media is playing an important role in discriminating women against men. Media portrays women as an object and a inferior thing, while represents men as superior and respectable. The media makes people think women are responsible for any bad act happens with them by men. The media makes women a bad reputed while prevents men from being bad reputed even if they act immoral.

20 Questions

Questions:
1:what do you think the civil right movement's greatest triumph was? and its failures?
2:What do you see as the most important issue, or issues, facing the African American community today?
3:Whether Americans have really accepted Obama as a first African -American president?
4: why marijuna is illegal and tobbaco is legal?
5: Why Americans are not ready to accept a women president?
6:Why minorities get low- minimum wage jobs?
7: what are the side effects of war on humanity?
8: How can we contribute in eroding world poverty?
9: Did civil right movement really created a difference in discrimination against blacks?
10: Are policies of Obama according to the rules of civil rights?
11: how illegal immigration can be prevented?
12: What are the pro/ cons of prochoice and prolife?
13: Why school prayer is not allowed in schools?
14:What are the impacts of tax on poor people?
15: Is the dealth penalty murder?
16:Why is abortion legal?
17: Does fourteenth amendments favor same-sex marriage?
18: What are the responibities of Government to make education equally assessible for all?
19: Do we respect the rights of disabled citizen?
20: Are welfare programs are making any difference in situation of poors?

question mark

question mark is important. The rule for question mark:
Use a question mark at the end of a question.
Example: Did Steven go with you?
Use a question mark at the end of a declarative statement that you want to emphasize as not believing the statement.
She's our new teacher?
Use a question mark with parentheses to indicate that you are not sure of a spelling or other fact.
I have to visit an orthopeadic (?) doctor next week.
http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#QUESTION%20MARK

Realize bitter reality

I read " Serving in florida" by Barbara Ehrenreich and I found this essay based on reality. Barbara has reflected the reality of the people who do minimum wage job and how they survive in their life. It is an eye opening essay for those who think to drop out of college and start a minimum wage job.

In the College , students may think themselves in very difficult and hard working situataton and where thay have to keep up with the tests and assignment and burden to complete everything on time, but if we compare college life with minumum wage job then we could realize
regretfullness and comfortless in life.This essay will be helpful in changing point of view of that person who thinks about droping out of college.

It is true that college life is not easy, but in the long run it turns out as a blessing when students complete education and find decent job with reasonable salaries. I feel blessed and lucky that I am in college and completing my education and then I will start a good salary job. I cannot bear and survive with minimum salary job and cannot imagine to live a miserable life.

exclamation

I always messed up with excmalation point. The actual rule for exclamation point :Use an exclamation point at the end of sentence, phrase, or word to indicate strong emotion. (Never use more than one exclamation point.).
Example: Wow! I never thought Mom would let us go to the concert!
Unacceptable: Wow!! I never thought Mom would let us go to the concert!!!!!!http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/conventions/punctuation.html#EXCLAMATION%20POINT

Art

Politics and current affairs influence art in a very imressing way. when some pressing issue come in the light then we start to see them in arts or poems or cartoons that expresses the artist's point of view or thought about that topic. For example, we can see that there were no pictures or cartoons about Obama but he became a part of art work after he joined the race of politics.

There is alot of artwork on issues like civil rights, education, and religion and those poems and pictures delivers messages that really touches heart.
Moreover , I read the poem " money" and it really reflects the truth because money is strength for people because money has power and who has money is powerful, and it changes people completely by making them selfish .
Moreover, the other poem "from seven floors up" is also about very sad and black side of colorful and fantasy world which represent the homeless people.

Adjectives

Sometimes, I fave difficulty with adjectives. and the best explanation is :Adjectives, another part of speech, give us a great deal of terminology. I will share it with you, but all that is really important is that adjectives modify or affect the meaning of nouns and pronouns and tell us which, whose, what kind, and how many about the nouns or pronouns they modify. They generally come before the noun or pronoun they modify, but there are exceptions to that rule. How and why they are different will be explained in later lessons. They still tell us which, whose, what kind, and how many.
Examples: The neighbor girl likes chocolate ice cream. Mr. Johanson is tall, dark and handsome.
http://www.dailygrammar.com/031to035.shtml

Transition expressions

I really find important to use transition expressions in making smooth transitions between paragraphs. The mostly used transition expression are : in contrast, in addition, however, despite that,on the other hand, therefore.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/transitions.htm

I Just Wanna be Average

I just wanna be average by Micheal Rose is an wonderful essay. I read about his school experience which was not good enough to make him rise above in life, and I don't like to learn about the way that teachers adopted to teach and handle students.

I am impressed to see the diference in his personality and changes in life. He was not a very hardwoking student and was not interested in studying as he says,"I fooled around in class and read my books indifferently... I did what I had to do to get by, and I did it with half a mind." but I won't blame him for that situation because the behaviors of people around us influence our behavior and sometimes that really hurt and naturally we become careless . But he made himself rise by his own struggle as he has published books and teaching English in UCLA. He has achieved a high status in life which is not so easy.He rose above from a low to high position and he is a self made person. This makes me believe that," where there is a will there is a way."

This essay really tells us that it is not impossible to get high status in life. we should keep confidence in Almighty God and should try hard to get success, We should remember that we can't be perfectionists but we can try and leave the result on God. If we don't become successful in anything then we should think that may be that would not better for us.

Advise vs Advice

I always get confused between advice vs advise. The rule for using advice and advice properly:
Advice is a noun, a thing. You give or receive or take advice. Advice rhymes with nice and mice and dice. Advise is a verb, an action--something you do. To advise is to give advice. Advise rhymes with wise and size and lies.
for example:
Advice:The advice that Shyam gave Vidya was useless.
Advise:The teacher advised the students to take the day off.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_advice_and_advise

Micheal Moore

In my opinion, Moore is just about finding out mistakes in the system of education and politics. I found "idiot nation" quiet interesting as he is expressing his views about illiteracy level in politicians. He shows a real aspect of our society by telling that many citizens are illiterate (cann't read and write), and which is making our nation weak in terms of knowledge.

He has told his experience of school and college that reveals the fact about Moors's careless nature and he was not interested in getting education . But Moore is a craetive person and his point are very strong. He is true as he says that teachers are not getting good pay. In reality, this is not fair with teachers are main who provide students with education and knowledge. We should encourage them by paying good salaray so more people can stay with teacher profession. On the other hand, politicians just put whole responsibility on teachers for poor education which is not a reality.

Overall, Moore makes peope to think by conveying his views on our nation's real situation. He doesnot care about what other people with think or complain about his views, instead he proved to be confident and bold as he expresses his thinking. Moore make us think that this is the responsibility of whole nation to make ourselves better. We should have concern about our nation and should start to making is betting by taking wise steps ourselves first without blaming eachother.

intependent clauses

I face problems with proper use of independent clauses. The actual rule to join two independent clauses, use a comma followed by a conjunction, a semicolon alone, or a semicolon followed by a sentence modifier.
RULE 1 -- EXAMPLES
Incorrect -- Correct
The delivery boy knew he carried strange cargo, but still ventured off unafraid.
The delivery boy knew he carried strange cargo, but he still ventured off unafraid
http://www.junketstudies.com/rulesofw/

Our Social Structure

Aulette has described the social structure of class, race ethnicity, and gender in a very interesting way in " From Changing American families." There are many essays and books on this topic but Aulette provides readers with true nature of our society. This essay made me to think about my position in the hierarchy of social structure.

Judy has done well research for describing different classes of people. She has described the truth of different classes and relationships with each other.her writing about the topic catches the reader's attention as it is reality. We can feel these different classes and groups around us. she switched from one subject to another in a very smart way in this paper.

Aulette has opposed the validity of Moynihan report by providing the example of "The Flats" and other factors. She didn't write about Moynihan report but she proved it wrong by mentioning true examples. In this way, she has proved herself an excellent researcher.

Apostrophe

Sometimes, I struggle with where to place apostrophe. The rules for apostrophes vary with the type of word. Learn where to put apostrophes so that your writing is clear and correct. In short, apostrophes are frequently used to indicate possession and in contractions, but generally not to pluralize. We can find out information about apostrophe in detail on webpage http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Apostrophes.

Discrimination

I like this cartoon as it is showing discriminaton . This cartoon is revealing a true and sad aspect of our society that people have hatred for each other because of race and ethnicity.

This cartoon is expressing the feelings of African Americans when they are labeled as colored by white people, but Africans don't like to be called colored. In the past, black people have faced tough time and didn't get equality within the society in every thing ;for example, seperate schools, lower rank jobs, seperate towns, seperate restrooms. These differences created restless atmosphere and really hurt blacks emotionally which made them aggressive people.

Freedom

This cartoom really attracted me for the truth it reveales that"freedom comes at a cost". Minorities,women, and black-slaves have really suffered and faced hardships for getting equality and freedon from the government and within society.

People have to pay maximam cost in term of hardship to get equality and this is a not a easy task to get freedom from government. This cartoon shows that it takes about a half life to wait for freedom and poeple remain hopeful to get freedom. In this cartoon, a dog is running after a man shows that sometimes people struggle for their freedom by putting their life in danger. In reality, government interferes with nation's freedon and don't leave them independent and free.

We know from past that when people raised his/ her voice for freedom like freedom of speech, religion, and due process then they faced alot of troubles, and majority in the upper class was against for these freedoms as these freedoms were not considered for people other than white and upper class.

Comma Rules

I had problem with commas in my english writing. But, now I know the actual for using commas.
Rule #1: Use a comma to seperate the elements in a series (three or more things).
Rule #2: Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses.
Rule #3:Use a comma to set off introductory elements.
Rule #4:Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements
Rule #5:Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives.
Rule #6:Use a comma to set off quoted elements.
Rule #7:Use commas to set off phrases that express contrast.
Rule #8:Use a comma to avoid confusion.
Rule #9:Grammar English's Famous Rule of Punctuation: Never use only one comma between a subject and its verb.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

"All that glitters is not gold"

As I Read, the both stories "Look Forward" by Soto and "what We Really Miss About the 1950s" by Coontz are really interesting. Both writers have expressed their childhood times in different ways.

Soto wrote about his childhood experience through the lens of a child to influence the readers to analyze interpretive skills. His narration about his childhood as a minority child is a true picture of fantasies and dreams of minority children. His way of narration catches the reader's attention easily as the story is based on reality of our American society. People are more likely interested in reality than wrong and fake things. The writer tells the fact about what people really imagine and try to copy others by sharing his childhood wish of having same life as he saw on the T.V and media. In my opinion, media plays a important role in development of a person's mind and society by feeding mind.Media prevents us from accepting reality and to live in a dream world.

Whereas Coontz's story " What We Really Miss About the 1950s" is based on facts and research. This story reveals her childhood time but that is completely different than Soto's. This story falsifies the belief about the 1950s that says 1950s was a perfect and ideal time for every American to imagine and remember. Coontz tried to show that 1950s was not the perfect time which we imagine and had many drawbacks in the society i.e. higher divorce rate. She revealed the fact through fair research that 1950 was more difficult time. This story works as a eye opener for the readers and convinces to not follow and believe anything blindly without research and study by themselves.

Introduction to Rereading America..!!

I am U.S citizen but lived most of my life in another country. I can clearly see the difference b/w the life of other countries and U.S.A. As a U.S citizen, you have rights to freedom of speech, liberty, education , equality under law. America is a land of freedom and it gives a sense of pride to be an American.

Every U.S citizen has rights and responsibilities at the same time. You have to work hard and become strong to reap the benefits and priviliges as an American citizen . As an American, it is one of our responsibilities to think actively and positively and somehow in this way we can play our part in making U.S more prosperous land to live in.


However,Rereading America is a unique kind of book for me. This book indulges reader to think critically about myths and underlying meanings . I was not use to read and think critically the way introduction has described about thinking critically, and this course will lead me to think differently. I feel difficulty in making, and expressing opinions. I know there will be different opnions and views in the class than mine and I respect opinions of other people . Anyhow, this course will be a good headstart to change me a bit as a strong U.S citizen and a confident human being.