Monday, November 30, 2009

"Growing Up Old" by Richard Rodriguez

"Growing Up Old" by Ricahard Rodriguez is a very interesting essay. In his essay the author mekes general points about the youth of today. I agree with all the points exposed by Rodriguez in his essay. I believe that the stage of adolecense is one of the most difficult stages of human life. Most of the teenagers think they are adults, as the result; they want to act as they believe is correct. The problem is that in this stage they are easy to influence by bad acts and improper behaviors. The use of drugs, alcohol, violence, and having sex at early age are some of the bad behaviors that adolecents are following in our society. For instance, nowadays teenagers and children are exposing to violance on meny media such as television, internet, and others. The violence on video games and movies are infuencing them to become insensitive to violence. Consequently, damageto someone else property, the use of weapons, and the murder of another person are something normal to do. In my opinion parents and society must aware about children and adolecents because we are the principal responsables for the acts of our children.

Bruce Catton, "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrast"

Grant and Lee were two strong men these oddly different generals, and they represented the strengths of two conflicting currents that through them, had come into final collision. Lee was tidewater Virginia, and in his background were family, culture, and tradition... the age of chivalry transplanted to a New World which was making its own legends and its own myth. He was the notion that the old aristocratic concept might somehow surviveand be dominant in American life. Lee embodied the noblest elements of his aristocratic ideal. Through him, the landed nobility justified itself. On the other hand, Grant, the son of a tanner on the Western frontier, was everything Lee was not. He had come up the hard way and embodied nothing in particular except the eternal toughness and sinewy fiber on the men who grew up beyond the mountains. These frontier men were the precise opposites of the tidewater aristocrats. Nevertheless they stood for democracy, not from any reasoned conclusion about the proper ordering of human society.

The importance of stories in life

Stories are very important in our life because it is one of the way that people have to let other generations know about facts, lessons, and important messages. Most of the stories have important lessons to learn about facts that happens in life. Also most of those tell the story of a person that we should follow or not. Stories are part of our development as humans. In addition, its are one kind of entertainment not only for adults but also for children. There are many kind of stories: fiction, non-fiction, horror, crime, and romance. I enjoy reading stories of mystery and crime. This is a good form to entertain and learn.

My definition of writing

Writing is one of the ways that human have to communicate. Many people use writing to express their ideas instead of speak. In addition, people try to communicate with others in a formal way; and I think that this is one of the reasons why people take time to write. Another reason is that sometimes people want to keep what they are thinking. Also they want that people from other countries or people in the future will know and remember their ideas. For example, some people have written about their experiences and mistakes. As the result, many people rare leaarning about those experiences and mistakes. Ithink that writing is the way that human found to communicate their ideas and feelings from one generation to another; without mention that writing is one of the things that differentiate humans from animals. Writing compositions have the function to help us to write in a formal way. Also it helps us to communicate clearly and more efficiently.

A Special Place

Everyone has a special place to remember. This place should have an important significance to people. I have some places that I remember with pleasure and emotion. Indeed, Miami Spring is a special place which I always going to remember for some reasons. There are its beautiful places, Miami Spring High School, and the neighborhood. One of the reason is the beauty of the place. The first time that I came to Miami Spring I could see the amazing architecture of the city. Another reason why I always going to remember this place is the school. It was the first high school where I studied when I came to the United States. Finally, the neighborhood is the last reason why I always going to remember Miami Spring. It is a quiet and clean neighborhood. Rarely residents of the city see an agglomeration of cars. In my opinion Miami Spring is one of the best places to live in Dade County. It is a good place to raise your kids and live with your family.

William Zinsser, "College Pressures"

The decision of study implies a lot of responsabilities for students. It is true that the sacrifice of completing college is good reward, but the fact remains that college students face some difficulties in achieving their goals. College students face a lot of pressures. Most of the time college students have other important responsabilities in their life. The principal problem is financial situations. Many college students have only a part- time job. They have to support their family, bills to pay, and as if these were not enough they have to pay expensive books for their clasess. Another pressure that college students face is time management. They have to work, take care of their family, and some other staffs. Time management can help college students to spend their time corectly. In my opinion, they shoulddevelop strategies to successful in college. Some of the strategies that students can use to overcome college pressures are to avoid procrastination. Some students wait until last time to do what is important to school. Consequently they don't have enough time to do a good work in classes. Applying for financial AID on time is another good strategy that students should develop. Most of the time students are responsable for late financial AID applications. The simple fact of being a college student is a pressure, but with responsability and hard working students can be successful students without neglecting their family and other important things.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Negative Effects of Smoking Cigarettes.

Smoking cigarettes in addition to affect your health and personal appearance, also affect smokers' economy. The deterioration of health or even deaths of people who smoke are the gravest consequence that they can suffer. For example, a high percentage of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. The good appearence in people is another negative effect of smoking. For instance, the skin is also affected by smoking. Smokers suffer of dry skin and bad smell on it. The economy is the last negative affects that smoking cigarettes can cause. Smoking is an expensive habit. The cost of a pack of cigarettes averages around $4.50 to $5. In my opinion smokers should reflect about the negative effects that smoking produce. They also should seek professional help to stop smoking, and they should try not to practice this vice again.

The Effects of September,11, 2001 in The United States.

Everyday people in the United States of America remember September,11,2001. That day a group of Al-Qaeda hijacked four planes and crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. According to researches about 3000 people died in attacks. That day was one of the most terrible day in the History of The United States of America. The September 11 attacks resulted negative effects in people, the economy, and the enviroment in the United States of America.One of the effects of 9/11 attacks in the United States was mental health problems in people. The psychological and neurological repercussions in adult witnesses who were near the World Trade Center and in children who lost a parent in the tragedy are some of the health conditions that people have suffered after 9/11 attacks. Another negative effect of 9/11 attacks in The United States was in the economy. September 11, 2001 was an event that disturbed the U.S. stock markets, and its effects affected many financial markets such as the Airlines and Insurance industries. Finally, the 9/11 attacks resulted negative effects in the environment. For instance, people, animals, and the vegetation near the zone were affected because of the toxic substance buried when the towers collapse.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Rachel Carson, "A Fable for Tomorrow"

Rachel Carson is the author of the book " A Fable for Tomorrow." In that time some people disagree with her point of view about the uses of pestices. Some people attack her because of it. She was attacked for her controversial book" Silent Spring."One of the attacks was when Robert White- Stevens may a suggestion that" If men were to faithfully follow the teaching of Ms Carson."The Agricultural Industry also dismisses her as "hysterical womanwho is unqualifiedas a scientist." In my opinion these products are using to good purpose, but these products also have negative effects. Everyone knows that that pesticidesand chemical products affects not only the nature, but also humans' health, and animals. I think that people don't need to be a scientist to know that these products are really dangerous to people and to the earth. Logically people who work for those kinds of companies are going to defend the uses of these products. Nevertheless people must aware of this, and we must try to protect as much as posible our planet.

William F. Buckley, Jr., "Why Don't We Complain?"

Nowadays our country is facing mucs kind of problems. Our society is far of being perfect. The Goverment and people do not always agree with each other. People are alway complaining for one thing or another. They should have freedom of speech, and people need to express what they feel. Nowadays people have ceased to complain about healthcare. For instance, a huge percentage of families and children have not a good healthcare. In addition, they have not health insurance. Another issue why people has ceased to complain is the increased of unemployment. Many people are losing their jobs everyday. Other issue that people have ceased to complain in our society is the raise of rents. Every day a lot of people are losing their jobs, they have not money to satisfy their principal needs, and despite all of that the rents are increasing every day. Finally, The low salary is an issue that our society rarely complains about it. I think we have the right to complain about certain issues that affect us, but we should do it in an appropiate manner and without violate the individual rights of others. Solidarity, respect, and teamwork can help us to improve the society in which we live; it also can help us to be better humans.

Joan Didion, "Marrying Absurd"

The author of "Marrying Absurd" described the act of marriage in Las Vegas as a business. Some people think that it is fun and different, but certain a marriege is an act that people should take seriously. I think that marriage is one of the most important moments in everyone's lifes. It is the first step to a new life , and the beginning of your own family. For this reason peple should take marriage very serious. Vegas weddings are very quickly and its have lack of seriousness. As the result, people who get marriage in Las Vegas most of the time they divorced. Everybody knows that the wedding is a time to remember in people 's lifes. Nevertheless sometimes people have not enough money to spend on a traditional wedding. They prefer to get marriage in Las Vegas where marriages are not taken seriously. At the end the divorce arrives as fast as the wedding arrived.

Virginia Woolf, "The Death of the Moth"

" The Death of the Moth" by Virginia Woolf is an interesting story. In her essay the author is comparing a helples moth with a human. Many people think that humans are very strong, but compared with the death humans have not opportunity. The message of the author in her essay shows how our life can change in a second. Forthermore, she tries to say that people do not get used to death; even though, we know that from one day to another we can die. Also in this essay Virginia explains very clear that death is stronger than people; people cannot fight with it when it comes. Death is the only fact that for sure is going to happen to us. In my opinion we should think about what we want in our life. We should try to take advantage of our life: for even as we live also we die and sometimes we have not enjoyed the life. Nevertheless people should enjoy their life without harm anyone else life. Alsoit is very important that people fight for their life as same as the moth.

" A Hanging" by George Orwell

The story of " A Hanging" by George Orwell is a very good story. It has a strong and important message to human. Some of the time people act as irrational person, and at the end they have to pay for it. The overral message of Orwell' s " A Hanging" is that nobody has the right to a human.
Some countries have permitted the death penalty to prisoners that a judge found guilty to have made a mistakein our society; nevertheless, in few of these cases after of prisonersexecution people had proved that the prisoners was innocent. In the moment of clarity George Orwell understands that they are making a mistakebecause they are going to kill a human.Also, he feels self-reproach because of this act. This moment in the story can prove that can reflect about their bad actions before doing its. The sad thing about it is that sometimes people can be more irrational than animals or other spicies on the earth. In my opinion people should try to keep patience and sensitivity to avoid mistakes. The life of a human is the most valuable treasure that people have; and everyone should respect that.