Responce to Troy's Opening Statement

i was read Troy's interesting paragragh about how Parents should be able to modify their children's DNA, and i feel like i agree.  I especially like the idea that parents should have a lisense saying that they are sane, because pepole may be unfit to make the correct decision.  "I say that it is the parent’s choice, but they need to have some sort of license that signifies that they are capable to make the right decision."  To add on, i think taht people should go through a  series of drug tests, to make sure they are not on drugs.  They should also check the parent's alcohol level to make sure that they aren't drunk and making a spur of the moment decision that might be wrong for them in the future. I really liked how troy made the paragraph more personal, with out so many sources.  this made me feel as though i have a connection with those parents.  Also, the informal writing style made me feel as though i was talking to him directly.  it enhanced my understanding and enjoyment of reading this piece.My favorite part of the essay was the beginning. He said: 

I was reading the news when I came across a couple from Australia who had a miscarriage. They saw the baby’s face and instantly fell in love. They wanted to have another girl who looked just like her, so they tried again. This time they got twin boys. Since they wanted a girl the aborted the twins. I am against abortion, but I understand their view point.

This part was a perfect hook of the essay.  It made me feel connected to the piece on a level that just concrete details couldn't give me.  It was a wonderful aspect of DNA mutation.


One thing that i would point out to troy, is that he should put the sources and urls  and link the resources in the actual paragraph because it is more convenient for the reader.  Also, the paragraph should include more concrete ideas, because although i liked the personal level, i don't feel like it is strong enough by itself.  It would be a flawless essay if he was able to incorporate both parts.  Other than that, this paragraph was almost perfect.

Journal on Celie

In the Book, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, young Celie has an interesting relationship with god.  I believe that she doesn't necessarily believe in god, but she resides in a society that does.  She is constantly told that god is the one who she should turn to when she needs help, etc.  She speaks to god as if he were her journal, in which she can just pour out her feelings in. She lives in a lonely world where she has no one to talk to, and so she turn to the person who would always listen, god.  She usually doesn't ask for any guidance or help, but when she does, it is usually for another person.  All in all, she talks to god as a friend who she can trust not to tell anyone, and listen to her dearly, not as a prayer.

Should parents modify their child's DNA?

Human DNA modification can drastically change a person's life. Genetic DNA could be used to create a "Designer Baby", where a parent has genetically customized their child's DNA to have certain genes and have none of another.  For example, a baby, was cured of cancer before he was able to walk because doctors were able to genetically mutate his genes.  They had to do this because his father's side of the family has had a long line of cancer and they didn’t want him to be diagnosed too.  They were lucky to be able to catch it earlier.  On the other hand, it could be used to change the appearance of a child, picking and choosing different traits.  It should be legal for a parent to choose whether or not they want to modify their child's genes (with some boundaries).  I believe that it is very beneficial to be able to change the genetics of one's baby, and  It would be okay for a parent to use this technology to prevent a genetic disease/ tumor but unethical for them to use it to change a looks of their child.

First of all, it is the parent’s decision on how they raise their child, whether being hard on them school wise, or letting them decide their future, etc.  In the same way, they should have all the right to mutate their children’s genetics.  If the family is ready to put their child through genetic customizations, then they should.  The same should be held for such actions on the physical appearance of the child (but I think this is completely unethical.  Children should be born the way they were meant to, not the way they are artificially made.  Their appearance is one of the factors what shapes their life, and changes of that may result in a completely different person.).  Restrictions and laws should be made to keep genetic modification safe.  People should never be able to use this new science to create a difficulty for the child in the future, such as causing a cancerous mutation.  A DNA modification pamphlet should be handed out to every single parent/ patient to read, so that they understand fully what the dangers, risks, and benefits of DNA modification really are.

iPhone 4 On Verizon

At a press conference in New York City, Verizon CEO Lowell MacAdam announced that the iPhone 4 will be available on Verizon's networkstarting February 2011.

-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/verizon-iphone-release-date-launch_n_807347.html

Recently, the iPhone was finally released to verizon after their exclusive contract with AT&T expired after five years.  This contract stated that the iphone was exclusive with att only for five years.  After a few years of iphones being on the market, they became a “hot” item, and apple was just waiting for them to be able to expand to other carriers, such as verizon.  Verizon has a lot better service connect and stability, while att has faster downloading speeds.  The users of att have been fed up with the unstable connection, and have been waiting for the contract to expire so that they could hop onto verizon, as shown by this video.  Living in the bay area, the connection stability is even worse than anywhere else because att neglects to improve their satellites over us.  In my house, when sending a text message, I have to send the text, then jump up and down and hold my phone above my head. And with that, it only works sometimes.  And sometimes is gets ridiculous and I cant send the message and have to go outside. 

Not to seems spoiled or anything, but I thought I was lucky when I got the iphone 4 for att for Christmas.  But now, I am really regretting getting it because that means that I have to wait another two years before I can jump onto the verizon wireless plan and have great service, and a texting with out jumping up and down around my house, waving my hand over my head. 

On the other hand, the antenna problem that everyone was complaining about a few months ago hasn’t bothered me at all, which is great.  I think it is because I have a case over my phone which protects interference with the phones connection.  That is an upside that I wasn’t expecting.  But overall, looking at it from another perspective, having an iphone on att is a great, great thing that many others don’t get the privilege of, so I shouldn’t be complaining at all, even if verizon users are going to get 5x better connection. 

Super Power

I found this quote on Victor’s Blog that I found fascinating

If I had a super power it would be the ability to create an item by visualizing it in your mind. Others might want to fly or have super speed, but if you could make things with your mind, you could just visualize a jet pack to fly or a race car for speed. You could make up anything you want from guns to fight crime to food to fight poverty. Visualizing items is the best super power since you could do whatever you wanted since you controlled matter.

I have never thought of this power, and I think it maybe better than the one I thought of:

  As a child, I always wanted to fly, and I dreamt about flying with super powers.  I thought that I could just lead a normal life, except just concealing my secret, which would be easy if I followed just one rule: don’t fly in front of other people.  I could just fly from place to place by flying at super sonic speed up above the clouds, then slowing down and taking my time(which would still be 100 miles an hour).  I wouldn’t be expected to save anyone’s life or get into fights.  This way I would never be late for anything.  Sometimes, I dream about becoming a pilot, but I think against it because I don’t want to hold the future of all the people in the plane in my hands and fail them because I tend to make a lot of mistakes.  Also, flying a plane has restrictions because I can’t go anywhere I want, I have a top speed, and I cant do tricks.  I thought about joining the air force, but that is dangerous, and I don’t want to put my life in danger.  I also don’t want to be involved in any killing or bombing. 

With victor’s idea of visualizing things, I could just make a hover skate board or a jet back or flying shoes that go as fast and I want.  I could also give food to people who need it.  But if I had any super powers, I would keep it to myself because I don’t want people to expect me to do good,a nd have me fail them. Also, I don’t want to become a human test experiment for scientists.  I would do good, but in my own secret way.

“I just want to fly” is what I used to think. But now when I think about it, I now know that flying is a sign of freedom, going as fast as you want where ever you want and whenever you want.  That is what I want, not just flying.

Throughout reading the seven debates about whether or not one attends an elite school, it affects their future, two especially stuck out at me: Merit and Race, by Luis Fuentes-Rohwer, a professor of law at Indiana University, and What You Do vs. Where You Go, by Martha (Marty) O'Connell, the executive director of Colleges That Change Lives, a nonprofit organization.  Merit and Race caught my eye as the least persuasive, and relevant essay.  First of all, none of the statistics given were backed up with any concrete sources, and also, Fuentes-Rohwer based most of his debate on ethnicity, which had little to do with the actual prompt.  He barely mentioned his position: the higher ranking the college, the better, and backed it up with little, unverified information, and moved onto how colleges were important for minority groups to survive in the real world.  I do agree with what he was saying, that elite colleges help minorities get noticed when competing for a job, where the employer is racist of has stereotypes in mind while decide who the best candidate for the job is, But it has nothing to do with whether or not an elite college is better, and more beneficial for all. 

On the other hand, I really noticed Martha O’Connell’s debate about how it is how hard one works and how he carries himself into the next stage that determines how well he does in his lifetime.  I enjoyed the mention of the first hand experience with the high school kids that she displayed how many successful people didn’t come from elite colleges or colleges at all.  This made me feel as though I was on a more personal not with O’Connell than with any of the other writers.  Also, I liked that her writing over flowed, with an easy-to-read vocabulary.  It made it interesting to read without getting boring.  Instead of using information from research, she used her own, first hand data and data that is undeniable (the famous people not going to elite colleges, just working hard). She also added a layer of SAT scores to finish off the debate, and give some strong concrete detail.  Over all, it was an easy-to-read piece with a lot of great writing and points.