Prompt 4: "Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn't)"

Central Argument: Good advertising does influence people by sneakily planting memorable and engaging ads into peoples’ heads that later help influence their decisions.

            This piece of work is entitled Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn’t) by Nigel Hollis. He argues that even though an advertisement doesn’t necessarily cause you to immediately jump off your keister and head to the nearest shopping center, they do still work. By sneaking into your brain and memory, the advertisements plants a seed in your head that later helps to influence your choice in products, brands, and so on. I agree with this statement 100%. Even though people say, “Oh, I’m never taken captive by those evil television commercials just trying to sell me crap!” the truth is, they actually work. Through memory, reason, and personal evidence of its success, I’ll prove to you that a good advertisement does indeed work.

            Your mind is the main goal of advertisers out. The most important feature about an ad has to be its memorability and its ability to leave a lasting impression. Making you remember and recall the ad later when you’re hungry, or need shampoo, or whatever is the main goal. Once in a blue moon will there be an ad so good it makes you jump off your chair and race for the malls. I mean, what’s good enough to make you miss the ending of The Notebook? So that’s why ads need to be sneaky and play catchy jingles that get stuck in your head. You didn’t really think they had that music there for fun did you?  Good advertisement all use little techniques of jingles and memorable stuff as it makes the commercial leave a lasting impression on you which you will subconsciously recall when you need something.

Also, there is the question Hollis brings up which is, why would the government invest $70 billion in something they didn’t believe worked? The government is made up of some pretty bright people. They wouldn’t just casually throw $70 billion around. We, the people, elect government members into office. Obviously we pick smart candidates that wouldn’t do something stupid with our tax dollars by spending tons of money on crap. And there are many levels to the government and motions need to go through a lot of steps in order for the government to decide to do something. So if deciding something as big as spending $70 billion dollars on something gets passed and permitted, it has to be for something that works.

Finally, I know from personal experience that advertising works. When I go shopping or want something I always remember the ads I’ve seen or heard, and the jingles. Like when I’m walking down the makeup aisle I recall seeing this product in an ad and am like, “Oh, I should try that.” There’s actually this one ad in particular for Pizza Pizza that I always remember because of its jingle. So whenever my family decides to order pizza, I always say their number straight off the top of my head. I mean, I don’t want to flip through some phone book or boot up the computer just to find another number when I already know the one for Pizza Pizza. “Five, six, seven … eleven … eleven… Call Pizza Pizza, hey hey hey!” Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they make a mean pizza.

In conclusion, it’s not the so much the ad that matters. It’s the memorability, impressions and positive feelings about the brand or particular item that matter. Any memory the advertisement gives you that will cause you to view the brand or item in a more positive light than its alternatives is a plus.

Article: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/08/why-good-advertising-works-even-when-you-think-it-doesnt/244252/ 

Bonus Post:

I usually like older songs but this song is so good i like legit cried the first time i watched this.

Week Nine Article

http://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/article/1123407--drought-continues-for-canada-against-top-ranked-american-powerhouse

Posted: January 29^th, 2012                                                    Viewed: January 30^th, 2012

Article Summary:
This article is about Sunday’s soccer game between the United States of America and Canada. This match was the final game of the CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament. It was Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan who scored two goals apiece that lead the United States to a 4 - 0 victory. With those two goals, Wambach moved up to 131 goals in her international career, making her sole possessor of second place in all-time scoring. Another key player was the U.S. goal keeper, Hope Solo, who was on fire, stopping Christina Julien on a promising breakaway in the first half and then again in the second half. The United States is now ranked number one in the world and claimed the CONCACAF championship. Despite the crushing defeat Canada faced, both teams will be headed to this year’s summer Olympics in hopes of bringing home that gold.  

Word 1: eluded
a) Morgan took a long pass from Lauren Cheney and eluded McLeod and Canadian defenders before putting in a turnaround shot.
b) Eluded: To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) The students eluded the monkeys by not making eye contact and throwing rocks.

Word 2: point-blank
a) In the 44th minute, U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo stopped Christina Julien on a breakaway from point-blank range.
b) Point-blank: Close enough so that missing the target is unlikely or impossible (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Mr. Miller tossed his empty bottle to the bin at point-blank range and still missed!

Word 3: outright
a) Four minutes later, Wambach gained outright possession of second in all-time scoring as she put in Morgan’s short pass following a rebound off the post.
b) Outright: Completely and entirely; wholly (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) The whole school was outright supportive of David and Ryley and their half marathon mishap by resending Mr. Jay’s email.     

Response:
This article directly relates to one of my favourite hobbies, soccer. I’ve been playing the sport since I was four years old and have been in rep since I was nine. So soccer has been a huge part of my life for basically my entire existence. It is a lot of fun, a good workout and you meet great people. Like the Canadian defender Candace Chapman, I’m a defender. I can totally relate to the point in the game when Chapman was knocked to the turf and then scored on. Being the last man back, there is a lot of pressure and guilt when a goal is scored on you, so I totally know how Chapman felt at that point in the game. Like last summer it was just me and another girl racing down the field after a ball when I tripped and fell letting her get and easy goal. It was terrible so, like every time I make a mistake, I bent down and `tied my shoes.’

The Dream Summer

Q#174: If money and family obligations left you entirely free, how and where would you spend the summer before college?

The summer before college is the last time to see your friends before you head your separate ways, on your own paths. Who knows when or if you will see them again, or remain best friends forever like you promised each other you would as little kids? You meet new people and grow and you never know what can happen. If money and family obligations left me entirely free, I would make the most of my last summer with my best friends. For all I know, it could be my last one to just be carefree kid with them. I would make it a summer that I would remember forever and fantasize about during those long, cold Canadian winters.  I would spend the first part of my last summer before college road tripping across the United States with my best friends. We have always talked about how awesome it would be to rent an RV and just go. It doesn’t really matter where to, as long as we’re all together enjoying ourselves and just loving life. We would have to get back to Canada though by the last week of July to keep the tradition of going to Bronny’s cottage every summer alive! I mean tubing, race car driving, bumper carts, endless days on the beach, working at the soup kitchen, etc. We would never miss that for the world! And Bronwen, Krysta and I would finally go on the ride at Canada’s Wonderland that you have to sign a death waiver before going! Every time we go to Wonderland we always say we’ll do it, wait in line and then chicken out. But in my dream summer we would finally go for it. So, basically, my dream summer is spending every free second I’ve got with my best friends, squeezing as much adventure and fun as possible into every second of it.  

Week Eight Article

http://basementrug.com/5949

Posted:  October 11^th, 2011                                                 Viewed: January 23^rd, 2012

Article Summary:
This article is in memory of George “Mojo” Buford, a modern blues harmonica player, who died of a heart failure at 81 on Tuesday July 4^th, 2011. The article recounts his life and how he made a profession out of his lifelong hobby. “He was doing what he loved to do right up until the end,” his son Abe said proudly. Buford moved to Chicago around 1953 where he ended up joining Muddy Waters’ band. He was out in the street drinking wine with his band when his pianist said, “Come on, Muddy Waters is just a man like you and me.” So he brought Buford in and told Waters that Buford was a harmonica player. Muddy Waters said, “You don’t say,” and Buford played with Waters off and on until his death in 1983. In 1963 Buford tried his hand at a solo career and issued several records of his own. “He’s the real deal. He is one of the last guys carrying this music on,” said the Fabulous Thunderbirds leader Kim Wilson.

Word 1: reputable
a) One of the most reputable harp blowers in modern blues, Fabulous Thunderbirds leader Kim Wilson, remembered the thrill of standing in Buford’s shoes when the T-Birds backed Waters at several mid-’70s gigs at Antone’s in Austin, Texas.
b) Reputable: having a good reputation; honoured, trustworthy, or respectable (www.thefreedictionary.com) c) Mr. Plonka is one of the most reputable English teachers around.

Word 2: recruitment
a) Buford spent the past decade living at a senior care center in north Minneapolis, where he gave this account in 2002 of his recruitment into Waters’ band, whom he always referred to as “Muddy Waters.”
b) Recruitment: the act of getting recruits; enlisting people for the army or for a job or a cause etc. (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Recruitment goes on at Woodstock School for the C.A.R.E. projects.

Word 3: issuing
a) After a Waters gig in 1963 at the Loon nightclub in south Minneapolis, the harp blower decided to make the Twin Cities his home and tried his hand at a solo career from here, issuing several of his own records.
b) Issue: To be circulated or published (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Woodstock issued videos of their school play, Brigadoon.

Response:
This article I found relates to one of my newest hobby and/or interest, playing the harmonica. A week or so ago I finally started to learn the harmonica, something I have always wanted to do since grade 8 when we were forced to watch this movie called ‘Perfect Harmony’ in music class. In the movie there is this southerner that plays the harmonica and I fell in love with the harmonica’s sound and, right then and there, I decided that someday I would learn how to play the harmonica. I probably won’t go on to make a career out of it like George “Mojo” Buford, but am enjoying it. So far I’ve learned how to play Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ and ‘When the Saints go Marching In.’ Anyways, I can totally relate to Buford’s love of playing the harmonica.

I HATE CATS !

Q#250: If animals could talk, what would your pet say about you?

It honestly depends on which pet of mine you're asking. You see, if you were to ask my dog, she would automatically be like, "Megan is number one, the tops, love her! always walking me, feeding me, letting me on the couch even though I’m not allowed, giving me pieces of kolbassa or whatever she's eating, plays race to snow mountain with me, she’s got my back in hating on the cats ...." and so on. On the other hand, the cats would have a totally different answer. I’m a dog person; I hate everything there is about cats. They are always in the way causing me to trip/ fall/ destroy something. Like this past Christmas I’m casually walking to dining room with the turkey when out of nowhere bolts the little troublemakers causing me to trip up and smash “the fine china!!" screams my mom. And every night the two cats race around the house chasing one another causing so much raucous it’s ridiculous. So naturally, I hate them and they I hate me. I rarely pet the little buggers and certainly did not feel bad when I kicked one of them across the room, by accident of course. My friend texted me and my phone was touching my foot, I’m extremely ticklish on my feet by the way, and I kicked my foot sending the cat far, far away. Don't worry, cats always land on their feet. Also, since I use spray bottles to keep them away from me and used to dress them up, they have had it in for me since day one. So if you were to ask my pet cats about me, you would probably hear so much swearing you would wash your own mouth out with soap!

Mobstacle Course

 

Q#231: Invent a game and explain the rules.

The name of the game is Mobsticle Course. This is a game I invented when I was about ten and my family and friends love it. First of all, everyone participating must have on a really baggy shirt. Note that it must be baggy enough to can fit a blown up exercise ball into it. There is no limit on the number of people that can play, as long as the lines are equal. The people must split up so there is two groups of four or three groups of one or whatever is best for the amount of people you have. Then, in your own groups, decide who will go first, second, and so on. In short, this game is like an epic, contact obstacle course.  When you hear “GO!” you put the exercise ball in the baggy shirt you already have on. Then you head out to the obstacle course while purposely body slamming opponents with your enormous belly.  There is no specific way to set up your obstacle course, just be as creative as possible. A suggestion is to involve a section where you carry an egg on the spoon because it’s a lot of fun trying to keep it balanced as you all bump into each other. Another suggestion is to make a point in the obstacle course where there is only one path for all the people. This causes tons of pushing and bumping which is a lot of fun. One of the rules is that you don’t have to be on the same section of the obstacle course to tackle them. Like if someone is ahead you can run to where they are at and keep pushing them back to where you are. There no other rules except have fun and be safe!

Week Seven Article

http://www.teenspot.com/spotlight/female-high-school-wrestler-breaks-boundaries-causes-controversy/

Posted: February 25^th, 2011                                   Viewed: January 16^th, 2011

Summary:
This article is about the controversy that happened in February of 2011 when a co-ed wrestling tournament took place Iowa. Freshmen Cassy Herkleman of Cedar Falls became the first girl to win a match at the Iowa state wrestling tournament in the 86 year history of their long tradition of fantastic wrestling. Her grand victory came with even grander controversy and she was awarded the win by default because her opponent, Joel Northrup of Linn Mar refused to wrestle her. Northrup was a very dominant, ranked wrestler and, although quick to congratulate her on her success, he voluntarily forfeited as he felt the situation compromised his values. He had great respect for her accomplishments, but felt that as a matter of his conscience faith, it was not appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. This incident lead to a national debate on whether wrestling should be co-ed or not.   

Word 1: infusion
a) As a result, one of the latest infusions of female talent has been on the national wrestling scene.
b) Infusion: the act of introducing a certain modifying element or quality (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) There is no infusion going on at Woodstock that I know of.

Word 2: groundbreaking
a) Although groundbreaking in the state of Iowa, Alaska has had two girls in state titles and most of the country allows co-ed participants with the exception of Hawaii, California and Texas.
b) Groundbreaking: being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Plonka’s English class blog was a groundbreaking assignment.

Word 3: compromise
a) Northrup, a dominant, ranked wrestler with a 35-4 regular season record – although quick to congratulate Herkleman on her success – voluntary forfeited because he felt that the situation would compromise his values.
b) Compromise: an exposure of one's good name, reputation (www.thefreedictionary.com)

Response:
Being a wrestler myself, I understand where this guy is coming from. I am all for female equality but wrestling is one sport that should never be co-ed. It’s great for girls to want to be “challenging the norm” and “girl power” and all, but we need to get real here. If you see a wrestling match between two boys and then a match between two girls you will immediately understand why girls should stick to wrestling girls and boys likewise.  Boys wrestle a lot quicker and a lot more aggressively. It is one thing for girls to wrestle boys in practice; I mean a wrestling team is like family and it is great practice for the girls because the guys are, for the most part, better. And this article didn’t even mention the other girl that doubled out, getting pinned in under a minute in both rounds. Men are just stronger and quicker than women in this sport and women need to learn to accept that.

Week Six Article

http://www.mississauga.com/community/article/913529--students-build-bunk-beds-for-first-nations

Posted: December 7^th, 2010                                    Viewed: January 9^th, 2012

Summary:
This is an article written about the students at Meadowvale Secondary School and their neighbouring school West Credit that have been building bunk beds for First Nations families in northern Ontario.  About 20 students in West Credit’s shop program and Meadowvale’s High Skills program joined FTC Canada’s first Nations Bunk Bed program which helps get the children of the floor and into comfy beds. The students will build 10 bunk bed frames a year for the next three years. FTC Canada is a non -profit organization and for several years now they have worked in First Nations communities and found that many children live in desperate conditions and suffer from poor health. Sleep conditions on the reserves are terrible and contribute to their inability to learn and their obvious health. The bunk bed program is important because a good night’s sleep will help improve their learning, memory, attention and overall health.

Word 1: deprivation
a) "Sleeping conditions are very poor there (on First Nations reserves) and that contributes to the inability to learn, and there are obvious health issues like sleep deprivation," he said.
b) Deprivation: The act or an instance of depriving; loss (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Woodstock’s exams cause sleep deprivation for its students.

Word 2: relief
a) FTC Canada is a non-profit relief organization that helps children and their families around the world by providing food, medicine and education.
b) Relief: The easing of a burden or distress, such as pain, anxiety, or oppression (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Woodstock provides relief by donating clothes.

Word 3: desperate
a) For several years, the group has worked in First Nations communities and found that most children live in desperate conditions and suffer from higher rates of poor health.
b) Desperate: Nearly hopeless; critical (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Some families in the bazaar live in very desperate conditions.

Response:
This article strongly relates to me, in fact it is about me! Although I am not one of the original twenty students that signed up to participate in FTC Canada’s First Nations Bunk Ned Program, I did help in building the bunk bed frames. I joined in their second year of participating in the Bunk Bed program. After taking shop in grade nine and doing the voluntary afterschool courses they offered at Meadowvale Secondary School when I was in grade eight, Mr. Rogers, one of the shop teachers, said I was quite good and asked me if I would like to help out even though I’m not in the High Skills program. I agreed in a heartbeat and had tons of fun working on the bunks for the First Nations children. Unfortunately I couldn’t be too much help this school year being halfway across the world, but it was a fantastic opportunity I got to partake in.       

Favourite Quotation

Q#104: What is your favorite quotation and why? (Princeton)

My all-time favourite quote has to be “life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” The author is unknown but it really is a great quote. It basically says that life is full of difficulties and disappoints that aren’t always expected, like a storm, and you have to go on with your life and enjoy it,  like by dancing in the rain, even when there are great hardships to overcome. You can’t just throw you’re your life and have yourself a little pity party and just hope things will get better, you have to deal with it, move on and make the best of a bad situation. I think the main reason I like this quote so much is that this is how I choose to go about my life. I guess you could say this quote is my philosophy on life. Life is not about being problem-free; it's about having a great time no matter what happens. So, in a way, this quote represents my personality and views. You see, when life throws a curveball at me and I strike out, I come back swinging. I like to take life for what it is and be optimistic, make the best of a bad situation. Even what seems to be a dull moment can be a happy moment if you think positively. "If you change your thoughts, you can change your world."

Week Five Article

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/gadget-guide-2011-mini-pie-cupcake-maker-bakes/story?id=15147143

Posted: December 14^th, 2011                                 Viewed: January 2^nd, 2011

Summary:
This article is all about a very versatile kitchen appliance known as the Mini Pie and Cupcake Maker. This machine is perfect for making quiches, mini pies, teeny cakes and cupcakes. With it you can make four different types of quiche at once and a personal cherry pie in the amount of time it takes to brew a cup of coffee! You can even make cupcakes and chicken pot pie at the same time! All the foods are delicious and evenly heated throughout and take only 10 minutes maximum to make. Cleanup is very quick and easy. With its non-stick coating there’s no need for soaking or scratchy sponges. You can prepare, bake, eat and cleanup in under 45 minutes. It makes controlling your portion size very easy and is truly a perfect gift for the (lazy) aspiring chef in your life. Find it at The Sharper Image for $59.99.  

Word 1: decadent
a) At first glance, it may seem an appliance built specifically for cupcake-making is a bit decadent.
b) Decadent: Being in a state of decline or decay (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Compared to the boys’ dorm, Midlands is decadent.

Word 2: versatile
a) I was in luck -- the Mini Pie and Cupcake Maker is actually very versatile.
b) Versatile: Capable of doing many things competently (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) The students of Woodstock are very versatile.

Word 3: aspiring
a) Truly a perfect gift for the (lazy) aspiring chef in your life.
b) Aspiring: Desiring or striving for recognition or advancement (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) At Woodstock there are many aspiring scholars.

Response:
Jackie Jesko’s article related to my newly found interest of decorating cupcakes. During the winter break I made these cupcakes that look like cookie monsters and, despite my original expectation, they actually turned out really well. I’m actually thinking of maybe even doing that for a living. Anyways, the point is that this Mini Pie and Cupcake Maker would be a great for making my cupcakes that I could later decorate as it takes like no time and makes smaller portions easy. The smaller portions would be perfect as I always end up with too many. Also, cleanup is a breeze with the Mini Pie and Cupcake Maker which is probably its best feature. The cleanup is the only downside of cooking and if I had this appliance there would be no downside. So, all in all, the Mini Pie and Cupcake Maker sounds like a great investment for me.



http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/gadget-guide-2011-mini-pie-cupcake-maker-bakes/story?id=15147143

How to Save Ants

Q#99: Using a piece of wire, a car window sticker, an egg carton, and any inexpensive hardware store item, create something that would solve a problem. Tell us about your creation, but don't worry: we won't require proof that it works. (Johns Hopkins)

First you take the piece of wire and twist around itself, making tight circles at first and then gradually wider and wider. Then pull the last wire circle from the first couple of wire circles to form a cone like structure. Once you have completed that you move on to the egg carton. Rip the roof of the egg carton off of the base of the egg carton. Then you rip off the long, flat edge of the egg carton’s roof, the part with no holes or bends in it. Use that piece and coil it around the wire structure you have formed. Use the car window sticker to secure the carton piece to the wire structure. Now, it is time for the secret hardware store item: multi-surface waterproofer. Paint this onto the egg carton wire structure you have created to make it water resistant. I’m sure you are now looking at your masterpiece and wondering, “What on earth is this?” Well, it is an object you put on the peak of an ant hill when it is raining. It will kind of look like where the snow is on top a snow peaked mountain. So, when the rain falls it will slide down the sides of your structure instead of going into the ant hill, thus solving the problem of flooding ant hills.  

For the Children

Q#75: Community service can be a valuable part of the college experience. If you were to devote one year of service to a volunteer project, what would it be, and what would you hope to accomplish? (Goucher)

A volunteer project that I have always wanted to do or be a part of was building schools for children in third world countries, like in Kenya or something. Ever since I was a young lass I loved to build things and work with my hands. So today, I’m not surprised to find that careers I’m interested in have to do with, shocker, my hands and building. Not only would I be doing this wonderful thing for others, I would be having a blast myself. I love the outdoors and “roughing it” and there, of course, would be locals around and children, who would just make it absolutely fantastic. I love little kids. Like during my eleventh grade activity week we went on a hike for 9 days and one day we stopped just outside of this village. Mr. Kutty, our chaperone, let us go into the village as we had ample amount of time before dinner. So, we split into smaller groups and into the village we went. I had an absolute blast with these little kids everywhere! Even though there was this language barrier, we could still play and laugh and have a wonderful time. I taught them the Macarena, how to make funny faces, chased them around the village, played hand games, scared them and so on and so on. Unfortunately I had to leave, but then they came to our actually campsite begging me to come play again! I had the biggest smile and off I went. I’ve never been so happy and seen such joy in my life. Making them smile made me smile. But seeing these poor, dirty kids and the conditions they lived in made my passion for wanting to help third world children grow ten times stronger. For people to have nothing and have to work so hard just to get by every, single day and still be able to have that kind of joy is not only mind blowing but inspiring. Out of this volunteering, there’s nothing in particular I’m looking to accomplish; just to give these children something to smile about. J

Week Three Article

http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2011/11/18/pizza-school.html

Posted: November 18^th, 2011                   Viewed: November 20^th, 2011

Article Summary:

So, this article basically has to do with the child nutrition law bill in the U.S. that requires schools to improve on the nutritional quality of the lunches served; not only are they to be delicious, but nutritious too. In this specific article, it mostly talks about how the U.S. Agriculture Department (USAD) originally wanted to require a half cup of tomato paste for a pizza slice to qualify as a vegetable but this past Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives decided to back off to a less strict policy saying that a slice of pizza qualifies as a vegetable as long as it contains two tablespoons of tomato paste. "Pizza should be served with a vegetable, not count as one," is a popular view of consumer advocacy groups. The article also speaks of the limits on french fries that were proposed by the USAD, hoping to increase the variety of fruits and vegetables and limiting the starchy ones.

Word 1: blunder
a) Earlier this week, the U.S. Center for Science in the Public Interest said the legislation would be a bigger "blunder" than when U.S. President Ronald Reagan's administration tried and failed to credit ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch program.
b) Blunder: A usually serious mistake typically caused by ignorance or confusion. (www.thefreedictionary.com)

c) Brigadoon would have been a big blunder if it wasn’t for the tedious efforts and commitment of everyone involved.

Word 2: lobbied
a) The trade association lobbied Congress on behalf of frozen pizza sellers, such as ConAgra Foods Inc and Schwan Food Co and french fry maker McCain Foods Ltd.

b) Lobby: To try to influence the thinking of legislators or other public officials for or against a specific cause (www.thefreedictionary.com)

c) The students lobbied to get their rightfully deserved stamps in Mr. Plonka’s English class, as it was not their fault they couldn’t get out of the gym from morning’s assembly and ended up being late.  

Word 3: advocacy
a) "Pizza should be served with a vegetable, not count as one," the consumer advocacy groups said on its website.

b) Advocacy: The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support (www.thefreedictionary.com)

c) Mr. Plonka didn’t listen to his students’ advocacy about the stamps which ruptured their chances of earning a 25/25 on that week’s warm-up quiz.   

Response:

The reason I believe this article is one that relates to me is that this rule of healthier food in the cafeteria has just been enacted at my school back home in Mississauga, Ontario. Every since my freshmen year at Meadowvale Secondary School, the one thing you could count on was a warm, giant, calorie-packed cookie on the menu. It was cheap, delicious, and on nearly everybody’s lunch tray as they left the cafeteria. They were so unhealthy that you could even feel the grease through the saran wrap! It sounds nasty but we, including me, all loved it. This year, the cookie is still somehow how included on the menu which boggles my mind. It is way too unhealthy to even be considered to stay on an “all healthy” lunch menu. It’s just like how pizza is considered a vegetable because it contains two teaspoons of tomato paste; ridiculous.

Wed-NES-day !

Q#123: How do you feel about Wednesdays? (U of Chicago)

Wednesday, it’s a simple, reoccurring day in the weekly cycle. How do I personally feel about it? That it, along with many others such as ‘know’, is a ridiculous word in the English language. Think back to when you were in kindergarten and your teacher would make you recite the numbers one through ten, the alphabet, and the colours and so on. “Great job my little dumplings,” her annoyingly sweet voice would ring out. When it came to the days of the week, however, that was an entirely different story. The class would being, “Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,” and in would jump the teacher, “No, no, no class. Remember, it’s WENDSS-day not Wed-NES-day.” Why in the world would you even make a word spelled differently than it actually sounds? It would be much simpler if it was just ‘Wendsday’ and all this confusion would be easily avoided. If there is indeed a logical explanation, someone please inform me. As for the actually day Wednesday, it’s, well, just a Wednesday. There’s neither a reason to like it nor dislike it. It doesn’t contain the excitement of the end of a school week like a Friday or the dreaded beginning of a school week like a Monday. It’s just there, smack dab in the middle of the week, safely protected by Tuesday and Thursday. Like the rest of the days of the week, it comes and goes, yet it somehow gets lost in the mix. There is no specific characteristic held by this day and, therefore, a Wednesday is just a Wednesday. The only thing that comes to mind about Wednesday is its ridiculous spelling. Hey, maybe that’s the logical explanation I’ve been looking for! The reason Wednesday is spelled the way it is, is to give Wednesday it’s very own specific characteristic.

 

Week Two Article

http://www.mississauga.com/what's%20on/article/1244004--public-art-pops-up
Posted: November 14^th, 2011                                     Viewed: November 15^th, 2011

Article Summary:
This article is basically about the growing amount of public art popping up in Mississauga, Ontario. Recently, two new pieces have been added to its collection and a third one will be this summer. One piece is the Familia by Stephen Cruise. It consists of nine sculptures made from limestone and granite. According to Cruise, the sculptures are of a shell, tree, fish, fox, rail, boat, tank, lion and hive, the latter being the central piece representing collective activity as well as the St. Lawrence Starch Company. The second piece is Crossing Pedestrians by Peter Gibson. According to Gibson, the painted figures moving across the pavement show the municipality's commitment to transforming the downtown into a pedestrian-friendly area by creating art that's better experienced while walking instead of driving. "Public art contributes to the distinct identity and unique character of the city and its various destinations," said Susan Burt, the City's director of culture division.

Word 1: latter
a) According to the artist, the sculptures are of a shell, tree, fish, fox, rail, boat, tank, lion and hive, the latter being the central piece representing collective activity as well as the St. Lawrence Starch Company, which had a mill on the site.
b) Latter: referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned or the last one or ones of several (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) I prefer Woodstock’s oranges to their apples because the latter are always bruised.

Word 2: perusal
a) At the intersection of City Centre Dr.a nd Duke of York Blvd., Crossing Pedestrians is available for public perusal.
b) Peruse: to read or examine, typically with great care (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) Mr. Plonka encouraged his students to peruse One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, however, most just ended up skimming it (not referring to English 11-4 because they are the bomb and perused for days).

Word 3: roundabout
a) The roundabout at Duke of York Blvd. and Square One Dr. will have a piece installed at its centre next summer.
b) Roundabout: a road junction at which traffic streams circularly around a central island (www.thefreedictionary.com)
c) In the bazaar there are many roundabouts.    

Response:
This article relates to me as we are doing this exact kind of artwork in my sculpture class at the moment; more like Cruise’s piece than Gibson’s, but still the same idea. We are working on environmental art and our assignment is to create a sculpture, using various materials found predominately in nature, and put it in a certain public area in order to portray a specific message. Mine is a pakman head attached to a stick body that is coloured in like the earth, instead of all yellow, and it is eating circles that, instead of just being random colours, are filled with non-renewable resources. So the message is that we, the people of earth, are eating up all the non-renewable resources. Both Cruise and Gibson’s works, too, are placed in a public area with the intention of giving a specific message to the public.

Delhi Collage Fair Q&A

Questions:
1. How important are personal essays and teacher recommendations in the admissions process? What do you look for in a personal essay?
2. How can I improve my chances if my GPA and/or SAT scores are not perfect?
3. What services or financial aid does you school offer international students?
4. What do you personally love best about the university?

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN MICHAGIN
1. She wasn’t too sure if it was even in the application to fill out personal essays but recommendations are very important.
2. They’ll also look to your extracurricular activities and recommendations.
3. International students can compete with everyone else for academic and sports scholarships but you have to be “the best of the best” so yeah. Also, anyone with a 3.0 GPA receives an automatic scholarship.
4. She personally loves the people. There are such great student-teacher relations that she’s even still friends with some of her old professors today. Great, lifelong friends are made there and the environment is beautiful.  

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

1. Personal essays & teacher recommendations aren’t required in admissions process.

2. They look at teacher recommendations, your extra curricular activities, leadership positions, work experience, and so on.

3. Ohio State offers scholarships based on merit to international students. However, these are highly competitive and based on academic merit, leadership accomplishments, special talents and/or financial need.

4. The representative said that he personally loved the college so much because of the amazing relationships found in between both you and your classmates and your professors.

WOLDORF COLLEGE
1. Personal essays are not too important in the admissions process and recommendations will help as a last resort. They’re do more interviewing at Woldorf.
2. They’ll look at your extracurricular activities; specifically theatre stuff as that is their big thing.  
3. They offer up to $6000 in international scholarships.
4. Loves the sense of community and how they really care about you. For example this football player they allowed in had a GPA of 2.0 and they got it up to a 3.2 by the end of his first year. “That can’t happen unless the teachers truly care.”

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH PACIFIC, FIJI

1. Personal essays and teacher recommendations are not looked for here.

2. They’ll look at the extracurricular activities and leadership roles you have partaken in. As for SAT scores, they are not required and 2.5 is the minimum GPA.

3. Students with a GPA greater then 2.5 are enrolled for financial aid automatically.

4. He loved that all the students were really engaged in learning about both the school’s culture and their surroundings. In fact there were about 200 students who learned the traditional dance of Fiji.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-BERKELEY

1. Personal essays are important and are highly considered in the admissions process, but not so much with teacher recommendations. They look for personal essays that reflect you as a person by writing about your experiences and how they’ve helped shape you into who you are today.

2. With a low GPA, your chances of getting accepted are quite low as they really focus on high GPAs (the average is around a 3.88). However they will glance at the leadership roles you have taken on and then your extracurricular activities.

3. Berkeley’s a quite expensive school, and for this reason they do offer many scholarships based on academics and/or financial need. Applicants are considered based on their financial needs and GPA.

4. She loved the fact they that hey have a very, highly distinguished faculty (22 members of their faculty have won the Nobel Prize.)

College Essay Question

Q#39: Tell us about the most embarrassing moment of your life. (Santa Clara University)

The most embarrassing moment in my life also happens to be one of my funniest, fondest memories. So I was on a date with my boyfriend and we go to this restaurant, typical. The night is going fine and about halfway through our dinner or so I decide to go "powder my nose." On the way to the bathroom I manage to trip and knock out a waiter with a full platter of dirty dishes, causing the whole restaurant to turn and stare. Laughing and helping him up, I shook that off. I make it to the washroom and it’s like Shrek’s swamp in there; so gross! Anyways, I go, do my thing and when I go to open the stall door I find that it’s stuck! I’m trapped! I start just leaning back with all my might trying to pull it open. After awhile of looking at it, pulling it and contemplating climbing over the side, I decide I’m just going to have to suck it up and crawl under the door. The floor was slimy and slippery, but definitely not because it was just freshly mopped. As I get halfway under, I accidentally bump the door and notice that it moves with ease. All of a sudden I come to me senses and realize that the door wasn’t stuck at all… it just needed to be pushed open, not pulled! Oh man, I get up and my hair is all uggggh and there's this nasty layer of filth all along the front of my light pink dress and then, I start worrying that he thinks I’m having trouble with my bowels or something! It has been awhile after all. When I returned to the table he looks at my dress and is just like “Rough time?” I just cocked my eyebrow, shook my head with a smirk and said, “You have no idea.”

Week One

http://www.helium.com/items/335552-conforming-to-society-the-cookie-cutter-theory

Posted: May 15, 2007   Viewed: October 17, 2011

Article Summary:

This article is basically about how society is slowing trying to make us conform and that, unfortunately, the cookie cutter theory is still alive and thriving in today’s society. If you take a cookie cutter and punch it into the dough, then again, and again, all the cookies end up being the exact same. So the cookie cutter theory refers to the idea that everyone and everything are becoming identical due to society. Piper uses many examples throughout the article to prove her point, such as newer housing development and how all of the houses look alike. She then goes on to tell us how it is society’s belief that, if pushed hard enough, what's considered to be the weak link will either conform or die, and the desired society of perfection can continue. In the end, Piper recommends that we “choose to live be our own rules and be successful.”

Vocabulary

Word 1: unattainable
a) However, in the society we live, it is a highly unattainable dream for those who wish for it.
b) Unattainable: impossible to achieve (http://www.ldoceonline.com/) It's an unattainable dream of Mr.Plonka's to have every, single student post two blogs a week for the year, even during winter break.

Word 2: emerge

a) We are supposed to allow them to run the house as soon as they emerge from the womb.

b) Emerge: 1. come forth into view or notice, as from concealment or obscurity 2. to rise or come forth from or as if from water or other liquid 3. to come up or arise, as a question or difficulty 4.to come into existence; develop 5. to rise, as from an inferior or unfortunate state or condition (http://dictionary.reference.com/)

c) The monkey emerged from the forest with the sole purpose of showing off its big, red buttocks.

Word 3: brainwash

a) After spending at least 20 years on brainwashing and education, you are considered to be knowledgeable enough to leave the nest.

b) Brainwash: intensive, forcible indoctrination, aimed at destroying a person's basic convictions and attitudes and replacing them with an alternative set of fixed beliefs (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/)

c) Woodstock doesn’t have to brainwash its students; they’re perfect already.

Response:

The article relates strongly to the idea of the combine that is present in Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In the article, it talks about society and how it is trying to conform all of us into being the same people, like cookie cutters do to the dough. This is the main idea in the novel, the “combine”, and how everyone is being made to fit perfectly into this perfect society. If one doesn’t fit they are sent to a “factory for the combine” and fixed. Both the article and the novel even use the same example, saying that, when you look at the new housing development, all the houses look exactly the same or very similar. The book and the article also both end by saying or suggesting that you should stop living by what everyone else is doing and choose to live by your own rules. Chief Broom shows this by leaving the ward in the end and running away.

Please Read this Article, Thank you

Article: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/09/148295675/please-read-this-story-thank-you

Central Argument: The use of courteous language has slowly and gradually been vanishing.

            This article is cleverly entitled Please Read this Article, Thank you and is written by Linton Weeks. He writes about courteous language and behavior, a once common and norm in society, seems to be slowly and gradually vanishing.  Personally, I don’t agree with this statement. I think that people still are courteous; it is just generations and time that have modified the original common phrase, like thank you and your welcome, into new ones. It doesn’t mean good manners have been completely erased; it just means they are differently presented nowadays. Sure, it wouldn’t hurt if we could return to the old ways as they do seem to be more respectful and, sure, some people good use a little attitude adjusting, but the important thing is acknowledging the appreciation expressed. There is only a problem if the people are not just modifying the old words and replacing them with others, but the common respect for one disappears too. Who really cares what you say as long as the other person gets the message that you appreciate what they have done? Courtesy is still around and can be seen in the modernized words that have replaced the originals and in the common examples that occur every day.

            Firstly, it is very true that language overtime changes. Take the original greeting, for example, of “How do you do?” It became "Hello, how are you?" which in turn morphed into "Hello, how are things?" Or "How's it going?" As Cindy Senning, director of an institute dedicated to promoting etiquette and civility, says, "The principles of respect, consideration and honesty are universal and timeless," but, "manners change over time and from culture to culture." It doesn’t matter that “you’re welcome” has turned into “no problem,” or that “thank you” has become “got it.” The point is that people get one another and together can acknowledge that it means thank you or you’re welcome. You can’t justify that common courtesy is disappearing by saying that “no problem” isn’t good enough. Courtesy can be defined as the showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward another or others. By saying “no problem” you are still following the definition of courtesy thus showing that just because the norms and manners and mores have changed, it doesn’t mean the respect and courtesy get lost in it all. 

            Secondly, courtesy can be seen flourishing in society all the time if you really take the time to find it. I know that you may have a bad run in once in a while, like Gregory Smith shares in the article, and that 76% of people who took this survey said that Americans are becoming more rude than civil, but courtesy has not just vanished. People, naturally, remember the bad things over the little miracles that happen every day. Say you are driving home from work and a car cuts you off; you’re more likely to remember the fact that you got cut off than that person you let you go first and then crossed the street. That contributes to the view that courtesy and manners have been diminishing, but really, people just are becoming less and less observant.

            Mt third point is that many people truly are quite well-mannered in everyday life. Take the story of Margret Lacey if you still think common courtesy has vanished. She is a regular customer at this grocery store café. When she walked in in the morning, they greeted her with a hearty “Good morning” and asked if she wanted the usual. As they made her coffee they asked her about how her morning had been and as she left they said, “Enjoy. See you tomorrow.” If that isn’t common courtesy I don’t know what is. The difference between why she thinks restaurant workers treat her so nicely, unlike George Smith, is simply because she doesn’t expect people to utter the same old same olds.

            In conclusion, words may modify and manners may change but that doesn’t mean the politeness and gratitude is no longer there in society. Imagine the stares you would get if you went into a shop and said, “How do you do?” while taking a courtesy or a bow. Just because you don’t go all out any more, like in the old days, it doesn’t mean people don’t do the same thing you’re doing by curtseying and bowing just in a more modern way.