Magazine Reflection

I did not learn several new ideas or topics during this project. A large majority of the work I accomplished relied on prior knowledge rather than newly acquired skills and understanding. My submissions to the magazine were revised versions of previous assignments that required only sentence restructure and layout redesign.

I learned two new aspects of sentence structure. 1) I learned to place the subject noun and the verb at the beginning of the sentence. 2) The reader may not be able to form a visual image depicted in the sentence if the descriptive details of that sentence are not placed in a logical order. These revisions to sentence structure transformed the overall flow of my pieces of writing so that the topic of the sentence was established immediately at the beginning.

I spent a large portion of my time revising the layouts of my photo essay and my editorial. I learned how to make a spread visually appealing by constantly resized images, allowing images to bleed off pages and rearranged the writing into different positions on the pages. If the layout of my spreads did not appear eye-catching than the reader has less temptation to read my section of the magazine.

Magazine Reflection: Part 2

1. Overall, when you think about the big picture of your writing, what improved? How did it get better? Why?

I improved the clarity of the sentences in my photo essay so that the reader was able to easily visualize the surroundings of my work space environment from my own perspective. The adjectives of several of the sentences were reorganized into different sequences. The verb and subject noun of each sentence was placed at the beginning of the sentence to establish a more assertive voice for the writing.

2. Overall, when you think about the big picture of your writing, what still needs work? What do you think will help you improve? Why?

The third and final caption in my revised photo essay did not establish an environment for the reader to visualize, unlike the preceding captions. The third caption should have some description of a specific environment so that the consistency of a visualized setting exists in each caption.

3. Specifically, show us something that improved and describe the path it took to get better. You can quote your article, your drafts, link to evidence, etc.

I struggled to create a clean layout for pages 5 & 6 of my photo essay that did not have too much white space. I directed a large portion of my layout-revision-time toward balancing the image and captions so that the amount of white space occupying the layout did not become a focal feature of the design. I enlarged the image so that it bled across the gutter, thus horizontally compressing the caption while extended in vertically. I then placed a pull quote above the caption to reduce the white space. The current amount of white space present in the two pages is no longer an unsightly feature of the layout.

4. Describe something specific (or a few things!) that you learned about writing.

I learned two new aspects of sentence structure. 1) I learned to place the subject noun and the verb at the beginning of the sentence. 2) The reader may not be able to form a visual image depicted in the sentence if the descriptive details of that sentence are not placed in a logical order.

Magazine Reflection

1. What went well for you during the process of creating this magazine?

I did not encounter any significant problems during the course of this project. I completed the layout of my photo essay fairly quickly after finishing all of my writing revisions. I constantly pushed the members of my group to complete their contributions to the magazine as quickly as possible but not sacrifice quality along the way.

2. What challenges did you face as you moved from an early draft or idea to a final product?

The only challenge I faced during the writing portion of the project was rewriting several of the sentences in my photo essay so that the subject noun and the verb were at the beginning of the sentence.

3. What other examples of work—student and professional—stood out as exemplary and served as a good model for your own work?

When designing the layout of my photo essay on InDesign I often looked at Ana and Leo's layouts to incorporate some of there design features into my own spread. I observed some of the techniques that they used to give their layouts a cleaner professional appearance and applied them to my own article.

Radical Socialism is Absent from the White House

I believe that President Obama's political agenda does not qualify as socialism. This mislabeling of socialism was generated by the Republican party in order to gain more support for a future Republican leader. The party is attempting to convince voters that President Obama will cause the economic downfall of our nation by painting his beliefs of refining health care, rebalancing the distribution of wealth and improving the banking system as radical socialist ideals.

President Obama has failed to fit in the oversized suit of radical socialism that his political rivals have tailored. "He didn't move to nationalize the banks; he negotiated with them to buy up their toxic assets. He hasn't proposed replacing private health insurers with a government plan; instead, he talks of making the insurance industry a cornerstone of his new system." President Obama is combating the current economic recession by revitalizing social and economic institutions in America much like FDR did during his presidency, however the economic situation of the former's presidency has been relieved of harsher disparities due to the financial policies installed by the latter.

The historical examples of socialist nations transitioning into communist nations, as well as communist nations converting into facist nations are the basis for the Republican party's belief that President Obama will wrestle America into a straight jacket of social and economic instability.

Sources:
Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, Measuring Obama by FDR's Yardstick, April 21, 2009, http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-presidency21-2009apr21,0,1344141.story

Characters From The Jungle

Jurgis Rudkus
1. Jurgis is an exceptionally strong young man with a large physical build.
2. Very little description of Jurgis' physical characteristics is provided by the text.
3. He always sports ragged clothes due to the nature of his back-breaking labor. During the cold Chicago winters he may wear a wool coat, if he is able to afford one.
4. All Jurgis seems to do is work his heart out in order to feed his family.
5. He is at the bottom of the social class; he is the honest, yet hardworking man.
6. He believes that if he continues to work harder he will eventually secure an economically sound future for his family. He realizes that he is the backbone of his family, so he holds himself responsible to solve all their economic woes.
7. Jurgis is viewed as the major provider for the family.
8. Jurgis is just one of the thousands of immigrants of whom lived in America during the early 1900s that devoted their lives to straining labor in order to feed their families.
9. "Jurgis" is a traditional Lithianian name. A large majority of the immigrants who journeyed to America also had traditional names common within their culture.
10. In the beginning of the story Jurgis firmly believes in the ideal that anyone can become economically successful as long as one continues to work hard, despite the hardships that one may face. The horrid conditions of the meat packing plants and the prevelent corruption in packingtown begin the ware down Jurgis' belief in his ideal that promises himself an economically stable future, so long as he works his heart out.

My Photo Essay

Before beginning any rigorous physical activity, it is important that one stretches their muscles in order to reduce the possibility of cramps or strains. I aimed to incorporate running in my internship immersion experience. I had roughly one month to regain my cardiovascular stamina and leg strength to their former glories before track & field season started. Whether I endured a rigorous 8.8 mile journey from my house to my internship site in the morning or a quick 1.4 mile venture to In-N-Out Burger and back during my lunch break, running became one of the most memorable experiences of my internship immersion. Traveling to internship by means of my legs jump-started my metabolism, keeping me fully alert and awake for the rest of the day. My fast paced travels to the local food establishments during my lunch break ensured that my body received nourishment whilst allowing my mind to take a healthy break from my assignments. The reason for this exercise was not solely for my own health benefits but to ensure my productivity output in the workplace.

The internship workroom became a second home for me during immersion, not in the sense that it was a place that provided me comfort but that there was no other place besides my house that I spent more time occupying in that two week time frame. Somewhat isolated from the other employees, this room, if you could call it that (this area resembled a short hallway that happened to meet a dead end), felt like a pen due a constant sense of containment I always felt whenever inhabiting this space. This “room” witnessed the completion of all my assignments as well as all of my habits. Overrun with clothes, papers and boxes, this area offered a reflection to my organizational tendencies that could not differentiate a house from a workplace. The clutter spread like a virus, infecting a new section of the room each day. However this pathogen of untidiness failed to latch on to the hard drive of my computer and disrupt the completion of my tasks.

One of the key differences that I noticed immediately at the start of immersion between my internship workplace environment and an academic environment was the amount of time I sat in front of a computer screen. I often use a computer three to four hours a week during school in order to finish my assignments; however that amount of time is far less eye-straining than the six hours I spent each day staring at a monitor during immersion. I felt that my computer was devouring my conscious state of mind, sucking all my thoughts into a vortex, emptying them out on to the formerly blank document before my eyes. By the end of immersion I viewed my computer not as a tool of convenience, but as a fascist vampire with a thirst for mental processing. Despite the monotony of investing hour upon hour of my tireless efforts researching and learning all the topics for my project, I ultimately emerged as a more environmentally conscious individual at the end of my internship immersion.

My project during immersion dealt with the several different aspects that form one’s carbon footprint such as: post-consumer paper products, recycling by the numbers, excessive packaging and the energy required to deliver products from their factory to you. I found it impossible to research each of these aspects of one’s carbon footprint without reflecting on the environmental impact of my own daily actions. Prior to this project I never considered the amount of energy that is invested into the generation and transportation of goods or that the multiple layers of plastic covering a product is nothing more than garbage in the eyes of a landfill. Learning about the issue is only half of the battle; I must now use that knowledge to reduce my environmental impact. Each individual that inhabits this planet has a carbon footprint; however it is the actions and choices that one makes that determine the size of their footprint.

The purpose of my carbon footprint project was to inform middle school and high school kids of how their daily action or choices impact the environment. Educating children at the High Tech Fair was an eye-opening experience for all the parties who participated in the event. Half of the students that approached our booth did not have an understanding of the term carbon footprint; however I was able to give them a quick lesson detailing an explanation of the term as well as numerous ways that they could reduce their footprint. The entire day I delivered lessons that were compacted down to short, yet coherent presentations. Seeing the wonder in their eyes empowered me with a large sense of confidence in my presentation skills. At the end of that day I arrived at a great realization: I want my future career to incorporate some form of public speaking.

My Contribution to the Magazine

1. I may choose to write an article outlining how my internship experience ultimately benefited the San Diego community. Another idea for a possible contribution is a reflection that focuses on how I have grown as a student and an overall individual. My third choice for a contribution to the magazine could be my photo essay.

2. Internship: Diving Head First into the Workplace Experience

3. I would like to read an article about how a student's internship benefited the San Diego community.

Animal Farm Characters

Napoleon
1. Napoleon is a large black Berkshire Pig.
2. No further identifying features are mentioned.
3. Napoleon does not wear any clothes until the very last chapter in which be begins to wear items from Mr. Jones wardrobe, carries a whip and begins smoking a pipe.
4. Based on his frequent use of the word "comrade," Napoleon can be easily identified as an animal representative of a Russian individual.
5. Napoleon serves as the leader of the Animal Farm after Snowball is chased off of the property. He commands the animals to perform various tasks that will ensure the sustainability of life on the farm, however he himself does not actually engage in any of the labor.
6. Napoleon has an incredible thirst for power that he continually tries to satisfy.
7. All the animals of the farm, with the exception of pigs and dogs, lack the intelligence to realize the cruelty of Napoleon. Due to Squealer's deceitful statistics and speeches that praise Napoleon whilst blame Mr. Jones and Snowball for the farm's past problems, Napoleon is able to manipulate the minds of all the animals into believing that all is fine under his leadership.
8. Napoleon is representative of Joesph Stalin. All of Napoleon's actions in the novel are identical to those of Joesph Stalin during his rise to power.
9. His name elicits a connection to the French general, Napoleon Bonaparte. Much like the leader of the Animal Farm, Napoleon Bonaparte aimed at eliminating the monarchies that ruled Europe in order to establish equality, however he gained a power that rivaled his adversaries.
10. After the rebellion, Napoleon aims at establishing the Animal Farm as a place free from the tyranny of humans where equality exists for all animals. As the story progresses Napoleon's lust for control over the Animal Farm drives him to toss aside the virtues of equality he once preached and invoke the past cruelty of the humans.

Snowball
1. Snowball is a pig.
2. He has no identifying marks.
3. Snowball does not wear clothes.
4. Like Napoleon, Snowball refers to the other animals as "comrades."
5. After the rebellion, Snowball emerges as a hero of the animals on the farm because of his courageous bravery he displayed in their to gain independence from Mr. Jones.
6. Snowball believed that the animals should invest their efforts toward developing advanced technologies that would ensure a more comfortable life in the future.
7. Before his banishment from the Animal Farm, almost all of the animals publicly praise Snowball for his bravery during the rebellion. Once Napoleon assumes leadership over the Animal Farm he convinces all of the animals that Snowball was no different from the cruel Mr. Jones and that he is to blame for many of their problems.
8. Snowball is representative of Leon Trotsky, a man who was exiled from the Soviet Union by Joesph Stalin.
9. His bravery during the rebellion produces a snowball effect in the surrounding farms, inspiring other animals to rise up against their human oppressors.
10. After the successful uprising against Mr. Jones, Snowball emerges as a potential leader of Animal Farm, however Napoleon's fierce guard dogs force Snowball to leave the Animal Farm never to be seen again.

Boxer
1. Boxer is a horse who is described as "nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together."
2. Boxer has a white stripe down his nose.
3. Boxer does not wear clothes for he is a horse.
4. Boxer is not an intelligent creature, however he does retain a firm belief that he is working for the best interest of the Animal Farm.
5. He is the backbone of the workforce of the Animal Farm.
6. He believes that the state of the Animal Farm will flourish if he continues to work harder. He also believes that his endless toil is in the best interest of the collective Animal Farm.
7. All of the animals on the farm praise Boxer for his dedication to the benefit of the Animal Farm by working harder.
8. Boxer is representative of the Russian working class. He is committed to working as hard as he can, however he is oblivious to the cruelty he must suffer under the rule of the pigs.
9. I believe that his name represents the will of a boxer: to never give up.
10. After the Rebellion, Boxer is convinced that his work efforts are beneficial to the collective Animal Farm, so therefore he must continue to strain himself to work more efficiently. Like the rest of the animals, Boxer is constantly deceived by Napoleon and Squealer, absorbing whatever they say to be true without any objection. His dedication to the ideals that he believes the Animal Farm continues to follow, eventually leads to the good-hearted creature's death. He overworks himself, and is sent to a glue factory to be killed rather than to a doctor.

Preparing for Internship Immersion

I am looking forward to running 8.5 miles to my internship site every morning during immersion because I desperately need to get in shape for track season. It will be like jumping into cold water, but I can't think of a better way for me to get into shape. I am also looking forward to further working on my internship project, a powerpoint presentation explaining the need for the installation of carbon markets.

I am concerned that I will lose my train of thought easily because I will be at my desk all day in front of a computer. I believe that this will happen sometime during internship but this could probably be solved by taking a break to stretch every instance in in which I start to feel distracted.

Progression Builds off Regression

Constitutional Amendments: In 1919, the U.S. Supreme Court ratified the 18th amendment in hopes of decreasing crime rates, preventing individuals from obtaining or selling alcohol legally, and thus initiating Prohibition. However, Prohibition added fuel to the fire, promoting the establishment of organized crime in America. The rise in crime rate during Prohibition indicated that the 18th amendment had the opposite effect of its original intention: to eliminate the societal issues associated with alcohol.

Working Conditions: The tragedy known as the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire reflects the standard of working conditions during the Progressive Era. Inflammable building materials, locked fire exits and the allowance of indoor smoking caused the deaths of 148 workers.

Examples of Outstanding Blog Entries

A good example of economic advice is given by Paul in his blog entry entitled Blog Thing. His advice to relieve America of its economic ailments is purely satirical, stating "There is no limit to what we cant do or who we can conquer." He argues that imperialistic conquest would quickly solve the current unemployment problem by referencing the rise in employment during the 1940s due to the manufacturing of military resources. "It is argued that it was the Second World War that cured our countries economic crisis of the 20s, 30s and early 40s, the number of unemployed workers declined by 7,050,000 between 1940 and 1943 and the number in military service rose by 8,590,000, but the recovery came, for the consumers, with the end of the war."

Diana's blog entry, Honors: A Thousand Splendid Suns, describes the use of metaphors in the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. "...when the movie Titanic became a huge hit, Laila and Mariam would always watch it, and thats where this quote came from; "Everyone wants Jack," Laila said to Mariam. "Everybody wants Jack to rescue them from disaster. But there is no Jack. Jack is not coming back. Jack is dead." (page 270) Such is a metaphor for life under the Taliban which was dangerous and a scary place." Diana explains the role of the metaphor, as well as its use in the book.

Ana's blog entry, JFK's Speech and Today's Society, analyzes the similarities and differences between the words of JFK during his inaugural speech and America's current foreign relations. "One of the goals Kennedy set out to accomplish was creating and maintaining good alliances with other countries. Kennedy went on, "So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof.” He continued, “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." This an example of America attempting to build strong ties with other countries. Today, Barack Obama is setting up attempts to negotiate with Iran. Just a day into office, Barack Obama is making plans to talk to Iran, "'without preconditions' and will work towards the abolition of nuclear weapons" This negotiation seems like a strong attempt at keeping both nations safe." She clearly outlines that Obama's attempt to build friendly relations with Iran reflect Kennedy's words by using multiple quotes to support her claims.

Living with Science

I believe that humans have the responsibility to understand science as best as we can. Knowledge is power, and that knowledge can only be asserted and supported through scientific study.

New technologies can be developed that will further ensure a more prosperous and efficient future. The company that I intern at, CCSE (California Center for Sustainable Energies), promotes the use of environmentally friendly technologies such as solar panels and fluorescent light bulbs. CCSE provides incentives for home and business owners to switch to greener technologies so that they may save money while reducing their carbon footprint.

I believe that it is important to advance our understanding of the world around us, however morality should not be sacrificed in the pursuit of science. For example, I believe that the cloning of humans is morally wrong because it is equivocal to playing God.

If I were Obama's Economic Advisor Revised

Dear Mr. Obama,

I have noticed that one of the factors of our ailing economy seems to be the slowly rising unemployment rate. America's unemployment rate has rose from 7.2% to 7.6%, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistic's, January 2009 Employment Situation Summary. Although the current unemployment rate is small in comparison to that of the Great Depression's 25%, more jobs must be created if we wish to prevent our current unemployment rate from rising to higher levels. I propose a plan to create new jobs for Americans.

All companies with an annual revenue of $500 million or more that choose to sell their products in America must base at least 10% of their manufacturing workforce in America. According to the World Trade Organization's, World Merchandise Imports by Region and Selected Economy for 1996-2006, America imported $1.9 trillion worth of goods in 2006 alone, higher than any other individual country in the world. America is the largest consumer in the word, therefore all of these large companies cannot afford to lose their revenue planted within the American people.

During his first inaugural speech, FDR said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." You must continue to reassure the American people that our current economic crisis is not as threatening as the Great Depression as you did in your inaugural speech. "“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.” They will lose confidence in the ability to progress if you even begin to hint that you are not confident in America's ability to overcome this situation or if you favor discussing the hardships rather than the solutions.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the decay of social and moral values during the 1920s as a result of the sudden economic prosperity, through the use of foreshadowing, irony and geographic symbolism.

Prior to his service during World War I and his immense wealth, Gatsby had fallen in love with Daisy, however after he returns to America he discovers that Daisy has married Tom Buchanan. "Can't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!"(Page 116) Gatsby's reveals the true intentions behind his elaborate parties that he constantly throws; they are organized simply to impress Daisy. His plan to rekindle his lost love with Daisy by means of flaunting his wealth displays the defining role that materialism played in the newly established higher class of the era.

At the end of chapter 7, Tom and Daisy both recognize their love for each other in spite of her earlier admittance of her love for Gatsby. Meanwhile, Gatsby sits outside the Buchanan house in an effort to prevent any possible violence that Tom may inflict upon Daisy. "They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale - and yet they weren't unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together." (Page 145). His love for Daisy empowered him to watch out for her, however Gatsby was not aware that she was repairing her relations with Tom. Gatsby believed that he had been successful in achieving his green light, however he ended it up farther away from it than when he began.

There are several key examples of symbolism located throughout the book, however the valley of ashes stands out as one of the most memorable representation of this literary device. "This is a valley of ashes - a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air." (Page 23) The valley of ashes is depicted as a gloomy location where moral and economic decay is prevalent, home to Tom Buchanan's mistress, Myrtle Wilson, and the wealth deprived man, George Wilson. This area also hosts the death scene of Myrtle Wilson in which she is struck by Gatsby's car in the middle of the road. The valley of ashes displays the decline of moral and social values during the 1920s on the east coast.

The foreshadowing of Gatsby's efforts to capture the love of Daisy, the ironic end to Gatsby's love pursuit and the underlying messages represented through geographic areas, represented the decline of moral and social values during the 1920s.

If I were Obama's Economic Advisor

Part 1
Dear Mr. Obama,

I have noticed that one of the factors of our ailing economy seems to be the slowly rising unemployment rate. America's unemployment rate has rose from 7.2% to 7.6%, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistic's, January 2009 Employment Situation Summary. Although the current unemployment rate is small in comparison to that of the Great Depression's 25%, more jobs must be created if we wish to prevent our current unemployment rate from rising to higher levels. I propose a plan to create new jobs for Americans.

All companies with an annual revenue of $500 million or more that choose to sell their products in America must base at least 10% of their manufacturing workforce in America. America is one of the largest consumer nations, therefore all of these large companies cannot afford to lose their revenue planted within the American people.

During his first inaugural speech, FDR said, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." You must reassure the American people that our current economic crisis is not as threatening as the Great Depression. They will lose confidence in the ability to progress if you even begin to hint that you are not confident in America's ability to overcome this situation or if you favor discussing the hardships rather than the solutions.

Part 2
I will interview my mentor in my office on Thursday, February 12th. I will record the interview using the iPod microphone.

3 Design Aspects of an Ideal Interview

Generalized Questions or Prompts
Simple open-ended questions will often yield complex, unique and interesting responses. These type of questions or prompts require the individual being interviewed to lead the content of the discussion in the direction of their choosing.

In the New York Times interview, "A Conversation With: Joseph Graves; Beyond Black and White in Biology and Medicine," the interviewer asks the open-ended question, "What prompted your interest in race and genetics? "

Background Research
It is impossible to learn too much about the individual being interviewed before the actual interview. Learning about the material to be discussed during the interview will allow you to form questions that ask for the individual's opinions or viewpoints, rather than plain facts.

In the same New York Times interview, the interviewer gives a brief description of the person being interviewed; "In his new book ''The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium'' (Rutgers University Press), Dr. Joseph L. Graves Jr., a professor of evolutionary biology and African-American studies at Arizona State University..."

Goals
You have to have a mission that you wish to accomplish by the end of the interview. Ask questions that relate to your topic, so that you can reach your goal.

In the same New York Times interview, the interviewer asks questions that require the individual being interviewed to explain his opinions while using biological and medical facts to support his claims. "Enalapril, a blood-pressure medication, worked less well for African-Americans than whites. How do you explain that?"

Questions for Mentor

1. Where were you raised or spent the majority of your childhood?
2. What career did you wish to pursue when you were a child?
3. What college(s)/university(ies) did you attend?
4. How would you describe your college experience?
5. Why did you choose to pursue the field of climate change?
6. Did you have an internship during college?
7. What was your first job after receiving your PhD?
8. How long have you been working at CCSE?
9. Why did you choose to work at CCSE?
10. What is your specific role at CCSE?
11. Describe a couple of your most recent projects.
12. What is your favorite part of your job?
13. What is your least favorite part of your job?
14. How often does your job require you to interact with others?
15. What working habits have you developed while working at CCSE?
16. What are your strongest skills as a worker?
17. How does this workplace environment differ from that of some of your previous jobs?
18. If you could change one thing about your workplace environment, what would it be and why?
19. How does your career choice reflect your personality?
20. What piece of advice would you give to someone who may be planning to pursue a similar career field?

First Day at My Internship

Today was my first day interning at the California Center for Sustainable Energy.

I arrived at my internship site via a 45 minute shuttle-ride. Ana, Leo and I intern at the same company; Leo and I have the same mentor. We walked in the building with little knowledge of what awaited our entry. We were greeted by three employees enjoying their lunch breaks in the lobby; they told us that our mentors would join our small group in a few minutes. Ana, Leo and I casually looked at several of the sustainability themed displays in the lobby.

About 15 minutes later a woman named Kimberly walked into the lobby and introduced herself. She gave us a tour of the building and introduced us to all of the employees. After roughly half an hour filled with brief introductions, handshakes and small talk, Kimberly concluded our tour by showing us two videos that documented fundraisers that the company had organized.

My mentor, Andrea, was in a meeting, so Kimberly sent Leo and I to start our first assignment. An intern named Jeremy asked us to look through multiple employee airfare reimbursement documents in order to help calculate the company's 2008 carbon footprint. After about 45 minutes of recording information, Andrea walked into our office (that's right, not a cubical, an office) and introduced herself and gave us a description of our duties. We continued to work until 4:30 at which point my dad picked me up.

Roosevelt's Words Echo Through Obama

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his first inaugural speech during the Great Depression, promoting his plan known as the “New Deal,” that would generate economic stability. President Barack Obama seems to be a situation similar to that of Roosevelt’s presidency; in the midst of an economic crisis. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inaugural speech and Barack Obama’s inaugural speech recognized America’s crises, planned to resolve the economic issues and inspired hope within Americans.

During the Great Depression, unemployment rates in America peaked at 25%. President Franklin D. Roosevelt could not ignore the grim economic situation America faced when he gave his first inaugural speech. “Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.” Similarly, Barack Obama stated during his speech, “Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.” Both Roosevelt and Obama realized that America’s economic hardships would not simply resolve themselves; action had to be taken in order to shift gears toward a brighter future.

In his first inaugural speech, Franklin D. Roosevelt pledged to free America out of the gripping hands of the depression by initiating a set of programs aimed at restructuring America’s economy. Some of the programs that Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated under the plan known as “The New Deal” such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Social Security System still exist today. Obama plans to help ease the current economic deficit by installing a $850 billion stimulus package that would “devote $303 billion to tax cuts…and $550 billion to new federal spending,” as reported by the Washingpost.com article “Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance.” Unlike the New Deal, Obama’s stimulus package aims at easing the short-term economic wounds rather than creating long-term solutions.

Both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama inspired hope for a more prosperous America during their inaugural speeches. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s infamous quote, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” echoed a message that a brighter day would come, so long as the American people remained courageous and worked hard during the calamity known as the Great Depression. Faced with a similar crisis, Barack Obama sought to instill the same confidence for a better tomorrow in a new generation of Americans when he gave his inaugural speech. “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.” Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama delivered a realistic perspective of the hard times approaching, yet they provided reassurance of a more promising economic future.

America’s current economic obstacles are further evidence of the long-standing ideal that history repeats itself. Just as America’s economic troubles have reappeared, so too has an inspiring leader that may direct us through these rough times. Although his methods of curing our country’s ailments may differ from those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Barack Obama provides the same message of progression towards a stronger America.

"Compensation from before World War I through the Great Depression." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 25 Jan. 2009 .

"Franklin D. Roosevelt: First Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 1989." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Encyclopedia, Dictionary, Thesaurus and hundreds more. 25 Jan. 2009 .

Kane, Paul. "Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance - washingtonpost.com." washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines. 25 Jan. 2009 .

"Op-Ed Columnist - Franklin Delano Obama? - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 26 Jan. 2009 .

"Transcript - Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address - Text - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 25 Jan. 2009 .

Obama's Inaugural Speech

"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true."

I believe that this was the most memorable section of President Barack Obama's inaugural speech. In this quote, the President asserts that the values that America was founded upon still resonate in today's ever-changing society. Modern day America faces challenges different than those of the past, however we will still overcome these obstacles by applying our traditional values with technological and diplomatic innovation. If the American citizens work hard enough to secure their future, while facing each day with confidence, they can overcome the rough economic times that have so quickly presented themselves.

Hall of Icons Artist Statement Rough Draft

Johnny Cash's cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" epitomizes the struggle Billy Mills faced in order to overcome the social and economic adversities he faced as an American Indian and win the Olympic gold medal for the 10,000-meter race.

Throughout the road of life, one will undoubtedly face numerous obstacles in order to continue moving forward. The song “Rusty Cage” uses the metaphor of breaking out of a rusty cage to depict the struggle one must face in order to endure the challenges they will encounter and pursue their dreams.

The adversities Billy Mills faced on the road to become an Olympian were the components that made up his rusty cage. In 1938, the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) native, Billy Mills, was born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. He was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the poorest Indian reservation in the entire country as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s “Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000” and was orphaned at the age of twelve. He began participating in cross-country running with hopes of one day becoming an Olympian, however he would have to overcome the social adversities he faced as an American Indian. In an interview for the July 2008 issue of “United Airlines Hemispheres Magazine,” Billy Mills reflected on his struggle to reach his goal. “By the time I was a junior in college I came very close to committing suicide after being asked to step out of a photo at the national championships, where I had made All-American for the third time in a row.” Although he came close to attempting suicide, he realized the importance of continuing to chase his dream. Three years after his suicidal low point, Billy Mills burst out of his rusty cage during the 10,000-meter race of the 1964 Olympics by running through the yellow tape that awaited him at the finish line and winning the gold medal.

Billy Mills’s amazing victory during the 1964 Olympics is a tale of a societal underdog courageously persevering through adversity and quite literally running ahead of the pack, inspiring countless others to chase their dreams.

1) Cornell, Chris. "Rusty Cage." Unchained. By Johnny Cash. MP3. Rick Rubin, 1995-1996.
2) "Pine Ridge CDP, South Dakota - DP-3. Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000"
3) Johnson, Maria. "Innerviews-Running Strong." United Airlines Hemispheres Magazine : 96-99. 17 Jan. 2009 .

Hall of Icons Artist Statement

Introduction
Billy Mills became the first American to win the Olympic gold medal for the 10,000 meter race, overcoming the social, political and economic adversities he faced as an American Indian. Johnny Cash's cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" shares a metaphorical, as well as a literal connection with Billy Mill's struggle to win the Olympic gold medal for the 10,000 meter race.

Body Paragraphs
- Billy Mills broke out of his rusty cage during the 1964 summer Olympics. He grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the poorest Indian reservation in the country. The struggles he faced.
- Billy Mills almost committed suicide after being asked to step out of the picture for the National Championships while in college. Sports Illustrated Article. Continuing to pursue your dreams and never fully losing hope.

Conclusion
Never lose sight of your dreams and aspirations. Overcoming the challenges that you are presented with only makes you stronger.

Optimistically Viewing the Future of the Environment

In the Washington Post article, "Bush to Protect Three Areas in the Pacific," the author, Juliet Eilperin, explains President Bush's environmental action to protect three large areas of the Pacific Ocean. Bush has protected almost 200,000 square miles of the ocean by establishing the three areas as national monuments, restricting oil and natural gas extraction, as well as commercial fishing. The author maintains a "forgive but don't forget" mentality throughout the entirity of the article by recognizing Bush's previous faults in terms of environmental protection, and then applauding the President's most recent green actions. "While he has resisted imposing mandatory curbs on greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change and has opened large areas of the nation to drilling, mining and other use of resources, by the end of his term he will have protected more ocean than any person in history."

In Salon.com's article, "Bush's Seven Deadly Enviromental Sins," the author, Katharine Mieszkowski, presents seven different enviromental faults that Bush has made during his presidancy and the seven different plans that Barrack Obama must initiate in order to correct Bush's mistakes. Only three of the seven solutions provided in the article were officially proposed by the Obama campaign, the four remaining solutions seem to be posed by the anonymous, yet "leading environmentalists" that she references in the second paragraph. "We also invited leading environmentalists to outline Barack Obama's mission for cleaning up the nation's land, water and air." Who are these leading environmentalists? Are they super heros? If they are super heros I can understand why their identity can't be revealed, however I have reason to believe that these "leading environmentalists" are, in fact, not super heros but that the term "leading environmentalists" provides no explanation or indication of a specific expertise.

Although the author attempts to include a bright outlook for the future of the environment by listing solutions, the way in which she presents Bush's faults ultimately leads to the downfall of the editorial. Each section that highlights a "deadly sin" is used to emphasize the severity of a specific issue and assign guilt to the Bush administration. Each Obama solution supplies a sense of urgency fueled by the "or else" fear tactic that she so clearly presents by emphasizing Bush's faults, instilling fear in the reader.

It is more benefical to focus on the newly instated contributions to marine life rather than linger on the environmental faults that the President has made because the latter perspective directs attention towards the past by criticizing Bush, while the former perspective highlights the future wildlife growth that the marine monuments will bring. The pessimistic Katharine Mieszkowski seems to be entreched in the past, while the optimistic Juliet Eilperin embraces the future.

Internship Questions

I wish to learn professional interaction skills used in a workplace environment. I would like to truly learn the weight of responsibilities in the workplace and see how interaction is incorporated throughout the day. I am curious to see how the "adult world" differs from my school environment. I also would like to see how I will apply concepts I have learned from academic environment and apply them into a setting.

I hope to discover how to better manage my time while working at my internship. The workplace demands stricter deadlines and requirements than those that I am familiar with in school. I have never had a job, so I am looking forward to seeing how well I adapt to a workplace environment. I am anxious to apply my academic and social habits to a completely new setting so I can learn what I need to improve.

I plan on putting in my best effort towards interacting professionally with others in the workplace and into my project, what ever it may be. I plan on forming a good relationship with my mentor and other coworkers. I want to enjoy my internship as much as possible, regardless if the internship is not focused in the area I would like to pursue for a career.