Internship Immersion

1. What are you most excited about in regards to your immersion experience? Why do you feel this way? I think the thing that I am most excited about for immersion is the chance to become more of a part of the office and do more important tasks that will make a difference. I want to help the company and do more long-term projects. I think it will be fun and I hope I get the opportunity to plan an event or fundraiser.
2. What are you most concerned about (what causes the most stress) regarding immersion? Why do you feel this way? I'm a little concerned about having enough to do each day. I'll try to take initiative every day and propose tasks for myself if they don't have anything. I'm still excited though because I like my internship and I don't think immersion will be that bad. It should be fun and hopefully I'll come back with a good photo essay as well.
   

How Progressive was the Progressive Era?

→ How it was progressive.

Minimum Wage Regulations. During the Progressive Era, certain states initiated providing minimum wage laws for women workers. This ensured reasonable pay for women in the work force.

Advancements in Technology. The Progressive Era provided the access to brand new technologies for Americans. These new technologies changed the home environment, the work industry, and daily life. These advancements are important because we still see them today. New inventions, like automobiles, drastically changed the years following the invention.

Transportation. Railroads and Pullman Cars were widely common and were a main source of transportation.

Accessable Information. Newspapers and advertising grew, causing a huge increase in the number of people who knew the news and how quickly they heard it. New means of communication were introduced, like the telegraph and the radio.

→ How it was not progressive.

Child Labor. The 1890 census revealed that more than one million children, ten to fifteen years old, worked in America. That number increased to two million by 1910. Children as young as five or six were employed to work as many as eighteen to twenty hours a day.

Poor Working Conditions. Men, women and children worked long hours in unsafe factories. Incidents like the Triangle-Shirtwaist Factory Fire are proof of poor working conditions. 148 workers, mostly women, died in the fire. It was caused by the hazardous building with no decent fire escape route and illegally locked doors.

Farmers lost jobs. Many farmers lost their jobs and income, due to a decrease in demand for their services. Machinery took over many of their jobs and they were no longer needed.

→ My stand on it.

The Progressive Era definitely had its share of pros and cons. In some cases, they went hand in hand, meaning that a good thing was also a bad thing. For instance, technology advanced and brought new innovations and ideas, yet it put farmers out of work and replaced humans with machines. I see the Progressive Era as something that was necessary to our nation. It had to happen because it made our country move forward and it did solve many problems. However, it had its share of trials and tribulations that of course, stand out in our minds. In my opinion, the Progressive Era was great because it moved our society forward, yet I think it could have gone more smoothly if it had been taken slower. Maybe then, incidents like the Shirtwaist Fire and child labor would have been noticed and addressed, because America wouldn’t have been so fast-paced and aimed for quick success.

Yay Blogs

I looked through the blogs that my classmates have written and chose the ones that stood out to me the most in terms of economic advice to Obama, literary analysis, and historical writing.

Economic advice to Barack Obama; From Diana Barlow's Blog

So in the declaration, it is made clear that all humans have the civil liberties to learn, so that they can prosper and become the future of America, as it has been meant to be. But how can that be achieved if something so little as money can stand in the way? According to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, with the rising cost of tuition, even before the the recession, many Americans can't afford college. The college tuition fees have increased an enormous amount of 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, while the median family income only raised 147 percent. College loans has more then doubled in the last 10 years, and students from lower class families usually get smaller grants from the colleges they attend then more prosperous families.

What stood out to me about Diana's blog was how her thoughts were so organized and she referenced history and current statistics. She proposed the problem with a question and everything was in logical order.

Literary Analysis; From Jacob Harris' Blog

The last literary device in this book is symbolism. I think that the biggest symbol in the book is the rabbit. It shows up in every chapter that I can remember, and is usually symbolic of the ideal lifestyle that they, or maybe just Lennie wanted. Towards the end of the book though, it turns to a more sinister symbol, telling Lennie about how bad of a person he is and how George doesn't need him. I see it as a symbol of what the title of the book was derived from. I see the rabbit as the great plan all laid out, then going awry like every great plan does. Also, in my experience at least, the rabbit has always been the thing to escape anyones grasp, which supports the theory of what it symbolizes.

I really like how Jacob explained the use of symbolism in Of Mice and Men. He thoroughly described how it is used as a literary device and what it meant to him.

Historical Writing; From Evan Lott's Blog

Military ventures played a big role in the 1896 election because both candidates were involved. William Jennings Bryan was an active member of the Anti-Imperialist League. This was Americas first citizen organization that challenged the governments foreign policies. The anti imperialist believed that "nations that sought to control colonial empires inevitably ended up embroiled in bloody wars far from their homes--wars that would eventually lead to the collapse of the empire." Bryan, a representative on behalf of the anti-imperialist argues the point that"imperialist actions are counterproductive for the success and health of the United States". He then goes on to make a very good point that "the extension of American power to foreign lands does not make sense financially, is illegal under American law and will inevitably lead to war".

What I liked about Evan's Blog was how his writing was so understandable and to-the-point. He incorporated quotes and evidence, and avoided it becoming too confusing. It was easy to read and gain a lot from.

Anything else that makes blogs great; From Sydney Lampe's Blog

March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural speech to the citizens of America. Within his speech, he spoke to Americans with a sense of hope and encouragement. In 1933, America was in a time of need; “Taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen… the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.” Citizens were unaware of where to turn, and with America hitting rock bottom within the first month Roosevelt took his oath as president, “ We must act and act quickly.” The concerns of first inaugural speech of Franklin Delano Roosevelt can be compared to those of present times, full of loss of jobs, bank foreclosures and the overall quality of our economy causing America to be in a state of panic.

Sydney's blog about FDR's inaugural address stood out to me because of her strong introduction. She set the tone of the essay and it was easy to understand what she would discuss in the following paragraphs. She also wrote a great thesis statement, which made the rest of the blog structured and easy to understand.

Darwin's 200th Birthday

What responsibility do we have for the understanding of science? I think that it is up to us to understand science and to make advancements and move our society foward, at least as much as we want to. We don't control all science, but we control how much we know about it. It's important to realize what we know, what we don't know, what we want to know, and what we can't know. I think it is our responsibility to understand science in a way that helps us.
What role should scientific inquiery and scientific knowledge play in our own society? I think science should always play a consistent role in the background of our society. Science holds truths and facts, so it is important that society knows those facts.
How should science influence our decisions, laws, and culture? This is always a nagging question, especially when it comes to religion vs. science. It's a fine line that is difficult to work around, but I think science should have a large influence on our decisions. It should be referenced because scientific facts have been proven time after time. I think it should influence culture, but not too much. Different people have different culture and I don't think it would work to blanket everyone's personal culture with science.

Honors Blog

The Alchemist; by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is a short book about a shepherd from Spain, named Santiago, who goes on a journey across the desert to fulfil his "Personal Legend" and find the treasure he envisioned in his dreams. The book is hailed as powerful and inspiring, as it conveys a message of following your dreams. Early in the book, Santiago says, "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." This simple theme was woven throughout the entirety of the book and helped to pull together the overlying message of the story. Paul Coelho develops a theme of following your dreams, yet allowing fate to take its course, through allegory, imagery, and conflict.
Allegory is an extremely important aspect in tying this book together. Coelho uses this literary devices in many instances in the book by using a character, object, or circumstance as a symbol for a much deeper idea. Coelho gave his writing style variety by using allegory in both small and big ways. For instance, in the very beginning of the book, Santiago travels to talk to "the wisest of the wise men". The wise man tells Santiago to carry a spoon full of oil without spilling it, and look through his house full of treasures, paintings, and marvels of the world. The first time, Santiago was focused so intently on keeping the oil on the spoon, that he didn't notice any of the paintings or treasures. After he was told to look at the walls, he forgot all about the oil and let it all spill to the ground. When he returned, the wise man told him, "The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon." (Page 32) I feel Coelho described this scene for the sake of conveying a specific message. The oil on the spoon was there to represent something much more important, which I personally think is up to the reader to decide. Coelho used allegory in this section because he used a simple object like oil on a spoon to evoke something much deeper within the reader's mind. Coelho also utilized this literary device in other very small, yet significant, ways throughout the story. At one point in the book, Santiago sat at a bar in Africa. He attempted to overcome the language barrier and order wine, but to his disappointment, he ended up with tea. He was upset that the tea was bitter, but then he thought about the journey that he was just beginning-- "'If God leads the sheep so well, he will also lead a man', he thought, and that made him feel better. The tea seemed less bitter." (Page 35). As I read this, I recognized that the tea symbolized something else. To me, the cup of tea was a symbol for Santiago's life, his journey, or struggles. When Coelho wrote, "The tea seemed less bitter", I read it as him saying, "His life didn't seem so bad." In my opinion, the largest form of allegory in The Alchemist was the character, the Alchemist himself. When The Alchemist and Santiago were travelling through the desert, Santiago ended up doing things that he never imagined himself being able to do. He left the love of his life to find his treasure, he turned himself into wind, and he escaped murder and war. Towards the last few pages of the book, Santiago talks to the Alchemist who says, "That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too." (Page 150). I feel that this summarizes the significance of the Alchemist and Santiago's journey. It showed that the Alchemist was a allegorical character, in that he provided a sense of security for Santiago and allowed him to do things he would never have done otherwise. The use of allegory connects back to the overall theme of the book because it deepens every character, object, and incident that Coelho writes about and strengthens the meaning.
Imagery is another important aspect of Coehlo's writing in The Alchemist. He uses imagery to give the reader a better understanding of the scene he is describing. This is a book that follows a shepherd's travels, so the scene changes multiple times throughout the course of the story. I think imagery is very important in allowing the reader to gain a sense of what is happening and form a picture in their mind. For instance, at one point in the book, Santiago is working at a crystal shop in Africa. He is talking to the shopkeeper who tells him about his dreams of travelling to Mecca one day--"You dream about your sheep and the Pyramids, but you're different from me, because you want to realize your dreams. I just want to dream about Mecca. I've already imagined a thousand times crossing the desert, arriving at the Plaza of the Sacred Stone, the seven times I walk around it before allowing myself to touch it. I've already imagined the people who would be at my side, and those in front of me, and the conversations and prayers we would share. But I'm afraid that it would all be a disappointment, so I prefer just to dream about it." (Page 55). I think this passage was very important for a few reasons. First, it was very visual and descriptive, which allowed the reader to vividly picture what was being depicted. Secondly, it gave me the idea that it was important to the character. Even though he said he wasn't actually going to fulfil that dream, the fact that it was described in such great detail gave me the impression that it still held high importance to the character. Imagery is also used in other ways, like describing a picture in detail and connecting it metaphorically to something else--"He watched the hawks as they drifted on the wind. Although their flight appeared to have no pattern, it made a certain kind of sense to the boy. It was just that he couldn't grasp what it meant. He followed the movement of the birds, trying to read something into it. Maybe these desert birds could explain to him the meaning of love without ownership." (Page 99). This passage was important because it was descriptive and allowed room for interpretation outside of the actual scene being described (it brought the idea of love into consideration). Another form of imagery that Coelho uses is nature imagery--"The wind screamed with delight, and blew harder than ever. The tents were being blown from their ties to the earth, and the animals were being freed from their tethers. On the cliff, the men clutched at each other as they sought to keep from being blown away." (Page 151). Coelho managed to fit a broad amount of description and detail into a short three sentence paragraph. I think this is an important skill to have when using imagery as a literary device because it provides the reader a good amount of detail, without boring them of unnecessary length or run-on sentences.
Conflict was also a literary tool that was used often throughout the story. In a way, the entire plot was filled with conflict after conflict. Santiago would encounter a problem during his journey and it would take him time to fix it. One of his first major conflicts was a lack of money that he needed to go to the Pyramids to fulfill his "Personal Legend". He solved this by working for a crystal shopkeeper for about a year (Page 51). Another conflict presented in the story would be the war that kept Santiago from crossing the rest of the desert to find the Pyramids. He ended up having to stay in the oasis for a good amount of time, where he actually met a girl he fell in love with. This connects to the theme of the story because for Santiago, this is where fate took its course--"I had a dream, and I met with a king. I sold crystal and crossed the desert. And, because the tribes declared war, I went to te well, seeking the alchemist. So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you." (Page 122). This conflict of having to stay in the oasis ended up being a blessing in disguise for Santiago. The last conflict that I found significant to the story would be with Santiago was forced to turn himself into wind. He and the alchemist were captured by soldiers and the only way to escape from murder was for Santiago to turn himself into the wind and prove he was an alchemist--"'But I have no idea how to turn myself into the wind.' 'If a person is living out his Personal Legend, he knows everything he needs to know. There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to acheive: the fear of failure.'" (Page 141). This conflict proved to be important because it was the last major conflict for Santiago, and after that, everything fell into place for him.
The Alchemist's theme is not hidden at all. Almost anyone reading the book would be able to understand that it is about pursuing dreams and fate. However, I think that everyone who reads it is able to take away something else, something personal and significant to only them, which is what I liked about this book. Paulo Coelho is able to develop these themes through the use of allegory, imagery, and conflict, all of which work together to form one of the bestselling books in history, and an interesting story to read, in my opinion.

Obama's Economic Advisor, Part 2

Mr. President,

After reading your editorial about the economy posted in the Washington Post, I will say that I agree with and understand the sense of urgency you pushed on the matter. This crumbling economy cannot handle another day wasted, it needs action and a plan for recovery. An issue that resonates in my mind and in the minds of other Americans, is the struggle to hold a job and steering clear of unemployment. So many have already been affected by this and America knows it far too well, as it is embedded in one of the darkest periods of our country's history. The Great Depression brought hardships upon millions of Americans, sounding very similar to the hardships of today. "By 1932 the unemployment rate had soared past 20 percent. Thousands of banks and businesses had failed." Currently, with our unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, we cannot afford to let it rise any further and rise to the point of the 1930's. A piece of advice for you would be to focus on creating more jobs for Americans. The new jobs should be structured to build upon advances in technology. It sounds like this is already woven into your plan, so I think it should be implemented as soon as possible.

This graph shows the rapid increase in the number of "Green Jobs" from July 2005 through July 2008. The steady increase, in my opinion, shows that Americans want sustainable jobs and know that "Green Jobs" can provide security in an unpredictable economy.

In my humble opinion, the red line should continue to increase. My advice to you would be to create more Green Jobs that would put Americans back to work in a secure workfield.

In a way, Franklin Roosevelt's responsibilities during the Great Depression are very similar to the responsibilities you take on today. "On May 18, President Roosevelt submitted to congress the center-piece of his first hundred days: the National (Industrial) Recovery Act, or NRA." Roosevelt's plan was designed to promote recovery. It was set up to bring maximum work hours for laborers, minimum wages, and forbid child labor. My advice to you is to look back on our nation's history, especially the Great Depression. FDR's challenges relate so much to yours, so you can take away things to do, as well as not to do. My question for you is, when can we expect to see new jobs being created?

Thank you so much for your time Mr. President.

Sources Cited.
- Taylor, Nick. The New York Times. "The Great Depression". Link. 8 February 2009.

- United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Link. 8 February 2009.
- National Industrial Recovery Act. "Bills & Laws 1933-1935." Link. 8 February 2009.
- Indeed.com. Job Trends. "Green Jobs". Link. 9 February 2009.
- DeLong, J. Bradford. The Economic History of the 20th Century. "Climbing out of the Great Depression". Link. 8 February 2009.

If you were Obama's economic advisor...

Mr. President,

After reading your editorial about the economy posted in the Washington Post, I will say that I agree with and understand the sense of urgency you pushed on the matter. This crumbling economy cannot handle another day wasted, it needs action and a plan for recovery. An issue that resonates in my mind and in the minds of other Americans, is the struggle to hold a job and steering clear of unemployment. So many have already been affected by this and America knows it far too well, as it is embedded in one of the darkest places of our country's history. The Great Depression brought hardships upon millions of Americans, sounding very similar to the hardships of today. "By 1932 the unemployment rate had soared past 20 percent. Thousands of banks and businesses had failed." Currently, with our unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, we cannot afford to let it rise any further and rise to the point of the 1930's. A piece of advice for you would be to focus on creating more jobs for Americans. The new jobs should ben unthreatened by technological advancements, so that Americans keep them for years and years to come. It sounds like this is already woven into your plan, so I think it should be implemented as soon as possible.

In a way, Franklin Roosevelt's responsibilities during the Great Depression are very similar to the responsibilities you take on today. "On May 18, President Roosevelt submitted to congress the center-piece of his first hundred days: the National (Industrial) Recovery Act, or NRA." Roosevelt's plan was designed to promote recovery. It was set up to bring maximum work hours for laborers, minimum wages, and forbid child labor. My advice to you is to look back on our nation's history, especially the Great Depression. FDR's challenges relate so much to yours, so you can take away things to do, as well as not to do. My question for you is, when can we expect to see new jobs being created?

Thank you so much for your time Mr. President.

• Taylor, Nick. The New York Times. "The Great Depression". Link. 8 February 2009.
• United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Link. 8 February 2009.
• National Industrial Recovery Act. Acts, Bills, and Laws, 1933-1935. Link. 8 February 2009.
• DeLong, J. Bradford. The Economic History of the 20th Century. "Climbing out of the Great Depression". Link. 8 February 2009.
  

Internship Interview!
Time: Either 1 or 3:30 on Thursday 2/12
Location: My mentor's office
Technology: Possibly the iPod recorder thing (Leo, Chandler, and I all scheduled our interviews for the same day, so it would work if we all used it)

Interview Design Principles

Sydney and Ana

1) Flexibility: To be able to adapt to the answers given. To be able to not feel forced to ask all of your questions in the order they are prepared. But rather ask questions to go more in depth within a topic.

Professional Published Example: Matt Lauer Interview with Michael Moore.

Lauer: "The Weinstein brothers of Miramax bought the film back. And now Harvey Weinstein is a Democratic organizer. He does fund-raisers for John Kerry."

Moore: "Yeah."

Lauer: "And you've hired a couple of seasoned Clinton politicos to handle publicity and marketing for the film. So at this stage on, will you concede, it is now a sharply political movie with a very definitive point of view."

Moore: "It definitely has a point of view, that's absolutely correct. But I'm not a member of the Democratic Party. If you know anything about me, anybody who's followed me, I'm the anti-Democrat. I have railed against the Democrats for a long time. They have been a weak-kneed, wimpy party that hasn't stood up to the Republicans. They let the working people down across this country. I rallied against Clinton when he was in office. I didn't vote for him in ‘96. I didn't vote for Gore in 2000. This is not a partisan issue with me, this is not me trying to –"

2) Personable: To be able to have a professional interview, using conversation to keep a relaxed environment. Keeping it interesting by talking back and forth instead of a question, then answer, and then new question. Also, let your personality shine throughout the interview.

Professional Published Example: CNN interview with Angelina Jolie.

Damon: There are reports out of Hollywood that... (laughs)

Jolie: Oh don't. Stop it. (Interrupts I had to ask) Stay true to your tradition. You're CNN. Don't do it!

Damon: I know that's why I have to... (Laughs)

Jolie: But I don't have to answer. OK?

Damon: No you don't. I completely and totally ... you're right and will not press the matter.

Jolie: Thank you.

3) Description: Interviewer asks question which lets the interviewee answer descriptively and in detail. From the question asked, the answers provide room for my questions to be asked. The answers also respond to the question fully.

Professional Published Example: CNN interview with Sarah Palin.

CNN: And the plans that you mention take time, you have to go through Congress. If you guys win, you'll both most likely be working with a Democratic Congress. It's gonna be a slow process. What I'm trying to find out from you -- from John McCain as well, day one, people want a difference, to make a difference in the economy, as we're seeing daily, swings in the stock market, houses going foreclosed on --

Palin: Mm-hmm. Well, day one, you bring in everyone around that table, too, you bring in the congressional leadership, and, assuming that there will be, certainly, Democrats, at that table, that's good, too, these are gonna be bipartisan approaches that must be taken, I have that executive experience also having formed a cabinet up there in Alaska that, you know, we've got independents and Democrats and Republicans whom I have appointed to our administrative positions to that, we have the best of ideas coming together in order to best serve the people. John McCain, too, he's been known as the maverick to take on his own party when need be, to reach over the aisle and work with the other party also. Now, Barack Obama has not been able to do that, he's gone with, what is it, 96 percent of the time with Democrat leadership. Not having that, I think, ability or willingness to work with the other side. So as an executive, we need to create that team that is full of good ideas and not let obsessive partisanship get in the way, as we start taking the measures to shore up our economy, which already Congress is working on with the rescue package, with some of the bailout packages, the provisions in there that can work, too, but it's gonna take everybody working together.

Good Interviews