There are two extremely different professions that i plan to go into directly out of college. The first one whichi wil discuss is Fire Fighting. I have found by research that firefighting has 97 percent rate in which people keep their jobs after finding one. In the times we are going through now that is incredible. This means If i get into this profession I have a slim to none chance of losing my job. If I graduate with a degree then some fire schools will pay for my education and also I will be able to start at a higher salary and position.
I talked to my dad's good friend named Mike Wallis who is the cheif of a fire department in florida. He said that it is fairly easy to find a job once graduating and that he has never had to fire a fire fighter. He says that they get the best medical care and attention also. He also said if i get into that career then as long as i dont do anything illegal or incredibly stupid then there isnt much of a chance of getting layed off.
The only worry about the job is the possibility of injury or death. A benefit of firefighting is that if you get injured on the job then they will support you and your family a great deal. There arent really ways to ensure success while at USF except staying in shape, and staying healthy. Another plus about firefighting is that you have time to get another part time job which i also plan to do.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ecological Footprint
I started my ecological footprint at 6:00 pm on Thursday. If every one lived like me then we would need 5 planet earths to provide enough resources. To support my lifestyls it takes 22 global acres of earths productive area. I did many things to try and improve my ecological footprint. I ate less animal products. I didn’t drive I rode my skateboard. I ate more locally grown food. I ate more fresh food. I cleaned dishes instead of using paper plates. I turned my lights off and didn’t use as much electricity. After retaking the quiz I now only need 3.6 earths to support us if everyone lived like me and now it only takes 16 global acres rather than 22. I finished this project at 6:00 pm on Friday. I found that it takes more money when you have a bad ecological footprint.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Day Without Technology
Monday
I started my day without the use of technology when i woke up on monday morning around 11:00 AM. This was the first day all year that i had woken up without the assistance of my alarm clock on my cell phone. When i woke up my room mates were out in the living room listening to music so i decided to go to McDonalds for breakfast rather than cooking at the apartment which i usually do as i tried to avoid listening to music. After McDonalds I haeded to class for the day as i had to avoid bringing my ipod to school and rode my skateboard rather than driving. After my two classes i decided to go to the library instead of going home once again trying to avoid listening to the music that my roommates are constantly blaring. I studied at te library for about four hours struggling on my attempt to not go to the lab computers for the use of the internet. I knew i had a softball game at 8:00 PM so i decided to ride my skateboard around for an hour before I had to head to my baseball game but i became very bored after a little while sicne I had no ipod to listen to owhile skating. I then went and played my game vith no problems. Directly after that game I had an inturmural volly ball game held in the gym. As i walked through the gym I noticed that the televisions were on and playing music but i did my best to ignore it and headed in to my game. After the game I headed home to an apartment full of kids my age all playing video games. I knew i couldnt sit out there and play with them so instead i went out to my porch and finished all of my homework. After I finished I went to bed and the task was over. This was at 1:15 AM.
I started my day without the use of technology when i woke up on monday morning around 11:00 AM. This was the first day all year that i had woken up without the assistance of my alarm clock on my cell phone. When i woke up my room mates were out in the living room listening to music so i decided to go to McDonalds for breakfast rather than cooking at the apartment which i usually do as i tried to avoid listening to music. After McDonalds I haeded to class for the day as i had to avoid bringing my ipod to school and rode my skateboard rather than driving. After my two classes i decided to go to the library instead of going home once again trying to avoid listening to the music that my roommates are constantly blaring. I studied at te library for about four hours struggling on my attempt to not go to the lab computers for the use of the internet. I knew i had a softball game at 8:00 PM so i decided to ride my skateboard around for an hour before I had to head to my baseball game but i became very bored after a little while sicne I had no ipod to listen to owhile skating. I then went and played my game vith no problems. Directly after that game I had an inturmural volly ball game held in the gym. As i walked through the gym I noticed that the televisions were on and playing music but i did my best to ignore it and headed in to my game. After the game I headed home to an apartment full of kids my age all playing video games. I knew i couldnt sit out there and play with them so instead i went out to my porch and finished all of my homework. After I finished I went to bed and the task was over. This was at 1:15 AM.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
One challenge that not only me but every American citizen will have as a challenege in the future four years from now is alternative energy sources. Four years from now we may need alternative energy for driving. As of right now we do still have plenty of gas for every one but the gas prices are already figuratively high as it is begining to get harder for the U.S. to gain controll of these sources and as everybody knows the sources are not infinite and are in fact diminishing. For right now a possible thing that we can do is to drill on american ground to find more oil resources that can last us for a long period of time but even when we find more oil one day it could still run out. Another thing that we can do is to try to find ways to convert wind energy into a way to power our vehicles and try to create other ways and sources such as solar and nuclear energy to do so. This is not neccessarily an injustice but it is definetlu an economic and environmental issue that every american will have to cope with and try to helpp find these alternative sources. We need to make progress on doing this now and to not procrastinate until it is a major crisis.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
blog 2 (red) thesis and outline for project 1
Thesis:
Both America’s Army and Fat World are trying to persuade their audiences as well as give factual evidence yet America’s Army is more effective in promoting its cause than Fat World because it appeals to people’s logos, pathos and ethos rather than just appealing using pathos and logos.
Outline:
Outline
Opening paragraph:
Most people see video games as just a way to spend leisure time and for the most part, just something to do that wastes time and can be fun. Not many realize that in actuality there is a lot more to video games than just something fun to do that doesn’t really have a meaning. Most video games have a purpose to persuade a certain audience of something or to get those people involved with a product. There are many different techniques game makers use to promote their products and some seem to be more effective than others. Analyzing two very different games with their varying techniques is a good way to tell which approaches are better than others. After evaluating the two video games and their strategic approaches to persuade game players the answer seems a bit more clear. Both America’s Army and Fat World are trying to persuade their audiences as well as give factual evidence yet America’s Army is more effective in promoting its cause than Fat World because it appeals to people’s logos, pathos and ethos rather than just appealing using pathos and logos.
Paragraph 2 telling what each game contains:
America’s army is a Serious Game that uses realistic training and actual situations. When you start the game you pick your person and head immediately into either combat or you could choose to go into basic training if you want to learn how to play the game first. Once you go through basic training you can either go out on missions or go play on a server where other actual people are playing rather than just the computer. If you choose to go out on missions there are certain obstacles that you have to complete and rules to abide by. For every mission you complete there is a new one that you have to try. If you decide to go play on the LAN server then you simply pick a team to go on if it is available then try to kill the other players on the opposite team. This part of the game is strictly just trying to get the most kills that you can. Fat World is a persuasive game that shows you how to eat right and become healthy by using effective dieting strategies and nutritional facts. When you first start the game you create a character and make up all the information about him or her. This includes their appearance, weight, name and other features. After you have completely set up the game you then have a schedule to abide to in order to stay healthy. There is actually more to the game than just eating right. You have to make money and exercise as well.
Paragraph 3 showing techniques of each game:
Fat World is a persuasive game and is also similar to a serious game.
Fat World uses nutritional facts to persuade people to eat healthy.
Fat World appeals to people’s emotions by showing that they can get fat if they do not eat healthy.
Americas Army uses real life situations in the army.
Americas Army is educational.
It is a serious game.
It gives training as if it were real life.
Paragraph 4 comparing effectiveness used in each game:
Fat World gets its point across well and is helpful.
Fat world isn’t all that fun just informative.
Americas Army’s cause is much bigger and more important.
Paragraph 5 summary:
After completing an analysis of both games America’s Army was much more effective because…
Americas Army uses a better technique to persuade than Fat World.
Both America’s Army and Fat World are trying to persuade their audiences as well as give factual evidence yet America’s Army is more effective in promoting its cause than Fat World because it appeals to people’s logos, pathos and ethos rather than just appealing using pathos and logos.
Outline:
Outline
Opening paragraph:
Most people see video games as just a way to spend leisure time and for the most part, just something to do that wastes time and can be fun. Not many realize that in actuality there is a lot more to video games than just something fun to do that doesn’t really have a meaning. Most video games have a purpose to persuade a certain audience of something or to get those people involved with a product. There are many different techniques game makers use to promote their products and some seem to be more effective than others. Analyzing two very different games with their varying techniques is a good way to tell which approaches are better than others. After evaluating the two video games and their strategic approaches to persuade game players the answer seems a bit more clear. Both America’s Army and Fat World are trying to persuade their audiences as well as give factual evidence yet America’s Army is more effective in promoting its cause than Fat World because it appeals to people’s logos, pathos and ethos rather than just appealing using pathos and logos.
Paragraph 2 telling what each game contains:
America’s army is a Serious Game that uses realistic training and actual situations. When you start the game you pick your person and head immediately into either combat or you could choose to go into basic training if you want to learn how to play the game first. Once you go through basic training you can either go out on missions or go play on a server where other actual people are playing rather than just the computer. If you choose to go out on missions there are certain obstacles that you have to complete and rules to abide by. For every mission you complete there is a new one that you have to try. If you decide to go play on the LAN server then you simply pick a team to go on if it is available then try to kill the other players on the opposite team. This part of the game is strictly just trying to get the most kills that you can. Fat World is a persuasive game that shows you how to eat right and become healthy by using effective dieting strategies and nutritional facts. When you first start the game you create a character and make up all the information about him or her. This includes their appearance, weight, name and other features. After you have completely set up the game you then have a schedule to abide to in order to stay healthy. There is actually more to the game than just eating right. You have to make money and exercise as well.
Paragraph 3 showing techniques of each game:
Fat World is a persuasive game and is also similar to a serious game.
Fat World uses nutritional facts to persuade people to eat healthy.
Fat World appeals to people’s emotions by showing that they can get fat if they do not eat healthy.
Americas Army uses real life situations in the army.
Americas Army is educational.
It is a serious game.
It gives training as if it were real life.
Paragraph 4 comparing effectiveness used in each game:
Fat World gets its point across well and is helpful.
Fat world isn’t all that fun just informative.
Americas Army’s cause is much bigger and more important.
Paragraph 5 summary:
After completing an analysis of both games America’s Army was much more effective because…
Americas Army uses a better technique to persuade than Fat World.
thesis (red) blog 4
1)Max Payne is an extremely violent game that deals with many ethical dilemas inside the game and out.
2)Max Payne is a game with extreme ethical dilemas where a man goes out of his way to gain vengence on those who gave him troubles in his personal life.
3) Although Max Payne is an action game about gaining revenge at whatever cost, the character in question makes the right decision in paying the people back for what they deserve.
2)Max Payne is a game with extreme ethical dilemas where a man goes out of his way to gain vengence on those who gave him troubles in his personal life.
3) Although Max Payne is an action game about gaining revenge at whatever cost, the character in question makes the right decision in paying the people back for what they deserve.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
blog 3
http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/familyresources/a/vidgameviolence.htm
The first article that I read was about the negative effects that violent video games have on the people who play them. They did two types of tests. The first test was a survey of college students who played violent video games when they were younger then asked them what kind of trouble that they have been involved in in the past. The research showed that the kids who played more violent video games when they were younger got into more trouble as well. The second test was letting kids play a violent video game against another college student and gave them the ability to honk a loud horn in the other persons ear. This test showed that as a student played longer he also honked the horn louder.
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040121/Feature1.asp
The second article argued that incresed violence in children should not be blamed on video games and that they can actually have a positive effect. The author said, "You get a group of teenage boys who shoot up a school—of course they've played video games," Gee says. "Everyone does. It's like blaming food because we have obese people." She argues that video games are not bad at all and actually help children improve coordination and visual skills. "A good video game is challenging, entertaining, and complicated, Gee says. It usually takes 50 to 60 hours of intense concentration to finish one."
I agree on a level with both of the articles because first of all i think that too much violence can be harmful to a child and give them ideas but on the other hand i don't think that video games should take all the blame and that there is good in video games as well.
The first article that I read was about the negative effects that violent video games have on the people who play them. They did two types of tests. The first test was a survey of college students who played violent video games when they were younger then asked them what kind of trouble that they have been involved in in the past. The research showed that the kids who played more violent video games when they were younger got into more trouble as well. The second test was letting kids play a violent video game against another college student and gave them the ability to honk a loud horn in the other persons ear. This test showed that as a student played longer he also honked the horn louder.
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20040121/Feature1.asp
The second article argued that incresed violence in children should not be blamed on video games and that they can actually have a positive effect. The author said, "You get a group of teenage boys who shoot up a school—of course they've played video games," Gee says. "Everyone does. It's like blaming food because we have obese people." She argues that video games are not bad at all and actually help children improve coordination and visual skills. "A good video game is challenging, entertaining, and complicated, Gee says. It usually takes 50 to 60 hours of intense concentration to finish one."
I agree on a level with both of the articles because first of all i think that too much violence can be harmful to a child and give them ideas but on the other hand i don't think that video games should take all the blame and that there is good in video games as well.
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