The Limits of Language

"The Limits of Language" by Nicholas Lemann, he explains the way language is used today. How we changes words to hide its true meaning. Orwell says in his essay "Politics and the English language," bad language produces bad politics. Which definitly agrees with what Nicholas Lemann is trying to explain. Lemann also states that the internet is a useful tool but it's information no longer has true meaning because everybody and anyone can post things on the internet. And they can't be trusted because it can all be wrong. You must do research when using the internet to make sure the information your reading is correct. Politics and media will do anything to get more viewers and readers. "Bad language" is used while they are in the mist of doing this.

The Infotainment Freak Show

In the essay by Martin Kaplan "Welcome to the Infotainment Freak Show" the analysis is on the information media. Kaplan explains that news today is mainly about the entertainment aspect and also finding crazy and hollywood aspect stories to entertain everyday people who watch television. When I watch television every time I change the channel I always see some type of news about someone famous instead of haring about what's considered "real news". For example, rape, burglary,theft and etc. Money is definitely what makes the media show the everyday American population these things. They do this to get higher ratings and make more money. Kaplan also says that reporters no longer are doing their job of researching. They have forgotten how to research important news topic and instead they just get their stories off the internet. News used to teach the public facts and researched stories well. Because of competition they no longer care about the facts, thats why looking at multiple news channels is necessary.

Politics and the English Language

In the reading Politics and the English Language by George Orwell nothing really stood out to me. It was very difficult for me to even understand what he was trying to explain or come across. As I read it on my own I found myself looking up words in the dictionary and even after doing that I couldn't comprehend what he was trying to say. During class as we read I thought it would have helped, but it didn't. We found out the summary which he is trying to argue against, which is "Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes." Even after talking about it in class I still don't seem to understand what he is truly trying to say. The thesis is "It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." Even when he says the thesis I feel like he talks around what he is trying to say. He uses big words and talks very educated which is what I thought he said not to do. He states that it's not correct to try to elongate your words and statements, but he does that exact thing. I have a feeling this book is going to take me a long time to read and I;m not going to enjoy it.

Home Depot Fires Man over God button

In West Palm Beach a former cashier that worked at Home Depot has been fired. He has been wearing a "One nation under God" button on his work apron for about a year or more. The reason for him being fired he feels is because of the religious refrences. Home Depot says it is not allowed to express personal beliefs in the work place. "I've worn it for well over a year and I support my country and God," Trevor Keezor said Tuesday. "I was just doing what I think every American should do, just love my country."

In the beginning of October he began bringing the Bible to work to read during his lunch break. He is from a little town called Okeechobee, 140 miles from Miami. This is when, Keezor said, Home Depot management told him he would have to remove his button. Keezer told management that he wouldn't do so and he was fired on October 23rd. "It feels kind of like a punishment, like I was punished for just loving my country," Keezer said.

A Home Depot spokesman said Keezer was fired because he violated the company's dress code. "This associate chose to wear a button that expressed his religious beliefs. The issue is not whether or not we agree with the message on the button," Craig Fishel said. "That's not our place to say, which is exactly why we have a blanket policy, which is long-standing and well-communicated to our associates, that only company-provided pins and badges can be worn on our aprons."

Kara Skorupa, Trevor Keezer's lawyer, says she plans on sewing the Home Depot Company. The reason Keezer was working at Home Depot was because he was trying to earn money to put himself through college. And the reason he wore the button was because he wanted to support his brother who is a national guard and is reported to return to Iraq.

I feel if we have freedom of speech there is no reason for us to harass people over little things like a button. He wasn't harming anyone in the gist of wearing that button, so there should have been no problem. And what he does on his lunch break is his business. It's not like he was walking through the store speaking the word of God. The only reason they should have fired him is if he was giving people their receipts and saying "May God Bless You!". And he wasn't doing this to Home Depot definitely should be sued over this event.

Man dies after San Bernardino police use taser on him

On October 17th, 2009 a 19 year old man died early in the morning in San Bernardino. The San Bernardino police officers used a taser on him at a board and care facility. This is what the San Bernardino Police Department stated. The police officers were called to a place in the 300 block of South Arrowhead Ave. at around 11:30 p.m..

The officers were investigating a fight that was said involved three people. After the officers broke up the fight one of the men became combative which gave the officers the right to taser him to control him. After, the paramedics came within a few minutes to treat him because he was having difficulty breathing. The man was taken to the hospital and an hour later he was pronounced dead. His name is still unknown.

This event shows that police officers don't know when to stop. Their given a lot of power and they aren't able to control it. They shouldn't have gone so far and taser the young man. They could have found different methods to handle the situation, they just chose not to. This event that occurred gives me another reason why I don't trust the police.

H1N1 and different flus

At the end of last week I began to get a soar throat. I didn't think much bout it, I just thought being in a new environment was affecting me. I kept going on with my normal activities until it started to get worse. I started to receive more symptoms like coughing, hot flashes, runny nose, red eyes, body weak, not able to eat, and extremely tired. I decided to call my mother and ask her what I should do. She told me to get plenty of rest and drink a lot of fluids. She also told me that there was a flu breakout and that I should look it up and read about it.

When I searched "flu", a whole story on the Los Angeles Times popped up. It read "H1N1 and other flus off to an early start around the U.S.". Twenty Seven states are reporting a wide spread of H1N1 influenza virus. From august 30th to september 29th, 16,174 have been hospitalized and 1,379 have died. The majority of them were swine flu related. A lot of pregnant women have been hospitalized in intensive care and out of the 100 women, 28 had died. The CDC said last week that there was a shortage of Tamiflu for infants and young children. The Human Services released 300,000 courses of Tamiflu to be available to states based on population. It was sent to Texas and Colorado first.

As I read about the symptoms I became very scared. The list read "1. unusual tiredness 2. headache 3. runny nose 4. sore throat 5. shortness of breath or cough 6. loss of appetite 7. aching muscles 8. diarrhea or vomiting". This was almost everything I was going through and began to panic. I just did what my mother had told me and took some cold medicine. After resting in bed all weekend I began to feel better, but am still afraid because I don't want to relapse and get sick once again.

Women arrested for attempted murder, child neglect

A 19 year old women in Lancaster claimed to have had a miscarriage. She was was arrested today October 6th, 2009 on suspicion of attempted murder and child neglect. On September 30th she showed up at Antelope Valley hospital saying that she had just had a miscarriage at her home and the remains of the baby down the toilet.

While she, Alyna Gutierrez, was at the hospital her mother found a newborn baby girl in her daughter's apartment. During that time Gutierrez was hospitalized for an infection she got from the child birth. When she was released in the morning she was instantly arrested by investigators.

The baby girl weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces. She is listed as in good condition today and will be put into protective custody.

Personally I don't understand how someone can carry a child for 9 months and in the end say they no longer want the child. You should know in the beginning that you can't care for that child and don't think your ready, don't have it or give it up for adoption. There are different ways of taking care of this situation other that attempted murder on a precious child.

Mitrice Richardson Gone Missing

Mitrice Richardson, a 24 year old woman from South Los Angeles has gone missing on September 17th, 2009. After, she was released from the Los Angeles County sherriff's substation in Calabasas. It was said that she was wearing jeans and a dark shirt, no purse, no cellphone, nor a car. The reason she was arrested is because she ordered food from a local restaurant and didn't have the money to pay for it. The manager from the restaurant said the friends Mitrice was hanging with were suppose to pay for her food but in the end decided not to. After seeing the mind frame she was in the manager was more concerned with her driving home. At one point Mitrice "said she was from Mars and started speaking in a made-up language" and "she did tell valet at one point that she was here to avenge Micheal Jackson's death." When police had arrived they found a small amount of marijuana in her car and charged her with suspicion of defrauding an innkeeper and possession of the drug. After she was released at 1:25am the sheriff's offered her a place to stay overnight because she didn't look up to part. Mitrice declined the offer she said she would meet up with some friends in Malibu. I think if the sheriff could see that she wasn't up to part to be leaving they should have kept her over night. That was their mistake to let her wonder off into the streets without a phone or car. Around 6:30 am a women called the sheriff's station saying they're was a women sleeping in her backyard. When they arrived, she was gone. On Saturday a women named Janette Goeglein said she had seen "a strange black women walking in the canyon." So it is possible that she hasn't been kidnapped and that she is not mentally stable to come home.