Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 26, 2011

Revoking Public Pensions

            As public servants enter the workforce each day, both city and state levels guarantee pensions after a certain amount of years of employment.  Public pensions are funded through state funds and tax paying dollars, but with the state in a budget deficit, officials speculate that pensions must be eliminated.  Legally, many argue, pensions cannot be revoked without violating exciting contracts in which benefits are guaranteed for the services rendered.  Mayors throughout states like California are looking for legal loopholes that will allow states to cut pensions from their public servants.  Due to the states financial struggles, many facilities have had to cut back on their payroll and involuntary terminate employees, in order to  continue paying the high cost pensions.  With this political debate, many of the actual city and government employees do not agree with the proposed measurements the state is considering.  Many people believe that it is morally and legally incorrect to strip pensions off of an employee after many years of dedication and loyalty.  Police officers and fire fighters whom dedicate and scarifies their lives for the public deserve to retain those benefits but it would be at the cost of other public services.  Although many argue that it is those same benefits and pensions that attract people to continue that line of profession.  Considering states are not expecting a decrease in demand for these professions, states must determine different measures that will help control and decrease the budget deficit. 

             Like many political issues, the public becomes informed through the media’s reports and articles.  Regardless of the informative content such as this as topic conducted by the New York Times, many of the authors express their political opinion within the editorial.  Biased opinions, doublespeak and inflated language are all tools in which people such as authors and political speakers use to convey their message across to the reader or audience.  This article entitled, Public Pensions, Once off Limits, Face Budget Cuts,  appeal to readers by highlighting both pros and cons of the issue.  First, the article address the issue of the massive budget deficits many states around the country face.  This appeals to each American, as we are affected by the funding or lack of funding in public resources such as law enforcement or fire departments.  It address the issue of the need of severe reduction of speeding in order to relieve the financial mess our country is in.  Secondly, the article appeals to the countless of individuals which would be affected by the removal of their pensions.  Not only affecting the working class, but also affecting the income of retired citizens who’s lives depend on the yearly pensions.   The rhetorical effectiveness of an article allows the readers to form opinioned ideas and thought in regards political debates that occur within the country.  Due to the strong influence media and written publications, it can become very difficult for measures or decisions to be made as the public scrutiny can either provide huge support for a topic or kill an idea dead in its tracks.  

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 12, 2011

Blog 10

            It was late night March 10^th, as I was writing my blog for this English class, when I briefly checked Facebook for the newest social updates.  I saw the usual updates from friends who are always up around that hour, but a different post caught my attention that read “earthquake in Japan.”  Realizing I was approaching midnight and began feeling very tiered, I didn’t pay much attention to it and continued writing my paper.  As I checked Facebook minutes later, the next post I read was “earthquake in Japan, keep them in your prayers.”  It was not till then that I became very curious to what people were referring to.  I reached for the television control and immediately changed it to CNN.  CNN has always been a reliable source and I knew they would be covering any type of breaking news.  I was shocked to see the aerial views streaming straight from Japan as the terrible catastrophe presented its self. I watched as a tsunami swallowed up acres of farmland in a matter of seconds.   I was no longer able to focus on my paper, as I was consumed by emotion about the current events. 

            Like the devastating tsunami,  the attacks on the World Trade Centers were unforgettable events that have received massive media attention.  It was a ninth grade morning when I was doing my usual routine: got ready for work and walked to my friends house.  When I arrived at her house she mentioned to me that an airplane had just crashed into a building.  Thinking the incident was minor, I headed to school without thinking much about it and at that age what fourteen year old would?  I was terribly wrong, my friend failed to mention that it was a commercial air plane filled with passengers that had crashed into that building.  Throughout the day I continued to hear about the “plane crash” but it wasn’t until I was in my 6^th period class that I realized how devastating the situation was.  The attacks against the World Trade Centers would be one of the worst attacks committed on the United States.   

            With both and many other horrific events, the mass media and technology efforts have allowed the information to stream out moments after they occur.  Local and world news allows for information to enter our household throughout the day.  CNN has been a leader in world news for many years and always provides on scene reports form those affected areas.  With the advance of technology, people around the world have access to post the latest news, current events and devastations that occur.  Unlike news reports that often can take days for a news anchor to be present on foreign countries, these individuals can post information in a matter of seconds.  Social cites such as Facebook, Twitter, Skipe allow friends and family members to stay connected despite time laps or location difference.  Like the events of Japan’s tsunami, Facebook was my primary source of information.  Through everyone’s notifications and the assistance of the mass media, the entire world, even those affected became informed of the devastating events. 

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 12, 2011

The Awareness in Biased Language

            The power of language can be a strong influence within the meaning and interpretation of words.  Susanne Langer describes language as a “symbol” because it causes a person to think about what is being symbolized.  Rosalie Maggio’s  argument relates biased language as being a form of a symbol as the meaning interprets different information.  One of the example’s that Maggio uses is the word manmade.  The words, she argues, does reveal much information.  “Does it mean artificial? Handmade? Synthetic? Fabricated? Machine made? Custom-made? Simulated? Plastic? Imitation? Contrived?”  The true meaning of the word manmade is an object that is made by human being, not artificially made.  The word can be misinterpreted as to refer that any object is made only by the male sex.  Her example of biased language is very accurate in regards to “manmade.”  It is a word that I do not pay much attention to because the meaning of the word has been engraved in my head.  The affect of the word would be different to a person who is not familiar with the language.  At first sound it would be presumed that an object was made by a man.  This is how the perception of language can influence a person and language itself. 

            Langer writes, “the essence of language is symbolic,”  and provides a good example of a child playing with a toy, which is always referred to as horsey.  The child’s repeated use of horsey allows for the fixed conception of the meaning to be created.   With every repetition, the name and meaning become engraved in the young minds head.  The name, describes Langer, “Names are the essence of language; for the name is what abstracts the conception of the horse form the horse itself, and lets the mere idea recur at the speaking of the name.”   Although, not all names completely describe the correct meaning or conception.  Several names that have been created and given within society are very derogatory and/or biased.  Words that Maggio describes such as gay, bum, fishermen, office girl.  Words such as these have been created but describe a very biased meaning.  These words are often used in mainstream society and media.  For a person who is unaware of their derogatory meaning or chooses to be ignorant to it,  influences others conception of the name. 

            I am guilty of using such words at times and as I read Maggio’s article, it is unbelievable the amount of biased language that is used.  It is engraved in everyday literature and heavily used in media and marketing elements.  Reading several examples of this bias, it emphasize the large amount of influence words can have upon a person.  It ranges from the car commercials advertising only for the male audience or the packaging labels that emphasize how easy the use of the product will be for all mom.  It is almost a form of brainwashing manufactures and companies are constantly labeling the “norm,” that car belong to men and the rearing of children only belongs to women.  It is language that at times I use in my regular language, language that has been engraved in my head since I was young. 

Reyes, Dalila

Instr. Gross

English 103

April 1, 2011

Happiness Through Self Worth

            Growing up, my mother would always tell me, “do whatever makes you happy.”   Yet what happens when that happiness conflicts with others physically or emotionally?  Happiness isn’t always the correct choice when it affects other people or one’s personal safety.  Actions such as theft, murder and lies can never be dismissed or justified if the reason for those actions were that it made an individual happy.   Agreeing with one’s choices and having the integrity and self respect is the best decision one can make when achieving true happiness.  Through personal experience, retail is a very competitive environment as management positions within the company that I work for are scarcely  available.  When a pricing position opened up with our store, management collectively decided that the position would be filled by promoting within the store.  There were two associates that expressed interest within the position.  The first associate was twenty-seven years old, had been with the company for three years, energetic and assertive in demeanor.  The second associate was twenty years old, had been with the company for four years, very quite and shy in demeanor.  When the interview process had arrived, both candidates were given ample time to describe what they felt were their personal achievements and successes within their time with the company.  Within the interviews, it was reveled that one of the associates had lied about a previous job performance and was ultimately terminated.  I  was eventually offered and then excepted the pricing position.  I felt very thankful that my four years within the company had finally paid off.  I was relived and proud that I had achieved the position with my self respect intact.  It is accomplishments such as these, that allow one to be pleased with ones self and not be haunted with shame or regret of previous bad judgments.  My mother would have been terribly wrong to advise me to do what ever makes me happy, if that happiness meant stealing company money such as that terminated employee did.

             Scenarios such as these, solidify the need for honesty and integrity, not just the need to feel emotionally happy.  It is also a matter of having a clean or guilty conscience.  I don’t believe that any good hearted individual could live with their conscience if a choice was not made with good intensions in mind.  Having a guilty conscience, would rip a person apart sooner or later, regret and sorrow would then become apart of a person’s life.  Religion can also be a large factor between a persons pursuit of happiness or self respect.  Many choices that are made are positive choices that would provided happiness or pleasure. It is very difficult to say that an individual would choose anything for the total opposite, yet there are always exceptions.  Personally, self respect is the ultimate satisfaction.  If I died tomorrow, I would be very satisfied to know that all my accomplishments, as great or little as they maybe, were achieved with self respect and hard earned dedication. 

Reyes, Dalila
Instr. Gross
English 103
April 1, 2011

Happiness Through Self Worth

Growing up, my mother would always tell me, “do whatever makes you happy.” Yet what happens when that happiness conflicts with others physically or emotionally? Happiness isn’t always the correct choice when it affects other people or one’s personal safety. Actions such as theft, murder and lies can never be dismissed or justified if the reason for those actions were that it made an individual happy. Agreeing with one’s choices and having the integrity and self respect is the best decision one can make when achieving true happiness. Through personal experience, retail is a very competitive environment as management positions within the company that I work for are scarcely available. When a pricing position opened up with our store, management collectively decided that the position would be filled by promoting within the store. There were two associates that expressed interest within the position. The first associate was twenty-seven years old, had been with the company for three years, energetic and assertive in demeanor. The second associate was twenty years old, had been with the company for four years, very quite and shy in demeanor. When the interview process had arrived, both candidates were given ample time to describe what they felt were their personal achievements and successes within their time with the company. Within the interviews, it was reveled that one of the associates had lied about a previous job performance and was ultimately terminated. I was eventually offered and then excepted the pricing position. I felt very thankful that my four years within the company had finally paid off. I was relived and proud that I had achieved the position with my self respect intact. It is accomplishments such as these, that allow one to be pleased with ones self and not be haunted with shame or regret of previous bad judgments. My mother would have been terribly wrong to advise me to do what ever makes me happy, if that happiness meant stealing company money such as that terminated employee did.

Scenarios such as these, solidify the need for honesty and integrity, not just the need to feel emotionally happy. It is also a matter of having a clean or guilty conscience. I don’t believe that any good hearted individual could live with their conscience if a choice was not made with good intensions in mind. Having a guilty conscience, would rip a person apart sooner or later, regret and sorrow would then become apart of a person’s life. Religion can also be a large factor between a persons pursuit of happiness or self respect. Many choices that are made are positive choices that would provided happiness or pleasure. It is very difficult to say that an individual would choose anything for the total opposite, yet there are always exceptions. Personally, self respect is the ultimate satisfaction. If I died tomorrow, I would be very satisfied to know that all my accomplishments, as great or little as they maybe, were achieved with self respect and hard earned dedication.