Thoughts on Class Structure

• I feel that writing and submitting homework into assignments on blogs is not altering the content or thought into my work. However, it does have to be approached with caution. It's hard for me sometimes to write stuff into 'formal' thoughts on a blog. Sometimes I feel the way I write stuff on my blog is how I'd write stuff on facebook instead of for an English class so then I have to go back and make it casual but decent for an English class. I
• don't think the responses to the posts have been very beneficial because they are general comments that don't sway an assignment one way or another. Maybe if there was a guide or tips on how to comment better, they would be beneficial but right now, at least for me, it's not that beneficial. I can say that my comments probably are not that helpful either because sometimes I just don't know what to say besides good topic or good job.
• It's hard for me to become aware of the audience when I feel that no one is reading my blog rather than if someone had my paper or homework in class reading it or being in a classroom setting with the teacher there. However, I do see the purpose of my writing better since I have to do more research and thought into my purpose because there is no teacher/classroom resource to use.
• Although it's nice to meet only once a week, I would not recommend this very type of teaching later on. I would probably keep the blog aspect but have a part of the classroom still open in case students want a teacher's help or would prefer not to just 'blog' something. The thing I don't care for with blogs is the loss of human interaction so maybe keep the blog for posting stuff because it is nice to just type instead of write but I would have shorter class hours both days or offer office hours to students. Overall, I like it but I feel that there's a loss of human interaction that some people might like for learning.
  

"Definition" paragraph

• "the middle class"
  
• Around the 1950's in America, a rise of 'nuclear' type families in suburbs came about. Pictures of perfect families in perfect small towns with picket-fences lining the perfect houses. This is where the origin of the term "middle class" became popular. When suburbian families came about so did stereotyping the people who live in different areas (city, suburbs, and farm/rural areas). The stereotype of the 'middle class' came from. Economically, the middle class could have come from the 50's too when the gap between the wealthy and the poor lessened with a middle class because of a rise in population. The middle class can be defined as a group of people within a bigger population like a state that is economically safe but not too rich and usually live just outside bigger cities. It's different from the higher class because they don't have too many luxuries and usually have families unlike people in the bigger cities. However, it is definitely not part of the lower class since they live in typically nice suburbs with enough money to support families. It can be classified under words to describe the economy or the living conditions in countries like the United States.

Impression of 1st Peer Review

• I thought it went well except for the few complaints about doing it face to face. I feel that although the process is boring, it helps in the end because we have notes to go by but I think the guide can be worked on because some parts were confusing. Maybe more of a checklist with a comment bar would be better, I don't know quite how it can be improved but maybe it could be worked on.
  

Possible Subculture Topics

• "soccer moms"--the stereotype of suburban moms, how they dress, their 'leader', their language, and what they do on their stereotype
• "stoners"--what their hobbies are, their language, if they're friendly to people outside of the group
  

Argument Essays in Textbook

I feel that the essay "Just Be Nice' interested me because it had all the things needed for a good argument topic with its counterarguments and conclusion but it lacks one significant portion of a good argumentative essay: a strong introduction. The essay could have used a better thesis topic and specified a genre more than it did. Also, the target audience was not that clear and it should have clearly shown a target audience and a target that they want like their logic, emotion, or reasoning.

Project Proposal

My topic will focus on arguing why consumers in America should boycott products made in China. Majority of products that Americans use are made in this country. There might be nothing wrong with this except for how these products are being made. Products made in China are made through child labor and sweatshops abusing human rights. The body of my paragraph will detail the problems and human rights abuse making these products cause, the effect it has on consumers and basically "why" we should care, and lastly, I will offer a solution that will show Americans that even though it seems hard, boycotting these 'blood-stained' products is actually very doable. Most of the research I've found have been in articles since it's a more recent problem. I will focus more on evicting emotion from the reader to argue my point but for the logical readers, I will show how even though it seems simpler and cheaper to use China to make products, in the end, it will do the economy worse. It's common knowledge that made in China products are not made that purely but some historical background of how harsh the production of toys, clothes, etc actually is will be given; it will actually lead on to my first point which is the problem and the abuse of human rights.

Research Exercise 2

ENGL 1050
Research Exercise #2-Protesting products made in China to support human rights
Topic Choices: "Made in China" and "human rights"

Works Cited
Fernandez, Donna S. "How One Family Came to Boycott China." U.S. Catholic Library 61 (1996): 32-37. ProQuest. Western Michigan University. 06 Feb. 2008.

Summary
This article talks about how one single family started reading about human rights violations by products made in China so they decided to try and boycott buying them. They explained companies that have started boycotting China as well and how their little boy is doing it too. However, majority of businesses use it because it's easier and individuals don't know how to boycott it so the latter portion focuses on this.

There is clearly a significant amount of abuse by China in making these products. The worst part of this is that they were using children to make toy products and other household items. In the article How One Family Came to Boycott China Donna Fernandez cites that "3.3 billion worth of toys are made in China" (32) during 1991. I thought that this product just came out recently but it's been going on since past the '90s and families like this see the problem and are trying to help on a local basis. However, this article by Fernandez shows hope by some big companies such as Levi's that has stopped to do business with China after being aware of the fact that they use children for the products. Obviously, sweat shops and the dangerous conditions are hazardous for Children but what's even more hazardous to them are the mass want of the products they are making which has them working 24/7. Why won't America make the products here? It's easier to use China because it bypasses tests of products through the EPA. Just like blood diamonds, every product you hold that's made in China has the potential of being the product that finally exhausted a 5 year old child worker to its death.

This is my final topic choice.