Hurricane Update

Dear All,

I am currently stranded out of town, as my returning flight to NYC today has been cancelled. The College has closed today and tomorrow. Therefore, the second formal essay assignment has been postponed until this Thursday. I am trying my best to return to the city at the next safest opportunity. I will keep you updated as things develop. 

Please heed the warning and directives of city officials so that you all remain as safe as possible during this storm event. 

Email me should you have questions, and I try to reply at my next convenience. 

Sincerely,
s. 

Turned on to Addiction

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Barry Henderson

Eng 125 / e-journal #5

Professor Stephen J Addis D’Amato

10/25/12

Turned on to Addiction

Al Gore’s the creator of “The Assault on Reason” and Marie Winn, the writer of “TV Addiction” both talked about how television has changed the face of society, as we know it today. It has the viewing public in a chokehold and is altering the way people normally deal with their daily routine. Turning active people into couch potatoes and as a whole, society is being affected. Obesity is on a rise and the children in our culture are the ones hurting the most. Simply put because they are losing the art of conversation, which is affecting personal relationships presently and more so in the future.  In the beginning of Gore’s article on the first page in the third paragraph, Gore ask the question “what has happened to our country?”. But Winn seems to answer that question when she adds, “other alternatives may seem to become progressively more remote”(215). With that said the psychological well being of America is in trouble due to television.

Thesis statement

Addiction is a major problem in American society and television seems to be the main culprit when discussing this topic.

Video Games & the Military

As per our conversation yesterday, here is a link to an article regarding video games and their military application. Thoughts and other articles may be shared below. Enjoy!

(#5) Rerun... Revise!

Complete the BH reading for Thursday, then take one of your paragraphs from e-journal #4 and revise accordingly. Then, as a second requirement, offer a draft thesis statement that you would consider using for your upcoming essay assignment. I will anonymously select some for review in class. (Due 10/25) 


(#4) Unplug Yourself

After considering our discussions of Gore and Winn, answer the following prompt by posting your response as a comment below:
 

In a well-developed paragraph summarize and describe the negative effects that Winn sees in habitual TV watching. Does Gore agree with her sentiments? In a second paragraph, discuss some ways in which these two authors’ arguments compare and/or contrast? Use at least one direct example from each of these texts in your response. (Due 10/23)



(#3) Trendsetter?

After reading Gladwell, respond to the following prompt by POSTING YOUR RESPONSE AS A COMMENT BELOW: Describe, with sensory detail where possible, a fashion trend that you have noticed and participated in during the past three or four years. Where did it begin (if you know), or where did you first begin to notice it? Who were the people to first wear this style? Does this particular fashion help identify a particular group? If so, who or what? Do you identify with them or it? Is there a music genre attached to this group; a set of beliefs; ideals; behaviors or rituals? Devote two paragraphs to this e-journal response, citing at least one quotation from Gladwell’s text to support your conclusions. (Due 10/4)