A Bit More Patience

My how the time has flown by! I guess I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted anything. My apologies everyone. Unfortunately, I have yet to brainstorm another decent post up... I have yet to... yeah.

I guess I have been having a bit of the lazies when it comes to writing lately. No fears though, I will eventually get another burst of inspiration and the awesomeness will continue. In all honesty I have just been so preoccupied with personal issues over the last two months that blogging hasn't really been that high on my list of priorities. As I said, I hope to continue the inspiring writings ASAP. Thank you all for your enduring patience.

Coming Soon! (I hope)

So I am hoping that sometime in the near future I will be posting again. I was considering doing a bit on the advertising business and how I think it affects the way people think. I just have to compile my thoughts before I begin writing too much. For now I'm just updating all the people who have the misfortune of stumbling upon my blog. I will be back soon, so... hold your breath.

Hiatus

So I haven't posted on here in almost a month, and for that I must apologize (to all my zillions of fans, right?). Hopefully, the posting of awesomeness will be back soon. Right now I am tired and can't think straight though, so some other time.

Sociology Essay 2 (almost)

Prepare yourself, this next post is a doozy! This essay originally was 8 pages long. I managed to somehow shorten it to 7 pages before I turned it in. Actually, I believe I turned in both copies.

My score was not satisfactory in my opinion. I can't remember what I got, but is was somewhere around an 80%. Evidently, 8 pages wasn't enough information, cause my professor said I left out some important elements. I think the "important elements" weren't even in the textbooks, because I pretty much summed up the entire chapter.

Anywho, prepare yourself for some rather unexciting, informational reading...

...actually, after reading the essay through before posting, I am less certain that I should post it. Not that it's controversial, or offensive, but it is really boring.

I feel like I should make this blog informative, but not bland. One reason I hated reading my textbooks in school is because the information was incomprehensibly boring.

If anyone objects to my exclusion of the last essay in the College Essay series, post a comment. Otherwise, I will begin posting original material.

Sociology Essay 1

This essay did not receive an A. I got an 80 on it, but I forgot to add two concluding sections onto it. So I suppose 80% is pretty good considering. I have also decided to add my own commentary to this one. anything in parentheses (like this) is an added commentary. Actually, I may have added commentary in a select few spots to previous posts, but I am now making it official.

Politics and Sociology

An Essay By Josiah Teal

All information gained through Brym and Lie’s textbook, Sociology; Your Compass for a New World.

Power and Authority

When one is to discuss the aspects of politics one must first address the issues of power and authority. A loose definition of power is when an individual or group of individuals are able to control other individuals, even against their will. It is my opinion that power needs to be controlled when it is used to govern a people; too much power often results in an oppressed population. Authority is defined as legitimate power. Power becomes legitimate when the governed people perceive it as legitimate (or so they say).

Types of Authority

The German sociologist Max Weber separated authority into three categories, the first of which is traditional authority. An example of traditional authority can be found in the English monarchy. The Queen is an example of this kind of authority. The second type of authority is called legal-rational authority and this is found when an individual achieves an authoritative position by following the rules. Although some people would tend to disagree (vote counts and such), George W. Bush is an example of legal- rational authority because he followed the rules to attain the office of the President of the United States. The final example of authority is called charismatic authority. When one is able to lead by rallying a people to a cause he/she is an example of charismatic authority. Martin Luther King Jr. is a perfect example of this type of leadership.

Types of Political System

Like the types of authority, types of political systems are also largely in three categories autocracy, authoritarian, and democracy. In an autocracy, total power is in the hands of a single person or party. In an authoritarian state, the average citizen has limited say in the government and the power is more widespread. In a democracy, the power resides with the people, who have the ability to elect leaders from among themselves (in a roundabout way).

Theories of Democracy

Pluralist Theory

According to Brym and Lie’s textbook on sociology, pluralist theory “holds that power is widely dispersed. As a result, no group enjoys disproportionate influence, and decisions are usually reached through negotiations and compromise.” This theory has drawn some harsh criticism and most sociologists tend to disagree with it, saying that in America, wealthy corporations can often influence politics and legislation.

Elite Theory

Elite theory is the idea that smaller, influential institutions have more say over politics than most of us would be comfortable with. These groups may also ignore public opinion in order to get what they want.

Power Resource Theory

Power resource theory holds that variations in the “distribution of power between major classes partly accounts for the successes and failures of different political parties” according to Brym and Lie. Differences in the views favored by each party account for the differences between the classes who favor them (wait for it...).

State-Centered Theory

This theory states that the state can to some extent control it’s own affairs independent of the way power is distributed among particular classes at any given time.

The Future of Democracy

In 1989, the country of Russia made a dramatic switch from communism to a democracy. This event had much of the western world applauding the change and hoping for a bright future for Russia. Unfortunately, the people of Russia were not accustomed to a democratic lifestyle and the bright future slowly began to fade. The economy soon collapsed and hopes for a new Russia soon fell through. The failure of Russian democracy causes one to wonder, “what social conditions must there be in order for a government to become completely democratic and for democracy to take firm root?”

The Three Waves of Democracy

In the year 1828, half the white men in the United States became eligible to vote, by the year 1926, 33 counties in the world were at least partially democratic. This was the first wave of democracy. After WWII, the second wave of democracy began to take place. The reason was largely on behalf on liberated nations, and even some new nations that were born after fascist and socialist leaders were overthrown. In 1974, the overthrow of dictatorships in Portugal and Greece initiated the third and biggest wave of democracy. Although the third wave of democracy is officially the biggest, the actual impact is rather small in comparison. The reason being is that many of these democracies are what we call formal democracies, meaning that even though citizens may be able to participate in national elections, doing so has little or no effect. They also lack constitutional protections (or the illusion thereof), like those provided in the United States, which is a liberal democracy.

Social Preconditions of Democracy (in a nutshell)

In the words of Brym and Lie, “Liberal democracies emerge and endure when counties enjoy considerable economic growth, industrialization, urbanization, the spread of literacy, and a gradual decrease in economic inequality.” This is a big influence in the spawning and flourishing of the middle and working class. In many cases there was a middle class but limited political freedom, this class of citizens would likely attempt to overthrow the restrictive government and possibly replace it with a democratic one (unless they were too scared). In a nation where the working class is too weak, democracies will be much less likely to emerge.

Electronic Democracy

In 1935, the results of the first nationwide poll was featured in a full page story in the Washington post. George Gallup, the man responsible for the poll, said this, “After one hundred and fifty years we return to the town meeting. This time the whole nation is within the doors.” George Gallup’s idea was that the government now knew what the nation as a whole wanted (I have yet to participate in a poll like this). Although the idea that the government would be forced to do whatever the populace wanted was a bit naive, the Gallup poll did let the people be heard in a way that was never before possible. Some of the naivety expressed at the birth of the Gallup Poll was also expressed at the inception of new wonders such as the internet as people began to assume that voting on certain issues could now be done electronically; however, the possibilities of this are rather slim under current conditions. How could one regulate something such as internet voting? How would voting electronically over the internet be secure? What about people with no internet connection or computer? The questions go on.

Postmaterialism

Postmaterialism is defined as the shift from class based to value based politics resulting from growing equality and prosperity in industrialized countries. Postmaterialists claim that even so recently as fifty years ago, most citizens were more concerned with their next paycheck and making a living. Today, many people are more concerned with traditional values and morality (interesting...).

Politics by Other Means

War

Instead of peacefully participating in social movements, many countries turn to war as a means to get what they want. All too common, wars have ravaged the planet for nearly all of recorded history, resulting in many billions of dead through the ages (gross oversimplification).

Terrorism

Terrorists have found a way to get governments to notice them and that is through terrorism. Terrorism is politically motivated violence against non-combatant targets. The official explanation for why a people resort to terrorism is because they have no other way of getting the attention or putting pressure on a particular government or group. I say it’s because they are too cowardly to declare war and rather enjoy making innocent people suffer. Terrorism is low. That’s all I have to say about it.

Conclusion

The political realm of the world can often be a confusing and tumultuous topic. Looking at it now it seems to be becoming clearer than ever as I begin to understand causes and effects of social forces (according to contemporary explanations). Although it doesn’t seem that there is any perfect political system (benevolent dictatorship), I believe that one must always strive to influence the world around them for the better (just how to go about it is a bit harder to figure out).

Psychology Essay 2

The final essay I wrote for my psychology class is below. This is dry reading, as it is mostly just raw info. Also, a lot of this is goofy to me, because scientists like to label and categorize every little thing. It seems to me that they do this to get their name in the textbooks. But perhaps they do it to simplify the way we learn.

Once again, this garnered an A.

The Nature of Memory

Human memory often seems to be one of the strangest things one can think about. What is it exactly that causes us to remember things? Why do we remember some things that happened an entire lifetime ago, but often forget things that happened mere seconds ago? Why do we even need to remember certain things? Where are our memories stored and how? Are there ways to enhance memory? Is there such a thing as repressed memories? I often wonder for myself why I can remember the cheat codes to a video game I have not played in 10 years, but forget what my boss told me to do 30 seconds ago.

Basic Memory Processes

According to the textbook “Essentials of Psychology” by Douglass A. Bernstein and Peggy W. Nash, memory runs off of three basic processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval (209).They explain, “First, information must be put into memory, a step that requires encoding.” Encoding allows our brains to process the information we receive and then put it to use. There are three basic codes that our minds use: acoustic codes, or sounds; visual codes, or pictures and sights; and semantic codes, or things we have learned, such as how to interpret the meaning of words and symbols.

The second step in memory is storage. Storage is when we hold our memories when they are not being used. They might be in our heads, but when we are not using them, they are in storage. We can retrieve them at a later time, which brings us to the final process.

Retrieval is when we locate and use the memories stored in our brain. Retrieval is usually a simple process, such as when I remember my birthday or my favorite kind of ice cream. Retrieval can become more difficult however, when attempting to remember the name of an historical figure on a history test, or when trying to think of your Aunt’s phone number.

Types of Memory

Although nobody knows for sure how many there actually are, memory is usually classified in three different categories. These categories include episodic, semantic, and procedural.

Episodic memory occurs when you remember a specific event in your life; a story that happened, like the time you drove into the fence and put a hole in the radiator of your car.

Semantic memory is knowledge of the world. Simple facts such as 2 + 2 = 4, or knowing that planes fly and boats float on water is semantic memory.

The third category, procedural, is knowledge of how to do things, like tying a shoe or playing chess. This type of memory is also used for writing an essay, or at least knowing how to.

While we are on a roll with the threes, let’s also take a look at sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. Sensory memory takes place when we see things. We remember them just long enough to recognize what they are, such as looking at a can of Pepsi and recognizing it as a can of Pepsi.

The next stage of memory is called short term memory. We may read a book and take a quiz at the end of it, but many of the things we remember right after we read it will not stick with us for a long time. For this reason, we call this memory short term memory. I might meet a stunningly beautiful girl tomorrow and remember her name for a week, but if the impression she leaves on me is not long lasting, her name becomes lost to me; short term memory.

Say I meet a stunningly beautiful, smart, sweet, and nice girl and we talk and have fun for a few months. If she makes a lasting impression on me I will remember her name for a long time. This is long term memory. Another example of long term memory is of me learning how to ride a bike and crashing into the garage door. I don’t remember what I ate for breakfast on that morning, because it didn’t matter too much to me. But for reasons unknown I remember crashing into that garage door.

The human mind is a complicated thing, and the full aspect of memory may never be completely understood. (Copout)

Here is the beginning of the essay I was going to write. I never finished it because there was not enough information on the subject.

A large part of many interesting stories and movies in today’s society deal with what is referred to as repressed memories. These are memories that are so traumatic that we push them to the back of our minds in an effort to forget them. Many people claim to be able to retrieve these memories after long periods of time, often with drastic consequences. People claim to remember murders, accidents, and many other traumatic ordeals. However, many psychologists are now beginning to question the validity of some of these claims. Are repressed memories a reality, or a fabrication?

I have no idea why that copied in a different font... size (?).

Psychology Essay 1

What follows (below) is an essay I wrote for my psychology class. This also garnered an A. The writing style is less than stellar, and in some places seems quite abrupt. Remember that the point of this essay was not to showcase my astounding literary abilities, but to provide information.

Interesting Facts on Sleep

by Josiah Teal

While reading through the article titled, “Sleep: Strange Bedfellows” I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the many little known facts on sleep. Sleep has always been a fascination of mine, as I have noticed in myself an ability to recall information hidden deep in my memory banks while sleeping, having been unable to do so while awake. The topics in the article range from the health of your teeth, to insomnia.

According to the article, sleep is an important part of forming long term memories. The brain will often replay the day’s events during sleep, enhancing our reception of them for future reference. I find this rather interesting, because as I stated before, I will sometimes have trouble remembering something while awake. I have found that if I think about the problem intensely right before I go to sleep, I will be able to recover it in my sleep. Not only that, but the information I retrieved in my sleep will still be there when I wake up and I will most likely never forget it again. Sleep is also essential in preparing for a college exam, as it has been discovered that students who sleep less tend to do worse than students who get plenty of sleep.

Also, sleep is good for your heart. Speaking from personal experience here, I can say that when you go for long periods of time without sleep, as I did when I had to plow driveways during one winter, you start to feel aches and pains in your body. I also noticed that my heart was beating different than normal, pounding rather than beating. A lack of sleep puts you at a risk for hypertension, according to researchers at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Strangely enough, sleep may also be good for tooth health. According to the article, researchers studied 219 Japanese factory workers for four years. Those who got 7-8 hours of sleep a night reportedly had less trouble with periodontal diseases than those who slept less. This may have something to do with the body’s immune system being more active with more sleep.

Here’s a new concept; more sleep may help keep kids from becoming obese. Although there is no definitive proof of the link between sleep and obesity, some researchers have suggested that the cause may be how active children feel. A child with little sleep may not feel like playing kickball at school during recess while a kid with sufficient sleep will feel like running around and having fun. Also, kids with less sleep may have a disrupted metabolism.

And now for the inevitable insomniac piece (Fragment, consider revising). Some people, like me, have a very hard time sleeping at night and instead of being sleepy, are nearly wide awake. These people, it turns out, may have a genetic mutation that is the culprit for their irritating plague of insomnia. The gene affects what is called the circadian cycle. The circadian cycle is the “clock that keeps our metabolism, digestion, and sleep patterns in sync.” People who stay in bed longer in the morning (lazy people as some would call them) are almost always compensating for their large amounts of insomnia. Some of these “night owls” also reported feeling less in control of their sleep (like me), which may be a cause of insomnia.

Finally, there are a few people who can get by with very small amounts of sleep. Studies found that those who sleep in what is called slow-wave sleep, the deepest form of sleep, have a harder time getting along while sleep deprived, while other people seem to do just fine.

So far we have learned that sleep enhances memory, improves heart health, may strengthen teeth, and may help keep kids from becoming overweight. There are many mysteries surrounding the phenomenon of sleep. Perhaps some still to be discovered. I will watch with interest as further discoveries are made.

US History Essay 2

This is my final essay (and test) for US History. This article is somewhat one-sided, so keep that in mind when you read through it. I slanted it in a way that I thought my teacher would appreciate. Nowadays, I would have written it differently, but here it is anyway.

Indian Relocation

By Josiah Teal

In the early years of the 19^th century, several defining factors played key roles in the making of the American nation as it is today; not the least of which was the treatment of the American Indians. This issue is still discussed among our European neighbors across the Atlantic, as well as by many Americans. Often while discussing current American politics and policies, I have bumped into people, most of whom come from Europe, who insist on using these events as a reason why America is not to be admired. It is because of this that I have chosen to write about the Indian Relocation Act and the events by which it was surrounded.

In the mind of many American settlers in the opening of the 19^th century was the idea that the “problem” of the American Indians would soon disappear into thin air and the land that was left behind would be theirs for the taking. When the Indian tribes in the southern portions of the United States instead formed their own system of government that strongly mirrored that of the U.S., many farmers and homesteaders realized that the Indian land they desired would not be opening up for prime real estate, as they had previously thought. It wasn’t long before the settlers and even the state of Georgia became involved in the attempt to remove the Indians from their land.

During the 1820’s, attempts were made by the federal government to convince the tribes in the east to move further west, an offer which many Indians took up. Many others on the other hand, chose to stay and resisted the attempts by whites to get them to move westward. When Indians failed to do as they were expected, Caucasian politicians and businessmen sought to swindle them out of their territories and even began to enact legislature that favored the European motives and cheated Natives. One such case, the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs, was so unbelievably ridiculous that President Adams felt the need to step in and overturn and ratify the treaty, calling for a new one.

If the Indian tribes in the area of the southeast had any support at all from the federal government, it wasn’t nearly enough. The Prairie du Chien treaties were meant to gradually remove northwestern tribes to the west side of the Mississippi; however, settlers lured by rumors of gold began to pour into these lands prematurely, causing Indians to resist the “invasion” with force. In 1827, the Winnebagos, under the direction of Red Bird, raided mining outposts and causing a stir in what was still legally their own territory. Settlers however, were less certain that the territory still belonged to the Indians and urged the government to assist by sending troops to quell the Indian “rebellion,” a request to which President Adams complied, despite the fact that it was still illegal to do so. Red Bird and his people were driven out of their own land.

When Andrew Jackson was elected as the 6^th president of the United States in 1828, the native populations were in for some rough roads. In 1817, Jackson had told President Monroe, “I have long viewed treaties with the Indians an absurdity not to be reconciled to the principles of our government.” Jackson’s view of the Indians was clearly not a stellar one, and his future actions would further demonstrate that fact. In 1830, Jackson prompted Congress to pass the Indian Removal Act, a harsh decision that would cost up to 4,000 Native American lives. Indians living in the southeast now had to pack up and move west of the Mississippi, where land had been purchased for the purpose of their resettlement.

At one point, white land grabbers began to infringe upon Indian territory in Missouri and, instead of ruling that the whites were not to do so, Jackson had federal troops forcibly remove the Indians from their land. One Indian was chief known as Black Hawk, led a band of warriors on a crusade back to their “home.” Black Hawk and his warriors clung to their claim until federal troops killed more than three hundred Indians and captured Black Hawk.

At the same time, whites living in the south were beginning to harass the Cherokee tribes. By that time, the Cherokee had drafted their own written constitution, established their own newspapers, and created their own steady economy. All out of selfishness, the white men began to demand the land upon which the Indians were living. Georgia legislature sided with the white men, of course, and the Cherokee constitution was soon annulled by the state. Indians rights began to steadily diminish and despite an attempt to appeal the treatment in higher courts. Despite the efforts of various white men (including Congressman Davy Crockett) to help the cause, the Cherokees lost their appeal and were forced to move.

It was then that the infamous “Trail of Tears,” or more directly “The Trail Where They Cried,” took place. In an article titled “Forced Removal,” authors Christine Graf and Andrew Matthews write, “In May 1838, army troops began rounding up the Cherokees, removing them from their homes and imprisoning them in stockaded forts. In the fall, the Indians began a forced walk of almost 1,200 miles from Georgia to Oklahoma. The sick, the young, and the elderly rode in wagons, while the others trudged on foot through difficult weather. At night, exhausted, they slept on the frozen ground, covered only by thin blankets.” Almost one fourth of the Cherokee that set out from Georgia died along the trail to Oklahoma.

The Trail of Tears is a stain upon the American flag, one that unfortunately we will never be able to cleanse. It is a stain rivaled by only the treatment of African-Americans throughout the 18^th,19^th, and early 20^th century, and the Japanese-American internment of 1942. The decision to remove the Indians from large sections of the Eastern U.S. had drastic implications for America. No longer would there be a nearly separate nation of Cherokee in the southeast, and forever would we be plagued by the tragedy of the Trail of Tears. Those fateful years would do their job at alienating the Indians from us for years to come.

Berkin, Carol; Miller, Christopher L.; Cherny, Robert W.; and James L. Gormly. Making America: A History of the United States. 5^th ed. Boston Ma: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998

Graf, Christine, and Andrew Matthews. "Forced removal.(removal of Cherokee Indians from their lands)." Cobblestone 29.1 (Jan 2008): 12(2). General OneFile. Gale. Finger Lakes Com College Library - SUNY. 7 Dec. 2008 .

US History Essay 1.5

Here is the 2nd essay I wrote for my US History class. This essay was actually the second part of the first exam, (the first part being the preceding post) and although it could have been better, I wrote it in a couple hours and only reviewed it once before turning it in.

If any of you United Kingdomites read this, let me know what your opinion of this debacle is.

Parliament vs. Colonials

A complete essay by Josiah Teal

The Colonists and the English Parliament had some very harsh conflicts leading up to the Revolutionary War. Disagreement on such issues as taxation and tributary fines had slowly been creating a rift between the mother country and her colonies in the North American continent.

After the 7 years war (French and Indian War), Parliament decided it was fair to compensate for the expenses of the war by putting a small tax on colonial goods, everything from court documents to playing cards. Why not let the colonists shoulder some of the burden? In the mind of the Parliament, this was a perfectly reasonable thing to do, for the colonists had been protected by England and had not financed the war themselves. The colonists however, had a very different opinion of this tax and were very irritated by the idea that England could impose such a tax on them without first confronting them about it and letting them decide for themselves; the colonists felt like they were being treated like children by Parliament.

Being treated like a second class citizen by your country merely because you do not live on the mainland must have been an extremely irritating notion. By England’s reasoning, the colonists should have been more than willing to shoulder some of the weight of the war, considering it was their farms and villages that had been protected. This was less than true; however, Parliament and George Grenville in particular told the colonists that this was why England had fought for them. In truth, it had more to do with settling a score with the French than anything else.

Following the Stamp Act, Parliament issued another tax on the colonists by way of tea. Tea was a very important commodity in colonial life and everybody who was anybody sipped tea nearly every afternoon, so this tax was an insult to nearly every colonist. Traditionally, colonists had been getting their tea through smugglers who were importing the tea illegally from other countries, making it rather expensive for colonists to purchase. The tea from the East India Trading Company that England was taxing was rather cheap in comparison, even with the tax. Colonists however, were not pleased with this additional taxation and promptly donned Iroquois outfits, went aboard the tea laden ships, and tossed it all into Boston harbor.

The Boston Tea Party outraged Parliament. These colonials were taking things too far. In their mind, the colonists were becoming like ungrateful children who needed to be punished for their insolence. England began to send British Redcoats to the colonies to help quell the uprising that was beginning to take place.

At this point, I believe that armed conflict was inevitable. A number of colonists had set their mind against England and its tyrannical hold on the affairs of the colonies. England wanted the colonies to respect her authority. The colonists wanted England to respect their ability to take care of themselves. Neither was likely to happen now that England was set on crushing the small rebellion and the colonists were set on governing their own affairs without the assistance of Parliament.

My way of think is that both sides acted in ways they should not have; however, if the colonists didn’t act the way they did, I might live in an English colony today… I don’t want to live in an English colony. Parliament should have respected the colonists and trusted their ability to take care of themselves like grown men do. I know I do not like it when people always assume I can’t take care of myself and keep interfering with my life and, although I wouldn’t declare war on them, I do understand the frustration to some degree.

The colonists should probably have… actually; I think they probably did what they could. Maybe those men shouldn’t have burned the Gaspee, maybe that crowd shouldn’t have thrown rocky snowballs at the lobsterbacks, but if they didn’t, how would life be for me today? To say the least, if the colonials and Parliament had not acted the way they did I think we would be living in a very different world right now (not that we would know the difference).

Understanding why is very important; we broke the bond of English colonial status for those of governing ourselves. Why did we do this? For the largest part, I believe that this was our destiny if you believe such things, but also, this was the result of the oppression of one group of people by another group of people thousands of miles away (I also find it interesting that England did not realize that she was oppressing the colonials, but rather thought that she was enforcing English law).

US History Essay 1

My professor never officially graded this when it was turned in, but at the end of the year he said I deserved an A for my writing during his class.

The Colonization of North America

A complete essay by Josiah Teal

The colonization of America began with the coming of three different nations to its unfamiliar shores, the Spanish, the French, and the English. What prompted these men, both entrepreneurs and traders, both warriors and religious purists, to leave their familiar countries and the people they knew for the untamed wilderness of the Americas?

In the sixteenth century, Spanish conquistadors began pouring into Central America by the boatload. Prompted by the promise of wealth and the fables of golden cities and wells that endowed youth upon whomever drank from their waters, Spanish soldiers and leaders were arriving on the unfamiliar shores in vast numbers. Many were also drawn by religious convictions to “persuade” the native inhabitants to convert to Christianity.

I have never before considered how the average Spanish soldier would have thought of his adventure. I imagine myself being both excited and scared about what I would encounter on my escapade to the strange new land. Struggling with my own civility after witnessing my own “civilized” leaders exact near extermination on the tribes they deemed “barbaric.” Would I be proud or embarrassed in the end, to have been part of the “taming” of Central America?

The French traders found North America to be tremendously profitable for their fur trading endeavors. The “brown gold” (not molasses) was valued very highly back in Europe and French coureurs de bois or “runners of the woods” worked very diligently to keep up with high demands. The high value in the furs flowing from North American lands prompted many French citizens to pack up and move to America, hoping to cash in on the fur trade profits.

To join a French trader might have been a very appealing undertaking for a young man like myself. As a very avid woodsman, I would probably jump at an opportunity to explore the wooded realms of the north all while making a hefty profit, although profit wasn’t always a guarantee. I imagine cold winters, wet springs, and humid summers. Befriending Indian maidens J and living in the untamed wilderness might have been too much of a temptation to refuse.

The English didn’t begin colonization of the new world as soon as the Spanish or the French, but the reasons that they came would make them more of a permanent resident than both the Spaniards and the Frenchmen. Most of the English came to America for religious reasons; they were experiencing a wave of harsh persecution and ridicule in their native land and for many, a journey to a new land was the only means of escape. For others, a new land presented a chance to make a profit as the French had done with the fur trade. Companies would send a group of settlers to the New World with the task of establishing a reliable source of income for themselves. The settlers would harvest crops and trap and trade with the natives, sending back portions of their loot to the company financing the settlement.

I imagine this to be the least enticing adventure of the three discussed, although it may have had its benefits. Colonial life would have been a challenge and I imagine one would need to work from dawn till dusk to make life tolerable for the first few months. It would have been cold at times, very uncomfortable, sickness would likely fall upon many, and the food wouldn’t be anything to be proud of either. I may not have fared too well in this case; my comfortable and relatively easy 21^st century life may have made me too unlikely to work 12-14 grueling hours a day 6 days a week. I suppose if my life depended on it, I could find the spirit to do what needed to be done.

Whether desperately trying to make a name for themselves, just doing business, or escaping persecution, the first colonists of North America must have had terrific courage to step out into an unknown world and start anew. Without knowing what lie ahead as we now do, these brave men and women dared to risk all for what they wanted or believed. That inspires me.

Public Speaking Essay 3

This is the third and final paper that I turned in to my professor of communication, Lou Bruno at Finger Lakes Community College in Newark NY. I believe he was once again very pleased at my awesomeness. Read on, and enjoy it immensely!

Lou Bruno

Public Speaking

Progress Report

by Josiah Teal

When in the course of personal events it became necessary to take a public speaking class, my first thoughts were that of a nervous excitement. I had never really spoken in front of many people before and that fact made me rather nervous. On the other hand, I thought that the opportunity to have all attention on me while I rhapsodize about this and that, all the while impressing my own opinions and getting my point heard would be quite an opportunity.

My first speech was to be an introduction of myself. Rather than taking the traditional route of revealing my hometown, favorite color, favorite food, etc., I chose rather, to explain my personality using an interesting story from my past. Whatever excitement I may have felt prior to getting up in front of the class disappeared as soon as I realized that I now had to remember everything I was going to talk about and get it all out in the right order and in a manner that people would understand all while being critiqued by not only my professor, but by the entire class. I shook with nervous fear. I had to set my paper with the notes down on the desk in front of me because I was shaking too much. I stumbled over words and probably looked really goofy. I became more relaxed as my story progressed. I finished and made my way back to my seat.

The second speech was informative in nature and for it I chose the topic of amateur filmmaking. Having done extensive research on this topic I thought it would turn out pretty well. My experience in this area is largely limited to getting phone calls from friends who wanted to shoot a movie and then, upon arriving at the location of the shoot, realizing that they had done no planning. Nothing would ever get done that way. While delivering the speech I focused on being more relaxed in front of the audience and, while there still was a slight nervous fear remaining, I didn’t let it overpower me. I kept to my topic, all the while trying to limit my urges to expound unnecessarily. I decided to spice the speech up with some lame humor (the kind I’m best at) just to keep everyone interested. My efforts seemed to pay off quite nicely.

For my third speech, the persuasive speech, I chose the topic of gun control. Having recently had a letter published in the newspaper and knowing the argument pretty well, I decided this topic would suit me best. I felt the need to use some visual aids for this presentation but, as you could probably guess, visual aids for a speech on the harmful effects of gun control would be… tricky. I decided that it was time to learn how to use Microsoft Power Point. I put together a simple presentation that I assumed would be easy for the audience to follow. I sat at the computer during the presentation and shouted across the room to the class about this and that. My confidence in the subject decreased as I knew that there was some controversy surrounding what I was saying. I should have stayed my ground seeing as I has the statistics right in front of me and knew the subject well. I used words like “evidently” and “apparently” when I should have used words like “proved” and “without a doubt.” I paused to gather my thoughts at times. Overall however, I think it came out decently. I had expected to do much better but in the end I believe it was acceptable.

In the future I expect to be doing much better. As my confidence increases and as I get to know the members of the audience better my speaking skills should improve. I expect to let the words flow off my tongue like… butter off a hot pancake… or something like that. I am actually looking forward to my final speech the most, as I get to tell everybody how I’m going to become famous and sign autographs for everyone.

Public speaking Essay 2

Again, no official score for this... paper... but my professor was pleased. He circled the last paragraph and wrote "Very good point."

Lou Bruno

Public Speaking

Comparing Speeches:

MLK and Barack Obama

by Josiah Teal

When analyzing the Inaugural (State of the Nation?) Address given by President Barack Obama to Congress, one notices the sense of hope for the future that is brought out in his speech. This is not the first time a speech was given proclaiming hope for America during hard times. Almost a half a century ago, another man gave a passionate speech of hope and optimism for future generations. In his epically famous speech to a cheering crowd in the city of Washington D.C., Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of the end of oppression for the black community in America.

The similarities the two speeches share are definitely apparent. Both speakers are hopeful that the future of this country will begin to brighten once again, and both speakers are trying to take this country out of hard times. In much the same way the black community looked to King to lead them out of the dark and trying times, many people now are eagerly looking to Obama to single-handedly slay the evil dragon of depression that looms ominously in the shadows and soon thereafter, rain down daisies and butterfly’s all across the land. Everyone will hold hands and sing about cheerfulness all day long and never again will we have to worry about hard times, because there is no need to fear, The Great Obama is here!

While the similarities between the two speeches are evident, there are also many differences. King’s speech still holds the power to move me and I’m a white guy! Obama’s address, while hopeful and optimistic, lacks the level of inspiration the King speech was graced with. Obama’s speech came across more as an instruction manual and progress report than as an inspirational speech. While Obama can speak well and fluently in front of his audience, he failed to affix my attention in the same manner as MLK had done.

An explanation for these differences might come in the form of setting. King was speaking in front of a very large immediate audience out in the open air. While properly equipped with microphones and speakers for projecting his message, the setting was fit for speaking loudly and yelling at key points in the message. While King could feel completely comfortable yelling out “free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we’re free at last!” an outburst like this would have been entirely misplaced during an address to Congress.

When comparing two speeches, one must remember to not only take note of the differences, but also understand the reasons behind these differences. MLK delivered quite a powerful message to his audience that day. It was a message that still inspires to this day. But when comparing it to an congressional address, I don’t think it entirely fair. The Address delivered by President Obama was not meant to be inspirational, and Obama hadn’t planned on college students analyzing his speech based on the work of Martin Luther King Jr.

Public Speaking Essay 1

I have decided that this blog needs some therapy. So, as an experiment, I will begin to slap some of my college projects and essays up here. Hopefully they are satisfactory.

The following is an essay...ish thing... that I wrote for my public speaking class. I never got an official "score" for this, but my professor was pleased with my writing.

Lou Bruno

Public Speaking

Suspected US Missile Strike Sparks Controversy

by Josiah Teal

Last Saturday, a suspected Taliban stronghold in Pakistan was leveled to the ground, killing 27 and sparking an outcry throughout the Islamic world. The US are believed to be responsible for the attack, which came mere days after 8 Taliban rebels from inside Pakistan stormed an official building in Kabul Afghanistan killing 20 people.

Although Pakistan is claiming to be fighting a war against these extremists inside its borders, warnings are being given to the US to stay out of Pakistan’s business. They also claim that the suspected militants killed in Saturdays attack were mostly civilians. I am of the opinion that many times militants will dress like civilians so that when they are killed, people will say that the US is killing innocent people, causing a further rally for support in the fight against the West. In the war that Israel fought with the Hamas, militants used human shield tactics as well as hiding AK-47’s beneath their clothing to appear as civilians.

I am not claiming that this is the case with the Pakistani missile strike, but I will not rule out the possibility. Islamic guerrilla warfare has been known to involve clever deception to achieve goals.

Despite the claim that many victims of Saturdays attacks were civilians, some officials also believe that many were also militants. These officials however, were not speaking with permission from the Pakistani government.

The missile strikes are supposed to fuel extremism throughout the Muslim and Middle Eastern world. The US however, brushes off this claim without much thought. In my opinion, many of these militants will use any excuse they can in becoming more violent towards the US and the western world.

I am also of the opinion that the US is sloppy with attacks such as this; when Israel carries out these types of attacks throughout the world, they are so utterly embarrassing for the other party that they will not even make the news. Israel once took out an Iranian Uranium enrichment facility inside Syria guarded by the newest Russian-made missile defense network with such precision that it shocked everyone involved. The event was swept under the rug because it was too embarrassing for Iran, and too scary for Russia. Israel carries out attacks like this with regularity, yet they never make the headlines. Maybe we should take notes?

To sum it up, US attacks spark controversy. Anytime America defends herself it will spark controversy. Terrorists use anything they can to gain support. This includes surrounding their facilities with civilians. America should learn how to perform controversial militaristic actions from Israel, because they never get caught.