My Thoughts on Comments

As American's, we are granted the right to speak publicly without punishment. The best way to physically see the first amendment in action is through comment feeds. No matter what, we are able to identify what beliefs drive the comments and whether or not they are reliable. In my previous blog, I talked about The Atlanic's article on a new "food pyramid" and explored the comments. I found a few credible comments as well as a few ones that lack credibility altogether.

1. Credible Comment #1

Screenshot taken from The Atlantic. Nestle, Marion. Goodbye, Food Pyramid. May 31, 2011 via The Atlantic. Public Domain Dedication. 

1. This commenter does not seem to have fear or anxiety about anything. He seems like he genuinely knows what he is talking about. He uses facts, examples and remains unbiased. In addition, he says he is a doctor; therefore, he must know something about how the body works and how carbohydrates affect your health. Because he remains unbiased, we can tell he isn't trying to sway us one way or another.

2. I think this commenter believes in educating ourselves as well as caring for ourselves. He is a doctor, therefore, he cares about helping others and is probably concerned about his health. He presents his views in a nonthreatening way, which makes his argument and views more believable.

3a. Raj is reasonable to me because of his ethos as well as tone. The fact that he is a doctor automatically makes me believe he knows what he is talking about because he went to school to study the body and it's mechanics. Also, he is positive throughout his entire comment, which makes me feel like he genuinely cares about others and their health.


2. Comment with no Credibility #1

Screenshot taken from The Atlantic. Nestle, Marion. Goodbye, Food Pyramid. May 31, 2011 via The Atlantic. Public Domain Dedication. 

1. This commenter seems very fervent in her views. She makes general assumptions which automatically destroy her credibility. Also, the bias of her comment proves her one-sided opinion, which also ruins her believably. You can tell she wishes others to refrain from eating carbohydrates because she argues we don't need them at all. She does not provide any support for her argument.

2. The commenter believes in taking care of yourself; we can identify this through her argument that carbohydrates bring about disease. I also think she believes obesity is a major problem because she is trying to convince others to stop consuming carbs. She probably is concerned with diet and watches what she eats. 

3b. This commenter lacks credibility for me because of her bias. She uses very general assumptions and does not provide many examples to support her argument. In addition, she does not present her views in a very open way; therefore, I feel as though she would not even consider an alternative.  

 3. Credible Comment #2

Screenshot taken from The Atlantic. Nestle, Marion. Goodbye, Food Pyramid. May 31, 2011 via The Atlantic. Public Domain Dedication. 

1. Dmitriy's reply to Jeffery's comment seems adamant about correcting the argument. He believes Jeffery is incorrect in his information. We can identify this through Dmitriy's refutation of Jeffery's argument. He provides actual scientific facts and explanations of how the body physically reacts to carbohydrates. Because of his fervency, we can clearly distinguish that he wishes to prove to other commenters the inaccuracy of the statement that "we don't need carbs to survive."

2. I think Dmitriy believes in taking care of yourself. He has facts about how carbs affect the body which proves he has researched it. Also, he provides an argument that a "meat only diet" isn't the best way either. I also think Dmirtiy wants others to be well informed because he explains his position with scientific evidence. 

3a. This commenter is credible to me mainly because he utilizes actual facts. He has a well developed argument and thoroughly explains his viewpoint. Even though he is refuting another comment, he does not attack the person and only attacks the information, which is admirable and increases his credibility. In addition, he remains unbiased because he provides information on how the alternative "meat only diet" isn't beneficial to the body either.  

4. Comment with no Credibility #2

Screenshot taken from The Atlantic. Nestle, Marion. Goodbye, Food Pyramid. May 31, 2011 via The Atlantic. Public Domain Dedication. 

1. This commenter doesn't seem to be anxious about anything. However, it seems like he wished everyone to refrain from the consumption of carbs. He does not provide detailed, educated arguments; therefore, we can identify his general apathy to the issue. 

2. Anon believes that we should deviate from carbs by eating what "humans are supposed to eat." He believes that grains should be mainly for raising livestock. Because of this, we can identify that he probably cares about his diet as well as the well-being of other citizens. 

3b. Despite this commenter's humor, he loses all credibility for me. He does not provide explains or support for his viewpoint. His colloquial tone portrays him as uneducated and unreliable. His comment lacks depth and explanation.  In addition, he makes assumptions based on an observation, rather than facts. 

Reflection: The comments on Alyssa's post made me laugh. I can appreciate the fact that people voice their opinion's, regardless of the actuality of truth. Also, she clearly identifies why each comment is credible, or rather, lacks credibility. Her examples and explanations taught me what to look for in the future when I am perusing social media sites. Trey's post taught me how the values of America are fleeting. Some students in our generation feel as though the American flag is offensive. Some of the comments on his post are funny, though. I love seeing the First amendment in action too, so I don't mind reading comments that completely lack credibility. 

My Controversy

With the widespread obesity crisis, "fit" is becoming the new "skinny." "Clean eating" and gym dedication have become a common lifestyle for many; even the government is promoting  healthy ideals. In the post below, I will be discussing the controversial changing of dietary recommendations from the government .

Snapshot via The Atlantic. Nestle, Marion. Goodbye Food Pyramid. May 31, 2011. Public Domain Dedication.  

The Atlantic explains the USDA's campaign to change the iconic "Food Pyramid." This is controversial in a couple of ways. Firstly, the USDA believes the Food Pyramid promotes consumers to eat more grains and carbohydrates, thus causes the obesity epidemic. However, these recommended servings lead to another controversy altogether. Being an American, we live in a capitalist society; therefore, who is to say and recommend how many slices of bread we eat? America was founded on personal liberty and governmental control intrudes on such a liberty.

This article stood out to me for a few reasons. Mainly because I am a firm believer of health and fitness. In addition, obesity is a major problem in our country and I like that there is information available to inform citizens. More importantly though, I find it interesting that the government decides what a "healthy plate" should look like. The lines of what the government can control are quickly becoming indiscernible. I appreciate the concern for our citizens; however, it's hard to accept the advice because it isn't the job of government to recommend how a person should maintain their health.

Calendar Reflection

As Simon and Garfunkel would say, college is a "time of innocence" and a "time of confidence." With the newly granted freedom, we all must learn the critical skills of maturity: time management and responsibility. Personally, staying busy keeps me productive; when I have free time, I become indolent and irresponsible.

CollegeDegrees360. "A College Girl is Studying for the End of Year Exam." July 12, 2012 via Flickr. Public Domain Dedication. 

My semester is fully loaded; I am taking eighteen units and majoring in bio-medical engineering. Balancing studies, social activities and even basic human needs will be a challenge, but I am excited to face it. After mapping out my schedule, I realize I barely have time to even breathe. However, my classes are done in the afternoon, so I will have enough down time to dedicate to homework.

 I'm nervous about balancing rigorous courses, such as calculus and chemistry, and being in a sorority; I do enjoy being busy, though, so the pressure of obligation should keep me on track. I plan on utilizing my down time by staying on top of my work; my goal is to work for an hour to an hour and a half every day on each class. Oh, I also will try to get at least a few hours of sleep a night. Despite the stress of adjustment, I am ready to hit the ground running.


Reflection:
Kelly's post made me feel better about enjoying a busy life. If I have free time, I usually accomplish nothing; however, if I have the pressure of many obligations, I get a lot more done. I find it comforting to know there are others that enjoy such a lifestyle as well. In addition, I admire Kelly's sense of balance; she seems to have allotted the perfect amount of time for all her endeavors, even if it's just enough time to watch one Netflix show. 
Trey's post made me feel better about my heavy schedule as well. I also like that we are both engineering majors, so we can relate to rigorous classes. Trey's plan to work a little bit on everything everyday is smart because then he can stay on top of his work. Also, I admire that he strives to get a good night's sleep; I should probably start doing that. 

My Writing Process

As a left brain-dominate, writing can come as a challenge to me. My writing process is comparable to eating a juicy cheeseburger (granted, I refrain from indulging in red meat). Just like devouring a hearty patty of saturated fat, grease and deliciousness, the idea of writing always seems like a great one. However, once I power through a writing assignment, the final product usually leaves me disappointed and a little nauseous.

PS2pcGAMER. "In-N-Out 20 Patty Cheeseburger." January 1, 2004 via Creative Commons. Public domain dedication.

1. What type of writer do you consider yourself to be?

Once again, being an A-typical person, I must have a plan and route in order to accomplish anything. However, naivety causes me to "wing it" half of the time. Therefore, I would consider myself to be lost somewhere between a "heavy planner" and "sequential composer." 

2. Does your writing process include several of the above approaches? If so, which ones?

My writing process does involve a few characteristics of "heavy planners" as well as "sequential composers." Often, I find myself contemplating what to write about in various activities throughout the day, many times when I'm brushing my teeth or on the verge of slumber. I also like to create a rough outline for longer papers; however, for shorter assignments, I usually just write then revise. My process does not involve intensive revision, but I do try and revise a few times before considering my work "polished." 

3. Does your writing process seem to be successful? What are some strengths and weaknesses to your approach?

Personally, my approach works well for me. I am able to complete my work on time, sometimes even early. The hardest part about my writing process is initiation; it takes me a while to come up with an idea and map it out, but once I have an outline I am usually good to go. My process allows me to have an end goal in mind and therefore my writing does not wander too far from the point. However, because I do not use heavy revision, my writing contains convention errors. Also, heavy revision would benefit the structure of my sentences and work in general. 

4. Do you think it might be beneficial to try another approach? Why or why not?

It would be beneficial for my writing process to spend more time on revision. That way, I can can syntax, word choice and all the good stuff to create a well written final product. However, once I'm done writing, I usually call it quits. Reading other's work too could be potentially beneficial, just to have a glimpse at ideas to inspire me for my own work.

Writing is an art; everyone has their own flavor and method to the madness. Once you can appreciate the beauty of writing, creating a work of art becomes much more enjoyable. Now ask yourself, how would you compare your writing process to mine?


Reflection:

Morgan's post demonstrated a perfectly organized blog. I like the way she created her web page and it gave me a sense of direction how I want to develop mine. Also, she made me feel better about being a heavy planner. However, her blog made me want to revise my whole blog.
I really appreciate the personality in Dylan's post. It makes me want to add more flare and spice to my future posts. Also, he makes me feel better about "winging" my work because he does not really plan out before he works either.