5C Reflections

1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

Cindi Schuler, Component A My California authors for project 4a group #3 Firoozeh Dumas, Devorah Major, Michael Chabon, Kathi Kamen Goldmark

2. What is something this classmate said about the choice that relates to any of the assignments in projects 2-3?

In Cindi’s blog “Bienvenidos a Newport Beach”, she states that the Newport Beach community has specific guidelines and the people are very of the same. All the houses look the same and so do the people and their attitudes. Cindi talks about how the movie reminded her of the “the stepford wives” and how everyone in the community has the same aspect of life. This truly depicts the environment of this city and how it is so different from what we imagine when we say beach town. It used to be a “small town beach” but it is a multi-million dollar beach.

3. What is something different this classmate said about their choice that you did not realize before when you completed projects 2-3?

Cindi wrote that in Newport beach, the trash cans cannot be put out 24 hours in advance and right after it is picked up, the cans needs to back. It is amazing to me how a community can forced you to do all this, even the garage door needs to remain close most of the time. I didn’t realize that cities enforced such outrageous rules.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?

This is a good example regarding dialogue. From the surface we see Newport Beach as a rich place, million dollar hotels and restaurants but what we don’t see is the neatness of the place. The carefully attended details like clean up and making everything look nice. Without dialogue we wouldn’t known that Newport is strict in the little details to make the city look as nice as possible. Understanding each others’ dialogue helps everything get what they want.

5. How has project 2-3 helped you with the readings of the textbook?

Project 2 and 3 helped me see what surface of each city. Cities like Newport beach has that distinct attitudes that can you tell just from what kind of city and where it is located. We see multi-million dollar homes and real estate we assume those people are rich and all they care is about money and their sons and daughters are stuck up and only care about looks. Some parts are true like attitudes and personality but there is always the other groups of people who are different and prefer to be different. Reading the text helps see more then just want we see, there someone who has been there or has experience that place.

5B. Reflection

1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

Jena Barcojo, Component A My California authors for project 4a group #1 Mark Arax, Aimee Liu, T. Jefferson Parker, and Mary Mackey

2. What is something this classmate said about the choice that relates to any of the assignments in projects 2-3?

In Jena’s blog on the story “Transients in Paradise”, she said that the people in Beverly Hills cares and compares about muscle mass and body content then actually care about people. Jena writes that the homeless people don’t get help in a city like Beverly Hills because of the attitudes of the people who live there which is stuck up and centered. Each city is so different from one another and just what city you happen to end up can determine you whole attitude and your views on life.

3. What is something different this classmate said about their choice that you did not realize before when you completed projects 2-3?

Jena’s blog on “The Big Valley” by Mark Arax is about the land in Tulare Country and how it has drastically changed. It changed from acres of farm land and farm families into McDonald and Wal-Mart and car dealerships. Even in the lands of middle California, franchises like McDonald and Wal-Mart can still there. The essences natural farming land has been taken up power plants and chemical plants.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?

Jena quoted in Arax’s story “if I get up early enough, I can find them at the coffee shop comparing the size of their grapes like some boys comparing their privates” and with that I feel like the essences of what the basic things are now gone. People want better and bigger and stronger. I wondered why people can’t just take something and keep that same old thing for years and years because that one thing has been the same for generations. Sometimes simplicity is the best.

5. How has project 2-3 helped you with the readings of the textbook?

The past projects helped me dig up what each town is special for and what hides behind the smokes and mirrors. Reading about this authors and their experiences helps me understand further into each city and their people. Projects 2 and 3 have scratched the surface of the city’s atmosphere and it has made it easier to understand the authors’ experiences.

5a group #2

An ordinary place by D.J. Waldie

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

An ordinary place by D.J. Waldie

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary. Remember that your classmates will rely on you for this information. 2 percent

D.J. Waldie tells us a story about his life in the suburbs. He lives in Southern California in a city named Lakewood where he has lived for his whole life. He talks about the changed in Lakewood from fields, farms, ranches and groves in Los Angeles country into suburbia back in the 1950’s. Back in the 1960 after the war world, there were almost forty percent of kids under the age of 14 and they would play endlessly in the streets. He states that living in suburbia isn’t a lesson for neighborliness but it is a lesson on humility. He stated that “…because this is suburbs where life is still pretty much the same for everybody, no matter how much you think you’re worth.”(p. 149-150) He also stated that loyalty is what keeps people from leaving. It is a place that permits restless people to be still. He likes living in the suburbs and even if there are some negative aspects, it is still worth it. His experiences in the suburbs have left him understanding more about his life then he would any where else.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

“I live where I live in California because the weight of my everyday life here is a burden I want to carry.” (p.151)

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

This reading made me think of where I grew up and where I live right now. I think of the reasons why I live here in the quiet neighborhood. In my neighborhood the people are very friend, people help each other out with their problems. I do like living in a place where people are party of a community and people try to help one another.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

One thing I didn’t know before was that twenty-seven percent of the people who lived in Lakewood have been there for thirty years or more. That people enjoy living in the suburbs even if it is a slow paced life. The place where you live really describes the type of person you are and what you truly want to be.

Almost home by Gerald Haslam

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

Almost home by Gerald Haslam

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary.

Gerald Haslam and his family are traveling home which is presuming to be Bakersfield and they are passing through a small town named Oildale, a place where he and his wife grew up. Oildale was a place where Haslam remembered it with “Tarzan’s House” and great shading trees, vines and the Kern River and its riparian forest. This place was full of greens and life and floods. Starting in the 1950’s, there were levees building to block out the surging floods. 4 years later a dam was built and everything in Oildale was dried out like the forest and the land. Every time he passes by he recollects the people, the environment and especially the memories.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

“On those visits, too, we especially love on sit on a pal’s porch, watch doves drinking in the gutter and view orange and blue sunsets spectacular as the northern lights.”(p.156)

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

This reading made me think of the places that makes me feel at home, makes me feel like I belong there and it is were I would always want to come back. It makes me feel like I want to go back to Vietnam to visit and just sit there and take in all the spectacular scenery. The simplicity of being in a place like that is what people look for. A place like Oildale to Haslam is what everyone looks for; everyone wants to feel the love and the memory for a place so special to them.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

I didn’t know that a place like Bakersfield or anything remotely close to that area was once a raging forest with floods and greens. Every time I pass by I can’t imagine a place like that having all that wetland and use to be full of life. It amazes how transformation like that happens in such little time.

My little Saigon by Anh Do

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

My little Saigon by Anh Do

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary.

She is talking to her aunt about Little Saigon and along the way of describing her aunt the scenery; she takes us back to describe her upbringing in Westminster and Little Saigon. She describes the difficulty of being in a country as an immigrant and trying to survive. Her family started the first Vietnamese newspaper in the United States. She explains the start up of Little Saigon and how it has spread to Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Fountain Valley. She feels like she has never left her origin because of the familiar environment of markets filled with fresh fish and fish sauces. She feels right at home like she always was, she feels like she never left Vietnam.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

“You see, her soul lives here. Same with mine.”(p.152)

What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

4. This made me think of the time when I was in Little Saigon. Seeing the hundreds of Vietnamese shops and signs and seeing the large amount of Vietnamese in malls. I always wondered when this occurrence of thousands of Vietnamese people little in this area. I never asked about the origin or try to find out how Little Saigon came to where it is now. It is exciting to learn something about the history of a community and how it started. I guess all they need is the efforts of the community to create something of their own.

5.What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

I didn’t know the origin of Little Saigon but I’ve been there and I’ve witness the numerous Vietnamese shops and people. The district is very big and I think is still growing.

The nicest person in San Francisco by Derek M. Powazek

1. Write the story title and author name. .25 point

The nicest person in San Francisco by Derek M. Powazek

2. Summarize the reading in one brief paragraph; be specific in your summary.

It starts out with Derek as a young high school boy traveling from Los Angeles to U.C. Berkeley because his father had a conference. While traveling to Berkeley they stopped by San Francisco to take in the scenery of SF. After an encounter with a druggie selling paraphernalia, they decided to leave to their place in Berkeley. After his father had a conference to the late afternoon, Powazek decided to take the car and leave to SF and experience the streets on foot. They visited several shops like the “THE PSYHEDELIC SHOP” and ran into more drug dealers. Being pressured to buy drugs; Powazek does and had a frighten encounter with what he called a cop. Having one of the crazy experiences with the city, he also received a ticket which he desperately had to pay off without his father knowing. He met a teller at the courthouse who he defers as the nicest person in San Francisco and soon after that he leaves with his first SF experience.

3. Which was your favorite sentence or paragraph (include entire quote; use quote marks and page number)? 1 percent

“It was worth the hunt. I was lost in rows of tie-dyes, stickers, and pipes. This was the mother of all head shops and I was taking no prisoners. I had a wad of hard-earned summer job cash in my pocket, and it was going fast.”(p.168)

4. What did the reading make you think of? (be specific eg "There is a bridge in SF that spans 4 miles from SF to Oakland and in the middle of the bridge it crosses an island called Treasure Island. This story makes me think of that specific little island where I can see the entire city and bay area. That city was also in the news recently where .... ) .75 percent

This made me think of the first time I was in the city by myself. It was one of the strangest time of my life where all the streets could guide you into a different world of San Francisco. I was amazed how I could even figure my way out of the city and made it out safe. The different are people, the different environment and the one way streets didn’t make things any better. It amazes how much one city can have so much, such different culture and different people, but unlike him, I can never live in a place like San Francisco.

5. What is one thing you did not know before you started the reading that you now know (again, be specific using concrete examples)? 1 percent

I have been to San Franciso but I’ve never been the PSYCHEDELIC SHOP and I would like to go there. I didn’t know that high school kids dream of going to Haight Ashbury and I still don’t know why or what it is. Reading this helps a little about understand more of San Francisco and the hippie days because Haight Ashbury had something to do with it.

4C Reflections "beaches"

1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

Daniel Dieckman, Component B “beaches”, Pismo Beach

2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?

He stated that beaches have a slower paced life and more laid back culture. Also beaches attract many different people and usually when small town with beaches, the environment and attitude of the people are usually shared with everyone in the town. Pismo beach is of a surfer type beach which means it is not fancy with high class restaurants and hotels but it is more designed for the ordinary citizen.

3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?

One of his stereotypes was that Pismo beach is stuck in the surfer town mode and I said that the water is always hot when it is mildly warm to cold. He also sated that Pismo beach has a population under 13,000 which I did not know.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?

By reading what Daniel wrote about Pismo beach, I would regard as it is a big tourist town but with the laid back environment. What I thought of the town was that it is mostly made up with people that live in Pismo or near it. It comprise of normal people who live in the area. What came out when meshing the two ideas together is that the town is known for having been movies but it keeps that beach culture within its town.

4B Relection "world cities"

1. Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

Genevieve Hubley, Component A “world cities”, San Deigo

2. What is something similar this classmate said about the choice?

We both stated the stereotypes of the people of San Diego are all surfers and have blond hair, blue eyes and are tan and all they do is live at the beach. Also San Diego is a huge tourist attraction city with its zoos and sports entertainment.

3. What is something different this classmate said about the choice?

Genevieve stated that San Diego connects to humanities because it is a place of diversity and diverse culture but I believe that San Diego isn’t that diverse and San Diego is more of a working city. It is a city for people to learn new things about life and learn about themselves through the fast paced of the city. San Diego isn’t a town for the laid back people because everyone else is zooming by with work and social life.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?

I went into thinking that San Diego’s city life is so fast for an ordinary person living in the suburbs and Genevieve stated that the city is diverse. With my thinking and her thinking, I believe that we are both right, that San Diego is a city for many different people and their lifestyle. And it both connects to humanities.

4a Group#2

Ode to CalTrans

1.Ode to CalTrans by Hector Tobar

2.His story is about his growing up in the city of Los Angles and his experiences with the LA freeways. He witnessed fearful events that made him scared of driving on the freeway for years, not even when his children were about to be born. He speaks about how the highway has changed so much when he was young. He saw all the new wide lanes created, the construction finished and the highways were much more efficient. Tobar dedicated all the highway work to Caltrans for their amazing work to make it better. All his life was revolved around LA and their highways and he has made an ode to Caltrans for their work to make everyone’s life much better.

3.“Every now and then I became aware of when and where one of these workers were killed; CalTrans placed signs with a picture of a white CalTrans helmet on the roadside, as a poignant and wordless memorial. But then there were too many signs and CalTrans took them down because a highway shouldn’t look like a cemetery.” (p.54)

4.This reading made me think of the craziness of Southern California and their driving style. Everyone is in a rush and there are so many people. The part where he saw the sports car flipped and flew like a gyroscope reminded of me when I saw an accident like that. I was driving on one of our freeways, Freeway 101, I saw a car flipped upside down, sparks flying, traveling about 30 miles per hour on its roof. It scared me because it was the first accident or dangerous activity on the freeway that I have seen. It made me see how dangerous driving fast and driving recklessly can be. It made me slow down and drives safer.

5.One thing that I read that I didn’t know before was that Caltrans made memorials for the entire fallen CalTrans worker. They would have place a sign with the person’s picture on the helmet on the side of the road. This is an amazing respect for the workers and since too many workers were killed and too many memorials made it like a cemetery. They discontinued the memorial because they didn’t want driving on the freeways to make it like a cemetery.

Montalvo, myths, and dreams of home

1.Montalvo, myths, and dreams of home by Thomas Steinbeck

2.This story is about the origin of California. He talks about how California got its name way before the Lewis and Clark discovery of the West but with Cortez and his discovery of California and baja California. The story starts in the 1500’s on Garcia Rodrigues de Montavlo depicts a lush and fruitful paradise, a utopian island in the western seas. He named the place after his cousin, California. He also talks about his life in California, his favorite place The Big Sur between besides the high Sierras and the northwest.

3.“Hidden within the romantic convolutions of the text, was the reinvention of an ancient vision, for Montalvo depicted a lush and fruitful paradise, a utopian island set in the western sea. Though few know or care about the original story, everyone knows the name of Montalvo’s “Atlantian” cousin, for he christened his paradise California.” (p. 64)

4.This reading made me think of how California’s history goes back for hundreds of years. I didn’t know much of California’s history but I thought I was the discovery by Lewis and Clark and that’s how the named started but it goes back all the way to Spain and their famous writers and authors. It made me think of the old west and the origin of California but in a different way, now I know the where the name California came from. It is true that California is a utopia because it has a lot of every state.

5.One thing that I didn’t know before read this was where the name California came from. I was clueless on where the name came from and didn’t ever bother to find out but now since I found out new info I’m happy to finally know. The name fits perfect with what Montalvo describe as a paradise in the western seas.

The last little beach town

1.The last little beach town by Edward Humes

2.The story talks about Seal Beach and its attractiveness and how much it has changed. It starts out with a little beach town in the Orange County. He talks about the other beach cities, like Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and many other beach cities that have grown faster. Little beaches left like Seal Beach or Crystal Cove has a magic about their town. Their old style town and old style ways have keep their towns historic. The old-fashion businesses are locally owned and restaurants’ only requirements are shirts and shoes. The old fashion style helps keep the beach town like the old days of the Beach Boys. The beach town soon changes though, into million dollar beach towns and resorts. The towns are starting to slowly lose their historic style.

3.“The Center of Old Town is Main Street, a true old-fashioned downtown, where most of the businesses are locally owned and the fanciest restaurant’s only dress requirement is shirt and shoes. Business is conducted in shorts and T-shirts; the local congressman can be seen now and then yakking on his cell in his wet suit after surfing.”(p.74)

4.This reading made me think of when I was at an old beach town. I remember the uniqueness of the beach towns, the nice people and the beach itself. Beach towns are a major different from any other types of cities. The atmosphere is so different and not what I expected when I was in socal beach town. The people are so nice and unique. They attitudes are very optimistic and caring. I wish I could go back there right now.

5.One thing that I didn’t know before reading this story was how many beach towns are left that are historic and secluded. I’ve seen some beach cities that have explored in the economy and have multimillion dollar homes and resorts. It is nice to know that there are some towns left that have been preserved and not like the other beach towns that are rich. I would like to visit these towns to truly experience a beach town like in the mid 1900’s.

Surfacing

1.Surfacing by Matt Warshaw

2.A story about a 16 year-old named Jay Moriarity who surfed one of the biggest wave at the new surf paradise Maverick off of Half Moon Bay in the bay area. Warshaw shows us how exciting and dangerous and a way of life when it comes to surfing. Surfing has everything in it and that’s why Moriarity when to surf during a storm in Half Moon Bay. He waited until a storm came to Half Moon Bay to surf one of the biggest waves in Maverick history. He woke up early in the morning to hop onto a boat to go out into the sea to surf Maverick. The waves were bigger then he thought. The first wave he rode, he wiped out and hit the bottom of the sea. He almost drowned but managed to rosed to the surface. He took his second board because his first broke, then rode his second wave to the top.

3.“Below the surface, energy and mass burst downward, creating a field of vertical-flushing gyratory columns, and Moriarity, trapped inside one of these columns, spun end over end until his back and shoulders were fixed against the ocean floor. He clenched, and a bubble of oxygen rushed past his teeth. Maverick’s was a deepwater break, he’d been told; nobody ever hit bottom. The next wave would be overhead in another ten or twelve second, and Moriarity wondered if, from his depth, he could get to the surface—to—before it arrived.”(p.86)

4.This reading made me think of what a surfer goes thought and why they do what they do. After reading this I realized that surfing is a way of life, the excitement and dangerousness at the same time. It reminds me of the rush and excitement doing extraordinaire. Doing something you have never done before and the feeling is amazing. It reminded me of skydiving. Something I’ve had never done before and the feeling was amazing. A feeling that couldn’t be explained but it is a feeling that has to be experience in order to understand how those people feel. Everyone needs to do something to have an experience of a rush of adrenaline and scared to enjoy life.

5.One thing that I didn’t know before reading this was how surfing is more then just surfing. Its excitement, its dangerous, and its life. Everyone does it because there is every thing in one. The rush of adrenaline, the danger, the scariness and the feeling to overcoming and success. Surfing has all this just in one wave. That is why surfer surfed because it is their life, it is their passion and it is their happiness.

3c Inner Areas

Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

Contains a web link to your locations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilroy,_California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truckee,_California

Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos, content of websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

How Truckee connects to Humanities
Truckee is a place for people to relax, enjoy the beautiful winter weather and do something exciting and trilling like snowboarding and skiing. It’s a chance to escape reality and do what they love for a few months of the year. We get to see enthusiast waiting for months so they can take a few days out of their schedule to do what they love. We see the fun and experience at work, making the best of California has to offer. We need the fun and excitement because without it, we would be just waiting to die.

How Gilroy connects to Humanities
Garlic fanatics have the couple days during the last weekend of July to enjoy a worldly known Gilroy Garlic Festival. This connects because it gives people to indulge themselves in what they love which would be garlic food. People from all over the world come together to celebrate the love of garlic and if that isn’t connecting all cultures together, I don’t know what is; connecting the love of garlic from here to Europe to Asia. People wait for the few days out of the year to forget their lives and do what they love, also meeting new people and experience everyone’s love for garlic. Being able to gather so many different people together for one event is amazing.

What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point
Assumptions/stereotypes about Truckee
People assume that Truckee is nothing but a place to go snowboarding and skiing. They have a beautiful historic downtown that incorporates with the snow and mountains around it. It is known for snowboarding and skiing but there is much more than that. Everyone assumes that Truckee is very cold; that is true in the winter but in the warmer months like July, they have an average maximum temperature of 82.7 degrees. So it is not always cold.

Assumptions/stereotypes about Gilroy
People assumed that Gilroy is in the middle of nowhere and it is very hot there and a very old city with lots of farming area. Gilroy has a lot of farming land and it’s mostly known for its garlic. The city population is 41000 people so it is not a small city but all people see of Gilroy is when driving on the freeway over looking acres of farm land. Their downtown is very historic but as well modern.

List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point
People come all over the world to these cities. They are famous of the events they put on. Gilroy has an annual Gilroy Garlic Festival that about 130,000 people attend at the end of July. Truckee is home to the Sugar bowl; a snowboarding and skiing resort that people attend from all over California and Nevada. These cities are not well known but when the time comes thousands upon thousands come to witness and experience something wonderful that they will always remember.

List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point
The cities are totally different, famous for the opposite things. Gilroy is farms while Truckee is snow. Truckee is famous for the cold weather; Gilroy is hot, around 90 degrees throughout most of the year. Truckee gets trill sneakers and Gilroy gets the food lovers together. I guess Truckee and Gilroy are ying and yang, total opposites but people come because they love to.


Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point
I know these places are roaring at a certain time of the year but what happens during the rest of the year. Do they just live their lives and work or is there other events going on during the days and nights?

Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point

I learned that Rosio chose food as one of the things that represent California culture and i completely agree. California is incorporate with my cultures and to tell where which culture come from, we see it in the food. In San Francisco, there is many Chinese restaurants and if you go towards a different area, you might find Mexican food or European food. This relates to our class because food is everywhere and thats how we tell culture. Food is not only cultural but historical also, because people keep the same recipe for generations and it hasn't changed.

http://rsweek1project1a.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html

3b beaches

Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

Contains a web link to your locations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pismo_Beach,_California
http://www.beachcalifornia.com/lajolla2.html

Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos, content of websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

How Pismo Beach connects to Humanities:
Pismo beach is a place for everyone to relax and enjoy the water; people that are tired from driving on the free way as well as stressed out college students. Since it is so big and famous, thousands of tourists visiting this place keeps it fresh with new faces as well as old faces who come there all the time. Beaches help relax the mind and the body so we can keep going in life. I believe if there were no beaches, life would be so much harder for people to live. Everyone needs the beach; everyone needs to experience it because it is wonderful.

How La Jolla Beach connects to Humanities:
La Jolla beach is secluded from the major highways so not a lot of people visit this place. This place is more of the relaxation and be in peace amongst the sea and air. There will be less distractions and people come here for inner peace. The bright water and the green trees will relax anyone. This place is for the calm environment, people taking strolls or running. They get a mix of college students and old timers at the beach so it all balances out.

What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point
Assumptions/stereotypes about Pismo Beach

Since it is further south of here, we assume that Pismo Beach will be warm all the time and be beautiful like the Caribbean. The beach is very wide and lengthy but the water is not as warm as we would like and there isn’t much wind to surf. The sand isn’t perfectly white and soft. And it isn’t always hot and sunny there, it does get cold.

Assumptions/stereotypes about La Jolla beach

La Jolla beach is only about one mile in length. We assume that since this beach is in La Jolla, one of the most expensive places to live, then everyone there will be stuck up and controlling of their beach to outsiders but everyone is very nice and there are not many people that swim and surf except mostly college students. The older folks like to take walks and strolls along the ocean.

List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point
Similarities: They are both public beaches habited by many people who love the sea. They both have warm water depending on the season but overall, the water is mostly warm. The sand is very coarse and they do have big waves for people to surf. Both beaches have the majority of students; the students of University of California, San Diego go to La Jolla and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo attend Pismo beach.

List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point

Differences: La Jolla is more secluded while Pismo is very open and able to see from Highway 101. Pismo’s beach is bigger, meaning more wide and lengthy. La Jolla is only about one mile while Pismo is about 17 miles long. Pismo is more of a tourist attraction; it has a pier and many restaurants like Splash Café. La Jolla is mostly for the community of La Jolla to enjoy.

Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point

Questioning: I know that in Pismo beach, there isn’t much of a coral or reef to explore but I wonder if near La Jolla if there is more of a coral or reef to snorkel or scuba dive and explore the underwater.

Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point

I learned that David Kim did one of his places that represent California culture was UC Berkeley. I did the same and for the same reasons. The university represents the state of California education and is very well known. The education received is highly regraded. The school represents a lot about California, not just the education system but politics too. This relates to our theoretical foundation because of the importance of what happen there and free speech movements. it is both historical and cultural related to us.
http://amangomango.blogspot.com/2008/06/2a-uc-berkeley.html

3a World Cities

Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

Contains a web link to your locations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland,_California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego

Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos, content of websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

How Oakland Connects to Humanities

The city of Oakland has many aspects to it. We see the poorer community and see how they live their lives. See what they do to benefit their lives. We can see the struggles of the lower class and how it connects to the minorities in California. We have to see how the other classes of California household lives and how they contribute to our society. We have to see all aspects; there are the wealthy families and how we see the poorest of the poor families living to survive when the economy is getting worse. We see people who are “just getting by” meaning they are just trying to survive. We see families working together trying to make it work; working as a team.

How San Diego Connects to Humanities

San Diego is a totally different life style then Oakland. San Diego is a major business area and people who are living there have seemed to make it in life. They’re fast paced life style gives us a different outlook of life, people who have careers and different things going for them. To me San Diego seems like a city for individuals to survive. Individuals go there to start a different live, moving away from suburbia and into San Diego trying to make something of their lives. We see individualism at work.

What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point

Everyone assumes that Oakland is one of the worst cities to live in California because of its crimes. Oakland may have a lot of crimes but it is a major city. There are good and bad parts of every city. Oakland has a great downtown area and has major sports organization. Just because it has a lot of crimes don’t make the whole city seem like the worst thing in the world. Not many know this about Oakland but it has one of the largest boat ports in the world and the city is recognizable for that.

Most people when they say they’re going to San Diego, everyone assumes beach town, but San Diego is a huge city as well. It may be by the water but there a whole downtown and intercity as well. There are highway structures, big sky scrapers and big business area. People also assume that people in San Diego all surf, tan, blond hair but its not like that at all.

List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point

They sponsor major sports teams in baseball and in football; the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres and Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers. The cities border the Pacific Ocean. They both have large international airports that fly all over the world. They both have constant temperature because they are near the coast; there is no drastic change from during the day to the night. They both hold major California Universities.

List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point

Oakland has one of the highest murder rates in California while San Diego has crime rates below the national average. Since the early 1990s crime rates has had a decline every year. San Diego’s economy has always been on the rise; in 2007 a median house in San Diego cost 612,000 dollars and Oakland has always been a redevelopment city. The culture is very different as well. San Diego is “SoCal” which means their lives are fast paced, beaches, tan, and the sun and has a lot of night life. While Oakland has been a working town, people trying to get by and the city hosts many minorities.

Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point

I know that San Diego has many clubs and bars and the night life culture, I wonder if the people of Oakland go out at night a lot to clubs and bars. I would like to know if people of Oakland go out to night extravaganzas a lot. Since the waters in Southern California is much warmer, I wonder if people in Oakland surf in the bay or on the coast, or if they surf at all?

Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point

I learned that Meredith Porter chose the Exploratorium as one of her museums because it incorporates science and life together. We have something in common, i do believe that science is the future of everything and if we don't put everything into science, we wont' survive. She being a chemist major and I'm an engineering major makes us science geeks. I believe that science does relate to humanities because we have science everywhere in our lives; our computer, our tvs and our cars.

http://mer-human7.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html

2C; City of Mendocino

1.Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

2.Contains the sources you used with links to these sources .25 points
Yes;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendocino,_California

3.Contains a brief paragraph how it connects to your study of humanities. 1 point

I believe that being able to be in a different environment from the big cities and able to go to a city like Mendocino is wonderful. It helps the mind restart because of its scenic views and people enjoy nature at its best. Humanities is connecting with the environment and trying to help one self become better. Some people connect with other people, others connect with wildlife and as for California, wildlife is the water and the woods. Being able to understand nature helps us understand humans better.

4.Contains the following "analytical elements"

A. Observation
I chose the city of Mendocino because of its beautiful scenics. From its oceans, to the forests, to its historic town. I feel like this place depicts California culture. If we were to ask someone what California has a lot of? They would answer trees and water. And this town has both, one right next to another. If we were to stand at the edge of the town, we would over look the pacific ocean and its beauties, the crashing waves and the sweet ocean air. And if we were to walk 10 minutes east, we would be in the middle of the forest. We would get the feeling of the old country side if we were to walk in the town; old buildings and many bed and breakfasts.

B: Interpretation

My choice is about the incorporating of our environments. The relaxation shield off the fast paced city life to helps the mind relax and replenish. After one has been burnt out from work or problems they need a place to escape from their lives. I believe people like to visit place like this to enjoy the scenery and get away from the world. In learning about humanities, I believe that we need to use our surroundings, like the water and forest, to build a better understand of ourselves and the people around us.

C: Judgement

I chose this place because I have experienced it. The idea of overlooking the ocean on a hill is exhilarating and with the forest right next to it I can camp and be away from the world for a bit. The feeling of the ocean water mist falling through the sky and smelling it is amazing. Not everywhere has a place like this, the old style taverns, the friendly people and the secluded area. I feel like if people were able to visit this place they would come back more then once. It’s a different lifestyle form the everyday work world and big cities.

D: Questioning

This place is very small and easy to miss if one didn't look for it. I missed it when I was driving through it and I didn't even notice. I wondered if there are most places like this, secluded, incorporate water and forest and the old country style towns. Because it seems like everywhere I go, it’s either a big city or run downed town.

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced?

I've learned that Denya Beaudry is fascinated by different cultures in the world and she wants to expand her knowledge of other cultures. It seems like we share a common passion for other cultures. I'm also fascinated by other worldly cultures and I do have some experience personally and in the classes as well with seeing and learning different cultures. Yes this relates to our class theoretical foundation because to understand humanities we need to look at a lot of different culture.

http://dbeaudryhuman7.blogspot.com/2008/06/week-1-project-1a.html

"I have always been fascinated by different cultures. I hope to expand what little knowledge I do have of other cultures around the world and learn about their philisophies, values, literature, etc." -Denya

2B; California Palace of the Legion of Honor

1.Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

2.Contains the sources you used with links to these sources .25 points
Yes;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Palace_of_the_Legion_of_Honor

3.Contains a brief paragraph how it connects to your study of humanities. 1 point

This museum has cultures from the past 3 thousand years, so it has a lot to do with humanities. Having arts and artifacts dating back before the Common Era gives us a better understanding of their culture and their way of life. Being able to see what they see from the descriptions of the art gives us a sense of culture back then, how different it was back and how different it is now. Pictures show us their philosophy and their science to show us that we are not so different from people ages and ages ago.

4.Contains the following "analytical elements"

A. Observation

I chose the California Palace of the Legion of Honor located in San Francisco. I feel like the Legion of Honor museum is a great place to visit because it displays great European culture. The museum has arts and artifacts dating back to the thousands BC. It gives people a chance to observe a European culture and their proud arts which have lasted hundreds and thousands of years. The museum has different types of arts, artifacts and sculpture. Artifacts like wine containers dating back to the days of Zeus and the gods, paintings from France, Italy and Spain and sculptures made of steel, porcelain, bronze, etc. The museum resides along Lincoln Park and surrounding it is the Lincoln Park golf course. The museum also overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge. As we walked into the museum, we see a sculpture in front of the museum, a man on a horse carrying a flag and a beautiful, large foundation. It is a white building with many pillars and is in such great condition.

B: Interpretation

My choice is about how we can have the ability to see and understand what other cultures thousands of years ago created and what they had a passion for. In they're paintings, crafts, sculptures, etc, they depict their lives and lifestyles for us modern day people to see and understand a little something about their culture. Being able to see facts of many years ago, we are able to see how much we've changed and what have learned about their civilizations. We can gain a perspective about their culture through a unified language which is art. Through art we can learn what we can’t learn from understanding their language. Being able to review what the history of the powerhouse European cultures is amazing and having the ability to see in person is even better. They’re art is so different from our modern day art.

C: Judgement

After visiting this museum, I was convinced that this museum was one to visit if ever in northern California. We see a lot of modern art through cafes, restaurants, and galleries but when do we ever get to see artifacts from before the Common Era. Arts like these are rarely shown everywhere. Arts preserved for hundreds of years and still in great condition. So I believe this museum is great because of its many different artifacts that we don't see everyday and helps us understand our past. I got to see a redesign of a sarcophagus, some thing that you never get to see unless you are in a museum. I see a lot of modern art but being able to see past arts is much more exciting. Seeing how people carved and sculpture and painted their art with limited supply is fascinating.

D: Questioning

Learning about other culture helps us become a better person. Learning about previous civilizations helps us know where we've come from and how life was back then. I wonder why not more people visit this museum? Learning about other civilizations and their past gives us more of a holistic approach to humanities. In order to learn humanities, we need to learn it from a holistic point of view.

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced?

I learned that Lucy wants to learn about the many ways cultures express themselves through music, art and dance. I do want to learn more about cultures who don't have a written language and express themselves in music, art and dance. All cultures have music, art and dance because I believe that every culture needs these things. Through art, music and dance are what cultures get passed down from generation to generation. I don't have much experience with this because my family never had musical talents or arts but other cultures do. This relates to cultural and historical context of all countries in the world

" I hope to learn from this class about the many ways different cultures express themselves through music, art, dance, etc." -Lucy
http://ldobrawa.blogspot.com/

2a UC Berkerly

1.Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
Yes

2.Contains the sources you used with links to these sources .25 points
Yes; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Berkeley

3.Contains a brief paragraph how it connects to your study of humanities. 1 point

From what I've learned from Paulo Freire, we have the freedom to better a way of life and if we are given that, we have to use our power as a human being to stop oppression. UC Berkeley is the place where history has been made. Here is where major protest and defiant happened. People did this because they needed to be heard and they used their power as a human being to make life better for themselves as well as others. They were defiant so they can be heard from the government; they were defiant because if not, the government would have total control. They needed to have a position in the law.

4.Contains the following "analytical elements"

A. Observation

I chose the University of California, Berkeley because of its historic events that occurred in California that contributed to humanities. I feel that my choice on this place displays perfect connection to California culture. From the 60's of countless protests of the Vietnam war to now and days with the environmentalists trying to save the trees from being cut down. This place has always defied the rest of American culture; California has always been on the other end of the stick. If we were to walk upon the campus, we would see many different nationalities because everyone from all over the country wants to go to this school. We see the award winning professors talking to one another on how to further benefit American lives and technology. From million dollar research facilities to the green trees and grass, UCB seems to have everything. We see students and their dedication and their hard work because UCB is one of the prestige public universities in the world and it results in brilliant minds the world as to offer.

B: Interpretation

My choice is about the defiant of mainstream America by protesting; the ability to oppose government through a non-violent procedure. UC Berkeley is known for very large protests dating back to the 60's. Students protested the Vietnam War to speak out on the nation’s involvement in the war. They're using their Free Speech freedom to oppose and keep the higher political powers in check. Theses days there are still protests going on at the campus. Environmentalists have lived in the trees on the campus for more then a year trying to save them from being cut down. The school decided to cut down the trees to build a new athletic center. The environmentalists are just delaying the process and costing the school millions of dollars in court fees. These two examples are perfect for Paulo Freire and it would make him happy. Each are challenging the authorities and displaying freedom of opinion. Freire wants everyone to show their power to oppose oppression and that’s what theses people are doing. These students are using their full power to assert themselves in the decision making.

C: Judgment

I feel like this choice is very clear cut. If you think of California culture, other then the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, you think of liberals and protests which UCB is full of. What led me to his decision was what I thought happens in California a lot. We just recently allowed gay and lesbian couples to be married. We had the life loving free hippies during the 60's and 70's. We have all sorts of nationalities in this state. We have Asian Culture everywhere, we have Mexican heritage dating back to the old west. We have always defied mainstream America, so what better than the one place that does that than UCB.

D: Questioning

The University has had output in brilliant minds since the university started. Having 2 fields medal winners, 8 noble prize winners and 227 American Academy of Arts and Science fellows. I wondered years from now if this place will output brilliant minds that will mend the world. Will this university ever down slope in academics? And when will the next major protest will be...?

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced?

I've learned that Lauren wants to learn from different people points of views. It is important to understand different people because everyone is different. Being able to go into the mind of someone totally different cultured and philosophy is exciting because everyone believes that what they do is right. If we are able to understand different people, we can help build a better human world. This relates to mostly cultural context because what we don't understand we fear but if we were to understand their point of view, it will be easier to accept everyone of different culture.

"Learn other peoples points of views."-Lauren
http://lvale13.blogspot.com/2008/06/assignment-1a.html

Week 1 Project 1C

Jena Barcojo:
She lives close to the SRJC campus and shes taking this class so she can understand literature and poetry better. And she has never created a blog.

Jena Barcojo and Paulo Freire:
Paulo Freire first book was the Education as the Practice of Freedom and then later published Pedagogy of the Oppressed. He died May 1997 of a heart attack but his work will last and be remembered forever.

Mike Becerra:
He prefers to be called mike. He lives far away from the JC. probably in petaluma. He has a myspace but hasnt ever blogged. hes taking this class for fulfilled his GE requirements.

Mike and Paulo Freire:
Paulo Freire's well-known for his concept against "banking" education, where students are just empty accounts to be filled by teachers. Dialogue was a big part of educational form of Freire because it would give a better understanding of the world.

Week 1 Project 1B

1. Paulo Freire's work and concepts of education lead to building a foundation for what is now called CRITICAL PEDAGOGY which is a teaching for students to challenge and oppose domination and be free thinkers, resulting in freedom from oppression.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

2.Paulo Freire was very optimistic man even in poverty, being imprisoned and being exiled. He is a world leader in the struggle for the liberation of the poorest of the poor. He helps men and women overcome their sense of powerlessness in order for them to survive.
http://www3.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/resources/paulofreire.cfm

3.He was a man of peace. Trying to make the world a better place for everyone but mostly those who need it the most, those under oppression and are very poor. He helps people exercise their freedom as a human being in order for them to live a better life. Upon his work, he was awarded the 1986 Prize for Education for Peace by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Freire

Week 1 Project 1a

1. Name: vinh
2. why are you taking this class: for GE requirement. i'm an engineering major, hoping to transfer fall of 09 to cal poly slo. also i can do homework at like 2-3 in the morning likei am right now.
3. how far do you live form srjc main campus: 8.3 miles, about 15 min drive every morning to get to srjc campus.
4. what do you hope to learn from this class: learn more about the humanities and what exactly it is. i'm hoping to gain a new perspective on life thur humanities.
5. have you created a blog or webpage in the past: no i havnt.