WB 5

Dear English 110 students,

You have a long quarter of first year English ahead of you, and I believe there are a few crucial keys to success. First and for most, stay on top of your assignments. The work load is very manageable and well spread out, and will not pile up on you if you do your blogs on time and work on the larger papers a little bit at a time. Next I would like to tell you to take the blogs seriously, they are great practice your writing, task risks with your writing and voice your opinions. Another great way to improve our writing (and your grades) is to read, understand and use the comments Leslie gives you about your writing. If you think about her comments and take her advice, your writing and grades will improve. Finally, I would like to say that you shouldn't judge the course before you get into it. I was quite averse to sci fi before this class and I could not believe I actually had to watch shows in English class. But if you keep and open mind about the course material, you will get a lot out of it.

Good luck,

Trevor Stengel

Firscape

I think Firscape was the worst show that we watched all quarter. I thought everything about it was what could go wrong with a sci fi. Tacky aliens, lost astronaut, I just did not like the characters. As it started I thought it might have been an interesting show. With the astronaut taking off from Earth I figured that it may be a sci fi that was actually based on Earth. It turned out to be nothing like this. I could also barely stand looking at the aliens, not only were they tacky but they were gross. One thing I did like was that the one alien did not trust the human. I thought the lack of trust of humans was an interesting twist. Normally it is humans not trusting aliens.

I was unable to relate to Firscape at all. This quarter completely surprised me in that I was able to relate to old Star Trek more then the modern sci fi's that were made in my lifetime. The sci fi's that occurring in present day, like Buffy and Angel are interesting, but I have found that I was more interested in the old Star Trek and Firefly due to there story lines. The settings of the shows we watched were essentially irrelevant to my ability to relate to the show. It is the story lines and the issues that the characters go through that made all the difference in me relating to the shows.

Star Trek Next Generation

I really liked the episode we watched in class. I think I must just prefer the sci fi episodes that have conflict that involve an actual story line rather then just explosions and special effects. I found the issue at hand a very fascinating topic. The impact of creating more machines like Data could be extremely helpful. However is it really okay to risk the "life" of Data for this benefit. This episode brought up the issue of the value of life. It was decided that Data offers all the a human with a soul offers, and therefore was not property and his life could not be risked to try and duplicate him. He may not understand human emotion, as seen in the game of poker, but he feels human emotion, he can love. I found this episode relevant because I think that people that blindly support war are not actually thinking about what is being risked. I think that people frequently make the mistake of viewing this nations brave service men and women as property of the government. People see war and look past the fact that men and women just like us actually have to engage in battle when war is being waged. I never thought I could draw all of these important and relevant issues from a sci fi. I think that respect for human life is such an important issue in today's society, and somehow gets looked past.

I like Star Trek: Next Generation and Star Trek the original better then basically all of the things we have watched this quarter. I can't really say which show I like better though. The issue in the episode we watched in class was so interesting. I just have to say I am a big fan of the themes that are presented in both series. The are timeless and relevant today which engages me without being flashy, which shows that the story line are well thought out.

WB 4 Star Trek

I had never really watched Star Trek before, so I decided to start from the beginning and watch season 1 episode 1 "The Man Trap." In this episode Captain Kurk, Ship Sergeant McCoy and a member crew land on a plant that is inhabited by only two people, a professor and a women that McCoy used to have relations with. The viewer immediately notices that the women on the plant appears to each man as a women they desire. Shortly after landing they find a member of the crew dead. The woman claims that he ate a plant that must have poisoned him. Captain Kurk and McCoy bring the dead crew mate back aboard the USS Enterprise for some tests, they find that the man could not have died from the plant. It is not to hard for the viewer to see that the woman is morphing into different beings and killing people. The episode continues on to an end where McCoy must kill the creature that morphs into different beings while she appears to him as his past lady friend. I was surprised at how well this episode held my attention. It lacked the special effects that most sci fi's that people watch these days have, however I thought the story line was much more captivating.

Through the many different shows I have watched this quarter I have learned that there are many different types of sci fi shows. First of all the is the futuristic but more present day sci fi, like Buffy or Angel. These take place in the world we live in, however they include sci fi elements like vampires or forms of technology that we do not have. I thought that this form of sci fi would be my favorite. But when I watched it, it really was not up my alley. I think that just because the characters dress like they live in today's America does not mean they are relatable. Another type of sci fi I found is the futuristic outer space sci fi, such as Firefly or BSG. I have never been very interested in special effects, and I think these series rely too much on explosions and sex to interest the viewer. The final genre is the classic sci fi genre. The only experience I have with this genre is the original Star Trek. I would not have expected to like this show, but I was really interested when I watched it. Due to the special effects being limited I think that the story line is better developed then in other shows. I also think that many of the themes in the old Star Trek are timeless and still relevant today.

Battlestar Galactica

The only experience with Battlestar Galactica I had before watching it in class was hearing Dwight from NBC's The Office say, "Beats, bears, Battlestar Galactica." As many may assume my expectations were low. But I am glad to say that my first experience with BSG went over a lot better with me then my first experience with Firefly. I imagine that what I have seen of the show is a lot more event full and dramatic then the majority of the episodes, considering that it was the beginning of a miniseries to introduce the show. I was disappointed in a few scenes, I thought the scene of all the jets going in for attack was frustrating because they simply lost electricity and were helpless. I found that very frustrating to watch. However, I did really like how they had to resort to using those old planes. I like the parallel in how they were honoring that legendary pilot, and then were forced to fly the planes that he once used. I would assume that has a deeper meaning that I am unaware of because I have only scene half of a miniseries episode.

 

The other noticeable thing in this show for me was the abundance of sex. I never would have thought that sci-fi shows could get so raunchy. I stand corrected. I do not actually know what the point of all the sex in the show is, I just wonder if that is just a theme in general with television today. Or if sci-fi's just attempt to stimulate the brain in everyway possible, from action scenes with wild explosions to raunchy sex. Whatever the motive may be, I am puzzled.

 

Khalil Gibran- Friendship IXX

Khalil Gibran is a very famous writer from the early 1900s. He is best known for his work, "The Prophet." I am personally a biggest fan of his quotes. Here is about as close to a poem as Khalil Gibran gets. It is a poem about friendship. I like it because I think the poem portrays the idea that friendship is a bond, were both parties truly desire the best for the other. Khalil Gibran once said, "Friendship is alway sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." This poem makes me think about my best friends. Not only does it remind me of them, but it makes me wonder how I can be a better friend. There are so many poems about love, this poem is unique because it is so powerful, but it is not about romance, it is about friendship.

Your friend is your needs answered. 

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. 

And he is your board and your fireside. 

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace. 

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay." 

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart; 

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed. 

When you part from your friend, you grieve not; 

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. 

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. 

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught. 

And let your best be for your friend. 

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also. 

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? 

Seek him always with hours to live. 

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness. 

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. 

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. 

Khalil Gibran 

Buffy Episode

Another surprisingly interesting episode of Buffy. In the episode Buffy was flashing back and forth from Sunnydale and a mental hospital. She does not know which one is reality, and honestly I had no clue either. I think that is what was so interesting to me during this episode, like Buffy herself, I was completely unsure of what was actually reality, and I think that helped me connect with the character. Not being a frequent Buffy viewer I did not know what these flashbacks could be planted in, but I found myself hoping that she could hold on to the apparent reality of the mental hospital. I thought, who would want to live in a world of vampires. But then it hit me, who would want to awake in a mental hospital and be told they had been mentally in a different state for many years either. At the end of the episode, Buffy decides to stay in Sunnydale. Her doing this still did not answer, which world was actually real. I don't know if I am missing something, but after I watched this episode I still had a lot of questions about what was really going on in the show.

Friday Night Lights

So if you have ever heard of the show Friday Night Lights, and you heard I am a fan, you are probably thinking I am 12 year old girl with an obsession with the actor Taylor Kitsch. But believe it or not, I am a 19 year old football fanatic. I love the show FNL because it is so genuine. It is a show about high school football in rural Texas, it is filmed in Texas and has some genuine Texans as actors. One of the actors was just a bull rider at the rodeo before he got a roll on the show, he looks like a normal teenager with a face covered in acne. The conversations in the show are very natural as well, most of the show is improvisation. The director gives the actors the gist of what needs to happen in the scene and the actors take it from there. The show is not glamourous, it is gritty and real. It may involve sex, drinking and general poor moral decisions in basically every episode but it reaches the audience in a way that many shows do not. It allows you into the stories of each character and the viewer can bond with them through their highs and their lows, their battles and their triumphs. I am sure everything I have said is tacky, but I am not embarrassed to proclaim my love for FNL, even if I am not in the demographic.

issues with my commonplace paper

I am having a lot of trouble developing and changing my common place paper. I feel like my paper is just a compact version of my analytical research paper that I just took details out of. I do think my paper had some commonplace elements to begin  with due to the fact that is was about politics and media. I would like to make it more casual but I feel like my credibility will be hurt if I make it casual.

from research paper to common place paper

My analytical research paper related how the viewer of Firefly sees Mal and his crew as the “good guys” because they get to see the world from their perspective, to how people may see parties that are typically portrayed as “bad goods” differently of they got to see their perspective as well. I used the event of Mal returning the medicine he stole at the risk of his own life to establish that he is portrayed as a “good guy.” I continue the paper by bringing up the point that if the American media showed International conflicts from the side they do not typically report on, peoples’ opinions on the matters may change. I used specific examples from international media sources reporting on conflict in the Middle East to show a different perspective. When I turn this paper into a Commonplace paper I really just plan on cutting down how deeply I go into the background on Firefly. I think the argument that American media forces the opinions of us citizens in one direction by only showing one side of the story in international affairs will be compelling.

opening paragraph

I am putting the finishing touches on my paper but I was wondering any of ya'll have the time to give me feedback on my opening paragraph, here it is:

In the second episode of Joss Whedon’s series Firefly, “The Train Job,” the Captain, Malcom “Mal” Reynolds, and his crew accept a job to steal an unknown government shipment that is traveling on a train. With the events that transpire, and from this angle the story in this episode is told, Mal’s is without a doubt one of the “good guys,” which illustrates how powerful seeing a story from a particular angle can be. Displaying both sides of an issue is important because it allows the individual to decide where they stand. All to often, the media frames the minds of the general public and they have minimal control of what they think. If multiple news sources are looked at, one is able to get a more rounded view of the issue at hand and therefore form their own opinion on the matter. Joss Whedon shows the viewer, through his criminal protagonists, that if one gets to know the other side, their feelings on the given matter may change.

halloween costum, tex-mex.

for halloween I decided to be a type of food, tex-mex. Although you may assume I was simply a taco, the cowboy hat and cowboy boots I was wearing certainly transform my costume into tex-mex.

quote

"There is no doubt that the storyteller, gets to decide who is “good” and who is “bad.” The storyteller does this through showing the motivation of whichever side they want. Yes, there are situations in which one party’s motivations are evil, therefore good and bad can not be mistaken. However, there are many issues in today’s world where the lines between “good” and “bad” are not as clear and the media decides for the population."



We discussed the final line of this in class today. It was my conclusion. But I have realized I need to tie Firefly into my actual conclusion. I am thinking with some editing this could be a good adition to the end of my conclusion.

issues with my paper

I am using Firefly to show how when you gets to see the other side of a story your option on the subject at hand may change. I am emphasizing that the media makes to many decisions for the American public. I think that it is pretty to easy to sound insane when speaking about how you are suspect of the media. So I would have to say that my main issue right now is that I am struggling with the balance of sounding passionate and sounding like a raving maniac. At one point in the paper I say, "there are many issues in today’s world where the lines between “good” and “bad” are not as clear and the media decides for the population." I need to get this point across in a non insulting manor, considering that the audience of this paper is the same people that I am claiming have their minds made up by the media.

To add to the matter I am using conflict in the Middle-East as my example of how seeing the other side is important. I am a little worried that peoples' initial reactions and opinions will get in the way of actually hearing my message. I need to form an argument in a way that is not too subtle that my point does not get across, but not so strong that it turns people away.

WB post 3

The New York Times featured an article today, "Democrats Are Optimistic That Public Option Will Be Approved" which is about how the Democrats are feeling about the possibility a public option in health care passing. The article explains that this bill may be the seed of a government run health insurance option. The first specific person this article mentions is the republican Senator John McCain, who says that he believes the bill will pass, citing that he believes that the democratic party should have enough votes in Congress for the bill to pass. The article continues to explain that many of the Democrats believe that this bill can pass because of the majority that the left holds in Congress. The article then explains that one issue that could come into play would be if the Republican opposition to this bill used a filibuster.

The New York Times ran another story today, "For an Episcopal Parish, a Path to Catholicism" which is about how that Vatican has decided to allow Anglican priests into the Catholic Church. This doesn't seem like a big deal, however the article features a quote from an Anglican priest who says he was overcome with tears of joy when he hear the news. The article then continues to explain that the Catholic Church is allowing the Episcopal Priests to maintain many of their traditions if they come to the Catholic Church, such as allowing the priest to be married. The Catholic Church is known to be conservative and does not frequently change like this.

"Dixieland Delight"

What says classic like a number one single on the country charts of 1983? "Dixieland Delight" by the band Alabama is a country song for the ages. It is a song about a night out in the South after a hard week of work, "Worked hard all week, got a little jingle, on a Tennessee Saturday night, fits my life, oh so right, my Dixieland delight." I love it because it is campy, and still good music. It is great because I think the song is really about, living live, embracing simply things and loving it all.

I also love it because, it comes with memories for me. I was introduced to the song by one of my best friends, Dave, who I met my freshman year at the University of Wisconsin. It also holds a special place in my heart because I sang it at a karaoke bar with a high school buddy in Nashville, Tennessee. I think songs are very powerful, especially when they are tied to good memories and people you care about.

College, Vampire Slaying Princess?

What defines a fairy tale? I thought the princess had to be a helpless blonde that simply waited on someone to come save her. According to "Fear: The Princess Screamed Once" Buffy is a princess that doesn't quite fit my mold. Yes, Buffy is a pretty blonde that is most defiantly in danger, but helpless? Far from it.

The article mentions Giles' "show and tell of the Gentlemen," this part of the episode was the only part that really hit me as a fairy tale. It was like Giles was telling them something between a scary story and a fairy tale. After Giles was finished explaining what had to be done to destroy the monsters, it was clear that everyone assumed Buffy would be the one to do it.

During the whole episode "Hush," Buffy seems to be calm and in control. I was under the impression that she was single handedly going to save the day.

After reading this article I am sort of tempted to view Riley as a form of Buffy's knight in shining amour. Although Buffy does end up killing the monsters with here scream, Riley is the one to break the curse of silence. Buffy is by no means helpless, but she may need a helping hand from time to time.

Is it Art?

I like how this article talks about what someone who was just flipping through the channels would think of the episode, "Hush" from Buffy. This is sort of along the lines of what I wrote about in my first blog about the episode. I think the fact that there is minimal dialogue makes the episode very interesting for basically anyone, even if they really dislike science fiction. As I said in my first blog about that episode, I thought how I had to keep my eyes on the screen to have any idea of what was going on in the episode was very engaging. Most silent picture shows, are black and white, with a bunch of frantic movement, I enjoyed how this differed from the norm.

I also like how this article points out the foreshadowing at the beginning, Buffy sees a statue of St. Francis, patron saint of animals, those who can not speak for themselves. St. Francis is one of my favorite saints, I don't know how I missed that foreshadowing, but I thought it was interesting once the article pointed it out.

I think the comparison of "Hush" to Yellow Submarine and Sergeant Pepper is a stretch, although some science fiction may appear to have been thought up while the director was on hallucinogens, I don't think Buffy is a product of an acid trip.

Themes in "Buffy" draw from times long ago.

In the article "Grimm Realities," the author brings up that the creator of Buffy, Angel, Firefly's works are contain timeless stories. Now right of the bat I am thinking, how are a few episodes about a space cowboy timeless? However, as I read further, and saw the example that the author was giving I realize that the themes and the essential storylines of his works have been around for years.

This article brings out qualities in episodes of Buffy that are similar to those in Hansel and Gretel. Nobody can really argue that the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel aren't timeless. I then began to see what the author meant. There are certain themes and storylines that are timeless when it come to the culture of human storytelling.
This article reminds me of how in high school we read, Dante's Inferno, Heart of Darkness and then we watched Apocalypse Now. We compared the stories and it was clear that not only did they have the same themes but they all had the same structure. I thought it was very interesting how both Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now were both molded after Dante's Inferno. I really enjoy seeing old stories put into modern form.

"Hush"

"Hush" is the first episode of Buffy that I have watched. It wasn't too bad actually. It mixed in humor with some serious moments, without making them too tacky. Seeing as this episode is set when Buffy is already in college, I wouldn't have understood a lot of it without the explanations the class got.
I especially liked the fact that a good bit of the episode was without talking. It put a different spin on the show which really engaged and drew me in. I actually had to pay close attention or I would have been completely lost.
I was able to get over how tacky the costums of the "Gentlemen" were. I also liked how Buffy's dream at the begining of the episode was a little scare and full of foreshadowing. As I continued to watch, the foreshadowing in the dream became clear and I understood what was going on.
I definatly would not have thought that Buffy was a show that could hold my attention, but I was wrong. Although it was a little out dated feeling, I still enjoyed it.

Must I go to Italy to find the full story?

"Some 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the December 27 - January 18 offensive, as well as 13 Israelis," is final line of a news report from Adnkronos, an Italian press agency. The article itself speaks of Israeli bombing of tunnels that lead into Gaza, stating that Israeli's claim these tunnels are used to smuggle weapons, where as the Palestinians claim it is used to smuggle much needed supplies due to the harsh Israeli blockage on Gaza.

This report says that Palestinian militants have launched more then 250 projectiles into southern Israel since the Israeli attack on Palestinians that left 1,400 Palestinians, and 13 Israelis dead. This article does not shy away from the fact that Palestinians have taken violent action, at the same time it displays that it is not necessarily unprovoked, with the death count of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli attack being so high. It appears to me that this source is trying to display the fact and motivations of both sides of the conflict. This is how I believe looking at different kinds of media sources compares to Firefly. It is not the typical show that gets the viewer on the side of the so called ''bad guy," which is precisely what Firefly does in showing the moral compass of Mal. If proper research is done, and both sides of a conflict are illuminated, one can not help but gain greater understanding of the issue at hand. No matter how you twist it, the world is one place, everyone is a citizen of the world. I totally support listening to media in the United States, I plan on becoming a journalist, and in doing so, I will contribute to the media. But I do not believe people should allow themselves to only see what one source of media has to offer, that can lead to unbalanced and uninformed opinions. The gains from looking to multiple news sources are extremely valuable.

Firefly looks at the other side, why can't we all?

What are our main sources of news? Where do we get our information? I know where I get mine, CNN is I am home in Cincinnati, and Fox News if I am visiting my Nana in the Amish country of Pennsylvania. These two news sources are dramatically different, one left, one right, they take the same reports and present 2 different stories. Seeing as how different mainstream media in the United States can be, it is even more interesting to see how different international stories are told in non-mainstream media in the states as well as by foreign media sources.

I have been investigating, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, through non-mainstream and foreign media sources, and have found that a different story is told. The organization, Jewish Voices for Peace, is a group in northern California that gathers facts and reports on these facts in a very different way then whats is commonly seen in the typical American media. BBC is the principle news source is the UK and even the way they report on the issue has a different feel to it.

I think that way that these organizations deliver their news helps individuals gain a more rounded perspective on the issues at hand. Similar to how in Firefly, displaying specific actions of Mal, such as returning medicine at the risk of his life, gives the viewer a different view on someone, who in the mainstream media would be considered a criminal and a thief. I am not saying that all the things Mal does are right, but if the viewer never saw the good he was capable of, Mal may end up being a common criminal in their eyes.

Talented Titans?

As I mentioned in my very first blog post, I am a pretty huge Tennessee Titans fan. As it turns out, this season is looking like it is going to be rough one. Last year, the Titans won their first ten games, and finished the season at 13-3. As of right now, the talented Titans team has yet to win a game, sitting at 0-4, it appears that after tonight's game, they will be 0-5. This is an extremely unexpected result for the first five games. Preseason predictions stated that the Titans were going to be Super Bowl contenders. The Titans have a the right tools to be a great team; an experienced coach, a solid offense and defense, and one of the best running backs in the NFL.

The current state of the Titans is hard to believe. Being from Cincinnati does not make the situation any better. The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-1, last year they were 4-11-1. So it is pretty obvious why I am extremely confused. As much as I would prefer to have the Titans undefeated, I have to say that the unpredictability of sports is what makes the sports world so great. It's why us sports fanatics watch, we never really know what is going to happen. I was totally convinced that the Titans were going get their first win tonight, which is totally illogical, but it the sports world it seemed totally possible.

The Oval

What is the most cliche part of campus to say is your favorite? The Oval of course, but at the risk of being cliche, I must admit that The Oval truly is my favorite part of Ohio State's campus. Ohio State is and urban campus located in a large city, so one who has never been to OSU may be mistaken and think that the campus has little to no green space. Well, without The Oval, that could would a pretty accurate statement. In such a huge university, there need for a huge green space, in a good location. The Oval meets both of these requirements. It is massive, and the placement was suggested by the Olmsted brothers, the guys who design Central Park. Even with OSU's growth, The Oval remains in a great location. It is not too far, no matter where you are on the east side of the Olentangy. There are academic buildings all around it, and even if a lecture you are heading to is not on The Oval, it is entirely likely that you have to cut through The Oval to get there. The location of this green space gives students the opportunity to spend a little time there on a frequent basis.

Although The Oval is nice to walk through on the way to class, there is no doubt that the best part about The Oval is just hanging out on it when the weather is nice. Whether one is studying, playing frisbee or just sun bathing, when the sun is out, there is no better place to be.

2nd primary source

The second primary source I think I will use is also from the second episode of Firefly. It is when the prostitute is talking to the doctor about how he is helping his sister. It brought attention to the fact that in the alliance's eyes he is actually a criminal. Firefly, again, shining the light on how the the bad guy can actually be the good guy when shown in the proper light. He is a man on the run for trying to save his sister from essentially bring tortured. In the first episode I was skeptical of him the whole episode, even after he told his story I was not sure about him. But once you watch the show you realize he is a dedicated brother that put his life and career to the side to save his sister. He had a job as a doctor on a good plant, but he gave it all up to find his sister. He proves to be a moral man once you learn his story.

1st primary

The first primary source I would like to use is from the second episode of Firefly. When the captain realizes that he has stolen medicine he simple says, "son of a bitch." I think this scene especially showed how upset the captain was at what he had to steal. Just because he is a thief does not mean he does not have a moral compass. He continues to risk his life and the life of the crew to help the people and make sure they get the medicine back. After the first episode on this show, I really wasn't interested. The way that Firefly shows the side of the so called "bad guy" is really growing on me. I think I would like to compare my this show to how the media shows one side of a story and it is important to see both sides of a situation.

High School is hell.

            This article hits every detail about the metaphors in Buffy that I could imagine. Honestly, who didn’t occasionally refer to their high school as a hell hole, even if you did like your high school. I can see how the show takes the drama and troubles of high school and blows them up, to show how big of a deal they can be in a high school student’s mind. Making the cheerleading squad, may appear like something near worth killing in the distorted mind of a high school student. This article describes that the show uses metaphors to show how everything in high school is blown way out of proportion. However, I think there is also a part of the show that appears to be very real, the fear of a school shooting and suicide. These two things have sadly become a reality. I think the show is depicting how crazy it is that students have to worry about issues such as school shootings now by putting it in the same contexts as monsters and poison lunch food. In that respect I think this show is actually putting things into proper perspective by using these metaphors.

Dollhouse Season 2 Episode 1

            I watched the first episode of the second season of Dollhouse. In this show people essentially rent out their bodies to an organization that turns them into whatever they want, by erasing their memory and giving them new identities. It took me a little while to really figure out what was happening in the show but once I did, I found one issue in the show interesting. The character Echo is used as a sort of secret agent, she is given an identity and becomes the wife of a criminal, in order to bring the criminal down. This brought up the question, do the ends justify the means? Is it right to fool around with a human mind in order to take down a criminal? The pain that is caused by the people having their memories erased makes me believe that it is not a justified measure.

            I did not really like this show when it boiled down to it. I think that the idea of erasing peoples mind and stripping them of their identity is hideous. I was bothered by the protagonists in the show taking part in the activity. I am not saying I support the man selling weapons, but I saw no right or justice in the show.

My Relationship with Writing: The Roller Coaster

            My relationship with writing has gone through many different stages in the past few years alone. Senior year of high school, I was writing a lot of in class essays with the occasional paper thrown in the mix. I moved on to University of Wisconsin and in the first semester I had to write very few papers, all of which were opinion or reaction based for a Chicano/Chicana studies course I took. My writing began to pick up quite a bit second semester with the speech course I took. However all of this writing was speech writing, yes we needed sources and what not, but it was not the type of writing I was experienced in. I grew to really enjoy writing speeches, I felt they had purpose, due to the fact that all my classmates would hear them rather then just the teacher reading them. After all these changes in my academic career, I might have become a little rusty in the matters of formal writing and the run of the mill five paragraph essay.

            I am a journalism major, but I do not want a career in writing. I am looking for a career in broadcast journalism. However, I believe that in my career path your thoughts and speech must be clear and to the point in a similar way that certain forms of writing are. I think that as I become a better writer, I will also become a better speaker. I enjoy magazines and newspaper articles because they can capture a story or an idea in few pages. I eventually want to tell stories in just a few minutes over the air.

Serenity-Episode 1

I like the scene in Serenity where the thieves are trying to sell their stolen goods to Badger. I was interested in how intuitive and clever the main character was.  He immediately knew something was in question when Badger told them they were late.

What I also found interesting was that the captain would not be the kind of man to steal. He is put in good light.

Introduction

Hey everybody,

My name is Trevor Stengel, I am a sophomore transfer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  I am majoring in journalism here at OSU.  I would eventually like to be a broadcast journalist, and do sports broadcasting.

I love football, and I am pretty big Tennessee Titans fan.  I am from Cincinnati, OH, but I grew up all over the place.  I lived in Europe for five years during my childhood, including the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland.