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Blog #10: A "Look Back" Blog

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15  weeks. More than 20 classes. And 4 essays. Throughout Writ 150, one thing has been constant, writing. Well duh, it's a writing class, Aaron...  Okay, so yeah, that should be expected.  But, what can't be extrapolated from the class' name nor anticipated at the beginning of the semester was the variety of writing topics we would be provided. I have learned a lot as a result of this class and though what I have experienced does not apply to my major directly, the experiences I have had and the lessons I have learned from this class will impact my academic future indefinitely. Not only has this class aided me in becoming a better writer, both in my creativity and formatting processes, but it has also aided me in better managing my time, keeping me up to date with assignments as a result of monthly assigned essays. Also, after having attended every class session this semester, the class has improved and challenged my discipline and encouraged me to step out of my comfort ...
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Blog #8: Apology? I Think Not!

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     Over the years, Facebook has had its fair share of challenges. From its expansion outside of college campuses in the U.S. to its initial public offering in 2012, the tech and social media giant is no stranger to legal and social policy. However, one of the biggest and most prevalent litigations concerning Facebook in recent times revolves around consumer privacy and data security.       After it was revealed that Facebook shared data with outside sources such as Amazon, Spotify, Microsoft, and Netflix, many users became angry and frustrated with the company, feeling as through it had breached their trust by making their personal information vulnerable to outside access. As a result, the company was taken to court over the matter, Zuckerberg himself testifying in front of Congress regarding user security ( NBC News ). During this hearing, Zuckerberg was questioned about Facebook's usage of consumer data and asked personal questions such as "whether...
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Blog #7: I'm Sorry, or Am I?

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  Founded in 2004 by then sophomore Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook quickly turned into one of the worlds most valuable businesses as it initiated arguably the greatest social invention in history: social media. Over the years, Facebook has continued to grow and in 2021 boasts a user base of over 2.91 billion, with over 3.51 billion using at least one of the company's products (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger) (Statista). Having such a large consumer base, Facebook possesses a great deal of power over its users, maintaining the ability to influence their suggested content and dictate which information is deemed "appropriate" or "true" on the site. As a social media company, Facebook retains the right to its consumer's data and uses it to make more informed decisions on how to advertise to target consumers and alter their feed for more applicable and desired content.  However, in recent years, Facebook has come under intense political an...
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Blog #6: Exposure 51

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     In 1952, Rosalind Franklin captured a photograph of what has come to be known as the "most important photo ever." A black and white image of the structure of a DNA molecule, acquired through the process of shining an x-ray beam at a hydrated sample of DNA for over 60 hours, "Exposure 51" sparked a scientific backstabbing that would alter the course of biology.           Not only was "Exposure 51" the first ever image of DNA, but it also led to the discovery of DNA's structure by Watson and Crick, two scientists who stole Franklin's research and published their own paper as a result. Because of that photograph, Watson and Crick were able to deduce important flaws in their research, subsequently shifting their later work to better fit that of the structure revealed in the image. This led to their eventual publishing of a scientific paper on the structure of DNA that did not provide credit to Franklin and resulted in their eventual receipt ...
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Blog #5: Robbery

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     In 1953, Francis Harry Compton Crick and James Dewey Watson published a paper that would revolutionize modern biology and medicine. The paper outlined the scientists' discovery of the double helical structure of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Years later, in 1962, Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in medicine as a result of their revolutionary research and discovery.           This is only half the story, however. In reality, Watson and Crick were not pioneers of modern medicine, rather common thieves who used deceit and trickery to swindle and exploit their colleagues in an attempt to gain world recognition and secure the most coveted intellectual prize in history.            Rosalind Franklin, a female biologist researching DNA at King's College in London, was one of these colleagues. Studying DNA through the process of shooting x-rays through the molecule all...
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Blog #4: The Future

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       The Occupy Wall Street movement represents one of the least effective American protests of the 21st century. Not only did the movements accomplish very little change, but it also did not garner a great deal of publicity and attention resulting in relatively lackluster turnout and participation. Not to mention that during the few months of Occupy movements, life on Wall Street continued as normal, albeit a few altered work commutes and perhaps a degree of increased traffic congestion in lower Manhattan. However, this is not to say that Occupy Wall Street was completely ineffective and unnecessary. In fact, it was just the opposite. The movement encouraged individuals to ponder the financial divide that exists in the United States for the first time and served as the spark that would continue to light the fires of economic and financial equality across the nation for years to come. Not only this, but it served as a wake-up-call to the government, notifying them ...
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Blog #3: The 99%

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     On September 17, 2011, a group of protesters set up camp in Zuccotti Park in New York City's financial district with the aim of peacefully protesting against the growing economic inequality in the United States accelerated by the 2008 financial crises as part of a movement coined "Occupy Wall Street." Beginning as an idea between the founder of Adbusters, Kalle Lasn, and an editor at the magazine, Micah White, the idea for "Occupy Wall Street" was quickly adopted by over 200 activists in New York City who aided in organizing the September 17th protest. To prepare for the event, the duo, in conjunction with the Adbusters team, named the protest, created posters, identified the date of the event, and determined the protest's key tactic. Furthermore,  organizers generated the OccupyWallSt.org website to spread news about the upcoming protest while White created a twitter profile for the movement and sent the first tweet: #OCCUPYWALLSTREET.      Fuele...
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Blog #2: Baljeet's Evolution

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     The "smart Asian" stereotype has perpetuated false perceptions of Asian people in American society and contributed to a cultural expectation regarding the unrealistic, superior mental capabilities of these individuals. As per my previous blog post, the most notable demonstration of this is that of an Indian character in Disney's "Phineas and Ferb," Baljeet. Baljeet, a very smart and innovative individual is constantly bullied by Buford, a fellow member of Phineas and Ferb's friend group. This is mainly due to Baljeet's submissive demeanor and miniature stature in addition to his "nerd-like" personality.       In an attempt to alter the negative connotations associated with the "smart Asian" stereotype, Baljeet's priorities could be shifted, having the character focus less intensely on school and begin to expand his horizons to other, more active activities. These could include things like weight lifting or team and individua...
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Blog #1: The Truth Behind Phineas and Ferb's Baljeet.

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     There  is a common stereotype that suggests that all Asian people are smart. While it may be the case that there are very intelligent Asians, this quality is not solely unique to those of Asian descent, nor does it apply to every single Asian person in the world. This stereotype is fairly ubiquitous, appearing in numerous instances across television, movies, and novels. One such example of this "positive stereotype" is that of Baljeet, an Indian character in the show "Phineas and Ferb".      First premiering on Disney Channel TV on August 17, 2007, the animated kid's cartoon "Phineas and Ferb" quickly became incredibly popular, attracting over 289 million viewers world wide during its eight year run time. The show follows the actions and antics of two brothers, Phineas and Ferb, who's sole goal is to spend their 104 days of summer vacation in the most fun way possible. Along with their friends Buford, Baljeet, and Isabella, the kids build lar...
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Practice Post

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 Did Someone Say "Blog Time"? Let's get it!
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