Unit 4 response to Beth Taylor blog

            I enjoyed reading about the Tulsa Gals blog. The way you described the blog was very accurate and made it easy to view her blog and check out all the features. As I now live a in Oklahoma, and did not grow up here, I found her blog very interesting and full of fun facts and historical notes that I was not aware of. I like the way you fully describe the site, while not going into so much detail that looking at the site was still not fun. It was nice to go to the site knowing to look for certain things that you had enjoyed, like the calendar, the history of the riots, and the cookbook! It was well written and enjoyable to read! 

Unit 4

http://somersusa.com/public_html/FamilyBlog/FamilyNews2010/Blog/Blog.html

This blog is actually written by a family friend, who was also my sixth grade English teacher and my first real employer as I babysat her children on a regular basis. Once I graduated high school and got married, my husband and I moved across the country and we lost touch. Thanks to the modern technologies of Facebook we were able to reconnect all these years later. There are many things that I like about this blog besides the obvious fact that I enjoy keeping up with friends.

            Recently the Somers family moved back to England so that their children could experience growing up in a different country, as well as the country that both parents were raised in. I think this is so fabulous on so many levels. As a young woman interested in travel the idea of spending a few years abroad is exciting. The chance to visit the English countryside, museums, and getting to experience a totally different culture sounds like such a wonderful learning experience and grand adventure. I love reading all of the things that they as a family are doing. I also, as a mother, think of the great learning experience this is for their children. To be able to show them a different culture, a different way of life sounds so wonderful.

            I love the way the blog is set up. You get to read all the about the different places they are visiting and all the different things they are experiencing, while also adding the family fun side into it. As someone who is new to blogs I also find it easy to navigate and easy to follow and find pictures which makes it such a more enjoyable experience. 

Response Blog unit 3

     I, again, agree with you. I have seen "doomsday" movies and while some are entertaining I have never taken them seriously. The thought that one day, the whole state of California will have such massive earthquakes that it will fall into the ocean, as in "2012" or that New York will freeze over as in "Day After Tomorrow" seem absurd to me. Lindzen does lay out rational thought and facts, while Biello simply states "facts" based on some organization of scientist. There is no evidence or believable numbers in the Biello article that sway my opinion in the slightest. 

      I like the quotes that you choose to use, I think they highlight your points perfectly and clearly show where you are getting your thoughts about the articles from.

Unit 3 Blogging Assignment:

Before reading these two articles I have to admit that I have never researched Global Warming on my own and for the most part have not really cared. I have seen movies like “2012” and “The day after tomorrow” and while I enjoyed them from a entertainment side, I never considered that these event would actually happen.

            After reading these two articles I must say that they did not change my mind. The first article by Lindzen was much more persuasive than the second article by Biello. Lindzen uses a lot more specific, factual examples in his writing while Biello makes claims without backing them up. A clear example is his reference to an interview with Mr. Gore, “Mr. Gore defended his claims by noting that scientists “don’t have any models that give them a high level of confidence” one way or the other and went on to claim–in his defense–that scientists “don’t know. … They just don’t know.” (Lindzen) He also notably points out the fact that there is a lack of facts,  “In the absence of factual context, these images are perhaps dire or alarming” (Lindzen). Lindzen then proceeds to add facts to support his claim that the Global Warming Crisis is a hoax, “Since abut 1970, many of the glaciers have stopped retreating and some are now advancing again. and, frankly, we don’t know why.” (Lindzen).

            Biello, though he may try to sound factual by stating claims by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Chang (IPCC), he does not show you where or how the IPCC got this information. Biello claims that, “Climate change is "unequivocal" and it is 90 percent certain that the "net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming," the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change” and  “the IPCC stated that human-induced warming is having a discernible influence on the planet, from species migration to thawing permafrost.” These both sound threatening but as a non member of the scientific world how do I know I can trust the IPCC to be honest. Where are they getting these facts?

I am not one to trust another’s word simply because they come from some fancy organization and can impress with their number of members. I want to see simple, laid out facts with at least references to a study conducted that lead them to their conclusions, Lindzen did this much better than Biello. 

Response to John Millian Blog

            I have to say that I totally agree with everything that you stated. Your blog looks a lot like mine when it comes to our thought on the subject and only increases my wondering if the author has children of his own. Your examples with your son and the yogurt made me smile as I could picture my own three year olds yogurt smudged face looking at me for praise after finishing off the food. I think your response was well written and I like that you took each of his arguments and stated them back in the same order and fashion that he did, while stating your own opinion on his “facts”. I like that you summed it all up by simply stating that you didn’t agree (as if that wasn’t obvious to those who read your blog). And of course was ironically funny how you said “good job” to the author, it added the right amount of humor and sarcasm. Since I am a fan of saying ‘good job” as his article did nothing to change my mind, I say with no sarcasm, Good Job J

Saying “Good Job”

            As a mother with two young wonderful boys, I say “good job” a lot. This article makes me wonder if any of these people actually have children. I think this article is about the dumbest thing I have ever read, and is stating these “facts” with no real support of his argument. They try to appeal to the ethos by stating where this article has been published, for example in Parenting magazine, however they don’t state on what authority it was published. What makes this man a credible source on childrearing? Where is he getting these ideas from?

            He states that we are manipulating our children if we continue to verbally praise, and that it is for our own convenience not for theirs, and we should have a full conversation with them so they will grow as human beings. This is all well and good, but has he tried to have a conversation with a two year old about why we need to go potty in the big boy/big girl potty and not in a diaper? Yes, having children potty trained is surely a convenience on the parents but how can you expect them to grow into mature adults without this knowledge. Has he tried having an intelligent conversation with a newly walking one year old about why climbing on things can give them an “boo boo”, at such a young age these types of conversations are not possible. As children grow older, yes you can talk to them but why does the praise have to stop? Why is the conversation simply added to it?

            He states that saying good job will steal your child’s pleasure, and reduce their achievement, again I cry foul. There is no logos to back these statements up. Children should love and respect their parents so compliments should only add to their pleasure, not steal from it. And any normal, stable parenting environment will praise a child’s efforts not the actual work. When I child presents you with a pile of dirt with a smile on his/her face, what parents would not praise this child? Yes its only a pile of dirt but to the child it could be anything from a castle to a dinosaur, thus instilling confidence in the child, not a fear of not topping the previous effort.

            I think Kohn’s does a poor job of supporting his article with facts and thus I don’t think it is very effective and he certainly did not convince me in any way, shape, or form. 

Unit 1 Response Blog to John Millian Blog

            I have to say that I totally agree with you about the fight of these moral and ethical issues start at home. I work full time but am very blessed that my father offered to watch our children so they would not be in daycare, also saving us money! However this it is also such a relief to know that he is teaching and instilling in my children the values that I want them to know. I hate when things are put off on our children, as you called it, scapegoat-ing.

            I think your blog was well written and stated the points of the article plus your opinions of them in a way that was easy to follow and understand. There was some minor spelling, and grammar issues but nothing blatant that took away from the points that you were trying to get across.