HW 25: Bahgdad Burning

In the foreword of Baghdad Burning it presents us to the purpose of the book. It's about a young girl who writes a blog about the entire Iraq war. She writes and defends her culture and even describes how it is similar. Why anti-Americanism is basically not fair, and how much it angers people in her culture. It brings up how there is politics in this book and about the invasion itself on May 7th 2004. The book should pinpoint all the shame that the imperialists bent the minds of the Iraqis. This book makes for painful reading, it describes all of the harsh times that both Iraqi people have to deal with and even American soldiers. It shows insight to the pain and harships that the Iraq's have to go through.
In the introduction it basically goes into more detail about where she is from, how she got to make a blog and what she writes in those blog posts. Gives much more information about her life and background of why the war even started. I feel that this is a very good read, gives so much more insight on how they must feel, and how we take for granted how the war is not in our country. This will be able to tell us how she must have felt and how she dealt with the war, she writes about everyday occurances and it helps america understand.

HW 24: Room of my own?

Of course I have a room of my own; I feel everyone does. I'm not talking about a literal room either, a room with four walls, a bed and your clothes. My room is my own personal voice; My writing voice. In 11Th grade of high school, the entire English class was devoted to finding your own voice in your writing. I felt that throughout the course of that class, I found my voice, it was easier to write papers, I could write what I felt, and I even found myself writing on my own about my life and my feelings. Everything that I write for myself lets out everything inside me to something, it doesn't have to be a person , but I write it as if someone is going to read it in the future.
" I thought, addressing Mary Carmichael is if she were there, would be to talk of something else, looking steadily out the window, and thus note, not with a pencil in a notebook, but in the shorthand, in words that are hardly syllabled yet..."(Virginia, 85)
This exerpt from the book A room of ones own hit me when I read it. That's exactly how I feel when I write, I'm writing to not only myself and my notebook paper, but I'm writing to the person that will eventually read this, the person that will find this however long from now, and know who I am at this time in my life.

HW 23: Virginia vs Jezebel

I read a blog post on Jezebel, it was about Anne Hathaway breaking up with her long time boyfriend Rafaello Follieri. They used the adjective 'shady' to describe him, if I were Virginia Woolf, I would be shocked! Shocked that they would be talking about a man in that way, no matter if he were shady or not. They never would talk about a man that way, only women got talked about in writing. The entire blog post is about how he is shady, and cheated on her, and they actually used the word "doucheyness" to describe him. How rude! I mean, even if he was these adjectives, they are writing about a man in that way! They aren’t poking fun of the women in the situation getting cheated on; they are actually making fun of the man! How crazy is that. I’m actually almost enjoying this though, making fun of a MAN. Finally.

HW 22: Patriarchy

In chapter two of Virginia Woolf's book A room of one's own there happens to be a lot of patriarchy. The first bit of patriarchy I picked out from page 27, "Women do not write books about men- a fact that I could not help welcoming with relief , for if i had first to read all that men have written about women, then all that women have written about men, that aloe that flowers once in a hundred years would flower twice before I could not set pen to paper." This shows the patriarchy that men have in how they write about women and sex, but women never and would never write about sex and men ever. Why are women so limited in what they can write about or say or do. Just testing the limits and having women be at a loss in patriarchy. I looked back onto page 26 to see a statement reading "Have you any notion how many are written by men? Are you aware that you are, perhaps, the most discussed animal in the universe?" Why women! Why always women? For all that I know, women have had disadvantages to being women, and that's rough. But to be the most written about 'animal' in the world? That's crazy, Not only are men writing all of this, they have such power or 'patriarchy' over women. Reading the New York Times I happened to fall upon an article specifically talking about patriarchy, entitled "WELL-BEHAVED WOMEN SELDOM MAKE HISTORY" it's basically fighting the rights of women and speaking out in writing and how it is possible now and how if there is a slight bit of patriarchy that they will fight it to it's death.

HW 21: A room of one's own

Dear Erin,

I know how you would be confused it is a confusing chapter! But I'll try and help you out. The intro could quite possibly be considered off the wall. In the first couple of pages 'Mary' had a less then welcoming experience on campus and this sent her "little fish" or I would connect that to her inspiration "into hiding". She then had no idea what what she would write about. At the famous library that was said was cursed, she had yet another experience that was unreal.
You must still be confused as of this point, but I'm trying. I just tried to clear up some of the parts that confused me that I had to work out. Continuing in the book, there is a part that brings up the Manx cat, which is a recurring part to this chapter, the Manx cat has no tail, which helps to express the emotions. Reading on, there is a song that Tennyson was singing and it's basically him saying that world is different after the war. On pages 20-21 Mary is saying that if women had money, what would have been different, especially since women worked so hard, yet still lived in poverty. If women had money, they could and would study fascinating subjects, they were thriving to learn. But in the end, men will always write better fiction because they possess the "amenities".
You're English teacher is smart to let you read this book! Due to that it is about women and writing. It will teach both the boys and girls in your class the importance of money in fiction, and how that was what was important, not the actually quality of the writing. Virginia Woolf is writing an important piece to how fiction became what it is. Money for women was almost impossible to earn, which prevented them from writing fiction. I like this book, and I'm glad you are reading it Erin! Enjoy and I hope I helped.

Always, Kristen.

HW 19: web of influence

On page 129 and 130 of Blog!, there is a question that states "What about weblogs themselves? How do you think they will change over the coming years?" and Scobles response clearly states that this is the start of weblogs, that hey are going to be more integrated and more technologically connected to the Internet. In other words he's stating that it's going to be really easy to connect with other blogs, by being able to tag, and use key words to find what you're looking for. For example you will be about to find a blog about Sherwin-Williams by clicking the tagged word 'paint' and it is basically going to be a lot more convenient for a lot of people. Even more importantly he exclaims that it's not just going to be a blog world anymore, it's going to be an intense share of video, audio, drawings, pictures, maps, where you are from your cellphone. Basically, everyone is going to know everything about you from your blog? Is that necessarily an advance in the weblogs though? That is almost scary to think that if you have such an in depth blog, that someone can look at it, and know and figure everything there is to know about you.

HW 18: Least favorite blog post

While looking at jezebel, I have never really looked for blog posts that I disliked, until today when I was supposed to. I saw a picture of Uma Thurman, and the caption was "Windswept & Slouchy." http://jezebel.com/gossip/snap-judgment/uma-thurman-windswept--slouchy-308379.php Seriously? How can anyone pass judgment that quickly because of a paprazi's photograph? I hate that people do that, there are so many celebrities that are shot down and demoralized because of a bad picture. God for bid someone has a bad picture, let’s talk bad about them, lets make them lower than us, just because in reality, they are higher than us. They are successful and wealthy because of their work, let’s make fun of them. No, lets not. yes, she is slouching in this photograph, but there is no need to talk about that in a negative way, she could be bending down to get something, or sneezing, if i was being followed unknowingly I would probably have terrible pictures as well, I'm sure we all would.

HW 17b: Cox vs. Zuniga

If I was seriously basing my presidential election on either Ana Marie Cox's blog, or Markos Moulitsas Zuniga's blog, I would most definitely say that Zuniga's blog would influence my choice much more than Cox. Zuniga gave so much more depth and information after each question, he fully thought out his answers to the interview and never once asked the interviewer a question. In my opinion, Cox, is very immature and juvenile with her answers, at one point, the interviewer asked her what she thought about her future plans, and instead of just answering the question, Cox asked "my future plans?" Clearly, that is what she meant, there is nothing more broad that that could have possibly meant. With that said, i would not listen to her opinions due to the fact that i feel that she is very young and does not know what exactly she is talking about, or who she is yet. Zuniga on the other hand answers the questions fully, cites his information and cites himself, i would say that he is much more credible to tell me what to think and possible persuade me into using his information and thoughts to change or influence my decision for this upcoming election.

HW 17: Favorite Blog post

On the blog page Jezebel, which was updated today, there is a blog about a Fashion Show, nothing important really happens, it's just about the new fashion for this year. I've always enjoyed reading about fashion and this blog doesn't really explain all of the fashion but it has a very good photo gallery and I liked to look at the photos. http://jezebel.com/gossip/fashion-show/-307023.php. The fashion was very different and nothing anyone would really wear, spicing it up with gladiator boots and fun accessories of that sort. The interesting features and clothes really got my attention, and that's the first reason I looked at the blog post. Jezebel is definitely my favorite blog site, it has all the information on what i like to hear about. I like to hear about celebrity gossip and sex, and clothes, and fashion. Everything feminine, i like to hear about and listen to.

HW 16a: MANIFESTO

In reading Scoble's manifesto, I found one point that the blog Jezebel does follow through with. Point number 2, "Post fast on good news or bad." Jezebel does a good job with keeping us up to date, I was looking at their weblog and it is completely daily that they comment on and update their blog. Scoble says that the trick to earning trust, is to show up. If Jezebel for example was to not answer someones important question, Jezebel will then lose that viewers trust and respect, and loyalty to the weblog. Maybe I just don't understand how to use this blog very well, but I have never seen Jezebel actually edit, or say that they were wrong. Maybe they are never wrong, and they are just lucky, but I never once have seen them come back to someone's comment. Which, in Scoble's 20 points, links to number 8, "If you screw up, acknowledge it fast". I believe that this blog is most certainly applicable to these manifesto's standards, it's about celebrity's and their lives, so if they screw up, tell us!! And all of the manifesto's points go with this blog, and apply to this blogs rules.

HW 14: Ito/Dento Transitionrama

In Nick Denton's interview, they ask him a question "Why do you prefer to hire unknown writers for your blog site rather than writers with track records?" (Kline 152) He responds with something that makes complete sense. For example, Denton would rather have unknown writers because professional writers don’t necessarily know how to write in blog format. Actually, Blogs are more down to earth and not as strict as professional writing. As a result of this interview, I agree with everything he said about blogging. After all, Denton said that weblogs are the number one source of internet as of today. Naturally, he would want the best writers for the job, the best ‘blog’ writers that is. Accordingly, Denton states that his blogs are growing every month about 20 percent, which is why he is so into his job. Furthermore he goes on to describe how everyone is talking about blogs, everyone is obsessed with this new form of information and they are calling it a phenomenon.