STYLE ONE
Since its beginning as a monastic house of learning, the university has sought to educate its students in the liberal arts: studies of history, rhetoric, the visual arts. But in the 1960s, that focus on the liberal arts began to change. A slow but drastic drift in focus has begun to take place in universities, shifting from the broad liberal arts education to the specified and career-oriented training. This shift, due in part to student's awareness of the greater competition in the business world, is causing many students to suffer from a lack of cultural awareness and intellectual stimulation.
STYLE TWO
As a high school student - and even earlier in my public education - we learned that the more education you were able to receive, the more money you would be able to earn in your career. As we grew older, it became more and more clear that the type of education our teachers and counselors were emphasizing was a career-oriented one. This specialization would allow us to jump into our careers at a younger age, thus giving us an edge on the competition. Rarely did a counselor tell us that we should seek after learning simply for the sake of learning. Unfortunately, this focus on specialization in education has led students to suffer from a lack of cultural awareness and intellectual stimulation.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Faux Pas in Researching
I chose to pick three sources discussing the subject of stem cells.
"The new challenge of stem cell: Brain tumor therapy," F. Colleoni and Y. Torrente.
This first source is one I chose from an academic journal I found from the HBLL's website. The journal, called Cancer Letters, is a collection of academic papers covering studies that have been researched concerning cancer. This article in particular is one that discusses stem cell and its importance in cancer research. As it was written directly by researchers from the Stem Cell Laboratory, whose specialty is stem cell research, the information is the most likely to be accurate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/18/health/18stem.html
The second source is an article from the New York Times which is in danger of being a more biased source, as it's written by a columnist. These articles are written to argue their opinion, and so statistics are often taken out of context, or important details left out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell
The least reliable source is the article on stem cell research from Wikipedia.com. Although it would be useful to get an idea of the topic, because the article can be changed by anyone, it's not always the most accurate of information.
"The new challenge of stem cell: Brain tumor therapy," F. Colleoni and Y. Torrente.
This first source is one I chose from an academic journal I found from the HBLL's website. The journal, called Cancer Letters, is a collection of academic papers covering studies that have been researched concerning cancer. This article in particular is one that discusses stem cell and its importance in cancer research. As it was written directly by researchers from the Stem Cell Laboratory, whose specialty is stem cell research, the information is the most likely to be accurate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/18/health/18stem.html
The second source is an article from the New York Times which is in danger of being a more biased source, as it's written by a columnist. These articles are written to argue their opinion, and so statistics are often taken out of context, or important details left out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell
The least reliable source is the article on stem cell research from Wikipedia.com. Although it would be useful to get an idea of the topic, because the article can be changed by anyone, it's not always the most accurate of information.
Monday, October 13, 2008
I Like Ike and His Jolly Jingle
President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidential campaign ad appeals to the common Republican man, especially those who may have some doubts whether or not to continue to vote Republican, in order to persuade him to vote for Ike. Though short, the ad uses repetitive phrases, and well-known symbolic images to emphasize its position to vote for President Eisenhower.
Because this ad was meant to appeal to a wide audience consisting of all walks of life, the rhetorical tools it employs are ones that are effective for all kinds of people. The first, the use of repetitive phrases, like “Ike for president” and “You like Ike, I like Ike, everybody likes Ike,” is effective because phrases that are repeated again and again tend to get stuck in any kind of person’s head, especially if it’s set to a catchy jingle. A jolly jingle is effective in getting anyone to keep thinking about something, even electing a Republican.
The ad also uses some well-known symbolic images to illustrate certain points – images anyone, in this case Republicans – would know. One of these is the image of the donkey – the common symbol for the Democratic party – penned up. This is a poignant image, as no one wants a closed-minded or limited party to be leading their party. Another image is that of Ike’s name rising into the sky in the picture of a cartoon sun above the White House, an obvious symbol of a rise to power, of life-giving glory. This contrasts strongly with the limited power of the donkeys in their pen. Who wouldn’t want to vote for someone who will be as dependable as the sun?
Because this ad was meant to appeal to a wide audience consisting of all walks of life, the rhetorical tools it employs are ones that are effective for all kinds of people. The first, the use of repetitive phrases, like “Ike for president” and “You like Ike, I like Ike, everybody likes Ike,” is effective because phrases that are repeated again and again tend to get stuck in any kind of person’s head, especially if it’s set to a catchy jingle. A jolly jingle is effective in getting anyone to keep thinking about something, even electing a Republican.
The ad also uses some well-known symbolic images to illustrate certain points – images anyone, in this case Republicans – would know. One of these is the image of the donkey – the common symbol for the Democratic party – penned up. This is a poignant image, as no one wants a closed-minded or limited party to be leading their party. Another image is that of Ike’s name rising into the sky in the picture of a cartoon sun above the White House, an obvious symbol of a rise to power, of life-giving glory. This contrasts strongly with the limited power of the donkeys in their pen. Who wouldn’t want to vote for someone who will be as dependable as the sun?
Monday, October 6, 2008
"The Stone Cut Out of the Mountain"
In his talk entitled “The Stone Cut Out of the Mountain,” from the Sunday morning session of the 177th semiannual session of General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley illustrates that through studying the fruits of the First Vision, we can see for ourselves, and make the choice to believe in, “the very validity of this Church,” meaning the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In addition to employing a number of verses from scripture considered sacred (including many describing prophecies of a Church being brought forth in modern day), citing facts about the growth of the Church, and relating the story of Joseph Smith’s actions in bringing about the birth of the Church, President Hinckley’s humor, expression of love, and own validity as prophet – head of the very Church he’s discussing – help to further his assertion in the belief that the Gospel is true.
President Hinckley begins his talk by engaging his audience (those watching General Conference) through a humorous comment about soloists and musicians being able to repeat a song again and again, but speakers having to come up with something new to speak about each time they speak. This comment, along with President Hinckley’s obvious amiable nature, helps to add to the audience’s respect for him. In addition, President Hinckley, as president of the Church, is esteemed as the most knowledgeable with regard to the principles of the Gospel and the Lord’s will for His Church. His audience is led to trust in the honest recounting of the fruits of the First Vision, and the validity of the Church by these things. His expressions of love for and confidence in the goodness of his audience cause his audience to feel even more ready to trust and respect his judgments and opinions.
In addition to an argument built off of his own authority and his love of both the audience and the Church, President Hinckley establishes through facts that we can see the validity of the Church through an illustration of how the Church has endured, even though it has faced much opposition through the centuries. He quotes scriptures in which a church would be established by the Lord after an apostasy, using both the Book of Mormon – the book accepted by the LDS Church, and the Bible – the book accepted by the majority of Christian churches. He describes events that the world accepts as history, like the Nicene Creed, which merely compromised points of view of various doctrines, creating confusion about what aspects of Christianity were true. Then he recounts Joseph Smith’s history, making evident its legitimacy as a commandment to organize a church by explaining that it is the only event in all of Christian history in which Heavenly Father Himself appeared alongside the Savior. He describes the opposition the young Church faced, and how it bloomed anyway, with the Book of Mormon standing as a witness.
President Hinckley begins his talk by engaging his audience (those watching General Conference) through a humorous comment about soloists and musicians being able to repeat a song again and again, but speakers having to come up with something new to speak about each time they speak. This comment, along with President Hinckley’s obvious amiable nature, helps to add to the audience’s respect for him. In addition, President Hinckley, as president of the Church, is esteemed as the most knowledgeable with regard to the principles of the Gospel and the Lord’s will for His Church. His audience is led to trust in the honest recounting of the fruits of the First Vision, and the validity of the Church by these things. His expressions of love for and confidence in the goodness of his audience cause his audience to feel even more ready to trust and respect his judgments and opinions.
In addition to an argument built off of his own authority and his love of both the audience and the Church, President Hinckley establishes through facts that we can see the validity of the Church through an illustration of how the Church has endured, even though it has faced much opposition through the centuries. He quotes scriptures in which a church would be established by the Lord after an apostasy, using both the Book of Mormon – the book accepted by the LDS Church, and the Bible – the book accepted by the majority of Christian churches. He describes events that the world accepts as history, like the Nicene Creed, which merely compromised points of view of various doctrines, creating confusion about what aspects of Christianity were true. Then he recounts Joseph Smith’s history, making evident its legitimacy as a commandment to organize a church by explaining that it is the only event in all of Christian history in which Heavenly Father Himself appeared alongside the Savior. He describes the opposition the young Church faced, and how it bloomed anyway, with the Book of Mormon standing as a witness.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ode to El Gringo
Café Rio. Restaurant? Or heaven-on-earth with Mexican décor? Why, both of course!
No matter what Café Rio meal you choose, the first bite is like a tiny fiesta in your mouth. One classic, the salad, is a perfectly crafted feast – a blend of zesty rice, black or pinto beans, and your choice of tender meat, topped by crisp lettuce squares, strips of tortilla chips, spoonfuls of spicy pico de gallo and creamy guacamole, and a sprig of cilantro, with a cup of their special house dressing on the side. This is exquisite meal, as with each of their incredible entrees, is not only inexpensive, but so large and hearty that it’s practically two meals in one. In anticipation of their patrons’ need to take the rest of their mouth-watering meal home, Café Rio creates each confection in its own tin dish, perfect to reheat in the oven, and provides covers for refrigeration purposes.
But it isn’t only that the food is the nectar of the gods. The establishment itself is magical. You find this magic in the rustic Mexican furnishings – the terracotta tiles, the pottery and peppers hanging from fraying rope, the splashes of tangerine and sky blue, yellow and bright green. You find it in the workers – if you have a frequent buyer card (the tenth meal you buy is free), there’s nothing more satisfying than a roomful of people yelling “FREE MEAL!” with the enthusiasm found at a small fiesta. You find it among the patrons themselves – friends and families, completely contented and full in a way that only Café Rio can fill a person. So move over Disneyland. Café Rio is the happiest place on earth.
No matter what Café Rio meal you choose, the first bite is like a tiny fiesta in your mouth. One classic, the salad, is a perfectly crafted feast – a blend of zesty rice, black or pinto beans, and your choice of tender meat, topped by crisp lettuce squares, strips of tortilla chips, spoonfuls of spicy pico de gallo and creamy guacamole, and a sprig of cilantro, with a cup of their special house dressing on the side. This is exquisite meal, as with each of their incredible entrees, is not only inexpensive, but so large and hearty that it’s practically two meals in one. In anticipation of their patrons’ need to take the rest of their mouth-watering meal home, Café Rio creates each confection in its own tin dish, perfect to reheat in the oven, and provides covers for refrigeration purposes.
But it isn’t only that the food is the nectar of the gods. The establishment itself is magical. You find this magic in the rustic Mexican furnishings – the terracotta tiles, the pottery and peppers hanging from fraying rope, the splashes of tangerine and sky blue, yellow and bright green. You find it in the workers – if you have a frequent buyer card (the tenth meal you buy is free), there’s nothing more satisfying than a roomful of people yelling “FREE MEAL!” with the enthusiasm found at a small fiesta. You find it among the patrons themselves – friends and families, completely contented and full in a way that only Café Rio can fill a person. So move over Disneyland. Café Rio is the happiest place on earth.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Oh, and the Cell Phone Reception is Great Too
At the end of Nephi and his family’s long and painful journey through the wilderness, the Lord finally led them to rest on the seashore. “We were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore,” Nephi writes, “and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.”
Bountiful, Utah – named after both Nephi’s settlement on the seashore, and where the Savior came to visit the Americas – does not have that much fruit. It has fairly average amounts of fruit, most of which you can find at the local grocery stores – Dick’s and Winegars. What it does host “much” of, are things even more wonderful than – but equally healthy as – fruit. These are the things I fell in love with when as I grew up; the things that make Bountiful, without a doubt, qualm, or concern, the absolute best hometown ever settled.
Though present-day Bountiful may not be as celebrated for its fruit as other places are, it is celebrated for a few other food items, beginning with my personal favorite – that lying within the borders of this city is a Café Rio, one of the most delicious (and wonderfully accessible) restaurants ever founded.
Just a few meters down Highway-89 from the Café Rio is a majestic, doughnut-shaped building. This is Woods Cross High School. My high school. A veritable heaven-on-earth for any teenager who has ever had the slightest of musical inclination. It was a wonderful place to go after junior high, far from the embarrassment and misery of that time. The students were friendly and cared about their education – and the faculty did too. Most everyone there had high standards and genuine zeal for the Gospel. For a modern-day high school, it was practically Zion.
We Bountifulians were lucky enough to have more than one heaven-on-earth in our average-sized city. The Bountiful temple was a mere ten minutes drive away from my house. At night, its sweet white glow was the crowning jewel of our city, capping the lush, rolling hills and plunging valleys. The temple made our beautiful shifting of the seasons even more exquisite. In spring it was surrounded by the blooming flowers; in summer, soaring leafy trees. Autumn scattered leaves of crimson and auburn around its grounds; and in winter, the temple was even more brilliant, reflecting bright, cold blue from the sky and the pallor of the snowy landscape. (This particular landscape was made even more enjoyable by the golf courses nearby. Big hills for putting make for excellent places to sled.)
Whether we were feasting on Café Rio, attending school, or going to the temple, by far the best thing about Bountiful is the people. My fellow Bountifulians are inspiring. Some of the most intelligent, clever, compassionate people I have ever met have chosen to make Bountiful, Utah their home.
Nephi rejoiced when he and his family settled in their Bountiful because they finally had a place to rest. I feel the same about my Bountiful. It’s a place of beauty and peace, a city of exemplary individuals and average amounts of very delicious fruit. It truly is the best hometown anyone could ask for.
Bountiful, Utah – named after both Nephi’s settlement on the seashore, and where the Savior came to visit the Americas – does not have that much fruit. It has fairly average amounts of fruit, most of which you can find at the local grocery stores – Dick’s and Winegars. What it does host “much” of, are things even more wonderful than – but equally healthy as – fruit. These are the things I fell in love with when as I grew up; the things that make Bountiful, without a doubt, qualm, or concern, the absolute best hometown ever settled.
Though present-day Bountiful may not be as celebrated for its fruit as other places are, it is celebrated for a few other food items, beginning with my personal favorite – that lying within the borders of this city is a Café Rio, one of the most delicious (and wonderfully accessible) restaurants ever founded.
Just a few meters down Highway-89 from the Café Rio is a majestic, doughnut-shaped building. This is Woods Cross High School. My high school. A veritable heaven-on-earth for any teenager who has ever had the slightest of musical inclination. It was a wonderful place to go after junior high, far from the embarrassment and misery of that time. The students were friendly and cared about their education – and the faculty did too. Most everyone there had high standards and genuine zeal for the Gospel. For a modern-day high school, it was practically Zion.
We Bountifulians were lucky enough to have more than one heaven-on-earth in our average-sized city. The Bountiful temple was a mere ten minutes drive away from my house. At night, its sweet white glow was the crowning jewel of our city, capping the lush, rolling hills and plunging valleys. The temple made our beautiful shifting of the seasons even more exquisite. In spring it was surrounded by the blooming flowers; in summer, soaring leafy trees. Autumn scattered leaves of crimson and auburn around its grounds; and in winter, the temple was even more brilliant, reflecting bright, cold blue from the sky and the pallor of the snowy landscape. (This particular landscape was made even more enjoyable by the golf courses nearby. Big hills for putting make for excellent places to sled.)
Whether we were feasting on Café Rio, attending school, or going to the temple, by far the best thing about Bountiful is the people. My fellow Bountifulians are inspiring. Some of the most intelligent, clever, compassionate people I have ever met have chosen to make Bountiful, Utah their home.
Nephi rejoiced when he and his family settled in their Bountiful because they finally had a place to rest. I feel the same about my Bountiful. It’s a place of beauty and peace, a city of exemplary individuals and average amounts of very delicious fruit. It truly is the best hometown anyone could ask for.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Let the Campus Be Your "Get a Room" Room
I can hardly wait till springtime.
If there’s one thing I love about BYU, it’s the magic of walking around campus and seeing couples holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. What could be more beautiful than sitting in the Mariott Center at a fireside, watching two people enthusiastically expressing their appreciation for each other by kissing passionately? What could be more flattering than being asked on a date because you were thought to be “hot?” And what could be more thrilling than bringing the boy next door baked goods on a regular basis? Almost nothing.
So imagine with me, if you will, a few months from now. The snow melts, the flowers bloom, furry animals come out of hiding, and – best of all – hormones begin to rage. How wonderful it will be as the search for a Friday night date or eternal companion begins again with renewed vigor! How brilliant it will be when – so much like those furry animals – freshly returned missionaries come out of hiding, ready for a mate; inspiring competition from fellow RMs and swoons from the damsels waiting to be courted.
After all, the real purpose of college has nothing to do with higher learning. Education is just a much-desired excuse to socialize and kiss, date and marry. One could hardly imagine a place more suitable for these things than a university – a place abundant with flowers and sun-dappled trees, waiting to be cuddled beneath; long stretches of sidewalk begging to be strolled along; and libraries replete with books of romantic poetry and cozily abandoned isles, perfect for romantic words and private kisses.
So go ahead – pair up. Isn’t that why you came to school?
If there’s one thing I love about BYU, it’s the magic of walking around campus and seeing couples holding hands and gazing into one another’s eyes. What could be more beautiful than sitting in the Mariott Center at a fireside, watching two people enthusiastically expressing their appreciation for each other by kissing passionately? What could be more flattering than being asked on a date because you were thought to be “hot?” And what could be more thrilling than bringing the boy next door baked goods on a regular basis? Almost nothing.
So imagine with me, if you will, a few months from now. The snow melts, the flowers bloom, furry animals come out of hiding, and – best of all – hormones begin to rage. How wonderful it will be as the search for a Friday night date or eternal companion begins again with renewed vigor! How brilliant it will be when – so much like those furry animals – freshly returned missionaries come out of hiding, ready for a mate; inspiring competition from fellow RMs and swoons from the damsels waiting to be courted.
After all, the real purpose of college has nothing to do with higher learning. Education is just a much-desired excuse to socialize and kiss, date and marry. One could hardly imagine a place more suitable for these things than a university – a place abundant with flowers and sun-dappled trees, waiting to be cuddled beneath; long stretches of sidewalk begging to be strolled along; and libraries replete with books of romantic poetry and cozily abandoned isles, perfect for romantic words and private kisses.
So go ahead – pair up. Isn’t that why you came to school?
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