DNA - Annotated Bibliography - Project #3

Websites:

DNA Interactive: Discovering the DNA Structure and beyond. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 2003. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.dnai.org/].

DNA Interactive is one of multiple DNA-related websites sponsored by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). Formerly known as the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences when it was founded in 1890, CSHL is a private, not-for-profit research and education institution at the forefront of molecular biology and genetics. Founded in 2003, DNA Interactive is an online teaching community that is geared towards science and biology instructors at all educational levels. The website features many useful applications that are available for free to myDNAi members, such as downloading lesson plans, teacher support materials, and the DNAi Teacher Guide.

Eye on DNA — How Will It Change Your Life? Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei. 2005. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. [http://www.eyeondna.com/].

Eye on DNA is a blog site that has provided useful and informative articles on science and health since 2007. The posts present interesting topics, as well as excellent DNA graphics. This site is recommended for students as well as professionals that are interested in DNA and genetics. Eye on DNA is under the sole proprietorship of Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei, who is a PhD-trained epidemiologist and biotech consultant. The mission of the company is to promote DNA awareness and understanding.

Genetic Testing for Health, Disease & Ancestry; DNA Test - 23andMe. 23andMe, Inc. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. [https://www.23andme.com/].

23andMe's mission is to be the world's trusted source of personal genetic information. 23andMe is a privately held personal genomics and biotechnology company that is developing new methods and technologies that will enable consumers to understand their own genetic information. The company is named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a normal human cell. The 23andMe website is currently split into four categories: Health and Traits, Ancestry, Sharing and Community, and Research. They currently test or are researching over 100 diseases, conditions, and traits. In 2008, Time magazine named 23andMe's DNA-testing service "Invention of the Year" for pioneering retail genomics.

Family Tree DNA - Genetic Genealogy Starts Here. Genealogy by Genetics, Ltd. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. [http://www.familytreedna.com/].

Founded in 1999, Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) is a commercial genetic genealogy company that offers DNA analysis to individuals for genealogical purposes. With the largest DNA database of similar companies that offer “deep ancestral” testing, FTDNA has been chosen by 90% of genealogists. Mike Hammer is FTDNA's Chief Scientist, who is a Biotechnology Research Scientist at the University of Arizona, as well as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board. The website and company are sponsored by Genealogy by Genetics, which is accredited by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the New York State Department of Health, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for paternity and identity DNA testing.

DNA | PBS. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service, 2003. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/dna/].

This Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) website provides a comprehensive history of DNA science - from the discovery of the double helix structure, to the mapping of the human genome, to the latest research. The presentations for this information are featured as individual episodes, with interesting and thought-provoking titles such as The Secret of Life, Playing God, and Pandora’s Box. This website, as well as others provided by PBS, is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which are respected philanthropic, not-for-profit institutions.

Home DNA & Paternity Tests: Legal Test Kits & Testing Services from GTL. The Genetic Testing Laboratories, Inc. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. [http://www.gtldna.com/].

The Genetic Testing Laboratories (GTL) offers affordable paternity and DNA testing that provides conclusive results. GTL’s Paternity Test offers painless DNA collection with a cheek swab Home Test Kit as well as free return mailer.  GTL also offers a DNA Predisposition test which will reveal your genetic predisposition for 25 diseases and conditions. GTL is a respected institution that is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), which makes their test results legally binding.

Genome.gov | National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). National Institute of  Health, 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.genome.gov/].

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) led the participation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the International Human Genome Project (HGP). NHGRI directed and supported work on the sequencing of the human genome and now funds research on the genome's structure, function, and role in health and disease. NHGRI also supports studies on the ethical, legal and social implications of genome research. NHGRI develops the resources and technology to accelerate genome research and its application to human health, trains investigators, and disseminates genome information to the public and to health professionals. The institute’s Director is Eric D. Green, a respected M.D. and Ph.D.

Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation - SMGF. Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.smgf.org/index.jspx].

This website is managed by the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the world's foremost collection of DNA and corresponding genealogical information. Its main purpose is to make its extensive DNA results collection available for searching. This website also has many different resources and information for researchers and scientists, such as a detailed glossary of DNA-related terms, an online library containing many related articles and essays from students and professionals, pedigree charts for Y-chromosome and Mitochondrial DNA results, and pages that provide full explanations of the various elements of DNA. This site is recommended because the Foundation is a world leader in DNA research with direct application to genealogy.  Its work complements other studies that focus on the "deep ancestry" of humankind.

Genetics Home Reference - Your Guide to Understanding Genetic Conditions. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. [http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/].

Genetics Home Reference provides consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variations on human health. The website is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which is a part of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. There is no advertising on this site, nor does Genetics Home Reference endorse any company or product. The articles and information are developed by a staff that includes genetic counselors, biologists, and computer and information scientists.

DNA from the Beginning - An Animated Primer of 75 Experiments That Made Modern Genetics.   DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 2002. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://dnaftb.org/].

DNA from the Beginning is organized around key concepts such as classical genetics, molecules of genetics, and genetic organization and control. The science behind each concept is explained by: animation, image gallery, video interviews, problem, biographies, and links. The site is funded by The Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, which is a philanthropic foundation founded in 1930. DNA from the Beginning is one of multiple DNA-related websites sponsored by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), a private, not-for-profit research and education institution at the forefront of molecular biology and genetics.

Books:

Russell, Peter J. IGenetics. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2002. Print.

iGenetics is the first integrated text written from the ground up and designed to provide a balanced introduction to genetics. Building on the proven strength of Russell's step-by-step problem-solving approach, iGenetics takes a modern, molecular approach. iGenetics covers basic genetics principles, with balanced coverage of Mendel, historical experiments, and cutting edge chapters on Genomics and Molecular Evolution. Over 500 class testers preferred the integrated iGenetics text and CD-ROM over their current book. The author, Peter J. Russell, received his B.Sc. in Biology from University of Sussex in 1968 and his Ph.D. in Genetics from Cornell University in 1972, and is currently Professor of Biology at Reed College. He is also the author of a number of successful genetics textbooks.

Silverstein, Alvin, Virginia B. Silverstein, and Laura Silverstein. Nunn. DNA. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century, 2009. Print.

This book provides a detailed explanation of DNA, RNA, cell structure, and amino acids and their roles in cell structure. Controversies about genetic engineering and tinkering, cloning, and gene therapy are discussed in an unbiased manner with several points of view mentioned. The book has good-quality color photographs, charts, and appealing sidebars, and provides more scientific details and explanations than other comparable works. The authors include a brief discussion of the Human Genome Project, which makes this book useful for biology and/or life-science students.

Watson, James D., and Andrew Berry. DNA the Secret of Life. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

From his own Nobel prize-winning work in the fifties to today's Dolly the sheep, designer babies and GM foods, author and scholar James D. Watson explains the complex structure of the DNA molecule. Watson is also the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA in 1953, and is the author of the international bestseller "The Double Helix." DNA the Secret of Life describes the science of modern genetics, along with its history and its implications, and is an accurate and reliable guide to one of the most important and amazing achievements of human science.

Calladine, Chris R., Horace R. Drew, Ben Luisi, and Andrew Travers. Understanding DNA: the Molecule & How It Works. 3rd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2004. Print.

This book explains in a step by step fashion why DNA forms specific structures, as well as the nature of these structures and how they fundamentally effect various biological processes. Containing over 100 illustrations, some in full color, "Understanding DNA" describes the basic units of DNA and how these form the double helix, and also explains how and why DNA twists and curves. Also, further reading and a bibliography is provided at the end of each chapter. The author, Professor Chris R. Calladine, is Emeritus Professor of Structural Mechanics at the University of Cambridge, and  was on the teaching staff of the Department from 1960 until 2002. This book is recommended reading for those interested in detailed DNA information that is explained in easy-to-read terms.

Bandelt, Hans-Jürgen, Vincent Macaulay, and Martin Richards. Human Mitochondrial DNA and the Evolution of Homo Sapiens. Berlin: Springer, 2006. Print.

Mitochondrial DNA is one of the most explored genetic systems because of what it can tell us about the human past. This book is recommended because it takes a unique perspective, presenting all of the complex elements that must be tied together in order to fully explain this system. From molecular biology to anthropology, statistics to ancient DNA, this first volume of three presents the global picture of human mitochondrial DNA variation. It takes a critical look at the field, flagging the problems, as well as the successes, and always placing the mitochondrial phylogeny centre stage. The authors are respected scholars from the University of Hamburg (Bandelt), the University of Glasgow (Macaulay), and the University of Oxford (Richards).

Articles:

Gajilan, A. Chris. "Mapping Own DNA Changes Scientist's Life." Featured Articles from CNN. CNN, 04 Sept. 2007. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://articles.cnn.com/2007-09-04/health/dna.venter_1_human-genome-craig-venter-gene-map?_s=PM:HEALTH].

This article focuses on the work of biologist-entrepreneur J. Craig Venter. Venter has published almost all six billion letters, or 96 percent, of his own personal genetic code in the journal PLoS Biology. From diseases to personality traits, it's the most comprehensive human genome to date, and provides genetic proof of links to various medical conditions such as blindness, alcoholism, lactose intolerance, substance abuse, hypertension, and obesity. The author of this article is A. Chris Gajilan, who is currently CNN’s Medical Senior Producer and is known for her dedication to journalism and her commitment to bringing the world closer together through her reporting on the human condition.

Harmon, Amy. "DNA Gatherers Hit Snag: Tribes Don’t Trust Them." The DNA Age. The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2006. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/us/10dna.html?ref=dnaage].

This article focuses on the The National Geographic Society’s multimillion-dollar research project to collect DNA from indigenous groups around the world in the hopes of reconstructing humanity’s ancient migrations. However, some indigenous groups argue that genetic ancestry information could also jeopardize land rights and other benefits that are based on the notion that their people have lived in a place since the beginning of time. The author Amy Harmon is a Pulitzer Prize winning national correspondent for The New York Times, covering the impact of science and technology on American life. She has received several honors in 2011, including the annual journalism award given by the National Academies of Science.

Groleau, Rick. "Tracing Ancestry with MtDNA." NOVA Online | Neanderthals on Trial | Tracing Ancestry with MtDNA. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service, Jan. 2002. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/neanderthals/mtdna.html].

The origins of the human genome are explored in this article. Within the last decade, new DNA analysis technology has become available, which uses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as opposed to Nuclear DNA. This article explains the difference between the two, and how this new  mtDNA technology has provided answers to many questions that analyzing nuclear DNA alone has not. The author of this article is Rick Groleau, the managing editor of NOVA Online, which is the longest-running science series on television. Nova offers an informative and entertaining look at challenging subjects. This article is supported by quotes from highly respected geneticists from universities and institutions worldwide.

Callaway, Ewen. "'Junk' DNA Gets Credit for Making Us Who We Are." Science News and Science Jobs from New Scientist. New Scientist, 19 Mar. 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18680-junk-dna-gets-credit-for-making-us-who-we-are.html].

This article explains how non-coding DNA, also called “junk DNA,” plays a critical role in determining whether genes are active or not and how much of a particular protein gets churned out. This article explains the importance of non-coding DNA, which makes up about 98% of the human genome. The author of this article is Ewen Callaway, who has worked on many projects in print, television and radio as a writer, producer, sound engineer, and host. Callaway is currently a reporter with New Scientist who was named the 2009 APS Plant Pathology Journalism awardee. This article is supported by quotes from highly respected geneticists from universities and institutions worldwide.

"DNA and Mutations." Understanding Evolution. University of California Museum of Paleontology, 22 Aug. 2008. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. [http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/mutations_01].

This article explains how mutations of DNA are essential to evolution and genetic variation. This article is recommended because it presents a thorough explanation of the complete DNA structure, and illustrates just how DNA encodes the characteristics of an organism, and how simple a mutation can end up having a major effect on the phenotype of that organism. The University of California Museum of Paleontology at UC Berkeley is a highly respected institution, and its prestige makes this article highly recommended.

The Grand Finale

Overall, I really enjoyed this online English 103 course. I had never taken an online class before, and I was not sure what to expect or exactly how this was going to be conducted. The college grapevine says that “online classes are easy,” so I came into this online class with some of these expectations. I mean, not entirely “easy”. I don’t expect anything that requires some work to be easy, but I was under the impression that the course overall would be slightly more relaxed as compared to a face to face course. Well, I have to say that the grapevine was completely misleading, at least about this course. I have never been assigned so much work in my life! Many long nights with late hours were the scenario throughout this semester, and I missed a lot of sleep over the work load that this class required. However, even though I hate missing sleep, I am sure that this course will prove to be beneficial to me when I am able to graduate and transfer from AVC to a four year university where the work load will be heavy like this, maybe even heavier. I will benefit from not only just the intense work load, but also the depth of each assignment that was extremely challenging and educational. The reading material that was required for each assignment was very interesting, educational, and informational. I actually enjoyed and looked forward to the reading for each writing assignment, and I think that this is what kept me tuned in.

I got off to a good start, but the first group assignments were a little confusing to me at first. Peer Draft Review? Are you telling me that I have to read other students work, and critique it? I had never done this before, not in this way. I have helped teachers correct fellow student’s homework or tests in the past, but this was for assignments that used either multiple choice, true or false, or single answers that were either right or wrong with no room for discussion or comments. But the Peer Draft Reviews were different because you get to objectively offer your opinion, and this experience will help me a lot when I become a teacher. As a matter of fact, I will incorporate this type of work for my own students when I am teaching a class of my own.

This initial confusion with the group assignments, as well as a few personal life situations, forced me to miss a couple of assignments, and this threw me off track temporarily. However, my one on one meetings with Jennifer really helped me get back on track, and without being able to meet with her in person, I may not have been able to hang in there. Thank you Jennifer, for the assistance as well as the overall positive experience that this course has given me. Good luck to everyone in this class, especially to those in the Pardis group that gave me all the good advice.

Growth and Development

As I look back at all of assignments that I have completed this semester, I feel that my writing has improved tremendously as a result of taking this English 103 course. Prior to starting this course, I thought that my writing was much better than it actually was, but my experiences with this course have shown me that I had a lot of room for improvement. I think that my level of critical thinking is pretty good, I am fairly well read on most subjects, and can understand and respond intelligently to different perspectives and opinions. However, being a good critical thinker or speaker is not the same as being a good critical thinking writer, and like I said, this challenging course has shown me that I need a lot of work.

This semester’s experience has helped me in many ways. One of the main reasons that I think that I have gained so much this semester is the material that we were assigned to read and write about. Almost everything that I have read has been based on extremely interesting topics, and has been very informational as well. The material has been the kind of stuff that I would probably read up on anyway, so it always kept me focused, interested, and eager to get to work on the assignments. I admit that I was challenged by the weekly Exploring Language chapter questions, which were not as difficult as they were long, and sometimes a bit tedious. However, these assignments, combined with the other assignments that were due that week, really taught me how to buckle down and sweat when it comes to getting your all of your work done on time.

The various types of assignments required for this course has helped to enhance my writing ability in many ways. Also, the many of the assignments have been different and challenging, such as the blogs and responses, Peer Draft Reviews, and the specific style essays like Synthesis and Rhetorical Analysis. All of these were completely new to me, especially the blogs and responses, so I have definitely learned a lot from these writing assignments. Another area where I learned a lot is with properly the citing sources that I use, which is a mandatory and very important element to almost any paper or essay. I was setting up my quotes and sources completely wrong, in a way that was confusing to readers. The Peer Draft Reviews within my Pardis group, as well as coaching and assistance from our instructor, has helped me see this. Also, I have learned to put the punctuation marks inside of the quotes, instead of on the outside (duh). In addition to the proper format of quoting citations, I also feel that I am much better at incorporating the quotes or information that I get from my sources in a much more creative way, such as using box quotes, and cleverly weaving quotes into sentences. I'm glad that I took this class, and all of this experience will help me tremendously as a writer, and will be beneficial as I continue my education and in my future career as a teacher.

Balance...

Our English class has been assigned the task of writing a lengthy research paper, and for me personally, a responsibility like this could not have come at a worse time. The first draft is due on Sunday, and I am doing my best to get this completed on time. Aside from all of the other general issues that are involved with my life, such as raising four teenagers, I have a total of five classes this semester and the work load is heavy on all of them. I am extremely happy that Jennifer Gross, our instructor for this course, has graciously lightened some of the other assignments that would normally be due in order to give us time to work on this research project. Even with that said, this research paper is a major balancing act for me. However, school overall is a major balancing act, as is life in general, so I keep on pushing.

I began writing the outline for this essay a couple of weeks ago, and I have completed a few draft pages over the past weekend and last few days of this week. It is coming along good, but the topic that I am writing about is very detailed, and I do not want to miss anything. I have to have an area to work in where I can concentrate and dedicate completely myself to researching and writing, and with four teenagers this is a big challenge. The phone rings frequently, and even though it is rarely someone calling for me, this is a big distraction. I have to drop them off and pick them up from their schools, which are on different sides of town, which takes up time as well. Also, I have to stop working frequently in order to tell them to clean up their room and finish their chores and homework, etc. This takes up quite a bit of my time, because when I have to stop working on this project to deal with them, I have to use some time in order to refocus and be able to pick up where I left off. Actually my kids are great and are pretty self sustaining, but they do need various things from me from time to time, and this is the balancing act.

I am very critical of, and take personal pride in, all of the work that I do, so I want this to come out correct for reasons that do not involve a grade. Even if I get a good score on an essay, such as, let’s say, 95/100, I always want to know why I didn’t get the additional 5 points so that I can make sure to fix this on future projects. A good example of this is with making sure that I cite all of my sources correctly, which has been challenging on other papers or essay that I have completed for this course. I guess I’ll finish up this blog and get to work on my research project, since no one is home and I can finally concentrate.

Good luck to all my class mates on this research project!

I'm not feeling you...

We need to use email, etc. as a way to enhance our communication, not as a replacement for face to face communication. Let us not allow advanced technology, as cool and convenient as it can be, to replace the natural human ways of communicating. There is no equal substitute for face to face communication and personal social interaction. Email, chat rooms, instant messaging, and Facebook have partially replaced the social interaction that has been essential to human growth and development, and I think that this may have the potential to not serve us so well in the future. Communication is not just about words and language. Non verbal communication is a huge part of how we interact and understand each other, as well as a way to gauge and get to know our selves. When we restrict ourselves to the use of virtual methods to communicate, we miss out on the facial expressions, hand gestures, certain tones of voice, and body language that always take place during communication. How can we really express ourselves online with the same level of sincerity as if we are face to face?

We are replacing these essential parts of communication with other various ways to convey the same messages, such as emoticons and text slang (LOL, SMH, etc.). Instead of sitting with a friend and sharing a joke, and getting to exchange that feeling in person, my friend will now type “LMAO” and I replay with “ROFL”. BORING! Virtual flowers are not as effective as bringing them to a loved one yourself, and neither is an email kiss for a way to say “thank you”. I want to feel that kiss so that I know that it is real and that it is really coming from the person that I think it is. What’s next? There is already online dating, and this is a major way that people initially become aware of each other these days. But the entire relationship cannot be conducted online. Suppose you have a serious connection and feelings for this person, and marriage becomes a possibility. Eventually you will have to meet this person, unless technology comes up with a way to carry out a wedding ceremony online. “Click here for I do”. And please, I am certainly not willing to consummate my marriage via email. Then, will parents raise their children online? Send Lil Johnny an update at the end of the day with a checklist to make sure that he did his chores and goes to bed on time? We will be a world full of emotionless robots.

One of the main ways that I think that online interaction can be potentially damaging is for the education of young people, especially high school. Don’t get me wrong: I feel that online classes and distance learning can be a diverse, interesting, and beneficial way to learn, and can be a good experience when it is added to the standard curriculum. However, the same thing applies just like with other communication experiences, education through email and online education should not be a total substitute for in-class learning.

It’s just entertainment, right?

Editorial or political cartoons play an important role in American culture and communication. An important statement or perspective can be shared through these kinds of cartoons, and Americans have used cartoons to share opinions and perspectives for decades. One reason that cartoons have been successful for so long is because they can provide a relatively safe way to discuss serious issues without stepping directly on anyone’s toes or overly offending them. Cartoons are a form of comedy and entertainment and are presented using a medium that is there to be laughed at and not taken so seriously, even though it may address a very serious topic or situation. This is why comedians such as Bill Maher, George Carlin, and Chris Rock can have so much important social and political content within their routines and not be taken as seriously as if a politician made the same point with or without comedy. Both cartoons and stand-up comedy provide a safe way to openly address important issues without getting too much flack. After all, it’s just entertainment, right?

However, political cartoons may be going out of style as more and more Americans seem to devote much more of their interest and time to TMZ and American Idol than they are in most social or political programming. This seems to be true with most of the younger generation today, but many “grown ups” are paying less attention to social or political issues within entertainment. Overall, Americans seem to be less and less politically aware and more focused on celebrity topics and TMZ-esque topics. This is not restricted to political cartoons, as art that is delivered through other forms of media are also lacking any real social or political value. This is true with much of the music of today, which is also reflective of this kind of diversion away from paying attention to social or political issues. In previous generations, serious social and political debate and expression would take place within music, going back to Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger in the 60s, Edwin Starr, James Brown, and Gil Scott Heron in the 70s, and hip hop artists such as Run DMC, Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Public Enemy, and NWA in the late 80s and early 90s. But those days are gone now; instead of important social commentary being infused into music and lyrics, most music today is just about partying, the opposite sex, and bragging and boasting.

Also, the types of political cartoons that are produced for print, like newspapers or magazines, are becoming somewhat of an endangered species these days. Printed medium in general is becoming extinct, and as more kinds of animated cartoons with political content are produced for the cable television and Internet mediums, this is where many people will be going to get their cartoon and comedy fulfillment, as well as to address political and social topics. We can say goodbye to the Sunday newspaper’s editorial cartoons, and welcome social and political topics to be discussed on (adult swim), The Boondocks, South Park, and Family Guy.

Tattoos are sometimes being used these days as political cartoons. Many tattoos use drawings that are cartoonish in style, sometimes even using detailed and unique characters. And they quite often tell stories as well as make statements at the same time, sometimes stories or statements that are quite controversial. Maybe this is the next medium for social and political commentary.

Honolulu, we have a problem...

I’m sure that most of us have read about or are at least familiar with the controversy surrounding President Barrack Obama’s place of birth and birth certificate. As I listen and read about this subject, I ask myself, “Would this conversation be taking place if Obama was not 1) an African American man, and 2) if his father was not a Muslim and of African heritage? I will talk about these issues to try to get answers to this double faceted question, or if not actual answers, at least to openly discuss the issue.

One of the citizenship requirements for becoming the President of the United States is to be a natural born citizen, as in born in one of the United States or one of its territories. Our current president clearly fits that requirement or he would not have been able to run for the highest political position in the nation in the first place. I am quite sure that the responsible parties did their due diligence prior to Obama even being considered to run for the Democratic seat, and already had squared that away already. However, there are those who are not only unsatisfied with his job performance thus far, but are also opposed to having a man of African descent in the leading position in this country, and these are the folks who are pushing this “birther” controversy. So much hateful, negative, and disrespectful propaganda has been allowed to circulate about Obama, including signs and slogans promoted by various Tea Party groups and members, and their ideological supporters. I do not think that this level of discourse about our political leader would be tolerated if this man was not an African American. There have been so many instances of this, that neither Obama nor other democrats have said very much about publicly, that this has now become a norm in our political culture. It has even gone to the point of questioning his place of birth, his status as an American, and even as a believer in Christianity. This kind of language, propaganda, and political wordplay was not used towards John McCain, who was actually born in a civilian hospital in Colon, Panama. Hawaii is one of our United States, and Obama’s birth certificate, short and long forms, shows that he was born in a Honolulu maternity hospital. This makes Obama to be a United States citizen by birth, as was his mother, who is Caucasian and was born in Kansas.

So what’s the issue? Is it Obama’s father, who was born in Kenya, and is a Muslim by faith? Or is it the fact that Obama is a Black man and some people who take issue with that will spin any kind of false propaganda that they can in an attempt to discredit him? I think that it’s a combination of these two factors that are driving this negative and disrespectful propaganda machine against our President, and the American media rarely speaks out against it. I do not agree with everything that Obama says and does so far, and we all have the right to agree or disagree and to voice that opinion respectfully. However, we should respect the office of the President that we elected and not smear his family and name with false propaganda, media hype, and political wordplay.

Pushing The Limits

Imagine if a person who was absent from the current American, and even worldwide, media scene for the last 20 or more years suddenly returned and decided to turn on the television. I think that person would be shocked and overwhelmed by all of the changes that have taken place in this relatively short frame of time. We have gone from a standard of television culture that was extremely conscious of what it said and displayed, maybe even overly so in some cases, to one that seems to have no boundaries or standards whatsoever. In the 1950s there was The Lucille Ball Show, where a husband and wife were unrealistically shown as sleeping in separate twin beds. The standards that were to be promoted on television, which was a relatively new media at the time, were not supposed to show men and women even sleeping in the same bed, even if they were husband and wife. Fast forward to the 1970s, with the television show Three’s Company, which was considered risqué at that time. This show featured a plot where a man was roommates with two women, but had to pretend to be gay in order to satisfy the landlord’s aversion to co-ed living situations. Again, this was considered a highly risqué comedy for the time, even though it was set in the “free-spirited” 1970s, and featured no nudity at all or any language that could be at all considered provocative or vulgar. Keep fast forwarding to the 1990s, when cable television was the norm in most American households, and we start to see explicit crime drama shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire, and Oz on HBO. These shows displayed extremely explicit language and graphic images, showing Mafioso- style gangsters in New Jersey, drug dealers and narcotic officers in Baltimore, and even the wild exploits of inmates and guards in a fictional prison. With these shows and a slew of others like them, television seemed to have reached its peak level of its use of explicit material.

The 1990s era of cable television has had an effect on the type of content material is accepted on television today. The content has become filled with murder, sex, scandal, and in many cases, extreme foul language is used to describe these things. The HBO shows mentioned above are from a premium channel, granted, but they are extremely popular and have had great influence on not only cable television non-premium programming as well. So much more is allowed today. The kind of material that would have never been allowed on television when I was a child is now a normal thing on cable television. In addition to the cable channels like HBO or Showtime, much of prime time, non-premium channels play the same type of content in the movies and other shows that they program, but many of them will mask out most of the “curse” words. In addition to the shows mentioned above, other “reality” shows such as Jerry Springer and MTV’s Real World ushered in the current era of Jersey Shore and Bad Girls Club. All of these television shows continue to push the limits on what type of language and content is allowed on television today.

Prejudice is all around us...

There are many examples of prejudice in the world, including those that are based on a person’s race or ethnicity, some that are sexist-based such as sexual preference or gender, and others that are rooted in opinions about social class or age. Different forms of social media are sometimes responsible for the growth and perpetuation of these kinds of prejudices by using certain language or images that support them. Some of these are rather blatant and obvious, such as the statements made by Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, as well as the demonstrations of some of the members of the Tea Party at their rallies. In my opinion, these all use language that spread the growth of racist ideology and deliberately support certain negative racial stereotypes that go back many generations.

Other examples of prejudice in our media that are much more subtle and can fly right past you if you are not conscious of them are found within books, music, movies, and television shows. These are all forms of entertainment and culture that do not always intend to support prejudice, but quite often do. For example, I sometimes watch Jersey Shore just like many of us, and I realize that the behavior shown by these folks does not automatically reflect the quality of all young Italian-Americans. However, I feel that the behavior displayed in this show can unfairly lead to some people having bad perceptions of all people that are within this certain ethnic group and can help the growth of negative stereotypes about them. The same applies to many music videos that display women as only one dimensional sexual characters, or that show images of Black and Latino males as “thugs” or criminals. Freedom of speech and expression are important values, but while we enjoy and exert these freedoms we should be mindful that dangerous negative opinions can be the result of our expressions in many cases.

In addition to news and different forms of media, there are certain laws that also show blatant signs of bias or prejudice towards certain groups of people. Three felony “strikes” equaling life imprisonment (for non-violent offenses), mandatory minimums on drug sentencing (even for first time offenders), illogical and unfair crack vs. powder cocaine laws, and the general over-policing of many people of color and their communities, are laws and policies that are overtly racist and classist. These racist laws and practices have been devastating to many Black and Latino families as well as entire communities, and have the potential to have a lasting effect on these people for generations to come. Over the last 20 years or so, this has led to American prisons being filled with many people that do not belong there that American tax payers have to support. America now leads the world in the incarceration of its own citizens by a huge margin. Just like many examples of images and language found within our media, these laws and policies need to be re-examined to ensure that prejudice and bias are not perpetuated.

Counting my blessings...

The United States is only one small place in this great big world that we all live in, and many of us here cannot understand the idea of not automatically having certain rights or freedoms. These include things that seem so basic to us, such as worshiping and believing as we individually choose, as well as the right to choose to not believe in anything if our hearts and minds don’t guide us that way. Since some people in other countries may not have the same freedoms and rights that we have here in America, we have to be careful not to take these for granted. Instead, especially when we are thinking on the worldwide scale, we should view these kinds of rights as advantages. Even here in America, these freedoms were not always granted to all people. My great grandparents lived in a society where the color of their skin and their ethnicity prevented them from basic freedoms that include, but are in no way limited to, marriage, owning property, or learning to read and write. As much as we may complain about conditions of equality in America today, I’m sure that my grandparents and great grandparents would view the rights that my children and I enjoy today as an advantage over what they had to deal with in their time.

Nafisi is from a community where women are not just expected to cover their faces with a veil to honor a local religious tradition; women are mandated by law to do so. This seems to be a theme that flows throughout the book and is of great important to the plot as well as Nafisi’s character. I wonder what my outlook on life and freedom would be like if I lived in such a society where my rights and freedoms were restricted because of my gender. I can at least comprehend certain restrictions that are based on race and ethnicity, as these are familiar to me from listening to the lessons of recent history that I receive from media and older family members. However, legal restrictions based on gender are not exactly the same as those that are based on a person’s race, and this experience is not familiar to me at all. It is very difficult for me as a male, even as a Black man in America, to understand a female’s perspective of discrimination, which carries different a stigma than race. Men here in this nation, as well as those in other countries around the world, are in positions of power where there are no laws that restrict us based on our gender. While it is preferred and somewhat expected for a man to wear a beard in certain Islamic countries, it is not a law that has a punishment if it is not respected. This is expected for religious and traditional reasons, the same as the wearing of the veil, but no law has been passed by women against men for any reason. In the same way that my foreparents would view my rights as an advantage, I must be careful to not take for granted my own level of freedom as an American male, and realize that I have an advantage over folks in many other countries, especially the females in those countries.

Ghetto Nerd

The nonverbal behavior that I project probably does not always reflect the image or message that I am intending to project. Actually, I can somewhat understand this initial reaction that people have when they first see me, and I would probably have a similar reaction if I was to bump into someone that displayed the same nonverbal clues. In addition to my dress style, which probably is considered pretty “gangsta” to a lot of people here in Southern California, I have a shaved head that is often covered by a baseball cap, as well as a goatee. I don’t smile or really make very much eye contact with strangers, and I am often told that that I have an angry or menacing look on my face. I inherited a slew footed walk that causes my feet to point outwards when I walk, or stand still for that matter. In addition to all of this, I am a pretty big guy, standing at about 6’3” and currently at about 240 pounds. These nonverbal clues and general “vibes” that I project are misleading in some ways, but are accurate in others. Some of my vibes reflect a “gangsta” to some, and this is true because I am “gangsta”, but I am not a threat to anyone whatsoever. After about five minutes into a conversation with me most people are usually surprised to find out that I am a really nice guy who is pretty damn articulate and well read (thank you very much). My oldest son (a 19 year old student here at AVC) teases me about this, and calls me “ghetto nerd” because of the conflict between my image and attitude to strangers and my actual personality and positive vibes that I project to those that I know.

The shaved head and goatee that I described above, in addition to an olive skin color (called “light skinned” in the African American community), often causes people to think that I am of Latino background. People will speak to me using the Spanish language, assuming that I will be able to understand. Law enforcement will approach me as an ese, and so will actually eses, and this has caused me to have some of the craziest situations that I can’t even really go into here in this blog. I am aware that this has actually worked to my benefit in some ways, and I can think of situations where I was able to “slide under the radar” as a Black person that was perceived as being of another race or background. I even had a job working for a white guy that was clearly racist against Blacks, but hired me for a position not suspecting that I was one. He made some extremely racist remarks, and I let him know that I did not appreciate that, and I was fired. Whatever the set of circumstances, many people are surprised to find that I am actually an African American. This makes me think: should a person’s phenotype, that may or may not give clues to their racial background, be considered to be a nonverbal clue in the same way that facial expressions or hand gestures are? Maybe this subject deserves its own blog entirely.

Quality Communication Between a Mother and Son

The relationship between my mother and I was very special, and this was due to the quality of communication that we shared. Even when we would disagree, we understood where the other stood emotionally and always were conscious of each other’s feelings, so one of us could never offend or disrespect the other. Even by the time I was an adult, and no longer lived with her and had started my own family, my mom would call me almost daily just to make sure I was okay. I would stop by or call to check on her just as often. We were mother and son, but we were also really good friends, and I could confide anything to her and I knew that my secrets were safe.

However, even though these occasions were few and far between, there were times where my mom and I didn’t seem to communicate so well at all. Our communication would seem to be at a low when it came to disputes that were somewhat generational in nature, and I would tune her out. For example, my mom would always tell me to be careful of the police, and if I had an occasion that involved any confrontation between me and them, that I should be careful to be respectful with my words and demeanor. Not so much that I should respect the job or role of law enforcement, or to respect their character necessarily… actually, I don’t think that she cared too much about that. Her warnings against “mouthing off” at them were simply an attempt to protect me, because our family had experienced police brutality first hand in the recent past, and she didn’t want this to happen to me. Her little brother (my dear uncle Benny) was severely beaten by the LAPD during the 1960’s on two occasions: once during the 1965 Watts Riots, and again in 1968. He never fully recovered from the fractured skull, subdural hematoma, and resulting brain surgery that he sustained during the 1968 occasion, and these injuries eventually played a part in his death in 1981. As a result, my mom was extremely paranoid about dealing with police, and by the time I was a teenager (during the 80’s) she would give me warnings almost every time I would leave the house about how my conduct should be if I was ever confronted by the LAPD or other law enforcement. I would mostly dismiss the warnings, and tell her that her paranoia was reflective of a time that was past: “Mama, stop stressing me out the police stuff, they don’t beat on us anymore, you are still living in the 60’s”, etc. I had to give her an apology in 1991 when Rodney King was severely beaten by the LAPD, and the tapes of this incident were all over the television for the world to see. This was a testament to the warnings that she had issued to me all along, and proved that she was right about the possibility that this could and is likely to happen to any of us if things did not go right. I’m happy that my mom was determined to maintain the quality of communication between us, even when I did not want to listen. It may have saved my life.

But is it practical?

Overall, it is a good thing to master more than one language. It can help a person to better understand their own thought processes, as well as those of others, since we not only speak, read, and write language, but we also think in language. This is an example of a higher level of education and becoming a well rounded scholar and professional. Knowing more than one language can be personally valuable in different ways, and personal reasons for wanting to learn a language other than your own can be intellectual, cultural, as well as sentimental. An individual may have a personal interest in a certain culture, or you just think Russian “sounds cool”, and you want to learn it. Or maybe you just want to challenge yourself with the difficult task of learning a certain language. As a genealogist, I would like to learn the now almost-extinct language of the Louisiana French Creoles, who are my grandmother’s ancestors. All of these are good personal reasons to learn languages other than your own.

With that said, colleges and universities should make studying a foreign language a requirement for graduation, but only for certain majors or career objectives where it will be used. The immense amount of time, money, effort, and resources that are required to become fluent in another language can be wasted if knowledge of that language cannot be put to some sort of practical use. Colleges should recognize this and not make foreign language mastery mandatory unless it has a practical use. The usefulness of the specific language to be studied should be aligned with a college’s requirements for completion of that program. For example, what practical purpose would it serve to learn to be fluent in, let’s say, Japanese or German, if you are pursuing a degree in Social Studies, and plan to use that degree in California or New York? The answer is, none; Japanese or German will virtually never be used in the line of such a career. However, fluency in Spanish can be highly useful as an American social worker almost anywhere in the United States, and it would be a smart move for students planning to enter that field to achieve some level of mastery of that language. Spanish is the second most used language in the United States, so college requirements for graduation or certification for a career in social work, or other careers that will require for a person to interact with people on that level, should include that specific language. Another practical reason for foreign language study to be a college requirement would be if you plan on working or studying abroad. In that case, having a good knowledge of that local language would be essential to success, and college requirements should reflect this. This is also true for other educational requirements, such as requiring for a student pursuing a degree and a career as a Registered Nurse to have to successfully complete certain Fine Arts courses that will never be used. Even though there may be intellectual, cultural, or sentimental values attached with being knowledgeable about different subjects, it may not be practical for every student, and college requirements should not have students or instructors wasting their time in any way.

Charged By Nature

Language that is charged or slanted is automatically used to communicate in any way. Almost all language is charged or slanted, to the point that “it is sometimes hard to distinguish between charged or uncharged expression”. It is hard to imagine making even the most simple of statements without including some kind of language that slants the statement one way or the other. Charged language is a usually necessary part of communication, especially when one is trying to educate or influence another. As a father of four teenagers, this is required language for me to be able to effectively guide them to adulthood. How could I explain to my kids the differences between what is right or wrong, or influence them in any way, and be taken as credible, without using some kind of emotion or verbiage that indicates a sense of urgency? How could politicians convince their potential constituents that they were the best candidate to vote for without slanting their speeches in their own favor, and away from their opponent’s? How could an advertisement for a product or service be used to influence a potential buyer that this product of some quality, and better than their competition’s? We will all deal with situations like these in our lives, and none of these would be possible without charging the language in some way.

In addition to spoken or written language, most other elements of communication are also usually charged, or automatically display some intentions of steering the point in one direction or another. Most forms of body language, including facial expressions and hand gestures, are unconscious actions that we perform when we communicate, and these expressions are almost always charged. The use of a special tone of voice when making a statement or asking a question will usually influence a person or group of listeners towards feeling a certain way, and hand motions We convey our emotions when we communicate with one another, and we express ourselves this way almost unconsciously.

Communication would be extremely boring without charged language, and as Birk and Birk put it, “life would be but half-life.” I would hate to live in a bland world where people walked around like androids and displayed no emotion when communicating. It would be like eating food with no flavor or seasoning, or even that had a scent. We have to depend on our emotions when we express ourselves through any form of art, which is a major part of human culture. A singer or musician charges their songs with emotion every time they perform or go into the studio, and this will always influence the listener. I would not be able to enjoy music in the way that I do if it didn’t have any charged emotion that influences it. Actually, the artist would have a hard time producing un-charged art to begin with.

One of the problems with charged language is that it can be used as a way to intentionally exert negative influence, or to spread false or dangerous propaganda. Reading between the lines, so to speak, is an essential part of being able to decode messages that we receive and process them according to what is best for us. Those who are not able to pick up on certain subtle messages within other messages may end up getting the wrong picture, or may be led in the wrong direction. So, while we enjoy charged communication, we have to be aware of it's potential downside.

The Power of a Dream

“I Have a Dream” is the title of a world famous speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 by the great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. While this speech is only one part of the March on Washington, it is considered to be that movement’s defining moment, as well as that of the entire American Civil Rights Movement. This landmark event, like many other speeches by Dr. King’s, provided inspiration and enlightenment not only for Black Americans, but people throughout America and worldwide, as well as future generations to come.

America was at a crossroads during this era. Like the classic song by Sam Cooke, “A Change Is Gonna Come”, America was at a place socially and politically where things were so chaotic that there had to be some revisions of past policies and procedures. “Negroes” had been denied their “natural citizenship rights” for far too long. Martin Luther King expressed this extreme need for change when he eloquently stated:  "It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.” This statement, as well as the general language of this speech, was not only a demand for change, but it also contained a subtle warning to the white power structure and the United States Government if the demands for changes were ignored. Dr. King issued another subtle warning when he stated: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This embodies a somewhat militant and demanding type of attitude that is different to what many may expect from Dr. King. “I Have A Dream” not only inspires change, but demands it.

The hallowed steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. was the perfect location for this event. Not only is this a national stage where The Civil Rights Movement and this speech could reach the largest audience possible, it is also named after the President who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, thereby freeing the slaves. Martin Luther King acknowledged a certain kind of irony regarding the location for this monumental event. He obviously appreciated President Abraham Lincoln as “a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today”. However, King reminds us almost immediately that “one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free.” With this speech, King established the Lincoln Memorial into the nationwide venue for various civil rights demonstrations and social and political demonstrations, such as The Million Man March, organized by Louis Farrakhan in 1995, the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2009, and a major rally by the Tea Party in September 2010.

This speech and overall movement changed the way that many diverse groups approach their civil rights, and has inspired those groups to organize, protest, and demonstrate. In addition to The Black Panthers, who were obviously inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and the speeches of Dr. King, the California-based Chicano Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, and the above mentioned Tea Party movement, all use the Black Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s as a model. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” will continue to influence and inspire Americans and others worldwide for generations to come.

My family and I at the MLK Memorial in Atlanta, GA

Evolving My Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to examine, analyze, and critique theories, opinions, and bodies or works or art, and to be able to do this effectively without prejudice or bias. In order to be able to consider yourself to be an effective scholar, teacher, parent, or leader, the application of effective critical thinking is a must. A superior level of critical thinking also involves “reading between the lines”, to be able to hear and understand what has not been stated. These skills are required to analyze situations, make important decisions, and come to accurate conclusions about specific events and individuals, and their qualities and/or deficiencies. All leaders throughout the world, from local figures such as police, judges, teachers, and parents, as well as international figures like presidents, prime ministers, and generals, are expected to be superior critical thinkers.

I make diligent attempts to apply critical thinking to all that I do in my everyday life. Unfortunately, my ability to effectively use critical thinking can be somewhat hamstringed by personal preferences to specific topics. In other words, I can think, speak, and write much easier about topics that I have an interest in, such as history, politics, or genealogy, than I can about topics that I have no real personal attachment to, such as American literature, or poetry. For example, I have recently debated the logic and social values associated with a recent controversial topic, where it was proposed to remove the word nigger from “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, and replace it with the word slave. As a student pursuing a degree in Pan-African Studies, as well as an African American individual, this is a topic that interests me personally, and as a result, is fairly easy for me analyze, discuss, or write about.  However, using the same critical thinking to otherwise discuss the writings of Mark Twain, which I have no real personal interest in, is definitely more of a challenge, because I would probably not choose to amuse myself with reading that specific type of literature to begin with. This troubles me to some extent, because I feel that not having more varied personal interests may be limiting my ability to evolve intellectually and think beyond my immediate concerns. My level of critical thinking would drastically increase if I was able to broaden my attention span to include topics that would not usually interest me.

With that said, I expect for this course (English 103: Critical Thinking and Research) to enhance my critical thinking ability by challenging me to expand my horizons to be able to acquire more varied interests, and deal with different types of subject matter that would not usually be on my personal radar. This will enable me to become a more successful parent, student, and teacher, and will be an asset to me in everyday life. My general perception of the world today, including my belief patterns and problem solving strategies, will possibly be changed as well. Actually, the challenge of this blog assignment has already helped to enhance my critical thinking abilities. The journey is far from over, and there is still some distance between Mark Twain and I. But I can feel myself getting closer, and it feels good!