Decio Gomes
Holly Pappas
English 11
December 9, 2009
Should Alcohol become illegal?
Finding a conventional argument was somewhat difficult. Because an argument contains different points on view, I figured the legalization of alcohol should be argued. Alcohol can affect not only the people in a community, but also the community itself. Alcohol is a substance that can control your mind state, personality, and actions differently compared to a sober person.
Arguments always contain their pros and cons. Some people may look at the cons as pros, and some pros as cons. I found that people have not realized the affects alcohol has on a person’s health and appearance. Alcohol tends to increase depression, and also increases the chances of a person being aggressive. It can also cause crucial long term affects to your kidney, liver and other organs of your body you need to remain healthy, especially when aging.
Due to the aggression and depression increasing, violence becomes common to vulnerable people. Some people can drink alcohol excessively before without having problems. Then they are some which don’t know their limit. These people can go from having a great time, to wanting to get into a physical altercation with someone. This not only creates problems for the person who is under the influence, but it can also take the person far enough to breaking the law, without the individual being aware of his or her actions.
I did some research and found that alcohol is actually a very profitable product. It creates jobs for people in bars, clubs, liquor stores, and alcohol manufacturing companies. It also has a major impact on the economy due to the money flow of this substance. Having varieties ranging from a Mike’s hard lemonade to Ice 101, alcohol manufactures have developed drinks which will meet almost everyone’s standards. This causes alcoholic beverages to become a habit for some, especially college students.
Why is that a problem? It can become a problem various ways. You can be a responsible drinker, and be able to have your small dosage of alcohol. The people who abuse this substance are the ones who create conflicts. Again, you must know when the person is under the influence, they’re actions are a lot different from when they are sober.
Due to the affects alcohol becomes a “get away” substance. Some people drink to forget their problems. This can easily create an addiction which is very hard to conquer and get past. Families have been split up due to this substance. Couples who had potential in creating a family lose that because the affects it has on a unborn child. If the mother drinks while pregnant, the baby is also drinking. Alcohol interferes with the fetus’s ability to get enough oxygen and nourishment for normal cell development in the brain and other body organs.
The alcohol industry has dug enough into the community as a whole. College students have created events as common as once a week. One particular event is called Thirsty Thursday. On this day, college students attend parties and drink excessively. For the most part you are looking at violent outbursts, alcohol poisoning to individuals who abuse the substance, and an increase of drunk drivers.
If drugs such as marijuana, or other substances are illegal. I do not see why alcohol is not. It has a much deeper impact on a person. Drivers who have had more to drink have impaired coordination, slowed reaction time, and impaired judgment. Someone under the influence of THC has more control over their actions then a person who is drinking. Drunk drivers are a danger to not only themselves, but also for people who are sober.
There are laws which create resistance towards alcohol. Such as if you get caught driving under the influence, you can lose your license up to 5 years, but ask yourself is that it? Is that worth it when someone close to you is taken from you by a drunk driver or a drunk person’s actions? Laws should be established to enforce people to give up the habit. The popularity of alcohol is becoming stronger and stronger. It needs to be cut down at a certain point. Next thing you know children will be getting their hands on the substance. It is not hard to contain.
If Alcohol illegalization was a possibility and became successful, huge changes would be made. There would be a lot less fatalities in violent crimes, and also in car collisions. In my opinion, the biggest change would be for families who were affected by the addiction to get a second chance. With no where to obtain the substance, and a clear mind state, families would be able to experiences, the same way before the substance’s affect.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Work Cited Page
Decio Gomes
Works Cited
Action Video games Sharpen vision by 20 Percent. Science Daily. Web..
Violent Video games affect on Aggression. Apa. Web..
Xbox 360 Features. Web.
.
Xbox 360 Updates. Xbox. Web.
.
Xbox vs PS3. Game Blorge. Web.
Works Cited
Action Video games Sharpen vision by 20 Percent. Science Daily. Web.
Violent Video games affect on Aggression. Apa. Web.
Xbox 360 Features. Web.
Xbox 360 Updates. Xbox. Web.
Xbox vs PS3. Game Blorge. Web.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Xbox 360
What are the effects in children from video gaming?
With the technology improving everyday video games are becoming more realistic. Being able to have social relations with online gaming makes the younger generation vulnerable to have a playing addiction. "Eighty three percent of kids, eight to eighteen, have at least one video game player in their home, thirty one percent have 3 or more video game players, and fourty nine percent have video game systems in their bedrooms" (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). "Ninety seven percent of all teens play video games regularly" (Lenhart, 2008). Seeing how common video gaming has become, this becomes a common activity for alot of the younger generation. Playing games that involve solving problems or logic type of video games actually benefit users. Letting them get their hands on information technology they get an early start at seeing how it works. With the technology evolving games that can effect human behavior are being made. Games that involve gore, and violent scenes may become common to kids who are interested in those kind of games. Becoming so common that it effects their thoughts making them aggressive.
How do violent video games effect a person?
Violent video games tend to increase a person's agressive thoughts. Psychologists and professors perfomed various studies which showed that video games may be more harmful then violent movies because videos games are interactive. The aggression enhancing effects throughout time makes a person vulnerable to the aggressive behavior. Not only to the aggressive behavior, but also to the playing addiction.
"In the short run, playing a violent video game appears to affect aggression by priming aggressive thoughts. Longer-term effects are likely to be longer lasting as well, as the player learns and practices new aggression-related scripts that can become more and more accessible for use when real-life conflict situations arise",
Said Dr. Anderson.
What are the features of an xbox 360?
It is really amazing how much development has been made in the xbox itself. Being made by Microsoft which is a major company, it has created partnership with other companies such as facebook, netflix, myspace etc...Users have the ability to access movies, tv shows, documentaries, myspace profiles, or other social interactive programs. To access the following you will need to be subscribed with an Xbox Live membership. You can either have a silver or gold membership. Silver would restrict and prevent you from using certain applications, where with a gold subscription you can do all of the following stated previously. It can be as cheap as seven dollars a month or sixty for 13 months. Deals users can not resist.
What console competes with the xbox 360?
The xbox360 has 1 competitor. That competitor is the Playstation 3, manufactured by Sony. Even though both consoles, perform same duties, such as playing video games, and accessing other media, they both have their advantages. Playstation 3, has a blue-ray DVD player, which plays movies at their best quality. This attracts many customers, who are looking forward to purchasing a blue-ray DVD player for a cheaper price. From their price ranging from $200 to $600, you can obtain the playstation 3 with a blue ray included for only $299.99. The playstation 3 can also access online websites. This providing users to do online surfing on their home theater instead of a desktop or labtop. Both having basically the same graphics and gameplay, they compete by having different abilities which attract different users.
What positive affects can come from using an xbox 360?
Xbox 360 has many effects on a person. It has been said by researchers that playing a xbox 360, especially action packed games improve your vision. By playing for long periods of time, the player will start to notice figures he or she didn't notice before. This is because after you play for a long period of time on a daily basis, you vision sharpens by 20 percent. Spotting sudden movements will become easier after accessing action games. Because the game involves action and alot of interaction, the person gets a greater satisfaction. Games like tetris, or puzzle logic games can improve your thinking skills, and the speed you can come up with ways to solve problems. Even though it doesn't affect your vision, it affects you in a different way.
What to expect from Xbox 360 for the future?
Microsoft is planning on using technology to improve player experiences. They are currently on working on a upcoming update to be able to access live TV. This will affect alot of cable companies if successful. Similar to blockbuster, after Netflix's success, blockbuster's operations decreased. They are also working on decreasing the amount of wires. Although the controller's are already wireless, they are planning on erasing the idea of a controller as well. With the technology always improving, they have figured out a way, where the player himself is the controller. This idea of No Strings of "Project Natal" You will be able to browse through menus by a wave of your hand. Not only browsing menus, but also playing video games. This making video games a physical activity now. Another update that is being worked on is the improvement of communication. Already being able to instant message, or access other users profiles, you will now be able to webchat. On the webchat, you will be provided with an avatar, which you create your own. Having the avatar, you and your friends can perform certain things to express your feelings. Making you avatar burp, or dance to show that your full, or you want to show that you are excited will be easier than typing it out now. You will also be able to purchase clothes, accessories, and other downloads for you avatar through playing and experiencing the xbox 360 experience.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/e3/centerstage.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206100601.htm
http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html">http://www.apa.org/releases/videogames.html
http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/02/20/xbox-360-vs-ps3-which-console-is-better/
http://www.kensavage.com/archives/xbox-360-vs-ps3-an-in-depth-look/
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6162742/index.html
http://xbox.about.com/od/xbox2/a/xbox360features.htm
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Decio Gomes
In “Robotic Nation” by Marshall Brain, there is a lot of information that today’s generation should be aware of. In this essay Marshall Brain focuses on robots taking over the American workforce in the nearby future. He starts off by sharing his experiences with some automated systems such as a self-check out lanes or ATM machines. Systems he believes are “the tip of the Iceberg”. Systems that are becoming so common, that more and more are being developed to benefit the economy in the long run. This not only affecting the economy but also the workforce drastically. As common as the newer technology gets the more it is going to evolve and get perfected.
This power of technology and robotics is believed to change future generations drastically.
Marshall briefly states how much technology has evolved throughout time. With facts such as “ It only took 51 years to go from a rickety wooden airplane flying at 10 MPH, to a gigantic aluminum jet powered Stratofortress carrying 70,000 pounds of bombs halfway around the world at 550 MPH.” In such little time, this tremendous change affected trades, wars, transportation and etc... This being predicted to happen in “Robotic Nation” by Marshall Brain. Within the next 51 years Marshal predicts for Robots to have CPU chips and memory systems that will reach parity with the human brain and maybe even surpass it.
Marshall Brain predicts by 2030, robots that can clean bathrooms, take out trashes, wipe down tables and perform other unexperienced jobs, will be for sale at prices that a economic vehicle will be. For ten thousand dollars, employers will be able to purchase robots to take entry level job. This would save money in labor, and still be able to run the business without having to deal wit raises, or employee conflicts. Imagine what a robot for 50 thousand dollars would be able to do. Senior management teams would be the only positions left in the restaurant business.
In my opinion Marshall is a very intelligent author. I can see a lot of what he talks about happening in the future, maybe not exact dates but definitely see it happening. He used very good examples bringing up the airplane, and how labor works now and how it will work in the future. He hit the nail on the head when bringing up the 1900. Stating “Imagine that you could travel back in time to the year 1900, as your standing on a soap box on a city street corner in 1900 and you say to the gathering crowd”, “By 1955, people will be flying at supersonic speeds in sleek aircraft and traveling coast to coast. Me personally I wouldn’t believe it because I have never seen it. Now in today’s generation airplanes have become something you see daily. Maybe on your way to a major city you see one arriving or taking off. This can be similar to 50 years from now. Robots are already being developed as we speak, some with different causes and purposes. All of them being worked on to be perfected. In a way this is good, but in another it is not. Employer’s will rather pay a robot to work 24 hour shift, half price and get a better job done by robot, then the human himself/herself. This is something serious that needs to be passed around. I know I will not want to be one of the employees that will get laid off for a robot. This also needs to be researached carefully because robots can have malfunctions and may effect how the business runs.
In “Robotic Nation” by Marshall Brain, there is a lot of information that today’s generation should be aware of. In this essay Marshall Brain focuses on robots taking over the American workforce in the nearby future. He starts off by sharing his experiences with some automated systems such as a self-check out lanes or ATM machines. Systems he believes are “the tip of the Iceberg”. Systems that are becoming so common, that more and more are being developed to benefit the economy in the long run. This not only affecting the economy but also the workforce drastically. As common as the newer technology gets the more it is going to evolve and get perfected.
This power of technology and robotics is believed to change future generations drastically.
Marshall briefly states how much technology has evolved throughout time. With facts such as “ It only took 51 years to go from a rickety wooden airplane flying at 10 MPH, to a gigantic aluminum jet powered Stratofortress carrying 70,000 pounds of bombs halfway around the world at 550 MPH.” In such little time, this tremendous change affected trades, wars, transportation and etc... This being predicted to happen in “Robotic Nation” by Marshall Brain. Within the next 51 years Marshal predicts for Robots to have CPU chips and memory systems that will reach parity with the human brain and maybe even surpass it.
Marshall Brain predicts by 2030, robots that can clean bathrooms, take out trashes, wipe down tables and perform other unexperienced jobs, will be for sale at prices that a economic vehicle will be. For ten thousand dollars, employers will be able to purchase robots to take entry level job. This would save money in labor, and still be able to run the business without having to deal wit raises, or employee conflicts. Imagine what a robot for 50 thousand dollars would be able to do. Senior management teams would be the only positions left in the restaurant business.
In my opinion Marshall is a very intelligent author. I can see a lot of what he talks about happening in the future, maybe not exact dates but definitely see it happening. He used very good examples bringing up the airplane, and how labor works now and how it will work in the future. He hit the nail on the head when bringing up the 1900. Stating “Imagine that you could travel back in time to the year 1900, as your standing on a soap box on a city street corner in 1900 and you say to the gathering crowd”, “By 1955, people will be flying at supersonic speeds in sleek aircraft and traveling coast to coast. Me personally I wouldn’t believe it because I have never seen it. Now in today’s generation airplanes have become something you see daily. Maybe on your way to a major city you see one arriving or taking off. This can be similar to 50 years from now. Robots are already being developed as we speak, some with different causes and purposes. All of them being worked on to be perfected. In a way this is good, but in another it is not. Employer’s will rather pay a robot to work 24 hour shift, half price and get a better job done by robot, then the human himself/herself. This is something serious that needs to be passed around. I know I will not want to be one of the employees that will get laid off for a robot. This also needs to be researached carefully because robots can have malfunctions and may effect how the business runs.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Ethnography (UBS)
Decio Gomes English 11
Ethnography
I was having trouble finding a subculture that would be interesting to write about. A group that would have many stories to share about their experience with what they do. I chose to write about a Taunton Local Paintball Team named Unbreakable Silence (UBS). From being close friends who grew up together to partners out in the field, each member in this team communicates the same in or out the field. They use their own slang. Words or phrases that mean something to you, will mean something different to them. To confuse or throw off opponents out on the field. I found this very interesting and also brilliant. It gives them an advantage knowing each other for so long that this “language” became their own with way of communicating.
As I arrive at their training facility, I automatically spot the team I am writing on. In the middle of an intense skirmish, the co-leader and leader are facing each other. I approach the rest of the team sitting on the sideline, some standing up from the anxiety to some unable to stop bouncing their heel in a upward and downward movement. Me not knowing what was going on, they then inform me it was a skirmish between the two who are in charge of the team. The first time meeting with the team I was forecasting in dealing with a team who does it just for the fun. I was wrong, instead I was dealing with a team who took their hobby very seriously. This team having a well organized structure, and strong communication skills increases their chances in winning.
I first realized when it was my first time with them at their practice. When the captain sorts out and displays new strategies, you must follow along carefully and know your role. Some strategies, involved in some members playing the guinea pig. Which basically meant take one for the team. Some will play the bait, while others go for the objectives. The game involves a 5 on 5. Each team consists of 8 players. Five on the field, three on the sideline.
I proceed to ask questions on how they worked as a team and the usual outcome of their strategies. The leader of the team who is one of my close friend’s brother broke down their ranking system and how to obtain each rank. The ranking is based on stripes. Each time a player is noticed to be developing in live games or do something that catches leaders attention, then leader revises member for a possible move up in the team. By doing this, players have motivation to seek another rank for more privileges. This team consists of 1 leader, 1 co-leader, 1 captain, and 5 members.
· Leader aka “The Ghost”- The team leader earned his stripes by “representing” for the team. The Ghost can be the last one left against a full roster, and he will manage to outsmart each player and eliminates his opponents one by one. His weapon equipped with attachments is customized to be silenced, gives him advantage in stealth when playing. Gets an adrenaline rush which puts him in a zone he calls “survival of the fittest”. His role as a leader is to sort out strategies in rough drafts, to keep team together by being in contact. Also being in charge of scheduled practices and skirmishes. Presents rough drafts of strategies to be revised by the co-leaders, then presented to the team by the captain.
· Co-Leader aka “Right Hand”- Earned his name along with rank, when doing really well in matches back to back by being last one left with the leader. Both matches being against their rival tensions was built between each team. By assisting an intense matches with him as a captain and his leader left against 5 opponents, both times he was recognized as MVP. By taking risks to keep the leader as the last one left, his time to shine was on. The leader seen potential. Side by Side, before their sweat makes it from their forehead to their chin, the whole opposing team was out of the game. This giving him his role, which consists in revising strategies, looking for sponsors, and helping leader with his roles.
· Captain- Captains are rotated by members who earn it. Before each match, team has practices/skirmishes. If recognized by leader or co-leader in their development, they may be eligible for the position. Captains get their taste at some “leadership” Keeps the team motivated to do better in order to achieve the promotion. The member assigned captain get privileges temporarily as they hold their role. They get “dayaways” which are 3 personal days. Those personal days can be practices or skirmishes.
What I found very interesting was the values of this team. Each player has their own preference in their game play. This results to each player getting different attachments for their weapons to adapt to their way of playing. For Example, the leader has a longer barrel which suppresses the paintball and makes lesser sound when firing. This making him undetectable gives him an advantage. There are players which have a bigger ammunition storage. This benefiting them when coming to long matches. Each player has their personality, and in my opinion their weapons symbolizes that.
Another value I noticed that was admired that is very unusual was scars and bruises. Each teammate had there own story for each scar or bruise. They refer to them as signatures. When getting hit by the opponent, you have been “signed” by them. Meaning eliminated. Each bruise they can remember who it was from and what was at stake at the time. After each match players are looked at by leader and co leaders for their records. The least bruises, the better chance of becoming captain.
Every practice, skirmish, or actual match, built up adrenaline. This was also valued. The rush that is built up, almost makes them numb to the pain. Sometimes resulting in players going on “rampages” which basically mean go all out. By getting shot multiple times but still proceeding to be careless and out in the open. This results to more bruises, and lesser chance in ranking up.
From this team’s structure and communication; their friendship and partnership becomes stronger. Their team oriented activities are very interesting to watch just because how well in tact the team is. Through experiences of winning and losing this team gained loyalty and trust within the team. The two motives that I seen and found interesting in this team, and made me choose them to write about. Seeing how they interact, and how much is accomplished by using what they have built, motivates me in creating something similar in a different field.
Ethnography
I was having trouble finding a subculture that would be interesting to write about. A group that would have many stories to share about their experience with what they do. I chose to write about a Taunton Local Paintball Team named Unbreakable Silence (UBS). From being close friends who grew up together to partners out in the field, each member in this team communicates the same in or out the field. They use their own slang. Words or phrases that mean something to you, will mean something different to them. To confuse or throw off opponents out on the field. I found this very interesting and also brilliant. It gives them an advantage knowing each other for so long that this “language” became their own with way of communicating.
As I arrive at their training facility, I automatically spot the team I am writing on. In the middle of an intense skirmish, the co-leader and leader are facing each other. I approach the rest of the team sitting on the sideline, some standing up from the anxiety to some unable to stop bouncing their heel in a upward and downward movement. Me not knowing what was going on, they then inform me it was a skirmish between the two who are in charge of the team. The first time meeting with the team I was forecasting in dealing with a team who does it just for the fun. I was wrong, instead I was dealing with a team who took their hobby very seriously. This team having a well organized structure, and strong communication skills increases their chances in winning.
I first realized when it was my first time with them at their practice. When the captain sorts out and displays new strategies, you must follow along carefully and know your role. Some strategies, involved in some members playing the guinea pig. Which basically meant take one for the team. Some will play the bait, while others go for the objectives. The game involves a 5 on 5. Each team consists of 8 players. Five on the field, three on the sideline.
I proceed to ask questions on how they worked as a team and the usual outcome of their strategies. The leader of the team who is one of my close friend’s brother broke down their ranking system and how to obtain each rank. The ranking is based on stripes. Each time a player is noticed to be developing in live games or do something that catches leaders attention, then leader revises member for a possible move up in the team. By doing this, players have motivation to seek another rank for more privileges. This team consists of 1 leader, 1 co-leader, 1 captain, and 5 members.
· Leader aka “The Ghost”- The team leader earned his stripes by “representing” for the team. The Ghost can be the last one left against a full roster, and he will manage to outsmart each player and eliminates his opponents one by one. His weapon equipped with attachments is customized to be silenced, gives him advantage in stealth when playing. Gets an adrenaline rush which puts him in a zone he calls “survival of the fittest”. His role as a leader is to sort out strategies in rough drafts, to keep team together by being in contact. Also being in charge of scheduled practices and skirmishes. Presents rough drafts of strategies to be revised by the co-leaders, then presented to the team by the captain.
· Co-Leader aka “Right Hand”- Earned his name along with rank, when doing really well in matches back to back by being last one left with the leader. Both matches being against their rival tensions was built between each team. By assisting an intense matches with him as a captain and his leader left against 5 opponents, both times he was recognized as MVP. By taking risks to keep the leader as the last one left, his time to shine was on. The leader seen potential. Side by Side, before their sweat makes it from their forehead to their chin, the whole opposing team was out of the game. This giving him his role, which consists in revising strategies, looking for sponsors, and helping leader with his roles.
· Captain- Captains are rotated by members who earn it. Before each match, team has practices/skirmishes. If recognized by leader or co-leader in their development, they may be eligible for the position. Captains get their taste at some “leadership” Keeps the team motivated to do better in order to achieve the promotion. The member assigned captain get privileges temporarily as they hold their role. They get “dayaways” which are 3 personal days. Those personal days can be practices or skirmishes.
What I found very interesting was the values of this team. Each player has their own preference in their game play. This results to each player getting different attachments for their weapons to adapt to their way of playing. For Example, the leader has a longer barrel which suppresses the paintball and makes lesser sound when firing. This making him undetectable gives him an advantage. There are players which have a bigger ammunition storage. This benefiting them when coming to long matches. Each player has their personality, and in my opinion their weapons symbolizes that.
Another value I noticed that was admired that is very unusual was scars and bruises. Each teammate had there own story for each scar or bruise. They refer to them as signatures. When getting hit by the opponent, you have been “signed” by them. Meaning eliminated. Each bruise they can remember who it was from and what was at stake at the time. After each match players are looked at by leader and co leaders for their records. The least bruises, the better chance of becoming captain.
Every practice, skirmish, or actual match, built up adrenaline. This was also valued. The rush that is built up, almost makes them numb to the pain. Sometimes resulting in players going on “rampages” which basically mean go all out. By getting shot multiple times but still proceeding to be careless and out in the open. This results to more bruises, and lesser chance in ranking up.
From this team’s structure and communication; their friendship and partnership becomes stronger. Their team oriented activities are very interesting to watch just because how well in tact the team is. Through experiences of winning and losing this team gained loyalty and trust within the team. The two motives that I seen and found interesting in this team, and made me choose them to write about. Seeing how they interact, and how much is accomplished by using what they have built, motivates me in creating something similar in a different field.
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