Mike Daisey vs. Apple

Mike Daisey had a podcast on “This American Life” as well as a play that told a story about his trip to China. He posed as a businessman so that he could get inside the company when what he really wanted to do was get information on the companies working conditions. This play is a critique of the 

            Apple company and what they put their employees through. Come to find out most of the story was not true but rather a bunch of made up stories to make the company seem horrible. Very little of what Daisey said is actually true. This leads to the podcast “The Retraction” which tells of all the lies Daisey put in his story. I’m glad they retracted the original podcast and took the time to explain what happened. It is important for everyone to know the truth.

This story is very public and in fact was the podcast on This American Life that that attracted the most listeners. The listener’s were not aware that what they were listening to was not true. Upon listening to the podcast you’re head is filled with horrible visions of guards with guns at the doors, under aged workers, people being overworked and a man who got his hand mangled by one of these machines and not get any medical attention. It makes think very poorly of China and this company. This then affects the company’s image and could potentially affect their business, over lies. This is not fair at all.

I understand that Daisey is not a journalist but he made everyone think that his story was true which makes it not right. If Daisey were to label his work as fiction there wouldn’t be anything wrong with it. The parts he made up were to give his work drama and make it more interesting. It was to attract the readers’ attention which is what you do in writing. For example, Daisey said that he spoke with a man who got his hand mangled by a machine that made Ipads yet the man had never used an Ipad or seen one turned on ever in his life. Daisey makes the point that he’s never even used and Ipad yet this device made him lose his hand. It brings emotion to the story and overall just makes it better, but when the reader thinks this is true it makes them dislike the Apple company as I said before it is not fair to them.

I think that the story would have been fine if Daisey would have labeled his work. Instead, he chose to lie about the trip, and continues to lie even after the truth has come out. It's almost like someone starting a rumor about you causing you to lose all of your friends. It’s just not okay in any way to basically ruin this company’s or China’s reputation over a story that isn’t true. 

My Thoughts on "South Park and the Open Society"

                David Valleau Curtis and Gerald J. Erion wrote an article about the very popular television show “South Park”. The article basically talks about what goes on in this tv show such as vulgar language, and racial and religious comments and if this is “unfettered intellectual inquiry” or “potty humor”. They talk about the different opinions people may have about the show as well as thoughts on Open and Closed Society. They focus more on why the show is good rather than bad and why open society can be better than a closed society. Throughout the article they make some good points which helped lead to my opinion on this matter.

                I have watched South Park a few times and I enjoyed it each time. The vulgarity of the show is what makes it funny. Although they do diss a lot of different types of people, it is meant to be make you laugh. It’s not in any way serious nor is it intended to hurt anybody’s feelings and I think everyone that watches it knows that. It’s not hard to see that the show is sarcastic, and its sole purpose is to be nothing more than humorous.

                This television show’s target audience is teenagers and young adults. People in this age group usually see and hear things similar to what is said on the show pretty frequently. Some of the conversations between the characters sound like the conversations that a lot of the audience may have themselves.

                This article talks about open society versus closed society. South Park is okay in an open society but would definitely be banned in a closed society. An open society is one that gives you freedom where as a closed society is a totalitarian style society. The purpose of a closed society is basically security, to protect its’ citizens from being corrupted. I, along with many others, wouldn’t like to live in a closed society because it doesn’t let you be an individual nor does it give you many rights.

                Maybe it’s because I’m an American and I was brought up in an open society, but I believe that an open society is a good thing, as well as freedom of speech in television shows like South Park. People need to lighten up a little and find the humor in things rather than make a big deal out of something that is clearly meant to be funny.

The Great Debate

                Today I listened to an argument between an English teacher and one of his students over a research paper that he had assigned. The argument lasted almost twenty minutes and was quite interesting actually now that I think of it. At the time I don’t think I was awake enough to care or give my opinion, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to do so now as my assignment.

                The teacher had assigned a research paper and said we could choose our own topics. This particular student wanted to write about how the Albanian and American cultures clash when it comes to being in a relationship with one another. She is currently in a relationship with an Albanian man which is what sparked her interest in writing about this topic. As one of her sources she wanted to interview an Albanian but the teacher didn’t find this a credible source and told her that. This student disagreed with his opinion and decided to talk to him about it after class.

                I believe that both the teacher and the student had valid points in this debate. The student argued that the Albanian knows his culture and the morals and values of Albanians. She argued that they are all alike because there country was communist for over fifty years so they didn’t have much of a choice. They weren’t allowed to be different, they all shared the same values and morals or they were shunned. The teacher argued that one Albanian can’t speak for the whole country and that what he said would be just an opinion. He said that just because he’s Albanian doesn’t mean he’s an expert on Albanian culture. He made the statement, “Just because you are in this English class doesn’t make you an English professional” to try to put things into perspective. He also made a point that just because this one Albanian says something, doesn’t make it true about the whole culture. The student stood her ground and wasn’t changing her mind and neither was the teacher. The result of the argument was that the student could use the interview with the Albanian as a soft source as long as she could find a hard source to back up what he had said.

                I see where both parties in this argument were coming from. I myself have dated an Albanian for almost three years and I understand exactly what she is saying. Most Albanian’s seem to have the same morals and values when it comes to a relationship because that’s just how they were brought up and think that there way is the correct way to do things but it’s not fair to say all Albanians are the same, and it is most definitely not a fact so that is where I agree with the teacher. I believe that the outcome of the argument turned out the way it should have. The student can still interview the Albanian without being stereotypical.

LEGALIZE.

                Bud, pot, weed, maryjane, dope. There are so many words you can use to refer to good old marijuana. For those of you who aren’t fortunate enough to know what marijuana is, it is “a preparation made from the dried flower clusters and leaves of the cannabis plant, usually smoked or eaten to induce euphoria”. There are many ways to smoke weed all based on whatever your preference is. You can smoke it from bowls, bongs, bubblers, rolled in the form of a joint or a blunt and more.  Marijuana is indeed considered a drug, but “Don’t panic, it’s organic!”.

                Smoking marijuana is something many people do, and personally I don’t see what is wrong with it or understand why it is illegal in most states. I don’t find it dangerous whatsoever. You roll up, get high, eat more food then you usually would, laugh at the tv show you’re watching when it’s probably not even funny, and finally lose your high or fall asleep. I’ve never heard of an incident where smoking weed made someone violent like alcohol tends to do, yet alcohol is legal. That doesn’t seem to make sense to me, I just can’t seem to wrap my head around the concept.

                Tobacco kills 440,000 people in the United States each year, 370,000 people die from a poor diet, 85,000 from alcohol, and 32,000 from prescription drugs that were not abused. Tobacco, poor diet, alcohol and prescription drugs are all legal yet they account for almost one million deaths each year. Marijuana is not among these statistics because it is not known to cause death. When looking at it in this perspective, I feel as if whoever is responsible for making marijuana illegal must have now known anything about it.

                We’re occupying too much space in jails and prisons for crimes relating with possession and distributing a substance that is nearly harmless. We’re wasting tax payer’s money for what I feel isn’t a good reason at all. The government could in turn be making money off of this plant by making it legal and selling it.  

As you can see, I don’t agree with the marijuana law as a lot of people don’t. I believe that too much time and money is wasted over a plant that is on this earth naturally.  Instead of worrying so much about this, the United States should legalize it and worry about crimes that actually matter.

Although I disagree with the law I know there are people who disagree with me. On the flip side, marijuana does cause controversy and crime between rival drug dealers, but I believe this could all be avoided by legalizing the magical plant.

Personal Essay

It’s a Wednesday night during Winter break. A few of my girlfriends and I decide to go

out to the club since we haven’t really been able to since school started.  I’m having a grand old

time on the dance floor when suddenly I feel as if I’ve been kicked in the chest by a horse. My

 whole body jerks. I don’t even know what just happened. I’m scared. I’ve never felt anything

like this before. Less than a minute later it happens again, and then two more times. I realize I

have been shocked by my defibrillator so I head straight for the hospital where I stay for the

next two days just to be told I’ve been shocked when I shouldn’t have been. I wonder if I should

have even agreed to getting this device. Is it even worth it?

After a long day at school I walk into the house to see my mother’s eyes filled with tears.

She realizes I’m home and looks at me with tears rolling down her cheeks and says “Your

cardiologist called with the results, you tested positive for Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular

Dysplasia, a heart condition that cannot be cured”.  After going through tons of EKG’S, MRI’s,

cardiac ultrasounds, and wearing multiple heart monitors, I finally got an answer from a blood

sample. This disease, along with the ICD I will need, will change my life in many ways.

            Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia  is a genetic, progressive heart condition that

causes abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias which can increase the risk of sudden

cardiac arrest and sudden death. Patients with this disease have a right ventrical that is

replaced with fat and/or fiborous. This ventrical is dilated and contracts poorly which weakens

the hearts ability to pump blood the way it should. Some symptoms include palpitations,

dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, and heart failure. Heart failure includes shortness of breath

and the inability to do normal activities without feeling fatigue. Patients with ARVD are usually

treated with medications that help prevent arrhythmias and sudden death. If these medications

don’t seem to work, there’s a procedure known as an ablation in which the abnormal spots that

are causing the arrhythmias are burned off. This is not always successful, and is usually only a

temporary cure as the spots can come back. Patients that are thought to be at risk for sudden

death usually get treated with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. This is a small battery

operated device implanted in the chest that will send electrical pulses or shocks to help control

life threatening arrhythmias.

            Although I’m told by my cardiologist that they’ve done everything they could, and that

it’s time to think about an ICD, I’m not sure if I want to go through with it. Sure, it’s to protect

me and save my life if ever necessary but what if it never comes to that? Do I really want to go

through another surgery? Do I really want a scar on my chest for the rest of my life? What

about all the complications that come along with an ICD? Is it worth it?

 I guess it is worth it, I’ll just have to deal with the inconveniences, restrictions, and

hospital visits it brings because if some day I go into cardiac arrest, I’ll still have my life. I’m

going to tell my mother and my  cardiologist that I’ve decided to go through with it and get the

device. We have set up an appointment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Lebanon to undergo the

procedure on November 16, 2011.

            Time goes by and November 16^th rolls around. I get packed up for a two night stay and

get in the car with my family to drive two hours away to the hospital. I’m about to feel the

 worst pain I’ve ever had to feel in my life and I’m nervous. Not only is it going to be painful,

but there are so many restrictions after surgery. For six weeks I won’t be able to lift my right

arm above my head, or carry anything heavier than a gallon of milk for risk that the wire

running from the device to my heart might come unattached. I won’t be able to drive, I won’t

be able to work, and I won’t even be able to carry my own backpack to class. This will be a very

challenging six weeks for me, but at least everything will be back to normal after that.

           

The surgery is done and I’m in more pain than I have ever been in, and the scar is bigger

 than I was told it would be. It’s not attractive whatsoever and it’s going to be an annoyance to

explain what the scar is every time someone asks.  There’s a bulge where the device is but I’m

hoping it’s mostly swelling and will go  away with time. The doctor’s gave me some papers

about ICD’s to read and there’s a lot more in here than what I was told about. “When you have

an ICD, it is important to avoid electrical devices that can stop your ICD from working right.

Check with your doctor about what you need to stay away from, what you need to use with

care and what is okay to use. You will need to stay away from things with strong electrical fields

such as MRI machines, welding equipment, and power generators. You can use a cell phone,

but keep it at least 6 inches away from your device. You can use most household appliances

 safely.” Really? I have to keep my phone away 6 inches from my chest at all times? Can I even

go tanning anymore? What about microwaves and metal detectors?

 My cardiologist has some answers for me. He’s not sure If I’ll be able to tan anymore

but he doesn’t suggest it anyways because the scar won’t tan the same color. He wants me

to leave the room if someone is using a microwave and if I want to use one myself he advises to
have someone else do it for me. He also tells me the worst news I’ve heard all day: The battery

life of an ICD is about 7 years. This means I’ll be going through all of this again! I’ll probably  go

through this surgery 6-8 more times in my life.

            It hasn’t even been a whole three months since the surgery and I’ve been in the

 emergency room several times because of the device. I’ve been getting unbearable sharp pains

where the device was implanted and I’ve even been shocked when I shouldn’t have been, five

times in a row. So far, the ICD has done more wrong than it has done right but I’m hoping all of

the complications and restrictions will be worth it if it ever comes time for the defibrillator to

do its job and save my precious life.

Material isn't Everything.

            I was spoiled as a child. Although my family was far from wealthy my dad seemed to get my sisters and I everything we wanted. We were all about materialistic things and didn’t know what it was like to not be able to have the things we wanted. We always had the latest and greatest toys. The big doll houses and the life size Barbies. We were living the dream and took it for granted. We weren’t very appreciative, nor did we take into consideration what he went through to get us those toys.

            I believe that money and materialistic things blind people making them unable to see what is really important in life. When you’re fortunate enough to get the things you want when you want it, you’re apt to take the little things for granted and worry more about what you want to buy next. That’s not how life is should be lived. Money and material should not be the center of somebody’s life, nor should it be what makes a person happy.

            Growing up I took my Dad for granted. I loved all the things he bought me, but never realized what he had to go through to buy those things. What I didn’t understand was everything he bought costs money which was something my parents didn’t have much of. While my mother was always complaining about money, he would pick up extra shifts at work and find a second job during the holiday season just to be able to make our wishes come true. He made sure Santa brought us everything that was on our Christmas list, but that’s what we expected.  As bad as it may seem, if I asked my mom for something and she said no, I would go straight to my Dad knowing he would get it for me. I understand now that he did all this just to see his little girls smile. He thought if he said no, we would be upset which was the last thing he wanted. I wish I could have understood that then and thanked him for everything he did.

I was blinded by materialistic things and it made me take my Dad for granted.  I regret it immensely till this day. I wish I was able to see what was important which would have been spending quality time with him rather than worry about the next toy he was going to buy me.