When I started thinking about a topic for my blog, I wanted it to be something happy or exciting, but instead I chose to write about something that's been on my mind for awhile. After all, that's what a blog should be. Sadly it isn't happy or exciting.
This summer I decided to purchase a Cedar Point / Geauga Lake season pass. I am now apprehensive for the safety of myself and others.
As you have probably heard about in the news, last week a terrible incident happened at Six Flags in Kentucky. Apparently a 13 year old girl was riding the Tower of Power ride when a cable snapped and somehow severed her feet above the ankles. Both feet, completely gone. Just a day before this happened, I myself had been at Geauga Lake, enjoying the summer weather in a leisurely way.
For all the things I worry about, I can say that I hadn't even thought about something that serious going wrong on a ride. Waiting in line for roller coasters, I look at the cars and cables and hope that whoever does the inspections knows what they are doing. Then I tell myself that I am crazy and I try not to worry about it.
When I heard the news about this girl, I was shocked, and upset. Accidents happen, but in my opinion, Six Flags has robbed someone of their future. How could they allow even an accident that serious to happen? What does she do now, what does the future hold for her?
What if she was a soccer star and planning on getting a scholarship for college?
Will she be able to get her drivers license when she turns 16 like the rest of her friends?
What if her family had plans for a nice vacation this summer?
Who's going to care for her until she heals?
How much stress and agony has this caused for the family?
How could you ever be compensated for a loss like this?
What would it be like, to climb onto a ride, and just minutes later when you arrive back on the ground your life as you know it is suddenly completely different.
I hope that all of the necessary precautions are being taken at Six Flags, Cedar Fair amusement parks, and all other amusement parks around the globe so that no one else will ever have to experience what this family has suffered.
- OLWEN CONANT
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Maybe its not you, maybe its the Test.
For the past few weeks I have been researching what I think will become a very important psychological study. Before I present my ideas I just want to say that I have not yet proved anything, and I still have much, much more research to come. Everyone has heard of good test takers, bad test takers, the genetically smart, and those who must really work hard to get a grasp on the material they learn.
This research does not apply to those who do not study or strive for academic excellence, this applies only to those who seriously attempt their work. I would like to look mainly in the area of testing, and this excludes testing in mathematics. Only because numbers are not subject to change in fonts and formats.
It is my firm belief that some people have a problem processing different fonts and formats on tests. Since their brains do not properly process these fonts and formats they do poorly on tests. Not because they do not prepare for tests, but because their brains do not process the information properly. When you think about it this is rather logical, the text book you study from has a certain format and font. Then, if you take notes thats a completely different format and font altogether. By the time you finally take the test your brain has had to process all of these different fonts and formats. Oh, and I forgot to mention the test is also in a completely different font and format, than you have studied and taken notes in. I don't believe your brain has enough time to process all of this. And thusly causes poor performance on some tests.
Hopefully in the future I will have the chance to conduct some tests to help strengthen my argument even more. But my main goal is to find what I call a "universal format" for testing. This will be simple for the brain to process and will hopefully boost test scores, and help students perform better on tests. For as long as I can remember the standard font and format has been Times New Roman. I think that it is just not working for everyone, maybe the answer can be found in Arial, or some other font or format.
I realize there also can be other factors such as anxiety, or other things, but I think this is a very valid point. I think that it will be beneficial to many people. It will cause some people to finally prove that maybe it really wasn't them, maybe it was the test!!
Robert Tufts
This research does not apply to those who do not study or strive for academic excellence, this applies only to those who seriously attempt their work. I would like to look mainly in the area of testing, and this excludes testing in mathematics. Only because numbers are not subject to change in fonts and formats.
It is my firm belief that some people have a problem processing different fonts and formats on tests. Since their brains do not properly process these fonts and formats they do poorly on tests. Not because they do not prepare for tests, but because their brains do not process the information properly. When you think about it this is rather logical, the text book you study from has a certain format and font. Then, if you take notes thats a completely different format and font altogether. By the time you finally take the test your brain has had to process all of these different fonts and formats. Oh, and I forgot to mention the test is also in a completely different font and format, than you have studied and taken notes in. I don't believe your brain has enough time to process all of this. And thusly causes poor performance on some tests.
Hopefully in the future I will have the chance to conduct some tests to help strengthen my argument even more. But my main goal is to find what I call a "universal format" for testing. This will be simple for the brain to process and will hopefully boost test scores, and help students perform better on tests. For as long as I can remember the standard font and format has been Times New Roman. I think that it is just not working for everyone, maybe the answer can be found in Arial, or some other font or format.
I realize there also can be other factors such as anxiety, or other things, but I think this is a very valid point. I think that it will be beneficial to many people. It will cause some people to finally prove that maybe it really wasn't them, maybe it was the test!!
Robert Tufts
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Honors Courses
I was racking my brain for the longest trying to figure out what I would write for my first post. Everything from the Cleveland Cavs, to Cleveland State. Then this morning the perfect idea came to me. Why not write about the Honors Program? After all this is the Honors Blog. In particular I want to speak about my experiences here.
I believe we are all grateful for the many things the honors program does for each of us. From having an enlightening conversation with Dr. Margolius, to entering the office and speaking with Mrs. Gribble and Erica. Then you have to mention the best advising staff at CSU, with Ronnette Johnson, Frank Feola, Lauren Davis, and Dr. Ball. These are just a few of the things and people you may overlook when thinking about the honors program. But they are all great contributors to our success.
Aside from all of this I specifically want to talk about my experiences in Honors Courses. Each honors course that I have taken has made me a better student, and broadened my knowledge of whatever area I was studying. I went into each honors course with a desire to learn. Although I thought a few courses were difficult at first, they finished out being some of my favorite courses and professors.
The first class that I have to mention was my summer scholars class, and Calculus with professor Alex Bezjak. I had lost all enthusiasm for math in general, until I met professor Bezjak. His math classes motivated me, and filled in the material I didn't understand from previous courses. He always said " you are all capable of doing this" . By the end of both of his courses I truly believed that and was way more confident in my knowledge of mathematics. But not confident enough to go beyond Calculus 2.
My other Favorite class was with Dr. Robichaud. This class was philosophy 213H. I went into this class terrified. But after the first few weeks, this class proved to be my favorite last semester. I learned not only philosophical ideas, but how to apply them to the way we treat the environment. Also the danger the environment is in if we do not protect it. I have a new found respect for preservation of the environment. One could say I am a semi-environmentalist. Remember, recycle,and reuse.
So I am grateful for everything in the Honors program. Most of all I am grateful for the knowledge that has been passed to me. It has helped me to grow as an individual, and a member of society as a whole. I thought perhaps other students would like to share some of their favorite honors classes. Let the professors know what a good job they did, or share something positive about the honors office, or staff. Whats your favorite course or memories? Have a good Day!!
Robert Tufts
I believe we are all grateful for the many things the honors program does for each of us. From having an enlightening conversation with Dr. Margolius, to entering the office and speaking with Mrs. Gribble and Erica. Then you have to mention the best advising staff at CSU, with Ronnette Johnson, Frank Feola, Lauren Davis, and Dr. Ball. These are just a few of the things and people you may overlook when thinking about the honors program. But they are all great contributors to our success.
Aside from all of this I specifically want to talk about my experiences in Honors Courses. Each honors course that I have taken has made me a better student, and broadened my knowledge of whatever area I was studying. I went into each honors course with a desire to learn. Although I thought a few courses were difficult at first, they finished out being some of my favorite courses and professors.
The first class that I have to mention was my summer scholars class, and Calculus with professor Alex Bezjak. I had lost all enthusiasm for math in general, until I met professor Bezjak. His math classes motivated me, and filled in the material I didn't understand from previous courses. He always said " you are all capable of doing this" . By the end of both of his courses I truly believed that and was way more confident in my knowledge of mathematics. But not confident enough to go beyond Calculus 2.
My other Favorite class was with Dr. Robichaud. This class was philosophy 213H. I went into this class terrified. But after the first few weeks, this class proved to be my favorite last semester. I learned not only philosophical ideas, but how to apply them to the way we treat the environment. Also the danger the environment is in if we do not protect it. I have a new found respect for preservation of the environment. One could say I am a semi-environmentalist. Remember, recycle,and reuse.
So I am grateful for everything in the Honors program. Most of all I am grateful for the knowledge that has been passed to me. It has helped me to grow as an individual, and a member of society as a whole. I thought perhaps other students would like to share some of their favorite honors classes. Let the professors know what a good job they did, or share something positive about the honors office, or staff. Whats your favorite course or memories? Have a good Day!!
Robert Tufts
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Socialization
Today as I rummaged through my old notes, I found scribblings about categorization of people in a society into groups based on their socio-economic status. I think they are quiet interesting so I will share some of it with you. People that belong to either Poverty, Middle Class or Wealthy have different sets of norms assigned to them in terms of Decision Making, Possession, World, Conflict Solution, Food is valued for their _______, and Other rules.
1- Decision Making:
* The Poor: To satisfy social needs and suvival needs, like getting food/shelter, money to afford their children's school payments, and entertainment
* The Middle Class: To achieve promotion at work, better education, better job, improve their house
* The Wealthy: To exploit political connection, to improve social status, decide what restaurant to go to.
2- Possession:
* The Poor: Family and Relationship, a used car, small house/estate, low wage job...
* The Middle Class: Bigger House with good Unitility, Decent Car, Comfort (more materialistic)...
* The Wealthy: Something unique, one of a kind, Limo and well-decorated house
3- World:
* The Poor: neighborhood (hardly get out)
* The Middle Class: Nationally
* The Wealthy: Internationally
4- Conflict Resolution:
* The Poor: Talk to each other in "casual registry" for lacking of education, fight
* The Middle Class: Verbally, more formal than not
* The Wealthy: Sue people (!)
5- Food is valued for its ________:
* The Poor: Quantity
* The Middle Class: Quality (nutrious)
* The Wealthy: Presentation (how it looks)
6- Other rules:
* The Poor: fight hard for their possession
* The Middle Class: Education is most valued, Discipline- learning manner, changing behavious, well-to-do
* The Wealthy: When to make connectin with other wealthy people...
This is very interesting as I realized a lot of unwritten concepts in a society. I can say that these set of norms are relatively constant across different societies. It's been enlightening to me to re-learn them. Hope it brings you some thoughts also.
See you next time!
~Huong Nguyen
1- Decision Making:
* The Poor: To satisfy social needs and suvival needs, like getting food/shelter, money to afford their children's school payments, and entertainment
* The Middle Class: To achieve promotion at work, better education, better job, improve their house
* The Wealthy: To exploit political connection, to improve social status, decide what restaurant to go to.
2- Possession:
* The Poor: Family and Relationship, a used car, small house/estate, low wage job...
* The Middle Class: Bigger House with good Unitility, Decent Car, Comfort (more materialistic)...
* The Wealthy: Something unique, one of a kind, Limo and well-decorated house
3- World:
* The Poor: neighborhood (hardly get out)
* The Middle Class: Nationally
* The Wealthy: Internationally
4- Conflict Resolution:
* The Poor: Talk to each other in "casual registry" for lacking of education, fight
* The Middle Class: Verbally, more formal than not
* The Wealthy: Sue people (!)
5- Food is valued for its ________:
* The Poor: Quantity
* The Middle Class: Quality (nutrious)
* The Wealthy: Presentation (how it looks)
6- Other rules:
* The Poor: fight hard for their possession
* The Middle Class: Education is most valued, Discipline- learning manner, changing behavious, well-to-do
* The Wealthy: When to make connectin with other wealthy people...
This is very interesting as I realized a lot of unwritten concepts in a society. I can say that these set of norms are relatively constant across different societies. It's been enlightening to me to re-learn them. Hope it brings you some thoughts also.
See you next time!
~Huong Nguyen
Friday, June 8, 2007
"What are you doing on the Fourth of July?"
“What are you doing on the Fourth of July?”
“Ha, I’ll be in Spain.”
“Oh yea, I hate you.”
I have to start with saying I am one of those lucky students who have studied or will be studying abroad. I have taken the joy of cultural learning, please refer to my previous thread, to another level by managing to participate in the CSU in Spain Faculty-led program over the course of one month. Adventures have freshly commenced and I look forward to this beautiful challenge wholeheartedly because I know deep down challenge can turn into golden opportunity as long as I am ready for it.
At the orientation for the trip, I learned some crucial knowledge about lifestyle of the Spaniards and can relate to that culture more closely than to American culture. The Spaniards don’t prefer seeing bare feet and you will probably get a frown if you walk about the house without footwear or at least a slipper. And if you have on flip-flop and happen to place a foot on the other knee, you bet the Spaniards around you will be upset of how disgusting it looks to them. At this point I can’t help laughing aloud as I reconcile vividly from a random conversation with a kid in the dining hall after his leisure trip to England. “What’s with not brushing your teeth and wearing braces man? Those English have smelly breath I can’t stand them.” This subsequently leads me to think about different sets of norms and expectations each culture has used to distinguish themselves from another. It is therefore so important for a traveler to be conscious of those distinctions so as to become culture savvy. After my trip, I can ensure to share with you more on my own experience and stories on cultural encounter that there is.
Besides the Spain program, our International Services Office also offers other trips to England, China, Mexico, Germany, and India this summer. I heard some Honors students are also going to Israel and France which are organized independently from the International Services Office and by department in stead. So good luck to those who will fly out of state this summer and I hope to hear stories.
And what about you, what are you doing on the Fourth of July?
~Huong Nguyen
I should dedicate this post to Heidi Vielhaber, my fellow Honors student and dorm mate. Thanks to her random, yet great question, which I quote as the title name for the thread, I was inspired to write this post while watching the Cavs game with her and Heather Nguyen last night. By the way, they lost by a sheer 9 points, but both teams made a fantastic game.
“Ha, I’ll be in Spain.”
“Oh yea, I hate you.”
I have to start with saying I am one of those lucky students who have studied or will be studying abroad. I have taken the joy of cultural learning, please refer to my previous thread, to another level by managing to participate in the CSU in Spain Faculty-led program over the course of one month. Adventures have freshly commenced and I look forward to this beautiful challenge wholeheartedly because I know deep down challenge can turn into golden opportunity as long as I am ready for it.
At the orientation for the trip, I learned some crucial knowledge about lifestyle of the Spaniards and can relate to that culture more closely than to American culture. The Spaniards don’t prefer seeing bare feet and you will probably get a frown if you walk about the house without footwear or at least a slipper. And if you have on flip-flop and happen to place a foot on the other knee, you bet the Spaniards around you will be upset of how disgusting it looks to them. At this point I can’t help laughing aloud as I reconcile vividly from a random conversation with a kid in the dining hall after his leisure trip to England. “What’s with not brushing your teeth and wearing braces man? Those English have smelly breath I can’t stand them.” This subsequently leads me to think about different sets of norms and expectations each culture has used to distinguish themselves from another. It is therefore so important for a traveler to be conscious of those distinctions so as to become culture savvy. After my trip, I can ensure to share with you more on my own experience and stories on cultural encounter that there is.
Besides the Spain program, our International Services Office also offers other trips to England, China, Mexico, Germany, and India this summer. I heard some Honors students are also going to Israel and France which are organized independently from the International Services Office and by department in stead. So good luck to those who will fly out of state this summer and I hope to hear stories.
And what about you, what are you doing on the Fourth of July?
~Huong Nguyen
I should dedicate this post to Heidi Vielhaber, my fellow Honors student and dorm mate. Thanks to her random, yet great question, which I quote as the title name for the thread, I was inspired to write this post while watching the Cavs game with her and Heather Nguyen last night. By the way, they lost by a sheer 9 points, but both teams made a fantastic game.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
I Survive Culture Shock
One day I decided to step out of my comfort zone and into a new world, bigger and very distinctive than where I come from. Three years ago, I made a trip that infinitely changes the course of my life. After extensive search from a variety of educational programs for the one that best fits my objective, I was mesmerized by the benefit and learning experience that I would receive from the high school cultural exchange program. Although the idea of letting me stay for a year in America independently did not entertain my parents at first, they understood that the strife for cultural perceptiveness and adventures were merely what I needed at that age.
Despite a little fear and mild anxiety, I flew out of The Noi Bai International Airport of Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, knowing things would not be the same anymore: the people, the food, pastime pleasures, the streets, the perpetual spirit for soccer and the family. Change of culture allows me to become open-minded to what I see and hear and to be well-adapted to the conditions that I am put into. The Picker family took me in, shared the love that I can always relate to my Vietnamese family and taught me to be a part of an American community. I went to a baseball game watching Indians fans yell passionately for the team, visited the Botanical Garden meticulously and eagerly looking up to the butterflies fluttering about, or participated in a fun barbeque cook-off by our family. The municipal Home Day marching has also been positive community experience.
For the first time, I learned that American lifestyle in actuality was more complex that the fast-paced lifestyle that is famously portrayed in many theatrical productions. My imagination of America totally lost its grip. I realize what makes up this society are the real people who also want the same thing as we do in life that is happiness; people who also have problems, issues and conflicts; people who do their best in tasks they are assigned with; people who keep slacking…
In Vietnam, we had multifarious perceptions about America, mostly pop culture stereotypes, the rich, the famous, the movie stars and the democracy. Vietnamese youth at times find themselves knowing the biography of Britney Spears and Brad Pitt so well. From my confession, you have to be truly living in a city to not only sense all the dynamic interactions and its vibrancy but also see the problems that lie underneath the surface. However, many young minds in Vietnam are also inspired by Bill Gates’ example of following your true passion and making things happen. A lot of students possess sleepless zeal to study abroad and deepen their perspectives about the global changes that are taking place. America is one of the hot destinations.
They say America is a melting pot because there are subcultures and cultural enclaves in co-existence. While ethnical diversity is a blessing, it is also treated as a nuisance. One of the most compelling benefits for the cultural exchange program that I partook in was to be able to learn about a few new cultures even though I only physically stay in Cleveland, like the Latinos, the Chinese, the Slovenian and so many more. What characterizes America in my mind is the diversity of distinctive neighborhoods.
I will eventually go back to Vietnam with the cultural lessons I have accumulated here. The American part of my life will always remind me of interesting interactions with a culture that alleged to be one of the most diverse and pluralistic and bring it along with me on my continuous cultural adventures to compare, to contrast and to seek utmost pleasure of learning more than one manner of doing normal things.
Thank you for your time and you are welcome to share your own experience of cultural interaction with people of different ethnicity than yours.
~Huong Nguyen
Despite a little fear and mild anxiety, I flew out of The Noi Bai International Airport of Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, knowing things would not be the same anymore: the people, the food, pastime pleasures, the streets, the perpetual spirit for soccer and the family. Change of culture allows me to become open-minded to what I see and hear and to be well-adapted to the conditions that I am put into. The Picker family took me in, shared the love that I can always relate to my Vietnamese family and taught me to be a part of an American community. I went to a baseball game watching Indians fans yell passionately for the team, visited the Botanical Garden meticulously and eagerly looking up to the butterflies fluttering about, or participated in a fun barbeque cook-off by our family. The municipal Home Day marching has also been positive community experience.
For the first time, I learned that American lifestyle in actuality was more complex that the fast-paced lifestyle that is famously portrayed in many theatrical productions. My imagination of America totally lost its grip. I realize what makes up this society are the real people who also want the same thing as we do in life that is happiness; people who also have problems, issues and conflicts; people who do their best in tasks they are assigned with; people who keep slacking…
In Vietnam, we had multifarious perceptions about America, mostly pop culture stereotypes, the rich, the famous, the movie stars and the democracy. Vietnamese youth at times find themselves knowing the biography of Britney Spears and Brad Pitt so well. From my confession, you have to be truly living in a city to not only sense all the dynamic interactions and its vibrancy but also see the problems that lie underneath the surface. However, many young minds in Vietnam are also inspired by Bill Gates’ example of following your true passion and making things happen. A lot of students possess sleepless zeal to study abroad and deepen their perspectives about the global changes that are taking place. America is one of the hot destinations.
They say America is a melting pot because there are subcultures and cultural enclaves in co-existence. While ethnical diversity is a blessing, it is also treated as a nuisance. One of the most compelling benefits for the cultural exchange program that I partook in was to be able to learn about a few new cultures even though I only physically stay in Cleveland, like the Latinos, the Chinese, the Slovenian and so many more. What characterizes America in my mind is the diversity of distinctive neighborhoods.
I will eventually go back to Vietnam with the cultural lessons I have accumulated here. The American part of my life will always remind me of interesting interactions with a culture that alleged to be one of the most diverse and pluralistic and bring it along with me on my continuous cultural adventures to compare, to contrast and to seek utmost pleasure of learning more than one manner of doing normal things.
Thank you for your time and you are welcome to share your own experience of cultural interaction with people of different ethnicity than yours.
~Huong Nguyen
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