Deliberation - Penn State Health Care

I am pretty sure that most of us had an experience with the University Health Services (UHS) at least once. If not, from personal experience, do not go there unless you really have to. From the deliberation I went to, we were discussing the problems of the Penn State healthcare system and methods in order to reform it in a way that solves most of the students' concerns.
The first approach to this problem was community and fairness. Having healthcare can be very costly for people to pay, however, it is optional for Americans to have. In order to reduce the cost of healthcare and decrease the waiting time, every student should be insured. If there are students who cannot afford the insurance, then it is up to the other students to help pay for them. In a sense, it seemed like a small-scale system based off of the universal healthcare model used in Canada and France. The pros to this include that the extra money being paid by the students can help hire more staff and equipment, which will then decrease waiting time for the patients.
As you can guess, there was a fair amount of disagreement to this problem. While these ideas may seem ideal, it is very hard to implement. Just look at the Affordable Care Act, for example. People are willing to help other people, but not at the cost of their expense, especially money. Just because a student cannot afford to pay for his/her healthcare doesn't make it fair that I have to pay it through my tuition. Mandating healthcare was an ideal goal, however, the problem with this is that UHS only accepts certain healthcare providers. The common consensus was that the system should be the way it is right now.
The second action was personal responsibility, self-reliance and security. Even with all of the resources provided to the students, students do not have the motivation to care for themselves so it should be up to the university to take responsibility for this but how much responsibility was the question. For many students, it was their first time away from home so they might not be able to take care of themselves, thus the students should teach other students ways to prevent getting sick. Clubs such as Kink Positive exist to promote healthy living and on the plus side, students feel more comfortable talking to other students about their problems when it comes to certain things (substance abuse, drinking, sex).
This idea sounds great but it may take several years to see an impact. THON didn't become successful overnight. Students may not even notice it. At the HUB, there are many clubs which pass out free condoms to students. People may feel embarrassed to take one in public, however, it comes to a point in which most people ignore it. I for one, barely notice it and the students at the deliberation proved this notion to be true. Because we are thrown with so much information in such a short span of time, we tend to overlook some things, this "condom stand" being one of them.
The last solution was efficiency. The UHS has potential to treat all students on campus, however, the way that the system is set up, it requires students to schedule appointments 1 week in advance, however, students may need care sooner, as they may pose a health risk to others round around them. When there were walk-ins and even in some appointments, some students (not in my case) were force   to wait hours until they we finally able to see a doctor. This is because the appointments are set at 15-30 minute intervals and one late appointment sets a domino chain reaction of the other appointments happening later than its scheduled time.  
There are actually several personal problems with this. Because the UHS wants to be on schedule, the staff tends to overlook some things. There are many similar symptoms for a variety of sicknesses and the UHS tends to misdiagnose. There is also an inefficient pharmacy section. Another problem is time. UHS is opened 9-5, however, if a student needs help at any other time outside of this, they are force to go to Mt. Nittany at their own expense. A solution to this was that there be a shuttle going from University Park to Mt. Nittany to avoid this problem. Longer hours may raise tuition, however, having a shuttle bus to Mt. Nittany only raises it slightly, so we were more willing to pay for this.
The common consensus to solving these problems was that students are in the real world right now and they need to learn how to care for themselves. Some illness can be avoided with simple home remedies, however, students are very reliant on UHS, but in order to increase the efficiency, this action must be taken. Habits are ingrained but when there are results being shown, people are more inclined to change their habits for the better. All in all, UHS is probably one of the best healthcare centers around, but the cons always over shine the benefits.      
 

Clichés

Don't you just hate overused phrases? Like, they are so common and easy to say that we sometimes forget that we are unconsciously using them on a daily basis and what emphasizes and justifies this use of cliches is that literally everybody is saying them. As a result, the American conversation have become overly casual. Like, you know what I mean? These words such the life out of writing, and yet people are using them, but why? Decades and decades of repetition of certain phrases makes it obsolete and to the point where clichés don't even make sense anymore:

This stuff is "selling like hotcakes:" Why does this phrase even exist in this day and age? Let's get something clear here: pancakes are NOT hotcakes. Hotcakes are made out of cornmeal and cooked in either your preference of bear grease or pork lard.  Isn't saying "selling like hotcakes" in twenty-fourteen literally mean selling nothing? 

"Don't cry over spilled milk:" Do you know a single person who has balled his/her eyes out over spilled two percent? If you someone that has, you need to introduce him/her to the MAIN concern of life to cry about, like spilled ice cream. 

So why do clichés exist? The reason for this is that there is truth to them, and because of this, these phrases have been used and used to such an extent, that it isn't good to say or write anymore. Clichés are very catchy and communicate exactly what you want to say in a given moment

So how does one avoid using clichés? The first step is acknowledging and being aware of the problem. One way to do this is by noticing if you are overusing certain words or sayings. With time, you will start to notice it and then will subsequently change your vocabulary, if you choose to do so. The other way to notice clichés is by noticing what other people are saying. Usually, if a friend or a family member says a cliché of some sort, we choose to unconsciously ignore it and proceed on with the conversation. I am not saying to correct your friend's or family member's mistake, but next time you hear them talk, you might want to CONSCIOUSLY acknowledge the mistake, but choose to say quiet. What I am trying to say, I do not go around and correct other people's mistakes (unless the mistakes are problematic), but trite sayings are something that an individual has to notice on his/her own, and then decide on whether or not he/she wants to fix the problem. A way to replace the clichés being use. Google is a great source that can help increase one's vocabulary. By utilizing this technique, your voice will be "fresh" and attractive. This skill will help you in the long run, in that, it will give you a higher chance in landing a job and meeting a whole new variety of people. It is all of a process. Even I am currently trying to change I speak to other people and it can be tricky at time, because the vocabulary I have is a development of over 17 years of my life, but there is more to life and it is never too late to make a change, so I encourage all of you to do the same: Change your trite sayings into something different and make your voice "fresh." 

TED Talk reaction to David Gallo

Recently, I have been thoroughly viewing multiple TED talks this past week. The reason? In a matter of  less than two weeks, I will be performing one of these talks, and watching multiple TED talks helps me see the multiple ways a TED talk can be performed. The most interesting TED talk, in my opinion, is by David Gallo. David Gallo is an oceanographer, ( a geologist by training) who wants to map out our uncharted world. Here is the video to his TED talk (Check it out. It's short, I promise) ....

As a person who reads science blogs and articles on a daily basis, the description and title of the video caught my attention, with a close second to time/ video length (Just kidding. I can listen to the topic of this video all day.). 

David starts by introducing the audience to his topic of discussion: the magnificence of the great ocean blue. His presentation is accompanied by a series of short videos to keep the audience engaged in the presentation, focused on the topic discussed at hand, and mesmerized at the creatures that lie in the deep. 

The first video he starts off with involves creatures that exhibit bio-luminescence. Bio-luminescence is a fancy way of saying glow-in-the-dark.  Bio-luminescence is used to avoid becoming prey, attract potential mates, and hypnotize prey (I always think of the Finding Nemo scene where Dory and Marlin are staring at the pretty light.). From a blue pinwheel, green fireworks and yellow pulsating light flows, these designs of bio-luminescence can come in a variety from colors and shapes. According to David, we have only discovered three percent of this underwater jungle at most. Well, in actuality, underwater jungle is an understatement. 

David then shifts his talk to parts of the ocean we have discovered: the shallow waters. David goes on to display several videos in which sea creatures such as octopuses and cuttlefishes use their magnificent camouflage ability to fade into the background. He also goes on a side note on how aggressively beautiful squids can be. In the entire video he sets up multiple jokes, which brightens the audience's mood creating a better atmosphere.  

My opinion on this video, I really like it. His delivery is clear, his videos are interesting, and his jokes are funny. He has managed to keep me engaged during the duration of his talk and he had a solid exit. My only regret is that this video wasn't longer. I wanted to hear him speak more and see the compilation of videos in his arsenal, because I know that as an oceanographer, he's hiding the goods. If I can even manage my TED talk on Bollywood, I might rely more on my performance, rather than using a collage of videos. 

()(-_-)()

I <3 to talk about ()(-_-)() and emojis. These symbols formulate a language used by teens when texting. It is a unique type of rhetoric that involves using art to express on's emotions,rather than words (The concept of this idea is either mad genius, or incredibly stupid. It can go both ways really). Everyday more and more symbols are being added and it's very hard to keep up. It has come to a point where if you don't know an emoji, you would search it up on Urban Dictionary, the Wikipedia of slang. When it comes to internet slang this is the go-to place for most adults (and some clueless teens). But a question that many may ask is: Why do these emojis/ ()(-_-)() even exist in the first place? 

Well, an answer to that  may be because we are limited on how we express ourselves. As social media becomes more and more advanced, our tendency to pay attention to something decreases. Youtube was created so that the whole world can share videos with each other, but recently Vine is becoming more and more popular. Vine is basically Youtube with seven videos. Snapchats are becoming increasing popular along with Instagram. Basically, our attention span has decreased to such a standard that maybe in future generations, Vines may not exceed three seconds. Like these social media sites, texting in as few words as possible has also become a norm. Pictures are worth a thousand words so why not use them?   

It is important to note the difference between an emoji and an emoticon/()(-_-)(). A emoji is a presaved image on a smartphone (that can help save the letter count) while an emoticon is a manually typed out image (for example <3, :), ;D). In my opinion, emoticons are more creative because you can create an unlimited number of expressions while emojis have a set, limited number of images. 

The addition of an emoticon has the power to change the meaning of a sentence entirely. Here are some examples:

 I'm going to eat early tonight :-)          (Happy face)

I'm going to eat early tonight :-(           (Sad face)

I'm going to eat early tonight :-||           (Angry face)

I'm going to eat early tonight ;-)           (Wink)

I'm going to eat early tonight :-D         (LOL)

I'm going to eat early tonight :-/           (Uneasiness)

I'm going to eat early tonight :-P          (Tongue out)

As the years progress on, who knows what is in store? Emojis are used more often than emoticons, and thousands upon thousands of different variations of emojis are being added on each day. Maybe in about twenty years or so, books may start publishing in emojis (I seriously hope not).

Evolution of Bollywood

WARNING: The truth is that I always do the content of my paper first before I do the intro and the conclusion. I feel as if the intro is one of the tougher parts of the essay, so I leave it alone until when I actually need it. If the intro feels jumbled up, then I am truly sorry. I apologize for giving you guys something so crappy to read (cause I know that you guys deserve better). Because Bollywood is such a diverse topic, it is hard to narrow down on the specifics points to use in this essay. I plan to encompass all of Bollywood in this essay, because I enjoy it from the bottom of my heart.


Ever wonder how the term "Bollywood" came to be? It's a simple matter really. Just take the word "Hollywood" then take the biggest city in India, which is Bombay, then mash the words together, and violà, out comes "Bollywood", but unlike its Hollywood counterpart, Bollywood is not a real place, but rather, it is a representation of Hindi films, especially popular Hindi movies. What sets Bollywood apart from other cinema industries are that its movies are filled with heartfelt music and colorful dance sequences. Although the concept of cinema came from the West, this idea has evolved as a parallel culture in India. This culture can be traced from 1913 till present day as the culture of the world keep changing. The evolution of Bollywood cinema can be seen through what the people valued most during that particular time period, which can be seen through the dancing, music and plot of the movie itself. 

The Art of Understanding a Deduction

For the past couple of weeks (more like one day about two weeks ago...), our class has been discussing a term called "stasis" or the stalemate of a problem that has equal arguments, thus, both sides are neither right nor wrong. Examples of this can include the everlasting argument of abortion or gun control, but as fun as stalemates are, what really gets me hyped up are solutions to problems, especially if the solutions are correct and creatively approached. Nothing gets me more excited than correct deductions.

In a way, deductions are persuasive arguments backed up by evidence and logical reasoning. With many logical statements comes a logical conclusion, or in other words the solution to the problem/case. The first people who probably come to your mind when hearing the word "deduction" is most likely detectives and then the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. This character was popular because of his very high logical reasoning, which in itself transcends past human understanding, and his use of forensic science to back up his deduction. Surprisingly, if it wasn't for Doyle, blood and toxicology (poison) analysis may have never existed.

There are three laws used whenever making deductions is involved: The Law of Detachment, The Law of Syllogism and The Law of Contrapositive. Of course, all of these techniques are not displayed at the same time, but these go through the minds of detectives and those who try to understand a event and find a meaningful conclusion. 

The Law of Detachment: Also known as "affirming the antecedent" that basically states that if a statement that is conditional is made with a stated hypothesis, than the conclusion is deduced from the conditional statement and the hypothesis. Here is an example:
1)If an angle satisfies the condition 180° < R < 360°, then R is a reflex angle. 
2)R = 270°
3)R is an reflex angle.
Because the measurement of angle R is greater than 180° but is also less than 360°, we can conclude that R is an reflex angle.

The Law of Syllogism: For this there are two conditional statements and by combining with the hypothesis, a conclusion is made by combining this with the conclusion of another statement.

1)If Michael is sick, then he will be absent.

2)If Michael is absent, then he will miss his classwork.

3)Therefore, if Michael is sick, then he will miss his classwork.

The Law of Contrapositive: Basically, this states that if the conditional statement is false, then so is the hypothesis.

1)If it is snowing, then there are clouds in the sky.

2)There are no clouds in the sky.

3)Thus, it is not snowing. 

Before announcing the deduction, it is important to make sure that the argument makes sense. One can be completely wrong with the final product, but if there is a logical reasoning for backing it up, then you can never be truly wrong.

Sources:

"Deduction." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. <http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/deductionterm.htm>.

"Deductive Reasoning." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Oct. 2014. Web. 16 Oct. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deductive_reasoning>.

"Kairos." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. <http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/kairosterm.htm>.

"Sherlock Holmes." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes#Habits_and_personality>.

"Stasis." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stasis>.

Paradigm Shift

The way I think of the words "paradigm shift" is not necessarily a change but more of an evolution of a concept. These are some of the ideas that I am currently interested in:

1) Evolution of Indian Cinema
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved Bollywood films. The dresses, the songs, the emotions, the choreography, everything about Bollywood flicks can make a person become addicted to it (it's usually the music though); however, it can be excessively mushy and long, depending on the movie. In honor of 100 years of Indian Entertainment, here are some of the most notable ones:

• Raja Harishchanda- Directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke
• Released in 1913
• First film in Indian Cinema
• The Silent Age- Period from 1913-1931
• Madras and Mumbai rising centers of cinema industry
• ICC (Indian Cinematograph Enquiry Committee) created by the British Government to promote British films in India more than the American ones
• Musical Talkie Era- Sound emerged in film and people realized that cinema was more than just dialogue, it was music and dance as well!
• Actors were required to sing their own songs (not the case today)
• Political Changes- WWII and Indian Independence
• Movies depicted political turbulence (Kismet)
• Films made in multiple languages 
• Music industry started expanding
• Social Changes - 1970s-1980s
• "Masala" films
• Films dealt with unconventional issues ( ex. unwanted pregnancies)
• 1990s-Present
• Various genres (horror, mystery, comedy, action, thriller and romantic genres)
• CGI used in various films

2) Evolution of Broadway Musicals

As you can see the trend, I am a HUGE fan of music.I grew up in America my whole life so it is only natural that I listened to American music; however, I've always hated the songs where you can hear more of the music rather than the artist's voice, and with the introduction of EDM, this is possible, which is scary because it is becoming a trend. I respect the raw voice of the artist, thus, I am more inclined to listening and watching Broadway musicals. Everybody on stage is so talented and wonderful that it gives me the shivers.  Many of my friends are trying to make their debut in Broadway musicals, so in honor of them, I am considering to do my paradigm shift on this topic.  I might also do it on Indian cinema, maybe not. I am not sure what I am doing, but I do know that it will involve music in some way or another.