The Jelly Bean Junkie

Does anyone still read this?

2007-05-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

I never update this anymore, but I do update my Vox account regularly. healthypanda.vox.com. Check it out.

Obligatory Olympics Post or: Ice Skating, anyone?

2006-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Hello, faithful readers...no one? It's okay, I haven't updated this in forever. I figured that since the 2006 Olympics is almost finished, then I should make a post about them.

I will be absolutely honest-I only watch the Olympics for the women's figure skating. To me, it's the only sport I'm willing to put aside time for to watch. The Winter Olympics are chock full of sports with creative names and even more, questionable pursuits (the Skeleton and Curling sports come to mind). Since I have already been exposed to about a fifteen minute debate on the merits of what is a sport (the conclusion-something that isn't judged, can be timed, and has an offense/defense, is debatable), I'll spare anyone my thought on those sports. Instead, I'll talk about my favorite Olympic sport: figure skating.

I am one of those who began watching the Olympics figure-skating after the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding fiasco of 1993. I could do some pretty mean impressions of Nancy Kerrigan post-kick in the knee (come on, I was nine, give me a break). But after my reenactments lost their flavor, I asked myself, what is this sport? And viola, I began watching figure skating, just like many other gossip-intrigued women of the 90's.

The audience has tapered off over the years, due to the fact that we no longer have a redneck skater who causes major drama off the ice anymore. The biggest name since has been Michelle Kwan (while a fantastic skater, she could never pull it off at the Olympics).

I watch skating because it reminds me of a time when I was little, when we would hog the tv (to the chagrin of my dad and brother) and watch the competitions for hours. I watch because I hope for a performance like Sarah Hughes' thrilling 2002 Olympic performance. You can't watch that skate without getting chills down your spine.

And I watch because I respect the sport. After a failed practice jump in my hallway that resulted in a hole in the wall, I gave up any ambition of becoming a skater. I skated for the first time this summer-it's hard! How those athletes (and yes, they are athletes) can pull off those impeccable jumps, I'll never know.

I want some Americans to win. I want Irina to medal because I'm interested in a good comeback story. The Italians have not placed, so there goes any hope of supporting the home country. I can't wait to watch Thursday's finals. And after that, I only have to wait another four more years to watch again.

The Joy of Finals or: Manners Go to Hell

2005-12-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Well, this is my first post outside the confines of English class. It also means I probably lost all of my (2) readers. C'est la vie.

Finals is never fun for anyone. Especially this semester. Granted, I had only 3 finals, so I should shut up and not complain, but I had two back-to-back ones on Friday. Determined to do well, I decided to camp out at the library and study my little heart out.

So on Wednesday and Thursday, with the college student staple in my hand-a medium mocha, I snuck into the library (yes, it can be done!) and settled into a comfy seat on the fifth floor. Mind you, the fifth and sixth floors are designated as the quiet study areas.

I can listen to music and still get something done, but something about talking IRKS me. Especially in a quiet place. I have been told to be quiet several times, but while both of these times occurred on the fifth floor, I was in a group table with the sign "Group Study" hanging overhead. The study nook I chose was hidden. Single desks. No talking allowed, bitches.

I heard quite a few whispers and giggles which made me mad. Why is the library so full around finals time? Why does everyone decide that the library is the coolest hangout after abandoning it all semester? Oh, hell, I hardly went to the library this semester either. What am I bitching about?

People seriously have double standards though. I keep my phone on vibrate and leave the area when I answer it. This happened on Thursday when a buddy wanted to borrow my notes. I got up to answer it, and two people who were chatting and whispering two seconds ago suddenly gave me this deer in the headlights look. You know, the look that reads, "How dare you bring a cell phone to the library?" Oh I'm sorry, did my vibrating cell phone INTERRUPT YOUR CONVERSATION?

Last week also marked a momentous occasion-the first time I ever, ever asked someone to quiet down. And it wasn't for talking. It was for this mouse clicking. I tried to put up with it. I mean, I hate being told to pipe down, I admit it-one time someone told me that the music from my headphones were too loud. But this non-stop mouse clicking drowned out my music and was incessant. After ten minutes, I finally went up to the person, and apologetically told him it was distracting. Guess what he was playing? Some rip-off version of Minesweeper. Dude, take a real study break.

I guess everyone is too preoccupied with themselves to worry about anything else. I feel it, y'all, I do. I forgot a friend's birthday. My mom tells me I sound distant on the phone as I worry whether Professor K. will ask anything about Type 2 Sedimentation on the final. It's just funny to see it in others. Talking in libraries, people bumping into you and not saying "excuse me," annoying mouse clicking...I'll be glad when finals are over and everyone can stop being drones!

Ethics Post #9

2005-12-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

I had mixed feelings about 301 online, to be honest. I feel like we've had a great teacher (thank you, Mrs. Raisor, for letting me call your home to get help with the research paper!)

But I feel, overall, the online design of the course needs a little work. The calibrations are just terrible. I can understand the reasoning behind it, but I feel like the implementation of the calibration needs to be improved. Nobody thinks like an English teacher at our level. I think that the peer reviews should count for a lower percentage if calibrations are eliminated, and have teacher input count for a higher score.

But now for the good stuff. I really enjoyed keeping up this blog. I have several blogs floating around out there, and I enjoy writing. Keeping up with these blogs is a way for me to get my love of writing out. I also liked learning about how keeping a blog at work can be detrimental to your position! It reinforces my belief that if you're going to blog about that kind of stuff, keep it private!

The assignments, like writing memos, were helpful. I enjoyed working with the group wiki even though I really didn't communicate with my group (with the exception of 1). Overall, I feel like this course has been useful. Thanks!

Almost...done...

2005-12-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

So the semester is almost over. I can't believe it. It has been a so-so semester for me. I disliked several of my engineering classes with a passion, and did not learn very much. My study habits took a beating too. I used to start studying for an exam the week before, but now two or three days is good enough for me. I feel so burned out in every aspect of my life. I'm just tired. I have no motivation for school. My runs have grown stale. I wish I had a running buddy to make them more interesting. I think I need a BREAK! I"m applying to grad school at least, and have the GRE all taken care of.

I'm sure I'm not the only '06er who has an acute case of senioritis. Have a safe and happy holiday, and Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus, and GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!!!!!! I'll miss reading everyone's entries. If you're still interested in my blog, I'll keep this updated. So I'll welcome any readers! Thanks to everyone who commented on my posts, they made me feel special.

Ethics Post #8

2005-11-20T21:41:00.000-08:00

2. The Civil War brought turmoil to both the North and the South. In early Spring of 1865, towards the end of the war, Richmond dwellers found out that Petersberg had fallen. This news did little to stir the Richmond people to great energy. As Bruce Canton writes in his book Never Call Retreat, they took the news unusually. The mood was "nothing now but a restless, fruitless stirring...in the face of approaching catastrophe" (445). Canton stresses how that day came in as a "special sort of day," and that one woman admitted that she'd "never saw a calmer Sunday morning" (444).

Canton, Bruce. Never Call Retreat. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, 1965.

Home Tomorrow...yay...

2005-11-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving break cannot come quick enough. I have a test tomorrow, but afterwards, my dad and brother are picking me up to take me home. Yay! I have not seen them since August, so I'm really excited. Then I can enjoy my mom's homecooked meals. It should be a blast. I'm really looking forward to enjoying myself and kicking back a little, since this semester has been crazy. Sorry for such a boring entry, but this is really what is on my mind right now.

Ethics Post #7

2005-11-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

It's impossible for news to be impartial now. Example? Turn to Fox News. Fox News is known for its more conservative views. As such, it can generally post positive feedback about the Iraqi War. Whereas CNN has a more liberal slant, they'll be more inclined to discuss President Bush's low approval rating, or emphasize the deaths in Iraq.

Of course, the approaches of these differing websites is two-fold. It's meant to provide some sort of semblance of "news" and to incite debate. A conservative can agree with the general gist of a liberal news piece, but will disagree at its presentation and its innate opinion.

In the end, while journalists post up their code of ethics, they don't always follow their own set of code. It's human nature, they're going to use whatever platform they stand on to promote what they believe.

2005-11-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

Look at this. 10:14, and I'm posting for the assignment just now? You can tell I'm getting senioritis really badly. The upcoming Thanksgiving break can't come quickly enough! Why are the Fall semesters rough? There is only one class I absolutely adore, and that is Chem 222. If you all have the chance to take it, take it with Dr. Simanek. He's one of the best professors I've had. His class is making this semester bearable. It's hard to get into a class when the professors use overheads all the time. I have a test tomorrow and I'm not really prepared for it. And I'm getting a test back that I don't want to see the grade for? Am I ready for the break? OH YES!

Ethics Post #6

2005-11-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Bribery-is it needed? Ask an entrepreneur in an Italian city where the "mob" is prevalent. He might find himself paying a "protection fee" to a member in order to keep his shop open. It may not be legal, but the entrepreneur will find his shop protected. Of course, if he doesn't pay, will his store stay open? I'll let you ponder that one.

Bribery is not legal, or always ethical. But if you want to open an operation in a country that deals with bribery on a daily basis, what makes you think it can change just because you want to start an operation there? It's wrong, but if you want to do business there, you should be prepared to do business as they do-or else you won't get any. If bribery is something you really can't deal with, then don't bother keeping your operation in that country.

Aggie Ring-ness

2005-11-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

I'm sure that blogs this Thursday were inundated with Aggie Ring posts, so here is another.

Coming into A&M my freshman year, I knew that the most important thing I could receive, according to tradition, wouldn't be my diploma, it'd be my ring. I remembered sitting in Fish Camp and being puzzled as steps to receiving an Aggie Ring were outlined. I remember thinking, uhhh, shouldn't it be the other way around? Isn't a diploma much more important?

Sure it is, but I like to think of the Aggie Ring as a nice reward for our suffering from major cases of senioritis (like me). Seeing the ring on your finger kind of puts everything in perspective. It's hard to believe that I have 95 hours under my belt, and by next summer I'll be an official college graduate. The past three years kind of came back as I slipped the ring on. Being a scared little freshman the first week, overwhelmed by my introductory engineering courses, getting my ring never seemed like a reality.

The pamphlet that came with my ring said that the five stars represent phases of development in the Aggie student signify mind or intellect, body, spiritual attainment, emotional poise, and integrity of character. Thinking about my growth in the past three years, I've developed in all five of these categories. Getting my ring is just the beginning of the chapter in my life as a girl moving into the real world.

Ethics Post #5

2005-10-30T21:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine you go to UT. No really. Just for a minute. Work with me here. You go for a study abroad program in Italy. When an Italian asks you which school you go to, you proudly display the "Hook 'em Horns" sign. To your shock, the Italian gets an extremely offended look and leaves abruptly. Geez, what did you do? It was just school spirit. Actually, in Italy, that sign is, loosely translated, "Your wife is sleeping around." And that's the benign translation.

You can't expect countries to accept every one of our traditions, since they're all different. In that vein, McDonald's needs to do some research before marketing a commercial in another country. They can't be expected to know every cultural tradition of every country, but perhaps they should hire advisers before producing a commercial. This may seem like there will be more expenses for hiring a consultant, but it's needed. Think of all the money they've lost in China over this. The commercial violated the personal ethics of that country because in it, we're assuming the audience is American.

Standardized Tests: Needed?

2005-10-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

I hope you all enjoy yourselves at the football game this weekend. While you will be outside, feeling the cool wind hit your face and watching us lose to Iowa State (I mean win! win!), I will be inside a cramped room with 100 other suckers like me, taking the test that separates the boys from men, girls from women: the FE, or Fundamentals of Engineering exam.

For those of you science majors, this is the engineering equivalent to the MCAT, except with a lot less preparation (on my part, at least. Heh.) For the morning, four-hour portion of the exam, we are to be tested over "general," fundamental subjects for any major, such as mathematics, chemistry, statics, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics (though I didn't have to take thermo. So those questions ought to go well). The afternoon portion, also 4 hours, is the choice of the test taker. There are several subjects to take, including civil engineering, environmental engineering, and general. I'm going for the general portion.

Are standardized tests really needed though? What do they measure? I suppose tests like the FE and MCAT are needed. If I pass the FE, I get my Engineer-In-Training license. But to pass, I only need to pass roughly 50% of the exam. Not that I'm complaining, but aren't these low standards, especially for engineers? What about with the MCAT? What if you have a terrific student, volunteers at hospitals and really has a burning interest in medicine, and just is a terrible test taker? Is it fair to judge his medical future by just one test?

I remember dreading the PSATs and SATs. I'd done well on both-above average, but not absolutely stellar, Ivy League worthy. I used to make the mistake of judging one's intelligence by the score they'd gotten. Of course, the SATs are supposed to measure how well you do in college, but does anyone really ever remember that?

It seems like everyone I'd ever met based the SAT on general intelligence. "Oh wow, 1560, they must be really smart." Well, yes, I'm sure that's true, but some of the smartest people I know don't have such fantastic scores. One of my good friends, who has atomic weights from the periodic table memorized and is practically a chemistry genius, didn't have a great score. My little brother, logical, one who used to study Einstein's theories in the sixth grade, made a much lower score than I did. Again, is it fair to base one's intelligence on one test? No, it's not, but unfortunately, in this highly competitive world, there has to be some form of weeding some of us out-fair or not.

This topic has no right or wrong answers, and as much as I complain about it, Saturday morning at 7 o'clock I will report to the testing center while the rest of you get to sleep in. Here's a preemptive "BTHO IOWA STATE!" because I'm sure I won't be able to say it as I ponder calculus problems Saturday morning.

Ethics Assignment #4: Responsbilities of Technical Writers

2005-10-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

A woman gets a cup of hot coffee one morning. Balancing it between her legs for a second, the cup spills and she sustains serious burns. She sues the restaurant for damages sustained. This, of course, is a true case. As you hold your McDonald's cut of coffee, it helpfully claims that the contents are "hot."

This is seemingly a no-brainer. What? Coffee is supposed to be hot? It can burn me? While these are likely lessons learned in the second grade, we as technical writers shouldn't make any assumptions on the intelligence of our readers. In the tragic case of a jet incident, where the engine exploded, the technical writer would hopefully had put a warning on the engine or in the instruction manual.

It's kind of funny to read "Do not eat" on a package of ant traps or caution signs for people with heart problems not to ride roller coasters. But in the day and age of lawsuits, technical writers owe it to themselves, their companies, and readers to state the obvious. But readers need to read the instruction manual. If the instructions are there and they don't read it, they really can't blame anyone but themselves.

I know one language...and a half...

2005-10-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

I read a joke once that Europeans are expected to know many languages, but Americans know only one. It really cuts to the issue-why are we, as a country, simply monolingual?

My mother, born in Italy, speaks two languages almost perfectly. Being born in Italy myself, I unfortunately have been rather lazy when learning the language. While I can understand it very well and even read and write some of it, it's harder for me to speak it. My mother says that the best way to learn is immersion. You know what? She's right. When we last went to Italy, it wasn't long before I was picking up the language. It was so much easier to learn when I was over there.

So why are Europeans known to speak several languages fluently? Is it just that they have higher standards than we do? I know here that my own langauge classes have been a joke. I took three years of Spanish, and I can remember the very basics-Hola, como estas. I think the textbooks focused on being pretty and flashy rather than on substance. It seemed to me that my teachers didn't try to immerse us. I had only one teacher who spoke Spanish to us fluently.

Of course, being multilingual has many benefits. You are regarded as more intelligent, and can have better jobs with it on your resume.

It's never too late to learn another language, I suppose, but it's frustrating as you get older. I notice my American accent when I speak Italian and it makes me feel uncomfortable. For the little girl who used to run and answer the phones in Italian, I ask my mom for help constantly when writing to my cousins. I want to make my standards higher-perhaps, when it comes to languages, we as a country need to make them higher as well.

Ethics Assignment #3: Mutual Accountability in Group Work

2005-10-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

Ah, groupwork, both the boost and bane in a college student's existence. When working with a dynamic, interactive group, a student can feel a "boost" intellectually (and not to mention gradewise). But I'm sure you faithful readers have been in "bad" groups. There's several personas to the bad group member. Let's see, there's the "Apathetic Andy," the one who comes to class only for the tests (if even that). There's the "Superior Sam," with the mentality of "I'm only taking this class for (fill-in-the-blank), so it's not going to make a difference in my future as a doctor/engineer/lawyer/pharmacist/professional college student anyway." Finally, there's "Half-Effort Holly," the one who waits until the last minute to turn in her share (a share that's usually incorrect and sloppy anyway).

But no matter how sloppy, apathetic, or maddeningly superior your team members may be, are you all mutually responsible for your work? Of course. There is really no excuse. Of course, you can inform your superior of the team member's lack of participation, but that's no reason to produce a measly share anyway. Do university professors turn in a half-finished textbook to the editors? Does a team of lawyers produce just half a case? Does a team of surgeons only perform part of the surgery? Of course not.

Pride in one's work takes precendence to turning in a half-finished project, assignment, or the like. The reprecussions may come later for the team member who didn't complete his share-whether it be a poor grade or failure to get a promotion.

Members of a team can strive to take care of the issue at the beginning of the project. Assign due dates and member accountability, what each member is responsible for. There's always a zealous team member/team cop on the team-let that person push the slacking member into working. Working together can never be perfect, especially if you have Andy, Sam, and Holly on your team, but by lining out your expectations early, you can hopefully prevent some heartache and produce a superior product.

We Live on the Endorphins or: Crazy Runners

2005-10-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning was a gorgeous morning for a good old six mile run. Sitting restless, working on homework, I decided that I'd much rather be outside. As I ran, I thought about the difficult runs I've had in the past. You runners know what I'm talking about- the runs where you would rather fall on the sidewalk and beg for the mercy of the passing cyclists than finish. While yesterday was an easy run, it's on the hard run days that I have to remind myself why exactly I became a runner in the first place.

Like many runners, I initially hated it. Running around the soccer field during P.E. was a tireless and pointless exercise as a seven-year old. For some reason I entered the mile race that year, probably because my dad was a runner and I wanted to see what it was like. Even that failed to further my interest in it.

So even though I hated running, I always would ask my dad if I could go running with him. Why? I guess natural curiosity-perhaps I thought that running would be funner with my dad than by myself. For a long time, the answer was, "No." It was almost like a tradition-I would watch my dad lace up his tennis shoes, and I would say, "Daddy, can I go run with you?"

One summer day, (I actually remember the date-July 8, 1992. Don't as me how I can remember that, but not facts I'm tested over) I sat watching my dad put on his tennis shoes and I asked if I could go running with him. He looked at me once, then said, "Sure." I was surprised, but hastily grabbed my shoes. I couldn't wait to see what was in store on our run.

You runners can remember what your first run was like, the one that got you addicted to running. I just remember running under the shady trees, thinking to myself, "This is great!" I talked to my dad the whole time, and three miles went by pretty quickly. At the end, my dad raced ahead of me and told me, "Kick it in!" I ran so fast I was flying. I ran into a hug, and my dad took me back home. My mom thought we were crazy, but for me, that was it-I was hooked.

Not every run was as great as that first one. In Virginia, a particularly dreadful route included "Killer Hill," a tall mountain of pure sand. And while my dad was my best running partner, he pushed me like any good coach would. When I was older, he began pulling his old cross-country tricks on me. Even as we ran at 5:00 in the morning, he wouldn't be too sleepy to mess with my head. He would tap me on the shoulder and start sprinting; he would run very close behind me, to make me speed up; he would make me change the course I was running subtly.

While I've had great runs, there were difficult ones, ones that I wanted to fly home and go back to sleep. When I competed in cross-country as a ten-year old, they were the ones where every girl passed me up at Region. When I competed in a 5K two years ago and had just a little too much to eat before it. When my dad would say, "Man, I'm getting tired, don't you want to stop now?" which to me was a code for, "We're running another two miles" (my dad never got tired on a run).

But no matter how difficult a run is, there's always a sense of accomplishment at the end. I think that's why we runners keep on, well, running. Even if a run can be mentally painful, once we stop, all the pains go away. We learn from our mistakes. We gain endurance and become stronger and faster. We can bring a friend on an enjoyable route, and a long run will suddenly become shorter. To me it's the best sport, and I become furious when my friends imply that running really isn't one.

I lost my best running partner when I went to college, and it's been hard to find someone who loves running (and matches my morning run schedule, that is). So when I'm by myself, and I have a tough run, I stop and remind myself why I became a runner in the first place. Then, the run doesn't seem so bad.

Ethics Assignment #2: Forwarding Your Email

2005-10-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, so imagine this: I am at work. I have two employees that I work with-Adam, who's pretty nice and hardworking, and Amy, who is snarky and has the worst fashion sense EVER. And she thinks she's a know-it-all, too, from her last email she sent Adam and me regarding the project we're working on. I find some grammatical errors in it, and gleefully send a reply to Adam-"Seems like she writes like she dresses-with little thought and a lot of mistakes!" I'm quite proud of my quip until Amy comes to my office, furious, holding a piece of paper. Uh oh. Looks like when I pressed the "reply" button, Amy was informed just what I thought of her fashion sense and English skills.

Email at work poses new challenges, both through job-related experiences and personal experiences and thoughts. Information you carelessly typed or forwarded something that was supposed to be kept secret can reach the whole office before lunchtime if one isn't prudent.

My dad always used to say, "Always be careful of what you put into writing." And over the years, it seems to make more and more sense. This adage can be applied to both the employee and the client. As a client, would you want to put sensitive information, like a social security number or bank account information, into an email? As the employer, you have to consider-will my client appreciate the fact that ten other people are going to view this email?

Both the client and employee can solve this problem by communication. The client may ask to keep sensitive information private, or the employee can provide a disclaimer, letting the client know that some sensitive information may be viewed by others.

As for the scenario I used in my introduction, the same maxim applies-be careful of what you put in writing! All employees should be prudent. The email has become the equivalent of watercooler discussions, with much more hurtful impacts. It's one thing to deny you ever said your boss looks fat, but it's quite another to have it in writing. As an employee, you should conduct yourself with professionalism, and think-if I send this off, will I be able to defend what I'm writing later?

MP3 Players: To Have or Have Not?

2005-10-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

As I walk the sidewalks of this fine university, I can almost surely expect to see 2 common activities at any given time-people gabbing on cell phones, or people possessing the the iconic white headphones, listening to Ipods.

At first, I scoffed at these people, those who would spend so much money on an MP3 player. I was perfectly content with my 2001 c.d. player. Sure, I was a little behind on times, but who cares? Why did I need an MP3 player? Why did anyone need one, especially an Ipod? Just to make your music look pretty in little folders?

Then my c.d. player's condition started to worsen, i.e. start skipping randomly. To make it play, I had to place it perpendicular to any surface. I suddenly started looking at the MP3 owners with jealously. Suddenly I felt like I did a year ago, in my transportation engineering class, when I had a TI-82 and everyone else had a TI-89. (For those of you who are not a math-related major, TI-82s are um, pretty archaic.) It was hard to console myself when I could barely listen to music, while everyone was jamming away.

So I started researching these mysterious items, these "MP3 players," and they didn't sound so bad. But seriously, why does anybody need 40 gb of space? I don't even know how I could fill something like that. But you have to hand it to Ipod for their marketing brilliance. Having an Ipod is a status symbol-you are at the cusp of pop culture. You are cool. Others envy you as they listen to their broken c.d. players.

Of course, with all the coolness and jamming the MP3 players bring, you can also pay a hefty price. One of my friends, who had gotten an Ipod for his birthday, told me never to walk around with those white little headphones. Basically, they are a target for thieves. "HEY EVERYONE, I AM WALKING AROUND WITH A REALLY EXPENSIVE MP3 PLAYER. STEAL IT FROM ME. PLEASE." Unfortunately, a kid from New York was killed this summer for his Ipod. Even scarier, these thieves don't steal the Ipods to sell them again (they have a retail value of $175-$200...good, no?) No, they steal it just to listen to it themselves. How sad that they can't acquire one the normal way, like as a gift or saving up for one.

I guess what this entry boils down to is yes, I ordered an MP3 player. Not an Ipod though-I refuse to pay the money just for the status symbol. And I've always been wary of name brand-status symbol items anyway, so why not keep with tradition? And yes, I bought the 40 gb one, only because my brother started calling me the name of our dad's notoriously cheap friend. (The fact that I could be coerced by my seventeen-year old brother to buy something is not the subject of this discussion). I'm making an Excel spreadsheet list now of songs I need. I'm up to 500 now, about 9500 or more to go?

But hey, if you see me walking by, just know that I'll be listening to a cool collection of classic rock, alternative, 80s music, classical music, oldies, a little rap, jazz, Italian music, and whatever else I can think of. Or at least, that's what I tell myself as a justification for buying something so expensive. Hey, beats the broken cd player, right? Right....

Ethics Assignment #1: Your Private Blog vs. Your Job?

2005-10-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, so imagine this scenario: I have a terrible day at work. N0thing went my way. So I go to my blog, which I assume that maybe only two of my friends read, and post about my day. I keep the names of my bosses private. Heck, I call one of them "John Doe" just to make sure that no one knows who I'm talking about. But say I have a reference to my real name in my blog address or profile. If my boss looks up my blog through a search engine, he can read about my post. I can get fired over it. People have been fired for the same scenario I just described, and I could be next!

When blogging about your work in a public forum, two issues conflict. One is free speech. The other is the "employee's responsibility." So what if you don't like your job? Don't you have the right to say it? But you, as an employee, owe it to the company not to bad-mouth them in such a public forum. No company likes bad publicity, and by blogging negative information about a boss, how you hate your job, or potentially embarrassing or classified information, you essentially are a walking advertisement for this company.

I don't agree with companies firing employees who, as the assignment scenario described, kept details of the company (as in name, location, names of employees, etc) private. But with at-will contracts, there's really nothing the blogging employee can do about termination. However, as an employee of the company, these wronged bloggers should also exercise caution. There's no need to put your real name in a profile. Why not trying a journal with private capabilities, like livejournal? You can make your journal friends' only, so all those rants about your job can stay between you and your selected group of friends.

As employees of a company, you have a responsibility to keep your life at work private-to a point. Yes, you can tell your friends and family about a crummy day or a silly incident at work, but blogging it in a public forum is the equivalent of walking through the office building and voicing your opinions through a megaphone, outside of your boss's office. Yes, you can have an opinion-but be smart on how you express it.

The Inevitable Topic of Rita

2005-09-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

My grandfather picked me up this morning to take me to Austin. I'm to meet up with my family, who are evacuating. I am worried about them, and our home and friends, but I'll relax once I can see my family.

I hear that all the hotels in Texas are full. Water is flying off the shelves. So here is something to ponder: say you are the owner of an inn, or a small grocery store. You know people are desperate for water bottles or a place to stay. So do you inflate your prices, knowing that these refugees would pay the price?

Another thought-provoking topic-say you are a doctor or a policeman who might have an obligation to stay behind. Do you stay in the city, or leave with your family? I remember my roommate was criticizing the policemen who left New Orleans with their families before Katrina. But I really can't criticize them. What would I do in that situation? I've always learned that family comes first. If you are a public servant, does your family take the priority, or do you have an obligation to serve the public? There aren't any easy answers associated with this.

In either case, stay safe, everyone. For those of you who have homes on the coast like I do, I'll keep you in my thoughts.

Start cheering...the first post is here

2005-09-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Dr. Raisor and classmates. Welcome to my blog. My name is Jennifer and I'm trying to finish this assignment early. I hate doing things at the very last minute. This isn't my first blog-I have a livejournal account and some other silly ones, but that one's for myself only-something to write in when I'm too lazy to write in my real journal (which is often).

So I suppose you want to know about me, even if you've never met me. I'll pretend I'm someone who's really important, and interview myself.

1. What is your major?
I'm a civil engineering major, emphasizing in environmental engineering. I really love environmental engineering, because I've had terrific professors in that field. My favorite was my Intro to Environmental Engineering professor, because she really made the subject interesting and exciting for me. I want to go to graduate school, so I'm applying to UT, A&M, and, for kicks, Stanford. But since I haven't feed a country with my engineering skills or some other lofty accomplishment, I'm not holding my breath for admission there.

2. What are your hobbies?
I am a voracious reader (I'm currently reading My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, which is really good). I also love to write and want to be published one day. I have loads of little stories and novels that are unfinished. I wrote one when I was fifteen, and it is quite terrible. I'm working on another now, but in the vein of one of my favorite authors, J.K. Rowling, (huge Harry Potter fan...represent!) I will decline to say what it's about. Check at your nearby Barnes and Noble in about 5 years.

I also love to run. I've been running since I was seven, so it's kind of hard for me not to run. I started running with my dad, so I kind of lost my best running partner when I went to college. I'm not a crazy five-minute mile kind of runner, but for me it's the best therapy. I also love X-Box, though I'm nowhere near as obsessed as my brother. I like crafty little things, like crocheting, and I also play violin. Man, I make myself sound so nerdy without even trying.

3. Why do you use the panda picture for everything?
I never post pictures of myself because I find it kind of weird that someone over the internet will know what I look like. So that's why I use the little panda for all my pictures (even in my facebook profile). If one looks really hard, they can find a picture of me over the internet-unfortunately, I don't find the photo flattering (it's not THAT kind of picture...get your mind out of the gutter, it's from my research experience from this summer), so I won't post it here.

4. Why ARE you called the Healthy Panda, anyway?
When I was a sophomore in high school, I was trying to come up with random email on hotmail that wouldn't require about five numbers to differentiate it from the other similar email address names. My dad had this medicine balls from China, so I looked at the little instructions on there, and I saw the words "healthy" and "panda" somewhere in the paragraph. I liked the sound of it. And besides, the panda is one of my favorite animals.

5. What kind of music do you like?
I love classic rock, but I guess that's what happens when you're raised with it. Like my dad, my favorite band is Pink Floyd. I like some modern stuff as well, as well as (some) rap. I basically like anything except for country (yeah, I know, I don't belong at A&M), and I'm not a fan of Christian music as well.

6. Do you have a job?
Yes, I have a data reduction position for an engineering research group here on campus. Unlike those bloggers in our assignment, I love my job and will not even think about complaining about it. They are very flexible with my schedule, and overall are just cool people to work with.

7. Why is this so LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG?
Because I'm kind of bored and trying not to work on my air pollution homework! Cut me a break here! I'm finished!

I hope that nobody was too bored reading this. Have a great semester, and send me a comment if you wish!