User:WaltherWilliams

Always Wanted To Schedule

 * Topic Street Surfing


 * Research Component Differences Between Wave board and skateboard


 * week 1 Purchase a Wave board


 * week 2 Learn to ride


 * week 3 Look up tricks/continue riding


 * week 4 Attempt tricks


 * week 5 Begin research


 * week 6 Incorporate a trick with riding/begin filming


 * week 7 More research


 * week 8 Finish video and research

Midterm Assignment 1: Taste & Aesthetics
I chose the sculpture Love and Loss by Roy McMakin because the other sculptures were more objective and I could quickly tell what they were. When I first saw the work, I didn't understand what some winding paths, benches, a tree, and a table had to do with love and loss. Then I read on the plaque that in order to fully appreciate the piece, you would have to interact with it by sitting in it, touching it, and walking through it. I walked up to what I assumed was the beginning and walked on the winding "S" shapes, sat on one of the benches, walked around the tree and stood at the table. I came up with an elaborate explanation for Love and Loss that turned out to not be what McMakin intended. I thought the winding paths represented the paths that everyone takes to experience love. The benches had a part of them painted a different color from the rest of it and I thought that signified finding the right person for you to love. The tree was about the only thing I got right by assuming it represented change and a cycle. Since it separated the table from the other parts, I thought the table was what represented loss, especially since it was covered in torn rags. I left the park feeling very inspired but when I looked up what the actual meaning was, I was disappointed. It turns out that the shapes of the furniture and tree spell out the words "love" and "loss". After learning that, I realized that perhaps I come up with overly-elaborate explanations for things I do not understand.

Midterm Assignment 2: Manipulation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7pXZ8M0NPU This commercial has the fallacy of dubious authority. You shouldn't base a purchase on what "a very smart little girl" or a sports show host say. I don't think that the fallacy was committed purposely. The company probably hired someone who would appeal to people and a little girl makes the viewers feel like they aren't being tricked because a little girl is innocent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz_lwGP4IOQ This beer commercial's fallacies are allness and bandwagon argument. It makes it seem as though only "good" people drink this beer. Most normal people want to be good people so they should only drink Heineken Light. Also, the appearance of an attractive celebrity asking you for a favor makes it seem as though you will be like her because she is talking to you.

Self-Assessment
This class was the one that I learned the most unexpected things from but I learned nonetheless. From fallacies to information credibility, this was a very interesting class. The Always Wanted To Project allowed me to have an excuse to do something that I was interested in but probably would have put off doing and now I can continue riding my Wave board for more than just for an assignment. The way the class was run made me feel comfortable because we were allowed to think more freely than other classes. I would have liked the class better if I didn't have to get up at 7:00 to get ready for it though. It is because of this class that I realized that I cannot have a morning class on a Friday. During the first few classes I struggled to stay awake, not because I was bored but because I was so tired from the week that I couldn't stay awake. Luckily, I became more adjusted to my schedule. I also appreciated how you participated in the projects you assigned so it didn't look like we were just being made something to do. I know feel more prepared to do research and for any quarter-long projects because of this class and it was actually fun.