Final Keyword: Hybrid

What does the word "hybrid" imply?  The term "hybrid" defines itself by combining the ideas of science and fiction to enter into a new world of science fiction.  According to the OED, "hybrid" was first defined as "[the] offspring of a tame sow and wild boar; hence, of human parents of different races" and then modified into "the offspring of two animals or plants of different species, or (less strictly) varieties; a half-breed, cross-breed, mongrel" in the 17th Century.  Since the term "hybrid" was developed it has suggested a sense of mythicism while integrating reality.  The term "hybrid" suggests that the final creation and combination of two objects or animals will be an improvement on the previous creations.  Even the idea and sales pitch of the hybrid car suggests that today "we," as a society, are living in and moving towards the future.

The term "hybrid" was rarely used until the 19th Century when Darwin developed his theory on natural selection and Mendel found how recessive or dominant genes/alleles get passed on.  Since Darwin and Mendel, "hybrid" has come to signify the bringing together of two different (yet at the same time similar) objects and combining them.  This becomes the scientific and realistic aspect of the term "hybrid."  In order for two objects or animals to be hybridized they must be similar enough so that they are compatible otherwise they will not join to make something new.  In the terms of Darwin and Mendel the reality of making hybrid animals has come through the theory of natural selection where the best alleles are continued and combined for the survival of the species.  However, most hybrid animals that are "common" and come to mind are not those of reality but of mysticism providing the fictional aspect of "hybrid."

All the mythic creatures of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and other religions are in fact hybrids.  These mythic creatures combine the best components of two animals to make a new, better, faster, stronger, and smarter creature that are considered fictitious.  For example, the Centaur is half horse and half man combined making a more efficient hunter.  The Minotaur is a hybrid of a human and a bull creating a strong individual to guard the gates of the labyrinth.  These mythic creatures and others are all hybrids of two animals in order to improve upon the existing animals.  This mysticism surrounding hybridity reveals the fictional half of the word, which combines with the scientific aspect creating the world of science fiction that the term "hybrid" suggests.

From developing hybrid animals, every academic field has taken to hybridization in order to better the efficiency of the everyday objects that we use.  For example, in chemistry we hybridize the orbital patterns of electrons in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of that particular atom so that chemical reactions can then be improved.  The appeal of making a hybrid is that one would be making something better by combining two objects or animals.  "Hybrid" takes the best and most successful notions of science and combines them with the best ideas of fiction to make science fiction.  Based on this notion of improvement and science fiction, the idea of hybrid cars, which combines electric and gas powered cars has become a reality.

Today the term "hybrid" no longer suggests the combination of animals, instead it stands for hybrid cars.  People no longer say, "I have a hybrid car" instead, they just say "I have a hybrid" and the word "hybrid" suggests and implies a hybrid car.  Since the popularity of the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, more car companies have been making hybrid cars to capitalize on the notion that hybrid cars are better and more efficient.  Lexus took hybrid cars to the next level with their "h" campaign, now the letter "h" stands for "hybrid" which then suggests a certain status about a person.  Having a hybrid car now suggests that one cares about the environment and saving money on raising gas prices, making the car and word a status symbol.  The hybrid car is a product of fictional ideas that science has now made a reality.  Today with the word "hybrid," our "society" is living in the future and continuing to look towards the future by thinking of new hybrids to make.  Maybe someday soon the myth and fiction of a Centaur will no longer be a myth, it will be a reality.  Soon the science fiction notion of hydrogen cars will be a reality and someday hover cars will no longer just be in "Back to the Future."  With the term "hybrid," the ideas and notions of science fiction have become a reality. 

Reflections in Writing

The past six weeks have shown me a new kind of writing that I usually reserve for myself and never share with classmates or anybody else.  Typically, my English classes consist of two or three five-page essays that analyze and complicate a specific passage in a novel.  These essays are usually reserved only for my professors' eyes, therefore my writing does not reveal my true passion and liking for writing.  When Chris first stated that our form of writing would be within a blog, I was skeptical of how this may show the worse of my writing and I would end up uninspired.  However, I found it to be the contrary and discovered that my writing has improved throughout these six weeks because the blog allowed me to write for peers along with my instructor.  With this change of audience, my writing became more creative and critical than before forcing me to take on issues that interest me instead of the required and restrictive prompts given by professors.  And in doing so allowed me to write better and more passionately than before.  Instead of providing a prompt that restricts the mind and interpretations, allowing one to come up with their own prompts permitting one to be more creative in their writing.  One of the greatest aspects of the blogs is the capability of using images and videos to help reveal what one is discussing and complicating.  The Internet has provided a means in which to share media and better yet link out to other sites revealing an interconnectivity of everything.  This interconnectivity shows how small and big the world is and how even the most arbitrary subjects can be linked up and connected.  The connections between these subjects expose the power that the Internet holds and how it has improved writing.  Blogs provide a neat and clear archive of one's writings over time allowing one to look back and see how their writing has improved and what possibly they could discuss further.  With the instant feedback of the comments blogs allow one to edit their writing according to the comments and shows interconnectivity within multiple blogs.  The connection between our class' blogs shows how our class continues to be connected throughout the day outside of classroom allowing one to continue a conversation brought up in class.  Blog writing opens one's eyes up to a new and recent form of writing that may seem scary at first by instead allows one to be more open than in their "paper" writing.

A Savage Hypocrisy?

A few days ago in class, I brought up the idea and problems surrounding hate crime legislation in the context of the South Park episode titled "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime."  This discussion spurs off of Colleen and Paris' posts about the racial categories that we, as a "society," feel the need to place everyone into.  Both Colleen and Paris discuss what it means to be Caucasian in today's United States and how being Caucasian is now a double-edged sword.  While those of an ethnic background that is not considered "white" is encouraged the idea of embracing and celebrating one's "whiteness" is instead discouraged.  On the other hand, Caucasian's are the most "privileged" ethnic group in America.  On the subject of celebrating one's "whiteness," there is nothing wrong with celebrating one's ethnic and cultural background, whatever that may be for each individual person.

While the discussion of race and problems surrounding what race means is a riveting discussion that leads to ideas behind hate crime legislation.  According to the legislation a crime is defined as "[a] criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic/national origin, or sexual orientation."  Hate crime legislation addresses the issue that crimes committed based on one's belonging to a social group wrong and needs to be stopped.  However, there is an inherent problem in the hate crime legislation, which is the phrase "in whole or in part."  The definition of a hate crime leaves leeway allowing a crime that possibly was committed for motives other than hate on a social group could be tried as a hate crime.  For example, if a person murders their partner's lover and that lover happens to be of a different ethnicity and the person some times has racist thoughts that can be proven could be tried as a hate crime.  The definition leaves room for incidents like this to be considered a hate crime even though the person at the time just hated the lover for sleeping with their partner instead of focusing on their race.  Therefore, how do we deal with the problem that if someone has some racist thoughts and assaults someone for a reason other than their race then it can be interpreted as a hate crime?

What also comes to my mind is what social groups need to protected under hate crime legislation.  Where do we draw the line of who needs to be included in the list of those protected and who doesn't?  Many of the groups that currently are on the list did not make it on the list until 2007 when the Matthew Shepard Act passed.  Not every state includes the same groups on their lists in their hate crime laws, so the definition of what a hate crime is changes from state to state.  To complicate the matter wouldn't the group of men [and women] considered rapists also be victims of hate crimes.  If a rapist was killed because someone found him/her on the sex offender's list would that not be a murder because the person belongs to a social group and not for any other reason, therefore that too should be considered a hate crime.  So why aren't rapists, murderers, gang members, etc. on the list of social groups included in the hate crime legislation?  

The social groups listed in the hate crime legislation are these because our Senate feels that these groups need to be protected but by doing so does that suggest that these groups are inferior?  By attempting to protect these social groups the law also eludes to the idea that these people are not strong enough to protect themselves but those not included are strong enough.  Therefore, the definition suggests that these groups that used to be considered inferior through slavery, segregation, and other acts are in fact inferior. 

Another aspect of hate crime legislation is that it has an additional sentencing to those found guilty of a hate crime.  The problem here is that we, as a "society," are punishing people for crimes that they have not yet committed.  While there may be an increased chance that those convicted of hate crimes may commit another crime, how do we know that for sure?  How can we punish something for something they haven't done yet?  Hate crime legislation is not a bad idea in theory because these crimes should not be tolerated however we are human and it is impossible to ever know the pure motivation of a crime.

[Let me leave with a disclaimer that I, personally, don't know how I feel about hate crime legislation but it is something that should be thought about critically and should be complicated.  Similar to what Colleen and Paris stated is that ethnicity should be looked at from a critical standpoint in order to fully understand it.  Through complicating the matter of hate crime legislation we can further understand it.  I have no intention of offending anyone, instead I merely am trying to complicate the matter of hate crime legislation and I did not cut the video clip so please do not take the text that is added in the beginning and end of of the clip to be my personal opinion because it is not.  Thank you for humoring me on this issue.  If you would like to see the entire episode click on this link "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime" and go to season 4 and then click on the episode titled "Cartman's Silly Hate Crime."]

Tikey!!!!!

This image represents the one and only true love in my life and even though in this picture he looks like he loves the camera, but in reality it is the opposite.  I'm not shy to admit that I have an obsession with this cat, he really is amazing, so I do have many pictures of him but it becomes an obstacle to get a "perfect" picture of him.  Because of his big blue eyes I always want to his eyes wide open and looking at the camera (in this case my phone), but because he sleeps most of the day this does not occur as often as I would like.

In the process of taking this picture, Tikey was seeking my attention just after I had gotten back from a run, and got into the athletic tape I use for my ankles.  He had gotten strands of the tape on his head and looked up at me longing to be pet.  After meowing once, he began to rub against my leg fulfilling his need to be pet himself.  As soon as he got the tape strands on his head, I knew this moment in our lives needed to be documented.  I began searching for my phone so I could open the camera application and make this documentation a reality.  Once my camera phone was ready, I wanted Tikey's whole body in the frame and him looking at the lens.  In order to get him to look at me I began calling his name repeatedly, "Tikey, Tikey, Tikey," until he looked up at me with his blue eyes telling me he was ready for the picture to be taken.

After looking at the picture right after it was taken, I found I didn't just take a picture of my cat looking cute but instead documented how similar my cat and I are.  In the background of the picture there are a few objects scattered on my bedroom floor making it look a little messy.  This messiness can be seen through Tikey's carelessness in having the athletic tape on his head.  My leg and foot with tape on them can be seen in the corner of the frame showing that we are always within close proximity.  Over the past sixteen years, Tikey and I have become closer and closer not just in proximity but also in our love for each other (or at lease what I like to perceive as love from him).  Even now as I write this post he is sitting in front of my laptop on my chest to make sure that he is as close to me as he possibly could be.  The physical closeness of Tikey and I in this picture shows how close we are on an everyday basis.  This image also portrays the lengths at which TIkey will go in order to get the attention he wants at that particular moment in time.

Impossible is Nothing...

"Impossible is nothing" has become a well-known slogan for the famous athletic apparel, show, and accessory company Adidas.  Bernie's post touches on the idea behind this slogan shown in the Adidas commercial featuring Tracy McGrady demonstrating mobility.  Even though Bernie gives us a disclaimer stating, "I will not be analyzing 'Impossible is nothing," he does however begin to scratch at the surface of the meaning of the slogan.  By merely stating that Adidas suggests that "wear[ing] the shoes, move freely, and become unstoppable," Bernie suggests that these shoes allow one to do the impossible therefore making it nothing

Adidas, along with many other sports franchises and companies, focuses on the idea that our bodies can exceed the physical and mental limits thought possible for every day humans.  Not only is Adidas referring to people like Lance Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, etc but also your everyday athlete and human being as being capable of achieving the impossible.  Adidas focuses on the impossible feats that athletes achieve and suggest that these impossible feats are really just everyday obstacles.  Adidas began their now infamous slogan from this quote, "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it.  Impossible is not a fact.  It's an opinion.  Impossible is not a declaration.  It's a dare.  Impossible is a potential.  Impossible is temporary.  Impossible is nothing" (This is the Adidas complete slogan, possibly stated by Muhammad Ali).  Adidas hones in the idea that surpassing impossibility is not meant for just elite athletes instead it is meant for every person that lives and breathes on Earth.  Every person, whether they are old, young, healthy, disabled, etc are fully capable of proving that the impossible is in fact possible.

However, the slogan "impossible is nothing" is paradoxical in nature.  In just three words, it suggests that some feats are impossible but that they are merely nothing important at the same time.  Looking at what can be considered as impossible feats (in my personal opinion) they include tasks like climbing Mount Everest, Ali defeating Liston, building the Great Wall of China, competing in the Olympic games, The Civil Rights movement, etc making the list seem infinite.  All of these feats and more I consider to be "impossible" tasks and all of these have been attempted and achieved by more than one person at different times throughout history suggesting that all it takes is a will power and mental strength to attempt and complete an impossible feat.  By successfully completing these "impossible" tasks it makes them nothing, however because these feats can be completed it makes them possible.  Therefore, once a task is completed it no longer is considered impossible, by definition, instead the task is now possible allowing it to become nothing.  However, the feats previously stated are deemed or perceived impossible because it takes a fair amount of skill, perseverance, resilience, and strength to achieve theses feats making them supposedly "impossible."

Bernie brings up the face that Adidas uses poplar athletes, like Tracy McGrady, and their "god-like" athletic ability to exaggerate for humans to achieve the impossible.  The stark contrast between the colors, speeds, and sizes of the objects in the Adidas commercial reveals this exaggeration.  As Bernie states about the Adidas product, "the commercial suggests that the mobility of these shoes allow people to break out of being uniform or one; in other words, they allow one to break the constraints and do things that normal shoes would not allow them to do."  This idea can be applied to human beings in that they too can break out of the norm and show how extraordinary they are by achieving the "impossible."  The exaggeration shown through the shoes in this particular Adidas commercial shows how "ordinary people" achieve great impossibilities making them nothing, or actually making them possible.

The problem behind Adidas's slogan is that impossible feats can never really turn into nothing because as previously stated they are just that; impossible.  Again, completing an "impossible" task makes it possible therefore suggesting that the feat is ordinary, or nothing.  However, by making the feats possible it loses its prestige and Adidas would no longer have a powerful, inspiration slogan.  In reality, Adidas slogan should be "possible is nothing," but like previously stated achieving the possible holds no interest for the dreamers of the world who want the inspiration that Adidas offers.  Bernie's post brings up come great points around mobility and in doing so he touches on the very issue of the Adidas slogan stating that "impossible is nothing."

NOW WHAT?!

Your cell phone breaks, now what?  Not only is this a story experienced by many people but it also is a story repeated multiple times in one person's life.  What is the instantaneous feeling that comes sweeping over someone whose cell phone has just broken?  Speaking from recent experience, it is a sensation of panic coming over your body.  A cell phone is no longer just a cell phone instead it is one's connection to the "outside" world, its how one keeps their network intact.  Even if you realize your cell phone has broke at three am, there is still a sense of urgency to be able to be connected to everyone in your contact list.  The likelihood of anyone calling you or needing to call anyone at the ungodly hour of three am is slim to none for most people.  However, as soon as your phone breaks you feel as though everyone in the world will be calling right at that moment and all those calls will be of upmost importance.  Because of this sudden urgency to fix your cell phone immediately your heart rate quickens, your neurons fire more frequently, and your body release cortisol as a stress response.  Soon this situation starts to resemble a life or death situation at an anatomical level and even at a psychological level.  Losing the technology of a call phone has now become a "life or death" situation for many because people have become so reliant on the mobility of their phones.

After the raising of my stress response as soon as my phone broke, I attempt all the tricks of the trade to get my phone working again; taking the battery in and out, turning the phone on and off, etc.  Alas all these methods fail, which forces my sense of urgency to worsen and my heartbeat to quicken.  Immediately I resort to the only other way in which I can contact other human beings; the Internet.  After sending an email, I sit there patiently waiting for a prompt response as if email is an alternate phone.  Once the realization that email is my only form of technological contact with anyone I start to panic once again, being able to get to a phone becomes my obsession that cannot be swayed by any other topic.  After this realization, the dependency on cell phones for people today becomes clear and depressing at the same time.  The fact that the breaking of a cell phone disrupts not only one's contact with everyone they know but also disrupts their body's homeostasis shows that we have become dependent on technology.  If one form of technology simply fails, we feel as though the world has ended and this is the depressing aspect of technological dependence for me.

Thinnovation

Lyrics of Ad song by Yael Naim:

I'm a new soul

came to this strange world

Hoping I could learn a bit bout give and take

I'm a young soul in this very strange world 

Hoping I could learn a bit bout what is true and fake

Since the popularity of the ipod, iphone, and newer MacBooks, Apple has been on a roll towards innovation that changes the way people think about technology.  About 5 months ago, Apple released its latest addition that caters mostly to the business/corporate traveling type; the MacBook Air.  Apple uses the thinness of the new laptop as the main appeal of the new computer, making it easier to take with you everywhere.  The mere suggestion that a laptop could fit into an envelope seems strange which Apple uses to their advantage.  The idea of a laptop being so small appeals to everyone but more so to the corporate travelers who need to be connected with their computer constantly.  Does the mere suggestion of having a laptop that is travel friendly mean that people need to have constant attachment to their computers?  By making a laptop thinner and smaller, Apple has made a statement suggesting that computers and technology need to surround people.  This commercial suggests mobility of laptops have now become a necessity for everyone and that their mobility must be simple and easy.  It is the thinness of the laptop that makes mobility easy hence the use of "the world's thinnest notebook" as a slogan.

Apple uses the slightest of subliminal message through the song they use as the background in the commercial.  The particular lyrics they chose, which are just snip-its of the real song, suggest that the "I" in the song is the MacBook Air.  Apple gives their technology personality to make them appear more friendly than all other computers and pose the question "can my MacBook Air be my friend?"  This commercial suggests that the MacBook Air can be just as "real" a friend as an actual person.  "Society" (as a the US public) appears strange to the MacBook Air because the computer is naive and capable of uploading the strangeness of the world onto its hard drive.  The strangeness of the world comes from the idea that the desire for change in technology comes from wanting technology smaller and more travel-friendly, even for the non-corporate travelers.  The song suggests that MacBook Airs offer one a chance to learn what is "true and fake" and what to "give and take."  Apple uses Yael Naim's lyrics in order to show that the only way in which to really find yourself is through their MacBook Air because it supposedly gives you the freedom to roam.  Not only has Apple chosen to appeal to idea of easy mobility from their MacBook Air, the commercial also reveals that the MacBook Air has personality and shows the path of innovation in technology.  These innovations are based on the "desires" that Apple assumes that people want which can be fulfilled by their products. 

Red Light...Green Light...

Traffic lights have a mesmerizing ability to tell people when to stop and go, with an ambiguous yellow light that suggests slowing down.  After running errands, I am adhering to the rules of the road and wait patiently in line to turn left from Richards Blvd onto Olive Drive in order to get to the Lexington apartments.  The Richards Blvd and Olive Dr signal might possibly be the most poorly designed signal in Davis.  Located right near off and on ramps to I-80, the simplest entrance into the infamous In-N-Out, and a way out of downtown Davis causes this particular signal to get congested.  This congestion gets cleared up after a few green lights that can't come fast enough, causing drivers to get frustrated before dispersing into downtown, I-80, In-N-Out, or other various destinations.  Trying to get home today, dreading to have to make the left turn onto Olive, I hit "traffic."  In my desire of turning left, my car gets far enough back in the left turn line that I start to block all the cars behind me, preventing anyone from moving forward to continue on Richards Blvd.  While waiting the full minute, that's right the whole 60 seconds, I can feel the person in the huge truck behind me slowly getting more and more frustrated that he/she cannot move forward.  As soon as the left light turns green, he/she becomes more persistent and impatient.  Immediately after I move forward enough to let the angry trucker pass by, he/she revs their engine as much as possible to reveal his/her impatience.  All the cars in line follow suit after the truck with loud engines making it clear that they are in a hurry to get past the light before it changes.  As soon as the traffic light turns green every car disperses as quickly as they can.  However, while that red light stares every driver in the eye it forces everyone to stop and form a nice, neat line of cars anticipating the grace of the green light.  The various signals displaying red lights in every town around the world form this same frustration and impatience in every driver, and as soon as that green light comes everyone disperses from each other.    

Access Denied!

As technology has moved forward in the past 20,30, 40, 50 years we, as humans, have become dependent on the technology we have invented.  One of these advances is the Internet, which through time has made every human dependent on it.  From personal experience, losing instant and easy access to the Internet has become problematic.  However, it is problematic in the sense that it is simple inconvenient, not something necessary that is lost but humans have made the Internet necessary.  Since the time of Shakespeare the definition of a tragedy has changed, instead of a lost love or family member a tragedy has now become losing Internet access.  We, as the public, are lost without instant access to the Internet.

As the Internet has grown and evolved, it has become more than just an easy means to look up information, instead it has now become a new means of communication.  For example, people are constantly checking facebook to ensure that they don't lose constant contact with their college or high school network.  The Internet has now become an integral part of keeping in touch with old friends and finding new friends.  Along the same lines, websites like eHarmony, Match.com, and Chemistry.com have become a new way in which to meet a romantic partner based on compatibility tests.  Since beginning as means for email and transmitting files, the Internet has transformed into a means of communication as simple and easy as a telephone.

Even university classes are beginning to evolve to the point where everything is done online.  This UWP class is a perfect example of that transformation; all of the writing is done online where the teacher can easily see how we have progressed throughout the quarter.  Slowly but surely, the question "do you have internet access or dsl?" is no longer needed because it has become an assumption that everywhere one goes there is Internet.  However, the select few places that do not have Internet access have become abnormal in the majority of the public's eyes.  Now the Internet has replace real life in the realms of shopping, communicating, and encyclopedias making "society" (the general public) dependent on the Internet.   

August 8, 2008...The 2008 Olympics!!!!!

Over the years, reality television has been divided into reality television genres.  One particular genre of reality television has been around since the television was invented, sports.  Sports may not seem to fall into the category of reality television but they are events happening in real life being projected on the television therefore meeting the classifications of reality television.  Not only are sports a part of reality television but they are also a part of history which can be seen by millions throughout the nation as a collective experience that is kept in the record books.  The sporting event of all sporting events is the illustrious Olympics, and currently the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China are in motion.  The Olympics show not only a living, current history but also a progression of how the Olympic games have changed over time and throughout "history."  As time progressed, the Olympics have transformed from just a few events for men to a vast variety of events for both men and women.  Since 1992, the Olympics have become divided into winter and summer events that alternate every two years.  In August 2008, the Summer Olympics begin starting a new chapter in Olympic history.  The Olympics not only have the "scientific" history but it also possesses the "poetic" history as well, providing the perfect example of what history is and reminding us of that history is. 

The "scientific" history aspect of the Olympics can be seen through the repeated broken world and national records.  For example, in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Michael Phelps became the first summer to win eight medals over the duration of one Olympics.  Phelps beat Mark Spitz's record for the most medals won in swimming in one Olympics but did not beat Spitz's record for most gold medals won in one Olympics, revealing that athletes make history every single Olympics.  Another "scientific" historical record are the world and American records for each and every event held in the Olympics with at least one broken each Olympics.  The "poetic" history of the Olympics includes the various Olympic athletes recounts of their experiences of representing their country in the Olympics.  For instance, Aaron Piersol's personal reflection on what it means to be going to the Olympics for the third time this summer to represent USA in swimming (He swam backstroke events in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics).  These personal accounts by the athletes add aesthetic value to the Olympics.

The Olympics may seem like just another sporting even, but instead the Olympics are a recurring history event that affects the entire world.  Participating in the Olympics allows an athlete the honor of representing their country in worldwide sporting events.  Because Olympic records are kept over the years, a "scientific" historical account of the Olympics exists.  The athletes all have their own personal experiences that they take from participation in the Olympics revealing the "poetic" historical aspect of the Olympics.  The Olympics may seem like just a sports account but they stand for a nation's pride over other nations throughout history.  The Olympics provide an example of the definition of history because in order to tell the history of the Olympics one needs both the "scientific" and "poetic" historical records and accounts of the events.  The Olympics also show how the intertwining of these two types of history help to muddy the definition of what "history" is.