YOUNG JESSIE
Quotations...
"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet." ~Al Gore
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts."~Albert Einstein
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."~Albert Einstein
5/19/07
My Wiki page clearly has a spacing problem...hmm...I think it's the font. Any ideas?
So...I was thinking about the grading debate today (yes, my summer vacation is really boring). I like the wiki peer grading concept, but I wonder whether it is the best solution. Are we, as peers, able to accurately evaluate each others' work given our limited experience with the coursework we're currently doing?
As a high school English teacher, I'll eventually be responsible for giving students grades. Since writing is subjective in nature, I am worried that I will not fairly evaluate my students' work. I have considered using rubrics, but am not fond of their rigidity. I like my students to have some freedom to creatively explore their ideas. Any suggestions?
5/18/07
So even though class is technically over, I miss it, and I especially miss this wiki! I do not like when positive situations
end. I can't seem to let go of last semester; it was my best semester yet--3.95 gpa (sorry about the bragging). I
think that my semester gpa reflects my high degree of immersion. I was completely engrossed in my work for
perhaps the first time in my college career (I wish I had felt this way from the start 
). Although I disliked sitting
in front of a computer for hours typing papers, developing a website, etc., I secretly enjoyed knowing that I was
accomplishing something--albeit a small accomplishment, but an accomplishment nevertheless. So enough rambling
about myself...here's my real point. I think that my feelings contradict Clastres' argument. Earlier in my page, I
wrote, "In a sense, I do disagree with Clastres. While I agree that "production is restricted to replenishing the stock
of energy expended" in primitive societies, I doubt that members of primitive societies lounged for an extended
period of time if they were as self-sufficient as they needed to be given their definition of self-sufficience. I believe
that regardless of the type of society--that is, whether it be a society of control or not--, humans will continually seek
work because boredom forever plagues us." In my current situation, I clearly desire work. I am not fond of the
leisure and simplicity that Clastres seems to advocate.
To extend what I wrote before, I think that humans not only desire work, but also education. As a rising senior, I can finally claim that I love education. For years, I thought I only studied due to external motivations such as grades, the "smelly stickers" of elementary school, plaques, etc. I recently realized that, despite the last-minute cramming for exams and other bad habits, I am actually more internally motivated that I had thought. With graduation coming
closer, I suddenly want to cling to every second of my undergraduate days. I believe that a lot of my peers can
relate. Although many people claim that they dislike school, I sense that they still appreciate it to some extent. I
noticed that some of ENGL 473 peers must miss school because they are still editing their wiki pages now, even though
classes ended nearly 2 weeks ago. Of course, the ENGL 473 population of students does not necessarily reflect the
rest of the student population at Penn State and other institutions. However, I think I can safely argue that whenever
a student feels immersed in her/his education, s/he will show a high degree of internal motivation. I believe that any
student is capable of having internal motivation. Teachers should help foster this intrinsic desire through interesting
work like the development of a wiki page.
Fortunately, as a high school English teacher, I will not leave academia completely behind, and will have the opportunity to foster such internal motivation in my students. I hope to implement wiki into my classroom curriculum just as Dr. Mobius had. I am looking forward to my PDS teaching internship at State College High next year.
5/10/07 Check out the Wiki on Wiki Project !!!
4/8/06 - I graded your Ubik assignment Jessie. See below. You also might want to consider checking your calendar, I don't think it's 2006 anymore. - Pokerfink
4/3/07
Because I can perceive images as fascinating as this one, I am happy that I have sight. Might sound strange, but imagine being blind? I would not be able to see this mixture of color. I wonder whether other people with supposedly good eyesight perceive this image the same way as I do. Ever consider how we all probably perceive slight differences in hue and form?
4/3/07 I am so happy to be able to write on Wiki again now that the glitch appears to be over. So I was pondering the concept of the society of control today and considering how it ultimately affects my life.
I was just informed that I got an internship. While I was happy about it, I also wondered whether I will really want to do it when it begins. The society of control has informed me through its subliminal and direct messages--media, word of mouth, etc.--that college students should seek internships. However, am I doing this internship merely because society tells me I should, or because I genuinely want to do it? Hmmm....I hope that I will enjoy it once it starts. Until then, I will remain apprehensive.
4/3/07 I found writing my remix both fun and difficult. Three main thoughts entered my mind when I was creating it.
1) While I wanted to depict Ubik in a different light, I also did not want to stray too far from its essence.
2) While I wanted to be creative, I also did not want my writing to seem silly or pointless.
3) While I wanted to present my work to the class, I was also a tad reluctant.
Feel free to offer any advice. I am open to changes!
I think that I can finally edit my page! Apparently, spyware on my computer prevented me from
saving some changes and entering some protected websites. I just found this out today, and I
don't exactly understand it. Anyhow, sorry about the delay! Didn't mean to be rude. I was just merely fighting with a computer.
REMIX of pages 198 to 199
With his frustration building, Joe, a man who never considered himself homicidal, could not help but utter, “I’m going to kill you!” Stumbling due to the shock of his own rage, he reached for Jory’s throat, attempting to strangle the devious little boy.
In his desperation to get away, Jory exhibited Donner Party-like behavior when he inserted his teeth into Joe. Joe howled in pain. The little boy-turned-cannibal clung to Joe’s skin with his teeth for a while, his teeth sinking into Joe’s right hand deeper with time.
Joe screamed, “Stop eating me!” Then, despite his confused state, he managed to remember that Ubik cures all. “You can’t eat me!” Joe yelled. Jory laughed, his sadistic, unwinking eyes fixated on the blood gushing from Joe’s right hand.
Making munching sounds, Jory had managed to gnaw at Joe’s hand until the pain became so intense that Joe kicked Jory. After Jory finally released, Joe surveyed his partially eaten hand in disgust. Jory had mauled his hand like an animal, and would pay.
Joe grabbed a can of Ubik—the panacea for all things—with his intact left hand, and pointed the nozzle towards the gushing wound. Despite his increasing weakness, he managed to garner enough strength to spray the Ubik. In milliseconds, the pain ceased and the open wound closed. Not a single mark marred his right hand. Ubik was magic.
Jory then cackled, his devious unwinking eyes still fixated on the newly-repaired right hand. “And you can’t kill me either,” Jory said. Jory’s statement, of course, is based on the assumption that he would be able to use the Ubik to rescue himself from death.
Joe continued to stare at his hand in disbelief. He was on the verge of death only five minutes ago, and now he was a healthy specimen. The line between life and death had become increasingly gray to him. Perhaps he, like his wife, was also in half-life mode, he thought.
ANALYSIS OF CHANGES
In class, Dr. Mobius discussed the human tendency to “fill in the gaps”—that is, to modify texts when reading to correspond with our respective senses of reality. The structure of my remix reflects the way in which I filled in the gaps when reading the passage of Ubik on pages 198 to 199. It consists of such modifications as additions, changes in diction, and the inclusion of references. All of these changes reflect my world view and the information I have learned throughout my life. I selected this particular passage because I believe that it represents an important turning point in Ubik, which I changed in several ways when reading it.
I begin my remix with an interpretation of Joe’s mental state to reveal how I pictured Joe in my mind. I wrote “With his frustration building” to mention frustration as a possible reason for his desire to kill Jory. I also establish that Joe appeared to me to be “a man who never considered himself homicidal” until this passage to show the shift in his behavior I noted when reading. In my remixed version of this first paragraph, I also reveal how I eliminate excess language like “uncoordinated half-falling motion” (198) in my mind and shorten it to brief diction like “stumbling.”
I discontinue my discussion of Joe and continue with a remixed description of Jory to reveal my perception of his actions. I call him “devious” because I sense that this seemingly innocent boy is not as innocent as he appears. He eventually reveals his devious nature in this passage when he becomes a “little boy-turned-cannibal” and bites Joe—an act I associate with Donner Party-like behavior. I formed this association due to prior knowledge of the Donner Party’s actions. The Donner Party was a group of California-bound American settlers who resorted to cannibalism when stranded in the Sierra Nevada in the winter of 1846 to 1847. In my description of Jory’s cannibalism, I eliminate detail to reveal how I quickly skim text, and often miss details. I keep Dick’s phrase “unwinking eyes” because I believe that it describes the sadistic nature of Jory well.
In the third paragraph, I shift the passage to Joe’s realization that he can eliminate his wounds with Ubik to maintain the structure of the original text and reveal his changing mindset. I continue in the fourth paragraph to elaborate on the severity of the injury that Joe intends to repair with Ubik. I conclude this paragraph with the phrase “would pay,” since I assume that Joe will seek revenge. Based on prior experiences, I believe that anyone who has endured as much pain as Joe would seek revenge.
When Joe finally uses Ubik to repair this wound in the fifth paragraph, I call Ubik “the panacea for all things” because it appears this way based on previous information about its ability to fix anything from the taste of salad dressing to human flesh. As Joe sprays Ubik, I assume that Joe is weak and has to muster enough strength to spray it. I continue with another assumption when I write that Ubik works “in milliseconds” because Dick implies that Ubik works this quickly when he writes “Before his eyes the wound healed” (199). Lastly, I conclude with the assumption that “Ubik was magic”
The last two paragraphs consist of thoughts that I added to the text to make sense of it. Dick implies these concepts, but does not directly state them. I begin by considering that Jory’s statement “is based on the assumption that he would be able to use the Ubik to rescue himself from death.” I also assume that Joe must have “stareed at his hand in disbelief” due to these bizarre circumstances in which there was a gray “line between life and death.” I lastly considered how he might also exist in half-life mode like his wife thanks to the healing powers of Ubik.
The previous explanation of my remix of this passage reveals my world view and my prior knowledge. In order to understand texts, all people “fill in the gaps” with information that they have attained prior to reading the text. Humans do so through the elimination of language that they consider excess when they skim. In my case, I eliminated Dick’s description of Jory’s cannibalism. They also change the diction in their minds to better reflect how they think they text might appear. I changed diction when I included a reference to the Donner Party and other words like “sadistic.” My changes reflect this human tendency towards revising texts. As I continue to acquire new knowledge, I expect my remixed version of this passage to change, since new knowledge leads to a changing world view and new references. For this reason, I plan to continue revising this remix throughout the rest of the semester.
I commend your efforts to edit and clarify Ubik. One thing that bothered me about Ubik is that it's extremely wordy. Even small edits, such as condencing "uncoordinated half-falling motion" into "stumbling," can go a long way towards making something more readable. Good stuff.
You lost me with the reference to the Donner party. First of all, it's an abscure reference. But I don't think it works anyway, because using canabilization as a means for survival is different than attacking someone via biting them.
At the end of your edit you run with some assumptions. I like the idea of Joe wondering if he also lives in a state of half-life like his wife. That seems like a logical thought Joe might have. But I don't like Joe staring at his own hand. He knows the Ubik will heal him, just as Jory knows it can save him from death. If he knows it will work, why is he staring at his hand in disbelief?
You have some good ideas in here, and in keeping with Mobius' grading policy, I give this an A-.
-Pokerfink
First of all, it's "obscure," not "abscure." Second of all, the Donner Party reference entered my mind. It might not be the most logical reference because Jory was not starving as the Donner Party had. However, it reflects my mindset, so one cannot dispute its relevance. Thirdly, I believe that, even if someone were aware that Ubik would work, one would be surprised that it can be so effective. For these two reasons, I believe that you lack enough evidence for your grading decision. ~Young Jessie (P.S. Never said I was easy...)
Haha...Thanks, Peep!!!
3/17/07
So I ran away from Wiki for quite some time due to too many stressors--other homework, a job, etc. All of that B.S. stunted my creativity. Spring break has rejuvenated me a bit, so now I think I can provide you with more of my drivel...errr....I mean, meaningful thoughts. Although I have not posted my thoughts in this particular medium, I have certainly considered many, which I will describe to compensate for my sabbatical. I plan to discuss my thoughts on Ubik and Cosmic Trigger, in addition to other "meandering thoughts."
I began to think about the society of control again today when my friend informed me that someone hacked into my AIM (AOL Instant Messenger). Apparently, someone sent him crude statements, such as "Young Jessie is a $#^&," last night. This unknown individual (aka piece of sh#$ variable X) most likely gained access to my password when I walked away from the computer one time in the computer lab. An interesting wake-up call, indeed! From now on, I will always lock my computer when I step away for even a second. I guess one can't be too careful these days. Anyway, "piece of sh#$ variable X" will not be able to gain access unless he finds another means of controlling my social network, since I changed my password. Sorry, hacker! Try again 
2/22/07
First of all, I want to inform all of you that today is my half-birthday. And what is the significance of this statement? you ask. Well, it means that I am exactly six months away from my 21st birthday. Soon, the society of control will allow me to enter establishments where people imbibe liquids apparently unsuitable for people under the age of 21 due to their psychoactive effects, which induce such happenings as car accidents, acts of violence, injuries, unwanted children, and bad decision-making--all of which occur due to a reduced BAC.
Next order of business...
Midway through class, Mobius's discussion caused me to consider tessellations--a brief moment of insanity, perhaps. Anyway, I considered how the human desire to find patterns in nature through the creation of tessellations (see image below) mirrors the human desire to restructure nature into such franchises as Starbucks (see further below). When I write about the restructuring of nature, I am referring to the use of natural forms to create new compounds, which constitute manmade materials such as the those needed for the structure of a Starbucks storefront, the recipe for coffee, among others. The first image consists of the human ordering of a natural scene. It seems silly because it is clear that the rocks surrounding the ocean have more variation in shape than the hexagonal forms depicted in this image. The question is: do hexagons exist in nature? Or do we try to conform elements of nature to fit the hexagonal design? In a way, it reminds me of the Einstein quotation, "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." In other words, if nature does not look exactly hexagonal, make it hexagonal.
The second image reflects the human desire to generate symbolic messages through bizarre contexts like tessellations. What is the point of the implicit message behind patriotic colors? Is the society of control trying to reinforce the need to obey one's country at all costs, like support the war in Iraq when it is clearly a bad idea?
2/19/07
I was thinking about the society's emphasis on work and the increase of technology. Clastres discusses this concept in his "Society Against the State" when he mentions the European observers' disappoval of the Indians of Brazil because they chose to "allow themselves prolonged hours of leisure" instead of earning their "daily bread by the sweat of their brow." My questions are: must one continually work to lead an efficient, comfortable life? Would it be better to simply reach one point where we as humans can feel comfortable with our current state and end this drive for the development of more, or is this notion against human nature?
To answer these questions, I have to consider why humans work in the first place. I recall many summer vacations where boredom--a lack of needing to do something--made me unhappy. During those times, I recall wanting work. Yes, that certainly seems crazy in light of my current desire to lounge in a hammock. The question is: how long can humans endure a lazy state of mind before they seek work? I do not know anyone who wants to do nothing, and this list of people even includes those who do not need to work. Even supposedly retired former CEOs of companies seek work such as consulting. For this reason, I believe that the majority of humans cannot feel comfortable with their current state. Most humans always strive for more, and they need productivity even when they have become relatively self-sufficient. In a sense, I do disagree with Clastres. While I agree that "production is restricted to replenishing the stock of energy expended" in primitive societies, I doubt that members of primitive societies lounged for an extended period of time if they were as self-sufficient as they needed to be given their definition of self-sufficience. I believe that regardless of the type of society--that is, whether it be a society of control or not--, humans will continually seek work because boredom forever plagues us.
I can identify with that feeling of needing work. I am probably the happiest during the summers when I typically work two jobs and average about 80 hours of work per week. To me, boredom is the enemy! Boredom is depression. Perhaps its the constant movement or reaction to stimuli, who knows. You've got something on that boredom there. I for one, hope never to retire.
I found the remix interesting. I like this concept of the collision of the primitive world with the modern "society of control" world. You are not sure which is weirder--the excrement or the people's trendy clothing and behavior. This piece of writing reveals how modern conventions mask reality. If it were not for modern conventions like septic tanks and sewer systems, the ground would be covered in human shit. Once confronted with the reality of the shit, humans are ironically disgusted by their own natural processes, which they see every day but in a different context. The feces is not on the ground, but in modern objects known as "toilets." This writing reminds me of a book--can't think of the title (Please help me!). This book discusses how anthropologists would describe our current society if they were to discover it on a dig thousands of years later. The anthropologists perceive nearly everything through their modern lense of religion. They assume that a toilet, for example, has religious significance. The anthropologist's perspective is analogous to the people's reactions to shit because both perspectives are based on modern-day lenses. Like the anthropogists, the people perceive their environment through current filters. The line: "Holy Timoli," the reporter said, snickering at himself. "That is a lot of feces. I mean, truly, I've never seen that much of, at least not in person" reveals this concept of a filter. The reporter is not used to what he has not seen, even though this reality existed many years ago when the sewer system did not exist.
I also want to add that the sexually perverted and "shit"-based metaphors were clever. Are the writers saying that the society of control is just a bunch of shit? That is just one possible interpretation I thought I'd throw out there.
2/15/07
So I decided that it's time to dump the contents of my mind for the next week or so because I have not discussed many of my recent thoughts in the Wiki yet for 2 reasons: 1) my perpetual state of procrastinations (the "oh, I'll do it later...why now? I could be on Facebook instead" attitude) and 2) my thoughts are jumbled and confusing, so I'm afraid to have my peers read them. It's time to put those 2 factors aside, however.
I have mused about the society of control, and decided that humans attempt to control 2 main factors in their lives. They are: 1) a determinatiom of right and wrong based on such aspects as cultural, personal, and familial beliefs and 2) a desire to avoid appearing like animals (even though we are indeed animals). Humans have decided that animal behavior involves giving into impulse too easily and lacking a sense of discipline/ order. In other words, humans like to believe that the other animals lead lives of entropy, but we as humans do not. Both factors are inherently untrue. Right and wrong are all relative. A Catholic cannot usually convince a Jew that Catholicism is the right way, for example. In addition, we are animals at heart. If we did not behave like animals, we would not have offspring, so why deny our animal tendencies? I wonder why humans attempt to control these factors. I believe one reason is a desire to appear superior at all costs. Most humans I encounter (myself, included) would like to believe that they know the right way to behave--that is, they follow the right belief system and have the appropriate social graces. Perhaps such a desire for superiority in these areas stems from the concept of survival of the fittest, and can be translated as such: if one has superior beliefs and behavior, one is more likely to survive. To be continued after I complete my scholarship application...yes, the society of control demands my attention until 5 pm.
2/11/07
http://www.planetavp.com/.../strips/strip_144.jpg
This image occurs when the society of control penetrates M.C. Escher's works.
***It kinda looks like what would happen if Starbucks ever infiltrates Hogwarts Castle... RoBoCoP***
Wow. I have had this image in my mind ever since I saw the Simpson's episode where Bart gets a tattoo. On either side of the tattoo parlor, there are Starbucks in every direction, and once Bart emerges the tattoo joint has itself become a Starbucks. Notice how trapped you feel in this image...Escher's strange topological art now seems to be the objective and realist account of a world become an informatic mesh. Thanks for this, Meandering!-mobius
Haha. You're welcome. It actually reminded me of when I visited Boston at the age of 14, and my family and I regretted having passed a Starbucks. A block later, there was another one. When we left that Starbucks, we noticed 2 more Starbucks within a short distance of one another. We were trapped in a yuppy Boston enclave of Starbucks coffee-consuming pseudo-intellectuals mirroring the claustrophobic area depicted in this image. For lack of original words, I must include this cliche: life imitating art or art imitating life? ~Young Jessie
P.S. You've marred my page with that freakish image, Mobius...that is, Dr. Mobius.
2/5/07
I decided to read about Jackie Kennedy. Apparently, the FBI believed that Jackie O was more than a fashion trendsetter, and had special "business" in Ireland. I would love to see the blacked-out portions of this document. It seems like such meaningless drivel because Jackie O was nothing more than the arm candy of a cheating, charismatic president, according to history. Our taxes are clearly wasted on such nonsense.
I read other similarly ridiculous profiles. I understand why the FBI developed some files like the ones on Al Capone. However, I don't understand the level of detail. I read some blurbs about a "juice grape racket"...ummm....ok...enough said.
2/1/07
I was thinking about how Albert Einstein's quote, "If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith." relates to RFID. If we all knew a means of penetrating all knowledge and managing to attain as much as possible, then we would. RFID provides people with a means of attaining more information. In the same light, being a locksmith allows one to enter more rooms/ buildings to steal objects/ locate information.
For some reason, I thought I had posted my possible uses of RFID, but did not. Anyway, here is a list that will increase will time, hopefully, as I become more creative.
1.) Catching a cheating spouse
2.) Finding your lost pet
3.) Finding a kidnapped child
4.) Finding criminals
5.) Determining exactly when a crime occurred
6.) Finding prison escapees/ preventing escapes
7.) Finding stolen items
8.) Decreasing underworld activities by making it harder to sell stolen goods, etc.
9.) Secretly tracking people by placing chips in people's handbags/ items they carry regularly
1/30/07
Yes, I should be asleep. It is nearly 4 am. I am trapped in one of my reflective writing moods, however. I just wrote the following poem. Tell me what you think.
Who was I, and and who will I be? I ask
It’s never, Who am I?
We consider the past and future,
But never the present
As we waste away our lives
In a puddle of rum
In a cheap flashy club
In the middle of downtown
The voices of the past have long
Disappeared but to the past
We are forever bound
Like it happened yesterday
Their burden diminishes games of tag
And kickball in the schoolyard
Because he called us fag
Words are only words
But their stigma lingers forever
So when you think we learn
Please realize there are ties we cannot sever.
1/29/07
I actually like Wiki now. I considered it an interesting concept when I first accessed it. After putting the theory of Wiki to practice, I now perceive its merit. Wiki allows me to explore any topic in a free and unrestricted way. It is exciting because I do not know who is accessing my page. I was excited when Dr. Mobius edited my page haha. If you are actually reading anything I write, feel free to respond. I am REALLY looking forward to comments/ edits. Thanks.
So, another link issue... My computer becomes psychotic when I click on the Creative Commons link.
And now for some meandering thoughts on sociology...I want to preface this by telling you that I am a sociologist at heart, so I am writing this rant from a sociological perspective.
I spoke with Dr. Mobius about a week ago about the merits of AOL Instant Messenger. While many people believe that people are wasting their time when they spend hours on AOL Messenger, I believe that they are actually improving their communications skills. When I began using AOL Messenger, I did not always convey my thoughts clearly enough for my audience, so they would misinterpret their meanings. Eventually, we'd have a major fight on AIM because of
Since my page gradually deletes old information because it is too large, please refer to this link for my earlier blog.
~
Comments (3)
Anonymous said
at 1:54 am on Mar 9, 2007
Hey, there, thanks for reviewing our collabo-narrative. I really appreciated your fine analysis because most of what you picked up on was unintentional on our parts.
It looks like you have a pretty good blog going yourself. That Starbucks image is pretty eerie. Keep up the good work in fighting those control freaks.
John
enc3310zine.pbwiki.com
Anonymous said
at 1:26 am on Mar 17, 2007
Thank you for your comment! Now I'm curious. What did you intend to represent in your collabo-narrative? Haha, not sure if I'm really fighting the control freaks, or am I?
Anonymous said
at 1:49 am on Apr 13, 2007
Well, we didn't intend to represent anything. We just let loose some imagery and it turned out pretty well.
Fight those freaks! I love it.
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