April 29, 2005
Problem (History, Conditions, Who?, etc.)
Proposal
JOHN'S PART
_____________________________________________
Current Issue/Significance (Who?
Benefits (Statistics, survey, cost)
MARADONA'S PART
_______________________________________________
Solution
Conclusion
RAHUL'S PART
_________________________________________________
April 27, 2005
Rubina
Problem
Background
- stats of admissions from early UT to recent
- graph
Charise
Current situation and conditions
- survey stats and graphs
Proposal
Colin
Benefits
Conclusion
Survey questions:
1. What is your year?
2. What is your area of study?
3. About how many people were in the biggest class you attended?
-100 or less;100-200,200-300, 300-400, 400-500, more than 500
4. Of the largest class you attended, how well did you perform academically?
5. Of the largest class you attended, about how many times did you skip the class?
6. Do you feel you could have performed better is the class size were smaller?
- strongly disagree to strongly agree
7. During your largest class, do you feel comfortable asking questions to your professor?
8. Of the largest class you attended, were your assignment and exam grades returned promptly?
9. In your larger classes, do you fall asleep often during lectures?
- yes, sometimes, few times, no
10. How large of a problem do you think admission overcrowding is at UT Austin?
Parking & Transportation Survey
Some intro text here
Parking & Transportation Survey
April 26, 2005
April 25, 2005
GraffitiArt
FinalDefinationalPaper
Karen Brooks
Mariela Hristova
RHE 306
April 24, 2005
Socially Acceptable
art please, every one with style knows,
where else are you going to get this free art show.
the way it stands out and glows,
look at the lines and how well they flow,
graffiti artist are the most talented and creative, but this we already know.
-Jayson (RED) from the Art Institute of Colorado, Colorado Springs (Is Graffiti Art?)
You see it in subways, walls and museums. It is loud, bright and socially unacceptable. It can be legal, or not. Is it art? Graffiti has been banned and shunned, yet is cultivated and sold as high-class art. In the past, judgment to determine art was held by the select few that commissioned and taught art. Current perceptions of art are formed in the minds of the general public. The variance of individual tastes and opinions make a set definition of art problematic. My case is not all-inclusive capturing the essence of art, but focusing on the characteristics that are relevant to the controversy of graffiti. No single criteria includes or excludes a piece of work as art. Graffiti is art based on the following criteria: artistic elements and techniques; artist's intention and meaning; recognition by the professional world; history and culture; and other subjective characteristics include aesthetics and beauty. Arguments against qualifying graffiti as art: its legal legitimacy, rejection, and public misinterpretation are all founded on flawed perspectives.
Graffiti is art because of its artistic elements and techniques. Graffiti art typically emphasizes the artistic elements of line, movement and color, but can include perspectives and shading. Graffiti art, known as graffiti writing, is a complex process starting with an outline, then the fill in, color, three-dimensional shade and an optional background. During the late 1960's lettering styles emerged from New York; types of graffiti include bubble, computer, gothic, 3-D and wildstyle, an elaborate interconnecting pattern that is almost illegible (Silver). In addition to the many forms of calligraphy, blending colors and cartoon characters are another part of graffiti's form. Arrows are a large element in graffiti, accentuating letters' slant and energy. The graffiti movement has expanded beyond New York and traditional lettering. Some artists have become known for their iconic graphics rather than lettering, others deal only in abstract colors and patterns. On the other hand graffiti artist, or graffitist for short, El Kitsch Tasso's style is almost photorealistic. Tasso's work is so popular that most of it is commissioned and legal (Harrison). The unique style, process and artistic elements qualify graffiti writing as a class of art.
Graffiti's art status is affirmed by its intentionality. Although a piece of art might appear haphazard, artistic styles have their own meaning. "It is art because it is engaged for its own sake" (Harrison). Even though many ignorantly believe that graffiti is casual and inadvertent, "graffiti art is not a spontaneous activity like tagging in the form of fancy scribble" (Stowers). Writers give much consideration and planning to their work. Their intent may be political, social, revolutionary, cultural, creative and assertive of identity. Graffitist's motivation is often dedicated and strong, often a mission. Now in the Army, Skeme, a former graffiti artist, said the determination and mission-mindset graffiti prepared him for the tactical military mind-set (Silver).
Once a style is accepted by the accredited art community, many will consider it as art even if it does not match their personal taste. Graffiti is art because of its recognition in professional artistic galleries validates it as art. In the 1970's galleries in New York and Europe brought graffiti art to an international level. For example, Lee Quinones, a renowned graffitist, was invited to exhibit his work on canvas in Claudio Bruni's Galleria Madusa in Rome. Also, an art dealer, Yaki Kornblit of Denmark, helped establish the careers of a few graffiti artists between 1984 and 1985 at Museum Boyanano von Beuningen in Rotterdam" (Stowers). Barry McGee, "Twist", completed a mural for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Every art genre has a past and a culture. To fully understand and value a style of art one must recognize or know its history. Graffiti's rich tradition and roots strengthen its qualification as art. Modern graffiti originated in New York in the late 1960's and was first know as "New-York" graffiti. The largest promotion of graffiti has been the sub-culture Hip-Hop which originated in the Bronx. Graffiti is an equal part of the four elements of Hip-Hop culture. Rap is the spoken musical form, DJing or spinning records is manipulation and compilation of Hip-Hop music, break dancing also known as B-Boying is the dance mode and graffiti is the visual counterpart. Initially these components were integrated tightly; many graffitists were also break dancers, rappers, and DJ's. Hip-Hop's culture is unique in that is has spread all over the world and graffiti knows no racial, gender, economic, ethnic or age boundaries. One graffitist, Johana Guerra, says the graffiti he creates is an ethnic and cultural expression, "Graffiti lights up the community. It makes "el barrio" more colorful. When I draw, I try to show my love for my "Raza", my people, my art, my Mexican pride. Through graffiti I can express [the] feeling that I have so strongly for my culture" (Is Graffiti Art?). Whether in the barrio in Los Angeles, the ghetto in New York City or Latin America, graffiti expresses the culture of its creator and holds an artistic past in the heart of Hip-Hop generations.
Just as graffiti art's culture is diverse and showy, equally is its appearance. Graffiti art possesses copious artistic and aesthetic properties. Graffiti art is highly geometric emphasizing artistic elements such as line, form and arrangement combined to parallel the strong rhythm and emotion in rap music. Bold colors, energy, intensity contribute to the emotional draw of graffiti. Graffitist Doze says graffiti art is pure and unapologetic; its creation of motion is fundamental, "tilting letters makes them alive" (Style).
Despite the overwhelming evidence that graffiti qualifies as art by these characteristics, graffiti is unwelcome and misunderstood by conventional society. A challenge to graffiti art is that it is "forced upon the public" by appearing in nontraditional artistic settings (Stowers). However, many businesses use graffiti as attention-grabbing advertisements, recognizing the public's positive reaction to this art form. Rheingold Brewing Company paid graffiti writers to paint their window shades as innovative commercial advertisements. Another business owner Nelson Plasencio, of a New York tailor shop has utilized graffiti as a marketing tactic. He says that graffiti brightens up the appearance of the building and attracts costumers (Barron). Graffiti can be found all over the marketplace, including fashion design. Although clothing style does not dictate art, it reflects the public's aesthetic appreciation. Graffiti fashion can be found on shirts, shoes, hats, purses and jeans; Escada has a perfume called "Sexy Graffiti" and Nokia has cell phone face plates with graffiti designs. Carlos Rodriguez, or "Mare," started graffiti as an adolescent and has turned his graffiti into a profession. He designed a BET award, and sells graffiti-inspired or styled sculpture and canvas art for an occupation (Silver).
Regardless of this commercial and public acknowledgment, the government remains opposed in lieu of graffiti's illegitimacy, labeling it as vandalism. Society tends to look down on criminal activity. San Diego's website posts graffiti as, "A Sign of Urban Decay" and an agent of alarm, "graffiti generates fear of neighborhood crime and instability". It goes further to define graffiti in a city ordinance in 2000 as, "any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, picture, or design that is sprayed, marked, cut, posted, pasted or otherwise affixed, drawn or painted on any surface of public or private property" (Graffiti Control). San Diego's definition is ambiguous enough to catalog garage-sale advertisements on traffic signs as graffiti. There is a necessary distinction between legal and illegal graffiti. A website detailing graffiti art in Barcelona distinguishes America from the rest of the world as unable to "recognize the differences between graffiti and vandalism" (Barcelona). This declaration stems from the problem of graffiti's broad definition. Graffiti literally includes any carving, scratching, painting or writing on a wall or surface. In the modern graffiti world there are two kinds of popular graffiti-bombing (also known as tagging) and writing. Bombing consists of anything from bathroom scribbles to unsolicited markings on private or public property. "Bombers" write over other's work and contain no visual design; bombers focus on producing quantity rather than quality. On the other hand graffiti writing is a, "creative method of communicating identity, expression, and ideas" (Stowers); writing focuses on art. "The difference between tagging and art is the difference between writing a statement and writing a whole paper," says graffitist DadOneLove (Davila). Seattle Councilman Nick Licata, addresses the gap between the idea using the terms-graffiti and graffiti-style art, "Graffiti is undesirable and should be eradicated." But graffiti-style art is different, "like other forms of visual art [it] does have merit" (Davila). This brings up a common argument against graffiti. The issue of what something is does not change because of where it is-the location of a piece of work does not change its definition. Graffiti writer Barry McGee, also know by his tag name "Twist," affirms the contradiction that people approve of his art inside the studio and galleries and rebuke his art on the streets, "I do [graffiti] with the same hand and people say, 'this is great, I love this stuff [graffiti art]' and walk on the street and say, 'I wish they would get rid of this stuff [graffiti art]' in reference to my [graffiti]" (Barry McGee). Though graffiti, as defacement, is illegal, legality is irrelevant to the classification of art. It is possible for graffiti to be both illegal and art. Especially since governmental recognition of graffiti is evident from LA to Chicago. Local authorities have commissioned graffiti-style murals to decorate their cities and deter illegal graffiti by providing legal opportunities. The Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia has sponsored more than 2,300 murals in the past 20 years. The program started in 1984 to legally channel graffiti artists' talent to inner-city beautification (Ramsdale).
Further criticism from unwilling audiences stems from graffiti's ambiguity and indecipherable form. Of all the criticisms of graffiti, this one has the least merit; countless accepted art genres initially produced the same effect from the public. Institutional recognition of a style as art is not necessary (as most were originally shunned by the public). Cubism, surrealism, dadaism, impressionism, fauvism, and expressionism are all movements of art the public rejected.
Clearly graffiti's artistic elements, intention, professional recognition, history and culture and aesthetics name graffiti as art. Unlike most art periods, Hip-Hop culture has lasted decades and spread to communities around the world. Still, mass public acceptance and appreciation of graffiti will be long after its birth; rejection is society's typical reaction. Throughout history, art genres, from Monet's impressionism to Jazz music, have "raised from the ashes" of minorities or the poor or young. This is visibly the case concerning Hip-Hop culture and graffiti writing. So when a train flies by with the bright spray paint of American youth, a wall downtown yells the loud marks of spray-paint art be attentive-you might see the same painting displayed under "graffitism" in the art books someday.
Works Cited
"Art in the Twenty First Century: Is Graffiti Art?" PBS. 2005. 20 Apr. 2005 .
"Barcelona's Alternative Gallery Guide." Celebrating Barcelona Graffiti Culture. 2004. 20 Apr. 2005
Barron, James. "Welcoming Graffiti as a Partner in Promotion." The New York Times 14 Nov. 2004, Late ed., sec. 14: 8.
"Barry McGee, Graffiti Interview, Is Graffiti Art? Forum." PBS. 2005. 20 Apr. 2005
Davila, Florangela. "Is Graffiti Art an Oxymoron?" The Seattle Times 15 Oct. 2004, Fourth ed., sec. ROP ZONE: H51.
"Graffiti Control Program About Graffiti What is Graffiti?" America's Finest City: The City of San Diego. 2005. 20 Apr. 2005
Harrison, Ben. "Art Gets a Spray." Courier Mail [Queensland] 8 Jan. 2005, sec. BAM: M08.
Ramsdale, Jack. "The Murals of Philadelphia." The Ford Foundation Report 35.3 (Summer 2004): 19.
Silver, Tony. Style Wars. Plexifilm, 1983. DVD ROM. 2003 ed. Brooklyn: Public Arts Film Inc.
Stowers, George C. "Graffiti Art: An Essay Concerning the Recognition of Some Forms of Graffiti As Art." Unpublished essay, Fall 1997. Art Crimes the Writing on the Wall. 2005. 20 Apr. 2005
Problem (History, Conditions, Who?, etc.)
Proposal
Current Issue/Significance (Who?
Benefits (Statistics, survey, cost)
Solution
Conclusion
Works Cited
April 20, 2005
Survey
1. What kind of car you drive?
Year:
Gas Mileage:
Type of car : Compact , SUV's ,
Brand:
2. Our proposal: In order to conserve natural resources and fund money towards current research on fuel efficient vehicles
Topic Proposal (revised)
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
At all universities, including UT, there is a high number of students who participate in under-aged drinking, and these have led to many problems/accidents. Although rules are enforced everywhere, the university's ability to stop the people from drinking is insufficient and the motivation to drink is greater than their motivation to stop, so many continue to drink regardless of the existing policies.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
More and more students enter the university every year, most under the age of 21, and entering college for the first time. Many have never had alcohol and many have the inability to stop once they begin. The longer the university waits, the more people that will participate in these illegal activities. Alcohol is attributed to many drink and driving incidents, alcohol poisoning, and rape cases. Although these are extreme cases with alcohol, they exist as a reality of today.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
Awareness is already prevalent on the campus, but we need to give the students an actual motive to not drink under age. We could tag under-aged students with wristbands (as opposed to the existing stamp rule which students occasionally remove by washing out) to make sure those responsible for giving out alcohol are giving them to legally aged students. We could also begin a volunteer organization that has students attend parties and observe any illegal activities and report them if needed. The community should also do something about the penalty for those charged with an MIP to something more severe, replacing the lenient system that exists today. Also, we should also go straight to the alcohol source, to make sure the venders of alcohol are selling them legally and card as necessary.
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
Internet for the majority of the secondary resources and library for the majority of the primary resources, also, newspaper articles may help when talking about more local incidents and problems with our issue and what is being done to correct/prevent these. We will also conduct a survey of fellow college students about their alcoholic experience.
April 19, 2005
Surveys vs. Interviews
After reading the material for Wednesday on surveys & interviews, try to think how you can use each method of primary research for your project. Imagine that you had time to do both a survey and an interview.
1. If you did a survey, what type would you choose and why? How do you plan on overcoming the disadvantages of the type of survey you select (as outlined in your reading)?
2. If you did an interview, how would you encourage your interviewee to provide the information that is most useful to you? How would you keep track of the answers during the interview? What do you think are some of the pitfalls that you need to avoid in interviewing people?
April 18, 2005
RHEProposal
Middle School Mentoring
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: Thunderbirds
Group members: Karen Brooks, Eric, Michael
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
Our solution will address high drop-out rates in low-income areas in Austin.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
Kids in middle school are very impressionable, and need positive reinforcement concerning college. This is an urgent issue as middle school students are only in middle school for 3 years. Education is essential to democracy, allowing the existence of a middle class and economic growth, R&D.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
We will establish a UT club pairing UT students as mentors with middle school students from AISD. The program will encourage middle school kids to graduate high school and go to college. UT students will take their kid to various events on campus and around Austin: UT sports games, musical performances, plays, concerts, outdoor activities and other interesting and educational opportunities. The children will also receive tutoring. The club will be funded by local businesses, ticket donations and UT scholarships.
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
We will search for statistics on drop-out rates and middle school students' interest in college.
Entries
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: admission regulaters
Group members: Charise, Rubina, Colin
What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
large class sizes; too many people cause detriment to learning process. Interaction with professors is minimal.
Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
Every year, class sizes keep on increasing, bringing the population of the campus almost equal to the size of an average city. If class sizes keep on increasing, it creates an intimidating situation for incoming college freshmen
Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
Write a letter to the campus legislature explaining the situation.
Solution: lower admission rates, highly selective admission criteria, less strict minority admission rules
Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
Surveys, Daily Texas articles, interview professors with a large class size
Parking sucks
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: Bad Asses
Group members: Mika, Kevin, Neeraj
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
Parking on campus is a problem for everyone. There are too many drivers and not enough spaces or places to park. The population is simply too dense to accommodate individuals who want and need to drive.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
The University of Texas has neglected to ever solve this problem so the problem cannot wait. The university does not provide affordable parking for guest, commuters, and students even thought there is such a huge population and demand.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
We would like to establish a more extensive bus system to encourage people not to drive and provide benefits to those who don't bring cars to campus (Tuition decrease, registration privileges, free tickets to sporting events)
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
We will need to evaluate the parking and transportation websites as well as doing some investigations and interviews. Most information will come from primary sources.
Ron Burgandy
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: Ron Burgandy
Group members: Mendy Black, Mike Buono, Jessica Gallarrdo
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
We are trying to provide an alternative to drinking and driving. Today the University of Texas spends money as well as time trying to educate university students on the dangers of drinking and driving, however there has been no change in the student's attitudes. They also spend money on programs such as the free cab service, but most students don't know about it or don't want to use it.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
It can't wait because every 15 seconds someone dies from an alcohol related car accident. We think saving lives is pretty significant.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
We are going to propose creating a direct bus service connecting Riverside, North Campus and West Campus. This bus service would run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and pick up at its stops every half hour. This service would allow more students to ride together as well as save money on gas and parking. The main reason still being that the students would have an alternative to drinking and driving.
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
University statistics on how well the E Bus has worked for West Campus and Riverside areas. As well as information on programs the University uses to address this problem.
research link
http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/gasmileage/ - data about mileage for cars
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
topic proposal
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: Bubblegummers
Group members: Charles, Kofi, Michelle
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
The problem we are trying to solve is the overcrowding at UT. Classes are too big more people are coming in than leaving, it is hard to get the classes you need because so many people are competing for the same ones.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
It is a problem that can't wait because the overcrowding has reached a point where it is hard for people to graduate in 4 years, and now the school is making tuition higher in order to try and get more people out.. Also parking is really, really hard with so many people.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
We would take away the top 10 percent rule at larger schools and make it the 5 percent rule at those. We would also lower the total amount of incoming freshman in each class, and this would give us the best and brightest who will be efficient and will be able to handle the course load and get out in four years.
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
At the admissions office for total number of students taken in each class and how many are in through the top ten percent rule, and also find out the rate at which students are entering and leaving school, and hopefully make those number close together.
AA
Policies & Fear: Topic Proposal
Group name: AA
Group members: James Yang, Van Ho, Baldemar Hernandez
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
Underage drinking within and around the college community specifically. The problem exists because many drink without permission and without control and awareness, causing high levels of drinking and driving and other harmful consequences, including bodily injuries and internal effects.
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
People are dying needlessly and they can be prevented. Many concerned parents and friends are unaware of certain events and may need help to prevent certain disasters concerning important people. Drinking and driving is one of the leading cause of death in America, and spans back to people in high school.
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
Awareness programs to inform the general public on the adverse effects of drinking, stricter policies concerning alcohol selling and consumption, programs outside of the AA that help cope with the need and want to drink under-aged that allow students to get help without feeling the uneasiness and embarrassment of the AA
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
Internet for the majority of the secondary resources and library for the majority of the primary resources, also, newspaper articles may help when talking about more local incidents and problems with our issue and what is being done to correct/prevent these.
Paper 4 Proposal_Gas Guzzelers
Group name: Gas Guzzlers
Group members: Maradona Truong, John Doolittle and Rahul Batra
1. What is the problem that you will be trying to solve? Please, describe it in detail.
Avoid the cost associated with increasing gas prices and overuse of gas guzzlers
2. Why is it a problem that cannot wait? What is its significance or urgency?
Gas prices are increasing at an alarming rate and show no sign of stopping in future. We have limited resources of gas and also it will help reduce our expenses
3. Please present your solution, describing it as realistically as possible.
Tax consumers who own cars that gets a low miles/gallon. Use this money to fund the research and production of more fuel efficient and also discourage the use of gas guzzlers
4. Where would you look for primary research for this paper?
Survey public, use internet sources that have information on miles per gallon and other info pertaining to gas consumption
April 17, 2005
April 14, 2005
Health and safty rough draft
Download file
hey Ms. Hiristova its a bit late but here is my rough draft i was hoping i could still get some feedback from you.
April 11, 2005
Groups for Proposal Argument
1. Mendy, Jessica, Mike = Ron Burgandy
2. Neeraj, Kevin, Mika = Bad Asses
3. Maradona, John, Rahul = Gas guzzlers
4. Karen, Eric, Michael = Thunderbirds
5. Charles, Kofi, Michelle = Overcrowding at UT (bubblegummers)
6. Charise, Colin, Rubina = Transformers
7. Van, Baldemar, James = AA
April 08, 2005
April 07, 2005
April 01, 2005
Information on the Web
Please look at the following sites and decide if you would use them as sources for evidence in a scholarly essay or not. Be prepared to your reasoning.
http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/golfla.html
http://www.esquilax.com/flag/history.html
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/flagburning.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/flag-burning-amendment
http://www.pbs.org/jefferson/enlight/flag.htm