Some Final Thoughts

Here we are. After dozens of writing assignments, demanding essays and an ominous research paper, it only seems natural for one to reflect on what one may or may not have achieved over the course of the semester. Frankly, the volume of writing we’ve been able to complete in 16 weeks surprises me. With the exception of emails and Facebook wall postings, who really writes as often and with as much determination as we have in a non-academic setting? But what has been even more surprising is that the quantity has been accompanied by gradually increasing quality. Everyone who has survived the last16 weeks seems to have definitely shown signs of improvement as well - as a certain express a certain level of enjoyment in the writing process itself. One can see it in the fascinating weekly blog posts, and even in some of the formal essay drafts I’ve had the privilege of peer reviewing.

If there is one thing with has stood out for me this semester, it has been the blogging assignment. I cannot emphasize how much I originally dreaded the thought of having to write 500+ words every week about topics “TBD”. But the experience has been much more enjoyable, and for reasons I have explained in previous blogs, immensely helpful in boosting my confidence. For anyone looking to seriously improve his or her writing in a deliberate way, I strongly suggest starting a blog and picking a new topic each week to ponder in words. It will be well worth the effort in the end. And perhaps one will meet a new friend.

Well my fellow classmates, I hope I have at least not bored you this semester with my writings. I could never expect to impress, but always strive to entertain, and even sometimes enlighten some of you with my quirky style. Hopefully, each of you has gleamed some nugget of information or insight into writing with style and purpose from this class. We have to hand it to Professor Gross when it comes to transforming an otherwise painful experience of taking yet another English class into a curious, fascinating and very memorable journey that will (and should) stick with us for many years to come through our writing.

Good luck to all of you in your future endeavors, and God bless.

Your friendly Blogger

Being Careful What We Wish For...

Now that the insanity of the research project is nearly complete, I cannot help but notice the striking similarity between the abysmal outcome of the Iranian Revolution and other revolutions of the past. The Iranian people had a dream of a new nation where tyranny would cease to exist once and for all. They had dreamed of a free society where freedom of expression and some minimal form of civility where people could not be rounded up in the middle of the night and sent to secret prisons.

It’s not hard to see why many Iranians felt threatened and oppressed by the Shah and his ruling party. The Shah of Iran imposed many new “Western” ideals upon the Muslim people of Iran – presumably to bring Iran into the new century. However, as with any absolute rule, power always seems to corrupt absolutely. Despite his best efforts, the Shah’s legacy of tyranny and oppression had been no different than his predecessors. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was supposed to change all that. The people demanded CHANGE they could believe in, and they fought for it with fervent vigor.

Unfortunately, things change for the worst. Women lost what little rights they had in an effort to enforce conformity and “religious morality” in the new Islamic Republic. Research on the subject of populist revolution has opened my eyes as to how easily the public can be made to believe that change is necessarily good. Things did change drastically for the average Iranian - one can believe that.

Some of those changes include newly formed morality patrols that roam the streets of Iran offering imprisonment or even death for saying anything that challenges the religious elite, or even for wearing banned lipstick, perfume, or short skirts. It seems that the average Iranian had only replaced one form of tyranny with other, and sworn allegiance to a new Supreme Leader – the Ayatollahs. If anything, the new regime had turned back the clock of progress and stifled the cultural and industrial evolution of Iran. The desire for “change” at any price had come at a terrible price in human lives, dignity and economic stagnation for the Iranian people.The Russian Revolution did not fair much better with its failure to live up to the dream of a utopian society; nor did the populist revolutions of Vietnam or Cambodia in the 1960’s. Even the idealistic, feel-good promises of “change we can believe in” during our last Presidential election have left much to be desired. While our President may have had the right intentions at heart, our lawmakers have squandered the opportunity these past 2 years to take the heartfelt enthusiasm for a approach to government with less “politics as usual” and more controlled spending. Instead, it seems that the new ruling party has only managed to twist the dream of change into a nightmare of party politicos, poor resource management, and in fighting. Perhaps we should all be careful what we wish for the next time we get the urge to change things so abruptly. Once we had over the proverbial keys to a new ruling elite, one can never be sure if we really will be any better off than before until its too late.

The Art of the Research Paper

Does anyone really enjoy writing research papers? When I was younger, I used to dread the thought of writing anything longer than 2 or 3 pages – or requiring more than a superficial analysis of a 1-diminensional topic. However, as I gained more experience in writing formal research papers for college, and eventually for work, I began to appreciate the process. In many ways, I had begun to associate such writing efforts with “art”.

When I speak of “art” I am not implying that that the effort is entirely creative or abstract, but I am suggesting that there are several layers to writing a successful research paper. As with any form of art, there is the technical layer of which one must master the basic tools and skills to accomplish the task at hand. But then there is the second, more complex layer which involves creativity and free-form association. As with trying to tie-in a factoid or quote from a scholarly source for a research paper, the artist must tie-in one’s own life experiences, observations or reference images to form the painting or sculpture in the artist’s mind. It is that melding of what we know, what we learn and what skills we accumulated to create something new that has so fascinated me about writing research papers. From that perspective, one could are that undertaking a research project can be as fun as creating a work of art that one can hang over the fireplace and point to with pride (hopefully).

With regards to the research project for this English course, the same underlying sense of purpose and art still applies for me. However, that is not to say that I had not been confronted with multiple challenges. Among the most difficult to overcome has occurred during the preparatory stage. The question of what topic to writing about has not been trivial. If my writing experience has taught me anything, it is that one cannot “bullshit” one’s way through a 6+ page research paper because there just aren’t enough “generic” phrases and filler words available in most people’s writing toolbox. Picking the right topic is crucial for me. And to help me achieve that I ended up writing a rough outline of possible forms my research project could take for each of the proposed topics in the RP handout. It has been a time consuming process, but the end result will be worth it as I now know that I have enough to say about the topic! More importantly, I believe the quality if the paper will be improved because I am more excited about writing on the selected topic.

The other area of potential difficultly has involved in-text citation and selecting the right reference sources. Poorly selected sources can derail even the best efforts to form a logical argument. My worst fear is usually being unable to support a claim made earlier in a long research paper – or to have my main argument lose steam mid-way through the paper for lack of supporting evidence or focus. Again, to help me overcome this I have relied heavily on the preliminary outlines created for each potential topic. Doing so has allowed me to “pre-visualize” the structure of the paper before committing ink to paper. Hopefully, the net result will be an effortless first draft, or a nightmare assignment from hell.

Blogging with Style

This week’s writing assignment poses an interesting question: what does my writing style really say about me as the author? I had never given this question much thought in the past, but it seems very relevant now. I, like many others in this online course, have written numerous online blogs about a multitude of subjects - including some very personal ones. Upon a closer re-examination of my own online efforts these past few months, I have discovered several pleasantly surprising trends.

Firstly, I am pleased to see that my online writing style is not as “stiff” or formal as much of my offline writing. While I do pride myself in writing as grammatically correct as possible, it appears I may have successfully avoided my traditional overly “scientific” spin by injecting humor and anecdotal stories more frequently than usual. To be honest, I rather enjoy writing for the bloggosphere. It truly enables one to write openly about any subject while still requiring that one pay attention to the quality, conciseness and tone of one’s writing. After all, the entire world is the potential audience, so those traditional writing elements are crucial for delivering a readable blog. I feel as though blogging is more akin to “art”, for example, than other online writing mediums such as Facebook or Web email. The experience of blogging for me could be best described as a hybrid between a great conversation and writing scenes for a short story or screenplay.

Secondly, I am even more pleased to see that my writing as positively affected other readers. I love the comments – please keep them coming! It really fulfills that feeling of “intelligent conversation” I had mentioned earlier. And it creates a sense of pride in me that I had actually written something both meaningful and entertaining for others – even if it’s only in the context of this course.

Hopefully, I have adequately conveyed to everyone reading my blogs a sense of quirkiness, balanced with determined seriousness and a zest for life that is uniquely my own. More importantly, I hope to have made someone smile - maybe even laugh - in the process.

What the >Bleep< ?

The world of TV and film 50 years seems like a distant memory today. Ethical standards and guidelines for the usage of foul language, nudity and violence seem almost archaic by today’s standards. Since the inception of the independent United States government agency the FCC (or Federal Communications Commission) in 1934, the debate has raged on about how much regulation is too much – and how much freedom of speech should content creators really have over the airwaves.

I can still remember that famous comedy routine by comedian George Carlin where he recites the "seven dirty words" one absolutely cannot say on TV. The controversy was not so much that he used the ‘F” word or other profanity, but that should there even be a list of such words which “can not be spoken”. That is censorship in the eyes of many, and yet an issue of the right to free speech for others. Not surprisingly, in 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the FCC's indecency judgment on Carlin's comedy monologue about seven words one can never say on TV. Just 25 years later, U2’s lead singer Bono gets away with shouting the “F” word during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards broadcast - the FCC ruled it as not obscene shortly thereafter. What a difference a few decades can make!

Amazingly, it appears that the FCC does NOT have an official list of banned words. It is the CONTEXT in which certain profanity is used. Part of that context is the time of day in which the profanity (and sexuality and violence) is broadcast. A TV broadcast of harsh profanity at 2p.m. when children could be listening will almost certainly bring the wrath of the FCC. However, according to recent FCC’s Enforcement Bureau notes, material considered merely “indecent” but not obscene may be broadcast between 10p.m. - 6 a.m. And these laws don't apply to obscenity or indecency on cable-only channels! One only has to watch 15 minutes of Sex in the City and The Sopranos to realize that there are no holds barred on bad language.

To be honest, I believe that the current FCC codes are fair and very applicable to today’s viewing audience. With special ratings for TV programs and expanded ratings for films, people have more information from which to decide if their child should watch a program or not. It’s really up to the viewer to decide what is “obscene” or “indecent” or just plain entertaining.

Practice Makes Perfect

Although I had been somewhat apprehensive about the volume and frequency of writing required for this course, I am glad to have enrolled in it. I suppose I had become complacent about writing in general. Rather than viewing it as a skill to be honed and mastered, I saw it as a necessary evil – even a chore when it had been for work related reports or briefings. And then comes English 103 with Professor Gross.

The blogging exercises have been the most rewarding and perhaps the most beneficial. I’ve learned to write with much greater efficiency and accuracy as a result of assignments requiring retrospective, introspective and even circumspective contemplation about the world around me. It’s been a lot of fun because I rarely get to reflect on life's many events in my normal “9 to 5” routine. It would seem that regularly exercising the mind and the pen can do just as much good for the body as 10 laps around the block.

The other important area of development for me has been analytical writing via the essay assignments. I have been particularly pleased with my recent efforts at writing a formal synthesis essay. Interestingly, the entire experience had been reminiscent of my research paper writing days were the goal was to synthesize a vast body of knowledge with newly found observations in the lab. Only through careful analysis and synthesis of data and facts could the real power of science shine. I never expected to could apply to everyday writing, as well.

And then there are those group assignments. To be honest, I have never been a big fan of group activities in school. More often then not one or two members of the group get left holding the bag for the entire assignment. But surprisingly, the groups I have had the privilege to participate in have been very cooperative and enjoyable. Did my writing skills improve as a result? Probably not, but I do believe my team building skills may have benefited from the experience. Coupled with the fact that some groups could achieve a virtual collective consciousness in an entirely virtual classroom, it has been memorable.

As the old proverbial saying goes, if you don’t use it you will surely lose it. Personally, I am thankful to have taken the opportunity to enroll in this class when I needed a creative jolt the most.

So You Think That Was Funny?

I enjoy political cartoons very much. Whether I catch one in the Wall Street Journal or the local newspaper, political cartoon have a way of stimulating a smirk – and stirring up conversation with my peers. However, I believe certain political cartoonists have stepped over the line one too many times with personal, insulting satire of former President Bush. Don’t get me wrong, I am not and have not been a big supporter of “W”. In my opinion, his policies were often questionable and demanded more public debate than it generally received. And yes, I frequently chuckled at his endless public gaffs or misspoken phrases. But he was the President of the United States and represented the attitudes of a democratic and free nation. Good or bad, he was a man trying to do his best in an incredibly difficult job.

Where I believe the proverbial line was crossed occurred with publications of personally insulting cartoons depicting his family or his “stupidity” in a way that was not political commentary or even humorous. It was just plain nasty and overtly hateful. If one doesn’t agree with another person, should one openly exhibit pure, unfiltered hatred for that person as a sign of disagreement? I don’t think most of us would do that to another person we have strong disagreement with – would we? I certainly would not. And I would expect a certain civility among fellow Americans when it comes to respecting our leaders. Please note that I didn’t say “agreeing” or “praising” or “blindly following” our leaders, but “respecting” them for what the their position represents to the world.

Let me draw a parallel with current President Obama. I voted for him knowing fully that he has extremely liberal ideals. I wanted a “change” more than the status quo with McCain. However, I am finding myself frequently at odds with many of Obama’s "new deal" style agenda over the last 15 months of his tenure. I would openly debate any of his policies. I might even chuckle at a carton depicting him with egg on his face after the initial healthcare plan fiasco last fall. However, I would never tolerate a personally attacking cartoon of him that mocked his ethnicity or his family. Those things are not intended for humor, I believe, but insult. I honestly don’t see how newspaper publishers can allow such personal attacks to see the light of day – even in the form of a political cartoon.

Let Him Speak

I am a firm believer that universities and colleges should encourage and promote free speech. That includes speech that may offend some. Now imagine for a moment that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran was invited to speak at campuses across California. How would that make you feel? Knowing what we do about the fanatical religious beliefs of Ahmadinejad and Iran’s ruling Mullahs, one can count on his speech to foster very little real dialogue with anyone. And if you are like most Americans who have watched this man spew out one hate-mongering speech after another at the United Nations and other venues, perhaps you might not be so willing to let him parade his hateful beliefs to a college near you at all.

Ironically, I have mixed feelings about such a scenario. On a visceral level, I cannot stand the man or anything he represents. Despite the promises of the Iranian revolution, Iran has remained an oppressive, religiously controlled society. Human rights and basic freedoms are irrelevant in such a society. And yet, I cannot help but be intrigued by what he might say to California’s student bodies. What is his intention? Of course, there would be no better place to “persuade” the next generation of Americans than at the college level as many of Ahmadinejad’s wild antics may be seen more as “cool” than verbal vessels of hate and fear. But on an intellectual level, I would be inclined to grant President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the right to speak on California’s campuses. Although he is not necessarily entitled to protection under the Constitution as an American citizen, I do believe he has the right to speak his mind – even if much of what he says dwells on inflammatory, racist language. After all, how can Americans scorn his country for not allowing freedom or speech while we simultaneously censor him from speaking in public venues here?

At the end of the day, I do believe that most Americans, even young college students, can separate right from wrong when it comes to hateful language and inflammatory speech. For me it’s not what he says that would be the issue, but that we would not allow him to say it. I believe that if he were allowed to speak on campus, a significant portion of the audience will aggressively challenge him in open debate. It is at that moment that everyone in the crowd will see President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for what he truly is. Like most hate-mongers and rabble-rousers, Ahmadinejad will likely cower away from an open, intelligent debate when put to the test. It is for that reason that I believe we MUST allow people like that to speak in public. Our freedom of speech, it would seem, can do more to expose the truth than one might think. I say, let the man talk. And then let him put is big foot in proverbial mouth in the process.

Between Iraq and a Hard Place: On “Reading Lolita in Tehran”

It’s not easy to escape the harsh reality of a modern world where fanatical religious beliefs can get one killed by suicide bombing. The nation of Iran still seems unable to breakaway from the international limelight, remaining there for all the wrong reasons. While most Americans are more preoccupied with how to survive the madness without giving up yet another portable luxury from our carry-on at airport security screenings, one can only imagine what the people of Iran must have been enduring since the early 1980’s. Professor Azar Nafisi’s remarkable book Reading Lolita in Tehran offers a glimpse into the lives of a handful of Iranian souls in a way that is both inspiring and disturbing.

As the title of this article alludes to in a tongue-in-cheek manner, the people of Iran have struggled between a murderous war with their Iraqi neighbors and a pervasive religious oppression from within their own government. Faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options for existence and no means of affecting either, it’s no surprise that any opportunity for even the smallest “escape” takes on significant meaning. In Nafisi’s book, the only “escape” possible for her and her female students was to meet privately to discuss the parallels between the world of characters from literature, and the young Iranian women seeking intellectual refuge from a male-dominated Islamic state.

To be honest, I was skeptical about the book at first even though I have had some knowledge of the plight of women in under strict Sharia Islamic Law. For women, it spells certain doom to individualism and creative expression. Basic freedoms go out the window. I simply could not imagine how such a premise for a book, especially one based on the memoirs of an Iranian scholar, could be fulfilling to a Westerner who’s life might be turned upside-down by the actions of a state-sponsored terrorist from Iran. At best I expected a self-pitying and depressing read about the brutal oppressiveness of Sharia Law from a women’s perspective. What I got was an entertaining and eye-opening discovery that we are more alike than different.

The book’s narrative is not always an easy or likeable read given it episodic structure. It tends to be non-linear, and I prefer a more linear narrative. But it doesn’t take long to become immersed in Nafisi’s world as she paints such a vivid picture of her transformed post-revolutionary home. As one reads on, one discovers a very personal evocation of a woman's complex, terrifying, and often contradicting experience during a very challenging time in Iranian history. It’s fascinating to witness how Nafisi is only able to survive the intellectually stifling rituals of her society through private studies of banned literally classics with other women. Interestingly, one doesn’t feel as though one has just read a book about Iran, but has actually “met” a very unique and surprisingly Westernized Iranian woman.

Nafisi's book paints a dark but compelling portrait of the most turbulent period for Iran's history by a person from a privileged position. She cleverly reflects on her private lessons to groups of young women about literary classic such as The Great Gatsby and Lolita while sipping cups of tea as though chatting in a New York literature club. Meanwhile, the professor’s lessons also reflect on life in Teheran following Khomeini's religious revolution where a woman must hide her bodies from head to toe - or face severe punishment. She also interjects many key moments in recent Iranian history such as the troubles at Tehran University, the destruction of "dangerous" books, and even the mass funeral of the late Ayatollah Khomeini that Nafisi describes with documentary-like clarity.

Although Reading Lolita in Tehran isn’t quite a masterpiece, in my opinion, it has been one of the most inspiring and heartfelt books I have had the pleasure of reading in a long while. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an open-mind.

JM

On the Flip Side

I like to think of myself as being open-minded about most things. Those who know me well would surely endorse that sentiment. I don’t mind disagreeing with others, and I even encourage a healthy debate on hot topics that traditionally stir up strong emotions from both sides of the argument. Perhaps I simply enjoy the challenge of getting a rise out of people on occasion by stirring the proverbial pot. But there was one occasion where my usual cool, composed demeanor slipped away and brawl nearly ensued with someone who vehemently challenged my faith and personal beliefs. It was a balmy, later summer afternoon, and the subject of that heated debate was evolution vs. creationism.

As I’ve mentioned in several writings here before, I am a trained scientist with many years of research experience. I am quite familiar with the scientific method, careful observation, and the difference between facts, speculation and theory. Most of my adult life has been rooted in science. Nonetheless, I am also a deeply religious person with a strong Catholic upbringing. I have no question about my faith or my religious beliefs. Yet, I am able to separate my religious beliefs from scientific observation about the world around us. The laws of physics and nature apply to all things throughout the known universe. This should not only apply to the earth’s rotation around the sun, but the mechanism of natural selection that has helped shape life on earth. There is enough empirical evidence to unequivocally support most scientific theories from Einstein’s relativity to Darwin’s evolution of species.

For me, there had been no conflict of interest between the two distinctly different disciplines of science and religion. Each has its place and serves its purpose. The way I view it, science covers the how, where and when – religion covers the why. I can accept a scientific theory (such as evolution) as a basic fact, for example, while maintaining my religious understanding of Genesis. For that reason, I can see both sides of the argument while maintaining some sensitivity to each. Initially during that infamous conversation, I felt I had been doing well in maintaining a subjective, but firm position against the unscientific nature of creationism. I did not attempt to challenge the belief system itself, but the validity of some of the “scientific evidence” purported by creationists – and violently argued by my opponent.

My opponent openly confessed that the heart of creationism was the religious belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe were created in some form by a supernatural being or beings. It seemed like a perfectly valid statement to him. The problem was the assumption that the “supernatural” could ever be reliably tested or verified scientifically. It simply could not. His understanding of creationism was more in line with a religious faith than a scientifically provable theory or hypothesis. If the foundation of creationism were not grounded in the scientific method, then all supporting evidence must be carefully scrutinized for similar errors in logic.

Looking back, I may have succeeded in holding my ground, but only exasperated the matter by excessively defending my position. Rather than focusing on countering each of my opponent’s positions, I might have had more success by simply listening to what he had to say and shrugging it off later. My greatest regret was having lost my patience when the individual made personal attacks. By getting angry as a result of his wild attacks on my faith in God and accusations of holding “sinful beliefs” that “men came from monkeys” (of which I never said during the entire conversation), I was lowered to his level of character bashing rather than debate. I should have asserted my position that he was not necessarily wrong, but that creationism, like any other “scientific discipline” should be given the same rigorous scrutiny as the theories of relativity or evolution. If creationism were to be taken serious as a scientific explanation, it must be treated as such. On that argument, he might have actually agreed – albeit, to the demise of his own beliefs in the inherently unscientific nature of creationism. Perhaps from now on I will stick to debates as to whether my beer “tastes great” or does indeed have “less filling”.

Looking Back

Whenever I’m tasked to write about my relationship with my parents, feelings anxiety and apprehension inevitably arise. It’s not that I’ve had a poor relationship with my parents, but that there has always been an intangible gap between us which has kept us from communicating as well as I would have liked. After some thought, I came to the realization that the root cause for that gap may have stemmed from the significant differences in values between my Mother and Father.

My Mother had a strict, traditional Asian upbringing. The role of each member of the family was to contribute his/her share of time, sweat and earnings to the greater good of the family. Higher education, if it could be obtained, is highly prized and always a priority for the children of Asian parents. For my Mother, ensuring her children’s education has always been her number one priority. As I child, it took me a long time to appreciate why she had pushed so hard for me to study so diligently. For outsiders, my relationship with her may have seemed like that of an “oppressed” boy being controlled by his Mother. From my perspective, I had a hard time seeing her as anything but a Mother who was never satisfied by anything that I accomplished because it wasn’t “good enough” for her. She had high academic expectations because she understood how important it would be later in my adult life. She never had the privilege of attending college when she was younger.

My Father’s stance on education was quite the opposite. He had received extensive electronics training in the Marine Corps after high school, and even earned a college degree once his tour of duty had ended. However, the value of hard working and earning a living took priority over education for him. His main focus was getting enough education to be able to enter the work force as quickly as possible. Earning a living was critical for his family to survive during his childhood. Growing up in a small, middle-America town where work was hard to find, someone had to bring home the bacon. That conflict between work and education created a large divide between my parents, and made it especially hard for me to converse with either. I couldn’t relate the significance of my higher education – and its personal enjoyment for me – to my Father because in his eyes I was not being truly productive. And when I struggled to make tuition payments in college, his first suggestion would be that perhaps I should just “find a job” instead of racking up more debt from college. At the time I was very upset by his attitude towards my schooling, but I’ve come to understand that he did mean well given his experiences in life.

Fortunately, the quality of communication between both parents gradually improved well after I had left college and entered the work force. Today I am able to speak more freely about most subjects without hesitation. My old childhood anxiety still comes to the forefront when I think about the communication chasm that still exists about certain topics, though, such as love or marriage or children. It seems that I’ve still got plenty more life experiences to get under my proverbial belt before I can fully relate to them about those other matters.

Multi-Lingualism for the "New" Global Village

Marshall McLuhan said it best when he wrote that modern society has increasingly become a “global village”. With the world connected by instantaneous electronic communication, the perceived distances between people of different cultures and languages seems almost non-existent. Business transactions and long distance learning across multiple countries can now be done with ease in near real-time. It is surprising to me, therefore, that the importance of foreign language study has been neglected for so long in American universities. How can a 21st century American graduate expect to compete in an increasingly competitive international market without understanding the language (and to some extent the culture) of major economic powers such as China or India? It would behoove us to re-examine the academic standards that our colleges and universities have established for the next generation of graduates.

Foreign language study should be a requirement for graduation from all American colleges and universities. Such study should include at least 1 year of elective language courses with an emphasis on learning conversational language rather than purely academic learning. By doing so, graduate will be much more prepared to enter the work force and pack a greater competitive edge because ever increasing foreign collaboration in the global workplace necessitates it. Consider an electrical engineering student, for example. In today’s global village, much of the integrated circuit manufacturing and development process involves multi-disciplinary efforts by engineers across multiple countries. Even simply apparel design and manufacturing often requires the coordination of workers, businessmen and sales people from places such as India, Mexico and China. Only those American workers with the skill to integrate and communicate effectively with their foreign counterparts will have the ability to compete and thrive; those unable or unwilling to adapt to a multi-lingual world will falter, or worse, be left behind.

Mandated foreign language study for college-level students should in no way be confused with efforts to enforce a single-language system in the United States. English is and should remain the primary language that all Americans must be able to read and speak with some level of proficiency. A German student would be expected to speak German proficiently, and so should an American student be able to read, write and speak English. The foreign language study requirement should also not be confused with bilingual efforts currently employed in Spanish-English speaking areas of the United States. The foreign language college graduation requirement only addresses the need to prepare American graduates, whether already bilingual or not, with the essential skills needed to compete. And more importantly, the second language curriculum should be focused on the job markets in which the graduates are expected to compete.

Although English is still the dominant language of science and business, it is by no means the most spoken language. More importantly, as China’s economic power gradually increases, so to will the predominance of business transactions being done in Chinese. Other markets, such as the rapidly growing services markets in India and manufacturing markets in Eastern Europe will all add to the highly competitive marketplace for English-only speaking graduates of American colleges and universities. Establishing a strong foreign language study requirement for all college and university students in American will help to narrow the competitive gap and help keep America’s economy strong.

An Artist, A Tailor, and A Nudist

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the beach this weekend. I was wearing my usual dressy shorts with a conservative, but very comfortable cut. Since I had not planned to swim, I opted to wear a colorful designer polo shirt, as well. The color coordination was adequate, in my opinion, and worked well enough with my shoes and glasses. While walking with my girlfriend to rendezvous with group of friends on the beach, I bumped into a portrait artist, a resident nudist (fortunately, he was at least wearing some covering at the time) and an elderly tailor enjoying the afternoon with his wife. These following are accounts of their initial impressions of me on that day.

The Artist:

He seemed like a real possibility at first. I was sure he would stop to get a hand-painted portrait of his girlfriend. After all, with his preppy outfit and Gucci sunglasses, he screamed “tourist” and surely had the disposable cash to have one of my portraits made. But he was in such a hurry. What was the rush? It was a beautiful day and the air was ripe with aroma of cotton candy and ocean breeze. He was certainly dressed to spend, it seemed to me. But he spent nothing. Did he think he was too good to patronize a lowly struggling street artist? We barely exchanged a few words as he scurried past my portrait stand. He wasn’t worth the effort anyway. His shirt color didn’t compliment his pale skin-tone, and his outfit didn’t even match.

The Tailor:

He seemed like a fine gentleman. Judging by their attire and demeanor, both he and his lady friend were clearly upstanding people. I knew he could be trustworthy to take a photo of my wife and me on our anniversary. With so many poorly dressed youth scurrying about the beach like confused animals, I was certain that we would never find another respectable adult to handle our camera. But this young man was different. I could just tell that he was a successful businessman of some type. He graciously stopped what he was doing to take several memorable photos of my wife and me. Before we parted ways, I overheard his lady friend mentioning something about an upcoming business meeting in town. He had no luck finding a tailor in town willing to alter his suit before the Monday meeting. Luckily for him I had a weekend crew at my tailor shop. We swapped business cards and I arranged to have his suit picked up at his hotel that evening. Like I’ve always told my wife, you can tell a lot about a man by his clothes.

The Nudist:

I wouldn’t trust his kind with a wooden nickel. What respectable person covers up to go to the beach? Judging by the expensive watch and glasses, I’ll bet he thought he was better than me. This town is full of their kind. And like the rest of them, he must be hiding something. Anyone who must cover his body with material wealth has something to hide. He looked like the type to swindled some old lady out of her home for a fast buck. He looked so trapped in his own materialism with that outfit. I don’t need expensive clothing and accessories to prove my worth or status. If it weren’t for the absurd policy of this beach to require swim trunks for men, I would show them BOTH how I really measured up to him. I do hope he enjoyed his day at this beach. It won't be long before his kind will ruin it for the rest of us. And next time, overly dressed stranger, buy a map if you can’t find your way around this beach. I’m not the resident information booth.

A mock letter to the editor expressing my opinions on Al Gore’s 2007 Nobel Lecture

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing you about the recently published speech given by former Vice-President Al Gore at his Nobel Prize reception ceremony. Your company published the speech in its entirety, which I greatly appreciate, but offered no counter-point to his claims. While I am not an Al Gore supporter, I have been moved by many of his arguments and emotional appeals. His arguments are compelling, although generally based on emotional appeal over hard fact. However, I am more concerned about the influence his speech may have on the less informed audience that may interpret Gore’s statements as “absolute facts”.

For example, Gore makes many references to what “scientists say” or other cited credible sources have written, announced or published. The issue for me is not the validity of what was said or published but those credible sources, but the context in which the facts were cited in Gore’s speech. As a trained scientist myself for over 15 years, I have learned to question all facts and claims and put them to the test before making any assumptions. There are ALWAYS conflicting facts and theories to any given theory in science. That is the nature of science; the nature of scientists, to question, criticize and scrutinize all facts and claims until a single, consistent and verified theory emerges. Such a validated scientific theory could stand the test of time for decades until new data emerges which disproves it. The problem with Gore’s approach to scientific issues is to immediately dismiss anyone (be it a scientist or member of the general pubic) as “foolish or uniformed” if they have differing opinions or conflicting facts. Such personal attacks on the credibility of those who challenge Gore’s beliefs does not foster the productive, rational debate on the subject which he and his followers claim to desire.

Please do not get me wrong. I am not in favor of allowing corporations to spew billions of tons of toxic waste into our oceans and atmosphere, but I am certainly NOT in favor of idolizing Gore or his particular beliefs on the matter is the only definitive authority. It is foolish to assume Gore is anything but a well-spoken, well-educated lawyer and politician. He is NO scientist no matter how many years of “study” he claims to have on the subject of global warning, or Academy Awards he wins as a filmmaker. I would never assume to know more about politics than a professional politician; and so should he not assume to know more about the scientific method or rational scientific debate than other scientists who disagree with him.

Like Al Gore, I too have a purpose. My purpose to ensure an open, healthy debate on the subject of global warming so that we can truly address the issues and not be bogged down with personal speculation or loosely connected “facts” that support some political ideology. The earth’s climate is changing, and possibly for the worse. But that does not give Al Gore any more authority on the subject than those who truly study climatology, oceanography, and geology for a living. For the sake of fairness and balance, I strongly recommend that your company publish counter-arguments to Gore’s speech by qualified scientists in the future. No matter how many Nobel prizes Gore accumulates, he is no authority on the subject – only a man with an opinion like everyone else.

I greatly appreciate your consideration in this matter and look forward to your published rebuttal to Gore’s speech in your next issue.

Sincerest regards,

Concerned Citizen

Coming to America

My Mother came to America under less than ideal circumstances. Refugees from the Vietnam War, my Mother, younger sister and I finally arrived to America after nearly 2 weeks of arduous travel, passport checks and delays. She was one of the luckier Vietnamese nationals who had married an American citizen and managed to escape the madness in 1973. I was only a small child at the time, but I do remember clinging desperately to my Mother’s hand as my Father led us to safety in the States. The following is an encapsulation of many long talks I’ve had with my Mother on the subject of her transition to America, and the impact of language on her identify, culture and assimilation.

My Mother has always been an interesting dichotomy of the old and the new. She still practices old Vietnamese customs such as celebrating the Lunar New Year with a visit to the Buddhist Temple, money-stuffed red envelopes for the kids and grandkids, and lots of tasty moon cake. And yet, she was an avid disco dancer, Western fashion queen and working Mom during her time in America. At first, she welcomed the many “American” ways living and sought to adopt many of them. However, it wasn’t long before she felt the harsh reality of some than tolerant individuals and language barriers. Her biggest stumbling block, she tells me, has been her inability to communicate effectively. Her English was and still is only barely intelligible; her accent, thick. Ironically, her English reading and writing skills were more solid, and actually allowed her to secure decent paying jobs over the past decades.

Despite her missed opportunities due to language barriers, she never lost the dream of making a better life for herself and her family. I had always wondered why she had such a fierce determination that my sister and I master English. She hovered over us like a hawk when we studied, making sure we completed all of our math and English assignments religiously. She even kept her usage of Vietnamese around us to a minimum - even in the company of her friends. At the time, there were only a handful of fellow Vietnamese immigrants so most would ecstatic about the chance to converse in Vietnamese. She resisted it. The importance of mastering, not just learning, to speak the language of her new culture was painfully obvious to all of us, and we worked hard to make her proud.

My Mother’s choice to forgo our speaking Vietnamese to speak English has paid off for my sister and me. We’re both working professionals now with good jobs and promising futures. However, a part of me still wishes that I had learned a little more Vietnamese while growing up. Since my childhood, I have felt disconnected with that side of my heritage. Yes, I can speak and understand a few, but I could never hold a conversation in Vietnamese if my life depended on it. I can only imagine what her struggle to assimilate a new culture and language must have felt like.

On a more positive note, the Vietnamese language and culture seems to have resurfaced over the past 2 decades. I’ve observed a growing number of Vietnamese-American children able to speak both fluent Vietnamese and English. In contrast, most 1st generation Vietnamese-American individuals like myself can barely speak Vietnamese except for a few formal greetings or insult phrases. The ease with which the newer generations can speak in their native Vietnamese language and converse fluently in English is impressive and inspiring. It has been great to see that cultural assimilation does not necessarily mean the death of a language.

Thinking Critically about Critical Thinking

I have heard many different definitions of what it means to "think critically". Some definitions focus on the mechanics of critical thinking as it applies to evaluating an essay in a purely academic context. I like to take a more general stance on critical thinking. To me, critical thinking means to make a careful analysis of something before placing judgment. From my experience, that approach would apply to any field of study, work and even daily lives in general.

All of us make judgments about what we see, hear and read everyday. When it comes to reading, however, I have found it much easier to withhold initial judgment upon first glace. I like to read the entire piece first, take notes, and make an informed judgment about the piece only after some thought. Perhaps it is because reading printed words requires a deeper level of analysis than the spoken word? Or perhaps we are condition to think more "critically" of written words thanks to years of English courses? What I find most interesting, however, is that when it comes to spoken words or visual representation of ideas (such as advertising), most of us draw immediate conclusions. We often give little attention to what we hear or see, or what the intention of the message really is. Why is that the case?

I believe that we would be better off if we put the same effort in to critical thought about what we hear and see as we do in the written word. Do we really understand what are our politicians saying to us, for example? If each of us more critically analyzed the information we are presented with in the media, would we so quickly accept what we hear as "truth" or "matter of fact"? Perhaps critical thinking should be taught in a broader context so that one could apply it to life outside of the classroom? Let me give that idea some more critical thought...

To be honest, I am rather excited about the opportunity to hone my critical thinking skills this semester. It's been too long since I had well-structured critical thinking exercises. And I don't just mean critical thinking in an academic sense, but in application to everyday information that we are all bombarded with all the time. I’m sure most of us would agree that as our world "shrinks" in a virtual sense, the amount of information we expected to make sense of increases exponentially. I believe a greater effort on critical thinking about our laws, our values and even our own expression of ideas through writing will make us better citizens - not to mention less gullible! The ability to hold off judgment until all the facts are considered is something I hope to never lose, and always improve.

I sincerely believe that critical thinking has far reaching importance in all of our lives. And more importantly, as I prepare to enter medical school this Fall 2010, my ability to think critically about what I see, or read or hear could actually affect the lives of my patients in profound ways. I can think of no better reason to start honing my critical thinking skills sooner than later.