Plagarismo

            Plagiarism, eh? Is seems nigh impossible participating in any class that requires opening one's word processor of choice without beating the dead plagiarism horse to a mushy reddish pile. That vivid image aside, I think plagiarism is an over-covered topic. Take any sentence from any book. That particular sentence has been written word for word at least one hundred times before.

            Now I'm not saying to go wild with the CTRL+C/CTRL+V, but we have to realize that absolutely none of our thoughts are unique to us. As depressing as the previous sentence sounds, It's true. Take this sentence, for example: 'He said'. Basically any book with a male character includes the sentence 'he said'. Does this mean my works cited page(s) should include every author under the sun? This is what I mean when I say that plagiarism is radically over-enforced.

            That tirade aside, I'm not by any means defending copying and pasting of entire paragraphs. I believe that as long as a student re-words the passage enough, as well as brings some additional information to the proverbial table, it shouldn't be a problem. It's impossible to write a unique sentence, or have a unique idea. In the age of technology, any outspoken voice is available for instant and widespread perusal. Is it wrong for someone to have the same exact ideas as you? I wouldn't like my work to be copied outright, but after all, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. So I believe that the plagiarism police, while noble in their cause, should take a donut break from slapping the wrists of 'accidental' plagiarists.

Annotation

Kershner, Geoffrey. "Spotlight on The Bluest Water Playwright Jason Chimonides." EndStation Theater Blog. Web.

This article, by an exec at the EndStation Theater Company, details his work with playwright Jason Chimonides on his work on the play The Bluest Water. The company, in tandem with Chimonides, worked to design and perfrom quite the interesting piece about a fre-Katrina New Orleans hurricane. Based on a true story, residents of certian towns went to sleep and woke up floating in their homes the flooding was so bad. An interesting read, I assure you.

Responding to Richtel

Quite an interesting article that examines our addiction to various technologies. One of if not the first thing I do upon waking up is check my phone to see if I've gotten any new text messages. Then after showering and eating breakfast, I sneak in a quick 20 minutes of video games before heading off to school. After school, It's DVDs and video games (after homework, of course) until I decide I've rotted enough of my brain and go to bed.


To my defence, though, I'm not nearly as wired as many people my age. I still make sure to spend ample time with my friends, girlfriend, and family. The only thing I use my cellphone for is texting. I only use calling for work, and I don't play games on it. My MP3 Player (not an ipod, mind you) has sat unused for months, and I don't have the Internet where I live. I suppose this makes it easier, because the allure of going online is nonexistent.


I agree with both sides of the 'technology is making us stupid' argument. It seems that more and more with texting and IMing, that high school kids have the vocabulary, spelling, and grammar skills of children a third of their ages. But there are many technology users who still retain advanced communication skills.


So until next time, here's a fun fact:
The Mayflower, upon arrival in America, was broken down and rebuilt into a barn which is still standing today.

Yo!

Well hi there! I'm Tyler. I enjoy flash animation and video editing, among other things. I've also made a handful of platformer video games starring myself, my girlfriend, and some close friends. And now, loyal follower, you get to delve into my mind. Please watch your step and don't knock over the memes.