Class Research Paper Presentations

12/1 Johnny Manzel "Johnny Football"

The argument here is that Johnny Manziel is an influential figure through his success in football. From Tristen's presentation I gathered that Manziel is a well-known college football player who found fame and success throughout his career, leading him to become the first freshman athlete to be awarded the Heisman trophy. Manziel is influential not just to sports fans but to others less concerned with athletics because he is a living historical figure. His influence on fantasy football goes beyond his statistics. He has inspired more team names than any other player, and through his accomplishments and achievements he creates the idea that no matter the odds you can be successful and achieve anything you put your mind to. He has helped to open the doors of success for many young stars through his example, and because of this many see him as a role model. Tristen did a good job presenting his argument to the class. I was impressed with his inclusiveness of those who are not as fond of sports. He did a great job promoting the influences Manziel had rather than just his personal accomplishments. Well written and thoughtfully executed essay.

12/3 Johannes Gutenburg: Invention Provides Literacy

Haley argues that Johannes Gutenberg had a large influence on society in that he created an educated people through his invention of the printing press. She explains that the road to "fame" did not come easy for Gutenberg, for his creation was actually stolen from him and accredited to another man. It wasn't until after his death was Gutenberg given appropriate accreditation.
The invention of the printing press had a large impact on society as whole for numerous reasons. Before the invention of the printing press books were all handwritten, a task that took weeks, even months to produce just on copy. But with Gutenberg's invention they could now be quickly produced in mass quantities. Because books could now be efficiently mass produced scientists were able to quickly publish their works and observations, making their discoveries known to the general public in a more timely manner. It also created a more uniform language and helped with church reformation. Haley's power point presentation was organized and helped me to understand the main points her essay hit on.

12/5 J.K. Rowling and the Boy Who Lived

Madi is arguing that J.K. Rowling is an influential character because of the positive effects she has had on society with her Harry Potter series. In her essay she includes a ton of background information that helps the audience understand Rowling came from very humble beginnings. It's made clear that her publications are not created for the sole purpose of money. In fact the majority of the money Rowling is given she donates to charities and hospitals. Another way her literature has had a positive influence on society is it has helped children regain interest in reading. No longer do parents  and teachers have to fight t get kids to read, for they willingly pick up the Harry Potter series and relate to its contents. Her can-do attitude has also inspired many. "Go on to something else and change the world for the better". Madi's presentation was well though-out and her claims were well-supported.

Class 11/21

I was very surprised to hear that the church will now be paying women with a CES calling that are either divorced or have small children. I argue that church callings should not be payed positions, regardless of the position holders financial or maritalisfrotunes. It's a good way of looking out for our members, but I feel that we should abstain from having layed positions within the church, for this is one of the ways in which we differ from other churches. I am not seeking unfair treatment or inequality of women in the church. I would say the same if it was a divorced man or a man with small children.

Class 11/19

I stood in the veranda of my new home, enjoying the scenic view in front of me. The last rays of daylight were still visible in the sky but were rapidly fading away into twilight. The breeze touched my cheeks tenderly. It carried the scent of flowers, so refreshing. The dark night was slowly crawling in. As day turned into night, the air got cooler and the atmosphere became more peaceful. I sauntered to the kitchen looking for food to appease my hunger. 

Norman Rockwell's freedom of speech oil painting was inspired by United States President, Franklin D. Roosevelt in a State of the Union Address, known as Four Freedoms. The painting belongs to a series of four oil paintings. At a glance we immediately notice that the man standing or the speaker is clad in rugged, grimy looking work clothes. He stands tell amid a sea of well-dressed, elder looking people. Many in his immediate vicinity are giving him their attention as he speaks

Class 11/3

Though it may be rather ignorant of me, I've not spent much time educating myself on the history of polygamy in the lds church. Sure when I have shared my mormon faith many of my friends have asked if I participate in polygamy, but my answer is always just a simple no, that is not what our religion is about. And the. I'll usually continue on into a deeper explanation of what our church and I believe, what we are, failing completely to acknowdgd anything about palygamy. My very basic understanding of palygamy in the church is that God commanded members to marry multiple wives because of a lack of lds men. It was for the soul purpose of producing offspring, and because it is a commandment to abstain from sex outside of marriage it was necessary to marry.

Class 10/29

In response to the Pope announcing his belief of how the big bang theory brought everything into existence, I would turn to a general conference address in 2012 by Apostle Elder Nelson to refute this claim. In speaking on the wonders of the human body, Nelson said the following:“Yet some people erroneously think that these marvelous physical attributes happened by chance or resulted from a big bang somewhere.”  He then goes on to speak of how ridiculous this way of thinking is by saying “Ask yourself, “Could an explosion in a printing shop produce a dictionary?” The likelihood is most remote. But if so, it could never heal its own torn pages or reproduce its own newer editions!” 

As we know, the plain and precious truth of the gospel always makes perfect sense, such that even a child can comprehend.  What sounds more plausible to you; that a big bang set in motion the events that led to our creation or that it was done by a glorified human being?

With its nickname of the "God Particle," the Higgs boson particle has certainly become quite the controversial discovery. It is supposedly responsible for all the mass in the universe, and for many this brings the excitement of finally learning more about our world. But an issue surrounds it's "sexier" nickname of the god particle. Many physicists dislike the term "God particle", though many agree that it is quite an accurate name for such an important discovery. I argue that just because something has the word "God" in it doesn't mean that it has anything to do with religion. 

Class 10/20

True to its name, Garrett Hardin begins his "Lifeboat Ethics" essay by asking readers to imagine themselves in a lifeboat. There is room for sixty people on the boat, but there are currently only 50 I'm the boat. Treading water nearby are one-hundred others pleading to be allowed in the boat. The question sought to be answered is how do we save them all? Hardins response is that there is no way to save all of the people. He goes on to explain that the fifty people in the lifeboat resemble the rich countries and the swimmers are the poor countries. To some his ethics seem rude and selfish, but I agree with Hardins idea of tough love. I too believe that a poor country in need of support must learn the hard way, just as ours did  It is their responsibility to be accountable, even at the risk of losing lives and other valuable resources. 

Class 10/22

In this video we see several cute little girls dolled up in princess gear shouting the word "fuck" and spouting stats about pay inequality and sexual violence. My response to this video? Their message was received loud and clear. I think it's a creative idea to not only create awareness for women's fundamental rights while earning a profit. Yes, the company responsible for this advertisement is a for-profit company. It says so, right on their "about" page: "FCKH8.com is a for-profit T-shirt company with an activist heart and a passionate social change mission: arming thousands of people with pro-LGBT equality, anti-racism and anti-sexism T-shirts that act as 'mini-billboards' for change." But while the company is making a profit, I believe that using this positive message is not only good advertising that sets the company apart from others, but it also draws attention to real issues that plague out society today. Sure their language may be vulgar, but as they said in the video, maybe we should be less concerned about washing the little girls mouths out and more concerned with cleaning up society's stereotypical expectations and treatment of women. 

Class 10/17

It's issues such as LDS.org editing a part of the prayer in the general women's meeting that I do not understand. Why is this an issue? Why are people taking such an innocent thing so seriously? Concern would be appropriate if it were a more serious edit, for example removing a large section if a general authorities talk, but here this is not the case. It was a simple correction to a prayer given. All they were doing was ensuring that they were posting accurate information to the website to ensure there was no confusion. If this is wrong, then what are we to do when a speaker stutters, junbles hus words, or mutters an "um" during the talk? Shall we type that too? Of course not. You edit it out.

"I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature"

Long been the focus of many debates and arguments, I hold that Adolf Hitler is one of the most controversial leaders ever to walk the Earth. Most find it hard to believe how a man so cruel and odd looking became the leader of such a powerful country, but maybe there was an actual method in his madness. Hitler's rise to power was not through that of brute force, but through his ideas of a better, superior Germany. In 1913 through his skills as a leader, his superior public speaking, his exceptional propaganda and, his promises to the German people and the organization of the Nazi party, Hitler rose to power.

For much of the world today, the name Adolf Hitler goes hand in hand with thoughts of hatred, criminality, and just pure evil, and rightly so. But though he is responsible for the greatest genocide known to humanity, Hitler was still one of the most influential World leaders of all time. Adolf Hitler was born on the 20th of April, 1889. His schooling record was always a poor one, and in his early teens he left. He originally sought to become an artist, but in his late teen years he gained an interest in politics and history. Unfortunately this newfound interest didn't take him far in his early years, for when mother died (he was about 19 years of age) he no longer had close relatives willing to support him. He spent the next four years living on the streets and in shelters.

Around 1914 he moved to the city of Munich in southern Germany and with the outbreak of the first World War, he volunteered for service in the German army. A majority of his enlistment period was spent as a prisoner-of-war, at a camp at Traunstein before he again returned to Munich. Because he had been involved with politics, when he did return his responsibilities were that of publicity and propaganda. Hitler had success with this drawing thousands of people to his speeches and the group had changed their name to the National Socialist German Workers Party on April 1st 1920. By 1921 Hitler had virtually secured total control of the Nazi party.

The Adolf Hitler and Nazi rise to power movement happened quickly. I attribute most of this to the fact that the German nation as a whole had a bleak outlook regarding its future. For many the loss of World War I was still a very vivid memory, and with the economic depression in full effect it was a very unique opportunity for an excellent speaker that was promoting a better life for Germans and an entirely new Germany. Hitler attracted many people to his sessions, all who were eager for change in their country and who could never could have seen what was ultimately going to happen.

Albeit he was more than just a little off his rocker, Hitler was a political genius. He was able to restore Germany after it's humiliation after World War I and the treaty of Versailles and is known as one of the greatest leaders in history.

Class 10/13

In his article "Economic and Moral Progress", Gandhi makes the observation and point that while economics is continuing to experience positive progression morality has not been as such in its progression in the world.  He goes on to prove his claim by comparing individuals in society and the universal application that material or worldly possessions do not improve our lifestyle as much as the means of moral progress.  Gandhi wanted to see why the country has rapidly advanced in riches, but gone down in morality. As he sees it, society sees possessions and other economic riches as success and happiness. Most believe that the key to a well developed and successful society is through these worldly possessions, but Ghandi sees success in a much different way. He believe that a successful society puts it's moral progression before it's economics. Ghandi himself was seen as successful not because of what he owned and how much money he had, but by gaining knowledge, trusting friends and gaining wisdom from his life experiences .  

Class 10/8

The reading last night focused on material things and how they are not required to be prosperous. Wealth does not indicate Gods favor either. The moral of the chapter is that we should seek heavenly rewards rather than earthly rewards. The picture taken by Dorothea Lange is of a 32 year old impoverished woman. The photographer did not ask her name or her history. The woman had been living on frozen vegetables and birds her children killed. She had just sold the tired of her car to buy food for her children. What sticks out to me is the exchange that occurred here. The woman in the photo understood that this picture might help her while at the same time helping the photographer, so there was equality about it.

Class 10/1

Upon watching the news broadcast of "lady liberty", a woman fighter pilot who led a missile strike in Syria, I could tell that the reporter was very passionate and proud that it was a woman pilot. But I was perplexed as to why the male reporters thought it appropriate to poke fun at the stereotype that women are bad drivers. I understand that stereotypes are usually meant to be funny and seen as a joke, but I have always thought that jokes about sex, race, Religion can be offensive to many. Many argue that this is being over sensitive, but who is to decide that? It's my feelings, my personal belief.

Class 9/19

Upon reading last night, it is apparent that many philosophers believe that human nature is "tainted". In "Man's Nature is Evil, Hsun Tzu tells us he believes people will immorally act according to their corrupted nature if left without order. Other, such as Mencius, believe that man is inherently good, but as social creatures we generally learn and develop the same as those around us. It is when our views become focused on worldly possessions that our nature becomes "evil". I stand with Mencius and the argument that man's nature is good, and it's the world and how we interact with it that turns our thoughts and desires "evil". 

Class 9/22

Well, what is a ghost? are they devils and demons left here to haunt us? Are they simply unclean spirits or souls of the dead? I agree with the latter identity. I haven't really given much thought to ghosts, but I do strongly believe that there are spirits/ghosts wandering around down here on earth. We can't see them, and because they don't have physical bodies they can't touch or move anything. In a funeral sermon, the Prophet Joseph Smith declared that the spirits of righteous people who have died 'are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 326).

Class 9/17

Upon reading this, I picture a creepy, dark figure shoving a wrinkled paper towards this girl before rushing out of the room. But then part of me feels guilty for assuming so quickly, so I try thinking of alternative characters for who could have written this. Based on the amount of typos, perhaps it's a younger boy or girl that is just trying to do what is right. It maybe someone is purposefully trying to sound like a creep? Maybe even a rival or enemy that is indirectly trying to insult how this "cute girl" dresses. Whatever it may be, it certainly is an odd letter. As I dove deeper into this letter, however, I was suddenly struck with the actual purpose behind it's grammatically error'd ways. Not only was the person who delivered the letter feeling self-righteous, but he (I'm assuming) was also putting the blame on the girl, blatantly shaming and blaming her for the men she was tempting with her "immodest" clothing. And what does the word "modest" really even mean anymore?

Euthanasia, 500 Word Rant

There are many moral, religious, emotional, and legal aspects associated with the issue of euthanasia, making it an extremely sensitive and controversial issue. Because of my personal religious views, I started this rant with an unpersuadable attitude towards even just the idea of assisted suicide. I was ready to ignore all opposing reasoning because I knew assisted suicide was wrong. I was unmoving in my position against euthanasia and my conclusion was not to be tampered with. That is until I started digging deeper, really educating myself

By reading first hand accounts of those who have struggled with watching loved ones live in prolonged discomfort I have gained a better insight on the subject of assisted suicide, and can understand where several points could be made in favor of euthanasia. Many would say even arguing against assisted suicide is cruel because it's inhumane to prolong the suffering of one that is in much pain and are unable to function for themselves. We tend to see it as an obligation, to relieve the suffering of our fellow human beings; rather than forcing them to live with pain and discomfort they should have the option to die in dignity surrounded by people they love. But despite my new perception on euthanasia, I maintain my position against legalizing it.

The Church believes in the sanctity of human life. As a member, it is by this reasoning I conclude it's not up to us to decide when we leave this mortal life. When asked, the Church stated their position on euthanasia. The release stated that "When dying from such an illness or an accident becomes inevitable, it should be seen as a blessing and a purposeful part of eternal existence. Members should not feel obligated to extend mortal life by means that are unreasonable." The release continues on, saying that when there is nothing more to improve their health, the decision to take someone off life support is to be made by the afflicted's family members based upon medical advice and after having actively sought out guidance through fasting and prayer.

Religion aside, I still hold true to my viewpoint. Society has a moral duty to protect and to preserve all life, and I feel that allowing people to assist in the destruction of human life violates this duty of respect for human life. Since todays society prides itself on its commitment to preserve and protect life, we should not be commissioning people to destroy it! With the continual improvement of technology, we now have the power to sustain the lives of patients whose physical and mental capabilities cannot be restored. As medicine struggles to pull more and more people away from the edge of death, the fight for euthanasia as an end to prolonged pain becomes more prominent. But if we just let nature run its course, would this controversial issue even be an issue anymore? 

Unfortunately for my cause, everybody is allowed to have their own opinions on the subject matter, and it's crazy to think I can change their views with a 500 word rant. But then again, it's not my job to do so.

Class 9/10

In his letter to the grand duchess Christina of Tuscany, Galileo sought to defend Copernicus's heliocentric theory of the solar system. The Heliocentric theory was created to bring different perspective on pre-existing theories involving the universe. Copernicus wanted people to become interested in finding truths and new discoveries regarding science. The grand duchess had criticized the theory of discrediting the church and trying to overthrow religion. Galileo sought to defend the theory, saying that he only wanted to bring greater knowledge in the understandings of the Bible. Unfortunately, the letter was met with displeasure, as the Church saw Galileo as a threat and felt he was trying to disprove the Church, the bible, and religion in general. His argument was that many were taking the bible too literally. In the letter, he asks why would God give us the ability to search and explore, to discover things for ourself if everything was handed to us in a single book?

Class 9/8

The design of the Kmart 'ship' commercial is to motivate viewers to purchase at Kmart stores because of their convenient shipping options. The tone the actors use help to enhance the comical side of the persuasion, and they certainly did a good job of captivating the audience with the bold use of the word 'ship', but the commercial is almost euphemistic because it leaves viewers thinking of another word. The use of different ages, genders, sociological backgrounds, and repetition also help the commercial to be more relatable to viewers.

Class 9/3

What was the craziest thing you did this holiday weekend?

I was shrouded with fear and panic as I looked down at where my toes hung precariously over the massive drop beneath me. I clung tight to the railing, so tight in fact that my sweating palms were caked in rusty metal flakes. As I stood there, teetering on the brink of a 50+ foot drop, I heard the faint jeers and cries of my friends as they urged me off the edge of the bridge.

"We're going to count," They screamed, "and when we hit three you need to jump!"

"O- okay." I managered to stammer. Even I could hear the quiver in my voice.

"Don't hesitate!" They yelled from behind the railing.

I forced myself to look up  from the water, diverting my eyes from the huge drop. As I looked out across the seemingly peaceful river I heard them begin to count. Three came all too quickly, and before I could even scream I had already hurled myself out into open air. With no control over my landing, I raised my hands up above my head and closed my eyes, surprising myself with how calm I was. But as I continued to fall I was again filled with panic.

Every high school has a pecking order, a sort of food chain where consumers dominate. But a lot of times this firm system of placement is confused with social status and class rank, when in reality it's not about categorizing and separating the jocks and cheerleaders from the nerds and nerd-ets in a complex popularity complex, it's much more simple than that. Upon entering high school, grade levels 9-12 are assigned alternative names; Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. At the top of the chain rests the Senior class, correspondent with the whale, and dominating the food chain. At the bottom rests the Freshman class, floating amongst the zooplankton and phytoplankton, unsure of their direction as they're tossed and turned about by the oceans currents. 

I've never understood why the freshman class has always been at the entertaining end of teasing and taunting. Just from my personal high school experience, I've noticed that many of the supposed annoyances lowerclassman are known for are merely common misconceptions or fallacies upperclassmen have created in an effort to justify their monotonous jeering and jibing. For example, I've had many seniors and even juniors blame the hallway traffic on the freshmen. It's fairly obvious that the slow moving traffic jam that is a high school hallway is in no way just the freshmen class's fault. In fact, neither is most any of the other problems that upperclassman seem to blame them for. I just don't understand the thought process behind the harsh actions aimed at the freshmen. Doesn't anybody remember how badly they were treated as a Freshman? Wouldn't remembering just how degrading it felt to be a member of the bottom of the food chain be enough to spare the lowerclassman the same experience? Did it ever cross their mind it might be better to treat them as equals instead of something to eat? Apparently not.

I remember one specific firsthand incident of upperclassmen bullying very well. I was a member of the cross country team at my school. The majority of the organizations varsity team were upperclassmen, but I seemed to fit in well with the team. Things seemed to be going well, but it wasn't long before we caught the interest of our upperclassmen teammates. They were quick to move in on us, hungry for fresh meat. The bullying started out as very small tasks being forced upon us by the varsity team, things like carrying their bags and personal belongings whilst traveling to a running meet. But soon it grew to much more than the involuntary role of bell-hop. 

It was a rainy day, a few minutes before practice was to end, and the team was out on a cool down run. On top of the pouring rain that chilled me to by bones, I was tired from the days workout, and just ready to be at home standing under a hot shower. But the upperclassmen had other things planned for us freshman. We were crossing over a creek by our school, commonly referred to as 'the dam' by the team, just about five minutes into the run, when the varsity team halted the run and ordered the freshman to take off their shirts, shoes, and socks. We did as we were told until one by one each and every freshman on the team was wearing only their shorts. As we huddled together in an attempt to escape the freezing rain, I'm sure we looked as pitiful as we felt. 

We were ordered to wade into the murky, brown water of the dam. The river, now swollen from the rainstorms runoff, was known for being filled with sharp rocks and various species of snakes. Needless to say, none of us wanted to get in. But, as the older boys closed in on us, I knew we had no chance. Once we were all standing in the dark water, we were told if we wanted to truly belong to the cross country team we had to undergo a freshman initiation of sorts. They didn't hesitate in explaining the challenge. We had to fully submerge ourselves for 10 seconds, and only then would we be allowed to come out. So, one by one, we dipped our heads under the water, holding them under for 10 seconds before pulling ourselves out of the water and trudging back to shore. As you can probably imagine, the upperclassmen got quite a kick out of us freshman drag ourselves from the river and trying to climb up the muddy embankment. We slipped and slid until at last every member of the team was back on the trail. We wiped ourselves off, the seniors overseeing to ensure we rid ourselves of any muddy evidence suggesting we had done anything other than a cool down run. 

I realize that the entire ordeal may seem childish, and that I should probably just let it go and not allow it to bother me. After all, they were just trying to have fun, right? Besides, I was already wet. What's another little dip in the river? It wasn't the actual experience of getting in the nasty water that has me upset. To me it was the issue of having my agency, my freedom of choice, taken from me all because I was three grade levels lesser.

I graduated several months ago, and am no longer in high school. At a glance, it doesn't make any sense why I should still find interest in this topic. Perhaps the reason is I'm still bitter about the unfair treatment I received in my early years of schooling. Or is it that I experienced something so traumatic it is still haunting me today? Yes, I did experience bullying from upperclassman my freshman year in high school, but I also have two younger brothers, one that just ended his freshman year, and the other that will be a freshman in just about two more years. The reason I chose this topic to rant about is that I'm worried, for their sake. I want them both to have a happy high school career that will allow them to look back on those four years and have no regrets. I want them to remember what a great experience high school was, not how degrading their freshmen year was. But they can't do that if this trend continues.