Essay #2 First Draft

Here is my first draft. I still need to do A LOT of revision to improve my paper as well as add in my sources.

Shannon Ashford

English 113B

October 29, 2013

Professor Jeffery

The Thrill

            On May 29, 1971 the “thrill capital of the world” was built. Located in Valencia California, Six Flags Magic Mountain is a thrill, attracting amusement park for all ages. Because of the large space provided (262 acres), it contains over 40 rides for a heart dropping experience.  With the millions of people attending Six Flags every year, it has been ranked in the top 19 amusement parks of the world. Six Flags Magic Mountain is an attracting amusement park because of its popularity of its Loony Tune cartoon characters, thrilling rides, and designs

            Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweedy Bird are only a few of the many creations of the Loony Tune characters. Broadcasted by Warner Brothers Television, Looney Tunes started off as short Television Films in the early 1900s. Six Flags decided to bring these characters to their parks to provide entertainment for their visitors.  The more characters brought to the park, the more merchandise that can be created. With the merchandise being themed as a Looney Tune character, then there is more money bought into the park as well.

            For years now, Six Flags Magic Mountain has been known for their thrilling rides.  The one thing that is attracting to the visitors of the park is that there are rides for toddlers, teens, and adults.  Between water rides, coasters, swing sets, and more, the park pleases everyone’s satisfaction.  There are rides that are meaningful due to them being old an old yet still popular die, such is as Colossus. Colossus is wooden ride that was built in the late 70s and is still popular today. With the new generation of rides and the old, Six Flags upholds a tradition of Roller Coasters.

            The design you see when you visit Six Flags is eye-popping. Everywhere you walk there are bright colors appealing to many visitors. The set up of the rides are phenomenal. Six Flags is known for having award-winning rides built out of creativity.  The typical fun roller coasters that our built now a days are ones that are fast, have loops, and a large drop. At Six Flags you have roller coasters that are built like that. However, there is a little twist to it. For example Tatsu, which was built in 2007, is popular by the scare it brings to the riders. What makes Tatsu different is that you’re literally hanging on your stomach throughout the whole ride as if you were Spiderman. Many rides and designs that are built at this theme park is what makes it popular today.

            Six Flags Magic Mountain is known for its entertainment and adventures.  Aside from the amazing rides that are built, the characters of the park is what makes it a fun theme park. Comparing to what Six Flags was before to it is now has showed the traditional meaning behind the theme park. There is a lot of history to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Soon we will be park of the history of what the park is now. 

My Space

Shannon Ashford

English 113B

October 24, 2013

The Congested Lot

            We as citizens of the United States, wish the problematic of space was being modified. We walk around local areas thinking it’s crowded because of the amount of people present at that given moment; but have you ever thought that it's the space around us we should blame?  The government is responsible for this because their worries aren’t focused on how large or small a space is. Apparently there are priorities that need to be taken care of, which is true. However, setting their priorities in the right standard of what they fail at. It is our government and their lack of care to blame for the construction of the space around of.

            I ‘ve witnessed many locations that have a lot of potential of being built differently. I do however; have one specific spot that I’ve analyzed. Located on Balboa and Chatsworth is a small yet very popular parking lot. Within that parking lot is a Pharmacy, Thai Food restaurant Cleaners, Masseuse Pizza Parlor, Hookah Shop, 7/11, and a Subway. It has come to my attention that not only is it a busy, main street, but also it surrounds that specific area in close radius of a park and two high schools.  I’ve realized that since that parking lot is fairly small, it is a dangerous place to commute in and out of. It has roughly sixteen parking spots built compact cars. Rather you’re commuting on wheels or foot, the possibility of someone getting hurt is high. In fact, I almost witnessed a car accident in that parking lot the other day. Since it is near two high schools and a park, the population of children dominates due to the fact that there is a 7/11.  This structure can be remolded so it can be a safe environment for people of all ages to travel to.  In the documentary Sprawling With Grace, David M. Edwards mentions, “Humanity is ignored of the building and spaces from last 40 years.” If we consciously put more thought and effort into what we’re building, we wouldn’t have to stress about the placing of spaces being congested This spot in particular isn’t something that I’ve been analyzing this past week. I’ve realized that the Hookah Shop that has recently opened has been once upon a time many other businesses. So we’ve noticed a pattern that the stores prior to the one it is now, didn't make a lot of profit. Concluding, that businesses that were placed there weren’t very successful, we can assume it is probably due to the parking problem.  In my opinion, since there is a 7/11 and a Subway between it, they can reconstruct that corner to expand the parking lot by getting rid of the Hookah Shop. If there are more parking spaces in that plaza then it will attract more customers.

          Many Americans, and people who are of a different citizenship, make the argument that people who live in America are lazy. We rely on our automobiles to transport us anywhere and everywhere at any given time. In addition to us relying on our cars, we also assume that the destination we’re traveling to will provide enough space to park our cars and to easily get in and out of those parking spaces. In particular, this plaza needs to make this area pleasing to the customers staring with its physical appearance.  “If we want change, people need to find a new vision” says David M Edwards. People think that creative minds doesn’t exist in our generation. Since we’ve creatively upgraded advance technology, we do have the ability to change the space around us. 

         We’re constantly traveling in space. As a Californian, I know that mostly an automobile is what we depend on when we’re traveling from place to place. Our City needs to make sure the space we travel to doesn't become problematic. By doing so, the majority of the places we travel to need to be expanded. Because we’re constantly traveling, we want to make sure we’re confident in our safety.

Bibliography:

Sprawling From Grace: http://youtu.be/KqMj3E94BK0

Three Pics

Here at Cal State University Norhtridge, we have a huge 4 story building known as the Oviatt Library. The Oviatt is a representation of the "heart of campus" mainly because it's in the center of campus. When I attended my New Student Orientation, they mention that the Oviatt was used for a few movies that were filmed in the past such as Sky High which was filmed in 2005, Star Trek (2009), Son in Law (1994), and , many more. When I think of CSUNS's Library, I don't think of quiet which can be odd in some casses. However, to me, the Oviatt means a place where there is team building, socializing, group work, a place where people come together to brainstorm and get work done together.

 Freudian and Sip which is also known as CSUN's Starbuck is planted in about four locations around campus. Freudian and Sip tag teams with the Oviatt Library. Because they serve drinks you will similarly find at Starbucks, you constantly see people purchasing items from this cafe to stay awake while they're working in the library. Although thats not the case everytime, it brings a realization on why we have so many of these on campus. 

These little turtles on campus are unknown to many students and faculty on campus. the "Orange Grove" is adjacent from the Valley Performing Arts Center. Whenever I visit the Grove, I always feel refreshed. Being Surrounded by hundreds of orange trees, ducks, turtles, and a few other unknown creatures reminds me of natural nature. The Orange Grove is a huge representation of Southern California. 

Final

Shannon Ashford

English 113B

October 3, 2013

Professor Jeff 

Online Dating

            In our society, there are many ways to get connected with someone who can become your potential friend, best friend, enemy, boyfriend or girlfriend, or maybe even a husband or a wife. All of which is done through having a mutual friend, meeting someone at a club or bar, social media, online dating cites, and many more communicating sources. Online dating has received a lot of attention in the past decade. There is a dramatic increase on the amount of people participating in an online dating network. I believe that negativity has come forth to the topic of searching for a lover through network. Online dating is dangerous, expensive, it affects the humanistic social well being, and it has grown to be the only resort for many people to find a partner and have a special connection with.

            In our generation, it is more common to find someone through an online dating site versus running into them at a place that is outside of the Internet. I’m not going to lie, people can be senseless sometimes. They’ll meet the “perfect match” via Internet and believe that that person is the one for them. They will then lead on their relationship onto a higher level. However, they might not be who they say they are. According to Gibbs, Ellison, and Heino from the writers of an Online Dating article protest that, “86% of users feel that online daters misrepresent their physical appearance because daters can easily manipulate their photographs in the virtual world.” MTV’s hit show, Catifish, has taken over the dating world. Catfish is a show about two men, Nev and Max helping couples meet face to face for the first time after dating for a few months maybe even 10 years. There has been two seasons of this show and so far no one has been who he or she say they are. It’s heart breaking. Online dating has the ability to lower the confidence of a person and their love life.

            The claim of positivity from online dating is always advertised.  People do gain more confidence talking to a person they are physically attracted to. Their standards may or may not increase, making it more flexible for a person to get to know someone. Although you can view a picture of the person you’re talking to, you’re not too quick to judge when seeing them on the Internet. If a person is unattractive to you, you are most likely going to talk to that person on your online dating network than in real life. You may not be completely comfortable on building a relationship further than what it already might be. But, a person’s personality might overpower the unattractive, physical appearance they might fail to have. Online dating has led to strong relationships, which has even been fortunate enough to lead to marriages. This shows that there is some success in relationships that have been created over online.

            Online dating has put an affect on humans socially. Although there area a few positive outcomes on online dating, the negatives take over those specific outcome. Indeed, People become more confident when they’re talking to someone over the web but what about when they meet that person face to face. They might become a little shy and or socially awkward. Once that happens, the relationship can turn around, in a bad way.  Marriages are taken place for couples that have met and dated online. However, there is a large percent of those marriages that unfourtanetly end in a failure.

            In our economy, it is difficult for the average person to maintain enough finances to provide the mandatory necessities. When you register to date online, it’s costly. The online dating site has managed to successfully gain billions of dollars from people seeking a relationship.  “Cost may be a big issue for some. While online dating services may provide different prices for their services, there is a general understanding that it may cost a single person about $250 per year for only an annual subscription and nothing else” says the writers of the article, Contradictory deceptive behavior in online dating. When you look at the annually cost, you think that it doesn’t seem like a lot of money wasted. However, It all adds up. You’re basically paying to possibly be in a relationship with someone who you’ve never met in person.  Hundreds of dollars could be saved from one person who has the desire to start a relationship over the web.

            Danger has become a popular action in our society. News about people who are in harm or doing the harm is constantly announced, daily. With online dating being one of them. We already went over the fact that people display lies on their online dating sites and others may be senseless. You may think that you’re setting up a date with someone whom you've grown to be attracted to physically and emotionally. Its’ surprising to say that murders, rapists, and pedophiles, have taken the initiative to make a dating profile. If and when you set up a date with someone who happens to be one of the three, you as an individual are put in a dangerous situation. Criminals can be tricky. They’ve retained all of your information so it is easier to put you in a dangerous situation.  They’ve let their personality grow on you so you can build that trust. When something unfortunate happens when seeing that person face to face, the trust that you had for that one person or even anyone else who you are connected to is lost.

            Many dating profiles are being created daily. Some of which are being used because people feel like they can’t find a significant other when they go out. It is known to only find someone who you have made a connection with over the Internet. Old school dating is coming to an end because of this. Therefore, online dating has become the “last hope” to some individuals. Online dating is now made its superior value in our culture due to the attention it is receiving from the many people living.

            Online dating has resulted in many failures. It is costly, unfaithful, and encourages people to not adventure out and find their true love outside of the Internet. It may also lead someone to be in a dangerous situation.  It also causes much heartbreak by encouraging people to lie about their true self. Humans have been and still are being socially affected by online dating.  Online dating is something that is popular but is overall not good for you.

Work Cited

Online Dating Services - Chronology and Key Features Comparison with Traditional Dating     Ali, Azad I; Wibowo, Kustim Competition Forum9.2 (2011): 481-488.

Contradictory deceptive behavior in online dating Department of International Trade,            Chinese Culture University, 55, Hwa-Kang Rd., Yang-Ming-Shan, Taipei 11114,    Taiwan, ROC