Demetrios Kiriopoulos's Weblog

With technology moving at the speed that it is, it’s hard for teachers to keep up with all the advances online. Classrooms have been structured and re-structured for years to perfect the teaching environment. Classes strategically place all the chairs and desks in a fashion that facilitates learning; either around the center of the podium where the teacher/professor stands, or in an auditorium-style arrangement of the classroom looking towards the corner of the room.
Now it stands that classrooms are physically no more. They are old, “non-traditional” learning spaces which require someone who has less time in their day than before to physically be present to participate in their learning. Virtual classrooms can be used to teach anyone, anywhere in the world, with little to no effort. Yes, students of this virtual environment need to essentially teach themselves as they progress through the course on their own time, in their pajamas, in the Bahamas. But of course, in my opinion, “traditional” is very….well, traditional. The idea of being present in the classroom, in front of the teacher/professor, learning is a lot better than looking at a computer screen. Seeing the lesson on the whiteboard facilitates my learning and enhances my personal interactions with my fellow peers while entangling the subject matter to be learned. Traditional classrooms not only help the student better, but enhance their interactions with the peers, allowing for more-developed “people skills”; something that cannot be learned while sitting in a chair half-naked.

In conclusion, traditional is the way to go. Yes, it is easier on one’s schedule to view a class online, but the connection between the teacher, student, and other peers is lost. Furthermore, I feel the subject matter is learned more adequately through physical courses versus through an online, “non-traditional” method.

After he has fired Stephen, Chuck comes in the next morning and Caitlin
confronts him about firing Stephen. Why is Caitlin angry with him for
firing Stephen? Whose fault does Chuck say the ordeal is, and what is his
reasoning?
- He says that it is everyone’s fault because they are the ones that let the fake articles go through to print.

Throughout the movie, there are cuts to a scene in which Stephen is
addressing a class at the high school where he went. What does this scene
turn out to be? What is the purpose of these scenes?
-This scene turns out to be an empty classroom. I think this scene means he was trying to tell his story. (How he published all his fake stories and such.)

By the end of the movie, have your feelings towards Stephen changed?
-I felt as if I could not trust him anymore. He lied to everyone through his stories. He is a liar.

After watching the interview, what do you think of the real Stephen Glass?
What do you think of the movie’s portrayal of him?
-The real S. Glass is just as bad as the character portraying him.

How do you feel about Stephen in the beginning of the movie? How does he interact with his coworkers, and what do his coworkers think of him? What do you think of him as he’s telling his coworkers the story about the hacker?
-At the beginning of the movie, he seems happy. He seems happy because he is working for one of the most prestigious newspapers, The New Republic. His coworkers like him and his comical side. Glass’ story “The Hacker” seemed a bit odd as he went through it. His coworkers were a bit suspicious as to if the story was real or fake. However, Glass wrote the story so well that his coworkers, at the beginning of the movie, thought it was the best story ever created.

Would you like to hang out with Stephen (as he’s portrayed in the first five or ten minutes of the movie)?
- He is a very comical guy, but he does lie a lot. I would be skeptical as to hanging out with him for an extended period of time.

What are the ethical dilemmas that Stephen faces? What ethical issues does the film explore through Stephen’s choices? Some may argue that what Stephen has done isn’t wrong. Do you think it’s wrong?
-He wrote stories that were false and then lied about items related to the stories to his editors. Some say what he has done isn’t wrong, but that doesn’t make it right. Glass could ruin the authenticity of the newspaper. He is jeopardizing everything. I think it is completely wrong to do something of that nature.

What ethical dilemmas does Chuck (Stephen’s editor) face? What conflicting duties does he have? Consider Chuck’s choices as editor with the ethical standards Stephen sets up for editors, and consider the conversation he has with the editor of the magazine that discovers Stephen’s article is fabricated?
-The editor is also in trouble for allowing false articles to be printed. He and Glass are jeopardizing the newspaper’s credibility.

Stephen is very persuasive. How does he use the rhetorical appeals in his interactions with people?
-His information is sound because he has notes from his “sources” (fake or not), and his information makes sense, logically speaking. He uses humorous punch-lines to end his stories which appeal to pathos.

(Con’t when the movie is finished…)

Now-a-days, job titles include some of the most ridiculous names. “Sanitation Engineer”, “Construction Manager”, “Hygene Equipment Technician”, and my personal favorite, “Sports Aquatics Engineer” (which is code for “Water Boy”). Job titles get more complicated with each passing generation. People who have crappy jobs, (no pun intended), find ways to make their title sound more sophisticated. The example that was previously mentioned, “Sanitation Engineer” can be brought lower in meaning to “Garbage Man”, plain and simply. However, I do enjoy reading about these titles and listening to people explain what they do and how their title fits them perfectly. It’s just taken too far sometimes. Please, if you are a garbage man, tell everyone that you take in their leftover meatloaf and Green Bean Casserole that was horribly made, and that no one ate, to the big dump. In some cases, that would be the only thing you are able to do in life, thus allowing you to get that job. And don’t “hate on me” because I just spoke the truth. Besides, you should be proud… you ARE making good money.

Now, if I may suggest an upgrade: Biohazard Material Disposal. I see bright, sharp needles in your future.

Companies who produce drugs are spreading their products all over the world. Consumers are paying top dollar to get those products in order to live a better life. But are those companies consumer-friendly? I think not. I’ve heard from some people who use drugs to better their lives that drugs were being given out. Most of them as sample, at not cost to the consumer. But what about when the samples run out? How much are we paying to get those once-free drugs and how much are they really costing the pharmaceutical company? The answer is not really clear. We all know those companies want to make as much money as possible without charging the consumer too much. Their standards of “charging too much” are definitely not the same as the consumers’. Drugs should be decently priced so that everyone is able to buy them. If you have no insurance drug companies are after you. Those companies can make a lot more money than from someone who has insurance, and has had it for a long time period. “Self-pay” consumers are the ones who are basically paying the salaries of the employees of drug companies. There is no limit to how much they can charge. A drug can be produce for pennies on the dollar, but are sold with an 800% markup price. Insurance holders get a break. The insurance company contracts with certain drug companies and offers a lower-than-standard price on drugs to insurance-holders. That leaves the rest of us out in the cold… trying to battle the flu or some kind of acute disease because we cannot afford the raised, non-insured price.

In a world where germs are everywhere, we as a society have found ways to kill them. From dirty toilet flusher handles to water, theres something that can be used to clean up the worst germ-infested objects. For someone who has everything they will ever need to clean up the germs, VIOlight has come up with a ultraviolet (UV) wand that can be used to decontaminate hard surfaces. UV light changes the DNA of the microorganism so that it disables its reproduction ability, thus minimizing and killing off the bacteria.

If it wasn’t so expensive ($80-$180) I would invest in one. I know I’m one of those germaphobes.

[These types of articles interest me. This is why I picked this type of article to blog about.]

Work Cited:
Chansanchai, Athima. “In a germ-phobic era, we’re talkin’ dirty devices.” MSNBC. 06 Feb 2008. 6 Feb 2008 .

Have you ever actually looked at your bills lately? Cell phone bills… credit card bills… or maybe your water bill? They add ridiculous charges on your bill and slap the tag “tax” on it. Other companies aren’t that smart and just claim the extra charge as a “charge”, probing the receiver of the bill to get on the phone and complain. So why, you may ask, are companies adding on to present charges? The answer is simple: Companies use hidden charges to generate more revenue. They want to make more money so that it can pay its employees royalties. Consumers obviously don’t want to pay more money for something they can get cheap. On a more personal note, I sure don’t want to pay more than I have to.

I have personally been a victim of these charges. I have to call up the company and find out why they are charging me. Most of the time they claim that it was a mistake. Mistakes do happen… I’m sure… but they cannot happen every month. It started out with my credit card bill. Then it progressively reached my cell phone and bank statements. The bank I use charges me when I write a check! Keep in mind… this checking account is supposedly free. My routine includes contacting the bank via telephone or walking into a branch, statement in hand. And, as I would expect, I walk out fifty-seven cents richer. There is no reason why they would debit my account mere pennies. Now, as the hand turns, if they have a good reason to take my money by all means, go for it. If I used a service: great reason. But if my money was your bank, YOU should be paying ME! And that’s what we call interest… I’ll leave that story out for another day.

Getting straight to the point, I personally will not give a homeless person any money… unless:
(1) They have actually been through a war that fought for this country
(2) They’re honest about what they’re going to do with the money.
(3) I go into the store with them and buy them FOOD!
(4) I’m in a good mood or am financially stable.

Other than that, I don’t think anyone should get free, non-taxable money. Homeless people should work, unless of course they are disabled either mentally or physically. If they can get free money, the Government should give us more money. Or at least lower the taxes… but that’s a another story.

Ah, another day has past. I find that there’s still not enough hours in a day for everything to get done. I’m organized to the max… and still feel like there’s a mess. Chemistry is kicking my butt! I mean, don’t get me wrong… I want to become a doctor, and of course, chemistry is in my future. I just wish there were some easy method to solving these problems! I just need to learn why every step of the solving process happens. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Once I get that down, the problems will no longer be problems.

My first chemistry exam is today. I don’t feel prepared at all. Looks like cramming has to take place. But this time it’s not the night before… its right before the exam. We’ll see how this one ends up.

…And don’t even get my started on Pre-Calc! Math USED to be my best subject. Now I feel as if I’ve never taken the class before! I’ve taken Calculus 1 in high school. And, not to brag, but I did pretty well. I’m in Pre-Calc now… and I feel dumb! The teacher is fantastic and the work isn’t too bad. I don’t understand why I don’t understand! More studying… more practice. That should help.

(I guess I still haven’t gotten a hang of this blogging thing. But… it is a great venting place.)