Economic Lifestyle

I interviewed Robert Hudson, who is both my teacher and a licensed architect. As of now, I am majoring in Architecture, and I do not intend on changing my major. I enjoy him as a teacher with his enthusiasm about the profession, even if it is only Intro to Architecture, so I figured he would be one of the best individuals to interview. He was very informative and answered every question with interest. He was very informative about the current pay salaries for architects, how the economy affects the profession, and how I should be preparing now for this profession.

According to most architects, it is one of the lowest paying professions. If I were to work for a medium to large size firm, I would be able to make about one hundred thousand dollars. I could also possibly make more, if I were to own my own successful architecture firm. As a graduate with a Masters Degree in Architecture, I would start with a pay salary of forty-thousand dollars and then work my way up. With the current economic issues, it is very difficult to find a job as an architect, because building begins with architects and not many buildings are being planned or built at this time. Therefore, the profession is partially dependent on the planning and construction of buildings, no matter the economic issues at the time.

One of the main ways to get involved and prepared for my profession, according to Mr. Hudson, is to sit in on the juries of the graduate students and to go to the many lectures held for graduate Architecture students. I should learn as much as possible about the profession and about portfolios, by asking questions and being present to many events. He also said to make myself known at the Architecture School, in order to get people to remember my work or just me in general. He also enlightened me about how he became an architect for the enjoyment of it. Money and hard work did not matter to him, because he enjoyed the work he was doing and still does, so I also am not going to worry about the money or the hard work. I rather enjoy the work I do every single day of my life.

"End"

My ecological footprint went from 5.2 to 5.0 planets, within twenty-four hours. I was more conscience about the amount of paper I used throughout the day. I also did not print as much information off the Internet, instead I read the information off the computer. I did not drink water or any other product out of plastic bottles, instead I used my own washable water bottles. I recycled a bunch of paper, which is of no use to me anymore. I reduced the amount of trash by using my own cups instead of plastic or styrofroam cups. In a lot ways it was more cost effective to live with a reduced ecological footprint, because I do not have to replace cups and plates. I also did not have to use more paper or ink during the twenty-four hours, so I saved money on having to buy ink sooner. I did not drive anywhere, so I saved money on gas and did not affect the environment. I did not change my eating habitws, because I like the food I eat. I believe it was one of the main reasons my ecological footprint was not reduced more.

"Start"

Ecological Footprint: 5.2

"End"

I always knew I would have difficulties, if I was not able to use communicative technology on a daily basis. I did survive the past twenty-four hours without the radio, cell phone, TV, and the Internet. I am, however, upset I missed my favorite TV shows and had to have my mother tape them for me, so know I have to wait until this weekend to watch them. I never really listen to the radio, unless I am in driving. Therefore, I did not have much difficulty not listening to it, because I do not drive often, since I live on campus. My cell phone, obviously, was very difficult to go a whole twenty-four hours without using it. I do have to admit I had to use it once to get a hold of my mother, but other than the one incident I did not use my cell phone. Not using the Internet was only difficult, because I had to use my school email to get in contact with my advisor, in order to make an appointment about summer class. Other than my school email, it was not very difficult to keep from using my other email account, myspace, and facebook. I do not use them very often anyways, because they are really just to keep in touch with my friends at other colleges. I have no idea how individuals went all day without being in contact with their family or friends through a phone call or text messaging. I do not know how individuals use to meet up for lunch or find one another at a mall, in order to have a day out of the house or away from work without the use of cell phones. I also do not know how individuals kept in touch with their friends from high school and college as they graduated without sources such as email or facebook. It had to have been difficult to meet with teachers or for teachers to get in touch with their students without email or even the Internet. The TV is one of the forms of entertainment I use as a way to relax after hours of homework, because I love watching my favorite TV shows. I do not know how people entertained themselves without TV. Even though I love to talk, I do not like to talk to my mom and dad as often as I probably would have to, in order to keep from being bored. If I had to live without the Internet, a cell phone, and a TV, I do not know what I would do with my free time or how I would keep in contact with my family and friends. It would affect the way I live my life very much so, and I do not think I could live in the state. I do, however, believe if I were to grow up not knowing about cell phones, TVs, and the Internet, I would not have difficulties adjusting to the state. It greatly effects all of our lives in today's society; it does, however, effect our generation more than the past generations.

"Start"

Beginning of 24 hours with no technology....

Biggest Challenge

One of the biggest challenges my family and I will face during the next four years will be finances and the economic issues plaguing our country. I just recently turned eighteen, and I can't find anyone to give me a credit card, in order to begin my credit. Eventually, within the next four years I would like to get married, buy a house, buy a car, and support myself and my family, but I will be unable to do this if I am not able to build credit slowly or be able to receive loans. Even students loans are hard to come by this past year, and USF has lost almost half of its lenders. I also don't understand how college students like myself are going to be able to pay back loans, if they are unable to find a job to even support themselves during and after college. My parents have been trying for the past month to get a loan, and they have had some success but still have not succeeded in securing the loan. If my parents, who have had no issues before in securing a loan, are having difficulties receiving a loan, I do not believe I am going to be able to receive a loan and neither are most college students for homes and other aspects of life. To be honest the banks are the ones who screwed up by allowing inidivudals to take out loans in hundreds of thousands of dollars, who were not making enough money to pay the loans back. I believe it will take a lot longer than 4 years for our country to turn itself around, because it took us many years to get this way. I also know the economy is constantly changing, and in a lot of ways, we got ourselves to this point. People were spending money and swiping their credit cards, but they were unable to pay them off. The government always spends money more than most would like, but this is not all the governments fault. It is us as inidivudals wanting luxuries of life, which most of us are unable to afford, at least at the moment. I hope for not only myself and my family but for all the families in this country suffering economically, we are able to get ourselves out of this economic crisis.

Thesis Ideas for Paper #2

True Crime: Streets of LA
First Idea:

I could discuss the use of Chinese Triads, the Russia Mafia, and the North Korean People’s Army in the game, in order to depict a fiction storyline used to entertain the players of the game. The associations of these group with the city of LA, however, are portrayed in such a way for the player to believe these organizations are terrorizing and destroying the city with their terrible crimes. It also depicts America as needing to be saved from the rest of the world, with these three organizations representing the world. The game uses realistic racial tensions, even though they are not actual occurrences, to make the game more enjoyable for the player, who is playing an LA cop.

Second Idea:

Through research, I have found the game has three alternate endings, based on how the player uses his power as a cop to receive justice in the streets of LA. Based on the ending the player comes to, he is able to realize whether or not his actions as a cop during the game were truly ethical, in order to find justice against the crime in LA. The player has to make the decision to stay a good cop or turn into a bad cop due to his actions throughout the game, and this allows the game to be more realistic with the player being able to decide his own fate. It also has many ethical issues, because if the player decides to be a bad cop in order to get through each trial the station gives him, he will end up killing each individual involved in the crime, instead of stunning them or beating them up.

Third Idea:

Violence is obviously an ethical issue with this game, because there are many types of it, throughout the game. There is road violence in the game, and the player, as the cop, is able to steal cars from common everyday citizens, is able to run pedestrians over or hit them, and is able to use the siren of the cop car to get everywhere without any stipulations. There is also weapon violence, such as the player being able to shoot any inidivudal without them committing a crime, and the player is even allowed to have shoot outs in the middle of the street where there are many pedestrians. Throughout the game there is even beating violence, where the cop is allowed to beat the inidivudals involved with a crime, without him getting in trouble with the station.

True Crimes: Streets of LA

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=95312



In article one, the game, True Crimes of LA, is in many ways compared to Grand Theft Auto. It discusses the main objectives of the game, but it does not go into much detail. The game is said to be similar to Grand Theft Auto in the article, due to the getaway cars, weapons, and hookers, just to name a few. The article, however, continues to discuss the differences between both games. The main difference between both games is as the player you are on the side of the law and order as a cop, but the player is able to stay a good cop or turn into a bad cop, due to the actions taken throughout the game. The cop, known as Nick, must bust Russian and Chinese crime, along with solving minor crimes in the city. The article ends with the conclusion the game is equally strong in driving, fighting, and shooting, which is very difficult to accomplish.



http://www.racialicious.com/2006/11/29/race-and-videogames-a-look-at-true-crime-streets-of-la/



In the second article, the plot of True Crime: Streets of LA is discussed with much detail on the racial aspects of the game. It does not discuss the objectives of the game in any detail. The main focus is on the use of Chinese Triads, the Russia Mafia, and the North Korean People’s Army in the game, and their association with the crime in the city of LA. Throughtout the article, the game portrays America needing to be saved from the rest of the world, with the aid of Nick, the main charcter, who is Asian American. The game, however, does not specify the other characters to be Chinese American or Chinese or Russian American or Russian, which could be morally wrong. The article discusses the idea of making the game more realistic by using racial tensions which actually occurred historically in the city of LA, intead of creating a new plot line for the game.

Thesis and Outline

I. Thesis Statement/Introduction: In both “Peta’s Super Chick Sisters” and “Planet Green,” change in our society is proposed to the player through viable information. The players of both video games are persuaded to believe the facts and support the claims within the games, due to the educational information. “Planet Green,” however, has advanced educational information, whereas “Peta’s Super Chick Sisters,” has trivial information for a player, who has no prior knowledge of the issue before playing the video game.

II. “Peta’s Super Chick Sisters”:
(a) The point of the game
- Represented in the form of Mario brother with baby chicks as Mario and Luigi and the colonel is a mechanical spider and Pamela Anderson as the princess is to be rescued, after being caught by the colonel
- Proposes a change in the treatment of the chickens killed to support KFC’s restaurant chain
(b) The message behind the game
-Visual: uses baby chicks rather than older chickens, bloody chicken bowls, bloody picture frames of the colonel, free other baby chicks throughout the game, and KFC restaurants with sleeping employees
- Claims: educational facts throughout the game about the treatment of the chickens (broken wings and legs, overfed chickens, beaks are removed, chickens are killed when still baby chicks)
- Advertises the Mario Brother Game and the Wii System: uses a fun game and a new game system to entice the player into believing and supporting the claims

III. “Green Planet”:
(a) The point of the game
- Explore the town of Evergreen and finds ways to reduce CO2 emission; warns about global warming and is impact on the society
- Provides factual information through challenges and teaches the player ways to change his lifestyle in order to become more environmentally friendly
(b) The message behind the game
- Visual: uses tutorials and challenges to portray to the player the different way to reduce CO2 emissions everyday with simple rules like closing the refrigerator door and turning of lights, which are not being used
- Claims: educational facts throughout the game and during every challenge to describe the types of changes these simple rules and their impact on the global warming issues in a positive way
- Advertises Starbucks and their changes to become more environmentally friendly

IV. The effects of persuasion in both games
(a) “Peta’s Super Chick Sisters”
- Causes the player to want to know more about the situation on the cruelty of the chickens
- It does not give direct factual information about the situation
- May cause the player to boycott eating at KFC or joining PETA to help make these changes
(b) “Planet Green”
- Does cause the player to want to know more information on the issue of global warming
- May impact changes in the player’s routine on an everyday basis
- Give factual and direct information on the issue in the introduction before the beginning of the game
V. Conclusion

Game Discussion

"PETA's Super Chick Sisters"

This game is set up to be similar to Mario Brothers. However, Mario is a baby chick, instead of an actual human being. The colonel is an evil mechanical spider and, if the chick does not kill the spider, it will kill the chick. It advertises the organization PETA, in order to inform other individuals about the cruetly many fast food restaurants carry out to produce the needs of their costumers. The game also advertises the Mario Brothers game for the Wii, because during the introduction of the game, Mario and Luigi are sore from playing the game system. The game, however, is entirely persuasive. It persuades individuals on an emotional level, which causes the players of the game to feel for the cruelly treated chickens. As mentioned before, the characters of the game are baby chicks and not older chickens. This fact of the game causes the player to feel more of an emotional attachment to the baby chicks, than if they were older chickens. The game could also cause players from ordering food from KFC ever again, and it presents the colonel as an evil villian. This may persuade the players to believe the colonel was an evil individual in more than just one aspect of his life.



"Darfur is Dying"

In this game, the player picks an individual for his character, and the characters range in sex and age. The purpose of the game is to find water and food for the other individuals in the refugee camp. However, the player must forage for food or water without getting caught by the Janjaweed militias. The player is able to hide behind rocks, grass, and other objects, in order to keep from getting caught before returning to the camp. It is a serious game, because it portrays to the players in certain ways the reality of their situation in Darfur. In many ways we are priviledge to live in the United States, even though we have our faults, however, we will never be able to know the true reality of their situation in Darfur without living it ourselves. After the game, the players are able to donate money to help aid the individuals in Darfur and to end the war. It allows information to the public, which an individual may not have know before playing the game.



"Planet Green"

It is a game about reducing your ecological footprint on earth. At the beginning, the player picks a character and then a transportation service. Based on the character's transportation service, the player will gain or lose points, depending on the CO2 emission of the vehicle, bike, etc. The player goes to different buildings, within the town, and learns about reducing CO2 emissions in a variety of different ways. It is a serious game, because it introduces the player with a lot of information on the causes and effects of the CO2 emission every single day on our planet. The game allows a player to think not only about his own ecological footprint but others as well. It also advertises Starbucks in the game, which in a lot of ways is ironic. However, within the past year, the company has tried to cut back on the amount of waste their products produce and in other words, produce less energy.