Unit 4 Activity 2
February 27, 2020
“The chief use of the “meaning” of a poem in the ordinary sense, may be… to satisfy one habit of the reader, to keep his mind diverted and quiet, while the poem does its work upon him” – T.S. Eliot
This quote is about how the reader interprets the poetry and how it’s supposed to make you think. I chose this quote because it’s the one I liked the most.
Unit 2 Activity 4 September 5, 2019
I think Adnan Syed is innocent because there isn’t enough evidence linking him to the crime besides the fact that he dated Hae and didn’t have a strong alibi.
Jay changed his story many times when being interviewed by the police. There was a theory that Jay was supposedly coached to provide the official version of events by police and prosecutors. People who believe this theory use the fact that prosecutor Kevin Urick help Jay acquire a pro bono lawyer, who then had him sign a plea deal. The plea meant that Jay hadn’t faced any charges as an accessory to murder, and theorists claim this could’ve been motivation for Jay to say whatever the police wanted in regard to Adnan.
During the podcast, they pointed out that the cell phone records from the day Hae was murdered don’t match up with Jay’s version of events. During the trial, prosecutors pointed out when calls that Jay and Adnan made pinged towers close to where Jay said they were, particularly when they supposedly buried Hae in Leakin Park. Sarah (Serial’s host) pointed out that there was a period of time where the towers and Jay’s testimony don’t match up, to which no one mentioned during the trial. The prosecution had a cell phone expert on the stand (Abraham Waranowitz) who testified that all of this data was reliable. But nearly a year after Serial aired, Abraham signed an affidavit for Adnan’s defence saying that he doesn’t stand by his testimony because the prosecutor neglected to show him the fax cover sheet, which had a disclaimer saying that geographical data for incoming calls was not reliable. During the podcast, they pointed out that the cell phone records from the day Hae was murdered don’t match up with Jay’s version of events. During the trial, prosecutors pointed out when calls that Jay and Adnan made pinged towers close to where Jay said they were, particularly when they supposedly buried Hae in Leakin Park. Sarah (Serial’s host) pointed out that there was a period of time where the towers and Jay’s testimony don’t match up, to which no one mentioned during the trial.
Adnan also didn’t receive proper counsel. His lawyer during the trial, failed to call a witness that said she seen him when he said he was at the lawyer. This would’ve changed the timeline of events tremendously because then he would’ve had an alibi.
I chose this medium to present this information because it is available for anyone to view and gain knowledge on the topic.
Unit 2 Activity 4 September 4, 2019
The article, “New Trial Upheld for Adnan Syed of ‘Serial'” is about how he received inadequate counsel for his trial. His original lawyer failed to call a witness whose testimony “would’ve made it impossible for Adnan to have murdered Hae.” Adnan’s new lawyer, Mr. brown, said he was unable to locate the witness, Asia McClain, until Serial had begun investigating Adnan’s story. Asia sent Adnan 2 letters after he was arrested in 1999, stating that she had seen him at Woodlawn Public Library at the time that Hae was killed. After Adnan was convicted, it was determined that Ms. Gutierrez had not contacted Asia. A friend of Adnan’s, Rabia Chaudry, independently reached out to Asia, who signed an affidavit saying that she had seen Adnan at Woodlawn Public Library at the time Hae was killed. Ms. Gutierrez’s failure to interview or contact Asia formed a key part of Adnan’s argument that she had been negligent in her defence of him. He has served 16 years of a life sentence after being convicted in 2000, but has maintained his innocence for almost 2 decades (Liam Stack, March 29, 2018, Para. 16)
The article, “Redditors are trying to solve a murder that’s at the centre of the wildly popular ‘Serial’ podcast” includes people’s theories surrounding the case.
Theory 1 states: Jay knew details about Hae’s manner of death and burial that suggested he was involved in some way. He claims he just got dragged into the aftermath of the murder by Adnan, but some think he was also involved in her murder-not just buying her body (Redditors are trying to solve a murder that’s at the centre of the wildly popular ‘serial’ podcast, n.d., para 10). Jay cuts a plea deal to get himself off the hook, meanwhile Adnan is able to plausibly deny much of the issues at hand. This could help explain the timeline issues, the character issues, the “alibi”, Jay’s inconsistent stories, etc (Redditors are trying to solve a murder that’s at the centre of the wildly popular ‘serial’ podcast, n.d., para 15).
Theory 2 states: Jay and Jenn might have been having an affair behind Jay’s girlfriend, Stephanie’s back, and Hae knew about it. Therefore, they killed Hae so she wouldn’t say anything.
Theory 3 states: someone who claims to have known Adnan growing up, says that several of Adnan’s former friends seen psychopathic tendencies in him.
Theory 4 states: Adnan and Jay were in on it together. Adnan was trying to frame Jay and Jay figured it out, which is why he sold Adnan out to the police.
Theory 5 states: Jay killed Hae alone and Adnan wasn’t involved at all.
Theory 6 states: Hae’s killer was a repeat offender who isn’t anyone mentioned in the podcast.
The additional sources add to the theory that Adnan is innocent, he didn’t receive proper counsel and it’s possible one of the theories on reddit about other people killing Hae are true.
The type of media changed my impressions of the information because I never thought of the theory that Jenn and jay killed Hae or the serial killer murdering Hae. I always thought Adnan was innocent and some of the other theories make sense.
The source that added to my opinion and understanding of the case is the reddit theory article. It provided a lot of theories that make sense and should be looked into.
Unit 2 Activity 4 September 4, 2019
I don’t think Adnan killed Have because there isn’t enough evidence connecting him to the murder. It doesn’t make sense that he would’ve killed her if they broke up on good terms and were still friends. There are also a lot of people who have said that Adnan is not a violent person and they also believe that he is innocent.
Jay is not a reliable witness, as he changed his story many times. He testified that he helped Adnan help bury Hae’s body and led the police to Hae’s car.
During the trial, prosecutors pointed to the times when Jay and Adnan made calls that pinged towers close to where Jay said they were. But, Sarah pointed out that there was a period of time where the towers and Jay’s testimony don’t match up, and no one mentioned those during the trial. The prosecution had a cell phone expert on the stand (Abraham Waranowitz) who testified that all of this data was reliable. But nearly a year after Serial aired, Abraham signed an affidavit for Adnan’s defence saying that he doesn’t stand by his testimony because the prosecutor neglected to show him the fax cover sheet, which had a disclaimer saying that geographical data for incoming calls was not reliable.
Sarah (the host of Serial) openly talks about how her opinion swings back and forth about Adnan’s guilt or innocence, depending on her findings. She repeatedly tells Adnan that she likes him as a person. She also repeatedly states that she thinks Adnan is innocent.
June 3, 2019
“Butterfly” by Crazy Town contains samples of “Pretty Little Ditty” by Red Hot Chili Peppers. “Pretty Little Ditty” was released in 1989, while “Butterfly” was released in 2000.
“Pretty Little Ditty” is an instrumental track that was composed by bassist, Flea and guitarist John Frusciante. “Butterfly” is a song by American rap rock band, Crazy Town. “Butterfly” was number 1 in 15 countries when it was released.
Crazy Town used the same riff in “Pretty Little Ditty”, part of the second segment of “Pretty Little Ditty” was sampled. Crazy Town chose to use a couple seconds of the song and looped it.
Crazy Town sampled the guitar riff from the second segment of “Pretty Little Ditty”. Crazy Town transformed “Butterfly” into their own song by adding their own lyrics and by looping the sample they used.
When you listen to the original song that the sample was taken from, it becomes very recognizable that the melody of “Butterfly” has been sampled.
Crazy Town got Red Hot Chili Peppers permission to use the sample.
To avoid copyright infringements and ripping off the original artist’s song, the artist wanting to use a sample, should ask the original artist first. They should also come to some sort of agreement before recording the song. When artists use samples, they should transform the sample, in order to make it their own. As long as the sample is made into something original, not an exact replica of the original song and the artists have permission, then I think it is fine to use samples.
References:
May 14, 2019
There are at least 4 people dead and 2 people missing after 2 float planes collide mid-air off the Alaskan coast.
CBC focuses on the Canadian citizen that was among the 4 people killed in the mid-air collision. The article states the the U.S. federal investigators are going to Alaska on Tuesday to find out why the planes collided. The aircraft went down over about 40-48km northeast of Ketchikan, according to the coast guard. 10 other people were injured and 2 are still missing. The 14 passengers on the floatplanes were from the cruise ship, Royal Princess, which was on a 7 day trip from Vancouver to Anchorage and were operated by Princess Cruises. One of the aircrafts was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver with 5 people aboard and the other plane was a de Havilland Otter DHC-3 which was carrying 11 people. The pilot and 9 passengers of the larger plane were rescued and receiving medical action, but one passenger’s fate was unknown. It was initially reported that 10 survivors were receiving medical care, with 6 people listed unaccounted for. But it was later stated that 4 of the missing had been confirmed dead.
CBC is a mainstream media source. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-investigates-float-planes-crash-alaska-1.5134937
CNN focuses on the crash and the survivors. There are 4 people dead after 2 floatplanes carrying cruise ship passengers collided mid-air Monday afternoon near Ketchikan, Alaska. The passengers on both planes were guests on a Princess Cruise ship. The Coast Guard, who is leading the investigation, told CNN that they are still looking for 2 people. The crash occurred around 1pm and involved 2 floatplanes carrying Royal Princess passengers. One plane was operated by Taquan Air and was flying a shore excursion-a tour of Alaska’s Misty Fjords, sold through Princess Cruises. It was carrying 10 passengers and a pilot. The second plane was carrying a pilot and 4 passengers on an independent tour. One Taquan Air passenger died and the other 9 were rescued and received medical attention. The condition of the pilot has not been released. 3 people (2 passengers and the pilot) on the other plane died.
CNN is a mainstream media source. https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/13/us/alaska-plane-collision/index.html
Vancouver Sun focuses on the 1 Canadian citizen that was in the plane crash. Alaska State Troopers identified 37-year-old Elsa Will as the 1 Canadian citizen who died in the crash. 4 Americans including the pilot on one of the planes and 1 Australian also died in the crash. U.S. Coast Guard teams searched an area the size of 24 football fields on Tuesday, before finding the bodies of 2 missing passengers. The planes that crashed Monday were carrying a total of 16 people (14 passengers and 2 pilots). The passengers were on a sightseeing excursion after docking in Ketchikan aboard the Royal Princess. The accident occurred at 1:08p.m. about 8 nautical miles from Ketchikan. One of the planes was a single-engine de Havilland Otter DHC-3 operated by Taquan Air was flying a Misty Fjords tour sold through Princess Cruises. While the other plane, a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver belonged to an independent tour operator. All 5 people aboard the Beaver aircraft died in the accident. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 10 of the 11 people from the Taquan Air floatplane with a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and 2 45 foot rescue boats. The 10 Taquan passengers were Americans and the other plane had 2 American passengers, 1 Australian passenger and 1 Canadian passenger. The Australian and Canadian passengers were believed to be the 2 missing passengers that were found Tuesday night. Both of the pilots were American, according to the Coast Guard. 3 of the 10 survivors have been released from the hospital. The Federal Aviation Administration says it isn’t immediately known what caused the crash.
Vancouver Sun is an alternative media source. https://vancouversun.com/news/world/five-dead-as-floatplanes-collide-midair-in-ketchikan-alaska
Chek News focuses on the number of deaths. The article starts out by saying that the coast guard found bodies near the crash site of the smaller plane that was involved in the collision. It then states that a Canadian, Australian and 4 Americans were killed. 4 bodies and 2 people were missing after the float planes carrying cruise ship tourists collided on Monday, near the Southeast Alaskan town, Ketchikan. Global Affairs Canada said Canadian consular officials in Seattle were in contact with local authorities to gather additional information on the accident and provide assistance. Both of the planes involved in the crash were carrying guests from the Royal Princess cruise ship, which left Vancouver and was heading to Anchorage. One of the planes was a single-engine de Havilland Otter that was operated by Taquan Air. It was returning from a wilderness tour which is sold through Princess Cruises. The Taquan plane was carrying 10 passengers and 1 pilot, all of which were Americans. The other plane was a single-engine de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, which was operating an independent tour and was carrying 4 passengers and 1 pilot. 2 passengers were American, 1 was Canadian and the other was Australian. 3 of the passengers aboard the Beaver plane died. It was unclear which plane carried the 4th victim, whose body was recovered during a Monday night search. 10 people were taken to a Ketchikan hospital in fair or good condition. Local emergency responders worked with state and federal agencies and private vessels to help rescue and recover the victims. Taquan air said the company has suspended operations while the crash is being investigated. It is unknown why the planes collided, but the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigators were on their way from Washington D.C. to the site.
Check News is an alternative media source. https://www.cheknews.ca/global-affairs-says-one-canadian-among-four-killed-in-floatplane-crash-in-alaska-560615/
Alternative news contributes valuably to the contribution of our understanding of the news in Canada because there can be more information and facts on the news story that aren’t in mainstream media.
May 8, 2019
I thought this podcast was really interesting and intriguing. It includes interviews of Adnan’s friends that give a feel for who he is as a person. The narrator also describes the investigation in a really clear and concise way, which makes it easy to listen to and understand.
Presenting investigative journalism in this medium allows you to hear the tones of people’s voices who are being interviewed. It is also easy to listen to a podcast and multitask.
The victim’s family is probably not that happy that people are supporting the man they believe killed their daughter. They probably don’t want Adnan to get released from prison or be able to go to trial. They are probably glad that people are hearing their daughter’s story.
I like being able to hear people’s tone of voice but I get bored listening for long periods of time. Also if I miss a key point, then I have to go back and listen to parts over again. Reading texts like this is easier to remember key points because you can highlight the important parts and don’t have to worry about listening to the same parts over again. But you aren’t able to hear how the people speak.
I have a pretty good memory and can recall things quite easily. I am also very observant, so I think I would be fine. Some people don’t have good memories and can’t remember things as easily as others can.
April 13, 2019
Formal and informal language serve different purposes. The tone and choice of words vary between the 2 styles.
Formal language is less personal than informal language. Formal language is more thought out. Formal language is used for writing academic and professional documents. Formal language doesn’t use colloquialisms, contradictions or first pronouns, such as “I” or “we”.
Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. It’s used when communicating with friends and family, either in writing or conversation. It’s used when texting, writing personal emails and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal language is more personal than formal language.
The use of informal language can be used to display how characters in a text speak; it helps build and portray the character’s identity and personality. Informal language can also be used to quote things.
The style or tone chosen should fit the topic and the intended audience. You should use an informal tone when your intent is to be laid back, but you wouldn’t want to use an informal tone when writing a formal document.
Often, someone’s writing will have a mixture of formal and informal elements. Most writers who are writing for a general audience use a balance between a tone of formality and informality to keep their audience engaged and connect with them.
April 9, 2019
Grade 12 university English is a course that students should take because it is really beneficial for university courses. Grade 12 university English should be a course that is mandatory for university. English teaches us the basic skills needed for everyday life. It helps us improve our, grammar, writing, reading, communication and listening skills. English also helps us improve our analyzing skills. These skills are used in every course you take, which is why taking English courses is so important.
In English courses, you learn:
The skills you learn in English courses prepare you for all of your classes and give you essential life skills. Reading and writing skills are also essential for everyday life, not just for university. These skills are expected to be achieved going into university, so it’s better to know how to use them in high school, then to just learn them in university and be struggling.
Considering each university course has its own requirements in order to be accepted into that course, grade 12 university English should also be a mandatory requirement. It shows that you have all the basic skills/knowledge and are able to excel in English courses. Universities should also require grade 12 university English because it is a strong and accurate representation of how well the student can communicate through various techniques, such as writing and speaking. With the skills and knowledge you learned taking English throughout high school, it will help you be successful throughout university and with your future jobs.
Writing is also a key skill to learn. It is important to know and use correct grammar, proofread your documents, know how to use proper citations, format essays/documents. It helps improve communication skills, increases creativity, imagination and knowledge. Writing improves your focus and connects you with yourself. Writing also provides you with the ability to explain. Writing utilizes one’s intelligence, education and critical thinking skills. It is the most demanding skill that will help you get a job.
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