In “The Declaration of Independence,” Thomas Jefferson talks about the rights written in The Declaration of Independence. He then goes on explaining about the rights that individuals have according to The Declaration of Independence. Furthermore, he goes on explaining how our system of government can be closely related to a monarchy. Jefferson also talks about how although The Declaration of Independence is supposed to promote Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, our government fails to do so. He questions whether we actually live in a society where unalienable rights actually exist. Jefferson also talks about how he thinks that America is a country that is supposedly “free”, however, our system of government isn’t how it seems to be. Although America seems to be this great country, it really isn’t as great and prosperous and it’s portrayed.
I came to find this article extremely boring. I did not like it at all. I don’t like to read about politics. It just doesn’t strike me. In fact, I don’t understand a bit about politics, which is probably why I didn’t find this article interesting. In addition, I had trouble comprehending the sentences. I guess it was because the article was written a long time ago. I always seem to have trouble reading dated writings. Therefore, I’m worried that my summary isn’t accurate to what the article was actually about. However, I do agree with Jefferson, our system of government is false advertising. It is portrayed to be free, but when you really think about it, we aren’t as free and we think.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
I thought that the Freshman Composition course was very time consuming. Although I don't think the work is very difficult, there is a lot of work to be done. I have done fairly well on my papers, in fact, I've gotten a 60 on 1 of them and very few B's. The remainder of grades were A's. The course was okay at first, I thought I would be able to handle it. Now I'm just flat out tired of writing. I believe that my papers would be of better quality if I hadn't written so many. No I just find myself half assing my papers, just doing enough to get me by and get the grade. I also feel very frustrated because I'm tired of school. I want to be able to enjoy the last summer without having to worry about any responsibilities. When I graduate in 2008, I'm no longer a "kid" anymore. School gets in the way of me having fun and being able to work more often. Although the course has taught me to become a better writer, now it's just an overload. I so fed up with writing that I don't even care about the quality of my papers. Therefore, although my writing has improved grammatically, the quality just flat out sucks. I believe my papers were a lot better at the beginning of the semester than they are now.
Essay on Hoodoo
Hoodoo is the African tradition of practicing black magic to charm or curse others. There are a few definitions available for the word hoodoo, but they all fall around the same category. When looked up in a dictionary, there were about seven definitions that all relate to one another. In fact, I don’t know why the definitions aren’t just combined into one. Hoodoo means “magic healing and control, especially in African-based folk medicine in the United States and the Caribbean. Also called conjure” (“Hoodoo”). However, it is important to know what hoodoo is, how to practice it, where it comes from, why it’s used, and what it’s used for.
Hoodoo is an African tradition that was once passed down through family lines. Today, the tradition is passed from person to person, not just through family. Hoodoo comes from the Ewe word Hudu. The word derives from the West African word voodoo. It is also the corrupted version of the word “voodoo” (Brouillette). Hoodoo, in African-American vernacular, is also used to describe a magic spell or potion. It can also be used to describe a practitioner. Communication with the dead is also an important aspect within the use of hoodoo. It is also said that Psalms from the Bible are highly effective in the use of hoodoo as well (“Hoodoo”). In an interview Bird gives her definition of what hoodoo is:
It's safe to call Hoodoo a magical path or a collection of folklore but it is most
definitely not a religion. Hoodoo is quite eclectic, many other ATR's have a stricter
set of parameters. Hoodoo incorporates mysticism and spiritualist teachings from
organized religions (not just Christianity, by the way) and from numerous spiritual
movements. (Bird)
“The word “Hoodoo” is a term commonly used by the African diaspora, to refer to various forms of African-based systems of magic, spiritual and medicinal healing, and “hexing,” via the use of primary roots and herbs” (“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition”).
People who often practice hoodoo carry around a mojo bag. This is a small bag filled with herbs, roots, coins, a lodestone, and other things used to do magic. People who practice hoodoo use menstral blood, urine and semen to do their magic. Many different things are used to practice hoodoo. Spiritual supplies are often used to do hoodoo; these include: herbs, roots, minerals, candles, incense, oils, floor cleaner, sachet powders, bath crystals, and colognes. Many medicines, cosmetics, and household cleaning supplies have also been used by hoodoo practitioners for conventional and spiritual remedies (“Hoodoo”). Furthermore, horse shoes and clovers are used for good luck, nails for spiritual bindings and fixing, magnetic stones for drawing and attraction to magic, salt for purification, and holy water to bless. In addition, a variety of western herbs such as: chamomile, roses, lavender, limes, mint, semiprecious stones, brooms, poppets, coins, and eggs are used as well (Bird).
The practice of hoodoo came from the enslaved West Africans that were transported to the United States. In fact, the word can be dated back all the way until the early 1890s (“Hoodoo)”. The tradition first derived from the Guinea Coast and made its way to Nigeria and Bight of Benin. From there, the tradition migrated to the United States by slave ships. Many people say that the slaves came to the Americas naked, but theory is proven wrong. It is said that the many of the herbs and roots used here in the United States were brought by the slaves on those ships. Therefore, they had to have some type of clothing to transport these items. Hoodoo particularly evolved from the Vodum traditions of the West Coastal Africans. It eventually became popular after largely being practiced by the African, Native American, and Latin population. (“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition”). In fact, there is a popular movie about hoodoo, starring Kate Hudson, called The Skeleton Key. The movie is about a nurse, Caroline, who is helps an old man and woman in Louisiana to earn money for school. She moves into the old house to help them because the man is paralyzed and mute. Clueless that he was put under a spell of hoodoo, Caroline finds a room filled with weird things. She finds out that they’re doing some type of black magic then wants to learn more about it. When she finds out the man is put under a spell of hoodoo, she tries to help him overcome the spell. In the process, the woman who owns the house, Violet, tries to stop her. An old African spirit took over her body and caused her to harm the old man. Turns out, Violet was the one who cursed him. When Caroline tries to help him, Violet’s spirit went into Caroline and took over her body. Violet was then left paralyzed and mute (The Skeleton Key).
People who often practice hoodoo use it for good and bad. They can bring evil or luck into other people’s lives or into their own as well. It is often used to try and improve people’s daily lives by gaining power in gambling, love, divination, cursing someone’s enemies, cure diseases, achieve employment, and communicate with the dead. Hoodoo is used to increase individual's magical power; therefore, it makes it easy for someone to accomplish their desires and habits (“Hoodoo”). Hoodoo spells or rituals are used to improve issues such as love, fidelity,
health, prosperity, security, jobs, friendship and family. People often use hoodoo if those issues are a concern to them (Bird).
In conclusion, the definition of hoodoo is the practice of magic to cause harm or strength towards others. Many people don’t know about hoodoo or what it’s about. I was completely clueless about it until I saw a movie about it. However, turns out that many people actually believe in hoodoo. I’m not sure if I can say I actually believe in hoodoo, but I can say it is a quite an interesting topic to look into.
Works Cited
Bird, Stephanie Rose. “Hoodoo- An American Magical Tradition.” Altreligion.about.com.
About.com. 1 July 2007 <>.
Brouillette, Allison. “Black Magic, New Orleans Style.” Loyno.edu. Spring-Fall 1985. Loyola
University. 29 June 2007.
“Hoodoo.” En.wikipedia.org. 28 June 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 28 June 2007
“Hoodoo.” Thefreedictionary.com. Farlex, Inc. 1 July 2007
“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition.” Mamiwata.com. Mami Wata West
African & Diaspora Vodoun. 29 June 2007
The Skeleton Key. Dir. Iain Softley. Perf. Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt,
Peter Sarsgaard, and Joy Bryant. 2005 DVD. Universal Pictures Distribution.
Hoodoo is an African tradition that was once passed down through family lines. Today, the tradition is passed from person to person, not just through family. Hoodoo comes from the Ewe word Hudu. The word derives from the West African word voodoo. It is also the corrupted version of the word “voodoo” (Brouillette). Hoodoo, in African-American vernacular, is also used to describe a magic spell or potion. It can also be used to describe a practitioner. Communication with the dead is also an important aspect within the use of hoodoo. It is also said that Psalms from the Bible are highly effective in the use of hoodoo as well (“Hoodoo”). In an interview Bird gives her definition of what hoodoo is:
It's safe to call Hoodoo a magical path or a collection of folklore but it is most
definitely not a religion. Hoodoo is quite eclectic, many other ATR's have a stricter
set of parameters. Hoodoo incorporates mysticism and spiritualist teachings from
organized religions (not just Christianity, by the way) and from numerous spiritual
movements. (Bird)
“The word “Hoodoo” is a term commonly used by the African diaspora, to refer to various forms of African-based systems of magic, spiritual and medicinal healing, and “hexing,” via the use of primary roots and herbs” (“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition”).
People who often practice hoodoo carry around a mojo bag. This is a small bag filled with herbs, roots, coins, a lodestone, and other things used to do magic. People who practice hoodoo use menstral blood, urine and semen to do their magic. Many different things are used to practice hoodoo. Spiritual supplies are often used to do hoodoo; these include: herbs, roots, minerals, candles, incense, oils, floor cleaner, sachet powders, bath crystals, and colognes. Many medicines, cosmetics, and household cleaning supplies have also been used by hoodoo practitioners for conventional and spiritual remedies (“Hoodoo”). Furthermore, horse shoes and clovers are used for good luck, nails for spiritual bindings and fixing, magnetic stones for drawing and attraction to magic, salt for purification, and holy water to bless. In addition, a variety of western herbs such as: chamomile, roses, lavender, limes, mint, semiprecious stones, brooms, poppets, coins, and eggs are used as well (Bird).
The practice of hoodoo came from the enslaved West Africans that were transported to the United States. In fact, the word can be dated back all the way until the early 1890s (“Hoodoo)”. The tradition first derived from the Guinea Coast and made its way to Nigeria and Bight of Benin. From there, the tradition migrated to the United States by slave ships. Many people say that the slaves came to the Americas naked, but theory is proven wrong. It is said that the many of the herbs and roots used here in the United States were brought by the slaves on those ships. Therefore, they had to have some type of clothing to transport these items. Hoodoo particularly evolved from the Vodum traditions of the West Coastal Africans. It eventually became popular after largely being practiced by the African, Native American, and Latin population. (“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition”). In fact, there is a popular movie about hoodoo, starring Kate Hudson, called The Skeleton Key. The movie is about a nurse, Caroline, who is helps an old man and woman in Louisiana to earn money for school. She moves into the old house to help them because the man is paralyzed and mute. Clueless that he was put under a spell of hoodoo, Caroline finds a room filled with weird things. She finds out that they’re doing some type of black magic then wants to learn more about it. When she finds out the man is put under a spell of hoodoo, she tries to help him overcome the spell. In the process, the woman who owns the house, Violet, tries to stop her. An old African spirit took over her body and caused her to harm the old man. Turns out, Violet was the one who cursed him. When Caroline tries to help him, Violet’s spirit went into Caroline and took over her body. Violet was then left paralyzed and mute (The Skeleton Key).
People who often practice hoodoo use it for good and bad. They can bring evil or luck into other people’s lives or into their own as well. It is often used to try and improve people’s daily lives by gaining power in gambling, love, divination, cursing someone’s enemies, cure diseases, achieve employment, and communicate with the dead. Hoodoo is used to increase individual's magical power; therefore, it makes it easy for someone to accomplish their desires and habits (“Hoodoo”). Hoodoo spells or rituals are used to improve issues such as love, fidelity,
health, prosperity, security, jobs, friendship and family. People often use hoodoo if those issues are a concern to them (Bird).
In conclusion, the definition of hoodoo is the practice of magic to cause harm or strength towards others. Many people don’t know about hoodoo or what it’s about. I was completely clueless about it until I saw a movie about it. However, turns out that many people actually believe in hoodoo. I’m not sure if I can say I actually believe in hoodoo, but I can say it is a quite an interesting topic to look into.
Works Cited
Bird, Stephanie Rose. “Hoodoo- An American Magical Tradition.” Altreligion.about.com.
About.com. 1 July 2007 <>.
Brouillette, Allison. “Black Magic, New Orleans Style.” Loyno.edu. Spring-Fall 1985. Loyola
University. 29 June 2007
“Hoodoo.” En.wikipedia.org. 28 June 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 28 June 2007
“Hoodoo.” Thefreedictionary.com. Farlex, Inc. 1 July 2007
“Hoodoo: An Ancient African & Afro-Diaspora Tradition.” Mamiwata.com. Mami Wata West
African & Diaspora Vodoun. 29 June 2007
The Skeleton Key. Dir. Iain Softley. Perf. Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt,
Peter Sarsgaard, and Joy Bryant. 2005 DVD. Universal Pictures Distribution.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Effects of Winning the Lottery
Winning the lottery can bring more than joy into someone’s life. In fact, it can make their lives a living nightmare. It can cause a great change on a person’s life. When someone goes from having no money or being middle class to having millions of dollars, it’s going to cause a great impact on their lives. The lottery can do more that just makes you rich, it can cause family issues, put someone’s life at risk, or even depression.
Winning the lottery can not always bring happiness into your life, especially between your friends and family. If you were unhappy before being rich, you’re more than likely to be unhappy after becoming a millionaire. In Daytona, Ohio a women was sent to prison for trying to kill her husband who had won $3.5 million in the lottery. She was chasing after his money (Pulfer). According to David Bass of The Pundit:
Juan Rodriguez wanted nothing more than to be one of the guys in rural South Texas
where he was raised. And he was — until six years ago, when he had the misfortune to
acquire almost $9 million in the Texas Lottery. Today, he’s lost his anonymity, his
buddies, whatever girlfriends he once had and most of his family, whose members he no
longer trusts. He rarely ventures outside the trailer here where he lives alone. Booze and
the four dogs he keeps chained outside are his main companions. “To tell you the truth, I
wish I didn’t win,” he said from his living room one recent evening, nursing the first of
nine Michelob Ultras he would drink by 10 p.m. (qtd. in “Winning the Lottery: A”)
While most people would often think that money would buy happiness, people who have won the lottery have become depressed. “But the truth is that winning an unimaginable sum of money places unimaginable stress on the lives of people who just aren't prepared for it (Meltzer) Not being able to budget properly can also add a huge effect. “If you've got problems before winning the lottery, you'll have problems after the lottery. Money isn't going to solve what's wrong in your life” (qtd. in “Winning the Lottery: Curse”). Not everyone knows how to manage their money. Sherri Granto of Associated Content says:
In fact nearly one third of multimillion dollar lottery winners become bankrupt in just a
short years after they’re big win. If you are not accustomed to having great wealth as
many of these big lottery winners were not, then the problems that come with suddenly
having a lot of money overnight can be so overwhelming that depression becomes
inevitable. (qtd in “Winning the Lottery: Curse”)
Some people who often win large amounts of money go crazy and buy whatever they want, without thinking about how they’re going to pay for it. Big spending has caused many lottery winners to go into bankruptcy. Lottery winners often want to spend their money on a big house, not thinking of the utility bills, taxes, and insurance they’re going to have to pay. Having a big house is nice, but someone has to be prepared to pay the big bills. After buying the big house, they’re going to want to buy nice new furniture to put in the house. Then they’ll buy the new expensive cars and everything else on their wish list. But what happens to the budget, are they going to be able to pay for all these expensive things? “Lottery winners eventually have financial difficulties due to the lack of budgeting and making a solid financial plan with their new winnings” (Granato).
Once someone wins the lottery, their life is at risk. They can say goodbye to privacy because now they’ll have to get an unlisted phone number, security system for their house, and a post office mailbox. It’s like they’re considered a celebrity (Granato). Someone people have even had to move away, hiding their last names or location because they have so much money. Someone lottery winners are even bothered by people who want them to pay money for their kids to go to college or for inventors who want them to fund their new creations. Meltzer even says that a woman called a family asking for money to escape her abusive husband (Meltzer).
In conclusion, winning the lottery can cause a huge damper on someone’s life. The effects of going from having no money to tons of money don’t always bring happiness like someone would think. It can make your life hell. Winning the lottery can change your life in a negative way, money doesn’t always buy happiness. It can actually cause distress, rather than joy.
Bass, David. “Winning the Lottery: A Surefire Way to Ruin Your Life.” Davidnbass.com.
14 Aug. 2004. WordPress. 23 June 2007
Granto, Sherri. “Winning the Lottery, Curse or a Blessing?.” Associatedcontent.com. 13 Oct.
2006. The People’s Media Company. 22 June 2007 < http://www.associatedcontent.com/
article/70165/winning_the_lottery_curse_or_a_blessing.html>.
Meltzer, Mark. “Lottery Winners Often Wind Up Wishing They Hadn't Been Lucky.”
Atlanta.bizjournals.com.19 May 2000. American City Business Journals, Inc. 23 June
2007 < http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2000/05/22/editorial1.html>.
Pulfer, Mike. “Winning Big Isn’t Ticket to Paradise.” Enquier.com. 25 Aug. 2005. Garnett Co.
Inc. 22 June 2007
Winning the lottery can not always bring happiness into your life, especially between your friends and family. If you were unhappy before being rich, you’re more than likely to be unhappy after becoming a millionaire. In Daytona, Ohio a women was sent to prison for trying to kill her husband who had won $3.5 million in the lottery. She was chasing after his money (Pulfer). According to David Bass of The Pundit:
Juan Rodriguez wanted nothing more than to be one of the guys in rural South Texas
where he was raised. And he was — until six years ago, when he had the misfortune to
acquire almost $9 million in the Texas Lottery. Today, he’s lost his anonymity, his
buddies, whatever girlfriends he once had and most of his family, whose members he no
longer trusts. He rarely ventures outside the trailer here where he lives alone. Booze and
the four dogs he keeps chained outside are his main companions. “To tell you the truth, I
wish I didn’t win,” he said from his living room one recent evening, nursing the first of
nine Michelob Ultras he would drink by 10 p.m. (qtd. in “Winning the Lottery: A”)
While most people would often think that money would buy happiness, people who have won the lottery have become depressed. “But the truth is that winning an unimaginable sum of money places unimaginable stress on the lives of people who just aren't prepared for it (Meltzer) Not being able to budget properly can also add a huge effect. “If you've got problems before winning the lottery, you'll have problems after the lottery. Money isn't going to solve what's wrong in your life” (qtd. in “Winning the Lottery: Curse”). Not everyone knows how to manage their money. Sherri Granto of Associated Content says:
In fact nearly one third of multimillion dollar lottery winners become bankrupt in just a
short years after they’re big win. If you are not accustomed to having great wealth as
many of these big lottery winners were not, then the problems that come with suddenly
having a lot of money overnight can be so overwhelming that depression becomes
inevitable. (qtd in “Winning the Lottery: Curse”)
Some people who often win large amounts of money go crazy and buy whatever they want, without thinking about how they’re going to pay for it. Big spending has caused many lottery winners to go into bankruptcy. Lottery winners often want to spend their money on a big house, not thinking of the utility bills, taxes, and insurance they’re going to have to pay. Having a big house is nice, but someone has to be prepared to pay the big bills. After buying the big house, they’re going to want to buy nice new furniture to put in the house. Then they’ll buy the new expensive cars and everything else on their wish list. But what happens to the budget, are they going to be able to pay for all these expensive things? “Lottery winners eventually have financial difficulties due to the lack of budgeting and making a solid financial plan with their new winnings” (Granato).
Once someone wins the lottery, their life is at risk. They can say goodbye to privacy because now they’ll have to get an unlisted phone number, security system for their house, and a post office mailbox. It’s like they’re considered a celebrity (Granato). Someone people have even had to move away, hiding their last names or location because they have so much money. Someone lottery winners are even bothered by people who want them to pay money for their kids to go to college or for inventors who want them to fund their new creations. Meltzer even says that a woman called a family asking for money to escape her abusive husband (Meltzer).
In conclusion, winning the lottery can cause a huge damper on someone’s life. The effects of going from having no money to tons of money don’t always bring happiness like someone would think. It can make your life hell. Winning the lottery can change your life in a negative way, money doesn’t always buy happiness. It can actually cause distress, rather than joy.
Bass, David. “Winning the Lottery: A Surefire Way to Ruin Your Life.” Davidnbass.com.
14 Aug. 2004. WordPress. 23 June 2007
Granto, Sherri. “Winning the Lottery, Curse or a Blessing?.” Associatedcontent.com. 13 Oct.
2006. The People’s Media Company. 22 June 2007 < http://www.associatedcontent.com/
article/70165/winning_the_lottery_curse_or_a_blessing.html>.
Meltzer, Mark. “Lottery Winners Often Wind Up Wishing They Hadn't Been Lucky.”
Atlanta.bizjournals.com.19 May 2000. American City Business Journals, Inc. 23 June
2007 < http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2000/05/22/editorial1.html>.
Pulfer, Mike. “Winning Big Isn’t Ticket to Paradise.” Enquier.com. 25 Aug. 2005. Garnett Co.
Inc. 22 June 2007
Source Critique Four
“Hoodoo” is an article written in Wikipedia, which is trademark of the Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. Wikipedia also is a free encyclopedia available on the internet. The article was written on June 28, 2006. “Hoodoo” can be found at En.wikipedia.org.
In the article “Hoodoo,” is explains that hoodoo is the traditional folk magic practiced by Africans. The term hoodoo comes from the Ewe word Hudu. The article explains that hoodoo can be also known as conjuration, conjure, witchcraft, or rootwork. A characteristic of hoodoo is a small bag called a mojo. This bag contains herbs, roots, coins, often a lodestone, and other things used for magic. It is also said that hoodoo is passed from family member to family member. Hoodoo is often used to improve lives by gaining power in gambling, love, divination, cursing a person’s enemies, treatment for diseases, employment, and necromancy.
Although this source is an internet source, it is reliable because it provides information about hoodoo and gives links of where it came from. Some people often say that anyone can post anything on the internet, but this website is protected by the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. It is also registered under a trademark. If the information wasn’t reliable, it wouldn’t be protected by licenses and registered under trademarks.
The reason why I chose to use this article was because I felt it had a lot of information about hoodoo. It provided information on where it came from, who practices it, what it’s used for, and how it’s used. It also goes further into detail on what people use to do hoodoo, this gives me a better understanding on how the magic is done.
In the article “Hoodoo,” is explains that hoodoo is the traditional folk magic practiced by Africans. The term hoodoo comes from the Ewe word Hudu. The article explains that hoodoo can be also known as conjuration, conjure, witchcraft, or rootwork. A characteristic of hoodoo is a small bag called a mojo. This bag contains herbs, roots, coins, often a lodestone, and other things used for magic. It is also said that hoodoo is passed from family member to family member. Hoodoo is often used to improve lives by gaining power in gambling, love, divination, cursing a person’s enemies, treatment for diseases, employment, and necromancy.
Although this source is an internet source, it is reliable because it provides information about hoodoo and gives links of where it came from. Some people often say that anyone can post anything on the internet, but this website is protected by the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. It is also registered under a trademark. If the information wasn’t reliable, it wouldn’t be protected by licenses and registered under trademarks.
The reason why I chose to use this article was because I felt it had a lot of information about hoodoo. It provided information on where it came from, who practices it, what it’s used for, and how it’s used. It also goes further into detail on what people use to do hoodoo, this gives me a better understanding on how the magic is done.
Source Critique Three
“Black Magic, New Orleans Style” is an article written by Alison Brouillette. The article comes from part of an online version of a book called Loyola University Student Historical Journal Volume 16. The book was published in the Spring-Fall of 1985 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
In “Black Magic, New Orleans Style,” Brouillette talks about voodoo in New Orleans. She explains that voodoo is the practice of worshipping the devil by many Africans. Brouillette also talks about how voodoo was learned by the white people in Louisiana when they brought slaves over to the United States. Hoodoo is known come from the corruption of the Voodoo religion. She provides many stories about people who have tried to use voodoo on other people. One story was about a Guinean slave named Carlos who tried to kill his German plantation owner. Carlos tried to use the “gris-gris" effect to kill his owner; gris-gris meaning the placement of an evil spell upon someone through charms and incantations. She also goes on explaining other stories about voodoo.
This source is a reliable one because it comes from a book. The book was published by a university in Louisiana. A book that was published by a university isn’t going to be fibbed, because the people who wrote it know what they were talking about. It also means that whoever wrote in that book has some sort of education. Furthermore, that would provide evidence that this is a reliable source.
This source will be every useful to me because it provides a lot of information on voodoo. It tells where it came from and how it got to the United States. It also tells who practices, why it’s practiced, and where it’s practiced. This source also gives personal stories about people who have done voodoo in certain circumstances. Therefore, it will be able to answer many of my research questions on voodoo.
In “Black Magic, New Orleans Style,” Brouillette talks about voodoo in New Orleans. She explains that voodoo is the practice of worshipping the devil by many Africans. Brouillette also talks about how voodoo was learned by the white people in Louisiana when they brought slaves over to the United States. Hoodoo is known come from the corruption of the Voodoo religion. She provides many stories about people who have tried to use voodoo on other people. One story was about a Guinean slave named Carlos who tried to kill his German plantation owner. Carlos tried to use the “gris-gris" effect to kill his owner; gris-gris meaning the placement of an evil spell upon someone through charms and incantations. She also goes on explaining other stories about voodoo.
This source is a reliable one because it comes from a book. The book was published by a university in Louisiana. A book that was published by a university isn’t going to be fibbed, because the people who wrote it know what they were talking about. It also means that whoever wrote in that book has some sort of education. Furthermore, that would provide evidence that this is a reliable source.
This source will be every useful to me because it provides a lot of information on voodoo. It tells where it came from and how it got to the United States. It also tells who practices, why it’s practiced, and where it’s practiced. This source also gives personal stories about people who have done voodoo in certain circumstances. Therefore, it will be able to answer many of my research questions on voodoo.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Repsonse on Angier
In “Why Men Don’t Last: Self-Destruction as a Way of Life”, Natalie Angier talks about how men die at an earlier age than women do. She says that although men are healthier and take care of themselves more than women do, they still tend to die faster. Angier also says that men are less likely to develop chronic diseases, suffer from depression, or attempt suicide. However, men still die earlier than women, despite their fitness. After Reich read some research done by psychologists, she thought that the reason why men die earlier is because they are more of risk takers. Men have a reputation to uphold and if they don’t take those risks, they are seen as weak and prissy. They don’t want to be seen this way, they want to be seen as masculine, and therefore they tend to take more risks.
I enjoyed reading this article by Reich. I think it was very interesting and it kept my full attention the whole time. Being that I might want to go into psychology, these studies really caught my eye. I was amazed to find out that women live longer than men do. Although men may be healthier and fit compared to women, women go through a lot more then men. For example, women experience everything from giving child birth, to being a full time mom, and maintaining a career. I was under the assumption that women would die earlier because they experience a lot more than men. Society also makes women seem inferior to men, which would also convince me that women would die earlier. Men are supposed to be strong and healthy, which would make me think they would live longer.
I enjoyed reading this article by Reich. I think it was very interesting and it kept my full attention the whole time. Being that I might want to go into psychology, these studies really caught my eye. I was amazed to find out that women live longer than men do. Although men may be healthier and fit compared to women, women go through a lot more then men. For example, women experience everything from giving child birth, to being a full time mom, and maintaining a career. I was under the assumption that women would die earlier because they experience a lot more than men. Society also makes women seem inferior to men, which would also convince me that women would die earlier. Men are supposed to be strong and healthy, which would make me think they would live longer.
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