Society's Need For a Queer Solution

In this essay the author discusses the distinction made by television and society of the homosexual and heterosexual community. He begins by telling a story of his friend telling him that he is a homosexual. He then begins to tell the reader how he had never really thought about homosexuality and didn’t know how to respond to his friend. He then begins to discuss how queerness is represented in shows such as Will and Grace and Friends. He states that all references made to queerness in these shows is made in a comedic sense. He also states that the Ellen show is the only show that truly represented homosexuality in a real sense. He stated that the ratings for her show plummeted shortly after she announced her homosexuality. I feel this is because viewers watch television for the comedic and entertainment factors. I don’t think it would make a difference if it was a heterosexual couple the ratings would still plummet. Watching people go through a normal day without many events that are out of the ordinary would make for a boring sitcom.
The author also states that people in society are homophobes if they are not comfortable watching people of the same sex kiss. I feel it is because it is not something that you see everyday. Just because someone is not comfortable watching same sex relations does not make them a homophobe. Rachel Kranz defines homophobia as “the irrational fear of homosexuals and … the hatred for gay men … and the view that they are somehow inferior to heterosexuals” (Kranz 155). The author uses this term many times throughout his essay which, I feel, implies that any person not comfortable with same sex relations exudes a hatred for gay men. This I don’t feel is true. I do feel that people are not comfortable with something that is not considered “normal”; this however, does not make them a homophobe. I have gay friends and I am still uncomfortable when I witness same sex relations, does that make me a homophobe?
The author also talks about how gay bars are another example of homophobia. This is a way for homosexuals to socialize and be comfortable. There is no law that states a homosexual can not enter any bar or club and have a good time. These bars were created for comfort. It is a place where most people in attendance are gay or understanding and supportive of homosexuality. If I were shopping for auto parts I would not go to Kroger because I know they will not carry auto parts. I feel the same is true for homosexuals because they know they are in a place with other homosexuals. Even though homosexuality is more accepted now, it is still not very common. It is also not always clear of a person’s sexuality.

Dirty Jobs

This week on Dirty jobs Mike was a wine cave digger, and a pigeon poop cleaner. His job as a wine cave digger is very important especially in Napa Valley and where wine making is a large industry. They drill into one side of a large hill and out the other to complete the cave. The cave is dug with a large machine with two spinning heads on the end of a rotating shaft. after the cave is dug out the walls and ceiling is coated with a cement-like substance to prevent a cave-in. The wine caves work very well because underground the temperature and humidity remain constant, which is very important in the aging process of the wine.
Mike also picked up pigeon poop in New York City. This process is not as simple as most people believe, the poop had to be disinfected, put into garbage bags, and then burned. The reason pigeon poop is handled so carefully is because it can carry many diseases. Mike was cleaning up the roof of an old hospital. After sweeping all of the feces and putting it into bags, he had to place electrical strips around the whole roof to prevent the pigeons from destroying the roof again. This occupation helps to maintain a healthy community free of disease.

Dirty Jobs

This week Mike explored the world of a bee man and bio-diesel. The bio-diesel segment was very interesting. Bio-diesel is an excellent example of how technology has advanced to better the future. The fuel is made from used fryer grease from various restaurants. The grease is picked up from the restaurants and refined to be used as fuel. The grease is then put into a normal diesel vehicle and is able to be burned. A bio-diesel vehicle is able to achieve an amazing 40 miles per gallon with zero harmful exhaust emission. The whole process of refining the cooking oil and adding chemicals costs about 59 cents per gallon. This is amazing considering the vehicle is much more fuel efficient and nearly harmless to the environment. The vehicle he used was a normal diesel engine with no modifications. This is possible because a diesel engine does not use a spark to ignite the gasoline, but uses explosive compression. This is an excellent testament to how far we have come in the world of technology. We can no turn a waste product into an efficient energy source.
Mike was also a "bee man". In this job he went out to a church that had a horrible bee infestation inside of the church wall. Mike had to cut off the siding of the church and remove the beehive and bees. This is a very important job because with the removal of the hive, small children and adults will no longer be in danger of being stung. To locate the bee hive he used a laser thermometer to see where the temperature was highest. After he located the hive he cut away the siding and began to dismantle the bee hive. Even though it is a relatively simple job, it is also very important to remove a threat.

Dirty Jobs

This week Mike Rowe explored the world of baseball diamond maintenance. He was assisting the grounds crew of the Bowie Baysox. This is a team from the minor leagues. He began by cutting the grass which is done everyday. He then had to grate the areas with dirt. He also had to clean out the stands and dugouts. This shows just how much work is put into getting a baseball diamond ready on game day. There were not a lot of fans at the game but there was still a big mess. He had to go down all of the isles and sweep up all the peanut shells and other trash and carry it all out to a dumpster. There was a lot of work he had to do and this was a very small stadium. It really makes you appreciate all of the work that the grounds crew does to clean up the diamond before a game.
Mike was also on a construction site digging thermal wells. Thermal wells are a new way to heat and cool medium size buidings such as schools and retirement homes. They began by drilling a hole over 200 feet into the ground. At this depth the temperature remains a constant 60 degrees all year round. Although heat and air conditioning is still needed, it is on much less often and is therefore cheaper. This is a great example of how the Earth can be utilized to save energy. In the end the company had to dig over 100 wells to efficiently control the inside climate.

Advertisement Essay

Tomorrow is the due date for the first essay. I finished editing and putting the final touches on it on Tuesday. This was a fairly difficult essay. The hardest part was finding advertisements that I could relate to. In the end I decided on an Energizer, Chevrolet, and Ford ads. After starting the essay it became much easier to write.
I made a lot of changes from my first draft. I added more detail and more of a personal touch to my essay. It was a lot easier to collect my thoughts after peer conferences. Eli was able to help me out and point me in the right direction.

Dirty Jobs

This week on Dirty Jobs Mike explored the world of stump removal. In this episode he showed how to remove a large stump in a persons yard. They first cut the stump as low as possible to the ground, they then use a large machine to tear away the remainder of the stump. This is important in today's society because it allows a homeowner to remove a tree from their property without the tree growing back. By removing the stump the roots are cut off from the trunk of the tree so it will take a very long time to grow back. It also allows the owner to level out the lawn after so nobody will trip over the stump.
Mike also went to an insect breeding facility. In this facility the workers breed exotic insects to help increase the population. This facility is located in America but helps other countries breed their native insects to prevent extinction. The building is locked down so that no insects can escape and become native to the United States. These insects are carefully monitored and taken care of by the workers to ensure a safe breeding environment. Every six months the insects bred are shipped back to their native country and released into the wild. This is a very important job because all insects are a large part of a nations ecosystem.

INTERCHAPTER: Reading and Writing About Images

This chapter discusses the use of images to portray thoughts. It also discusses how words are also a type of image. The words that you read on a page are used to create images in the readers head. I have never really thought about words a depicting images, but I know realize that a novel or book is just a series of images. When reading a novel I subconsciously form the images of the words as I am reading. This is something I have never realized I have been doing. I have always thought of words as letters combined to entertain or to teach. It is now apparent that I am actually making a movie in my mind.
This chapter also discusses the message an image displays. I have always thought of images such as signs and advertisements as a way to attract customers. This is true but now that I look back, I realize that the images send a message to the consumer. If I am looking for a place to spend the night, I would rather stay at a hotel that looks nice and has an appealing sign. I do not want to stay at a hotel with a small sign or that looks rundown.