3C: Inland Areas(CA)

Beauty along California Rivers

1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
2. Contains a web link to your locations. (eg you can use the tools in your blog where you paste your work; there is a little icon that looks like a link) .25 points

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Stockton
http://www.visitstockton.org/
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/stockton/ovg08/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redding,_Ca
http://www.visitredding.org/
http://www.turtlebay.org/Attractions.php
(downtown stockton shown on right)

3. Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos & websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

The comparison of inland areas furthers our learning of California culture. Both towns lend their own character in the culture. Stockton caters to people of all ages and all lifestyles with its variety of music, fine arts, history, theatre, sports, and education. It also has different festivals year round celebrating different ethnicities, religions and cultures. I've never seen so much appreciation for different cultures in one city, it's absolutely amazing. The Port of Stockton trades with over 55 different countries expanding the culture of California. Redding provides us with appreciation of California's natural beauty, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, lakes and the Lassen Volcano. Turtle Bay Exploratorium has many permanent and temporary interactive exhibits showcasing art, underwater fish viewing, history, forestry, and natural science. The popular Sundial Bridge(made of steel, glass and granite and standing 217 feet, it is the largest working sundial in the world) is the entrance to Sacramento's River Trail System for people to enjoy Redding's scenery via walking or bike riding. Redding also offers a four course dinner on a train that travels along Mt Shasta, Trinity Alps and Castle Crags. (Mt. Shasta shown on right & Sundial Bridge on left)
Also check out some video of Stockton & Redding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKT6YjWumV8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEN6t9uFRog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JYWvJqYiI4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwB9C8HSKgg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d25nhAijjKI

4. Contains the following elements that will be used in upcoming projects for analytical purposes:
a. What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point
Redding:

• a large, rural town
• residents are very conservative
• community of loggers(lumber)

Stockton:

• large urban, contemporary town
• high crime rate
• many residents are impoverished & uneducated
  

b. List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point

• Both towns reside along a river(Stockton-San Joaquin River, Redding-Sacramento River)
• Both towns have landmark entertainment theatres: Stockton's Fox California Theatre(later renamed the Bob Hope Theatre upon the request of a Stockton resident & a large contributor to the theatre's renovation in 1995) and Redding's Cascade Theatre. Both were built in the 1930s & are listed in the National Register of Historical Places. (Fox California shown on right)
  
• In last decade, both towns have experienced an influx of people looking for an alternative from the high cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are both very largely populated as well.
  
• Both located in California's Central Valley.

c. List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point

• Redding has several Christian schools and Stockton has several Catholic schools.
• CSU, Stanislaus has a campus located on the grounds of the former Stockton State Hospital, CA's first psychiatric hospital. The Magnolia Mansion(shown on right) is also a landmark b/c it was the former residence of the state hospital's Chief Physician.
• Stockton has agricultural roots and Redding has lumber roots.
• Redding has limestone caves and was a mineral extraction industry(mainly copper & iron)
  
• Personally, Stockton's visitors guide seemed to focus on the commercial part of the city such as its many music, fine art, theatre, sports venues as well its year round farmer's market & many multi-ethnic, multi-cultural festivals whereas Redding's visitors guide focused on its natural elements like Mt. Shasta, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park & the Trinity Alps. The guide's motto was "California's Natural Getaway".

d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point

Stockton's motto is "Not Responsible for Any Lost or Stolen Items", I'd like to know how it got that motto because it seems to tie in with the stereotype that it's a crime-ridden town. I'd also like to know the background to the nicknames of both towns: Redding-Jewel of Northern and Stockton-California's Sunrise Seaport. And lastly, it seemed like the inland port was very important to California trade so I'd like to know which countries the Port of Stockton(shown on left) trades with and what items they trade.

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here).5 pt

I had never really heard of Pismo Beach so I chose to look at Cathrynn's blog of California's beaches. Pismo Beach is apparently well known and a small town lined by homes and hotels. And the beach hosts an annual Clam Festival every fall. The weather is quite hot and the water is warm too so if I had to guess, Pismo Beach is located in Southern CA. Cathrynn's own experience at Pismo Beach was very loud and crowded. Beaches, especially with warm weather are a spectacular place to relax by yourself or with friends or to meet new people. Meeting new people brings diversity that shapes the culture of California. Different people, food and environment form a unique culture and California is definitely unique!
http://cfrydenlund.blogspot.com/2008/10/3b-beaches.html

3b: CA Beaches

SURF or GOLF??

1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
2. Contains a web link to your locations. (eg you can use the tools in your blog where you paste your work; there is a little icon that looks like a link) .25 points
http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/
http://www.beachescalifornia.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntington_beach
http://www.pebblebeach.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_Beach%2C_California

3. Contains an explanation regarding how this component(any aspect of it; eg content of videos & websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

This assignment connects to our study of humanities because we are supposed to be learning about California culture & through our research of different beaches we are learning different aspects of California culture. Usually outsiders think of California as a place of beaches and laid back people who tan and surf all day. Hence the many songs that were made to embody California culture such as "California Dreamin," "Surf City," "Surfer Joe," and "Surfin' Safari". The last song is sung by California's own, the Beach Boys. There's also various reality shows that are filmed in Southern California and are very popular because viewers are intrigued by what they believe California culture is about.

4. Contains the following elements that will be used in upcoming projects for analytical purposes:
a. What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point

Huntington Beach: Surf City USA, AVP Pro Beach volleyball competition, beachgoers in nothing more than bathing suits and shorts, tanning, and warm weather year round
Pebble Beach: wealthy & elite hangout and lots of golfers, and also warm weather
b. List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point

• popular tourist attraction year round
  
• various art galleries, local shops and restaurants
• have a wildlife reserve
• host to famous sporting events
• great views from the resorts
  

c. List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point

• Pebble Beach is a white sand beach
  
• Pebble Beach is known for its golfing/Huntington Beach is known for its surfing
• Huntington Beach climate is sunny & dry by day and cool ocean breeze by night(temp. ranges from 65-80 degrees/Pebble Beach climate is foggy in the morning and somewhat humid in the afternoons(temp ranges from 50-75 degrees)
• Pebble Beach isn't actually a city, it's a corporation owned by the Pebble Beach company. US Bureau regards Pebble Beach as part of Del Monte Forest
  

d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point

When people first settled into Huntington Beach 1909 an encyclopedia company gave away parts of land for free with a purchase of a whole set & these people got rich when oil was discovered on their land. I'd like to know how much they profitted from this discovery & did they have to sell their land back? I'd also like to know if there has ever been any hurricanes in the area and when did they occur?
Pebble Beach is known for its history in the 1900s, what was it before then? who owned the land?
I'd also like to know if there have ever been any shark citings or incidents on either beach.
They are both close to the Pacific Ocean and are pretty close to each other yet they have different temperature climates which is very interesting.

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point

I chose to write about Christina's take on the cities of Oakland and Los Angeles and what I read was quite interesting. I did not know that Oakland was one of the most ethnically diverse in the nation and people speak more than 150 languages there. I think the assumptions that Christina made about the cities was spot on, many people do have feelings of uncomfort when they visit these cities especially Oakland. We know that LA has its good parts, like Hollywood and Beverly Hills but many people don't know that Oakland also has its good parts where wealthier residents live also called the Oakland Hills. Until her blog, I forgot that both cities play an important part in our business industry due to their seaports which ship and receive products around the world. I think that California's long coastline has a lot to do with their ability to do business around the world and even locally. I'm glad that Christina chose Oakland and brought to light the many great characteristics of the city.
http://christinarose89.blogspot.com/2008/10/3a-oakland-and-los-angeles.html

3a: World Cities(Heart of Silicon Valley, CA)

Heart of Silicon Valley, CA

1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
2. Contains a web link to your locations. (eg you can use the tools in your blog where you paste your work; there is a little icon that looks like a link) .25 points

http://www.city-data.com/city/Sunnyvale-California.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Palo-Alto-California.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunnyvale,_Ca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University

3. Contains an explanation regarding how this component (any aspect of it; eg content of videos & websites) connects to your study of humanities. .25 point

Sunnyvale and Palo Alto are two of many cities that make up Silicon Valley, the headquarters of many well known high tech companies in the world. These high tech companies put California in the spotlight, most of these companies play a part in our daily life. Everyday millions of people use the computer to surf the internet, chat with friends, buy specialty items or books or at the very least talk on their phone. Without this modern technology, I would not be able to do the research assignment or post it in a blog or even chat with my friends online. We are quite dependent on our tech devices that many could not imagine a day without it.
These cities are also known for their history, initially Sunnyvale was known for its fruit industry but during WWII it began to change into the tech industry where they built marine steam engines, guns and rocket launchers to aid the war effort. Many street names in Palo Alto are Spanish to reflect the local heritage and former residents. Palo Alto has numerous Craftsmen and California Colonial homes that date back to the 1890s and numerous Joseph Eichler style homes built in first 20 years after WWII.

4. Contains the following elements that will be used in upcoming projects for analytical purposes:
a. What are some assumptions/stereotypes you think people have of each location: 1 point

Palo Alto:

* The wealthy are snobby because they think they're better financially and intellectually than others.
* Only the smartest kids get into Stanford University unless they play sports like basketball which the university is also known for their basketball championships.
* The city is full of tall, green trees.
* Residents must have a high income to live there.

Sunnyvale:

* Gamer world(video games)
* Populated mostly by families
* Housing is more affordable
* Lots of shopping

b. List 3 things that make each location similar: 1 point

1. Headquarters to many high-tech companies such as Yahoo!, NetApp, Palm, Inc., AMD(Sunnyvale), Hewlett-Packard, Facebook, and Photobucket(Palo Alto)

2. Both cities make up Silicon Valley(high-tech companies & research facilities) and Santa Clara County.

3. Primarily populated by the Ohlone in the 1770s when the Spanish first arrived.

4. Both have many famous residents which include politicians, athletes, actors, musicians & reknown scientists

c. List 3 things that make each location so different: 1 point

1. Before Femont H.S. opened in 1923, it served as a military base through WWII where planes could fuel-up. The school kept some of the old military buildings including a Quonset hut which is now a wrestling facility. (Sunnyvale)

2. Sunnyvale has almost twice the population of Palo Alto. According to 2007 statistics, Palo Alto had 58,246 residents compared to 131,140.

3. The avg. price of home in Palo Alto was $1.3 million according to 2006-07 statistics and is the 5th most expensive U.S. city.

4. Sunnyvale has consistently ranked as one of the safest cities(amongst cities of similar population) in the U.S. according to FBI reports.

5. Palo Alto means "tall tree" and is named after a tree of the same name.

d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about these places? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. .5 point

I would like to visit the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum that just opened last month. The museum was built to commemorate the Martin Murphy family who founded Sunnyvale. The Museum architecture was modeled after the Murphy family home. I would like to know more about the Colonial homes in Palo Alto, like what Craftsmen, California Colonial or Eichler-style homes mean in terms of architecture.

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) . .5 point

I found the research on Frida Kahlo done by Yesenia Chavez was very touching. Frida was a realist painter who portrayed her Mexican culture, her sexuality & personal feelings through art. Her paintings are said to be very vivid and full of raw emotion. I found it quite interesting how some of Frida's artwork has brought Yesenia to tears, it just shows the power of creativity. Many people express their emotions through art & the viewers can sometimes feel as if it were them or their emotions being portrayed. The only piece I have seen of Frida Kahlo's is her self-portrait so I will have to do some more research on her and her paintings.
http://yeseniachavez.blogspot.com/2008/09/2a-frida-kahlo.html

2c: California's "Valley of the Moon"

Day of Paradise

1. Contains a title using the format listed above .25 points
2. Contains the sources you used with links to these sources .25 points

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma,_Ca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoma_Valley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_Country_(California)
http://www.sonomavalley.com/

3. Contains a brief paragraph how it connects to your study of humanities. 1 point

Initially I only associated the town of Sonoma with "wine country". Through the years and through my research I have learned Sonoma is much more than that, it is full of history and culture that makes the town what it is today and attracts thousands of tourists each year. Today Sonoma is mainly known for its beautiful vineyards and premium wines but its historically known for its colonial past. Whatever reason it may be to visit, Sonoma offers an experience like no other.

4. Contains the following "analytical elements":
a. Observation: What did you choose? What do you see or hear or feel or think of in the choice you made? What is the subject of the work? If you chose a 'thing' what is the work made of and what techniques (colors, lines, shapes, textures)does the creator use? Be specific in your description. If you chose a place, be specific in your description of what you see or hear. Talk to your reader as though they cannot see the item but somehow must draw a painting of what you see or hear. 1 point

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and pictures of the vineyards are no exception. Looking at the vineyards draws many thoughts and feelings to mind, one may imagine waking up at dawn looking out the window watching the sun rise above the valley as it seems to cast a glow on the vineyards. Maybe looking at the vineyards evokes a feeling of serenity, a place far away from the hustle of city life. A quiet retreat from the daily routine of dress suits, skyscrapers, heavy machinery, polluted air, and cell phones! Sonoma is a town where it seems time isn't of the upmost importance, people enjoy their surroundings and take time to get to know each other. One of my favorite places to visit is the historic Sonoma Plaza; in the middle of the Plaza is Sonoma's city hall which is a beautiful piece of architecture in itself and surrounding it is a blend of buildings old and new. The historical buildings include the Captain Salvador Vallejo's home, the Barracks in which soldiers used to stay but now house workers of nearby wineries and the Mission San Francisco Solano. In 1823 Father Joseph Altimira of Spain founded the Mission San Francisco Solano and the town of Sonoma began. Soon after the town was built, the Mexican government took over and General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo built the Barracks beside the Mission to house the army. He had control over the native tribes which had resided there for thousands of years. Sonoma is originally home to the Miwok tribe but other tribes, Wintun and Pomo also resided in the area.

b. Interpretation: What is your choice about? Give specific examples to support this statement in 2 sentences; do so in a way that teaches us something about your choice. Make Paulo Freire proud! .75 point

Sonoma is also called the Valley of the Moon due to the Miwok legend that the moon rises over the valley. Sonoma stands for great wine and food, beautiful vineyards, agriculture, historic roots, family owned businesses, and art. This town has so much to learn, you can visit the historic mission and learn about the town's early history, go to the local art museum & view some amazing masterpieces from local artists, and dine on exquisite cuisine cooked with local ingredients accompanied by the nation's best wine. Then tomorrow there's wine and olive tasting! Wine making seems like an art form with hundreds, maybe thousands of different wines, different flavors, there's even specific glasses to taste each wine and there's always a great wine to complement the cuisine. I do not personally enjoy wine but I'm amazed at the process and the great appreciation for it. What intrigues me even more is being able to taste different olive oils, I've seen it once on tv and it was kind of odd watching people swirling olive oil and kind of splitting it out to get the full flavor. There is so much to experience in this town that the possibilities are endless!

c. Judgment: What led you to your choice? What do you think or feel about this choice? Why do you feel this way? Support your thoughts with specific observations. .5 point

A lot of thought went into my choice. I wanted to choose a place that I thought really fulfilled the vision of culture. Sonoma is a town of old and new, people of all ages can enjoy quite an experience. When I visit Sonoma, I like the "down home" feeling of the people, the businesses the atmosphere is so relaxing. The closeness of the people intrigue me, my friends from Sonoma all know each other and went to the same schools together, their parents work locally in the vineyards or at the local hospital. Sonoma has a lot of character to it and I think it'd be a fun learning experience to explore the mutiple facets of this town. It's great to see a place that hasn't been completely transformed to modern standards. Almost everywhere else, everything old has been torn down to make something new but its important to preserve the history of the land and its people. It's important to me to learn the foundation and then build up from there; it's interesting to learn about the evolution of people through time.
Many historic and famous faces have resided or are currently residing in Sonoma Valley including Civil War general Joseph Hooker, Jack London, and comedian/actor Robin Williams.

d. Questioning: What else would you like to know about this choice? When completing the question section, lead your audience into the question by stating a fact you do know, yet you still have the related question. This way, both your audience and you will have an educational experience. Example: I learned that John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath was based on his personal experience working with farm workers. I would like to know if the characters he used in that book are fictitious or are they people he met? .5 point

I like to know more about Sonoma's famous Train Town, I've liked trains since I was young but have not gotten the chance to pay a visit. I'd also like to visit the Sebastiani Theatre that has been in the Plaza for decades that was originally owned by the Sebastiani family whom also owned a winery. And since Sonoma Valley is known for their wine, I'd love to go grape stumping with a few of my friends!

5. Using your classmates work from last week, tell us one thing you learned from 1 student. Is this one thing some common experience you share or some experience that is completely different than what you experienced? Is this one thing related to our class theoretical foundation and if so, how? Is that one thing related to historical or cultural context of this country or a different one? Link that persons blog to this entry (eg cut paste that blog entry here) .5 point

I chose Linda's experience at the California Museum. I didn't know there were so many different exhibits ranging from artists, musicians, scientists, fitness pioneers, and humanitarians. I do think the Museum is overlooked and I agree that sometimes we do overlook the very people that made California what it is today. I think I'll pay a visit to the Museum soon!