Author Archives: Edwin

My Views

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The Brooklyn Height Promenade has one of the best views that any man could ever wish to see. When I sit down in a bench I witness the surrounding area come alive, people walking their dogs, going out for a jog, and relaxing, captivated by the view they have in front of them. I chose the Brooklyn height  promenade because of the view of the city. I believe its one of the best view to watch. In “City Limits” the author Colson Whitehead states “… you have your own personal skyline” my interpretation of this quote is that the skyline I see In the Brooklyn Height Promenade is not the same skyline the person next to me is seeing, everyone is experiencing it in their own way. The individual has a different perspective then me and their ideology is also different compared to mine. I also witness the area around the promenade and noticed the different stature, how big Manhattan is compared to Brooklyn in general. Looking at a photo from The New York Post, I see how Manhattan is the biggest area around compared to the other cities. The attention to detail of Manhattan was massive compared to the surrounding area. I believe the author is trying to tell the reader that the area people like specifically in Manhattan is the area they know/remember most.

Prodigious

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Prodigious (adjective) extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree: Enormous

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigious

“He used to be a prodigious drinker and drug-taker…” -A Literary Visitor Strolls in From the Airport by Charles McGrath

 

Reading the article and coming across the word prodigious, I had idea of what the word meant. The idea I had that the man was a heavy drinker. Looking up the definition of the word, I understood that the word meant quantity or a lot of something.

Walking to Paradise

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Directions

In order to reach the location pin pointed in the map you need to walk out of City Tech into Jay st, then walk over to Tillary st. Afterwards, walk down Tillary st. until you reach  Cadman Plaza W. Walking down Tillary st. you’r  going to notice an enormous building(US District Court Clark). Next to this building you area able see a park with a beautiful field. This parks name is Cadman Plaza Park. Walk towards Cadman Plaza W which is an intersection. I made right turn following the park and then a left into Clark ST. Be careful it is a busy street. Finally, walk down Clark st. for about 6 blocks and you would reach your destination at the end of the road.

Once you reach the location, its breath taking. You have a view of the Manhattan skyline and to the East River. If you look to the right you will be able to the Brooklyn bridge. In this area right in front, under the house like figures, there are basketball courts and also handball courts. You are able to see helicopters, boats, and cars from a bench in Brooklyn heights promenade. Brooklyn Heights Promenade, is a place where people come to walk, run, or just walk their dogs. The Manhattan Skyline helps the Promenade by giving an amazing view and also a sense of relaxation. In Brooklyn there are few buildings that are more then ten stories heigh, in Manhattan almost all the building are more then ten series heigh. You can imagine the amount of people that are located their. There was people in the Promenade, they were all doing there thing and enjoying them selfs, in Manhattan the people usually are in a hurry and very crowded.

My picture shows the Manhattan skyline from a bench in Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

Taken by Edwin Contreras

New York Summary

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In the article “City Limits” by Colson Whitehead, the author expresses his views towards New York City. He starts by mentioning “You are a New Yorker when what was there before is more real and sold than what is here now.” The author is remembering  the city, he is looking back at the stores and remembers whats was once there.  One of the authors earliest memory of the city is going uptown on the number 1 train in the early 70s. He describes the 70s as filthy, but he stats this as an excepting matter. “…Everything is filthy, because thats is my city and I’m sticking to it.” The author gives an important statement throughout the article, “Never listen to what people tell you about old New York, because if you didn’t witness it, it is not a part of your New York and might as well be New Jersey.” What the author is trying to explain is how people try to give you their perspective about New York City, but the author is trying to convince the reader that your life in the city should be the way you remember it and not by others telling how the city is. Whitehead, looks at New York and mentions ” New York City you live in is not my New York City…” New York City is a big city, containing about eight billion people. There is eight billion people living their own lives building their own “skyline”. As I continue reading the article, the author emphasizes on the actions he could of done to say goodbye. He mentions taking out a disposable camera and taking a picture, he also mentions that he could have also shaken everyones hands. At the end of the article, the author mentions the importance of remembering where you come from and the how the area around you defines who you are. Everyone at some point is new to the area “neighbored” its up to the individual to take actions and remember the importance of the place.

Monuments in New York City

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Edwin Contreras

Profes. Rosen

English 1101

October 10, 2017

 

      In today’s society, I believe a list of criteria should be created in order to evaluate a monument, whether the monument should be removed or remain in its place. I believe the community needs to focus on the money invested into the monument. How much was spent, and how much money the monument is making. Similarly, we should also need to focus on the person/people/idea related to the monument. What history does it have behind it? What does it stand for? The location of the monument should also be evaluated. I believe monuments should have a criteria in order to evaluate and examine if the monuments should stay in the area it’s in or be removed from its location.

      New York City is having a tough time dealing with controversial monuments. I propose a criteria should be set, in order  to evaluate the monuments and see whether or not we should be removed or remain in its place. First thing to remember, what has this person done in history? Labeling the significance of the statue is an important step. What happens if we are talking about a controversial monument? For example, there is a statue of J. Marion Sims in central park, New York. DeNeen L. Brown wrote an article in The Washington Post explaining how the people demand the removal of the statute. J. Marion was known as the “father of gynecology.” Even though J. Marion was a great surgeon, the people didn’t like the idea of how he came to be. He experimented on enslaved women without anesthesia. Coming back to the idea on what has the person done in history, the people of New York City do not want to remember a man who practiced on enslaved black women. A monument is defined as “A lasting evidence, reminder, or example of someone or something notable or great.”  I don’t think the people in the neighborhood want to remember a man who was cruel to women. The residents of New York City don’t want a reminder of the treatment of black enslaved women, they believe the monument should be taken down.

       Secondly, a monument should be evaluated on the money that gets invested. Many monuments are funded by the government or by a private investor. A monument that can bring the support of both parties can be very beneficial. The 9/11 memorial is recognized for the lives lost on September11, 2001. The people that were trapped in the buildings and died, and we also recognize the men and women who risked their life trying the save the people in the buildings. David B. Caruso and David Porter calibrated in a article in nbcnew.com that states the monument cost about $700 million to build. In addition, the yearly cost to operate such monument will be $60 million. They state that the monument needs private security due to the fact that at one point it was subject to a terrorist attack. The security is also very expensive, $12 million a year. Investing this amount of money into a monument is outstanding. The 9/11 memorial is one of the top visited sites. In order to get in to see the monument, you would need to pay. The amount of tourists that visit the monument every year is outstanding, it is one of the most recognized site in New York City.   

             Evaluating a monument is never easy. Location is key in evaluating a monument. Is the person/event relevant to the region? Does it interfere with anyone? Understanding if the person is relevant to the region is not a difficult task. Doing some research on the person/event could also help us understand the true meaning of the monument. Christopher Columbus is a well known man all around the world. He is known for discovering the Caribbean islands and opening up America for European colonization. Due to the fact he is more relevant in the Caribbean’s island, we should set a monument there and there alone. Additionally, a monuments location should not interfere with anyone. Manhattan is high populated area, having a monument in the middle of the streets or even on the side of the road could affect the daily routines of people. Living in New York City, I understand how difficult  is to move around, especially with tourists. Tourists go around New York City looking for these monuments, trying to understand our rich history. These people stand in the way trying to take these photos, trying to get the perfect shot. Relocating these monuments, moving them to museums or even to less populated areas could help out the community.

      In Conclusion, in order to determine whether to remove the monument or leave the  monument in place, a set criteria should be created. A monument should be evaluated on its effect on the region. What has the individual done to stand out in history. In addition, the location of the monument could place a key role in its removal. Last but not least, money also provide a big role in its removal. Is the monument worth the investment? I believe in this set criteria, to evaluate monuments and determine if the monument should remain in its place or be removed.

 

citations:

Project 2

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Draft.

 

  In today’s society, I believe a list of criteria should be created in order to evaluate a monument whether the monument should be removed or remain in its place. I believe the community needs to focus on the money invested into the monument. How much was spent, and how much money the monument is making. Similarly, we should also need to focus on the person/people/idea related to the monument. What history does it have behind it? What does it stand for? The location of the monument should also be evaluated.

      New York City is having a tough time dealing with controversial monument. I propose a set criteria should be set, indoor to evaluate the monuments and see whether we should be removed or remain in its place. First thing to remember, what has this person done in history? Labeling his significance of the statue is an important step. What happens if we talking about a controversial monument. For example, there is a statue of J. Marion Sims in central park, New York. DeNeen L. Brown wrote an article in The Washington Post explaining how the people demand the removal of the statute. J. Marion was known as the “father of gynecology”. Even though J. Marion was a great surgeon, the people didn’t like the idea of how he came to be. He experimented on enslaved women without anesthesia. Coming back to the idea on has the person done in history, the people of New York City do not want to remember a man who practiced on enslaved black women. A monument is defined “A lasting evidence, reminder, or example of someone or something notable or great”, I don’t think the people in the neighborhood want to remember a man who was cruel to women. The residents of New York City don’t want a reminder of the treatment of black enslaved women, they believe the monument should be taken down.

       Secondly, a monument should be evaluated on the money that gets invested. Many monuments are funded by the government or by a private investor. A monument that can bring the support of both parties can be very beneficial. The 9/11 memorial is recognized for the lives lost on September11, 2001. The people that were trapped in the buildings and died, and we also recognize the men and women who risked their life trying the save the people in the buildings. David B. Caruso and David Porter calibrated in a article in nbcnew.com that states the monument cost about $700 million to build. In Addition, the yearly cost to operate such monument will be $60 million. They state that the monument need private security due to the fact that at one point it was subject to a tersest attack. The security is also very expensive, $12 million a year. Investing this amount of money into a monument is outstanding. The 9/11 memorial is one of the top visited sites. In order to get in to see the monument, you would need to pay. The amount of tourists that visit monument every year is outstanding, it one of the most recognized site in New York City.   

             Evaluating a monument is never easy. Location is key in evaluating a monument. Is the person/event relevant to the region? Does it interfere with anyone? Understanding if the person is relevant to the region is not a difficult task. Doing some research on the person/event could also help us understand the true meaning of the monument. Christopher Columbus is a well known man all around the world. He is known for discovering the Caribbean islands and opening up America for European colonization. Due to the fact he is more relevant in the Caribbean’s island, we should set a monument there and there alone. Additionally, a monuments location should not interfere with anyone. Manhattan is high populated area, having a monument in the middle of the streets or even on the side of the road could affect the daily routines of people. Living in New York City, I understand how difficult  is to move around, especially with tourists. Tourists go around New York City looking for these monuments, trying to understand our rich history. These people stand in the way trying to take these photos, trying to get the perfect shot. Relocating these monuments, moving them to museums or even to less populated areas could help out the community.

      In Conclusion, in order to determine whether to remove the monument or leave the  monument in place, a set criteria should be created. A monument should be evaluated on its effect on the region. What has the individual done to stand out in history. In addition, the location of the monument could place a key role in its removal. Last but not least, money also provide a big role in its removal. Is the monument worth the investment? I believe in this set criteria, to evaluated monuments and determine if the monument should remain in its place or be removed.

Project 2 Part 3

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List of Criteria for Monuments

 

  • What has the person done in history? What do they stand for?
    • Has the person been a “good” example that you may want to highlight? An example of this is how we don’t see statues of Adolf Hitler around as many consider him to not be a good person. While he may be highly accepted as a bad person, a harder example may be Christopher Columbus as it can be argued that he hadn’t discovered the Americas as it was already inhabited by humans.
  • Does the location of the monument interfere with anyone?
    • Does the location of the monument bother anyone? Does it stand in the middle of the sidewalk?
  • Is the person/event relevant to the region?
    • Is the person relevant to the region? For example you may not put up a statue of a southern war general Robert E. Lee up in New York because he has no relevance to the north or what they stood for during the war, it would make more sense to put one up in the southern states where he was and somewhat still is a celebrated hero to them.
  • How much does it take to maintain the monument?
    • Is worth maintaining a old and broken monument? Could be cheaper to take it down and replace it with a new smaller version of the monument.

 

 

Group Members: Raees, Casylee, Herson.

 

Ensemble

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Ensemble (noun) – A group of supporting players, singers or dancers.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ensemble

“Acoustic guitars traditionally accompany  cordidos, though full Mariachis also perform them, as do musica nortenas groups ( the northern Mexican accordion- based style) and other ensembles.” Music of Latin America,  by Robin Moore (page 81).

Coming across this word reading Music of Latin America, I had an idea of the word ensemble. To my understanding, ensemble mean getting together with people. Knowing the definition of ensemble, my understanding my of the word was not to bad. An ensemble is a group of musicians getting together to sing or perform a dance.

Project #2 Reflection

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I have always liked working in groups and making friends because of working in those groups. Working in groups has always seemed to be fun until you have that one group member that does not pick up the slack. I don’t mined working in groups, in fact,  I feel that I work best in a group then I do alone. This project will be a great way and opportunity to learn the City Tech campus, and explore the neighborhood around this campus. In order to do this project, I need to find a monument around the university that stands out to me. Then, once I find the monument I would have to do my research based on that monument and discuss the new information that I discovered with my group. Arguing with your peers, understanding whether your monument should be taken down or for the right for it to stay, should be very interesting. This project is going to take a lot of time and dedication, I need to manage my time efficiently in order to get this project done in time which includes the work for my other classes as well. I would need to visit this schools library and take advantage of the internet access and also the wide range of books.

Future Architect

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    For my first year in college, I look forward to challenge myself and become an independent man. I have had many challenges in my life, but they have all made me the man I am today whether those things affected me mentally or physically. Now, starting a new chapter in my life I want to challenge myself in a complete new way. Football is a big part of my life, during my high school years I was part of the Long Island City football team. Football has taught me respect, discipline, and also to believe in myself. My parents played a major role in helping me in the challenges I faced in school, whether it was with money for the uniform, school supplies or with just simple help at home doing homework. New York City college of Technology looks to be a great school. I love how the student interacting with each other in the halls and even find a spot to relax.

      Looking into my future, I don’t see myself working in a office. I see myself exploring the world and experiencing the different culture around the many countries I visit. Some of the places I plan on visiting are Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, and Japan. I am a family person, I love spending time with my sisters and parents. A goal I have set for myself is to build a house in my homeland, Ecuador for my parents. As a cause of this I have looked into becoming an architect. Becoming a successful architect is not easy, I need to push myself harder than I have ever done before. In order to achieve my goal, I would have to work hard in and out of school.

      As stated before, football is a big part of my life. The photo above shows the lineman lining up to the ball while the center holds the ball. I was the center for my team. That is the hardest and the most respected position on the field. “Everything starts with the center” my coach would state, you can imagine the pressure I was under during practices and especially during the games. When people see my openlab picture, I hope they would see the dedicated, responsible and hardworking person I am.

       People may think differently then what I believe. Those people may think I am an aggressive and even a nonintellectual person. I hope to prove them wrong when they read my work or have the chance to meet me in person. People might also think due to the image I chose,  I still play football for a outside team or even with my friends. I am very passionate about football. During my senior year of high school, I had an accident during  football practice yet still continue with the sport to this day. I am as passionate in school as I am in football. Although I might be a little shy in class, but once you get to know me I am a cool guy. I am still a little nervous about college but I feel with time I could change those nerves to excitement. For the accident my right shoulder was semi-dislocated with micro tears in my muscle which prevent me from playing football how it should be played, aggressively. Due to this is very hard for me to play football and also very painful. For now I just watching football on TV, maybe play catch if possible but it has gotten me more focused in school and my future through my education.      

     Overall, I am a hardworking person. I don’t crack under “pressure”, which means I can handle the overwhelming homework’s and projects. My plans for visiting other countries and exploring their culture are only possible if I dedicated myself to school. I expect myself to develop a new way of thinking that’s more sophisticated. I might be a little shy in class, but once you get to know me I am a cool guy. I am still a little nervous about college but I feel with time I could change those nervous into excitement.