Word 08

Word of the Week

Monotony

Source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/others/Robots-give-a-break-from-monotony/articleshow/50966824.cms

"Automation and robotics are a way of simplifying people's work. It is a way of breaking monotony from meaningless work and trying to upgrade manpower."

noun
lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.

example
I have to experience the cruel monotony of filing paperwork every time I work at the office.

Word 07

Word of the Week

Aggregate

Source: https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingNews/Pages/google-analytics-in-2016.aspx

"GA measures all of those digital interactions in an aggregate, anonymized way, but in a way that still can paint a very real picture of who your customer is and what they need or want from you, and how you can better serve them.”

adjective
formed or calculated by the combination of many separate units or items; total.

example
This chart shows an aggregate of website traffic data from the last 10 years.

Word 06

Word of the Week

Verboten

Source:  http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/19/u-s-government-says-hoverboards-are-verboten/

"U.S. Government Says Hoverboards Are Verboten"

adjective
forbidden, especially by an authority.

example
The courts ruled that distributing large volumes of prescription drugs were considered verboten.

Word 05

Word of the Week

Trope

Source:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2016/02/18/deadpool-why-its-box-office-blow-out-terrifies-me/#34160f9da91c

The unabashed crowd pleaser is somewhat unique in blending superhero origin tropes with bawdy comedy and slapstick ultra-violence.

noun
a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.

example
The politician wisely used a figurative trope to describe the sensitive topic on the war on drugs.

Blog 03 Library Notes

• Searching for keywords gives you results similar to how Google search works. 

• Subject lines aren’t very intuitive 

• You can limit search results to SJSUS and King Library

• Subject headings can be very controversial 

• For example, if you type in Japanese Internment it changes to “Japanese American Evacuation”

• Folio collection is for larger sized books. Art books tend to be oversized

• Copyright. Supreme court has historically recognized that when the door to the classroom closes it’s a protected space.

• Fair use covers you if it’s limited in a way. 

• Educational use is protected and public use isn’t

• Takes around 3-4 business days to transfer books to the SJSU library from other libraries. 

• Link + fines are almost a $1 fine per day late.

• You can specific to only get peer reviewed journals in your search results

• Ref works is a helpful bibliography management tool. Easy bib another similar tool

Word 04

Word of the Week

Finesse 

Source: http://www.vulture.com/2016/02/vulture-roundtable-kanye-wests-msg-event.html

"Beyoncé has far too much finesse and statesmanship to bother, and besides which, she’s got the Super Bowl to stunt on. And I’m not sure anyone else is in the conversation."

verb
do (something) in a subtle and delicate manner.

example
His finesse allowed the bank robber to sneak away from the police undetected.

Word 03

Word of the Week

Neophyte

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketempleman/2016/02/12/building-a-landing-page-that-converts/#7a219b5c3000

"Luckily for folks like me, there are dozens of tools out there that will allow even a neophyte to create a stylish looking landing page without having to spend hundreds of dollars with a web design group."

noun
A person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief.

example
The candidate process transformed the young men from neophytes into full fledged business professionals.

Word 02

Word of the Week

Unfathomable 

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2016/02/10/titus-oneil-suspension-sends-strange-message-to-wwe-talent/#240cd2379231

"Given the series nature of wellness issues, which have been the source of several dozen prematures wrestler deaths, it's unfathomable how a repeat offender of WWE's Wellness Policy could receive a lesser punishment that a first-time offender of an unwritten rule."

adjective
incapable of being fully explored or understood.

example
Her gray eyes were dark with some unfathomable emotion.

Word 01

Word of the Week

bizarre

Source: https://www.rt.com/news/332144-child-drawing-becomes-toy/

"Kids’ fantastic drawings transformed into bizarre stuffed dolls."

adjective
very strange or unusual, especially so as to cause interest or amusement.

example
There was an extremely bizarre man on the bus who was hiding underneath the seat.

Blog 02

Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K. Rowling
8 July 1999


"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night. -- Dumbledore, page 427" 

The Harry Potter series has held a special place in my heart ever since I was a child. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was on a scorching hot day in the third grade when I rented Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from the library. This was the book that started my incredible passion for reading. I was unable to put it down once I picked it up. My mind swiftly raced back in forth, illustrating beautiful images of a colorful movie in my head. The words on the pages came to life through my imagination and it was a marvelous feeling like no other.

My favorite book in the series has to be from the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Up above I included my favorite quote from the book, spoken from the wise character Dumbledore. In the quote Dumbledore speaks to the main character, Harry Potter, about his deceased father. He tells Harry that even though his father is gone, he never truly left him. He explains to Harry that his father lives through him, this being explained by a magic spell that Harry conjures known as the Patronus. This passage is one of my favorite pieces of writing because Harry’s situation is something that I can relate to. His troubled curiosity about his father is something that I have experienced multiple times in my life. I believe that this writing by J.K. Rowling is a great piece of writing because she has created a surreal moment where I sincerely see myself in Harry’s shoes. The author’s ability to create this bizarre, yet fantastic moment is a remarkable feat.

Blog 01

The larger object is a triangular chip with pointy edges. Its color is vibrant orange and it has small black dots on its surface. The orange color gives off a radiant vibe similar to the feeling of the sun’s warmth. The chip gives off a crunchy sound when I bite into it. The sound of my chewing and leftover pieces hitting the floor echoes around the room. The chip feels rough yet fragile as it cracks under the slightest amount of pressure. The chip tastes bland to the point where I can’t figure out what flavor it is. I cannot smell the chip, but this might be just because I have a bad sense of smell.

The smaller object looks like a round wrinkly fruit. It has a dark brown shade to it. It appears it has been dried out by the sun and has lost some of its size as a result. The dried apricot is chewy and makes little sound when I bite into it. The only thing I can hear is the sound of my teeth grinding over the fruit. The dried fruit feels squishy and somewhat like a person’s skin. The dried fruit is sweet, but not too sweet. The smell of the fruit is faint, yet I can smell a touch of sweetness, like the smell of old cookies in the back of the pantry.

The Five Senses

The Super Bowl being in my own backyard is a surreal moment in time, yet it also plays a huge hindrance in my everyday life. I work in Santa Clara and my exit just so happens to be the same as the Levi’s Stadium. The Levi’s Stadium is home to Super Bowl 50 as well as my work office’s next-door neighbor. I work everyday, Monday through Thursday, starting at nine o’clock in the morning. The morning commute has been exceptionally awful this past week, mostly due to all the Super Bowl visitors. What normally would take 20 minutes to get to work now sadly takes over 45 excruciating minutes. Super Bowl 50 may bring excitement to my Bay Area peers and myself this Sunday at kickoff, but for now it only brings emotions of frustration. I’m forced to wake up almost 30 minutes earlier every morning due to the increased traffic on highway 101. Those extra 30 minutes of sleep makes a huge difference in how my days play out. I woefully yearn for the end of the Super Bowl. These visitors need to leave my city!

Super Bowl 50