The Melting Pot

                         The United States of America is a very diverse country.  Some of these articles portray America as this place where people Americans do not want others to get in.  America is such a great place that many different cultures can thrive in this environment.  Some of these articles I feel like tried to paint a depressing picture on a country that was built and founded on immigration.  The picture on page 531 is a perfect example.  The caption that says Anti-Immigration people are protesting, but if you read the signs they say Immigrants Yes, Illegal Immigrants No.  This caption tries to taint Americans as ignorant loathing people, but these people want diversity and immigration, but they want immigrants that want to be here to put forth effort to come here.  There is a right way and a wrong way to do things and I think that people should obey the rules in our Constitution.  The diversity that we have makes America a melting pot because in a melting pot there are a lot of different ingredients and in America there are different types of people.  I think that America should continue to diversify as long as it is being done legally in a correct matter.  America is such a great country that immigrants will move here even if they have to put forth more effort.

It's About Pride

                         I enjoyed Chapter 14 even though we had already read some of this chapter before namely the part about the soldiers.  Chapter 14 brings up some important points such as the way we view identity, society, and culture.  Our position in the world is crucial to the way we are brought up in how we decide in what ways we view identity, society, and culture.  It makes no sense to argue that our position does not affect how we think and what we believe.  We decide things based off facts we know.  We should try and learn and figure out as much as we can grasp about opposing views that may even affect our own views.  I am born and raised in the United States of America so naturally I think that certain traditions that take place in America are better than traditions form other places.  I think that culture that takes place here is better than where it is in foreign countries.  That does not necessarily mean I am ignorant because I could have looked up other countries culture’s and still have been able to form the same opinion than if I was completely ignorant.  Our position in the world makes  huge difference on how we view the world.

Effectiveness of Posters

                  The two posters on Bigger Stronger Faster are completely different.  The first poster applies to a different audience than the second poster.  I personally like the second poster better because of the appeal this poster has to a more visual audience.  I like the poster because of the lightning in the background, the American Flag, and because of the big strong guy on the front that is supposed to feature American ideals.  The first poster is a more sarcastic poster because of the fact that the movie title is plastered over the characters faces.  This lets off a different kind of snide humor that a different type of audience would prefer instead of the second poster.  I think that the first poster appeals to a smaller audience than the second poster.  The second poster visually appeals to a broader audience because of the visual quality of the second poster.  The second poster fits the mold of a stereotypic movie poster.  This style has worked for such a long time and has been so successful that I am surprised that this would be the second poster made.  I think it is a good idea to have different posters to appeal to different audiences but that the first poster is nowhere near as effective.

Social Media War

                              This article by Danah Boyd titled “Social Network Site Taste Test: Myspace or Facebook?” states something thought provoking points, but overall Boyd states the obvious and repeats herself over and over again.  I liked the part of the article where Boyd points out that two Egyptians from the same school used different social Medias based on what their friends used.  While peer pressure may not necessarily exist, it is clear that peer influences definitely do.  I feel Boyd did a bad job reaching her conclusion.  She may have a valid point in that different ethnicities prefer different social classes, but her arguing points in the middle were weak.  She focused entirely too long on the content of Myspace and Facebook which has nothing to do with how different ethnicities view the social Medias.  I also thought the conclusion did not really go with the rest of the essay.  I thought that the conclusion was kind of forced on the reader and was not really mentioned throughout the rest of the article.  I have never used a Myspace, but I do not think it was because of my ethnicity.  I was younger when Myspace was popular, but I had friends that were my ethnicity that were involved with Myspace.  I think this article is poorly constructed and her argument does not help her thesis.

Something to Lose

                                     Thought the two interviews had many differences there were a few similarities.  The first interview kept hopping all over the place.  That interview had a montage of reporters who were covering the Iraq War and their opinion on what technology brings to the way wars are covered.  Terrance Smith, the reporter, would splice in these interviews with his own thoughts.  The second interview was between two people, but the interviewer dictated which way he took the conversation similar to the interviewer in the first section.  In both interviews the argument was built up over time regardless of who spoke.  The speakers answered questions completely different however.  The first interview is spliced and the answers are very short given by the multiple different reporters.  In the second interview, the answers are all long and the man being interviewed keeps repeating all his lines.  I thought the guy’s opinion on mcdonaldization was interesting, but he was not a very good interviewee.  He elaborated too much making his interview less interesting.  Both interviews probably had about the same amount of interjections.  The difference is that the first interview the answers are short and precise keeping that reader more entertained.  I enjoyed the first interview much more than the second.

Stereotypes

                        I enjoyed the reading about stereotypes in this section.  Many commercials and ads portray athletes on TV the way that we seem to envision them.  The media forms our opinion on how athletes should look as well as what they should act like.  I believe that we should be in charge of how we view others.  You don’t have to go further than the first ad to see that.  The first ad shows a tennis pro looking at a group of girls and at first sees all Serena Williams.  Serena Williams had had a successful career, but the ad makes it seem like all tennis players need to be like her.  The ordinary girls that were actually in the commercial do not have the athletic body that Serena Williams has, but they look normal which isn’t a bad thing.  The very next article shows a man clearing a jump in the pole vault.  It looks like an ordinary man right? Wrong.  If you look closer you can see that the man is missing a leg.  As a pole vaulter in high school, I cannot even fathom how to jump with only one leg.  Most of pole vaulting is footwork and leg strength and it is incredible to see this man with only one working leg clear this height.  This guy successfully busts stereotypes that the media has forced upon the public. 

Iceberg Research

                        This chapter was very informative on the whole research process.  I feel like I am better prepared to cite my sources and evaluate my sources after this chapter.  One of the things I found interesting in this chapter was the visual on page 95.  The iceberg of research is very helpful when trying to visualize research.  The point of the iceberg of research is to show the tip of the iceberg or what you can see out of the water is the research topic.  Underneath the water that you cannot see are things you can site such as books, films, and surveys.  All these elements go into the iceberg even if you may not be able to see them from the surface.  The research paper should also have a good mix of primary and secondary sources.  While secondary sources are the most common and easier to find, primary sources sometimes offer more insight because the individual witnessed the event firsthand.  I hope I am able to find some primary sources that will improve the paper.  I also hope that I can have a healthy assortment of different types of sources.  It will be easier to find sources on the computer, but I hope I can find some book or magazine sources to further hammer home my argument.

Avatars: Simple Fun or Something Deeper?

                         I thought the articles by Robert Cooper and Mark Stephen Meadows provided a helpful insight in to the psychological effects of the human brain.  The article by Robert Cooper in particular, showed the thought process behind dome people’s creation of their alter ego and why they chose what they chose.  I personally do not really make avatars, but if I did I would probably portray the way I would like to be perceived.  Some people in Robert Cooper’s article had my exact same thought process.  A physically handicapped adult named Jason Rowe, made an avatar that was very sturdy and could not been beaten very easy.  Jason’s comments in his section were very moving.  It’s great that Jason can use the internet to feel a feeling that he may not be use to feeling in ordinary life.  I think it is sad the way that Jason feels about being an outcast, but I think it’s awesome that Jason can use the internet in such a positive way.  I think that these avatars are an excellent study of the human mind and how different brains think of different things.  The other two people in this game used completely different alter egos based on the way they are currently perceived and also how they want to be perceived.  Avatars can show how individual minds function as well as how each individual mind differs.

Plagiarism?

The article on plagiarism was interesting, but was something I have heard a thousand times.  Most of the information in this article I had heard before.  Some of the stuff would be useful such as the common knowledge advice and the idea of having someone look over your paper, but I normally take those steps normally.  I am not sure what Clemson’s policy is on plagiarism, but I am sure it is harsh.  Many schools have strict violations on plagiarism to try and minimize the occurrences where it takes place.  I have never plagiarized and never intend to and I think it is nice that schools are penalizing people that do try and find shortcuts.  However there are programs such as turnitin.com that you have to submit papers into which compares your paper to every paper that has ever been typed.  I always worry that even though I did not copy, that the words I have said will match up with someone else’s words halfway around the world making me look like a cheater and giving me a bad grade.  The Tips for avoiding plagiarism section was very helpful.  For the most part this article was interesting but I have heard them all before.

Reaction to Essay

                    I did not think that the essay was too hard.  It was kind of fun analyzing a political cartoon of our choosing because it gave us a long enough leash where we could really form it into our own project.  I am enjoying 103 so far because of the different type of English that we seem to be learning.  I am a fan of the persuasive style of writing and believe that at least in the work that we have done so far that it is more engaging and stimulating making it more entertaining.  I am not quite sure that I was able to find all of the hidden context clues that my author put into his cartoon, but I believe that I made a very thorough examination and report on the essay.  The political cartoon essay in the book was a helpful tool that I believe improved the quality of work that I was able to put forth.  While I did not have clear transitioning points like the other author had, I believe that I was able to present all my points across that effectively proved that the political cartoon was an effective piece of rhetoric by Glen McCoy.

Definition of Beauty

                        Susie Orbach has made some very valid points in this article which tries to redefine the definition of beauty that we have today.  This article, even though it is specifically targeting women, I think relates to everyone.  Every time you turn on the TV there is a man or women that seems to be perfect without fault in the way of looks.  The media industry has beaten into our head the way we should look and the way we shouldn’t look.  Ninety-nine percent of the world looks the way the media says you shouldn’t look.  As one of the ninety-nine percent it is refreshing to see an ad that defies what the media wants us to believe.  The message of being happy with how God has made you is a lesson everyone should learn.  One of my favorite bands, Sister Hazel, sings a song called Change Your Mind that relates to the topic of being true to yourself.  At the end of the refrain the lyrics go “If you want to be somebody else, if you’re tired of fighting battles with yourself, if you wanna be somebody else change your mind.”  This song is a perfect example of what Orbach is trying to state in her article.  The moral of the story is to be happy with what God has given you.  You have the power to mold the definition of beauty to whatever you want.

Kodak Moment

What exactly constitutes a “Kodak moment”?  That is the question that Lenore Skenazy explores throughout her article.  We love to celebrate the best of times, but there is just something about the worst of times we love to ignore.  If we constantly lived during the best of times our lives would not be as exciting.  It takes an extremely unfortunate circumstance to remind us how lucky we actually are.  The bad moments in our life define our character in the exact same way as the positive moments.  I am in favor of Skenazy’s radical idea of trying to capture the ugly moments that have defined who we are and what we stand for over the years.  To truly appreciate something you have to have gone an extended period of time without something.  Like when you grab a drink of water when you come in for a run.  Your mouth is so dry and your body is aching, but once the cool water hits your lips all of a sudden you forget everything else.  Skenazy is ultimately trying to say that even though we only capture the “ups” in our life, the “downs” make up who we are as well.  We would be doing ourselves a disservice if we forget that.

The Brilliance of Ordinary

                     The article by Patrick Cox really caught my attention.  Our textbook does a good job of incorporating stories that are entertaining and relevant.  Cox makes some excellent points throughout his article.  One of his better points in this article is how he talks about real life American photos.  The media leads us to believe that the American figure is flawless and teaches us we need to hide our weaknesses.  The actors and actresses on TV have no flaws about them.  Cox says these photos aren’t altered to improve any kind of image unlike what the media portrays.  “The photos capture the true essence of American character and communities.”  This statement is something that average Americans can relate to.  The everyday life photos possess a kind of magic that altered “fake” photos never can.  Cox makes a great point about how photos can be prized possessions because they represent more than just a picture.  They capture memories in a way that no other device can.  Cox comments about all the memories that his family pictures remind him of and I can’t help to think about all the photos of my life that have sentimental meaning to me because of all the experiences they remind me of.  It reminds me of the life I have live and it is exciting to think of the memories I still get the chance to create.  Hopefully ten years from now I will look back at my photos, that aren’t worth anything to anyone else besides me, and reminisce about the way I lived my ordinary life.

Elements of an Effective Ad or Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd8ppk0UCx8

This is a commercial by AT&T to convince people to buy and use their brand of cell phone.  AT&T implements several strategies in this ad to convince different types of people to buy their phone.  The most obvious idea AT&T is trying to point out is that if you aren’t on their network your 4G isn’t fast enough.  The guy in the commercial, that obviously owns a phone from a competing company, gets his message late and doesn’t realize the flash mob at Grand Central Station has been pushed back.  All the other people that helped organize the flash mob got their message on time and did not embarrass themselves by dancing thirty minutes early.  AT&T is trying to show the importance of getting your message on time and how it can affect how you go about your day.  The persuasive technique used in this commercial is pathos because it uses humor to help publicize their product.  This commercial was first seen on television and is a fairly popular commercial.  This commercial was produced in the United States in an easily recognizable building of Grand Central Station in New York. The idea of a flash mob was becoming more and more popular prior to the commercial and this commercial helped it reach the peak of its popularity.  I believe this commercial was highly effective because it used humor to hammer home its point which is more likely to help stick in your head.

Economy?

               
               

                      This political cartoon is addressing a key issue in today’s American society.  With America billions of dollars in debt many Americans are looking to the government to freeze spending and help our ailing economy recover.  The cartoon is addressing the reckless spending taking place in Washington.  The cartoon is picturing the White House and has a figure speaking presumably President Barack Obama.  The cartoon does not show a particular speaker, however and can include all of Congress therefore having the White House symbolizing Washington with Obama as the leader.  The speaker is basically asking for a sign from God wondering if spending should be toned down and God created the earthquake along the East Coast last week.  The joke is that when God sends a sign Washington just ignores it and does whatever it wants to do.  The author is trying to portray that Washington will continue with its political agenda no matter what happens.  This cartoon was first published in a newspaper and then put on the internet.  Artist Glenn McCoy is a conservative cartoonist and this cartoon echoes with a conservative base.  This cartoon also strikes a chord with people who have been hurt by the struggling economy and can’t afford to support any more spending from their own pockets.  Liberals would not approve of this cartoon because it shed unflattering light on a liberal president.  The irony of this cartoon is that the sign the president is looking for is right in front of his face and he ignores/doesn’t notice it.  This cartoon takes place over several frames to show that this cartoon takes place over time.  This carton does well integrating a positive visual as well as using words to drive the point home.  If the words or the images are left out of the cartoon, the cartoon doesn’t make any sense.  The author uses current events to drive his point home on how he feels Washington is handling a delicate situation which is our current economy.  The tone is very comical despite a serious situation.  The way the artist portrays Obama is meant to be humorous.  Most of the decisions regarding our economy take place in Washington which is why our artist draws the White House and Obelisk instead of actually drawing people.  Both these objects are immediately associated with Washington making drawing characters less practical.  The carton does not specifically state that the earthquake that took place along the East Coast was the earthquake in the cartoon, but the close proximity between the release date of the cartoon and the earthquake lead the reader to infer that they are the same thing.  This cartoon would speak to a broad audience because many people have an opinion on what is going on in Washington and how the country should be run.  Political debates often stem from the different views Conservatives and Liberals have on the economy.

Where is Rhetoric?

I did not know how prominently rhetoric was featured in our everyday lives.  It is impossible to walk across campus without seeing thousand different types of rhetoric.  A popular form of rhetoric in today’s society is the newspaper.  The newspaper can be unique for the different types of rhetoric found in a newspaper.  The articles in the newspaper attempt to persuade your opinion or alter the way you view things.  Cartoons can attempt to inform you on current events or even shape the way you view them.  Ads are trying to persuade you what separates them from other products.  I know what you’re thinking.  Are the only forms of rhetoric found in paper prompts like the newspaper or your English textbook?  No, you can turn on the TV along with thousands of other Americans and be exposed to rhetoric that way as well.  If you’re watching the news the anchors are verbally informing you and showing you what to believe.  A commercial comes on and the marketer is targeting you to buy that Apple IClicker 2 for 50 bucks because it’s the newest and best and they promise you that the IClicker 2 is so great, there won’t be any need for there to be an IClicker 3 the next year.  You’re tired of false advertising so you turn to ESPN.  Even though you don’t care one bit about the Little League World Series it’s better than watching a bunch of old dudes play poker because someone somewhere thinks sitting in a chair and saying “fold” constitutes as a sport.  Little do you know that the announcers at the baseball game are telling you what to believe about the kid on first base who is eleven years old but is 6 foot 5 and claims he can’t spell out steroids.  Do you think you can get away from all the rhetoric that takes place in everyday life?  You think going on a walk will help you get away from the rhetoric?  Little do you know that you are going to walk by a poster on campus that tells you how much more fun you would have if you would join their club.  That statue you pass?  Another example of how rhetoric invades your life.  Rhetoric is heavily involved in everyday life.