Composing papers 2 and 3

Differences between essay 2 and essay 3
1) The brain storming process was different in essay 2 because once I picked out my ads, the only thing I had to do was analyze their appearance and message. In essay three I had to choose a topic and based on that do research to support my argument.
2) Essay 2 was composed of 3 middle paragraphs analyzing each of my ads, where as essay 3 had two middle paragraphs making points to support my argument and one paragraph to acknowledge other points of view.
3) Essay 2 took less time for me to write because once I had my ads, I could easily analyze and compare them by looking at them. Essay three took much longer because I had to do a lot of research about the topic and then write about my main points supporting my argument, which took some time to think about. Also, I took some time to cite each of my sources.

Final Position Paper

Robyn Harvey

Paper #3

12/3/15

Recreational Marijuana

 For years marijuana has had a bad reputation as an illegal drug that should never be available for consumers to purchase. Americans may be afraid that letting this drug into our communities could have negative consequences such as increased marijuana related crimes. On the contrary, many benefits can be found from selling marijuana in dispensaries across the U.S. In his article for USA Today, Trevor Hughes mentions a quote from Governor John Hickenlooper in which he states that people who were smoking marijuana before it was legal still are, except now they can actually do good by paying taxes. By giving Americans access to legal dispensaries, their money will go towards important causes funded using tax money instead of creating more crime by paying a drug dealer. Marijuana should be legal in all 50 states in order to raise tax money and help law enforcement reduce drug related crimes.

Some people may argue that marijuana should stay illegal because, like any other drug, it gets you high and impairs judgment. However, alcohol has similar effects to marijuana and is still legal because it is something that many adults want to enjoy. Contrary to what most people believe, marijuana is a non-addictive drug for most users. According to the National institute on Drug Abuse, “It is estimated that 9 percent of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it.” Alcohol can be just as addictive, if not more. Also, people may be concerned that legalizing this kind of drug will increase the number of drug related deaths in the U.S. However, unlike alcohol, prescription painkillers, or any other illegal drug, it is not possible to overdose from marijuana. Studies from Leaf Science have found that “Because cannabinoid receptors, unlike opioid receptors, are not located in the brainstem areas controlling respiration, lethal overdoses from Cannabis and cannabinoids do not occur.” 

            If legalized, marijuana can be sold in dispensaries that put taxes on their products. These taxes would benefit the states because it would go towards paying for important causes; the state of Colorado has already begun to put these taxes to good use. According to Trevor Hughes of USA Today, "The school-construction money comes from a 15% tax levied on wholesale sales from growers to recreational marijuana retailers. Much of the rest of the tax money is being dedicated toward drug-abuse education, research and substance abuse treatment." Money is always needed for education, especially in this day and age where budget cuts are being made left and right. Also, funding for substance abuse treatment and drug education is necessary to help Americans get back on their feet again. However, not every state has to follow in Colorado’s footsteps. Other states can use their taxes to fund other things such as the disabled or people who cannot take care of themselves.  Either way, the taxes taken from marijuana dispensaries would go towards the greater good of each state.

            Legalizing marijuana will decrease crime rate across the United States. With recreational marijuana off the list of illegal activity that the police have to worry about, they can focus on more significant or harmful crimes. In an article from Drug Policy following Washington State’s status after 1 year of legalizing marijuana, "The state is now saving millions of dollars in law enforcement resources that were previously used to enforce marijuana laws." When marijuana is legal, there is one less factor contributing to the war on drugs, helping law enforcement crack down on more lethal substances. Tamar Todd, Director of Marijuana Law and Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance states that "By shifting away from unnecessary marijuana arrests and focusing instead on public health, Washington is better positioned to address the potential harms of marijuana use, while also diminishing many of the worst harms of the war on drugs." Citizens may be concerned that since marijuana is now legal to access for adults, the accessibility rate for youth will increase. However, according to Drug policy statistics "Youth marijuana use has not increased since the passage of I-502." If all states follow Washington's lead in making recreational marijuana legal, the costly battle against marijuana use will no longer be an issue.

            So far Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Alaska are the only states to have legalized recreational marijuana. These states have received the benefits that come from marijuana dispensaries and put tax money towards substantial causes. Law enforcement in these states can now worry less about marijuana related crimes and focus more on public health, safety, and deadly drugs. If the other 46 states vote to make recreational marijuana use legal, they will see the same benefits that have already helped so many communities.

 

           

Works Cited

“Can You Overdose on Marijuana?” Leaf Science. 26 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015

Hughes, Trevor."Colo. Pot Users Helping Build Schools With Tax Dollars" USA Today. USA Today. 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

“Is Marijuana Addictive?” National Institute on Drug Abuse. National Institutes of Health. Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

 “Marijuana Legalization in Washington State: One-Year Status Report”  Drug Policy. Drug Policy Alliance. 6 July 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Analyzing an argument part 2

1) What is the claim?
A) The main point the author is trying to make is that marijuana should be legal for recreational use in order to reduce crime and raise tax money.
B) There is a clearly stated thesis but it is at the beginning of the first paragraph when it should be at the end
2) What support does the author offer for the claim.
A) The author gives two main reasons the support the claim. First, that selling marijuana in dispensaries will raise taxes to be spent on important causes. Second, that with recreational marijuana off the list of drugs for law enforcement too look out for, they can focus of bigger issues.
B) Facts and statistics from various websites back up these claims
C) The reasons are plausible and sufficient
3) How evenhandedly does the writer present the issue?
A) Yes, a few counter arguments are acknowledged
B) The writer deals with these by presenting facts from credible sources that counter the opposite position.
C) She treats the other arguments respectfully.
D) Her arguments are appropriately qualified without sweeping judgments.
4) What authorities or sources of outside information does the writer use.
A) Each source is used with quotes from articles featured in the websites.
B) Each source is credible with sufficient facts and statistics included in each.
C) Each website is from the either 2015 or 2014
5) How does the writer address you as the reader?
A) The writer assumes that most people know what marijuana is and that it is a drug that has been illegal in most states
B) The language doesn't include the reader very much

Analyzing an argument

1) What is the claim?
A) The main point the writer is trying to make is that gun laws are not enforced enough today, and that there are too many loop holes allowing unfit owners to buy guns.
B) The clearly stated thesis is "Building on existing laws and making them stricter will allow for only those Americans who deserve it to be able to obtain a gun."
2) What support does the writer offer for the claim?
A) One reason she uses is that laws prohibiting certain people to own guns is weak and easily evaded.
A second reason is that there are too many loopholes for private sellers to sell to people without a background check. Another reason is that it is not required for gun owners to store their guns in a safety device.
B) She uses evidence such as facts and statistics from various web sources to support these reasons
C) These reasons are plausible and sufficient
3) How evenhandedly does the writer present the issues?
A) The writer mentions a counter argument when she states "Many believe that enforcing more gun control laws would take away their constitutional right which they then believe is unmoral and unfair"
B) She then addresses this by stating why it is untrue using facts from a credible source.
C) Counter arguments are addressed respectfully
D) Her arguments are appropriately qualified without sweeping generalizations
4) What authorities or sources of outside information does the writer use?
A) Each source is used mainly with no quotations, just paraphrasing.
B) The sources used are credible unbiased websites with facts and statistics.
C) Each source is from 2015 with the exception of one from 2009
5) How does the writer address you as the reader?
A) The writer assumes that the writer somewhat knows what is being discussed because the majority of Americans know that guns exist and than it is illegal for certain people to be buying them.
B) The reader is included in the beginning paragraph when the writer asks you to imagine 30,000 people standing in front of you and that these people are all someone's child, best friend, or maybe even soul mate.
C) I sense that we share some of the same beliefs because I too think that gun laws should be enforced to make our communities safer.

postition paper draft

Robyn Harvey

Paper #3

11/30/15

Draft

Recreational Marijuana

            Marijuana should be legal for recreational use in all 50 states. Many benefits may come from selling marijuana in dispensaries across the U.S. Like any other drug, people are going to use it regardless of if it is legal or not, this way they will at least be paying taxes to fund other important issues instead of creating more criminal activity by paying a dealer. On the contrary, some people may argue that marijuana should stay illegal because, like any other drug, it gets you high and impairs judgment. However, alcohol has similar effects to marijuana and is still legal because it is something that many adults want to enjoy. Contrary to what most people believe, marijuana is a non-addictive drug for most users. According to the National institute on Drug Abuse, “It is estimated that 9 percent of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it.” Alcohol can be just as addictive, if not more. Also, people may be concerned that legalizing this kind of drug will increase the number of drug related deaths in the U.S. However, unlike alcohol, prescription painkillers, or any other illegal drug, it is not possible to overdose from marijuana. Studies from Leaf Science have found that “Because cannabinoid receptors, unlike opioid receptors, are not located in the brainstem areas controlling respiration, lethal overdoses from Cannabis and cannabinoids do not occur.”  

            If legalized, marijuana can be sold in dispensaries that put taxes on their products. These taxes can be good for the states because it would go towards paying for important causes. The state of Colorado has already begun to put these taxes to good use. According to Trevor Hughes of USA Today, "The school-construction money comes from a 15% tax levied on wholesale sales from growers to recreational marijuana retailers. Much of the rest of the tax money is being dedicated toward drug-abuse education, research and substance abuse treatment." Money is always needed for education, especially in this day and age where budget cuts are being made left and right. Also, funding for rehabilitation and drug education is necessary to help Americans get back on their feet again. However, not every state has to follow in Colorado’s footsteps. Other states can use their taxes to fund other things such as the disabled or people who can’t take care of themselves.  Either way, the taxes taken from marijuana dispensaries would go towards the greater good of each state.

            Legalizing marijuana will decrease crime rate across the states. With recreational marijuana off the list of illegal activity that the police have to worry about, they can focus on more significant or harmful crimes. In an article from Drug Policy following Washington State’s status after 1 year of legalizing marijuana, "The state is now saving millions of dollars in law enforcement resources that were previously used to enforce marijuana laws." When marijuana is legal, there is one less factor contributing to the war on drugs, helping law enforcement crack down on more lethal substances. Tamar Todd, Director of Marijuana Law and Policy at the Drug Policy Alliance states that "By shifting away from unnecessary marijuana arrests and focusing instead on public health, Washington is better positioned to address the potential harms of marijuana use, while also diminishing many of the worst harms of the war on drugs." Citizens may be concerned that since marijuana is now legal to access for adults, that the accessibility and rate for youth will increase. However, according to Drug policy statistics "Youth marijuana use has not increased since the passage of I-502." If all states follow Washington's lead in making recreational marijuana legal, the costly battle against marijuana use will no longer be an issue.

            So far Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Alaska are the only states to have legalized recreational marijuana. These states have received the benefits that come from marijuana dispensaries and put tax money towards substantial causes. Law enforcement in these states can now worry less about marijuana related crimes and focus more on public health, safety, and deadly drugs. If the other 46 states vote to make recreational marijuana use legal, they will the see the same benefits that have already helped so many communities.

           

Hughes, Trevor."Colo. Pot Users Helping Build Schools With Tax Dollars" USA Today. USA Today. 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

“Is Marijuana Addictive?” National Institute on Drug Abuse. National Institutes of Health. Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

“Can You Overdose on Marijuana?” Leaf Science. 26 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2015

“Marijuana Legalization in Washington State: One-Year Status Report”  Drug Policy. Drug Policy Alliance. 6 July 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

 

           

Incorporating sources effectively

1. In an article by Sam Becker on the Cheatsheet website, he provides insight about how legalizing marijuana is helpful to the states when saying "While the federal government is still holding fast to all-out illegalization, states around the country are chipping away at marijuana laws to the benefit of local economies and even law enforcement professionals."

2.  In his article for USA Today, Trevor Hughes mentions a quote from Govenor John Hickenlooper in which he states that people who were smoking marijuana before it was legal still are, except now they can actually do good by paying taxes.

3. According to Trevor Hughes of USA Today, "The school-construction money comes from a 15% tax levied on wholesale sales from growers to recreational marijuana retailers. Much of the rest of the tax money is being dedicated toward drug-abuse education, research and substance abuse treatment."

Works Cited

Becker, Sam. "A Look Inside Marijuana Dispensaries and How They Work." The CheatSheet. 14 Dec. 2015. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.

 

Hughes, Trevor."Colo. Pot Users Helping Build Schools With Tax Dollars" USA Today. USA Today. 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.

 

Smith, S.E. "Why we need to finally legalize marijuana" The Daily Dot. 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.

collaborative: spriggs article vs. our articles

We all agreed that Spriggs made a convincing argument, and proved her point in evidentiary support.  Specifically, she showed how local farming strengthens local economies, and reduces financial and environmental costs of shipping foods (produce, dairy, etc…) around the world.

2.       She addressed the counter-argument by giving it credibility, but said it is important to buy food that grows naturally in the environment around you, as much as you can.  She also stated that small farms are more efficient, despite the common misconception that larger farms produce more food.

3.       We said that using pathos, Spriggs can effectively persuade the reader that there is a need for people to buy locally.  By pointing out that almost all glaciers will be gone in National Parks by 2050, and talking about the treatment of animals she is able to establish her argument’s credibility.  It gives the reader a sense of responsibility in the issue.

4.       The picture of the semi – trucks, give you a visual of the environmental issues she is talking about.  They allow the reader to see just how big they are, and likely how much gas they use.  They also break up the text and give a visual aid.

Thinking about the text, page 100

1. Katherine Spriggs does an efficient job of convincing me that buying locally matters. She starts off on the first page by Discussing how the international community is facing challenges such as global warming, pollution, and dwindling fossil fuels. When she stated "scientists estimate that in the year 2030, there will be no glaciers left in the Glacier National Park." I felt a sense of urgency making me  realize that change needs to happen quickly or else there will be serious repercussions. Also, when Sriggs mentions that the United States is a large contributor to the problem, it was a wake up call to realize that U.S citizens are playing a huge part in hurting our planet.


2. The author acknowledges other sides of the argument such as "trying to grow all kinds of food all over the world would be a waste of time and energy." Her response was simply that this was a good point but it is important to focus on buying as much as possible from nearby farmers, and buy only occasional foods from other places. She also states that "It has also been argue that buying locally will be detrimental to the environment because small farms are not as efficient in their use of resources as large farms." Spriggs then explains how this is a common misconception and that small farms are more efficient in total output of all crops per acre.


3. The paragraph that I found especially effective what the third, in which the author uses pathos to make US citizens feel guilty for contributing to global warming. Her words hit close to home and make readers feel bad when they realize that by purchasing foods that are shipped many miles, they are wasting fossil fuels that emit more green house gas. Spriggs takes an explicit position, indicates why the topic matters, and provides sufficient evidence while appealing to the readers values.


4. The photos that Katherine Spriggs uses in her essay help her claim because it gives readers a visual of what she is talking about. She also provides captions for each of the pictures to help tie them into the text.

Goats to Hip Hop artists

1A) Hip Hop artists should put goat sounds in their music because it will be funny.
1B) Hip Hop Artists
1C) They should care because they want their music to be popular. They believe that they are putting out music that people will enjoy and they will gain fans and money.

2A)  because Taylor swifts parody video featuring goat sounds quickly became an internet sensation.
2B) Because Comedy is a good way to draw in an audience.
2C) Goat sounds make good dubstep for background music.

3A) Because it is a new trend, not everyone may understand it.
3B) Some people may not like goats.
3C) Some people may think that the goat sounds are too loud and distracting from the music.

4A) Just because its new doesn't mean its not good, also even if people don't necessarily like something they might follow it just because its a trend.
4B) A lot of people could like goats, also if it is trending people may warm up to the idea of the goats.
4C) The goat noises will be used in situations where it makes the music better, not just randomly.

5) First of all, the Taylor Swift goat video got over 20 million views on YouTube proving that this is a popular trend that people think is entertaining. Since this video isn't completely new people will be more willing to accept seeing it in more music. Even people who don't like goats might find it funny because they don't have to look at the goat they just hear a funny sound.

1A) Chickens to farmers. We want farmers to keep healthy chickens on their farms
1B) Farmers
1C) They should care because chickens provide eggs and meat for people to eat. If the chickens are raised well and they know where they are coming from, people will be more likely to want to eat them.
1D) They can gain good healthy eggs and chickens free of caged life and disease.

2A) Because healthy chickens are better for consumers health than caged chickens full of water and chemicals
2B)Because chickens are good livestock that provide lots of food
2C) Chickens are a basic farmers food staple

drinking and driving partner analysis

We both analyzed the drinking and driving video and found that Pathos was the most commonly used persuasive technique. The video started off using pathos when a news report stated that two girls died in a car accident, pathos was also used when images of the car accident appeared on the screen and the girls parents described how it felt when they received the heart wrenching call. When the girls best friend described how it felt during the crash her emotions made the audience epithetical to her and her family. Another technique used was ethos because a credible source (fire chief) described they scene of the crash.

Drinking and driving summary/analysis

After two girls died in a drinking and driving accident, their parents and friend speak out about what happened that night. The video starts off by using pathos when the parents of the two girls talk about how they are great girls and they are heart broken that this could have happened to them. Most of the video is using pathos because describing and showing pictures of the accident appeals to peoples emotions and makes them feel empathy towards anyone who knew these two girls. Especially when their best friend who survived the crash describes what happened that night and how she thought it would be ok to drive home, she begins to tear up, letting the audience feel her pain. Ethos was also used because a credible source, Chief John Mauro of the fire department, describes what he saw the night of the crash. The mom of the two girls is also a credible source because she is an EMT and she went straight to the fire department to see what was going on with her daughters. Logos isn't very noticeable within the video but it could be found when the Chief is logically describing how the car went through the pole and took out the middle part of it, leaving electric wires hanging down everywhere. The overall effect of this video surely makes the audience think twice about drinking and driving.

How things mean

Album covers:

1.       What do they suggest?

The first album cover of the girl suggest that her songs might be provocative and sexual. The other two with the guys suggest that their music will be mostly rap and inappropriate for kids due to explicate lyrics.

2.       How do they suggest it?

The body language of the girl is provocative, and her facial expression is luring you in. The guy’s posture is very intimidating which makes them look tough.

3.       Which elements of each image work on the viewer in various ways?

For the girl viewers are drawn in by her sex appeal. While the men look as if they’re about to drop the most fire mixtape of 2015.

Symbols of Patriotism:

1.       What do they suggest?

They suggest patriotic images of the USA, Great Britain, and France.

2.       How do they suggest it?

The eagle is associated with feelings of freedom and pride, the American flag makes you associate freedom with America. The bull dog is the national dog of Great Britain, he is standing on their flag looking very noble. The words in the third image mean liberty, equality, and fraternity and is the national motto of France, these words are etched into the wall showing that they are concrete ideals of the country.

3.       Which elements of each image work on the viewer in various ways?

The positioning of the dog and eagle convey strength because of their stance on the page, and the words as well convey strength because they are carved in stone.

                                           

Thesis Statement: The images use important and celebrated symbols of their countries to convey patriotism, strength, and ideals.

·         The eagle is associated with feelings of freedom and pride, the American flag makes you associate freedom with America.

·         The bull dog is the national dog of Great Britain, he is standing on their flag looking very noble.

·         The words in the third image mean liberty, equality, and fraternity and is the national motto of France, these words are etched into the wall showing that they are concrete ideals of the country.

·         The positioning of the dog and eagle convey strength because of their stance on the page, and the words as well convey strength because they are carved in stone. 

Tim Wise; “Use Of The N-Word”

http://www.timwise.org/2005/05/a-double-standard-worth-keeping-race-and-the-differential-power-of-the-n-word/

1. What arguments does the author make?

    The author makes all arguments toward the position of not verbally using the N-word. Multiple arguments are brought up from playground examples such as “I can talk about my mother, but you sure as hell better not talk about my mother!” Another example that Tim Wise used was about a particular comedian Jeff Foxworthy and his jokes regarding “rednecks.” He argues that because Jeff may somewhat fall into the category of group that he is making fun of, it is seen as acceptable. On the flipside, if Jerry Seinfeld was to use these same jokes in a standup routine, it would be inappropriate. His main position is that white people should not use verbally the N-word, however it is at the discretion of black people to use freely.

2. How persuasive do you find the argument?

The argument is very persuasive. Tim Wise supports his stance on the topic with plenty of evidence. Wise is clear on why this issue is important, while giving his view of how it should be handled. He explains more than just the white man's point of view, and explains the point of view of a black man. The medium allows him to express his authority with a strong tone.

3. What is the author's stance?

    The stance the author takes is that he believes it isn't his place to determine how and when it is acceptable to use the word due to him being a white person. Although he does take a firm stance that it’s not his place to determine the above points, he does voice very clearly that if you’re not black you shouldn't use the word.

4. Does the publisher bring a certain stance to the work?

    His speech was part of Boston College’s FACES organization, which is designed to promote awareness about discrimination and racism. Boston College is interested in race relations and wants their community to be a part of discussions like this.

5. Do you recognize ideas you’ve run across in other sources?

    To my limited knowledge on the subject, Tim Wise brought up some new original and very persuasive ideas to the table to help illustrate his point. Some of the more generic things he said about Mark Twain and his use of the N-word in his book Huckleberry Finn I had heard before.

6. Does this source support or challenge your own position - or does it do both?

    I am in agreement with Tim Wise and his statements of when it is appropriate to use the word. As a white person, hearing other white people say the N-word sounds very inappropriate and out of place (being that this is not the 1950’s anymore). His examples only furthered my own belief/stance on the subject, and I think this was a very informative and explanatory video.

7. What can you tell about the intended audience and purpose?

    The purpose of the piece is to educate and offer some solution on who/ how the “n-word” should be used. The intended audience is students and faculty members who attend Boston College. He also aims to further educate people like who are fans of his writing, take a particular stance on the subject, or raise awareness of his opinion on how the topic should be dealt with. Also, since Tim Wise’s video is on youtube, it can be intended for the general public and anyone who is interested in being involved in the topic.

The Role of argument- summary

On the contrary to what most people believe, an argument is not just about disputes our disagreements. An argument "refers to any way that people express themselves at all." Taking a position about a topic is also considered making an argument for something. Arguments can vary from one context to another.  For example, the way you make an argument with people from two different countries can change the words you choose to persuade one versus the other. You must use different tactics to appeal to different cultures in order to prove your argument valid. Whether you realize it or not, every argument begins as a response to some other/bigger argument. Arguments are always a continuous dialogue with others. It is important to always pay close attention to the source of an argument. Where the argument is coming from tells us a lot about its stance. The source can also effect how willing we are to accept what it says. At the center of an argument lies "what's at stake." Asking questions like "how can the issue be defined?" "how much does it matter?" and "what actions should be taken as a result?" can help you identify not only what is at stake, but the main point of the argument. When making an argument of your own, a claim needs to be arguable/ worth arguing. It must take a position that others can have different perspectives on. Therefore, a statement or a expression of personal taste simply will not do. Almost anything can be an argument. The clothes you choose to wear argue for your sense of style, and the food you eat can argue for how healthy your diet is.

Think about your writing, page 70

Recently I have written a paper examining lung cancer ads and the visual elements included in them. However, I also take a stance on why these ads are important because they inform readers about how their choices as well as others, can be potential causes of cancer. My motivation for writing this paper is clear because I state in the first sentence that smoking is a dangerous habit, and is the leading cause of lung cancer. I also states that "These ads are very important in contributing to society today because they emphasize how important it is to take care of your body and keep track of your health." Also, in each of my body paragraphs, I discuss how it is important to take the right precautions to avoid lung cancer (such as not smoking or getting an exam done to make sure nothing is wrong) before it is too late.

Yes We Can

This video has many contributing factors that make Obamas speech even more powerful than it already is. First of all,  a mixture of singers and actors are in full screen or next to Obama while he was giving his speech. This extra group of people sang or spoke the presidents speech along with him making his words more impactful and memorable. The fact that these people were celebrities also made an impact because these stars are seen as important influential people and if they are standing by Obama, viewers may want to vote for him more. The video had a black and white filter on the whole time creating that serious and determined tone for the topic of "yes we can." Words such as "hope" and "yes we can" were sometimes written in bold across the screen to help emphasize, and bring the speech back to the roots of its ideas. Over all, the music, text, singers, and voice overs, did an excellent job of conveying the message to viewers that yes, we really can.

Look to see where and how positions are expressed around you-pg. 66

  
It appeals to me and others because it is funny and using comedy is a good way to get your point across when it could be offensive to others. Using Dr. Phil in this meme adds to the comedy appeal because Dr. Phil is usually very serious and doesn't regularly use comedy, he is also very straight forward with people and doesn't hold back when telling them what is wrong with their lives. "Your're fat" is the biggest words on the page catching the readers attention first, this statement is also in all caps and is white with black edging making it really stand out. To revise this meme for a different audience it could be put into video form, it would be different because the visuals would be moving which would catch the viewers attention differently.

Bibliography:
"Funny memes life-of-a-student". Meme. Why are you stupid? 22 June 2015.
"Memes Vault Funny Memes Randomly Picked". Meme. Imgzz.info. 1 November 2015.
 "You're Fat" Meme. Pinterest. 28 May 2014.

This is where i stand

It is just human nature for people to take a stance with their own opinions and share them with others. In the last few days I, as well as the people around me, have taken a position on several different things. Yesterday I explained to my mom why Wednesdays are always a hard day for me. I texted my best friend convincing her to listen to a few songs that I liked and explained to her why they are good. Also, I explained to my mom that I haven't had enough nutritious meals in the last week and we need to have healthier food in the house. These examples are all about me explaining to others that "this is where I stand" so that they can understand where I am coming from. On the contrary, there are many times in a day where someone around me takes a position. In a single day, many stances can be taken. My dad may explain that there are too many clothes piling up and that I need to put some away. Or that we haven't watched a movie together in a long time and we should watch this particular one because we would both like it.

Advertisement Summary - MAC Viva Glam

Our advertisement is for MAC cosmetics, and it’s advertising their Viva Glam line.  The ad states that, “Every cent from the sale of Viva Glam lipstick and lip gloss goes toward helping women, men and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.”  It features Rihanna, as the main part of the ad, and celebrity endorsement.  She is wearing the makeup, and promoting the company and its charitable acts.  She is the main focus of the ad, and it is apparent because everything is dwarfed by her picture.  This shows that MAC is using sex appeal to sell their products, rather than advertising the charity more.  Although she is naked, it isn’t in a degrading way.   She is naked in a powerful way to show her strength as a human, which ties in with conquering HIV/AIDS. 

Summary

Melissa Rubin analyzed a Coca-Cola ad and discovered that certain components of the ad reflect the American culture at the time. Seeing how the cola company was attuned to the racial intolerance of the 1950's, Rubin describes the people in the ad as "a white male dominated society in which servicemen and veterans were a numerous and prominent presence." The Illustrations of the ad only depict ordinary white men and very few women, but when the company did occasionally decide to feature a person of color, it was always a famous one. The author also describes how the ad is trying to recognize "patriotism inspired by the war" so that it will evoke positive feelings about the product. The company achieves this by featuring working class men in uniform, and creating an economic/ war related appeal.

Advertisements R Us, Coca-Cola ad

1) Rubin's analysis of Coca-Cola ads proves to readers how the words and graphics of the ads can be representative of life in America at the time they were released. She also accurately analyzes how each component of the ad is persuading consumers to try this product. "Coca-Cola was attuned to white society's racial intolerance and chose this ad to depict what they undoubtedly saw as average Americans." Racism was very relevant in the 1950's, something that Rubin describes as being represented through this all white Cola ad. Also Rubin shows how the ad is persuading consumers to buy the product by describing men in uniform and working class citizens enjoying a Coke, and inviting consumers to do the same, on the front of the ad.




2) Rubin incorporates historical context when she identifies the parts of the ad that reflect life in the 1950's. "A white, male-dominated society in which servicemen and veterans were a numerous and prominent presence." Here, the author is describing the 1950's norms in society and what the art in the ad depicts as average American's. As she stated, the artwork mainly features these kinds of men as the ads reflection of society although a few women are dispersed among them.


3) While analyzing this ad, I might try to answer questions such as: what techniques is the ad using to persuade consumers to buy the product? What is the focal point of the ad and how is it used to draw your attention toward the product? How do all components of the ad work together to make the consumer want to buy this product?


4) An ad that reflects the current American values is a cheerios commercial lately. The add features a mixed race girl helping her father to stay heart healthy by feeding him cheerios. This ad represents two different aspects of American values. On one hand, the little girl has parents of two different races, something that is very common today and accepted in our society as a norm. On the other hand, The ad focuses on the little girl helping her father with his health. Health is a subject of many ads and is very prominent in our society as something that people are working towards, especially when it comes to body image. Even fast food ads are trying to appeal to consumers by making their food seem somewhat healthy. The 1950's Cola ad and the recent Cheerios ad are very different and display a different set of values represented by the eras they came from.

Animal cruelty ads - group questions

1.       All the ads were published by different animal protection/animal rights activist groups. These groups include PETA, Freedom for Animals, Mercy for Animals, and the ASPCA. 

2.       They are intended for animal lovers, and consumers in general who might be unaware of the animal cruelty caused by their everyday products.  They’re meant to persuade and raise awareness.

3.       The PETA and ASPCA ads are targeted toward animal lovers; we can tell this because they use terms like “your dog” and personify the dog by telling the reader he is “waiting to love you.” The other two ads are aimed at consumers because they point out specific stores and products that people use every day that sponsor cruelty.  

4.       The purpose of the ads is to make people aware that their actions, even inadvertently, can affect animals.  They’re meant to raise awareness, and get people to stop using certain products/shopping at certain places.

5.       These ads rely on emotional and ethical appeals, by asking the readers if they support animal cruelty.  They show upsetting images of dogs and animals to evoke emotion out of the audience.  It appeals to rationality by giving facts, and stating statistics. 

6.       The ads, as stated before, use upsetting images as well as bold text to grab the reader’s attention and make them listen, and care.  They use phrases like “Do you support cruelty to animals?” to make the reader think.

7.       They all catch the reader’s attention and make the audience think about how their actions/ choices affect animals.  Also, they disturb the readers.

Personal Narrative

Robyn Harvey

10/20/15

Personal Narrative

            The first time I ever really began to like writing was in second grade. Throughout the year my teacher would give us assignments to write our own short stories, and to include our own little hand drawn pictures. Every time she passed back our graded story’s I would get around 100% and a smiley face sticker or words of encouragement like “Great story! Keep up the good work.” I especially loved showing my stories off to my family as they praised me and said how cute it was that I was a little writer. Writing was the perfect way for me to express myself ate such a young age. I loved being able to share a little bit of my life through the stories I created.

In fourth grade we got a little more in depth by writing book predictions, summaries, and things of that nature. These were my specialty because I knew exactly how to write them in order to get a perfect score. Short stories and small book analysis’s became the extent of my writing knowledge. As my time in elementary school progressed, I kept up the good grades, became a very well rounded student, and my writing had never been better!

            By the time 6^th grade rolled around, I was enrolled in all of your average middle school courses. I was a straight “A” student taking accelerated math, although English was one of my easiest subjects. Halfway through the school year I got a call from my history teacher asking if I was interested in joining her advanced placement English and History class. I couldn’t believe I was actually being asked to join the advanced class! Isn’t that only for the really smart kids? At first I was hesitant but then I was really excited to be joining a class where I could reach my full potential. Also, two of my best friends were switching classes at the same time which made it even better.

            The next Monday I walked into my new class with my best friends to see the fresh new faces and curriculum awaiting us. After being welcomed by a few friends and familiar students, we took our assigned seats. My teacher was a loud woman of above average height and dark brown hair that scattered across her forehead in the form of bangs. She began with telling us about our first writing assignment of the semester. We were to write a book report on any of the books she had picked out for us and follow her guidelines in the packet she handed out. As the class went on I learned her teaching methods often included yelling important phrases that she didn’t want us to forget. When she was giving us advice for our book report, she enthusiastically banged a chair on her desk while yelling “Don’t switch tenses!” These kind of crazy things are what make her so memorable to this day.

            After reading the guidelines for our assignment, I was getting a little worried. “I’ve never written anything with this much structure and requirements!” I thought. “There’s no way I’m going to get through this on my own, I’ve never seen anything like it before.” Then she said it. The words that sounded so crazy coming out of my teachers mouth that I wondered if she was going insane. “This is an advanced class so you all should be writing at a college level! Yeah, that’s right, this is a college level paper but I expect you are all capable of achieving the requirements.” I could barely hold what I was thinking inside. “College?! I’ve only gotten half way through the sixth grade and she expects college level work out of me? Now I’m officially doomed.”

            The next week, I finally sat down and attempted to start my paper. I read the example paper over and over but still had no clue how to go about writing my own. As usual I asked my mom for help. She was pretty good at helping me but I still just didn’t understand the main concepts that I needed to summarize in each paragraph. I was never taught how to write a paper like this on my own so figuring out how to collect my thoughts and write them down in the correct manner was a real struggle for me. As I went along the writing process for this paper my mom would walk me through each paragraph and help me express my thoughts neatly. After a painfully long period of working on my book report I finally finished and turned it in hoping for the best.

            A few weeks later my teacher handed back our papers and I could barely look. I shook in my boots as I turned the paper over to see my final scores. A solid “B” not bad! However, I was still disappointed in myself because I knew I could never have done my paper correctly, or gotten such a good grade without my mom’s help. I felt like I was failing myself because I was sustaining such good grades and writing so well for so long and then suddenly I was struggling to support myself.

            As time went on I stopped asking my mom for help with any kind of paper and started doing them on my own hoping that I would learn something. It was difficult and ever since then that year I’ve been getting less than desirable grades on my papers. But I had to learn on my own that writing is just a weakness of mine and I have to work harder at it than some other kids. It is mostly difficult for me to wrap my head around certain formats or structures of specific papers. Expressing my thoughts in specific ways can be a challenge especially when most teachers grade a little bit differently and not all of them are going to like my writing.

            After my sixth grade year I began to really dislike writing mostly because it’s hard to like something I’m not good at. I’m sure most people could say the same! It seems like every year I try to write as well as I can and follow the correct guidelines but very little improvement is made. Despite my growing distaste for writing assignments, I continue to try my best and hope that one day I’ll be able to write as well as I once could.

Mad Men

1) Havrilesky's main insight about Mad Men was that the show so accurately portrayed the disconnect between the American dream and reality, or how Americans are constantly in a state of wanting more. She states that "It strains to capture the transformation of the American dream into a commodity that can be bought and sold." meaning that the American dream has become a commercial item that is sought after rather than a humble life that can be lived.


2) Havrilesky establishes her authority to write about the show by demonstrating her knowledge and insight of every season, episode, and character. Readers can clearly see how much she knows about each character and the underlying message about why they are they way they are. 


3) Readers can relate through emotion, mainly empathy, to the characters that the author describes. When analyzing Betty's character, Havrilesky says "But what else can you expect from someone whose closest relations-- overbearing father, paternal but deceitful husband-- have consistently rewarded her for quietly, obediently playing along with their games?" It is easier to feel bad for this character when seeing her through the empathetic eyes of the author, explaining how these factors of the characters life have shaped her.


4) I have never seen the show Mad Men so I have to trust that the author of this article is giving me correct insight.  After reading the article I now understand the basic premise of the show but the author hasn't really made me want to watch the show, mainly because it doesn't sound very fun and exciting but rather archaic and deceitful.

Analyzing consumer oriented websites

I love watching movies more than anything so I chose to analyze Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. At first glance I liked rotten tomatoes more because on the very first page, names of all the current movies are listed with their ratings as opposed to IMDb which only mentions the top 25 on the cover page. However, after further investigation I found IMDb to be more useful when using the search bar to find a specific movie because it gave many suggestions of other similar movies, as well as a clear review of the movie you just searched. Whereas Rotten tomatoes only gives a brief rating and description without going into as much detail, or other movie suggestions. I found the Rotten tomatoes rating system to be more confusing than helpful. They use certain tomato symbols to portray whether a movie was good or bad but it would have been much more useful if there was some sort of key on the side explaining what each symbol represents. Once again IMDb proves to be the most helpful because they use the classic gold star rating system that is familiar and easy for consumers to understand. To improve the rotten tomatoes website I would add a key to their symbols, and make they're search engine and suggestions more affective. The only thing I would change about IMDb is their front page which could be improved my featuring current movies and their ratings.

Unpacking texts: textual analysis

Decision:	What area of my life this affects:	Information gathered before:	Decision I made:
What to wear for the day	How I feel about myself	Is the weather nice today? Do I feel like looking put together or lazy?	The weather is nice so I wore short sleeves and my outfit combo is somewhere in between lazy and put together
What to eat for breakfast	My health and satisfying my hunger	How much time to I have to make it? Do I want to be healthy or just grab a snack?	I had enough time before my doctors apt. to make a filling breakfast but it wasn’t necessarily very healthy
How should I celebrate my birthday this week	My happiness	Do I want a whole party or do I just want to hang out at a friend’s house? Do I feel like going to a school football game	I decided to have a small birthday party at my house with my closest friends because I don’t really feel like going out anywhere.
Should I get my homework done before or after dance class	School and grades	How long will it take to get my homework done? Am I going to actually feel like doing homework before dance?	I chose to do my homework after dance because I had more time and motivation to get it done.
Picking out times to work on my English paper	Schedule, school, grades	What days do I have the least homework in other classes? How many days on the weekend do I have free to work on it?	I chose to work on my paper Tuesdays and Thursdays if I have time, and on Sunday nights

 

Taking stock of your writing

1. What was your main point (thesis)?  “The Moral of the Story”?

The main point of my narrative was that I used to really enjoy writing as a way to express myself and talk about my favorite things. I would get good grades on my writing assignments and my family enjoyed reading what I had written. However, once I got into middle school I struggled with certain writing concepts that ended up dragging me down. I began to get less than desirable grades on my essays and developed a distaste for writing. Now I have to work harder to understand how my teachers want me to piece my thoughts together and improve my grades.

2.      Who was your audience?  What did you assume about them?  What “audience needs” did you have to consider in writing the paper?  How did you tailor your writing to them?

My audience is My professor and the other students that follow my blog. I assume that they know the writing assignment and understand why I have chosen to write about my topic. I had to keep in mind that this is a formal paper and even though my audience my contain a few students, I have to write properly instead of how I would normally write a letter to a friend.

3.      What feedback or reactions did you get at various times while composing this paper, and how was this helpful?  What other kinds of input or support did you get from classmates, teacher, tutors, others?  Were you able to make use of it?  How, or why not?

I got positive feedback as well as constructive criticism from my table partner, helping me with grammar and piecing certain concepts together. This is the only input I have received so far, but I will continue to receive input and from peers.

4.      What did you find interesting about the process you went through in writing this paper, and what did you learn from it?

It was interesting looking back on my thoughts from middle school and elementary school and how my love of writing significantly changed. I realized that I only liked writing when I was younger because I was good at it and I could write about things I thoroughly enjoy as opposed to the assignments I have now. 

5.      What questions do you have for me about the paper?  (What part(s) of the paper would you like me to focus on?  What do you see as the paper’s strengths, and what areas are you unsure of?)

I think my papers strengths are that it gets my point across and makes sense to the reader. I think I also included good detail about what I was thinking and feeling at the time. I am a bit unsure of how to expand and include further details because I feel that if I add anything more it will be distracting to the main point, but I will try to add more details that are relevant to the story because need more words to fill the requirement.