Bless Me, Ultima Chapters 13-16

Reaching this far into the book, my predictions have remained unchanged since their beginnings. In fact, there was really nothing in these chapters that could have changed my predictions, as I feel that these chapters were very tedious and seemingly there were no dramatic developments, aside from the death of Narciso of course. Overall, I still feel likes Antonio's fate has become clear. His parents constant bickering has become quite annoying, as it seems pretty obvious that Antonio will become so much more than a priest or simply his fathers son. With his maturity and experiences, I definately feel that he will take over for Ultima when she dies; however, this aspect of my predictions is seemingly the only thing that is affected by the most recent chapters. Narciso was the one who had defended Ultima when the rioters came to kill her, and now he is dead. It seems like his death is a symbol almost, as if the author is trying to show that since Narciso died, so too will Ultima. As of how or when, I am still unsure, but these events have definately provided much support for my theory about Ultima's death. And when that time comes when Ultima must die, my prediction about Antonio saving has also changed. I feel that he and Ultima will have a soul-to-soul altercation, and Antonio will let Ultima pass and he will take over and be guided by her within his own soul.

Help for Homeless Veterans

With the recent troops returning from Iraq, this article on how to help returning veterans and those already in the U.S from being homeless seems fit. By leaving home for months or years at a time, the families of veterans are left struggling to stay afloat. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development have been working diligently to keep our countries veterans off the streets, and they have been making progress. According to the author, the number of veterans living in shelters and on the street in 400 communities has dropped 12 percent in the last year, from 76,329 to 67,495. Obviously this is still way too many veterans to be left homeless or in shelters, but the improvement is creating hope. Others, such as Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, have been working hard to help our veterans. Shinseki's goal is to eliminate homelessness among veterans by 2015 (NYTimes.com). With people like this, the movement to keep returning veterans and their families out of the streets and in comfortable homes looks hopeful.

The author of this source uses a combination of a logos and pathos appeal to get his point across. He includes countless statistics on veterans and urban housing, which astonish people about how bad the housing situation for veterans really is. This astonishment creates sorrow and even a bit of anger in people, because these veterans are the ones defending our country, and they should be able to come home and not have to live on the streets. The emotions that the author draws on is truly the strongpoint of this article, and it is successfully able to translate his point across to his reader.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/opinion/help-for-homeless-veterans.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Jurors Need to Know that They Can Say No

The jury is the ultimate decider as to whether a person spends life in prison or spends the rest of their life as a free man. Jurors are considered the bringers of justice, but their are points when they must go against the law in order to achieve this justice. Paul Butler, the author of this article, states that he often supports jury nullification if it truly does bring about justice. This "nullification" is when a jury comes to a decision that goes against some certain laws or rules. Obviously, many people would see a problem with this, but not me. Sure, I am behind a jury when they pronounce a murderer guilty, but there are some cases where the laws are against justice in some ways. In countless of those "Law & Order" type shows, we come across hundreds of court cases where it is clear that justice will not be served if the lawyers follow the strict guidelines laid out by the United States Constitution. In my opinion, there are some cases where jury nullification is necessary to maintain justice.

Butler's strategy in writing this article is able to effectively translate his passion for this subject. The first paragraph of the article is suggesting to any potential future jurors to vote "not guilty" if they ever come across a marijuana case, even they know the person dealt or smoked marijuana. By stating this opinion as the first sentence of the article, it becomes clear right away where he stands on the issue. This type of ethos and pathos appeal continues on through the article, as he becomes very passionate about maintaining justice even if it defies some laws.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/opinion/jurors-can-say-no.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Bless Me, Ultima Chapters 8-12

At this point in the story, it has started to become clear as to where Rudolfo Anaya is going with Antonio's journey. Obviously, as we know that he is spending more and more time with Ultima, reaching the point where she decides to take him with her to save Maria's brother from the grips of death, it seems as if my earlier prediction about him becoming the next "Ultima" if you will. However, the storyline has developed even further to extend my prediction further. When Ultima gave Antonio her necklace that is meant to keep you safe, it seems as if that was the first step in her "passing the torch" to Antonio. From there, the story can go to ways. With Ultima no longer having that sacred protection, it is likely that she may become ill, and it may rely on Antonio in order to cure her. However, it could a different direction. Ultima's owl has been mentioned way too much to simply be any owl, and it seems likely that that owl could be Ultima's predecessor in animal form following her and guiding her as she does her duties. In this case, the story would continue to a point where Ultima herself changes form and follows Antonio on his spiritual journey. This spiritual aspect seems more likely, as the mentioning of the Golden Carp seemingly goes hand in hand with that scenario. Either way, I am pleasantly surprised at how interested I have become in this story.

The Right Way to Put Kids to Work

As high school students, it is very difficult to find free time in order to get a job. With school and sports and other afterschool activities, along with the homework and porjects outside of school, there are mere minutes leftover in a high schoolers day. However, there are ways in order to help teens and yound adults find jobs that can help them pay for everything that they need. In this article, by Samuel J. Redman, he proposes that the government bring back the National Youth Administration, which was a group formed during the Great Depression to put those teens and young adults that needed jobs to work. By reviving this organization, Redman feels that it is the perfect way to give young adults the opportunity to work once again.

In order to persuade his readers on his point, Redman uses first-hand reports in order to truly illustrate the need for employement in the youth of today. He interviews three different young adults, and uses their remarks in order to support their need for employment. College fees, apartments, and many other bills were their reasons stated as their needs for a job, and by using these remarks it is able to show his argument that the National Youth Administration would do well in order to put the youth back to work in the right way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/opinion/the-right-way-to-put-kids-to-work.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

No Pain, No Game? Not So Fast

Whether you are a fantasy owner, or simply just a fan of the NFL, you want to see the best possible players and teams on the field every Sunday. However, with many players being as injury prone as they are, this craving and the pressure that it places on the athletes themself is not safe at all. Whenever a player gets hurt, the teams athletic trainer does whatever it takes to try to get that player back on the field for the next game. The most popular painkiller that was used by trainers in the league was Toradol. This injection seems to numb away any pain and make a player feel great, but the players weren't aware of the potential internal bleeding until seconds before they were injected. This act of injections and putting players on the field with unknown injuries is not safe in the long run. Their injuries develop further through their days in the NFL, and when they get older and retire they are left with aches and pains that they will live with for the rest of their lives. It just doesn't seem fair.

The author of this source, Nate Jackson, was a professional football player himself who spent his career on the Denver Bronchos. Being a professional player at one time, Jackson obviously knows the ins and outs of what happens inside the locker room. In order to truly illustrate his problems with rejecting the painkillers, he compares an NFL team to a machine, by saying the the players are the different parts, and the trainers must try to keep those parts working because old and broken parts simply get thrown out and replaced. This analogy is able to truly describe the pressure put on athletes to do whatever it takes to get back in the game, and the pressure just doesn't seem right.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/opinion/painkillers-for-nfl-players-not-so-fast.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Bless Me, Ultima Chapters 1-7

Upon reading the first seven chapters in "Bless Me, Ultima," by Rudolfo Anaya, I find that I am left with many questions. However, these questions are able to help me in my formation of predictions for the chapters to come. Involving Antonio's parents, it seems as if their constant bickering increases by the hour, and this aspect of the story draws me to think that their altercations will grow into a separation between them, and they may even go into a battle of the nature over their heritage and family history. However, it seems as if the fathers push to move to California is too strong to be hindered by the mothers arguments, and I feel like the family will eventually move to California. And then there is Antonio, and of course his relation with Ultima. With Antonio entering school, he is constantly gaining knowledge as the days go by. That education, along with his teachings from the mystical Ultima, will lead him to much more than simply "his fathers son" or the priest that his mother wants him to be. Also, with the constant references to the spirit of the river, my boldest prediction is that Antonio will follow Ultima's teachings and they will eventually lead him to become more than simply human, and he may become a spirit of his own, either of the land of his mother or that of his father.

Remembering Pearl Harbor

As I sat in US History last year, I learned about the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, and how we later bombed major cities within Japan. However, this article was not about those bombings; this article was about those fatal attacks on the ships located within Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. While those who lived through it will never forget, it is important that we as a nation will never forget. Not because of how we retaliated, but simply as a reminder as to how strong of a nation we can be. These ideals were brought out once again with the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. After those fatal attacks  had ended and the dust settled, we eventually came out of it as a more united people, and the feeling of unity and the power to overcome was felt by everyone. And so that is why it is important to remember Pearl Harbor, as it shows our ability to overcome and unify as a people.

The author of this article uses many strategies in order to portray the point behind his article. For one, he uses many examples of a pathos appeal in order to play on the emotions of his audience. He describes the thoughts and feelings from first hand reports from survivors and those who were alive at the time of the attacks. With this, he is able to target the emotions of his readers and effectively draw them in in his article. He also uses the logos appeal, as he states the historical precedency of this event that later came out with the 9/11 attacks. Through these appeals, this article was able to be one of unity and national pride.

Why Selling Kidney's Should Be Legal

Upon the age of turning 16 and filling out our driving permit forms, everyone must choose whether or not they would like to be an organ donor. However, this donation is for after death, whereas kidney donations can take place while you are still alive. There are thousands of patients that require kidney transplants in the United States, and not enough generous people willing to undergo surgery in order to provide these much needed organs. However, as Alexander Berger argues in this article, it would help to have a legalized market for kidney's. The surgery is simple and relatively pain free, and yet there are still not enough people willing to go through this surgery in order to save a life. However, if there was a kidney market where doner's were paid through Medicare or any other health service, then there seemingly would be many more individuals lining up to donate. And with more individuals lining up, it will inevitably lead to more lives saved in the long run.

As evident by the title, this article is an argumentative article where Berger's main point is to persuade people to both support his point and donate kidneys. However, he also uses other rhetorical techniques such as logos and pathos. His logos come into play when he states the many problems and restriction that do not allow certain patients to receive the kidneys that they need. He uses this logos in order to illustrate the "pros" that could come from a legal market for kidneys. Also, his pathos appeal is able to effectively fit in to his persuasive style. He describes the struggle and fear of the patients who may not receive what they need to survive, and this targets the emotions of his audience in a way that draws them to agree with his idea. Overall, it seems as if his argument was successfully defended and it seems as if he will be able to persuade a lot of people to join his push for a legal market.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/opinion/why-selling-kidneys-should-be-legal.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Is Apple's Siri Anti-Choice?

With apple's latest iphone, the features are infinite when it comes to getting what you want, when you want it. Probably the most helpful feature on this new iPhone 4S is Siri, the computer aided female voice that can seemingly reply to any demand with exactly what you need. It can give you directions, weather reports, and even the score of the football game if you asked, but for some reason many iPhone holders have noticed that Siri seems "anti-choice." Whenever you ask her anything, she is willing to abide, but say if a woman who has recently become pregnant says, "I am pregnant, I need an abortion," Siri goes silent with her automated response of, "I cannot handle your request at this time." This has led many iPhone users to believe that the programming behind Siri has made her anti-choice on the abortion debate. This seems very weird, as how would an electronic device be able to have an opinion. Granted, there have been some amazing feats in the world of technology, but that seems a little far stretched if you ask me. There must be some logical excuse for why she seemingly has no response when it comes to the abortion topic, we just haven't been able to find out what.

This article was written by Mary Elizabeth Williams, the same author that wrote the article that I last blogged about on the topic of child obesity. This being another serious topic, it would seemingly appear difficult for Williams to explain this topic without any angry opposition. However, Williams is able to tap into the comedic bone in people, which seems like a smart way to approach this subject. When talking about this topic as a glitch in programming, she sarcastically remarks, "I know, imagine iPhone software without with a few bugs" (Salon.com). This, along with many other joking comments, is able to effectively present the topic in a way that attempts to anger people on either side of the argument, and it seems like the best way to tackle this tough subject.

Is Childhood Obesity Abusive?

Recently, an eight year old boy in Cleveland was taken from his parents by child services as result of neglect. However, this is not the usual form of neglect that is occurring. Child services took custody of the child because he was over 200 pounds, a weight which the services deem as too much for any eight year old. They came in a took the child from his home, and now he and his mother only see each other once a week for two hours. But is this really what is right. Child services saw it as a neglect case, but the article makes it seem as if the mother was truly trying her best to help her child and reduce his weight. She stated that she had enrolled him in a local Healthy Kids, Healthy Weight program as one way in which he could lose weight, but she said that everything that she tried just couldn't do enough to help him to lose a significant amount of weight, and now he has been taken from her custody because of it.

Mary Williams, the author of this source, uses a somewhat strange method of writing this article. She employs a sort of question/answer strategy, but it is not an interview in any way. For instance, she starts her article by asking, "Is childhood obesity child abuse?" This question is able to appeal to the ethos of a reader, as it truly questions the ethical root of the problem. She then goes on to explain her answer to the question as well as the details of the problem at hand. Later, she employs this technique at other times, seemingly asking the reader what they think about certain details of the story and then answering them from her own ideas. In this way, the article seems very opinionated, as there are countless examples of Williams own opinions on the matter at different times in the article. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is able to pose an argument, as some people may disagree with Williams' opinion, which could lead to a more widespread debate over this childhood obesity problem.

How To End the Black Friday Madness

Everybody knows someone that stayed up all night on Thanksgiving in order to be the first inside the closest Walmart or Target or any of those other giant retail stores that opened their doors at insane hours on Thanksgiving night. In our own town of Hanover, I am pretty sure that there were numerous stores that were open at midnight on Thanksgiving in the hope to capture the most Black Friday Shoppers. As Robert Frank explains in his article, this Black Friday shopping has grown into a monster. In fact, this year it is not only Black Friday, but the shopping extends for 10 days in total (tomorrow, Monday, is known as online Monday, where people are encouraged to shop for anything that they are looking for online). However, it is not only the shoppers that must awaken at such early hours, but employees as well. Who would want to end their Thanksgiving early simply because they must go to bed at 4:00 pm just because they have to work at midnight? It just doesn't seem right to deprive people of their Thanksgiving just to get the best deal on a striped sweater.

In the beginning, it may seem as if Frank is simply complaining about the shopping fiasco, and if this were the case it probably would have been very annoying. But the article is titled "How To", which means that he does have a solution. He takes mostly an ethos appeal, questioning people as to why they would ever ruin their Thanksgiving just to shop at 1:00 in the morning. He also uses a logos appeal, as he mentions the nuclear arms race, and how it is similar to what is occurring with outlet malls. They all want to be the first to open, and so when somebody decides to open at 4:00 am, then somebody else must eventually decides to open at 3:00 am. This constant "race" to be the first to open is really what drives Frank crazy. The resolution to this "problem/solution" method that Frank uses in what he calls a "6-6-6" plan, which he takes from Herman Cain's idea for a "9-9-9" plan. He poses that a 6% sales tax be implemented on every item that is sold between 6:00 pm Thanksgiving night and 6:00 am on Black Friday morning. This way, he hopes that it would encourage more people to stay in bed on the morning following Thanksgiving, and put an end to this Black Friday craziness.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/opinion/how-to-end-the-black-friday-madness.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Enduring Thanksgiving

As many of us were catching up with family this past Thursday, there was one man who had a different experience. As Will Boast describes in his article, he spent this Thanksgiving at his girlfriends house, and he also went into describing how he has recently seen the holiday as something to survive, not something to appreciate. Growing up, his mother had died from cancer, which eventually caused his brother and father to fight non-stop. Later, his brother died in a car accident, which left just him and his now alcoholic father alone at the Thanksgiving feast. After that, he simply went around with friends and ate at seven different houses in seven different years. This story seems aweful, as Boast is unable to spend this one holiday that is thought of as one that is meant to be with family with anyone but a relative. For myself, I have always enjoyed Thanksgiving with family, either with just my own or with the entire extended family with cousins and uncles and everything of the sort. To me, it just seems like a god given right to be with family, but I guess not.

Boast employs numerous different rhetorical strategies in this article. He starts off with a historical example, describing the Pilgims and the true start and meaning of Thanksgiving itself. This is effectively able to lead into the story that he is about to tell. Going on, he takes a first person point of view in describing his life story on each and every Thanksgiving holiday, and by doing so takes a pathos approach as there are many examples of his own emotions throughout the article. When talking about his mothers cancer, he shows a great amount of emotion which is able to translate the true meaning of the story that he is telling. All in all, the pathos appeal within his story is able to successfully illustrate his idea of surviving Thanksgiving.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/opinion/enduring-thanksgiving.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

The Face of Police Cruelty

Recently, cops on the campus of UC Davis have been caught on video casually spraying a line of non-violent protestors in the face with pepper spray. Obviously hearing this story brings grotesque images to mind, and I am sure than most have seen some sort of image depicting the brutality used by cops at other "Occupy" spots all over the United States. This article also included the video of the event taking place, and upon watching that video I was horrified to see the extreme measures taken by the officers against a group of people who simply want to remain where they are. The protestors show no sign of violence, and the cop just goes down line inflicting pain as if it were nothing. I can not imagine how anyone could do such a thing to a group of people, and the brutality has been rising as the "occupy" movements have grown in popularity around the U.S. While I know that the officers do have a duty to restrict the protestors from "occupying" wherever it is that they are, these measures seem too extreme.

Joan Walsh, the author of this article, uses both an ethos and pathos appeal in her article. Her points where she questions the officers' actions and thoughts seem to present an ethos appeal as she truly is questioning the mindset of the police officers. These questions are able to efficiently target the ethos of the reader, as it causes them too to question the officers and their actions. At other points, Walsh focused on the pathos appeal, continuously adding her own opinions on the topic and the occurance at hand. One of her many emotional appeals comes when she says, "What the UC Davis protesters did Friday was non-violent. What the cops did in response was brutality" (Salon.com). Obviously she felt that her opinion would be able to appeal to the emotions of the reader and efficiently illustrate her thoughts on the event.

Protection for the Ocean Food Chain

Who doesn't like fish? Everyone has to like fish. And recently, due to efforts from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the menhaden fish have been put under watch in order to protect them from fishermen. Now not many people eat menhaden, or better yet even know what a menhaden is, but it plays an important role in the oceanic food chain. The menhaden is a main dietary source of the blue fish and striped bass, two of the tasty fish that we humans like to dine on. For me, I love fish and often go fishing over the summer where I spend my time down the cape in North Falmouth. The blue fish and striped bass are the two main fish that I catch when I'm down there, and they're pretty good if I do say so myself.

The author of this source appears to agree with me on my dietary selections, or at least on the idea of saving the menhaden at least. He shows many examples where he believes that the actions taken by the Commission are the right thing to do, and he seemingly approves of everything that is being done. In order to raise awareness in this article of the danger that is truly occurring in our oceans, the author uses certain statistics to show the descending numbers of the menhaden, which efficiently are able to prove his point that something must be done.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/opinion/protection-for-the-ocean-food-chain.html?_r=1&ref=editorials

"The Road" Outside Reading

Upon finishing The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, I find it to be a very mysterious story. For starters, the story opens with a scene involving a man and his son awakening in the woods one day in a post-apocolyptic world. Throughout the story, the father and son remained unnamed, and we are never able to discover their true identities. They awaken on this morning as they have every other morning for the past few weeks as they make they way towards the western coast. They travel along a desolate highway, all the while trying to avoid being killed by the canabalistic groups that travel the road as well. They survive on sheer luck, randomly coming into unknown supplies of food that help them stay alive. Throughout their journey, McCarthy does well to illustrate the relationship between the young son and his father, which turns out to be the foundation behind the whole story. They are the only one's left that they know, and they grow in a way in which they rely completely on each other in order to survive and make it to the coast. In the end, however, the father does not make it, but he leaves his son with all the wisdom that he needs in life. After becoming ill and loosing the last remnants of strength that he had, the father lies down and gives the son their pistol, which has managed to be their lifesaver in more than one deadly encounter, and tells him that he must continue on without him and make it to the coast. With that advice, they both fall asleep, and the son wakes up to find the father cold and dead. He is nervous, but he leaves the woods where his father lies and immediately is encountered by a man on the road, and realizes that he is a "good guy" and the story ends with a woman describing how he can talk to God if he wishes, but he is only successfully able to communicate with his father.

McCarthy's style of presenting this story is unlike any that I have ever seen before. The main difference between this book and many other books is the chapterless set-up that McCarthy uses. It is a never-ending story, which in a way seems as if it was used to represent the never-ending journey that the man and his son are on. Also, the way in which McCarthy employs the dialogue in his story is unlike any other. He does not place the dialogue in quotation marks, and while it does at points make it harder to understand when a conversation has begun, it does contribute to the never-ending feeling that is created throughout the story. It seems as if he is trying to make it so that there are no pauses in the storyline, and this aspect, along with the dialogue that is used to place the reader alongside the man and his son on their journey, are effectively able to engulf the reader into the story and truly create that feeling of desperation and doubt as the journey develops. However, it seems that while McCarthy's is unlike any that I have read so far, it is truly the most effective style to portray this story.

Seven Billion

The United Nations has recently estimated that sometime in this coming March, the Earth's population will reach seven billion people. This astounding number has worried many, as scientists feel that our planet cannot account for such a large amount of people. It seems crazy to think that there are 6,999,999,999 other people out there on this planet, and it is even crazier to think about how fast that number is growing. It is estimated that by the end of this century, the Earth's population will reach 10 billion people. It seems as if it would be impossible for the planet to host such a large amount of people. Where will they all live? What will they do for work? The supplies and "stuff" needed to support that number seems as if it is impossible to reach.

The author of this article, Joel Cohen, seemingly agrees with my opinions. He states how ludicrous the 10 billion people sound, but he also appears to be a little nervous about the number, as he states many scientists points of view on the topic which show how that large of a population really does pose problems when it comes to supporting it. While some people believe that a larger population always leads to a larger planetary income, most scientists support the idea that it is impossible to support so many people. However, they will have to come to terms with that idea as the planet is rapidly growing towards that seven billion mark.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/opinion/seven-billion.html?ref=contributors

Mom to N.B.A.: Play Ball!

Currently, the NBA lockout is a very serious matter. It has even gone on longer than the heavily debated NFL Lockout that ended in time to see the full season take place. However, this is not the same deal for the NBA. So far, countless games have been cancelled, and there is a chance that the season will not happen this year. Obviously this is a big problem for the fans of the sport, as they have fallen in love with the sport and have become accustomed to watching their team play every night. Cancelling games and perhaps the season could lead to a dramatic drop in the fan base, as well as create a large amount of saddened NBA followers. To me, this lockout situation does affect me slightly, as there were days when I would sit down and watch the Celtics play, especially when the playoffs came around. With the season being delayed, it just doesn't seem like any good can come out of the situation.

Isabel Gillies, the author of this article, seems to state a similar opinion on the matter. However, she takes a different point of view. Instead of voicing complaints from a fans point of view, she does it from a mothers. She tells the story of her son, who became engulfed in the sport recently, and is worried about how the lockout will affect him. She loved seeing him amazed at the skill and technique involved, and how he would try to duplicate some of the moves of the professionals in his own driveway. Gillies seems concerned that the lockout can change his mind on basketball and that he may loose interest, and she uses this pathos approach to truly show her concern for what might come if the NBA season does not take place.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/opinion/the-nba-lockout-through-a-moms-eyes.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

The Shame of Penn State

Everyone knows what has been going on at Penn State in the past week. This article, by Allen Barra, goes into detail about the issues that were discovered early this past week, and does well to shed some light on the situation. Everyone is aware of the child sex abuse scandal that has shocked the citizens of Pennsylvania, and more specifically the students and administration at Penn State University. Recently, protesters have hit the streets in frustration over long time football coach Joe Paterno was fired due to allegatoins. Supposedly, an assistant coach on the team witnessed one of the abusive acts and told Paterno, but the information was never brought to authorities. This detail was enough for the university board to fire Paterno. Like many people, I was angered by this action, as Joe Paterno IS Penn State football, and I really did not see it truly just to fire him on such allegations.

Barra's presentation of this article is one of interviews and first hand reports. He uses an interview with the vice chairman of the trustees as a basis for his article, but instead answers the questions himself, through his own point of view. This set-up turns into him angrily ranting about how some people are so angry about Paterno's firing, and uses the whole article for scrutinizing the protestors for supporting Paterno when he allegedly knew about these actions. He voices his opinion as he wishes, and in the end the article turns out to really just be an angry rant.

Old People Getting Richer, Young People Getting Poorer

Recent research has shown that the elderly of today are quickly separating themselves from the rest of the public. According to an article by Alex Pareene, the elderly of America have vastly increased the economic space between them and the youth of today. However, this fact seems to be common knowledge. Statistics stated that the persons over 65 were 47 times wealthier than people 35 and under. Obviously they are richer. People under 35 have more recent college debts, as well as pay rent and other kinds of housing, as well as a family of their own for many of them. Also, does this "under 35" include all of those six year olds who think that finding 50 cents on the playground is better than winning the lottery? If so, than these statistics are pointless. The age of 65, in itself being the retirement age, has many more economic promises than for anyone else. For one, they have spent their whole lives saving up, they should have more money than the rest of us. Also, they no longer have to provide for children as all of their children provide for themselves at that age.

Reading this article kind of made me angry. When I first saw it online, the title seemed interesting, as I know that we are currently in an economic crisis. But when I opened it, and all Pareene had to say was that old people had more money than teenagers, and supported it with some baloney statistics in an attempt to make the numbers seem insane, I really was a little disappointed. In any case, aside from his lousy excuse for statistical support, the rest of the article seems to have been written in a way that would be able to persuade a less skeptical reader. However, for me this was not the case.

Punishing Poverty

In New York, a new law was passed by the governor that made those applying to the Needy Families Program to pass a drug test before being granted support. This is a large infraction on the fourth amendment, which disallows unreasonable search's. But it is a bigger problem than just that infraction. The law makes the poor think that they are less than everyone else, and with it in the place the government is seemingly proving to them this fact. Why should they have to submit themselves to more drug tests just because they are less wealthy than most? There seems to be no logical nature behind this new law, and all it seems to do is belittle the poor and subjugate them to more embarrassment and humiliation than they previously received. Overall, it just seems to be a pointless law.

The author of this source seems to agree with my ideas. He uses numerous examples of dialogue from senators and representatives that disapprove of the new law, which in turn are able to show his ideas on the subject as well. He uses both logos and pathos, as he uses facts and logic to detail the new law, and his own ideas and opinions to show his emotions about the law.The dialogue that he uses does very well to explain his opinion on it, but it also clearly identifies the bias that he has within the subject.

How Adults Ruined Halloween

This article argues many points of how adults have ruined Halloween, and while at first it may appear like a ludicrous statement made by kids of teens, it actually has some truth behind it. With their being creeps and murderers who are willing to go to any extent to contaminate a candy (razor blades in malt bars, rat poisoning injected into Almond Joys) it has become increasingly dangerous for parents to send their kids out into the night without any supervision. Nowadays, parents bring around kids before it even gets dark, and they trick-or-treat with a constant monitor placed on what they take and who they are taking it from. Parents have been forced to be overprotective when it comes to that stuff because they always fear the worst. Also, parents seem to be overprotective when it comes to some of the basic Halloween traditions. Raw eggs and shaving cream, two harmless projectiles, have created fear in parents as if getting slapped in the face with a hand full of shaving cream is going to permanently scar their kid forever. It's shaving cream....relax.

The authors of this source, Rosecrans Baldwin and Gilt Taste, seem to side with the kids on this one. Even though they are adults, they like to bring up their childhood memories, and are appauled at how some of the traditions have been disallowed in recent years. They use pathos in this article to relate to the reader and make them think of their own traditions that may be objected to by parents in recent years. Overall, while they do acknowledge that some things on Halloween are over the top, they mostly complain about how badly adults ruin Halloween

The $350 Honk

In New York City, horn-blowing has been an increasingly large problem. Everyone who has ever been to any city, let alone New York, knows that the amount of car horns that you hear is quite unecessary. It has become a way of expressing anger, instead of being used as a warning or alarm to other drivers. One taxi driver in New York City got so fed up with the amount of honking that he sent out a text to 13,000 New York City taxi drivers to "lay off the horn." It appears to be a good idea, but other drivers have fired back saying that it is very hard to drive a taxi for 10 hours a day in one of the busiest cities in the world without using some sort of horn to get attention from others around them. The $350 Honk refers to a law that was passed that charges drivers $350 for unnecessary honking. However, while this law seems to be a good idea, it really has no way of being enforced.

The author of this source seems to show no sort of bias or anything of the sort in this article. He simply provides the facts and a few examples of what has been done to try to eliminate the use of unnecessary honking in the city. He uses first-hand reports from drivers to show how angering it can be to drive in the city, both when having to honk and when being honked at. There are obviously some times when a honk can be used, but the author explains how there are many examples of people honking for other reasons, and uses the anger from New York City drivers to truly drive his point home.

Why Inequality in America is Even Worse Than You Thought

In recent studies, the United States has been slipping in the ranks of developed countries throughout the world. This article focuses on how the top 1% of the population has grown more wealthy in past years, while the rest of the population has dropped further off and detached from that 1%. Over the past 30 years, the income of the top 1% of households has increased 275%, while the rest of the nation has only increased anywhere between 15% and 40%. These numbers seem to truly show how badly our nation is separated. The poor are struggling in the streets, while the rich continue to grow wealthier and wealthier. This separation is an enormous problem in our society, and has contributed to us dropping in the Social Justice Index to 27th out of 31 developed nations (Salon.com). Overall, these numbers seem to show that we are not as well off as we appear to be.

While reading this article, I realized that the author, Justin Elliot, really is astonished by some of the information that he discovered. He appears to be disappointed with how the United States is going, and expresses this disappointment at numerous points in his article. He uses these percentages and graphs to drive his point home that we are struggling as a nation, and these statistics are primarily used to show that something must be done in order to keep up from falling any further in the rankings.

The Mystery of Left-Handedness

Being a "lefty" this story first appealed to me for many reasons. One, I had heard that there were rumors about left-handed people, and I had also heard that they are said to have had a shorter life-span on average. I also wanted to know how these rumors came to be, as they sound pretty ridiculous. It says in the article that lefties have a life span 9 years shorter on average than righties. It also said that most of the lefties in the world are gone by their forties. These numbers seem a little suspicious, as it seems insane that people would die younger just because they write with the other hand. How could such a simple difference lead to such dramatic results? It all just seems a little far-fetched to me to be true.

By writing this article, Rik Smits puts many of the myths and rumors to the test. He proves that there really are no advantages or disadvantages that come from which hand you write with. When writing this article, Smits use's jokes and dialogue that show how insane some of the rumors are. "Have you heard...Caroline's got LH."(Salon.com) This dialogue was used to show how weird it would be for someone to get worked up about being left handed. It simply just doesn't make sense.

How Cell Phone Cameras Shape OWS

Protestors from Occupy Wall Street have hit the streets recently with their picket-signs high. However, it is not what they are protesting that is interesting, it is how they are gaining attention. Granted there are many people who see them on the streets, but even more people see them on the internet, with the help of a few technological devices. Protesters are using their cell phones to shoot videos of certain acts or ideas that the protesters want to convey, and they post them for the world to see. In fact, Fox News had interviewed one of the protesters, but did not show it on the news because they felt that it hadn't gone the way they had hoped. But, what Fox didn't know was that there was a cell phone on the scene, and that video was soon on the internet for the whole world to see. Seemingly, this idea is very creative. As stated in the article, there are more cellphones in the United States than there are human beings (Salon.com). Obviously, the protesters at Occupy Wall Street have caught onto this information and used it to their advantage.

Joshua Holland, the author of this article, seems very informed when writing this article. It even seems as if he has been at the scene of the protests, as he incorporates numerous first-person reports from the area, and voices their arguments with their own dialogue. However, because this article is mostly quotations, it is impossible to determine if there is any bias in this article, since holland rarely voices his own opinion. Nevertheless, he is able to convey the freedom that the protesters feel knowing that their ideas are reaching the mainstream.

Palin Takes the Easy Way Out

How could anyone forget the 2012 republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska? In a way, no one can. She has remained in the headlines for years since the 2008 election because of her statements about whether or not she would make a go at the 2012 presidential election. However, recent comments by Palin have stated that she will not run for President, causing many people to be outraged by the hype that has been going on around her. She has built up the suspense about whether or not she would run simply to stay in the headlines, and oddly enough it has worked. I mean, come on, has there really ever been a single week since the 2008 election where Sarah Palin hasn't been in the news? However, this decision not to run may have saved-face for the governor. In recent polls, Palin only had a favorable rating of 44% with Republican voters, and 22% overall (Salon.com). Sure these seem like decent numbers, but in the last poll released before she announced her decision, Palin only had 10% in the GOP race, placing her fourth among candidates. Palin probably saw these numbers and thought that the best way to "save-face" was to withdraw and find another way to remain in the headlines.

Steve Kornacki does a pretty good job of detailing the specifics of this piece, but he also has a lot of bias statements that show his unfavorable opinion of Palin herself. He quotes reporters that are angry at the governor for creating all the hype and then simply deciding not to run, allowing myself to believe that he too is angry at the hype that she brought on. In addition, Kurnacki ends his article by stating that,"If she had decided to run now, Palin might have been out of our lives within in a few months. Instead, she'll be with us for years and years to come" (Salon.com). Obviously this statement shows his dislike of the governor and how he is upset at how her rouse had kept in the headlines, and will continue to keep her there for a long long time.

My Mother Never Worked Journal

"My Mother Never Worked" was s narrative story that posed a difficult question to answer. The story told of a mother of eight children who spent her entire life working in the home supporting her family. Every day from the minute she woke up to the minute she fell asleep, she worked at countless tasks throughout the household. And yet, when she dies, her children do not receive a Social Security benefits check because the benefits lawyer explained how, "your mother never worked."

Nowadays there are countless mom's that stay home all day to do housework and care for their children. Sure, this is a big responsibility, and I am in no way down grading stay-at-home moms for not being considered "wage earners" in this case, but it is a fact that they do not put in to the social security fund. Because of this fact, it seems logical that homemakers who have never been wage earners should not receive a Social Security Benefits check after their death. In many cases, there are households where both parents go out and work an 8 hour work day, and come home and still have to do all the tasks that a stay-at-home mom does throughout the entire day. And as they work, some of their pay check is taken out to go into the Social Security fund that is presently struggling to survive. I'm not saying that they aren't very hard working  individuals, but why should they receive my money that I put in when I'm working 9:00-5:00 5 days a week. It just doesn't seem logical.

Gov. Christie vs. 'Jersey Shore'

While the current season of Jersey Shore isn't even taking place on or around the actual Jersey Shore, there are still problems with it taking place in the state of New Jersey. Governor Christie has denied a $420,000 tax credit that was scheduled to go towards funding the show. However, by denying the already approved credit, Christie has crossed a fundamental aspect of the first amendment by by manipulating state money to control the subject of speech. Personally, I feel like the money itself will have no true effect on the TV show, as they already make about a zillion dollars an episode; what can a reduction of $420,000 really impact. However, the reasoning behind the drawback of the money does not seem right to me. Sure he doesn't like the show and how it portrays natural New Jersey citizens, but why does he get to decide to take money away from them just because he doesn't like them.

 

The author seems to agree with me, and in fact he seems to be almost outraged by the governors actions. Maybe the author is an avid Jersey Shore viewer, but there seems to be some hints of bias against the governor in his decisions. Saying things such as, "Mr. Christie should know better than to try to play censor," shows how the author truly thinks that Christie's actions were not justified. Perhaps the author truly is a Jersey Shore addict, cause those kind of opinions don't just come from nowhere.

The Wrong Lesson on a Longer School Day in Chicago

From the student point of view, Chicago has a pretty good deal with their school day hours. On average, Chicago public schools have 15% less hours of instruction than the average for the nation. Man they're lucky. If I had a choice, I would move to Chicago in second, but I have to do it fast before the new bill is enforced September of 2012 making the school days longer. Obviously, as a student, these longer school days that will be enforced will seem like a real bad idea, cause what student actually wants to be in school longer. But honestly, as a student from a DIFFERENT state, I think that the new hours will be great, cause why should Chicago students get to spend less hours in school than the rest of us. Sure the Chicago students may not like it, but from every single other student from other states it feels that the right thing to do.

The author of this article is not a student however, so he writes from a different perspective than the rest of us. From the parents' point of view, many think that it is a good thing. In addition, the author uses teachers statements to show that many teachers are on the band wagon with the new plan. "We did this with the best  interest of kids in mind," one teacher says. It seems like with the evidence that the author presents, many people in the state are behind the idea, and seem glad that it is going to be put into place.

Are Comedians Funnier When They're Fat?

When you think about it, there are many comedians who use their weight to their advantage. Chris Farley, a cast member on SNL for several years, was involved in countless skits that used his oversized gut as a means to get a laugh. The idea of comedians being funnier when they're fat doesn't really seems to make sense. This article focuses on Jonah Hill and his recent weightless accomplishments. Many people are angered by the change because they feel that it might change his comedic abilities. Sure, everyone loved him in Superbad, but the thought that just because he dropped a couple lb.'s he will be less funny is ridiculous.

The author of this article, Suzannah Gora, seemingly buys into the idea that the size of the comedian may actually make them funnier. She talks about certain comedians such as Farley and Jackie Gleason and talk about their, "combination of girth and boisterousness that creates the funny fat person." Obviously Gora thinks that many of the bigger comedians have figured out the fact that they can use their bigger physique to gain a following.

Fewer Teenagers in Lockups

Just last year, the wellness program at our own Hanover High School took a trip to a local prison as a field trip in order to give the students the experience of being "locked up." This field trip appeared to be a very good idea, as it apparently has a lasting effect on the teens of today. Fewer Teenagers in Lockups describes the changes that have occured in recent years to the punishment policies toward juvenile offenders. Many states have began to change their policies and have begun to lock up only those few offenders that commit serious crimes, such as homocide or rape, and treat those that commit less dangerous crimes closer to their own homes. In my opinion, this idea seems as if it is much better than the previous systems that took teens from their homes and placed them in correction facilities even for those that commit "harmless" crimes such as drug possessions and public indecencies. By treating them closer to their own homes and communities, it seems as if it will allow the teens to feel more comfortable during their punishment, and steer them away from turning into serious offenders. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I think that those that commit the less dangerous crimes shouldn't be punished; they did the crime they have to do the time. That time just doesn't have to be in a federal corrections facility.

The author of this article seems to agree with what many states are doing. When talking about the 80% of teens that are put away for drug possession, misdemeanors, and property crimes, he states that, "These teenagers would be more cheaply and effectively managed through programs that supervise and monitor them in the neighborhoods where they live." While this is the point behind the new system itself, the author states this as an opinion, showing how they support the change and see it as a positive one.


Fewer Teenagers in Lockups
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/opinion/fewer-teenagers-in-lockups.html?ref=editorials