Passage A
1. Did you know that until May 5 of every year, you're not really working for yourself?
2. A group in Washington, D.C. has learned that it takes workers an average of four months and four days to earn enough to pay their taxes.
3. In its study, the group learned that taxes constitute 34 percent of all the income in the United States.
4. So, if workers used their entire income for taxes, they would not be through paying them until May.
5. Being that May 5 is the first day people really work for themselves, the study group has some advice.
6. It would like for a bill to be passed naming May 5 “Tax Freedom Day.”
7. On that day, you would give yourself a break, regardless of how hard you worked.
8. Because, from May 5 on, you would finally be your own boss.

Passage B
1. Did you ever daydream about writing you’re life story?
2. Do you think that your life is too dull, or you can’t right?
3. Anyones life story is filled with fascinating events, and writing them down in the best way you no can give you a sense of accomplishment and, perhaps, leave a valuable inheritance to your family.
4. The first thing to do is to buy a looseleaf notebook.
5. Each page of the book should be titled with a significant milestone in your life—from your first dog to your proudest moment.
6. You should then jot down a few key words in the book whenever a memory comes back to you.
7. The idea is not to begin with “I was born . . .” and try to write a chronological history of your whole life.
8. Just delve into your passed at random; one memory will trigger another.
9. It will become quite easy after a while.
10. It is also important to write in your own language.
11. Plain honest writing is the goal.

Explicit Writing Worksheet

I do not think that you should go out with him because he has no job, therefore he may be lazy and unable to support you. Also, he just broke up with his long term girlfriend, so he may not want to make any new commitments at the moment.

Despite what many people want to believe, racial discrimination is still an important political issue in America today. For example, President Bush recently addresses schools about hate crimes that were being committed. More efforts must be made to fix this problem and reduce the amount of discrimination.

Argumentative essays should first address the problem, then clearly define the authors' views and opinions in order to help sway the reader towards his side. An essay may take a clear stand by either supporting or disagreeing with an issue, but it must also give valid evidence to help the readers believe in what the author is saying. For example, the author cannot just list why capital punishment should be abolished, he must also connect with the reader and give reasons to support his claims.

"How to Say Nothing in Five Hundred Words," by Paul Roberts, was full of great and useful information, but I unfortunately had no way to relate to any of it. Reading it was like listening to a boring lecture in a school subject that I am not interested in.

In-Class Writing Revisions

Many practicing engineers and scientists admit they spend at least half of their time writing memos and reports. On the contrary, the majority of college students going into business careers think their secretaries will ultimately do all of their writing for them. This attitude shows a naive faith in the competency of their secretaries; and young business people seldom have private secretaries in the first place. Moreover, students going into the technical or scientific fields often think that writing is something they seldom have to do. Therefore, many of them foolishly object to taking courses in writing because of their unrealistic that only poets and novelists have to write. Ultimately, in order for a person in any field to succeed, it is crucial that they know how to clearly express and articulate their ideas into words.

Topic Proposal

• I am taking a global approach to presenting a policy argument about to issue of police corruption in the United States of America.
• The issue at hand is that police corruption exists in America today, and not enough measures are being taken in order to prevent/stop its occurrence.  Corruption, which is by definition, "the abuse of police authority for personal or organizational gain," comes in many forms, including drug trafficking, money laundering, stealing equipment, bribery, blackmail, extortion, illegal use of lethal force, or personal favors for friends and family members.  Police forces are supposed to be upstanding, virtuous protectors of the people, but this is not always the case. 
• A solution to the prominent problem of police corruption in America includes a multi-fold program initiating the help of U.S. government, U.S. law enforcement agencies, and also of U.S. citizens.  The solution involves many areas, specifically, higher recruitment standards, a more stringent emphasis on ethics during training, an increase in the responsibilities of police management officers, and working to control both the future and present actions of the officers in ways that both prevent and put a halt to unlawful behavior through punishment. 
• This proposed solution would help fix the problem for many reasons.  First, part of the issue alone is that unqualified, undeserving officers are being hired, and more competitive recruitment qualifications would fix this problem alone.  Secondly, if the officers are trained from the onset of their careers to behave like the respectable, hard-working policemen that they should be, they will be less likely to stray from their intended career paths.  Also, officers in managerial positions need to be more focused on controlling the behaviors of their subordinates so as to report and punish officers who are doing the wrong.  Preventative actions can be taken to ensure that officers do not even have any opportunities to act corruptly, and disciplinary actions can be taken to establish a reason for officers to fear corruption and the consequences of it. 
• I am basing this proposal on the perspective which stated that too many police officers in America today are abusing their power and doing more harm than good.  People who support this opinion believe that corruption is a major problem among law enforcement agencies, and it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. 
• Goldschmidt, Jona. "The Necessity of Dishonesty: Police Deviance, Making the Case, and the Public Good." Policing & Society 
• Holloway, Brandon. "Police Corruption." International Encyclopedia of Justice Studies
• "Police Corruption." Inquisition 21st Century
• I am concerned about being detailed enough in my proposal to stop/decrease police corruption.  I hope that I can clearly articulate exact, detailed ways to stop the problem, instead of just proposing broad, general ways to try and fix it.

Campus Issue

I would choose to improve the issue of parking on the USC campus. This is a persistent and extremely prominent problem amongst both students and faculty, and it would be very helpful if the school did more to help fix the problem. There are more cars than there are parking spaces, so often, people are forced to park in illegal spots, or spots with meters that have very short time limits. I personally already spent $350 on a garage spot per semester, and still have accumulated an outrageous bill for parking tickets in addition to the initial parking permit fee. The parking permit that I purchased only allows me to park in one, singular parking garage. So, what happens when students need to drive elsewhere on campus? They have nowhere to leave their cars, so, having a car is almost useless because it can only be left in one place. In order to fix this problem, more effort could be made to build more parking garages in places where only small lots exist. Also, people with parking permits to one garage could be allowed access to an array of parking lots and garages, not just one. Another helpful change would be if the costs of parking tickets were lowered. The university has complete control over these prices, and they seem to be greedily creating revenue that is not necessarily deserved. If students do not have access to the classroom buildings, workout facilities, and residence halls, then what is the point of them paying such exorbitant housing, book, and tuition fees in the first place? The school is here for the students to learn in, so why should they be punished for parking outside of their own dorm building or their own classroom building for too long? Tickets should not be given so frequently and at such high rates, and more effort should be put towards creating more ample parking lots, garages, and spaces around campus.

Free Write

One instance that changed my perspectives on an issue of importance occurred in my senior year of high school when two girls in my graduating class announced that they were pregnant. Coming from a small, private Catholic high school, it was always taught in our religion classes that abortion is never the answer. However, once these girls both became pregnant and decided to keep the babies or have them and give them up for adoption, they were frowned upon and ostricized by much of the community. It seems that there is a double standard, and although so many people believe that abortion is inhumane, should be illegal, and is an ethically and morally corrupt act, many of the same people judge a girl for NOT getting an abortion if they are pregnant out of wedlock. I now believe that abortion is unfair to the unborn child, and if a mother decides to keep her child, despite whether or not she is married, or too young, etc., she should be admired and not judged for having sex in the first place.

SWA #11: pg. 336 #9

The credibility of an article can be measured by whether or not the source is associated with an upstanding, recognizable organization, by the domain that it is listed under, by whether or not the source is published in a peer-reviewed journal, by if it is current, well-edited, reasonable, well-documented, and by if it is moral, ethical, and supported by evidence that is unbiased.  Based on these various types of criterion, not all of the articles on homelessness in Columbia would be considered credible.  The most credible articles might be those such as "What Did Not Work: Effort to Centralize Homeless Services" by C. Grant Jackson, and "Opposition to Shelter Rises" by John C. Drake.  These articles provide quotes from people offering opinions about the matter at hand, and they insert data and solid facts that serve as evidence to help support their points.  In contrast to the many editorials presented in this chapter, these articles are much more unbiased, and they portray all sides of the issue.  

Some of the less-credible articles in this chapter include "Columbia Council Should Support Mission, Homeless", "Columbia Must Care for Homeless as Well as Bantus", because they are editorials, and they do not even provide the reader with an author's name.  The level of  credibility is instantly detracted from because the audience does not know whether a trustworthy, reliable person is writing the words, and they are provided with no logical reason as to why they should trust the author's opinion.  These articles present much less solid, factual evidence helping to make their points, and instead, they offer subjective views about one side of the issue.  These would not make good sources in a scholarly research paper because they are limited as to the amount of reasonable proof and support they provide.  Less credible sources can however be used in a research paper if the writer is trying to sway the audience one certain way instead of arguing all sides of an issue. 

In-Class Writing

I. Out of the three articles written for The State newspaper, I think that ultimately, "What Did Not Work: Effort to Centralize Homeless Services," by C. Grant Jackson, was the most effective editorial. It discussed various reasons as to why the Four Corners of Hope project proposal was rejected, and it also continued on to state possible ways to fix the proposal and still make it work. It analyzed all aspects of the project, such as where it would have been located, how much time and money it would take to build, and exactly why the community thought it would or would not be an effective investment. It clearly presented the issue at hand, then it discussed a "Business Solution" to the problem, and also provided a section about "What's Next." It was positive and optimistic.



II.

SWA #10: pg. 336 #10

The three editorials from "The State" newspaper are entitled "One-Stop Homeless Center on Meeting Agenda Today," "What Did Not Work: Effort to Centralize Homeless Services," "Group Still Seeks Homeless Site." They all empoly a similar rhetorical style because they are all arguging the same general topic, about building homeless shelters and services in new locations. The arguments differ from piece to piece slightly, for example, the first article by John Drake argues that Columbia could potentially have a homeless center that features food, rehab, and shelter by next fall; however, it will be difficult, expensive, and somewhat tough to actually make the plans come to fruition. The second article, by C. Grant Jackson, called for the creation of the "Four Corners of Hope" project on Shop Road, but the project proposal failed, so Jackson discusses why it failed, and how its failure may have at least succeeded in directing the communities attention toward the prominence of the issue of homelessness. Jeff Wilkinson's article is short, and its argument is an overview of the first two editorials. The differences in the three editorials is the general attitude toward whether or not these homeless shelters should be built, how much time, effort, and money should be put towards their creations, and the author's beliefs about whether or not the community agrees or disagrees with the need for a homeless shelter/rehab center.

SWA #9: pg. 77 #4

Using the term "retarded" as a negative, derogatory insult is "hate speech" as Lynn Smith states.  Mentally retarded people have feelings just like those without disabilities do, and hearing someone indirectly attack them like that can really hurt their self esteem and bruise their egos.  It is safe to assume that anyone who uses the word "retarded" in a derogatory manner is not acquainted with anyone who is truly retarded.  If so, they surely would not use the term to describe their loved one.  Similarly, when teenagers are trying to make fun of someone, they might say "you are so gay."  However, they would not use this particular insult to attack someone who actually is homosexual.  Because people are implying that it is an undesirable, bad, negative thing to be "gay" or "retarded", they are imposing hate on those who they attack with these insults; therefore, it is "hate speech", and it is rude, demeaning, and ignorant. 

Using the term "retarded" to describe someone who is not actually retarded is not always "hate speech" because it is just a word that happens to describe someone with a mental disability.  A word becomes derogatory depending on how it is used.  By definition, the word "retard" quite literally means "to delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment."  Therefore, someone could correctly use the word to describe someone who may not exactly be mentally retarded, but who is having trouble accomplishing a task, or taking a long time to progress at a given activity, etc.  If someone was wasting their time chatting on the phone and watching television, it would not be "hate speech" if a friend told them to "stop being so retarded," because they literally are being held back in terms of progress and accomplishment.  In this sense, the term has nothing to do with demeaning or abusing a person with mental disabilities.  

In Class Writing #2

1. The issue being discussed is the controversy behind Barbie dolls, and the idea that they may cause poor body image in girls, and that Barbie is the epitomy of an impossible level of beauty that a normal female will never be able to obtain. Barbie dolls swept the nation and they are a crucial part of practically every little girl's childhood; they are everywhere, and they do also have many good qualities to them, such as improving imagination and being a positive, successful role model.

2. The argument is solid and well-analyzed. She thoroughly discusses all aspects of the argument and he provides good examples to back up her claims. The author creates lots of credibility for herself and logically appeals to the audience, who may be parents of children who want to purchase Barbies for their own children, or girls who own/owned Barbies themselves.

3. There are "anti-Barbie camps," "pro-Barbie camps," and "Barbie moderates."

• Anti-Barbie: Barbie sets impossible standards of beauty that girls strive for, but will never be able to reach, so they are setting girls up for defeat, and creating negative body images. Her thin, blonde appearance is a superficial stereotype, and she is overly materialistic.
• Pro-Barbie: Barbie fosters imagination and healthy games to play. She is also very multi-faceted, holding an enormous range of jobs/professions, and she sends a message that girls can be whoever they want to be if they set their minds to it.
• Barbie moderates: They recognize both the positive and negative aspects to Barbie dolls. By banning Barbie, there will still be poor body image, and she is not necessarily the source of the problem.

4. The author remains successfully unbiased. She presents all sides of the issue, shows several different viewpoints, and analyzes each equally. At the very end however, she does admit that Barbie is not necessarily the cause of the issues that people believe she has created among children in the world. She says that our culture is wrongly blaming the Barbie doll for issues that are inherently problematic already. Thus, although the entirety of the essay is unbiased and fair to each position, the author seems to favor the moderate Barbie standpoint.

Most Interesting Thing from Research

Throughout all of the reading and researching I did about the topic of police corruption, I found it to be very interesting that so many studies and cases have proven the prevalence and existence of extreme levels of corruption, yet it still exists. I wish that there were police officers to punish the police officers, just as they do to people who break normal laws. It seems that in our society today, whatever they say, goes. Research and studies showed that law enforcement officers even admitted to bending the rules and doing immoral things in order to benefit themselves, but, why is there still corruption? More effort should be put into the search for upstanding officers, and more training and regulation of their authority should be instated to ensure that integrity among police officers still exists.

Topic Proposal

1. I would like to explore the levels of corruption and the amount of integrity within today's police forces in the United States. Is there more injustice or justice amongst law enforcement officers, and are they given too much power?

2. There are many cases in which innocent people die, get injured, or murdered because of a police officer, whether it be directly or indirectly. While they often tend to go above and beyond their job descriptions in a positive way, sometimes they exceed their expectations in ways that are unjust, immoral, illegal, and unfair to the common citizen. People all over the country are affected by the police in both positive and negative ways. Many, probably those who have been directly corrupted by the actions of a police officer, believe that law enforcement agencies have been granted too much power and too few restrictions on how to use this power. Many others believe that the police are completely beneficial and valuable to society, and that they should have ultimate authority in all situations.

3.

a. Too many police officers are abusing their power and doing more harm than good.
b. The police are only doing their jobs and they should not have any limits or restrictions on the amount of power they are given. They are not corrupt and they are helping society.
c. Police officers have too much power but they are all deserving of their titles and positions, so the power is safe in their hands.
d. People who hold positions in law enforcement offices do not see that there are any flaws or issues in the systems or in their behaviors and practices.

4. I believe that police officers are in high demand, so the qualifications needed, the amount of training required, and the levels of background checks being performed on potential candidates are quickly decreasing. Holding a position a police officer is an extremely powerful, honorable, and arduous task, and I believe that those granted this privilege must be absolutely qualified and deserving of the job in every single way possible.

Annotated Bibliography

Goldschmidt, Jona. "The Necessity of Dishonesty: Police Deviance, Making the Case, and the Public Good." Policing & Society 18:2 (2008): 113-135. Academic Source Premier. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia, SC. 24 Feb. 2009. .

This article is an actual case study relating to ten actual police officers, rather than a large, broad generalized category of police officers as a whole. The ten officers are asked their attitudes and beliefs about the use of dishonesty in their day-to-day practices, and their opinions on the motivations that may or may not cause police corruption among today's forces. This article is useful because it provides solid fact-based data and surveys from real, life officers who see firsthand the integrity of themselves and their peers, their subordinates, their bosses, etc.; this solid evidence would provide sound, logical, exigent evidence and support in my paper. They give honest accounts that explain how police deviance benefits themselves both personally and professionally; thus, directly helping me show that corruption exists and that it is prevalent.

Helms, R. "The impact of political context on local law enforcement resourcing: An analysis of deputy employment rates in US counties." Policing & Society 17.2 (2007): 182-206. Criminal Justice Abstracts. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia, SC. 1 Mar. 2009. .

This source from the Criminal Justice Abstracts will be highly effective in my paper because of its thoroughness and complexity of analysis. There is a surplus of data and experimental support that will help show the differences in the strength of law enforcement agencies throughout various U.S. counties, particularly, the differences between more complex and less complex organizations. It states explores 190 different sheriff's offices throughout the United States, and concludes that law enforcement personnel are strongest and have the highest number of deputies in counties where voters are strongly supportive of law and order, and in counties that capture large portions of the county budget. This data could add an interesting spin to my paper by explaining several factors that cause a law enforcement agency to be successful and functional; if these factors are missing, there is a higher chance that corrupt and ineffective police officers will be hired.

Holloway, Brandon. "Police Corruption." International Encyclopedia of Justice Studies (Dec. 2002). 1 March 2007. .

This source is a definitional, informational summary and exploratory essay about the general issue of police corruption itself. It will be helpful in the essay to differentiate between what actions actually qualify as corrupt, immoral, or unlawful. People's opinions differ about what police officers should and should not be able to do. There are many ways to define corruption, but some of the violations include bribes, personal favors, being persuaded to look the other way for friends and family members, or more grandiose violations such as drug trafficking and money laundering. I must find an operational definition of what is just and what is unjust in order to write an unbiased exploratory essay, and this article will be very helpful in doing that.

Huberts, Leo, Lamboo, Terry, Maurice, Punch. "Police Integrity In The Netherlandsand and the United States: Awareness and Alertness." Police Practice & Research 4.3 (Sep. 2003): 217-233. Academic Source Premier. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia, SC. 24 Feb. 2009
.

In this particular article, the authors compare the U.S. to the Netherlands in regards to their awareness about the set norms and values that police officers are to follow, and also in regards to their alertness, or their willingness to report acts of deviance or violations of their colleagues. This will be extremely useful because it offers a level of comparison to which I can relate the United States to somewhere else, to show other possible levels of integrity somewhere else. The article provides 47 in-depth interviews with police officers which will provide helpful, detailed examples of evidence to either show the corruption or the integrity of various police officers.

"Police Corruption." Inquisition 21st Century (2003). 25 March 2009 .

Similar to the previous source, this article gives in-depth analysis and break down of the various levels and types of police corruption. It discusses possible police executions through shootings or electrocution without prosecution, as well as various possibilities for corruption and the extent of the corruption. Much of this source is made up of letters and quotes from real people and responses from real police officers and politicians. The rebuttals from police officers about citizen's inquiries may offer valid support against the corruption and help show officers in a positive way. Specific examples will be needed as support and proof that there is or is not a real problem at hand.

"Police Shooting Revives Debate Over Use of Lethal Force." Criminal-Law Lawyer Source (19 Nov 2007). 24 Feb 2009 .

This online article is somewhat different than the other sources, because it is spurred by a very case-specific account of a one-time event. It comes from a Criminal-Law Lawyer Source website, so perhaps lawyers use articles such as this one to prove cases that are seeking to find a police officer innocent or guilty. It is very brief and concise, and it summarizes a police shooting in New York that killed an 18-year-old teenage girl. This killing is one of several that have made headlines in recent years, and this is a recurring problem among police officers. This short article will help set precedence and provide the paper with specific instances where police may have too much power. In this case, I can show that many believe that police should not have the ability to use lethal force, and that a large number of people are against their use of weapons, because innocent people are dying as a result.

Schafer, Joseph A., Martinelli, Thomas J. "First-line Supervisor's Perceptions of Police Integrity- The Measurement of Police Integrity Revisited." Policing- An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management 31:2 (2008): 306-323. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Thomas Cooper Library, Columbia, SC. 26 Feb. 2009 .

This is a very informative and relevant article that analyzes the operational definition of police integrity. It explores how supervisor's define police integrity situations and the use of a police integrity instrument. 478 lieutenants and sergeants completed the survey instrument in this study, and it shows that respondents tended to claim that they had better integrity than their peers. This appears to be a common trend, and many police officers may not see themselves or their actions as being corrupt, while citizens, or even fellow officers may disagree with them. First-line supervisor's opinions are important to take into consideration in this paper because they probably play a large role in the hiring, training, and regulating of officer's behaviors.

"Videos to be Installed in L.A. Police Cars." Criminal-Law Lawyer Source (30 Nov 2006). 24 Feb 2009 .

This article is also an extremely short and brief source that comes from the Criminal-Law Lawyer Source. It is stating that in 2007, new digital video cameras would be installed in many Los Angeles Police Department patrol cars in order to keep a closer watch on how arrests are made, and whether the police officers are following procedures and regulations correctly. It is not very detailed, but it shows that efforts are being made to maintain justice and integrity among police officers, which is an important position to be discussed in my paper. I want to show that if police officers are in fact using unnecessary force or illegal actions to make arrests, at least the issue is being addressed, and it has come to the attention of LAPD inspectors.

Bibliography (5 sources)

I have chosen to explore the integrity of today's police forces.  I feel that many of the United States's law enforcement officers are more corrupt than they are honest and upstanding.  Does the number of good cops outweigh the number of bad cops? 

Works Cited

Goldschmidt, Jona. "The Necessity of Dishonesty: Police Deviance, Making the Case, and the Public Good. Policing and Society Vol 18:2 (2008). p .113-135. 

Orces, Diana. "Corruption Victimization by the Police." Revista De Diencia Politica. Vol 28:3 (2008). p. 203-208. 

"Police Shooting Revises Debate Over Use of Lethal Force." Criminal-Law Lawyer Soure. 19 Nov 2007. 24 Feb 2009 .

Schafer, Joseph A., and Martinelli, Thomas J. "First-line Supervisor's Perceptions of Police Integrity- The Measurement of Police Integrity Revisited." Policing- An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management Vol 31:2 (2008). p. 306-323. 

"Videos to be Installed in L.A. Police Cars." Criminal-Law Lawyer Source. 30 Nov 2006. 24 Feb 2009 .

SWA #7: EA pg. 70

1. Library subscription databases allow you to search for information through many years' worth of articles from a wide range of various print periodicals.  The world wide web, unlike subscription databases, is free, it is available to anyone, and you do not need a password to access it.  Through both of these tools, you can find a large amount of information, but all information on the internet does not go through an editor or a publisher.  It is up to the reader's discretion to differentiate between the useless and the helpful websites. 

2. A bibliography is an alphabetically arranged list of evaluated sources that the writer has deemed to be credible, topic-related, and potentially valuable to the research.  An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that includes summaries and responses that are attached to each listing.  Summaries show you understand the each source and the responses show your thoughts and reactions about them.  It helps gather all of your sources, their content, your thoughts, etc. all in one, compact place. 

3. A credible source must be may be one that has been published in a print or online journal that is peer-reviewed. 

4. A research plan would help guide your research and make it run more smoothly.  Having a set plan makes the work easier, faster, and less cumbersome because in the midst of researching and writing the paper, if you get sidetracked, you can always resort to your original plan to help you stay on track. 

5. Plagiarism is "when a writer deliberately uses someone else's language, ideas, or other original material without acknowledging its source."  Basically, it is taking someone else's work and claiming it as your own.  It can be avoided by closely monitoring your paraphrasing and summarizing throughout all aspects of research.  Keep your ideas separate from other's, and note each and every quotation mark in your notes. 

Post Secret Card

Reflect on your Post Secret card

My Post Secret card stated the secret that "I believe in aliens." It is a simple card with a picture of three green aliens against a black background, and the text is handwritten at the bottom in green print. I am not exactly positive what made me choose to make this particular card, but I was simply stating that I think there is life outside of the planet Earth. The black background represents the unknown aspects to this claim. The endless, limitless world beyond Earth is dark and mysterious, like a black hole of doubt. The green cartoon alien characters are representative of our societies interpretation of what aliens could concievably look like. I chose this image because it shows that there is at least a chance of there being an existence of some other life form. There is no real underlying meaning to the secret, and I simply stated the fact that extraterrestrials exist to me, because it is fun and exciting to imagine such a possibility.

SWA #6: Mac Advertisements

I chose to compare the 1984 commercial to the 1994 advertisement.  Although the two were only made ten years apart from one another, they are entirely different in practically every way possible.  The 1984 ad firstly is trying to sell the Macintosh to a group of people who have probably never heard the word Macintosh.  This commercial signals the very first outbreak of Mac into the world, so the video had to be exceptionally effective in order to find a new, innovative way to attract people to this new and innovative concept.  This first commercial portrays the computer as a brand-new, extraordinary piece of technological equipment.  It is unlike anything that anyone at this time had ever seen before, so the video had to match this.  The commercial was futuristic and had a sci-fi tone to it.  It would most likely appeal to a younger generation of people who were trying to keep up with the most recent trends and fads.  It appealed to anyone wanting to be ahead of the times and unlike the "1984" they knew.  It would most likely not be effective in a contemporary setting because the theme would be outdated today. 

The 1994 commercial was entirely different in its nature, because at this point, the Mac had already been around for years.  People already knew of the brand, thus, this ad was not made in order to attract people or hook them on the name.  Instead, the commercial set out with the goal of informing people.  It was more of an "info-mercial," and it was simply filled with endless facts and details about the Persona computer.  It's audience was probably a group of business people, entrepreneurs, or possibly families looking to invest in a personal computer for their home.  This ad portrayed the Mac as reliable, trustworthy, and prudent.  In contrast to the message in 1984 which was loud, upbeat, and catchy, the 1994 ad was dull, slow, and droning. 

Post Secret

The Post Secret card that I chose to discuss is one on our class blog. It is the card that says, "I think God caused my accident to teach me not to be so vain." The picture depicts the face of a "once-attractive" teenage boy being pulled away from the face of a now "un-attractive" disfigured boy. The old face shadows the new face, almost like a dark, gloomy ghost haunting the boy. As the audience, my first instincts tell me that he was involved in an automobile accident, possibly one caused by drunk driving or some sort of recklessness. The faces look young, which might imply the haphazardness and carefree spirits of many teenagers. The black and white, cloudy background of the photo also helps create a somber, regretful tone to the card. The boy has been physically disfigured because of this accident, and his old appearance is something that he misses, but will unfortunately never have back.

The overall message of this card is that God gives us one chance on this Earth, and it is up to us to maximize our time here. Beauty is fleeting, so why waste our time worrying about it? The textual support here is the exact quote from the boy. He is implying that God has punished him for being vain. If this were the case, probably each and every human being would have been in some sort of accident or unfortunate, harmful circumstance at one point or another; because, unfortunately, practically everyone is vain. The more implicit, underlying claim is that our time here is short, and we must each live up to our own potentials while we have the chances. People should not waste their precious time looking in the mirror or worrying about what other people think, because in the blink of an eye, it could all be gone.

Advertisement

I chose to write about "Upcider's" 2005 magazine advertisement. This particular photograph depicts a bride and groom in a limousine on their wedding day, but there are several exceptions that do not make this a typical honeymooning couple.  The groom is what appears to be a normal looking human body dressed in a tuxedo, however his head is that of a pig.  The bride is dressed in a white wedding dress, as the audience would expect, and she appears to look very prim and proper.  The bride is holding a bottle of Upcider's, and she looks very overjoyed and exuberant because of what lies in her hands.  The catch phrase at the bottom of the photo says, "Could always sulk."  

This advertisement first caught my attention because I love pigs :).  But, more importantly, the unruly pig next to a beautiful bride automatically strikes the reader as being unusual, strange, even comical; therefore, it is worthy of further exploration.  The audience is probably a wide range of adults, particularly anyone who is wanting to have a good time by forgetting all of their troubles.  The advertisement effectively argues that life is too short, so why spend it worrying about the small things, when you could be out living and having fun.  Instead of sulking, pop open a bottle of Upcider's and just relax.  I think that the argument is catchy and entertaining, and the photo supports the argument perfectly. 

Written vs. Visual Arguments

A written argument and a corresponding visual argument could both be trying to make the exact same point, but they could be viewed entirely differently than one another because visual arguments are more open to interpretation. For example, in a written argument such as a rhetorical analysis paper, the writer has pages and pages of space to fully articulate his or her message, to sway the reader, to provide an introduction, evidence, support, a conclusion, etc. On the contrary, a visual argument such as a picture, comic strip, billboard, or commercial, occupies a much smaller space. They often only have seconds to portray their argument, so the creator of the visual object must find a fast, catchy, and instant way to catch the readers attention. They have no time to introduce, support, or conclude their argument. It must be consise, yet thorough, and it must make its claim in a small amount of space with few or no words, in a short amount of time.

In-Class Writing #2

Essay Author and Title: "If You Run a Red Light, Will Everyone Know?" by: Brad Stone

Central Argument of the Essay: (p.1) A new website, http://www.criminalsearches.com/, allows anyone with access to the Internet to search the name of any person and find out their entire criminal record. The site is free, it is available to anyone, and it is the end of privacy as we know it.

My Central Claim about the nature/effectiveness of the argument in the essay: Stone does a splendid job of stating his claim and fully discussing all aspects of the topic. The topic is clearly expressed and analyzed, but Stone could concievably state his own opinion about whether these websites are a positive or negative thing.

This is how the author manipulated the rhetorical appeals: The author used specific examples (Intelius.com, PeopleScanner.com, CriminalSearches.com, Tray.com, etc.) of existing websites. He also quoted people and used past records to relate to the topic.

The logos appeal: Logically, the argument is that too much information is being made available to the general public. The website may be too extreme and such information like people's speeding tickets and driving records does not necessarily need to be viewed by the entire world.

The ethos appeal: Stone appears well-educated, knowledgable, and passionate about the topic. I trust his facts and feel that he is qualified to be speaking about the topic.

The pathos appeal: Yes, you may want to check up on your babysitter's past criminal or non-criminal history, but would you want YOUR past criminal or non-criminal history be available to the world?

My conclusion about the nature/effectiveness of the argument in the essay:

Free Write

"The Chicken Soup Chronicles"
By: Nora Ephron

I liked the essay from the beginning because her introduction was catchy. It was not too educational, factual, boring, etc. It drew me in instantly. I was very intrigued by her assertion that chicken soup could even possibly be the cause of a cold. I had the same thoughts about her claims about breast feeding causing allergies, computers causing the decline of movies, reading about hand washing leads to memory loss, and ultimately, the claim that Google is leading to the end of conversation as we know it. She appeals to my emotions, because I feel that the world is changing in a negative way. Her evidence is perfectly used, and she makes her point without boring me. The audience could be anyone. Her ideas are logically sound, and it makes me emotionally feel that the technological revolution could be hurting the value of our lives today.

Responses to Ch. 10 Readings

1. "If you run a red light, will everyone know?"
   

I found this article to be extremely interesting, and I wholeheartedly agree that all American citizens' rights to privacy are not being fulfilled.  If a criminal has been convicted, gone to jail, and served his sentence, why should his record follow him around like a scarlet letter?  Why should the past have to haunt him and mark him as a monster for the rest of his life?  Subsequently, "non-criminal" offenses such as running a red light, speeding, or other various traffic violations are also personal matters that should not necessarily be allowed to be common public record for the world to see.  The internet is a powerful tool that has a multitude of benefits and rewards, but it seems that it is often pushed past the limit.  Stone's essay is clearly researched and he has generous amounts of data and evidence to back up his points, so it is easy to be swayed by his arguments.  He does a good job of pulling his reader in both emotionally and rationally. 

1. "Chicken Soup Chronicles" 
   

Nora Ephron's New York Times essay is witty, catchy, and it caught my attention immediately.  The topic was interesting, and it makes a true statement about the world today and people's increasing dependence on believing everything they hear.  The internet is changing the way people live, eat, sleep, and, as Ephron points out, even the way people converse with one another.  The bulk of her essay is filled with interesting anecdotes, stories, and examples that ultimately result in the final statement that Google is damaging the existence of crucial human interaction.  The text keeps the reader interested until the very end, and she has a strong closing to summarize her overall message.  The essay is non-biased, and it could relate to practically anyone regardless of their age group, gender, or religion.  

SWA #4

After carefully analyzing Alex William's 2005 New York Times piece entitled, "Realistic Idealists," I feel motivated to try to catch up with many of my generation and become more involved in my community.  Williams explores the large array of recent community service projects that have resulted from the work of children even younger than I; I cannot help but feel proud, impressed, and also slightly intimidated by their accomplishments.  The essay is clear and persuasive, with extensive research, facts, and firsthand accounts and examples to help prove his point.  

I personally relate exceptionally well to the words and issues presented here, because I, like many of the people mentioned in the essay, was required to complete numerous hours of community service throughout my middle school and high school years.  I have to admit that I somewhat resented these forced acts, and overall, I was just "looking to impress admissions officers."  Williams caught my attention, but I think that his words reach out to practically all possible audiences.  He brings in evidence and personal accounts from people my parents' age, my older siblings and younger siblings' ages, and also from other college students of my own generation.  

He efficiently tells about what a great impact our children's community service is having on the world today and then delves into the possible causes for this altruistic outburst of giving back.  Williams is clearly educated, and obviously he is a reputable and credible writer since his piece was published in the highly respected New York Times.  He does an excellent job of tying together relevant statistics, moral issues, and social trends into one all-encompassing topic.  

SWA #3

The United States of America is supposed to be a "free country;" everyone is supposed to be entitled to freedom of speech, of religion, of thought, of expression, etc., as long as their words and actions do not infringe upon the rights of others. Because all Americans are allowed to hold their own individual beliefs, debates and arguments are unavoidable. One particularly current argument among our country today, is that of the importance of race. Especially since the time of President Obama's recent election, this topic has been causing an excessive amount of controversy; people say it is not about race, but many statistics prove otherwise. Does race still matter in America? Unfortunately, it appears that it does.

Obama's election did in fact mark a tremendous turning point in the history of this nation. The fact that a black president was elected shows that people are making strides towards the future and are finally discarding many lingering discriminatory practices, traditions, and values. However, as stated in Emmett Carson's article entitled, "Pro/Con: Does Race Still Matter?," discrimination against African Americans is still prevalent today. For example, the poverty rate of African Americans is 24 percent, compared with the 8 percent rate of white Americans. Also, African American infants are currently twice as likely as white infants to die before their first birthday. People claim that the times have changed and that we are all equal, but one has to wonder if this is true.

Ultimately, America may not be as free and accepting as it claims to be. Arguments still occur despite people's supposed aims to accept everyone's values, regardless of whether or not they adhere to their own. The "land of the free" now has a black president, yes, however, there are still many steps that must be taken in order to lessen race distinctions. People argue that class does not matter, however, those very same people refuse to support their nation's president, merely because of the color of his skin. Everyone must learn to practice what they preach, and promote a national identity that is not based on class, race, gender, skin color, or religion.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2008/06/08/racismis.html?cxntlid=informartr

SWA #2

Katherine Parker's "Seeking Balance in an Either/Or World" is a fascinating essay about the importance of finding the middle ground in life.  We live in a world that is ultimately dominated by extremists who battle one another from their opposite ends of each spectrum. Where is the middle pathway, and why do Americans have such a hard time accepting those who want to travel down it?  

I think that Parker did a wonderful job composing this piece, and her writing style instantly captured my attention.  Not only did she bring to light many important issues that I agreed with, but more importantly, she did it in a catchy and appealing way.  Not only on the topic of abortion, but also on an array of political, social, moral, and ethical topics, I find myself being one of the "fence-straddlers" whom Parker mentions.  I am often comforted by settling on the notion of centrism, because I believe that it does in fact promote "reason, decency, and a practical perspective."  

I support Parkers words, and I feel that all of my life I have been surrounded by these exact issues.  I attended Catholic school from Kindergarten through 12th grade, so the notion of abortion was often raised, and I always took the middle road although most around me did not.  The priests taught us that abortion can never, under any circumstances, be justified.  However, if a girl at our school announced that she was pregnant and was choosing to keep her child, she was deeply frowned upon and ostracized by those very same priests who claimed to be "pro-life."  

From personal experience, I find that it is wise to always see both sides of an argument and be willing to consider all aspects of a situation.  As Parker stated, "inflexibility leads to deadlock or dooms a cause to irrelevance;" so, why is it such a bad thing for people to make compromises and seek out the middle ground?  

SWA #1

Ever since I first learned how to even spell my name, I can think of a huge array of different writing assignments I have completed throughout the years.  I have written a countless number of poems, research papers, letters, short stories, and essays.  Out of all of these various experiences, I think that ultimately, my best writing experience occurred during my senior year Creative Writing Class.  My teacher was extremely tough on his students, and although I sometimes thought that he had too high expectations of us, he ended up pushing me to write the best work that I had within me.  

At the end of this particular writing class, we all turned in a final portfolio which was a compilation of the entire year's work.  Very similar to this English 102 class, it required many revisions, and lots of time and effort went into this expansive project.  My portfolio turned out amazingly, I received an A+ on it, and looking back on the graded works, I could hardly believe that the printed words had come out of my own mind.  I was extremely proud of my short stories and poems; and I was also thankful that my teacher forced me to push myself out of my comfort zone.  

Although I have had such rewarding experiences as that portfolio, there have also been many instances where I struggle and almost loathe the writing process.  During my junior year of high school, I had to write numerous papers for my A.P. United States History class.  Most importantly, I was assigned a 10-12 page research paper.  This paper was very frustrating to me because in order to be able to effectively meet the length requirements, I wanted to find a topic that actually interested me.  However, history generally bores me, so I had an extremely hard time initially finding a topic before I could even begin the tedious researching.  Citing the many articles and books was a complicated and time consuming task, and I found it hard to stay on topic for the entirety of a paper that long.  Ultimately, I completed the assignment and pulled together a well-written paper, but it was not easy for me to do, and I did not enjoy the process overall.