ENG 001: Language and Writing

Sound Track of my Life

2008-05-05T20:31:00.041-05:00

Don Mclean, "American Pie": As Don Mclean sings upon that stage so many years ago, he tells of a story of America during his time. With reference to Buddy Holly and the plane crash, the assassination of J.F.K., and the Vietnam war, the words he uses act as symbols to a time lost in history. These symbols like album titles of the Beatles, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and Bob Dylan, he referenced the music of then and of his now. One specific reference is that of the Chevrolet pickup truck, "Bye, Bye, Miss America, Bye. I drove the Chevy to the levy, but the levy was dry, and the good ole boys were drinkin' wisky n' rye, singing this'll be the day that I die." There we were, my Dad and I parked in our 1990 Chevy pickup, scorching in the heat, but listening to Don Mclean and "American Pie." We both loved the song and that pickup truck. It was a sparkly blue color with silver accents. The cab had only two doors but was made to hold up to six people. With rusty wheel wells, and minor scratches all over from being a farm pickup, it served us well. The odometer was broke around 160,000 back in 1996 and must have three times that many miles on it by now. The back seat had no back support making it hard not to slouch. Dad had already fixed the running boards once but they needed work again. We just sat there drinking our mountain dew listening t0 the story the singer had to tell, the story that was part of my Dad's life and now mine. At times I wondered what he meant by "the day the music died," but now I seem to understand. Recently my dad traded in that pickup truck for a new Chevy Silverado, blue of course. All the times we used that pickup for hunting, fishing, or farm work become memories, new ones never to be made again. I can now only remember the deep rumble of the engine not to be experienced again like DonMclean remembers tossing those newspapers when he was young with print telling of Buddy Holly's plane crash never to hear new music of his ever again.

Gorillaz "19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)": The Gorillaz are an intuitive band that has managed to conceal their true identity and replace it with these cartoon characters like those in video games. This video is reminiscent of video games like Spy Hunter, Grand Theft Auto, and James Bond: Agent Under Fire. Those that have played Spy Hunter on PS2 before see a modified version of it with the vehicle that transforms and shoots missiles except in the video the target it a giant moose! I can remember sitting downstairs in front of the "gaming tube" playing Spy Hunter head to head to see who could shoot or run over the most chickens before the end of the race! Though I grew up on Nintendo and Sega Genesis, PS2 games with their technologically up-to-date graphics remind me most of how a video game would be made. The ability to quickly accelerate and make sharp turns at 60 mph belong in the game world. When they drive under the overpass, I immediately think of Grand Theft Auto because of the cop wearing a helmet in a speedo seems like something Rockstar games would put into an interactive animated world. Even though my brother seemed to "kill" me every time in Spy Hunter i would always re spawn like it never happened and continue on with the chicken slaying. That's exactly what happens at the end of this video. The vehicle transforms in order to shoot two giant missiles at this giant moose only to have them blown back and blow up the vehicle. Of course, in this virtual world the four Gorillaz are still alive only to be shown with a look of disappointment on their faces.

Bananas at Large, "The Turdy Point Buck": "Did you see the thirty pointer, the thirty point buck," the sound of deer season rings throughout my ears every time I here this song. Every hunter dreams of shooting that "Thirty Pointer" but the big one always seems to get away. Funny part of it all, hunters usually are seeing things if they claim they saw a thirty point buck. Unless the deer is some freak of nature like the one pictured for the song, a normal buck around this area has anywhere from two points to the huge fourteen pointer. Any bigger than that and the hunter most likely was suffering from buck fever. "I got down from my tree stand and headed for the truck, and that's when I seen it there, the Turdy Point Buck." Of course, the man in the video claimed to be drunk at the time so maybe his double vision got the best of him. I had the same thing happen to me once with a eight point beauty but at least I wasn't drunk at the time. Antlers are like horns on cows but they are shed every year. They are made up of a dermal layer on the outside, called velvet, which gives rise to the formation of bone underneath. A white tail deer like the one pictured has one main beam with tines that rise off of it. To be considered a point, the tines must be at least 1 inch in length. Depending on the male deer, each tine is usually two inches or more apart from the next tine. A Thirty point buck in this case would have to have a spiralling rack (never happens) in order to balance the weight above his head just so he could lift it. When that eight pointer came into my scope that day I was thinking just that, "How does he manage to keep his head up with that monstrous rack atop his head?!" Now days with newer technology and deer farms, these monster thirty point bucks have become a reality. However, they are locked up behind nine foot tall fences where no hunters are allowed. Even then whitetails with racks like that become talented at evading hunters; so much so that a "combination AK 57 oozie radar laser triple-barrel double-scoped hit-seekin shotgun" won't even get the job done.

My Chemical Romance, "The Ghost of You": From shots of young men dancing with the ladies before they go off to war to those same young men being shot on the battle field, this music video seems to blend clips of the band to that of Saving Private Ryan. We see images of soldiers in their uniforms charging up the beach while being picked off by machine guns like sitting ducks on a pond. These images are quickly recognized by anyone who has seen that particular movie. Those words alone, "Saving Private Ryan" remind me of the day I stumbled across a picture of my Grandfather platoon while cleaning the attic in the house he once lived in. As I remove the large photo from that cardboard tube and unrolled it, a sense of uneasiness swept over me. There he was in the middle row near the far left end. His face was like that of a young man, handsome and clean. I had never seen him so young before but the glow about his face gave him away. He was all dressed up in his green uniform, not a wrinkle to be seen or a button misaligned. All fifty or so of the young men lined up for a picture as if they were lining up on the battle field. Not a single face possessed a smile just that solemn look of not knowing what was to come. Later after making digital reprints we gave the picture back to him. He took it in silence and put it on his nightstand beside his bed without saying a single word. Grandpa looks so different now, a man whose life has been hardened by war, depression, and being bipolar from the memories that still haunt him to this day. However, every so often that same young look comes upon his face as if he was ready to do whatever it took just like the young man in the video who worked up his courage to charge the beach knowing he might be taking his last steps. My Grandpa with only a flame thrower and pistol was like that young boy charging the beach with such courage thinking, "And all the wounds that are ever gonna scar me, For all the ghosts that are never gonna catch me," I'll still press on.

Alan Jackson "Drive": With scenes of a young boy behind the wheel with father in the passenger seat, Alan Jackson is portrayed as the young boy being taught how to drive. When he is in control of the boat, we see images that go from reality to him imagining he is in a sailboat or a race car. All of this stemming from the event of when Daddy let him drive. I still can see myself running the motor to our little fishing boat. The motor was attached to the back of the boat and was steered by a handle on the motor to pivot the motor with prop pushing us right along. It is an aluminum 16' boat green bronze in color. There are four seats, one being the drivers seat, two in the middle with chairs like that of the drivers seat, and then a small piece of metal forming a seat in the bow. It is that front spot which is most advantageous when it comes to fishing because one can cast in spots long before others can improving the chance of catching that five pound bass. Water always seemed to leak from somewhere in the back possibly around screws or rivets causing our shoes to always get wet but never really put us in real danger. I have caught walleye, bluegill, bass, crappie, perch, and pike out of that little boat. At times my whole family would go fishing and we would all fit in the boat but the water would seem to rise up to near a foot of the edge of the boat, making us all nervous at times of quick movement for the net to bring in a big fish. That boat has served me and my family well and still will till the day we forget the plug for longer than 30 minutes after putting it in water only to go eat and later find it at the bottom of the lake!

Jason Aldean, "Johnny Cash": Ever had one of those days where taking a ride in a car to someplace new leaving all troubles behind sounds like the best idea in the world? That is what this song is about. Being a rebel, taking life into your own hands to go do what you want, to get out there and go have some fun, "Done gassed up the Pontiac . . . baby we ain't never comin' back!" That is exactly what I do when it comes to it with my 2001 Pontiac Grand Am SE. Some days out of the blue I pack up some lunch, a fishing pole with tackle, and a bucket to sit on, and go fishing. It is a black beauty with a 2.4 liter Twin Cam engine that gets me where I want to go whenever I want. It has charcoal interior with black and silver front bucket-seat covers and a soft black steering wheel cover. My car may not be a sports car, that is it has four doors, but to me it is. The floor of the front passenger seat was stained with pop long before I bought it. There are three minuscule dents on the left side of it and four on the right. At one time somebody must have sat on the hood giving it two unnoticeable defects. However, it shines better than a brand new car. The black paint is like a pearl, glossy and eye catching. Sometimes I hesitate to take it down trails to farm ponds but I don't let beauty stop purpose. I just make sure no branches or twigs get close enough to scratch it by trimming them first. My Pontiac is about grabbing only what is needed and taking off to do something totally spontaneous if even other people think I'm out of my mind.

Pink Floyd "Wish you were here": Though the lyrics are symbolic in many ways to events and artistry, the common connotation with this song is the lost of a loved one, "How I wish you were here." When I was younger my uncle was in a serious accident that took his life. He was a church going man, never missed a day of it for many years in a row. John was the kind of guy that was always willing to help even if he had to give up some of the things he wanted in life. I specifically remember his laugh and smile. He wore a mustach and smiled off to the side. laughter always made him excited and happy no matter what was going on in his life. The hardest part of all of it was the fact that his youngest some was there to witness it all. Drew was the kid that no matter what others said, always believed in his Dad. Its hard to think that Drew is getting into trouble most of the time. Still being a teenager, he seems to have lost a part of himself with the parting of his Father. When the two vehicles collided one parked and the other going wel over sixty, John was climbing in the pickup and Drew was less than four feet away. When the funneral was held, the whole town and the next one over attended. Half of the people had to stand or listen from outside the church. The way his makeup was done for the coffin, I could only think to myself that that wasn't John. No longer did he have that warm smile upon his face, the key feature I remember him by.

Incubus, "Drive": As this video starts out one can instantly tell that its is artistically put together. It starts out right away with a hand drawing another hand which then begins drawing the first exactly like the M. C. Escher piece "Drawing Hands." Then it goes so far as the hands drawing the singer himself and then we are shown that it is actually the singer drawing the world around him. However, when it comes to himself he does a piece only to find some flaw and start all over again. In Painting I this semester I just so happened to do a self portrait, each new layer of paint looking better but lacking something. We find the singer drawing himself again and again striving for some perfection in the representation of himself. After deciding a piece wasn't good enough he crumples it up and throws it away to start all over again. One then must wonder , is it because he drew the hands with some flaw so now everything they draw becomes flawed in some way to. The Drawing Hands Piece is really interesting because the wrists are drawn flat and 2D but then begin to rise of the paper to a 3D reality where each hand is drawing the other. How does one draw himself. I've had to ask myself a thousand times especailly when it comes to each new layer of paint. In the end of the video the artist becomes extremely frustrated to the point of tearing himslef apart and giving up.

Extra Credit

2008-04-23T22:29:00.002-05:00

Writer: Selah Saterstrom

"One ended up having a happy life...One ended up having a sad life."

Selah Saterstrom is the author of The Meat and Spirit Plan and The Pink Institution and is currently working on a piece called Slab. Her readings weren't quite as dynamic as some of the other readers I've seen but her humor mad up for it in greatly. Some quotes from Slab happen to be the following:
"Well, you look about as board as road kill"
"Boredom when identified leads to new opportunites"
"'Well, listen," I said, "Everybody loves something'"
"When there is a plan, its all right"
"One ended up having a happy life...one ended up having a sad life"
and my favorite
"Black dog, Mo$$% FU@#%&"

The one I would like to expand upon is "one ended up having a happy life...one ended up having a sad life." In her works, she frequently uses dogs. This saying happen to spark a memory of mine while watching the movie The Missing. In the movie there are a few lines about the part Tommy Lee Jones said by the antagonist that I vaguely remember, but I remember the point. The antagonist said Tommy has two dogs inside of him, one good one evil, and they are fighting. Then he asks which one wins. Tommy replies with which ever one I feed the most, I guess, or something along those lines. The antagonist tells him he's wrong! By his inner dogs being in turmoil, they wer killing him, niether one was winning. Unless Tommy did something about this, in other words, he would die. There are two outcomes "One ended up having a happy life" or... "One ended up having a sad life." Being I don't want to ruin the ending, lets just say Tommy dies but it is up to use to decide if he died happy or sad.

Favorite Video

2008-04-23T22:18:00.005-05:00

Josh Turner: Long Black Train

When I first heard this song on the radio, I immediately fell in love with it. Ever since, I find myself singing along with it on the radio as well as in the shower! It's a great feeling to echo my voice with such deep resonance as his only my voice needs some tuning. The video is surprising to me because it refers to this long black train as beautiful yet deadly at the same time. It is much like a fast car in a sense. When I see one, I wish I could ride on it, but in this case to do so would mean the end of me. I can hear the "chug-chug" of the wheels on the tracks and the wistle of the engineer. He calls out all aboard, yet I find my self hesitating on the edge of something dreadful like standing on the edge of a knife. Which way will I turn? Quickly my mind shifts to what would happen if I waited for the train while on the tracks? Will it pass over me if I lie down or will it mutilate my body to pieces? Will I react fast enough to move out of the way or will I be so distracted by a beautiful lie that it hits me dead on at 50 mph. Steam rolls from the engine as if it was on fire-like burning hell, yet the engineer is standing there feeding it with more lost souls as if the heat gave him strength. Who is next in line to be tossed into his fire? "Certainly not me," I say to myself, yet time after time I find myself staring at it in awe, oblivious to what it really is. Maybe I could just ride for a few minutes and hop off when most desperate. No, that would only lead to me being caught in its trap doomed to die a fiery death. So I ask myself, where is the white light when all I see is this long black train? Where is my other option? Have I been staring in awe for so long that the other door has already shut meaning one way or other I end up taking a ride on that long black train?

Screwtape Letters

2008-04-20T23:49:00.004-05:00

Currently I am reading some insightful material in my free time. One such reading happens to be by C. S. Lewis. It is called the Screwtape Letters. Funny title, I know. C. S. Lewis, a Fellow of Magdelan College, Oxford, is a literary genius when it comes to delving deep within the human mind, actions, passions, and falsehoods. The Screwtape Letters are written in a form just like the title suggests. It is a series of letters were Lewis uses the Characters Screwtape, Wormwood, and Patient in a remarkable fashion. Each letter is written by the character Screwtape addressing how Wormwood should tempt and deceive his "Patient" in order to feed themselves and their father below. Screwtape and Wormwood are fallen angels or devils carrying out the will of the Lucifer. As of right now I am on chapter, or letter, XVIII. Throughout the letters, Screwtape is advising and teaching Wormwood his nephew on how to best "serve" Wormwood's Patient. Patient is a human, a male man on earth, that is being tempted and misdirected by Wormwood. At first he is not a Christian, but by the second letter, Screwtape is set aback by the fact that Wormwood has allowed Patient's status to change to being a Christian. Being Screwtape is Wormwood's uncle he has went to the efforts of directing the fledgling wormwood on how best to procede with the situation. Even though Wormwood has been taught by Slubgob a demon at a college for new demons, Wormwood doesn't seem to be the brightest tempter and still has much too learn. Surprisingly, C. S. Lewis did not write any letter from Wormwood to Screwtape, so everything that is happening between Wormwood and his Patient are stated and addressed in Screwtape's letter. This approach has kept me very interested in the suspense caused by this intuitive writing style. For those of you reading this post, I suggest to read both the Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast. They can be found at the following links: Screwtape Letters, Screwtape Proposes a Toast.

Free Write

2008-04-17T23:03:00.004-05:00

So there I was sitting on the futon in my room watching Bri play Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with Sega Controller in hand. Her goal--to save the world...by beating the infamous Dr. Robotnic, of course. She has been playing this game for two and a half solid weeks just about everyday. It's like as if she addicted or something. It all started one day with a phone call.

I was exactly where she was, only not quite so addicted, but really into the game. I was simply having some fun breakin' out the original Sega Genesis, "ya know." She asked me what I was doing and I said, "Why playin' my brand new Sega, or course!" Her reply I believe was along the lines of "OMG, your playin' Sega and by the sounds of it Sonic and you didn't invite me?!" I quickly replied with "I'm inviting you now, NOW AREN'T I!?" Before I knew it Bri was in my room for what seemed to be 24/7 trying so desperately to beat that game.

The first week her eyes were glued to the TV and her hands to that third party controller. At the time it was intense! The second week was even more so. She decided that instead of playing to get all the chaos gems, she would play just to beat the game. That was her one and only goal. Only when it it came to beating the two end bosses, she would go through 20 some lives and 2-4 continues. Finally we youtube'd a video of how to beat the end boss but still she tried and tried and died and died. Finally when she was down to only one life left she got the hang of it. Yeah, she spun Sonic so fast, it sent Dr. Robotnic to the next game.

End video of Sonic 2

I'll See You in About- Twenty Years!

2008-04-06T12:16:00.016-05:00

Sleek and elegant, sharp and attractive-this is a car one sees and only dreams of having. What kind of power is hiding under the hood? What would people think if they saw me in a car like this? There it stands in the spotlight in a warehouse made just for it; no other car would serve as an equal substitute. It's waiting in all its purity just for that one ambitious person who will say, "I'm going to drive you someday!" But then one must wonder, how to get his hands on it, how can I make it mine. The following commercial is about a young boy who catches a glimpse of his dream car and takes the first steps to make it real; it establishes the character and quality of Porsche through the use rhetorical situations, ethos, and pathos.

The ethos of Porsche is illustrated throughout the narration of this commercial in a variety of ways. For Porsche, a car represents who you are or who you will be someday; therefore, they manufacture their vehicles in such a way as to best represent their customers. Young William happens to be distracted in class one day and is looking out the classroom window when this dream car slowly passes by like a glimpse of heaven. He goes through all the trouble of searching in the library for the make of the car, bicycling all the way to the Porsche dealership to check the car out, and in the end tells the dealer that he’ll be back in 20 years to buy his dream car. William is a intelligent and ambitious kid; he intends to reach his goals in life, and one of those dreams is to own a 911 Carera. From this, the ethos of the boy has been established. He has chosen to represent part of himself through this car and company. Therefore, he must be trusting Porsche when it comes to this representation. Porsche’s ethos is described and defined through the dealer. He has good posture, a clean presses suit, straight tie, and a encouraging attitude. Today’s connotation of a dealer is heavy set, pushy, selfish, and hard to work with. Porsche is trying to show through the dealer that they are the opposite of this and wish to best represent themselves and their customers. The second way Porsche defines itself is through the 911 Carera in the statement "and now again it is poised to redefine what is possible... it is quite simply the purest expression of who we are.” The car itself has become a recognizable logo for Porsche and any connotation of Porsche is in this car. This, however, is only a few of the ways Porsche has demonstrated its ethos in the commercial.

Another appeal used in the commercial is that of pathos. The above Porsche commercial explicitly states the false need observed in the first commercial. “It’s the car you own before you ever really been inside one. The car you feel before you ever even driven one.” Then it goes on to say how it is irresistible to avoid this youthful desire to drive a Porsche. William shows this false need after seeing the car drive by and has this overwhelming emotion to find the car himself. Then the commercial states “We’ll be expecting your call.“ This is exactly what happens to William. After class, he is found studying in the library but it isn’t his homework he‘s studying. Rather the sight of the car earlier has drove his emotions to where he has found in magazines which car he saw for sure and proceeds to draw it in his notebook. Soon the bell rings. He runs down the hall and outside, hops on his bicycle and rides to the dealership with great urgency and speed. This false need for the car has been instilled in the boys mind that he will own the car someday. The car was so magnificent and glorious that he had to find it for himself. Towards the end of the first commercial William goes on to confidently say “I’ll see you in about twenty years.” One can only surmise that he seriously intends to come back someday and buy that car. The commercial continues with this voice over saying “There’s the moment you know you want one, there’s moment you first own one, and for the truly afflicted there’s the decade or two that passes in between.” If a false need such as this can be that powerful it must be for a reason. The following commercial helps to illustrate just why this false need is created through ethos.

Porsche for forty years and even before then has been working to make the best of the best of cars so their consumers are defined in this way. “We believed any car that merely got you from here to there just didn’t go far enough. That belief, a little imagination, and a lot of hard work led us to build cars that set new speed records, set new design standard, set new expectations of what a car ought to be.” In the first commercial, the specifics of the 911 Carera and 911 Carera S are defined with examples like how much horsepower it has, top track speed, and acceleration rate. This shows that they are still following these ideals and are still making the best of the best of cars today even further establishing ethos. “From its first days on the road forty year ago, the 911 eleven has ignited the kind of passion in drivers that only a Porsche can.” Porsche first must define its character before this passion can come about, and the company has rightly done so even now with the 911 Carera and 911 Carera S. This passion is what leads to the false need of wanting to own a Porsche!

All of the commercials end with the logo of Porsche. This creates an analogy between a symbol and the connotation of the symbol. All the ethos of Porsche is to be represented by this badge with a horse in the middle and the company name lining the top. The fact that humans remember what they saw last the best, it is easy for them to relate all of the ethos of Porsche to this symbol. In the first commercial the male voice says “Porsche, there is no substitute,” while the logo comes up. In this case, the commercial is trying to provide the desired connotation of the symbol. That is, if you want to best represent yourself with a car, the only one that does so the best is Porsche. Based on the fact that Porsche has properly established its ethos, this is a logical argument in that sense. However, who is to say that a Chevy Nova won’t represent the person better, even though, in Spanish “No va” mean no go. It is a misuse of ethos by authority over evidence. Porsche has tried very hard to establish its ethos but by doing so, they have overemphasized the authority of their ethos rather than focusing on the small evidence provided by the commercial. In the end though, who is to say that from this I now don’t dream to own a Porsche.

Hillary Clinton: New Energy, New Jobs

2008-03-30T21:50:00.009-05:00

"Hillary has a bold and comprehensive plan to address America's energy and environmental challenges that will establish a green, efficient economy and create as many as five million new jobs." A bold and firm stance for the ever so popular Hillary Clinton for the 2008 presidential election. Just how does she propose to accomplish all this and how is she suading those who vote to support her argument? At first glance many people do not read into what is said in the article and how she goes about it. This article on New Energy and New Jobs uses certain rhetorical stategies including the appeals of logos and pathos to support her thesis and stance on the issues of energy and new jobs by the dilivery and arranement of the material.

The first words written here are here thesis, "Hillary has a bold and comprehensive plan to address America's energy and environmental challenges that will establish a green, efficient economy and create as many as five million new jobs." It is a very strong thesis, boldly stated and clearly defined. She wants to create new and more evironmentally friendly energy and new jobs, a proper and fitting description of her stance on the issue. She plans to implement these effects by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eighty percent by 2050 and by cutting foreign oil imports to a third of what it is now by 2030. It is an effective scare tactic, "Hillary's plan will reduce America's reliance on foreign oil and address the looming climate crisis." This appeals to logos because a voter has been address about this crisis and therefore logically they will want to take action and in this case the answer is by voting Hillary into office. However, before one decides to vote for Hillary, one must know the steps she wishes to take to acheive this goal.

The process Hillary has devised to correct our energy and climate process is illustrated and classified in the fourth and fifth paragraph of the article. For example "Hillary would transform our economy from carbon-based to clean and energy efficient, jumpstarting research and development through a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund and doubling investment in basic energy research." People are able to see how this fits into a larger scheme when she goes on to say "She would also spur the green building industry by funding the retrofitting and modernization of 20 million low-income homes," an appeal to pathos for those lucky 20 million low-income home owners for a home makeover would improve the quality of life of those lucky many. So far her argument is a strong one and very firm relying on evidence and kairos, adressing the present concerns of out time like those of global warming, the use of energy, and the stability of our economy. In the sixth paragraph her rhetorical approach changes drastically.

"To take the steps necessary to transition to a clean and renewable energy future, Hillary will urge all of the nation's stakeholders to contribute to the effort." Wow, that is a bold and drastic leap in order to get the whole nation from homeowner to business involved across the nation. Just how does she plan on doing this? "Automakers will be asked to make more efficient vehicles; oil and energy companies to invest in cleaner, renewable technologies; utilities to ramp up use of renewables and modernize the grid; coal companies to implement clean coal technology . . ." Note in both of these quotes the use of verbs. She uses "urge" and "ask" both of which may not produce any effect. For all we know stakeholders and large companies may say no. However, the way the material is delivered and aranged puts emphasis on the action by setting up a series without repeating the verb. This creates a logos appeal called post hoc fallacy. When reading the material we overlook the verb and take the actions as concrete, like they will happen, when actually none of them may happen. Therefore the cause and the effect can esilly confused or misinterpreted leading to a hasty generalization of the effect.

To support this hasty generalization the evidence is stacked with examples. "A new cap-and-trade program that auctions 100 percent of permits alongside investments to move us on the path towards energy independence; An aggressive comprehensive energy efficiency agenda to reduce electricity consumption 20 percent from projected levels by 2020 by changing the way utilities do business, catalyzing a green building industry, enacting strict appliance efficiency standards, and phasing out incandescent light bulbs; . . ." The other hasty generalization is that new jobs will be created. It is stated in the thesis of the first sentence but no where is it substatially supported creating the logical fallacy called red herring.

The effect logos and pathos along with all the other rhetorical appeals create a strong argument that seems to be very effective when supporting a thesis in elections such as this. Overall there is yet one more strategy this article uses, the advertisers stance. It is a strategy that will effectively bring in voters for Hillary Clinton by avoiding the ethos of the candidate and the quality of the text. It is like buying a product oblivious to the character of the product; that is exactly what this article wants-to win votes by ignoring certain details and appealing to what seems important to the reader!

Budweiser, we got canned! (observation)

2008-03-14T12:29:00.004-05:00

"Green buddies, I got some bad news. Uh, WE GOT CANNED" Two frogs and one lizard each on their own rock are making a commercial in a commercial to advertise-BEER. Specifically, Budweiser. BUD frog has a deep resonating voice while ERR has the voice of someone mocking somebody acting stupid. The lizard never seems to shut up. Here they are in the middle of the swamp and more importantly in the middle of a scene for a commercial and the lizard can not stick to the script which leads to this dramatically hysterical conversation where one frog is up set, the other confused, while the lizard if freaking out because the frogs can actually talk! After the lizard announces the news, BUD's eye immediately opens wide because the lizard actually got his attention with something. Before, the frogs were just ignoring the lizard and sticking to the script for the commercial. ERR is so confused and shocked by the news he comically says he's going to get sick and starts hyperventilating. The lizard replies with put your head between your legs...honestly like that is really going to work. BUD is frustrated with it all but still considers ERR and asks for someone to get him a bucket for ERR. The selling point of the whole commercial is when the other lizard watching from a distance says with his own deep authoritive voice, "Now how is that supposed to sell beer?" and at that moment the Budweiser logo pops up in the bottom right corner. Of course its going to sell beer because the commercial is absolutely hilarious. After people see it and go to the store to buy beer, what would be a greater influence than that funny commercial that BUDWEISER had on TV the other day?!

BUD-ERR, we got canned!

2008-03-11T22:04:00.005-05:00

Now how is that supposed to sell beer?!

Well there are several rhetoric strategies utilized in the sequence of the frog Budweiser commercials. These commercials just so happen to be one of the best advertising campaigns ever. They are a series of commercials that narrate a story involving three frogs, two lizards, and a ferret; it is a commercial in a commercial where the frogs and later two frogs and a lizard are reading a script with single syllables. Who would have thought that frogs saying the syllables composing the word BUD-WEIS-ER could be so effective? The first and most prominent rhetoric strategy is that of narration. These commercials, in order to properly work, are build on the story line of three frogs getting the job for a Budweiser commercial. However, in this video, a lizard has replaced the "weis" frog due to a hyperactive twitch. This is explained in previous videos leading to this one. The fact that the first commercial was such a hit, Budweiser decided to expand upon this hilarious and brilliant idea. The second most important rhetoric strategy used is that of pathos. There is nothing more catching to an audience than that of humor. The lizard believed here that the frogs could only say BUD, Weis, and ER. When this idea is contradicted after he tells the frogs they lost their job, the lizard goes into this hillarilously hysterical mode of confusion between the frogs and the lizard. ER frog doesn't know what "canned" means while the other frog is wondering what is going on while the lizard is caught in the middle of it all still stuck on the fact that the frogs can talk! What does any of that have to do will selling beer? Budweiser used a technique here that distracts the audience with the storyline and the humor contained within. Also, there is this analogy of frogs to beer. Neither one goes together without the storyline. The frogs are part of a commercial where they say Bud, Weis, and Er to advertise beer within this commericial. Thats the only connection, yet it seems to work. And finally in the end, the other lizard states, "Now how is that supposed to sell beer?! " It confuses the audience into the thought that it isn't in any way supposed to sell beer, but look out. To me that is reverse psychology!

Zaireeka Reflection

2008-03-09T22:02:00.003-05:00

Zaireeka, a music of vivid conjuration that causes active participation, is like no music ever heard in today's world. The combination of sound in surround had such dramatic effects on me as a listener. I constantly found myself searching for the sounds; they were not exactly put together in a fluid way like music today. One had to actively combine sounds and at the same separate them from each other. At times I found the sounds waves overpowering my senses. One particular spot in track one set my mind spinning! It reminded me of a video game where the character becomes overwhelmed by everything happening so quickly causing his vision to blur and mix all the events together as one. Amazingly, the sound shifts from this into something simple right back into something very complex. This can be compared to pointillism like in painting. When you step back, everything works together as one image, but up close one see thousands of dots that seem to have no correlation to one another. In order for the image to work, the viewer's eyes have to merge the dots instead of viewing them individually. This is the exact same concept used when listening to these four Cd's. The listener is not given the overall picture/sound but has to discern it from all the information flooding into our eyes and ears. Just how does one go about comprehending all of these sound waves? Each person seems to show a different reaction to this music. Some are enthralled by it, others become curious, and yet others seem too overwhelmed to want to discern the music. It makes me question just who the target audience is. What is the goal and purpose of the music. Entertainment . . .that really doesn't seem to fit. I guess one can only elaborate an answer after listing to the music known as-Zaireeka.

Zaireeka

2008-03-05T22:22:00.003-06:00

Zaireeka, eight songs that sound different every time they are listened to. A form of music that requires the listener to participate actively. Not by doing jumping jacks, but rather just by listening intently. " Track #1," "Track #1," "Track #1," "Track #1," resounds throughout the room from the same deep voice heard from the four boom boxes. "This is CD number 1...number 2... number 3... and number 4." Four Cd's, four boom boxes, four sounds echoing in surround into my ears. A innovative creation of sound, that is somewhat haunting to the bones. A single note on a piano starts off this exhilarating experience. Each CD is different, each boom box is different, yet they all interact together as one. What I would call upbeat jazz begins to play. One of the players provides a beat of that of a trap set. Vocal melodies resonate from all around me in a powerful chorus. However, the singing is different from each set of speakers. Sometimes the sounds come together as one, but then they split into separate entities. The drums can still be heard keeping rhythm, but my focus is rapidly shifting around the room. I found myself searching for the sounds that are to come next. Everything changes at once! A overpowering eeriness blares from the four boom boxes. To me it is like demonic chanting trying to consume my soul. Quickly the music shifts. The vibrations in my ears turn back into the drums keeping that steady beat. Except now there is this weird jingling like sound heard out of sinc from the other three stereos. The music fades and I find myself wondering if it is really over. Only three minutes have past by. Then it happens, "Track number 2...track number 2... track number 2... track number 2." " This is CD number 1...number 2...number 3...and number 4," . . . Zaireeka!!

Car Diagram

2008-02-24T22:41:00.024-06:00

Images . . . just what do they do? What exactly turns the lead of a pencil on paper into something that is no longer just the lead of a pencil on paper!? As soon as I look at this diagram, I see a race car, specifically a stock car like those in NASCAR racing. Given the fact that a three year old can possibly identify this picture/diagram as such, does it even need to have labels? Does it really need to be a diagram? For the learning three year old...probably. In this case, however, they serve a excellent purpose.

Which labeled parts allow people in general to immediately identify this picture as a stock car? First, it has wheels; unless all four tires have fallen off, nobody in their right mind will draw a car without wheels. Also, there is a tail pipe. Easy to recognize and really cool because its a flame thrower! The label titled "car" obviously does not set this car apart from any other car; neither does the label "hood," "steering wheel," "hub," or "seat" make this car unique. Instead, there are really only three labels that make this car have sweet aerodynamics, roll bars, good downforce, a top-notch chassis, special interior with a five point seat belt, amazing suspension, and specially designed wheel studs. These labels give it the roar of the engine as it speeds along the runway at an average of 160 m/p/h reaching speeds of 200 m/p/h guzzling racing fuel at a shocking rate of 1 gallon for every four miles with a 850 horse power engine worth anywhere from $45,000 to $60,000 dollars brand new! These labels are "net/window," "window," and "numbers." As a whole I saw just a car. Once I saw the number 44, I knew I wasn't looking at some old school car. NO, THIS IS A NAS"CAR"!!! Three little parts and labels-all that is needed to take this car from ordinary to extraordinary.

Project 1: “Mo Java”: Observation and Reflection

2008-02-20T22:48:00.045-06:00

As I set foot inside the front door, I'm pleasantly greeted by the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. A variety of flavored muffins line the front counter. There is a tray of green apples to the left of the three coffee pots each filled with either decaf, the house brew, or the coffee of the day. I always get the coffee of the day, even when I don't know what it is because nothing beats variety for the same price. That way I'm surprised every time I go there. Speaking of selection, the choices are almost overwhelming. Mo Java's menu hangs above the front counter for easy customer viewing. It looks as if someone meticulously wrote all the menu choices on this chalkboard without leaving a single smear of chalk anywhere. The fact the menu looks as such, reminds me of a classroom back in elementary school except this one has a delicious selection to choose from instead of English notes. It is like education embodies the place even though it is not evident just by walking in the front door. Located only a few blocks away from Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU), students seek it out to focus on homework, and teachers go there to chit-chat about students' education because of its atmosphere. I find it to be a more productive and enjoyable environment than the University Library or my dorm room. The atmosphere of Mo Java calms the senses and unexpectedly focuses them. Maybe the selection has something to do with it.

Not only do they have coffee and various other hot drinks, but also cold drinks such as big train smoothies, iced mochas, and Italian soda; deli sandwiches that are special orders; bagel sandwiches such as the cafe melt and the breakfast begal; and soup (seasonal) such as Asiago Bisque. Best of all, nothing is over $7. Even their specialty mochas run less than $4: almond joy, black forest, German chocolate, and raspberry truffle. The selection makes me curious as to just what is in a variety of these hot drinks? The specialty drink German chocolate has a mixture of coconut and hazelnut syrups in it. Almond joy is blended with coconut and almond. Most all of the hot drinks and bagel sandwiches have the toppings and ingredients listed beside the choices on the menu to let customers know what exactly they are soon going to consume.

Any coffee house could have a wide selection like this. I had to ask myself, "Why do I seem to like this place so much?" Well, as soon as I set foot in the door, I was greeted with a smile. The customers already there seemed relaxed and were laughing most of the time. The aroma that embodies the place, is so tantalizing and smooth that I can actually taste the flavor of Mo Java with the smell of fresh brewed coffee and a hint of chocolate. Curiously enough, there is a pig with ridiculously large wings hanging from the ceiling just inside the front door. I'm sure hardly anybody sees it, but its still there! I just so happened to look up while sitting at a table and it consumed all my attention with laughter. Whoever put it there probably chuckles every time they walk by it. Mo Java has other things placed throughout the building just like this pig. One lamp in particular also caught my eye. I thinks of its base like a Roman column except it twists like a roller coaster; on top of the capital of this green column sits a freeze is a reddish brown head of a woman like resembling a frieze. To top it all of is fitting off-white lamp shade. This personal touch is only noticed by the regulars and the wandering eye. Once, a person is part of this aura, it makes them want to come back again and again. Mo Java portrays this aura effectively just by how it is arranged. The front room has several small tables with two chairs at each. Two of the tables, the ones closest to the windows, have the depiction of a tiger with the words CAFE IMPORTS wrapped above and HARIMAU SELECT below. It is a room made for coffee lovers and caffeine addicts and those who want to have a good time.

In the left corner by the front counter sits yet another menu, smaller in size. The "man" at the top of the menu is obviously a chef judging by the toque on his head, his double chin, and a big grin on his jolly face. "His" purpose is to display the current day's soup such as asiago bisque and specials offered like kickin' chicken pizza. It only makes sense to place it right there by the counter where everybody can see it. The front counter actually forms an "L" with the other half going to the back of the room to form a "bar" with four bar stools provided for comfortable seating. On the back wall there is a set of shelves with approximately twenty large glass jars filled to the brim with coffee grounds and coffee beans of various flavoring! The walls are a blotchy yellowish-tan color while the floor shows a color of green with spots and drips of white and red paint resembling the floor of a paint studio. Even with such a wide variety of colors composing the main elements of the place, every colors fits uniquely in its own spot like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. I find it absolutely fascinating! I had never noticed the use of color in places like this till now. Even after taking a painting class and being in another, I never realized first hand the manipulation of color to give off a sense of coziness, relaxation, and of a soothing sensation. Most of the time I'm thinking of how colors will interact when I am putting them on the canvas and not the overall effect once the paint has dried.

Mo Java is actually composed of two rooms, the front room that I've been describing and another side room with coffee tables, couches, and lounge chairs. In and of itself, the side room has been furnished uniquely just like the front room, yet one without the other would ruin the complete image of Mo Java. The color scheme once again is that of some brew of coffee, whether it be light chocolate brown, a deep red, or even as dark as what coffee lovers call black coffee. Unlike the front room, it feels more like a living room of a house. There are two couches, one light chocolate brown with peacock pattern on the material along with another couch, dark brown at first glace, but the material up close is actually a mixture of red, green, tan, and dark brown. Both are soft, cozy and relaxing. Also the room has lounge chairs, grey in color with "S" squiggly patters of a darker grey all over them. There are three tables for two with two cherry wood chairs at each. Another larger table is meant for up to fix or six people and is often used by groups of students doing college homework together. For me, it isn't the coffee that is addicting but rather the atmosphere. The conversationalists and employees always seem to have smiles on their faces just like the man and woman I saw there who just so happened to be on a first date. Even their attire was that of coffee; she had on a black top and black slacks while he was wearing blue jeans and a light chocolate brown fleece. The side room is more cozy and relaxing compared to the front room making it a great place for a man and woman to calm their nerves when on a first date.

This is the room I like the most and is the reason of my presence. It is away from the front door and counter minimizing distractions caused by people talking, the random blare of a blender, and chit-chatting coworkers. Every time I picture this side room I think of how students like me use it to our advantage to get things done. A library can be used for the same purposes but the hardcore studying attitude most students have when in a library can be stressing and down right overwhelming. Mo Java on the other hand provides and educational atmosphere that is more free-going, more relaxing than your average study environment. For me, there is no better place to focus on one's education than the coffee house located on 2649 N 48th street.

5 Bands to DIE Listening to!

2008-02-20T20:36:00.008-06:00

Eagles: The Very Best of ~ Available for purchase

Puddle of Mudd: Famous ~ "$"

Johnny Cash: 16 Biggest Hits ~ "$"

Smashing Pumkins: Gish ~ "$"

Bill Evens: Bill Evens Trio with Symphany Orchestra ~ "$"

If I was deserted on a desert island with a boom box and only five cassette tapes, just why would I pick these five artists in the above order? Well, it is rather simple! The Eagles just so happen to be on of my father's favorite bands, and on top of it all, there isn't anything in the world like Classic Rock. The one song on their album The Very Best Of that I love is the song Hotel California. Just like the song I would never be able to leave my desert island.

Puddle of Mudd is one of those bands that I like because I like it, nothing else to it. I really don't have any other reason for choosing this band other than the fact that Famous is on their one album. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Johnny Cash--honestly who wouldn't want to listen to some Johnny Cash. Songs like Ring of Fire, In the Jailhouse Now, I Walk the Line, Riders in the Sky, and the best of them all A Boy Named Sue! Songs like this may remind me of just how the world can be, but the sweet aint as sweet without the sour. To me he is a father figure in a way.

My brother in his younger days was a music junky! He bought CD after CD and the artist out of all those CD's that he loved the most was the Smashing Pumpkins. There is one Simpson episode that always comes to mind when I think about this band and my brother at the same time. I don't remember how it went but he freaked when he heard them playing on the TV and came sprinting into the living room all pumped up. I hope I never forget that day because my whole family was in watching that episode.

I searched and searched for one more artist. It had to be somebody...anybody who played classical music that I hadn't heard before. The reason is that classical music can be soothing, exhilarating, and mediocre all at the same time. Music like that would allow my mind to just let go and forget about everything else in the world.

ICE FISHING

2008-02-17T22:08:00.007-06:00

As I set my right foot out on the ice I feel a sense of excitement as the snow and ice crunches from the cleats beneath my feet. No worries though, the ice is well over eight inches thick. The sun is slowing creeping over the orange and pink horizon, while I carry fishing poles in a bucket in my right hand and pull a sled full of equipment with my left. Birdlike shapes on the ice quickly catch my eye.

The early bird gets the worm. However, these Canadian geese aren't looking for worms as they sound their low clucks and honks, rather they are scouting out nesting grounds for when the ice thaws and the snow melts. Tall brown grasses and reeds line the shoreline and sway with the blowing wind, a perfect nesting site.

The air bitterly blows against my face taking away the feeling I once had in my nose. When its below zero plus a wind chill, warmth is a luxury when ice fishing. With the sun now shining brightly, various colors appear in the reflection of the ice and bring warmth to a cold body. Soon the roar of the ice auger plunges down into the lake along with the grinding sound of metal against ice. As someone scoops loose ice from the holes with a dipper, the chips land on the ice as if someone had dropped their lucky marbles.

Now the only sounds that can be heard are the whispers of fishermen and the melody of the lines of rigged fishing poles as wind passes over them. Most everyone is focused on the bobbers floating on top of the water, beacons to signify a bite. Excitement again rises as the competition to catch the first fish begins.

Bohemian Rhapsody

2008-02-14T18:57:00.004-06:00

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has never really made much sense to me. I don't know why it's called Bohemian Rhapsody and I'm not even completely sure what it's supposed to be about.

~Kristin Bruning

This is the one song that brings back flashes of high school in an instant. The slow melody at the beginning, so very soft, so very sad, so meaningful, like no other song ever heard. Then it suddenly switches to this upbeat, rock-opera style and smoothes out again. The year was 2001, and I was only a sixth grader, and our school was about to do something we had never done before. I don't know exactly who picked the song, or why they even picked it; after all, very few of us even knew what the song was about at the time--this song was perfect. For homecoming every class, sophomore on up, had to do a lip-sink to this very song. Each performance was to be unique, entertaining, and down right awesome. However, it was not the classes' performances that I remember, no--it was the surprise faculty performance! The stage had been set, everybody had quieted down after the commotion and out of nowhere, four faculty members dressed in long haired Whigs were silently pushed out onto the stage in the trap set cart about ready to buckle from their weight, each man sitting in those high school gym folding chairs. The song immediately initiated with a nod of Mr. Sich's head, the four grown men lip-sinking as if pleading for their jobs. The tension of the song quickly was building up in our throats, just waiting for what was to come next. Four minutes, eight seconds into the song, it happened. The quartet busted out with a clash of the symbol and pure rock-and-roll head banging in wigs, hanging down to their bellies and flying up two feet in the air, the vehicle they occupied seeming as if it would bust some rivets along with them. By now we had forgotten that we had just heard the same song for the fifth time in a row, but no longer did it matter. This was a performance too good to forget.

2008-02-07T14:17:00.000-06:00

Gorillaz - El Manana

Music Video. Not just music. Not just video. One with the other. Once seen together, inseparable. Most music videos... a means of entertainment. Entertainment... in this case, no longer. The Gorillaz, an innovative band that formed in 1998, has taken music and video to a new playing field. When people thinks Gorillaz, can they put faces to the name? Yes--2D, Murdoc, Russell, and Noodle. Can people put human faces to the characters? Most likely not. This is of major importance! The audience can no longer judge the band by the actual band members actions in the real world. They can only make connection with what is seen in video, or in concert. Talk about freedom! Any bias formed against the band can only be connected with the sound of the music or the issues addressed in video.

This concept gives the band great power in their music videos to address the given issue(s). In this case, childhood innocence, adulthood war, mental freedom, mass culture, paradise, even a view into the human psyche. What? All that was in this four minute video? ...hard to believe, now isn't it! It is misleading at first. Any video like this can be easily forgotten or pushed aside by a viewer that knows nothing about the Gorillaz. Concepts of video(see subtitle "Aura" and if even futher interested, this text) are just as easily forgotten or neglected. Do people actually realize that watching a violent movie is nothing compared to reality? Video as entertainment, can quickly desensitize the viewer, whereas in this case, every wit the same viewer has, must be used to understand the issues being addressed. Is the average citizen still even capable to do so after such numerous exposure and desensitization?

Question after question after question! In the end, all questions lead to one more important question that leads only to more questions. Just why is the creator(s) of the video addressing the issue given current worldly situations? Now thats a big question!

Post #3: Discipline of a Master of his Trade

2008-02-07T13:14:00.000-06:00

"Rather I am merely stating that similar to the ways in which monks attain their reputations (through diligence, repetition of traditions, and above all discipline) we, as writers, could attain a reputation for spectacular writing due to our unrelenting discipline to revision."

~Ryan Osberg

Discipline, perseverance, dedication, repetition, willingness to improve… trademarks of a true artist at work. Now by artist, I don’t mean the normal connotation of today’s artist. I’m talking of each and every person who puts his heart and soul into his work (or her and her work). This is what a true writer does when doing what he/she does best--write. This is the quality that turns words on a page into a masterpiece. Just how monks exhibit these traits in their everyday practices, so should a writer. However, not just anyone can make a masterpiece. This is where willingness to improve comes in. Unless by some natural gift, a writer must write and write and write in order to improve! Revision, revision, revision, and revision again... that is what leads to a masterpiece of literature. But what else is missing?! A writer can improve his work by the process of self-revision but is that the only thing he has to do? Of course not! Get opinions, get ideas, take suggestions, ask for opinions. A piece may sound great to a writer but that is because he knows exactly what he is trying to say. A rocket scientist won't be able to explain the theory of plate tectonics to a five year old. Other people must be able to understand the piece; yes, that is one goal of revision, but how far should one take revision--when should a person stop? Trouble is it varies from piece to piece. On writing may need to be picked over down to the most miniscule details, while others... it doesn't take much to sound good. Why? What is the difference between the two pieces? Audience, character, content... a vast array of factors can alter an essay. A tweak to style or voice could alter a piece dramatically! Just how does the writer want the piece to come alive, and how can he go about it?

Post 2: Essay and the Imagination

2008-01-31T14:15:00.000-06:00

Essay and the Imagination

"An esay is a thing of the imagination. If there is information in an essay, it is by-the-by, and if there is an opinion in it, you need not trust it for the long run. A genuine essay has no educational, polemical, or sociopolitical use; it is the moement of a free mind at play. Though it is written in prose, it is closer in kind to poetry than to any other form. Like a poem, a genuine essay is made out of language and character and mood and temperament and pluck and chance."

--Cynthia Ozick

Skipping to the end of this quote, I can agree with Cynthia when she says that an "essay is made out of language and character and mood and temperament and pluck and chance." I have wrote a fair number of essays myself and would have to say all these characteristics apply. However, when she says that a genuine essay has no educational polemical, or sociopolitical use, she fails to say just what uses it does have. The idea that an essay "is the movement of a free mind at play," might just be the very use she didn't directly state. This idea means that the essay is a way of showing just how knowledgeable a person is about writing. A reader may follow this movement as he/she moves through the piece, enabling a more in depth understanding of not just the writing but also the writer. Like writing poetry, it can take a long time just to find the right words. One has to be careful, though, just how far to take such words for reasonslike audience, understanding, clearity, and persuasiveness. A reader can follow the writers opinion in an essay yet is still allowed to form his/her own opinion based on the piece; the reader can then expand his/her knowledge on the topic being addressed. This brings up the question, "Based off of that conclusion, can't an essay therefore be educational, even though Cynthia Ozick says it can't?" Good question! Who can really define just what an essay is? Cynthia Ozick attempts to do so and at first reading, what she says sounds great. However, when read over a couple of times, she seems to elude her own purpose of saying just what an essay is. Some of the quote can be debatable. It is more opinion that fact, and just as she says "if there is an opinion in it, you need not trust it for the long run."

For more on Cynthia Ozick click here!

Test Post :)

2008-01-24T14:27:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to our course's Main Page.