Sources for Research Paper

 Sources:

http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/620795377

http://www.adl.org/learn/ext_us/kkk/history.asp?LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_America&xpicked=4&item=kkk

            
            http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0859146.html

          

            http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1657.html

            http://www.socialpc.com/SocialIssues/The-Modern-KKK.html

           http://www.life.com/gallery/25151/image/85938998#index/0

"Bonding Over a Mascot" Response

To begin, this piece has a very interesting personal connection to me because I have grown up a big Florida State fan my entire life. My father played golf for FSU, so over the years I have attended multiple games and am very well-versed in the issue this article covers.

I believe that a possible research question Lapointe could have posed to launch his research would be, "Why were some universities able to successfully appeal against the NCAA to keep their mascots, while many others weren't?" I think this is a possible question because it would lead the author to understand how these few schools received permission from the actual tribes to use their name and heritage. The article then focused on Florida State Seminoles because F.S.U is a perfect illustration of this matter due to their rich tribal history and ongoing association with the university.

The purpose of the article was to inform readers of an issue that not only affected the sports world, but also sent shock waves into the  political world about "socially-correctness". Since the purpose is to not only approach to sports fans but also those with political curiosity, Lapointe had to do research to apply to both these audiences. At times he spent time describing the atmosphere at sporting events, and the traditions that go on during games (the Tomahawk Chop, Renegade planting the spear.) Meanwhile he also appealed to his political audience by citing the specific NCAA rule in question and giving specific responses of modern day Seminole tribe on the issue as a political matter.

"Is Google Making Us Stupid" Response

In my opinion Nicholas Carr is correct that the internet, and more specifically Google, is revolutionizing the way humans comprehend and study all forms of rhetoric. What I strongly disagree with is that this digital revolution is in any way making us "dumber" than our more studious ways of before. I believe Carr's example of Socrates and his views on the popularity of writing translate exactly to what we are going through today. While it is believed there will be a major shift in how we communicate and read, there is no evidence to prove this "speed reading" will be a bad thing. Socrates claimed writing would make people forgetful and lazy. I think we can all agree today that writing as a form of literature has had enormous positive effects on our lives through history (imagine if the Declaration of Independence was simply spoken aloud rather than written down!) In the same manner I believe that humans "skimming" literature rather than delving deeply into it could have positive effects. Perhaps we will be more well-rounded and aware on a wider variety of issues, rather than only strongly informed on a couple topics. I believe people will always intensely study the matters that are truly important to them, so maybe this new style may just make people more rounded in areas they never were before. In the end, I agree with Carr that we are becoming more dependent on the internet and Google, which will change our overall literary behaviors. However, at this point there is no way to prove that it is in any way making us "dumber" as a species. In fact, this new rapid style may make us smarter than we ever were before in totally new ways.

Joy Response

From Bill Joy's piece "Why the Future Won't Need Us," it is clear the author's primary concern is the future extinction of, or irreparable harm to, the human race caused by advancing technology. Specifically focusing on the potential devastating impact's of nanotechnology, Joy provides the reader with an array of negative scenarios of this micron-technology in the future world. Namely, Joy worries that the human race will become dependent on the intelligent, and reproductive, robots to survive. In one of his many theories he predicts that this dependency will destroy the human race as we know it, as our race has done to countless others we have displaced.

To set up the problem to his audience, Joy employs a heavy use of ethos by establishing his immense credibility on the subject matter. When he says, "I may be working to create tools which will enable the construction of the technology that may replace our species. How do I feel about this? Very uncomfortable" it proves to the reader that the author is very much a key player in the concern. From there, he utilizes a logos approach to set up the problem by listing the opinion of many brilliant scientists on the matter. A couple examples of the many would be when he reference Nobel prize winner Richard Feynman's speech or Eric Drexlers Engine's of Creation. This adds to the piece because it proves to the audience this threat is not some mythical fantasy. Joy proves by using countless examples that the world's brightest minds are hard at work inventing technology that could end our planet as we know it in the next 20 years. The last method to set up his article, and most effective in my opinion, was when he compared a potential takeover by robots to the takeover of other species, and provided examples of how this is already happening today. By explaining the extinction of marsupials from South America, and revealing the statistics on how much of our agriculture is "genetically modified," it made the topic a lot more real to people who aren't keen with technology.

In my opinion these problems are just as relevant, if not more, today. We carry computers in our pockets and depend on them heavily for our daily function (checking weather, directions, new alerts, etc.) This dependency is frighteningly similar to Joy's dark predictions. I believe that technology is a huge asset and power to modern society, but like all great powers it needs to be kept in check. While I am not personally concerned about a robot takeover in the near future, I do understand Joy's point on how the human race's insane dependency on technology could have significant adverse effects. We need to be very careful on how much of our lives we let technology control, before it gets to the point it is out of our control. 

Proposals from Current Events

Friday
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-03-17-food-costs-world-hunger.htm
-Problem is that there are soaring food costs this past year due to many economic reasons. This soaring food costs have put millions of people around the world into poverty. The scary thing is that these prices aren't expected to rally, but only get worse.
-Exigence- This is happening right now and affecting a huge number of people. A proposal is needed immediately to either limit the damage of these high food prices.

http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/2011-03-17-kidney-transplant_N.htm
-This article already has a proposal in it, but I feel it could be expanded upon. The problem is that a patient receiving a kidney transplant contracted AIDS after the surgery. It was found that while the donor tested negative 11 weeks before the surgery, he contracted AIDs shortly after. This is the first documented case of its kind since 1980.
-Exigence- With the unbelievable science and technology the health care system has today, there is no way a error like this should be made. It was proposed that the donors should be tested right before the surgery to be absolutely certain they're clean. The exigence for this proposal is that this man's life has been ruined by a mistake that could, and should, have been avoided entirely.

Saturday-
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/healthcare/doctorsnurses/2011-03-19-nurses_N.htm
-Problem. The less nurses that are working due to hospital economic issues, the more people that die.
-Exigence. In the dire economic times we are in, this is a very scary and important statistic. I would propose that we use more of the "robot" nurses that hospitals are beginning to use to do the mundane tasks nurses do that do not require human skills (carrying pills, ect.)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/03/bill-nelson-2012-senate-race-joe-biden/1
-Problem. In my opinion it is a problem that Vice President Joe Biden is taking time off from his duties as V.P. to raise money for a democratic candidate running for election to the Senate.
-Exigence. This is happening right now and needs to be taken care of so that in the future our countries leaders actually do their jobs. I would propose that current members of all three branches (legislative, executive and judicial) not be allowed to campaign (verbally or physically) for someone else's election to another political office. Rather than spending their time and resources helping one of their friends get a job, they should be doing their own.

Sunday

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/health/policy/20health.html?_r=1&ref=health
-Problem. President Obama passed the "Affordable Care Act" last March making healthcare more affordable to millions across the U.S. The problem is that many states are requesting special waivers for lower standards (as many as 20 states are considering applying for one.
-Exigence. National health care insurance is a major strife in our country today, and clearly this law is not what the people and states wanted. Rather than try to keep track of millions of waivers and applications, I propose Obama's government amend the bill to what the people want.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/us/20budgets.html?ref=us
-Problem. In my eyes, this article brings to light a serious problem in the U.S. The article illustrates how historically, and today, we use the price of cigarettes as a chip to fix budget holes or increase spending. This shows that the governments real reason for not banning cigarettes is not public health, but because they get so much money from it.
-Exigence. Cigarettes directly and indirectly kill thousands in the U.S. every year because they are an addictive toxic to the body.  My proposal is a ban on cigarettes, which is not a new proposal but could be validated in a whole new light when the true motives behind its regulation is analyzed.

Modest Proposal Blog Entry

I believe the major issue that Swift is trying to bring to life through his peace is the extreme numbers of homeless beggars in poverty, especially children. He states that in the current time in Ireland there are beggars crowding the streets, commonly accompanied by three or four children in rags. He also emphasizes the negative impacts of these poverty issues have on society. Swift states that because this people simply beg for their money and do not count in the work force, they drag down on the nation of Ireland as a whole. With 120,000 children in poverty at the time, Swift contemplates the astronomical funds that will be needed to raise them, and where the money will come from.

The satire employed by Swift is very supporting to his piece because it helps him accomplish his difficult purpose. His purpose was to raise the country's awareness about very serious social issues that are having a major negative impact. Rather than using a typical, boring informative style, with real statistics and a logical approach, Swift broke the barriers by using the "awe" factor. His proposal was so radical and obviously satirical that it drew major attention, thus successfully achieving his purpose of gaining attention for the social issue at hand. If the author had instead had written the social proposal the way they usually are, with a formal tone and serious demeanor, he would have received a lukewarm response. Take a moment and think about all the social movement pieces that are written in this manner everyday about problems across the globe. In general, few people really read them and rarely is there something done to stop the social injustice. Swift's piece was extremely popular, and therefore successful, because he broke this normal chain by using heavy satire. By proposing such an absurd suggestion, he conveyed his message of the importance of something being done to end this poverty issue.

My Modest Proposal:

The American nation is torn on the issue of securing our southern border from illegal Mexican immigration. Many citizens cry that the numbers of illegal aliens are crippling our economy and exploit our health care systems. Others claim that these illegal aliens have a right to the American dream as well.

I propose a solution to end this issue once and for all: turn all the citizens on welfare in America into ruthless bounty hunters for illegal aliens. Not only would this rid our nation of illegal Mexican intruders, but would also provide a steady stream of employment and income to the nation's poorest. They would be paid $1,000 for each illegal that they find, and $2,500 if it is a pregnant Mexican woman. This would save the nation money it would have to reinvest into securing our borders, all the while employing an entirely new workforce. We could get the same result of far less illegal aliens, and turn a great cost into a gain for the American economy. This modest proposal would lift the crushing stranglehold of illegal Mexicans in this country, and provide thousands of new jobs for those in need.

Kenny Chesney- Hemingway's Whiskey Album

In this particular review done by Stuart Munro of the Boston Globe, the author looks more at the feel of the music than the lyrics themselves. Rather than use detailed lines from the songs like the Lady Gaga pieces, Munro explains the two major themes of the album represented by the tracks: tropical calypso and nostalgic American. By blending masterful lyrics with soothing melodies, Kenny Chesney is able to draw these two typically unrelated themes together seamlessly. As the author very accurately explains in my opinion, what makes this albums so special is how it can reach out to so many people because its wide variety of songs. The songs below are excellent representations of how two songs on the same album could reach such totally different audiences, yet match so well together.

One part I disagreed with is where Munro said that Chesney's musical themes hadn't changed very much since 2002 simply because of a song he released titled "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem." While this song was certainly tropical in mind, it was a released single and can't be used to represent the transformations of his music through the years. I would have evaluated it on the same grounds; however, I probably would have injected a couple lines from the songs in order to show how their lyrics fitted his intended audience so well. I liked how he illustrated the variety of the album by comparing it to legends that most people would be familiar with, like his reference Tom Petty. The major reason that this album is so special in my opinion, which the author fails to mention, is the timing of the album's release. Released in September of 2010, the album was able to capture the waning memories of summer, while also referencing the tropical destinations of the south for those stuck in the frozen north. Outside of that, I believe Munro's review gave fair justice to an exceptional album.

Link to a Boston Globe Review:  http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2010/09/27/kenny_chesney_hemingways_whiskey/

Link to my two favorite tracks on album:
"Coastal" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxtnsQxfLSA
"The Boys of Fall" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlkPtjTJvFE

Definition Essay Proposal

1.) The word I am going to define is a new verb that is becoming popular among young people today, "to career."
2.) "career" the verb, as it is used today, means to do as well as you possibly could, or better than you ever had before. You can "career" anything: an exam, a girl, or a night of bowling. For example, "Man, I careered that exam. I have never gotten a 95 before!"
3.) The exigence for why I want to define this word is because when you think about it, there is no other verb that has the same meaning. The need to get this point across is very common, but there is no verb that fills the role
4.)  My purpose for writing this paper is to argue that "career" should be a verb in the English language today. I think that it is a technically sound, commonly-used verb that isn't "slang." As my paper will prove, the verb "career" would fill a void in the English language that currently exists in my opinion. Try to take the example phrase in the second point (a very common type of phrase) and replace "careered" with another verb. You can't, and therefore I want to make this new verb official.
5.) I will be writing mostly to older, traditionalist English proponents who would be opposed to a new, "hip" verb like "career" to be adopted into formal English language. I believe they would be the ones the most against a new change, so my goal will be to explain/argue to them why it should be included.

Blog #2- Geeks and the Supermarket Pastoral

         In his essay “Wake Up, Geek Culture. Time to Die” Patton Oswalt examines the words “geek,” “nerd,” and “otaku” to prove that while their definitions have not changed significantly over the years, they have an entirely different role in society today than ever before. Oswalt describes an “otaku,” “nerd,” or “geek” as someone who has an interest, and even obsession, with something that is completely unknown or unpopular to most people. He defines these terms, with numerous examples, to show how in today’s time everyone has interests that used to be called “nerdy.” However, these quirks in people today are so common that the term geek isn’t used to describe them like it used to. Oswalt illustrates his point by saying that in the 1980s he himself was considered a nerd, but today, even though his interests and personality haven’t changed greatly, he isn’t considered one. 

         In my opinion, I think he is totally off-base with his analysis of the geek over the past few decades. To me, being a geek or nerd has nothing to do with a secret obsession because we all have them, no matter how far back in history you go. Rather, it’s what your secret interest is. In the eighties most people were just as obsessed with popular, trivial details as they are today. The curveball is that those geeky habits of the past are now popular today, and the old ones have been simply been replaced. In the end, there are still “nerds” in today’s society, making his argument void.

          Supermarket Pastoral, in the author’s eyes, is a literary genre composed of the rhetoric used by marketers and advertisers of “organic” foods in supermarkets like Whole Foods. The sentences describing the foods and their paths to the shelves are eloquent and conjure images of wild produce raised on sprawling farms. This type of literature even has, “the hero (American Family Farmer), and the villain (Agribusinessman.”) Pollan explains that this genre is utilized to steer the consumer into believing their higher prices are being used to ensure the happiness and freedom of animals everywhere.

         Pollan is talking about Supermarket Pastoral not because it really intrigues him how groceries market their foods, but because of what it represents. The literature used by Whole Foods is what sells the product, not the product itself. People cannot see the farms, or animals, or conditions in which they live. However the words, tone, pathos, and glowing definitions, are all used to illustrate a magical dream farm in the consumers’ minds. This is important to the piece because as the author continues to explain, what the store is depicting, and what is really happening, are two very different things. Rather than raised on beautiful local farms, the produce is mass-generated on “industrial farms,” the same industrial farms that organic food was supposed to stop. However, the brilliant descriptions and lovely posters triumph over the farce that is organic foods and go on to create another multi-billion dollar industry.

My Topic Proposal

-The specific event/instance I want to narrate is when I found out this fall that my 24 year old high school hockey coach, Jeremey Bigelow, had been in a car accident, and later found out that he was paralyzed from the chest down. I am going to start the narrative at one of our hockey practices and show how what he was teaching to us that day is helping him in his fight today.
-This exigence matters to me right now because as I type this my coach is working hard in a rehabilitation clinic in Ohio to try to regain something that even resembles a "normal" life. He is learning how to use a puff/blow device to communicate better and enhance his overall life style, and I know my message will mean a lot to him.
-My purpose is to show Jeremey how much support he has, and maybe even inspire him to continue his fight. I wear my "Team Bigelow" bracelet to support him and his family financially as he deals with this paralysis, but I hope my narrative will give him a different, unique, and real type of support.
-The audience I want to reach through this narrative is first and foremost coach Bigelow. However, I also want to reach out to everyone in the Dublin High School Hockey family who had the pleasure of knowing coach, and show them how special this man was, and still is.

Blog About Kenneth Burke's Hitler Essay

                Kenneth Burke’s look into Adolf Hitler’s notorious war-plan, Mein Kampf, not only explains how such a sinister man could control masses of millions, but also provides a glimpse into human psychology. Burke’s purpose for this essay was to illuminate what strategies and thoughts Hitler utilized to unite so many people in such an evil cause. By illustrating his rise to power through his essay, Burke’s hope is that we will be able to recognize, and stop, such a coalition from forming again. To effectively achieve this purpose, the rhetor wrote his essay as an investigative piece that analyzed Hitler’s actions and then explained the impact they had on his “final solution.”  Hitler responded to his exigence, the intermingling of the Jew with Aryans, by attempting to unite the masses in a war against the common enemy.
                In his essay Burke also identifies a few of the rhetorical strategies Hitler applied that enabled him to rise to power. One rhetorical device that was utilized was the presence of repetition. Hitler drilled his theories into the vulnerable minds of Germans through constant repetition of the “destruction” of the Jew and the “construction” of the Aryan. Burke also emphasized that another one of Hitler’s rhetorical tricks was simply injecting his ideals into the structure of religious patterns of thought. Hitler realized how powerful religion was on a person’s mind, and used religious-based templates to present his twisted plans to the lost masses. Lastly, and arguably the most effective rhetorical strategy Hitler used was his tone. After World War one, Germany was in shambles and the people were a hopeless, depressed mass without any sense of direction. Hitler therefore utilized an enthusiastic and positive tone to give the people something to believe in and follow him.
                Personally, one piece of rhetoric that I never agreed with, but drew a large mass of followers was President Obama’s “HOPE” poster throughout his campaign. After President Bush’s terms, the American people as a whole were unhappy and highly critical of the government.  Tales of corruption, fraud, and conspiracy were spewing everywhere. The time was ripe for “change,” a new leader providing “hope.” My issue was, and still is, that people were hungry for any kind of change; not necessarily the right kind of change. Now, I am not comparing President Obama’s campaign to Hitler in any way shape or form, only simply stating something I didn’t agree with but was nonetheless popular.