In today’s world we have many different ways to control pests and insects that inhabit our fields. New chemicals are being produced and tested every day. Are these chemicals being tested for the effects they could have on our environment though? In, “Silent Spring” an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s, “The Obligation to Endure,” Carson suggests that the pesticides and insecticides we have are harmful to more than just the environment.
Rachel Carson is an author who is passionate about the environment and concerned about the well being of its inhabitants. This is apparent because of the way in which she writes. For example she states, “Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life?” Carson is well educated about the uses of chemicals and possible outcomes that occur from the use of pesticides. The audience of her article is targeted toward those who take part in the use of chemicals an example would be a farmer. This article could also be targeted toward those people who are concerned about our relationship with the environment and the things we do to protect it. This could be a potential area for those interested in the improvement of the environment to find and argue about actions that would benefit their cause.
Carson makes the point that people are not aware some of the chemicals that are being used have a negative affect not only on the pests they are trying to get rid of, but also harmless insects and other animals. Carson explains that eventually people are negatively affected also. Therefore not only is the safety of wildlife at risk, people are in danger. The comment, “they should not be called “insecticides,” but “biocides,” give the reader a good idea about Carson’s opinion on the use of these chemicals.
Carson’s primary appeal used is from a logical perspective. She presents the problem or idea she has about the topic and then backs it up with supporting evidence and fact. She explains the negative affect chemicals of today have and provides a possible alternative to the problem trying to be solved. Carson seems well informed about what she is arguing against. She takes the time to let her readers know the specific process that could improve the agricultural aspect of this problem in a safe way. She really connects with her audience because she doesn’t assume that they know everything about this topic. She explains what the problem is, why it is a problem, and how it could be improved or fixed. The appeal she uses works because she makes her point and provides concrete reasoning and logic.
Carson, Rachel. “The Obligation to Endure.” The Informed Argument.
Eds. Robert K. Miller and Robert P. Yagelski. 6th ed. Boston,
MA: Wadsworth, 2004. 420-6.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
"Creative Anti-Smoking Advertisements" Commentary
The advertisement I am going to be looking at is a picture of a cowboy in a desolate desert looking plain. He is standing by his horse that is apparently dead because he is lying on the ground. The ad simply says, “Second hand smoke kills.” The cowboy’s body language leads me to believe that he is thinking to himself, “Well shoot, what I do now?”
I believe this advertisement has a somewhat humorous side yet it also conveys a very strong message. The message is that second hand smoke kills. The effects could even kill your best friend or companion. The audience of this advertisement is mainly focused toward those who smoke. It is trying to inform the audience that the smoking behavior of others could kill those around them. If a smoker was viewing this it would give them the idea that they could be harming others by smoking around them. This advertisement could also be targeted towards those people who don’t smoke. Targeting that audience would have the purpose of warning those who do not smoke, what could happen if they are around a smoker. The context could be taken from the cowboy’s point of view, (the smoker) or it could be viewed from the horse’s point of view, (the non-smoker.)
This advertisement gives the viewer a sense of the place they could expect to be in if they did smoke. The cowboy is alone in this uninhabited place and now he doesn’t even have a companion. Not to mention it looks like he will be walking anywhere he plans to go. This could be a way for the advertising company to say, if you smoke, be prepared to be left out and alone because your habits may harm someone innocent. The advertisement also makes it seem as though now there’s no hope. He is by himself, there doesn’t seem to be civilization anywhere around, and it looks as though it might be hot. A person may also interpret this advertisement as second hand smoke can knock you off your feet. That would be more directed towards those who don’t necessarily smoke, but that are around second hand smoke. However you look at it, this advertisement does have a very strong message.
“Creative Anti-smoking Advertisements” Mirage studio 7. 27 Nov. 2007 <: blog.miragestudio7.com/.../>.
I believe this advertisement has a somewhat humorous side yet it also conveys a very strong message. The message is that second hand smoke kills. The effects could even kill your best friend or companion. The audience of this advertisement is mainly focused toward those who smoke. It is trying to inform the audience that the smoking behavior of others could kill those around them. If a smoker was viewing this it would give them the idea that they could be harming others by smoking around them. This advertisement could also be targeted towards those people who don’t smoke. Targeting that audience would have the purpose of warning those who do not smoke, what could happen if they are around a smoker. The context could be taken from the cowboy’s point of view, (the smoker) or it could be viewed from the horse’s point of view, (the non-smoker.)
This advertisement gives the viewer a sense of the place they could expect to be in if they did smoke. The cowboy is alone in this uninhabited place and now he doesn’t even have a companion. Not to mention it looks like he will be walking anywhere he plans to go. This could be a way for the advertising company to say, if you smoke, be prepared to be left out and alone because your habits may harm someone innocent. The advertisement also makes it seem as though now there’s no hope. He is by himself, there doesn’t seem to be civilization anywhere around, and it looks as though it might be hot. A person may also interpret this advertisement as second hand smoke can knock you off your feet. That would be more directed towards those who don’t necessarily smoke, but that are around second hand smoke. However you look at it, this advertisement does have a very strong message.
“Creative Anti-smoking Advertisements” Mirage studio 7. 27 Nov. 2007 <: blog.miragestudio7.com/.../>.
"Before He Cheats" Song Commentary
The song “Before He Cheats,” by Carrie Underwood is a song about a girl who has been cheated on by her boyfriend. She sings the song as if she was speaking to you and describing the kind of person that her ex is. The place this song uses is a conversation about destroying a truck. She sings about how she basically destroys his truck in order to get revenge. She gives the listener the idea that his truck is very nice. The whole time she is vandalizing his truck she imagines that he’s probably off hitting on some random girl at a bar. She is very angry about the whole situation and she takes out all her anger by destroying his property.
I really like this song because it is fun to sing along with and it has the potential to relieve stress. It is a way for someone in the same situation to live vicariously through the words of her song. Not many people would actually beat on someone else’s truck and slash the tires to show how disgusted they were with another person. By describing the action of destroying her ex boyfriend’s truck, she is relieving her anger and getting revenge. The tone she uses to begin her song starts out as, I don’t care who he’s with or what he’s doing attitude. She is singing softer and a little less concentrated during this part. She is trying to sound more separated and uncaring at this point. This mood changes when she starts to sing about vandalizing his truck. The music gets louder and her voice is a little more aggressive and cold. Carrie’s song starts at a lower tone, imagining what he’s doing. She sings with a certain attitude that sounds as if she’s fed up with him. As the song progresses she get a little louder, especially after the point where she tauntingly sings, “Oh but he don’t know….” Then she gets loudest and most aggressive when she starts describing what she does to his truck. Carrie finally makes the point that after she’s done all of this to his truck, which apparently means a lot to him, he’ll think twice before he cheats on someone. The last words of her song also assure listeners that she is completely done with their relationship. She sings, “the next time that he cheats, oh you know it won’t be on me.” This just gives the listener a sense of closure for their relationship. If he still thinks there could be something between them, he won’t think that after he sees his truck.
Song writer: Roman White
Some Hearts Artista Nashville
Singer: Carrie Underwood
Song title: “Before He Cheats”
I really like this song because it is fun to sing along with and it has the potential to relieve stress. It is a way for someone in the same situation to live vicariously through the words of her song. Not many people would actually beat on someone else’s truck and slash the tires to show how disgusted they were with another person. By describing the action of destroying her ex boyfriend’s truck, she is relieving her anger and getting revenge. The tone she uses to begin her song starts out as, I don’t care who he’s with or what he’s doing attitude. She is singing softer and a little less concentrated during this part. She is trying to sound more separated and uncaring at this point. This mood changes when she starts to sing about vandalizing his truck. The music gets louder and her voice is a little more aggressive and cold. Carrie’s song starts at a lower tone, imagining what he’s doing. She sings with a certain attitude that sounds as if she’s fed up with him. As the song progresses she get a little louder, especially after the point where she tauntingly sings, “Oh but he don’t know….” Then she gets loudest and most aggressive when she starts describing what she does to his truck. Carrie finally makes the point that after she’s done all of this to his truck, which apparently means a lot to him, he’ll think twice before he cheats on someone. The last words of her song also assure listeners that she is completely done with their relationship. She sings, “the next time that he cheats, oh you know it won’t be on me.” This just gives the listener a sense of closure for their relationship. If he still thinks there could be something between them, he won’t think that after he sees his truck.
Song writer: Roman White
Some Hearts Artista Nashville
Singer: Carrie Underwood
Song title: “Before He Cheats”
Rhapsody in August, Film Analysis
Rhapsody in August is a film about four grandchildren who are in Nagasaki. They are there visiting their grandmother. The children are ages of probably 9-14. An organ that was played by their grandfather plays an important symbolic role in this film. When we are first introduced to the grandchildren, they are sitting around listening to one of the children trying to play the organ. They tell him that it is never going to be in tune. He promises to have it working by the end of the summer. Other activities they do while at their grandmother’s include looking for adventurous things to do around their grandmother’s house. One day they get a letter in the mail saying that their grandmother’s brother is in America and wants her to come and see him because he is sick. The children think this is a wonderful idea because are interested in American life. This is apparent because they wear clothes with American sayings and words. This made me feel that the children view American things as cool. The children realize their grandmother is getting old and maybe this trip would be good for her. She still lives in her somewhat large home all alone and they believe getting out would be exciting for her and them. The children try and talk their grandmother into going, but she refuses. She wants to be here for the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing. When they send a letter in response to their cousin Clark explaining this, he becomes aware that the death of his uncle was because of the atomic bomb and immediately flies to Nagasaki to join in the remembrance ceremony.
The Grandmother is torn because she has harbored feelings toward Americans after what happened to her husband and the other people of Nagasaki. She isn’t sure she feels comfortable going to America. She also wants to be home to remember those who died in the bombing. She is kind of hostile toward Clark because he is American. She doesn’t know whether to accept him and let him come into her home and feel welcome or not. When he gets there she sees the pain and sorrow on his face and through his actions. This softens her heart and makes her realize that he is not personally responsible for what happened to her husband and many others. She accepts him into her home and lets the barrier between she and Clark subside. In the very end of the movie Clark receives word that his father has died. He immediately returns to the United States. The grandmother feels his pain of losing someone. That night the children awake because of a storm. Their grandmother runs in telling them to get under the blankets. It’s a bomb. The next morning they see their grandmother is missing. She is running toward town. It is as if the sorrow she felt earlier has evoked her memories and she is reliving the day of the atomic bomb.
There are several places this film focuses on. Nagasaki holds a lot of painful memories. This is also a place where the children come to remember their grandfather. It is ironic because when Clark comes, he wants to visit where his uncle died. I believe this was done to show the shared feelings of an “American” and the children who are from Nagasaki. The bare playground symbolizes the relationship the children had with their grandfather and Clark had with his uncle. They were never able to have one. They only have a memory linked to his death to remember him by.
Another place that is important to this film was the grandmother’s house. Many feelings occurred there. There was love between the family, hostility between Clark and the grandmother, and there was also healing that occurred there. For instance the organ symbolizes the relationship between the grandmother and Clark. It starts out broken. Even though it exists it cannot play right. The fact that it was played by the grandfather links it to their relationship. When Clark and the grandmother sit and talk and work out their differences the organ begins to work and is in tune. When the relationship was fixed the organ was fixed. The song about the rose that the eldest boy played on the organ was also symbolic of understanding. When they were at the temple on the memorial day of the atomic bomb, there were ants crawling up a rose. It was as if the song resembled understanding between Clark/ Americans, and the people of Nagasaki.
I believe the theme of this film was to show the differences between Americans and the people from Nagasaki. It was meant to show that even though the Americans were the cause of so much pain and sorrow, Americans are just people too. We have sorrow, trouble, and problems. This realization helps mend the relationship between Clark and the grandma.
Rhapsody in August. Dir. Akira Kurosawa. Perf. Hisashi Igawa and Sachio Sakai. World Films, 1991.
The Grandmother is torn because she has harbored feelings toward Americans after what happened to her husband and the other people of Nagasaki. She isn’t sure she feels comfortable going to America. She also wants to be home to remember those who died in the bombing. She is kind of hostile toward Clark because he is American. She doesn’t know whether to accept him and let him come into her home and feel welcome or not. When he gets there she sees the pain and sorrow on his face and through his actions. This softens her heart and makes her realize that he is not personally responsible for what happened to her husband and many others. She accepts him into her home and lets the barrier between she and Clark subside. In the very end of the movie Clark receives word that his father has died. He immediately returns to the United States. The grandmother feels his pain of losing someone. That night the children awake because of a storm. Their grandmother runs in telling them to get under the blankets. It’s a bomb. The next morning they see their grandmother is missing. She is running toward town. It is as if the sorrow she felt earlier has evoked her memories and she is reliving the day of the atomic bomb.
There are several places this film focuses on. Nagasaki holds a lot of painful memories. This is also a place where the children come to remember their grandfather. It is ironic because when Clark comes, he wants to visit where his uncle died. I believe this was done to show the shared feelings of an “American” and the children who are from Nagasaki. The bare playground symbolizes the relationship the children had with their grandfather and Clark had with his uncle. They were never able to have one. They only have a memory linked to his death to remember him by.
Another place that is important to this film was the grandmother’s house. Many feelings occurred there. There was love between the family, hostility between Clark and the grandmother, and there was also healing that occurred there. For instance the organ symbolizes the relationship between the grandmother and Clark. It starts out broken. Even though it exists it cannot play right. The fact that it was played by the grandfather links it to their relationship. When Clark and the grandmother sit and talk and work out their differences the organ begins to work and is in tune. When the relationship was fixed the organ was fixed. The song about the rose that the eldest boy played on the organ was also symbolic of understanding. When they were at the temple on the memorial day of the atomic bomb, there were ants crawling up a rose. It was as if the song resembled understanding between Clark/ Americans, and the people of Nagasaki.
I believe the theme of this film was to show the differences between Americans and the people from Nagasaki. It was meant to show that even though the Americans were the cause of so much pain and sorrow, Americans are just people too. We have sorrow, trouble, and problems. This realization helps mend the relationship between Clark and the grandma.
Rhapsody in August. Dir. Akira Kurosawa. Perf. Hisashi Igawa and Sachio Sakai. World Films, 1991.
"A not-so-rare Dilemma" News Article Summary
How you order a steak is based upon personal preference. In the article, “A not-so-rare dilemma” by Chicago Tribune’s restaurant critic Phil Vettel, a person’s preference isn’t the only thing that affects the amount of time your meat is cooked. The person cooking your steak has a lot to do with what your steak ends up looking like. In this article the author goes through the different definitions of doneness that a steak can be.
“Rare: Red throughout; cool red center.
Medium-rare: Red to bright-pink throughout; warm red center.
Medium: Pink throughout; no red, warm pink center.
Medium-well: Mostly gray brown; some pink to the meat.
Well-done: Gray-brown throughout; well-charred exterior.”
Vettel shares that his order depends on where he is ordering from. He takes into consideration that at a higher quality steak house they will more likely to undercook a steak. Therefore he orders accordingly so when he gets his steak, it is how he enjoys it. At a lower line steakhouse he points out that it may be a better idea to order something a little less done than you usually would. He explains that in many cases the meat is overcooked at these types of places. If you order based on this fact you will end up with the results that you find the most enjoyable. Vettel believes that if you like your steak well done than you should choose the lesser quality steakhouses. He assures you that more than likely you won’t be able to taste the difference and it will be less costly. This article is a great way to help guide you when you are going out to eat at a steakhouse. You have a better chance of coming away from a steakhouse satisfied. Now you know things to go by when selecting a steakhouse and ordering a steak.
Vettel, Phil. “A not-so-rare dilemma.” Chicago Tribune 22 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?d_issuesearch=on&f_subsection=sAT+PLAY&p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%2011D15A79E7227690%20)&d_place=CTRB&p_multi=CTRB&f_issue=2007-11-22&f_publisher=&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=N5DO4CFAMTE5NjI4MDQwNi44MTAyNzoxOjEzOjY0LjExMy43My4yMDA.
“Rare: Red throughout; cool red center.
Medium-rare: Red to bright-pink throughout; warm red center.
Medium: Pink throughout; no red, warm pink center.
Medium-well: Mostly gray brown; some pink to the meat.
Well-done: Gray-brown throughout; well-charred exterior.”
Vettel shares that his order depends on where he is ordering from. He takes into consideration that at a higher quality steak house they will more likely to undercook a steak. Therefore he orders accordingly so when he gets his steak, it is how he enjoys it. At a lower line steakhouse he points out that it may be a better idea to order something a little less done than you usually would. He explains that in many cases the meat is overcooked at these types of places. If you order based on this fact you will end up with the results that you find the most enjoyable. Vettel believes that if you like your steak well done than you should choose the lesser quality steakhouses. He assures you that more than likely you won’t be able to taste the difference and it will be less costly. This article is a great way to help guide you when you are going out to eat at a steakhouse. You have a better chance of coming away from a steakhouse satisfied. Now you know things to go by when selecting a steakhouse and ordering a steak.
Vettel, Phil. “A not-so-rare dilemma.” Chicago Tribune 22 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?d_issuesearch=on&f_subsection=sAT+PLAY&p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%2011D15A79E7227690%20)&d_place=CTRB&p_multi=CTRB&f_issue=2007-11-22&f_publisher=&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=N5DO4CFAMTE5NjI4MDQwNi44MTAyNzoxOjEzOjY0LjExMy43My4yMDA.
"Ankeny Looking to cut new School;s Amenities" News Article Summary
The article from The Des Moines Register, “Ankeny looking to cut new school’s amenities” focuses on the Ankeny school district. Ankeny plans to build a new elementary school, renovate the current high school and elementary schools, and work on the high school/ middle school complex. The board has been planning for some time now. The rising construction costs have forced the school board to rethink the plans and cut some of the projects from the plan. Building designer Paul Arend said, “To reduce the cost without reducing the quality of the facility is our goal.” The school board is being pushed to come up with other alternatives to cut the costs of building. The building decisions are somewhat dependant on the legislature’s decision for a one cent sales tax. The school board is aware that there are many things they need to consider before finalizing the plans. Different plans of action to cut costs are being formed. Some believe that temporarily closing some of the schools will help with the budget. Closing a few of the schools would halt other plans of action, such as changing the Northview Middle School from a school for eighth and ninth grade students to a school for sixth and seventh graders. There are clearly pros and cons to each different idea and setup. These will have to be weighed and debated to have a successful outcome. The school district is really striving to help their schools without having to slow it down or interfere with the current quality.
Source: Erzen, Todd. “Ankeny looking to cut new school’s amenities.” Des Moines Register, The 23 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?d_issuesearch=on&f_subsection=sANKENY+ZONE&p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%2011D216B217B9B718%20)&d_place=DMRB&p_multi=DMRB&f_issue=2007-11-23&f_publisher=&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=A60Q4FKDMTE5NjI3ODM3MC4zNDMzNDg6MToxMzo2NC4xMTMuNzMuMjAw.
Source: Erzen, Todd. “Ankeny looking to cut new school’s amenities.” Des Moines Register, The 23 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?d_issuesearch=on&f_subsection=sANKENY+ZONE&p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%2011D216B217B9B718%20)&d_place=DMRB&p_multi=DMRB&f_issue=2007-11-23&f_publisher=&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=A60Q4FKDMTE5NjI3ODM3MC4zNDMzNDg6MToxMzo2NC4xMTMuNzMuMjAw.
"You're Eating That?" Newspaper Article Summary
The article, “You’re Eating That?” from The New York Times, is an article that discusses how the food safety market is one of the biggest concerns for Americans. The article also brought up the point that many Americans are less confident in what they are buying from the grocery stores. This could be problematic because the food producers that take their product to a laboratory can easily switch labs if their food is not approved at the first lab. I agree with the article because obviously if the producer’s food didn’t pass at one lab’s testing, it shouldn’t pass anywhere or enter the food market at all. The laboratory that finds a problem with a product is not allowed to notify the FDA and alert them of the problem. They have to give the results to the importer. This is ridiculous because they can just turn around and take their products to another lab that is not as uptight. There is a chance that at this laboratory their product will be passed. The article shares the idea that maybe the producers should be required to tell which lab they are using in order to prevent the switching of labs. We put a lot of trust in the FDA and therefore we expect them to protect our food industry so it is safe for consumers. If they don’t do their job how should we, as consumers, feel safe buying the various products found in grocery stores? If we don’t get these regulations straightened out then the trust that people have in the industry will continue to dwindle and soon we will not have a secure system. Many more problems will be created if we don’t get in control of our current problem in the food market.
“You’re Eating That?” New York Times, The (NY) 26 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb/?p_action=print&p_docid=11D29F561A1BD680&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=X6FD5EKSMTE5NjI3NDgyNi4xNDQ2MTY6MToxMzo2NC4xMTMuNzMuMjAw.
“You’re Eating That?” New York Times, The (NY) 26 Nov. 2007. 28 Nov. 2007 http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb/?p_action=print&p_docid=11D29F561A1BD680&p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated4&p_nbid=X6FD5EKSMTE5NjI3NDgyNi4xNDQ2MTY6MToxMzo2NC4xMTMuNzMuMjAw.
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